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Another plot, another betrayal. Thor stands at the precipice of the Bifröst, staring down at his brother Loki. He had been arranged to marry the daughter of the elf king, a bit of political maneuvering by their father Odin to secure a more lasting peace between the two realms. But at the night of the engagement, he found his soon-to-be-betrothed in his brother’s chambers in nary but the sheets. Loki had given him a shit-eating grin before being punched in the face. And then Loki just laughed and laughed, as Thor stormed down the hallways to the king’s chambers with Loki’s derisive laughter still ringing in his ears.
That was it for that political alliance- one side could not fault the other entirely, and the matter was embarrassingly put aside as if it had never happened. What never happened nevertheless put somewhat of a strain between the two royal families, a strain that Loki seemed to brazenly delight in. Thor’s fists itched to meet Loki’s face once again, but under the baleful, one-eyed gaze of his father he could not further embarrass their family in front of the royal guests who were taking their untimely leave. The princess could not meet his eyes, and that brought his fury down somewhat. He felt pity for this woman, who could not have known that she had walked into one of Loki’s traps, that whatever sweet nothings he had whispered in her ears to get her to bed were just that- nothing. To her Thor offered a warm hand, and she tearfully accepted before rushing away to her mother’s side, who only nodded at Thor. He felt another log add to stoke the fire of his anger. She did not deserve this.
As their guests left their realm Thor sought to walk the Bifröst on his own to consult with the all-seeing Heimdall. Loki, ever shameless, followed on his heels and loudly spoke to himself of the night he had. It took halfway the rainbow bridge before Thor’s mounting anger get the better of him and he turned and shot a hand to Loki’s neck. His brother smiled, expecting the move. Thor’s grip on his brother’s neck tightened, and it strained Loki’s smile somewhat. That gave Thor a bit of solace, the first in so many hours. Loki laid a hand on his brother’s arm, overly careful as if to not startle. Thor need but turn and Loki would be hauled over the bridge, forever falling into space.
“Brother,” Loki started, honey tongued despite the hand at his throat, “do not tell me it pained you so to see that marriage plot fall apart?”
Thor’s brows furrowed. If he was to be entirely truthful, the prospect of marriage thrilled him not at all. But, yet, there were ways surely to be able to get out of it without hurting another person and embarrassing so many others. However callous Loki’s plan had been though, it surely got him out of it quickest. Thor let his hand fall, and Loki quickly cleared his throat and touched a hand to it. His affable smile turned into a knowing grin as he raised an eyebrow at Thor, who merely gave him a withering stare before moving aside and walking back towards Asgard. This was what got to Loki most, not the punching or the throttling or the promises of pain, but the ice-cold stare and the disregard. It reminded him so much of the All Father. His fists balled and he loudly said,
“Will you not even ask why I did it?”
Thor stopped, sighed, and looked to his feet. He could continue to ignore Loki, he could. But he has never yet done so, to his chagrin. He turned and trained his eyes towards Loki, who at his attention looked triumphant. His brother theatrically cocks his head to a side and opens his arms.
“Well?”
Thor sighed again. “Why did you do it.” He asked, voice flat and without emotion.
“Oh, but do you not want to hear how I did it first, brother? How I first learned of our father’s plots, how I cleverly stole into his chambers and read their communications? How I fashioned myself into the charming man our dearest princess longed for in her dreams? How...”
“Just tell me why you did it.” Thor cut in, not at all amused by Loki’s show. It could not be anything but a show.
Loki stopped, and straightened up, and it was like seeing him transform into something else. Gone was the half-smile that always graced his lips, the quirked brow and the gaze that always looked as if it knew something you didn’t. There instead, probably for the first time, was sincerity. But even this sincerity Thor knew he should doubt. Loki looked him square in the eyes and said,
“Because I love you.”
Thor moved quick as lightning, bearing down on his brother with a hand gripping the front of his robes, face a fury of emotions. It caught Loki off-guard but for a moment, and he was quick to react by gripping at Thor’s shoulders.
“Don’t you dare, Loki, don’t you even say those words.” Thor hissed at him, angry. They had agreed. They would not put it in words, they would never make it real beyond the furtive darkness of the night. “Not from you, you snake, you treacherous...”
“Why do you hate to hear it so? Is it because it’s true?” Loki rejoined, spitting out the words.
“Lies, you are the father of lies!” Thor shoved and moved them both back towards the edge of the Bifröst. “I should toss you over this bridge and be done with you!”
“But you won’t, and why is that so? Tell me, oh do tell me, brother.” Loki said, the last word filled with venom.
Thor stared at him, breathing hard and wild-eyed. He had been made. He opened his mouth to reply but no words escaped his lips, and then he closed his mouth and swallowed. He squeezed his eyes shut and pushed Loki to the safe side of the bridge.
“Perhaps I should throw myself instead.” He whispered.
“Oh let’s not be dramatic, beloved.”
Thor’s eyes flew open and his head whipped back to look at Loki, with his cocked brow and his half-grin back in place, as if nothing happened, as if they had not transgressed. Thor turned on his heel and fled back to Asgard, Loki’s laughter following his every step.