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It was the sound that finally broke Loki.
The relentless echo of Thor’s palm against his quickly reddening backside filled the empty throne room; each smack doubling, tripling, quadrupling back across itself and its fellows until the whole of them could almost be mistaken for applause. Although Thor had cleared the room, presumably to spare his younger brother the embarrassment of being disciplined before an audience, they both knew there was no hiding the cacophony they were creating. Loki had done his best so far to ensure he did not add any noises of his own to this percussive symphony of flesh on flesh, but his brother-king craved a tenor accompaniment and would not be denied.
The beat sped up until the fat, bright notes of his punishment tripped and skittered across the gold surface of the great room. They came fast and sharp now like the staccato of hard rain that makes up the heart of a summer storm. Loki was unaware he had whimpered until the soft sound of it rounded back on him, startling him out of the meditative state he fought so desperately to reach each time he suffered this particular penance. A grunt of satisfaction from Thor at his lapse reawakened Loki’s rebellious nature and he struggled anew in vain against the cruel grip that pressed his wrists against his lower back.
“Why must you always fight this, fight me?” Thor’s dominant hand paused, his frustration evident.
“Why mu…st you always treat me…like a child?” The interlude was enough for Loki to find his tongue if not his breath.
It was a familiar refrain for both brothers. Thor sighed and pinched a patch of scarlet skin on the well-abused bottom in his lap, earning him an obscene snatch of muttered blasphemy from his prisoner.
“If you would but act like an adult, show me and the others on the council at least a hint of respect, even attempt to couch your criticisms in a few pleasantries-“
His rant died with Loki’s bitter laugh, “How can I when you’ve ordered me to lie less and speak truth more? Which order am I to follow, my liege? It seems no matter what I do you’ll find a reason to NO!”
Thor’s hand resumed its blistering pace, the pain even more intense after the brief reprieve. Loki’s surprised protest bounced against the walls only to return and burrow in his ear as if escaping the series of sharp slaps that chased it. It was as though he had magicked a legion of clones to scream for him. The pathetic whine that followed cemented his shame and Loki lost control of his infamous silver tongue.
“Pl-please stop! No more! No!”
“You know precisely why I won’t, little brother. Only you can end this.”
“You c-can’t-Oh!” Loki’s back arched involuntarily as that unforgiving hand spanked the tender region of his inner thigh. He squirmed in dismay then stilled, unwilling to give his brother further ammunition.
Thor continued his relentless campaign against Loki’s pert, pink and red ass, alternating slaps and squeezes until the shuddering body across his legs tightened as it reached the breaking point. A low moan crescendoed into a loud, wet sob and then Loki buried his damp face in Thor’s thigh.
Thor rubbed his palm soothingly over the bruising, hot skin of his brother’s glowing cheeks. “All I ask of you is your obedience, Loki. Is that too great a thing to offer your king and brother? Would you rather I seal you away along with your magic?”
Loki sniffled and wiped his nose against the rough fabric of Thor’s pants, “No.”
“You’ve always been my responsibility, little brother. I will not give that up simply because you cannot behave as a prince ought.”
“Y-you mean like you.” Another sob lurked at the edge of Loki’s voice.
“No, I have never expected you to be me. Why would I? You are my precious Loki, there are none like you in all the Nine Realms. I just ask that you behave in a manner fitting your station. You must show respect to earn respect, brother. I would think you’ve suffered enough trips over my lap by now to have learned that lesson. Now,” Thor made a swift strike to Loki’s left cheek, “apologize. I will not hold back any longer.”
“Thor!” Loki’s head came up as he yelped. Another thump followed, so hard and deep that Loki knew he would wear the mark for weeks afterwards.
“Brother, please! I-I-I’m sorry, so sorry! Please, I’ll nev…never criticize you in front of them again! Never! I’ll be good, I swear!” He hung his head in humiliation.
“I should give you another round for making promises you can’t keep.”
“No, Thor, please!”
Loki’s face turned a shade of red deeper than the one currently gracing his backside at Thor’s amused, indulgent laugh. “I should hate this, truly it is indecent how much I enjoy disciplining you, little brother. If only you wouldn’t make it such a challenge and then look so damned adorable when you finally do surrender.”
At any other time Loki would have been spitting fire at Thor’s demeaning words. Instead, he was so drained, so thoroughly overwhelmed that he only managed a weak dissent of “I am not adorable.”
“Of course you are, baby brother. Do not argue, unless you’d like to continue our session?” Although Thor gave the lightest of swats to the sweet curve of Loki’s rear, it still forced a cry of pain and fear from him. “I thought not. Let’s go over what we’ve learned this afternoon. Are you sorry for acting like a child, Loki?”
Loki tensed at the familiar question. Thor always ended his spankings in this way, from the time he was a toddler through the present day. It never became easier for him to swallow his pride and answer. He looked away and pressed his face into Thor’s thigh again, then gave a muffled “yes.”
“Very good. Will you do your best to behave in the future?”
“Yes, Thor.”
“Do you understand that I do this because I love you, because sometimes you need to be protected from yourself?”
Loki hesitated, “Yes and yes.”
“Do I do this because you are inherently bad or because it was your actions that were bad?”
“My actions.” Loki looked up, expecting Thor to let him go as this question usually heralded the end. Instead the grip on his wrists tightened and his brother smiled mischievously.
“Finally, are you the most adorable little brother in all of the Nine Realms?”
The glare Thor received in reply would have flayed the skin and melted the bones of a lesser man. “Yes,” Loki bit out, not bothering to hid the venom behind his answer.
Thor beamed at him as though he had simpered instead of sniped. ”Good boy. Be thankful I have other matters to attend to, or I would expect you in my room after dinner for further punishment.” He released Loki’s bruised wrists and patted his shoulder.
Loki blanched and nodded his understanding. He slowly rose from his undignified position over Thor’s lap, his tight, swollen skin screaming in agony. Past experience told him that it would be better to let his brother-king help him redress. He would then hobble his way to the healers for another jar of salve as his personal supply was running low. Thor had been particularly eager to hand out punishment this month and Loki was never allowed the use of spellwork to heal his bruised bottom.
Loki had just reached the last painful step of the dais when Thor called his name sternly. His king sat on the throne with a hard look of disapproval upon his face but a glint in his eye.
“I did not grant you permission to leave, little brother. It seems I will have to make time for you this evening after all.”