oooooo

"This is beginning to look respectable. I think even our mother would be proud."

Thor wipes his hands on his jeans, unconcerned with dirtying them now that the town boasts a small laundromat with devices to wash and dry clothes. The planter boxes before him took several hours to properly assemble, and are now joyfully stuffed with soil and seeds.

A vegetable garden is a welcome physical distraction for Thor. It enables him to gear his brain to task-oriented work that will ultimately serve his home and provide for Loki. Though his brother made faces at every vegetable seed Thor picked up, he knows Loki will go to town on potatoes and herbs once they are harvested.

It's the end of June, and the sun has spent the better part of the morning flirting with Thor's back and neck. Still delighted by the freedom of moving without clothes, Thor preferred to work shirtless, as he was in his own backyard and covered in dirt anyway.

"I can expand over there," Thor says as he gestures to a spot of sunny grass. "We could have beans and peas, anything you'd like."

Loki, who has spent the morning hiding in the shade on a blanket with a library book in his hands, turns a page and only briefly raises an eyebrow at his brother.

"I don't care for vegetables, Thor. You know this."

"You'll like them when they're cooked with all the new herbs and spices," Thor says, hovering his face a few inches above the soil and inhaling deeply as though the seeds below will give off the aroma he knows they'll sprout.

"You're going to make your face filthy," Loki murmurs with his nose in his book.

"Lucky for me there's more than a few skincare products in my bathroom now. Maybe I'll just dip into those," Thor replies with a grin, still hovering over the planter, but with his face turned to his sibling so Loki can see his amusement.

"If you touch my things I'll turn you into a salamander and make you sleep outside."

Thor looks over at his gorgeous brother, and takes advantage of this opportunity for unnoticed spying to run his eye over the way Loki's new pants and sweater fit him so well and lend their cuts to the sharp lines of Loki's long body. His brother is the only person Thor knows who wears dress slacks and an expensive sweater to sit outside and read a book, but Thor isn't going to say anything. Loki is happier wearing clothes he feels proud in, and Thor likes admiring this handsome man he has a crush on.

It tickled Thor to no end this morning when he asked Loki to join him for the gardening and Loki grabbed a blanket, another new purchase, and followed.

They are three paychecks deep now, and Santa Claus Tony has provided more than just checks for hours worked. The town's various community and municipal buildings have built up in recent weeks and a semblance of structure and familiarity is beginning to bloom.

Korg and Meik love the new television and gaming system, which every home can now boast as well per Thor's wish not to have anything his people do not also have, and even Thor finds himself drawn to the device and its controller when he sees how much fun his roommates have with it.

He and Loki still take their walks after work, but this last week they were much shorter as there was more to do at home. With a more thoroughly stocked kitchen, Thor has greatly enjoyed spending additional time with his phone open to a recipe page and a cornucopia of ingredients before him.

Loki continues to eat so little that Thor feels gluttonous everyday when he polishes off his brother's meals and sees no sense in turning things into leftovers when they're hot and delicious now. He can always make something else later.

Heimdall has started joining them for dinner, and Val came over again on Friday. It gives Thor so much calm to cook meals for this extended family and feel like he has a specific purpose. He and Loki return from their walks, Thor cracks open a beer, Loki has wine, and though Asgardians have never needed a reason to partake in drink, Thor tells himself that they're blowing off steam after a long day of work.

When he's onto his second or third beer, he says it's because their negligible alcohol content and effect on his inhuman body makes it easy for him to go through them quickly and he merely enjoys having something to drink while he prepares food.

Once Heimdall comes downstairs and joins and Thor is clinking his seventh or eighth glass against the gatekeeper's, he is simply having a drink with a friend and there's nothing worrying about that.

That this cloying sense of guilt, grief, and feeling like a disappointment are ever present for Thor and the buzz of the beer mixed with the fulfilment that feeding his loved ones gives him is a distraction from acknowledging or dealing with these looming feelings is not something Thor allows himself to worry about.

He is a king now, and has no time for himself anymore. If he falls to pieces, these people will suffer. Loki will suffer - and Thor will not allow that.

Today, though, with a bright blue sky, sweat of labor from building the planter boxes and then tucking little seeds into soil, and hours of easy banter with Loki by his side, Thor feels great. It's the lightest and happiest he has felt possibly since they arrived in New Asgard.

It's early in the afternoon, and with so many hours left in the day Thor feels proud for waking up early and getting all of this work in the backyard done right away. He feels almost giddy, and stands up to stretch his muscles that are already feeling the detriment of a desk job.

"What would you like to see out here?" Thor asks as he twists his torso to loosen the tightness in his back from all the bending over.

Loki has also spent the day hunched over his book, and Thor wonders if his brother will finally let him rub those bony shoulders later.

"A statue of me."

Thor's laugh makes Loki look up and smirk at him. He walks to his brother and sits beside him on the grass instead of the blanket, as his jeans are covered in dirt. They're close enough that Thor can knock Loki's shoulder and tease him.

"What will this statue look like?"

"A recreation of the one on Asgard," Loki answers nonchalantly as he pretends to read.

Thor nods, knowing his brother is amused and paying attention to his peripheral vision.

"That was indeed a splendid statue. Perhaps we should put it in the front yard, though, so everyone can see and enjoy it."

Loki pointedly turns another page and shrugs one shoulder. "If you feel that would be best,"

"We'll just have to make a few changes, for cost cutting purposes."

"Hm. Such as?"

Thor lies down and closes his eye as he folds his arms beneath his head. "You'll be naked, for starters."

He hears Loki's book slam shut and tries not to grin.

"How exactly would that cut costs?"

Thor looks at Loki like he's simple. "Clothes cost money, Loki."

It's banter, and Loki knows it, but he won't be outdone.

"Perhaps I'll dress it in your things."

"Or I could plant a lovely flower garden for you, with all your favorites. I could weave you a little loincloth of petals."

"I wouldn't enjoy that."

"Oh, I would."

The look Loki gives him says he doesn't know what to make of that, and that the trickster is torn between firing a taunt back and staying in this little game, or spying the truth of Thor's words.

Thor simply grins at his brother as though he thinks himself to be the funniest person around.

And Thor can pretend. He can hide behind the notion that he is simply a teasing older brother who thinks it would be funny to pretend to commission a grand statue befitting a royal only to make them naked and then cackle about it.

If he blushes then he reveals that he would actually love to see such a statue and would hope for it to have an erection that Thor might fantasize about sucking, touching, or impaling himself on.

So he grins instead, and holds it until Loki softens and smacks him.

"Fool."

Thor lets out a silent sigh of relief when Loki turns back to his book, still appearing amused.

His secret is safe for another day.

oooooo

When the brothers go back inside, Korg and Meik are on a chair and the floor, respectively, playing a video game. Thor recognizes it as one he's joined for, and pauses to watch their progress while Loki goes to the kitchen.

"How did you make him jump like that?" Thor asks.

"Oh, it's a nifty little trick. You just push these buttons," Korg answers, holding up his controller to show Thor. "That's how you get out of that area with all the crates."

Thor needs to shower off the sweat and dirt, but he wants to play this game.

Loki comes to stand beside him and hands Thor a glass of water as he sips from one himself.

It's unexpected, and Thor is so touched by the gesture that his world immediately narrows into him, Loki, this symbolic gesture of love in the form of H2O, his desire to cup his brother's neck, and nothing else.

"Thank you, Loki," he says. Loki is looking at the television screen, unaware of how close to tears Thor is, and says nothing.

Thor sips his water slowly, wishing to draw out the time he spends with his brother standing so close to him. It fingers grip the glass tighter to keep from questing out Loki's waist and pulling his brother flush against him. All of the sunshine from this morning must have cooked his brain, because Thor nearly feels as though the gesture could be welcome.

When the glasses are empty, Loki retreats to the bedroom to continue reading, and Thor slips into the bathroom to wash.

It's Saturday, and Thor plans to take all the dirty clothes in their home to what he is calling the community center, which now has three washing machines, three clothes dryers, and an ironing board and iron. There's a cabinet full of the proper soap and laundering accessories, and Thor thinks he will wash his and Loki's bedding as well so his brother can slip into clean, soft sheets tonight.

Though they haven't come to blows over sharing a bed, Thor does see that Loki still takes his time getting in. He reads in the living room, or takes his time in the bathroom, and Thor worries that it's deliberate as a means of limiting the time they spend beside each other under the sheets.

He knows Loki isn't sleeping, either. Sometimes Thor will steal a peek at his brother, and see Loki's eyes wide open and his fingers fidgeting with his hair or the edges of his pillowcase. More than once now, too, Thor has gently shaken Loki awake from what appeared to be a nightmare.

Since Thor gets them too, he understands when Loki clams up and rolls onto his other side to hide his face and refuses to talk about them. Thor doesn't want to burden Loki with the stressful dreams that plague him more nights than not, but he doesn't feel burdened by the thought of hearing about what's troubling Loki. His brother is a prideful, secretive being, and the rational part of Thor's brain knows not to take this personally, but the emotional reactive part of him wants to do more and wishes he could scoop his brother into a protective hold and physically bat away intrusive thoughts and unwelcome stress.

The dirty jeans crumple as Thor kicks them down and then strips off his underwear.

Though his muscles would enjoy the release that warm water provides, it's hot enough that Thor lets the water run a bit cold and lets out a happy refreshed sigh as it pours down from the showerhead and rushes the morning's work off of his back.

A statue of Loki.

Under no circumstances would Thor be erecting such a thing, for Loki's benefit more than anything else. He imagines that such a reminder of Loki's deception as king would enrage people, and Thor is pleased with how his brother currently seems to be regarded.

But it would be lovely.

Rather than the giant one Loki built for himself, Thor would prefer one to scale and identical to his brother in every way. He would pay extra for Loki's lips to be parted enough that Thor could kiss him and press his tongue inside the metal mouth. And instead of Loki's arms gesturing toward the sky, they could be cast to wrap perfectly around Thor's shoulders.

He pours soap into his heads and scrubs his arms as his mind hops onto this horny bound train.

Naked is the right call - as Loki's body has no business hiding underneath all the layers that usually drape it. Thor wants to be able to feel his brother's hip bones, and the small of his back, and his cock.

Thor opens his eye and glances at the door, double checking that it's securely shut, and then dives right back in.

He imagines Loki ordering him to show his loyalty and demonstrate his fealty by dropping to his knees and sucking on the golden erection. The real Loki could stand by his side, as a temptation - the true beauty Thor wants in his mouth - but he has to earn it first.

Between his legs, Thor's own prick stands up to hear more of this fantasy, and bobs against the chilly water droplets that bounce off of it.

Thor would suck until he choked, and then suck more, until the metal was nearly warm enough again to mold, and then stroke it while he looked into his brother's eyes and asked if this was how Loki liked to be touched. He wouldn't break away from their gaze as he thumbed the head of his brother's statue penis, and would wait until Loki was frustrated enough to beg Thor to please him properly.

With their last paycheck, Loki purchased silk pajamas in an opalescent sheer color that have been driving Thor wild. It doesn't entirely fit with the world he's creating in his mind, but he imagines Loki in these as he stands beside the statue, and Thor coming forward on his knees, gripping the pant's hem and tugging them down to his brother's bony ankles. Loki wouldn't be able to spread his legs well with the pants there, but Thor would lean in and kiss the inside of Loki's ankle, and drag his lips up the soft skin of his brother's leg until he got to the lush meat of his thigh.

Loki has always had delightfully curvy thighs, particularly for how slim the rest of his body is, and Thor has long fantasized about running his hands over those curves while his brother writhes on his lap.

His cock twitches aggressively and Thor reaches down to grip it, as though scolding it for it's misbehavior, and nearly keens at how good it feels. He's extremely worked up. As his mind continues this aroused fantasy, he strokes himself and tries to stay quiet.

Thor would drag his nails up the backs of Loki's legs and then squeeze his ass and spread his cheeks. Loki's cock would drip in front of his mouth, and beg to be licked clean while Loki panted and pouted above him. And Thor would want to tease but be unable to resist the way Loki smells and sounds, and he would swallow down that aching prick while the hands on Loki's ass pressed him forward and trapped him in Thor's greedy mouth.

The hand that isn't furiously stroking his own cock moves to the shower wall, bracing Thor and helping him stand as he loses himself in this fantasy.

He likes to imagine Loki moaning loudly, unable to help himself, telling Thor how good it feels and how badly he needs Thor. And Thor would give him everything he asked for and more. He'd slip a finger inside his brother's tight hole and fuck Loki with it as a taste for later.

No amount of caution or sense of propriety can prevent the groan Thor releases when he comes. The spray of the water swallows some of the sound, and thankfully it was quiet enough that it's unlikely anyone outside heard it, but the relief Thor feels at finally letting something out - he stands there panting for several minutes basking in this delicious moment for as long as he can.

Korg yells something at the game, and Meik squeaks loudly in response, and Thor smiles as he finishes up with his bathing.

With a towel draped around his hips, Thor walks into their bedroom and feels his heart clench at the sight of his brother lying on their bed reading his book. Loki is still wearing his nice clothes, but his shoes are by the front door and something about the outline of his toes in those socks makes Thor want to scream and squeeze Loki's cheeks.

"Good book?" he asks as he tugs open a dresser drawer.

"Good is a strong word," Loki answers.

Thor lets the towel drop to the floor as he pulls on fresh underwear.

"It looks like you're almost done with it. Do you have another one picked out to read next?"

Loki, without looking up from his book, possibly to avoid seeing a mostly naked Thor, nods.

"I was thinking of grilling tonight. Would you like that?" Thor asks as he tugs a shirt on, hurrying to be clothed if that is the thing keeping Loki from looking at him.

"Grilling what, exactly?"

Thor pulls shorts on and then picks up his towel. "We have chicken breasts and steak, and corn. I'm told it's excellent if you roll the cob in butter after it's been cooked."

Loki rolls onto his side, facing Thor, and the way it makes his curls fall forward is so unbelievably endearing.

"I suppose that sounds alright."

Thor resists the urge to toss the towel at his brother's head.

"Will you come read your book in the living room?"

Finally, his brother looks up at him. "Why?"

With what he hopes is a casual looking shrug, Thor says, "I'm enjoying spending time with you and I'm going to play this game with Korg and Meik."

Loki doesn't say anything, cruel or otherwise, and it must be Thor's birthday because Loki nods and sits up.

Thor pops into the bathroom to hang his towel up and then takes a seat on the couch.

"How do you feel about trying that dungeon again?" Korg asks as he hands Thor a controller.

He's trying very hard not to grin too blatantly at Loki sitting beside him, albeit tucked against the other end of the couch.

"Let's do it," he replies.

oooooo

The dungeon run took four attempts to complete, and by the time the raiding party gets through it Heimdall has already come downstairs, Val has come over, and Loki is two hundred pages into his second book.

The guardian and the Valkyrie have moved dining table chairs closer to the television to watch the game unfold, and though neither of them have ever played this before they have strong opinions on how best to complete this quest.

Loki has moved from sitting with his legs curled under him, somewhat facing the television, to resting with his back against the arm of the couch and his legs stretched out in front of him with his feet resting in Thor's lap. They don't obstruct his gameplay, and Thor is secretly thrilled that they're there. It's the most intimacy Loki has willingly offered since Thor can't even remember when, and it's making his heart beat hard.

He nearly throws the battle just so they can run through it again and he can prolong this contact.

But he won't do that to Korg and Meik...or the inexplicably invested Heimdall and Val.

"Well done," Heimdall says when the game screen displays victorious imagery.

"Time to celebrate with a feast," Val says as she raises her bottle of ale.

Though he is loath to stand, it is time to make food for the family. Thor tests the waters of what Loki will allow and places a hand on his brother's ankle, gripping it and then jovially shaking Loki's leg.

"Are you hungry?" he asks.

Loki closes his book and kicks at Thor.

Playful.

"Can you chop vegetables while I prepare the meat?" he asks as they rise from the couch.

"Yes, for a fee."

Korg goes outside to start the grill and Meik trails behind, squeaking about the game.

"I brought more chicken," Val says as she pulls out the grocery bag she came in with.

"Thank you, it looks like everyone should be well fed," Thor answers.

He and Heimdall transfer the raw meat onto several plates as Loki pushes the vegetable pieces he sliced up onto little wooden skewers, and then they carry the food outside.

"These look good. Well done," Heimdall says as he nods to the vegetable planters.

Thor feels a swell of pride and nods his thanks.

"You're welcome to everything back here. I'd like to expand the garden too."

"Is it all vegetables and herbs like you talked about?" Val asks before taking another swig of her drink.

"For now, yes. I think a fruit tree would be nice too. And some flowers for Loki," Thor says, shooting a grin at his brother and thrilling at how flustered it makes him.

Korg did his job well and the fire is lit and ready to cook.

"Watch your fingers," Heimdall cautions to Thor and Loki as they lay the chicken and vegetables onto the grill.

Loki bristles at being spoken to like a child, but Thor did very nearly burn his fingers and chooses to be grateful for the reminder.

"What have you got to sit on?" Val asks.

"Oh, we've got some nice woven blankets that have been lovely on the grass," Korg answers. "I'll get them."

Thor and Heimdall tend to the grill while Korg and Meik arrange a sitting area and grab plates and napkins for everyone. Val wheels out the cooler she brought, holding her chicken and a veritable treasure chest of booze, and props it open for everyone to partake.

Loki looks unsure of himself, like he doesn't know if he's welcome, and Thor makes a point to include his brother in conversation and continually asks for his help and opinions to ensure he stays near.

By the time the food is ready, the sun is begging to set upon them and the warm orange red glow in the sky is a perfect backdrop to their picnic.

They only have three blankets, and are all forced to sit somewhat close together as they cross their legs and balance plates full of protein on their knees.

"Cheers - to that annoying American friend of yours who bought the grill," Val says as she raises her bottle.

"Here here!"

Thor wasn't sure Loki would stay and dine with them, and fully expected that his brother's limits for social interaction were spent, but beside him Loki stayed. And when Loki finished his corn, he dumped the rest of his chicken on Thor's plate and stole his brother's.

Losing his corn is worth keeping Loki there, and knowing that he's eating.

"This is a nice space with that cliff and the view," Val says, gesturing to the edges of the backyard and the space beyond.

"I think some chairs would go nicely out here," Korg says, and Meik squeaks in the affirmative.

"You could hang some lights up on the gutters," Val continues, "put an actual table out here."

Thor swallows a mouthful of chicken and nods. "Those are nice ideas. And I want Loki to have a more comfortable place to read when he's out here. He spent the morning on one of these blankets keeping me company while I built the planters."

"Aw," Korg says, and from that alone Thor knows Loki is glaring at him.

"Wow," Val says, not bothering to hide her smirk. "That would certainly make me feel special and loved if someone wearing such fancy clothes sat on the ground just to spend time with me."

"I wasn't on the ground, I was on a blanket and I needed some vitamin D. That's all," Loki grumbles.

"You needed whose d?" Valkyrie repeats, pointedly turning her ear to Loki and pretending to mishear.

Thor chokes on his drink and Heimdall shields his amusement by taking a bite of steak. Korg says, "Oh my."

Before Loki can squawk at her, Val presses on. "Speaking of getting your clothes dirty just to get some d, Thor have you used those laundry machines yet?"

He's trying so hard not to laugh and simultaneously worried that Loki is about to commit a murder, but shakes his head to answer her.

"I plan to do some washing tonight though," he replies.

"I'll go with you, we can figure out how to operate them."

"I would be happy to help you as well, Thor," Korg says. "These blankets could use a rinse."

"Then let's finish up and get that done while there's still some straggles of daylight," Val says before draining her drink.

While the others carry plates inside, Thor lingers behind with his brother and hopes Loki isn't upset by Val's teasing.

"I have our dirty clothes in a laundry sack, but is there anything else you want me to wash while I'm down there?" Thor asks, trying to read Loki's body language.

"The sheets," Loki replies, and it's calm enough that he no longer seems enraged, and Thor follows him inside.

Their new sheets are gold satin, and Thor had offered no objection to filling their room with Loki's colors.

He leaves Loki reading on the couch when he and Korg head out to meet Val, and on the walk down the hill Thor spies two twin white flowers in the grass swaying slightly at the gentle breeze. There's nowhere to store them now, but Thor silently vows to collect them on the walk home so he can present them to Loki.

oooooo