Thanks to Lise for beta-reading.

Groaning and stretching, Thor remembered with regret the times when the pain in his muscles was deliciously warm and satisfying, instead of the cold, pinching rigidity that he felt now. He had no objection to feeling the results of endless sparring, heavy training or the actual fighting in battle, but this, this was ridiculous. For the last several months, he had been joining his father daily in meetings, lessons and audiences, sitting straight and unmoving, keeping his decorum as he listened to hours of boring talk, over-complicated strategies and petty problems.

He had always wanted this – he had always wanted to be the king of Asgard, the ultimate ruler, the feared and loved monarch. Only he didn't expect it to be so painful and tiring.

Shifting restlessly on the bed, he had to admit that even lying down wasn't helping anymore. His shoulders were way too tense and his feet were cramping. What a notion! He, who could walk for a week straight without rest (as he proved on the quest to Nornheim), was now defeated by a chair with a too straight back and a cold floor.

He had been suffering like this for weeks, perhaps months now. Initially, he considered simply going to the healing rooms. Did the healers not often enough relieve him from muscle pain when he hurt himself during training? But his pride stopped him. How could he reveal to anyone his condition? It was humbling and not becoming for someone of his position.

Except he was really hurting.

Turning to his side, he attempted to reach behind his back and rub some of the most painful spots, but with little success. Just as he was about to slump back to his original position, a quick, careless rap on the door, followed immediately by the sound of door opening, interrupted him.

"Thor, did you-" Loki stopped in his tracks, closing the door behind him. "What are you doing?"

"Resting," murmured Thor, slightly embarrassed. The sun had only just gone down – hardly a time for a grown man to be retiring for sleep.

Loki raised his eyebrows. "I thought you only attended a few audiences today."

Thor laughed bitterly.

"Yes. Only a few."

Loki approached the bed, looking searchingly down at Thor.

"Sarcasm doesn't become you, Thor. What is the matter with you? Are you ill?"

Whether Loki's concern was genuine or not, Thor couldn't tell, but he decided to share his condition anyway.

"I hurt all over," he admitted with a sigh.

Loki's lips quirked, as he tried to smother a smile.

"From... what exactly? Sitting around all day?"

At those words Thor's temper flared

"Yes!" he hissed at Loki. "Exactly. So either help me or get out. I am in no mood for your mockery."

He regretted his outburst as soon as he saw Loki's eyelids twitched with hurt.

"I am sorry. I did not mean that. Come see my shame, brother. Apparently I am not built for sitting straight and unmoving."

Adding the guilt of striking out unnecessarily at Loki to his already bad mood completed Thor's misery and he let his head fall back, closing his eyes.

"Well, of course your not." Loki's voice was soft. "Go draw yourself a hot bath and soak in it for a while. I will be right back. I think I know just the thing that will help."

And with that, he left, leaving Thor looking bewilderedly after him. So Loki would really help? Suspicion crept right after. Oh, he would pay for this.

But right now, all he had in mind was following Loki's instruction as he entered his private bathing chamber. Usually he made use of the public ones in the palace, preferring to share in conversation with his friends as he bathed, this time however he was grateful for the privacy as he let the hot water stream and fill the huge tub. When that was done he lowered himself into it with a moan. It helped some, the heat loosening some of the knots in his back, but it wasn't nearly enough. After a while, disgruntled, he exited the tub, drying himself carelessly and wrapping the towel around his hips.

Loki was already waiting for him. He had changed, Thor noticed, now he only wore very simple pants and a tunic, something Thor would suppose Loki could sleep in. Glass clinked as Loki put several vials on Thor's bedside table.

He glanced at Thor, no visible emotion marring his features.

"Lie down, on your stomach."

Thor did so, eager now, hoping the relief would come soon. But some minutes passed and Loki was still doing something with whatever it was that he brought with.

"What are you doing?" he asked, impatient.

"Mixing the perfect oil for the state you are in."

"You mean to massage me then." It sounded a lot like question.

"Yes, of course. And in order for massage to be really successful, one must be relaxed as a whole, body and mind. The scents of the oils have a crucial role in that," lectured Loki, but finally turned to Thor and climbed on the bed, kneeling close.

"What did you put in?"

There was a pause and Thor didn't know whether Loki would answer him or not.

"Mint, ginger, black pepper, chamomile and sandalwood. I trust you have no interest in listening to the exact proportioning."

"No-" Thor's answer turned into a groan as Loki's fingers descended on him.

Loki started working on Thor's shoulders, spreading the sweet, heavy smelling oil over his skin and gradually putting more and more pressure behind his movements. Thor didn't understand Loki's pattern or even if there was one, but the painful knots in his back begun to unclench and every time Loki pressed hard on some spots, he wasn't even trying to supress the moans coming out of him now.

Loki rubbed his thumbs insistently on the hard muscle where shoulder met neck and Thor couldn't stop a small hiss of pain.

"Relax," murmured Loki distractedly, reaching for more oil and repeating the motion, though more gently this time. Moving on, he focused on Thor's spine, again mostly using his thumbs, but every now and then spreading his whole palms against the planes of Thor back, pressing, easing and pressing again, then positioning his fingers into odd (but miraculous, thought Thor) positions and tapping with force.

"Hmm," spoke up Loki suddenly, sounding thoughtful. "I am not sure if I am doing this in the correct symmetry."

"What? Why?" startled Thor from his relaxation.

"Well because I am on your side. Hold on,"continued Loki, even if his explanation didn't help Thor much and then proceeded to straddle Thor's tights, kneeling with his legs spread apart, not sitting down.

"Better," hummed Loki and continued his ministrations. He was in much more convenient position now, the pressure of his hands symmetrical and hovering over Thor, he had stronger leverage too. Immediately taking advantage of it, he forwent the gentle movements in favour or long, languid kneads, often starting one motion at Thor's neck and not easing until he reached the tail bone. Now Thor was making sounds more often than not, his own pleasure and the breath being pushed out if his lungs combining into rather loud groans. Sometimes, especially when Loki was focusing on lower parts, he would lean back and almost sit on Thor and Thor was suddenly appreciative of Loki's light, casual clothing. Otherwise, it would have been uncomfortable.

After carefully feeling the whole length of Thor's upper body and discovering most of the muscles loosened enough, Loki quickly threw his leg over Thor to get back on the side and shuffled down to sit lower on the bed, about the level of Thor's knees. At this point, Thor was placated enough not to even question this. For the first time in weeks, he felt good, not only for lack of acute pain or misery, but good, warmth and pleasure spreading through him.

Loki started with his foot, bending the toes, interlacing his own fingers in the gaps and stretching the whole length. When he was done with both feet, he moved to change his position again and this time Thor perked up, unsure. Loki grabbed one of his ankles and pulled, moving it from the other and spreading Thor's legs, though not too wide. Just enough so that he could kneel between his feet. Loki was subtler than Thor, his own body strong enough, but definitely not so prominent and so he didn't need much space, but that didn't mean Thor wasn't feeling slightly vulnerable. He was only covered by a towel after all.

To add to Thor's discomfort, Loki went to get more oil and he had to stretch over the whole length of Thor's body, their legs touching and hips bumping together while Loki supported himself on one hand, reaching for the bowl with the other.

Then his fingers returned, massaging his calf, digging into pains Thor didn't even know he had and all uncertainty was warded off. Loki dutifully massaged both of his calves and then moved higher, fingers tracing the prominent muscle of Thor's thighs. He startled and instinctively tried to close his legs.

"Oh, hush. You never were ticklish, even as a child. Don't start now."

Thor opened his mouth to retort, but nothing came out as Loki kneaded the flesh of his thigh, fingers rubbing over the inner-thigh with no hesitation.

Thor sank back into the bed, releasing a breath, and willed himself to stop thinking. Loki was the one orchestrating this and if he wasn't uncomfortable, who was he to argue? Loki apparently knew a lot about this.

But how?

"Where did you learn to do this?"

"Really Thor, I am going out of my way to help you. Stop squirming and stop the talking," cut him Loki off shortly, pressing his thumb hard into the flesh as a warning. Thor gasped and quieted down.

Loki's hands were now slowly creeping over Thor's mid-thigh.

He's going to stop any second, Thor thought. Any second now.

He didn't. In one slow, calculated motion Loki's palms, currently wrapped around the strong column of Thor's thigh, slid up until the heel of his hands were pushing the towel up, all the way to Thor's buttocks. Just as confidently, Loki relocated his hands on his other leg, repeating the motion.

In between forced breaths, in a sudden moment of clarity, Thor realized that Loki's fingers were brushing just millimetres away from his balls. The towel was out of the way and while it was still covering most of his ass, quite some parts of him were exposed too.

He was used to men seeing him naked, of course. Only not like this, so closely, so intimately, with his legs spread open. While touching him. Not to mention that this was Loki. His brother.

Meanwhile, seemingly not at all nonplussed, Loki continued his massage. His technique was different now, the legs needing other sort of attention than the back. The pressure was more even, movements smoother.

Again and again Loki finished his strokes by bumping into Thor's butt, fingers sliding between his legs and after a while, it became too much. To his unending horror, Thor was growing aroused.

He couldn't help it. The stimulation was so pleasant, but at the same time so sensual that his brain got confused.

Before he could figure out how to deal with this, Loki gave him a finishing smack and stood up.

"Feeling better?" he asked while collecting his vials.

"Words can't describe. I think I will fall asleep any minute," said Thor, hoping to explain why he wasn't moving, and most importantly, turning over. "Thank you, brother. I really appreciate this."

"I am sure that an opportunity will arise for you to pay me back. Tell me if you need my help again."

And with a goodnight, he left.

Thor would never guess that while he was lying there, recovering and wishing his erection to go away, Loki slid down the door of his own rooms as soon as it closed safely after him and finished himself it mere three quick strokes, moaning his brother's name.

The next morning, Thor woke up free of pain, but with enough mortification for his desireto compete even with the ordeal of the preceding days. In light of the day, he began to realize how unlikely it was that Loki didn't notice his reaction. He must have been tense and flushed, and quite obvious in his unwillingness to turn around to properly thank Loki for his kindness. Loki was smart. And now he will never hear the end of this. Or worse, Loki would hate and despise him, or be disgusted completely by him.

In the next days, he didn't have to put too much effort into avoiding Loki. He was so busy attending everything that Father needed him to.

As a result, his dilemma was mercifully postponed for a few days, but it soon resurfaced.

The pain was back.

It was late afternoon and Thor, finally excused from his duties, was hovering undecidedly on a terrace which was overlooking the sparring grounds, wishing to go there, but feeling under the par when Loki sneaked up on him.

"Hurting again, brother?" he murmured into Thor's ear, so close he could feel his breath. Thor almost jumped.

"Yes," he admitted, stealing himself.

"Why did you not tell me?"

Thor turned to face Loki, who, for some reason, seemed to be pouting.

"I do not wish to bother you."

"Your gloominess is what bothers me. Norns know what you could do. Come," beckoned him Loki, already walking away, not checking if he was coming or not. Thor held his breath, hesitating.

Just one more time. Maybe I won't react so badly this time, he told himself, hurrying after Loki.

He did, in fact, react badly. Even worse than before. Loki brought him to his own rooms this time, as they were a bit closer than Thor's.

Thor entered, looking around. He used to come here quite often when they were younger, but then Loki became a more private person, spending time alone, often closing himself in his rooms. Were it not for the suspense, Thor would be overjoyed that Loki would bring him to his chambers.

The room, huge and spacey as it was, courtesy of being a prince, was filled with many possessions and it made it feel cosy. Loki liked various drapes and curtains dividing the space much more than Thor did and his bed, unlike Thor's which was placed in the middle of the room, with both sides accessible, was basically hidden in a corner, shadowed by layers of cloth.

Thor stood there, slightly awkwardly as Loki retrieved the vials before looking at him oddly.

"Well? Will you not undress and lie down?"

Thor quickly shed most of his clothing, keeping his pants on, not willing at all to go completely naked.

He was almost on the bed when Loki's voice stopped him again.

"Those pants too, Thor." Loki was sounding bored and maybe a bit annoyed. "Grab a blanket if you want. Though I do not understand why you are being so squeamish."

Face flushed, Thor did as he was told, lying down and throwing one of the covers from Loki's bed over himself.

After that, Loki set to work quickly. He positioned himself immediately over Thor this time, having decided it allowed him the better movement. Thor was acutely aware of the closeness.

"Oh my, you really are tense. What did father torture you with today?" spoke Loki up as he probed the hardest places that formed in Thor's flesh. Thor mumbled something in response, not really wishing to reminiscence about his duties.

Shortly, he succumbed to the delightful sensations, congratulating himself on his choice. That is until Loki worked his way down to his lower back and while attempting to pour just several more drops of the oil, the vial slipped in his fingers and almost all the contents sloshed at Thor and the blanket covering him.

"Oh damn," swore Loki. "Sorry. I will wipe that."

And before Thor could protest, Loki snatched the blanket, used it to mop up most of the redundant oil from Thor and threw it away to the floor, leaving Thor naked under him. He then proceeded as if nothing had happened, oblivious to Thor's panic.

"You need to relax, Thor," chided him Loki after a while, feeling all the rigidity in his brother's body. "I can't put any more pressure on you else I should hurt you."

"Could you," breathed Thor. "Could you please put another blanket on me?"

"What? Oh, sure," shrugged Loki, doing as he was asked. Thor sagged a bit after that, letting Loki continue.

Loki followed the same pattern as before and apparently, so did Thor's body. As soon as Loki's hands moved north of his knees, he was hard. Several strokes up and down his thighs and he had to pretend he was straining to avoid a painful dig of Loki's fingers so that he could rub himself a bit against the mattress. Before Loki was finished, he was nearly delirious from the combination of pleasure and lust.

"There. Was it good?"

"Mhph? Yes. Yes, of course. Thank you," babbled Thor, blushing.

"I have some matters to attend, so feel free to stay down for a bit. You should not move immediately anyway. Just close the doors behind you when you leave."

Thor had hard time believing his luck. How else would he be able to hide his arousal? Now he could safely wait for a bit and then leave, his cloak hiding him against all prying eyes.

Or maybe...

Thor eyed the discarded, soiled blanket. Loki wouldn't ever touch or see it again, it would be cleaned away long before his return. Why shouldn't Thor bring his relaxation to a yet another level and use it to wipe the evidence?

He would feel guilty about this later, but right now, he flipped onto his back with a sigh, finally freeing his erection from being confined for so long between his body and the bed. Reaching out, he helped himself to a bit of the oil Loki was using on him and wrapped one hand around his cock, stroking quickly and impatiently. For all the strain he had endured the previous minutes, it didn't take him too long to finish and just as he squeezed his eyelids firmly shut, hips rising of the mattress, mouth open in silent scream, he wished it weren't his own big hands touching him, but rather the delicate and so, so nimble and capable hands of Loki.

Meanwhile, hidden in one of the curtains, warded against all sight with magic, Loki watched Thor come hard on his own bed, devilish smile spreading his lips as he reached down into his own pants to more or less mimic his brother's actions.

It became a habit after that. Thor felt resigned. There was a perverse part of him that craved Loki's touch. It was wrong and he felt guilty, but he couldn't make himself stop. Who was he hurting? Loki surely had no idea. He genuinely thought he was merely helping his brother deal with the weight of ruling, much as he would do by accompanying him in a battle or meeting diplomats. As long as he simply accepted whatever Loki offered him (no matter how he twisted it in his own mind) and then took care of the unavoidable lust that filled him afterwards by himself or occasionally with a willing lady, nothing could go wrong.

One thing still bothered him though. Or perhaps two. Where had Loki learned this skill and why wasn't he asking for anything in return yet? Any talking during the massage itself seemed to annoy Loki and at other times, Thor had trouble bringing the topic up, fearing that Loki would read something in his face. It was an advantage of the sessions – he couldn't see Loki at all and Loki barely saw part of his face.

One day, he couldn't help himself.

They were once again in Loki's rooms, having before alternated at random or by better convenience.

"Where did you learn to do it?" asked Thor again, as he undressed himself. Loki smiled, a small, mysterious smile that Thor knew to associate with his brother's mischief.

"It a more complicated than that. What I have been doing is not the full range of what this particular craft has to offer. Perhaps if I show you that..." he paused, thinking it over. "But no. You probably would not enjoy that. It might be... overstimulating."

A shiver ran through Thor, his heart jumping with a sudden thrill.

"No, please. I would like you to try," he said, trying to sound calm. Even if he didn't know what it would be, he craved it just because of the way Loki spoke about it.

"Very well," nodded Loki with an expression of slight concern. Then he slowly approached Thor who had stopped taking his clothes of, captured in their conversation. "But I must warn you. You must trust me completely and follow my every direction, do you understand?"

"Yes, of course," nodded Thor, eager.

"I mean it, Thor," pressed Loki on, putting one hand on Thor's shoulder and looking into his eyes seriously. "Can you do it? Can you not question what I tell you to do and do it? Because I could hurt you if you don't and I will stop if you are not cooperating."

"Yes."

"Good. Finish undressing."

Instead of waiting until Thor laid down and covered himself as usual, Loki walked to the bed and after quick assessment, he picked up one of his pillows and placed it half way on the mattress before turning back to Thor.

"Lie down with the pillow under your stomach."

Thor was mindful of what he had just promised Loki, but he still couldn't help looking at him with a bit of a surprise.

"It's for a different angle of your back. Now go on. I won't be explaining everything to you."

Thor complied hurriedly, afraid that Loki would back out if he didn't obey. He shifted unsurely, the pillow pressing softly into him, making his back arch a little, which he supposed was the goal. Another thing he noticed (and probably not the goal) was that his hips were just a little bit raised, leaving more space for his cock that was already hardening in anticipation.

Musing like this, he startled when a cloth touched his face, but before he could voice any concern, he realized what was happening. Loki was blindfolding him. Well. He scrambled blindly for a blanket to belatedly put on himself, but a delicate hand wrapped around his wrist.

"Na-ah. That would get in the way."

Then Loki did something that Thor couldn't recognize from the mere sounds, but finally oil was spilled over his back and he shivered. The smell was different this time.

Loki began similarly enough, the same touches and presses that usually made Thor melt, but after a while, he noticed that there wasn't as much strength behind the movements as usual. It felt less like a massage and more like a... caress and at that point, even Thor grew suspicious.

As the back routine came to an end, Thor realized that the whole time he couldn't feel Loki straddling is as usual, but before he could think of a reason why, he felt movement, the mattress dipping on his side.

Loki placed his hands gently on the undersides of his knees and slowly pulled them apart.

"Do not startle," he told Thor very quietly. Wave of hotness came over Thor. Whatever was Loki trying to do, it had a very one-sided effect on Thor. His senses, robbed of sight were in over-drive, his imagination running wild as he laid there, naked and spread. All he felt he could do was stay still and look forward to whatever pleasures Loki would bring him and hope that his arousal would stay hidden.

The mattress lowered again, this time between his legs. Loki had knelt between his ankles many times before, but he was positioned much higher now, Thor could tell. He realized with a flush just how much apart his legs were if Loki could kneel so close to him without his sides touching him.

Suddenly he felt a slow dribble of the oil, starting out on his lower back and- ohnornswhatthehowwhywhat- continuing over his buttocks, drops slipping between them and even trickling down his balls.

As the oil was smoothly followed by Loki's hands, who wasn't even pretending to have any care for the health of Thor's muscles, Thor began to realize he had been played. Oh no. Loki had known. He had know all this time. Any time he would be under on-slaughter of scorn and hate and disgust, Loki trying to drive his point home by marking him with the oil like this, in the areas that man should not seek pleasure.

Loki placed his palms above Thor's knees, each at one leg and slid them up ever so slowly in a copy of the same movement that originally stirred the first feeling of arousal in Thor. He went on and on, over the curve of Thor's ass, squeezing his buttocks, thumbs caressing the sensitive skin of the edge, every moment suggesting slipping inside.

It wasn't until Loki repeated this journey twice that Thor found enough breath and wits to speak.

"Loki-" he gasped more than spoke.

"Ssh. No talking. You must obey me, remember?"

That shouldn't have made Thor's cock twitch. But it did.

Loki's hands were meanwhile back on Thor's behind, kneading softly. Then one hand disappeared and soon Thor felt yet another dose of oil being poured on him, directly between his spread cheeks. He could hardly pretend to not know where this was going. He could not fathom Loki's reasons, but his objective was clear. And Thor was going to let him, he knew that, his cock straining hard in the less-than-before, but still uncomfortably confined space.

When Loki's fingers finally slipped in to caress his hole, he bit his lip to stop the moan, but it didn't prevent him from arching his back.

Loki didn't enter him immediately, preferring to instead rub the tips of two of his fingers around the puckered skin, occasionally curling them and pressing and rubbing his knuckles over the place. Unwillingly, he spread his legs further, pushing back to get more friction, breathing hard. Loki then shifted again, now straddling one of Thor's thighs while his fingers never stopped moving. Then he continued dragging one hand over Thor's hip and reached under him and grasped his cock.

"Loki, ooh, Loki, please," Thor couldn't help himself. Loki lowered himself as close to Thor as possible without losing his balance and whispered against his skin:

"I said no talking, Thor. You wouldn't want me to stop now, would you?"

Thor's only reaction was to buck his hips as Loki began stroking him. It was still more teasing than satisfying, the copious amounts of oil easing the friction to the point of dullness. He was slick all over, his back, legs and most importantly his whole intimate area.

Without any warning, Loki increased the pressure of his fingers while at the same time tightening his grip on Thor's length, finally bringing him the long denied pleasure. When Thor gave in to the feelings with a groan, he pressed the fingers inside and immediately started working them in and out, not giving Thor a second of recuperation.

"Breathe," Loki commanded and Thor gasped, taking gulps of air to his lungs.

"Good," murmured Loki and increased the pace just a bit, both of his hands working relentlessly. He toyed with Thor, squeezing his cock firmly while withdrawing his fingers almost fully and thrusting them back shallowly, not nearly enough. Then he changed his tactics completely, fucking Thor quickly and deeply, pushing the fingers in hard while only ghosting his palm over his, now red and swollen cock, tickling the slit. After the oil began to mix up with Thor's sweat he was panting harshly, words escaping him every now and then against his will. Only then Loki combined the stimuli, stroking quickly with his fist tightened and driving into Thor with three fingers. It only took a few more minutes and then Thor cried out, body tightening, all muscles in his body flexing as he came hard on Loki's hand, thick streams of come covering his fist and the covers.

Loki slowly pulled his fingers out and unwrapped his hand from Thor's spent cock, wiping both hands quickly on a towel before untying Thor's blindfold and lying down next to him, facing him, head resting on his arm and waiting for Thor to resurface.

Thor finally raised his head, turning to Loki with unsure expression. Satisfied and spent as he was, he wasn't blind to the impropriety.

"Well?" nudged him Loki. "Did you enjoy it or was it too much for you?"

"I did, but... Loki... why?"

"Isn't it what you wanted?"

Now Thor was really scared. All Loki was asking was about him. What they did resulted in one-sided pleasure. Thor reached out his hands, heavy as they felt, and grasped Loki's face.

"Brother. Please just tell me that this was what you wanted. I could not stand it if you simply felt obliged to me for some reason. I could not stand thinking that I have used you."

Now Loki laughed, taking Thor's hands off his face and pressing him back down before half-lying over him.

"Now, don't be a fool, brother. As if you could make me do anything I did not want to do"

Thor's eyes widened and he thought hard on the long weeks when Loki compliantly rubbed away his pain, without asking for anything in return.

"You... the whole time..."

"Oh yes," nodded Loki, grinning.

But Thor was humiliated and that never went well. His temper was rising again, hot shame spurring his anger on. He saw all previous sessions in a very different light now – how Loki snickered when Thor covered himself, as if he couldn't care less about seeing him exposed, while at the same time trying to seduce him, how he touched him intimately while pretending to not even realize, but worst of all, how he tricked Thor today, setting him up to a most wanton position, laughing at him secretly for sure. And he let him. He had lied down on a bed, naked, blindfolded, with his ass up in the air and pretended it was innocent. By Norns, how could he ever sink so low?

Furious both with Loki and himself, Thor got up, finally noticing that Loki himself was naked, which explained why he hadn't pressed himself against Thor as usual. Not wanting to reveal the joke before the time was up, thought Thor bitterly.

"Thor, where are you going?" asked Loki exasperatedly, stretching languidly on the bed.

"Away."

"Away from what?" bit Loki while Thor tried to ignore him, wiping what he could with a towel and scrambling to put clothes on. "From your own desires?"

"Do not talk to me about your desires! This is your fault! Your trickery!"

Any sign of amusement disappeared from Loki's face.

"My fault?" he hissed dangerously. "Watch your words, Thor. I know you are used to being perfect, flawless in all your princely glory, but do not presume for a second that once you find a darker streak in yourself that I am to blame!"

"I will not speak of this to you, now or ever!" yelled Thor and exited the room.

A violent storm broke over Asgard that night.

Thor and Loki didn't speak for days and when Thor calmed down enough to think straight, he saw clearly just how big mistake he'd made. Being blamed for Thor's errors was a sensitive spot for Loki, a result of one too many punishments falling on the wrong head. And not only that – for all his humiliation, Thor had to admit that not even Loki would do what he did just to make fun of him or as a prank. Who could he reveal it to? No one – his part in all this was even bigger than Thor's. And Loki did love an audience, with his jokes at least. No, Thor had misunderstood completely. His brother cared for him and desired him, feelings that Thor reciprocated wholeheartedly, he just went in a very... well, Loki way about it. And Thor threw it all in his face, hurting him undeniably. And now he could just hope he would still be able to fix it.

He knocked gently at Loki's door, waiting patiently for the admission and then entering.

"Loki, I'm sorry. Will you please talk to me?" Thor said immediately, fearing he would be thrown out too soon to speak.

Loki raised his eyes to him. He was seated in an armchair, many candles lit on a small table next to him to illuminate his book. Thor was touched by the vision. Loki was barefoot, dressed in a black tunic, a blanket around his shoulders against the evening cold. He looked young and vulnerable.

"What is there to say?" replied Loki quietly, looking back down to his book.

"I did not mean what I said. You are right, I am responsible for myself."

"Good," said Loki so softly that Thor almost didn't hear him. He was unsettled. It was not at all like his brother to be so quiet. Words were his asset. Thor expected to be exposed to a complete tear-down, to be made pay for his harsh reaction and then maybe, maybe after Loki satisfied himself in establishing their standing in a way that suited him, it would be Thor's turn and he would make this all right.

He opened his mouth several times and closed it again.

"Are you very mad at me?" he tried.

"Mad because of what?"

"Because I said hurtful things to you. Things that are not true and I did not."

"That happens too often for me to be concerned anymore. Also, you apologized. I accept. So, no. I am not mad."

Thor clenched his teeth. He wished Loki would look at him, acknowledge his presence as something worthwhile instead of just dismissing him quietly like that.

"Fine. Then tell me why you really did it."

"And what is it that you imagine I've done, Thor? No, really," added Loki after Thor opened his mouth angrily, tired of these games. "That's not a rhetorical question meant to make you say out loud what... unbrotherly things we've done. What do you think I did?"

There was something meaningful in Loki's eyes when he finally raised his head and returned Thor gaze. Thor held his breath. This was crucial. Loki had something on his mind, there was something he was searching for in Thor and he knew that if he failed to deliver, they would shatter.

"I think... that once again you knew and saw more than I ever could... and that you just... made me see it too."

Loki's features softened and Thor let out a breath he was holding.

"Well said. You may not be a lost cause after all," said Loki pointedly and looked back to his book, but it was already being prided gently from his fingers as Thor knelt in front of him and pulled him into an embrace.

Thor pressed his face against Loki's neck, breathing in the smell of his hair, enjoying the closeness and the feel of Loki's slightly smaller frame in his arms.

"I think it's time for me to return the favour," he said, kissing bellow Loki's ear.

Loki chuckled.

"Oh no. You know nothing of the anatomy of muscles except that it's good if they are big. You are not touching me. I probably wouldn't be able to move the next day."

"But that's not what I meant." Thor protested in a way he hoped was seducing.

"I know, you brute. I am just showing you how stupid your innuendos are. "

Thor leaned back a bit, grinning. For all his jests, Loki was slightly flushed, eyes sparkling with amusement and content. It was a look that suited him above all.

"You are right. I have exceeded my talking limit. Let us do something else."

And with that, he sneaked his arms behind Loki's butt, pulling him so that he had no choice but to wrap his legs around him, and, putting one hand higher for support, he lifted Loki and stood up.

"I am neither a child nor a maiden to be handled like this, Thor!" spluttered Loki, but he was suppressing laughter.

Thor only hummed in response and quickly strode towards the bed, lowering Loki onto it and joining him right away.

Despite the intimacies they went through already, they had yet to kiss and Thor paused, serious as Loki watched him steadily. Then slowly, deliberately, Thor bowed his head down and pressed his lips against Loki's. When they pulled back, Loki was grinning.

"Such a chaste gesture, Thor. Afraid of scaring the maiden away?"

"Tease," growled Thor and claimed his mouth again, this time with much more passion.

There was nothing chaste about the rest of the night.

About the oils Loki is using - mix of eucalyptus, ginger and black pepper is used for muscle soreness and chamomile is calming.. BUT sandalwood is an aphrodisiac.