Under New Management // Thorki

8.

Thor blinked, his mouth falling agape, "You're what?"

The smaller looked down, his eyes filled with tears as his hands balled into fists, clutching the silk fabric of his pants. "You heard me." He uttered, "Do not make me repeat myself."

Thor swallowed, a pit forming at his center, "How is that possible, brother? You are male."

The raven closed his emerald eyes, sighing in undertoned annoyance, "Do you recall when Odin claimed my not being his son a few years ago?" Thor nodded, furrowing his eyebrows, "He told us I one of those monsters."

The blond opened his mouth, only to be cut off before he could inform his brother that he was no monster, "Jotun biology differs from the average Midgardian or Asgardian, we do not possess two separate genders. Only one, physically anyway. The only difference is the personality and mindset. A Jotun can chose to be male or female if they wish it, even biologically changing themselves through magic. But either way, both male, female, and other Jotuns possess the ability to reproduce." Loki explained to his oaf of a brother.

Despite all that was happening to him, he found relief and comfort in the presence of the thunder god, as though Thor was breaking through the trickster's newfound pain and bringing back who he once was. Perhaps not all, at least not yet, but still enough for Loki to feel as though he had a purpose for being alive.

"And he... He did this to you?" Thor asked, his eyes filling with boiling hatred when the latter averted his clouded green gaze.

The blond nodded roughly, his lips pursing as he realised they didn't have the time they thought they had. They needed to take action against the standing Allfather before it was too late.

Thor sent out his ravens to fetch his friends, deciding the time to begin the act was now.

It wasn't long before the warriors three arrived at the golden god's room, their eyes sunken with sleep.

"What is it, Thor?" Fandral drawled, rubbing his eyes.

"Loki!" Sif exclaimed when her eyes rested on the small man in Thor's lap.

The raven met her gaze with a pitiful smile before dropping his eyes once more.

"What is it?" Volstagg repeated Fandral's question, knowing full well Thor did not gather them at such an hour to see Loki.

The blond looked to his brother for permission, the latter only nodded shamefully.

"Loki is pregnant."

The three gasped, Sif's hand flying to her mouth in shock.

"How...?" Fandral mumbled, his eyes comically wide as he raked his fingers through his hair.

The raven couldn't help but roll his eyes before jumping into the story of his heritage once more.

It was almost a full five minutes before anyone spoke, none knowing the fact that Loki was not Thor's brother, and Jotun at that.

The first to speak was Fandral, "Can I see?" He blurted, causing Volstagg to elbow him and cast him a scowl.

Thor was glaring at his brunet friend, but he couldn't deny the nagging want to see Loki's natural form.

The trickster's head fell into his awaiting palm, sighing deeply. He was no longer ashamed of his form, as he had long ago lost interest in what people thought of him. But there was one opinion he valued greatly, and that was Thor's. Wouldn't the blond find him revolting?

"You don't have to." Sif assured, her eyes wide with sympathy, the full extent of the information not fully registering in her mind.

"It's alright brother." Thor whispered gently, stroking his back before tucking a small lock of midnight hair behind his ear.

Loki pushed himself from the larger's embrace, standing shakily.

Loki closed his eyes, and in an array of green light, his cream skin turned sapphire, beautiful markings coating his body as the robe dropped, leaving the small Jotun in only his pants.

The raven's lips were a deep indigo, his cheeks a tad darker than the rest of him. Thor found himself shifting uncomfortably, hating with a burning passion the way his pants became restricting. And in such a situation at that! His brother just confessed to months of torture and rape from the new king, and yet Thor still grew aroused at his brother's lean form.

Wait what.

The blond blinked, biting his lip, he wasn't supposed to feel such a way for Loki, biological brother or not. But the thunderer could not deny the growing warmth in his heart whenever the raven was around. He couldn't deny the increasing protectiveness. He thought back to when he was but a child, his constant need to be in the younger's company, his overbearing protectiveness prompting his actions.

Perhaps Thor had felt this way for Loki longer than he cared to let on, and he felt his stomach knot when he realised those forbidden feelings were only growing at every waking moment.

Despite Thor being lost in a world of his own thoughts for what felt like hours, only mere second had passed in the real world.

The trickster opened his eyes slowly, revealing an incredible ruby that contrasted perfectly against his deep blue complexion.

He self-consciously looked to his peers and his secret love, anticipation building in his throat like bile as he waited for any kind of reaction.

So many he did care.

But only a little.

"Woah." Sif said, a small smile growing on her lips.

Fandral whistled, winking as the Jotun caught his eye. Volstagg elbowed him, glowering slightly before turning his gaze to the trickster god and nodding lightly. Loki only chuckled a little, averting his gaze at the low-key yet obvious approval as his cheeks flared with embarrassment under their praise.

Such kindness, even small, was greatly appreciated by the god, even if he refused to show it as it had been a long time since he received it.

Loki's ears caught the breathy whisper that escaped his brother's lips, "Beautiful..."

The raven felt his face darkened significantly as his head snapped to look at Thor, his eyes wide.

Thor furrowed his eyebrows at Loki's expression, his sapphire cheeks much darker than before.

Only then did he realised, the raven was blushing. At that moment his own bright blue eyes widened as his ears flamed with embarrassment. Thor had spoken his inner thoughts aloud.

Thor sighed with relief when none of his friends seem to notice the slip up, and if they did they didn't show it.

He wasn't ashamed of his feelings for Loki, at least not because of Loki. He was ashamed with himself for feeling such a way for a man, and a man that used to be his brother in a way at that.

Even if Loki felt the same, though highly unlikely in Thor's mind, he couldn't drop such a bomb on him and his friends when things were hard enough already.

Now it was time to focus at the task at hand, saving Loki and Asgard.

And with that thought, the five dove into their plans.