![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
batsutousaiTitle: Clouds In My Coffee
Fandom: Marvel (movie 'verse) & Real Person Fiction
Author: Batsutousai
Rating: T
Pairings: Loki/Tom Hiddleston
Challenge: 30 Day OTP Challenge
Summary: For a challenge, 30 days of Tomki/FrostPudding.
Chapter Warnings: Fuck gender roles, Loki's a little shit, Tom's an angel (with horns)
A/N: So, this is the day that everyone and their great-aunt has apparently been waiting for, going by the number of you that have been counting down the days. XP (Personally, I'm excited for the last day. But that's just because I know what I have planned. No, my darlings, you cannot, in fact, bribe me to tell you. It's a surprise.)
Today's prompt does follow Day 15: In a Different Clothing Style. So we're getting married in Asgard. I did actual research on Nordic marriage customs – figure that's as close to 'Asgardian' as anyone here can claim – and found this awesome resource. Lots of super awesome and interesting information on there.
I'm basing this wedding on the information I found on that site, with some tweaks on account of the fact that this involves two males, not a male and a female. (We're not going to talk about how much of a headache this gave me. XP)
My Jötun lore is crud. Made bloody everything up, hence the reason I don't got into greater detail.
And, again, sorry for the late update. (Though it's not quite as bad as yesterday, so, bonus points? ^.^") This prompt and I didn't get along, for various reasons. I kept writing scenes, realising they didn't work, then deleting them and writing something new. It was time consuming.
Also, no re-read. So for any and all mistakes. Beh.
- Day Twenty-Six: Getting Married -
Homosexual marriages weren't unheard of in Asgard – politics occasionally demanded the binding of two families that had only daughters or only sons, and easy the acceptance of concubines of both genders solved concerns over heirs – but marrying for love was odd even to heterosexual practices, and unheard of in a marriage like Thomas and Loki.
More than the uncertainties of a homosexual marriage bound by love, there was Thomas' status as a mortal to consider. It was the practice in Asgard for the families of the betrothed to meet and discuss terms, but Thomas' family could not come to Asgard, and Odin had no interest in travelling to Midgard to speak with a group of mortals.
In the end, Thor offered to act as Thomas' advocate. Loki maintained a degree of uncertainty – the reason a member of the prospective groom's family was preferred was that they would show preference to their son or brother – for Thor was his brother, not Thomas'. Thomas and Thor both seemed of the mind that Thor would manage without prejudice, however, and with them both in agreement, Loki let it be.
He really shouldn't have worried, in retrospect. Thor argued Thomas' side with only faltering once under Odin's stare, and Thomas had easily come to his aid by getting Frigga on their side. They managed to agree, after some debate, that Thomas and Loki would return to Midgard after the wedding – visiting Asgard as they pleased or in a time of need – so Thomas wouldn't be forced to simply up and leave his family and friends, never to be seen again. Thomas would provide for them both in Midgard, and it would become Loki's duty to provide for them once they eventually returned to Asgard to live out the rest of their lives; one of Idunn's golden apples was a part of the ceremony, ensuring that Thomas would age and be as hardy as Loki.
Odin had tried setting down some rules for future transgressions, should Loki continue to talk his way into trouble, that would see Thomas dealt a share of Loki's punishment. Loki had immediately insisted that was not in his interest and would Odin kindly piss off if he was just looking for an additional scapegoat.
Thomas, ignoring Thor's attempts to hush him, had put for the counter-offer that he would receive the entirety of any punishments dealt to Loki, and Odin leave any 'punishment' of Loki to him. Odin had agreed over Thor's attempt to take Thomas' offer back, and they'd had to take an hour-long break because Loki had stormed off in a huff.
On one hand hand, Thomas had pretty much managed to force him into behaving for the rest of their lives together, and Loki had to bow to that genius. On the other hand, Loki was going to kill his betrothed for putting himself in danger.
The only other matter debated during their dealings that left a sour taste in Loki's mouth was his mother's insistence that the two of them retain separate rooms until the wedding.
"There is hardly a need for chastity now, Mother," Loki had commented drily.
Frigga had raised an eyebrow at him and replied, "So long as you're getting married in my house, you're sleeping in separate rooms. Don't make me set up wards, Loki."
"We'll manage," Thomas interrupted while Loki was still trying to figure out which biting response would be least likely to insult his mother, yet still inform her why she was being stupid.
For the first time in ages, Loki went to bed alone. He slept poorly and probably would have been an absolute nightmare to everyone all day, but Thomas caught him as soon as he stepped out of his room and managed to get Loki to agree to a tour through the city. They spent the day walking through the city Loki had grown up in, hands laced together. Thomas' presence had calmed Loki enough that by the time they met up with the rest of the royal family and the varied nobles for the evening feast, Loki sent no more than a disgruntled glare towards his mother.
Three more nights passed in the same sleepless fashion, and the three mornings always found Thomas waiting for him with a bright smile and a request that got them out of the palace for the day. By the time they returned in the evening, Loki would have calmed so much that he could only just manage a disgruntled glare for Frigga.
(Later, after he and Thomas were safely back in their flat in London, Loki would look back on the week with amusement at the way Odin's disconcertion grew daily. It was no secret to the servants who brought his breakfast that Loki was in the darkest of moods in the mornings, but there was no mischief made to ease his fury, and Odin spent the whole time waiting for the explosion. Loki wondered how many centuries it would take him to realise that, so long as Thomas loved Loki without question and refused to give up on him, Loki would find comfort in his presence.)
The night before the day of the wedding, Frigga sent Loki, Thomas, and Thor all off to bed with a potion meant to grant them a full night's rest. Loki considered not taking it, just to be difficult, but Thomas had caught him in the hallway their three rooms were on and used a kiss to transfer his own potion into Loki's mouth, then took Loki's bottle and sauntered into his own room.
Thor laughed from the doorway of his bedroom and Loki huffed a bit as he closed himself in his own room. There, he allowed himself a fond smile for his human's trickery as he readied for bed. His sleep was untroubled, and he woke in a far better temperament than he had in the days previous. After this day, none would have cause to separate him from Thomas again, and he was assured of the mortal's extended life. As heart-stopping as their first moments in Asgard had been, and as trying as the days since had seemed, it would all be worth it.
When Loki finally emerged from his room, it was not Thomas who awaited him, but Odin. Loki would have preferred Thor's accompaniment on this journey, but Thor was continuing to assist Thomas. And, as much as Loki didn't want to spend much of the day with the Allfather, he wished Odin even less on his betrothed.
And so, when he met Odin's single-eyed stare, he inclined his head politely and murmured, "Allfather."
"My son," Odin responded, and Loki had to bite his cheek to keep from responding.
They left together in peace, headed for the site when Odin's own father, Bor, had lain down to die. It was a journey Loki had made once before, the day of his wedding to Sigyn, one brokered to form an alliance with her people. His certain death upon falling from the Bifröst had allowed her to sever her ties, though keep the alliance in place. She had done so – there had been no love in the marriage, as hard as Sigyn had tried, and Loki had been grateful, upon his return, to discover himself single again. Given the current circumstances, he was even more grateful.
Upon arrival at Bor's gravesite, Loki found an unexpected sight: The familiar, heavy blade that Odin's sire had wielded sat next to a pale blue sword upon the mound that usually held only the one. Loki stopped before the two blades, uncertain, then looked back to where Odin had stopped behind him. "What is this?" he asked.
Odin cleared his throat. "You are aware of your heritage. It would be improper of me to not offer you the chance to choose."
Loki set his jaw and turned back to the overfull mound. His gut reaction was to grab for Bor's heavy sword, for he would always despise the Jötun blood that ran through his veins. Still, Thomas had never spoken against his Jötun heritage – had encouraged Loki to learn of it whatever he was comfortable with – and if Loki knew one thing of Bor's sword, it was that it was nightmarishly heavy. Thomas would have to hold the sword for at least a part of the ceremony, and he wouldn't be given a golden apple to augment his strength until the feast. Sigyn had barely managed, Thomas would not.
Loki took the hilt of the ice sword – and it was made of ice, he could sense, with spells woven into the very molecules to hold it in its frozen shape – and pulled it easily from the mound. Where Bor's sword had felt too heavy and unwieldy when he'd held it, this sword was light, and rather like an old friend met after some untold time apart.
"You know of the crimes of your forbearers," Odin said evenly from behind him, no note of pleasure or disapproval at Loki's choice in his voice or – when Loki turned to look at him – his expression. "Now it is, perhaps, time you learned of the good in them."
Loki couldn't help but scoff. Jötun? Good?
Odin raised an eyebrow at the younger god. "Jötun are as capable of kindness as Æsir, just as Æsir are capable of cruelty equal to Jötun. All people of the Nine Realms are both good and evil, peaceful and violent, and as deserving to live as any other." He let out a breath of a sigh. "Your betrothed was correct in that I should have spoken sooner of the good of Jötun. This is my failing, and I would see it corrected."
Loki snorted and settled himself on the ground, sword held across his knees in an easy manner that he would never have managed with another blade. Perhaps, had he been taught using this sword, instead of the iron and steel sticks they favoured in the training yards, he might have been more willing to pick up a 'true weapon', rather than turning to the hidden knives that were frowned upon in battle.
Ah, but if wishes were horses, my herd would fly. Or however that saying goes.
Odin settled in across from Loki, imposing even while seated cross-legged upon the dirt. Asgard's king then spent nearly two hours speaking of those Jötun he'd fought in battle with as brothers-in-arms during his youth, before their attack on Midgard. He spoke of how they treasured those creatures that could survive the frozen expanse of their world, especially those children considered too weak to survive, and yet who did.
Odin spoke of honour amongst brothers, something Loki would never have thought his blood kin capable of, and how their marriages were ones of love, not politics. He spoke of mercy killings dealt to enemies and friends alike on the field of battle, and to crying over fallen warriors with whom they shared some attachment.
Odin spoke of Laufey, whom he had known before he'd taken the throne of the ice world and become greedy. He had been a glory on the field – something any Áss would see glory in – but he'd also been particularly clever and devious, able to spot weaknesses in an enemy's defence quicker than many of Asgard's best.
He spoke, finally, of those traditions he knew. He mentioned that Jötun did not exchange rings upon sword hilts in their weddings, but flowers found out in the snow and the marks of marriage upon their skin.
Loki pulled out the ring he intended to gift to Thomas as Odin moved on to the traditions of family, considering the plain band. It was the same one he'd once given Sigyn, resized to fit Thomas' finger. There were runes carved on the inside of the ring, blessing the union.
Loki remembered the bouquet of flowers he'd once got Thomas as an apology, stumbling over mortal customs for the millionth time because he honestly wanted to try and make their relationship work. Thomas had laughed and said, "Flowers are something you get a woman, Loki." But he'd still held them close as he hunted down a vase to put them in and carefully set them out on the coffee table, smiling whenever he saw them over the following weeks, even after they'd begun to wilt and Loki would have long ago binned them.
He thought of flowers and tradition and acceptance, the ring a bland circle against the pale blue of the sword in his lap.
During their ride back to the city, Loki chanted a spell under his breath, and a glimmer of pale blue flowers bled over the blank face of the ring, their stems twining together in a pattern he'd observed on his chest, the one time he'd dared observe his Jötun form in a mirror. (He'd then proceeded to shatter the mirror in a rush of rage, accidentally setting Thomas into a panic. It had been the first time Thomas had seen his Jötun form, and the human had been too concerned about cleaning up glass before Loki hurt himself on it to care that his lover was blue. Not that Thomas had ever seemed to care what colour Loki's skin was, so long as Loki was comfortable.)
If Odin noticed the magic, he made no mention of it. And when he accepted Loki's things in the bath house so the prince could bathe, he made no comment about the changes to the ring, though Loki caught him looking at it curiously.
For the ceremony, Loki dressed in the ceremonial armour he had often worn before his fall, and not touched since. He had performed some subtle changes to it, turning the brown of the fabric black, and making what of the unwieldy armour was silver, gold. His cape, he left as was, a heavy comfort at his back and whispering against the frozen sword sheathed at his side.
The ceremony was held on a hill just outside the city, where all weddings were performed. The guest list had been limited, given how few people cared for Loki or knew anything of Thomas, and that suited both fine, as they'd discussed during one of their trips outside the city. Odin left Loki at the bottom of the hill and climbed it to stand with Frigga, both presiding over the ceremony as the rulers of Asgard.
Loki remained where he was for Thomas, resigned that the mortal would take time to get into whatever garb he and Thor had eventually agreed upon. Loki had thought, at the beginning, to coax Thomas into telling him what to expect of the clothing the mortal would be wearing, or what ring he'd chosen – with Thor as his assistant, there were an infinite number of choices – but Thomas held quite firmly to the Midgardian tradition that those being wed not see anything of the other's clothing before the ceremony – and he'd included the ring in that, the idiot – so Loki had been left to wonder. (If he had to guess, Loki thought the mortal had refused to tell him anything just because he could.)
When Thomas arrived, he came dressed in, dark grey trousers and a light grey leather jacket half-closed over a shirt the same shade of blue that Loki had chosen for the mortal's arrival in Asgard. It looked very medieval-Midgardian, but for the gold chest ornament he wore under the jacket, bright against the blue of his shirt. Instead of the customary sword, Thomas carried a magical sceptre, in obvious deference to Loki's preference for magic over brawn.
Thor trailed behind Thomas, dressed in his formal court clothing and holding the bowl and fern branch that would be used to bless them. He raised an eyebrow at the pale sword at Loki's side, and the younger prince shrugged and nodded up the hill, towards Odin and Frigga. Thor let out a quiet sigh, then started up the hill, leaving Thomas and Loki to stand next to each other at the bottom.
Thomas reached out with his free hand and brushed his fingers along a patch of un-armoured fabric along his arm. "Ready?" he asked quietly.
Loki glanced at him, taking it the tremor of nerves he was largely managing to hide. "If this is not to your preference–" he started.
Thomas choked on a laugh and shook his head as he slipped his hand into Loki's. "No, my love, this is fine. This is wonderful, though unfamiliar." He squeezed Loki's hand. "You're shaking."
"Then it makes two of us," Loki replied drily and Thomas' eyes danced to a laugh he managed to keep silenced. "Come."
They climbed the hill together and came to a stop in front of the array of royal family. Around them stood those few who had shown interest in attending: some dozen of Loki's contacts in the city who hadn't forsaken him for his crimes, the Warriors Three and Lady Sif, a couple nobles who had discovered Thomas of interest, or wished to attend only so they might laugh tell tales later.
Thor was the one to perform the blessing with the fir branch, passing it in front of them in a practised motion and sprinkling them with the liquid from the bowl. The liquid in the bowl, while traditionally the blood of the animal they would share at the feast following, had been changed to water drawn from a nearby spring, at Thomas' request. Odin had been the only one to make complaint about that change, but with everyone else around the table backing Thomas, he'd gracefully bowed to the request.
Sprinkled with water, Thomas and Loki finally turned to each other. Loki felt a welling of concern in his belly, for most of Asgard had no knowledge of his true heritage, and he had interest in keeping it that way, but presenting this sword as a symbol of his ancestors was so very telling. Unless...
Loki drew the sword and met Thomas' steady gaze, ignoring the unsubtle noises of surprise from their audience. "Father," he said, not tripping over the word as much as he might have, before the hours spent by Bor's grave, "told me today of a race that he once called brother, before one who was overly greedy thought to take what wasn't his and began a war that would end only in hatred. Father had thought to broker peace with that race, once, but events have since disallowed such.
"I, unknowingly mirroring that greedy king, first took a throne, then thought to take a world. Your world. But you, inexplicable in every way, accepted me before I would even attempt to make amends. You let me into your home and heart without a thought otherwise, and that has shown me the errors of my youth in a way nothing Father ever tried could.
"I don't offer you the history of war, but the history of brotherhood, of peace. I would see this binding be as much about showing my people that there are others out there worthy of our friendship, as it is about the love we share for each other."
Loki held out the sword to Thomas at last. There was gratitude and love in Thomas' bright eyes, but also pride, and it was the last, rather than the first two, that made Loki want to grin, wide and carefree. He didn't, but he suspected that Thomas knew he struggled to contain it.
Thomas carefully held the sword with at his side while he held forth the sceptre. "I'm afraid," he said wryly, "that I don't have any swords of my ancestors to pass along to you, but I do have my love and my acceptance of everything you are. Sorcerer and trickster both."
Loki was wary as he accepted the sceptre, half expecting it to prank him in some way, with Thomas' words, but nothing occurred and he relaxed enough to look it over. There was a suspicious give to part of the decorations, and he pressed it, curious. The bottom of the sceptre immediately lengthened and developed a rather deadly tip, stabbing easily through the dirt. Loki raised an intrigued eyebrow and pressed another button on the other side from the first, retracting the end and hidden blade.
Oh, he liked this sceptre already.
He finally returned his attention to Thomas and allowed a pleased smile, when caused a wide grin to crawl across Thomas' face. Loki pulled out the ring and carefully balanced it on his new sceptre before holding it out to Thomas. Thomas accepted it and slipped it on, then set his ring on the sceptre and turned it back to Loki.
Loki took a moment to look the ring over as he slipped it on: It was a simple, gold band, inscribed with the traditional marriage runes on the inside. The outer face, however, had a thin green line through the centre, and it was only when he turned it slightly that he realised it was, in fact, a serpent eating its tail. The ouroboros, a symbol of re-creation.
They joined their hands over the sceptre, rings clinking, and traded traditional Midgardian vows; they had agreed that they didn't need to proclaim, before witnesses that may or may not have their best interests at heart, all that they were to each other. Such words were better left for in private, such as when they could finally curl together in bed again.
When the vows were said, Odin called out, "we may now retire to the feast."
Everyone turned at once and started down the hill, intent on not being the last back to the hall, for they would then be required to serve the mead to everyone else.
Loki and Thomas, however, remained on the hill, Thomas examining the pale sword. When everyone else had left, Thomas asked, "Was this Laufey's?"
Loki's jaw tightened momentarily, a reflexive action to his blood father's name. "Odin did not say."
"Am I allowed to ask him?"
"You may do as you please. So far as I'm concerned, the sword is yours."
Thomas smiled and wrapped the arm not holding the sword around Loki's waist. "If we wait much longer, we'll be last."
Loki snorted. "No, we won't," he disagreed, but teleported them all the same.
They were the first to arrive and slipped into their designated seats without discussion. Thomas set the sword carefully against the side of his chair, then turned his attention to the ring he now wore. "Still not a woman, Loki," he teased.
Loki shifted. "Odin said Jötun trade flowers, rather than rings," he admitted.
Thomas smiled and kissed his cheek. Loki quickly turned and caught the human's mouth with his, reaching up and tangling one hand in Thomas' short hair.
"There'll be time enough for that later," Thor interrupted as he slid into the open seat at Thomas' side, hair wind-blown from flying with Mjölnir.
"Oh, there's time enough for it whenever I want," Loki returned.
Thomas rolled his eyes and gently knocked his forehead against Loki's. "Whenever we want, Husband," he chastised, the last word rolling easily off his tongue.
Loki's mouth curled with a gentle smile, completely against his will. "I do what I want, Husband," he said, to hide his fondness.
Thomas laughed, loud and pleased, and those just coming in through the doors startled at the sound, which just made Loki's smile turn into a smirk.
At least it was a smirk until Thomas whispered, "We both do what we want," and kissed him again, hard and completely filthy.
Oh, yes, Loki saw nothing wrong in spending an eternity with Thomas.
Days:
1 - Holding Hands ||| 2 - Cuddling Somewhere ||| 3 - Gaming ||| 4 - On a Date ||| 5 - Kissing
6 - Wearing Each Other's Clothing ||| 7 - Cosplaying ||| 8 - Shopping ||| 9 - Hanging Out With Friends ||| 10 - With Animal Ears
11 - Wearing Kigurumi ||| 12 - Making Out ||| 13 - Eating Ice Cream ||| 14 - Genderswapped ||| 15 - Different Clothing Style
16 - Morning Rituals ||| 17 - Spooning ||| 18 - Doing Something Together ||| 19 - In Formal Wear ||| 20 - Dancing
21 - Cooking/Baking ||| 22 - In Battle, Side-By-Side ||| 23 - Arguing ||| 24 - Making Up After ||| 25 - Gazing Into Each Other's Eyes
26 - Getting Married ||| 27 - Birthday ||| 28 - Something Ridiculous ||| 29 - Something Sweet ||| 30 - Something Hot
Masterlist
..
Fandom: Marvel (movie 'verse) & Real Person Fiction
Author: Batsutousai
Rating: T
Pairings: Loki/Tom Hiddleston
Challenge: 30 Day OTP Challenge
Summary: For a challenge, 30 days of Tomki/FrostPudding.
Chapter Warnings: Fuck gender roles, Loki's a little shit, Tom's an angel (with horns)
A/N: So, this is the day that everyone and their great-aunt has apparently been waiting for, going by the number of you that have been counting down the days. XP (Personally, I'm excited for the last day. But that's just because I know what I have planned. No, my darlings, you cannot, in fact, bribe me to tell you. It's a surprise.)
Today's prompt does follow Day 15: In a Different Clothing Style. So we're getting married in Asgard. I did actual research on Nordic marriage customs – figure that's as close to 'Asgardian' as anyone here can claim – and found this awesome resource. Lots of super awesome and interesting information on there.
I'm basing this wedding on the information I found on that site, with some tweaks on account of the fact that this involves two males, not a male and a female. (We're not going to talk about how much of a headache this gave me. XP)
My Jötun lore is crud. Made bloody everything up, hence the reason I don't got into greater detail.
And, again, sorry for the late update. (Though it's not quite as bad as yesterday, so, bonus points? ^.^") This prompt and I didn't get along, for various reasons. I kept writing scenes, realising they didn't work, then deleting them and writing something new. It was time consuming.
Also, no re-read. So for any and all mistakes. Beh.
Homosexual marriages weren't unheard of in Asgard – politics occasionally demanded the binding of two families that had only daughters or only sons, and easy the acceptance of concubines of both genders solved concerns over heirs – but marrying for love was odd even to heterosexual practices, and unheard of in a marriage like Thomas and Loki.
More than the uncertainties of a homosexual marriage bound by love, there was Thomas' status as a mortal to consider. It was the practice in Asgard for the families of the betrothed to meet and discuss terms, but Thomas' family could not come to Asgard, and Odin had no interest in travelling to Midgard to speak with a group of mortals.
In the end, Thor offered to act as Thomas' advocate. Loki maintained a degree of uncertainty – the reason a member of the prospective groom's family was preferred was that they would show preference to their son or brother – for Thor was his brother, not Thomas'. Thomas and Thor both seemed of the mind that Thor would manage without prejudice, however, and with them both in agreement, Loki let it be.
He really shouldn't have worried, in retrospect. Thor argued Thomas' side with only faltering once under Odin's stare, and Thomas had easily come to his aid by getting Frigga on their side. They managed to agree, after some debate, that Thomas and Loki would return to Midgard after the wedding – visiting Asgard as they pleased or in a time of need – so Thomas wouldn't be forced to simply up and leave his family and friends, never to be seen again. Thomas would provide for them both in Midgard, and it would become Loki's duty to provide for them once they eventually returned to Asgard to live out the rest of their lives; one of Idunn's golden apples was a part of the ceremony, ensuring that Thomas would age and be as hardy as Loki.
Odin had tried setting down some rules for future transgressions, should Loki continue to talk his way into trouble, that would see Thomas dealt a share of Loki's punishment. Loki had immediately insisted that was not in his interest and would Odin kindly piss off if he was just looking for an additional scapegoat.
Thomas, ignoring Thor's attempts to hush him, had put for the counter-offer that he would receive the entirety of any punishments dealt to Loki, and Odin leave any 'punishment' of Loki to him. Odin had agreed over Thor's attempt to take Thomas' offer back, and they'd had to take an hour-long break because Loki had stormed off in a huff.
On one hand hand, Thomas had pretty much managed to force him into behaving for the rest of their lives together, and Loki had to bow to that genius. On the other hand, Loki was going to kill his betrothed for putting himself in danger.
The only other matter debated during their dealings that left a sour taste in Loki's mouth was his mother's insistence that the two of them retain separate rooms until the wedding.
"There is hardly a need for chastity now, Mother," Loki had commented drily.
Frigga had raised an eyebrow at him and replied, "So long as you're getting married in my house, you're sleeping in separate rooms. Don't make me set up wards, Loki."
"We'll manage," Thomas interrupted while Loki was still trying to figure out which biting response would be least likely to insult his mother, yet still inform her why she was being stupid.
For the first time in ages, Loki went to bed alone. He slept poorly and probably would have been an absolute nightmare to everyone all day, but Thomas caught him as soon as he stepped out of his room and managed to get Loki to agree to a tour through the city. They spent the day walking through the city Loki had grown up in, hands laced together. Thomas' presence had calmed Loki enough that by the time they met up with the rest of the royal family and the varied nobles for the evening feast, Loki sent no more than a disgruntled glare towards his mother.
Three more nights passed in the same sleepless fashion, and the three mornings always found Thomas waiting for him with a bright smile and a request that got them out of the palace for the day. By the time they returned in the evening, Loki would have calmed so much that he could only just manage a disgruntled glare for Frigga.
(Later, after he and Thomas were safely back in their flat in London, Loki would look back on the week with amusement at the way Odin's disconcertion grew daily. It was no secret to the servants who brought his breakfast that Loki was in the darkest of moods in the mornings, but there was no mischief made to ease his fury, and Odin spent the whole time waiting for the explosion. Loki wondered how many centuries it would take him to realise that, so long as Thomas loved Loki without question and refused to give up on him, Loki would find comfort in his presence.)
The night before the day of the wedding, Frigga sent Loki, Thomas, and Thor all off to bed with a potion meant to grant them a full night's rest. Loki considered not taking it, just to be difficult, but Thomas had caught him in the hallway their three rooms were on and used a kiss to transfer his own potion into Loki's mouth, then took Loki's bottle and sauntered into his own room.
Thor laughed from the doorway of his bedroom and Loki huffed a bit as he closed himself in his own room. There, he allowed himself a fond smile for his human's trickery as he readied for bed. His sleep was untroubled, and he woke in a far better temperament than he had in the days previous. After this day, none would have cause to separate him from Thomas again, and he was assured of the mortal's extended life. As heart-stopping as their first moments in Asgard had been, and as trying as the days since had seemed, it would all be worth it.
When Loki finally emerged from his room, it was not Thomas who awaited him, but Odin. Loki would have preferred Thor's accompaniment on this journey, but Thor was continuing to assist Thomas. And, as much as Loki didn't want to spend much of the day with the Allfather, he wished Odin even less on his betrothed.
And so, when he met Odin's single-eyed stare, he inclined his head politely and murmured, "Allfather."
"My son," Odin responded, and Loki had to bite his cheek to keep from responding.
They left together in peace, headed for the site when Odin's own father, Bor, had lain down to die. It was a journey Loki had made once before, the day of his wedding to Sigyn, one brokered to form an alliance with her people. His certain death upon falling from the Bifröst had allowed her to sever her ties, though keep the alliance in place. She had done so – there had been no love in the marriage, as hard as Sigyn had tried, and Loki had been grateful, upon his return, to discover himself single again. Given the current circumstances, he was even more grateful.
Upon arrival at Bor's gravesite, Loki found an unexpected sight: The familiar, heavy blade that Odin's sire had wielded sat next to a pale blue sword upon the mound that usually held only the one. Loki stopped before the two blades, uncertain, then looked back to where Odin had stopped behind him. "What is this?" he asked.
Odin cleared his throat. "You are aware of your heritage. It would be improper of me to not offer you the chance to choose."
Loki set his jaw and turned back to the overfull mound. His gut reaction was to grab for Bor's heavy sword, for he would always despise the Jötun blood that ran through his veins. Still, Thomas had never spoken against his Jötun heritage – had encouraged Loki to learn of it whatever he was comfortable with – and if Loki knew one thing of Bor's sword, it was that it was nightmarishly heavy. Thomas would have to hold the sword for at least a part of the ceremony, and he wouldn't be given a golden apple to augment his strength until the feast. Sigyn had barely managed, Thomas would not.
Loki took the hilt of the ice sword – and it was made of ice, he could sense, with spells woven into the very molecules to hold it in its frozen shape – and pulled it easily from the mound. Where Bor's sword had felt too heavy and unwieldy when he'd held it, this sword was light, and rather like an old friend met after some untold time apart.
"You know of the crimes of your forbearers," Odin said evenly from behind him, no note of pleasure or disapproval at Loki's choice in his voice or – when Loki turned to look at him – his expression. "Now it is, perhaps, time you learned of the good in them."
Loki couldn't help but scoff. Jötun? Good?
Odin raised an eyebrow at the younger god. "Jötun are as capable of kindness as Æsir, just as Æsir are capable of cruelty equal to Jötun. All people of the Nine Realms are both good and evil, peaceful and violent, and as deserving to live as any other." He let out a breath of a sigh. "Your betrothed was correct in that I should have spoken sooner of the good of Jötun. This is my failing, and I would see it corrected."
Loki snorted and settled himself on the ground, sword held across his knees in an easy manner that he would never have managed with another blade. Perhaps, had he been taught using this sword, instead of the iron and steel sticks they favoured in the training yards, he might have been more willing to pick up a 'true weapon', rather than turning to the hidden knives that were frowned upon in battle.
Ah, but if wishes were horses, my herd would fly. Or however that saying goes.
Odin settled in across from Loki, imposing even while seated cross-legged upon the dirt. Asgard's king then spent nearly two hours speaking of those Jötun he'd fought in battle with as brothers-in-arms during his youth, before their attack on Midgard. He spoke of how they treasured those creatures that could survive the frozen expanse of their world, especially those children considered too weak to survive, and yet who did.
Odin spoke of honour amongst brothers, something Loki would never have thought his blood kin capable of, and how their marriages were ones of love, not politics. He spoke of mercy killings dealt to enemies and friends alike on the field of battle, and to crying over fallen warriors with whom they shared some attachment.
Odin spoke of Laufey, whom he had known before he'd taken the throne of the ice world and become greedy. He had been a glory on the field – something any Áss would see glory in – but he'd also been particularly clever and devious, able to spot weaknesses in an enemy's defence quicker than many of Asgard's best.
He spoke, finally, of those traditions he knew. He mentioned that Jötun did not exchange rings upon sword hilts in their weddings, but flowers found out in the snow and the marks of marriage upon their skin.
Loki pulled out the ring he intended to gift to Thomas as Odin moved on to the traditions of family, considering the plain band. It was the same one he'd once given Sigyn, resized to fit Thomas' finger. There were runes carved on the inside of the ring, blessing the union.
Loki remembered the bouquet of flowers he'd once got Thomas as an apology, stumbling over mortal customs for the millionth time because he honestly wanted to try and make their relationship work. Thomas had laughed and said, "Flowers are something you get a woman, Loki." But he'd still held them close as he hunted down a vase to put them in and carefully set them out on the coffee table, smiling whenever he saw them over the following weeks, even after they'd begun to wilt and Loki would have long ago binned them.
He thought of flowers and tradition and acceptance, the ring a bland circle against the pale blue of the sword in his lap.
During their ride back to the city, Loki chanted a spell under his breath, and a glimmer of pale blue flowers bled over the blank face of the ring, their stems twining together in a pattern he'd observed on his chest, the one time he'd dared observe his Jötun form in a mirror. (He'd then proceeded to shatter the mirror in a rush of rage, accidentally setting Thomas into a panic. It had been the first time Thomas had seen his Jötun form, and the human had been too concerned about cleaning up glass before Loki hurt himself on it to care that his lover was blue. Not that Thomas had ever seemed to care what colour Loki's skin was, so long as Loki was comfortable.)
If Odin noticed the magic, he made no mention of it. And when he accepted Loki's things in the bath house so the prince could bathe, he made no comment about the changes to the ring, though Loki caught him looking at it curiously.
For the ceremony, Loki dressed in the ceremonial armour he had often worn before his fall, and not touched since. He had performed some subtle changes to it, turning the brown of the fabric black, and making what of the unwieldy armour was silver, gold. His cape, he left as was, a heavy comfort at his back and whispering against the frozen sword sheathed at his side.
The ceremony was held on a hill just outside the city, where all weddings were performed. The guest list had been limited, given how few people cared for Loki or knew anything of Thomas, and that suited both fine, as they'd discussed during one of their trips outside the city. Odin left Loki at the bottom of the hill and climbed it to stand with Frigga, both presiding over the ceremony as the rulers of Asgard.
Loki remained where he was for Thomas, resigned that the mortal would take time to get into whatever garb he and Thor had eventually agreed upon. Loki had thought, at the beginning, to coax Thomas into telling him what to expect of the clothing the mortal would be wearing, or what ring he'd chosen – with Thor as his assistant, there were an infinite number of choices – but Thomas held quite firmly to the Midgardian tradition that those being wed not see anything of the other's clothing before the ceremony – and he'd included the ring in that, the idiot – so Loki had been left to wonder. (If he had to guess, Loki thought the mortal had refused to tell him anything just because he could.)
When Thomas arrived, he came dressed in, dark grey trousers and a light grey leather jacket half-closed over a shirt the same shade of blue that Loki had chosen for the mortal's arrival in Asgard. It looked very medieval-Midgardian, but for the gold chest ornament he wore under the jacket, bright against the blue of his shirt. Instead of the customary sword, Thomas carried a magical sceptre, in obvious deference to Loki's preference for magic over brawn.
Thor trailed behind Thomas, dressed in his formal court clothing and holding the bowl and fern branch that would be used to bless them. He raised an eyebrow at the pale sword at Loki's side, and the younger prince shrugged and nodded up the hill, towards Odin and Frigga. Thor let out a quiet sigh, then started up the hill, leaving Thomas and Loki to stand next to each other at the bottom.
Thomas reached out with his free hand and brushed his fingers along a patch of un-armoured fabric along his arm. "Ready?" he asked quietly.
Loki glanced at him, taking it the tremor of nerves he was largely managing to hide. "If this is not to your preference–" he started.
Thomas choked on a laugh and shook his head as he slipped his hand into Loki's. "No, my love, this is fine. This is wonderful, though unfamiliar." He squeezed Loki's hand. "You're shaking."
"Then it makes two of us," Loki replied drily and Thomas' eyes danced to a laugh he managed to keep silenced. "Come."
They climbed the hill together and came to a stop in front of the array of royal family. Around them stood those few who had shown interest in attending: some dozen of Loki's contacts in the city who hadn't forsaken him for his crimes, the Warriors Three and Lady Sif, a couple nobles who had discovered Thomas of interest, or wished to attend only so they might laugh tell tales later.
Thor was the one to perform the blessing with the fir branch, passing it in front of them in a practised motion and sprinkling them with the liquid from the bowl. The liquid in the bowl, while traditionally the blood of the animal they would share at the feast following, had been changed to water drawn from a nearby spring, at Thomas' request. Odin had been the only one to make complaint about that change, but with everyone else around the table backing Thomas, he'd gracefully bowed to the request.
Sprinkled with water, Thomas and Loki finally turned to each other. Loki felt a welling of concern in his belly, for most of Asgard had no knowledge of his true heritage, and he had interest in keeping it that way, but presenting this sword as a symbol of his ancestors was so very telling. Unless...
Loki drew the sword and met Thomas' steady gaze, ignoring the unsubtle noises of surprise from their audience. "Father," he said, not tripping over the word as much as he might have, before the hours spent by Bor's grave, "told me today of a race that he once called brother, before one who was overly greedy thought to take what wasn't his and began a war that would end only in hatred. Father had thought to broker peace with that race, once, but events have since disallowed such.
"I, unknowingly mirroring that greedy king, first took a throne, then thought to take a world. Your world. But you, inexplicable in every way, accepted me before I would even attempt to make amends. You let me into your home and heart without a thought otherwise, and that has shown me the errors of my youth in a way nothing Father ever tried could.
"I don't offer you the history of war, but the history of brotherhood, of peace. I would see this binding be as much about showing my people that there are others out there worthy of our friendship, as it is about the love we share for each other."
Loki held out the sword to Thomas at last. There was gratitude and love in Thomas' bright eyes, but also pride, and it was the last, rather than the first two, that made Loki want to grin, wide and carefree. He didn't, but he suspected that Thomas knew he struggled to contain it.
Thomas carefully held the sword with at his side while he held forth the sceptre. "I'm afraid," he said wryly, "that I don't have any swords of my ancestors to pass along to you, but I do have my love and my acceptance of everything you are. Sorcerer and trickster both."
Loki was wary as he accepted the sceptre, half expecting it to prank him in some way, with Thomas' words, but nothing occurred and he relaxed enough to look it over. There was a suspicious give to part of the decorations, and he pressed it, curious. The bottom of the sceptre immediately lengthened and developed a rather deadly tip, stabbing easily through the dirt. Loki raised an intrigued eyebrow and pressed another button on the other side from the first, retracting the end and hidden blade.
Oh, he liked this sceptre already.
He finally returned his attention to Thomas and allowed a pleased smile, when caused a wide grin to crawl across Thomas' face. Loki pulled out the ring and carefully balanced it on his new sceptre before holding it out to Thomas. Thomas accepted it and slipped it on, then set his ring on the sceptre and turned it back to Loki.
Loki took a moment to look the ring over as he slipped it on: It was a simple, gold band, inscribed with the traditional marriage runes on the inside. The outer face, however, had a thin green line through the centre, and it was only when he turned it slightly that he realised it was, in fact, a serpent eating its tail. The ouroboros, a symbol of re-creation.
They joined their hands over the sceptre, rings clinking, and traded traditional Midgardian vows; they had agreed that they didn't need to proclaim, before witnesses that may or may not have their best interests at heart, all that they were to each other. Such words were better left for in private, such as when they could finally curl together in bed again.
When the vows were said, Odin called out, "we may now retire to the feast."
Everyone turned at once and started down the hill, intent on not being the last back to the hall, for they would then be required to serve the mead to everyone else.
Loki and Thomas, however, remained on the hill, Thomas examining the pale sword. When everyone else had left, Thomas asked, "Was this Laufey's?"
Loki's jaw tightened momentarily, a reflexive action to his blood father's name. "Odin did not say."
"Am I allowed to ask him?"
"You may do as you please. So far as I'm concerned, the sword is yours."
Thomas smiled and wrapped the arm not holding the sword around Loki's waist. "If we wait much longer, we'll be last."
Loki snorted. "No, we won't," he disagreed, but teleported them all the same.
They were the first to arrive and slipped into their designated seats without discussion. Thomas set the sword carefully against the side of his chair, then turned his attention to the ring he now wore. "Still not a woman, Loki," he teased.
Loki shifted. "Odin said Jötun trade flowers, rather than rings," he admitted.
Thomas smiled and kissed his cheek. Loki quickly turned and caught the human's mouth with his, reaching up and tangling one hand in Thomas' short hair.
"There'll be time enough for that later," Thor interrupted as he slid into the open seat at Thomas' side, hair wind-blown from flying with Mjölnir.
"Oh, there's time enough for it whenever I want," Loki returned.
Thomas rolled his eyes and gently knocked his forehead against Loki's. "Whenever we want, Husband," he chastised, the last word rolling easily off his tongue.
Loki's mouth curled with a gentle smile, completely against his will. "I do what I want, Husband," he said, to hide his fondness.
Thomas laughed, loud and pleased, and those just coming in through the doors startled at the sound, which just made Loki's smile turn into a smirk.
At least it was a smirk until Thomas whispered, "We both do what we want," and kissed him again, hard and completely filthy.
Oh, yes, Loki saw nothing wrong in spending an eternity with Thomas.
1 - Holding Hands ||| 2 - Cuddling Somewhere ||| 3 - Gaming ||| 4 - On a Date ||| 5 - Kissing
6 - Wearing Each Other's Clothing ||| 7 - Cosplaying ||| 8 - Shopping ||| 9 - Hanging Out With Friends ||| 10 - With Animal Ears
11 - Wearing Kigurumi ||| 12 - Making Out ||| 13 - Eating Ice Cream ||| 14 - Genderswapped ||| 15 - Different Clothing Style
16 - Morning Rituals ||| 17 - Spooning ||| 18 - Doing Something Together ||| 19 - In Formal Wear ||| 20 - Dancing
21 - Cooking/Baking ||| 22 - In Battle, Side-By-Side ||| 23 - Arguing ||| 24 - Making Up After ||| 25 - Gazing Into Each Other's Eyes
Masterlist
..
no subject
Date: 11/12/12 10:54 (UTC)This was so cool to read! :D Totally drawn into the wedding.
Love the ending with Thomas and Loki getting there first...and Thor behind them *snickers*
*wiggles patiently for next day*
no subject
Date: 11/12/12 21:46 (UTC)Yay! Best wedding ever. (Not writing another one. Ugh.)
XD
no subject
Date: 11/12/12 11:40 (UTC)Oh, yes, the Viking Answer Lady is great. I hadn't visited her site in ages, until I recently posted the piece on Thor and Loki's preparations for 'Freya's' wedding. She's done an amazing job, and her site is a great resource for Heathens, historical research. and those interested in Norse/Germanic mythology.
I would so like to read the utter crack of Thor explaining to Thomas his duties as Loki's husband and suggestions on living with Loki.
no subject
Date: 11/12/12 21:50 (UTC)I haven't really had the time to snoop through much of it, but I'm excited about it, anyway. (Especially since the last instalment of Interaction is supposed to take place in Asgard. Oiy.)
Oh, Merlin... Yeah, that would have been awesome. XD I don't know who'd be more embarrassed, Thor, or Tom. (Probably Thor. Tom might well start asking embarrassing questions just so he can laugh about it later with Loki.)