FIC: The Curse Stops Here ~ T ~ Tom Hiddleston/Loki

[batsutousai]

Title: The Curse Stops Here
Series: Tales of the Fairy Men
Fandom: Marvel (movie 'verse) & Real Person Fiction
Author: Batsutousai
Beta: MischiefRulesHere/BriAndLoki
Rating: T
Pairings: Tom Hiddleston/Loki (hints of Loki/Thor and Emma/Loki)
Warnings: Loki's a spoiled little shit, the boys have trouble keeping their hands to themselves
Challenge: 2013 Fairy Tale Writing Prompt Challenge
Summary: The last thing Prince Loki of Jötunheimr wants is to marry one of King James of Midgard's two daughters, but his father isn't giving him a choice in the matter. As luck would have it, there's always King James' missing son...

Disclaim Her: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Marvel. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. The characters of Thomas "Tom" Hiddleston is based on a real person, and no offence is intended; this is only for the amusement of myself and other like-minded (read: mentally ill) fans.
Bit of a personal disclaimer before we get into it: Any opinions stated in here are totally Loki's, not mine. (Really. I think Emma is quite pretty, and Tom's laugh is endearing. XP)

A/N: This is part of a series of fics based on a challenge to write your OTP using various fairy tales. And colours. Twelve fics, one per month, for the entirety of 2013.
March's prompt is The Frog Prince with the colour black.
In this fic, Loki's family is based more of the Nordic mythology than the Marvel, so Fárbauti is Loki's father, Laufey his mother. And he is not, nor has he ever thought he was, related to Thor.
I waffled for a while over which version of the transformation I wanted to use, and ended up going with the more modern version of a kiss, for various reasons.

Technically, this shouldn't be posted 'til tomorrow, since that's the last day of the month. But since it's apparently a holiday or something, I figured I'd be nice and give you fic the day before. XD

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The Frog Prince -- Black
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"Princess Sarah is boring and Princess Emma is ugly," Loki informed his father when Fárbauti came to inform him that the Hiddlestons would be arriving by lunch and staying for two days to finalise the treaty between their two kingdoms. "Why can't it be the Æsirs, anyway? At least Prince Thor is nice enough to look at."

Fárbauti pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're coming to lunch or you'll have no supper."

Loki huffed and turned to look out his window.

"And you will learn to get along with one of King James' daughters and secure this treaty by marrying her, do you understand me?" Fárbauti demanded, voice hard.

Loki turned back to his father with an angry turn to his lips. "Why me? Helblindi and Princess Sarah get on wonderfully. He can–"

"Helblindi isn't heir to the throne."

Loki huffed again. "Fine. I'll be there."

"Yes," Fárbauti snarled as he stalked from the room, "you will."

"You will," Loki said mockingly once the door had fallen closed. Then he slumped and curled around his knees, looking out his window towards the grounds. "Why couldn't the Hiddlestons have had a son, anyway?" he whispered. "Why only daughters? Who in their right mind would want some whiny little girl sitting on the throne next to them?"

Okay, so maybe Loki was just weird. But, then, Prince Thor certainly seemed to return Loki's affections, male as they both were. And Loki's mother, Laufey, had told Loki when he was a child that he could marry anyone he wanted so long as it supplied them with a strong tie to one of their neighbours. Fárbauti had seemed to agree back then, but he'd changed his tune when King James took the throne from his late father and started paying extra attention to his army.

Loki wallowed in misery for another couple hours until one of his father's servants came knocking, calling, "Prince Loki? The Hiddlestons have arrived."

Loki sighed and uncurled himself from his window seat. "I'll attend directly," he called back, then glanced in his mirror and set about fixing his hair.

By the time Loki arrived in the dining hall, Helblindi had already stolen Sarah away, leaving Loki to manage Emma on his own. Which wasn't so bad, he supposed – she was the far cleverer of the two princesses – but at least when Sarah was there, Emma didn't focus on him entirely.

Býleistr came to Loki's rescue after about an hour, asking if the princess would like to join himself and some of his friends in a game of kickball. Emma looked intrigued as she stood, asking, "If I make the most goals, may I keep the ball?"

Býleistr shrugged. "I don't mind." Then he turned to Loki, a helpless turn to his smile. "And you, Brother?"

"Perhaps tomorrow," Loki replied, the same response he'd always given; he had always been more interested in books than sports, much to Býleistr's unending upset.

Býleistr sighed and shook his head, then showed Emma to where the others were gathered.

"You should be playing with them," Laufey leaned over to whisper. "Prove yourself a worthy king."

Loki scowled. "Kings require a quick mind to rule, Mother, not quick feet."

"Ah, but it is quick feet that keeps the mind from becoming sluggish," King James commented, and Fárbauti shot a glare around Laufey.

Loki straightened and replied, "Respectfully, Majesty, I've never faced that particular difficulty. When I do, I shall happily join my brothers in their fun."

King James chuckled at that and Loki relaxed slightly, certain that he'd dodged his father's anger on this occasion. Still, it seemed a wise course to take his leave from the table and secure himself a far more solitary position, one which remained in Fárbauti's line of sight so he wouldn't have cause to punish Loki for leaving the hall too soon.

It turned out that, by the time the meal was officially considered over, Emma had, indeed, made the most goals, so she was given the glossy black ball. That same ball, she then proceeded to present to Loki, saying, "Since I know you would never think to act the gentleman and offer me gifts, Prince Loki, I thought I might gift one to you."

Loki blinked a few times, completely flummoxed, and numbly accepted the ball. "My...thanks..." he managed, looking down at the ball.

Emma caught his hand and pressed a kiss to his knuckles, a gleam of mischief in her eyes. "Next time," she teased, "I'll bring you a flower."

Loki scowled. "A flower," he repeated, disgusted.

"You'd be better served bringing him a book," Býleistr said, grinning wide at Loki's expense.

Loki cut him a look and stood, taking pleasure in the head of height he had on both of them. "If you'll excuse me, Princess, Helblindi..."

Emma sighed. "I have upset you," she suggested.

Loki thinned his mouth and turned away. "My thanks, again, for the...ball," he offered.

"This whole business upsets him," Býleistr told the princess, voice just loud enough to follow after Loki's retreat.

Loki escaped the castle walls entirely, aware that he would find no peace where his brothers or one of the two princesses could come across him. There was a small wood just beyond the main gate, which Loki had always frequented when he needed to escape from his family, and that was where he went.

Loki sighed as he settled against one of the trees ringing a clearing he and Helblindi had played in as children, before a village child had fallen down the forgotten well a storm had uncovered. The child had died and all peoples were quickly forbidden to step foot inside the clearing again.

He tossed the ball between his hands for a while, not really thinking of anything, just staring towards the half-buried well because it was something to look at. A bird's scream from not far in the woods behind him startled him and Loki fumbled the ball. He stared after it for a moment as it bounced into the clearing. As he realised it wasn't going to stop before reaching the well, he let out a distressed noise and hurried after it. Not because he had any attachment to it, but because Fárbauti would have his head for losing the ball Emma had gifted him.

He didn't make it, however, and the ball fell down the hole.

Loki moaned and crouched next to the hole, trying to see if he could spot the ball, or maybe there was something nearby that he could use to lower himself down with, get the ball back with none the wiser.

"I'm so dead," he realised, coming up empty.

"Perhaps I might be of assistance," a voice offered.

Loki jerked in surprise and looked around, half afraid someone had seen him and intended to report that he was near the well to his father; then Loki really would be in trouble.

But there was no one there.

"Down here, silly!" the voice said again, and Loki looked down to find a frog staring up at him.

"You have got to be kidding," Loki muttered. Because, really? Talking animals only appeared in fairy tales and–

"I'm not 'Kidding', I'm Tom," the frog informed him, mouth moving with the words as though it was honestly speaking them.

Loki blinked. "I'm dreaming."

"Pinch yourself, you'll see I'm very real," the frog assured him.

Loki scowled. "I have no interest in frogs, so you can just piss off, dream or otherwise."

The frog let out an odd little laugh, a sort of 'ehehe' sound that was somehow both supremely obnoxious and vaguely adorable. "But I'd like to help," it said.

"Help?" Loki repeated. "And how, exactly, do you think you can help me?"

"I can go down the well and get the ball that you lost," the frog said, matter-of-fact. "That is what troubles you, correct?"

Loki stared at the frog for a long moment, warring with himself over accepting the assistance of a talking frog. In the end, he figured, 'What harm can come of it?' and agreed, "Very well. I accept your offer of assistance, frog."

"Tom," the frog reminded him.

"Tom," Loki repeated, though he had no intention in remembering it.

The frog nodded. "If I'm to help you, you'll have to offer me something in return."

"I'll have to–!"

"Isn't that what princes are supposed to do?" the frog asked, perfectly polite.

Loki ground his teeth together for a moment, then growled out, "And what, exactly, would a frog want from a human?"

The frog blinked at him. "A kiss."

Loki stared for a long moment before he burst out laughing.

The frog sighed and stretched out one of its back legs to peer at the webbing between toes. Once Loki had mostly quieted, the frog insisted, "A kiss for your ball. Not much to ask, right? I mean, I could be requesting a spot on your pillow for the night."

Loki grimaced. Placed against spending a night with a frog in his bed, a quick kiss really didn't seem so terrible. "Yes, fine, very well. I'll give you a kiss if you get me my ball."

"You swear? On your honour?"

"On my father's crown," Loki promised.

The frog considered that for a moment, then nodded and hopped down the hole. There came a splash, then the frog called up, "It's shiny black?"

"Yes, that's the one," Loki agreed.

There was another splash, then the black ball shot up, out of the hole. Loki dove for it and almost fell down the hole, but caught himself on the rock the frog had been sitting on at the last moment. Breathing hard from the shock of adrenaline, ball held tight against his chest, Loki sat back and gave his heart a moment to calm.

About the time he'd calmed back down, the frog made it out of the hole, water sparkling in the sunlight on its dull green skin. "You promised me a kiss," it reminded Loki.

Loki sighed and glanced down at the ball. "I did," he agreed and held out a hand for the creature. "Come along, then."

The frog hopped onto his hand and Loki lifted it up to his mouth. With one last grimace of distaste, he puckered his lips and closed his eyes.

There was a brief touch of something damp against his lips, then the frog let out a startled noise and jumped off his hand. Loki quickly opened his eyes to look, wondering what had startled the creature so, only to find the frog shimmering with a pale yellow light before growing and contorting in a way that seemed entirely too painful.

After a long moment, the light faded away, leaving a rather handsome young man with the most beautiful blue eyes Loki had ever beheld. "Thanks," the young man said, voice quiet and exactly like the frog's had been.

"Who–?" Loki managed, stumbling over his words as he realised the other was completely naked. (And, Gods, he was gorgeous everywhere, wasn't he?)

The once-frog seemed to realise his own naked state right then and curled into a ball, face and chest flushing a rather fetching shade of red. "Ah, this is embarrassing," he managed with a helpless little smile, then carefully held out a hand. "Tom. Ah, assuming my parents didn't disown me, Prince Tom Hiddleston."

Loki's eyes widened. "The Hiddlestons have a son?" he asked, voice going a little high and squeaky at the end.

Tom nodded. "Uhm, yeah. Well, had." He let out a nervous little laugh, the odd little 'ehehe' much more tolerable when matched with a beautiful face. "I crossed a witch some years back, so she cursed me to remain a frog until I could find, ah, someone who was willing to kiss me."

"Someone," Loki repeated, suspicious.

Tom shifted, his blush darkening. "A–" He coughed. "A prince," he admitted. "A, ah... A ha-handsome prince."

Loki's lips curled with a smirk and he set the ball to one side. "Is that so?" he purred. "And you think me handsome?"

Tom closed his eyes and nodded.

Loki got up to his knees and leaned forward, partially crouched over the other prince. "That makes two of us," he offered, voice low.

Tom's eyes snapped open and widened slightly to find Loki so close. "You, uhm. You think I'm handsome?" he asked, Adam's apple working a particularly loud swallow.

Loki was entirely obvious about casting his eyes over the other's naked body before meeting his eyes again, pleased by the sight of pupils blown wide. "Oh, yes," he whispered, and shifted his weight so he was supporting himself on one hand and could use the other to trail light fingers up Tom's side.

Tom let out a startled gasp and arched against the touch, his legs parting slightly, as though to make room for Loki between them. "I d-don't even know your n-name!" he exclaimed before whimpering as Loki's fingers trailed back down the same path they'd followed up.

"Prince Loki Jötnar," Loki murmured, pushing forward until they bumped noses. "We didn't finish that kiss, Prince Tom."

Tom let out a breathy noise of want before tilting his head and pressing his mouth to Loki's.

Loki pried the other's lips open with his tongue, tracing across his teeth for a long moment before twining with his tongue, delighting in the moan Tom let out just before one of his hands grabbed for Loki's shoulder, pulling him closer.

They teetered for a moment, Loki's balance precarious on one hand, then tumbled together in a heap, Tom letting out a helpless little laugh and bracing Loki with the hand that wasn't at his shoulder. "I think," Tom gasped out, "we should retire indoors...before we forget ourselves."

Loki groaned at that, but admitted the other had a point. So he pulled away, taking another long look down Tom's naked form – and the other blushed again, all over; Loki loved it – before pulling off his over-tunic and offering it to Tom. "It will have to do until we can find you some trousers."

Tom accepted it and hurriedly slipped it over his head, beaming through his blush. "Thank you."

Loki shrugged and pushed himself to his feet, offering a hand down to Tom in a motion that was quite unlike him, really. But then he'd never been quite so smitten before either. "Your parents are here, you know, in Jötunheimr."

Tom stumbled slightly, eyes widening. "They– They are?"

"You didn't know?"

Tom shook his head. "No. I haven't..." He swallowed and looked down at where his hands were worrying the bottom edge of Loki's tunic. "I haven't spoken to them since before the curse. They probably think I'm dead."

Loki frowned to himself as he leaned over and picked up the ball. "Well, you're not. And, by the gods, I am not marrying one of your sisters."

Tom choked. "Wait, what? They want you to–"

"My father has demanded I marry one of your sisters to ease the treaty negotiations."

Tom moaned and covered his face with one hand. "It's Emma, isn't it?"

"How ever did you guess?" Loki returned drily.

Tom peeked out at him, a glint of amusement in his eyes that was very like the one Loki had seen from the princess in question earlier. "You're exactly like she used to say her prince charming would be."

Loki snarled and started from the clearing, Tom hurrying to catch up. "She's found the wrong prince then," he snapped. "She holds no interest for me." Then he stopped and spun, flashing Tom, who almost ran into him, a sharp little smile. "And what did your prince charming look like?"

Tom's cheeks flushed bright red again and he hunched his shoulders. "Ah. Uhm, I d-don't– I didn't have one... Really."

Loki's smile widened. "You are a terrible liar," he pointed out.

Tom let out a nervous laugh. "How do you think I ended up cursed?" He licked his lips, then asked. "Did you have a prince charming?"

Loki chuckled, low and quiet, then reached out and brushed his hand through the golden hair curling atop Tom's head. "I wonder," he replied before turning and continuing the trek out of the woods.

They earned their share of curious looks as they snuck through the back entrance into the castle and up to Loki's rooms, but managed to avoid anyone who would think to question the Crown Prince. In Loki's rooms, he handed the ball off to Tom and told him to set it somewhere while he found something for the blond prince to wear. They were of a similar height and build, with Tom carrying perhaps a little more muscle mass, and Loki no more than two centimetres height. (Though that last was hard to tell with Tom's curls.)

Once Tom was dressed and Loki had given up on taming his hair – Tom had insisted it wasn't worth trying at all, but Loki was disinclined to listen to anyone, not even this gorgeous man – Loki led the way down to the dining hall, where he knew the treaty negotiations would be taking place. (Assuming no one had stormed out, like Laufey had with King Odin last spring.)

They were still sitting around the table, debating loudly over army size – Loki was very much not surprised that this would be a sticking point – Fárbauti half out of his chair and Laufey's hand on his arm to try and keep him there.

Loki sighed at his father, then motioned Fárbauti's personal servant over. "If my father would be willing to take a short recess, I've a guest that would seek an audience with King James and Queen Diana."

The servant raised his eyebrows and looked over Loki's shoulder at where Tom was fidgeting with the black ball. (Loki wasn't quite certain why he'd brought it down, but now wasn't the time to ask.) "He came here?"

"It was unexpected," Loki replied, a note of warning in his voice. "Go."

The servant shook his head, but returned to Fárbauti's side and whispered urgently in his ear. Loki's father cast a dark gaze at him, but did announce, "James, Diana, it seems Loki has come across someone seeking an audience with you."

The visiting royals turned towards the two princes, both frowning slightly. Diana recognised Tom first, letting out a breathy little gasp and covered her mouth with one hand before hurriedly rising and starting over. "Thomas," she called.

Tom swallowed and carefully stepped forward, ball pressed so tight between his hands, Loki wondered if it might burst. "Mum," he said, voice catching.

And then Diana was upon him, enveloping him in her arms and sobbing relief into his chest. James wasn't far behind, expression tight with something between anger and relief.

Loki left them to the reunion, making his way over to his own parents and their wide-eyed stares. "Prince Tom Hiddleston," he told them, shrugging. "I guess he's been missing."

"Where did you find him?" Laufey asked, eyes bright with an odd sort of emotion that Loki thought might be pride, though he'd never had it aimed at him before.

Loki paused a beat before admitting, "Down a well."

"Down a–" Laufey started.

"That well is forbidden," Fárbauti hissed, eyes blazing with anger.

Loki met his stare evenly. "I don't think Prince Tom got that message, Father."

Before Fárbauti could respond to that, Diana was at Loki's side, smile wide and eyes bright with tears. Tom was trailing along behind him, James' arm tight around his shoulders. "Thank you," Diana said, taking Loki's hand in both of hers.

Loki cleared his throat, uncomfortable, and glanced up towards Tom's helpless smile. "Of course, Majesty," he managed, voice forcefully smooth, before he pulled his hand away and stepped around her. "With your leave, I believe Prince Tom would like to visit with his sisters?"

"Of course," James agreed and pushed Tom towards Loki.

When the blond stumbled slightly, eyes widening with surprise, Loki reached forward and steadied him without thinking about it. "They should be out in the courtyard," Loki commented as they turned towards the doors, arms brushing.

Emma and Sarah were, indeed, out in the courtyard, and the three Hiddlestons enjoyed a rather loud reunion while Loki gave the abridged explanation to his brothers.

A game of kickball was started up once things had calmed down, using the ball Tom had still been holding onto. Loki was fully intending to sit it out, but Tom laughed and dragged him over to join them, insisting, "If you sit out, the teams'll be uneven. For the sake of fairness, you have to play."

"I very much dislike you right this moment," Loki informed him, but he didn't bother with any further complaints. (He did, however, take a couple of chances to brush a little too close to Tom's rear, enjoying the flush of red that lit his face each time.)

At supper, Loki and Tom found themselves sitting together, for reasons not of either of their design. (In all honestly, Loki thought it would probably be safer if Tom was out of easy reach for the duration of the meal, lest he give in to temptation.)

To open the meal, Fárbauti announced the return of the missing prince and Loki's hand in facilitating the reunion. He then went on to announce the betrothal of Princes Loki and Tom, proving that at least one of the four royal parents was more observant than Loki had thought.

"Does that grant me free reign to ravish you, I wonder," Loki murmured to Tom under the cover of clinking dishes.

Tom blushed and knocked shoulders with Loki, a resigned smile turning his lips. "You're the absolute worst," he insisted.

Loki flashed him a smile full of promise. "Oh, my darling Tom," he purred, "you have no idea."

Tom gave a tiny shiver and a wicked glint made his enchanting blue eyes green for just the briefest of moments. "No," he said, sweet and innocent and such a glorious lie, "but I have a sinking feeling you'll be more than happy to educate me."

Loki couldn't wait until their wedding night.

The Tales of the Fairy Men Series:
Part One: Before He Drowns ~ The Little Mermaid (Turquoise)
Part Two: Crackle of Flames ~ The Steadfast Tin Soldier (Orange)
Part Three: The Curse Stops Here ~ The Frog Prince (Black)
Part Four: Occluded Front ~ The Ugly Duckling (Pink)
Part Five: Let Me Be Your Wings ~ Thumbelina (Purple)
Part Six: Chime of a Bell ~ The Red Shoes (White)
Part Seven: Regardless of Warnings ~ Beauty & the Beast (Blue)
Part Eight: Little Green Riding Hood ~ Red Riding Hood (Green)
Part Nine: Für Loki ~ The Crane Wife (Yellow)
Part Ten: One Day I'll Fly Away ~ Cinderella (Grey)
Part Eleven: Don't Count the Miles ~ Bearskin (Silver)
Part Twelve: The Snow King ~ The Snow Queen (Red)

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