Norse Mythology (Odin/Loki)

[icedark-elf.livejournal.com]

Title: Brothers
Author/Artist: GW Katrina aka icedark_elf
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Word count: 555
Summary: Loki has a visitor.
Prompt: July 13-47. Norse mythology, Odin/Loki: Bonds of blood - “Speak, my brother”


Brothers

It was after one of the violent earth tremors, when Loki tossed the very mountains as he writhed away from the venom that stung his face, burning and scarring his face yet again.

As he blinked away the tears of pain he refused to shed, the first thing he noticed was that the hand holding the bowl above his face was not the slim, pale hands of his wife. Instead, they were twisted, scarred hands. Hands that had seen combat, hands that had plucked hidden magic and knowledge from places it had sought to hide.

Loki knew those hands. Knew that among those scars were one that match a scar of his own. Just a thin mark, where he and the owner of the hands had spilt blood for each other, who had bonded themselves together.

Who had bonded themselves in more than just blood.

Loki knew those hands, just as well as the hands knew him.

"Odin," he hissed. The man who had been brother, lover, and the one who had cursed him here. "What do you want?"

"I came to talk," Odin said after a few moment, one hand still supporting the bowl, the other moving to trace the latest line left by the snake's venom. His eye glittered as he looked down at Loki, and Loki spat at him.

"You came to see if I would share secrets," he said, words growled in anger. Odin was always looking for secrets, looking for power, looking for a way to survive what would come.

"You were my brother, once. More than that. You were the one I trusted absolutely. Speak, my brother. Tell me what you wish." That scarred hand slid down to pet his throat. There were scars there as well, where the vile snake spit had splattered, leaving marks as dark there as on Loki's face.

Loki wondered what Odin's followers would have done if they knew he had laid with Loki. Loki the trickster, Loki the shapeshifter. Loki, he who would eventually pay back this betrayal with one of his own.

"You lie." A pause. Odin had not trusted him. "You come too late," he said after a moment, cursing himself for being so weak as to welcome the touch. Loki found he missed touch, but he would not accept such pathetic offerings. Once, if Odin had asked, Loki would have found out all secrets for him. As much as he hated the others, there was something about this one that seemed to pull Loki in. Had he not bore the man's steed? Had he not done a series of humiliating things, simply because of this man?

No more.

"Go back to your court, to your pale lovers and the doom that will come to you," he said finally. "I am still your brother, though we have nothing but betrayals left for one another. I hope your end will be quick and painless."

Odin looked as if he was going to say something else, but Loki shut his eyes. He would not watch the other.

There was a series of steps, one light and feminine, the other bold, as only the ruler of the gods could be.

Loki almost welcomed the next time venom washed over his face, if only to blot out the memory of that touch upon his throat.

Comments

[vampslyr.livejournal.com]

Wow, that was powerful. A very good snapshot of what is known of their relationship with a nice added twist of their being lovers that fits really well into the story. I like this a lot, thank you.