[By : LunaCanisLupus_22 on AO3]
Thor bursts into Loki's chambers with the roar of a charging Fáfnir. He descends upon the trickster curled up delicately in a nearby armchair; open book and golden apple twirling rapidly between his slender fingers.
"Return what you have stolen from me," he snarls, wrenching Loki's book from his lap and throwing it across the room to announce his presence.
Loki lets it collide with the marble wall and only then tilts his chin up to gaze innocently at him.
"You'll have to be more specific brother mine," he responds, bringing the apple to his lips to take a bite. His eyelids flutter at the taste and Thor's anger falters to the utter distraction of Loki's mouth.
He chews and swallows before his eyes narrow in sharp disdain. "That book was older than the Norns, you thick-headed fool."
Thor seizes Loki by the front of his tunic and lifts him into the air. The golden apple falls with a clatter and rolls across the stone floor. "Return Mjölnir to my possession. Now."
Thunder cracks outside the chamber; rumbles a warning of his approaching wrath. He will be trifled with no longer. Mjölnir has not answered his call since sunrise and only Loki's Seiðr is powerful enough to be responsible for such interference.
Loki shakes with unsuppressed laughter. "Even a halfwit such as you knows I cannot even lift it."
When he laughs again Thor pulls him close to grind his bones into powder for such treachery, but the trickster's image shimmers and slips through his fingers like rippled silk. He reappears on the other side of the room; seated on the edge of his bedstead, apple in hand. A picture of contentment.
Thor lunges for him again. And Loki allows him to rumple his clothing for a second time as he grips him to prevent escape. "You use tricks to prevent Mjölnir heeding my call. Lift the spell or you will suffer greatly at my hand."
Loki takes another bite. "Idle threats aside brother. I am certain we can come to an accord."
Therein lies the true purpose to his scheming.
Loki's ulterior motive is finally uncovered. Thor releases him in disgust that Loki would resort to such measures.
"If you wish a boon of me you need not use wiles to gain it," Thor snaps and takes the apple from him. One of the golden apples of Yggdrasil. Only Loki would be fool enough to steal what is rarely freely given. "Idunn will call for blood at the discovery of your theft."
Loki smirks. "The goddess would've picked the flesh from my bones. If I had been seen."
"Enough games," Thor growls, discarding the stolen fruit. "What do you want, Silvertongue?"
Loki rises gracefully from his seat and slinks towards him. "What would you give me Thor?" he murmurs softly; a malicious glint in his sharp eyes. "Would you give me anything I ask for? How far would you go for your precious hammer?"
It's a dangerous question. Thor frowns, puzzled over what game Loki is playing. But he has never run from a challenge and will not be persuaded now.
"What. Do. You. Want," he grits out, fist clenching over the empty space Mjölnir customarily fits into. A thunderclap follows the gesture. He is wearing thin of this dance.
"Would you let me mount you?" Loki asks apropos of nothing and Thor steps back in shock.
He thinks if he'd been holding Mjölnir he would've dropped it.
