lkilaufeyson

@mutuals

“I could build you a throne,” Erik offers immediately. “I’d make sure to incorporate Jötunn design into it of course, but I expect that any Jötunn crafter would be unfamiliar with ways to make a throne that can be that tall and still remain structurally sound. It’s not exactly a design they would have needed before. Come to think of it, I imagine there is much in Jötunheim that I could help build and repair.”

"Metal and ice, wound together," Loki contemplates. "So many of the master craftsmen and builders died in the war, and so much architecture was lost; rebuilding that is a large priority. And it would be beautiful, with the touches you could add."

Something in him rebels against the concept of being a ruler and Erik pushes away the desire to insist that he’s not a ruler. He’s just helping the country get settled and working to make the entire thing official. Once that’s done, once everything is taken care of, Erik will still be nothing but the general who led the war. Never a ruler. “Do something rude to Stark for me while I’m gone,” Erik requests with a slightly forced grin.

Loki grins in return, a glint of mischief in his eye. "Oh, I most certainly will. I'll be sure to take a video and send you a link to wherever I post it so that you can thoroughly enjoy his frustration and likely embarrassment."

“I’ve seen you succeed at many daunting tasks before, I suspect you’ll manage this one as well.” Erik leans into the gentle feel of cool fingers across his skin, closing his eyes for a moment to just revel in the peace between them. He’s admittedly a bit nervous himself; Loki being crowned will change Erik’s life as well and he certainly never expected anything like this when he first fell for the god. “Things are often less funny from the other side,” Erik points out with a small chuckle as he opens his eyes again. “But at least the Jötun showing up at your coronation are actually supposed to be there. That puts you ahead of Thor’s first attempt already.”

That earns a laugh and a nod from Loki as his hand settles against the side of Erik's neck. "I'll admit you have a point. I'm wearing significantly less clothing than he was, though," he points out with a bit of a grimace and a gesture at the jötunn outfit he'd been talked into wearing by a man he was still struggling to come to terms with as being his blood brother. Thankfully it was more than he'd seen many of the jotnar wearing in the past, but it still left much of his arms, legs, and chest bare which was a bit unsettling after being raised wearing layers upon layers of armor. It was important to emphasize that he stood with Jötunheim rather than Asgard, though, and he knew that. This would be a rocky enough rule to establish as it was.

“I’ll watch that video on repeat for at least an hour,” Erik assures Loki. “I don’t imagine watching Iron Man lose will ever get old. Or any of the Avengers for that matter. They’re quite entertaining to mess with.”

"I'll do my best to keep you entertained throughout the politics," Loki promises. "I know how dull that can get at times. Maybe when I royally fuck over Hydra I'll send you a picture of the bodies... Or what's left of them, at least."

Erik’s gaze traces along exposed blue skin, following raised lines that disappear under relatively sparse clothing compared to Loki’s usual attire. He trails his fingers along one of the sweeping marks on his husband’s chest and with a hint of a smirk he says, “You say you’re wearing less as if it’s a bad thing. From where I’m standing, you look better in that than Thor could ever look in Asgard’s finest.”

"Thank you," Loki replies sincerely, still a bit in awe of Erik's easy acceptance and even appreciation of his jötunn form. He had to admit that one benefit of the different attire was that it was far easier to have Erik's hands on his skin without having to take off any of his clothing. "Although I'm afraid that if I was considered a bit slight in Asgard, here I am downright diminutive. I'll have to get a very tall throne so I don't hurt my neck constantly having to look skyward to my people's faces."

“Please do,” Erik agrees. “Though with Hydra i wouldn’t mind if you saved a few for me when I get back. Or you could always ship one to me. Stick a few holes and some water in the box and I’m sure they’ll at least be alive when I get them. Not for long, but long enough for me to relieve some stress.”

Loki's grin turns toothy and cruel. "Oh, I think I might do both. Send you one—the box spelled to only open at your touch, of course, as we can't have any attempted rescues after all—and keep a few tied up in stress positions and without food until you get back. Maybe taunt them a bit with what's coming, and how it's going to be a thousand times worse than what they're going through then."

“Both is a perfectly acceptable option,” Erik nods, his own smile matching Loki’s in cruelty. “It’s been too long since I was able to take my time with anyone, and I can think of no better victim than Hydra agents. Their blood spilling across my hands is one of the finer pleasures in life.”

"Oh," Loki purred, "there will certainly be blood. We can paint the streets with it in warning to those who remain, proof that we're not cutting off heads. We're bleeding the monster dry and burning the remains."