thor odinson isn't wearing his mother's drapes (thundering) wrote in valloic, @ 2021-05-10 16:14:00 |
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Entry tags: | !: action/thread/log, ₴ inactive: fandral, ₴ inactive: thor odinson |
WHO: Fandral & Thor
WHERE: Vallo: New Asgard - Fandral's Cottage
WHEN: May 10th, 2021
WHAT: Fandral's back and Thor is relieved. Also, feelings? Nah. Let's live in denial for a little longer.
WARNINGS: Death Talk
STATUS: Complete
When Thor had heard that the missing Outlanders had returned from their adventures in Vallo's past, he had not hesitated to go check in on his brother, Darcy, and then, finally, Fandral. He had spent so much time worrying over them, that he hadn't realized how tense he had become over the last ten days. With each visit and reassurance that his missing loved ones were fine, the tension of his shoulders released slowly. This is, until he was standing in front of Fandral's front door. Thor wasn't sure why he was hesitating on knocking on it, but eventually he did raise his hand and knocked loudly. One, two, and three. His heart was pittering and pattering away, as he awaited to see a certain face. To say that Fandral was grateful to be back in this time, in his own cottage, and his own bed, was an understatement. The time away had felt like months instead of mere days and his body was still working to heal from the wounds he’d managed to get attempting to slay a beast only a week before. Thankfully Loki had found him and managed to mend him up well enough, but there was still something to be said for the sort of damage that had been done that he still had a slight limp to his walk and the wounds along his stomach were still tender, albeit healing well otherwise. He’d been dozing slightly in a chair when he heard the knocks on his door and he carefully got to his feet, knowing well enough who those knocks belonged to. Of course, being stuck in an ancient version of the current world they were in meant he hadn’t had any chance to really keep up appearances, so he wasn’t exactly looking his best, let alone smelling his best, but at least he’d managed a change of clothes. Still, he paused a moment to try and tidy his hair a little before he opened the door, pushing a smile to his face in greeting. “Thor.” Whatever concern Thor might have been feeling, doubled when he took in the state of Fandral. Their friends had always teased Fandral for being so concerned with his appearance. Normally, the other man was put together so well, not a stitch of clothing or hair out of place. Such was not the case today. But given that Fandral had gone through quite an ordeal, Thor wasn't too surprised by the unkempt appearance. He was still very much concerned, which was obvious in the way Thor moved in close, one hand to Fandral's face to cup his cheek, the other sweeping his side. "You're an idiot," Thor breathed fervently, before pressing a passionate kiss to the other Asgardian's lips. They had kissed many times before, under a lot of different circumstances, but this time...this time it was different for Thor. He was more used to being greeted with full on bear hugs from Thor, and a part of him was thankful that hadn’t happened simply because he knew full well that there would have been some pain involved if he had. However, this greeting had been unexpected, though not necessarily unwelcome, if he were being honest. Fandral had no time to respond before his mouth was being crushed with a kiss. There was a brief moment of surprise before he instantly relaxed into it, leaning into the other man to return the heated kiss, a hand coming up between their bodies to cup at the side of Thor’s neck. Instinct would have told him that this was going to lead to sex under normal circumstances, but even though Fandral had a tendency to be oblivious, there was something under the kiss that he recognized as feeling different. He couldn’t quite put his finger on just what it was, but there was an underlying intensity behind this kiss he hadn’t noticed in previous kisses exchanged with the man. Still. He guided him inside and used his free hand to push the door shut behind him before pressing him to the back of it. Thor let himself be pushed around for the moment, staying his normal urges to take control. For whatever reason, he always let himself be softer than he normally would be with anyone else, when he was with Fandral. But the moment didn't last for much longer, as Thor gently pushed Fandral off him. "I came to check on you," he explained, voice a little rough from the kisses. He grabbed one of Fandral's hands and squeezed it. "I had to see for myself whether you were fine." There was a whole lecture that he had planned on giving the other man. But seeing him now, Thor deflated, the lecture stayed not given. "Must you always find trouble everywhere you go?" He asked instead. It didn’t come as much of a surprise to him that Thor seemed so concerned and needed the reassurance that he actually was okay. He kept close to the other man, fingers curling to grip what he could of his hand and squeeze back as he looked at him. The worry that he saw in his eyes grounded him and he felt the corners of his mouth pull down into something of a frown. “I am sorry, you know. I did not mean to cause you worry.” Which was true enough. He had heard of this beast and a prize should it be slayed and after two unsuccessful attempts at besting it, he had wanted to try once more after an evening of rest. Unfortunately, the beast bested him instead. “I am mostly healed, thanks to Loki. I believe I may owe him my life.” "You have never met a challenge that you haven't taken head on," Thor observed wryly. "I should not be surprised that you decided this beast needed to meet you in battle as well." Still, it was clear that Thor had been truly worried, with the way he was gripping Fandral's hand and refusing to let go. At the mention of Loki, whatever remaining worry that had been plaguing the God of Thunder, left him in an instant. "You know he will never forget this debt of yours." The lightness in his tone was deliberate, almost as if he was working to make it sound like he wasn't as stuck on Fandral's injuries as he was. "He will call it in at the least opportune moment." “Truly, I did not anticipate defeating it being so difficult, but I suppose I may have deeply angered it in my… multiple attempts.” Fandral shook his head a little, almost in an amused way. Though there was nothing amusing about the damage the beast had caused him. “Though to be fair, I had thought I figured out how to slay it as I had come so close the day before.” There was a small shrug of his shoulders then. “I ought to have known better.” Which he knew. There was no shame in turning and running when you knew you were being bested, however he’d considered it just a little too late. That earned a laugh from Fandral, which was immediately followed by a grimace and his free hand coming to his stomach. “Oh, I have no doubts that he will. This will hang over my head for the rest of our lives.” “It did not go easy on you,” Thor observed, finally letting go of Fandral’s hand and caressing his the back of the hand that Fandral was cradling his stomach with. “Come, let’s go sit. I can make you something to eat, soup maybe? Something that will be easy on your stomach.” He gestured for Fandral to lead them to the living room, so that he could watch the way he walked. Not just because he had a nice ass, but to determine how injured he was by the gait of his walk. He followed closely though, not straying far from reach because there was such a large part of him that was concerned that Fandral would just collapse on him. Because despite the fact that he looked okay, in consideration to how injured he had initially been, Thor was a worrier and he had spent quite a few days worrying over Fandral while they had been separated. Thank Odin he hadn’t gone to fight that damned dragon. It had been bad enough that James had been hurt and Torunn had been inconsolable for a few hours. His gait wasn’t as bad as it had been, but it certainly wasn’t as good as Fandral would’ve liked, quietly annoyed with the small limp he had due to the injuries to his pelvis and leg. Of course, the bones had healed enough for him to be able to walk -- between Loki and just his normal genetic material -- but that didn’t mean they were at 100% yet. No, it would be at least a week or so before he was at that point. Leading Thor into the sitting room, he carefully lowered himself down onto the oversized couch that seemed to take up at least half the room itself. He breathed out a sigh and relaxed back against it for a moment, head rolled back and eyes closed. “I apologize. I fear I am not the best company given my condition, though I am incredibly glad to see you.” Because he had missed Thor. More than he might’ve been willing to admit. And being greeted with that kiss had nearly made his pain disappear, albeit briefly. “If you wish to cook for me, you are welcome to, however I would be just as content with you being near me for a while, if not more so.” His voice was quiet when he spoke now and he rolled his head to the side enough to look at Thor, a gentle smile at his lips. Thor sat down next to Fandral, close but not quite touching, for the fear of pressing on any healing injuries. He sat sideways, one leg folded under him and a hand propped against the back of the couch to rest his head on. It was the perfect vantage to observe Fandral. “I don’t expect you to entertain me. I came here to make sure you weren’t exaggerating how well you were doing.” And it did line up, for the most part, how injured Fandral currently was to what he had told Thor. “I’ll go cook something up in a moment,” he said, reaching over to rest a hand on Fandral’s thigh. “Tell me more about your adventures in the past. Not about how you nearly died though.” No, there was no exaggeration. Though Fandral sometimes had the habit of trying to undersell certain things, especially when it came to injuries or fights he didn’t do very well in, he wasn’t the sort to fib to Thor about any of that. Or anything, really. Though he didn’t want him to worry, either. He didn’t even look when he felt Thor’s hand upon his thigh, his hand closest to him moving to rest on top of it, giving it a gentle squeeze and holding it there. “I admittedly could not tell you about how I nearly died even if I wanted to,” he confessed sheepishly. So much of that whole experience was blank in his memory. “Otherwise? It was all right. I assisted in stopping an assassination attempt though, which was… quite fun, actually. It is good to know that I am capable of flirting to the point of distraction even on those from thousands of years ago.” His tone was amused and he flashed Thor a grin. Thor rolled his eyes, though the amused grin on his face didn’t falter. “How come I’m not surprised that you were used for that particular kind of distraction?” He hadn’t heard about this assasssination plot, but it was probably for the best. He would have spent more time worrying about his friends in the past, if he had. Thankfully, they were all within reach again. “And did you behave with Loki and Darcy? Other than giving them stress over you not resting properly.” His brother could handle it, but Darcy he was more protective of. Even though she had been able to take him down with her taser, he would forever worry about her when anything out of the ordinary was happening. Like dragon attacks. “The fact that I was a distraction was entirely unintentional, but it worked out for the best. That was before the beast in the cave, though.” Anything that was even remotely fun in ancient Vallo had been before the cave, simply because Fandral had been more or less bedridden from that point on. He rolled his eyes a little and let the grin on his lips shift into one of those ever so charming smiles he’d perfected hundreds of years ago. “Do I look like I would have given them a hard time?” he asked, trying not to laugh. Because it hurt to laugh still. Damn wounds. Fandral took that moment to lift Thor’s hand and turned it, pressing his palm to his lips in a gentle kiss, before breathing out a soft sigh. “To seriously answer your question, I did, yes. Or at least I think I did. Loki scolded me well enough for what happened that I did not want to upset Darcy at all, so I allowed them to care for me, even if I was restless and bored.” It was nice, the easiness that came with the touches. Thor wasn’t even thinking about it, as Fandral pressed a kiss to his palm. It was...new, yes. But it felt like a natural progression over the last few months now. So not one eyelash was batted, as he shifted a bit closer. “It’s what you deserve, being restless and bored, after going in without backup. Honestly, Fandral, just because you can fight monsters, doesn’t mean you should do it alone.” It was a lesson Thor himself was learning, by being a part of a team, by being an Avenger. There was no reason to do anything alone. But the lecturing was short lived, as Thor inclined his head toward Fandral and pressed their foreheads together. “You stink,” he said, laughter in his tone. “How about I draw you a bath and you can clean up? While you’re doing that, I can get started on that soup?” He knew he deserved the scolding, it had been an absolutely stupid thing to do and Thor was right, just because he could didn’t mean he should. They’d always fought as a group back in Asgard, why should that have been any different? Long story short: it shouldn’t have been. Fandral bit back another sight and looked over at him with a hint of shame in his eyes. “I know. I am sorry. I do not know what came over me.” That wasn’t entirely true, but he didn’t care to admit it just yet. “It just felt… good, I suppose. Almost something normal, in a way.” He lifted and dropped one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug before feeling a smile pull at his lips again when Thor leaned to press their foreheads together. “Aye, a bath would be good. It was quite difficult to stay clean there.” The downfall of an ancient civilization, surely. “Though I may need assistance in to the bath, if that would be all right?” Thor kept himself from voicing his opinion on why Fandral had felt the need to act rashly this time. It was something he had been noticing more in his friend’s actions. This...desire to jump into action seemingly outweighing his own safety. He leaned back so that he could stand and offer Fandral a hand up. “All is well, Fandral. Now you know better for next time. Let’s get you cleaned up then, yes?” He would never not be there when a friend needed his help, even if it was for something as mundane as getting clean. And Fandral, more than most, held a closer place to Thor’s heart. So he did not hesitate to agree to assist him. Fandral nodded slightly and with Thor’s assistance, managed to get to his feet easier than without, though there was a small grimace of pain in the process. He was no longer bandaged, thankfully, though the wounds were still inflamed and sore. Not to mention the bruising that was in the process of turning that horrible yellow color when they were past the worst point. Once they were in the bathroom and Thor had the water running, he took that time to carefully undress. First, his shirt, which exposed the gash wounds on his stomach that Loki had taken care to stitch as best he could. The creature had been a great giant snake-like thing and had managed to get a bite out of him; if the wound itself hadn’t killed him, the venom sure would have if not for Loki’s help. He surely owed him his life, at the very least. Then as he undressed further, the bruising on his hips and leg were obvious, what little was left to show where he’d broken those bones. This didn’t include the scrapes and bumps he’d received in just general from the attack. He certainly could have been worse for wear, but he wasn’t exactly in great condition, either. Fandral winced here and there before finally finding himself fully undressed, looking at his reflection in the mirror of the room. He hadn’t actually been able to see himself since the attack, not like this, and what he saw made him frown. Fandral certainly wasn’t the only one frowning when he was bare to the world and all his wounds, healing and not so healed, were there to see freely. Thor didn’t say anything though, as words would not help heal Fandral faster. Instead, he averted his eyes and busied himself with checking on the water that was being run for the bath. Adding oils, soaps, and salts for Fandral to soak in, he only occasionally glanced over to make sure that Fandral remained steady on his feet. He would only take leave when Fandral was in that tub and relaxing. It went to show how familiar Thor was with this house, that he knew where the clean towels were located. Setting aside one big fluffy one on the top of the hamper, he then sat patiently on the edge of the tub, waiting for Fandral to finish taking fill of his injuries.Only when more than a few minutes had passed, did he say, “Come now, there’s no point in giving those injuries this much attention.” He held out his hand to help Fandral into the tub. “Let’s get you cleaned up now.” He’d gotten a little lost in his own thoughts as Thor busied himself with getting the bath ready, trying not to let himself get overwhelmed with the thought that he truly had come perilously close to death. Again. Sure, it was far from the first time, but what would have happened if he had died? He didn’t want to think about it. It was Thor’s voice that pulled him back to reality and he gave him a sheepish look through the reflection of the mirror before turning. He was right, of course. They would heal and scar, but what was the point in dwelling on it now? Fandral took the hand offered to him, but instead of using the leverage to climb into the bath, he moved to stand in front of him. Thor’s hand was settled against his hip and then he used both hands to gently cradle his head, fingers splayed along his jawline and neck as he looked down at him. He wasn’t trying to initiate anything, but there was a deep vulnerability happening in that moment and he leaned down enough to press his lips to Thor’s in a slow, heated kiss. It wasn’t the first time he was reminded of how much he cared for Fandral. Seeing him in this state made him acutely aware of how close he came to losing him again and he knew he had a lot to thank Loki for, but especially this - for not letting Fandral perish in the past. But that reminder prompted thoughts toward his feelings for the other man, thoughts that were duly ignored once more. This had been a childhood crush. Nothing more, right? Tilting his head back and letting Fandral take this kiss where he wanted, he let it go on for several long moments. But he had no intention of letting it go further than that, at least not tonight, not while Fandral was still this hurt. Sliding a hand up Fandral’s side, he pressed back against Fandral’s lips for a moment or so longer, before breaking the kiss. “Are you trying to get out of this bath?” Thor asked, amused. Though Fandral wasn’t always the best with words when it came to his emotions, he thought he was decent at at least showing how he felt and he hoped that this kiss said more than he could verbalize. At the very least, it was a thank you for not only taking the time to run the bath and such, but for caring enough to be there at all. Not that he thought Thor didn’t care. Quite the opposite, in fact. Fandral’s nose scrunched a little as the kiss broke and then rolled his eyes, playfully, in response. “And deny you the opportunity to see me dripping wet? I think not.” It was a tease, but the amusement dwindled after a moment, his thumbs carefully stroking along his bearded cheeks. It was a tender sort of affection, one that a person might simply reserve for a lover, though Fandral wouldn’t admit to that. Thor was content to sit there for longer than they had so far because the quiet was comfortable. The easy existence between them had never been awkward, thankfully, even when crushes came and went. But something had been feeling different for a while now and Thor was reminded of that again, as Fandral made no move to get into the bath yet. Closing his eyes, he let his head fall forward into the hands cradling his face. “Firehooves missed you,” he murmured. “Was restless the whole time you were gone.” The horse was not the only one, but Thor didn’t mention that. Through all of their years together, and the ones missed due to what Fandral would have considered an unfortunately early death, something about this just felt natural. The women they had shared and not, the sex, the fights; it was doubtful any of this now was a surprise. Perhaps it was something that had grown simply from the fact that they didn’t know what the next day could bring. Not that it was much different than how things had been on Asgard. “Then I will be sure to visit him as soon as I am able to make it to the stables.” His voice was hushed in the quiet of the bathroom and he brushed his lips softly over Thor’s forehead as he continued to cradle his head. “I have missed him, as well. Terribly.” Was he talking about the horse still? Maybe. Perhaps at this point he was delaying getting in the tub, but his reasoning was just: he didn’t want Thor to leave. Even if he knew he would just be in the kitchen, he felt so much better having him right there. They weren’t talking about the horse anymore, Thor realized with a start. His eyes opened and he looked up at Fandral, the feel of his lips still lingering on his forehead. He wanted to say something meaningful, maybe breach the topic that he had been avoiding for centuries at this point. Because they never once before spoken about what this thing was between them, had always put it off to their friendship and their ability to enjoy sex together without attachment. Because Fandral...there was no denying that he was a free spirit. That he loved to enjoy people without consequence. Thor was not vain enough to think that if he said something, that would ever change. So he bit back the words on his tongue and smiled instead. “Sooner you get clean, the sooner you can go see him.” He pulled away, reluctantly, and started for the door. “Let me get started on your soup and I’ll return for you after that.” When Thor looked up at him, he returned the gaze and a soft smile, simply admiring the other man. But there was something in the way he looked at him then that caused a hint of panic to flare up in his chest. Had he gone too far? Been too serious in that moment? Despite the smile on his face, Fandral worried, though he tried to hide it. He stayed where he was when the other man moved toward the door and gave a nod, looking down at the soapy water in the tub before glancing back over his shoulder briefly with a forced smile. “Right. Of course.” It was all he could think to say just then as he moved, carefully pulling one leg over the lip of the tub and then the other before sinking into the water with a soft hiss of pain. But the feeling passed almost as quickly as it come on and he turned his head to look back at the man in the doorway. “Will you stay with me tonight?” he asked in something barely above a whisper. “If not, I understand, I just do not care to be alone.” Thor had lingered long enough to make sure that Fandral got into the tub safely and was about to go, when the quiet request came. And despite whatever awkwardness of the moment before had been, he nodded without hesitation. “Of course I will.” No questions to why Fandral needed the company, just the easy acquiescence of a positive response. “I’ll be back soon,” he added in promise, before finally exiting and forcing himself not to think much more about what was happening. If he over thought it, he would ruin it. That much he knew. |