Steve

“You always have me,” Steve whispered softly in return. When Thor released him, he headed for the kitchen and pulled out the soup and everything he’d need to make sandwiches for them. He got the soup started and then made grilled ham and cheese for them as well. When everything was heated and ready, he poured soup into bowls, put the sandwiches onto plates and set them at the island in their kitchen, bringing milk over for them both as well.

Thor watched Steve quietly, taking a moment before following after him and perching at the island. He didn’t speak for a long moment, his mind just wandering. “I think he knew the night we met.” he said finally, not sure if Steve would understand what he meant. “When I pulled Loki from the quinjet that night. I think he knew then.” he moved to take a bite of his soup, relaxing a little at the normalcy that drew him further from the horrid nightmare that was his own memory. 

Steve

Steve finished drying off and went to grab a pair of sweatpants and a tank top before he sat down on the edge of the bed, still just watching his lover. “I’m glad he at least knew of us before he was lost to you,” he said softly. “It seems like he approved of our bond at least. That… that’s something that we can at least be confident about. If he were here, we know he’d be happy for us.” He pushed to his feet once Thor finished dressing once more.

“Come on. I’ll fix some soup and sandwiches, we can eat and then try to get some more sleep. We have nowhere we need to be and nothing else we need to do right now but take care of one another.”

Thor nodded, reaching to pull Steve to him and kiss him, more clear headed the more Steve spoke. “I still have you.” he murmured, though if he was talking to Steve or himself wasn’t clear. He waited a moment, just holding Steve before he nodded slowly. “Yes, food and rest.” he agreed, taking a slow breath and reluctantly releasing Steve so they could go to the kitchen. 

Steve

“I am so very sorry, my love,” he whispered softly, tightening his hold around Thor as the other turned to hold him in return. “With the fighting and all… I know you weren’t able to give him any kind of burial or anything else… I know you made it to Wakanda but I still don’t know how you got there. Again… we don’t need to talk about it tonight. Just know, whenever you want or need to talk about Loki, I will listen.” He pulled back and leaned up to kiss his mate softly. “Let’s finish drying off and get changed and I’ll make us something to eat.” He brushed his fingers through Thor’s hair. “I love you, Thor. And if Loki had made it here with you, it doesn’t change anything but I want you to know, I would have done everything I could to help you take care of him… to help you help him live here with us. I know you can’t have that now but… if it had been an option, I hope you know I would have helped.”

Thor wished he could bring his brother back just for a moment, but he knew he couldn’t, so his grief was deep. He knew Steve understood in his own way, having lost his own best friend and brother so many times himself, so it meant much more coming from Steve as he opened up about his loss. “Stormbreaker. It grants me the ability to open the bifrost. I wanted to come home, stop Thanos before he hurt you, the bifrost just followed what I wanted.” he explained. “Of all the traditions, I wish I could have retrieved a lock of hair.” he explained. “We have other burial traditions, the souls set free from a burning boat so that hey may be released to Valhalla, where all warriors go, but the family of the one lost usually have a lock of hair…a braid that we lace with our own hair to carry a piece of their spirit with us. Like the braid of my mother’s hair.” He looked down for a moment, taking a shaky breath. He slowly released Steve, moving to finish taking his clothes off. “I love you, too, Steven. More than anything. It helps to know someone would have given him a second chance here. He would have taken it, I’m sure.” he promised. “He knew you were important to me, before I was ever able to admit it.” he smiled sadly, going to their room to pull out some clothes and tugging a shirt over his head. “He always asked if I had kept an eye on you, if you were alright. His magic was sensitive to strong bonds like the one we share.”

Steve

Well…now it all made sense to him. No wonder Thor had been so angry and filled with rage when he’d landed in Wakanda… when they’d fought with Thanos there and again later on to get their friends back as well. Eveyrone had made it back…. everyone but Loki.

“Thor,” he whisepred softly, pressing against the other’s back and wrapping arms around him, hands resting against the god’s chest. “Thor, I’m so sorry. While I was angry with your brother for what he did here in New York, I never thought him truly evil. I knew he needed help and I suppose I always thought he’d get that help from you. I’m sorry for how he was lost…”

One shaking hand moved to rest over Steve’s hand, blue eyes closed as Thor took a slow breath. “There are traditions I was denied because of that monster. It is not that I’m not happy the others have returned, I was just…I was hoping I would get my brother back as well. He was all I had left from my world.” He turned slowly, arms settling around him as he held Steve. “He had finally found peace but I never expected him to actually martyr himself. He knew he was going to die, but he had to try. He’s always been a kind of solace, a very dear friend even when we were mad at each other and fighting.” 

HE laid a kiss on his mate’s hair, eyes closing again. “He was only trying to protect me. It’s a habit neither of us could really break after a thousand years of being there for each other,” A very sad laugh escaped him. the sound weak. “Maybe he didn’t think he would be accepted here, after everything. It’s the only other reason he would have been foolish enough to take Thanos and his minions on his own.”

Steve

Steve sucked in a quiet breath when Thor spoke of what had upset him. Loki’s death. The other had never spoken of it and Steve had wanted to ask so many times. He knew Thor’s grief was unmatched by anything he’d ever seen in the king before. They made it back inside and Steve tugged Thor into the bathroom to get them both changed and dried off.

“You’ve never told me what happened,” he said quietly. “Maybe sharing it with me will help you in dealing with your grief over his death. I know you sent word that he and Bruce were with you before you arrived on Earth but we never really talked about the rest of it. I’m not pressing you, Thor. You can talk if you feel ready and if not, then I will simply do what I can to help you. But just know, you can always talk to me, no matter what.”

Thor was quiet for a long moment. “I am aware that most of the others believe he was evil…” he began. “But he believed for centuries he was of Asgard and when he found out otherwise, he got lost. It’s how he got mixed in with Thanos to begin with. Being tortured until he promised Thanos something just to make the pain stop. He’s still my brother, no matter how often he’s done terrible things.” He changed slowly, eyes sad as he fought back tears. “His last moments…he made an attempt to kill Thanos on his own.” his hand trembled and he had to rest them on the counter to try and hide it. “I was forced to watch as Thanos…as that monster squeezed the life out of my brother.”

Steve

Once Thor was calmed again, Steve pressed against him and wrapped his arms around him gently. “I’ll always come for you,” he promised softly, kissing Thor’s jaw softly. “You’re soaked. Now, so am I… let’s go back inside and get dried off and warmed up. Are you hungry? I could fix us something to eat if you’d like. What was it tonight? Nightmare or just memories?”

Thor let his body relax as Steve held him, his own arms wrapping around Steve gently. “And I will always come back to you.” he swore softly. “The storm will pass soon enough.” he promised, walking alongside his mate. “A small snack might be nice.” He was quiet for a moment. “A little of both.” he replied. “I…I was dreaming of Loki. His last…” his voice shook a little and he fell silent. He’d never told anyone about Loki’s death, merely that his brother had died before he’d come to earth. “His last moments.”

Steve [ @lostshieldandhammer ]

Steve wasn’t sleeping much. Nightmares were keeping him awake, but what Thor was going through was so much worse. Steve put all his energy into keeping the other grounded through it all. Tonight was one of those nights. The storms outside were raging and Steve went in search of his lover, finding him on a cliff overlooking the water. “Thor…” he called gently, watching as the sparks of lightening slid along the king’s body. He reached out and put a hand on the other’s back. “Thor, come back to me,” he whispered softly.

Thor didn’t necessarily lose control when his nightmares and visions were bad and he couldn’t bring himself to sleep. The power that coursed through him, changing the very weather as a shimmering charge encircled him, was a subconscious protection. In recent days it had come to light that the only safe from the effect of the charge was Steve, further proving their bond as soulmates. So when there was suddenly a warm hand low on his back and a calm voice calling his name, white eyes flickered and faded to their natural blue, tuening to look at the other blonde. “Steven…” He paused, realizing a moment later that they were outside, and he reached to run a hand through Steve’s hair. “Thank you, my love.”