Thor fic rec: Old Hope, by soda_and_capes (T)
Title: Old Hope
Author: soda_and_capes
Fandom: Thor
Continuity: mix of myths, comics, and film
Characters/Pairings: Loki, Balder, Thor, Tyr, Odin, Freyja, Heimdall, Amora, Doom, Namor, implied Loki/Thor, Loki/Balder, Loki/Doom
Length: 8,046 words
Warnings: Some parental cruelty. Reference to Mpreg.
Spoilers: Nope.
Why this must be read/seen: This is a portrayal of Loki growing up, as he relates with the various people, always feeling at odd and different. It is wonderfully nuanced and heartbreaking. It tackles on Jotun-as-Genderqueer especially, and on gender in general, in a way that is brilliant.
Loki is standing in the middle of the room, still female and still furiously upset. Her shoulders are shaking, but she isn't crying yet. "Get out," she snaps when he sees Balder.
Balder sighs. "Talk to me." He already knows, though. Loki doesn't belong here, and worse than that, she doesn't even know that she shouldn't keep expecting to.
"It's always something," Loki says a little desperately. "I'm always too hot, too cold, not male enough, not female enough. Intentions too good, intentions too bad."
"But you're perfect," Balder says hollowly. He means it, but that won't help.
Loki sneers. "Perfect. Balder the Pure calls me perfect. Of course, neither of us can hold a candle to Thor."
Balder often feels as though he's speaking a foreign language, and badly, when he's speaking to Loki. The way Loki looks at him when he speaks, he always feels as though what Loki's hearing isn't what Balder intends to say.
Old Hope
Author: soda_and_capes
Fandom: Thor
Continuity: mix of myths, comics, and film
Characters/Pairings: Loki, Balder, Thor, Tyr, Odin, Freyja, Heimdall, Amora, Doom, Namor, implied Loki/Thor, Loki/Balder, Loki/Doom
Length: 8,046 words
Warnings: Some parental cruelty. Reference to Mpreg.
Spoilers: Nope.
Why this must be read/seen: This is a portrayal of Loki growing up, as he relates with the various people, always feeling at odd and different. It is wonderfully nuanced and heartbreaking. It tackles on Jotun-as-Genderqueer especially, and on gender in general, in a way that is brilliant.
Loki is standing in the middle of the room, still female and still furiously upset. Her shoulders are shaking, but she isn't crying yet. "Get out," she snaps when he sees Balder.
Balder sighs. "Talk to me." He already knows, though. Loki doesn't belong here, and worse than that, she doesn't even know that she shouldn't keep expecting to.
"It's always something," Loki says a little desperately. "I'm always too hot, too cold, not male enough, not female enough. Intentions too good, intentions too bad."
"But you're perfect," Balder says hollowly. He means it, but that won't help.
Loki sneers. "Perfect. Balder the Pure calls me perfect. Of course, neither of us can hold a candle to Thor."
Balder often feels as though he's speaking a foreign language, and badly, when he's speaking to Loki. The way Loki looks at him when he speaks, he always feels as though what Loki's hearing isn't what Balder intends to say.
Old Hope