Chapter 1
Loki had been shocked to hear of his grandmother’s death. He’d been convinced she was immortal. Literally. Immortality was surely not out of Bestla’s grasp Loki was sure of that. So despite her always saying it wasn’t in the cards for her Loki hadn’t actually believed she meant it until she died. Though he hadn’t been too surprised when she left him everything. Despite the falling out he had with the rest of the family Loki had always been the most suited to take over her role. Loki wished he could have seen his Father’s face when that had been revealed. Alas after Thor’s…situation…he’d been disowned in every sense except legally.
The poor lawyer executing his Grandmother’s will had to track him down to his shitty apartment in the city. Loki had laughed in his face when he’d been told he had inherited his grandmother’s house and duty. It wasn’t a joke. If he had been a little less desperate Loki might have told the lawyer to fuck off. But he and Thor could only take so many weeks of living off one meal a day. If he inherited the family burden he got a free fucking house and a salary income. Hardly anything even happened at the cemetery now anyway.
He would be free to live the rest of his days in peace, and also sticking it to their Father who had surely expected to inherit the house. Though Loki wasn’t sure what Odin had expected. Bestla had loved her son as she had loved them all but she was his mother and knew better than most that Odin would never actually move into the house and take up the life of a Graveyard Keeper. No, he had a business to run. One his bloodsucking sister was sure to inherit. She’d taken Thor’s ‘death’ and used it to get back into his Father’s good graces. Loki had fallen out of them the moment it was revealed what he’d done to keep Thor alive. Which was sort of understandable as much as it hurt. It was forbidden even though it’d been an accident. Still he’d at least thought Frigga would be happy. Yet the way she’d looked at him with shock and disgust had cut his very soul. Thor hadn’t understood her horror at the time. He’d been in too much pain to recognize the crime against nature Loki had committed in his desperation.
The true falling out had begun when Odin tried to forcefully cut their link, an invasion Loki had responded to by panicking and pulling their souls together in such a way that cutting the connection would kill him. After that Loki had run to Bestla. He had been desperate for help to fix Thor, to alleviate his pain and keep him alive. She had tutted and shook her head but took them in anyway, fixing Loki’s botched job with skill and experience he could only hope to one day achieve.
The brothers had thought that with Thor’s heart beating again they might be accepted back into their old lives. Except nobody else had understood. His brother had been over the moon to still be alive, or rather alive once more. When everyone still reacted with horror to the truth it gutted him. Even Sif, Fandral, Hogun and Volstagg had reacted poorly, lashing out rather harshly. It was a lot of nonsense about how it was “unnatural” and how Loki should “let Thor go” absolutely ridiculous. They didn’t understand how much he needed his brother.
Loki wasn’t sure what he would have done if everyone rejecting him and by extension Thor convinced Thor that he should try to pass on. Probably something stupid. Instead of demanding that Loki find a way to sever them and send him on they’d left together. Left everyone and everything behind. Unfortunately that also included the cushy lifestyle a rich father provided. So two broke twenty somethings weren’t in any position to turn down a free house. It didn’t matter how many ghouls and hauntings they had to take care of in return, they were more than capable of such things. So now the brothers and their meager belongings were stuffed in a shitty car. Said car had begun sputtering dangerously as they crested the steep hill leading up to their new home.
The ancient family home was still a sight to behold, gnarled trees and rose bushes lining the road up to the doors. A hulking yet homey looking thing with a mismatched garage to one side and greenhouse to another. Apparently they had been added right around when Odin had been born. The cemetery stretched out further than Loki could see behind the house and Loki was not looking forward to the walkthrough that would have to be done. Bestla had been in her own grave for a mere three weeks but that was more than enough time for something unsavory to have taken advantage of the Grave Keepers absence.
“Ready to finally dig through everything Bestla would never let us touch?” Loki grinned as the car rolled to a stop in the driveway.
“Ready to dishonor her memory you mean?” Thor shot back full of mock disapproval. When Loki only nodded eagerly he rolled his eyes and popped the trunk open to start bringing their things inside. Thor knew Loki wanted nothing more than to get his hands on their grandmother’s library. It wasn’t callousness, for Loki and Bestla had shared quite the bond but finally she wasn’t around to keep his hands off the more dangerous spells in her collection.
Loki left the bags to Thor for now and reached into the cooler they’d brought along, dragging out a large bottle of bourbon before nearly skipping up the house’s steps to throw the door open. “Brunnhilde! Your new leash has arrived.” Loki called out, shaking the bottle like a tempting treat. An unseen hand jabbed fingers into his side and Loki yelped, nearly dropping the bottle as the protector of their house and the land shimmered into existence before him. She did not look very amused, so Loki quickly handed the bottle over and relaxed when she accepted it. Brunnhilde was a strange being. She’d been tethered to their family ages ago to protect and guard the grave keeper as well as the cemetery.
However she’d been quite friendly with Bestla and the one who came before her as they made offerings to her and treated her with respect rather than as a servant. It didn’t change that she was bound but apparently it softened her. Loki wasn’t sure how much he believed that this angry powerful being had ‘softened’ any but despite her terrible and surly demeanor Thor and Loki both couldn’t help but like her. She had, after all, saved Loki when he had slipped off the roof one night trying to trail after Thor. They had been young and Loki had been afraid of heights for ages afterwards but he’d never forgotten the warm powerful wind that had guided him gently to the ground as if he were no more than a leaf. After that he and Thor pestered Odin endlessly every time they visited Bestla to bring something for Brunnhilde.
Now they were old enough to bring her favorite offerings without pestering an adult to buy them. It soothed a worry Loki didn’t know he had to see her accept his newest offering. He had been a little afraid that she might object to him taking over the position. She and Bestla had been rather close, and while she couldn’t outright hurt Loki she could make his life very difficult if she chose.
“Brother, are you going to help me at all?” Thor grunted from the doorway, his arms were completely full. He didn’t seem very strained. Rather than struggling with the weight he simply couldn’t fit himself and his burden through the door without dropping anything much to Loki’s amusement. If Thor wasn’t holding the box Loki knew contained his books he’d leave Thor to suffer. Alas he strode forward and relieved his brother from enough of his burdens to fit through the door. Between the two of them it only took two trips to empty the car completely. It was rather depressing how little they had, but luckily the house had all the furniture and appliances they would need. A steady paycheck would fill out anything else they wanted. Technically Loki was the only one getting paid since he was the ‘official’ gravekeeper but he would certainly be putting Thor to work.
“Do you think they deliver pizza up here?” Thor asked, glancing down at his beer bottle and the few snacks they’d had on the road.
“Yes Thor I’m sure they deliver thirty minutes outside of town to the haunted graveyard.” Loki was using his best ‘you fucking idiot’ tone but softened a little as Thor grumbled and rolled his shoulders. Thor had done all the driving as Loki wasn’t able to drive for a few minutes without feeling sick. Sure refusing to stop for the night was the idiots own stubborn fault but he had also carried all of the heavy things upstairs without complaint.
“I’ll see if there’s anything in the kitchen.” Loki sighed knowing Bestla usually had plenty of canned goods. The greenhouse held the more ‘witchy’ stuff but the backyard had a pretty extensive vegetable garden for just one lady. He hoped he would be able to keep up with it. Loki had spent many days in her kitchen not just learning how to make potions but also how to can fruits and vegetables. Even the roses outfront had been used for rosehip jam every year. Being in the familiar kitchen once more brought a wave of grief he wasn’t expecting. His grandmother had done so much for him, for them both. They hadn’t even been allowed to come to her funeral.
Standing surrounded by hanging pots and jars with handmade labels Loki had to sit down at the large kitchen table. It was still stained by Thor’s blood. Ever the miser their grandmother. Why buy a new table when this one still stood on all four legs? Loki didn’t know how long he sat there caught up in grief and bad memories of all that had happened around the time he brought Thor to her. Loki startled hard when a warm hand settled over his eyes blocking his view. He settled quickly when he recognized Thor’s other hand on his shoulder.
“It’s alright, you’re alright.” His brother soothed, his warm and very alive hand rubbing some of the tension from Loki's shoulder. It made Loki realize how stiff and cold he suddenly was. He had no idea how long he’d been sitting tense and lost in his own memories until Thor brought him back.
“Sorry.” Loki whispered, not even sure what he was referring to as Thor took his hand away to turn Loki’s chair away from the table.
“Don’t be. Come on, let’s see what’s in the pantry.” Thor offered, helping him stand up on shaking legs. Loki flipped the switch for the massive walk in pantry and they both stopped dead at the sight of the fully stocked pantry. To one side was the canned goods and dried herbs Loki had been expecting. However the other side was filled with processed junk their grandmother wouldn’t have touched even if forced. Taped to one box of poptarts was a letter that read ‘For my favorite grandchildren’ and Loki felt his heart give another sickening lurch of grief. He glanced at Thor and could tell from the look on his face he wasn’t spared from the feeling either. With shaking hands Loki reached out and gently pulled the envelope off of the box.
Food momentarily forgotten they wandered back to the living room knowing right away this wasn’t something they’d want to read standing up. Loki opened it with reverence, not wanting to risk bending the paper within the envelope. Thor was tense at his side and already sniffling the great fool. Still as Loki unfolded their grandmother’s last words to them he shuffled close to his brother until they were pressed together. Loki told himself it was so they could both easily read the letter and not just for the grounding comfort of Thor’s presence.
My sweet boys,
I know these past few years haven’t been easy on you and I would love to tell you the future will be different but no one in this family is that lucky. I’ve known of my death for a while now so try not to be too upset my sweets, it has long been my choice to forsake this realm to enter the next with your grandfather. It only grieves me to do so without seeing you both one last time. I know not if your father or mother will ever accept you into their fold again but know this, you have always been my grandsons and you forever will be. Nothing you can do or have done will ever change that.
Even if the world ever sees your so called crime come to light, do not let it stifle you. Loki, my powerful little magpie, you are not in the wrong for I have never seen two souls call to one another as yours does to your brothers. A bond that quite literally in this case transcends life and death. Nothing so beautiful can be held down by a bunch of ancient windbags deciding what’s best for everyone. Never fear breaking the rules if it means doing what’s best for yourselves. Even if you eventually decide to abandon this dusty old house and ancient duty this old lady would never blame you for that. It is a heavy burden for ones so young.
Thor my dear thunderer, never doubt that you are your own no matter what others say. Your brother’s intent when he brought you back was to have you whole and alive, not obey him. You are as unbound as your brother to the ways of this world. You only have each other now and as painful as that is it does not worry me. Perhaps one day your stubborn father and pained mother will accept you back into their hearts and home, but only if you decide to forgive them. Don't let them fool you into thinking it must be the other way around. I hope you are one day given the opportunity but do not let the past keep you from the future my dears.
I would love to advise you to ‘look after each other’ but I think you boys have had that covered ever since you were old enough to understand what that meant. No matter what comes for you I know you’ll end up alright as long as you have each other. Don’t you dare join this old lady anytime soon you understand me? Loki, Brunnhilde will show you the book all new gravekeepers need to read. Try to get Thor to give it a read as well. All of those other books you’ve been eying will have been unwarded after my death. I expect you to put them to good use but for norns sake be careful. Though all of the really good stuff is in a secret library behind that ugly painting in the basement.
Live your best lives my loves,
Nana Bestla
Loki would be sure to check the library out. As soon as the tears blurring his eyes cleared enough for him to read that is. Thor wasn’t much better beside him and Loki carefully put the letter down on the coffee table before his trembling grip could crinkle the paper. As soon as it was safely out of the way Thor tugged Loki into a painful hug. This too he would allow until the aching behind his eyes faded into nothingness. It was for Thor’s benefit Loki decided in his head, ignoring the way his own hands clenched Thor’s shirt painfully tight as they finally allowed themselves to truly grieve for their grandmother.