A life together

Under The Night Sky

"So boss, when exactly are you going to tell our resident god that you like him?"

Tony dropped his phone, startled by the sudden question.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Hap"

"Sure thing, it's not like you're a literal genius. How could you possibly understand what I'm saying? uh?"

"Shut up and drive, Hogan"

"Whatever makes you happy, Boss"

"... and I do not know what the customs in this realm are. I believed that a person's birthday was celebrated there, when the person was born. Why are your customs so strange?"

"Loki, is there any point to this conversation? I have only like a thousand other things to do," said Pepper annoyed.

"I am getting there", he glared at her. "It has come to my attention that Anthony's day of birth is coming up and, based on what JARVIS told me, I am supposed to gift him something"

"That's right. But I still don't see the problem"

"I have no idea what or how I am to do that! What can I possibly give him? I cannot buy him anything. I do not have money in this planet"

Pepper's annoyed look softened upon hearing Loki so frustrated and worried about something that, for most, was so simple.

"Whatever you give him, it'll be fine. Trust me. You could give him a rock and he'd love it", but Loki was not impressed with that answer.

Pepper sighed but then she smiled at him.

"Try to give him something with meaning. Tony is a billionaire, he can have anything he wants, but, on his birthdays he is used to receiving bottles of wine or expensive watches. Things that are just empty, especially when he doesn't even know the people who give them to him "

"I need to think of something as soon as possible, I will not be able to be here on his birthday. I have to go help my oaf of a brother negotiate with the elves. They are not kind to those who upset them and Thor is most probably going to do just that "

"Does Tony know?"

"He does, that is why I need the perfect gift"

Two days after his birthday party, Tony was in his workshop, tinkering with a pager while Rhodey filled out forms for the military.

"What's that?"

"What's what?"

"The necklace you have dangling there"

Tony looked at him amused, "Why are you asking if you already know what it is? Are you going senile honey bear?"

"You know what I meant, brat. Where did you get that from?"

"It was a gift from Loki", he answered with a big smile looking away from his work.

Happy to show off his favorite gift in years, Tony took off the and handed it to his best friend.

It was a silver chain with a pendant slightly larger than a coin. In it, there was a symbol.

"He said it's called Vegvísir, it's what the Vikings used as a compass. He said it was for me to remember my way home", he said with a gentle tone.

"That's nice of him"

"And you still haven't heard the best part. He said he used his green sparkles to modify it. If I hold it while I call his name, he'll be able to find me. He said it was for emergencies, so if I ever need him, he'll be there for me "

"Damn, you're so gone for each other that it's actually embarrassing"

"I'm not- what are you- I'm not gone for him!"

"Yes, you are. You just need to get your head out of you ass and do something about it"

Tony didn't say anything else, he just snatched the necklace from Rhodey's hands and went back to work muttering under his breath.

It was already dark when Loki returned to Midgard. The sky was full of stars and the moon subtly illuminated the beach making the sense of calm even greater, so he decided not to enter the mansion and stay on the shore.

A while later, he felt the presence of another person next to him and didn't even have to look to know who it was.

"Planning on going under the sea? Maybe you can meet the little mermaid"

Loki smiles, "I would not mind seeing how far I could go if I swam"

"I dunno, the ocean scares me. What if there is a shark swimming under you? There is nowhere to go. You can't escape from anything."

"In Asgard is different. Did you know that it is flat?"

"What is flat?"

"Asgard"

"Flat? What do you mean fla- wait, are you saying what I think you're saying?", Tony gaped at him.

"That is what terrifies me about it, ever since I was a child. If you fall into the sea and the current drags you, no matter how good a swimmer you are, there comes a time when the water ends and you fall into the void"

Loki finally turned and looked straight into Tony's honey brown eyes.

"Instead, here in Midgard, if the current takes you, at some point you reach the mainland. You can get lost, but you can cling to the hope that someone will find you or that you will simply reach another land", silence follows.

"Or you can just drown"

And the comment is so spontaneous, so true, and so Anthony that they both burst out laughing.

When they manage to calm down, nothing can erase the smile from their faces. There's a spark in Tony's eyes that makes something incredibly warm fill his chest.

Without knowing how, the two were so close that Loki could feel his body temperature in contrast to the cool night. One of Tony's hands found its way to his face and he could feel the soft brush of knuckles on his cheek.

He closed his eyes.

It had been too long since someone, anyone, had touched him so gently.

"You know, Happy and Rhodey have long insisted that I like you, that I really like you. Like a lot," he said almost in a whisper.

The warm touch on his face was grounding, "Is that so? Pepper has bothered me with the same speech."

"I think this time they're right"

"They may have grounds to support that theory," Tony chuckles.

He opened his eyes.

"Can I kiss you?"

Hearing how those words came almost shyly from his lips, Loki couldn't help but beaming at the other man. He was almost certain that this was the most honest, joyful, big smile he had ever shown.

"Yes"

It was like nothing they had ever felt before.

They felt complete, safe, loved, happy.

They felt full of life.

"Pep is going to be over the moon. She just made fifty bucks."

"What?"

"They had a bet going on"

"Why am I not surprised?" They laughed, "Can I kiss you again?"

Loki rolled his eyes and simply wrapped his arms around his neck, shutting him down with a sweet kiss.

"Hmn, wait, was JARVIS in on it too?", The death glare he sent him seemed to work because without waiting for an answer, he said, "Yes, you're right, let's continue"

Smiling, they kissed again.

"I'll just ask him later"

What a lovable idiot.