Golden Days (FrostIron)

Chapter 3: The Decision

The next few years turned more and more of Tony's hair into silver. His elder age, fatherhood, and the loss of his arm after the reverse-snap did its toll. Tony claimed it didn't bother him, that he had a silver fox thing going on. Loki agreed, saying it did little to weaken his good looks.

The winter evening was cold, but the fireplace of the Starks' lake house dared not to let a single chill slip inside.

While Tony sat tinkering with his coffee pot on their kitchen counter bar (now free of alcohol), Loki entertained their three year old son Narfi as their six year old daughter Morgan braided his hair.

It was when she was nearly finished when she commented, "Father, you have grey hairs like daddy has!"

Tony's tinkering froze, as did Loki. A quick look in his eyes passed, one that Morgan would be too young to catch, before he diverged her attention. "They pale in comparison with how lovely the braid is sæta." He stood, carrying their sleepy toddler. "I'm going to put Narvi to bed, and you should be getting to bed too."

Morgan pouted. "Only if you tell me a bedtime story! The one with the pegesas!" she demanded, her pronunciation not quite right.

Loki tapped his chin with his free hand, pretending to think. "You drive a hard bargain my lady. I've taught you well." He put Narvi in his crib, and led Morgan to her room quickly after. Tony's eyes never left him until he was out of sight.

After Loki returned, both children fast asleep, he turned on the kettle.
"Alright, let me see," Tony commanded. Loki stiffed a little, clearly hoping Tony wouldn't nudge the subject further.

As the kettle boiled, the husbands sat adjacent to each other, Loki facing the opposite direction. Tony ran his fingers through Loki's scalp. "You do have grey hairs," he said, almost bewildered. "How...?"

"It's just a bit of stress, darling," Loki said nonchalantly as he turned to face the engineer. The look on Tony's face, however, began to crack Loki's indifference.

Tony's eyes scanned Loki's face. He grabbed Loki's hand and gently rubbed it, spotting a scar from cutting vegetables the other day that should have healed by now. In the years they had known each other, Tony became very aware of every inch of his lover's body, and he was sure there were things out of place. "Tell me this isn't what I think it is," he said, his voice cracking between speaking and whispering.

Loki knew he had been caught, and also better than to lie. He sighed. "I should have known you'd notice eventually." He hated the way Tony's eyes lost their hopeful shine.

He took a breath, deciding to rip the bandage off in one swoop. "I'm mortal."

Tony's ears began to ring, and the world around him faded. Like his mind just couldn't comprehend the words.

"...Why?" he pleaded. "What about your brother? What about our kids? Loki, you had so much-" Loki held up a hand to silence him.

"You would not stay young with me, you would not age as I did. So, I decided to age with you." Loki lowered his hand, but Tony stayed silent, urging his husband to explain further.

Loki took another breath. "I've lived for over a thousand years, content as the generations of mortals passed me without a thought. I knew Death would take me someday, and I've tried as hard as I could to cheat my way out of it.

"But now, I know I'll have someone waiting for me, and I wish to be by their side." Loki's hand cupped Tony's face, bringing him in for a light kiss. "I wish to be by your side. In life and in death."

Tony sighed, avoiding Loki's eyes. His unease was still present on his face.

He was silent for a moment. "It'll be Hell to break this to your brother," he eventually said.

"I know," Loki said.

The two sat in silence, the only sound being the growing whistle of the kettle. Loki stood slowly, his hand slipping out of Tony's.

Tony's eyes never left the ground as the whistling stopped and tea was poured. As Loki sat back down, Tony finally spoke again.
"I... don't like it-" he paused for another moment- "but it'd be pretty hypocritical of me to stop you."

"Stubbornness is one trait we certainly share, despite not always working out in our favor," Loki said in a slightly lighter tone. Abroader smile crossed his face as he kicked on the kitchen counter. "I mean, seriously? Soapstone? I still say granite is better."

Tony snorted. "Come on! Soapstone is stylish! Besides, you chose the living room decor. Which means I got the kitchen."

Loki sighed, rolling his eyes playfully. "You're lucky I love you," he said, punctuating his sentence with a kiss.

"The luckiest," Tony replied, deepening the kiss.

It was not long after their youngest had graduated high school when Tony's health truly started to decline.

As Loki promised, he rarely ever left Tony's side. Even as Tony was eventually bedridden.

They saw both Morgan and Narvi graduate from college, both geniuses in their own rights. Morgan began aiding Pepper in running Stark Industries, certainly being in line for its next CEO. Narvi had a natural curiosity, and wished to travel as much as he could.

They were all by Tony's side as he took his last breath. Aged 86, dying peacefully surrounded by friends and family.

Part of Loki always knew that he would outlive his husband, but there was some solace in the knowledge that Tony would never suffer the heartbreak Loki did that day.

Tony left most things to his children and closest friends. What use would Loki have for his suits anyway? All he needed was their cottage, and a black kitten the two adopted not long after Narvi left for school.

It was exactly two years to the day that Loki was found. Lying in his- their bed with a small content smile on his face.

It was a topic of debate among many.

There were some who never believed Loki could be redeemed. They thought that his death could be nothing more than a trick, and that he was waiting in the shadows to strike like the snake they always thought he was.

Where one finds skepticism, there is also acceptance. But even there, there was debate. Was Loki content with the life he lived, deciding to finally end it all on a high note?

Perhaps it wasn't what was behind him, but what he wished to move towards. Maybe there was something or someone waiting for him beyond life's veil.

It was a silly debate really.

After all, who's to say they weren't both right?