The Avengers: To Love and be Loved By Me

Epilouge

It had been nine days since Loki had brought the couples bundle of joy into the world, and as Norse tradition goes, it was now time to name her. Tony held her up in front of Loki, Pepper, Bucky, and Thor and beamed widely, having not even told Loki what he was naming her (as it is also tradition that the father gives the name).

"I am pleased to announce, my dear friends and my loving husband, that before you now is Frigga Marie Stark." Loki and Thor both became immediately overwhelmed with emotion, Loki running to Tony and kissing him passionately.

"Are you sure?" He whispered, a bright and loving smile practically glowing on his face.

"Yes, baby, for both of our mother's. I just knocked the a off of my mom's name because Frigga Maria didn't sound right." He assured him with a laugh, big brown eyes smoldering with affection.

"I love you." Tony tenderly traced Loki's once again chiseled abs (he'd used magic to knock off the pregnancy weight quickly) and nuzzled into him.

"I love you too." Thor bounced up happily and clapped his hands together in excitement.

"This is wonderful! We should celebrate, we're all officially a family, after all!" Infants, to the Norse, were not part of the family until the naming on the ninth day. Loki chuckled.

"Yes, brother, we're officially a family. Why don't you and Pepper grab the basket of menus from off the top of the fridge and pick a place to dine for the night, I'm taking Anthony and Frigga in the bedroom for a moment." Thor, who had spoken to Loki about this right after the birth of the baby, knew what was about to happen, and grinned like an idiot.

"Why of course, do what you must my brother." Loki took Tony by the hand and lead him back to their room, locking the door behind him, Tony's eyebrows rose in playful suspicion.

"Reminder, Rock of Ages, there are children present." He teased, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Loki rolled his eyes and cupped Tony's cheek sweetly, the longing and love in his eyes melting Tony's heart.

"Anthony, my love, I have loved you more this passed year of my life than I have loved anything, and I am 1,048 years old. That's saying quite a bit, you are...you're the center of my world. I can't live without you. But you, my darling, are 42. Our life expectancies are very different, and where I'm going to be around for another 3,952 years...you've only got another 58 if you were to live to be 100, and let's face it, you drink like a sailor, that isn't going to happen. I refuse to spend 3,894 years without you, I won't do it." Tony's eyes darkened along with the mood in the room, looking down at his baby, who was innocently sucking on her fingers, not a care in the world.

"Loki, please tell me you aren't about to promise suicide or something after I pass, because you can't do that. Frigga is going to need her mother, especially when I die. If that isn't what this is about, then I assume you are about to lecture me on my life style, to quit and buy myself a few more years with the two of you, and believe me I would, but the damage is already done, baby..." Loki shook his head, still smiling, and held his hand up to silence his husband.

"No, no, let me finish. There is a tree in Asgard...and when a child is old enough to chew, they are given the fruit of this tree. The fruit, Anthony, the golden apples...they are what give us our immortality. Well, I guess immortality is the wrong word, we can and will die. But it is what gives us 5,000 instead of 100, and beginning today, I want you to start living that 5,000 years." He pulled a shimmering golden apple out from behind his back and smiled very gently.

"Thor went and picked one for me." Tony couldn't believe his eyes.

"Loki..." The God just smiled softly and put the apple to his beloved's lips.