It was at times like these when the sun was just touching the horizon and the wind coaxed the sycamore leaves into a gentle clap that Loki liked to think about his fortune. It felt inconceivable to him how much life had changed in the past eight years. A thorn of abhorrence, removed from his heart by the gentle hand of adoration. Love for his family. Strolling to the edge of the pond he gently lowered himself into the swing and took a sip of coffee from his mug. On it in big, red letters the words I LOVE YOU DADDY were shakily printed on white ceramic. Loki gazed at the words with tenderness, softly ran his thumb over the word DADDY and let himself smile.
Hel helped her brother write on the mug, holding his chubby hand in her own delicate one, and guiding the motions to spell out the words. Percy was frowning and leaning back against his sister's chest. His eyes giving away a look of intense concentration as he struggled not to shake his arm. The cup was meant as a father's day surprise, but Loki found them in the wee hours of the morning, and with out most care not to be noticed cherished watching his children though the gap in the door. When later that day the cup was bought to him over dinner in the arms of his little boy with Hel standing right behind him, one protective hand placed firmly on her brothers shoulder; he couldn't stop his eyes from leaking ocular fluid these humans called tears as he drew them close and whispered over and over how much they meant to him.
It wasn't fair how close he came to loosing everything to his own arrogance and greed. The overpowering sense of entitlement and power that sank into him from the Chitauri staff was like poison; attacking his senses, driving him into madness. Had he not been beaten by Hulk his mind would have never cleared and the Other would have gained control of Midgard. He managed to help enough to spare himself punishment but held no hope for forgiveness. It was therefore with great surprise that sometime later he encountered Tony Stark in Time Square, where Loki was conveniently waiting at a crossing on his way to the State Library. The two got chatting or rather Tony chatted and Loki attempted to conceal his discomfort and suppress his feelings of guilt. Time passed and way too soon or in Loki's case not nearly soon enough they were outside the library steps and Tony was smiling at Loki with some strange emotion in his twinkling eyes, casually patting him on the shoulder.
"Come on you can nerd-out any time. How about a drink?"
And Loki would have agreed except he remembered the last time Tony offered him a drink and a way out. Then his own rash decision to throw the smaller man out the window.
"I don't think…"
"Come on, after all that you so owe me a drink pretty boy."
Loki stared and felt a sudden rush of embarrassment laced with something else, something foreign, begging to be explored. He'd never been 'pretty' before. By the time he drifted back from his thoughts he was already walking across the street with Tonys' arm firmly around his waist.
Loki sighed and forced himself to study the grass at his feet as heat flooded his cheeks at the memory of what followed the bar and the one to many pint's of Midgardian ale.
A hiss of the sliding door alerted Loki and he smiled thinking it could only be him; the children having requested to spend the weekend with their godparents Clint and Natasha and their two sons Alec and Sean.
"What's a fine thing like you doing in a place like this?"
"My husband is away on business and I was feeling lonely without him around."
"Not wise of him leaving someone pretty as you all alone. Some jerk might make a move on his territory."
Loki turned his head as he felt two strong calloused hands land firmly on his shoulders, gently pushing and pulling to get the swing started.
"Well it's not really his territory if he's not here to claim it."
"Baby you're cruel. He's probably going to cry when he hears you said that, in-fact if I know the bastard and I think I know him quite well, he'll likely lock himself up in that blasted basement with his tin-men suits; and spend the whole night fuming, bitching and moaning about his husbands spiteful, wicked tongue."
"Wouldn't be the first time my spiteful, wicked tongue left him moaning."
A stubbly chin scraped against one smooth cheek on its way to upturned lips. The swing stopped and Loki couldn't help but lean back and turn his head to meet dry lips, one hand reaching up to cup a scratchy black cheek while the other balanced his coffee cup on one knee. The kiss grew heated and broke apart only long enough for Tony to grab the mug and place it on the ground. Though as he moved it aside he noticed the writing and his face broke into a smile. Straightening up he walked around to the front of the swing and dropped to his knees in front of Loki, one finger tracing the red print.
"Do you remember…"
"Yes that was the day I truly appreciated how much you've given me."
Tony's face broke into an aberrantly fond smile as he set the mug a safe distance away and pressed one hand to Loki's stomach, pulling the fabric up and leaning forward to gently nuzzle the soft, pale flesh below his belly button.
"How much you have given me darling is beyond estimation."
Loki smiled and dug one elegant hand into coarse, messy hair gently shifted his fingers from side to side. Looking up at the sunlight breaking through the sycamore leaves he finally understood; he was loved here, of that he was certain.