– "I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out." –
Thump.
The noise went unnoticed to Thor, Bruce, Steve, and Pepper. If Clint and Natasha heard it – they more than likely did – neither felt a threat or in immediate danger, which was why neither gave the loud noise any attention. It happened again with the same effect – Thor, Bruce, Steve, Pepper, Clint, and Natasha all continued to watch the first Mission Impossible movie with no regard of what was happening somewhere else in Stark Tower. They didn't even look up when Tony Stark stormed past them, his usual cocky arrogance gone, being replaced with an angry scowl as he headed towards some unknown part of the Tower. But again – no-one was paying attention, so they did not notice.
But that was fine with Tony, because the last thing that he wanted was to have to explain why he was so angry, why he felt like putting a fist through every single wall in his Tower until he felt the tiniest bit better. That wasn't going to happen, though, so instead, he headed down the many corridors with Jarvis' guidance until he reached the roof. That was where Loki was at – the bane of his problems at the moment. He could feel his anger increasing with each second that he was in the God of Mischief's presence, but he wasn't going to leave, not until they sorted out their dilemma. And no amount of running away on Loki's part was going to get him out of it, either.
"You are one pain in the ass, you know that?" Tony said when he slammed the door of the roof closed, eliciting yet another loud noise that riveted throughout the bottom two stories – the stories that he, Loki, and the rest of the Avengers inhabited. And like before, the noise went unnoticed to the others. "Do you realise who you are dealing with right now? Do you not realise that I've updated my entire software – with your permission, by the way – to track and follow your energy signature? You can't hide from me and you sure as hell aren't getting out of this – not until we've figured this out."
"Yes, well, I didn't want to hurt you, so I decided that my removal from the situation was the safest bet," Loki snapped in reply, crossing his arms and glaring out over Manhattan.
The sky was grey with no trace of the sun anywhere in sight. A storm was approaching, the rumbling slowly getting louder and more frequent the closer it got, and it had nothing to do with Thor or his emoticons. This storm was created by nature, though it was very fitting, especially with how Tony and Loki were feeling at the moment towards each other.
"Loki," Tony said, starting again. A part of him truly wanted to know why the hell his request was so difficult for Loki to grasp – which was the reason for the argument – while the more dominant part just wanted to argue until Loki backed down. "Can you please stop acting like the drama queen I know you to be and just fucking tell me what the hell is so bad about this?"
He didn't receive a reply. Silence was his answer. Loki had turned his back on him, his emerald green gaze still glaring hatefully down at the streets several, several floors below them. His body was tense, his muscles tight and still, and Tony knew that if he touched Loki at all, he was risking getting thrown off the roof of his very own building. The logical side of his brain was telling him to stay back, to keep the distance until he could calm Loki down, but his reckless thoughts were beating the logical side of his brain into submission. At the moment, he didn't give a damn if Loki was a Norse God. He honestly, truly did not give a fuck.
The thunder rumbled loudly as Tony stomped the few feet that separated them. He grabbed a hold of Loki's arm and yanked him until they were facing each other. "Tell me –" Tony started once again, but he didn't get the chance to finish his louder, much angrier sentence.
"What more do you want from me, Stark?" Loki shouted, ripping his arm from Tony's tight grip. A fire ignited and danced in Loki's emerald green eyes, causing them to shine dangerously as he glared at Tony. "I have given up everything for you! I have risked my life for you! I've given up my magic for you! I have agreed to marry you and you still ask more of me!"
"What!" Tony gaped, his anger increasing even more. "Okay, first off – how many times are you going to continue to throw that in my face? You gave your damn magic up years ago! And it's not like you don't use it, anyway! I know that you practise when you think I'm asleep! I'm not an idiot and Jarvis programs and records any action that happens in the Tower!" He grabbed a hold of Loki when he started turning away again. "I'm not finished yet!" He shouted, his fingers digging into the flesh of Loki's arms. "I'm tired of you throwing that into my face, Loki, because that is not fair!"
"Fine, whatever," Loki mumbled, shaking his head and averting his gaze. The storm was steadily getting closer, the wind blowing in their faces cool despite the warm weather. The rain had started, a consistent fall that wasn't a sprinkle or a down-pour.
The rumbling of the thunder and the rain muffled Loki's words, which was why Tony didn't catch them. "What did you say?"
"I said fine!"
Tony snorted and shook his head. "Then what the hell is wrong with you?"
"You never told me that we were going to get married here!" Loki exclaimed, once again ripping himself from Tony's hold. He took several steps away from him, his breath coming out in quick pants as he worked through his anger. His clothing was slowly getting wetter, sticking to his skin, but he paid it no heed. "You expect me to follow with your Midgardian traditions, but I haven't the slightest clue what they are! What is the significance of this?" Loki lifted his left hand and practically shoved it in Tony's face, where a gold band with a red ruby in the centre stood.
"You didn't seem like you gave a damn when I asked you three days ago!" Tony snapped, grabbing a hold of Loki's hand. Holding Loki's hand was instinctual, even when they felt like tearing each other to pieces, which was probably why Tony didn't really give it much thought when he intertwined their fingers.
"I was caught up in the moment!"
"Alright," Tony sighed and rubbed his temple with his free hand. "How did you want to do this?"
"Marriage in Asgard is not as complex as it is here," Loki said, not at all enjoying the way Tony was treating him. He supposed that was one of the many reasons why he loved the man, even though it infuriated him to no end. Tony Stark was the only one who stood up to him and called him out on his bullshit. He was the only one that had the guts. "We stand before the AllFather, repeat a single line, vowing loyalty to each other for eternity, and then we consummate the marriage."
"That's it?"
"Yes, that is all."
"Loki, that's practically the same thing we do here! The only difference is that we do it in front of family and friends!"
"You put on a show," Loki corrected, matter of factly. "Marriage in Asgard is private and it is sacred. We do not find it relevant to display the ceremony."
"I want this. I told you what I was willing and ready to give up for this," Tony raised his voice a fraction, shaking his head angrily when Loki opened his mouth to argue some more. "I am leaving everything behind me and moving to Asgard with you. I am willing and able to do that, Loki, for you, because I know that you'd be happier there than here. All I'm asking is that we have the fucking ceremony my way!"
Loki squared his jaw and stared hard at Tony, his emerald green eyes narrowing as he tried to figure out if there was some sort of hidden agenda. "Why?" He finally asked. His tone was considerably softer than what it was just a few moments ago. "Why do you want this so badly?"
Sighing tiredly, Tony pulled Loki over the ledge, sitting down on the concrete. He was tired of the fighting and he was tired of trying to convince Loki to do what he wanted for a change. But he was willing to keep fighting, because he knew in his heart that this was right. He was silent for a long time. The rain continued to fall, picking up speed with each minute that passed. The thunder rumbled and deep down he realised that sitting up so high during a thunder storm was probably a stupid move, but he couldn't find the energy to move from the spot nor could he find it in him to give a damn.
Tony finally spoke up, and when he did, Loki startled some, obviously being jarred from his thoughts. "You're a pain in the ass, you know that?" He repeated the first sentence he had said to Loki when he confronted him on the roof just ten minutes ago. "I honestly have never met anyone in my entire life that angers me more than you do to me. I am so sick of it that half the time, I don't even want to be around you, because I want to put on my suit and kick your ass. But you know what? The other half of the time, I love you more and more with each second that passes. I don't think you truly understand how much I love you, how much you mean to me.
"You want to know why I want to get married my way. Because I want you to see what you're getting into," Standing from the ledge, Tony got down on one knee in front of Loki, lifting his left hand up – the one that he still held tightly onto – and kissed it. "I want you to walk down that aisle and see me; see what you are walking towards, the unforeseeable future. I want to stand in front of that church and watch you slowly make your way to me, so I can be reminded of how much I want you – want this," He squeezed Loki's hand. "That's why."
Loki didn't say a word. He didn't even appear to be breathing. He simply stared at Tony while he spoke and continued to stare at him long after he finished. And right when Tony was starting to feel the pressure, right when he felt the first blossom of fear – that Loki was rethinking his proposal – Loki leaned forward and rested his forehead against Tony's.
"Okay," He whispered, his eyes falling shut.
The word barely escaped Loki's mouth before Tony closed the distance between them, pressing his lips firmly against Loki's. The kiss was gentle and loving and desperate and full of so much happiness that Tony felt Loki smile into it, their lips working in perfect unison. He felt as though his heart was going to swell and burst with so many emoticons. He wrapped an arm around Loki's neck and returned the smile when he felt Loki grip the collar of his shirt, using that to pull him closer. And when the kiss finally ended, when they had caught their breath, Tony pressed his lips against Loki's forehead, squeezing his hand tightly.
"I love you so much."
"I love you, too, Tony."
He felt as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He felt light and so unbelievably happy. Walking through the corridors of Stark Tower, Tony made his way towards the bar, thinking that a drink was in order to commemorate such an occasion. As he was walking through the living room, however, he slowed to a stop when he caught sight of the Avengers. Thor, Bruce, Steve, Pepper, Clint, and Natasha were all on their feet, weapons in hand, staring in shock at him. Tony might have found the situation funny were it not for the screen that was focused on Loki, who wanted to stay on the roof a little longer. He sighed. That was not how he wanted his team-mates to find out.
"Uh … Jarvis … shouting on the roof … we thought you needed us …" Steve struggled to get out, his cerulean eyes wide with surprise.
"So yeah … I'm getting married," Tony fidgeted on his feet before coming to the decision that he had nothing to be nervous about. Shrugged his shoulders, Tony turned around and made his way out of the room, heading towards the kitchen where he had a wonderful selection of scotch hidden behind Steve's cereal. "Pep, find me a wedding planner!"
There was absolute silence for a full minute before Thor and Pepper jumped into action. It was as though they were expecting Tony to come back in the room and declare it all a joke. Pepper kicked off her heels and ran after Tony while Thor called for Mjolnir and burst through the window, flying to the roof.
"Tony, wait! Are you out of your mind?"
"Brother!"
Bruce and Steve shared a look, neither really knowing what they were supposed to do – whether they were to divvy up and follow Thor and Pepper or if they should stay out of the way and allow those closest to Tony and Loki to take care of the situation. Clint and Natasha, however, shared a look before settling back down on the couch.
"Jarvis," Clint said, resting his head on Natasha's shoulder, yawning. "Put on Mission Impossible II."
Loki took a shaky breath as he stood behind the solid oak doors, waiting for his cue to start walking. He was alone at the moment – Thor was gone, checking to make sure that everything was set and on schedule. Being alone allowed his thoughts to wander, his nerves – something he never experienced so strongly before – to take hold of him. He didn't know what it meant, but his palms were sweaty and he was starting to feel light-headed. He unconsciously started twisting the engagement band on his left ring finger.
They stood in the empty church – the church they were to get married in. Loki was looking around curiously. They had similar chapels in Asgard, but the one that they were standing in now was not as grandeur. It was simple and plain and, for some reason, it was perfect. Loki had no idea why that word popped into his head, but it seemed right. And as he allowed that thought to make its way around his mind, Loki found that his stomach was feeling rather odd.
"Are you nervous?" Tony suddenly asked, watching closely.
He had an amused look on his face, though the way his chocolate brown eyes stared intently at him, Loki could easily recognise adoration. Loki never understood why he looked at him in that way, but every time he asked, Tony wouldn't answer, choosing instead to press their lips together. And maybe Loki didn't really need to know the answer to that question. Or maybe Tony was always answering him, but in a different way.
Loki snorted and shook his head. "Why on earth would I be nervous?"
Tony only shrugged, walking down a row, his finger trailing over the back of one of the oak benches. He didn't say a word, but the look on his face – the smirk that couldn't be wiped off his face – mocked Loki.
"I am only doing this for you. This is nothing to me. I do not feel nervous or anxious or panicked in the least."
"Alright, just checking," Tony nodded his head.
"I mean, this is entirely for your benefit since you are giving up so much for me. If anyone should be nervous, it would be you," Loki continued, his eyes taking in every inch of the church.
"I'm not nervous at all."
"Yes, well, I am not, either, so drop it, Tony."
"Okay," Tony smiled.
Leaning against the wall, Loki closed his eyes and counted back from ten, just as Bruce had instructed almost a week ago. The piano had started playing a beautiful tune that scared the hell out of him. Seconds were ticking by quickly, and Loki knew that he would only have a few moments left to calm himself down before he would be walking down that aisle. If only he could catch his breath! A hand on his shoulder pulled him back to reality, making him jump, his breath to hitch in his throat.
"Brother, are you alright?" Thor asked.
Exhaling sharply, Loki only shot Thor a half-hearted glare before nodding his head, running his hands down his suit, straightening any wrinkles that might have formed. The last thing he wanted was Pepper scolding him again for being careless while wearing it.
"I am fine, Thor. Is everything on schedule?"
"It is," Thor nodded his head. "I have been sent to walk you down the aisle …" Even he sounded confused.
Furrowing his brow, Loki looked up and met his brother's sparkling blue eyes. His expression mirrored Thor's. "Why on earth would you be sent to do that?"
"Anthony said it was Midgardian tradition."
"Yes, of course," Loki rolled his eyes. "Very well – how long do we have?"
"The doors will open in a minute, brother."
Gulping, Loki opened his mouth to speak, but found that no words would escape him. He looked from Thor to the solid oak door that stood in between him and that blasted aisle. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, so loudly that he could hear it in his ears. That dizzy feeling struck him again, and he gladly accepted the arm that Thor held out for him – anything to keep his balance.
"What would do you if I had second thoughts while walking down the aisle?" Loki asked. They had been sitting in that church in complete silence for almost an entire hour, both lost in their thoughts. "What if you have second thoughts while I'm walking down the aisle?"
"Do you have second thoughts?" Tony asked, not bothering to open his eyes.
"No," Loki answered, shaking his head. He looked at Tony, waiting for him to look back at him. When he didn't, Loki continued to press the issue. "What if you have second thoughts and don't want to marry me anymore?"
Tony smiled before opening his eyes. He looked at Loki and sat up, manoeuvring his body to where he was facing Loki. Putting his arm around the back of the bench, Tony brushed a piece of hair that was out of place. "There is nothing I want more than to marry you."
"Yes, but what if –" Loki started again, but was abruptly cut off when Tony grabbed the back of his head and pulled him close, pressing his lips against Loki's. "That's not fair," He protested, though his lips betrayed him, kissing back with as much vigour.
If possible, Tony's smile grew even more. "Loki, I will never question wanting to marry you – ever. But if you're that worried about it, I'll give a sign."
"A sign …"
"Yes. If I like what I'm seeing, I'll smile when you first appear. And if I'm one-hundred per cent sure that this is what I want, I'll wink."
Loki furrowed his brow. "I don't really see how that would persuade me –"
"Will you stop? Loki, I want you. I want this. Please believe that nothing in the world will ever make me think otherwise. This is it."
Three … two … one … the solid oak doors opened. There had been many moments in Loki's long, long life where he might have been in some terrifying positions. Almost dying in Muspelheim during an insane adventure with Thor, the Lady Sif, and the Warriors Three that he really didn't want to attend was on the list. He could remember the heat and the way it felt to not get any oxygen into his lungs. He could remember the terrified look in his brother's eyes and that look was probably what made the entire situation all the worse. But it was something Loki was able to handle. He wasn't terrified of that. There also that time when he watched Thor accept a challenge from an Elf in Alfheim, when he knew that he would never win when it came to games of the mind. His methods of getting them out of that Realm were severe, and to that day, they were not allowed to ever return. But he wasn't terrified of what would happen, because he had the control.
He didn't have the control now. And there was nothing more terrifying than that moment.
Involuntarily, Loki squeezed Thor's forearm, his gaze locked on the many people who were sitting in the benches on either side of the aisle. On his left sat his cousins – Freya and Baldr. The Lady Sif and the Warriors Three – Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg – sat in the second row, the smiles on their faces grand as they stood, looking back to watch him slowly make his way up the aisle. Rowen, their head healer, was there, as well, having been close to the family for as long as Loki could remember. His own parents were there – the King and Queen of Asgard, Odin and Frigga – holding hands and looking proud as he made his way closer and closer. There were other Gods on his side of the aisle, but none of them were as important to him. On Tony's side of the aisle were – of course – the Avengers. Nick Fury was there along with Maria Hill and Phil Coulson, who wasn't actually dead. He was standing on Clint's left, half shielding him, though the Archer was peering over his shoulder anyway, despite Coulson's attempts. Pepper was there in the front row, as was a man named James Rhodey. Like Loki's side, the rest of the people there were people Tony barely knew.
"Breathe," Thor whispered, causing Loki to look up at him, his emerald green eyes wide. He smiled. "All is well, little brother."
Nodding his head slightly, Loki took a deep breath and squeezed Thor's forearm once more in silent thanks. He was halfway up the aisle when he finally gained the courage to look up and meet Tony's eyes. A part of him was absolutely terrified of seeing the doubt that was sure to creep in the corners, spreading a seed that would grow and tear them to pieces. But when he looked up, what he saw caused his breath to hitched, because what he saw were tears – happy tears. Loki had never seen that look on Tony's face before, how his chocolate brown eyes sparkled with unshed tears, how he smiled so grandly, it caused his heart to hurt due to the strain it took to breathe.
It was the first sign.
Thor pressed a kiss to Loki's temple and gave him away before taking his place beside their parents, but Loki barely paid any mind. He would indeed remember that moment with his brother, how he wouldn't have been able to move if it weren't for Thor leading him, but for now, all Loki could concentrate on was Tony and those eyes. Taking his hand and lifting it to his lips, Tony pressed a kiss to his knuckles, and only then did Loki realise how he quivered, how he trembled and looked to be shaking. But still, that smile never left his face. Loki opened his mouth to say something, but Tony shook his head and winked.
It was the second and final sign.
The world around him faded as he not once broke eye-contact with Tony. He repeated the vows that the priest recited, and he put the ring on Tony's finger, though he almost dropped it twice, he was shaking so much. Tony had laughed sharply at that, and when Loki looked up to meet his eyes, he could see how a few tears had escaped and were trailing down his face. He tried to hide the sob by laughing. Loki smiled, paused in his action, and wiped them away with his thumb before sliding the ring in place. And before the priest could even pronounce them husband and husband, Tony had grabbed Loki by the waist and pulled him close, pressing their lips together. He could hear laughter in the background, but he didn't care. Wrapping his arms around Tony's neck, Loki squeezed his eyes shut and kissed him back.
He lost sense of reality again, his mind only able to keep track of how amazing it felt to be wrapped up in Tony's arms, how safe and warm and right it all felt to be there in that moment. He could only focus on the way their lips moved together, how they fit so perfectly. He was pulled back briefly when he finally heard the priest pronounced them married, and he smiled when Tony let out a happy sob. If possible, Tony's arms wrapped tighter around him, holding him so close.
"Love you," Loki whispered when they broke apart. They didn't move away from each other, didn't acknowledge the applause. Their lips brushed against each other, tempting, teasing, though they were both trying to catch their breath.
"I love you, Loki. I love you so much," Tony said, kissing him once more before leaning his forehead against Loki's. "Are you still disappointed that we did this my way?"
Loki smiled, but didn't say anything.
"We can always repeat this in Asgard – your way."
"No," Loki shook his head, closing his eyes. "This was it. I'm yours."
Tony smiled back and, while keeping a firm arm wrapped around his waist, took hold of Loki's left hand. Loki watched as chocolate brown eyes studied the two bands on his ring finger, how he brought them to his lips, pressing kisses to them. And if there were any doubt creeping in the back of Loki's mind, no matter how small, it was washed away in that moment, because in that moment, it was just Tony and Loki Stark – always and forever.
– "The day we met; Frozen, I held my breath; Right from the start; Knew that I'd found a home ;For my heart; Beats fast; Colours and promises; How to be brave; How can I love when I'm afraid to fall; But watching you stand alone; All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow." –