It was tranquil and quiet save for the sound of the wind swirling. The night's sky was riveting, alluring, the moonlight enthralling. Up at it they gazed both Tony's head on Loki's shoulder, Loki's over his resting. Under heaps of wool and cotton thick they sat backs to puffy pillows perched up to a bench. The layers, cocoa, bodies side-to-side pressed wards off the cold and what cool wisps of air were welcomed.

Empty mugs aside set they remained there the minutes many passing. It was so still and peaceful, in this they tried fixed to stay,

but Loki's mind wandered often, and Tony's wonders when it does, what he thinks of – was he with him there, at ease, relaxed as he'd aimed to have him be,

or was he in the quiet struggling?

"…Loki?"

"Hm?" Tony rethinks the wisdom in what he means to say, the symptoms that from it would surface but they'll pass as Loki must know this. "…You know you can talk to me, right? About anything." Said steady, takes Loki still aback. Next Tony moves pulls off for browns heavy and gentle both to tell greens gravely: "…There's nothing you can't tell me, and I'd never judge you, you know that."

Loki stills, expression shifts like trouble in something finding where Tony to him promptly affirmed that: "I'm not saying you should talk right now, I just need you to know that you can."

"I know." Loki nodded at this swiftly smiled lightly. "I know." He brought his palm to Tony's cheek caressed it sweetly. Into his touch Tony leaned shut his eyes put over Loki's hand his. His other Loki found, grasped, pressed to Tony's forehead his eyes closing. In his mind he played over Tony's words listened closely.

…There's nothing Loki doesn't want to tell him, doesn't want him to know. He wished somehow someway he'd know everything, like how it feels when he looks at him browns as though can see everything really, but there are things they don't know and no Loki doesn't want to tell him. And he knows Tony would never judge him yes, never does and though more often than not for this he wants to criticize him same as wishing it were true as fact because if he does, if one day browns were to look at him,

disappointed,

it'd cut so deeply…

He takes comfort in pretending he knew already everything truly, that way there's nothing left to tell nothing to risk, but such wasn't the case and not alone were there things he feared to him especially speaking, but things for himself he dreads just thinking, refusing to acknowledge

that the past he had defeated,

stands still tall, undefeated,

claims still the power to strike him down, down to his knees,

he won't see this, doesn't want to hear this feel this relive this, no, not again,

bad enough when it had happened,

but Tony was there, and he held him {"I got you.

I'm right here."}

He'd come undone left so vulnerable and exposed but Tony held him squeezed him hid him from prying eyes that tried to see, catch a glimpse of him beaten, broken.

To speak of the past like to summon a ghost that with memories of horror comes eager haunting, paralyzing.

…Lowly to him he admits what he knows Tony would of like many things be understanding. "…They're things I wish to forget…" Browns that see, feel, channel that pain slid open,

tell him ascertain: "…You will," clutched then the hands that he was holding and asserted: "I'll help you." Grabs Loki's face wide browns piercing, voice stern he tells him staunchly, firmly: "I'm with you.

I won't let go."

He takes the hand pressed still to his cheek, kissed it warmly; from this all Loki's mind and heart were whirling.

Entranced so enraptured by the man, this being before him he knows not where he'd come from how their paths had crossed and tangled, and he…

Sometimes still he can't understand why…why he was with him, why does he stay, why won't he let go – he doesn't want him to, ever, no.

…Greens with water glister he grips Tony's shoulders, cups his face brings him closer to his lips whispers hoarsely: "…What ever have I done in my life to deserve you?" By this touched immensely Tony at him smiled widely,

…notes then what really he was asking, and he quipped,

not without words underlying because

the same question he could verily be asking.

"Nothing good. I'm as bad as they come, baby." Loki laughed abrief

smiled then faintly, does read between

shakes his head then slowly, grazed with his thumbs Tony's cheeks gazed at him deeply, told him steadfast voice unshaken words like doubtless undisputed,

what stuns and astounds the latter truly:

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

So taken Tony's mind'd staggered,

so inexpectantly overwhelmed tears in his eyes pool rapid, chest pounding. Notes his vision blur this as well shocks him and he laughs looks down blushing fiercely, and Loki falls so in awe heart melting.

"Wow…You-" cut off breath stolen when Loki kissed him boldly, fervid it was so absorbing what he'd said in his ears rings still at it his heart aching, between their locked lips a whimper like of relief from him sounds grazed Loki's heart sweetly and he kissed him deeply.

Tears Tony can't stop nor explain from his eyes squeezed-shut stream freely, kissed back the lips consuming his moved feverish climbed onto Loki's lap kissed him strongly, parts gasping and his tears Loki sees gleaming, worries away wipes them tries to understand them. "…It's," Tony starts then pauses, swallows strives his voice that's coarse to steady, go on speak unrestrained his thoughts that were fervent. "…hard to believe sometimes…that you're real." A smile that's weak browns shimmer and greens at them soften vastly.

Madly fazed Loki restless moved laid on the blankets under him Tony, looked him in the eyes straight took in his hands his face told him firmly: "I'm real.

My love for you is real," that said more softly more tears from warmed and twinkling browns falling, with his knuckles Loki gently dries them, takes Tony's hand that comes to touch his face grips it strongly, tells him stoutly:

"And I won't let go."

Features contour like this it hurt hearing and at Loki he was tugging and Loki dipped down pulled him into his arms as Tony's around him locked securely. Loki turned them on their sides and in his shoulder Tony sobbed softly, shook slight with every quiet breath he took that hearing, feeling pricked Loki's chest and his grip had hardened.

"Hush, my love. It's alright," he whispered to him calmly and Tony gasped what seemed to be a frail laugh pulled back hid his face in Loki, wiped firm his eyes miffed at his own melodrama tries to recompose.

"I don't even know why I'm crying."

"…I do…"

Green eyes were absent feel only Tony. To his head he placed a kiss and answered lowly: "…Life's too much sometimes. When you find someone who'll face it with you…it's overwhelming…" he cupped Tony's cheek still damp tilted up to meet those browns red-rimmed and with a smile light as air tells them shrewdly: "…hard to believe." A smile so warm brown eyes glitter, takes Loki's hand their fingers tangle, to its back brushed a kiss to his lover said softly:

"From now on we face it together." Loki's chest ached for him longing. Tony more than once in more ways than one told him: "I love you." He beamed, said swiftly in earnest:

"I love you too," kissed him strongly brought him to his chest closely held on tightly as Tony to him clung again, tears long since drying.