A/N – Some more fluff for you, once again with a splash of smut and angst. Not entirely sure where this is headed – trying not to let too many plot-bunnies in! Hope you like this chapter :) (Oh, and swearing as per usual.)

"Loki?"

"Yes?"

"You OK?"

"Yes. I just...Stark please don't think I'm pathetic."

"Hey, baby, I'm never going to think that," Tony assured, running a hand through the Omega's hair in the dusky light, "What's the matter?"

Loki's eyes looked up at him from where the Asgardian lay on the bed, soft and pleading, "I need a...oh, Norns!"

"What? What is it? Baby you're worrying me."

Loki smiled humourlessly, "Do you have...do you have a teddy bear I could borrow?" he flushed deeply, casting his eyes downwards.

Tony sat on the bed in stunned silence for a moment. Loki squirmed with embarrassment.

"A teddy bear...?" Tony asked.

"Yes Stark," Loki snapped, "you know, small...fluffy...shaped like a bear? Or is this too complex a request for you?"

"Why would you want...?"

"I...I just..." tears started to course down Loki's pale cheeks, "I need to..." his voice dropped to a whisper, "Tony, I need to hold something that's baby-sized, OK?"

"Oh...oh...this is a hormonal thing...?"

"Yes Stark, it's another stupid fucking hormonal thing," Loki sighed, tears still falling, "I shouldn't have said anything. It's so stupid – I'm a prince. I shouldn't need a," his face twisted bitterly, "children's toy... for comfort."

"Hey!" Tony scooped him into his arms, "What've I said about talking about yourself like that? If you need it baby, I'll get it."

Loki sobbed a little into Tony's chest, fingers gripped in the Alpha's T-shirt. Tony stroked Loki's hair and murmured endearments until the crying stopped and Loki's chest moved up and down slowly in the sweet embrace of sleep.

"How're things going Stark?" Natasha asked over her spaghetti dinner.

Tony strode past the table and brewed some coffee in Thor's kitchen. It seemed like Thor's suite had become the meet-up point over the past few days. The big blonde guy himself was sitting by the table between Nat and Steve, a little moody over the whole Loki's letter thing, but largely less dramatic now that he'd been drawn out of his room and into company.

"Relatively well," Tony muttered into his mug, "heard from Fury yet?"

Steve chuckled and Thor grimaced.

"That's a yes, I take it?" Tony asked.

"Unfortunately," Widow answered, eyes furious, "yes. We all had some...words...with him over our current...living situation...in terms of Loki. He's sending Clint and Coulson to make sure we're all not under some evil Loki-spell or something. Like Clint would be able to tell," she smirked.

"Wonderful," Tony muttered, taking a gulp of coffee, "When can we expect them?"

"Some time in the next couple of days," Steve answered, "We'll keep them away from the guest suite until you can...until you're not busy," he turned pink with embarrassment.

Tony grinned, "Please and thank you," he said, "...By the way guys – where's the nearest toy store?"

Maybe it was the way Loki's face lit up when he saw that bear that made Tony's stomach do that flip. Or maybe he shouldn't have stopped at that Thai place. Either way, the bear was a big hit. Soft, fairly large, and with a blue embroidered heart on its chest, Loki had declared it perfect. The Omega held the bear gently, cradling it in his arms and smiling softly.

Tony would normally make a quip at a moment like this. But he just...couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to prey on Loki's Omega insecurities and quite possibly make him cry again. Damned hormones.

Loki looked up at him with those eyes – no defences, just those round emerald orbs showing his gratitude, "I..." he murmured, voice cracking, "thank you Tony...really."

Tony nodded and swallowed a few times before he replied, "No problem Lokes," he grinned shakily, "you needed it baby."

"Tony?"

"Yeh baby?"

"What's going to happen to me after this heat?"

"We'll have to kind of work that one out as we're going along," Tony answered, hoping he was coming across more confident than he felt, "but largely it's going to be up to you Lokes – when you can think straight again."

Loki nodded absent-mindedly, sleepily rocking the teddy bear in his arms as he lay back against the mound of pillows on the bed. Both were quiet for a moment – Loki dosing off, and Tony wondering how it was that the Asgardian could look so beautiful while wearing checked cotton pyjamas and clutching a stuffed bear – until Loki murmured something that Tony didn't hear.

"What was that Lokes?" Tony asked.

Loki's eyes flickered back open before closing again, "I was trying to find Thor," he said gently, "that night when I got caught in the alley - I was on my here. I didn't think he would help...but I didn't have anywhere else to go – except back to Asgard," he shuddered, "back to Odin. And I couldn't take it any more," he opened his tired eyes to look at Tony, "I couldn't take going back if it meant...binding myself again."

Tony scooted onto the bed and put his arms around the Omega, "Thor loves you," he assured, pressing Loki's warmth into his chest, "and I...I will never let you be bound again Loki. Ever. Ok? I'll keep you safe Lokes."

Loki smiled gently, but then sweat broke out on his forehead, "Tony," he grunted, breathing coming quicker, slick beginning to seep into his pyjama pants.

He dropped his teddy bear and Tony picked it up, putting it on his nightstand and facing it away from them, "He's too young to see this," he grinned.

Loki smiled weakly, brow furrowed with tension, pupils beginning to widen. Heat-scent swirled around the room, whispering again to Tony's Alpha core– he's yours, have him, make him cry, make him scream, Omega bitch...

Tony shook his head and took a deep breath – which didn't help because it just added more heat-scent, pheromones, and hormones to the mix. He started 'three blind mice' off in his head for a moment or two, and pushed away the savage Alpha impulses, focussing instead on the protective side of his nature – care for him, love him – that was better, he looked down at where Loki was panting and whining, hands curled in the bedding – protect him, help him, fill him, love him. Tony smiled and stripped Loki gently, kissing his smooth skin as he uncovered each portion of it. Loki sighed contentedly, completely lost to the demands of his body.

When it came time to join – beautifully, winding themselves together – it almost sounded to Tony as if Loki had whispered, "I love you," ever-so-gently into Tony's shoulder. Tony brushed it off as wishful thinking