"You are the worst boyfriend in the history of boyfriends. Worst. Ever."

"Thanks, babe, I love you, too," Tony responded with a cheeky smile.

Loki frowned and continued to pack his neatly folded clothes into his travel bag. He slapped at Tony's foot when Tony nudged him with it as he relaxed on Loki's bed. "This is nonsense. I do not understand. If you are not going to New York to be with Howard, why can you not come home with me?"

Tony made a face. "Don't lie. You know why."

Loki curled his lip and zipped up the bag. He moved it to the floor and sat on the bed in its place. "It makes more sense, to me, to introduce you to Odin than to simply tell him of your existence."

Tony grinned widely and moved his legs to rest across Loki's lap, crossing them at the ankles. "I'm not going home with you, Loki." Loki turned to look at him. "But think how much cybersex-y time we can have?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Loki huffed quietly, knocked Tony's legs off of his lap, and looked away. Tony's jaw dropped as one foot hit the floor and he was forced to sit up. "What? You don't like our cybersex-y time?" Loki shrugged, still not looking at Tony. "Ugh. Loki, if you're going to be pouting all night, I'm leaving." Tony rose and started to leave, but Loki latched onto his arm with both hands.

"No…!" He shouted and dragged Tony back down to the bed next to him. "Don't go yet. Please?" Tony smiled, leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Loki's pouted lips.

"You're so cute when you beg."

Loki's mouth pulled down and he released his boyfriend's arm. "Ass." Tony lifted a hand and poked Loki's cheek. "Stop it." Tony repeated the action. "Anthony." Loki grasped his hand and held it down on the bed. Once he looked away, Tony started to raise his other hand. "Anthony, stop poking me."

"That's not what you said last night," he said with a chuckle. Loki groaned and fell backwards onto the bed. Tony laughed and lowered to his elbow next to Loki so he could still look down at him. "Why are you so cranky today? You get laid regularly, so it can't be that."

Loki closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. "Is everything a damn joke to you?"

"Funny things are." He widened his smile, showing his white teeth to Loki, when pale green eyes glared at him. When Loki looked away again, Tony gave up, sighing heavily. "What is wrong with you?" he groaned out. "This isn't just about me not going home with you for a weekend, so, spill."

"Nothing is wrong. I am genuinely upset that you do not want to come home with me for one night and sit through one uncomfortable dinner with me and my family."

"Aaaaaaand you just gave yourself the reason why I'm not going." Loki's eyes did that thing of gliding Tony's way with a sexy little flutter of his long, black eyelashes. "Besides the fact that I'm going to be spending the weekend and this week trying to catch up on all the work I missed while I was gone? Babe, it's Easter; it's a family holiday and your family is still more fucked up than the Manson family."

Loki blinked at him. "I am officially offended."

Tony chuckled and draped himself over the long thin body, his leg curling over one of Loki's, and his chin dropping to the back of his hand over Loki's chest. "It's awkward enough with just the four of you. Let's not mix in uncomfortable just yet. I'm sure Odin doesn't want to have to pass the potatoes to the guy who's fucking his son on a regular basis."

Loki combed his fingers through Tony's dark hair. "You're so crude. And blunt."

"You love my bluntness."

"At times."

Tony halted Loki's petting, taking his fingers in his and removing it from his hair. "What is it, Loki?"

"I don't know what you mean."

Tony reached up and pressed a finger between Loki's eyebrows. "What is it?" he repeated after the line that formed when Loki was deep in thought or unhappy disappeared.

Loki eyed Tony silently for a moment before looking away and up at the ceiling. "Aside from the week after the St. Patrick's Day Incident, I've not spent one night in the last month or so without you next to me." His fingers tensed a little between Tony's. "I am not looking forward to it."

Tony had chuckled softly at the St. Patrick's Day remark and grinned softly, his fingers tightening around Loki's. "That's sweet, and I totally believe you, but I feel like there's something else bothering you." Tony pushed himself up a bit. "Tell me what it is, Silvertongue."

Loki scoffed and removed his hand from Tony's. "Not after you call me that, I won't."

"What? I think it's a great name for you!" He planted a hand on the bed next to Loki's head and bent his own until his mouth hovered above Loki's. "Gimme some."

Loki frowned. "Some what?"

"Of your silver tongue." Tony mockingly bit at the air and growled.

Loki planted a hand over Tony's face and pushed him away as he pulled up into a sitting position, but he chuckled quietly. "Stop it, Anthony. I do have a legitimate concern."

Tony pouted, disappointed he didn't get the kiss he was after. He twisted his body around and lied on his back on the bed, folding his arms behind his head. "You gonna tell me or brood about it all night? 'Cause brooding really gets in the way of me trying to have sex with you, you know?"

Loki glanced down at Tony, the line forming between his eyebrows again, his jaw tightening as he struggled with his patience. "Could you be serious for one moment?"

Tony recognized Loki's effort to stay calm and knew that if they were in Tony's room, Loki would have stormed out by now. "Fine," he said with an exaggerated roll of his eyes. He ran a hand over his face and mock-frowned at Loki.

Loki sighed again, deciding this was as serious as Tony was going to get. "Are you familiar with the saying, 'when the cat's away, the mice will play'?"

"Yeah, of course."

Loki set his gaze on Tony's. "Are you going to do that?"

"I'm assuming I'm the mouse in this analogy?" Loki nodded. Tony frowned and sat up to fully face his boyfriend. "Loki, you think I'm going to cheat on you while you're away with your family at Easter dinner?"

Loki slapped a palm to his own forehead. "No, of course not! I meant… Are you going to indulge yourself and get drunk while I'm not here?"

Tony let out an incredulous chuckle and took Loki's hand again. "First of all, no, probably not. I told you, I'm trying to control it. In my head, that means not drinking unnecessarily, like, just because I feel like it or because I'm thirsty. Okay?" Loki nodded once. "I don't have any plans to go out partying either, but, babe, you gotta trust me and believe in me enough to know I'm not going to fuck up just because you're not here."

"I know. I suppose I'm anxious because it is the first time we will be apart since you started drinking less…"

"'Kay. I know I can be reckless but give me some credit, Loki." Loki smiled affectionately, lifted his hand from Tony's and pinched his bearded chin between his forefinger and thumb. Tony wrapped his fingers around Loki's wrist, his eyes narrowing a little. "You do trust me…don't you?"

"With my life, love," Loki said simply.

"Good." Tony grinned and leaned over to place a small peck on Loki's lips.

"Another."

He repeated the action.

"Again."

He laughed, laid his lips on Loki's again, a little longer this time.

"One more."

"Needy today, aren't we?" Tony went in for a longer kiss and felt Loki's arm wrap around his neck, his other hand come up to cup his face. He changed the angle of the kiss and began to push Tony back onto the bed.

"Not needy…" Loki kissed him again, even longer, deeper, slower, pressing his body into the smaller, compact one under him. "Wanting."

Tony moaned softly when Loki's fingers slid down his body and curled around the sudden bulge in his pants. "Loki…"

"Hmm?" Loki moved his lips down to Tony's neck, sucking, biting, licking, his fingers beginning to massage through the thick, worn denim.

"Clint…hhnnn…outside…"

Loki's fingers worked to undo the fly of Tony's jeans. Once undone, he dipped his hand underneath the band of Tony's boxers. "Then learn to control the noises you make, along with your drinking."

Tony's fingers had wrapped around Loki's wrist again, this time guiding his movements. He let out a little 'ha' at Loki's comment. "You're one to talk. You can be a—unh—a fucking banshee, if I hit the right…sp-spot."

Loki shook off Tony's fingers and moved his hand around to cup his ass and pushed himself up on one knee. "Be quiet and lift your hips before I change my mind."

Tony didn't bother questioning him. With a wink and a smile, he lifted his hips so Loki could tug his jeans and boxers down to just above his knees. "My shoes."

Loki maneuvered Tony's body so he was lying straight on the bed. He glanced up at Tony with a smirk on his face. "What about them?"

"Well…" Tony was about to say something but his mind went completely blank when Loki started to nip at him, taking little bites and licking at the sensitive skin of his thighs. "Um…" He watched Loki's hands glide up his thighs to his crotch, massaging around his hard cock, but never actually touching it.

"What, Anthony?"

Tony swallowed, glanced at Loki briefly, and shook his head. "N…ju…y…" He couldn't seem to speak coherently. His eyes drifted closed, his head fell back when Loki moved up and took him in his mouth in one fell swoop, as far as his throat would allow. "Ohh my…fuck." He moaned, sighed, purred, even whined a little, as Loki licked, sucked, massaged, even hummed. Tony struggled against Loki because he couldn't move his legs, trapped in his jeans beneath Loki's body. "Damn it, you suck."

"Mm…is that meant to be a joke?"

"Unh…no! I can't move my legs, Loki."

"I know."

Loki dipped his head again and deep throated Tony once more. Tony's hands went to Loki's head, holding him in place as his hips began to undulate slowly. Somehow he had managed to get one shoe off and, with Loki's help, pulled one leg out from its confinement. More able to move, Tony's body writhed and twisted, until Loki slid a hand up his torso to press down on his chest and keep him still.

"Uhhhnnn, god, Loki…"

"Brother, mother called and—oh Gud, nei!" Thor threw his hand up and looked away from the picture of his brother performing fellatio on his roommate.

"Thor! What the fuck? Get out!"

Loki lifted his head from Tony's lap and looked in Thor's direction over his shoulder. "Do you mind, Thor? I am in the middle of something here."

"JEE-SUS. Do you guys ever stop doing nasty things to each other?"

Tony spotted Clint lurking behind Thor. "Thor, close the fucking door!" He grabbed the first thing he could, a book on Loki's nightstand, and tossed it toward the door. It flew by Thor's head, forcing the red-faced blond to duck. He looked at Tony in shock, saw that his brother's face was still in his boyfriend's lap and slapped a hand over his eyes again and backed out of the room, apologizing profusely.

Loki smiled to himself and looked at Tony. He was hiding under his arms, thrown over his face. "Shall I continue?"

Tony sighed, heavily, and raised himself up on his elbows. "Funny thing, babe. As much as you and that fantastic tongue of yours turn me on, the fact that my roommate—your brother—and your roommate—my friend—have now seen my dick while it was in your mouth, just seems to kill the mood a little bit. In fact, just the mention of Thor kinda makes my dick shrink."

Loki glanced down, pursed his lips. "I see that." He grinned and moved up to kiss Tony's lips, though Tony didn't return the kiss. "I tried."

Tony waited for Loki to remove himself from him before pulling his pants back on. "A valiant effort, too. Maybe later." Pictures of Thor's horrified face flashed through his mind. "Maybe not," he muttered to himself.

"Hey, Tony! Got some Mac and cheese out here. You like it with cut up little wieners, don't ya? Or is that Loki's preference?" Outside Loki's door, Clint giggled like a little boy.

Tony stood and zipped up his jeans. "I'm gonna kill him." He started to charge the door but was stopped by Loki, who pushed him back.

"You will not. It was a joke. Come now, Anthony. You are a better man than to be rifled by a poorly timed, and unfunny crack like that." Loki slipped his hand in Tony's, opened the door and stepped out, glancing at Clint and Thor sitting on the sofa together. "Clint, you should know better than to push a man already on edge." He nudged Tony ahead of him into the kitchen when the shorter man stopped to glare at Clint. "And, believe me when I say, there is nothing little about Anthony Stark."

Thor let out a loud booming laugh when Clint choked on his Mac and cheese.

Frigga greeted Thor and Loki the next morning in front of the Richmond house. She could hardly contain her excitement that they showed up together, in the same car, and it warmed her heart to hear both of her sons' laughter and see their smiles, as they exited Thor's truck.

The first thing Thor wanted to do was eat, which didn't surprise anyone. But it did disgust Loki, who had watched Thor stuff his face with a stack of pancakes, a mound of scrambled eggs and three pieces of toast before they left the campus. Loki wanted a nap. When Frigga questioned why, he told her Thor's annoyingly loud pop music—thank you, Jane—kept him up the whole drive and he hadn't slept well the night before. She questioned him further about his insomnia and he told her he was just anxious about seeing Odin and having to tell him about Tony. Thor coughed a little around his eggs at this and Loki gave him a dirty look over Frigga's head.

In truth, Loki never got to sleep because Tony wouldn't let him. By the time midnight rolled around, the genius had become very frisky and couldn't keep his hands off his boyfriend. Around two-thirty in the morning, Thor—fed up with the noises coming from Tony's room—made them go back to Loki's room.

Later, they ate dinner, just the three of them. Odin was at a last minute meeting before the holiday and arrived home after eleven that night. Loki heard him come up the stairs and head straight to Thor's room.

Loki scolded himself for being a chicken. He ended his video chat with Tony earlier than he had planned to—upsetting Tony since they had yet to get to the "fun stuff"—and pretended to be asleep when Odin poked his head into his bedroom. Loki already knew Odin wasn't going to take his news well so if he could postpone talking to him a little longer, he would.

The next day, he was sitting in Frigga's library, barely paying attention to the book he was trying to read. He was more focused on the text conversation he was having with Tony. He chuckled when halfway through a mostly normal conversation Tony asked him what he was wearing.

'Really, Anthony? It's the middle of the day. And still chilly.'

'Aw that mean u got a lot of clothes on? Bummer'

'You can wait until tomorrow'

'Thats wut u think'

Loki heard footsteps that weren't the pounding stomp of Thor's or Frigga's light step. He quickly sent off a text to Tony, ending the chat and went back to pretending to read the book.

Odin stepped in after knocking lightly on the door. "There you are." Loki looked up from the book, but said nothing. "Thor said I would find you in here." The older man walked further into the room, glancing around at the shelves stacked with an extensive collection Frigga had been collecting all of her life, inhaling the heavy scent of old paper and leather. "You did always love to while away the hours in Frigga's library. You've inherited your mother's love of literature."

Loki turned a page and couldn't resist. "Considering I'm not in a position to inherit anything from my mother, in the way you mean, I would say she more nurtured my love for reading."

Odin suppressed his quick spark of temper. With his hands folded behind his back, he moved closer to Loki and the circle of oversized chairs in the center of the room surrounding a small coffee table. He motioned to the chair adjacent to Loki. "May I?"

Loki realized there was no escape this time, and nodded.

Odin sat, his arms resting on his thighs, fully facing Loki. "So…how are your classes progressing this semester?"

Here we go again, Loki thought, still not lowering his novel or moving his legs from their position hanging over the arm of the chair in which he sat. "Fine, thank you."

"I never asked; how were your grades in the last semester?"

"Good. I received A's, in all of my classes."

"Is that so? That's wonderful!"

Loki clamped down on the surge of irritation at Odin's surprise. Clearly, Odin never closely followed his progress while he was at the boarding school either. "Thank you," he said unenthusiastically.

"Your first year of college is almost over, Loki. Has it been a good one?"

Loki pondered that for a moment, thought immediately of Tony and a small smile formed across his lips. "It has had its moments. Some of them good, some of them bad, and some of them a living Hel on earth."

Odin shifted uncomfortably in his chair when Loki glanced sideways toward him on the last of his statement. "I hope it continues to be good for you." He waited for Loki to look at him again so he could send him an encouraging smile, but Loki's eyes never left his book. "So your mother tells me you have news for me?"

That made Loki pause. His eyes rose to Odin's face, an expectant look aimed his way. "Uh…yes, I do." Hesitantly, Loki folded the book closed and dropped it on the table in front of him. He swung his legs to plant his feet on the floor.

"Am I to guess? Is it good or bad?"

"I suppose that would depend on your point of view."

Odin's brows drew together. "How do you mean?"

Loki sighed. "Well, from my point of view it's great; from yours…perhaps not so much." Odin said nothing, sat back and crossed his legs. Loki inhaled deeply. "You remember Anthony Stark?"

Odin frowned in thought for a moment. "That would be Thor's roommate, yes?" Loki nodded. "Of course, I remember. What about him?"

"I'm dating him."

Odin didn't move for several moments, his face frozen in an odd expression. His eyebrows were up, his eyes blank, his mouth in a thin straight line. "That is your news?" he said finally, his voice low and soft.

"Yes."

Gradually, his eyebrows lowered until they came together in the middle of his forehead. "And your mother knows this? And Thor?"

"Yes," Loki said with another nod. "I called mother myself, but she had already guessed there was…someone in my life. And Thor…well, Thor has a bad habit of walking through doors without knocking," he added with a smirk.

"Is this funny to you?"

Loki's eyes fell from Odin's for a moment, his smirk melting into a grin, before returning to Odin's one-eyed gaze. "No."

Odin's face had hardened. "Do you find it amusing to embarrass me this way?"

Loki chuckled darkly. "Interesting how news about my life embarrasses you."

Odin practically had steam sprouting from his ears. He uncrossed his legs and lurched forward. "Did I or did I not specifically tell you that you were to no longer share your bed with anymore men?"

Loki sighed, as if the conversation was a big burden—which it was. "You did. However, I am not sharing my bed with men, only one man, and at times, I share his. Also, it has been some time now that I've not paid any attention to your commands. I do not see why you are surprised I did not obey this one."

"Gods be damned, Loki!" Odin jumped up, his face tomato red, just as Thor walked in.

"Dinner is ready." He paused after making his announcement, only then noticing the way Odin was towering over Loki, who looked very unimpressed by the action.

Odin stormed toward Thor, shoved past him. "I will deal with you later. Frigga!"

"What have I done?" He asked Loki, his blond brows drawn together, his arms spread. "All I said was dinner was ready."

Loki stood, slipped his hands into his charcoal-colored slacks, and shrugged as he made his way toward the door. "I told him about Anthony."

"And you still live and breathe?"

"Ha," Loki deadpanned as Thor wrapped an arm around his thin shoulders. He jostled Loki a little, chuckled.

"Don't worry, brother. He will come around eventually."

With a smirk, thinking of Tony, Loki said, "That's what you think."

"I don't give a damn who can hear me, Frigga! Nor do I care what Loki thinks he feels for this, this man. I will not allow this!"

"Husband, please, calm yourself. You're going to make yourself faint."

Loki and Thor walked into World War III when they entered the dining room. Odin, still red-faced, was roaring at Frigga, as his wife tried unsuccessfully to quiet him down. Loki had had enough.

"This stops now," Loki murmured.

"Loki, don't—" Thor tried to hold Loki back but the paler man shook his hand off and stomped further into the room. He slammed his palms to the cherry wood dining table to get Odin's attention, making the plates and glasses rattle for a moment.

"Enough!" Odin and Frigga stared wide-eyed at him. "You do not get to tell me what to do anymore, Odin! I am of age. I may do as I please!"

"Not under my watch you won't!" Odin tried to move to Loki, but Frigga, afraid he would strike her son, moved her body in front of his.

"Stop this, both of you!" She pressed a hand to Odin's chest and held out her other arm toward Loki, whom had moved forward ready to face off with Odin.

Thor laid a hand Loki's arm, tugged lightly. "Loki…stop." Thor's expression turned pleading when Loki's head snapped around. "Please. Think of mother," he said softly. For a moment, Loki nearly gave in to Thor's request. Then Odin spoke.

"It ends as of this moment, Loki. No son of mine will be shaming his family like this." Odin shoved Frigga behind him, but was still held back from rushing forward by her strong grasp.

Thor mouthed 'no' to his brother, his fingers tightened around his thin arm, when he saw the way the pale face had darkened, his emerald eyes flashed then narrowed. Loki turned and aimed the look at Odin, his lips curved up in a dark smirk.

"Good then, I am not your son."

Behind Odin, Frigga wept. But she still held on to his hand and forearm, keeping him back when he surged forward toward Loki. Odin grunted with the effort of trying to free himself from his wife's hold. He pointed toward the front of the house. "Out."

"No, Odin—"

"Father, please—"

"OUT!" He shouted again, hushing Frigga and Thor. "Get out of my house and off of my land. And don't come back until you're ready to behave the way a son of Odin is expected."

"No, Odin, you cannot." Frigga moved in front of him again, her tiny hands fisting in his shirtfront. "He is mine, too. You cannot decide—"

Odin's fingers curled around her arms and shook her enough to have her hands dropping from his shirt and curling in the air. "You will hold your tongue, woman! I have already made the decision."

"He is my son, too—!"

"I said, quiet!" Odin's arm rose.

And chaos ensued. Male voices shouted and overlapped, a woman screamed. Thor lunged forward on instinct, tackling his father to the floor. Frigga cringed away from her husband's physical threat, a short scream passing through her lips when Loki took her in his arms and twisted his body, moving her from harm's way.

"Are you all right?" Loki asked his mother, righting her on her feet again. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she pressed a hand to his pale one.

"Yes. Thank you." Loki nodded numbly and she drew him into a tight embrace.

"Remove yourself from me, Thor." Odin shoved at Thor and the blond mountain got to his feet. He pressed a booted foot to Odin's chest and his father sputtered angrily. "What are you doing, boy? Let me up!"

"You were going to hit my mother." Thor's voice was low, a snarl.

"My wife. And that is our business. Now let me up!"

Thor added pressure to Odin's chest and the older man's head fell back as he groaned in pain. "You will not do that again, father, in my presence or otherwise."

"Who do you think you are speaking to, young Odinson? Let. Me. Up."

Thor's jaw clenched but when Frigga laid a hand on his arm, a silent request to let him up, he obliged. Neither he or Loki, nor Frigga, helped the silver-haired man get to his feet. Once he straightened, Odin glared at Loki, standing behind Thor, next to Frigga, her arm around his waist.

"I told you to get out."

"He goes, I go."

Odin raised one widened blue eye to Thor and immediately waved him off. "This has nothing to do with you, Thor."

"He is my brother, he is a member of this family. It has everything to do with me. You want him to leave, I will go with him. And I will not return until he is able."

Frigga started forward but Loki stopped her with a raised hand, and stepped forward himself. "Thor, you don't have to do this," he said, moving to Thor's side.

"I do," he responded, his gaze never leaving Odin's. "Father must understand he cannot treat you this way." He looked at Loki now. "You have found love, brother. That should be a reason to celebrate, not a reason to banish you from your home. From now on," he addressed Odin directly, "your treatment of Loki reflects your treatment of me."

Loki closed his eyes, shook his head. "Thor—"

"This does not involve you, Thor," Odin repeated, his voice rising. "Your place is here; Loki's is not. Get out. Now," he said to Loki.

"Then we both go." Thor turned, absently kissed his mother's cheek and started out of the room. "Get your belongings, Loki. We leave now." He left the room and Loki turned to his mother.

"I am so sorry."

Frigga smiled through her tears, her chin quivering as Loki pressed her hands to his mouth. "You've nothing to apologize for. Go. He will not wait for you." Loki wrapped his arms around her, kissed her cheek and left the room, never once glancing back at Odin. Once both of her sons were gone, Frigga looked at Odin, her tears drying on her cheeks in streaks. "You've driven both of my sons away. I hope you are proud of yourself."

"Thor took himself away; if he hadn't stepped in—"

"If he hadn't stepped in, you would have struck me in front of them! Is that really the better option for you, husband?"

Odin sighed, leaned against the abandoned dinner table. "Well, I…I apologize for that, but that is all I am apologizing for. I won't let Loki shame this family with that kind of behavior."

"The only one who need worry about shaming this family is you, Odin! You cannot change what your son feels. You cannot threaten him to be what you want him to be. This is who he is, and I, for one, accept him in any way, shape, or form. If you cannot, then you will lose much more than the respect and love of your children."

She turned to leave and Odin reached for her. "Frigga, what are you saying? This is for his own good and the good of the family."

"No!" She rounded on him, unable to free herself from his grasp. "It was for the good of you. And I do not want to stand around and be witness to it."

Odin's grip tightened. "What—Frigga!"

"Leave me be, Odin." She shook him loose, new tears filling her eyes. "I cannot even look at you right now." She pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes, then a palm to her mouth, her turning stomach. "I will be in my room. Just…just leave me."