A few days passed by. Odin's brain activity had increased, but he had yet to wake up.

Back on campus, Tony spent his time doting on Loki—much to Loki's irritation, heightened by the fact that the two were virtually living together. Loki hadn't gone back to his own room after they returned from the hospital and spent all his time out of class in Tony and Thor's dorm. But with Tony's over-attentiveness, Loki's moods often swung wildly. Plus, he was still bothered by both his unanswered questions from Odin and his guilt at wishing the man dead.

Thor and Frigga kept a constant vigil by Odin's bedside, though Loki had yet to revisit him in the hospital. Thor had tried to convince Loki to come visit—all the time—but Loki always declined. He told Thor he didn't want to miss any classes, though the news of Odin's heart attack had spread and most of his professors had given him the option of taking a reprieve from his class work. Loki didn't see the point of going to see Odin if the man couldn't even speak and explain his reasons for hiring Amy to break him and Tony up. And he texted Thor just as much as he fixed himself and Tony lunch.

YOU SHOULD STILL VISIT, BROTHER.

He won't even know I am there, Thor.

IT WOULD BE NICE IF YOU CAME AND SAT WITH MOTHER, AT LEAST.

She understands. Why can you not? I am sure she is fine enough with you there.

I DO UNDERSTAND, LOKI. I JUST WISH YOU COULD PUT ALL OF THIS BEHIND YOU. HE IS STILL YOUR FATHER. HE WAS MOST LIKELY JUST LOOKING OUT FOR YOU. I TOLD YOU. TONY STARK'S REPUTATION IS WELL-KNOWN. EVEN OUTSIDE OF THIS COLLEGE.

I'd appreciate if you didn't speak of Anthony like that, BROTHER. And how can you still defend him? My so-called 'father' sent a PROSTITUTE to lure my boyfriend away from me! I cannot simply 'put it behind me.'

THE MAN ALMOST DIED, LOKI.

. . . which I am sorry for, but that doesn't absolve him from what he did. I feel guilty enough. I don't need you to add to it.

I AM NOT BLAMING YOU.

I have to go.

FINE.

Pissed off now, Loki shut off his phone and finished up the sandwiches just as Tony strolled into the room. He raised a brow at him, surprised to find Loki there, and smiled. "What are you doing here? You skip class?"

Loki licked mayonnaise off of his thumb. "Mm-mm. I got out early, so I decided to make lunch for us instead of buying out again." As he spoke, he set down a plate with a BLT sandwich and a small bag of potato chips on the table.

Tony's eyes bugged out at the sight of the food and he moved over to Loki to give him a short kiss. "You're in a better mood today."

"Well…" Loki grabbed his own plate from the counter and carried it to the table, passing Tony as he headed for the refrigerator. "I realize I have been hard to deal with this week. This is my way of saying I'm sorry and thank you for not ripping my head off."

Tony set a can of Sprite next to Loki's plate and popped open the tab of his Coke. He drank deeply from it, lowering to his seat, as Loki took a bite of his turkey sandwich. "You're welcome. But for future reference, I'd rather be thanked and appreciated with hot, sweaty sex." He smiled, wide and charming, when Loki only sent him a blank look.

"I'll make a note of it," he said dryly.

Tony chuckled, popped a chip in his mouth. "What else do I get?"

Loki sipped from his Sprite can. "What?"

"You've been a pain in my ass and I've been very accommodating. I think I deserve something more than food."

"You would, Anthony." Tony washed down his chips with more soda then stood and moved to Loki. His fingers fisted into Loki's jet black hair, abruptly pulled his head back and planted his mouth on Loki's pale pink lips. "Antho—mmm!"

Tony's ringtone started to go off, but it went largely ignored by them both as he continued his aggressive assault on Loki's mouth. Making sure not to break the kiss, Loki pushed his chair back from the table and widened his legs so Tony could move between them. Just as he was starting to enjoy it, his hands moving to Tony's ass and sliding upwards, Clint entered the room.

"Do you people not answer your damn phones?" He held his out toward Loki, looking anywhere but at the entwined couple. Tony stepped back from Loki and the taller man glared at his roommate, his breath still coming in pants.

"I shut mine off. Who is it?"

"Thor. Your…," Clint looked at Tony then back to Loki. "…Odin woke up."

Loki went still, not even blinking. Tony glanced down at him after he didn't immediately grab the phone and took it himself. "Thor? Yeah, he's here, he's just…having a moment. What happened?" Tony ran a hand over Loki's hair when he lowered his head into his hands, resting his elbows on the table, as he listened to Thor. "He asked specifically?" Tony's eyes went to Clint then Loki, who had gone immobile again. "We'll be there in a bit. Bye." He ended the call and handed Clint back his phone.

"Is everything okay?"

Tony looked at Loki again. He nodded at Clint then jerked his head toward the door. Quickly taking the hint, the archer left to go back to his own room. Tony lowered to his chair, pulling it closer to Loki. "Babe?" Loki lifted his head enough to meet Tony's gaze. He straightened more when Tony laid a hand on his arm, sliding his hand down until he held Loki's in his. "We need to go to the hospital." His eyes lowered to Loki's throat when he swallowed, making his Adam's apple bob up and down.

"Why?"

"Odin. He's asking for you. He wants to see you—to talk to you." Loki sat back, started to shake his head, and Tony's grip tightened. "Loki—yes. You wanted answers, right? This is the only way you're gonna get them. Come on." He stood, keeping a grip on Loki's hand, and tugged to get him to stand. "I'll drive."

Loki looked at the table. "The food…"

With his free hand, Tony picked up his plate. "We'll take it with us. We can eat it in the car."

"I'm not hungry anymore. Anthony, I don't—"

Tony tugged on his hand again. "You're going. Come on. Grab your plate." He motioned to it with his chin. "If you don't want to eat it, you can give it to Clint on the way out."

After another moment of hesitation, Loki stood, picked up his plate, and let Tony lead him out of the dorm.

Loki's dread grew more and more the closer they got to the hospital. Even as they walked into the ICU, he trailed behind Tony. Tony went straight to the room while Loki waited just outside the ICU doors. He rapped his knuckles against the window and Thor came out and walked with him to get Loki. Thor grinned and lightly slapped Loki's arm.

"Thank you for coming, brother."

"I didn't…" Tony nudged him with his elbow and he sighed. "Don't thank me yet," he muttered.

Tony took his hand and led him toward Odin's room. "Go on." Loki looked at him with a worried look on his face. The genius smiled, squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I'll be right out here."

"Brother, it will be fine. He is in good spirits," Thor said as he pushed open the door to Odin's room. Loki stepped through, continuing on until he passed the curtain enclosed around Odin's bed.

Odin was sitting up in the bed, holding Frigga's hand to his lips. Frigga spotted him first and squealed with delight as she came around Odin's bed to wrap her arms around him. "Loki! How are you, my love?"

"Fine," he barely whispered. His eyes crept toward Odin but didn't meet his one-eyed gaze. Frigga stepped back and cupped his face. Her bright smile died a little at Loki's weary expression. But before she had a chance to question him about it, Odin spoke.

"Frigga, leave us."

She frowned and reluctantly looked away from Loki to Odin. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

She looked to Loki and tightened her grip on his arms, a silent question between them. Loki gave her a short nod. She dropped her hands and faced Odin again. "No stress."

"Yes, of course, my love." Odin smiled, waiting until she left the room. He held out a hand to the two chairs by his bed. "Have a seat, Loki."

Loki started to speak but a raspy sound came out instead. After clearing his throat he said, "I prefer to stand, thank you." He moved further into the room but kept his distance from the bed.

Odin sighed heavily, unhappy with the way he and his adoptive son now behaved with each other. "I'm sorry, Loki."

Green eyes flew to Odin's face, his head jerking back a little. "What?"

Odin breathed out heavily through his nose and, softer this time, he repeated, "I'm sorry."

Loki had to look away when he felt his eyes starting to sting. Once cleared, he took a step closer to the bed. "What exactly are you sorry for?"

Odin's fingers toyed with his IV tube. "Many things," he finally said. "I will never be sorry that we adopted you, Loki, but I do apologize for not being honest with you about the circumstances surrounding your adoption. And…," he looked up at Loki now, meeting his gaze, "for the way you had to find out."

Loki's head tilted to the side, his brows drew together. He never told Odin that part. But at least Odin had the decency to look a little sheepish.

"Thor informed me," he said to Loki's silent inquiry. "Why did you never say anything about the boys at your school harassing you?"

Loki lowered his eyes again. He jerked his shoulder in an awkward shrug, irritated because even after all this time it was still a source of humiliation for him. "Did Thor inform you of that as well?"

"No. You did." Loki stared, said nothing. "Back at my office…" At the subtle mention of the heart attack, they both stiffened. "I wish you had told me sooner. I could have—"

"Could have what?" Loki asked, his tone harsher than he intended.

"I don't know—something."

Loki shook his head, chuckling darkly. "It is easy to see where Thor gets his ideas of heroism and chivalry from. You couldn't have helped. Thor only made things worse for me, as it was."

Odin sighed. "I still apologize for it." He glanced up at Loki again but the tall, pale man at the foot of his bed looked away toward the window.

"Very well, apology accepted. May I leave?" He turned back to the door and rushed to leave but Odin called him back.

"Loki, I am trying here. I am making an effort. Why must you be so stubborn?"

His lips twitched, curved slightly one one side. "Perhaps it's a family trait of the Odinsons that I've picked up over the years."

Odin chuckled and very nearly smiled. "No, that's not it. Do you have no memory of your time at the orphanage, son?"

Loki pressed his lips together, preventing himself from telling Odin not to call him that. "Not really. Why?"

"From what they told your mother and me, you have always been that way. You always did exactly what you wanted—rules be damned. If it was playtime, you stayed inside and read a book. If it was quiet time, you stayed outside playing in the snow by yourself. Apparently, you were very fond of the cold weather."

"I still am," he murmured. Loki bit his bottom lip, glanced almost guiltily at Odin. "I'm curious…what else were you told of me?"

Odin smiled softly. "Have we never spoken of it?"

Loki stepped even closer to the bed and shaking his head said, "You must have been too occupied cleaning me up and forcing me to behave more like Thor for the cameras."

The older man's face fell into a frown. "Hmm… Anything in particular you would care to know?"

He hesitated for a moment. "M…my parentage…" Loki bit his lip again when Odin's face softened. He would swear Odin almost looked hurt. But then it was gone.

"There wasn't much information to give, really. You were found on the doorstep wrapped in a green blanket...only a few days old. No note. Fortunately, you were found before you froze to death. Though apparently your body wasn't very affected by the cold." The corners of his mouth lifted ever so slightly. "They said you were trying to eat the snow as it fell on your face."

Loki swallowed back the emotion clogging his throat. "Come now, Odin. I know you well enough to know that information alone would not have satisfied you. No matter what Frigga wanted."

Odin said nothing for a beat, eyeing Loki. He inhaled deeply before continuing, "I did do as much investigating as I could. There was no record of you being born in a hospital, so that made things a little more difficult."

"Where was I born?"

"In your parents' home, from what I could gather."

He swallowed again, this time to coat his dry throat. "Did you…" His eyes fell to the blanket at Odin's feet and didn't seem to want to lift. "Do you know anything about my parents?"

Odin rubbed a hand over his face. He had been dreading this moment since they had taken Loki into their home—since he had begun to think of him as his son. "Very little." Loki's eyes slowly sought his. Odin cleared his throat, his eyes on the sheet over his legs now. "I'm afraid I have no information on your mother, Loki." He went quiet for a moment—whether to let Loki absorb the information or to gather courage for what he was about to say next, only the gods knew. "All I know of your father is that at the time we searched for him, he lived in Michigan, in Detroit."

Loki's lips parted. This was the most he had ever learned of his past. "His name?"

Odin lifted his cycloptic gaze. "Laufeyson."

"Laufeyson," Loki repeated on a long breath. He wanted to leave, to go look for his father—to maybe find a piece of himself that he never realized could be missing.

"Loki, please…," Odin interrupted his thoughts and waited until Loki looked at him. "Do not search for him."

His brilliant green eyes narrowed. "Why shouldn't I? It might be nice to have at least one father who gives a damn about me."

Odin shook his head. "It is a bad idea, Loki. Do you really think I do not care about you?"

"You have an interesting way of showing it, if you do," he said with curl to his lips.

"Everything you have, Loki, everything was provided by me." Odin struggled to keep his voice at a steady level. "Your clothes, your education, your car—"

"Minor compensation when all I ever needed was your love and affection!"

Odin growled to himself. "Perhaps my actions have not been obvious, Loki, but I do care about you. I care about your well-being, your happiness—"

"My happiness?" he broke in, his tone incredulous. "You tried to ruin the greatest thing I have had in my life, the only thing that has ever made me feel truly happy, by paying a whore to take him away from me. Is that how you show you care, Odin?"

Odin's chest rose and fell as he tried to calm himself. "I was only doing it for your own good."

Loki's hands slammed against the footboard of the bed, his fingers curling over it. "My own good?"

"Loki, please." Odin looked toward the door, though because the curtain was still drawn he could not see past it. "Don't make a scene."

Loki chuckled sarcastically, started toward the head of the bed. "Yes, because that is what I do, don't I? I draw the wrong kind of attention to you. I make you look bad. I make you feel ashamed."

"YES!"

Loki came to a halt, his back going ramrod straight. Odin sighed heavily, covering his face with both of his hands. It was awkwardly quiet for several long seconds as Loki tried to form his words. "I-I make you feel ashamed? You are ashamed of me?"

"Yes—no! Gods, Loki, that's not what I meant."

"You just said—"

"Why do you twist my words? I meant…I don't know what I meant…"

Loki stepped closer again. "Why did you send Amy, Odin?"

Odin sighed again, and Loki thought he saw him wipe away a tear. He lowered his hands but didn't lift his gaze at all, instead staring at the blanket again. "I am not proud of that. But I had to do something to get him out of the picture. I am…uncomfortable."

Loki scowled down at him. "Uncomfortable with…?"

Odin's jaw clenched. "…With your…chosen preference."

"My preference…?"

One bloodshot blue eye glared up at him. "…Of men, Loki. Your chosen sexual preference to men makes me uncomfortable."

Loki's lips curled. "My preference is to have sex that I enjoy, regardless if it is with a man or a woman. It just so happens, Odin the Allfather, that I fell in love with a man."

"Well, stop it. I don't like it!"

"I don't give a damn!" Loki felt no guilt or remorse for making Odin cower back as he yelled over him. "It is my life, Odin. I choose who makes me happy. Even if I had fallen for a woman, something tells me you still would not have approved."

"Loki—" He reached for Loki, his fingers wrapping tightly around the thin wrist.

"Unhand me!" The bed shook as Loki tried to free himself, setting off an alarm somehow. The door opened, the curtain was shoved aside as Thor stormed in, followed closely by Frigga.

"Father, Loki! Stop this!" Thor gripped both of their wrists and tried to separate them. Frigga ran to Odin's side and threw her arm across his body, shaking him by the shoulders.

"Odin, stop this. Right now. Let him go."

Thor managed to free Loki from Odin's grasp and pushed him back even as Loki struggled against him. "Brother, stop!"

"Get off of me!"

"Calm down!"

"Thor, take your brother outside, now!" Frigga yelled over her shoulder and Thor moved with Loki toward the door. She turned to Odin doing her best to talk him down, to calm his racing heart. He jerked around trying to get a clear view of Loki around Frigga.

His eye flared as he bared his teeth then looked to his wife. "No! If he is to remain a part of this family, he must end his relationship with that man!"

Loki was near the door when he heard this and deftly slipped out of Thor's hands, rushing back to the bed. Frigga had to block him back from Odin with her own body as Thor followed Loki, reaching for his arm. "Over my dead body!"

"Loki, please! His heart!"

Loki's green eyes bore into his mother's pleading blue ones. "He doesn't have one, mother. But you needn't worry about his heart anymore." His eyes flicked to Odin. "Nor you about your precious reputation."

Thor tugged on Loki's arm, an expression in his eyes similar to Frigga's. "Loki, don't do anything you will regret later. Please."

Loki ignored him, his eyes never leaving Odin's. "You want me out of the family?" he challenged. He lifted his hands from Frigga's arms and stepped away from both his mother and brother's holds. "It is done."

"Loki, no…!" Frigga cried.

"Brother—" Thor reached for him but Loki snatched himself out of his grasp and walked out. "Loki, don't go."

Tony got to his feet as Loki exited the room, his smile disappearing at the visible rage in Loki's eyes. "What happened?" he asked as Loki took him by the arm and continued forward, not slowing his pace at all.

"Just keep walking."

"Loki!"

He could hear Thor's heavy stomping footsteps as he ran after him, but didn't stop or turn to look at him. "Go back to your parents, Thor."

Just outside the ICU, Thor forced him to stop. "They are our parents and they always will be."

Loki dropped his hand from Tony's arm and stared at Thor, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. "Have you not been paying attention, brother?" He threw out a pointed finger toward Odin's room. "That man has done everything in his power to make me miserable for the past ten years under the guise that it was for my benefit. I actually felt guilty for being the one who put him in here in the first place!"

Thor held out both hands to him, asking for him to either keep calm or lower his voice, or both. "That was not your doing, Loki. We all know that. But please…think of someone besides yourself before you turn your back on the only family you have."

He sighed, irritated. "Frigga will be fine."

"I am not speaking of mother, Loki!"

Loki took a step back at Thor's booming voice, his body moving into Tony's, and Tony's arm instinctively went around his waist. "Then who…?"

Thor's face crumpled into a frown, his breath coming heavy. "Me."

Loki relaxed against Tony. "Thor…"

"I need you, brother. When they are gone from this life, and you have walked away, who will I have?" Angry that his eyes had started to fill, Thor roughly wiped at his face. "Your anger with father, I understand. I, too, have struggled to meet his approval. It does not always come easy for me, despite what you may believe." Loki lips snapped closed as Thor spoke before he could argue. "You do not understand why you are not enough for him. And I…I do not understand why I am not enough for you."

"Thor…" Loki's jaw clenched when his voice broke. He stepped forward to embrace Thor. "This wasn't my choice," he said softly before stepping back.

"What wasn't your choice?"

"Leaving," he said as he reached down and took Tony's hand, lacing their fingers. "I won't let him take Anthony away from me."

Tony, watching the whole scene silently up to this point, whipped his head around to look at Loki. "What?"

"I should think you would feel the same if he had done this to you and Jane."

Understanding better, Thor lowered his head sadly, but nodded. "Where will you go?"

Loki paused, unsure how much he should reveal just yet. "I will let you know." Beside him, Tony looked between the two brothers, confusion and frustration starting to blend.

"Will you need funds?"

"I don't want you to—"

"Loki. Just answer the damn question."

Taken by surprise at Thor's tone, he waited a beat. "I may, yes."

Thor reached for his wallet and pulled out a credit card, holding it out for Loki. "Take this."

"Thor, I…" Loki cut himself off when Thor took his free hand and placed the card in his palm.

"I insist. 'Tis meant for emergencies and…well, I am not the one responsible for paying the bill," he said with a grin.

Loki returned the grin and released Tony's hand to place it on Thor's shoulder. "Thank you. It is difficult for me to admit this, but…I would have been lost without you this past year, Thor. Sometimes I am envious, but never doubt that I love you."

Thor, feeling his emotions getting the better of him again, pulled Loki into another hug. "Then bring yourself back home to us."

Choked up himself, Loki's voice came out as a rasp as he replied, "I will do my best." He took Tony's hand again and led him away.

Thor watched them go before looking toward Odin's room with a frown and started back.

"Can you please tell me what the fuck just happened?"

Loki squeezed Tony's fingers. "Keep your voice down, love," he answered in undertones.

"No!" He threw his arms up, effectively tossing Loki's hand away from him. "You just told Thor you're leaving. Why the hell am I the last one to know about this? What the fuck happened in there?"

Loki smiled apologetically at the two doctors standing in the elevator with them then turned to move his face closer to Tony's. "I will tell you once we are outside."

"But—"

"Out. Side."

At his commanding tone, Tony pouted and crossed his arms like a bratty child. Once they were outside the hospital—after taking only a few steps away from the door—he stopped. "Explain."

Loki had to walk a few steps back to him. He aimed a hand at the parking lot. "Could we at least get in the car?"

"Where the fuck are you going, Loki?"

"Calm down!" Loki took Tony's arm again and forced him away from the entrance, near a bench.

"What happened in there?" he asked again, his voice at a more appropriate level.

"More of the same, I'm afraid." Loki shrugged at Tony's questioning look. "He is ashamed of me because I fell in love with another man."

Tony's face went blank. He blinked once.

"Is this a surprise to you?" Loki asked after a moment of silence.

Another half a second passed before Tony shook his head. "No. Just…hearing you say it out loud…" Loki cocked a brow. "…Kinda makes it feel more…real."

Loki lifted his chin. "And how does that make you feel, Anthony?"

Tony grinned slowly, lifted a hand to cup Loki's cheek. "The same as you, babe." Loki turned his face into Tony's palm and pressed a light kiss to it. "Not that I'm not enjoying this Kodak moment, but I want to know what else happened. Why did you come out of that room looking like you were ready to kill someone with your bare hands?"

Loki's smile faded. "Well. He apologized—not for Amy, but other things."

"Where are you going, Loki?" Tony repeated one more time.

"Detroit."

"What's in Detroit?" he asked with a frown.

"My father."

Tony's brows popped up. "Your what?"

"My birth father—well, perhaps. It's not for sure but that's where I'm going."

"Why?"

Loki let out a chuckle that sounded almost anxious. "I thought if anyone would understand it would have been you, Anthony."

"No, I do. I just…" His brows came together again. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Of course, I do. I've never been terribly concerned about my parents—Frigga had always been enough for me. But I have always wondered how I ended up in the orphanage. Perhaps now I may finally know." When Tony made no response, he moved to leave.

"Loki, don't."

He turned. "Don't what?"

Tony took the few steps to join him. "Don't go to Detroit." He did his best not to bite his lip when Loki said nothing at first.

"Why?"

His mouth twisted from one side to another. "I don't know. I just have a bad feeling about you going there. What if this guy is an even bigger dick than Odin? Then you'll have gone there for nothing."

Loki's brows came down. "I need to do this, Anthony."

"Then—then let me come with you."

"No."

"Why not?" Tony nearly whined.

"Because I have to do this alone, love," Loki said as he laid his hand on Tony's forearm. Tony removed it only to hold it between both of his.

"Loki. I'm begging you. Let me have Milton do some digging. We found out all that stuff on Amy. I'm sure we can find something on your father."

"But—"

"No, listen." Tony dropped Loki's hand and took him by the shoulders. "I don't know how to..." He sighed in frustration at himself. "I'm a scientist, Loki. I'm analytical, I'm logical. I like facts and figures and definitive answers. I don't do emotions. I leave that for you." He felt some relief when Loki grinned at that. "But my gut is telling me that this is not going to end well."

Loki wrapped his fingers around both of Tony's wrists. "Then be there for me if it doesn't." Tony sighed, defeated, and dropped his hands to his sides turning to look out at the filled parking lot. "Is that too much to ask of the man I love?"

Tony angled his head. "Don't play that card so soon, babe."

Loki smirked. "I will be fine." He moved closer to Tony, wrapped an arm around him from his side, and tilted his head to look into his eyes. Tony touched his fingers to the handsome pale face smiling up at him.

"I don't like to see you hurt."

"I know. You said that you want sex when I am feeling thankful for you, yes?"

"Yeah…" he agreed, still frowning. As Tony had done so many times, Loki rubbed his finger between Tony's eyebrows until it disappeared. He set his chin on Tony's shoulder and squeezed him in his arms.

"If I return to you broken-hearted, I want comfort in the form of hot, slow sex. Like that night before you told me about Amy."

Tony chuckled. "Fine, but only if you're broken-hearted. You get nothing if it goes well."

Loki leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Tony's cheek. "We shall see. Come home and help me pack a bag?"

Tony reciprocated the kiss, touching his lips to Loki's forehead. "Yeah, okay." He took Loki's hand and turned out of his arms. "What other information did you get besides Detroit?" he asked as they neared his car and he pulled out his keys.

"My father's surname. It's Laufeyson."

Tony nodded and they continued the conversation, speaking of the other things Odin said and Thor and Loki's emotional moment earlier. All the while, Tony filed away the information about Loki's birth father. He would put in a call to Milton later.