"Frigga…!" Odin called again for his wife as he struggled to sit up in his bed. He tossed aside the covers and slowly swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

"I am here, husband. There is no need to shout," she said as she stepped into their bedroom.

"I am hearing a lot of different voices and yelling. What is going on out there?" Odin waved a hand in the direction of the door and slipped his feet into his slippers, waiting for him on the floor by the bed. Frigga came to his side and helped him to stand.

"Your son has come to see you."

Odin grunted as he stretched his back, aching after spending so much time lying in bed. "I thought Thor was staying here in his old room."

Frigga grinned and stepped back from him. "Your other son, Odin."

Odin's head turned toward his wife, but his expression was blank. "Loki is here?"

Frigga nodded. "Yes. He arrived less than an hour ago with his…uh, partner, shall we say?" She angled her head on a sigh when Odin's face pinched into a frown. "Stop it, Odin. He seems very nice. He even kissed my hand." She giggled softly and brought the hand up to her chest.

"Don't be so soft, woman. Besides, I don't remember saying that I had invited Loki back after I banned him from this house. And I certainly did not say he could come here with the man he has decided to flaunt in—"

"Watch yourself, old man." Frigga's voice hardened and she took one step forward, her stance one of threatening. Odin didn't flinch or glare as he was unsurprised by his wife's constant defending of their youngest son. "Loki has come here after quite an ordeal with Laufeyson." He straightened at that. "He has expressed a need to speak to his father—and he means you. But he does not wish to fight, nor argue."

Odin found himself fighting an emotion he couldn't name. It meant something that Loki would be calling him father again. "What did—he said—h-how did his meeting with Laufeyson go?"

Frigga's eyes fell from his gaze to the plush off-white carpet. "I will let Loki explain everything to you. But, Odin, I should warn you that…he does not look his best today. He is waiting in the great room."

Lowering his head, Odin contemplated for only a few brief moments. "Have him come into the sitting room. Alone."

Frigga nodded, headed toward the door to the hall that led to the great room. She paused in the doorway, faced her husband. "You will have to meet him eventually, Odin."

Odin grunted in response as he affixed his eye patch upon the scarred-over hole that was once his shining blue eye. He picked up his robe from a lounge chair across from the bed as he made his way in the opposite direction of Frigga to the sitting room just outside his and Frigga's bedroom. He put on the robe, tied the belt into a knot, and waited quietly for Loki.

He didn't have to wait too long. After less than a minute, there was a quiet knock at the door. At his call to come in, Loki poked his head in then fully stepped into the room. Odin didn't know if Loki heard his quick intake of breath, but those green eyes lowered to the chair when Odin's hand whipped out to take it, to steady himself.

"Your mother did not warn me enough."

As rebellious as ever, Loki only lifted his chin. Either to show he may have been knocked down but he wasn't out, or to rub it in Odin's face, Odin did not know. And he was not about to ask. "It really is not as bad as it looks. I think you are all overreacting. It is not as painful as when y—" Loki choke off his words, then grinned. "Well, as other times."

Guilt crept into Odin, had his cheeks burning beneath the white beard, and he turned away, mentally convincing himself that he just needed to stretch his legs some more. "He put a hand on you? Laufeyson did that to your face?"

"He did. He also used his feet on other parts."

Odin grunted as he shook his head. "I told you not to go searching for him."

"You did." Odin glanced at him, at the agreeable tone. He hadn't heard that in quite some time—when it wasn't meant to be sarcastic, of course. Loki lifted a shoulder, but didn't seem the least bit apologetic in the movement. "But I needed to see him for myself. I needed answers to questions that you could not answer. Only he could."

Odin paused in his slow indoor stroll. "I told you everything I knew…almost." He shrugged at Loki's lifted brow. "I did not think it necessary to inform you your birth father had been in prison and was a convicted drug dealer and an all-together uncouth, defective, contemptible human being. What else could you have possibly needed to know?"

"Why he gave me up."

"Oh." Odin continued walking. "Did you get your answer?"

"Bluntly, yes."

His tired blue eye flicked up at Loki then back to the brick red carpet. "He attacked you for asking about that?"

"No. Well, I don't believe so. He...blames me for the death of my mother." Odin came to a stop again. "She died in childbirth and they had known each other all their lives. Though I am sure the reason he attacked me was because I had insulted him."

Odin's mouth twitched, hitched up on one side, as he turned around and continued his walk the other way. "True to your nature, as always, I see. What did you say to him?"

Loki was silent for a beat before replying, "I told him you were a better man than he." Odin stopped and fully faced Loki now. His eyes narrowed and Loki lifted his shoulders, pursed his lips. "Apparently, he disagreed."

Odin moved away again, to stand before the fireplace. He stood there, silently, for almost a minute, considering what to say next. "Did you mean what you said?"

"Very much so…"

Odin jumped as Loki's voice came from just beside him. He nearly stumbled back but was held steady by Loki's hands on his arms.

"Father," he finished softly.

Odin's teeth gritted as he fought the emotion clogging his throat, stinging his eyes. "You hated me only a few days ago. What changed your mind?" he asked softly, his voice almost a croak.

Loki removed his hands from Odin, folded his arms behind his back, and chuckled softly. "It's funny what hearing someone else saying offensive things about you does to me." Odin cocked his head in question. "Laufey—he was very judgmental of you, your money, your position, and your choices in raising me." Loki bit the inside of his cheek at his snap decision to not tell Odin that Laufey hadn't wanted a 'queer' son anymore than he did.

Odin had watched Loki as he spoke. His white eyebrows came together when Loki dropped his gaze to the floor. He could see his son's jaw muscles working as he clenched his teeth together. He wanted to offer comfort, but he couldn't bring himself to touch him, or to push him to speak. He simply waited for Loki to gather himself and speak again when he was ready.

"I'm sorry, father," Loki whispered, surprising Odin.

At his sides, Odin's fingers trembled, his hands eager to touch Loki but hesitant to show the affection he had always been afraid to reveal. "Loki…"

Loki cleared his throat, pressed a hand to his mouth then pushed it through his hair, lifting his head. "I know there are still many issues you and I must work through before we reach a place where we are comfortable with one another again. And I am aware that I have not made things very easy for you—or for any of us—these last few years."

"Loki."

"Let me say this, please." Loki finally lifted his head and set his green eyes on Odin's pale blue one, just inches below his gaze. His damp lashes clung together, his cheeks were tinged pink. "I have been hard on you especially. I realize that I have been difficult and a pain. And I am so sorry it took Laufey doing this to me for me to appreciate everything you have done. But I do, father. I understand now."

Odin wanted to lift a hand and cup Loki's unharmed cheek, but the gesture still felt too intimate for him. So, in an effort to let Loki know that he understood as well, he laid a hand on his thin shoulder. "None of us are perfect, Loki. I do wish I had done a better job of letting you know just how much you mean to us—" he groaned at himself. "No, how much you mean to me. If I had then perhaps you would have never had to seek out Laufeyson in the first place. I apologize sincerely for that…my son."

Loki's lips curved up and Odin felt something warm settle in his chest, and for the first time in a long time, he smiled genuinely at his youngest son.

"Do you think you may have outgrown this defiant phase you've been in recently?"

Loki laughed softly and sniffled, glad that the emotional moment had passed. "No, I don't think so, father. Defiance is also a part of my nature; it is a bit of what makes me, me. But I would like to think I have outgrown the phase of using my adoption and the reasons behind it as a weapon against you."

Odin moved away from the fireplace, twisting his back and groaning with the aches. "Thank the gods for the little things."

Loki smiled and saw that his father was weary. "Thank you for allowing me to speak to you today, father. I do not want to take up anymore of your time. Thor is insistent that you need your rest."

"Freeze," Odin said, standing just behind his favored chair. Loki did freeze, halfway to the door, surprised that Odin stopped him. "Earlier, your mother informed me that you have brought your…friend with you today."

Odin could literally see Loki's back straighten up at that and hoped that their reconciliation would not be that short-lived.

"Yes. He drove me, but I did not come here today to discuss that just yet, father."

"Regardless…" Odin aimed a hand at the chair directly across from his, a small rectangular table separating it and his chair. "You are here. So, about this Stark business…"

Loki sighed, nearly groaned, as he moved toward the chair, but didn't sit. "It is not a business, father. I am in a relationship with him. A serious one, at that, you should know. He has asked me to move in with him. And I have accepted."

Odin looked up and silently pleaded for patience. "Loki, I don't think you understand the situation you are in. You are the youngest son of a senator."

"Yes, the son that is not aiming for a career in politics. And the son of a democratic senator," he pointed out. He scoffed, "You're opposed to a ban on gay marriage, are you not?"

Odin's head jerked back. He was surprised that Loki knew anything about his job, much less his public view on such a hot-button issue. Despite this, he shook his head, his lips pursed in a disapproving expression. "That is a political stance; it's an entirely different situation."

Loki crossed his arms, cocked a brow. "So it's important, for others. Just as long as it does not affect you personally, in your own life."

"Yes, exact—no! Loki, don't try your tricky ways with words on me." Odin aimed a finger at him, but there was no threat, no harsh tone to his own words.

Loki couldn't help himself and he smiled and chuckled. He put his hands together, almost pleading with Odin, and moved toward his father. "Listen to me, father. Please. Now, I am man enough to admit that I have not been a perfect son; not even a half-perfect son. And I would hope you could admit you have not been the ideal example of a father."

Odin made an affronted face. Loki angled his head and, conceding, he nodded.

"I am willing to admit all of this. I am willing to ask for your forgiveness and forgive you. I am even willing to go so far as to sacrifice my pride and admit that I was wrong, about many things." Loki had dropped his hands and now lifted his shoulders in an uncertain gesture. "I don't know that what I have with him would lead to marriage, father, but what I do know—for certain—is that I am not willing to sacrifice Anthony Stark or my relationship with him."

Odin was silent for a long time, mulling over Loki's short, and seemingly heartfelt, speech. He moved around his chair and sat, taking his time to settle and cross one leg over the other. "Tell me about him," he said finally.

Loki frowned slightly. "What?"

"Tell me about this Stark who has so captured your…attention. I know all about Jane. If this is what you truly want then I should know about him as well."

Loki inhaled deeply, slipped his hands into the pockets of his slacks. Where did he begin? And how did he make Odin understand why he was with Tony when he couldn't get his brother to understand. "All right… Well…you've met his father."

Odin thought back to the night he met and had dinner with Howard Stark. It wasn't how he had wanted that day to end but the elder Stark was pleasant enough company. "Mm. Good man. Talked incessantly about his weapons. And he seemed a bit...arrogant for my taste, but he also appeared to be very intelligent."

Loki smirked. "Both traits that father and son share. He's a genius."

Odin's brows lifted. "Stark's father is a genius?"

"No. Anthony is. He is just twenty-two but he graduated high school at fifteen and has already earned a degree in Electrical Engineering and is now close to completing a second in Physics."

Odin lifted an eyebrow, rubbed a finger over his bearded lip. "That's impressive."

"None of that means a damn to me," Loki said with a shake of his head. Odin frowned at him, dropping his hand to the arm of his chair. "I love him, father." Odin's face smoothed. "Anthony is the first person who has not cared one bit whom my father is, or my brother. He is the first person…who sees me. And has not run away from me."

A small smile formed on Odin's lips. He understood that more than Loki would have ever guessed. "Does he love you, Loki?"

"Yes."

"How can you be sure?"

Loki frowned but smiled at the same time, considering how to answer. "Aside from the fact that it took almost losing me for him to tell me…?" Odin nodded once and Loki looked down. His cheeks bloomed a light pink. "I am…I am the first man he has ever been with. And I am the first person—ever—that he has declared his love to."

Odin went silent again, for a long enough time to have Loki bristling and nearly fidgeting in front of him. Finally, he sat up a little more, adjusted his lapel, and looked up at Loki. "Bring him in."

Loki's chin dropped toward his chest. "I…wha—…what for?"

Odin didn't smile or move except to wave a hand at the door. "I wish to speak to him. Bring him to me."

"But…"

"Loki. I just want to talk to him. You introduced him to your mother, did you not?" Loki nodded numbly. "Then go out there, fetch him, bring him here and introduce him to me."

Loki folded his lips together wondering if there was any excuse in the world that would work to prevent this, or at the very least postpone it. But he couldn't think of anything. "Very well," he mumbled as he left the room.

Loki returned to the great room where Frigga, Thor and Tony were speaking quietly. They all stopped, their eyes lifting to him when he stepped through the door. Frigga was about to ask him how it went with Odin when he moved forward and held out a hand to Tony.

Tony looked at Loki then his hand then Frigga and Thor and back to Loki's face again. Loki gave him a solemn nod and Tony took it, allowing Loki to pull him out of the room. The second they were alone in the hall Tony tugged on Loki's hand. "Babe, what's going on?" he whispered because he felt like he was in a museum—like in his own father's house.

Loki stopped suddenly, drew Tony into his arms and brought his mouth up to his in a brief but deep kiss that had Tony turning to jelly in his arms. He set his forehead against Tony's and breathed out a long breath that fanned over his lover's face. "Just remember: I love you."

Tony was gulping for air and blinking back stars. "Huh?"

Loki stepped back and took his hand again. "And, for my sake, please behave yourself," he said as he continued forward to the sitting room.

Tony gritted his teeth and reached down to adjust the beginning of an erection. "Now you tell me," he muttered under his breath.

Loki held the door to Odin and Frigga's sitting room open for Tony. He stepped in and stiffened at the sight of Odin, sitting like a king on a throne in an ornately decorated chair of gold and red. All he needed was a crown and a spear, Tony thought with a nervous chuckle. After closing the door, Loki joined him at his side, and placed his hand at the small of his back. He relaxed only minutely.

Then Odin addressed him.

"Anthony Stark, yes?" Odin indicated the chair in front of him again.

Tony glanced at Loki, who only smiled weakly. Tony cleared his throat before moving to sit in the chair. "Yeah—yes, but I prefer Tony. What should I call you?"

"You may call me Odin. And my apologies, Tony. I have only heard Loki refer to you as Anthony."

Tony set his chocolate brown eyes on Odin's lone blue eye and his lips curved ever so gently. "Loki is the only one allowed to use my full name."

Odin's brows bobbed once. "I see." He eyed Loki, standing behind Tony, trying and failing to stifle a laugh. He chose to ignore it. "My son has been telling me about you. But I would like to hear more."

Tony no longer felt intimidated because, as always, talking about Tony Stark was Tony Stark's favorite thing to do. He inched down in his chair, crossed his legs at the ankles, and laced his fingers over his belly. "Cool. What do you want to know?"

Loki sighed softly at his incorrigible boyfriend but was relieved to see the smirk on Odin's face at Tony's new, more comfortable position.

"Well, I already know much about your father; he is very much a talker. Why don't you tell me about your mother?" Odin's eye moved to Loki when his pale hand landed on Tony's shoulder. He looked back to Tony when the young genius reached up and gave the hand a short squeeze.

"It's all right, babe."

By the look on Odin's face, Loki could see that their pet names for each other would take some getting used to for him.

"My mom, Maria, passed away when I was ten."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Odin uncrossed his legs, shifted in the chair until he was more comfortable himself. "That must have been hard on you."

Tony nodded. He was a little surprised to find it didn't hurt so much anymore to talk about his mother or her death. He wondered idly if Loki was to thank for that. "It was sudden—a car accident—so yeah, it's been difficult." He reached up again, searched for Loki's fingers, still resting on his shoulder, and laced them together for a moment. "But it's getting easier."

Loki knew Odin hadn't missed the gesture, but he didn't comment on it either.

"Her passing must have brought you and your father closer together."

Loki clenched his hand resting at his side into a fist, disregarding the fact that Odin's one-eyed gaze was watching him and Tony very closely. He hoped Tony would be an adult about this conversation.

"Nope."

Odin looked at Tony again, lifting a brow. "Are you and your father not close? He speaks very highly of you, you know."

Tony smiled, but it wasn't friendly or with fondness for his father. "When it suits Howie, I'm his pride and joy. Otherwise, I'm just another pain in his ass. Except that he can't disassemble me into valuable pieces and sell me off to the highest bidder."

Loki squeezed Tony's shoulder and said softly, "Anthony."

Tony pushed himself into a sitting position and turned to look up at Loki. "I love you and I respect your father because he's your father, but I'm not sugar-coating shit for him or Howard. He wants to know, he's gonna know the truth."

Loki grinned softly and ran a knuckle down his cheek—an action to let Tony know he understood and wouldn't interrupt again.

Tony looked back at Odin and said, unapologetically, "Sorry."

Odin stared silently at first Tony then Loki. Loki could see he was stunned, most likely that Tony was brave enough to say he loved him so nonchalantly in front of his father and that he was being so frank about his own father. Odin waved off Tony's apology. "No need to apologize. Do you mean that?"

"What? That I'm a pain in the ass? Absolutely," he answered with a smile.

Odin chuckled. "No, Tony, I meant the part where you said you love my son." Loki went still. He could feel himself turning red when Odin's eye flicked to him briefly before returning to Tony. "Do you mean that?" he repeated.

Tony, with a serious look on his face, sat forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "I'm gonna tell you exactly what I told Loki. I don't know shit about love."

Loki rolled his eyes closed.

"The person I loved the most in this world died because I was sick and I wanted chicken soup. My father, while being a super nice guy to everyone else, has never shown me a shred of affection unless he was showing off to his friends or colleagues. The only attention he ever gave me while I was growing up was in the form of drunken rages about it being my fault the only thing he loved in his life was taken away from him."

Odin shifted uncomfortably at this and glanced at Loki. Tony drew his attention again when he began to speak once more.

"We were both pretty happy about being separated when I left for college. And by that time, and again, I'm not gonna sugarcoat this, I had a reputation—with women." Behind him, Loki put a palm to his face and shook his head.

At Odin's blank look, Tony shrugged his shoulder.

"It was fun, but it was meaningless. That all changed when I met this guy." He stood and moved next to Loki, taking his hand, and lacing their fingers together again. He smiled at Loki then looked at Odin. "Look, Odin, I know this isn't what you're used to because of giant Alpha Male Thor out there."

Odin didn't quite manage to smother a laugh and a smile.

"Hell, it took me a minute to get used to it myself. And I totally get that I'm not the ideal mate for anyone—even if you had a daughter. But you should know that no one, ever, in my entire life, has shown me what it's like to be loved." He looked at Loki. "And…despite my asshole tendencies, Loki has been the exception. And he got me to cut back on my drinking—which is saying a lot." He grinned when Loki elbowed him in the side.

"I think that's enough, love," Loki whispered.

Tony looked at Odin. "So, in answer to your question: yes. When I say I love your son, I really mean it. Because he's the only person on this entire planet that really knows me and still loves me for it." He shrugged. "He's kinda stuck with me at this point."

Loki slipped his arm around Tony's shoulders and pressed a kiss to his temple. "I do love you, you crazy fool."

"Yeah, I know."

"Stop."

They both looked at Odin as he struggled to get up. Loki moved to help him, but Odin waved him off. Tony stepped forward, too, and took Loki's hand again.

"I've heard enough. As long as you promise to keep that…," he aimed a finger in their general direction and Tony dropped Loki's hand and took a big step away from him. Loki glared back at him and Tony motioned toward Odin as if to say, 'he said it.' "The kissing and the touching and all the affection to a minimum in front of me…"

Loki held out his hand toward Tony, wiggling his fingers until Tony finally slipped his hand in his. "Yes?" he urged when Odin didn't finish.

Odin settled his hands in his robe pockets and breathed a sigh, smiling softly at both of them. "Then you have my blessing."

Loki stepped away from Tony, toward Odin. "Do you mean that, father?"

Odin glanced at Tony then looked at Loki and sighed heavily. "Yes, I do, Loki. I have taken enough away from you. Valhalla knows what you would do if I separated you from him now."

"Hmm, just worldwide destruction costing billions to repair. Mandatory subjugation. Thousands of civilian deaths," Tony offered.

Loki twisted at his waist to glare at Tony. "Prisoners of war."

Tony smirked. "You wish."

Odin groaned. "Enough. Gods, you're worse than Thor and Jane."

Loki moved to Odin and, ignoring any hesitation on his or his father's part, he wrapped his arms around him. He swallowed back the emotion that filled him, swelling in his chest, clogging his throat, stinging his eyes. "Thank you, father," he said softly.

Odin blinked back his own tears. His arms snaked around the thin body against him and he held onto him tightly. "Welcome home, Loki."