A/N: This story isn't over yet! Still several chapters to go! :)
The Avengers, Loki, Iron Man, or anything of the like. Just the thoughts inside my head. And taking some personal freedoms with mythology and lore.
"Dad!" Tony and Loki were almost knocked back when Kaia ran, wrapping an arm around each of their necks and hugging them close. "You two are not allowed to leave anymore!" Tony chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"Is that an order?" Tony smiled and Loki rolled his eyes.
"Damn straight it is." Kaia pulled back and looked at them. "You two look exhausted. What happened?"
"Lots of stuff, not limited to eternally bonding our souls," Tony shrugged a little as he wrapped his arm around Loki's waist, slipping his hand into his pocket. They started to walk back towards their rooms, having just come from the Healers. "We'll see you in the morning pooh bear!"
"Nathan is waiting for you in your room." Kaia called as they walked away. "Send him back to our room!" Tony held up a hand nodding.
"You know, if we keep attracting trouble, you're going to run out of things to do as a romantic surprise," Tony said to Loki as they walked. "I mean, do you know how turned on I would have been if you had asked me to share our souls with each other over a nice dinner?" Loki raised an eyebrow, looking down at him. "I would have jumped your bones at the table."
Loki snorted, pulling him a little closer. He reached out and pushed their door open and he raised an eyebrow. Nathan was asleep on the loveseat, curled up, Eindride in his arms, but not asleep. Loki slipped away and gently picked up the little boy from Nathan. Tony pushed Nathan's shoulder, waking him up.
"Hey, you've been summoned back to your own bedroom," Tony helped him up as Nathan blinked owlishly.
"Uh... kay... huh?" He frowned a little, trying to think. "Shit, Tony you're back!" He hugged him and Tony snorted, patting his back.
"I am, go, get some sleep in a real bed, kid." Nathan nodded a little and left. Tony closed the door behind him and walked over to Loki. He took a breath and looked at the little boy. "Hello, little boy." Loki smiled and Tony took him from his arms. "I am obviously the cooler one of your dads. It's just better if you accept this fact now. Shit, Loki, this kid is amazing."
Loki sat down on the edge of the bed, watching them. "I think we'll be in trouble if he looks anything like you as he gets older."
"Just like we will be when Emma grows up?" Tony smiled up at Loki before looking back down at the boy in his arms. "We have to remind the children just how hard we have it, being two good looking men. All the men and women we'll have to chase off. The things we do!" Tony laughed and ducked as Loki threw a stuffed animal at him. He walked over and sat down next to him on the bed. "Seeing him makes everything worth it." Loki ran his finger along Eindride's head gently.
There was a soft knock at the door before it opened and the two men were a little surprised to see Frigga walk in. "I thought that the two of you would still be up." She saw the little arms moving in Tony's arms and smiled walking over, leaning over to peer at her newest grandson. "Oh, look at this precious child."
"I'd offer to let you hold him, but I"m being a little selfish right now." Tony grinned even as Loki elbowed his side.
"That's perfectly alright, I've come to ask for some help anyway," Frigga smiled at them. "I think that I have a plan to ease the tension of the past few weeks."
"Steeeeeeeven!" Steve pulled the pillow over his head when he heard the voice at his door. "Up and at 'em Cap!" The door swung open but Steve didn't move. The Healers had just let him leave their rooms after three days and he wanted to sleep. "I got you some new clothes."
"Tony, why aren't you sleeping?" Steve mumbled out.
"Well, it's past breakfast, and you have something important to do today." Tony jumped up, landing on the end of the bed, just missing Steve's feet. Probably for the best, he would have kicked him off anyway. "Nana has taken little Anders so I'm not on diaper duty this morning."
"What could be so important that I have to get up for?" Steve turned in the bed lifting the pillow up a little.
"Oh, just a little thing like Odin giving you and Nathan your immortality and right to marry your girls." Tony shrugged as Steve lifted the pillow. "Oh, you didn't hear? Odin has let you two pass your trials, you know after surviving on Jotunheim for almost a week before being held prisoner. I'm tellin ya, mortals sure are making a good name for themselves up here."
"You said something about new clothes?" He noticed that Tony had on his red and gold leather jacket, and black boots.
"Oh, right! Yeah, you gotta look all fancy like, so I helped them give you the right colors." Tony jumped up and held up a garment bag. Steve could see some clothes inside with a blue and white theme to them. "So, up up, time to get dressed and get honored. I'll be back in ten minutes and if you're not out of the bed then I'll let something else wake you up."
"Something else?" Steve watched Tony get up and head for the door. Tony just smirked and closed the door. Steve sighed and pushed himself out of bed, not wanting to take the risk of Tony's threat.
Exactly eleven minutes later, Steve was slipping on the long sleeved jacket when the door opened. "Steve!" He turned around just as something rushed into his legs. He picked up little Emma Rose in gold and green clothes and smiled. "Hi."
"Hey you, it's been a while." He ruffled her hair and she giggled. "Were you sent in here to make sure that I was ready."
"Yup! I already got to jump on Nathan because he wasn't ready." Steve snorted and put her down. "Come on, we don't wanna be late!" He let the four year old pull him out of the room. "I like your outfit better than Nathan's, he's wearing green and brown. I haven't seen Kaia or Gabby yet though." Steve let her ramble on and lead him to the throne room. He saw Thor, Tony, and Nathan waiting outside for him. Thor was grinning and Tony had a little hint of a sneaky smirk on his face. Steve couldn't tell if he was purposely not hiding it or just couldn't help it. Steve wouldn't admit it out loud, but he was glad to see that look still on Tony after recent events.
"It is good to see that you are well!" Thor grinned as he walked over. "Shall we go in?"
"Yes, we don't want to be late," Tony grinned. He put a hand on Nathan's shoulder and pushed him up before taking Emma's hand. Tony and Thor walked in front, with Nathan and Steve behind them. Steve blinked when he saw Gabby up on the steps standing next to Balder, and almost missed a step as he was walking. She wore a white floor length dress with a blue fabric cover over it with beaded detail. Her hair had been pulled up and wrapped in the back.
Kaia was standing next to Loki with her dark hair pulled up, wearing a cream knee length dress with red fabric wrapped around her shoulders and waist. Frigga was holding onto Eindride by Loki, and Emma ran up to stand in front of her. Loki snorted as Tony walked up grinning, shaking his head with a little smile. Thor walked over to stand by Balder and Gabby as Steve and Nathan walked up the steps. Nathan glanced at Steve who only shrugged.
They stopped at the top of the stairs and Odin walked over to them, holding a golden box in his hands. "Steven Rogers, Nathanial Black, both of you have come to take on the Trials of Courage. You've both come willingly, and dutifully. I take no pleasure in the circumstances that surrounded these trials, but without complaint you both acted on instinct and with great care. You both also went beyond any expectations to help those of Asgard."
Odin opened the golden box and pulled out four medallions. He walked over to Steve first, fitting the medallions to the shoulders of his jacket, reminding Steve ranks in the military, it seemed fitting. "Steven Rogers, I grant you immortality and the power of the Gods of Asgard." Steve took a breath as he felt the energy surround him. "I name you god of Bravery and Courage." Steve bowed his head in respect as Odin walked over to Nathan. "Nathanial Black, I grant you immortality and the power of the Gods of Asgard." He placed the medallions on Nathan's upper arms. "I name you god of Ingenuity." Nathan also bowed his head and Odin nodded to the either side of him.
Kaia had taken Loki's arm and he led her over to Nathan, raising just one eyebrow at her and Nathan blinked as he took her hands. She smiled at him and squeezed his hands a little. Balder has taken Gabby's arm and led her over to Steve. She smiled at him then took Steve's hands.
"I take great honor in binding these two couples together, to become part of the Asgardian Courts." Steve raised his eyebrows a little but held Gabby close to him. Loki had gone back over to Tony, an arm on his back. Odin opened the golden box one more time and pulled out two golden cords. When he closed the box it disappeared from his hands. Walking over to Gabby and Steve he started to wrap one of the cords around their entwined hands twice. As he walked over to Nathan and Kaia, Steve watched as different colors of blue energy swirls around the cords, could feel it as he held her hands.
"What would happen if he did that to us?" Tony leaned in to whisper to Loki. "Would it glow like that?" He watched the cord around Nathan and Kaia's hands glow with red and green.
"Hmmm, I'm not sure," Loki answered, shrugging a little. "We've already bound our souls together, which is a much deeper bond than they are going through right now. This ceremony brings together the different energies into one. Ours has already done that." Tony nodded a little leaning against Loki.
"With these cords, your energies have become entwined, as you have chosen to entwine your lives. You have chosen to start a journey that will forever bind you together." Tony started to pay attention again as Odin started talking. "You may kiss your partner." Tony grinned and took advantage of the open invitation and pulled down on Loki's lapel, capturing his lips with his own. Loki blinked caught off guard but returned the kiss.
"I do not think he meant us as well," Loki responded when Tony let go.
"Then he should be a little more specific," he chuckled.
"Now we feast!" Thor declared, grinning.
