Loki and Alexi weave their way through the exhibition hall to Magda, Wanda, Jane, and Thor, laughing, giddy, as children darting to find their friends. Magda opens her arms wide and embraces Alexi as soon as he is close.

"Oh thank god you have escaped the war unharmed! I have been so worried."

"Yeah, it was a little hairy, but they didn't want me parenting their kids, so after it was pretty clear that wasn't the place for me, I came to back home."

"I am so glad for it. And I imagine our darling brother is as well."

Wanda shakes his hand, "We will talk later about what I will do to you should you break his heart again. But not now. Now will be for pleasant things."

"Yeah...I thought you might be pretty angry."

"Angry is an understatement. I was seething. I had prepared all the terrible things I would say to you upon you return. And you need to know how deeply you hurt him from someone who watched everything unfold. So we will some day set aside space to talk."

"Please don't kill me."

"I have no intention of killing you. But I do have every intention of making perfectly clear that I may come close if it ever happens again."

Thor interrupts, "So, Loki- how did your conversation go? You both looked quite happy when you entered." Alexi lets out a breath he did not realise he was holding, grateful for the rescue.

"Well...delightful. And this happened." He shows Thor the ring, "We are engaged. Though it will be some time before we move forward with it."

Magda shrieks with delight and throws her arms around his neck, laughing, "I am so happy for you!"

Even Wanda smiles, "It is good to see you so happy, Loki. You are glowing." She takes his hand and kisses his cheek, "We will welcome Alexi to the family officially whenever you wish it, but know he is one of us, even if I threaten him a little. It is the way of an older sister- our duty, one might say."

"Yes, and it is our duty to daydream with you about wedding things and delightfully frilly gowns if you do so wish," Magda adds.

"We shall certainly take the time to dream." He reaches for Alexi's hand, "I do not plan to rush this."

"Yeah, and we've got to talk a lot through. But it just felt right to come back from Sokovia with rings. I shouldn't have left. I know, they called, they talked about kids...but this is my family."

Jane hugs him, "This is wonderful, Loki. I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you, Jane."

She turns to Alexi and hugs him, too, "Congratulations. And if you hurt him, I'll slap you."

"I can attest that she slaps hard. And evidently there will be a line...thank you, dear sisters, for being so fiercely protective."

"She's slapped you?" Alexi asks, "There's a story here I don't know, isn't there?"

"Correct. I do not know that Wanda and Magda know it, either."

"You'll have to tell me later."

"Indeed, I will."

Thor stands back, proud of Loki for this moment. It is another thing he never thought he would see after Loki returned so bitter after his fall from the Bifrost. And yet here he is, beaming, his adopted family surrounding him, and a lover by his side.

Tony appears from behind him, "So... What's going on over here?"

"Alexi has returned."

"Who's that and where'd he go?"

"Loki's partner. He had returned to Sokovia. But he has returned and asked Loki to some day marry him."

"Oh. OH! Wow! I didn't expect that."

"Neither did I."

"But it's cool, I mean, nothing wrong with it. I just never thought we'd go from homicidal fascist emperor wannabe to a hug pile in the middle of the Expo. And I'm still not used to this gender thing. But that's cool, too. He seems happy. Was at New Year's, too. And he's prettier than me, which is totally not fair."

"I think he looks fairer than I as well, Anthony. I will admit to a little jealousy, especially over the way his hair is elegant even when messy."

"Now that's just not fair."

"Agreed."

"So...do you think this is it? Happy Loki, no more crazy schemes, no more thinking he's gone to the Dark Side?"

"I do."

"And how are you feeling about the whole 'brother aging before your eyes' thing?"

"It hurts, I admit. But he is happier than I have seen him in years, even in he decades leading up to my interrupted coronation. And if he is happy this way, I will make peace with it."

"You're a better man than I am, then. I don't think I could do it."

"Do not sell yourself short, Anthony. You are strong in more ways than one." Thor claps him on the shoulder and opens his arms as he approaches Loki and Alexi, "And I have not yet congratulated you both on your good fortune and happiness. Alexi- soon you, too, will be my brother!" He turns to Tony, "Come! Meet my future brother! Fate has smiled upon this day."

Tony shrugs, "Sure, why not?" and approaches the group. He smiles and shakes hands at Thor's introduction. He thinks he will duck out quickly, but Magda's smile draws him in and he stays. They circulate the Expo together, and before it is over, they are hungry and tired.

Tony checks the clock, "I've been here longer than usual, so let's blow this joint and get something to eat. What do you like? Pizza? Italian? Shawarma? Chinese? My treat- an engagement party for the happy couple."

Loki does not care where they eat so Alexi chooses, "Pizza always sounds good."

"Pizza it is! Come on, there's a really good place just down the block. Little hole in the wall. We'll stick out like sore thumbs in our fancies, but it'll be a blast."

And it is. They drink, they laugh, and everyone orders their own pizza. They share. Loki tells how Jane smacked him. By the time they are ready to go home, everyone is exhausted, but there is still enough energy for hugs and to sing Bohemian Rhapsody as loudly and badly as possible as they walk down the sidewalk with their takeout bags. They say goodbye to Tony, Jane, and to Thor. Wanda and Magda drive back to their house while Alexi takes Loki home.

The kittens are asleep in a pile on the couch and Loki is careful not to wake them as he puts things in the refrigerator. They creep upstairs, shed their clothes, and snuggle under the blankets.

Loki once again admires his ring, "I cannot believe you came home with a promise. This is something out of a story."

"I thought you'd like it. You like the grand gestures."

"I do."

"Do you regret anything now that there's been a few hours to think on it?"

"Not at all. I am content. Wonderfully content."

Alexi slips his hand down Loki's chest to rest it low on his stomach, "So...want to talk? And then maybe...whatever you want?"

Loki sighs and turns toward him, Alexi's hand coming to rest on his hip, "Yes. Talk. And we will see from there."

So they talk. Loki tells him of the helmet and the Stone, of Asgard and his choice. And of that first moment reconnecting with Yggdrasil touching the ash in the square. Alexi kisses him deeply, slowly, and with an intensity that clears Loki's mind entirely.

Loki knows there will be many more nights like this, where they slight one another, talk it through at night, and ease away the hurt with gentle touch and wandering lips. A whole lifetime of them. And some day, the front bedroom will hold bunkbeds and the chatter of little voices that dissolve into giggles when one of their dads comes into the room. It is a good dream, and one he is looking forward to making come true, even if it takes a few years. There will be good days. There will be hard days. Days spent working, and days spent lazing about with the kittens. Days spent with just the two of them, or days spent apart and in quiet solitude. Days spent with friends, with family, and in rowdy laughter.

Realizing all this late at night with Alexi curled up on his chest makes one thing beautifully clear. Loki has made himself a home where no one will cast him out.