Hello, I am back! I finally found my kneeling pads so I can not have energy and still work at my desk! Took a little while trying to figure out just how I wanted to structure this chapter, i.e. going movie to movie or timeline chronologically. I chose timeline which is why the title of this chapter is a bit funky because the first scene (after the flashbacks of both movies) Thor 2 occurred first because I'm assuming Loki's trial occurred shortly after he and Thor returned to Asgard yet the rest of the movie takes place after Irom Man 3. So, long winded but, after this it will go to Iron Man 3 solely then Thor 2.

Shout Outs!:

Guest

I love you so much. And I love this whole story. I'm worried because fanfictionnet server is often down these days. Could you mind backup this ao3? I always thank you to see your great masterpiece story. 333 Have a nice 2024! Have a goood day!

I'm glad you enjoy it X) Huh, I haven't often had a problem with it but I'll see what I can do about getting chapters backed up onto AO3 Thank you!

TheBeard263

Thanks! Definitely not easy all the time and some choices I wish I'd done differently or better but thus is the process. We'll get to End Game but that's the last of the MCU I'll do except a snippet or something of the Loki show. End Game I felt was the perfect end for everything and also one of the last good/great films of the MCU

CHSHiccstrid

It's not like I kept it to a schedule that you'd know when to check XD Thanks you and God bless you as well.

WeAreNumberOne

Thanks :)
It made sense in the MCU despite me wishing he'd told Tony sooner and done things differently and such but for this story there was just no way I could justify that and I wanted to give them a happier resolve to boot-and I'm the write so I can do what I wish! XD
Therapy, yes, just not Archipelagon therapy. He's pretty much permanently scarred by magic though he'll come not to outright despite it over time and while he can accept the Archipelago as a hidden society and dragons, doesn't want much to do with magic. Not that he wont fight beside Hiccup and other magic users, it's just that he'll always be more warry of them-after a good deal of therapy that it. Poor guy. Him and Selvig.
Hehe, this chapter!

igor3101

You're welcome :)I'll try not (and not quite as long this time) but I'm often thinking of this story so have no fear!

omega13a

He really does. He's gotten over some of his issues from Thor 1 but he's got a long ways to go. Well...the next time, at least canonically, it was with the Dark Elves...

Journal 2, Entry 42: "Iron Man 3 and Thor 2 Part 1"

They stood in Central Park; the Asgardians forming a triangle around the Tesseract while the Avengers and some New Archipelagans circled around them. Further away, several New Yorkers taking a walk in said park gathered 'round, watching the two groups curiously.

Hiccup carefully gripped the Tesseract and turned to Thor. "Where on Asgard should I put us?"

Thor frowned, glancing at Loki who stood staring dubiously at the pulsating Tesseract. "Uhm, on the Rainbow Bridge?"

Hiccup nodded and focused again on the blue cube. "Keep things as normal as possible." He looked up and smiled at his family. "Wish us luck!"

Astrid crossed her arms, uncertainty lingering in her pursed lips. "You're gonna need it, dragon boy."

Toothless growled then shook his head and bumped Hiccup. Hiccup chuckled and rubbed his snout. "You got my back, huh bud?" Toothless crooned and several onlookers cooed at his cuteness.

Hiccup took a breath and gripped Loki's hand, startling him a bit but he held his Chosen's hand gratefully as the Tesseract flared and its misty fabric snapped around them and Midgard vanished from view.

Tony released a breath as they vanished, staring at the quickly dissipating mist. He wasn't aware of the presence next to him until they carefully bumped into his shoulder and he shot Nuffink a tense smile. "I'm, I'm alright."

Nuffink smiled softly and waved. "Pick you up in a week?"

Natasha turned to leave but paused, the other Avengers halting—intrigued at what piqued her curiosity. "Loki's a prince, why would the trial take a week? I didn't get the impression that Asgardians would have the patience for that…or was that just a Thor thing?"

The New Archipelagans laughed while Regner said, "No, no! Well…yes, Thor is definitely on the impatient side, as I'm sure many others are, but they wouldn't drag out a trial to last a week. Loki and Frigga might have the patience for that but not many others."

"Then what-" Clint started but Zephyr answered without hesitation.

"The New Archipelago's party looks like a simple night's festivities in comparison to anything Asgard throws."

Tony smirked. "Sounds fun."

The group slowly dispersed, the Archipelagans vanishing into Yggdrasil while the Avengers remained together until they left the park. Bruce following Tony to his car while Clint and Natasha left to go report into SHIELD, leaving Steve standing uncertainly at the curb.

He supposed he should just head back to his apartment but that felt empty and he…hollow. After having the closeness of brothers and sisters in arms so soon after spending nearly eighty years in ice and the time before that floundering at having lost his friends—he didn't look forward to the loneliness again. And the unbearable itch that Bucky was out there somewhere…

He sighed and hopped onto his bike. Maybe he'd take a little road trip, see some of the war memorials and ease into all this new-fangled technology.

Heimdall would have jumped had he not been All-Seeing as the Bifrost-less Rainbow Bridge flashed like the lost mechanism once did. He nodded to Thor with a slight smile and cautiously eyed Loki before tiredly turning to Hiccup and heaving a great sigh. "I would ask how this is possible but I do not believe I will receive much of an answer…nor am I sure if I want to know."

Loki grunted quietly. "You'd be correct."

Heimdall sighed, watching Hiccup carefully as he made the Tesseract vanish in a green flash and Toothless' eyes cautiously narrowed. "Come along then, the All-Father awaits."

"Goody." Loki mumbled.

Thor's hand clenched around Mjolnir, fearing that Loki still might still try and run.

Hiccup shot his patron a small smile and stepped closer so their shoulders rubbed as they walked.

They made it to the end of the Rainbow Bridge before they were intercepted by the Guards of Asgard, two of whom were carrying chains. Hiccup glared at them and Thor shot his brother an apologetic side eye but Loki sighed and extended his arms peacefully. The guards watched Loki warily as they cuffed him hand and foot but their expressions remained neutral at least and not disgusted at the younger prince.

With Loki's movements now hindered, they forwent the arduous walk to the palace and began loading into a boat-like skiff. Toothless took half a whiff of the machine before his pupils slit and hissed, back arching like a cat's, slipping his head underneath Hiccup and taking off before the Viking was even properly saddled. Loki smiled ruefully from his place in the skiff as shrieks rose from the houses and buildings around them.

The guards mumbled unsurely amongst themselves but Thor mollified them by saying, "The dragon is Hiccup's familiar, he will not harm anyone."

"So long as you do not try to harm Hiccup." Loki was quick to add.

Thor nodded, exasperation in his upturned eyes—that was a rule that went without saying for any familiar.

The skiff lifted above the city and Toothless circled them before falling into place beside them, casually cruising alongside them until they reached the palace. As they set down, Loki tensed again, unable to peel his gaze away from Hiccup as Toothless bounced from landing—eyes and earflaps flicking around for all potential threats.

Thor noticed and gripped his shoulder comfortingly. "Brother, nothing will happen to him. Mother would likely kill father if he tried." He said it lightly and in jest, but his stomach clenched with the possibility of it. He really wasn't sure what Frigga would do if Odin threatened Hiccup but it wasn't likely to be pretty, she loved Loki's Chosen like he really was her grandson of flesh and blood.

Loki took a breath and looked over his shoulder at his Chosen following barely a step behind his guards and turned to Thor. "Thank you." He said with a ghost of a smile.

Thor beamed. That was the true first smile Loki sent him since before the Jötunheim incident.

They walked silently along the halls and through the grand throne room doors, the room itself empty of all except Odin on his raised throne and Frigga at the base of its steps. "Loki." She said with a small smile, hoping it showed more comfort than worry.

He sent her a little grin as well. "Mother."

She gave a little sigh and glanced at Odin. "Please, speak carefully, I've not been able to speak to him much since returning. He is irate with me and furious with you."

Loki snorted and glared at Odin. "What else is new?"

"Enough." Odin said firmly but not so loudly it rang through the hall. "I shall speak to the prisoner alone."

Frigga fidgeted for a moment before leaving, downtrodden with worries. Thor hesitated at the rear of the guards but he too left, glaring at the floor. That was until he heard Odin ordered louder, "I said I was to speak with the prisoner alone. I will speak of your presence in a moment."

Thor's heart jack rabbeted and quickly turned to grip Hiccup's shoulder, only to be shrugged off—the Midgardian's expression hardening. "I'm not leaving. I'm gonna make sure he gets a fair trial."

"Liten Listig." Loki hissed with worry, watching Odin with trepidation as the king's frown turned into a glower.

"You have no rights here, draugr." Odin boomed, standing and staring down at the unnatural thing. "That you are here to begin with is a testament to Loki's crimes. The fact he is being given a trial despite his attempts to destroy Jotunheim and invade Midgard is a mercy at all."

Hiccup huffed with a small eye roll. "He didn't attempt to destroy Jötunheim. The only reason it's so demolished is because Thor interfered."

Odin scowled, glancing at Thor who was now blushing with shame—though he'd still defend his actions as he hadn't known Loki's plans. "He is not the one who opened the Bifrost on them!"

Loki scowled at the floor and said lowly but still audibly. "Only on Laufey's palace."

Odin slowly sat down once again, his gaze resting on Loki. "And what was your madness to accomplish?"

Loki looked up and firmly matched Odin's heated stare. "True peace between our realms! I would depose Laufey then hand over the throne that I rightfully won in combat to Helblindi, Laufey's oldest and my true brother. It would have brought about an era of peace between Asgard and Jötunheim, as well as between Jötunheim and Midgard, not even known by our most ancient of ancestors…I still have." He looked up definitely yet proudly.

Odin's good eye blinked and leaned back into his throne minutely. "While a noble idea, you never should have acted upon it without my authority nor without preparing our armies should it have failed."

Loki's lip turned into a sneer. "Like you would have listened to it? I think not."

Odin's lips thinned again as his eyes hardened. "And what of Midgard? You invaded her, killed hundreds—and for what?"

"I intended to rule it as a benevolent god." He tilted his head with a mocking smile. "Just like you. No, not like you. I wouldn't abandon them the moment their purpose was served." He sneered.

Hiccup opened his mouth to interject but Odin spoke loudly over anything he could have said with a disappointed frown. "We are not gods. We are born, we live, we die." At this, he again looked over to Hiccup with a scowl that he equally returned. "Just as humans do."

Loki bobbed his head with a small smile. "Give or take five-thousand years."

"All this…just because Loki desires a throne." Odin surmised, disappointed.

Hiccup glared at Loki as he remained tight lipped, old habits arising and refusing to share his knowledge. "He did it because he was kidnapped and brainwashed into it!"

"What is this nonsense?" Odin asked at the same time Loki hissed.

"Liten Listig. We have had these—little talks since the time I learned what I truly was. He has already made his decision and it is me for the axe." The younger son of Odin glared at his father. "So for mercy's sake, just swing it."

"No!" Hiccup shouted at both gods, startling Thor who'd never heard anyone speak to his father so bar his mother. Odin too looked down at him with wide eyes. "No. You're not going to condemn him without even listening to why. Grandmother's tried to tell you-"

"You are not her grandchild, you are an abomination!" Odin thundered.

"You will not speak of him that way!" Frigga hollered most un-queenly as she stormed back into the hall, if she'd ever truly left. "Hiccup is my grandchild as much as Loki or Thor are my sons."

Odin's face began turning red and pointed harshly at Hiccup. "He is dead."

Frigga planted herself firmly in-between Hiccup and Odin, glowering at her husband. "He died, yes, but he is as living now as any of us are."

Odin's good eye narrowed and turned to Loki. "Then he has conspired with Hela."

Loki scoffed. "Please don't tempt me. At least she never hid what she truly was from anyone."

"And what, pray tell, brought him back then? Only Hela has command of the dead." Odin said lowly.

His face became taunt as he looked Odin in the eye. "There are ancient magics lost to even you, the All-Knowing All-Father."

Odin looked to his wife who lifted her chin and stared challengingly at him. He sat back with a small huff before turning back to Loki. "This still leaves your crimes on Midgard-"

Hiccup gently gripped Frigga's shoulder with a small smile as he stepped to stand next to her. "As I said, he was brainwashed—with the Mind Stone."

Odin's brow twitched and spun his head to stare at Hiccup. "What?"

Frigga started up the steps to his dais. "It's true my husband, I have spent the last week healing his mind—this is part of what I wanted to speak to you about."

Odin frowned deeply but not at anyone gathered. "How is this possible?"

Frigga squared her shoulders, worry glinting in her serious eyes. "Thanos has returned."

Shock slapped itself over Odin's hardened features. "That is impossible. We beat him back until he barely had a leg to stand on."

Loki curled in on himself a bit, biting out, "You should have killed him and spared the universe."

Odin took a moment to reevaluate everything he thought he knew of the situation. "What have you seen, my son?"

Loki fought back a snort at the title but said, "He storms across the universe, utterly destroying worlds that oppose him and only destroying half of those who do not. I-" His chest fluttered and constricted, only grounding himself by Hiccup comfortingly holding arm and Toothless curling around both of them with protective growls. "When I, he—if I gave him the Space Stone that was on Midgard, he would have left it alone. He would have left it alone." He finished with a mutter and fear curling around his heart.

Odin hummed and leaned into the side of his throne, this was troubling news indeed. He closed his eye and thought, extending his Æsir and sought for the answer, the hall silent as the All-Father searched. Finally, he sighed and opened his eye again, looking over his sons and…Hiccup. "Asgard will, reach out to Jötunheim. If your claims are true then we have no charges to bring against you."

Hiccup and Loki exchanged knowing smiles until Odin continued. "Regarding the matter of Midgard…" Hiccup tensed and Toothless wrapped around his magics. "You will see Lady Eir for confirmation of your—ailment. If she attests then you will be handed to Midgard to be dealt with as they please."

Loki sighed, an unknown uneasiness unbinding from his limbs at the verdict—far kinder than anything in his wildest imaginations. Finally he nodded and breathed easier, at least he could be beside Hiccup when the inevitable came and not locked up on Asgard.

"However," Odin continued, recapturing all their attention, "Because you have tampered in forbidden magics and possibly conspired with Hela—you are banished from this realm."

Loki blinked but oddly felt next to nothing with that proclamation—possibly because he already considered himself banished from it.

Frigga inhaled sharply, once again affixing Odin with a glare but he continued before she could speak. "Once the Bifrost has been restored your sentence will begin." He turned to Hiccup, weariness in his eyes. "Surrender the Tesseract and you too may leave in peace."

Loki's breath hitched as Hiccup crossed his arms. "I can leave whenever I want. I only came to make sure Loki got a fair trial and help fix the Bifrost—but the Tesseract's leaving with me."

Odin's forehead creased, with anger or frustration it was becoming difficult to tell. "The Tesseract belongs on Asgard, Midgard has already had too much attention drawn to it-"

Hiccup held up a hand with annoyance. "What is with you people claiming it belongs here when you've abandoned it for so long on Midgard and let it cause innumerable problems? No, it's staying with me. Besides, Thanos is already targeting Midgard because of it—it's gonna stay with us and help us out."

Odin swiftly rose from his throne and clutched Gungnir until his knuckles turned white. "You have no say within these halls! I should not have let you speak at all but you will not question nor defy what I deem for the Stone."

Hiccup cocked an eyebrow before turning to Toothless and slipping onto his back. "If that's your opinion, fine, I'll leave." He flicked his hand and the Tesseract materialized, without thought he tossed it up to Odin then patted Toothless' side. A gust of wind blew hair in everyone's faces as Toothless launched and flew out of the hall, disappearing into the woods.

Thor frowned at the shrinking black spot, taken aback by Hiccup's sudden change of mind—especially for how he was chewed out on Midgard. Frigga and Loki too exchanged concerned glances, this was not like Hiccup.

Odin harrumphed, satisfied that Loki's insolent child has finally given up the argument and waved for the guards to release Loki. He held out his hand for one of them to take the Tesseract. "Take this to the vault until-"

The guard reaching for the Tesseract abruptly retracted with a gasp as the Tesseract pulsed brightly then disappeared. Loki silently "oh"'d as he finally grasped his Chosen's plan and mentally congratulated him, sending his pleasure over their bond that was met with mirth.

Odin stared at his empty hand for an embarrassingly long moment as he processed until it clicked and he lowered his arm with a controlled exhale. "Loki, retrieve your child. Heimdall will need his, assistance."

With that he swept out of the room, feeling as though he needed yet another Odin Sleep. Once he was out of sight, he rubbed between his eyes and leaned more heavily on Gungnir. He jolted straight again as a soft hand alighted on his.

"You need not be so harsh; on them or yourself. You are not alone in your desire to protect these Realms." Frigga said softly.

Odin inhaled and finally returned her grasp. "They are but children in this universe. And a Midgardian for a Guardian?" Frigga said nothing but her slight frown spoke volumes. "How long have you known that Hiccup was alive?"

She smiled faintly. "Oh, shortly after Loki brought him back—he knew better than to keep me from my only grandchild."

Odin bit back a sigh, too many of those had left him already, and held her arm as they walked down the hallway.

Tony hummed as he looked over the math for a project early in development, a mock up sitting on a desk next to its hunched over creator Beck. He flipped to the next page and nodded. "It has potential."

Beck frowned, finally looking up from a circuit board he was soldering. "Potential? That's it?"

Tony shrugged and set the papers down. "Well it's not like you've got terribly much here; besides that, there's a lot that can go wrong with this if it's not programmed to a T."

Beck's nose wrinkled but opted for an upset huff instead of a verbal response. "I'll get to working on that then."

Tony frowned at his irritation but said nothing, he might have had a bad night or something—easy enough to have JARVIS keep tabs on his work. He left the lab, glancing through the glass at Beck as he pressed the elevator call button—letting his gaze drift past the engineer to the New York skyline beyond his lab.

It was a fairly clear day, beautiful blue sky being outlined in thin but fluffy clouds…No, not clouds; grey, whizzing crafts pouring out of that hole that melted into black, star studded-

"Stark!?"

"Sir! A medic is on the way. Sir, please respond."

It was with a rough shake that Tony realized his wheezing breath. He took the hand on his shoulder into a death grip and shut his eyes, counting the seconds between each intake and release of breath. He was only vaguely aware of the elevator dinging and someone else kneeling by him.

"What happened?" A white cloaked man asked.

Tony was still attempting to breathe correctly as Beck answered. "I don't know! He left after criticizing some of my work and the next thing I know is that there's a bang outside my lab and he's gasping on the floor."

The doctor said something in response, possibly asking him something? Tony couldn't understand a word and, frankly, didn't care. He fumbled around his coat for a moment until he found his phone, only to lose it to the floor due to his hand trembling like he was having a seizure.

The doctor grabbed his phone and tried to return it, still speaking and trying to talk to him.

"J-Jay," Tony finally stammered out, "call, call uncle H. Call-"

There was barely a beat of hesitancy from the AI before he responded. "Hakon is still on Asgard but I can contact Anna."

"C-call her." Tony nodded, trying to remember the exercises that Agnutt had him practice in case of another attack—nothing came to his blank mind. The murmur of Beck and the doctor grew louder as the other residents of the floor stepped out to see the commotion.

What felt like an hour later to Tony, a teal flash silenced the mutterings. He recognized Anna's voice as she cursed then shoved her way between Tony and the doctor. The man complained but they died on his lips as she shot him a hard look and said firmly with absolutely no room for argument, "I'm taking him to the Archipelago. JARVIS, please let Ms. Potts know so she doesn't panic."

"I already have, ma'am."

Ivana gripped Tony carefully, mindful of his panicked state, and teleported to the nearest branch then traversed it home—practically dragging Tony along the rainbow path. They arrived at Caldera Cay to Ruffrunner impatiently waiting at the edge, gummily grinning at her appearance. He bounced forward and cooed at Tony before shaking his head once and giving the inventor a massive lick.

Tony froze, so disgusted by the slimy tongue dragging across his face he momentarily forgot the reason for his terror.

Ivana huffed in a show of frustration but couldn't help her smile as Tony's shakes slowly were replaced with a look of unequivocal disgust. He turned to look at her for the first time since the episode began and said with a repulsed curl of his lip, "There has got to be a better way to help someone out of a panic attack than…that."

She chuckled and let him go now that he was aware enough to stand on his own again. "Sure, but not as effective."

Tony shivered and flicked a drippy arm. "Is this ever going to wash out of the suit?"

She hummed uncertainly. "Maybe with some magical help…still might not be perfect though. Fury spit is particularly…unique."

Tony's nose wrinkled as he sniffed the fishy saliva then looked at Ruffrunner's toothless grin. "Is it because they spit plasma? I'd imagine they'd need something extra special to shield their flesh from that."

"At least in part." Ivana smiled before it fell slightly. "Did you want to talk to Agnutt now or wait just a bit?"

Tony stopped again with dread but his shoulders fell a moment later. "Now, I guess, if I have to do this."

Ivana's eyebrow rose, silently saying everything Tony was hoping she wouldn't.

His shoulders fell, trudging along behind her. He really didn't want to talk about it at all. He followed her to the mind healer's hut and looked up at the light grey sky and not a city skylined village. "I think I'm gonna move back to Malibu after this, at least for a little while."

Ivana smiled and comfortingly pat his back. "Might not be a bad idea. After all, winters in New York can get cold. Granted, they're like a balmy spring day compared to ours but…"

She trailed off with a chuckle at Tony's over dramatized shiver. "Crazy people. Humans are meant to be warm—that's why we're on Midgard and not Jötunheim."

Her teeth flashed with a full smile. "Ha! If a good portion of our population wasn't part Jötunn, maybe."

Tony frowned then pointed at her then the village. "Oh, you people were nuts long before that happened."

She laughed and waved Tony off as he disappeared into the hut before letting her smile drop into a worried frown. Ruffrunner wined and nuzzled his way under her arm. "I know, Ruff, he just needs time. Wish dad was here—Norns, I hated seeing him like that."

She stopped mid-step and stared at the ground, was dad like that after the Bewilderbeast? She shook that thought from her head and stared out into the ocean, wondering where that dragon had gone after that battle.

*O*

Loki stood in his rooms, quite possibly for the last time, as the servants of the palace prepared a grand feast in Thor's honor for 'defending' Midgard. His heart still skipped a beat. What would he do now? Thanos is no doubt furious and word would eventually get around that he's freely roaming Midgard, or as freely as they'll let him. What will spare Hiccup now?

He glanced over at his precious Chosen who chuckled as he folded clothing while Toothless was attempting to be helpful by retrieving bits and bobs of his armors or weapons, coating them in so much slobber that it would take forever to clean everything he grabbed. He turned his gaze back to his shelves and sighed. If there was anything he was going to miss about Asgard, it would be her library.

He appeased himself with the assurance that Mother would likely bring him any books he might need but he hoped that wouldn't be necessary, having already read most of the books in its halls. But still, the smell, the silence, it was his place of refuge.

He shook those thoughts away, smiling at the old piece of parchment standing on the shelf—nearly as perfect as when it was drawn a millennia ago. His smile turned forlorn as he focused on the twins. They were such wonderful believers. He truly owed everything good thing he had today to them. He closed his eyes and for a moment relived those early days, when life was…less complicated. When the only threats were mortals. Annoying mortals who deserved sooner deaths than what they received, but still, mortals who hadn't wiped out entire words just to set a precedent.

A hand gripped his shoulder and he jumped only to mentally scoff at himself as Hiccup stared at the picture with a small smile. They stood in silence for a minute before he tucked the image away in a journal and added it to the stack of books to take into exile.

Hiccup took a deep breath and looked around the messy room, piles laying here and there. The messier ones full of items Loki deemed unneeded and the nicer ones of things he wished to take. He turned to Hiccup and asked, "Might I borrow Toothless' saddle bags?"

"Sure, yeah, go ahead." Hiccup muttered an agreement and walked off to the other side of the room.

Toothless padded over by Loki and eyed him a bit warily. Loki chuckled and rubbed an earflap reassuringly before going around and gathering all his piles to shrink and fit into the bags.

"It'll be weird never coming back." Hiccup suddenly commented, staring out his balcony door.

Loki paused his packing and looked around his rooms, a sense of nostalgia washing over him before he breathed deeply and walked over to join Hiccup. "Yes…there were some wonderful memories here. But they will never measure up to the ones I've made on our home Realm."

Hiccup smiled brightly but shadows still lingered in his eyes, looking over the city again. "You don't need to sugar coat any grief for me, I was almost banished from Berk when dad found out about Toothless; I can imagine it wouldn't be easy being banished from the place you grew up in for two-thousand years. Especially when there's some people you still care about living here." Hiccup sent him a knowing look that he couldn't deny.

"Yes." He said slowly, pulling memories of his early childhood close—of times when Thor found Æsir a thing of wonder and not a scandal. "But they can travel to Midgard to visit whenever they wish. And now I do not have to keep making up excuses to come and see you, Liten Listig."

Loki carded a hand through his Chosen's hair and Hiccup chuckled. "I suppose."

Their joviality was disturbed by an imperious knock on the door before a voice barked through the wood. "Lokison, your presence is bade on the Rainbow Bridge."

He spoke no more but both men knew he was waiting on the other side. Loki sighed and returned to the last few piles, shrinking and affixing them in sure spots in the bags. He reattached the bags to the saddle, Toothless sniffing them—almost spilling their contents as he spun around trying to reach the bags. Loki flicked his snout, earning a silent snarl but he stopped and pouted by Hiccup. Hiccup chuckled at his friend's 'humiliation', promising a juicy cod when they returned home, before sobering up as Loki waved his doors open and put on a stoic face.

There was a small squad of guards waiting for them, Hiccup and Loki exchanging identical eye rolls at the show of force. Without a word, the group started down the hallway for the broken bridge.

The royal family met them at the bridge's beginning; Frigga smiling warmly at her boys while Odin held a carefully crafted neutral expression, Thor shuffling from foot to foot but trying to appear happy for his brother. After all, now Loki could permanently be with his Chosen but…he would dearly miss him, nearly as much as he had these last two years.

Heimdall stood a little further along the bridge, waiting for the procession. He nodded to the tricksters, observing Hiccup with curiosity but slowly shook his head in resignation—some, peculiarities surrounding Loki and the Archipelago he'd hidden made much more sense now. The pack of guards followed the pair along the bridge until he raised a hand, golden eyes staring at them then the All-Father. "This procession is not necessary."

Odin frowned, still eyeing his younger son and…grandson with a certain distaste. Of all the things Loki had to dabble with, it was death. "It is to ensure the Bifrost is fixed without any trickery."

Heimdall allowed a small smile with a huff that masked his laugh. "This is still the same Hiccup Lokison whom you granted into Valhalla; though he is now a millennia older, that only makes him that much wiser. We need not fear any of his trickery from this."

Hiccup ducked his head as his scarlet crept up from his cheeks to his ears and Loki beamed, proudly wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

Odin, Frigga and Thor followed them, the guards remaining as they started off again. They walked in silence until Heimdall unexpectedly said, "However, if you find a few—small surprises in the hallways, well, they are still tricksters after all."

Odin scowled at his gatekeeper before turning a disappointed look to his youngest whose back was too him—though Loki knew Odin cast the look and smirked proudly and not at all chastised. If he was never to return to Asgard he had to leave them little reminders of his near two-millennium presence there.

They drew short of the bridge's jagged end and all eyes turned to Hiccup. He peeked around just enough to see them staring expectantly at him, leading him to bring a knuckle up to his lips. "Would this be a bad time to say that I really don't know what I'm doing?"

Odin's brows drew together dangerously while Frigga chuckled and Heimdall came closer, holding out his hand.

Hiccup twisted his hand and the Tesseract appeared in a flash. He contemplated it for a moment before holding it out for Heimdall to take, ignoring the pleasant humming of the cube dipping ominously.

Heimdall smiled and shook his head. "No, give me your hand and I will guide you. I do not think the Tesseract has fond—memories of Asgard."

Loki scoffed and leaned heavily on one foot. "Why would it? You locked it away under a mound of dirt for how many centuries, millennia? before Schmidt found it?"

"Who?" Chorused Odin and Thor.

Frigga took a quiet but deep breath as Loki's eyes narrowed at the pair, chin lifting. "And you claim to have any sort of reign over Midgard."

Heimdall shook his head at the bickering transpiring behind him and sent Hiccup a soft smile. "Ignore them and I will show you how to use the power of the Ancients. You no doubt already know the feel, pull and push of the Tesseract."

Hiccup nodded with a hum, staring at the slowly pulsating cube.

Heimdall nodded. "Good. Now it is a matter of communicating with it. It is not simply a tool to use as you deem fit—the warlord of your last inter-Realm war learnt that."

Hiccup cringed. "Yeah, the picture Steve painted wasn't pretty."

"You need to show it what you want and listen to it in return. Sometimes it aligns perfectly and other times it is—a debate. Though never a harsh one." Heimdall let a trickle of his magic reach over to Hiccup's. They drew back initially before warily watching Heimdall's magic call upon that of the Rainbow Bridge and the lingering traces of the Bifrost, showing him how they worked in tandem. Yes, his sword or Gungnir was needed to activate the Bifrost but there was much more to the transport system than that…

Hiccup nodded and the Tesseract hummed, glancing over the image before it drew his thoughts away to Yggdrasil with something that could almost be considered annoyance from the cube. Hiccup frowned and closed his eyes, head tilted like he was trying to figure a puzzle. Yes, sort of. Asgardians have forgotten how to use it though.

The Tesseract pulsed again, like a huff, then dimmed. Hiccup's shoulders fell and stared sadly at the cube.

Loki noticed his change and leaned forwards in concern. "Liten Listig?"

Hiccup's nose wrinkled, ignoring the Tesseract's nudges to random star systems and strange planets. "It thinks of the Bifrost like a cage—not really fond of it."

Odin almost made an undignified noise, barely managing to hold it in with a curl of his lip. The Bifrost was of utmost importance to Asgard, without it they were essentially trapped here and would be no better off than the Jötunns or Midgardians—however, that last one was proving to be far more dangerous than he'd ever expected.

Hiccup ignored everyone again and focused on the Tesseract again, replacing the pinkish-purple world with the icy blue of Jötunheim and a whisper of later. The Tesseract trilled in a way only Hiccup heard, making him smile. He thought of the Bifrost again with urgings for the Asgardians, endeavoring to send it their feelings of confinement without it as well as Heimdall's brief touch and connection to it. Like an anti-type of them. It whined sadly and prompted him again with the image of Jötunheim before reluctantly shifting to the Bifrost.

Hiccup beamed, lightening everyone's spirits as they hung on his every twitch and minor pulsation difference of the cube. He encouraged the sentient-non-sentient thing in his hands with the promise of gallivanting around the Realms for a bit.

It finally relented and spread out its misty aura.

The Asgardians took several steps back as it brightened and stretched, reaching to the end of the bridge then flared. To their collective shock, the old Bifrost reappeared—though dead and disconnected from the Rainbow Bridge.

Heimdall hummed in wonder, not having known what to expect with the Tesseract rebuilding the Bifrost but whatever it was, it wasn't quite this.

Hiccup blinked at the Bifrost's return before gazing down at the bridge buzzing beneath their feet. The Tesseract flared again and dove into the haze of colors, letting its blue take predominance as it swept towards the dead Bifrost and overwhelm it like an avalanche before retreating—leaving the golden dome spinning with the Rainbow Bridge thrumming through it once again.

Hiccup's grin near split his face as he turned to Loki who pulled him into a proud hug.

Odin nodded with a satisfactory grunt. "Thank you—Lokison."

The Tesseract pulsed impatiently and Hiccup chuckled. "No problem, but we're gonna go now. Goodbye grandmother!"

She waved cheerfully at her son and grandson, both smiling at her as the Tesseract flared impatiently and drug them away to Norns know where.

Thor's eyes widened. Even with the knowledge that they were to leave as soon as the Bifrost was mended, he'd expected them to leave through it, not jarringly as they had. "Where, where have they gone?"

Heimdall stood at the Bifrost's entrance and stared across the Realms before laughing. "Currently soaring through the skies of Alfheim—no, now they're on Jötunheim…and now Vanaheim."

Odin's eyebrows rose. "Loki was to return to Midgard for banishment."

Heimdall's lip curled into a smirk. "I believe the Tesseract is enjoying 'spreading its wings' after so long in confinement."

Odin turned with a grumble that was most certainly not muttered. "They're ruddy stones, not sentient beings."

Heimdall heard him as he hears all when he desires and only grin knowingly.

Loki sat in the Great Hall, pushing vegetables and pieces of meat around his place, eyes vacant much like his mind—both buzzing with fatigue but unwilling to let it take him. He didn't notice Tony's approach until he staggered into the seat beside him, barely turning his head to gaze at the inventor. Concern had the inkling to well within him at the sight of darkening bags underneath the younger man's eyes…before it died out in his exhaustion.

Tony took a sip from the tankard of Berkian Mead and sighed, leaning his head back with eyes closed. "They can make some damn good beer."

Loki hummed his chuckle. "Just finished an appointment or stalling for it?"

Tony's face darkened and he gripped the mug tightly, grumbling his words so much that they were unintelligible.

"Going that well, hm?" Loki said as lightly as he could but it only ended up coming out wearily.

Tony snorted and brought the mug to his mouth, garbling his words again but at least intelligible this time. "Stupid therapy—doesn't do a thing when you're asleep and actually need it to work."

Loki hummed again with a slow and deep nod.

Tony peaked over the rim of his mug, bagged eyes narrowed at Loki. "How long?"

Loki's nose wrinkled a touch as he looked up thoughtfully. "A little over three weeks now."

Tony spit out a bit of his drink. "Good Thor. Definitely got my seventy-two hours beat. How'd you manage to slip that by uncle H?"

Loki's lips twitched with the barest of smirks. "I am not known as the god of tricks for nothing."

Tony chuckled, letting it die off quickly as it took too much energy to keep up—heaving in a deep draw of air after. Once again fighting off the buzz of sleep. "I know it's not healthy." He said quietly, not even sure if Loki heard or even cared to listen…but just saying it to someone who personally understood lifted a weight. "But I just, can't.

"Sure all the tips and tricks work, most of the time, when you're awake and conscious to actually use them but, when I'm asleep, I don't know them. I don't know anything except that-that—Mh." He shuddered, taking another sip to distract himself before he fell down the rabbit hole. "There's only going through it and saving Manhattan and uncle H or—mushroom clouding us."

Loki finally relented his show of eating and dropped the fork, staring at the distant wall. "Yes…" He laughed self-depreciatively, fighting back tears that were trying to take advantage of his sleep-addled brain. "And how I would chew out Hiccup if it were he pulling this stunt."

Tony didn't look at him, instead staring into his mug, but he snorted. "You mean when he did. He's told me stories…gods, I just wish I was better already like he is."

Loki sighed, silently wishing for the same thing. "It was not an easy road for him to get there."

"No." Tony said sadly, looking down at the table. "I just really would like to skip a few steps ahead of this—not take the 'normal' and long way about it."

"Hey guys."

Both men jumped in their seats and turned to tiredly glare at Hiccup who smiled at them

"Liten Listig," Loki grumbled, "do not sneak up on me like that."

Hiccup raised an eyebrow. "I wasn't exactly trying to be quiet." He lifted his left leg that once again had his old fashioned prosthetic that frequently squeaked at the springs. He rounded the table and sat, plopping three mugs of mead before him. "Thought I'd bring you something to drink but seeing as you already have a cup-"

Tony snatched a mug before Hiccup could take it back. "Mine's empty."

Hiccup chuckled and Loki smiled fondly before accepting it, the drink going down easier than the food did. Hiccup started chatting to his usually lively audience, throwing out ideas for a prank. "Not only that but a clan of Thorstons were wanting to test their mettle against you, kiddo—they already have plans to divide into teams…" He trailed off with a smile soft snores rose from his patron and godson.

"Wow, you actually managed to boringly talk them to sleep?" Astrid asked softly as she slid onto the bench next to her husband, taking a drink from his mug.

Hiccup laughed quietly. "No way—if I mention pranking they'll both force themselves awake. I spiked their drinks."

Astrid frowned at Loki. "He's not going to be happy about that."

Hiccup snorted and stood, waving over Stormfly who stood with her head just peeking through the Great Hall's doors before hoisting Tony onto her back. "He doesn't have the right to say anything when he's done worse to me when I've had issues."

Astrid laughed under her breath before helping him with Loki. "True. So, am I too actually expect a prank war soon?"

Hiccup beamed. "Of course M'lady, I would never lie about that."

She let out a huffy breath. "Swell. I'm taking a vacation to Berserker Island and whipping some of their new recruits into shape."

They left the warm Hall for the nippy air of New Berk, the loud noises of the village not bothering either of Stormfly's passengers. "I trust that you will quite enjoy yourself then."

She turned and planted a kiss on his cheek with a grin. "Of course I will."

Hiccup shut the front door with his foot, balancing a pizza box in one hand and a six-pack of sodas in the other, and Christmas pop drifting up from the stairwell leading to the lab. He set the food down in the kitchen before the music cut off suddenly, a raucous rising from the brief silence. Tor's ears perked up and took off for the stairs, whining a short while later when the door hampered his entry.

He sighed heavily and started towards the lab. "JARVIS, how long has it been?"

"Another seventy-two hours, Hakon. I am glad you are here—might you hide his most recent shipment of energy drinks and extra strong coffee?"

Hiccup chuckled, a note of sadness lingering in its echoes. "Sure."

He approached the door and didn't even have to wait to punch in the access code, JARVIS already unlocking it for him. He entered to the finished result of chaos, Tony laying in a pile of scattered armor.

"As always, sir, a great pleasure watching you work." JARVIS said with thinly veiled sarcasm.

Tor ran past him and skidded to a stop by the moaning inventor, sniffing him all over before sniffing a few dismembered pieces of armor and lightly growling then going back to Tony and licking his arms and the bits of blood welling on them.

Hiccup shook his head but eyed Tony empathetically as a mostly tired moan left his throat. He kicked away a few pieces of armor as Tony groaned and rolled over, taking off the visor and finally spotting his godfather. "Uhn…is it Thursday already?" He asked, lightly swatting away Tor.

Hiccup held out a hand that Tony took, grunting as he pulled himself up. "Sure is. Mind telling me why you haven't been telling anyone why your nightmares are so bad?"

"Nightmares? What nightmares?" Tony chuckled then truly laughed when Tor leveled him with a look and snorted loudly.

Hiccup arched a brow and said with a slight smile. "Keep this up Tony and we'll have to pair you with a dragon."

Tony's forehead furrowed but he couldn't help a smile at the thought, walking out of the lab shoulder to shoulder with his uncle. "A dragon, huh? Sounds nice. Needs to be a fast one, though."

Hiccup laughed, mischief sparkling in his eyes. "I was thinking of a Gronkle, they have great mothering instincts. They'll even sit on you if you don't get enough sleep."

Tony shot Hiccup a scowl that he ignored. Tony, too, soon forgot his ire as soon as they breached the stairs and the scent of the pizza welcomed them. "Uncle H, you're the best."

Hiccup grinned and got the plates while Tony took the box to the living room. Tony set the box on the coffee table and returned to the kitchen to grab the sodas when he heard something scraping the cardboard. He whipped around to see Tor trying to craftily steal a slice. "Bad dog! That's my pizza!"

Tor yanked himself out of the box and tore off across the house—a greasy slice of pizza dangling from his mouth.

Tony snatched the sodas from the counter and half-heartedly glared down the hallway Tor disappeared to before flopping down on the couch and inhaling the pleasant aroma. They ate in silence for several bites until Hiccup said, "I think you should get a little help with your sleeping problem."

Tony stiffened and couldn't help the hardness that set into his eyes. "Why are you on this so hard? It's not like it's out of the blue that I have sleeping troubles, I always have since I really started getting into inventing."

Hiccup sighed and set his can down. "Yeah, but, that was due to excitement or a need to finish a project. And while, probably, not healthy—you could still sleep afterwards and get a good night's sleep. Not driving yourself to dangerous extremes to not fall asleep until you're so exhausted you can for only a few hours before restarting the entire process."

Tony huffed to cover up a sigh, shoulders curling in a bit. "I do it so I can sleep…for at least five hours without, without seeing the portal." He took a deep breath and focused on the cold can, some frost patterns still around the edges from Hiccup rapid cooling them. "If I don't, then that's all I see—blackness that leads to stars far from the Milky Way and, and-"

Hiccup silently took his shaking hand and just sat there, Tor eventually joining them and placing his head on Tony's lap so he could scratch his ears. Finally Tony grunted and took another drink. "You've got some amazing therapists, uncle H, but I doubt they have any advice that could work when you're asleep."

Hiccup's leg bounced and shared gazes with Tor before saying, "You could try sleep medication, at least for a bit. That's basically what Toothless did for me after the Bewilderbeast attack."

Tony looked up, brows pinched in curiosity, he'd only had a brief explanation of what happened while at the museum and nothing from his uncle proper—though he suspected now that somethings he alluded to in the past might be in reference to it.

Tor wuffled loudly, like he was still complaining about something that happened a millennia ago—and he was.

Hiccup chuckled and rubbed his nose. "I struggled with sleeping…While I wouldn't dream of the Dýrsvell's attack so much, I constantly relived my dad—Toothless shooting my dad."

Tony sucked in a sharp breath, staring at his uncle in near horror before looking down as Tor whimpered and abandoned him to crawl up into Hiccup's lap and lick his cheek.

Hiccup smiled sadly and scratched his ears. "I know bud, no hard feelings. Anyway," he continued after a moment, "Toothless, every night, would curl his familiar bond around me—so when I fell asleep he could chase away the memories and drag me into his dreams. I know you don't have anything like that to help-"

Tony chuckled and brought the can up again. "You do remember the seventies, right?"

Hiccup frowned and bumped into him, nearly causing him to spill his drink with an indignant cry. "Anyway, there are some things out there that can help. At least until you've got your daily stress managed better—I imagine being constantly on edge does not help the nighttime paranoia."

Tony grunted, disliking the talk as he did all talks about his health but he didn't shut it down. "Well see."

"Mention it to Agnutt at least. Please." Hiccup pleaded.

Tony gave a resigned nod and ran a hand through his hair. After another minute of silence, Hiccup grabbed the remote and turned the TV on to fill the silent air. He didn't bother flipping through channels, leaving it at the last station it was on—Wheel of Fortune of all things.

Hiccup turned to his godson with a questioning look to which he answered, "I was drunk, wanted to see if I could still beat the contestants."

Hiccup chuckled and shook his head, watching the wheel spin and glancing over at Tony who now fought the nods. He smiled and Tor wormed his way onto the couch, taking over both their laps.

The TV suddenly screeched with snow before flickering to a screen with crossed sabers and ten rings.

Whew! Long chapter but I hope it makes up for the long absence.
I know it was really only one scene of each movie but I really wanted to spend a little more time developing Tony's PTSD. It wasn't bad for what time constraints and everything else they had to work with in the movie but as I have the unlimited time of writing, I wanted to show it more-also as it is a topic close to hope for me. Well, enjoy you're day and God Bless!