Loki woke gradually to the feeling of hands easing up and down his back. His eyes slid open by merely a crack, noting that it was early morning. He resisted the urge to go back to sleep, after all the huge bed was comfortable, the sheets silken, the air was cool, and he was feeling satisfied and pampered. Indeed, he stretched like a cat, settling on his stomach.

Lips soon joined the fingers stroking along his spine and he felt the furs around his waist being pulled down to expose his rear. He grinned as a weight settled there and his legs instinctively spread to make it easier. "You've been king long enough now to know that you can't just spend the day rutting into me. Not that I mind."

"I thought you were offering," Thor teased with a rumble of laughter as he rested his clothed weight over Loki's bare back. He felt the chainmail against his skin, rough hands easing down his shoulders and arms to grab his hands and twine their fingers. Their hips were now flush and he could feel the leather rubbing against his thighs and rear. He was even still in his boots.

"I'm not the bed, you know."

"No, you're far more comfortable than the bed."

"Don't we have some important dignitaries coming today? You wouldn't want to disappoint them."

"The Avengers would understand if we're a little late."

"They have to understand because every time they come, it happens. What was the last time? Stark saying he was going to stab out his own eyes when he saw you fucking me right up against a wall in the hallway a few months ago?"

Thor laughed in his ear and Loki shifted his head to rest more comfortably on the pillow. Thor's long blonde hair touched his cheek as the man left soft kisses along his jaw. "He said to me after that I would never, apparently, have need of 'Viagra'. I'm not sure what it is, but it doesn't sound pleasant."

Loki burst out laughing, his heaving chest jostling both of them. "Thor, 'Viagra' is a Midgardian drug to increase sexual virility! It is for those that have trouble performing in bed."

"I shall try not to be insulted then."

"Please, do not pretend you're upset. I can feel you smiling."

Their palms met, Thor doting attention on him and Loki soaking it up like a cat, almost purring. "I can hardly believe it has been almost three years since the attack on Asgard."

He hummed in agreement. Three years since Thor had been made King; three years since the Allfather had finally eased into his final slumber not more than four months after the attack; and two years since Thor had convinced Loki to marry him in one of the most elaborate ceremonies ever known on Asgard, only to repeat it not a week later on Midgard. At least there with the mortals, Loki had had the Avengers on his side for making it a low-key affair.

"I love you, Loki."

"So you say every day."

"If I don't, you may stop believing it."

"Hardly! I wouldn't have agreed to be your husband if I didn't believe in your feelings."

"As I recall, it took an entire year of asking you before you gave in." Loki reached out for a nearby pillow and smacked Thor over his shoulder as best he could. "You would hit your king with a pillow?!" he said in mock outrage.

"I would hit my annoying husband with a pillow, there's a difference."

There was a faint knock on the door and Loki heard it open without a pause. "See! Ha! I was right, they're still going at it!"

Loki managed to knock Thor off enough to ease up onto his arms and look over to the door. The Avengers stood there, expressions a varying mix of amusement and fond annoyance. "You owe me a twenty, Banner," the genius was saying, gesturing at the mild-mannered scientist.

Yet the smile given back was a bit impish; clearly Loki was rubbing off on him. "I don't think so, Tony. If you look closely, they're not having sex."

"Look closely? I'm not looking closely at a naked Loki!"

"I don't know why not, he's got a nice ass." The statement from Natasha caused everyone to stare at her, particularly Barton and she gave them an unrepentant grin. "What? He does and I can at least have an objective look at it without appearing gay for him."

Thor was laughing and really this was way too early in the morning for all this and yet Loki couldn't find it in himself to be annoyed. As his husband eased from the bed and joined his friends, leading him out of the room so he could get dressed, Natasha stayed behind for a minute. "Loki, I have something I want to ask you."

"Whether my ass is indeed my best asset?"

She rolled her eyes. "No, I'm being serious here."

He sat up, not caring about his nudity. Loki had been slow to warm up to the Avengers, but he had…eventually…not hated them. Thor was convinced that he liked them, but that was just his foolish optimism. "What is it?"

"The others don't know yet, only Clint does, and we've talked about this before, so he knows about this and is okay with it…not that it would have stopped me."

"Do spit it out, I don't have all day."

"I'm pregnant and I want you to be the godfather. Clint chose Bruce, and my choice is you."

He stared in shock. While not particularly interested in Midgardian customs, he did know about the culture more than what he wanted to know, and he knew about this one. "Don't you usually ask those you're particularly close to and trust for that kind of thing?"

"Yes," was her very simple answer.

So if that was what it meant, and she knew that, and she still chose him… "Why me? Why not Thor?"

"You already know why, you just don't want to see it. Despite your denial that we're friends, that you like us, you'd be a good father and you'd keep my child safe."

It was the biggest thing anyone had ever entrusted to him in his life, even before the dark area of his life, and particularly after. While the rest of the worlds might always treat Loki with suspicion and doubt, and most of Asgard Midgard themselves still hated him, the Avengers and this one in particular trusted him. "Yes," he said quietly, fingering the ring on his finger as he always did when he felt out of his depth.

"Good. Now hurry up."

He watched her go, the breeze ruffling the curtains from the open window and a few strands of his hair. His life might not be perfect, but Loki had found a man that loved him to his core and friends that accepted him for who he was even with what he did. Thor's voice filtered back down the hall with jubilance. Clearly he'd been informed of the joyous news of Natasha's condition. He couldn't help but smile just a little and shake his head, standing and getting dressed.

He was Loki Odinson, and he had all that he needed.