Chapter 15: Epilogue.

1

Two months after Ultron was defeated, and everything was back to 'normal', a party was officially held for Sam, Wanda, Rhodey, Bucky and Vision. They were celebrating them all becoming official Avengers. The future looked better than it had done so as of late. Not perfect, but better.

Sokovia was in the process of getting rebuilt, and Tony donated the money needed to construct the city, giving food, water and shelter to all the citizens. Not that that fixed everything. There were still people who lost their loved ones from all of the destruction, and some do blame the Avengers as well as Ultron for the damage, but it's not a perfect world. If it were, the world wouldn't need the Avengers. They do what they can, and take what they get.

If this was pre-married Tony, he would be drinking up half of the party's alcohol, but he had been cutting down and he was finding that he liked to be in a suit after hours and be able to walk in a straight line. He especially liked going to bed with the same man every night, and waking up with him too.

He stood on the balcony, looking out at the city with some vol-au-vents in hand, feeling the vibrations of the music hit the glass door and hum into the cold air. For someone who was so keen on being the centre of the party, he did spend a lot of time lately in the corners of the rooms. He found that he liked to watch. Maybe all this knocking around in his brain had made him appreciate what it felt like to see others rather than feel others see him.

He'd been getting tired of all the attention lately anyhow. Not that he will ever get tired of being in Loki's sights. And speak of the devil, Loki snuck up behind his husband and slid his arms around his waist, tucking his hands under Tony's tux. They both hum at the feeling of holding and being held. Tony let his head loll back, Loki's chin resting on his shoulder.

They stood there, together on the balcony, taking in each other's company. Just the two of them. No other Avengers, no press, no Ultron. No worrying over the future or the past. No caution or suppressed feelings, everything just out in the open. The music inside changed to a song that Loki recognised, and laughed into Tony's shoulder, pressing a kiss to his neck.

"Shall we dance, my love?" He whispered, and the cold wisp of air that escaped his lips blew in the air, lost in the light wind.

If I had my life
To live over again
I would truly take you
For my love again

"Mmh." Tony hummed, almost sounding like he was falling asleep in Loki's arms. He always felt safe in them. He doesn't recall a time when he hadn't. "Just sway with me here, darlin'." He mumbled. "Everything I need is right here." He ran his hands up and down Loki's arms, and Loki could tell he was cold even through his suit jacket, so he took his hands in his own and slid them back under Tony's tux, keeping him safe and protected by the cruel outside.

"Sounds like a perfect plan." Loki agreed, closing his eyes and feeling a wave of grateful bliss flow through his body and he held the man of his dreams in his arms, and wondered just how he managed to get this happy. It was almost overwhelming, but he knew better than to feel undeserving and let go.

Oh, how I'd love you
Over and over
Over and over
Over again

"This balcony has a better view than the one in our bedroom." Tony stated.

"We get to see the sunrise in our bedroom." Loki noted. "And anyway, if we are in our bedroom and you are distracted by the view outside, then maybe I'm not doing a good enough job of keeping you occupied on me."

Tony laughed at this, and Loki smiled back at it. "I don't know about that. I could have the whole world in view outside my window, and you'd still be a better sight."

"Anthony Edward Stark, I had no idea you were so romantic." Loki said in a snarky voice.

"Well then I guess that you don't know everything about me, huh?"

"I suppose I don't." Loki rubbed his fingers along Tony's under his suit, enjoying the intimacy. He also found that he liked the fact that he doesn't know everything about Tony. They could be together for the rest of eternity and he could still be surprised by him. And this reminded him of why he came out here.

Yes, I would love you
Over and over
Over and over
Over again

"Would you let me spend the rest of your life learning as much about you as I can?" He asked.

"That's why I married you." Tony said. Loki hesitated, but not for long before he asked his next question.

"Would you let me spend the rest of eternity learning as much about you as I can?" The question lingered for a moment, and Loki could tell that Tony knew what he was asking. He didn't tense in his arms, which was a good sign, and leaned even further into Loki's arms, which was an even better sign.

Tony turned his head to face Loki, brown eyes looking into green, and gave a sated smile. "Again, Loki, That is why I married you."

One lifetime isn't long enough
To be with you
I'd need more time
To give this love of mine
That I have for you

"Anthony." Loki whispered. Tony slid one hand out of his shirt and Loki's hold, reaching back into his husbands shirt and taking the round object from his pocket that he felt the second he leaned back into him. He knew what it was, and was only verified by the feeling of it.

The golden apple glowed dimly between them when Tony turned in Loki's arms, thankful that he didn't let go. They looked down at it, Loki with slight worry in his eyes, and Tony with complete one hundred per cent certainty. When Loki saw this look, he couldn't take it eyes off the man in his arms.

He had dreamed of this image for so long. Tony holding such a power that would give him the ability to stay with Loki through this world for eternity. Despite the wish for it to be real, whenever Loki had thought about this before he always felt a twinge of guilt and selfishness. He felt like he was only asking Tony this because he wanted Tony to be with him forever. But looking at him now, he saw that his husband wanted this just as much as he did. Because he wanted to spend eternity with Loki, too. And that was the difference between dreams and reality, the fears get eliminated before your very eyes. And that goes for nightmares as well.

Then I would love you
Over and over
Over and over
Over again

Tony took a last smile, bringing the apple up to his lips before Loki put a hand on his wrist, keeping him from taking the bite.

"Anthony, are you sure about this?" He needed to be certain. "Have you thought this through properly? Do you really want this?" Tony looked at his husband, smiling and shaking his head, like a parent watching a kid try and act grown up.

"Loki, I have spent months and months thinking this over. Since the first time you asked me, right up until the day I woke up after Ultron. Because after seeing what happened, you doing everything in your power not just to get my memories back, but to make me fall in love with you again in case that didn't work, that was proof enough. I don't need to wonder about anything. I married you because I believed that you would do something like that for me, and you actually did, so that is where this comes in." He raised the apple by his face, the glow shining against Tony's cheek like the sunrise on his body every morning.

"I also looked back on some of the surveillance footage. I watched you take care of me. I watched you make me fall in love with you all over again. Not once did you ever even think of giving up on me, and even when things were tough, you never left me. You had a second chance at life, and you still chose me again." Loki looked down at this, feeling himself get emotional over Tony's words. But his husband cupped his face with both hands and brought his face closer to his own, pressing a kiss to his lips that spoke more words that he could care to breath. "I don't want to just think about the apple, Loki. I want it."

Loki looked at him at this, not sure if what he thought he meant was what he had actually said. "Tony…"

"When I married you, I also said that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. And if me eating this apple will give you that promise, then I will eat a million."

Loki huffed a laugh that was caught in his throat, and smiled so brightly that it brought tears to both of their eyes. Tony just brought his face closer, and kissed him over and over and over again. When they parted, laughing into each other, Loki nodded. "Okay."

Tony brought the apple close to his mouth once more, and took a bite. It was like no apple he had ever had before. At first it seemed tasteless, like a decorative fruit bowl ornament, but then he felt the juice slide down his throat, and somehow spread through every bone and every vein and felt it surge in his brain.

Loki held him through the process, eyes never leaving his. He had never seen a human take a bite out of one of Iðunn's apples, and the result was magnificent. Truly, truly magnificent. His arms tightened around Tony's waist and back, keeping him close, and he saw the brown eyes light up gold for a moment or two before fading back to the colour that he had fallen in love with.

Tony stumbled a little in Loki's arms, laughing because that was so damn dramatic, and Loki tightened his grip on him, not letting him fall. He felt like some kind of Disney princess finding her dream come true or some other cheesy composition, but the feeling was still alike all the same.

They looked at each other then, a new look in their eyes. Excitement, nervousness, elation, finality. They felt like they had a second wedding just then, and it pretty much was given the circumstance. But this time, there was no wedding bells, just the sound of music.

Yes, I would love you
Over and over
Over and over
Yes, over again
Over, over again

"We're home." Tony whispered, bringing Loki's face closer and kissing him deeply over and over and over again before leaning their foreheads together, eyes closed, and arms never letting go of one another. Because the minute they let go was the minute they were worlds apart.

"Yes, Anthony. We're home. We're both home."

Tony let out a laugh, and his tears fell. For each of them. For both of them. Together.

Finally.

Together.