Not beta'd. I'm sorry you had to wait so long for the last chapter. And that it isn't as good as it should be.

I just hope some of you will enjoy it anyway.

THANK YOU ALL for reading this story and the feedback you left. It was an amazing adventure to share with all of you lovable people!

(Additionally, I'm awfully ill at the moment, so I'm sorry for getting sentimental and stuff.)

The next day passed in a relative tranquillity. Loki joined everyone for dinner and they managed not to awake nervous atmosphere. Loki was charming, almost out of character, but Steven and Jane came to enjoy their guest's presence. It all seemed to turn out quite well.

Tony was waiting for something to break the smooth turn of events.

The inventor and the scientist spent yet another night together, cherishing every touch. In those moments they almost felt like they entered another world in which they were actually able to engage into relationship and simply savour it, without worries of rules, decorum and society's expectations.

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It was the following noon that reminded them of reality in a harsh way - as it had a custom to – when Thor came to visit. Loki refused to take part in the meeting, but it was Jane that the older Odinson asked for a private seeing with. Everyone had seen what was coming for a long time so there were no awes or surprises.

Tony entered east wing with tenuousness. Loki was in the dining room turned Tony's workshop, sitting on the window seat and reading one of the books he took from the American's study.

"He left so quickly?" the raven-haired man asked, furrowing his brows.

"No. I'm afraid Jane is accepting his proposal at the moment."

Loki's face became a shade paler and then he gasped as the sudden realisation struck him.

"This is it. It must have been father's doing— He hurried Thor to marry so I would be fully excluded from the family."

Tony felt cold sweat spreading on his neck. He hadn't thought of that. Thor's marriage wholly denied Loki's rights to Odinson's assets.

"That is neatly cruel revenge for my tantrum, I must admit." Loki's voice was broken. He still held hope this whole madness will somehow be solved. But now every bit of hope left him. He was trembling when Tony took him into his arms. "It's over. There's no turning tables. I'm to accept being dispossessed and unwanted."

Tony kissed his temple, then his brow, the pale cheek. "You're never unwanted."

"My family rejects me. Why would you insist on being involved with me?"

"You're a fool, Loki. But I love you still, my fool."

The scientist tensed when the last sentence hung in the air.

"Tony, what have you just said?"

Before the inventor had a chance to reply, knocking reverberated in the room, shovelling them back to reality of the moment. Tony planted last tender kiss on Loki's lips and went to answer the door.

"Steven?"

"I think you should join us. Both of you, to be frank. Miss Foster and Mr. Odinson have just announced their engagement."

Tony looked behind his shoulder at his lover. He was clenching his fists, at the verge of losing composure.

"I don't think Mr. Odinson is ready to face his older brother. I'll go and congratulate the pair on behalf of us both."

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When all of the compulsory amenities were fulfilled and Jane engaged herself with giggling at Steven's teasing how they all did see this coming, Thor took Tony to the side.

"Why Loki didn't join us?"

Tony's grip on his glass of celebratory wine tightened. "Did your father reveal you the reason for Loki's sudden desire to leave?"

"Yes, he did," Thor's ineffaceable beaming expression turned into one of sorrow. "But Loki is still my brother, even if we do not share the same blood. I want him to be by my side and share my happiness."

"Have you forgotten that your marriage will ultimately deprive Loki of his rights to family assets?"

The officer fixed his eyes on some spot on the floor. After prolonging moment of contemplation, he finally spoke again. "Can I speak with him? I beg you, Mr. Stark. You seem to have good influence on him. Convince Loki to have a brief conversation with me."

Tony sighed. Thor was good and honest man, who genuinely cared for Loki, despite the lack of mutual ancestors. This was what the young scientist needed – to know he was still loved by his kin.

"Come with me."

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Loki was still in the place by the window, browsing through Tony's sketches of non-existing contraption, when the inventor entered.

"Your brother wants to speak with you."

Loki shook his head with a betrayed look in his eyes. "You know very well that I do not wish to see him."

Tony approached him slowly. "Loki, please. To my mind, you really should give him a chance." He took the other man's pale hand into his own and looked into those green irises full of doubt. "Trust me."

Raven-haired mad sighed and squeezed his lover's hand. "Alright. But I demand your presence."

Tony let older Mr. Odinson in. The officer suddenly seemed smaller, anxious.

"Hello, brother."

"You are fully aware that this title does not apply to me, Thor."

"I do not care about your origin," retorted the other brother. "We grew up together and you are dear to my heart, no matter of blood."

"Father never regarded me as your equal. You should also adapt this thought."

It hurt Tony to see Loki like this. He desired what Thor offered, but he was too deeply broken and too proud to merely accept it. Fortunately, the officer didn't simply surrender.

"You will always be my beloved brother and that is why I wish you would be present during my engagement ball and my wedding. I would not be able to fully cherish it if I don't get your approval. I need you by my side – like you always were."

Loki kept his gaze fixed on the window, but it was visible he was giving up. It was when Thor decided for his last resort.

"I've already told you I would share the family assets if you would be of need."

The younger man rapidly looked up. "You would never defy father."

"When he is clearly wrong, I will."

Loki started pacing around the room and kept Tony and Thor on the edge for a few minutes, the atmosphere in the room getting more and more tense with every passing second. They both held their breath when Loki rapidly ceased to move.

"I will attend your engagement ball and your wedding. But I will not come back home." He exhaled heavily. "Until your wedding, I'll be staying here, in Netherfield Park. After that, I'm leaving. I will take what I do deserve and leave."

Thor opened his mouth to protest but swiftly decided against it. He looked hurt but he knew he would not bargain more. "If that is your will," he nodded. "Thank you, brother."

The officer nodded again as a goodbye to Tony and left. The inventor approached Loki cautiously.

"So you've made some decision. But what will you do after the wedding?"

"I don't know!" he snapped and regretted it the next second, covering his face with his hands. "I do not know," he added, much weaker.

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The engagement ball was organised surprisingly swiftly. The date was announced the same day that assenting letter was received from Mrs Pemberton - Jane's wielder of dower. Loki commented on it with sarcasm, accounting that his father wanted to quicken excluding him as much as he was able to. After the conversation with Thor, he stopped diving into sorrow and instead, he took up sardonic attitude towards any issue concerning his family. Tony couldn't decide which manner was more disturbing.

During the period between the engagement and the wedding itself, after which Loki was supposed to abscond, Tony and Loki were both trying to close themselves from the outside world. The young scientist didn't form any decision about his future yet and Tony did not bring the topic.

They hardly left the east wing of Netherfield Park, usually working side by side on some of inventor's projects or simply just observing as the other studied books or made notes. When they did leave, it was for long walks in their exclusive company, never inviting anyone to join the bizarre pair of men of science. They ate all the meals along with Jane and Steven, sometimes also with Thor when he came to visit his fiancée, but that were the only occasions that other residents actually saw them. No one knew that Loki feigned living in the guest room for servant's eyes and actually dwelled in Tony's bedroom, both of them treating every night as their last, though none of them ever spoke of it. They knew they were careless. But so was their whole affair.

The day of the engagement ball, they were both quiet. After the breakfast they went to the garden, each with book in hand and spent the noon reading, seated on the ground under the large tree and leaning on the bough, their knees touching continuously.

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Loki was immensely tense when they were entering Odinson's mansion. Tony wanted to grab his hand, give him reassurance that he was still by his side, but he could only bit his lip in frustration and play along.

They arrived with Steven and the betrothed pair approached the three of them right away. Thor and Jane were beaming and Tony felt the mixture of emotions boiling inside of him. He was overly happy for his cousin - she was almost like a younger sister to him and he always wanted the best for her. But the same time jealously and sense of injustice found their way to wrap around his heart. Why couldn't he have what they had? What was lesser in his feelings towards Loki?

Tony hugged Jane, then turned to Thor and murmured "I hope you appreciate how lucky you are," as he shook officer's hand. He noticed how his cousin was watching him intently, but she had no chance of enquiring him as next guests were demanding attention of the pair.

As Tony and Loki made their way to more secluded corner of the room, trying to attract as little attention to themselves as possible, they were soon accompanied by someone else of Odinson's family.

"Loki, you're here!" Mrs Odinson embraced Loki tightly, one of her hands instantly finding it's way to young scientist's hair, stroking them tenderly. Tony saw how his lover tensed the first moment, but quickly surrendered to the caress. "Oh, my son. Why hadn't you spoken to me before you fled?" Mrs Odinson leaned back a little and took Loki's pale face into her hands.

"I— I'm sorry," he stuttered anxiously.

"You know you are my son, don't you? I love you and nothing else matters."

Loki took a shuddering breath and nodded, a shadow of a smile dancing on his lips.

"You were always a free soul, suffocating in the walls of this house, I know. And I won't keep you here, even though I would desire so. But don't you dare leave without saying goodbye, my little trickster."

She planted a kiss on his forehead and came back to attend the gathering guests.

Tony took a step closer towards his lover. "Loki?"

"I need some air," he responded and finally raised his head to look at the American. "I'll be back in a minute." He smiled at the plain worry in brown eyes, gently and genuinely. "I'm alright, don't worry. I'm really alright."

When Loki slipped out of the room, Tony didn't have much time to actually analyze the scene he had just witnessed. Steven and Jane approached him eagerly, with a stranger by their side.

"Cousin, there's someone I'd like you to meet," the bride-to-be announced, pointing at the woman next to her. "This is Miss Jean Grey."

Tony stepped towards the lady in question, then took her hand into his and kissed her knuckles in an act of greeting. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Grey. I'm Tony Stark."

"Good evening, Mr Stark," she replied, smiling. She was a truly beautiful woman, Tony couldn't deny her that, of natural grace and appealing aura. Her red hair seemed to be flaming in the glow of candles and her eyes were of sublimely contrasting shade of green.

But not as enchanting as the green of Loki's irises...

"Miss Grey arrived in the neighbourhood a few days ago and doesn't know many people yet," said Steven.

"Well, I'm sure someone as charming will not have any problems in befriending anyone in our neighbourhood," responded the inventor.

Jane was conspicuously pleased with his answer. "Then I'm sure you will be delighted to promise our new friend next dance, won't you, cousin?"

Then it clicked and Tony almost laughed. He wasn't called a genius without reasons.

His muddle-headed with love cousin and avuncular friend were trying to play a game of making a match - with beautiful Jean Grey and Tony himself as their pawns.

Jane and Steven were looking at him with such expectation that he couldn't say no.

"Well, how could I refuse," he said at last and then turned to the red-haired woman. "Would you honour me with next dance, Miss Grey?"

"How could I refuse," she replied and Tony couldn't suppress a grin. She was also witty.

She could indeed be a great match for him. If only he wasn't in love with a broken man with green eyes so much more captivating than hers.

But then the prevailing song ended, the preparation for next dance begun and Tony had to fulfil his promise.

He took Jean's hand into his and guided her to the dance floor. He didn't dance often, but it was one of those things he was simply good at and quite enjoyed if he actually decided to do it. Jean's movements were graceful and refined, her lips arched in intriguing smile which Tony couldn't not reciprocate. If only...

He caught Steven's smug gaze in the crowd, Jane's beaming face next to him and then right behind her... Loki. When their looks crossed, he turned abruptly and went out of the building. Tony's heart twisted at the sight of his sad eyes and suddenly all the joy from the dance evaporated. Unsettled, he finished the dance, though his eyes had not met the gaze of his partner not even once. When the music stopped, he thanked Jean hastily and almost run out to the gardens.

Loki had some advantage over him, but the American still could make out his silhouette in the half-light and follow the younger man. Halfway, the inventor realised they're heading to their lake. Well, it would be a good place to do this, he decided suddenly. The best one.

When Tony finally approached him, Loki was leaning on his favourite tree, gazing into the dark depths of the water. Moon was shining brightly that night and it's radiance played sublimely over scientist's features.

"Why did you follow me?"

"Why did you run away?"

Loki bit hard into his lower lip and Tony had a sudden urge to lick the sore place and embrace the other man. But he knew that Loki would not appreciate it now. He was in the middle of some inner fight and it seemed like this time it included the inventor.

"I still haven't decided what I'll do after wedding, but I— I'm sure of one thing. This, we, whatever we are, needs to end."

Tony took a deep shuddering breath. "You don't mean it, Loki-"

"I always mean my words," he interrupted before the American managed to say anything more. "We need to stop fooling ourselves. We never had any future, but— But you can still get married and be happy. And we both know that eventually you will. You can have anyone you want."

"And I want you."

"No! Stop!" Loki started pacing, but still kept his distance from the other man. "I've seen you with that woman there. Everyone saw you. This is who you should be, not a bachelor with clandestine lover. Everyone saw that. You see that too."

Tony laughed nervously. "There are things I may be wrong about, but I do know what and who I desire."

"We are bringing a life sentence upon ourselves because of lust," Loki stopped walking in circles and hid his face in his hands.

"Is it only lust to you?" the inventor riposted, angry at himself how weak the question sounded.

"Is it anything more than lust to you?"

Tony could not endure any more second of this conversation. He closed the distance between them and before Loki could react, he was being kissed passionately, his shoulders clenched almost painfully.

"You fool. I love you, don't you understand?" Tony said at last. "I hope you do, because I'm really not good at confessions like that."

Loki was gazing at him for what seemed like hours, with his mouth slightly parted, ready to speak, but no words came. Finally, he nuzzled into the other man's neck and breathed deeply.

"How do you imagine all this?" he queried, his voice almost inaudible. "I can't be your 'kept woman'."

Tony chuckled. "No, you won't be my 'kept woman'. And neither a 'kept man', before you ask... But, I want you to come with me to America."

"W-what? But what will I do there-?"

Tony took a step back and started to browse through his pockets. "I've been carrying it with me for days but... I wasn't sure how to tell you."

He took out some creased document and handed it to perplexed Loki. "It's scholarship for talented young scientists," he started explaining before Loki could read it for himself. "I started working on it after our first meeting. Quite a troublesome thing to establish, but the outcome is the most important. Every year, if the income is sufficient, my company will provide scholarship and facilitate the use of our laboratories for two lucky geniuses. This year, the first one is a fellow called Bruce Banner. I met him couple of months ago in New York. Amazing mind and innovative ideas. The other receiver is you. If you accept."

Tony almost lost his balance when Loki jumped at him and hugged him tightly.

"How can I respond in kind to such an act?" he murmured, burying his face in the inventor's hair.

"Just come with me. Don't leave me."

"There's nothing I wish more. I love you, too."

Tony grinned. Maybe it would all turn sour before they even manage to notice; maybe they'd actually find a place where they could be together. There were no certainties. But he knew they both deserved this smidgen of happiness. And they'd savour this comfortable numbness as long as they'd be allowed to.

Now, as they found each other, everything seemed brighter.

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