Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Requested by LadyLokioftardis

Thank you to my beta, WithinHerHeart :)

"What are you doing?"

Fenrir jumped in surprise at the unexpected voice behind him, and quickly turned to hiss a 'shh' in response. Ronan blinked at his best friend, and tilted his head in confusion. He opened his mouth to question the reply, but Fenrir covered his mouth firmly with his hand. He then gently tugged the little boy closer, so he could peer around the door frame into the next room.

Ronan wasn't entirely sure what he was supposed to be looking at. Uncle Loki was in the viewing platform, the one that you could sit down on and easily watch the stars, far away from the noises of New York City. He was sitting at the very end of the room, pressed up against the large window with his legs curled up against his chest. He didn't say anything, didn't really do anything, except for stare mindlessly out the window. He sighed heavily once and licked his cracked lips, but nothing that seemed worth watching.

Confused, his eyes trailed to Fenrir, who was biting his bottom lip worriedly. Ronan arched an eyebrow, silently asking him 'what exactly am I supposed to be looking at?' Fenrir rolled his eyes and tugged him away from the doorway. He didn't release him until they were a good distance away, and even then, he continued to whisper.

"Don't you see it?" he demanded.

"See what? Your daddy?" Ronan responded, folding his arms across his chest.

"Yes, my daddy," Fenrir rolled his eyes once more, before glancing back in the direction they had just come from, "Daddy looks sad."

"Sad? Why would Uncle Loki be sad?"

"I don't know, but he's been sitting in there for a long time and he didn't even notice me," Fenrir explained, "And I think it's because he's sad."

"Should be do something?" Ronan questioned unsurely.

"Like what?"

Ronan looked at a loss for a moment, before his little face lit up. "Oh! I have an idea!" he announced loudly.

"What is it?" Fenrir asked eagerly.

"Come on, we need to find the others," Ronan insisted, reaching out to grasp the other boy's hand and pull him along behind him.

It really shouldn't affect him as much, not after all these years. It had been thirteen years, to this day, that Loki had found out the truth about himself. It was the start of everything, the downward spiral he had lost himself on that had ended with the stripping of his abilities and his banishment to Midgard. It hadn't been all bad, he knew. He had found love, had started a family and had repaired the bonds that had been severed in his old one, but still, the memories of that day – and what he had become because of it – haunted him and left him feeling more alone than he should with so many people around him.

That was probably why he always came up here, to the viewing platform, just to be alone and stare up at the stars that were spread out across such a vast universe – one he used to be a part of it. Also, he meant he could actually be alone, even if only for a couple of hours before Rosette found him for lunch or dinner, or if one of the kids had done something stupid.

And that was why he was kind of surprised to hear the soft whispers of children outside the door.

Not bothering to lift his head from the window, his eyes moved to the doorway. Fenrir was watching him closely and seemed to jolt guiltily when he was caught. Charley was standing behind him and Peter beside her, rising up on his tiptoes so he could see what was going on before him. Ronan was leaning against Fenrir's side and smiled a lazy smile that Loki was certain he must have inherited from his father. Sleipnir was standing on his other side, and he was holding the hand of the just recently walking Elise, who was shaky on her pudgy legs. Loki arched an eyebrow but didn't say anything, waiting patiently.

Fenrir took the step forward first, hurrying across the room and practically pole-vaulting into his father's lap. Loki jerked, surprised, but quickly adjusted the boy into a more comfortable position, an automatic movement that he had found developed when his eldest son was rested for the first time in his arms, between him and the window. The reassuring weight of Fenrir's body rested in the crook of his arm.

"What are…" he started, but didn't have the chance to finish before he was overrun by little bodies.

Ronan fitted himself in beside Fenrir, whilst Charley and Peter clambered up to sit by his feet. Sleipnir held a beaming Elise up to him, and Loki arranged her in his lap as Sleipnir pushed himself up onto the free space beside him. The six pairs of wide eyes stared up at him, blinking and curious and he could easily see the planning within them. Again, he waited, interested in what would happen next.

"Now?" Fenrir questioned quietly.

Ronan nodded affirmatively. "Now."

And then they were hugging him. Little arms wrapped around his long limbs and gripped his clothes tightly. Charley and Peter had a leg each, their face pressed into the fabric. Ronan burrowed into his knee and his two sons had taken to hiding him his stomach. Even Elise was holding herself against his chest, her little hands holding the collar of his shirt in a tight grip, even if she did giggle and peek up at him every once and a while with her wonderful wide smile.

"What are you doing?" Loki found himself asking.

"We're hugging you," Ronan answered simply.

"Fen said you were sad," Sleipnir started.

"And my mummy says that hugs make you feel better when you're sad," Charley finished.

"Is it helping?" Fenrir asked anxiously.

A smile spread over Loki's lips and his chest suddenly felt tight under the emotions that were welling up within him. His hand came up to intertwine with his son's messy blond hair, massaging his scalp gently, like he had enjoyed as a baby. "Thank you…" he whispered and was almost blinded by how bright the child's face lit up.

"This is becoming a habit," an amused voice came from the doorway.

Loki cracked open one eye and couldn't help smiling slightly when he saw his wife in the doorway. Rosette had her arms folded across her chest, and her eyebrow arched in amusement. He then glanced down at the slumbering bodies on top of him, and shrugged in response.

"They didn't disturb you, did they?" she questioned worriedly, stepping into the room slowly, "I know you like being alone on these days…"

"No, no they didn't," he responded quietly, "They were trying to help."

"And did they?"

"Hmm, maybe," his smile widened, and Rosette returned it.

"Do you want me to wake them?" she offered.

"No," Loki answered quickly, "No, um, let them sleep for a while longer…"

"Whatever you want," Rosette conceded, her lips brushing against his. She ran her hands lovingly over the heads of each child, pausing only to press a kiss to the crown of the heads of her two sons', before straightening up. She gave her husband a pointed look, "And don't be late for dinner. Or I'll send Natasha up here to drag you out herself."

"I wouldn't dream of it," he murmured.

His eyes fluttered closed once more.

Three hours later, when Loki and the hoard of hyperactive children that followed him, were late to dinner, Rosette couldn't really be that angry with him.