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Becoming a revenger was something Loki had never dared to dream of. The revengers acted like a family, and behaved like one as well. At least, Loki supposed they did. He had no real experience with family bonding and all that, so he had to trust Anthony’s dreamy eyes whenever they did something together. His eyes and Rhodey’s muttering that this was so damn close to his family, and seeing that Rhodey was probably the only one coming from a normal family, that was saying something.
They had traveled and revenged throughout the galaxies for five months now, four since they had gotten Anthony and James on board as well. Three since they’d overcome their neutral behaviour towards each other and became friends. Two since Loki had started to suspect something and one since Loki was sure that he had fallen for Anthony Edward Stark faster than Thor could yell for more mead.
It had been a wild ride. Loki lived for it. He never expected Anthony to be one who stayed up at night and shared stories from his time as an Avenger with him. They were different from Thor’s stories. Anthony didn’t tell the story to portray himself as the hero in it: he shared it to make himself look more ridiculous and praise others more.
Loki’s heart ached when he realised that. He ached because it was such a selfless thing to do and he couldn’t comprehend how a man like Stark, who was born with so many privileges, who had gotten stabbed in the back more times than he could count, still praised others. Loki wanted to learn why, wanted to understand.
And when he understood, he only wanted more from that man.
“Are we going to have a party tonight?” Anthony asked into the room. “We deserve a small break from all that revenging, don’t you think so too?”
Loki smiled a bit at that. Just because they were now space avengers (because they were nothing else, really), it did not mean that Anthony would start to give up his wild ways and grew tame all sudden. In retrospect, Loki should have expected that. The man seemed to thrive on all the chaos he could incite at a party, all the alcohol he consumed, and the flirting —
The flirting. Whenever Tony got inebriated he started to touch Loki all over, flirted with him as if his life depended on it and didn’t let go of him.
It was so beautiful, it hurt Loki to think that his friend would only do that when he didn’t have all his senses together, but he allowed himself to pretend. So whenever Anthony became drunk, Loki stayed mostly sober and let the touches linger, allowing himself to flirt back. But only ever so that it seemed like it was a joke, but nothing serious. Parties were the time when he let himself pretend he had a chance with Anthony under the ruse of being only a friend.
“I agree,” he drawled and waved with his hand. “The galaxy won’t miss us for a few hours and we could all use some time to relax.”
“Time to get drunk,” Val countered with a big smirk plastered on her face. “I agree as well. And since I’m the only woman here, we do as I say and I say, alcohol it is.”
Bruce mumbled something about careless idiots and livers being threatened but Loki was too focused on Anthony, who winked at him and smiled even brighter. There were moments Loki really hated himself for falling for that flirty mortal who didn’t know what he was doing. Thor, in all his brilliance, got the okay from James as well and only then steered the ship towards the next planet with good bars. Thor knew a lot of them. But only Loki remembered them.
And that, as it turned out, was a huge flaw in Anthony’s plan.
The planet they visited only had alcohol so strong, they couldn’t allow mortals to drink it. Anthony looked so betrayed, that it cut oh so deeply into Loki’s heart. That’s why he revelled in the annoyed glance Anthony sent him when he took a big sip of his drink. With alcohol. Rhodey raised amused his brows at his antics and Loki couldn’t do more than suppress a smirk when Bruce was allowed to order something to drink, since the Hulk could burn the alcohol faster than his midgardian liver could die.
“That’s so not fair,” Anthony whined, watching as Bruce took a first careful sip of his drink. “I specifically came here to get drunk. You don’t even like to drink, usually.”
“This is good, though,” Bruce said, shrugging with an apologetic smile. “This tastes better than what we usually have on Earth.”
Anthony frowned, then reached for Bruce’s glass. “Let me just take one sip —”
“No,” Bruce and Loki said unisono. They even ensured the glass was the furthest away from him as possible.
“You are both awful, and horrible friends,” Anthony told them, giving them death glares, “and I hate you.”
Bruce and Loki exchanged glances, and Loki smirked when the scientist rolled his eyes. Anthony huffed and turned to Rhodey, who had watched and listened to the exchange with an amused half–grin.
“Rhodey,” Anthony said, in a serious tone he’d never once used in a meeting but apparently deemed necessary in the matter at hand. “Platypus. They have deceived both you and me, and we should join forces to —”
“This isn’t Star Wars, Tones,” Rhodes interrupted him with a deadpan, and Bruce burst out laughing. Anthony’s face sent Loki off cackling, too, which earned him a torrid glare.
“We’re literally space pirates,” Anthony said, pouting. “This is as Star Wars as it’s ever gonna get.”
“We’re not space pirates.” Bruce was still chuckling. “We’re more like… the space police.”
“That’s the same thing.”
“It’s really not.”
Anthony let out a pitiful sound, and his forehead met the table top. His voice came out muffled when he said, “I thought you were my friends.”
“We are,” Loki chimed in again, “which is why you won’t die from alcohol poisoning.”
Anthony snorted and raised his head again to look at Loki. “ You. Why are you being so reasonable, anyway? You should help me get some of this stuff. That’d be some mischief.”
“That would be homicide,” Loki corrected dryly. “My pardon is only recent, I can hardly risk my newly founded good reputation by poisoning one of my teammates.”
“I promise I won’t tell anyone that it was you, and I promise to love you forever.”
Loki snorted and took a sip of his drink, hoping it was the strong alcohol that made his cheeks feel hot and not the discomfort at hearing Anthony speak of love of all things. Anthony was still looking at him with his best puppy dog eyes, but Loki just shook his head and caused his friend to sigh. In that moment, Thor and the Valkyrie returned to their table, both with glasses in their hands.
“What took you so long?” Bruce asked.
Thor grinned brightly. “We talked to the innkeeper. We found something our mortal friends can drink without being harmed.” He placed the two glasses he’d brought in front of Rhodey and Anthony as he sat down.
“Thor,” Anthony said, his mouth stretching into a grin that could take it up with Thor’s. He gripped his glass with both hands and gave Rhodey, Bruce and Loki each a pointed look. “That is friendship. You’re the best, Thor.”
“You’re very welcome, Tony.”
Loki looked at his brother with a raised brow, but Thor just lightly shook his head. Rhodey thanked him, too, but waited until Anthony took his first sip before he even touched his drink. They all watched as Tony took a few gulps and then looked down at the honey colored liquid with a mild frown.
“This is good,” he said, licking a few droplets from his lips. (Loki had to look away.) “What is this?”
“It’s sweet juice,” Val answered lightly, already grinning.
Anthony blinked. “What?”
“Juice,” she repeated. “They give it to their children here. There’s no alcohol in it.”
“Oh, come on,” Anthony complained, but it was drowned out by the laughter from the others.
The later it got, the more drunk Loki became. Anthony was pouting whenever Loki lifted his glas to take another sip, much to his delight.
“I need to pee,” Anthony eventually muttered and looked around in the pub.
“Already? You barely have any liquid in you,” Loki grinned and poked his friend in the side.
Anthony hissed. “And yet, pee I must.”
“Another one of your ridiculous Star Wars references?” Loki asked, amused.
His mortal nodded. “I really need to go,” he repeated and glared at the juice in front of him. “Damn juice,” he muttered darkly.
“I don’t know if there are any toilets as you know them,” Val cut in and lifted her bottle. “This’s not Midgard. Nor Asgard. No ordinary toilets here to be found.”
Anthony groaned.
Loki tried to smother his giggle with his hand but he was afraid the giggle had slipped through.
“And where can I pee then?”
“In your suit,” Rhodey replied drily. “I recall you doing so already.”
“It was an amazing party stunt, you can’t deny that!”
“You peed in your Iron Man suit?” Bruce exclaimed and looked at Anthony, flabbergasted. Loki felt a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“Yes.” Anthony rolled his eyes. “Listen, girls and guys, I’d love to chat with you about my peeing abilities within my suit, but I really have to go. Now. So, someone who knows where I can do my thing?”
“Urine luck, I just know the place,” Loki countered and took Anthony’s hand.
“Did I mishear or was that a urine pun?” He blinked owlishly at him, then squeezed Loki’s hand gently.
Loki winked and was quite pleased with himself. He saw an opening and took it. And the feel of Anthony’s hand in his; he loved it. Pretended he wasn’t only holding Anthony’s hand to lead him outside without losing that ridiculous small mortal. He held Anthony’s hand because the other wanted to hold his as well, required his feelings and loved him with his whole arc reactor.
“Where are you leading me?”
“Outside,” Loki replied and pushed the door open. “The only place where you can urine in peace.”
“That was another pun, I know it.” Anthony stared at him and raised his brows. “I can smell it.”
Loki grinned proudly.
“You’re quite pleased with yourself, aren’t you?” Anthony mused and walked behind Loki, as he led him alongside the house wall. “Living up to your title as god of Mischief, and making all these awful jokes.”
“I’ve never felt any better,” Loki admitted in a sing—song voice and threw a lecherous grin at Anthony, feeling daring and yep, his inhibitions were lowering already.
“It’s not fair that I am here, still sober and you’re, well, not,” Anthony complained.
“That’s how life is for you,” Loki grinned at him.
They rounded the corner, where some years ago used to be a lovely place to empty one’s bladders now only were potheads. Loki’s eyes widened. The smell was so good, so fresh and yet, like honey or fresh pressed Golden Apple juice and he whined lowly in his throat.
“I don’t think I can pee here,” Anthony commented, considerably unimpressed.
“Pee?” One of the smokers repeated and grinned at them. “Sorry, mate. I know how it is with a full bladder.”
“Thanks, mate.”
The smoker nodded. “No problem. But around the next corner there’s a place and you can let it go.”
“I’ll do that,” Anthony replied and let Loki’s hand go. “I’ll go and visit that corner then.”
“I will wait here,” Loki replied and stayed exactly where he was, in the cloud of sweetness.
In the time Anthony was gone to pee, Loki just smelled the weed and sighed in contentment. It reminded him of so many great things—
“You’re back!” He welcomed Anthony back.
His friend nodded. “Yeah.” He turned to the smokers who looked at them expectantly. “What is this? It smells like cinnamon buns.”
“It smells different for each person,” one replied absently. “Some say cinnamon, others grass, others fresh pergament, others apple juice. Really, it just smells like something you enjoyed immensely as a kid.”
“Amazing,” Anthony whispered.
Loki looked at their new acquaintances for a moment, then asked, “is it dangerous for humans?”
“Humans?”, one of them repeated, laughing. “No, man. Even mortals could enjoy this stuff without any risks, trust me I’m an expert on this.”
Loki hummed.
Next to him, Anthony echoed the sound. “Hey, Loki?”
“Yes?”
“Are you thinking what I'm thinking?”
“I think so, yes.”
The smoker that had first talked to them, grinned widely. “You're interested, I take it?”
Loki and Anthony exchanged first glances, followed by mischievous grins. A few seconds later they were sitting on one of the low benches the smokers had made themselves comfortable on.
That was the exact same position Bruce found them half an hour later.
Loki was surprised to hear his voice behind them, and actually also a bit annoyed because he didn't wish to be disturbed right now.
Anthony was sitting right next to him on the bench, so close that their sides were almost touching, and he was comfortably warm and smelled like honey and apples and everything that was nice . He also hadn't seemed to mind when Loki had leaned in and buried his face in Anthony's hair a few minutes ago; he'd just giggled and moved closer on the bench. That was the reason they were now sitting so close to each other.
Loki loved it.
And Banner was ruining everything now.
“Okay, you two. What exactly are you doing there?”
“Oh!” Anthony exclaimed next to him, his voice so loud directly next to his ear that Loki flinched a bit. Anthony apologized by patting Loki's face as he craned his neck to look at their friend. “Bruce! Bruceybear! Hiiiiii.”
“Hi,” Bruce said dryly. “Didn't you just want to go pee and then come back to us?”
“Yes! And I peed. Right around the corner, over there. It was great. You should try it too!”
“Afterwards, we made some new friends,” Loki added. “You can go back to yours now.”
Anthony started to giggle, but he also gave Loki's shoulder a half—hearted shove. “Rude, Loki. Don’t forget, they're our friends, too.”
“Oh,” Loki said. Anthony's laughter only got louder and Loki couldn't help but join in.
Bruce, however, didn't laugh. “Did you seriously— smoke some unknown weed?” he asked instead, sounding absolutely exasperated for some reason.
Loki nodded a few times and Anthony snatched the joint they'd been sharing from Loki's hands. He moved to stand up from his seat, staggered a bit, ended up steading himself by putting a hand atop Loki's head. He made a funny kind of noise that set Loki off snickering again. Tony was laughing again too, and it took a while until he managed to talk to Bruce in a comprehensible voice.
“‘s the best thing you've ever smelled,” he promised, “I swear. You have to —”
He stumbled over the bench as he tried to walk over to Bruce, but somehow managed to catch his balance. Loki thought that was pretty impressive, and was overcome by the sudden urge to wrap his arms around Tony's middle. It was at the perfect height because Anthony was so wonderfully short. Loki grinned into the fabric of the human's shirt.
“Try it,” Anthony proudly finished his sentence while patting Loki's head. Their new friends immediately offer Bruce some of their stuff.
“Ah. No, I don't think so," Bruce said politely, apparently unbothered by the disappointed sounds the whole world made in response. “Look, you two just stay here while I get the others, okay?”
“Okay,” Anthony chirped, waving after him as Bruce hurried off. “Boooring. Loki. He's boring.”
Loki hummed and nodded. Anthony smelled so good. “Boring people are awful people.”
“That is so wise of you, Bambs.”
“Thank you,” Loki said, grinning brightly.
Anthony tried to sit down on the bench again, but Loki didn't let go of him, so he ended up perched in Loki's lap. (Which was nice.) Anthony let out a surprised grunt but didn't try to get up. (Which was also nice.)
“You're very comfy,” Anthony praised, and Loki hid his widening grin in his friend's shirt. Anthony started cackling again, then started tugging at Loki's hair. “Messy.”
“Oh,” Loki said, and wondered if getting his hair back in order was worth loosening his arms that were still wrapped around Anthony. He decided that the messy hair was a good look on him. Thankfully Anthony seemed to agree.
“Like the look,” Anthony said loudly and Loki felt himself blush. “You’re like a big, cute, and fluffy cat. Or a puma.”
“Do you like cats?”
“I l ove cats.”
“Then I don’t mind being a cat,” Loki declared in the shirt. Anthony smelled so good. Was it possible that— ?
He decided to go for it and bit into the material. It tasted like, well, like nothing actually. But there was sweat and oh Norns, had sweat always been that tasty?
It tasted so salty and yet so pure, but with a heavy dose of Anthony. Did he smell like that during sex too? Did Anthony’s sweat always taste that good? Especially on his tongue? Loki licked the material in a long, wide stripe. Oh yes, even better. But the sweat tasted too salty. Maybe he should encourage Anthony to eat more greens to balance out his diet. And attempt to hide the pasta from his friend. Too much pasta equaled more salty sweat, Loki knew that.
And there was also a spur of margaritas in the sweat. Less alcohol for his mortal then as well. Maybe he should ask Bruce how to take better care of his boyfriend.
Loki giggled happily in the shirt. And stopped abruptly as he realised that Anthony Edward Stark was not his boyfriend. They were merely friends, that was all.
“That tickles,” he heard his not–boyfriend say. Sighing Loki decided to abandon his favourite shirt.
“Oh, look, Dasher, our friends are back!” Anthony poked him in the shoulder and pointed at the two squirrels, a tall buffoon, and a pale, radiant doctor. They had some funny friends there.
“Get them back to the ship,” Squirrel one ordered sharply. Loki thought she looked quite funny with the white stripes on her face. Oh, could he wipe them off or were they permanent, like his cheekbones?
“They smoked little dreams,” buffoon said and his jaw dropped open like the loading dock of a ship.
“Did they smoke a lot?” Squirrel asked their real friends. They sniggered and shrugged.
“We are fine, Squi—”
“VAAAALKYRIEEEE!” Anthony cut in squeaking. “YOU LOOK AMAZING, OH MY TESLA. AMAZING, STUNNING EVEN.”
He was so jealous.
Why would Anthony say that about Valkyrie but not about him? He pouted. The ship suddenly sounded very tempting. He could go in there and cry in his corner over his Norns be damned love for Anthony. He got up abruptly. Anthony dropped to the ground as the result and Loki, absolutely not caring, started to walk toward the ship.
“LOKI!” Someone yelled behind him. Loki walked on, nose in the air and pouting. If he wasn’t worthy of Anthony’s attention then he didn’t want to have any upon him. That was it. As simple as that. Clear as the rotten sky over Asgard and the shining palace of his homeland.
Someone was tugging at his arm. Loki stopped and turned around to see Anthony standing there, his sunlight in the dark, his beloved mortal with the dying light in his chest. No. Not dying. Glowing. Yeah.
Words were difficult from time to time.
“Don’t run away, Lokes,” Anthony chided him and took his arm. “We either walk together or go back to our other friends!”
That made Loki beam, and he linked his arm with Anthony’s — tightly, to make sure his human would stay with him at least until they arrived at the ship. Anthony grinned and patted his arm, then held onto Loki just as firmly.
“HEY, DIPSHITS.”
Anthony stopped walking abruptly, which caused Loki to stumble. Anthony’s grip on his arm was the only thing that saved him from falling.
“HEY," the voice behind them called again, almost stifled by laughing. “YOU ARE WALKING INTO THE WRONG DIRECTION.” Thanks to his good hearing, Loki could hear the quieter “idiots” that got added, and was immediately offended.
Anthony was not an idiot, thank you very much.
“RHODEEEYYY," Anthony yelled back, waving at one of the squirrels from earlier.
Loki thought that Rhodey was an odd name for a squirrel. If he’d had a pet squirrel, he would have called it Puffy. Because squirrels did have puffy tails. That made much more sense than Rhodey .
“Aww,” Anthony said next to him. “They look so lost without us. C’mon.”
Anthony turned them around and made them walk in the direction of the others again. Loki made a disappointed sound, but Anthony just laughed and let go of his arm to put his own around Loki’s shoulders. And that was a very, very nice feeling, so Loki forgave Anthony for wanting to go back to their friends.
“What the hell, Tony," the squirrel named Rhodey greeted them. It sounded amused.
“I’m not even surprised," the little doctor said quietly.
“Nooo,” Loki whined. “You are totally surprised.”
“How much did you get?” Thor asked him amused.
Loki hated his ugly blond hair. It was ugly. He can’t remember ever seeing something that ugly before. How was this ugliness his brother?
“You’re much prettier,” Anthony assured him. “Soooooo pretty.”
Loki flushed and tried to hide his face in Anthony’s neck. He smelled fantastic, had he already mentioned that?
“In fact,” Anthony continued and oooooooh , feet were now carding through Loki’s hair. It felt lovely. Just interesting that Anthony’s toes were so long and so skilled but it didn’t make Loki adore Anthony any less.
In fact, Loki swore to himself quietly he would love Anthony even more for that. He trusted Loki with the secret that he had feet as hands. Loki would cherish this secret forever and make sure he told Anthony he still was gorgeous. Even when he didn’t have hands. But Loki would prevent Anthony from thinking of himself as a monster because of his special limbs. Loki would take protect him from this cruel fate—
“We should get them to the ship,” Squirrel one said.
“Maybe if we throw one of them, the other starts running after the other?” Squirrel two suggested.
Loki didn’t like the squirrels. They had a lot of mean and absolutely hilarious ideas if he wasn’t the one on the receiving end.
“You want us to go back to the ship?” Anthony asked in a high voice.
Loki lifted his head from his secret hiding space and stared at Anthony in wonder. Ship . What a wonderful word. So short and it had four letters, like Loki. Or An—Th—O—NY. THey were made for each other. Their names matched! Loki pressed a kiss to Anthony’s cheek.
Laughter rose from the people around them. Loki kissed his cheek again and made Anthony giggle by that. That was adorable .
“I think I forgot what I wanted to say earlier,” Anthony mumbled and turned his head around to Loki. “But something about you being beautiful. And sexy. I think.”
No, the frown on Anthony’s face didn’t suit him at all.
“Platypus, what did I want to tell Loki?” Anthony whined.
“That you love him.”
“Oh, right.” Anthony nodded. “Love ya, Lokes. And now, ship.”
“You love me?” Loki asked bewildered, stumbling next to his love towards the ship.
“Sure.”
“I love you too,” Loki mumbled and squeezed Anthony’s tanend toes.
“Awesome!”
Yes, awesome. Loki loved those toes. They looked pretty! So slender and there were scars littered all over them, a bit of dirt too. Perfect.
“Did it hurt your mother to give birth to you with all those toes?”
A squirrel nearly choked.
“No, I descended from heaven. Daddy said I was too much of a sinner to stay innocent and got kicked out.”
“I don’t know this heaven,” Loki said earnestly, “but I assure you they were a fool for kicking you out.”
Anthony cooed. “Aren’t you the most adorable prince of them all? Lokes, my heart is melting.”
Loki preened at the praise, then he picked Anthony up and carried him to the ship.
“BRIDAL STYLE!” Anthony yelled at him.
Loki cut a grimace at being screamed at. He didn’t overly like loud noises. He preferred the dangerous whisper of turning the pages of a book to obscene yelling. His eyes fell to Anthony. Although perhaps he would consider that later.
“Did anyone ever tell you that you are just my type?” Anthony started to ramble in Loki’s arms.
Awww . “Am I?”
“Yes.” Anthony nodded and bit on his lips. “You are gorgeous. And I love hanging out with you! You are clever, you are snarky and don’t give any shit about my sleeping habits, only when I’ve been awake for thirty hours. You never try to pry me away from a project and you carry me around. There’s this whole cynical streak I’m very fond of. You laugh at my jokes and make me feel better. How could you not be my type, that would be the question you would have to ask yourself.”
“Oh.”
“Put him in his bed,” the little Doctor told him from behind. Was he laughing? It sure sounded like he was. Loki frowned. Now that wasn’t very nice at all. Good thing that he loved Anthony and not the doctor.
“And I love you, so there’s that.”
And Anthony loved him. Loki smiled happily. That was good. Someone who loved him! And it was Anthony!
“Do they even realise what they’re saying?”
“I don’t think so.”
“That’s like … months of pining suddenly resolved.”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t know Tony was such a sap.”
Anthony smiled happily up at Loki. “Are you taking me to your bed, Lokes?”
Bed . The voices outside faded away. Loki only could see this stunning man in his arms who asked to be in his bed.
“I’d gladly show you my bed.”
“Mhm,” Anthony purred and sat straighter in Loki’s arms. His feet were sitting around Loki’s throat. “Do you want to do more than just show me your bed?”
“Do you want to do more than just that?” Loki asked him, his voice dropping remarkably.
Anthony’s pupils dilated. “I want to do it all with you.”
“You think it’s safe to let them fuck when they’re that high?” someone interjected from somewhere.
“The worst that could happen is that the dick ends up in the wrong spot. But I doubt Tony would let that happen.”
“I’m not sure I feel comfortable with learning and hearing more about my brother’s sex life.”
“ I am enjoying this.”
“Shut up, you’re all just jealous because I got the hot alien prince while you’re stuck with the beef,” Anthony spoke up, his eyes still on Loki’s face. “In truth you want to be screwed by him as much as I. And I will get what I want. Also, he loves me.”
“How is it possible for two grown men to be so cute?”
“It’s the drug. I promise you even I can be cute under the influence of that.”
“Let’s leave the cute to the happy couple, yes?”
“Loki, this is not your bed,” Anthony pouted.
Loki blinked. Had he forgotten to blink? “I can offer you to fuck you against the wall?”
“NO!” The other voices said in unison.
“I think I like the idea of your bed better.” Anthony nodded, his toes tugging softly at Loki’s hair. “Come on, get us there, my dashing hero.”
Loki nodded and turned around to walk towards his bedroom. Anthony stared at him with wide eyes, his tongue flicking out to wet his lips. Loki stopped, only to press his lips against Anthony’s. He couldn’t resist. And Anthony said he loved him, so surely this was okay? And they were going to do other things in his bedroom.
Anthony responded eagerly, his lips sliding against Loki’s heatedly.
Loki wanted him a lot. He pulled away, catching his breath and kept on walking to his bedroom.
“You’re a good kisser,” Anthony stated as if that didn’t make Loki’s heart burst out in butterflies. No, not at all. “I like kissing you,” Anthony continued with a dreamy look on his face. “Please continue to do that. Gladly also somewhere else on me.” He started to chuckle.
“What’s so funny?” Loki asked him, opening the door with a well–placed kick against the door.
“You truly are a silvertongue.”
“Yes,” Loki agreed. “And I heard every joke about it. I assure you there isn’t a single one I haven’t heard yet.”
“But they didn’t come from my mouth.” Anthony pouted at him.
Loki rolled his eyes and let his captured mortal fall to the bed. “Either it will be me in the bed or the jokes,” he warned.
“Then I choose you,” Anthony shot back without any hesitation from his side.
Loki nodded happily as if Anthony had solved the greatest mystery of all times. “Thank you for doing so.”
“In fact, I will always choose you,” his mortal said earnestly. “You are my Loki , I won’t trade you for some simple jokes.”
Loki started to beam up at that, his lips curling into a smile and he felt joy more clear than anything ever before. He loved this man beneath him.
He surged forward, pulled Anthony in a searing kiss, let his tongue slide carefully over Anthony’s. Anthony responded in kind, rather clumsily but that was okay, it was more than okay, because it was still Anthony's lips and Anthony's tongue and Anthony's teeth, although the latter bit into Loki's lip a little painfully, but who cared.
Suddenly, Anthony started to giggle. Loki made a protesting sound, because he didn't want to put an end to the kissing so soon, but since Anthony didn't stop giggling, Loki had to break the kiss eventually.
“What is it?”
“S'just,” Anthony said, out of breath due to both laughing and kissing, “you know. Squirrels.”
He started giggling again, and because that laughter was infectious, Loki was soon giggling as well.
“And platypus —,” Anthony added, wheezing, “platypuses… Loki, what's the plural of platy —”
“Platypusi?” Loki suggested, rolling off Anthony to lie down next to him and nuzzle his jaw. He had a very nice jaw.
“Platypusi,” Anthony repeated reverently. “Yeah.”
“Squirrels and platypusi,” Loki said, thoughtful, and something about that set Anthony off again.
They practically giggled themself to sleep.
Some undefined amount of time later, Loki woke up and regretted ever having been born. His head felt like it was going to fall off his shoulders and roll off the bed to begin a new life as those weird things on Midgardian fairs that you hit with a hammer to prove your strength. Loki had seen that on TV once, and honestly his head was already practicing for the job, or at least it hurt like someone had it with a hammer. Repeatedly.
"Good grief," he muttered.
"Yeah," a voice next to him croaked. "Exactly."
Loki grunted and turned his head to look at Anthony, who seemed to be in just as much pain as Loki was. They stared at each other for a very long moment.
"Well," Anthony said and slowly, he started to grin. "That was fun."
"Yes," Loki agreed. "Quite."
"You remember what you said?"
"Every single, idiotic word."
"Same." Anthony rolled onto his side, putting his hand on Loki's waist. "But to be fair, not everything we said was idiotic."
Loki had to smile as well. "No?"
"Nope. Not at all." He leaned in to kiss Loki, then his lips formed an even wider grin. "But some of it was very idiotic, like -"
"Please don't say it."
'- Platypusi."
They started giggling again and Loki thought that maybe, the headache was worth it.