Perseus cupped Loki's cheek with his hand, tilting his head, "It has been an interesting time, my prince."

Loki found that he could only nod to that statement. He cleared his throat, "Your mother, she misses you greatly."

The god sighed, smiling sadly as he observed the Chitauri flying by like they were something that wasn't true. "I miss her as well but I can't return."

"Can't," Loki's eyebrows furrowed as he searched his Angansiiar's eyes. "Not couldn't. Is Odin still not letting you return?"

Perseus shook his head, "Not quite yet."

"For what reason? You have people waiting for you to return. He cannot keep you from your home."

"Loki, it is not just the Allfather that is keeping me here," The water god said solemnly, shaking his head. "However, we will have to continue the conversation another time. Ms. Romanov has found a way to close the portal."

Loki took a step forward, "About the Chitauri-"

Perseus held up a hand, "Don't. I already know. Come, let's go over to where your brother is."

The god of mischief nodded and teleported himself and his Angansiiar down to the Avengers, who all were looking towards the portal. Natasha was up by the tesseract with Loki's scepter, ready to close it.

"I can close it," Natasha said through the coms. "Does anyone copy? I can shut the portal down."

Steve looked up at where the aliens were flying from, "Do it."

"No, wait!" Tony shouted, drawing their attention to the man's words.

"Stark, these things are still coming."

"I got a nuke coming in. It's gonna blow in less than a minute." Tony paused for a moment as he thought, "..And I know just where to put it."

Steve put a hand to his ear, "Stark, you know that's a one way trip."

Perseus' eyes widened and he snatched Steve's com, putting it in his own ear, "Anthony, please. Think this through."

Tony took a shaky breath, "Sorry, dad…" He directed his next words to JARVIS, "Save the rest for the turn, J."

"Sir," The A.I. said softly. "Shall I try Miss Potts?"

"Might as well."

The Avengers, as well as Loki and Perseus, continued to look up at where Iron Man had flown through the portal with a nuke on his back. "Come on, Stark…" Natasha said quietly over the coms, tightening her grip on the scepter.

Perseus held Loki's hand tightly, his voice shaking, "Anthony…"

After a moment, Steve ordered in a solemn voice, "Close it."

Everyone watched the portal close and gasped when Iron Man made it back through. Thor started spinning Mjolnir, his eyebrows pinched together, "He's not slowing down!"

Loki took a half-step forward, ready to help in anyway he could, when the Hulk caught Iron Man. The rage-filled being used the buildings to slow them both down before crashing onto the concrete near them, cushioning them with his own back.

They all ran to the fallen hero and Steve, Thor, and Hulk were the closest while the others stood about a foot away. Thor ripped off the faceplate of the armor while Steve tried to see if Tony was breathing but both ended up sitting back as it seemed futile. The Hulk, however, was not having it and roared in Tony's face, startling the man awake.

"Please tell me nobody kissed me," Was the first thing that came out of the genius' mouth.

Perseus gave a watery laugh and hid his face on his Angansiiar's shoulder as he heard the Captain tell his son that they won.

The Avengers, including Perseus and Loki, were sitting at a table at Shawarma, a majority of them too tired to talk to each other. Loki was seated as far away from Clint as he could be, the god next to his Angansiia, who was staring off into space while making figures of children Loki didn't recognize out of water.

"Who are they?" Loki asked quietly, leaning over a bit to observe the figures.

Perseus paused and the water figure with curly hair froze with him, "Just some old friends I had when I was a child." He smiled at Loki and kissed his cheek, "I will be right back, Anthony and I need to have a conversation."

Tony, who was in the middle of eating a sandwich, stopped, looking at his father with wide eyes, "We do?"

"Yes," The god nodded, face blank. "We do. Come with me."

The Stark stood hesitantly and followed his father outside the restaurant, "Y-Yes?"

Perseus didn't face him for a moment before turning to the mortal, "You are a brave fool." He gave Tony a watery smile, "What was I to do if you died?"

Tony shook his head and he couldn't help his eyes watering a bit. Parents always did that to people. "I'm sorry," He stepped forward and hugged the god. "I'm sorry, dad."

Perseus huffed a laugh and stroked his son's hair, "You are a hero, Anthony. You are a hero. Don't let anyone tell you differently. Do you understand me?"

The Stark nodded, "I understand."

"Good," The god stepped away from the embrace and held his hand out, making a Stark Phone appear in his hand. At his son's wide-eyed look, he smiled, "I like your tech. Now, I do believe you have a woman to contact, do you not?"

Tony blanched for a moment before snatching the phone, dialing Pepper's number, "P-Pep! Pepper, Pep, Honey, I'm sorry."

Perseus gave a full body laugh as he watched his son stutter over what to say to the enraged woman and walked back into the restaurant to sit back down next to his Angansiiar, who wrapped an arm around his waist.

"Everything is far from over," Loki whispered into his fellow god's ear. "Thanos has only been slowed down."

"You will not believe me, love," Perseus smiled up at him. "But you have other things besides Thanos to worry about first."

The god of mischief looked down at him for a moment, "Perseus, for as long as I have known you, I have learned that you are always right."

Perseus laughed, "I know someone who would say otherwise. When we are done eating, we will have to say goodbye."

Loki tightened his grip a bit on him, "I don't want to."

"I know, my love, but it is not for forever."

"I hope it is not."

About an hour later, the Avengers stood around as Thor and Loki prepared to leave back to Asgard. Thor whispered something to his brother and the god of mischief seemed to smile gratefully as he stepped towards Perseus.

"What are you doing?" Perseus wondered before squeaking in surprise as he was pulled into a long kiss. When they parted, he felt his love place something in his hands. When he looked down and saw a golden flower, his eyes teared up, "Loki…"

"Make sure to come back to me, my Angansiiar," Loki smiled, stepping back to where Thor was waiting.

Perseus held the flower close to his chest before he ran up to Loki, pulling the god down into a bruising kiss. "I swear on the River Styx," He murmured against his lips. "I will always come back to you."

Loki put a hand on his love's cheek before he let go and turned to Thor, grabbing the device holding the tesseract to transport them back, "I'm ready."

"Brother…" Thor said quietly, his eyes flickering to Perseus.

Loki shook his head, "He swore. I will see him again."

The Avengers gave Perseus a moment alone as the two gods disappeared and didn't notice when a man approached the Asgardian. "You know, when I sent you to Asgard, I never expected that you'd fall for one of the princes."

Perseus let out a long breath and turned around to where Poseidon, the god of the sea, stood, "Hello, father."

"Hello, Perseus."

FIN.