The cab rolled along the streets of a small town. Kids played out in their lawns, darting across the street every once in a while. The details all came back to Loki as the rounded onto the most familiar road to him. He smiled when the tall house came into view. It looked exactly the same, right down to the azaleas in the front and his mother knelt before them gardening. As the cab pulled up Loki jumped out of the car and ran to his mother who had begun to stand upon hearing them. He helped the woman up and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Hello mother," he breathed.

"Loki," She sighed and calmed her breathing, not wanting to let on her true emotion. "I am so glad you have come to visit."

Tony pulled their luggage from the cab and paid the man. He looked over the house appreciatively. It was large and vintage, it fit Loki's image very well. The thought made the shorter man chuckle as he approached the two. He greeted Frigga with a hug. She smiled at her son and his husband before directing them into the house. The inside reflected the vintage look of the outside and Tony started to believe that the house had an influence on the man he had fallen in love with. The ascended a staircase to the second floor and Frigga showed them to the room they would be staying in. Loki smirked when they entered the room.

"It is good to know that you have turned my bedroom into a guest room when you moved back here after our stay in the states," Loki chuckled.

"Well yours certainly had the best view of the garden. I almost thought about starting a bed and breakfast with yours going for the highest price," Frigga laughed lightly.

"It would have been a great plan, though you would have gone crazy with all of the mess."

"I have had plenty of practice after raising you and Thor. I think I could have managed."

Loki smiled at his mother and shook his head lightly before giving her a soft kiss on the cheek. She left the boys to prepare a pot of tea. The two unpacked their clothing and arranged it into the closet and drawers. Loki sat on the bed and looked around the room. It unfolded and morphed as his childhood memories came back to him. The bed was similarly placed, but he had his pushed closer to the window for easier escapes into the night, or for when he just wanted to sit on the patch of roof just outside the pane of glass and watch the stars. His dresser had sat at the end of his bed rather than opposite to it, and his desk sat next to the closet. Now there was no desk at all. He looked over to Tony who looked out past the window and into the garden.

"So this was your room?" The man asked.

"It was, although the walls were a dark shade of green and a few things were rearranged. The bookshelf in the corner was littered with my favourite books, my notebooks, and various nerd paraphernalia. Now the room lacks some character. But there is only so much one can do. We did spend a few years in the states and someone else lived here. They obviously painted the walls, and my parents arranged the furniture as they pleased. But they did agree that the bed was in the perfect spot," Loki laughed as he stood from the mattress.

"It is too bad I couldn't see that, although this house is wonderful. It reminds me of you. All of the vintage furniture and such," Tony teased. "I kind of feel like I am married to William Shakespeare." Tony turned to Loki and wrapped his arms around the man's waist and pressed a kiss to his lips.

"You flatter me Anthony," Loki said before giving him another kiss.

"Tea is ready," Frigga called up the stairs.

"My mother was always good for butting in at the wrong moment," Loki sighed softly before taking Tony's hand and heading down the stairs.

They arrived in the sitting room and Frigga pour both of them a cup. She sat in the chair opposite of the love seat they sat on and mixed sugar into her tea. Tony dumped nearly all of the sugar into his tea and Loki rolled his eyes.

"So what have you two been up to. You were in London for two days before coming here correct?"

"Yes. I had a book signing in London, and I will be having one here two days from now." Loki answered, sipping his tea.

"A book signing in London. How exciting. Oh and I am delighted that you two have decided to stay all week," Frigga smiled. "I have heard that quite a few of the kids you used to go to school with now live in London. Did you happen to meet any of them?"

"We actually met one of Loki's middle school girlfriends," Tony teased. This got Frigga's attention and she smiled mischievously "Her name was Janet. She is married to a guy named Mike who they also went to school with and they have two kids. She is a big fan of Loki's works and actually named her newborn son after one of his characters."

Loki cleared his throat, "it is merely a coincidence."

"She is clearly still infatuated with you Loki. I can't really blame her though," Tony grinned and bumped Loki's shoulder lightly. "You are the biggest catch of them all." Tony kissed Loki's cheek which brought a smile that brightened Frigga's face. The boys smiled in turn.

"Ah, mother. Anthony and I would like to take you out to dinner tonight. Your favourite restaurant," Loki grinned, "so wear that blue dress that was father's favourite."

Frigga smiled softly and nodded. When they finished their tea the boys took the pot and cups into the kitchen and cleaned up. When they finished they headed to their room to make sure they looked fine for their evenings events. Frigga went up to her room to prepare herself for the night, her heart caught between excited and sorrowful. How she wished This visit could be under different circumstances.

The night air drifted through the open door and hit Tony's bare chest as he stepped into the room. Pajama pants hung loosely from his hips and a towel around his neck. After dinner Frigga had retired to her room and the boy to the guest room. Tony had just exited from the shower and found only an open window and not his husband in the room. Walking up to the pane he found the man lying on a patch of roof just beneath. Pulling on a Black Sabbath t-shirt the brunette crawled out the window and lay next to the taller man. Loki smiled upon Tony's arrival and scooted closer. Tony laid his head onto Loki's chest and stared up at the stars. The orbs of light shimmered against the black sky so perfectly. It reminded Tony of Loki's eyes. They could reflect the smallest amount of light even in the darkest room. That little light always gave Tony a sense of hope and filled his face with a smile.

"You would not believe the countless times I have dreamed of doing this with you," Loki commented. "Laying on this patch of roof and just tracing the constellations. It is something I have held in my heart since high school. I used to think it foolish until my parents moved back into this house. Of course then I had to win you over and get you back here to England under good circumstances." Loki paused, "well these are not the best circumstance, but they are better than last times."

Tony chuckled lightly, "also considering last time we stayed in a hotel because the house was full. Though I have to say your dream is an enjoyable one." Tony snuggled into Loki's chest more and breathed out a soft sigh in content. Silence fell between them for a moment.

"Tomorrow," Loki started.

"Are we going to? In the morning?" Tony asked.

"Yes. Just after the flower shops open."

"I can't believe it has been a year."

"It is amazing how much can change in a year." Loki looked down at Tony with a sad smile.
"No kidding."

"Who knows," Loki looked back up to the stars. "Maybe at the end of this year I will be able to tell him. Well not that there will be much to tell him since it wouldn't be a goodbye really," Loki chuckled softly.

Tony chuckled as well, "maybe."

The morning wind rustled the grass along the hilltop. The two men climbed up to the top in silence. Loki held a bouquet of flowers delicately in his hand as they arrived to the crest of the hill. They slowed their pace as they neared the stone they had not seen in a year. Loki took in a deep, jagged breath as he stopped just feet from it. Tony lightly rubbed the man's back comfortingly. Closing his eyes and steadying his breathing Loki stepped a few more paces forward and placed the flowers onto Odin's grave.

"I know you weren't really expecting to see me so soon, but you'll have to put up with me again in about a year," Loki said almost jokingly, trying to keep himself composed. "Of course you will probably still see me as the son who messes things up easily. So an early death probably won't surprise you."

Tony rolled his eyes at Loki and nudged him with his shoulder. "I'm sure wherever you are you know Loki isn't the fuck up you somehow drilled into his mind that he thought you thought he was. You may not have liked me but you did like how successful Loki turned out to be. You always knew he was smart and pretended not to be impressed to push him to his best and now he is amazing." Tony smiled at Loki. Loki bit his lip lightly to keep tears from his eyes.

"Perhaps if I meet up with you when this year is up I can tell you these things myself. Or maybe you will tell them to me if you get over being such a stubborn prick," Loki sighed heavily and turned away from the grave. Tony turned with him and wrapped his arms around his husband who shook lightly. Loki stepped away from the grave a few paces and entwined his hand with Tony's. He lightly kissed Tony's knuckles and closed his eyes.

"Thank you," he said softly as a tear slid down his cheek. He squeezed Tony's hand lightly signaling to the man that he was ready to leave. Tony pressed a kiss to the corner of Loki's eye where a tear had settled then led the man out of the graveyard.