For Frozen Hearts, Too, Can Love... - Beware_The_Tristero (2024)

Chapter 1: Defying Expectations...

Chapter Text

Huffing, his amber eyes rolling from one over-zealous suitor to the next, Tony could barely suppress a yawn at the latest Colonel’s son (no doubt here thanks to his father’s insistence) who was attempting to bore him to death with stories about his grandpa’s ranch and shooting green-bottles with a pistol or something.

“Tony, dear...” his mother warned, her beautiful face painted with all the right products to make her seem at least ten years younger than her true age; “isn’t it wonderful that Spencer, here, has offered you a trip out to the Country?” she asked, her tone insistent.

“Yes ma’am” he responded flatly, his hand reaching out to grab and shake the (clearly befuddled, unsure) alpha’s hand; “I really appreciate the offer Spence, truly, I do” he gushed, his tone causing the older man to blush further and his mother’s brow to crease in annoyance. “But, you know how parties are, things to do, people to schmoose” he continued breezily; “so you won’t mind if I shimmy on that way now, will you, cow-poke?” he asked, his legs (encased in bespoke, tailored slacks) already making a move in the opposite direction.

“O-oh, err, no... no of course not, Mr Stark, I...”

“Now, now, Spence, call me Tony, everyone does” the omega chided with a wink, his smile dazzling as he deftly pulled away from his mother’s (death-like) grasp and began waltzing his way towards the open bar, his hand swiping metaphorical sweat from his brow when he reached there unscathed.

“Ugh... J, get me a whisky, double, on the rocks” he sighed, his smile still sparkling regardless of the fatigue that was clearly framing his form; “I can’t believe that this auction only started an hour ago...”

“Auction, sir?”

“Oh, come off it J” the younger of the two bemoaned, his body slinking into one of the unoccupied bar-stools; “this is like one of those old-fashioned ‘coming out’ parties that Victorian femmes and omegas had to go through, only this time it’s just me in a room full of affluent alphas who are all scenting me to be their mate so that they can get their greedy fingers on Daddy’s money” he sighed.

“Come now sir, you have your friends here...”

“Not that I can get to them” he cut in, his eyes narrowed; “haven’t you noticed that Smithers has been keeping Rhodey and Pep away from me even before the party started” he said, his tone grumpy despite the charming smile that adorned his features.

Ever his mother’s son...

“No one will be marrying you off tonight, sir” the older beta stated, his deft, gloved hands passing on a tumbler to his young master’s specifications; “this is just a way for your father to feel more important and for your mother to make a fuss of you, that’s all” he stated pleasantly before leaning forward, his pale blue eyes meeting the omega’s with a soft smile. “It really isn’t so bad, is it? Just a few more hours of being praised and adored and then you can go back to your lab, drag Miss Virginia and Mr Rhodes with you, if you like, and forget about such things until the next mandatory gathering” he soothed.

“No one can force you into a decision you don’t want to make, not in this day and age, thank heaven...”

“Please excuse my interruption, gentleman, however I couldn’t allow this opportunity to pass.”

Turning their heads to the right, their eyes narrowing, both butler and birthday-day boy found themselves regarding a tall, alabaster skinned, raven haired alpha whose finely tailored suit was further accented by a silken scarf which matched and complimented his jade green eyes.

‘Wow’ Tony’s hind-brain unhelpfully supplied, his amber eyes narrowing when he realised that he’d never met the charming, clearly British, man before him; “opportunity?” he questioned with a raised brow, his flirtatious swagger cranking up a notch. “Oh, I see, you’ve been waiting at one of the other bars across the Complex and you’re dying of thirst... well, don’t let me stop you” he commented airily, his smirk tilting deviously when the older man blinked at him as he gestured to his servant and confidant. “See that the man get’s what he wants, J... I’m going to, uh, go powder my nose” he proclaimed with a wink before sauntering away, his ego preening at the thought of having the dashing stranger watch him walk away.

‘I hear that English femmes and omegas prefer to be wooed and coddled when an alpha’s interested, so let’s see how you handle my love em’ and leave em’ technique, Mr Bond’ he thought with a chuckle as he sashayed across the expansive, elaborate area covered with a veritable circus tent, balloons and banners.

Trust Howard to use his only son’s birthday to further promote the Stark Expo; not that he minded too much, really, especially since he’d been the one to kick off the event and had five stalls brimming with his robotics projects, green-energy solutions and a basic, prototype of the actually amazing A.I. he’d made.

Oh, the look on Justin Hammer’s face had been priceless...

“I hope you’ll forgive my forwardness, Mr Stark, but I find you Americans’ to be quite elusive unless pinned down, as they say” the same, smooth voice from moments ago commented, a firm hand grasping him by the bicep to halt him in his tracks.

‘Bingo...’

“Is that so?” the omega close to cooed, his head turning to look at the taller male through long, fanned lashes; “well, I suppose under the circ*mstances I will forgive you, just this once if, you know, you make it worth my while” he stated through a chuckle whilst taking a look around at the crowds, journalists and staff. “Hmm, it’s a little crowded here, huh? You have any objections to escorting me through the hoards to the karaoke-bar? It’s a little early for anyone to start butchering Vogue or Living on a Prayer so we should have the stalls to ourselves” he said with a gesture, his right hand presenting the pop-up booth with a flourish.

Grinning in turn, the marble-skinned alpha proffered a suit-clad arm and virtually glided them past a few clusters of gossiping on-lookers; it was clear to Tony that his mystery man was used to garnering such attention as he smiled congenially and offered a polite “no comment” here and there before they reached their destination.

“Hmm, aren’t you just full of surprises?” the omega applauded whilst a colourfully dressed waitress escorted them to a private room whose door she delicately closed after taking their drinks orders. “You know, from the way you are and how you behave, you’ve got to be someone important but, for the life of me, I can’t place that gorgeous mug of yours anywhere” he continued whilst lounging into the padded bench which made a horse-shoe shape before the latest karaoke entertainment-unit. “It’s funny, really... my mother prides herself on knowing everybody which means I, as her successor, know everybody and you, my friend, are un-known” he said, his feet kicking up to prop on the large, circular table at the horse-shoe’s centre.

Standing by the door, the fingers of his left hand tapping the handle three times before prowling his way to the opposite side of the seating (‘well, it’s nice to see that he isn’t stupid enough to try anything... I guess the news of my new self-defence system for femmes and omegas being effective is really making the rounds’), the stranger sat primly upon the bench, his smile morphing into a grin.

“I truly hadn’t thought that you’d make this quite so...” he began thoughtfully before leaning forward, his elbows propping onto the stain-free surface so that his chin could cradle between interwoven fingers; “easy for me...”

Stretching up his arms (his right wrist, complete with a watch that’d send the alpha flying should he try anything, flashing deliberately before he settled), Tony co*cked his head to one side, his silk shirt moving fluidly along with him as he moved to pull his tie loose, his form the picture of relaxed.

“That’s a strong choice of words there, Slick” the omega offered with a shrug; “by easy, you’re referring to having this opportunity to chat in private, am I right?”

“Of course” the jade-eyed alpha purred, his gaze watching the younger man’s hands before flitting to his slightly exposed neck and then back to the golden irises which promised the twenty-one year olds gender and fertility. “Sharing such a close, intimate space with someone so lovely is a pleasure I thought I’d have to work much harder to attain; I am, however, deeply pleased that your reputation as an excellent host is more than true.”

“Heh, my reputation for having no sense of self-preservation and a tendency to wag journalists’ tongues in my father’s face, you mean” the olive skinned mortal snorted; “ah, and here I was hoping that you’d be much more interesting than a pretty lure to trick me into something I’d regret” he sighed out. “So, out with it then, who do you work for? The Times? The Post? Don’t tell me that one of Jonah’s gossip-girls at the Bugle is behind all of this...” he continued through a huff. “Honestly, you tabloid writers... did you really think that I’d just hand myself over to a fancy accent with a touch of class? Was your story going to be a tell-all exclusive about your one night stand with the newly eligible son of Howard the Hero?” he asked, his face painted with bored displeasure. “How disappointing...”

Chuckling, its volume and pitch doubling when Tony’s mouth morphed from a pout to a scowl, the white-shirt wearing Brit sat back and, with a causality that was born of his privilege, snapped the fingers of his right hand and thoroughly enjoyed the colour draining from the other’s face as his true form was revealed.

“Is this interesting enough for you, Anthony?”

Chapter 2: The Joke's on You...

Chapter Text

Baulking, his amber eyes the size of saucers, Tony felt his brain explode with the amount and frequency of varying questions cycling up and down his mind’s eye before the rationality that his father’s Chief of Security had all but beaten into him for the past seventeen years, took hold.

“That’s a cute trick” he heard himself reason, his head nodding along; “is that some kind of bio-chemical reaction you got going on there? It’s a little 1970’s, you know, there’s a lot of ’Creature from the Planet X’ going on with the blue and everything” he found himself admitting, his gaze briefly flicking to the door. “And I love how you’ve managed to time the changing of your eyes with the changing of your skin... Spielberg is one of my mom’s close, personal friends if you’re looking for work” he finished with a light shrug.

“Hmm? I’m more of a Kubrick fan, myself” the navy-skinned man returned pleasantly whilst pulling his scarf away and neatly folding it on the table as he spoke; “I’m a little surprised that you didn’t present me with an Avatar joke as other’s of your kind have, though.”

“The Last Air Bender was a terrible movie” the omega defended, his body minutely shifting toward the door; “a total white-wash which completely ruined the concept, ideals and aesthetics of the cartoon, if you ask me” he stated before, with an exaggerated movement which placed him even closer to the door, the younger of the pair slapped his hand down and laughed. “Oh! Silly me! You’re talking about the Navi, aren’t you? Oh, if Sigourney Weaver could see us now, huh?” he laughed, his goal barely a pace or two away. “But, you know, I’d say that you’re less of a Jake Soo-lee and more of a... oh, what was his name? You know? The one that falls to his death after being shot multiple times by members of security staff?”

“The door won’t help you, Anthony...”

Snorting, his calculations assuring him that, no matter what foul-play was afoot, he’d be up and through that door before the man (still sitting so calmly, so serenely) could get within arm’s length, Tony was already standing next to the exit, his hand gripping the handle...

It didn’t budge...

“I told you, didn’t I?”

Growling, both of his hands grabbing and forcing the (plastic for f*ck’s sake) handle, Tony felt his hackles rising when he realised that the door didn’t even have a lock and, now that he thought about it, he couldn’t hear anything besides the gentle tune trickling out of the karaoke machine. But that couldn’t be possible; they were in the middle of a huge complex with close to a thousand guests and hundreds of staff milling around.

When had everything gone so god-damned quiet?

“Come now, Anthony, let’s not waste any more time on useless pursuits, hmm?”

Looking away from the box-room’s only logical exit, Tony straightened his shoulders, crossed his arms and snapped the (still ridiculously handsome, in fact, probably more so now thanks to the omega’s love of all things Sci-fi; damn Rhodey for being right about his obsession becoming unhealthy) man his patented I’m Tony f*cking Stark look.

“Okay, I’ll bite” he said, his tone clipped and annoyed; “is this some kind of Mutant Brotherhood plot? You know that my family and I are against the Mutant Registration Bill, hell, we’re one of the biggest backers of...”

“I am not a mutant, a meta-human, in-human or otherwise” his guest cut in, an ebony brow arching delicately amidst the beautiful swirls and ridges which sculpted his sapphire features; “my name is Loki, son of Laufey, heir to the throne of Jotunheim and the God of chaos, fire and lies” he supplied, a fang laced smile parting his lips. “It’s a pleasure to meet me, I’m sure.”

Unable to stop the laugh that bubbled up and out of his throat, for he’d never had such a strange response from a would-be kidnapper before (or any assassin, either), Tony suddenly felt a light switch ping in the back of his mind.

“Oh my God...” he breathed, the dots all connecting together; “man, am I f*cking stupid” he murmured, his body instantly relaxing as he held up his arms in a surrender-styled gesture and started to look around the make-shift booth for hidden cameras. “This is the most creative birthday prank I’ve lived through so far, I’ll grant you, but I hope you’ll not mind me breaking character in your little scenario too much” he offered with a wink. “Who hired you, huh? Was it Rhodey? I bet it was, that jerk” he chuckled, his body now slowly turning in a circle with his arms wide; “nice try honey-bear, this is definitely a surprise!” he called out a little louder until he faced the azure skinned alpha once more.

“Okay, your majesty, it seems a shame to waste your time, especially since this little gag of his has probably cost more than what the YouTube views this’ll get in the minutes it’ll be posted before dad’s Press Officer takes it down will cover” he announced whilst brazenly re-taking his seat with a flourish.

“So, this chat you’re after... how much money did Jimmy-boy slip you, huh?” he asked, his eyebrows wriggling suggestively.

“Why, Mr Stark, are you propositioning me?” the older purred, his body resuming its pose as his elbows leaned upon the table once more; “such an interesting little thing, aren’t you?”

“Nah, just curious... there’s no way that Rhodey would hire a stripper for me in such a public place, let alone a, umm, escort” he reasoned with a playful shrug; “I’m just trying to freak you out a little, you know, return the favour... also, there’s a strong chance that my mom might get to see this footage or, worst still, my butler” he laughed. “J would murder me if I so much as thought about compromising myself on social-media, actually doing it? Forget about it” he chuckled before popping open the top button of his shirt and shucking off his jacket. “However, I will admit that the whole alien thing is pretty hot all on its own but the royalty angle, now that’s interesting” he praised, his posture mimicking the other as they regarded each other.

“Oh? Do tell...”

“No, no, no, no, your highness, you’re the one with the story here” Tony interjected, his eyes sparkling with enjoyment; “tell me all about this Jotunheim place; where is it? How’d you get here? Why’d you come in the first place? I want details” he mock-demanded. “I want to squeeze every penny out of Rhodey’s little birthday venture and, if your costume’s anything to go by, then this ought to be good” he virtually crowed.

“Show me what you got, Princess.”

Feeling his pupils dilate, the words from the mortal’s mouth dancing around his mind in euphoric disbelief, Loki leaned further forward, his smile tilting into a smirk; “you have asked me to show you, yes? You have asked freely and without coercion?”

“Hmm... I was expecting more a once upon a time start but yeah, sure, I’ve asked you to, so... hey!”

Yelping, the man having moved at a speed his brain couldn’t comprehend, Tony’s right wrist was in an icy-grip which helped the other to pull his body up and into an equally chilled lap, an arm forged from cool steel locking around his middle.

“Then show you, I shall...”

And with that, the sounds of people calling Tony’s names floated back into the space from outside along with the rapid, loud banging on the door which suddenly gave way.

The booth, however, was empty...

Chapter 3: Be Careful What you Wish For...

Chapter Text

“What, exactly, were you thinking?”

Groaning, his body still curled in on itself as he fought what was probably the worst hang-over of his entire life (and God knows he’d had quite a few by this point), Tony screwed his eyes shut and shuddered at the cold eating away at him whilst weird voices and strange words floated around over the thumping in his head.

“You’re not pleased, mother?”

“Not as displeased as your father will be, I’m sure...”

Ugh, he couldn’t remember how much he’d drank or where he’d been or whom he’d been with but, by the sounds of the two (possibly more, he couldn’t really trust his thundering ears just now) people talking over him, he wasn’t in Kansas anymore.

“Oh come now, this was the natural end to my quest and he openly consented to coming here with me...”

Scratch that, he wasn’t in America, at all.

“Yes, my son, an end to your quest this was supposed to be... you can hardly call your first meeting a quest, my boy! You have only been upon Midgard for an hour, do you honestly expect me to believe that this child truly knew what you were offering before you brought him here?”

Sucking in a deep breath through his teeth, his senses slowly but surely awakening (it was the cold that seemed to be bothering him the most; he could tell by the feel on his skin that he was clothed and lying on something ridiculously fluffy but ineffective at heating),Tony carefully cracked his right eye open.

“The rules father set to be in line with Asgard’s sanctions were that he had to ask without coercion and that he not be under any form of influencing tonic, potion or spell... And yes, I agree that this step is particularly early but you have always taught me to strike whilst the iron’s hot, after all...”

What greeted him was a muted, blue darkness; blinking, his mind slowly catching on that he’d been covered by a large, cobalt fur of some kind (‘oh God, please don’t let me have been abducted by a fetish-group... Jarvis will have a conniption!’) Tony sluggishly checked to see if he’d been bound and gagged.

“Seizing an opportunity and taking advantage are two very different things, Loki...”

He hadn’t been.

“Must you scold me so? Am I not to be happy? Should we not be happy? Mother, the faster he and I can bond and mate the sooner we can act before those mortals end themselves... can you blame me for being eager when all I want is to preserve such potential?”

Carefully adjusting his posture (for he’d been in a foetal position), Tony slowly moved his arms so that his hands could wipe at his face and clear his sore eyes whilst his cramping legs straightened a fraction; hopefully by gently activating his muscle and increasing blood flow he’d become warmer and more able to move.

“Oh, I see, well then, please forgive me, oh selfless hero, for here I was, impure thoughts of you nabbing the omega you’ve been pinning over for the past three years dancing worried circles in my mind... t’was almost as though I were your mother and fully aware of you and your motives... My goodness, thank you for way-laying my fears...”

Rubbing teeth over his lips to awaken them, his fingers clenching and unclenching, his toes doing the same (because, strangely, his shoes had been removed... sh*t, if he’d been wearing shoes when he’d been taken; was he wearing a suit? When was the last time he’d worn one?).

“Your sarcasm is incredibly unbecoming for a Queen, mother..."

“And your cheek is incredibly unbecoming for a future King, son...”

Expelling the breath he’d pulled in, his self-preservation metre clocking -11, Tony reared upwards, his right arm successfully pushing the long-stranded fur up and off of him.

“Hey! What in the world is... Holy sh*t!!”

He was already wishing he hadn’t.

Peering down at the miniscule creature who was sat, dumbstruck, between their two chairs upon the drinks table (and the cushion that encompassed it), Loki and his mother shared looks (one sheepish, the other annoyed) before the prince lowered his head to inspect the gawping human.

“I fear that starting with once upon a time may not be enough to appease you this time, Anthony...”

Snapping his head from one giant (‘what the f*ck? What the actual f*ck?!’) to the other, the male’s voice ringing familiarity based alarm bells in the back of his head, Tony felt his knees buckling upon the soft, chilled surface whilst his breath huffed out in startled, white-puffs of shock and fear.

“Do you now see why this move of yours was ill-advised, Loki?” Farbauti sighed, her crimson eyes watching as the human’s panicked breathing quickened before, very much to her surprise (and pleasure, for having a meek mate in their world, let alone one who could ensure a peaceful coexistence between their Realms, could prove fatal) the young omega stood and pointed at them in turn.

“What the actual f*ck is going on here?!” he demanded, his tone more livid then terrified; “have you drugged me? Have you f*cking injected me with something? Am I stuck in some kind of virtual reality? If you think even for one second that Howard will pay any kind of ransom then the pair of you, you, whatever you are have got another thing coming!” he announced boldly, his hands now balling upon his hips.

“Now can you see why I have been pinning, as you’d say” Loki asked even as the small omega started a fresh tirade of angry demands; “is he not glorious, even in his ire? he asked, his tone thoroughly smitten whilst his mother looked on, her smile fond despite the cussing.

"You have picked your mate wisely, Loki, I’ll grant you that” she admitted with a light shrug; “however, I feel it my duty to remind you that you must show restraint” she added, her gaze narrowed against the mock-innocent look her eldest child was trying to pull-off.

“Why mother, whatever do you mean..."

“I am not impressed by your cheap-ass looking CGI landscape either, okay? It’s the worst thing that...”

“You know very well what I mean, Loptr...” the femme interrupted, her brows narrowing.

“... but the amount of money you’re spending on the air-conditioning? That’s just economic suicide! Aren’t you taking the whole let’s scare Tony thing a tad too far with that, huh? Why don’t you just...”

“Must you call me that? You know that I despise it...” Loki bemoaned, his left hand moving to rest on the table, its presence causing Tony to squeak and fling himself back under the fur he’d so feverishly emerged from mere minutes ago.

At the action, Loki giggled and Farbauti sighed in exasperation at her son’s antics, her own hand moving to grab her child’s when she noticed he was moving to poke the bundle of fur.

“Loki...”

“Can I help that I want to touch him... and not in the way you’re thinking, do not scowl at me so!” the younger frost-giant cried, his tone just the right side of indignant.

Huffing, her hands carefully and gently scooping the mound of quivering Midgardian into her palms, the Queen of Jotunheim stood, her face serious as she stared down at her son (who was the very picture of a petulant child being denied their favourite toy) and said: “young Anthony and I will be retiring to my Wing and are not to be disturbed, do you understand?”

Grumbling, his arms crossing atop his naked, azure chest, Loki muttered a “as you wish it, mother” before he watched, his frown deepening, their departure whilst moving to grab the cushion his prize had been sleeping upon for the past hour or so, his nose delighting in the scent that still rested there.

Chapter 4: No Brain to Mouth Filter...

Chapter Text

‘Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God!!’ the twenty one year old genius found himself chanting within the screaming chaos that was his mind; ‘this can’t be happening... this can’t be real... sh*t... sh*t!’ he added, his body huddled into a ball to ward off the cold and his impending mental breakdown.

Then, before he could get too lost in his thoughts of being eaten or crushed or any of the many, varied ways that a creature close to twenty feet tall could choose to kill him (especially since he was just a quivering, unarmed mess inside a dense fur covering), the hands which neatly enfolded him broke apart, allowing his body to tumble a short distance onto what was probably another cushion.

Not daring to remove his blanket again, his clever mind having stalled, Tony could do little to nothing beside shudder and squawk when the huge femme pulled his last line of defence away, her face offering what Tony assumed to be a friendly smile (which, luckily, didn’t present those huge, razor sharp looking teeth he’d briefly seen earlier).

“Hello Anthony” she bid, her face beautifully composed of shimmering silver lines and blood-orange eyes; “there’s no need to be so worried for, although you may not realise it just yet, you are amongst friends here” she continued warmly, her massive body pulling away to allow him some room, her arm gesturing to the chamber at large. “This is my nest, housed very securely, I assure you, within my inner sanctum where none, not even my mate and King, may enter without my permission... it is a safety I am affording you and you alone, ah, your transport notwithstanding, of course” she added before waving a regal hand at the fixtures and fittings.

Blinking, his brain slowly coming back on-line despite the chattering of his teeth, Tony blinked, his arms hugging himself as he looked around at a chamber that would make any ice-hotel green with envy; as he glanced from one side of the expansive room to the other, he felt very much like a doll in a Yeti’s playhouse. The furniture was grand and obviously hand-carved; a bed (complete with four-posts and thick, glittery curtains in blues, purples and gold) dominated the centre whilst he stood on (what was essentially) a huge vanity table complete with mirror and various bottles, cosmetics and stands offering jewellery with diamonds his size and larger. The floors, polished to an immaculate sheen, reflected the ceiling with its strange, animal tusk composed chandeliers when not broken up by hulking fur rugs of whites, silvers and gold. The walls, however, were peppered with slabs of obsidian which had been meticulously carved into signs, symbols and pictographs that were as strange as they were beautiful...

It was clear now that this place, this woman standing to his right in almost Grecian styled robes with tribal-accented fabrics, gems and diamonds lacing her long, ravened hair, were neither illusions, fabrications or the product of any technology he could name.

“Why am I here?” he found himself asking, his voice strange to his ears; “why go to all of this trouble... why, when I’m... the cold...” he stuttered, his whole body jolting in shock when the woman gasped and started to pat around the ornate belt which ringed her middle.

“Ohh! You poor child! Where is my mind? Here, here!” she cut in, a glinting bottle lightly gleaming within the expanse of her palm as she brought it towards him; “drink this and you’ll be as comfortable here as you would be in your own climate” she promised with a nod.

Scowling, his ego-o-metre demanding that he tell the giant to shove-it, Tony’s lizard brain (with its silly desire to keep him alive) pointed out that not only did he have nothing to lose but, if he wanted to get the f*ck out of wherever the hell this was, then not becoming a human-sicle had to be priority number one.

Huffing, his arms reaching out as the hand which had cocooned him only moments ago tilted to send the bottle skittering his way; Tony seized the (strangely, pleasantly) warm, champagne-styled bottle, tore out the cork and sniffed the contents with a blink.

Heh, all of the sci-fi movies he’d ever watched had convinced him that the brew would stink; this drink, however, smelled like well-aged whisky, smoke and honey.

“D-do I drink all of it?” he asked, his eye peering down the long, bottle neck.

“It would be best if you could” the still unknown, remarkably excellent English speaker (for reasons he just couldn’t fathom) stated; “I should imagine that you’re quite thirsty, yes? You have been asleep for the better half of a day”.

“I... I what... wait...”

“Not to rush you, precious bearer, but your little body needs be protected before you wither” she said, her towering form blushing darker with embarrassment; “I can only apologise but your presence at this time was... unanticipated, let’s say...”

Blinking, his knees wobbling with their quaking, Tony took a breath before putting the opening to his lips and chugging it down like a freshman at his first keg-based party.

“Yes, that’s it... I can already see the pallor of your skin renewing itself” the omega heard over the rush of blissful, bone-soothing warmth unfurled from his stomach to lick and chew its way through every limb, extremity and sense.

“Whoa” he breathed out, his hands releasing the bottle (which, luckily, failed to smack thanks to the plump, jade surface he sat on) to allow his hands to pat over his suit clad form and face, Tony took a huge lungful of the frigid air and found it no longer hurt; hell, it didn’t even tingle.

“You feel better, I take it?”

“Umm, yeah, yeah you could say that” he announced, his amber eyes narrowing angrily as he turned to the woman, his chin jutting out despite the no doubt comedic picture he painted.

“My name is Tony Stark; genius, millionaire, play-boy, philanthropist” he declared, his smile flashing more bravado then what he actually felt, however, he could always bull-sh*t with the best of them.

“Now who the f*ck are you and why the hell should I care?”

Chapter 5: Of First Impressions and Do-Overs...

Chapter Text

Snorting out a very un-Queen-like laugh before her hand could move to effectively cover her mouth, Farbauti felt her eyes crinkling as her humour spiked, her left hand waving in the diminutive omega’s direction whilst he huffed out in righteous indignation.

“Hey! That wasn’t meant to...”

“Oh... I know, I know, my dear” she breathed, her smile flashing: “please consider me thoroughly intimidated” she added before another bout of mirth bubbled up her throat and pushed past her purple lips, the sound of Tony stomping on the smooth, polished surface lost to her.

“Well at least someone is having a good time!” he yelled. “This is my birthday and on top of being f*cking abducted by aliens I’m being mocked, too?” he snapped, his arms crossing angrily; “ugh... this is like boarding-school all over again... only with more ice, and giants and f*cking Alice in Wonderland styled madness...”

Taking a deep breath, her crimson eyes sparkling, the Queen motioned at the stool beneath the vanity her soon to be son-in-law was perched on and sat upon it after it pulled away to give her a space; “forgive me, t’was not my intention to offend” she promised. “And I do not laugh for the reasons you think, little cousin... you have simply reminded me of an incident from mine own past... why, I believe very similar words left my own mouth when I first met my mother-in-law” she mused, her eyes looking off into the distance and failing to see the mortal’s jaw drop. “Hmm... yes, if I recall, when Laufey first brought me to the palace... so far away from the nomadic tribe I’d been raised in I, too, had felt so slighted... hmm, and it took me quite some time to adjust to this place...”

“Cousin? Mother-in-law?”

Blinking out of her thoughts, Farbauti turned to look down at the human who was now openly gaping up at her.

“Ah me... Loki told you nothing” she sighed, an elbow resting upon the frosted table-top so that she could rub a palm across her face; “of course he didn’t, why am I surprised?” she added, her eyes rolling skyward until she took and breath, held it and that pushed it out with a loud exhale.

“Before today, have you ever spoken with my son?”

“Pretty sure I’d remember speaking with a gigantic-blue-alien” Tony dead-panned before his shock reassembled into anger peppered annoyance; “although, if the blue guy and the British guy are one in the same, that means that you people have the ability to rearrange and reconstruct your mass at will” he stated before scowling and (once more) pointing at the colossal woman. “And I am totally calling bull-sh*t on that one, lady! I don’t care where we are or who you are because you just can’t do that!” he snapped. “Where does your mass go? How do you get it back? What’s with the colour change? How in the world can people like you, who clearly need the cold, just rock up to California and be okay? How can... wait!” he continued, his eyes returning to the large bottle he’d just drained. “What in the name of Einstein was in this? I’ve gone from hypothermic to a-ok in seconds! That is just...”

“My goodness... so many questions” Farbauti cut in, her fingers moving to deftly pluck the vessel from the thunderously glaring mortal; “and I promise to answer as many as I can... in time...”

“Oh?” Tony close to sneered. “Look, I’m through with playing pleasantries (“ah, is this you being pleasant? My Loki will be amused”) and need some straight answers” he stated, his golden eyes alight with seriousness.

“Very well...”

“Your name?”

“Farbauti, daughter of Svllegg the Conqueror, mate-wife of King Laufey and Queen of all Jotunheim.”

“Have I been bride-napped?”

Blinking, her long, charcoal lashes glinting with ice-crystals, the giantess peered at the mortal closely; “I am uncertain of what you say” she admitted. “Your words do not...”

Sighing, his anger rapidly dissipating when the weight of the situation finally settled on his shoulders, the freshly turned twenty one year old walked the short distance to what he assumed to be a jewellery box and sat on it heavily.

“Back home, I’m considered a genius” he admitted, his legs kicking off the side of the polished surface he perched on. “So it’s not too hard for me to connect these dots, even if I don’t believe even half of what’s going on here... sad thing is that this isn’t the first time I’ve had to go through this... Heh, not that Captain Johnson is going to come to my rescue all the way out here” he added, his fingers removing and playing with his useless, frozen and inoperative StarkWatch.

“I do not understand...”

“Do the words sex-slave, arranged-marriage and Stockholm syndrome translate, do you know what they mean?” he asked, his tone dejected before he tossed the piece of tech he’d made to smash upon the table’s surface.

“Yes... but you cannot mean to think that you...”

“Are you sh*tting me, your majesty?” he asked, his eyes once more meeting hers. “Your son has abducted me and you called yourself my mother-in-law... when I was seventeen I was snagged by a bastard called Tiberius Stone who did the exact same thing... You damned alpha-supremacists just see me as a brood-mare with a substantial dowry and good genes... but, unlike then, I have no way of f*cking escaping from here, do I? I’m on another world...”

“You believe you are to be a prisoner here? A concubine?”

“Aren’t I?” he challenged, a spark of anger flashing once more. “You’ve taken me from my home, trapped me in this place away from my family and friends! Ugh! This is like some good awful Disney live-action remake” he hissed. “I am meant to be Belle? Is this some Beauty and the Beast styled match-making?” he asked heatedly.

“I am unsure as to what you reference, precious bearer, but you are certainly no prisoner and certainly under no obligation to mate with anyone at anytime” Farbauti stated, her tone as astonished as it was mortified.

“Then why...”

“I am so deeply sorry for this distress, Tony... my son was under strict instructions not to bring you here unless you asked... why, I hadn’t expected him to return with you for at least a year and that was only under the assumption that his courting of you was successful” she affirmed before rising, her right hand moving to him, open-palmed.

“Come, I will return you to your home personally and see that whatever compensation you desire is paid tenfold for the grievance my boy has caused you...”

“What? No... you’re not serious...”

“I swear to you on the honour of my blood and kin” the giantess stated, her tone firm; “tis not a promise that I make lightly, I assure you” she promised whilst Tony moved to stand, his expression just the right side of awe-struck.

“I... ugh... I don’t know what to say...” he admitted, his tone a little sheepish despite himself before, a strong swallow accompanied by the complete negation of his common sense, he approached the fingers that’d held him earlier and curled them into the femme’s hand, a smile tugging his lips at her surprised gasp.

“Tony?”

“Let’s just say that I believe you, alright? And, ugh, let’s also say that on top of being a genius, I kind’a have a terminal case of curiosity and the whole, you know, alien culture and technology thing? Well, ugh, so long as I’m not here to be Captain Kirk’s latest alien Bond-girl... it wouldn’t hurt to sight see and learn a thing or two, I guess” he edged, their gazes locking. “I would, ugh, like for my mom to know where I am though... your boy sneaking off with me will have ruined the Expo and she’s been planning it for months” he added before stepping back and rubbing the back of his neck. “sh*t... and she’ll be real pissed if she ever finds out how I spoke to you, a Queen of all people, earlier... sorry about that” he offered; “I, ugh, my social skills aren’t the best under normal circ*mstances, so...”

“You have nothing to apologise for” Farbauti breathed, her own tone awe-struck as she pulled her hand away.

“I believe that you and I must start our introductions all over again, young man” she stated brightly, her smile warm and pleased; “I cannot put into words how happy I am about this brave decision you have made” she furthered kindly.

“And I intend to make sure that you do not regret it...”

Chapter 6: Family Drama...

Chapter Text

Loki was not amused...

“Hmm, say, Helblindi... do you recall a time when you have ever seen mother so...”

This was not how today was supposed to go...

“Enraged? Incensed? Wrathful?” the youngest of the trio supplied as they walked, the two younger Jotun all but skipping behind their prowling elder.

“Ah, brother min, I believe the mortal colloquialism of pissed-off is the best turn of phrase... however, perhaps we’re better off asking Tony when we get to see him later...” Býleistr continued with a chuckled out purr.

He was supposed to be wining and dining the pretty little hen he’d brought home to roost, not entertaining the peanut-gallery that was made up of his annoying younger siblings and their inane prattle...

“Oh yes! I am most excited to meet the mortal... do you think it’s true that he’s small enough to ride upon the house-dragon the stable-master has been training for him?” the smaller of the three chirped pleasantly, his oldest brother’s mounting ire lost to his boyish glee.

“I should think so... father isn’t one for wasting time or money, after all” the middle son reasoned, his shoulders rolling under the heavy fabric of the royal capes they were made to wear when attending Court; “t’will be quite amusing to see our potential brother in law flying about on one of the red and gold fiends we used to hunt for sport as boys” he chuckled.

“Umm... but what if Tony is not to be our kin after-all?” the youngest pondered aloud, his childish innocence now clearly a show for the guards stationed throughout the grand corridor they were strolling down, his flair for devious taunting proving a rival for Loki’s own deceptive nature. “You know how mother is... maybe she’ll send him straight back to Midgard... ah! Maybe she already has!”

“True, true dear brother... oh, but what of poor Loptr’s heart?” Býleistr bemoaned dramatically, the tallest giant’s shoulder hunching under his more ornate, fur-collared cloak; “d’you think he’ll cry much at his lost chance? Will father ever allow him to return to Mid-gwardddd!!” he choked out, his shock turning to mirth when the alpha he was taunting clutched his neck in a vice like grip.

“Neh... Bý, I think you struck a nerve~” the smallest practically sing-songed as he watched, his smile glinting with mischievous pleasure, whilst his older brothers regarded each amidst a few muttering guards, their own eyes rolling at their Princes’ childish antics.

“You don’t... do-n’t say...” the long haired giant tried to breath, his braid-swishing whilst he attempted to dislodge the other's hand, his talon-laced fingers providing little relief since he’d failed to dig them into the older alpha’s spell-toughened skin; “ugh! I’m sorry, al-right?!”

Retaining the broody frown he’d worn when he’d snatched the insolent pup that was his brother, Loki released his grip before turning back towards the looming, azure doors which barred the entrance to his father’s (and one day, his) throne-room.

“Oh Loki, come on, don’t sulk” Helblindi called, his lithe legs carrying him over plush, deep-purple carpet to hang at the grumpy alpha’s elbow; “we were jesting, that’s all... please don’t tell me that you’ll be this surly all of the time when you are wed and bound” he pleaded.

“That is if I’m to be wed and bound now, isn’t it?” the eldest hissed, his tone petulant despite himself whilst the worry his siblings had been fostering within his mind doubled in size and potency.

“What? Come now brother, it’s not like to fret! And it certainly isn’t like you to let something as small as Mama’s displeasure or one of Papa’s decrees stop you” the boy argued, his right arm looping Loki’s left whilst a now fully recovered Býleistr walked stiffly at his oldest brother’s other side.

“Don’t be so dense, Helbi...” he chided, his hands still rubbing his neck with a pout; “this isn’t something silly like sneaking in to Asgard to shave Thor’s hair off or trespassing in Alfheim to ride unicorns” he added, the pair looking at each other from across the tallest alpha’s fur brandished chest. “This is serious, yeah? Why else would father send for him when he should be attending the Court, huh?”

“Ah... I hadn’t thought on it like that” the younger admitted, his worried eyes now turning to look up at Loki’s stormy ones; “we’ll stand up for you, big brother, don’t you worry” he promised whilst giving the older man’s arm a firm, reassuring squeeze.

“I thank you, Helbi” Loki sighed, the three of them now standing at the massive doors whose ice shimmered and glimmered as though lit be a thousand polished sapphires. “But I fear I’ll need more than your luck and my charm to win myself out of this situation” he sighed whilst Býleistr huffed and folded his arms, an air of nonchalance enveloping him.

“Meh, you worry too much... Helbi’s right, it isn’t like you” he said, his right brow arching in suspicion; “you’re serious about wooing this little hen, aren’t you?” he furthered, his head tilting closer to a now more sombre looking Chaos Mage. “sh*t... now I really feel like a heel... I didn’t realise that this wasn’t simply a piece of tail you were chasing” he offered, his tone fully repentant; “damn it Loki, what in the Nine were you thinking by just bringing him here, then?”

“That is exactly what I want to know!”

Struggling to repress the yips that would have leapt from their lips when they were younger, all three brothers watched as the doors prised open to reveal Laufey, his unimpressed glare narrowing on the child he was training to succeed him.

“Father, I can explain...”

“You’d damned well better!” the ancient alpha snapped, his right arm gesturing wildly in the direction of the private corridors that led to their mother’s chambers; “I have yet to hear the end of my Lady’s disappointed and inflamed words through our bond, Loptr! My head feels fit for splitting!” he added through a grumbled growl.

“Now get your skinny hide in here and start talking... 'tis bad enough that I’ve had to send Yyslien and his Priests away with a flea in their ears without my mate scolding me for something you have done, again!”

Chapter 7: Making Friends...

Chapter Text

“No f*cking way!”

Chuckling, her eyes watching the young human (his frenzied dancing around the gold and red accented dragon reminding her of bygone days where her own children would find such joy in gifts), Farbauti allowed the stable-master to approach and remove the bars which entrapped the becalmed menace, the servants that brought it to the chamber now having left.

“This is amazing! Is it real?”

“Aye, y’highness, real an’ trained ta the best stand’ards” replied the gruff, scar faced giant (who’d bowed with reverence when his Queen bid him speak: “tis a female, they tend’ta’be easier to work wit as the males lack tha intelligence to folla orders” he added, his crimson eyes watching in bemused amazement as the tiny human approached the (in his view) pest with a practised caution.

“Incredible” Tony breathed, his keen gaze carefully meeting luminous, neon-blue eyes that seemed to narrow at him with a cold indifference until the scaly head turned to glare in the opposite direction, a puff of steam venting from a bridle trapped snout.

“Does she have a name?”

“Not till’ya name ‘er, highness” was the grunted reply before his hands (easily dwarfing the diminutive Prince that would one day be his Realm’s Royal Consort) reaching over to point at various parts of the creature with long, crooked, work-stained talons. “She’ll not respond to it, a’course, they’re a dumb, brutish creature that may compare ta... oh, what insect di’ Prince Loki ref’er ta?”

“I believe he said mosquito” Farbauti intervened kindly, her smile widening when the gnarled old stable-master (an alpha more used to taverns, animals and rough-housing) blushed and bowed his head once more.

“So she’s a vampire-dragon? Ooh! That is so cool!” the omega squeaked whilst carefully and slowly walking around (what was probably to him) the beast as she lay and continued to keep her head raised and deliberately looking in direction other than his. “Wow! And that wing-span... each one of these babies must be at least eight feet long... the tail is, what? Ten? It’s like she’s been plucked out of one of Jarvis’ fairy-tale books he brought over from England when I was tiny...”

“England?” the stable-master asked; “ah, be’chance, are ya talking of the Land’of’Angles? A good source’a old magics and fine creatures for’tha tradin’, that place be... well, s’long as teh fae are’a’feelin generous” he mused, his mind no doubt wandering to all of the beasts he would like to buy and train.

Blinking himself away from the leather-apron wearing giant and back to the dragon he’d be using to travel around the Realm in, Tony carefully (his mind double checking that the reins were definitely secured to the post lodged into the stone-base, reached out his right hand.

“Easy-girl, easy there” he murmured, his words causing that reptilian head to slink his way, those alien eyes narrowed; “I’m not gonna hurt you, okay?”

Huffing out another breath of icy-steam (and how the f*ck was that possible?), the dragon grunted a warning, the tip of her tail shaking like a rattle-snake; moving to stop the human, the alpha halted dead in his tracks when the Queen raised a hand, her own eyes narrowed on the situation developing upon the surface of her dresser.

“Heh, okay, you don’t like me... that’s fair” Tony continued whilst looking directly into those ethereal, angry eyes; “I get it, alright? This is all kind of new to me too... but I’ll make you a deal” he added, his palm now inches away from glimmering, golden and crimson swirled scales. “If you’re willing to tolerate me for my visit here then I’ll make sure these good folks do right by you, okay? As it turns out, I’m kind of a big deal, so I think I can swing a favour or two your way” he continued with a grin, his hand now gently skimming across the gem-smooth surface.

“Well I’ll b’damned, you speak’tha Dragon-tongue, ye’highness?” the awestruck male asked, the fact that the dragon hadn’t smacked the boy away (and eventuality he’d warned the Queen about on numerous occasions) causing his brows to rise.

“Dragon-tongue? Nah, I can just see that she’s very intuitive... hell, with her brain mass and demeanour it wouldn’t surprise me if she understood bits and pieces of what we’re saying, maybe more” he responded, his smile broadening when the reptile leaned a little closer, her lips partially parting to reveal rows of razor sharp, diamond glinting teeth. “Yeah, you and me are going to have problems... but I’ll grow on you, just you wait and see” he chuckled, a blast of chilly air jetting into him and knocking him to land within the coil of the tail which (instead of crushing him) nestled him as he laughed and she tilted her head to the side like a cat who’d caught confusing prey.

“Marvellous... you have done well, Krysljn” Farbauit praised (“y’majesty’s ta kind”), her right hand raising to pluck the chuckling human up and deposit him upon the saddle (which her husband’s favourite leather-workers had moaned and griped about due to its ridiculous size and steed); “I assume that this is a similar set up to what a horse would wear, yes?”

“Yep” Tony returned, his legs straddling the reptile before he slipped his feet into the stirrups, his hands gratefully receiving the reins when they were passed to him.

“Now, ye’highness, when ye say up, she’ll fly and down a’course, ‘ll do tha latter” the alpha instructed; “le’s see how ye go, then.”

Blinking at the alien words (and silently thanking his mother’s side of the family for his ear for languages), Tony rolled his shoulders, lightly tugged at the reins and stated up with a light squeeze of his legs, his excited squeal rippling up and out of him as those massive, beautiful wings beat a practised rhythm until they were at the giants’ eye-line.

“Holy sh*t! This is awesome!” he exclaimed, his hands pulling the straps of leather to steer his gently undulating dragon to fly about the room, his excited cries spurring creature to fly faster as Krysljn whistled his astonishment and Farbauti clapped her hands in pleased applause.

“You’re a natural, Tony” she commended, her tone breaking off into a laugh when the pest spun in a graceful spiral that would usually cause her and her people no end of annoyance (as it made them that much harder to swat away when they went to bite) with its human cargo whooping in glee.

“Yaa-hoo! Oh, that’s it! I’ve got your name, now, sweetheart” he called, his tugging on the reins manoeuvring his steed to hover above her former resting place; “yeah, a strong femme with a wild spirit... you’re just like my Aunt Peggy... so Peggy it is” he announced with a fond grin.

“Oh man, just you wait until you meet Rhodey and my old man! They’re going to be so jealous!”

Chapter 8: Hell Hath no Fury...

Chapter Text

“Verily, what I say is the truth... I swear it so upon mine honour, for I am...”

“The son of Odin, yes, thank you, we know that!” Maria close to hissed, her beautiful face scrunched in indignation as she pointed her tumbler clutching hand at the burly blonde who was sat in her husband’s most secure office within their Stately Home. “Thunder storms, hammers, the whole-nine-yards but, do you know what you haven’t got?”

“I...”

“My son! That’s what!” she snapped, her pacing form (since no one in the room (alpha, beta, femme or otherwise) had been able to settle her) wearing down what had been an antique Persian rug; “it’s three in the god damned morning and my boy is still missing! How in the world you can just sit there in a SHIELD uniform with a smile on your face while I’m clearly losing my mind with worry is beyond me!”

“Maria...”

“Oh, don’t you Maria me, Howard! And don’t think for a second that you haven’t got an earful coming when I can bear to look at you again” she snarled, her Gucci dress shimmering and flaring in the wake of her wrath. “Aliens, f*cking aliens Howard, really? Didn’t you think that this was something you should have oh, I don’t know, spoken to me about? Especially since you’ve apparently been yucking it up with them and Nick Fury for the better part of a year!”

Sighing heavily, his body slumped into his father’s worn, comforting leather chair whilst he struggled not to simply slam his head into the ancient, oaken desk and be done with it, Howard could at least take small comfort knowing that, standing at his right, the light cough Agent Coulson released meant the mild-mannered man was thinking along the same lines.

Not that having concussions would help matters, he supposed...

“And if it wasn’t bad enough that you’ve been keeping secrets and lining your pockets with God knows what kind of technology to satisfy that damned curiosity of yours (“Maria...”), you’ve also ruined the Expo, his birthday and my peace of mind but, then again, you are the Great Howard Stark” she continued before downing the rest of her drink and scowling back at the (nervously fidgeting) Asgardian.

“Okay wonder-boy, I’ve had a gut full of the many reasons why you can’t just rush in to Jotenhem (“ah, Jotunheim, Lady Stark”) and bring him out so you’re just going to have to take me there, instead” she demanded firmly, her arms folding over an ample (and still youthful looking) chest.

“Mrs Stark, with respect...”

“Oh cram it, Phil... I can’t believe that, in all the years I’ve known you, you’ve been able to look me in the eye and lie so brazenly...” she cut in, a broken edge cracking her tone and causing the Agent to duck his head a little at the accusation.

“The man was just doing his job...”

“The man has been a family-friend since Tony won his first robotics competition!” she snapped angrily; “so tell me how I’m meant to react or, better still, who I’m meant to trust because, as of two and a half hours ago, the only person in this room who has been honest with me is that guy and he is a f*cking alien!”

Trying to distract himself by observing the wall to wall (and wall to ceiling) book shelves, his azure eyes dipping over the leather-bound tomes as yet another verbal sparring match began, Thor tried to reason out how or why, exactly, he deserved to be the messenger in this situation...

"Woman, can you please try to think rationally here? You can't go there, you can't even board a flight without a co*cktail or two..."

In the future, he promised himself, he would find ways to ensure that his mother and Queen Farbauti were only able to gamble with gelds...

“So what?! Are you going to go then?!”

By his father’s beard... as lovely as the mortal femme appeared, he had heard harpies with more charming shrills...

“You know very well that I can’t” the man (tanned, lightly wrinkled and sporting a still lustrous head of salt’n’pepper hair) sighed out in exasperation; “even if Obi wasn’t on vacation, I can’t just abandon the Company, especially with all of this media attention...”

“And there it is! Your precious Company is more important than your child!”

“God damn it 'Ria! You know that isn’t true!”

“If I may...” Phil called whilst carefully stepping away from the (deceptively) technologically enhanced, ornate desk; “Jotunheim is a realm of extreme cold where any human would surely perish without assistance, assistance that can only be provided by the royal family once their, ah, mages have concocted the proper...”

“So Harry Potter is overseeing Game of Thrones in Space? Perfect!” Maria spat; “are you honestly telling me that these people would deny me access and resources to the child they stole from me? Legolas’ overly brawny cousin has just been pleading their case, telling us about how great it is that the Nine can start communicating again and how charming the bastard who vanished him is...”

“Heh, charming may not be the best choice of words” Thor chuckled sheepishly; “ah, but I’d have no other for mine shield-brother in battle...”

“So he’s a barbarian like you? Wonderful” the femme ground out; “ugh! Since when did my life become some cheap, Sci-fi bodice ripper novel with my son as its heroin?” she asked before, her energy and wrath draining beneath the weight of this bizarre reality, she made her way to the chair opposite their other-worldly visitor to sit and regard her husband.

“Maria...”

“You need to get him back, Howard... I don’t care what you’ve got to do or how you have to do it, but I want Tony home... he’s only twenty-one and I couldn’t give a damn about his intellect or what this might mean for your interstellar relations...” she breathed, her hazel eyes boring into a now quite sombre looking Thor. “He’s not emotionally ready to be mated with a human alpha, let alone some Prince from a place I’ve never heard of” she tried to reason, her empty tumbler forgotten as desperate hands pounced on the war-calloused fingers of their startled visitor.

“You have a mother, don’t you?”

“Aye, Lady Stark...”

“What would she do if you’d been snatched up by someone she’d never met?”

Blinking, a dawning sense of grief resting atop his shoulders, Thor began to realise (the ignorance his father and Council members often accused him of having quickly shifting from his consciousness) that the news (which he’d originally believed to be happy) he’d brought to the house of Stark was grave indeed.

“Good lady...” he said, his tone nothing but respectful as he held those dainty, trembling hands; “forgive me and my rude manners... upon many of the worlds I have known this courtship would have been greeted with nothing but joy... Ah, but I see that the arranging of mating for omegas is greatly different here and, for not knowing this, I feel great shame... my only excuse, if you’d permit me, is that I was not expecting this day to come so soon” he admitted softly. “It was mine understanding that Loki had made himself known to the both of you after our last meeting here...”

“Wait a second, what did you just say?”

“Jesus H Christ...”

“You knew...” Maria whispered, her body standing with a velocity that nearly upturned the bulky, leather chair she’d been perched on, her horrified face turning to look at the man, the stranger sitting in her husband’s chair. “You knew this was going to happen... you... you f*cking planned it...”

“No... no, Jesus, ‘Ria, look just, just sit back down and let me... where are you going?”

“First, I’m going to call my lawyer to start divorce proceedings...” she said, her voice eerily calm; “then I’m going to contact every media outlet I know of and oh, but don’t worry, your little alien secret will be fine and well because I know what SHIELD can do and that I certainly won’t be believed” she added, a touch of hysteria spiking her words as she looked over her shoulder. “What they will believe, however, is that my misogynist of a husband has sold off Tony to some foreign dignitary and that I have no idea who has him or where” she continued. “I’ll make an appeal, your stocks will crash and you’ll be ruined before tomorrow’s over...”

“Wait! Just wait a damned second- sh*t! Maria!!”

Sighing softly into the quiet which echoed after the slamming of heavy, reinforced office doors, both Phil and Thor allowed their postures to slump, their eyes fixed on the spot where the frantic alpha had just exited.

“Tis it wrong that I should worry for Loki’s safety, think you?”

“Hell no” the Agent laughed humourlessly, his smile grim; “your blue Prince may have faced down giants, trolls and ogres, Thor, but I truly pity him when Maria finally gets her way” he stated, his right brow arching. “I’ve only ever glanced at her SHIELD file, however, I can tell you with great certainty that should that femme get her hands on a rifle, your boy may not live to be sorry for what he’s done...”

Chapter 9: Settling In...

Chapter Text

“You, my boy, are an idiot” Laufey sighed, the talons of his right hand gently grazing his bejewelled horns as he tried to rub the headache away from his tribal ridge-laced forehead; “and I swear to the Norns that, if Odin’s get is unable to soothe this situation and I have to deal with the Allfather, then it’ll be you facing his wrath and not I...”

“I fail to see how any of this is his concern...”

“Brat! I am warning you...”

“Ah, gentlemen?”

Snapping their collective, precious-metal embellished heads towards the entrance of the Queen’s enclave, all four alphas bowed and hailed her with a polite, formal greeting as she stepped into the throne-room proper, their crimson eyes swiftly flitting from her to the life-drinker (and its passenger) that lazily weaved its way around her head.

“Greetings lady-wife... does your presence bode well for our boy and his ill-timed suit?” Laufey bid, a swift, cutting gesture stilling his three sons as they made to move towards their mother and mortal guest.

“Ask him for yourself, beloved... Tony, my dear, may I present his Royal Highness King Laufey, Slayer of Heijjliek the Devourer, Eleventh Son to the House of Greittghj and ruler of all Jotuheim” she stated with a light bow of her own.

“It’s pleasure to make your acquaintance, your Royal Highness” Tony returned, his tone perfectly pitched and respectful regardless of his undulating steed’s beating wings and unhappy, hungry sounding chuffs.

“The pleasure is mine” the fur-robe clad alpha returned as he stood and descended the dais his throne was carved from, his posture regal and powerful despite the gentle jingling his many bracelets and anklets made upon approach. “However, I fear that this day may be quite premature” he continued, a meaningful look glaring its way to a sheepishly smiling Loki; at the chastising narrowing of eyes, however, his smile quickly dropped (even as his brothers struggled to swallow their giggling).

“It has impressed me greatly that a bearer so young would show such courage in the midst of these great and trying events” he furthered, his hand offering the dragon a place to rest. “You do your ancestors proud and we thank you, as a people interested in your own, for the opportunity to begin relations in anyway you feel appropriate... is that not so, Loptr?”

Huffing (but quickly reigning in his indignity), the heir apparent watched whilst the omega (who would be his mate, he’d make sure of it) manoeuvred the pest he rode to perch upon the King’s palm, his amber eyes meeting him unwaveringly before, to his surprise, the younger smirked at him.

“Loptr?”

“Ah, father, forgive me my rudeness” he said, his face cautiously posed (even though his mind roiled from the pleasure Tony’s attitude sparked in him to the distaste he felt at the use of a his true name), as he padded across sparkling glacial floors and bent his head respectfully; “however, my deepest apology does, indeed, belong to you Mr Stark.”

“Hmm... you know, I’d say that I accept that apology if, for a second, I thought it was genuine.”

Baulking, his charm-offensive thoroughly derailed when his mother tried to stifle a laugh, his father grunted in surprise and his younger brothers openly giggled, Loki felt his jaw loosening before he snapped it back with a loud clack.

“Why, whatever do you...”

“Oh, come off it, lover-boy, we all know that you’re just tickled pink about me being here... you’re only sorry that your parents have taken your toy away before you got to play with it” he said smoothly whilst easily sliding off his roosting transport and beckoning the stunned looking Prince over. “Well, you want me, you got me for that tour you promised since the evening meal isn’t for a while and your poor folks could probably do with you out of the way while they clean up the diplomatic mess your not so little stunt has made.”

“I...”

“Well, come on, chop-chop... you don’t expect me to jump and fall to my death, do you?” he huffed, his gestures becoming more pronounced; “that a boy... now, where to first?”

“You would trust me to...”

“Look, your mom, who is awesome, by the way, has vouched for you” the omega enthused, his sock clad feet landing (a little unsteadily) upon the pads of the giant’s fingers before he turned to bow at Laufey, his wife and wave at a grunting Peggy. “Also Krys (“Krysljn” Farbauti mouthed to a pleasantly amused King) said that ol’Peg here still needs a few more lessons and a good meal before I let her loose around this beautiful home of yours” he added with a shrug when he turned back to regard the alpha who’d bride-napped him. “Although, since she kind’a likes me, I might just sic her on you if you don’t behave yourself, capiche?”

“Ah... I consider myself thoroughly warned, Tony-min” Loki admitted, the laughter of his brothers amplifying by the second; “come then... umm, what is it that you’re doing?”

Snorting, his limber frame easily ambling over jewel accented bracelets and skittering over textured, azure skin (and to think that he’d whined about the mandatory gymnastic lessons at his private, Omega-only boarding school), the human made his way up to the baffled alpha’s shoulder before sitting himself down upon the plush fur of the cape’s shoulder-guard.

“Ha! You thought that I was going to curl in your palm like a gerbil or something?” he asked, his legs kicking in a child-like way as he fisted (gently, mind you; his mother hadn’t raised him to be brutish) a hand into the raven strand of hairs that spilt his way. “Thanks, but I prefer the view from up here... and speaking of views, hey! You two going to come over and say ‘hi’ or what?” he called, his smile broadening when (even though he tried to hide it) he caught a little pout pull at the oldest sibling’s lips.

“Oh!” Helblindi cried, his body jiggling as he lightly jogged the small distance between them (a grinning Býleistr following at a more sedate pace; he hadn’t missed the pout, either); “umm, hi... I am Helblindi, Fourteenth Son to the House of Greittghj and... ugh... well, too young to have acquired any other titles yet?” he added with an endearing, sheepish-grin. “Ah, I hope you’ll forgive my lack of honours... I’m not yet mature in the eyes of the court and so meeting foreign dignitaries is something I...”

“Take a breath, Helbi” Loki murmured, his tone affectionate even as a dark blush purpled the slightly shorter giant’s face; “as you can no doubt tell, Tony has been put at total ease by our mother’s soothing words despite my previous idiocy” he added whilst turning a little to observe the perched, smiling human. “I believe I am not wrong in suggesting that we can be informal in the way our family is in his presence, hmm?”

“You better believe it” the omega close to chirped; “and Helbi is the cutest nickname” he added, a laugh bubbling up and out of him when the youngest Jotun blushed to a dark-plum colour as the (what Tony assumed to be) middle-child presented himself, a devious little grin tilting his lips.

“My, my, Tony... soon you’ll have the whole of Jotunheim under your spell, it seems” he began, his grin widening when he felt a wave of possessiveness roll of his older brother; “I am Býleistr and, since you are uninterested in titles, please just call me Bý” he offered with a tilt of his head.

“And, precious bearer, should Loki prove unable to meet your needs while you’re here, please do never hesitate to call on me” he continued, a little voice in the back of his head crowing when, after a sneaky look at the omega who winked as they shared the same wave-length, the other began nodding enthusiastically whilst the Chaos Mage struggled not to seethe.

“Thank you Bý” the mortal returned, his pleased tone causing Loki to stiffen; “I’ll be sure to let you know if Loki were to... fall short of anything I expect of him, okay?”

Chapter 10: Interlude: Building a Queendom (Part 1)

Chapter Text

Frigga was, admittedly, pleasantly bemused...

“Of course, as such a bright and spirited young man, he’s always been getting into trouble in one way or another... not that, I suppose, I need speak to a femme whom rules a warrior culture like yours about boys being boys, hmm?”

Her son had bowed, apologised, bowed and fumbled over his words for a good minute or so before a mortal (dressed in decadent materials crafted into an elegantly form-fitting suit, jewels and the most glamorous shoes she had ever seen) woman had all but floated past him with the airs and graces of a Norn made flesh...

“However, I am simply beside myself this time... And isn’t it just awful, just an appalling lack of manners that all of this should be going on behind my back? Behind his own mother’s back? I mean, not that I’m opposed to Tony dating whomever from wherever, you understand, but I am finding it that much harder to be composed when I think of my poor boy trapped in such a distant place...”

Her outward beauty was only matched, and quite flawlessly, by a fiery spirit which would give even Sutur and his kin a run for their money; they’d been sat together for the better part of an hour and Lady Stark (‘oh goodness no, please call me Maria, your Royal Highness’) had spoken to her with the poise, skill and confidence that even her ladies in waiting had failed to acquire...

“Ah... although, if I’m truly being honest then, perhaps, it’s the people of Jotunheim I’m more concerned about” the human sighed after pausing to take a dainty sip of the ethereal cup she’d been presented with; “Tony has a habit of, well, let’s just say we may be hearing from them sooner rather than later should he get his hands on anything even resembling technology” she added through a sheepish laugh. “Oh, when I recall the many, many times he’s nearly blown our home to pieces... Once, when he was three, he breached all five levels of Howard’s allegedly fool-proof security system, made his way into the sub-lab and ‘poof’, two hours later the fire-alarm sounds and there he is, simply holding a laser-gun he’d roped together like it was just another Tuesday...”

She really was quite extraordinary herself and, as the more ancient of the pair continued to listen (enrapt by the liveliest guest she’d received in decades), the more she felt compelled to assert herself into this case of inter-realm match-making.

It certainly beat yet another day of sitting at the loom or languishing amongst the council meeting she was scheduled to attend for the sake of appearances.

“Or, maybe that kind of adventure was more of a Friday or Saturday phase... if I remember correctly, weekdays were always so much worse before he went to boarding-school” Maria finally finished, a look of sadness momentarily crossing ruby-lips before she could brush it away.

The look, however, was not lost the AllMother.

“It is a great strain to be without one’s children” she soothed amenably, her golden form leaning forward so that her azure gaze could meet with worried fawn; “it is a pain that I know all too well, but do not fret, Maria of Midgard, for in me you have found a friend” she promised, her words causing the other to blink before almost blinding her with the radiance of her smile.

“Oh! Your Royal Highness, you can’t know what that means to me” the younger femme gushed, her hands reaching out across the small, sculpted glass table to clasp a clearly astonished (but warmly pleased; a quick glare at the guards stiffening nearby letting them know that) Frigga’s hands. “And I, of course, intend to be a friend to you in any way that I can be, too!”

Chapter 11: Cultural Differences...

Chapter Text

“So... now that we’re alone” Tony began when the unlikely pair were ambling down a quiet (the servants were very good at blending into the icy furnishings which clearly disguised service-corridors and the like) corridor. “You mind answering a few questions for me, huh?”

Blinking, his head tilting to eye his passenger, the Prince offered him (what he hoped to be) a reassuring smile.

“By all means... ask away, I am very pleased that you...”

“How, exactly, are you and I meant to, you know, do it?”

Sputtering, his bare feet struggling not to slip on the native ground of his homeland, Loki just about managed to stay composed as the human omega continued to laugh whole-heartedly, his golden gaze flashing in amusem*nt when crimson irises narrowed upon him.

“Have you really just...”

“Asked how we’re going to bump-uglies? Make the beast with two backs? Perform the horizontal-tango?” the younger cut in innocently whilst the Jotun snorted; “what? Your mom said that you’ve been stalking me (“observing, thank you, mother”) for a while so surely you knew that I’d be...”

“So crass as to enquire about fornication during our first, official day together?” the Prince stated, his tone the epitome of dead-pan; “hmm... perhaps my investigations of you weren’t thorough enough...”

“Hey, there’s no backing out of this now, Papa Smurf” the mortal reminded; “you ever hear of a shot-gun wedding?” he asked, a sly-smirk pulling his lips as they regarded each other.

“Shot-gun? No, I...”

“Well” the young genius grinned, his eyebrows waggling; “let’s just say that my mom is going to be very insistent that we get hitched if she thinks, even for a second, that my virtues have been compromised” he stated with a chuckle. “Or probably, maybe, definitely because you’re Royalty... Heh, yeah, that’d be it... Wow, now I’m actually starting to imagine her wrath if she has to tell the girls at the Country Club that you, my fabled, other-worldly Prince-Charming, weren’t going to marry me after ruining the party she planned at the Expo” he murmured, his smile dying.

“Whoa... you, my friend, will wish you were dead” he gasped, his eyes flashing with a smug form of self-satisfaction when Loki’s irises narrowed in shock.

“I... this is not what I was expecting, either...”

“No, I bet it wasn’t” Tony laughed, his demeanour once more light-hearted; “but, seriously though, I’m tiny and you’re...”

“Was I thus when we met at your Gala?” the older huffed, his legs once more resuming their trek, a smirk of his own forming; “mayhaps you would like a demonstration since you’re so keen to... Ow!” the azure skinned alpha yipped, his face the picture of astonished when he observed the human waving a strand of his hair around.

“Pretty sensitive there, aren’t you?” the smaller male grinned. “No more of that innuendo unless you want to be bald before our wedding day, capiche?” he warmed toothily before letting the strand of midnight slip from his grasp to snake to the floor.

“You would scold me when it was you who...”

“Merely asked a question, darling” the mortal reminded with a wink; “not that I can’t say I’m interested but, seriously? Giants? Marriage? Realms? Anti-hypothermia booze, dragons and Kingdoms and, you know? It’s all so much bigger than anything I’ve ever really had to deal with... well, maybe not the booze part” he tried to laugh.

“Anthony...”

“Tony” the other insisted through a sigh and a shrug; “God this is weird, weird and awkward and...”

“Mm... perhaps it would be better for us to talk face to face? That would be less strange for you, yes?” Loki suggested, his feet moving them away from his intended course (the Bi-Frost Observatory would probably be a little much to take in straight away) and towards his own suite of rooms. “No tricks, no innuendos of any kind, I swear on mine honour” he added when his mortal quarry quirked a suspicious brow at him.

“And the tour?”

“They’ll be plenty of time for that, later” the older reassured; “for now, let us to mine chambers so we may talk” he urged. “I know my apology may have seemed somewhat paltry earlier... however, the more I think upon my selfishness, the more I begin to feel something quite, umm... strange...”

“Oh? What’s that? Humility? Guilt? Common-sense?” the shorter being jeered, his laugh loud and pleased when Loki huffed and rolled his eyes, his pinned lips tipping fondly.

“Tch, maybe a combination of the three” he mused with a light shake of his head; “shall we go, then?”

“Lead the way, Loki-doki” the human replied, a small, genuine smile brightening his features; “lead the way.”

~*~*~*~

Odin knew from the very second he’d allowed the three mortals access to his lands that there would be trouble...

“My goodness, I think I’ve been in smaller stadiums... and yet this chamber can really hold every citizen of Asgard?”

As usual, he wasn’t wrong.

“Maria, please....”

“Oh Mr Stark, do not fret so” Frigga chuckled, her arm linked with the owlishly blinking young femme as they walked down the crimson carpeting to approach his throne, a more cowed (more respectfully subdued) pair of alphas sidling alongside them. “I am delighted, thoroughly and truly, to be hosting you here... Hmm, perhaps it might even be worth hosting that fine son of yours here for a time if our fears hold true? Mine own son is similarly mate-less...”

“Ah! Now isn’t that an excellent idea?” Maria agreed, her fawn-eyes sparkling; “Thor is such a dear and so handsome, though... why, I am incredibly surprised that no one has bagged him yet” she stated as the pair laughed amicably whilst Phil tried his best to smile and Howard continued to grit his teeth and duck his head.

At this rate, the lot of them would be killed with Tony (the reason why they’d come here in the first place) none the wiser.

God, how he wished he’d slammed the door in Nick Fury’s face when he’d come knocking twenty five years ago; hadn’t life been simpler when he’d just made weapons and technology?

‘But we need to put on a good show for the extraterrestrials who are, in fact, very real, very advanced and very likely to squash us if we don’t show some teeth and balls’ the younger alpha had said, a flood of screens filled with dignitaries, delegates and world-leaders nodding along behind him. ‘You’re Howard Stark, you live for flash, dazzle and amazement so, my friend, you’re either going to put on that famous smile of yours for us or I have orders to re-draft you into the Army effective, immediately...’

That sneaky, one-eyed, just-as-trapped-as-the-rest-of-them, bastard...

“Is he quite... alright?”

“Please don’t mind him” Maria sighed, her long-suffering tone cutting through his thoughts; “for all of his genius and business prowess, he doesn’t adapt well to social changes” she informed with a roll of her eyes. “I probably wouldn’t keep him around, you know, but he does pretty-up the mansion now, don’t you dear?”

“M-Maria!”

“Aye me!” Frigga laughed, the sound joyous (and causing Odin’s frown to lessen by a fraction; he may not like having to deal with lesser beings but he hadn’t heard his wife so openly merry for... by the Norns, could it truly be so long ago?).

“T’has been quite some time since my Lady-Queen hath been so glad” he called, his booming voice echoing about the immense room; “why not come and make their introduction to me, hmm?”

“Ah, but of course” the golden-haired goddess called fondly. “My Lord, it is my honour to introduce Howard and Maria Stark of Midgard... I do, however, believe that you and Agent Coulson are familiar to each other?” she added whilst leaving the younger femme’s side to ascend the dais. “T’was your son and heir who bought them before me to plead their case” she continued after the mortals bowed at the waist (aping Phil’s gesture exactly).

“Oh?” the God-King stated, his poise no less grand regardless of the way he so casually inhabited the expansive, golden throne; “it takes much to move that child to action on the behalf of others... but he has been so interested by the humans and their welfare as of late” he continued with a little shrug.

“What is your cause?”

“Their child was taken, your Majesty, before time and in breach of the agreement made with Mr Stark three years ago” Phil spoke, his black-suit clad form having taken a step forward when Maria had gone to answer, her eyes narrowing from the Agent to her husband.

“Taken?” Odin huffed; “but Prince Loki took a sacred oath which would forbid such actions” the older mused, his body sitting a little taller.

“We believe it was his wording that managed to undermine the contract, your Highness” the Shield operative insisted; “that, and their son was unaware of...”

“Hm? Unaware?” the ruler of Asgard quipped, a hand stroking his beard; “you would risk war within the Nine, disturb a peace which has lasted for Centuries because this mortal-man has committed to dealings on one end and not the other?” he huffed, his right brow quirking.

“No, sir, we merely...”

“Merely?” the elder laughed, the sound of it cruel and unkind.

“My Lord, if I may?” Frigga sighed, her blue gaze flashing meaningfully at the man she knew to be acting so forthright for his own amusem*nt; out of anyone within the Nine (their own child included), she knew of few others who would relish a fresh skirmish as much as the alpha she’d married.

“Mm?”

“Prince Loki is a trickster, an opportunist and, as much as we may dote upon him and think of his games as sport our mortal guests are only just rejoining our greater society” she reminded, her body gliding to stand to his left. “For us, who know of such things, this may just seem a blunder, however... I would invite my good Lord to think on the implication for this grieving couple and their only son, an omega, no less...”

“An omega, you say?” the ancient being muttered, his form now leaning forward whilst his own eye burned with memory; “I do not recall Laufey saying that his heir was wanting to court and mate with one of the most scared beings of the Nine” he huffed imperiously as he scrutinised the one called Howard. “I was told that Loki sought a match between heirs” he stated, a disbelieving chuckle coughing through his throat. “Is it practise upon Midgard that the omega be given such duties as the garnering of land, fortune and reputation? Is this Tony such a marvel that you would entrust what I have been told to be a large inheritance, a technology-based company and a commitment to green-energy to him and not his alpha mate?”

“My Lord...”

“Come now, wife, surely you are similarly amazed” Odin said, his laugh open when he noticed the human femme’s ire spiking; “do not misunderstand me, Lady Stark, I mean no disrespect” he mock soothed, his smirk closer to a sneer with his smugness. “Tis surely a cultural difference that fascinates me, though... for, you see, the omega of Asgard are rare, sacred, as they are across all other Realms where they exist” he stated. “They are raised in enclaves to serve the Norns before duals, jousts and the like are held to select an alpha worthy of their attention... why, to burden them with such laborious work when they’re beings of pleasure and cable of birthing only superior alphas seems quite brutish and uncivilised, would you not agree?”

“Certainly not!” Maria baulked, her outburst causing Phil to startle and Howard to snap his head around to her, his body stiff with dread. “It has taken many years, your Majesty, but equality of lands, rights and employment are finally crossing through all genders on Earth” she said, her form side-stepping her mate when he made to grab her arm.

“We’re proud that our peoples aren’t limited by roles given to them as opposed to the ones they choose and I think it’s barbaric to think otherwise” she furthered with a huff, her arms folding tightly as she regarded the King, her head held high whilst Howard wondered if his current will was up to scratch even as Phil contemplated what life choices had led him to such an unfortunate end.

For Odin chuckling, it was said, foretold of terrible things to come...

And, therefore, him howling with laughter could only spell disaster for them all...

Chapter 12: Of Moods and Motives...

Chapter Text

“Does it go well, think you?”

Sighing, his eyes squinting at the crystal ball he held, Býleistr moved to place it back upon its pedestal; “feh... my ability to cast is so limited that we’d have a better chance of knowing if we were stood outside his chamber door with our ears pressed against it” he grumbled.

“Don’t be so fast to degrade yourself, Bý” the younger tried to cheer, his crimson eyes blinking owlishly at the shimmering orb; “Loki’s wards are some of the finest in the Nine and so us being able to see anything, even these foggy images of their meeting, is a feat in itself” he praised.

Snorting, the older of the pair slinked away from his failed attempt at eavesdropping to pour himself into his favourite reading chair beside the open window allowing him the best view of the City which ensconced their keep, a pout forming as he pondered: “do you not think this unfair?”

“Um?” the younger piqued, his own garnet orbs still glued to the flawless sphere; “unfair?”

“Yes” the slightly taller of the two giants murmured broodily, his right hand gesturing to the crystalline metropolis sprawling out before him to the great, glistening walls and frozen wastes and mountains even further afield. “Loptr is to receive all of this and, perhaps, a secondary Realm too if his courtship of Anthony goes well” he huffed, his brow furrowing; “what is to be our inheritance then? Advisors? Army-strategists? Court-jesters?”

“Bý... must you sulk? It’s not as though Loptr asked to be born first... and besides, perhaps you’re quite wrong” the slighter male shrugged good-naturedly; “maybe he’ll choose to retire to Midgard with his spouse... hmm... I canst imagine that a child of their shared lineage would thrive here, especially when in their infancy” he mused. “That, and he’s never really shown any interest in the crown...”

“Tch... that’s because he’s had his head full of Asgard’s lofty-heights since his childhood; do you not notice that we were not educated there?”

“Ha! What is with this sour mood all of a sudden, hmm? You didst not want to attend the Academy at Asgard because, if my memory doesn’t deceive me, a little blonde femme picked at you for having prettier hair than hers...”

“Bah! Don’t be ridiculous! Nothing of the sort happened!”

“Hmm, what was her name again? Sigyn, I think? Ah, didst she not try to court our older brother once?” Helblindi mused, a talon laced hand gripping his chin thoughtfully as, just out of sight, his sibling was growing more exasperated by the second.

“Ugh! You’re impossible!” he seethed, his fangs flashing in a sneer; “do you really not see how we’re being slighted?”

“Oh? Are we being cast out? Forced to make our own way in life?” the younger asked, his tone long-suffering; “you alphas and your need to one-up each other... it must be so tiring” he furthered with a roll of ruby eyes. “I pity the lot of you, truly...”

“Heh, just because you’re an omega doesn’t mean your position is any less perilous” the older groused, his gaze returning to the glittering spires which made up their Realm’s Capital; “just as Loptr didn’t ask to be born first I did not ask to play second-fiddle” he snipped.

“Bý, you... actually, no, I am finished trying to pull you out of your sulks... Loki is finally growing up, planning to get married and trying to put his more childish days behind him” he argued before elegantly turning and strolling towards the bed-chamber’s doors. “Perhaps, instead of giving in to pettiness and jealousy, you should do the same...”

~*~*~*~

Thor wasn’t best known for his bouts of common sense or the ability to ’read a room’, however...

“Umm... should I be concerned at the choice of attire you’ve had the betas dress me in, mother?”

Blinking owlishly as the regal femme chuckled and moved to stand behind him, their eyes meeting in the lengthened looking-glass which they stood before, the heir to Asgard’s throne tried to smile when she patted at his cape (the gold-embroidered one which bore their family’s crest) and smoothed his mane.

“Concerned? Why? Hath dressing in your finery finally lost its appeal?” she chuckled kindly whilst gliding to lean into his right side; “you do clean up so well, my boy” she cooed before nodding at the attendants, her motion prompting them to tidy away the wares of their trade with swift, silent efficiency.

“Ah... nay, it is not that which worries me...”

“Oh?”

Feeling a sliver of anxiety snake its way between his ribs, the God of Thunder regarded his mother in a way that instantly had her grinning, a mischievous twinkle alighting her azure eyes: “why are we venturing to Jotunheim?”

“Hmm? Why Thor, have you forgotten so soon? We’re to act as vanguard...”

“Mother...”

“What? Is it so wrong to dress for such an occasion?” she inquired innocently, her own flawless outfit glistening thanks to the warm rays filtering through the opened windows. “Your father wishes for us to strike a certain impression, after all...”

“Father was laughing, earlier” the young warrior reminded, his frown unsettled before he narrowed his eyes at the still grinning femme who’d birthed and raised him. “Laughing and yet, all three of the Midgardians are well... you’ve even been given leave to invite the Lady Stark visiting upon a whim... and... it is all so... wait” he breathed, his nostrils flaring in understanding.

“You are up to something...” he accused through a hushed, deep, almost sputtered whisper.

“And you are daring the challenge the integrity of the Allmother” she huffed playfully, her right hand gesturing to a gilded, ceremonial dagger at her waist; “do not think yourself too big or too strong to be bested by the Norns’ appointed harbinger, my son” she chided with a wink which did little to calm his fraying nerves.

“I do not feel... comfortable about visiting with you and the mortals now, mother” he tried, a sweat-drop manifesting at his temple; “perhaps the Lady Sif or the Warriors Three wouldst...”

“Now, now, son... you wouldn’t wish to displease me when I’m such a fine mood, would you?” the femme tittered, her right hand snapping out to snag her blinking child’s wrist and, with a strength her frame seemed incapable of, she began to tug him towards the exit.

“Ah-h... I would really rather not...”

“Oh hush” the older all be giggled; “there is someone whom I’d really like you to meet and I’d rather you do so sooner rather than later in case, as I hope, a match may be made between you...”

~*~*~*~

Truly, Anthony’s laughter was one of the most beautiful and melodious noises in all the Nine...

“So you... you convinced him to... to wear a wedding dress and... everything?! Wow! That is hilarious” the omega laughed, his honeyed eyes shimmering with mirth as they both observed the magical projections he’d made to illustrate one of his favourite adventures with Thor.

The man (though at times a boorish, stuck-up and war-hungry) was a true friend and someone whom he thought of as a brother which, therefore, surely meant that he wouldn’t mind being used in a tale set to beguile the young human.

“I mean... sure, he’s kind’a pretty... but didn’t the beard give the game away?”

“Ah, not at all, for the veil covered his face and our quarry happened to prefer femmes of a broader, more sturdy musculature” the ice-prince replied smoothly from where he lounged (in his Midgardian form) beside his (soon to be) intended upon one of the colossal cushions which littered his bed-spread. “The ruse, of course, only needed to last long enough for the oaf’s precious weapon to be returned to him... I, myself, merely enjoyed the spoils of the banquet and recorded this moment for posterity...”

“Ha! Too right! This sh*t’s priceless” the olive skinned male observed, his hand reaching for another handful of chips which Loki had conjured for him. “Man... you guys have done stuff that makes my few notorious escapades look like taking tea with grandma” he chuckled through a huff, his eyes slanting a side-long glance towards the alpha. “Which, again, raises the more pressing question of the whole why me thing, doesn’t it?”

“Hmm?”

“Heh, don’t go hushing up on me now, lover-boy” the omega chuffed, his body sitting up a little straighter to give the currently alabaster and ebony God his full attention. “I know that your culture seems to have a thing for omegas (“and why wouldn’t we, precious rabbit?”) but I’m pretty sure that a guy like you could have his pick, especially from Earth” he reasoned, his brow furrowing. “There’s nothing royal about my family and, yeah, our tech-skills are the best the world has to offer but, as much as I hate to admit it, that all pales in comparison to you being able to bend the laws of space and time to bring me Doritos, you know?”

Snorting, Loki was about to offer a (what he thankfully realised would be) flippant remark when, much to their shared surprise, Laufey’s imposing form slammed the bed-chambers door open with a resounding bang which sent Tony’s body tumbling down the frosty fabric to sprawl onto the mattress.

If he thought anything about the clumsy way that the alpha somehow landed atop him then, fortunately, the King’s booming voice stopped him from airing it.

“A procession of Asgardians have announced their arrival and are currently en-route” he snapped, his fangs flashing and he plucked his tiny son up by his cape and rattled him for good-measure. “Tis the Queen and heir-apparent who are arriving and, wouldst you like to guess whom else shouldst be in their high company?” he close to seethed, his mouth parting to snarl further when the human upon the bed let out a deep, long-suffering sound.

“This fiasco has my mom’s name written all over it” he sighed, his face a grim mask as he pointed at (a slightly twitching, definitely wary) Loki; “well, it’s been nice knowing you reindeer-games” he stated, his tone as sombre as it was resolute whilst a f*cking rainbow blasted past the window to his right.

“It’s been real nice...”

Chapter 13: Three Days...

Chapter Text

Striding past the towering guards (who were blinking and gawping between her advancing form and the plethora of Asgardians marching more sedately behind her), Maria Carbonell-Stark threw her arms wide open to receive her sheepishly smiling son who happily jogged to her embrace.

“Oh Tony! My Tony! I’ve been so worried!” she breathed into his hair, her arms locking around his back.

“It’s... wooph... great... to see you, too... Mama” the omega breathed through a (partly) playful wheeze; “c-can you, ugh, maybe tone it down... a smidge?” he added through a chuckle when she held on all the tighter.

“Antonio Eduardo Carbonell-Stark, you will allow me to hold you for as long as I see fit” she commanded, her tone barely wavering regardless of her clearly overwhelmed state; “you’re not dead, you’re alive, you’re okay” she added through a murmur and a delicate sniffle.

Swallowing thickly (when you sat back and thought over everything that’d transpired over the last twenty-four hours, the whole situation really was insane), Tony nodded, his eyes screwing shut as he held her just as tightly.

The fact that they had an audience made up of blue-giants, Aryan Gods and some incredibly uncomfortable looking humans (one of which was his own father, the prick) didn’t really matter much.

He was a Stark; being stared at was part of the territory...

“Have you eaten? Drank? Slept? Oh! You’ve not even been given a change of clothes!”

And, just like that, his mother’s spell of quiet appreciation was lost to her primary instincts.

It was so unfair that he, a twenty-one year old omega, had been given the task of averting an inter-planetary, or rather, inter-realm war but, as his mother released him to size up the carefully observing Jotun Royal Family and their many, many guards, Tony knew that he had his work cut out for him.

“Which one of you made the monumental mistake of stealing my child?”

Oh boy...

“Mama” he breathed, his body side-stepping to link her arm as she prowled forward (he was pretty sure he could hear his father (Uncle Phil? Why had he brought him along?) and the small posse of humans start to curse and spit out tackling-plans). “Just... here, allow me” he said, her hand giving her a reassuring squeeze whilst the giant royals began to shrink to their level with imposing (but guilty) looks adorning their faces.

He supposed that they couldn’t look too sheepish with so many off-worlders standing in the grand-entrance hall of their palace; he’d watched Game of Thrones enough to know that showing weaknesses like ’admitting wrong doing’ got you your head cut off and so he’d have to take the initiative here.

They’d already wormed their way into his heart, hadn’t they? That, and well, marriage or no, he wanted to keep Peggy which probably wouldn’t be possible if his mother started a war.

“It is my pleasure to introduce his Royal Highness King Laufey, Slayer of Heijjliek the Devourer, Eleventh Son to the House of Greittghj and ruler of all Jotuheim” he said, his head bowing at the owlishly blinking Ruler who seemed to be holding back a sputter as he inclined his head in a similar gesture. “His wise and beautiful mate-wife Farbauti, daughter of Svllegg the Conqueror and Queen of all Jotunheim” he furthered before giving the same gesture to an immensely proud looking femme, her crimson eyes shining at him fondly. “And, since they have so insisted, I will call them only by their names” he continued whilst all three sons (Loki looking the most awe-inspired, and wasn’t that just the cutest thing?) bowed; “these are their sons, Princes By, Helbi and Loptr” he said, his smirk quirking when the oldest alpha almost choked.

Keeping her beautiful face decidedly neutral, the mortal femme inclined her own head delicately, her immaculately curled hair flowing beautifully even in the icy air whilst her only child squeezed her arm; “your royal highnesses, this is Maria Rebecca Carbonell-Stark, Empress of New York’s High Society and, of course, my mother...”

“Charmed, I’m sure” she cut-in, her azure eyes narrowing; “and whom, may I ask, is Loki?”

Cringing internally in sympathy for the oldest brother, Tony watched as the two younger siblings stepped back to leave their kin quite firmly in the femme’s sights.

“Ahh... Mama, it’s... there’s more to this than...”

“Oh? So this one has told you all about the deal he made with Howard, has he?”

Sucking in a breath (after shooting a glare at the Prince in question; to the man’s credit, his shoulders did seem to slump under the furs ruffed there), the omega nodded (before quickly looking over his shoulder to mouth ‘asshole’ at his stricken sire) and beckoned the alpha forward. “Yeah, well, all great romances have to start somewhere...”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” the brunette hissed, her body jerking to regard her child incredulously; “I’ve come to bring you home and look” she continued, her left arm pointing towards the Asgardians: “a wonderful young-man with an overly-generous, enchanting mother has spent great time and expense getting us here to rescue you” she stated. “The only reason I came here was to give your abductor a piece of my mind and a slap to the face for good-measure, however, since he’s a Prince that may be a step too far...” she admitted before looking the Jotnar dead in the eye: “...in his home-land. However, if I may say, sir should you ever make the grave error of coming to my home to approach my son again, well, let’s just say that a slap will seem a mercy...”

“A-ah, a... ha-ha-ha, ha” Tony tried to soothe whilst rapidly looking between the stunned Jotnar and his (still quite visibly seething) parent; “she’s such a kidder” he laughed, his arm grasping hers just the right side of too tightly. “And, ugh, very protective but hey, look at me, I’m such a delicate little thing, aren’t I?” he furthered before turning pleading eyes on his mother; “but, umm, what’s say that we just, you know, take a moment to calm down, hmm?”

Huffing, her features relaxing minutely, Maria regarded her only child carefully; “fine” she quipped. “But not here” she added before turning to the Jotuns: “I’ll admit that there seems to more going on here than I know of and, although I cannot say that I’m happy, if Tony vouches for you then I am willing to discuss this matter further” she said. “However, I must insist that we do so at my home, on Earth in oh... let’s say three days?” she offered whilst twirling, her gasping son swinging around with her to walk towards the Asgardian entourage. “If you come then I will gladly and warmly receive you but, if you don’t, then I will consider any attempts at communicating with my son in the future to be hostile” she called before turning her head to regard them coolly; “do trust me when I say that you don’t want that.”

~*~*~*~

“Am... am I seeing this?” Phil Coulson asked, his usually calm exterior cracking in his nervousness.

Rubbing his work-toughened hands over his face, Howard forced himself to watch as his wife marched away from an alien-royal-family, her head held high and son in tow; “Jesus ‘Ria” he breathed.

“Are you sure your mate is mortal, Stark?” Thor whispered (well, what he would consider a whisper); “such boldness certainly lends itself to a being with far more power” he reasoned from where he stood beside the older looking alpha. “She most certainly seems to have cast a spell upon Laufey... why, it is almost unheard of for any to place such demands upon him and live to talk of it” he continued, his right hand cupping his chin thoughtfully. “And she persuaded both my mother and father too... hmm, yes, it is most unlikely that she’s human” he nodded whilst his human compatriots continued to pray that they’d make it out of this situation alive. “Um, is she a Norn is disguise, think you?”

Struggling not to lose his temper (the blonde’s ramblings could be irksome at the best of times), Howard instead moved to reach his wife but found, to his mounting shock and horror, that an Asgardian twice his size blocked his way.

“Step no further, Midgardian” the brute warned; “the Allmother wishes that you stay put.”

“But... I...”

“My heavens Maria! What a delight you are!”

Blinking, his jaw clicking shut, the Earth-alpha could only watch as the ethereal Queen greeted his mate with open arms before gushing all over his son and commending him on his bravery and beauty.

There was something very unsettling about the Goddess’ attentions but who was he to intervene? Could he?

Of course not.

He was an insect to these people, hell, his family and fellow SHEILD Agents were, weren’t they? It just so happened that Maria and Tony were butterflies whereas he and the rest of their kind were probably something lesser.

However, butterflies were only interesting for so long, weren’t they?

~*~*~*~

“I couldn’t have done any of this without you, my Lady! I can never repay you for all of your help and kindness...”

Looking from one scarily powerful woman to the other (whilst desperately trying to look back, to offer Loki and the other’s a sign, anything), Tony soon found himself linked between them as they walked towards a living wall of gleaming, golden muscle.

And speaking of which...

“Verily, t’was a sight to behold” a tall, Kelvin Klein model wearing something too Shakespearian to be believed offered; “ahh... should I, perhaps, stay to speak with...”

“Don’t be silly, my boy” Frigga cut in with a smile; “Maria has stated her terms and, as per our agreement, we have only interceded, quite rightfully so, on behalf of the mortals to fetch the young hen home” she reminded: “therefore there really is nothing to be said as it all went so well now, is there?”

“Umm...” the omega in question tried; “ugh... hi?”

“Oh Tony, how silly of me!” his mother chuckled whilst the walked further and further away from the grand-entrance hall; “I have been so focused on finding you that I’ve forgotten to introduce two of the most important people I could ever hope to meet and know!” she laughed warmly, her smile matching the alien woman’s glow for glow. “You, son, are in the presence of Queen Frigga, Vanguard to the Norns and the Allmother of the Nine Realms” she offered before nodding to the beef-cake strolling beside the blonde; “and this fine-gentleman is Prince Thor, God of Thunder and Heir Apparent to the High Realm of Asgard” she said. Then, with a wink, the femme added “isn’t he the most handsome alpha you’ve ever seen?”

Swallowing (and sensing some kind of danger looming based on an incorrect response), Tony nodded the affirmative before trying to turn on his usual charm (which he just didn’t feel considering Loki was only steps away): “he sure is” he noted. “I should imagine he’s the strongest alpha I’ve ever seen, too... heh, you don’t get a body like that without dedicated determination, do you?” he offered before turning his smile upon the visibly pleased Prince: “you must be able to bench-press this whole planet, am I right?”

Laughing heartily, his own smile dazzling, Thor even blushed a little whilst the two femmes exchanged knowing glances.

There was much planning to do within these next three days...

Chapter 14: To Cleaning up Messes...

Chapter Text

Loki was livid…

“Hmm… should we be worried about the shade of purple he is turning, think you?”

He’d had had Anthony in his home, in his grasp, in his bed for Norns’ sake…

“Tch, if he passes out I may deign to summon the healers, however, if he’s just going to sulk like a youngling, well, I wouldst rather leave him to it.”

Oh! And the pretty little hen had been so receptive to his charms, his gifts, his family and culture…

“He does more than sulk, By… surely you have some sympathy, don’t you? Why, Loptr’s whole suit is in danger of collapsing, isn’t it?”

And now that tall, golden, gamely oaf had swooped in to spoil his happiness with his glistening smiled and ethereal, ever-cunning mother preening like a peaco*ck in the background…

“Is it? Anthony has yet to make any decision, is that not so?” the younger alpha huffed, his crimson eyes keenly examining his jewel speckled claws; “in fact, this is actually a prime opportunity for our so called ill-fated brother to not only secure a bride, but a bride he’s snatched from Asgard’s precious champion” he reasoned. “Why, can you not imagine the look on Odin’s face to know that it was a Jotnar who overcame his child, that is was a Jotnar whom solidified ties with Midgard and brought them back to the Nine Proper?” he furthered with a sniff before turning his cool gaze on his taller sibling. “Tch, if I had such a chance I wouldst be crowing with delight… not pacing like a caged Dulson beast with a speared member…”

Snarling, his cape billowing out behind him as he spun, Loki was about to snag the smaller alpha (an outlet for his rage seemed prudent) before the other’s words (beyond the insult) finally registered amidst the chaotic screams of righteous indignation swirling around his mind.

Huh…

“Hn, it would appear as though the geld has dropped” Býleistr mused, his rave brows quirking when the hand sent to snatch at him started to retract alongside the oldest giant’s evident ire. “Now, brother-min, whatever dastardly plan can you dream up to win the day?” he deadpanned whilst Helbi, his eyes glistening with mischievous joy, clapped his hands whilst cheering “and how can we help?!”

~*~*~*~

Howard Stark sat with his head held in his hands; this was disastrous…

“This is wonderous!” Maria chirped, her arms full of interior design magazines whilst behind her, their mouths flapping into various phones as fingers danced over StarkPads, a veritable army of personal assistants (Jesus, did she really pay for all of these people with her fashion business money?) tittered and flitted about his Office. “In two days time our humble little Mansion will receive a pair of families straight out of a HBO Producer’s wildest dreams” she preened as she scattered the books about his desk and began to flip through the multi-coloured pages at speed.

“Ria…” he sighed out, his worry harrowed eyes staring at her, at them, from between his slightly parted fingers; “this isn’t a… a f*cking soap-opera…”

“No Howard, it isn’t” she replied breezily before, her smile becoming eerily neutral, she turned to him fully; “no, this is the mess you’ve made that I, once again, am attempting to fix” she furthered, her manicured nails flourishing about the plethora of fabric swatches, glossy catalogues and the like. “And why? Well, aside from our, or rather, my only child’s happiness being so far beneath your notice that you were just going to ship him off…”

“Ugh! How many times do I have to explain…”

“Ship him off” the femme continued, her voice dangerously low (more so to ensure that her staff only heard what was plausible); “without so much as telling either of us, thank you, I actually have a knack for diplomacy thanks to my family’s political history” she reminded primly, her gaze returning to the images. “Which means I can, hopefully, resolve this international incident without the kind of bloodshed you and your precious Shield could have brought… and now, if you don’t mind, dear, just go and busy yourself elsewhere whilst I turn this train-wreck into triumph” she said, her voice volume increasing alongside her smile. “Oh yes, with a bit of sparkle here, a dash of gold there and as much alcohol as New York can provide, our boy shall have a Courtship Retreat for the ages now, won’t he?” she mockingly chirped.

Scrubbing his hands up his face and through his hair, the alpha let out a deep sigh of resignation before standing up, undoing the Windsor knot at his throat and making his way towards the exit.

“Okay Ria” he breathed, their eyes briefly locking on his way out; “okay…”

~*~*~*~

Quirking his brow at Uncle Phil, Tony found his arms crossing in the typical ‘oh, you want to argue with me?’ stance that everyone in their household (from the servants to his father) had come to fear thanks to his mother’s prolonged used of it as they stood facing each other, the kitchen island and two mugs of hot chocolate cooling between them.

“Tony…”

“Ooh… I think that should be Mr Stark to you now, Agent” the younger man snipped, his lips pursing slightly; “tch, I can’t even call you Phil anymore, can I? No, I bet that isn’t your real name, is it?” he furthered before grabbing his mug and taking a hefty swig of it.

Frowning softly, his expression hangdog, the older man redirected his blue eyes towards the window where morning sunlight was filtering through immaculately clean glass; “working for Shield means that there’s only so much I can say and only so much…”

“Can it” the omega cut in, his temper momentarily flaring; “it’s bad enough that both you and dad have lied to me, like, my whole life without you digging yourself in any deeper” he huffed, his brow furrowing even as his expression softened against the bitter sadness he felt. “Tch… I know dad has never loved me or liked me or whatever… but I didn’t think that you would betray me like this…”

“Oh, for Christ’s sake!” a voice suddenly boomed into the otherwise silent kitchen; “do you know what? No, I am not putting up with this anymore” a fuming, clearly dishevelled (probably drunk, the omega’s mind supplied glibly) Howard Stark growled out. “Phil? Go call Fury or something” he directed before making a beeline for his child, his eyes narrowing angrily when the younger male pulled away from the hand he’d reached out to grasp him with. “Tony, you…”

“No dad” the omega said, his legs back peddling him away from the now scowling alpha; “I don’t want to be anywhere near you right now… heh, but isn’t that what you want? Isn’t that what’s going to happen when one of these aliens decides to carry me off and…”

“God damn-it! You have to let me explain! I…”

“Ha! I have to let you, do I? Do I?!” the shorter man exploded even as Phil (who’d chosen to remain in the room, just in case) moved to pull the hot beverage nearest the Starks’ away, his pale blue eyes awash with a sympathy he couldn’t subdue. “I think you’ll find I don’t have to do anything! Or what, are you so pissed that mom didn’t let the jolly blue giants keep me that you want to make my life more miserable now that I’m back? Huh? Is that it?!”

“Jesus Tony! You’re my son, I love you…”

“No you f*cking don’t!” the youngest member of the room all but snarled, his arms flailing in enraged gesticulations; “you resent and despise my gender! You have never shown the slightest bit of interest in me outside of the tech I’ve designed and hell, you don’t even acknowledge me then!” he spat.

“’Not bad, for an omega, is he?’ Oh yeah, dad, I overheard you say that to the slime-balls you liked to show around the labs when I was growing up but hey, what the f*ck am I complaining for? At least you admitted that those prototypes where mine… unlike the AI framework and high-tech prosthetics…”

“The shareholders never would have bought them and the Company never could have patented them if they knew they were yours, Tony! You know that!”

“But you’ve never fought for me! Not once! And now, surprise-surprise, here comes a group of extra-terrestrials who could make you one of the richest, most powerful people in the world and oh! What a convenience! What a coincidence that you just so happen to have an omega that you don’t wan-!!“

The sound of Howard’s hand connecting with his cheek, the force of the blow physically turning the twenty-one year old’s head, filled the room and cast the kitchen into muted, greyed out silence.

Blinking, his lashes momentarily beading tears before he hastily swiped them away (the bastard wasn’t worth it), Tony didn’t so much as breath before he turned and threw a punch (as hard as he f*cking could) right at the older man’s jaw.

The feeling of flesh and bone jarring at the impact should have made him giddy, however, not even the shocked look on the alpha’s face whilst he fell gave him any kind of satisfaction.

No, it did nothing for the emptiness even as they stared at each other.

How could he have wanted anything from this man? Why had he spent so much of his life seeking approval, affection from…

“I’m sorry, Tony.”

Sucking a shaky breath through his teeth, his eyes screwing shut, the younger man felt his closed fists trembling; “n-no… no you’re not…”

“Yes, I am” Howard tried, a broken laugh croaking from his lips. “You’re not wrong, in some respects… I’ll admit” he continued, his form still sat on the floor whilst he rubbed at his reddened jaw: “just not in the ways you think” he said, his tone softening. “When you were born, it was one of the happiest days of my life… I had such hopes, such dreams for you” he murmured; “but…”

“But then the gender testing revealed I was an omega” the golden eyed male hissed.

“The laws are the laws, Tony” the older man admitted; “sure, I tried my best to alter and change what I could, but there was no denying the ways in which you were going to be restrained and confined regardless of whether or not you inherited my IQ” he explained, a rueful smile trying to stretch his lips. “You certainly inherited your mother’s right-hook…”

“Tch, so what?”

“So I couldn’t be seen to openly teach or praise you and, as cowardly as it sounds, it was easier for me to look on and watch you, to guide you from behind the scenes, to keep my distance so I wouldn’t have to tell you that you couldn’t do something or be someone” he countered, all humour lost from his tone. “I thought it would be better for you, for all of us if I just stayed away… that, and it crushed me to see your potential being squandered, a potential you should’ve been able to develop however you chose” he said whilst slowly pulling himself to stand.

“And as for this mess” he stated, his hand gesturing towards the lawned gardens Odin’s Bifrost had dropped them into only an hour or so ago; “your involvement truly was an accident…”

“The hell it was, you…”

“No Tony, your father’s right” Phil cut in, his hands raised in surrender when the omega scowled at him; “when Thor and Loki first came to Earth, they did so in disguise” he began, his shoulders slumping a little as he spoke. “At first, I believe they were merely curious and interested to see how far we’d come as a species” he explained, his tired gaze meeting the omega’s head on; “but when they were picked up on Shield’s radar, well, that curiosity led to them becoming involved with Nick, Howard and the other founding members and, before long, the true extent of their intentions became known…”

Chapter 15: Of Past and Present...

Chapter Text

~*~ One and a half years ago ~*~

Phil had seen a lot in his years with Shield; terrorist groups, paedophile rings, corrupt officials and global crises which could have brought the world to its knees if not for them.

This, however, was something completely new…

“So… they’re aliens, is that what you’re saying?”

Huffing, Director Fury exchanged a look with a still quietly drinking Howard as the three of them sat within the African-American’s private Office, a holographic image of two very human looking men (dressed in fine business suits with matching scarves in crimson and jade) projecting from his chrome-glass desk.

“Tch, in a manner of speaking” Nick shrugged; “they described themselves as inter-dimensional travellers who used a Bifrost bridge to reach us here in, and I quote, the Land of Midgard” he huffed, his rueful smile not quite reaching his eye.

“I see” the slightly younger Agent said slowly; “what do they want?”

“They’re tourists” Stark snorted; “since none of the supposed other Realms that make up what we thought to be just Norse myths have visited here since Viking times, this pair of Princes thought they’d stop on by and check out the local colour” he added glibly before sighing, his eyes darkening. “That, and they’re here to judge if we’re worthy of, what did that blonde prick say? Oh yes, ‘worthy of re-joining the Nine’” he mocked, his tone bitter.

Blinking, his eyes narrowing, Phil felt his crossed arms tightening; “what kind of judgement are we talking about, exactly?”

“Now that, my friend, is the million dollar question” Nick said, his gaze focused on the men in question. “They’ve been travelling around the world, apparently, taking notes and asking questions of all kinds of peoples over the past six months or so” he explained, a new hologram rising from the desk to show a globe with pinpricks of light and arrows crossing it in many directions. “These are just some of the places Interpole and other secret-services have clocked them exploring using facial-recognition software, CCTV and every other surveillance technique you can name” he announced. “How do they get from place to place? We don’t know… How have they been purchasing clothes, food and other amenities? We don’t know and, for the most part, we have absolutely no idea what they’ve been up to in general” he groused.

“It’s a global-security nightmare and one that Shield is just about keeping the lid on” Howard added, his shoulders slumping after taking one last swig of his now empty tumbler; “however, after a few days worth of negotiation, we’ve found a way to keep them amused for a while.”

“Oh?”

“Thor, the blonde, is the son of Odin who, according to both of them, is the overall overlord of the Nine Realms and he, for whatever reason, has decided he wants to learn more about humans in general so we’ve arranged for Agents to take him to various cultural sites for the rest of the summer” Nick stated. “Loki, however, seems far more interested in our advancements when it comes to technology… and that’s where you and Howard come in” he relayed, his countenance darkening; “he’ll be staying Stateside where we can keep an eye on him… that way we can try to limit what he learns and why he learns it.”

Nodding at the older men, Coulson slowly and carefully mulled over the situation at hand.

Baby-sitting an alien Prince couldn’t be too different from any number of diplomatic missions he’d had to complete before, right?

“Now then, since there’s no time like the present, I’m sending Maria and Natasha out with Thor today and Loki is waiting for the pair of you down-stairs” he stated, his frown grim; “Howard’s kindly put him up in a Radisson Blu but, for all intents and purposes, he’s under your supervision Phil” he grunted. “Together, you need to give this Royal-brat a good show and keep him sweet… with any luck, one of them will start to spill the beans so we really know what we’re up against” he furthered gruffly.

“You suspect an invasion?”

“Tch, Phil… based on what I’ve seen just of these two? Hell, if them or their people wanted to take us over we’d be chained up and saying ‘yes master’ by now” he close to hissed, his balled fists clenching further. “No… for what it’s worth, I do think that they’re curious about how we’ve changed since the days of long-boats, superstition and goat-sacrificing” he admitted whilst shutting the holograms down and gesturing for a reluctant Howard to rise. “Other than that? sh*t… I’m just as in the dark as you are” he sighed; “now… I’ve included all of the documents you’ll need in that dossier and, should you need anything further, the usual contacts have all been notified.”

“Understood” the younger Agent said before looking towards the billionaire he’d been handling for the past ten years; “well Mr Stark, shall we?”

“Feh, I’m not nearly drunk enough for this…”

~*~*~*~

The first few days of chaperoning Loki weren’t exactly what he was expecting (not that he’d known what to expect, really); the Prince was smooth, charming, polite and witty (not too surprising) but he didn’t push or demand when he or Howard said no to a request. He also never seemed phased, worried or concerned when they showed him their (lesser) weapons, communication technologies or space-faring capabilities; if anything, he seemed almost bored.

“Hmm” he’d began one morning, his eyes roving over the StarkPad he’d been given; “I do quite like this internet you’ve created but, in terms of policing it, your people seem to be woefully ill-prepared.”

“Yes… we’re working on that” Howard has replied, a hint of grit peppering his tone; Loki was, they’d found, a very early riser which had been no problem for him at all. The senior Stark, however, had been loathed to leave his bed at five a.m. every morning to make their six a.m. appointments.

“Truly? And you believe that Government reforms only effecting a handful of States in this Country will hold precedence globally?” he’d asked, his lips quirking; “that sounds a little naive… not that I’m surprised” he shrugged: “it most be quite difficult to live in a Realm with so many rulers, laws and such.”

Trying not to frown, Phil had taken the liberty to cut in (before Howard got on his soap-box about freedoms, democracy and culture), his mouth opening until…

“Howard? Tony and I are leaving to… oh, I’m sorry.”

Blinking, the three men (who’d been lounging in the plush den resting inside the Stark’s Upper-State Mansion with a breakfast-spread big enough for five people laid out before them across an expansive, oaken coffee-table) looked to the opened door to see Maria standing there regarding them.

Standing swiftly, his body walking towards her, the oldest human alpha was about to hush her away when…

“Ah? Why Howard, you didn’t tell me that you had a younger sister?” Loki had called, his body similarly rising whilst Phil tried not to tense.

“Younger sister? My goodness, it’s been a long time since such a charming man offered me that kind of compliment” the femme had returned, her smile sparkling as she walked past her husband (either missing or completely ignoring his caustic looks) to accept the hand being offered to her. “I’m Maria and, although I am far more youthful and much more glamorous, my only relation to this thrilling man is through marriage” she said, a pleased giggle leaving her mouth when the Prince moved to kiss her hand rather than shake it. “Oh my, and who in the world might you be?”

“I am Loki Laufeyson, Lady Stark” he replied; “your husband and Agent Coulson are very graciously hosting me whilst I conduct some family business of my own” he explained warmly: “however, I feel they have been remiss in not introducing me to your lovely self before now.”

“Yes, I feel very much the same” the brunette chuckled, her smile all the wider before she turned to appraise her husband; “shame on you, Howard… and I suppose this means that you have yet to invite Mr Laufeyson to our Gala this evening for my charitable foundation?”

“Ria…”

“You haven’t, have you?” she cut off, her eyes rolling; “well!” she chirped, her beautiful face returning to the now smugly grinning Prince. “Please allow me to correct my mate’s rudeness by offering you an invitation alongside my sincerest apologies” she said, her face lighting up when the Prince accepted with a bow of his head and a smirk to the stoic men stood behind the femme whose hand he still held.

~*~*~*~

The Gala had rolled around without incident; Nick hadn’t been opposed to the idea and, after working with Stark Industries own security services, Shield had risk assessed the alien’s presence to the point where their error-margins were slim enough for the Security Council’s liking and so…

“My, my, this is a display of grandeur” Loki had drawled, his ivory skin luminous under the light of hundreds of chandeliers scattered across the ballroom’s ceiling; “yes, the alcohol is weak but pleasant, and I can’t say that I find Midgardian fashions unappealing” he’d added to a severely nonplussed Phil.

“I’m glad that you’re enjoying yourself, sir” he’d replied, his own hand holding a glass of sparkling water thick with ice; “I should imagine that your peoples hold something similar?”

“Hm, in a manner of speaking.”

And didn’t that just grate on him; regardless of the setting, topic or reason, the Prince (whom looked to be in his mid-twenties and not the thousand-plus he’d claimed) only ever gave vague, half-answers during their talks.

If only he could lock the man up in an interrogation-cell…

“Phillip? Who is that?”

Blinking (and momentarily cursing his lack of attention), the Agent snapped his glace away from Loki to see…

sh*t…

“Ah, I can see by your expression that you know of him, yes?”

Trying not to scowl, the sounds of classical music, laughter and clinking glasses doing little to lighten the worry building in his gut, Phil coughed lightly before leaning a little further into the immortal’s space. “That’s Tony” he replied, a small feeling of victory striking his chest when the other raised an imperious brow at him.

“Tony who?”

“Can’t you tell?” the spy quipped, hoping to annoy the other into a conversation whilst the young man in question flitted back out of sight behind crowds of glittering femmes and chortling, cigar smoking men.

“Oh? He is Howard’s child? Ah, but of course, his features are such a lovely blend of he and Lady Maria, aren’t they?” the alien breathed, his eyes trying to follow the oblivious man; “he seems too slender and much too beautiful to be an alpha” he continued, his legs stepping a few paces to the right. “Is he a beta, perhaps?” he almost purred, his tone suggesting that he already knew the answer to his unspoken question.

“He’s not mating-age by our laws, if that’s what you’re…”

“So he is an omega” Loki murmured thoughtfully; “how interesting” he continued, his jade eyes slanting back towards a stiff, ill-pleased Agent: “even more curious is the fact that Tony did not appear during any of my internet searches, for surely such a pretty-hen isn’t a secret amongst your high societies?”

Scowling (most Shield operatives who’d had anything to do with the youngest Stark were endeared towards his quick wit and sense of humour but Phil had known him since his childhood and was, therefore, rightfully protective of him), the Agent openly glared at their guest.

“He isn’t on any of your searches because you don’t need to know about him…”

“Truly?” the older alpha cut in, his eyes momentarily flashing crimson to startle the human he felt to be over-stepping his boundaries (he smirked when the usually demur man flinched at the slight reveal of his true form). “How odd, for I was assured that I could access anything that I wished to explore” he said, his tone sugary sweet as he turned away, his features once more human in colour and shape.

“Hmm, and I think I’d like to explore that young man very much…”