Archive of Our Own ^beta

"But, that's...that's you, right?" Tony asked hesitantly, watching the other Loki walking around the lounge room of the Avengers Tower, inspecting the paintings hung up on the wall, a sly smile on his face.

Loki sighed. "Yes and no. But he isn't staying so don't get too familiar."

"Oh, come on! Why not? We have the room's to spare, right?" Tony said with a too hopeful look at his Loki. "Also, what's with his whole get up? Just when I thought you looked weird the first time I met you and now I meet him. Is that a 'Loki For President' badge?"

"Yes and don't ask," Loki added when Tony opened his mouth to do just that.

President Loki seemed done with looking over the place, instead walking calmly over to the pair, raising an eyebrow at Tony like he'd done when he had first arrived at the Tower with Loki.

"Hello, Mr Stark. It's been a while," President Loki stated pleasantly, taking Tony's hand faster than the genius could react, bringing it up to his lips to kiss.

Loki wrapped a protective arm around Tony while summoning a dagger in his hand. Tony may not know just how dangerous this President Loki was yet but Loki did and he wasn't taking any chances.

"Hi there, Reindeer Games," Tony said, a light blush covering his face though he still managed a grin. "You're almost as hot as my boyfriend over here."

Loki scoffed, glaring heatedly at President Loki who looked very pleased with himself. "Anthony, would you please stop flirting with my Variant—?"

"But, Lokes! It's just a different version of you!" Tony protested, giving Loki a pouty look. "I still think you're the best Loki out there."

"Well, how can you think that if you haven't even tried another?" President Loki asked with a smirk at Loki's gasp of indignation.

"He's mine so back off," Loki said, holding out the dagger to put some distance between the Loki and his boyfriend. "Shouldn't you be leaving now?"

President Loki smiled charmingly. "Well, I must say, I'm quite tired. Helping aid you in escaping the end of time does that, don't you know?"

"We helped each other," Loki corrected. "And I don't believe I want you staying here."

President Loki rolled his eyes, glancing down at Tony. "Is he always this possessive of his things?"

"Tony isn't a thing," Loki seethed, five seconds away from stabbing his Variant in the groin for thinking he had any hold over Tony. "Just because you lost your Tony, doesn't mean you can take this one for your own."

President Loki flinched, taking a step back as if Loki had really gone to stab him and it made Loki feel just the slightest bit guilty. He only knew about that because President Loki had told him in a moment of weakness.

And now Loki was throwing it back in his face.

"Whoa, okay. Calm down you two," Tony said quickly, seeming to notice the change of tension in the room. "Let's just all relax for a minute. Loki, I'm not sure what that was but I think you should apologize."

"But—"

"I'm not done," Tony cut across Loki, turning to give President Loki a stern look. "I'm sorry for whatever happened to your Tony but I'm not him, alright? I'm with Loki. Er, my Loki, not you. So you need to back off a little no matter how much fun two Loki's sound like."

President Loki pressed his lips into a thin line, glancing at Loki who sighed. "I am sorry for that. I shouldn't have said that and it won't happen again."

"Perfect, great," Tony stated easily. "Now if you wanna stay for a bit, I'm okay with it but like I said, hands to yourself. And you," Tony said, looking at Loki who seemed to be about to protest, "will get over it. It's just for a little while and it's the least you can do after whatever the hell that was before."

Loki sighed again but reluctantly nodded, President Loki agreeing to keep his hands to himself though the look he gave Loki made the god question what kind of text President Loki had taken that for.

Loki made the dagger vanish, dropping his defensive stance as President Loki turned away.

Why did Loki feel like him staying was a bad idea?

"Did Stark make this library for you like mine did for me?"

Loki looked up, raising an eyebrow at President Loki who stood in the doorway, surveying the many bookshelves in the room before those green eyes settled on Loki.

"Yes, he did," Loki said, seeing no reason to lie.

"Interesting," President Loki murmured, walking slowly into the room. "I wonder what else is the same between your Anthony and mine."

"Many things, I'm sure," Loki muttered, turning the page of his book though he wasn't paying much attention to it. He had a feeling President Loki knew that too.

"But then there are many differences I've noticed too," President Loki admitted, taking down one of the books to read the name on the cover. "Such as his friends. I've noticed that Rogers is still alive."

Loki frowned. "Who you shall not kill this time around, I hope?"

"So long as he keeps his eyes off of Stark then he can live," President Loki said with a shrug as if they were discussing what to have for lunch and not one of the Avengers lives, placing the book back.

"That's my job to decide, not yours," Loki muttered as President Loki walked over to the table Loki sat at.

"It could be mine too if you just let me—"

"No," Loki stated sternly. "We're not having this conversation."

"Why not?" President Loki demanded calmly, pressing both hands to the wood of the table as he leaned forward. "Why won't you even consider—?"

"You're too dangerous," Loki cut across him firmly. "You want the truth? That is it. You're too much of a risk to even be staying here for this past week, never mind entering a relationship with Anthony and I."

"Because I took over Midgard? Isn't that what you tried to do to begin with?" President Loki countered.

"I was controlled. You killed thousands and enslaved mankind to get what you wanted," Loki told him.

"I changed," President Loki whispered.

"Then prove it," Loki said simply. "Show me I can trust you."

President Loki hummed thoughtfully. "Fine. I will. But first..."

Loki yelped when President Loki grabbed the front of his shirt, dragging him forward and kissing him hard.

It didn't last long before President Loki let him go, leaving Loki gasping for breath because no, he didn't know just how good a kisser he really was despite Tony's constant assurances that he'd never had someone kiss him the way Loki kissed him.

"Anthony did say to keep my hands to myself, did he not?" Loki said with a pleased smirk. "And you are me."

Loki blushed a dark shade of red as President Loki turned and walked back out the room.

What had Loki gotten himself into?

"Do you want a drink?"

President Loki blinked, glancing up at Tony at the bar before smirking. "Yes, please."

Tony grinned to himself, pouring the Loki Variant a drink and walked over, flopping down on the couch beside him, handing over the glass. "Whatcha looking at?"

President Loki drank from the glass as he placed down the tablet before he answered. "I'm seeing how your reality varies from my own. I'm pleased to see not much is all that different."

"Except the fact that you're president in your reality?" Tony said though it wasn't much of a question.

President Loki nodded. "Well, yes. There are a few differences."

"And I'm dead in your reality?" Tony guessed.

President Loki surprised Tony when he didn't immediately throw the genius out a window. "Why do you want to know?"

"Curiosity," Tony said with a shrug. "Loki told me that when he mentioned me while you two were at the end of time or whatever, you wanted to help him get home. I guessed that whichever timeline is yours, I died in it. Otherwise you would have just gone back to your own timeline, right?"

President Loki knitted his brows together. "I forgot just how smart a mortal you truly are."

"How long has it been? Since I died in your reality?" Tony asked hesitantly.

"Too long," President Loki admitted. "You were gone for years in my lifetime before the TVA took me away for messing with the timeline. At the end of time, it's hard to keep track of the passage of time. So I'm unsure how long exactly but it has been a very long time."

"Why did the TVA take you from your timeline?" Tony asked after a moment.

President Loki sighed. "Like I said. I messed with the timeline. By attempting to bring you back."

"Ah...I'm guessing it didn't work?" Tony said unsurely.

President Loki shook his head. "No, it worked. The TVA killed him again. In front of me."

Tony hated the TVA even more for that. "What assholes."

President Loki gave a small smile. "That's one thing to call them."

"You must miss him," Tony mumbled quietly.

"Everyday," President Loki sighed.

"What are you doing?" Loki sighed, almost fed up at this point.

President Loki had stayed at the Tower for nearly a month now and showed no signs of leaving anytime soon. Not to mention that he apparently had no idea what boundaries were.

"You seem stressed?" President Loki offered as a half-assed excuse, pressing Loki's shoulders to get the tension out of them.

"Yes, I'm sure that's the reason for your constant touching," Loki muttered, ignoring just how nice it felt and how much he relaxed into it.

"Have you reconsidered—?"

"Actually, yes. I have."

"—thinking about allowing me to..." President Loki trailed off. "Wait, you have?"

"Yes, I have. No, it doesn't mean you can go run off to find Anthony but I am considering," Loki assured, the gentle squeeze on his shoulders showing the Loki Variant understood.

"Anthony, Darling?"

"Mm?" Tony hummed sleepily, Loki pressed up against his back in their bed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. I wanted to ask you something," Loki said softly.

Tony blinked his eyes open so he wouldn't fall asleep, turning his head to look at Loki. "And what's that?"

"When I first came back with the Loki Variant. Did you really like him?" Loki asked curiously.

Tony paused. "Is this a trick question? Because if I say yes I feel like you'll kick my ass for it but if I say no you'll be insulted because he looks exactly like you."

"I want an honest answer," Loki said simply.

Tony sighed. "I guess...I mean, yeah, I like him. Not just his looks but his personality. He's so much like you but he's...he's different too, in a way."

Loki didn't respond immediately but when he did, he didn't sound like he was angry at all which was a relief to Tony. "Would you consider bringing him into our relationship?"

"You're asking if I want to have two sexy Loki's in my life? Is this a trick question?" Tony asked warily, making Loki snort.

"Stop thinking with your dick, Anthony," Loki muttered.

"Okay, alright. I guess...maybe? I like the idea. But not if you don't," Tony said with a smile. "I'm okay with whatever you decide is good for us."

Loki sighed but nodded.

It was nearly a week later that the TVA finally found them.

Tony stood in front of Loki protectively despite his short height, glaring at the people who had taken Loki away from him, standing in his living room.

Loki was fully prepared to go down fighting to protect Tony from the TVA barbarians when President Loki was suddenly standing between the pair and the TVA Agent's. "Well, isn't this a not-so-pleasant surprise?"

"Hand yourself over, Loki's. Now," one said, making President Loki grin deviously.

"I will give you until the count of three to leave," President Loki stated with a slight edge to his voice that said 'or else'. "One...two..."

The TVA Agent's didn't move, instead the end of their pruning sticks lighting up threateningly.

President Loki’s eyes flashed. "Three."

Tony yelped, stepping on Loki's foot who cursed, grabbing Tony around the waist on instinct, dragging him back as the TVA Agent burst into green flames, screaming in agony.

President Loki stood with his arms crossed until all that was left of the TVA Agent's was small piles of ash and with a wave of his hand, that vanished too.

"I didn't know you could do that," Tony whispered, feeling the need to.

"I didn't know I could," Loki muttered back.

President Loki turned on his heel, walking over to the pair, Tony staring at him in awe and Loki a little wary but nodded when President Loki gave him a pleading look.

Tony squeaked when President Loki dipped his head to kiss him but didn't shove the god away, instead melting into it and left gasping when President Loki pulled away only to give Loki the same treatment.

Tony blinked at them, eyes wide. "Oh, that's kinda hot. Please tell me that we can keep him now? Can we keep him?"

"Mm, yes. We can," Loki murmured against President Loki's lips who grinned.

It wasn't a feeling he liked, especially now as he struggled against the hands pinning his arms behind his back while forced to watch them grab Anthony and throw him down to the ground.

His stubborn little mortal wouldn't go without a fight, kicking out his legs when the TVA agents drew near him, shouting to let President Loki go and cussing them out.

President Loki yanked one arm free, throwing a punch but a baton hit his back with more force then he thought was capable and went down onto his knees, gasping in pain.

"No, stop it! Stop, you're hurting him!" Anthony screamed, standing up and backing away though his eyes didn't leave President Loki's kneeling form. "Just let him go and you can have whatever you want!"

The TVA agents didn't listen.

President Loki hated feeling helpless because it was the very emotion that rolled through him when he watched that one TVA agent grab Anthony's wrist, the genius screaming and lashing out in anger but it wasn't enough to stop them when the pruning stick touched his skin.

Anthony disappeared in a flash of golden sparks before President Loki's very eyes, Anthony's shocked face and golden brown eyes being the last thing he ever saw of him.

President Loki had screamed and screamed after that, hatred taking over and he managed to kill three of the agents, including the one who had pruned Anthony before they managed to subdue him.

When they pruned him, he was grateful for it.

Until he realized that wasn't the end.

Because it was never so easy.

The nightmares of what horrors his Anthony must have gone through after being pruned haunted his nightmares. Dreams of Anthony on his knees, Alioth heading straight for him and President Loki once again helpless as he watched the person he loved be consumed by the monster.

President Loki lurched up with a gasp, hands scrambling at the blankets, reaching for someone who wasn't there. That hadn't been there for years. Still, Anthony's voice echoed in his head, screaming for him to save him even though he couldn't.

"Hey, you okay?"

President Loki squeezed his eyes shut tight. Norns, he sounded so much like him.

There was some shifting around and then arms were wrapped around him, a kiss pressed to his cheek though he still didn't open his eyes. "Was it bad dreams again?"

President Loki gave a single stiff nod.

There was a soft sigh, another kiss placed to his lips this time. "Do you want to talk about it or do you want to have nice cuddles with me and Prancer?"

President Loki managed a tiny smile, opening his eyes to look at Tony. "Cuddles sound very pleasant."

Tony grinned, turning to Loki who was apparently not asleep as President Loki, instead eyeing President Loki worriedly. "Scooch over, Bambi. Our Variant needs some cuddles."

President Loki chuckled slightly at Tony's antics even though it made his chest ache for his Anthony. Everytime he thought he was getting past it, he had more dreams, more nightmares and that cold ache came back, reminding him all over again of what he had lost.

Despite being cocooned in Loki and Tony's arms, it took President Loki a while to fall back asleep.

"I wanted to ask you something."

President Loki glanced up from his book, across the table at Loki who had set down his own. "Yes?"

"Your Anthony. How did he die the first time?" Loki asked softly. "You do not have to say if you do not wish to. I was just wondering about it. I know the second time was from the TVA killing him but you never did tell Anthony and I how he died the first time."

If anyone else had asked him, President Loki would already have torched them but this was Loki. It was different.

"It was an accident he died," President Loki sighed. "You and I both know how your Anthony gets himself into trouble despite being a genius. It was his own stupidity that got him killed in the end."

"Is that so?" Loki asked with a small smile.

President Loki nodded, chuckling a little. "He was experimenting in the lab, said he was working on a dangerous project. But then, he always said that and it would turn out fine in the end."

President Loki looked down at the floor with sad eyes.

"This time, it didn't end well. The lab blew up, creating a hole in the side of the Tower. When I got there, the place looked like a war zone, everything obliterated in the blast," President Loki explained quietly. "Anthony was gone. Evaporated in the blast."

Loki eyebrows knitted together. "That's why you're always in the lab with Anthony now, isn't it? So you can protect him if anything goes wrong."

President Loki nodded. "If I had been there, I could have teleported him out or shielded him from the blast. But I didn't because I wasn't there. I lost him that day and it took years to get him back, only for the TVA to take him from me again."

Loki didn't know what to say to that. He couldn't ever imagine being without Tony, not wanting to even consider the possibility.

Instead he stood, rounding the table and sat on the chair beside President Loki, pulling him into a hug. Loki wasn't the most affectionate person in the world, not like Tony was but when it mattered, he was always there to comfort the people he loved.

President Loki wasn't one to cry but even then it was a struggle to keep the tears at bay as he whispered. "I didn't even get the chance to tell I l-love him one last time."

It was a few days later that there was an Avengers mission alarm. The Avengers never protested President Loki joining them for the mission. After what he had done to Steve, the Captain was too afraid now to say no to the Variant.

So they headed to central park where apparently there was some sort of scientific disturbance that Shield couldn't identify. When they got there however, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"Shield's pulling our leg, aren't they?" Tony muttered to himself, crossing his arms over his chest though he kept a close hand to his arc reactor that would activate his suit tech. "Fury is trying to ruin my Saturday."

That's when a portal appeared high up in the air, the same one TVA agents used, instantly making Loki summon daggers to his hand and President Loki not-so-subtly standing in front of Tony protectively as a ball of green flames appeared in the palm of his hand.

They all stepped back when a small figure of a person fell out of the portal, screaming at the top of his lungs as he fell through the air and landed with an 'oomph' on his back in the grass. The man groaned, turning onto his side as he curled up into a ball, gasping for breath. "N-never fucking again."

President Loki's eyes widened as that was...it sounded just like...

"Is that...?" Tony trailed off as President Loki rushed forward to the man who was struggling to sit up.

President Loki dropped down to his knees, grabbing the man's shoulder who yelped in alarm, whipping his head around, golden brown eyes panicked before he saw who it was. "Loki?!"

"Anthony," President Loki whispered and this time, he really did cry as he pulled his mortal into a bone crushing hug, causing Anthony to squeak but still hugged back just as tightly.

"Easy, babe. I'm okay. I'm here now," Anthony whimpered, soothingly running a hand through President Loki's hair. His suit he wore was shredded in multiple places, one of his shoes missing and his face was a little scratched up but otherwise he did in fact, look okay. "Sorry I took so long."

"By the N-Norns, Anthony. Is that really what you're c-concerned about?" President Loki hiccupped.

Anthony had the nerve to grin cheekily at the god but quickly changed tact as he leaned forward to capture President Loki's lips, kissing him hard. "Fuck, I missed you."

"I m-missed you too. S-so much, Darling," President Loki whispered. "I l-love you, Anthony."

"Love you too, Blueberry," Anthony murmured before looking up and seeing Loki and Tony. "Oh, wow. I look even prettier than I thought. No wonder you're hanging out in this timeline."

Tony grinned cockily, though Loki just rolled his eyes. "Now there's two self-obsessed Stark's. Lovely."

"I thought you were dead," President Loki muttered. "What did you expect me to do?"

Anthony blinked. "You...oh, shit, Lokes. I didn't think...I didn't know that you thought I was dead."

"I thought Alioth got you," President Loki whispered, voice pained.

"Not gonna lie, the thing almost did," Anthony admitted with a shrug. "But I got away. I looked everywhere for a way out of the place to get back to you and make sure you escaped those assholes who sent me there and eventually found this."

He held up a TVA Tempad.

"It was dead when I found it, along with the person it must have belonged to but I found that Tesseract thingy you're obsessed with," Anthony explained.

"I'm not obsessed with it," President Loki mumbled.

"I heard from some Loki's that there had been a President Loki there once who escaped with another Loki Variant back to his timeline. So that's where I went," Anthony finished as if he hadn't been interrupted. "And here I am."

President Loki smiled a little, Anthony reaching up to wipe away the tears streaking the god's cheeks. "My stubborn little mortal. So stubborn you wouldn't even let death take you."

"Nope. Nobody gets to take me but you," Anthony said with a wink that made President Loki roll his eyes. Anthony nodded towards their doppelganger's. "So, why'd you really stay in this timeline?"

President Loki raised a skeptical eyebrow. "I'm sure you already know, Love."

"Ooh, yay. Foursome time? I haven't had sex in years. You owe me big time," Anthony grumbled. "Can't believe you were having sexy threesome times without me."

"I thought you were dead!" President Loki protested once again though Anthony only laughed, standing up on his feet, brushing himself off despite his suit being ruined and offering a hand to President Loki who took it. Anthony helped him back onto his feet and held onto his hand as they walked over to the pair.

"So, I heard something about 'foursome time'," Tony said before either of them could say a word.

"Oh, I like him already," Anthony said with a grin. "He's got the right thinking."

"Well, he's Vice President in my timeline so he is rather intelligent," President Loki stated.

"Ooh, what would I be in your timeline? Secretary?" Tony asked eagerly.

"Don't be ridiculous. That's obviously my position," Loki teased. "You'd be the team mascot."

Tony pouted as President Loki laughed.

Loki shook his head. "This is as far as I'm willing to expand this relationship."

"Fine with me," Anthony said, eyeing Tony who gave Loki puppy dog eyes.

"Can I kiss him?" Tony pleaded. "I've always wondered what it would be like to kiss myself."

"Go ahead," Loki muttered though he still smiled when Tony made a happy sound.

"Pucker up," Tony said, Anthony smirking as he grabbed the front of the genius' shirt and smashed their lips together.

"They will never change," President Loki said with a chuckle.

"I wouldn't want it any other way," Loki said with a content hum as he leaned against President Loki, watching the two geniuses pull apart, breathing heavily.

"I'm a fantastic kisser," Anthony breathed with a delighted smile.

Tony laughed breathlessly, turning to Loki with wide eyes.

"Can we keep him?"