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There were many myths behind the Golden Apples of Idunn and few who lived outside Asgard knew of their true nature. They could be gifted to any other race, that was true, but the apples were very selective in who they allowed to consume them.
The apples were also only able to be plucked from the tree by those that were in love, any other who attempted would find the fruit unable to be picked from the stem. If the attempt was successful, the recipient of the fruit still had to prove their worth - to be able to hold and eat the apple without the fruit withering; they needed to return the love too.
It was often a moment shared in commitment ceremonies among the Aesir. They would gain and give their lover an apple who would proceed to eat it in order to prove their matched devotion. It was because of the romantic nature and the stories passed down about the apples that every child spent their youth wishing to share an apple with their love.
It was why, whenever a new apple was pulled from the tree, Asgard knew the truth; the person was in love, there was no other possibility. It was also why, when it spread throughout the city that Loki had removed an apple, that there could be no denying the depth of the mage’s feelings.
There had been rumours, of course, that the fallen Prince had only come back to the light by the help of a mortal man, that he was courting a mortal man, but so many hadn’t believed it possible.
Loki? In love with a mortal?
But it couldn’t be denied, if Loki had an apple, then they had to accept that it was true. The whispers spread through the city regardless; shocked and cautiously optimistic.
It merely took one Aesir to ask the most important of questions; “Does the mortal love him back? Has he been before Idunn?”
The Aesir weren’t curious by nature, but a large group of them found they couldn’t resist seeking the answer for the question. Had the Prince found someone to love who loved him back?
They had no way to find out, not without consulting Heimdall - but in a tavern, with too much liquor and interest in the one who could charm Loki so completely, a selection of them made their way to the Bifrost to find out the truth.
Tony hadn’t even been in America when it happened. He’d been in Europe making a few appearances for Stark Industries; shaking hands, smiling for the camera, being bored out of his brain and hoping Loki would come back from Asgard soon.
When his little thing with Loki had started, he hadn’t expected it to include more than a couple of really excellent nights together. Loki was a ‘good’ guy again, after all, so their late night meetings weren’t an issue with the Avengers. Loki was just lazing around on Earth helping them with a bored expression whenever Thor or Steve asked him to. Tony had thought he was just a convenient bed warmer to Loki and he'd be done with Tony when he could head back into space and stop slumming it on Earth.
But a few nights together had somehow turned into a whole lot more and something that could almost be called a relationship.
Loki had a few things on Tony’s floor of the tower and he slept there more often than not. Tony also found himself missing the arrogant shit when he went off-world for a few days. He didn’t like to admit it, but Tony was pretty sure he’d actually caught feelings for Loki. Obviously, he had no self-preservation skills.
But that was an issue he'd been ignoring. Hence, Europe. He'd been just trying to kill the boredom and had been mostly succeeding when out of nowhere, he’d heard a familiar noise that his brain labelled ‘bifrost’ seconds before he was being sucked up into it.
He might have shrieked before he was distracted by spinning through space and both trying to hold onto his stomach and stare at everything.
When he’d skated into a golden room, his feet sliding on the floor, he’d placed a hand to both his head and stomach and blinked a few times. He’d been expecting Loki, hell, Thor even, but what he’d found instead was about ten people who looked very excited to see him.
“Erm.” Familiar with enough stories to look for the scary guy with the sword, he questioned, “Did you dial a wrong number? Am I a drunk dial?”
When Heimdall smiled slightly at him, he wasn’t sure whether to be proud for making the guy crack a grin or worried about what he’d done to achieve it. “Welcome to Asgard, Anthony Stark.”
“Uh, thanks.” He paused before, “Sorry, I misplaced my invitation. What was I here for again?”
When the group of people took a step towards him, he instantly took one back, his shoulders tensing and his eyes darting between them all suspiciously.
“Loki has procured a gift for you!” One of the Aesir finally told him.
“We wished to see your conviction for him!” Another chimed in.
“The Prince has fine taste!” Another boisterous voice shouted, followed by agreeing cheers and laughter - all of them sounded very drunk.
Tony edged a little further backwards. He wasn’t entirely sure what to do or who was best to trust. Did he go for the party of drunks or the guy who was sober but had let them pull him here regardless?
“Ah, shouldn’t we maybe wait for Loki?” Tony suggested carefully, hoping like fuck they’d agree with him. “If it’s his gift and all.”
Some of them shook their heads negatively, others just grinned widely, but one decided to declare, pumping his fist in the air. “We must present you!”
The cheer that received was more like a warrior’s chant and Tony did try to run, he really did, but he wasn’t a match for Aesir anything outside of his suit. He was quickly gripped on each arm and lifted not just off the ground, but on top of them. The group was carrying him like a teenager in a moshpit. Or a champion after battle.
“Oi!” He shouted when someone pinched his butt. “Stop it! Put me down! Oh fuck.”
Tony shut up instantly after that, quickly left distracted and in awe by the view of not only the city but the rainbow fucking bridge and the expanse of space around him. He thought it was a suitable reason to be derailed as he twisted his head and body, trying to take it all in as his mouth hung open.
It was only when they reached the city and couldn’t see the stars no matter where he twisted, that Tony remembered the predicament he was in. He also noticed that they were beginning to draw a small crowd. His group of kidnappers were branching off slightly and telling their tale to the amusement (amusement, not fucking concern, shock or disapproval over what was happening to him. They thought it was funny) of the local populace.
Where the fuck are you, Loki? He thought with a scowl and a curse, before trying again to gain some kind of information, “Where the hell are you taking me?”
“You will see Idunn!” A few of them answered him.
“Right, Idunn, great. Who is she, he or it again?”
That question was met with laughs and a few slaps to his back and arms that almost dislocated his shoulder, so he bit down on his wince and just lay back and stared at the sky. Occasionally, he’d look around at the city with curiosity - and he only attempting to scramble out of their hold once to get closer to the plasma gun, but alas, he was restrained.
He’d gotten so used to the drunken laughter and chatter, that when they suddenly got louder and giddier he almost hadn’t registered it. He only did because the architecture began to change with it, leading them to a tall wall with an open gate that they walked straight through.
Tony’s eyes widened at the sudden explosion of nature and he darted his eyes around, growing nervous as they descended down the path. He’d felt pretty safe if irritated and confused before, but since nothing about them had screamed hostility, he'd been willing to ride it out. Now, his nerves were beginning to rise with the sudden isolation. He knew being a friend of the Crown Prince was likely to give him some kind of protection, but being taken to a secluded location wasn’t doing much for his stress-levels.
His concern continued to mount as the gardens slowly began to disappear until he was taken to a large grassed area filled with apple trees - golden apple trees.
There was a woman in the middle and she was tending to the orchard, she was also, quite frankly, gorgeous. She turned her head at the commotion and looked directly at him, a small frown puckering her brow. Tony was so entranced by her that he missed the way the hands were leaving him until he was rather unceremoniously dropped to the ground. He only stayed standing due to people catching and hoisting him back onto his feet.
The break to their eye-contact seemed to have also broken whatever spell he was under as when Tony glanced back at her, she was still pretty, but she wasn’t as mesmerizing as a few seconds ago. She was looking over all of them now, her puzzlement only growing.
Tony got a few firm shoves in his back until he stumbled forward and closer to her. He looked over his shoulder and glared at the unconcerned and grinning Aesir; it was like being surrounded by overly strong children.
Turning back to the woman, Tony took a stab in the dark. “Idunn, is it?”
“It is. Who might you be?”
Tony flashed his most charming smile. “Tony Stark.”
“Ah,” her eyes cleared instantly. “Loki’s one.”
Tony frowned a little at the possessive nature of the wording. He wasn’t even sure whether to confirm or deny it. He ended up just making an uncertain, ‘er’ noise.
Idunn looked away from him and at the collection of Aesir. “Please leave my garden.”
Tony wanted to say ‘nice try lady, that won’t work’, but the sudden sound of deferring noises made Tony spin on the spot to watch the bowing group do as requested. They were even clapping each other on the back and whistling a jaunty tune.
Assholes were probably heading back to the bar.
“Come, Tony Stark.”
Shifting back to face her, Tony found Idunn guiding him over to some nearby stumps. He thought about it for all of a moment before shrugging and doing as she’d asked. When in Rome, right? Besides, how else was he going to get home if he didn’t get her on his side?
Plopping himself down after she’d taken her own seat, Tony watched her smile before asking him, “Do you know who I am?” His expression must have answered for him as she chuckled slightly and continued without waiting, “I am the keeper of these apples.”
Tony flicked his eyes towards them. They were stunning, it was that simple. The fruit looked like it had been dipped in pure gold, but instead of giving it a manufactured look; it just seemed to glow with a beauty that made Tony know it was completely natural. She certainly had a hell of a green thumb.
“They’re really impressive,” he told her truthfully. “There’s nothing like them back on Earth.”
She ignored his remark to continue, undeterred, “They are extremely important to the Aesir and, it would seem, Tony Stark, to you.”
“I don’t have anything to do with these ap-” Tony cut himself off, his eyes narrowing in contemplation. “You called me Loki’s...” He looked up at the fruit before back at her. “Did he... pick one for me? What does that mean if he did?”
Idunn placed a hand over his and Tony glanced down at it before back up to her eyes. She was smiling at him gently as she began to explain. She used careful words and a steady voice but Tony’s eyes still got wider and wider as the information slowly sunk in.
You have to be in love to pick an apple.
Loki picked an apple.
They were apples of youth.
Idunn knew his name, because Loki had said it was for him.
Loki couldn’t lie in her garden.
Loki had picked an apple for Tony.
Tony was still reeling from the sudden dump of knowledge some minutes later when a large and loud crack of magic made him jerk and look away from where he’d been focused on his feet. He’d known it would be Loki, but of all the things he’d expected to see, Loki looking fucking terrified and like the ground had just jerked out from beneath him, wasn’t it.
He went even paler when he registered Tony was there.
Tony gave him a grimace more than a smile and faintly lifted his hand from his lap in an attempt at a wave. Idunn stood up fluidly and walked through the field. She didn’t say a word; she just left them alone to deal with the very big and sudden declaration that had landed between them.
“What did she say?” Loki asked hoarsely.
Tony’s eyes fell away, his mind still trying to understand what the hell was happening. Trying to understand how his really simple day had ended up with a trip to Asgard and a fucking golden apple of youth being placed into his decisions.
He swallowed thickly. “You picked an apple for me,” Tony whispered. “You lo...” but he couldn’t bring himself to say the rest of it. He did make himself look at Loki though.
Loki had clenched his fists but he brought up one hand to press his fingers against the corners of his closed eyes as Tony watched him. “I had not intended to give it to you for some time, Anthony.” He let out an angry breath and dropped his hand. “The apple only grows once and I could not afford it to wither.”
Tony nodded very slowly. “So you...”
“Knew I was not that deeply held in your feelings yet, yes,” Loki answered shortly, flicking his eyes away to hide whatever was present in them - probably, something painful. “I wanted it accessible for when you... did.” Tony just kept nodding; he didn’t know what else to do. “Will this be a problem?”
The sudden question surprised Tony and made him look back at Loki from where his eyes had drifted to the immortality trees. Loki hadn’t come any closer, but he was crossing his arms, his jaw tightly clenched.
“Huh?”
“We had not-” Loki cut himself off, frustrated, before trying again. “My affection and my... intentions, will they be,” he barely hesitated, but it was just enough that Tony caught it and felt the frustration in it, “unwanted?”
Loki tilted his chin when he was finished; holding onto his pride even when what he was asking must have been hard for him to do. Hell, it must have been painful and fucking petrifying. He’d unceremoniously had some seriously intense feelings outed when Tony hadn’t even known if Loki wanted to permanently live together. He’d practically proposed before they’d even had a chance to confess anything more than damn your tongue is worth the legends.
It was a bit sudden.
“Loki...” Tony ran a hand through his hair. “Look, I hadn’t even known whether you wanted to be publically considered my partner or not.” The full body flinch that Loki responded with made Tony stand before he could think about it. Loki held up his hand, stopping him, but Tony didn’t listen until he was directly in front of the other. “Loki-”
“You do not have to appease me with words of infatuation,” Loki told him firmly, his eyes on Tony’s and completely unreadable. “I knew you didn’t have them. I merely want to know if you could,” He smiled, but it lacked even an attempt at happiness, “or if this has ruined my chance quite spectacularly.”
Tony felt very, very thrown off guard and then like he’d then been hurled into the deep end for good measure. Normally, he shied from any kind of soul-searching, especially of the romantic kind. Things were going good, why mess with them? But when the guy he was dating was interested enough to start planning to make him immortal and actually loved him, well, Tony supposed Loki was owed some kind of definitive answer about whether it was worth putting in all the effort or not.
And that begged the very important question; did he love Loki too?
Well, the answer wasn’t ‘no’ but it also wasn’t ‘let’s be immortal together, yes!’ either. He liked Loki, a lot. He was great in bed and he was smart as hell. He made Tony laugh and inspired him like no one else. He even missed him when they were apart; the bed not feeling quite right when he wasn’t there to curl up against.
He liked dating him, he liked sort-of living with him. He liked Loki, he just... he hadn’t thought they were in the kind of relationship where Loki would approve of something like love. So he hadn’t let himself contemplate it.
So, no, he didn’t love Loki - or at least, not yet.
Raising his eyes from where they’d dropped to linger on Loki’s chest, he was greeted with Loki grimacing and holding himself very still and very stiff. He was beautiful and prickly and trying not to show how much he was affected by this. It just made Tony smile softly before he brought up his hand and cupped Loki’s cheek, encouraging Loki to fold down towards him and into a kiss.
It was soft and tender; the kind of embrace neither of them had permitted themselves very often when they hadn’t known how to ask, or what they might get in response. Loki practically melted into it, his hand coming to curl into Tony’s hair while the other came to lightly cup his side.
When they broke apart, they were still holding onto each other as Tony told him quietly, “You haven’t wrecked it.”
The tension practically bled out of Loki and Tony couldn’t resist kissing him again, chastely. He also couldn’t resist a soft tease, “I will admit, some drunken Aesir assholes might have gotten a little ahead of themselves with believing they’d kidnapped their Prince’s future husband though.”
Tony paused, grinning when Loki just groaned and closed his eyes. He pressed his forehead against Tony’s hair, as if attempting to hide from Tony and his embarrassment. He wasn’t succeeding very well, but Tony was too amused at seeing the usually unruffled mage so flustered.
Taking some pity though, he reached up and dared to touch Loki’s hair, running his fingers through it and smiling brightly when he wasn’t rebuffed. Loki did seem unnaturally still; possibly surprised by such an affectionate and unusual touch.
“But,” Tony told him, his voice soft with contemplation and curiosity, “I’m... interested in seeing where it goes.” He smiled. “I kind of like knowing that it’s not just me who’s happy to have it go somewhere.”
Loki pulled away from him at that. His eyes narrowed with concentration as he mentally pried apart Tony’s words; twisting them at all angles to pluck out any truth or any lie. But there was no lie to be found, and Loki’s hand soon moved, cupping Tony’s jaw as his mouth twitched into a smile, his eyes growing bright with renewed enthusiasm and delight.
His grin was only a small thing but there was such potential in it; potential for happiness, and it made Tony match it too.
He could see a future unfolding in Loki’s head; a series of gestures and expressions of Loki’s feelings as he attempted to forge something between them that would create a lifetime long partnership. Something that would include an apple that Tony would one day be offered and accept.
And Tony found that he was... kind of okay with being a part of that.