“Working on it,” Anthony said, the tips of his fingers lightly touching the hem of Loki’s tunic. Subtle as always, though he didn’t much worry about drawing attention here. It was just enough to make him know that Loki was real and that they were home for the moment. Steven, who was standing in the corner awaiting Loki’s departure from the chamber so he could follow him, noticed this final act. He was clever, though Loki did not think him to be, and he saw everything that Anthony had been trying to tell him for weeks now. He saw, he understood. It was the only way to keep them safe, to keep them together, and it didn’t seem to take anything away from their feelings for one another.

How he longed to be dismissed of service to return to the one he had left! He just didn’t think he could tell what he learned to Thor…he would have to show him instead.

By the next morning, Anthony was back to his old self and he pushed off any more healing hands to dress and hurry back to Loki’s chambers. He nearly collided with Steven as he left with the breakfast tray and grinned up at his friend and the scar he now had over his left eye. It did no damage to the eye itself but it made him look distinguished. Anthony lifted a hand to touch it and nodded approvingly before they parted company. He cleared his throat behind where Loki sat, eyebrow raised when the other glanced back at him.

“I thought we had a lot to do,” he teased, eyes glimmering. “And I finding you sitting here picking on fish bones!” Maybe it was dangerous to joke that way normally, but they were alone. “When are we headed back to see your quarry?”