Leaves crunch under our feet as we walk arm and arm down the worn dirt path littered with the discarded reds, golds, and oranges of the new season. The leaves make a satisfying crunch and bring a happy smile to my face with each step. My eyes turn to Loki as a soft gust blows a wisp of his soft hair across my cheek. Those startling blue eyes are roving over everything within his sight to absorb every facet of the new season. He'd never seen Fall here, after all.

"What do you think?" I ask quietly and he turns those killer baby blues to me.

"Beautiful." He admits a little reluctantly. "I truly have never seen such a sight in all my years." A hand shoots out and cradles a bright yellow leaf before it flutters to the ground. Twirling the stem between his fingers makes it dance before he hands it to me.

"You know, if you catch a leaf before it hits the ground you're supposed to make a wish." I reveal and he smiles, but doesn't take the leaf back when I offer it to him.

"Ah, but I have no need or want for wishes. I am content here with you." He tells me tenderly and stops us in the middle of the path for a long, lingering kiss.

When Thor and Loki returned, the Avengers were in a panic that the God of Mischief was back. After Thor explained things, they reluctantly allowed him to stay. Maybe even warmed up to him. A bit, anyways. Still, the public doesn't forgive easily. To prevent an all out uprising in New York he was sent here; a secluded cabin in the northern part of New York state. Since Loki and I have gotten along so well, and then some, I was sent too. The past few months here have been pure bliss.

My lips part in a soft gasp when his cold fingers barely skim my skin just under my heavy sweater and his lips guide mine up in a smile before he pulls away. A hand reaches up to tilt my chin up as the pad of his thumb pets my thrumming lips still hot from his own. There's a softness to Loki when he's alone with me like this. Ice blue eyes turn warm and melt into rippling pools of affection as he looks at me. Hands and fingers are gentle and almost always on me if only in the smallest of ways; a finger in my belt loop, a hand on the small of my back, fingers twiddling with the ends of my hair, his lips brushing across my head as we pass each other. It's adorable.

He raises an eyebrow when our eyes meet. "Do you have need for a wish, darling?" Loki asks teasingly and I smile softly.

The leaf flutters to the ground between our feet as I shake my head. "I don't need a leaf to grant my wishes. That's what you're for." I inform him and he chuckles, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"And what desire may I fulfill at this moment?" He questions and runs his lips over an eyebrow, kissing my eyelids when they flutter closed.

"Mm. How about we head back and make some hot chocolate?" Loki pulls back at my suggestion with happy eyes.

"As you wish." He wraps my arm around his as if we're at some fancy ball and we take our time walking through the brisk air and twirling leaves back to our little cabin. Tony seems to own a little secluded spot in nearly every state, quite a few in New York, so he's letting us borrow this one. Loki wasn't too happy about the size of it, but after pointing out that it was just the two of us, and Thor doesn't have one, he settled.

Loki watches me with a little smile as I spin around the kitchen to gather what we need. I like whipped cream and cinnamon on mine while Loki likes white chocolate chips stirred into it with little marshmallows on the top. His mug is gold and mine is dark green. When I turn with them in hand his fingers slip them away and he walks them over to the sectional, sitting down in our favorite corner and setting my mug on the coffee table as bait. Smirking, I walk over and carefully sit down beside him. At first, I'm not too close so he doesn't spill his drink. After I still and he apparently thinks I'm not going to move closer, his arm snakes around my waist and tugs me to his side.

"I like you near me." He whispers into my ear, lips brushing the skin with each word. I shake my head and lean forward to grab my cup and drape my favorite plaid, green blanket over us before relaxing back against him.

"I'm not objecting." I tell him and fold my legs up on the couch, sighing happily once I'm settled. Loki's hand slips under my sweater again and draws circles on my hip to keep me the perfect temperature under the blanket.

"Shall I continue where we left off, darling?" He asks and picks up the copy of The Hobbit off the back of the couch where we left it earlier today. I perk up as he hands me the book so his other hand can keep touching me. My fingers open the familiar pages to the old Starbucks gift card I've been using to keep my place and let it drop to our laps.

"Yes, please." I hold it in front of us as he begins reading my favorite part; the description of Beorn's land and house. Our drinks are soon gone and he claims the book from my hands while I sink down into the couch. As his smooth voice fills the room with the quiet music of familiar words, my body stretches out on the couch and my head lays on his lap. Loki's hand lays on my shoulder close to my neck, his pointer finger tracing my collar bone soothingly.

"Love?" He calls and my eyes open, looking up at him to find he's already looking at me.

"I'm awake." I tell him and the corner of his lips lift.

"I...wish to ask you something." Loki starts off a little unsure. Uncertainty is not a common emotion for Loki, so he instantly has all my attention. I sit up and face him so he knows I'm listening while his hand falls onto my knee. He puts the bookmark in and sets the book on the back of the couch to focus on me. "Am I correct in saying you've been happy here with me?" He prefaces and I nod, claiming the hand on my knee with my own. His fingers instantly curl around mine in return.

"Yes. What's going on?" I ask, now getting a little worried. He presses his lips together and looks at our entwined hands to weigh his thoughts before looking back at me with unfathomable eyes.

"I've wandered many places and seen many sights, yet in all that time I never discovered a soul that I would...pause for." That cold hand between mine squeezes before he continues, "You are such a one. A veritable unicorn of mortals. Having found you and...and bathed in the warm light of your affection. It is not something I wish to ever be parted from." I'm still confused, my brows furrowed as I listen and watch him.

"I don't plan on leaving your side, Loki." I assure him and a smile lights up his face. His other hand reaches up and cradles my face. I lean into the smooth, cold feeling with questioning eyes.

"Good. Still, I'd like to make you a promise." His hand leaves my face and swirls in the air, summoning a small, velvet green box. "My...mother gifted these to me along with my helmet. They're made from the same gold." The box opens to reveal two beautiful rings. Shining gold, one seems to be a simple solid band while the other is intricately twisted ropes of metal. Loki picks up the two rings and the box disappears. Blue eyes meet mine with determination, steel, and love. "I suppose this is much like engagement rings in that it is a promise. A promise that wherever you go I will follow and wherever I go I will take you. We shall belong to one another. Forever. This is my only wish and only you may grant it. Love?" He offers me the rings with a little concern in his voice since my eyes are shimmering with tears.

"Yes. Yes, I promise." I agree and his smile could warm the earth. He chooses the intricate band and I offer my left hand. The ring slips on and fits perfectly, then he puts the regular band in my hand. I see it isn't regular at all. The same pattern of my ring has been etched out of the inside of it, so our rings were once one and the same. "And do you promise?" I ask in return as I hold his left hand tightly in mine.

"I swear." He promises and I happily slip the ring on his finger. Then we fall into one another starting with the lips. Soft and sweet and careful is this particular kiss, our promises lingering on our lips along with the taste of homey hot chocolate. Our vows are sealed with a kiss, a smile, and the assurance of more in the future. Our future.