Tony quietly stepped out of the elevator to his penthouse, letting out a deep sigh as he rubbed his eyes tiredly with one hand. The events of the last few months were a lot to deal with and he felt like he was perpetually exhausted. His father, Perseus, had offered his help when the president was in danger, but he had refused simply because Tony could see the bags under his dad's eyes every time they called. Angasiiars were never meant to be apart for long once they were bonded and Tony only knew that because he grew up on the stories. The flowers, once aware of their love, became an extension of the couple and exchanging the golden flower was like giving them your heart.

"So, I take your surgery went well?" A voice said in amusement from the living room area.

Tony nearly jumped a foot in the air, looking over quickly to see Perseus lounging on the sofa in casual clothes with a soda can in his hand. "Dad? You-"

"What, did you think Pepper wouldn't tell me that you were having surgery to remove the shrapnel from your chest?" He stood up and walked over to the other man, an eyebrow raised. "You have an awful habit of never asking anyone for help."

The Stark shrugged, shuffling in place for a moment. "I didn't want to bother you. You already look so tired."

Perseus sighed, shaking his head. "I will never be too tired to help you, Καμάρι μου (my pride). Your Pepper is a great fit for you." His eyes shined as he looked at his son. "So?"

Tony smiled nervously. His dad always knew when he was taking the biggest and intimidating leaps when it came to love and emotions. "I was thinking about proposing but..."

"But?" Perseus gently prompted, a knowing look on his face.

"I want to do it right. Can I- Will you help me?"

"Of course, πουλάκι μου(little bird). You only have to ask." With a wave of his hand, the air around the pair seemed to change, becoming clearer and refreshing. The walls appeared to blur, soft greys and cream morphing into beautiful trees and fields of flowers. With a single gesture, Perseus had somehow managed to make Alltid form in Tony's living room and it left the inventor in awe. 

Perseus nudged him towards the batch of golden flowers near their feet. "Go ahead, pick one."

Tony reached for one but hesitated before his fingertips could brush the petals. "How do I know they're blooming for me and Pepper?"

"Well, they're certainly not blooming for me." The god chuckled gently. "Loki and I have already exchanged ours, we do not need more. You and Pepper are so young- don't give me that look. I am much older than the two of you and I have seen much of what the universes have to offer... But I have never seen Angasiiars shine as brightly as these." Perseus stooped down and touched one of the flowers that seemed to sway towards him despite the direction of the wind. "You and Pepper are destined for greatness together."

Tony felt a weight in his chest lift at his father's words. Perseus had never lied to him before, not even when he was a child. He had always said that life for mortals were too short to waste it on something inconsequential. It was better to allow for humans to live their lives to the fullest and to take care of their problems head on. Tony was just happy to know that he wouldn't be putting Pepper through terrible times if she was married to him.

With gentle hands, Tony picked up the Angasiiar and cradled it close. The petals seemed to shimmer underneath his fingertips, and he felt himself smile as he looked down at it. "Is there a bag or box I can put it in? Will it be okay for a few days?"

"The Angasiiar is linked with your essence." Perseus explained as he began creating a wooden box with the limited magic he knew. "It will not die so long as you do not. Here, will this work for you?" He handed him a nice mahogany container with tiny red and gold gems embedded on the sides. On the lid was a gem that reminded Tony of Pepper's fiery hair.

"It's perfect." Tony breathed as he gently placed the flower in the plush white silk inside. While he held the box, his father worked on returning his penthouse back to how it was before. He was a bit sad to see Alltid disappearing back to wherever it was before, but he knew that it couldn't stay. The garden was dangerous, just as all gardens were. It held a darkness only seen when the wind blew cold, and the moon sang its song. At least, that was how Perseus put it. Maybe it was just stories.

"There is forever in a heartbeat," Perseus began as he gazed out the penthouse windows at the people down below. "And minutes in millennia. Those that follow their hearts are wiser than a scholar. You have been blessed to be both, a being who thinks with his mind and loves relentlessly with his heart." 

Perseus turned to Tony and walked over to him, placing both palms gently on top of the box containing the mortal's heart in flower form. His eyes glowed a soft white, yet Tony felt like he could see the strands of time in them. A field that lasted for forever, and nothing at all. A contradicting feeling of love and sorrow, belief and dissertation. "You have touched the stars, Tony Stark, and you will only go farther. You will guide the young and the broken, and you will always remember those that have blazed the way for you."

"Was that the Norns speaking?" Tony asked, voice thick with emotion, and blinked rapidly for a moment. 

The god tilted his head, an amused yet gentle smile on his face. "What did it feel like to you?"

"It felt like you. It felt like a promise."

"The Norns are particularly fond of you, Tony Stark." Perseus stepped away, his smile never leaving him but his eyes telling a hundred stories. "As am I. There is greatness in your soul and mercy in your heart. You will be okay."

Tony's heart pounded rapidly. "Why does it sound like you're saying goodbye?"

The god shook his head. "I am not. My time has not passed. You have been lost lately and I have only said what you have been wanting to hear." He tapped the box once with an index finger. "Do not rush yourself. When you are ready, your heart will tell you." He glanced back out the penthouse window at the sun dipping low and the clouds painting a picture of pinks and purples. "I must leave now, and I fear we will not see each other for quite some time. May the Norns be with you."

"And you." Tony replied with as he always did when his father said those words to him. As quick as a breeze and as gentle as a song, Perseus vanished into the air, leaving the mortal man alone in his penthouse. 

Turning on his heel, Tony walked over to the elevator, going down to his workshop. "JARVIS, you up?"

"For you, sir, always."

"I'm going to need you to keep this safe for me." He pressed a hand to the far wall of his workshop, panels opening to reveal the AI's servers. With careful hands, he placed the mahogany box in his hands next to them.

"It will be safe with me." The AI vowed, more human in that moment than ever before. "You have my word."

--

"I'll be right back." Taylor waved to his siblings, who didn't even look over as he left towards the woods. Though the disregard hurt, he didn't bother dwelling on it too much. People could be so mean, he knew that, but they could also be very kind. He knew one day he'd find his own group that liked him, flaws and all. It just wasn't today.

With quick feet, he dashed over to a fairly empty clearing and snapped his fingers. The door to his garden appeared in front of him and he opened it swiftly without stopping. He looked around, letting it close behind him as he caught his breath. He didn't see Perseus but that was okay because he was usually by the fountain anyways.

"You're here earlier than expected." Perseus commented when he saw the preteen, small wire-rimmed perched on the bridge of his nose as he read from a novel in ancient Greek. Taylor still wasn't sure whether or not the god actually needed the spectacles to read. He hadn't bothered asking yet. "I thought you were doing lessons with your cabin."

"I finished early." Taylor grinned, walking over so he could tuck himself by the god's side, peering down at the book. It was about Norse mythology, specifically the old wars, and he wondered if the man was remembering how the events really went. "You're a really good teacher."

Perseus smiled and tilted the book a bit so he could show the child what he was looking at. "This is me." There was a picture drawn and colored of a man standing with his hands held together as if he was praying. Though war raged around him, flowers bloomed at his feet and tears escaped his closed eyes.

"The Merciful God." Taylor read, his eyes shining as he saw that, even back then, his mentor was just as kind as he was currently. "They didn't know your name?"

"I never gave it, not when it didn't matter." He flipped the page, showing a drawing of blood and carnage. "My actions never changed anything."

The two were silent as they read the description of the picture and, at one point, the author pointed out that the merciful god was nowhere to be seen. "When did you create Alltid?" Taylor wondered as the god turned the page to reveal a chapter full of speculations about the garden.

Perseus tilted his head, closing the book on false information. "A long time ago, Asgard was just beginning to become the realm it is today." He waved his hand and mist formed in the air to show an image of what Taylor thought was Asgard. It was beautiful. "There were many battles as others sought to take over the land. Many of us were tasked with defending the borders and we did it well. After the battle, we returned home and for a week everyone was happy and thankful." The god's tone was wistful as he remembered. "But then they all went home and no one cared about the warriors that still couldn't sleep at night because they remembered those that didn't return."

The god looked away, a tiny smile on his face even as his eyes told a hundred different stories. "My mind was in shambles, everyone was, but that didn't matter, not when a war was brewing just around the corner. We went out again and... I couldn't take it. I came home and everyone smiled and I just- Couldn't understand why. So, I left and slept and dreamt and wondered. I remember when I used to paint the sky when the sun was setting and the stars were waking up. I used to dream of a life quite different than the one I lived where I would have peace and happiness and find a body that fit the size of my soul. When Alltid formed, it was just an empty field with one flower. I stayed there and slept for centuries because..."

"Because you wanted to wake up to peace." Taylor said, coming to an understanding. "Did you find it?"

Perseus thought back to when he left Alltid for the first time in centuries, disoriented with the passage of time, and came across a field of flowers by a palace. There he met a boy with bright green eyes and a beautiful smile, and he remembered the way his heart kept pace with the rushing river nearby. "I believe I did."

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words: 2,011

song: I Lived - One Republic (lyrics)