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Tony can't remember how he got here. He sits on familiar wooden planks, his feet dangling in familiar cold water, and stares at a familiar blue sky. There are mountains behind the lake, and he knows when he looks back over his shoulder, he will see the house he spent the last five years in.
He blinks. And he blinks again, but even that doesn't make the sight disappear. He has to admit that the water feels very real and that the wood he's sitting on feels very real as well, but it's like his brain has missed the last step while running down a staircase; he can't really make sense of this.
"I did not sacrifice myself for you to show up here just a day later, Anthony Edward Stark."
Tony immediately turns around to stare at the man who is standing right behind him, and then Tony has to blink a few times more because shit, there is no way this is real.
Loki looks real, though. He is standing there with his arms crossed and a displeased look on his face, as if he stepped right out of Tony's memories. Tony goes through a quick succession of overwhelming emotions - disbelief, joy, anger - before he eventually settles on mild confusion.
"What," he says finally.
Loki's eyes soften, and after a moment he moves and sits down next to Tony on the pier. He pulls the hems of his linen pants up to his knees before he puts his feet into the water. Loki's always been a little fussy and Tony teased him about it often enough, but right now the only thing he can do is stare.
"Is this some kind of dream?" he asks blankly. "Am I hallucinating, is that it? Do I have a fever?"
"No," Loki says. "No, I'm afraid you're dead."
"Oh."
Tony looks at his right hand and almost expects to see six stones on the back of it, but it's just his hand. The same calloused fingers he's always had. I am inevitable, the words ring through his head loudly and clearly, and he remembers his answer, too. He also remembers the pain that followed.
"Oh," he says again.
"You saved everyone," Loki tells him gently. "I wish you stayed alive a little longer, but I am… somewhat amazed by what you did."
And he really does look amazed, and also extremely relieved. In fact, he looks utterly stunned, as if he can't believe Tony is actually here. And because that is a feeling Tony can very much relate to, he reaches out to grab Loki's arm.
He can feel the fabric of Loki's tunic, soft like silk under Tony's fingertips. Loki's skin beneath him is a little colder than Tony's own, but still warm enough that it feels like he's alive, no matter how little sense that makes. Most of all it feels - solid. Real.
"Shit," Tony says under his breath, staring at Loki. "It's really you."
"Of course it's me," Loki drawls. "Why, did you expect someone -"
Tony cuts him off by pulling him into a hug. It's a bit awkward, what with them both sitting on the pier, but Tony doesn't care as long as he can keep his arms wrapped around Loki. The relief that floods his veins is all-consuming; he has to bury his face in the crook of Loki's neck and pinch his eyes shut to keep from freaking out. Loki breathes in sharply and puts his hands on Tony's back to hold him just as tightly.
"I should push you into the lake," Tony gets out, his voice rough. "Shit, Loki, an illusion? That wasn't - "
"I'm not going to apologize," Loki murmurs. His mouth is close to Tony's ear, and his fingers dig into Tony's back so hard that it hurts.
"You didn't even let me say goodbye."
Loki pulls back to look at him and cups Tony's face. The look in his eyes is soft, but there's not even a hint of regret in them. "Please," he says, lips twitching into a smile, "you wouldn't have said goodbye. You would have done everything you could to keep me from jumping and do it yourself. And then where would the universe be now, hm?"
Tony frowns. He is not the only one capable of self-sacrifice; Loki has proven that. He would have done it, too - but probably he would have slit Thanos throat himself instead of letting him turn to dust.
"The universe would be fine," Tony says. "You'd have protected it." He leans in to touch his forehead to Loki's, breathing in. He feels giddy, suddenly, and can't keep from smiling. "That's what heroes do, after all."
Loki wrinkles his nose. "Oh, please."
Later, Tony will tell him that he is somewhat amazed by what Loki did, read: that he incredibly proud of him. He will tell Loki about Thor and Peter and everyone else, and he will tell him that it's fine that they had to leave the universe they saved, because now they're together again. He'll also ask how this whole afterlife business even works, because honestly? Tony is still a tiny bit confused.
For now, though, all he wants is a kiss, and so he pulls Loki closer and takes what he wants.