The Norse god hated waiting.
It had been a fairly bizarre day thus far, and he would much rather not experience anything stranger. He was awaiting the arrival of Tony Stark, Thor's appointed "babysitter" for him until he had returned, which was preposterous, seeing as though the Iron Man was one of the many people who'd like to watch him suffer.
Finally, after what had seemed like ages, Anthony stark flew down, his mask flipping up to reveal a slightly disdainful look on his face. "Do you always keep others waiting this long for your arrival, Mr Stark?" Tony covered his former mislike with a smirk.
"I do it for women, men, demigods, and self proclaimed badasses such as yourself all the time. nothin' new." He clapped a hand on Loki's shoulder and winked. "C'mon, princess."
Loki slapped his hand off and growled. "Shut your mouth."
"Actually, I'd rather you did that for me," Tony retorted, grinning now.
"And I suppose you're one of the few mortals who crave Silvertongue, even when I wish you quiet. It only means I'm skilled at spinning lies, imbecile."
"That may be, but I hope you know I'm not the only one who likes to hear himself tal- mmph!"
Loki pressed a quick kiss to Tony's lips, silencing him. He pulled away just as quick to witness the shit-eating grin plastered to the billionaire's face. Loki just adjusted the scarf that came with his human guise. "I am thoroughly disgusted now," he said, wiping his lips with his sleeve, the way a child would.
"You never said that the first, what, three times?"
"On the contrary, I did. You just refused to hear me."
"See? Your words mean nothing to me."
"Hmmph." Loki crossed his arms over his chest, then took a sideways glance at Tony. "Where to?"
"We're going back to the tower. I left some good stuff in my former office."
"Don't talk stupid to me." Loki sighed and gripped the Iron Man's shoulder plates, and he closed his eyes as they flew.
"Scared, princess?" Tony asked from behind his mask. Loki could hear the snarky tone in the genius' voice.
"There could always be that off chance where your little jets falter and we both drop to our deaths and, needless to say, I am not alright with high places."
"So you are scared then?"
"Terrified."
Loki looked down, a mistake really. He felt as if his stomach sank to the grounds of Manhattan below them, and he felt fear in his gut for the first time in many millennia. "You know, if you're so scared I could always hold you." Tony snickered when he turned to see Loki glaring at him. He didn't notice how the god shook when they finally landed, and Tony smiled.
"You look like a soaked kitten."
Loki sighed wistfully. "I wish I had one."
"A soaked kitten?"
"No, just a kitten." He blew out the breath he had been holding in the whole ride, and felt lightheaded.
"Well I can get you one. Provided you don't blow up my tower when I'm gone."
Loki blinked, looking incredulously at the billionaire.
"You would not."
"Would so."
"Really?" His eyes widened at the offer.
"Yes. Behave." Tony winked and flew off, leaving Loki alone on the rooftop.
JARVIS, Tony Stark's AI, spoke to him after a few minutes. "Sir, Master Stark has asked me to make sure you enter the tower without resistance."
Loki blinked away his surprise and walked into the tower, reclining on the soft leather couch. He took in a deep breath, inhaling the scents of the new leather and a slight smell of Stark's cologne. He laid down, resting his head on the arm of the long chair, and closed his eyes, exhausted.
He burrowed his head into his arms, and dreamt of home. He dreamt of the day Frigga and Odin had shown him and Thor Mjolnir for the first time. It was fun remembering how each of the brothers had tried to heft it, and Thor had ended up yanking his arm out of it's socket. Loki had tried to enchant it out, and earned himself a smack to the back of the head, courtesy of Odin.
"The true wielder of this hammer must pull it out without enchantments and magick," Odin said, as if giving himself an excuse for slapping his youngest son. Loki laughed softly, then looked up to his father. He was surprised to see Odin's features transforming into those of his Birthfather, Laufey. Laufey grinned at him, and Loki stood still, paralyzed with fear as his skin began turning blue. Loki saw his reflection, with his facial markings and orangey yellow eyes.
"How does it feel," Laufey said, his gravelly voice bringing Loki back. "How does it feel to know you are a monster, that you have no living family, that you destroyed your only family?"
Loki parted his lips to reply, but his dream suddenly took a turn for the worse. It became dark and terribly cold, and Loki looked at the sceptre in his hands. Thanos was threatening him if he should not bring the tesseract back to him. Loki promised him the one thing that could bring him back home, and he was off. He remembered the way the air seemed to have been sucked out of him, the magick that would usually course through his veins drying out as Thanos neared him. "You have failed me," The Chitauri leader whispered as Loki's body grew rigid. "Now you will pay. With the slow torture you love so much, Son of Laufey."