This is a story that has accompanied me everywhere i went the last half year. It kept bugging me, wouldn't leave me alone and eventually came up with some intruiging ideas. Which forced me to write it in the end. I do hope we will have some fun together.

Now...

I especially need to thank my two beta readers beyondmyreach and Debaucheryandthings

Those two were harsh on me and after a week of editing the first chapter is finally finished. You two were extremely helpful and you deserve and extra applause to put up with someone like me. It was incredibly fun working and also chatting with you! Thank you guys so much for making the effort

So thats a lot for you to have fun with and i hope you do! If so, let me know! It's be great to hear that effort paid off. Note that i am no native, any mistake was not intended but can always be pointed out!

Have FUN! (or cry. both is okay with me.)

REVENGE IS A CONFESSION OF PAIN

-latin proverb

"That was the plan."

And Thor had told them, his brother was cunning. This had to be a joke. Tony placed the glass on the counter. "Not a great plan." From underneath the bar table, Tony pulled out the colantotte bracelet and slid it around his wrist.

"I have an army," Loki stated.

"We have a HULK," Tony said and picked his glass up.

"I thought the beast had wandered off."

"You're missing the point." With a glass of his most expensive scotch in his hands -might as well, because he might die anyway- Tony approached Loki. His heart hammered in his chest, but he was Tony Stark. He didn't back off..

"There's no throne, there is no version of this, where you come out on top. Maybe your army comes and maybe it's too much for us, but it's all on you. Your plan's going to fail big time, buddy." Loki's closed in on Tony, looking sinister.

Tony's hand shot towards his bracelet. He had told JARVIS to run the software for the bracelet before Loki let himself into the penthouse, so the setup process should be done by now. He pressed the little screen and it lit up with blue light confirming that Tony's request had been accepted.

"Loosen up." Loki said, closing in on him. "I won't kill you. I merely seek to distract your friends."

"I'll tell you what. Transforming into a unicorn will do." Tony said, stalling for time since his suit had to come all the way up from his workshop.

"What I thought of," Loki drawled, "was something more potent."

Tony felt his heart's speed rise dangerously and tensed. There was never anything good about a super powered guy with an edged spear threatening you. However, he stayed in place, withstood the god's glare and raised his chin. His suit should show up any moment now. Loki couldn't see the cold sweat was forming on his back, neither did he know how dry Tony's mouth was by this point.

"Because how will they have time for me," Loki said, raising the scepter, "when they are so busy fighting you?"

Hell, where was the damn thing?!

A metallic clank resounded as Loki placed the sceptre upon his arc reactor.

Nothing happened.

Loki blinked in surprise. "This usually works."

"Oh, you know," Tony said, swallowing. "Performance issues...one out of five has."

He was disrupted by Loki grabbing his throat. He squeezed until Tony started gasping for breath, the lack of air made his head spin and panic fill his lungs. His head felt like it was going to explode and he struggled to fight free, but Loki's grip was ironclad.

"Two things are endless," Loki whispered, his voice scornful. "The universe and human stupidity." The words barely got through to Tony, who kicked against Loki's legs, against every part of his body in reach, but the god didn't even seem to notice.

Soon Tony´s body grew limp, a feeling of dizziness filling up his head. "Even you, who claims to be a genius among yours truly, are so frail," Loki spoke, then opened his hand and let Tony drop to the floor. He barely managed catching himself with his hands before coughing violently. His throat felt sore.

"You're lucky that mechanic heart is protecting your fragile body."

Tony'd rather have had his armour. He pressed his finger to the screen again and managed to stand up, even if he remained shaky. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse. "It's not exactly a heart. Let´s keep to the facts."

Loki smirked. "That only means that somewhere underneath this piece of scrap metal, there lies" - and he touched the scepter to Tony's chest again, only this time slightly next to the arc reactor - "a real heart."

Tony hadn't imagined before, what mind-control would feel like. Because, quite frankly, it didn't matter and now that he had gotten himself into the situation where it did, he couldn't do anything. He could feel the sharp blade of the scepter through his shirt, and then energy bolted through him as if he was touching an overpowered electric fence. Feelings and memories that couldn't be his own flooded his mind.

They couldn't be his own emotions, for he wasn't that bitter inside. They couldn't be his memories, because they felt distant like a dream you once had. He saw big golden halls with high columns and big gardens, saw people dressed like warriors and fantastic landscapes. He saw Thor walking through a crowd.

As the people cheered him on and called his name, all Tony felt disdain. He saw a blonde woman sitting opposite him. The surrounding room was blurred like an impressionistic painting, but she was clearly visible. He felt lost and sad, there was an emptiness in his chest where trust and safety once had been, but when he laid his eyes upon her, warmth filled his chest.

"You should never feel different," she said, and as she did, her voice grew distant. The ground opened up and he fell. Stars, planets and galaxies rushed by. He experienced the dreamy sensation of endless falling and from somewhere in the wide space around him a eerie voice resounded. It came from everywhere and then again it felt like it merely resounded from within his heart.

"I know who you are."

His gut clenched. Tony knew the sensation from riding roller coasters, but he wasn't afraid. He felt numb.

"I know your deepest longing, Asgardian, and I can take you there."

Tony hit the ground. Light flooded his vision and when he pushed himself up, he felt dirt, stones and grass underneath his fingertips. Pain shot through his body and it made him grow so desperate, he started to cry.

Someone hit the ground with a thump, neatly landing on his feet. "Loki! Don't cry, come on...really, I didn't mean to.."

Through the curtain tears that blinded him, he saw a young blond boy. Thor, he thought. He looked crestfallen.

He started to cry once more, wailing, until a big firm hand caressed his cheeks and a voice filled with compassion spoke to him. "Now, now, why are you crying? What happened?"

Rage welled up inside him. "Thor! He pushed me off the tree! He pushed me!"

"We were playing!" Thor exclaimed. His mother shot him a harsh glare and he cast his eyes down, staring at the grass. "Loki asked me to play. He said, 'What would you do if I were a frost giant. You can't fight a frost-giant.' I wanted to prove him wrong."

An expression of shock crossed the blonde woman's face for a split second, then she smiled again. She said something, surely trying to settle the fight between the two brothers, but Tony didn't hear her anymore. His head resounded with angry words, fueled by desperate feelings.

"The frost-giants are monsters."

"Do they still live?"

"They do."

Mothers tell their children stories about frost-giants to scare them. They are monsters. Monsters deserve to get pushed down a tree. They deserve to die.

If all they deserve is fall, then I might as well let go.

Thinking this, Tony opened his eyes, staring right into Thor's. His hand was clutched around a spear and he was hanging in mid-air. Where he expected, feeling panic and fear, at the risk of falling, he felt nothing. He was numb. And nothing made sense anymore.

And then, all of a sudden, it ended. All he saw now were the marble tiles of his apartment. It took him a moment to raise his gaze. His head was still feeling dizzy after the strange electrical sensation. When Tony realized where he was, everything came to him again - New York, Loki in his apartment pointing the scepter at him, the images and memories that followed.

Tony shook off his residue confusion and looked up, seeing Loki staring at him. His breathing was so heavy, Tony could clearly see his lower teeth row.

"Wow, is that USB 9.0? You are advanced," Tony said. "Hey, what was on the Tony Stark show? Or does this only work in one direction? Would be a pity, I have been pretty entertaining - "

Loki grabbed him by the throat again -Tony thought, it was really becoming old.. "I've had enough of you. Pity for your pretty woman, but you will die. At least you won't ever have to feel guilty about caring more for your superhero identity than her."

"You didn't see us having sex, did you? That would be unfair, i just saw lots of daddy complex."

Loki slammed him against the wall. Tony's back ached at the impact, but he bit his teeth together, preventing himself from screaming. Loki dragged him around like a doll and by this point, every fiber of Tony´s body resonated with pain.

He should probably refrain from the inappropriate comments, but if he was going to die, it was with a comment about a god´s erectile dysfunction on his lips.

Loki let go of his throat and grabbed his shoulder instead, which wasn't better. Tony was sure, the only thing missing was the sound of his bones cracking. He internally cursed. Apparently waiting for his suit to show up was hopeless.

"Alright, alright! Just wanted to make sure, 'cause that would be awkward, with that first person view. I wonder if i would've ..."

Tony's breath hitched as he was interrupted by the sensation of cold steel against his flesh.

"Enough with the blathering," Loki said.

"Come on." Tony swallowed. "We both know that's an empty threat right? We do, 'cause you told me you wouldn't kill me. Remember?"

Loki held a little sharp dagger against his throat.

"I might now," he deadpanned. "Just to stop this chatter of yours."

"You're insulting me! People actually pay to hear me speak, you know."

"I still do not hear you shutting up."

"You're getting profane, mighty god." Tony couldn't help it. He was uncomfortable with Loki being close to him. So close that he could probably hear Tony's flat breathing, smell his cold sweat and feel his rapidly beating pulse.

Loki gritted his teeth. "You believe I find this amusing, even entertaining, this banter. You will see just how right you are with that."

He grabbed Tony's shoulder even harder and brought them closer together. Tony drew a rapid breath, never taking his eyes off of Loki, who now bent forward until his lips were close to Tony's ear.

"I will find it just entertaining enough, to taint the floor with your blood," Loki hissed.

A feeling of horror struck him, as he actually felt the blade ease into his skin.