This is the edited slightly cleaner version of this fic, the full version with a tad more explicit content in later chapters can be found here /works/957330/chapters/1874359 on archive of our own thank you for hopefully reading and enjoy! :)
Banner had been acting like he knew something since they had both stepped into the lab provided by S.H.I.E.L.D. Tony had been trying to work on the harnessing of dark energy but he was uncharacteristically distracted, he could feel Bruce throwing him knowing glances for no apparent reason and the last thing he needed was something or someone else to distract him. He had enough on his plate as it was; in fact he was surprised he hadn't picked up said plate and threw it at someone's head.
"Something bothering you Dr. Banner" Tony spoke sharply, a steely glint in his eye, a challenge.
Banner held his gaze, not deterred in the slightest. Stark was the kind of person you had to force things out of, he was certainly not one to talk about 'emotions' and 'girly' problems.
"Listen Stark, I know you're hiding something. Trust me; I'm an expert at hiding things. But this time, it is definitely not a smart move, you are going to self-destruct, and I sincerely think nobody wants that to happen." Tony felt like Banner was delving into the depths of his very mind just by looking at him, the admittedly strange thing was he didn't mind all that much since not many people knew how to talk to him properly, or even wanted to. For as long as he could remember he used to bottle things up, release his emotions through his technology but he never had a release when it got too much, or when he just needed comfort. Similar to how it was getting at the moment. Maybe, it actually might help talking to someone, but none of this girly emotional rubbish of course.
"Fine Bruce, can I call you Bruce? Never mind, don't answer that. I was going to call you Bruce anyways."
"Stark, you're rambling already." Banner was already beginning to think this conversation may test his patience.
"Fine right, I'm sorry. I… hmm… I don't really know where to start. I suppose, well, I have always hid things, one of my specialities it seems. But, you know when there is just this one thing you feel like you can't hide any longer but if you tell anyone it could possibly ruin you? Oh, well of course you do, you turn into a great big green rage monster. At any rate, that's what is bothering me."
Admittedly, Banner, well Bruce now apparently, was surprised he got anything at all out of him never mind that much. This led him to believe that it must be some enormous secret although, it seemed he already had an indication to what it may be.
"Well, I suppose the only thing that would help may be telling someone, how about Ms Potts? It seems you trust her." Before Bruce had even finished the sentence Tony looked horrified at the prospect of telling anyone, even someone he trusted.
"No! I can't tell anyone, it would ruin me, my reputation, people would hate me." Tony sat on the edge of the desk and put his head in his hands. He had never had to deal with something like this before and it was infuriating, he let out a sigh and decided to start ignoring Banner. Maybe, just maybe, if he ignored it then it would go away?
Banner snapped at him, "are you trying to say that people hate me for it, or are you just a special case?" He knew he shouldn't have but he needed to provoke it out of Stark.
Tony could not have looked anymore surprised if he tried, his eyes were wide with shock and his mouth hung open trying to find something to say.
"Shit!" Tony stood up swiftly and strode up to Banner, putting only a foot between them. Tony looked him dead in the eyes, but Banner could see the relief of someone knowing flit across his face. "How did you know?"
"I figured it out, it wasn't all that difficult" Bruce replied in all honesty. "Stark, nobody else knows, there is no need to panic".
"Don't you dare tell anyone!"
Tony stepped away from Bruce and sighed. "I'm so sorry about getting wound up; I just suppose it's strange for me. I mean, I'm Iron man, Tony stark an absolute icon, handsome, successful. I just feel that everyone expects me to be perfect".
Banner looked at him in complete disbelief, "you do know that it is not some kind of imperfection, being gay is just part of who you are, it isn't like you can change it, and believe me I have tried." Tony's face visibly twisted at the hearing of 'that' word and Banner was quite frankly getting annoyed, he didn't think he had anything else he could say to Stark, so he took the best option and just remained silence.
The silence was finally and thankfully broken, by Steve Rogers walking into the lab to take Stark to Fury.
"Hey cap, could the almighty pirate spy not contact me himself?" Steve just ignored the quip, as per usual, and ushered Tony out the door, leaving Banner to his own thoughts.
"Mr Stark, Nick Fury is very busy and we would all appreciate it if you would just this once listen to him".
"Ergh fine, but I'm only doing this so I can get out and away fast as possible." Steve smiled at the man, as if getting Tony Stark to do something was like conquering Everest.
"Yes, oh mighty one?"
"Stark!" Nick Fury glared at him. 'No nonsense as per usual' Tony thought to himself smirking a little. Nick Fury chose to ignore this, "It's your turn to babysit 'real power'".
"Oh the absolute joy" Tony managed to pull the biggest shit eating grin he had ever mustered at Fury before he sauntered off to the cell. Fury glared after him boring a hole in his back until he was out of sight.
Loki stood in the centre of the cell patiently watching as Tony Stark sauntered in,
"Reindeer games! How are you finding the accommodation?"
Loki raised his chin and sneered in reply
"Well, if it isn't the man of iron."
"Tony, please" he threw a grin at Loki "Oh, and by the way, don't ever call me man of iron. You sound like your meathead of a brother." The sneer on Loki's face smoothed away instantly and before he could regain his composure a fleeting image of complete disdain crossed his features.
"That oaf is not my brother." Loki raised his lip in another sneer entirely directed at the way he felt about Thor.
Tony let out a small sound which could be construed as a laugh, "so you don't like him either huh?"
"Well, I would say that dislike was an understatement, I would be so rash to say I despise him with every fibre of my being." Loki smiled at this and flicked his eyes up so he could observe Stark.
"Hmm" Stark looked as if he just didn't care, or that he was trying not to. "There must be a very good reason why you hate him so much?"
"I have many reasons, however I will not divulge your uncouth way of asking."
Tony grinned back at him, "perfectly reasonable, but I certainly wouldn't say I was uncouth. Just more… unrefined."
"I am quite positive they mean the same thing" Loki's smile widened and for once, Tony thought that for once, he didn't look quite so evil or hate filled but that soon changed as soon as he stopped smiling.
"Whatever you say silver tongue, so, are you here on some kind of revenge mission against Blondie?"
"I shall keep my reasons to myself Mr Stark."
After Tony unusually decided to drop the subject, they were left to their own thoughts with Tony keeping a close eye on Loki. The silence was not altogether uncomfortable which allowed Tony to mull over his conversation with Banner however; all that endeavoured to do was to frustrate him all over again. Loki had been watching Stark sit and fidget for a while now and being the god of mischief thought this was a prime time to kill his boredom and to add fuel to the fire Stark was internally fighting.
"The whole team know your little secret Stark" Loki looked up for a reaction, and was rather surprised when he didn't procure one.
"You probably don't even know what you're talking about yourself Loki."
"Oh, believe me 'iron man' I most certainly do. I have seen the others looking at you, whispering behind your back."
"Shut up, just shut up!" Tony glared at Loki as he smirked, one side of his mouth lifting higher than the other. After approximately half a second Tony was absolutely horrified to realise he found the way Loki smirked quite endearing. The god caught the struggle with this realisation on Starks face and was pleasantly surprised, Loki may be a god hell bent on revenge but he could certainly appreciate good looks when he saw them and he most definitely saw them in Stark.
"I know what you were thinking 'Tony'". Loki locked eyes with his and he slowly licked his lips before smirking again and filling his gaze with a look that could seduce many to do his willing. Tony didn't know where to look, determined not to be provoked he chose to try and ignore him and leave, before he could make it to the door Loki shouted after him,
"If the public find out, they won't love you anymore Stark. Then you'll end up hiding away in the middle of nowhere like your little boyfriend Banner".
Tony stopped in his tracks, its seemed that was all that was needed for all of the emotion he had been trying to bottle up to explode. He spun around and smacked the open cell button as hard as he could before he stormed into the cell and grabbed Loki by his smooth pale neck and pinning him against the clear wall. Tony was a mixture of raging emotions, anger at Loki and himself, embarrassment for being called out so easily but mostly, he was confused. Why did he think Loki's neck was smooth? Why was he noticing how inviting his soft parted lips were? He shook his head trying to clear himself of these thoughts,
"Who the fuck do you think you are?! Talking to me like you know what I'm going through. You aren't better than anyone; you are acting like a pathetic petulant child! You want to destroy us because you have daddy issues! You need to grow the fuck up and realise this is pointless, all of it POINTLESS!"
After he had caught his breath Tony looked up and found himself looking in the understanding eyes of someone who knew exactly how he felt. The breath was momentarily took from his body as he suddenly realised how selfish he was, thinking he was the only one that had problems, he shut his eyes to block out the image; the knowing ice blue eyes practically piercing his soul. He slowly released the grip on Loki's neck, closing his eyes and sighing at his stupidity. His mind went into overdrive as he unexpectedly felt a surprisingly warm pair of lips upon his. Once he had took a moment and registered what was actually happening he felt a hot wet tongue slowly running across his lower lip softly demanding entrance to his mouth. Before his mind could catch up, his body had responded for him, slowly parting his lips and allowing Loki to explore his mouth, his tongue moved across Stark's, slowly and lingering. Loki quietly moaned at the taste of Stark, it was bitter and both sweet from how he took his coffee, and there was the taste of what can only be described as completely Tony Stark.
Tony was for once, at a loss for words. He has just shared, an admittedly, unexpectedly fantastic kiss with the person who he was seemingly meant to hate. He was positive Loki had just done something to him, he just couldn't describe what.
Tony began to back up before Loki grabbed his arm and in all sincerity told him to listen before he ran off and for once, Tony did as he was told.
"As you may already know or have figured out, I am not of the same blood as Odin and Thor, not even of the same realm. I am a frost giant, a Jötun, a monster parents tell their children of at night. However, they took me in and tried to accept me as their own especially Thor. He tried so hard to make sure I was included in everything as a child and would defend me when the warriors three used to jest about me being different and weak because I did not engage in physical battle and used magic instead. This pathetic teasing never did bother me; I could simply ignore it or get modest revenge in a more creative way which is why I ended up being called the trickster. Nevertheless, as we began to grown up I noticed something, I noticed Thor taking an interest in Sif, Fandral trying to gain the interests of many women of Asgard. I also noticed that I never felt inclined to act the same way, to attract the attention of a woman. One day I was simply walking through the streets of Asgard avoiding the warriors three and stumbled upon one of the male Asgardian warriors standing outside and I though he appeared more attractive than all of the women ever had. It was not like he was doing anything interesting of such, I was just taken by his beauty. After this small revelation, I did not want to remain confused as why I felt like that, so I went to talk to Frigg about what I had encountered. She explained everything to me and told me that I was what was known as gay and ergo was inclined to like men rather than women; naturally I didn't know the negative views of the Asgardians on being gay as Frigg was so open with me and I foolishly told Odin. Even though I was not his own son and he could be stricter with me I did not anticipate how he would react."
A look of pure pain and sadness clouded Loki's features as he took a deep breath finding the will to continue.
"He… Well he certainly acted adversely. He shouted and screamed at me, said I was no son of his, that I was a filthy Jötun, a monster that didn't belong. Looking back, I probably could have understood his shouting, yet it escalated. He proceeded to beat me across the hall throwing me into walls and across the floor; I cannot recall one part of me that was not in pain. It was lucky Frigg came and stopped him when she did, she was the only on that ever cared for me truly. Soon after, everyone in Asgard knew about me through the Allfather telling them, he done it on purpose. The warriors three didn't just torment me it became physical as well; they beat me until my magic wouldn't defend me anymore, until I was broken, mentally and physically. The worst thing after all of that happened though was Thor letting it all happen, he stopped defending me altogether, and he knew I was a freak in more ways than one. All I genuinely wanted was to be cherished and feel loved, but that never truly happened." Loki managed to remain stoic, blinking away the tears threatening to build up in his eyes not allowing himself to show any weakness.
Tony genuinely didn't know how to respond, he was still processing the extent of this information with tears threatening to fall from his eyes at the story of torment the man had been through. The more he thought about it he could possibly come to comprehend why Loki would be so angry as to take it out on Midgard.
"I am only telling this to you because I know you will understand."
"Loki... I, well I don't know what to say. That's, well, it's just awful. And I know how you feel about wanting to be loved, a friend of mine used to say it is sometimes because you look in the wrong places." Tony looked at him trying to express the empathy he felt for him through his eyes since words were betraying him. Loki seemed to understand, he realised he was still holding his arm then let go reluctantly.
"Listen, Loki, I'm sorry. I better go and report to Fury."
"I understand" Was the only reply Tony got as he stepped out of the cell and closed the door, taking one last look at Loki before he turned and walked out of the room.