A/N: The idea for this fanfic came to me while I was listening to Fall Out Boy's new album Save Rock and Roll and noticed that all of the songs seemed to relate to Loki in some way. This takes place after the events of Iron Man 3 and will probably not correlate with Thor: The Dark World (at least not yet). I hope you enjoy! And I do not own The Avengers, Loki, or Fall Out Boy's songs.
Tony Stark hummed to himself as he walked down the streets of New York City. He was in town to check up on the reconstruction of Stark Tower – that and he needed a place to stay while his house in Malibu was being rebuilt. He took a deep breath of the crisp autumn air, and glanced at his beeping phone. 5 Missed Calls from Happy – 2 Missed Calls from Pepper. The billionaire sighed. His relationship with Pepper had fallen through a few months back. Tony kept trying to convince himself that she left him because his lifestyle was dangerous and centered on himself, but he knew it had more to do with Phil Coulson's sudden return to "life". Whatever, as long as they were happy. The man of iron looked up around him when he heard a crowd cheering. He was on the outer edge of one of the smaller parks near downtown. Out of curiosity, he moseyed over to the crowd. Many of the people were dancing and clapping along to live music that was being played on a small stage. The guitar and drum beats sounded quite catchy, and the lyrics seemed fitting for this particular crowd.
"Dance, Dance
We're falling apart to half time
Dance, Dance"
Tony found himself tapping his foot to the beat as he studied the band from afar.
"And these are the lives you love to lead
Dance, this is the way they'd love
If they knew how misery loved me"
Tony's heart skipped a beat as he focused on the lead singer. He knew that face. The billionaire stood slack-jawed for a few moments as he watched in slight horror as Loki continued to sing.
"Why don't you show me a little bit of spine"
A cold shudder tore through the man of iron as he made eye contact with the god.
"You've been saving for his mattress"
The mischief maker raised an elegant eyebrow in acknowledgement of Tony's presence, and moved his hips suggestively as he continued to sing.
"I only want sympathy in the form of you crawling into bed
with me"
Tony's mind raced as he attempted to figure out how and why Loki was back on Earth. And why he was singing. The Avenger glanced uneasily around him; the crowd seemed oblivious to the threat of Loki's presence and happy to hear his music. They erupted into a roaring applause as the song ended. The God of Mischief bid them all farewell and began to exit the stage. Tony, acting on instinct, ran quickly to the side of the stage as the crowd dispersed. But Loki was gone, vanished; there was no trace of him. The Iron Man grabbed the closest person to his right.
"Hey, who was just performing here?" he asked. The man he had grabbed looked a bit annoyed and raised his brow in question.
"What rock have you been living under? That was Fall Out Boy!" he exclaimed as he roughly pushed past Tony. The billionaire stood there for a few minutes, studying the small stage. He noticed a red and black poster on the side of the back wall.
FALL OUT BOY
performances:
Tony quickly glanced through the performance dates. There were performances here for the next three nights. He adjusted his jacket as a gust of cool, night air blew past him. He shook his head as he looked at his large watch. It was a few minutes past midnight – he should head back to Stark Tower before Pepper sends out a search party.
When he made it back to the tower Pepper was instantly scolding him about things he assumed to not be too important – he wasn't really listening. He nonchalantly approached his fully stocked bar and proceeded to make himself a drink. His thoughts traced back to Loki and questions quickly bubbled up in his mind. His ex-lover said something that sounded final, and Tony nodded. Pepper sighed heavily before turning on her heel and making her way to her bedroom. The Man of Iron downed his drink and went to his own room. He contemplated calling Bruce and even Fury, but what would he say? Loki hadn't done anything yet, but he shouldn't wait until the god attempts world domination again. After a few sleepless hours, Tony decided that he would go to the performance sight early tomorrow and question the Trickster.
. . .
It was precisely 4:33 in the afternoon, and Tony sat cross-legged on a park bench; his eyes piercing as they studied the empty stage in front of him. He wore a low brimmed baseball cap to hide his face from the general public – there were very few times in his life when he donned a disguise, but he didn't want SHIELD to get involved just yet. He patiently watched as the sun lowered in the sky, and people began to gather around the stage. Tony stared like a hawk at the stage, waiting for Loki to arrive. The show was to start in only a few minutes, but the god had yet to show up. The Avenger effortlessly made his way through the anxious crowd, and placed himself only a few inches away from the stage. As soon as the clock stuck nine, the lights came to life, and three men that bared gruff resemblances to the God of Mischief entered the stage with their respective instruments. They started playing an intriguing intro to a song; then the crowd erupted with excitement when Loki himself literally materialized onto the stage. The god seemed almost gleeful as he immediately started to sing.
"Put on your war paint"
Tony swallowed hard when the Trickster locked eyes with him – though he couldn't tell if Loki's expression was more challenging or fearful.
"You are a brick tied to me that's dragging me down
Strike a match and I'll burn you to the ground"
The billionaire tore his eyes away and studied the god's outfit so as to avoid eye contact. The Liesmith wore a very simplistic version of his old armor made of black leather; Tony could see from his angle that the outer coat had a green lining. Loki's hair was even spikier than when the Avenger had first seen him. He smirked as he noticed the touch of stage makeup that the mischief maker had on.
"We are the jack-o-lanterns in July
Setting fire to the sky
Here it comes, this rising tide
So come on"
It was almost enchanting how Loki danced and sang – it's a wonder that he didn't start using the mike stand as a pole.
"Put on your war paint"
Tony felt almost strange. Loki seemed different, and less….hostile.
"Cross walks and crossed hearts and hope-to-dies
Silver clouds with grey lining"
The Trickster gracefully pulled the mike off the mike stand and moved around the stage to the beat of the music. He leaned and reached out the crowd.
"So we can take the world back from a heart attack
One maniac at a time we will take it back"
Tony watched in almost awe as Loki quickly replaced the mike on the stand and fist bumped the air to punctuate each word he sang.
"You know time crawls on when you're waiting for the song to start
So dance alone to the beat of your heart"
From his angle the Avenger could see a strange gleam in the god's eyes – it looked like excitement and….pain?
"Hey young blood
Doesn't it feel like our time is running out?"
Loki pointed his fist in Tony's general direction, though his eyes were intensely surveying the crowd perhaps in search of any other Avengers or threats.
"I'm gonna change you like a remix
Then I'll raise you like a phoenix"
The god closed his eyes and elegantly raised his head to match the high pitch his voice reached as he sang that last word.
"Wearing our vintage misery"
He held out his left arm as a beautiful, yet broken crown rolled down his arm from out of nowhere. Loki caught it with his hand and forcefully placed it on his own head.
"No, I think it looked a little better on me"
Tony briefly saw hatred flash in the Trickster's eyes. The Avenger shifted uneasily as he watched the other take on a hollow look.
"I'm gonna change you like a remix
Then I'll raise you like a phoenix"
This Loki was different that the one that had tried to subjugate the world not too long ago. Tony could sense the pain in his voice, but it had to be a trick, didn't it? Loki was very good at lying after all. Inescapable chills tore through the Man of Iron's system as the god looked straight at him again – there was a gleam of unshed tears in his eyes.
"Bring home the boys and scrap scrap metal the tanks"
Tony raised his eyebrows – Loki was daring him to call the others and assemble. But he wasn't going to, at least not yet.
"Get hitched, make a career of robbing banks
Because the world is just a teller and we are wearing black masks
'You broke our spirit,' says the note we pass"
Loki continued to gracefully, yet angrily dance as he sang out to the crowd.
"So we can take the world back from a heart attack
One maniac at a time we will take it back"
His dancing grew more energetic.
"You know time crawls on when you're waiting for the song to start"
He reached out to Tony.
"So dance alone to the beat of your heart"
The billionaire froze at the look in Loki's eyes. He wasn't sure what the feelings that abruptly swelled in his chest were, or where they came from. The god sang through the chorus with an unnerving edge in his voice. Tony listened intently as the level of desperation started to rise within the Trickster's voice.
"The war is won
Before it's begun
Release the doves
Surrender love"
The other band members – which he assumed were illusions created by the god – sang in the background behind Loki.
"Wave the white flag!
Wave the white flag, HGH!"
The God of Mischief reached longingly out to the crowd to punctuate his next lyric.
"Heeeeeeey young blood
Doesn't it feel like our time is running out?
I'm gonna change you like a remix
Then I'll raise you like a phoenix"
The crowd all around Tony grew more intense and energetic as the song grew louder and louder.
"Wearing our vintage misery
No, I think it looked a little better on me
I'm gonna change you like a remix
Then I'll raise you like a phoenix"
Loki continued to sing the last reprise as the beat went into half-time.
"Hey young blood
Doesn't feel like our time is running out?
I'm gonna change you like a remix
Then I'll raise you like a phoenix"
The god took a step away from the mike and appeared to recompose himself. He half-heartedly pulled the mike off the stand and sang the final words.
"Put on your war paint"
Tony just stood in slight shock as the song ended. Loki gave him a warning look that could've been a glare. The Avenger dry swallowed. He was definitely going to have to interrogate – and maybe have a few drinks – with the god.
A/N: I do you hope you enjoyed and would like to read more! Let me know what you think, and stay awesome out there!