They had both learned it a long time ago.
Tony grew up with a barrage of nannies and butlers. He very rarely saw his Father and when he did, it was simply in passing. He always expected at least a little bit of praise, for his circuitry board he built at age four, for Dummy at age fifteen, for any of his achievements. He was always disappointed.
Then came Rhodey. Rhodey was his best friend. His best friend who didn't like to spend time with him because 'it was bad for their friendship'. His best friend couldn't stand to be in the same room as him. That was disappointing.
Next was Pepper. Pepper was his assistant turned best friend turned girlfriend turned ex-girlfriend turned awkward person had to interact with because she was the CEO of a company with his last name on it. That…that might have been the most disappointing of all.
Loki didn't even know that he should be disappointed. He expected that his parents would love him from the moment he was born. Of course, he later learned that his biological parents abandoned him from the start and he was disappointed.
Next came everyone in Asgard. The whispers of the people were always at his back. Wondering. Wondering how he was a prince when his beautiful, amazing 'brother' was there. He expected respect from his people, but all he got was disappointment.
Finally, his so-called 'family.' He learned that they were nothing to him. He was simply the chance at peace Odin was forced to adopt. He expected that they were his family because they loved him, not because they needed his connection to the Jotuns. That was the most disappointing of all.
When they met, it was during disappointing circumstances. They didn't talk, but they learned of each other. Tony learned that someone else had been through the same things that he had been through. Someone else had been disappointed. Loki learned that at least one Midgardian managed to relate to him. It was surprising to him that someone else, a Midgardian none the less, could be as disappointed as he could.
Then, they met, for real.
It exceeded expectations, and they weren't disappointed anymore.
R & R.
