"Hey Lokes," Tony says as he plops very unceremoniously next to the norse god.
"Mortal," is Loki's only acknowledgement, if it could be called that.
Tony, not one to be dissuaded by the prickly behavior the god reserves for everyone in the tower, wriggles closer to Loki. To be honest the god being here really didn't bother Tony, when Thor – Loki's overly-ripped adopted brother, A.K.A. the god of thunder – brought the criminal god to Tony's – ahem, the Avenger's – doorstep he really didn't give a rat's ass. As long as Loki didn't throw him out of another window, Tony was fine with him staying here. As for the other members of the costume clad, avenging family opinions were diverse, ranging from disgust, – Natasha and Steve – outrage, – Clint, who is still holding a grudge from being mindfucked by the trickster – wariness, – Brucie, who's worried the Big Guy will come out at any moment to wreck havoc on the 'Puny God' – and hope – Thor, who would probably forgive Loki if he cut off the beefy god's Mjolnir swinging hand.
It's been three months and, as Tony so loves to call him, the Prickly One has barely spoken to any of the Avengers. Well, excluding Tony who seems to have a knack at pissing Loki off enough to get the occasional, "Be gone with you, you pesky mortal!" Everyone except for Thor and Tony just avoid him, as if they act like the 6 plus foot norse god of mischief is not sitting in the living area he'll just disappear. Which is really stupid logic, Tony thinks, if Loki disappeared that'd be pretty fucking bad. Who knows what he'd do if he escaped the tower. And guess who'd be to blame and have to catch him, yup, you guessed it, Earth's Mightiest Heroes! Not like he could get out, thanks to Tony's 'god-proofing' the entire building after being thrown out of the window. Nope, not even Thor can break these enhanced windows, doors, floors, or walls… Hulk on the other hand – well lets just hope it doesn't come to that, shall we?
Tony, not one for personal space, rests his arm on Loki's shoulders. "You should lighten up, Reindeer Games, it would make befriending you so much easier. Then we can have sleep overs – well technically you are sleeping here, it'd be nice if it was a sleep over – and talk about world domination and why you feel the need to where leather and gold horns. Oh! And watch movies – you like movies right? Do they even have movies in Asgard? Do you know what a movie is? They're great, you'd love them, well I don't know if you'd like them because you never ta – "
"Stark," Loki hisses, "must you go on and on with this insistent prattling? Do you truly savor your voice that much? Or is that you enjoy seeing me in torment of your presence?"
Tony smirks, "Jarvis, get the man a beer I think that's the most he's said to anyone since he got here."
"Right away, Sir," the AI replies sarcastically.
Loki huffs in annoyance, "Your petty games will not work on me, Man of Iron."
Purring Tony says, "You want to play another game? I promise it'll be far from petty."
The engineer takes great enjoyment at the sputtering god. "Stark!"
"Please, call me Tony," Tony's grin is wide and shit-eating worthy.
"You are impossible," Loki growls.
"And you are talking, I take it being impossible is just your type, Green Eyes."
The god debates on getting up and leaving but decides to not give the tiny man the satisfaction. So he goes back to ignoring the mortal, as if this conversation never happened but he can't help but give the man a curious look before going silent.
"Hey, Tony! Get your iron ass in the kitchen, Steve made pizza," one of the humans shouted, pointedly not looking at Loki.
"Be there in a sec, Clint," Tony replies, not even an ounce of uneasiness of being seen with Loki. The bird man vanishes as if he was never there to begin with, a whole different spectrum of magic compared to Loki's.
Tony smiles, slight but different from his smirks and grins more real than the others, small dimples form on either side of his mouth. It makes Loki even more uncomfortable than his terribly blunt innuendoes. Unsure of what to do with himself, Loki does what he does best and becomes frigid. He glares at Stark, hoping he will leave sooner rather than later and get the message: stay away. In response Tony squeezes his shoulder and his smile turns smug before standing up.
"I owe you a drink, Reindeer Games," Stark shouts over his shoulder as he leaves to join the others in jovial activities of eating pizza.
….
"Hello, Tony," Bruce smiles softly.
"Brucie! How's my favorite scientist," Tony's smile is bright as he claspes his hand on Bruce's shoulder.
Banner can't help but notice the other man's fingers pressing into his skin, not in the least afraid of the outcome of such an action. "I'm well, how's coaxing Loki out of his frosty shell?"
Thor walks in at the moment, towering over the rest of the Avengers who are all starting to fight over Roger's cheesy goodness. "Ah, yes! How is my brother doing, Anthony? Has he spoke to you? Alas, he will not even stay in the same room as I." Thor's usually dopey smile is a morose frown as he thinks about his lone wolf of a brother.
Tony walks over to Thor and pats his arm. "He's opening up, Blondie. We had a semi-full conversation, I think he likes me."
The blond god's smile comes back full force it is almost blinding. "This is great news, Man of Iron! I believe he has taken a liking to your small form as well. Perhaps I could speak with him."
"I'm not small," Tony whines pathetically, "you're just overly giant."
"Do not be ashamed of your midget height, your strength is in your mind not your body – just as valuable as my might," Thor says happily.
"I… don't know if that was a compliment or if you were calling me fat, but alright, Big Guy."
Steve sits across from Tony, both taking an end of the table as always. Whether it is to keep distance from one another or coincidence no one knows – well Natasha probably knows, but it's not like she'll tell anyone. Bruce sits to the right of Tony and Thor is on his left, Clint and Natasha sit across from another but their bodies are leaned inwards as they creepily talk with just body movements. Clint's elbows rest on the table and Nat's are unseen, which means she's either holding a knife or is really pissed at her assassin comrade. Thor's talking – more like shouting – to Rogers about one thing or another, something about sparring or nothing too interesting. Tony doesn't pay much attention to them, as his eyes are mainly on Bruce.
"I really think if we could make the Other Guy see that Loki isn't a threat, you wouldn't have to hide in the lab all the time, Brucie Babe," Tony says.
"Tony, I know that look in your eye. That's a scientific look and I am not going to put the tower and our friends in danger because you want the Hulk to make friends," Bruce says somewhat exasperated.
"Awh, c'mon, Banner. I'd be there with you and the Big Guy, you know Hulk loves me. He wouldn't hurt me even if Loki happened to be in the room. Plus Hulk is green, Loki's magic is green… Don't you owe it to the Greed Gods of Greendom to at least try," Tony's voice is excited, thinking about letting the Hulk to come out and play for once. He knows the other scientist is so strung up trying to keep his alter ego in check. Which Tony honestly thinks is the reason why the Green Guy is so angry all the time.
"Tony…" Bruce murmurs, "you don't know that he won't hurt you. Just because he caught you after your reckless actions, doesn't mean he likes you. It just means he saw something shiny and chased after it," his voice is glum.
"Bullshit, Bruce, and you know that. If I was just 'something shiny' he would've squished me, he saved my life because he knew what he was doing. And I'm hurt, Doctor Banner, my actions were most definitely heroic."
"Heroism does not negate recklessness, Tony," Bruce chuckles lightly.
Tony doesn't find it funny. "Pepper said the same thing you know."
The table went silent the moment Tony said her name. It has been months since Pepper has set foot in Avengers tower and hasn't seen Tony for even longer. The two had a nasty break up after what happened in New York, no one knew what happened but Tony was wrecked. And plastered all the time. It wasn't until Loki came into the picture that Tony actually got his act together, apparently Loki said something to the scientist that only Tony and the god know. Not even Natasha is quite sure what Loki did but no one complained when Tony came down to eat for the first time in weeks, cleanly shaven and his give-it-all-or-nothing attitude firmly intact. But not once has he mentioned Pepper, always avoiding Steve's worried gaze and Natasha's knowing looks.
So the group simply stared at the man with the ripped apart heart, wanting so badly to say something but not sure what to say. Tony's eyes lose their shine, the air at the table is no longer light and playful. It is just quiet and Tony hates quiet. Silence doesn't let him be distracted from his thoughts, even when no one is talking there's usually music blasting or a T.V. blaring somewhere. Now it's just silence, a silence directed straight at Tony. Bruce's gaze burns the most, it has a guilty glaze to it and Tony hates it. He doesn't want to be the one to cause stress, he's supposed to relieve the stress.
Tony clears his throat, "Sorry. You know? I need a drink, who wants a drink?"
Silence.
It feels like the walls are creeping up on Tony so abruptly he stands from his chair and almost mechanically walks from the kitchen. Walking straight past Loki, not even bothering to acknowledge him. Which is strange to Loki, who is used to the tin man always chattering about whenever Loki is around, now he doesn't even grace him a wave or tilt of the head. This angers Loki, to be cast aside the moment he decided to allow Stark's company. As if the short man child has completed his game of words with the god, now that he has gotten him to talk. Following the man upstairs, Loki remains hidden when he sees Stark stalking towards the liquor bar.
Weak minded human, Loki thinks distastefully.
The god simply watches Tony as he takes one of the crystal jugs of amber liquid and takes out a a matching crystal cup, pouring half of a drink into it. Tony stares at both the bottle and cup before taking a swipe out of the container rather than the measly amount in the tumbler. Sighing, Loki makes his presence known. Tony looks unimpressed by the god and goes back to his drink.
"Do you not remember, Mortal, what I told you all those months ago?" Loki sneers.
"Oh, I remember. I just decided I don't care, that's what I do best isn't it? Not caring," Tony mutters.
"Pathetic."
"I know."
Tony offers Loki the abandoned tumbler in mock hospitality. "Want that drink now?"
Loki accepts it and sips gingerly. "It is surprising something so weak can have such a negative affect on your human body. Children back in Asgard drink stronger substances than this. Then again humans are so… fragile."
"Well, you know us lowly mortals haven't achieved godhood just yet," Tony snarks.
"Anthony, you were dying. And now you plunge the weapon that was killing you right back into your veins. I was brought to believe you were a genius, these are the actions of an imbecile. Your heart is weak enough as it is, you are just feeding the flame now."
He takes another long swig, "That's the plan, Lokes."
"I do not know why I bother. Go ahead then, throw away these past few months of health and drown your own heart in your devil's poison. It matters little to me," Loki says.
"You know, that's bullshit. You're an ass, you know that? You act all high and mighty, well guess what, buddy, you're locked in my tower. Your plans were foiled by a disassembled band of misfits. You can't even break out of a cage a drunk built. Your powers are locked away once again by who? Oh, right me. If you didn't care you wouldn't have let me know I was dying in the first place. You'd have let me die, because Thor may have brought you here but I'm the one who locked you up. So you know what? Fuck off."
Tony's hands begin to shake uncontrollably and Loki can feel the anger and betrayal role off of his being in waves. "She left me," he screams randomly, "she left me, because I was killing her. My drinking, my vigilantism, my lifestyle. And I couldn't stop. I couldn't… I can't stop. She's left me but she isn't gone. She still runs my business, my company so I can do what I can't stop. She won't even call me, she emails me – formal and to the point. I haven't seen her since… I can't even remember when. If I can't stop for her, I'll never be able to stop."
Loki looks down at the man, "Well, that was just idiotic. You say your heroism is a death sentence, but it is a worthy one. Your lifestyle is heroism, you are no longer the Merchant of Death, no? So that too is worthy in death. You say you cannot stop your addiction to this poison, yet you have ceased to drink a drop in the months I have been here. Your argument has no valid points until this moment, because you are weak. But we are all weak, so simply get over it, Stark. Your woman has left you – my nation has left me. You do not see me trying to kill myself. Do you see the Widow attempting to end her life? Her history has much more blood than yours. And how about the Captain? His world is gone and yet he stays.
As for why I allowed you to have knowledge of your decaying heart, well, that is simply because if you do die before your time it will be my hand. Not by some pitiful liquor."
Tony's jaw clenches, while he mentally admits the god was right but not wanting to put down the liquor either. He tries to blow off his words, "I must be getting somewhere with you, you're talking in entire paragraphs worth of words."
"Perhaps," Loki allows the man that small victory, if only to stop his whining.
Tony puts the crystal jug back in its rightful place next to other dusty bottles of vodka and alcohol. "I'm sorry, you know," he says eventually.
"Sorry for what," Loki asks.
"For taking your magic. I don't regret it, but when I think about it I can't help but imagine of when my arc reactor was stolen straight out of my chest. Sometimes when I look at you I think of what if someone cut off my hands and it makes me angry. To not be able too do the thing that sets you apart. I mean, you deserve it but that doesn't mean I can't sympathize, right?"
Loki – the silvertongue – for once does not know what to say. He doesn't think the other man expects forgiveness, nor does Loki wish to grant it but for someone else to understand his plight… it is a nice change of pace. Anthony is a man of science, which is strikingly similar to magic in a very warped sense. His science is like a physical magic in which Asgard is lacking, where as Loki's magic is intangible. As the moments pass Stark's eyes are on his own hands, as if imagining a life without his limbs as he speaks.
In a moment of what Loki believes is understanding with the mortal, he places one cold hand on Tony's. "What I did," Loki states, "was… done for the wrong reasons. I wanted this world out of spite towards my brother. Out of desperation to do something right by someone's eyes even if their sight was even more twisted than mine. You may have made this prison, Stark, you may have even taken my magic. But I am the one who led myself to this fate, not you. Am I angry I have lost my magic? Indeed. Do I wish ill will towards you for it? Not in the slightest. But do not that mistake that for me caring for your well being, do you understand? You are the enemy, someone who stands in my way. And if it comes down to it, I will kill you because that is the god I am known to be."
"So, what you are saying is you like me," Tony grins.
"That… no. That is not what I am saying, can you hear me at all, Mortal?"
His grin widens, "You're all talk, Lokes. You say you want to kill me but when I try to kill myself you stop me. I think I've grown on you, and you just don't want to admit. It was inevitable, really. I mean look at me, I'm 5 feet and 9 inches of pure charm and wit."
Loki's eyes trail up and down the short man's body, "You are not 5'9" that I can guarantee you, Stark. As for these other accusations you harbor towards me, they are simply not true."
Tony sniffs, "Well, you're just in denial. You must be intimidated by my amazingness."
"Anthony," Loki says slowly as if talking to a dumb child, "I just talked you out of drinking yourself into a stupor and most likely death. I am not in any way, shape, or form intimidated by you."
"Exactly," Tony exclaims, "you just saved my life because you care. You care about me, Green Eyes," he starts smiling again, dimples and all.
I should have left him alone to drink himself to death, Loki thinks. Taking one final sip of his drink Loki murmurs, "Perhaps."