So! Hello! This story is not mine! I'm just finishing the two last chapters for the author. The original story is here : s/8703275/1/Man-with-a-Plan. And thank you for reading!
Man With A Plan - Chapter 4 - The Method To Madness
Thing is, Tony is an irrepressible hedonist.
It's not that he's a rebel without a cause (though he kind of is) and he isn't tying to give the government an ulcer (debatable) or trying to go against everything that is considered good and safe and sane.
He's just really, really bad at denying himself.
He never even bothered to learn the meaning of self-control (though if needed he could have some) and Obi-Stane needed to keep him happy, so he indulged every crazy fancy or obsession of the day. And since he was, well, Tony Stark, he was never denied anything.
Well, until Pepper that is. Really, he never learned any limits until Pepper. But Pepper was Pepper, so she doesn't count.
Point is, Tony has never not indulged himself when he wanted to.
And if there's something that Tony has never, ever deprived himself of, it's sex. Especially good sex.
He should be able to say no! Don't they teach this at high school?...Then again he did skip most of the classes…
However, contrary to everyone's opinion of him, he did have common sense. And he knew that this was very, very risky. Not only was there the constant threat of SHIELD finding out, but the Avengers, especially Thor and Clint, would kill him. And while he doesn't have any delusions about how much they may like him, he doesn't want to destroy what little camaraderie he has successfully gained from them.
He really needed to put an end to it. He had to.
Because there was also the part where he wasn't thinking of Loki as a threat anymore.
And that scared him.
He was not stalling, not at all. He was Tony Stark, he did not stall. But he had to admit that he had not been actively looking for Thor.
Of course his luck had to run out eventually. Still, who wouldn't have gone to investigate suspicious noises at 3 in the morning?
"Thor, buddy, what are you doing?" Another loud crash sounded as Thor rummaged around in the cabinet under the sink.
"Friend Tony!" Thor grinned up at the man.
"Hey, buddy. Looking for something?" He tried to peek inside, but Thor was a really bulky guy, so it was impossible.
"I am merely on a quest to find the...Charms...of luck!" He said in triumph as he straightened and closed the cabinet door, box of Lucky Charms in his hand.
"Clint hid those from you again, huh?" Tony laughed.
Thor looked down at Tony with a gleaming smile and let out a low chuckle, "Indeed he did. However my quest to find them did not take as long as last time, so it seems I am improving."
Tony patted the massive blonde on the back, "Good for you Thor."
Thor beamed at him before turning around to get a bowl and spoon, while Tony decided to hand him the milk he had seen on the counter.
"So listen, I've got a question." Thor looked up at him from where he had sat down.
"How may I be of assistance?"
"Well…I just wanna know…" Tony cleared his throat before continuing, "Is there a way to stop teleportation?"
Thor paused his movements and stared at Tony for a bit.
"Has this matter something to do with me, Man of Iron? I am afraid I have already told the Eye of Hawk that I am unable to do such things. I have never been very adept at magic." 'Unlike my brother' went unsaid.
"No it's just, well what if it's needed? Let's say, in a hypothetical situation. I mean, Lo-your brother can't be the only Houdini out there, can he?" Nope, not saying that name.
Thor seemed thoughtful for a moment.
"Indeed he is not, but I am inexperienced in this matter. There is not a way that is known to me. However The Allfather or the mages from Asgard might know."
"Oh, alright then." He tapped his chin while Thor continued to stare at him.
A few minutes of this and Thor rapidly became bored, standing up and heading towards the living room. Tony followed him unconsciously, sitting beside the big blonde and blindly staring at the TV when Thor started flipping through the channels.
He was startled out of his thoughts when a commercial of Blake 7 appeared. He remembered watching old reruns of that show in the past and that's when it hit him.
Why not make his own teleportation-stopping device?
He nearly smacked himself on the forehead. He was an engineer. He made things. He created things. Why ask about something when he could do it himself?!
He jumped up from the couch and turned back to Thor, who had been startled by the sudden action.
"Thanks buddy!" Tony leaned down, taking a hold of Thor's head and planting a big smooch on the god's forehead before sprinting towards his workshop.
It was inventing time.
"Tony?"
Steve stepped through the workshop's door cautiously. He did not like that metal thing on the floor that seemed to follow his movements.
"Tony?"
He called again, wincing at the mess around him. Paper balls and blueprints for...something were strewn around him, empty coffee pots (no, not mugs, actual pots) scraps of metal and different tools completing the chaos found in Tony Stark's lab.
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, hands itching to put everything in order.
"Tony, you've been down here for two days. This is not healthy-"
He was interrupted by a loud crash coming from...somewhere in front of him before Tony appeared, something clutched in his hand.
"Oh, hey Steve. What's up?"
"It's been two days Tony. Two days. Jarvis says you haven't eaten anything at all and- I swear to God if you dare use that rag to clean your face I am going to carry you upstairs and wash you myself. Tony, that is not sanitary!"
"My workshop is perfectly clean Cap. Right Dumm-E?"
The robot bobbed its head up and down in agreement, producing a light hissing noise. Tony grinned, looking at Steve in triumph.
"See?"
Steve rolled his eyes. "Fine, see if I care when you catch the plague from something in here."
Tony chuckled and turned his back, heading towards one of the work tables.
"So what brings you here Capsicle?"
"The growling of your stomach." As if on cue said stomach did in fact growl. Tony blinked, surprised and patted his belly, grinning sheepishly. Steve sighed and walked forward, presenting Tony a plate containing the most glorious sub the World had ever seen.
Well, not really, but Tony hadn't eaten in quite a while (quite a bit longer than the two days Jarvis told Steve) so it did look quite beautiful.
Steve frowned a little when Tony snatched the sandwich up and gave a bite bigger than what was considered civilized.
"Steb wull you arry ee?" Tony spoke around his mouthful.
"Why, nothing would make me happier." Steve replied with a snigger, setting the plate down on top of some paperwork. "However I recall you proposing to Bruce the other morning at breakfast."
Tony swallowed his mouth full this time before answering. "Yeah, maybe I did. BUT, that was until he drank my juice. Now he is the enemy."
"Oh well, fair enough then." Steve answered before looking around the workshop. Even if it was the very definition of chaos, it was interesting to see a space filled to the brim with metal bursting with life. Out of the corner of his eye a small light caught his attention and he turned his gaze downwards to Tony's wrists.
"...Is that jewelry?"
Tony looked up at him.
"What?"
Steve pointed down at the man's wrists.
"Is...that a thing now? You...jewelry?"
Tony blinked, looking down at where Steve was pointing.
"Wha-No!"
Steve shrugged, holding his hands up.
"Hey it's okay, Clint explained and said tha-"
"It's not jewelry Steve!"
Steve blinked. "But it looks like-"
"They are bracelets! Manly bracelets!"
"Why are they sparkly?"
"Those are lights!"
Steve leaned back a little when Tony thrust his hand in front of his face. From there he could see the bracelets clearly (unlike when they were half-hidden by the sandwich). The 'jewelry' actually looked crude and technological in a way that jewelry wasn't meant to be and had a single, small light bulb in the middle, making it seem like a gem from afar.
"Oh."
Tony glared. "Oh is right! These bracelets are not for decoration."
"What are they for then?" Nothing distracted Tony better than talking about his work. As soon as those words left his mouth Tony's eyes started twinkling in pride.
"Call me a genius Steve!"
"Genius."
"I heard that, don't think I didn't, really Steve, your sarcasm just hurts." Tony's grin came back full force while he put his sandwich down to fully display his wrists.
"These," Tony shook his hand, making the bracelets clink slightly when they clashed together, "Are meant to stop teleportation!"
Steve's eyebrows shot up.
"Really?"
"Yeah, they should stop it within a certain distance of the wearer, basically making it impossible for them to be kidnapped or taken by surprise."
Steve took hold of Tony's hand to see the bracelet better.
"Wow Tony. This could be really useful."
Tony flapped a hand at him.
"Yeah, well they're still in the testing phase, but when I'm done I'll make more!"
Steve smiled. "I gotta admit I wished you had made them sooner. Loki's games left me really sore last time he threw me against a car."
Tony grinned nervously at the man. "Yeah. Anyway shoo now, Captain slowpoke, I've got work to do!"
He wears the bracelets that night, well technically morning as its already past 3 am. He has a dreamless sleep until, barely two hours later, he hears someone whispering in his ear.
It's Loki.
"Holy fuck! Oh you've got to be fucking kidding me!" Loki raises an eyebrow at him.
"I have told no joke Stark."
Tony sits up and scrambles backwards until his back is pressed against the headboard.
"How in the hell did you get in?! This was supposed to stop you from teleporting near me!" He shakes the his hands, and by extension the bracelets, at him.
Loki sits back, taking one of Tony's hands and bringing it closer to his own face, examining the bracelets.
"It did."
Tony swallowed, noticing that Loki's attire consisted of the same green tunic and leather pants he had worn when they first started this. His eyes glazed over slightly before he mentally shook himself to clear his head. Loki, the bastard, smirked wider.
"I found that I would not cast myself near you."
"If it worked then how did you get in?!"
"I entered through the balcony."
"The balc-Jarvis! You let him through the fucking balcony? Wait, you used and actual door?" Tony could have slapped himself.
Loki chuckled as Tony stared open mouthed at him.
"It is of no importance, I intend to have you. Now." Loki used the grip he had on Tony's arm to pull him forward, causing the man to collide face-first against his chest.
Tony tried to back away, but he could only get so far as Loki caught him by the waist and spun the around, pressing him into the mattress.
"Hey, get off!" Loki paid no attention to him, instead focusing on licking and biting his neck.
"Loki I'm serious!" He grunted and frantically started shoving the God away (as much as he could anyway) when he tried to get Tony's shirt off.
"Do not act as if you do not desire it as well, Stark." Loki pulled back to smirk at him.
Tony glared. "No means no, you bastard. Let me go!" He pushed against the God again.
"Do not resist me, mortal." Loki leaned down once again, trying to kiss Tony, but the man jerked his head to the side roughly.
"Or what, you'll force me? I already told you this has to stop!"
"And precisely why should it?"
"Because this is just sex! Neither of us gives a shit about the other, so be a good villain and go awa-"
Tony doesn't get to finish his sentence as he is suddenly slammed back against a wall. He grunts and opens his eyes to find Loki looking intently at him. Poison green glared down at him before he was released. Unprepared as he was, he sunk down to the floor, watching warily as Loki turned his back to him and strode to the middle of the room. He turned around and gifted Tony with a dangerous smile.
"Of course." He vanished.
Tony blinked before looking down at his wrists. The bracelets were broken.
He sighed and ran his hands through his hair. 'Well, that went horrible,' he thought, 'but it's for the best right?'
Three months.
Three freaking months since he last saw Loki.
There is no sign of him anywhere, and while the rest (particularly Clint) are happy about it, Tony senses that Thor might be able to sympathize with him.
Or he will get a hammer to the face.
Either way it helped.
"Hey Thor? There was something I wanted to tell you about..."