"Loki, I said I'm not hungry."

"Harry. Stop acting like-"

"Don't you dare say that to me."

"I'll get Thor if you don't-"

"Thor doesn't work on me anymore, Loki."

Loki sighed. He was tired of this. "Well, then perhaps what I say will." He walked around the dinner table, set his hands on the firm wood, and leaned down so he was inches from Harry's face. His eyes glowed like the blue sea with the sun gleaming on it. ""I'm going to take a shower and when I come out I expect this," he said, pointing to the plate of food that hadn't been touched, "to be gone. If it isn't, then I'm gone. I refuse to do this again. I won't watch you degrade yourself. So until you decide you are worthy of food again I'll be at Stark's Tower."

Harry held back tears; Loki could see it in the way his lip trembled. However, despite the pain it gave him to say those words to Harry he had no choice. After the visit to the Dursley's, Harry hadn't been the same. He was quieter, slept most of the day, and hadn't eaten more than an apple in the two days he'd been at home.

Loki got in the shower and remembered the same thing happening before. Harry had these sudden attacks of self-loathing. Loki treaded on careful grounds around this Harry. And when he thought that Harry was done behaving as if he was nothing, a few years later it happened again, and so Loki repeated the same actions of treating him like the true, honest man he was. It had helped Harry before, but now it was different. Harry wasn't a little boy afraid, nor was he unaware of how Loki felt about him. He had to make sure Harry understood how much he meant to him, and if leaving was the only way that's what would be. Harry would have to fight for his self, and fight to get him back.

It would be hard for him, too. Being away from Harry for even a day was too much for him. Loki would keep away for Harry, to show him how much their love meant.

When he came out dressed and dry Harry sat on the couch, pouting with his blanket around his shoulders. The food was gone—not eaten, but magiced away.

"Loki I—" Harry turned around to watch Loki gather his scarf and coat. "Please…don't go…"

No matter how much that choked up voice had Loki wanting to hold Harry tight, he wouldn't give in to those deep green watery eyes. He'd held him too much and it didn't work. So he turned around and said, "Goodbye, Harry."

+++HL+++

When he got to Tony's, both he and Steve were on the couch watching a movie on the big screen TV, and Loki laughed when he saw them cuddled together. They jumped up and looked ready to fight until they saw it was him and not some home-intruder.

Tony held his chest. "Jesus fucking Christ, Loki. Don't be so ninja, okay? It could give a man a heart attack."

Steve chuckled. He motioned Loki over to the couches. "What're you doing here so late?"

Loki took a chair. He explained to them about Harry and they already knew about the previous times this happened.

Tony inhaled threw his teeth. "Loki, that's harsh. Harry's been through—"

The god hissed at him, and Tony huddled behind Steve's back at the sudden anger. "I know, Stark. I know what he's been through. It's no excuse to act as he is."

Steve shoved Tony out from behind him. "Yeah, but he's a stubborn little guy, too. It took him two weeks to tell us his full name, remember? Even JARVIS couldn't find it."

Tony grumbled. "I'm still mad about that. Damn wizards…"

"Anyway… " Steve said with a roll of his eyes. "Maybe Harry just wants you to be there for him, to comfort him."

Loki glared up at the ceiling, and his eyes looked as if everything would break apart if he so much as blinked. He'd comforted and done everything he did before, and more. None of that helped Harry. He still spoke like a whisper would call death to him, and food never touched his fingertips. If he couldn't figure out what to do, if Harry didn't eat or tell him what was making him feel this way, everything might as well be torn to shreds and ripped from him, because without his Harry life was empty space—cold and dark. And he wasn't going back to cold, dark space.

He turned his blue eyes to Steve. "I've done all the comforting I can."

Tony shrugged. "Maybe he wants you to be forceful with him, Loki. Yell at him, make talk about it, force him eat." He smirked at Steve, who looked wary immediatly, and said, "And a little rough sex afterward can be healthy."

"Tony!" Steve exclaimed with his cheeks flushed.

After a wink, Tony's face was completely serious. "Really, though. It's just mean to ditch him when he needs you the most. I get your trying to teach him a lesson, you weird god, but... If it were me, I'd want my husband there with me, mean or comforting or whatever."

Steve coughed away his embarrassment. "I think you should try to get him to talk to you again, and then if that doesn't work…well, what Tony said. But be nice to him, yeah?"

Tony flashed him a smile. "Go home, Loki. Harry needs you."

"Doesn't he always?" Loki sighed fondly.

The bearded man stood up and gestured to the door, not that Loki would use it but the gesture was obvious in its meaning. "Get out of my house. In five seconds I'm going to jump my man and fuck him senseless on my couch." He winked at Steve, who jumped up from the couch.

"Stark! I'm going to kill you!"

"Oh, baby, talk dirty to me!"

Loki laughed wildly.

+++HL+++

Tony's idea resonated in Loki. Maybe he liked the idea because dominating people was just something he enjoyed doing, and he especially loved taking control of Harry. It was probably true that what his little wizard needed was just someone to tell him what he needed. While Harry acted like an adolescent on occasion, this being one of them, he had those moments where it seemed his age surpassed Loki's by centuries. Harry was truly remarkable in that way.

He somehow knew that staying away wouldn't work.

When he arrived back he immediately called out. "Harry, precious, where are you?"

The couch was empty. Harry's blanket was tossed on the floor and the TV was off, but the lights were still on.

He heard noise coming from their bedroom. He climbed the steps instead of his usual teleportation so Harry would know he was coming, and then he wouldn't run or hide.

There wasn't anyone in the bedroom; however the lights were on in the conjoining bathroom. He knocked on the door. "Come out, Harry."

"No. You're just gonna yell at me."

He rolled his eyes. "No, I promise I'm not."

"How am I supposed to believe you? You're the God of Lies, Loki."

"Harry, I love you, but you have to trust me. Open the door."

"No."

Loki sighed. Busting down the door would only make Harry more upset. "I can leave again if you wish. Thor will certainly let me stay and Jane wouldn't mind the intrusion."

"Don't go again!" Harry shouted. The door was thrown open and Loki took his chance to drag Harry out by his shirt. "Hey! Let go! Lokiiiii!"

Tossed on the bed, Harry's heart raced. Loki heard it and he could admit it excited him. Harry rolled over onto his back, elbows on the bed. His wide eyes looked to Loki. Despite that this look turned him on, he had to focus on the problem. If he did this right, Harry would finally learn what he meant to Loki. After years together Loki didn't think he truly knew how much he loved him. His love could burn down planets, galaxies even, with it's fiery passion. When he thought about the insecurity's Harry held inside of him, Loki got very angry at who caused them. And whenever Harry lacked that confidence, that bright fire in his words and eyes Loki cherished, it scarred him with a hot, sharp knife right in his heart.

"Please…I'm-"

"Be quiet."

Harry's jaw snapped shut. Loki climbed on top of Harry, backing him up against the pillows. His knees rested on either side of Harry's legs. The wizard was trembling, and the fear was still on his face.

"Tell me what's troubling you."

"Loki—"

"You will tell me, Harry. Or else."

Harry opened his mouth, and Loki glared when he sensed the objection to come. "Do you wish to know what 'or else' means?"

His husband shook his head. "No," he replied softly.

"Then answer me."

"You don't understand what—"

"Oh, no, Harry, you don't understand!" Harry flinched as he shouted at him, his lithe body pressed harshly into the headboard. "You don't understand what this does to me, Harry. Let me tell you. Every night I see you trapped in your dreams, and I have to listen to your screams when you wake up coated in sweat. But it isn't the nightmares that make me angry, it's that you won't let me help you afterwards. You run into the bathroom and cry, and when you're done I gather up your limp, tired body. Do you know what that's like, to see you so exhausted? And all day I see your tiny frame, and not once do you eat. That's the most frustrating... I get so upset it's infuriating. I never thought I would feel such pain for you, and every time I do I just want to take you away to Asgard away from this place." Loki had to stop when his throat began to itch, and he closed his eyes and whispered harshly, "Why do you do this to me?"

"Loki..." Harry whimpered.

Opening his eyes, Loki looked into Harry's. With a kind smile he reached out to caresses that beautiful face frozen in shock and terror, the face he loved more than anything.

"I don't...Loki..."

His smile disappeared as soon as it appeared, and in its place was a firm, hard stare. "I know it's hard for you. But soon-and I meansoon, Harry-that pretty mouth of yours better open up and talk to me or I will take severe actions in making sure you're well."

Harry didn't say anything. His lips never moved to speak just as his eyes never moved from Loki's eyes. That was enough for the god to get pissed.