I am so sorry. I had some serious case of writer's block and just couldn't make myself to start writing.
But from now on you can expect new chapter at least once a month.
I've decided to cut Jubilee's part - it's gonna be a long fic without it anyways.
If there is any confusion don't be afraid to ask or check Marvel Wiki.
Thank you very much for your comments and patience.
oo00oo
Sometimes Loki thought whole Universe was plotting against him. When he finally discovered something worthy of his attention he was forced to do his duties about which he had time to forget since his arrival few weeks ago. And they were nothing but dull.
Power was something he could understand. Power always sounded good. Respect. Fear. Not this: council meetings, endless debates about the same topic that lasted for hours and changed nothing, speculations, statistics. He did not care who thought what was needed for new base (why not talk about ships? they were interesting), what needed to be prepared before the grand feast in Asgard (the same things as always), oh my, look at increase in crops this year, training of new warriors from Vanaheim will take two more months than we suspected, oh no... what now? the empire will crumble without them. Booooooooring.
How could Odin stand this? Everyday for how many years? Two hundred? Two hundred and nine? Something about that. Poor Thor. He won't last a year as a king. One hour into the meeting and he was already dozing of. Only Loki's gentle nudges and pointed glares from Odin, which could be felt even in one's sleep, prevented Thor from outright snoring. And thanks Norns they did, no one in their right mind would want to hear Thor snore. He was a true master in snoring. It was like a thunder before the storm. Thor Odinson - the Thunderer.
If Loki wouldn't know better he would thought this whole arrangement was a punishment for something he has done. But sadly he has done nothing to be punished for. Duties, what a tedious thing. Could not empire's problems be more exciting? Some scheme or a spy in their midst? No, Loki glanced gloomily around the chamber, it was all crops, constructions and other repetitive affairs. All of this wasn't worth his time. He could be examining objects he brought from their mission, he could be visiting Malibu Mansion and it's host, practicing magic, spending some time with his sons. Even train with Thor. Anything.
Half listening to what was being said in the meeting he wondered how to interrupt it. He rested his chin on his one hand and started taping fingers of the other on the table in front of him. Something small but noticeable, subtle. Something that won't make Odin mad. Well, mad to much.
He considered the councilmen. He knew them all, they were Odin's most treasured subjects, close to royal family. He grew up knowing he will take place among them when Odin decides to abdicate or dies. If he won't be shipped to Jotunheim, to act as planet's steward.
Being a member of a court had its amusing parts, one of Loki's favorites was discovering everything there was to know about everybody who mattered. And one would not cease to wonder how these secrets were not used by those clever enough. Perhaps there were no people as clever as him.
Guilt and shame were such powerful tools. Pity no one used them more often. Well, it saved more room for Loki to play.
Loki sat up straight and hid his hands under the table, folded on his lap. Nice, respectful and proper way a Prince should sit. Odin looked at him briefly but didn't seem to be alarmed by sudden change in Loki's attitude towards council session. The Trickster turned his expression to one of mild interest and did his best to adjust to spirit energy of a man sitting two seats on the left from him. One personalized illusion of a person dead for centuries ready in two minutes.
The air behind All-Father flickered and after a moment Loki's illusion appeared waving gingerly. Odin knotted his eyebrows and glanced at the air behind him, but saw nothing, what made him more confused and prosecuted in studying Loki suspiciously. Trickster sighed heavily and did his best in looking bored. After a moment the King focused on what was being said again, and Loki resumed constructing the illusion. It took a moment to catch attention of his victim, when counselor finally noticed figure standing on the other side of the table he gasped, his face turning white in horror. The man started stammering and making vague hand gestures, making everybody present look around confused, but none of them saw anything.
The beloved general confusion, so little work, so much satisfaction. Loki barely concealed his excitement.
Odin's eyes flickered between terrified councilor and Loki, who did his best to look as shocked as the rest of councilors while maintaining his illusion which was currently crying and looking at its target accusingly. The man in response started apologizing, tears running down his face.
Loki blinked in confusion and the illusion disappeared. This was... noticeable overreaction. He cringed when the man started outright sobbing. Pathetic. This distraction was not supposed to be that much pathetic. To a small degree - yes. But not this much. It just stopped to be amusing and became nauseating.
"I believe this meeting has come to it's end. Hoskuld, if you would stay and answer few of my questions. Rest of should leave," said Odin.
Excellent. He was free for remain of the day. And since he was on the topic of illusions... he should pay a visit to a certain mansion which he has been neglecting due to multitude of his duties.
"Loki, wait outside for me. I wish to speak with you."
Perhaps not so good. But surely, Odin couldn't blame him for this. There was no proof. It was nothing, really. And some mischief couldn't hurt anyone. Much.
"Of course, father," he agreed closing the door to the chamber.
It didn't take long for councilor to exit the chamber, Odin closely behind him. All-Father waited until the man was out of the earshot to glare at Loki disapprovingly.
"And what is the reason behind your decision to torment my adviser? Tell me, my son, why does it amuse you? Or perhaps he wronged you somehow? Was it an act of revenge or cruelty?"
Naturally. Odin's first suspect, first person to think about, Asgardian court's scapegoat - Loki.
"And why do you blame me for an old man's hallucinations? What made you think it was my doing, father? A habit?" he sneered.
"It is your fault so often that it is easy to get in the habit of blaming you. I know it was you, Loki. I felt magic in the air. You were the only one in there who knows how to use magic. It is not a unreasonable assumption."
"And everything that happens is always Loki's fault. Do you have any proof, father? You simply felt magic and thought: Loki! Are you going to punish me for something I haven't done? What a just king we have."
"Do not use that tone when you speak to me, boy. " Odin growled. "It is your father you are speaking to and you'll show me respect."
Loki bowed his head docilely knowing submitting to Odin's will was a way to get out of this situation. He was distracted enough with matters know only to himself it seemed Loki could escape without experiencing one of All-Father's punishments.
"Mark my words: something suspicious like this happens again I will not fail to find a proof and punish you accordingly. This," he waved a hand towards council chamber. "is not how a prince acts. Not how a man acts. Are you a man or a child?" Odin sighed heavily and put a hand on Loki's shoulder. "You have to abandon all this nonsense, son. War is coming. I need you to pay attention to your duties, I need you to be prepared to rule at your brother's side. He is going to need you. You have to be there for him for a kingship is a heavy burden, not to be carried alone. Do you understand this, Loki?" the grip on Loki's shoulder tightened. "How important this is?"
"Yes, father. I understand," he answered, his head still bowed.
"I do not want situation like this to occur again."
"Of course, father," he whispered. Feigning fear always put Odin in good mood. All-Father knew him too well to believe Loki ever felt remorse in his life.
Odin nodded and walked away. Pleasant as always.
Loki pinched his nose and sighed heavily. A lot of things to do. He already visited few quartermasters seeking information about Midgard. He will have to make sure that when Odin will be ready to leave this part of the colony he will take both of them, Loki and Thor, with him to Fyrisvellir, a secluded area for all non-human dignitaries to stay during their visit to Midgard, a place of Odin's permanent residence on Earth, the center of all colony's administration. A little trip to Hindarfjall would not hurt either. He must find out who managed to master piloting Chitauri ships and what was already discovered about their technology. Shame father did not give him this kind of assignment. Definitely more pleasurable. But Loki was here to be useful, not entertained.
He entered his quarters and walked towards his library stopping only for a moment to quickly to greet his sons and check if everything was in order. Then he locked himself in his study and started examination of items he brought with him after the fight.
He hadn't seen anything like them before. Almost everything concerning Thanos was spoken behind the closed doors, only for Odin and his men to hear. Loki had dismantled the gun and managed to put it back together properly. It was quite a simple weapon, sadly there was no ammunition so he couldn't test it to see the range and power of this device.
The cube on the other hand. Oh that was a real marvel. It gave away small traces of energy and seemed to receive and process energy patterns it absorbed sending them away slightly altered. It was fantastic. He send small dose of his own magic towards the cube and gasped when it lit up more brightly than before. He waited a minute and than tried to find the pattern in changes. After a few tests he found it, but it still haven't answered his biggest questions: what was it for? how did it work?
He bit his lip and turned the cube in his fingers, thinking.
The base was always the same. The whole universe had the same base. Energy. How it was manipulated was yet very very different.
Damn it. Chitauri technology was more similar to Earth's it would appear. Too bad there was no one to... Wait. He knew someone who was supposed to have a vast knowledge in midgardian technology. He grinned to himself and stood up.
oo00oo
It was time for a visit.
It is hard to fulfill your dreams. It is impossible to get exactly what you wanted. You know this since forever,still, you hope for a perfect or at least semi-perfect life. And then you wake up one day and look at your life and then it hits you: you will try hard, try every day, but it won't be enough. That picture in your head? Never gonna happen. It doesn't mean you can stop trying, though.
Jane sipped her almost to hot to drink coffee (black, two sugars) and watched the sun rise up above the city. She had a few minutes before her handler usually arrives and decided to relax a little bit before challenges of day to come.
Charms of working for an illegal, secret agency: you got a man to transport you safely to and from work, she never had to worry about muggers or other dangers from the streets. Her life was a little bit... unusual. Dangerous even. She snorted before taking another sip. Being a doctor: one of most dangerous things to do these days. What would her great grandparents say about that?
Independent from Asgard's authorities, she was practically S.H.I.E.L.D's property. Almost everything in her life she had or achieved was thanks to them. So you want to be a surgeon, but you don't have money to pay off your studies? We can help, you only have to work for us for the rest of your life. No big deal.
It wasn't as bad as it sound. She got to help people: hurt agents and other people associated with S.H.I.E.L.D. It was what she wanted after all: help people who needed her help. There wasn't really a good reason to complain so she didn't. It was as good as it could be living in this world. She should be happy. Finding a job was never easy and it wasn't like she was a fan of the authorities either (bunch of alien-serving douchebags).
She heard a knock on her door and shook her head getting rid of unwanted thoughts. Taking a last look on her cluttered apartment she opened a door.
"Agent Ward."
"Doctor Foster."
He was assigned to her for two months now (since February the 5th) and she wasn't sure if she liked him better from previous handlers. He was quiet and pretty imperative (sometimes she thought it was his natural trait, sometimes she thought it took him a lot of effort to act that way). Some of her previous handlers were like that, but they all had some quirks, few of them brought her coffee every day (most of the time a bad coffee, but she was used to bad coffee), there were those who were nice and talkative, some were rude and always late. He was very... professional, blank even. He never talked if he didn't have to, leading her through the streets, to public communitarian (everyday different), sometimes through sewers, never making any comment about anything, silent, the same expression on his face since they met.
Sometimes she was grateful for this, when she was so tired she couldn't be bothered to socialize, sometimes she wished he would tell something about the world outside the city (due to her association to S.H.I.E.L.D. she was forbidden to even think about getting a visa or making authorities even look at her with something other than indifference) or under the city (clearance level: two).
Occasionally she wondered if he was even human, but there were small changes in his appearance that indicated against her theory. At first she felt unsure around him, now she just shrugged and got used to his behavior. No way of escaping this, ignoring inconveniences was a way to go with S.H.I.E.L.D. (don't ask if you don't have to).
Walk to the hospital was a long one, they took two different trains and a bus, all the time avoiding drawing attention and in silence. They walked close, close enough so Jane would hear murmured instructions but without seeming clingy (never touching, always a small distance between them). They were just part of the morning crowd, nothing interesting, nothing unusual.
He mad her feel safe. It was weird. They didn't know each other, if he was given an order to kill her he certainly would do it. But he chased away fears of every citizen going to work in the morning, walking the streets, taking a bus: unpredictable consequences of street ID control. Theoretically if you didn't do anything against law you should be fine. In practice it wasn't exactly true (law was very... flexible these days). It felt good to have someone whose job was to keep her out of trouble.
They walked in the building that was supposed to be a post office and walked through the third door as usual, a staircase leading to basements (at least thirteen feet beneath the ground). Few dark corridors and staircases more before they finally arrive to the secret level deeply underground. Corridors here were wide and well lighted (source of electricity separate from city's), other agents rushing through them (all in uniforms, all of them carrying weapons, no civilians except her). A city under the city.
They were even vehicles flying around form time to time, every time one flown past them agent Ward gently, but firmly removed her from it's way. It used to annoy her but now she got used to it as to everything else. It was just a background. She slid her card through slot next to the door leading to the hospital, got through eye and fingerprint scans and finally entered her workplace. Agent Ward just after she was behind closed glass doors gave her curt nod and walked away quickly.
Jane was in her domain now, knew all the faces of people rushing about, all the sounds, the smell. She was where she was supposed to be. Her head clear, senses sharp, finally awake and ready. Nothing else mattered now, it was essence of her dream. Helping people, fixing them, making things better. Being able to change something. It was easy to focus only on her work, it felt right like nothing else.
She went through her bucket list methodologically, not wasting much time were there was no need.
One of her patients was an agent whose hand was cut off with a sword. He was given morphine and was currently pretty lucid. Jane leaned to check on his wound when he turned his head and looked at her.
"Hello there, doctor," he mumbled.
"Hello. How are you feeling?"
"Good. Thank you, you know, for your help and all. I'm feeling great. Really, really great."
"Glad to hear it. Soon after you heal properly we will get you a prosthesis."
"Yeah, I know, I know. Go back there."
He caught her wrist with his other hand when she was moving away from examining the wound.
"It's bad out there, doctor. Really bad. I wish I-" he cut abruptly and looked away.
"Yes? It's okay, you can tell me." No. He shouldn't tell her anything. "It's okay."
"I wish I wouldn't have to go there ever again," he whispered.
"Go where?"
"To Af-"
"Doctor?" nurse called from behind her. "Is something wrong?"
"No. Nothing. Everything is fine."
"If you would follow me in that case. You are needed for consultation immediately. Please, don't disturb patients if it's not necessary for treatment reasons."
Right. No questions (clearance level: two). She was supposed to patch them up, not gain information about her employers.
All she had to know was that S.H.I.E.L.D. were resistance from Asgard, the last beacon of human technology since almost every database was destroyed during the Invasion. Only S.H.I.E.L.D was able to protect theirs and they guarded all of their secrets fiercely.
Everything build after the Invasion by authorities was censored and created in a way that suited new regime. Some years ago they allowed launching few highly protected satellites to the orbit, but Jane didn't doubt that S.H.I.E.L.D managed to somehow connect to them and use for their goals. If they were able to keep an entire city under ground then they could brake in to the satellites.
Thanks to S.H.I.E.L.D Jane learned how almost every official information was bullshit, she knew most of it already thanks to her parents, but even they didn't know everything. S.H.I.E.L.D. apparently did. All S.H.I.E.L.D'S new acquaintances participated in quick course of how the organization was a human race's savior and what aliens did to their planet (great way of making sure everybody was loyal to them - make every employee hate the enemy).
But they really had a good reason, Chitauri and Asgardians almost wiped out an entire planet, there was nothing left after the war. That's why humans surrendered. They would extinct either way. Besides, better Asgard than Chitauri. Less alien, more easily approachable. So they seemed at the beginning. She had seen what they were capable of doing to agents who had fought them. Most of them died even though she did her best to keep them alive.
At the end of her shift she was wrung out and was fantasizing about her bed, but she felt satisfied. She saved lives of two young freedom fighters today. Everything was worth it. Counting wins, never loses. Her first lesson after she started working.
Agent Ward was waiting for her behind the glass door as usual, blank and unimpressed as usual. He led her through the corridors, stairs and streets as usual. They didn't speak, falling easily into routine. All she wanted to do now was sleep. She stumbled into her apartment and flung herself on her bed without bothering to bid her handler goodbye. It wasn't like they were friends. He was there to keep tabs on her, protect S.H.I.E.L.D's investment, not be polite.
Maybe she will call Darcy tomorrow, they could go with Erick to the outskirts and do some research on that new orb Selvig spotted last time. Not like it was anything to interest anyone but them, stars weren't so interesting to anyone anymore. With aliens invading Earth and all. Shame, real shame. Universe was so fascinating, but no one was interested in it anymore, after it came to Earth to wreck havoc.
oo00oo
This time he had his full armor on and was prepared for rather violent welcoming. Tony Stark didn't disappoint him. The man appeared sitting on the debris-free part of stairs and sighed heavily.
"I told you I don't want you to come back," said Stark looking him up and down. "Dig the new outfit. Nice horns. You have three minutes to leave my property."
"And if I won't?" asked Loki taking a step towards him.
"Remember the last welcome party?" Stark smirked and leaned back, resting on his elbows. "That was nothing."
"No need to worry. I'll be alright."
Stark raised an eyebrow. "Will you? You have your last chance, Mr. Alien, use it well."
"I think..." Loki put a finger on his lips in mock thoughtfulness. "...I'll stay. Are you not curious? Who am I? What happened?"
"I kinda already know what happened and who you are. More or less. And that makes me want you out even more. Jarvis, please run a countdown for our guest."
Ten.
The same male voice as the last time have spoken out of nowhere.
Nine.
"Who is Jarvis? Where is he?" asked Loki looking around in search of voice's source.
Eight.
"Is he an illusion like you?"
Seven.
"Illusion?" sputtered Iron Man.
Six.
"I am a hologram. Do your research."
Five.
Loki saw more machines than the last time start to slide out of their hiding places.
Four.
"A hologram then. Where is he?" asked Loki careful looking around.
Three.
"He is not-." Stark scratched his neck looking sheepish.
Two.
"Not what?" Loki tensed and prepared for assault, knives in both hands, force field forming around him.
One.
Few nearest machines fired at him almost making him drop his force field. They fired with much more powered than before. This will not be so easy after all. More fun at least.
He threw knives at the machines smiling at the sight of static and smoke coming out of them when his knifes hit the target.
Next few minutes were filled with constant dodging, throwing energy balls and tearing machines from their place, but most of all - getting hit. He wasn't prepared for so many... opponents. Power of their blasts significantly increased which worsened his situation significantly. More and more energy blast were passing through his defenses.
Stark's comments also didn't help. The man seemed to have trouble with keeping silent. After one of particularity vulgar comments Loki stopped for a moment to glare at him and respond accordingly, but before he could make his cutting remark he felt a hard blow between his shoulder blades. He got the wind knocked out of him and and fell on the floor. Before he lost consciousness he heard Stark shout:
"Fuck! Stop! Jarvis, stop the defense program!"
He woke up to the feeling of strange presence in vicinity and a frantic ramble. Right, Stark. Will he shut up if Loki pretend he is still unconscious? Probably not. Norns, couldn't he meet silent, polite and cooperative illusion? It had to be an infuriating, prating idiot. Such a loud prating idiot. After rather lengthy soliloquy full of profanities, Loki decided it was time to get up, having a face on dirty floor wasn't a pleasant experience.
"Shut up, Stark. I am quite all right. My kind is not as fragile as humans," Loki slowly sat up and saw Stark crouching next to him, shimmering slightly.
"Oh thank fuck you are awake!" Loki cringed when the man exclaimed. "I thought I'm gonna be stuck with corpses of an alien prince in my living room. Very inelegant. What would my guests say?"
"You don't have any guests," Loki spat blood out of his mouth and stood up slowly squinting at the light in the room.
Now, when the heat of the battle faded he could feel all of his injuries and started wondering if falling asleep on the floor wasn't such a good idea after all.
"No wonder, if you treat all of them the same way you treated me. Very uncouth, extremely rude."
"Rude?! You know what's rude? Breaking and entering - that's rude," yelled Stark pointing his finger at Loki's chest, almost touching it, but cautiously maintaining a distance, even if it did not look like it. "That's a lot of blood, you know? I know you aliens are awfully tough and all, but there's a lot of blood leaking out of you."
"Yes, thank you. I noticed," he winced as he raised his hand to brush glass of his armor lapels. "Where is my helmet?" he recalled losing it at some point during the fight but had been to busy to look where it end up. Everything seemed to be so... foggy. Even Stark who stopped shimmering after Loki stood up.
The illusion raised his eyebrows and snorted. "That's your concern? A helmet?"
"Where is it?"
"It kinda..." Stark scratched his neck and grinned at him. "It kinda stuck in the wall."
"Stuck in the-" Loki looked around and spotted his golden helmet in the air with one horn buried deep inside the opposite wall. "Oh."
He tried to walk towards it ignoring the pain but after few steps he gave up and clutching his side sat on the stairs where Stark was sitting earlier. The illusion appeared beside him, looking worried.
"Shit. Don't die on me now. I thought you were gonna be better at this, with your weird energy bullets things."
Loki tried to even his breathing so his bruised ribs won't hurt so much, but it seemed to be a wasted effort so he glared at the mansion's host and grated his teeth when man shrugged and smiled apologetically.
"My weird energy bullets are not so easy to conjure. Battle magic is not my forte. I never had a good chance to practice. Furthermore I was trained to fight another warriors not machines."
Loki bit his lip holding back a hurt moan. He rarely got this hurt. During trainings all he got were bruises and cuts. Adventures also have been more kind on him most of the time, he always had companions to have his back were he couldn't protect himself.
Injuring Aesir, Vanir and Jotun alike was a very hard task, but so was healing their wounds. They did not got hurt nor mend easily. Healers services were generously rewarded in Nine Realms, but they were few of them. More so since Idunn started producing her Golden Apples. Loki had luck of being a member of royal family so he always afford such a costly treatment. But then he would have to tell Odin how he got injured. He would have to admit to being bested by machines. Loki didn't have to strain himself to imagine the look on All-Father's face. What a disappointment. Such a weakling. His son. Why did he bother taking him into his family? A man who could not best a few machines made by a human.
"Magic?" The illusion asked surprised. Of course he would not stay silent even for a moment. How is it he did not gone deaf from his own chatter? Probably because he had no actual ears. What have he done to deserve this?
"Yes, This is how we call our technology." Loki closed his eyes trying to gain his composure. He was giving away too much information. He needed to control himself, but Norns, the inside of his head was swimming. Stark snorted and Loki opened one eye to look at him disapprovingly. Was his suffering that amusing? Loki started wondering if there was a way to hurt someone incorporeal. He will have to find something in his books. There has to be a way.
"Funny. What we call magic here is this mambo jumbo with spells, curses, potions and other weird crap. Not some awesome tech."
Crap? Loki blinked and tried hard not to smile. Humans, they had no idea what universe held within itself, not even a fraction of what could they discover. "I see."
"So... What are you gonna do about that bleeding? I really don't want corpses lying around in my house."
"I am not sure yet. I am no healer."
"Can't you... teleport out? To a hospital or something."
"No."
"Why?"
Loki only glared at the man and started to peel off his armor. What he had gotten into? Was it really worth it?
"Whoa." Stark raised his hands and leaned away. "Wait. What the fuck are you doing?"
Genius. He was supposed to be a genius. Were all humans this dense? Such a waste of perfectly fine planet. Couldn't some more intelligent species inhabit it? No, it had to be humans apparently. How did they survived so long without Odin's protection?
"I am undressing," answered him Loki and dropped first piece of his armor on the ground. Cursed thing was very hard to take off, why no one thought about designing armor that could be quickly removed in cases like this?
"I can see that."
What an outstanding demonstration of observation. Loki carried on with his task, his fingers slipping when he reached the areas contained with his blood. He could feel the human watching him closely.
Stark cleared his throat before asking, "Why?"
"I cannot tend to my wounds if I have my armor on."
"Tend to your..." Stark rubbed a hand over his face and sighed annoyed, "you want to do this here?! Can't you go somewhere else?!"
Loki cringed when the man's voice drilled into his head.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because it is hard to teleport and I am severely injured. Thanks to your hospitality." He took off almost every part, a small pile of metal pieces gathered next to him.
"I told you not to come back. You can't expect me to welcome you with wide arms since you fucking invaded my planet! As you can see: I've done some research when you were gone and decided I don't like you very much."
"Curious, were you?" Loki smirked at Stark.
"Fuck you. You know what? Why don't I just leave you here to blood all over my floor," hissed Stark and disappeared.
Loki pulled his shirt off and tossed it at remains of his armor and stumbled towards cupboards in other room. Dizziness quickly increased and he had to support himself, marking the white walls with his blood.
"What are you doing?" Iron Man appeared in front of him just as he began journey alongside the wall.
"I thought you were supposed to leave me to bleed all over your floor."
"Yeah, but I didn't think you will take a tour around the place, you were supposed to stay at one spot and don't move."
"I need some bandage. Where can I find it?"
Stark gasped in outrage. "Where can you- We." he pointed between them, "Are enemies. You are an invader of my planet. Do you have any idea how many people died then?"
"So you will let me bleed to death. You were supposed to be a hero."
"Almost everyone on the planet died."
"So you will let me die here, on your floor."
"No, I won't." Stark said resigned, "Jarvis, bring up everything we have on first-aid."
"Naturally, sir." said the voice from nowhere and Loki had to fight the urge to jump in surprise.
Iron Man gestured towards the fireplace. "I have first-aid kits stashed almost everywhere in this place. Jarvis, could you-"
"You can consider it done, sir." A metal hand slid out of the fireplace, holding a small red package.
Somehow with Jarvis and Stark's instructions he managed to clean and bandage his wounds, luckily he hadn't brake any bones and injuries weren't so severe as he thought at first. After that he limped towards remains of the couch he destroyed earlier and collapsed on it, falling asleep immediately.
He woke up slowly, his whole body aching, pain clouding his mind, constant and overwhelming. He opened his eyes, it was so dark he saw nothing except vague shapes of objects in the vicinity. He took a moment, maybe longer, to focus and conjured small ball of energy which floated high above him lighting up the room.
He took in his surroundings: furniture remains, pieces of concentrate lying around, his blood smeared on the wall, pile of used bandages and gauzes next to opened red package on the ground, his discarded armor, a helmet stuck in the wall. No sign of Tony Stark. Was this a permission to wander around the place? Or his waking was simply unnoticed?
Loki stood up gingerly, wincing during the process. It would be wise to finally learn spells which could dull one's pains.
Just when he was about to start moving there was a gentle nudge in his mind. He bit his lip feeling a little bit ashamed. He must have been unconscious rather long if Zig was anxious enough to reach for him through the weak mental connection he shared with all his personal servants. The first thing on his mind after regaining consciousness was his new project, not checking on his family's well-being. He acted like a child who was gifted with a new toy, uninterested in anything else but satisfying his own curiosity. He squeezed the bridge of his nose and opened mental link with Zig.
'There is no need to fret.'
'I apologize my Prince, it is already dawning and we were concerned with your absence. I meant no disrespect by intruding your peace of mind. Nothing is amiss, no need to worry.'
'I know there is no need to worry. I would feel if anything happened.'
'I am sorry, your highness.'
'I understand your need to communicate with me, Zig, I do not have a habit of disappearing for so long. I trust you take care of everything while I am gone.'
'Of course, everything will be in order.'
'Good. If something occurs let me know immediately. I do not want to risk just because some of you may be afraid to reach out to me.'
'Of course, my prince. We will be vigilant as always.'
He closed the connection and raised his head. While his mind was elsewhere Stark appeared before him and was currently observing him curiously.
"Well, it's good to have you back. You really spaced-out here, I was getting worried you slipped into some weird alien coma where you just stand awkwardly in the middle of the room and do nothing. I'm glad you're alive and all, but I think it's really time for you to go."
"But do you really want me to?" Loki asked smiling disarmingly at the human. Everything was in order despite his absence, surely, there is no harm in staying a little longer.
"Of course I do! I wouldn't tell you to go if I wouldn't. Why would I even want you to stay?"
"Just look at your miserable existence, Stark." Loki straightened up and folded his hands behind his back. "You've been here for all those long years, nothing happening accept occasional attempt to break in, you didn't even know your planet was invaded." Loki snickered while Stark watched him gloomily. "Nothing happens to you." he whispered leaning towards illusion. Stark took a step back. "A hundred years of sheer boredom. Are you not sick of all this stagnation? The world has changed when you weren't looking, are you not curious? Do you not wish to know about how I do things like this?" Loki raised his finger and pointed at small green ball floating above them. "You were waiting for something to happen, now I am here, do you honestly believe to be able to go back to your peace? Can you settle for emptiness again? Can you become indifferent again? Now, when so much has changed, now when there are all these new, interesting things to see? I can help you and you can help me."
"What do you mean?"
"We can trade information. Some about past world," he gestured at the man, "for some about new world," he pointed at himself. "What do you say? Do you want to go back to merely existing or do you want to see the future?"
"And why do you think I can't do this without you?"
"As a Prince I have an insight at things no one else has. This is a offer only I can give you. Furthermore, I am convinced you cannot leave this place," Loki straightened up and looked at Stark triumphantly.
The illusion frowned and folded his arms across his chest. "Well, you're wrong."
"Oh, am I?" asked Loki smiling maliciously. "Then pray tell why you keep yourself hidden in here? Why no walk the streets? See everything for yourself." He took a two quick steps towards the illusion who did not back down this time and loomed over him. "Then why were you forgotten?"
Stark watched him warily and kept silent. Loki could not resist his wide smile. Oh, how he loved to be right.
"We may benefit each other, Tony Stark. I do not ask you for much, only answers to some of my questions, you can always decline to answer."
"I know I can. Don't think I'll give you everything you ask for just because you're the first person I've seen in 101 years. I'm not that desperate."
"Good. An answer for an answer then. A fair trade, don't you agree?"
Iron Man thought for a long moment, his gaze cold and set firmly on Loki, his frown deepened and a crease between his eyebrows appeared.
"Deal."
Finally, something good happened this day. Or was it start of a new one? Never mind. Now he had only hope for this to be really worth his time, he hated disappointment.
"But don't think you can bring your buddies here. If you will bring anyone here and I mean anyone" grumbled Stark looking at Loki firmly. "I will smash all of you. I still have some aces up my sleeve."
Loki knotted his brows in confusion, but decided to pay it no heed, different cultures had to have some sentences that were untranslatable even for All-speak. The message was received and that's what mattered. He wasn't interested in bringing here anybody anyways. No one else would be interested and he would never risk his children safety just to show them something he was not yet sure how worked and if was truly safe.
"As you wish. No other visitors. How about a tour then? I would love to see the rest of your grand estate."
"Umm... How about no?"
"In exchange for one answer. I promise not to enter two rooms of your choosing."
"Okay, fine. Just don't break anything," huffed exasperated Stark and finally took a step back. Loki didn't even notice they were standing so close all this time until the man moved away.
"Wonderful. I shall take my leave now. I am still in a need of healer's assistance."
"What?! Now you're leaving? When I just let you stay? God, you're insufferable. Okay, you can go. I don't even care if you'll come back," the illusion waved his hand and turned his back on Loki.
Loki raised his eyebrows at the man's nerve. How did he- doesn't matter now, he has to make this clear.
"Don't ever presume you can command me in any way, human." he snarled and made a mistake of trying to put his hand on man's shoulder so he could turn him around. The way of energy run through his fingers making him shiver. Stark quickly turned around and took a step back looking at Loki angrily. "You are in every way beneath me. We may have an agreement simply because I avoid using aggressive way of making people do what I want them to, but don't let this confuse you, Tony Stark: I won't bow to anyone."
"Jeez. What's up with you? No commanding anybody. You take some things way to seriously. I didn't mean what you thought I did. Just- Agreed with you?" Stark raised his hand placidly and took few steps back from him as if Loki could hurt him in any way. Loki should find some why to hurt the illusion in his books, it would prove to be most useful finding. "And don't make me remind you again: no touching," said Stark sternly.
"Watch the way you speak to me, Tony Stark, I am prince of your realm too."
Not waiting for human to answer he gathered his thoughts and ignoring the pain he teleported out of the mansion.
oo00oo
He was aching all over his body. A week has passed since his encounter with Tony Stark's security system and thanks to not so legally purchased bunch of Idunn's apples he was feeling much better. He avoided wearing armor and tried not to strain himself to much what proven to be difficult when his sons decided to play with him. He indulged them as much as he could feeling guilty about being constantly occupied with his duties, studies of mysterious Chitauri items, and visits at the Mansion.
He even failed to notice his continuing absence until he saw Jormungand's surprise when he appeared in their quarters for dinner. His older son asked him if something was amiss, looking concerned while the younger one remained oblivious, playing with Haakun at the feet of the table.
Since then he tried his best to repay them for his negligence, spend all of his free time with them, showing them breathtaking illusions, telling stories about epic adventures and conjuring foes for them to slay.
He knew he owed them his attention, his love and guidance. He would rather die then let them live the life he lived.
But wasn't his fault they were at the losing position from the start? Wasn't his fault that whenever they went they would meet suspicion, whenever they went there was someone wishing harm upon them? It was his duty to keep them safe, make them feel safe. Yet the simple fact of being his children put them in this position, who he was, who their mother was. He will always be a reason for every bad thing that happens to them. All of this because of his decision to come back. His weakness.
Weakness. It might as well be his primary trait. What was he if not weak? Laufey saw that from the beginning, but kept him anyway, showed him mercy, and on mercy Loki depended all his life. Everything he was, everything he achieved, everything he had was due to mercy given him. If not Laufey's mercy he would not have even have a chance to grow out of infancy, but he did, he owed Laufey his life. And yet he dared to hate the man. Could not bare, could not forgive the price that came with his spared life. Weakling.
Loki blinked in confusion when he felt his fist collide with a stone wall. He raised it and hissed at the sight his bloody hand. Thor might start asking uncomfortable questions if he keeps hurting his fragile form so often. Poor, compassionate fool. Thor's blow would probably gone through the wall and he would feel no pain, laugh the incident off. But Loki was no Thor and he was weak, fragile and easily breakable. He even could not best bunch of machines.
"Father?" he heard Jormugand calling him from behind. "Is something wrong?"
Loki slowly turned around, a reassuring smile appearing on his face. Jormungand was standing in the middle of the room, a makeshift shield loose in his grasp. He was looking at Loki with round eyes taking in every detail, wary what his father would do next. Loki cringed. Well done.
"Nothing, my dear. Keep playing."
"Would you play with us?" Jormungand asked.
Loki smiled more genuinely and almost nodded in agreement, but before he could, he saw Fenrir sitting next to his brother, his mouth slightly open, eyes not blinking, just looking at Loki. Terrified. His own child was afraid of him. It was wrong. It was all wrong. He was supposed to make them feel safe! Be the gentle hand to wave through their hair when they couldn't sleep, not the one to punch the walls startling them. His voice was supposed to sooth them not make them go rigid like a spooked animal. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Everything he did was wrong.
"No. I shall go. Stay with Skuld."
He walked quickly out of his chambers, passed stronghold's corridors and stepped into the gardens where he stopped and sunk down by the nearest tree. He fisted his hair and pulled strongly, but no amount of physical pain could make this feeling go away. This sick, overwhelming taste in his mouth, the ice in his veins.
He needed something... he needed something so badly. Something to make it stop, something to chaste away this feeling... He needed a distraction.
oo00oo
Thor and Sif were sitting on the ground, leaning on the tree trunk and watching other warriors practice. Sometimes he liked spending time with Sif best of all his friends. She understood, supported and challenged him like no one else. He could rely on all of his friends, but they just... weren't Sif. Sif who even when a part of their group insisted on being her own unit. He watched her as she was sharpening her sword, silent and relaxed.
Thor took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He felt constantly tired these days. Since their arrival to Midgard Odin had no mercy when it came to burdening Thor with new duties. It was all for the best, he was well aware, but sometimes he wished he could just be Thor, no the Prince, the heir to the throne. The weight on his shoulder made him restless at nights when he lay at his bed trying to fall asleep. Visions of his failure, disappointment in his father's eyes, tears in mother's.
It all was just... to much.
He felt nudge in his side and opened one eye to look at Sif. "Do you think he is plotting something?" she asked nodding her head in Loki's direction. He was walking at the edge of the grounds, looking tense.
"I do not know. I- You know how our relationship changed since he came back. It is not as it was before and I am afraid it will not change soon."
"Have faith, Thor. Loki's life changed significantly, but he still is the same Loki, your brother. Me and him may not like each other, but I know this: he cares deeply about you, regardless of what he says."
"I hope it would be as you say, dear Sif." But sometimes he thought Loki saw them all as objects and had no place in his heart for any of them. The way he watched everyone: distant, calculative.
"You should try talking to him. You know Loki - he will never try to reach out to you first."
Thor always thought of himself as a good brother. He always protected his siblings if the need arose and tried to spend some time with each one of them. He and Loki for many years were inseparable, they had their own language, always understood one another. It took Loki some time to warm up to Thor, at the begging when he came to Asgard with Odin, but soon enough they have become brothers and best friends. Loki had his... silent days from time to time and shut himself away somewhere to be alone, Thor always did his best to chase his grievousness away.
Loki had moments when he snapped unexpectedly, got angry or even threw a tantrum. This habits of his faded away with years but never disappeared completely. Years living together taught Thor to deal with his brother's difficult character and not worry to much about this outbursts. Loki was who he was and there was no changing it.
Day after day since Loki became the part of their family they were becoming best friends. Loki still got a lot of... sadness he refused to talk about with Thor, the shadow that fallowed him everywhere, even in his sleep.
Thor had no idea how to help his brother besides trying to distract him with jests and foolish ideas. He tried, but it did not seem to work to well. And then came the girl from Helheim and she began to steal more and more of Loki's attention, but he seemed happy.
At first Thor was jealous and unpleasant to both of them, especially the girl whom he greatly disliked, but, after some time and several fights with Loki Thor decided he did not need his brother and could do things on his own. This is how he met his friends.
Sif showed them that day how much better a girl can be in sparring than arrogant boys and beat every single one of them. They all, except Volstagg who only laughed and congratulated her on her victory, felt profoundly humiliated and vowed to dislike her to the end of their days, as all young boys tend to when they are bested in something they considered themselves to be champions in.
This dislike quickly disappeared when the same day, in the evening, Sif sat down next to them in the inn sliding mead and complementing each one on their skills. After their egos has been stroked the decision was made – she wasn't so bad for a girl – and they became great friends.
While he spend all of his time with his new friends and stopped bothering Loki so much something terrible happened, Thor never found out what, to this day his brother refuses to talk about it, because of this mysterious terrible event the girl has been send away and Loki became sad once again.
It took a lot of time and effort to convince him to join Thor and his friends, but eventually he became an addition to their group. Thor wished he could tell they all became friends, but sadly this never came to be. Loki and Thor's friends created some sort of camaraderie between each other and it was enough for them. Loki was accepted as a part of the group and joined them on their adventures. He began to smile more, not as much as while the girl from Helheim lived in the Golden City, but he seemed more light spirited and eager to get all of them into trouble. It was enough for Thor to stop worry.
Soon enough another girl came to steal away his brother. Angrboda. The traitor, the witch, the Forst Giantess. She concealed herself well, even Odin did not suspect her of being anything more than a sorceress who came to live in the Golden City. She wasn't well liked, people playing with magic never were well respected in the Nine Realms.
Loki was drawn to her like a moth to a flame, and she burned him like a flame burns a moth that flies to close. Thor never felt such hatred and anger before. When he heard about her treachery it took all of his friends to restrain him and stop from going after them against Odin's orders.
They were gone for a long time, Loki, the giantess, and little Jormungand. They were fugitives for two turns of the planet. Loki came back with his head bowed, two little boys in his arms. A lot of old Loki disappeared then. His spirit destroyed by her. He was quiet, refused to go on quests with Thor and his friends, spending a lot of time with mother instead. Again, Thor felt like he lost his brother.
History repeated itself and once more time healed Loki and Thor saw glimpses of his brother in the man that came back led by Asgard's warriors like a criminal. But just like the last time, some of his happiness seemed to fade away for good and there was nothing Thor could do. More and more frequently he could not find words to say to his brother, did not know how to speak to this changed Loki. They weren't best friends anymore and it broke Thor's heart.
During Loki's absence Odin started to pay more attention to Thor and began to put more trust in him, shared his plans about his firstborn's future. It did not bring the brothers closer, Loki's jealousy blatantly obvious.
This alienation between them was a reason why Thor ceased pushing Loki about spending time together and let the man keep his secrets to himself. They still were brothers, Thor still spend time with him and counted on Loki to be his right hand and councilor when he becomes a king, but they lost the connection, their bond was strained and there was no way to repair it.
So Thor watched his brother form afar, wondering what kept him so occupied since they came to this place, what made him thinking so deep that his eyes became unfocused. Thor did not ask, he did not expect an honest answer. Besides, he had more important things to do than tire his brother with questions he won't answer. But he wondered from time to time: Was some mischief coming their way? It would be nice, even if unpleasant for most of them, but mischief was something Thor could expect, something he knew well. Thor liked to think he knew Loki.
"I am afraid, dear Sif, I do not know him that well anymore, it pains me to say so, but it is the truth. Loki... changed. He is not the same."
"He still is your brother," said Sif squeezing his forearm and offering a sad smile.
"Yes. Yes he is."
oo00oo
Silence greeted him when he appeared in the Mansion. He waited a moment for a response but was left disappointed.
"It is very impolite to leave a guest unattended," he bellowed relishing in the way his voice echoed in the room.
"Guest," Stark spat the word right after he appeared in front of him. "Are you sure it is a right word to use in this situation?"
"Why don't you show me around your grand estate, Tony Stark?" Loki asked smiling at illusion, he found his hostility extremely amusing. "You must be proud to present it to a first visitor in so many years."
The man glared at him making Loki smile more broadly. He was dead and yet there was so much life about him. Such a peculiar thing.
"First you'll answer my question," said Stark folding his hands across his chest.
"No." Loki tapped his finger on his lips in mock thoughtfulness. "I do no think so. I do not believe you to fulfill your end of the bargain after I satisfy your curiosity."
Honor. Many thought him honorless, but the truth was he always kept his word. Not always in the way others expected him too, but still. They called him an oath-breaker in their anger. Fools. He was a liar, yes, always, but not an oath-breaker. He would be a bad kind of liar if he would not speak truth more often than many would think he would. The trick was all about uncertainty: was he being truthful this time or was he lying through his teeth?
"And how can I trust you to not disappear right after you've seen everything?"
"A promise is a promise, Tony Stark. I keep mine."
"You expect me to trust you when you don't trust me?"
Loki tightened his lips. This was not going as he planned it, a human provided more complications than suspected. Were was pliable, bored human he expected to see?
"A compromise, then: you ask your questions, I answer while you show me this building."
"Deal."
The man drew out his hand looking Loki straight in the eyes, holding his gaze steady. When Loki failed to response, surprised by this motion, his face fell in realization and he quickly grasped his hand behind his back, frowned deeply and started looking at the wall above Loki's shoulder.
"Shall we?"
"What? Oh. Yeah. Right. So..." the illusion looked around awkwardly. "This is the living room. You trashed it completely. Thanks for that."
"I was attacked, I only wished to defend myself."
"Well, you wouldn't be attacked if you wouldn't trespass my property."
"I was not aware it was not as abandoned as I was told."
"I asked you to leave."
"You are terrible at guest reception. One would think manners were not universal cultural feature."
"Manners?! Oh, shut up. Just- let's go," the illusion waved his hand not looking at him.
They walked up the stairs, passing disregarded pile of his armor pieces. A strange big black chest he saw earlier standing in the middle of the room. He pointed at it.
"What is this?"
Tony Stark looked at him incredulously. "You don't have those on Asgard?"
"No, we do not. What does it do?"
Loki slid a hand on the smooth surface, a dust gathering on his hand. Than knocked on it, hearing an empty sound in response.
"What are you?" breathed Stark, leaning on the other side of the chest.
"I told you. I am a Prince of Asgard."
"A species. Aesir. You told me. You are Aesir at the moment. What did you mean? What are your differences from humans? Beside size, it's kinda obvious all of you guys are huge."
"What is this?" he tapped his fingers on the surface and sat on the small bench standing beside it.
"A piano. What did you mean by 'right now'?"
"I am a shapeshifter."
"A shape- No. No way that's possible."
Loki looked at the man smirking. "And yet here I am."
"Show me."
"No."
"Then I don't believe you."
"I do not need you to believe me. What is a piano?"
"It's an instrument. Okay. Back to the differences. How is it you look like you're human but you're not. You're really an alien race from space that invaded the Earth, but you look human. God, that sounds like some crappy sci-fi."
Some crappy what? Never mind. An instrument. How one plays on a big black chest? Was it a kind of drum?
"We share common ancestors," he banged his hand lightly at the surface a few times, but the sound was most unsatisfactory. "All inhabitants of the Nine Realms do. After hundreds of years we changed much," he tried his luck at the sides but it still did not sound right. Stark snickered from his side of the piano, amused by his struggle with his effort to understand this item on his own. "took a different paths at evolution of our kinds." He felt a small rift at the front of the instrument. Finally. "Climates on our planets, fauna and flora had a tremendous influence on our ancestors and we drifted apart, with but a few similarities remaining." He cleared the chest from dust with a quick spell and heard Stark gasp in shock.
"How did you do that?"
"You cannot expect me to trade away all of my secrets, Master Stark. I shall keep some matters private."
"But I want-"
"No," said Loki taking delight in look of frustration on the Stark's face.
He lifted the lid and saw a set of strings before him. Was it a kind of harp? He touched one of the strings and it broke suddenly with a broken sound.
"It's kinda rusty, needs a lot of maintenance, obviously there was none for the past century."
"Is this how you play it? Pull the strings while standing?"
He looked at the man who when Loki was examining the insides of the piano appeared sitting on the glass counter by the wall next to them.
"Why don't you figure this out by yourself? You are doing well so far."
Loki hummed thoughtfully and circled the instrument. There was another lid at the other side. He lifted it carefully and saw a set of small rectangular white and black pieces. He touched one of them and it gave in under pressure making another string break with a twang. He smiled to himself in triumph.
"Well done. Shame you can't play it anyway," said Stark.
"And why not?"
"In case you didn't notice the strings keep breaking, they are essential for playing."
"Then we have to make sure they stop."
Loki stood up and gently placed hand at the middle of the instrument. He focused on energy around him. When he opened his eyes a piano, good as new, stood in front of him. Loki turned around smirking to look at Iron Man. Who was gaping at him looking offended.
"Hghg-" Stark snapped his jaw shut and frowned. "HOW?!" he roared.
"Magic." Loki replied and laughed aloud at the sight of illusion's disguised face.
He yelped loudly and took a step back falling on the piano when suddenly Tony Stark appeared mere inches from him.
"What are you?" he asked scrutinizing Loki's face closely.
"An alien," answered Loki smirking.
Oh, how he loved having an upper hand. To see that look of pure irritation on someone's face. What a wonderful idea was to come here.
"Not. Good. Enough." grumbled the illusion.
"As good as you're going to get."
"Get out then."
The illusion leaned back and took a step aside, his hand showing Loki the way out in a mock gesture of politeness. He even bowed a little bit.
"A promise, Master Stark. We are trading basic information, not secretes. This," he gestured behind him at the piano, "is a secret."
Iron Man disappeared and quickly appeared back on his place on the counter by the wall. His whole posture sullen, but his attentive and very much alive eyes set firmly on Loki destroyed the whole picture.
"Now, how do I play this?" Loki pushed another rectangular piece and the high sound filled the walls. He smiled broadly and kept on pushing black and white pieces trying to conjure melody. Oh, it was fantastic. Marvelous.
"Stop! Just stop! You're awful at this! Stop before I go deaf," bellowed Stark over the noise.
Loki huffed in irritation and ceased his playing.
"Not many instruments on Asgard?"
"No. Not many." Loki closed the lid shut. "Shall we continue?"
Loki stood up and walked away from the piano. He will learn how to play this instrument, later, when he satisfies his curiosity for other things. He will make Stark teach him.
"By all means: lead the way." Stark waved his hand in a vague direction of stairs. "So. Nine Realms."
"Odin's empire. Nine planets joined under his rule."
"What planets? No one here really knows what's out there. There is a beautiful story about how we were attacked and how Asgard came to save us, nothing about other planets. There are some old photographs with weird looking people: few blue ones, one gray dude, that was a creepy one they were the tallest of all, really, remarkable, and a couple with the biggest ears and hands I ever saw. So, spill," ranted the man while they were climbing another set of stairs.
They arrived to what looked like an another living room, a huge couch placed by a window, a small table in front of it, dusty paintings on the walls.
"Blue and gray ones, like you so nicely put it, are called the giants," said Loki looking around another disappointingly ordinary room. A grand bedroom this time, with a bed even bigger than his at the center, but lacking any personal touch whatsoever, guest room perhaps.
"I mean, I get it: aliens, but blue and gray? Really?"
Loki sighed heavily and sat down on the bed, dissolving the dust before he did so. He received an annoyed gasp from Stark as his reward for this small display of magic.
"Aesir and human differ more internally, we live longer, our tissue is denser. So do Vanir. Some of the other species of Nine Realms differ much more. You will meet giants on Jotunheim. Frost, Storm and Mountain Giants. Blue, gray and... well, more gray."
"And what about other species?"
"Who is Jarvis?"
"Why the sudden change of subject? Another secret?"
"I answered your questions, time you answer mine."
"I am letting you to poke around my house."
"It was a lot of questions. Who is Jarvis? Where is he?"
"Fair enough. Jarvis is an AI. Artificial Intelligence. He is my butler. I created him. Isn't that right, Jarv?"
"You are correct, sir," said the voice from earlier, coming from the ceiling. "Although I should mention I did a lot of work myself."
"You created a person?" breathed Loki in disbelief.
"Yes," said Jarvis.
"Not exactly," said Stark at the same time and cringed right afterwards. "Sorry, Jarvis. It's not like you're not, 'cause you are. One hundred percent. I think he gets it wrong. With all that voodo stuff he's got going."
"I understand, sir," replied Jarvis in his polite tone.
"Thanks, Jarv," Stark smiled at the high corner of the room. "He's a product of our technology. A machine that thinks for itself. So he is and isn't a person at the same time."
"What about you then?"
"Me? Oh. I am... I-" he frowned deeply and averted his eyes from Loki. "I am. I was? A person. I don't really know anymore," Stark sighed heavily and ran his hand through his face. He sounded resigned and tired. "How long do you live?" he asked, every possible emotion he could feel earlier disappearing from his face. "How old is Odin?" he took a step closer leaning in to look Loki in the eyes. "How old are you?"
"How can you still be here if you are dead?" asked Loki in return not backing away enjoying the way Stark's strange brand of energy felt in contact with his magic.
"Leave it," Stark snapped and straightened looking away at the wall again.
"No."
The illusion disappeared without another word. Loki tightened his lips in frustration. Wrong move. He should tread gently now or he will lose this game. He leaned on the tall headrest, which could be easily called a wall it was so tall, and smoothed the soft comforter with his hand, pretending thoughtfulness.
"We live approximately five hundred earth's years. It depends on the person. Odin is... four hundred, I suppose, it is really hard to tell, he almost always looked the same to me."
He heard a snort next to him and turned his head to look at Stark sitting next to him. Oh, the sweet taste of small victories.
"And how old are you?"
"A hundred."
Stark whistled. "You don't look so old."
Old. He laughed. Humans. "I have come of age just before coming here."
Loki watched Stark closely. How could he whistle? How could he speak? He had no vocal cords. How, how, how. Loki had a difficult relationship with not knowing. He hated it and he loved it.
"So you're just a kid looking for an adventure since no one can tell you otherwise now?"
This time his laugh was less sincere and more bitter. Humans. "Just passing the time. I have stopped participating in adventures long time ago, Master Stark. Freedom of doing whatever I please is a privilege I unfortunately do not have."
"So what are you doing here?"
"Simply passing the time. Besides, you did not expect me to follow all the rules, did you, Tony Stark?" The Prince asked him, smiling slyly.
"No. You don't seem the type."
Stark was grinning at him, his eyes light up, no trace of former sadness in them. Loki could see wrinkles around his blue eyes, even count his eyelashes, a wayward strand of hair falling on his forehead seemed so real, natural, sharp nose, square jaw, his neatly trimmed beard, light stubble, dimples in his cheeks. If not a slight unnatural glow and semi transparency Loki would believe an alive man was sitting next to him, not a strange illusion, a reminder of a dead human.
"You're staring," said Stark after clearing his throat and looking away.
"You're remarkable," Loki whispered in awe without averting his gaze.
"I know," Stark replied with a cheeky grin.
"How can you be? How can you exist?"
"We are not talking about that," said Stark in a firm voice.
"Apologies," Loki turned away and looked at the wall in front of them. "It is... I find you fascinating and cannot keep myself from wondering how is it you died and yet... you are here," when his host remained silent he continued in a a quiet tone, "Tell me about yourself, about your life."
"Why?"
"Because I asked."
"Do people usually do what you tell them to?"
"Yes," replied Loki smiling impishly.
Stark snorted and asked incredulously,"Just like that?"
"Years of practice. Now, we have an agreement, tell me about who you were before you died."