Part 2

"We grow restless with this feeble planet and it's puny life forms… You do nothing with them but let them go on with their lives." A Chitauri Commander was grumbling on to Loki, who they had sought audience with. "They could be used to build a better kingdom for you, and yet you sit by!"

"You assume I sit here with no plans set for my subjects?" Loki questioned, raising a brow. He stood upon the platform, overlooking the city, upon the balcony outside of Stark Tower. The Chitauri stood by the window, and Tony at his side. He had been gazing out as he was silent, but looked to them now.

"We state what we see." He grumbled in a hissed voice, his fists clenched.

"Then you are obviously blind," Loki smirked, "and cannot see that I am no fool. I have plans for this world. But all good things take time. Learn patience, Commander, lest you pay for /impatience/."

The Commander chuckled. "Pay? You offer punishment upon us?"

Loki was quiet, face emotionless, like these words meant nothing to him.

"And would punishment be offered upon you, /My Lord/, if YOUR Master knew just how you were lacking in the title you so claimed to deserve?"

"You dare question me?!" Loki retorted, making a few steps towards to group of Chitauri. "You follow MY orders, you retched cretin. And you will follow me, in every choice I make. I AM King, as I am MEANT to be. And I shall rule as I plan to."

"And should you fail in that rule, your Master will enjoy punishing you for that failure, I'm sure." The Commander chuckled.

Loki's eyes narrowed as he said, "I have no Master…" and that in its self was daring to say. But the thought of being controlled was a thought he was tired of thinking; he was KING. None should be above him. And none were, in his mind.

The Commander seemed pleased with that. "Such words…will not be taken lightly… Our business is done." He gave a mock bow then, savoring Loki's glare, before turning to leave, the others' following with him.

Loki's eyes burned the trail they left with his gaze, anger seething in him. Anger at being so questioned…and being so threatened… He looked away, gazing out at the city as he fought the memories of when he had been found by Thanos…

"Loki… Their words are nothing, they're just simple pawns; ant's under your boots. Don't allow them to affect you…" Tony spoke softly to the God, walking to his side, only to have Loki turn on him and glare.

"Do not speak to me as if you know what I should and should not do. And their words do not affect me; it is their defiance that angers me, and which shall be punished if it continues…." Loki grumbled, now walking towards the balcony, heading inside the Tower.

"I believe I'm able to recognize these things by now, Loki." Tony said calmly, following Loki, the platform removing his suit as he walked. "You may be my master, but that is not the only tie we have."

Loki chuckled, as if to push away the notion. That was his attempt of not admitting Tony was right, that there was just a bit more of a connection than Master and Puppet. They reached within the building then, Loki pacing before the windows. Tony walked towards the bar, out of his suit now. He rummaged around the bar, finding a glass.

"I see the fear they struck in you, reminding you of your own master." Tony said calmly, sipping the glass of scotch he'd just poured.

Loki's pacing stopped and he turned to glare at Tony. "I have no master! He thinks me a pawn, but I'm far more clever than he may think! How dare you ASSUME ME a pawn?!"

"I don't assume you to be a pawn, Loki." Tony said with a straight face, seeming emotionless and reaction-less. "I only KNOW that I am not the only one here with a master that tends to pull strings."

Loki stalked toward Tony threateningly, seething with annoyance. Tony sipped his drink, trying not to react but he knew he was truly angering the God. "There are no strings to tie me, Stark. Watch your words, lest you be punished."

Tony smirked. "Can't handle to truth, Liesmith?" he was feeling cocky. Something within him stirred his mind differently, to both their surprise, but Tony was too lost in his cockiness and Loki, too lost in his anger.

Loki stopped before him, smacking the drink from his hand. It shattered on the floor and Loki gripped Tony's throat. "Your words are not truth, Stark… I dance to no strings, I have no ties to my Master. Only simple promises kept for the sake of getting what I wanted myself. Don't you dare continue to question that." His grip tightened.

Tony took as much of a normal breath as he could, struggling a little. "How much control…do you really think you have? If you…keep going about this…believing you have…the upper hand…then it will either be your Master or enemies that truly have that in the end."

Loki's grip tightened as he glared. Tony shut his eyes, moving a hand to grip Loki's wrist, struggling a bit now in his grip. "Your tongue grows bolder with each word, Stark… Whether that be for the comfort you have grown into or some defiance being born suddenly now, I do not care; I will not have it."

"Someone must tell you of the truths and realities you keep trying to ignore, Master. I'm simply insuring you don't go about things blindly." Tony said blankly, gripping Loki's wrist harder but it was no use. It had no affect on the God. He sighed. "You know I only have your best interests in mind. I'm the only one that does, am I not? Because I'm the only one able to understand you… I know what it's like, to be torn down by others for who you are, what you did… I know what it's like to resort to making a deal with the devil. You know I understand, you know my words are truth, and yet still you—ggah!"

Loki gripped had tightened even more, so much so Tony was sure his skin would bruise. He had lifted the man off his feet. "Such sentiments and understandings mean little to me…" Loki spat, dropping Tony then. He gasped for air, clutching his throat. Loki walked towards one of the tables and took up his scepter which had been resting there. "Speak words like this to me again, Stark, and your punishment shall fit how far your tongue has gone."

Tony was gasping but once the breaths began to slow, taking deep breaths in and out, he looked up to Loki. His eyes flashed a bit more blue. "Yes, Master."

With that, Loki left him be. He had plans to attend to and before he gave Tony any orders, he would need enough time to collect himself enough not to punish the man.

Loki's plans were growing within his mind. The humans would soon know order and the service they were meant to subject to. He would change this world, for good, and it would stay as it should. And those damn Chitauri…he would need their disgusting kind no longer. To have to resort to using their kind truly sickened Loki, but he had no other choice.

And now, with having had time with himself, meditating, Loki was ready to deal with that damned Stark. He had a job for him, anyways.

Loki walked throughout the Tower, but to his surprise, Tony was nowhere in sight. This sprung annoyance in him. Where the hell would that fool go? Loki used his magic to reach out for his mind and he thought he could sense it but it felt…blocked…

That unnerved Loki. He summoned his scepter, walking out to the balcony to observe the city. Once outside, he saw the red and gold form of the Iron Man. His eyes narrowed as he saw him suddenly attack humans, who seemed to be rebelling against orders. Within only a minute, they lie in a group, motionless. Dead.

The Iron Man gave a turn and flew back for the tower, landing upon the platform that lead to the balcony in no time, his suit being removed as he walked forward. He did not even look down to Loki, though Loki was sure Tony knew of his presence. No, he continued on inside without a glance.

"Stark." Loki returned within the building, seeming angry. Tony did not answer him, but continued own down the halls before entering his room. Loki followed his path, casting the scepter away. He entered Tony's room as the man as changing his shirt.

"You acted without orders, what the hell is going through your mind?" Loki questioned, anger in his voice. NOTHING should be going through Tony's mind, nothing but the influence of Loki's scepter. And yet over the past few days, his actions were becoming more and more bold.

"My orders, sir." Tony said simply.

Loki raised a brow. "Orders, hmm? You were given none, Stark. Lying to me is useless."

"I'm not lying, sir." Tony turned to look at Loki, one hand on his bare hip. "I was given orders and I followed them."

In his tone, Loki could tell what Tony said, he believed to be truth. And that truly confused him. "I gave. No orders. And yet you go out and act of your own will. A free will which I have not given back to you." Loki walked toward him in that predatory way he is prone to when angered.

"I have no free will, sir." Tony said, like it was obvious and he turned his back on Loki.

Loki appeared before Tony. "You are hiding something from me, Stark, and I will not have it."

"I'm hiding nothing from you, sir. Just followed orders. I followed the pull of my Master's strings, as should you." Tony looked Loki in the eye then.

Loki gripped Tony's throat once more, bringing him up against a wall. His face was full of anger, eyes burning as his gripped tightened. Tony gripped his wrist, gasping, almost clawing at Loki's hold. "Your MASTER gave you no orders. And as you should gather by now, your Master has become displeased with many of your actions. You speak words I head you not to. You speak when I head you not to. You attack the civilians without my ordering you to do so. You go too far."

Tony seemed to be becoming far beyond what Loki knew him to be. More puppet-like than he approved of. The Tony whom he controlled still had enough of his mind free to him to speak and relate, simply because Loki allowed it. Because Loki needed that, he needed that connection.

During the defeat of the Avengers, Loki and Tony both had their moments of weakness, whether Tony by attacks, or Loki by the moments of breakdowns caused by the tesseract's control over him wavering. They both had their own pasts they wish they could forget. And in both their lives, there has been few to no one they had ever found important in their lives; important in the way that they clung to them, however outwardly or inwardly.

Tony was more fortunate in that, but even then, Loki found himself inwardly clinging to him. The moment he began learning just who his puppet was, he knew he was beginning to cling to the strings.

And yet now…he did not know if he was losing that grip or if he had lost it completely.

"My Master gave me orders, sir…and I…followed them…" Tony gasped through Loki's grip. And then he glared at Loki, defiantly. And it was then Loki saw it… The bright blue eyes had always been there, but the darkened skin around his eyes…the look of fatigue. The way Tony said Master…it was not as if he was referring to Loki anymore, no. No, Loki was sir now…

Loki let Tony go, leaving him gasping against the wall and he headed out of the room. He walked through the halls, his mind reeling and he suddenly summoned his scepter and held it before him.

His eyes running up and down it, he observed it. This was promised to him, but could he truly trust it…? It was then he noticed the gem…its power, its glow was dimmer.

Loki eyes narrowed. It's power was fueled by the one thing he had promised Thanos, the tessaract, which he returned to him…

His eyes widened then and he glanced back down the hall. Thanos…he had gained control over Tony Stark. That is why he was acting differently, and the fatigue Loki saw… Had Thanos tortured him as he had tortured Loki?!

No, Loki could not allow this. The torture Loki had felt, he was able to withstand, his strength more than that of a simple human. But Tony, Tony would not be able to stand it. And Tony would not belong to Thanos, either. Loki could not…

What could Loki do..? No matter how he wished to deny it, Thanos was his master and one he must do his best to obey… He had tip-toed on denying that obedience, but fully stepped over the line? Never, Loki knew better than that, despite his pride.

But now… Tony was being controlled… Tony himself was being removed, a servant being stabbed inside. Loki had done the same almost completely with Barton and Selvig, freeing their mind only enough for them to access their own knowledge which they needed. Upon learning more of Tony, Loki knew he was allowing more and more of the man's mind to be free.

All these truths swarming in Loki's mind, he wanted to stay within the lies. No, Thanos wasn't controlling Tony. No, Loki was not failing. He was not at a stand-still, now gaining what he wanted for so long, a throne. He knew just what he was going to do as King, he was finally happy and content with this title. No, Loki did not need Tony, he simply liked having a pet around who had grown so fond and willing to do as he wished.

No, Loki did not cling to his puppet. He did not cling to Tony. No, he did not love him…

Loki shut his eyes, gripping his fist and swallowing. No. You are truly alone anyways. All Tony is to you is a lie itself, which you have crafted with your influence. He is a lie of something you secretly realized you needed. Something you truly do not have…

Something you will never have…

"Sir?"

Loki's eyes slowly opened as he saw Tony standing at the other end of the hall, new shirt on and rubbing his throat faintly. Within his mind, flash; Tony's bare form, gasping, calling his name, claiming to be his. And the feeling Loki was consumed with within their embrace, within their heated moment's, at the very climax of it, Loki felt it. He knew, despite all he knew…despite all he hated and loved…despite all he felt was damned and all he wished for… despite how far he had come and all he had done and all he outwardly felt he deserved, and inwardly knew he deserved…. Loki loved him.

That damn human, Loki loved him. In the only way and to the only degree he could, Loki loved him.

"Leave me be, Stark…" Loki muttered and turned away, his walk becoming determined as his mind was slowly considering what he must do. Tony's mind would be overtaken, he would fall prey to whatever tortures Thanos would wish to give him… Thanos enjoyed that, and Loki knew Tony would be a far more enjoyable victim.

So was Loki to defy his Master?

No, he'd come too far. Too far to give up all he had for a simple human, a human he should not care for and human who truly would not care for him. No, Loki, you cannot.

Lies…you cling to them so well, don't you? All you have, you are now realizing you are not content with. For now that you have it, you are not fully sure what to do with it. And the human? You care for him far more than you ever expected you could. The only truth in those lies is that the human will never care for you. No, at most, he would hate you. After all you have done, he will hate you. He WILL hate you, because in the end, you must free him completely.

Loki leaned against the wall, clutching his head. You must be alone. All you cause is chaos and pain, you monster. Be alone, fall into that darkness again, that is where you belong.

Loki sighed, his hand falling before his face and he looked at it. In his mind flash the moment that Frost Giant had touched him, how that secret was finally revealed…how his world was shattered. And what world did he have now?

Confused and unsure, Loki gripped the scepter tighter, angry. How true was all this he was given by Thanos? Loki was not even content or happy with what he had, he had forced another man to love him, tossed away the Avengers and leads a hopeless race.

What did he even have to cling to? Why did he even obey that damned Thanos? All he had now was false victory, Thanos truly gave him nothing, nothing that would last… So what allegiance must Loki even have with him?

Loki looked at the scepter once more. Finally, his mind was made.

"I have…no master… And soon, no longer shall Stark."