I have to admit that because I've only gotten 2 reviews, for a moment there I thought about not continuing this at all. But then I have gotten quite a lot of notices on people putting this story on their 'favorite story' or 'story alert' lists. So why not? Besides, I have a second chapter and I need to get it out of my head 'cause it's interrupting with my daily life. Damn my over imaginative mind!
Chapter 2: (Un)Spoken Feelings
"Sir, Thor is at the front door. Shall I let him in?"
Tony looks up from the various parts and pieces of his suit. He could let the machines clean it, but he finds comfort in doing it on his own.
"Ah, yeah. Sure... Let him in."
"Very well, sir."
He doesn't go back to his work. Instead he gets up and heads over to the fridge he keeps down in the garage and grabs a beer. On second thought, he grabs two.
Tony hasn't spoken to the god since they managed to capture Loki almost a month ago, and to be honest, Tony's actually been kind of avoiding him. He'd never admit it out loud, but Tony was always a bit worried about talking to the guy who's younger brother he was screwing. He still is. Worried, that is. But he figures that by now, even though Thor might still be bothered by it that he at least won't be bothered enough to want to hurt Tony. Or, you know, he hopes.
There's also another reason why he's been avoiding Thor. Thinking about the God of Thunder will undoubtedly lead to thoughts about other Norse gods he might personally know, and Tony knows only one other.
Loki is a confusing subject for Tony. Sure he was deceiving the guy (or hoping he was) for about two months while Nick Fury and his people were figuring out how to take the guy out. And he knows that Loki is a man (god) who has done much evil and should be locked away and have the key thrown away. Loki is evil and his job as an Avenger is to stop him, but somewhere along the way feelings got mixed into the potion. And we're not talking about you're-evil-I'm-the-good-guy-and-therefore-have-to-stop-you-at-all-costs sort of feelings.
"Hey! If it isn't my favorite god." Tony exclaims and hands Thor the second beer, patting him on the shoulder.
Thor's wearing normal clothes, which Tony admits, looks good on him. A pair of jeans and a long sleeved grey shirt, sneakers, and his hair pulled back.
"Tony Stark. How are you, my friend?" Thor accepts the beer but doesn't open it. Tony takes notice of that. That, and that Thor called him friend.
"I'm great. Couldn't be better."
Tony watches as Thor walks around the garage. He has his hands in his pocket and there's a calculating look in his eye that Tony is not at all familiar with so he asks;
"What about you?"
Thor stops. He's never been any good at lying and so doesn't even try. But that doesn't mean he'll share what's on his mind.
The minutes drag on. For some reason, the longer Thor stands silent the more Tony feels like he should high-tail it out of there.
"I've come to ask you about my brother." He finally says.
Tony visibly flinches at the mention of Loki. He does not want to talk about Loki.
"You're not hear to avenge your brother's chastity or something, right? 'Cause, you know, he came on to me first. And he definitely knew what he was doing. Any delusions you have about your brother being innocent, you really have to let them go. I mean, come on buddy! You were there, you saw what he did. The people he killed! Locking him away is the right thing to do!" Tony wonders who it is he's trying to convince, Thor or himself.
"I know, Son of Stark. My brother needed to be stopped before any more lives were lost." Thor says but the regret in his voice is clear.
Tony sits down on his workbench. The same workbench he stood by when Loki visited him for the last time. "It's a good thing we managed to stop him before that happened."
"Aye, it is."
Tony finishes his beer, throws the can in the garbage. A three pointer!
"Did my brother say anything to you?"
Tony looks up at the god, unsure if he heard him correctly or not. Thor doesn't repeat his question, Tony doesn't ask him to, but he stares at him and Tony leans back in his chair.
"Ah, no. We didn't really talk. I mean, I asked him about his intentions and stuff like that, but he never really answered." Tony says and crosses his arms over his chest. He frowns, "Now that I think about it, he never said anything."
The look on Thor's face changes, but Tony can't tell to what.
"He never said anything to you?"
Tony's still frowning, but says, "Why should he?"
Anger flashes in Thor's eyes. It makes Tony jump, but it passes quickly and then the strange look is back.
"I promised that I would protect him." Thor suddenly says.
"Who? Loki?"
"He is my brother." Thor says and suddenly Tony thinks he knows what that look is telling him.
"Thor, you're not going to do something stupid, are you? Imagine the consequences!"
"Do not worry, friend. No harm will be come to the people this world. I swear it." And with those parting words Thor leaves before Tony has the chance to say or do anything.
He's left alone once again. He has this feeling that maybe he should contact Nick Fury and warn him. But he doesn't. Instead, Tony grabs the beer Thor left and opens it.
"Shame to let it go to waste." He murmurs to himself.