Tony arrived home with a yawn. The stupid meeting lasted half an hour longer than he'd expected, and he wanted to just relax. And relax he did until he realized that neither Loki nor JARVIS greeted him when he stepped in. Confused, but not questioning, Tony called out, "JARVIS?"

"Yes, sir?" The AI chimed after a fifteen second delay. Tony paused.

"Where's Loki?"

"Upstairs, sir."

"Is everything alright? Upstairs, I mean."

"Yes, sir. Nothing is out of the ordinary. Unless you count having a god living in the tower with you."

The inventor rolled his eyes at JARVIS's snarkiness, and took the elevator upstairs. If Loki was going to be moody, he thought, then I'd better get drunk enough to handle it. As he'd walked into the bar, he paused once more, looking around for the trickster. He spotted Loki on the couch, curled up with Lokitty and sleeping fitfully.

Tony stepped towards them, hesitant, and nudged the god awake. "C'mon, princess. Wake up."

Loki started, accidentally slapping Tony in the face. Tony groaned and backed up. "Really? Ow!"

"'M sorry," Loki muttered, looking up at Tony through bleary, sleepy eyes. "Was sleepin'."

"Yeah, I noticed. Is that gonna count as payback for me too?"

Loki giggled softly and nodded, petting Lokitty. "Expect more. Later." And Loki began to drift off once more. Tony shook him again.

"Oh, nuh-uh. Not happening. You are waking up and you are going to drink with me."

"Noooo," Loki groaned, tired. "I don't want to get up!"

"Too bad." Tony shoved Loki off of the couch, and the god hovered just before he hit the ground.

Lokitty had the sense to jump up and stand on the back of the couch, watching as Loki almost fall on his face. The god growled up at Tony, then slowly allowed himself to fall, pushing up and standing. "That was mean," He remarked. Tony shrugged and walked back towards the bar, pouring two glasses of scotch.

"You act like I care about your feelings."

"Do you not?" Loki glared up at him, his eyes narrowed.

"You know what I meant."

"Do I?"

"Do you?"

"Mature."

"Thanks."

And then it was silent, neither of them saying anything. Loki felt his rage concentrate at his fists, and he wanted badly to punch Tony. Again. However, he held the urge and slowly stepped towards the other man, his green eyes burning holes into the counter.

Tony hated how their relationship had become. After their fight, things were slowly mending. At least, that's what he thought. Sure, Loki was more cautious now, but who could blame him? Loki's trust was slowly building, and Tony often tried to push that slowly growing line until it became nothing again. It was just him, it was just who he was. Tony Stark was not a patient person.

But it taxed Loki to keep trying to trust Tony again. Emotionally, he was worn. He would have liked to leave Tony, seeing as though he believed their dysfunctional relationship could be in no way mended. But then Tony'd do something that made him fall even harder for the man. He'd never actually truly cried for another, not for his brother when he was banished, not even when his father almost died.

And yet he did so almost every night for this one human. And he'd hated himself for the weakness he'd felt every time he neared Tony. Even as they drank, Loki couldn't bring himself to make eye contact with him. Loki decided that if he was to be taken over, he'd welcome it. He'd welcome anything to get him away from this heartache.

"Loki."

"Hmm?"

"Are you okay? Like, really, really okay? I mean, I know I've done some stuff that might have made you upset, but I just... I don't like seeing you like this. And if it's my fault, I'm actually sorry. Like really sorry."

"Stark. It is not your fault. Not any longer. I accept your attempts at sincerity and," he leaned across the bar, grabbing the man by the collar of his shirt and kissing him. "Do not apologize to me. It is unbecoming of you."

Tony was surprised at the suddenness of the kiss, and it showed. He arched an eyebrow and looked at Loki. "Well alright then."

"I love you, Stark."

"I love you too, princess."

Loki snorted, then finished his drink. "I am going to bed."

"Already that tired?"

"Mmm."

"Well alright. I'll join you in a sec."

Loki smiled sleepily and set his glass on the counter, walking to his room. "Very well," He yawned.

As the god closed the door behind him, his composure cracked, and he slumped down on the door. His shoulders shook with every chopped up breath he took in. His lies would push the inventor farther, and he'd hated it, but it was necessary.

It was necessary because if he told the truth, he thought he'd break the inventor. And he never wanted to do that.

Loki was already asleep when Tony came in, curled up with a pillow hugged to his chest. Tony crawled unevenly next to him, wrapping an arm around the god's waist and nuzzling into the mess of Loki's long, raven colored hair. He didn't notice that Loki's eyes were puffy from crying himself to sleep. And when they'd wake, Tony wouldn't even be able to see the red rimming around Loki's eyes, or how much paler he'd seemed. And Loki would be glad for that, because he'd never want Tony to know about his deal.

To the man with the red skull.

PLOT TWISTS HUZZAH lol Hello once again readers! If you were confused about the last chapter (In the first fic) Then this should clear things up maybe. I don't know. Anyways, if this is your first time reading my fanfiction, I strongly suggest you read the first one before continuing! Hahahaha love you guys Mwah