It was three weeks and some change before Tony ran into Loki again. He'd thought, for a moment, that things were going back to normal, since he hadn't heard from the chaos god. Unfortunately, normal meant going to parties he had no interest in and making subtle but odd fashion choices.
Loki was bored. He'd been mostly honest when he told Stark that he lived in that state, but he'd found things to occupy his mind for nearly a month and was once again completely bored. And so, conjuring up an invitation, he strolled into the party of the week, the suit a slightly different cut than the last time, but the same color scheme. His gaze swept over the assembled people, looking for someone to entertain him. Arching a brow, he made his way along the wall, brushing off the lies he heard all around him, until he came to stand behind Stark, "Imagine seeing you here."
It took a lot of effort for Tony not to jump out of his skin. "Bored again?" he asked, regretting the scotch he'd had already.
Picking up a champagne flute from a passing tray he nodded, "Out of my mind with boredom, or very nearly."
"So you come to another party?" Tony arched a brow. "Personally I thought you'd try to take over some minor mystical kingdom."
Something flickered in Loki's eyes at that, "If I could find the root of Yggdrasil in this world I might consider that, but as I cannot seem to locate where that is, I fear you shall have to tolerate my presence at more society galas."
"See, here's the thing," Tony said, making himself let the tray pass without taking anything. "Society galas are the most boring places on the planet."
"But once in a great while I can catch a lie that makes it worthwhile," the Æsir replied, sipping at his drink. "It is rare, but it is better than re-reading the tomes I have already perused time and time again."
"We have got to introduce you to more of Earth's society," Tony said and blinked once at the 'we.' "I mean, seriously, I think a fair or something would be more entertaining than this. Besides, if you liked us, maybe you'd be less likely to cause destruction and shit."
"No, Anthony, I fear there you are mistaken. I wreaked havoc upon my childhood home, why should I do any differently in a home that is not mine?" Loki's brow arched.
"Still," Tony shrugged. "Seeing more of it might keep you entertained."
"You expect me to wander, unhindered, among the innocent populace and not cause damage and mischief?" Examining his nails, the former prince of Asgard spared Stark hardly a glance.
"Oh god no," Tony said quickly. "No, you're missing my point. I think I am too. Point is, you need a tour guide or something."
That earned a sharp bark of laughter, "And are you offering, Stark?"
"I haven't decided yet," he said with a roll of his shoulders. "I am bored out of my mind at the moment though, so, yes?"
"I doubt there could be much of interest going on at this hour, could there?" The god glanced around, sipping his champagne. He didn't fully doubt that there was, but at the same time he was so rooted in where he was raised and the fact that when there was something of any note going on in Asgard, rarely was there anything of further interest occurring elsewhere in the realm.
"Depends on your taste, I suppose," Tony shrugged. "There's movies, bars, carnival down near the water front, joy rides in a private jet, sports, and hey, there's always sex though I'm sure that novelty has worn off."
"I think you had mentioned showing me other parts of Midgard, but I must admit the view from your penthouse is astonishing." He smirked, "Almost enough for me to regret wreaking any havoc that would cause some of those lights to be extinguished."
Snagging another drink off a passing tray, Tony downed the scotch in almost one go, unsure at all what to make of that sort of a statement. "Yeah, well, I rather like the penthouse and the lights myself."
"I suppose that leaves us still with a set of options, does it not?"
Tony grinned easily, wondering how much alcohol he was going to need to get through whatever he just offered. "Well, if I'm going to play host, it's your choice."
Loki considered him for a long moment, a sly smile finally sliding into place on his features, "Well, I have seen my share of taverns of Asgard, and though I am not the sort to drink as much as Thor, I might not mind to see if your 'bars' hold more truth tellers than your galas." Besides, he was a shade curious to see the effects on Tony Stark as well.
Letting out what could only be a high pitched giggle, Tony clamped his mouth shut. A bar. Why had he offered a bar. "Great," he said, smile loose and easy and entirely a lie again. "I know just the place."
The god of chaos smiled easily at that, "Wonderful, shall we allow your driver to take us this time?"
"Yes, let's make Happy happy," Tony said under his breath, spinning on his heel and leaving without a backward glance at anyone there.
This was even more diverting than their last encounter. Following Stark out of the room, Loki allowed his gaze to sweep over a couple of the guests, murmuring a truth spell as he crossed the threshold and smirking as he heard the uproar start in the far corner of the room.
Tony paused at that sound. "Was that you?"
"Was what me?" Loki glanced at him innocently.
"Right," Tony declared, having already texted Happy for the car.
"Just be glad I waited until you exited to cast that spell," the liesmith murmured, stepping out into the cool night air.
"Sure," Tony muttered, the car rolling to a stop at the curb and he slipped inside quickly.
Loki considered the transportation for a brief moment before ducking down and joining the smaller man in the back seat, "Rather a nice car you have. Somehow I expected something flashier."
"I'm flashy enough in every other way possible," Tony shrugged, and wondered if he just might suggest the penthouse rather than a bar.
"This is true. Your suit certainly isn't all that subtle." Leaning back in the seat, the god glanced at his host, "You may need to tell your driver where you've decided to take me." His words indicated that a change in plans would not go amiss, though he was still curious to see what happened if Stark had even one more drink.
Tony half hoped Happy would call in Pepper or call in his night for him when he named the pub.
His driver glanced at him in the mirror with a brow raised, "You sure, sir?"
"No," Tony shrugged, leaning back in the seat, still in total command of his own space. "I think pretty lights might be enough for tonight," he said, glancing at Loki. "And it's not like I don't have my own bar."
Loki's lips curled up at that, "I've had my fill of people for the night, anyway." The noise that had been set off with the truth charm had been enough chaos for the moment. He simply sought diversion now.
"Back to the Tower then, sir?" Happy asked, already turning the car in that direction.
"Please," Tony said, considering the man—being? god?—next to him and smirking slightly.
The driver nodded slightly and wondered if he should call Miss Potts about this latest man their boss was taking home.
Loki leaned his head back against the seat, chuckling, "You know, I used to wonder what you people found so desirable about your lights. They're cold, impersonal in many ways. I can't help but think that it makes you feel like gods to stand among the stars as you do from buildings like yours, Stark." Alright, the use of his magic and the flood of truth had probably been a mistake. Midgardian alcohol couldn't affect him without drinking enough that most residents of the realm would probably expect alcohol poisoning, but the intoxicating effect of a spell that successful and that focused was almost as good and he suddenly remembered why he avoided them.
Blinking rapidly, Tony considered him. "It's something like that," he said, shifting in his seat and certainly not wearing a seat belt so he half turned, propping one elbow on the back of the seat. "Depends on the lights though. Some are warmer or colder than others." He paused another moment. "You like my lights then, huh? You must not have seen them that one time."
"It was daylight and I was preoccupied," the other responded. "And no, your lights here are all cold. Impersonal as I said. They have no life of their own, you control their brightness, where they shine, how they shine, when they shine."
"Don't you like control?"
"There is a difference between control and bondage, Anthony," Loki murmured, his eyes drifting shut. He knew that in this state he could school his expression, but his eyes would give him away.
That got a laugh out of Tony which he thought was a bad idea the moment it left him. "I'm sorry, you think my lights are in bondage?"
The god of fire opened one eye, fixing Stark with a long look before he closed it again, "Have you ever seen a fire? Not one in one of your fireplaces, but one in the open air. A controlled one, such as a campfire. Have you ever seen the dancing of a torch's flame?"
"Yes," Tony said, arching a brow. "So?" Honestly, he'd exploded enough things into fire on national television it was getting to be a rote joke.
"That is free light. A light that changes a single expression into a multitude. A light that darkens a corner one instant and illuminates it the next. It is not fixed in the way your lights are. There is spirit to it," Loki's eyes opened, his gaze on the ceiling of the car, but his focus ages away.
It was then Tony remembered exactly how old the other man was. "Big fan of fire then? Do you know, I think I've started more than a few of them. The other thing is they're unpredictable, dangerous, and can bet out of control really damn fast."
Loki offered a half-shrug at that, "God of chaos, god of fire. Fire not only gets out of control, it is expected to. But even when it does, there are few things to match its beauty."
Tony tilted his head. "Naw, I'm still sticking to utterly terrifying."
Smirking slightly, the Æsir nodded, "I do not recall saying that beauty precluded terror."
The smaller mortal just felt really glad when Happy stopped in front of the tower, stumbling out of the car quickly.
Loki unfolded from the car, murmuring something that may have been thanks to the driver, before glancing at Stark. "Are we taking your route up or mine?"
"Uh," Tony managed, blinking at him. "The elevator is serviceable and safe, I swear." But on the other hand he really didn't want to walk past the doorman or anyone else in the building.
"And how many witnesses do you wish to have to the fact that I will be in your bed tonight?" The taller being countered with a smirk.
"I still prefer the idea of you using the damn door," Tony returned.
Loki blinked at him, for a long moment not comprehending before recognition dawned. "Oh, I see." He held out a hand to the other, even as he focused on the spell needed to see where he was going.
"Huh?" Tony managed, even as he put his hand in the other's.
The moment their hands touched, Loki pulled the other with him through the next weave of his spell. The smoke and chill around them cleared to reveal the hallway outside of the penthouse door. Glancing at the smaller man, the god could only hope that he had gotten it right. He'd erred in an interpretation before and the results had not been pleasant.
Looking around, Tony tried to figure out his bearings, realizing he was in fact standing in the hallway outside his front door. For a moment he blinked at it before covering his eyes and laughing. "Oh, god. Okay, you know what, that works. That works just fine." Then he was moving quickly to get the door open, dragging Loki along behind him.
The god of chaos permitted himself to be drawn inside, covering up his uncertainty, still not sure he'd actually done right in that action as his mind flickered to the remarks on his magic from their last night in the penthouse. Brushing the thoughts aside, Loki smirked and sent his gaze sweeping over the penthouse, "You never change anything here do you?"
"I change it plenty," Tony protested. "When I'm living here full time, which I'm not."
His brow twitched upward, but Loki nodded, finding at least some sincerity in the words. He had a habit of adding things here and there as he found them and thought them to be of interest or of use and as such his own rooms rarely went three days without some addition or subtraction of objects.
Tony was moving through the apartment, mind attracted to the bar before he thought the plan through, rambling about the house in Malibu, and the Avenger's mansion and Loki didn't really want to go there, did he?
The god shook his head, chuckling, "No. I do not think my appearance at said mansion would be wise. And Malibu would be a good deal warmer than I care for." He strolled over to the bar, "I just find the lack of a personal touch here strange I suppose."
Tony considered him a moment, aware that just because a god was in his living room did not mean he needed to share anything. But he shrugged, leaning his elbows against the counter. "If you want personal touch, it's going to be my lab. Places like this are just set pieces."
"The lab here in New York, or one you have squirreled away somewhere else?" came the query as Loki continued his path past the bar and over to the large windows.
"You'll have to excuse me if I don't give you the location of my lab," Tony said, eyes trailing after the tall figure.
A knowing smirk played over the Æsir's lips, "What, don't you trust me?"
"No," Tony replied bluntly. "Drink?"
Offering a half shrug, he nodded, "A drink wouldn't go amiss." His gaze focused out the windows as he mentally dispelled the remaining effects of his truth spell from earlier, a harmless enough bit of magic, but the conversation in the car had set him even further off-kilter and he couldn't have that. This was to be a diversion, not a time when he revealed anything of himself. "Do you prefer this city or your home across the country?" He asked after a moment.
"Does it matter?" Tony asked, mixing drinks.
"Not especially I suppose. Idle curiosity is all."
Pausing a moment, Tony shrugged. "Every fancy house has its perks, it's hard to play favorites with what's all but your kids, you know?"
Loki turned his head to pin Stark with a long look at that, no semblance of a smile on his face for a moment before the corner of his mouth twitched upward, "I can only imagine."
The smaller man leaned back on his heels at the first look, blinking rapidly and trying to figure out if he'd imagined that or not. This was a very bad idea, he really needed to remember that and not invite the god of chaos and mischief home next time they ran into each other. But... if Loki was already here...
Brushing off whatever had just happened, Tony held out a glass. "Here."
Turning fully and taking the glass, Loki offered him one of his more common smirks, "Thank you for the drink." He sipped at it, his brows rising. It was one of the better tasting drinks he'd obtained in his time on Midgard.
Tony returned the smirk, knocking his own back.
"You Midgardians have rather a large selection of drinks, do you know that?"
"We like to be inventive in our ways of killing and or harming ourselves," Tony shrugged. "Pick up smoking yet?"
Loki snorted at that, "No. Disgusting scent, nothing like pipe smoke, which I might also mention I can't stand, or that of alchemy."
"But we have a wide variety of drinks," Tony grinned. "Ever try something fruity with an umbrella? Or milkshakes. Or soda. We have just about unlimited ranges of beverages." He could almost feel himself getting looser and more talkative, but at least it was about unimportant things like milkshakes.
The god's brow arched, "I meant in the alcoholic department, but you do rather have a wide variety elsewhere. I prefer things rather less sweet. There was an incident with the figures you lot consider the Greek Gods and their Ambrosia and Nectar." He wrinkled his nose, "But no, I don't believe I've sampled a few of those you mentioned."
"You wouldn't happen to be able to nab some of that ambrosia, would you?" Tony grinned. "Because I'm sure that would taste fantastic."
Loki grimaced, "It tasted horrid. Do you know they bathe in the stuff? It's like thinned down honey and they bathe in it. Or at least Hera's been known to. Besides, rumor has it it's toxic to humans."
The shorter man just laughed. "You're so judgmental."
"You're not the one who had to sit at dinner with them for hours." Loki returned dryly, "They all smelled of it in some way or other. Apparently they use it as a perfume as well. I will never understand the Olympians."
"Any luck understanding the humans then?" Tony asked, already with a second drink.
"Oh you lot are simple enough. Peel back enough layers and many of you are exactly the same. It's only through the constant reiteration of 'you are unique' that you all come to believe it."
"But we have a wide variety of drinks," Tony quipped back, absolutely not reacting to what the god just said.
That earned a short laugh as Loki sipped at the first drink Stark had poured him, "Yes, you do at that. Which I have to admit is nice in its own way."
"So long as we're good at something," the inventor deadpanned.
"Oh, I never said you Midgardians aren't good at several things. I simply said you're not all as unique as you think you are."
"Uh-huh," Tony said, leaving his glass on the counter and taking the last few steps between them, one arm going around Loki's waist and the other going for his tie. "At least I can assume I'm good at one thing, huh?"
The Æsir blinked before his lips curled up into a smile and he set his own glass down, "A couple of things, but yes, for once I do believe you'd be safe in that assumption."
"Well, you're here again, so yeah, I figured safe in that assumption," Tony said, offering him a grin.
Loki leaned down to kiss the other forcefully, his fingers moving up to actually undo Stark's tie this time. Tony laughed shortly at that, as the smaller man pressed up into the kiss, his own hands working quickly on the tie and shirt. Deftly removing the tie, the god of chaos turned his attention to the buttons of the other's shirt, not breaking the kiss. Moving into the kiss, Tony pulled one hand through Loki's hair, the amount of alcohol in his system making him bolder.
Loki smirked against the kiss, quickly divesting Stark of his shirt and suit coat. One of his arms moved to wrap around the other's waist and pull him close as the other cupped the back of Stark's head.
Hooking a leg around Loki, Tony used that to push himself up higher. "No obvious hickies and no magic your brother can pick up, alright?"
Loki almost froze at that, "I thought I had avoided the magic last time."
"Yeah, well, he picked up something and if there's an emergency in the next few hours I really don't want him sniffing me like a puppy, okay?"
The world-less one's grip tightened just slightly, almost possessive at that thought, "I shall keep it in mind."
"Cool," Tony managed, noticing the tighter grip and putting it down to anger towards Thor. "Will you cook me breakfast again?"
"If I am here in the morning I will consider it," the trickster responded, leaning in to nip at the other man's lower lip.
Humming, Tony pressed back into the touch.
Thank you all so very much for the response to the last chapter! It was honestly more than we were expecting and we are ever so very grateful for it. It really does help bolster our spirits and keep the muses awake to see reviews coming in. Thank you all again!
One note: Meadowlark's started using the term "Æsir" instead of "Asgardian" due to the parts of myth that we'll be drawing on. We are aware that it's the plural form, but we're going to use it for the singular form as well since Marvel doesn't even seem to concern itself with the term in the first place, and it's easier than trying to figure out when it would be singular and when it would be plural after the initial writing in the wee hours of the morning.
Thank you all for reading, and please do drop us a review on the way out! It does, in fact, motivate us to post more frequently.