Hi there. I'm glad you back for chapter 3. Thanks, Avatar Aang, for your review - may your example inspire lots and lots of followers! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Loki, Thor, Tony Stark or any other character featured in this story, I hold no rights to any of them. I do not make money out of this.

+++ Chapter 3: "I so hoped for an evening off!"+++

Discussion took some time, but in the end Thor and Tony had the last word. Thor repeated that he would not take the risk of either embarrassing his sibling or going astray in time and space. Tony vowed this time there would be no persuading JARVIS and not even a multi-dimensional hornet on opium -

'Wasn't that "crack" last time?' asked Rogers, but without much vigor. It seemed that even the supersoldier had finally shot his bolt and was starting to tire of this game. Tony pointed at the trickster on the couch. Loki had not moved much and lay where Thor's slap had flung him. His head rested on his right elbow, his eyes were conveniently half-closed. He seemed to be listening idly, showing a clear tendency to drift off to sleep altogether. Still, no one would have claimed the God of Mischief to look harmless, or peaceful. He had given them too hard a time, wide awake and scheming. They only felt safe in the meaning that he was probably not likely to pull off a trick in the time it would take them to get their most basic defense weapons ready.

'Looks like Bolt and I will be able to handle this,' said Tony.

'So you said before,' Rogers reminded him. 'About your computer servant.'

Banner rolled his left shoulder and winced a little, 'I would appreciate to know that I am no longer needed. Because I really feel like I could do with a break.'

'There's guest rooms on level ninety-one to eighty-eight,' Tony said. 'Why don't you two stay over? JARVIS will pick you nice quarters, give you the grand tour on the premises. And if Thor and I should require your help, you'll be only one metaphorical call away.'

Banner agreed readily; Rogers showed interest in the offer. But he made it clear that he wanted to talk to Clint and Natasha about this first. Banner proceeded to make decisions as to when and where they would meet the other day in order to get the Asgardians on their way.

Tony heard the doctor talk, but he did not listen. Because another conversation started behind him, as Thor shook the trickster awake to offer him the promised glass of water.

'Don't pretend you care about me,' murmured Loki, his words slightly slurred with sleep. He leaned on his elbow, blinked drowsily at the glass of water, and wiped away a strand of hair. 'You chose to forget about me as soon as I had disappeared from sight. Tumbling into the void.'

'Do not start on this again,' grumbled Thor. 'I told you. We thought you were dead.'

'So you said. But did you try?' the trickster pressed. 'Did you try to find me, if not alive then my corpse? At least to honor me with a proper burial?'

'If only you were prepared to listen – '

'I am prepared to listen,' screamed Loki, so suddenly and so loud that everyone except Thor jumped.

Only he screamed it in his mother tongue, so no-one knew what they had been jumping for.

There was, however, one thing evident to the shocked humans: The beaten trickster had finally hit on an issue he really wanted settled. A question he needed to get an answer to. He asked himself time and again, roaming the cold vast of space. Leaving markings for Thor to find, just in case he was not as abandoned as he knew himself to be, all things rationally considered.

It had hurt, back then, remembering how the Warriors Three had hardly let three days pass before defying their orders and rushing to the thunderer's aid.

But Thor's silence now, in Tony Stark's lounge, hurt even more than Loki would ever be prepared to admit, even to himself -

'On the third day after you left,' Thor said. Slowly, Loki opened his eyes. It didn't matter they were filled with tell-tale tears. The thunderer was not looking, anyway, but fumbling with a knot in a leather strap he wore around his neck. 'On the third day after you left, I gathered the Warriors Three, and the Lady Sif. And a handful of other warriors that you and I have known and fought side by side with. They all followed my call without hesitation.' Thor pulled impatiently at the leather strap. 'We went far and searched wide, and eventually we found a village that was threatened by a horde of dragons.'

'Dragons are rare these days,' Loki said.

'In the west of Asgard, they are now extinct.' Thor pulled the leather strap up and a white object slipped out from under his shirt. 'I slayed the last one, and a long and hard fight it was. Three days, to the very minute. It was the mightiest dragon of all, older than me, maybe older than Odin Allfather himself. Several times, our friends wanted to join in. Each time, I ordered them to stand back. It was my fight.' Thor paused. Loki didn't breathe. 'And when I aimed that final stroke at this worthy adversary's heart, I dedicated the victory to my lost brother. I mourned for you in a warrior's way.'

Something very strange and unusual happened to Loki: He found no spiteful remark to belittle Thor's story as the thunderer held out the object to him. That was, he realized a moment later, because for once he didn't bother to be cynical.

'That's a dragon's tooth, is it not?' he said.

Thor nodded. 'I wanted an eye tooth, but they were too large to be carried as an amulet.'

'An amulet?'

'It's got your name engraved.' Thor proffered the object with more authority, 'Take it.'

Loki took the dragon's tooth in his hand: It was slightly longer than his index finger and curved like a talon. The edges were serrated like a jig-saw. A file had blunted those natural razors a little so Thor would not hurt himself wearing the amulet on his skin. The upper end was cast in intricate Asgardian silver work to allow for the leather strap to be attached. It was one of the smaller teeth, as Thor had said, but it still gave you a good idea as to the dimensions of the beast in whose skull it had once sat. Loki rubbed it with his thumb. He pictured Thor fighting the scaly monster for three days (to the minute). Loki had never seen his brother do anything like it before. But he never doubted the truth of the thunderer's words. Ancient dragon. Three days. A warrior's way to mourn. He studied the tiny markings that formed his name - his former name, Loki Odinson - in the silver and enamel.

'There a lot of Odin's magic in this,' he observed.

'Father put his blessing on it. He meant the amulet to become a protection for the son who lived.' Thor lowered his voice, 'I preferred to think of it as a token of brotherly love.'

Loki moved his thumb over a lock of hair that was magically weaved into the leather strap, 'Where did you get this strand of my hair? Surely not from my pillow or hairbrushes?'

'No. You've always been meticulous about keeping them clean. This is the ceremonial strand that mother clipped off the day you received your helm from father's hand.'

'She gave that away?' Struggling with a whole crazy bunch of sentiments, Loki forgot to object against Thor's implying that Odin and Frigga were his "father" and "mother", too.

'She gave it to me,' Thor said. 'I give it back to you now, to do with it whatever you think fit. The spirit and magic of the dead brother were supposed to protect the living son of Odin Allfather.'

'Giving it to me won't change a thing,' Loki said, his voice hard. 'I am Loki of Asgard now.'

'I never thought it would,' Thor said. 'But your old name belongs to no-one but you. Even if you chose to no longer go by it.'

There was a silence. Then -

'That glass of water you wanted me to drink,' Loki said quietly, stroking the smooth, white surface of the tooth with his thumb. 'I would like to have it now. Really. I would like to have it very much.'

Twenty minutes later, Rogers was on his way to meet with the two agents, and Banner was hopefully doing some really, really de-stressing training units in his guest room.

Tony's cell phone rang, and he was not surprised it was Fury calling in. Starting off with a few courteous questions that indicated he had already been filled in on everything. Sonofabitch.

Still, Tony kept his smile on his face. Pepper had told him it carried over the ether and reached the party at the receiving end, if you smiled. Made them feel good, she claimed. Tony smiled with his teeth gritted and enjoyed the thought of how his faked innocence drove Fury crazy. 'Safe connection? Sure it's safe. No. No, I'm not having trouble with Norse demi-gods. No trouble at all.'

Tony cast a look over at the couch: Thor still haunched by his brother's side, but he had quit talking. He simply watched as if he waited for Reindeer Games to keel over again and stick his four hooves in the air. Which might not be long. No more happy Reindeer pranks and hopping around, rooftop to rooftop. Loki was finished radically, thoroughly, to a degree where even he himself finally realized "game-over". He sat like a school boy in detention, his left hand wedged between his knees. In his right hand, he held the glass of water. Sometimes he'd sip, but mostly he stared at the floor ahead.

Gee, that guy could look sad.

Tony turned away, listening to Fury on the cell phone. 'So, you're saying -? Sure. Of course, it's possible. I flew a nuke out of here. I didn't exactly do a head count afterward.'

Thor got up and came over. Tony gave him a distracted look, while rubbing his brow with his fingers. 'Hell, no! No, I'm not – you bet!' He sighed. 'Yes. Yes, he's here.' He held out the phone to Thor. 'It's Director Fury for you.'

Now, Loki looked up, too. There was a green spark of interest in the trickster's lusterless, hazed eyes as he watched his brother take the phone from the human.

'Yes?' said Thor. 'Hello? Hello!'

Tony discreetly took the phone away, turned it correct-side-front and put it back in the Aesir's big hand.

'HELLO?!' shouted Thor. 'Oh. Yes, I can hear you now. I hear you just fine. No. I won't shout anymore, sir.' Thor mumbled some confirmations to Fury. His blue eyes searched Tony's glance, expressing concern. He handed the cell phone back to Tony. 'Three Chitauri warriors have been located near Central Station.'

'I so hoped for an evening off.' Tony sighed and closed the cell phone without checking whether Fury was still on the line. 'You know, all these nice little things that make life enjoyable. A hot shower, some TV – pretty girl from next door coming over, bringing her friends... I'm not sure they're your type, but I think we can arrange for some - '

'I can see Central Station from here,' said Loki. 'What's left of it, anyway.' No one had noticed him moving from the couch to the window. His smug smile was probably meant to convey that he could handle the situation. But on someone swaying drunkenly on the edge of a drop of more than one thousand foot above street level, it was the kind of smile that nearly triggered Tony's most deeply-rooted instinct to lunge, grab and rescue.

Nearly.

He remembered only too well how he went sailing through that very window by that very guy's hands. He wanted to be officially crowned "King of Asses", if he lifted but one finger for that deranged Coyote. Still, there was this issue of three monsters on the loose: Tony touched a contact in his bracelet to make JARVIS start deploying whatever Mark was available and in working order.

Thor started spinning his hammer. 'Hold on to my neck,' he told Loki.

'The Hel I will,' Loki said, looking surprised that Thor should suggest something like that. 'I have no intention of getting crashed yet again. I'm going on foot.'

'He's not serious, is he?' asked Tony over the noise of armour parts starting to encase his body.

'He is,' said Thor. 'He's got these winged shoes that will carry him through water and air alike.'

'Wasn't that Mercury?'

'They have the same shoemaker', Thor deadpanned, and gave a wild cry, as Loki, apparently bored by their idle talk, stepped out into the air.

Magic did not engage. Gravity did.

Tony started forward so fast one or two parts of his suit almost snapped closed over thin air.

Bitch from the North should at least have clicked his heels three times, he thought as the rest of his armor attached themselves in free fall. Way to go, Tony Stark. Hardly five hours, and you're doing it again. Fairy dust and happy thoughts. Wonder who's the looney toon of us now...

The fact Tony had started dressing up well before taking the plunge had given him valuable seconds as compared to his first, involuntary dive of this day. The armour clanked in place, and as soon as it did, Iron Man fired up the thrusters and caught up with the falling god.

He grabbed Loki by the arm and broke his fall. 'Easy. I got you.' He jerked Loki up, caught him bridal style - not his favorite way of carrying the diva, but an effective one - and pulled him close to stop him from flailing. If the Asgardian panicked now -

Loki did not flail. Nor was he in a panic or hurry to put his arm about his rescuer's neck.

Tony quickly checked his charge's vital signs that JARVIS could pick up through the close body contact, 'Cold-hearted sonofabitch,' was the result he did not hesitate to share. 'Didn't even quicken your heart rate to a noteworthy extent.'

'I cannot be killed by a little fall,' Loki informed him haughtily. 'I am immortal.'

'Says who?'

'Says I.' Loki's finger swayed up. He tried to wave it in front of Tony's nose. Due to the helm, he could not decide exactly where the man's nose was. So, he dabbed his finger against Tony's chest.

Click.

'Be-because I am a god, and you are – '

Click.

'Armoured?' Tony supplied, helpfully.

Loki squinted at his finger.

' – you are – '

Clickclickclick.

'You are aware this didn't work the last time around, either?'

Loki frowned and banged his fist against Tony's chest like one would treat a jammed locker. Remarkably, JARVIS displayed a surge of the demi-god's heart rate now: Loki was really frustrated, approaching peevedness at this human's stubborn resistance to his attempts.

'That didn't even hurt,' Tony informed him haughtily. 'You're not trying.'

His feet touched solid ground. He stood.

Loki's feet touched solid ground. He stumbled.

Tony caught him. 'As I said,' he repeated, hoping his smile didn't carry on his voice. 'You're not concentrating.'

'I', said Loki with dignity, 'am gloried with purposeful burden, and you – ' He looked about, baffled. 'You put me down facing the wrong way.'

Tony just knew he was grinning through his mask now, 'No, no. Problem's with Central Station. It's a bit "back to front" at the moment, that's why.' Loki tilted his head and frowned as though he really tried to believe what he was being told. Tony thought he'd crack up laughing any moment. 'That was to be expected, I guess. Think of all went down here. Glory, and purpose, and lots of aliens...'

'Oh, yes. The Chitauri.' Loki turned on his heel and marched off without paying any more attention to his human rescuer. Purposed on burdensome glory, or something the like, Tony thought as he watched in no small surprise.

Thor landed beside him. You're a little late, Tony wanted to say. Of course, he didn't. The thunderer had no thrusters, and his hammer could carry him upward, not down. And he looked troubled enough by his brother's stunt and something Tony could not immediately place. Actually, he looked like touching down caused him a small inconvenience. Tony let it pass as a slip of attention and a piece of gravel giving way under his boot. This was the God of Thunder, after all.

Thor spoke and stopped Tony's train of thought, 'Thank you, Tony Stark.'

'Thank me – fiddle-dee-doo,' Tony snapped. 'What was that shi- that stuff about his flying shoes?'

'He doesn't have them on,' Thor said plainly. 'He says they don't go with his style. They've got these – ', he raised his hands to his shoulders and made small flapping movements, 'cute little wings at the heels. And they flutter.'

'I see,' said Tony, defeatedly. 'Fashion before survival. Well, even I don't wear my suit in bed.'

'I didn't know you could put it on so fast,' said Thor.

'He knew.' Tony moved his head to point in Loki's direction. 'He's seen me do it before. Only it was me dropping to my sure death then.'

'Then, what cunning is this?' growled Thor, looking after his sibling: Loki kept walking away from them, slowly, as if the ground was ice and dangerous to tread. 'What does he hope to gain by tricking you like this again?'

'There was no cunning. No trick.' Suddenly, Tony was sure of it. He opened his visor and tipped his head to look up at the far-above window. 'He made it up as he went along. He needed to know whether I – whether anyone would do it for him. Walking a fine line is your brother's nature.' Just like the need to be caught every now and then, because it's such a treacherous, slippery thing, this trickster's line - thinner than a rope and wriggling underfoot like a viper getting ready to strike. 'How do we know he won't side up with these monsters we plan to put a quick and messy end to?'

'I lost my ability to foresee my brother's decisions a long time ago. But if he should choose to turn against you or the people of Earth again, I shall choose to forget that I have a brother.'

'Don't do anything you might regret later,' mumbled Tony.

The blond demi-god gave a look that was fraught with the weight of all the centuries he had seen come and pass. 'Your warning words mean well, Tony Stark. But they come too late, my friend. Unwittingly or not, I have violated this simple rule not only once, but many times. Alas, and the regret runs deep.'

+++ End of Chapter 3 +++

A/N: I still enjoy writing this story. I can also see there's quite a lot of people out there reading. If you want to make my writing day - leave me a kudo or review! :)