A/N: If it wasn't obvious, I want to go to Venice for Carnevale one day, and I shall make a Glorious outfit. But here's some inspiration for what Loki and Hela looked like: tinyurl cs3ec7l And here's what I think Tony would have looked like: tinyurl 6ucb5kd
I don't think I meant to end this chapter the same way as last time... :D
I don't own The Avengers, Loki, Iron Man, or anything of the like. Just the thoughts inside my head. And my amazing collaborator KairacahraFlower Goddess owns his ideas that he's letting me use. :D
Tony's eyes shot open and he snorted through his nose as he tried to sit up. The hand on his chest held him down on the ground. He blinked and looked around and saw Loki above him. "So, I'm thinking that next time, you should handle the fighting," Tony croaked out, relieved when Loki let a small smile cross his lips. "Do I want to know what that spell would have done?"
"Did you want to see Hela again so soon?" Loki raised an eyebrow and Tony swallowed. "There were some creative, things, he would have done to himself before the sweet release of-"
"Got it," Tony pushed himself up to a sitting position with Loki's help.
"I tried to shape it so that it would incapacitate you, hopefully avoiding a comatose state," Tony's eyes widened slightly. "I will admit I'm not quite sure what happened to the spell when you mixed your own with it."
"Well, I'm not feeling incredibly tired, thankfully, or feeling like I should be running off a short pier with a large boulder." Tony rolled his head a little and his hat flopped off and into his lap, most of the feathers gone or broken. "Darn, I actually like that hat." Loki grabbed the hat with one hand and helped Tony to his feet with the other.
"We shall accept the hat as a sacrifice to what could have happened," Loki told him. "I think you've had enough excitement for one day."
"As long as you're not sending me to bed without dessert," Tony smirked a little.
"I believe there are a few cherries left," Loki laughed when Tony's face fell.
Tony held the pillow over his head in an attempt to stop tossing and turning in the bed. He was getting no sleep that night and he had no idea why. "Tony." He lifted the corner of the pillow to see one of Loki's bright green eyes. "You're restless." Tony snorted and pulled the pillow back down.
"I know that," he spoke a little louder so he wouldn't have to take the pillow off his head. "I can't sleep, and my stomach is in pain." He blinked a little when Loki grabbed the pillow and forcibly slipped him onto his back. He put a lifted Tony's shirt and put a glowing hand on his, slightly discoloured, stomach.
"The man must have hit you pretty hard to cause a colour such as that, and to have lasting pain through the night," Loki commented as he tried to sooth the pain. Tony relaxed a little into the bed.
"I did point out the fist crater he made, right?" Tony looked over at Loki. "It was like a smaller version when Bruce-"
"Yes," Loki said tightly. "Yes, I remember." Tony chuckled a little. Even after two years Loki still didn't like to talk about his time as a rag doll. He pulled his hand away and Tony pushed his shirt back down. "Will you be able to sleep now?"
Tony yawned and nodded a little. "If I can get my pillow back." Loki tossed it on his face and chuckled as he slid back down onto his own pillow. "See if I get you anymore cherries before we leave." Loki's head pushed under the pillow and started to nibble at Tony's jaw. "You're rebuttal has been recognized," Tony smirked. Loki turned Tony's head toward him as his lips found Tony's, capturing his bottom lip between his teeth lightly. Tony moaned a little and wrapped his hand behind Loki's neck. "Rebuttal accepted," he mumbled out between Loki's lips. Loki grinned and pulled away.
"Good," he smiled when Tony started to pout. He pulled Tony closer, sharing his own pillow now. "You'll get more, when I get more." Loki wrapped an arm around Tony's waist as he closed his eyes. He murmured under his breath as he slowly fell asleep, Loki's fingers tracing runes on Tony's back.
Two days later Tony stood in front of the mirror and lifted his shirt, grimacing a little at how dark the bruise was on his stomach now. "That guy could rival Thor's fist," Tony muttered, dropping his shirt again.
"I could get rid of it," Loki offered, glancing over the back of the loveseat.
"It doesn't hurt as much anymore, I think my organs have slid back into place." He wrinkled his nose a little and walked over to the loveseat. He leaned over the back of the loveseat and leaned his head on top of Loki's. "This'll just be a reminder to not underestimate someone again, at least without the suit."
"Even with the suit," Loki countered.
"I'm thinking that we should go out so I can get a new hat," Tony suggested, looking out the open doors of the balcony, seeing the Carnevale festivities still going on. "I want another shot at enjoying a full night, and I need to look as good as a certain trickster."
Loki grinned and pushed Tony's head off of his own, sliding off the loveseat. "That's a tall order, you'll be fighting immortality."
"Hey now," Tony leaned against the back of the loveseat as he watched Loki move towards the dresser. "Let's not forget that I am officially a demi-god now," Tony grinned as Loki scoffed a little. "I have some of the best mortal genetics, and now that's coupled with godly approval."
"I knew that this would go to your head, I'm just surprised that it took over a year for you to keep bragging about it." Loki threw some jeans at Tony.
"The almighty Odin deemed me to be worthy," Tony couldn't keep the grin from his face.
"It was a fluke," Loki countered as he started to change his own clothes. Tony leered at him as he slipped into some black slacks. "You had a few moments that looked brave, and happened to save a planet."
"And your life," Tony added as he changed into his own jeans. "That might have helped. What's not helping are your attempts to deflate my ego." Tony laughed when Loki scowled. "Not can stop the ego."
"Unfortunately, you have a point." Loki grabbed a shirt. "Don't forget that I need more cherries."
"You've replaced our smoothies with cherries, haven't you?" Tony asked, putting on a little pout. "Are you goign to take away our kitchen time?"
"Only while we're here," Loki told him. "It is entirely your fault for trying to surprise me with them. You know I like cherries."
"Yeah, you got a bit of a sweet tooth," Tony rolled his eyes.
Pepper slid a folder over to the side as she talked to Tony in her office. "You have pictures right? Of the outfits that you two have been wearing?"
"The only thing that's changed has been my hat," Tony corrected her. "Out outfits themselves have not changed. Even the great Tony Stark can't get the designers to work a little extra in the throes of Carnevale."
Pepper rolled her eyes. "The point is you have pictures right?"
"Yes, Pepper, we have pictures," she could practically hear Tony rolling his eyes.
"Good," she nodded and leaned back in her chair. "When exactly are you two coming back? You guys have been gone for over three weeks now."
"Carnevale is almost over, you can't leave before the big finale!" Tony exclaimed. Pepper could hear all the talking, the music, and the fireworks in the background. "We'll be back in a couple days, which might be tomorrow with the time change. But don't let the other knows right away."
"Oh of course, because a vacation in Italy for three weeks means that you haven't had enough vacation from the company or the Avengers." Pepper smirked a little. "Don't you dare think about coming back without getting me something from Italy. Venice is a place I haven't gone to yet."
"Oh yes, Miss Potts," Tony's grin came through the phone. "I wouldn't dream-" his voice was drown when she heard some screams from the people over the phone.
She frowned and leaned forward. "Tony? What's going on?" There was some static as the phone sounded like it was bouncing across the concrete before plunging into water, the call disconnecting. Pepper's eyes widened before she grabbed the phone reciever and making another call.
Tony stared into the water as his phone sunk to the bottom. "That was a prototype!" He rounded on the man in in black that they had met before, Loki standing in front this time, hoping to prevent Tony from any heroics. The plaza had cleared around them and they could hear the sirens of the Polizia headed their way.
"What is it that you want here?" Loki questioned the man.
"I am merely searching for something that was lost during my travels," the deep voice replied easily. "I have tracked it here, and it takes some kind of public display to draw it out."
"Well, setting off fireworks, and then attacking us in the middle of the street aren't generally acceptable things," Tony growled out.
"I've found it, it's just a matter of obtaining it," the man replied and Tony really wished he could see the mans face under the mask.
"Non ti muovere! Tenete le mani dove possiamo vedere!" The police had surrounded the three but were looking at the man in black, weapons aimed in his general direction.
"Bad move," Tony whispered and Loki heard him. "Bad things are going to happen now." The officers started to move towards the man and he suddenly lashed out, knocking the officer to the ground before moved with unnatural speed. Loki and Tony ducked as the officers started firing their guns, but the man avoided them all, taking out the police one by one.
Tony stood back up as the gun shots stopped and he was suddenly face to mask with the man in black. His hand gripped Tony's shoulder tightly and Tony grabbed at it, wincing. His other hand reached up, glad that he had decided to wear his Asgardian jacket that night, and gripped on the medallions on the lapel. His hand glowed slightly and he put it on the man arm.
He growled and threw Tony to the ground, ducking to avoid the dagger that Loki had thrown at him. Tony blinked and pushed himself up when he thought he heard the sound of an engine over the water. Looking over he saw a quinjet and the back opened up to reveal Bruce and Clint.
"Little late for the festivities!" Tony called out. "And you're not even in costume!" The two men jumped out and onto the ground as the jet hovered up and away from the fray.
"We were in France," Bruce told him as he walked over, Clint instantly looking for a higher vantage point. "Pepper called us when she said she heard screams and your phone dying."
"That menace just threw it into the water!" Tony pointed at the man fighting with Loki. "It was still a prototype!"
"Tony!" Bruce and Tony ducked instinctively when they heard Clint yell. Tony grabbed at the medallion again when he was dragged back by a hand grabbing the collar of his jacket. He gasped when there was a punch to his back and he fell on his side. He was pushed onto his back and the man in black made a fist and Tony had a moment of deja vu. This time he wasn't able to move and the first collided with his chest. No. With his arc Reactor.
Tony let out short cry of pain when he felt the reactor and the metal casing around it shift, being pushed down into his chest. The glass covering the reactor cracked and Tony felt his body arch with pain. He didn't see a large green hand grab the man, an arrow embed itself in his shoulder, and an angry God grab the man's neck, throwing him into a building.
Loki grabbed Tony's shaking hand that was coming up to his chest. His breathing was labored and there were tears of pain in his eyes as he gasped every so often. A very human looking Bruce appeared over Tony and opened his jacket then ripped open the silk shirt. He tried to keep a neutral expression, but Tony saw the flash of something in his eyes.
"Just, tell me, it's still, glowing," Tony ground out. At least that's why he hoped he said, all the blood rushing past his hears blocked most sound.
Bruce nodded then turned to say something to Loki. Tony used his little known skill of lip reading.
"He has to get to either a hospital, or the Tower, immediately," Bruce had told Loki.
"The stuff at the hotel," Tony arched his back but Bruce pushed down on his shoulder to keep him straight on the ground. "Also, there's a private," Tony groaned in pain, "private hospital just outside Ravenna, close to the ocean." Tony took a breath and met Bruce and Loki's eyes. "It's away from big cities, nice place, they know me."
"This will help," He saw Loki's lips move and he frowned a little as Loki placed two finger on his forehead. Tony took a breath before he blacked out.
