Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Avengers. I do, however, own some of the OCs I may introduce. I'll make a note of their names up here when they do come into play.
Author's Notes will be at the bottom.
Thanks and enjoy!
[3]
"…You okay Cap?" Tony looked over at the blonde main who had slammed the top of his laptop shut. Steve had acquired one a while ago to try and get further assimilated into the current time. He knew the basics: how to type (it made Tony twitch because he was a hunt and pecker), access the Internet, play a few games, that type of stuff. So, it was curious as to why the man was flushing to the tips of his ears since even though he could get on the Internet, the only site he ever went on was Google…but even that was a bit of a challenge.
The poor bastard…
"I-I'm fine. I…it's just…I think something got into my computer."
"What? Like a virus? What sites have you been on Steve?" Tony asked with a wiggle of his brows. Steve shook his head vigorously. Could the Captain get any redder? "Hand it over and I'll take a look." He barely caught the half tossed laptop from the flustered super-soldier. Come on. It couldn't be that bad. "Now, really, I thought I told you to install an anti-virus. I could always connect it to Jar-" but he wasn't able to finish his sentence because he was cut off.
He was cut off by a loud moan.
A VERY loud moan
"What in the fresh Hell have you been looking at Steve!" First thing he did was shut off the volume to keep the sounds of more moaning and what looked like to be a few highly pleasured wails from screaming out of the small speakers. His fingers flew over the keyboard and a thumb swiped across the mouse pad. No wonder he had turned into a red tomato. Poor, innocent Steve's mind had exploded from all the triple X (Tony would classify some of this stuff as sextuple X. He snorted to himself. Sextuple X.) This wasn't the only window that was open either. It appeared that more kept popping up. Videos, pictures, gifs… His brow furrowed. How was that position even possible?
"I haven't been looking at anything! I was just going to play some solitaire and when I clicked on the icon all of…all of that popped up!" Tony clicked a few more things and the screen cleared of all the images.
"There. You should be good," he sighed handing the computer back. It wasn't so much of a complicated virus, just something to annoy and mentally scar those that it infected. Steve held the computer as if it mind spontaneously combust in his hands and for him, it just might. Eying it wearily, he set it down on the coffee table in front of him and stood with a large breath to head to the kitchen.
"I think I'm done for the rest of the day. Care for some soda? I picked some up-DAMN IT!" Tony's neck pinched from the speed at which he whipped his head to look at the Captain. Whoa! Did the Captain just curse? The man in question was trying desperately to keep the soda spewing from the bottle only to have it spraying at him.
"Shit! What the Hell's going on today!" he got up from the couch but otherwise didn't get any closer. The fizzing appeared to be dying down, but he wasn't about to get covered in soda too. It wasn't like he could do much else anyway. All went still and silent and Tony had to admit that he was a little scared of the silent Steve that was staring absently at the now half empty two liter.
"…I'm going to go take a shower now," he said in a toneless voice. Tony nodded.
"Yeah…you go do that." The blonde haired man turned on his heel and stalked his way down to his room. Tony stepped closer to the kitchen and looked at the soda lake that was now on his kitchen floor.
"Jarvis. Show me who the kitchen security feed from the last three days. Fast forward it until I say stop."
"Yes Sir." A screen illuminated on the fridge door. It showed the fast pacing bodies of all three men coming in at different times. There was Steve unpacking the groceries. There's the soda. Now he's leaving… "Stop it right there." The picture that froze was one of a certain black haired Norse god entering the kitchen and looking at the soda curiously. "Play back at normal speed." Loki stared at the soda for a good minute then disappeared. "Fast forward again until he comes back."
"Yes Sir." Perhaps ten minutes later, the man was back and was holding a pair of scissors and something tied to a string. What was that? He unscrewed the top of the soda carefully, inserted the string, closed the top, and then used the scissors to cut off the excess. After that, he walked away with a satisfied smirk and a fleeting glance at the camera. So he knew he was being recorded. Tony sighed stepping around the pool of bubbling liquid. Looks like the trickster was still able to do tricks without his magic. He'd have to set up some more cameras just to keep even more eyes on him. This was too much excitement for the morning. He needed a drink…
"Jesus fucking Christ!" Tony jumped back with a hand on his arc reactor but only ended up regretting this when his foot slipped on the soda tumbling to the floor. As soon as he had the fridge door opened halfway a loud air horn had blasted in his face taking him completely off guard.
"Oh dear…are you all right Stark?" an accented voice inquired blandly. Tony tilted his head back only to see the man responsible leaning against the wall at the edge of the hallway with a damn smug smirk. "Really, you should be more careful."
Steve was stepping out of his own room when a pale, tall god went sprinting down the hallway with a furious and cursing brown haired and goateed mortal following after. That's all it took for him to close the door and stay in his room even when said brown haired and goateed mortal began banging on what would be the pale, tall god's door. He gracelessly flopped on his bed and let out a long breath. This was going to be a long while.
[TRY]
The pranks would vary between innocent (innocent by Loki's standards) to horrendous (blue berry waffles were now never allowed on the floor or even to be mentioned) to dangerous (luckily for the serum Steve was healing quickly from the tumble down the stairs.) Tony had tried upping the security system and it worked for a time, but then the tricks started back on their regular routine only this time…
They were focused on the poor Iron Man.
Steve knew it was only a matter of time before his friend would explode.
And apparently that time was today.
"What the fuck is wrong with you!" Tony all but yelled storming into the living area. Steve looked away from the TV (they had to get a new one because someone thought it would be funny to burn an inappropriate image onto the screen by leaving it paused and on for an entire day.) Loki was in the kitchen absently snacking on a bowl of Cheerios when Tony entered. "We save your ass and this is how you repay us?"
"I did not need your charity," the younger prince of Asgard said with a face of indifference. He popped a few of the pieces of cereal into his mouth casually while Tony took a stand beside the counter.
"So, what? You'd rather still be there right now?" Steve barely caught the miniscule flinch that vibrated through Loki's entire body.
"No, human. I would rather have my magic back and be away from this forsaken realm," he spat. Tony only scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest. The volume on the TV lowered as Steve's full attention focused on the two arguing.
"You're lucky that's ALL your generous father did to you. Shit, you must get away with a lot with that silver tongue of yours." Was it just him or did the room suddenly get colder?
"Be careful how you choose your words. Odin is NOT my father and certainly not generous. I was sent here to fulfill my punishment sentenced by you filthy Midgardians."
"And you were just going to take it like an idiot?" The tone in Tony's voice had changed from accusation to curiosity. Loki just didn't seem the person to sit back and take a beating silently. They imagined him to be the obstinate one, much like his brother, but a little moreso.
"I was doing fine until you two weeping hearts decided to 'save the day.' Rather than save it you just sentenced me to an even more and much harsher reprimand than what I was already receiving. If you want my thanks for that, than, fine. You have my thanks." Steve and Tony stared after him a little dumbfounded. Of course the thought always crossed their mind about what might happen if the board ever discovered who had taken their prisoner, however, they didn't doubt Fury's ability to lie for them so that their butts would be okay.
The thought of Asgard finding out hadn't crossed their minds.
"His dad wouldn't come down here and take him back, would he? I mean, they have that one dude Heim-something that sees everything right?" Tony asked rubbing his chin. Didn't Odin's chair have a little special ability too? Where whoever sat in it could see into the other realms as that Heim-dude could? Steve bit the inside of his bottom lip.
"I don't know but…I hope he doesn't."
[TRY]
Thor coming back should have been a happy thing. Thor coming back safe and sound should have been a celebration. Thor should have been smiling and yelling and talking about drinking to their hearty contents and feasting.
When the elevator opened, Thor was not happy. He was every bit the least. Tony had been watching TV and Steve making breakfast. When Jarvis had announced the elder brother's return, Loki had made a beeline towards his room and hadn't made a noise since. Truth be told, even Steve and Tony were a little worried about Thor's return. Their thoughts from the other day kept resurfacing. Had Odin seen his son had escaped? Were they going to be included in the punishment for breaking him out in the first place? Tony muted the television and turned completely around in the couch so that he was kneeling in the cushions. Steve slid the slightly undercooked eggs onto a large plate, slapping the pan down on one of the back burners, and twisting the knobs so all of them were off. They needed answers. Not knowing was too much.
"Hey big man. Long time no see," Tony greeted cautiously. Blue eyes looked up at him then darted straight to the ground.
"I know my brother is here. Heimdall has been kind and generous to inform me and not my father of the situation." Heimdall. THAT was the name. So it looked like the all see-er had seen everything afterall. At least he was a good man and told Thor instead of his father. "I wish…to speak with him, if possible."
"I don't know if that would be a good idea…" said Steve. "You can try, but I'm not sure he'll be all that willing."
"I will take my chances. Where is he?"
"He is right here." Three pairs of eyes turned to the younger brother who stood with his arms crossed tightly over his chest. An unvoiced conversation must have passed between the siblings because the next thing that happened left Tony and Steve alone in the living area.
"Do you really think we should just leave them both alone like that? What happens if Thor whips out his little hammer and-Oh, that sounds a little awkward…"
"I don't think Thor would try to force his brother back. He wouldn't throw away all his hardwork to keep his brother alive just to put him to death."
"Then where was he those last four months?" A blonde eyebrow rose over a blue eye. Was there a hint of bitterness in that voice? "Being tortured isn't exactly the 'bees knees.' I can't imagine going through it alone."
"GET! OUT!" And the door slammed again (Tony was sure the door was just going to fall down one of these days with how many times he's slammed it) making the two men look away from each other and ending their conversation. Heavy footfalls plundered out when an even more saddened and torn up Thor came lumbering towards them.
"What's wrong? Does he have to go back to Asgard?" Thor shook his head standing in front of the elevator.
"I have been home trying to negotiate with Father on the terms of Loki's punishment there. Unfortunately I'm not as gifted with words as my brother is," he said with a very pained smile that bordered on a grimace.
"Loki's punishment on Asgard? Were you trying to get him unbanished or something?" Again, Thor shook his head.
"For the crimes Loki has done to Asgard and threatening a realm under his protection, Father has publicly announced his punishment."
"What does that mean?"
"My brother's banishment and magic suppression was only part of his punishment. Father and his advisors have been weighing his crimes."
"And they finally came out with the verdict."
"Yes, Tony Stark." Thor sighed letting his head drop into both of his hands, fingers running through his blonde locks. "It is my firm belief and absolute fear Loki will never forgive Odin or Asgard for what has been done." Tony and Steve glanced at each other. Damn. That didn't sound good.
"What has he done?"
"My brother holds pride in many things, but three rank highest: his words, his magic…and his children. His words were once taken from him; Father wishes not to take his magic because it would mean stripping his life." He let his words run off so that the others could make their own assumptions. Those assumptions weren't good.
"What did Odin do to his kids?" Steve asked.
"Events came to happen earlier than was foretold," answered Thor cryptically. "It is in your myths and legends, is it not? You will find your answer there."
[TRY]
"What were you able to find out?" Steve asked pulling a beer from a hidden fridge. After the air horn incident (and the chicken, snake, gun, bomb, and poisonous gas incidents), Steve and Tony had decided to have a small fridge they would relocate after a few days. At first it was just hidden, but after they found rotting meat inside the last one it was agreed that hiding wasn't the only thing they had to do to keep the trickster's hands off. So far it's worked. He had a soda in his other hand for himself while going over to where his friend was typing away.
"There are three myths about Loki's kids. It can't be this one because he's still here."
"What is it about?"
"He's punished for killing his brother Balder. His two sons he had with another goddess by the name of Sigyn were made to fight each other. When one was killed his insides were used as ropes to tie him down so that a giant snake could drop venom onto his face." Tony's face appeared grim after he took a long swig of his drink. The illumination from the computer screen wasn't helping all that much. "He's supposed to be trapped until Ragnarok."
"Which is?"
"Pretty much the end of the world."
"Okay. What are the other two?"
"The other one he isn't really reprimanded, but this one…I think is the one Thor was talking about."
"Go on."
"He had three sons from an affair with a giantess named Angrboda. With her, they had three kids, two sons and one daughter. The other gods and goddesses were afraid of these children because they were 'monsters' and one was foretold to kill Odin. Jormungand, a giant snake, was banished to the depths of Midgard, Earth really, where he circles the planet and bites his tail or something like that. Hel gets a somewhat better deal where she's given her own realm to run, Niflheim, but get this: it's the realm of the dead where the people who didn't die in the glory of battle are sent. Then there's Fenris, the one who was going to kill Odin. He was tricked and tied down in some desert place until Ragnarok silenced by a sword stuck in his mouth keeping it wide open."
"Monsters, huh?" Steve was beginning to wonder who the real monsters were.
"I'm going to need another beer if you don't mind. The more I read into these myths the more I think that maybe he had a fairly good reason to go all apeshit."
"Don't you mean turning into a psychopath?"
"Nope. I did some scans on him." With a few taps, a three-dimensional scan of a brain floated in front of them. "See these colorful parts here and here on the orbital cortex and temporal lobes?" He pointed at the front part of the brain and a part on each of the sides. "They're still very much in tact and very much in working order. Usually in a psychopath's brain these areas wouldn't be lit up. Why do you ask? Because there's no emotion. These parts of the brain work very much with a person's emotions and, I think we can be assured with his anger and hidden glee at accomplished pranks, he still has some emotion.
"I also took a little sample of his blood." Another tap, small strands replaced the brain. "What we're looking for is a little anomaly called the Warrior Gene, having it makes a person more prone to violent behavior. Much to my surprise, he doesn't have it despite his history."
"So what you're trying to tell me is he's not a psychopath," said Steve blandly. He could have done without the mini biology-slash-human anatomy lesson, but Tony had that look in his face.
"Yes, my dear Watson, that is exactly what I'm trying to tell you," Tony said laying on a British accent for fun. "He's just a little fucked up in the head." He almost didn't catch the muttered: 'aren't we all?' at the end of his sentence.
"And how exactly did you get a sample of his blood?" Steve grabbed another bottle from their hidden fridge and handed it to him.
"Remember when the Hulk went all Hulk on Loki? There was some residual blood left over and I took a little sample. I was going to try and-" his explanation was cut off when Tony started spitting the little drop of his new beer out. Steve finished off his soda watching him with a knowing expression. It was time to hide the fridge again.
"Anyway, something Thor said has been on my mind." Tony pushed the bottle away wiping the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. They either had to hide the fridge again or they needed to find a different plan.
"And what is that, Watson?"
"He said events came to happen earlier than foretold. That one myth you talked about, the one where he was tied down by the…insides of his own son. If these events were foretold, does that mean that punishment is in store for him? And if it is, since it's written down in this myths and legends-"
"Did Loki already know what was going to happen to him? Every single time?" Tony finished for him. Loki had a fate already in store for him. He was the God of Mischief. He was born to get into trouble and be punished for all his misdeeds. If all of his punishments were already foretold and laid out for him…
What was the point in fighting against them if they were going to happen no matter what?
'And you were just going to take it like an idiot?' Tony's question came running back around his head. He wasn't just going to take it like an idiot. It was more of he was going to take it because it was inevitable. He was written as the villain in the stories. It was expected of him to be who he is right now.
Fuck.
This was all just a mess.
"I think I'm going to need a little bit of a stronger drink," Tony muttered forgetting about the bitter taste at the back of his throat. He wasn't sure if it was from the crap Loki replaced his beer with (he did NOT want to know what was in there) or bile raising from his stomach. His brown haired friend rose and walked past him leaving the page up where he researched the stories. Steve stared screen. There he saw a picture of a large wolf, a lengthy snake, and a young woman both beautiful and frightening. He must have felt helpless, Steve thought, that no matter how hard he might have tried to fight it, it would all end up the same way. He wasn't even given a chance.
'I'll offer you a chance. Only a chance.'
'I'll take it.'
Maybe that's all they had to do: offer him a chance.
If he would take it or not, that would be up to him.
Eek! Sorry about the late upload. My muse has been jumping all over the freakin' place. I last minute changed the ending of this so sorry if it's a little bleh. I'm sorry if this entire chapter is a little bleh. As I said, my muse has been jumping from story to another. I may be posting another story up, but I'll have to see how far it goes.
Let me know what you think. I think you've already read my blurb about reviews, likes, flames, blah, blah, blah, and all that jazz from the last two chapters if you read the comments there.
Thanks again and I'm sorry if Tony is a little out of character! I just recently watched the Sherlock Holmes movies and whenever I try to think of Tony Stark my mind goes to Holmes. DX I might have to watch Iron Man again. Haha!
Until the next upload! Bye!
