Chapter 7: Enemies by Day Lovers by Night
Tony took a deep breath. He was standing outside of Loki's apartment after several hours of chatting up people and handing out money to find out where he lived. He was coming to Loki not as the Ironman but as Tony Stark as Loki's . . . But what where they? How long could they ignore that question, go on and pretend not to have just tried to kill each other today?
And would Loki even want to? Would he want to be something other than enemies? Tony did. He wished passionately that Loki was just another criminal not someone he . . . he was possibly falling in love with. Tony Stark didn't know much about love, I mean who really did, but from what he gathered these where the strongest feelings he had ever had for any one. What that really meant was he was willing, for the time being, to put behind him everything that happened today and act as if . . . as if they were lovers.
Tony raised his fist and gave the hard wood door three quick raps. Loki opened the door so quick Tony almost fell on him.
"Stark." He stated his eyes widening in surprise.
"Loki." Tony breathed. They stood eyes locked together, staring at each other in wonder. Somewhere down the hall a door slammed and Tony jumped at the sudden noise.
"You'd better come in." Loki said opening the door for Tony. Taking one more big breath Tony entered the tiny apartment. It was dark and hard to make anything out from just the moon light. Loki flipped the lights on and Tony blinked.
The small room was immaculate, not a speck of dust. There was a TV on one wall, a couch and two arm chairs around a low coffee table in the middle and bare shelves on the walls. On the left there was an opening to the kitchen and on the right a door that presumably went to the bedroom. But the thing that made an impression was how empty the apartment was. It lacked the usual clutter of dishes, clothes, and personal artifacts that littered Tony's entire house, or anyone else's for that matter. There were no family pictures on the mantel or little trinkets on the shelves. In fact the only sign a person even lived here was the coat thrown carelessly over the back of a chair and the mug on the coffee table.
"Have a seat." Loki motioned to the couch and took the chair opposite Tony. "I suppose you haven't come here to kill me so why are you here?" Loki looked as tired as Tony felt; neither of them had slept well last night. Tony mustered up his courage and asked the question.
"If . . . if we weren't what we are what do you think I would be here for? What would we be?" Tony said quietly almost afraid of his own words. Every instinct was telling him Loki was a villain, he wouldn't care, he would try to kill Tony, Tony should be doing the same. He pushed the voice aside.
Loki sighed and looked down at his lap.
"I don't pretend to understand you're human customs or terms."
"That's shit Loki give me a real answer."
"I . . . I would not see fit to presume on your feelings . . ." Tony was about to interrupt again but Loki held his hand up and then looking Tony in the eyes he said. "I would by this time consider you my lover back on Asgard."
It was like a punch to the gut. All the breath was sucked out of Tony. He had never dreamed that . . . well he had thought about it or tried not to think about what Loki might feel for him but this . . . was far beyond anything he had even wished or hoped for. There was silence in the room as Tony dwelled on this new revelation.
"Well say something." Loki whispered.
"I . . . I want you more than I've ever wanted any one in my entire life." Tony looked up his head swimming with so many emotions he could not articulate them properly. Loki took a deep breath and Tony realized he must be feeling the same things. The confusion and the relief. The sudden high and sudden low.
"What are we going to do?" Loki said desperately.
"Tonight . . . tonight we're going to forget all the other stuff and we're going to act like lovers." Tony stood up and Loki did the same. "If that's alright with you, that is."
"Yes Tony I would like that." Loki smiled.
