A/N: Thank you for your continued support and reviews! I just couldn't leave you and Loki waiting too long for Steve's answer.

Disclaimer: Marvel and Ken Kesey still own their stuff.


Loki intends on checking the email address once a day as agreed before retiring each night.

That lasts two days.

On the third day, he checks it four times. On the fourth day, he checks it seven times. And on the fifth day, he checks it at least ten times. These rank as some of the longest days of his life. He doesn't know what he wants the answer to be. It would be easier for everyone if the answer is to stay away. He is used to being alone. It will, of course, be more difficult remembering how it had been with Steve, but he would survive. He had survived his fall off of the Bifrost Bridge. He could survive this, too.

But if the answer was to try? That would be difficult. But it would be worth it if Steve were there. He had forgotten how it felt to be in love, had never felt it quite like this before. It is the most wonderful, horrible thing in the universe. He rather hates himself for feeling it.

Finally, the answer comes on the sixth day. It is written in the late afternoon. Loki gets it half an hour later.

I finished the book. We won't let that happen. If it looks even remotely like it will, I'll let you go. I just can't let go yet, not if there's a chance. Please come back, Silvertongue. Stark Tower as soon as you can.

Loki reads the message a dozen times. He is both frightened and overjoyed. And he is outside Stark Tower in less then 5 seconds.

xxxxxxxx

JARVIS announces that Loki is in the building and will arrive on their floor shortly. Steve is pacing, nervous. Tony is at the bar making drinks. Pepper and Bruce are on the couch. Until JARVIS' update, they had been trying to convince Steve that they may not hear from Loki until the following day or even the day after. But Steve had had faith that the god would come tonight, and he feels relieved that he was right.

Loki steps off the elevator in a black pinstripe suit, white shirt, and dark green tie. Everyone turns to look at him.

"He's cute," Pepper says. She had only ever seen poor video footage of the god. "Good job, Steve."

Steve and Loki smile shyly at each other. "You said to come as soon as possible."

"Don't just stand there like an idiot. Go welcome your boy toy," Pepper suggests playfully.

They walk slowly towards each other. Stopping before they actually touch, Steve and Loki stand gazing into each other's eyes. The God of Mischief smiles. "So if I'm McMurphy, does that make you Chief Broom?"

"Don't even joke about that. I was in tears the last few chapters. I felt so awful."

"But now you understand how this could all end."

"I won't let that happen. I'm stronger than Chief Bromden."

"Of course you are," the Liesmith says sincerely.

"Would you two just kiss already?" Tony mocks.

"I'd prefer to do that without an audience, if you don't mind. Unless of course you like to watch, Mr. Stark."

"No-no-no-no-no, that's quite all right. My mind already has too many images it can't erase, thank you very much."

Pepper laughs. "Don't mind Tony. He's an idiot." She gets up off the couch and walks to their new guest. Her arm extends to him. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Pepper Potts."

"Ms. Potts. A pleasure." Loki kisses her hand as he had been taught a gentleman should do back when he was a boy on Asgard.

Tony steps in between them, the light from the arc reactor hidden by the black Pink Floyd t-shirt he's wearing. "Hey, you've already got Spangles here. Don't go trying to seduce my girlfriend."

"Your girlfriend?" Loki's eyebrows rise in surprise. "Well, I suppose there is no accounting for taste."

"Ha. Funny."

"And yet so true," Pepper adds.

"Maybe we should talk about next steps?" Bruce suggests from the couch.

Pepper intervenes. "No wait, Bruce. These two haven't had a chance to say a proper hello."

"It's all right, Ma'am."

"No, it's not, Steve. You haven't seen each other in days. You should kiss…even if it gives Tony nightmares."

"I am not generally one for public displays of affection," Loki explains, becoming suspicious.

Pepper's smile drops. "Loki. May I call you Loki? S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't the only one you need to convince to trust you. Tony almost died because of you. And that means you need to convince me that you've really changed."

Steve notices Loki's demeanor shift. His eyes become colder. His chin rises so that he's looking down his nose at Pepper. "And will kissing Steve truly convince you that I am sincere?"

"It's a start."

"Perhaps something more. Shall I ravish him here? Perhaps rip off his clothes and have my way with him."

"Loki," Steve says as Stark commands, "Apologize."

The god chooses to address Stark. "It is she who should apologize to me."

Tony steps forward threateningly.

"Everyone just calm down," Steve says as he steps between Tony and Loki. He turns to face the god. "Look at me. Look at me," he repeats. When he finally has Loki's attention, he continues, "We knew this wasn't going to be easy or fun. And Pepper's request seems reasonable." Steve tries a small smile. "I know you'd prefer not to, but could you just do this? For me?" he adds giving Loki his best innocent, hopeful, puppy-dog look.

Loki relaxes. "As if I could deny you anything when you look at me like that. I'd forgotten how extraordinarily long your lashes are. Something else I love that's all yours and not from the serum. Pay attention, Ms. Potts," he says without looking at her.

Steve is self-conscious at first. He knows everyone is watching. But Loki refuses to let him pull away. The god ensures their kiss is gentle. But passion begins to seep through, and the world suddenly goes away. It's just the two of them needing each other, trying to convince themselves they can make it work. Their lips part reluctantly. Loki presses their foreheads together, his brow furrowing. "I've missed you," he sighs.

"Me, too," Steve responds and pulls away. He straightens into a soldier's stance. "Are you satisfied, Ms. Potts."

Pepper begins to feel a little guilty but stops herself. She had every right to ask for that. She nods her head and walks to Bruce.

It's up to Tony again to lighten the mood. "I hope you know I'll never be able to un-see that. I'm scarred for life. Seriously." He goes to sit next to Pepper and Bruce on the couch. Steve and Loki take two chairs near them.

The Asgardian sits in his chair as though it were a throne. "To whom must I grovel next?"

"We have a couple of options," Bruce begins, trying not to feel intimidated. "We can take you to S.H.I.E.L.D., or we can inform Director Fury that you're here and try to explain."

"We should do that," Steve proposes. "If we take him to S.H.I.E.L.D., they'll immediately put him in a cell. I'd rather Loki stay with me."

Loki thinks through the first option. "If they put me in a cell and I do not escape, would that not be a sign of trust?"

Tony smirks. "Just means you want to be there. Maybe studying our weaknesses. You can thank your boyfriend for putting that idea into their heads."

"We tell Fury, Clint, and Natasha tomorrow," Steve decides. "We'll go along with whatever Director Fury wants to do. If we let him call the shots, he'll be more likely to accept Loki as a member of the team."

"Clint and Natasha won't be so easy," Bruce points out.

"That's an understatement," Tony notes. "I do not envy you, Reindeer Games. Of course, if you survive the first five minutes, you might have a chance."

"And Thor?" Loki asks quietly.

"Tony and I have been working on setting up permanent communication between Earth and Asgard. So far, we've been unsuccessful."

"He pops up every so often to see how things are," Tony takes up. "We'll just have to wait until he decides to visit again to tell him the good news about his baby brother."

Loki scowls.

"You're going to have to repair your relationship with him," Steve says firmly yet gently. Loki raises an eyebrow. "Don't give me that look. He could be your best ally, and we need all the help we can get."

"You do not know what you ask."

"All I ask is for you to try. I know it won't be easy. I know you feel he betrayed you. I know you still want to hurt him. But you need to try to let that go."

"Forgive the interruption," comes a cool, upper-class English voice. "When your guest arrived, I took the liberty of ordering dinner from Ms. Potts' favorite Italian restaurant. The delivery person is in the elevator now."

"Thank you, JARVIS."

There is a ding, and the elevator doors open revealing a twenty-something dark-skinned girl with short-cropped hair. "Delivery for Stark?"

Tony goes to pay her and tips generously with a smile and a wink. "Dinner is served," he calls out.

They all move to the bar and eat. Tony and Pepper provide most of the conversation. Bruce chimes in when the topic turns to science-y things. Steve and Loki remain largely quiet, usually only speaking in answer to a direct question. At the end of the meal, Tony suddenly announces, "Loki here has been studying up on baseball."

"You have?" Steve is surprised.

"I thought we might attend a game sometime." There's a vulnerability in Loki's voice that the artist has never heard before.

Steve smiles, genuinely touched that Loki would even consider going to one. "I'd like that."

"The Dodgers are your team, are they not? I remember that shirt you wore."

"Yes, but they're in LA now. They don't play here."

"But they travel to play the team here in New York."

"Yeah, yeah they do." Steve is proud that Loki knows that.

"We can see them then."

"It's getting kind of late," Bruce says, knowing it isn't really true. But he is feeling a bit lonely amongst these two couples and wants some time to himself.

"Loki and I should get going," Steve agrees.

"Where to?" Stark asks. When Steve answers that they're going to his apartment, Tony immediately says no. "S.H.I.E.L.D. has it under surveillance, remember? If Loki goes anywhere near there, they'll know it."

"I could disguise myself," Loki suggests.

"That reminds me there's a whole conversation there I'd like to have. But later…It won't work. If Captain Modest shows up with someone who doesn't leave until morning, there will be lots of red flags. No. The two of you are staying here. You'll be on the same floor as Banner but really, really far away from his room."

"Thank you," Bruce says.

"No problem, buddy." Stark turns back to Loki, "Also, JARVIS has been instructed not to let you access any other floors except the lobby. So no snooping! We'll meet back here tomorrow morning-ish. You'll need Bruce to get back onto this floor, so don't misplace him. I believe that concludes our festivities for the evening, at least the public ones. Bruce, will you please show these gentlemen to their room?"

"Sure. Follow me."

Loki and Steve join Bruce on the elevator. They go two floors down. "Yours is the last one down that hall," he says pointing left. "Mine is on the other end. Good night," he concludes and walks down the hallway to their right.

Steve and Loki walk to their room in silence. They arrive to find a very spacious suite with an attached bath and a small sitting area.

"I'm gonna go get ready for bed," Steve announces before heading to the bathroom.

Loki removes his suit jacket and tie and lays them on one of the chairs. He examines the various furnishings around him as the sound of water turning on and off comes from the next room. The bed has a rectangular leather headboard with several tufts. The side tables and chest of drawers are a rich mahogany wood. The walls are painted a grey-ish blue color with crown molding along the top in a stark white. The bed's duvet is a rich burnt orange color and has too many pillows.

"It's all yours," Steve says as he steps out of the bathroom in only his boxers. Loki's eyes linger on Steve for a moment before walking past him and into the washroom. After relieving his bladder, washing his hands and face, and brushing his teeth with the toothbrush that had been in its packaging, Loki removes the rest of his outer clothes and returns to the main room. Steve has already removed most of the pillows and has turned down the covers. He turns around when he hears Loki behind him. Loki, like him, is in only his boxers. They stare at each other for a moment before moving to close the distance between them.

They kiss, savoring the taste of the toothpaste mingling with the remembered taste of their lips.

"Yep," Steve says when they stop to take a breath. "Your tongue is indeed skilled."

"And my mouth?"

"Even more so. We should probably get to bed. Big day tomorrow." Steve walks around the bed, and both get under the covers. The soldier turns off the light. They lay on their backs staring up at the ceiling and not talking.

After a few minutes that feel longer than they are, a voice breaks the silence. "I'm not tired," Loki says to the darkness.

"Me, neither."

Loki props himself up and turns so that he hovers above Steve. He strokes the artist's face. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? He has given up control over that. But this moment…this moment he can control. He lowers himself down and places kisses over each of Steve's eyes, the tip of his nose, both corners of his mouth, and the bottom of his chin before continuing kissing down his throat.

"Loki?"

"Hmm?" Silvertongue responds as he kisses Steve's right collarbone.

"Everything's going to be okay."

Loki, pretending to believe it, gives a "Mm-Hmm" and begins circling Steve's nipple with his tongue.

Steve's breathing is heavier as his body responds. "Silvertongue," he breathes as one hand cradles the back of Loki's head while the other begins stroking up and down along the man's spine. With the nipple now hard and shiny with saliva, Loki continues kissing down Steve's abdomen and disappears beneath the covers. There is a tug on Steve's boxers, and the soldier lifts his ass to make it easier to get them off. He can no longer feel Loki's lips, only the warm breath letting him know that the man is inches away from his semi-erect penis. Just the breath gets him harder. But it's the feel of a tongue running up along the underside of his cock that causes him to moan. He feels it again, that same wet warmness running from base to tip, and he breathes Loki's name as his hands run through black hair. The man beneath the covers kisses his tip then begins to slowly envelope the artist in his mouth.

It is the warmest, wettest, most amazing sensation Steve has ever felt. But it happens excruciatingly slow. He wants to push down the head in his hands, to force more of Loki's mouth around him, but he closes his eyes in an effort to regain some control. But then Loki's warmth has left him. There's a pause. Steve lifts the covers to see why and finds Loki staring up at him. Silvertongue smiles that wonderfully wicked smile of his and then engulfs Steve in his mouth with an amazingly erotic blend of a hum and a growl. Steve gasps. Loki pulls back, sucking as he does. He repeats the motion once, twice, then more quickly again and again. Hums come intermittently, the vibration sending waves of pleasure through the human.

Steve throws the top sheet off of them, not wanting to have those green eyes covered. His hands are now at his side, grasping the sheet below him, trying to find something to ground him. But Loki is taking him to that height that is so familiar and yet so new. He's trying not to buck his hips up, but he needs to be inside Loki, to feel that warm tremulous wetness. It's a losing battle. Steve's hips involuntarily jerk up as he reaches the precipice and continue to do so as each stream of semen escapes him with a shudder. He relaxes, eyes still on the man staring back at him, a thin film of sweat covering both of their bodies. Loki swallows and then crawls up until their faces are level.

They kiss, Steve slightly distracted by the new taste, the taste of himself. He turns them so that Loki is now beneath him. His hand traces a path down Loki's torso and is a little surprised to find the man still has on underwear. Steve plunges his hand beneath the waistband and finds that Loki is ready. The god hastily removes his boxers and turns to his side. Steve lies behind him and begins kissing his lover's shoulder blade.

Loki grabs the soldier's hand and places it back around his dick. Steve needs no other encouragement. His hand, so practiced with his own body, begins to move along Loki's erection. His mouth, tongue, and teeth work at the god's shoulder. It isn't long before Loki is voicing his pleasure. Not much longer after that, he begins giving encouragement and instruction.

"Yes. A little more pressure. That's it. Now just…just…just a bit…faster. Oh, yes. Oh, Steve." Loki begins to move to try to quicken the pace. His breaths become punctuated with short moans until he presses his back against man behind him and his seed shoots across the sheets. Loki, God of Mischief, turns to face this human who is changing his life and kisses him deeply. "Thank you," he breathes.

Loki cleans the sheets with a wave of his hand and lies back feeling relaxed. Steve retrieves the duvet and covers the bottom-half of their still-naked bodies. Both men are once again on their backs, though this time with their arms touching. Both are nervous about what will happen tomorrow. This could be the last night they get to spend together in a very long time.

Now it is Steve who props himself up and hovers just above the god. He strokes Loki's cheek and places a chaste kiss on his mouth. He lowers back down more on his stomach than on his side and drapes an arm around Loki's waist. It is part protection, part possession, part preservation of that moment. Loki shifts towards the artist tangling their legs together, relishing the other man's scent.

Eventually, periodically, sleep comes but never stays long.