Loki watches Stark as he fiddles with something on his tablet, a look of concentration, and probably pain evident in his features.
The raven haired teen can see Stark is suffering from his injuries, and yet apparently he still believes fooling around on his tablet, working Loki assumes, is a good idea. Loki would bet half the money Stark Industries makes comes from inventions the younger Stark came up with. Howard Stark seemed the type to tell his son he had to earn his keep, and the boy probably thinks he has to do the same with them, despite his injuries. Excellent, Loki muses, another stubborn twit without self-preservation, as if Barton and Barnes aren't bad enough. Well at least he should provide some entertainment when Rogers gets to work; Steve is a notorious mother hen, and a guy like Stark is Catnip to him.
Stark is actually quite interesting himself. Not at all like Loki would have expected, and he really hates being wrong, as rare as that is. Any normal man in his situation would have left their ragtag team of misfits out in the cold to freeze to death, yet Tony took them in. Especially because of the danger it put him in from them, and his father. Howard Stark seems to be quite on the same level of hellish as Odin was, and Loki knows he wouldn't have crossed the old man for anyone, much less a bunch of dangerous strangers.
"What are you working on Tony?" Loki says neutrally. He really doesn't like being on a first name basis with someone he just met, but Tony has seemed to have a strong reaction to being referred to by his last name, which after yesterday's episode makes a lot more sense.
Daddy issues are definitely something Loki can relate to.
"Huh? Uh Loki right? I'm working on getting you all a new place to stay, and setting up an account with some emergency money." He says nervously, as if Loki will yell at him. A reasonable fear, Loki can grudgingly admit, they are strangers even if they have offered to take him with them.
"Yes I am Loki. That's interesting S-Tony. How exactly are you managing this? Though I do believe you meant to say us." Loki stresses the last word, watching Tony's reaction. If the genius is having second thoughts about leaving this hellhole with them, Loki had to inform Natasha. She really prefers time to plan a kidnapping before the day it happens.
"Oh um," Tony blushes and scratches his head awkwardly, "Yeah. Of course." He flinches, apparently aggravating one of his many injuries and Loki represses the urge to smack him and tell him to remain still. "Well you see my mother was rich on her own, and she left that money to me despite my father's wealth. It isn't supposed to be available until I'm 18, but I hacked the system. I'm using the money under a fake identity to buy us a safe house, some transportation and food. The rest I'm putting into a couple new accounts so well covered my father won't be able to find them if he tries."
Loki blinks, impressed. Natasha was right again, Tony will be useful.
"Impressive." He allows, and Tony smiles softly at him. Ah, he's going to get all puppy-like at praise. Wonderful, those are hard to stay impartial too. Barnes and Barton he can lovingly detest because of their obnoxious behavior, but another Bruce-level-adorable personality and all of these supposedly hardened criminals will go soft within the year.
"Not usually the context people use that word around me for, but I'll take it." Tony smirks weakly, and Loki grins. Perhaps the rich boy has snark after all. "Ah I can't seem to see any other context it would be used." Loki retorts, and the other teen rewards him with a real grin, and Loki likes the mischief he sees there. He has a feeling he and Stark will get along just fine.
"Tony?" Bruce calls softly as he steps into the main room. His hair is mussed and his eyes are sleep fogged over from sleep, but the way he's blushing sheepishly Loki can tell the boy is aware he fell asleep on the job. Usually Loki would take this opportunity to point it out, but nearly heartless or not he isn't aware of a soul on this earth that can resist those big sleepy eyes of Bruce's. Honestly once he becomes self-aware of that little gift they're all magnificently screwed. The boy already has every one of them wrapped around his little finger, even Stark, and he's barley begun to know him.
He always told Thor that Banner was dangerous.
"Tony? I'm so sorry; did you try and wake me up? You weren't awake too long were you? You should be resting oh I'm so sorry." Bruce babbles and before Loki has the chance to point out Stark merely had to wake Bruce, and that it is in no way is fault, Tony is very inadvisably out of the bed and crossing the room to Bruce, tablet discarded.
"Hey Brucey, don't you start apologizing on me now, I told you I would wake you up and I didn't. I couldn't sleep, and I didn't see any reason you shouldn't sleep if I couldn't. Don't worry about it alright, you didn't do anything wrong, no one's angry. Now, what do you say we go back to the lab? It's already been cleaned and I can put down the emergency lock so my dad can't get in. What do you say?" Tony smiles at the shorter boy brightly and Bruce manages to give a soft one in return. "A-Are you sure? A-aren't you hurt?" Bruce whispers and Loki is about to agree with the boy when Stark shoots him a glare.
Loki raises an eyebrow, amused and slightly impressed, Stark must be a quick learner if he can already guess what Loki was about to say, not to mention be gutsy enough to stop him. Tony is a genius after all, he has to be aware how dangerous they are, and Loki would bet he appears more unstable than the rest of the group.
"Hurt- Smurt. I'm fine Bruce, I promise. I've worked with way worse. Now come on, you can help me put the finishing touches on my AI system." Tony smiles charmingly again and this time Bruce gives, letting himself be pulled away. Loki sighs in irritation and rises from his perch at the end of the bed, to get up and go tell one of the others where Tony and Bruce have gone off to; he's positive Steve will want someone in there to guard them.
"Don't bother." A voice sounds from the doorway, and Loki's head whips around to see Steve leaning against the kitchen entryway, his arms crossed and eyes thoughtful as he stares at the door from which Tony and Bruce just disappeared, no doubt regretting they unblocked it this morning.
Loki sits back down, watching their leader curiously. "Penny for your thoughts?" He says it coolly, as if he's just forcing himself to socialize-which to be fair is often the case- but Steve gives him a look that makes it clear he's aware what Loki is after.
"He…..isn't what I thought he'd be." Steve says slowly and Loki snorts. "Well thank the heavens for that. Don't think too hard on it Rogers, you can never trust how things appear. Much like your menacing figure, when on the inside you're the teddy bear we all know and love." Loki says sarcastically, but Steve ignores his teasing and nods thoughtfully.
"Yeah I guess you're right." Steve admits and looks back at the door. "I'm going to go keep an eye on them to make sure Tony doesn't hurt himself anymore, and that Bruce is staying safe."
Loki lays back on the bed, shooing Steve off and signaling his boredom. "Yes, Yes, Get to it Captain I have sleep to catch up on. We are currently in the home of a billionaire I would very much like to enjoy the commendations, such as plush mattresses, while I'm here. "
Loki swears he can hear Steve's eyes rolling, that sassy bastard, as the blonde slips out the door after the two geniuses.
Sorry I haven't been posting very often guys, classes have started up again and I'm swamped with homework, but I'll update when I can. Love y'all. Hope you enjoy.
