HUD: We're coming to you live with the next installment of Bartending Loki and Oblivious Iron Man. Just kidding - it's only more babblings from me. :) All I can say is, enjoy! I thoroughly enjoyed this chapter, myself, honestly.
Loki finally got his first hand tour of Stark Tower - the entire kitchen on Clint Barton's personal floor - and was now settled at a dining table two floors down from Tony's lab. He wasn't alone, however.
"This is unbelievable," Natasha seethed. She swung wildly in the kitchen, slamming down three mugs for her companions. "How had we not seen this?"
"To attack during a joyous gathering is cowardly," Thor answered. Loki had to admire Thor's ability to remain calm as the events unfolded. The prince had grown quite a bit in the passing years, but still not as tolerable as Loki would have liked.
"Well, seeing as how super villains don't care," Natasha snapped, throwing in tea bags. "Being cowardly doesn't matter to him."
"An ends to a means, typically," Loki chimed in. He and Thor sat at the table while the hot headed assassin threw together tea. Loki could tell it was a soothing tactic for the woman, but the fact that her anger was (unbeknownst to her) geared towards him made relaxing difficult.
A few seconds after Bruce's assumption to Tony's findings, Thor immediately jumped to his aid; Loki was surprised by how ruthlessly he dismissed the blame. Thor knew the truth, and was desperately trying to throw them off of Loki without spilling the beans. Was that always how Thor saw Loki, or was it because the man in question was standing beside him?
Tony was the next to discredit the claim as well, much to Loki's relief. The billionaire kicked everyone out except Bruce to analyze the video feed closer. He had placed a tender kiss to the corner of Loki's lips, asking for patience and forgiveness. Loki, of course, gave in without question, and while Steve took back off with Happy, Pepper, and Phil for added surveillance, the final three took an elevator down a few floors to where Clint was slumbering.
"It's still ridiculous!" Natasha growled. She normally had a better grasp on her emotions, but Loki assumed the alcohol she had consumed was the credit to her boiling anger. While she made as much noise as possible in the kitchen, Loki leaned over towards Thor.
"Where is Jane?" He asked. Thor's eyes widened slightly, before a smile crept up.
"Home, safely," he answered. Loki relaxed visibly, glad she had not been caught up in the excitement. "I am glad to hear your concern." The unspoken 'brother' hung at the end of the sentence, it's presence quite plain to Loki despite not actually being said.
"She always seems to be caught up in blunders," Loki answered, quirking a smile. Thor's answering smile was toothy, reminding Loki of the time before - when they were brothers.
"You guys are chummy over here," Natasha said, setting the mugs down with a clack. Thor cleared his throat while Loki's smile disappeared. They both took a proffered mug.
"My thanks," Loki said, sipping at the soothing liquid. Thor nodded his agreement.
"The sidelines make me antsy," Natasha said, much calmer after a few long sips of tea.
"We must stay vigilant, should we be called upon," Thor answered. "Friends Bruce and Tony need us."
"Sometimes I think I understand you," Natasha said, staring intently at Thor. "Then you say something like that, and I just want to walk away. I think I will, actually." She stood up, taking her mug with her. "I'll be back; I just want to check on Clint."
The brothers watched her walk away, shaking her head. Once out of earshot, Loki looked at Thor and smirked. "She has a point, you know."
"I play the fool, brother," Thor returned the smirk, sipping his tea. "I have learned from the best."
"Surely you speak not of me?" Loki asked, genuinely surprised.
"Aye," the prince answered. He turned his blue eyes towards Loki, his smirk softening. Thor painted a peculiar image in his evening Midgardian clothing, a light blue dress shirt rolled up at the sleeves and loosely tucked into dark slacks. Loki imagined he must look odd to Thor, as well.
"Time has passed, Thor," Loki answered, staring into his tea. "Things have changed as well."
"Aye," Thor answered again. "But you will forever be my brother."
Loki looked up, catching the prince's gaze. They were, at one point, just that. Odin would never again be seen as his father, but not seeing Frigga had been the hardest part of his fall. Here sat Thor, despite everything that had happened years ago, sharing tea quite cordially with the one Odin had dubbed a monster and banished without second thought.
"Thor, I cannot say I immediately return the sentiment," Loki said slowly. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, needing the pause. Thor waited patiently, reminding Loki of the calming effect Jane had had on the demigod since meeting him. "I can, however, say that I will try."
Thor's jaw dropped, his eyes widening again. Loki held his impassive gaze, not letting on to the anxiety he suddenly felt. Thor snapped his jaw back in place as his smile grew. He reached out and clasped a strong hand on the back of Loki's neck. The god shifted, allowing himself to be pulled forward. Thor pressed his forehead to Loki's, chuckling.
"My brother, I sense the truth in your words. My heart warms at your acceptance," he said, tone proud. Loki nodded, not wanting to speak. In the shortest week of his existence, one mere mortal had changed his outlook on so very much. "I shall stand beside you with whatever occurs with the Man of Iron. You are my brother, and when you are ready to show yourself, I shall be there beside you as well."
Loki closed his eyes, drawing in a shuddering breath. His deepest fear, being unaccepted, was nearly dispelled by Thor's thoughtfully simple words. Loki had given up on Asgard, now wishing Midgard to be his home. With Tony and now Thor accepting him, anything was possible. Should Thor become King, Loki felt there may now be a place for him back on Asgard if he wished.
The god opened his eyes, taking in the sight before him. Thor still held his neck, eyes shut. The smile lingered, but the most surprising were the budding tears under the blond's lashes. Loki's eyes widened as realization dawned - Thor honestly had never stopped caring. His feud with Odin had destroyed Frigga, and Thor as well, it seemed. Loki grabbed Thor's forearm, squeezing. He would fix this; Tony was slowly changing him, for the better he wasn't sure, but he would find out.
"Thor, would you like some frozen cream?" Loki teased, pulling back. Thor opened his eyes, blinking back the tears. "I do believe Miss Romanov would have some available."
"Silence," Thor smirked, wiping his eyes wildly. "I am overjoyed, is all."
"Obviously," Loki smirked as well, shaking his head.
The two carried on once Thor got control of himself, recalling battles they took part in and pranks they had pulled together in the palace. Loki laughed loudly, reminding Thor of the time they had stolen Lady Sif's undergarments while she bathed and left them in the centre of the throne room. Thor barked loudly with laughter, slamming his fist down on the table.
"Jesus, man. That table isn't indestructible." Loki and Thor looked towards the voice. Tony was heading out of the elevator, jacket thrown casually over his shoulder as he loosened his tie. Bruce followed closely behind, also carrying his jacket. The billionaire sighed, sitting in Natasha's empty seat beside Loki while Bruce headed towards the kitchen.
"My apologies, Man of Iron," Thor grinned, clearing his throat. Tony waved his hand, clearly distracted. Bruce came over with two cups of coffee. He sat beside Tony and passed a cup over.
"Where's Natasha?"
"Here," she called, strutting back into the room. "I was checking on Barton."
"How is he?" Bruce asked.
"Still passed out," she answered, sitting down.
"So we're missing Cap," Tony said, looking at his cup. He frowned, stood up, and headed back into the kitchen.
"Sorry, forgot," Bruce called with a yawn. Tony shrugged, mixing his coffee. Once he was back at his seat, he sighed heavily.
"JARVIS, pull up the finalized recording and display over the table," Tony said. A transparent screen appeared in seconds, impressing Loki greatly. "Now call Rogers up on his com link so I don't have to repeat myself."
A moment went by before the captain's voice came through. "Any news?"
"First, anything on your end?" Bruce asked.
"Not really. Everyone that was here had been invited; all IDs fit the list. There are no recordings for anyone sneaking up there, either," Steve answered. Tony sighed.
"All right, well here's what we found," he tapped the transparent screen, pulling up a recorded file. "All of us were downstairs, Lance and I were with Bruce. If you notice here," Tony said, pointing to the time signature. "Time freezes. It suddenly jumps five minutes into the future. Whoever got in my lab got what they wanted and got the hell out of there. But, they knew enough to know what they were looking for and how to stop JARVIS. His records show being disrupted twice. The first was at 6:32:45; there was a pulse, but he proceeded to run normally. Bruce and I ran it against Loki's magic signatures, and Reindeer Games was indeed here."
"But if everyone's ID checked out, who was he here as?" Natasha asked. Steve didn't answer, so Tony turned to Thor.
"Did you see dear ole brother anywhere?"
"I did not know of his presence until now," Thor answered. "His reasons for being here may be clouded, but I assure he is not responsible for this thievery." Loki looked at Thor, feeling a sense of pride. Once Tony looked back to the screen, Thor met his gaze knowingly.
"Well, whether he stayed or not is up for debate. The pulse happened, and then his signature disappeared," Bruce said, leaning back. "But why?"
"Dipping in and out again isn't really his style," Tony agreed. "I don't think our local mischievous Asgardian is at fault here."
"Perhaps this intruder has studied Loki's abilities and attempted to replicate it," Natasha offered. Tony shook his head.
"No, JARVIS picked up his personal presence. He was here, that's not infallible."
"Well, he was here but not the one behind it. Who is, then?" Steve asked.
"At 2:47:36 the time froze in Tony's lab," Bruce said, pointing again to the time in the corner. The screen froze, then cut ahead. "Now, JARVIS was handicapped by someone for only five minutes. He came back online at 2:52:21, but whoever was here was long gone. If not for the missing turbine and the time, it would have gone unchecked. Then, at 2:57:18, we all arrived." The video played through, showing Bruce open the door but being stopped by Tony. The feed flickered when Loki walked in, but it wasn't commented on.
"But, there is something we found," Tony said. He backed the recording up to read 2:45:57. "There's a small flash, here." He paused the video, zooming in near the door. A flash, nothing more. "Bruce and I were like 'What the fuck is that?' So we magnified it. It's a flash-based high frequency emitter. It was enough to disrupt the door's security features for a few seconds - so he could slip in."
"Loki would have just teleported," Natasha said. Loki nodded.
"I know enough from my news to ascertain this 'Loki' to be far more cunning," Loki commented. It was odd to refer to himself in the third person, but he felt it wouldn't hurt. Thor agreed with a hearty nod.
"My brother would not use Midgardian technology when his sorcery would suffice," Thor said. Loki didn't comment, but honestly agreed.
"Yeah, that's pretty much what we decided too," Bruce said. "Whoever this guy is, he's a professional thief. If you look here," the doctor pointed to the screen, now marked seconds before freeze time. "He made one mistake, it's simple, but enough. There's a little sliver of his jacket here."
"JARVIS analyzed it, and is now running corresponding data against the feed in the elevator guests took to the ballroom. If he came in that way, we'll find him," Tony said, rubbing his face. "Unfortunately, that's gonna take time and I'm hella tired."
"What was stolen, Tony?" Natasha asked.
"Stuff," Tony said evasively. Loki smirked, loving the charm even in a dire situation.
"I will get Fury involved," she threatened
"Agent Coulson beat you to it," Bruce said.
"He's been blowing up my phone, like, nonstop," Tony groaned, hearing the tell-tale beeping. He answered the line with a tap on the screen. "Speak of the devil."
"Stark! What the hell is going on over there?!" Nick Fury's face took over the screen they had been replaying the feed on. Loki unintentionally shrunk back, doubting he was hidden due to his proximity to Tony.
"Having a party. Didn't you get your invitation?" Tony answered, crossing his hands over the table.
"Cut the bullshit, Stark. Coulson informed me of the break-in. What was missing?"
"Frankly, Cyclops, it's none of your concern. Got it under control."
"Stark, now is not the time. If it's a matter of National Security - "
"Oh, it is."
"Then what the hell was it?!"
"Don't worry about it," Tony dismissed. "Got it under control, again."
"Romanov," Fury barked. The agent stood, stopping to stand behind Tony.
"Yes, sir."
"Find out what was taken. I expect an answer in the next fifteen minutes."
"Yes, sir," she repeated. Tony and Bruce both stood, blocking her path.
"'Tasha, stay out of it," Tony warned. She blinked, but didn't answer.
"We'll talk later," Bruce whispered. Her attention turned to him, but still she did not speak.
"You do not impede a government search, Stark!" Fury said, narrowing his visible eye. Loki and Thor shared a look; Thor motioned for Loki to move. Once the god attempted to slide away, it caught the director's heated gaze. "Who the hell is that?"
Tony looked back at Fury, following his gaze to land on Loki. "That's Lance," Tony answered in a tone that suggested Fury should already know who he was.
"Well pleasure to meet you, Lance," Fury said gruffly. "Now kindly get out."
"Woah, hey!" Tony snapped, putting a hand on Loki's shoulder. Loki quirked an eyebrow, feeling very much the old irritation he held for the demanding mortal. "Like hell he's leaving."
"Who the hell is he, then! Does he hold clearance?" Fury demanded.
"Duh he has clearance!" Tony snapped. "He's my fucking boyfriend. JARVIS, cut that goddamn feed!"
"Stark - " Was all Fury could get out before the screen went back to the previous recording.
"Fucking hell, all of you are getting ridiculous!" Tony said, rounding on Natasha. "If you go into my lab to follow that order, I'll have DUM-E spray you and I'll stop buying your fucking cherry cakes. Now, sit the fuck down." Normally no one would dare speak to Natasha that way, but Tony didn't care at that point. He was tired, pissed as hell at Fury, and angry at not getting his damn balcony kiss!
The look Natasha gave him could kill, but she sat down slowly. Bruce sat down as well, leaving Tony the only one standing. "Rogers, still there?"
"...uh, yeah."
"Good. I was going to tell you all eventually, but it was in prototype stage and not really an issue," Tony started. He never took his hand from Loki's shoulder, needing the connection. "A few days ago I was contacted by Tenchi Technologies, a prominent tech corp in Japan. The owner and my father had been working on something together, something that was way too big. It led to the early blue prints of my arc reactor." Tony motioned to his chest. He then tapped the screen, minimizing the recording to pull up a new file. It flashed red before opening. "Howard was developing a plasmatic amplifier for security. Now, that doesn't sound bad, but coupled with the energy this reactor puts out, an unlimited energy source of this magnitude would create an unstoppable plasma ray gun."
Tony spun the transparent 3D model around for all to see. It was small, indeed, barely larger than a normal sized handgun. The barrel was shaped like a turbine, all spinning gears with their centre hollowed out; the grip appeared comfortable, with two buttons on either side as a taser would have instead of a trigger. "So, imagine the Tesseract. After that little fiasco, I redeveloped my arc reactor and then the power of this tower to mimic that power. It runs unlimitedly, without aid. I modified the original blueprint when I built the prototype, but I think you can see where this is going."
A dark silence settled over the group. At the mention of the Tesseract, Loki and Thor exchanged foreboding glances. If Tony actually was able to mimic the sheer scale of energy the cube released (Loki had no doubt in his partner's abilities to replicate such a feat), then all of Midgard would surely be doomed.
"This isn't good," Steve said over the link.
"Uh, no shit, Sherlock," Tony scoffed.
"Needless to say, with that gun in the wrong hands, the destruction would make Manhattan look like a picnic," Bruce said, shooting Tony a look. The billionaire shrugged.
"And why didn't you want Fury to know about this?" Natasha asked, tone icy.
"I thought that would be pretty obvious," Tony snapped. "He would want it and after target practice, would want me to make more."
"You never wanted this out," Steve said. "But by keeping it from us - "
"Hey now. I didn't expect someone to break in here and steal it. Only a few people knew about it, anyway. Me, Pepper, and the Tenchi Three from the call," Tony said. He folded his arms across his chest before continuing. "That means they hired someone to come here to get it."
"But all the IDs match and we have no idea why Loki was here," Bruce said.
"Blame should not fall to my brother," Thor interjected.
"I agree with Point Break. This isn't his style, like, at all. If he somehow caught wind of it I could see his interest, but this was under serious wraps from my end," Tony said. Loki felt some relief from the agreement. "Besides, I haven't seen anything from him for well over a month now."
Loki's heart sank - Tony knew he had been watching him? The time matches up - Loki had taken a few week's break from his nightly visits. They had met a week ago, when he first began masquerading as Lance. Thor shot him a confused look.
"You were in contact?" Thor asked. Natasha and Bruce gave Tony similar questioning looks; Loki hoped no one would notice his slowly slinking form.
"Yeah, well, kinda," the engineer answered, waving a hand. "We never spoke. JARVIS informed me one night that he was near, so I waited for him to do whatever. Nothing happened, so I dismissed it. He came back the next night, still nothing. He was close, like the balcony or outside the window, but never did anything. I think he was watching me."
"...why?" Natasha asked, her previous aggravation gone.
"That's creepy, man," the captain said.
"I'm an interesting guy, what do you expect?" Tony answered, grinning.
"It's still creepy," Steve repeated.
"That didn't bother you?" Natasha's asked again; her tone said she absolutely was not getting it.
"He never did anything, so no," Tony shrugged. "Any idea why he would watch me, Prince Charming?" Thor shook his head, clearly surprised. Loki wanted to just disappear.
"He really is like a bag of cats," Bruce said, grinning. "You just never know what you're going to get."
"True that," Tony answered. "So, I figure we get some rest or whatever. JARVIS is still running scans on the recordings, but given the small amount to go on and the sheer number of people that were here, it could be a few more hours - "
"I shall take my leave," Loki said, standing abruptly. "I feel there to be far too much I am not welcome to." Tony looked at him, frowning.
"No, you can stay. This happens, like, every other day," Tony smiled instead, grabbing his hand. "We'll get some ice cream or something."
Loki just nodded, not really knowing what to say. He felt honored that Tony trusted him with all this new information. Would he have, knowing who 'Lance' really was? Loki looked to Thor once more; he knew there would be more questions, especially with the new findings throwing his presence into a less favorable light.
"We'll meet up again once JARVIS finds our thief," Tony called over his shoulder, walking towards the elevator with Loki beside him. "Call if you need me!"
Bruce threw out a thumb's up while Natasha and Thor wore identical flabbergasted expressions. They could vaguely hear Steve's voice, which seemed to shake Natasha free. Before she could speak, however, the elevator door closed and the couple was heading up.
"Sorry about this," Tony muttered, squeezing Loki's hand. The god looked over to him, smiling faintly.
"It is fine."
"Well, thanks, but it really isn't," Tony answered, returning the gaze and smile. "I much rather would have spent my time with you than dealing with a damn break in."
"Ideally, I as well," Loki answered. He had been truly disappointed at their interrupted first kiss, but didn't mind setting it aside. That spoke volumes to how he felt for Tony, regardless of how unplanned it had been.
"You're amazing, you know?" Tony grinned. Loki merely chuckled and shook his head. The elevator slowed to a stop, the ride being much shorted than the original ascent to the lab. After a brief pause, the doors slid back to reveal Tony's penthouse.
It was much how Loki remembered - the intricate stone work, the well stocked bar, the glass panes for walls revealing the breathtaking night skyline. He sighed audibly, feeling a wave of emotion wash over him by being openly invited to such an intimate abode.
"Well, this is my floor," Tony said, stepping out of the elevator. Loki followed, taking in the sights slowly. The sunken sitting area was his favourite, by far. "Each Avenger has their own place and floor, but Bruce and I have two. One per lab."
"This is marvelous," Loki breathed. He looked around for Tony, finding the man already in the bar.
"Thanks," Tony answered, opening the refrigerator. "Technically, this is a two story penthouse. My room is upstairs..."
Loki let his attention remain on his surroundings, having already known Tony slept one floor up because of his visits. The billionaire's voice floated around him, but Loki wasn't listening. He discovered where the Hulk had smashed (oh, the irony) his form into the three steps leading to another room. The floor had been replaced, matching the marbled floor from the ball room. Loki felt a twinge of guilt at the sight, knowing the ordeal had been because of him. He let his gaze drift towards the window, more specifically, the one he had thrown Tony through. His guilt became insufferable.
"Lance? Do you want chocolate or mint chip?" Loki snapped out of his reverie to look towards Tony. The man was before the open door of his chiller, waiting patiently. Loki had obviously missed whatever he said the first time.
"You decide," he answered, looking back towards the window. He missed Tony's long glance, but the billionaire shrugged and dug out a carton.
"Okay, come on over," Tony called. Loki pulled himself from the window, crossing to the kitchen slowly. Tony had cuffed his sleeves to his elbows and discarded his tie somewhere, sitting at one side of the bar. Loki sat across from him, looking down at the bowl between them.
"I chose both," Tony grinned, handing over a spoon. Loki took it with a returned smile, scooping a modest amount of the green ice cream out. Tony dug into the chocolate, holding the bowl to brace it.
"Again, your floor is marvelous," Loki said. He flicked his tongue out quickly, tasting a flood of mint. He finished the scoop quickly, deciding he liked it very much, and went for another.
"Thanks," Tony answered around his spoon. "It's been remodeled a bit, but I like it."
"For what reasons?" Loki asked, feigning ignorance.
"Well, that window was a me-shaped hole, and those stairs were a Loki-shaped hole," Tony pointed his spoon at each location, before scooping again.
"I am glad you are alright," Loki said. He genuinely felt that way, and knew Tony could read it in his eyes. Tony smiled softly.
"Me, too," he answered. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have met you." Loki fought the urge to roll his eyes, knowing exactly how that could be implied. Instead he smiled, spooning more mint ice cream.
"How do you feel about this Loki watching you?" He asked, feeling it was a good segue. "I am sure it can be unnerving."
Tony ate a spoonful of mixed flavours thoughtfully. "Not really. It did at first, honestly. I wanted to know why, of all people, he wanted to watch me. So the first few times I waited and expected him to pop in and start making demands or whatever," Tony waved his hand towards the stairs and his room. "I have this balcony that's accessible to my room. He would just hang out there, sometimes at the one out here, too. After a week, I figured that he wasn't going to try anything or he already would have. So I unlocked the balcony door to see if he would come in. Even with that, he stayed out there."
Loki remembered that quite clearly. He would spend all hours of the night on the billionaire's balcony, simply watching. He needed to know, to understand everything that had happened. Tony seemed the only one to be able to see through the charade the Chitauri had placed him under, on top of being uncontrollable himself. The man was fascinating, to say the least, and even more so now that Loki was here with him on a nearly intimate level.
"I was getting ready to put out a chair for him, but one night he stopped showing up," Tony continued. Loki's eyes widened - he was to be offered a chair? "It was - now, I'm not crazy - almost disappointing. I had gotten used to him being there, like a roommate. Of course, right when I'm about to set up a lounge out there to talk, he stops coming by. No notice, no wave, no 'save my seat, bro, I'll be right back' - nothing. I like Bruce's analogy for him - a bag of cats. Totally true."
Loki finished up the mint ice cream during Tony's monologue, pausing before hitting the chocolate. "A bag of cats? I do not understand."
Tony grinned, folding his arms over the table and leaning forward. "Okay, cats are moody as hell, right?"
"I suppose," Loki said slowly. He didn't like this already.
"Now, the more you have, usually the moodier they get. So, imagine taking all these moody fuckers and throwing them into a bag and closing it," Tony said, detailing with his hands each motion. Loki quirked a smile, despite the topic. "What do you expect when you open the bag? Will they be cute and adorable, all cuddled together? Or are they going to immediately scratch your eyes out for taking a quick peek?"
Loki chose to focus on a more abstract topic in the current one. "You find Loki to be cute and adorable?"
"I - what?" Tony paused, color dusting his cheeks.
"Ah, I see," Loki teased, enjoying this very much. Tony found him attractive - that was a good sign.
"I - uh, that's beside the point," the engineer grumbled, scratching the back of his head. Loki was loving this.
"It absolutely is," Loki drawled, not able to fight his grin.
"Hey man, what can I say?" Tony said, defeat evident in his voice. "I can appreciate the darker sides of beauty."
Loki snapped his mouth shut, feeling his own cheeks color. He cleared his throat, fighting off his suddenly dry mouth. It seemed the premature adoration went both ways - Loki with his nightly visits, and Tony obviously not minding and actually finding Loki already attractive.
"You know, you're kind of like a cat, too," Tony said, going back to the nearly melted ice cream.
"How so?" Loki asked, grateful for the change in topic.
"Well," the genius started, spooning up a last scoop and pushing the bowl towards Loki. "You move very gracefully, all lean and calculated movements. Your dark hair is pretty soft, like a kitty - " Loki shot him a look at that one, but Tony just grinned, " - but the best are your eyes. I'm sure you know this, but they're gorgeous. Deep, intelligent, inquisitive - and so green. I've never seen eyes so bright in my life. I feel like I'm looking into the purest cut form of an emerald every time."
Loki felt his smile returning, bit by bit, until he knew he was flashing a bright and toothy smile. Tony was smiling at him, too, glad to see his observations had a positive effect.
"Almost like a cat," he finished, resting his spoon against the empty bowl that Loki had polished off. "In short, of course."
"Of course," Loki teased. He still felt his smile, bright and toothy, and was glad for the acceptance. Were he himself, he knew that smile would be misconstrued as malice; but in this setting, as Lance alone with Tony, he knew it would be taken for what it was genuinely worth - happiness.
Alas, the amazing gift Tony had given him days before made itself known with a loud classical tone. Loki had forgotten about his phone, too caught up in their discussions, and jumped to fish it out of his pocket. After looking at the screen, he threw a look to Tony.
"It is Gregory."
Tony rolled his eyes, waving his hand. "Answer if you want," he said, standing to take the bowl to the sink. Loki sighed, but swiped the screen.
"Yes?"
"Hey, pal! What's going on?" Greg's voice rang through cheerfully. Loki pulled back, his ears ringing from the volume. Even by phone, Greg could never use a level tone.
"I am with Tony," he answered, hoping to convey the unspoken hint.
"Oh man, I'm sorry to bother you!" Greg said sympathetically. "I wouldn't call if it wasn't important, though. Do you have a second?"
"Yes," Loki answered, watching Tony rinse the bowl.
"I forgot that my apartment building was fumigating tonight." Loki looked at his phone's clock, frowning.
"You are just arriving at 4:56?"
"Yeah, well, long story short, Maggie and I left the party when Happy started kicking people out and went to get a few more drinks; she had the cab drop me off here, but I can't get in!"
"Has she left?" Loki asked.
"Yeah. So, I was wondering if I could crash at your place tonight? I know it's last second and I'm sorry to pull you from Tony, but it's really fucking cold," Greg pleaded. Loki sighed, knowing 'Lance' should let his best friend in without a problem. After a moment, he rose from the bar and nodded to the air.
"I shall text you the address. I will come to let you in," Loki answered. Tony spun around, eyes wide.
"Thanks, man. I owe ya one. See you soon."
"Yes," Loki sighed, locking his phone. He looked up to see Tony had crossed back to the bar and was frowning.
"You're leaving?"
"Gregory's apartment is being fumigated. He had forgotten, and now needs a place to stay. I shall let him in and return," Loki answered, but paused. "If you will allow me to return."
"Well, yeah I will, duh. I'd rather you not go at all," Tony said, crossing his arms over his chest. Loki had been trying all night to not focus on the faint glow in the mortal's chest, but the motion immediately drew his gaze.
"As do I," Loki answered, pulling his eyes back to Tony's face. "But I shall be back."
The billionaire huffed, not liking the answer. "Happy is still dealing with this break in bullshit, so he can't drive you. Will you be okay to take a cab?"
"Of course," Loki answered. He wanted desperately for Tony to make him stay, but knew he wouldn't. After a moment, the billionaire huffed again.
"Fine, let's get your jacket. JARVIS, have a cab waiting down stairs in ten," Tony said. He began towards the elevator, Loki following closely. The AI responded smoothly after the doors opened, but Tony didn't reply. After the doors shut, Tony's frown was back.
"I know this sounds horrible, but I really don't like this. You're safer with me after this whole thing - "
"You cannot leave," Loki interjected. "You need to be here should the scans reveal your culprit."
"I know," Tony grumbled. His frown deepened, before he turned towards Loki again. "You have to promise to be safe. I know you can handle yourself, but I need to hear it. I don't know if something or someone is watching."
"I promise," Loki said immediately. He was touched by Tony's concern, which normally would have annoyed him greatly.
The elevator stopped on the ball room floor; Tony slid out and disappeared around a corner. Loki didn't remember seeing this elevator when they had arrived, and said so when Tony came back with his overcoat.
"Yeah, it's built into the wooden wall," he answered. He motioned for Loki to turn. The god obliged, allowing Tony to slide the sleeves over his arms and drop the collar gently. Loki couldn't suppress his shiver, especially when Tony turned him to smooth the lapels. "We have to jump to the other elevator, then we'll be in the lobby."
Loki nodded, allowing Tony to grab his hand and take him to the elevator he and Greg had entered in. The descend was silent; Tony's grip tightened the closer the lobby came. Loki worked their hands apart long enough to thread their fingers together. The action seemed to calm Tony, but he still didn't speak.
The doors opened to reveal a darkened lobby, lights only showing on the stone waterfall. A cab could be seen on the street. Tony sighed, but led the way across the cold room and paused at the glass doors.
"I'll walk you to the cab," he said, other hand on the door. Loki reached out, gently stopping the billionaire. Tony looked over, confused. "Lance, what's - "
Lance appeared the submissive type, which is exactly how Loki wanted him to be portrayed. He wished he could see the look of surprise on Tony's face from the docile one taking the first step, but he decided the after effect was much better. Loki had stepped closer, using his momentum and slight height advantage to effectively silence Tony's question.
Loki felt Tony's sharp intake of breath against his lips and attempted to steal it back. He worked his lips carefully, feeling Tony grow still against him. Fearing he had over stepped (as if the body language read anything but this), Loki slowly pulled back. That got Tony moving; he wrapped a hand around the back of Loki's head and pulled him back in.
The kiss was slow and searching, lips moving gently and tentatively. Tony wanted nothing more than to drag Lance back upstairs and never let him leave - Greg be damned and fucking freeze to death. The build up from the balcony came flooding back; even so, this kiss was slower than many Tony had taken in the past, but it was by far his favorite.
Lance darted a mischievous lick, eliciting a rather unmanly groan from Tony. The foreigner had the audacity to actually chuckle, smiling against Tony's lips before pulling back. Tony followed, not wanting the contact to be broken. Lance placed a finger over his eager lips and smirked.
"I shall return soon," he whispered. His voice was an octave lower and he was slightly out of breath. Tony knew he wouldn't sound much better.
"Promise?" He asked, quirking his eyebrows. Lance's smirk turned to a smile as he nodded.
"I promise," he said, replacing his finger with his lips for a quick kiss. Tony sighed, letting his eyes slide close for a brief moment.
"Good, I'll be here. Let me know when you're heading back," Tony said, taking both of Lance's hands. "Be safe."
"I shall," he answered. He pulled his hands free, pushing the door open and stepping into the cold morning air. Tony watched from the lobby as Lance walked down the stairs and opened the cab door. He paused and looked back once more. Tony threw out a thumb's up and a grin. Lance grinned in return before dipping into the cab.
The car shifted and pulled away from the curb. Tony watched the tail lights until he couldn't see them anymore before turning from the door and heading towards the elevator. He was back in his penthouse a few moments later. The genius paused, looking around. He was shocked at how empty everything felt after having Lance up here, even if only for a half an hour.
Tony walked to the sunken couch, flopping down. He had nearly forty minutes to kill before Lance would be back (not that he was counting). He thought about calling the rest of his merry band up to see what they were doing, but decided against it.
"JARVIS, how is the search going?"
"Nearly completed, sir. There were fifteen fifty percent matches, seven sixty percent, and only two above eighty."
Tony sat up, pressing a button on a nearby remote. The glass walls darkened, displaying a clean image of his security OS. "Run the recording from the intruder." A moment passed before the image he and Bruce had studied lit the screen. "Frame by frame."
The recording slowly ticked by, replaying the small flash in four frames and then the sliver of clothing in one. He let it play through to their arrival, pausing at the flicker that occurred when Lance walked in. Even in the poor lighting, he could still see the man's bright emerald eyes.
"Why was there a disturbance when Lance walked in?"
"An abnormality that occurred during Mr. Norse's arrival released a strange energy reading into my system, sir." Tony frowned - that was odd.
"Pull up his elevator ride," Tony said, sitting up straight. The image changed to Greg and Lance standing in the elevator, speaking calmly. There was a moment, when JARVIS could be heard, that Lance's entire body froze. Greg spoke primarily to the AI, before falling silent as well. When they reached the ball room floor, Lance looked up sharply and immediately relaxed. Tony would have dismissed it as being claustrophobia, but he had been in an elevator numerous times over the past few hours. The screen fizzed like an old TV searching for reception for only a second, before settling back to normal as Lance and Greg exited.
"JARVIS," Tony whispered, hoping for the second time that night that he was wrong. "What time had Loki's presence been reported?"
"6:32:45, sir."
Tony's eyes drifted to the bottom right of the screen, reading the same time signature when the screen fizzled. He drew in a breath and closed his eyes. "Where was the source?"
"There is not a consistent location, but the strongest was the elevator at that exact time, sir."
Tony groaned, rubbing his face. "Of course. I'm such a fucking idiot."
"Sir, I have found one match within ninety-five percent accuracy."
"Pull it up," he said with a heavy sigh. He suddenly didn't care about the break in or the theft. There was a much more pressing matter, and the only person he could (would he want to?) discuss it with was in a cab clear across town.
Tony watched the match display, his eyes widening. "Oh shit." He jumped up, suddenly very much disturbed. "That's our man, JARVIS. Start the 'Vette. I'm on my way down now."
"Shall I alert the other Avengers?"
"No, it'll be too late," Tony snapped, pulling on the first coat he found. He paused only a moment to slip on the wrist bands that summoned one of his suits should he need it. "Tell them you found a match after I leave."
Minutes later he was in his Corvette and speeding through early morning streets, driving himself instead of JARVIS. He needed to think, needed the autopilot actions to distract himself from the pieces he had placed together and to focus on the real problem.
Tony had let him go, let him walk right out of his tower and towards the exact place he absolutely did not need to be. He took a turn a little too rough but it didn't matter. No one was on the road, which was surprising for the city that never slept. Tony didn't spare a thought to the irony, however, reading street signs for Lance's street.
He hoped to get there in time but knew he wouldn't. He had been too slow, too distracted to see the obvious. Professionals are named as thus for a reason, but he would have never thought that stupid kid would be one.
Tony threw the car into park, all but scrambling out towards Lance's building. The cab that was suppose to wait and bring Lance back was no where to be seen, but Tony knew that already. He sprinted to the door, hesitating long enough to slam into it and continue up the stairs. Tony didn't know which apartment was Lance's, but he really didn't need to. The third floor had a door set wide open that Tony could see from the stairs.
He barreled up and around the corner, stumbling into a modest abode that was more books than anything and just screamed Lance. He was immediately engulfed by man's scent and chloroform, knowing exactly what had happened. Tony sank to his knees, covering his face with his hands. He was too late.
Tony had let him walk right into a trap, away from him and into hands of people Tony had seriously pissed off. A lot had happened to Pepper during their saga, but he was always confident she would stand by him no matter what. Lance was new and already Tony cared far too much and now - now he was gone.
A buzz drew him from his reverie. Tony snapped his eyes towards the only thing not covered in books - a small side table. The buzz repeated, pulling Tony to his feet. His heart sank.
The Arc Mach I was there and not with Lance. The GPS mode of the phone would be useless now, because it was not with it's owner. Great; his first thought was scratched. He closed his eyes and let out a shuttering breath; the man who had an answer for everything was suddenly very lost and speechless.
The screen didn't need to be read for Tony to know who it was from. He picked up the phone and read the message: See you soon, fly boy. Tony shoved the device into his pocket to resist shattering it against the wall.
Lance had not revealed himself yet to anyone, as far as Tony knew, and he wondered if the charade would continue in captivity. Were he to be in serious danger, would everything come to fruition? Tony wasn't sure of much of anything right now, let alone how he would take a mortal kidnapping. There was one thing he was defiantly sure of:
Tony Stark had never liked that cocky bastard, and he would positively make sure the little fucker wouldn't forget it.
A/N: There we go, folks! More story progression, more threats to my life for another cliff hanger. I'm so sorry, my dears (not really :P).
Please tell me what you all thought! Let me hear your feelings, your criticisms, your love, your pains. It helps me motivate myself to update quicker! Thanks again for reading, as always, and I love you all!