Sorry, this chapter took a little longer because I felt the need to get it just right for you lovely people. It was a bit of a pain, and I blame Loki for giving me difficulty with this update, considering it mostly centered on him. I want to thank everyone who has kept up with the story thus far, and given me a reason to keep writing, whether it was an alert, a favorite, or a review. You all make my day awesome!

Summary: Tony's in bad shape, and Loki's sarcastic as usual.

Rating: M

Part 10: I Will Never Leave You

The trip to Tony's room seemed to take forever, and several times, Thor got confused about where he was going. Loki could see why, as the mansion was huge and much of it looked the same, but it didn't keep him from getting irritated with his brother.

"I swear Thor, you're hopeless." At that, the blond scoffed.

"Well, I could have just let you try to find the room for yourself, and then we could see how easily you get lost in this mansion."

"If you weren't insistent on helping me find him in the first place, I could have simply magicked myself to his room, and then this wouldn't have happened."

"So sue me for trying to be kind and help you!"

"Honestly Thor…" Loki was starting to get a headache from all the bickering.

"Ah, here we are!" Thor opened the door as quietly as could be expected and entered with his younger brother following behind him. The moment Loki's eyes fell on the lump under the blankets, his heart broke. Tony was in this room all right, hooked up to what the god knew to be a needle that was currently feeding him. The mortal looked like he was slowly wasting away. His muscle tone had declined greatly, and there were several areas where his bones were jutting out. His normally well-tanned skin was now a sickly pale. Loki felt a small amount of panic build within him as he wondered if maybe he had gotten here just a little too late. He let out the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding though when he saw the shallow rise and fall of the blankets covering Tony.

In that moment, Thor saw affection in Loki's eyes that had been missing for a long time. Tony had gotten to his brother for the small amount of time that they had lived together, and he knew that he was right in telling the others that they needed each other. He watched Loki for just a moment before leaving the room, allowing them to be alone, even if Tony was sleeping.

Loki didn't notice that his brother had left as Thor had been uncharacteristically quiet in his parting. He was so engrossed in his pet that it was nearly 10 minutes before he realized that he was standing alone in the room… and staring. It was more than obvious that Tony hadn't been ready to leave him when he had, and it bothered Loki now. If he'd wanted to stay, then the god would have welcomed that decision. Upon reflection, there was nothing that stood out to Loki that might make Tony want to leave. However, he was overlooking something, a few small words that he'd said, that had stabbed at Tony like a thousand knives.

Loki looked down at his outfit and shook his head. His current attire was hardly appropriate for sleeping. With a simple wave of his hand, the god was in something much more comfortable. He pulled back the blanket and got into bed next to Tony, wrapping an arm around his painfully thin waist. The god listened to him breathing for a little while before closing his eyes and falling asleep.

Morning was the worst part of the entire day. It meant waking up, and out of everything he did, or didn't do during the day really, that hurt the most. He just wanted to keep sleeping. There was no desire or will to go on, and that's what had everyone so worried about Tony. He had always been the type to love life, and to let things go the easiest. But now it seemed as if he'd been possessed by his own regret, as if everything bad that had ever happened to or because of him had finally caught up to him.

To sum it all up, Tony Stark was an absolute wreck. And if something wasn't done, he was going to die soon. This was a thought that the man embraced, welcoming, even willing death to take him. But no matter how much he wished it, he still woke up every morning. This one was no different. Eyelids opened to reveal slightly glazed brown eyes. He looked straight ahead and, at seeing the open door that led to his adjoining bathroom, could have sworn that he had shut that door the last time he had used it. But Tony was malnourished, so it was possible that his memory had failed him, which is what he decided to tell himself. Either that, or one of the Avengers had decided to use his shower. And did he care? Well, he didn't care about anything else, so why should that bother him?

His sense of smell had been sharpened by the lack of food, and soon something familiar hit his nose. Tony was about to dismiss it when his eyes fell on the black and green leather coat that was currently covering him. His brow furrowed and he began to wonder if he was dreaming. There was no way that Loki was in his house. JARVIS would have sounded the alarm almost instantly and the others would have driven him out or worse: Captured him.

So then why on earth, when his eyes fell back upon the open door to the bathroom, was there a naked, wet, sexy god drying his hair with a towel. Tony stared for a moment, then his eyes traveled down, at which Loki cleared his throat. Tony wasn't exactly the modest type, but he felt himself blushing at having been caught. Perhaps it was because he was staring at a god? That thought aside, he found himself realizing something.

"Why were you in my shower? Why hasn't JARVIS sounded the alarm? And why aren't the others on their way?"

"I was in your shower because I prefer to actually keep clean, unlike certain mortals," he replied, taking a jab at the fact that Tony had barely moved from his bed since he returned. "JARVIS hasn't sounded the alarm because his most recent information tells him that I'm not here to cause harm to anyone, but to help you."

"Though should he give you or anyone else any trouble, I am to notify the Director immediately," JARVIS interrupted, making Loki roll his eyes.

"And third, the others aren't on their way because they already know I'm in the mansion. As a matter of fact, it was my idiot brother and Captain Spandex who brought me back from S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters." Tony's mouth dropped. Steve? Mr. Goody-two-shoes had actually allowed a super villain to come into their home? He really needed to have a talk with Captain America. And to make sure he thanked him.

"So I'm not dreaming?"

"If I decided to haunt you while you were still sleeping Stark, it would be more like a nightmare." Tony shook his head.

"No, all this time without even a word from you was a nightmare."

"Oh really? I had thought that when you left my home that you had firmly decided that you never wanted to see me again."

"Of course I wanted to see you. Hell, I wanted to stay. But when you said you didn't care if I left, I believed you, and so I decided that I was more of a nuisance than anything."

"Stark, there's a reason that I have been graced with the title God of Lies."

"So you were lying then?"

"You tell me," Loki said as his eyes narrowed and he smirked. Tony shrugged and turned over in his bed, making the god frown. He walked over to where his mortal, yes his, was laying and slid in next to him again.

"Why didn't you come sooner then?"

"Because the day after you left, that idiot you call your boss captured me. The only reason I've been let loose is because Thor promised he would keep close watch on me. And I agreed to that. I needed to see you and make sure you were well… And it seems that I arrived not a moment too soon."

"So what? You'll just disappear again once I'm all better?" There was resentment in Tony's voice, but Loki placed his arm in the same spot it had been the night before, pulling Tony to him.

"No. I will not leave you again."

What did you think? Did it hit any of you right in the feels as intended? So I tallied up the for and against mpregs, and for won. However, I have decided that there will be 2 versions written of the story: One with, and one without. This way, everyone wins! ;) Stay awesome everyone!