Smut AND humor all in one chapter...say it ain't so!

Chapter 10: Ristretto

OoOoOoo

Loki's mind continued to pour over the day's events. The two humans who had been wielding the torches had apparently been apprehended by Captain Rogers and the police, but they refused to speak, thus far and Jarvis had yet to fully analyze the 'moon rock' as Stark had called it. It was vexing to say the least. He had to know what they were up to.

The Chitauri did not possess the means to create a doorway to Midgard..Earth, his brain chided,Earth….Fine,so they did not possess the means to create a doorway to Earth…on their own. Who knows what would happen if the humans managed to open the door for them. Foolish beings these Humans, they had no idea what else they would be letting in. Not that he cared about what happened to Earth…not much anyway. He just didn't relish another meeting with the Chitauri after the Avengers had been so kind as to dispose of them the first time. Thus freeing him from their voracious grasp.

The Avengers…..his mind latched on the new subject hungrily and quickly began snowballing in this new direction of thoughts. They were fools to be taking his presence amongst them so lightly. He could easily quash them at any moment he chose, but for now their greatest purpose appeared to be entertainment. And this certainly beat the dungeons of Asgard any day. Now, it also afforded him access to these other humans who apparently wished to play Gods. And if the Avengers thought that he had joined their 'team' so to speak, then so be it. It was just another means to an end.

His stomach actually turned at the thought of destroying the Avengers and he grimaced in the dark room. He would not allow himself to develop a kinship with these lesser beings. None of them were really on the same level of intellect as he, a former prince of Asgard. None of them except maybe Stark.

His brain once again turning, snowballing. Why did he allow Anthony Stark to get under his skin so? Why did he always feel so comfortable in the other man's presence? He had even slept unarmed beside the man the night before. Actually slept…peacefully. He had half attempted to stave it off, telling himself he would not, but sleep found him anyway.

He tried to tell himself that it was because Stark was the weakest of the Avengers and would be the easiest to dispose of should the need arise. He also tried to tell himself that it was because of this weakness, that Stark would never even think of trying anything even remotely heroic against Loki without his beloved Iron suit. At least, that was what he tried to tell himself and the tightness in his chest the name invoked.

With a loud sigh Loki sat up glancing at the clock. It was late….or early depending on which way you looked at it. He had no idea exactly when the trio had finally retired to bed, but it couldn't have been that long ago. Despite his weariness his mind refused to quell its racing and allow him the comforts of sleep. And on top of that he was slaked with thirst. Shrugging on a button down shirt to go along with his pajama bottoms, he ignored the buttoning part and headed down to the kitchen, grabbing the book Thor had brought him off his nightstand as he went. Perhaps searching through the epitome of spells would help distract his mind.

OoOOoooOo

Hot skin collided as Tony felt his hair pulled roughly, jerking his head back and revealing his now exposed throat to the figure below him. He shuddered as teeth grazed down his jugular, nipping and suckling as a hungry mouth traced its path down to his collar bone. He was on top this time, but was far from in control. Which to Tony Stark was something so foreign as to cause a lurch in his stomach at the unknown prospects it brought. It also brought excitement, the excitement that comes with not knowing what will happen next. Of just letting go and riding the adrenaline of fear and thrill. Sure many of the partners he had slept with had pretended to be in control. And he allowed them to continue to think such naivety out of nothing but boredom, a yearning for something different. But in the end Tony was always in control and always knew the outcome.

Except now, now the figure below both pulling and pushing him at the same time, was the one calling the shots. Tony strained forward, yearning for more contact with the all too cool flesh below him. It felt good against his sweaty form, almost like lying on cool tiles after a long night of drinking. But the man below him held him just far enough off as to torment him and leave him yearning for more. As he braced on shaking arms, a trickle of sweat ran down his side and the sound of his own panting filled his ears as he desperately licked his lips.

He heard the wicked chuckle below him and instead of enraging him, it only served to make him want all the more. The tightening in his groin seeming to respond to the smooth voice. Looking down he was met with a flashing pair of emerald eyes and an all too sly grin. Suddenly his hair was released and he surged forth, mouths colliding in messy naked want as strong hands moved around his back, finally allowing him to press downward and grant his skin the contact it so yearned for.

Tony sat up in bed panting for air. His brain quickly ascertaining his location and as he looked around, also noting that he was in fact alone in his bed this night. Letting out a breath he hadn't even known he had been holding, Stark fell back into his pillow. Chuckling to himself he ran a still shaky hand running through his sweaty hair as he replayed the dream in his now awake mind. Finally he gave up on sleep. He needed a drink. Preferably something strong enough to make him forget what it was he was drinking.

OoOooooOO

The first thing Tony noticed upon exiting the elevator and walking to the kitchen was that the light was on. Curious as to who else would still be up, he continued around the corner. The sight before him made his heart stutter and his stomach tighten. He almost had to laugh at how a dream, especially a recurring dream about someone could have such a lasting affect the way you felt or looked upon a person.

Loki sat on the counter, leaning back against the cabinets nonchalantly. The ancient book Thor had brought him held in his hands and a half drank glass of milk on ice sat beside him. Tony liked his lips as his brain took in far too many details. Details like the unbuttoned shirt revealing the other man's all to perfect chest while the short sleeves did nothing to hide his taught,lean biceps.

"Bad kitty," Tony scolded playfully, quickly collecting himself. "Off the counter!"

"Bad dreams again, Stark," Loki asked smoothly, not looking up but his tail giving a little flip from where it hung over the counter.

Tony waltzed to the fridge, opening it and just standing there basking in its coolness for awhile before choosing a bottle of water over beer. This was one night he would prefer to keep his wits about him. He glanced down at his attire briefly, thankful he had chosen a tee shirt and shorts to sleep in. After a long swig, he held up the chilled bottle to his right eye. It had begun swelling again and was now almost fully closed. Maybe he should have listened more closely when Bruce was babbling on about ice and anti inflammatories. At least he thinks that's what he had said.

Closing the fridge he stepped over in front of Loki suddenly curious. Still holding the water bottle to his offended eye, he braced against the counter beside Loki's leg and peered over the top of the book at words that were definitely not written in Engish. All the while, trying his damndest not to notice the pristine bare chest on the other side.

"Find anything good," Tony asked offhandedly "I hear the butler did it."

He suddenly felt a cool finger under his chin and allowed it to be lifted to meet the jade gaze now looking down upon him thoughtfully. With a sigh Loki set his book aside before taking the water bottle from Tony and placing it on the counter as well.

"Anthony Stark," And damned if Loki didn't almost purr . Tony held his breath, unsure why he was letting this Demi God lead, but refusing to back down and show weakness or worse….show what was going on in his head. "You are a mess."

Loki brought up his other hand and covered the smaller man's face with his long graceful fingers. Tony closed his good eye and clenched his teeth as his mind screamed at him to break the touch. Instead he reached forward and found purchase on the counter with his other hand and allowed himself to be pulled forward by the soft tugging sensation he now felt in his face. His cheeks suddenly grew warm as if he was sitting too close to a fire, and the tugging sensation increased into a steady pull as though he had his face sticking out the window of a moving car.

Slowly, Loki removed both hands and Tony's eyes shot open as he jerked back. Stepping backwards until he found the bar top behind him. Letting out a shaky breath he quickly lifted his hands to his face, feeling around for something, anything. He felt nothing but his own rough skin. No pain… no swelling…no missing appendages or third eyes. Slowly he allowed a smile to tug at the corner of his lips, before clearing his throat and stepping back forward to snatch his water off the opposite counter.

"I do believe that is more acceptable," Loki's words were almost a question as he retrieved his book, absently rubbing his wrist as he did. Tony noted the scabbed red cuts from the boss's handcuffs were still there, just above where the copper like bracelets of the Odins Cuffs still rested.

"You could have warned me." Stark scoffed as he hopped up on the bar opposite from the Demi God, suddenly feeling too vulnerable on the floor.

"Now where's the fun in that?"

"Does it hurt," Tony asked suddenly serious as he motioned to the cuffs. "When you…you know."

"It is not a pleasant sensation, if you must know." Loki returned with a sigh.

"Then why do you do it?" Stark already knew the answer to the question, but wanted to keep the other talking. He found Loki was the easiest to talk with in these wee hours. He was more…at ease...more human.

"Because I can," The Demi God replied . It was the same answer Tony would have supplied under a similar situation.

"Then why not heal those," Tony asked, motioning to Loki's wrists.

"The closer to the Odins Cuffs an item is, the more resistant it is to my magic."

"Oh," Tony replied plainly, then suddenly realizing why Loki hadn't been able to escape from the handcuffs to begin with added a more surprised. "Ooohhh, oh shit."

"Shit is indeed the best descriptive for this situation." Loki agreed, offering a small lopsided grin.

The silence hung in the air for just a moment before Tony cleared his throat and continued.

"Hey I,wanted to..you know..today." He ran a hand through his hair without thinking about it.

"Tony Stark," Loki chuckled at the other man's apparent discomfort as he stumbled over the words. "Do not go so far as to ruin your contemptuous reputation by thanking me."

"What? Noooo?" Stark laughed back at him. "Wouldn't dream about ruining my... ? Really?"

"Good," Loki grinned and winked knowingly at the human. "Because it was merely a means to an end. Nothing more."

"Yeah…Oh hey, we're back to Tony again?" Tony tipped his water bottle at him before taking a large swallow.

"If you wish."

Tony had to bite back the thought of what else he could get out of the so called God….if he wished.

"I do, and for my next wish I'd like a banana split, a flying car, oh, and world peace," Tony grinned widely, but only met Loki's ever patient flat stare.

"That's four wishes genius," Loki replied curtly. "I thought your Genies of Earth mythology only allowed three?"

"Fine, then forget the world peace thing," Stark replied with a wave of his hand, hopping off the bar to walk over to the counter and hop up next to Loki. Pleased he had finally drew him into the playful banter. "It'd kinda put Steve out of a job anyway and I'd hate to have that dead beat hanging around."

Tony looked down at the tail hanging between them and picked it up, flipping it around playfully and noting to himself how soft the fur on it really was. More like chinchilla than cat.

"Yes, that would be dreadful," The taller man agreed, jerking his tail away from Tony in exasperation and flipping it back to his other side where the tip twitched in agitation.. "Perhaps you could keep him on a chef though. He does make very edible cakes of the pan."

"I don't know, see then I'd have to buy him some frilly aprons.."

"Now that IS dreadful," The two shared a chuckle and the air between them suddenly relaxed as if they were old friends.

Tony tried to ignore the fact that their arms were touching and trying harder to ignore the fact that the Demi God's skin was every bit a cool as it had been in his dream.

Loki,for his part was also trying to ignore the contact. He had been trying to get his mind to..well,to put it bluntly,to shut up. And now it raced as to why Stark would choose to sit so close? Why he suddenly felt it was ok to be in contact with him? And why his skin felt so warm against his arm and caused his heart to race at the sensation?

"So," Tony began, giving Loki a small nudge as he motioned to the book."Did you find the spell that would change you back yet?"

"No," Loki sighed, ears drooping slightly and suddenly far too thoughtful. "I am afraid this volume will not be as helpful in that matter as I had previously hoped."

"Yeah, well, y'know at first I was all 'oooohhh I don't know if I can be seen in public with this guy," Tony jested making his best 'aww geez' face. "But now, I don't know, it's growing on me."

Loki just tipped an ear and turned to him quizzically.

"And you know, we could always get you one of those little collars with the bell on it." As the ancient volume Loki had been reading collided roughly with Stark's back, he was suddenly sent flying forward off the counter. The shorter man landed on his feet laughing as he held up his hands in mock surrender. "Owww!What? What?"

"Anthony Stark," Loki chided only half perturbed by the human's sudden but inevitable inability to remain serious. "You do realize that Felines where worshiped as God's in your Earth's earlier days."

"Well you missed the worshiping part by a few centuries. And we're back to Anthony again? Renigging on my wish already? See, this is why I'm a dog person. "

"I'll remember that the next time I feel like casting transmuting spells," Loki teased wickedly, obviously aiming the jibe directly at Tony and flashing an all too wide grin.

"Hey," Stark warned holding up a finger for emphasis. "My house,my rules. There'll be no turning Tony into a dog….or a cat," He quickly added. "Or any other animal for that matter!"

"Oh," Loki asked smoothly as he slid smoothly off the counter top and stepped towards Tony. And Tony suddenly didn't care much for the mischief in those all too green eyes, but held his ground anyway. Because he was Tony Fucking Stark and he wasn't going to let this …..being, know that he was getting under his skin, into his head...or into his dreams."And what is the punishment for breaking the rules in YOUR house?"

"Well, to start, we'd probably have to have you neutered," Stark replied taking a large swig of his water.

The look of confusion on the taller man's face brought out a theatrical sigh in Tony as he motioned for him to lean down, whispering the definition in one feline ear.

Loki pulled back and looked down at the man in sudden distaste. "You actually do…that…to your animals?"

"Well, yeah," Tony replied nonchalantly. "Otherwise they pee on everything in the house, wander all over town and eventually knock up the neighbor's poodle."

"That sounds more like a description of one of your 'nights out' Stark," Loki grinned at the man knowingly as he leaned back again, propping his elbows against the counter. An all too wide yawn suddenly escaping from his lips.

"Touche," Tony returned dryly, then noting the yawn, he tried to stave off his own…and failed. "C'mon Mr Bigglesworth, off to bed. We've got a big day of trying to take over the world tomorrow. Wait...been there,done that, got the Asgardian to prove it."

Loki rolled his eyes at Tony's self entertaining humor and, grabbing his book, took one last drink from his milk. Tossing the glass into the sink and following Tony out of the kitchen towards the elevator. The ride up to their room was quiet as The Demi God leaned against the side of the elevator, his eyes now drooping with renewed weariness. With a sigh he got off at his floor and headed to his room. Tony almost automatically followed him off the elevator before stopping himself with a shake of his head. All too glad when the doors finally closed again.

OoOOooO

ARRRRGGGHHH keeps erasing words. So sorry folks. I try to go back and reread each chapter 3 times to make sure there are none missing,but I still miss a few. XD