part 6

Tony found picking the clothes he'd worn the day before; sweats, T-shirt, socks…

All he had on was the black leather G-string that passed for underwear in Asgard.

Nice.

Watching him, Tony couldn't remember why he'd disliked sharing his personal space in the past.

"You know," he said after a moment; "I was thinking. Since I've got to rebuild this place, I could, you know, get each one of you your own room."

Thor looked up.

"Not just a room," Tony said expansively; "An entire floor, furnished according to the occupant's needs." He paused while he visualized the results. "Cap's quarters will be Spartan," he said gleefully; "A bunk and a sink, those ought to be enough. Maybe some gym equipment for him to work his frustrations on too. As to your suite…" he glanced at Thor. "I'll put lots of marble and gold, and antique pieces from all over the world." Huskily, he added, "And a huge bed."

Thor smiled faintly, and that smile alone was enough to get Tony's heart beating wildly again.

Jesus. He was in love. It was an exhilarating feeling.

"I'll put a Shawarma dispenser too, if you want," he added. "I don't know if those exist, but if not, then I'll build you one."

"I thank you," Thor said quietly.

"You can help make it all possible, by the way," Tony said. "Just put on a hard hat and bring Mjolnir along." The possibility of them building a home together was making him giddy. "I can work my way with a hammer too, did you know that?"

Thor smiled.

"Yes," he said proudly. "We are forgers, you and I."

"The problem is, you're gonna need a place to stay while your little realm gets built." Tony paused as if he were actually considering the situation. "I could fit you into one of the rooms downstairs, I guess. They're not comfortable, but they'd have to do. That is, unless you want to stay in my room."

Thor hesitated but before he could reply, Tony went on.

"In fact, I insist," he said. "Stay here. With me." It was his way of saying 'I like you' and 'I need you.' And, yeah, I love you. All the things he'd never be able to say –

Not in this life, at least.

Which reminded him of the weird visions he'd been having.

"Do you ever get this feeling that you know someone from somewhere…" He gulped, then added, "That we've known each other from some other time?" To his relief, Thor smiled. "'Cause I've been seeing things and… feeling things." Love. Love –why couldn't he just say it?

Thor seemed to understand. He walked up to Tony and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I, too," he said huskily. "From the moment you first touched me."

Tony frowned. The first time he touched Thor, it was only to smash him on the ground. Then he'd picked him and smash him on a tree… and then the brawl really started. Not very romantic, but maybe Asgardians had a rough view of love…?

Then Tony remembered: while in the helicarrier, he'd touched Thor's arm with the back of his hand and called him Point Break. An off-handed gesture, meant to put the demigod down.

Was that really all it took…?

"I knew," Thor said vehemently. "I knew I loved thee from before."

Whoa. No one had ever talked to him like this. And it wasn't just the words, but the look in Thor's eyes and the emotion in his voice.

Tony didn't know what to say.

But if Thor, a demigod, could open his heart to a mere mortal, then couldn't that mortal try and do the same?

Tony cleared his throat.

"I…" he started. "I mean, uh, yeah." He gulped. "Me, too."

Thor smiled, gratified, then went back to picking things.

You're kidding me. This wasn't the reaction Tony was expecting. A statement like this should have got him a quickie or a big sloppy kiss at the very least.

Now he knew what all those boys and girls felt after he casually dismissed their love confessions.

Karma's a bitch, Stark.

Miffed, he watched as Thor carefully set the clothes on the bed.

"You're really tidy, aren't you," Tony said. "I mean, you're picking things and piling them…" Instead of kissing me.

"I must return them to Andrew Son-of-John."

"You mean, Johnson?"

"Yes. He made me swear I would return every piece to him."

"Did he," Tony said. And I bet the son of a bitch was laughing to himself the whole time. "Don't worry," Tony said, "I'll get them back to him." And make him pay for fucking around with my boyfriend.

"That is kind of you."

Tony smiled. Oh, you sweet, trusting babe. He had no intention of returning the clothes; not all of them, anyway. He was holding on to the shirt, thank you very much. It was bound to smell like Thor, and it would keep him company while Thor sorted things out in Asgard.

Speaking of which –

"So, how long will it take you to put Loki under lock and key?"

Thor spoke while he adjusted a metal band around his wrist.

"Loki is the son of Odin. He cannot be incarcerated like a common criminal."

"Oh, he's not a common criminal," Tony replied with a snort. "He's more like an unusual psycho."

Thor looked up sharply.

"Do not speak like that."

Tony was taken aback. There was a warning there –a threat, almost- and the sudden change from his placid demeanor was quite striking.

But Thor softened his tone almost immediately to add. "Loki is my brother."

You're kidding me. "Fine," Tony said patiently. "I won't speak ill of the little boy. Hey, why don't we just pretend he didn't kill hundreds and wrecked half the city?" To Tony's surprise, Thor smiled gratefully. Apparently, sarcasm was non-existent in Asgard.

Or maybe Asgardians were just plain dumb.

"Thank you," Thor said simply. He picked his leather pants and started putting them on.

Tony watched. Dumb or not, the guy looked just right.

"So," he said, (and why did he keep saying that damn word?) "How long will it take you to put your brother in a, shall we say, safe place?"

"I do not know yet. It is my Father's decision."

"But it won't take too long, right? A week or two, and then you'll be back here?"

Thor picked his vest before he replied.

"I cannot come back."

He spoke so casually, the words didn't register at first. Then they did.

Tony frowned. "What…?"

"I cannot come back," Thor said. "The Bifrost…"

"Yeah, yeah. It's broken, or something." He'd read about it on SHIELD'S report. "But you did manage to come back; technically, you don't need it to come and go."

Thor shook his head. "It was Loki's presence here that forced my departure from Asgard. And it took all of my Father's strength to accomplish that feat."

"So? Let him rest a bit and then -"

"It is not as simple as that," Thor said quietly. "With the Chitauri gone, there is no reason for me to remain."

"What do you mean, there is no reason? You're part of our team. In fact, according to the polls, you are the main draw. Well, you and Hulk," he conceded. When Thor didn't respond, he added, "How about this: you tell your dad you've got a job here, and -"

"I cannot lie to him."

"It wouldn't be a lie. I could easily create a position for you at Stark Industries. Or you could work at SHIELD. Hell, Nick Fury would love to have you and Mjolnir join them."

Thor smiled despite himself.

"I would gladly do it. But my place is elsewhere."

Tony was stunned.

"You're serious about this?" Thor met his gaze. Oh, he was serious, all right. "But… What about…" Me. What about me. He couldn't say it, but his distress must have shown because Thor walked up to him and put both hands on his shoulders.

"I swear to you, Metal Man," he said intensely; "I shall come back the very moment Midgard comes under attack."

"Forget Midgard! I'm talking about –" He stopped with some difficulty. He didn't want to say it –shit, he hated feeling so fucking needy, but…"I need you." There. Words he'd never said to anybody –not while sober, that is.

It literally hurt to say them.

Thor smiled in sudden understanding. "You are afraid I shall forget you," he said. He leant over till their eyes were level. "You and I are bonded, Metal Man. No one shall ever replace you in my heart."

Tony looked incredulously at him. Is this guy for real?

"And in my soul," Thor added for good measure.

Tony snorted. "Oh, that's cute. What's next, you're gonna call me?" He stepped back, shaking Thor's hands away. "That's bullshit."

Thor frowned.

"I do not understand."

"Yeah, I can see that." Tony felt his anger rise. "Are you fucking serious? After all the things we've just said –the things we did. You're really gonna run back to daddy and let him decide what to do?"

"I have no choice," Thor said.

"You really believe that?"

Thor reached out for Tony again. "Metal Man -"

"It's IRON MAN, you dumb fuck!" Tony winced at the sound of the words -especially because Thor did understand them, and hurting Thor was the last thing he wanted to do.

Yet it felt good too, seeing the shock in Thor's eyes. It felt good, sharing the pain he was feeling. "So. All the things you said; all the things you did… You were just lying."

"I have never lied to you," Thor said indignantly; "I swore I would take my brother back to Asgard; that is what I must do." He hesitated, obviously trying to find the right words to say. "I have a duty to obey. As my Father's heir, I must prove that I am worthy of the throne. And -"

"He's not gonna give it to you."

The words effectively stopped Thor in mid-word. He looked questioningly at Tony.

Tony met his gaze.

"I read the reports. The things you told Selvig -"

Thor blinked. Ah, ha. He didn't expect Selvig to spill the beans, did he? Welcome to the real world, my friend.

"Your dad's never gonna give up the power, Thor. Why would he?"

"I am his heir," Thor said quietly.

"Yeah. And that's all you're gonna be. Think about it: he let you run wild all your life, let you get away with shit, and then all of a sudden he expected you to act humbly?" He paused while his words sank in. "He set you up to fail."

Thor looked down uncertainly.

Tony took a step closer.

"And then there's what he did to your brother. He manipulated the poor sap, turned him into a monster, but now he doesn't have the balls to go after him -"

"Hold your tongue!" Thor shot him a warning look. "You are not to speak ill of my father. I shall not allow it."

"What are you gonna do, hit me?" Tony took another step as he spoke and, taken by surprise, Thor stumbled back. He took another step, knowing all along that he was going too far, yet unable to back down. It's what he did every time –play with fire; test people's patience, until they hit back.

But Thor didn't hit back.

And it was then that Tony realized Thor did love him after all. At least, he loved him enough not to smash his face for insulting Odin.

He just didn't love him enough to stay

"He is my father," Thor said quietly. "And everything he does, he does for a reason."

Tony's anger started to fade away then. He felt the pain start to fill the empty spaces.

"So, what am I supposed to do," he said softly. "Hope the Chitauri come back some day? Wait another thousand years to find you -" he stopped. What the hell was he talking about? Those dreams or visions…. Were they real after all? Were he and Thor condemned to meet and fall in love, only to part afterwards?

Probably.

It wasn't like him to admit defeat so easily, but this wasn't a business deal he was fighting for. It was love. And people. And he'd never been able to hold on to them for long.

Thor reached for him again.

"I shall wait for you," he said.

"Yeah, yeah," Tony muttered, "You'll call, I'll call, I've heard that one before -"

Thor grabbed his shoulders. "You must have faith, Tony Stark," he said. "Then we shall be together."

"Faith," Tony said as if it was the first time he'd heard the word. "You're kidding me."

"I am serious!" Thor said vehemently. "You must have faith in our bond."

Tony frowned. Ok, Thor wasn't kidding; he was just being stupid. But he was obviously waiting for some response.

"Right," he said. "Faith. Got it."

Thor's fingers dug into his flesh.

"Do not fail me," he said intensely.

Tony was about to reply, but JARVIS spoke just then.

"Mr. Stark, Mr. Fury's on the line. He is requesting Mr. Odinson's presence in the Helicarrier. They are about to move Loki from his confinement."

"Duly noted," Tony said. He nodded at Thor. "You heard it. They need you."

Thor hesitated.

"It's ok," Tony said. "Go on."

tbc