Hey ya'll, guess who is participating in NaNoWritMo?! This guy! But I love you guys and I wrote a chapter even though I've written a ton already today! So the next update may be a couple weeks, I really hope you guys like the outcome of this, I'm actually nervous posting this. Thank you for all the follows, favs and MOST OF ALL reviews. Because you are so awesome if you take the time and it absolutely makes my day/night.
In this chapter there are brief descriptions of torture and unwanted touching, but other than that just beautiful revenge and beautiful fluff. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! love you all!
It had been quite a few hours, at least four, Steve knew the two men probably needed sleep and deserved more than that but the sudden arrival of Thor proved to me more problematic. Steve and Clint had only somewhat explained what happened, feigning ignorance about Loki's ordeal with SHIELD. Which wasn't a complete lie, besides what Clint had witnessed they really had no clue as to what happened in that room. Steve also chided to Thor that raging would only upset Loki further and to keep his voice down. Thankfully, Thor complied, understanding at least to stop shouting. So Steve gently knocked on the bedroom door and when he heard nothing after the second knock he entered the room.
And there they both lay on the bed, seemingly entangled with each other, Loki's face lax with sleep, Tony's eyes closed as well, one arm around Loki keeping him close to his chest, almost flush. Tony seemed like a different person all together when he was relaxed like this, all snark and sarcasm completely gone from his features.
"Tony," Steve spoke evenly, and carefully placed a hand on his shoulder, "Hey, Tony, I'm sorry man, I have to wake you up."
Tony grunted in his sleep but slowly but surely his eyes peeled open, he leaned away from Loki blearily looking of at Steve, "What's up?" he croaked.
"Nothing really," Steve continued to whisper, "But Thor is here, and I think we need to have a sit down with him before he blows the building up. Besides, I made us all dinner, it was getting late and I figured we could all use a meal."
Tony's brow rose in genuine surprise, "You cooked?"
Steve rolled his eyes, "You have a stocked fridge if you didn't know."
"Sure, uh yeah, give me a minute to get him roused, he's dead to the world." Tony replied, seemingly just realizing Loki lay beside him.
Steve delivered that soft smile of his, nodded and left the room.
Tony stroked back the hair from Loki's face, marveling at the fact that he looked the most calm he'd seen him in days. So for a moment, he simply stared, because no, it was not creepy thank you very much. He ran a thumb across his brow, and stroked his sharp cheeks, roaming to one ear rubbing the lobe between two fingers. He leaned forward and kissed a trail from his forehead to his cheeks, his nose and finally his lips. This is what finally stirred him.
"I'm obliged to waking up in such a way any time you want," he said, voice clogged with sleep.
"Half conscious and you're still articulate," Tony chuckled.
"The question is, why are you waking me?" Loki quipped, eyes still not opening.
"Well, two things, Steve made dinner, which I hear he's a great cook, and your brother is here."
The groan was unmistakable, "I really wish not to explain anything at the moment, and I know that is why he is here."
"You don't have to do anything you don't want to, let's eat first, sound good?" Tony said brightly, or at least attempted to.
Loki huffed a loud and rough sigh, "I suppose."
"How are you feeling?" Tony asked, sitting up enough to gage Loki's reply.
"Tired…but I'm always tired it seems. I do believe I've fully healed, for the most part that is. I still feel feverish," Loki said, pushing up from his pillows as well.
Tony got off the bed, went into the closet, returning with a robe, "Here, this is easier to move around in then traipsing around with a blanket around you, comfier to." He offered a smile, draping it around Loki's shoulders of which Loki merely closed his eyes. He did in fact look better, but Tony knew that the remainder of the healing was in his mind. He knew from firsthand experience how long that took to fade, or hell, even be manageable, "Come on, food will do you good."
"That's your answer to everything."
"That and booze," Tony smirked.
"Will you promise me you'll keep that oaf from trampling me? I'm hardly in the mood for his over-excited…what is it they refer to? An oversized infant mongrel?" Loki said, drawing his arms through the sleeves and wrapping the soft material around his torso.
"I'll try my best, he is an over excited puppy if I've ever seen one." Tony hooked an arm around his waist, "I'll let go when I truly believe you're steady."
"Hmm," was the only sound Loki made, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
"Brother," Thor greeted, moving forward in that way Loki had just described.
"Whoa big guy, go easy, Lokes here is healing up," Tony warned, but then was sorry he had opened his mouth because that immediately furrowed the brow of the thunderer.
"Mother said something was wrong, she sensed that you were in distress, is this true? Did something happen?" Thor spat, his voice low and bellowing, however he did stay back, "She also warned that she sensed the presence of that beast that harmed you."
Loki swallowed thickly, "May we speak of this later? The good Captain has prepared food, I'd much rather not spoil his efforts."
And only because Loki used that tone with his older brother did Thor comply, only nodding slightly and only gently laying a hand to Loki's shoulder. Tony led him to the couch, situating him in from of the coffee table.
"I made stew, figured it would be light enough for you Loki, but lots of protein," Steve said, coming in from the kitchen, setting two bowls in front of the two men.
"Thank mom you're the best!" Tony smiled.
"Stew….what is that?" Loki asked, surveying the bowl.
"Meat and veggies, it's my own recipe, eat up," Steve answered.
The concoction really didn't look any different than meals in Asgard, but it seemed that the more meat in anything the better with the Aesir, especially with Thor, who yes, was already shoveling food in his mouth. But it happily distracted him from the problem at hand.
"Hey," Clint piped up, "Tony," he was tilting his head in 'come here' non-verbal language.
Tony put his bowl down, "Give me a sec Lokes," and Loki must have been hungry enough because he didn't protest Tony leaving his side.
"What's up?" he said once they had moved far enough out of ear shot.
"Dude," Clint shook his head, "Got those surveillance tapes you wanted, you are not gonna like this. And also, there's something I gotta talk to you about. But not here,"
Tony glanced at Loki talking to his older brother as they ate, "Yeah, hold on," he pulled on his best 'oh I'm fine' look and sat down next to Loki briefly, "Hey I gotta take care of something, I'll be right back, just stay here with your bro and Steve," and yes, he forced a smile that he hoped looked genuine.
Loki wetted his lips, eyes narrowing slightly with suspicion, "A-Alright, don't be long."
Tony led Clint into his basement work shop, "Alright, give'em here," the little bit he had eaten feeling like a stone in his stomach now, "Did you watch this shit already?"
Clint took a breath, chewing the inside of his mouth, "Some, just enough to know what was going on. But it's not just the SHIELD assholes, it's that dude, whatever his name is, I recognized him."
"Recognized him? That Svartlfari guy?"
"Whatever his name is, I know him, he was there down in the tunnels while I was…ya know…that was the only time Loki wasn't amongst the rest of us planning. And just like any other time, Loki wasn't in control, but that was one time that I can remember him lookin' terrified. I mean, the guy is pale enough, but….when this guy showed up I thought he was gonna faint. And I could hear them….deep in the neighboring tunnels…and Loki was screaming."
Tony felt the blood drain from his face, so Loki hadn't been delirious from the heat that SHIELD was inflicting upon him. That asshole actually showed up, and blessedly that collar had kept Loki on this planet. He sat heavily into his desk chair, "Show me…"
Clint handed him the flash drive, "You're not gonna like this man."
"Yeah…I know…"
"Where are they? Is something wrong?" Loki asked, turning to Steve.
Steve only seemed to now be aware that Loki was addressing him, "Everything's fine I'm sure,"
Thor noticed Loki's distress at the prolonged absence of Stark and rose from his seat, "I'll fetch him,"
"Thor wait," Steve began, but Thor strode past him.
"Loki stay here," Steve spoke quickly, following close behind Thor, "Hey, Thor come on."
"No, you and Stark are keeping something from me" Thor spat.
"Jesus…" Tony grimaced, he finally muted it after only a few minutes, barely two minutes really. He could only take so much of Loki's screaming, to watch him writhe and try so hard to twist away from the hot iron pressed to his flesh. Also, the things this man was saying to him, making him confess to something that was in no way his fault was too much. And pain made Loki give in, his screaming was testament to that, but that didn't mean that the man would stop. And he didn't.
"There, that's him," Clint piped up, pointing at the screen, "He must be able to do that…face switching thing, cause look how he changes."
Tony watched closely, and he had returned the volume, when the conversation started turning obviously sexual, and he froze the screen. A hand was covering his mouth, trying to control the churning of his stomach.
"W-What is this?" a voice arrived behind them.
Tony was shocked that Thor was able to sneak up behind either one of them, he wasn't exactly a light footed person, "Thor, wait,"
"Is this the doing of your agents?!" Thor bellowed, charging towards Clint.
"Not my doing!" Clint yelled, hands up, almost backing up into Tony.
"Why didn't anyone inform me that this occurred in my absence? You promised that you would take care of my brother, Stark!" Thor's fair features were flushed with a steadily rising and powerful rage.
"I know big guy, I know, I fucked up, they tased me, there wasn't a whole lot I could do. But I'm not letting this go, that I can promise!" Tony shouted in return, ready to call the suit if needed. He had yet to see Thor this angry.
"I will take care of this!" and he was stomping from the room, and fast to.
Only then did Tony see Steve and Loki standing in the doorway where Thor had fled only moments before.
Loki's throat was bobbing in feigned control, "They…took record of this? W-What did you hear….what did you see?" his cheeks were near cherry red, his eyes wide and wet.
"Only enough to see what they did, that's all Loki, I promise, I stopped it here. But he didn't get a chance to finish, as Loki turned hurrying away from the room of people, "Fuck…fuck fuck fuck."
Steve was standing in a kind of shock, staring at the frozen screen, Loki strung up like an animal. He felt his throat tighten and he even felt the burn of tears in his eyes at the look on Loki's face just now. As if he had been doubly exposed.
Tony finally had a mind enough to snap the screen image off.
"We better go after Thor, Cap….this is gonna be bad." Clint broke the tension loudly, "Come on!" he pushed Steve to spur him forward, "Just…take care of him alright?" he motioned towards the empty hall where Loki had ran.
Tony turned back to his computer, yes, he would go to Loki but he had something to do first.
Fury was at his desk when he received the call that Loki was once again missing, not that it surprised him. His computer dinged in alert to a message. He flipped up the laptop and there was a blinking message, a video message. His fingers hovered over the mouse before he tapped 'accept'.
And there was Stark peering from the screen, "Hey there asshat, I bet you were expecting to see me. I don't give a fuck, element of surprise has never really been my style. Couple things we're gonna talk about here. One: you took my stuff, no one touches my stuff, not only did you touch? You hurt him. He's mine, you get that? Two: you most definitely fucked with the wrong little brother that is all I'm gonna say about that. Three: you also fucked with person that personally funds your weapons program, not to mention the fact that my dad has been head of your tech design since this shit storm started. I have the original files and those have been destroyed, as soon as you opened this email. Oh, and I guess I should mention that I severed all bank account connections as well. Even the Switzerland ones, even those two little secret ones you didn't think I knew about. I may not always act as though I know where all my money is going but oh I assure you I do. Okay maybe it's more like, four or five things. And oh, my favorite one. You guys got a lot of secrets….a lot…you've dipped your quills in quite a bit of terrorist ink." Tony held a file up one of his devices that mirrored the image of a file, "Not once, but so far I'm counting up to ten times…I'm pretty sure the American people should know about this…especially Homeland Security." He continued to explain, a smile suddenly spread across his face, eye brows up, "There is only one stipulation to this big boss, you leave him the fuck alone or I spill all your not-so-carefully-guarded secrets….every last fucking one. Last part to my big surprise….have fun with your present that is about to show up in about," he looked down, then back up at the screen, "I'm gonna guess 'bout now, remember what I said." And his face went serious, "Don't fuck with me again, have fun trying to find funds for your future boybands, I'm out." And the screen went blank.
"Mother fucker," he didn't have a chance to fully react to Stark's words when the door to his office shattered.
Fury was half expecting, yes, the God of Thunder, but it was Steven Roger's eyes, that seemed to be blazing brighter than the gods'.
"I want the name of the man that was in charge with whatever the hell it is that you had planned in apprehending Loki." Steve all but growled.
"I don't think I need to tell you anything, just like Stark, I think you're compromised." He answered coolly.
However, that did not sit well with Thor and he was rushing forward and within the blink of an eye had Fury by the throat pressed against the wall, "You have harmed my brother, one who has done no wrong, your own people were under the same influence but you have used him as a means to absolve your faults! He is as innocent as the agents who fired their guns at your heads! And you torture him! Take him, harm him! You will pay for this!"
"How far do you think you'll get if you kill me?" Fury choked.
"It matters not! You almost killed Loki! That is my priority, not your well being!" and Thor tossed him, and the desk by the window seemed to explode.
"Name! Now!" Rogers shouted as Thor moved forward once more, Fury actually scrambled backwards.
"Folsen, his name is Folsen."
"Call him in here," Steve said through clenched teeth.
Tony hovered outside of the closed bathroom door, Loki had been absent from the living room, and he knew he couldn't possibly be stupid enough to go to the roof where his mother's runes didn't reach or protect. Jarvis informed him he was in the bathroom, and yes, all vitals were good. He rapped his knuckles against the door, "Loki…hey, it's me."
"I know damn well who it is!" Loki screeched through the thin door.
"Alright, alright," Tony swallowed thickly, "Can you open up? I think we should talk."
"What is there to talk about, your team knows of my disgusting state…they know…what I am…what more do you want, why are you still here?! Why didn't they kill me?! WHY?!"
"Babe, please, what are you talking about? You think it's disgusting that you were tortured? I was tortured, I don't think that….I mean…sometimes I wish I had been able to hold out but a person can only do so much." Tony sighed, leaning against the door, "Please open up, I'm sorry I embarrassed you, but all these guys, they know what war looks like. And they're in your court…and I think…" he didn't finish and the door cracked open.
His hair was wild, eyes green and wide and terrified, "I don't understand…don't you know?"
"Sweetheart, know what? That those fucking assholes hurt you? That…that thing tried to take you? I don't know what you're talking about, Clint had the tapes and I…" but again, he was cut short when Loki threw his arms around him, holding dangerously tight, sobs bursting out of his chest like gunshots.
"Please don't hate me, please don't leave me," Loki continued to cry, clinging as if his life depended on it.
Tony lowered them to the floor, "Loki, Loki, hey, why would I? And I'm not going to leave you, you're stuck with me, I hope you know that. Jesus Christ, breathe, please," Tony held him close, leaving kisses on his neck and cheeks, then his lips, "Hey, look at me,"
"I'm sorry," Loki blurted out, falling forward.
"Stop this, what could you possibly be sorry for?" Tony almost outwardly begged.
"Cause I'm an abomination, I'm disgusting, you shouldn't want me like you do. You should run as far away as you possibly can from me." Loki could feel the sobs rising, and they did and he once again couldn't talk.
"No fucking way," Tony almost yelled, fingers clenched at Loki's shoulders, locking eye contact, "Why should I run from you?! Why do you think you're disgusting?! You're beautiful and sweet, smartest fucker I've ever met and for some odd reason you like being around me! I hate, hate when you talk about yourself like this, it physically hurts me…God damnitt Loki I love you, I love you so fucking much and you don't even see it and that you deserve it!" and he hadn't even realized that he was crying, his face wet, and swollen and red.
Loki near hiccupped with surprise, "You love me?"
"Yes, I fucking love you, and I don't deserve you, but you're here, and I love you and that's it." Tony rambled, feeling out of breath and almost ethereal with the realization of it all.
"I love you too," Loki sobered, breath no longer hitching, "I love you so much, but…"
"No!" Tony snapped, gathering him into his arms, pressing kisses into his hair, "I love you, you hear me? I've never said that to anyone. And you should believe that Loki, and don't ever doubt it."
And Loki couldn't breathe, it was too much and everything he'd ever wanted in one fellow swoop.