I appologise for the shortness of this chapter but I just wanted it done. I hated writing it because I couldn't get into it but hopefully the end result isn't too bad. I'll leave you to be the judge.

Chapter 20

The sigh escaped his lips without him even really noticing. He had been doing it so much recently that he had almost forgotten the difference between sighing and usual breathing. Trying again to concentrate on his work, he leaned forward over his workbench but ended up just swiping the thing he was working on to the side so he could rest his head on the uneven surface.

"Something wrong?"

Tony jumped, startled by the voice, but smiled slightly when he realised who it belonged to. "So your back," He stated, watching Bruce walk closer and take a seat opposite him.

"Yeah I'm back."

"And the first thing you do is come and visit your best friend, what does that tell you about your marriage. Already giving up are we?" Tony smirked.

"Ahaha," Bruce laughed, sarcastically. "No I've been back a day now and thought I should drag myself away from my beautiful wife and come and visit you. Make sure you haven't exploded something or other."

Rolling his eyes, Tony pulled the thing he had been working on back in front of him and began to tinker with it again.

"So how was it then?"

Bruce sighed at the question before answering. It wasn't one of Tony's sighs, a mixture of frustration and sadness and exhaustion. It was a sigh of joy for the amazing memory that was his honeymoon.

"It was indescribable. I-it was just perfect. If everyday could be like that then I would believe that I was in heaven."

A smile crept onto Tony's face at that. He was glad his friend had found the happiness that he had long since deserved. After suffering so hard and for so long, it was so nice to see he had finally found what he had been looking for. Tony wondered what it would be like to feel how Bruce felt now, feeling utterly complete and at peace, knowing he was no longer alone. He thought of Loki and imagined that it was them who had just got married and come back from their honeymoon. He imagined the expression of pure happiness on the god's face and was filled with warmth but that soon slipped away as he remembered that he hadn't even seen Loki smile in days.

"Anyway how's your life? Tony?" Bruce asked, distracting Tony from his thoughts.

"Oh what? Yeah it's...it's err fine, I suppose."

"That means it sucks, right." It wasn't a question.

Reluctantly Tony nodded. The only person he really trusted besides Loki was Bruce and obviously he couldn't go to Loki about this. He knew it was better to share his problems than keep them locked away. He knew Bruce would be less judging and give good sound advice.

"It's Loki." Bruce nodded for him to continue. "You know I said at the wedding that he looked panicked and I thought he was keeping it from me and then you told me not to panic unless it happened more often. Well it started happening more, he's acting really strangely and I've tried talking to him but every single time he cuts me dead, just saying that he's fine."

Biting his bottom lip, Bruce looked thoughtful for a moment while watching Tony closely. "Is there anything else?"

Tony broke eye contact, choosing instead to stare at the work surface in front of him. A light blush crept up his cheeks that caused Bruce to frown.

"I told him that I loved him," the genius said quickly, fiddling with his hands in his lap.

"Oh god," Bruce breathed. He rubbed his hand across his temple, smoothing out the creases so that his expression settled into something nearer neutral. "Any particular reason why you said it?"

"I didn't just say it for fun," Tony barked defensively. "I actually meant it; I just hadn't expected to say it right then."

"And why did you say it then?"

"Because it...well it sorta just slipped out. It was probably from what Loki had just told, or, well, shown me."

And so he began to explain the whole situation and how it had led to Loki revealing his Jotun form. He decided to miss out the part of him and Loki doing it on the sofa but added in the bit about Pepper and Clint's conversation that the god had told him about later on. Bruce listened to every detail, just like he always did, not interrupting once. And that's what Tony loved about him. He knew when to keep quiet and yet he also knew when to speak out and share his opinion. It was something that Tony envied. He had never been able to keep his mouth shut, he always had to have the last word in arguments and always interrupted with inappropriate comments that he knew weren't needed.

Just like he always did as a response to learning new information, Bruce removed his glasses and cleaned them on his shirt before replacing them carefully.

"So he's still acting strangely, did he say he loved you back?"

Tony shook his head and dropped his head into his hands, groaning loudly. Then suddenly his head popped back up and he was smiling.

"Hey wait, he was acting weird before I said I love you so it can't be that."

"Yeah but you still have the problem that there is something up with him that is obviously quite bad."

"Always one to put a downer on stuff, aren't you?" Tony grumbled, the smile slipping off his face instantly. "So Mr Smart Ass, what do you suggest I do?"

Silence fell as Bruce thought about possible advice he could give. As always, Tony grew bored and restless very quickly and was soon tapping the rhythm of Shoot To Thrill on his workbench. Bruce sent him a look but he didn't notice, far too interested in getting the tune exactly right.

"Why don't you just talk to him?"

"You had all that time to think and that's what you came up with?"

Rolling his eyes, Bruce answered, "It's good advice but if you really don't want to then talk to Thor. Surprisingly, though Loki loves to deny it, Thor had known him since he was a child. They grew up as brothers so really no one knows him better. Just make sure your boyfriend doesn't overhear because that could end very badly."

Tony thought about that for a moment. It was true, Thor did know Loki better so he could just briefly mention Loki was acting off and just enquire as to if this had happened before. He knew he needed to be careful. If he decided to have a proper in depth conversation with the golden god, he had to be on extra alert in case Loki heard. He knew it was wrong to hide something like this and discuss his problem behind his back but Loki wasn't helping himself. Tony was always there if he wanted help and yet he hadn't sought it so now it was Tony's turn to seek help. He just prayed that this was the right thing to do.

It surprisingly took longer than usual to find the blond good. At first, after leaving his workshop, Tony headed for his living room and kitchen on the top floor because everyone always seemed to be there. It happened to be today however that no one was in sight. Getting in the lift Tony headed for Thor's own floor but didn't find him there. He was starting to think that perhaps he had gone to visit Jane without telling anyone. He asked JARVIS where the god was and it turned out that he had just entered the tower and was now in the lift heading for Tony's floor.

Sighing in annoyance, he got back in the lift once it arrived and travelled back to his own floor. On arriving he spotted Thor in the kitchen with his head in the fridge, just where he had expected him to be the first time.

"Hey Thor buddy," He said, hopefully coming over as casual.

"Hello Tony, how are you?"

"Good thanks. And you?"

Thor proceeded to say that he was very well and was enjoying the fine weather that they were currently having. They dabbled in small talk for a while, Tony only using it to put off the moment he would have to bring up the real issue. In the end he didn't have to bring it up because Thor mentioned it himself.

"So is there anything I can help you with, you seem somewhat troubled?"

"Um yeah there actually is."

Thor dropped the sandwich he had been eating and stared intently at Tony. Although he had his full attention which Tony appreciated, he found the piercing gaze very off-putting and he stumbled over his words a few times before he could get them out in a coherent way.

"Um err yeah...okay so, I was just gunna ask, have you noticed something off with Loki recently?" He asked, his practised casual tone really not coming across well.

"Something off with Loki? No I haven't noticed anything."

And there it was, the guilt that Tony wished that he didn't have to see. He hated that Thor could pull off that kicked puppy look so well. He wished he didn't have to make him feel that. Why did he still believe that Loki was his responsibility and had to notice everything and sort out everything? This was the reason he hadn't wanted to go to Thor in the first place.

"Oh it's nothing big," Tony lied. "He's just acting a bit weird and I just wondered whether he had ever done something like this before?"

"Um no I don't believe he has. When we grew up together he went through fazes of being very quiet and reserved but that was just his way. But since seeing him here, living in the tower and being in a relationship with you and don't believe I have seen him like that again. He always seems happy with you."

"Thanks," Tony replied, slightly awkwardly. He always thought that Thor was sort of against their relationship but he had never commented. Perhaps he just didn't want to think about his friend screwing his adopted brother. "So you can't think of anything that could be bothering him?"

"No I don't believe there is anything. I would suggest perhaps giving him some space or else talking to him."

"Yeah talking to him doesn't work, he just closes up and says nothing's wrong."

"Maybe there is nothing wrong and he just had one off day. Don't go making mountains out of molehills."

Damn he wished Thor had never learnt Midgardian sayings. It could be that Loki is fine and he was just making it out to be something bigger but deep down he knew that wasn't true. There was something wrong and no one, not even Loki could tell him there wasn't.

"If that is all I would say farewell, I have to meet our captain about some issues."

"Okay, bye," Tony muttered, waving his hand vaguely as a goodbye.

He was feeling very disgruntled. He was getting absolutely nowhere with discovering Loki's problem and it was really starting to bring him down.

Sighing from exhaustion, Tony got to his feet and made to move just as Thor headed for the lift. Just as the god vanished with another wave, Tony turned round and heard a rustle of clothes and the quick footsteps of someone who had been listening in. He only knew two people with footsteps that light and this could only be one of them. Loki. Shit.

He hurried after Loki before he really thought about what he was doing. Well he couldn't exactly leave him could he? It would just be putting off the inevitable.

"Hey babe," Tony said, trying his best to sound sorry and casual at the same time.

Loki turned away from the window he had been staring out of and looked at him straight in the eye. His gaze was penetrating and locked Tony's eyes onto his. There was no escape.

"Why were you talking to Thor?"

It was obvious the god was playing him. Loki wasn't stupid and he had great listening skills, he knew exactly what had been said and yet he was playing dumb. He wanted to see if Tony would say the truth from the start or just lie. It was a good thing that the genius wasn't stupid either and knew exactly what he was doing. Though telling the truth would have consequences, it was far better than lying.

"I was asking him if he knew what is up with you."

"And what did he say?"

"You know what he said," Tony muttered sadly. "You were listening the whole time."

"Why did you go to Thor?" Loki asked, his tone flat giving away nothing.

"You know damn well why," Tony cried, not being able to hold back his own emotion. "I've asked you everyday if you are okay and you say yes and yet you never seem happy, you never seem really anything. You're hiding everything away and I can see it and it hurts that you don't trust me. Why don't you trust me?"

Tony thought for a moment that he saw Loki's face soften but the next second he knew he had imagined it. The god's face was back to being expressionless and hollow.

"I could ask you the same, why don't you trust me when I say I am fine?"

Honestly he couldn't believe he was hearing this. How could Loki be acting like this? It didn't even seem like it was Loki. This was nothing like he was just a few weeks ago. This was nothing like the Loki he had fallen for. Who was this and where had his Loki gone?

"Because I know you're not." His voice softened as he spoke his next words. "Loki, please, just talk to me. I might be able to help, I might not but there's nothing wrong with just telling me."

"Stop patronising me, I am not a child," Loki said harshly.

"Fine then, if you're going to be like this then I'm going to bed."

Loki watched Tony walk away, unable to do anything. He heard the genius's bedroom door slam and then there was no noise at all.

A wave of nausea swept over him so fast that he fell to his knees. Clutching his skull, he breathed deeply, hoping to stop the ache that had just erupted inside.

"I told you he doesn't care. Look how he just abandoned you. You are far better off with me."

"Leave me alone," Loki whispered, gripping his skull tighter. "Stop ruining my life."

Thanos laughed manically. "Your life? You don't have a life. These pointless mortals mean nothing and I will enjoy breaking every single one into tiny pieces."

"You're dead, you're dead, you're dead. You can't be here, you're dead," Loki repeated, starting to rock on the floor.

"Clearly not little Loki, but fear not, you'll have proof very soon. I'm coming for you and there is no escape. I just hope you are ready to watch your friends die."

The voice faded away and Loki sank even further until he was curled up on the floor. He pulled his knees to his chest and buried his face in his hands, not even trying to hold back his tears.

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