Tony retched up nothing for a few seconds, before his whole body collapsed beneath him, exhausted. He breathed hard, trying to regain his composure.

The chilled air wrapped around him. All he could see was wild, bright greenery- unbroken in its vastness. He didn't need two gueses to figure out what had happened. The taste of stomach on his tongue was a good enough indicator.

He growled as he lay down on the soft dewy grass as a chill came to embrace his skin. He shivered and looked up. Loki was blotting out the sun.

'Where's the suit?' Tony asked, exasperated.

Loki pointed across the way, a group of Slaejvns inspecting the red-gold metal with a marked lack of caution.

Tony stood. Gravity hit him hard, making his head spin for a moment, and instead of walking he stumbled and fell into Loki's arms. Tony reflexively tried to push away from the sudden cold pressing oppressively against his skin, but Loki only held him tighter, making him shiver. His teeth chattered in protest.

'You need to rest,' Loki stroked the back of his head. But it was like ice. It made the hair on Tony's skin stand on end.

'Loki,' Tony frowned. 'I need to get back to the others.'

'You'll only get hurt.'

'It's part of my job description.'

'Tony I don't want you to endanger myself.'

'Loki!' Tony pushed with some force, Loki relented and let him fall away from his grasp. 'My friends are down there.'

'They're not your friends,' Loki huffed.'You told me so yourself they all look down on you. Judge you. Make you feel like you're a stain on their perfect record. Remember?'

'It doesn't matter,' Tony staggered forward, light headed and dizzy. He needed to get inside the suit. He needed to get back. 'It's my responsibility.'

'Tony,' Loki grabbed his hand, urging him back. 'You are facing an adversary far above your station. You cannot win.'

Tony pulled away. His mind was clearing up, his center of gravity was beginning to steady. 'It's not about me. It's about the team. There's a threat we need to neutralise and we need to neutralise it now.'

'Tony,' Loki raised his voice. 'You're not listening to me. You cannot win.'

Tony walked towards the suit, and raised the helmet. It was dead. All he could think was shitshitshit. 'Take me home.'

'No.'

'What?' Tony spun around.

'I said no.' Loki was staring at him in a stance Tony remembered all to clearly. His battle stance.

Tony felt his heart slow down.

'Loki. I need to get back.'

'I said no.'

'Look, I promise I'll be ok. Remember when I sent a nuclear warhead flying out into space and survived. I'll be perfectly fine.'

'You will not. I will not allow you to fight him. You will surely die.'

'The other avengers-'

'It does not matter.'

'Loki you don't understand-'

'No, Tony Stark, it is you who does not understand. Thanos does not leave behind survivors. When he comes to conquer a world he conquers it. Without fail. Listen to me when I say this is a battle that you cannot win. You or your avengers.'

'Thanos?' Tony was trying hard not to panic.'Why... Why do you know his name? Why is he attacking the same town you took me to? How did- how did you know to swoop in just then?'

Loki's eyes took on a cold dead look that made Tony's breath hitch. 'Thanos is an old... friend.'

'What-?'

'He had his soldiers torture me for several millennia in a realm without time, before giving me over to the tesseract and throwing me to Earth. I heard many of his tales of conquest, destruction and murder. I grew to know him. He became a sort of friend. One whom I owed very much.'

'You... know him?'

'Very, very well.'

'Oh God. Loki.' Tony's face was hot. His chest clamped up. His throat felt too constricted for him to breathe properly. 'Tell me you didn't do this,' he pleaded.

Loki stared at him for what felt like eternity, then his features suddenly, inexplicably softened. He approached Tony, who was too shocked to move. He placed the palm of his hands on Tony's shoulders and looked into his eyes. There was unyielding tenderness there. Soft, unquestioned affection. Tony wasn't breathing. He couldn't figure out how.

'It's for the greater good.' Loki smiled genially.

Short chapter O_O