Chapter Thirty-Six

Plot and Play

Fornax Galaxy

Tayo System

Sakaar Orbit

'We're fucking pirates,' Tony said.

'It's useless to deny it any longer,' Loki agreed.

The general idea of Loki's plan was pretty straight-forward, and yeah… kind of pirate-esque. It was a good kind of piracy though, they were stealing people from bad guys after all. So, simple plan. Ambush and take over the transporter, use it to get on the Moon Aakar, find the children, get them in the transporter, get the hell out of dodge, take them to the tribe. The devil was in the details of course.

They were all still in the cargo area, but now everyone was paying attention to Loki instead of Drongo. Tony was still not over that one. He was very-very much not over that, genocide stories did that to a man. Juyu looked a little pale herself and Loki was still behaving in a way that spoke louder than words. It meant that he was hiding something – probably anger – he had that calm before the storm thing going for him. Bee looked like she always did, she had a problem with displaying emotions, so it was hard to guess what she was thinking. Drongo though, the man was so fucking zen it was unbelievable, he was putting Bruce Banner to shame and Tony knew that the big guy had hell of a control. He suddenly had a mental image of the two them in the same room, but he pushed the thought away. His mind was running away with him, it was probably still the shock of what he just listened to. He should focus more.

'What do you mean we can't ambush the transporter before it takes off?' Juyu asked and Tony realized that the conversation continued while he got lost in his head.

'It's too risky,' Loki answered. 'Who knows how many soldiers are going to be around?'

'Where then?' Tony asked.

'When it's already on the way to Aakar,' Loki replied. Tony frowned.

'Okay, do you also have an idea about how we're supposed to go from one ship to another out in space? Because my suit is not yet space-proof,' Tony told him. "Yet" was an important expression here, he had plans, he had ideas, but he was constantly working on two-three things at the same time and he only had two hands.

'We fly in close, I teleport inside and open up a way for you to connect either the Drake or the IronMage to the transporter. Preferably the Drake, it's a faster.'

Tony blinked in surprise and saw from the corner of his eyes how Drongo's eyes narrowed in interest.

'Um, Loki, correct me if I'm wrong here, but you passed out cold from hiding the girls. Are you sure you have enough juice to pull this off safely?' Tony was pretty sure he could pull it off, but there was no way in hell he wanted him to overexert himself again.

Loki held up a finger in a "wait" gesture then stood up and swiftly walked over to the workshop area. Tony did not see what he grabbed from one of the tables at first, but then he recognized the box. He frowned again. He filled up a bunch of crystal cylinders with energy for testing and stuff and Loki grabbed a box from those. It took a moment for him to remember.

'You mean you can-'

'Yes,' Loki answered even before he could finish.

'Like you did with the-'

'Yes.'

'Do you mind including the rest of us in this conversation?' Juyu interrupted before Tony could speak again. Loki looked over Tony's shoulder.

'I can safely teleport into the transporter,' Loki said. 'That's the important part.'

'And after you're in?' Tony asked.

'I'll take it over so that you can get on board too.' He did not doubt that Loki could handle himself alone, but it still made him uneasy. No wonder Loki said he wouldn't like this plan.

'We're going to need to be in constant connection,' Tony said. 'You're not bad with tech, but you might need some help, so we have to be able to talk.'

'Can you make us something that can help with that?' Loki asked.

'Of course,' Tony said. He barely stopped himself from saying "duh". 'Communicators are quite simple, the IronMage can be the centre that connects us all together, keeping a personal channel open.'

'That solves it,' Loki nodded then looked away from Tony again. 'Juyu, you're going to have to learn how to fly the Drake.'

The girl blinked then her eyebrows lifted in surprise and disbelief. 'In two days?' she asked.

'It's not overly complicated,' Loki told her. 'You'll do fine. We're going to need the Drake close around as protection, it's the only weaponized vehicle we have and Stark and I will be in the transporter.' Juyu muttered something under her nose, too quiet for Tony to hear, maybe she was cursing.

'How do you mean to find the children?' Drongo asked then.

'Trickery, of course,' Loki answered. 'A little shapeshifting here and there, and some convincing words are all we need. I can be a Sakaarian Imperial and Bee can play a little Oldstrong.' Drongo did not seem fazed by shapeshifting entering the picture so suddenly. Tony wondered if there was anything that could possibly faze him.

'And I play a Shadow who's loyal to the Red King?' Drongo asked.

'And decided to hand over the Oldstrong youngling he found,' Loki added. Drongo nodded.

'What about me?' Tony asked.

'You will need to wear your full armour so that they can't see how you look like,' Loki started. 'And you will have to be the one to fly the transporter, so you will have to figure out how it works very quickly once we're on-board.'

'I think I have to work on the system hack function of my DNI,' Tony said. 'Maybe I can get it done in time to use it.'

'We did not have time to work on your mental shields yet,' Loki frowned.

'I'm only going for a simplified version,' Tony said. 'Just in case.'

'This is a lot of preparation,' Juyu remarked. 'Do we have enough time?'

'Yes. There is no need to rush,' Loki said. 'We have two days. First we need to rest.'

'Yeah,' Tony agreed and looked at Drongo. 'I'm sure you could use some sleep. Juyu can help you find a room, we still have one or two empty ones. I don't know, maybe you can shove two beds together to make it big enough.'

'It would be indeed unwise to form further plans with tired minds,' the big man agreed. 'I thank you again for your kindness.'

Tony shrugged. 'Sure.' He was not used to polite people, not anymore. It's been a while since he heard anyone waste time for pleasantries.

He watched as Juyu and Drongo walked out of the cargo area with Bee hopping down from her spot to follow them.

'I don't know why I don't have more reservations about the guy,' Tony mused once they were gone. 'But I guess someone that doesn't make you suspicious is obviously below my danger radar. The question is why.'

'I thought it was obvious,' Loki said.

'It's obvious why I want to help, but I'm not quite sure which part ticked you off,' Tony told him. Loki looked at him for a moment then sighed.

'Can we not talk about this now?' he asked. He sounded just uncomfortable enough for Tony to let it go.

'Sure,' he said. 'C'mon, we better get some rest too, we're gonna have to do some serious brainwork tomorrow.'

Loki nodded, but waited until Tony was next to him before he started walking. Tony hesitated for a second before he decided to screw it. So he slid his arm around the god's waist to get them closer. Loki looked at him curiously for a moment but he didn't object or pull away.

'I'm glad you decided to bring him here,' Tony said after a few moments of silence.

'It was not some sort of stupid heroic-'

'Hey, it doesn't matter,' Tony cut him off and he stopped so he could look at him fully. 'I know a lot of people who would disagree with me, but personally I think that your actions are what really matter and not the reasons behind them.'

'So you're not even curious about my intentions?' Loki asked in return.

'I think we both know how very little intentions count on the grand scale of things,' Tony told him. He had the best intentions when he was constructing weapons, but that did not change the fact that many innocents died because of his carelessness. From the way Loki always talked about things getting out of his control, he was rather sure that the god knew what he was talking about.

'So what? You can be selfish and greedy as long as others see it as a good deed? And it does not matter how much good you intend to do if you-' he cut himself off abruptly and Tony was sure that they stumbled upon some touchy subject again.

'The road to hell is paved with good intentions,' Tony said. 'That's something we say on Earth.'

'How fitting,' Loki agreed.

'Intentions may not matter when it comes to the big picture,' Tony continued. 'But it could mean a lot to those around you.'

'Are we still talking about Drongo?' Loki asked.

'I don't think we are.'

Loki took a breath and Tony wasn't sure whether he would say anything else, but he still did not pull away or shook the arm off from around his waist, so that was a good sign.

'I don't know anymore,' he said finally, his voice was quiet. 'I used to be sure, but now I don't know.'

'You could always tell me,' Tony offered. It was hard to get things out of Loki and it was basically impossible to get him to talk about anything from his past. He sure as hell couldn't be forced, so probably offering to listen was the best Tony could do. Loki looked at him again, his body tense with something very painful and broken in his eyes.

'I can't,' he said shaking his head. 'I just…' Tony leaned in and kissed him on the lips. The way Loki relaxed after a moment made him want to keep his lips on his for as long as possible. He stroked the small of Loki's back soothingly and it seemed to work even if they were both still wearing armour.

'When you want to,' Tony said after they pulled apart. Using "when" instead of "if" was deliberate on his part, because he was sure that they would get there eventually. 'It's not like I'm going anywhere,' he added more lightly and smiled. He didn't know how he (mostly) managed to say the right things when it came to Loki, when in the past he tended to screw this part up a lot. But seeing how the lurking pain vanished from Loki's gaze made him stupidly glad that he did manage somehow.

x-x-x

They did not go to sleep right away. Tony's mind was too active, too many things were swirling around in it and Loki seemed to have the same problem. Tony grabbed shower first then he sat down to check over his suit. It worked well, but it was still sort of a prototype and Tony just couldn't stop tinkering with it. He always found new things to change and adjust. He was pretty sure that he was going to build a new suit. He just needed to do more testing first. Sadly, he could only test his suit on planets and instead of actual testing he was more likely to use it in some life and death situation. At least he got plenty of results either way. He even figured out how his boot got fried the last time he flew, now there was only 3.8% chance of something like that happening again. His new suit had to be more stable, and it was going to be better in every way, once he got around building it that is.

When Loki emerged from the bathroom he grabbed the box of crystals from the table after dropping his towel. Then he got some leather out from his closet and picked up a pair of scissors. Tony looked up from the gauntlet in his hand.

'I can't just carry the crystals around in my hands,' Loki explained once he noticed him watching. 'And they have to be in direct contact with my skin.'

'Okay, need some help with it?'

'No, I got it,' Loki shook his head then sat down on his bed. Tony watched as he cut off a long piece of leather and started putting holes in it silently. 'What is it?' Loki asked without looking up at him.

'Using the crystals to power your magic, to teleport,' Tony started. 'Can you tell me that it's completely safe?'

Loki raised his head to look at Tony and after a moment one of his eyebrows lifted as well.

'Can you tell me that your DNI hacking system is going to be completely safe?' he asked in return.

Tony sighed. 'Fair enough,' he admitted. 'But I don't have to like it.'

'Stark, don't waste your breath on unnecessary concern.'

'I'm allowed to be worried about you,' Tony told him. He still remembered that cold tight feeling that gripped his chest the last time Loki overexerted himself. He remembered his dead-pale face, the shaking, the cold fever and the blood dripping from his nose. He didn't want to see him like that again. He was allowed to be uncertain about the whole teleportation part of this plan or the whole taking over the transporter alone part too as a matter of fact.

'You do not have to,' Loki said as he went back to work.

'Someone has to,' Tony shrugged. Loki looked up at him again.

'I can take of myself, you know that,' he said and there was something defensive and irritated creeping into his voice. That won't do.

'That's not what I meant,' Tony said and put his gauntlet down to walk over to Loki's bed and sit down in front of him. He had to put the box of crystals down on the floor. 'And I know that I don't have to explain this to you.'

Loki just sighed and looked up again. 'Can we not have another emotional heart-to-heart today? I am way over my limit.'

The statement surprised a laugh out of Tony. 'No heart-to-heart,' he promised and put his arms up in surrender. Loki smiled a little. 'I just hate seeing you hurt, so I want you to watch your ass,' he said. 'I have big plans for that ass,' he added a moment later and it was Loki's turn to laugh. Tony seldom managed to make him laugh like this. Small chuckles and snickers were one thing, actual laughter was rare. He always felt pretty damn pleased about himself whenever it happened. Loki dropped the leather and the scissors down beside the bed and reached forward to grab hold of Tony's undershirt and drag him close. Tony went willingly and a moment later they were kissing. Loki leaned back which put Tony basically on top of him.

Tony loved kissing and Loki was an excellent kisser. Tony could spend a lot of time like this. His position was probably anything but attractive with the way he was sprawled half on top of the god, but at least he did not have to worry about crushing him with his weight, because probably not even a truck over his chest would be too heavy for him.

They parted a little when Loki bit his lower lip, but it just prompted Tony to slide his mouth down to his neck.

'Big plans you say?' Loki asked and Tony really liked that tone of his. He could tell just from the way he said the words that he was smiling. There was also a certain lightness in his voice that Tony only ever heard when they were close like this. Like this was the only time Loki really managed to push away the ever-present darkness from his mind.

'Big, amazing plans,' Tony answered and mouthed on the god's neck, kissing and licking the pale skin.

Loki's hands ran down his back slowly. 'What a coincidence,' he said. Then slid his hands down some more and grabbed Tony's ass tightly, pulling him even closer. 'I have some big plans for yours as well.' The last words were spoken directly into his ear and yeah, fuck this.

He lifted himself up and moved his leg to straddle Loki's hips and leaned down to capture his lips again, he slid one hand into his hair, the other to the side of his neck. Loki opened his mouth as soon as their lips touched and welcomed Tony's exploring tongue with his own.

In this new position it only took one little slide forward to feel how much they both enjoyed kissing. The low throb of arousal flared up to burning need in Tony's veins. He moved and rolled his hips down moaning into the kiss at the feel of it. Oh, it's been so long, so very long and Loki felt absolutely fucking perfect under him. He felt how Loki's fingers tightened on him before he pushed his hips up to meet Tony's. Loki drew in a sharp breath through his nose and it made Tony break the kiss, because he had to see him.

His green eyes were dark and intent, his normally pale lips were red, slick and kiss-swollen and invitingly open. Tony wanted him to pant, wanted him to moan, wanted to know if he could make his skin flush pink with warmth.

'Oh fuck, you're gorgeous,' he said and dived back down for another kiss while he rolled his hips down again, sharper and heavier this time. Even through layers of clothing the feel of Loki's hard length pressing up to his own was incredible. It would feel better without clothes on, he realized. Then wondered why the hell he was not losing clothes already.

He let go of Loki's lips and pulled his undershirt over his head, tossing it away. Loki got the massage and sat up. The movement brought them closer again, almost chest to chest, but also gave him enough space to get rid of his shirt.

'I should make you walk around shirtless all the time,' Tony told him after he took a long appreciative look at the revealed skin. It earned him a sharp smile. So he pushed Loki back down onto the bed and kissed him again. He dug his fingers into his skin, sliding his hands down on his sides.

The more time passed the more urgency Tony felt, to touch more, to feel more, to have more. He was rock hard and knew Loki was too, he could feel it, but there were still too many fucking clothes between them. He wanted to see him and touch him, he couldn't wait any longer. He pulled back from Loki's mouth again and moved away just enough to get enough space between them. He slid his hand down Loki's chest, down over his stomach to his pants and licked his lips while he hurriedly unlaced it.

'This is not how I planned this,' Loki said.

'Screw plans, I want to touch you,' Tony replied and yanked Loki's pants down just enough to free his cock. He looked down for a moment before smirking up at Loki. 'I knew you were smooth everywhere,' he said then wrapped his hand around the hard length when Loki opened his mouth to reply. The god closed his eyes and finally a moan escaped his lips. Tony moved his hand up and down, stroking slowly at first, getting used of the feel of him. Loki thrust up into his hand then. The way his muscles clenched and how he arched his neck and moaned made Tony's skin heat up even more with want. His pants did not have any buttons or laces luckily, since he was dressed for sleep, so it took no time to push them down and out of the way. He wanted to press their dicks together, spread the pre-come with his hand and make them both slick. But then he got distracted from the way Loki lifted a hand to lick at his palm before he reached down and wrapped his beautiful long fingers around Tony's cock. Tony sucked in a breath and moaned loudly. Loki's hand was wet, tight and skilled and just fucking perfect altogether.

The other hand gripped his nape and pulled him down for a deep open-mouthed kiss. Usually Loki was teasing, biting and exploring with his kisses, but now he shoved his tongue in Tony's mouth like he wanted to crawl inside. The change in their position made it a bit difficult for him to keep his hand on Loki's dick, but it did not matter, because the next thing he knew Loki batted his hand away and wrapped his own around the both of them, pressing their dicks tightly together and stroking. Tony did not even try to hold back his groan.

'Fuck yes,' he breathed when Loki let go of his lips. He started moving his hips, thrusting forward into Loki's hand, quickly losing himself in the rhythm.

'Look at me,' Loki said then and Tony opened his eyes, not even realizing he closed them. If Loki looked delicious before, he looked downright sinful now, pleasure was written on every inch of his face, in his darkened eyes and panting mouth.

He almost complained when Loki let go of their dicks, but then his ass was grabbed tightly and he was pulled down while Loki lifted his hips up… Oh, it was delicious. Their cocks were slick from arousal and with Loki's spit the feel of it all was just wet enough. Loki controlled his movements first, but soon Tony could feel how pleasure was building up and coiling in him and it pushed him to move harder and faster and Loki let him of course.

Loki was making sounds now too, small moans and large breaths escaped him, his composure was gone, his control flew out of the window. Tony thought that he was going to lose his mind from the sight of the god looking like this underneath him. He was so not going to last much longer.

'Yes! Oh yes, let me see you,' Loki said, breathless and urgent, his hips moving just as hard and fast as Tony's own, he had to be close too.

Tony felt his muscles tighten when the burning tension in his body finally snapped. It washed over him in a powerful wave of ecstasy and he had to bury his head in Loki's neck, biting the skin there as he groaned in pleasure. The slide of their dicks became even more slippery right away, warm and wet with Tony's come. Their movements did not stop though, not for a moment. Tony forced himself to move, to lift his head up, because he had to see, he had to. He put his hands on Loki's head and looked at him, his brain was too fried to say anything sensual or even dirty, but he knew the look on his face said enough. He just kept their eyes locked as he panted, coming down from his high but still moving his hips.

It did not take long, only a few more thrusts and Loki threw his head back, letting go. His neck stretched out deliciously, muscles and tendons went tight from pleasure as he let out a breathless moan. He gripped Tony's hips so hard that bruises were sure to form. Tony watched, because the sight was breath-taking.

Then they both finally stopped moving, but Loki pulled him close and held onto him before he could roll off. Neither of them said a word, they just tried to catch their breaths for long moments. They were sweaty and covered in come, but Tony did not give a damn. He felt incredibly good and comfortable.

'You surprised me,' Loki said then and Tony pushed himself up to be able to look at him.

'Really? I don't think it was surprising,' he said. He was still not breathing right, but at least he could talk as his brain was putting itself back together. He slid down from Loki to lie next to him, but did not move away, so the god did not protest. 'There's this thing with me and sex. I really-really like it. Like… a lot.' With that he flopped back down on the bed, but still almost half on top of Loki.

Loki chuckled and started stroking Tony's back with his fingers.

'I still did not expect to be jumped like this,' he said. He was completely relaxed, while a small smile was tugging at his lips. Tony could only see gentle lines, no hard edges or tense muscles, he looked so much younger. But there was something in his tone, so Tony propped himself up to his elbow to look down at him.

'Loki, I don't have doubts anymore,' he said. 'I want this… I want you.'

Loki looked at him for a few moments in silence, his eyes searching, like he wanted to make sure that Tony was telling the truth, that he was sincere. After that it did not take long for Loki to smile. It was not his usual shark-smile, it was brighter, because his eyes were smiling too and there was something happy in his gaze. It was like a punch in the gut. It made Tony's breath stutter and get stuck in his throat. What did he do to deserve to be looked at like this?

Tony just blinked a few times then leaned down to kiss him, because that smile deserved to be kissed.

x-x-x

Author's Notes: Phew, it's been a while since I wrote a sex-scene. Go easy on my peeps.