Ever heard the song "Addicted" by Saving Abel? That song was written for Tony in this story, I swear.


Fiftieth Installment: Calm Before the Storm

It was a little strange to be back in Stark Tower. It felt like a decade had passed, and while Loki wouldn't call this place home by any stretch, it was somehow good to be here again. It felt peaceful and even a little safe. As soon as they were in Stark's 'war council' room, the human pointedly looked Loki up and down.

Rolling his eyes, Loki nevertheless waved his hand. His ornate leather armor disappeared, replaced now with a pair of snug-fitting jeans and a form-fitting sweater of a smokey purple hue so dark it was almost black. An ensemble which prompted the man to give him a look full of appreciation.

"Jarvis, scan the tower for bugs," Stark said into his helmet.

"Scanning, sir," the AI's voice said.

Loki raised an eyebrow. "The same program runs your suit and your tower. If it has been compromised, don't you think it wouldn't know?"

Stark's eyes turned to him, and they were full of ridiculous pride. "Damn you catch on to our tech quick, you know that? Clever, princess, but no worries. I downloaded Jarvis' core program into my suit and isolated it from my tower mainframe. The "Jarvis" running here is a decoy. An incomplete version. I didn't want SHIELD snooping."

Loki wanted to be irritated, but he wasn't. In fact, he was even smiling. A teeny, tiny smile, but still a smile.

"Well, thank god for your foresight," Natasha said, flopping gracefully down onto a chair and kicking her feet up onto the table.

"The decoy program has several bugs, sir," Jarvis announced.

"Bastards," Stark grumbled. "All right, let's give them a helluva show." He trotted over to room's extensive computer console.

Curious, Loki followed him. "What do you plan to do?" he inquired.

Stark looked over at him (and Loki realized he was standing much closer than necessary to the human) with a smug grin. "I'm gonna download Jarvis back into my mainframe. Only, I've tweaked his programming a little. He's going to act like a giant virus and follow the signal all the way back to SHIELD. It will take them days to recover from the spectacular crash. Hell, maybe weeks. A guy can hope."

Blinking, Loki gazed back at Stark, feeling something between confusion and alarm. Has he gotten . . . taller? His eyes are nearly on a level with mine.

"I like him," the Aether piped up. "I like him a lot. He's fun. He loves you. I love him for that."

Her stay in Stark's body and mind had greatly accelerated her awakening, and it was amusing to hear her use language like Stark would use.

"And did he ask you to make him taller?" he asked her, wondering if that was even possible.

"No, but he wanted it," she said. "He doesn't like feeling he's not your equal."

Loki snorted softly. "Intelligent and vindictive," he said to the human. "No wonder we have a rapport."

Stark blinded him with a million-suns smile. "We have a lot more than that, princess." Low, for Loki's ears alone.

He rolled his eyes again, but he felt no real irritation. In fact, he felt only content.

When Stark was done fooling around with Jarvis, he grabbed Loki's arm and steered him to the table. "So, we should come up with a game plan for this Thanos fellow."

"I want to know more about the witch," Rogers said, drumming fingers on the table. "Was killing her really necessary?"

Loki lowered himself into a comfortable chair. To his surprise, he actually felt . . . well, not guilty. No, he felt a sort of compassion for the soldier. Wasn't that amazing.

"No prison could hold her," he told the captain. "She would have escaped and continued. You only have my word for this, but her crimes numbered many and despicable. Even if you feel I am not qualified to be judge and executioner, trust me when I say she should have been dead long ago."

Rogers' blue eyes gazed into his for a few moments, intense and focused. What he sought, Loki didn't know. Then he nodded once.

"I trust you."

Actually managing to startle Loki.

"Are we sure she's dead?" Natasha asked. "You gods are hard to kill."

Loki flashed her a tiny smirk. "You can be sure. I did not kill her." He touched the pendant around his neck, causing it to flare bright green and the ebony within to swirl.

Thor eyed the pendant with no small amount of trepidation. "Even she could not have survived that."

The Aether all but purred. "Easier than squashing a bug."

Guard already lowered by these fool humans, Loki couldn't help the soft snort of laughter. Then, at the looks he received, waved a hand and leaned back. "I apologize. She has yet to learn a few social graces. The witch is well and truly dead. Thanos is very much alive."

"What about Surtr?" Banner asked.

Loki shook his head. "Not a threat. He could no more act without the witch than a fish sprout wings and fly. He is too afraid of Thanos to rekindle that alliance. And he would never dare challenge me and Thor by himself. Not after what I did to Laufey."

Earning him a semi dark look from Thor.

"Who's Laufey?" Rogers asked.

"He was the Frost Giant king," Thor replied, eyes not leaving Loki's face.

"Was?" Stark repeated.

"I killed him," Loki said, a little surprised to find he was no longer proud of that fact. Ashamed by it? Certainly not. But it no longer brought him the pride it once had.

A silence fell that felt uncomfortable. Loki let it remain, amused to find it still pleased him to render people speechless.

Rogers broke it, clearing his throat and shifting. "So, Thanos."

Smiling inwardly, Loki took pity on them. "I'm sure you all remember what happened that fool dark elf came to Midgard. Thanos wants something similar. Actually, Miss Foster's help would be indispensable, Thor. Her knowledge of astronomical phenomena would aid me greatly in predicting his next actions."

"I'll get her here," Stark piped up.

The Aether stirred. She remembered Jane Foster. Loki idly stroked the pendant.

"What allies does Thanos have?" Rogers asked.

"The Chitauri, for one," Loki said, "though you destroyed more than three-fourths of that army." He smirked, still pleased by how well his plan had worked. "I have had no interaction with him in ten months, so how he has recovered from that blow is as much a mystery to me as you."

"Is he gonna care that you iced the witch?" Barton asked.

"No," Loki replied. "If I know Thanos, he will likely believe she deserved to die. He was fond of saying, if you cannot win then you deserve your defeat."

He wondered how it had felt to the Mad Titan, having to eat those words.

"We need to find him," Rogers said. "Is there a way to do that, Loki?"

"No," Loki said again. "Unlike the witch, Thanos doesn't leave a trail behind him."

"Then we force him out of hiding," Thor said.

"Well," Loki said, tapping his lips in contemplation, "we do know what he wants. If we unsealed the doorways here in Midgard, it would draw him out. It would also provoke a dangerous conflict, and humans are such delicate creatures."

Natasha's eyes met his, glittering in wicked delight. He had the ridiculous urge to wink at her, so he did. She laughed.

"Pathetic as it is," she agreed, "I don't think humanity is up to another alien incursion in the sky."

"I'm not up to that," Stark grumbled. "Never met an alien I liked. 'cept for two, I guess." And he sent Loki a lovesick smile.

The sweet fool.

"We could weaken one or two of the Allfather's seals," Loki said. "That would be a bit less obvious than removing them. Thanos will still suspect a trap, but it would be too tempting a lure to resist."

Rogers nodded, he and Thor looking at each other.

"With Miss Foster's help," Loki added, "we could pick a doorway that's in a . . . more remote area. To help lessen the damage to innocent bystanders."

The good captain gave him a look full of gratitude.

Stark smacked his hands on the table and stood. "Right. Since we're in agreement, I'll go make arrangements to bring Jane here."

Thor rose, too. "May I speak with you in private a moment, brother?"

Surprised, but no longer dreading those words as much, Loki stood and simply nodded.

o0o

Thor led the way out of the big main room, remaining silent as he strode down the long halls. In fact, he didn't speak until he was up on the roof and Loki faced him with an expression growing more impatient by the second. His lips curved up without permission. He was finding it difficult to remember the anger and resentment he'd felt toward Loki for so long. The young Aesir standing before him wasn't a murdering liar.

He was the impatient, cynical, intelligent boy who had been and would always be the beloved little brother Thor had lost twice and found twice. He would never lose him again.

"What, Thor?" Loki finally demanded. "If you look at me like that much longer, your eyes are going to turn into molten syrup and melt out of your fool skull."

"You accuse me of sentiment," Thor said with a chuckle, "and yet, look at you. You brought our mother back." He knew his mischievous brother had probably enjoyed the thought of shocking Thor with that little gem by not saying anything.

Loki gave him a sour look that for the first time in too long lacked any malice. It was the look of a younger brother exasperated by an older brother.

"Please tell me you're not about to start weeping again."

Laughing, Thor grabbed Loki by the collar and yanked him into a rough embrace. "I was not weeping, brother."

"You were weeping like a maiden on her wedding night," Loki grunted, pushing at Thor's chest.

Thor released him, still grinning. His mirth tempered a bit. "I have something to ask of you."

Loki smoothed his dark sweater. "You would like me to imbue Miss Foster with the same regenerative power I granted our companions."

One day, he would stop being shocked by how quick-thinking Loki was. "Yes, actually."

Green eyes met sky blue, and Thor wondered what his little brother was searching for. Then Loki lifted one shoulder in a graceful, lazy shrug.

"Very well. If she has no complaints, neither do I."

Thor blinked. "That's it? No bargain? No demanding something of me in return?"

"If you wish to make a bargain, I'm certain I could think of something," Loki said, the glimmer in his eyes both teasing and a warning.

Holding up his hands, Thor shook his head. "No, I will accept your willingness with heartfelt thanks."

A pause. "You wish to spend the rest of your life with her, then?"

There was something hesitant and uncertain in Loki's voice, which surprised Thor a bit. "Yes," he replied. He meant it.

Loki's eyes searched his again. "And does it not occur you may grow tired of her one day?"

Though Loki had oft accused Thor of being a fool or an idiot (and sometimes he was), he understood immediately why Loki was asking. And though he wanted to reassure his brother about him and Stark, he knew he couldn't. Loki would reject anything he said, which would have the opposite effect Thor wanted.

So he just smiled. "How could I? You have met her. I believe her inquisitive mind will keep us both yearning for the rest of our lives. Her mortality has already taught her to live life fiercely and with all her heart. How could I tire of that?"

Judging by Loki's focus, he was intently weighing those words. "I suppose you're right," he said after a long, long moment. "And it's none of my business, anyway. Though I cannot be as certain she will not tire of you, being ever so much the smarter one."

Thor took a half-hearted swing at his brother, chuckling, and Loki easily danced out of reach with a wicked smirk. Then, perhaps he'd had enough for now, because he disappeared in a haze of green smoke. Thor, still smiling, just gazed out over the city.

"Thank you, Loki."

o0o 0o0 o0o

Jane was excited to be back at the Tower. Since her last visit had been cut shorter than she'd expected, she couldn't wait to continue her lessons with Loki. She couldn't help but be flattered that once again, he was the one who wanted her there. Needed her expertise.

And icing on an already perfect cake, Thor was there. As soon as he saw her, a smile broke over his handsome (seriously, how could anyone be so handsome?) face. Two steps took him to her side, and he swept her up into his powerful arms as though she weighed nothing.

"I missed you," he murmured in her ear.

She squeezed him back. "I missed you, too. When are you going to stop sending me away for months at a time?"

"Soon," he said, and the promise in his voice made her pull back to look at him.

"Soon?"

He smiled. "I have something to ask you, when you are settled."

Hopefully it's 'Will you marry me?' The very thought made her blush. And she definitely didn't want to wait in suspense. "Ask me now."

Chuckling, he lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles. "While we were gone, Loki revealed an ability I did not know he possessed. To protect our fellow Avengers, he imbued them with regenerative magic. It had the added benefit of increasing their lifespans."

Her heart started to race, hoping he was about to ask—

"How do you feel about having the same done to you?"

—that. "I guess that depends."

"On?"

"If I'm going to live for eight centuries instead of eight decades, how many of those centuries will I be spending with you?"

"As many as you should desire," he replied, touching his forehead to hers.

"Good," she said. "But just so you know, I can be pretty demanding."

He chuckled. "I look forward to it."

Thor led her to the same room where she'd had her first civil encounter with Loki. He was already there, and he wasn't alone. Jane stopped short when she crossed the threshold, startled by the scene waiting for her. Loki was sitting in a chair, body arranged in a carelessly elegant sprawl. Tony Stark was leaning against the desk right in front of him, arms folded loosely.

Fairly innocuous. Almost innocent.

But Jane Foster was a very observant woman. One could even say, intuitive. There were little things, almost invisible things, that she noticed.

Tony's right leg was placed a bit farther from his body, and it was touching Loki's left just above the ankle. The man's dark brown eyes flicked from Loki's eyes to his mouth, and a subtle shift of his hips told Jane he was thinking of . . . well, if not straight up sex, his thoughts were certainly physical.

And Loki's mouth wore a barely visible smirk, telling her he was very aware of the effect he was having on the human.

They're lovers, was what the scene screamed to her.

Wow, that was officially the weirdest thing she'd ever thought. She dismissed the notion. Surely not. Stark couldn't be that insane, and Loki couldn't be that irresponsible.

Could they?

All this took about two seconds to process in her brain, and Tony looked up. He smiled at her. "Welcome back, cutie."

A flirtatious greeting that garnered no response at all from Loki. In fact, he completely ignored Stark as he rose, all liquid grace, and walked to her. She accepted the hand he offered, and he kissed her knuckles.

"Did my brother tell you his hopes for the future?"

"Yes," Jane said, smoothing her hair a bit. "We can talk about that soon. Right now, you need my help with my astronomical research?"

He smiled. "Yes. Before we get to that, however, I too have a request. Stark, brother, if we could be alone."

Now insanely curious, Jane waited as the other two men left. Loki closed the door, and for some reason Jane only just noticed the large pendant around his neck. It looked gaudy at first glance and suited him not, too big for such delicate features. Then she really noticed it, and it was definitely not decorative. She could feel the power emanating from it, and she could see the ebony light swirling within.

She shuddered, knowing without a word what she was sensing. Something she could never forget. Something she'd never thought to see again.

"The Aether."

Loki's smile was all the confirmation she needed.

"Yes. Have no fear, she is not dangerous. Not unless I wish her to be."

His tone, too dark to be mischievous, wasn't comforting. "She?"

"It is how she views herself," Loki explained.

Jane blinked. "What?" She distinctly remembered having that invasive energy inside her, and it hadn't possessed a . . . personality.

"She would like to explain everything to you herself," Loki said, taking a step closer. "And to thank you."

"Thank me?" Jane repeated, her voice weaker than she would have liked.

"Yes. You began it, Miss Foster. In a way, she feels beholden to you. You have nothing to fear." His cold hand gently clasped hers, his eyes glittering, his voice hypnotic. He curled her fingers around the pendant.

She was falling. Falling into endless, empty, frigid black. She wanted to scream. She wanted to flail, to right herself, to fight her way out.

Blink.

No, she wasn't falling. Something caught her. The embrace was cold, but it wasn't threatening. She could still see. A ribbon of ebony light had reached her on a path of shimmering green.

You were the one. You caused what he calls the spark. He awakened me, but you began it.

Loki. The presence was talking about Loki with so much love and reverence that Jane felt heavy with it. But a piece of that love was reserved for . . .

You. You began it. You made this possible. I will always be grateful to you. I wish to give you something to express my gratitude.

Jane realized she wasn't being held, she was being embraced. A hug. An affectionate gesture. The icy cold still would not allow her to breathe, and for several mind-numbing moments it intensified. Then, so suddenly she would have fallen to her knees had Loki not caught her, it was over and she was back in the room.

Loki watched her with a small smile.

"What was that?" Jane demanded, taking a shaky breath.

"She gave you some manner of power," Loki replied. "Everyone reacts to magic differently, so I cannot say for sure, but I suspect you will grow into it quickly."

Jane stared at him, not sure if she was more angry, shocked, or horrified. She settled on angry, because that was less frightening. She slapped him as hard as she could.

"Don't just decide things on your own!" she snapped.

The force of her blow rocked his head to the side, and he straightened with a smirk. She could feel laughter, but whether it was from him or the Aether, she did not know.