When the call comes, it is not entirely unexpected. What Vision is not quite prepared for is the note of urgency apparent in Stark's voice despite the man's best efforts to conceal it.
Stark offers no detail beyond an almost sheepish request for Vision's immediate help, and Vision does not hesitate to grant it. He simply gives an estimate of his arrival time, disconnects the call, and shares a knowing look with Wanda. Without need of even a word by way of explanation, she gives her blessing and sends him on his way. The kiss they steal before they part is followed by a tender smile that doesn't quite hide the fatigue still marring Wanda's beautiful features.
It is perhaps an hour before Vision touches down a short distance from the hideaway. The coordinates Stark has given him allow him to enter the premises at a more discreet location than the false frontage would otherwise offer, away from any potentially prying eyes. He phases through the ground, passing from an unremarkable patch of unused scrubland into the brightly lit interior of the facility beneath. FRIDAY greets him as he enters with directions to Stark's precise whereabouts.
When he enters the lab it is to find Stark half seated on a metal stool, his teeth absently worrying the fingernail of his thumb. His attention is fixed entirely on the figure on the floor in front of him. Loki is laid out on his side, unmoving, what looks like an item of balled up clothing wedged awkwardly beneath his head.
Vision coughs delicately and Stark almost leaps from his seat, a look of mixed relief and guilt on his face.
"Oh thank God," Stark says, recovering quickly. "Took you long enough."
Vision knows Stark doesn't mean this, that this is merely a figure of speech. He reassures the man anyway. "I came as quickly as I could." He turns his attention to the man on the floor. "Perhaps you should fill me in on the situation."
Stark follows his gaze and scrubs distractedly at the back of his neck. "I don't know, honestly. I think he's okay, just… kinda passed out, I guess." He gestures to himself unnecessarily. "Need a hand, obviously."
What Stark really means by this is that, quite apart from his current condition, he is unable to do much more for Loki than he already has. He needs Vision's strength if he is to move Loki from his current position, or indeed to do more to assess his condition. Vision wonders how long it would have taken Stark to call him in were that not the case.
"What has caused this?" Vision asks as he moves to crouch over Loki's unresponsive form.
"We started early," is all Stark will say after an eloquent pause. Vision does not need to ask for elaboration. He knows of the fervour with which Stark has recently been at work, and he knows of its ultimate goal. What he had not been aware of was his friends' joint intention to begin without him, perhaps in an effort to spare Vision an early separation, or at least the compulsion to volunteer one. Or perhaps their curiosity had simply got the better of them. They were certainly a determined pair.
If Vision were human, he may have been inclined to sigh.
Stark's anxious mood is gradually becoming something darker, so Vision does not comment further. Instead he places a hand at Loki's shoulder and exerts just enough force to begin to tip him onto his back. This slight movement elicits a low noise of protest, and Loki screws up his face.
"Oh, sure," Stark complains in a manner that is fooling absolutely no one. "Now you wake up. Couldn't have done that before I called in the cavalry."
"May I recommend we relocate somewhere more comfortable," Vision suggests for Loki's benefit, although it's not clear whether the words register. He alters his position to encourage Loki to sit up. Loki does so, though more as a result of Vision's efforts than by his own design, and when he's upright presses an uncoordinated hand across his eyes with a groan.
From there Vision is able to hoist the man to stand, taking almost all of his weight with one arm slung over his shoulders. Stark hovers nervously at their backs while contriving to appear otherwise unconcerned and follows them as Vision steers his stumbling charge towards the back of the workspace.
A long couch already cleared of the usual clutter that tends to collect on Stark's furniture offers what Vision deems the most sensible destination for the moment. He deposits Loki upon it as carefully as he can and allows the man to recline and stretch out.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Stark demands over Vision's shoulder, apparently unwilling to relent for the moment, though it is clear to Vision he will receive no answer. As expected, Loki does not respond beyond releasing a hiss of general discomfort at the unwanted demands on his attention.
Vision considers advising Stark to reduce the volume of his voice, but his intervention is unnecessary. Loki simply turns over, burrows into the upholstery and promptly goes slack, his body falling limp in sleep.
Stark sighs and sucks his teeth, but Vision feels the lessening of tension in the man's frame anyway.
It is some hours before Loki revives. When he does he is quiet and clearly still troubled by lingering pain, but he initially receives little sympathy from Stark.
"Hungover, are we?" Stark asks him glibly when he shuffles into the sitting area to join them.
Loki ignores this, making directly for the kitchen behind them. After some difficulty locating and operating the equipment he seeks while squinting quite so fiercely, he resorts to using a cupped hand to drink water directly from the faucet. When he sees this Stark is apparently moved to something approaching pity and joins the man, taking a glass from the cabinet and filling it before handing it over. Loki accepts it and drinks deeply without a word of thanks.
"Okay?" Starks asks pointedly, almost as though he has asked the very same question in the not too distant past.
Instead of answering verbally Loki allows a slow closing and opening of his eyes to answer in the affirmative.
Tony purses his lips at this but doesn't otherwise comment. "Come sit," he instructs instead, a loose hand at Loki's back enough to guide the man over to where he and Vision have been waiting, at times in strained silence, for Loki to wake.
"So," Stark says casually when they are all once again seated, "that could have gone better." Vision notes that his voice is pitched somewhat lower this time around.
When it becomes clear that Loki is not yet able to formulate a response without inviting further discomfort, Vision takes it upon himself to move the matter forward onto more constructive ground.
"If I understand correctly, the technology worked as intended, or at least appears to have done. Perhaps once Loki has had opportunity to properly recover he can confirm for us the results."
They are relatively confident no permanent damage has been done. Once they had been able to reassure themselves Loki was in no immediate danger, they had instructed FRIDAY to scan for injury and monitor vital signs using what few base parameters they had at their disposal concerning Loki's unique physiology. After some fretting from Stark they had concluded Loki was simply sleeping, and Vision had eventually been able to persuade Stark to retire upstairs and give a full account of the incident. Unfortunately for Loki, this also seemed to involve a transition in Stark from concern for Loki's welfare to a front of righteous, simmering anger. Humans respond to guilt in a number of surprising and at times irrational ways, Vision has found.
"It did something alright," Stark agrees, no doubt referring to the flickering magic he reported seeing shortly before Loki had collapsed. "Whether it was worth what it took to get to that point I'm not so sure. Anything feeling different, aside from the well-deserved and entirely self-inflicted migraine?"
Miserable as he must be, Loki will not be provoked to argument. His quietly voiced "no" nonetheless holds a measure of disappointment.
Stark claps both palms against his thighs. "Well that at least makes things easy. Back to the drawing board it is." He seems almost smug as he says this.
"I do not think we should be so quick to discount this method," Loki hurries to contradict. "This was only the first try. Next time I will be better prepared."
"Next time?" Stark says with false incredulity. "What makes you think there will be a 'next time'?"
"Do not be obtuse. I have not the patience to play games with you, Stark."
"Excuse me?"
Loki purposely brushes over the affront he has inspired. "The technology works. It works in the same way as the original. The... effects... were identical. Perhaps we need only fine tune it to see the results we need."
"You mean to make it even worse," Stark says with obvious disapproval. "I told you before that I'm not into that. And you clearly can't be trusted to make rational decisions about this. You had your shot and you blew it. Sorry."
This seems finally to rouse Loki from his state of pained forbearance. He turns to Stark with a growl of annoyance and becomes animated in his dissension.
"You do not speak for me," he hisses. "Nor do you have any right to make decisions on my behalf. I am no longer your prisoner."
Predictably, Stark rises to this with annoyance of his own. "Yeah? Well whatever you 'decide' you want to do, it'll mean diddly squat without my help. And guess what - I ain't doing it, so count me out."
Loki sputters at this. "You would withdraw your offer to help me?" Vision thinks perhaps he detects a note of hurt in Loki's voice.
"Damn skippy."
Stark doesn't seem to notice Loki's slight recoil, or the deliberate shift in his bearing as he directs his argument towards an angle he thinks might better appeal to the more practical side of Stark's nature.
"Even when we are so close to success?"
"If by success you mean watching you rip yourself apart in front of me, then no, I don't want any part of that."
"That was exactly the outcome we hoped for. Or have you forgotten that? The device is supposed to incapacitate the user. That is what it was designed to do."
"What we were supposed to be doing was working together on this, but you're obviously not a team player. You went completely off script, ignored everything we talked about and wouldn't stop when I asked you to. I can't work like that. I won't."
"But-"
Stark whips a single finger into the air to forestall further argument. "Aht! No buts! I don't want to hear it. What you're asking me to do isn't fair and you know it. So quit it already. You're giving me a headache."
Loki makes a wordless sound of exasperation, not at all content to accept that as the end of the discussion. "You are willfully ignorant."
"And you're an arrogant, bull-headed pain in my ass, but here we are."
"Gentlemen," Vision interrupts at last, no longer content to bear witness to such deliberate misunderstanding from both parties concerned. "Might I suggest we refrain from making any further decisions on this matter until you are both better rested." And until tempers have had a chance to cool, he adds silently.
Loki rises unsteadily to stand, his hands balled into fists at his sides. "I will not sit here and be lectured on the appropriate use of my own body."
"Oh, save it," Stark replies flippantly. He looks away, dismissing Loki's rising animosity by reaching for his drink with an air of unconcern.
Loki gapes at Stark for a moment before closing off his expression and turning sharply on his heel. As he storms from the room, Vision levels an appraising look on Stark. Instead of meeting his eye or offering anything in his own defence, the man pinches the bridge of his nose with a forceful sigh.
The house may be spacious, but it does not rival the compound for size. There are relatively few places a person might retreat to in order to seek out solitude, and for that one reason alone Vision regrets that they have been forced to take up residence here. Under any other circumstances the house would have afforded a welcome change of scenery. As it is, it instead confines occupants already at odds with one another into closer quarters than are comfortable.
He locates the man he seeks in the pool room, his back wedged into the shadowy corner farthest from the entrance. What small light there is reflects gently undulating patterns onto the ceiling above the water, still but for the slightest of circulating currents that ruffle its surface. It is calm in here, and quiet, but it is still confining. Loki's position mirrors the one he would often adopt in the room he had first been brought to, and Vision supposes this is not merely by chance.
Loki keeps his eyes fixed ahead of him as Vision moves to approach but does not otherwise express displeasure at being disturbed. Vision takes this as permission and lowers himself to sit against the wall not far from where Loki too is seated.
"I would counsel patience with our mutual friend," Vision offers in time. "He means only to protect you from harm."
"He is a fool," is all Loki will say to this, though surprisingly he does not refute the term.
"Is there anything you need?" Vision is quite aware that their earlier conversation overlooked some of the more immediate concerns in favour of the argument that inevitably ensued, but he has no intention of allowing this to continue. If Stark will not put aside his pride to enquire after the wellbeing of their very recently incapacitated friend, Vision will do it for him.
"Yes. As a matter of fact there is."
Not the answer he had hoped to inspire, but Vision thinks he already knows where this is going. "You would have me intercede on your behalf," he guesses with some amusement. He decides that if Loki were truly in need of assistance of a tangible nature that merely asking him to confirm it would be unlikely to garner much by way of a truthful response.
Loki turns to look at him then, his earnest gaze entreating Vision to hear him. "I do not ask this because I wish to suffer. I mean only to end it all the sooner. We cannot afford to wait and there may be no other way even if we could. It is in his interests as well as my own that I remember myself. Why can he not see that?"
"I'm sure Stark would argue that the ends do not always justify the means. You may be content to go to any lengths to secure whatever you deem necessary, but as I have increasingly begun to learn, that is a philosophy shared by very few of the humans I have so far encountered." He smiles fondly. "The decent ones, at least."
"It is still not his choice to make. I want this to be over with."
"Even at the expense of your friend's peace of mind?"
This gives Loki pause. He considers the question with the seriousness due one of the greatest import, and when he comes to his conclusion he is despondent. "Perhaps Stark is right." Vision waits for more, and in the hesitation that follows Loki looks away. "I am selfish."
"That is not how I would describe you. Single-minded at times, perhaps. Ruthless, particularly with yourself, when you must be. But not callous. And not as cold-hearted as I think you would like to appear. You do not act without thought for others."
The question that follows is delivered with a sideways glance and a note of cunning that suggests the diversion is entirely deliberate. "What would you call an attempt upon the sovereignty and freedom of this world if not cruel?"
"Ah. I see now we are speaking of another. Were I to have this same conversation with that man, I would first ask him for his reasoning before returning a verdict, but as he is not here to give it, I shall reserve judgement for the time being."
"An evasive answer."
Vision smiles. "Yet the only one I have to give at present."
Loki tsks at him, genuinely irritated by this leniency. "You are entirely too understanding."
"One of my many faults, I am sure."
Loki eyes him. "Stark at least has the true measure of me. He knows when his trust is misplaced."
"Forgive me, but I think you misinterpret Stark's words. He is perhaps not very good at communicating what he truly means, but I do not think he fears you would act only in your own self-interest. Quite the opposite, in fact."
Loki shakes his head to himself as though he doesn't understand. "I ask too much of him, he has made that plain. Of all of you. And I have done little to earn your good will. I do not need reminding."
Vision takes a moment to think. The mental gymnastics (as no doubt Stark would name them) that Loki is able to perform in his efforts to avoid unpleasant emotion never cease to both impress and sadden him. How to put this delicately? "Again you misunderstand. I believe it is yourself you ask too much of, and that is what Stark fears. He worries you will put yourself at risk because you feel obligated to do so, and he does not wish to facilitate a dangerous course of action you may not consent to otherwise."
"Then I am in an impossible situation. I do not know how else I can assure him to the contrary. I am sincere when I say that I only wish to expedite matters so that I can regain what advantage we may have before our window of opportunity closes."
"I do not doubt it. Nor, I think, does Stark."
"Then he should not deny me this! He would throw away a valuable tool if he does." Vision frowns at this, and Loki adds, "I do not want to be defenceless when they come for me."
Vision thinks that word is somewhat meaningless when it comes to describing his troubled friend, but he also knows the statement does not come close to giving the full picture. He doesn't imagine for a moment that self-defense is Loki's only motivation. That is not to say that Vision blames Loki for his frustration or for desiring the return of everything he has lost, powers and identity both. He finds it odd however that for all his insistence of selfish intentions, Loki himself shies from voicing a natural longing for what others would take for granted - for a sense of self and a confidence in his own abilities. What could possibly be wrong with wanting something so important that Loki feels he must hide it?
"Give him time," Vision advises again. "He may yet come around to the idea. Without evidence of any immediate results it may just take him longer."
"Time," Loki scoffs without any real heat. "Time we may not have."
Vision does not argue this point, and Loki seems to appreciate this small concession to his fears.
Once tensions have calmed and enough hours have passed, Loki and Stark drift back into one another's company determined to behave as though nothing has happened. Vision decides this is the best he could hope for, and while an outright apology is not forthcoming from either side there is no further name-calling, either.
The evening meal is a somewhat subdued affair but one Stark seems determined they take together. He refrains from cajoling Loki into conversation as he usually would, still understandably cautious about breaking the tenuous truce they have established, and instead watches unhappily as Loki pushes food around his plate, mind somewhere else entirely. He is rather more brusque when he finally rises to remove the untouched meal, replaces it with a plate of cut fruit, and issues Loki a single word of command. "Eat."
It perhaps says more about Vision than it does about Loki, but the resentful glare he expects does not materialise. He makes a mental note to revise some of the more unkind expectations he has of his temperamental friend. Loki instead reaches absently for a portion and begins slowly to eat, still lost in thought. Stark raises an eyebrow to this before moving away to clear up, apparently just as surprised as Vision to be obeyed in this manner.
Vision watches Loki closely. His actions take on an almost mechanical quality, each slice selected, raised and chewed without taking his eyes from some nebulous point in the middle distance. Vision goes so far as to check over his shoulder to confirm that there is nothing there to warrant holding Loki's attention.
After some minutes of this Loki's movements slow until he stops altogether, a last piece of apple suspended on its way from the plate.
"Loki?" Vision says.
Stark must hear the trepidation in his voice. He leaves what he's doing and returns to the table, his gaze switching between Vision and the man sat stock still opposite. With a slight frown, Stark waves his hand in front of Loki's face and stops when this causes no reaction.
"Loki," Stark repeats, more insistent this time.
That seems to work. Loki focuses on them at last and blinks, his brows drawing together. "I do not like apples," he announces out of nowhere, the words coming slowly.
Confused, Stark nevertheless gives a snuff of disbelief. "What are you talking about? You love 'em. Seen you eat plenty."
"No," Loki says, drawing out the word as though discovering the meaning of it. When he continues he is thoughtful yet quietly insistent. "No, I mean I have never liked them." He frowns down at the piece of fruit in his hands. "Not... before now."
Vision exchanges a look with Stark, and when they turn back to Loki he appears just as confused by this statement as they are.
"Well I'll be damned," Stark mutters to himself, though not discreetly enough that they do not all hear the implications behind his words.
"I take it then that the experiment has been successful?" Vision asks in his most guileless tone of voice, and the look Stark shoots him inspires a smile of triumph he feels no need to restrain.
From there it is less difficult than anticipated to draw Stark out on furthering the trials they have started. While he is resistant at first, he concedes that the first ill-fated attempt at least had the desired effect. Loki hides his sense of accomplishment to have this recognised remarkably well and turns all of his considerable charm towards appeasing Stark's bruised ego. It is a rather transparent display at times but it seems to work, even if it is somewhat underhand. With enough calm assurances, reasoned arguments and sincere, humble apologies, Stark is persuaded to try again.
The conditions Stark applies to his cooperation are however severalfold. He insists that they begin by identifying the minimum threshold at which they can achieve the required results, both in terms of the intensity required and the length of time Loki is required to be at the mercy of the device's effects. To do this they will start small and work their way up. "As we always planned," Stark adds archly.
Vision will be on hand to assist for every session, and Loki is absolutely forbidden to attempt to continue alone. FRIDAY is instructed to lock the technology down if Loki 'so much as looks at it' without Stark and Vision's presence.
Stark also sets a rigid timetable, with long breaks of several days between sessions and strict instructions concerning medical checks, eating and sleeping in between. He even goes so far as to plan in stretches of time immediately following a session when Loki will be in the company of one of them at all times. For his own safety, Stark supplies cryptically.
Loki chafes at some of these restrictions and the clear violations of his autonomy but has the sense not to defy Stark openly. The victorious grin Stark produces when his edicts are accepted suggests to Vision that there may be slightly more to some of his demands than simply securing Loki's wellbeing.
Vision finds he forgives Stark this small revenge.
When they come to try the second time it is slow going. Vision thinks he understands more now the tenacity with which Loki had previously urged them to meaningful action. Watching him struggle through a series of ineffective yet undoubtedly painful sessions with no appreciable result becomes almost unbearable, to the point where even Stark appears uncomfortable about following the rules he himself has laid down.
Loki however doggedly complies and insists they follow the timetable Stark has set out for them, partly, Vision suspects, to prove an unpalatable point. It is almost a week and a half of this before they reach the point at which the device triggers the interference Stark had described.
Vision is of course present this time to help steady Loki as he disengages the device in his hand. The series of strange images as Loki's magic flickers and resets in the aftermath of the onslaught is as fascinating as it is concerning, and the shuddering breath of relief Loki releases marks the end of fruitless rounds of pain.
They manage to avoid a scene such as that which greeted Vision when he first arrived at the house. Loki is exhausted but not entirely drained of reserves, and together they make it upstairs to the room he has made his own before he succumbs to sleep atop the bedspread. A more promising start, perhaps, but Stark still does not appear entirely happy with what he observes.
The following morning Loki is faster to recover once rested, and while they all attempt to go about their day as though it is a day like any other, there is a discernible atmosphere of apprehension that is difficult to ignore. The tension comes to something of a head when Loki snaps at Stark to stop hovering, and with palms raised in surrender the man gives ground without a fight.
It is almost evening when it finally happens, and again Vision is the first to notice. As begins a pattern that they will come to recognise in the coming weeks, Loki is mid-activity when his movements begin to slow, his attention wandering as he puzzles out some new revelation. This time he lowers the ebook he is reading, his face contorting in a series of befuddled expressions that Stark will later affectionately describe as 'adorable, actually'.
When he finally meets the two expectant gazes turned his way he tilts his head in query.
"Stark," he says, framing his question as though he is almost afraid to ask. "What is... What is 'Point Break'?"