A week later than I'd intended, and I'm sorry about that. Working in a primary school at Christmas time means suddenly all your evenings are taken up with making props for nativities and said nativity rehearsals. However, it is now out of the way so I am intending to get another chapter out before the big day itself (bearing in mind I'm still working all the way up to next Friday, we break up really late!).
In other news: In love you guys. Seriously, I want to marry each and every one of you for all your faves and alerts and the reviews. Oh the reviews! Every single one makes me so happy I can't even describe it! So thank you to all of you, it means a hell of a lot that you like the weird tangle of words my brain can produce and the only thing I can really do to show my appreciation is to continue churning this story out. Love to you all!
WARNINGS FOR THIS CHAPTER: More smut. There are mentions of transphobia bullying, self-hate due to a character's own sexuality and a bit of graphic exploration into Loki's anatomy (in a sexual situation). Mostly trigger warnings for transphobia and transgender self-esteem issues. I've done my best to be delicate, since I have a lot of friends who are transgender so I am approaching this with the knowledge of how sensitive this subject can be to people.
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There were a lot of things that had to be taken into account when raising an extremely precocious and intelligent child. For example; she wanted to know everything. Where most children would shout 'it's not fair!' as a prelude to a temper tantrum she would shriek 'But I don't understand!' and then proceed to have a screaming fit at whoever the receiver of her wrath happened to be. She was also very quick at picking up how things worked and had re-programed the TV to remove anything that she deemed to be 'boring'. Which meant all the sports and news channels had been deleted, much to the other's dismay.
She had also reached the age where she was taking more notice of the world beyond her own home and the people she knew. Tony had not anticipated this to be a problem and was therefore unprepared for her to start asking awkward questions. Well, he'd always expected the normal awkward questions; 'where do babies come from?' being the classic, but hadn't given much thought to other things she may have picked up on from the world around her.
The memorial to the Battle of New York was having a face-lift in time for the tenth anniversary the following year. Evie was aware that there had been something that had happened, a few years before she was born, but this was the first time that she was old enough to both take an interest and understand.
Tony was in his workshop when Jarvis announced that the child was asking to come in and appeared to be somewhat upset. He removed his welding helmet and turned the power off to the tools as his daughter rounded the large benches and machinery to find him.
"Daddy?" It was obvious that she'd been crying – which was unusual for her – and once she spotted her father sitting at the desk she ran over, beginning to snivel again.
"Evelyn! What on earth's happened?! Are you hurt?!" Tony opened his arms so that his daughter could scramble onto his lap, holding her tightly. When there was no reply he tried again, rubbing one hand in soothing circles on her back. "What's wrong, little bird?"
"Is…Is Móhðy a bad-guy?" The child whispered.
"What?!"
"The battle. Where everyone died. They were talking about it on the TV and Móhðy was on it wearing weird clothes. He kept…He was hurting people."
Oh.
Shit!
Evie was never meant to have seen that footage; not until she was much older and more able to understand the intricacies of what had happened and the reasons behind it. Tony had no idea what to say, he hadn't yet planned ahead for that conversation.
"Is Móhðy bad?" The girl repeated.
"No."
"But he hurt people. He had an army!"
"It was complicated, Evie…" Tony said quietly.
"But I don't understand!"
The warning words that preluded a tantrum, and the inventor winced. How the hell was he going to explain the whole 'Kneel before me, dull mortals!' stunt that Loki had pulled nearly ten years ago?! Evie was still sobbing into his chest and he hugged her tightly, rocking her like he'd once done when she was a baby.
What was the best way to explain this…?
"Do you remember that history lesson you had on the first world war?" He asked finally. The girl sniffed and nodded, evidently not seeing where this was going.
"Who were the bad guys?"
"Germany…?"
"Why?"
"Because…" Evie frowned, her sobs trailing off as she tried to think. "Because they killed people?"
Tony shook his head. "We killed people too. Infact we killed more of them than they did of us."
"So…We were the bad guys?"
"No again."
Evie glared up at him tearfully. "I don't get it!"
Tony smiled slightly at the petulant tone. "Very often in wars there are no good guys and no bad guys. Both sides do horrible things and both sides have heroes."
"So why do they fight?"
"Because they both believe different things and are too silly to talk to each other about it." Possibly an overly simplistic way of explaining the most complex part of humanities failings. "So they fight instead and people die on both sides."
Evie went silent as her young mind tried to work through what she'd been told. It was a large concept to grasp, especially for a child who lived with Earths Mightiest Heroes and still saw the world as the black and white of good guys and bad guys.
"Do you see what I'm saying, little bird?"
"I…think so."
"Y'know, the first time your Móhðy and I had a proper conversation, I insulted him and he threw me out a window."
As hoped, Evie giggled quietly – sometimes it is wise not to underestimate a child's love of adults behaving stupidly. Tony's spirits rose a little at seeing his daughter look slightly happier.
"So Móhðy and Shield should have just sat down and talked about why they were feeling bad. Then the battle wouldn't have happened?"
"Well…I'm sure that would have been a sight to behold…" And one he was now never going to be able to not think about! "Maybe it would have worked." Probably not. "But they didn't talk things through like sensible adults and so the battle happened. But do you see why Móhðy wasn't the bad guy? He was just on the other side."
Evie bit her thumbnail, but nodded slowly. "I…think so. But why didn't he agree with Shield? Aren't they in charge of keeping the world safe? Why didn't he want to listen to them?"
Damnit all for having a smart child! Find a good analogy, find a good analogy, find a – Ah!
"Do you remember in Aladdin when Jafar has the lamp?" Tony silently praised Disney. He smiled when his daughter nodded. "The genie had to do everything Jafar said, right? And he did mean things to Aladdin and Jasmine, but would you say the genie is a bad guy?"
"No, Jafar was making him do it." There was a pause as Evie tried to think through what she was being told, and Tony let her attempt to find the conclusion herself. "…Was someone making Móhðy do it?"
Bingo.
"Yes."
Another silence as the girl pieced some things together. "Is that who's after him now? Is that why he can't stay with us?"
"Yeah. But he's okay, you don't need to worry, he can look after himself."
That drew a proper smile out on his daughter's face. "I know, he can do anything!"
A child's faith in one of the world's most notorious super villains. Tony hugged her tightly.
"So, feel a bit better?"
"Yeah, thanks Daddy." Evie wiped her eyes on Tony's T-shirt. "Móhðy has a cool helmet." She added thoughtfully. "Would he let me try it on?"
The inventor laughed. "I'm sure he will."
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Christmas came round a month later, with all the usual hubbub and activity associated. This included choosing a tree, decorating said tree and everywhere else that could possibly hold tinsel, and getting food and presents ready.
Evie was especially fond of the food preparations. She'd shown great enthusiasm for cooking – although not as much talent, sadly – so whenever one or another of the Avenger's tried to cook up something for the festive season she spent the whole time getting under their feet. In the end Pepper had taken it upon herself to help the girl make some mince pies just to stop her from annoying everyone.
So when Loki turned up on Christmas Eve he was greeted with a large plate of the traditional pastries. They were slightly over-done and the filling was seeping out of a few but the small family sat down on Tony's bed to enjoy them like they were of 3 Michelin star quality.
"Did you know these were originally made with meat?" Loki said conversationally.
Evie looked at the pie she held, already half-eaten, and pulled a face. "Yuck! Meat would be nasty with sugar!"
"That's why it didn't have sugar, silly." The trickster leaned over to tickle her under her chin and she squealed with delight, batting him away.
"Don't get crumbs on my bed…" Tony's complaint wasn't very emphatic and was promptly ignored. He smiled indulgently at his daughter and partner as Loki teased the girl and she shrieked with laughter. "You two are impossible!"
"God of mischief at your service." Loki was laughing as Evie retaliated and launched her own attack.
The God had healed well since they had last seen him; the ring of scars round his neck barely visible any more. Tony was pretty certain that in a few more weeks they would be gone entirely.
"Móhðy, can I wear your helmet?"
Loki looked shocked for a brief moment, eyes flickering to Tony for an explanation. The man shrugged uneasily.
"She accidently saw some of the footage of the battle. We've talked it over."
Evie just looked hopeful. "Can I wear your helmet? Pleeeeaaase?"
The trickster still seemed taken aback, but when he saw Tony's tiny nod of agreement he held his hands out and let the helm materialise in them. He lifted it up by the two horns and gently placed it on his daughter's head, where – being far too big for her – it slipped to a rakish angle.
The child didn't seem to care, clapping her hands together with delight and standing up to jump on the bed.
"Look at me Daddy! I'm a Goddess!"
Tony was laughing, and reached out to hold one of her hands, keeping her steady as she bounced about on the mattress. The helmet was too loose so she was having to hold onto it, and teamed with the Slade T-shirt she was wearing as a night-dress (Tony's again, he'd given up all hope of ever getting his band shirts back) the overall effect was both heart-warming and hilarious.
"Here!" The girl pulled the cumbersome thing off of her head and offered it out to her father with a grin. "You try."
The inventor's gaze fixed on the golden helmet with the long elegant horns. Unbidden, the memory of Loki wearing it in Germany came back to him – the first time they'd met. Loki killing innocent people without a thought, subjugating those that he had deemed beneath him, revelling in chaos and all the while wearing that helm …
Then he glanced up and found that two sets of green eyes were staring at him; Evie still offering out the head-gear in question and the God himself looking suddenly worried. The memories vanished as swiftly as they had raised their ugly heads – this wasn't the same Loki any more. Maybe it had been when they'd first started out together, all sharpness and spite and pain, but now they had a child, a life and it seemed that those things combined with the healing power of time had done the trickster the world of good.
"Go on then, put it on me."
Loki's face lit up with a big grin as Evie slipped the helmet onto Tony's head. It fitted far better than it had on the child's and was surprisingly not as awkwardly balanced as it looked. He turned his head one way, then the other, noting that it probably weighed only slightly more than his own Ironman helmet. One thing was obvious though.
"How do you hear anything in this?" Tony tried to readjust it, but no matter the angle it was still covering his ears and he had to lift it off to hear Loki's reply.
"Magic."
"That can't just be your answer to everything!"
The God of mischief stuck his tongue out and in response Tony held the helm out to him.
"We've had our turns. Your go."
"You've seen me wear it before."
"Humour me."
Loki retrieved his helmet with a sigh, turning it over in his hands. "I would rather not. I have refused to wear this for nearly a decade; it holds many memories, most of which are unpleasant."
The inventor frowned. It did make sense, that the symbol under which Loki had declared war was now abhorrent to him. But at the same time the trickster had worn the helmet for eons – winning battles and glory for Asgard as a prince and beloved family member. Didn't that count for something?
He took the golden horns out of Loki's hands, the metal warm and reassuring under his fingers.
"As you said; it's been nearly a decade. You aren't that person anymore." He said quietly. "You've got a new life, a daughter, a second chance and you've got me." A grin crossed his face. "Surely a God of all people would understand forgiveness and redemption when he saw them?" And so saying he lifted the helmet up and placed it on Loki's head, almost as if it were a crown. "There we go; there's the guy the Vikings worshiped."
Evie, having no way of knowing the significance of what had just passed between her parents piped up; "I've learnt about the Vikings in history! They had cool boats."
The tension broke and Loki laughed. He looked…different in the helm. It suited him when he was in his full war gear, so by all accounts shouldn't work when he was wearing cargos and a shirt. Somehow he still managed to carry it off.
Smug bastard, Tony thought.
"-And they had axes!" Evie was still on her Viking rant; obviously it was a lesson she had enjoyed. "Móhðy, did you ever meet any Vikings?"
Loki smiled indulgently at the child's enthusiasm. "Of course I did."
Tony sat back with a grin, picking up another mince pie as his daughter and lover began an excited conversation on the merits of Vikings. Who better to talk about them than the very deity they had worshipped?
After Evie had gone to bed – her room now opened up onto the landing, Tony having decided that she was old enough to not need a direct link to him – Loki waved his hands and the helm vanished from his head.
"Thank you for letting her see it." Tony pressed a kiss to the side of the trickster's forehead, arm around the taller man's shoulders. "I hadn't realised it was a sore-spot for you."
"Most of the things concerning that time are a 'sore-spot' for me." The quotation marks fell neatly into place, almost sounding like sarcasm. "How did you explain it all to Evelyn, then?"
"Likened it to world war one." Maybe he said it too carelessly, but he almost overbalanced when the God he'd been leaning against backed away suddenly.
"What?!" Loki looked incensed. "Millions died in that war! How are the two even comparable?!"
Tony held up his hands hurriedly. "No! Not like that! I meant in the way that there weren't necessarily good guys or bad guys. I was trying to explain how a war can happen without any one single person being to blame. I succeeded too."
"Hmm." The trickster was still looking less than impressed, but his ruffled feathers seemed to settle somewhat. "Not the best of examples you could have used. World War One was beyond what you Christian's refer to as Hell, beyond the apocalypse and even beyond our own Ragnarok. I have never seen a race treat itself so cruelly as it did then."
"You say that like you were there."
"I fought in the Somme."
Tony raised an eyebrow in surprise. Somehow the mental image of Loki in a soldier's uniform wasn't as hard to grasp as one might have thought. "Which side?"
"That's not relevant."
"Huh. So, was that a one off, or have you had a look at a lot of history? I remember what you said about the Titanic." He added with a grin.
Loki returned the expression. "I have witnessed most of the important moments in history." He said smugly. "I helped haul stone for the pyramids, campaigned across a continent for a Macedonian king, defended Jerusalem against the crusaders, you name it, I was there. Watching, participating and very occasionally manipulating; when it suited."
"Why?"
The trickster smirked. He rolled onto his stomach, stretching out like a feline before crawling up the bed to straddle Tony's lap where the man was still sitting against the headboard. "Because." He ran his hands through the man's hair, almost seeming to stare through him. "Because humanity is everything that we Gods can't be." Leaning forwards the trickster rested his forehead against his partner's. "For half a million years I have lived in Asgard and seen nothing change. Oh, we war and squabble and forge treaties with other realms, but we never move on, we never learn and we never grow as a people or culture. When I first saw humanity I was astounded! All you seem to do is change. Your very existence as a species is built upon growing and adapting, evolving, living every day with the knowledge that you may never see another. You learnt and discovered and built and created all based upon your mortality. Not just new thoughts but new ways of thinking. Humanity fashioned such things as have never been seen in Asgard in such brief life-times: skyscrapers, the internet, cathedrals, the Mona Lisa, the pyramids, the Great Wall of China! All this from a race of monkeys!" He stopped his rant with a deep sigh. "I followed humanity because I realised that in truth you are more than we deities-" The word was almost spat. "-Could ever be."
Tony stared at the taller man in silent awe.
"I…People sometimes wonder what it is like to see the world through the eyes of a God..." He finally whispered. "I never thought it would be like that."
"Maybe now you can understand a little of how I view you and Evelyn."
The pure honesty and emotion in his voice burned.
"My God…" The casual blasphemy slipped out before Tony could really think – it's all too common a way of swearing. Then he smiled and cupped Loki's cheek, their breath mingling. "My God."
"Yours. Always yours." The trickster closed the distance between them, his lips claiming Tony's in a gentle kiss.
It only lasted a few brief moments before the inventor suddenly heaved up and rolled them both over so that he was lying full length on top of the taller man. Loki laughed, his arms moving to wrap around his partner's shoulders.
"You are incorrigible, Stark!"
"Uh, yeah? It's taken you this long to realise this?" Tony nudged the trickster's chin up with his forehead so that he could attack the pale throat that was exposed. He nipped just hard enough to bring out a bruise and grinned when Loki groaned underneath him. "And I don't hear you complaining."
"Oh shut up. I'm a deity. I can command you, and right now I'm commanding you to get on with it!"
"Eleventh commandment?"
"Wrong religion, Stark."
Tony sniggered and leaned up to sink his teeth into the lobe of Loki's ear. "Whatever, like I've ever paid attention to all that divinity stuff anyway." He pulled back to make eye-contact. "Now if you want to speed this up make with the mojo and get rid of our clothes."
"You are impatient beyond all reason!" The trickster laughed and flicked his partner on the nose. "What am I to do with you?!" He didn't wait for an answer and instead waved his hand through a fluent series of gestures that resulted in leaving the two of them suddenly bare.
"I love that trick." Tony's voice was heavily muffled as he pressed his mouth firmly against Loki's shoulder, sucking at the warm flesh to raise a red mark. He heard a soft chuckle in reply, and the trickster's long fingers splaying against his back. Feeling Loki shift under him he purposely manoeuvred his leg between the taller man's thighs. "I'm topping?"
"Mmm, we'll see." The God tangled his hands in his partner's hair, bending his knee to rub against the man and cause enough friction to draw a hiss from Tony. "Maybe I want to."
"You always just say you want to, then allow me to pound you through the mattress."
"And if I want to return the favour this time?"
Tony raised himself up his elbows so that his arms bracketed the trickster's head. "Do you?"
"It's been more than a few years, Tony." The words had a little bit of a bite to them, enough to show that Loki was displeased that his request wasn't being treated as Gospel law. Some things never change. "It is entirely reasonable for me to wish to reverse the habit we appear to have fallen into."
"Don't tell me you're getting tired of my ability to - what's that term you use? - 'rend you senseless'?"
"Don't tell me you've forgotten my ability to fuck you until your brain falls out."
Tony's mouth dropped open at the profanity, his mind short-circuiting. Sure, Loki knew what all the colloquialisms and slang meant, but he very rarely used them. The surprise was enough for the inventor not to protest when he was promptly rolled onto his back and straddled by an unbearably smug Norse God.
"Oh." The man wriggled slightly and found himself well and truly pinned.
"I'd forgotten how delicious you look beneath me." Loki mused. "Maybe I'll turn the tables more often." He leant down to hiss the words into his partner's ear.
Tony shuddered, running his hands down the firm thighs that held his body in place, digging his fingers into the defined muscles. "I think I might just let you."
"Oh you say it like you have a choice!" Loki laughed softly, leaning down to kiss the trapped man. It had been a long time since he had taken on the dominant role, and for the life of him he couldn't remember why he'd left it so long as Tony arched beneath him, his arousal stirring to brush the trickster's thigh. "I'm going to make you squirm." He whispered.
"Promises, promises…" Tony chuckled as the God trailed a pathway down his throat in a series of nips and kisses. He struggled again, a token protest, before settling back to let his partner do as he wished.
As noted before, Loki had earned the name of Silvertongue for more than just his skill with words. He ran his mouth across the mortal's chest in a whispering caress that made Tony jump and shiver whenever he reached especially ticklish spots – mostly the man's stomach – reminding himself of each and every patch of warm flesh that drew a reaction from the human.
"You are not playing fair." Stark hissed.
"Hmm, I never do." Loki dipped his head down to graze his teeth across the man's inner thigh, so close to where Tony wanted him to be and yet refusing to do anything that was not entirely on his own terms. "Maybe I can be persuaded to move onto something more to your current wishes if you were to ask nicely."
Tony chuckled. "Oh hell no! No way are you going to play that game!"
The trickster sat back up to meet his partner's gaze with the most innocent expression he could possibly muster. "But I do so enjoy hearing you beg."
"Not. Happening."
"We'll see." And there was that dark smile that was worthy only of the God of mischief himself. He resumed worrying the sensitive flesh of the man's thigh until the red mark he'd created began to bruise properly and would last for at least a few days. His mark.
"Ow." Tony sounded anything but pained though, as he fidgeted, his unmolested leg bending at the knee to brush Loki's shoulder. "Again with the biting…Is it an Aesir thing or Jötunn?"
Loki chuckled. "I have only had the misfortune to sleep with one Jötunn, and yes, biting was very much a large part of the experience." He nuzzled his nose against the bruise. "Don't tell me you don't like it…" The movement meant that his cheek brushed up against the man's erection and Tony sucked his breath in with a hiss. "I'm sorry? What was that?" The trickster repeated the movement again with more purpose and heard the man release a shuddering sigh in response.
"I'm not going to crack, Loki…" Tony's determination was good, he'd allow that much, but the way his voice shook rather ruined the effect.
"Oh yes you are." Loki ran a single finger up the full length of his partner's arousal, tracing the thick vein along the underside. He felt the man shiver again when he followed the same path with his tongue. "It just may take a few more tricks for you to do so."
Tony let out a strangled yelp as the trickster once again proved that, to a God, there's no such thing as a gag reflex and with no further ado took the entirety of the man's erection down his throat.
"Jesus Christ! A little warning!"
And the smug bastard simply hummed in response.
Tony thumped his fist against the mattress with a curse before his voice trailed off into a languid moan. Okay, yeah, Loki could really use that mouth of his…
Sucking, licking, a gentle scrape of teeth, a vacuum, everything that the man loved and everything that Loki knew would slowly drive him round the bend. Tony was panting shallowly, his fingers finding their way into the trickster's hair as the dark head bobbed up and down over him. It felt good, hell it felt beyond amazing, but he seriously didn't think it was going to make him give in at any time.
In fact, there was nothing the man really needed to beg for; Loki was taking very good care of him. Already he could feel that curling heat beginning to pool in the pit of his stomach, along with the warm smugness of knowing that he'd held out and beaten the trickster at his own game.
"Loki…Nearly there…I…God…"
And then, just as he reached the crest of the wave there was a sudden vicious pinch at the base of his erection, completely denying him the ability to orgasm.
"Fuck! Loki, what the fuck?!" He would have been embarrassed at how shrill his voice was if it wasn't for the fact that Loki had stopped him from finishing!
The trickster released the pulsing erection from his mouth long enough to smirk up at the man. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did you want something?"
"You bastard!"
"I'm quite aware of my parentage and rest assured they were married." And so saying he simply dipped his head back down, continuing right where he left off.
Tony groaned loudly, thumping his head against his pillow and fisting his hand in his partner's hair. God, but it felt amazing! Cruel? Yes, but absolutely mind-blowing at the same time.
Loki quickly and skilfully brought him back to the same point before pulling exactly the same stunt again, much to the man's dismay. Then he began getting his fingers involved too.
Stark had no idea where his partner had found the lube, but he was still thrashing around and cursing the air blue when there was suddenly a slick finger against his entrance, pressing gently.
"Ah! Damn you Loki!"
All he got in return was a chuckle that sent vibrations right through him and the finger suddenly pushing past the tight ring of muscle and making him squirm all the worse.
"You know what I want to hear, Tony." It had to be magic. A projected voice or something, because Loki's mouth never left his erection.
"Not…happening…"
One finger became two, and all the while the sinful mouth never stopped, never paused. Tony arched his back with a yelp as Loki successfully brushed his prostate and then ground back down against the fingers, needing more.
By the third time the trickster blocked off his orgasm (and he had more than a sneaking suspicion that magic was being utilized since there was no way the trick should be that effective!) Stark was beginning to see the benefits in giving in to Loki's demands. Tears of frustration were running down his cheeks, his breathing broken up into a shuddering mess as he twisted helplessly under the God's skilled mouth and hands.
"Ah…fuck…can't…Loki, I can't…"
"You know what I want to hear." The disembodied voice sounded unbearably smug.
Fine. God damnit but he just could not take it anymore!
"Please!" Tony gasped. "Loki, please!"
The trickster sat up, fingers still moving inside his partner in a lazy rhythm. "Please what?"
"Git! Please fuck me. You win…just…damnit…just fuck me already!"
The overwhelming smugness on Loki's face was almost too much to bear. He leant over to kiss Tony, his fingers still inside the inventor and applying enough gentle pressure that it was obvious he wanted the man to raise his hips.
"Wait…wait…" Tony broke the kiss, panting hard as he stared up at the God. "Not this way…I can't…"
"Tony?"
The man laughed breathlessly. "Nothing bad, I promise. I'm just not that flexible anymore."
"Oh…" Loki removed his fingers and pulled himself off of the warm body so that Tony could roll over and push himself up to his hands and knees. It really hadn't occurred to the immortal God that in the ten years they had known each other the man had been aging.
"I do hope this doesn't mean I have to be gentle."
"I might have to kill you if you are."
"Oh good." And so saying and with no other warning Loki drove forwards and buried himself in the man's willing body.
Tony howled, falling forwards to his elbows. When he'd said that the God needn't be gentle he hadn't really intended to be split in two. It hurt, hell yeah it hurt, but blood-and-sands it felt good! He didn't realise that he had tensed up until a hand was rested on his back, cool and soothing.
"Are you alright?"
"…One moment." He was surprised that Loki actually listened and waited as he let the pain subside to a manageable level before pushing himself up off his elbows. "Right. I'm good."
"Knew you still had it in you." The trickster wasn't one for putting on the kids gloves when he was in charge, and took Tony at his word.
The man arched his back, cursing as his partner set a punishing rhythm; hard and fast and just how he liked it. Yeah, it had been a while and yeah he was really going to feel it the next day, but surely that was the point!
He had already been brought to the point of orgasm three times, only to be denied, so Tony was unsurprised to find the fourth attempt building up. Loki knew exactly where to aim for inside of him to bring stars to his eyes with each thrust and in growing desperation he moved his hand to his aching erection.
"Allow me." The trickster's voice sounded remarkably steady all things considered as he knocked Tony's fingers out of the way and wrapped his own fist around the human's arousal in a firm grip. He chuckled when he felt the man tense slightly. "I promise to allow you release this time." He didn't allow Tony chance to reply as he began to move his hand in time with his thrusts.
"Bloody…hell…Loki…" The man collapsed back to his elbows, burying his head in his forearms. It was getting hard to think as his world concentrated down to the thrusting pressure against his prostate and the insistent grip around his erection. There was no such thing as dignity anymore; just a constant litany of pleas and curses as the God drove him relentlessly into his release.
"Ah! Fuck! Loki…." The man came undone, stars blinding his vision – and, hey, he'd thought that was a metaphor, but apparently it was actually happening – the trickster's name on his lips as a keening wail. He collapsed onto his stomach, repeating 'Loki' over and over, the movement causing the God to pull out of him.
Bloody hell! When was the last time he'd been that thoroughly satisfied?!
Tony realised he must have actually zoned out for a few moments, because the next thing he knew he was lying on his side – still panting heavily – with Loki lying almost on top of him.
"That sounds like you enjoyed yourself."
"Stop sounding smug…"
"How can I help it?" Loki purred, spooning up behind the man and whispering directly into his ear. "The sounds you make when you finally give in are simply delicious."
"Smug…" Tony rolled over with a groan, uncaring about the sticky mess left smeared across his stomach. He grinned lazily as he felt his partner's erection firm and warm against his thigh. "If you're looking for me to reciprocate then you're gonna be waiting a while – human recovery periods and all that."
"You're a supposed genius, you'll think of something." The trickster moved away from the man just enough to stretch out languidly on his back. "Surprise me."
Stark's eyes lit up. "You know that is exactly the wrong thing to say to someone like me, right?"
The smirk he got in return was downright sinful. "Why do you think I said it? I'm nearly as old as your entire species; there is little left that I haven't tried." The trickster gestured elegantly at his naked body. "I repeat: surprise me."
He chuckled as the man moved to straddle his waist, his hands drifting up to rest on Tony's hips in the mirror of how he had pinned the inventor down at the beginning of their encounter.
"I have some things in mind." Tony leant down to scrape his teeth along his partners left nipple, gently grazing the sensitive flesh until it drew up into a tight bud. "But they depend on how much you trust me."
One of Loki's hands had wandered up to splay against the man's back, and his fingers dug in as Stark's teeth pulled and tugged until he moaned.
"Why…do you ask…?" After already indulging himself in bringing his partner to completion the God wasn't far away himself, and was hoping that he could last out to see what the man had in mind.
Tony slid himself backwards a little so that when he dipped his head back down he was right in-line to run his tongue along the head of the trickster's erection.
"You never answered my question." He breathed, smirking as the gentle breeze of his words made Loki shiver. "How much do you trust me?"
"Enough, I'm sure. What…ah!...what do you have in mind?" The God tried to focus his mind over the insistent mouth lapping at his erection.
"I want to see you. The real you."
Loki pushed his partner's head away in attempt to allow his mind to clear. "You've seen the 'real me'. You've screwed the 'real me' through the mattress." The colloquialism sounded odd with his formal accent.
"No, I don't mean your Smurf get-up." Tony kept his tone light, but there was something in his voice that made the God wonder what he was up to. "I mean you." He sat up a little, obviously frustrated that he wasn't getting his point across as Loki stared at him expectantly. "I want to see what you've hidden from your lover's all your life. I want you to trust me enough to take the enchantment off." A round-about way of saying it, but Tony was always verbose when he was trying to convey something important.
The trickster's eyes widened and he half sat up, understanding lighting his gaze as he realised what the man was trying to ask for. "You want to see my true hermaphroditic form?" He whispered. "But why? You've already seen it anyway."
"Yeah, but you were giving birth at the time and I wasn't exactly in an enquiring frame of mind since I was acting as mid-wife for my own daughter." Tony ran his hand across his partner's chest, trying to chase away the uneasiness that had appeared in the God's expression. "And why? Because I want to know you in every way that's possible. Because it's been a very long time since I first blasted you off your feet in Germany and you're still a riddle to me. I know damn well I'll never be able to truly understand or know all your secrets – Norse God and all that – but I'll take anything you're willing to give. I want to know you."
"You're…the first to ever want to." Loki's expression was shuttered and inscrutable as he stared up at the man.
"Will you let me?"
The trickster turned his face away, staring off into the darkened room. Tony wondered hopelessly if he'd finally pushed too far, but stayed silent as he waited for an answer – either positive or negative.
"I…I struggled with this aspect of myself for the entirety of my youth and after learning the enchantment to conceal it I have never willingly removed it. Even during childbirth it's not something I choose to do, but rather a consequence of my powers fleeing during the labour." The admission was quiet, spoken into the emptiness of the rest of the room rather than to Tony. "I believe I know my Jötunn markings better than I know my own true reproductive anatomy."
That was saying something. Whilst Loki had made his peace with his heritage, it didn't mean he liked it. Accepting the frost giant blood running through his veins was one thing, but he rarely if ever changed to his natural form. Showing Evie had possibly been the only time he'd done so willingly.
Silence was most certainly not one of Tony's virtues, but he was managing very well as he tried to let Loki work through the dilemma posed by his request. It was nearly three minutes – so much longer to wait through than it sounds – before the trickster turned his head back to meet the inventors gaze.
"Yes."
"Huh?"
Loki chuckled quietly. "I said yes, you stupid mortal." He shook his head with a wry smile. "The Norns alone know why, but I will allow you this."
"Oh…" Tony smiled, a much gentler expression than his usual shit-eating grin, as he realised the absolute trust being put in him. "Thank you…"
"Hmm. I'm still not entirely sure what you're intending to do, but…well…I trust you."
"I'll endeavour not to disappoint you." If nothing else he was far far too aware of the damage Loki could inflict should he make the wrong move. Not that he was intending to make the wrong move, of course.
The man leant back down and kissed along Loki's inner thigh, his cheek brushing the God's erection. The trickster was still edgy and he tensed as Tony paused at the hollow of his hip, the man evidently spotting the anatomical changes and trying not to stare. He closed his eyes and tried to relax.
Tony didn't know what he was expecting but was almost disappointed at how mundane the change was. Maybe he'd been envisaging some sort of mutation or hybrid merge, or even something entirely unheard of. As it was there was little difference beyond the addition of a familiar type of opening in place of the perineum. Tony Stark had slept with more than enough women in his life to recognise the female genitalia when he saw it.
"Well?" Loki's voice was quiet, uncertain. "Curiosity sated?"
"May I touch?"
The trickster huffed in annoyance. "Must you?! I hardly see what you could gain."
"I won't gain anything; you might enjoy it though."
"I highly doubt that."
"Trust me? It's not like I'll hurt you."
There was silence for a few moments before Loki sighed irritably. "Fine, but I will make it abundantly clear should I dislike anything you do."
"I assumed that much." Tony grinned and leant down to wrap his mouth around the head of his partner's erection again, tongue moving against the firm flesh. The trickster was still tense underneath him, but responded well enough to the stimulation, arching slightly into the contact.
The man took it slow, doing nothing more than teasing Loki's erection until he had the God gasping hoarsely, twisting underneath him. It was a given that the trickster wasn't going to fully relax - this was too new and too strange for him to accept completely - but he didn't protest when Tony's hand brushed up to the very top of his inner thigh.
If there was one thing Tony Stark was good at outside of a lab then it was – in his words – the Art of Love. He had been there, seen it and done it all. The kinks, the quirks, men, women, multiple, experienced, virgins, he knew the best techniques for each and every one. In short he made Casanova look like a monk. So to be confronted with a hermaphroditic God with extreme self-esteem issues was not actually all that strange to him. He could work with this.
Loki tensed up as he felt a gentle finger brush along unknown areas, the feeling so foreign that he couldn't even tell if it was uncomfortable or not. The touch was light, asking permission as it slid along unfamiliar flesh.
Tony tried to keep his partner distracted by continuing to use his mouth over the trickster's arousal, licking and sucking in every way that he knew Loki liked in an attempt to divert him from the other touch.
It meant that once two fingers finally breached the hitherto unused entrance the God was not paying attention and the sudden sensation made him arch up with a gasp.
"Oh!"
Tony glanced up, not necessarily concerned since Loki hadn't sounded like he objected, but wanting to check just in case.
"Does it hurt?"
"….No…" The single word was breathy and wondering.
The man kept his fingers still, allowing his partner to grow used to the sensation of fullness in the new place. Loki's genitalia didn't include a clitoris, but Tony knew more than enough tricks to make up for the lack, especially when he still had his tongue wrapped around the trickster's erection. Once the tight heat around his fingers relaxed slightly he began to move them, slowly at first so that Loki could grow used to the sensation.
"How does that feel?" He lifted his head up enough to ask the question.
"Mnn…Not as bad as…as I expected…"
"Well, it's only going to get better. Feel up to more?"
"I…yes?…" Loki was relaxing, pliant under the man's hands as his body accepted that there could be a new form of pleasure found this way.
Tony grinned. He began to up the speed his fingers were moving at, still being careful but starting to increase the stimulation. He paid close attention to Loki's reactions, making sure that nothing he did was painful and aiming continuously for the small spot that he knew lay inside. And he was good at aiming. It didn't take long for his partner to start panting hoarsely, a hand coming down to grasp at the man's short hair.
"Valhalla, Tony…More…need something…need more…"
"You sure?"
"Please…" Loki arched his back, not even really sure what he was asking for but his body desperate for it all the same.
Tony decided to take him at face value. He sat up a little, leaving the God's arousal to focus purely on working the tight passage. Placing a palm on his partner's stomach he continued to move his fingers in a circular motion, faster and harder, years of experience telling him exactly what would send the trickster crazy.
The different sensation made Loki buck up into the contact, raising his hips without realising. If he'd been more aware to anything other than what Tony was doing to him he would have been mortified by his whimpers and nonsensical pleas – the Silvertongue turned to an incoherent mess. As it was he didn't care how he sounded, every fibre of his being intent only on the building heat inside of him that was familiar and yet so different.
Tony wasn't sure he'd ever seen the trickster come this undone before; needy and writhing beneath him. The usually pale body was flushed, sweat running in thin rivulets across tensed muscles as he gasped and moaned.
"You know you look like a porn-star right now?" Tony's voice was lustful and soft. "I can feel how close you are, are you going to let go for me, Loki?"
"I…" The God seemed incapable of speech, or at the very least he hadn't really taken on-board what his partner had said. "I…Tony…close…" His hand had drifted down to loosely grasp his own erection and was knocked out of the way as Tony took over the job – matching the speed to that of his fingers inside the trickster's body.
It didn't take much more. A few firm strokes along the God's arousal and suddenly Loki was arching up with a sound that could only be described as a scream. He twisted wildly as Tony mercilessly continued the stimulation through his orgasm, entirely losing control as his body shook and shuddered under the onslaught of pleasure. Losing control to the extent that a small burst of blue sparks appeared over their heads, making Tony blink in surprise.
It wasn't until the cries turned to exhausted whimpers that the inventor finally withdrew his fingers with a small chuckle.
"Guess I was right then; you did enjoy it."
Loki had his eyes squeezed tightly closed with his hand thrown over them, breathing heavily. However, he managed a breathless chuckle at his partner's quip, causing another shower of stars to appear.
"Damn you, Stark…" The three words were practically purred as the mortal stroked his hand along the trickster's thigh.
"Not very emphatic."
Loki chuckled weakly, removing his hand from his eyes just enough to mock-glare at his partner. His gaze was caught by the dissipating sparkles above them and the hand went straight back to where it had been with a loud groan of embarrassment.
"I was but a mere youth the last time my magic went unchecked during climax." The complaint was muffled by his wrist, but Tony caught enough of it to laugh.
"Well, it was very pretty. The magic that is. Although you were quite something to behold yourself, of course."
Loki half-heartedly batted at him with his free hand, but he clearly didn't have enough energy to actually mean it.
"Do not mock me, Tony Stark."
"Oh shush, you're completely sexed out and currently as weak as a kitten; threats just sound absurd." Tony leant down to push Loki's hand out of the way and kiss him. "But on a serious note – was that better than you'd expected?"
The trickster grinned up at him, eyes half-lidded and lazy. "I will go so far as to admit that it was far more than I could have either expected or hoped for. I did not believe Jötunn anatomy would allow that sort of pleasure."
The man snorted. "Really? Why the hell didn't you ever just experiment? Would have discovered this a lot sooner and been able to have more fun rather than just angsting over it."
"I was but a child when I changed my appearance to male, too young to be sexually active."
"Huh." Tony settled himself down on the mattress next to his partner, allowing the trickster to pull him into his arms: The God of Mischief being a post-coital cuddler.
They lay in silence for a while, Loki's breathing finally slowing back to normal and his magic settling enough for him to remove the mess they'd left across the sheets with a lazy wave of his hand. Tony felt unbearably smug about having proved his point that Loki would enjoy exploring his true body, and was already concocting various plans as to future enterprises.
The trickster however was, in Anthony Starks own words, sexed out.
He had tucked the man's head under his chin, curling round so that his own chest was flush against his partner's back. He had slipped his arm around Tony and rested his hand on the inventor's arc-reactor, the near-undetectable hum familiar under his fingers.
"Hey, are you falling asleep?"
"Mmm, possibly…"
"Well, before you do, I'd rather like to ask a question."
Loki sighed heavily, his breath ghosting over the hair on the back of Tony's neck.
"Oh if you must…"
The man rolled over to face the God, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "That stuff you said about humanity, how much you are in awe of us." He said softly. "What the hell did the void and the chitauri do to you?"
"I…What?" Loki froze, snapping back into full alertness. Damn it all but he hadn't expected the man to read that much into his impassioned speech earlier.
"Well, if you think we puny mortals are that awesome, then the experience must have done a real number on you to cause you to try to destroy us." Despite his words, Tony's voice wasn't condemning. Instead he gently ran a hand down the God's cheek. "What happened?"
Loki managed a weak smile. "Is this really the time to have this conversation?"
"We both feel warm, happy and safe. I think it's the best time. Not to mention we see each other twice a year. When else could we possibly have this conversation?"
The human had a point. They were hardly blessed with time to spare for such matters and if they still needed to clear the air about certain things then there was no time like the present. Loki sighed heavily and nodded, leaning into the hand resting on his cheek.
"Fine. What do you wish to know?"
"When I asked you about the attack last time I asked 'Why?'." Tony said slowly. "Now I'm thinking I asked the wrong question. I think I should have asked 'What did they do to you?'."
The God huffed with soft laughter, although there was no humour to it. What did they do, indeed…
It wasn't a simple question, and the start of it all actually reached back far before the void claimed him.
Carefully he explained to his partner about the manner in which he had found out his heritage.
The timing of it all couldn't have been worse, really. He had allowed a handful of Jötnar in to disrupt Thor's coronation in a bid to show just how unfit his brother was for rule. What he hadn't taken into account was just how fool-hardy Thor would be. The plan had been to go to Jötenheim, then leave after a verbal confrontation.
And how well that plan had worked.
To then find out his true heritage whilst still trying to come to terms with the thought that his own machinations had ended with his brother's exile was almost too much to handle. And just when a terrified and heart-broken young man could have really done with some answers and loving reassurance, Odin had fallen into the coma-like state that rendered him useless.
No king, no heir, only the younger prince who was on the cusp of an emotional breakdown. Loki was scared, lonely and hurting and turned to the one thing he knew how to do: twist the appearance of events.
He needed Thor back – Asgard needed Thor back – and as stand-in to the throne, he did not have the power to do it himself and therefore relied on the blundering oaf to fulfil Mjölnir's conditions alone.
Like that would happen.
So Loki lied and manipulated, convincing his brother and four friends that he meant to kill them. Only Thor could fall for such a cliché way of regaining his powers, but it was all Loki had to work with in such a short amount of time and it did succeed.
The whole plan worked out well enough for Thor in the end, and once again Loki allowed himself to be used as the scape-goat. By the end he had just stopped caring.
His family weren't his family, his brother had changed almost beyond recognition, he was a monster – the monster, the one that graced all the childhood tales – and he'd killed his true birth father.
Throwing himself from the bifrost was meant to end it all.
"Suicide?" Tony whispered.
"It was all I had left. I just wanted the pain to be over."
But it didn't end the pain at all.
Death searched for the falling God, calling his name, but he had been swallowed into the void between worlds, and he was beyond such outside means. With a mind filled with agony and loss the broken trickster, who wished only for his own demise, had then been confronted with all the horrors that the void contained – the worst of which he'd already explained to his partner; seeing that he was just as useless and insignificant as he felt when confronted with the full might of the universe.
By the time he fell to the world of the chitauri his mind was nearly gone, broken into pieces so small that it would have seemed near impossible to repair. Such a perfect vessel for Thanos and his army.
"I don't remember everything that happened." He admitted quietly. "But every memory I do still have is nothing but pain. My mind was almost gone, so they made sure to send it the rest of the way, breaking my body so many times until I couldn't even remember my own name." He ran a shaking hand through his hair. "Towards the end I had no will left. Nothing mattered any more, all I could do was obey, lest the pain began again."
"But you broke free in the end."
A smile flashed across Loki's face and Tony almost shied away. Cruel, cold, dark, it was the smile that had terrorised the Avenger's and that the rest of the team still had nightmares about.
"The sceptre. It was intended to help control me – the wretched thing had a direct link into my brain so that the moment I began to stray from the agreed plan a bolt of pain would be sent through me as a reminder. I grew used to it enough not to show it after a while." The trickster said darkly. "But I was slowly regaining my sense of self, not just following the script they had laid out for me. That was how I had Selvig add the off switch into the machine, and hence why I abandoned the sceptre during the fight."
"You were trying to let us win."
"I was doing my damnedest to help you win."
Tony broke the tense atmosphere with a smile. "And yet you still –"
"Threw you out a window, yes."
The man pressed a kiss to the trickster's nose. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For all the shit you've been through. Hell, I'd have gone mad as a hatter without the whole torture part." He cupped Loki's cheek. "Everything always seems to want to smack you round the face, doesn't it? I've read the legends, you weren't treated very well."
Loki managed a self-deprecating smile. "I deserved most of it." He ran a finger across his lips. "And certainly learnt to never break a deal with a dwarf."
"I'll keep that in mind." Tony caught his partner's hand and turned it over to kiss the knuckles. "Thank you for trusting me with all of this, I know it can't be easy for you to say it all."
"Actually, talking seems to help a little." Loki's voice was trailing back to his sleepy tone and he tucked his head into Tony's shoulder. "Thank you for listening. Not many have ever bothered."
"It's what I'm here for." The inventor wrapped his arms around the warm body – warm, such an odd term for a frost giant – and rested his cheek on the top of Loki's head. "I'm glad you got your mind back." He added, almost as an afterthought. "This whole situation may suck, but at least we're in it together."
The God chuckled softly. "I'm rather thankful too – if nothing else I'm glad I do no longer desire to destroy the human race as Thanos had wished."
"Yeah. This Thanos guy, is he going to be a problem for us too?"
"No. The chitauri were but one of many of his armies. When I failed them and they therefore failed him he abandoned them. We will see nothing of him." Loki spoke the last sentence around a yawn, but continued speaking. "It is one of the reasons they hunt me. Not only did I fail them, and therefore broke my oath to them, but I have also doomed their race – they relied on Thanos to bring their species into greater prominence in the universe. And of course, if they let me go then others may think of failing them too. If they wish to uphold their reputation then they need to get their hands on me and show that they follow through with threats."
"Huh." Tony's embrace tightened. "Well, I'm not going to let you be a bad PR stunt any time soon. You're all mine, Reindeer Games, they can't have you."
"Territorial much…?" The trickster's quiet voice trailed off and a few moments later his breathing deepened into true sleep.
The inventor smiled and held him close.
MWMWMWMWMWMWMWMWMWMWMW
"Santa's been! Santa's been! Wake up!"
Tony groaned and opened his eyes enough to stare balefully at his alarm clock. The digital display cheerfully informed him that it was six thirty in the morning and therefore way too early to be awake.
Once upon a time Mr Stark wouldn't emerge from bed until gone ten and on Christmas day would often stay in until well into the afternoon. How life changes when one has children.
Evie was bouncing up and down on the bed between her parents, her dressing gown haphazardly thrown on over the Christmas pyjamas she was wearing. It took Tony a long moment to realise that the word 'parents' was a plural and that there was a warm arm slung over his back. He moved his head to see Loki sprawled out next to him, blinking slowly awake and looking somewhat disorientated.
"Wha' timesit?" Well, what do you know? Seems that the God of mischief is not a morning person.
"Too early."
"Hmm…"
"Wake up Móhðy!" Evie pummelled Loki with one of the spare cushions, before pulling the duvet away to try and force her parents to get up.
Tony yelped, mindful that he and the trickster had fallen asleep in a state that he'd rather his daughter didn't see. However, he realised as the covers were ripped off him that Loki had had the presence of mind to conjure them both a pair of pyjama bottoms.
"Santa's been, look!" The girl held up a full stocking – the house-keeping robots had played the role of Father Christmas – with a huge grin on her face.
"So I see." Tony dragged himself upright and rubbed his eyes with one hand. He patted the space between himself and Loki, who had also sat up, inviting the child to sit down. "Come on, let's see what loot he's given you this year then."
Loki glanced at the clock, noting that he had could only afford to stay another hour or so unless they wanted to start risking an unwelcome visit from the chitauri.
However, an hour was long enough to see his daughter open the presents in her stocking – shrieking with glee at each one – and for them to all have another mince-pie each.
On the other hand it was still difficult to say goodbye despite the fact that Jarvis had playing Christmas carols in the background to create the Christmas spirit. Loki had Evie balanced on one hip when he gave Tony a kiss goodbye, since she refused to relinquish her hold on him.
"I'll be coming back soon, little bird."
"My birthday is in September. That isn't soon, that's…" She paused to count in her head, then continued ruthlessly, "Nine months away!"
"All the more time for you to grow taller in."
"I don't want to grow taller, I want you here." The girl buried her face in his shoulder, clinging tightly.
Loki exchanged a hopeless glance with Tony over her head. "And I want to be here too, you know that Evelyn, but it just isn't possible."
"You're a God! Make it possible!"
"Evie, you aren't helping here, sweetie." Tony said softly.
"I don't care! I want Móhðy to stay!" Evie wasn't crying, she wasn't the sort of child that cried often, but her tone of voice made it clear that tears were imminent as she stared at Loki. "I don't care about the monsters and I don't care if the others don't like you, I just want you to stay."
"I need to get rid of the monsters first." Loki said quietly. "Once they are gone then I promise I'll never leave again. Okay, little bird? I promise I will never leave you again, but I need to make sure you are safe first. I need to make sure they can never get to you. Do you understand?" When the child didn't answer he sighed and gently persuaded her to lift her head up to make eye contact with a finger under her chin. "I need you to understand me, Evelyn, I need you to know that I'm staying away to keep you safe."
"…I know."
It was a lot to ask of a six year old – to accept that the loss of her mother was necessary to her own survival. To understand the meaning of the word sacrifice and how it applied to her family. It was a lot to ask, but Evie was a clever child, and if not able to grasp the whole concept she could at least appreciate that the situation, however undesirable, was to protect her.
So she nodded and reluctantly loosened her hold around Loki's neck enough for him to pass her to her father.
"I will see you soon, little bird, and maybe by then I will have ended the monsters for good."
"Love you, Móhðy."
"I know, I love you too my darling."
MWMWMWMWMWMMWMWMW
Aww, aren't they adorable?!
Anyhow, enough of the saccharine stuff; some major plot is due and will be taking place next chapter (was meant to be in this one, was ousted by smut).
Also; I've had some people asking to see more of Evie, especially her interacting with the other Avenger's. Now, I don't like writing OC's, mostly because I know that they can be terribly unpopular in stories. I've tried to keep Evie to the background somewhat but if you'd like to see a little more of her please do say! I'll admit to having grown fond of her so I won't object to giving her a little more limelight.
Conversely, if she's really annoying, also please tell me! She's important to the plot, but I can still tone her down so that she's just floating around in the background.
Or is the current balance okay?
Your call, guys.