Chapter 8: Keep Calm and Assemble
Loki adjusted himself cautiously underneath the healing stones, trying to lift his neck up just enough from his lying position to have a look down his body. He knew he wasn't in his usual attire, the comforting constriction of the leather no longer wrapping itself around his body, and he felt absent without the familiar feel of the clothing.
Peering down at his uncovered torso and legs, Loki cringed in disgust. He was dressed in a degrading combination of thin- fabric lime green pants and shirt, like a common human.
Plonking his head back onto the hard mattress of the thin framed bed he sneered, "How humiliating! Death would have been far more merciful."
"Don't think that still isn't an option." Tony shot back, glaring down at Loki with a frown said despite his usual comical attitude, he wasn't joking.
Thor moved his chair closer to Loki, the screeching of the metal against the floor of the containment area squealed throughout the dome and made Tony cringe. Loki however kept his eyes staring to the ceiling, he knew Thor was moving closer, but didn't care to look into his not-brother's eyes; ever the stubborn mule refusing to acknowledge any attachment to the thunder god.
"Loki, how do you feel?" Loki turned his nose up, of course Thor's first inquiry would be one of concern over his well-being. Pathetic sentiment.
"I must admit I feel quite dismayed Odinson," Loki turned his nose up looking across at Thor who's eyes had gone wide with distress.
"You are afraid brother? Why, what is wrong?" Thor almost sounded like he was about to break into a panic.
Loki smirked as he observed his brother's predictable fretful reaction, "I fear that if I look even half as bad as you look, I must really be in a dire state." Thor frowned in irritation but didn't get the chance to scorn at his brother as Tony kicked the leg of the bed with enough force that it made Loki's body vibrate and he let out a painful hiss.
Loki turned to Tony ready to batter the man with threatening words but Tony cut him off before he had a chance, "Unless you haven't noticed you mountain goat diva, you're not exactly in any position of power right now." Tony gave Loki a moment to contemplate this before he continued, noticing how Loki uncharacteristically held his tongue.
"So I would be very careful if I were you, because I am this close," Tony using his thumb and index finger to demonstrate the proximity, "to handing your ass over to SHIELD and I promise you my hospitality is five star compared to what they will do to you." There was no waver in Tony's voice, and Thor stifled at how convincing the threat had been delivered, so much so he was inclined to speak his objections, and it took a great amount of his willpower to remain quiet. Both Thor and his brother were here in Anthony Stark's premises by the billionaire's good graces, graces which Thor considered, despite Tony's contrary indications, he and Loki did not deserve.
Loki thought carefully before responding, not taking lightly the fact that Stark was openly threatening him, and Thor did not object in that roaring anger he usually exuded when someone threatened his little brother.
"So then Stark, it appears I am at your whim." Loki let a delighted smile spread across his face. Snide bastard Tony cursed, and the mischievous god now gave the man in control his full attention, "How do you intend to exploit your new found position?"
"Oh don't tempt me," Tony scorned, "Nothing would make me happier than to force feed those weird-ass rocks to you."
Loki cocked a curious eyebrow, "Well, why don't you?"
Tony's eyes turned to irritated slits, "You have something we need."
"Oh." Loki perked, "And what might that be?"
Immediate response, "Answers."
"Arr." Loki smiled at that. And it shifts again he cooed to himself. Power and control were such feeble things.
Tony left the containment area to fetch Bruce (and a glass of scotch). He wanted the good doctor to be present during Loki's questioning. Between Thor and himself, Bruce was the only one who would be able to keep some sort of calm if things got heated. Tony wasn't so egotistical that he was blind to the fact that sometimes, sometimes, he could be a little hot headed. Sometimes.
"Really Tony, at this hour!" Bruce disapproved at Tony's choice of beverage, to which Tony simply gave the doctor the finger. Tony didn't even notice that is was only eleven o'clock, the drama in the morning had thrown him for time.
Pepper could hear the familiar voices in the penthouse living area and quickly approached Tony to pick his brain about when she could expected to be alleviated of her house arrest. She didn't anticipate Tony to tell her Loki had miraculously woken up while he was down there.
"What did he say?" She asked energetically, but then noticed the glass of scotch in Tony's hand. "Seriously Tony..." she said flatly shaking her head.
"Oh my god you too, you're not my real mum and dad!" Tony yelled, loud enough so that Bruce all the way across the living room could hear.
"Thank heavens for that!" Bruce yelled back, "I would not want to take claim to you! And not to mention your relationship with Pepper, if she was your mother, is quite perverted Tony, even for you!"
Tony snorted out a very amused laugh, "Did you just call me a mother-fuc..."
"Tony!" Pepper yelled, cutting off the foul mouthed billionaire mid-sentence.
Tony then proceeded to explain to Pepper what had transpired between himself and the Norse gods and that he was just up here for a moment to fetch Bruce. He wanted to interrogate Loki as soon as possible and not give the fraudster time to work on formulating a believable lie. Pepper insisted on being present as well, but Tony strongly refused to allow it. He did not want her to be put in harms way even more so than she already was. Plus, he said she could watch the surveillance footage on the living room TV which JARVIS could broadcast for her.
Tony's reasoning why Pepper couldn't be present during the interrogation made absolutely no sense to Pepper and she frowned at Tony for being so over-protective. Loki could teleport anywhere he wanted, wouldn't it make more sense to allow her to stay near the Avengers, rather than in isolation? But Pepper didn't raise that point with Tony, she was inclined to believe based on his attitude to her safety that Tony may not have realised that issue and would immediately call the jet to send her off to Malibu, and she wouldn't be able to even watch the broadcast then. So she conceded, for now.
"What do you mean he's asleep!" Tony fumed, returning to the containment area with Bruce in tow.
"My brother is still severely wounded my friend, he was finding it difficult to remain conscious."
Tony rolled his eyes. "Well, did you get anything out of him?" Tony went to take a swig of his scotch, only to be disappointed when he realised the glass was empty.
"My brother informed me that he is still too weakened to answer our questions." The moment the words left Thor's mouth, Tony snapped.
"Oh hell no! I am not buying that crap!" With that Tony was overcome with his infuriation and impatience, and in retaliation levelled a hard kick into the side of Loki's bed, forcing the metal legs to make a loud screeching noise against the floor.
Loki awoke in a panicked frenzy, jolting upwards into a sitting position, forcing all the healing stones on his chest to either tumble into his lap or across the floor. Instincts taking over, the once helpless looking god had morphed his placid sleeping face into a vicious frown and snarl. Loki's eyes were absent, lost in confusion and alarm, and he turned his fierce gaze to the humans standing adjacent to the bed and in an instant his skin had turned blue and he had brought his hands up and aimed them at Tony and Bruce.
Tony froze, and his scotch glass slipped out of his hands and began its decent towards the ground.
In what little milliseconds the scientists had to react, all they could seem to do was take a deep breath and pull a stupid facial expression. For two genius', not their brightest moment. Then they were flying across the short metres of the containment cell into the reinforced glass wall, faster than what it took for Tony's scotch glass to smash against the floor.
Tony shakily lifted his head, he was dizzy and his body was protesting any movement after the impact. His eyes would not adjust, and his ears were ringing. It took a moment to feel the cool, smooth floor beneath his palms and realize he was sprawled out upon the ground. Then he heard the struggled heavy breathing beside him.
"Bruce?" He murmured to the man next to him, and two desperate eyes looked at him as they turned that all too recognisable shade of green.
"Fuck!" Tony yelped, and he hopped to his feet, the human instinct to flee driving him as Bruce's body began to grow, clothes spreading and green spreading across the visible limbs of his body.
Thor was already in motion, his large arms gripping around Loki's torso from behind, restraining the smaller god's own arms, which forced Loki to flail in anger trying to break free - aimlessly resisting like a confused mental patient. Tony commanded JARVIS to open the containment area door, which instantly flung open at the bequest of its master.
Thor lifted Loki into the air, dragging him out of the cell, Tony following keenly behind them. Once cleared the door closed just in time for the Hulk to pound his powerful fists against it, protesting his entrapment and roaring loudly at the men who rounded the corner out of sight into the nearby corridor.
Tony bent over, clenching at his chest, breathing rapidly like he had just run a marathon. Loki was still trying to lash out at Thor who kept his blue counterpart in his bear grip, failing to coerce his detainee to calm down.
"Stop it brother!" Thor demanded. But Loki did not even acknowledge the command, words failing to register as he flailed about.
Tony had had enough and he walked up to the thrashing god and slapped him, open palmed, straight across the face.
"Knock it off!" Tony yelled and instantly Loki's eyes adjusted and appeared to comprehend everything around them. Then his blue skin faded and he looked like Thor's brother again.
Thor eased his grip around Loki and placed him gently on the floor, leaning him against the corridor wall. Loki rubbed his temples with a pained expression.
Tony frowned and rubbed his face with both his hands, running them up and through his hair. In the distance, he could still hear the Hulk bellowing in frustration.
Well, that escalated quickly.
The first noise to break the silence as the three men regained their bearings came from the soft voice of Pepper Potts down the hall. She had yelled out Tony's name in a panic from the elevator, having watched the whole scene from the penthouse living room.
Tony opened his arms to embrace his obviously worried for him lover, but instead of the expected passionate hug, he received a startling slap to the face.
"What the hell!" Tony protested, rubbing the side of his face that had been struck. For someone so slight, Pepper really packed a punch.
"Don't 'What the hell' me Anthony Edward Stark!" Pepper warned, and Tony knew that he was in trouble; she had used his whole name.
"For a genius, you do some extremely brainless things. Why in the world would you kick Loki's bed like that!"
"You're blaming this on me!" Tony was shocked. Why did he always get the blame. "That crazy bastard flung us across the room!"
Pepper just shook her head, "What did you expect when you kicked awake a violent god like that?"
Tony hissed, "It's not like I had my suit on or anything! He overreacted. Something you two share in common."
"Don't take that tone with me!"
The arguing couple continued to yell at each other, both not taking notice of the two sets of eyes gawking at them.
"Brother, do we... look like that when we fight?" Thor asked leaning down to Loki and whispering the question. After processing Thor's words through his throbbing headache he turned his annoyed gaze towards Stark and his woman, only to be greeted with the sight of Pepper throwing her arms around Tony, obviously forgiving his irresponsible behaviour.
Loki grimaced, "Definitely not, I don't forgive your idiocracy so frivolously."
Thor scoffed, clear annoyance that he can never just have a normal conversation with his brother. Couldn't he for once just have a normal discussion with his brother. Well, Loki wasn't the only one who could act like a bitch.
"Well," Thor contemplated, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "you are just too critical my brother, for I always forgive easily your foolishness, of which there are very many of recent." This earned Thor a very passionate death stare.
Tony felt bile creep into the back of his throat at the image of Loki getting too comfortable in one of his beds. Technically, this was a unused guest bed, but still, it was his property and available for someone he considered his welcomed guest. Not an uninvited annoyance like Loki, God of being a pain-in-the-ass.
Thor took a seat in the couch positioned next to the bed, eyeing Loki protectively. Pepper was fetching the wounded god some water, and it didn't skip anyone's attention that Loki's medical garments were now blotched with growing red stains, the action in the containment area must have busted open a few of the more severe wounds. But Tony was adamant, the god was awake, and he was going to question him with or without Bruce's aid.
"Comfortable?" Tony asked, standing beside the bed crossing his arms nonchalantly.
"As much as is possible considering the circumstances I am sure." Loki retorted, his green eyes sliding mockingly at Tony, the way a spoilt rich kid would insinuate, I've had better.
Not giving a single fuck of the answer either way, Tony just shrugged and ignored the prince's sarcastic stab at what Tony, as a billionaire, offered by way of comfort. "Great" with as much glee as he could muster, "then you won't mind answering some questions for me then." At that moment Pepper returned with the water, placing them invitingly on the bed's side table in reach of both Thor and Loki.
"My preference to answer and my ability are two different matters Stark." Loki shot back, relishing in the fact that he had caused a vein in Tony's forehead to pulse in irritation.
"Question 1" Tony began, his voice louder and sterner, "Where have you been for the past two weeks?"
Loki chocked on his breath. Two weeks? He mused. Interesting.
But before he could utter a word an omnificent voice broke through the silence.
"Sir?" JARVIS interrupted. Tony sighed, worst timing ever.
"Not now JARVIS."
But the AI persisted, "But Sir, I believe you have a visitor."
"Tell whoever it is that I am not here." Tony ordered, glaring at Loki with determined eyes.
It was a few seconds before JARVIS spoke again, "I did Sir, but Mr Rogers didn't believe me. He is insisting on seeing you."
Tony moaned in annoyance. Of course it had to be Steve at the door, right now, at a time like this.
"Okay, Okay. Send down the elevator and let him up."
"Yes, Sir."
Tony shot Loki a dangerous glare when he realised the god was smiling at him.
Alright Tony encouraged himself. He told Pepper and Thor to stay in the guest room and keep quiet, and make sure Loki didn't try anything. Thor voiced his doubts that considering his brother's condition, even Loki, the God of Mischief, would not be able try anything. But Tony trusted Loki as far as he could throw him, which wasn't far without his suit, and he wouldn't give the guy any quarter - Tony Stark was in charge around here, and the sooner Mr. Horns learnt that the better.
So then, Tony's plan of action - he would get rid of Captain Discus quickly and without suspicion. Then question Loki.
Tony tapped his left foot impatiently against the expensive tiles of his main living room penthouse waiting for the elevator to ring out that usual ping notification of someone's arrival. Once he heard it, he took no time to walk up to Steve and offer him a friendly clap on the shoulder, not allowing him more than two footsteps away from the elevator.
"Steve, buddy. Good to see you. But really. Bad... bad timing. I am right in the middle of a scientific breakthrough and you're inter... what's that?" Tony lost his train of thought when he noticed that Steve was carrying a too-large-for-the-gym duffle bag.
"It's my travel gear." Steve admitted matter of factly.
"Where are you going?" Tony asked, but inside he already knew the answer.
Steve walked passed Tony and put his bag on the couch, turning around to give Tony a stubborn look of let's hear it, but good luck getting rid of me.
'Dammit' Tony cursed inside his own head. He should have left Steve downstairs.
"Oh no," Tony shook, "You can't stay here."
"Why not?" Steve posed, folding his muscular arms across his chest, "It's not like your crammed for space."
"Because!" Tony spat, running his hands through his hair as a diversion tactic while he tried to think of something, "I need my privacy.
Steve rolled his eyes, "You have like what, eighty stories in this building?"
"Ninety three." The billionaire quickly corrected.
Steve chuckled, "Yeah, I don't think privacy is an issue here."
Tony scratched at his arm nervously. This was taking too damn long and he had to think of something quickly, "Ok look," rubbing the back of his neck and strolling over to talk to Steve as friendly as he could without appearing too nervous, "truth is, and don't take this the wrong way, but it's not like you are my desired dorm buddy. We don't get along at work, let alone at home. We clash, and I will admit I am not the easiest guy to live with, but..."
"Tony stop," Steve interrupted, "you are not telling me anything I don't know. But right now, I don't think any of that matters because I am worried about you."
"Worried about me?" Tony eyebrows shot up, "Why?"
Steve sighed, hoping that he wasn't going to touch a sensitive topic that would explode in his face, "It's obvious that what has happened to Pepper has hit down hard on you, and you are pushing everyone that cares about you away. I know how that feels Tony, that loss, that absence. And truth be told, I still haven't gotten over it. I isolate myself from everyone, but that isn't healthy at all. I think we can help each other out."
Tony swallowed hard on the lump in his throat that had formed while Steve poured his heart out in front of him. Hello again, guilt. Long time no see. He really wanted to tell Steve the truth, but with the words on the tip of his tongue, he was stopped by none other than JARVIS begging his attention. It was one of those days.
"Sir, I hate to interrupt, but you have two more visitors in the lobby requesting access."
Tony shook his head in disbelief.
"Who now?" He asked to the ceiling.
"Agent Romanoff and Agent Barton, Sir." The information from his AI made Tony give Steve a suspicious look.
Steve shook his head, "Don't look at me. I didn't invite them."
"JARVIS, put me over the inter com." Tony ordered. JARVIS readily complied.
"Agents." Tony greeted, and he waited for JARVIS to patch through their responses from the elevator inter com.
"Hey Tony, what's the hold up?" Barton.
"Not a great time Clint." Tony responded.
"You have Steve up there." Natasha now, which earned the soldier another glare from Tony. Steve just shrugged and gave Tony an innocent look.
"Do not." Tony lied.
"Yeah right," Natasha pushed, "he was boarding at SHIELD headquarters. Not to say we were monitoring him, but SHIELD is monitored, and we saw him leave with his overnight bag. Now unless he is out on booty call, which I highly doubt, he is up there with you. Although, it could be both." The comment made Steve blush and Tony recoil, to which he gave Steve his best no-offence face, but he didn't swing that way.
Tony remained silent, thinking frantically to try and come up with an excuse to make them leave, and he was infuriatingly coming up empty handed.
"If you don't let us up," Barton, "We will come in through the roof. Your choice."
"Alright!" Tony fumed. God, why today! "JARVIS, let them up."
Tony decided a situation like this could only be dealt with with the aid of alcohol. He poured himself a glass and waited for the agents to grace him with their presence - sarcasm. He half filled his glass when they arrived, and he watched them enter the living room and decided, fucking hell, he would fill the whole glass because Natasha and Clint hand brought luggage with them. They added their compact bags on wheels with Steve's duffle bag before strolling over to Tony with large gleeful smiles on their faces.
"You aren't staying here." Tony scorned, to which Barton just scoffed at him. "As if you don't have the room. Mind pouring me one of those too?" Clint said eyeing Tony's generous drink.
"It's twelve thirty in the afternoon!" Steve protested, joining the other three at the bar.
"So?" Natasha shrugged, "I'll take one as well."
"I am not your personal bartender you leeches." Tony fumed.
"Geez, you are a cranky bitch when you drink." Barton mocked.
Tony let out an exasperated sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose, "Look, I am sorry. But seriously now kids. You can't stay over. Daddy has work to do and you are interrupting me."
Clint came around the bar and put a reassuring arm around Tony's shoulders, "Which is why we are here. We are here to help and are completely at your disposal."
Tony rolled his eyes, "Well unless you have a degree in engineering, there isn't much you can do."
"There is another reason," Natasha interjected, "After what happened with Loki, there has been much discussion concerning our" Natasha waving her hand to Clint and herself ,"roles in SHIELD. The publicity after the New York conflict pretty much destroyed any prospect of us being under cover spies anymore."
Tony chuckled a little at that. It was hard to be a spy when your face was imprinted on cheap t-shirts in every corner discount store across America.
"So Fury believes our talents would be better spent externally as specialists in the Avengers Initiative, rather than as in-house SHIELD agents, especially since perhaps if we were external consultants rather than agents bound to follow orders, the mess up two weeks ago could have been handled differently." Clint nodded enthusiastically to Natasha's explanation, the excitement on his face like a child on Christmas.
"So my Tower is automatically the Avengers headquarters then?" Tony sighed.
"You have the resources." Clint supplied, "Plus, imagine all the ass we could kick as a specialist team."
"And I have no say in this? This is my Tower after all."
"We were hoping you would just say yes." Natasha said with a warm smile. Manipulative little minx she was.
Tony put his head down on the marble counter top of his bar. Perhaps if he kept his eyes close long enough the problem would just go away and when he opened them the penthouse would be minus three annoying Avengers. It was not like he didn't appreciate the momentary silence, it gave him a much needed chance to think, he just didn't realise that the silence was not for his benefit but because his three counterparts were staring jaw dropped at the two people that just entered the penthouse from the ascending staircase.
"Afternoon everyone." Pepper gleed through a smile, after which Thor greeted, "Hello my friends!"
"Thor?" Natasha stuttered, a rare moment when the Black Widow displayed legitimate surprise, "You found Pepper."
Tony let out a groan, "Well, not exactly."
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