It didn't take all that long for Steve, Tony, and Loki to bring the twenty seven boxes up to apartment number six. One by one the boxes were placed in the center of the living room on the seventy seventh floor of Stark Tower till Steve went back to Tony's car to find its trunk empty of all of Loki's belongings. Of course he offered to help Loki settle in and unpack. Though whether the offer was to simply help or to make certain that Loki wasn't going to try anything Steve wasn't completely sure. He was almost certain that by this point he just wanted to help and he could just ignore the little warnings going off in the back of his head that kept telling him to be weary of the fallen god. He had seen the man unraveling but a small voice in the back of his mind couldn't help but wonder if it was all some cleverly constructed trap. "I can help you set things up." Steve said it with a small smile and a lazy stance. He was ready to help if need be.
"That is kind of you to offer but I'd rather be on my own at the moment." Loki gave a smile that didn't reach high enough to be considered completely genuine though it gave the impression of trying. The smile fell soon after and Loki was back to being almost blank faced. He hunched his shoulders slightly. 'Do not run.' His heart was already starting to race a bit too quickly. He wanted to drag everything back to the run down rooms that were above his shop. Perhaps he wouldn't even bother with dragging the boxes; he could just leave them all in the tower. He could find new things. Replace the old with different mostly broken objects. 'Do not run.' For the most part Loki felt safe enough in the apartment. He knew that the doors would close and some would lock. That the power wouldn't shut off suddenly. He knew that at the very least Tony would not fight him though he couldn't be certain about anyone else. And he wasn't even sure why he felt that Tony would not try and strike him. 'Do not run.' His body just seemed to want to run for him. But he didn't move, much. His fingers twitched slightly. His heart just kept beating faster. He didn't realize when he started shaking or curled further in upon himself. 'Do not run.' He had to keep reminding himself of that fact. As if his body would betray him if he forgot for a single second. 'Do not run'. Perhaps the problem was the fact that the room, let alone the entire apartment didn't feel like his. But that would be changed soon enough. The boxes would be empty soon. His things would fill the apartment and he was sure that would make the place feel better, safer. Besides, the rooms above his shop felt like his even when they were covered in a layer of pure filth that made his skin crawl. These rooms didn't make his skin crawl; it was already an improvement. He wouldn't let that fact change. 'Do not run.' He didn't notice when he stopped blinking. Didn't notice when his heart continued to beat faster as his breathing hitched in his throat. 'Do not run.' He promised himself that he wouldn't, at least not yet. He forced himself to breathe and soon his body returned to normal.
Steve nodded once, slowly. "Well, if you need anything just let me know." He stood there for a few moments shifting from foot to foot, reluctant to leave when he was convinced that he could and should help. But after a few breaths of silence he turned and went back to the elevator. "I'll be on my floor if you need me." Right before the doors could shut he remembered Loki wouldn't know what floor was his, he rushed to say, "Apartment 4." The door clicked closed and as the elevator steadily rose up the two floors that would separate them Steve shook his head. He hopped that his invitation to help, and Tony's offer of a more stable place to live wouldn't backfire somehow or in someway.
Once Steve was gone Loki turned to Tony who had his back to the bookshelves. With a slightly more truthful smile that still didn't reach his eyes Loki said, "You may go as well, Stark."
"I thought we were past this Donder, it's Tony. Besides, you need me to fill you in on the layout of the place."
"I'm rather certain I can figure things out on my own." He paused and added, quieter, "Thank you."
"Of course you can figure things out and stuff but where's the fun in that. I mean sure it would, could, be but then how would you know that Capsical is on floor seventy nine? I mean him saying Apartment 4' wasn't really helpful was it. Besides you didn't get a chance to see the whole tower the last time you were here. I updated since then, anyway. Like now there aren't several holes from people being thrown onto floors and out of windows."
Loki rolled his eyes. He took a few steps back till his left ankle brushed against one of his boxes. He bent down, eyes sparkling, when he realized it was full of some of his books. He gathered a few up into his arms and walked past Tony. He began to arrange the books as he asked, "And what, pray tell, are the other layouts I need to be filled in about so desperately? Or would you prefer to ramble about new tile."
Tony smiled and walked over to the opposite side of the box Loki had been crouching by. He reached for the closest book but before he could grab it Loki said, "Don't touch that one." Tony froze, "You-What's it gonna do to me if I...you're not even looking."
Loki placed the last book that had been in his arms onto the shelf and turned to Tony, "And now I am looking." He walked over and snatched up the book. "It would have done absolutely nothing to you or anyone else. It's just a rather old book and I didn't want your possibly grubby fingerprints on it."
Tony rolled his eyes as Loki picked more books out of the boxes and placed them gently on top of the 'rather old book.' He stood up and sat down on the couch. "I'll let you get all the books then and I'll go over where everything is. 'Kay. So I have the penthouse, obviously. My personal labs are below that and off limits to pretty much everyone. Then there's the med floor, party deck, and media center. Eleven apartments, four of which are empty. Thor is in the apparent below yours but the one above you is empty at the moment."
"Thor is-" Tony cut Loki off before he could protest.
"He lives on the floor below this one and can't come up here unless you allow him. Now may I continue with the verbal tour." Tony continued before Loki could give an answer, "The dining room with kitchen is on the seventy first floor. We sometimes get together and cook meals together. That kitchen is always stocked and stuff so yeah. Anyway, below that is more labs, meditation floors, Bruce had insisted on that one, and the animal therapy floors. Clint keeps his dog there. I have a flamingo named Bernard. Technically he's the second flamingo named Bernard in this family but well he's the first flamingo that is fully mine so-"
"Stark." Loki smiled and shook his head. "I'm sure your flamingo is lovely but would you mind finishing the so called verbal tour?"
"Right. So, on floor sixty is the lego 'room'. Which I just realized you probably don't know what legos are but you'll just have to go down and figure it out yourself, later. There's a green house, library, pool, rock wall, gym, armory, and then it's mostly just things to do with my company."
Loki was onto the third box of books by the time Tony was done. As he picked out another armful of books he asked, "And how many of those floors am I actually allowed to visit?"
Tony stood up and took the books out of Loki's hands.
"Hey," Loki indignantly sputtered.
"You are not a prisoner. Okay. You're free to come and go as much as you want to. Of course anyone is allowed to lock you out of their apartments just as you are allowed to do the same. My labs are off limits to everyone except me and sometimes Bruce and sometimes Pepper but you are allowed into some of the ones on floors sixty five to seventy. You'll have to check with Jarvis to see which ones. And if you are ever in doubt or need anything just ask Jarvis." Tony handed the books back to Loki. "Now what can I actually do to help considering you don't seem to want me handling the precious books."
