Chapter Seven

She found him in the Queen's tomb lying on the floor unconscious.

Any other time she'd take the time to appreciate the effort into making his mother's resting place as beautiful as it was, marveling at the vines winding through the stone walls and the blue roses growing on the ceiling and every wall. She'd marvel at the majestic four poster bed in the middle of the room on a raised dais, the Queen's crystalized form lying on black silk sheets, the candles on each post luminating the room in a soft orange glow.

Instead, all she felt was panic and anger.

Her Prince had to be one of the most stubborn creatures in the world, and alone she could barely handle him. She loved when Rhodey was around to help her, but with him deployed overseas she knew it would be a while before he returned.

"Rosario!" She whispered, pained and he gave a soft groan, heterochromial eyes fluttering open to meet her gaze.

"Pep? What?"

"You fainted. Again. You need to sleep, you are already nearly forty years overdue and it's killing you!"

He shivered, curling into her. "I can't. The twins need me, at least until they enter their first sleep. The Avengers need Iron Man, as well. Anthony Stark is just too important."

She gave a choked sob, pain spearing her heart. "Please, my prince," she pleaded her accent thickening in her distress.

After Valerio's death, her prince was the only constant in her life, her only connection to her brother. She was not above begging if it would get him to relent to doing what he needed to stay alive. "You are dying."

He struggled to sit up and pushed her away.

"Well I'm not dead, so leave it!" He snapped, storming from the room.

She stared after him heartbroken.

Neither seemed to notice the crack that appeared in the form on the bed.

*/*

The Man of Iron was a strange one.

Loki had been watching him since his arrival in the avenger's tower and he wasn't sure what to think of the things he'd noticed.

Stark harbored an obviously strong dislike for the chiropteran (and why hadn't he known of this one interesting Midgardian race) and his human friend, yet expertly hid it with snark and sarcasm. He'd managed to convince the other avengers that his attitude during their introduction was merely an attribute of his lack of rest, but Loki knew other wise and so did the Chiropteran.

He was also unwilling to participate in the 'team bonding' events the Captain liked to force on them, instead disappearing into either his labs or his rooms (at least that's what the avengers seemed to believe) outside of battles, until he was forced to remerge for his beloved coffee. The doctor harboring the monster seemed to be the only one to see him outside of battle, a fact that he found himself was unerringly envious of.

It was a strange enigmatic routine that he'd gotten used to observing in the two months he's been in the tower.

At the moment, the god sat at the breakfast table on the common floor, a mug of tea warming his hands as he observed the silent woman across from him.

Long copper hair fell elegantly down her back, a blue rose hair clip holding the strands back from her face. A black pencil skirt and sapphire silk blouse completed the outfit, showing off her generous bust and the silver choker encircling her slender throat. She was beautiful, but not his type, and a ring gleamed on her finger as she tapped away on the glass contraption (a starkpad, he'd learned) before her.

She been there since he'd entered the room an hour previous and had yet to speak or even glance in his direction.

As if he were no threat to her.

Arrogant human.

"May I help you, Mr. Odinson?" Her voice, deeper than he'd expected, drew him from his thoughts and he frowned.

"Laufeyson, not Odinson." He gave her a silky smile. "My apologies. May I ask your name?"

She wasn't fazed and he felt a grudging respect for her in that moment.

"Pepper Potts, CEO of Stark Industries and Mr. Stark's former assistant." His eyebrow rose at the curt tone she addressed him with, wondering what offense he'd paid her.

Oh right, throwing the Man of Iron through a window.

Not his best moment.

Before he could offer some sort of sympathy or platitude, said man stumbled into the room, form worn with exhaustion.

Potts jumped to her feet and rushed to his side, anger and pain flashing in her otherwise concerned gaze.

Interesting.

"Tony?"

"Pepper," He greeted before noticing Loki. "Loki."

The god frowned and stood smoothly, gathering the hero in his arms bridal style without returning his greeting. The smaller man gasped at the sudden motion, clutching his arms tightly in fear of falling.

"You need to eat, Stark. All that time in solitude is making you ill. Therefore, you will also be attending team movie night tonight." He demanded.

The mortal sent him a look of pure indignation, honeyed gaze bright with annoyance and confusion.

"You don't demand anything of me, Rudolph!" He snapped.

The liesmith smirked his green eyes glowing slightly as his magic pulsed delighted by the mortal man's prescience. Pepper watched the scene with a small smile.

"I just did."

*/*

Tony was conflicted.

Two months had passed since Loki had begun to act differently with him and he wasn't entirely sure how he felt about the matter. The liesmith seemed to be of the idea that he couldn't care for himself and had taken to dragging him from the lab to eat, and to sleep. When he resisted, the man forced him to eat using his magic, casting sleeping spells to ensure he slept peacefully.

He was domineering but not overly so, and seemed to reserve his smiles particularly for him and he'd noted from observing him that he treated the rest of the avengers with the same disdainful politeness that they (with the exception of Bruce) treated Tony with.

The thought made his stomach flutter strangely.

A cold, perhaps?

Human emotions were so confusing.

Asking Pepper had been no help, either. She seemed to be of the idea that it was something he should find out on his own. The thought only made him warier.

"What should I do, mother?" He whispered to his queen's crystalized form He missed her more than anything in the world and he yearned for the days when they'd lived in the tower in Bordeaux. It had been a painful, harsh existence, but it had been simple. Much simpler than being Tony Stark, or dealing with the feelings wreaking havoc on his tormented heart. "What's happening to me?"

She didn't respond, she never did, and he felt his hatred for his aunt flare.

Why?

Why had she sided with the humans that hated them and hurt them?

Why had she taken away his mother, taken away his Valerio?

What had they ever done to her?

Why had she left him feeling so alone?

Pepper was there, of course, but he could feel her drawing further away from him the sicker he got. He could feel her resentment at his circumstances growing, and he knew there was little he could do to stop it.

His sisters, the only reasons he was still alive, were also soon to leave him. Kana was adventurous and wanted to try college instead of staying with tutors and he knew without a doubt that Rosalie would follow her.

His family was dwindling when he needed them the most, and he was terrified.

"What do I do?"

He pleaded once more.

There was still no reply.

Another crack appeared in the crystal…he didn't notice.

Pepper watched him from the walkway, heart clenching painfully.

"I need you, brother. Now, more that ever."

TBC…