When Tony'd left Thor'd followed sooner, to the lift made to his room departing as back up Tony'd hastened.
Minutes passed of quiet everybody processed. Nat sat on the sofa Clint beside her. The corner near of the couch Bruce was; Steve against a chair'd leaned arms crossed, faced the former. "…Still think he's pretending?" Clint eyed the query acknowledged it was intended towards him.
First he noted: "…I wouldn't rule it out,"
then admitted lowly: "…But no.
I don't."
And for him of them all to this say, held impact.
What they'd seen, what to watch felt not as painful as to hear, guttural hurting cries of who once to them was cold as ice, void of every emotion…
How Tony held him, hard clenched fists afraid like to let go
and in pieces Loki would follow.
The tears in brown eyes, how in his arms Loki was curling pressed to his chest his sobs were thwarted.
To see him this way, account the pain and anguish crippling from his poise back bent knees on the ground, Tony's face that was grieving…
It was…a lot. Upsetting enough that fierce was the urge to move forth, lend a hand Tony would've off bitten they all know.
…Then to wonder why…
"What the hell happened?" Clint in the car had asked Thor that was beside him fretting and frantic wholly. Silence like he couldn't think, faced not he nor any at the window gaze fixed elbow to door chin pinched beard roughly grazed repeatedly. Then he paused like to answer himself the question eyes afar, quietly answered:
"…He asked Tony to stop the car, got out and just…"
"…Had a complete melt down?"
"Clint." Bruce at the satire however thin had warned.
Thor again had fallen silent. No one'd more spoke, but their minds aloud'd quarreled, over and over asking
why.
Track back
to questions great in numbers.
"…What about what he said?" Bruce one prompted. "That Thanos guy. What was it, In-Infinity? Stones? Right?" Of distress on this topic Clint nodded.
"Yep."
"Right…"
"Because we're short on crazy these day."
"D'you believe any of it?" asked Steve more wishful than skeptic. A beat and Clint asked him:
"Do you?" what to everyone was 'do you want to?'
"I think you're better off asking yourselves why wouldn't you?" Bruce emphasized in fact. "We're living with two Norse Gods, for crying out loud."
"I do well to pretend that's more of a joke."
"Very funny when Thor summons lightening from the sky with his mini-war hammer," Nat'd scathing noted. Steve adds to it:
"Or when Loki makes knives fly mid-air." There's a pointed look shot Clint's way the latter doesn't miss, says jeering:
"Mm, or when you take a car to the face and walk it off." Abrupt-like realization tugged the captain's features. Dismissive Nat brought forth another query.
"What if we have more than one Infinity Stone? And we just don't know cause we haven't…'activated' it yet."
"That's a very good question," and alarmed it does leave them. Bruce said grimly: "Are we really ready for another invasion?"
"With what army? Tony blew it to bits," Clint asserted, but:
"How long would it take Thanos to round up another one?" Steve'd countered.
"Plus he's not the only alien out there, and if that's how it works out there, divide and conquer, then we're in for some fucking problems," Bruce cursing puts size to said problems.
"He knows a lot. Loki," careful Nat said. "And something tells me he's a lot more dangerous than his brother. Than most of us."
"I wouldn't give him so much credit," dodged Clint irritable, adds more loudly: "Please don't all of a sudden tell me we need him," – Nat fished her back-pocket for her buzzing phone – "because that's one way to explain why he made it sound like we're completely in the dark about everything going on-"
"We are, Clint," Bruce interrupted as frowning she read the text over.
XXX
"He can hear every word. Take it to the 30th. Quietly," repressed frustration Tony fought that so strong inclination to react in a manner far too brazen – he cannot condemn them for speaking, in fact hopes whatever they'd conclude would have them in the future less pestilent behaving.
"So what're we eating?" he asked eluding Loki from ponder at what he was doing as he jotted the text to Nat quick-sent, bounced onto bed put his head in Loki's lap as absent Loki's shook.
"I'm not hungry," he'd said blandly what Tony had somehow expected.
"Mm, are you sure?" coyly he drawled smirking. Wayward greens on him fell a shade lighter with a smile, and it made him sore.
…He won't allow him to withdraw, succumb to miserable stagnation – he'll let not a glance stand long nor but forth a step towards that urge unshaken he knows, to retain on his mind command he'd center all effort unchallenged spare nothing nor his needs a single thought or beat – no.
…It's dark on the other side he can't permit him long to wander, though he must and he knows, must regain control but how does that occur?
More often than not sorting through the past feels all but aimless…and this he can't say, to claim assume or declare that
there's no point,
no hope at finding answers, a just resolution.
No, this he'll never say will never tell him.
What he'll do is yank him back every time he drifts away unconscious, without calling it to attention, give way to a frown he'll not have him abject or depressed.
He'll make him smile, make him happy, make him laugh…
Thoughts long fingers interrupt through his hair combing, nails trail over his scalp in the recent discovers how he fiercely loved the sensation, felt then on the sheets for Loki's second hand, pulled it up to his lips brushed to his palm a kiss then decided: "I'll just get pizza, bout a dozen of that garlic bread you like so much." He let Loki's hand rest on his face as he tapped rapid the screen placing orders. Smiled adoring Loki cupped his cheek stroked softly, pet still those cool, damp locks wants to toss the phone away pull Tony closer. Then indeed aside the cell's thrown and up Tony sat moved to Loki's side hooked round him his arms smacked a kiss to his cheek; wide smiling Loki faced him as Tony'd said: "How about a quick nap till the food gets here?" Contented with the prompt Loki hummed and Tony smiled, thrust the covers off sunk he and Loki under them. Autonomous Jarvis dimmed the lights as over Loki Tony draped the blanket took to him closer, by surprise Loki'd taken him then in a kiss, put a hand to the base of his head embraced his lips with his in a deep, tender kiss, driven so by love, appreciation Tony misread took for need and agitation. He pressed his body to Loki's brought him closer, twined fingers in his hair kissed those soft sweet lips strongly again and over, without words tried to soothe, reassure him.
Then they were in each other's arms Loki kissed him on the neck Tony plants one to his head rubs his shoulder, holds him tight Loki lets his presence consume him, stubborn thoughts protesting loudly not after long had quieted then he was gone; it'd astonish him how fast to sleep he'd fallen but not Tony; he knows he's wholly drained needed him to find rest,
because a fraction in him dreading was without doubt certain, it'd not long last.
XXX
"It's no-" Clint looked where Nat swats his arm lightly says:
"Look wrap it up." She glares waves at him her phone, says casual: "I need a shower," rises to her feet waves at him and the others to follow shot a pointed look index to lips firmly.
Confused and wary the three men and her to the lift were pacing. She pressed the 30th and once the doors closed Steve had started: "What's go-" shut promptly with her hand to his mouth as over him spoke Clint:
"Wonder what's for lunch; I'm starving."
On the floor they stop step out and cautious no one spoke, then she turns to face them.
"Tony just sent me this." She hands Clint the phone who's brows quizzic furrow. Hesitant first when Clint then glares Bruce does lean over, Steve too who doesn't see; the former's sooner startled and exclaimed Barton:
"Are you kidding?" Timid Bruce draws the phone hands it to Steve who's then as taken. "Ohhh, my god," Clint basically whines to the side off walks, returns face down mumbles: "You know what I might just take Tony up on that offer."
"What offer?" asked Bruce what Nat understood. Clint's head shook, said tired:
"Nothing."
"What does that mean?" miffed by the text pushed Steve.
"So, what, Loki's got some sort of heightened sense of hearing?" says Bruce.
"Indeed, sir," speaks from above them Jarvis. Everyone falls silent.
"…Jarvis, how long have you known?" vexed and skeptic Bruce'd asked him.
"I discovered this forty-two minutes ago, sir." Clint seems on the verge of implosion.
"How?" Steve demanded.
"Mr. Loki had informed Mr. Stark, who clearly wishes for you all to know."
"…Great," Bruce removed his glassed pinched shut his eyes as the others agitated.
"…So he could hear everything?" angry now Steve asked sternly. "Everything we've ever said. Since he got here." Everyone by the phrase's disquieted.
"He can't always be listening," Nat shrugs incredulously, honestly somewhat indifferent.
What Loki does is her literal job.
"Is it just him, or Thor too?" Bruce asked asudden.
"You wouldn't happen to know, would you Jar?" Clint looked up.
"I'm afraid not, sir." He rolled his eyes.
"Even if he can, I doubt Thor's the type to eavesdrop," says Steve. Lips curled Clint faced him.
"And I doubted he'd handle a controller without crushin' a new button everytime; now he beats me at Horizon."
"We could just ask him," Nat noted matter of factly. Concurring Bruce spoke:
"Jarvis what is he doing?"
"Talking to himself."
"Super!" Clint shouted madly. "I'm gonna go jump off a cliff."