The night before Fury had mentioned requiring Tony to debrief at some forgotten hour the following morning, something of course that had slipped his mind completely so when his phone vibrates against the nightstand and on its screen that is annoyingly bright reads 'briefing at 9', he scowls deeply.

Behind him Loki shifts, the arms that are wrapped around him squeezing lightly. "What is it?" asked that soft, silvery voice.

"Fury wants me to debrief," Tony mutters in a gruff, drowsy tone.

Moving stiffly then to get up Tony sits at the edge of the bed yawning tiredly, head held low very reluctant for his feet to make.

As reluctant as Loki was to see him leave.

Sitting up too, from behind he envelops Tony's naked body, pulling him closely and his arms Tony grasps, leaning back into him as Loki says lowly: "Wave him off. Stay with me," that whispered in his ear and Tony smiles widely, shuts his eyes as Loki's lips brushed against his neck, trailing faint, feather-light kisses across its length.

"Mmm, we can do that," only attempting to part from that wholesome embrace was terribly futile. A hand seeking the phone his other caresses Loki's arm back and forth. Glancing at the screen he scrolls through his contacts, pressing one then the device to his ear. He waits as the other end rings, sliding shut his eyes giving into the sensation of Loki's short, tender kisses peppering his neck and shoulder.

"Who is this?" they hear through the phone, a feminine though rather stern voice.

"Why Miss Hill, it's only been a couple of weeks. You forgotten me already?"

"How did you get this number?" asked then quite irritably.

"You should really know better than to ask by now," he and Loki smirk.

"What do you want, Stark?" sighed then stalely.

"Well, I do believe we have an appointment today." A cool, sly hand slid down beneath the sheets.

"Yeah. Nine. It's six." Tony tenses when Loki touches him, suppressing all and any sounds then saying rather urgently:

"Yeah, I'm gonna have to reschedule." His eyes roll to the back of his as Loki strokes him slowly. "Something's come up." {Something's definitely coming up,} Loki grins.

"Negative. Everyone's debriefed, Tony. Including the Colonel. We need to wrap up; you're the only one left."

"Yeah, I can't come." {I can help with that.} "I, uh," Tony exhales shakily as Loki's hand works a pace faster, firmer, clears his throat then insisting: "Personal. Stuff – I gotta go," he hangs up promptly and aside throws his phone, pulls off Loki's hand, turns, pushes straddling him back on the bed, pinning that wrist over his head. "You little brat," he smirks and Loki chuckles heartedly, kneads his thigh still suggestively, eyes lid-low in mischief, sparkling in reflection of light that's blue, irresistibly. Tony leans down consuming in his mouth those thin, smirking lips.

XXX

Later at noon they depart of bed at last. Tony's in need of fresh clothing so the room he leaves planning to meet with Loki in the kitchen after.

[Oh shit,] he's making for the lift and from the corridor across comes Thor.

Though Thor smiles at him it's a tad unreadable, whether it's genuine, implicit, or entirely faked so instead he's actually displeased. Regardless Tony smiles back and they unite in the lift, Thor pressing for the common floor.

A beat before Tony decides to avoid an awkward silence and speaks promptly.

"So, uh…D'you sleep well?" [It's a good thing the question I picked isn't weird.]

Unbeknownst indeed this had also provoked a flustering subject.

Like Loki, Thor too had heightened hearing…

Albeit not as powerful as his brother's, but if by mistake he'd tune in…at the wrong time.

Well let's just say he'd rather have his own floor now.

"Indeed. I have. And you?" Internally then he winces because he should not have asked that.

Tony instantly breaks into a grin that's then very poorly hidden behind a smirk that wouldn't fail, tries normally as he could to respond. "Oh, yeah. Yeah, I…slept well." Of course that was basically as incriminating as walking in on the act…

…And there's the awkward silence…

[Alright, screw this.]

"Hey, Thor. You're okay with. Me and Loki, right?" Not that it would've changed anything were he not, and were he not was something Tony doubted highly.

Still. It's Thor. And, well…

…

No one liked upsetting him, Tony least of all.

Then the god points to the stop button, halting the lift two floors from its destination. It's ridiculous how simultaneously Tony foresees a beating, a perfect place to get pinned, the 'don't date my relatives' code right in play [to be honest I didn't know that was an actual thing.

Is it?]

"It is offensive," says Thor, turning so they're face to face and his is suspiciously calm, "that you think you'd have to ask that, Tony." [Oh?] "You are like a brother to me; I wish upon you joy as I do Loki." And was it foolishly sentimental for that to have gotten to Tony, more than he would've expected it to.

Is that how Thor really sees him? Often it feels it's how he treats him.

Though Thor was of a friendly, bubbly, and rather loud nature, so it could verily be claimed that in his eyes everyone is a 'brother,' everyone is family.

So why does Tony believe so that when the word is to him addressed it is different, genuine.

…Maybe he wants it to be. It had a ring to it he couldn't help a certain longing for.

Then Thor speaks on and what's next said was far more impacting. "If you find both happiness in loving one another then I am elated." To hear this aloud spoken, that thought recurrent in his head,

a question voiceless he asks of Loki

hoping he'd hear, would answer,

yet is unable to say it himself.

[It's too soon,] he's scared to rush things. They're going so well, what if he wrecks it?

Still it's the thought wondering what if and browns down-gazed he's softly smiling. "Right…" And at this Thor smiles brightly.

Then Tony finds himself asking a question he never thought would leave his lips.

Ever.

"Does he ever…talk to you about me?" [Oh my god I sound like a teenage girl.] Thor's smile falters slightly and he admits:

"…No. Loki's never been one to confide in another his feelings," and Tony should've known that. He does, but…the query was more impulsive. "Ones especially so profound as those he holds for you."

What more was it to Thor to on this decide so assertively, so well he claims to know Loki and if he does where from had he come to this conclusion?

With as inquisitive a curiosity seeking confirmation, or incentive to say what yet he could not, Tony asks: "…And how profound would you say that is?"

"More potent I think than, he's ever felt for another."

It's not difficult to determine to whom Loki has taken a liking. He smiles, he stares, he flirts, he blushes. Concurrent this with Tony too, but there was more, more that was new and surprising. Most of all it's the way he keeps to him, and really that was all it had taken for Thor to presume because to no one Loki before has been so attached.

At Thor's sole phrase browns lenify considerably. More surprising they were indeed, warming, than a matter of reassurance.

Closer then Thor steps placing a firm hand on his shoulder, speaking somberly but as well softly. "Stark…Thank you…for believing in him. For-"

"Thor," Tony pats his arm, shaking his head then smirking placidly. "It's offensive that you think you'd have to thank me. For," brows furrow in thought and more assertively next he says: "…seeing in him what's always been there." Because it's all there was to it that he'd seen through the act, seen past that cold, detached exterior, seen inside what hidden he keeps not well enough around him – How many times had it shown?

Anger results from sorrow, snapping due to fear, silence in confliction, efforts not to care because he does, lies when he claims he doesn't – actions speak much louder.

Don't they see?

"…I wish we'd sooner met you, Tony," says Thor in a dejected sincerity and thoughtlessly in turn Tony utters:

"God, me too." Because he changed everything.

He changed everything.

So brightly Thor at him beams, further approaches taking abruptly in his arms the smaller man, caught in a crushing but rather heartening hug. "Heh. Okay, big guy. Love you too."