Black magic.
If not the apple, it was the only other way.
No.
Another, there must be.
Black magic was corrupting, impure, dangerous. For those who practiced, and those inflected.
Idun's tree was a discovery. Every spell, the same. Combinations of runes, rituals, elements, incantations.
A potion of strength, health, a spell for endurance, wards. The right assemblage of relevant knowledge, the power to put it to use.
"I'm starving," said Tony, halting Loki's train of thought. On his back laid still in bed both naked, Loki squeezed lightly the hand in his that he'd been absently stroking. He smiled lightly, said slyly:
"You should be." From his side tracing fingers up and down Loki's arm Tony grinned.
"Alright, smartass," he perched himself upon an elbow, looking down at his lover. "Let's wash up and go raid the kitchen." Loki chuckled airily, then said:
"You go. I'll meet you downstairs."
"Yeah?" a suggestive smirk tugged up Tony's lips as two fingers danced across Loki's chest, circling a spot of pale pink he'd left coloring the god's protruding collarbone as he leaned closer. "Sure you don't wanna tag along?" Loki's own smirk swelled then he turned abruptly, placing a sniggering Tony under him, tossing over his shoulder his arm and drawing closer as he purred:
"Mm, I certainly do. But I doubt our housemates would very much appreciate the sight of me in a towel as I trek to my room for clean clothes after."
"Anyone who doesn't appreciate you in a towel has serious mental and sexual problems." Loki laughed frivolously, pecking Tony on the lips. Grinning, between short, playful kisses, Tony mumbles: "...Be easier if we settled on a room." In a jeering tone, adds: "Move in together." Mock wincing, Loki hisses.
"Ooh, bit fast, don't you think?" Tony chuckles, tags along.
"Oh yeah no, you're right. I mean, spending all day every day together. Too soon for that." Loki nods, humming.
"Right." They break both laughing, blending in another kiss that deepens. Tony moans and Loki inhales sharply, gazing then at one another with dreamy, low-lid eyes, smiling faintly. On his side Loki turned and Tony to him drew closer; a quiet settles amid them with just the sound of their soft breathing. They touched and caressed one another, glancing into eyes that almost are void of color.
"…I got you red velvet," says Tony on a note. Loki's sleepy eyes sparkle briefly and a lazy smile draws up his lips.
"How thoughtful." Tony smirks and nuzzles closer, brushing in affection together their noses as he caressed Loki's cheek, pushed back his hair gently, twirled daintily soft black strands around his finger. Loki smiled, let his eyes slide shut and sooner Tony followed suit, dropping his hand to rest against Loki's chest and Loki held it there, tracing his index back and forth over the sensitive skin of Tony's inner-wrist.
Near ten minutes passed they lay this way it'd be easy to fall again to sleep.
"…Anthony."
"Hm?"
"Do you intend to move from this bed any time today?" Tony smirks.
"Not really. You?" Loki smiles.
"M, mm."
XXX
He'd made it so easy, so easy
not to think.
So early on more often than not it's exactly why he'd seek him out, not to think.
Now he thinks…
His mind is loud and crowded, thoughts at odds, those in group working to find, search through memories of books and scrolls he'd once a time read, another solves or aims to, trying varied combinations of knowledge that was missing. He'd not committed all and every reading to memory; he hadn't cared. The apple on him worked, why should he? Why should he care to learn of ways to live or outlive death?
He needn't then; he needs it now.
…The apple promised immortality. That's a lie. All it did was delay, strengthening the shell of one's being to endure pain, impact, age, things lethal still but not as imminent.
…
…Loki doesn't fear death.
Death is a constant, inevitable, an end, and everything comes to an end; it's only rational.
…But it needn't end so quickly, and it shouldn't end abruptly.
He can prevail, he's sure.
But he's missing things and it's frustrating.
…It's fine. He'll have them. Haste is unessential.
His thoughts settle…
His senses return vivid.
A light that's blue his eyes were staring. Steady breaths from Tony come and go, fanning over Loki's lips and cheeks. His soft, bare skin is warm all over. When Loki listens well he can hear the faint beating of a heart…that makes his ache. He breathes, thinks just of him, lets that steady beat lull him to sleep.