A/N: Yeah, this chapter happened.
I don't own The Avengers, Loki, Iron Man, Thor, or anything of the like. Just the thoughts inside my head.
"I'll admit, I missed our time together." Tony watched the heavy boots pace in front of him, his hand clutching at this chest as he lay on his side. "All the information I was able to glean off of you. And then, you were gone. I was mad, Anthony, I may have taken it out on Loki, but then I found out that he was full of even more information."
Tony squeezed his eyes shut when he felt another tremor of pain shoot through his chest. "What did you do to him?" Tony tried to make his voice loud, strong, steady.
"He wouldn't give me what I wanted to know, not willingly," Thanos stopped moving and Tony lifted his eyes up. "It was locked up in his mind, in a little corner, a corner he thought was safe." The titan grinned. "I ripped it from his mind. It was a fragile thing in the first place, but oh, how it worked. You two are some of the more intelligent beings I've run across."
That's why Loki wasn't their Loki anymore. Tony wasn't there to save him, he wasn't there to keep Loki grounded. Naiden had seen it right away, in his eyes, back in Germany. Tony glanced over to the still man on his couch. He should have listened more carefully.
"I can see that you mortals have done a good attempt at thwarting my attempts to bring about my army," Thanos continued, turning towards the window. "It's a good thing that I had a secondary plan, and a good thing that you were still alive."
Tony was suddenly flipped onto his back, staring up into the amoured face of a Yar soldier. The Chitauri were waiting for their portal. The Yar had hitched a ride with Thanos when Loki had used Tony's reactor as a power source. A smaller version of the machine he saw on the roof was placed over his body, the Tersseract sitting in a cradle directly over his chest.
"I had hoped that I wouldn't have to do it this way. I wanted to keep you alive." Thanos turned back and looked down at Tony as a couple of wires were attached to the reactor. "You may live through this yet, you survived for 15 years." The tesseract started to spin, glowing brighter along with the reactor, and Tony arched his back up when he felt the pulling from before.
Loki watched, because that's what he had been ordered to do. He sat in a chair, unmoving, as the Titan played with the mortal. No, his mortal. Thanos had promised him Tony and Naiden when it was all over. Had promised to restore his mind, his sanity, his boys, just as long as he got the Tesseract.
This wasn't how it was supposed to turn out, though. Naiden sat on the couch, still bound, his mind locked within. How Loki wished to be like that, merely a prisoner, not a puppet. Tony, his Tony. Loki looked at the man, on the floor, screaming as the power of the Tesseract flooded through his body.
Outside he could see the Chitauri. Some flying through the air, others leaping onto buildings, destroying. Thanos' plan had worked. All the years he had spent studying Tony had paid off, he had found out enough about the arc reactor to use it to open the portal. And now it would probably kill Tony.
"Loki." A voice whispered in his mind and he frowned. He looked over and suddenly saw golden eyes staring at him. There was a shift and Loki inhaled suddenly.
From Naiden's point of view he saw the blue suddenly bleed from Loki's eyes, quickly being replaced with an emerald green. He slumped back against the couch, unable to fight past the spell on his own mind anymore.
Loki hand gripped the scepter suddenly as his eyes surveyed the scene in front of him. He had to stop the portal. Stopping the portal saved Tony. Tony, he had to save Tony, it was just something that he did. He slowly pushed himself up from the chair, neither Thanos nor the Yar guard paying him any attention.
He stepped over to Tony and crouched down slowly. His hand cupped Tony's cheek and the hazel eyes flicked to his. Loki's long fingers slid down to his chest, gripping one of the wires, and he could feel the raw power of of the arc reactor and the magic of the tesseract. It was a powerful combination, and it was taxing Tony's body.
He felt the connection and ripped it out. The Tesseract shook slightly, letting out a wave of power that caught the attention of Thanos. His eyes narrowed and he growled at Loki. Loki quickly pulled the other wires out of Tony's reactor and the Tesseract wobbled dangerously in its cradle. Standing up at the last second, he held the scepter in front of him and threw himself back to avoid Thanos' fist.
"You worthless being!" Thanos roared as Loki quickly caught his balance. "I gave you power! I was going to give you a planet! And this is how you repay me?"
"You were going to raze this planet to the ground," Loki hissed out at him. "You can't lie to the God of Lies."
"You readily believed the words when I promised you this mortal, and that elf," Thanos suddenly grinned at him as he spoke. They both knew that Tony and Naiden were closer to Loki. There was no way that he'd be able to protect himself and the two men on his own. "You forget, you gave yourself to me in exchange for their lives. I own you, Little Prince."
"Nobody owns me," Loki hissed and he swept the scepter around him in a circle, driving the two back.
"Get Naiden." Loki would have missed the pained words if he hadn't of been keeping one eye on Tony. He had turned to his side, holding himself up with one arm. "Get out, I've got a suit here."
Loki opened his mouth to argue then saw the look from Tony and the quickly approaching Thanos. Moving quickly he stepped past the cradle, wrapping the unstable Tesseract in a cloak that followed him, then wrapped an arm around Naiden's waist. Thanos roared at him and Loki quickly released the spell in his head, the two of them disappearing from the building.
Tony smiled faintly, relief rushing through his body. Until the Yar guard grabbed him by the back of the neck and lifted him up from the ground. Tony reached up and activated the bracelets for his untested suit. He didn't know what would happen if this didn't work in his favour.
Loki appeared with Naiden down in front of Stark Tower. He gripped the scepter tightly as his knee buckled slightly. He set him down and tapped the tip against his chest. There was an explosion down the street and he ducked over Naiden quickly. The blue faded from Naiden's eyes and he suddenly sucked in a breath.
"Loki!" The god turned, an arm around Naiden's shoulders to keep him close. He saw the Captain and the red-headed woman stop in front of him. "Let him go Loki!"
Loki narrowed his eyes. "No one will separate me from this boy," he growled out. "He is my charge, and I shall keep him by my side."
"Loki," Natasha hissed at him. Naiden groaned, catching the attention of the others. Naidens hand were free and he rubbed his head, not noticing that Loki held onto him. Loki whispered something to him in a different language and it had the two Avengers on edge.
Naiden's eyes suddenly widened and he turned in Loki's arms, then suddenly threw his arms around the taller mans neck tightly. "Loki," the younger man breathed out. There was a crackled of lightning and Thor appeared between the two heroes and the reunited pair.
"Brother!" Thor took a step closer and Loki instinctively pulled Naiden behind him. "Let him go, stop this-"
"I have stopped you oaf," Loki hissed out and Naiden put a hand on his arm. "If your little group has not noticed, the portal is gone, although the Chitauri still run rampant in your realm." Loki swallowed slightly and Naiden's hand moved down to grip his own. "Thor, I need you to watch over Naiden." Thor moved closer, hand still gripping Mjolnir tightly, just in case. "Protect him with your very life, for my own is what I would give up for him.
"Loki," Naiden pulled on his arm, frowning. "What are you thinking?"
"We aren't going to let you go," Natasha spoke, remind them that she was still there. Captain America had disappeared back into the fray of battle. "You've caused-"
"You do not have much of a choice," Loki snapped back. "I've no idea when Tony will be able to join into the battle, and I must do something to end this. The Chitauri are the least of your worries if what is in that Tower breaks free. You will have wish that I had been the only one wreaking havoc."
"You aren't up for this," Naiden said quietly. "I can feel it, you're barely-"
"You are weaker than I, and I will not have anything else happen to you while I am of a right mind," Loki turned to look at him as Thor stepped closer. "It has been almost seven years since I have seen either of you, since I have actually been able to call my thoughts my own, and I will not allow this realm that you have made a home be destroyed. Not because of my foolish actions."
"You're emotions are showing," Naiden said quietly, a small, albeit sad, smile crossing his features. "Don't let Tony know, he'll be upset he missed it."
Thor placed a hand over Loki's shoulder, trying to ignore the way that Loki's tensed up slightly. "Brother, I shall watch over him as if he were my own." Loki nodded at the words and took a couple steps back. "Although I do wish you would tell me-"
"Afterwards, Thor," Loki said and turned, walked away from the group, Natasha still following him with her guns out. "Watch out for Tony, he is as vulnerable as I am!" Loki called out before disappearing in a flash of green.
Tony knew it was a bad idea, most of them were, but as his body went crashing through the glass and over the balcony, he thought he should have listened to himself for once. Luckily there was an Iron Man suit on it's way down to help him out. As it wrapped around his body and quickly righted himself and used the boosters to soften his landing on the ground.
"JARVIS, comm up, now," Tony breathed out, locking the knee joints to keep himself standing. He physically wasn't ready, but he didn't have a choice with the way the Chitauri were running about. "Hey dolls, I'm back. Who missed Daddy?"
"Tony!" He blinked at the chorus of voices calling his name. "About damn time!" That was Barton.
"Missed you too Legolas," Tony shook his head and launched into the air, following the readouts that were displayed on his HUD. "I see you guys started the party without me."
"From what we understand, you started it," Natasha spoke up. "You have one messed up idea of a party, Stark."
"You knew that last year, Nat," Tony shot back. He blasted a couple of the aliens out of the sky. "Okay, now the question that everyone is avoiding telling me-"
"Naiden is safe, with myself," Thor's voice came over the comm and Tony let out a little sigh. "Loki has disappeared into the battle."
"He seems to actually be helping us," and he'd be damned is Steve didn't sound a little confused.
"Don't worry about that, I got this," Tony flew off around a corner, leading a few flyers to crash as they missed the tight turn.
"I don't trust you as far as I can throw you, Stark." It was always a pleasant surprise to hear Fury in his ear. "I when this is done I want that madman-"
"That's my madman you're talking about," Tony warned in a teasing tone. "How about we worry about saving the city, and the world first." He saw a flash of green down on the ground where a large number of Chitauri were gathering. "Excuse me while I show you amateurs how this is done." He cut the thrusters in his boots and dropped while shooting a couple of enemies away, landing with his back to Loki. "Well, doesn't this bring back memories."
"It would be a change of pace if I didn't have to heal you after this," Loki easily responded. They moved in tandem, fighting like they used to for fifteen years. Tony tuned out anything said over the comm lines as his mind fell into a familiar set. He was fighting with Loki again, with him, not against him.
And if Hawkeye was a little impressed as he watched them from up on his rooftop, he'd be sure to let the two men know in private. He still hated Loki for what he did, but somehow, watching the two of them, he knew that there was something there that would let him get over it. He resolved to talking to Tony and Loki when it was all over. He knew he had to.
"I've cleared the area over here," Natasha called out.
"It's clear with us," Naiden had claimed the comm from Thor as he fought the enemies around them. "We're going to go and see how Banner held up."
"He seems to be meandering around, a little sad there's nothing left to smash," Barton filled in.
"I'm clear," Steve looked around. "Is this all a little suspicious?"
"No," Barton quickly interjected. "They've all gathered in one spot. I'd suggest moving to help out Tony and Loki. They've been fighting non stop for almost an hour, it's-"
"Something they're used too," Naiden interrupted him, even as Thor guided him towards the others. "Don't worry too much about them, just worrying about taking out those that they can't see."
"Are we going to get answers after all this is over?" Clint asked.
"That's up to them," Naiden replied. "It's not my story to tell, mine is nearly as interesting as theirs is."
"Hawkeye," Steve spoke up as everyone started to move. "Keep them out of the air, Thor use the lightning to help. Natasha, get over there and start taking them out. I'm going to see if Banner is still angry and we'll be over there to help out."
"No!" Tony's voice stopped them. "Get to the Tower, keep it secure."
"Tony, this isn't the time to sentimental," Natasha growled at him.
"There are two other nasties up there," Tony shot back. "If they get loose then everything that Loki and I are doing will be nothing but a fucking show! And it'll be on repeat for a very long time." They could hear a voice int he background and assumed it was Loki's. "Thor will understand when Naiden tells him who it is."
Tony and Loki saw the crash of lightning. "I told you so," Loki grinned slightly at Tony who rolled his eyes.
"Lucky guess," Tony muttered as he ducked and shot at a warrior, taking his weapon and turning it on three others.
Naiden had been forced to wait for the others on the lower levels as Thor made his way up to Thanos. Apparently the Titan was well known to Asgardians, and Thor was not a happy camper. He heard the Huilk climbing up the outside of the tower, glass breaking. The top half of the Tower was already mostly destroyed, what's a few more windows?
Naiden stepped up to closer to one of the broken windows and looked out to where he knew TOny and Loki were. He couldn't see anymore Chitauri in the air, and knew that after this long they must be almost done. He hoped they were, he didn't know how long the two of them could actually last in a battle, not when they had already been exhausted.
"There's nothing over there anymore," Naiden jumped and turned, sucking in a breath when he heard Tony's voice behind him. Loki had an arm around his shoulders and they both looked ready to drop. "The others upstairs still?"
"Yeah, but I'm not sure how it's going. Every so often I feel a few tremors, but," he trailed off with a shrug.
"We should get up there," Loki said quietly, rearranging himself and gripping onto his scepter. "I should like to exchange this horrid thing for my regular staff."
"I liked the other better anyway, much less in the mind control department," Tony quipped.
"Tony, do not underestimate Thanos," Tony raised an eyebrow when Loki spoke. "When I sent you both away you left your weapons, and he studies them. He knows of the weaknesses of the suit."
Naiden watched Tony's jaw tense a little and he nodded. "Then I guess I'd better not give him a reason to use that knowledge." Tony then pointed at Naiden. "You stay down here, it's safer here." Naiden nodded once then moved forward, hugging Tony suddenly. He pat his back before he moved over and pulled Loki into a tighter hug.
"Neither one of you is allowed to leave again, alright?" He tried to keep his voice steady, but the two men knew it was hard for him. "I need both of you here," he whispered. Loki pressed a hand to the back of his neck and nodded. Naiden let go and the two men moved to the stairs.
Naiden let himself drop into a chair, hoping that he wouldn't lose another set of parents in a battle.
Tony poked his head in first and saw that there seemed to be a stand-off in his penthouse. There were a few Chitauri standing with the Yar guard in front of Thanos. Thor and the hulk stood front and center while the Captain, Clint, and Natasha were standing behind them, looking rather tired. All of Tony's furniture was gone, most likely the reason for the ashes and wood on the floor.
Tony let out a little cry and Loki grabbed his arm. "My bar, they've destroyed my bar." Loki stared at Tony for a second before hit Tony's shoulder. And he felt it through the armour.
"There are more important things than some broken glass," Loki muttered and pushed him into the room.
"Now it becomes interesting," Thanos murmured and the Avengers tried not to look away from the small group in front of them.
"You bet your button it will," Tony growled out as he and Loki stepped out in front of their heavy hitters. "You threw me out of a window, and then destroyed my bar. I loved that bar."
"Tony," Steve groaned out from behind him.
"I am still uncertain as to how you broke through my spell, sorcerer," Thanos looked at Loki as he spoke, "but be rest assured that I shall not let your human slip my grasp again."
"You'll not touch him," Loki answered automatically. He could practically feel the confusion of the others behind them.
There was a grumble and a snarl from the Yar guard and Tony sneered at him, his visor flipping down. "Let's finish this. That one," Tony pointed at the guard, "is mine."
The movement was sudden and all hell broke loose. Tony launched at the Yar, Loki went for Thanos, and the Chitauri brushed past them to take on the Avengers. The sound was something that Naiden could hear from below, which was the best and worst thing for him. He knew when not to go up, but he had no idea what was happening.
Tony aimed a hand at the guard and let the repulsor charge, firing off a shot. His eyes widened when the Yar blocked it and actually sent it back at him with its sword. He wasn't able to move before the charge hit the gauntlet and Tony stumbled back, cursing. He ripped the glove off as it start to spark and heat up. He was down to one gauntlet, and his enemy knew all about it. Not going to be fun.
Loki ducked underneath one of Thanos' big fists and brought up the end of his staff towards his face. Thanos moved and backhanded the god Loki slid back but caught his balance. A large purple first wrapped around the scepter and started to tug. "Have you ever thought about why it was so easy for me to infiltrate your mind, petty being?"
Loki narrowed his eyes, and smirked slightly when he felt someone come up behind him, wrapping their hands around his to push against Thanos. "I imagine he hasn't," Tony growled out. "You're not really worth that much thought, if I'm gonna be honest."
Thanos grinned and the scepter started to glow. "I gave you this scepter, I know how it works, I know it's effects, and how it affects, and infects." The two men narrowed their eyes at the Titan. "I have created a dependency on the scepter, with your fragile mind. What would happen should that link, break?" The scepter let out a creaking noise before cracks started to run along the length.
Loki stumbled back slightly into Tony's chest and he took in a breath. Tony's hands tightened over Loki's. Loki blinked when he felt something, something shifted, more than one thing. With every crack in the scepter something in his mind seemed to move.
"Let them go Thanos," Steve growled from behind. Tony glanced back and saw his teammates facing them, weapons and fists at the ready. Thanos was outnumbered and no amount of power could stop the combined efforts of the Avengers.
"Let us descend together, shall we?" Thanos laughed as the scepter suddenly shattered under his grip. Loki gasped as the glowing core of the scepter burst, encompassing the three of them and throwing them back. The Avengers covered their faces, turning and ducking away from the blast. Thor and Steve broke away to check on Loki and Tony respectively, while Clint, Natasha and Hulk went over to Thanos, the latter of the three sitting on the purple Titan and growling under his breath.
When Thor went to pick Loki up he stopped when Tony's arm had started to move. Stve noticed it and blinked. Tony and Loki's hand were threaded together tightly, despite their lack of consciousness.
