sorry this is short but...you know, long day at work and whatnot. hope you enjoy! none of this is mine.


Tony opened the door gently, just in case Loki was still sleeping. He found the God laying in bed, eyes closed, but the lid of the right eye cracked open slightly upon his entry.

"Hey, how you feeling?" He walked into the room, perching on the edge of the large bed and laying a hand on his love's pale forehead.

"I feel rather strange...I cannot explain it."

The God pushed himself up into a sitting position and groaned softly as he found himself becoming lightheaded again, right in front of Tony as well. He had to be better than this. He closed his eyes, allowing a moment to steady himself. When he opened his eyes, it was to find Tony gone from his bedside. He frowned.

"Tony?"

"Hush, love, i'm here" Tony's voice echoed from the bathroom. "I'm just getting you a drink..you're worrying me, Loki."

Loki felt a smile twitch at the corners of his mouth, for he so loved to see evidence of Tony's affections for him.

"I am fine, it is just a little warm here in the summer. Even in my Aesir form, I do not do well in heat. I will be fine after a walk in the fresh air." He grasped his lovers arm, pulling himself up and walking towards his balcony. Truth be told, as he slid the doors open, he did feel a little better. It was as though a cloud of cotton wool had been removed from his mind, and he could think clearly again.

"Better?"

"Much"

"Good. So, got any plans for the rest of the day? Or are you gonna sleep some more?" Tony chuckled.

"Actually...I've been meaning to continue my magical studies using some of my old books from Asgard. Thor brought them for me when he returned from his last visit there...there is a particular spell i would like to perfect and study, perhaps adapt to work with your science. I am informing you because it will involve my spending slightly more time in the library and in my room...and less amongst our peers. I did not want you to worry or think I had something to hide."

Tony lifted an arm to rub circles in Loki's back. He had noticed, in his time with Loki, that the tall Asgardian had a very insecure side to him, always worrying about the possibility that he could be worrying others, or that someone might think wrongly of him after his reform. It was actually very sweet, in Tony's eyes.

"Hey...are you guys okay? Loki feeling any better?"

The couple turned to find Steve, mother hen mode initiated, peeking his head around the sliding door to the balcony.

"Loki's cool now, just needed some air. And hey, guess what? He's gonna start up studying magic again and see if he can work it into our science! Isn't that awesome? I can;t wait to tell Bruce, i mean, think of what this could do for our knowledge? All the advancements..."

Ignoring Tony's rambling - he never really cared for science himself- Steve turned to Loki, silently asking his question directly to the God.

are you okay?

Loki smiled softly, nodding in return. He would be ever grateful for the easy friendship the Captain had shown him over his months with the team, for it was the Captain who had accepted him the easiest, other than Tony and Thor of course. And, unlike Thor and Tony, Steve seemed to know exactly when Loki needed someone, and when he just needed to be left be for a while.

After disrupting Tony's ranting to himself - he hadn't yet realized noone was listening to him - the three parted ways, Tony leaning up to give Loki a deep kiss before heading off to his lab, leaving a blushing Steve to practically sprint to the training room, where he would no doubt defeat another dozen punching bags, and leaving Loki to sit at the table next to his bed with a book open in front of him. It was not a book of magic, as he would lead the others to believe, but a simple journal with a Norse cover spelled onto it.

And as he listened to the satisfying sound of his stomach growling, knowing it was a sign of his superior control over his body, he drew out three columns into his diary.

Calories consumed

Calories burnt

Purge Required?

Upon the completion of these columns, the tools that would help him show Tony he was worthy of their relationship, Loki shut the journal with a snap, and stood before the mirror, turning this way and that.

So much fat, said a tiny voice in the back of his head, maliciously, better start now or you'll never get rid of it.


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