Chapter 5

Anthony Stark

Although I refused to open my eyes and wake up from my sleep, I did notice a few things were out of order: 1) I was asleep, warm, in a bed that felt entirely unfamiliar, 2) I was feeling rather refreshed, and 3) whomever I slept with had their head resting on my chest and I was holding onto their hand very tightly. I managed to open my eyes to see whom I had taken to bed the night before. It definitely wasn't Pepper, as I had not heard word from her since the charity event. She hadn't shown up at work the day before and I hadn't seen her before my get-together with Loki.

I groaned quietly as I opened my eyes. The person sleeping on my chest had mussed up hair from the night's activities, pale skin . . . And suddenly, I was wide awake. Loki. Loki the damn stripper was cuddled up next to me and out like a nightlight. His snoring was the only indication that he was unconscious.

My heart beat hard in my chest, and the reactor in my chest whirred with the extra adrenaline suddenly rushing through my bloodstream. I looked around to make sure no one else had been invited to the party that had occurred in the bed the night before. The other bed was unoccupied, so I made the deduction that I was safe.

I sat up and froze as Loki murmured in his sleep and began stirring. I paused, waiting for him to awaken, but he began snoring like a bear again and I managed to slip his head onto a pillow and untangle his fingers from mine. I looked down to realize that I was still wearing my pants from the night before and, lo and behold, they were still zipped up and tightened around my waist by my belt.

So I hadn't fucked a guy. I sighed as I gathered up my jacket and shirt, making sure they fit properly so that I wasn't mistaken with Loki's belongings. My cell phone buzzed with an incoming call from Pepper, and I quickly denied taking her call to check my messages from the night before. Pepper had called me six times over the night, possibly trying to figure out where I had disappeared off to when I didn't come back home. I had four voice mails from her. They were probably loud and cursing me as far into hell as she could manage to throw me.

Knowing her and her vocabulary, it would probably be pretty damn far.

I ignored the messages and turned my phone to silent to remain undisturbed by her as I buttoned up my shirt and looked back to make sure my companion remained asleep. His fingers twitched upon the empty space of the mattress, almost as if searching for mine. I returned to the bed, bare feet padding against the rough carpet, and sat down. A stray hair hung over one of his eyes, and I wasn't quite sure what drove me to lift my fingers and brush it back into place. He was deep into his sleep and sighed contentedly as the dream likely turned in his favor.

After checking to make sure Loki had kept his own garments on (which, thankfully, he did), I quietly ordered J.A.R.V.I.S. to send a car to pick me up at the hotel I was staying at and wrestled my shoes on. When I had made myself presentable, Loki was awake, albeit he was very groggy and unsure as to where he was. His legs were crossed in front of him and he was rubbing at his eyes slowly. I cleared my throat, catching his attention. Once our eyes met, the realization came over him.

I had hoped he would have been surprised and turned as red as a cherry, but rather, he looked me over and smiled. And it wasn't one of those sweet smiles that someone would give the person he slept with. It was a mocking sort of smile; it was almost like he was saying, "Ha, I won! What are you going to do about it, now?"

I frowned deeply and ran a hand through my hair, trying to recall memories from the night before. My brain had not processed most of the night, I noticed, as everything was a complete and utter blur after exiting the restaurant. I didn't even know the damn hotel name. I'd have to gather (or make up) as many details as I could to get Pepper off my back once I had returned to the tower.

"You can relax," Loki said, bending down to retrieve his shirt. "Nothing happened last night that your pride wouldn't be able to recover from." He slipped the sleeves back right-side-out and pulled his shirt on. He didn't bother to button it up. "Oh, it's two p.m. I was wondering why it was that I wasn't able to fall asleep as easily as you were. Then again, I rarely ever wake before noon. I stayed up later than usual."

As Loki fetched his jacket, I began to think that I might not see him again. I wasn't sure if I was really beginning to see something attractive in Loki or if I was just sexually frustrated due to lack of Pepper. Maybe it was the latter. I just wasn't going to allow myself to be interested in another man until I've seen all my options.

"Oh, good. For a second there, I was . . . You know what, never mind. Just give me a story to tell my secretary, because I am pretty sure she's going to wring my neck for disappearing again. I've been fighting with her a lot lately thanks to you."

"Yes, and it's all because I gave you my feather boa." Loki chucked as he walked towards the mirror to button up his shirt. He tilted his head back to watch himself carefully and exposed that dip in his throat again. I swallowed as I watched him dress himself. What was it about him that allured me? It was ridiculous to see him putting clothes on and still find him sexy as all hell.

Tony Stark, you just called another man sexy. How does that feel?

Not damn bad, to be honest.

I ignored the voice in my head and tightened its muzzle tightly in hopes of popping its head. Loki was preoccupied in his clothing, and he certainly didn't see me coming. I didn't see me coming either until I had his slender frame wrapped tight in my arms, my mouth covering his with practiced movement and precision, and his hands tangled in my hair. If he was surprised, I was certainly unaware. He adapted easily to situations like so, didn't he?

As I kissed him, I could taste him. He tasted of morning breath (he wasn't complaining, so neither was I), but also of the wine from the night before. I could smell the cologne I had worn on his clothing. Obviously, something had gone down last night. What it was, I wasn't sure, but it didn't matter now. All that I could really think of was how I was going to rank against his previous suitors.


Loki Laufeyson

Walking into work without music blaring in my ears wasn't unusual at seven p.m. The DJ had just arrived and was checking his equipment to make sure everything was working properly, and the bartender was wiping down his counter. A new bodyguard was standing with Natasha, eyeballing every straight dancer that sent her a wary look from behind his sunglasses. She was pissed. Her arms were crossed, her eyes were narrowed into thin lines, and she was biting at her lip.

I ducked my head and tried my best to sneak backstage without catching her eyes, but like a hawk, she managed to spot me and I could hear her storm over. I stopped and waited for her outside. If you were in trouble with the boss, there was no better show for the others than to hear her chew you out. I braced myself for whatever words were going to come out of her mouth. A small shred of hope wished they would be "You're fired."

Lady Luck has never been a kind mistress.

"Well, well, well, look who decided to show up for work today," she said sarcastically, sending me one of those evil smiles of hers. She twisted a short, curled lock of auburn-red hair in her fingers and glared hard at me. "I actually expected you to skip work today since I didn't hear anything from you before six."

"I apologize," I said with my own smirk. "But I've recently become, well, booked by some events."

"I understand the first night you missed it was because your brother asked you to escort someone to a charity event; I'm sure you were able to speak with previous customers and coerce them to return." She let go of the hair and placed both her hands on her hips. "But I do remember telling my employees that they were not allowed to get attached to any of their clients. I received a call that you were out with one of our customers last night."

Last night? Shit. SHIT.

Someone had seen me with Tony and probably thought he was a customer from the bar. Maybe they had seen him here when he came with Aderholt and his group. I immediately thought of the man who had threatened to bribe his way in, the one who was always harassing and grabbing the performers when he knew damn well it wasn't allowed.

I was pretty damn sure he'd been the one who had called in with his "information." If I could remember his name, I'd track him down and kill him in a heart beat. I was practically on the run anyways. One more reason couldn't hurt me.

"Your caller was misinformed," I replied through tightly-clenched teeth. "He was just a friend, nothing more and nothing less."

"A friend?" She chewed in the inside of her cheek as she watched me.

"A friend," I confirmed with a nod. "And if you don't believe me, I can invite him here to talk to you. Though, I must warn you, he doesn't appreciate my job as much as you do." I changed my focus from Natasha to her new bodyguard. "And what happened to Romeo? I haven't seen him at all tonight."

"Him?" She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "He turned out to be stealing money from the bar. So, I fired him and got a few of our boys here to kick his ass. This is Clint, our new bouncer. He needed a job and I owed him a favor."

Clint and I gave each other a polite nod and Natasha released me after promising to kick my ass out quicker than our thief's if I ever skipped work again without telling her or giving her a good reason. I was her "cash cow," so that left more obligations for me than it did the others. That, I could accept.

I changed into my usual outfit, not feeling up to costumes or anything flashy tonight, and claimed a vanity mirror to quickly check my hair. Once it had been properly done, I hung back in a chair near the back of the room to wait for the others to prim themselves up in costumes and makeup and, gods above, one man wearing Brazilian Carnival feathers. I had to bite my lip to choke back a laugh and my stomach began to hurt.

As I watched them dress up in awful role-playing costumes and slap on makeup to make themselves more feminine, my mind decided to be deep and poetic for a few moments. It was a rare occasion when I decided to delve into the back of my mind where coherent thoughts were kept, and the visits usually didn't last very long, but they were often eye-opening or guilt-ridden. At least, for me they were. If a mind-reader was in the room, he or she would probably ask me to think of something a little less depressing, like rainbows or starfish.

I immediately began to think of Thor. He refused to leave me alone no matter where it was we moved. He never had a serious relationship before Jane, and we had been here almost a year; it was the longest we'd ever stayed anywhere after I left home. Ah, home. That story was definitely a tearjerker. I never knew parents could look as disappointed in their own child as they had looked that day. My chest still tightened as burned as I thought about it.

Frigga cried. When I stood in the doorway of the living room and announced to my parents that I was gay and would be living with my boyfriend at the time during my college days, she looked at me in shock and burst into tears. And they were not silent tears. They were the tears of a mother's dream of growing old with grandchildren to spoil suddenly shattering, and the hopes of her son living a "normal life" fading away. She had refused to even look at me, as if I was some kind of monster. I remember trying to touch her shoulder to help console her, and she slapped my hand away.

Odin was a little less dramatic about my coming-out. He simply gave me a deep frown that displayed his obvious dislike in my taste for partners and was silent. Thor was quiet as well. He had known for a long time, but he was surprised that I had wanted to open up to my parents and let them know the reason why I had never brought a nice girl home for dinner the same way Thor had. Odin did, speak, however, and was a little calmer than Frigga. The ice coating his words was too apparent for him to get away with it. The words were, "Get out."

And that was what I had done. I did not ask questions, and I did not argue with him. I packed up my clothing, textbooks for college, my cell phone (which became obsolete within two weeks after my departure), and the money I had been saving for expenses such as food and laundry. And after gathering my things, I left. I stayed with my partner for the time (so long ago, I can't seem to recall his name), and after I graduated, we separated. He wanted to explore his heterosexuality more to see if it was an easier path than the one he had been treading. I allowed him and managed to make enough money to buy myself an apartment.

Everything after that is history. Thor found me trying to skip out of town after my first boyfriend didn't work out so well, and he's stuck by my side ever since. Was I really that important to him that he'd give up so much for someone so pathetic? There weren't many brothers like him in the world.

I perked as my name was called, and one of the guys pointed towards the steps leading to the stage. "Your turn, God of Mischief," he joked with a cynical grin on his face. "Have fun."

"Don't I always?" I asked with a matching grin.

He chuckled and rolled his eyes, returning to his mirror as I stood and snatched a blue feather boa from a box by the mirrors. There was a protest from the other side of the room, but I ignored as it as stood behind the curtain, the cold floor radiating its iciness up to my entire being from my legs. A deep breath gathered the usual nerves from pre-performance, and letting it out expelled them. I closed my eyes and parted the curtain with my hands, slowly allowing them to reveal me.

I breathed again, and then moved forward. The song was slow and easy, something I had chosen to dance to rather than the usual fast-paced songs that made me want to rip my ears off my head. I took a quick step forward, toes pointed, before pivoting and bending down low, exposing my throat. My shirt slipped off of my shoulders, having been unbuttoned before my arrival. I smirked as a few girls shrieked at the first part of skin they could see and slowly lifted myself back to a standing position. The shirt slid off of me as easily as flowing water, and I had already lost an article of clothing.

A few bills later, my pants were gone with yet another impossible move that bent my spine so far I could feel it creaking. I wrapped a hand around the pole in the middle of the stage on the left and let the fun part of the dance began. I could feel their eyes staring at me hungrily, stripping off what little clothing I was wearing with their minds and probably imagining things that would make their mother ashamed of them. I was used to the hungry-eyes already. I'd been doing this for almost two years. Once you're in the game, you have to get used to the things people do.

As I dipped down, something caught my eye. It was in the corner, barely noticeable. I still gave it a glance. Could be money, could be a reason to get someone's ass kicked out. I looked to see a hand reaching out towards me, sweaty with fingers clenching in and out. I grabbed the wrist and let go with my other hand; my legs had enough strength to keep me from cracking my head against the stage. Something as clumsy as that would lower my rating in the bar.

The would-be pervert squeaked as I took hold of her wrist and clicked my tongue. "That's not allowed," I said quietly, shaking my head at her. "You know the rules, baby. 'You can look, but you can't touch.'"

I released her hand and she pulled it back to her chest, eyes glassy as if she had been put under a spell. She nodded in response to my command and leaned back in her chair. I smiled back at her and winked. She squealed and flailed in her seat as I leaned up and twisted back around the pole. I completed my dance with yet another move that was both very appealing for the watchers' eyes and that would make even a circus contortionist grimace. Once done, I gathered up my clothes, gave my ass a smack, and left the limelight of the stage. Mr. Carnival was my following act.

I yanked my clothing on and checked the money I had gathered. Someone had run out of singles sometimes during the dance; I sifted through at least seven twenties and a handful of fifties. I licked my lips and folded the money into a small bundle. I put it safely where no one would dare reach without my consent and managed to steal a mirror to check my appearance.

The itch on my neck was a new sensation, and I noticed that the blue feather boa I had stolen still remained wrapped around my neck, untouched from the performance and not in the lap of a woman who was too shy and lonely to go out and get herself someone she could wake up to in the morning.

I touched the feathers between two fingers and gave the scenario some pondering. Waking up to someone in the morning . . . The last person I had woken up to in the morning was Tony. It definitely wasn't a bad face to look at. Well, technically, it'd been the afternoon. If I was awake before noon, it was a miracle sent straight from heaven above.

After three more dances and a few drinks to rally the crowd up to let loose their wallets, I was ready to end my shift. I fastened the buttons on my shirt, looped a belt tight around my hips, and checked my hair to make sure it still looked smooth and professional. Once I was pleasant enough for the wee hours of New York City, I took my leave, flashing Natasha a winning smile as I left. She gave me a sarcastic sneer but waved anyways.

The cold night air made me wish I had brought a jacket to wear. I had forgotten mine somewhere and just didn't seem to carry the common sense to find it. My body was not made for freezing temperatures. Thor could crack his knuckles and create enough heat to warm an entire four-story house. Me? I was lucky if I walked out of the door and didn't catch my death within the first three steps.

I shivered in the cold and noticed a nice black Cadillac sitting in front of the bar. Could be one of the regulars'. Oh, but that was just wishful thinking. I was beginning to get annoyed with seeing that goatee that was sharply shaved and perfectly cut. Well, annoyed wasn't the word. I wasn't sure what it was I was feeling when I looked at him, but it definitely wasn't uncomfortable. Hell, why do I try with words? I was never good at using them.

"What a . . . surprise," I said as he gave me a million-dollar grin. "I'm not quite sure which word should be inserted there. Give me a few moments, and I might think of it."

"I can get you all the time in the world, if you'd like." His chocolate-brown eyes seemed to light up. "Well, the sun would come up, but every clock in New York City would be frozen. Would you like to try it?"

"No, I really wouldn't . . ."

"Yeah? Too bad." He pulled out the same screen I had seen him using the night before and ordered, "J.A.R.V.I.S., mind pausing time a bit? I don't feel like going to bed yet."

"Ms. Potts will have your hide for a handbag. But, no, I personally do not mind."

I normally do not scare easily, but the electronic voice protruding out of the screen and talking back to Tony was definitely something new. I literally jumped when I heard it. Tony glanced up at me, looked down at his handheld, and he laughed. "Not used to this, are you?" He flashed another panty-dropping grin. "I'll be sure to give you a warning when I use J.A.R.V.I.S. He's an A.I."

"Artificial Intelligence?" I asked. My reward was a very impressed brow-raise from Tony. "Did you build him yourself?"

"I have been acting as Mr. Stark's aid for many years, sir. Were I a human, I would appear thirty years my senior."

"Holy shit."

"Okay, J.A.R.V.I.S., good night. Don't bother me for at least an hour. At least."

"But, sir, I have 'stopped time' for you and Mr. Laufeyson. Should I start it again to make sure that an hour has passed before I speak with you?"

"J.A.R.V.I.S., when I get home, I'm going to disable your ability to process sarcastic comebacks to anything I say. No, don't restart the clocks. Just . . . Just stay quiet until this evening is over. I don't want to hear a peep from you."

"No 'peeps' are had here, sir."

"Shut up, J.A.R.V.I.S."

I was fighting back laughter when Tony and his A.I. finally ended their bickering. They were almost like a married couple. It was strange to think about something like that, but that was my first impression.

Tony shoved his handheld back into his pocket, mumbling something to himself under his breath, and he sighed. "Well, are you free?" he asked.

"My shift has ended, so, yes," I replied cautiously. "Why?"

"Well, after last night, Pepper has decided she's done with me. On a personal level, at least. Her paycheck is enough to keep her around as a secretary." He shrugged. "So, needless to say, I am quite lonely."

"I'm not going to sleep with you, Mr. Stark."

"I did not ask that." He frowned at me. "And I thought I told you to call me 'Tony.' There's no need for you to continue using formalities or any of that shit. Mr. Stark was my dad, I am Tony. Don't confuse the two of us." He stroked his beard. "I'm better-looking anyways."

"I'm sure you are, Tony." I rolled my eyes. "Do you have any idea what it is you're getting into?" I walked up to him and leaned in close. He didn't back away from me, only raised his eyebrows in greeting to a challenge.

"I have an idea," he replied with a small chuckle.

"I'm really not as nice as I seem, Tony."

"What a coincidence!" he laughed and spread his arms wide at each side. "I'm not nice, either."