A/N: Chapter one was too short, and more like a prologue, so here's the second chapter as promised. I originally meant to upload it along with chapter one, but it was late by the time I finished proofreading it yesterday so I didn't.

Anyway, this chapter's longer, hope you guys likey!

Chapter 2

Thankfully, there was no one up at this hour, no one to greet them and complicate things even more than they already were. The two brothers sat on a couch together- no surprise there -and Stark on the one opposite. Thor still kept an arm around Loki's shoulders. The trickster did nothing out of the ordinary; his eyes unmoving, devoid of emotion.

"So," Stark said, uncertain how to begin. "Want anything to drink?" Thor stared at him. "No? Are you sure?" The thunderer nodded twice, face blank, although something like anticipation lingered behind the somber mask.

Tony himself could have used a drink, but he couldn't bring himself to get one at the moment- it just felt... inappropriate. So instead he just nodded, and looked around. Is he expecting me to ask questions?

Suddenly Thor spoke, "Anthony..."

Tony raised his eyebrows at the name, but didn't feel the need to correct the god.

"I..." continued Thor. "I know you require explanation for what has happened, but..." he trailed off, looking to his brother for a moment, then down to the floor. "It is a long tale." He looked to Tony. "Would you prefer the others to be present for the telling?"

That was actually a valid question, but Tony still didn't think it would be a good idea to crowd the two gods, given the situation. Well, thought Tony, as though someone could hear him, I can be considerate when I need to be. He smirked a little to himself before answering. "Uhh...no. I mean, I get what you're saying, but... Well, let's just say it would probably be best to-" he searched for the right words "-keep things quiet for right now." Thor narrowed his eyes just a fraction. "Just for now."

Thor nodded. This uncharacteristic quietness was beginning to unnerve Tony. What happened to that over-exuberant thunder god everyone knew?

"So," said Tony, "you've been gone a few months now, but him," he pointed at Loki. "He's been gone what- two years? What's happened since then?"

Thor hesitated but answered. "Loki has been serving his sentence since he returned."

Tony nodded. "Okay. And... is his punishment over, or..." he trailed off. It didn't look like his punishment was over. In fact, it looked like Thor was just taking him out for a stroll or something. Was the thunderer planning on returning his brother to... whatever his punishment was?

"No," answered Thor. "I..."

Tony cocked his head. "No?" Thor avoided his eyes. "Then... what's he doing here? You didn't like, sneak him out or something, did you?" said Tony in a humored tone. Thor said nothing; Tony's face fell. "You didn't, right?" he deadpanned. He stared at Thor, then glanced at Loki, then back at Thor. "Thor-?"

"I could not leave my brother to this torture any longer." The conviction in the god's voice actually sent a shiver down Tony's spine. Thor was always making grand statements- which always sounded somewhat hilarious given his archaic speech patterns, at least to Tony -but this time, Tony couldn't help but respect the hard-bitten words.

Tony leaned forward, sitting on the edge of his seat. "Thor. Where have you been the last few months? We haven't heard a peep from you in all that time."

"I was," Thor rubbed a hand through his hair. "I was looking for Loki. I didn't find him until about a week ago."

The inventor raised his brows. "Oh? You didn't know where he was being kept?"

Thor shook his head, "No. Our father," his face grew stern. "The All-father refused to tell me where Loki was being held. I have been on a long journey to find him." Tony could see tears welling up in the god's eyes. "And when I did," he looked down. "And when I did I found... this."

This... The statement wasn't so much about Loki, but about his state. That the once-proud and powerful trickster god, who had tried to take over a whole planet, had been reduced to... this. This creature who was obviously just a fraction of what he once was. Tony breathed out through his nose. "Is he..." He wasn't sure what to say. "Why didn't you... why didn't you take the stitches out?"

Thor's eyes finally met his; anger lingered for only a fraction of a second, but was soon buried by what looked like exhaustion and grief. "I have tried." The thunderer's shoulders slumped. "They are enchanted. No knife or edge could cut these strings."

Tony was, once again, at a loss for words. But surely they would have removed them eventually? But he couldn't make the words come out. He managed to ask something else. "And how long has he been..." Tony indicated his own mouth with a wave of his hand.

"I am uncertain. At least a year, I believe."

Tony nearly choked on his own spit. "A year?! A-A year? Seriously, what- how-?"

Thor looked a little surprised. "We can survive for a considerable length of time without food or water, Stark... Although, it is not recommended." The thunderer gave a sad smile.

The inventor nodded absently, eyes wide. He is serious. He still couldn't quite believe it. Alien gods... More questions tumbled out of his mouth. "And... his eyes?"

Thor frowned. "Venom," came the simple answer.

There was a pregnant pause. "Venom," Tony repeated, staring. "Just what the hell does that mean?"

There was a sigh, "That was his final punishment: to have the venom of a serpent drip onto his face until... I don't know." Thor's face scrunched up a little, clearly not wishing to remember, although it was apparently only a week or so ago. "I found him and he was..." The god covered his face with one hand. "He was..." Thor took a deep breath, not lifting his face. "He could not even scream."

Tony was absently nodding, eyes like saucers, staring at nothing. "Right..." came his unthinking words.

Thor sniffled a little and Tony realized the god was crying. "Stark?"

"Huh?" he answered without thinking, eyes involuntarily moving to the blonde god, whose eyes were slightly red but not wet.

"May I ask a favor?"

Stark stared, but nodded.

"My brother has not had water in a very long time, may I-"

"Oh," said Tony, suddenly snapping back to himself. "Oh yeah, sure. Right. Sure, I'll- I'll get some." He stood up, body rigid, uncertain. "Um," he thought out loud. "How do we get him to..." Thor said nothing. Tony waved a hand dismissively. "Never mind, never mind. Straws. Right. I'll be back in a sec."

.

Several minutes later Tony was back with a cup of lukewarm water- he wasn't sure if it should be cold or not, better safe than sorry, though -and a single, thin white straw.

Thor didn't hear him approaching, so Tony walked quietly closer, suddenly curious at the sight before him.

Loki was leaning on his brother, head resting on his shoulder. Thor's lips were moving, whispering something that sounded like soothing words, as though Loki could hear. Can he? Tony wondered, but soon realized it was probably a compulsion the older brother couldn't help. With the arm that was circled around Loki, Thor carded a hand through the younger god's hair. Next, Thor leaned back a little from Loki, then with his lips against the younger's forehead spoke a few more words. Then with both hands on the sides of his brother's head, Thor placed two kisses on his forehead, then the bridge of his nose, then his left cheek.

Tony stared. He couldn't not stare. Loki's face was toward Tony, and the inventor noticed that the trickster did nothing to stop Thor, and in fact, he seemed to be leaning in to the thunderer's affectionate touches. Curiosity rising, Tony took a step forward, but Thor heard him and turned.

"Oh," said Tony, feeling as though he'd been caught doing something he wasn't supposed to. "Uh..."

Thor smiled a little and laid Loki's head on his shoulder once again. "You wonder at my actions?"

Tony raised his brows and sat down on a chair near the two. "I...guess. Yeah."

The god nodded. "Loki cannot see, nor speak, nor hear. Only his sense of touch remains. I will show him he is safe any way I can." Technically, Tony thought, his sense of taste and smell remain, too- although he didn't really know. But those were hardly important senses in the grand scheme of things. Even so, he understood. It was the only way Loki could communicate, and for others to communicate with him as well.

Tony tilted his head and looked at the dark-haired god. "I get it. No need to explain." Even though he already did. Tony indicated the cup in his hand, "How do we..?"

Thor lifted one of Loki's hands up, and Loki kept his hand raised after Thor let go. The thunder god then took the cup and placed it in the trickster's hand. The younger god frowned a little at the shape, then took his other hand and dipped a finger into the cup, feeling the liquid, then the straw. Loki made a small whining noise, apparently distraught at something, head tipping toward Thor.

The thunder god placed his face against the side of Loki's head and said: "It's alright, brother, it is only water." He then rubbed a hand up and down Loki's back, as though to convey those words in motions.

Loki continued to frown, clearly worried, but nodded nonetheless, apparently trusting his older brother not to poison him- or whatever he was worried about.

Thor moved both arms to help his brother drink, but when the protective arm around him disappeared, Loki whined again, looking toward Thor, agitated. Thor sighed and returned his arm to its previous position on Loki's back.

"Man of iron," Tony perked up. "Can you..?"

Tony hesitated for a second then understood what the thunder god was asking. "Oh. Sure. I'll just-" Stark knelt down in front of the two brothers, then helped Loki direct the cup toward his mouth.

Since the trickster might have difficulty in understand or even directing a straw, Tony grabbed it and- with an involuntary wince -helped the thin plastic touch the damaged lips.

At first Loki took the straw and, with Tony's help, maneuvered it between his dry lips, but after only a few sips, Loki jerked back leaving the cup in Stark's hands, as well as the straw. The trickster then shrunk back, against the back of the couch, and proceeded to hide behind Thor- as best he could with the space so small -as the thunder god let go out of surprise. Two shaking hands grasped at Thor's red cape as Loki hid his face against his brother's back and lifted his legs to his chest, although he couldn't quite fit them behind Thor.

"What the hell," said Stark, startled.

Thor sighed. "I am sorry, it is not your fault."

"Not my- What did I do?"

The god tried to untangle his brother from behind him but Loki seemed adamant to stay where he was. "You did nothing, Anthony. Loki simply realized there was another in his presence."

Tony started for a moment, then produced an 'o' with his mouth when he realized what had happened. Loki had probably had no idea that Tony was even there. The second Thor seemed to be both holding him and helping him drink with two hands as well... Well, he could have assumed Thor had sprung an extra limb or he could jump to the first logical conclusion, which obviously he did.

A muffled whimper escaped from behind Thor and both the thunder god and the inventor looked distraught at the sound.

Why the hell am I even caring about this guy? asked Tony to himself. The immediate answer was: Because you're not a cold-hearted bastard, that's why.

Thor sat unmoving for a moment, clearly both tired and worried for his brother. The three men did nothing for a while, then Thor spoke: "Stark?"

Tony lifted his brows in question.

"May he touch your beard?"

The inventor's eyes widened, staring. "Say what." He considered for a moment that Thor had lost his mind- maybe insanity was contagious? Hanging around Loki all day long?

The thunderer smiled a little in embarrassment. "I apologize, allow me to explain: Loki is unaware that he is even on Midgard," Tony perked an eyebrow at that. "If he were to touch your... very distinctive beard, he may come to understand where he is."

"Uh," was all Tony managed, at least for a few seconds. "I'm sorry, and is touching my beard- which he's only seen a couple times, two years ago -going to help tell him where he is? Are you seri- Really?"

Thor nodded. "I know my brother. He has a very good memory; he would not have forgotten. And I have never seen a beard like yours, even on Asgard."

Tony stroked his beard unconsciously, almost proudly. "Even so, is he really gonna want to be on Midgard... Earth, whatever. I doubt he'll actually be happy about that."

The thunder god tilted his head in acknowledgement. "Perhaps. But Asgard would be far worse. It was they who sentenced him to such tortures. Earth is not ideal, but..." he trailed off, obviously hoping Tony would get it.

He did get it, but it was still weird. But oh well, what's the big deal, anyway? So he nodded in agreement.

Thor nodded in return, then tried his best to turn around to see his still-hiding brother. When Loki made noises of protest at Thor trying to move an arm around him to extract him from his back, the older god grabbed one of Loki's wrists- gently, Tony noticed -and moved him back to where he had been sitting. Loki scowled fiercely, probably not appreciating being manhandled, but acquiesced anyway, although he still shrunk back against the couch and kept his knees up to his chest protectively.

Tony then jutted out his chin, waiting for Thor to do... whatever he was trying to do. The thunder god chuckled a little at the inventor's face, but once again moved one of Loki's hands, until the too-thin fingers touched Tony's face.

An expression full of curiosity fell over Loki as he traced the lines of Tony's beard. Next, confusion flitted over it, then finally a moment of recognition. The trickster's eyes blew wide-open as he made a high-pitched keening noise and scrambled back to his previous position behind Thor.

Although he sighed tiredly, this time Thor scooted a little forward allowing his brother to hide behind him, long legs sticking out awkwardly from behind Thor as the side of Loki's face rubbed into the cape, his hands grasping at the red cloth.

Thor looked so tired.

"So," said Tony, breaking the silence. "I guess he knows where he is?"

Thor nodded with a tired smile. "Verily."

"Right. Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"I get everything else, but... why can't he hear?"

Thor's face was blank. "The venom. Loki was restrained face-up, the venom was very powerful, and- magical, it damaged more than his eyes."

Tony nodded slowly. Wow. That sucks. A thought occurred to him. "Won't he heal? I mean, eventually?"

A spark of something, something positive jumped into Thor's eyes. "Yes," he nodded. "Eventually his hearing and eyesight will return."

Stark sighed a little in relief, he wasn't sure why. Why am I so relieved? "Well, that's something, at least."

"Although," the spark all but left Thor's eyes, but not completely. "It will take a considerable amount of time with his magic bound. Especially his eyesight."

"Still," said Stark, determined to bring back that something. "At least he will get them back, right?"

The something didn't quite come back fully, but enough of it returned to the god of thunder's face that Stark smiled a little, even if he felt a little stupid doing it.

Loki rested against Thor's back, apparently content to remain there for the rest of the day.

Thor sighed again, but it was less tired this time.

A/N: Oh man, am I mean to Loki or am I mean? I have read quite a few 'lips sewn shut' stories out there, and a few 'venom in the eyes' ones, but nothing yet that combined the two; and here, why not just go all out and make him deaf, too? I thought it might be too angsty or otherwise weird to write, however, I've found it quite a challenge, but in a fun way (but not fun for the characters, lol). How does one write from the perspective of someone missing three vital senses? ;D