Annoyed at the audacity of the others to think they had the right to interfere with your decisions in life, you remained in your rooms for the following few days, the only one to enter was Loki. Tony had given the God a large basket of your favourite foods to give to you as an apology, the God unwillingly did so, knowing that not speaking with Tony was actually upsetting for you, he wished for you to be happy, and if doing such a small token for the genius could achieve that, he would.

"Do you really wish to remain angry with him?" Loki found himself playing with some of your loose hair.

"I'm not."

"Then why have you not told him, he seems to be of the opinion you are still angered by him, and has been annoying me with regards it?"

"Sorry." You curled in closer to him, your legs across his lap and your head against his shoulder.

"I may forgive you." He smiled, his arm around you, you nudged him with your elbow, causing him to chuckle. "So why are you not speaking to him?"

"So he will think about what he has done, and perhaps learn from it."

Loki shuddered for a moment. "You sound a lot like my mo…" He tensed and silenced.

"Your mother?" You finished.

"She was not my mother."

"She raised you didn't she? She loved you like a mother should, didn't she?"

"But genetically…"

"What have genetics to go with anything? My mother was mine genetically, and look what she did, I am blind, and she said the words, to my face, that she did not need such a burden as helping me. I would sacrifice all I have for the mother you had, genetics be damned." You snapped.

Loki remained silent for a few minutes, digesting what you had said. "She was the only one to really understand me, Odin was so busy being Allfather and loving his actual son." There was bitterness in his tone for the latter part of that sentence.

"Do you wish they had told you as a child?"

"I am not sure." Loki played with your hair again. "If I had known, I would not have strived for his attentions as much as I had, perhaps I would not have been so bitter towards Thor."

"That really wasn't your fault, though, that was sibling rivalry. Every lesser appreciated sibling resents the other, even if it is not the siblings fault."

"What of those children your father had elsewhere, what do you feel for them?"

"I don't know them, and he cannot think too much of them to have walked out on them."

"On Asgard, a father is not permitted to abandon the children he sires in such a manner, regardless of if the children are with one woman or more than one."

"Good to know." You curled into him more.

"You're tired."

"Mmhmm."

"Get some rest." He lifted you off the sofa and walked you into your bedroom. "I will see you in a while."

"No, stay." Your speech was slightly slurred, causing him to chuckle again.

"I will return soon, I simply have to deal with something."

"Don't try and kill anyone." You moaned sleepily.

Loki frowned at your comment. "Who would I be trying to kill?"

"The microwave."

"Why would I try to kill an appliance?"

"Because bunnies." You snuggled the pillow.

Loki's brow rose in confusion. "Mortals are the most peculiar creatures." Your comment had hurt him slightly, until he realised you were not even speaking to him, merely rambling in a half-conscious state. He ensured you were comfortable before leaving the room, at the doorway; Beauty was trying to get into the bedroom, so he made room for her to pass. "Look after her while I am gone," He ordered. The dog looked at him for a moment before continuing on, leaving him to think she understood the command as he headed to the elevator.

"Reindeer Games." He groaned when the elevator opened and Stark was looking at him. "Where is she?"

"Asleep, and she just went down, so leave her be," He growled.

"Righto." The genius was somewhat dejected at that.

There was a tense silence for a moment. "She is simply letting you simmer so that you will realise your error," He informed him. "I am telling you this so you will desist in as you mortals say, badgering me about," Loki informed him.

"Okay, I get it, I messed up. I should have kept my trap shut."

"If trap means mouth, I dare say it is not the first time opening it has caused you trouble."

"You have no idea." Stark chuckled as he shook his head, remembered other occasions that he had in some way screwed up because of his sarcastic mouth. "So what has you out and about without Kiddo?"

"You are aware we are two separate entities, much like you and the woman you have running your organisation. By chance, have you seen Thor?"

"He's on his training level."

"What level is that?"

"One you are not permitted on." Stark folded his arms.

"Why would I not be permitted there, it is not like I can kill him easily with no weapons or seidr?"

"Even he needs a level to get space from you."

"I should take that as an insult, but your words are simple grumblings to me." Loki dismissed. "Considering what I have done for you of late, you think you would be more willing to assist me."

Stark sighed. "You're right, I owe you."

"It must kill you to admit such."

"I nearly choked on the words."

"Do not think of doing such now."

"Would you miss me?" Stark grinned.

"No, I would be blamed, and that is an inconvenience I do not need."

"You love me really." Loki stared down at him with a disgusted face. "Fine, joking aside." He pressed a finger against his earpiece. "Hey, Sparky? Yeah, I have your brother/not brother here asking to go annoy you for a few minutes. Yeah, sure." His hand went to his side again. "Floor eighty-two."

"Thank you."

"I can feel the sincerity."

"I do not care if you do or not." Loki shrugged. The doors opened to the eighty-second floor and he stepped out. "I actually meant it," He called behind him as the doors closed.

"That's what is concerning me," Stark commented to the empty elevator before shaking his head. "What is she doing to him?"

"Loki." Thor turned to face the other God, his brow sweaty. "To what do I owe the honour?" He grinned.

"What are you doing?"

"Stark engineered programmes to attempt to be a challenge to me, but all it has done really s increase my endurance, they are little challenge. Care for some hand to hand?"

"I always won at that."

"But now you have no magic to help you."

"My seidr was not the reason for my winning." Loki dismissed. "You may be stronger, but I am faster, more agile. So long as you do not catch hold of me, I can win."

"Well then, consider this teaching me once and for all." Thor challenged, a smirk gracing his bearded face. Loki rolled his eyes before shrugging off his sleeveless overcoat and rolled his neck to stretch it before joining the other man. "So, how are you of late, I rarely see you, you do not seem to even sleep in our quarters any longer."

"It is none of your concern," Loki growled, getting into a stance that informed Thor he was ready.

"Whoever thought you of all beings would take a Midgardian lover?" Thor chuckled. "Or is she a merely a distraction?"

"Shut up." Loki attacked first, which took Thor by surprise, as Loki seldom attacked first, but in his anger, Loki was not concentrating, and Thor was able to throw him backwards.

"I was simply asking," Thor stated, trying to calm him.

"You seemed somewhat supportive in front of those fools, but in truth, you are as narrow-minded as them." Loki snarled getting to his feet.

"So long as this is not some game Loki, I will defend it to the death." The older swore. "I want you back brother."

"You know that is not possible Thor."

"As we were, I know that is, but I will take what I can get."

"You are sentimental."

"I got it from mother; do you mock her for such?"

Loki bared his teeth at that comment. "Why drag her into this? You are like him."

"I know I share more of fathers traits, that is true but I have some of hers too, you have more, though, I guess in some pathetic manner, that is why I grasp on so much to getting you back, it is liking having her here again in someway." Thor went to attack Loki, but he sidestepped and was able to get Thor in the back of the knee and caused the blonde to fall to the mat.

"Perhaps if you had more time for her when she was here." Loki got into a defensive position again.

"I couldn't, she was always worried about her beloved Loki." Loki's eyes widened and he stood straight again. "You were so busy looking at my relationship with Odin with envy to notice I looked at your one with her similarly. You were everything she wanted in a child, smart, cunning, able to wield seidr, she favoured you. Even after everything you did on Midgard, and how you lied to me, you tried to kill me, she took your side. Yours. I was the child she carried, and yet you were the one she sided with." Thor had anger in his features but mostly hurt. "You think you alone know envy."

Loki's eyes darted side to side as he processed Thor's words. "I had not realised."

"Well I had realised your envy, but rather than approaching you about us sorting it, I used it to my advantage, I thought to use it to anger you as punishment for something you were not even aware of."

"If your beloved friends heard you now."

"They think me a foolish oversized dog."

"Well they got it half right, you are foolish." Loki gave a smirk, which caused Thor to chuckle. "You are not the innocent little lamb they think you to be."

"What do they think we do in Asgard?" Thor pondered aloud.

"I am not particularly certain, but I gather that they assume we stand around and look good." Loki shrugged.

"Are you not going to make comment of my admission regarding mother?"

"No."

"No?"

"As much as it was nice to hear of you being envious of me, that was slightly peculiar and I do not wish to refer to it any further."

"I'm sorry. For everything Loki."

"As am I."

"She is changing you."

"Like that mortal did not alter you in any manner; you effectively grew up in the space of a weekend."

"Yes well, I blame Midgardian women." Thor went to attack him again, but again Loki dodged it.

"I think we can agree on that much." Loki grinned before grabbing Thor's arm in a lock that caused the other to hiss in pain before submitting.

For close to an hour, they continued to fight, Thor winning a miserable three to Loki's forty-two. "Not that I do not enjoy causing you to be forced to admit I am better, but I best get back."

"You love her, don't you?" Thor studied Loki carefully, knowing there was little chance the God would openly admit to such.

"I am not sure I am capable of such emotion." Loki dismissed.

"You care for her?" Loki gave him a look of confirmation. "You have risked your life for her, and I assume you would do so again." Again Loki gave the same look. "When you go back to her, if she stated she wished not to see you again, how would you react?" Loki winced. "You love her Loki, I know it is a terrifying for you, but you do." Loki said no more as he turned and left, Thor's words resonating in his mind.

He arrived back down to your floor and looked in your bedroom, seeing you were not there, he pushed open the door a bit more, seeing Beauty lying at the open bathroom door, the sound of water running making him realise you were in the shower. He decided it was best to go back to his own floor and get one before you were ready, and turned to leave. Just as he turned, you walked out of the bathroom, wearing nothing, your hair tied up in a messy bun as you tried to search for something, not paying any heed to anything around you. Loki's throat dried as did his mouth as he stared at your naked body.

You had forgotten a towel and were checking the bed for it, cursing yourself for not remembering to bring it into the bathroom with you. You were so occupied with the task of hand; you paid little heed to anything in your environs, until you heard something like a tongue clicking. "Loki?" You prayed to all deities you had ever read of that it was just him. The sound of confirmation was strained, which caused you to ponder why until you recalled that you were naked. "Oh God." You grabbed the towel and wrapped it around you. "Excuse me while I die of shame." You walked back toward the bathroom, hitting the doorframe painfully as you miscalculated, earning several curse words from you.

Loki, who had been somewhat entranced in looking at you, snapped out of it on hearing your pained cries and rushed forward. "Are you okay, what did you hit?"

"My arm, damn it hurts."

"It is not broken, but you will have a fine mark on it," He stated as he inspected it before he looked at you in whole.

You pulled the towel up again as you felt his eyes on you. "Sorry."

"You have nothing to apologise for." His voice was still strained.

"But you saw me, naked."

"If there is one thing I will not accept an apology for, it is that." He scoffed.

"But…"

"What?"

"I look…"

He scanned you up and down, noticing for the first time the scar on your shoulder from the attack that had stolen your sight, and a few other marks here and there that signified you had not gotten through life without other minor incidents. "I don't see anything to warrant such a tone."

"I'm not…" You shifted slightly, holding the towel firmly.

"Females are peculiar creatures, you are all convinced you are somewhat grotesque." He chuckled before leaning down and kissing you. "I am not repulsed by you."

"Then I think you should get your sight checked because you appear to be blind too."

"I just came to check on you, I best get washed up myself." He had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from asking to join you in your bathroom.

"Okay, I'll see you in a while so. Thank you for putting me to bed by the way. I didn't do anything embarrassing did I?"

"Only telling me not to kill any microwaves because of bunnies, what are bunnies?"

"Rabbits." You groaned into your hands. "Sorry, don't take any notice one me when I am like that."

"I will be back soon." He kissed you again, ensuring not to lean too close to you, before walking out of the room. When he reached the elevator, he groaned in frustration. Getting off on the floor he shared with Thor, he stormed straight toward his rooms. Thor watching him as he went. "Do not even utter a syllable."

"So you have yet to actually lay with her I see."

"What are you on about?"

"Your pants are somewhat tight at the best of times brother, and even more so now." Thor chuckled.

Unable to find anything to fling at the other man, he stormed into his rooms, in need of a cold shower. As the water cascaded down his body, Loki thought of what Thor had said as they had trained earlier, and swallowed hard; he knew there was truth in Thor's words. As he thought of you on different occasions, talking to him, asleep, in your own world, and now naked, it was forced to acknowledge it. He loved you.