Chapter 11 - Return

Loki cupped the snow globe in both his hands, not believing what he'd heard. That voice was the voice from his nightmares; the voice from the worst years of his life. The voice that brought the pain and suffering of decades of torture. That was the voice of his keeper.

"WHERE IS THE GOD?" The creature that had tackled Tony out of the sky shook him, and Tony felt his annoyance growing.

"I don't know any Gods, but you're seriously starting to piss me off." he responded, moving his hands between him and the thing, bringing power to the boosters, pushing the creature back. He knew without having to ask that this was the creature Loki had spoken of, the torturer, his keeper, and that just made his hate all the more powerful.

"I KNOW HE WENT TO YOU. I CAN SMELL HIM ON YOU." Tony paused at that, the ache it brought back only making him angrier. The creature materialized in front of him before he could even react, his hand appearing against Tony's chest. There was a sharp pain and Tony found himself on his knees.

"Tell me where the god is, mortal, and I will allow you to live."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Tony answered, shooting off another shot at the creature. But it didn't even move this time. The creature grabbed Tony's head, pulling the mask off with a flick of his wrist, exposing his face.

"I have destroyed creatures far greater than you." the thing said, and Tony remembered what Loki had said those many months ago, how he had said he'd been twisted and broken. He looked up at the thing responsible for the pain Loki had faced, and for making him leave, making the only man he could love, have to run, and felt the fury pulse through his veins. He launched himself off the ground, aiming to slam into the creature, but it was no longer where it had been and he was shoved into the ground, parts of the suit crunching even as the concrete cracked.

"The offer still stands, mortal. Tell me where he is hiding and I will spare your life."

"What are you planning on doing to him if you find him?"

The pressure lifted, and Tony pushed to his hands and knees, turning to see the creature standing over him.

"That is none of your concern. He belongs under my keep."

"He isn't a pet." Tony spun, shooting off another attack, this one hitting and sending the creature flying. But it landed on it's feet, the strange metal armour absorbing the energy as it sprang forward. Tony shot into the sky then shot towards the creature, slamming into it with all the force he could muster. He knocked it back, but it bounced back almost immediately throwing him down, hands cutting through the chest plate of his suit and pulling up. Tony gave a cry of pain, the metal tearing away from his body, and he tried to force it away, but it tore the front of the suit from his body. Then it's claws dug into his chest, circling the source of his life.

"Where is the God. Last chance mortal, before I tear the life from you."

Tony's vision was swimming with pain, his suit now acting as more of a restraint than a protection.

"I don't know where he is. He left me. He ran from you."

The creature released Tony's chest and he refused to react, trying not to groan. He shed the last of his suit, keeping an eye on the creature standing over him, but it wasn't paying attention to him.

"I know you're watching, god-ling. Come save your human, or watch me tear him apart."

Confused, Tony tried to sit up, but the creature put its foot on his chest, forcing him back down. It leaned down, tilting its head as it studied him.

"I've always wanted to test the limits of a human man," the creature mused, and Tony felt the first spark of fear. It leaned closer, the pressure on Tony's chest heightening to the point where he was gasping for breath. "Time to play." it said, it's reptilian type face stretching into a grin.

Then, before he could react, before he could answer or speak, the creature was sent flying back. Tony coughed, trying to catch his breath again, and trying to sit up so he could see what had happened. He managed to twist onto his hands and knees, and looked up to see blue smoke twisting around a shape. He heard the creature growl, and the shape moved in a swirl of green, golden horns twisting high above the figures head on a helmet. A silver blade appeared, stretching into a longer, golden looking spear, and then suddenly a voice he'd been waiting months to hear met his ears.

"You wished me here, now here I am. Leave the human alone."

"I knew he would bring you back. He reeked of your scent – of sentiment."

Loki pulled to his full height, a light seeming to emanate from his armour.

"Let us take this disagreement somewhere else." Loki said slowly, but there was a violence simmering in his voice that spoke of blood.

"And lose the leverage of the human?" the creature scoffed, "I think not." the level of fury emanating off of Loki lifted to astronomical heights and energy flew forward, crashing into the creature and sending it flying.

"You will never," another bolt of energy flew forward, "Ever," the golden spear-like blade jabbed forward, skewering the creature before pulling back again, "Ever, touch him again." The last bolt sent the creature crashing through a building, but it sprang back quickly, streaking forward to toss Loki from his feet. Loki landed in a crouch, rage twisting his features, and if Tony had known better, he would've been terrified of this image of Loki. As if was, he was yanked to his feet, the creatures clawed hand around his throat.

"What was it you were saying about not touching the human?" the creature taunted, and Tony grabbed at the things hand as it lifted him off the ground, trying to gain some purchase.

"I'll kill you." Loki said it with such certainty that Tony believed him, but the creature only gave a deep harsh sound that sounded like rock against rock. Tony would've almost thought it was a laugh.

"You've threatened that before, god-ling, and yet here I stand."

"He is a better reason than I ever was."

The creatures grasp tightened and Tony made a choking sound that had power building around Loki like a storm.

"Is this the sentimental god I am seeing? I thought I tore that from you decades ago." the creatures voice dropped to a hiss and Loki surged forward, golden blade shrinking back to the size of the silver one, and came forward in a blur of motion until he was nearly face to face with the creature, Tony between them.

"Put him down."

Tony could no longer breathe, but he found his gaze stuck on Loki, staring into the cold blue eyes that he'd been wanting to see for six very long months. Without a moments notice, Tony was dropped and watched as the creature tried to impale Loki on his claws. Tony cried out, trying to warn him, but then found himself sputtering when Loki's image flickered out. Then the creature screamed, and Tony scrambled away, turning to see Loki's silver blade sticking through it's chest. Loki stood behind him, grimace on his face.

"This sentimental god-ling is stronger for it." Loki stated, and the creature only made another high pitched noise. Loki pulled the blade free and it spun around as if to attack, but Loki stabbed it again, this time the blade driving through it's abdomen and coming up through the opposite shoulder.

Tony watched as the creature leaned in and whispered something in Loki's ear, but Loki just sneered and shoved the creature down. The creature seemed to dissipate from around the blade, leaving it to clatter to the ground, and Loki swept it up, sliding it away before crouching before Tony.

"You came back," he coughed, and Loki put a careful hand on his shoulder.

"Yes."

Tony tried to stand but then stopped to support himself, hands pressed against his knees.

"Did you kill it?"

"No."

Tony looked up, feeling a mix between happiness, anger, and worry.

"So it'll be back."

"Yes."

"Can you say something more than just 'yes' or 'no'?" Tony demanded, and Loki winced.

"I could, but I wouldn't know where to start."

"How about with why you left?"

Loki frowned, noticing the hurt that he'd never seen before.

"I explained to you why I had to. It was safer for you."

Tony lashed out with a right hook, but he just over balanced himself, and Loki had to catch him so that he wouldn't collapse to the ground.

"That. Is. The. Worst. Reason. Ever." Tony said, and Loki just gave a sigh.

"You aren't in any shape to say such things, love. You're practically fallen over, and you taunted a creature capable of toppling gods."

"He didn't manage that with mine." Tony mumbled, and Loki frowned.

"Your what?"

"my god."

Loki just shook his head, lifting Tony back to his feet.

"I'm sure if it met him, it could manage."

Tony just shook his head, hooking a steadying arm around Loki to keep himself on his feet.

"It already did, and look, you beat him."

Loki didn't answer, not quite sure how he felt about Tony's words, and just wrapped his arm around Tony.

"Let's get you home."

Tony stopped in his tracks, spinning on Loki.

"No."

"What do you mean, no?" Loki asked with a frown.

"I mean exactly what I said. No. Last time we went back to my place after a run in with that thing, you ran off and I didn't see you for six months. Six months you were gone and I had no idea if you were safe." he shouted, his voice almost breaking.

"I had to keep you safe!" Loki returned, and Tony slashed a hand through the air to tear past that idea.

"I was safer knowing where you were. I had no idea if you were alive or dead. Do you have any idea what that did to me?"

"No. I don't. You haven't exactly made it clear what your feelings are. So no, I have absolutely no idea how you felt about me or how you felt about me leaving because you didn't tell me. I gave you what I could. I gave you absolutely everything I could. And yet you left, so I was left to assume that your feelings weren't really altogether there."

Tony stood dumbstruck, staring at Loki who looked more upset than he'd ever seen him. There was no anger on his face like there had been when facing the creature, but heartbreak, and it tore at Tony.

"Loki, I left because you overwhelmed me. We had been fighting, and you weren't letting me take care of you. All I wanted was to take care of you and keep you safe, but you weren't letting me do that. And then there you were, the most perfect man I've ever met, and you were saying you loved me, the last words I ever expected to hear because I didn't think I deserved them. Not from you. Not when all I want is to say the very same words to you and just don't know how too." he took a deep breath, moving closer to the armour clad god staring at him in utter disbelief. "Loki I love you. I just didn't know how to tell you. Or how to react to you saying the words first. I'm sorry – so sorry you left thinking that I didn't or don't love you." he moved closer again so that he could touch him again, his whole body aching just for minimal contact. He reached out to touch a tentative hand to Loki's cheek, and watched Loki close his eyes, brow wrinkling as if in pain.

"Come back with me." he said, and when it looked like Loki would object, pressed on. "And stay this time. Please. I'm begging you with words I didn't have before. Me, Tony Stark, is begging you to stay because I love you. And if you make me go without you for another six months, I swear-" he began to threaten, but Loki just laughed, putting a hand over Tony's on his cheek.

"Okay."

"Okay? Okay what?"

"Okay, I'll stay."

Tony grabbed Loki forcefully and kissed him with all the angst of having been alone for the last few months, Loki's image shimmered, but this time it was only his armour that disappeared, his limbs still leather clad as he wrapped his arms around Tony, returning the kiss. Chest heaving slightly, Tony leaned his forehead against Loki's, a tentative smile spreading across his features.

"Let's go home." he stepped back, offering his hand, and Loki took it, his own expression mirroring Tony's.

"Yes, I think we should."