Chapter 13 – You Can't Pick Family
You're related to this nut job?" Tony asked in disbelief, and Loki winced.
"Tony, please, just listen a moment." he pleaded gently, already sensing Thor's irritation, but Tony ignored him, stalking forward to stand right next to him facing Thor.
"No. I've already lost you once to some other superhuman freak. I'm not about to let another one take you away when I've just gotten you back." he paused for a moment, suddenly nervous. "Unless you want to go back with him?"
The look of complete shock and disbelief had Tony relaxing as he turned back to Thor.
"So back off buddy. You can't have him. If you wanted him you could've saved him when that thing tortured him for years. For decades."
Loki winced, though he'd just given similar words to his brother, and watched Thor step forward angrily.
"We searched for him all those years. He is my brother, and has been longer than the whole length of your puny existence. You cannot assume to tell me what to do. Now stand aside."
"Make me."
"With pleasure."
The mask came down and Tony stepped forward, as did Thor, both ready to take another swing at each other. Before they could, they were both thrown back, coming to their feet to see Loki standing between them, seething.
"Enough! This petty quarrel will solve nothing. I have made my home here and do not wish to leave. As it is," he turned to Thor, "You are welcome here, but take one more step and make one more threat against this human, it will be us fighting and I've become a better fighter than during our last run."
Shock ran over Thor's face, but Loki had turned back to Tony, giving a brief nod. Without another word, Tony stepped back, the mask coming up again, and Loki turned back to Thor.
"I suggest you return to father and tell him of these most recent events. I also suggest, that next time you wish to have a conversation you refrain from taking me from wherever it is I am and just begin a conversation like a normal being."
"I apologize. I just – I thought that all this time you'd just been playing games with us. Hiding here on earth for all this time. It felt like you were practically laughing, proving how much power you held."
Loki stiffened, "I forgot how cruel other immortals were."
"That is unfair."
"Is it?" Loki sneered. "Here you stand, in all your glory, telling my of the vicious intentions you'd thought me to hold. Never once considering that there could be other reasons behind my being here. I've been on earth for over a decade and yet you never found me, and I wasn't trying to hide from you. I was hiding from them and even then they managed to find me. But you – no you didn't. You thought I was just being unkind towards you. What a selfish notion. That after all this time it would still be solely about you. Well you're wrong. I care nothing for you." he slashed a hand through the air. "Nothing. The one thing I care about is that man you told to stand aside for coming to my aid and he is the only reason I am giving you this explanation. So that perhaps your tiny, insignificant mind could attempt to comprehend what it means to love, and for me it means that man. That man with the courage to face down my brother when he knows the power you must hold." tears were in Loki's eyes as he continued, but he couldn't feel them, his rage spilling forward in the wake of his hurt. "He faced down my keeper when it came for me, ready to die. Where were you? When the creature came for me and I ran from fear? Where were you when it threatened the world where your human woman lives? Nowhere! But now you think you have the right to come here as if it is only you that matters. Well you're wrong again, brother. He is the only thing that matters."
Tony stood in shock at Loki's words, pleased by them and yet somewhat pained. This was the man he loved, facing down his demons in regards to his brother, and there was nothing he could do but stand in shock, and be grateful that such a passionate creature loved him.
"Is this you in love, Loki?" Thor asked softly, and Loki stepped back, the mask coming back.
"And if it were?"
"I'd be glad for you. But you must remember how quickly their life fades in comparison to ours." the worried tone in Thor's voice generated another sneer.
"Of course that would be the one thing you thought of. Not that I could be happy, but how quickly I would lose that happiness." he turned away from Thor, looking up to see Tony still standing there, and closed his eyes, his expression pained. "Go home Thor. Inform father of the situation and then," his magic began to shimmer around him in a wave. "Stay away from me." he disappeared with that and Tony found himself alone with Thor.
"For his brother, you're clueless." Tony noted, and Thor turned his gaze on him, expression hard.
"You're very brave and very stupid to speak to me like that."
"Neither. Or both. Whichever. But either way I stick by it. He needed a reassurance that you cared. Not blame or accusations."
"He knows I love him."
"Does he? Cause you could've fooled me. And you certainly made him leave quickly. You need to reevaluate that, my friend." Tony moved to leave, hoping to find Loki at home, but Thor spoke before he could go anywhere.
"I've never seen Loki in love. Him and I may have our differences, but you be careful. Whether he knows my love exists or not, if you harm him you will have me to answer to." He shot off into the air, disappearing into a storm cloud, and Tony shot off towards home.
"Threatened by a god to be careful with his brother. That's a new one."
"J.A.R.V.I.S., I think we need to reassess Thor's status. While you're at it call Pepper. I want to know if Loki got in or if I have to go on a search."
"Right away, sir."