Chapter 18 - Awake

Loki woke up with a minor headache. Tony wasn't in bed, but it seemed to be the middle of the day so that wasn't surprising. Rubbing a hand over his face, Loki moved to get, up, standing to stretch; but the moment his feet hit the ground, an alarm went off, blaring through the room, and he could assume through the rest of the building. He froze in shock, unsure whether to stay or see if something was wrong, when Tony appeared, disheveled in the doorway.

"You're awake." he dashed across the room, practically tackling Loki with a hug before stepping back and glaring angrily. "What the hell was that?"

Confused, the headache starting to grow more insistent, Loki pressed a palm to his temple.

"Of course I'm awake, what else would I be?" he asked, deciding to start with the first issue.

Tony's glare only darkened. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe asleep like you've been for the last four days."

Loki looked at him in shock, glancing at the clock.

"Four days? But I just went to sleep – just last night – four days?" he seemed genuinely shocked by the fact and Tony couldn't stay angry, to glad that he was awake. "Why didn't you wake me?"

Tony looked about ready to punch him in the face.

"I tried to wake you up! You might as well have been dead! I wanted to drag you to a hospital but I knew how little good that would do you, so I've just had to wait and its been four days-" he broke off, both angry and relieved, the emotions to much all at once. "I'm dizzy."

"Have you slept at all?" Loki asked worriedly, and Tony glared.

"Oh yeah I just went right to sleep while I had no idea when you would wake up."

With a nod and a bit of an exasperated smile, Loki pushed him down to bed.

"You're turn then." Tony tried to sit up but Loki just pushed him back down.

"I'll be here and awake when you wake up." Loki assured, while Tony glared.

"How can I know that? Why were you asleep for four days?"

"Magic has a price. It draws on your physical strength just as much as a fight would. I used to much magic. It took a lot of energy to not only remember all of that, but to bring it around us in the room. It was like... well almost like physically going through it again, which I'm sure you can understand was difficult. I didn't want to watch those memories, and so it took more energy to keep them going against my will."

The anger faded from Tony's expression and he sat up to wrap his arms around Loki.

"I will never let that happen again," he said forcefully, and Loki nodded against Tony's shoulder.

"I know. Now get some sleep,"

"Don't go anywhere," Tony mumbled, already starting to fall asleep, and Loki smiled.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

Loki waited until Tony fell asleep before getting up. He stretched out his aching muscles, no longer surprised he'd been asleep for four days, his body was informing him as such. He sat back down next to Tony, feeling guilty that Tony had been so worried. He'd meant to tell him before of the effects magic could have, but it had never seemed important until then.

"Sorry," he repeated softly, brushing a hand through Tony's hair. Then he lay back down beside Tony, wrapping his arms around him. "Didn't mean to worry you," he settled dow to wait for Tony to wake back up.

When Tony woke up, Loki's arms were still around him, and he turned towards him, cuddling against him.

"You did wait," he said sleepily, and Loki smiled.

"Of course."

"You could've gotten up you know, I just didn't want you to leave the loft."

"I know, I wanted to stay. I doubt you left much while I'd been sleeping."

"Not once. I sent Pepper out for everything."

Loki laughed. "Of course you did. I think we should get up – shower perhaps."

Tony just got more comfortable, wrapping his arms around Loki in return.

"I didn't sleep for four days did I?" Tony joked, and Loki rolled his eyes.

"Only ten hours or so,"

"You lay here with me for ten hours?" Tony asked in disbelief, and Loki made an awkward shrugging motion on his side.

"Ten hours isn't really that long in the greater scheme of things."

"How do you feel?" Tony asked, and Loki smiled.

"Good. Better than when I woke up."

"What's it like – magic. Using it I mean?"

Loki closed his eyes, and Tony watched with a blank expression, not wanting to appear as worried as he was. The only time he ever knew people to be out for four days was when they were seriously injured, and that was a very unappealing thought.

"It's fantastic. Powerful, dangerous, exciting. A thrill."

"That doesn't sound like something that would leave you in a four day coma." Tony noted almost bitterly, and Loki opened his eyes just to frown at him.

"I have to use magic, Tony. It's part of who I am; of what I am. I can't change that about myself."

Tony felt the instant wave of guilt for ever having let his doubt show, but it was still there.

"I know. Just – four days?"

Again Loki shrugged. "Four days isn't really that long in the greater scheme of things." he repeated, and this time Tony scowled, sitting up.

"Not for me it isn't. For me four days sets people on edge. Four days and we have to start worrying about brain damage and malnutrition and all sorts of other negative effects."

Loki propped himself up on his elbow, knowing there were very few things he could say that would comfort the other.

"Tony – what if we went away for a few days? Spent time away from New York."

Tony shot a questioning look over at Loki.

"Just the two of us?" Tony asked disbelievingly, "No surprise visits?"

Loki felt a relieved smile spreading across his face.

"That is exactly what I was thinking."

Tony gave a slow nod.

"Alright. Lets go. Right now. We won't tell anyone. We'll just go." Tony was out of bed and grabbing new clothes, throwing clothes at Loki as he watched in surprise. When Tony turned back and Loki was still in bed, he lifted a questioning brow. "Are you coming or not?"

Loki quickly rose and got out of bed, dressing in what Tony had tossed at him. He pulled on the navy blue shirt and buttoned it up, feeling it stretch tight across his chest. He looked over to see Tony giving him a overly pleased smile.

"This shirt is a bit snug." he noted, and Tony's grin just widened.

"Hurry up or we'll be late."

"For what?" Loki said in amusement, and Tony just grabbed his hand, sneaking towards the door.

"Our escape plan. If Pepper sees us, we'll never make the plane."

Loki grinned at the back of Tony's head, linking their fingers. Tony was done worrying and back to his normal reckless self. This was going to be fun.