Chapter 21 – Pillow Talk

They were in bed, limbs tangled together, breathing finally slowing back to a normal rate. Loki shifted, his head and the back of his shoulders on Tony's chest, staring up at the ceiling, Tony's arm hooked over his chest.

"This trip was a great idea." Tony said decidedly, and Loki rolled his eyes at the ceiling.

"Glad you approve." Loki replied sarcastically, and Tony laughed, the sound vibrating through his chest and through Loki, gaining a laugh from him as well.

Tony's phone buzzed and he made a sound of irritation, glaring at his phone across the room.

"That's probably the lovely Miss Potts," Loki noted, and Tony just heaved a sigh.

"She's probably angry that we've been gone for four days."

"That you've been gone, you mean." Loki corrected gently.

"Whatever. We're on vacation! We need a break. This is our bubble. No outside influences allowed."

"If that were a reality, you would get bored and by extension insufferable."

Tony looked down at Loki with a mock look of offence.

"As if you'd be content to live in a bubble."

"Never. That's why I keep you. Entertainment."

Tony gave Loki a gentle nudge and Loki just grinned.

The phone started buzzing again and this time Loki got up.

"Answer it. I'm going to take a shower." Loki sat up and stretched, but before he could leave, Tony had grabbed him again, pulling him back down to bed, leaning over him.

"What if I want to shower with you?"

Loki slid an arm around Tony, pulling him closer and pressing a kiss to his lips. He teased him with the kiss, nipping his bottom lip gently before soothing it with a soft kiss. Then in a sudden burst he reversed their positions so he was above Tony, giving him another hearty kiss before moving away quickly, out of reach before Tony could protest.

"Call her back or answer her next call. Beg her for forgiveness and then we'll speak of you joining me." he wandered naked towards the bathroom, and an idea formed in Tony's head.

"Do gods beg?"

Loki turned a sinful smile on Tony.

"Never."

An equally wicked grin appeared on Tony's face. "I accept that challenge." Loki chuckled as he disappeared into the bathroom and the phone began to ring again.

"Answer it." the water began to run and Loki peeked his head back out the window, eyes smouldering. "And gods do not beg."

Tony just grinned as Loki disappeared again before reaching with his phone, a grimace appearing before he answered.

"Pepper! Good to hear from you-" he began, but her harsh tone cut him off.

"Tony where have you been? I've been trying to reach you for days on end and then I heard you'd run off with him."

Tony felt his jaw clenching at the accusatory tone.

"Who's him?" Tony said coldly, and he practically heard Pepper narrow her eyes.

"You know exactly who I mean. That man you've been spending all your time with lately. It isn't safe! You always get into more trouble when he's around! It's dangerous!"

Tony had to resist tossing the phone across the room.

"I guess you forgot those times I fought my own enemies and found my own danger."

"You know what I mean, Tony. He's – well he's not human – and neither are his enemies. Enemies that are still after him." she was beginning to heat up again and Tony stood, rubbing a hand over his face, tuning out as she ranted in his ear, listening instead to the water running in the bathroom, Loki humming a tune he didn't know. The sound made him smile. He listened to the tune play through, and when it began to loop, he tuned back in to Pepper's rant. "You disappeared to who knows where doing who knows what, with his enemies trying to find you! And before you think you've fooled me, I actually I know exactly what you're doing! Destroying the jet just for another stupid and dangerous toy! You didn't think I would hear about a strange looking plane taking off and landing around the Malibu property? That's right, I know exactly where you are. And you will be on the plane I send tonight unless you have a death wish. Plane will be there at ten and I think you should talk some sense into that man you're associating with."

"You're treading on thin ice Miss Potts." he said sharply, and he heard her intake of breath.

"Tony, I-"

"It was my idea to leave without telling you. I didn't want you to try and stop us and I wanted to be alone. I didn't want you to know where I was. That was me."

The water had turned off while he'd been speaking and he watched Loki come back into the room, a towel wrapped loosely around his hips. He cast a friendly smile at Tony before turning to get dressed, choosing one of Tony's t-shirts and a loose pair of slacks. He tossed the towel into the laundry and then wandered out of the room as Pepper answered.

"You're shouldering the blame fairly quickly. How unusual Mr. Stark. But would you have wanted it if it weren't for him?"

"There are a lot of things he may have influenced, but blaming him at every turn when I make decisions you don't like is stupid and poorly played. I'll catch the plane if I don't get to busy and Loki will be with me." With that he hung up, furious at the woman on the other end of the phone. With a quick heave, he threw the phone across the room, watching as it shattered into several pieces before he yanked on clothes. Then he went in search of Loki, knowing the other could make him feel so much better after Peppers judgemental statements.