When Tony opened his eyes, the first thing he thought about was Loki. He softly whispered his name, only to feel a soft hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay Tony, he's gone. He can't control you any more."
Pepper. Her voice was soft and compassionate, as always, but this time it infuriated Tony. He remembered what had happened, and for some reason he was sure Pepper had had the hand in it. He just couldn't stand her warm, soothing voice and her sweet touch, because… because… He just couldn't stand it anymore. He pulled away.
"You are so wrong, Pepper."
Pepper looked shocked, her blue eyes sad.
"Tony…"
"You really don't understand what you did."
"What did he do to you?"
Her voice, so soft, so… Tony grunts.
"He didn't do anything, Pepper. I was never under his control. Remember I am immune to it? You should have seen him when he appeared in the tower. He was broken, Pepper, so completely broken he let me stuff him in a closet to hide him without even trying to resist."
The memory stings… Tony continues.
"He fainted at the mere touch of me! He hadn't slept for several days back then, creatures he referred to only as "Them" were haunting him in his dreams. It was worse than me after Afghanistan, Pepper. Worse."
Pepper remembered very well how Tony had been after Rhodey had saved him in the desert. Refusing to admit anything as wrong, until things started to fall apart, and only drinking himself in a coma seemed to rid him of the nightmares and the irrational fear…
"I… I don't understand…"
"I wanted to contact SHIELD, but when I saw him I just couldn't do that to him. He was so scared, if I only just left his sight he would start crying."
Tony stared at Pepper, and now he allowed his anger to show.
"You have no idea what he has been put through. No idea at all."
"And do you?"
"If only a fraction of what he's told me is true…"
Tony didn't need to finish his sentence. Pepper bit her lip.
"Oh Tony… Why didn't you…"
"Tell you? Ask for help? Because I know you. You would have done the same thing you did now, convinced I was merely acting under mind control. It doesn't even cross your mind that even villainous people have feelings."
Pepper frowns.
"You do not accuse me of insensitivity, Anthony Stark! Do you have any idea how often you have hurt me? And now you claim that I am insensitive?"
"Perhaps I am insensitive, Pepper. Okay, I admit, I am a bastard and an asshole and you should have kicked me out long ago."
"It's your building."
"Anyway. I just… Perhaps I know better how he feels because I could easily have ended up like him. You know, on the wrong track. It wouldn't have taken much to push me…"
Pepper had tears in her eyes and she had bitten her lip to shreds now.
"He… Oh Tony…"
"They have tortured him more, haven't they?"
Tony's voice was flat, but inside he was raging angry. He had no idea where it came from, but the mere thought that someone had wanted to hurt Loki more than he already was awakened a strangely protective instinct inside him.
"I want to see him."
"Are you sure that…"
"Now, Pepper. You have done enough, do not make it any worse."
He knew he was being harsh on a woman who was actually his best friend, but he couldn't help it. His whole being longed for Loki… He followed Pepper through the facility. A few agents tried to stop them, but a glare from Tony and a nod from Pepper was enough to make them back off. Finally they reached the cell, and Tony got to look at Loki through a reinforced glass window. When he saw the god lying there in a state of catatonia, something inside him broke.
"Oh Loki…"
Of all the things he could have done or said, it was that what truly gave Pepper the final stroke, probably even without him knowing. He had never spoken out her name with that much affection, ever.
"I will leave you then."
Pepper said, her voice on the verge of breaking. She left the observation room, and as soon as the door closed she cried. She could become many things for Tony, but she would never be a man…
(Pagebreak)
Pizza was delicious, Hela decided. Justin and Peter had challenged her for an eating competition, which she had graciously won.
"I don't understand how you managed to eat five pizzas without staining your dress."
Peter sighed. Justin rolled his eyes at that.
"Well, I don't understand how you managed to eat five pizzas, actually."
Hela simply gave them her knowing half-smile.
"I was hungry."
Peter and Justin looked at each other. Then they started giggling. Hela couldn't help but feel how her lips folded in a smile too. Justin grabbed one of his devices and clicked a few buttons. Immediately, music filled the house. Hela looked up in surprise and slight shock.
"Sweat baby sweat baby sex is a Texas drought. Me and you do the kind of stuff that only Prince would sing about. So put your hands down my pants and I'll bet you'll feel nuts…"
Peter looked at Justin with two raised eyebrows. The boy was growing red in the face. Hela looked interested now, clearly listening to the text while Justin fuddled with his remote control.
"Yes I'm Siskel, yes I'm Ebert and you're getting two thumbs up! You've had enough of two-hand touch you want it rough you're out of bounds, I want you smothered, want you covered like my Waffle House hashbrowns..."
Hela looked at Justin with two raised eyebrows too now.
"Come quicker than FedEx never reach an apex just like Coca-Cola stock you are inclined to make me rise an hour early just like Daylight Savings Time…"
And finally he found the off switch. Red like a tomato he looked at his friends. Hela was the first to say something.
"I did not understand every reference, yet I have understood that was a very vulgar song. In my homeland… I don't think you would get away with it." She shut up for a moment. Then she added. "But it was catchy."
There was a momentary silence.
"Err… Do you want to hear the rest?"
Hela nodded.
"It would sure be interesting."
And so Peter, Justin and Hela listened to the rest of the vulgar song, in silence, as if it were a very educational text. When it was over, Hela asked.
"What is a FedEx?"
"A mail delivery service. It's really fast."
"And X-Files?"
"A television show about paranormal things that don't really exist, you know, like magic and monsters and aliens… ah well, I suppose aliens exist."
Justin grinned. Hela looked confused.
"Magic exists too! And monsters… well…"
Justin grinned at Hela.
"Well, if those guys that attacked Manhattan count as any reference, Aliens and Monsters are one and the same."
That was not a good thing to say. Hela's features became tenser, and then she asked with a strained voice.
"Excuse me. Could you please inform me on the location of your restroom?"
"There's a bathroom over there, but if you want some privacy you can better use the one in the corridor, third door on your left. Walls are super thin here."
Immediately Hela got up, walking unsteadily to the toilet on the corridor. When the door closed Justin looked at Peter.
"Was it something I said?"
Peter frowned at him.
"It pains me to say this, Justin, but yes. It was something you said."
"What did I say?"
Justin really didn't know what he did wrong, and Peter didn't really see a way of explaining it without betraying Hela's secret.
"Just take from me that the concept of 'monsters' is a bit sensitive with her. She considers herself one."
Now the coin fell for Justin.
"Oooh, you mean because of the life-sucking-mutant thing?"
"Yeah. Pretty much."
"I'm such an ass. I totally compared her to those scaly chitau-thingy freaks."
Justin hits himself in the face.
"Auwch. Remind me not to do that again."
"I will. I'm going to check up on her, okay?"
"Sure. Tell her I'm sorry, okay? I forgot and I didn't mean to hurt her feelings."
Peter left the room and knocked on the toilet door.
"Hela, are you okay?"
He got a strained sounding answer.
"I am fine. A bit too much of this pizza dish, that's all."
Peter shook his head.
"Hela, Justin didn't mean it that way. He doesn't know, and he forgot about your… condition. He feels really bad about it."
"He's right, you know. I'm a monster."
"No, you're not. Hela, come on. I told you this so many times, you're not a monster!"
"How can you tell?"
"Do you think I'm a monster?"
"Well, of course not."
"If you open the door I will show you something."
(Pagebreak)
Tony couldn't stand the sight of Loki in that state any longer. He went down to the cell door, and bumped into Fury.
"Stark, if you're planning on what I think you are…"
"If you intend to stop me you are a far worse person than I thought, Fury."
The SHIELD agents accompanying the director reached for their guns, but Fury stopped them.
"Let him. Anything that happens is on his own account."
Tony hurried into the cell, crouching next to Loki. That staring look was even worse from close by. The light is on but no one's home, Tony thought. He undid the restraints and softly touched the healing scratches.
"Oh Loki… I never wanted this. I didn't want to break my promise… I'm so sorry…"
He let his hand run through the god's hair like he had been doing so often in the week they had been living together, and couldn't hold back his tears. It was a strange feeling, new and unknown, and he wasn't sure he liked it. The sight of Loki being catatonic and injured almost physically hurt him too…
"Loki, please wake up. Please…"
He whispered. All of a sudden he decided he didn't care about the people watching him. He bent over Loki and kissed the god's lips. When he pulled back, he expected the situation to be unchanged, yet almost like a sleeping-beauty fairy tale Loki blinked, his eyes no longer empty. They suddenly filled with an enormous despair, and he started crying. Tony wrapped his arms around Loki and pulled him close, while whispering softly in his ear.
"Sssh… It's okay now. You're safe and I'm not ever leaving you again. Sssh…"
Loki cried, and Tony comforted him. Whatever torment he had been through, recovering wouldn't be easy… Yet this time Tony didn't intend to let anyone stop him from helping Loki. He looked up at the glass window, and his eyes met Fury's one eye. He hoped his look said exactly that.
"Fuck with us, and you're dead meat."
(Pagebreak)
"I want to see my brother!"
"Thor, listen to me. We don't know how bad it is yet, please give him some time."
"But…"
"Believe me, he won't be happy if you barge in like this, swinging your hammer and yelling you have missed him."
Thor looked a bit sad when Steve tempered his enthusiasm.
"But I want to see him…"
"You should do what is best for your brother."
"Of course. You are right."
Steve patted Thor on the shoulder, wondering when he became Loki's defender-slash-doorman. When he became Loki's anything-except-for-greatest-foe actually… Tony had come to the tower carrying an unconscious Loki in his arms, and his look had told all the Avengers –even Clint- that they were not to mess with him. Now Loki was being kept in the sickbay, where Dr Banner examined him and Tony sat next to his bedside.
"Is it true?"
Clint suddenly asked.
"Is what true?"
Steve retorted.
"That Tony kissed Loki."
Clint sounded flat, but Steve could tell he didn't like the presence of the villainous god in their tower at all. Steve wasn't sure he liked it himself… Yet he had once sworn to protect the weak, and Loki had been the very prototype of the word when Stark had brought him in.
"How should I know?"
"If Maria Hill counts as a source, then it is true." Natasha said. They all looked in her direction. "What? We're women. Women gossip. Basic fact of life, boys."
"So you're telling me that Tony, womanizer Tony, non-mind-controlled Tony, actually kissed Loki."
"Oh yes."
"The man of iron KISSED MY BROTHER?!"
Oops. They had forgotten about Thor and his Asgardian ideals…
'I NEED TO SEE HIM NOW!"
"Thor, he isn't even awake yet! Calm down!"
"I WILL NOT LET MY BROTHER BE DEFILED BY THE SON OF HOWARD!"
"Thor, CALM THE FUCK DOWN!"
"Wow. Cap, you actually swore!"
"I did. Now, Thor, I know you want to have a serious conversation with Loki, but I doubt THAT is a good conversation starter. So wait at least until you've calmed down."
And so they did. It was a strange situation, the whole team had gathered in the living room and the tension was almost tangible. Finally, Clint remarked.
"Has anyone seen spiderkid?"
Steve nodded.
"Bruce said he was staying over at a friend's house."
"Good. I wouldn't want him to get in trouble with Loki too…"
(Pagebreak)
It was so dark… Loki had hoped the warm arms of Death had finally embraced him and that he would be taken to his daughter's realm… The dark covered most of his mind, most of his memories… Yet the darkness had suddenly shifted to a bright, painful light, and with that everything had been uncovered again. Not knowing where he was, remembering what had happened too well, much too well, he had started crying like a lost child. And then there had been strong, warm arms, not Death's, which held him and caressed him. A profound sense of safety had come over him, and still crying he had fallen asleep in the grasp of the unknown person holding him…
(Pagebreak)
Tony sat next to Loki's bed, softly caressing his hand. Bruce had done the necessary tests, but couldn't say if or when the trickster would wake… Tony had told him of the things Loki had told him about, the torture at the hand of "They" and how his arc reactor somehow shielded him from their grasp… Now they were both silent. Loki looked fragile lying in the large bed, and Tony vowed to himself that he wouldn't leave the god's bedside until he was better again. Why, he didn't really know. Why had he kissed Loki, back at the SHIELD base? Why had he stepped on Pepper's soul? He really didn't know. Somehow he had gotten a bit very much attached to the god, and now he couldn't help but want to protect him. Perhaps… Feeling strangely philosophical, Tony overthought his motives. Perhaps it was because Loki really needed him. Pepper had never needed him; moreover, she had always made him feel inadequate with her effortlessly organized life and high moral standards. Perhaps it was the knight-in-shining-armour syndrome, quite literally in his case, making Loki the damsel in distress…
"Tony, I can see you're overthinking things too much. Try to relax."
"I don't know what I've gotten myself into, Bruce."
Bruce nodded softly.
"Trouble, if you ask me."
"Something tells me it's worth the trouble. I just don't understand what or why."
"Maybe you aren't meant to understand it. Sometimes people just do things because they feel right. You should try to feel more and think less."
"That sounds like an advice from the Other Guy."
"Maybe the Other Guy doesn't see it that bad, Tony…"
(Author's Notes)
So... Hela gets a short lesson in pop culture, courtesy of the Bloudhound Gang (The Bad Touch, look that song up if you don't know it it's REALLY catchy), Justin is socially inept once again, and Loki and Tony get to kiss! Not that it's very passionate or anything, but the guy's just been through torture, give him some time...
Anyway, I'm STILL waiting for my REVIEWS! Over 15 and I write you guys a piece of Avenger Babies Fluff! Reviews make my day, they are like my food, I love them! Do a good deed and review!