Tony, being the lucky man he was, had to spend a few extra days in New York to pack and make sure that Stark Tower was self-sufficient, so that when he finally left he wouldn't have to turn around because of some stupid emergency. It was in these extra three days that Loki showed up once each day, the same smug, knowing look on his face, doing nothing but watching him as he packed his belongings and finished up the necessary paperwork. Tony hated doing paperwork, and the piercing gaze of his number one enemy did not make it any better.

"What do you want?" Tony snarled. It was his last day in New York, and he paused in the process of throwing his personal belongings in a duffel bag to point an accusing finger at the god standing in the corner of his room. "You keep showing up here and staring at me. Are you trying to work up the nerve to ask me out on a date? Is that it?"

Loki raised an eyebrow, his calm composer perfectly intact despite Tony's outburst. "I did not realize my presence was so unwelcome," he said coolly.

Tony resisted a scoff. "Duh. Why would a criminal who literally threw me out of a window be welcome in my personal space? Seriously, what are you on?"

"I was under the impression that as long as I was behaving myself, you would at least tolerate my company."

"I have no way of knowing if you're behaving yourself or not," Tony responded, reluctantly turning back to his duffel and zipping the top. "Of course, there's no way I can make you leave either, so I'm pretty much living by the hope that you're not up to something dastardly."

Loki didn't respond to that, electing instead to smirk at him, which Tony was finding more and more aggravating.

"You are packing your bags. Are you leaving?"

"I'm going home," Tony responded, hoisting his duffel bag over his shoulder and making a quick exit from the room, conscious of the fact that Loki was following him.

"I was under the impression that this building, the one with your name on the front, was your home."

Tony shook his head. "This is home of the Avengers and an important hub of my company, not my home. I wasn't supposed to be here for this long, but I've been a little distracted lately."

Loki watched as Tony dropped his last duffel bag next to his other suitcase.

"Jarvis, start shutting down the living floors, would you?"

"Yes, sir. Would you like me to send all surveillance footage to the home base?"

"Yes. Why don't you do that with all of the information gathered while I was here, and make sure to clear it off the Tower's databases. I'd rather not have somebody hacking into them while I'm not here. We're making the coast house my home base again."

"Beginning file transfer process. You are free to depart."

Tony smiled genuinely. "Finally." He turned to where Loki had been standing to see that he was already gone. Tony was grateful that he didn't have to leave Loki alone in the Tower or have to worry about Loki following him all the way to California. Maybe Tony was finally in for some good luck.

It was a relief to sink into the cream colored leather seats of his private jet, knowing that his home was only a few hours flight away. The more distance put between him and New York, the more distance Tony put between himself and the craziness that had engulfed him during his time there. Tony had struggled with all that he had learned while with the Avengers. It was a lot to take in when you hid all of your insecurities behind a suit of armor that you had once thought would keep you safe from anything.

Yes, Tony was very ready to leave all of that craziness behind and hopefully find long-needed solace in his personal workshop where there weren't aliens and gods, and where he didn't have to pretend to be the team player that he really wasn't. Tony could feel a sting that could not be ignored, though, that materialized in the form of the empty seats around him, making him feel utterly alone in much the same way that the empty living floors had done back in Stark Tower. Maybe returning home to Malibu would also rid him of this strange emptiness that had been growing ever since the team had left.

He must have dozed off, because the vibrations of the landing gear caused him to jerk upright in his seat. He winced and rubbed his neck at the stiffness caused by falling asleep sitting up, knowing he wasn't getting enough real sleep. When he glanced out the window he was greeted by the sight of the California coast line, and the sight forced a smile to curl on his mouth despite his discomfort.

When the jet finally landed and he disembarked with his luggage, he was greeted with the sight of his silver Audi waiting for him, glistening in the afternoon sun and improving his mood exponentially. He quickly hefted his bags into the back seat and sat himself down gratefully into the leather-upholstered driver's seat, gripping the steering wheel as a rush of happiness filled him. It had been a long time since he had really felt like he belonged anywhere, but his silver V8 Audi was like a friend, a car that would never let him down.

He revved the engine, closing his eyes at the beauty of the sound. Pulling out from the small airport parking lot, he gunned the engine and laughed. He may have broken the speed limit a few times on the drive home to his Malibu house, but with the feel of the wind in his hair and the setting sun warming his face he couldn't really muster the effort to care.

When he finally stepped through the threshold of the house, it awoke to meet him, the window panels opening to let in a flood of golden light and the displays lighting up.

"Welcome home, sir," Jarvis greeted.

"Thanks, buddy. It's great to be back."

It took very little time for him to settle in, and as he unpacked his belongings Jarvis caught him up on what had been happening here in California while he had been gone. Pepper seemed to be running the company smoothly, and there were no crises that had to be cleaned up. In fact, it was almost alarming how uneventful everything had been. Tony was beginning to suspect that trouble followed him and him only, which stung until he remembered that trouble was practically in the job description of being a hero. When he had announced himself as Iron Man, he had sold his soul to the life of being a superhero, so he wasn't allowed to complain. Superheroes attracted attention even more than billionaires, both good and bad.

Tony took great pleasure in finally locking himself away in his workshop and realizing just how much he had actually missed it as he flicked through files and suit designs with movements of his hands. Here, everything was fine-tuned to him and him alone, and it felt like coming back to a long-missed hobby that doesn't take long to relearn.

There was finally time to upgrade his suit, time where there would be no assembling of the Avengers, no more teammates barging in to ask unnecessary questions, no one at all to stop him from working himself to the bone when he wanted to. The ideas that had been festering in his head for months while he was away from his workshop could finally be put into action and stop burning in the back of his brain.

"Turn up the music, would you Jarvis?"

Black Sabbath made the walls shake and Tony easily lost himself in blueprints and suit design.

The first few days of life back in his mansion in Malibu saw him mostly in this state, face lit from the glow of his displays as he edited, designed, and let himself wind down. He only left the workshop to sleep and eat, and even that he didn't do as often as was healthy.

He had gotten so lost into the work he had sorely missed that he had almost entirely forgotten the whole "sadistic god paying him visits" situation, content to let it fade into the back of his mind like a bizarre nightmare. After all, it seemed like he was finally free of the trickster.

It was early evening, and Tony was still trudging through suit design, reclined in his chair and flicking through the displays with a lazy twitch of his hand. He was so caught up in the glow of the holograms that he didn't realize he was being watched until a figure moved into his line of vision. Tony prided himself on the fact that, though his heart rate did speed, he didn't show any outward signs of being startled.

"Jarvis, music off." The heavy rock and roll cut off abruptly, leaving the workshop in eerie silence as Tony raised an eyebrow at the intruder. All of his hopes of this strange situation ending were dashed, leaving him more than a little irritated.

"I thought leaving New York would stop you from visiting," Tony said in lieu of a greeting, continuing to edit the three-dimensional blueprint as if he wasn't on edge.

"It is child's play to track a mortal." A glance at Loki revealed that he too was gazing at the hologram.

"Just because it's easy doesn't explain why you're doing it," Tony countered, halting his work and leaning back in the rolling chair he was sitting on.

Loki reached out and flicked the hologram, causing the model to rotate quickly. "This is impressive for human science."

Tony stared at Loki, looking closely for the lie that he was sure was there, but unable to locate it. "Uh, thanks?"

Loki looked around the room, his gaze landing on each of the screens and equations that were all around where Tony was sitting, casting a blue glow on both of their faces. Tony had no idea if Loki actually understood any of it, but he seemed intrigued.

Tony continued working, conscious of the bug-under-a-microscope feeling Loki was giving him, but not willing to give the god the satisfaction of knowing he was making Tony uncomfortable.

"I wish to know more about your technology, Stark," Loki stated out of the blue, peering closely at a three dimensional model of one of the gauntlets of Tony's suit.

"What?" Tony glared in confusion at Loki's seemingly sincere expression. "You must be crazy to think that I would give up that information willingly." Tony crossed his arms.

Loki looked thoughtful. "It could be an information exchange. I also possess secrets that would make your mortal head spin."

"Do you think I'm an idiot?"

Tony saw Loki raising an eyebrow and opening his mouth to respond and cut him off. "Don't answer that."

"I believe I told you my opinion of your inventions. You are much more intelligent than most mortals, and that is why I wish to exchange knowledge with you. I do not forget the time that your technology managed to evade my mind control." He glanced around the lab and then continued in a softer voice. "I would not be able to use the knowledge against you, despite what you may think."

Tony looked at him incredulously. "Yeah, don't blame me if I don't believe you."

"Suit yourself, Stark, but knowledge of my magic and the sciences of Asgard could be extremely beneficial." Green sparks danced along his lifted fingertips before he lowered his hand and extinguished the magic.

"Yeah, not biting. I don't really have a death wish, as startling as that may seem." If Loki really wanted secrets on how his arc reactor technology worked, he could forcibly take it from Tony, seeing as that wouldn't be difficult for the powerful god. Tony shook his head and attempted to ignore the intruding god by immersing himself in his own thoughts.

The next time Tony looked up, he was alone in his workshop.

It seemed that Loki would not give up that easily. Over the next few weeks he ended up in Tony's workshop enough times that Tony no longer startled at the sudden arrival and that Tony no longer felt his skin crawl at the gaze that studiously watched him. It wasn't to say that Tony was at all okay with the situation, it was more that he had become resigned to it. The anvil had yet to fall on his head, so he continued his life as well as he could manage with the unwanted visitor.

Tony also had a huge soft spot for people who vaguely understood his technology and were genuinely fascinated in learning more, and Loki's intelligent questions and interested observation were making it more difficult than usual for Tony to keep his mouth shut. The problem was, Tony enjoyed showing off, and holding back when around someone who would actually appreciate it was wearing down his resolve.

As Tony tested the new repulsors in the gauntlets, Loki stood, leaning against the worktable and staring at him. Tony found it worrisome that he was more bothered by his lack of discomfort than the fact that Loki, God of Mischief, was standing in the same room as he was.

"Perhaps I have not been truthful enough about my motives," Loki remarked, and Tony looked up from what he was working on, eyebrows raised.

"Uh, well you haven't really explained your motives for anything recently, so…"

Loki treaded closer to where Tony was standing, the gaze he had on Tony strangely intense. "Your technology is leagues ahead of your competitors, you have unbelievable power and weaponry in your armor, and yet it is never enough; you constantly adjust and improve, determined to make what is already sufficient even better. You would work yourself to death in here if it weren't for your voice system reminding you to eat and sleep." The speech was delivered in a smooth, sure voice, and Loki's bright green gaze seemed to cut past Tony's outer shell and see right into his mind.

"Okay? You know, I appreciate a little psychological analysis as much as the next guy, but seeing as you're off your rocker, I can't really trust your medical opinion. I know Freud was a bit of a nutcase and all, but I think psychotic Norse god is pushing it a little bit. I'm not sure your research would be taken seriously in the medical society, even if you've managed just what everyone wants: a good, close look into the fashionable life of Tony Stark." Tony's babbling petered out at Loki's calm expression.

"You speak too much," Loki eventually concluded, amused.

"So I've been told," Tony responded. He tilted his head. "Was there a point to your little speech?"

Loki nodded lightly. "Stark, the reason I desire to know more about your technology, and by extension, you, is because in you, I see myself."

Tony stared at Loki blankly, unsure how to process that statement. "Really?" Tony prided himself on the ability to make intelligent conversation.

"You and I share traits that none of my former peers, warriors all of them, ever understood. I had to know everything there was to know about sorcery and magic, and I had to be able to wield it all." Loki picked up a wrench from the nearest workbench and twirled it in his hands as if to avoid looking Tony in the eye as he continued. "I would shut myself away in my study for days, convinced that the company of books and spells far surpassed the company of others my age. You are the only one that I have encountered to suffer exactly as I do, to the extent of almost complete seclusion."

Tony had no idea why Loki was telling him any of this, but he could hear the ring of truth behind the words.

"So, is it me or my science that you're interested in?" Tony questioned, feeling a little stupid and definitely out of his element.

"I am intrigued by both."

Tony recalled Thor getting angry at the television remote when he couldn't get it to work. "You know, for a guy living in a society so advanced, your brother really has a tough time with our technology," Tony stated with a smirk.

"Thor was trained to be a warrior and never taught to appreciate anything other than combat and weaponry. He could care less for magic and knowledge, not when he can swing a hammer and solve all of his problems." Loki's face twisted into a sneer as his expression and body language closed off. Apparently the mention of Thor was a sore spot. "He's not my brother."

Tony shrugged. "Thor still thinks you're his brother, and he's pretty stubborn about it, too."

"I do not care what Thor thinks," Loki snapped back.

Tony put his hands up in a placating gesture, realized he still had a gauntlet on one of his hands, and quickly lowered them. "Hey, hey, I didn't mean to press any buttons, I'm just curious."

Loki glared daggers.

"Look, I lived with Thor for a month, and you two are the only gods I know, so I can't help but compare the two of you. It's my poor attempt to understand you better. I really didn't mean to get you in a tizzy."

Tony watched as Loki's stiff posture loosened and his anger seemed to clear as if it had never been there at all. The change was startling, and it reminded Tony just what he was dealing with here; Loki was not some visitor to take lightly, he was a damaged god that could destroy Tony in a number of ways. He needed to watch his mouth a little more carefully.

"So, what is it you want to know so badly?" Tony asked cautiously.

At Loki's victorious smirk Tony held up a hand. "Don't think this is your free ticket to any information you want."

Loki's gaze lowered from his face to the front of his shirt. "I wish to know why you have that device, that arc reactor, in your chest."

He should have known it was coming, but it still caught him by surprise. "Uhh…"

"I am assuming it's a sensitive topic, if your eloquent reply is anything to go by."

Tony scratched his goatee and looked away with a small sigh. "I suppose if you wanted to kill me, you could do it in plenty of creative ways that don't involve my arc reactor."

"That's the spirit."

Tony tapped the glow lightly with his fingers. "It keeps me alive by keeping the shrapnel in my chest out of my heart. The story of how I got it is a gripping one, but you have to reach friendship level fifteen before you unlock my tragic backstory."

Loki watched him thoughtfully, looking as if he was making some sort of decision. Tony waited patiently for him to speak.

"I will answer any question you ask about my past if you tell me the tale," he said eventually, eyes flickering between Tony's face and chest.

Tony tilted his head. A chance to know more about Loki's motives, straight from the villain himself. Fury would kill him if he ever found out Tony had given up an opportunity like this.

But Tony wasn't going to do it for Fury. He was curious about Loki, because under that sharp, cold exterior Tony could see the jagged edges of something broken, and it hit much too close to home for his comfort. Tony longed to know more, and he was willing to give up parts of himself to do so.

"Alright, we have a deal." Tony held his armor-less hand out for a handshake.

Loki looked at the hand with a sour turn to his mouth. "You have my word, but I will not shake your hand."

Tony wasn't going to ask. He lowered his hand awkwardly, brushing it on his jeans to make up for his discomfort. Maybe Loki had a cootie problem; can't touch the filthy mortal.

"Here's my question: Where did all the sibling strife between you and Thor come from? I mean, it seemed pretty fresh during your stint on Earth and Thor seems like a pretty nice guy to cause all of that anger." Thor hadn't told any of them much about what was up with the relationship between the two of them, and none of them had asked. Tony had assumed that it was a no-go zone, and he didn't do well with people in emotional pain.

Loki's hands clenched into fists by his sides and his jaw worked as he struggled to control his reaction to the question. "This dirty workshop is not the place for a conversation such as this," he bit out after a tense pause. It wasn't a refusal to answer, not by a long shot.

Tony nodded, unscrewing the metal glove from his hand and placing it on a worktable. "Want to take this pity party to the living room?" he asked, turning back to the god.

Loki nodded silently and followed him as he exited the workshop and made his way up the stairs. Tony absolutely refused to overthink this situation, as strange as it was, otherwise he might come to his senses and decide that maybe he should just move to Mexico and change his name. He blanked his mind and sat down at in the living room, watching as Loki gracefully folded himself down onto the white sofa, which contrasted almost ridiculously with his dark hair and clothing.

Realizing he was about to tell Loki, the God of Chaos, his most painful memories, Tony decided that he needed alcohol. He reached towards the shelf under the coffee table and pulled out a bottle of scotch and two glasses, raising the bottle and giving Loki a questioning look. The dark-haired god shook his head and crossed his legs gracefully. Oh well. Tony poured himself a glass and took a generous sip.

Loki dove into his story headfirst like a jump into a cold pool to avoid drawing out the discomfort. "The first detail that you need to know to understand my tale is that of the rivalry between Asgard and Jotunheim, a conflict that has gone on since long before my birth," Loki started, settling back in his seat. "You see, the Jotuns, Frost Giants as they are called, were a feared race in Asgard, something that mothers told their children about at night to instill caution."

"They sound like something out of a little kid's fairy tale," Tony commented, unthinking. Loki glared at him and he grimaced. "Sorry, I'll shut up. Continue."

Loki gave him a measured look before continuing. "As children, Thor and I were told by Odin of their barbaric ways and how we should always watch our backs. We were told of how the Asgardians defeated them in a long and bloody battle to preserve the freedom of Midgard, told of how Odin the Allfather prevented a second Ice Age on Earth. I grew up hating Frost Giants, as did my…as did Thor."

From there Loki launched into the tale of two young boys, both told they were destined to be king, when in reality only Thor was to have the throne. He told of Thor's disaster of a coronation, of their quest to Jotunheim for revenge, and of Thor's banishment to Midgard. His words were woven carefully, and Tony found himself captivated by the smooth voice of the trickster. The drink in his hand was forgotten.

He learned of an Asgardian prince's discovery of his true parentage and his father's dismissal of his suffering. He felt the carelessness of the Allfather as if it was a slight against him personally, a feeling he was all too familiar with. Tony could almost taste the desperation Loki had felt when his attempt to destroy Jotunheim and gain his father's approval had failed.

When the tale was finally finished, when Loki told of his fall from the Bifrost and how he had drifted through nothingness until being pulled in by a terrible creature by the name of Thanos, Loki's voice finally petered out and he refused to make eye contact with Tony. Looking at the way Loki's face pinched, and noticing the downward cast of his shoulders, Tony wondered if this was maybe the first time Loki had told anyone the full story. It obviously was causing him emotional pain, and Tony wondered how the knowledge of his past could be so important that Loki divulge this personal and painful story.

"Jesus," Tony breathed, unable to say anything else.

Loki looked at him sharply, eyes narrowed.

Tony took a deep breath, attempting to center himself. "Let me tell you, you have one screwed up backstory."

"You now understand why I am slightly sore about the fact that I am adopted," Loki intoned.

Tony coughed and took a large swig of his previously forgotten scotch, swallowing with a wince before responding. "I'll say. While I don't really agree with the whole attempt-to-take-over-the-world thing, I suppose I get it."

Loki eyed him silently, as if daring him to say more about Loki's story.

"Now, my turn"

With a strange expression on his face the tension slowly eased out of Loki's shoulders, and he watched Tony curiously.

The amount of personal information Loki had given him was staggering, making Tony feel less apprehensive about telling his own tale.

He began it with the story of a young Tony Stark with an unimpressed father and a man named Obadiah who had cared for him like a real father should. The story of his betrayal still stung, but the honest interest on Loki's face made it easier. If Loki hadn't cracked during his story, then Tony sure as hell wasn't cracking during his own.

He told of the cave and Yinsen and the shrapnel in his chest, the explanation of his escape flowing easily off his tongue. In fact, this was perhaps the easiest he had ever told this to anyone. Maybe he thought that Loki had had enough pain to not judge Tony based on his. Maybe Tony had found someone who he could relate to, even if that someone was a god who was at least a thousand years old and had tried to take over Earth.

"That's why I have a hole in my chest and now run a strictly clean-energy business. When you see the monsters who are using your creations against the people you meant to protect, you realize your life might need some rethinking."

Tony stared into the last few drops of his drink, aware of Loki's gaze, but feeling self-conscious enough that he didn't want to look up.

"We have much in common, Stark," Loki said eventually, the tone of his voice causing Tony to finally raise his head and look at him.

"I suppose we do. Too bad the next time you attack Earth I'll still have to kick your ass."

A sour expression twisted Loki's handsome features.

"I will not be attacking Midgard any time soon, I assure you," he replied bitterly.

"You know why I can't just believe you that easily," Tony chided, swirling the small amount of liquid left in his glass and then throwing it back.

"Your belief does not change the truth. What is, is."

Suddenly, Loki turned his head as if he had heard something, sitting perfectly still. Tony couldn't hear a thing as he watched Loki's strange behavior. Loki turned back to the genius, annoyed.

"I apologize, but I must depart."

Before Tony could even open his mouth to reply, Loki was gone.

"Jarvis, there's no one here, is there?"

"No, sir, I would have alerted you immediately." Jarvis almost sounded offended.

"I know." Tony set the empty glass down on the table with a strange feeling in his stomach, almost as if he had swallowed something slippery that was now squirming in his gut. Tony swallowed heavily and decided to call it a night. His dreams were filled with dark-haired boys trying in vain to earn the adoration of their fathers and not succeeding.