Tony was napping on the couch when the alarms started going off, causing him to jerk (he did not flail) off the couch in surprise.
"Sonofabitch!" He rubbed a hand over the back of his sore head as he painfully got to his feet. "Jarvis, what's going on?"
"Doombots have been detected in Central Park, sir." Tony glanced out the window and saw the rain streaking the windows.
"What the hell are they doing in Central Park?"
"Causing destruction, it seems."
Tony cursed. "Where's the rest of the team?"
"Suiting up, sir."
Tony quickly followed their example, grateful that he had finished repairs on his latest suit with the stronger armor plating. He was not getting stabbed this time.
Like clockwork, the Avengers deployed to Central Park, getting closer and closer to performing like a team than a ragtag group of weirdos. The meetings and tactic-talks had paid off, and Tony suspected the more time they spent together, the better they would get.
The heavy rain made sight difficult, but Tony's displays clearly marked out where the Doombots were causing trouble. Taking a wide path over the cluster of robots, Tony saw that Jarvis had been correct about the destruction. The Doombots were ripping trees out of the ground like plucking candles out of a birthday cake for seemingly no reason.
"Got about thirty down here," Tony told the others.
"Don't engage yet," Steve ordered from his spot up in a tree outside the newly-created clearing.
"Gotcha."
The Avengers circled and observed, careful to remain unspotted by the Doombots intent on their task of destroying pubic property.
"If they pull up many more trees, the City of New York will be more of a threat to Doom than we are," Clint muttered. "Their jail time is adding up quickly." He was the most at ease in the tree he was perched in, while Steve seemed to be struggling to stay up in the branches. Tony couldn't help the internal chuckle at the thought of Hawkeye being comfortable in a tree.
Tony made sure to hover below the line of trees and out of sight of the robots, though the bots seemed very intent on their task.
All of the robots stopped working at once, organizing into straight rows in the clearing.
"Avengers," came a booming, heavily accented voice from behind the back line of robots. Steve nearly lost his already precarious footing in the tree in surprise. "I am so pleased to finally meet you in person."
From the cover of the trees behind the robots stepped a figure that clanged each step it took. It looked a little like a Doombot, but it was clothed in a cape with a hood that shadowed its features and moved smoother and looser than the mechanical bots.
This was a man in a suit.
"Doctor Doom," came Steve's voice as he hopped out of the tree and moved to the edge of the clearing, having come to the same conclusion as Tony.
"Hello, dear Captain. I am a fan, of course."
Tony wondered if Doom had deepened his voice through the speakers in his suit and decided it was something a man like Doom would do. Tony did wonder about the cape and cowl, though.
"I am so glad you could all come to my grand opening ceremony." Doom waved a metal-covered hand at the gathered robots, which seemed to be multiplying as they lined up. Their eyes were shining eerily green.
"What are you planning?" Steve asked.
"I might as well tell you, since you're going to be dead before it happens anyway."
Tony rolled his eyes behind his face mask. These types just loved to praise themselves for a job they hadn't even finished yet, and most times their exposition just ruined the actual plan.
"You see, these robots that were able to kill Iron Man have surrounded the Avengers here, and once the mighty heroes are taken care of, they will easily take over New York."
Tony turned to see that a line of Doombots had also formed behind them, circling them in. The Doombot nearest Tony made a strange buzzing sound, and Tony watched as Doom's head turned in its direction. Though Tony could not see Doom's face, he could feel the gaze on him through the trees.
"Well, well, I guess I was wrong. Tony Stark lives on. How fascinating."
"We're all a lot harder to kill than you'd think, you know. And do you really think your robots can take the Hulk?" Tony asked with a scoff.
Tony's displays were still targeting all of the Doombots, many more than Tony felt comfortable with. They lit up like Christmas lights, and Tony couldn't even tell where they were coming from.
"My Doombots are much stronger than you heroes are used to. I am rather curious as to how you survived, Stark. My Doombot shoved that pipe right through your stomach."
The robots around him had finally settled into their lines, metal clinking as the rain pinged off their metal shells, and Doom chuckled deeply. "No matter. In a mere hour, the Avengers will be no more." That must have been the cue, because suddenly the bots around them were on the move, and some pulled long metal weapons from a spot on their backs. The loud clank of metal on metal told Tony that Thor had started going at them with his hammer, and it was only moments later that the other Avengers started fighting as well. Tony glanced over just in time to see Thor propelled backwards by a concussive blast that set Tony's teeth on edge. Dirt flew as Thor skidded on the ground on crouched feet.
"I see you have discovered the new and improved shielding devices." A deep laugh echoed again, sounding like thunder in a tin can.
Thor picked himself up, wiping mud off of his face and frowning deeply as the bots continued advancing on him. It was unfair that, even covered in mud, Thor managed to look majestic and powerful.
"Not even the mighty hammer can break through this layer of pure energy."
Tony heard the exchange through the firing of his repulsors and guns, which pinged loudly against the layer of green energy that pulsed brightly with each contact.
"You will not succeed, Doom," Thor said as he went at another bot and was again tossed back.
The bots in front of Tony were advancing with their strange sword-like weapons, barely pausing with the blasts being sent their way. Tony was doling his strongest shocks, and it was barely affecting them.
"Sir, at this rate you'll be out of ammunition before you even manage to put a dent in them," Jarvis piped in. "They are surrounded by a layer of energy very similar to that of Mr. Laufeyson."
Tony groaned, and then flew upward rapidly and watching as a large swarm of the bots followed him. Tony knew better than to lead them off, so instead he flew straight for the center of the clearing where there was the most mayhem. As he swerved sharply upward, he was rewarded with the loud metal clang of robots colliding and the loud explosive sound that came with it. Apparently collision led to explosion. Interesting.
He glanced around at his fellow Avengers and realized just how many Doombots they were up against.
"Hey, we need the Hulk down here!" Tony called, dodging a swing from a bot and having to roll in the air to avoid a green blast of energy another sent his way.
"Missing me, Tony?" came Bruce's voice from his place in the SHIELD helicopter that was circling over their heads.
"We really need you to get angry down here."
"We're losing control of the situation." Steve's voice was strained as he launched his shield again and again.
It wasn't long until they heard the roar of a very angry and very green Bruce, who began flinging bots around, causing minor explosions as they hit each other violently.
There were too many of them, though, and they had begun surrounding each Avenger, not allowing one scratch to mar them through their glowing shields.
Steve was shouting orders that the others struggled to follow, but none of it helped. They were all cornered by the infernal robots, fighting for their lives to the soundtrack of Doom's laughter. Hawkeye was no longer in his tree, fighting on ground level next to Black Widow, who was going after the bots with her handguns and a long weapon she had filched from a destroyed Doombot.
Looking around him, Tony found himself growing worried at the outcome of this fight. The pain from the stab wound in his gut was an echo that he couldn't shake, and he kept expecting it to happen again, this time with no guardian angel to pull him back from the brink. Those metal weapons the bots were wielding, with enough force, could be speared through nearly anything.
The Doombot directly in front of Tony looked ready to swing the metal at his head and Tony had his hands full with another group coming at him from the side. He couldn't even bring his arm up to block the shot
He was braced for impact when the bots faltered, grinding to a stop like someone had hit the pause button on a giant remote control. Tony looked around wildly at the robots that were struggling against some unseen force, their cloaks of magic pulsing bright green in the grey afternoon. That's when Tony spotted the distinct figure in the middle of the clearing.
Loki's arms were straight out in front of him, palms facing outward, and his expression was twisted in concentration. He was somehow using his magic to tamper with the Doombots.
A smile split Tony's face and a rush of relief filled him. His guardian angel was back.
The other Avengers were also watching Loki in the center of the clearing, and my-oh-my did Tony realize how much Loki looked like an avenging angel come to Earth.
Thor gave a full laugh of joy. Even Hulk had stopped fighting, his head tilted curiously.
Tony sidestepped the immobile robots surrounding him and moved closer to Loki.
"Loki, you gotta slam them against each other if you can. That's the only weakness we found." Loki gave him a tight-lipped nod, straining from the effort of holding the bots in place.
As the robots began to spin together in a clockwise motion, the other Avengers picked their way out of the mass and watched in slight awe as Loki worked his magic. Only Hulk was still grabbing immobile robots and smashing them against each other, plucking them out of the magical whirlpool as if he were a child catching fireflies.
All at once, all the energy that had been surrounding each Doombot flickered and went out. With a strange gesture of Loki's hands, the robots were sent clashing against each other, filling the clearing with the cacophony of metal on metal.
The ones that were still kicking after the collision were steadily taken down by the team with much more effectiveness. Tony fired shot after shot and was rewarded with the small explosions that meant his shots were actually working.
After that, it was a normal fight with his fellow Avengers, the only difference the figure clothed in gold and green that sent magic flying with every jab and twirl.
Tony had to force himself to look away from the graceful fighting to make sure he didn't get nailed by a Doombot.
"Brother, it is good to fight by your side again," Thor called cheerfully as he batted a robot into a nearby tree.
"It is good to fight and use magic again," Loki responded simply, and then shoved his dagger into the joint of a Doombot, which proceeded to fizzle and die, a wild smile on his face.
As the robots dwindled and became more piles of useless metal than functioning machines, Tony realized just what they were missing. A chill crawled down his spine.
It was that moment that something sharp latched onto the lower back of his suit, which caused it to short dangerously, and in moments, like nothing Tony had ever seen before, his armor was falling off and scattering across the dirt around him. He gasped at the feel of the air on his suddenly bare arms, and when the suit was completely removed, he was yanked backward by a strong grip on the back of his shirt.
"You aren't so infallible are you, Tony Stark?" a canned voice growled in his ear. "Do you like my little invention? I spent years on this, in the event I finally met you. I was almost disappointed when you died so quickly, and I hadn't gotten the chance to try it out." He waved a strange claw-like device in front of Tony's face before tucking it into some hidden pocket on his suit.
Tony would have struggled to pull away had there not been something sharp pressed against his throat. A metal-covered arm tightened across his shoulders.
"Take it easy there," Tony griped as the metal of the knife bit into his skin. He wrapped his hands around the metal arm in an attempt to relieve the pressure on his shoulders.
"Avengers!" Doom shouted, and slowly the last of the fighting petered out as the team noticed the prisoner in Doom's grasp.
"Stark!" Steve gasped, but they had all frozen in place. Even Hulk had stopped, sensing the tension in the air. Tony's eyes met Loki's from across the clearing, and he sensed something blazing in that expression.
"I do know that at this point, my invasion has been cancelled," Doom began simply. "Disappointing, yes, but I can get over it." The metal hand around Tony's shoulders moved to grip his hair painfully, yanking his head backward. Tony cursed in pain. "This is much more important, you see. Tony Stark vulnerable and in my grasp."
"What do you have against Tony?" Steve asked.
"Arrogant, successful, irritating Tony Stark who just so happens to be in the same line of business as I am. Never gave one thought to who he was destroying when he started building machines instead of weapons."
Tony squirmed. "I barely even know you."
Doom growled. "Typical."
"Doom!" The sharp voice brought Doom's grandstanding to a halt. Loki had stepped forward and his gaze was on the knife at Tony's throat.
"Ah, Loki. I have heard much about you, but I never thought you would take the side of the team you struggled to destroy not that long ago. I had wondered how Stark survived, but I suppose that answer is now clear."
"The Avengers are mine, Doom. You will remove your greasy fingers from Tony Stark."
The grip in Tony's hair tightened and Doom laughed. "I am surprised you care. What difference does it make to you if I slaughter him right here?"
Loki took another step closer, his eyes narrowed. "I do not take kindly to those who touch what is mine."
"What are you going to do? If you make another move, I will slit his throat!"
Tony met Loki's gaze and saw a fiery resolve there. Doom's scream of pain startled Tony, causing him to recoil and brush against the knife. In the next moment, the hand in his hair released, and the knife clattered to the ground as Doom tumbled away from him, still shouting from a pain that Tony didn't bother turning around to see.
Loki was on Tony in an instant, wrapping a secure arm around him and placing himself between Tony and Doom. Tony was pressed against soft leather, his face close to the pale line of Loki's throat.
"Thor, take care of Doom," Loki demanded, and suddenly the world around them blurred, and Tony felt a strange pull in his gut. Their surroundings then solidified into Tony's room in Stark Tower.
"What the…?"
"Teleportation," Loki replied. "Sit down," he ordered, pushing Tony down onto the edge of the bed.
"Hey, don't manhandle me," Tony complained, which Loki ignored as he crouched down and brushed a thumb across the cut on Tony's throat. Tony knew it wasn't deep enough to worry about. "You just kidnapped me from that battle," Tony complained, his voice lacking true irritation.
"The battle is over. Thor will kill Doom and the robots will stop working." Loki frowned. "You are not nearly careful enough," he said softly, meeting Tony's gaze. "I do not appreciate experiencing your near-death once, let alone twice."
"I'm Iron Man. Near-death experiences are part of the job description."
Loki's mouth twisted unhappily. "You are staying by my side for the foreseeable future," he stated. "Now that I have the power to protect you, I will be using it wisely."
"I don't need protection," Tony shot back. "I'm Iron Man." He did feel a little silly uttering that line twice in the same minute.
Loki rolled his eyes and straightened from his crouched position, cupping Tony's face between his hands. "You nearly died twice, and if it hadn't been for my intervention, you would be dead."
Tony smiled at the god looming over his seated position. "So, are you like my guardian angel now? Where are your wings?" He sobered at the somewhat desperate expression Loki had fixed on his face.
Loki's hands moved from his face to the back of Tony's neck, fingers sliding under the collar of Tony's shirt. "I don't know what to do with you," he breathed, green eyes bright.
Tony smirked. "You can kiss me."
Loki's mouth was against Tony's in the next moment, and his hands slid up into Tony's hair, holding him in place. The kiss was searing, and Loki's hands had tightened in his hair to the point of pain. Tony found he didn't mind in the least.
Tony was pushed back onto the bed as Loki tugged at his clothes in an attempt to get them off of Tony as quickly as possible. He managed to tug Tony's shirt over his head without too much difficulty, but he was struggling with the button on the front of Tony's jeans, looming over him on the bed as Loki was. Tony went to do it himself, but a quick hand slapped his away.
"I will undress you."
Tony didn't argue, letting Loki take the lead as the rest of his clothing was quickly stripped off. Loki didn't even bother taking off his armor by hand, instead giving a small flick of his fingers and settling over Tony with newly-bare skin.
Loki's hands were everywhere, possessive and strong, and soon he had Tony gasping and squirming on the bedspread. This was unlike any other time they had wound up in bed together; it was rough and quick, and where Loki's hands held Tony's hips in place there would be bruising in the morning.
Loki took him like they were running out of time, wringing Tony of everything he had. It was raw and urgent, and when Tony moaned his climax face-down into the pillows, it was with Loki's growl in his ears.
It was what they both had needed.
Once the buzzing had left his ears and he could see straight, Tony turned on his side and scooted back so he was pressed against the warm, soft skin of Loki's front.
"What's the big rush? Not that I mind or anything. Just curious."
Loki was silent for a few moments, wrapping his arm gently around Tony's midsection. Tony couldn't see his face, but he could feel the tension in the god's frame.
"There's not enough time," he eventually confessed, pressing his face into the back of Tony's neck. "You are dangerously mortal, and your brushes with death have succeeded in reminding me of this."
Tony pushed Loki's arm off of his stomach, turning to face Loki as the god softly protested the loss of contact. Tony silenced him with a soft hand on the side of his face. A dark feeling sat in his gut at the pinch of Loki's features.
"There's still plenty of time, Loki. I'm not old yet, and I don't plan on going anywhere any time soon."
Loki took an unsteady breath. "The life of a mortal is but a blink of an eye to those with our lifespan." He closed his eyes. "Pain is the only way this can end."
This was not the sort of afterglow chatter Tony was expecting. "Don't think about that right now, okay? God, if this is your way of breaking up with me, I'm going to be so pissed."
Loki smirked. "No, Stark, I am not giving you up. I have decided that I like you enough to keep you." The mood in the room lightened and Tony smiled.
"Sounds good to me." They lay in silence for a few content moments. "You know, Fury's probably out there having kittens wondering where we are. He's the king of debriefings, and we sorta skipped out on this one."
Loki huffed a breath. "I am appalled you thought it necessary to utter that man's name while in bed with me." He ran a hand through his hair, pushing it out of his face. "Also, I care not what your Director Fury thinks. He should learn to exercise patience."
Tony snickered. "Hey, I never said I was actually worried about him."
Though they were content and sated in bed together, the conversation from before hung in the air, unwilling to be banished with ease.
Tony wasn't going to let it drag him down. He kissed Loki again and smiled against his mouth as Loki rolled him onto his back and settled over him.
XXX
"How do I know for sure you can be trusted? I am not risking the security of my division on a wayward psycho." Fury had his hands on his hips and his good eye glaring daggers at Loki, who was seated at a chair at the conference table looking perfectly at ease despite the Avengers all around him. Of course, he was a lot less vulnerable than he had been the last time he sat at a table with the Avengers.
"There is no way to know for sure if you can trust me," Loki responded easily. "But trust is earned, is it not?" Loki tilted his head. "I not only bought Stark from the brink of death, but I also defeated Victor von Doom for your band of heroes."
"Which you did to save Stark. Maybe you have some weird thing with him, which let me tell you, makes me want to hurl my breakfast, but that doesn't mean you're loyal to SHIELD."
Tony sat up slightly in his chair. "Nick, I'm not even loyal to SHIELD, and you know that."
Fury crossed his arms. "And that's exactly why I can't trust Loki. He may be willing to stop an evil villain to save you, but only that."
Loki sighed. "If you are so afraid of me, you should know I don't possess the magic needed to go at your organization, let alone the entire realm. Odin still has my magic on a leash." Loki turned to Tony. "Actually, Stark, I was supposed to tell you this earlier, but became distracted by your almost-death, and then bedding you-"
There were several tortured groans from around the table.
Loki smirked, and then continued. "Stark is the true holder of the leash on my magic."
Tony stared. "What does that even mean?"
"It means I cannot harm you, and any magic that you don't want me to perform, you can stop. Technically, you are still my keeper."
The room was filled with stunned silence until Clint spoke. "I thought Tony was too irresponsible to have a pet."
"I can assure you, Barton, I can feed and water myself."
"And that right there is why you're still alive," Clint shot back, and the others, including Loki, laughed.
Fury leaned over the table. "So you're saying it's impossible for you to cause destruction?"
Loki shrugged. "Unless Stark wishes for destruction."
Steve looked unsure. "Tony, are you sure you're up to this?"
"Well, first, it doesn't seem like I have much of a choice. Second, isn't this a good thing? You know for sure that Loki can't cause magical mischief. Isn't that what you wanted?"
"He could be lying," Clint stated, eyeing the amused god. "This could all be a ploy, including his thing with Stark."
Thor's expression darkened. "Loki is telling the truth. I was there when the Allfather re-sentenced my brother."
Natasha, who had been studiously silent, finally spoke up. "Why would he be faking a relationship with Stark? Why would he make a fool of himself over Stark's bleeding body just to trick us into thinking he cares? It doesn't add up."
"How dare you suggest I was foolish to-"
Tony cut him off with a hand on his shoulder, and when Loki fell silent with a sigh, the room stared.
"I'd say that settles it," Bruce said. "Asgard ruled that Loki stay here, and if we put him under lock and key, we'll just anger him and the gods. Besides," Bruce glanced at Tony, "we already gave him our blessing."
Tony really loved the good doctor sometimes. "Thanks, Bruce. That really means a lot."
Bruce smiled. "You'd be dead if it weren't for Loki, so I'd say he has my trust." He glanced at a somewhat surprised Loki. "He doesn't have to be an Avenger, but if he wanted to, he could consult?"
Tony glanced sideways at Loki and saw the calculating expression on his face before the god looked over at him.
"If it keeps Stark, or any of you from dying, I will assist your Avengers. Anyways, mediocre villains irritate me."
"Congratulations," Fury deadpanned. "I'll get you a badge."
Tony wasn't quite sure if he was kidding, but as the other Avengers mingled with Loki like he was one of their own, Tony felt a strange sort of warmth filling him.
So, all that's left of this fic is the epilogue, which I'll upload in the next few days. Thanks to all who have kept up with this story.