Tony thought he had read the script of a really bad movie. If finding out Amy's past was like a badly written soap opera, discovering this Laufeyson guy's past was like reading a disturbing psychological thriller.

It took Milton an entire day to gather what information he could after Laufeyson left his native Iceland. Tony now knew that he had arrived in New York with his young new wife and that they had moved around quite a bit because Laufeyson could not seem to hold a job for more than a few months. It was in the year that Loki was born that they had settled in Queens. There was a sketchy work record and Tony only needed one guess to figure out what business Laufeyson had involved himself in to support his pregnant wife.

There was no documented proof of Loki's birth or even of his existence until Odin and Frigga adopted him. Nor was there anything on his mother's death. And Laufeyson had disappeared off the grid for several years afterwards, until he popped up again in Detroit with a slew of arrests and drug charges, and sporadic short-term stints in minimum-security prisons over the last ten years that explained his disappearance.

Tony had been right—as usual—Laufeyson was bad news.

He had been trying to get a hold of Loki since he had received the report, but all of his calls kept going straight to voicemails. He was bordering on being pissed off at Loki for not listening to him—or anyone for that matter—and being worried that something might happen to him. Even Natasha had thrown an uncharacteristic hissy fit when Loki informed her of his impending departure. She argued that he should stay and plan the trip more extensively, find Laufeyson's exact location, and have one or more people go with him—namely, her and Tony.

But goddamn stubborn Loki. He had to do it alone. When Tony's phone started to vibrate against the top of his desk and blasted AC/DC's "All Night Long"—Loki's special ringtone—he was prepared to let his boyfriend have it.

"It's about goddamned time! I've been sitting here going out of my mind wondering where you've been, Loki. What took you so damn long to call me back?"

"Anthony…"

Tony's heart leapt into his throat and he jumped up from his chair. The last time he had heard Loki's voice that small and weak was the night he first met Odin. "What happened? Where are you?"

Loki breathed in short pants. "Anthony…come…come get…"

Tony frowned, the fingers of his free hand twisting incessantly. The hand around his phone tightened until his knuckles went white. "Loki, baby, what happened?"

"Come get me," he finally managed.

"Where?" Tony pulled his chair to him, sat, and rolled back to his desk, to his laptop, and began typing furiously. Using one of his father's specialized software programs, he was able to send a message to Milton at the New York mansion, telling his old friend that he needed the StarkJet ASAP.

"…I-I don't know. Somewhere outside Flint…I think."

Milton responded that Howard still wasn't happy with him for the last time he took the StarkJet. Tony swore under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing. Loki, can you get to an airport? The nearest one to you, if you're in Flint, is Daltons." As he spoke, Tony was working through several different screens on his computer, and explained to Milton that it was an emergency, that something had happened to Loki. Milton said he could get a plane chartered for him.

"Airport?" Loki groaned in what sounded like pain and Tony's heart ached right along with him. "I think s-so."

Tony typed furiously, giving Milton directions, reading the information he was receiving from the manager of Howard's household. "Good. Do you need directions?"

"No."

"Do you want me to stay on the phone with you? I'm leaving the dorm now." He signed off with Milton, instructing him to send the rest of the information to his phone. Loki was still panting on the over the line.

"How…how are you getting here?"

"I'm getting a plane, babe. I'll be there in a couple of hours. Just get to the airport and I will be there. You hear me? I'm coming for you."

"Yes…all right…"

"What happened, Loki?" Tony was breathing heavy himself now, sprinting as fast as he could to his vintage 1967 Shelby Cobra. He ran past Clint, Phil and Maria, ignoring their calls and waves. "Loki?" he asked after hearing what he thought was a suppressed whimper.

"You were right, Anthony." Loki's voice was thick with tears.

Tony slid behind the wheel and attached his hands-free device to his ear. "God damn it, Loki…" He hadn't really scolded Loki, but there was a hint of impatience behind the utterance.

Loki sniffled. "I am going to…get a cab. I'm not sure how…much…further I can walk."

Tony's eyes flicked from his rear view mirror to his side view before he sped up to change lanes. "Okay. Get to Daltons airport. I'll be there as fast as I can. Just wait for me there, okay?"

"All right." Loki grunted with the effort of doing something. "Anthony?"

"Yeah, hon?" he distractedly answered, easing off the gas as he spotted a cop car.

"Thank you." He sniffled again and Tony heard a car door close. "I love you."

Tony smirked, flooded with relief that Loki was safely in a car and on his way to wait for him. "I know, babe."

Being the son of a rich man definitely had its perks.

The plane Milton had secured for Tony touched down at Daltons airport just over two hours later, cutting in half what would have been a commercial flight. He spoke quickly to the pilot and the three-person flight crew then ran inside to search for Loki. After a minute, maybe even two, he gave up and pulled out his phone.

"I'm here. Where are you?" he said as soon as Loki picked up, his eyes still scanning the busy airport.

"In the men's room. I'll be right out. Do you have a sweater with a hood, Anthony?"

Tony made a face, though Loki could not see. "No. You didn't ask for one."

"I had not realized I would need one."

Tony didn't know what that meant, but he knew it couldn't be a good thing. "Loki, where are you? The plane is waiting for us." And he needed to visibly see that he was okay, but he didn't tell Loki this.

"I'm here."

Tony whirled around at the soft voice coming from behind him. And gasped.

Loki lowered his head, already lowered enough so he could hide behind his dark hair. "Don't stare."

Tony stuffed his phone in his pocket and shook his head, his eyes starting to tear. How could this have happened again? "Loki…" He reached for Loki's swollen face, but Loki jerked out of his reach, more out of fear that his touch would hurt him than anything else.

"The plane?"

Tony pointed toward the gate and, in silence, he led Loki to the plane and stayed close, but Loki wouldn't let him put an arm around him. Once onboard, he showed Loki where the bedding area in the rear of the plane was—he wasn't sure why Milton got a plane with one, but at the moment he was thankful for it. He told Loki not to move and went back to find one of the flight attendants. He asked for a first-aid kit, an ice pack and a glass of water, and advised them to take a load off since they needed some privacy. He found Loki half-sitting, half-lying on the bed, clutching himself about the waist when he went back into the room, pulling the curtain closed behind him with one hand. Tony set down the things he brought in with him and asked Loki to sit up. He sat beside him, his eyes surveying the damage to Loki's face.

Loki's jaw on the left side was swollen and starting to darken to a sickening shade of purple—at least against the rest of his pale skin. Blood had dried into a dark red line in the corner of his mouth and his left cheek was puffy and red. Tony lightly pressed the ice pack to his jaw, apologizing profusely when Loki hissed in pain. He cleaned up the dried blood and brushed Loki's hair away from his face with his fingers.

"What else hurts?" he asked softly. Loki shook his head and started to lower the ice pack. "Leave it on for awhile. You were clutching your side and you won't let me touch you. What hurts, Loki?"

Loki squeezed his eyes shut and Tony reached up to hastily swipe away the tears that silently slid down his cheeks. "Hold this," he held the ice pack out to Tony and Tony eyed him. "I will replace it, just take it for a moment." Tony did so as Loki tried to remove his cardigan but had to keep pausing. Ignoring his protests, Tony helped Loki to his feet and removed the sweater and the shirt underneath from Loki's arms himself.

"Jesus…" he breathed when he saw the bruises already forming across Loki's torso.

"It's not that bad," he said dejectedly, his arms going around his middle again, to hide himself. Tony's eyes flew to his, full of heat.

"Are you kidding me? That asshole used you as a punching bag and 'it's not that bad?'"

"Anthony…" Loki fell back to the bed and Tony grabbed for him, fearing he would further injure himself, and fell to his knees before the long-legged man. "It does not hurt as much as you think. I am very light-skinned; it looks worse than it feels."

"You sure?"

Loki's eyes opened and focused on Tony and he saw the tears coming into Tony's eyes. He cupped his cheek and brushed a thumb under one eye. "Anthony, don't."

"I should've come with you," he muttered through tight lips and a clogged throat. He laid his head in Loki's lap. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let you go alone. I'll kill that son of a bitch."

Loki chuckled weakly and carded his fingers through Tony's hair. "You didn't let me go, love. I went of my own free will. And you will do no such thing." He made Tony get up and, as Tony sat on the bed, Loki put the ice pack back on his jaw. "I think he has suffered enough."

"What are you talking about?" Tony found a packet of generic pain tablets and gave them, with the glass of water, to Loki to take. Loki swallowed them down, and paused as the plane began to rise into the air. Once they were flying steady back to D.C. Loki launched into an explanation of what happened in his meeting with Laufey.

"So what does this mean? You forgive Odin now?" Tony bent again to pull off Loki's shoes, his brows drawn together because he was still mad at himself for not following Loki to Laufey's place. He nudged the taller man's shoulder, urging him to lie back on the full bed.

Loki grunted and groaned softly as he settled himself onto the bed. "No, not completely, but I am afraid I am forced to see that compared to Laufey, Odin is nearly a saint. Come lay beside me?"

"Yeah," Tony answered absently as he set aside the first-aid kit and Loki's things. He kicked off his shoes and crawled over the covers to the head of the bed, resting his back against the headboard. He lifted his arm when Loki nudged it aside so he could curl up next to him, as best as he could with the damage to his body. "You okay?"

"I'm better, now that you're here." Loki turned his face into Tony's chest, inhaled his spicy scent deeply. "You smell nice." Tony chuckled and turned a little more toward Loki. "How long is the flight?"

"It took us about two hours to get here. But the pilot said there's a small storm over Ohio we have to go around so it may take more like three and half or four." Tony let go of him for a moment to pull down the blankets from under them then up over their bodies when Loki shivered against him. "You should call Thor. You never let him know where you went and he's probably freaking out."

"Later." Loki shifted again so he could see Tony's face. He cupped his cheek, grinning at the contrast between his pale fingers and Tony's olive complexion. "I keep insisting I am not a damsel in distress, yet it is becoming a habit for me to be rescued by you."

Tony smiled softly. "I don't mind."

Loki's grin widened. "I know."

"You've rescued me before, too, you know."

"Have I?" Tony nodded. "Thank you for coming to get me, Anthony. I do not know what I would have done without you." Tony pressed his lips very lightly to Loki's forehead.

"You don't have to worry about that, babe. I'm not going anywhere." He pressed his face into Loki's hair, forcing himself not to think about how much worse this could have ended. "Try to get some sleep."

Loki lay in his arms quietly for a little while, but sleep wouldn't find him. He didn't move too much for fear of feeling his muscles and bones ache again. "Anthony?" he whispered into the quiet.

"Hmm?" Tony hummed after a beat of silence. "Go to sleep."

"I don't want to."

Tony shifted down in the bed so he could see Loki's face. "You want to talk some more?"

Loki traced a finger along one side of Tony's goatee, over his chin, and down his throat, then toyed with the collar of his t-shirt—today's had Ozzy Osborne splashed across his chest. "No."

"Then what, baby?" He looked at their hands when Loki found his and linked their fingers together.

"Anthony…" Green flicked up to his face, black eyebrows rose a little. "I think I may be broken-hearted…"

Tony's brows came together in concern. "Why? That piece of shit isn't worth it, Loki. You don't even know half the shit he's done. I could tell you—"

"Shh." Loki pressed his finger to Tony's rapidly moving lips, silencing him. "That is not what I meant, love." At Tony's confused expression, Loki leaned closer and pressed his lips to his. They had barely met in a brief kiss before Tony jerked back.

"Loki, we can't."

Loki pouted playfully. "Why not?"

Tony sighed, a little irritated because he would actually really like to fool around with his boyfriend right now. He pressed his thumb to the corner of Loki's mouth. "Your lip is cut; if you open your mouth too wide it'll start bleeding again."

Loki slid his hand over Tony's side and pulled him closer, ignoring the slight protest his muscles gave with the effort. He reached forward for another kiss but his lips landed on Tony's jaw as he had turned his mouth away. He moved his mouth down to Tony's throat, his tongue flicking out to lick a slow trail up the stubbly skin, and elicited a husky chuckle from the genius in his arms. "It will heal," he said against Tony's skin.

"Loki. Don't do that. Come on, babe, I'm trying to show some restraint here."

"Well then stop, darling." Loki's hands slipped under Tony's t-shirt and roamed over his skin. "Anthony, I haven't been with you in quite some time now." His lips moved up to his ear. "I want you inside me."

Tony rolled his eyes in pleasure, curling his fingers at his side because he didn't want to curl them into Loki's muscles. "I'm trying to be a good guy here, Loki. You're—ahhaa—not making it easy."

"Mmm." Loki dipped his hand down between Tony's legs. "Am I making it hard then?" Tony moaned and wrapped his fingers around Loki's wrist after his hips pumped toward the hand involuntarily.

"Loki."

He ducked his head to kiss at Tony's collarbone. He pushed the t-shirt up, nipping at Tony's chest, until Tony finally pulled it off. "Just be gentle with me, love."

Tony tenderly brought Loki's face back up to same level as his and slowly kissed his mouth, careful not to let him open his mouth too much. Then he pulled back. "Loki…we shouldn't."

Loki's bottom lip—the one that Tony loved to nibble and suck on for hours—popped out. "You promised."

Tony chuckled and nipped the pale pink lip. "I never promised. It was a verbal agreement. But only if you were broken-hearted. You're not; you're just horny." Loki took Tony's hand from his face and placed it on the bulge between his legs.

"Same difference." Loki sighed, moaned, as Tony's fingers began to knead into the denim at his groin.

"You done this before?"

Loki's teeth pressed into the flesh at Tony's shoulder. "Mmnnhh…what, love?" He rolled his hips back just a bit so Tony could unbutton his jeans. He released another pleasure-filled sigh as Tony's hand slid beneath the dark denim searching for warm skin.

"Sex on an airplane?"

Loki moved his hips closer to Tony, moaned as he began to stroke him. "Not yet."

Tony slid his hand around to Loki's ass to bring him close. His hand coursed up Loki's back, pressing their bodies together until Loki cried out in pain. "What?" Tony's voice was filled with panic as he jerked back.

"Oh…" Loki sighed. "Don't squeeze me so hard, love. My back is a little sore."

Tony made a sad face and loosened his hold. "Loki…"

"No. Don't stop." Loki hooked his fingers into the belt loops of Tony's jeans and pulled him closer. He slid down the zipper and reached in, past his boxers.

"Unhhh…Loki, you're hurt."

"I care not."

"But…oh, fucking Christ, Loki. God, yes, right there. No!" Tony tried to move away but it wasn't easy with Loki's hand down his pants. "Shit. Your back is messed up."

"It's just a tad sore. And what part of I care not are you having trouble understanding, Anthony?" He prodded Tony so he would lie on his back and sat up on his knees. Ignoring his screaming muscles, he flung off the covers and started to pull at Tony's pants.

Tony finished pulling them off himself, and his boxers, then lied back again, resting on his elbows. "Are you sure about this? You know I can get carried away. I don't want to hurt you any more than you already are." As he spoke, Tony's eyes followed Loki as he shifted out of his own pants. Just as he finished his last sentence, Loki placed his hands on Tony's shoulders and crawled across him, straddling his lap. He grunted lightly with the effort.

Once he was comfortable, Loki bent his head to kiss Tony's lips and began to slowly move his hips, grinding against Tony's, rubbing their cocks together. "Stop worrying, my love. You want me to feel better, yes?" Loki's hand moved between them, alternately stroking them both. He rubbed his fingers over both heads, slicking them up before reaching around to prepare himself.

"That's all I want right now, babe." Tony was still taking care as he kissed Loki. His hand slid over Loki's hips until they were on each of his ass cheeks, spreading them apart so Loki could get better access. Loki rose to his knees and took Tony's pulsating cock in his hand before lowering himself slowly down on him.

"Then make me feel better, Anthony."

Tony fell back to the bed, his hands at Loki's hips, holding him in place as he pumped his own. A sheen of sweat broke out over his skin; he grunted and groaned with each thrust of his hips. He opened his eyes, relishing the vision above him. Even with his sinewy, creamy body marred with marks of red, blue, and purple, Loki still looked beautiful. His arching back, his body bowing magnificently as he tossed his head back crying out Tony's name in ecstasy. Tony pressed his hand to Loki's abs, sliding it up his torso to his shoulder, feeling every muscle tense and relax as their bodies rocked together. He trailed his fingers down the length of Loki's arm and pulled him down. Loki tumbled forward, his mouth seeking his.

"You okay to be on your back?" Tony asked against Loki's lips.

"Uh-huh…" He let Tony roll them both until their positions were switched. He shifted a little under Tony, until he was at a spot that didn't cause him any pain. Tony lifted Loki's legs so he could wrap them around his waist, lowered his mouth down to kiss him softly and moved his hips slower.

"Anthony…" Loki breathed against him.

Tony was taking his time, kissing along the uninjured part of Loki's jaw line, his ear, down his throat. "Hmm…?"

Loki's arms came up to wrap around Tony's neck, his fingers curled into Tony's dark hair as the genius' tongue sent shivers through him. "Harder…"

Tony kissed along Loki's collarbone and licked up a wet path on the other side of his neck, careful to avoid the bruises. "Mm-mm."

Loki whined a little at Tony's refusal. His hands moved down to Tony's curvy bottom, kneading and trying to push him further into him. "Please…"

Tony raised his head to look into Loki's eyes, but they weren't open and his mouth hovered over Loki's again. Loki seemed to sense Tony's lips were close and tried to kiss him but Tony teasingly moved away. Loki tried again. Tony smirked, enjoying teasing him.

"Tony." Loki opened his eyes, barely. "Faster." Tony shook his head. Loki's face twisted in both pleasure, because Tony was still slowly fucking him, and annoyance, because all he wanted was for him to move against him. "Please, Anthony…"

"No. …You asked for hot…" He pulled out of Loki almost all the way and slowly pushed all the way back in, making Loki moan low and long. "…and slow…" He repeated the act and Loki moaned again.

"Ohhhh fuck..."

Tony chuckled. "Say it again," he whispered.

Loki's fingers dug into Tony's shoulders, his back arched and bowed, and his thighs clenched around Tony. He heard Tony's request, but he couldn't seem to form any coherent words. "Nnn…ohhh…ahhhuhhh…T…ohh…nnee…" his voice lowered to a whisper, "…please…UHH!"

Tony plunged into Loki and felt his entire body tense beneath him. Between pants he said, "Tell-me-when…ohfuckinghell…you're-gonna-come."

"Mmm…Tony…unhhh, fuck yes…!" Loki hooked his arms under Tony's, gripped his shoulders, holding on as Tony pounded into him.

Tony groaned and breathed heavily with each thrust. "Am…am I hurting you?"

A sigh left Loki's lips as he threw his head back. "Gods…. No…," Loki breathed as his hips lifted to meet Tony's. "Tony."

"Now?"

"Uh-huh…" Loki let out a whine as Tony pulled out of him then jerked a little when his cock was suddenly sheathed in the sweet damp heat of Tony's mouth. He came hard enough to have his body twitching with it; his hips rolled, fucking Tony's mouth as he rode out the orgasm. Finally, he fell back to the bed, completely spent.

Tony waited for Loki to finish and relax before removing his mouth from him. He felt Loki shiver as his body went lax and pulled up the earlier discarded sheets and covered them both as he moved back to lie next to him. "You okay, babe?"

Loki briefly and just barely opened his eyes, lifting a hand to Tony's face. His breath was still coming in pants. "Why did you…do that?"

Tony grinned. "No mess." He leaned down to kiss Loki's soft lips. Loki could taste himself on Tony's tongue and flung an arm over his neck, holding him in place and deepening the kiss. After a moment, Tony tried to pull back and smiled against Loki's lips when he wouldn't let him up. "Stop it, babe. You need to sleep now." He rolled Loki away from him then curled up behind him, his arm slipping around his waist.

Loki sighed happily, and settled himself against Tony. He frowned because he could feel something poking him. "Anthony."

"What?"

"You did not finish, love."

Tony moved his other arm to rest under Loki's head. "I know. It's okay," he said, squeezing Loki lightly. Loki tried to interject again and Tony pressed a kiss to the back of his neck. "Hey. I wanted to make you happy. And I did, right?"

"Yes…"

"Then that's all that matters. Go to sleep."

Loki nodded weakly. Exhaustion had begun to take over and he didn't have the energy to argue. "You are too good to me, Anthony." He lifted Tony's hand to his mouth and kissed the back of his hand. "I adore you, my love."

Tony pressed his face into Loki's hair, fighting the tears stinging his eyes. It was too hard for him to speak but he swallowed the lump in his throat anyway and whispered, "I know."