A/N: Time frame wise, this is set 8 years after Burning Curve, for reference. :)
So updates might be a little slow as I deal with some big personal stuff. If you're interested you can read about it at my Tumblr. megaranoelle . tumblr . com
I don't own The Avengers, Loki, Iron Man, or anything of the like. Just the thoughts inside my head. And taking some personal freedoms with mythology and lore.
Loki took near silent breaths. He was lingering too long, he knew, but he needed to know the feeling. He needed to know what it felt like the exact moment that Adir's magic would find him. He had been there for a week, by his judgment, and Loki had put together small things that would hopefully lead him to one big discovery.
There was a faint 'pop' behind Loki's eyes when he felt it. Adir was there. There wasn't even a second between when he was located and when Adir showed up. Loki didn't think there would be a big gap, but he had hoped for more.
"Sometimes, I fear that our game might get boring," Adir's voice sounded through the wooded area that Loki was in. "That it might become rather trivial finding you, then watching you gallivant off to another place. But, for the time being, I find the locations that you bring me too very interesting, maybe even a little enlightening."
"Do you care though?" Loki asked.
"Not really, no, but I do like interesting things. It's probably why you're still alive." Loki's hand gripped a small vial with a potion inside. "I could possibly use that information for something later. Or use the information for someone else." Loki grit his teeth
"This is all fine and dandy, but one might think that you're a little bit of a coward for not showing your face." Loki kept his back to a tree, looking around. If Adir was going to show up, he wanted to be able to see him coming.
"Could the same not be said for you?" Adira questioned, letting his voice come from just one direction, moving closer towards Loki's location.
"No, for I am not the one doing the hunting. Why would I show myself to who I want to hide from?" Loki turned his head and stopped when he saw Adir in front of him smirking. He'd never admit that for a few moments his heart had stopped pounding in his chest from the sudden shock.
"I'm not sure, why would you?" Adir leaned in and Loki slapped his hand on Adir's chest, the vial pressed between his palm and Adir's chest. He raised an eyebrow at the feel of the feel of the little vial. "This could prove to be interesting. What exactly is this supposed to do?"
"Honestly?" Loki said after he was sure that his voice would sound confident enough. "I'm not sure. I was experimenting, so this could very turn out interesting, and bad, for both of us." Loki pressed down on the heel of his hand threatening to break the vial. "Are you willing to find out what could happen?"
"I'm interested in finding out what you think could actually happen," Adir answered, pushing into the vial a little more. "Impress me sorcerer."
Loki swallowed before leaning into the vial, crushing it between his hand and Adir's chest, the liquid breaking free.
"This is starting to feel very familiar," Tony said when he heard someone walking into the living room. He was looking down at his tablet, going over the last minute chest list for everything that was needed for the mansion when the new addition would arrive. He had no plans on going back to the Tower in New York anytime soon, so everything for that residence could wait. "I don't need someone coming to check on me every time that Loki goes missing."
"Well, what if we just came to point and laugh at your comically large stomach?" Tony glanced up and over at Dani who stood leaning against the back of the couch. She was dressed casually in what appeared to be Jotun garments, so she came directly from the icy realm. "And by we, I mean me."
"You came alone without my dearest daughter?" Tony asked as he moved a little down the couch, giving Dani some room to sit on the couch. He wasn't ashamed to admit that he could take up the whole couch, and not care if anyone else had any space to sit.
"She's stuck in some meetings and the like," Dani said, shrugging as she explained. "The life of being in charge of an entire realm."
"You should probably start learning that stuff, you'll be helping soon," Tony told her as he shut his tablet off.
'It would probably be sooner if they knew that Loki was still missing," Dani told him. "Somehow we've managed to keep it secret that we can't find him, but we're not sure how long we can keep the rumors away."
"They can listen to all the rumors that they want," Tony said. "Until they've gotten the official word from me on his status, it doesn't mean a damn thing. I still hold the title of King Consort there, and-"
"It'll mean jack shit," Dani interrupted him. "You know I'm not trying to be rude, but King Consort doesn't hold even as much weight as one of your other children. If they hear that Loki has been missing, and he appears to be missing for more than a year, they'll declare him as deceased in where the throne is concerned. At that point they'll have an official coronation for Emma to take the throne, and then we'll be having a shot gun wedding."
Tony groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose a little. "And when he comes back?" Dani didn't say anything fast enough for him and he looked at her. "He Will come back, I refuse to use-"
"Tony, I didn't say that he wouldn't be coming back," Dani told him.
"You also didn't say that he would," Tony snapped back before letting out a sigh. "I'm sorry, I've just been on edge lately. I haven't been getting much sleep, and with this baby on the way I'm trying not to get stressed, and it's just hard." Dani gave him a soft smile and pat his cheek with one hand. "It's just hard right now."
"I know it is, trust me, I know it is. I died, remember?" Tony let out a little snort and Dani leaned her head on his shoulder gently. "He'll come back, I'm sure of it. It just might not happen right away, but we'll find him." Tony nodded as he leaned his head on top of hers. "We're here for you Tony, don't you forget that."
"I'm glad that you were reborn," Tony told her once again. "Emma was very happy with you, and it makes my heart feel lighter to see her smile again."
"Please, keep stroking my ego." She grinned and Tony pushed her shoulder gently.