Yup, so as you remember, I'm manually updating all the chapters in this series due to some problems with the OpenOffice formatting. As you can very well see, I do have a wild perfectionist streak...Anyway, just wanted to say a quick thank you to all my reviewers/people who have put me on story alerts, author alerts, favorites, etc. Frankly, I'm quite humbled by all the attention, thank you guys! :)
At the risk of being shameless, hit the review button guys! :)
- Chapter 2 -
The Kindness Of Strangers
The man who stood outside the Avengers tower was wearing a flamboyant pink shirt that says 'I'm unique!' with a sparkly picture of a unicorn. Paired with it was long tight pink skinnies that did well to accentuate the curve of his butt. The man was also wearing a pair of white shades, and in his right arm was a shaved poodle, the excess fur on its head gathered and tied with a pink ribbon.
He left his name at the counter.
"Well, Mr, er, Juanita Santos," The clerk strained his eyes to read the exaggerated cursive in sparkly pink, "I'm afraid Mr Stark's not in today. Rest assured sir, he will be notified at the earliest moment possible."
"Awww thanks sweetheart." With a wave of his hand, and the flick of his head, Juanita Santos left the building. Not before grabbing his dog's paw in a weak imitation of a wave first, of course.
"Say 'goodbye' to uncle, Sparkles honey." The poodle barked once in response, and together both owner and pet flounced out of the building.
From behind a concealed window Clint muttered, "And that was gay gay gay gay gay gay."
Natasha snorted. "He is by far the worst of Tony's bed partners. And that includes that Indian tranny with a diamanté studded bra."
"Let's not be rude guys," Steve said anxiously, eyes flitting over to where Tony sat with his hands in his head. "I think Tony's got enough to worry about."
"You've got to admit the guy's got really bad taste. That's like, the tenth to show up in a week? Man," Bruce shakes his head like he can't believes it and laughs, "Juanita shakes his ass when he walks! What can I say...you sure do have a way with them chicks." He laughs, a deep-throaty full laugh.
"How do you have the stamina, Tony?" Clint gazes at him with reverence and snaps his fingers like he gets it. "Oh oh oh, it's the arc reactor is it?"
"Everybody shut up!" Tony snarled as he jerks his head up, eyes glinting with murder. Just out of the corner of his vision, Bruce shrugs and murmurs, 'I told you.'
"To answer your question Clint, I was on a sexual marathon, not that my stamina was ever in need of your doubt. Bruce, I was desperate and a taut ass is an asset, no matter the gender it belongs to. You sound like my grandmother Steve, except older. Natasha, that tranny has bigger boobs than you."
His teammates growled in response, but Bruce just laughed it off. Years of zen had honed him to handle the worst of sarcasm.
"Hey hey hey, no need to turn on one of your own," Clint glared. "and besides, you're gonna be needing our support real soon. Natasha?"
"Word's that Fury's heard about your little...escapades." She examined her nails with the intensity of a cat. "Fuck, one of them's broken in the fight with that Russian bastard."
"That was no call for rudeness." Steve looked genuinely hurt but Tony could not bear to go through a round of reconciliation and reassurance. He was too madly pissed off to do that.
"Fury?" Tony had barely time to register before he was interrupted by a sharp rap on the meeting room door.
Pepper Potts appeared in the doorway. She took a long, deep breath before saying,
"I have been sent to tell Tony Stark that Director Fury wants him to report to the map room immediately. He wants to give him a piece of his mind."
"Well, gentlemen and lady, that's an offer I can't refuse...or can I?" Tony looked hopefully at Pepper but she just rolled her eyes.
"Any chance of us getting back together, Pepper?"
"Not one in a million, jackass."
"Ouch. No call for bad language Pepper." he said, wagging a finger in front of her face.
She smacked it roughly aside.
"I should've known better than to trust you to keep your dick in your pants," she whispered in a hushed angry tone. "You cheated on me with a man whore."
"Hey, Juanita was a good man!"
"What do you have to say for yourself, Tony?" Fury began as soon as Pepper walked out of the room. Plastered around the room's walls were dozens of big, colored large spreadsheets of maps.
"Guilty as charged sir." Tony gave a sheepish grin. In reality, his head was splitting behind his skull. Maybe gin and tonic for breakfast was a bad idea.
"Guilty? Motherfuck, your whores and bitches are coming to work with you!"
"Hey, blame security. I didn't let them have the information of my whereabouts."
"Security footage from JARVIS showed that you were almost always half-drunk and half-naked, although not necessarily in that order, when you scribbled down your address and blabbered about your workscope."
"Everyone knows who Ironman is," Tony said glumly and halfheartedly.
"And now everyone knows where he works." snarled Fury. "Look, Tony you're a liability to yourself as well as others in this state. You could endanger the lives of everyone in this building, everyone from the Avengers to S.H.I.E.L.D."
Tony's eyes widened. "By bringing my boyfriends to work?"
Fury sighed. "I wish. It goes deeper than that Tony. Look."
Fury clicks on a few files, and soon the screen in the map room was filled with footage from their latest mission.
In various stills, Steve Rogers, or Captain America, as he is known, holds up his shield valiantly, the red and blue colors striking against the broken buildings and dull grey roads. He was holding off a multitude of lizard warriors, results of a failed genetical experiment by Doctor Doom. In one particularly impressive photo set, he had dashed across 10km of roads just to save a crying child holding her Teddy bear.
And so on. Tony clenched his fists as he watched the slideshow progress with various compositions of his teammates in valiant glory. Not because he is jealous of them, but because he knows what's gonna come. Black Widow, or Natasha, was doing a trapeze style high jump kick against one of the fiercer lizards, and the next picture shows it completely subdued. Clint fires an arrow, which takes down 3 enemies in one clean shot. No wonder his namesake's Hawkeye. The Hulk smashes through a burning building, rescuing about 8 full-grown adults in his grasp. Hard to believe he is the gentle and shy scientist Bruce Banner in real life.
"And of course there's you." Fury said through a grimace.
Even Tony fought hard to hold back a groan as he saw himself in action.
He had arrived half-drunk in his suit, resulting in a misfiring of rockets. They landed on the opposite building, which happened to stock gasoline (Who stocks gasoline in the middle of the city anyway, thought Tony), which then caught fire and provided Bruce with his glory moment of rescuing the would-be victims.
Spying a victim, he then skidded across a lake in exactly the same way a rock would, landed in the middle of it, rockets half drowned. Steve had to rush 10km of road to save the child from being mobbed by the lizard mutants. As he swum to shore, defenseless, he found himself staring into the faces of 3 lizard mutants. Clint saved his ass with one arrow, and Natasha took care of the assassin poised to strike. All the time, Tony was making lewd jokes about everyone and everything ("Nice shot, big guy!") and had to be carried back to the Avengers tower afterwards.
Both sat in silence as the last picture of Tony puking into his Ironman suit filled the screen and eventually, the silence between them.
"It is a hard decision," Fury sighed and held up his hand. "And don't speak Tony, I know you're going to protest, stubborn motherfucker. Regardless of what I'm about to say." Tony was silenced with a glare from the director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
"It hasn't always made the best of decisions, but S.H.I.E.L.D. is my responsibility, as well as the lives of every other in this building. This is my cross to bear. The Avengers initiative is my baby, Tony, and a father does what he can to protect his child. I can't let you destroy it, Tony."
Tony's heart froze. Well, not literally, but his arc reactor slid down a few degrees. A life without the Avengers? Well, to be honest, he wasn't much of a team player anyway, but sentiments are sentiments, and dare he say it, he might have gotten attached to the team. "Director, what are you -"
"I'm suggesting, Tony, that you take a few days off. Maybe party in Malibu or something, just hop on a plane, first-class, and go have some fun someplace exotic. Bring a partner or something, I don't care who. Relax and recuperate, till you're ready to join ranks."
Tony stared at him. And then he caught sight of the map behind the director. It read 'Japan'.
He grinned.
"I believe that would be a wonderful idea, director."
The flight from LAX to Narita international airport had been uneventful. Tony had flirted with the air steward, and a rather cute teenage boy sitting beside him. They had ended up making out in the toilet after Tony has stroked his thighs somewhat inconspicuously. He was a wild one. Even now, Tony could still taste him in his mouth and feel the sting of his bite on Tony's lips.
Holding his boarding pass for the transfer flight to Hokkaido, he allowed himself a few moments to fantasize about its delights. He sighed contentedly. Hokkaido was a place renowned for it's fresh seafood. And bear statues. And marine parks. Tony would never admit it, but he had always had a soft penchant for seals. In fact, in a hidden area of his house back in Stark towers, there was a walk-in closet filled with every seal plushie imaginable. Big fluffy white ones all the way to sleek grey streamlined ones. Not to mention, the recent Mamegoma hype that Tony had gotten wrapped up in.
He could almost taste the soft juices of crab bursting in his mouth as he handed over his boarding pass when the woman behind the counter said in an apologetic tone,
"Sorry sir, the flight to Kyoto is over there."
Fucking Japanese, always so apologetic about everything.
"Sir, I'm sorry, but your queue is over there."
Her repetition shook Tony out of his narcotic haze. He laughed as it dawned upon him as to what she just said.
"No, I'm sorry, I'm sure I'm in the right queue, considering how I'm planning to board a transfer flight to Hokkaido and this is the Hokkaido queue." He jabbed at the boarding pass to make his point when his fingers froze on the single word 'Kyoto'.
Tony swore and the lady gave a cordially disapproving look, too polite to mention anything about the gaijin. Foreigners really were strange, and how dare they question her professionalism?
Meanwhile, Tony knew he should have flown to Hokkaido in his private jet. He had let his dear teammates talk him into sending him off at LAx.
"I don't like to fly commercially, Natasha."
"Sometimes, you're too rich for your own good. Tony, try to meet new people and make friends on the plane. It will be fun." She kissed him in the cheek as he entered the boarding hall, with the rest waving bye to him. Steve promised to take care of New York for him, Bruce to update him with new breakthroughs and Clint promised to get busy with the lonely girls of Manhattan.
And now he was stuck at Narita with the wrong boarding pass. To Kyoto. Someone must have mixed up the boarding passes, and that someone was to pay for his mistake. Badly. If it had been him booking, he would checked it, double-checked it and triple-checked it, right down to phoning the hotel he was planning to stay in. Evidently, the person who did this job did not have much brains.
He groaned. He had no doubt Kyoto was pretty, what with it being Sakura season, but frankly, he wasn't a fan of flowers, temples, towers and old people. Out of all the regions, he has to get a historical artifact?
This just keeps getting better, he thought as he rejoined the queue for Kyoto. Here I come.
He has always believed in making the best out of each situation.
Steve Rogers was enjoying a cup of plain o' black coffee when he sneezed. Prone to superstition, Steve thought that someone must have been talking ill of him behind his back. He shrugged. He could deal with gossip. Idly he fiddled with his spoon and thought of how much fun Tony must be having in Japan right now. Steve would know, because he had booked the tickets for Kyoto, exactly as Tony had requested. He wrinkled his nose, deep in concentration. Although it did seemed a bit odd for someone like Tony to prefer such an ancient, rustic place.
If it seemed odd that Tony Stark would choose Kyoto, it was natural for Loki to be attracted to it.
Fresh from the Bifrost in the middle of the Sahara dessert, Loki found himself strangely excited about his destination. He had thought about visiting Earth for a time, and had long decided that he would visit Japan. He could teleport himself there in a flash, but decided that he would change himself into decent clothing, and check himself in to Narita airport. After all, human beings had always been an area of interest to him, and to finally live like one, with all their physical restraints would be an interesting experience.
Loki did not care for the wacky, vibrant energy of Harajuku or the glitzy district of Shibuya. They were novelty cities in a country of so much reverence and beauty, shiny, high-tech toys that did not suit Loki's taste at all. Neither had the maturity nor the mellowness he was seeking for, unlike Kyoto.
Kyoto was the one that held the most mysteries and allure to Loki. The history itself was fascinating. Temples made of smoothly hewn stones in the middle of bamboo forests, tall and slender, shadowing the holy place. Pieces of paper and bells decorated the roofs of these temples. How the Japanese believe that a red string of destiny was bound between you and the finger of your true lover and that nothing, not even god himself, can tear the string apart.
Kyoto, with it's spiraling bell towers. Kyoto, with it's nature and peaceful scenery, would make a fresh change from the stifling airs of Asgard.
For the first time in a while, a genuine smile crept onto Loki's lips. This would be fun.
Only 12 minutes into the flight and Loki was already getting annoyed with the brash bawdy American guy beside him. For the past few minutes, the guy had been constantly bugging the air-stewardess about the changing of seats ("Hey miss do you think I can upgrade to first class?" to she which she promptly replied, "Im sorry sir, our flight's currently filled."), his drink which had changed from Coke to Fanta Grape to a Lychee martini. Now, he was busy doodling on the safety instructions manual that came with every plane.
Jabbing Loki's arm, he said,
"Hey hey look, doesn't he look like he's sucking a dick?"
The American had drawn a penis on one of the pages which showed a guy down on his knees due to safety procedures.
"I don't really think it's a good idea for you to be toying with something so important."
"What? This safety manual?" The man looked aghast. "Nah, its bullshit. Do you know why they ask you to put your oxygen masks on in the event of a plane crash?"
Loki cocks an eyebrow. "Because that would provide you with an adequate oxygen supply at high altitudes?"
"No, because an excess of oxygen numbs your brain and calms you down, preparing your body for the slaughter like little lambs to the abattoir." He lets out a deep throaty laugh, extends a hand and a warm smile. "My name's Tony Stark. Who might you be, sourpuss?"
Loki looked at the hand with distaste. He doesn't want to make friends, and certainly not this man.
Biting back his distaste, Loki forced a smile and said, "I'm Loki Laufeyson."
Only 12 minutes into the flight and Tony was already getting annoyed with the quiet contemplative sneaky bastard beside him. If there's one thing that never fails to raise Tony's ire, it is silence. That sourpuss had on the most unsociable face he had ever seen on a person. Tony's forte, cracking jokes had completely fallen flat at this guy's composure.
Still, despite the guy being an obvious sociopath and all, he was still kinda surprised when Loki did not react the way most people did when they heard his name. Tony Stark, as he was proud to admit, was a known name. Usually, he would have to deal with heartfelt confessions of love or admiration or both, requests for his signatures, people bawling in the presence of an idol, vigorous handshakes as well as a generally unmurmured consensus of 'I am in the presence of a great being, possibly infinitely greater than I can ever hope to be.' Loki Laufeyson on the other hand, simply returned to staring out of the plane's window.
Which pisses Tony off some more. Because he always got the window seat. Damn, he knew he should have taken first class instead of letting Natasha talk him into buying Business, I mean, what the hell was I thinking, he thought.
Business class was full of the sociopaths he just knew it would contain.
After about an hour or so on the same flight as Tony, Loki realized that Tony was throbbing with want. For him.
Loki could hear his blood singing through his veins, full of his desire for Loki. Loki snorted. He knew this kind of men. Men who walked through life like arrogant peacocks because they think and know that they can get what they want. Men too proud to admit that they too had faults and were human.
And flirty too, by the looks of it. Tony Stark, besides eyeing the pretty air stewardess, had been steadily striking up a conversation with the young boy in the seat in front of them. Both of them were laughing flirtatiously and the boy actually giggled, a high champagne bubbles kind of laugh. It pissed Loki off.
Strangely enough, Loki felt that he was no longer concerned about the happenings on Asgard. He didn't care if he was punished for using the Bifrost without permission, or that he would be convicted of his false rape charge. Somehow, life seemed so much better without his family milling around him like unshakable flies. Yet, he can't shake off the feeling that he should be more concerned, and guilt haunted him like a specter. It seems like a sin to feel so little for people who meant so much to you.
Engrossed in his thoughts, Loki did not notice that the young boy in front had stood up, presumably to go to the washroom.
His thoughts were depressing him. Maybe he should really check out the situation in Asgard. And to do that he would need a mirror. The washroom. Loki got out of his seat and made his way to the back of the plane.
As he closed the door behind him, Loki found himself in a neat clean toilet that smelled of limes. He washed his face in the sink and traced a wet finger along the mirror. Perhaps, he should utter the spell now.
All of a sudden, the lights went off.
It took Tony precisely 10 seconds to pick the lock of the toilet, and another 5 to switch off its lights.
When Natasha had told him to make friends, he was sure she hadn't meant it this way.
"Hello?" A voice sounded in the dark.
"Hello yourself, lovely."
Tony's arc reactor glowed just slightly enough to discern a dark mass of shadows at the edge of the sink and he lunged towards it, feeling a supple body in his embrace.
Crushingly, he drew their lips together, bruising both with the intensity and passion of the kiss. The boy tasted like ice, his tongue twirling expertly with his own, and the conflicting temperatures sending shock waves down to the base of his spine. Tony shuddered. It has been a while since he had felt so good, and especially not with just a kiss.
Pulling back, Tony gripped the boy's jaw in his hand and thrusted it upwards such that he was now nicking at the soft sensitive skin of his neck. The boy moaned in delight, and Tony could feel himself getting harder as he gave the boy a delicious line of hickeys, kneading and bruising the skin with his lips. Yum.
Tony was back at the lips again, earning soft grunts with gentle nibbles on the soft red parted lips. Through the boy's woefully thin fabric, Tony could feel his hard-on as well, and it drove Tony insane that he could have this boy right here and now. Unthinkingly, he grabbed the boy's crotch roughly, cupping his erection and the boy whimpered like a horny female animal. Teasingly, he rubbed through the fabric until the boy was mewing like a cat at his touch.
His mind foggy, Tony fumbled with his own belt, loosening the buckle just enough for him to strip off his underpants and releasing his cock.
Click.
The lights were back on again, and Tony was face-to-face with a very smug Loki Laufeyson.
A very smug Loki Laufeyson indeed.
"Sometimes, Mr Stark, you rely too much upon the kindness of strangers."