Loki stayed with Tony when Tony was in New York or Malibu. When Tony had to travel elsewhere Loki would go back to San Francisco. This gave Loki plenty of time to pursue his study of magic. He made a few trips to Vanaheim and Alfheim to visit their libraries. He made these trips very short and did not stay to find if anyone was looking for an errant Aesir prince.
The Stark phone hit the market and was a massive success. This success was a sign that Loki and Tony's partnership was fun and fiscally beneficial for Tony's company. Tony and Loki had argued about money: Loki didn't need it and felt Tony did more than enough sharing his homes and food with Loki. Tony felt like he was taking advantage and admitted his legal department was getting nervous. They had decided to compromise by setting up Loki an account he could take money from or not.
Their friendship was not all about science. Tony also widened Loki's horizons about music and movies. One time he did so was by having a movie marathon to celebrate the success of the Stark Phone.
"You'll love the Lord of the Rings. You make me think of the elves: smart, graceful and more than somewhat mysterious," Tony suggested enticingly.
Loki stifled thoughts about wishing he was rather of Alfheim than of Jotunheim or Asgard. Then again he wouldn't have met Tony. As ever, he had mixed feelings about Thor. As he and Tony ate their way through various junk foods he found himself thinking of Thor. Especially during the third movie when seeing Faramir. Faramir's pain and riding to what he knew could be his death due to his father's blunt wish Boromir was alive instead cut Loki. He closed his eyes as Faramir and his forces rode off. Such waste! It's just like Asgard! People would mourn if I lived instead of Thor.
"Loki? Oh crud maybe this wasn't the best movie…"
"It is a beautiful work of art. I am glad to see it even if this part is…sorrowful," Loki replied gruffly.
Somehow he felt like he should say more than that. Tony had been the first real friend Loki had ever had not counting Thor as a child.
"I was always in my brother's shadow. I don't know if the people I thought of as my guardians would react the same way Faramir's father had. I do know my home in general would have been angry if I lived... I don't like thinking of the man I thought of as my brother dying. It would grieve me if he did. I would have stayed but he never listened. Let him be left to those…he chose and me to mine," Loki added.
Tony wasn't the most comfortable with emotions but he tried.
"I hope he learns, but don't spend all your time thinking about him. Live for you Loki," Tony encouraged.
He distracted himself by thinking of what Tolkien had right and wrong about the elves and the dwarves. He was jolted from this when it turned out Faramir was still alive. He was on the edge of his seat hoping Gandalf would get to Faramir in time to save him. No one on Asgard, except for Frigga, ever listened to me. Her comfort, while appreciated, only kept me from going insane. It never resolved anything. I hope Faramir has a happier ending!
He was shocked at what happened to Faramir's father. Odin would never fall so low literally or metaphorically. He hoped so at any rate. He was angry at Odin, but he didn't wish Odin ill. Just leave me alone or that could change.
The shield maiden that Faramir showed signs of fondness for made him think of Sif. Her treatment of the hobbit seemed far kinder than Sif had ever been to Loki though. Loki held back a snort at the idea of himself ever becoming fond of Sif. She doesn't respect me because I threw away what she, if she were male, would be able to have without fighting so hard to get. She thinks I'm a coward and foolish for my choices. Would I use magic less if I had a body like Thor's? I would probably have learned to fight like Thor but also kept my magic if I had magic and brute strength in equal levels. It's foolish not to use the tools we have. Do I have any bitterness towards her for choosing war instead of a more "womanly" path? No, because the life she chose fit her skills. My problem with her is that she couldn't let me be me!
As he watched good triumph over evil he was happy. This realm has so much to offer. It is Asgard's waste that all they see are the negatives and not what mortals have accomplished. This ballad equals anything any Asgardian bard has sung and the mortals don't know about real elves. I have to go to Alfheim and Vanaheim for magic, but otherwise there is much for me here. In knowledge and in friends.
"You good Loki? Want to watch another movie," Tony asked cautiously.
"Yes," Loki replied
He wondered what a movie called Hot Fuzz could possibly be about.