Hello! I have decided that plane rides are officially the best place to write, especially for me because I have practically no games that do not require wifi on my phone. I got this done during a three hour flight so if there are any mistakes I apologize and please pm me about them or add it to your review.

Not mine, never mine, usual disclaimers

"Your reactor versus your magic. It is a good thing they learned to work together, for your sake."

o~*+*~o

"I'm sorry I must have heard you wrong."

Shock having worn off long ago, Tony Stark was now pacing the room in front of Loki as the raven haired man remained, unmoving, in his relaxed position on the couch. The genius's movements were quick and sharp and his eyes never settled on anything for longer than a few seconds, except for when he glared at Loki, but he never stopped pacing.

"For a second there I thought you said I had magic," Tony laughed out, though his face showed little to no mirth and that made the laugh border on hysterical.

The odd reaction made it hard for Loki to discern whether or not the news had induced a positive or negative reaction. It had initially looked as if Stark was ecstatic at the news, only for the man to jump up seconds later to pace. Almost none of the previous excitement was evident now.

"I did," Loki replied quietly, trying to remain as neutral as possible. If it turned out that Stark was not happy about the news of having magic of his own, though the raven haired mage didn't know why because magic was one of the best things to happen to him in his childhood, then Loki hoped to avoid bearing the brunt of the anger.

"If I have magic where has it been?" Stark shouted desperately into the room around him.

Suddenly, in one smooth movement, Stark spun to face Loki and stalked forward until Stark was towering over the couch. Stark's face was shrouded in shadow and he was backlit by the rising sun, adding to the intimidation that was not helped by how Loki had to crane his neck to look Stark in the man's burning eyes.

"I was tortured in a cave and forced to build my reactor from scraps just to live long enough to watch a friend die for me and learn that my father figure wanted me dead. Then the same device that was keeping me alive poisoned and nearly killed me later.

"What happened to the grand manifestation that saves the main character when he's dying? Where was magic then?" Stark hissed out harshly, his voice rising gradually until he shouted the last question and collapsed backward into his previous seat on the couch, drained of his previous energy as he turned inward and seemed to search himself for the answers he desperately needed to find, his eyes wide and disturbingly dull.

"It was always there and ready for use," Loki answered in the most soothing tone he could manage without drawing unto attention towards himself. "The only reason my magic manifested is because my mother had magic and could feel mine. Even when I was training as a child with Thor and his friends my magic couldn't help me until my mother unlocked it for me," Loki explained patiently as he looked at the other man for any sign that his words had gotten through.

"Magic is not sentient and therefore could not come to your aid in the cave or after." A flinch. No matter how small, it was a sign that he was heard and understood. "But with my help it will always be there for you in the future."

Tony's eyes snapped up to Loki's, wide with wonder, and his brow furrowed in doubt. The chocolate brown eyes that locked with his green were focused once again and Loki nearly sighed with relief at the sight.

"You would unlock my magic?"

The question was breathed out, laced with the slightest tinge of hope and a dubious dollop of caution, and Tony leaned forward ever so slightly in anticipation. No matter how determined Loki was that nothing could or would sway him from the path of introducing magic back to Midgard, he was the god of mischief and therefore that beautifully hopeful look needed to be torn away, just for a second.

"No," Loki answered, his face and tone both carefully blank, and he watched Tony Stark's face fall only for the man to recover with unforeseen speed. The raven haired man told himself the twinge in his side was disappointment from his failure but, truthfully, he wasn't so sure.

"I would teach you how to use it so you won't hurt yourself or others." The amount of doubt in Tony Stark's furrowed brow was on a level all on its own. Loki laughed aloud and gestured for Tony to come sit beside him, which the man did with not a little reluctance.

"I give you my word as a mage," Loki continued and, after a moment of hard staring, Tony Stark nodded once and a tentative smile slipped across his lips.

"And your tricks?" Tony questioned teasingly, the smile growing ever stronger.

"Every mage has an unique magical core that designates what type of magic they would thrive in," Loki explained as he placed his right hand on the center of his chest and his left hovering in the air just over the arc reactor in Tony's chest. "Mine is green and made for deception and concealment."

"God of mischief," Tony chuckled, leaning forward ever so slightly so that, for just a second, Loki's fingers brushed the metal of the reactor from where it peaked through the button up shirt that Tony had neglected to button up all the way.

"Indeed." Loki smirked for a second and then dropped his hand from his chest and brought it with his right hand to frame the arc reactor. When Tony tensed, Loki moved hands away but kept them framing the reactor. "Your core, however, is significantly more special than almost anyone else's I have met in my many years."

"So I'm special." The lifted eyebrow and speculative smirk that graced Tony's face prompted Loki to grin in response.

"Very. Your core's color is a shade of blue akin to that of the arc reactor in your chest, the color designating a speciality in creation itself and that is a talent unseen for millinnia." Loki allowed a sliver of his awe slip into his voice, his hands moving to stroke the air around the reactor in reverence. Gradually, Tony's doubtful look turned into one of calculation and curiosity. "Your core is as large or larger than mine as a small child."

"And that's good?" Stark questioned lightly, only to drop his wide grin at the affronted look on Loki's face.

"Good?" Loki mimicked back. "I was the most naturally powerful mage born in centuries," Loki informed Tony, staring directly into his eyes, "and you, if you are properly trained, will be the only mage powerful enough to beat me in a battle of magic alone."

Loki dropped his hands to his lap and stared at them. "Thank you," he whispered softly, knowing Tony would catch it. No matter how unusual Stark might find it that Loki was willing to teach his once enemy magic, even if Loki himself had been merely a puppet at the time, magic was as necessary to him as the blood in his veins and he withered without it.

Even now he was weak as he healed and being without the joy he felt when he used his magic was something he could deprive of none but Thanos and his minions.

His reasons for choosing to teach Tony Stark magic were twofold. On one hand, he had an obligation to himself to bring magic back to the realm that was nearly depleted of it. Teaching was a joy he rarely indulged in and being able to find such an apt and powerful pupil was a precious gift that Loki could never pass up.

On the other hand, he was being entirely selfish. Loki knew that Thanos would come find him and he knew that he could not hold off the Mad Titan and the Other on his own, but if there was another equally powerful or more powerful mage on his side there was the possibility of not only fending Thanos off but actually defeating him and his minions.

"I don't understand you."

Tony's words snapped Loki out of his daze and his eyes snapped up to the soft brown ones that were, for once, not searching but simply observing. Before Loki could ask where, precisely, this confusion came from Tony continued in a curious tone that implied answers would be much appreciated.

"You simultaneously opened up and shut down when the bots came out to play. You seem happy and relaxed until Bruce leaves and then you ask when you have to leave." Tony cocked his head and Loki watched in confusion as sharp, observing, light eyes were paired with the softest quirk of lips.

"Loks," Tony laughed out, "I don't show these things to just anyone, just like I'm fairly certain that you keep your magic cards close to your chest." Tony tapped the glass casing of the arc a couple of times in an erratic pattern before dropping his hand to drum inaudible on the couch.

"I hate trusting people, have been burned because of it, and I'm sure you do too but we need each other. I need to trust you to teach me safely, for you to not hurt me in my sleep once you are healed, and for you to give me some damn answers at some point and you need to trust me not to kick you out now and to keep you hidden for the time being," Tony explained bluntly.

Suddenly, Tony Stark threw his head back and started laughing for no apparent reason. Very slowly, Loki slid further away from the merry man who sat next to him on the couch as he tried to ascertain the reason for the sudden outburst. The laughter slowly died down and Tony turned to face the raven haired man with clear eyes as he continued to chuckle sporadically.

"Now that I think about it, you have way more leverage on me than I have on you," Tony laughed out, as if this false realization was the funniest thing in the entirety of the realm.

Peering slower at the still laughing man, Loki squinted his eyes and asked cautiously, "Are you drunk?"

Again, done on a plane so no spellcheck or anything. Please let me know if there is anything wrong with this chapter. Thanks!

Please review!