THIS HAS BEEN EDITED: Sep/4/1013
This will have a M ( mature) rating
WARNING: some language/ violence.
Disclaimer: I do not in anyway own these characters. All rights belong to Marvel etc.
NOTE: The words in Italics that are not contained in "" are accidental thoughts, not intended for the other to hear.
The words in "Italics" are a conversation intended to be heard.
Chpt 4
(I do What I want)
A small explosion filled the cave. Tony let out a yell as he scrambled backwards blindly, as he wasn't quick enough to close his eyes. Terrified and confused, he kept himself pressed against the wall.
"L-lokes?" His voice caught as he started coughing. He blinked, trying to clear the brightness from his eyes while searching the cave for Loki.
Was I just attacked?
Loki's voice was close to his ear. "Stark, are you alright? Can you hear me?"
Tony noted the hint of concern in the god's voice and squinted at the shadowy figure close to him. He managed to grumble, "I'm in one piece... I think. What the fuck was that all about?"
As his vision became more clear, he saw Loki glance behind him at the wall of green flames. Loki's gesture tamed the fire back into a small crackling and looking at Stark guiltily he spoke, "In my surprise I... may have lost control of my magic for a moment. "
His voice changed from guilty to gentle.
"You have my apologies. "
Tony choked in surprise at the apology as he sat up slowly, feeling light-headed. Hissing in pain, he closed his eyes against the lights and sounds of the cave. He must have bumped his head against the wall when he fell. Loki frowned and reached forward, gently touching the back of Tony's sore head. Tony jumped at his touch, wrenching his eyes open to blink at Loki. The god's eyes traveled over Stark's face as his expression softened into a look of concern.
Suddenly, a tingling sensation grew from the back of Tony's head. His eyes widened with fear as he struggled to get away from Loki's hand.
Loki tsked and put a hand on his chest to hold him still.
"Calm yourself and stop flailing about. "
Tendrils of magic snuck up Tony's neck to his face, finding small cuts and bruises to heal. Tony found himself staring into the red eyes and relaxing.
Oh god I think I'm blushing. I'm an adult, not some teenager with a crush. Plus, I'm supposed to not blush about anyone but Pepper. We're way too close and his expression is just so...
Wait-a-minute.
"Uh, Lokes?"
The god's focus shifted from healing as he looked Stark in the eye, raising an eyebrow.
Tony smiles worriedly. "Your hair's on fire. "
Loki's eyes remained clouded with confusion. "My hair..."
"Is on fire."
Loki's hands immediately flew to the top of his head, letting out a strangled shriek. "NNNGYAAAH!?"
His expression grew more panicked as he patted out the flames. He ran his fingers through his hair long after it was extinguished, panting slightly.
Tony couldn't hold it in any longer. He burst out laughing.
"What was that ungraceful sound!? "
He doubled over with laughter, his head bumping against Loki's shoulder.
"Don't worry, that greasy mop you call hair hasn't crawled off your head yet. "
Loki's eyes narrowed into angry slits as he let out a low growl.
Tony giggled into the angry god's shoulder. "You care way too much about your hair, Fabio."
Loki opened his mouth to explain how badly fire could hurt him due to his heritage, before snapping it closed again. He rolled his eyes and pushed Tony's head off his shoulder to stand up. Losing his balance as he stood he stumbled back to the ground, he furiously spit out, "Fara til helvítis þér gagnslaus líkama!"
Tony burst out laughing again, leaving Loki looking hurt and angry. He was not completely healed,he thought, and it wasn't funny to lose control of your magic or your body. He crawled back over to what he though of as his side of the cave. Tony, still giggling, followed him over.
Loki sat down before he noticing that Stark was right behind him. He made his tone as icy as possible. "And what, pray tell, are you doing over here? You have a wall of your own to lean on and I would like to get some rest so I may return you tomorrow."
Tony simply pouted and snuggled next to him, ignoring Loki's glare and obvious discomfort. His red eyes stayed on Stark, filled with questions and suspicions. He observed the human as he fell asleep, Stark's mouth falling open slightly and his head growing heavier on the god's shoulder. Loki watched as Tony's head slid down a little, into a deeper sleep. He sighed as he felt the familiar tug of exhaustion, aided by the sounds of Stark's soft breathing.
Who would have guessed, after everything that has happened, I am sleeping next to a mortal.
Next to The Man of Iron.
And he's droolingon me.
How far I have fallen.
He closed his eyes and fell into a nightmare-plagued sleep.
Tony was dragged from his own nightmares by the sounds of muffled whimpering. Realizing his head was now on Loki's lap, he sat up carefully.
He looked at the god, still propped up against the wall, and realized the sounds were coming from him. Loki was breathing heavily, his breath coming out in whimpers and muttering.
He leaned in closer to hear what the god was saying, then jumped away when the god suddenly screamed.
Whoa, okay time to wake him up.
He reached out and gently poked Loki's shoulder, afraid to move close to him again. When nothing happened, he tried jabbing the god's cheek.
Loki twitched and whimpered, still trapped in his dreams.
Alright, drastic times call for something dangerous, or something.
Tony leaned in close to Loki's ear and started talking softly, but soon grew louder,
"Loki, hey, Loki. Rock of Ages, Reindeer games... wake up... WAKE UP FROSTY!"
Tony jumped back quickly before Loki's eyes snapped open. His red eyes, wide with fear, stared forward at nothing. His breathing still heavy, he continued staring blankly until Tony shifted closer to him again.
Loki's eyes snapped to the figure beside him, flinching away from it before he could register who it was. As his eyes focused and he realized it was just Stark, he noticed the man gazing at him with a strange expression on his face. Loki couldn't place it. He found himself staring back into the mortal's brown eyes.
Oddly clear, brown eyes.
Shaking his head clear his thoughts, he ran his hands over his face slowly. As embarrassing as it was to be helped out of his nightmares by a bratty mortal, he was truly grateful to be relieved of them.
Tony's mind was bubbling over with questions. What was so terrible to make The God of Mischief and Lies scream? He bit his tongue, knowing better than to ask about it.
He, himself, had nightmares about the cave his alter ego was born in.
About the moment he saw his logo on a weapon aimed at him.
The very second he knew that it was him, Tony Stark, who killed thousands of innocent people with those same weapons.
Dreams that plagued him even as he grew past the greed and became a "Hero". He would never talk about it, but he could understand Loki better now.
They were both haunted by their captures and by their actions.
He glanced up at Loki again, watching different expressions flash across his face.
He's an open book if you look closely enough. I'm surprised he is able to fool people so easily.
Tony felt a smile begin to grow. He suddenly stood up and stretched, his back making an unnatural amount of cracking sounds. He was surprised to hear a soft chuckle from the god.
"Now, that can not be a good sound, Stark," Loki said, looking up at the shorter man from the ground.
Tony sneered at him before wandering over to his suit case. Briefly inspecting it for any damage, he called over his shoulder, "Are we ready to go, Lokes? It's already been a day since we left Earth."
Loki frowned, unseen by Stark, and carefully stood.
He spoke slowly, "It has been a few days, I'm afraid. You were unconscious for two days and I was hardly conscious for the first night."
Tony turned and looked at him, not looking as surprised as Loki had expected. He sighed. "I figured as much. You just confirmed it. How long will it take to travel there? I don't want them writing me off for dead just because I'm missing for a few days."
Loki's frowned deepened as he kept eye contact with Stark. "I'm sorry, but time moves more differently than you know. What has been a short while for us could have been a few months on Earth. "
Tony's expression changed immediately into panicked anger. "You're fucking kidding me?! I've got people back there, and that would have been nice to know, Gonzo!"
Loki's look of guilt stopped Tony's rant in its tracks. It wasn't really his fault he hadn't told him, after all. There hadn't exactly been a quiet moment between the life stories, explosions, healing, and sleeping.
"What is a 'Gonzo'? Another useless Earth culture reference?"
Tony jerked his head up, his thoughts interrupted. He blinked, laughing,
"Useless for now! I will be sitting you down to watch the Muppets as soon as we get back."
Loki rolled his eyes. "I hardly doubt that is the most important task to undertake when arriving. Especially since I will be seen as a hostile force, and you have been missing for months."
Tony made a face before activating his suit. He watched the god's face as the metal crawled over his body.
What does that look mean?
It looks almost... Appreciative.
Tony shivered a little as the last of his suit fit into place, leaving the face plate open.
This is not happening.
I'm going home to Earth where there's AC/DC and Pepper.
Yeah, but you're bringing him home with you.
Shut up.
Flipping the face plate down, he looked at Loki through the glowing eyes of The Iron Man again.
"You ready?"
Loki smiled at the familiar metallic sound of his voice. "If you are, then we shall go. Come close and hold on to my arm tightly. If you let go you will fall through the void forever. Trust me, it is not a pleasant thing. "
Tony cleared his throat to ask, "Uh, wouldn't it be better if I just... Hold on to you?"
Loki looked thoughtful for a moment, looking up and down at the metal suit.
Tony suppressed another shiver.
At last the god spoke up, "That would be better for you, although I can imagine I will be rather heavily bruised in the end. "
Tony opened his arms wide.
"Hug time, Lokes!"
Loki stared at him in disgust before stepping forward into his arms.
"You will never cease to be moronic, even in serious moments."
Tony snorted and wrapped his arms around Loki's thin frame.
"Especially in serious moments. Don't you feel less scared?"
Tilting his head up to look into the glowing eyes, Loki sneered.
"I don't get scared, Stark. Now shut up before you bite your tongue off."
Tony let out another loud snort, the sound distorted through the suit. Loki suppressed a smile and started muttering quietly.
Tony opened his mouth to ask when all the hocus pocus was going to start when suddenly, it did.
He nearly let go, the sheer force almost ripping Loki out of his arms. For a single panicked moment he thought he had lost him, and he couldn't feel his own body. Then it was over, and he was on his back on the floor of his own penthouse.
He felt nauseous. It felt better to keep his eyes closed.
God, I actually want to get out of my suit. I feel so claustrophobic suddenly.
He disengaged the suit, enjoying the first breath of fresh, non frozen, alien air.
Opening his eyes, he glanced down at the god's body that lay on top of him. He hadn't moved since they landed in Tony's living room. Tony sat up gingerly, shifting Loki's body to get a better look at it.
He looked worn down, his skin paler than Tony had ever seen it. Dark shadows lay under his eyes as if someone had punched him. The gods eyes suddenly opened wide before glancing around. They slowly found their way to Tony's face, meeting his eye.
"I see you made it. Congratulations," he croaked.
Tony started to laugh, feeling ridiculous and loopy. Much to his surprise, the god did too.
They were both still laughing when Jarvis' voice interrupted them.
"Sir, I am ever so glad to see you have returned. You had been officially listed as missing until a month ago."
Tony looked up at the ceiling, chuckling.
"I'm happy to be back, Jarvis." Then Jarvis' words sunk in fully. "Wait, what happened a month ago?" he asked.
There was a pause,
"You were officially listed as dead, sir. "
Loki: "Go to hell you useless body"
Sorry about the cliff hanger. You shall see. You shall see. Review please! Comments, corrections, anything!