Director Fury was in his office when Doctor Doom went missing, again. This time, they checked heat signatures, air currents, and even led a team with a dog into the cell to be sure he was really gone. All of this took far too much time, and ended with the same result. Doom was still gone. Even if Fury had a hunch on who took him, he didn't want to go down that road again.

"Sir, we could appeal to Ms. Romanoff or agent Barton perhaps?"

Fury eyed the agent through the gaps of his fingers. A headache was already growing after the first announcement. The charade they had to preform to be sure the man was actually gone had only helped it along.

"If I could appeal to those two, they would have stayed with SHIELD in the first place," he snapped back, "they made their choice back then. Even if it was the stupid choice."

"Then what do you suggest we do, sir?" Agent Hill asked. "The last effort to contact them went less than favorable."

Fury shot her a look for stating the obvious and glared back down at the note on his desk. The note had appeared about a month after his team broke off and sided with Loki. It wasn't something the leaders would agree on, hell, it wasn't something he would usually agree on. But something had to be done, and if HYDRA was willing to bring Loki down, then so be it.

"Call this number, say 'yes', listen to their instructions, then bring me agent Ward." Fury continued to stare at the paper. "We need someone to appeal to Tony Stark this time."

Several hours later, Fury entered an abandoned office building in Detroit. Considering the number of abandoned buildings and the lack of surveillance, Detroit was the perfect place to hold secret meetings. The current leader of HYRDA did not come out personally to meet him, and he wasn't all that surprised. Fury was surprised when a young red headed woman showed up at the meeting place completely alone and proceeded to order him around.

"I want to be perfectly clear, we are not 'teaming up', nor are we reaching some sort of peace treaty here," the woman said as an introduction. "We are aiming for the same enemy, and our resources will be put to better use when pooled together."

Fury gave a quick nod in agreement and opened his mouth to respond.

The woman continued on, clearly not needing his input, "HYRDA will do the dirty work for you, if you give us the means to execute the task." She paused and handed over a red file folder. "We never were able to crack Stark's codes for either his private homes or his tower. This is also where your agents would come in. We are aware you know your way into his system."

"We did know a way in, but that was before the last incident," Fury said, the vein in his forehead throbbing at the memory. "Things will have changed since then. Stark is no idiot, if he hasn't upgraded his system, he's either gone insane or he's under Loki's mind control."

The redhead have him an odd look. "You say that as though mind control is completely out of the question."

Fury opened the file folder and flicked through the lists of their demands. It was reasonable. Reasonable was worrying with HYRDA. It usually meant that they were more likely to make a secondary move to obtain what they wanted. "From what I've seen, Stark doesn't need mind control to bend over for Loki, trust me."

The woman seemed amused at this for a moment before she switched back into business mode. "Why the sudden interest in Loki again? You seemed to be more than willing to let sleeping dogs lie."

Fury looked over the list once more and looked up at her again with a slight smile. "If the dog was sleeping, it wouldn't be a problem. This dog needs to be put down."

There was a slight hint of a frown on the woman's lips before they curled into an unnaturally wide smirk. "Then let us be the ones to put him in his place."

No one had been able to get Stark out of the bedroom, not even Loki. Tony had managed to make it into the hall once before spotting Thor and scuttling right back into the room again. For some reason, Loki also couldn't get Stark to part with his disgusting clothing. Clearly, there was something really wrong with the man, who would typically throw a shirt away and buy a new one if there was a stain. Except, of course, for the band shirts that he either treasured so much he barely wore them, or didn't care and ended up with massive stains all over them.

"You have to take a shower, you have to change your clothes, and you have to get out of this bölvaðir room!" Loki nearly shouted. The expanse of the argument so far had already reached the ears of everyone in the tower, but neither of them particularly cared anymore. It wasn't anything new to them.

"Don't think you can get away with yelling at me in your old tongue," Tony replied from somewhere in the depths of his closet. He had taken residence there after seeing Thor, and Loki had yet to be able to find him amongst the twenty something racks, shelfs, and boxes of clothes.

"Af Alföðr og öllum börnum hans..." Loki began, approaching yet another bunch of clothing to search for Stark, "if you do not cease this childish behavior, I will burn everything in here."

Silence was his answer. Loki muttered another curse under his breath and dug through more suits. He jumped as cold arms wrapped themselves around him from behind. He sighed and leaned back into Tony's body, resting his hands on the scared ones crossing his stomach.

"I knew threatening your clothing was the only way to smoke you out," he remarked playfully.

Tony laughed humorlessly. "That wasn't why I came out, not that you would believe me."

"Tell me then," Loki replied, turning around to face the shorter man, keeping Tony's arms around him. "Why did you come out?"

"I got cold."

"I noticed... that has been happening a lot since your return," Loki said with a frown. He pressed his forehead against Tony's. The mortal's temperature must have been very low for his body to feel cold to Loki. The worry that had been eating at the back of his mind started to grow once again.

"I just feel sapped of energy," Tony replied, nuzzling his face against Loki's cheeks.

Loki smiled despite the waves on concern. The feeling of Tony's scratchy beard against his skin felt oddly good. It was alarming how much one missed even the smallest of things once someone was gone.

"Love, please take those clothes off, and come shower with me."

Tony smiled languidly for a moment before growing stiff and awkward again. Loki sighed with impatience. "What is it that bothers you so? I don't have to shower with you, if it makes you uncomfortable."

Tony snapped his head back and gave him a look Loki couldn't quite understand. It seemed as though Tony didn't trust him again.

"I want you to know something first," Tony began, his voice tight and nervous. "When we... last time we slept together, it was dark."

Loki raised an eyebrow and waited for him to continue. Stark seemed to be struggling to find words again. Something else that was new since his return.

"You didn't see my body," Tony continued in a soft voice, "it's not the same anymore."

"I healed you, Tony. You should be fine."

"You can heal up current stuff nice and perfect, but I've got ones from before we came back that the magic didn't touch."

Loki felt something crackle over their connection. He waited, translating the sensation into words. It felt like fear, an old fear that Stark had been holding into since he...

Since he jumped off the cliff.

He stood there, arms around his chilly lover, and tried to think of the right words the eloquently express his feelings without hurting Tony.

"I don't care."

Tony blinked at him, eyes widening a fraction of an inch.
"Excuse me?"

"I don't care about your scars," Loki repeated, his hands reaching up to pinch Tony's cheeks. "I love you no matter what you've done and what you look like. Do you truly think someone who believed he was a monster for such a long time, would find fault in a few lines across your skin?"

A bark of laughter exploded into the room, startling Loki. He honestly could not remember the last time he had heard Stark laugh so loudly. It was so foreign to him that it hurt a little as his heart fluttered with happiness.

"Well then, I think I've been thoroughly Silver-Tongued," Tony said with another chuckle. "I'll give in, for now."

"No 'for now'. You shall give in to me forever."

A mild blush crept over Tony's face at his words. "I think," he muttered, pressing closer to Loki's body, "that sounded like a proposal."

"It just may be," Loki whispered against his lovers lip, his eyes tracking Tony's own. There was a spark of excitement that grew brighter and brighter before they kissed. Then, Loki was too caught up in the sensation of Tony's tongue exploring his mouth to focus on his eyes anymore.

With a displeased grunt from Stark, Loki broke the kiss soon after.

"Shower."

"Yes, your highness," Tony replied with a smirk and a small salute.
When he turned away, some of the stiffness from before returned. Loki watched the muscles tense down Tony's back, his shoulders hunched up, and even his fingers curled into fists. This time, a wave of words came at him through the mind link.

He says he doesn't care but
He knows where they came from.
I jumped.
He will hate me.
He hates me.
He will hit me.
No
That's not the real Loki.
I shouldn't have jumped.
I should have been
Stronger.

It had been a while since Tony had let his guard down enough for that to happen. Loki was conflicted, pleased that Tony felt safe enough to allow one of the walls to drop between them, and horrified that Tony still saw the images of Loki hurting him. Stark hadn't let Loki bring him back into the safe dream realm, opting instead to struggle through the night. Loki often woke to the raspy sounds of a silent scream, Tony's body ridged with imagined pain. All he could do, all he was allowed to do, was smooth the wrinkles between his brow and calm him with his touch. It worked, slowly, but eventually Stark managed to find a more peaceful sleep.

The shower had been turned on while Loki was lost in his thoughts. He heard a shuffle of clothing and a head peaked out from the bathroom door.

"You coming or do I have to drag you in here myself?"

Loki slid his shirt over his head, eyeing Tony to gauge his reaction. He was pleased to see Stark's eyes grow wide and hungry, looking up and down Loki's body with full appreciation. He held back a shiver of excitement. It was ridiculous, the power this man had over him. That pair of brown eyes upon him was all it took to excite him. He decided to return the favor, and slid his black jeans down slowly. If Tony wanted a show, he would get one.

As he kicked off the jeans he heard a shuddering breath and a whisper, " you tease..."

With a smirk, Loki unfurled himself to stand at his full hight, one hand resting on his hip while a finger toyed with the edge of his borrowed boxers. They were, of course, red and gold. Tony seemed to like it when Loki wore his stuff, so he had taken a habit of sneaking his boxers in particular.

"Whatever do you mean, love?" Loki asked in a low purr. He waited, still half way across the room.

"You know damn well what I mean," Tony replied breathlessly, "Or do I have to show you?"

Loki titled his head as if he could not fathom what Stark meant, his fingers tugging on the waist band of the boxers playfully. With a huff, Tony came out from behind the bathroom door to show him, exactly, how his teasing had effected him. Loki licked his lips, the temptation to kneel before his lover overwhelming.

With a small chuckle, Loki slipped down the boxers and stepped out of them, moving closer at last to the bathroom door where Stark stood. Tony's eyes wandered over him once more, slowly and meticulously taking in every inch of Loki's body. He had seen the man look at his work like that, making connections and mental notes. This time, he almost seemed to be planning the best route to follow along Loki's body with his tongue.

As he moved closer, Loki spotted the first scar. He froze. It wasn't what he had expected at all.

"Is that... from the fall?" He asked before he could stop himself. He sent a silent curse to the heavens for speaking without thinking.

But Tony smiled and looked down at the scar half way down his abdomen. It was about the size of Tony's hand, barely covered as he slid his fingers over the torn skin. It was shaped almost like a star, cracks radiating out from the still red, puckered skin. It had been a deep puncture wound in its time.

"Yeah," Stark said at last, "I sort of landed on some ice. It goes all the way through." He turned and showed an even larger star on his back. Instead of clean lines crawling from the center, his entire back was speckled with small puncture wounds. It was as though he had landed on a bed of small spikes.

Pain welled up in Loki, so strong he stumbled forward and had to rest his head against Tony's scarred back to catch his breath. He realized that he was overwhelming Stark with the emotional outburst, and tried to close off the link.

"Stop," Tony warned in a hushed voice. "It's fine. You don't need to cut me out."

Loki shook his head, unable to bring himself to speak. His fingers traced each scar as hot tears threatened to fall.

He had not known. He should have know, by now, how fragile mortals were. Yes, Stark had survived so many battles, so many falls beforehand. But he was always left with scars. A hole in his chest, millions of small cuts on those strong hands, and now a constellation of stars scattered across his back.

Loki knelt, then, and kissed the mark that was the largest. The sun amongst them all.

Tony's body shivered under his lips and he stayed there for a moment, wishing that maybe, just maybe, his magic could heal it. When no spark came, he stood and turned Stark around to face him.

"You amaze me," Loki said quietly.

Tony stared at him for a long moment, surprise slowly giving way to something softer. "Right back at you, babe."

"Shower?"

Tony grinned, the mischievous spark returning to his eyes. "Promise to help me get clean?"

Loki tilted his chin up with a finger and kissed him deeply. Tony answered with a moan and pushed him backwards through the bathroom door and into the steam filled room. They nearly fell into the shower stall, each too wrapped up in the other to care if they shut the door or not. Tony's low moans grew louder as Loki trailed kisses down his jaw, neck, and to his chest. The hot water seemed to help with the chill Tony had been suffering, that or Loki's touch was enough to warm him.

They shivered together in excitement, eyes closing as their bodies slid together in perfect harmony. Loki's fingers danced over his skin, tracing the reactor, a scar, the line of his hip bone. He grinned at the mortal, wide and predatory, no longer afraid of scaring him with his desires. Tony growled back just as wild, his fingers slipping through his wet hair as he pulled Loki up for another kiss.

"Ég þarf að vera lokið."

Tony chuckled faintly, his breath catching in his throat as Loki's fingers found their way downwards. "You make me feel whole," he replied, meeting Loki's eyes.

With a snarl, Loki lifted him from the floor, pressing Tony's body against the wall. The desperate need they had when they fell together just days ago had not been slaked. It burned in him just as strongly, and Loki was glad that Tony felt it as well. Through the mind link, something connected before their bodies even did so.

"L-Loki?!" Tony gasped, surprised and pleased at the same time.

Loki was beyond words. He slipped another teasing finger into his lover and whimpered at the pleasure that thrummed over the connection. He could feel his own desire, and Tony's at the same time. It was nearly overwhelming.

"Do you feel... me?" He asked tentatively, afraid that he was the only one so deeply connected.

Tony's eyes were wide and staring at nothing, a high whine escaping his lips. He shuddered roughly before managing to whisper, "I feel you, oh god I feel you."

Loki hissed, no longer able to hold back. He lifted Tony's legs up, hooking them over his arms as he aligned himself with his lover's entrance. For a moment, everything went still, the rushing water silent, the soft echo of their panting breaths seemed to cease.

It was just them, and them alone. Lost so deeply in the connection between them the world ceased to exist. It returned, suddenly, with Loki's careful thrust into him. Sound exploded into existence once more with a loud cry from Tony.

Loki cried out as well, dazed from feeling what Tony felt on top of his own ecstasy. It was madness. It was too good.

With a shuddering breath, Loki drew out one final time before be began to thrust up into Tony, pressing him hard against the wall. Their bodies fit together as perfectly as their minds had connected and with a low growl, Loki shifted his hips to drive into Tony deeper.

"Ohfuckohfuckohfuuuck," Tony chanted, his eyes squeezed tightly closed against both the water and the intense rapture.

The link wavered, as if alive, and snapped taught like a line catching a fish. The ecstasy drove them both to coming faster than ever before. Tony screamed, and Loki answered with his own. Loki's eyes burned with the lights of stars.

No, the sun.

And then it was quiet again. Warm, comfortable silence that enveloped them so suddenly they both slid to the tiled floor. Once pulled apart, Tony curled himself up against him, still panting heavily.

"What, in the entire fucking universe, was that?" He asked, pressing his face into Loki's wet hair.

"I can only make an educated guess, seeing as I have never had any other who I could call my soul mate."

Tony chuckled and wrapped his arms around him. "I'm assuming it's a Mind Link thing, then?"

"I would assume so."

"Why has it never done that before?"

Loki thought about it, his hand rubbing lazy circles across Tony's shoulder blades. It did seem rather sudden, this intensified connection. What had changed so drastically in the past day or so? Was it his acceptance of Tony's body? That didn't seem worthy enough to warrant this. Perhaps it was simply how the bond reconnected after a separation?

Then why was it this time, and not the last time we made love?
Was it even something I did?

Loki stiffened when he realized what it might be. It seemed so small, not noteworthy at all. But perhaps the bond knew, better than him, that he had truly meant it.

"My proposal," he spoke at last, tilting Stark's head up to look him in the eye. "I meant it."

His brown eyes widened, blinking away at the water droplets. "When you said forever? That really was a proposal?"

Loki nodded, a faint smile starting to form. "I may not have been conscious of it at the time, but clearly the link knew."

Tony was silent for a long while, just staring at him as if he expected Loki to tell him it was all a joke.

"Does this mean... I can try my hand at the trials?" He asked at last, the brightness returning to his eyes.

"I wish you did not need to do them at all. But yes," Loki sighed, "forever with you means the golden apple. Therefore, the trials."

"I'll do it," Tony said firmly.

Happiness, unlike any he had felt in a long time, washed over Loki. He cupped Stark's face between his hands and showered him with kisses. Tony laughed, kissing back when he had the chance, but mostly allowing Loki his moment of child-like glee.

After they managed to stand again, they lathered up with soap and rinsed off quickly. Tony stepped out first and started drying his hair, no longer ashamed of his scarred body. Loki smiled to himself and came up behind him, reaching his arms around Tony to place his hands on his chest.

His fingers brushed the arc reactor and he whispered softly against Tony's neck, "I love you, my Golden Star."

Fury jumped when the door opened several seconds after speaking into the intercom. Any other day, and he would have had better self control. Today, he had dealt with enough freaky shit and the Avengers actually letting him into the tower was now at the top of his list.

"Come in. We're in the first floor meeting room."

Fury frowned at Natasha's monotone voice. Damn them. They knew choosing her would lead him in blind. No vocal inflections or key words that would tip him off about the mood of the room he was about to walk into.

Flanked by several agents, he left the rest in the lobby as he entered the conference room. A long table was set up in the center, at least twenty chairs reaching all the way around. Three chairs were filled on the other side of the table. Of course, Tony Stark sat at the head. Loki was standing slightly behind him, a hand firmly on his shoulder. To his side, sat Thor and Natasha.

Fury wondered why, of all people, Stark had chosen them to be his wingmen. Rogers and Banner both stood behind Loki, and Barton was leaning against the window looking for all the world like he was bored. Which, Fury knew, he wasn't.

"I guess I should thank you for letting me in this time without so much trouble."

Stark smiled a shark-like grin and replied smoothly, "Oh, we wanted to set something up as good as last time, but I'm afraid we ran out of time. I'm sure we can get a few cardboard cut outs in here, if it makes you feel better."

"Cut the shit, Stark," Fury snapped, "You know why I'm here."

The man was silent for a minute, and then Fury noticed how off Stark looked. He was sitting straight up, as tense as Clint's bow string. There was a new set of scars across his hands and a few on his cheeks. There was something else too, a hint of age that he didn't have before. The only thing more unnerving than that, was the way his left eye twitched any time Natasha or Thor moved an inch.

"You are here because, once again, something went wrong for you, and you think we did it." Tony smiled again, clearly forced. "You really need to learn to take responsibility for your own shit, Director."

Fury's frown deepened. No usual quip? No random stupid nickname? Was Stark really so off his game that he didn't take the chance to insult him? Something was really off about this whole situation.

"Why don't you stop hiding behind the rest of your team, and tell me where Doctor Doom is?"

Loki's hand squeezed Stark's shoulder slowly. The tension that had been building up seemed to listen slightly before he spoke.

"You really think I want anything to do with that hack?" Tony asked incredulously. "I do recall the last time you thought he was missing, you came barging into my tower all armed and dangerous and to find out he hadn't even left. Did you check the corner of his cell? I've heard he likes to talk to the rats."

Fury felt the familiar pulse of the vein in his forehead. There was some of that typical Stark.
"This time, we made fucking sure he wasn't in there. The helicarrier does not have rats."

Tony smirked and leaned back into Loki, relaxing a bit more.
"I assume you have removed all your agents from the carrier, then?"

"Har de fucking har," Fury growled, stepping closer to the table. "I'll ask you one more god damn time. Where is Doctor Doom?"

"Asking it again doesn't change the fact that I don't know, and don't care. Are we done here?"

"I'm done here," Fury agreed with a nasty smile. "But someone else isn't."

He got a raised eyebrow in response. Stark was clearly not impressed. Well wasn't he in for a surprise.

"Agent Hill, please send him in," he spoke into the com link.

"Sending him in now, Sir."

"Who is it?" Tony asked with a sneer. "What surprise guest did you bring me today?"

"Hello Tony."

Loki visibly twitched from behind Stark, his hand clenching down on the shoulder.

"Phill," was all Fury heard before the windows exploded inward.

"LOKI!" Fury shouted over the wail of wind and glass swirling around the room. The avengers had all ducked under the table the second the explosion hit, all but Loki and Stark. Tony was sitting in the same spot, his face contorted in rage, eyes glowing with an unnatural light. Loki had wrapped his arms firmly around him and seemed to be whispering something into his ear.

"LOKI! STOP THIS OR I WILL SHOOT YOU!" Fury called out again, gun aimed directly at the god's head. So what if it was pressed against Stark's neck. He wasn't so willing to protect the billionaire anymore. The wind stilled, thousands of pieces of glass froze in the air in a rather menacing manner.

"This is not me," Loki replied, his voice hitched in an odd way.

"Bullshit it's not," Fury hissed "hate to break it to you, but you're the only magician here." After a beat, he added, "Unless, of course, Doctor Doom is here after all."

Loki glanced at him, his expression clearly pained. "It is not either of us. Just... wait."

"I don't have time to wait, I've got a bunch of fucking glass aimed at me and my agent's bodies."

"Wait," Loki snarled, his head tipping back down to whisper into Stark's ear once more. Fury glanced over at his agents, concerned that some of them were on the floor.

"Coulson?"

"I'm here, sir," came his reply from behind a chair.

Every piece of glass inches closer suddenly. Fury jerked his attention back to the two across the table. Stark was shaking, and his eyes seemed to be a bright blue.

"I knew you were controlling him, you fucking freak," Fury said, his trigger finger tightening slightly.

"He is not being controlled," Loki hissed, sending his own glowing glare down the table at him. "This is his doing, and you brought it upon yourselves."

Fury blinked once, twice, three times. "Excuse me?"

Tony stood, so suddenly that Loki stumbled backwards. When he spoke, his voice was no longer human.

"What is that man doing, standing in my tower as if he's alive?"

Fury felt a shiver go through him.
"Agent Coulson has been deep undercover in another unit. Yeah, he did get badly wounded, but he didn't die."

Tony stepped around the edge of the table and started to advance on him. Fury adjusted his weapon from pointing at Loki, to pointing at him. His body knew, before his mind, that Stark was the most dangerous one in the room right now. He noted, uncomfortably, that Loki hung back, looking almost scared.

"You told us he died..."

"I had to, Stark. That's just how things worked," Fury replied, his voice faltering slightly. Coulson shifted at the edge of his vision, and peered out from behind the chair. Whenever he saw in Tony was enough to make him gasp.

"I nearly killed Loki because I thought he was dead," Tony said just as he reached the final stretch between him and the director. "I nearly let him kill me, because I believed thathe was dead."

Fury stepped back, trying to put more distance between him and the man. His eyes were definitely glowing, and his voice sounded like he was speaking from the bottom of a well. Dark, cold, and a long ways away.

"This isn't the first time I didn't tell you everything, Stark," Fury tried in his usual tone. "You worked for me, last I checked. Before you ran off with your psycho god and took my agents with you."

"Yes," Stark said, finally stopping. "Yes, you've lied. You lied about the Tesseract, you lied about your deal with Loki, you lied about your weapons. You lie about everything, Fury." Tony paused, his head tilting forward slightly. "Those are nothing. Meaningless shit I could have found out in less than a second on my own. But this? You killed our friend for years and then you have the nerve to bring him back here as a device to get my attention."

His voice dropped another octave, becoming a course growl. "What gives you the god damn right?"

The glass inched closer, and Coulson made a small sound of discomfort. Fury looked away for a second, seeing a piece of glass pressed up against Coulson's neck. As soon as his eyes left Stark, something smashed itself into Fury's face, and the world went black.

Loki's face came between him and his prey.

Prey?
Jesus, what was this, the Discovery Channel?

Tony shook his head and swayed slightly. There was the sound of shattering glass and suddenly Loki was holding him.

"Loki?" He croaked, his throat feeling raw. Looking around the room, things began to resurface in his mind. "Where is he?"

Loki shook his head and kept his arms around him tightly. "They injected you with something from some sort of flying object. Just when you started trying to stab Fury with the glass I am afraid."

"It was a taser dart," Natasha said from where she was now leaned against the table. She brushed a few chunks of glass out of her hair and looked at Tony with dark, glassy eyes. "Fired by Coulson, I might add."

Tony stiffened, and all the glass in the room twitched. Loki's grip around him seemed to tighten and oddly enough, it was actually relaxing him.

"They took him back, Tony," came Clint's angry voice from behind him.

"So he didn't stay to make explanations, huh. I guess I shouldn't have held the knife to their throat, so to speak." Tony smiled bitterly and gently pushed Loki off of him so he could see his face. The god was paler than usual, and there were clear signs of fear running through his eyes.

Shit
I really scared him.
The question is, what part?

He felt Clint step closer to him and he nearly had a fit right there. He started shaking again, and turned his eyes away from Loki's to hide the fear.

"It's not your fault, buddy. I would have shot a lot more arrows if I wasn't hiding," Clint said, a hint of humor returning to his voice.

Tony twitched painfully when a hand landed on his shoulder. His eyes found Loki's again, and he pleaded silently for him to take him away.

Shit
Don't make me ask.
I can't...

"Lokes, please..."

Loki's eyebrows shot up in realization. Casting a quick glance between the two of them, he yanked Tony close and wrapped his arms back around him. Clint made a sputtering noise in protest.

"He cannot deal with close contact yet," Loki said quietly. The room went still suddenly, as if everyone finally remembered they were dealing with a broken Tony, not that usual semi-broken Tony.

"Sorry," Clint muttered as he backed away towards the rest of the group.

Tony couldn't do it anymore. The memories he had been pushing away, the ones he imagined throwing in the mental trash can, came back in full force. His legs gave out just as every one of his haunting avengers began to hurt him again. He whimpered as the echoes of pain washed out everything else, but his mind remembered to feel ashamed for showing weakness in front of the group.

"I have something I need to do," came Loki's voice from above him. It felt too far away, so Tony pressed into him harder.

"Tony?" Loki asked, directly into his mind. "Do you think you can stay in the room while I take care of a few things?"

"Where are you going?"

Loki pulled Tony's face from his chest and cupped his cheeks. "I need to do something to help you. I swear shall return within the hour and I will tell you everything then."

Tony let out a ragged sigh and nuzzled into the hands on his cheeks before muttering out loud, "I suppose I'll live. But I need to know why you were scared just now; before I let you go."

Loki smiled sadly before kissing his forehead, his voice reaching into his mind again.
"I was afraid, for a moment, that He had taken you from me again. I was afraid... Because I no longer have the strength to fight him if he is in your body."

Tony closed his eyes and shook his head a little. "Why not? You did it before."

"I can no longer... I cannot bring myself to harm your body, even if he is in control."

Tony's eyes snapped open. "You're gonna be one if those uber protective hubbies, aren't you?" He asked with a weak grin.

Loki stared at him blankly. "I am protective of you, I do not think I am this 'uber hubbies' thing of which you speak."

"Hmm, no, not yet you aren't." Tony arched his eyebrows and gave him a look that should have implied what he meant. It seemed it didn't, as Loki continued to blink at him in confusion. "I mean..." His voice lowered, " husband. You know, tied together forever?"

Loki's pupils blew out wide in surprise and a definite blush crept up his neck to his cheeks. It was adorable, especially the way he smiled suddenly and let out a cheerful giggle.

"Ah! Yes, I see," he said happily. "I shall, indeed, be your uber protective hubbies."

"What was that?" Bruce asked from somewhere in a corner.

"Nothing, nothing," Tony answered with a shrug, feeling more comfortable in the room with them than he had since before he left. Loki was a powerful relaxation drug, apparently.

"I heard 'hubbies'," Natasha joined in, " is there something you want to share with the class, Stark?"

Tony turned and stuck out his tongue, making an overly long, loud raspberry noise before turning back to Loki. The god was giving him a look that Tony hoped would cause their future children to cower in fear.

"I'll go take a nap, you go do your thing."

Loki grabbed his arm and cast one more look around the room. He sighed, waved a hand, and pulled Tony out of the room before the glass set into place once more.

"I'm sorry," Tony muttered as they reached the bedroom. Loki was already stripping his suit of his body with another swipe of his hand. Comfortable clothes were handed to him before Loki met his eyes.

"Do not apologize. You did better than I expected today. The agent returned from the grave, aside."

Tony rolled his eyes and slipped the shirt over his head. "Nice to know you have such low expectations of me."

"I was having trouble getting you out of your closet this morning," Loki replied dryly, " I think my expectations were fair."

Tony smiled at him and stopped in the middle of pulling his pants on when he saw how tense the god was. He felt worry tingle along the lines of their connection. It wasn't the same worries Loki had shown earlier, the ones apparently for his safety. This was something else, something to do which whatever plans he had outside of the tower.

"Hey," Tony said, moving closer to wrap his arms around Loki's waist. "Lokes, what is it that's got you so stressed out."

Loki's brow furrowed, and Tony was tempted to press it back down to smooth out the wrinkles that formed there. They stood still for a moment before the god answered.

"I shan't tell you until I'm sure, but I want you to keep your JARVIS on high alert," he said carefully. "Fury may have left, but I know better than to accept a retreat from that man."

Tony scoffed and rolled his eyes dramatically. Who did Loki think he was?

"Excuse me? I know better than to let my guard down. Tower's on lock down until I know more about what's going on."

"Perfect. I promise to return before dinner."

"Is that a date?"

Loki smiled and gave him one last chaste kiss. "Yes, it is," he said before disappearing from Tony's arms.

It left him feeling cold and disorientated. He was really gonna have to say something to Loki about that.

To say Fury was pissed off, would be putting it lightly. His plan to distract Stark with Coulson went badly, at best. The whole magical glass levitating act was unexpected and threw everything off. The whole 'Stark using Magic' thing, was down right terrifying. Not to mention, something SHIELD was going to need to take care of. Soon.

So when Fury reached the meeting place in Detroit, half his plans gone array, and no red head in sight. He may or may not have shot out a few pipes to blow off steam.

"Am I to take this display as proof that your plan failed?" Came the cool voice of the red head.

"No," Fury grunted, slipping his gun back into the holster, but not clipping it shut. "Everything went well enough. Stark may not be distracted for the same reason as I planned, but he's traumatized enough to be hiding in his room right now."

There was a flicker of something before the red head's face showed confusion. "You know this how?"

"While I was doing the song and dance with Stark, my agents placed a bug into his system. We've had eyes and ears on him since we left." Fury paused and looked her in the eye. "Which brings me to our next subject."

The woman nodded for him to continue.

"Loki left the building with some purpose to supposedly 'help Stark'. Now, we usually can track his magic signature when he actually uses magic. The problem is, he used it once when he left the tower, and once somewhere in the city. Since then, he's been off the grid."

"That's a problem, Director."

"Not for much longer. We'll smoke him out with an arrested Tony Stark," Fury replied, unable to hide a hint of glee behind his words. The glass was the last straw for him, after all the shit that man had put him through.

The woman's red painted lips drew together in a thin line before she reached her hand out for the file Fury had brought her. "I assume you managed the tower's security, then?"

"We found a back door in and out. Your agents can slip in undetected, capture the target, and leave without a single confrontation with the avengers."

The woman looked over the file, before responding dryly, "sounds too good to be true, Mr. Fury."

"Trust me, it was not fucking easy to set this up and there is one major problem your agents have to look forward to."

"Other than Loki showing up mid mission?"

"Other than that, Stark seems to now possess some sort of magic. He's a danger to everyone around him, and I'm guessing he won't be pleasant to unexpected company."

"Magic..." She said softly. "This means you have another reason for his capture. Planning on studying him?"

"Studying him, and neutralizing him if I need to. The man nearly killed his own team today in a little fit."

There was that flash in the red head's green eyes again. It touched a memory ever so slightly in the back of his mind. Fury frowned, trying to figure out why it seemed so familiar.

"We will take care of this tonight. HYDRA will hold Tony Stark until we get who we want. Then," she gestured to him with a manicured hand, "we will hand him over to you."

"Sounds like a plan," Fury replied before his com link went off. "Sorry to cut this short, something's come up."

"Loki has—"

"Unrelated," Fury said with a bitter smile. "I've got an agent who's really, really pissed at me right now."

"I see. Please be sure to have taken care of your business before our next meeting time."

"Of course."

The red head turned and walked briskly towards the door.

"Good hunting," Fury called out before leaving himself.

It was already dark when the door opened to Tony's bedroom. Even from the door, one could see that Tony was clearly fast sleep in the arm chair next to the bed. He was holding several take out menus, and snoring peacefully.

The door shut quietly behind the red headed woman, and her heels made no sound on the floor as she crept closer to the sleeping body. For several minutes, she stood above him watching the man sleep. Then, she unfolded her arms and leaned over him slowly.

The red hair shimmered into slightly shorter black, the lips thinned and lost their red gloss, and a smirk formed just as he kissed his lover's forehead.

"Wake up, my Golden Star. We have work to do."