Author's note: So, are things looking up or down for Loki and Tony? :O I guess this chapter shall tell…

Having a scowling Fury glaring at him from across the table is not the way Tony would have chosen to spend his afternoon. Not even close to it.

At least there's only Fury, though; after Tony's adamant insistence and some wheeling and dealing, the guy finally agreed to let his SHIELD agents wait outside the tower, though he did of course not fail to point out that it would be fully within his rights to have his men storm the whole place if he should deem it necessary. As if they'd actually get past Jarvis and the various security measures in place.

But in the end, Fury had relented, perhaps realizing that getting on the bad side of the Iron Man wouldn't be the best of moves, and that a forced entry into the home of a well-known national hero wouldn't be very good for the public relations that SHIELD at least pretends to strive to uphold.

Even though they're far too many levels up to see much of what goes on there on the ground, Tony has no doubt that his dear tower is now sporting a tight ring of black-clad SHIELD agents. Probably with weapons drawn and at the ready, like they're extras in a fucking action movie.

Loki has been locked into his room for his own safety; no one gets in or out. Still, Fury hasn't demanded to see the god as of yet, but seems content to speak his mind to Tony for now.

If the situation had been less serious, Tony would have laughed at the sour expression on the face of the man sitting opposite from him. Though now it rather makes him wince more than anything else.

After a terse silence, during which Tony can almost hear the seconds ticking away, Fury finally leans back in his seat and crosses his arms in his usual look-at-me-I'm-important manner. His leather trenchcoat creaks slightly, or maybe that was just the sound of the guy's face drawing itself into another scowl.

However, the first words the scowling man speaks are not directed to him but to the blond god standing to the side, stiff and rigid, watching the proceedings with a mixture of concern and resoluteness. "Alright, Thor, I want to speak to Stark and hear what he has to say for himself. So I'd appreciate it if you would stay out of this conversation until we're finished."

Thor doesn't look too pleased, but acquiesces nonetheless. "As you wish, Director," he says. "I shall let the two of you speak without interruption."

Having settled that part, Fury turns back to Tony.

"Well then, Stark," he says as the single eye burns itself into Tony, who can't help but thinking he's had enough of one-eyed people staring him down to last him a while. "Care to explain to me why you haven't told me anything about having the war criminal Loki in your custody?"

Tony throws the man the most charming smile he can manage, though Fury remains as unimpressed as ever. Perhaps honesty is the best weapon this time.

"Ah, you see, the Asgardian posse that brought him here made it pretty clear that I was not allowed to hand Loki over to someone else, by order of Odin the Allfather himself." He throws his hands out in a gesture meant to convey innocence. "You know, that other one-eyed guy in the universe who figures himself kind of important." Perhaps he should know better than to make jabs like that, but whatever. Pretending to be anything else than his usual suave, sarcastic self might only serve to convince Fury that Tony actually doubts whether his actions of keeping SHIELD out of the loop were at all appropriate.

Fury glares. "Go on."

Encouraged by the fact that the man hasn't thrown him over the table and put him in handcuffs yet for threatening national security or whatever, he continues. "And knowing the rather old-fashioned kind of justice Asgard serves to those who break their laws and goes against the will of Odin dearest, I really didn't fancy myself being on the receiving end." He leans over the table, trying to appeal to Fury's practical sense. "Because that might very well have ended with your little team of Avengers being one Iron Man short on the next occasion it's time to save the world again. Which neither you nor I would have liked much, right?"

Fury doesn't deign that with an answer. Perhaps that is just as well, as Tony isn't sure whether it would have been in the affirmative or in the negative.

Oh well.

"And see, I just knew what would happen the moment you got word of all this. You'd stomp right into my tower and drag Loki off into SHIELD custody, leaving me to explain my failure to comply with Odin's instructions to a team of sword-wielding and bloodthirsty Conan wanna-bes. After all, I was entrusted Loki as my, well, charge, and I didn't really feel like betraying the trust extended to me by a king and a god."

"You mean your slave." The voice is level but still like razor-sharp barbed wire, and Tony winces. He really would have preferred it they could all stay away from that particular word. He's had enough of it to last him a life-time.

The single eye narrows as Fury taps the parchment in his grip against the knuckles of his left hand, slowly and deliberately. And Tony itches to know just what the message in there says, fully aware of the inadvisability of accidentally saying something that contradicts whatever it is that Odin has scribbled down.

Before he has the time to say anything else, the man speaks again.

"So, Stark, do pray tell. What, exactly, did you do with Loki during all this time that he's been in your custody as your slave?"

And damn, is it really necessary to rub that word in?

"I made him scrub the floors with a toothbrush and polish my shoes?" He knows that it's the wrong answer even before the words have left his mouth, but hey, honesty always wins out in the end, right?

To his credit, Fury doesn't bat an eyelash at that, even though there is a slight twitch near his right temple. Perhaps it's a vein on the verge of bursting, or maybe it's just a muscle spasm.

"You mean to say you had Loki in your custody, and you had him clean your property," Fury says flatly and very slowly, like Tony is an idiot. And it's not even a question, the way he says it; merely a statement of the very obvious and the very stupid.

And Tony has to admit it does sound pretty stupid when phrased that way.

Oh, and I've had sex with him too. Totally mind-blowing sex at that. Perhaps he should add that as well. Though Fury would probably approve even less of that piece of information.

Sensing the shit storm brewing, Tony holds his hands up in a placating gesture. "Actually, we're working on a magic blocker that we might be able to use on Doctor Doom. And I'm pleased to say that it's coming along quite nicely." Okay, so they've been doing that for like what, a couple of weeks now? Well, not that Mr Trenchcoat needs to know that.

For what feels like the first time since getting nailed with that angry glare, Fury looks away from Tony's face and instead turns his attention to the document in his hand. His eye narrows as he regards the roll, and Tony gets the distinct impression that this is exactly what the man looks like when he gets orders from his superiors that he isn't keen about following, but really has no choice but to obey.

"We will talk about that part later," he says, "and you can describe this magic blocker to me in detail and how you intend for it to work. However, right now Doctor Doom is not the super-villain of the day, but rather the alien god residing in your tower. Though, it would seem he's not much of a god right now, is he?"

"You are correct," Thor agrees from the sidelines, ignoring Fury's instructions to keep silent. Tony is impressed the guy has managed to comply as long as he has. "My brother is not a threat to your world; not only has he deeply regretted his actions against Midgard, but his magic and powers have all been sealed away, turning him into what is basically a mortal. There is nothing for SHIELD to gain by taking him into custody."

Fury offers an unimpressed hmph as he turns towards the Thunderer. "I would strongly argue against that notion," he challenges, not drawing back in the slightest despite Thor tensing up before him. "However, it has come to my understanding that there are also other matters that need to be taken into consideration." Another series of faint, rhythmic tapping of fingers against parchment.

It's clear that Fury isn't happy with whatever he's about to say, and Tony hopes that is a good thing.

"It seems that Odin was rather particular about the conditions of Loki's punishment. And rather… insistent too." He frowns at this, his fingers clenching slightly around the roll in his hand.

Thor nods sagely, as if this is beyond discussion. "Of course. Going against the word of the Allfather would be a highly inadvisable course of action," he says, confident like a kid telling his playmates that his dad can beat up everyone else's dad.

Though, in Thor's case it's probably the truth.

And Tony can tell that it's obvious that Fury is also well aware of that.

"So what you're saying is that you don't think it's advisable taking Loki into custody?" He asks, cursing himself for the unsuitable but obvious eagerness he can hear in his own voice at this prospect.

Luckily, Fury seems too deep into his own thoughts to notice. "As I said, Odin was rather clear as he outlined the conditions and terms of Loki's punishment." Fury's face curdles like he's just swallowed an entire bucket full of lemons. "And as much as I would like to get my hands on him after all the shit he pulled in New York, it would be quite unwise to risk… diplomatic problems with a realm as powerful as Asgard."

"Really?" Tony asks, giddiness swirling inside of him. Loki is safe. Loki is safe. Loki is safe. "You mean you don't fancy bravely facing off with a bunch of Einherjers dispatched to Planet Earth to avenge the breach of Odin Almighty's personal decree?"

Another angry glare in his direction. Oh well, he can take a thousand of them, as long as it means that Loki can stay here with him.

Fury draws himself up to stare at Tony down his nose, looking like he's had another mouthful of those lemons stuffed in. Really unripe lemons.

"I am only going to say this once. The parchment makes the inadvisability of questioning Asgard's decision very clear. And we've had enough problems with aliens to last us a while. The safety of this country, of this world, is priority number one, and other considerations will have to take the backseat this time." The man's coat creaks as he speaks, as if even the leather is voicing its protests. "Now, I wouldn't mind Loki's head decorating my desk as a pretty paper weight, but it's not worth a conflict over Asgard with. So, he will have to remain in your custody as Odin has decreed."

And Tony feels himself almost melt into his seat with relief.

"However, Stark, Fury half-growls, glaring daggers at Tony, "we will still need to keep a lid on this as it is imperative that the public does not find out. It could quickly escalate into certain… situations and reactions that might be hard to contain if word got out. We would not want a good part of America clamouring for a punishment we are not able to give. I trust I can rely on you to keep this under the radar of anyone outside of SHIELD."

"But of course, Nick," Tony quickly assures him. "I am nothing but discreteness itself. You know that."

Fury scoffs, looking once more at the parchment and then back to Tony. "It would seem that Odin is no longer under the impression that Loki's original sentence of a lifetime in slavery is in accordance with our Midgardian sense of justice." The gaze narrows. "Whatever made him think differently."

So Fury doesn't know about Tony's little intergalactic space-trip that he made in order to appeal for clemency for the guy who levelled half of New York? It really doesn't say in there that Tony was the one who got Odin thinking in those terms?

He looks towards the blond god to his left, trying to communicate one single silent thought across the distance between them, one that sums up his currently most ardent desire.

Shut up, Thor.

"Yeah, good question, whatever could have been responsible for that?" Tony says guilelessly, face innocent and clueless. Perhaps Fury already knows, or maybe he doesn't, but Tony isn't going to be telling him regardless.

Luckily, Thor holds his tongue, not bringing up the subject of Tony's field trip into magic space land.

"So, you're actually okay with handling things like this?" Tony asks, trying to change the subject. "And here I kinda thought you would be running my tower down in your eagerness to have Loki all chained up and dragged back to SHIELD."

Fury crosses his arms in front of him. "I will still want words with Loki about certain things. Though, I will be content to deal with those matters here rather than in SHIELD headquarters."

Well, the instructions in that parchment must have been pretty insistent, then. Curiosity suddenly gets the better of him, and he leans across the table. "Hey, can I see that?" he asks, not waiting for permission as he reaches for the parchment in Fury's hand.

However, Fury pulls the document away and safely out of Tony's reach. "Forget it, Stark. The information contained herein is a matter of national security, and hence not something I would dream of entrusting to you."

Ouch.

"Furthermore," the man continues, "I will send a trusted agent to live in your tower for a period of time to keep an eye out and report back to me." He fixes Tony with an icy glare. "Someone to make sure there is nothing suspicious going on, and that Loki is truly as harmless and reformed as Odin claims."

Tony winces; he really doesn't feel like having any strangers running around in his tower, especially not if they're on Fury's pay check.

Though, he supposes it's a small price to pay for having Loki safe and out of SHIELD's hands. For having Loki stay here with him.

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