Author's note: So, people, wanna bet on whether the misunderstandings will be cleared up or worsen in this chapter? ;)
He runs into Tony just as he turns a corner, and they both abruptly halt in their tracks as to not walk into each other. Before Loki can continue on his way, though, a hand is curling around his upper arm, effectively stopping him.
Tony doesn't look very happy as Loki meets his gaze, and it's all too obvious that there's something bothering him.
"Is there anything wrong?" he asks, despite already knowing that the answer will be a 'yes'.
The hand on his arm falls away as Tony gives him an unwavering stare. "Yeah. As a matter of fact, there is," comes the cool reply, the brown eyes not leaving him for a second.
He blinks, frowning. "What is it, then?" Sure Tony hasn't been delighted about Steve's presence in the tower, but that's not something that Loki can do anything about, so there has to be something else weighing on his mind.
"You don't think I've noticed?"
"Noticed what?" he asks, uncertain where this is going, but already knowing he doesn't like it one bit; obviously he's done something that Tony strongly disapproves of, but he can't figure out what that could possibly be.
It wasn't the right thing for him to say, however; he can tell by the darkening look on the man's face.
"The way you've been throwing yourself at our visitor since the day he walked in here, like you're trying to get into his pants or whatever you're playing at! Seriously, you think I wouldn't notice any of that shit?" Tony throws out, ostensibly growing more agitated for every syllable leaving his mouth.
Loki stiffens at the harshness of the words, wanting to open his mouth to reply, but nothing comes out in his confusion at Tony's brash reaction.
"So, do tell me, what is it about Mr Spangles that you can't resist?" Tony continues, jaw clenched, and eyes frosty and narrowed. "Is it his humongous biceps? His smooth pretty-boy face? Or his baby-blue eyes of baby-blue steel? What is it, huh?"
And Loki feels himself go ice cold at that. Though he's certainly seen Tony angry many times before, it was a long time ago since any of it was being aimed at him. But now, that anger is being fully levelled into his direction, raw and accusing and bitter.
And he doesn't understand, because how could Tony possibly be upset because of nothing but some innocent flirting? In Asgard, a little flirting means nothing. No one would care about any such, except perhaps for the most extremely possessive and controlling kind of partner. Of course, it would be impossible to expect somebody to go for what might be several millennia wholly ignoring the beauty and charms of everyone who is not one's spouse or partner. Showing appreciation for others is a way to keep things interesting and prevent relationships from stagnating once the weight of a few centuries or so comes weighing down. It's all part of the fun and games, as long as it doesn't cross certain lines. Lines that he never intended to cross, of course.
And faced with Tony like this, he can't help but feeling a hot seed of anger in his stomach too, coupled with a sense of betrayal and other very unpleasant things too.
Because he still remembers so well that one time when Tony had told him he was free to make his own choices, despite his being a slave by Asgard's designation. The man had made insistent promises, then, that here in Midgard, Loki would be granted the rights to his own decisions, regardless of his current station.
Or was all that merely empty words? Could it be that Tony is suddenly having second thoughts, when those choices go against what he wants? Does he nevertheless seek to control Loki when it actually matters, despite everything? He's never considered that before, and it doesn't seem like Tony at all, but the mere possibility makes something cold and hard ache deep inside of him, despite his knowing that by Asgard's laws, he would of course have no claims to any rights whatsoever. And he wants to ascertain whether that was true or not, whether Tony truly meant and still means those alluring words he had spoken.
And perhaps he shouldn't, but he can't help himself, so he gives the man before him a challenging stare as he draws himself up, staring him right into his face.
"Well, you're free to order me to stop, then," he says, a stab of ice in his voice. "You're the master, after all, aren't you?"
And Tony just stares at him as his face falls and his shoulders slump, his entire body deflating as if it were a leaking balloon. For a moment, he seems shocked, at a loss for words, but then he slowly shakes his head as he visibly swallows.
"No, that's not my call to make," he says, looking away, the anger gone, now, having been replaced by something else. "It's your decision, not mine. You don't have to choose me if you'd rather have someone else. It's… up to you, like it's always been."
The words sound honest, but the man still looks positively miserable, like his world just fell apart and all the happiness went right out of him.
And that's when it all dawns on him. Despite how illogical is seems, Tony is truly just jealous because of some little innocuous flirting. He can hardly believe it, but seen in that light the man's reaction actually makes sense.
It must obviously be very different in Midgard, then, if Tony is behaving like that after nothing but some comments and a few glances. But perhaps it's not so strange now that he considers it; given humans' much shorter life spans, they might not have the same need for such, and might even consider that kind of behaviour, as normal as it might be in Asgard, wrong and upsetting.
And suddenly, he feels like an idiot, needlessly hurting and upsetting Tony like that. And for a second even suspecting that Tony didn't actually mean the precious words he'd been saying back then.
He swallows. "I… believe I owe you an apology," he manages, mentally berating himself for his careless presumptions. "I have clearly misacted, not realizing it is not considered acceptable to flirt with others in Midgard. There is nothing improper about doing such in Asgard, so I assumed this was normal behaviour here as well. Had I known it was not, I would have refrained from it."
Tony watches him in silence, but his eyes are urging Loki to go on, so he does.
"I assure you, whatever I might have said or done to the Captain means nothing," Loki hastens to assure him, fully aware of what Tony wants to hear. "It was merely for the fun of it; I do not feel any real attraction to him. Not anything that could ever compare to what I feel for you. And believe me, whatever Steve might have going in his favour, you outshine him in every single aspect."
And suddenly, Tony's eyes turn hopeful again, like whatever leaked out of him moments ago is rushing back inside.
"You sure about that?" the man says, still sounding a bit sulky. "Because you were kinda laying it on pretty thick..."
"It meant nothing, Tony. And I will stop my behaviour towards the Captain, now that I understand that it bothers you." he says, feeling something in him melt at the sight of those puppy-like eyes. "Believe me, I'd pick you over Steve any day, any time. It wouldn't even be a question of it."
Tony is silent for a while before speaking, but when he finally does, he shuffles his feet, looking uncomfortable. "You know, I'm sorry for lashing out like that. I was just afraid that you… didn't want me anymore. That you'd rather have Steve instead of me."
Wow, he really messed this up, didn't he?
"Don't worry about it, it's fine," Loki assures him. And it actually is, because how would he have reacted if he thought that Tony had discarded him for someone else? Certainly no better.
Tony seems to consider for a while. "So another case of Asgard-Midgard culture clash, then, I guess." He huffs a little. "How the heck can you guys be so casual about the whole flirting with others in front of you partner thing? I've gotten slapped more than once for doing stuff like that."
Loki cocks his head, glad Tony is sounding more like his usual self again. "Well, if you're expected to stay married to the same person for what might be a few thousand years, you need an outlet like that, if you're not made of stone and ice. Hence, flirting is fully accepted, as long as it stays at that." He regards Tony for a little while. "So you mean to say that you humans never flirt with each other, if you are involved with someone else?"
"Not in front of our partners, at least," Tony answers, blowing out a little puff of air between his lips.
"No?" he says, raising an eyebrow. "Then how else do you keep them interested and alert?"
This time, Tony snorts, definitely sounding like his old self, now. "Rest assured, I could show you a few ways."
"Oh?" Loki grins, feeling the tenseness between them dissolve along with the idiotic misunderstanding. "In that case, I would suggest you put your money where your mouth is."
Unable to stop himself and eager to fully close any remaining rift between them, he walks up to Tony and pulls him in for a deep kiss, despite knowing that they've agreed not to do any of this while Steve is still here. He half expects Tony to push him away any second, so he enjoys the closeness while he can, drinking in the delicious scent and taste of the other man. Whatever flimsy appeal Steve might have exerted on him is swept away in the rush of desire for Tony that crashes over him as two hands grab onto his sides and a tongue pushes into his mouth, demanding entrance.
After a blissful moment of headiness, they break the kiss, but Tony's arms are still wrapped around him, obviously not about to let go of him any time soon.
He pointedly looks down at the arms circling his waist, and then back to the man's face, cocking his head. "I thought you said we shouldn't be doing any of this with Steve around?"
Tony grins as he leans in, giving a little nibble to Loki's neck before answering. "Don't worry, our favourite hero left the house a little while ago for some meeting with SHIELD. Said he would be gone for a few hours." A hand is dexterously navigating beneath the seam of Loki's shirt, and he shudders at the light touch of skin against skin, sorely missed.
"We'll have plenty of time for some fun and games until he gets back," Tony breathes into his ear, then grinds his hips into Loki who can feel the man's growing hardness through the fabric. "Though, to be honest, as much as I want to make use of every minute, and as much as I usually pride myself on my stamina, I'm afraid the foreplay might have to be cut a little shorter than usual. I'm starving here."
Loki laughs. "That would be perfectly alright by me. I see no reason to… drag things out more than necessary."
Before he has even finished speaking, Tony's other hand has found its way beneath his shirt as well, roaming over his skin. The touch is almost electrical, the way it's tingling down his spine and igniting sensitive nerve endings.
Loki reaches down to grab two fistfuls of cloth, pulling his shirt over his head and discarding it on the floor. A second later, his back is pushed up against the wall as Tony is hunching down, tracing his tongue in hot trails over his chest, one hand on his waist, the other kneading at his groin.
No, Tony clearly isn't going to go slowly tonight. He smiles at the prospect as he bucks into the touch, one hand cupping the back of Tony's neck, fingers raking through the brown mop of unruly hair.
The tongue roaming over his torso finds its way to a nipple, swirling in greedy circles around the hardening knob. He lets himself enjoy the feeling for a while as he leans his head back against the wall, then proceeds to summarily deal with Tony's shirt as well, fiddling for a few moments before getting the fabric off the man who seems to have transformed into all hands and fingers and tongue.
Loki lets his fingers rake along the exposed, muscled back, then pulls Tony up for another kiss that is warmth and closeness and need all mixed into one.
As they finally separate, he throws a glance over his shoulder towards the living room visible through the doorway to the side.
"The couch?" he whispers, almost breathless with lust.
"The couch," comes the throaty reply.
The couch is neither terribly big nor very comfortable for the activities ahead, but he couldn't care less. It's a lot closer than the nearest bed, and that's about the only requirement that matters at this point.
They stumble down onto the cushions, landing in a tangled heap of intertwined limbs, neither of them bothering to disentangle.
Damn, he's horny.
His hands are groping until they find the waistband of Loki's pants, and he tears them rather than pulls them off, grateful the god is wearing easy-to-remove sweatpants.
And Loki is already so fucking hard it's amazing, and he's just about to-
"Sir, may I remind you that you still have that phone call that you promised to make today to Mr Anderson about the palladium alloy?" Jarvis' voice suddenly rings out form the ceiling.
Tony almost growls in exasperation. "Jarvis, can't you see I'm getting laid here?" he manages, making a mental note to himself to change the AI's programming to shut the hell up whenever he's engaging in anything sexual. "Don't bother me for the next half an hour, okay?"
"As you wish, sir," comes the unperturbed reply.
Beneath him, Loki chuckles, his fingers busy groping Tony's ass.
Speaking of which, why is he still wearing pants?
Straddling Loki's legs, he fiddles with the buttons to his own jeans – and damn, why does there have to be so many of them – temporarily forgoing the temptation of grabbing hold of that straining cock lying just inches away, just waiting for his attention.
Alright, just one more button to go now, he can handle this…
And then, there's suddenly a garbled sound coming neither from him nor from Loki, making him freeze like a deer in headlight. Automatically, his head whips around to face Steve who is standing in the doorway, looking like he's just seen the end of the world. Which, perhaps, isn't too far from the truth.
Oops.
"Hi there, Capsicle," he says smoothly, flashing the other man a toothy grin. "I take it your meeting finished a bit earlier than planned?"
Steve doesn't deign that with an answer as he quickly stomps off, red as a tomato.
You knew it had to happen eventually…
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