Author's note: Wow, so we've actually made it past the 5000 review mark… thank you so much for your support, people! :D
He's sitting in the living room reading a book when Steve enters, clearing his throat to get Loki's attention. At that, his gaze lifts from the pages in his lap.
"Yes, Captain?" he says, tilting his head slightly to the side. "Can I help you with something?"
It's obvious that Steve wants to talk to him, and given the red-tinted colour on his cheeks that are growing darker by the second, it's not hard to guess what the matter revolves around.
"Mind if I sit down?" Steve manages, indicating one of the chairs opposite the couch on the other side of the table.
"Not at all."
Steve sits. Then he twists awkwardly for a few seconds, looking as if he's trying to find a comfortable position on a seat littered with thumbtacks.
"About yesterday…" the man finally says, once more clearing his throat as if something has gotten stuck in it.
"Yes?" Loki replies, vaguely amused by the discomfited efforts to bring the subject up for discussion.
"Well, first of all I wish to apologize for, ah, intruding during such a… well, private occasion, because it was certainly not my intention." The handsome face turns another shade redder as the Captain fidgets in his chair, like there are ants crawling beneath his shirt.
Loki nods encouragingly. "No need to worry. It's not the first time something like that has happened to me."
And really, it's not.
The other man tenses a little bit at the admission, but chooses not to comment on it. "I didn't mainly come here to apologize, though," he says instead, and then there is an awkward pause, during which Steve is obviously searching for the right words. "What I was going to say was that I really don't consider what Stark has been doing to you is… acceptable, given the circumstances."
Of course, that's what has been bothering the Captain. It wasn't difficult to see it coming, considering Tony's own hesitation when Loki had made his initial advances, and how the man had thought that someone in Loki's situation would be unable to make his own choices regarding who he wanted to have sex with. Well, of course, in Asgard slaves wouldn't be free to decide such for themselves if their masters wanted differently, but they'd still no doubt be well aware of their own attractions and who they would have liked to sexually involve themselves with or not.
In a way, it's almost ironic how Midgardians consider even slaves entitled to the rights afforded to free men and yet won't trust their abilities to recognize such a simple, obvious thing as who they would like to share a bed with. As if he's a confused, blushing virgin who has never known a man before.
And to be honest, he's a little bit amused too.
"You're right, Captain, what Tony has been doing to me cannot be considered acceptable by any stretch of the imagination."
It looks like a storm of thunderclouds is moving in over Steve's face at that, and his mouth opens in preparation of what will no doubt be an outraged tirade, but Loki cuts him off. "In fact, it would be an insult to his talents to merely call it 'acceptable'. I believe 'mind-blowing' or 'incredible' would be more appropriate terms," he clarifies, smiling sweetly.
Steve's mouth remains open, though no words come out of it for several long moments.
"Well," the man finally manages, clearly flustered and taken aback by the unexpected answer, "I think it's clear that Stark is not aware of what he's doing and its implications, what the situation is like, and…"
"Let me assure you, Tony knows exactly what he's doing," Loki continues where Steve's words seem to have trailed off and not finding their way back. "I have had many partners who have been much less aware and whose performance has been far less impressive."
Steve looks like he'd rather be in the middle of a herd of stampeding bulls than remaining in the living room any further, but, being the brave soldier that he is, he still pushes on.
"It is true that Stark might not see any problems with it, because he has little compunction when it comes to… sexual liaisons. But even he should know that this is wrong, despite having such a… dirty mind."
Loki raises an eyebrow. "Well, I can certainly agree on the dirty mind part, having been the lucky recipient of it. Not that I'm complaining, mind you."
Steve's hands are gripping the armrests, his knuckles whitish. But he's not giving up yet, and Loki just likes him all the more for it.
"What I mean is, Stark is the kind of man who is no stranger to indiscriminately engaging in… carnal pleasure without considering the percussions," Steve says as if he hasn't even heard Loki, staring at a point a few inches to the side of his face. "Even the media has caught wind of and reported on his numerous… sexual conquests in the past. And I realize that someone who's had far too many partners already might not stop to reflect further on the circumstances, but what I'm trying to say is that it still doesn't make it right."
Loki smiles innocently, amused at the Captain's obvious difficulties in taking any words even remotely related to sex in his mouth. "You know, I am over two thousand years old – want to take a guess at how many partners I've had in my day?" He chuckles. "I don't think Tony comes even close, even if he would have spent his whole life in pursuit of nothing else."
Then he turns serious, deciding that he's had his fun with the blushing man as he looks him in the eyes. "Captain, I do appreciate your concern, but I assure you, it is entirely unfounded. It was me who first came on to Tony, not the other way around. I have every opportunity to say no if I want. And the thing is – I don't want to, nor did I ever. I'd much rather continue our activities together, because I enjoy them immensely."
A silence follows during which it looks as if the man is trying to process Loki's words, but not quite succeeding. "Well, I'm not saying that he has any ill intentions. But still, Stark isn't thinking, he's not realizing that he's using your relative positions," Steve says slowly, but he doesn't seem nearly as sure of himself anymore. In fact, he's sounding as if he's just arguing for the sake of it, as if abandoning his viewpoint would be a grave insult to his own precious moral standards.
"Our relative positions?" Loki says, amusement tingling in his voice. "Are you sure you want to go there? Don't you think that's a little too much detail?"
At that, Steve has finally had enough, and he stands up so quickly that the chair almost falls over as it scrapes against the floor, backing a few steps towards the doorframe. "Very well, I understand," he manages in a strained voice. "However, if you do… have a problem in these matters, let me know and I will do my best to help you out."
"My thanks for the offer, Captain," Loki says with a broad smile. "Though, I'm sure it won't be necessary. Tony is perfectly adequate for my sexual needs and we make do just fine; we have no problems that require a third part to help us out in the bed chamber."
At that, Steve has finally had enough and flees the room.
Loki chuckles to himself. And he has to admit – Steve is sweet, he really is. But he's definitely not Tony.
Still smiling, he returns to his book, yet again immersing himself in the exotic Midgardian story in his hands.
And perhaps he should be feeling a bit guilty for embarrassing the Captain like that, but he can't help but think that if you're a god of mischief, you should be entitled to have a little good-natured fun on other people's expense once in a while.
Shortly after Steve has left the room, Tony saunters in and Loki gives the man a long, undressing stare. His previous talk with the Captain has stirred up quite a few thoughts in him, and he's still not happy at how they got interrupted yesterday. After all, they never even got to finish, as the mood was ruined and Tony was, in his own words, too weirded out to continue.
Though, it doesn't seem like Tony has any such intentions for the moment, so he quenches the little sigh of disappointment wanting to escape his lips, instead waiting for the man to tell him what's on his mind.
Tony sits down on the same chair that Steve was occupying only minutes ago, placing a leg across the other and lazily leaning back.
"I take it Stars and Spangles has already had his little talk with you, if I correctly interpreted the tomato look his face was sporting when I ran into him a couple of minutes ago," Tony says, the corner of his lips twitching slightly.
Loki grins back. "Yes, we had an… interesting chat," he concludes. "Somehow, the Captain seems to be under the impression that slavery has made me unfit to make my own choices as far as whom I would like to share a bed with."
"Yeah, I can imagine," Tony says with a shrug. "Though I suppose I can't really blame him. The situation is kinda weird, after all. At least for us humans who have laid off the slavery business quite a few generations ago."
He drums his fingers against his knee for a few seconds before speaking again. "Actually, there was something I wanted to ask you, to make sure you're okay with it."
"And that would be?"
"Well, in case… something lethal should cross my path in the next two years, I want to put it in my will that you will, well, be passed over to Steve instead." Tony looks distinctly uncomfortable, the concept obviously disturbing him. "Would you be alright with that?"
And despite how he'd rather not even think about the prospect that something might happen to Tony – and not primarily because of how it would affect his own position here in Midgard – he can't help but feel a little tingle of warmth, that Tony cares enough about him to want to safeguard against such an eventuality and make sure that nothing bad is going to happen to him.
"I don't know of anyone in Midgard that I'd rather see filling that position, though I truly do hope it will never come to that," he says slowly, nodding his agreement. "But I'm rather curious what Steve's response to such a request would be. Have you asked him about it yet?"
"Yeah, I have. And he wasn't too thrilled with the idea, but eventually he agreed."
And Loki feels another warm tingle inside his chest as he looks at Tony. "I guess the issue is settled, then. Thanks for… making these arrangements on my behalf."
"Hey," Tony says, holding up his hands. "Of course I would. There's no way I would risk you ending up with someone who might hurt you. Steve might be as fun as a board, but at least he's a good guy that can be trusted. He'd be the last person on Earth – well, expect for yours truly – to do anything bad to you."
"I know." Loki smiles, the tingle spreading as he looks at Tony, the most amazing man Midgard surely has to offer. Not even Steve could ever hold a candle to him.
Well, I guess the god of mischief is really back now. ;)
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