Author's note: Aww, well, I guess not everyone was too happy with last chapter's Author's note, but like I said to some of you guys, at least having it end should be better than the alternative suffered by so many other stories, that of abandonment, right? ;)
The prototype for the magic blocker has been finished some time ago, and is currently sitting on Tony's workbench waiting to be taken into action. He hopes it's going to work as intended, if nothing else than to keep Fury happy and content. Or at least content. He'll have it dumped off at SHIELD's doorstep one of these days, so they can run their own tests and try the device out the next time they're up against that Doomsday freak.
But he still has Loki with him in the workshop, helping out as his… assistant, is it? Because despite not having anything what would count as a scientific education by Earth standards, Loki is actually quite useful. And not just for handing Tony stuff or serving as company or a never-tiring victim of Tony's long-winded techno-babble. No, even though Loki doesn't know what a down quark is or how a electro-permutator works, he's still able to contribute, partly because of that weird magic sixth sense of his that allows Tony to get readings that his instruments can't pick up on, and partly because of his even weirder explanations of how matter and energy work from a magic-user's perspective.
He supposes that makes up for the sharp down-turn in work efficiency brought by those frequent interruptions when his body's baser attractions win out over his mind's scientific endeavours, and the two of them engage in things very much removed from technology and science.
Then again, perhaps it could still qualify as biological sciences. Because what else would you call making a deep-dive study into the anatomy of a member of an alien species?
His current little project isn't going all that splendidly for the moment, however. The synchronization of the radiation from the two different hydrogen isotopes that he is aiming for is still failing to materialize, the screen before him bleeping dully as opposed to giving that successful ping he's been waiting for.
Loki is sitting across from him, chin resting on arms crossed on the table as he stares at the little canisters containing the two isotopes, eyes glued to them as if he's watching an exciting movie and not a couple of glass tubes that aren't doing jack shit.
And that's when he starts to consider whether he – they – should perhaps do something else for a little while, take a quick break and get down to things of a more physical nature. After all, he's barely even touched Loki all day, and this omission surely needs to be rectified.
He's about to sneak an arm across the table and grab hold of whatever body part is the nearest, but before he can get to that, Loki reaches out a hand in turn – not for him, though, but for one of the innumerable knobs on the instrument panel hooked up to the canisters. A slight turn to the right, and the long-awaited ping from the monitor suddenly echoes through the room.
Tony looks up, lecherous thoughts temporarily stuffed into the back of his head. "Whoa there, what did you just do?" he asks the god who's sitting there with an unmistakably pleased look on his face.
Loki grins contentedly. "I could sense that the two force fields weren't aligning, and from what I've learned from observing your Midgardian science, adding a little extra dose of this… alpha ionization seemed like it would change the fields into the desired direction." He shrugs. "Though, I'm sure there are other words for it that you Midgardians would use."
Tony stares at him. Actually, he's not sure there even are words for whatever it is that that fairy magic Loki doesn't even have anymore is still allowing him to sense. He finds himself almost desperately wishing he was… well, sensitive or receptive to whatever it is that Loki is picking up on. But in the end, he just settles for shaking his head in amazement. "Wow, I don't even know what it is you actually do, but damn, if you're not the best research assistant a scientist could ever hope for. Seriously, not even a double doctor's degree in applied nuclear physics and electro-technology would come even close to being this helpful."
And damn if he can't see Loki grow an entire inch from that, despite the god still being lazily hunched over the table, head leaning against his arm.
"Well, I'm glad I am able to provide services outside of the bedroom as well," Loki says with a grin. Then, his voice turns a note darker and huskier. "Though, I must admit that the bedroom activities are quite a bit more… pleasant."
Tony grins back, and then an idea pops into his head. Perhaps it's just a formality, but still… it feels right doing it.
"You know what?" he says, meeting with Loki's lingering gaze. "I'm hereby officially appointing you as my research assistant and putting you on the payroll of Stark Industries."
That draws a silvery laugh from Loki. "You usually take those on your payroll to bed?"
"You wouldn't be the first one, sweetheart," he replies with a cock of his head. "Though, I have better warn you, I'm a really tough boss, so don't expect any significant salary increases any time soon," he teases.
Loki's eyes glitter, and oh, how well Tony knows that mischievous look.
"I see," the god drawls, eyeing him with a bemused expression. "Is there perhaps anything I can do to convince you to be more… generous, then?"
And whoa, the way those eyes are roaming over his body, making all the blood in his head rush southwards, and that only from a mere gaze. Yeah, the god is pure magic alright, bracelets notwithstanding.
"I can think of a few things," he breathes, feeling several body parts already tingling in anticipation.
At that, Loki's lips quirk into a wicked smile as he slides off his chair and disappears under the workbench, and… oooh.
Once the god emerges again, Tony is slumping in his chair, head spinning and stars still dancing before his eyes. And he be damned if it doesn't feel like Loki's tongue is getting longer for every time he's doing this…
Loki watches him in amusement with an eyebrow raised, snickering softly as he's taking in the undone, still panting mess that is Tony Stark.
"To be honest, you don't really look much in a shape to be doing scientific research for the moment. How about we go for a walk outside instead? I'm starting to feel a bit cooped up in here, and you could probably do with some fresh air to get your head cleared out," Loki says with a content, rather self-satisfied expression on his face.
Well, Tony supposes he can't argue with that. He's neither in a mood nor a state to be dealing with equations or data. A walk outside, though, would be nice. If nothing else, some physical movement might make all that blood flow back to his head again.
Laboriously, he gets up from the chair, faint tendrils of pleasure still tingling at his spine. "Can't really argue with that, cupcake," he agrees. "Outside it is."
Loki pulls himself up from where he's leaning against the desk and languidly heads for the door, giving Tony's chest and stomach a light caress as he walks by. And Tony is suddenly reminded of something he's been intending to do, but hasn't gotten around to yet.
His hand shoots out, grabbing hold of Loki's wrist and halting the god in his tracks. Loki turns and regards him with an inquisitive stare. "Already up for round number two, huh?" he asks with a soft smirk.
Tony laughs, shaking his head. "I wish, but I'm afraid I'm not seventeen anymore, much as I would have liked to."
He tugs gently at the wrist still in his grip, indicating for the god to come closer, and Loki acquiesces.
And really, he should have done this much earlier, considering that he's already had the tracker bracelet around Loki's wrist removed not long after they came back from Asgard, as a show of good faith. But better late than never, he supposes.
He turns to rummage around in a drawer until he finally finds what he's looking for and hands the object over to Loki, who accepts it, curiously inspecting the foreign device.
"Well," Tony says, slapping his shoulder. "I figured that being here on Earth and all, it's about time you learned how to use a cell phone, in case you get lost or something." He snatches the thing out of Loki's hand, flipping the screen open. "Here, let me show you how it's done."
As always, leisurely strolling around with Loki is a relaxing and pleasant way to pass the time. True to his habits, the god is inquisitively scrutinizing everything of interest in his path, stopping with irregular intervals to study whatever it is that has caught his eye. Tony halts in his tracks as he notices his companion having strayed from his side again, having stopped some distance away to gaze at the trinkets at display in some shop window.
Tony waits patiently for him to catch up, his gaze lazily drifting. The sidewalk isn't very busy – a group of teenagers, an elderly couple, a mother with her young daughter. The child is amusing herself with a ball, bouncing it again and again against the pavement as her mother distractedly looks at some dresses hanging in a window. He watches the ball, almost in transfixion, as it traces perfect sinus curves in the air.
Then, it happens – the girl misses a bounce and the ball slips out of her hands and rolls out into the incoming traffic, its owner running right after it.
There's a panicked scream of "Jeannie!", and as Tony's body automatically poises to run after and grab the girl, he knows it's already too late; he's too far away to make it in time.
Loki, however, is not. Quick as lightening, he lunges, and just a fraction of a second before tragedy strikes, the girl is pulled kicking and screaming back into safety, honking car rushing past with only inches to spare. And Tony expels a heady sigh, feeling his knees go weak with relief. Damn, that was close.
If it hadn't been such a serious situation, he'd call the current look on Loki's face almost comical. The god just stands there so utterly confused as he looks down at the crying bundle in his arms, as if he's still not really understanding what has just transpired even as he hands the girl over to her similarly crying mother, who hugs them both. And Loki looks so hesitant, so uncertain of how he suddenly found himself in this situation, not quite knowing what to do with himself.
Other people are gathering around them in a loose circle, shocked but relieved at the happy ending to the drama that has just unfolded before their very eyes. "Boy, you're a hero!" an older man announces, clapping a still dazed Loki on his back, and the small crowd isn't late to shout its agreement.
And that's when Tony steps in; not that he wants to deny Loki his little well-deserved moment of glory, but in case someone should recognize the alien that tried to conquer their city or decide that they want their picture taken with the hero of the day and then have them uploaded on the Internet… well, things could get messy rather quickly.
He carefully pushes into the little crowd, tugging at Loki's arm. "I think we should get going," he mumbles, and Loki isn't late to heed that suggestions, letting Tony pull him along and away from the throng of people.
They head back, Loki still with that odd look on his face. As they stroll down the sidewalk, Tony puts his arm around his shoulders, hand gently squeezing. "You know, usually it's my partners who are saying stuff like this, but I guess now it's finally my turn to get to be the proud boyfriend of a hero," he grins.
And perhaps it's a cheesy thing to say, but he says it nonetheless. "And what this shows, sweet cheeks, is that everyone can be a hero in their own way. You don't need a fancy suit or bad-ass superpowers for that. Heck, contrary to many people's expectations, you don't even need to blow things up."
Loki doesn't offer a response, but his face is solemn and thoughtful nonetheless.
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