A/N: Some naughty talk at the end of the chapter, ya'll.

Well, it was interesting.

Which is to say, it wasn't interesting at all.

Which was interesting.

Tony sat at the dinner table, trying to concentrate on a really lovely plate full of tandoori chicken and saag paneer, but he found himself surreptitiously watching the interchange between Bruce, Pepper, and Loki instead, his eyes darting back and forth as if he were watching a tennis match. Everyone had started off the meal in awkward silence, busying themselves with passing around take-out containers and filling their paper plates with food. Then, Loki asked for a rundown on what each dish consisted of, and Bruce had launched into an enthusiastic discourse on Indian regional cuisine, something he had very much enjoyed on his recent travels, and which he now had taken to making for himself.

Loki had listened politely and then asked Pepper if she, too, enjoyed cooking, and Pepper had given him a fairly blank look before shrugging and nodding slightly. Bruce had said, "Oh, Italian food is Pepper's forte," and then Loki asked for some examples of her specialities. Before long, the three of them were deep in a discussion of their favorite home-cooked meals, with Loki describing some Asgardian delicacies and Bruce reminiscing about the comfort food his mother used to make. Pepper soon warmed to the subject and told them rather excitedly about an import shop where she'd found real Italian balsamic vinegar, and what a difference it had made in her cooking.

By then, they were talking easily, laughing occasionally, and apparently getting along beautifully.

And, Tony was freaked out because, damn—it was just weird.

And boring.

He'd been prepared to summon his Iron Man suit at a moment's notice, and instead he was having to concentrate on not falling asleep.

WithLoki and Pepper and Bruce Banner at the same table.

It was bizarre...

But interesting.

When everyone was finished eating, Pepper cleared her throat and said something like well-hate-to-eat-and-run-it's-been-lovely-thanks-bye and Bruce didn't look like he was necessarily ready to leave, but he was clearly eager to accompany Pepper, so he stood up and made his apologies/goodbyes and Loki, yeah, Loki, graciously saw them to the door and told them it had been most enjoyable getting to know them a bit better and to please come again.

And, when he turned around, Tony was standing there, arms crossed, a look somewhere between utter astonishment and total disgust on his face.

"What?" Loki asked uncertainly.

"What the actual fuck do you think you're doing?" Tony demanded.

"Excuse me? What do you mean?" Loki looked genuinely bewildered. He'd tried his best to avoid trouble, to be not only non-confrontational but good-natured, and he thought he'd done rather well, considering. But Tony's tone had him second-guessing himself, and his heart sank to think that even when he was doing his damndest to be good, he could still manage to screw things up. "I behaved properly, didn't I? Did I do something wrong?" he asked, trying to sound scornful and haughty. But he only just managed to keep a note of anxiousness out of his voice instead.

Tony gave him a huff of annoyance. "No! That's what's got me freaked—how the hell did we get through an entire meal without so much as a round of name-calling? I used paper plates and plasticware because I was expecting things to get stabby, you know, with the broken glass and the mayhem and the bloodshed—which leaves me with just one question: Who are you and what did you do with my boyfriend?"

Loki grinned in relief. It was okay. Tony wasn't actually angry with him. He shook his head affectionately. "Oh, Tony. How little faith you must have in me. Did you truly believe I couldn't put aside whatever ill feelings I might harbor in order to spend one evening in pleasant conversation with your friends? I do possess a fair amount of self-control, you know."

Tony regarded the god critically. "Self-control, huh? Sounded like you were actually kind of enjoying yourself in there. Are you saying you were imagining doing something terrible to one or both of them the whole time you were discussing tiramisu and macaroni and cheese? Yes? No? Which is it?"

"Not at all. No one seemed to be holding grudges—they behaved decently to me, I simply responded in kind. And, well... I suppose it was rather nice to engage in civil discourse with more than one person for a change. Not that our discussions aren't fascinating, but... It's been a long time since I've had much in the way of social interaction." Loki thought back to the days before Thor's ill-advised attack on Jotunheim. Then, Sif and the Warriors Three had been his friends, and even though he'd never fooled himself into believing that they preferred him over Thor, there'd been a sense of camaraderie, lively booze-fests, and many deep discussions around a fire about life, the Nine Realms, and, of course, food.

He missed that.

Not that he'd admit it to anyone, least of all himself. But he didn't have to say another word for Tony to understand. His stern expression faded, and he pulled Loki into his arms.

"Hey—listen, I'm really proud of you, and I'm glad you enjoyed the conversation. But, you know you don't ever have to fake anything on my account, right? I appreciate you going above and beyond with those guys, but I don't expect you to hide your real feelings. I'm in your corner all the way, babe, and as long as the violence is kept to a minimum, don't ever hesitate to say what you really think." Tony pulled back and solemnly met Loki's eyes. "It kind of creeps me out."

Hearing Tony say that—"I'm in your corner all the way"— took Loki by surprise. He no longer doubted that Tony cared for him, but to think he would actually take his side against his old friends? It was a bit overwhelming, considering that the only people who had ever given him heartfelt support were his mother and, oddly enough, Thor. A lopsided smile crossed Loki's face. "Well, thank you. But, it really wasn't all that difficult. Miss Potts was quite courteous, and Banner was surprisingly agreeable." Loki's smile deepened. "If anything 'freaks you out,' I would think it would be that."

"He was probably still thinking of you in that red dress with blonde hair." Tony grinned back as he raised a hand to cup his lover's cheek. "Listen—after everything that happened? After everything you've been through? You're amazing. Oh, and gorgeous." He leaned in until his lips were almost on Loki's. "Let's leave the mess until morning and go to bed, okay? Watching the God of Mischief discussing roast goat with the Hulk kind of wore me out."

Loki pressed his lips against Tony's, giving them a pleasant buzz as he answered, "Mm. Good idea."

They exchanged a soft, sweet kiss before heading off to their bedroom.

Loki slipped into the bathroom to get ready for bed. He wasn't sure what Tony had in mind for the rest of the evening; he'd implied that he was tired, so that could mean he just wanted to do some of his infernal cuddling and then go to sleep. Or, he could be horny as hell and was being despicably subtle about it, expecting Loki to be the aggressor, as usual. He mused over the possibilities as he changed into a pair of flannel sleep pants, leaving his t-shirt on, and then peeked out to see if he could gauge Tony's intentions by whatever he was—or wasn't—wearing.

Ah. Tony was already under the covers, shirtless, clothes (including underwear) carelessly strewn around on the floor, reading glasses perched on his nose as he idly scrolled through a site on his phone.

So, sex, then.

A shiver of anticipation went through Loki; so much craziness had been happening lately that his thoughts and emotions had been almost completely focused on simply surviving. But now, with things calm and stable (for the moment anyway) he found himself craving a good, hard rut. Oh, yes—flat on his back, knees pushed up to his shoulders, Tony pounding into him like a jack hammer. Not a lot to ask, was it? And, probably not too difficult to attain, although given that Tony had been treating him with kid gloves since he found out about the pregnancy, he would probably have to do some persuading.

Which was a tad irritating. Loki was tired of being the one in pursuit. He'd taken the lead nearly every time since the first time they'd gone to bed together, and for once, he wanted to be the one to be, well, seduced.He had a lovely moment envisioning Tony begging him for it, maybe even demanding that he submit to him, and a warm flood of excitement hit him in the crotch. He took a deep breath; Tony had proved his tendency toward cluelessness on more than one occasion. But the hormones coursing through Loki's blood gave him hope—and determination. He checked his image in the mirror and then strode out to the bedroom.

Tony looked up, took off his glasses and gave him a welcoming smile. Loki smiled back, but made a show of poking around on what he supposed was now his night stand shelf.

"What're you doing?" Tony asked curiously.

"Looking for a book. I started one earlier, but now I can't find it." He moved to rifle through a stack of tomes beside the comfy chair and held one up in triumph. "Ah, found it!" With a sigh of satisfaction, he flopped down in the chair, put his feet up on the ottoman, opened the book and began to read.

Tony frowned. "Really? You're going to read... way over there?"

Loki didn't look up. "Um-hm. The light's better here."

"I can turn on a lamp." Tony reached over and flicked on a bedside lamp. "See? Sixty watts of incandescent illumination. Why don't you come lie down with me and enjoy Tommy Edison's good work before they make us switch over to the swirly things?"

At that, Loki looked up innocently. "Oh, thanks, but I'm quite comfortable over here." He tilted his head and ran his hand through his hair so that it fell softly around his face. He bent his leg at the knee and let it fall seductively to the side, giving Tony a nice view of his flannel-covered crotch. He smiled angelically again and went back to his book, stifling a snicker. With any luck, Tony was getting hot and bothered by now. He might even be ready to get out of bed and come attempt to lure Loki under the covers with him.

But instead, Tony's eyes narrowed. All he noticed was that his boyfriend was sitting on the far side of the room, more interested in some stupid novel than in cuddling with him. He was getting more indignant by the minute. "Oh, I see. I see what you're doing. You're tired and you think I'm going to try to have sex with you when you're not in the mood. Well, don't worry, Shakespeare." Tony held up three fingers, Boy Scout-style. "I swear, I won't lay a hand on you."

The words jarred Loki, and he looked up from his book to peer quizzically at Tony. "What?"

"I mean it. I know I can be a jerk sometimes, but, jeeze, do you really think I'm the kind of asshole who'd try to jump your bones when you don't feel like it? Especially when you're pregnant? Shit. Give me some credit."

Loki kept staring at him. Gods, Tony Stark was the most confusing man he'd ever met. He opened and shut his mouth a few times, trying to decide what to say to such idiocy.

As Tony watched Loki's nonplussed attempt to respond, he suddenly felt a little guilty. God, he could be such a schmuck. Here was Loki, calm and un-confrontational, just as he promised he'd be the next time they disagreed. Tony could just imagine the kind of snide remark he'd normally have made:"Unhand me, you loathsome ass, haven't your filthy urges done enough, filling me with your get?"

Instead, he was graciously avoiding the entire issue (and taking care not to hurt Tony's feelings) by staying away from him. Which was frustrating as hell, yeah, but Tony being an insensitive douche wasn't the way to handle it. He sighed and said apologetically, "Aw, I'm sorry, babe, I didn't mean to mouth off like that. I know you're tired and need to rest. Come to bed, I promise I'll leave you alone."

"Leave me alone?" Loki's eyes widened into big green pools of disgust. "Oh, bloody hell..." He sank down in the chair and sneered. Every fiber of his being longed to yell and throw his book squarely at Tony's face, and then thoroughly berate him for his obtuseness as blood dripped from his nose.

But, he didn't.

He forced himself to breathe in and out, and after a moment, the absurdity of the situation struck him and the bulk of the aggravation left him. He gave a rueful "Heh-heh-heh" as he hauled himself out of the chair and went to sit next to Tony. He looked him straight in the eye and said gently, "By the Norns, Stark—are we forever fated to completely misunderstand one another?"

"Huh?"

Loki picked up Tony's hand. "Your dimwittedness is my own stupid fault. I was playing games with you."

"What do you mean?"

"I was hoping..." He linked Tony's fingers between his own, and took a deep breath. "I was hoping you'd feel enough of an attraction to me that you'd try to seduce me."

"Seduce you?" Tony frowned, trying to understand. "Baby, not a day goes by that I don't have to use every ounce of self-control I can scrape together not to pick you up and throw you over my shoulder like a caveman. I love you, and it makes me insane not to, uh... Wow. If you wanted some loving, why didn't you just say so?" He pursed his lips and tilted his head questioningly. "What brought this on anyway? You're usually pretty straightforward about wanting a roll in the hay."

Loki sighed and stared down at his and Tony's entwined hands. "Yes, well... I suppose this sounds odd, coming from someone who attempted to take over your planet, but I'm tired of being in control." He looked up. "I'm tired of making decisions, tired of worrying about consequences—that doesn't come naturally to me, you know. I guess I simply wanted you to take the lead so I wouldn't have to think."

Tony scrunched up his face. "Well, shit. And here I was, feeling bad for wanting to have a little good, hot monkey sex with my knocked up sweetie, and all the while you were hoping I'd take the reins. Come'ere." Tony pulled him into his arms, and Loki sought Tony's mouth to give him a flurry of wet, invasive kisses. Tony eagerly returned them, amazed once again at how right it felt, lying next to his beautiful space-alien god, touching him, tasting him, listening as his breath came faster. "Hey, you—clothes off, on your back, arms and legs wrapped around me like an octopus. That bossy enough for you, tough guy?"

"Good enough," Loki murmured. He hastened to obey his smart-ass little human, and before long, he was relieved to feel Tony relentlessly thrusting deep inside him, holding him in powerful arms, muttering deliciously dirty things that made Loki feel utterly helpless, completely dominated, and totally owned.

Which was wonderful.

It definitely brought him close to what he needed.

But not... quite... there.

He orgasmed anyway.

Hours later, they lay next to each other, staring at the ceiling and panting—well, Loki was panting, Tony was basically gasping for air like a shore-bound catfish. Clearly he needed to bump up the cardio, that or get a less enthusiastic boyfriend, ha ha—but, in spite of a little light-headedness during that last round of serious fucking, Tony felt pretty pleased with himself. He'd gone the distance, took care of his lover's needs, gave Loki exactly what he wanted, even though he'd thought his days of being able to get it up three times in a row were long past. He made a mental note to ask Pepper to order him some Viagra, oops, scratch that, he'd ask his doctor for it himself.

Yeah, Loki was a demanding little bastard between the sheets, and he'd been especially needy tonight, which was actually okay with Tony. He kind of liked this side of his love, a bit unsure, a bit desperate for something Tony felt sure he could provide, although if they were going to keep up this pace, maybe a bedside oxygen tank wouldn't be such a bad investment.

Once he was more or less certain that a heart attack wasn't imminent, he turned to face Loki with a look of triumph. "That was fucking incredible, if I do say so myself. How was it for you? Amazing, right? You feeling good and dominated now, babe?" He smirked cheekily.

Loki continued to stare at the ceiling. "It was fine. Certainly took the edge off, at least."

Tony blinked. "'Fine?' 'Took the edge off?'" he repeated. This was outrageous. "I nearly died! Seriously, if it had taken you two more seconds to get off, my lungs would've exploded. I'd be dead right now—dead!" He threw his hands apart. "I did my best. Sorry I didn't rock your world in the style to which you're accustomed." He crossed his arms and huffily lay back to study the ceiling as intently as Loki seemed to be doing.

Loki rolled his eyes. "Oh, Stark. I didn't mean to insult your manly prowess. You really were exceptional. It's not you, it's me. There's some... inner recess of my soul that remains unsatisfied. I don't quite know what it is—perhaps a side effect of the pregnancy. But, I seem to long for something that I can't put words to." He scooted over and kissed Tony's cheek. "I'm sorry. Just being here with you is so much better than anything I've ever experienced. The sex is secondary."

He lay his head on Tony's chest, and Tony, somewhat mollified, tangled his fingers in Loki's hair and rubbed his neck. "Well... Okay. I'm totally wiped out now, but later, if you tell me what you want, we can, uh, go again." Tony wasn't entirely sure that that would be possible, but he'd give it the old college try, if that was what Loki needed.

Loki gave a low chuckle. "Oh, please. If I need further penetration, I'll just take care of it myself. I know what that phallus-shaped object in your nightstand drawer is for, and don't think I'd hesitate to employ it if necessary. I understand it vibrates?" He impishly looked up at Tony. "Might do a better job in the first place. No lungs to explode on such a device."

Tony curled his lip in a sneer. "You, sir, are asking for a tickling."

He took a huge breath and before Loki could react, he proceeded to dig his fingertips into Loki's side, making him shriek. "Oh, Norns, you've found my one indefensible weakness! Stop it, Stark! Noooo..." Loki struggled to roll away, but Tony held him tightly and began working his tickling fingers across Loki's belly and they were soon giggling like four-year-olds. Loki yelped but finally managed to grab Tony's wrists and make an escape to the edge of the bed, laughing. "Enough! Enough, lowly mortal, you've nearly bested your pregnant god. I bow to your evil fingers. Tell me what flattery you desire, you have won it."

Tony was busy laughing around catching his breath, but he managed to gasp, "I want to hear how great you think my dick is!"

"Ah! A wise request. Very well, let me see..." Loki considered a moment. "It is magnificent. A steel rod sheathed in softest velvet, an enormous staff that would rival any stallion's. Shall I tell you how it feels inside me?" Loki was also still breathing rapidly, but he caught Tony's eye and Tony suddenly realized he was about to be treated to Loki's version of making amends for his earlier dismissiveness. Tony nodded, and Loki lazily stretched out beside him, taking his hand and rubbing little circles into the palm as he spoke in a low voice, a sinful rumble under the soft tone.

"If I were bound and thrown into the ocean, left to sink lower and lower into that dark and cloying sea, I should feel no less exhilaration at being brought to the surface, to once again breathe good clean air, than I do when you enter me." He sidled closer to Tony. "When you breach my nether entrance, you force me open, stretching me until I fear I'll be torn apart, but just when I am sure I can take no more, you sink in to the hilt and I'm filled, made whole, as when a carpenter fits pin in joint.

"I feel you, every inch, from the moment you slide into me; I relish every long, deep thrust, I revel every time the smooth leaking head strikes my most hidden knot of pleasure, making me thrash and moan under you like a cheap whore. Only, for me, the bliss is real.

"I feel so proud when, again and again, your seed spurts into me—thick creamy strands that wash my insides with your essence—knowing that it was I who brought them forth. It is then I feel myself made fast to you, anchored like a boat adrift too long. And when the heat rises, when the jolts of pleasure travel to the tips of my fingers and inflame my very core, I spill for you, releasing my adoration onto my flesh and yours alike, dreading to feel your still-hard manhood drawn out of me, leaving my body empty, bereft. What surcease do I have at that moment? Only one. I can only cling to the hope that... there will soon be a next time."

They were both quiet for a moment, and then Loki turned to face Tony, looking a little discomfited. "Uh... Well! I've never said such things to anyone before in my life. But, I've never meant them before, either, so... Ahem. I'm sorry I spoke so carelessly earlier, Tony. I love you." He returned to his place curled up against Tony's side. Tony pulled him close, letting the warmth of Loki's spoken thoughts spread through him as he went over his words again.

Damn, he wished he had that Viagra.