disclaimer: i do not own marvel
Chapter 24
Loki sat motionless under observant eyes that looked at the ex-god with unspoken questions, waiting for him to offer them a valid explanation. Dr. Banner's eyes were the clearest, giving him their full attention, ready to listen to his tale. The Captain's blue eyes still held mild confusion and although they looked friendly now, Loki knew that they could switch to strict in a heartbeat. And then there was Thor, who already knew the tale and pretended to listen, stuffing something into his mouth all the while, probably so he would say nothing during this conversation. That is, if he were smart enough to stay silent. Anthony's eyes though…Anthony's eyes filled him with doubt regarding what he should tell them. For though he knew he could weave a tale, a story so grand and unbelievable that it could be nothing but true, the brown-haired engineer would see straight through his words, aware of the obvious lie.
If he felt daring, he could let the truth spill from between his lips. Shocking honesty could feel so good at the right time. However, he would end up bound in shackles, locked away in whatever dark wretched place they could find. It was not exactly an event he anticipated with any amount of joy. There was always the grey area that lay between the two, the careful combination of fiction and honesty, enough to satisfy initial worries, but still have room for him to breathe. He had questions of his own, all of them directed at the troublesome genius. Loki decided that he would break this devastating silence by speaking first.
"I think you've all come to the conclusion, like my friend at the hospital, that I…have met with these creatures before." Deliberately, he left a few seconds of silence between his words. Dramatic tension could be useful when telling a story, one that was more or less his. It could indicate stress, reluctance, hesitation – any number of human emotions could be implied in a single, pregnant pause. A good storyteller would let the audience decide.
"They had an energy source, one that could bind the will of a normal man and make them no more than puppets." As expected, Steve nodded in agreement, while the easily angered scientist listened curiously beside Anthony. He continued, "For others, persons holding certain power or strength of will, it was harder. It held a different effect on every individual and on us?" Loki sighed and let his eyes roam the room, finally settling on familiar brown orbs. "Take, for example, Anthony. Let us say that they had him under their spell. Now, he's already a pervert."
"Hey! I take offence to that," Tony huffed. "I'm not a pervert." His colleagues all gave him a look and he shrugged. "Okay, maybe I am, but what does that have to do with this explanation?"
Bruce chuckled at Tony's indignation. "Just let the man finish, Tony," he said softly, making the engineer roll his eyes and sigh in reluctant compliance.
"So, as I was saying," Loki continued, again, giving Anthony a cold glare for trying to interrupt his moment. "Anthony Stark is a pervert. In all probability, the energy source would turn him into a notorious sex offender." Loki pointed at the men around him. "Even you would not be safe from his advances." The man in question even had the gall to plain out laugh at this. Idiot.
"And on me?" Loki shifted uncomfortably. "Let us just say I had a great many conflicting emotions at the time they found me. I am not really willing to say more on this subject; I sincerely hope you can respect this. Suffice it to say, my homeless state, sickness, and wounds were a direct result of its ending." He signalled the ending of this part by simply leaning against the back of his chair.
The good captain still looked perplexed. "What about your powers? Why did you not let us know?" asked Rogers. It was obvious that he could not comprehend this part of the tale.
"To be honest, I thought them drained. And I was happy for that." Loki noted the surprise in their eyes at his words; only Banner seemed to truly understand the meaning in his words. "Anthony could not have known. Only today did he discover first-hand my true appearance."
"Can you show us?" asked Steve Rogers, his voice more understanding than before.
Loki shook his head. "I cannot. It is gone now. I have only an idea of what caused it to return."
Bruce had to ask, sensing some similarities in how Tony's assistant felt about this mutated form. "Anger?"
The ex-god shook his head in denial, a small mocking laugh escaping him. Thor was watching him closely again, a childlike curiosity bright in his eyes. "No, I merely wished to protect my friend."
The Asgardian warrior could not help but smile; for him, this was joyous news. Not only had Loki referred to the human as a friend, he had admitted to wanting to protect this human. "This is most joyous news!" declared Thor in a sudden outburst. He looked surprised at his own words.
"How dare you call it joyous!" snapped Loki, easily angered by Thor's words. "I despise that loathsome form!" He felt himself growing more angry until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned, ready to relieve the hand from its owner, only to find himself staring into troubled brown eyes.
Tony hoped he avoided whatever was brewing between Thor and his adopted brother. "Now, now. I think the big guy here meant it well. Bob is safe because of you; you can't tell me you're not happy about this result."
Loki's blue eyes widened. He was surprised by the different feelings caused by that one hand touching him, especially accompanied by that voice. Once again, he felt…insecure? Humans were such pitiful creatures, really; it was annoying to be constantly bombarded with such things. He felt comfort from that hand, enough to calm the flare of anger he felt. For a moment, looking into Anthony's concerned face, Loki could not form any words to refute his comment.
"My apologies, Locke," offered Thor, "I did not mean to upset you." He could see now a real change in the man who was once his brother. Yet he was not fond of this sudden closeness between Loki and the Man of Iron. It was strange to not see Loki reject a stranger's touch, let alone the touch from a man he once fought so violently.
"Okay," said Tony loudly, standing up and grabbing the attention of everyone in the room. With a big smile on his face, he drew the conversation to a close. "Now that this is over, let's get this man to bed. He needs his beauty sleep; I don't want a cranky assistant in the morning."
Loki scowled up at the engineer. "Stark," he growled. "You try my patience. How would you know how I feel right now?" How dare this foolish man keep deciding what he should or should not do. Even if he was tired and longing for his bed, the idiot had no right.
"You're sleepy, Highness, don't butt in," Tony retorted, hand still on his shoulder.
Steve stood awkwardly, not entirely sure what to do with himself. He felt uncomfortable, like he was intruding on something…intimate. He knew Tony treated every person the same - too many touches, too many flirtatious remarks – but this seemed different somehow. Things could go very wrong here if Locke accidently misread these mixed signals. Perhaps Tony didn't even realize he had these feelings, though in hindsight, Steve had to admit the bickering between the two could be viewed as something more. "Tony, are you?" He didn't even know how to end the question.
"Yes, yes, I am. Now, go. Time for all good little Avengers to be off to bed," Tony spoke, while waving at his friends with his free hand. Looking down, he squeezed Loki's shoulder gently. "And that goes for you too, Locke. I don't want to see you here when I get back for a drink."
Bruce just nodded and left. It was quite obvious to him what was going on here. He just hoped his friend and lab partner would be more careful or smart this time. Not that he held any doubt about the man's intelligence, but using Tony Stark and careful in the same sentence was rather contradictory.
Steve gave up as well. There was no stopping Tony when he put his mind to something and he clearly wanted his assistant to get well-deserved rest after today's events. The good Captain did hope, however, that the man would be willing to share more of his story in the future.
"Wait." Loki spoke up before everybody left. "There are more, or there used to be more, people there. It wasn't just me and Bob."
Pushing his glasses up, Bruce replied. "You think the Chitauri have them."
"This is my assumption, Dr. Banner, yes." Loki nodded toward the doctor. "I want in on the search. I made a promise to the old man that I would help look for them. It is a promise I fully intend on keeping." Loki could feel Thor's stare at his back. He hoped those wretched blue eyes would pop out, just so he could "accidently" step on them.
When Rogers spoke, it was less Steve and far more Captain America. "All right," he said. "But in return, you help us. You've lived with them, or near them, that much is clear. I need every speck of Intel that can assist us now." His tone of voice permitted no leeway in this.
The ex-god considered the proposition, the delicate balance of risks he was taking by giving advice to an entire team of adversaries. They were great and many - everything could go wrong and he would find himself mired in complete and utter disaster - but the gain? He could learn. Who knew what knowledge he could attain during this endeavour? He felt compelled to say yes, so he gave the blond man a nod. "Agreed, Captain Rogers."
At this, the man in question smiled and extended a hand to seal the deal. "Okay, Locke, you've made yourself another promise. Goodnight." Steve joined Bruce at the elevator, who was already waiting with Thor. The latter of the three looked rather uncomfortable stepping into the confines of the elevator, his eyes flickering toward Loki and Anthony before the doors closed.
Tony worked to unclench his jaw and relieve the tension the day had brought. "That's a lot of promises you made there, Loki. Think you can keep them?" he asked, knowing both of them were finally alone, at least, for the time being. It was a risky question, but one that he had to ask. His teammates would certainly ask a lot from the man before him, perhaps things that the ex-god would not be able answer without revealing himself. The engineer had to be sure that Loki truly wanted this.
After more than a full month of absence, Loki's true name on another's lips sounded strange, foreign. "I have always kept my promises, Stark. Even if this is hard to believe for the likes of you," hissed the tall blond, affronted by this accusation directed at him. "I merely worked around them when it suited me." Loki took note of the sigh that escaped from the shorter brown-haired man, the eyebrows betraying a tiny hint of the underlying emotion. He was surprised by what he saw. "You are worried for me."
"Hell yes. I am worried about what they will ask," Tony sighed. "I am worried about what you need to tell them." He paused, a frown displaying the unpleasant thoughts coursing through his mind. "I am worried they will find out about you."
The moment of silence that followed was heavy and thick with emotion. It was almost tangible, close by but just beyond Loki's comprehension. The ex-god inhaled deeply with the thought that perhaps he could taste a sample then he could identify this thing surrounding him, making him grow fretful. It was almost enough to make him forget the question that lay heaviest on his mind, the one that left him amazed.
"Why did you not tell them?" It was almost a whisper. Yet another question lay unspoken, only visible behind the blue sheen of his eyes. Why did you stay?
The line of Tony's worrisome frown faded as he peered deeply into cold, interrogating blue eyes. No, not cold and icy at all - those cerulean eyes held warmth as well. Tony wondered if Loki knew what emotions his eyes portrayed: warmth, uncertainty, and a hesitant hint of fear. It wasn't the kind of fear that comes from other people, events, or the monsters hidden in the closet, but the fright of the terrible unknown.
Tony couldn't look away. "I didn't want to tell them." Those unrelenting beautiful eyes stared back at him. He knew Loki was not fully satisfied with the given answer, that he craved more words and sentences, further explanation. "I don't want you to leave."
Me...I don't want you to leave me.
Tony Stark stepped closer to the tall, blond ex-god and pulled him to his feet. He was unfaltering and steady as he spoke, staring into the tumultuous storm of those eyes. "Look, you're not deaf, Loki. You heard my words back there and I really meant them."
The air seemed to crack and sizzle between them as Loki held their shared gaze. "Then you truly are a fool, as I previously inferred." He paused, placing his long, elegant index finger under the bearded chin of the engineer. Raising the head of its owner without much force, Loki almost purred the rest. "Tell me, Anthony, how did you come by your knowledge?"
Tony's mind went hazy with desire in that moment. Back was that wickedly smooth, alluring voice, whispering to him, tempting him to speak, to act, to reach out and trace the lips from which that melodious sound flowed. Oh, how he had wanted to speak and say what was lying heavy and heated on his mind. Now he could. He would talk and any repercussions initiated could only be welcomed with open arms. "Remember a few days ago, when you were so incredibly horny?"
"I've tried not to, Stark." But you make it so very difficult.
"If you need to, I'm more than willing to re-enact the whole scene. It might trigger that ancient memory of yours," replied Tony with a smirk, one that held a delicious promise of wanton, heated touches. "Rock of ages."
"There is nothing wrong with my memory; all visceral functions are working perfectly." Loki's finger slid slowly over the bearded chin, accompanied by its brothers. He held Anthony's face steady between his thumb and fingers. His grip was sufficient, maybe even menacing if seen from a distance, but for the one in its grasp, it was nothing short of enticing. "Make your point, Anthony."
"Well, I remember a similar mood to this one, although more alcohol was involved. Which reminds me - would you care for a drink?" Tony was deliberately stalling his answer, if only because he could.
"I might take a sip or a bite of something, if I'm sufficiently pleased with your answer," murmured the tall, blond assistant, licking his lips at the mention of tasting something with body temperature. He was currently enjoying this foreplay, this smouldering tug of war. It lacked the anger, annoyance, or other particularly disturbing feelings their earlier discussions held. Instead, it was laced with a strong desire to possess the other man who was oh so obviously willing. And if this was meant to be a war, then Loki would conquer and savour his well-earned spoils.
If Tony leant any further forward now, their bodies would touch. Delaying was torture, a sweet, merciless torture of anticipation that he underwent willingly. "Afterwards, you were spent, panting and tired. So very tired, Loki, that you carelessly spilled words. How unlike you." He returned the teasing with a daring undertone, his hands itching to feel the warm body in front of him. Tony laid a finger on Loki's chest, feeling it rise and sink deeply with each breath. "I swear, you're so clingy too, I couldn't get you off me even if I had wanted." With agonizing slowness, he ran his finger down the dress shirt, pulling each button from its place. Tony wished he were able burn Loki's skin, hoped that his near impossible desire would seep through his touch. "I bet you even forgot that I never apologized."
The ex-god internally cursed his attire when Anthony's finger lingered on the last button of his shirt, toying with it playfully, as if he didn't have a care in the world. Loki wanted his curiosity sated and impatience was starting to overcome him. The thought of ending this charade and pushing Stark against the wall to have his way with him started to seem like a rather tasty option. "You owe me an apology. If it was not for your moronic act of drinking and driving, I would have fared better than now."
Loki's hand moved, tracing the curve of his neck, making Tony shiver in delight. Still, the engineer found the will to talk back. "You owe me an apology for throwing me out the window."
Loki found the vague memory stored deeply in the back of his mind. "Defenestration," Tony heard the the tall blond rumble, breath heavy in the spell of lust.
Tony's hardened length twitched. He'd done nothing and already his arousal was so spiked up. Never in his life had Tony imagined conversations to be laced and dipped in sex like this one. It was vocal foreplay, bringing them both to the edge. "Fuck, you sound like sex personified."
"Hmmmm." Loki's hands began moving on automatic now, tracing the sides of the muscular frame belonging to that annoying, but delicious genius. "I was once a god."
The engineer saw a smirk spreading on Loki's face and for Tony, this only added to his aroused state of mind. That look heightened the pleasure he was already feeling as those cold hands started to roam his body in hunger. And that voice! That voice should be forbidden and called a sin. The brown-haired engineer lost himself when the other man's hands found the bulge in his pants, cupping it and adding antagonizing pressure. He cried out loudly, intense ecstasy filling the moan that now escaped him.
Tony fell further as an equally hungry set of lips covered his, drawing him into a demanding kiss of skillful tongue play, one he returned instantly with the same kind of crazed intensity. Hands rubbed down hard on his crotch, roughly stroking him through the fabric of his pants. Tony still held the last button of Loki's dress shirt in his hands, long ago torn from the offending clothing. He pulled the article out of Loki's pants, where it had been previously tucked, all but ripping it open. He had to have his hands on that alabaster chest with immediate urgency. Somehow, between his embarrassing moans and Loki's low, feral rumble, Tony managed to suggest moving to the nearest bedroom. Thankfully, that was his own. It would at least save them from stopping for the sake of finding lube.
Neither of them could make the short travel unscathed. The button Stark had held in his hand had fallen on the floor, followed by the rest of Loki's dress shirt and the Iron Maiden t-shirt worn by the genius billionaire. The ex-god had pinned the other man against the door frame, lips still locked in hot, sloppy kisses complete with torturous licks from an agile tongue. The short brown-haired man tried to open the door, but was severely distracted by the firm touches of long, slender fingers fumbling with the engineer's belt.
The door finally opened and Loki all but pushed Anthony inside, eager to take root on the bed and explore every cavern and hidden crook of the writhing body in front of him. He slammed the door shut behind them, lifting his blazing eyes toward the lust-consumed engineer who stumbled backwards, the hollow of his knees hitting the bed. Loki hated the short moment in which his hands stopped roaming the other's skin, but granted, the sight before him was worth it. He could finally really look at the engineer who had let himself fall back on the dark crimson bed-sheets.
Brown eyes, heavy and lined with deep, all-consuming want, stared at him, a cocky smile blossoming on Anthony's face as he bit his bruised bottom lip. The engineer knew what Loki wanted, what they both wanted, and was planning on having it. Not that Loki could refuse any longer, not with this deep need nestled inside of him. He watched as the shorter man undid the metal clasp of his black leather belt and raised his hips to remove those bothersome, restricting black pants. At this point, the ex-god wasn't even remotely surprised that he found the man on the bed utterly gorgeous.
Tony watched as Loki's tongue slipped out of his mouth, licking his lips as if viewing a tasty meal. And then, seemingly in the blink of an eye, the tall man was there, standing over him at the bed's edge. Cold hands aided Tony in tugging off his pants, slithering back up again to successfully lower his shorts, leaving Tony fully naked on the bed. Smooth velvet kisses traced his inner thigh as a hand teasingly slid from his knee toward his erect member. It killed the engineer to feel those palms so tauntingly near his aching member only to move past it and climb their way up his sides. He voiced his displeasure with a groan.
The engineer felt Loki smirk at his impatience, only to be rewarded by a sudden, wet, hot, and very real mouth closing around his member. He could feel his eyes roll back as the ex-god took him in, twisting a skillful tongue that was sure to send his soul to hell. One hard suck before those luscious lips left him was all he got.
"Now that I've had a sip, it's time to move to the main course, don't you think, Anthony?" His voice was dark and deep with the desire he felt. His mouth was currently trailing upward, across the muscular frame of the engineer. He wanted, needed to taste more of this strange man. Long slender fingers strayed between the dark-brown curls surrounding Stark's erection, finding playful enjoyment as the man in question gasped for air and rocked his hips under his nimble touch.
That teasing thumb and those quick fingers knew when to stop and go, thought Tony as he bucked upward again. Those rapid, speeding strokes were nothing short of devastatingly magical. If he didn't know better, he'd say they were exactly that. The ex-god brought him to the brink, only to make him suffer at the last moment. "Shit...you..." He really wanted to speak, but as Loki's hand twisted and slid over his oh-so-sensitive head, only a frantic moan escaped him. Fierce, haunting lips hovering over his captured and muted the sound.
The engineer's arms snaked around Loki, drawing the man closer to him. Somehow, in-between the hungry twists of tongue and teeth, Tony managed to speak, although it was more of a demanding growl than an actual sentence. "Get out of those pants. Now."
The ex-god merely smirked against his lips. "I'd like to see you try, Stark." As much as he wanted to explore, taste, touch, and take absolute delight with Anthony's nude body, a part of him also longed for the other to be more active in his participation. Anthony had never, as of yet, passed on a dare.
Loki was not disappointed when the arms around his back moved, holding him tight as the engineer put his weight against him, flipping them around on the bed. Those brown eyes held lusty promise and determination at this dare and there was no denying the fact that the engineer's body looked fantastically carnal from this perspective. "I might even let you stay on top if you play nice, Anthony," Loki murmured seductively before rolling his hips, grinding his still covered erection against the other.
"Nnnngh… screw nice." Tony managed to grab the hand that was reaching out to stroke his nether regions again. He pinned it down successfully, although probably not for long if Loki's grin was anything to go by. The genius swore that he'd never undone a pair of pants faster in his life than now, let alone the pants of another man. Impatient as he was, Loki's underwear was pulled down at the same time, finally freeing the man's lively and erect member of its suffocating clutch.
It was very hard for Tony not to lick his lips at the sight. But before the brown-haired engineer went any further, he scooted over, reaching to his night stand for the lube. On his return, Tony felt adept fingers curl around his penis, setting an anguishing, slow, and relentless pace. He wasn't going to last long if Loki kept at his agile playing. "Fuck, Loki, I can't last like this," he panted. "Either fuck me now or I'll pound you into this mattress myself."
"Tsk, tsk. Such harsh words, Anthony," replied the tall and now very naked ex-god, watching his lover through his heated gaze. "A shame I can't do anything right now. I find myself rather occupied at the moment." He brought extra force to his statement by adding some extra pressure to his strokes. "But you're welcome to lend yourself a hand, Anthony."
I'm sleeping with the devil. Tony bit back a moan and added a sufficient amount of lube to his fingers and reached back. It was a strange, unknown sensation, to be doing such a thing to himself. At least he got to set his own pace now. Tony was not doing this unprepared again, lest he walk crooked for days. As the first finger settled in, stretching and relaxing the tight ring of muscle, he found himself in need of going faster, further, anything to get him opened and ready. The devil he straddled showed him no mercy, gradually bringing him closer before slowing the speed of his cruel caress.
Loki stopped breathing and his heart skipped a beat when Anthony suddenly impaled himself on his throbbing length in one swift movement. He gasped for air, stopping every motion his body made. Both the ex-god and the engineer reveled in this feeling, eyes locked with each other and mouths parted in silent moans. Softly, Loki bucked his hips upward, encouraging the shorter man to continue.
No further encouragement was needed for Tony than the look of sheer pleasure and abandonment on Loki's face. The wild emotions he saw in those deep blue eyes were enough to keep going, to make that sinful, devious man moan for more as Tony rode him into further oblivion. Soon enough, he found a comfortable pace and began to thoroughly appreciate this position. No wonder women liked to be on top if this was the view, as the genius noted what he saw.
Tony's eyes roamed over Loki, the ever-unrelenting, cold-looking god who had become what was laying underneath his hips - a gorgeous man whose hands held his hips firmly, whose whole body and expression exuded the pleasure he was feeling. A real, touchable person, one who had lost himself in the moment, uncaring of the exquisite noises he was making. He was the image of sexual pleasure and divinity, more godlike now than ever before.
Loki's eyelids were half-closed in intoxicating bliss as Anthony enthusiastically rode his cock. For a change, it did not feel awkward or misguided to give up a fraction of control. He dug his nails into the engineer's sides and thrust upward, making the sweat-covered man cry out in pleasure. "Well, that certainly hit the spot," breathed Loki with a grin, voice heavy with lust. Panting, he met the other man with each move, thrusting deep and slow to stimulate that sweet spot nestled inside.
Dear God. The brown-haired genius knew he could not last like this and whatever control he had on top was fading rapidly. That feeling of being full suffused Tony and the piercing assault on his ass left him with white spots dancing in the corners of his eyes. No part of him could carry on moving on like this. "Loki," he gasped, calling out the other's name, his real name. No vocal answer came, but the blue-eyed man looked up at him with a smile on his face. "I can't…" Tony whispered. "Fuck me, Loki." He growled, "Take me."
It did not need to be said twice. The aroused ex-god rose from his position, his member still seated deep inside the other man, and leant forward, giving Anthony the chance to wrap his legs around him. Half-cradling the engineer in this new position, he went to business. People who asked to be taken always got what they bargained for, perhaps even more. The set pace rose in velocity: it was ruthless now, burning, fast, and impossibly hard.
Teeth scraped the skin of the engineer's neck, once again marking him. Loki moaned loudly as he thrust again and again, a sound so melodious that it could be easily be one of the most beautiful things Tony had ever heard. Neither of them could last for much longer. Tony was the first to go, right after a piercing hit to his prostate and a simultaneous bite on his shoulder. His cries made Loki lose himself shortly after, shooting his white load straight into the engineer. Slowly, they rocked, riding out their orgasms; Loki even let his forehead rest on Anthony's shoulder in fatigue.
Tony was the first to speak. "Dear God, you've ruined me. I don't think it's humanly possible to have better sex than this." His vision was still slightly blurred from the intensity of his orgasm while his heart raced.
Finally able to fill his lungs with cool air, the ex-god answered, mind still fuzzy from release. "I do hope that is a challenge." He planted a kiss on the warm sweat-covered skin of the other man, tasting the salty evidence of their exhausting pastime.
Loki sunk down onto the soft bed sheets, taking a surprised Tony with him. "That definitely is a challenge." Once again the ex-god proved to be weary and longing for rest. This time, Tony hoped he'd remember every spoken word. The genius rolled over and reached to grab a handful of tissues to clean the seed he spilled over the tall man's chest. "Stay here," he whispered, "I need a quick shower."
When Tony came out of the bathroom, Loki still lingered, eyes closed and lost in dreams.
Ok my second time writing a sex scene was easier than the first. *Phew*
Thank you guys for reading, following and favoriting my story.
Feel free to leave a review since they feed my hungry hungry soul.
Last but not least thanks goes out to my beta xenia007 and swordmisstress