Disclaimer: i do not own anything disney owns. the only marvel thing in my house are a few comics.

chapter un-betad
so if you see big mistakes feel free to poke me, after i had my nap.

Hawkeye's attention started drifting roughly five minutes after S.H.I.E.L.D's central alarm went off. Loki had "mysteriously" managed to bypass their security measures, broken out of his cell and made a run for it. Agent Hill had immediately dispatched the nearest patrol of footmen to collect their dangerous fugitive. Fury, well, Fury did justice to his name, he looked ready to explode any second now. In fact the only reason Clint was paying fifteen percent attention was to see that inevitable blast, curious if it would leave a crater in the hellicarrier.

Naturally Loki had managed to escape, an event that didn't manage to surprise most. That he did it by diving in New york harbour was something else though. Hawkeye wondered if the crazy bastard had some unknown fetish for gross, slimy areas. First the freaking homeless pity party followed by sewage drains, and now the water? Tony had a serious problem if this was going to continue, just imagine the mess they would leave in the communal areas alone and...

Please, please stop imagining this brain.

Fury and Steve where knees deep discussing Loki's freedom, so far neither of them felt like giving up. Bob was wisely staying clear of the argument, knowing it was futile to try and step in between those two the moment Fury and Steve began. Instead the elder man was looking over the shoulder of a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who was sneakily watching a TV show. Clint, bored as he was, stepped closer to listen in watching alongside Bob who was grinning like a loon when the next guest appeared. It was bound to be more interesting then Fury's and Steve's inevitable divorce anyway.

Sometimes life held great rewards for those that let their attention drift elsewhere.

And boy, was he lucky today.

On screen a tall, skinny man sat down in one of the available chairs. He was wearing clothing that was obviously a size to large, and he recently had a good shave which made it harder to reconise him. Soon however, Clint, was mimicking Bob's facial expression when he recognised one of the people they rescued from the sewers.

A picture perfect woman, in a stylish grey pants suit started his introduction for the audience. "Today we have several guests whose tragic lives almost ended prematurely. However the camaraderie and friendships they shared saved them all."

She then turned to her timid guest and sat down on the chair next to him. "Jack." They exchanged a friendly handshake, Jack clearly nervous but trying his best to keep calm in front of the camera's. "I'm happy to meet you."

Jack straightened his slouched shoulders, placed his hand in his lap and turned his head. "Likewise happy to be here Renne Michaels ." It was evident that he wasn't at all comfortable with his current position. However he had tried to dress-up and calm down for his TV appearance.

Softly Rachelle placed a hand on Jack's shoulder and gave him a comforting, sympathetic squeeze. "Now I know it isn't easy, but are you willing to share your incredible tale with us."

"Yeh. I.i..i mean yes Renne" Muttered the star-struck lad.

The show host kindly handed him a glass of water, which Jack gratefully took with a thankful nod. She cast a glance towards the audience , grabbing their attention. "There are tissues under your seats, I know I needed them when i heard Jack's story. So don't hesitate if you need to dry a tear." Her attention went back to the man in question as soon as the glass was empty. "Take your time dear, please start at the beginning."

With a loud pained sigh, Jack, turned his head to face the audience and started his tale. "I've been homeless for years, kinda making my way on the street. Other people looking down on ya, tried looking fer a job once but...yeah. Nobody wants us. We end up taking care of each other, even going as far to build something close to a normal community from the scraps you lot leave. I'm sure even now most of ye want to get rid of them places!"

Visibly shaking with held back anger. "Sorry... It still gets to me, moved too much around. Trading one improvised tent for the other. You lot don't know what dem stares ya give us do, or what cleaning-up a neighbourhood does to the shacks we call home. Normal peeps forget that we're human as well."

At this point Bruce joined in, cleary having enough of the toxic atmosphere." Wait is that..."

Clint gave him a careful shove. "Shhhh" Hawkeye whispered. "I wanna know what Tony's up to, this is definitely his doing. And yeah it is one of those guys from the sewer."

Both of them tuned out Fury, in favour to watch the show unfold.

"As always we get people from all kind of places." Jack told, fully emerged in his story." Nd Locke was no different. Em was brought in by Bob, who was sorts of our unofficial mayor. The guy was in a bad way you know, beaten up and thrown around, this nasty wound on his shoulder. Dude had a fever burning so alf of what em said made no sense." Jack looked solemn now, remembering how the homeless where treated. Each of them had been in Locke's position before. "If em didn't receive some elp soon he would have died on the street. Ain't no passer-by or doctor, going to help em. We try to take care of our Own since ya'll don't really care if there's one less of us..." Jack stopped to catch his breath, telling his story had visibly shaken the poor guy. Cameras surveyed the public. Some were watching with a stoic expression, yet most had a look combined of guilt and sorrow. One gentle looking elderly lady was already using the provided tissues.

Shaking her head Renne stood and walked toward her audience. "This is, sadly a common occurrence, everybody no matter in what country you live, does the same. We all tend to ignore those living on the street, ignoring them, avoiding any eye contact." She re-created a similar situation by turning away from the camera that followed her movement. "Ask yourself this, why do we as a country help at every international crisis? Why do we as its people donate money to large charities? "Returning to her seat the hostess turned back to face the crowd. "Why do this, if we continue to ignore dire local problems. Everybody deserves to have a roof above their heads, and basic healthcare. Especially those that society tends to forget." After providing a moment for Jack to take a breather, and to captivate her listeners, Renne, sat down again.

Bruce couldn't help but share the same kind of grin as Bob and Clint. "Oh this is good."

"What is good?" Asked Natasha giving him a stern judging look." I expected better of you Dr. Banner."

Bruce shifted his feet, the Black Widow's cold stare still managed to make him feel uncomfortable. That and the way she always managed to quietly sneak up on him. "Wait...just. Just watch this you'll understand."

"I wish we had popcorn." Noted Hawkeye giving a cheesy wink.

Natasha peered at the screen for a few seconds before relaxing her stance. "You're right, this is going to be good."

"My friends, some of em just started disappearing you know? And not in any normal way, none of em found luck elsewhere. Mad Cecil went to the cops but of course nobody believed her. And she ain't mad, not really, it's just a name. Like Locke was your Highness. "Jack looked at his shoes, unable to face the audience in the room. The homeless man's face was as pale as the moon, upset about what he, and others, went through. "A few days layer i woke up, still a bit drunk but not too much. Heard this freaky sound, like an animal snuffin around or something. Thought t'was just a dog but... .but."

"It...it."Stuttered Jack in a cracked voice. "T'was this ugly thing, saw it when i got out to help Daniels when em screaming something.. One of these...these things must ave hit me, cause it went all black." The poor man broke out in pained choked sobs. Reliving the story provided to be too much of an emotional experience.

Fury's voice boomed through the whole room. "WHAT!" Quickly making his way to where everyone was focussed at a screen. His brisk walk got him there with a few angered steps. "What, do you think is going on here. Is this some joke to you all? Because i am not laughing."

"Well,sir." Deadpanned Clint. "This is a very serious matter. I advise you to pay attention."

Bruce and Natasha gave a soft amused chuckle, as they cleared the way for Director Fury. The two of them had a fairly good idea of what was going to happen, and wanted to watch from a safe distance. Lest fury blow –up in their faces.

As if on cue a camera zoomed in on the Renne again who waved goodbye to her first guest. Jack had left the scene to take a well-deserved time-out, however the show wasn't over yet. She turned her head, tucking a stray hair behind her ear and said. "We'll return after the break, whit our next guest Tony Stark to find out who this mysterious hero is."

Fury's last nerve snapped. "STARK!"

Tony felt giddy, like a little kid who knew he was going to get candy. A triple joy awaited him today. first Loki would arrive on the rooftop, right now he was mentally counting down the seconds. Number two was the newly created armor he build for Loki. Tony hadn't even seen it yet, not had sufficient time to calibrate the perfect settings. Normally when he was in the last weeks of building, he used a more hands on approach to the finishing touch. Impatient as he was, Tony could not wait to get his hands on it. Yet first he had to get intimately re-acquainted with his crazy god again. Cast be damned! Where there is a will, and sufficient wriggling around. There is a way.

Thirdly they both got to majorly piss off Fury. "Jarvis send a text to Bruce, ask him to take a pic of Fury's face. He'll recognise the right moment when it's there." Tony's imagination started to conjure all the funny possibilities, when a familiar noise snapped him back to the present.

Several feet in front of him, Loki, had begun his descent. Jarvis guided the armor slowly down, minimising any instability caused by its inexperienced user. Tony genuinely looked forward to teaching and explaining all its functions in detail. Already he saw a few areas that could be further improved to suit the ex-god's needs. Tony stepped forward the minute Loki's feet touched the ground and the thrusters shut down. With arms wide open and a big smile on his face he greeted his lover. "Your Highness, you've returned!"

The armors facial protection slid open, revealing a face Tony sorely missed. Even with a piece of river muck in his hair, unkempt scruffy beginnings of a beard and bags under his eyes. Tony still found Loki utterly captivating. He stepped closer, invading the other man's personal space. "You know, if we trim the beard a bit. This new hobo chic look could suit you."

Instead of an insult or scornful greeting, Loki, just observed him profoundly. Blue eyes studied him from top to bottom, before settling on his injured leg. This uncomfortable silence was unexpected, likewise with the fire burning behind Loki's gaze. Tony rambled on intent on breaking the silence. "Jesus you smell, you'd really profit from a show..."

Suddenly soft, chapped lips covered his own with a before unknown gentleness. Tony felt rough stubble scrape his cheek as Loki applied more pressure behind their dry kiss. All too soon those cold lips left his, making him long for more.

Obeying a sudden impulse, Tony, placed his hands behind Loki's head and drew him back into a passionate yet chaste kiss. Like a starved sailor, he kept on smothering his mad man with small intense kisses all over his face. As much as Tony wanted to carry on and ravage the others mouth and body, he couldn't. Time was already running short. Reluctantly he drew away from the object of his desire.

Loki chuckled softly and placed his forehead against Tony's. "I thought my vile odour was inexcusable, yet you merit me with a kiss."

"Yeah." Breathed the engineer. "It's the epitome of bad breath, but I've tasted worse. Staying on the subject of smell, you have a few minutes to freshen up real fast."

Loki quirked a brow. "I assume this has to do with your ploy. And the reason we are standing on top of a TV-studio." During his way here, Loki, had made sure to be on the look-out for recognisable landmarks. A Large, flashy billboard gave his location away, yet whatever he had expected it wasn't this. Most of the TV shows this company produced where documentaries, human interest stories, talk shows and a few popular series.

Tony stepped back and touched his earpiece."Jarv could you shrink back the Ice Queen?"

Before Loki could questions Anthony's sentence the armor around him slowly crawled to life. Slowly the fragments surrounding him coiled back down, releasing him from their hold. When the mask lifted he could just see the metallic gleam of color settle itself in a more compact, transportable shape. Bending down to touch it with his bare hands, wondering how it would feel against his skin. Loki's thought came back to what the engineer had said.

Eyes narrowed itself in vicious slits, and Loki raised himself back to his full height." Ice Queen ?You gave it the name Ice Queen." He had worn this beautiful structure and Anthony had given it such a despicable childish name. No, even worse, the other man had known and given it this name on purpose. Loki took a menacing step forward just as Tony started to back down. "How dare you soil such a graceful work."

Tony cleared his throat. "In my defence is seemed very appropriate at the time. Plus I was pumped full of various drugs." Loki only appeared to increase his murderous intent, a dark shadow almost looming over him. "Oh, come on! You have to admit it's funny!" The only reply that he got was an agitated huff. "When you get back home I'm forcing you to watch Frozen, or the Chronicles of Narnia. There are plenty of films with ice queens in them and all of them have similarities with you."

"I shall not suffer those dreadful films you mentioned, but I shall forgive you." Said Loki, with a cruel knowing smile. Forgive but not forget. There would be an occasion soon enough presenting him with the perfect opportunity for revenge. "If, and only if you let me choose a worthy name."

Rolling his eyes at Loki's dramatics Tony answered him. "I was going to let you pick a new name anyway." No, I wasn't. Tony, hard headed as he was, had full intent on using the new nickname on various inappropriate moments. Preferably when the team was there, or Pepper, or during certain occasions in the bedroom. Because damn, Loki was hot when angry. Already he could feel the blood rushing south. " How does Mischief maker sound?"

"Excuse me sirs?" Called a mousy voice behind them. " I… euhm. Mr stark they need you in the studio. Mr Ladislav would you be so kind to follow me, there is a change of clothing waiting for you."

Turning around loki way downstairs, following the petite brunette girl who did an internship here. Anthony had taken an elevator elsewhere, urged on by a frantic young man who continuously checked for time. Loki was positive he heard muffled applause in the distance accompanied by familiar rock music. Slowly Stark's plan started to make sense, and Loki couldn't wipe out the grin off his face if his life depended on it. Even with the earlier insult, he couldn't do anything but appreciate the fact that Anthony had found a rather creative way to keep him out of harms way.

"Tell me miss Laetitia, when do i go on?" Loki asked kindly but with a false smile on his face. Keeping up appearances was important right now. After all if he was right there was a part to be played.

Leatitia opened one of the many nondescript grey doors in the hall before flipping a few pags in her schedule. "Mr Stark just went on, that gives us about..." Holding the door open left her with one free hand to unlock her phone and check the time. " fourteen minutes until you go on Sir Ladislav. I've already prepared everything you need, including something to drink and eat. However I'm afraid i have to ask you to make haste. Again I'm sorry sir, we're just really short on time. This morning's show had so many unexpected changes however I'm..."

Loki cut her off before she gave him a long, frustrated speech about the inner working of the company. "Thank you for your services Laetitia. Now as you've made clear i need to use my time productively." With a soft click the door closed between him and his unneeded Temporary personal assistant.

Grateful to have a moment of silence and peace, Loki, surveyed the room. It was a small all-purpose chamber, including toilet, washing basin and a small platter of assorted food and beverages. A clean dark blue suit was prepared for him, clearly an upgrade from his current state of dress. As promised everything Loki needed to freshen-up real fast.

Picking up a fresh washcloth and shaving cream he went to work. A sharp razor provided a swift shave of his face. aggravated that he could not spend more time , Loki, rinsed his face and looked in the mirror. Already he looked less like a drowned cat and more like a human being. He was even becoming used to the familiar blond stranger starring back at him.

Foregoing to brush his teeth in favour of some food Loki reached for one of the sandwiches. After days of tasteless gruel that was undoubtly pumped full of vitamins, antibiotics and other supplements to him healthy. Loki was keen for a tad more wholesome sustenance. Unceremoniously he broke off half and stuffed it in his mouth. His stomach was grateful for it, even if it didn't have the desired quality.

While chewing his food he swiftly got undressed, throwing the shirt and slacks he was wearing in a near plastic garbage can. The fabric of the suit felt crisp and clean against his skin, yet he would have loved the tie for a good long shower. Closing his tie he reached for a bottle of water, however before he could adequately quench his thirst someone knocked on the door.

"Sir we need to go now. Sorry but it looks like Mr Stark is ending earlier than expected." Leatitia open the door for him appearing sincerely apologetic. "Bring the bottle with you, you'll have a few seconds if you're lucky."

Loki managed to down half the bottle in the elevator. Loud noise and bright lights hit his eyes when the elevator doors opened. It took a while for his eyesight to adjust to the change, but he heard the voices loud and clear.

"And now we welcome our next guest. A homeless man turned hero, all to save the friends that helped him in a time of great need."

Loki stepped forward, entering Antony's war-zone.

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