I can't believe we're in December already! Time flies, peeps! Anyway, here's a chapter as an early Christmas present!
PREVIOUSLY ON ASAF: Loki attempted to follow the rapid-fire prattle of Tony's arguments, but without the visual aid of the files Tony referred to he quickly lost all sense of the subject matter. The fact that the world had started to spin did not help. Loki gave it up as a lost cause and shimmied down the bed to lay down and get back under the covers. Tony was too close to the edge of the bed to be able to keep his physical connection to him, and Loki was mourning the loss, but he wasn't shameless and desperate enough to crawl over and plaster himself against his soulmate's skin with the Deputy Director there.
The bed's apparent swaying and pitching made his stomach roil, and the sound of voices increased and decreased with the rhythm of his heartbeat. Despite all this, Loki's mind drifted off into a fitful sleep.
CHAPTER 42
In the span of only an hour, Tony discovered more about Phil's personality than he'd had in the years they'd – vaguely and infrequently – interacted. Tony realised that Phil was a lot more hot-headed than he thought, and a lot less goody-two-shoes and faithful-minion-of-Fury, as the increasing amount of imaginative curses aimed at Fury showed. Really, Fury himself would be impressed.
There had also been long moments of silence when Phil had been reading the files Tony found most questionable or damning. Well, there had been silence only after the first ten or so. After Phil was done being outraged about the hacking, and about getting a peek at files above his clearance level – and the knowledge that Tony had seen them too. As if Tony wasn't trustworthy. Tss.
Tony had always thought an organisation like S.H.I.E.L.D. could only be iffy at best. Discovering it was much worse than that was… unpleasant. Sure. But it wasn't exactly shocking. For Phil though, who had worked his arse off for S.H.I.E.L.D., and literally died for it, well. This must rank as one of the worst days of his life, probably.
Maybe Tony shouldn't have shoved the tablet full of secrets in Phil's face without the proper mental health disclaimers. Something like: I'd really like you to take a look at this for, you know, world safety, but fair warning, it might turn your life upside down. But then when had Tony ever managed to be considerate in the right way? Even if he realised things were a bit not-good, it was usually after he'd already done them…
But hey, Tony wasn't going to apologise for revealing the truth to someone. The truth may hurt, but knowing sure as hell was better than living in blessed ignorance like an idiot. If you don't know what's going on, how on Earth can you act on it to make things better? Besides, that was how S.H.I.E.L.D. worked, right? Having all the knowledge, all the truth, and hiding it from others. Because those with the knowledge are the ones with power, and the ignorant are powerless.
Phil put the tablet down and checked his watch. "I have to go. Got a meeting." He stood up. "Obviously, I'm not telling you to continue this illegal examination of classified information."
"Obviously."
"I really hate how nobody seems to be able to stop you from doing whatever you want."
"I'm Tony Stark. What else can I say?"
They shared a smirk. Phil repressed it quickly. "Yes, I'm very well-acquainted with how you work. You don't understand the concept of law much."
"Ugh, don't say that. It's like you're comparing me with S.H.I.E.L.D."
Phil looked pained, but in a 'it's unfortunate that I know what you mean' way. "I suppose there is no way I can dissuade you from doing this?" Given how he said it, it was clear Phil was torn between wanting to discover what was going on behind the scenes at his workplace, and wanting to pretend he hadn't seen anything.
"As if anyone could, after looking at all that," Tony said and Phil nodded. "Besides, I'm not part of S.H.I.E.L.D., I'm an Avenger. And I'll avenge Earth and its inhabitants, even if that means I have to take on S.H.I.E.L.D."
"As the liaison between the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. I of course can't condone your actions. And I should also… be made aware of your shenanigans."
"Deputy Director, I will send you all relevant information concerning Sir's shenanigans."
"J.A.R.V., we're talking secret organisation hacking shenanigans only, capisce?"
"Of course, Sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. said, but his tone was distinctly mischievous.
"Don't you dare do what I think you intend to do," Tony warned the nearest camera. J.A.R.V.I.S. remained silent, which couldn't mean anything good. To Phil he said, "I know I can't top the position of Deputy Director of an organisation the size of S.H.I.E.L.D., but I can make up a contract for the official Avengers liaison, if ever you're interested in a career change."
"The Avengers don't work for you, Stark."
"And yet I seem to be financing everything about them right now. Might as well make it official. It wouldn't take long to make the Avengers a non-profit organisation of non-military but combat-based global aid. And interstellar too. Though I'm not sure how you can make that official. Maybe having Asgardians sign up will make it intergalactic enough on paper. The only issue is making The Avengers TM an international organisation, I guess. One that isn't bound by red tape… How did S.H.I.E.L.D. manage that?"
"They're a secret organisation?"
"Yeah, not an option, but thanks."
"Stark…"
"Do you think I could actually set up a company on another Realm? Like, if I technically set it up on Asgard but get almighty Odin to sign a non-interference clause?"
"I don't have time for your science fiction gibberish." Phil walked towards the door.
"Hey, it ain't gibberish. I'm the one who makes science fiction reality, remember?"
"Leaving," Phil called after he'd crossed the threshold. The door closed with a sharp click. Rude.
Well, it looked like apart from the digging through humanity's dirty secrets, Tony also had to look into making super-heroing a legitimate job. They couldn't stay somewhat-endorsed-but-technically-vigilantes forever. First though, he needed sleep, like, yesterday. Literally.
He gestured at the tablet he'd thrown onto the foot of the bed. "J.A.R.V., for now you're in charge of, you know. All that."
"Of course, Sir. I am well acquainted with that duty."
"Don't get cheeky with me, young man," Tony said with a wagging finger.
He slipped under the covers, seeking Loki's hand by habit. Then mulled over letting go of it since they probably didn't need more skin contact for quite a while. But the underlying thrum of sleep from his soulmate was nice. He shrugged mentally and let his hand stay right where it was, fingers interlaced with Loki's still strangely damp ones.
"Sleep well, Sir." J.A.R.V.I.S. extinguished the lights and closed all the blinds. With the room clothed in darkness Tony couldn't stare at Loki's sleeping face anymore – because yes, apparently that's what his mind had been nudged into doing – so he closed his eyes, concentrated on the quietness of the bond, and let his exhaustion drag him into sleep.
XXXxxxXXXxxxXXXxxxXXXxxxXXX
Loki awoke shivering – a sensation so rare and strange that he did not understand what was happening to him, until the emotional warmth and calm Tony pushed at him through the bond gave his mind enough clarity to actually think. The warm arms around him tightened. Arms around him. Ah.
It seemed like in his sleep he had gravitated towards Tony, and invaded his space quite significantly. With his ear resting against the Arc reactor, his hands stuck below Tony's shoulder blades, and one of his legs resting between Tony's, it was hardly difficult to imagine why Tony was so tense.
Loki had barely lifted his head a fraction when Tony's arms squeezed his shoulders harder. One hand even came up to gently push his head down. Tony's fingers combed through his hair once before resting on the back of his head. "Just sleep," Tony mumbled.
It was hard to tell how awake Tony was – the bond seemed quite lively from what Loki could tell, but there was also a slightly slippery feeling to it. Either way Loki was not going to complain. Besides, feeling so terribly ill was the best excuse for physical proximity and comfort.
Loki wasn't sure he could fall asleep again, no matter how groggy he was. There was a rush of energy running up and down his limbs and it was far from comfortable. He could not explain its origin, but then he also could not truly explain what type of ailment afflicted him; not entirely, anyway. The sound of Tony's heartbeat beneath the hum of the Arc reactor was music all by itself and it could easily entertain him for hours.
Even the sparks of raw magic that reached him through the fabric of Tony's shirt were soothing in a way they had never been. It was as if all of Tony was trying to embrace him, and for a moment Loki wished his illness would never end. Of course the second a spasm ran through him he retracted that wish. He would simply have to savour this situation as long as it lasted.
"I showed Phil everything I've found so far," Tony said quietly. Awake, then. And yet, he did not seem intent on moving either. "I think he's both angry and grateful. I mean, I've been trespassing inside S.H.I.E.L.D.'s gory guts and Phil's one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s important organs, but then I've also shown him that there's clearly a disease ravaging that dirty organisation— Sorry, I didn't even ask. Do you mind if I talk or would you prefer if I shut up? I'm not expecting you to listen, either way. You can fall asleep whenever, I don't mind."
"If you wish to speak then you may do so." Hearing Tony's voice both from the resonance in his chest and from above him was a whole other symphony altogether.
"Right, well, you know I love hearing my own voice."
"I love hearing your voice," Loki said. They both tensed as the sentence hung in the air between them. "That was the fever speaking. Please ignore me," Loki added in a manner he hoped did not sound rushed.
"Well, I know from a fact your fever says the truth." Ah, yes. Trying to retract any truthful statements was absolutely futile. Norns, he was doomed. "Don't worry. I like what your fever has to say. Does it have any other exciting tidbits to share?"
"No."
"Pity." The smirk was clear in his voice; Tony had felt the lie loud and clear. "Think I can schedule a meeting with that fever of yours once I've come up with some good questions?"
"Do shut up."
Loki didn't mean it and they both knew it.
Tony laughed and the way it made his chest vibrate and his Arc reactor flare was delightful.
"No can do, darling! I have it on good authority that you like my voice."
"Did I ever tell you that I am very changeable?"
"Ha, I'll take the risk, Moriarty."
Loki frowned, going over all the information about the character he knew – certainly one might qualify James Moriarty as changeable, but could Sherlock Holmes not be called the same?
Loki may feel muddled, but his feelings but be coming across clearly enough from the bond, because Tony answered, "Don't worry your pretty head about it, it's a reference from the recent TV series, not the books. Anyway, my dive into S.H.I.E.L.D. shenanigans is a detective story and spy thriller all at once. With some sci-fi and fantasy thrown in there. And horror too because boy did I read some weird shit. Though I guess not as weird as you turning up with an alien army and then turning out to be my soulmate. You and I are a better story than S.H.I.E.L.D.'s whole history," Tony said with a chuckle.
The chuckle turned into a laugh. Loki sent him a burst of curiosity to prompt an explanation – but not before he had listened a moment to Tony's amusement both physically and through the bond.
"Don't mind me, just thinking of what crazy genres our story would fit in. Too many to count, I think. But hopefully one quote on the cover will always be 'epic'."
"All soulmate myths I have heard are certainly epic." And also primarily love stories, but he knew that was not what Tony would want to hear.
"You should probably call them 'soulmate stories' at this point, no? I know you and I deserve the rank of legendary, but we're also very much real." Loki nodded minutely, since he did not trust his tongue to say something that was both the truth and not hopelessly embarrassing.
"Sir. I apologise for the interruption, but I have found something you might want to see."
"Mind if we move? Don't worry, I can still be your… What do they call it in Shakespeare land? Cuddly toy?"
Loki was not sure what kind of toy Tony referred to, however, implying he wished to cuddle up to Tony indefinitely – no matter how true it might be – was anything but an acknowledgement of how weak and vulnerable Loki was, and that stung. Loki pushed himself up, but Tony's arms, and particularly the hand still stubbornly stuck in his hair, interrupted his escape, and Loki ended up all but straddling his soulmate. Not that he couldn't escape if he wanted, of course. But could it be that Tony did not wish for them to cease their… cuddling?
"Hey, don't get all prickly princess on me. I wasn't trying to hurt your delicate susceptibilities, geez."
Loki growled and glared down at Tony. His soulmate just raised an eyebrow and let his hand slowly slip through Loki's hair, caressing his neck and stopping on his naked shoulder. Loki shivered, and it wasn't from the cold.
"Look, I'm just saying, you're cold, I'm hot – and I mean that in more ways than one, obviously – so it's only logical we'd share body heat. Body cold. Whichever."
Now it was Loki's turn to lift a righteous eyebrow.
"Fine," Tony conceded with an eye-roll. "That's not the whole truth." They stared at each other. "Sorry, I don't have a fever saying things I don't intend to say," Tony added with a smirk. Before he knew it, Loki's hands had shifted from their place on the bed framing Tony's ribs, to resting his weight on Tony's shoulders, pressing down.
Tony's eyes widened. "Don't eat me?" were his incongruous words. Though maybe not all that incongruous, if Loki's sudden and overwhelming urge to kiss that silly mortal into silence was anything to go by. Who knew how that translated over the bond.
"Apologies, that's my fever acting out."
"Why is the fact that's partially true so terrifying?"
"Because I can be terrifying?" For once, Loki didn't even feel a twinge of self-loathing at that fact. Instead, it was pride he felt. Being capable of intimidating others when needed was after all a valuable weapon.
"Well you don't scare me, hon. Unless you do intend to bite my arm off. I kind of need it."
Loki chuckled despite himself. "Don't worry, I do not intend to literally eat you."
"Metaphorically, though?"
That statement hovered between them, and with how loud his own heartbeat was, Loki had a hard time telling if Tony's was beating as fast as his. Surely not? Surely that look of both trepidation and defiance, as well as the anxious energy that travelled between them – and the lack of protest of staying in this position, combined with Tony's continued prodding on the subject… Surely Tony was not goading him to actually ki—
"Sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. said at a louder volume than usual. Tony groaned, and Loki could only share the sentiment. "Doctor Banner is on his way."
Only a few seconds later there was a knock on the door, and Loki and Tony scrambled around in a knot of sheets and limbs to give off a semblance of propriety. They stilled, both lounging against the headboard and out of breath. Loki's breathing issues could be explained away by his poor health; Tony's could not.
"Wait, wait," Tony said from his side of the bed – previously Loki's side of the bed, but maybe now they didn't have sides anymore. And then he hurriedly scooted over, pulling his pillow with him as well as his tablet, and plastered himself against Loki's side. "Come in," he called, and feigned reading what Loki recognised as newspaper articles.
"Still working?" Bruce said as he walked in, tray in hand.
"I slept, if that's what you're asking. And I wasn't working a minute ago, if you know what I mean," Tony countered, smirk clear in his voice.
"I don't want to know, thanks. Unless you're tiring out my patient. Then I want to know so I can tell you to leave him alone."
"Nothing of the nature you imagine happened, I assure you," Loki said, eyeing the content of the tray. Midgardian medicine and its barbaric-looking instruments.
"Patient, huh? I thought you were 'not a medical doctor Bruce Banner'," Tony teased.
"Remind me who pushed me into this role?"
"Will you be taking more of my blood?" Loki asked loudly in an attempt to nip this unneeded argument in the bud, gesturing at the needle and empty tubes.
"Erm, yes. If you don't mind."
"Aha, I see what you're doing here, Bruce." Tony said, pointing an accusing finger Bruce's way. "Not a medical doctor indeed! You're here for research!"
"No! I'm not— Well, I guess… Okay, so, I need to understand how Asgardian, wait, no, Jötunn, right? Asgardian is a nationality, yeah? Anyway, I need to understand at least a little how Jötunn biology works if I am to be of any help. So am I doing some xenobiological research? Yes. But I can't do my job any other way."
"You could sound happier about doing pioneering research."
"What's with you, Tony? One second you don't want me to do research and then, what, I'm not motivated enough? Do I need to examine you too?"
"No thanks. I'm just tired. And I have a headache. And… I'm starving. I think. But also not inclined to eat. To be honest I have no idea what's going on." Tony's side of the bond flared with confusion and a peak of worry, and Loki frowned. "Not that me and my body are good at communicating usually, but like, this is just weird. I didn't do anything for my muscles to ache like I ran a marathon, so why the hell do I feel like I did? I thought I couldn't catch your magic flu?"
Bruce looked both very intrigued and ready to stick a needle in Tony forthwith. "And you, Loki, how do you feel?" Bruce asked, without taking his eyes off Tony.
"Still feverish and positively dreadful. However, not as dreadful as the last time we spoke."
"Any chance you're giving Tony your… discomfort?"
He had to acknowledge that Bruce had a fair point. They shared so much via the soul bond, it would not be much of a stretch to assume this would be shared as well. However, he really could not reconcile that notion with how Urd had designed the rest of the soulmate attributes.
From their experience so far, the sharing of soul meant sharing aspects of feelings, location, strong urges and impressions, detecting lies, a need to keep their soul whole by touching – it all pointed towards forming and maintaining a strong positive relationship between soulmates. Their Morse Code communication they had devised – Loki didn't have the hubris to assume they were the first soulmates to do such a thing – the sharing of magic, it all pointed towards a way to protect each other.
Being both weakened by the illness or injury of one was a glaring fault in the design. Had Loki fainted at the beginning of their acquaintance when Tony was near death – not something he relished to remember – yes, but he would hope that as their bond had strengthened, such a thing would not happen in the future. After all, Tony had not lost consciousness at the gala when he himself had. Logic – if such a thing could be applied to the Norns – dictated that one soulmate should be able to stay strong and protect the other in case of some injury or infirmity. Ergo, the cause of Tony's discomfort might be elsewhere.
"I'll take your blood now," Bruce said, and Loki nodded. He was glad Bruce did not prod him further and let him think in silence. Even Tony, whom he could feel had a growing curiosity that was very focused Loki's way, did not say a word.
There was only one other source that Loki could think of as the culprit of Tony's state. He closed his eyes, breathed out slowly to shut the world out, and concentrated on his core. Its state was just as pitiful as the last time he had checked. However, in those weak eddies of magical force, there was a tinge of wildness that wasn't his, and that he knew the flavour of well by now.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., has the energy from Tony's Arc reactor dipped in the last… however many hours we slept."
"It has indeed." J.A.R.V.I.S. sounded surprised. "Are you suggesting that would be the reason for Sir's symptoms?"
"Let me get this straight. Are you saying you're a sleepwalking magic-sucking vampire now?" Tony said.
"I did not do this purposefully, I assure you."
"I know. But, you're saying I feel crappy because of magic loss, not illness, yeah? I haven't really felt like this before, though, and you've stolen magic from me a lot."
"Because my magical core is severely depleted it is looking for any compatible source to fill it, and since we share magical signatures, you are a readily available source – you, not your Arc reactor, though both are connected, ergo its energy loss. Either way, I do not believe this siphoning is linked to us sharing a soul bond."
"So no soulmate-sharing cooties, then. That's a relief. Any way you can absorb enough magic from my metal heart now to stop your latent vampirism of my own energy?"
"I cannot risk siphoning raw magic into my core like I usually do. Not at the speeds I am consciously capable of, anyway. Even the slowest trickle I can manage could do more harm than good. But it appears that my sleeping self is capable of an even slower absorption that is not a risk to my core."
Tony scrubbed his face with his free hand and tousled his hair. "Great. Awesome. Okay." He took a sharp breath. "Hey Heimdall!" he shouted, and Loki groaned. Not again! "I don't know if you were spying over here or not but we really could use Thor and a medic right about now—"
Loki stopped more inanities from being shouted into the ether by clamping a hand over Tony's mouth. They glared at each other. Loki slowly removed his hand. "Please do not bother Asgard for my sake."
"Are you kidding me? Of course I'm damn well gonna bother Vikingland for your sake! For who else's sake would I even do it anyway? Besides, it's your fucking homeland and they're fucking abandoning you here without a possibility of calling for help when you need it."
"I can call for help."
"Hate to break it to you honey, but it looks like the other side of the line is ignoring your call."
A distraction was in order. For the both of them. "Why do Midgardians use the moniker 'honey'?" Loki asked. The looks he received at the nonsequitur were positively hilarious.
"Don't mind him, that's his fever talking," Tony said to Bruce.
"I would guess that honey, sweety, sugar and other things in the same vein are probably used because people like sweet things." Bruce explained, ignoring Tony's dismissal. "The human brain is literally addicted to it."
"I guess it's a way to say I'm addicted to you and I like the way you taste!" Tony said with a chuckle and Bruce shuddered. Loki's shiver had nothing to do with the good doctor's discomfort, quite the opposite.
"Tony! Don't teach the guy your twisted definitions! Those words are used for kids too, for God's sake!"
"Well I don't talk to kids. So I can use the definition I want."
Bruce shook his head. "Anyway, many monikers aren't even used in a way that means true affection. They're used by complete strangers too as a way to address someone, in a friendly way, most of the time. But quite a few people will see it as demeaning too, especially when gender equality is concerned… It's complicated. Better ask someone else who knows more about it."
"I—," Tony started to say.
"And definitely don't ask Tony."
"Did your momma ever tell you you're rude, Brucey?"
"Not at often as yours did."
"Ha! Jarvis – the flesh and blood one – was the one who tried and failed to instil some politeness into me. My mother didn't really have time for that."
The silence that followed was uncomfortable to say the least, and it lasted uncomfortably long as well. J.A.R.V.I.S. – the Tony-made one – decided to break it for them.
"Sir. May I remind you that you still have not examined the documents I flagged?"
"Fine! I'm on it. Brucey, science bro of mine, you'll send me any interesting discoveries, yeah? And send them to Lokes too, it's his body after all."
And with that, Tony wiggled his way back to the other side of the bed, breaking contact with Loki. This time Loki's shiver was different – both from the cold of losing his soulmate's body heat, and from losing the warmth of their stable mind connection. A wave of exhaustion followed, and he let Bruce finish his examination before lying back down to sleep away this irritating vulnerability.
XXXxxxXXXxxxXXXxxxXXXxxxXXX
Given J.A.R.V.'s insistence Tony expected to find some pretty damnable files on his tablet and he was not disappointed. Not after he'd taken it all in and the hidden links between all he'd learned started to take shape, and grow, and become clearer and clearer. Like switching between lenses on a microscope and fine-tuning the clarity via the dials until you saw the anatomy of the invisible. And boy, did those microscopically invisible links have some major, macroscopic effects!
Tony very much wanted to shake Loki away and… Something. Shout eureka and have a witness for it. Rant for an hour while pacing like a madman to show Loki in detail all the things S.H.I.E.L.D. had been hiding and all the things that were hidden within S.H.I.E.L.D. like a cancer. Repeatedly punch a wall out of anger and have Loki there to tell him to stop being an idiot, and maybe cry on Loki's shoulder when the throbbing pain inevitably was too much to bear.
But Loki needed to rest. And besides, it was probably best if he didn't worry Loki with this kind of news when he needed to recover from magic-flu. And, well, there was the whole maybe-don't-tell-the-Asgardian-that-Earth's-intergalactic-contact-agency-is-that-corrupt.
That brought up the tangent of nationality. How Asgardian did Loki really felt himself to be? Sure, he had Asgardian nationality, but he technically also had Jötunn nationality, right? And if nationality by soulmate – like nationality by marriage – was anything to go by, he'd also be Midgardian-slash-American, wouldn't he? And wouldn't that make Tony Asgardian-slash-Jötunn by soulmate-marriage? How high would that score on an intergalactic passport-value ranking? It better be damn high because he was totally going to visit as much of the galaxy as he could before he croaked.
But first and foremost he was a superhero on Earth, and before he could do any sightseeing he would have to help clean up home-base. Keyword 'help'. He sure as hell wasn't going to put his arse on the line unnecessarily. First off, it wasn't his mess to begin with – sure, his father had been involved, and to be fair he really wanted to know how involved his father had been, but still, not Tony's mess.
And second, he and Loki were heading the new 'Magic Stones of Doom and relations with Asgard' branch here at Avengers-Central, so he didn't have time for globe-trotting. Oh, and he was playing nurse-and-emotional-support-plushie to his sick soulmate. Ergo, no heroing outside. (Not that Tony would mind a good fly-and-shoot right about now despite his headache, but he had to be mature about this.)
"J.A.R.V., did you send this to Phil?"
"Not yet, Sir. I thought you would want to look at it first."
"You know me so well. Is Phil around by any chance?"
"He is currently in a coffee shop on 7th Avenue with Captain Rogers."
"Having a fanboy break, huh." This might be a good time to include Steve in this S.H.I.E.L.D. mess. Or it could be a terrible idea, if Steve was actually also brainwashed. Talking to Phil was already a risk.
His instincts told him Steve could be trusted, though. No one could fake being as much of a goody-two-shoes, or having such a golden – and star-spangled – heart. "Call them both in. It's time to make a secret agency of our own."
As he waited for them to arrive, Tony ate something, freshened up and shaved, and put on something that spelled a bit more 'serious' and a bit less 'I've been lounging in bed for two days straight'. Not that it would help convince Phil – the files spoke for themselves – but Steve looked like the type who would take you more seriously if you looked the part. It wasn't the old man's fault. It's hard to break free from the influences culture throws at you. Growing up in the 1920s and 1930s can't have been fun.
He was on his second espresso and chomping down on the really way-too-healthy salad Dum-E had brought up – whoever made this really needed to learn to add more ranch – when Phil and Steve walked in.
"You took your sweet time," Tony called, and their eyes left Loki's sleeping form to settle on him. They joined him, Phil sitting down on the settee opposite Tony's leather chair. Steve walked over to the window, checking out the view. As if this was some sort of fun social call.
Or awkward social call, rather. Steve didn't look all that relaxed. Had Phil mentioned something on the way back to the Tower, or was Steve on edge for another reason? Like a maybe-Steve-of-all-people-is-on-the-wrong-side kind of reason. Tony narrowed his eyes at Steve's back.
"I filled Steve in on the basics. I know you don't like repeating yourself," Phil said, and Tony relaxed back into his chair in small increments. All right. So Steve was probably just afraid of whatever bad news Tony had on his beloved S.H.I.E.L.D., the organisation so near and dear to a certain Peggy Carter. Well, tough luck, because Tony sure had some very bad news.
"So…I found— Well, J.A.R.V. found a few very interesting things that, put together with what we had before, paint a pretty damning picture… Cap, do you mind sitting down? You looming over New York City like that disturbs me. Besides, I've got a whole powerpoint prepared for you."
"You mean, I have a whole powerpoint prepared for you, don't you, Sir?"
Tony rolled his eyes. His boy was getting proprietary about his work at the worst possible moment. Though Tony couldn't deny he was proud of J.A.R.V.I.S.'s show of independence. "I'm not trying to steal your thunder, J.A.R.V., just trying to get this show on the road. But by all means, present away."
"Thank you, Sir. Deputy Director, Captain Rogers, if you would please direct your attention at the projection." While Steve finally sat down on the edge of the settee, J.A.R.V.I.S. darkened the room and turned on the home-cinema system.
A timeline of S.H.I.E.L.D. in history appeared, like a constellation of events with lines of green and red linking them. It showed the effect of S.H.I.E.L.D. on world events, and the influences within the organisation itself that shaped S.H.I.E.L.D.. In its zoomed-out state it was a net of hundreds of lines criss-crossing all over the place. The constellation started out full of green, but the red grew exponentially. Tony knew what the colours meant, and it was pretty chilling.
J.A.R.V.I.S. took his sweet time zooming in on the very start of the timeline – World War Two, and soon after, that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s creation – probably to increase the suspense. Though the way Steve inhaled sharply, the surprise was ruined by his super-soldier eyes which must have been able to read the tiny print already.
"You must be wrong," Steve said. Which was pretty rude, because J.A.R.V. and him had spent quite a bit of brain power on figuring this out.
"If you would please hear our evidence before making a judgment, Captain Rogers?"
Steve crossed his arms but didn't reply, so J.A.R.V.I.S. continued. 1939 to 1945: Project Rebirth AKA Steve's transformation, Hydra's infiltration of the Nazi's scientific branch (in red), Steve's and Red Skull's fights over the Tesseract and Steve's and the Tesseract's disappearance, the end of Hydra (red). Then the timeline slowly moved forward, with the creation of S.H.I.E.L.D. (green); and Phil murmured a heartfelt 'fuck' because it was now amply clear what the colours referred to. Then came Tony's least favourite name – Arnim Zola – as he was recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D because of Operation Paperclip.
"Zola worked for S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Steve asked, obviously shocked. Which, really, was totally fair. Who would recruit such an arsehole? And also, recruiting said arsehole was actually the worst thing S.H.I.E.L.D. could have done for the integrity of its organisation.
"I think you could say he still does, in a way," Tony said.
"What do you mean?" Phil said with the deepest frown Tony had ever seen on his face.
"All in good time. I'm not ruining the surprise."
"God, Tony, now is not the time for your damn games!" Steve said, with a good imitation of Phil's frown.
"Language? And you're the one who said a minute ago that we had to be wrong. So just listen to our evidence and you'll know soon enough."
Steve pointed at the projection. "You're saying Hydra is still active! And that it's infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D.!"
"Way to spoil the awesome narrative," Tony muttered.
"Tony," Phil growled.
"Who is Hydra?" Loki said from behind the settee, and they all startled – even Tony who should have realised his soulmate was awake, and even Steve who despite the half-light should have noticed him with his super-vision.
"Why don't you sit down, Mr Friggason, and all will be explained," J.A.R.V.I.S. said.
Loki shuffled over to the chair next to Tony's, the huge duvet wrapped tightly around his mostly naked frame. Tony held out his hand and Loki grabbed it and held it uncomfortably tightly. Still not feeling well, then.
And while Steve sighed and Phil groaned, J.A.R.V.I.S. started over his presentation, this time lingering on each event in order to explain Earth, S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra history to their Jötunn resident.
Some cuddly stuff, some plot advancement stuff, I covered the essentials, no? Next chapter will be less bed-ridden. I hope, haha. Can't have Loki feeling ill forever XD
I wish you all good end of year vibes!
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