Tony was on his third scotch now and casually sitting on the large white couch in the penthouse looking at Nik with amusement. "Ok. So you're a space alien and you have come to work for me because I am one of the richest, most influential people on Earth and you are trying to learn everything about our planet right? The whole 'take me to your leader' thing? It's very flattering really." Nik watched the billionaire, equally amused.
"Tony, you've been watching WAY too many sci-fi movies. And i-" Tony sat up a little straighter. "Hey! Where's your spaceship? Can I see it? Oh man, alien tech. Imagine what I could do with that. Are you, like betraying your people by telling me about everything?" Nik had brought a hand up to rub his forehead as soon as Tony mentioned a spaceship. "Is this whole 'human' thing a disguise? Are there any of those hot green alien chicks like in Star Trek?"
"I honestly don't know. Everyone I've met looks like you or me. There are the Jotuns but they're blue and definitely not hot. I mean they're Frost Giants so…" Tony had walked over to the bar and was about to pour himself another drink when Nik grabbed the bottle out of his hand. "Rude. You should never get between a man and his drink." Nik tried to keep the alcohol out of reach, but with him and Tony being the same height, that was proving difficult.
"Tony, I have a lot you need to know and it's important. Or at least it is to me. And I would prefer it if you were not drunk off your ass so you can remember this conversation. Because I need to know how this will affect the future." Tony scuffed. "I'm not drunk. I'm barely even tipsy." Nik gave Tony a pleading look. "Please Tony. Lay off the drink for now. At least until after I've finished telling you everything." Tony felt an ache in his chest at the break in Nik's voice. "Why would our conversation change anything? Do you think I'm going to fire you for being from outer space?"
Tony gave a little laugh which fell short when he saw the crestfallen look on the other man's face. "Shit. Why would you think that? Am I really that shallow?" Nik's eyes widened in surprise. "No! It's just that you don't know what I've been through." Tony raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Isn't that why we're here? So you can tell what the hell happened to you?"
Nik bit his lower lip. "Well yeah, but it's a long story." Tony shrugged his shoulders as he walked back to the couch. "What's long about it? Just start at the Expo. Are you sick? Is it some kind of condition?" Nik put the bottle of scotch down on the bar and raked his hands through his hair. "No, I'm not sick or anything." "Is it some alien thing?" Nik sat next to Tony. "Not an alien thing. Just a me thing. Look I'm not who I say I am."
Tony smiled. "I know." Now it was Nik's turn to look confused. "Wha-what do you mean you know? You can't possibly know. I've only been here for a couple of months. You don't know anything about me." Tony grabbed the StarkPad sitting on the coffee table and started tapping away on it.
"Nikolas Vilhelmson. Son of Ingrid and Vilhelm Jorgenson. Born February 9th 1978. Now the really funny part is that they adopted you less than ten years ago. Which if you ask me is kinda odd since you'd already be an adult. But I guess that's not as weird as the fact that there's like no info about you until you went to college. No report cards. No medical records. Not even a Facebook. I mean that alone makes me think you might actually be an alien. Who doesn't have some kind of social media account!? Have you been living under a rock?"
The feeling of dread welling up inside Nik multiplied as Tony spoke. "Wha-How did you-" Tony grinned. "I can hack into anywhere. Find out stuff about anyone." Nik pulled the tablet away from Tony to stare at a document stating everything there was to know about him since he arrived on Midgard. There was even a picture. It was the same one from his passport. One of the first photos he had gotten of himself. "When did you find all this out?" "Shortly after you came to work for me. Been meaning to ask you about it, but you were cool, we got along, and you are actually damn good at this job." Nik shook his head in disbelief. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"
Tony took the device from Nik and put it back on the table. "I just told you. So how about you fill in the blanks." Nikolas couldn't believe that his boss was so nonchalant about his lying to him. "Ok, but you can't interrupt me. This isn't easy for me to talk about." He looked to Tony for confirmation that he wouldn't cut in on what he was about to say. Tony gave him the 'zipping his lips' gesture with a smile. "So as I told you, I'm not from Mid-um. Earth. You'd think I'd be used to calling it Earth by now." Nik chuckled.
"I was born on Vanaheimr. I never knew my real parents. I'm a-" Nik's voice began to shake as tears gathered in his hazel eyes. He lowered his head and tried to swallow the large lump forming in his throat. "I'M A SLAVE!" He hadn't meant to shout, but fear and humiliation had overwhelmed him. He was gasping for breath, falling deeper into a pit of despair. Nik hid his face in his hands sobbing, no longer able to hold his pain back now that his shameful secret was in the open.
Tony felt the sting of tears prick at his own eyes as he watched this usually strong confident man before him fall to pieces. He was about to pull the younger man into a hug when he heard muttering. Tony moved closer to hear it. "I'm a slave. Was born that way because of my hair color. Nothing but a slave and a whore. Not good for anything. Found love only for it to be ripped away from me. Not once but twice. Permanently. And now the life I've made here is about to be taken from me."
Tony couldn't restrain himself anymore. He dragged Nik into his arm and took hold of the redhead's chin, making it so they were looking each in the eye. "Alright. Let me tell you some things. No one is taking anything away from you ok? I'm not gonna fire you." Nik wiped at his face. His body quaking from crying as he tried yet failed to contain himself. "Tony. I-i'm a slave. A disgusting slave that doesn't deserve to be in your presence let alone working for you." Tony sighed. "Does being a slave have anything to do with what happened at the Expo?" Nik sniffled. His breath shaking wetly. "No, but-"
"Then it doesn't change anything. I want to know why you were screaming in pain and passed out. That is what I'm most worried about. Because believe it or not, I've come to care about you. And as far as I'm concerned, nothing about a person can make them a slave. Not their hair or skin color. Not their beliefs or sexual orientation. Nothing! Because nobody is better than anyone else. You hear me? You are a person."
Nik flinched away. "I'm not a person. I'm just property." Tony tightened his hold on Nik. "No! You are a person." "In Vanaheimr, those with red hair-" Tony fist clenched in anger. "I don't give a shit about them! You are a fucking person. You are not a slave or a whore. And definitely not property. Whoever made you believe that can fuck off. They are wrong! Ok?" Nik just stared at Tony, memorized. Loki had been the only other person that had ever defended him.
To suddenly realize how alike Tony and Loki were, was heartbreaking, yet he felt himself fall a little bit in love with the billionaire. Both men were stubborn and closed off. Hiding their feelings as a way to protect themselves. Always pretending to be aloof on the outside, when really being sweet and caring on the inside, but only to those they truly trusted. Nik chest seized up in agony as he remembered what he was meant to be telling Tony.