Chapter Text
There comes a moment when you know that nothing will ever be the same again. For Tony Stark that moment started with a deceptively bland agent breaking into his tower and ended with him taking a suicide dive through a magic portal to blow up an alien army. Perched on a bar stool with a glass on whiskey to chase down the bitter taste in his mouth, he contemplates the days events. It has been a little over an hour since he was declared clinically dead and brought back to the land of the living via a near deafening Hulk roar and he is still trying to gather what little sanity he has left.
The scent of smoke still filled the air, wafting through the broken windows and crawling its way from room to room. His eyes keep drifting to his phone that lay cast off on the table, several missed calls from a certain red head occasionally lighting up the screen. He had ordered JARVIS to inform Pepper of everything that had happened, though with none of the gory details. He really should call her personally, but he’s not in the right headspace for that talk right now.
Taking a deep breathe he tries to order his mind, he’s alone in the penthouse having ordered everyone out of his newly built and battered tower. After having the required post battle feast of deli meat everyone had split off in their own directions. Rogers offered to help with search and rescue, trying to maintain some semblance of order in this chaotic mess they’ve found themselves in. Barton and Romanov returned to a SHIELD base not currently floating in the air to debrief Fury and Hill properly, and Bruce is currently taking some alone time to de-stress and take an over due nap. Which leaves the resident God of Thunder who is currently standing guard over his wayward sibling in a hastily put together holding cell on the bottom floor of his tower. Having Loki so close was not exactly giving him peace of mind but he couldn't help that his thoughts kept straying towards the delinquent god. Flashes of the battles they had fought throughout the day kept replaying in an insistent loop, snippets of villainous speech, fragments of things that just didn’t make sense.
After reviewing everything he finds that two things are plaguing him enough that trying to do anything else but solve them seems futile. Number one, for all of Loki’s supposed brilliance and power he had made a doomed to fail plan that sucked. It’s almost like he didn't want to win. Number two, the things he saw in that portal. He needed answers, who and what were they? Why did they agree to attack Earth? Are there more of them and if so will they be back? This last one keeps circling is mind. But what is driving him more mad is that no one else is asking questions, they all seem willing to just accept that it happened and want to move on, like they didn't just get attacked by aliens and had a frankly insane God from Norse Mythology try to rule them all. Surely he’s not the only one wanting answers. He had two options that he could see, get spectacularly drunk and try to sleep off the inevitable nightmares or go get some answers from the one guy who is sure to have them. He takes a shot for the road and has JARVIS clear the way to their make shift dungeons.
~~~***~~~
“He’s all locked up tight, right? Not going anywhere, there’s absolutely no way he can magic his way out of here?”
“Fear not Stark, you will be as safe as can be. The cuffs I placed on him are from Odin himself, commissioned by the dwarves of Nivadellir.” he states with a puffed up smile, obviously the dwarves do good work, which is a sentence he never thought he would say to himself. This day just keeps getting better.
“I shall be back soon,” he nods to Tony and glances at Loki, “behave while I’m gone.” The order makes Loki roll his eyes so hard they appear to almost fall out of his head.
“I’m sure I’ll manage Blondie, you go talk to Jane and we will be fine.” he assures him
Tony keeps his gaze anywhere but Loki until Thor takes his last step out of the room and the door closes with a solid thunk behind him, effectively sealing him alone in a room with an insane god. He takes a deep breath and slowly lets his eyes fall on the object of this whole mission, Loki. He sits on a fairly uncomfortable looking bench with his hands clasped and chained in front of him, and his metal gag firmly in place. The clothes are ripped and torn with little pieces charred from too many close calls, which paired together with his birds nest he calls hair completes the picture of a thoroughly defeated enemy. The only contradiction is the defiant glint in his eyes, saying I’m still better than all you pathetic mortals.
Perhaps he had been staring a tad too long since the God raises an eyebrow at his apparent gawking. Tony clears his throat and pushes his hands into his pockets in an effort to keep the slight shaking from sight.
“So, this is a turn up ‘aint it, Rock of Ages.”
The God rolls his eyes at the introduction and proceeds to lean back against the wall in a somewhat haughty slouch. How he somehow appears dignified is beyond any reason Tony can fathom.
“I had wanted to ask a few questions but um,” he gestures awkwardly towards Loki’s face, “the new addition to the head gear is really putting a spanner in the works.”
“Here let me just,” he pulls out a multi-tool he always carries on him and waves it in Loki’s general direction. To which Loki stead fast glares at him a fierceness that scared him a little. He huffs and asks, “Do you want this free or not? Because I have to say it does not look the most comfortable.”
Loki seems to relent when it appears that it is all Stark intends, he lifts his face to present the gag and allows Stark to disable to device. It takes a second or two and multiple cusses on Starks part but it is eventually wrenched free. Loki spends a few moments working his jaw as Stark looks over the gag, any chance to get his hands on alien tech he will willing take.
After inspecting the gag and confirming that there was not much more to it he returns his attention Loki. Who is looking anywhere but at him with a perpetually bored look on his face. To get his attention he waves a hand in his face, though not too close, wouldn't want to get bitten after all.
“Hey! I’m trying to have a conversation with you.” This is not at all going how he had planned it in his head, Loki moves his gaze to anywhere that isn't currently holding Stark’s gigantic ego.
“…Your brother doesn't seem to want to give up on you.” he offers, hoping this will spark the God into conversation. If anything was going to get him to talk it would be the blond beefcake with a habit of putting his foot in his mouth.
“He’s not my brother.” The statement is said without thought, almost muscle memory at this point. He had heard snippets of Loki and Thor’s pow wow on the cliff edge, squabbles of family drama but clearly this trouble ran a little bit deeper than anyone suspected. He could already tell this was about to get interesting.
“Well, he’s certainly been acting like it,” he states matter of fact, with an eyebrow raised in judgement.
Loki’s face raises in a caricature of surprise, “Does he? How unlike him” he exclaimed, feigning a confused countenance. “Must be terribly hard for him, it’s been what… two days? The poor idiot must be exhausted.”
Intrigued that Loki would be this talkative already he decides to do something he knows he shouldn’t. He pokes the bear. “That’s hardly fair, you’ve not exactly been the pinnacle of brotherly compassion recently. The whole attempting to kill him and trying to take over the world thing… and not to mention stabbing him on the roof,” he points out “don’t think I didn't see that.”
The jab makes Loki roll his eyes, as if stabbing someone was not something to get up in arms over. “Thor may be more honest than most but do not mistake that for good intentions. Thor may act like my brother at the moment but it is hardly a consistent act,” his mouth tightens in displeasure, his body reluctantly pulled taunt at painful memories “he long ago lost the right to claim me as his brother, I do not care for that particular title anymore. It has long lost its appeal.” he sighs, resignation clear in his voice.
That made him pause for a moment. Clearly Thor hasn't been brother of the year but he can’t help but think it takes two to make a relationship work, yet it seems Loki gave up on manning that ship a while ago.
“You two clearly have a lot of unresolved issues that you need to hash out.” He states somewhat uneasily, as if his opinion has any weight in this matter, but in true Stark fashion he proceeds to offer said opinion. “Perhaps I can recommend a therapist? You know, a licensed professional who can wade through the family drama and offer some much needed advice on how to handle these, frankly huge ass familial disputes.”
A slow blink is all he receives from Loki for a few moments, before he releases a breathy chuckle. “I think I shall decline your, oh so generous offer,” for the first time since he had walked into the room Loki displays something other than suspicion, contempt and resignation. He smiles, somewhat sarcastically but Tony will take what he can metaphorically wrestle out of him.
On the tail end of this break through he decides to push full steam ahead, he was too tired to do anything else at this point. “So,” he clears his throat rather pointedly, “what happened exactly?”
Another resigned sigh is driven from the God and after an expectant look was drilled into him for a solid thirty-seconds Loki adds, “You will have to be more specific I’m afraid.” His head tilts to the side as if explaining something to a rather slow child.
Tony brushes the slight with a quick wave of the hand, “I meant with your family, clearly something happened that created a rift between you. I’m guessing it has something to do with you being adopted?” It was a stab in the dark but from Loki’s quick inhale he knew he had him.
“So Thor has been airing our ‘family issues’ to his mortal comparators I see,” his tone implying exactly what he thought of that, “and here I was thinking he would hold to some discretion.”
“To be fair to Fabio, it was an offhand comment but it was used to explain some of your more murderous tendencies.” He wasn't in the room for that rousing conversation but JARVIS helped fill in a few blanks, and clearly Thor wanted to put some moral distance between him and his brother.”Something about killing eighty people in two days? Though that’s hardly where the count stops.”
A dark chuckle escapes Loki, seemingly uncontrollable as he lets it carry on for longer than Tony expected. So much so that he turns to look around as if something else had caused Loki’s bout of hysteria. “Care to let me in on the joke?”
“I just find it humorous that Thor feels he has the moral high ground for once.” A hand runs down his face, wiping any stray tears and futilely trying to contain his amusement.
This more than anything makes Tony pause, was Loki really that deluded or is Thor a lot more like the berserker he’s painted in the myths. He takes a deep breathe before jumping into this nightmare, “Did you miss the whole eighty people in two days? or subsequent army attacking New York like an hour ago?” he blurts, “because let me tell you, he has more of a leg to stand on.”
Loki’s amusement slowly drains out of him at Tony’s exclamation and his eyes sharpen at the accusation. “I do not deny my actions, Tony Stark. I merely find humour in Thor keeping his hidden,” a petty smirk pulls at his lips as he adds, “he does so love to regale the populace of his battle prowess. The enemies he’s destroyed, the monsters he’s slain. It’s so unlike him to keep his triumphs to himself.”
“Yeah but I’m guessing he wasn't going around slaughtering innocents,” Tony counters, but as Loki directs a look of pity at him, he’s starting to second guess his thoughts.
“Oh Stark,” his tone already putting him on edge, “allow me to impart some insight to your admittedly limited knowledge. We are older than your civilisation, raised in a warrior culture where your worth as a man is decided on your ability to defend and kill for your realm. Until a few years ago Thor was prideful, vain and war hungry, so much so that he restarted a centuries old war between Asgard and Jotunheim over a few thinly veiled slights, to which he responded with killing a few hundred Jotun's before Odin physically had to drag him back to Asgard.” His gaze had drifted through his little speech, looking at nothing in particular, rather it seemed his sight had turned inward. Not wanting to break whatever had Loki talking he kept quiet. “I would not call the Jotun entirely innocent but… it was hardly the act of the supposedly moral and stable King he was moments away from becoming. Thor has been intolerant and belligerent for over a thousand years, forgive me if I don’t believe his sudden change of heart.”
“I’ll admit Thor did look a little too happy when the fighting started but what makes you think I would believe a word you’ve said so far?” He didn't want to admit that what Loki had said made him reconsider a few things but he was hardly going to take the word of a God legendarily known for his silvertongue.
“It is not a liar you should be worried about, it is an honest man who doesn't have the slightest idea of what he is doing,” he patiently states, as if he’s imparting a rather important life lesson.
“Nope, pretty sure you are the current big ass worry at the moment, Rock of Ages.” His eyebrows do some impressive judging in the God’s direction. “Also, the fact that you're quoting Wordsworth at me right now is more alarming than anything. How the hell do you know about Wordsworth? Have you been checking out some of Earth’s poetry in-between plots to kill us all?” he almost shouts, exasperated and just plain confused.
“I’m surprised at the fact that your familiar enough with him to recognise the quote.” He admits snidely, his posh uppity presence raising to front “and what makes you think this is my first visit to this realm?”
“… You know what, I don't want to touch that with a ten foot pole.” He flippantly waves his hand as if shoving it to the side, “We’ll circle back.” Some frankly uncomfortable questions are blaring in his mind and he’s so far from what he came here to talk about that he needs to get them back on track. “You came here with a plan. I would like to point out it was a pretty terrible plan.”
A clink of metal chains almost drowns out Loki’s softly spoken “You think so?” but with an undercurrent of sarcasm lacing his tone.
Tony surges on,“But you lost and quite spectacularly too” surely Loki wouldn't dispute that.
He hummed in feigned agreement, “So it seems.”
“Yeah, so it seems.” His answer is causing some cogs to turn in his brain, “you seem a lot calmer now. Dare I say less crazy, less about to take over the world at any second.”
The God was presenting a talent for putting on masks, he was currently wearing the confused one again to great effect. “Do I?” he asks, “How strange.”
He rolls his eyes at the non answer and decides to change tack, “So tell me, what happened before you turned up on Earth? What really went down back home?”
“Why do you care to know, Stark?” his tone had become wearisome, as if lingering on such topics caused unpleasant thoughts, “it will not change anything.”
“No, but it will help me fill out the bigger picture. I like knowing all of the facts before I form a hypothesis and call it intuition or just plain conspiracy talking but I think, think it may have some connection to your little rampage on Earth.” He closely watches the God for the smallest of tells, “So, I’m getting warmer right?”
A smirk pulls at the Loki’s mouth from Stark’s insistent belief in himself. “Let’s say I am inclined to offer a retelling of past events. There is no reason for you to believe a word I say, as you said yourself a few moments prior. Why would I waste my breathe?”
“I trust you about as far as I can throw you” he pauses a moment before reconsidering, “without the suit. However, if I’m going to get any answers we are going to have to start somewhere and this is a good starting point as any other. Plus you look like you’re bottling up a lot of stuff, I hear its good to air out these things, get rid of all those nasty little thoughts.”
“You think very highly of yourself, Stark” he drawled, putting up a token protest.
“I sure do but I feel like you can relate to that personality quirk.” He jokes purposefully taunting the villain now, he can see Loki contemplating his next step. What to tell and how to tell it, perhaps he would get more answers than he hoped.
Letting out a long sigh and casting his eyes toward the ceiling Loki contemplates going along with Stark’s diatribe. It pleased him that someone was asking questions, trying to figure out his motives instead of just labelling him an insane God with a power complex. Though he was those things to an extent, but he’s so much more than that. Even Thor seems to have given up on reasoning with him if the gag is any indication. However, if he were to divulge this piece of his past it was only fair that Stark would share something of equal value. He could admit to himself that he had a certain curiosity regarding what Barton had described as Stark’s Arc Reactor. Such things were thought to be impossible by Midgardian standards by the Aesir, most think of them little more than cave dwellers content to twiddle their thumbs. Clearly they are much more than that if Stark’s progress is anything to go by.
“Well, since you asked me so nicely,” he proceeded to roll his eyes for what felt like the hundredth time in the mortal presence, “however I would like an equal exchange, an answer for an answer.”
“Seems fair, except that I can choose not to answer if it can be used to hurt others or compromise the safety of this planet.” The stipulations were a given considering who he was dealing with, though hopefully the loopholes he had left weren't enough for him to cause real havoc.
“I agree to your stipulations and as I am feeling benevolent, I shall let you go first.” A dip of the head completes the appearance of a gentleman offering a lady the first dance.
“Such a gentleman” he mutters under his breathe “Okay lets start at that beginning. Tell me why being adopted seems to irritate you so much.”
He closes his eyes for a moment before locking eyes with the mortal. “My irritation is not with the so called adoption if that’s what we are calling it, it is with how Odin all but plucked me from the ruins of a battle and then proceeded to dangle a throne within my reach whilst knowing I was never going to be given one. At least not the one I thought I was destined for. My people scorn me for my supposed lies and yet there is a far greater liar among them.” He huffs a wearisome laugh, “Wherever do they think I learned it from?”
“I’m getting the impression this adoption wasn't put though official channels… ‘Plucked from the ruins of a battle’. Mind explaining that?” he asks intrigued.
“Tsk, I think you’ll find it’s my turn.” A teasing glint catches his eye and then slowly lowers until it rests around his chest, “Care to explain why the sceptre failed to put you under its influence? Its power is quite unlike anything in this universe and yet whatever is nestled in your chest managed to negate its effects. Tell me why.” It is something that failed to make sense to Loki, he knew what was contained within the spectre, the power such a stone can wield, so why in the Norns was this mortal man able to neutralise it?
He should have known his Arc Reactor would get mentioned, it was not something he liked talking about or calling attention to. After the events with Obadiah he found himself even more reluctant to show off such a weakness. “No clue, it hit my Arc Reactor and then nothing, nada. So, who were you taken from exactly, did you have a War of the Roses going on up in Asgard?”
“I was taken from the enemy and I assure you the war was not fought with foliage. But come now, what is the purpose of your Arc Reactor exactly? You built the element yourself did you not? How?” he beguiles, the mortal was not going to part with this secret easily it seems, but no matter he would find out himself eventually, somehow if events preceded how he imagined. However, the mortals really had come a long way in the past few centuries, they really are more fascinating than the Aesir give them credit for.
“With these two talented hands.” he states proudly and evasively, but noting Loki’s arched brow and irrupted expressions he adds, “I may have gotten the blueprint from dear old dad but I built the particle accelerator after a little DIY and crafted the element myself. Since the element is brand spanking new I haven't had a lot of time to delve into all its mysteries, let’s just say my genius knows no bounds. But back to you and your fantastically vague answer. When you say the enemy, you mean like some lords or ladies at ye O’court or the crazy lady in the village with ten cats?” he mentally notes that he may owe Bruce ten bucks if the latter is true.
Loki could sense the bitterness a mile away, not that it made him emphasise with the mortal, many had fathers they despised or otherwise loathed, he’s hardly special in that department. His question insights a renewed irritation… perhaps this trade was a mistake. “What makes you think they are Aesir?”
“So this was an off planet sort of deal? Wow, so where are you from originally then?” The news that they weren't alone in the universe was not so much of a shock to the system as many believe there to be life on other planets. But finding out that said life were space vikings from some old Norwegian myths was like a punch to the gut, it made you think what else was out there. Were all the pantheons real? Would they be getting a visit from Zeus soon? Or better yet was Cthulhu gonna come charging out of the depths? Who the hell knew at this point, but he couldn't deny the hint of excitement that came with knowing there was more to see than just their little ball of blue hanging in space.
The mortals eager tone made him look at him straight in the eye, seeing such thirst for knowledge reflected there reminded him of himself in his early childhood. Bursting with curiosity for any knowledge he could soak up, leaving no obstacle upturned in his quest to know everything he could about anything that held his interest for longer than a week. It seemed any knowledge he chose to impart would be taken and thoroughly torn apart by the mortal so he throws him a bone so to speak, “I was born on Jotunheim.”
“Jotun-waht?”
This eloquent response pushes a sigh out of the god. “Jotunheim, the realm of the giants and one of the nine realms under Asgard’s rule. It is covered in vast dark forests and mountain peaks where winter never eases its grip, it is a realm perpetually seasoned in winter and inhospitable to those outside its borders. It is home to the Jotun’s, the ever active and persistent enemies of Asgard. It was ruled by the royal house of Laufey, its former ruling King, and as it turns out my father” saying the word left a foul taste on his tongue.
“… That sounds awesome, Jotunheim sounds a lot like Antartica but even more deadly. So, you're from two different royal lines? You are really living up to that Chaos title.” His tone has become slightly awed at Loki’s little speech, “Wait, was? I’m noticing some past tense usage here… please tell me he abdicated to some sunny realm far, far away.”
“How observant of you and disappointingly optimistic, but no Stark he did not abdicate to a sunny abode.” The god in all his diva tendencies decides here is a nice spot for a little dramatic effect, “I killed him”
The stunned silence is expected, the midgardians ramblings however are not, though prior experience says he should have expected it. “Wow, okay that’s… well that’s something. I’ll be honest, I wasn't expecting that. Or maybe considering the circumstances maybe I should have. So, you committed patricide huh? And regicide in one whole swoop. Your kill count just keeps skyrocketing huh? Wait, does this mean you're King of the North now?”
The mortals ability to go off topic and focus on things that are better left alone is truly astonishing just as it was frustrating having to hear it. Clearly the implications of all he had kindly divulged did not fully sink into the tiny mortals head.“Did you miss how we are centuries old enemies, and with Thor’s little tantrum erupting the tentative peace we had struck with them I had little choice? We were at war, I chose the path with the least blood shed. I admit it’s not what the Aesir would have wanted, many still crave the need for revenge and bloodshed against them from the previous war, but it enabled the problem to be solved quicker and the people did not need to know more of Thor’s unending stupidity. I was well within my right as King regent, I was given a problem and I fixed it. Laufey and a few of his guards were killed and as a result war was no longer an inevitability.”
“… So you are in line to rule Winterfell. Well, theres a scary thought.” The fact that Loki has a claim to two thrones is a little unsettling, probably best not to dwell on it right now, save it for later when he had a bottle of the good stuff to hand.
The fact that this is what Stark chooses to focus on right now is both perplexing and interesting to the God, clearly he has an eye for detail but the poor mortal’s mind is not fully grasping everything that Loki is saying. After everything the mortal went through today it is not surprising he is having trouble concentrating or appreciating that Loki is gifting him with such knowledge, as far as he is aware only he and his former family know of this and now Stark. Midgard is kept in the dark purposefully, the better to keep them contained and complacent. Well, he could have chosen a worse mortal he supposes. “ Could you cease your inane babbling for but a moment?”
“I could but that would deprive you of my delightful wit.”
Loki lets out a sigh in resignation and rubs a hand down his face. “Yes, Norns forbid, I miss out on any of it.” However, the comment makes him glance at the mortal, “Is this your interrogation technique? Irritate me into complying with you? How Thorish of you though I admit it is somewhat effective if not crude. I prefer it to Romanov’s techniques at least.”
“Are you saying you like me more than Romanov?” his eyes sparkling with a hint of humour, though his tone is drenched in sarcasm belying the demureness.
“I’m saying your monotonous diatribe is wearing down what little sanity I have left. Where Romanov is cunning if not a little obvious, you are foolishly determined to do things in your own strange way no matter the risks.”
“Those risks being?”
He sighs and states slowly as if talking to a small child again, “That next time I’ll simply snap your neck instead of throwing you through the nearest opening towards the ground.” His eyes glint with a barely hidden menace, all pretence forgotten. “Your blathering will more than likely be your end, Stark. That or your need to sate your curiosity, no matter where it leads you.”
The last comment makes him smirk, “And where is this leading?” He had gotten a lot more information from the god than he previously intended but not what he originally came for.
“No where useful,” he sighs wearily, “I’m surprised you are here at all. Why would Nicholas Fury allow this visit? He does not trust you, surely he would send one of his own to interrogate me or try again himself for that matter.”
“Yeah that won’t be happening anytime soon.” He drags a hand through his hair in false humility, “Thor kinda made it clear that you are to be left alone and SHIELD weren’t to interfere. But me being a ‘Shield brother’ apparently entitles me to some perks. Plus if they think they can keep me out of anything that I built myself, they clearly aren't paying attention.”
The thought of Thor laying down his authority to that mortal Odin look-alike was both amusing and wearisome, and clearly showed he did not trust anyone near him. His bother is learning; slowly but surely. “So, here you are.” He casts a look at Stark, he had noticed his lack of weapons and tired body language tries to hide but with a closer look Loki can see the hidden terror in his eyes. Considering what the man had been through in the last couple of hours it was easy to place where the emotions came from. He sighs internally, for all the things that they seem to have in common, this seemed the most grounding and prevalent. Their back and forth had tempered off, both due to there minds being else where and the all consuming tiredness that is clinging to their bodies. “Why don't you ask me what you truly want to know, Stark” he asks softly, eyes trained on the mortal as if he was a skittish foul.
The question makes his tense with his muscles all locking up, looks like they’re plunging into the deep end then. “I saw things in that portal. Terrible things, things that will fuel my nightmares for years probably.” His voice is barely a whisper, like if he spoke any louder they would become more real.
“You saw the void.” His voice equally soft, “a place not meant for mortal eyes, nor for any being intent on keeping their sanity.”
“The Void… that place sucks. You’ve been there?”
“Tis not the most pleasant of places I admit, but one learns to adjust for survival,” his mouth tightens as memories rise to the surface. “What you glimpsed for a moment, I experience for… “ a deep sigh escapes him, his eyes latched onto something far away “a lot longer. Truthfully, I know not how long I spent in the void exactly, time tends to fluctuate between the realms and galaxies. For one person they can experience a day, for another it can be a year, depends on what direction you’re falling. But it was enough, more than enough.”
“How exactly did you end up with them? Was there a two for one sale on the alien black market and you just couldn't help yourself?” his penchant for trying to lighten the mood with sarcasm fell flat on its face, Loki was looking at him like he’d grown another head. Maybe changing tack would work, “Are they coming back, your army? I mean it looked like I managed to destroy quite a lot up there, but if there’s more on the sidelines waiting for revenge then I need to know.”
“Yes, your need to know has been evident since you stepped into the room, Stark. But fear not, you were right about the hive mind they collectively shared, the Chitauri are dead… for now. They are a counter part to the Skrulls and they are numerous in size, I would not count them completely out of the game just yet. But they are no immediate threat to you.”
A frustrated groan bounces off the walls, the force of it surprising even him. “So there’s more lingering in the shadows… great. Just what I wanted to hear.”
“We’ve gone over this Stark, you should temper your curiosity. It is more often than not, more trouble than it’s worth.”
“Is that what you would do?” Already knowing the answer, he can spot another scholar when he see’s one.
“Obviously not, but we are not talking about me. You are mortal, you have already survived one fatal escapade, I would not chance another. You barely have any lives left as it is.” A smirk pulls at his lips, the conversation was getting fun again.
“Yeah whatever, you sound as bad as JARVIS. So, moving on to my next question, WHY?” he voice become gradually louder towards the end. “I don’t get it, by all accounts you were the acting King of Godland, you saved the day by vanquishing frosty the Snow Man and then suddenly you find out you’re adopted and want to invade Earth with this random army. What am I not seeing here, what did I miss?”
“What did you miss? A lot, actually… I thought you were the clever one” he snarks.
“I am the clever one! Didn’t Thor tell you? Genius, Billionaire, Playboy, Philanthropist: right here.” He uses both thumbs to illustrate this point which causes Loki to roll his eyes at the act.
“You forgot humblest.”
He brushes that aside, “Not really in my wheelhouse.”
“Yes, I’m gathering that.” At Stark’s insistent glare, he again throws Stark another bone. Let’s see if he really is the clever one. “I’ve already given you enough clues to this supposedly simple puzzle, so as you midgardians say, ‘the ball is in your court.’”
“You really are picking up the lingo quickly, aren’t yah. All right then, lets go over the facts from the beginning shall we? Number one, you show up in a SHIELD base looking ready to keel over and gripping that spectre like your life depended on it. You then proceed to pick up a few minions that you mind whammy and quickly get out of there before the base drops on you harder than a Kpop concert.
Secondly, we finally meet in Stuttgart where you scan somebody’s eyeball in a very elaborate fashion, proceed to scare the guests with your wicked ways and make them bow to you whilst delivering your well thought out villain speech until Cap throws his Frisbee and knocks you off your groove. You fight a little, even get the upper hand on Cap multiple times, I saw the footage, but what makes you give up is a single repulser blast from yours truly.
Thirdly, we restrain your willing ass and get interrupted by big brother coming for a catch up. Again your compliant butt sits there while we wrestle it out. You could have escaped multiple times but you don’t, ‘cause your goal in the helicarrier and causing a ruckus aboard that ship.
Fourthly, you succeed on said chaos but it’s not enough to keep us down. You kill Coulson who comes at you with Fury’s little side project and dump Barton back with us. Thank you kindly for that by the way.”
At this point Loki’s eyes are glued to Stark as he rattles off his version of events, he has to admit that he is impressed the mortal is even asking questions. He is picking up on some of the bread crumbs he had laid but perhaps at full brain capacity Stark would easily solve this without any further input from him. He lets him carry on whilst he silently waits for Stark to finish, for some reason his voice is oddly soothing. Much better than Thor’s roaring tone, the man is incapable of changing his volume to appropriate levels.
“Whilst this is going down your minions were setting up shop on my Tower and waiting for the go ahead, which you are waiting for why exactly? You had all the time in the world and yet it isn’t till after our pow wow that things start really happening. Also side note: why the Tower? not that it isn't prime real estate but you had so many options, why not Antartica? It would have been so much harder for us to close it there, and you would have done far more damage that way. And lastly, you pissed off the Hulk and you know that’s a bad idea and yet you did it anyway. Also, he smashed you like a beanie baby and I have the crater upstairs to prove it. Yet a few minutes later, maybe an hour tops you're crawling out of it as if you had a couple shots too many.”
Stark’s tirade seems to be coming to an end, he can’t help but think that after he is returned to Asgard Stark will be told to move on, forget the past and rebuild. As surely he will do, why look back on such dark times? Leave the crazed god to his people and leave all thoughts of him alone. However, he can’t help but want someone, anyone to question his actions. For he may have done what he did, but not without significant motivation from a being thought long dead and gone. He shudders just thinking of the monsters he had encountered, the Other was nothing compared to his master and Loki will do anything in his power to stop that tyrannical idiot from completing his frankly insane goal.
“So… care to have some input?” Stark asks impatiently, pulling Loki from his musings.
“Well, I must say that it’s obvious that you’ve been obsessing about this for the past few hours, and yet you miss the one thing that would make this all so blindingly obvious, Stark.”
Stark takes the critique and tilts his head at the god, slowly he starts to speak, “something simpler, something small, something easily overlooked, hmmm” he squints his eyes at the being infant of him, straight in the eye. Loki just hums encouragingly at him as encouraging his pupil.
Suddenly Starks eyes widen to an alarming size. “Wait Jay, pull up the footage from the SHIELD base before it collapsed and from the penthouse an hour ago. Focus in on Loki.” Blue tinted holograms appear from Stark’s phone as he fiddles with the focus, they highlight the fixated look on his face.
“Am I seeing what I think I seeing?” he voice had again gone soft, it seems it only ever gets that way when he fears what he’s saying.
“It would appear Sir that Mister Loki’s eyes have apparently changed their colour. They have gone from a light blue to the green they appear now.”
The voice from the device Stark is holding makes him twitch but he hides it well, and Stark’s attention is otherwise occupied to have spotted it.
“Well, holy shit. This is a hell of a curve ball, Jarvis.” He faintly registers an amused huff coming from Loki’s direction but he can’t seem to tear his eyes away from the screen.
“Yes, it would seem so Sir.”
“Scan all available footage Jay and cross reference with SHIELD files and any thing else you can pull.”
“As you wish, Sir.”
He lowers the phone and slowly, almost cautiously glances at Loki’s eyes. He even leans forward in his seat trying to get a better view. But Loki just sits calmly gazing back at him, slowly blinking back at the now confirmed intelligent mortal.
With a slow shake of his head he starts to doubt himself, “This has to be a trick.” They couldn't have missed something so obvious, right?
“With these on? Now that would be a feat indeed, Stark.” He states holding up the magic suppressing cuffs into Stark’s eye line.
“So all this time? You’ve been what, playing fiddle to someone else drum?”
“Not all this time no, but for a majority yes. You forget the power of the spectre, it enables the control of someone’s mind and I have been holding it this entire time. It’s effects lessened the further I was away from the ones who seek to control me, but it wasn't until I provoked an encounter with your Hulk that the effects were neutralised.” a long sigh escaped the deity at finally saying these things aloud. The truths that not even his brother could see, not that he was looking for them.
“I’m not even sure what to say right now.”
This made Loki chuckle, “Who knew that was all it took.”
“So no one knows? Thor doesn't even suspect?”
“No, nobody knows, not even Thor. The imbecile wouldn't know even if I shouted it in his face.” He takes a deep breathe before uttering, “No one would believe me, even if I told them.”
“I do.”
“You’re different, and you don’t even know me.” It would be a difficult concept for Odin and Thor to believe that he had been manipulated into this, for all their talk of love they do not share it without restraint.
Those who truly loved him would believe without hesitation, so what is the point of trying to change the old fools mind. It would be a listless venture, and his effort is better spent elsewhere.
“So what happens to you, when you get back to Godland?” he asks.
“I’ll survive,” a grimace appears on his face “somehow I always do.”
“Should I be worried about this?”
“You could, but it would do you no good. You would do best to not speak of this, you will be labeled more of an outcast than you already are.” He huffs, “Take the warning and prepare your realm, your fight is not over quite yet.”
“Well, when you inevitably get free, you're welcome here. I still do owe you that drink after all.”
“I shall gladly accept, you have proved more interesting than I originally hoped for, so thank you.”
He chuckles, “You're welcome reindeer games, but I still want more answers. We didn't even get into half of it right now.”
“Sir, Mister Odinson is approaching.”
“It seems our time together is at an end, Stark.”
“Thanks, Jay” he locks eyes with Loki and gives a small nod. “Yeah, well I guess this is it Reindeer Games. Can’t say it’s been a pleasure, but it has sure been interesting” he mocks playfully causing Loki to arch a brow and huff in amusement. He gathers the gag where he left it on the floor and moves to place it back on Loki’s jaw.
“Yes, that it has. I hate to admit it but, I’m glad to have met you, Tony Stark.” He concedes, with what appears to be a genuine smile from the Trickster god. Would wonders never cease.
Tony tightens the mask and steps back as the door is suddenly wrenched open and Thor marches his way into the room, still holding the phone that Tony had given him.
“Hey Point break, hope everything is okay with Jane?”
“Everything is well, thank you Stark. It was nice to hear her voice, we haven't spoken in a long time and it seems it will be longer still until we next meet.” he casts an annoyed look in Loki’s direction, which makes him roll his eyes. “Thank you for keeping an eye on my brother, Stark. I shall retake my duty now.”
“Yeah no problem Fabio, it was no problem.” He pats Thor on the back as he slowly walks backward towards the door. “I guess I’ll see you both in the morning then.”
“Aye goodnight, Stark.”
Tony glances quickly toward Loki before walking out the door. Well, he thinks, he got his questions answered but he just got a butt load more. It seems its time to plan out the next steps, and work out how Loki will fit into them. God knows he hasn't seen the last of him yet. Strangely enough the thought doesn't fill him with immediate dread.