Chapter Text
There´s only one valid cure against a full grown hangover and that of course is more alcohol.
This brilliant idea can only come from one of the great geniuses of our time.
And in this case, the genius is Tony Stark and while he´s holding onto the wall with one hand, which he would never admit, he´s already thinking about what kind of Bourbon, Gin, Rum or Vodka could sooth the stinging pain in his head the best. While he entered the living room, he just made the decision that he doesn´t even need to choose, because mix and match is always in.
As his hand stretches out to the cabinet to fetch one of the way too large bottles, filled with golden shimmering liquid, which would surely comfort him the way it always does, he notices a very slight movement in the corner of his eye. He moves his head to one side, all of the room covered in darkness.
„JARVIS? Lights.“, his voice was a little hoarse and he furrows his brows, waiting for the light to reveal the room. It doesn´t just reveal the room as he knew it, but also a dark, lean figure, sitting on one of the chairs.
„This really is no time to be up Stark.“
He knew the voice, always slightly mocking, smooth and dangerous in the sweetest way.
It took Tony maybe two or three seconds as well as a little bit of Scotch to fully recover from the shock.
„Frosty…I´d wish to be able to say I´m glad to see you. Drink? “
The god sits in the chair, his cold gaze flowing around the room, before it settles down at Tony.
„Life is barely ever about what we wish.“
He got up, with what seemed to be one smooth movement and made his way to the bar.
„If you´re lucky in life, it´s about choices and setting priorities.“
Tony raises a brow in the same way he always does, when he´s about to bring the niveau down with his commentary, but in the same time his hands are looking for the alarm button on the underside of the bar. Not only because he has a homicidal maniac in his house, but because he sounds even stranger than he usually does.
„Look, I´m happy you found your interest in philosophy and everything, but could you not share it with me at 3 am? Or in the best case, not at all?“
Loki ignored the sarcastic comment, sitting down again.
“I´d like that drink.“
Tony nodded, then drinking together was a bit more okay and so he took a second glass and filled it, handing it over to Loki. „Here you go.“ The other nodded a thank you, taking a large gulp.
Something seemed odd about him, even though Tony couldn´t tell what it was.
“I´m not here to bring harm to any of you.“
„Oh, I was hoping to get thrown out of a window again…but fine. Tell me more.“
He leans against the bar, not only to look cool and secure but also to keep his hungover self to reveal the sudden uncomfortable feeling, caused by the serious tone of Loki´s voice
“I know about our past…differences and I hope you´re not holding on to much of that old anger.“
A slight smile played around his thin lips.
„It´s not healthy you know? Even though your definition of healthy seems to be a bit strange as well.“
He gestures to the open bottle.
“If you wanna take a job as my nanny, it´s already taken, okay? She also told me to not speak to weird people, so if you would please go now?“, he counters and is really able to see how the others green eyes get darker.
„I´m not in the mood for your silly games, Stark.“
Those pale hands lay on the wooden bar in clenched fists.
„If you´re not then why are you here?“
A weird atmosphere settled in the room, and maybe Tony doesn´t even notice, that his hands had stopped searching for the alarm button a few minutes ago.
“I´m asking you for help.“
The words were going through the unmoved air and disappeared right after they were spoken, so that Tony had to say the sentence again to make sure he heard right.
„You´re…asking me for help?“
A serious nod from Loki, nothing more.
His inner JARVIS was immediately telling him, not to risk anything, not to go into it, press the damn alarm button and get that maniac as far away as possible, but Loki´s voice made him wipe away these thoughts. He sounded serious, helpless, afraid…
Something Tony couldn´t even imagine to this point, but there he is looking right at the god, who stirs into his glass, one of his legs trembling.
Of course it wasn´t sentiment driving Tony Stark to ask further, but his sheer unbelievable curiosity.
“And what could the mere mortal help you with?“, he raises his brows and sips from the glass of scotch.
“You remember the Chitauri?“, he avoided any eye contact, looking out of the large windows instead.
“Pretty hard to forget, Lokes.“
He changed his angle to get a look at the others face, which seemed even paler than usual.
„Heard about their leader? Thanos?“
Tony had to keep himself from rolling his eyes. “Geez, just tell me what you need. Of course I know about him, need to remind you that I´m the genius in the team?”
“Genius doesn´t equal knowledge.“, he stated coldly before continuing.
„As we all know, I failed taking over this realm, I failed in his plan. He´s not the kind of person to forgive such a mistake and made sure he´d be able to track me, no matter on which ´lonely moon´ I would hide. I just quoted him, and yes he does have a dramatic way to threaten.“
A bitter smile appears on his face for a few seconds.
“I can follow you. Alien dude lookin for you. What does it have to do with me?“
He watches warily as the other set the glass aside, shoving up his left sleeve, revealing a dark, pulsing mark. Tony does the impossible and raises his eyebrows even higher.
„I don´t think you´re gonna tell me about an awesome 3D tattoo artist now…“
“It´s a tracker. It´s sending electric pulses, my attempt to get it out, wasn´t very succesful. Then I tried to stop the signal but I don´t know if it worked. I need you to take a look at it.“, even though his voice stayed cool there was a slight shaking in it.
Tony couldn´t resist the curiosity, the head ache that drove him to the bar is long forgotten, as he took a step closer.
„Can I take a look?“
Loki just nodded silently, keeping his chin up as he stretches out the arm, the black mark pulsing and looking like a leech, Tony couldn´t keep him from shuddering. As he poked it with his finger it stayed still for a moment, before steadily pulsing again.
“That…it´s beneath your skin.“
“Deeper than that. You can´t just cut it out.“
“You hang around with the wrong kind of people reindeer…“ , he mentioned quietly, which got him a little smile from Loki.
“Yes, you´re right about that.“
„This gotta hurt like a motherfucker.“
“It is in fact not very pleasant. “, he admitted before clearing his throat.
„Can I expect your help?”
It was an unnecessary question, how could Tony possibly resist?
Unknown technology, together with an ex-nemesis suddenly asking him for help? The risk was only making it more irresistible.
But he knows better than to shout out a loud `Yes!` to the other, instead sitting back down on the bar, taking a sip and putting on his best thinking-face.