Chapter 4
After his trip to the hospital (where they discovered that he was fit as a fiddle – if a little underfed – and the problem was probably psychological) Coulson informed him that, until he was mentally capable of returning to work, he’d be going on an extended holiday, paid, and that his job would be waiting for him when he returned. Anthony wanted to refuse but Phil had a way of getting the last word.
Anthony also received a few business cards from the hospital for specialists he could talk to. He was asked to make an appointment by the end of the weekend and keep the school updated on his progress. When he got home that night he selected a random card and dialed the number, making an appointment for Tuesday afternoon. He hung up feeling just a little bit more useless than usual.
He slept sporadically through the rest of the day and watched bad infomercials to pass the early morning hours. Around eleven am he went out to the park, hoping a little fresh air would help him relax. In the back of his mind he also hoped Loki would be there. He wanted to tell him he might’ve figured it out, but by four the man still hadn’t passed by and Anthony began to get hungry.
He headed back to his apartment to feed Jarvis (who’d likely clawed up the furniture in a fit of rebellious hunger) and see what he could scrounge up for himself. After that he was pretty content to just sit and watch reruns on his tiny, ancient television.
There was a knock on the door around nine or ten; halfway through an episode of the Big Bang Theory, that he wasn’t enjoying as much as he usually did. He sat up and wandered over to the door, peeking through the little peep-hole. On the other side was a streak of black, curling around a handsome face. Anthony opened the door with a small smile.
“Heard you went to the hospital.” Loki said, returning the smile
“And may I ask where you heard that?”
Loki shrugged conspiratorially, “You’ve got gossipy co-workers.” He grinned and Anthony knew he wouldn’t get any more out of him on the subject.
For a moment the taller man just smiled, then he flicked his eyes into the apartment. Anthony got the hint and stepped aside to let him in, watching as Loki ambled past and got comfortable on the end of the bed.
“I didn’t take you for a fan of sitcoms.” He said. Anthony only shrugged and sat next to him, careful to leave some space between them, “Have you had dinner, Tony?”
“Uhh, I ate a sandwich about an hour ago.” He admitted.
“Oh, damn. I’m hungry. Come for a walk with me.”
Anthony turned and studied Loki’s face for a moment, taking in his crinkling eyes, high cheekbones, pleasant smile. Nodding once, he pulled on a clean shirt and shoes, and followed the other man to the door, giving strict instructions to Jarvis to watch the place, and that he was not to have any crazy parties while he was gone (at which point, Loki told the cat that of course he could have parties, daddy was just being stingy, and that crazy parties were an essential and important part of youth and, really, anyone who didn’t have a crazy party every now and then was wasting their life.)
They made it to the street, still discussing how lenient Loki was with Jarvis, and how he would likely end up one of those wild cats who spent all day sniffing catnip and knocking up neighbor cats.
They walked until they reached a little late-night bistro, ordering sandwiches and picking at them between lengthy conversation. After the late meal, they took the long way home, walking through the empty park. Their discussion moved on to mechanics at one point, and Anthony had to admit, he wasn’t all that informed on the subject.
“Really?” Loki looked at him; a curious tilt of the head.
“Why do you do that? It’s like you expected something different, even though you don’t know me.”
“You just seem like you would know your way around an engine, that’s all.” Loki chuckled, and Anthony couldn’t stay mad. Not when he laughed like that.
“No,” Anthony admitted, “That was my father’s lot in life. He used to own a garage out in Malibu. Boy, should’ve seen the vintage cars that would roll through there.”
Loki smiled wistfully, pulling a little closer.
They got back to the apartment complex around one and, as they passed by the grocer’s, Loki stopped and peered in.
“It’s still open.” He smiled. Anthony only nodded in response, “We should get a bottle of wine.”
“I’m not much of a drinker.” Loki looked appalled. He pulled the shorter man close and cradled his face in cool hands as he stared into the other’s chocolate eyes.
“What have they done to you?” He exclaimed in a loud and demanding voice. Anthony could only shrug, looking baffled, “Don’t worry, Tony,” he continued, “I’ll fix you.”
The man disappeared into the store, returning minutes later with a bottle of some expensive looking red wine. He chuckled mischievously, and darted up the steps to the apartment. Anthony finally caught up (inside the apartment, and how did he get in without keys?) Loki was pouring the drink into two mugs.
“You don’t have any wine glasses.” He pouted, “Or glass anything, really.”
“I used to, didn’t I, Jarvis?” Anthony gave the cat a heated glare before a mug was pushed into his hands. He smiled, sniffed the wine a little, then wrinkled his nose on impulse. Loki only chuckled again.
After his first couple of sips (complete with accompanying looks of disgust,) he began to drink a little easier; not quite savoring the flavor, or enjoying it at all, really, but accepting that Loki intended to polish off the bottle that night, and demanded his help.
At some point they’d made it to the bed, settling close to each other and flipping through the few channels he had on his small TV set. Around four in the morning they were lying down, facing each other, and talking. Mostly they talked about Tony – what his childhood was like (average), what his parents were like (caring), where his dad was now –
“He’s still out in California. I’ve got an aunt taking care of him.” He slurred, his eyes threatening to drift closed.
“Why’s he need taking care of?”
“There was an accident.”
“The one with your mother?”
“No, later one. Must’ve been, I dunno.” Anthony sighed, his brain sluggish, “Two-r-three years later? Anyways, my dad’s got this old clunker, Morris Minor, or some piece of shit from the sixties. It’s up on the lift though, and he’s dealing with the tailpipe – rusted to all hell – and the lift fucking shifts, right? So my dad knows he’s gotta get outta there but he doesn’t quite make it. One of the arms just snaps right off and the car tilts really quick.
“Some of his guys were there and they said the door just flung right open and smacked his head real good. So now he’s concussed and pinned to the ground and he’s not responding. Took five big guys and winch to get the rust bucket offa him. Anyways, one frantic call to 9-1-1 and an ambulance ride later, they find out he’s snapped his back and mushed up his brain. He’s paralyzed now, from the chest down anyway, and he can’t remember shit like he used to. It’s kinda like Alzheimer’s. I don’t really visit that often. I mean, he doesn’t usually recognize me anyway.”
Anthony doesn’t miss Loki’s frown, or the way he shifts closer.
“What about your parents? What they like?”
“I… Was adopted. I don’t get on well with my adoptive family. I really should, though. They’re good people, and I’m pretty sure my blood relatives are monsters. I could’ve had it much worse, to be honest.”
They grow quiet after that. At some point the TV gets turned off, and at another there are blankets over them. It didn’t take long after that for Anthony to fall asleep.
That night he dreams of the tower again. He was pouring himself a drink and talking to someone he couldn’t quite see. The someone’s voice was very familiar, though. He offered the someone a drink, then the dream shifted. The someone was Loki but he looked tired and stretched too thin and he was holding Tony by the throat (Tony, always Tony, not Anthony, don’t call me Anthony) and saying, “You’ve almost got it, Stark. Just wake up. If you just wake up, everything will be fine.” And then he was flying through a window and falling, falling, falling until everything went black.