Chapter 16
"This tickles." Tony stared at his hands, moving and flexing the fingers as if to make sure they were still there. "Should it tickle?"
"Tickles as it would if you had fallen asleep on it?"
"Exactly."
"That means I made a mistake and you are going to die in a moment, if you don´t stop asking stupid questions." Loki answered, not bothering to look while he inspected the door to the facility. "I didn´t take you for a coward, Stark."
"Yeah? Well, wear my suit, and let´s see how comfortable you are."
"Isn´t it filled with weapons?"
"… Right. Well, you can wear the prototype. In fact, that could be funnier."
"There." Loki pointed to a corner of the building, and Tony pressed himself against the wall, falling silent; the spell wouldn't shield them from contact, nor hide their sounds. Surely enough, two agents doubled the corner, presented an ID to the lector, and walked in talking about the increase in coffee prices, all the while completely unaware that two others had slipped in with them.
They stopped just crossing the threshold, waiting for the agents to walk ahead.
"What now? Loki whispered.
Tony smiled broadly, already pumping adrenaline.
"This way. Careful, sweetcheeks." He went to take a step, and ended up jumping a couple of feet, when the god´s fist crashed between his shoulders. "What the…?"
"No."
Tony rolled his eyes. "Fine. Careful, Loks." He emphasized the last word.
"Better. There´s a limit, Stark."
"I live to break those." Tony smiled one last time, before heading forward again. They moved in silence, Tony signaling the way, and Loki tapping his shoulder whenever his enhanced senses warned him that they´d bump into someone. Tony was fascinated. Given enough time, he could mimic this; create a device that shielded him from cameras, from sensors. But this was different. He was there, but he wasn´t. He could do whatever he wanted, and come out unscathed. He suppressed a shiver, remembering he was witnessing just a minimal fraction of Loki´s abilities. No wonder why this guy had fallen so hard, with so much power.
"Here…" Just like the last time, the door slid soundlessly without any alarm, and Tony took it as yet another sign that he had done an amazing job with the copy. "Ready, Loks?"
Next to him, Loki nodded, before turning his wrist, and nod again.
"What did you do?"
"Another illusion. The cameras watching a room that looks exactly like this one, but doesn´t exist." The god explained. "Hurry up."
Tony pulled the case open, and Loki watched him hold the real scepter.
His hands itched; It would be so easy…. Overpowering the weak mortal, and just outside the door, there were dozens of trained humans he could use. He clenched his fists.
"Done." Tony whispered, closing the case again, and turning back to Loki, just to find him looking pointedly to the side, shoulders tense and hands balled. "Loki?"
The god met his gaze. "Let´s go, then." And he left the room so suddenly one would have thought he´d seen a ghost. Except he probably had, Tony thought, sorcerer business and everything. Well, he turned so fast one would have thought Thor was charging at him with his arms open for a hug. Yep, Tony thought. He´d probably run from tha…
"Stark! Move!"
"Coming!" He whispered back at Loki´s hiss. The door slid again behind him, and they resumed the walk back. This time, however, Loki led them carefully. It seemed there were far more agents roaming the building now.
"Loki, this is a closed hall." Tony muttered, when Loki pushed him against the wall.
"Your observation capacity is amazing, Stark." The taller one grunted. "There was a group coming from…" He cut himself, and Tony watched him frown.
"L…" As soon as his voice started emerging from his mouth, a pale hand was soundlessly slapped over his lips. Tony looked ahead, following the god´s eyes.
Coulson was standing at the entrance of the hall.
Looking. Directly. At. Them.
He looked at Loki again, alarmed, and his hopes fell when he saw his confusion mirrored in his face. They were so screwed…
Coulson walked towards them, his arms swinging freely; if they were to try and slip past him, he´d surely graze them.
Tony acted on instinct; he pulled the shocked god, and pushed him behind himself, against the wall. He could explain it, if Coulson found him, even invisible. He´d wave it off as a new camouflage feature he was testing for the suit. He could have Pepper save him from the agent. But Loki was something that definitively couldn´t be explained.
Meanwhile, Loki watched the human shielding him with his pathetically frail body, and as the agent stretched a hand to touch the space before him, he dug in his pocket, and clenched the sphere. He´d teleport them both out; he´d have plenty of time to recharge it. The man´s fingers were just an inch away from grazing Stark´s chin…
"Phil?" When a voice echoed through the hall, and the soldier´s blond head poked out of the corner. "What are you doing?"
That was enough. The man turned to look at him, and Loki pushed hard on Stark´s shoulder, crouching next to him.
"Just checking something, Steve." He answered, and turned back. His hand shot forward again, sweeping the air in a fluid motion, and a hesitant expression took over his face, when he leaned to touch the wall and met no obstacles. He turned back to the soldier. "It wasn´t anything, I´m sorry." And he walked back to him. "What were you saying?"
"About the mayor´s party… I was wondering if we really have to assist…" The soldier placed a hand on his shoulder, and that seemed to be enough to drive him away. Before he disappeared behind the corner, however, the soldier looked back at where they crouched, and Loki allowed them to flicker back in sight, for less than a second. The soldier nodded, and kept going.
"Let´s not do that again." Stark whispered."
"I agree."
-
They made the rest of the path hurriedly, and in silence, but they had to stop to wait for someone that opened the doors for them.
Tony wanted to cry, when Steve showed up again. He tapped his shoulder when he walked past them.
"Let us out." He whispered.
Steve gave no indications of having heard, and he presented his guest ID to the lector. When he was just going out, he looked down, and kneeled on the floor to readjust his perfectly tied shoelace.
Tony pulled Loki out, and whispered a hushed "Done" that prompted Steve to leave his shoe alone, and pull the door closed behind him. He walked in silence, not addressing them until he reached the car he´d obviously borrowed from the tower.
"Give us a ride?" He nodded at Tony´s request, and gestured vaguely down the street.
Climbing into the car, he drove up to where he knew S.H.I.E.L.D.´s cameras were no longer watching them, and he opened the passenger´s door. The seat sank a bit, and the lock of the back door flipped open by itself, just like the door. He kicked the engine on again, after it closed, and drove again, fighting the flinch that threatened to overcome him when both a playboy billionaire and a Norse god were suddenly sharing car with him.
"You´re a goddamned angel, Steve." Tony rubbed his face, before throwing the fake scepter´s case into the backseat. "What were you even doing in there?"
Steve smiled. "Thor told me you were doing it today. I thought it´d be a good idea to keep Phil busy. I don´t have a clue how he noticed something was going on, it was actually him who ordered some men to patrol the halls."
"Agent senses." Tony declared, before breaking into a grin. "Well, we´re officially done."
"That´s good." Steve smiled. The Avengers mansion was already within sight, and Tony looked over his shoulder, opening his mouth to speak.
"I´m not drinking with you again, Stark. Don´t even mention it." Far from offended by the god´s answer to his non-spoke invitation, Tony smirked and looked back ahead.
"Why are we heading into your quarters?" Loki asked, suspicious, when Steve drove into the entrance to the underground parking lot.
"We have to talk." The blond announced, finding the twin grimace that took place in both Loki and Tony´s face to be quite amusing. "Sorry. We really have to."
-
Thor smiled. Loki hadn´t acknowledged his presence in the room, not even with a glare. In fact, he had pointedly ignored him since crossing glances with him when he entered. Apparently, he was ashamed about answering his message last night.
"I take it you fulfilled your mission successfully?" He asked Tony.
"Well, we cut it a bit too close with Coulson, but yeah, we did it."
"Marvelous."
"What is this thing you had o tell us, Captain?" Loki intervened. He wanted to go back to the small flat he´d reluctantly started to think of as `home. Steve´s calmed expression faded, replaced by a solemn one.
"It´s something Phil told me…"
"He finally asked you to sign his Captain America underwear, right?" Tony held Steve´s annoyed glance for as long as he could. "No one can take a joke."
The blond shook his head, before looking directly at Loki
"They caught a Chitauri."
It was as if someone had paused time in the room. No one moved, and no one made a sound. Tony watched as all color drained from Loki´s face, and finally decided someone had to say something.
"How did it happen?" He looked at Steve.
"There was another sighting. Only this time it was too slow, and someone hurt it. It kept still long enough for it to be caught."
"You mean it was… Real?" Loki croaked.
Steve arched an eyebrow, confused. "Yes, it´s real. Real enough to take a bulled, at least."
"That means…" Loki stared briefly at Tony, and he remembered what hey had discussed so many weeks ago. "That means they know I´m here."
Tony looked sideways at Thor, and saw him clench his jaw. Apparently shit definitively got real when Loki got this scared.
"Don´t be ridiculous. How could they know?"
"Unlike me, they have… Full power to invest in my persecution." Loki cleared his throat. "Is it alive?"
Steve nodded. "Phil wants us to interrogate it."
"Us?" Tony asked, arching an eyebrow. Steve shook his head.
"Not all of us, but we need Thor there, at least. The thing can´t understand us, and the same applies to us."
"I wish to be present when you do."
Thor turned to look at Loki when he spoke.
"Would that be wise, brother? If they managed to sense your presence in Midgard without coming close o you…"
Loki breathed hard once, and Tony dared to pat his shoulder- He was a bit surprised that the god didn´t flinch at the contact.
"I could be there in your place." He didn´t miss the way Steve´s brow shot up quizzically, but he ignored it in favor of the inexpressive god that stared at him.
"That would be…" Loki pressed his lips together, and pried his eyes from him. "I seem to be owing you many thanks lately, Stark."
Tony grinned. "This one is on me."
Loki nodded. "I will be going back to my apartment. I thank you for the information, Captain."
"Steve?"
"Huh?"
The blond smiled weakly. "No one ever calls me that out of battle. It´s weird." Loki nodded again.
"Steve, then." He corrected himself, as if tasting the way the name sounded in his mouth.
"Should you be going back alone?"
"I am more than capable of defending myself."
However, Thor´s voice intervened. "I wish to walk you back, brother."
Loki stared at him, and for the first time, Tony didn´t see hatred there, or rage. There was only fatigue.
"I know what you wish to ask, Thor, and I don´t want to talk about the matter."
At this, Thor smiled, conceding. "Fine, then. I just wish for your company."
Loki huffed. "Farewell." And he took off, making no comment when Thor followed.
"Did you speak to him?" Steve asked.
"Not yet." Tony answered. Steve pursed his lips.
"Weird, then."
Tony nodded. He couldn´t pretend he hadn´t noticed. It was a miracle, what a week of solitary confinement and two days with him seemed to have done.
-
"I thought I had been clear when I stated I didn´t wish to talk." Loki said through clenched teeth, as soon as Thor´s lips parted. They had gotten so far… The apartment door was just a step away.
"You said you didn´t want to talk about a certain matter." Thor grinned. Loki took it as his cue to jam the key in the lock and turn it.
"Yes, you´re predictable."
"Why?"
Loki suppressed a sigh. "It… Just happened. "He answered after a moment, knowing Thor wouldn´t leave until he´d thrown him a bone.
"Are you all right?"
"What do you even care?" But he couldn´t hide from the way Thor looked at him. He was one of the few persons that really did care. "I haven´t given it a thought."
"Do you regret it?"
This, he took a moment to consider before answering. "No."
Thor smiled, gleeful, before the gesture took a mischievous hue. "Now tell me, brother. What are we referring to? Anthony, or your message?"
It was priceless, really, the way Loki´s face paled, then reddened, and finally disappeared when the door was slammed closed between them. Thor leaned against it.
"Thank you."
"Just go away already." Was the unexpected answer. Thor´s smile widened, before he left.
-
"Why have you come back, creature?" Thro spoke in his most intimidating voice. He wasn´t comfortable in such a narrow and crowded space, with Steve and Tony at his back, and a steel table at his front.
The Chitauri, strapped to the table, stared at him with an anguishing expression in its inhuman face.
"I warn you, creature. Me and my comrades, we know how too get your information, ere you to refuse it to us." While it was not entirely a vain threat, it was one neither of them wanted to fulfill. Finally, the Chitauri spoke, its voice sounding like a stream of vapor escaping from a narrow outing.
"find him…" It hissed.
Thor translated to his friends, before focusing on the alien again. "Who?"
"The traitor… The one who bore our magic, and caused our downfall…"
"You mean Loki?"
"Translation, Thor." Tony reminded him, and the god raised a hand to shut him, when the Chitauri´s mouth opened again.
"Laufeyson… Yes…" The creature seemed to be under intense physical pain, and Thor remembered this beings had been far stronger when the portal Loki opened provided them with a direct connection to their dimension.
"You will not find him here," He declared, looking at the alien´s unfocused eyes.
"We will… We will…" The Chitauri answered. "He has used our magic… It is ingrained within him… And we shall find… Him… We know he hides here… And he will never… Escape… From us…" The creature´s voice faded in a weak coughing attack.
Tony watched the scene, and elbowed Steve as Thor paled and his frown deepened. He made a mental note to start working on a literally universal translator as soon as possible. The alien´s talk were whizzes and coughs, and he wondered how in Earth did Thor understand it; however, judging by his expression, things were… Not so good.
"You trick me not, creature. I see through your lies."
The Chitauri laughed, and it was a painful and terrifying noise. "Why would I lie, prince? I am in the thresholds of death… The traitor´s breaths are counted. Every time he uses his… Power… We feel it… We feel him." The creature´s mouth contorted into what he could only assume was a grin. "We will pay you back for… our fallen brothers… Asgardian."
"Say no more, creature."
"His pain… Will last for centuries….His last breath he will use… To thank us for allowing him to die… Our beasts will feast on his entrails… And whatever there´s left, we will send back to you… No one… Escapes the Chitauri…"
Both Tony and Steve shot forwards and clung to Thor´s body, when he made a move to grab the alien´s neck, but it was too late, for all of them.
The Chitauri´s last whizzing breath faded before Thor´s hands clenched around its throat, and its head fell limply against its chest.
"…This will be hard to explain." Steve was the first to speak, attempting to lighten the mood. Tony got the hint.
"I´m allergic to paperwork, you deal with it." They looked at Thor´s face, and the despair look it had taken made both their forced smiles fall.
"What did it say, Thor?"
"Friends… I fear my brother shall find no easy escape for this situation, if he… If he finds one at all…"
-
Tony knocked on the door, and waited. He could already smell coffee brewing inside, and he smiled.
"Loki? Why would they even look for him here?" Coulson asked, puzzled.
Thor shrugged. "I have no clues, Son of Coul."
Coulson´s face acquired a suspicious stare. "Your brother is dead, am I right, Thor?"
The blond rubbed his forehead, and both Tony and Steve knew he id so just to hide his eyes.
"He is…"
Loki opened the door, and tony stepped in. The apartment´s distribution had barely changed, nothing more than the sofa Loki used to read on, that had been moved to the window.
"How did the interrogation go?"
"What are we going to do?" Steve paced the room, thoughtful.
"First of all, my brother must stop using his magic, or they will surely find him"
"If they haven´t already, with all the magic he used to help me with the scepters." Tony intervened.
Loki sank on the couch, staring at his hands as if they were a threat.
"He will not be safe for too long, in that apartment." Thor muttered. "I need to find him another place."
Tony shrugged. "Convincing him to move into the tower would be perfect. Not many things can get in here."
"Save for your floor, the tower is bugged, Tony. And we can´t house a wanted criminal."
"Wanted criminal my ass. He´s a sitting duck, are you just going to let him get caught?" He pierced Steve with his gaze.
"My brother is not vulnerable without his magic." Thor intervened. "But he has no hopes against a team with unrestrained power."
It felt as if the room had been suddenly filled with ice-cold water.
Tony watched, sitting next to him, as the realization rained on his face. His twisted mind couldn´t help but bringing back the Chitauri´s promise. Loki didn´t even have the promise of merciful death to look forwards to. He faced a slow, burning hell.
The god raised his head, and he looked calm and recollected.
"Fine, then. I shall leave your residence soon, Stark. I thank your generosity." That was a face he knew well.
That was the expression Steve wore whenever someone mentioned his times before the freezing; Resignation, a twinkle of sadness, and a spark of barely concealed emption in the eyes. Every time he saw it, Tony thought it was fear, and this was not an exception. "Now, if you will excuse me, there are some things I must order before I leave."
And he gestured to the door, but Tony didn´t make a move to go.
His hand moved on its own, slowly. Loki flinched back, but he paid no mind, and kept going until his fingers first grazed, and then took hold of his shoulder. They stayed like that for a second; Tony with his hand clutching tightly, and the god immobile and tense, meeting his gaze with eyes as cold as emeralds incrusted in a marble statue.
Tony wondered if he should say something, before Loki´s eyelids fell, and he relaxed completely, his head falling to rest against the couch´s back, like it had done barely a couple of nights ago.
"We´ll figure something out."
"It´s futile, Stark. In fact, it´s none of your business anymore. You´ve been a good friend to my brother, helped him protect me, but you don´t owe me anything and…"
"What?"
Loki arched an eyebrow. "You don´t owe me anything."
Tony shook his head. "Not that. Did you just call Thor…"
At this, Loki smiled weakly, shamefully. "It all seems petty, under the light of the new circumstances."
Tony frowned. "Pathetic. Do it because you want to, not because you don´t have a choice." Loki´s gaze lost its focus again. "Do you want to, Loks?" Tony asked, crossing his metaphorical fingers, as Loki blinked slowly.
"Perhaps." And he raised a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. "When you´re immortal, you have more than enough time to hold a grudge. To heal on your own."
The billionaire squeezed the shoulder under his hand. "Would you stop being so pessimistic?"
"Why can´t you see it´s impossible? There´s no way out this time."
"Because I´m Tony Stark. I shouldn´t be alive, and yet here I am, spending my days flying around in a metal suit. I kick impossible in the balls, sweetcheeks."
"I thought I had made myself clear, Stark." Loki glared.
"Tony. If you´re not calling Steve `Captain´ anymore, then I´m Tony."
The god smirked. "I think not."
"Sweetcheeks."
"I can still punch you through the wall, mortal." Loki watched him keep smiling.
"I can still call Thor here right now and tell him about your sudden change of heart."
Someday, Loki would rule Midgard. He was sure of that. And when it happened, perhaps he´d keep Stark around, to amuse himself with his insolence.
"Anthony."
Tony pulled his cell phone out. "Not quite."
Or perhaps he´d just burn him to ashes. "Tony."
"That´s a good god." He ignored the way the older male glared at him. "That wasn´t that hard, was it?"
Loki pushed him away, and sighed. He certainly shouldn´t be fooling around right now.
"Leave, Stark. I must order my things, and schedule my departure."
And really, that was such a depressing way to say you were going to kill yourself that Tony let the `Stark´ slip. His free hand found Loki´s free shoulder, and he pulled him to face him, fully aware that he could do so only because the god allowed it.
"You say that one more time, and I swear to whatever god there is up there that´s not you, I´ll bring your brother and move in here." And he forced a smile. "I´m a genius. You´re a genius. How hard could it be?"
"You don´t know what you´re getting in, St… Tony."
"I never do, to be honest."
And the god smiled briefly, assessing him.
"That I see."
And Tony had no clue as to whether he should like the answer or not.