Chapter 25
"So your little circus act is over." Clint smirked.
"That´s rich, coming from you." Loki countered dryly, and rolled his eyes at the archer´s glare.
"Calm down, girls… We have bigger issues here." Tony intervened, rubbing the bridge of his nose like he´d been doing the whole morning and wishing someone would just put the damned world on hold and bring him a coffee. "Phil found out Loki lied about… Well, us. But you can still get out clean."
"I will face the Director with you, Anthony. I doubt even my brother could convince him I wasn´t involved in the situation."
"Nor would I even try, just for the record." Loki smirked, leaning back against the wall. Thor rolled his eyes.
"For someone who just got caught with their hand in the cookie jar, you sure do look confident." Bruce commented warily. Loki spared him a fleeting glance, and sighed.
"If there is a way out, I will find it in time. If there isn´t, I will create one. There´s no need for me to worry."
Tony arched an eyebrow, remembering of the god´s breakdown in the apartment after the Chitauri had been caught, but decided against commenting on it with such an audience.
"You might need to worry about the fact that you probably just condemned your sugar daddy to an early retirement order." Clint grinned charmingly from his spot on the table. Loki´s lips thinned in disgust.
"Your Midgardian slang is so tasteless…" He sighed. "I can manage your Director."
"You can´t even manage your own army." Natasha suddenly spoke. Tony made a face and looked away because when Natasha decided to go in dirty, things were definitively not going to come out right.
Loki shot forward from the wall, hissing. "I´d like to see you try managing the Chitauri, you filthy…" His breath was cut when Thor´s arm slammed against his chest, holding the hammer. "If any of you knew what it was like... Those disgusting creatures are no allies of mine. They are but hunting mutts, I was only…" He cut himself short, and held her under his glare. Natasha´s mouth quirked slightly upwards.
"Calm down, Loki. We both know your tongue gets loose when you´re this mad." She walked straight up to where Thor held Loki still, and looked up to face him. "We wouldn´t want you spilling secrets to our Director. It might be counterproductive if there´s still someone willing to step into the fire for you in this team."
Tony looked sideways to Clint, who seemed to be having a one man parade, and slapped the back of his head.
"Trust me, you don´t want him angry." He whispered. Clint kept grinning.
"Trust me. Between those two, he´d be the least of out problems."
Loki looked down into the small woman´s green eyes. Cold.
Cold as ever.
He exhaled sharply and glared harder (He chose to ignore the fact that he was using what he called a `Thor-technique´), but she didn´t flinch. Her gaze didn´t flicker. Slowly, like a crack through ice, he felt a smile come to his face.
"Why, Romanoff, if I wasn´t sure I´d think you´re trying to be of use here."
"Stark is the majority of our funding. If he gets taken off the equation because he you were too busy fucking around with him to solve your own problems, I´m taking you down."
Loki rolled his eyes. "When will you mortals understand there is no solving my `problem´? Either they get me or I get my magic back in time to get rid of them. The only players here are I, the Chitauri, and Odin´s mercy, which, if I might add, has always been a little blind." He ignored Thor´s glare. "Let your Director come. I do not fear him."
--
"I should´ve expected this." Nick Fury was definitively one of a kind, Loki had decided since he first met him. He looked at the god in the eye, his arms firmly tangled at his back. Even back then, it had reeled on his nerves. It made Loki feel as if he was actually no threat at all. Like he had no control over anything. And that was something he´d fight to the grave. "You´re as impossible to kill as a fucking cockroach."
Loki stared hard at him, feeling the weight of all eyes in the room, but said nothing. Fury frowned.
"So? Back for another round so soon?"
"Not quite."
"Yes, I was informed that you´re not what we´d call a willing guest, mister real power." He smirked. "Got ridden hard at home and decided you´d rather spend your days in the shadow with the rest of us ants?"
Loki glared. He wanted to answer, oh, how he wanted it. But the mortal was right. Surviving was his most finely honed skill, and this was a delicate situation. Then Thor stepped forward and he suppressed an eye roll, hoping he wouldn't ruin everything.
"Director, my…"
"Shut your piehole, Odinson. I haven´t decided what I want to tell you yet, don´t make it worse."
Looking sideways, Loki could practically see Thor willing himself not to thunder the insolent mortal down to ashes. He smirked without even noticing.
"If you´re done barking, I´d ask what you want of me, for I wish to finish my breakfast." Loki spoke clearly in a controlled voice.
"Eat slowly, then, because it´s the last Stark-quality food you´re having." Fury answered, sending another of his wrathful glares at Tony. "I have been informed that you´re working your sentence down here."
"That is correct. And as such, I´d like to remind you that I am politically untouchable."
"Yeah well tell that to your old invasion buddies."
"Them I´ll manage on my own." Loki tried a stern glare, but Fury smiled maliciously.
"You think you can fool me, Laufeyson?" Oh, how he despised that name, Loki thought as Fury edged closer to him, like an owl closing on its prey. "I know how you work. Last time nothing stopped you from creating a way in. If you had the means to get out you´d already be half a fucking galaxy away." His voice lowered to a menacing mutter. "The way I see it, you have two options."
"Forgive me if I think your vision might be somewhat limited." The god said, smiling charmingly. Tony snorted back a chuckle, and against his will, Clint did the same. "What might those two options be?"
"Either my team kicks you out of the Tower and your little friends find you out on the open, or you come with S.H.I.E.L.D. for… Safekeeping. You get a nice, cozy room, three meals a day…"
"And a daily hour of recreational play with a team of scientists and heavy sedatives?" Loki guessed.
Fury didn´t smile this time, but the triumph was visible in his eye. "Your pick."
Tony frowned. "Excuse me? I didn´t know you could kick people out of MY tower."
The man barely spared him a glance. "Looks like I can, Stark."
Loki raised a hand to stop him even before his lips parted.
"I´ll give you a second to think of it." From the tone of his voice, it was evident that Fury thought the case won. He turned to face the team. "Now. You."
Even Natasha tensed under the strength of the glare. Steve spoke out.
"Sir?"
"Don´t `sir´ me, Rogers. Do you all think I´m a fucking idiot, by any chance?"
Tony smiled. "Well…" But his voice was cut short by Steve´s pinch on his arm.
"Well? Is anyone going to explain why you thought hiding this motherfucker was a good idea?" He scanned them all. Thor kept quiet, but met his gaze proud and defiant. His spies gave nothing away, Rogers held position like a goddamned army poster boy and surely there was a way he could snap Stark´s neck and still get funding from his company, right? He´d have Coulson look into that.
"Actually, we´ve only been hiding him for…"
"Don't feed me that crap, Rogers, I´ll give my other eye if you can tell me you didn´t know Stark was fucking him."
Steve straightened further. "Who Tony brings into his room is no business of ours. The Tower is his, and for what I understand, Loki has been going in and out through private exits." He half-lied. "We found out by accident."
Fury glared at him for a second longer. "Banner?"
Tony relaxed momentarily. Behind Fury, Loki seemed to be trying to glare a hole through the Director´s skull.
"I had no idea. I was obviously kept blind to avoid damage to either the city, the Tower or Loki himself. I think there´s no doubt that he doesn´t get along with the other guy." Bruce allowed himself a small smile, when Fury acknowledged his words with a nod and moved on without questioning. Sometimes he held a little love for his rage issues.
"Barton."
Clint clicked his tongue, bored. "I caught them exchanging fluids not long ago, boss. I wish I could unsee it, for various reasons."
"And you did not think it prudent to report back?"
"I was instructed that matters concerning the Team would be discussed with the Team´s leader first, boss." The archer shrugged. Tony wanted to hug him hard and awkwardly.
"This won´t be repeated." Fury was not asking.
"Yes, boss."
And then the Director´s eyes narrowed, and he turned to Natasha. Tony felt his pulse quickening, and for a second he thought he could smell the tension in the room.
"Romanoff?"
Natasha stood to attention. She felt every eye on her, and suppressed a smirk.
"I was informed of Loki´s presence ten days ago. I was not aware of Stark´s doings." She held the Director´s gaze. "Steve provided valid reasons as to why we should take care of the matter as a team, and we voted on it."
"… You voted on it." Fury repeated, his voice strangled. "You voted on hiding a fucking convict while he played house with Stark?!"
"Yes." She reassured.
Tony decided he´d get her a death ray for Christmas. She´d won it.
Fury shook his head, apparently mesmerized by his team´s amazing stupidity, and turned back to Loki.
"So? What will it be?"
Loki´s face gave nothing away as he stared right back at Fury.
"You play your cards convincingly, Director." Was all he said for a start. He noticed Thor´s glance hardening, yet his choice had been made. His pride was big. But his need was bigger. He tried not to think of anything as he spoke his next words, not to look at anyone in particular. "I shall play your guest for a while. But do remember my power will be back in no time, in case your scientists want to play a bit too rough."
The corner of Fury´s mouth twitched upwards. "If you say so. My men are down at ground level, they will escort you." Fury answered, walking for the door without even looking back. "Shall I grant you a moment to say goodbye?" He added, with a hint of a sneer.
"If you would be so kind." Loki took a small taste of satisfaction when Fury spun around on his heels to look at him as if he´d grown a third arm. He gifted him with his most charming smile (which coincidentally was also the creepiest). Fury frowned, but turned back and left the room, followed shortly by Coulson. He blinked slowly once. He´d rather have this done with fast. As always, his life held no certainties.
"You were not sent here to be made a prisoner, brother." Thor started. Loki wanted to throw himself out the nearest window. Instead, he just rolled his eyes.
"Must you always be so unbearably naive, Thor? If this man wants to make my enemies his own, I´ll bear some of his troubling. I hardly doubt they can do me any harm, even if they tried."
"It is past time you stopped underestimating the midgardians."
"That would take some proving on their part."
Thor gestured behind him with a broad hand. "Have you met my team here, brother? Or perhaps you forget how they..."
"Thor shut it, buddy." Tony rubbed his brow. At this pace, he´d rub it right off his face. Thor was obviously uneasy about his brother´s fate amongst S.H.I.E.L.D.´s scientists, but Loki had done what he wanted, whether they liked or not. "You both are giving me a headache."
"I´ve heard sex helps with that." Clint quipped in, smirking. "Which really sucks, because you totally just lost you bedwarmer."
"Bedfreezer more so. It´s like fucking a damned..."
"I don´t need to hear it!"
Tony smiled. "Get off."
Steve nodded. "Let´s go." He started for the door, and stopped a few steps before walking past Loki. "Good luck."
"Same to you, Captain." Loki noticed the mortal staring, and sighed. "Same to you, Steven."
Steve shrugged and went on. Clint and Bruce followed without a word, but when Natasha tried for the same the god stepped in her way, glaring down at her.
"You do not have my loyalty, Romanoff."
Natasha stared up at him, expressionless.
"I don´t look for loyalty. I take advantage of indebting people." And she walked past him, not deigning him with another glance. Loki´s frown deepened, before he was pushed forward by Thor´s palm against his back.
"I will talk to Father again, brother. Your magic will be back soon enough."
"I envy your faith." Loki answered tiredly. Thor patted his back once more, and let his hand rest on his shoulder for a second before turning away. "Fool..." Loki whispered as soon as he was out of earshot. Tony smiled sadly.
"Yet he´s growing back on you." He got Loki´s attention. "That was idiotic. I have enough places to keep hiding you for a long time."
"But not forever."
Not forever. Still... It was way too early.
"Sweetcheeks, nothing lasts forever."
"As we can see right now." Loki countered, but it had no bite to it. He walked up to Tony and claimed his mouth in a kiss. It was long, deep, and not for a second did his hands let go of the mortal´s shirt or his hair. It soon turned hard and heated, almost desperate.
"You should be safe now." Tony muttered awkwardly after they´d parted. Loki´s hands still gripped him tight. He looked down at the one on his shirt and the god let go, as if suddenly noticing his actions.
"It would seem so. You should probably visit me sometime, it could be entertaining." He smirked. Then he turned and walked away.
"Loks."
The god stopped one step short of the elevator, his finger pressing the button. The doors opened for him, yet he stayed on his spot, waiting.
But Tony was not one for goodbyes. He was not one for letting go. Not one to admit things. For too long he´d been surrounded by those who knew how to read him well enough that he didn´t have to voice these things.
The silence between them thickened instantly, and the god stepped into the metal box without another word.
Tony stayed in his place and watched the elevator´s doors close soundlessly behind him, wondering just exactly why he hadn´t seen this coming.
--
At the other side of the doors, Loki berated himself for having let it come this far.
For the first time since he´d come to Earth, he allowed himself a silent pray to his Father, pleading that his power be returned to him soon.