Why
All he does is roll his eyes, set down the suitcase, wear properly the coat he realizes by the long sleeves is Loki’s, which quite harbors all of his attention for a moment, before it reverts to the quarrel erupting. He glances briefly the god’s way, leaning back against the wall arms crossed, as disengaged as him and wouldn’t it be nice if there was a button to skip this scene where point to point, what happened happened and they can’t do a damn thing.
He tries to be reasonable, at first. Elaborating, assuring – but honestly he’s things far more of matter on his mind and he’s quite worn and quite done, listening to everyone talk shit about Loki.
“Alright that’s it.” So it is they know, Tony’s about to make a move there is no going back from. Clint opens his mouth to hinder just longer what they’ve known for a while may occur – Tony cuts off: “No. Nuh uh,” he merely walks towards his room – maybe they’ll leave it at that, but of course not and you know what?
“Tony,” calls Steve, so he answers:
“No here’s what it is…Loki’s part of the team.” Refutes sound from all about – he yells over: “Piss all you want he is! And not just because he highly qualifies, but you know what? Because I said so.”
Loki couldn’t be more proud.
Loki couldn’t care less about the team and their goals and their righteous crap. Yet regardless of Tony’s outburst his mind had been set on the matter, to be by his side in every coming battle.
“Don’t like it? Kick me off then,” Stark shrugs – Steve counters:
“No you can’t just pull this.”
“I am.”
“No you’re not,” Barton scoffed – Tony faced him.
“Clint we’ve known each other a while but you don’t know me well enough to know that when I put my mind to something, it happens.”
“Shield won’t let it,” Bruce highlights – Tony counters:
“I really don’t see what they can do about it.” Indeed what can they? Their software and hardware? Stark enhanced, easily hackable, child’s play to Tony Stark. And with the God of Mischief?
“They can do plenty,” a futile lie from the spy that makes Loki smile.
“And I’m not shy. I’m game.”
“Insane,” Clint corrects – Tony nods shameless.
“Touche.”
“Such a proposition,” Thor tries, “lacks not flaws, as it does advantage-” Clint interrupts:
“Thor for the love of all that you hold dear, stay out of this.”
“I will do no such thing.”
“Look no offense big guy,” he best not mean offense or he’ll be floored by the thunder god promptly. “But your opinion on the matter isn’t exactly unbiased.”
Having laid all he has on said matter Tony stalks towards their room again, halted by Steve’s grip on his arm,
warranting Loki’s immediate involvement who tuts, and Steve feels a sharp sting just at the side of his throat, a needle-thin dagger hovering, pressing. Everyone froze.
“Hands to yourself, captain,” the god said frigidly. The grip loosens enough that Tony can pull away, but doesn’t, waiting for Steve to comply, which of course he doesn’t.
“Or what?” And Tony’s quite glad he asked and Loki doesn’t disappoint:
“Or you lose them.” A drop of blood trickles down Steve’s throat.
“Loki,” Thor warns – Clint adds:
“Got a death wish, do you?” Loki remains, waiting, challenge in his gaze. Steve is senseful enough not to probe, releasing. The dagger fades Steve faintly easing, readied still as Loki came to stop by Tony whose smugness showed crassly. “And a loose cannon like you is just what we’re missing,” Clint says to which this time Loki snaps smoothly:
“I could give a damn as to what you lack – I’ll do as I please. That includes aiding Stark when I choose to, with whatever, and against whomever, that may be.” Tony knows he indeed may be crazy, to be warmed by these venom-brimmed words as he looks up at the mad god beside him, listening for the answer,
“Why?” to the word that Bruce brings forth.
“What a ridiculous question. Monster that I am,” [then monsters that we are,] “why and how can I bother at all? How do you?” hinting shrewdly it silenced the Hulk. He addressed the rest: “Entertaining as it’d be to prolong this stimulating discourse, I should say it’s rather late so go on; don’t strain yourselves. You’ve lives to save, baddies to beat, etc,” he paced into the room Tony follows, door shut.