The Lover
At that moment, Tony should have felt proud of himself. After all, hadn't he saved the Earth from an alien invasion and narrowly escaped death? The man responsible for all this chaos had been incapacitated, thanks to Hulk taking personal charge. There was every reason to rejoice. Yet, his sixth sense seemed to warn him of an impending tragedy.
Nervously, Tony poured himself a glass of whiskey at his bar. He knew that the drink would inevitably turn into apple juice as soon as it reached his lips, but it was his way of reassuring himself, of having proof that his guardian angel still watched over him.
As he sipped his apple juice, trying to reassure himself, he looked at the beaten form of his enemy on the ground. Why did Loki seem so familiar to him? Why did Thor's violence towards the fallen god displease him so much? Tony forced himself to volunteer to take Loki to his cell. The man looked so... exhausted?
Tony almost thought the situation was under control when the arc reactor overloaded in his chest.
The only person who could help him was surprisingly the one he should have trusted the least. His enemy was leaning over him, and Tony couldn't understand how the man had effortlessly rid himself of the handcuffs. Even more astonishing, the god had managed to repair the arc reactor, as if it were a routine task. Loki's movements had a sense of déjà vu, and his look of concentration reminded Tony of a specific person.
After several minutes of terrible tension, Tony could breathe again, and Loki collapsed on him, lifeless.
Tony felt the warm body of his enemy against his own, and even that contact felt familiar. Then bewilderment turned into horror as he managed to free himself. The Severus Snape-like god had disappeared. In his place stood a young man, barely in his twenties, looking worse for wear. His hair was adorned with hundreds of beads, including one made of glass that Tony would recognize anywhere.
A silent scream tried to escape Tony's throat. "No, not you," he repeated like a mantra, as the boy began to cough up blood.
Tony's ears were ringing, and all he could see was the red liquid spilling from his enemy's lips.
Incredibly green eyes were watching him. Not blue as they were a few moments ago. No, these eyes belonged to the boy from the river... Tony's own god.
Tony now cradled Loki's body as if it were a child, desperately calling for help, searching for someone to come to their aid. This boy must not die.
"Loki! Loki, stay with me," Tony cried, placing his hands on the young man's already cold cheeks.
But Loki smiled resolutely at him, as if he had accepted his fate long ago.
Then other voices of supplication joined Tony's. Why? How could Natasha suddenly be crying? Why was Steve screaming in horror? Why was Clint shouting at the crowd around them to get help? Why was Bruce pulling Loki's body from Tony's arms to administer first aid?
Never before had Tony seen a doctor work so hard to bring someone back to life. Bruce had carried Loki to Stark Tower's medical room himself. The following hours were trying for all of them.
"Will someone finally explain why everyone in this room seems to know him?" Clint snapped. His forehead furrowed in confusion as his eyes sparkled with a wild glint. "Bruce has been operating on him for hours, and you're all here, praying for him to survive."
Tony raised an eyebrow, bewildered by the mix of emotions crossing the archer's face. "You're as worried as we are, Barton! Admit it!" he retorted.
"Because I know this face! Natasha does too. He's the one who taught me how to aim when I was a kid, damn it!" Clint looked away, as if he was reminiscing and feeling the pain of those moments spent with Loki at the same time.
Natasha, usually so stoic, showed a strangely shaken expression. "If this face truly belongs to Loki, then he and I were teammates once. He regularly assisted me on missions for the Red Room," she informed them, letting out a faint smile. "He helped me end child trafficking and find my sister."
"And you, Steve? How long have you known him?" Clint asked, eager to uncover every facet of the story.
At that moment, Steve looked solemn, seeming to dive back into his memories. "I would say... since forever," he confessed, a hint of sadness in his voice. "We were friends when I was a child. And he's the one who pulled me out of the ice in the Arctic."
All eyes finally converged on Tony, who felt his heart race. He wasn't sure if an answer like "he was my god" would be the wisest choice. So, he simply said, "He helped me escape in Afghanistan when I was a prisoner of terrorists. But I had already encountered him on the banks of the Hudson River when I was a kid..."
Natasha, always sharp, couldn't hold back her impatience any longer. "Are you going to enlighten us about this deception!?" she demanded, shaking the god of thunder by the collar of his armor.
Thor seemed in a state of shock since Loki collapsed, as if seeing his brother dead had disconnected him from reality.
"I don't understand..." Thor murmured, looking defeated, his shoulders slumped. "He's a god... He shouldn't bleed... But now, he's mortal... And so young..."
There seemed to be so many lies and untold truths between Loki and his own family... It was as if they themselves wouldn't fully understand the whole story.
Tony's thoughts drifted to the hidden motivations of the god of mischief. Why had he concealed his true age from one of his closest relatives? Thor had explained that Loki no longer had enough magic to heal himself, which meant he didn't have enough to maintain his illusion.
The tension in the room was palpable, each one trying to unravel the mysteries surrounding Loki. Their memories intertwined, forming a complex picture of their shared past with the fallen god.
Suddenly, the door burst open, and Director Fury entered the room, looking serious, his piercing eye scrutinizing each face.
"Coulson is alive," he announced in a monotone voice, letting this revelation hang in the electric atmosphere. "The femoral artery was never severed. He only lost enough blood to make us believe he was dead. The knife wound he received was very precise. Loki knew what he was doing."
The Avengers exchanged glances, expressions of astonishment and disbelief on their faces. Clint shook his head, trying to comprehend.
"Why make us believe he killed Coulson?" he wondered.
"To unite us..." Natasha muttered, seeming to gradually understand the web Loki had woven for them all.
"Excuse me?" Steve interjected, also seeking to understand the situation.
"Think about it for a moment. No one in this room would have willingly collaborated. But if one of our mutual friends were to be killed? What would we have done?" she explained, her gaze penetrating.
"It's like Loki had predicted each of our moves ten steps ahead..." Clint added, his eyebrows furrowing as he assimilated this possibility.
A sudden realization passed through Tony's mind.
"What color are his eyes?" he urgently asked Thor.
"Green, why are you asking, Stark?" the god replied, looking puzzled.
Tony's blood ran cold, his thoughts muddled as he made an unexpected connection.
"His irises were blue when he was fighting us. Just like Clint's when he was under mind control."
The eyes of the other Avengers widened, suddenly understanding the significance of this revelation.
"Are you saying that..." Steve murmured, trying to grasp this new perspective.
"What if there's someone else behind this whole invasion? Someone pulling the strings in the shadows?" Tony concluded.
"Does that mean my brother is innocent?" Thor exclaimed, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
Tony did his best not to pulverize this idiot who hadn't even had the intuition to question his own brother's actions.
"May I question you, Mr. Odinson, about the circumstances of your last encounter with Loki?" Fury asked, his face serious.
Thor swallowed hard, as if answering the director's question was taking a great effort.
"We were at war with a realm called Jotunheim. I led an offensive against the Frost Giants without my father's permission. Odin punished me for this act of betrayal by making me mortal. When I finally obtained his forgiveness and returned to Asgard, Loki had already disappeared... According to my parents, he..." Thor began before stopping, a pained expression on his face. "He chose to end his life by throwing himself into the void."
A heavy silence followed those words.
"Why would Loki have committed suicide?" Natasha asked, her gaze haunted by this revelation.
"He learned about his lineage with the Jotuns, and the idea of being a monster was unbearable to him. That's what Odin told me," explained the god of thunder, looking ashamed.
"Are the Jotuns... blue with red eyes?" Steve asked with a voice containing a lot of anger, seeking confirmation.
"Yes, indeed!" Thor exclaimed. "Have you seen them before?"
It was then that Bruce emerged from the operating room, his face marked by fatigue. His shirt was stained with blood, and Tony suddenly felt the urge to vomit as he realized the extent of Loki's injuries.
They were all there, waiting in a heavy silence for the doctor to announce that their lifelong friend had finally succumbed to his wounds.
"I managed to stabilize his condition using nanorobots in his blood," Bruce announced with a sigh of relief. "He'll live."
An immense weight seemed to dissipate in the room, and a slight smile appeared on the tense faces of the Avengers. Tony had almost forgotten how incredible a doctor Bruce was, capable of miracles in desperate situations.
"Thank you, Bruce," Steve murmured with a touched voice.
"You did an amazing job, Banner," Tony added with a grateful nod.
"However, we must remain vigilant," the doctor warned. "Loki's injuries were severe, and he'll need time to heal completely. But for now, he's stable."
"Can I see him?" Thor, Steve, and Tony asked in unison.
The god, the soldier, and the inventor exchanged a strange look, each hesitating to figure out who was most capable of caring for Loki.
"Go ahead," Bruce sighed. "The kid is under sedation. He won't wake up for quite a while."
All three entered the room cautiously. Loki lay on the bed, his long black hair scattered around him. His face was relaxed, almost peaceful despite the signs of fatigue and pain surrounding him. Tony felt his heart leap with joy as he watched the boy's chest slowly rise and fall, breathing steadily.
"He looks so young," Thor remarked, his eyes fixed on Loki's sleeping face.
Tenderly, the god went to stroke his brother's cheek, and Tony felt rage rising in him again.
"It's like you don't even know your own brother..." he said reproachfully.
Shame then ignited in the eyes of the god of thunder.
"Loki has always been... Different. Our parents never told us he was adopted... I haven't been a good brother... I've always been cruel to him, and... it led him to flee to Midgard... He preferred to remain invisible and serve mortals rather than live among the gods," Thor cried, his face buried in his long golden hair.
"Invisible?" Tony repeated, clenching his jaw.
"Gods normally aren't allowed to enter the world of mortals," Thor explained in a voice choked with emotion. "We remain invisible to human eyes as long as they don't know our names. However, if belief fades, and we become forgotten by our worshippers, that's the end of our existence. Loki has always been rebellious. He kept sneaking off to your planet, no matter the risks."
"If gods are supposed to be invisible to human eyes, how come we can see you?" Steve asked.
"You humans have known my name ever since Odin punished me on Earth. I had to make amends to regain my divine status."
"A great father you have!" Tony snarked. "What about Loki? Why did you call him different?"
"He was so... You see? Effeminate?" Thor replied in a murmur. "Only women practice magic in Asgard, and it's considered shameful for our people..."
Tony's fists clenched, but it was Steve who acted first. In a swift movement, he lifted Thor off the ground, his grip tight on his throat.
"Do you love him?" the soldier cried out, a dark anger piercing through his usually calm voice.
"What... What do you mean?" Thor tried to articulate despite Steve's grip on his throat.
"Do you love him enough to redeem yourself? To prove to him that you're a brother worthy of his name!"
"Of course!" Thor exclaimed. "I'd do anything for Loki!"
"Then go back to Asgard and redeem his honor. Tell your king that Loki belongs with us, on Earth, and that we will never let him return to people who mistreated him all his immortal life. Do you hear me?"
Then Steve released Thor, who fell to his knees before the soldier.
"I hear you..." Thor murmured, his gaze lowered and humble.
Slowly, the god stood up and cast one last look at Loki.
"Loki has always had nightmares... If his sleep is troubled, sing him a song... He loves music..." Thor confided in them, his teary eyes expressing his deep concern for his brother.
Then the god called out Heimdall's name, and he disappeared.
Steve and Tony turned to their still-sleeping friend, realizing that their connection with Loki went far beyond appearances, revealing a complex and painful past.
"It's strange to see him so vulnerable," Steve mused. "He was the one protecting me from bullies when I was a kid," he added with a tender smile.
"Yes, it's strange," Tony replied, approaching the bed. "It's even stranger to see him in human form."
"You've never seen him like this before?" Steve asked in surprise.
"I'm not sure if the first time I saw him really counts," Tony admitted, letting out a slight sigh. "He looked like a child, but he already had those strange beads in his hair."
Steve gave him an understanding smile. Gently, he caressed Loki's long black hair, focusing on one of the beads adorning his locks.
"Which one of these beads is yours?" he asked.
Tony raised his eyebrows, surprised by the question.
"How do you know about the bead?" he asked curiously.
The soldier smiled at him again, his gaze knowing. "He told me, of course. Each bead represents a child he has helped. Look," he said, pointing to the wooden bead in Loki's hair. "I carved this bead myself when I was ten. I was about to lose my mother."
Tony was touched by this revelation, realizing that there were so many unknown facets of his god.
"I wish he had been as present in my life as he was for you and the others..." Tony confessed sadly.
"I believe that only children could see him. At least, that's what I assume, because after the age of ten, he suddenly disappeared from my life."
"Maybe he was watching over us without us being able to see him..." Tony mused, lost in his thoughts.
"He told me he helped you in the desert," Steve suddenly confessed.
Tony listened attentively to the soldier's story. He now understood why Loki had been so discreet during their first encounter in the desert.
"So, it was you he was going to help?" Tony exclaimed, his mind filled with questions.
"Yes," Steve replied calmly. "He helped me get out of the ice, but let's just say I didn't show him much gratitude. I didn't recognize him in his Jotun form. I even broke one of his horns..."
"You did what?" Tony exclaimed, shocked.
"Yes, I reacted quite harshly, but I didn't understand at the time. It took me crossing the Arctic with him to finally realize who he really was. He guided me to a military station, and then he disappeared as mysteriously as he had come."
"Why? Why would he have done all that?" Tony asked, still in shock.
"I don't know," Steve said, shaking his head slightly. "Maybe because he believed in us, in our potential to become true heroes. Or maybe because he needed us as much as we needed him."
"To hear that idiot Thor, Asgard must not have been the best place to grow up."
A silence followed this statement, punctuated by Loki's deep breaths.
"Do you think he'll wake up soon?" Steve asked, his worry palpable.
Bruce had said that Loki would remain asleep for several hours, but no one really knew what to expect. Loki's magic was unpredictable, and it was difficult to predict how his body would react to his injuries.
"I hope so," Tony sighed. "I need to talk to him, to tell him... I don't even know what to say, actually. But we need to have a serious conversation."
Steve placed a reassuring hand on Tony's shoulder. "We'll find the words, Tony. And we'll be there for him, no matter what happens."
Tony nodded, grateful for Steve's support. They stayed there, in silence, watching over Loki as he peacefully slept.
*
"His immune system seems to be destroying the nanorobots in his blood," Bruce explained with concern.
"Maybe his magic is trying to heal him? Since he no longer needs the nanorobots to repair his internal injuries, it's acting like an antibody!" Tony suggested.
In the white sheets, the inventor watched the fallen god's body writhing in fever.
Steve gave them a worried look. "He's burning up," he remarked, his hand on the boy's forehead.
"Tony," Bruce called out, "can you get some ice? It will help lower his temperature."
Glad to finally be of use, Tony rushed out of the room. He felt like his heart couldn't bear another moment of seeing Loki like this.
"How is he?" Natasha called out, her eyes puffy from sleep. The young woman seemed to have slept on the couch.
"Bad," Tony muttered darkly. "The fever has gotten worse."
"Is there anything I can do?" the spy asked.
Tony shook his head, grabbing enough ice from the freezer to fill a whole bathtub if necessary.
"You said he helped you stop a child trafficking operation?" Tony asked.
"That was back when I was still working for the Red Room," the redhead revealed. "I was twelve at the time. I was part of a Soviet program that aimed to turn young women into elite assassins."
Intrigued, Tony asked, "How did you and Loki meet? I mean, you and Loki?"
Natasha took a deep breath before answering, delving back into her memories. "I tried to escape, and Loki was there, along with Clint. They didn't look much older than me at the time. They helped me hide, and then find my sister. We gathered a lot of information to take down the organization. Then, overnight, Loki just disappeared."
"How old were you then?"
"About 15... Luca was... I mean... Loki was a very secretive boy. We thought he had been killed... You can't imagine how hard it was for Clint and me. We had become a family, and... Let's just say he left a big void."
"How can you be sure it was Loki?" Tony asked.
"The gold bead in his hair..." Natasha admitted. "That gold came from our first heist. Not that I'm really proud of it. But Clint and I thought it would be a symbolic gift. He took care of us like a big brother..."
With a nod, Tony thanked Natasha for sharing this personal story with him.
Lost in thought, he returned to the medical room. A brother to Natasha and Clint, a childhood friend to Steve. Tony no longer knew where he stood in the life of the god of mischief. Everyone around him seemed to have lived a lifetime by his side. But him, who had never been able to see Loki before being captured... What did he mean to Loki?
Suddenly, a song rose in the room. As Tony approached, he caught Steve singing by the bed.
"There will come a poet
Whose weapon is His word
He will save you with His tongue
Oh lei, oh lai, oh, Lord
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh, Lord
He will save you with His..."
Tony, startled, interrupted Steve when he saw him standing at the door.
"Sorry... He used to sing this song to me when I was little, so..."
"You thought it would help him feel better," Tony finished, understandingly smiling. "I get what you mean. He has a beautiful voice."
"Yes," Steve laughed a little embarrassed. "He sings better than me, that's for sure."
"I brought some ice," Tony said, placing the cold cloth on the young man's forehead.
At the touch of the cold, Loki squirmed, looking uncomfortable. He then opened feverish, troubled eyes and gazed at Tony.
"Isn't it my favorite genius waking up?" Tony asked with an encouraging smile.
However, the boy didn't seem to hear him.
Instead, Loki cautiously reached out his hand towards Tony's chest, as if not believing his presence.
Tony clearly saw his name forming on Loki's lips like a prayer. Yet, no sound came out of his mouth.
Gently, Tony took the boy's hand, holding it against his heart.
"Everything's alright, Loki," Tony reassured him, "you're safe."
The boy's eyes suddenly welled up with tears as his fingers tightened around Tony's, as if to prove to himself that the man in front of him was real.
Noting the distress of Loki, Tony brought the boy's hand to his lips and kissed it.
"I won't leave you again," he promised in a soft whisper.
Loki looked relieved, then he brought Tony's hand back to his own heart, and Tony felt a rush.
" What if all this time," Tony wondered inwardly, "you wanted me to see you as much as I wanted to see you? And what if, since Hudson, you wanted to touch me as much as I dreamed of touching you? ".
Loki's eyes fluttered, and he lost consciousness again, his hand still holding onto Tony's, like a lifeline.
Steve gave him a funny look, but Tony couldn't help but blush. He didn't remove his hand, though. He wasn't ashamed of what he shared with Loki. Maybe it wasn't a brotherly or friendly bond, but it was just as valuable, he was convinced.
After three days of relentless vigil, Bruce had finally forced Tony and Steve to rest. While Tony was no stranger to sleepless nights, even he had to admit that a few hours of sleep were necessary after saving the world from an impromptu alien invasion. Even Steve had come to accept this fact. So, like one man, they staggered to the living room and collapsed onto the giant couch to finally taste the well-deserved rest.
Tony didn't know how long he had slept. All he realized when he woke up was that his face was being tickled by familiar hair. What a surprise it was to discover the culprit of all his troubles lying on the couch, their limbs tangled with his and Steve's.
Sitting up abruptly, he looked at Loki in astonishment, apparently already recovered from his injuries.
"He's been here since last night," Bruce informed him from the kitchen, holding a bowl of cereal.
"Did he say anything?" Tony asked, more than surprised to see the boy recover so quickly.
"I don't think he can speak..." Bruce grimaced. "But he made it very clear that he wanted to check on the team."
Tony's attention slowly shifted back to the sleeping boy. Conflicting emotions suddenly raged in his mind. Of course, he felt relieved to see Loki recover from his injuries. But seeing the boy embrace Steve also sparked a hint of jealousy. Had he been mistaken about the bond he thought he had with Loki?
When Steve woke up a little later, Natasha and Clint had already delighted in openly teasing their friends.
"I need to take a picture of them; they are just too cute," Natasha joked, taking out her phone.
"So, Steve? How does it feel to be cuddled by a former evil god?" Clint added with a mischievous smile.
"Am I dreaming or is my designated god using you as a pillow? This is absolutely scandalous! God of trickery, I already knew that, but not in this sense!" Tony finally chimed in, unable to hold back.
All eyes turned to him, and there was an awkward silence.
As if Loki sensed the tense atmosphere, he began to fidget on the couch. Ignoring Steve's polite but timid greetings, Loki looked around the room, looking disoriented, before finally locking eyes with Tony. In just a few seconds, the young man tore himself away from Steve's embrace and launched himself at the inventor.
Breathless, Tony watched as the boy placed his hands under his shirt to check the arc reactor.
Seemingly reassured about Tony's condition, Loki looked up to face him. The young man's eyes were of a deep green, betraying a whole range of emotions including relief, joy, and...
When Loki's lips met his, Tony's heart skipped a beat.
It wasn't the first time they had kissed, but Tony never thought he would taste those lips again so soon.
With a hunger that had been suppressed for far too long, Tony kissed him back. He hadn't realized how much he wanted this. How much he needed to have Loki so close to him.
Then the lame excuse of breakfast separated them.
All the team members seemed to have accepted the situation. Even Steve, still blushing behind his coffee, seemed finally comfortable with this budding relationship. It was as if everyone in the room was trying to savor this moment of peace. It was so natural that they all started chatting, as if it were just an ordinary morning. There was no need to force it. It was like seeing a family finally reunited after a long separation, and everyone played along.
There were laughter, a few tears punctuated by revealed secrets, and finally a dance that ended the day on a happy note. Tony had offered everyone to stay at the tower, and no one declined the offer.
*
Much later, after all the members of the Avengers were supposed to have returned to their respective rooms, Tony still couldn't find sleep. The inventor had too much on his mind, starting with the threat of an evil sorcerer planning to enslave the Earth in the near future.
The memory of those thousands of menacing ships he had observed behind the wormhole haunted him. Earth was in danger, and Tony was determined to take measures to protect it.
In the darkness of his laboratory, Tony activated a hologram in front of him and began sketching plans for the construction of a massive force field that would encircle the planet. He knew it would be a colossal task, but he had no choice. If the Avengers were to stand a chance against the looming threat to Earth, they had to be prepared for any eventuality.
Even in the middle of the night, Tony didn't need JARVIS's alert to know that Loki was approaching. Perhaps it was because it was his den, his laboratory, the heart of his home wherever and whatever it was. Perhaps because it was Loki, his blue Djinn, and they were still connected despite his wish for him to be free forever. Or maybe through the glass bead he had given as an offering to the river god Hudson so long ago, and that Loki now wore woven in his hair as if such a small thing could be a mark of pride.
With a wave of his hand, Tony paused his schematics and straightened up, grimacing at the stiffness in his muscles. He looked up just in time to see the doors open noiselessly to let Loki in. The god took a few steps toward him, more attentive to his host than to the vast futuristic Aladdin's cave that surrounded him.
That's when he saw it, the moment his green gaze detached from Tony to focus behind him in an intrigued frown.
To everyone else, it was a magnificent high-tech wall, illuminated and decorated with his engineering exploits. But for a few chosen ones, its secret was revealed.
If Tony hadn't been mistaken all these years, Loki didn't need to open the wall to know what lay behind it. But who would he be if he deprived himself of this moment?
"You're going to love this, O genie of the lamp, it's years of relentless research!" Tony jumped up, grabbed Loki's cool hand, and brought them both closer to the wall. "Most of them date from after our meeting - well, after the apple juice incident - but I redoubled my efforts in my research after your blue revelation, and I also have a few I found as a child, after seeing you for the first time in the water that night." JARVIS opened the wall.
Loki's fingers tightened around Tony's as he saw his collection for the first time. The golden light reflected in the eyes of his savior and friend, and Tony didn't know if it was that glow or a touch of wonder that made his eyes sparkle like an eternal flame.
"I've never really been able to get one to work, maybe it's just a bunch of bric-a-brac for you, but for me, it's mainly proof that I never forgot you," letting go of his hand so he could take a closer look, Tony smiled at him, "I believe in you, Loki."
Tony Stark had never believed in fairy tales. The genius believed in facts and science, in verifiable experiments and the beauty of electricity.
Nothing should have diverted him from this right path.
So, when little Antony, eight years old, heard an enchanting song carried by the waves, he set out to find a scientific explanation.
But only one thing moved among the waves, an ebony carp, barely visible in the moonlight. A glimmer of scales in the turmoil of the Hudson River.
Then, without even a blink to explain it, a child smiling gently at him.
Who wouldn't have dived to check?
Tony Stark had never believed in fairy tales.
His ears had told him "Listen!" and he had heard. But he hadn't believed.
His eyes had told him "Look!" and he had seen. But he hadn't believed.
His hands had told him "Touch!" and he had felt.
And suddenly, he believed.
Tony Stark knew that fairy tales told the truth.
Passionate to the core, he had then decided to devote his life as much to science as to sorcery. Because everything was true.
Between two inventions, he sought to be in the company of gods, and between two innovations, he traveled the world to find a glimmer of magic. He had tried to save nature and learned from it. Little by little, he brought back a whole host of artifacts to his technological den, making the heart of his building beat like an automaton.
Tony Stark knew that fairy tales told the truth.
As a child, he had touched a dream and felt the blood pumping in his veins.
As a teenager, he had seen a god, and ever since, his belief had tasted like green apple.
As an adult, he had freed a Djinn, and it had saved him with a kiss.
And today, his Djinn, his god, his dream, cautiously explored the evidence of his belief.
With a touch, an emerald beetle flew, twirling around them. With a raised eyebrow, a golden seashell began to sing. With a breath, a harp joined in the melody. A spool of gold thread that Tony had placed among the rest without much belief, shone brightly, flying to bind their wrists before disappearing in a crimson glow. From a porcelain egg, a bird came to life, fluttering its enameled feathers and turning back into an egg again. At the foot of a coffee grinder, a pile of salt sparkled.
Some of the objects had worked in Tony's rough hands, others had only twitched before becoming still, most had nothing to distinguish them. But none had acted like this, as if their magic were as natural as air or matter.
Tony suddenly realized that he was laughing.
From a row of vials, words flowed. A bee was busy collecting honey in a pearly shell. Several swords seemed to glow even more brightly, engaged in a strange metallic contest. And his god kept moving amidst this magnificent chaos, as if he were born for it.
Loki placed his hand on a delicate ornate oil lamp, turning to Tony with both eyebrows raised.
Tony ran his hand through his hair, embarrassed. "So, I went to Yinsen's village, you see, so that he wouldn't have died in vain, and maybe I made a stop to retrieve it before the desert swallowed it up? I know you're not a Djinn, but it seemed wrong to leave it in the sand when it made you appear."
These words were no magic spell, yet as soon as they were spoken, cool lips pressed against his, leaving him dazed with a kiss.
Loki then took his hand and with a gaze full of promises, pulled him towards the elevator.
The force field could wait. They had time to make up for.
However, they never made it to Tony's room...
"Can someone tell me why the hell this damn elevator isn't working anymore?" Fury exclaimed, frantically pressing the button on the ground floor of Stark Tower.
*
"I'm warning you, Mr. Stark, this is our final warning," growled the police officer with a stern look. "If we catch this boy tagging the walls of the White House again, money won't be a viable solution."
Tony glanced with dismay at the red graffiti dripping down the wall in front of them. In capital letters, it read, "Save your planet before even the aliens don't want it anymore."
His gaze turned to Loki, who didn't even bother to look ashamed. On the contrary, the young man grinned broadly, proud of his mischief.
With a sigh, Tony handed a thick stack of bills to the officer.
"I promise it won't happen again, sir..." Tony heard himself declare for the third time that week.
It had all started with the appearance of a white rhinoceros in the living room. Loki had proudly introduced Sudan, the last representative of his species, suffering from a leg infection. Bruce had to go through great lengths to explain to the media that the animal had been kidnapped from the zoo only to receive the best possible treatment.
The worst disaster for the Avengers' image came unexpectedly from Steve himself. Pictures of him had been circulating on the internet for two days. He was seen without his Captain America gear, instead sporting a pirate bandana and a raincoat. According to the news, he had stood up to seal hunters, retrieved thousands of kilometers of illegal fishing nets, and relentlessly pursued the Thunder, one of the most famous poaching ships wanted by Interpol, until the captain scuttled his own ship.
Fury had then shown up... Well, furious, at Stark Tower to demand answers from his team leader.
"It's non-negotiable," Steve declared with determination. "I fall asleep for 80 years, and when I wake up, instead of a third world war, I find a planetary dump. People really need to get off their asses if they want a future for their children..."
Tony had followed the conversation from afar, but he strongly suspected Loki to be the mastermind behind Rogers' environmental investment.
There had also been that strange day when over 356 orphans were suddenly sponsored by Stark Industries.
Muttering under his breath, Tony had gone to confront the former god and demand an explanation. Who else but Loki could have orchestrated such a scheme?
He eventually found the trickster sitting with Natasha, painting his nails in the living room. Hysterical, the billionaire had thrust the sheet with all the names of the orphans he now had in his care, written on it, but the former god had just looked at him bored from his perch on the couch, as if it were a throne.
Tony knew he wasn't a man of great authority. That's partly why he had tasked Pepper with managing Stark Industries. So, every time he tried to scold Loki, it invariably ended up with them in bed, limbs entwined with each other. Jarvis himself had named the surveillance videos X, for each room they had exchanged their fluids.
Loki knew exactly how to make amends with the billionaire. His irresistible charm and beguiling assurance seemed to melt away any anger or reprimands Tony might direct at him. He had an innate talent for playing with Tony's emotions, leading him from frustration to excitement in the blink of an eye. Like that incident involving the Statue of Liberty:
"Hello, Mr. Stark?" asked a deep voice on the phone.
"This is him," confirmed Tony, sipping his apple juice.
"Good day, sir, New York Police. We arrested an individual who had only your ID on him."
"When you say he had only my ID on him, I assume you don't mean..."
"He was naked, sir. I'm afraid so. The individual is a young man in his twenties, black hair, green eyes. Does the description ring a bell?"
"What has he done now..." Tony cursed, banging his head against the cocktail bar table.
"The boy was manifesting nude around the Statue of Liberty with a group of hippies, sir. According to their signs, 'Humans Suck, Animals are not labor, or products to use. End animal cruelty.' We suspect it's an illegal animal protection activist group."
Of course, Tony had rushed to the police station to retrieve the wretched kid. There was no other word to describe Loki at that moment. The billionaire even prepared a reprimanding monologue for when he would face the boy.
"Where is he?" Tony asked the officer as he arrived at the front desk.
Then the inventor's anger died in his throat when he found Loki with a charming smile, wearing only an "I love New York" T-shirt, right in the middle of the police station.
With a graceful step, the boy joined him and, standing on his tiptoes, kissed Tony in front of all the officers.
Loki was truly a Machiavellian being...
*
As he worked on the intricate diagrams of the force field, Tony heard a soft noise behind him. He turned around and saw Loki sneaking into the lab, his mischievous smile illuminated by the glow of the holograms.
Like a feline, Loki approached Tony and delicately placed a hand on his shoulder before massaging it. Even without speaking, the former god always knew how to tease and distract Tony from his concerns.
"Don't start with me, Loki. I don't have time for your antics tonight," Tony said with a mixture of sarcasm and affection.
Loki gave him a teasing smile and gestured towards the holograms in front of them, indicating his curiosity about what Tony was preparing.
The inventor showed him the ongoing plans, briefly explaining the concept of the force field. Loki's eyes lit up with interest as he listened attentively.
The young man continued to ask questions through gestures, showing that he wanted to help. Tony nodded, appreciating his silent offer to assist.
"Yes, I know I can count on you," Tony said, placing his hand on top of Loki's.
Without uttering a word, Loki settled in front of the main computer and began typing on the screen. "If Thanos gathers all the Infinity Stones, who knows what fate he will impose on the galaxy..."
Tony closely observed Loki's words and nodded, understanding the stakes perfectly.
Over the hours, the holograms came to life before them, revealing a first proposal for the force field.
"You're a genius," Tony couldn't help but sigh as he watched Loki perform complex calculations as if it were a routine trifle.
The former god shrugged, looking somewhat embarrassed. He certainly wasn't accustomed to compliments. Tony had noticed that during their time together, whether alone or with the rest of the Avengers. Despite Loki's tough act, everyone saw through it.
The entire team treated him like a delicate little thing, as if the young man could vanish with the snap of a finger. Maybe deep down, they were all anxious that someone might take him away after they had once thought they lost him. Loki was a brother, a friend, and a lover. Perhaps that was why Natasha, Clint, Bruce, Steve, and even himself yielded to all of the young man's whims. They wanted to protect Loki, make sure he felt safe and loved within their team. Despite having over a thousand years of existence, he was still young and awkward in many ways.
Tony suddenly noticed that Loki was making new calculations that didn't match their joint project.
"Do you have a new and brilliant idea, beautiful mind?" asked the inventor, placing a kiss on the young man's neck.
Loki shivered at the touch before leaning over the keyboard to respond:
"I want to create a magic-simulated version of my voice."
"An AI voice? Like Jarvis?" Tony asked, excited by the prospect.
"It's more complicated than that," Loki wrote with a sigh. "My voice allowed me to channel my magic, like Thor's hammer allows him to control his. An artificial intelligence couldn't contain such power."
"So, you'd need a six-inch magic wand with a dragon heartstring core?" the inventor joked.
His question earned him a slap on the back of his head.
"I told you to stop with your incomprehensible pop culture references," Loki wrote, a grumpy pout on his face.
"It's not my fault you haven't read Harry Potter," Tony defended, rubbing the back of his head in pain. "If you want to do magic without words, just do it like the last Airbender. With a series of super badass moves like Prince Zuko."
Loki looked at him bewildered, a smile slowly spreading across his lips. Cupping Tony's face, the former god kissed him passionately.
"You're a genius," Loki silently articulated before kissing him again.
As the night advanced, Tony realized he had finally found sleep, comforted by Loki's reassuring presence by his side.
In the darkness of the room, Tony tightened his embrace around Loki, and the former god responded by snuggling closer to him. No words were needed to express the love and trust they had for each other.
*
"Tony, you really should go to the gym, I can assure you it's worth it," Natasha announced cheerfully as she entered the living room.
The inventor looked up from his coffee, always intrigued when it came to his lover.
"Is he doing push-ups shirtless or something?" Tony asked, rushing out of his seat.
"Not exactly..." Natasha evaded.
Tony followed Natasha, wondering what had sparked so much enthusiasm in her. Music could be heard from the other end of the hallway, and when he entered the room, the billionaire was left speechless, completely mesmerized by the sight before him.
Three Lokis for the price of one, including a female version, were engaged in combat. It was a strange choreography of unheard-of violence. The young man ruthlessly struck his clones, trying to pierce their magical defenses with knife thrusts and kicks. Tony realized that it was Loki's voice reverberating in the room, as if he could create a melody through the movements of his body.
I'm high, I'm from outer space
I got Milky Way for blood, evolution in my vein
I'm gone, I've been far away
I'ma lumineer now, makin' moves, startin' waves
I've been dreaming about flying for a long time
I had a vision from the grey's, they wanna co-sign
Artificially intelligent, new-AI
I'm your future, past and present, I'm the fine line
Loki's movements were graceful, almost like a dance, and Tony was fascinated by the fluidity of his motions. Each strike, each dodge, seemed precisely orchestrated, like a deadly dance. His voice, seemingly coming from nowhere, accompanied each step.
Yeah, I'm a missing link of this illusion
I am not really here, I'm an intrusion
I don't swim or sink, I just float
I don't need gravity, I just need growth
When I move, it's an earthquake rumble
I will never, ever fall, never stumble
And I don't need to be humble
Break down walls like Jericho, crumble
Natasha smiled, clearly enjoying the spectacle as much as Tony. "It's one of Loki's combat techniques," she explained in a low voice. "He uses magic to create clones of himself and has them fight in a training ritual. It's both impressive and frightening to watch."
Tony nodded, completely captivated by the scene unfolding before him. He had always known that Loki was a powerful sorcerer, but seeing him in action like this was simply breathtaking.
The fight continued for a few more minutes, and Tony felt like he was witnessing a true artistic performance. Each of Loki's movements was precise, graceful, and calculated. He seemed to dance with his clones, anticipating every one of their moves.
Finally, the combat ritual came to an end as Loki managed to defeat his clones, making them disappear in a cloud of smoke. He stood in the center of the room, breathing heavily but with a smile on his face. Tony could see the satisfaction in his eyes, proud of his mastery of magic and combat abilities.
"Bravo, Loki," Natasha said, applauding lightly. "That was incredible."
The former god nodded slightly in thanks.
Natasha leaned towards Tony and whispered, "You see, I told you. It's really worth it."
Tony nodded, unable to tear his gaze away from the young man. Loki approached Tony with a teasing smile, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a graceful gesture. Tony felt his heart racing with each step his lover took towards him.
"Are you enjoying the view?" Loki seemed to ask with his gaze.
Tony swallowed hard, struggling to gather his thoughts. Loki then burst into a silent laugh at Tony's reaction, clearly enjoying the effect he had on him. He moved even closer, closing the distance between them.
Tony had a myriad of plans in mind for the evening that would follow.