The leisure we have

 Loki liked books. No. That was erroneous. Loki loved books. Whenever he and his brother had books assigned for classes by their tutor he didn’t mind reading and enjoy discussing and learning about them, unlike Thor. While his brother tried to evade any sign of reading and books and venture out into the burning sun in search of new glorious adventures, Loki wanted to deepen his knowledge, to absorb as much learning as possible. So that when he’d be faced with a critical situation, to know the exact answer and how to solve it. Because often happened when he was dragged into one adventure of his brother and his mighty friends.

Loki read for three different reasons in his childhood: to escape his reality, to learn, and to challenge himself. Reading to escape was the biggest reason he read. To forget his reality in the shadow of his brother. To begin to feel like an active participant, as if he was part of the group, instead of silently watching from the sidelines.

However, now he could say that there were only two left now. He decided a long time ago that he no longer wanted to run away from reality and hide, preferring to face it head on. He promised himself that even though he is the god of lies, he will never again lie to himself and deceive with sweet untruths.

Reading to learn new things and to improve himself.

That was still valid. He knows that for sure.

 He was aware he lacked information in certain areas, although he would not admit this to anyone, the fact that every day brings with it a new knowledge it’s indeed a true and cruel reality for the wizard.

As for the last, he usually just felt like exercising his mind. To discover the unknown all those ancient texts kept from the world.

To see what kind of meaning he can get out of them for himself.

 So he read. He read everything he could get his hands on. Just to quench his thirst for knowledge. Loki hated nothing more than being ignorant and losing control of the situation due to lack of knowledge.

So, if he had to admit, not only for the knowing of that book contained, but for the feeling of that book in his hands he read. He liked the weight, the look and the feel of those pages felt when he turned them. He’d memorize entire pages after which would he’d narrate for hours to his brother in their shared bedroom, long after night had fallen. He supposed it was a natural follow up, wanting to show his new achievements to his older brother.

So now he would have wished that the situation he was in was a book, so that he could learn, analyses and assimilate from it as a spectator. Unfortunately, it seems that he was the protagonist together with his new partner and lover, Anthony Stark. Also known as the avenger and hero of Earth, Iron Man.

Last night he and Anthony admitted to each other their sympathy for each other, one more willing than the other but long story short, they were now together, in a relationship, like lovers. Well that was surprising outcome if the god was to be honest. Not that it's unpleasant or anything. He wanted the inventor to return his feelings, -though he never thought possible, that was something else. And who could blame him, they didn't exactly get off to the best of starts.

Loki was making tea in the kitchen along with coffee for his partner who was still sleeping in the bedroom. Loki could tell by his heartbeat that he was still fast asleep, the prince being the first to wake up that morning (despite the lingering pain in his backside) and decided to let Anthony catch up on a few more hours of sleep given his flight and their previous actions last night.

He suddenly thought about the promise he had to honor regarding the SHIELD mission, a grimace starting to surface. The displeasure on the God’s face being easy to recognize at first glance. 'Such a waste of good mood.' Thought him.

Loki hated nothing more than everything that had to do with SHIELD, but he suspected that one of the disadvantages of being in a lover relationship is being indulgent to the other party's wishes. Ugh, not one of his favorite aspects involving a relationship. Although it had to be done.

So how long was he waiting for his sleeping beauty to wake up from his slumber to discuss the details and what exactly the trickster was supposed to do for his part, he decided to soothe his frustration with an herbal tea of his own choosing. He didn't trust anyone else to do as good as a job as he did. And, well, he didn't trust anyone not to poison him in general by adding something through the plants. What can he say, old habits die hard.

As he was lost in thought, he heard the sound of footsteps down the hall and the figure of a well-known charmer and philanthropist, half undressed, made his way into the kitchen area. His hair was tousled and pulled into an odd position to the side, most likely due to his odd sleeping choices. He was shirtless, with only a pair of worn jeans hanging low on the inventor's hips, almost giving a clearer picture of more private areas hidden beneath the fabric.

With a sleep-soaked look, Tony made his way to the prince who didn't look as spent and worn out as the inventor; in fact the lyesmith was very presentable for such an early hour of the day, in his usual leather armor, however without his usual vambraces and his belts that had the role of holding another layer of armor together. He looked almost docile, as docile as one could look, dressed in leather from head to toe and with a look of superiority to match. 'Of course he would look nothing but royalty. Pompous little bastard.' Thought Tony without any real bite.

Tony walked over to his lover, positioning himself behind him and wrapping his arms tightly around the mage's waist. He placed a light kiss on his lover's neck, a husky and still somewhat sleppy voive murmured against the nape of his neck, making the raven prince shiver at the sensation. "Good morning, your majesty.."

Loki felt a call so deep in his soul, driving him toward his beloved, that to not respond his gesture, felt like a crime for which he would be punished if didn’t obey. The god needed this person, craved him.

Loki leaned against him, limp, his body in full surrender and not caring that that was so inappropriate and doomed to cause all kinds of problems.

"Morning to you too, Stark." Although his words seemed distant, the gentleness and tenderness in his voice was noticeable.

"Hey, no, ugh-ugh, no chance, I swallowed this while we were not-together, but now I don't accept to be called anything other than sugar cakes, honey or dearest me now. Got it?"  Tony retored though a sly smile had made its way onto his face.

"Sugar cakes?" Loki scorned, raising an unimpressed eyebrow.

"You're right, too cheesy, though honey or dearest mine sound pretty good to me, not gonna complain wherever you choose." Tony’s smile winded even more, a wicked gleam in his eye as his lovers emerald eyes glared beautifully at him.

"Dream on, Stark." Tony should have been insulted, but instead, he smiled more if that was anatomically possible. Somehow it all sounded soothingly familiar. Tony cleared his throat and said in fake pain voice.

"Oh come on Lokes, you can't keep calling me that, it's against the rules!" The billionaire complained and gave him a half frustrated look, trying his best to pout under the circumstances.

"What rules?" Loki bit his lip against a grin aware that if he lost his uninterested demeanor it would only give his silly mortal satisfaction and of course, that was not acceptable.

"The relationship rules that say you can't- in the middle of a making out session- moan the name that reminds me of my old man." Grimaced a little disgusted the avenger.

"You're ridiculous, Anthony." Loki responded simply as he rolled his eyes in disbelief at his lover childish acting.

"Yeah that's it, that’s the winner! Ok, it's not my favorite but it's still better than the last one. We still have some work to do before we get to the final shape, but we're not giving up."

Instead of paying attention to Tony's nonsense, Loki decided to raise the coffee cup to Tony's eye level and whisper just one "Coffee?"

Tony leaned in close until his lips brushed against Loki’s ear, whispering a low. "God, have I ever told you I love you?"

Nestled by Tony's side, the mage feeling as if his place was always meant to be there, Loki turned his head to look at Tony, and knowing brown eyes were already on him.

"One time, clearly not enough, perhaps repeating the statement would suffice?" said the silver tongue, referring to the millionaire's answer regarding the prince's confession.

 "Lokes, I love you, I fucking adore you." Tony murmured, just loud enough for the two of them to hear. He tightened his hug, though he couldn’t see it that well, he loved the sudden embarrassed look on his lover’s face.

It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary by now, but Loki felt his cheeks warm, making Tony smirk with satisfaction, the way he always did whenever he made Loki blush.

"I have to admit, the part with the adoration was very well demonstrated last night." Loki shrugged, but it was crystal clear that Tony’s words had a great effect on him. Not wanting to give himself away, he tried to change the subject.

"Ha! See, I told you, and hey! no, nuh- uh , don't back out, come on, it's your turn now, say it. And don't play dumb with me; we both know it’s a look that doesn't suit you. "

"Do we know?" said the god innocently and with a hint of teasing in his voice. Tony raised an eyebrow and turned his head so that his mage could see the unimpressed look on his face. Loki sighed, not necessarily annoyed but more disappointed that he didn't manage to play the avenger more. He was losing his touch. Resigned he said with fondness in his voice "I love you too Anthony."

"Yeah, of course you do." He tilted the mage's head slightly and placed a tender kiss on his lover’s mouth.

"So! What's on our to-do list today, whatever shit comes up can't destroy my mood even if the hell freezes over."

Loki was about to remind him of his plans for today when the avenger's choice of words threw him off guard.

"How could a land of fire... "A small trace of confusion began to appear on his partner's face, Tony already understanding what all was about and explained in advance.

"It's just a saying, Reinder Games, don't take it literally."

"But why would you say it in the first place if it is not based on a plausible fact from which it could be born." Loki pulled away from the warm arms and turned to give the inventor an unimpressed look, crossing his arms.

"Hell if I know, it's a typical Midgardian thing, don't mind us, anyway what I was saying... yes, nothing can spoil the mood." He said not really caring about the topic of their current conversation, gesturing with his hands in the air and shrugging.

"The SHIELD Mission." Loki said, leaving Tony a little confused who didn't understand the quick transition from one conversation to another. Finally grasping the idea, he swore loudly.

” Ahh fuckkk, I completely forgot about that. Shit, couldn't we just pretend we got miraculously sick in the last twelve hours or something? I really don't feel like dealing with freaky alien technology and all the shit." Tony collapsed into a chair by the kitchen counter, folding his arms and dropping his head into them. The last part sounded like it was mumbled from having his head buried deep in his arms. He really wanted to leave the thinking for another day, preferably never, and wished to get back to sleep, curled around his prince. Either both on the floor or on the bed, it didn’t matter.

The sorcerer was already tired of the inventor's nagging, so he couldn’t stop himself from interrupting.

"And it seems to you that I am the persistent factor that instigates us to participate in this mission?"

Tony raised his head, and with a guilty smile he said.

"It's kind of stupid of me to ask you, I admit, but, ugh….! I really don't feel like it right now. I just want to laze in bed with you all day and then have dinner and then more lazing."

 "Fascinating Anthony, but even if this mission had not taken place, I would still have my daily duties to attend to and which I cannot cast aside even if your grandiose plans tempt me." Loki moved behind the kitchen counter to pour himself another cup of flavored tea. Its scent always helped him keep calm when he had to face Tony's childhood.

"Wait, are you being sarcastic or did my cuddling together all day plans really piqued your interest?" Loki just rolled his eyes again.

"From what I understand, SHIELD is so ignorant that it let a small problem escalate to the stage where it became a threat, out of sheer negligence. Serves them right. And those mortals who support them." He sipped from the cup, closing his eyes for a second and enjoying the intoxicating taste of the herbal mixture.

Tony’s instinct always told him to stop talking to someone when they didn’t have a positive impact on him. It was hard to decide that someone should not be in your life anymore, especially if you are in a close relationship with them or they are a part of your family. Most friendships and relationships have disagreements, but there is a clear distinction between a healthy argument and toxic influences. As an avenger Tony had a clear motto. Prioritize the needs of others before your own needs. Kind of obvious, after all he was a hero, right?

"You know, now that you're one of the good guys, you should be more careful how you say some things, in case it's misinterpreted. The Avengers must.. kind of preserve their good image as much as possible."

Although Tony was well aware of the god's vacillating nature, he couldn't lie when asked, that he somehow expected the god to reduce some of his venom. Only a little though.

Loki stopped in the act of bringing the cup to his mouth and slowly looked at his partner. He blinked. Then he blinked again.

"My dear Anthony, what makes you insinuate the outrageous fact that I should only thinking of calling myself an avenger, let alone joining this ridiculous masquerade of individuals who proclaim themselves heroes of Midgard."

To say that Tony was dumbstruck was an understatement. He was completely flabbergasted. Ok, maybe not so dramatic, still he hadn’t expected that answer.

"Why do I have the impression that the nickname is not said the way I want it to be. Also rude, also what do you mean? Of course you are an avenger now. Well we never really held a welcome ceremony or a vote but seriously now, I thought it was a matter-of-course."

"I believe I didn't make myself clear, Stark. I'm not an avenger and I do not wish to be one, for as long as my heart beats. I will not be cataloged under such a petty label as that of a hero. So even if I- "

"Lokes, you fought on our side, you saved Earth from the clutches of an alien Nazi maniac! Not to mention that you helped your brother save hundreds of asgradian refugees, admit it, you're a hero, whether you like it or not." To be fair, that was not the most intelligent retort the playboy had ever come with, but cut him some slack, nothing was ever simple with the mage. Ever.

"And I'm pretty sure you know the rest of the story because of which it was necessary to save those asgradians, but this fact is irrelevant for our discussion at the moment. What I want to emphasize is that the title of hero is wasted on me. And before you interrupt me so rudely again, just listen." Tony tried to hold his tongue as much as possible and try to listen to his apparent self-judging lover. He didn’t want to look like he was unwilling to compromise or negotiate with or constantly interrupt others while they are talking..

Noticing the inventor's obedient demeanor, Loki continued.

"I know I am a pretty selfish and awful person, let's say that if a million people should die in the world tomorrow, it would hardly bother me. Even if one of you team mates would happen to find himself kidnapped or in a dire situation I would probably just have thought he deserved it. " Loki shrugged, the statement not really helping his situation.

"Um, Lokes, your evil side it’s coming out and it's starting to kind of freak me out. Just a little though."

Loki sighed wearily at Tony’s interruption again and added.

"But even I have things that I care about. Were to be put them in balance with some others more substantial matters they would seem trivial. Though to me they have great importance. The chance of encountering an ancient text lost in the flames of Surtur it something I will not let escape through my fingers even I have to abandon saving a mortal live." stated the silvertongue, fixing his lover with a hard stare.

"Ok…not sure where this is going but-"

"Along my extensive path of existence, to be able to achieve my goals, I made a clear state that I should have a plain distinction between what should be of most value to me and what should not."

Tony had been in a few delicate situations in the past, and each one was handled differently. But because he chose his words wisely in that situation, he was able to keep up. Sometimes all you need to do is think before you act or react to a situation, and sometimes you just need to not act or react at all- in Tony’s opinion. He shouldn’t let his emotions be the control of what he was going to do or not do in the situation. He should have said something smart but .. in that moment he chose not to think and instead, acted on his emotions. I mean, it was his right, right? After all, they were together now.

 "Can I call myself bold and count myself among those things of value that you say you have?"

"That's exactly the problem, Stark. Because you find yourself among them."

Well, that hurt.

"Oh, I didn't realize I was such a problem for you." he almost spat out the words.

"Don't try to change the meaning of my words. I learned the proper meaning of the word ”twist”- millennia before you came into existence." Loki felt compelled to remind him. In a deadly calm voice.

"I would never have believed it, wow, such a surprise, with your name of silver tongue, which by the way, is more practical than I expected." The midgardian said midly.  Although he was a little perplexed to learn that he was an inconvenience for the mag not few hours after they declared their secret love for the other, he could not refrain from making a lewd remark about his partner's talents.

"Stark.." one that the little jotun never failed noticing.

"Ok, my bad, please explain why I'm such a big inconvenience." Tony fake apologized, annoyance heavy in his voice.

"I never said you were a nuisance, Stark, I said you were a problem. One that didn't exist before in my bigger list of problems. AND this has to do with the whole hero thing from earlier."

”How so?”  It was getting harder and harder for the avenger to keep up with the direction the conversation was going as his confusion grew.

"Haven't you ever seen a typical story with heroes who save the world but never the person they love?"

"So you really want to say what I think you want to sa-..."

"Anthony, an avenger, a hero is a person who would abandon his loved one to save millions of innocent lives and potentially the future of the whole world. I, on the other hand, would never do such an atrocious thing. No. I would burn the whole world for you." When his answer was encountered with stony silence, he huffed and looked expectantly at the inventor. And damn if that wasn’t cute as hell.

"Well? Nothing? " Loki tried again hopefully.

Tony just groaned. Loud.

Try seeing things from the other person's perspective. How could have that slipped from Tony’s mind? It was the golden rule! That it might all be one big misunderstanding. A lot of time things happen over a silly miscommunication. Knowing that everyone is not at the same level of understanding as Tony is, and he is not at the same level as them, everyone sees things differently! Especially if your boyfriend is a fucking alien with communication problems!

Tony smiled in defeat and said to the Asgradian who was still waiting for his reply.

"By the way, I'd be totally teasing you for using such a corny line if I didn't feel the beginnings of a raging hard on starting to cloud my judgment."

To be honest, the prince didn't know why he expected a more serious response from the mortal, after all that was Tony Stark's way of doing things and he didn't even mind. Loki could tell from the subtle blush on the inventor's face and the slight movement of trying to swallow the lump in his throat so he could speak that the magician's words had left the playboy a bit shocked. And this caused a sense of pride to rise in the magician's chest. Serves him right-thought Loki.

"You are insufferable…" he sighed then added in an alluring voice. "Should I then help you clear the state of your mind?"

"Bambi, if this means that the two of us going back to the bedroom, having one more cup of coffee and you demonstrate once again what you can do with that silver tongue, then I can't believe that I'm saying this, but you have all the liberty from me to do what you want with my state of mind." With an incomparable grin, Tony got up from his seat and circled the kitchen counter until he reached his lover's space, taking him by the waist and leading them both back to their bedroom.

Loki just slapped his hand lightly, letting go of his arms and shaking his head in slight amusement -walking ahead of the avenger.

Remembering a little older aspect, Tony asked.

“By the way, now that we're together, my promise of that weekend at Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, still needs to be honored? Given that it was made 'cause some sort of blackmail back then.”

Loki stopped in place and threw his head back with a look of pure confusion and incomprehension on his face, as if he didn't quite understand what the inventor was getting at.

"What does this have to do with us being together?"

Tony sighed in astonishment at his answer and replied with a dejected figure, "Nothing, Bambi, absolutely nothing." Well, he'd be lying if he said he expected his prince's attitude to change just because of one small change in their relationship.

Having siblings is like having your best friends with you all the time, no matter how much your siblings annoyed you; the above statement is not far from the truth.

Life with said siblings, in Thor’s case- said younger brother-is full of annoying, exciting, and sentimental moments. You grow with them, fight with them, but you love them so much that you’d definitely fight with the whole world to protect them.

A sibling relationship is no doubt one of the most, if not the most enduring relationship of the Thunder God’s life.

How so? Well, the current situation is a very good example in support of Thor's argument.

To everyone's surprise, but not Thor's, Loki eventually accepted the mission stated by Director Furry, without much explanation for his sudden change of heart (but the god of thunder knew the exact reason, before his brother confessed to him about the evolution his relationship with Tony.) Development he was very happy and excited about for his younger brother.

Thor learned though sibling relationships naturally change over the course of a lifetime. Transition points such as leaving home, being the favorite child, getting banished and not being there for your little brother when he finds he was adopted, things like that which tend to create a rift in the already rather thin bond that you originally had with your brother.

Thor and Loki hadn't spoken much since Loki had decided to return to save his homeland, and Thor hadn't been the one to bring up the subject either, content to think that his younger brother was on his side now and that he's one of the ...good guys? Thor could never classify Loki as a positive character, but he wasn't a negative one either. His brother was somewhere in the middle, not bad, but he didn't fit the image of a guy who wouldn't think twice before saving a life.

Thor took things like honor and loyalty seriously. His purpose there was to share what had discovered about the pursuit of untamed love. When he tried to control his brother’s wild behavior, it slowly ruined him. When he tried to understand it, in the end it left him feeling lost and confused.

Gradually, an unknown feeling, unhooked for, unexpected-in so far as it could be a matter of conscious awareness seized him and ultimately let his affection go unspoken, especially to the ones he holds dear the most.

And Thor understood this about his brother, he even accepted it, it was what defined him. Loki was who he was, nothing more or less.

Thor believed that you should support your companions and allies, no matter their belief. It’s who they are and who they strive to be. It’s their inner selves and inner potential. It’s their values and goals and dreams and possibilities. Like his people, his followers and attendants. They trusted their king to support them and to offer his aid in their distress.

He as a ruler should respect their highest selves. He should serve their noblest dreams and protect their integrity to their highest values. He would value their hearts, minds and their souls, even when themselves don’t..

And Thor no doubt loved his brother, even if he sometimes felt like electrocuting him lightly every now and then when his stubbornness got on blonde’s nerves.

As for the example, he together with Tony and the valkyrie were sitting at their table in the living room and trying to discuss- key word been trying- how the mission should partially unfold. Of course, the sorcerer was not going to make this meeting too easy either.

"Loki, you must understand that if we are going to have you cast the spell, we need you in the headquarters. You can't go out on the field." Thor said over the noise of the room.

"And as you have explained so sweetly in your speeches, brother, I assure you that I can do both given my high intellect, without spoiling the success of the mission or risking it." Loki objected.

"You know full well it's not just a little spell, you'll have to be focused on locating these signals and as you can see displayed on the screen, they keep coming online and disappearing. You will need all your focus for that matter. Then to guide us and SHIELD agents in their exact direction before they vanish into nothing again." The thundered said bluntly. Thor can claim to know some things about his infuriating, frustratingly complicated brother. They grew up together, after all.

"I know my duties very well Thor. This was not the purpose of my complaint." The mage tried to be reasonable. Tried.

"Your complaints have a purpose? I thought that most of the time you do it to annoy us." Interjected Brunn, clearly not impressed with the two’s quarrel.

"You know what; I think he still doesn't have a well-defined purpose for them all the time." Tony whispered, leaning in the warrior's direction, trying not to be heard by the sorcerer, but failing miserably considering the sharp glare he was giving the two.

"Why do you always pursue to contradict my judgment, brother? For I really can't understand your displeasure regarding the assessments." Thor was really getting tired of trying to keep up with the back and forth of his brother's moods.

"Wisdom always chased you brother, yet out of reach you are." Loki, on the other hand, was keen to keep it the whole time.

"At least it is chasing after me and hadn’t passed me by." The God simply said, crossing his arms.

"Oh, nice one, buddy." Tony said, appreciating Thor's response to his boyfriend's comment.

“I have a duty to my people to look after their welfare and to ensure that each is distributed according to their skills and abilities. I will not allow anyone to be hurt or find themselves in danger because of my wrong judgment." Thor was tempted to knock some sense into his brother, of course, -being the dutiful big brother- he ended holding his tongue in order to keep the conversation civil, still.

"Well you may feel like a wise ruler, but you sound like an idiot". Loki said, very politely.

"Rather an idiot than the bitter feeling of regret for a foolish hasty made request." And he has already failed to keep his mouth shut.

“Oh, seriously, can you even hear yourself? You are really ridiculous; the situation is not even remotely so serious that someone's life is at stake." The annoyance already present in his younger brother's voice, Loki did not hesitate to highlight the over too protective nature of his dear brother. Very unwanted and annoying he might add.

"Can you guarantee me that, brother? Do you have this gift of foresight to promise me for sure that there is no risk to you or anyone present in this room? You can't, can't you? We don't know anything about these individuals except that they possess dangerous technology and are hiding in the shadows, increasing their numbers with each passing day." Thor said, staring at his brother who didn't seem too concerned about the details of the mission. He continued to stare at him with a hard look until the mages answered.

"I cannot say that I have had the pleasure of being blessed with this gift, no." Although unpleasant, he had to admit that he couldn’t be one hundred percent sure how the mission will go. Anything could happen.. - thought Loki.

"So please withdraw from this matter because you will not make me change my mind." Thor declared in a king voice.

"It's not in me to withdraw." Involuntarily, Loki lip curled.

"Trust me brother, neither it it’s in mine." Thor matched his grin with a stern frown.

Deciding to be the voice of reason again, seeing that no one was willing to stop the two, Tony began to negotiate.

"Okay, so you're both stubborn, I get that, the next issue, ah yes, how about you and Lokes settle this later, probably with axes and knives as is the custom in your asgardian family..? But for now, we mentioned something about some details I think? Hmm?" he joked, laughing nervously at the end.

"I vote for the fight, at least this way we know Lackey will lose and shut his mouth for once." Brunnhilde decided to speak, for the second time in the entire meeting, but only to make one more comment to her prince.

"I do not-!" Comment to which he did not delay to react.

"Enough, everyone! Tony is right, err.., the talking part later, not the knives and axes part, anyway, leaving that aside, we will now elaborate the rest of the operation and the meeting points and leave this matter for later to be settled. Does that satisfy you, brother?" Thor straightened his posture and lashed out, already fed up with the lack of progress.

"Be it as you wish, brother, but later or now does not change the fact that the outcome will not be any other than gratifying to me." Not wanting to be disrespectful to his king in front of everyone, Loki decided to leave it for now, but not before making obvious once again his point.

"I wouldn't even dare to dream the opposite Loki." As if Thor could ever forget it.

Although Thor and his brother are once again destined to cross paths and work together for the good of their kingdom, Thor is happy to have his brother back by his side, advising and offering an opinion, almost like the old days. But Thor knew it would never be the same again. Both Loki and himself had changed substantially from their thinking back then. Thor, forced by his new status as leader of a refugee empire, in desperate need of a flame in dark times, to shine his light into the hearts of those who have lost their last shred of hope and whose absence has driven his people away to despair.

And Thor's brother, who was changed by several circumstances that only he himself knows about and which he keeps captive in his being, not sharing with anyone, not allowing anyone to see him. Always content with the thought that no one shall ever know. Not even his older brother.

And that was what pained Thor. Although he put aside the quarrels and misunderstandings of the past, even after the fight against the mad titan, Loki did not want to share any of the experiences that he lived in the absence of the years when the two brothers were separated. Neither the reason he thrown himself from the bridge, nor the reason for the attack on New York or the imprisonment of their father on earth. Nothing. All he had to say when Thor confronted him was, "While  it would be very easy to blame my slow but sure slide into madness for all, those were my thoughts, Thor. Not the infinity stone or the circumstances that led to the situation I found myself in. Those were my choices at the time. Do you understand? They were finally mine. Or so I thought. But in the end it seemed that I played in another person's string. I guess that no matter how hard I tried, I would always be in someone's game, never my own."

Thor couldn't say that Loki wasn't right in his judgment, agreeing that a person should be held accountable for his actions, but he still couldn't help but think that maybe Loki's toxic, blaming nature was getting out of hand. Always pointing himself as a scapegoat.

Even if Thor were to address this in front of the prince, Loki would laugh at him, calling him ridiculous and too dramatic for his own good.

Thor was awakened from his thoughts by the sound of footsteps approaching his position leaning against the railing of their balcony.

Thor wanted to retrieve something from his room when he saw a bird with a broken wing on his balcony. He had the said bird in his hand, gently caressing the broken wing and trying to ease its pain.

"This was the last place I would have thought to find you, everyone being busy preparing for departure, yet our dear and mighty ruler found himself aiding to a helpless creature. How much kindness and mercy our king manifest for all living things that dwell under his rule, a song should be written in his honor." A voice behind him could be heard. Thor was already used to his brother sneaking up almost noiselessly, but he didn't show that he was in any way affected by his sudden presence emerging from the shadows.

"No thanks brother, the plays and songs are more your style, I prefer the simple satisfaction that everyone is well as their faces greet me with a warm smile when I pass by them." He was just teasing, not truly meaning to upset his little bro.

"Well aren't you modesty reincarnated? Maybe we should change your title from God of Thunder to God of Mercy."

"I shall refuse; it will give my enemies the wrong idea that I will go easy on them if that's the case." Thor was lucky to still have at least one member of family with him. And he was grateful for that.

"Ah, maybe you're right. You like fighting way to much." Loki looked at the little bird squirming in the bridge of his brother's palm and said "Give it to me."

"I don't want to end her life, Loki. Maybe one of the healers could help her."

"Wha.. no, you oaf! I want to see if I can help with the wing. How cruel do you think I am?"

Thor decided it was best not to answer the question, guessing that Loki hadn't said it wanting to hear an answer to begin with.

"Who was saying something about mercifulness, hmm?"  Thor grinned, handing the little bird to Loki. He took in his hand, raising the other hand above it, a shimmer of gold and green falling over the frail form of the sparrow, wrapping the wing in a green seidhr cloth.

"Mercy? Pity would be more accurate."

"Why would you pity a poor bird?"

"I don't pity an insignificant creature like a bird, I pity the circumstances that determined it to reach the state it is in, if I had to put it into words."

 "I see."

He stopped his activity on the small figure, his seidhr slowly disappearing, the sparrow bit by bit moving the once broken wing, now almost healed.

"Although I mended the broken bone, the healing arts had never been my strong suit. She should recover completely in about three days if she doesn't use it. I took the liberty of casting a sleeping spell on her so as not to waste my gesture." said Loki, summoning a pillow and placing the little sparrow on it.

"A bit too much effort for an action resulting from pity, don't you think?" Thor said raising an eyebrow in a way that clearly said he wasn’t buying Loki's lie. Loki won’t admit it, but Thor hit the nail on the head perfectly.

"Not really, but I believe that any action, whether justified by pity or true concern, should be seen to the end. I don't like things half done."

Thor wanted to say that no one would go that far just out of pity, but instead he decided to change the subject.

"Did you manage to establish the teams for the departure and those that will stay to protect the integrity of New Asgard?"

"Of course, although there were some arguments about the arrangements, it was resolved in the end."

"Objections?"

"Nothing serious, I resolved them immediately. Just a few odd curiosities of the citizens who have doubts regarding the departure of two persons of the crown leaving the settlement."

"Curiosity? Is that how you would define their behavior, brother? Not worry?"

"Indeed, being curious is usually seen as a positive trait, although is sometimes so powerful that it leads people to opt for situations that have no apparent benefits. As in our case, their objections do not suggest worry to me, brother. But curiosity, an unbridled curiosity that seems to be growing in the minds of you-..our citizens, Thor."

Thor glared at Loki waiting and daring his brother trying to say that they were only Thor's people. But it seemed that the magician learned something at least from all their arguments.

"The strong desire to learn it is exactly why we venture out, sometime into dangerous territory unaware of the toll our curiosity. But I didn't expect those words to come out of someone who has been driven by this trait all his life. Your reasoning in doing so?" Thor inquired him.

"I am trying to say that you should go and reassure the people of your intentions and reassure them of the return of your presence among them as soon as possible." Loki stepped on his irritation to draw up a smile.

"Then I should do this without delay." Nodded the thunderer.

How many of their people have the wisdom to question their thoughts rather than unquestioningly believe them? Their minds were limited by how much information they received from their rulers. Thor and Loki’s mind was limited in the past by their father command.

They only ever had access to finite knowledge. They could only ever saw a small piece of the overall picture. As they only know about the bright side of their golden realm. The lack of an expanded viewpoint was what doomed their kingdom.

"However, I would be lying if I said that I don't have my own curiosities." With a small sigh, Thor ran a hand through his short hair.

"You have?" asked Loki, surprised by his brother's statement.

"Did I surprise you brother? Interesting."

"Hardly, just a little shocked that you think in your spare time." He lightly teased.

"Aren't you the sweetest brother? And of course I think, not as much as you, I don't think I ever could. My head will explode from so much over thinking." Grinned Thor.

"I do not overthink, I-"

"And as I was saying, yes, I think now more than I used to in recent years, though my curiosities are unlikely to be satisfied."

"How so? What truths do you seek?" The raven prince asked, though he feared the response. There were few the moments when discussions with his brother did not cause him to feel uneasy. Such as weak, incomplete, anxious, depressed, fearful and unworthy. A lot of the time he found himself also immensely frustrated because he rarely matched up with his glorious older sibling. Pathetic, really. But it was true.

"More like things that needed to be said than truths that needed to be sought. I’m willing to bet you’ve experienced similar occasions." Easily Thor lost his smile, a slightly sad and melancholic look taking its place. Loki didn’t like it. The mind of a one has a narrow and distorted outlook. It tended to eat itself up.

"I'm curious about ... how our life would have been, if what needed to be said was said on time. If I hadn't been allowed to grow up in such adoration and permissiveness from our father. Would I have been different? Would I have been different with you?" Guilt and fear in his throat, he had to shallow several times before he felt like he could get more words out.

"Thor, there's no point in thinking-"

"You asked, now I answer. I'm curious why our father chose the path he chose, why he made the decisions he made. Why Hela? His choice to shut her down and rewrite our history to appear glorious and spotless. Was she really so powerful that she couldn't be stopped? If that's the case, why didn't he stop her before she reached the point of no return. Or teach her better. Why …why did he take you. Thinking you would unite our worlds when he clearly knew such a thing would not happen, considering our bloody history stitched with hatred and resentment towards the other. He always spoke about how they are not the enemy and such. And yet he took no action in regard to the manner in which the Jotuns were regarded and the mocking words addressed to them. I am sure he loved you at some point, I choose to believe so, but still." Being lied to, hurts.

Even more so when their own parents did it.

 A lie hurts each time that you remember it. Because those lies are told in order to avoid pain but end up hurting more. And they hurt much more than any other feeling, thought, or emotion caused by whatever they were trying to hide or soften.

Thor had no doubt that their mother kept Odin's secrets out of pure love and protection, and that's what he would like to believe about their father as well,... although he can't bring himself to believe that no matter how hard he tries. Not after everything that happened. He loved his father, nothing could have changed that.

"Thor, I -"

"Curious why he let us believe the war stories, making the Jotun look like merciless beasts knowing the blood his own son draws from this race." Thor finished in a low voice, clearing his throat.

Loki can't lie that those weren't also his thoughts when he learned his true origin, when he confronted Odin. The confrontation which only resulted in him falling into Odin's sleep and the beginning of the chaotic series of events that led the others to where they were today.

Loki screamed at that time, howled, begged for a concrete answer from the mouth of his so-called father, a true answer. Not one that would appease the prince and put Odin in the role of loving father and merciful king. But it never came. It seemed that Loki was not even worthy of an answer from Odin.

"These are my insatiable curiosities, brother." Stated Thor.

Loki knew that his brother had his share of oppressive thoughts that plagued his dreams and didn't often let him sleep some nights. They all had their demons that they had to face. Some in the light of day, others in the dark of night. However, his brother often sought the company of other people to escape his own mind.

Perhaps the trickster put his true legacy in the plays he wrote. But one was to be played by some actors as a reminder of the courage and sacrifice for his brother. And it was another thing to be confronted by Thor about it. To hear it from his brother's mouth. It didn't sit well with Loki.

He predicted that the subject should be left in the past, never to be discussed again. He was lied to, betrayed by his own parents, then he helped his brother to avenge his mother, he wrote a play about it and closed topic. There was no need to dig up old wounds. But it seems that his dear brother did not really understand this. His past words and deeds did nothing to change his disdain for the truth that lurked beneath his glamour.

But instead of all that, he said.

"I ..I can say that these are indeed unachievable brother, now that he is gone, I agree with you, but I assure you of one thing, Thor. Father loved you,... he loved us. Even if he had weirder ways of showing it to us individually."

"It's heartening, brother, I didn't think you still had good words for our father."

"Regardless of my discrepancies with the Allfather, he still took me and raised me….Even if his reasons were not exactly righteous."

"You could have not added the last part for the mood, you know?"

"I know, that's why I said it." grinned the silvertongue pleasantly. Thor returned the smile and looked back at the cloudless blue sky, taking in its beauty.

To be fair, the mage was not one for open conversations and empathy, neither was anyone from their family apparently. However Loki wanted to be sure that after everything they had been through, after his countless betrayals, he still cared about Thor.

Thor was always the one who initiated the emotional conversations between the two (even if some were so sentimental and teeth rooting sweet that they made the raven prince gag.) so he assumed it wouldn't hurt if he was the one to give in first this time, maybe.

"Thor, even though the last years had been ..rough between us, the love I contain for you within me is without end ; never believe otherwise." A sour mood crossed Thor's face. The god of lies wondered when it became so easy for his brother to read him so easily.

"How can anyone truthfully claim to love someone when they’re not prepared to share everything with that person, including their past?" he said, without turning his gaze from the clear sky, his eyes as if looking beyond its depth.

The absurdity of the words seized Loki still and made him say.

"I thought I had no one left. No one, Thor. After I found out Allfather most hidden secret you know. I felt .I felt like a lame, awful broken joke. As if the word worthless doesn't even apply to me. I was far too low to even come close to this label for Him."

"Loki. Our father loved you. Although you had your wits about him, he wouldn't have let you think that about your worth." Thor tried to be reasonable.

 "No matter how true these words are, brother, I still can’t find power within me to believe them. Maybe I'm wrong and exaggerating. Fine, leave it at that. But Thor, according to your words on Sakaar, I decided that I wouldn't want to be consumed by the past. But you gave me a choice. I could have lived in the past, felt it every day, and let it devour me or I could make my own choices. So you have every right not to trust me fully. Gods, not even half, and I'd be lying if I said that doesn't bother me at all. But brother, if you once trusted my rage, then this time don’t trust me either, trust that."

The prankster truly wanted to reconnect with the brother who had been his protector for most of his youth. Although Thor was a proud and conceited brat once, he never stopped showing his love and care for Loki, warning with death and excruciating pain to anyone who dared to harm his younger brother.

And secretly, Loki kind of liked it. He was his brother's priority, with most of the attention being focused on him. Until Thor's sword friends came along, excluding Loki, labeling him as weak and too sensitive, factoring him out from any adventure that seemed to take too much effort on the mage's part.

 Nonsense.

But Loki suspected in his mind that somewhere they were right. He was never one for adventure and extreme exercise, but that didn't mean he wanted to be separated from his brother. With this difference came the dark prince's need to assert himself. The fear of being left behind.

But Loki’s fear was borne of the rational awareness of a sentient evil, or merely the terrifying echo of a mispriced experience? Were his tormenting thoughts the source of madness, or the manifestation of it? He was pretty sure he hadn't encountered an answer to that one yet.

Loki thought it was fair, he couldn't expect a kind and forgiving response from Thor given their history, his brother always being the open hearted one. Always on a silver plate for the wizard to stab it without any hesitation any time.

Loki believed that giving a second chance will make you a kind idiot in front of the one who wronged you.

They'll begin to ignore the standards that you've set because they'll know another chance will always be given.

They're not afraid to lose you because they know no matter what, you won't walk away. They get comfortable with depending on your forgiveness.

"And I understand that what I have done may burden your soul, my worth dropping in your eyes. Meantime, as it is, it is bound to you, to New Asgard, to whom I wish to see the time when she reaches her utmost glory, brother."

And with all that, Loki fit perfectly in his criticisms. Even after all his betrayals, he was still somehow waiting for his brother's forgiveness. Taking his brother’s love for granted.

Loki could almost say he was proud that his brother wasn't as benevolent and naive as before, but his words still stung.

Although fitting in sounded tempting, it always seemed to exist a certain charm to go against the grain. This is what the prince did and aspired to all his life. To fit in. But at the same time it was tempting to be his own person, to show his differences compared to his perfect and only brother. To show his qualities which, even if they were not specific to a great warrior, were still beneficial to a wise king.

Loki knew that he was a contradictory person. He accepted it. He tested what he thought about an issue, his own contradictory feelings and where the lines of hypocrisy seemed more and more defined.

He waited for an answer from Thor, watching him slightly out of the corner of his eye, the king turning his gaze to the figure of the mage and start speaking softly.

"Loki, you know that I always was a straightforward person. Never the one to conceal behind hidden meanings. So if you claim to love me, show me. I had to mourn you two times, each harder than the last. If you words are not the truth and only seek to beautify a lie, then please do not needlessly hurt me. For I had been broken countless times."

Loki knew. He knew he had hurt Thor countless times. The only one who still believed in him until the last second. Norns, his brother really is a fool, but so was Loki because he always turned to him in the end. Always seeking Thor's praise and appreciation, but rejecting it every time he got it.

Continuing his point, Thor added.

"I won’t crave your love when I am no longer here. So then, if you love me any, if it’s but a little, let me know while I am still breathing. For only then I can treasure your feelings."

Loki looked into his brother's eyes, filled with emotion and a hint of regret. The second prince always wrestled with the desire to feel protected from unforeseeable danger and at the same time, to be left alone.

"You are becoming much too sentimental at your age, brother. It is unbecoming for the Allfather, to show such weakness.”

"I don't care if it's inappropriate, if the result is the regaining of the old ties with my brother." Smiled Thor.

The trickster felt a rush of emotion wreck his figure, caught somewhere between embarrassed pleasure and the urge to for a sarcastic retort, the two impulses combining to briefly still his silver tongue. So he tried to rein himself.

"You can't regain something you didn't lose in the first place, Thor." Loki assured him from there with a certainty he sure hadn't felt in a long time.

"Hmm. I guess I must change my perception then." Thor took a moment to answer then said with a sympathetic smile.

"You should." Loki supported.

The two enjoyed the comfortable silence between them. Loki was glad they had reached a point where moments like these weren't awkward, letting the prince know he needed to back off.

That is, of course, until Thor couldn't help himself and had to ruin everything again.

"So...Tony really convinced you to join the mission with se-.."

"Don't even start!" Loki growled, almost stabbing the fool again.

Finally, Thor decided on an outcome that Loki could agree with,          (thank the gods), so they decided that they would return to New York on Tony's private jet. Heimdall must rule the kingdom in their absence and inform them of any changes or disturbances that may occur during their absence.

"May worry be banished from your mind, my king, for nothing shall pass unnoticed by my sight."

Thor didn't want to be insensitive and bring up that it happened before, but he decided to nod approvingly, keeping his royal position.

The main idea was for them to meet up with the rest of the team in Tony's tower and form small teams from there, which would then disperse to a certain suspicious meeting point for potential buyers of the so-called technology. Details discussed later.

Although Loki made it very clear that he would not work with anyone other than Tony, Valkyrie or Thor, they still needed to decide who would team up with whom and what area they would occupy.

"Don't be afraid, your highness, no one will steal your sweet love, but do you think you can endure it, if you are to be separated for a little?" teased Val, not hiding the eye roll at all.

Tony and Thor spent the rest of the flight trying to keep the two as far apart as possible. Tony didn't know if his stylish plane was equipped with anti-asgradian combat. Maybe he should think about adding this one to the upgrades list. Just in case, to be prepared.

Arriving at their destination, not a second later, they were greeted by Miss Potts, somehow with an annoyed expression on her face and grabbing the inventor as soon as he stepped off the plane.

"Tony! As I said before, I don't care what you do with your free time and how much you spend on the role of the avenger BUT! Don't mess up my schedule either! Do you have any idea how chaotic everything was when you decided to leave and have FRIDAY cancel all your meetings? Do you!?" Pep revealed, eyes fixed on the inventor, and ready to scold him further.

"Hey, Pep, I'm sorry, no, really, I'm really sorry, I'm a jerk, I'll make it up to you, I promise and thank you." Tony took a small breath, apologized because that’s the first step when dealing with women, and with a look of kicked puppy, he tried to appease the angry secretary.

"Hah.. it wouldn't be the first time. So? Did you manage to gather all the members?" Pepper was aware of the inventor's desire to advance the strange relationship he had with the asgardian prince, often encouraging him to man up and get over with. Like you would do with a bandage, you take it off fast and it won't be that painful, yeah sure, but this bandage usually comes with knife attached, which can cause more harm than good. Tony shot back at that time. Pepper just rolled her eyes at the playboy reluctance.

"You wouldn't even believe it." he said, making sure the other members now evacuating the plane didn't hear him, especially the person in question.

"Finally! We finally made it, damn it; I went completely numb sitting in this metal cage. I love what you did with the place, Stark, did you redecorate?" Brunnhilde asked, gesturing around her mockingly because they were in the private jet launch pad room so there wasn't much to admire, beside the rest of the machinery and engines.

"Only for you, honey, I can't receive guests without making the place look at least decent. Right Rudolph?" Tony replied with his shit-eating grin, standing in the middle of the room with an expression of genuine innocence, and gesturing to the various scattered parts and fuel drums as if he were presenting a ballroom.

"And why are you asking me, Stark?" Loki turned his head slowly over his new secret lover, placing one hand on his hips and maintaining a cold tone.

"But of course Lackey, in case you don't like it, he can change the design again. After all, if you're going to move into your new husband's house, it should be to the bride's liking, don't you think?" Val interjected, not looking away from the two and huffed a laugh.

As much as it drove his king crazy, Val couldn't help but taunt the little prince, even if it meant making her look like she was out for his blood. She wasn't, really. In her opinion, the resentment between the two was long gone, and it was just too much fun teasing the magician.

"Brother!" Thor

stepped in, with desperation starting to bleed into his words again, stopping his sibling before summoned a dagger ready to answer Val's lines. In a more physical way.

"You give me too little credit, brother. I just wanted to ease our dear Valkyrie uneasiness regarding my so called oncoming settlements. As she shall not be worried, my departure will not be one of the wishes that I will fulfill for her." Loki explained, keeping his voice steady and looked up at Thor.

"Tch, my luck then." she continued still, adding more fuel to the fire.

"Val..." Thor said starting to get irritated, biting the inside of his cheek and trying to not lose it. Why he had to play the role of the adult there, he still didn't know.

"He asked for it!" Her voice rising louder than she intended, but she didn’t care to stop.

"As far as I can remember, I didn't do anything except breathe and stepping out of the plane." Loki scoffed, his eyebrows drawing closer together.

"Your breathing annoys me." She clarified and scoffed back.

"As yours does me, but you don't see me doing anything about it." Loki said and hummed in response, returning her glare.

Tony looked blankly at the exchange of the two’s lines, not wanting to get involved and fall in the middle, letting then the mage's resentment fall on his shoulders. No thank you.

"Are they always like this?" Pepper asked.

"All the time, unfortunately. But I don't think any of them really mean it." Thor replied, managing to separate the two. Again. He felt more like a supervisor of two small children than a king.

"Nice to see you again, Miss Potts. Sorry for the manners of my brother and companion." He could hear a scoff from both of them and continued." They can be.. difficult." He finished, turning his head to frown at the two who didn't seem at all ashamed of their deed.

Loki looked bored as hell and Val let out a big yawn and she looked like an uninterested expression was all what she had to give.

"No problem Thor, I'm glad to see you too, I can tell from experience that it's very hard to keep up with immature people." she replied with a big warm smile.

"I do have feelings too you know." grumbled Tony indignantly, somehow sensing that it was him she was referring to.

……

Miss Potts led them to one of Tony's guest rooms, really spacious, and waiting for the rest of the team to arrive. Considering that only Captain America and Bruce had barely arrived.

"Bruce, my friend, God, how long have we not seen each other, a month, two? Have you worked out more? You look fitter." Tony said, grabbing him by the shoulders and giving him one of his famous Tony Stark smiles.

"Hi Tony, I'm glad to see you too, and it hasn't been that long, barely two weeks, and no, but thanks for the compliment." answered the doctor, returning a welcoming smile.

After everyone greeted everyone, Thor being a bag full of smiles and hugs, Val simply returning the smiles and greetings of the others in the room and Loki..well, being Loki,  The Captain decided to have the first word.

"Straight to the case, as you know from the information provided by Furry, these guys aren’t just a little bit of trouble. They also seem to have a tendency to attack solo people, so we'll be operating you in teams of three." Steve said, pointing to images of agents who were either shot down cause alone or ventured out on their own, separated from their team.

They all nodded, except for Loki who didn't seem too happy about the idea.

Steve decided not to comment and continued.

"Alright, each team will take three other SHIELD agents into their group, to deal with potential kidnapping victims of this organization and to protect civilians in the event of an unforeseen situation."

"Were there any reported abductions? I thought these people were joining willingly given the tempting technology on offer?" Thor asked, frowning at this new information.

“That's right Thor, although most of SHIELD's records have shown homeless people, there have also been cases of missing persons reported by their families. I tend to believe that they were eyewitnesses to these spontaneous sales, given the fact that you can purchase this on random New York alleys. “

"These guys are very smart. Shame that their minds don't really work tough. Might as well sell that stuff in front of SHIELD headquarters.” Val said, slurping a mouthful of the drink served by Pepper, and wincing at the bitter taste of it. "Seriously, Stark? I thought you of all would have some good shit around here, seems like I had too higher expectations."

"Sorry rosey, it's not my fault, your mighty king insisted-"

"No alcoholic beverages while on the mission, Val..." added Thor, frowning.

"A bottle of the Grandmaster's stash would hardly affect me, let alone an earthly drink, your majesty."

"That's not the point, Val.. Anyway, until the end of the operation, please refrain from any kind of alcoholic drink."

"Understood, Your Majesty. No fun for me, fully noted.” Grumbled Valkyrie." Thor just shook his head at her childishness. Not that he was complaining, it felt nice to see her like this sometimes. Then he turned to Steve and asked.

"Shall we proceed in pairs as you say, I guess this means that you have the information that there are several places where the enemy gathers, am I right?"

"Correct, though we can't pinpoint their exact location, the analyzes sent by SHIELD laboratories show that they are too spread out to gather in just one place. It would be too inefficient, and a waste of time to move around. Which leads to the conclusion that there are much smaller headquarters." Steve informed them all, sounding not discouraged by the fact.

"Delightful. More work for me, then." Scowled Loki, not missing any chance to show his dissatisfaction regarding his presence in the midst of the Avengers.

"Loki, please." Thor pleaded with a hint of exasperation in his voice, tired of his brother's defiant attitude. Not that he would expect it to be otherwise. Still he hoped.

 "Don't break a nail while you're at it Rudolph." Tony said nonchalantly, leaning his figure on the edge of the table and crossing his arms.

Tony decided he wanted to settle first things first, even if it meant he had to deal with the idea of having a grumpy prince irritated with him later. He tried to avoid Loki's calculating gaze without drawing too much attention to him.

Steve explained when Tony did not continue.

"Loki, we need you to pinpoint their current location in real time in case they decide to destroy or move their location in case they discover our ambush. So you will operate from the inside of SHIELD headquarters so we can-"

"I am coming too." Cut short the mage.

"Sorr-What? No, as I was saying, we need you to keep the connection online all the time-" The captain tried to contradict him, but was interrupted again by the prince.

"I can do that. And I can participate on the field with the others as well. As you can see I am not limited by mundane bonds like you mortals. I'm way above that." He momentarily shifted his attention away from the avenger and towards his brother, as if waiting for his brother's confirmation as to how the matter had already been discussed and decided.

To his surprise, The Captain did not reply immediately instead glancing towards Thor's direction. The god had a guilty look on his face, knowing that they would once again end up with the little dilemma they had failed to resolve in New Asgard.

"We... were still discussing this topic." The aesir king apologized and glared in the direction of his brother who didn’t stop from making his leadership look increasingly less desirable with each passing minute.

Thor knew that they hadn't even discussed the subject properly before leaving for New York, and his brother's insinuation was slowly starting to drive Thor out of his mind.

"And not very close to ending it, it seems. Anyone want some popcorn? Sounds like it will take a while." Tony shrugged, before putting his head in his palm and resting his elbow on the table stretched out in a manner that expressed pure boredom.

Tony knew what all of this SHIELD organizational meeting was all about ok? Each of them was the same.  Endless hours of arguments and contradictions only to result in a decision that no one agree with and in the end, everyone just did whatever the hell they wanted. So to at least, he tried to light up the mood. Which was already boring and gloomy, by the way.

Steve shook his head displeased at the investor's tactics that didn't really help the situation in any way, not at all actually, he could say. After which he returned to the prince saying.

"And how will you do this, can you explain to us? You will have to identify several enemy positions at once and then transmit their exact coordinates to the other shield teams. There will be a lot of things you need to focus on, let alone defend yourself from the incoming enemy."

"Is that concern for me that I hear in your voice Captain?" teased the god with a smirk.

"I am concerned about the integrity of the mission." He replied sharply.

"Then let me ease your burdened mind, -although deeply wounded -, I assure you that I am more than capable of completing the mission without jeopardizing its success. In the end, albeit I don't care about the subject in the slightest, I don't want to be a bad reputation for New Aasgard and our dearly king." Loki countered with a smirk. It goes without saying that even he wished he could spend his time in any other part of the earth and in any other way than being in their presence; Loki did not want the image of their new and fragile kingdom to be anything other than organized and reliable. The problem was that the jotun prince kind of wished to avoid contact with anyone who had the slightest connection with S.H.I.E.L.D or the word avenger. Ironic, right?

His thoughts were interrupted by Bruce who said with a little shyness in his voice.

"That did not sound convincing and reassuring at all. No offense."

Although he understood what Bruce was referring to, this time he didn’t bother hiding the fact that the doctor was right to not fully trust his words. After all, he didn’t really care about the mortals and their problems. Except Anthony, of course…

"On the contrary, doctor Banner. The simple fact that the name of the New Asgard is in the middle, should calm you down. Otherwise, this mission was doomed to failure before it began." The mage deadpanned.

"Ah, great then, thanks, I calmed down now, yeah…"he replied indicating that the wizard's words did not reassure him at all. Don't get him wrong. Even though he and Loki fought together to save Asgard and then against Thanos, the god was.. honestly still unknown territory for Bruce.

Loki resisted the urge to comment on the obviousness of the statement and decided that the doctor had his reasons to doubt his words. No matter how much this would have annoyed him.

"Brother, do you really think what you are doing is wise?" Thor intervened, bringing his hand on his face and rubbing his forehead. He looked at Loki in a way that could probably be described as a caring older brother, though Loki would have denied it any day if you would have asked him that.

"Wise? I never judged my actions by wisdom brother, but by success rate.” Loki answered, the words deceptively cool, making it seem to the others that the magician had an unbreakable self-confidence. At least it seemed that way.

"Ummm Lokes? Not that I want to be a total dick, but haven't you always lost the battles that were supposed to be a success?"

"Don’t try to figure me out, Stark. It will exhaust you. And I meant the ones where they were of my own free will. AND as for those in which I had total control over the situation and myself, with a clearjudgment may I add, my brother can confirm the many successes we achieved together." Loki felt a sense of irritation rise to the surface at the idea of having to explain himself to mortals. At first he tried to resist it, inhaling slowly and quelling his rising anger.

No matter how much he denied it, he didn't want to cause Thor any more trouble.

"Indeed.. My brother is very skilled in his field, there is no room for doubt, I assure you. Most of the success of our youthful stunts was due to his tricks. It's just...I'm still worried." Thor insisted.

"Then stop doing it. You are embarrassing my skills and New Asgard with this behavior of yours." Loki snorted slightly at his brother’s words, a cool mask sliding over his upset expression that had overtaken his features.

Thor could feel strong emotions once again bubbling to the surface, so rather than immediately reacting, he took a few deep breaths and reminded myself that different opinion between sibling and rebellious behaviors (most of the time against Thor) are totally normal and that it was important not to lose his temper.

The god of Thunder knew that if he lost his temper, he could create further resentment between him and his little brother. And he really didn't need any more bad blood between them.

He learned not to underestimate Loki over the years. Even his person seemed quiet, Thor's brother knows more than he says, and thinks more than he would say, and above all, a predominant quality of his, he observes more than anyone else.

"Annddd. And we're back where we left off. Wonderful." Tony eyebrow’s twitched, a sign that even he reached the limit of his patience.

"Look , Lokes. No one doubts your greatness, ok? And Thor, if Rudolph says he can do it, then let him do it. If it gets ugly, we intervene and save the day. Everyone’s happy?" Tony said folding his arms, the irritation reaching to him too.

Tony was also worried about Loki, but that wasn't going to change Loki's mind at all. Loki was a stubborn bastard. Even more so when you question his abilities as a wizard. So Tony had no choice but to support him in this. Finally, the inventor will make sure his little prankster is out of trouble.

Bruce swept in, not he wished to but wanting to get this over with already, and said to his teammate.

"I don't think it's that simple Tony.."

"Come on Bruce, back me up a little, I'm up against two mythological gods and a super stubborn patriot captain. I want to grab lunch today, you know?"

"I agree with Stark." Valkyrie cut in.

"Yes! I knew I would grow on you, rosey. I never doubted my ability to conquer even the most rugged souls." Tony said sincerely, but his eyes were only on his little mischief-maker and sighing in relief that his beautiful lover didn’t overreact this time.

Though she wanted to belie his words, Val couldn't help herself and let out a choked laugh at that which evolved into a full laugh, glancing at the young prince.

Loki had his arms crossed and a murderous look on his face that was directed at none other than the oblivious and poor Iron Man.

Realizing his words, Tony added.

"Oh wait, that's not what I meant, I mean that's what I meant but I wasn't referring to you Games, seriously-"

"Stark, why exactly would your remark bother me?"

Although their relationship was known by Thor and the valkyrie and of course Pepper (to which Tony had to make sure that Loki did not discover that he had spilled his frustrations on her based on his non-relationship with the Asgradian prince) Tony was quite sure that the Captain and Bruce didn’t  still knew about the two, and after the bloodthirsty look on the mage's face, Loki wanted it to stay that way.

"Ah.. I mean, really why…ANYWAY, let's get back to the topic. So what do you say Shakespeare? Do you agree to let your beloved brother join us? Yes or yes??" Iron man tried to change the subject and not let his little moment of panic show.

The silver tongue just rolled his eyes at the foolish behavior of his partner.

"Very well, I shall comply. However, brother, if you feel it's too much, I want you to withdraw willingly before it evolves into something worse."  Thor nodded and instructed, mostly because he wished to resolve at least one of the topics they had to discuss today.

And even though that worried him sick, Thor just had to keep an eye on his brother and do what he always does. Being a good big brother and making sure his idiot and reckless brother didn't again throw himself into a situation where he got himself killed. The wonderful blessing of being an older brother.

"Hmf, yeah sure, see if he doesn’t."  Val said in mild amusement.

"Of course, brother." Loki lied shamelessly while glaring daggers at the valkyrie. Still she had a point, no chance for him to show any weakness, especially in front of SHIELD. And besides, this task didn't require nearly as much fuss as Thor made it seem. He could fulfill it and read a book while he was at it. Ok ,not really, but still it wasn't that big of a deal.

"Oh sweet cheese, thank you! So on, who goes with whom?"

Again confused by the choice of the playboy's words, the mage asked.

"Why would you thank a piece of cheese?"

"Because it looks like this is going to be a long session and I won't be putting my mouth on a piece of real cheese anytime soon.." Remembering the remark from that morning, Stark just sighed and resigned himself to the thought that his remarks and expressions will always remain an incomprehensible concept for the magician.

Not because Loki didn't have the intellect for them, no, not at all, but because the mage himself stated that he wouldn't waste his time trying to learn something as silly as the midgardian remarks. Shame, really.

After they reached a consensus, the captain proceeded to explain the details and arrangements of each supposed team which led to various complaints and noisy opinions. Eventually, Black Widow and Clint also showed up, leading to a failed attempt to stop Hawkeye from unleashing his arrows against a certain god of mischief, who may or may not have said certain taunts to his person.

"F.RI.D.A.Y?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Do me a favor and call a pizzeria, will you? With extra fast delivery? Oh, and drinks included."

"Certainly, sir."

Looking at the chaos in the room, Tony was wondering how crowded the streets of New York were and if the restaurant offered super extra delivery service. Hell, he should have ordered hot sauce too. Loki loved it.

Loki could say he made many mistakes along the way, most of them in spite of his brother, but this had trumped them all. The idea of being given as an offering to a nameless demon that apparently has more servants than Loki would have thought possible for some mortals who thought the God of Thunder couldn't be real. But please, earthlings have always felt the need to attach themselves to some unknown beings to whom they can relate their brief and sometimes meaningless existence.

Now, don't take him wrong, his idea wasn't to be handed over on a silver plate as a good little sacrifice, that would have been ridiculous. His idea was to get caught on purpose to infiltrate into the enemy's HQ. Kind of. It was more like " take down the guy who looked like he was second- that may lead them to their hideout- in command and who looked weak but wasn't really that weak so it conducted to Loki's capture." Sort of thing….Ok, maybe he had made a mistake.

"He’s more persistent than I expected, but I think it’s clear that he’s outmatched." said the woman with no lack of emotion in her voice, -one of the psychopath's local helpers after Loki's analysis-, with her hands behind her back and a cold look on her face.

And now, they are in this unfavorable position (They as in-Stark, black widow and Thor- all three in special chains that restrained his brother's powers, as well as the online functionality of Tony's suit. Because of course they have this feature) What the prince didn't really know that he was the main dish, it seemed, at this supposed feast offered to some wretched creature. The black widow was passed out in her chains, knocked unconscious by a strong shock from one of the ruler's servant’s devices as she tried to free herself from her stranglehold. Her complexion doesn't look good at all, and it seemed that if she doesn't get medical assistance as soon as possible, she won't be able to last much longer, Loki thought. ’Damn it, he shouldn’t have charged head first like that!’

Stark, though barely within the frame of lucidity, didn't look good either. Thor had a device over his mouth somehow similar to the one he used in the Battle of New York for Loki, though much more robust and well built. It was most likely blocking the flow of electricity in his body.

His train of thoughts and worries were interrupted by the madman's words, which did nothing to improve his discontent.

"My dearest loyal subjects, today our goal will finally be fulfilled! For too long had sustained us! For too long had been US! Finally, this cursed life won’t be the death of us, but our promised immortal reward!" The mad man cried, his mouth falling open in an exaggeratedly ugly snarl, parting both of his hands.

"I wasn't born just to be sacrificed to some kind of loathsome demon!" Growled Loki still bounded.

A breathless, surprised sort of chuckle rose up from the man’s chest and merely slightly smirked at the mage.

"The law of fate is dynamic and by no mistake is eternal. Your sole existence is to satisfy his hunger through His rebirth process! What an honor!" His expression tightened slightly and his smile dimmed notably, leaving his hollow features to shape his insanity.

"Honor? Can you fathom how pitiful for a reason that sounds even for the likes of me?" Thought he tried to not look affected by the situation, his words didn’t come out without a hint of anxiety.

"This debate about the nature of your offering is in vain! It has been mistakenly claimed that an act of self-sacrifice cannot advance the subject’s self-interest. But that is pure absurdity! Since it is in your own interest to help fulfill the purpose for which you did not die on that frozen rock in the first instance! Ahh, this is truly a day to rejoice!"

These words of that madman echoed in Loki's ears, a sense of dread beginning to choke him. His thoughts raced incessantly. Why? How? How did this mortal know about his past and most importantly, that he was abandoned at birth?

As a memory of the past, he had experienced this kind of terror until it reached such a depth horror. Your birthright was to die! Loki remembered his father words.

Thor nearly winced in his bounds, though he refused to allow the satisfaction to that madman, who was trying to hurt him through his brother pain. He pointedly tried to avoid thinking about his brother harsh past, so that the anger he felt bubbling inside him would not cover his judgment and think of a way to escape the chains.

"Ahh, how utterly despicable does this human creation become in the sight of our lord, His Greatness, The Abolisher. For he is the true meaning of darkness. For he was born from it and molded by it!"

Something deep within Thor chilled at the words, though he forced to shallow thickly around his gag.

"I do reckon that one touch of madness is enough to blind one’s sight from its true nature but what are you trying to accomplish here it’s nothing but wretched." Loki countered, the lighthearted comment rolling off his tongue easier than he anticipated.

"I believe that everything we call madness, have two underlying intertwined struggles going on within it. Since madness itself can be difficult to define or to come to an agreement about. One struggle has to do with overcoming feelings of helplessness. The other has to do with overcoming feelings of being unworthy or undeserving of love. And I suppose you are rather well acquainted with both of them my dear sacrifice." The man inquired leaning slightly his way, though he kept his expression from flattering unto anything beyond blank curiosity.

"Do not call him that!" a voice was heard from Thor’s direction. The villain turned his head in the direction of Tony Stark and said slightly amused. "Hmm, someone got his voice back."

The woman on his right moved to silence the inventor, already reaching for her weapon, but was stopped by her leader.

"It is fine, it doesn't bother me. Since they cannot do anything else than watch enviously the glorious purpose this little offering will come to serve." He dismissed airily, his eyes taking on a sort of maniac, sharp edge and a smug grin to match.

Tony was listening to the madman’s speech, partially unconscious and trying to make out little bits. Hell, whatever technology these guys had, Tony definitely wanted a piece of it to study it better, because had it done its job properly, alright.

"Oh, I'll show you envy when I will beat the shit out of you until you can't even spell the word, you sick fuck. And your friends will be lucky to get away with just a little roasting from the god of thunder right here!" Tony felt his stomach sink at the sight of his lover state, though he tried to not let it show so much as to not give that bastard any sick satisfaction.

"There were times when humanity knew about the existence of our lord and worshiped him through sacrifice and battles that led to bloodshed, but now those teachings have been lost in time, suppressed by odious and corrupted concepts such as that of mercy and compassion towards one's neighbor."

"Can you even hear yourself? You say that compassion and love are broken things, but people who kill each other and sink into their city’s ruins is a blessing? Don’t fuck with me you creep." Tony, however, could not retain the slight shudder that ran through him at the words.

While still tied in his bonds, the inventor couldn’t help but admit the disgust and repulsion for the sick bastard and promised himself that he will not give that crazy shit a peaceful death.

"And I, who was of the opinion that humans are the most compassionate beings among other races. How embarrassing of my part. I should to correct this immediately." Loki commented, though the words had a distracted quality to them.

"Silence!" A sound of skin hitting skin echoed in the room, a red mark on the mage's face being the result of what had just happened in mere seconds.

He slapped him.

That wretched mortal just slapped Loki. Ohh, how much the mage wanted to torment that bastard. Patience . He told himself. All at their time. He just needs to be patient.

"Hmhh!" Thor's stifled cry was the only solace for the warrior, trying in vain to break the bonds and reach his brother.

By the time they got the three of them, Tony and Natasha were already unconscious, but Thor was still up and very vocal. Apparently their leader didn't like that so they decided to silence him. He doesn't know why, but it seems fate is pleased to see him in this position. Wonderful.

"Fucker!" Tony snarled, lunging at the madman, held back only by the chains that were deeply embedded in the metal of his armor. He was pretty sure that if he were to be caught in them without any kind of protective coating, he would already be bleeding to death.

The madman being very proud of himself and displaying a wide, confident smile, seemed not at all affected by the pain and agony in his prisoners' eyes, even enjoying it.

"It is true that because of the twisted fate design I am in this revolting mortal body, but that will be remedied once The Great Abolisher arrives! Let us rejoice and be glad for the finally and desired day!"

"Even if you get rid of your mortality, that is of course if your so-called lord doesn't kill you in the first place from the simple lack of entertainment, you will be nothing more than an insignificant scum who will die by my brother's hand if not by mine, you repulsive excuse for a human being." laughed Loki superiorly, displaying an air far above even bound. Loki had always loathed showing any kind of weakness when faced with dire situations.

"How dare you, a mere sacrifice…!!"

"Leader, excuse me but I must report." two armed men approached the position of their leader, one of them reporting.

"You have my consent, proceed." he said, straightening his posture and giving them a cold look.

"Intruders. They were spotted at the entrances of the west wing, two men, while three others were reported to have entered through the entrances of the north-west wing and are advancing towards the front location. Two men and a woman."

"What? How did you allow something like this to happen, you useless idiots!" he cried, his face contorting in hatred, resentful at the incompetence of his servants.

"My apologies, the team of three has a rampaging green creature that took down more than half of our people even though they were using the technology you gifted us with..." the man continued, ashamed of his failure to hold back the intruders.

"A raging beast you say?" said the madman, stopping in his outburst and placing a hand on his chin as if he were carefully processing the information.

 "Yes, while the woman from their side seems to be a warrior like I have never seen before, as if she were a famous valkyrior from the ancient legends. She is indeed a difficult enemy to defeat. I suggest to.. " The man's babbling was interrupted by a door flying out of the walls, followed by the appearance of three people in the dust from the walls breaking.

"Hulk SMASH!!!! "

Behind the enormous form of the avenger was Brunnhilde's figure, her face covered in scratches and dirt and what looked like dried blood, her armor tattered in places, but otherwise, that look of cold murder and rage was on her face. Her dragon fang was already positioned ready for more poor bastards who dared to challenge her.

Next to her was a SHIELD agent who looked like hell but at least he was on his toes. Poor man, he'll probably sleep for weeks after he's done there.

"Yeah buddy! Smash to your heart content! Preferable if you start with that dick head over there, I will really reward you with whatever the hell you want if you do." Tony shouted with a beaming grin. Never in his life was he so happy to see the Hulk.

"Reinforcements! Take care of that revolting creature and the rest! Don't let them reach the sacrifice!" The villain interrupted with a snarl, his teeth bared and eyes wild.

Another door opened from which came out thirty people equipped with these technologies, half directed towards the Hulk and the other half towards Val.

"Valkyrie, here! Free us first so we can help you! "Tony shouted at her pulling on his chains as such.

"I'm trying Stark but Oh no, my apologies, maybe you're fucking blind and don't see more than half of the reinforcements attacking me! " she said, panting and blocking a blow meant to pierce the right side of her waist.

"The black lever on the second panel! Just pull it down and the links will lose their energy source!" he snapped, frustration beginning to bubble to life within his chest. He knew it wasn’t Valkyrie’s fault but damn if he cared at the moment. He will apologize to her later, NOW he need out.

Hearing this, the SHIELD agent defended himself from the blows while trying to avoid total chaos and reach the control panel to free Thor, Natasha and Tony. However, before he was only half a meter away, an enemy thrown by the Hulk crashed into him, sending him flying directly into the opposite wall. Both groaned in pain from the impact, the enemy falling into total unconsciousness.

"Ha, that revolting beast does more harm than good. Are you sure it's on your side?" laughed the madman incitingly.

"Sometimes I ask myself the same question, you know?" Loki barked a dry laugh at that.

"Not helping Reindeer Games!" Tony growled, irritated by his lover's casualness.

"Neither do you, but you don’t see me complaining about it, don't you Stark?" he inquired smartly, trying to keep the trembling within his voice hidden.

"Seriously? Now you're trying to be smart?" The inventor said, somehow appearing to be both stunned and slightly amused.

"Please Stark, you insult me, I'm always smart and beside-"

"Enough with your frivolities!" The madman cut in and stuck a dagger in the chest of the prince who let out a gasp of utter surprise and sock, trying to suppress a moan of pain but not quite succeeding.

"HHMFHH!! HMF!" Screamed Thor in his gag. The anger burning in his eyes along with small lines of electricity but which died easily being absorbed by the enchanted bonds.

This man will pay. That was what Thor thought the moment that dagger embed himself in his brother chest. The moment he heard the muffled cry from his brother, he swore he will make that man pay for what he did to his little brother. It doesn't matter what SHIELD said. After he completed the mission and rescued Loki, because Norns help him, somehow he's going to break free from these damned bonds and make that mortal beg for something as sweet as mercy.

He will make him wish that he had never said anything bad to Loki, that he called him a sacrifice and dared to suggest that his brother was born and saved by Odin just for such a gruesome thing. Oh, how much he wanted to see this man in pain.

"Don't touch him! Get away from him, Fuck, you're dead motherfucker!" shouted Tony, trying to pull the bonds free around his arms. Sweet fuck all, if only he could slip out of those damned shackles!

"Fuck! Lackey, hold on, don't you dare let yourself be defeated just by all this, you hear me!" Val yelled at him as he knocked down another one of the henchmen. She knew they were short on time but damn if she could get to that damn handle! She could barely catch her breath without one of those bastards jumping on her back.

"Ha..hah..d-do you want to take my place and see if you can do better? hah..hey, dear villain, it seems that my lovely companion wants to offer herself in the role of sacrifice, what do you say?" Loki informed him, slowly looking up and breathing hard.

The man just scrunched his nose in annoyance at the ease with which Loki said those words and plunged the blade into his body once more, making another stab wound next to the other one that was already bleeding profusely.

This time Loki could not suppress his pain and let a loud hiss escape between his lips.

"Sorðinn!" hissed Loki, dropping his head back and closing his eyes and clenching his teeth, some blood already collecting in his mouth and leaking out between his clenched teeth. He couldn't heal himself due to the same bonds in which Tony and his brother were also trapped, restricting seidhr and leaving him helpless.

God, it hurt. Thought Loki.

"Shit, just a little more your majesty, hold on just for a little bit, just to get to the damn lever..." said Val through clenched teeth, knocking down another enemy.

"Hmph!" Thor tried to warn her as she was on the move and dodged a beam of energy that would have moved her head off her shoulders. Luckily she avoided it at the last moment due to Thor's deliberate warning. She kicked her enemy on the knee; there was a crunch of bones, the man falling to the ground with a cry of pain.

"Fucking fuck it, it never ends." grumbled Valkyrie, already annoyed by the endless hordes of enemies plus the two royalties she's supposed to be protecting. "Great, Just.Damn.Great!"

"Damn, we have to be able to do something! Fuck, I hate magic! Yes, suree, it's convenient with hocus pocus and all those things that appear out of thin air, but after that it comes and bites you in the ass." grumbled Tony, searching through his mind for a multitude of methods by which he could get Tasha and Thor safely out of those bonds.

Although it pained him to see that maniac playing with his lover's intestines, hehe lover…, not now Tony! - He knew that due to his aesir physiology... or Jotun, are Jotuns more resistant than Asgardians? He had to make a mental note to ask Thor later. Back to the point, he knew though that it wouldn't be long before Loki was bleeding to death without his healing magic, and judging by the pool of blood that had already built up under him, it wasn't long before that happened.

Fucking perfect.

His thoughts were distracted by the madman with the look of madness written all over his face, with big eyes and a wild grin on the face that shouted some crazy ass shit.

"Yes! Yes! Finally, our lord can emerge from the restraints in which he was imprisoned and claim his rightful place as sovereign and ruler of mankind! Be happy humanity!"

"Hah..ha ha.. so insanely ridiculous and weird was I also sounded when I tried to take control of the earth? Please tell me I had more elegance and style." he tried to make fun of it between the wheezes, but the pain was already starting to cloud his thinking, the loss of blood was already causing his vision to blur.

”Cease you useless attempts to sweeten you imminent demise, shall you stand proud for you have helped bring the mankind a true leader to govern over their meaningless and nauseating lives.”

Loki raised his head that was hanging on his chest, his enchanted chains hung his arms in the air and his feet were shackled to the floor. The only thing keeping him in a vertical position being the chains attached to the ceiling. He brought his gaze to the same level as that of the madman he realized he had been calling all this time "mortal" not having the slightest idea what his name was. Looking coldly and full of disgust at the person sitting in front of him, he simply said "You make me sick."

"How dare you insignificant creature! But it won't matter when I plunge for the third time this unique dagger for offerings into your chest and the ceremony will be completed! " The villain said rising his dagger once more and ready to plunge it back on the princess’s chest. " Praise for this wonderful thought! Rejoice"- BANG

The sharp sound of a bang echoed in the room madness, and the sound of a body falling to the floor resounded in the chaos of screams and the clash of swords. Loki tried to raise his head again, not even realizing that he had let it fall back on his chest, and fixed his hazy gaze on the figure who was now sitting in front of him instead of the madman's.

"Brother, Loki, I'm going to get you out of these wretched chains, just give it a moment." Thor now stood in front of the tired mage, his figure bruised and worn out but nonetheless alive and out of the bonds that constricted his lightning.

"A Moment?..mnh.. I'm not sure I have such a thing Thor..try again later." Loki whispered, blinking twice, and hated how weak his voice sounded, even to his own ears. ‘How did his bother escape from his chains?‘

"I think you're in a good shape if you still have the strength to make jokes, brother." Thor began, swallowing visibly at the weary state his brother was in, realizing with a slightly sickening jolt how much blood the wizard had lost and still he does.

"Without a doubt brother, what makes you think otherwise?" Nevertheless, Loki inhaled sharply, and blinked past the sudden dizziness that had taken hold of him, for a moment.

While the two exchanged words, the leader got up from the painful impact from the god of thunder, cursing loudly and saying "Guards! Take care of this nuisance!" Now standing and clutching in his right hand the dagger soaked in the blood of the raven prince, a few drops dripping from the sharp blade and staining the floor.

Thor, while struggling to untie the chains that held his brother captive, turned his frowning gaze towards that of the madman along with Loki.

"Your wish is my command! I will take care of the nuisance right now. With the greatest pleasure!" Tony said now free from, his suit already mending broken parts around him, the last piece taking its place on his body and the protective mask covering his face.

Behind him the SHIELD agent could be seen freeing the still unconscious black widow. It was clear that he was responsible for freeing the two; he reached the lever taking advantage of the surrounding chaos and sneaking through the enemies at the control panel.

"No, curse. This must not happen! Our leader must be restored to his former glory!" He said angrily, rage had taken over his face, making him look crazier than ever. Almost like a beast.

"Helenor, Frida! Take care of that bulky figure and keep him away from the sacrifice! The ceremony must not be stopped!"

"Understood." said two women dressed in black, both with short hair and with swords that seemed to emit the same rays of energy, their sharpness seeming to cut through the human body like trough butter.

"To hell if I let you! Thor, focus on Loki! Get him out of those shackles at once so he can start healing through whatever magical shit his magic is doing!” Tony shouted as he lunged in front of the two female assassins, hitting one with a blaster and dodging the other whose blades were meant for his left leg.

"I'm already focusing on the task Tony! I should aid you as soon as I take my brother to safety. Try to resist them until then!”

"Yes for sure, no stress, get yourself a drink too if we're still at our leisure!" Tony joked lightly, huffing and avoiding another attack from the left and countering with a knee hit in the stomach of one of the women. Well ..he was Anthony Stark, and he hasn't made a joke since.. well long time, so, he was back in the game.

Back to his actual problem, the two  perfectly normal women, talented themselves in martial arts-Tony had to admit- still two normal human beings, the technology they had at hand was not to be taken lightly. Which made the avenger's job more difficult!

"I will not allow you to destroy the great future I have in front of me!" shouted the man running towards Thor's direction and approaching him and the prince who was close to fainting. Thor turned face to him, anger already gathering in his eyes that started forming small lightning around his arms.

"Your great future?! My brother is in the state he is in because of the nonsense you dare to spout! I shall slaughter you and let your guilt plague your soul eternal for your great crime! Shall you burn in Hellhime fires!” His desire to hurt that man was growing bigger while his fear for his brother worsening state drew him back. But fear, a weak emotion, was eventually overtaken by the overwhelming rage he felt knowing that his brother condition was the fault of the man who was standing now before him.

Completely engulfed by the emotion, Thor took a steady breath trying to take control over his rising fury, trying to get control of his rising rage so he could have a clear mind to defeat the fast approaching enemy.

That mere mortal was responsible for his younger brother's pain. The brother he struggled to protect from the hands of Thanos, the brother he struggled to protect from the hands of Thanos, the brother he failed to save from the darkness of his own mind and who was trapped in his tormenting thoughts. His little brother who had needed him the most and he wasn’t there to stop his growing destruction.

This memory fueled his revulsion and hatred for the perpetrator and he could hardly refrain from killing the man where he was with an explosion of lightning bolts. Unfortunately he couldn't do that, Thor knew, because it would have consequences on his teammates, being caught in the electric discharge as well, but he still wished he could do it.

Before he could attack, Thor heard the cries of other familiar voices fill the room.

"Thor, we are here, I will take your place! You take care of saving your brother. Hawkeye is going to help Tony stand up to the henchman’s!" shouted Captain America, appearing and drawing the two's attention to him.

Hawkeye quickly scanned the room and saw the agent struggling to give first aid to the black widow with the little he had at his disposal.

"Fuck, Tasha! You son of a bitch! I'm going to shoot an arrow right through your eye socket!" he snapped, threatening him also with a sure but slow and painful death.

He joined Tony, helping him cope with the increasing number of enemies. They just didn't stop coming.

"I'm glad to see that you've decided to join the fun, falcon!" said Tony with a grin, slowly feeling better that the situation started to turn on their favor. Clint just nodded and started fighting alongside him.

"You have my thanks Captain! Have no doubt, I should get back to you in the shortest time, because I don't want to miss the opportunity to inflict pain in that man's body!" Thor said, rushing to Loki's side, still reluctant, but he knew his brother needed him now and Thor was the only one who could break those enchanted chains with his lightning.

"You stupid and undesirable beings, once our lord descends into your unworthy world, he should not even leave your corpses to rot around but incinerate them directly, leaving only a trail of ashes as a reminder of what you once been!" Yelled the mad man, now angry at the continuous interruptions that stood in the way of achieving his goal.

"Whoa dude, that's some dark shit you're talking about there, much more fucked up than when Lokes tried to take control of the Earth.." he said, partially shocked, partially disgusted of how deranged that man's words sounded.

"Stark, watch out!" Valkyrie's cry brought him out of his trance, avoiding a light saber blow at the last moment; it reminded him of the movie Star Wars.

"Thanks rosie!" he winked at her, a gesture to which Val just rolled her eyes and started fighting again.

The madman started to run towards Loki but the captain blocked his way saying.

"I think I am your opponent now. So you should focus on me. Don't worry, I promise you I won't be a disappointment as an opponent." he declared with a face full of seriousness that inspires confidence.

"Disappear from my face you slave! All I need is that sacrifice and if you stand in the way of accomplishing this, I will be the one to put you in your grave!" he growled loudly, a multitude of tentacles of blinding pure energy shot out from behind the fiend, all emitting a melting heat.

The captain was not intimidated by the sight of them and only declared "That remains to be seen."

The villain threw himself at Rogers, to which he avoided one of the tentacles and counterattacked, the two started to fight each at their maximum capacity.

Taking advantage of the diversion, Thor worked on untying his brother's handcuffs, but if he was to do this in a shorter time, he would have to discharge a much greater energy than Loki would have been able to endure. Loki could have taken it if he was at his full strength, but seeing that the mage was barely clinging to consciousness, Thor asked slowly unsure.

“Brother, I need to get you out of these chains, but for that I need a much bigger sock to break them. Do you think you can withstand it?” The care and concern in the voice of the god of thunder did not go unnoticed by the crowned prince, although still weakened and drained by the last drop of his seidhr, he said with more difficulty that he liked.

"I-iff.. I can withstand it? Please, brother..hah ha… One of the conveniences of having the God of Thunder as a brother is that you are adjusted to the feeling of being electrocuted from time to time. It's like a tickle for me at this point..." Loki said with a blank look, an annoying little smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Loki, I'm very serious. I don't need your smart remarks right now. Norns, you hardly have the strength to keep your eyes open, it's far from me how your thoughts fly at joking." said Thor looking with concern at the stab wounds in his chest that were still bleeding profusely.

"Yes, well, I tend to have a habit of a..ah.. Let’s say divide the mind in such a way that it can focus on several things at once...hah.." he said almost in a whisper and still panting out of breath as if he had run a marathon. His chest rising and falling with increasing rapidity, almost like struggling to breath.

"I'm pretty sure even you can't do such a thing brother." Thor said with a small smile, unable not to return his brother’s words. But that was not the point now. Before letting Loki waste his breath with unnecessary remarks, Thor added.

"It will be a direct, powerful wave, intended to overturn the mechanism of this chain. I'll try to break him in one shot just...don't faint." Thor never imagined he'd have to face such a critical situation when he accepted the mission. Should he had known, he wouldn’t have insisted to bring his brother in it. Such a wise ruler and brother he was.

"Is it an order from his majesty, Allfather?" teased Loki back.

"If it makes you remain awake, then consider it so." Thor said in a much thicker and lower tone. Although Thor didn't want to order anything against the wizard’s will as he said before, this time he didn't mind if this was the only thing standing in the way of his brother's passing out.

"Then I think it should be in my interest..hah..hah... t..to do everything I can to honor it." Mumbled the mage resting his head on the god’s shoulder for support.

"Stop talking." the blonde said bluntly. He raised his brother's head, placing his hand on his neck as a sign of affection, and looking into his almost livid eyes, he said slowly and clearly.

 "This is going to hurt. Are you ready?"

"Hell, no." he laughed with the last bit of strength he still had in his being and gritted his teeth, preparing for what was to come.

Thor took this as a sign and concentrated his energy in a single direct blow to the core of the device, burning it. The action resulted in a show of wildly flying electric lines, discharging into thin air, the surplus of energy having nowhere to go. Oh, and in his brother, of course, who was unfortunately attached to them. Loki let out a long cry of pain, the exhaustion of that dreadful day making him much more vulnerable to the feeling of pain. He was going to sleep for three days after this was over. Maybe, make it a week? Yeah, a week of sleep will be nice..

A simple click was heard and suddenly the shackles opened, freeing the prisoner from their grip. He would have fallen to the ground if it hadn't been for Thor grabbing him in his arms, holding him tight in his embrace.

Loki let out a sigh of relief and a small whine-which he will deny until the day he shall meet his death- a faint but still present thread of seidhr beginning to work its way through his veins. It was weak, almost non-existent he might say, but Loki could feel it.

"I got you brother, I got you. Don't worry; everything will be fine from now on." Thor shushed his little brother trying to comfort and reassure him.

"I am not a small child Thor..I don't need to be soothed like an infant." Growled Loki, trying to push Thor away, though with no real bite in his words.

"You're not? Because sometimes that's what you make me believe. Especially given that you're in the situation you're now, because you rushed to jump in, thinking you can handle the whole mess by yourself!" Thor said hastily, determined to remind Loki of his foolish mistake, the anger returning to his voice but this time powered by the mage’s recklessness about his welfare.

Realizing that his brother was right, he was somehow in a bad spot, unable to defend himself and being aware of the grave mistake he had made. However, it didn't sit well with him to let Thor think he was right and he tried to say "I-"

But of course Thor didn't even want to hear it.

"Don't even try! I don't want to hear anything but your steady breathing and nothing else. Don't think we're done with this, we'll talk about it later after we get you to a healer.”

"Of course we will.." Loki said displeased, almost absently, letting his weight fall again against Thor. The feeling of pure adrenaline that had kept him awake until now was beginning to scatter and a sense of massive exhaustion that was beginning to settle over him.

"Loki? Brother, stay awake! Don't close your eyes, you have to keep your consciousness, are you listening to me?"

"hmm..I'm..."

"Thor! How is Loki? Please tell me he's still breathing!" shouted Tony from the other side of the room, managing to take down a large part of the enemies but still remaining a few tougher ones that he has to get rid of.

"He is, but I don't know for how long if we don't take him urgently to a healer!" he shouted back.

"Melodramatic." Loki mumbled simply making sure his brother could hear him. Thor glared at him, though it was kind of useless because Loki had his eyes closed so he wouldn't have been able to see his brother's piercing gaze.

"Okay, keep Rudolph on his toes, and please kindly pass on that: me and him have something to fucking talk later. He has no chance to back off from it!"

Tony quickly added, turning his full attention now to the enemies in front of him.

Thor grinned at Tony’s words and he directed his grin at his brother's frowning face, wanting to be a good brother-in-law and do his duty as a herald, but Loki went ahead saying, "Stay in line Stark.. I expect there will be some more people who will wish to talk to me after ..."

Thor smiled at his brother's scowl as he struggled to bandage the bleeding wound with a torn piece of his cape. He knew that it was no real medical help, but Thor was desperate to stop the bleeding at least until they reached better medical care.

"No more of these ridiculous delays!" the madman roared in disdain and aimed three tentacles at the captain, who at the time had the upper hand, slamming him into the wall, the crater left by his form causing a crack in the concrete.

"Steve! Hold on, I'm coming to you, just-hey, watch out you fucker, it's not nice to interrupt someone when he's talking to his friend who's almost been made one with the wall!" Tony snapped, instigated by the assassins' lack of manners, shooting him with one of his suit's devices. Can you believe the rudeness of today's youth? Lord.

The madman approached the place of the two Asgardians, the dagger still clutched in his hand and with that sick look in his bloodshot eyes.

"Don't you dare oppose me, Asgardian! That is my sacrifice that destiny has prepared for my glorious rebirth! I should not let anyone steal the grandiose moment for which I was born into this miserable world!" he spat, trying to express the reason for his beaming rage, though it was easy enough to understand what he was getting at.

"And I shall repeat myslef! Loki is nowhere near your sacrifice, especially since he wasn't born for your sick reasons, you insane mortal!” Thor protested, indignant, trying at the same time to keep his attention on his brother who seemed to pass out at any moment if he was not paying attention to him.

"He was! Ohh he was…! He stole his birthright from the moment he didn't die when his fate was written on that frozen stone! And that! I saw it! Oh, my lord showed me the vision where your thief of the father stole this sacrifice for himself! But now it is in my possession, and nothing can steal it from me again. For it was written that I should be born centuries later only for I should fulfill my true calling!" The madman was smirking again, his sick smile being fueled by his disgusting and horrifying thoughts about the fate of mankind.

"You stupid human being..!" growled Thor.

"What bullshit are you saying there you creep! Loki was born for himself, not for a mentally ill person like you who believe in I don't know what sort of apocalyptic fucked up deity invented by his own twisted mind!" Tony snarled, saying the whole sentence without pausing to catch his breath.

"Silence fools! You don't know what you are talking about! This is something far greater than the price of your pathetic lives!" Annoyed by all the delays, the villain began to lose patience with the worms in front of him, considering them nothing more than pitiful cockroaches struggling in vain to defy the course of their fate.

"Ok, I say let's kill the bastard here. I'm sure we can make it look like an accident to SHIELD ,right? Thor, Clint? Any complains?” Tony made a face, muttering some curses at the bustard’s address.

"None." said Thor, trying to keep his position firm on Loki's wound, so that you could hardly say that he was aware of any of them.

It was pretty hard to focus on what that madman was saying- in Loki's opinion- when his whole body was screaming at him to go to sleep. Oh, sleep, what a tempting idea seemed to the wizard at that moment. He could let go and let the sweet, let yhe blessed unconsciousness settle over him, washing away the pain he felt and the sharp stings.

He could feel the burn of the stab wound, how his blood in his veins started to boil. Norns, it was as if he was being cooked alive.

Feeling his brother's resolve slipping more and more Thor shouted at him "Brother, no, stay awake for me, LOKI!"

Loki could hear the distant sounds of his brother calling his name. Oddly, he was pretty sure his brother was inches away from him, so why did he hear so faintly. And something that sounded like pure terror rolled out of Stark's mouth, but he couldn't be sure. He thought he could also hear Valkyrie cursing loudly, typical of her.

Gods, he was so tired!

He continues to hear Thor's worry and fear-soaked cries. Fear? No, that would be improper. It was not the right word to describe the mighty Thor. And why does his brother keep yelling at him? I'm fine you oaf, stop yelling. Loki wanted to say, but his mouth felt heavy and it was as if his whole body didn't want to listen to him.

Strange.   ..Why?

Curiously, however, he got images of himself in green mountains, free like a bird. Peaceful and calm. Is like his mind found peace in a parallel universe. The voices of those around him disappearing into the abyss of silence and without realizing it himself, sweet, merciful unconsciousness settled over him.

Waking up in the middle of the night can be very frustrating, especially if it happens often. Getting enough sleep is very important for Loki. When his sleep is disturbed, it takes a while for his body to return to deep sleep, which can keep him awake the next day and it interferes with the efficiency of his work. Inacceptable.

Outside there is some noise, the noise gets louder and louder and the sorcerer started to become annoyed as he tried to get back to sleep! The noise gets louder still and it was really disturbing. He got more annoyed but then he realized that it is someone calling his name. The prince tried to focus around for the source and opening his eyelids slightly. His head felt cloudy, a little dizzy maybe.

It felt like nothing, it didn’t hurt or he just didn’t remember it hurting.

 Oddly, he had a hunch that it hurt at a certain point.

He opened his eyes to darkness. The filthy flavor within his mouth tasted vile; it was hard to breathe, hard to swallow.

He also noticed the darkness in the room was pierced only by a small weak light in the corner of the room, probably a lamp.

The second thing he noticed was a female figure in his range, leaning over him.

’A healer then..’

So he is probably in one of the healing rooms in New Asgard. His question was: Why?

The last thing he knew was that Thor had managed to get him out of the handcuffs before that bastard made bows out of his intestines. A shiver ran through his body, shaking his entire being just at the thought of that madman.

His train of thoughts was interrupted by the healer's voice.

"My prince, can you hear me? Do you understand my words?"

Loki wanted to laugh at the woman's words, of course he could understand her words, he wasn't an idiot. However, he came to the understanding that even though he understood her words, he found himself in the situation that couldn’t answer her. ' What?'

He had a funny taste in my mouth and realized that his throat was extremely dry.

Understanding her prince's struggling, the healer disappeared for a few seconds, immediately repairing it with a glass of water. Loki's mouth was already salivating at the sight of it.

She helped him sit up, propping him against the pillows.

"Small sips." she instructed gently helping him drink.

Loki followed her advice, mostly because his hands felt like jelly and he couldn't hold the cup and not spill it, thus making a fool of himself.

After he finished, he tried to swallow the lump in his throat, and asked in a strained and hoarse voice.

"W.. What happened? Where is everyone?” Norns, his voice sounded awful!

The healer just looked at him reassuringly and said" Worries not, my prince. I assure you that they all returned safely, although they suffered injuries, they are not in any danger. Your Highness is the only one who presented a worse condition. Therefore, please remain quiet until I return. I promised to report your awakening to the king at once."

She bowed slightly and then cast a serious look at the prince's form that seemed to say "Don't you dare move from that place" and then walked out the door.

Loki just snorted at that, even if he wanted to, he didn't feel like he would able to support his weight on his own weakened feet.

Looking around, he noticed that the darkness in the room was due to the fact that it was night. The clear and starry sky could easily be seen on the window pane. The injured prince closed his eyes again and let out a sigh. At least that means they won, right? The healer said that they all came back unscathed,… somehow. So that means they won in the end.

 Without HIS help.

Great. Now he felt even worse than when he woke up.

Slowly, he found himself drifting back into a drowsy state as sweet sleep began to seem more and more tempting.

As his brain tried to remember, he experienced a sense of spinning, as if his brain was on a tilt-a-whirl amusement ride Anthony took him thinking the mage will enjoy it.

The voices or sounds around him were on a fast loop, and he tried to get them to slow down. He was thinking “Shut up!” to people around him trying to coach him to awakening.

Wait, what?

Prying  his eyes open again, Loki noticed that the number of people in the room had increased considerably. There, looking concerned and a hint of… anger perhaps? Sat his lover, Thor, and the healer from earlier.

"Welcome back to the living, Rudolph! Did you enjoy the ride through the unconscious? Let me tell you, I sure as hell didn't enjoy it.” Announced the avenger, crossing his arms. Though his smiling face didn't quite match his words and body language.

Loki tried got up slowly but failed miserably, his stomach twisting with every moment and he felt dizzy. He reached to lean on the bed for a moment while he reigned in his nausea with deep breaths. His skin felt like fire but he felt like he was shivering. That couldn’t be good.

“Are you a little cold in there? Odd, you wouldn't have said, considering the fever you had a few hours ago, but I guess you had no way of knowing that while you were cold out there, I'm just saying you know.” Tony shrugged, as if he was trying to hide his distress with sarcasm and something that looked again like ..anger?

"Take it easy, Tony. You'll have time to scold him later." Came a voice from behind the inventor, joining the others in the room. Blinking again and trying to focus his gaze on the figure appearing next to his bed, Loki noticed the bulky and familiar figure of his brother.

"How are you feeling, brother?" Thor asked softly, taking care not to raise his voice, knowing full well that the prince might have another headache. His younger siblings always tended to have one of these in their youth when they found themselves in healing rooms after some of their not-so-successful adventures.

Loki sneers at the question, swallowing down a dry heave and leaned against the soft pillows. That wrenched dizziness really catches up to him.

"Well, I haven't vomited my intestines on the floor yet, so I will say I'm doing pretty well." answered the mage with his eyes closed.

Tony winced at his words.

Thor just hummed at that.

"You're aware of what I'm going to say now, aren't you?" Thor asked, a stern look of covering his features.

Loki shrugged nonchalantly.

“I know, Thor, but let's save it for later, shall we? We're both tired, and I'll bet Iðunn's apples that you're not the one who's had much rest, and I, as much as I hate to admit it, I'm not at my best at the moment.”

Thor knows that Loki has always dismissed Thor's reprimands, his concerns words had been ignored by more times than he liked to count- he did it anyways.

Sensing that his idiot brother must have misunderstood him, Loki added.

“I'm not trying to make light of your words, Thor. Seriously, I'm just too tired right now. I am fully aware of the gravity of my actions and how they have brought me to this position. Far be it from me that I shall escape without receiving a rebuke from the king, considering that I have neglected my health...” Loki chuckled weakly after stopping and adding a little embarrassed. ”….Again.” Thor just grumbled quietly and resigned himself to that setting. Oh, they'll talk and he'll be sure to find a suitable punishment for the mage's neglect regarding his well-being.

Thor was most likely to give his brother the kind of work in New Asgard that he hated the most and usually tried to avoid these tasks. But this, of course, only after the prankster was completely healed.

"Funny thing you say. Not that one of my admonishments will ever stick with you.” Thor said and shook his head in disapproval sighing. At that the mage was tempted, at least, to look ashamed.

"Rest well brother, we will talk later. I'm more than sure you want to know how the rest of the mission went, but we'll talk about that after you recovered-"

"But Thor-"

"No buts, Loki. Rest." The thunderer ordered and turned to leave the room but he stooped by the billionaire side and said. "It's all yours. Wish you luck."

"Thanks, I'll need it.." muttered Tony, already dreading what’s to come. Thor just gave him a sympathetic smile and left the room, the healer following behind him.

…..

……

"You look terrible." Tony said.

"I feel terrible." laughed a little the prince.

Loki's admittance of the truth was not any sort of comfort to the genius, yet he was satisfied to some degree to be conversing with the trickster openly.

"How long was I unconscious?" he asked again after a few moments when no one said anything. It was a valid question and the inventor shrugged. He wanted to ask about what happened after he passed out, but something told him that Stark wasn't going to share it with him.

"Two days." Said he short.

Loki sank back in his sheets and regarded his lover thoughtfully.

"I take it by your silence that you weren't considering that as an answer." Said Tony while still standing.

Drawing in a deep breath, he closed his eyes. As he slowly exhaled, his features soften and the tension disappear from his brow. He was amazing at keeping himself calm and collected when all the rest of the world fell apart around him. Right now he felt close of shattering. Despite his resolve, his eyes felt damp and he folded his arms over his chest and staggered hard.

"I thought it was only fair that if you're going to act by yourself, at least you’ll let me as your lover know what you're trying to do. Obviously I was the only one who thought that. Such an idiot I am."

"No! That was not my intention-"

"Then, pray tell me, Lokes! Because I know I volunteered for all this when we got together, and really I am kind of okay with it. But damn if your actions there have not fucking pissed me off!" he answered in a rough voice. His shoulders set and he clenched his jaw to reign in his emotions.

No one said anything anymore after that.

Loki found the resulting silence in the room unnerving. He studied the room and glared at the empty spot on the wall, hoping the weight of his angered lover gaze would have had not such a big impact on him.

Perhaps he had overplayed the genius's power of understanding, reaching its breaking point. Maybe he had assumed too much when it came to his worth in their relationship. Maybe he really was an idiot. But he had to believe if he was yet in this relationship and Tony had not pronounced nothing about a breaking up, -again. Yet,-then it meant he had some hope still.

Flexing his fingers, he stared at the blank wall, hoping that he had power within him to find the fitting words and do the right thing. In silence, Loki waited after which he stared.

"Anthony.."

"Good start, keep going." Stark encouraged unimpressed. His expression was stoic and Loki couldn't discern if his already bad situation had worsened or not.

"I understand how my actions there and my stubbornness brought me to the stage in which I am and could have ruined the mission-"

"Bambi, please, don't dig your hole any deeper trying to distract me from 'the you problem' with that fucking mission, will you?" Tony smiled but it held no warmth.

Okay, so changing the subject failed. Next idea? None. And for the first time Loki didn't try to search for excuses. There would have been no point with Anthony anyway.

"Yes, I...you're right, my apogies, that's not what I wanted to say. However, please consider that I did not expect you or Thor to react like that when you found out that I was captured infiltrated the building on my own. Maybe if you had waited quietly and not  reacted harshly-"

"Are you seriously for good now, Lokes? Are you trying to blame me and Thor now?" Tony almost cursed at the jotun, but thought better of it and held his tongue. Pressing his lips together, he carefully considered each word before he said it.

"How did you think we would react!?" Anthony stared at him incredulously. "How did you think we would feel when we found out that you were fucking caught, not infiltrated, - by the way, I actually know the whole story - and you didn't answer at the damn comms?"

The sorcerer considered his questions in silence for a few seconds before exchanging looks at finally saying.

"I'll admit I probably underestimated those mortals a bit..."

"Hmpf, a little?"

"Will you let me speak once and not interrupt me?!"

"It depends. Are you going to say something smart if I do or are you going to keep making excuses?"

“I'm not trying to make excuses, Stark! I just—” Loki stopped and took a deep breath, exhaling slightly. It's no good. If he keeps going like this, he'll let his anger get the best of him, and right now, contrary to the inventors' beliefs, Loki wasn’t. He was not trying to pick a fight with Stark right then. He was already in a restless and sour mood and wasn't sure if he wanted to deal with that.

"What I want to say is that I let my pride lead me and I put myself and the rest of the team in danger. I miscalculated." Loki admitted, and it could be seen the defeat in his posture now that the words had been spoken.

Tony just gave him a long look. Though his expression was carefully neutral there was a slight puckering between his eyebrows that concerned the mage.

"That all?" Tony's voice sounded colder than he liked.

Loki breathed slowly and tried to calm his fraying nerves. His stomach felt like it had given birth to a black hole that was slowly consuming him. "What do you mean?"

 Loki loved Anthony, he did, but he was sometimes a little too perceptive when it came to the Silvertongue’s motives. The mage had always been discreet, but now he wondered if Tony had learned to discern between his truths somehow.

Somehow shocked by the Asgardian's audacity to appear innocent, Tony couldn't take it anymore and exploded.

"For crying out loud Loki! Admit it! Admit that you messed up this time! Apologize! For worrying me! Me, your brother and the rest of us all! Seriously, how dense can you be? Jezz." From that point Tony eventually raised his voice to a full shout. Speaking of which, he really deserved an award for keeping his composure until then.

'An.. apolo..gy?' Is that what all Anthony wanted from him? Truly? However, it was harder than it looked. Even though all Loki had to do was admitting his mistake and apologize to everyone for everyone he worried, but he didn't like that. After all, The God of Lies doesn’t do apologies.

Even with all the secrets his family had kept from him, they never apologized for it, so Loki made a bad habit of doing the same.

It's like that's what he was taught to do by watching his parents. For all of Odin's actions, he never apologized, even if his lessons were not always so wise and often failed of their purpose. He just kept that superior air, and if it was too much of a failure, then he pushed it aside and kept the bright side in view. Never admitting his fails.

 As he did with Loki. So the magician made his share of mistakes, but he never apologized for them, because Odin never did.

Loki felt that under the circumstances, it was the only thing he could do. The aesir had long felt that Allfather had damaged him with

emotional abuse while he was growing up, and during his adulthood his so called-father continued to treat his second born in ways Loki couldn’t understand back then. But now it was another story. Guess the truth doesn’t always set you free, thought Loki.

But now Anthony, his lover, demands an apology, and although Loki is perfectly aware of the inventor's reasoning, the magician really screwed up that time, bad. So he being the one in the wrong this time, naturally he should apologize. So why was it so hard to get those two words out?

The snap of fingers before his face pulled Loki out of the darkness. Loki's eyes focused on the form of his lover, his face looking pale and tired.

"Usually you can't keep your words to yourself, so why so quiet now? The cat got your tongue?"

"When you saw me after I woke up, what was your first desire?" Loki ran his fingers lightly around the edges of his palm.

"To punch you in the face," Tony answered truthfully.

And then Loki didn’t know what brought this up but he broke out in laughter.

Yeah, he laughed. And he couldn’t stop laughing.

Tony looked at him and he said that he didn’t think that it was funny, but the mage just couldn’t stop laughing. Even the little prince couldn’t believe himself that he had laughed that hard, but he just kept laughing.

Tony thought at first how insensitive he was being by laughing. Truth to be told he was speechless and didn’t know what to say.

But after a few seconds …  the absurdity of it all, just watching his boyfriend laugh irrepressible, trying unsuccessfully to control himself… it got to him.., and he started laughing as well.

The second bout of inappropriate laughter happened similarly.

"What pair we make, don't we, Lokes?" said Stark trying to keep his laughing episodes under control and chuckling from time to time.

"I agree." Said Loki returning a smile.

Nervous laughter is like a cool off when overheated, decided Tony. For some people, their bodies involuntarily try to regulate happy or sad emotions by expressing an opposite reaction. . So he guessed that’s what exactly happened there.

All Loki knew was that one minute he was trying to control his breathing after the burst of loud laughter and the next he was enveloped in a hug so strong and tight that he could feel his ribs cracking in response. Oh, Tony was hugging him. Loki stilled. Loki lungs felt tight, and not from the pain of the wound in his chest, though it had its part too. He could not keep his body from twitching, trembling. He couldn't hold back the soft whimpers that escaped his mouth, he couldn't stop the feeling of unease Anthony was bringing up in him...

Loki hesitated. Tony made him feel helpless, and he hated feeling helpless, hated losing control, losing his control over his own emotion, being at the mercy of someone else. The liesmith had spent so long learning to evade such fate and doing everything he could to ensure that no one would ever think of him as controllable. But now, those strong arms surrounding him like a snake with its prey, only served to enhance his panic.

Calling him anything but broken was less offending.

"God, I swear, you're such a fucking asshole." Tony whispered, the words seeming to be choked with emotion. There's hurt there too.

Though the prankster felt the need to retort, trying to remind him of the countless times He had come to the avenger's aid, because his lover had foolishly put his life in danger and Loki was the one who had to make sure that his idiotic mortal didn't die before his time. Loki decided against it.

It wasn't about either of them being reckless now. It was about Anthony's grip getting tighter every second if possible, making it seem like the earthling was the one with the body of a god and not Loki.

"I'm sorry I worried you, Anthony. Please forgive me." Loki said returning the hug. Guilt rolling inside him and as much as he does loathe admitting it, upsetting his worried partner is one thing he didn’t truly wish for. Loki clenched his hand tight, denying the pain. Denied he was affected by something so petty. He hated failure. The feling it brought with it. Those memories of the times he failed were all still inside him, lurking, haunting him. Reminders of

How badly he had failed. That was enough to remember, and all the memory he could bear. What he couldn't bear was the fact that he had failed their relationship. That he wouldn't let it happen. Loki swore to himself.

"You finally said it, you bastard." he said firmly. There's a bitter flavor of amusement to the words.

Whereas in the past Loki had found himself breathless with a racing heart in the face of his many enemies, his lungs and heart were now silent. He considered calling out, but the genius had yet to raise his head between Loki’s shoulders. Instead, he stood in silence, not daring to move, hoping that Tony would speak first.

"You scared me there, Games, scared the shit out of me. When I saw that maniac digging a dagger in you like you’ll do with a fucking Christmas cake, I almost lost it." Loki heard Tony saying. He licked his dry lips together and wished he could clear his throat. His mouth and esophagus felt horribly dry.

In the end, Tony pulled away from the mag and looking into his eyes he said." Don't you ever do something like that again, do you hear me?"

"You're aware that I can't promise something like that, right?" he says, his smile a simple affirmation, asking without second thought for what he thought he wanted.

"Loki..." Tony fastened his gaze on the prince and glowered.

Loki pursed his lips slightly then said in a rather tired tone. "I can't promise something like that, Anthony. Because I can't see into the future, but I can promise that I will be more careful."

 "Guess I have to settle for that for now." Tony countered, though it came out more disappointment than objection. Loki just gave him a guilty but sly smile.

"Come here." Tony said quickly before capturing his lips in a passionate kiss laced with desire and desperation. It was slow, it was intoxicating, and it was what both needed.

Despite being a full gown up, Tony still gave Loki butterflies in his stomach,( no matter how clichéd it sounded) and made his knees go weak and head spin. Loki wanted, carved this person with all his being, all the things this person has to offer.

The warmth of the jotun body was inviting in Tony’s clouded mind. Loki twisted until he was in a more comfortable position. Those emerald eyes tormented Tony. Loki stretched, shining in confidence. His smile had returned with nothing but mischief and seduction.

It doesn’t matter how often they meet, he wanted more. So much more.

Smiling slightly, Tony whispered "Did I tell you how grateful I am that you are my partner? Lokes, I am here if you need me. I will always be. I know I am a very tiring person myself, but I value you. You helping me out and shit when you’re tired from your day too. And I find you attra ctive and gorgeous , to beautiful for a men I must say, -ouch don’t  hit me- anyway, you are really special for me, you know . You must understand that."

As Loki was processing this thoughts inside his head, an intense feeling gradually came upon him.

"To be honest, I wasn't too happy when Thor told me I had to work with you; in fact I was really annoyed beyond measure. I would have gladly accepted, even the little hawk, at least he wouldn't have made my head spin with his insipid lines. But, cooperating with you and discussing, with the passing of time I ended up surprising myself when I realized that I was actually waiting for the moments when we had to meet for work."

"Wow, I think you need a lot of strength to admit that, huh?"

It was bizare for Loki. This earning for something you can’t explain.

"You resemble my magic, you both demands something from me, but this feeling probably can never be properly expressed in your language. It was not merely an emotion. Rather, it was more like my soul grappling with a pervasive emptiness that lurks in its dark and unexplored corners. It was a paradoxical yearning for some inexplicable “more,” while being purely satisfied with the moment."

"Wow, I know you are good with words but damn if that not makes my confession look like the definition of banality compared to your description."

"Don't take your words back or regret it, ever. Because you have spoken of your pure sincerity, unaltered by anyone's intervention, or merely to bring a pleasant sound to the ears. That's what careless words do. Your message reached me without declarations or endless poems Anthony. That is the value of your words. "

Looking at him in complete silence for a few seconds, Tony just said "You're my everything now Games, really. So let’s  try keeping that way, ok?"

His lips caught Loki's and they shared a long, lingering kiss. Despite the mages tough exterior and previous reputation as a wanted and dangerous villain, Loki felt terribly vulnerable when he was with the playboy. He owned his heart and soul completely, no matter how much the prince tried to deny it.

Loki nodded solemnly.

"And you're the same to me Anthony, so don't forget to do your part in keeping yourself safe." he says, making sure the tease is as merciless as if they had never argued from the beginning.

Tony kissed him again. It was the kind of kiss that made the aesir want to drag him into bed with him. But taking into account that he was in the medical bay and that his entire abdomen was so numb to the point that he could no longer feel it. But considering that he was in the medical ward and that his entire abdomen was so numb that he couldn't feel it, he refrained from such actions.

Tilting his head back, Loki claimed a long soft kiss that stretched with the molasses texture of young love. When they parted it was reluctant and flushed. Loki closed his eyes and licked his lips.

"Hey there, I am not the one in a medical bed right now, Am I?" said Tony , raising an eyebrow.

"Wait for it." Loki's mouth twists in distaste.

Because whether they wanted to or not, Loki had a feeling that despite all the promises they shared with each other, the Inventor would surely be found among the medical beds due to his heroic characteristics. And Loki will more than likely get his revenge by being the one who will lecture and tease his negligent lover. He couldn’t wait.

"Fair." Tony laughs, as intended, immediate and delighted. Honest responses honestly, foolishly shared. He grinned at him and snuck a last kiss before both decided it was enough talking for a day.