Resurrection

Peter was getting impatient. Not that he didn’t trust Loki. Contrary to other’s statement Loki was one person who genuinely cared about him. It didn’t really help the fact that Loki was devastatingly handsome. If Tony was short, broad and muscles well Loki was all tall, thin and well muscular in his own terms. It totally didn’t help the fact that Loki was tactile and never missed the opportunity to touch him. Like ruffling the hair, a bare pat in the shoulders, gentle kiss on the forehead, sometimes nose. There were those intense stares too that made him squirm under the undivided attention. Honestly if he had to choose his type, he will pick them both.

But the thing is Loki promised and it had been three days. He just couldn’t but worry and make probabilities that his desperate mind couldn’t shake off.

As if on cue he heard a gentle tap and some rustling, he didn’t want to give him hope again but just like the first time he heard a call-‘kid’.

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Tony couldn’t stop staring at the boy. There were light bruises all over the face and an abrasion around his neck which was now a shade of light purple. Anyone could see that they were clear signs of being strangled. But the reason why he couldn’t stop raking was that genuine concern in those brown eyes as if he was seeing the best thing in the world. As if, he the monster was worth to look at like that. Those brown hair that tussled around his necks were peeking out. And those thin lips they were quivering. Was it because he was terrified or excited? He didn’t know but he couldn’t stop looking even if he wanted to avert the gaze.

“I will then leave you to it” Loki said. Giving them space. With a poof of green he disappeared.

And then there was silence.

“Mr stark” Peter couldn’t linger in silence anymore. “Mr stark I am sorry. I didn’t know anything. I didn’t keep track of it. I should have known but you know I didn’t mean to hurt you. Please don’t disappear Mr stark, we will find a way to work it. We will get Mrs Potts back. I am sure there are ways. I thought about this, a lot … we could use Friday’s help or we could ask Loki help…”

“Kid…?” Tony tried to interrupt but the boy was now rambling anxiously. How did he not notice this before? The boy was always jittery and nervous around him. So much for the name of playboy. Tony huffed musing to himself.

“Peter? Peter parker?”

Ok. Then the last and final tactic.

“Sweet heart? Babe?”

That stopped Peter from his ramble. “Wha...at?”

“I called you babe, sweet heart. Did you not like it?” Tony asked smirking to see those pale skin flushing under the endearment.

“I… what? I do like… what?” Peter didn’t understand a thing. What was it now? What game was this?

“Shh... honey I am here” Tony said wrapping his arms around the shaking boy. He could see how pale and skinny his boy had turned to. He couldn’t help feel guilty. What if he had killed him then? He silently leant towards the boy’s frame smelling the shampoo and familiar scent around the boy.

“Mr stark  ... I don’t understand. Am I dreaming?”

“No kiddo… I am here, in flesh and blood.”

“Ah, then the pills worked right. That’s why I am back in the state”.

“What pills?” tony asked suddenly frightened.

“There were some pills in Mr strange’s room. I stole it and had few of them?”

“Pain pills?” Tony asked unable to hide the concern.

Oh well. If this is the dream what’s wrong with spilling the secret? Peter immediately answered “Yes”.

“How many you stole?”

“Twenty.”

“How many you took?”

“Ten”.

“Over the days, honey?”

“Nope. Today” Peter answered burying his nose in the crook of the older man’s neck.

“Shit, what the hell Pete? You could have died!!!”

“Ah, not really Mr Stark. I have taken almost twenty in one go but I don’t think I have been anything but a bit lethargic. Sleep wouldn’t even claim me then.”

“Babe, you are killing me. When did this happen?”

“Oh, when you were not here. When you were in… Valhalla”. Peter couldn’t say his Tony was dead. He didn’t want to think those days.

“Baby I am not going anywhere” he reassured patting the younger man’s hair.

“You are really here, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Petey boy.”

“I love you, Mr stark” Peter couldn’t keep it in anymore. He whispered knowing full well about the rejection. But he couldn’t hope anymore.

“I know” Tony whispered back. Trying to hold the beautiful boy’s face in his palm. He knew he was selfish but he couldn’t help but give a peck on those thin lips which were bloodied due to the nervous bite.

“Do you want to talk about it now, honey?” he asked cupping those chins trying to wipe away the tears rolling down.

“No… I want to Mr stark. But not today, can we sleep?”

Tony nodded. He knew that both of them needed assurance. Whatever they started today it wouldn’t be easy, the conversations that would follow will hurt them both. But for now, they just needed each other. He scooped the boy heading to the bedroom. After all they were not going anywhere.

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Loki looked through the window facing the hill side. Up from here once could see the passing bridge to New Asgard. He didn’t know how people were ready to settle in Midgard. The place many aseirs had despised in the past. Yet here they were, a bunch of homeless people. Where were the golden palace and abundant wealth? Where was their executioner? Gods in the mercy of people. Such was life.

Loki sighed hating the momentum being broken. “Thor, why are you here?” Loki asked not turning around.

“Brother, you require rest. How fare you?”

“I am fine. At least I was.” He said turning to his brother. He almost felt a wave of sympathy. Thor was a shell of his former self. The beard and the round belly was not what he truly felt bad for. It was that forlorn expression. The sadness. Once the ever cheery man, now adorned a sorrowful visage. It almost wanted Loki to pull some trick on him, at least see some emotion other than this yearning.

“You are going to be here for some time? “Loki asked moving to the kitchen to prepare tea for both.

“Ah, no my Loki. I will not be any more burden to you than its necessary. I will be gone within two days”. Thor said his emotion eerily quiet.

“I didn’t mean that Thor. You are welcome in here. This is your home. Valkyrie maybe the queen. But Thor you will always be the king of people.”

“Ah... That was in yester years, Loki. Who needs such a damaged person as their king?”

“Ah so if I were to do this, Loki asked turning the cup to a snake – what will you do?”

Thor quickly jumped from his seat and took the snake in his hand but instead of killing the creature, he did the most surprising act- he petted it affectionately, “Loki shall I keep it?”

“If you may.” Loki answered. How broken where all of them. What has their life turned into?

“Loki, how fare the spider child?”

“He is well, now that Anthony’s here he will be fine”.

“Ah, brother now what will you do? You will stick around or go back to Vanheim?”

“Probably back to Vanheim.” Loki answered off handily.

“You would leave them both?” Thor asked smirking.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Loki asked irked.

“What do you think it means?”

“How would I know ,you imbecile?!” Loki asked truly agitated.

Thor laughed gleefully. “That’s the Loki I know. Brother maybe you should stay here for a while. See how they are. After all both of them owe to you, when have you not made people pay back its debt?”

“You are starting to sound like you more, Thor. Just when I thought you turned wise. Your stubbornness rises up”.

“Maybe  ...but then I have you for council” Thor said patting his brother and bid him farewell with the snake still wrapped around his arm.

“Perhaps a few more days in Midgard” Loki agreed conjuring the book- Jane Eyre and started reading from where he left off.