Chapter 8
~ VIII ~
A/N: Some angsty angst. Sorry, folks - Thor is not very great here.
The Avengers go to Nidavellir. Loki & Tony friendship.
Enjoy!
~o~0~o~
“Hey, a question? Why is there not a place for the king’s brother? Is royalty not sitting together or something?”
“The Jotun filth will not darken our home! Its place is out there, not here.”
“... Right. Yep. Thanks. Good talk.”
“You hear that creature? No abomination is welcome in our golden halls!”
Tony was almost on his way out of the grand doors, when he slowly came to a stop. Something in his chest clenched at the sight of Loki standing in the shadows, alone and silent, when his brother, and others were inside, celebrating. The loudest laughs were heard even from here. And Thor - had he simply allowed it? What a load of crap.
Tony knew he was a dumbass. He was going to regret it. But what the hell! He liked Loki. It was so difficult to find a kindred soul nowadays!
As Loki’s status was redefined from an enemy to ally (and in Tony’s book from shit-really-guys? to well-aren’t-you-crazy-I-like-it), the trickster showed everyone that he was more than a villain. Still an asshole, but interesting. And Tony Stark was curious. And so after a number of projects, magic talks, evening drinks and real talks about their lives later here Tony Stark was. Leaving a cool party full of booze and food and friends and armor engineering on a freaking alien planet for Loki. Because Loki wasn’t there and nobody seemed to notice this other than him.
Tony sighed and walked back to the ship.
“Forgot something good sir?” The dwarf guard asked pleasantly. Stark felt nauseated from the striking difference between how they addressed him and how just a moment ago some other dwarf addressed Loki.
“No, I'm good. Just wanted to keep my friend company, seeing as he is not allowed in because of some... rules?”
“Oh, leave it. Better come inside, drink, be merry. I'm sure you'll hear a great tale of that over there. Of how my cousins sewed its mouth with a cord. A truly glorious tale!”
Stark reeled hearing it. Not thinking twice he rushed at Loki's side and only then let himself take a deep breath. And paused.
While Loki may have looked all right, Tony was still a genius. And what he saw gave him chills, taking into account that he was already shaken.
Loki was standing perfectly still, his eyes looking ahead. However, while silent, his breathing was rushed, as if he was suffocating. Suffering. If Tony didn't know better, he would say that Loki was a hair's breadth from keening. He had a panic attack. But that way so no one ever recognized it. It was likely a deep-rooted trauma, untreated and left festering. But Loki... he...
For how long he was hiding it? Did anybody even know about this? WHY WAS NOBODY HERE FOR HIM?!
“Hey. Loki? Come with me, yes? Please I need some help. It's really important. Loki. You coming?”
Tony swallowed seeing as Loki with titanium effort took a breath to calm himself. He blinked slowly and made himself relax. Forcefully. Then he turned to Tony with a raised brow.
“What is it, Stark?”
“Um. Yeah, let us go inside. I've got it there.”
“... Alright. Lead the way.”
Jesus. What a mess.
~o~0~o~
“As I found out much later, they found out the secret of my parentage and threatened to tell everyone. Back then I couldn’t… comprehend the reason for their behavior, their hatred for me. They said I was a… coldhearted filthy liar. I didn’t know what to think, I was ignorant of why I was despised on sight. It was so confusing. Back then… I was so scared. I just wanted to go home.
“Anyway. Odin couldn't have his authority questioned. They manipulated the events that way so it somehow resulted in everything becoming my fault. And… and so Odin let them do as they please. So that the truth about the second prince being a Jotun would stay hidden. Instead there will be a truth of arrogant liar prince tricking the honorable dwarf people and being rightly punished for it will prevail.”
“…my cousins sewed its mouth with a cord. A truly glorious tale!”
“I have never got an opportunity to ask Odin why. When we came back, he ignored me as I healed. And later he was always so angry at me. I surrendered to the lie that yes, of course - it was Loki’s fault. But deep inside I knew the truth. I did nothing wrong. But I also understood my place in the royal family. And never forgot it since.”
Just… God. Dammit.
“But... How could Thor-“
“He was the one to hold me down. It was... was a fine tale told in the halls of drinking in Asgard. The... people called Thor’s place, a place of honor. H-he gladly ap-approved.”
“... Shit. How old were you?”
“Does... Does it matter? If I was a child then, what does it matter? If it was to happen to me now, it would have hurt the same. Like it hurts now. Only Thor brought… new friends this time.”
“Why did Thor bring you here now? He, he knows, right? So how could he...”
“... I don't know.”
~o~0~o~
“Thor you are my friend. But right now you are a piece of shit in my eyes!”
“Stark?”
“How could you bring your brother here? No, Steve, I will hiss and shout all I please! Don’t tell me to calm down! Did you forget what happened to him, Thor? Did you?!”
“Oh, Stark. It was a long time ago.”
“SO WHAT? Have you asked him if he is fine with it?”
“There is no need for such–“
“Did you not fucking notice that he wasn't there with you? Do you even care that he spent the whole time waiting for you, for all of you, outside?”
“Outside..?”
“Those fuckers didn't let him in, damn it!”
“It is their right.”
“Their... right? Their right?!”
“Loki wronged them, they have a right to ban him from their lands. I don't see what the fuss is about, Stark.”
“You... Oh. I see. I... I have no words. Yeah. No. Oh God...”
“Tony?”
“Whatever. I'm going out.”
“Tony, wait! What is it all about?” Tony ignored Steve's cry.
Fuck this shit. He will ask if Loki is okay if Tony reveals the truth to the oblivious idiot. And if yes (he hoped Loki will agree, for his own sake), Tony will do Loki’s case justice. Tony would do it right. Loki deserved that his family would not dismiss his pain, that finally, after so much time, it would be recognized. And, perhaps, finally healed.