Tony
The throne room was a rather impressive cave that was lit up by a hole in the ceiling and illumines jellyfish that slowly hoovered through the cave. Tony gaped like a fool and was glad that he wore his faceplate.
Inside stood three thrones, one gigantic seat that was ornamented with gems and belonged to the king; Tony spotted many rubies that were making a weird shape. The second was smaller but also richly decorated but the décor was more elegant and subtle than the other, the golden queen occupied that seat.
On the third, Loki rested and while the throne was also unreasonably large, carvings and a few emeralds only decorated it. Tony wondered why Loki was there, normally the heir was supposed to sit there and Peter had called Loki the second prince, so he wasn’t the heir to the throne, was he?
The king glared down at the human his one eye judging and mistrusting, while his other was closed shut. A large scar covered it. The king looked regal with his golden spear and his crown of gold. Tony was quite sure that he had seen it on a list of sunken treasures.
The queen looked at him with a curious expression. She was draped in gold and well everything about her was golden. Her hair, her weird poncho and even her fishtail. Her hands were folded in her lap and she wore no crown, or maybe she did and Tony simply couldn’t see because a golden crown on a golden head would look fucking stupid.
Loki looked tense and his eyes nervously darted between Peter and Tony, apparently he was not happy to see either of them. The prince still looked exactly as Tony remembered him but the warning look and the slight headshake Peter gave him told him that it was probably a bad idea to talk to the prince now.
The king sat up a little straighter in his seat, “what is the meaning of this?” Damn his voice was loud.
The merman that had taken the lead before bowed deeply, Peter followed and Tony just crossed his arms in front of his shoulder.
“My king this surface dweller tried to enter our caves, he claims he comes in peace but he wears an armour clearly designed for war. We tried to stop him but Peter Parker interfered, apparently he his friends with this man.”
Peter kept his head low and didn’t dare to look at either of the royals, Tony frowned at that. The queen looked rather surprised and leaned forward in her seat, one of her fingers slowly rubbing over her lips.
The king glanced at his son who tried to look impassive about all of this.
The merman continued, “we thought it best to bring the traitor and the invader to you oh great Odin so you may judge them in your wisdom.” Tony rolled his eyes; it wouldn’t surprise him if that guy would start to kiss Odin’s feet, well fins.
The king nodded, “you done well with that decision Flash, you may retreat to your post.” Tony couldn’t hold the giggle, “really Flash? That is his name?” Peter glared at him, “stop it.” But Tony couldn’t hold it back, “but come on his name is flash, how can anyone take that guy seriously?”
The merman glared at Tony but he swam away since his king ordered him to. Odin looked at Tony, obviously displeased with him, “now explain yourself, human.”
Tony took a deep breath and gave a short bow to the royals, “my name is Anthony Edward Stark and I am here as an ambassador for humanity. Well at least for a few of us, I am here because I believe that a relationship between our people could me most beneficial.”
Odin stared at him for a moment before he threw his head back and laughed. Tony actually flinched at the volume.
“How could humanity help us? Us who have lived for centuries save and sound in those water? Isn’t it humanity who pollutes our oceans and kills the planet? Do you want to bring your destruction to us now? Include us in your sick desire to enslave the planet?”
Tony’s eyebrow almost vanished in his hairline, that man was an idiot and old, both in his views and his body. This would not be easy.
“How about weapons? Your men attacked me with spears that only did a few scratches on my armour, or how about harvest technologies so you could efficiently harvest plants for your food? Wouldn’t that beneficial to your people?”
Odin gritted his teeth thinking about it, the queen put her hand on his arm, “it would indeed help the poorer parts of our population dear.” It was only a whisper but Tony’s suit picked it up anyway. He didn’t mean to eavesdrop on the royal couple but he also didn’t intent to stop the suit.
“Dear the human greed is legendary they won’t give us anything without demanding some kind of price and then they will ask for more and more until they just take what they want. I cannot risk our people’s safety for that.”
Tony almost spoke up but he bit his lip to keep quiet, he needed to be diplomatic, for Peter’s sake. The king turned back to his human visitor.
“Although you don’t seem hostile human, I have to ask how did you find us?”
Tony swallowed, “I ah it was just a coincidence. You know took my suit for a swim and stumbled upon this here.” Odin scoffed, “still Flash claimed that you are friends with Peter.”
Both Loki and Peter flinched at that and the Queen knitted her eyebrows together. Tony licked his lips, “ah well yeah about that I kind of met Peter and we well we got along great and I thought if everyone is just as great as he is than I could you know, meet you.”
Peter looked up to the king, “my king if I just-,” but he was cut off by a roar.
“Silence boy!”
Peter flinched and seemed to shrink under the angry gaze of his king. Oh man Tony really started to dislike the man. Good think that they couldn’t see his face, “Sir please, Peter did nothing wrong and he didn’t tell me anything about your people, I am just-,” again Odin cut in.
“He didn’t do anything wrong?! It is forbidden to talk to humans; we don’t want you to know about us for a reason. Peter committed treason against our people!”
Tony flinched and looked at the boy next to him. Peter had tears in his eyes and his hands were tightly clenched in fists, this was not good.
Peter next to him became even paler, but Odin ignored him.
“Sir I think you are-,” Tony began but of course Odin didn’t let him finish. The merman got up and slammed the end of his spear into the ground, “silence human! You came here and disturbed our people, you are not welcome and Peter, I was happy to find out my son finally found a friend to call his own but I cannot approve of this. You are a traitor to your kind and hereby I banish you!”
Peter stared at him and Tony feared that the boy would faint any moment but he simply stared at the king. Tony swallowed, “Peter?”
The boy shook his head, “no, please don’t say anything I-I cannot…” It almost broke Tony’s heart to see him like this, he wanted to put things right but he also knew that the old king would not change his mind.
To his surprise the queen looked rather displeased at her husband. Loki just gaped at his father but he didn’t speak up. A sniff let Tony turn to look at his merman.
“My ki…am I allowed to say my goodbyes to my aunt? I am her only family.”
Odin shook his head, “no you are to leave now, both of you and human if you ever set foot down here again, you will meet the full force of our army and you will die.”
Tony had an insult on the tip of his lips but Peter grabbed his arm and pulled him away, “come,” he whispered, “we need to go.”
Tony wanted to protest but Peter gave him a pleading look. With a sigh the genius followed after his friend. Peter guided him through the tunnels to the nearest exit and they both swam out into the open water and away.
“Peter?”
The merman didn’t reply he just swam not looking at his friend. Tony sighed heavily, “Peter please, I am sorry.” The boy stopped dead in his tracks, “you are sorry?” He spun around, “no, no, you are not. You knew what might happen if you came here, I told you that me talking to you could get me banished and still you came. What were you thinking!”
Tony wished he could look guilty but his faceplate hid his expression completely, “I never wanted to pull you into this, at least not from the start. I wanted to go straight to the king and you know talk reason into him.”
Peter shook his head, “this is not how it works down here and now I can never see my friends and my family again. I-I don’t know what to do.”
He sounded so lost that Tony’s heart almost broke. Truth to be told he had known that coming down here could end up in a disaster; he didn’t think it would be quite this disastrous though. Tony wanted nothing more than to hug the boy but he was sure Peter wouldn’t accept it right now and through his armour it wouldn’t feel any good anyway.
“We will go home and I will order pizza and then we will watch some TV. How does that sound?”
Peter let out a breath his gills flared and he absently played with the thin webbing between his fingers. Tony was still fascinated by Peter’s body because many things, like the webbing, seemed to disappear once he left the water.
“I sounds…agreeable.”
Tony smirked at him, “agreeable? Gods Pete you hang out with that prince too much.” Peter chuckled and together they swam into the direction of Tony’s house.
They both knew that they would still have to talk, that the crisis was not solved yet and that most likely there would be much shouting and crying in the future but neither of them wanted to think about that right now.
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Loki watched his friend go with that blasted human and anger boiled up inside of him. Tony ruined everything. The price swallowed and briefly closed his eyes.
Together with Thor’s capture and the revelations of his heritage this was just too much to deal with. Next to him Odin sunk back into his seat, “do you want to explain this to me Loki?” The prince glanced at his father, “ah…no?”
The king waved his hand and all the guards left the cave so he could have a proper talk with his son. Loki shrunk under his blazing gaze.
“No? You were the one claiming that you saved that boy and now this human turns up, knowing about us and even claims to be a friend to Peter. What have you done?”
Loki sighed and noticed his mother’s stern look; oh boy this was probably getting him grounded for some time.
The prince took a deep breath before he began to talk, “well I only kind of saved Peter. That human, Tony, he captured Peter by accident in his net and injured him. He is not an evil man though so he took him home where Peter could heal properly.”
The look he earned from his mother made him blush. Quickly he continued, “other things happened and Peter got in trouble but Tony saved him, he built that armour and that was when I met him. Jormungandr tracked them but Peter convinced me not to kill Tony and I…I stayed a night in his place.”
For a moment Loki was certain Odin would throw him into the deepest hole he could find but the king just seemed speechless so it was Frigga who spoke, “you stayed in his cave? On the surface?”
Loki nodded slipping from his seat so he was out of his father’s reach, better safe than sorry.
“Yes mother and it was quite impressing a-and he took good care of us, he is…like some kind of prince himself.”
Odin frowned, “he is royalty?” Loki shook his head and the queen followed her lower lip with the tip of her finger, “No he is technically not, but I guess that is because the humans don’t believe in monarchs anymore. However as far as I know he is rich, influential and very well educated.”
Loki was actually not too sure about all of that but he needed to give his father something or he might punish him really bad. A few days of confinement were alright if he was able to visit Peter afterwards.
Odin growled, “well then I might not sent my warriors after him so he may be killed but you young man, you are in trouble.” Loki looked at his mother pleadingly but she just smiled, she did not intent to help him with this.
“Father please I…I didn’t tell him anything, Peter didn’t either, this human is just very…inventive and smart.”
Odin raised his hand and Loki fell silent, “Loki until Thor gets back and this whole…issue is resolved you are to stay in your cave. Sif will ensure that you do not leave without permission.”
The boy’s face fell, “Sif? I mean, no please father I want to help to get Thor back. You cannot just lock me up.” Odin raised an eyebrow, “I cannot?” Frigga chuckled at Loki’s stupid mistake and the boy growled, “Please father.”
Odin lifted his spear and the end hit the floor, on cue two guards entered the throne cave, “my decision is final, you are to stay in your cave until your brother returns!” The guards swam up to the prince who glared at his father, “you won this round old man,” he muttered and earned a chuckle from his mother before he was led away.
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Frigga watched as her youngest left the cave, this development was rather intriguing. Odin rubbed his forehead as he sunk into his chair, “Please stop dear.”
His queen smiled innocently, “what am I doing my king?” The merman looked at his wife with a rather weary expression, “Frigga I know you and I know that you are planning something and I ask you not to do this.”
The mermaid rose and swam in front of her husband. She gently removed his hand from his forehead kissed it. Through all the hardship they had experienced in their life, the two had always loved each other.
“Odin you must see that change is inevitable, it will come and you cannot stall it forever. Loki will-.”
“Loki is not my heir!” Odin interrupted her grabbing one of her hands so she wouldn’t back away. Frigga looked at him completely unimpressed.
“Loki is a good boy I love him dearly and you know that but he will never rule, he is not fit to be a king and we both know that.”
The queen nodded, “I know he will never take the throne, it would suit him ill but he cares deeply about our people and he will be a great advisor to Thor.”
Odin narrowed his one eye at her, “so that is what you are planning all along. You want Thor to be Loki’s puppet.”
The queen slowly pulled her hand out of his grip, “I only want what is best for our people.” The king knew that she meant it but he also knew that she was not Asgardian and that she doesn’t completely understand why and how his people did things.
With a sigh he rose from his seat, “my love I beg you not to interfere with this, Thor is a good man and he will be a good king, someday and until he is it is upon us to guide and teach him.” The queen nodded but her lips were pressed together and Odin knew that she was not surrendering, she never did.
Together they left the cave and swam towards their private caves where they would sit together, enjoying each other’s company.
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It was so dark that Thor was unable to see anything in his cell. Well cell was a little exaggerated, he was put in a hole in the ground and the Jotuns had put a large rock over it so he couldn’t escape.
It was cold and dark and Thor hated every minute he had to spend there. His own foolishness was the reason he had been captured and got his friends killed. He and Fandral had been accompanied by two guards who had agreed to come with him.
Those two had been killed by the Jotuns in the blink of an eye. Thor really hoped that Fandral was well, since they had been separated from each other when they were captured.
The prince pulled his tail up to his chest and hugged it tightly, it didn’t give him much comfort but it was all he got at the moment. Thor hated how vulnerable he felt, how small and scared he was.
In the stories his father had told him he had always described the Jotuns as large mermen and fierce warriors but Thor had been surprised how downright savage they had been. Nothing he had learned had prepared him for this in any way.
The only thing he was glad about was that Loki had refused to come with him on this adventure, if Loki had gotten hurt he would probably never been able to forgive himself. Suddenly the rock above him moved and a ray of light hit the prince square in the face.
It was not overly bright giving that they were far below the surface but it was bright enough so Thor was blinded for a moment. Strong and rough hands grabbed his arms and he was pulled up from where he was sitting.
The prince didn’t struggle, it was no use anyway and he would rather save his strength seeing that the Jotuns didn’t care to feed him too well. Savages.
“Well Odinson how do you fare?”
Thor blinked and glared at the king, is idiotic son stood beside him, a cruel smile on his face. Byleist was a huge merman not as tall as his father but he was one huge mountain of muscles. Thor assumed that his diet contained probably a ton of fish and a human or fellow merman once in a while.
“I fare as well as I can, giving your standards on hospitality,” Thor said managing a smile. Loki would have been proud.
Laufey smirked but his son knitted his eyebrows together in confusion, he was big and he was stupid. The king waved a hand and the men who held Thor let go but didn’t put any distance between him and the prince. At least they deemed him dangerous.
Laufey made a mocking excuse for a bow and turned, “swim with me Odinson there are things we have to talk about.” Thor held back the eye roll as he swam next to the king, as if he got a choice.
Next to each other they swam through a labyrinth of tunnels and caves the guards and Byleist behind them. Just as Thor began to wonder what the King wanted to talk about he began his explanation.
“I met with your father today, he wants you back.”
Thor smiled, “understandable, I am the heir to the throne after all.” Laufey rolled his eyes, “I know but your father refused to pay the ransom for you and I am asking myself what worth do you have to me if I cannot get what I want?”
Thor’s smile fell and he felt an uneasy tingle in his stomach, why would his father refuse to pay for him? Laufey just told him that he wanted him back, so why the delay?
“What did you ask him for in exchange for me?”
Laufey stopped in a large cave. It was surprisingly dark in there and it seemed like the giant hole in the middle sucked in what little light there was. Thor swallowed but didn’t dare to look at the hole for too long.
The king swam to the edge of the hole, his hands were behind his back and he looked down into the darkness. It made the prince even more uneasy to watch him floating there.
“I asked for my son.”
Thor raised an eyebrow. He knew that he was and never would be as smart as Loki but that just didn’t make any sense. The prince glanced at Byleist who waited at the entrance to the cave talking quietly with the guards.
“Your son?”
Laufey turned around and grinned, “oh yes, you see Byleist is not my only offspring. I have another, someone you know very well and love?” Thor looked at him completely confused, “alright you lost me.”
The king let out a laugh, it didn’t sound nice, or happy.
“Of course you have no idea what is going on, Odin is a thief and a liar but he is very good at it.”
Thor growled, “do not insult my father, he is a great man and you will not talk ill about him!” The guards and Byleist looked into their direction but neither moved since the king didn’t gave them a sign to do so.
“Oh but I only speak the truth crown prince, your father stole my son, raised him as his own and tried to destroy the traces of his true heritage. Loki is my son.”
Thor stared at him with wide eyes, his mind was trying to understand but not for the first time in his life, it failed him completely.
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All Tony wanted was to spend a quiet evening with Peter, eat some pizza and maybe watch pirates of the Caribbean with his friend. Of course life had different plans for him but at least he had Jarvis.
Tony shot out of the water and landed on the landing stage next to his yacht where Peter’s wheelchair was still standing and waiting for the boy.
“Ah home dry home,” Tony said with a smile and stepped out of his armour, “glad to be back.”
“Sir I have to inform you that Miss Potts is waiting for you upstairs and she is most likely to demand an explanation for your absence.”
Tony grimaced and grabbed the chair to push it over to where his friend climbed out of the water. Peter thanked him and sat down.
“Why is she here? What did you tell her Jarv?”
The AI sounded a little guilty, “I told her that you went to search for Master Peter.” The merman sighed as Tony pushed him into the elevator, “ah so you only wanted to speak to the king huh?”
Tony let his head hang low, “I-I am sorry.” Peter shrugged, “you know I don’t get why you feel the need to lie to me and yourself, I just…I don’t understand.”
The human bit his lip and pushed Peter into his living room where Pepper stood looking almost lethal. Damn that woman was frightening.
“Tony you better…Peter? Welcome back, nice to see you. How have you been?”
Peter smiled politely at the human, “hello Pepper I am well, excuse me, you will want to scream at Tony in private.” He rolled his chair out on the patio and next to the pool and with one smooth motion he slipped into the water, trying shut the world out, if even for a moment.
The water in Tony’s pool was warm and it did feel kind of cosy with the sand and seagrass. Peter smiled as a few guppies swam by him. The colourful fish swam close to him and nipped at his skin and tail searching for food.
The merman sighed and began to draw shapes into the sand, he already missed his aunt and now he would never see her again. Peter wanted to blame Tony for all of this but he couldn’t, he knew that it was also his fault, he shouldn’t have stayed with him he should have never enjoyed watching the man on his boat.
Still, against better judgement, he had. Night after night he had come to watch him, he had laughed when the man sung along to his weird human music and he had found it strangely fascinating that whenever he had caught something in his net, he would set it free again.
Tony had fascinated him so much and it had been his own fault for getting careless and too close. Now he would pay the price for his foolishness.
Peter bit his lip as he felt the ache in his heart. If May was lucky the king would sent someone to inform her of what happened to Peter, if she was not she would search for him until some guard would tell her. She didn’t deserve that, not one bit.
Peter sniffed rubbing his eyes with both hands and startling the tiny fish around him. This was not fair, not at all. Peter opened his eyes and looked up as he heard steps getting closer to his pool.
It was Pepper who looked into the water to spot him. The boy slowly rose and peeked out of the water, “may I help you?” The woman smiled gently at him, “oh there you are, I just wanted to say goodbye I am leaving. Please keep an eye on Tony I don’t want him to do anything stupid, but he doesn’t listen to me anyway.”
Peter smiled, “Tony listens to no one, not even Jarvis so you shouldn’t take it personal.” Pepper chuckled and looked at the man who stood in front of the closed glass door. Peter raised an eyebrow at him.
“He would probably listen to you, you know.”
Peter snorted at that, “no he doesn’t, he doesn’t care what I want or what is good for me.” Pepper sighed and crouched next to the pool looking at Peter intensely, “Peter I am not exactly sure what happened between you two but I know that Tony often does things without thinking about them too deep. He is like a child at times and doesn’t understand that having good intentions doesn’t mean good will actually happen.”
She let out a sigh, “but no matter what he has done, believe me when I say, he did it because he deeply cares about you. I haven’t seen him so invested about someone or something in quite some time. This armour, this is a huge step in technology, it is one of a kind Peter, and he did it all for you, he created something so advanced only for you.”
The boy swallowed and looked down on his hands, if that was true and he really meant so much to the human, then maybe they could work it out. Peter smiled at Pepper, “thanks for your words, goodbye Pepper.”
The woman smiled, stood and walked back into the house to leave. Peter watched her go and his eyes met Tony’s. To hide his blush he dived down into the water again.