Tony/Stephen/Loki
Loki cornered Tony, right before he went on stage to give his speech. Tony was trying, very, very hard not to panic. Hey, he’s just about to spill his soul to the public. No big, right?
“Be calm, Anthony,” Loki said, without preamble, startling Tony.
Loki traced a path down his spine with his fingertips, lightly brushing from his neck down. It was grounding and distracting all at the same time.
“I may be a god, but you are a king among men, by your own making. You will do fine,” he said, reaching for his hands.
Loki took one of Tony’s hands in his, twisting his Avengers cufflink around to face the proper direction.
“I told you, once, that people would do well to fear you. And that is true. But they would do better to love you. You will lead them to a brighter future,” he said, a secretive smile appearing on his face, “I should know,” he whispered.
Loki leaned in a pressed a kiss to his cheek, more chaste and kind than Tony had ever thought him capable.
“Lo...” Tony began, a question in his voice.
“Tony, you’re on in 15 seconds,” Hope’s voice called, the sound of her heels clacking punctuating her words.
Tony looked up at Loki, unwilling to move. Loki only rolled his eyes, and pushed him towards the stage.
“Go on, astound me.”
Tony left the Accords negotiations room at the end of the day equal measures high on success and exhausted from the struggle of achieving it. This turned out to be a explosive combination when, upon exiting, he found himself immediately in Loki’s waiting arms. He was pulled into a side room, an office of some sort. Tony didn’t know exactly what Loki had intended by the action, but Tony certainly knew what he wanted it to mean. So, he took his chance. Adrenalin still coursed through his veins from a day full of arguing, and fighting, and tricking, and it only increased as he surged towards Loki, claiming the kiss that he had wanted that morning, before he had even given his speech.
Yet, it was vulnerable, too. As Loki began to respond, matching his intensity, Tony found his touches more precise, more conscious in their effort. It was not slow— it was still undeniably desperate— but each touch still meant more. Before Tony knew it, Loki had taken control. Tony found himself sitting on a desk, crowded by Loki, his shirt hiked up.
His senses were overcome by Loki, Loki, Loki, but not enough that he missed the door opening, or the small gasp that followed seconds later. Loki didn’t seem to be inclined to stop, but Tony jerked away, looking at the figure in the doorway in horror.
“Stephen...” Tony said, taking in the reality of who had found them, “I’m... I’m sorry, I...”
“You have nothing to apologize for,” Stephen replied, quickly, sharply.
And, maybe that was true. They weren’t together. But, then, why did Tony feel so goddamned guilty?
“I’m not sure I understand,” Loki said, interrupting Tony’s train of thought.
Tony looked at him, blankly.
“I was under the impression that sharing a pet was a significant commitment in Midgard?” He asked, rather out of the blue, but as if that explained everything.
“It is,” Tony replied, quietly.
Loki looked more confused.
“I... I was under the impression that you two were partners,” he clarified, sounding unsure.
“Then why would you...” Stephen said, gesturing rather than finishing his sentence.
Loki’s brows furrowed.
“If you are upset because I did not ask you first, I do so humbly apolog—“ he began, and then cut off.
Sudden clarity came to his eyes.
“I believe there has been a misunderstanding. A difference in Midguardian and Asgardian traditions,” he explained, placating,
“I meant to court you and your partner... I simply, as you say, got here first,” he said, a little sheepishly, but still as if this should have been expected.
Tony’s eyes grew wide.
Stephen Strange had always been a possessive and protective man. But it was not jealousy that set his heart pounding when he saw them together, that set free something innocent and new inside his stomach.
“If I have offended you, I apologize,” Loki said, voice heavy with dread, not from fear of Stephen taking revenge, but from sadness.
He took a step back from Tony, his eyes never leaving his disheveled form, still sat on the desk.
“I’ll take my leave,” he finished, at last tearing his gaze away and bolting for the door.
But, in a flash, Stephen’s hand reached out, catching Loki’s wrist, stopping him.
“Wait.”
Later, when they finally joined the others in the courtyard, the game halted to greet them.
Jessica’s eyes immediately caught on the reddened bruise on Tony’s neck, not quite obscured by his collar.
“So,” Jessica said, “who won?”
Tony raised an eyebrow in question.
Peter turned towards them now, waiting intently for an answer.
“What, you think we didn’t bet on your love life too?” Jessica asked.
Tony snorted, but then blushed, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Well, uh...”
“I am courting both Tony and his partner,” Loki spoke up, helpfully, pride filling his voice in a softer way than it usually did.
Peter blinked owlishly at him, as if not quite processing the new information.
Loki rolled his eyes, latching onto Tony and pulling him away toward where Stephen was sat in the grass, watching on in amusement.
“I guess we both win, then?” Peter asked Gamora, who had bet on Loki.
Loki made a noise a disagreement, sitting on the grass next to Stephen, and pressing a slow kiss onto his cheek. Stephen’s eyes flitted closed, a smile on his lips, the picture of peace.
“I think it is I who have truly won.”