Originally, it had been merely a ruse. A plan to get back at Thor and Stark was just the poor sap who fit the role he needed someone to play. It also helped that Stark was open to questionable things, naturally good looking, and had the same arrogant grin Thor had. Still, never was it to develop into something more but it had. 

   The witty banter, the hot lonely nights, just having someone around to talk to. It had grown on him. Loki found himself infatuated with the rich mortal but did his best to convince himself it was all in his head. As for what Tony thought of their romantic flings, he surely thought of it as just that and nothing more.

   Everything was working as Loki had originally planned. Thor had heard of rumors of his brother being with another man. In turn, the rumors also drifted back that Thor was jealous but not enough to ruin his brother’s happiness. That bit of news however was marred and poisonous to Loki’s ears. How dare Thor not come and seek him out after all this time? Surely he was now more than an exiled prince in the eyes of his people. His brother’s heart belonging to that wretched woman.

   Desperate to free himself of his pain, the former Asgardian prince sought out Stark once more for a night that would rid his mind of all failure. The only problem was, he had returned only to find out that Stark had also moved on. It would appear that the woman who always brought him his clothes in the morning, Pepper, had taken his place. He should have known- no, Loki always knew that Stark was a man who’s heart was unobtainable. A rolling stone who could never settle for one person, after all, that was what Loki himself had sought after before entering their doomed romance.

   Alone without a place to go to, the trickster had nothing left to him. Nothing but an old dream. One where he ruled in Odin’s place. The same dream he and Thor used to share as children before his world was torn apart with the bitter truth. He was an unlovable outcast.

   Surely, if he could overthrow Thor to become king, that in turn would make up for everything. It alone could gloss over his misery, rid him of all his heartache, and above all kill that childish thing called love.

   Loki fled from Midgard to seek out a disposable ally. One he could manipulate into granting him access back to Asgard without suspicion to his goals. He had found various races which sought nothing he could give. Time was wasting away as he traveled in hopes to achieve his first step into victory. His dreams feeling more out of reach and pointless by the day till he was captured in a war that came from nowhere.

   A monstrous creature accompanied with a foreign race called the Chitauri had swooped in, destroying all in their path. Much life was wasted as the Chitauri swept the planet in a vale in death and bloodshed. Loki found himself brought before the invading race’s leader, Thanos, to be questioned and slaughtered but his silver tongue came to his rescue.

   Staying on his knees, Loki promised to tell more of his plan should he and Thanos be left alone to speak. Deeply curious, Thanos sent his minions off knowing full in well who’s company he had acquired. A devil of a man, and one in exile at that, with a mind clouded in the idea of power.

   The two talked for some time. One bargon shot down by another with many more to follow until at last they had come to a deal. Each side getting what they desired in the end if things fell into place as they suspected it to. The two shook hands and Loki parted with renewed purpose along with a weapon to help ensure his victory.

   His grand return back to Earth had taken its toll on the god’s body. The tesseract he had tapped into managed to pull him back to Midgard far more quickly than anticipated. His own energy felt like it had been drained to help aid the item that brought him back.

   Glancing around, he surveyed the room of which held him. The mortals would stand no chance against him, a god, despite being drained. Powered by his demented emotions, Loki sprung into action. The death of a mere Midgardian meant nothing to him now that his own life was on the line of a crazed plan that he had to force into working. His fate rested in the staff given to him in working as he was promised it would.

   Tapping the chest of a mortal, Loki opened the beast’s mind by pouring out his own heart to him in silence. The dark desires, the morbid ideas of love, the betrayals he had endured, finally accompanied by the sickening truth that in the end nothing mattered but the role he was to play. In exchange for this, Loki had to also endure all the knowledge that his new drone had to offer. A sacrifice that told him many useless things along with several very important key factors he would need to retrieve, such as more people to aid in getting the tesseract into operational form.   

   The man’s heart had changed to want to fulfill Loki’s every wish. It had been a tortuous play on mind control but it had worked. Loki had the key to level out the obstacles in his way and gain his right to power. 

   Everything then fell into place quickly. Despite Nick Fury’s vain attempt to stop him, or that wicked woman who assisted him, Loki was on his way with the ultimate power source to start the next delicate step. However, the time it would take to arrive at their destination allowed him the pleasure to sleep and regain his strength.

   By the time the young prince had awoken, the next step had already taken place. The message he ordered to be sent out surely had reached his brother’s ears by now and had him struggling to find a way back to his precious Earth to stop him. The very idea brought a sliver of a smile to Loki’s face. He was going to break Thor’s heart and watch him fall onto the shattered pieces as this pathetic world would bow down before him.

   Stage two, part b, had gone underway. The gathering of resources distastefully slow despite his minions pulling overtime. It was then brought to his attention that a key ingredient was hidden elsewhere on this speck of dirt. The only way to get it was manually, in person, thankfully he had the perfect patsy to fly him there one way.

   Midgardin travel took hours, but it was all in perfect timing. By now, Thor surely had found a backdoor to lead him to Earth though would need the time to find out where to go with the gatekeeper’s aid. How grand it was to know that the fool who betrayed him when he had his short lived time on the throne was going to help bring his brother into his destructive path. If only they could know the truth that awaited them all.

   Breaking in undetected into Germany was far too easy. Clint, or Hawkeye, had paved a clear shot in and went his own way while the god had morphed his clothes into something far less crude for the celebration he was crashing. No, he would think of it as the false celebration he was defacing to show them what really was worth their praise.

   His heart was racing but on the outside he held his cool demeanor. No one suspected a damned thing and it was almost cruel of him to keep it a secret. These fools needed to be stirred up. The more chaos he could bring to them, the easier it would be for his brother to locate him.

   Surely by now, Clint was in position. It was at last time to execute stage two, part c. Heart still racing, Loki descended the flight of stairs looking as confident as he had dressed. The only thing to give him away was his need to stir the place up a bit. With a skull cracking swing, the trickster effortlessly killed a guest. The crowd was instantly panicking from shock in fear for their own safety that they left his target wide open.

   Tossing the man onto his collective piece of work, Loki pinning him down with one hand and retrieved his newest device. A small thought however dulled his judgement. If he went through with this then many more would die. Not just Midgardian but Asgardians alike. The ground in both world would be ruined with red.

   Slamming the device into the wiggling man’s face, the guilt Loki had felt was easing. A world or two drenched in blood was but a small sacrifice in the grand endeavour of it all. A pleased smile graced his lips as the building started to clear out. Clint would obtain the needed component and return back to their base while he stayed put to give his new people a show.

   Everything was perfect. This world had sent out it’s heroes to stop him just as predicted. The only thing he had not seen coming was the familiar face, or suit, that had come along with them. Stark had joined their side to stop him? 

   Raising his hands in defeat, the god dispelled his armor in favor for clothes that Tony would recognize. This was wrong. Stark was a loose cannon that last time he had seen him. A selfish man who prided himself in his man-whoring ways while being heavily intoxicated. Loki even knew that he had turned down the offer to join that pathetic boy band several times, even the information Hawkeye had to offer suggested that Tony was not going to become involved.

   His stomach tightened as he was loaded into the strange flying device. The man of iron only gave him small glances, unable to keep eye contact for long. Perhaps of guilt? The idea was laughable. Surely Tony had disowned him as well now. The very notion of it had his emotions falling into his stomach despite the tid bits of humor the other man had to offer.

   A crack of lightning lit up the cabin. Suddenly there were bigger problems then if Stark still had feelings for him. Thor had arrived. A backdoor portal had been opened and it would only be a matter of seconds before that idiot would jump in and descend them all into stage three.

   It had happened all so fast. As if time itself were riding on lightning. One moment he had been ready to run and the next he was on the ground with his brother. My had Thor’s hair grown. Loki watched him carefully for the first few seconds, trying to peg what all he had missed out on in Thor’s life until the gravity of reality slammed into him like Mjolnir.

   Their quick little feud was suddenly disrupted by a blur of red and gold. Now was the perfect time to escape- had Loki any desire to. No, this battle was going to be worth watching. His two former love interests in a battle over who got to take him away. It was borderline romantic but mostly entertaining. 

   A curious formation of words caught his interest. Tony had said something rather interesting to Thor. Was it possible that he heard him right? Had Stark actually told off the thunder god by demanding him to keep his hands off of him? Surely it had been a jest, a jab at his feelings. After all, Tony was a man capable of degrading even a god if he so chose to.

   Eventually a third combatant had joined in the battle. A man that Loki had come to dislike, Steve Rogers, of Captain America as this world come to know him as. A brilliant flash flooded the area and it had all come to an end. Their differences set aside for the moment as they rounded up the man Thor had kidnapped and brought him back in for SHIELD to deal with.

   As impressive as the large, glass cage was, it was not going to be enough to keep the trickster contained. Still, he would at least give his captors the false satisfaction of victory while Thor would weep in silence. There was no need for him to even turn around to see his sibling on his knees in the other room for the faint reflection of the delicious scene gint gently in front of him. It was a deliciously toxic sight for him to behold.

   Even so, it did not last as long as Loki had hoped. Thor had been pulled off into a private meeting to discuss whatever it was these fools thought was most important at the time. Surely it was how they could abstract information of how to locate the ultimate power source and rip if free of Loki’s clutches. If only these idiots could see the greater picture. Mercifully, they were all too blinded by the power the trickster had stolen away from them.

   Sadly this had given the raven haired god too much time alone to think. His plans were going perfectly. Every piece of his immaculate puzzle were falling into place but still there was a dark looming thought that plagued him. The dreaded thing called love. 

   Loki paced his cell as he did his best to ignore his feelings. Thor and Tony were here now. The two of them had already battled over him, but it was surely as innocent as the battle could possibly have been. It had not been over his admiration or anything of that nature. So why was it bothering him to his core? His original love had been pinned against his latest flame and it was maddening when it had absolutely no right to be.

   As if this pathetic world had shown mercy to him, Loki had acquired a visitor. A redhead who wished to learn more about his plans. Ah, at last someone he could use to distract himself and set the game into a new stage. Despite her clever wording, it was obvious to him that it was a setup into getting information to which he was willing to comply with his own wit. 

   The feigning of innocents was nothing new to Loki. The look of surprise mirrored from all the lies he had ever discovered nearly caused a downward spiral tell Black Widow left the room and he could pull his mask of a smirk back onto his lips. The deed was done and it was all a matter of time till Clint would begin the attack on this damned ship and unleash the great beast that these mortals had so graciously provided.

   As set, the flying scrap heap jerked and Loki managed to keep his balance. Hawkeye had at last arrived. Alarms were now blaring in the musical tone of chaos. A perfect symphony of discord and screaming came from all around. The situation would quickly fester till Bruce would lose his focus and unleash the monster within and when that would happen, the power should be cut- The lights dimmed and the glass door unlocked, sliding over to one side as if caving to Loki’s will. Things were perfect and now there was something he had to deal with before he could leave this failing bucket of metal. 

   Waiting in the shadows, the trickster patiently casted a spell to form a duplicate that would take his place in the cell he had locked once the power had been forced back on. As predicted, the thunder god had come to make sure he was alright. From his hiding place, Loki opened the door and made his double head for the exit. His brother foolishly leaping into the trap as the doors sealed tight behind him. A simple trap for a simple minded oaf.

   There however was one key person that the mischievous god had underestimated. A meager agent of SHIELD, Coulson. Despite having used yet another double to trick the well dressed man so he could run him through with the scepter’s blade, the son of Coul had a stubborn sense of heroism.  However, it was time to remove his lingering sense of lost love before he could finish off the wounded human.

   With the simple press of a button or two, Loki watched as his brother gazed at him though saddened eyes. Thor clearly looked down upon him now which left Loki feeling a sickening sensation of guilt that could only be expelled one way. He pressed the final button that unlocked the cage and sent it plummeting. 

   Despite having his guilt plunge down with his beloved brother, there was a lingering sensation Loki could not rid himself of. It all however faded into the back of his mind as he found a new target to focus on. The agent that had tried to stop him. In his hands he held a strange weapon that he had dismissed before, after all, Coulson was wounded and in no condition to be a real threat.

   The short lived banter between the two ended with another vibrant light that tossed the god into the nearest room as if he weighed nothing. An unforeseen trick by the mortal that was almost worthy of praise had he not already been ran through. Despite the wound given to both men, neither were fatal but both hurt like a bitch. Still now was the time for him to take his leave as the Hulk would tear through this machine like tissue paper. 

   It would have been a pleasure to watch them all die but he needed these idiots to survive. They just had to but there was no way he could make it easy on them or it would be all too suspicious.He had to leave and return to where the real key to his victory was to take place, Stark Tower. Sure, he had lost Clint to that mewling quim, but it was a meager sacrifice. After all, they had to feel like there was a chance at victory or they would not try to stop him.

   Again there was time now to rest but his mind instead chose to waste it’s precious moments with degrading thoughts. If he had actually succeeded in killing Thor then he had misjudged his brother’s abilities. Surely Thor was stronger than that and made it out alive. It was not that dunderhead’s time to meet Loki’s daughter, Hel, and rot in her realm. And what of Stark? Surely he would escape death’s door and lead them all to where that group needed to be. If anyone knew him well enough, it was Tony.

   This was not the path he should be heading down. Loki gritted his teeth together hating that, that thought had managed to wiggle into his mind. Now was not the time to second guess himself. Being so close to his goal, he just could not risk sinking into his feelings that should be dead and buried in his wounded heart. Tony and Thor had to be alive. His goal needed for one to be around but the other, he just was not ready to fully remove him from the picture just yet.

   By the time he had arrived to the tower, Loki was greated with bitter news. It was going to take a little longer then expected to get the machine operational. The good news, however, was that it was at least set up and in the perfect position to invite the Chitauri into glorious battle. The trickster snarled, ordering for his brainwashed lackeys to speed up the process. It had to be working soon or it would be all too easy for the Avengers to take down his entire delicate operation and that was not an option. 

   Loki watched as the scientist slaved away on the device only to notice a glimmer in the distance. A speck of red that grew ever larger to reveal a combination of gold. It was Tony. So he had made it after all? A sense of relief flooded the god’s body though only managed to add into that damned feeling he wished to rid himself of. Still he watched from the sidelines as Stark dropped down to confront the man of science. It would appear that the device was finally operational and set into order thanks to the deflected blast Tony’s suit shot at it that harmlessly bounced off it and threw his servant off to one side. What a shame to see him attacking what could have been a friend, somehow it still brought a smile to Loki’s face. 

   Judging by how the other was landing, Loki assumed he wanted to talk and thus walked around to meet the other man inside the overly large building. The reunion not quite as he had predicted it would be  with Stark no longer in his armor but it was a necessary evil. This would at last confirm any doubts he had in his warped mind and set it all to rest. But first there was the playful banter to dispatch out of the way before any real connection could be established. 

   Loki initiated the doomed conversation. The two men taking their turns at jabbing the other’s pride till at last Loki caved and dared to end it. “What did you mean when you told Thor not to touch your things?” Tony stood in place behind the bar with his glass of scotch in hand unable to take a sip.

   "Simply that he swooped in and took my captive without asking.“ The former prince of Asgard felt his heart stop. That was not what he wanted to hear.

   "You mean to tell me that after all this time, we’re finally to an end?” His heart was beating once more but it felt so sluggish, as if whatever Stark would say next would stop it dead and kill him. “That you have moved on without telling me to be with that woman?”

   "Her name is Pepper,“ the other male corrected. Their eyes locked in a showdown of wills. "Don’t you dare try to blame it all on me. We had a deal. You came in into this relationship in order to get back at someone and you left without saying a damned thing to me!” It was strange to hear that tember of anger to the mortal’s voice. To be on it’s receiving end was a whole new experience but greatly reminded Loki of how disturbingly similar it was to those he knew back in Asgard that judged him so poorly. 

   Loki swatted one hand to his side to discard the other’s argument as if it were an insect. “I don’t care what her name is! I don’t even care that you moved on,” one lie after the other. “What I want to know is if you ever really loved me!” Where had these words even come from? Were they festering within this entire time just waiting to reach the boiling point and bubble out of him? Clearly that seemed to be the sickening case.

   In silence, Stark rose the glass to his lips and inhaled the liquor inside. This whole confrontation had struck a bundle of nerves and he had yet to come up with a decent reply. Gently he sat the glass down while making sure to avoid eye contact. “What do you want me to say?” That was not the reply he wanted to say.

   "I just want the truth.“ Loki was sickened by lies. They were all he had ever had when growing up and what his entire existence revolves around, even now it was a large part of him and had been adopted into his title when people thought of him. Loki, the god of lies.

   The quiet between them caused Loki to look away towards his own reflection. How could anyone love a monster such as he? "This was all a set up, Loki. You designed it all knowing what you were getting into.” After all, Loki was just using him for revenge the entire time they were together. 

   Yes, that inner thought of Tony’s was true. It was all a clever ruse or at least it had been up to the end when it had turned into something real. “So the truth comes out,” the god of mischief spoke as he turned back to face the mortal. His sorrow quickly burning out into rage. Just like him, you never grieved for my absence? Then I wonder just how much you will should anything befall on your newest affair.“

   "Don’t you dare,” a firmly grasped around Stark’s neck when he had moved around to confront the god that threatened him. A inkling of fear surged through Tony’s mind as his former lover tightened his hold not letting him speak any further.

   "If I was ever to admit to one thing that I regretted the most in my life,“ Loki paused for a dramatic effect, drawing the other male in close so he could whisper into his ear. "It would be falling for a waste like you!” There had been no time for a second thought. The sound of shattering glass mirrored Loki’s heart. Tony was now falling to his doom in a foul race to escape this cruel world.

   A strange noise caught his attention as the god turned to accept what he had done. A strange metal object of red and gold blasted past him, nearly forcing him to join his late love. So, he had been tricked? Well played for a mortal. The cruel sense of irony brought Loki the faintest gleam of a smile. Well played indeed.

   At last the portal had open. The alien race began to pour into the mix, quickly stirring up a muck as Stark zipped back up into Loki’s sight. His attention was clearly now focus on stopping the Chitauri and their lumbering beasts from their fun in leveling out the playing field. If he wasn’t careful, Stark would get himself killed. Wait, why was he worried about that tortuous, Stark?

   Everything now felt terribly surreal. The sudden confrontation with his brother nothing more then a living dream. Thor’s voice and even his own heated responses seem to lack a flame. What was the point in doing anything if it only meant that the people he cared most about knew nothing pertaining to his inner demons? Sure, Thor claimed that he wanted to help. That he could ease the burden of his heartache in exchange for this childish game to end but he knew better than that. And what if he did give up? He would go back to Asgard in chains to await the arrival of Thanos at Asgard’s footsteps? That path only lead to certain death. This was all there was now.

   Moving through the motions, the trickster found himself on the back of a Chitauri runner that zipped through the air. At least his reflexes had not failed him despite his mind’s little detour into self pity and loathing. The city around him had changed greatly in the past several minutes. Buildings were crumbling as the alien race ran a muck, humans screamed in horror as they watched one another die, and the Avengers were playing their part by fighting back. The odds were in favor of the Chitauri but that would have to change if Loki still planned on keeping the deal with Thanos. The tricky part would be making both sides believe that it was not a setup. 

   Destruction tore through the heart of the city as Loki soaked it all in. Black Widow had managed to find a ride of her own in pursuit but she would be no match for him had she even managed to catch up to him. A strange item caught his interest as the god snatched the arrow that had been shot at him. Had he missed it surely would have hit him. How pitiful of Clint to turn sides on him and try to snuff him out with such a lowly- 

   There had been a boom that accompanied that explosive arrow. It had been a trick and he had fallen for it. Why had he fallen for it? He knew that Hawkeye had those arrows the entire time. How could that simple fact slip his mind? The ground rushed to meet him and still the god found himself distracted.

   There was pain. It was now physical as well as mental and Loki despised it all. Sure he knew there was no great reward without some sacrifice but this was festering. If it were to keep growing then he would be beyond repair and unfit to rule a damned thing. A shadow crossed his path and moving towards him now was the beast he had assumed to run off. Seemed that Stark had not been bluffing after all. If this was true then what was there to make him possibly even doubt that everything he else he had said was true as well?

   Still, the Hulk moved in till the gravity of it all was too much for Loki to deal with. He had lost everyone he ever loved, no one cared, and now this green embodiment of anger was threatening him. Him! A god! Loki caved, shouting out what came to mind only to see the world in larger blur then before. His entire body wracked with pain as he was caught off guard and viciously slammed into the ground multiple times. The only thing confirming his survival was the wheezing sound that escaped his lungs which mercifully had not popped. 

   Pain was all he could focus on. Every nerve, fiber, and molecule to his very existence ached. Even his hair hurt but worst of all was the acceptance. That he was alone. This whole adventure had opened his eyes but still he longed for companionship and the worst part was that it came with a face.

   With a low groan, the trickster at last sat himself up only to be greated with another arrow aimed at his head. No doubt that Tony had given them all a short version of what had happened in his tower. That and it did not help that everyone present there already hated him now more then ever. Still, Tony was there and he just could not resist a weak jib at that drink he had offered him before.

   It was Thor though who pulled him up to his feet. The reunion just as harsh as the silence. His arms were quickly bound and accented with a demeaning gag that his blonde haired sibling bestowed upon him. A silencer to keep him from casting spells. The metal bit that had been forced into his mouth tasted awful but it was what he heard after the silence that took priority. 

   If what these mortals said was true, then Tony had been dead for a minute. The man of iron had boldly done a selfless act to protect his planet. Clearly he had changed from who he used to be since Loki had once known him. He was actually a good guy now and playing his cards right. What chance did he ever have with someone like that?

   The conversation had quickly been changed to that of food. Clearly they all had deserved a meal before they would send Thor on his way with his defeated brother. The worst part of it for Loki had to be the humiliation these Avenger had come up with. Not only did he had to wear the muzzle and chains still, but he had to sit in in a side room that had half collapsed with Mjolnir resting in the center of his hanging chains. The damn thing only being able to be lifted by Thor was just salt in his wounds.

   Still there was what awaited him back in Asgard. Odin’s punishment and then the grand escape plan he would have to pull off to get into Odin’s keep for that gauntlet. Getting into the vault would be easy enough but the actual escaping bit he would have to come up with once he knew just how he was going to be kept.

   "Hey,“ a familiar voice spoke. loki raised his head slightly having not expected anyone to pay him a visit till Thor would have his fill. That could have been hours as the Midgardian’s measured time. "I just thought I’d come by to rough you up a bit." 

   Loki grunted but the gag had managed to make it nothing more than a mere huff. Stranger then the surprise visit was when Tony knelt down and placed one hand to the side of the trickster’s face and caressed it for a fleeting second. The gag soon removed so he could speak but the foul taste of blood and metal still lingered. 

   "You idiot!” Loki growled. “I can escape now, you know.” The news only caused the other male to chuckle. “You find humor in this?”

   "I’m not the one tied up and sitting on a pile of rocks.“ A crooked grin crossed the rich man’s face. "I also don’t think you will try to escape and even if you do, we’ll just round you up again and I’ll get scolded by your brother for removing your fancy metal muzzle. Yadda, yadda, yadda…" 

   Confused, Loki watched the other man with curiosity. "You’ve taken off your suit.”
   "Yeah. As great as it is, it turns out this place only accepts casual wear. Who knew?“ Humor. Terrible humor at that but it still managed to weave a faint smile onto the captured god’s lips. "So are you going to tell me why you did this?” The smile quickly retreated. 

   Loki shifted in place, lowering his gaze back down to the floor where his gag now conveniently rested by his feet. “What do you want me to say?"  Now it was Stark’s turn to feel the guilt. His own words used against him. "It matters not anyway. My plans all failed. I await judgement by a man who sees me as the monster who serves only to disappoint him.” Loki somehow managed to hate himself even more with each word he spoke. “And now I kneel before the man I love who I betrayed.”

   Loki’s words had grown soft to the point that Stark almost did not catch what he had said. Loki, the god of mischief, loved him? “I can’t stay here long or the others are going to wonder where I went and if they see you not wearing that,” the billionaire made a gesture to the gag. “Then they are really going to start asking questions. So if you have anything else to say, you better say it now.”

   Raising his gaze to meet with the other’s, Loki questioned if he should even have the nerve to ask Tony for anything. It finally came down to him decided that if he said nothing, then Tony would have seen a change in him and if he said something, he would be opening himself up to rejection all over again. A disgusting choice had to be made. “I want something.”

   "If it’s for me to let you go then I’m going to tell you now that my hands are tied. Well, not mine so much as your’s but…“ The god chuckled. Stark was still a comedian despite how messed up the situation was. 

   "It’s not that,” Loki reassured him. He then looked down at the filthy floor for a moment doubting his choices only to return his focus back onto Stark. “I would like to take your helmet back to Asgard with me.”

   The bit of news was unexpected and had Stark looking off towards the exit to make sure no one was eavesdropping before he dared to look back. “You’re joking, right?” The look on Loki’s face however told another story. “You are serious? Loki, it’s broken. The faceplate is completely ripped out.” There was so much more he could go on about had it not been for the distasteful pout that adored the captured god’s face. He had disappointed him again. 

   "Then just give me the faceplate.“ He watched as his former lover shook his head. "It’s all I want. We both know that I’m going to be is Asgard for a long time which means you’ll be here with that woman of your’s with all the time you need to make a new one.” After all, it wasn’t like that was the only helmet the billionaire had. 

   Rubbing the back of his neck, Tony thought it over before dropping it back down to his side. A soft sigh passing his lips as he at last came to a conclusion. “I’ll give it to you before you go if you give me an honest answer to one question.” Naturally this caught Loki’s attention but a solo finger held in the air before him kept him from speaking up right away. “That means no lying.”

   Leaning back, the god of mischief allowed a smirk to grace his face. “Ask me anything.” His eyes shifted as Tony knelt to pick up the gag, a signal that their conversation was drawing to it’s end. 

   "Are you going to come see me after you break out?“ Loki’s smirk had slowly melted off till his mouth just hung open a jar. Shock had a hold of him. This was the one question he wasted his ability to get an honest answer on? 

   As easy as it would have been to just lie all the same, the former prince instead choose to answer with a question of his own. "Why should I? You have moved on already.”

   "Just answer the damned question,“ Stark snapped. What he would do next all depended on the answer. It was all down to what Loki would say, truth or not, though the truth could potentially make his decision feel less idiotic later on in life.

   Unable to look elsewhere, the raven haired god swallowed the lump in his throat. "I would,” he spoke at last. His throat tightening only adding to the nausea that swept over him. The truth was beyond bitter but it was what Stark asked of him.

   Without a word, Tony rose up to walk over to an unguarded and forgotten pitcher of melting ice water that rested on a table. The soft clattering of ice bumping against glass stirred in the still air. Tension was rising in Loki’s gut as he desired some form of a verbal response to his honesty. Instead he felt confused as the other at last turned back to face with with the metal silencer, dripping wet.

   "…So where is the helmet I get?“ He could not resist asking but his hopes in removing his core fear were not working. 

   "We agreed to the faceplate, not the whole helmet. Now, open your mouth and say ‘ah’,” the mortal teased as he turned the gag for the bit was now facing away from himself. despite the degrading joke, Loki opened his mouth and allowed Stark to put the gag back onto him so the other members of his team would not know about this little event. “Good boy.” Loki narrowed his gaze not enjoying himself. “Don’t worry. I’ll give you it before you get beamed up to the mothership." 

   Standing back up to his full height, Stark felt a small grin tug at the far corners of his mouth. As fantastic as it was to have the villain of the day captured and ready to send off to be dealt with elsewhere, there was just something about seeing a handsome devil like Loki on his knees in tight leather accented with bondage gear. His hair was already a mess and that concerned look on his face was something that was going to haunt him in the later hours.

   The cold metal still tasted awful but at least Tony had enough decency in him to clean it off before forcing it back into his mouth. An unexpected courtesy considering all the previous events in the past few days. Still, he was now alone once more with water dripping down his chin. Seemed Stark still had enough of a grudge against him to not dry it first but he had deserved a little more humiliation by that man. The others though- The others. Thanos. Oh boy, the time he was left to reflect on this new alarming endeavour was going to be horrendous.

   Time ticked on but soon Thor had returned to collect his troublesome brother. The two of them rejoining with the Avengers to walk out of the building into the still ruined streets. The scenery around them a reminder of the chaos Loki had brought onto them as they walked in near silence towards a cleaner area to see Thor off.

   It had all come down to this. Loki took hold of one end of the tesseract’s case and glanced up at this world’s heroes only to see Stark moving from the back of the group towards them. "Wait up. I’ve got something I want to give, Sunshine here before you take him away.” Untucking an item from under his left arm, the rich mortal revealed his promised gift. The metal shined brilliantly in the sun, a sign it had been cleaned up and not a last minute gift idea. “It’s a reminder not to mess with us. Though you could use one to hang in your next cage.” Presenting it face up, Tony waited till Loki took it and then slowly backed away with a cocky grin.  The god however looked down at his token prize before moving it over his chest, his other hand still holding onto the casket that hung down at his side. The only thing providing distance between him and his sibling. 

   The man of iron slunk back into his group of newly acquired pals and even dared to give a little wave as Thor twisted his handle and pushed it in, activating the cube’s power. A warm, blue glow engulfed them both as the sight of the Avengers grew fuzzy and at last faded into something else entirely. The city landscape became more barbaric and at last, the two brothers were reunited back in Asgard. 

   Loki stumbled forward as Thor tugged his end of the tesseract’s chamber to lead him off towards the prison keep where Loki was to be hide away until the blonde god could get a chance to tell Odin of their return and past adventures. Most likely it would be that of Thor’s heroic deeds with the mortals help and how Loki himself did nothing but cause pain and despair. Still, that idiot would request for something not as forgiving as death, but something worse that would keep him in full contact with his misery. 

   With the creaking of steel, Thor pushed his brother into the cell and pulled the power source back out, tucking it under his arm before locking the cell door. Loki’s gag and shackled still in place. Clearly this was a sign he had crossed some kind of line. Or perhaps he intended to just let him stew a bit before he would return to free him just enough to feel a little better then a monster.

   Waiting for Thor’s footsteps to fade into the distance, Loki kept his one arm slung under his chest as he moved back into a far corner to take a seat. The cool metal gleaming faintly in the torchlight. 

   Letting out a muffled sigh, the god lowered his piece of Tony’s suit down to observe it. Various bits of metal stuck out from the edges with little circles at the end of several of them. It was somehow amusing to him that he could have chuckled had it not been for the bit of metal in his mouth that silenced him. Damned silencer. 

   Allowing his mind to wander back over more pleasant memories, the trickster leaned his head back against the corner of his prison. The tragic events of Thor’s affections towards Jane Foster had been an oddly forgivable one, though it had taken this long for him to see it in such a light. For had Thor not fallen in love with the mortal in his short lived banishment to Earth, he would not have gotten jealous and plotted to seek out his twisted form of revenge that in turn lead him to the man who made this simple mask.

   Lowering his head again, Loki raised the faceplate up to get a better look at it, somehow trying to imagining it coving Tony’s face only to get the bizarre impulse to turn it around to try it on. As he turned it though, something even more bizarre presented itself to him. Thick, black marking had been painted on. Well, it was permanent marker but how was Loki to know that? Still, it managed to get beyond bizarre with each word he read.

   A demented form of happiness crept into his heart. “The end is nearing, Laufayson.” And as quickly as his happiness had come to him, it had crawled down into his stomach to be dissolved in horror…