The Undeniable Truths (of the Time Traveling Mechanic and his Trickster)

by Rouko

Summary:

Loki sacrifices himself in endgame to save Tony, coming "back from the dead" one last time. Tony's not expecting it. In fact, he'd been planning on dying to defeat the purple monstrosity so that he could join his soulmate wherever he ended up.

Now without the trickster, his life has no meaning. Tony decides to go back in time to help his loves younger self avoid falling into Thanos' hands. He expects it to be difficult judging by Loki's stories of Asgard and Thor before he was banished to earth. Befriending the younger Loki should be easy right?

Everything makes his objective harder.... Especially the fact that a younger Loki is a slippery little bastard, hard to pin down and even harder to connect and talk to without shooting himself in the foot or exposing his true purpose.

He just wants to make life better for his God. Everything spirals out of control once Tony gets a good hard look at Loki's life as a second Prince.

*** PLEASE READ THE TAGS. DEPRESSION AND DEATH OF A SOULMATE IN THE FIRST CHAPTER. IT GETS BETTER I PROMISE!!!***

Notes:

• For midgardian_leviosa, switchknitter.

Chapter one is rough for depression, suicidal thoughts and death of a loved one. Don't worry it's a quick chapter and the rest has no mention of those things again.

*Rubs hands together with a smirk*

I can't wait to tell this story! SO MUCH SEXINESS WILL ENSUE while we get some cathartic healing for our favorite boys.

Dedicated and inspired by Midguardian Leviosa and Switchknitter!

Chapter 1: Desperation

The years between Loki’s invasion of NY and the actual arrival of Thanos were some of the best of Tony’s life. Yeah, he still had to deal with the Avengers and how they eventually unraveled… There were disheartening attacks of his character as well as the addition of the HYDRA Spylette that hated him…. But all of it was manageable thanks to having the suave trickster on his team.

It had begun with banter and escalated. Loki was actually the smartest person that Tony knew (aside from himself). They had a very similar sense of humor and secretly enjoyed causing a bit of chaos. They just fit together so perfectly, it brought true happiness to both of them for the first time in a very long time.

Of course it couldn’t last.

Loki had masterfully faked his death before, so the news didn’t immediately register to Tony when Banner had crash landed in the Sanctum with that cursed name on his lips.

The name that still caused Loki nightmares, cold sweats, and panic attacks.

Tony had seen red for a while, adapting his latest suit to handle the stones power. Making up his mind about his actions if certain things came to pass… namely, if Loki was truly gone, how best to join him.

No, he wasn’t suicidal. He wanted to rid the entire universe of the cosmic stain that was Thanos but he had to do it right..

He’d known that stopping this wouldn’t bring back his god. That after he’d caught Strange’s eye, that he was right. He’d die taking down Thanos, but he’d still do it. If it saved everyone and got him a seat in Valhalla (or wherever Loki was, because even if he didn’t really believe in the afterlife, he certainly believed his Loki wouldn’t completely cease to exist .) he’d do it…

When the last moments came upon him and he told the titan ‘I am Iron Man.’ He’d only been thinking of his lover. The sad smiles, pain and fear Loki had endured for so long were good for this. His last stand. Destroy Thanos and his entire fleet. Reverse all the damage they’d done.

As he moved to snap his fingers, he felt a weight on his hand and at his back. He glanced up quickly as his fingers continued moving before his eyes registered it was his trickster plastered to his back. He looked paler than usual, his complexion waxy, frame too thin with dark bruising at his neck.

He only had a moment to recall Thor telling him Loki had been strangled while they were in space a few weeks ago before the power started flowing through the gauntlet and stealing his focus.

But there was a slender pale hand, turning cobalt blue wrapped around his fingers.

It quickly turned black to Tony’s horror as the stones flooded his gauntlet with pure power. He felt the draw on his arc reactor and the suit began to lose function. The sharp gasp in his ear drew his attention the most though, and he retracted the suit as fast as he could to turn and hold the god when it was done.

His smooth skin was crackling and smoking. A macabre mixture of blue and black. Purple blood was on his face, trickling from his ears and nose. Lips stained dark as they twisted into a grimace that tried to turn into a grin but failed.

He’d been right about Loki surviving a throttling by Thanos, but looking down into his slackening face, Tony knew Loki had known there was no saving himself from the use of the stones.

His love had come back to him, only to sacrifice himself so that Tony wouldn’t have to.

The memory of glazed red eyes and a small broken horn nestled in the thick black hair he’d loved to run his fingers through, combined with the knowledge of Loki wanting to protect him one last time sent him into a spiral of pain that would take weeks to even break the surface of.

Clean up happened. The world continued and most people had their loved ones back. Families reunited. Rhodey was busy running the Avengers and keeping the government in line. Thor was the only one to really visit and even that couldn’t get Tony out of his bed most days.

It was in the never ending cycle of misery that he came up with a plan.

Like most of his plans that had come before, it was insanely risky. Stealing enough Pym particles to work  a time traveling suit didn’t seem that big of a deal to him though. The fact that Pepper and Rhodey were running the two biggest parts of his empire without any input from him, only cemented in his head the reasoning and practicality of his decision.

Without the threat of global domination hanging over his head, Tony began to spend time in his workshop again, but it was only to work on a way for his AIs to communicate between the suit, gauntlet and phone while being offline. To convince the bots that this plan was going to work and to ease them into their part of it. (Because if his plan worked, then he wouldn’t be coming back to this timeline…. At least, not in a way that would matter to his kids.)

He’d shrunk U and DUM-E down into matchbox car sized trinkets after they had gone into sleep mode, then placed them carefully into the only bag he was taking with him.

Under the suit, he wore the formal asgardian clothing Loki had made for their 10th anniversary. It was brown and red and with gold stitching along the lapels and had a casing where the arc reactor would sit that was made of uru. It was bittersweet, but he had to make a good first impression and he knew at least his Loki had loved this outfit.

When he was finally all ready to go, laden down with supplies, currency, some protein bars, and anything else he thought he’d need, he activated the nanotech suit over top of everything else and took off. He made his way to his pre-Ultron lab, where he uploaded a backup of younger JARVIS into his armor. Taking a deep breath, he set his suit for the entry point he’d remembered Loki telling him about.

Based on the celebration his Loki had told him about seeing, Tony had pinpointed exactly where and when his love had first found the secret pathway to earth. Going back in time to that point was easy enough (even though it was almost 500 years ago)…. But seeing such a young and cautious little prince almost threw him off his schedule. He nearly missed his chance to get himself shrunken and tucked with his possessions into Loki's small satchel.

Once inside the bag, he managed to find enough room to curl up without being crushed by books and other random things while he waited for Loki to leave again.

Getting out of the bag unseen was rather tricky, but he managed it and slipped off into a town near the bifrost bridge. Sneaking off into the edge of the woods, he took off his travel suit and folded it up as small as he could and crammed it into his bag. His formal clothes were the right colors, texture and style, but he’d forgotten to factor in Loki’s love of spoiling him. It might have been a tad too formal for a stroll through the town...

As he made his way purposefully towards the big city and palace, he caught quite a few curious looks. He hoped it was just the fact that he looked noble but was walking instead of using a horse.

He had never actually been to Asgard before, so all he had were the dreams and illusions Loki had shared with him. Bits and pieces of his life as a prince or as Odin in disguise. He desperately hoped he wouldn’t mess this up. Compared to his overall goal, this first meeting with Odin or Frigga was going to set the tone of his stay and tell him how hard he was going to have to work.

Arriving (finally!) at the palace, it was nearing late afternoon. He knew enough about acting like he belonged somewhere to fool the door guards into letting him in…. But when it came to the guard that would announce him to Odin, he paused, unsure what to call himself to get all the way inside. After a moment that stretched a bit too long, and the Einherjar started to tense, Tony blurted,

“I am a Traveling Scholar with great news the Allfather and Allmother will wish to hear. Prophecy regarding their son has made itself known to me, but I wish to only relay this to them personally. It is a private matter I’m afraid…. And if they doubt me, tell them ‘Winter is coming’. I’m sure they will understand my message.”

He watched as one soldier left and the other squared up to him. The threat was real in the blue eyes of the asgardian, but Tony was so nervous he barely noticed. He probably could’ve done without the Game of Thrones reference…. And talking about anything winter or ice related was probably not his smartest idea…. But if Odin was anything like Tony had been, then he probably would’ve ignored Tony for days…. Especially if his identity was impossible to check. 

Wouldn’t want a quack anywhere near the royals, right?

Tony didn’t have to wait long before the giant doors opened and dozens of people were ushered out. They seemed confused or irritated and Tony could only slide off to the side and try to look inconspicuous.

He couldn’t keep that up long because the other Einherjar was back and nearly glaring at him. He inclined his head then turned around and marched back inside, assuming Tony would follow.

He had to give it to the old asshole, he did intimidation well.

Maybe as well as Howard.

Tony melted into his PR persona easily enough, coming to a stop at the bottom on a huge dias and bowing first to Odin, and then to Frigga. He noticed Odin twitch at that and Frigga’s one eyebrow raised…. Just like Loki’s used to.

He was only just barely able to hide the flinch he felt at the sight and focused back on Odin.

Who was squinting at him grumpily.

“Allfather, Allmother. It is a pleasure to be granted an audience with you both. I come with news regardi-” he was cut off.

“Yes. We heard what you told the guard. What is your true purpose here and state your name and affiliation before I have them throw you out into the square.” The King’s voice was hard but matter of fact. He almost sounded angry and bored at the same time.

He supposed Loki had to have inherited something from the old man.

“Ah, well, that’s a bit tricky. I’m actually not from this time. You see, your sons…. Both great friends of mine eventually, they uh…. Well, I’ll just say life hasn’t been too kind to either of them so I solved time travel in order to come back and help them to a better path.”

He thought he’d said what any parent would like to hear, but Odin’s face twisted in anger and Frigga stood stone still.

“You presume to know the will of the Norns?!? What is your name Traveler, so I may have it before I have your head!”

Tony’s eyes darted around the room quickly as he felt power build, ready to be called upon by Odin to smite him. He was sure he was going to be smitted…. Or smote. Was it smote? He glanced at Frigga but she seemed to be staring into space and frozen. He was just opening his mouth to say something to try to calm everyone down when the door burst open and Heimdall barreled in. The large sword he wielded, glinted in the light before he skidded to a halt a bit of a ways away from Tony.

“My King! This man is somehow shielding himself from my gaze! No one should be able to do such a thing! He did not come via bifrost and I do not know how long he has been in Asgard or his purpose here.”

Odin stood at Heimdall’s words and his face hardened as he lifted his spear.

“Now, now, before we get hasty I-’

Odin fired.

The mighty blast from gungnir plowed at him and he didn’t have enough time to call the armor.

But just after he closed his eyes, he felt a rush of seidr…. Green exploded behind his eyes and when he opened them, Odin, Frigga and Heimdall were staring at him in confusion. His arms had raised to shield his face, but other than that, and a ruffle of his long coat and hair, he was fine.

The first one to regain their wits was the Queen.

“Well then, I for one am intrigued. That shield was most definitely Loki’s, yet you have never set foot in this realm before…. And Loki would have told me if he had made a close friend. Most assuredly if that friend was from another realm.”

Tony composed himself and bowed to Frigga, a small smile in thanks was all he could give her before Odin was speaking again.

“I’ll ask once more. What is your purpose on Asgard and how did you get here?”

Tony glanced back and Heimdall, then at the King and Queen.

“The walls have ears Allfather, even here in your palace. I will give you all of the truth and then more, if you’ll allow us to move to a warded room to speak.”

Odin eventually looked to Frigga, who nodded before he gave Heimdall a look and made his way off the dias and out of the room. The Queen followed, Tony behind her, and Heimdall trailing after them. 

Thankfully, the gatekeeper took up watch outside the door, and when it closed, he found himself in a study or a parlor of sorts. It looked to be a war council type of room.

“Now, Speak.” 

Tony took a deep breath and began to explain the year he’d come from as well as their defeat of Thanos. To which both Odin and Frigga gasped or looked startled. Before he could get to the reason for him coming to this specific time, Frigga interrupted him.

“I’m sorry about your world… but you should understand, meddling with time can be incredibly tricky. Greater mages have attempted it and all have failed.”

Tony looked at her for a few seconds but then thought screw it.

“I figured out time travel without using the time stone. Just me and my little grief stricken brain.” He hadn’t meant to add the last part. He was sure they could both tell.

“Fine, you are a very talented mage from Midgard, though such a thing should not even exist…. Tell us what you know of Loki. How is he?” Odin crossed his arms and waited. They seemed to be in a staring contest until Frigga let out a terribly sad sigh and stepped closer to lay a hand on Tony’s arm.

“Oh, oh no. Loki died defeating Thanos. Your grief…. It is for our son.” Her eyes shimmered with tears she did not let fall and Odin’s face softened with pain.

“He…. we were….” Tony stumbled over his words because…. How do you tell someones medieval parents their youngest child was gay? Had married a man? Did they even know or suspect it? The few times Tony had brought it up, Loki had brushed it aside saying his parents never approved of anything he did and his choice of lovers would’ve been just one more strike against him.

“Oh child,” Frigga softly patted his arm as she held onto it with her other hand. “My Loki loved you didn’t he?” Tony…. Had gotten only marginally better at emotions over the last few years so… he avoided looking at either of them when he muttered his answer.

“He died saving me. I just…. I want to return the favor. I want to be someone he can rely on when he finds out something he should’ve known a long time ago.” He did find the courage to glance up then, and Odin’s face, as well as Frigga’s had turned pale.

“When does-” Odin started but Frigga interrupted him.

“No dear. That is not for us to know. I gather, he finds out in a surprising way and it all… goes badly. That’s why you’re here.”

“In a nutshell…. Yes. Though, he won’t meet this timeline’s version of me for over a year…. I wanted to try to save him something that will haunt him for the rest of his life. Please…. “ He turned up his pleading innocent factor as high as he could make it go and looked from father to mother.

“Please let me stay here to help him.” Frigga made to speak but Odin cut her off.

“As much as it pains me to say this, we can’t allow a midgardian to stay. I would be going back on a decree and all the other realms will rebel, wondering why Asgard can interact with mortals and they can not. It is too risky for you to stay.” Odin looked strained but obstinate. 

“Actually…. During his brief time ruling in Thor’s stead, he gave me a golden apple.” He heard Frigga gasp beside him. “So I suppose, technically, I’m asgardian now? I’m not 100% sure how that works.”

Odin frowned for a moment, but Frigga’s sad smile looked like it might shatter her at any moment. She understood, and so did Odin, that their son wouldn’t have given a mortal an apple without pledging his life to Tony. That changed things.

“If he granted you an apple during times of great war, that would be admissible. Though, I have a feeling he gave it for sentimental reasons instead. Am I correct?” Tony gave the queen a small smile but answered Odin.

“Yeah, yes he did.”

“You had no trials. No tests or quests to prove you were worthy of asgardian status. As much as I believe you about Loki, and the future…. Our people need to believe that you are asgardian now. The easiest way to accomplish that, is to tell them you have already been tested in other ways, and have a tournament to test your physical strength. Then I can publicly give you an apple myself. No one will be the wiser.”

Frigga nodded and agreed. 

“But you would most likely need to fight the Warriors Three or Sif. If you prove yourself equal to their battle prowess, that would grant you the apple. If either Thor or Loki wanted to test you further, that would be up to them.”

Tony agreed and they left the parlor. Heimdall stared so hard it felt like he had a hole in the back of his head as Frigga showed him to a guest room to rest and eat while Odin arranged everything for the following day.

Chapter 2

Summary:

Loki sacrifices himself in endgame to save Tony, coming "back from the dead" one last time. Tony's not expecting it. In fact, he'd been planning on dying to defeat the purple monstrosity so that he could join his soulmate wherever he ended up.

Now without the trickster, his life has no meaning. Tony decides to go back in time to help his loves younger self avoid falling into Thanos' hands. He expects it to be difficult judging by Loki's stories of Asgard and Thor before he was banished to earth. Befriending the younger Loki should be easy right?

Everything makes his objective harder.... Especially the fact that a younger Loki is a slippery little bastard, hard to pin down and even harder to connect and talk to without shooting himself in the foot or exposing his true purpose.

He just wants to make life better for his God. Everything spirals out of control once Tony gets a good hard look at Loki's life as a second Prince.

*** PLEASE READ THE TAGS. DEPRESSION AND DEATH OF A SOULMATE IN THE FIRST CHAPTER. IT GETS BETTER I PROMISE!!!***

Notes:

Sorry for the wait! <3

While waiting for the feast to begin, Tony was ushered to a beautiful garden in the royal wing of the palace. He could see that Heimdall was left to guard it’s entrance and he didn’t fault the guy at all…. But he could definitely understand why Loki hadn’t ever really liked the guy. Weird searching glares aside, he decided to wander around a bit and eventually settled on a bench near a small pond. What he could see of the fish was enough to have him stay right there enjoying the rippling water and flashes of orange and golden scales.

Left with nothing but his thoughts, he passed the time tinkering with his phone settings to make sure it’s solar charging abilities were working correctly (which they hadn’t been, Asgard’s sun was vastly different from Earth’s).

When Heimdall announced loudly they were expected back in the dining hall, Tony startled.

Guy was a total dick but he followed dutifully behind the towering watcher back into a small corridor. They were adjacent to the dining area, the deafening sound could be nothing else but a hundred Thors talking animatedly. Taking a deep breath, his spine straightened and his eyes took on a sharper glint. His Loki had always hated these kinds of things, and he knew he was going to be a topic of conversation for sure…. And probably meet the princes. He couldn’t blunder this first meeting with Loki.

Following the tall warrior, he tried to ignore the hush that slowly took over the room. He let his eyes flick side to side once to figure out where Thor’s table was and made note based on clothing what the ranking system was to the seating. Heimdall paused at the foot of the raised royal table long enough for Tony to reach him, then he took the stairs to stand behind Odin.

Unsure where to look, he gave a bow to Odin again and a nod to Frigga. (He could make out the faint upturn of one side of her mouth at his manners. She was so like her son it caused a breath to stutter in his lungs.)

He could almost FEEL the curiosity of every person in the room before Odin began speaking. Giving the predetermined story was easy for the king and soon he was left to meander his way to the tables. Odin had welcomed him and the trials were set for the following day but glancing at Thor he could easily see how bored he was…. How utterly  dismissive the Warriors Three were in general. The only one watching him from the Princes’ table at all was Loki and it almost caused him to falter in his steps.

He could almost physically sense the hostility of the Asgardians in the room. Loki had told him before of how their race viewed humans. He didn’t think it would be very difficult to prove himself worthy, but the energy in the room was enough to unsettle him.

He reminded himself that THIS Thor was an asshole that didn’t care about him or his customs at all. There were a few seats free at the table Odin motioned for him to sit at, but as he made his way to the one next to Thor to introduce himself more personally, Volstagg raised an eyebrow at him and moved his axe to occupy the space next to the prince.

He controlled his expression through sheer force of will and continued forward. Personal introductions could wait he supposed… but at the next open seat between Fandral and Hogun, the blond warrior propped his feet on the bench and gave him a smirk. 

Oh, boy. He couldn’t help the slight twitch to his left eye as he continued on. Two empty spaces between Hogun and Loki. Both were sizing him up. His palms were starting to sweat for the first time in a long time and the media smile he pulled to his face was an old friend. Hogun turned away, dismissing him easily enough but he caught the young prince’s gaze and to prove that he had manners even when Thor’s buddies were outright ignoring him, he tucked a fist to his stomach and gave Loki a small bow.

“Is this seat taken?” The timber of his voice was nearly lost to the room as the volume of the din increased again, but he made sure he was loud enough for the prince to hear him. 

Loki was looking from one eye to the other trying to figure out if Tony had just made a dig against his treatment by the warriors or if he was hearing things behind Tony’s words when a comment from Sif came from the opposite end of the table.

Though she hid her lips behind her hand, they could still hear something about sitting too close to a serpent. He gave the kid props though. Loki motioned for him to sit as his face impossibly became even stonier. 

Great.

Dinner was served and everyone ate. Conversation seemed to flow easily at the other end of the table. Loki didn’t seem to have much to say and was very quiet and polite though Tony could tell he was being watched. Every single move he made was scrutinized by the young prince.

After many pints of mead had been consumed and the feast was winding down, Tony found himself taking a deep breath thinking he might be able to escape soon when the booming voice of the thunderer reached him. Beside him he could FEEL Loki tense.

“So, Traveler, you fight tomorrow yet I see no weapon on hand. What discipline do you follow? Are you a swordsman?”

Turning his head to look down the table to Thor, he could immediately tell Sif had whispered something derogatory about him to the prince. She was goading Thor into something. The tone of the question was haughty.

As if whatever answer Tony gave wouldn’t be impressive at all.

Fun.

Thor and the warriors all seemed to take turns grilling him about his prowess, abilities, customs surrounding fighting or dueling in general. He tried his best, he really did but the noise level in here was ridiculous and he was getting a headache.

That was probably his only excuse as to why he began to talk circles around all of them. Innuendo was an art form in Stark Tower after all. He described everything from the cities to weaponry and such with an undercurrent that went right over their heads. 

He even made Loki put down his mead at one point and stare at him.

Did he just insult one of Asgard’s best warriors? Yep.

Did anyone but Loki or himself know it?

Judging by their chuckles and conversation flowing onward, he didn’t think so.

Absolutely nothing he said could be construed as disrespect of course. He wasn’t stupid. 

By the time the evening was over, he was sort of involved in the conversation at least. One would think it was done deliberately to get into Thor’s good graces but one look in Loki’s direction and he knew the younger prince knew he was causing mischief and once or twice even participated in it. The first time could have been a reaction on Loki’s part but of course once he realized he could get away with the same as Tony, he began speaking a bit more.

That was all Tony could ask for on his first day in Asgard.

Filing out of the banquet hall, Heimdall seemed to appear from the crowd with the intention of steering Tony back towards his guest room. One quick glance was all he allowed himself of this younger trickster under the guise of a respectful bow. Since Thor was busy with the warriors and had already ignored him, he figured it would be fine to show his respect to the only one that seemed to be paying attention to him.

He followed the watcher to his room as he was supposed to and cheerfully said goodbye. 

Thank Newton his room was quiet. If he had to suffer through every single meal inside such a cavernous room every day he was sure he'd go insane. 

With his temples throbbing he took off his clothing being careful to hang it properly in the wardrobe before making his way to the bathroom.

The touch sensitive knobs were interesting but easy to figure out and he thoroughly enjoyed the steaming air and cascade of hot water.

After his long and drawn out bath under a miniature waterfall, he trudged back into the bedroom with a towel knotted around his waist and another drying his hair.

At first he didn't notice the dark shadow on his balcony railing. Usually he would be dressing in jeans and a T-shirt if he still had most of the night ahead of him, instead he chose a tank top and loose pajama pants that dropped low on his hips. They were old and comfy. He was under the impression he wasn't allowed to leave the room and his hatred of being confined made him pull them on to try to find some semblance of peace.

Deciding it might be better to open the doors to the balcony for fresh air, he was reaching for the handle before a beep started going off in his bag.

Digging out the phone he caught the flashing green of the alert on his screen and chuckled tossing it back into the pile.

Jarvis had sensed Loki's energy signature.

It was nearby.

He was probably snooping on him, and if so, he almost hoped he had gotten an eye full.

Returning to the balcony he pushed the doors open and closed his eyes in bliss as the gentle wind caressed his face and fluttered his hair.

He was not alone in the terrace though and it took all of his media training to keep his face from giving it away.

A crow sat perched and preening on the railing. It was eying him as it groomed but Tony had seen this particular creature quite often. Even if the eyes weren't glinting a mischievous green this time around. He decided to play dumb.

“Mind if I join you?” His voice was quieter, subdued as if speaking to a wild animal. 

The bird stopped and fluffed out its feathers almost in answer but Tony could see how Loki was trying to act natural. 

He came to the other side giving the bird a rather wide berth and leaned over the edge to look.

His whistle at the height had the bird tilting his head, but Tony continued to talk.

“I can't wait to get in the air tomorrow. Honestly, I've actually missed it. Flying I mean... I'm sure you can understand.” He sighed quietly and let himself look out over the ostentatious city for a few minutes. The bird went back to smoothing its wing feathers but Tony could tell it was aware of him at all times.

“I wish I'd have gotten the chance to do a flight test. What if the air in Asgard is denser than on earth huh?” He was muttering to himself but he caught the bird stepping closer.

After some time contemplating life and the bird not actually leaving, Tony eventually went back inside and got a protein bar. This time, the bird was poking at tiny pebbles or something on the ground so after he broke off a piece for himself, he offered one to the bird.

He could see Loki debate on if he should act aloof and fly away or take the morsel and prolong his encounter.

It too so long Tony had already swallowed his first piece and raised the unwrapped bar to take another bite.

The bird watching him again eat this piece before it cautiously hopped closer. Tony knew a wild bird would never eat from his hand so he put the piece down on the railing and took a step back.

“Don't worry, it's totally healthy…. At least I think it is for birds…. Well, maybe not the bits of chocolate,” Tony made like he had just thought of that and moved forward to take the chunk back when the mention of chocolate (he knew it wasn't anything else, his Loki had always had a wicked sweet tooth) had the bird grabbing it in his break and fluttering off to the farthest side of the balcony.

Tony laughed.

Some things would never change and he was glad, so glad he'd gotten this chance. For the first time since the snap, he felt contentment settle over himself and chuckled when the bird finished his piece and inched closer for more.

By the time the sun had fully set he didn't think it was odd at all that Loki had come to sneakily sate his curiosity. Tony felt that he'd done a decent job at playing a bored traveler. He'd spoken to the crow, not about anything in particular, mostly about his nerves about fighting in a different realm. Wondering if the air pressure was different on his planet versus an asteroid like Asgard. He shared his chocolate chip protein bar every time Loki inched a bit closer looking inquisitive. 

He refrained from reaching out to stroke what he knew would be silken and warm. Instead he'd told the bird about the sunset on earth and how beautiful it was and tried to forget how it felt to have small claws gripping his shoulder as he walked around the tower. 

There had been plenty of days where his Loki couldn't wait to shed his Aesir skin. Days when the trials of being himself were too much. The pressure too high.

Lazy afternoons laying in the sunlight and soaking up its warmth as a panther or other form of feline. Days when Loki just wanted to be near him even when he was needed at the office. Days when Tony didn't want to let him go either. 

Eventually the bird flew off as the moon rose. Tony couldn't blame him. The tournament was tomorrow and they would both be under scrutiny. Tony knew Loki hated being the center of attention up on the dias where the royal family would watch the bouts.

He decided to turn in as well but when he finally slept he dreamt of laughing green eyes and feather light lips on his skin.

Chapter 3: Odin's Trial

Notes:

Very sorry for this short chapter!

#4 is already written and more than twice as long so get ready for the start of a bit of something to happen between our boys.... Writing fight scenes are SO not my thing! At least it's now over so I can get to the voyeurism and smut.

YAY SMUT X3

Following Thor and his entourage to the training grounds was kind of a surreal experience. He felt royally underdressed in his black and grey jogging suit even with his nano reactor casing glowing on his chest. No one outright heckled him but that was because he was being escorted by the princes and elite warriors. He could hear the undercurrent of incredulity from the populace as he made his way to the hard packed dirt floor. No doubt because he carried no weapon.

Odin and Frigga were already seated on a dias on the opposite end of where they were entering from but he could see the scowl on Odin’s face from a mile away. Why did everyone always underestimate him? He came to a stop and waited as the brother’s climbed the few stairs to sit in their proper places. Loki being the only one to even look at him sideways.

This was going to be fun. Not. He’d only ever had Loki to test his enhanced strength against. He had no idea how he would fare against battle hardened asgardians.

When the Warriors Three bowed, he quickly did the same before Odin stood and addressed him.

“Anthony Stark of Midgard. You stand in the very arena that has birthed a great many warriors in Asgard’s esteemed history. You come before the Allfather and the realm to ask for a chance to prove your skill to join the ranks of the gods. I, Odin Allfather, grant this opportunity. As a mortal, first blood is inappropriate. I will call the match won if either of you force the other outside the boundary set or if you are knocked unconscious and can not continue. Now. Who among the Warriors Three wish to take on this mortal?”

Odin’s eye landed on the warriors and stayed until one stepped forward.

“As second in command under the Mighty Prince Thor, I believe I shall take up this challenge Allfather.” Sif spoke clear and concisely as she bowed.

Awesome. He took a deep breath and couldn't help rolling his eyes just slightly.

He saw Loki twitch and Frigga’s lip just barely turn up at the corner. Thor straightened from his slouch to throw a fist in the air and yell in support of his friend.

Tony just ran his tongue along his teeth and let his eyes drift over her armor and dual swords.

Overcompensating much?

“This is acceptable. Anthony Stark, are you ready?” Odin was looking at him with a calm face devoid of any emotion but that bright blue eye shone with curiosity. It quickly followed his hand as he watched Tony raise a hand to tap at his chest.

“Yes, Allfather.” The armor crept over his mostly form fitting clothing in a sinuous movement that had the warriors narrowing their eyes and all of the royal family suddenly much more interested in watching the proceeding match.

Odin waited until the helmet closed over his face and the eyes flashed with blue eerie light before he nodded and hit the dias with his spear.

“Begin.”

Sif wasted no time in lunging towards him drawing her blade but where she was nimble, Tony was quicker. The sound of steel rang out as it scraped and glanced off gold titanium plating and the repulsors sounded like the roar of some great angry beast.

Thor and Loki sat forward with rapt attention as did the vast majority of citizens and more came to crowd the barriers to watch as the mortal spun through the air dancing around an increasingly frustrated warrior. He had to keep his eyes on Sif but it didn’t stop him from ordering JARVIS to record everything going on so he could watch everyone’s reactions later.

Eventually she would begin to tire but Tony didn’t want to draw it out that long. He had only just decided to charge his hands and chest beam in preparation to blow her out of the ring when a wild swing thrown out blindly as she fell backwards actually connected with one of his boots.

With one foot down and sputtering, he had to adjust his arms to keep himself straight in the air. He knew it was too much work and way too much concentration to lose when she was flinging the hair from her enraged eyes and charging him again thinking he was weakened.

His uni-beam was fully charged and glowing so bright it had to be a bit blinding but she did not deviate. In the last moment available to him, he dropped to the dirt, planting both feet and drew his hands into fists. With shoulders thrown back, he let fly the worst attack he had.

When the dust settled, Sif was no longer standing but had crashed into a railing and come to a stop well outside the fighting ring.

Dead silence met him as his faceplate melted back away from his head. Turning to the dias he caught Odin and Frigga’s eye as he bowed. Loki it seemed, was astounded and he would bet anything the mage was thoroughly enjoying watching as healers rushed over to check on Sif who was sluggishly coming to and groaning obscenities. Thor looked shocked as well as the Warriors Three.

Odin took the moment to bang his spear three times before speaking.

“Lord Anthony Stark, Mortal Prince of Midgard. You have succeeded in surviving the trials of Asgard. A great feast shall be had tonight in your honor! Let us celebrate your victory!”

Thor looked a bit torn. Happy to gain a strong new opponent he could train with no doubt. The concept of someone refusing to spar with him just wasn’t a possibility to him. He was obviously curious looking from Tony to Sif as she tried to hide her limp.

On the other side, Loki seemed very intrigued and Tony couldn’t help meeting his emerald gaze and cracking a hint of a smile as he nodded his respect.

No doubt the feast tonight would be interesting and as the spectators all cheered and began moving towards the city's taverns to start celebrations early, Tony has to fight being swept away.

Chapter 4: Voyeur

Apparently disappearing wasn’t really anything new for Loki. He overheard some nobles commenting about how the boy used magic frivolously and too often to be healthy but he dismissed it. Most likely those old fools just hadn’t been paying attention. He knew first hand how stealthy Loki could be if he wanted something. Peace and quiet was usually one of the top things his Loki had craved.

Knowing how he’d described being ‘friends’ with Thor’s friends, Tony was worried that his match with the goddess had actually upset him. It would be absolutely counterproductive to let Loki distance himself from Tony if his end goal was to gain Loki’s trust and friendship.

 

With that in mind, he slipped away from the horde on their way to the tavern and flew back towards the palace. Rearranging the balcony plants had been a good idea as it helped him pick out his room and get there fast. The short flight didn’t help him figure out where the best place to look for Loki would be, but he was determined to go find the kid and offer to buy him a drink.

 

He refused to think of it like that other drink he’d promised so long ago. The ache in his chest was bad enough, the constant pain of knowing his mate was never coming back to him would cripple him if he let it. So he pushed on with the plan.

 

He checked the gardens, nearly everywhere he could remember Loki ever telling him he’d liked about his home.

 

Nothing.

 

It was as he was trudging back towards his room in the guest wing that he passed a door that had been left open a few inches. He had no idea what possessed him to peek inside and honestly, later he might think it was ESP or something similar.

 

The silhouette outlined in front of a gleaming window was obviously Loki. Even though he made no sound and wasn’t moving as far as he could tell, Tony would know that wide legged stance, and proud line of his back anywhere.

 

Just as he was leaning forward to shove the door open further, he caught a quick inhale. 

 

The kind he was intimately familiar with. One where a quick breath was sucked in through gritted teeth. 

 

Tony slipped back away from the opening and carefully peered inside, letting his gaze zero in on the mage’s arms.

 

Now that he knew what to look for, he could tell Loki was quietly and quickly fisting himself.

 

As soon as he realized that, Tony’s skin flushed and immediately felt too tight all over. It was odd, to be forced to see something that…. Well... He’d seen plenty of times. Albeit, for those he’d had a front row seat or been allowed to be part of the show.

 

He’d only been there for a minute tops, his feet seemed glued to the floor. He knew he should get the hell away from that room, pretend he’d never seen Loki at all…. But a quiet moan drew his attention back and he couldn’t help drinking in the arch of that lean back. The way his elbows stilled and the long armored coat swayed as he lost control and thrust into his hand chasing his release….

 

Some things hadn’t changed.

 

He found the strength to pull back and quietly retreat but not before he caught Loki dropping his chin to his chest and the relaxed droop of his shoulders.

 

The sight, exactly like hundreds of others he’d enjoyed, tore through the mental walls around his memory and fragile heart.

 

He didn’t leave his guest room until Thor came to drag him out later that evening, ignorant of the dark circles under his eyes and slower pace. 

 

One look at Odin and he knew he was not impressed. It made Tony stand a bit straighter, but he didn’t really care about anything else. His gaze caught Frigga’s face settling into a frown from a way too worried look for someone who’d only known him a day and a half.

 

There was a tall figure to the right of Frigga that he knew was Loki, but he avoided looking at him as he moved up to the base of the dias and waited.

 

Odin gave his pretty speech. There was a bit of murmuring from the crowd of nobles, but no one disapproved loudly enough for Odin to even pause before offering a golden apple.

 

He reached out and took it on autopilot, but the weight in his palm, the glint against his tanned skin and scarred hands jolted another memory loose.

 

A tender smile, emerald eyes full of love and a laugh that wove together with his own as he’d eaten that other apple. 

 

It had only been a small handful of years since that day, and yet Tony felt miserable, old and worn down. It was a feeling he buried under his media smile. Using the feast as a buffer, he avoided really talking much about himself, though from some very pointed questions, he realized he would have to assimilate into Asgardian culture and chose a profession sooner rather than later. 

 

He was sure the only one in the entire hall that had any idea of his inner turmoil was Frigga. Not really much of a surprise there, with the way Loki had spoken about her. By the end of the night, he was slightly drunk and wishing it wasn’t improper to go ask the All-Mother to take a stroll in the garden with him to talk about his past or her future.

 

He settled for giving both Odin and Frigga a polite nod or bow and slipping off when everyone really got rowdy. He really hadn’t been planning on it, which made it nearly perfect that as he was making his way towards the guest wing, he passed a small garden and decided to slip outside. A bit of fresh air would do him a world of good, so he quietly made his way towards a bench surrounded by night blooming lilies. They seemed to glow and he couldn’t help taking a few deep breaths and starting to relax. Minutes turned into nearly an hour of silence only interrupted by night birds and insects.

 

As usual, quiet always bothered him after a while. He wasn’t really one to sit still. He missed his lab and his music so he pulled out his phone (he’d already adapted the battery to be solar charging from the specific asgardian UV rays) and tapped for a minute.

 

He had no way of knowing the prince was on his way to the very same garden, or that, upon hearing Stark’s voice conversing, he had stopped to try to listen. Some would say he was being sneaky, but Loki would always prefer to think of it as gathering information.

“Good Evening, Sir. I trust the party went well?”

 

“Yeah J, yeah. I just kinda miss home, ya know? I wish you could give me updates on the others but I already know what everyone else is doing at this point.”

 

“Please, no omnipotent jokes. I can only take so much...”

 

“Buddy, that was ONE time. Cut a guy some slack.” Tony scoffed a bit, but his spirits, as always, were lifted just by talking to JARVIS.

 

Loki chanced a glimpse through the trees and hedges and found himself captivated at the ease that exuded from the man. He was slouching down, legs splayed open and relaxing his head back against the stonework behind him. It caused him to swallow nervously as he debated on revealing himself.

 

“Whatever you say, Sir.”

 

Actually as much as Loki enjoyed seeing such a relaxed state in their guest, he knew he was curious enough about that voice. He had a fleeting wonder if Stark was communicating to someone else and trying to infiltrate Asgard in some way…. But he quickly dismissed it.

 

When Loki stepped out onto the path in full view, Tony did tense a bit. Loki held his gaze as he strolled closer and Tony swore that Loki took a seat next to him on the bench only to try to make him uncomfortable. (Joke was on him though, Loki would never really make Tony uncomfortable with his presence… that was something that had taken Tony a while to get Loki over about his childhood actually. He figured it was also something he could start to fix even without a romantic interest so he turned his upper body to be more facing the mage and gave a nod.)

 

“Evening, my Prince.”

 

It hadn’t even been said in a tone that Tony had used on his own prince. It wasn’t said with any motive behind it, and certainly nothing sexual in undertone but sitting this close, it was impossible to not see the way Loki’s eyes widened and his pupils expanded.

 

Apparently this little kink was something that was very central to Loki’s personality. Something to think about at least, but he tried to diffuse the situation by tipping his head back to look at the stars. He could see the deep inhale the god took out of the corner of his eye so he figured he could continue in a friendly manner.

 

“What brings your out to the gardens?”

 

“I could ask you the same Stark, I was in need of some peace and quiet and heard voices.”

 

“Oh, yeah, I get that.” He gave a small sigh and let his eyes fall closed for a few moments and tried not to overly focus on the feeling of Loki’s body in the space only inches away from his.

 

“You’ve told us you were alone in your travels to our realm and yet, I hear you conversing with someone in the middle of the night…. Do you care to explain that?”

 

Tony knew that tone of voice. It was silky smooth and held the promise of something he may not like. He knew Loki’s likes, and his hang ups… or at least he thought he knew most of them, so he straightened and paused before raising an eyebrow at the mage and licking his lips.

 

Loki tracked the movement, of course he did. It was a gamble to reveal JARVIS so soon, but Loki had loved the AI, told Tony he was similar to the constructs or ‘familiars’ Loki had created with his seidr once upon a time. (He’d also told him how Odin had seen them as a weakness and forced Loki to destroy them eventually, so he decided to play this as if Tony was nervous to introduce them, at least a little.)

 

“That’s…. JARVIS, say hello?” He let a thread of defiance into his tone as he met Loki’s cautious eye.

 

“Hello Prince Loki. I am pleased to be allowed to make your acquaintance.” Tony almost smiled. His AI had grasped what he was doing and was extrapolating. God, he loved JARVIS and was so happy he’d been able to stop off on his way to this time to steal a copy of him.

 

He watched as the choice of words had the desired effect and Loki frowned immediately and looked down to Tony’s phone before glancing back up to brown eyes, though his next question was directed at the AI.

 

“Hello….Jarvis? If you’d please explain what you mean ‘allowed to’?”

 

“Of course Sir, I am an assistant to Mr. Stark. I was created by him and at one time, I resided inside the walls of his home and vehicles. Now, upon our relocation to Asgard, I reside solely inside his phone or his armor.”

 

Loki’s reactionary pause was nearly the same as the one he took now, before turning widening eyes to Tony and quietly saying in a hushed tone,

 

“He is ...your familiar?” Tony could tell the mage was suitably impressed but also re-evaluating his esteem of Tony as more than only a smith and warrior. Tony was actually enjoying himself a bit. One of his best memories was how Loki had reacted to JARVIS. Loki had always considered the AI a person of his own right instead of a program.

 

“Similar I suppose. On Midgard, he is called an Artificial Intelligence. He was the first ever created with such a capacity for emotion and thought, though I’ve created machines that operated independently of my orders as well…. And he has a baby sister that has potential to be as fantastic as he is in time. She hasn’t had as much world experience as JARVIS though.”

 

He would never tire of ever seeing Loki’s face rapt with wonder or awe. It was there, skirting the edges of his expression, unsure if he should express or hide the emotion and it warmed something that had felt so cold and empty inside his chest.

 

Loki leaned closer and Tony forced himself not to take a deep breath chasing that scent of snow and pine that he knew would be just above Loki’s skin.

 

“In that case, it is likewise, a pleasure to meet you as well Jarvis. Welcome to Asgard.”

 

“Thank you Prince Loki.” Tony couldn’t help the grin he flashed at the mage. He could tell Loki’d made J happy with his acceptance, and he hoped in time he and the god could share the same sort of camaraderie they’d had before.

 

Up this close, it was easy to see how Loki reacted both to JARVIS and to Tony’s expression and nearness. He’d remembered Loki telling him how very few enjoyed his company before. Most had just been going through the motions and using his title because they didn’t want to be punished for not using it. That was shit in Tony’s book, and he knew Loki could tell the difference. He’d had a millennia of practice at court and as Thor’s brother.

 

He knew up close, Loki could tell Tony was honest in his respect for Loki’s title, and his cheerfulness at introducing his AI. It caused Loki to relax just a fraction, but it was still noticeable as they both settled back against the bench.

 

After a few minutes of relatively comfortable star gazing silently, Loki cleared his throat.

 

“Would you two like to accompany Thor and I with the Warriors and Sif on a hunt tomorrow?”

 

Tony blinked and turned to the god but the wariness around those green eyes spoke volumes to him. Loki wanted to reach for perhaps a friendship but he was still unsure. It made Tony smile slowly and nod before he chuckled.

 

“If you aren’t ashamed of having me in the group, sure. I haven’t really ‘hunted’ before, and definitely not from horseback….” The self deprecating tone and laughter at himself had Loki relaxing even further and he smiled back.

 

“Don’t worry about that, usually it’s on Thor to bring our quarry down. I help a bit, but the warriors and Sif are more adapted for a hunt. My daggers don’t exactly endear me to the traditional chase and bludgeoning of a beast.” 

 

Tony observed how Loki’s mouth tensed at that admission and he figured this was a test to see if Tony would react badly to learning Loki’s favored manor of fighting was also his chosen hunting method. It wasn’t exactly orthodox according to all he’d been told. He let himself shrug and continued in his own dig at himself.

 

“Try using a flying armor and energy blasts. I’m sure I have absolutely NO ability with a sword or even a bow…. Well, maybe a bit, but nothing impressive at all. I suppose I’ll just be window dressing and good conversation for the ride?” His eyes shone with humor and he tilted his head at the prince, hoping he was playing this right.

 

“Ah, but using seidr, or your blasts, is fine because you are also a smith and created your armor and weapons with your own hands. That is…. Slightly less dishonourable than using tricks and illusions.”

 

Tony could easily see Loki recoil in on himself a bit. Apparently he hadn’t meant to allow such a comment out, but it was out now, and Tony knew exactly what to do with it.

 

“For a realm so ‘advanced’, no offense my prince, but everything seems so backwards about what is honorable and what is not. Strength of arm isn’t the only strength there is, sometimes, well…. Most of the time, it’s the cunning one that’ll help win the war instead of the battering ram.”

 

He stood up and stretched, avoiding looking at the mage but the quiet felt like a bomb. He was hoping he hadn’t overstepped… but it was one of the sentiments Loki had been overly appreciative of any time Tony had expressed this view. He decided to try to curb any explosive reaction before it happened so he turned back towards Loki and rubbed the back of his neck.

 

“Err… I mean, I just think that…. Well, intelligence counts for more in my book I guess. Umm… Do you still want me to go with you tomorrow?” His question was intentionally subdued. He was hoping Loki wasn’t irritated with his opinion.

 

“.....You are, of course, still invited. I’ll have servants sent to wake you and a travel outfit for you as well.” Loki stood up and clasped both hands behind his back, giving a slight bow of his head and neck before continuing in a likewise softer tone.

 

“I look forward to our hunt tomorrow. Sleep well Stark.”