Chapter Text
Dormammu absently monitored Stephen and Tony as he argued with Tao yet again. He was amused by how angry she was that he had blocked their pathway out of his domain. He already knew that Tony had figured it out and that between the boys and Loki they had a possible escape route out of his control. They wouldn't get very far if it was the method he suspected but their combined confidence and playfulness with each other was very telling.
Dormammu looked forwards to seeing what they had come up with. He also planned to get them checked for health reasons and test Loki's connection to the boys. They were already treating him like a mischievous, potentially annoying, sibling. Dormammu was curious what the three of them planned to do about all of this.
Dormammu watched closely as Stephen calmly, too calmly moved to stand between said Dark Lord and his bonded husband before meeting Dormammu's gaze. The lack of concern yet subtle show of strong protectiveness caused the Dark Lord to pause on his general assessment and study his chosen heir more closely. It didn't take him long to read what message Stephen was confidently projecting specifically to Dormammu. The Dark Lord considered it for a moment and then slowly nodded his agreement and understanding. Stephen inclined his head briefly right back before returning the doctor's own attention to his husband and the trickster teasing each other.
"What just passed between the two of you?" Tao asked quietly, eyes sharp and attentive.
"Stephen doesn't mind the stop over here but they will force me to return them if it becomes necessary," Dormammu answered with a shrug. "I have learned enough about humans in general now to better understand the context fighting him in the time loop gave me for Stephen in particular. If I want them to actually stay it will have to be after dealing with this existential threat, the Mad Titan, and by their own willing choice. If I try to force it they will both do their best to make it not work in any way shape or form and wreck everything they can reach in the process. I can still force the issue if I decide that I am willing to deal with their upset for several centuries or until I train it out of them somehow. Not impossible but time consuming and potentially destructive to them in undesirable ways."
"Perhaps it is time to have them weigh in on what we did in their defense and on what to do with the rest of the survivors," Tao mused. "They will not be best pleased with our actions but it would be a reason not to let them return to Earth just yet. If nothing else it will distract them while we cover our trail and see them physically healed."
"The prisoners? Yes, perhaps that is a better reason for delaying their return. We did threaten to enslave some of them to one or both of them," Dormammu mused thoughtfully. "The Soldier... Well, he was a long shot in the first place and they claimed him already. I don't know that we have managed to teach the others to be properly careful with our boys yet but that isn't necessary for upsetting them and getting them to weigh in on the survivors."
"We didn't exactly hide from them the only way we might accept their survival," Tao pointed out. Even as she spoke the mention of Fury, Shield, and Hydra had Tony, Stephen, and Loki immediately turning towards them in intense interest.
"What did you do?" Stephen demanded as they stalked towards the pair. "What prisoners?!"
"Enemies," Dormammu reminded them. "The only reason I paid Hydra and Shield any mind is that they harmed Tony and had you both on Kill Lists. Did you think those presented to you both were the only ones we captured?"
This tidbit had all three men pause in their approach as they considered the new information.
"That's not all you did," Tony said perceptively.
"Of course not," Tao agreed calmly. "However, you are now here so we can show you what we have been doing with a number of your enemies. You didn't honestly think that we would leave them alone after you warned us? Or that we would do nothing while you were training at Kamar-Taj? Or have you forgotten your lesson on dealing with traitors and enemies so easily? We didn't inform you of all that we accomplished with those we captured after all."
Tony and Stephen both muttered curses but their body language shifted from ready to act towards more resignation and a certain amount of acceptance. Loki's body language, on the other hand, shifted towards understanding and relaxed but ready. He clearly was more familiar with people who might act in his defense in some way than the two geniuses were and it showed.
"They've already adopted the trickster," Dormammu observed.
Tony and Stephen refused to respond to the looks sent their way at that particular comment.
"Of course they have," Tao agreed in amusement. "You saw how protective they were of their enemies we allowed them to rescue during the leadership test. At least the soldiers made the choice without needing to be forced in truth despite the surface threat. Rhodes was particularly aggressive in making sure those sworn to or bound to Stephen and Tony were taken care of while we searched. Barnes and Barton might have even been helpful in this rescue if we hadn't decided everyone needed to be able to cast hostile environment survival spells. Their claim on Loki Skywalker was not so unexpected even if it is yet unspoken."
Before anything else could happen Loki doubled over with a sharp groan. Tony and Stephen immediately turned to him, trying to help.
"Hela is trying to get out," Loki gasped. "I'm still somewhat connected to the barrier on her prison. She is absolutely furious that you are both gone."
"Shit," Tony cursed.
"Let it go," Stephen advised softly. "We can do nothing except return and none of you will allow us to do so."
"I will have to warn Asgard," Loki said grimly but relaxed as he visibly released the connection.
"Do we need to hold you captive until you recover or can we proceed with the distraction for that same effect?" Dormammu asked, amused.
Tony and Stephen exchanged exasperated looks, discussing it with their eyes.
"Distraction is probably better," Tony admitted with a grumble. "Stephen, I probably need you to purge my blood again soon."
"We have to get that alternate element made and swapped in," Stephen said, fussing over Tony after making sure Loki really was fine. "The palladium poisoning is taking too much from you."
"Poisoning?!" Loki demanded sharply.
"We didn't have much choice," Tony reminded Stephen, ignoring everyone else.
"I know, I know, I know!" Stephen scowled. "It kept you alive while they had us but even the ghosts Hela dragged in to check us agreed this has to be dealt with. No one has seen what you can do as Iron Man yet. No one on Earth would believe that creating that replacement element is actually necessary for your health. Even getting Dr. Wu to help with the surgery on an emergency basis to remove the shrapnel won't be fast enough for my peace of mind. Nevermind the need for sterile operating room and a proper team on top of studying any scans we can get for months before trying to minimize the risk to your life."
"I know the metal is too close to my heart, Stephen," Tony reminded the fussing man with grim amusement.
"You were humoring me when you allowed..." Stephen realized horrified at what Tony had let Stephen push him into.
"Yeah," Tony agreed softly.
"Was this an issue before?" Loki demanded.
"One that got fixed," Tony corrected. "While your brother was running around New Mexico I was forced to work through the mental effects from the heavy metal poisoning while Shield agents stood over me threatening to basically kill me if I didn't fix myself. That was also after I was injected with something against my explicit refusal. I don't actually know for sure what they gave me despite what they claimed it was but it pushed back the effects of the poisoning for a bit."
"I still think we should force Fury to understand what he risked with that stunt," Stephen groused. "Saving him from Dormammu and getting him as a personal Master Spy is no good if we can't trust him, slave binding or no."
"He knew and he got an explicit crash course later when someone insisted on recreating the events with someone other than me. That Hydra experiment failed miserably," Tony confessed. "I'll let you make him learn about it now and everything that could have gone wrong but he was the Director not one of the scientists or doctors involved in the research. I knew about being on one of their watchlists. I knew they considered me a threat if I wasn't going to be an asset and even a bit then. Between that and their manipulation claiming I needed a leash I let them too close and I let them twist me."
"This is why we returned to Kamar-Taj instead of Stark Industries and your place in Malibu," Stephen grumbled, holding Tony tightly in his arms. "At least at Kamar-Taj you weren't considered a threat to the planet just by being yourself."
"Perhaps we should reconsider the Hydra survivors," Tao said thoughtfully. "We didn't exactly bother collecting many of them beyond those who were also of Shield."
"I'm starting to think they would honestly recover better at Kamar-Taj rather than forcing them to recover here," Dormammu admitted grumpily.
"We can always return here when there are fewer obligations and duties back on Earth," Tao pointed out serenely.
Dormammu thought about that for a bit before sighing and opening the way back to Kamar-Taj. Tony and Stephen were in their own bed together not long afterwards.
~~~
Loki moodily stalked back and forth in front of... his family. Frigga had recognized something that Thor was blind to. Loki cared about the two humans he had helped to rescue, unduly so.
Kamar-Taj was acting as a refuge for them from Odin but they could very easily be turned away. They had no ties there except for the two humans and Loki's memories of things that had yet to happen. The only people who knew the true depth of that were Tony, Stephen, and Loki himself.
"Loki Skywalker," the Ancient One addressed him as she approached with the human form Dormammu. "I would have words with you."
"Of what purpose, Sorceress?" Loki asked grumpily.
"You haven't been brought up to date on the status of those you helped retrieve," Dormammu pointed out with malicious curiosity.
The specific brand of interest drew Loki up short as he gave the conversation his full attention.
"What have they done now, I wonder?" Loki retorted lightly. "They can't have gotten into much trouble while I was making my way here only to find them gone and myself drafted into their rescue party."
"Then you don't know them at all," Wong complained grumpily as he arrived a bit late to hand something off to the Ancient One.
Loki recognized the artifact and tensed until she put the trinket away inside her robes. His eyes rose to meet hers as they studied him. The recognition passed between them and faded away without comment.
"Both Stephen and Tony have allowed a limited number of their memories of the other timeline to be viewed as a projection. This has fostered a certain amount of understanding but also raised some questions with your presence at Kamar-Taj. We have a few questions that we would like answered as a result before Tony or Stephen get into more trouble that they need to be rescued from," the Ancient One said pointedly.
"We will be happy to entertain the questions with all due seriousness if you are willing to accept that some things are not safe to share," Frigga said sharply.
"Agreed," the Ancient One said simply. "If you would accompany us? I believe that we should gather some refreshments before our talk."
"Happily," Frigga agreed for the small family of three.
~~~