Chapter Text
p>The air within the Avengers tower hummed with electricity, a mix of high-tech energy and barely contained chaos. Tony stood leaning against his lab desk, twirling a wrench between his fingers. His mind was half full of thoughts about the new arc reactor he’d been designing and half on the infuriatingly smug figure that lay stretched out on his couch.
Loki.
The God of Mishchief reclined as if he owned the place. His leg draped lazily over the other, fingers steepled in amusement. He had appeared, quite literally, out of the blue just over an hour ago (much to the chagrin of everyone involved).
“What’s the matter Stark?” Loki drawled, his voice sounding like silk over steel. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost”.
Tony scoffed. “Please Reindeer Games, I’ve seen weirder. A Norse god appearing in my lab uninvited barely cracks even the top 10”.
A smirk found its way onto Loki’s face and by heavens did Tony wish the others weren’t in the room at that moment.
Speaking of the others, Steve motherfucking Rogers stood in the doorway, his jaw set in an expression that brokered no nonsense. A touch dramatic if you ask Tony. “We should throw him in a cell”. His voice was firm but there was a slight edge of unease beneath it. Steve had dealt with Loki before, he wasnt about to take chances now.
“Agreed”. Nat spoke up from where she was perched on the armrest of a chair, twirling a dagger in her palm. Her gaze was sharp, calculating even. As if she was already picturing the best way to incapacitate the god if needed. Tony turned his eyes to Bruce. The one person he could hope to be on his side (even if the former didn’t know it). But he adjusted the glasses on his face and said nothing. However, Tony could see through his calm demeanor and recognise the wariness that was etched into his eyes. Bruce was no stranger to unpredictability but something about Loki’s presence made him strangely uneasy for reasons he couldnt put into words.
Even Thor, normally unshakeable in his love for his brother, looked uncomfortable. Shifting his weight from foot to foot. His grip was strong and clung to Mjolnir the way it always did when Loki was near, almost like he was bracing for impact.
“Brother”, he said at last. His voice low with warning. “Do not play games with us”.
Loki’s smirk didn’t waver for a second. But Tony could see it. He could always see it. The slight flicker behind the gods eyes, as if there was something going on underneath the surface. “I come with news. A threat greater than your petty mortal squabbles. But if you prefer to keep me locked away then by all means.” His hand gestured, daring any of them to make a move against them.
That’s when Tony noticed that all eyes were on him. Right. This was his tower. His brain scrambled for the right way to play this. He settled on scoffing, “And we’re just supposed to believe you? Forgive me if your track record doesn’t exactly inspire confidence Reindeer Games”.
Loki sighed. Like the burden of being constantly misunderstood was exhausting. And Tony had to admit, he was a damn good actor. “ I have no love for Midgard but what is coming threatens more than just your puny realm. It threatens mine.” Now that earned a moment of interest from Thor. “Explain yourself”.
Loki sat up, his eyes darker all of a sudden and his usual smirk falling away. “There is something stirring in the void. An entity older than the realms themselves. One that feasts on gods and mortals alike”. His gaze flicked across the room, taking in the skepticism. “But of course, if you’d rather wait until it is too late.”
Silence stretched. Again.
Steve sighed, rubbing his temple. “Fine. Say we believe you. What do you want exactly?” Loki’s smirk returned. “Simple. An alliance.”
The room erupted into protest. Betrayal splattered across Thor’s face. Steve livid and Nat's hand on her gun. Tony had had enough. Folding his arms, he looked the god dead in the eyes for the first time since he arrived. “Alright, fine. But if you betray us —”
Loki tilted his head, eyes glittering with mischief. “I Wouldn’t dream of it, Anthony.”
As the others continued their heated discussion, Loki’s gaze stuck to Tony. Just for a moment something unspoken passed between them, as brief as a breath but as significant as a storm on the horizon. Tony didnt react, he didnt let it show. But his grip on the wrench in his hand tightened, just slightly. The gods fingers drummed lightly against his knee, his expression unreadable. But Tony caught it - the soft curl of a smile that wasn’t meant for anyone else in the room.
When Tony turned back to his desk, he did so with the ease of someone who had long since learned how to hide what needed to stay hidden. He could feel the weight of Loki’s gaze lingering, just as he knew it would.
Some secrets were meant to be kept…for now.