The Avengers: Tainted Love

Summary of this Chapter: After reconciling with Loki, Tony plans their escape back to New York. Unfortunately, he doesn’t get the welcome home he expected.



Author’s Note: Good news, everyone! I’m very close to finishing this story and I will post a new chapter EVERY FRIDAY so keep a look out! Also, due to the fact that I literally cannot stop writing, this story will mostly likely end at Chapter 19 with a possible epilogue if requested.



Thanks to my beta, Paradise!



~*~



“I have a little parting gift,” Loki grinned as he reached into his pocket. He took out a blue object the size of a cigarette pack and brushed his fingers over it. Suddenly, simultaneous explosions erupted in the warehouse and like dominoes, the flames spread until they had engulfed half of the base, effectively destroying the contents inside.



Tony grinned before readjusting his hold on Loki and flying away, leaving behind an angry red mass.



~*~



After they had left the incinerated base behind them, Tony felt their momentary truce hit a breaking point. He could feel Loki’s ribs and a momentary desire to crush them fluttered through his mind. Everything for the past few days had been one subsequent action after another, leaving no time for reflection.



Before he could make a regrettable action, he scanned the dense forests for a clearing. As soon as his feet touched the ground, Loki turned around with an inquiring gaze. His eyes landed on the chain Tony produced from his suit.



“I could fly easier if you were attached with this.”



Green eyes slowly moved to regard the chain with contempt before momentarily flicking to look at Tony. He held Tony’s gaze for a moment before wordlessly turning around, his back stiff towards him. Tony’s fists tightened around the chain before he secured it around Loki’s waist.



He hoisted them into the air a little faster than Loki anticipated and part of him enjoyed Loki’s quick intake of breath. As soon as they were in the air, Tony began meditating on the events of the past few weeks. His mind analyzed every interaction he had with Loki in order to gain some clarity. The intense feeling of betrayal still weighed heavy in his heart, but at the same time he wished he could forgive.



The next few hours passed in silence as they continued their flight across Europe. Despite the fact that his suit was doing most of the work, Tony felt fatigue begin to creep into his aching bones and he yearned for some much needed rest. An hour after they had flown over the channel separating England from France, Tony began a slow descent towards the outskirts of a somber looking town.



Gently, he lowered both of them onto the ground before untying the chain around Loki’s waist. He gave a terse command to his suit and it began to break down into a suitcase. He rubbed his shoulders vigorously before stretching, enjoying the feeling of the gentle wind on his skin.



“Are you alright?”



“Just peachy,” Tony snapped as he continued stretching. Loki crossed his arms protectively against his chest. Noticing his reaction, Tony sighed.



“I’m just sore and a little tired. I was thinking we could rest somewhere since it will be another five hours until we finally reach New York.”



“Lead the way.”



Tony bent to pick up the suit case, wincing at the weight. They began walking towards the town in silence with Tony staring forward, ignoring the glances Loki kept throwing his way.



“Do you need help?”



“Nope, just fine,” he stubbornly readjusted his grip on the suitcase.



To his side he could hear a heavy sigh before Loki darted in front of him, his hand clasping around the handle to the heavy case.



“Don’t be so stubborn.”



Loki matched Tony’s glare before he pulled the suitcase away from him. Instead of thanking him, Tony placed his hands firmly in his pockets before brushing past Loki towards the dirt path leading to the village. When they drew closer, Tony noted the ancient stone walls at the brim of the village and his eyes scanned the houses – some of them looked like they belonged in an entirely different century.



A shout drew their attention and they spotted a few locals having a brawl outside of what was most likely a pub. A few spectators created a circle around the men as they continued drinking and watching the entertaining fight. Loki glanced at him and nodded towards the pub. In answer, Tony shrugged before the two continued walking.



Their presence, if noticed, was largely ignored. Inside, the patrons crowded around the various televisions sets – their eyes glued to the soccer game. A quick scan of the pub revealed a door in the back. As soon as they slid past everyone else an entered through the back room, Tony sighed with relief. With the exception of two men quietly talking and smoking cigars, the room held no other occupants.



They seated themselves on the far side, near the bookshelves embedded in the walls. Tony threw himself onto the couch, his body instantly molding to the aged cushions as Loki took a seat in the armchair across from him, placing the suitcase to the side.



A waitress walked by the room and after spotting the new inhabitants, briskly walked up to them.



“Good evening, gentlemen. What can I help you with today?”



Tony smiled at the beaming girl as her eyes excitedly darted between them. Her cheerful demeanor seemed to lift his mood.



“Two of whatever food you can make the fastest and two beers of your choice,” Tony winked, enjoying the giggle the girl gave him before she walked away.

Loki snorted as he turned his gaze towards the bookshelf. Tony grinned as he remembered a certain possessive person gripping him tightly as they danced around in the shining lights of Carnivale.



He stole a glance at Loki who merely looked bored as his eyes scanned the various titles of books that probably haven’t been touched in years. Tony began fidgeting with the aged sofa cushion, trying to see if he could curl the fabric under his nails – a strange habit, but one that always seemed to calm him. Across from them, the two men continued to speak in low tones, not even acknowledging the presence of the room’s new occupants.



Curious, Tony tried to shift himself closer so that he could eavesdrop on the conversation. He wondered what they could possibly be talking about that would make them completely oblivious to the raucous shouts of the patrons outside. After straining his ears, Tony still could not hear a word and relaxed against the couch in defeat, choosing to observe the room instead.



Deep shades of scarlet, accented with mahogany wood furnishings, gave the room a somber tone. A brass clock standing in the corner of the room caught his eye as its hands screeched. Loki stood from the armchair which groaned from the loss of its occupant. He ran his fingers over the books, stopping to rub the dust from his fingers before choosing one at random, leafing through the contents. Tony began drumming his fingers on the arm of the couch in irritation as Loki chose to admire the books rather than speak to him.



“Here you are!”



The chipper voice broke the silence in the room and Tony smiled back at the girl who was balancing two plates in one hand and two beers in the other. She set down the plates on the table before opening the beer bottles and reaching into her apron to take out some silverware.



“Wow. If only I was that graceful.”



“It’s nothing really,” the waitress blushed as she smoothed out the folds in her apron. “Do you need anything else?”



“Probably a bottle of scotch and here,” Tony rummaged around his pockets before handing the credit card to her. “Just bring the bill with the scotch.”



“Of course!”



With a quick curtsy the girl bounced out of the room. Taking the silverware, Tony eagerly dug into the Sheppard’s pie, eating it like it was his last meal and not even caring if the scalding potatoes burned his tongue. The smell had obviously drifted towards Loki and Tony thought he heard his stomach rumble. Without another word, Loki sat down across from Tony and began eating, taking a sip from the beer now and then.



As if on cue, the girl returned with the bill. Both men continued to eat in silence, keeping their eyes fixed on their plates. After he was done, Tony pushed the plate from him and grabbed the bill, making sure to leave a lavish tip. He smiled when his eyes glanced at the bottle of scotch and he opened it eagerly, pouring himself a glass.



He brought his nose towards the glass to inhale the intoxicating fume of the amber liquid and drank it in one gulp, relishing its burn on its journey to his weeping liver.



“Are we gonna talk or what?”



Loki lifted an eyebrow at the tacky question before staring at Tony with a bored expression. With a sigh he reached towards the bottle of scotch which Tony slid away from him.



“My scotch.”



“Childish,” Loki sneered as he moved back to recline in his chair.



“Better than being a two-faced asshole.”



Loki rolled his eyes before tilting his head back. Tony began to tap his foot irritably, resisting the urge to shout.



“You know – I’m still pissed at you. You could at least –”



“What? Apologize?”



“That would be a nice start.”



Tony stared back at his glass, itching to splash it into Loki’s face to at least get some type of reaction.



“Don’t you dare.”



Tony met the glare before grinning when a different idea came into his head. He sat upright as he crossed his legs, sticking out his pinky from his scotch glass and turning his nose up, giving Loki a sideways glance.



“Such antics do not amount to a man. You think I am a knave? I was mealy pointing out that the tartness of your face sours grapes,” he dramatically moved a lock of his hair from his eyes, enjoying the look of shock cross Loki’s features.



“I do desire that we were better strangers. You are not worth another word, thou vicious, ungentle villain,” Tony casually sipped his drink, trying hard not to laugh and spoil the illusion.



“Bravo!”



The jarring exclamation from the other side of the room caused Tony to turn and look at the two men, who were clapping for him.



“It’s good to see a young man of such schooling and Shakespeare – no less!”



“I thank thee,” Tony gestured towards them with his glass. The three shared a laugh before the two men returned to their serious conversation.

“Impressive,” Loki finally smiled.



“Can we talk . . . please?” Tony nervously shifted his grip around his glass as if its surface was covered with soap.



A brief nod was all Tony needed. He sighed as he placed the glass softly on the table, rubbing his clammy hands on his pants.



“If . . . if you laugh, I will throw my glass at you.”



Loki propped his arm onto the armchair, relaxing his head against the fist



“If feels unnatural when we’re on opposite sides, you know? I don’t like it. I get it. You’re supposed to be the bad guy and everyone else sees you that way but I . . . can’t.”



Tony ran an anxious hand through his hair, keeping his eyes fixed on the ground as he spoke. He had no idea if Loki felt the same way, but hoped he might at least understand where he was coming from. A queasy feeling began to build up in the pit of his stomach despite the fact that he had eaten a fulfilling meal. His fingers linked and unlinked as he continued speaking.



“I don’t know what I’m asking, but I do know that our time together has meant something to me,” he paused to take a deep breath, feeling like an exposed nerve. He might as well have been sitting naked.



“I guess . . . what I’m saying is . . . no matter what happens from now on, we have to at least trust each other.”



His rambling made him feel stupid and he reached for his liquid confidence, only to be interrupted by a warm hand wrapping itself around his. Slowly, he moved his eyes to look at Loki’s. Instead of scorn, he found warmth. Loki released his hand briefly to move to sit next to him on the couch. After relaxing against the cushions, he brought his arm to wrap itself around Tony’s shoulders and brought the man to lie on his chest. Tony breathed a sigh of relief as he nuzzled into the familiar leather shoulder.



Cupping his face with one hand, Loki brought their lips together in a slow kiss. Fatigue finally caught up with Tony as he broke the kiss to lie back down on Loki’s chest. The last thing he remembered was a comforting arm bringing him close before the noise from the outside room died into a murmur.



~*~



With a yawn, Tony shifted before slowly opening his eyes. His head was in Loki’s lap and the rest of his body stretched the full length of the couch. Loki moved his book so that he could look down at Tony.



“Morning.”



“Mmm,” Tony answered as he shifted to his side. His eyes fell on the brass clock in front of them – 4 am the hands screeched.



“I managed to order some food before the kitchen closed.”



Tony smiled as he felt his stomach rumble. The waitress from earlier waltzed in with plates and a steaming pot of coffee. She gave Tony a wink before leaving the room and he wondered if Loki said anything to her. They ate their breakfast side by side and Tony was surprised how natural it felt.



They talked casually about the summers Loki spent in Asgard and Tony was genuinely surprised that Loki spoke warmly of his brother and the antics they got into. After they had finished eating, they left the tavern which only held a few dedicated drunks.



For an hour they had walked in companionable silence until they reached the outskirts of the village towards their initial landing spot. Loki placed the suitcase on the ground and waited for the transformation. Instead, Tony stood across from him and chewed his lip in thought. After a few more moments, he pulled out his necklace from which dangled a black metallic object in the shape of a key.



Loki eyed him with curiosity as Tony walked up to him. Before Tony could bring the key to the collar, Loki wrapped his hand around his wrist.



“What is the meaning of this?”



“I don’t think this is necessary,” Tony nodded towards the collar. After staring at him for a few moments, Loki placed the key back into the confines of Tony’s shirt.



“There will always be time for that. Our mission at the moment is to return to New York and then we will see.”



“But –”



Loki cut off Tony’s words by placing a finger to his lips.



“There is no point in releasing me. I’m sure Thor would find me and right now we have a bigger threat to worry about.”



Even though Loki’s reaction puzzled him, Tony nodded in agreement before he commanded his suit to assemble. After the armor was securely in place, he picked Loki up in his arms. The god looked at him in surprise.



“I could fly easier if I held you,” he grinned. Loki wrapped his arms securely around Tony’s neck with a smile before the suit’s boosters flared to life.



~*~



After hours of staring at the endless blue of the Atlantic, a small green figure came into view. Even without the superior vision of Tony’s suit, Loki spotted it as well. Slowly he began to move his legs downward as he grabbed the place on Tony’s suit where the chain was. Tony glanced at him in confusion before it hit him.



S.H.I.E.L.D. saw Loki as an enemy and there were bound to be a few raised eyebrows if he flew into New York carrying Loki like his bride rather than his enemy. With one hand around Loki’s hips, Tony withdrew the chain and attached it to Loki before lowering him down, watching him swing sporadically due to his speed.



When he reached the base, he hovered in the air; his eyes searching for Fury. As soon as he spotted him, he began a slow descent. While he was preoccupied with untying the chain from Loki, a group of agents had gathered around him. Once Loki was freed, they grabbed him. On instinct Tony almost blasted them away before Fury walked into his line of vision.



“What is this?!”



“Take him away.”



With a nod towards their leader, the agents clasped handcuffs on Loki before hauling him away. Before Tony could take a step towards the captive, Fury circled to stand in front of him.



“They’re not going to harm him. We need to talk. Take off your suit and come see me in my office.”



Hands clasped behind his back, Fury spun on his heel and walked away.



~*~



Steel blue eyes opened abruptly as Natasha moved off the wall she was leaning against and began scanning the room. She had only closed them briefly for a small cat nap but years of experience had made her body sensitive to any changes in the atmosphere.



A few feet in front of her, Bruce continued tinkering with his technological toys and remained completely oblivious to his surroundings. Her eyes darted to the window facing the hallway of the room just in time to see Loki being escorted by a sizeable amount of armed guards. His wrists were chained together as he calmly walked in the middle of his captors.



As he passed the window he turned to look at her and their eyes met briefly. After giving her a curt nod in greeting he moved his emotionless eyes to stare in front of him. Her brow furrowed in confusion.



~*~



As soon as the guards had roughly shoved him into his glass cage, Loki sensed his brother.

Even though he knew exactly where Thor stood, he made no motion to acknowledge him. Instead he turned to take in his surroundings.



The room was circular, accented by four evenly spaced pillars and metal bars going around the girth. He didn’t need to touch the glass to know that the pillars most likely held an electrical charge that traveled around the glass – a minor precautionary measure just in case he broke the glass to escape.

The room was sparsely furnished with a simple bed with white sheets; on the one side stood a desk and chair. Casually, he began taking off his heavy coat, draping it over the chair before removing his gauntlets.



The guards had kindly removed his chains and he rubbed his sore wrists. He felt lighter now that he was only dressed in his long sleeved shirt and leather pants. Although he would have liked to take off his boots, he saw that no other clothing had been provided and the Prince of Asgard wasn’t about to walk around barefoot.



The notepad and pens on the desk caught his eye and he grinned in amusement. Did they expect him to write poetry?



“Brother.”



With a bored expression on his face, Loki turned to face Thor who stood as close to the glass as possible.



“Who should I thank for my five-star accommodations?”



Thor knotted his eyebrows at the remark, keeping his arms crossed and his eyes fixed on his brother.



“I wanted to thank you for rescuing me and my comrades.”



Loki sneered before he turned around, choosing to observe the room surrounding his own. Even though his prison was brightly lit, the surrounding room contained many shadows among its grey walls. Grating, in the form of walkways, reached to touch his cage. A glance below showed nothing but darkness, leading him to the conclusion that the glass room was suspended in the air. Most likely, the room was in an infrastructure that could take to the sky and should the need arise – the cage could be dropped in mid-air.



“I can tell by this magnificent jail cell that your leader feels the same way.”



“I’m sure he is grateful but your past actions cannot be forgotten.”



When Loki didn’t answer him, Thor walked around the glass until he was in front of his brother. Loki finally moved his eyes to meet Thor’s. Instead of the expected rage or even disappointment, he was surprised to see concern.



“Loki . . . this can be changed.”



“How? Am I supposed to repent? Join your organization?”



“I’m sure something could be arranged since you have no plans for another attack.”



“And how do you know that, Thor? Maybe I am planning another attack,” Loki growled as he crossed his arms. His words seemed to take Thor by surprise and the concern in Thor’s eyes now changed to full-blown worry.

“Brother, please –” The desperation in Thor’s voice only served to anger Loki further.



“Please what, Thor? Change? I hope you don’t truly expect that I will suddenly become like you and join your little troupe of heroes.”



“But Loki –”



“But nothing!” Loki shouted in exasperation as he moved to the other side of the room and lay on his bed, closing his eyes.



“This conversation is over.”



Even with his eyes closed, Loki could feel Thor’s penetrating stare before he softly padded away from the room.



~*~



In a fit of rage, Tony decided to fly back to his home. H saw no reason he should visit Fury without at least taking a decent shower. On the way home, he instructed Jarvis to exponentially increase the radius of Loki’s collar. Now that S.H.I.E.L.D. had caged Loki, Tony didn’t think the god would appreciate another inconvenience.



As soon as he landed in his underground alcove, Jarvis informed him that Pepper was at the office which calmed him down since he could not deal with another person telling him what to do or fussing around him. After disengaging from his suit, he bolted up the stairs as he peeled his clothes off and left them callously on the floor.



Tony wasted no time and immediately jumped into the shower, enjoying the scalding water on his skin as it washed away a layer of grime and dirt. Closing his eyes, Tony let the water run through his hair and down his body. After a few moments, he began to properly wash himself.



He didn’t know how long had passed but when the room filled with steam he found it hard to breathe and decided to end his shower. In all his naked glory, Tony strutted over to his closet and rummaged through its contents, finally settling on a pair of black slacks and a red long-sleeved shirt. After towel drying his hair, he decided to take his time shaving.



After he was done grooming, he walked back to his lair and glanced at his stable of cars before choosing a silver Aston Martin. Obediently, Jarvis opened the garage door and as soon as the key was in the ignition, Tony stamped on the pedal and screeched his way towards S.H.I.E.L.D.’s headquarters, easily driving double any legal speed limit.



~*~



“Have you seen Stark?” Fury barked at the intern who tentatively entered his office.



“I saw him take to the sky. I assume he’s gone home. Shall I have someone retrieve him?”



“No need. He’ll be back.”

Fury continued to aimlessly shuffle through the papers on his desk for lack of something better to do. With a nod, the intern exited. A few more quiet moments had passed before Fury heard fierce stomping echoing through the hall outside. He sat down in his chair, making a steeple with his fingers as he waited. He door was abruptly kicked open, slamming into the wall and creating a dent.



“That was not necessary.”



“No, that,” Tony pointed outside to where Loki had been apprehended, “was not necessary!”



“He is an enemy – or have you forgotten?”



“He is the reason everyone else is still alive.”



“He is also the one who sent them away.”



Fury got to his feet and held up a hand to stop Tony’s retort.



“We could go back and forth all day, but that would just waste time. We need to make plans so I will catch you up to speed. Through Natasha I have gathered information that the Red Country is working with Loki’s ally. Steve has also informed me that Hydra is doing the same. We do not know who Loki’s ally is, but we do know that he intends to stage another attack.”



“They’re not working together,” Tony gritted through his teeth.



“My man on the inside has informed me of this as well.”



“If you know that then why are you holding Loki prisoner?”



“Just because he’s had a falling out with his ally does not suddenly make him innocent or take away his part in the invasion that happened a few weeks ago – or has that fact escaped your memory?”



Silence filled the room as Tony continued to breathe through his nose like dragon ready to set the world on fire. He clenched and unclenched his fists, debating whether or not he should beat Fury into a pulp.



“Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk about,” Fury spoke softly as he moved away from his desk.



The man’s sudden change of tone caught Tony’s attention.



“When we were being attacked, you were noticeably absent.”



The attack had been so long ago that Tony had to go back into his memories to remember what happened.



. . . A green chain appeared and twisted his wrists together before pulling him up a wall . . .Loki bent down and caught Tony’s mouth in a kiss . . . he had no thoughts as his legs wrapped around Loki’s hips . . .



Oh . . . that.

“The last time Thor and Steve had seen you, you were flying towards the Alien mothership before crashing into a building.” Fury took another step forward as he continued speaking. Tony struggled to retain his composure as his mind disobediently wandered back to the events of that day.



. . . Loki moved one hand to cup Tony’s face gently as he cooed, “Shhh, stop resisting. Enjoy” . . . a bite to his neck as Loki’s fingers invaded him . . . no resistance as his body submitted . . .



“MORE!” Tony breathed.



. . .shoved against the wall, Tony conceded to Loki’s assault on his body. . . rough cement scratched at his back . . . one hand clawed and dug its nails into the back of his aggressor; the other grabbed a handful of black hair . . . a clash of tongues and teeth . . . blood ran down and dripped off his body, but he couldn’t feel anything except the warm body of his attacker . . .



“Loki!”



“Stark?”



His foggy mind aborted the image as he turned his head to meet Fury’s calculating gaze. In a brief moment of panic, Tony wondered if Fury could read his mind. He felt a strain in his pants and hoped Fury would not look down. Instead, Fury continued to hold Tony’ gaze with a desperate intensity as his eye darted back and forth between Tony’s pupils as if seeking out his answer.



“I feared as much,” Fury sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.



“What are you talking about?” Tony could hear the edge in his own voice.



“Your notable absence, the interesting fact that Loki didn’t make you disappear and your protectiveness of him makes me question a few things.”



“Like what?” Tony folded his arms.



“I don’t have time to play games. What is your relationship with Loki?”



The man who could lie for weeks to his closest advisor about his arc reactor killing him, who could lie to his own best friend who could make the press turn to butter with his words, now stood before one man, inwardly shaking like a leaf as his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.



“For the weeks we were together he was my ally.”



“That may be true but I have a feeling there’s something else you’re not telling me.”



“Like what?” Tony snapped as he crossed his arms protectively against his chest.



Fury sighed as he moved to stand directly in front of him.



“I have always been a blunt person, Tony. I don’t enjoy dancing around facts so I’m just going to ask you – are you in a relationship with him?”

Tony’s brain short-circuited. He began pacing back and forth, uttering nothing more than shocked gasps with each step.



“Are you serious right now?! Are you actually asking me,” Tony jutted out his chest as he stopped his pacing to gaze at Fury with widened eyes. “The Tony Stark, infamous playboy billionaire, if I’m in a relationship with – with Loki?! Another man – an alien – someone who tried to rip me in half – someone –”



“Just answer the question, Stark.”



Of all the people to ask him about his sex life, Fury was the last on his list. His mind reeled with ridiculous scenarios that would be more likely to happen. Next, Natasha would ask him which outfit to wear with which murder weapon – and if it made his ass look big. Then Steve would beg him to take him to a Red Light district to see a she-male. Right before Thor would ask tips on how to better crochet his quilt while Clint would quit S.H.I.E.L.D. and become an avid stalker of Bigfoot. To top it off, Bruce would pack up his things in a horse drawn carriage and declare that he was now Amish.



“We’re not having this conversation! It’s completely irrelevant!”



“On the contrary – it’s very relevant. It is not in my nature to pry into the personal lives of my agents unless they directly jeopardize our goal.”



A jolt of anger ran through Tony causing his skin to burn from indignation.



“You seem to already have your answer,” Tony answered through gritted teeth.



The other man stayed silent and his unrelenting gaze began grating on Tony’s nerves and he felt himself reach a snapping point.



“We fucked – happy!?”



In all the years Tony had known Fury, he never saw the man just stand there. He always had a snide remark or an order to bark. Instead, Tony’s words had completely immobilized Fury. To be honest, Tony found his reaction both amusing and unnerving.



“You . . . you had . . .,” Fury shook his head as if he could clear his mind from such knowledge. He turned away from Tony to gaze out the window.



“We will talk about the consequences later. That is all.”



Tony huffed in anger before storming out.