The breathless fall

Chapter 5

Heart of ice, Heart of fire.

Loki was running in blind panic. He knew the Frost giants were far behind him, but all he cared about was putting as much distance between them as he could. He stumbled over the rough terrain only to climb up and run again. He jumped recklessly over fissures in the sheets of ice, and dove through sharp corners of crossed icicles. He was running like a stag before a great fire, running faster than he thought possible. They would not catch him, never again! He runs on and on until his recklessness catches up with him. He's caught in a dead end; high walls of ruins and ice block his path. He darts about like a panicked animal and can hear footsteps running closer to him. He jerks around, ready to rip and tear and claw his way through the pursuer... When he sees Tony, hands up and walking slowly towards him.

"Easy big guy." He pants, exhausted from the chase. "There's nobody following us, I promise." He watches Stark take a few steps towards him. "I got them all. Just take it nice and slow, ok?" Loki allows stark to step closer, ever watchful of his movements.

"How? How to you know you got them all?" his anger and fear is so great that he nearly chokes on the words getting them out.

"They fell through the ice, I saw it." Stark is very close now, too close for Loki's comfort.

"Good." He hisses. "They all deserve to die. Vile. Wretched. Monsters." He punctuates each word by repeatedly stabbing the point of his spear in the ice.

Stark closes his hand over Loki's spear, stopping his movements. "I saw your face Loki, back when I fell. It was the same face I had when... when they were drowning me in the cave." Tony's eyes lock onto his, and Loki can see his pain, his frustration and anxiety played out in his eyes. "What happened to you here?" he whispers.

"No." Loki barks, his voice like steel. "I will not play this game with you Stark. You say these things to earn my trust but you will use me like all the others. If I had no use of you, I would have left you to die!" Loki seethes, directing his anger solely at Stark. He should have said nothing, just turned and walked past, but his emotions are boiling over, and he vents them in the only way he's ever been able to do. By pushing people away. Distance and solitude are the only companions he has ever needed. Even among his so-called family and piers he has always watched from the shadows. And when his "father" told him he was merely a means to an end, that he understood that everything in his past was a lie. He was no son of Odin, just another stolen relic, an unknowing puppet in the hands of others, dancing to a broken song of hate and pity.

How, How has this man gotten under his skin? To call forth emotions long since buried, to bring them out from him and expose them to the world. Loki looks to Stark for an answer, anything and is taken back at what he sees. Stark –Tony is holding his gaze, his brown eyes are glassy with unshed tears.

"I may be nothing more than a temporary bodyguard to you, but do not think for one moment that I know nothing of fear and pain. Whatever happened to you here, whatever they did, you DO NOT go running off like a coward. YOU GET UP and FIGHT, and you don't stop fighting until every single one of them is dead. Do you UNDERSTAND?!" Tony begins to sob "People died because I wasn't strong enough, wasn't fast enough. But after, I knew I shouldn't have been alive, not unless there was a reason. And the same goes for you!" Tony hangs his head. "You're still alive, make it for a reason."

"I.. I'm..." Loki's at a loss.

"Let's just go." he drops his hands from Loki's shoulders. "Come on Loki." Tony says extending his hand. Loki hesitates for a moment, his heart racing. And quickly grasps Tony's hand in his own before he can think any more.

"Alright Tony." He sighs, and lets Tony lead him out of the dead end he ran himself into.

Loki steps lightly on thin slivers of ice sheet, trying to spread his weight evenly. Stark Is in front of him, insisting he take the lead because if the ice can handle his weight, it will be fine for him. He hasn't said much to him in the hours since he was cornered, but perhaps that is for the best. He's just not sure what to say next. As he clears one particularly thin piece he takes a moment to study the man in front of him. Stark walks with purpose, even in this alien land he seems comfortable, and confident in his step. Every so often he pauses gazing at the architecture and ruins around him. Always thinking, always trying to make the world fit to his designs. There is intensity in this man, a burning fire in his heart, and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. This man, Anthony, is a god among his own kind. Tony turns around and smiles back at him.

"Daydreaming?" he asks quietly.

Loki steps beside him. "I'm sorry I was lost in thought, Stark."

"Whelp, I've got some good news." Stark says, only slightly out of breath.

Loki raises his eyebrow in questioning. "Oh? And what have you found?"

"Look!" Stark grins and thumps the ground with his foot. "Solid ground again."

"Thank the stars for that." He sighs.

"Good thing too, I was getting tired of ice skating. Now it's on to the Freestyle cross-country portion of our Olympic games. Bonus points for not falling on your face."

"I suspect I am winning then."Loki laughs softly, surprised even to himself that he is joining in banter with Stark.

"Hey, the first two don't count. I fell on my butt, not my face." Stark pouts with an air of mock indignity.

"Yes you did."Loki chuckles.

It is... nice to talk of these little things, Instead of what happened earlier. Loki is glad that Stark doesn't bring the day's events back. He is still anxious and worried, but he chooses to let it fade into the back of his mind. For now he continues to follow the Iron Man's lead. Perhaps it is not so bad after all to have him in his company.

"So how much farther anyways?" Stark asks, his hands on his hips.

Loki flips through his memory. "A while yet I'm afraid. We must travel farther into the ruins, our goal is a tunnel hidden deep beneath the surface. We should be able to get there through the large opening in the ice, do you see it?" He points to the entrance of the cathedral of ice and he can see Stark follow his gaze.

"Gahhh.." Stark moans in exasperation. "Too far away, and I hate walking in this snow . Hey, what about that? Why can't we go through the big building sunk over there?"

Loki's breath hitches and he see's Stark's expression change to concern."Or not. The long way around is good."

Loki starts walking forward, His boots crunching on the thin layer of ice atop the snow. "Yes the long way around is better, and we are less likely to run into any more... surprises that way."

Stark keeps his pace and moves closer so that they can converse quietly. "So how many times have you escaped from here before?" he asks.

"I did not escape." Is all he trusts himself to say.

Stark looks at him questioning, but unwilling to prod much farther. "Well how did you end up on earth then? I've talked with Thor you know, and he says the last time he saw you was when you fell off the Bifrost."

Yes. He fell. He fell from his father's graces and fell from his brothers arms. Loki saw in Odin's eye, a bitter disappointment, one that could never be reconciled no matter what he did. He would always be the lesser, the second, and now unworthy even of his fathers pathetic lie of love, He fell. Loki struggled with his thoughts his ambitions, what had he done wrong? Why? Why could no one see what he tried to do? So he let go, of everything, devoid of hope, full of loss, and fell into despair and chaos.

Loki cuts a dark look at stark. "I did not fall."

"Alright." Stark says taken off guard. "I was just trying to figure out another way out of here. It's good to have a plan B."

Loki continues to walk on, his attention solely focused on the road ahead. The path is easier now, just stepping through the snow. The occasional gap forces him to walk along side it until they are able to cross, but it is usually a shot detour. Loki feels something cold on his nose and looks up to the sky. The stars are gone, and in their place is a dark grey cloud that stretches from horizon to horizon. It begins to snow softly, dusting his hair and clothes with a layer of white. Stark too is prey to this, and soon he is dusted in a cover of snow. Even Stark's mustache is flecked with white and he thinks Stark looks like Saint Nicholas with his silver bag over his shoulder, white hair and growing beard.

Loki braces his spear against the steep path and he can feel Stark's warm hand on his shoulder. The snow has begun to fall in such quantities that he is having a difficult time navigating. There is almost no wind at all, just a constant downfall of snow that seems intent on swallowing up sound itself. He stumbles for a moment because the new snow has risen to the point above his knees and covering any hint of rock or ice beneath his feet. He presses on forward intent on reaching the relative safety of an overturned wall, next to a small frozen waterfall. At least under the wall he and Stark will be out of this blasted snow. Loki can feel something heavy in the air now, and he looks around for the source. A Large bank of fog is rolling down the mountain towards them at a sickening speed. He looks down and finds a good purchase fro his feet and when he looks up again, the fog has halved the distance between them. Loki stops to brace himself, and then panic sets in as he can see the silver of Frost giant magic shimmer on the surface of the fog bank.

"Stark!" He calls out, but the snow muffles his voice. Instead he pulls Stark closer and practically shouts in his ear. "That fog is magic! Prepare yourself, we are being flushed out." Loki strains and he believes he's heard an affirmative answer from Stark when the rolling fog bank hits them. He feels a spine tingling cold that forces his skin to break out in goose bumps. His eyes are squeezed shut concentrating on holding his place, lest he loose the memory of where they are and where they need to be. And when he opens his eyes, he quickly places one hand over his face in panic to check if his eyes are really open.

Gray and white. Wherever he looks all he can see is a dizzy swirl of gray and while. Loki can feel the moist fog air crawling over his skin, and he realises even though he is touching his own face, he can only make out the faintest shadow of his own hand. He takes in a deep breath and gags on the foul taste of dark magics. Then he really starts to panic. Nothing. Absolutely no sound comes from his mouth. He tries calling out to Stark, and his voice is swallowed up by the fog before it reaches his own ears. It is painfully, eerily silent. He can not even hear his own heartbeat or feel his own breath. Suddenly there is a pressure on his arm and he turns but can not see or hear what is holding him. He gropes blindly and he connects with something soft. He scrunches the object in his hand in a vain attempt to feel any sort of texture, when he recognises the weight of the foil blanket bag Stark should still be holding. The Pressure on his arm goes higher, up past his shoulders and He flinches but he knows that this should be Stark because he can feel the tiniest spark of his own magic upon contact. He clutches what he hopes is Starks' arm and pulls him forwards. Loki begins to run, totally without sight or sound to guide him.

He runs towards where he remembers the fallen wall and a frozen waterfall should be. He stumbles and claws in the blinding white for a purchase, straining all his senses, for a hint of where they are. He's sure they must have passed it by now, and then there, His spear jumps in his hand, and He knows somehow with absolute certainty that he has hit the fallen wall he was aiming for. He feels cool stone on the back of his hand and leads Tony under the wall and squeezes through a tiny gap under the frozen water fall and into a small cave. Still holding Tony's arm he swings his spear at what he hopes it the icicles over the entrance and is rewarded when he can feel his spear give way under a successful swing. Quickly he runs his hand where the gap should have been and he can luckily no longer find the entrance. Loki hopes the blockade will be enough and he leads Stark on until he hits a far wall.

Suddenly Stark stops dead behind him. Loki can feel him struggle to pull backwards, and he realises that Stark might not know it is him. He stops as well and finds what he hopes is Stark's back. Loki paces one hand on Tony's back and one hand up and over Tony's head to cover his eyes. He wishes he could speak, but all he can do is hope Tony understands his actions.

Remember this? Do you remember sitting there as I poured a piece of my magic and my heart into yours?

There is a pressure on his chest, and he hopes Tony understands what is going on. He stands stock still to let Tony figure out that it is him. The pressure of Tony's hand has moves up his chest and around the back of his neck. Loki shivers at the touch. He can feel Tony 's hands up through the crown of his head and then follow his long strands of hair to his ear. There is a second sense of pressure on the other side of his head and he can feel Tony tracing the line of his eyebrows, down his nose, and across his high cheekbones with both hands now. Loki blushes at this intimate contact, but He knows that Stark will not go forward with him unless he is sure it is Loki himself. Starks hands are following his jaw line now and he can feel a slight warmth from his fingertips. Lastly Tony's hands come to a stop under his chin and he can feel one thumb being slowly drawn across his lips. His heart thunders in his chest and Loki involuntary opens his mouth, and there is something in front of him now, a shadow of a face. He instinctively leans in and –

He can feel Tony's warm lips brush his own, softly at first, then Loki can feel his heart plummet as Tony moves one hand behind his head and brings him closer for a smoldering kiss. Loki hesitates at first but when Tony pulls him close, an arm around his waist now, he surrenders to his companion's embrace. He can feel Tony's hunger and eagerly matches it with his own passion. His blood begins to sing and Loki loses all thought as Tony kisses him again and again, each impact igniting a fire in his chest. He breaks contact for a moment, just to breathe again, and he can see the fog dissolving around them. Within moments he can see Tony's molten brow eyes and wolfish smile.

"I found you." He whispers in Loki's ear, sending a shiver of pleasure down his spine.

"Yes.. you did." Loki replies and touches his forehead to Tony's own. He stares into his eyes, and Tony simply wraps his arms around him in a loving embrace. And for the first time in a very long time, Loki is at peace.

Notes

Authors note: This one is a little emotionally heavy, I've tried to do without as much exposition as I can, and hopefully it works.

Disclaimer: I do not own any marvel characters or their movie interpretations, I've done this for fun and I hope you enjoy! Also this is set after Iron man 3 and the avengers. Loki escaped to earth and Tony never had romantic feelings for pepper. (Hence the arc reactor is still in his chest)