From the sofa in the large expanse of living room, Loki looks up from his book at the sound of the elevator doors opening. Jarvis had already alerted him to the arrival of his partner, so he knew whom it was without needing to worry. He still gets a little jittery when left alone, despite how long he has now been living with the man of iron. As he exits the doors into the room, Tony smiles briefly at Loki, before scurrying past where he was sat. Loki could instantly tell he was up to something by the way his hands settled on his chest.

"Tony, what is that?" Loki raises an eyebrow suspiciously as the billionaire continues to sneak past him. Looking up, but still moving, he doesn't stop as he tries to avoid a real answer.

"What is what?" Tony's eyes shift, avoiding contact with the trickster. Trying to play him for a fool? Oh he still had so much more to learn. You cannot lie to the God of Lies.

"What is it that you are hiding inside of your jacket, Anthony?" Loki was not blind. He could see there was something Tony was trying to hide from him, the suspicious lump on the inside of his jacket giving him away.

"Uh—"

Loki outwardly sighs, almost tired of the playboy trying to manipulate the truth from him. "I am the God of Lies, Anthony. You know I can read you like a book."

Tony finally stops moving, giving up trying to hide from Loki, he knew his attempt was futile. He'd already taken into account the fact that Loki would see right through him, so gives in and decides to explain without any wisecrack, smart arse comments, he has found that only annoys the trickster. And right now, that isn't his goal. He steps closer to the sofa, pulling the zipper down, pulling open his jacket. He reaches into the left side and pulls out something small and black.

"I found him on he street, Lo'. If I left him there fending for himself, he would have died! He's just so small."

Loki stands from the sofa, placing his old book of traditional Asgardian magic on the coffee table, and walks gracefully to move in front of Tony. Unsure of what to think, he approaches cautiously. As he gets nearer, he can see that it is not just an inanimate object curled up in the self-proclaimed philanthropist's hands, but on closer inspection, a small, black kitten.

Now Loki understands the idea of pets, thanks to numerous movies and television shows Tony has had him watching recently, but he never really thought Tony was one for rescuing strays. His own thought resonates through his mind as he stares at the small creature. Tony was one for rescuing strays. He had rescued Loki himself whilst he was at his weakest. Without the assistance and care Tony had shown him, he would have surely died, no matter what magical healing powers he may have. His wounds were just too great to combat on his own.

Loki slowly reaches his hand out and tentatively strokes the kitten in Tony's arms. He immediately shows his gratification by purring and he snuggles his head into Loki's palm. The kitten moves out of Tony's arms to sit in Loki's hands, staring up at the God.

"I think he likes you."

Loki looks to Tony and then back to the kitten, smiling softly. He continues to pet the feline, holding him closely to his body, protecting him. This kitten is smaller than he would have expected—the runt—abandoned by its mother, left for dead. The heartbreaking realisation hits home. This poor creature is the almost perfect reflection of Loki's life: a baby, smaller than a normal giants offspring, found and rescued, he thought bitterly, by Odin.

Tony stands by and watches the story unfold on Loki's face, hurting him to realise that the trickster can see his own life in that of an abandoned kitten. He decides that the kitten must stay, if nothing else but to help the God in his ever-continuing recovery and rehabilitation.

"So…"

Loki finally lifts his head to look at Tony, "So?"

"Can we keep him?" A broad smile spread across both their faces at the prospect of keeping the feline, possibly for different reasons, but they're happy none the less.

"Who am I to cast out a creature so lost and mistreated? If anyone can save this little feller, it's you." Loki's voice turns serious for a moment, as he thinks about all that Tony has done to help him over the past year.

Tony steps forward, placing one hand to Loki's cheek, the other to the hand that is supporting the kitten. "I don't know how much good I'll be, he already prefers you."

Loki smiles — a genuine smile by any means — at the thought of being loved by this creature. He wants to have something to care for, to look after, to nurse back to health, it makes him feel needed, like the father he once was. Of course he has Tony for all those things too, especially after a battle or a particularly bad experiment in the lab or when he's testing new alterations to his suit, but essentially, Tony doesn't need Loki, he can look after himself just fine. But the kitten does need someone, and Loki will admit he is happy that the feline seems to have chosen him to undertake the task.

Loki kisses his iron man chastely before he sashays off towards the kitchen in search of some milk for his newly adopted kitten. Tony watches him go, wondering just how much of a force of reckoning the trickster and his cat will become in the future. He almost finds himself laughing at how perfect the situation would be if Loki decided to procure himself a boom, pointed hat and wand.Note to self: add Harry Potter to film night.

Notes

Part of a series, all of which can be found on my AO3, FF and Mibba.
Let me know what you think, my darlings!