Tony woke, not realizing he had fallen asleep. A violent shiver racked his body before he realized that he was absolutely freezing.
He looked around, teeth chattering, accessing his situation. He realized that he was still in the shower, water long gone cold, leaning heavily against Loki. He had not remembered passing out and it took a second to recall exactly why he was stark naked with Loki in his shower.
He took note that Loki did not look uncomfortable with the freezing temperature at all, but that was to be expected of a frost giant. Tony had half a mind to stay there, with the god, but his contracting muscles pleaded differently.
"Lok?" Tony asked, nuzzling against the god's shoulder, "Wake up," he smiled as the green eyes fluttered open.
"How long did I slumber?" Loki asked, rubbing his eyes. Jarvis seemed to think he was being addressed, because he announced that the pair had been unconscious for about half an hour, "I see," he said, stretching his free arm and wincing painfully.
"You ok?" Tony asked, concern flooding his face. He didn't feel like a million bucks at the moment, or at least the sore muscles of his pelvic region didn't, the rest of Tony felt like jumping up and announcing to the world that he had a very exposed Loki in his shower who was all his own, but he was also in a relatively healthy condition. Loki, on the other hand, was not healthy at all. Tony had often seen Loki's face screw up in pain when he walked or moved suddenly and had purposefully kept him from doing any strenuous activity because of it.
"I will be fine, Anthony, you needn't worry," Loki smiled down at him.
"All right, I don't believe you, but I'm freezing and while you might be fine with that, I am not," Tony said as he attempted to stand on the slippery ground. He winced as rectal muscles he had not known existed screamed for him to curl up into a ball and discontinue any movement for the rest of his days, but ignored them and braced himself against the cold wall.
"I suppose that was a jab at my heritage," Loki grunted as he attempted to follow Tony, but found it near impossible.
"See, I knew you weren't fine," Tony said, worry lacing his voice as he leaned down and scooped the larger man up in his arms. Tony silently thanked Loki's diminished weight as he carried the blushing god to his bed, "Stay there," He ordered, setting him down softly on the messy comforter.
"I am no maiden, I will be fine," Loki grumbled, hiding the smile that was tugging at his lips.
He loved being coddled by the man, though he would never admit it. He had never truly been coddled as a child, coddling was a rare occurrence in a warrior's world, which made Loki relish every second the man doted on him. All the same, he hid his smile as the man pulled the coverings up to his neck like a mother. He was determined to maintain what little pride he had left.
"I know," Tony smiled, kissing the god's forehead, "I'll get us some clothes."
He grinned to himself as he scouted the room for clean clothes. He picked out a plain black t-shirt and loose jeans, pulling them on and noting the way the god stared all the while. Once clothed, he stepped out the bedroom door and returned shortly with a green Guns-and-Roses t-shirt and soft black jeans. He helped the god silently into his clothes, sparing his dignity, and after they were both fully clothed Tony crawled under the soft bedding, still slightly chilled from the cold water.
"Anthony," Loki whispered, turning to face the man. He stared at him for a second, not sure exactly what he meant to say. What could he say? What was there that needed to be said? "Your skin is cold."
That worked.
"You're one to talk," Tony laughed, shifting closer to the god, "Your skin is always cold."
"This is true," Loki nodded, running a hand through Tony's still damp hair, "Forgive me, I did not mean to exhaust you."
That was a lie, he had meant to exhaust the man, just as he had entered the shower with every intent of gaining forgiveness, and, under the circumstances, he had found that the best way to obtain forgiveness, was to ensure that he left a long term reminder of his attempt.
If Loki could take a guess, he'd say he had succeeded, and he would be correct.
The men felt their eyes grow heavy, the warmth of the blankets pulling them towards the blackness of sleep once more, but before either drifted into the nothingness, they shift themselves so Tony was huddled against the god's chest and Loki's arm was draped over his shoulder, for no dignity or pride was needed there in the stillness and blackness and warmth of promised sleep.

---

"Sir, I suggest you awaken. Director Fury is attempting to enter the building."
Jarvis' voice fell on deaf ears, his creator too deep in sleep to pay any mind, "Sir, my system is being overridden, Sir!" If Tony was awake, the panic in the automated voice would've shocked him, but he was not so it didn't.
"STARK!" this time Tony woke up to a very angry one-eyed man in his doorway. He sat up with a jolt, scrambling over a shocked Loki, pain forgotten.
"What the hell?" Tony barked, heart pounding, "How did you get in here?"
"Overrode your systems, Stark," Fury fumed, "Now I'm going to ask you something. How stupid are you?"
Tony stood, waiting for the man to clarify. It didn't take long.
"Did it not occur to you that people can see through the huge ass glass windows you have so cleverly placed on every floor?" Loki was on his feet now, bracing against the night stand, "If people can look through windows Stark, so can cameras."
"So… What happened?" Tony asked, still slightly confused.
"Your little god has gotten healthier, Tony, people recognize him."
The breath caught in both men's throats.
The wheels turned in Tony's mind, scrambling frantically for a painless (or at least less painful) solution to the problem at hand.
Then it came to him. Tony knew better than anyone that it was better to address something before the media drug it out into something completely different. Viruses found early are treated quicker and easier, so they would treat the virus before it spread.
Tony did not hesitate as he picked up his cell phone from the nightstand and pressed an all too often used speed dial.
"Hey, Pepper?" Tony asked as the line picked up.
He saw Loki bristle at the name, but now was not the time.
"Already on it, I've scheduled a press conference at five p.m., usual pace, dress nice," The voice of the person he had relied on so heavily for so many years announced immediately.
How had he known that Pepper would've already taken care of the problem?
"Thank you, thank you so much," he sighed, relief washing over him, "and... Pep... I..."
"Later, Tony, we'll talk later… You have a god to prep right now… He'll do fine, I know it."
He had expected contempt of some kind in her voice, but it was sincere and kind as she hung up.
He turned on his heels to give his god a wide grin.
"Let's go get you in that suit, Lokster, we've got people to impress!" The confusion and irritation on both Loki and Fury's faces were identical as they stared at the grinning billionaire, "You can go now, Cyclops, we've got this under control."
"Good," Fury huffed, turning and walking towards the door, but he stopped. Without turning his head or looking to see if the men were listening, he said, "I'll take that shovel back now."
Then he was gone.
Loki and Tony looked at each other, momentarily confused until they realized Fury was referencing his ending jibe the day he had tried to throttle the god.
Tony turned to Loki and tackled him to the floor in a crushing hug.
"What are you doing, Anthony?" Loki asked, wind knocked out of him and attempting to free himself of the crushing embrace.
"Just let me love you, dammit!" Tony said, tightening his grip and letting out an un-masculine purr as the god finally returned the hug.
In truth, Tony's chest was exploding. For once in the time Loki had been at the residence, everything seemed like it was finally going to work out. Fury seemed to be warming up (or as warm as his stone cold Cyclops heart could get), Pepper was on board and ready to go, and they were one step ahead of the media (something that rarely ever happened in the life of someone like Anthony Edward Stark), not to mention that his muscles still ached slightly from the surprise shower encounter earlier.
"Is your love always this physically exhausting?" Loki asked, body groaning as he lay on the floor, Tony's weight not aiding in quelling the pain.
"Why don't you stick around and find out?" Tony hissed in the god's ear, laughing, and then sitting up so he was straddling the god, "This seems like a good angle for you, you should try it more often," Tony winked as the god blushed.
"Perhaps at a later time, Anthony, I believe we have a gathering to prepare for," Loki said, attempting vainly to suppress his flaming blush. He was unaccustomed to the teasing flirtations, having all of his previous encounters with bedmates brief and entirely one-sided (meaning that the said mate was infatuated with the god and he was bored), "If all goes well at said meeting, perhaps then."
Tony's face stretched into a wide grin as he watched the blush spread across the god's cheeks, "Sounds like a plan, gorgeous," He climbed off the god and helped him to his feet, "Let's go get you ready then!"

Notes