"Sir," Jarvis said to a sleeping Tony "sir, it is important that you awaken and listen." Tony responded by groaning and curling closer to Loki's chest, both still very much asleep. "Sir, Ms. Potts is on her way and it would be in your and Mr. Laufeyson's best interest to at least clothe yourselves." Still no response "I gave you fair warning, Sir, I am cataloging the specific time of which I am doing so, meaning that you cannot blame me for Ms. Potts barging in to see the two of you indecent."
"Jay sounds like a fucking homophobe." Tony groaned, taking his pillow and throwing it at the ceiling as if to silence the omnipotent voice.
"What?" Loki asked, shoving his face into the pillow, willing away the need to move.
"Pepper is on her way." Tony groaned, pressing himself against Loki.
"Who?" Loki asked, voice muffled by the pillow and sleep.
"You know, my ex-girlfriend," Tony said, yawning and wrapping his arms around Loki's waist.
"The one that yelled at me?" Loki grumbled, not caring nearly as much as he should've.
"Yeah, the one that made you cry." Tony smirked, nuzzling his nose into Loki's chest.
"Not funny." Loki said "But I don't care right now."
"Me neither." Tony said as Loki wrapped his arms around him, pulling him even closer.
"I never took Tony Stark as the cuddling type." Loki mused, playing with Tony's hair lovingly.
"Oh yeah, I'm a big time cuddlier." Tony rolled his eyes, melting into Loki "I always snuggled with my one night stands before disappearing before they woke up, I also kept in touch with them and send them nice fruit baskets on their birthdays."
"So, first time cuddlier." Loki laughed
"Yep." Tony chuckled
"Same here." Loki said and giggled.
"Oh my god!" Tony laughed, still flush against Loki "Did you just giggle?"
"No!" Loki said, mentally chastising himself.
"You did!" Tony said, his own laugh now dangerously close to a giggle now "I, Tony fucking Stark just made Loki fucking Laufeyson giggle!"
"Shut up!" Loki laughed, silencing Tony as he pressed their lips together. He pulled back after a second, kissing Tony's forehead "I love you." He whispered
"I love you too." Tony smiled, curling up to Loki. He purred as the god went back to playing with his hair, twisting it between nimble fingers. Pepper was long since forgotten as Tony muttered sweet-nothings into the cool skin of Loki's torso.
Suddenly the door burst open. "Oh, no, don't bother to get up or anything, clothes might've been nice though." Pepper huffed. "Glad to see you both recovered from the brush of war yesterday."
"Funny." Tony said, sitting up. "I don't think you two have been properly introduced…"
"Right," Pepper shifted uncomfortably "I'm Pepper, Pepper Potts; I'm Tony's assistant per se."
Loki frowned, propping himself up on his hand. "Yes." he said, an undertone of bitterness in his voice "We met, remember?"
Pepper rubbed the back of her head "Yeah, sorry about that…" she said, looking to the floor "I hope you didn't… take it too hard… I umm… didn't mean it…"
"Yes you did." Loki shook his head "You meant every word. A mortal woman cannot make the god of lies… well… with a lie." He scowled.
"I'm sorry I made you cry." Pepper said, then winced when Loki fixed her with a piercing glare
"I did not cry!" He said, eyes ablaze "I am a god not a child!"
"I'm sorry." Pepper said, wincing under the unwavering glare
"Both of you, stop it!" Tony grumbled, shifting onto Loki's lap "Pepper I think Loki deserves a better apology and Loki, you were bawling for the better part of ten minutes, you're not allowed to be that defensive. Again, on that note, Pepper, you owe me an apology because I had to deal with a sobbing god for ten minutes and I owe you an apology for being… immature about how I dealt with… us…"
The silence that followed was uncomfortable to say the least. Eventually Pepper coughed "I guess I'll start." She looked at a frowning Loki "Loki, I'm sorry, really I am. I came over that day and I saw you and well, the last time I had heard about you, you had been trying to kill Tony… so to see you two suddenly… I was just in shock. I shouldn't have said all those things, I was out of line. I'm sorry."
"I understood you're anger, Ms. Potts, I just did not expect it to… that… extent." Loki frowned
"And Tony," Pepper rolled her eyes "I'm sorry I left you with a crying Loki to console."
Tony nodded, smiling weakly at Pepper.
"I'm umm…" Loki said, moving Tony to the bed and standing, clothes materializing "I'm going to soak a bag of herbs into hot water. Tony, do you desire the black ambrosia?"
"Yes, Loki," Tony rolled his eyes and smiled "thank you." He said, frowning as Loki turned to walk away, a scowl on his lips. "Come on, don't do that." Tony pouted, grabbing Loki's wrist.
"Anthony, I am allowing you to speak to Ms. Potts about your previous relations, in private." Loki said, turning to face the man, thinking he did not realize why he was leaving.
"I know," Tony said, pulling Loki down until he could plant a soft kiss on his lips "I just don't like to see you upset."
Loki smiled, kissing Tony's forehead "I'll be back, have the phantom inform me when it is appropriate for my return."
"Loki, we've been over this." Tony groaned "Jarvis is not a ghost, he is a-"
"Machine" Loki finished, walking passed Pepper and to the door "But you know full well that I'm still a bit fuzzy on exactly what a machine is."
"Jarvis?" Tony sighed, a chuckle on his lips
"I know, sir," Jarvis said "I will inform him as soon as you and Ms. Potts are finished."
"Thanks, Jay." He said, before looking at Pepper "Pep…"
"No, let me start." She said, her voice quiet. "Tony, like I said, I am really sorry about what I did. Yes, I went to the S.H.I.E.L.D base. Yes I found out that Loki was here and yes I did get the… full story. But, honest to god, I felt really bad for him, like I completely forgot about the war and the deaths… everything… none of that mattered, because I knew that it wasn't his doing…"
"Then why the fuck did you go ballistic?" Tony snapped "For god's sakes, Pep, you've always been so level headed."
"I know." She stared at her feet "It's just…" She sniffed and Tony sighed.
"Pepper," He said, wrapping the sheet around his waist and standing. He grabbed some clothes off the floor and pulled them on. "Pepper, listen, I am sorry. This is all my fault. I was an ass, I know that. I acted like a kid, I should've handled it… us… better. I was being an idiot. Pep, I love you," he watched, sadly, as her eyes darted up hopefully to lock on his own "but not how you want me to." He could've cried as her eyes dropped "Pepper, look at me." He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at his face "Pepper, I need you, I always have and that will never change."
"Ok, Tony," Pepper said, tearing away from him and turning towards the door "I just need to… think this through…"
"No." Tony said, grabbing her wrist and keeping her from walking away "No, Pepper, you don't. You've had a long time to think this through, now you know that I love you and I need you, so right now, I need you to accept that I love Loki."
"I accept that, Anthony." Pepper said, not facing him
"Then why are you upset?"
"Why did you never look at me like that?" Pepper asked, her voice so quiet Tony thought he had misheard her. She turned to look at him, tears brimming her eyes "Why did you never hold me like that or smile at me like that? Why can he, someone you've only known for a little over a year and who's goal used to be to kill you, make you feel like that when I, someone you've known for years and has done nothing but be there for you, can't? How is that fair? What is so wrong with me that I can't make you look at me or hold me or smile at me like that?"
Tony looked her, his eyes soft and apologetic "Pepper, I don't think I have an answer that will make you feel any better." He watched her wince and hated himself for it.
"Then don't make me feel better." She said, looking away from him
"Pepper, you heard his story, but you haven't heard it like I have. You never looked in his face and saw exactly what he's been through. Jesus, Pep, he was… in Asgard… he looked so… afraid… so lost and so hurt… if you could've looked in his eyes, Pep, it was like looking at pain itself… the only other place I've seen that look in someone's eyes is in a mirror. Pepper, I've never met anyone who understands the kind of pain I've felt, how it feels to be utterly dejected and alone… but, he does." Tony drew in a breath, his voice shaking slightly "I love him, I love him like I never thought possible." A small smile tugged at his lips "And he loves me too. He's been so strong, so alive, and so… so good." He looked at Pepper "Here, I need you to see what I mean." He walked to the door, pulling her behind him, down the hall. Loki was sitting on the island counter, thin finger playing with the edge of his tea cup.
"Anthony," Loki said, eyes lighting slightly when he noticed the two entering the room "I thought you were going to call me in.."
"Change of plans, sunshine." Tony smiled
"Would you like your black ambrosia?" Loki said, his lips twitching with a loving smile
"Yes, thank you." Tony said, taking the warm mug Loki gave him and taking a sip "Did you spike this?" Tony laughed
"Just a touch of scotch," Loki laughed "as a reward for staying sober at the feast last night."
"You're an angel." Tony smiled, releasing Pepper's wrist and standing on his toes to kiss Loki's cheek
"Actually, I'm a god." Loki blushed, then turned reluctant eyes to Pepper "Would you like a drink? Black ambrosia? Warm water soaked with a small bag of herbs?"
Pepper quirked an eyebrow, thoroughly confused
"He means would you like Coffee or tea?" Tony smiled, taking Loki's hand in his own.
"Oh, tea, if you don't mind." Pepper said sheepishly. Loki gave her a nod and slipped off the counter. He released Tony's hand and circled around the counter to fill the kettle. "Do you not have tea or coffee in Asgard?" Pepper asked after Tony twitched his head towards the god's back, silently telling her to attempt to talk to the god.
"No." Loki said and Pepper feared he had finished speaking "No we have Ale and water. As children, we were sometimes treated with the extract of fruits or the milk of animals, but those drinks are not for men." Loki looked back and sighed when Tony gave him the same charade he had given Pepper, telling him to keep talking "Just as we do not have many of the foods Midgard provides. All of these strange dishes from bags or boxes that do not even look like food, we have none of these. Also, I find it strange that you Midgardians feed on the unborn offspring of birds instead of being patient and waiting for them to hatch so you may feast upon the meat of the bird. But, I do enjoy the sweets, the sweet, flat cakes Mr. Rodgers prepared for breakfast one morning, the round, fried cakes with the strange hole in the center, the hard balls of solid syrup on a stick, I enjoy all of these things."
Pepper quirked her eyebrow at Tony again
"He means pancakes, doughnuts and suckers." Tony laughed
"Do you prefer plain herb-soaked water or do you desire it with sugar? Or perhaps a bit of honey?" Loki asked as the kettle whistled and he removed it from the stove.
"Sugar, please." Pepper said
"Of course." Loki said as he finished preparing the steaming cup and moved around the counter to hand it to her. Pepper noted the distance he kept from her.
"Tony, could you maybe, let me speak to Loki, alone?"
Tony looked at her then at Loki, Pepper's expression was unreadable, but Loki was clearly disconcerted. He thought for a second before slowly nodding. "I'll go down to the lab for a moment." He gave Loki a smile before walking to the elevator.

---

"Jarvis, inform me if Pepper starts to hurt Loki… or vise versa."
"Yes Sir." The AI said as Tony descended to his lab, dreading what would come from leaving them alone.

---

"I suppose now you can gloat," Loki said as he took it upon himself to sit on a couch before Pepper could speak "you had a god serve you."
"Yeah," Pepper said, sitting on the couch across him "I guess."
"What is so important that Anthony must leave?" Loki asked, his eyes as far from trusting as Pepper thought possible.
"Look, um, I know I already said I'm sorry…" she started
"And I have already said," Loki snapped "I understood you're anger."
"No," Pepper sighed "I don't think you do."
"I am the person who attempted to take over you're world, I attempted to kill you're… lover… and his friends. I am the one who killed hundreds if not thousands of people, including your friend Mr. Colson. After all that, you suddenly get a phone call where Anthony ends your relationship without reason or explanation, then realize that that man previously described is not only living with your former lover but is not as bad as everyone thought he was. Only to arrive, feeling sorry for said man, and see him being coddled by your former lover and in a fit of shock and rage you lashed out and used all of the knowledge that had previously made you pity the former war criminal against him in a mad attempt to hurt him as much as you were hurting right then. Well, congratulations, Ms. Potts, you did succeed, you cut right to the bone. You made a god, no, a frost giant, cry. I'm happy to have aided in your coping process." Loki said, eyes ablaze "I think I got the just of it, don't you?"
Pepper sat, mouth agape, tears threatening the corners of her eyes
"It's not like it matters though." Loki sniffed, hating the burning tears clouding his vision "You were right, every word you said. I am just a poor little prince who found out that no one wanted him, who was a monster that was not even wanted by monsters." He ground his teeth together, determined not to cry "It did hurt when I realized that no one actually cared about me. It did burn when my fragile world that had resided in my brother's shadow for so long shattered. What was it like when 'those big bad aliens came and took me away'? Let me tell you, Ms. Potts, it was like having your mind torn open and every happy memory you had ever had ripped out and replaced with nothing but darkness. It was torture, a place where death seemed like a warm glow of light, but every time I thought I could reach out and touch it, I was pulled back, only to be pushed back again. And yes, I did have a small, little hope that my mother or father or brother would rescue me. It did rip me apart inside to when I realized that no one would ever come for me, when I thought I was going to be their 'broken little errand boy' for the rest of my days. Yes, it still hurts, I do wake up in the nights in a cold sweat, still scared and oh so very alone." Loki didn't care anymore as tears burned his cheeks. He was angry, angry that she had said all these things, angry that he had remembered every words she had screamed in his face, and angry that it was all true. "Ms. Potts, when I failed and hung in that cell like a 'useless wall ornament', it was like hot coals in my stomach. Laugh, because you're right, over and over again the little prince falls. And, yes, now I am here and now I am happy. Yes, I am happier here than I have been in my entire life. And now we get to the best part, because, yes, I am planning on building up a relationship with my brother. I am planning on staying with Anthony and being happy. But, here's where you went wrong. See, next, you said that you bet I'm anticipating the day it all comes crashing down just like everything else. You said I was being realistic. You said at least then, I'll be prepared for when Anthony gets bored with me and throws me away, and when Thor realizes he's wasting his time on a lost cause and sends me back to my 'little private hell' in Asgard. You assured me that it would happen. You said that it would, just because I. Am. Me." Loki was shaking now with anger, humiliation, hurt and hate "But I can assure you, Ms. Potts, that you are wrong! I was anticipating the day it all fell apart, but not anymore. No, not now, now I will not let it fall apart! No I will fight for this until the day they drag my dead body back to Asgard! Because, whether you like it or not, I love Anthony, I love him more than I have ever loved anyone in my entire life! I love my life here, I love being an Avenger, and I love the friends I've made. I am not a lost cause, I am not a waste of time. I will die to protect Anthony, my friends, Midgard. I will not fall again, Ms. Potts!"
Pepper was shaking, tears streaking her cheeks. Her mouth opened and closed but no words came out. She looked at Loki, hot tears burning his alabaster skin, green eyes a mixture of emotions too vast to name. "No," Pepper said, her voice strained "that's not what I think at all." She held up a heavy hand as Loki opened his mouth to scream at her "That's not why I'm angry." A bitter laugh escaped her lips "I'm angry because Tony loves you." She watched as Loki twitched, taken aback "I'm angry because I've never seen him look at someone the way he looks at you. I've never seen him smile so much or laugh so genuinely. He never just held me in bed in the morning, he never kissed me like that. He never told me I was an angel or told me he loved me, not like he tells you. I'm angry because I couldn't make him happy like you do. I'm jealous, like a stupid little kid. I was so jealous that, for some reason, I thought that by saying all those things, it would hurt you enough to make you… give up… or to remind Tony why he used to hate you. I was willing to try and rip your heart out to make Tony love me and I am so, so sorry."
Loki looked at her, shock marring his features. He drew in a breath, attempting to wipe away the still flowing tears. "Trust me," Loki said, surprised when a little laugh bubbled from his chest "I was surprised when he started acting the way he does. I was equally surprised with how he makes me act as well, though. I never thought something as simple as love could make people change so much." Loki said, drawing his knees up to his chest "It was a new concept for me, some who I love loving me back, I didn't really know how to deal with it."
"I certainly didn't help." Pepper laughed bitterly
"Oh please, you could've done much worse." He smiled at her "I tempted one of Thor's women to my bedchambers once when we were young men and he told the Midgardians that I had given birth to an eight-legged horse named Sleipnir. Then when I tempted a male from his chambers he told them I was the father of a wolf, Fenrir, and the world serpent, Jörmungandr. The idiot mortals believed him too and, me being the god of lies, they wouldn't believe me otherwise." He chuckled, flashing Pepper a forgiving smile. "You're lashing out left slow healing wounds, Thor's left me with an ancient reputation of being a whore."
That made Pepper laugh. Pepper laughed and Loki laughed, feeling better and better as the seconds rolled by.
"So, Ms. Potts," Loki said as he calmed his breathing. "Would you like a new drink?" He smiled, a nice smile that made Pepper feel warm "I yelled at you something awful, the least I could do is make you a fresh drink."
"I would like that…" Pepper paused, unsure as of where she stood with the god
"Loki," he smiled at her "call me Loki."
"Right," She smiled back "I would like a drink, but perhaps something stronger."
Loki flashed her a mischievous grin "I like the way you think, Ms. Potts."
"Pepper, call me Pepper." She said
"All right then, Pepper," Loki chuckled "what's your drink?"
"Spirits, I suppose." Pepper smiled, then gasped as Loki flicked his wrist and a line of spirits appeared on the coffee table beside her.
"Take your pick." Loki gestured grandly to the assortment "They are the finest in all nine realms."
"I'm starting to understand why Tony took a fancy to you." Pepper laughed, choosing a bright bottle and pouring it into a crystal glass.
"Oh," Loki snickered "I can think of a few more reasons."
"Do I want to know?" Pepper laughed, taking a sip of the bubbling liquid and loving the burning sensation as it trailed down her throat.
"Perhaps, perhaps not." Loki smirked
There was a silence, not entirely uncomfortable, but silent all the same. Pepper sipped at her drink and Loki conjured a foaming ale that he drank with generous gulps.
"So," Loki said, looking at the red-head over the brim of his tankard "what now, Pepper? Where do we stand?"
Pepper clicked her tongue, swirling the drink in her glass. She gave Loki a look, silently asking him to answer his own question.
"Well, I hold no further grudge against you. I know Anthony thinks highly of you and needs you, I think he would appreciate it if we would get along. That being said, are you still angry with me?" He asked, fixing her with a stare that she could not break
"No, no I'm not angry." Pepper said, tapping her glass with her nail.
"Good," Loki smiled and extended his hand to her "then we shall call ourselves friends, Pepper."
"Sounds good to me, Loki." Pepper smiled, grasping the god's hand.

---

"Sir, I think you may rejoin Mr. Laufeyson and Ms. Potts now." Jarvis announced to a pacing Tony.
"Good!" He grinned and headed to the elevator.

Notes