Everybody Wants to Rule the World // Frostiron

Slipping Through My Fingers // Chapter 7

    "Well, there's a reason you haven't tried to destroy New York. There's a reason you haven't tried to kill us all yet, and it's not out of the goodness of your heart, is it? I know you're capable, so what is it?"

    Loki turned to face Tony. The moonlight lit half of his face and his the other in shadows. "Loki?"

    Panic rose in the gods chest. Slowly and clumsily, he pulled himself to his feet, walking towards the bathroom. Without bothering to shut the door behind him, he leaned against the sink, looking himself in the eyes in the mirror. For a moment he stared blankly forward before the horrible realization struck him. He barely recognized his own face. His eyes bore back at him, they looked empty and shallow, lacking their regular sparkle. His posture was all wrong. Everything  was wrong. Physically, he looked the same, but that didn't matter.

    "Loki?"

     Tony tapped on the despondent gods shoulder. "Are you alright?"

    Loki slowly craned his head to look at his visitor. "Alright? Me? Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

    "You're staring at yourself in a mirror. Either something's horribly wrong or you're just that  much of a narcissist."

    The god let out a weak chuckle. "I guess I'm that much of a narcissist. What can I say? Wouldn't you always be looking at yourself if you were simply godly perfection?"

    "You're lying."

    "God of lies, get it? Lying, that's my thing. Well, but I'm not this time. I'm fine, just a narcissist."

    "No. Clearly something's wrong. What's going on? It's my responsibility if you die. Not that I'd mind, but y'know Thor- ah, never mind. What's up, Lokes?"

    "Leave me alone. Nothing's wrong. Just let me be!"

    Loki shook Stark's hand off of him and walked briskly past him. "Get some beauty sleep, Stark. You could use it."

    The god curled up on his space in the floor and watched as Stark clambered into his bed. 

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    Tony was once again woken up by the sound of soft crying. Propping himself up in bed, he could see the figure of Loki curled on the floor. His usually tall stature now looked diminutive. His long, black hair hid his face, but it couldn't muffle the sounds of small sobs. "Loki?"

    The god looked up seeming bewildered. "What do you want?"

    Tony stumbled over his words as he spoke, "You were crying."

    "Clearly. Are you going to mock me for it or let me rest in peace? Odin knows I could use a few minutes where you're not over my shoulder."

    "No, no. Have a seat," Tony pointed next to him. "And maybe tell me what's going on?"

    "Why do you care?" Loki said, venom in his voice. 

    "If I'm stuck with you for the foreseeable future I should probably learn your emotional baggage so I can deal with it accordingly, wouldn't you agree?"

    Loki seemed to consider this a moment before nodding. "I suppose."

    "So, what's up?"

    "I can't use my powers. I can't do magic. I feel useless," the god said quickly, all in one breath.

    "Why?"

    "When they tortured me I became weak. More so than ever. I haven't recovered. As I said, I'm truly no threat to you."

    "That's not fully true is it? You still have your wits."

    Loki chuckled dryly, "I've found my wits but I've certainly lost my mind."

    "More than you already had?"

    There was silence. For a moment the two found themselves staring blankly at each other. "Insanity isn't the right word for it, I suppose," Loki said after a minute. "It's like my mother, Frigga, told me. Everyone has a great flaw, more often than not they're one of the seven deadly sins."

    "And what is mine? Greed, I'd guess."

    The god's brow furrowed. "No. That's not it. Your flaw is pride."

    "Pride, huh?" Tony considered. "Checks out. I guess 'billionaire, playboy, philanthropist' isn't the most humble of self-descriptors."

    Stark continued, "So if it wasn't insanity before, what exactly made you so coo-coo for cocoa puffs, Loke-ster?"

    "Lust."

    "Like, what kind? Like constantly horny, orrrr?"

    "A lust for power," Loki explained. "A deep desire to have control when I had lacked it for so long."

     "Is that what happened in New York?"

    Loki flinched like he'd been physically struck. "Partially."

    He left it at that and Tony felt no desire to press the subject. "If you're no danger to me as you claim, would you prefer your own room? I wouldn't be opposed to you being out of my hair."

    "Absolutely, I can't stand sleeping on your cold floor."

    "It's settled, tomorrow night your room will be prepared. Get some sleep. I'll take the floor tonight."

    Tony began to move to get comfortable on the floor but Loki interrupted, "Wait. Why are you being so kind to me? I tried to kill you."

    He paused. To be honest, he wasn't sure either. "So you won't try again," he replied simply.