The Tin-Man and His Reindeer Games

Chapter - 1

The best way, in Loki's experience, to deal with a nuisance is to kill them straight, or if that were too bloody for one's taste, then perhaps one should consider scaring them to the extent where they ran the opposite way at the mere mention of one's name.

Though killing them still remained on the top of his preferred methods. Less chances of them coming back to bother him that way.

Also, the kill need not be necessarily bloody. There were other less messy but effective approaches to relieve someone of the burden of life.

Of course, it was easier said than done. Murder was no mean feat but it was still very potent. A perfect murder was, under no circumstance, impossible, regardless of what the mortals liked to insist. It was certainly quite difficult and not for the weak-hearted, but not impossible, even for the likes of Midgardians.

Loki would have thought, given the Earthlings' penchant for violence and committing other atrocities, that they would have figured out the recipe of a perfect crime by now. Alas! It turned out, Loki had truly expected too much from the puny beings.

"Hey, Reindeer Games!" A very familiar voice drifted to Loki's ears, momentarily halting his train of blood-filled thoughts as his head automatically turned to his right in what had now become a completely natural response to Anthony Stark calling him, or even generally looking at him. Pathetic!

Anthony had leaned closer to him to be heard despite the lower volume, the whispers of his breath brushing against Loki's ear softly. It was only his centuries of experience and thorough Asgardian training that allowed him to restrain the shiver that crept upon him whilst the cologne of his lover occupied his senses shamelessly.

Yes, lover. Loki still was not sure how that happened but somehow, he had found himself in a relationship with the Prince of Midgard.

"Loki!" Anthony hissed, coming even nearer where he was practically hanging off the cushioned throne (couch, it was called, as Loki had been told) yet somehow miraculously going unnoticed by the other occupants of the room. "You look like you're plotting someone's death!" He wiggled his eyebrows jokingly.

Oh, if only his dear Anthony knew!

Loki was, indeed, contemplating murder, and of no one else but his own (adopted) brother. "Yes," he whispered back, tilting his head just a little bit so he could talk directly into Anthony's ear. It was definitely not to feel the involuntary shiver of his lover. "Of Thor."

The next natural reaction would have been that of shock or, if one were as devious as Loki was, that of surprise. However, since he was speaking to Anthony, all he got was a sigh and a low muttered, "Why? What did he do now?"

See, this was what he did not understand about their relationship, about Anthony.

Instead of gasping in fear or at least, appearing wary, his instinct was to assume that Thor had done something for Loki to be miffed with him.

(Of course, Thor had done more than just something for Loki to be miffed with him; he was not crazy to become annoyed with his brother out of the blue, but for Anthony to simply presume, without any prompt, that Loki would have his reasons for being irritated with his brother was simply heart-warming.

And scary. Very, very scary.)

"He ate the last cupcake despite it being labelled as mine."

"Aw, baby!" Anthony cooed. It should not have been as adorable as it was. A grown man was not supposed to be so cute. "It's alright! I'll bake you one tomorrow." He gently stroked the back of Loki's palm while smiling at him in that way — the way where the sides of his eyes crinkled in genuine fondness and his eyes lit up in wonder, almost like he was gazing at something so precious even though it was only Loki his eyes were looking at.