To be Loki'd - Loki x fem reader

Chapter 9- Iron suit but human heart

Tony's POV:

My head buzzed and thrummed.

I had been doing this for minutes, hours, days on end.

Sunset after sunset after sunrise passed by my window, yet still unable to extract me from my work. I buried myself in work, projects, ideas, and plans to avoid thinking about it. About her. 

The great Iron Man, worried about a small Avenger. 

Something connected me to her in some way and she brought such life wherever she went. A true ray of sunshine for everyone and everything. Since HYDRA took her back, the team has been subsided, Pepper silent. We did what we had to do but nothing more. Yesterday, Steve broke three punching bags and another hole appeared in Bucky's room. 

Wiping the sweat on my brow, I picked up the screwdriver and went back to fixing the wiring. Electricity crackled and bolts rattled.

knock knock

I asked JARVIS to turn down the sound system that had been blasting AC/DC for hours on end. The music was often mirroring what was boiling and bubbling inside my body and raw mind. 

"What is it?" 

"Hey Tony." Steve entered tentatively, followed closely by Pepper. She closed the door behind her and looked around in awe. She usually never came to my atelier because the tinkering and suits had caused her some amount of trouble.

"Hey Capsicle, hey Peps."

I didn't raise my head from my work; their footsteps were getting closer. I groaned as my head was spinning. I was currently on three hours of sleep per night, energy drinks or coffee with the occasional granola bar to keep me going. Nothing and no one was going to stop me. I was on a roll, with an influx and creation of outer energy higher than the outflow of body and mental energy.

"We think you're overworking yourself because of Y/n. We barely see you out. She's strong, she knows 'em. I know she'll fight until we find her." Steve seemed nervous and kept a distance from me. Sure my alcoholic days were over but it didn't mean I was a threat. Not yet anyways. 

"I'm not. Tell me who runs this hm? Thanks to who is this tower and those snazzy suits?"

"Tony." he countered firmly

"No, no, no Steve. I'm talking."

"Tony..." Pepper whispered, softly putting a hand on my shoulder. Her touch was like a feather, yet seemed to trip up a thousand wires inside of me. I wanted to give in to her, to my feelings. But right now, feelings would make me lose my momemtum. My drive. My thoughtless head.

"You can go." I answered Steve firmly, my head still inside the project I had been spending my days on. I was quite pleased with how quickly and nicely it was coming along, the price to pay for my isolation.

Steve huffed and left the room. God, what was his problem? 

"Tony... They care about you, just as much as I know you care about Y/n. I know you don't do feelings but it's fine to not be okay." She was leaning with her back to the table where I was working. Tools were lying out with bolts, screws, bits and electric parts everywhere. Discarded plans were strewn across the floor with some pens and other things.I was tired. But I had to keep going.

"Mhm mhm." I mumbled. Did I care about Y/n? I mean sure she was an Avenger, was nice, funny, the only one able to control Reindeer Games and a fierce fighter but other than that? She was smart. Very smart. Somehow interesting also sometimes so common.