The Bargain

Chapter 41: Forty-first Installment

Forty-First Installment: Introspection

After three days, Loki looked so much better Thor almost couldn't believe his eyes. During that time Loki had been a complete recluse, vanishing so that not even Tony knew where he went. Apparently, wherever he went he'd kept his word about resting. That pinched, gaunt look about his pale face was gone, his eyes were bright, and he didn't look exhausted unto death.

He carried himself with the usual tilt to his chin, shoulders back and straight. It was strangely good to see.

He strode into the great hall as if he ruled it, and the two dwarf brothers Sindri and Brokkr immediately leaped to their feet. They'd been questioning Tony about his Arc reactor, trying to come up with more applications for the little device. As soon as Loki appeared they seemed to forget about the human, and it was almost comical how fast they rushed to him.

"Loki!" exclaimed Sindri.

"Your armor is long complete, as promised," Brokkr said.

Loki gave them both indulgent smiles, and even though they were taller than him he appeared to look down at them. It was something he'd mastered. "I know, Brokkr. Before we go, I would like to make sure Stark understands all the new functions. Particularly how to don it. I was very impressed by your ingenuity, coming up with that little feature."

The two dwarves all but glowed at the praise.

"But you made it possible, Loki," Sindri said. "We could never have done it without you."

"An accident of your birth," Loki dismissed his part. "Assign credit where it is due."

This, Thor thought ruefully, is how Loki got that nickname, Silvertongue. So sweetly do words pour off his tongue, a honeyed flow to dull even the sharpest edge of reality.

The two dwarves looked at him in complete adoration.

Brokkr went to Tony, who had been watching Loki in obvious contemplation. He blinked and focused on the dwarf, who handed Tony what looked like a flat locket as big around as the man's palm. Looking mystified, Tony accepted it. Brokkr gestured.

"Put it around your neck," he instructed.

Tony obeyed. The chain was long enough to drape over his head.

"Now open it," Sindri commanded.

Tony opened it, and just like that he was wearing his armor.

Thor blinked. Well, that certainly is more proficient than the old way.

"Shit!" Tony exclaimed. "I thought Jarvis did a good job of putting this on fast. But where's the helmet? And you didn't mess with the computer core, did you?"

"No," Brokkr replied, sounding offended. "Loki was very specific on what we couldn't touch."

"And he doesn't make mistakes," Sindri added.

Thor closed his eyes a moment, smiling to himself.

"Look at the inside of the locket," Brokkr said.

"Simply opening the locket triggers the process of donning the armor," Sindri went on. "The buttons within perform two different commands. The green one will bring out the helmet. The red one will remove the armor. You must be wearing the locket, of course, for it to work."

"It is also magically coded to you, Stark," Loki added in an almost gentle tone. "No one else can use it."

The look Tony gave Loki was all kinds of loving, worse than the two dwarves combined. He smiled. "You always think of everything."