The Bargain

Chapter 51: Fifty-first Installment

Fifty-First Installment: Rumbling in the Distance

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

"It certainly seems to be within the realm of your physical capabilities, given that you just did ask me something."

"Ha ha, very funny. May I ask you something, damn bastard."

"You may, but I may exercise my right not to answer."

"I'm revoking that right."

Loki finally looked up from his enormous, dusty book (seriously, where the hell did he keep finding those?) and met Tony's eyes. He looked amused. "You are, are you? And what gives you that right?"

"You're in my Tower."

Loki's eyes glittered. "Easily rectified."

"Loki."

The beautiful Aesir twitched, closing his book and setting it down. "Not now," he said, and he made as if to walk away.

Tony grabbed his wrist. "Don't dismiss me."

Neither resisting nor pulling away, Loki merely looked at him. "It wasn't a dismissal. Think of it as a request, if you prefer. I don't want to talk about this right now."

"Why not?" Did he sound too pouty?

Something flickered in Loki's eyes. Such pretty, pretty eyes. He was thinking about lying. When did I start reading him so well? Finally, Loki blinked and lifted one slim, elegant hand to trace his fingers across Tony's jaw. He brushed a thumb right below Tony's left eye. I'm tall as him now, just like the Aether promised.

"Because I'm not ready." Then, as soon as Tony thought about opening his mouth to protest, Loki pressed a finger over his lips. "But I will be."

Tony gazed at him, just those simple words feeling incredibly meaningful. A potent promise, lingering in the air between them. Then Loki dropped his hand.

"I forgot to tell you, Miss Potts was here not twenty minutes ago, asking you to speak with her. A video conference, I believe were her words."

Tony had no idea where he was going, but he found he couldn't move as he watched him walk away. His skin tingled where Loki had touched him. Shaking himself, resigning himself to be patient again, he trotted to his lab.

"Jarvis, call up Pepper for me."

"Of course, sir."

It only rang twice before her pretty face, one he still loved very much, popped up on his screen. "Should I be concerned?" she asked, a smile teasing her lips.

He raised an eyebrow. "Probably. Definitely, in fact. About what?"

"You just got organized all of a sudden. Changing around the terms of Stark Industries if something were to happen to you? You've never cared about that before. Did something change?"

"Oh yeah," Tony mused. "How about that. I guess I just want to make sure you're fine if I die."

"That was never the concern," Pepper said with a low laugh. "You would never be fine if I died."

"True," Tony agreed, wishing he had a nice malt whiskey in his hand. "This bad guy I told you about, he's bad news. That's all."

"Are you worried?" she asked softly.

"Nah," Tony replied, waving a hand. And he wasn't. "I just got bored, had some time on my hands. Haven't you been bothering me to take care of this for months?"