Chapter Text
Loki found the female body restricting. He needed Stark to help him find appropriate clothing, because he was not quite certain what went for casual on this Midgard. He still wasn't quite sure if what he wore was appropriate, and his partner would only be too willing to make a fool of him. The clothes he ended up wearing felt too tight, his hair caused sweat to accumulate on his neck, and his chest ached from the weight of his breasts.
Stark didn't stop chattering to the other scientist the entire flight or car ride to the house, and the noise caused a headache to begin poking his skull, a feeling that was not helped by his magic being sealed away.
Picking up Doctor Banner had been terrifying; all too well he remembered what the green beast had done to him, snapping multiple bones that even Thor would have been hard pressed to create in such a short amount of time. Stark herded him onto a sleeker version of the plane he had traveled on when they first met, and they landed within a few hours before taking off towards his other home. He did not enjoy the idea of living with him for an indefinite amount of time.
He did his best to hide it, and as far as Loki knew, he succeeded. The mortal had no where near the sensitivity Loki did when sensing emotions, and from him Loki felt nothing but excitement. Originally there was some nervousness when Loki introduced himself as Lucy, but it soon disappeared when the two men starting discussing fabric, of all things.
Loki knew that he would have to show himself to Banner, most likely as soon as he was settled in the house. He was unsure if the green beast would show up, but he was certain that the doctor would not take kindly to his presence, and in order to make him more comfortable Stark would deny him any magic. As it stood now, Loki could only use his magic to slip back to his usual Æsir form.
Eventually the car turned into a drive way, leading up to a house that resided on the edge of a cliff, and he could feel the incredulity emanating from the scientist. Dread creeped into him, because how, exactly, did one prepare for a beating from a creature that was barely human?
"Hey, it's casa de Stark!" Stark enthused, oblivious to Loki's discomfort. Or perhaps he just didn't care, and that would make more sense, because he was hardly an idiot.
"What do you even do with all this space, Tony? It has enough room to house the entirety of some of the villages I stayed in." Banner inquired, and Loki could see why. He may have been raised as royalty, but even his quarters did not contain such a waste of space.
"I like all the openness."
They were going to need that openness if Banner turned into the green monster once he found out Lucy's real identity. If the human didn't kill him first.
"Wait until you see the lab and the work shop. And if you need some equipment, let me know, because if I can't build you a better one, then I can most certainly afford one." Stark's excitement started to affect Banner too. Despite his obvious discomfort with the excess of luxury, the anticipation to conduct research far outweighed the negative feelings. Loki could appreciate that, he once spent days holed up fine tuning his magic, aided occasionally by his mother.
"I had Jarvis set himself up in the house this morning, so by now he should be awake and running. Figurative running. Although he could run if he used one of the suits." Tony frowned, "Actually the suit looks silly if it runs. It was made for flying."
Tony parked in an underground garage, and herded them into an elevator much like the one at the tower.
"J, set up the lights leading to Bruce's room." They stepped out if the elevator, Banner focusing on where the lights were, Stark on Banner's reaction, and Loki pretended to be curious about his surroundings, as was appropriate for an idiot consort of Stark's.
Banner followed the lights, his meager possessions all fitting in the duffle bag slung over his shoulder.
"Stay here." Stark ordered, before following him, chattering before he even got within two yards of the doctor.
Loki moved to the massive couch, watching the hallway that the two men disappeared down.
"Jarvis, when does Stark plan to have me show myself to Banner?" He could prepare.
"Mr. Stark has given no indication as to when he would introduce you to Dr. Banner, Mr. Loki."
"When I'm in this form, my name is Lucy Andersen." It wouldn't do to be over heard.
"As you wish, Miss Andersen."
"When do you expect them to return? I would like to stop anticipating the rejection and show him now." His nerves would be shot to Helheim and back if he waited too much longer.
"Mr. Stark and Dr. Banner are making their way to the living room now, Miss Andersen."
Loki blew out a puff of air, making the loose hair around his face flutter before settling back down. A few seconds passed before he could here the incessant babble of his mate.
Stark entered first, Banner trailing behind him. The inventor was gesticulating wildly, excitement leaking into his voice. The doctor looked thoughtful.
"Dr. Banner, I have something I wish to show you." Loki interrupted. Stark quieted immediately, before protesting.
"We haven't even eaten yet! Your demonstration can wait!"
He glared at the mortal, "You allowed me access to what I wish to show," the god stood up, "And if you dare take it away from me, I will make you regret it."
Banner cleared his throat, eyes darting between Loki and Stark. "What, uhm, do you want to show me? Because I can't really help you unless you..." He trailed off, his voice questioning.
"Doctor, this is the third time that we've been together, fourth if you include being on the same structure, although I am unaware if you even remember the first." Loki started.
"Were you in Harlem?" His look hardened, "Or are you with Ross? Because I'm not going back."
"Doctor, we met in Manhattan. It would be easier to show you. Please don't turn into the green monster, I hardly survived the first time." He picked at the magic keeping this form on, and merged back into his usual apperance. He was fairly certain that his facial expression was blank, although Stark may have been able to feel his apprehension and fear.
The doctor's eyes darkened before turning green, his breaths quickened.
"Bruce-y," Stark attempted damage control, "I really can explain. You watched Star Trek, right? Well you remember how Vulcans have bonds? And if they don't have bonds they die? It's kinda like that but no sex fest every seven years. Wait, Rock of Ages, is there a sex fest every seven years?" At the last statement, his mate looked... Unhappy at the prospect.
Banner whipped his head toward the engineer, "What the hell? Tony, why are you talking about Star Trek when you have a mass murderer in your house?" Loki grimaced at the title.
"If you listened, irreversible bond. Vulcan bonding. Did you even watch the original series? Because I get that its special effects and props kinda sucked, okay were downright awful, but it is the catalyst for the Star Trek franchise! You can't just skip it and move onto the movies!"
"Irreversible.... bond. And it never occurred to you that he could kill you with magic?" Oh right, the doctor assumed he had magic.
"Of course not, I immediately thought of it and see the little bracelets on his wrists? They say how much magic he can use, and what for. Like no dark magic, but he's allowed self defense and healing even when I say no magic."
"You never said that." Loki muttered, feeling his bindings loosen, easy to slip out under the right circumstances.
"Really? Whatever that's the new rules. But my point still stands, he can't really hurt anyone on our side with his magic. And it's not like I agreed to this. But he made the migraines go away and I think he still had access to his magic in prison, so this is a downgrade."
Banner's eyes returned to their normal shade of brown, his breathing evened out. "Did it ever occur to you that he was lying to get out of prison?"
"Well, yeah. Didn't Romanoff say I was 'paranoid' and 'had trust issues'? But Thor was there, and we fought against his brother together and turning on family members who go to the dark side really shows who has their rights and wrongs sorted out. And he said the king of another realm, who hates Loki because apparently he tried to destroy them too, said that we're tied together until death do us part, which sucks because I mean, hello. Playboy." Loki glared at Stark, he didn't need this entire realm knowing his attempted erasure of Jötunheimr.
"There was another world?" Banner made an exasperated noise, "And so you thought hey, let's keep the crazy mass murderer of three realms in your house?"
"Doctor," he felt the need to defend himself, "I did not choose Stark, nor he me. It is part of my heritage, one of which I wish had never manifested. Seperation causes the both of us incredible mental anguish. Do you wish to inflict that onto your friend if you imprison me somewhere else?"
Banner sighed, "You said Thor told you. So where is he now?"
"Off with his lady friend. Jan? Jamie? I don't know, her last name is Foster. He kept the skies clear for our flight. I can call her if you want to see for yourself."
"No. No I believe you. Do you intend to tell SHIELD?"
"Not for a while. He's only been here for what, three days? You're the first person I've told."
"Fine. Fine. You're shacking up with a homicidal Norse God who ruined more of New York than I did. Congrats Tony, you really know how to pick your house mates." He shook his head.
"We aren't shacking up! I have been celibate since the fiasco in Manhattan and I think it might be killing me! And did you miss the part where I said he hasn't even been here a week?"
Banner sighed. "You're an idiot." He turned to Loki, "I'm not going to tell anyone. But you're explaining the heritage thing to me later." Loki nodded.
"Can I show you to the lab and the workshop then? It will be perfect for you to create life saving vaccines and stretchy, stretchy fabric plus whatever radiation stuff you want to study." Stark rushed.
"Are you going to leave him unsupervised?" Banner asked.
"He's not a child. Why? Do you want to watch him? Because I'm pretty sure Jarvis has it covered, right, J?" The inventor seemed to have to physically restrain himself from grabbing his friend'a hand and dragging him there.
"I believe I am going to sleep. Do either of you plan to use the couch any time soon?" The openness of the living room was soothing.
"Make yourself comfortable. Now, Bruce-y, baby, let's go." He reached and gently grabbed the doctor, pulling him towards the lift, "Bullwinkle, don't set anything on fire, no malignant magic, no surprising anyone with your presence, and if you really can't sleep for, y'know, any reason, tell Jarvis and he will either get me or take you downstairs where I have a cot. Toodles, sweetie. Gotta go." The doors closed behind them.
No malignant magic meant Loki's bindings almost disappeared. He walked around the house, debating the most useful spots to place protection wards, because it wasn't really safe here. No matter how good Stark thought his security system was, things could always slip through. If Loki wasn't already here he could have entered the premises without even trying.
He attempted to procure a knife, mildly surprised when it actually appeared, but the moment he considered stabbing anyone with it, it vanished. attempting to project thoughts of safety he conjured it back.
Loki always had good taste, and the knife was no exception. It had an elegant handle, richly adorned with carvings and shining metals, but not gaudy. The blade was short, but sharp, and would make it easy to gouge the wood around the windows. He didn't think he could tackle the entire house in one night, but he could start with this room, and then the bedrooms and where Anth--Stark worked later. Assuming the man would let him near it.
He considered the runes he had available to him. What he used to put around the campsites when most of the warriors weren't looking. Alarms. Traps. Shields. Magic detections when it wasn't him. Malicious intent.Things to connect them. He created his own sigil that combined all six, but it was exhausting to use, especially when it was repeated over and over. He could usually attempt twenty or so before requiring rest. But in this case, perhaps it would be more effective. It adorned the walls in his old chambers at the palace.
He understood the doctor's displeasure, but he didn't have to be happy about it. If Laufey had suddenly shown up and explained that he was bonded to someone Æsir, Loki would likely have investigated to the best of his ability. And the Midgardian didn't have that. He had two sources of information, one of which could not be considered trustworthy, the other known to defend the accused.
Loki rubbed his eyes. "Jarvis, may I have something to drink? Preferably with a large amount of sugar."
"There are various types of juice in the kitchen. There is also fruit if you are hungry." He wouldn't have thought that Anthony was the type for fruit, but perhaps he ordered it for the doctor.
"Where is the kitchen?" Without verbally responding, lights lit up an path. He followed it.
"Ah, thank you, Jarvis." The kitchen was spotless, mostly black with chrome accents. The granite counter contained a large bowl, filled with fruits that Loki wasn't even aware existed. He grabbed an apple, because he was certain he needed the sugar before he attempted to ward the room. If he had the fruit for energy, he wouldn't require something to drink.
Ten minutes later he left the kitchen, retracing his path to the living room. Half the room was windows, providing a wonderful view, but little protection. He strode over to the panel of glass, and withdrew the knife. He stood on the sill, reaching up into the top most corner and dragged the blade over the glass. Thin lines followed the tip, and Loki inscribed the handmade sigil along with one to reinforce the glass. He pulled the energy to fuel the marks from his reserves, and they glowed briefly before fading back into vague lines. The sorcerer repeated the process in all four corners before connecting them, creating a solid shield between the ocean and the room.
He was fairly certain it would work, would protect him, but he wasn't sure. The god tried to summon an offensive spell, but was halted by the restrictions Anthony had placed.
Deciding to test later, he placed the protection rune near all of the entrances. The last required more effort, the creation and powering of multiple runes taking it's toll on his strength. With the remaining dregs he connected them, feeling the last of his magic leave, and he stumbled onto the couch before passing out.
~
Loki woke with a start, the room dark but for a small patch of artificial light shining down the hall. It provided enough light for the god to see his surroundings, and nothing seemed out of place. He stood and checked the runes he placed earlier, pleased to find them untampered before following the light to its source.
The source turned out to be the kitchen he had visited earlier, which now contained two scientists.
"Hello, Sleeping Beauty." greeted the inventor.
"Does that make you Prince Charming?" Loki replied.
"You wish, princess." he gestured to Banner, "So, we were in the lab because I have a mighty need to show off, and Bruce here needs some real equipment, when some of the energy readers I use for... Well nevermind you don't need to know what I use them for, but anyway they started reading unusual energy levels, the likes of which we haven't seen since, oh, maybe six months."
"Do you have a point, Stark?" Loki asked, moving to sit on a bar stool.
The doctor answered him, looking slightly guilty, "We wondered if the fluctuations were due to malfunctioning equipment."
"I think that is the most offensive thing you've ever said to me." interjected Tony.
Banner ignored him, "But we went to go look at the cameras in the house to see if anything weird was going on and we see you carving stuff into the walls and muttering what I assume were spells. Everything glowed faint green before looking like innocuous etchings."
"Again, do you have a point to your rambling, Doctor?" Loki kept his voice neutral.
"I, uh, want to take a look at your magic." he finished, speaking so quickly it must have been spoken in one breath.
Loki raised an eyebrow, "Why?"
"Because I'm a physicist. It's what I do." Banner stated.
Right. Wasn't the oaf's consort a 'physicist' too? He looked into her while on the planet during the invasion, and quite frankly he didn't see what made her so special. She would die within the century, the blink of an eye. Before his disdain could really build, he remembered he would be the same, except he would be practically dying with Stark. And that could be fixed, but would require intense planning. Because as long as Stark was alive, Loki was out of Asgard and its prison, and much of the court wanted his head for endangering the realm on Thor's coronation, for attempting to kill the All-Father, for attempting to kill the Golden Prince.
The god hummed, tapping his fingers along the counter, "Do I have a choice in the matter? Or do you intend to threaten me so I comply with your, ah, request?"
The physicist blanched, shaking his head, "No, no, you can always say no. I just thought it might give you something to do." he spoke earnestly, and Loki believed him, insofar as much as he would not be forced. Using underhanded persuasion, now, that was a different matter entirely.
"Then no. Not now, perhaps at a later date." He gathered just enough seidr to glow in his hand, "I am storing it to protect this dwelling. My safety is very important to me, I'm sure you understand." He waved the magic away.
"Was that what you call going all fruit ninja my walls?" Stark replied indignantly.
Loki's lip curled, "Your windows are stronger, and nothing can get in the room without me knowing it. It will soon be the entire house. Maybe even the entire property." He frowned, "I did not get the opportunity to test it. However, should anyone make the mistake of attacking it with magic, it will simply absorb the spell and use it to power the runes."
"Seriously? That's cool. I still don't like magic, but the energy conversion...." Anthony trailed off, "Wait does the ring work like that?"
"What ring? Tony, please tell me that ring isn't infused with magic." Banner was staring at Stark's hand, eyes focused on the band of metal.
"What? Oh. Yeah, but from what I've gathered he dies if I die, and vice versa, so really, I believe him when he says that it's supposed to keep me from doing just that." Stark was stupid, correct this once, but stupid. He should have had Thor look at the ring, he should have refused to wear it, he should have done something other than just believe him. If the look on Banner's face was any indication, he felt the same way.
"He is telling the truth." As he knows it. "And no, the ring does not. It deflects and sends the magic back to the one who sent it. More complex, certainly, but also much more useful in a fight." Loki used it more than once, and had always come out victorious. It was another spell he had fashioned on his own.
Banner blinked, "You die when he does?"
That's what he got from the conversation? That was it? "In a way." He replied, voice conveying nothing.
"And that doesn't bother you? Isn't your life span five thousand years?" The doctor replied incredulously.
"I am trying my best to stop him from dying soon. Hence the ring." Loki waved his hand in the general direction. He stood up, "I believe I am going to retire for the night. Do either of you require anything from me?"
"Nope." Stark popped the 'p'. Banner just shook his head.
"Then I shall see you on the morrow. Jarvis, please show me to my room." He strode out, ignoring the quiet "Do you sleep in the same room?" that he could hear only because he wasn't human.