Chapter Text
Loki carved the last rune on his helmet and grinned at his handiwork, turning it this way and that, trying to determine if there was any chance that someone (namely, Natasha Romanov) could suspect something of the intricate lines that covered the piece. It looked elegant and not magical at all, which was kind of a necessity, given that not even SHIELD knew that it was more than his reflexes that kept him out of the line of fire sometimes, or that his oh-so-very-advanced electromagnetic field was a sphere of magical energy.
He was the Sorcerer Supreme, a master of the mystic arts, the protector of the eye of Agamotto, but he also happened to be a billionaire genius who was the visible head of one of the most important companies in the world.
And lately, a super hero.
He didn’t mind that it was thought that Iron man was a technological advanced armor that could put on its knees the army of a small country, because it was, but there were few people who knew that his armor also amalgamated the Eldritch powers that few could conjure with technology.
Nonetheless, he thought it best that the extent of his capabilities were thought just those of a very intelligent baseline human. Compared to literal gods and other enhanced, people tended to see him as a less worrying target. It always worked on his favor.
“SIGYN, dear” he called smiling broadly towards one of the cameras that littered his lab “Could you start the graphing of the gauntlets? I want to see if we can finish this before Thor comes back”
“Of course, Loki” the AI had a British accent, and the voice and cadence of a young woman “Mister Rogers says he wants to discuss something with you before Mister Odinson arrives. Do you want me to tell him something?”
Loki felt his lips twist into a sneer. Not that he didn’t like the Captain. He was just too sanctimonious, maybe too prone to think too highly of himself and look at others (Loki) as if he had a better moral standing to judge from, and they clashed enough that Loki preferred to limit his taunting when he wanted to amuse himself, and keep his distance when he was in a good mood.
Like today.
Today Thor was supposed to come back from Asgard, and Loki was itching to show the other man his new armor, and then, maybe go sparring, or flying, or anything.
Ever since they had meet, just before the battle of New York, they had formed an easy and strong friendship, very different of those that Loki had before, and he cherished it more than he could express with words.
But not even his bromanceship with Thor would make him go and wait for him with the Captain.
“Tell him I’m very, very, busy, but that you can take his requests to me” still with the helmet in his hands, he pushed himself from the work table with his feet, and his not-at-all-ergonomic office chair (the one that Pepper had warned would be burned if she got the chance) squeaked as he twirled across the lab, at least until he jumped out of the battered chair, sending it tumbling towards a wall, whilst he made an exaggerated bow at having landed on his feet towards the cameras. “Meanwhile, I will go to check on my suffering apprentice”
“Take care, Loki” the AI said good-naturedly, while Loki looked for his sling ring under a few books that were scattered on another table “Your ring is in the left pocket of your lab coat. And, please, tell mister Strange to come visit soon”
Loki, who was now rummaging in the pockets of his lab coat, shot one of the cameras an offended look “Should I be jealous? Yes, I will tell Strange that you miss him. But…” he said, interrupting whatever his AI was going to say with a raised finger, opening a portal to the empty hall of the New York Sanctum “… I want you to keep an eye opened to the Bifrost. Lets see if I finally got an early alarm for that thing”
“Yes, Loki” said the AI, watching as the engineer disappeared in the middle of golden and green sparkles, and turning her attention to the satellites that Loki Stark had for no other use than looking at the Rainbow Bridge.