Chapter Text
Tony burned with curiosity. This was the way it had always been; it made him who he was. Not just curiosity about science, but about everyone and everything. At the moment, as it had been for some time, the intense force of his curiosity was focused mostly on one thing.
Magic.
On their team, Thor was the only one with any vestiges of magic; even then, the god had very little.
On the other side, there was Amora, the crazy magic bitch who wanted Thor in the biblical sense; Doctor Doom and his disturbing amalgamations of electricity and theurgy; and Loki, who wasn't really an enemy, just an agent of chaos who wanted to piss Thor off, and maybe destroy some stuff for funsies. Amongst others.
Why did the bad guys get all the magic?
Tony had spent the last several battles against these magical pains in his ass focussing less on combat and more on scanning them.
He was getting a fair idea of what magical energy was; it wasn't anything like any other energy on Earth, being far more malleable, and it had to have a host. There was so much he didn't understand. A normal person would have gotten frustrated, but Tony's curiosity just intensified.
People had gotten annoyed at Tony working in his lab all the time, but short of roofieing Loki, Amora or Doom and making them perform magic (wasn't that a kinky thought) locking himself in his lab and trying to replicate the actual energy really was his only option.
Today, of all days, he was meeting some success.
There was a big glowing wad of pinky-gold energy roiling in the centre of his lab, which Tony was controlling using his computer, not that he had any idea what the magic he had created did. Really, he was just happy that he had something.
Little did Tony know, he was making a pretty sad attempt at a binding spell. This variant was in fact a charm for infatuation.
"Right, that's enough for today, I've got plenty of readings to work with." Tony said, mostly to himself.
He flicked the computer off, expecting the blob of magical energy to fizzle away. At the last second, he realised the awful truth: magical energy needs a host.
And a truth he couldn't realise: binding spells need two hosts. A magic user and a thrall.
-O.O-
Despite the fact they were technically archenemies, not brothers, Loki and Thor still stayed in contact. This was mostly so Loki could hear the latest comings and goings in Asgard and check that his adoptive mother was well.
If there was anyone in the universe Loki still cared for, it was Frigga. Aside from that, everyone could burn as far as he cared.
Chaos was far more fun than any form of sentiment. That said, Asgard was the hub of the universe and the one place Loki couldn't go, so he liked to hear what was going on, even if it meant listening to Thor.
Loki rather suddenly became aware of magical energy nearby. He leapt to his feet, full armour materialising as he snarled at Thor "What have you done!?"
"Nothing, brother, I do not-"
Loki was already furious, his wildfire temper flaring. "I am not your brother! Explain this!"
Just then, Loki felt a something. In any other case, he would have said it was a binding spell, but it was crude and rough and felt all wrong.
"WHAT. HAVE. YOU. DONE!?" Loki screamed, under the impression he'd somehow just been tricked and caged. "Release me!"
-O.O-
Tony woke up on the floor. This was hardly a first, only it didn't seem he had a hangover, so maybe it was.
He didn't remember what happened, or why he'd passed out. All he knew is that the ball of magic in his lab had exploded when he'd tried to get rid of it.
This was a time for introspection. Tony let his mind wander, over things he was supposed to have done but didn't, his teammates he was supposed to talk to but hadn't, and the villains he was supposed to capture but couldn't.
Villians. Something about that was very important.
Namor. No.
Doctor Doom. Annoying, and unfortunately named, but no.
Skurge. Ew. No.
Amora? Hot, if she wasn't crazy Tony would definitely hit that, but no.
Loki?
Yes.
That was important.
Why was it important?
Tony lay on the floor and thought about Loki. His ebony hair, his smooth alabaster skin, his mischievous green eyes that could look right through you, his clever hands.
That accent, his voice a low feral purr that Tony could listen to all day.
How amazingly good at magic he was, and how much Tony would like to study that.
How smart he was, how he always saw through any trick or trap.
That was when Tony knew.
He was in love with Loki.
Surprised by this new revelation, Tony sat up, wondering where Loki was right now so he could go see him.
Some sense that he hadn't had before firmly told him that Loki was upstairs in Thor's private rooms.
Well, he knew where he needed to go.
-O.O-
Loki was quickly realising that whatever had happened had nothing to do with Thor. The magic itself didn't have the signature of being cast by any sorcerer he knew, either, and it didn't seem to be harming him.
But he didn't like it. He'd overstayed his welcome. With a sneer at Thor, Loki brushed himself off and made to leave.
Just then, the elevator opened, and Stark jumped out, looking rather insane as his eyes searched the room for something. Then his brown eyes alighted on Loki, and Loki felt a surprising jolt of fear when he discerned the intent in those irises.
"Sta-" Loki said, but Tony stopped him by jumping forward, grabbing his coat and pulling the god's lips against his own.
"MMPH!" Loki snatched Stark and yanked him back in shock, holding him by his throat in the air.
"What are you doing!?" Loki screeched. "I should break your miserable neck, you perverted, morally weak, filthy, mortal! I should-"
"What is the meaning of this, Man of Iron?" Thor boomed in outrage.
Seeing as Loki's hand was cutting off his airway, Tony tried to answer but only managed a gurgle.
"Put him down, brother." Thor said gently.
Loki was trembling with anger at his violation as he released Tony. "Explain yourself, and quickly, before I give in to temptation and destroy you for your presumption." He hissed.
"Loki, I know this is sudden, and we haven't had much to with each other, but I...I love you." Tony rasped.
It was only Loki's somewhat paralysing surprise that allowed Tony to get his hands around Loki's waist and squeeze him into a tight hug.
"Unhand me." Loki said sharply.
Tony refused. "No. I like this."
Loki's brain was trying to figure out what was going on as he levered Tony away from him.
When he was free, he teleported away.
Tony gave a moan of heartsickness as he suddenly felt so very alone.
-O.O-
Tony had developed a sense of where Loki was, which he attributed to them being soulmates, but was actually a result of being Loki's thrall.
This was why, while Thor gathered the Avengers, Tony mentally locked on to Loki's apartment safehouse (safeapartment?) as he was clad into his Iron Man suit.
When everyone sat down at the conference table, wondering where Tony was, the man himself was soaring towards a tidy apartment in Brooklyn.
-O.O-
"You're saying Tony actually kissed him!?" Clint said in disbelief. "Like, the full lip-lock, with Loki, your brother, a.k.a the crazy guy who keeps trying to blow us up?"
"My brother is far from insane." Thor warned. "But yes."
"And he said he loved him." Clint said.
"Yes."
Clint turned to Steve. "Let's face it, Tony's gone insane. We all knew this day would come. Que sera sera and all that."
"Where is he, does anyone know?" Steve said, the face of responsibility.
-O.O-
Tony landed on Loki's balcony in Brooklyn, pulling off his helmet so he could see Loki better.
The god was meditating on his couch, so Tony gently broke the lock on the sliding door and crept in. He made it halfway across the floor before Loki's green eyes flicked open.
"Stark, how did you find this place?" Loki said cautiously.
"I just knew." Tony said, which confirmed Loki's theories.
Tony was under a botched love spell.