Chapter Text
Tony hated that Rhodey had been injured, really wished he wasn't in the hospital with life-changing injuries, but on the other hand, he wasn't off on a mission now, wasn't in danger of his life now, and he was there, had time to spare, whenever Tony felt like stopping by. It was nice to have people who were there.
"You look happier," Rhodey commented today. "You finally make things right with Pepper?"
Tony paused. "No. Yes?" He grimaced. "It depends how you define - "
"You ended things, didn't you. For good."
Tony blew out a breath, starting to pace the small room. "Rhodey. I'm just not the guy... I'm not the guy she needs. I'm not the guy both of you seem to think I can be."
Rhodey sighed. "I'm not gonna tell you what you can and can't be. Lord knows, I've always found it's better to let you do your own thing and figure your own stuff out. But Tony, you do better with people. And if Pepper isn't around, what are you doing when you're not here? Rattling around in your mansion? Working on your cars and your armor?" He shook his head. "I'm sorry about Bruce, and JARVIS. They were good for you, I know that, and I know you can't replace either of them, but just don't spend too much time alone, okay?"
Tony inclined his head, scrunching up his face a bit. "Funny enough," he told Rhodey. "I've had company."
"Casual hookups don't count. And neither does FRIDAY. She's practically a baby, even I can tell that." Rhodey scrutinized his face, trying to interpret his reactions. "You didn't try to keep that spider kid, did you? People aren't pets. Except the ones you built from the ground up."
Tony waved a hand. "Nah, he's got better things to do. Occasionally he comes over on the weekends and we talk equipment."
"So who's your mystery guest?"
Tony frowned, looking slightly pained.
"Now, that's not a good look. That's a patented 'I don't want to tell you how much equipment I blew up accidentally' Tony Stark face if I've ever seen one. So spill. What did you do? Did you kidnap that other kid? The one you stole the Dora watch from? What was his name, Harley? Is that even his real name or was he trying to impress you?"
"Harley is safe and sound in Tennessee. We Skype sometimes. I am not the one being a creeper and dropping my all-powerful self into the middle of someone else's life, this time."
"Uh-huh." Rhodey frowned thoughtfully. "Thor come back?"
Tony sighed, sank down into a chair, put his feet up on Rhodey's bed. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"You know, at this point, I would think that'd be pretty hard to accomplish." He patted Tony's ankle. "Come on, just tell me, I'm getting worried."
"I'd like to preface this whole conversation by saying that I'm pretty sure I'm not delusional. Although since I'm pretty sure no one else has seen him since his reported death, it's possible I'm wrong. Secondly: I'm well aware he's not a saint. Although considering how things have gone recently with Saint Rogers, I'm calling that a plus. But he's been... thoroughly non-murderous, at least when he's been hanging around where I can see him. Which has been a lot."
"Gimme a name, Tony," Rhodey said, and it was clear from his tone that he was no longer messing around.
"...Loki?"
"...Loki. As in the guy who led an invasion against Earth and killed dozens of people. The guy who threw you out of your tower without your armor on. That Loki?"
"Yeah. Weird, right? He just shows up one day and... starts hanging around. Chatting. I don't even know why. What he gets out of it. But it's been... weirdly good. To have someone else around who knows what it's like to crap up so spectacularly that they almost destroyed the world."
Rhodey frowned at him for a long time after that. "Well, personally, I'd be worried about that," he said. "But you know more about the guy than I do. You sure it's him?" You sure you aren't losing it? his expression asked.
"Hey, North Pole," Tony asked the ceiling. "You lurking today?"
"My faith in this man, based only on your implication that he can be trusted with this, is, frankly, ridiculous," Loki said, appearing behind Tony dressed in a soft, coarse-woven green shirt and leather pants. "But then, so is all of this. You trusting me. Anyone trusting anyone, really."
"I'd agree, but, Rhodey's always been my exception," Tony told him, and patted the chair next to his.
Loki nodded regally, and sat.
Rhodey stared. Then he pinched himself.
"See, that's what I did!" Tony exclaimed. "And I'm pretty sure no one but Loki would try to trick us into thinking Loki is here, so."
"Loki," Rhodey addressed him flatly. "I'd say it's good to meet you, but I'm not so sure it is, quite yet."
"Your opinions, of course, are your own, and understandable," Loki said. "But after everything your Tony Stark has been part of, after everything that has been said of him, I trust you know that there are always two sides to a story, especially when one has been lied to for decades by the very people who claimed one as family, and especially when the Mind Gem is involved."
Rhodey made a small scoffing sound. "Well, this oughta be good," he said.
"I was not well, when I was sent to Earth with the scepter. I had been broken, too many times in too few years, and between the torture of Thanos and the manipulation of the Mind Gem, I was... lost to their plot, little more than an automaton. It was only when I heard Tony Stark speak for the first time that I began to remember who I was, what I was capable of, and that something mattered in the world more than avoiding further pain. The way he speaks... it has resonance deep into the psychic dimension, meaning broader than the words available to him. I sensed in him a kindred spirit. And I believe that, even then, so did he, in at least some small way."
"I did peg you for a very specific brand of attention whore," Tony confirmed with a smirk.
"I made myself a common enemy to draw the rest of you together, as best I could with Thanos, the Other, and the gem looking over my shoulder, pushing me to conquer. I opened the rift over the very seat of so much of your world's power, and bought your heroes time to arrive, to organize."
"That was the plan," Tony noted with amusement. "You even told me." He hadn't actually heard this part of the story before, but it all made sense with what he had been learning already. "How'd that play for Thanos?"
"He relishes the deaths of heroes," Loki told them. "He wanted me to kill you all, publicly, for the spectacle, for his enjoyment. But by that time, I rather hoped that in such a standoff, you would win. I had no desire to return to Thanos to receive either his praise or his punishment."
"And the cutoff safety on the wormhole? All part of the plan?"
"The Mind Gem engineered that, I think," Loki said. "It had gotten a taste of Midgard and preferred the thirst for power it found here to Thanos's thirst for death. It had control of Selvig's mind to the extent it wanted, after all. And the Gem has certainly had some interesting adventures in the time since it came here in my hands."
"That's the yellow thing in Vision's forehead, right? The thing from inside the staff? You think it has its own agenda?"
"It is mind, Colonel Rhodes. It is agenda. I believe it meant to create Wanda, it meant to create Ultron. And I believe that despite the strength of the personality now keeping it in check, it meant to do this." Loki gestured at Rhodey's unmoving legs. "As a sort of revenge against Tony for trapping it in the rigidly principled personality of JARVIS."
Tony frowned at Loki. "I thought you said the thing was okay, now. Contained."
"It is in Vision's nature to care for humans, to care for humanity, yes. The stone is restrained as it ever has been. But given that Wanda has been shaped by the Mind Gem into a tool it felt it needed, and that there may now be a kind of resonance between the two, I believe the Mind Gem may have enough outside influence in the form of the Scarlet Witch to divert Vision's attention away from protecting others. Towards her, the object of his preoccupation."
Tony took a breath. "So even if Jarvis was perfect, Vision has a mind like the rest of us. Fallible."
"Traitorous," Loki agreed. "Weak."
"Human," Rhodey offered. "Prone to falling in love. Hey, I may not exactly be thrilled about the result, but that kind of connection? It's part of being alive, okay? He could have handled it better, maybe, but none of us are perfect. And I don't plan on holding it against the guy."
Loki heaved a breath. "That," he said, "makes me vastly more optimistic about the odds of my entering your good graces, given time."
Rhodey turned his eyes on Tony. "You really believe him about all of this?"
"It's definitely compelling, as stories go." He shot Loki a glance. "I'm starting to."
"Well in this world, I've heard stranger things, I guess. So just be careful. And remember that he's not your only friend."
Tony scoffed. "Yeah, I know." But he'd looked like he needed to hear it.
"Okay. Just so long as that's clear. Now, back to the previous topic." Rhodey looked thoughtfully at Loki for a moment, then waved a hand. "Scram, Loki. Lemme at least pretend I'm talking to my buddy alone. 'Kay?"
Loki nodded, and blinked out of sight.
"What were we discussing, again?" Tony asked.
"Are you really okay?" Rhodey asked earnestly. "Even if you and Pep didn't work out... it's not just you, okay, She's great, but so are you, and if you two couldn't make it work it means she wasn't right for you. I know you feel like it's rare to meet someone who can tolerate you. And you can be a pain, yeah? But you're worth all of it. And Pepper is not the be-all and end-all of your romantic life. If it's really over... you can find someone else. What about that spider-kid's aunt? I've heard good things."
Tony shook his head. "Nah, he doesn't want me around her. Which. I can understand. It's always gonna be... messy, with me."
"That doesn't mean it isn't worthwhile."
"Hey, at least let me wallow for a little bit, okay?"
Rhodey laughed lightly. "You don't exactly look like you've been wallowing. You're allowed to be not okay about it. But you're also allowed to be okay, if that's where you're at. Or both. I just don't want you to think she's your only hope for having the life you want."
Tony squinted at him for a minute. "Okay, yeah, all right," he said. "No narrowing my options until the bitter end. Suppose I can live with that."
Rhodey slapped him on the arm. "Go," he said. "Live your life. And be careful of that Loki character. Seems a little shady to me."
Tony grinned. "See you around, honey bear."
Once he was gone, Loki popped back in.
"He seems a lot better," Rhodey told him.
"Good," Loki replied absently, and sat, still looking at the door.
"I couldn't figure out what your angle was. And then you started talking about Vision. About his 'weakness.' And then I saw it."
Loki narrowed his eyes at Rhodey. "Whatever it is you think you know...."
"You love him, don't you?"
Loki looked gutted. Then defiant. "And what if I do?"
"Then good. He needs someone who looks at him like that. And if that's you... I can see it, you know? You're both big, powerful, unstable. And terrified of letting people down. You know, it took me a while to get used to the fact that he and Bruce were good for each other, that they propped each other up. And Banner, he's the same way. He's a force for destruction, one little twist away from leveling a city. People like that, they can destroy each other, or they can shore each other up. And I've realized that it's better to try and get them to shore each other up than to try and stop them from destroying each other." Rhodey laughed a little bitterly. "Dealing with the superhuman, you've gotta learn fast."
"You would encourage this?" Loki asked, a little incredulous.
"Just don't leave, once you've started," Rhodey said, eyes drilling into Loki's now. "His parents died. Obie... well. Bruce left. Pepper left. The rest of the team. If you are just one more person who is gonna worm your way into his heart, then leave it gaping and torn open, then stop that right now, or I will find a way to kill you."
"I understand," said Loki, shifting in the chair. "Perhaps... I should extricate myself before...."
"Oh, no," Rhodey said, shaking his head. "Oh, no, you don't. Sit your ass down. Because you've already started. There's no backing out now. He's just started to heal. And you're not gonna tear away what you've given him. Not now. Not ever. You understand?"
"I am not...." Loki swallowed. "I am not built to be faithful. To be solid. To be dependable. I can promise nothing to anyone and have it ring true. I am Loki. I am the god of lies. Of illusion. And I bring ruin everywhere I go."
"Let him," Rhodey said, "prop you up. Let him be the person who's just extraordinary enough to help you be who you want to be. Because if this is gonna work, he needs to be able to give you just as much as you give him. I know you're dangerous, I know you're too smart for your own good. So is he. So do your best to stick around, and let him help you. That's all I'm gonna ask."
"Thank you," Loki told him. "For all of that. Is there anything I can do for in return?"
"Oh, that was all for Tony," Rhodey said. "Not for you. So just do all of that, and we'll be square."
"Still, I feel that I am in your debt." Loki frowned thoughtfully at him. "I don't expect you to trust this offer, but... I might know of a way to help your injury to heal."
"I'll think about it," Rhodey said. "Let me see how things go, first."
He wanted to see how far he could take the healing process on his own. But also, he wanted to be sure of Loki, wanted to know whether accepting a gift from the guy was going to make Rhodey resent their interactions every time he took a step.
Only time would tell.