Work Text:
Part 5: May
In May
Yes, I will spend the livelong day
With Nature in this month of May;
And sit beneath the trees, and share
My bread with birds whose homes are there;
While cows lie down to eat, and sheep
Stand to their necks in grass so deep;
While birds do sing with all their might,
As though they felt the earth in flight.
This is the hour I dreamed of, when
I sat surrounded by poor men;
And thought of how the Arab sat
Alone at evening, gazing at
The stars that bubbled in clear skies;
And of young dreamers, when their eyes
Enjoyed methought a precious boon
In the adventures of the Moon
Whose light, behind the Clouds' dark bars,
Searched for her stolen flocks of stars.
When I, hemmed in by wrecks of men,
Thought of some lonely cottage then
Full of sweet books; and miles of sea,
With passing ships, in front of me;
And having, on the other hand,
A flowery, green, bird-singing land.
William Henry Davies [3 July 1871 – 26 September 1940]
The first time Loki sent Tony flowers, he was off on a mission with Steve, Thor, and Natasha while the inventor stayed behind with the others to worry about their significant others. Their relationship was still new, and the mission team was holed up in a safe house, waiting for the right time to go back in to make their objective so they could get back out with the extraction team. Loki had taken out his Starkphone – bless his partner for creating tech that could be used on most missions and remain untraceable to anyone looking for unusual signals – thinking to shoot off a text to let Tony know they were doing okay.
Instead, he used the texting feature to summon JARVIS and ordered a dozen camellias in pink, red, and white to be delivered to the tower that evening. The card was just signed ‘L’, though later, Tony would show him that the florist had drawn a little heart next to the letter, which made them both smile, now that Loki fully understood he intricacies of human symbols meant to convey affection or other feelings – such as through all the silly emojis they sent each other in text messages.
“Why camellias, though, Mischief?” Tony asked while they cuddled together on the couch in the penthouse, looking at the flowers in their vase on coffee table while the multisided fireplace warmed their toes.
Loki blinked and turned slightly underneath Tony’s arm where it was slung across his shoulders.
“What do you mean...why camellias? I thought that would’ve been obvious, especially by the colors of them,” he replied and looked surprised to see the surprise in Tony’s eyes when he turned them away from the flowers.
“What does that even mean? And what do the specific colors have to do with it? I mean, you know I love red, but...well, it’s not like I deck myself out in a lot of pink. Not that I have anything against the color, but –“
This time, Loki shifted on the couch until he sat facing Tony, one leg curled in front of him while his other foot rested firmly on the floor. He caught Tony’s hand after his movement had dislodged the arm from around his shoulders.
“It has nothing to do with your favorite colors, kjære, and everything to do with the meaning behind the flower and the meaning behind the colors of the flowers,” Loki stated in a tone full of disbelief that he’d have to explain this to anyone, least of all his genius boyfriend. Truly, Tony was one of the smartest humans he’d ever encountered, and yet, this simple courting language appeared to baffle him.
Now Tony was shaking his head and twisting on the couch until he mirrored Loki. He didn’t let go of his boyfriend’s hand and in fact locked their fingers together. Staring into Loki’s remarkable eyes, he tried to play catch-up to what Loki told him.
“What are you talking about, Mint Chip? Flowers have meanings beyond just being pretty and making significant others swoon? Because I have to tell you, no one’s ever sent me flowers before, ever, and you definitely made me swoon by thinking about me on your mission,” Tony explained.
“I thought that Midgardians gave flowers by their meanings. Your lot used to anyway,” Loki said before worrying his bottom lip between his teeth while trying to remember all of the Earth societies he’d mingled with throughout the centuries.
While Loki took that moment to suss out Earth history and what he could recall of his dealings with it, Tony kissed his boyfriend’s hand and stood up with a stretch. He gathered their empty cocoa cups and walked across the room to the open concept kitchen to rinse them out and refill them from the pan on the stove. Once the remaining hot chocolate topped off each cup, he set the pan in the sink and ran hot water in it before returning to Loki’s side on the sofa, handing off his lover’s cup to him.
“Okay so here’s the thing. I’m sure that flowers were done that way at some point, but –“
“Actually, Sir, Mr. Odinson is right. During several points in human history, flowers and plants were given meaning and therefore when gifted to the object of one’s affection, especially for early societies where not everyone could read and write, the message of what might be in love letters for some would be conveyed in the meanings of the flowers. Of course, not all flowers or plants had positive and love-oriented meanings. Perhaps you wished to tell a lover you no longer had feelings for them, and some flowers would express that as well,” JARVIS chimed in, allowing Loki to smile over the rim of his mug and gesture as if to say See? But the AI wasn’t done having his say. “Furthermore, the tradition carried through much of history, and there were books written during the Victorian Era about this, and there are a great number of books from the last twenty years of the Twentieth Century to now.”
Tony looked up at the nearest red light, as if giving him a face for JARVIS to focus on.
“No shit, really?” He dropped his gaze to Loki’s face; Loki’s handsome, beautiful face that he daydreamed about fifty-eight out of every sixty seconds when he wasn’t with him. “Huh. Look at that. Even a genius can learn new shit every day, and while I’m not sure this is the sort of thing that...I don’t know, saves the planet or anything, I think it’s real bitchin’ knowledge to have.”
Tony took a drink of his cocoa then set the cup on the table. He waited until Loki lowered his cup to rest on one leg and then took it and set it next to his.
“Anthony, I was still drinking that,” he fussed with the cutest nose-wrinkle that drove Tony wild. So much so that the inventor leaned right over and pressed his lips to that wrinkle before it could disappear. Loki, always dropping more walls around Tony than he had anyone else in his life for so long, actually giggled at that silly but affectionate gesture.
“And I want to know what camellias mean...and their colors,” Tony insisted as he pushed himself closer into Loki’s space on the sofa, pushing right over to caress his boyfriend’s lips with his own.
“Consequently,” JARVIS continued, and of course, being an AI, he couldn’t ‘see’ his creator and his creator’s partner smiling against each other’s smile, huffing laughter while their eyes sparkled at each other, “while the books about flower language exist in the present day, no one actually communicates their feelings through specific flowers. Flowers are, of course, given as romantic gestures or as ‘get-well’ gestures, and naturally, they’re sent for funerals and condolence gestures. In that manner, many believe it is not romantic to send lilies as they are often associated with death and funerals, though it does stand to reason that if someone wishes to impress their potential paramour, they could send lilies if they are the lady’s – or in these days of equality, gentleman’s – favorite then the association with death is overlooked in favor of that person’s preference.”
Tony tilted his head to peek up at the red light again.
“You done, J?” he asked, wearing that cheeky half-cocked smile.
“Not quite, Sir. Just that if you were interested, I could put in an order for the top reviewed flower language books as well as seek out copies of Floral Emblems by Henry Phillips’ from 1825. Or I could locate The Language of Flowers by Routledge, illustrated by Kate Greenaway in 1884. I could find others if you would like, Sir, or if Mr. Odinson would like, though he appears to be well-versed in the language himself as shown by his lovely choice of flowers you are currently enjoying.”
When Tony looked away, Loki seized that opportunity to nibble along his jaw up to his earlobe, earning a contented groan from his lover. Then Tony’s hand pressed just wrong on Loki’s hip where he still sported a healing cut from the mission, causing him to hiss and squirm slightly away.
“Shit, Mischief, sorry,” Tony apologized and shifted so that he wasn’t leaning on him wrong or chancing any of the other tender spots on his boyfriend’s body, though given that Loki had just returned earlier in the day, he was already remarkably better than most of the rest of the team would be in his shoes.
“It’s okay, kjære,” Loki cooed and kissed away the worry from Tony’s eyes. “And JARVIS, I’m interested in these books even if Anthony isn’t. I know the language for Asgard’s, Vanaheim’s, and Alfheim’s flowers, and I’m familiar with Earth’s, but I wouldn’t mind refreshing my memory for certain. In case I decide to send this man more flowers in the future,” he added.
“Yes, Mr. Odinson. I will compile a list and drop them into your email so that you can look over them yourself before we order them. In fact, Sir, I will send you the same list in case you decide to further your education. Also, I should like to suggest that the flower language could easily help to save the planet should you use them as a code for sending messages where texting or other languages, including Agent Barton’s ASL for example, are not as feasible.”
“Thank you, JARVIS,” Loki hummed and nudged Tony back a little so he could once more shift comfortably on the couch.
“Yeah, J, thanks. I appreciate all the hard work,” Tony piped up and gave his lover a look that spoke of playfully accusing him of conspiracy with his AI.
“I aim to please, Sir.”
After JARVIS’ polite exit from the conversation – for now, as Tony discovered his AI liked to add his 2¢ in whenever he felt like it these days – he moved around on the couch until his back leaned into the armrest. He crooked his finger at Loki before opening his arms. Loki didn’t hesitate for a second to crawl close and lie against Tony’s body, cuddling close, his cheek finding its favorite pillow in his lover’s shoulder.
Once a few breaths had passed between them, Tony spoke up again, asking, “So then, gorgeous, tell me what camellias mean and why even J thinks they’re appropriate.”
Loki’s fingers trailed circles around the scars left behind by the arc reactor underneath Tony’s t-shirt, his eyes shifting from the dancing flames back to the vase full of flowers. He could still smell the fresh scent of a florist shop on them, and he suspected that they’d been given a special food in their water to make them last longer; naturally, he could use a touch of seiðr to extend their life as well, but he wasn’t certain he’d do that.
“Let’s see. The white camellias mean ‘you’re adorable’, which, Anthony, you are. Very much so. The red mean ‘you’re a flame in my heart’, and the pink say that ‘I’m longing for you’,” he explained and nuzzled Tony’s shoulder.
“Mmm...those are some powerful messages you sent to me while you were away,” Tony said, and Loki could hear the smile and joy in his tone. “Longing for me, huh? Were you really longing for me while you were so far away, stuck with the other three? Pining away for me.”
He was quiet at first and then pushed himself up on one elbow so he could stare into Tony’s eyes that were flame-kissed topazes burning up at him in return. Loki lifted his other hand from his boyfriend’s chest to stroke his cheek.
“I was, Anthony. I missed you, and I couldn’t wait to see your face again. To feel you...to hear your voice and heartbeat and breath.” His voice lowered to a soft, slow murmur, as if he wanted to keep his words solely between them, not even sharing them with the walls or fire or view outside the penthouse. They were for Tony’s ears alone.
Tony felt alive under Loki’s touch, under the soft caresses of his fingers on his face, the gentle gaze that peered deep into his own where they remained locked in a world of their own. Safe and secure while the hunger for one another burned just at the edge of where their bodies met and their need carried them. He brought his hand to Loki’s cheek, tenderly pulling him closer.
“C’mere,” Tony urged before showing Loki just as much he’d longed for him, too, their mouths crashing together in a kiss that grew hotter than the flames chasing away the last of winter’s chill.
It was a day and a half after the effects of the magic dampener bracelets wore off so that Loki was no longer his blue Jotun self, that Tony received the second vase of flowers from his boyfriend.
After a long grueling morning and afternoon of meeting after meeting after motherfucking meeting, wherein Pepper barely let him leave for a bathroom break lest he sneak away to his lab or anywhere else, Tony finally did get to head back to the penthouse. He was so intent on getting the hell out of his suit and shoes that he’d made a beeline for the bedroom and didn’t notice the vase on the bar with the colorful flowers.
“J, ping a message to Loki and see if he’s up for dinner out tonight since I still kinda owe him a Valentine’s Day fancy date that doesn’t include kidnapping, slipping me a mickey, and turning my boyfriend into a blue hottie,” Tony tossed out while he shucked his clothes at the speed of light, leaving them all tossed on the edge of the bed on his way to the bathroom. “And crank up the shower to the temp you know I like...along with a little Meatloaf. Time to wash this fucking waste of my day away.”
“Of course, Sir. Should I mention anything to Mr. Odinson about the flowers?” JARVIS intoned while his system took care of the shower settings, at least, ensuring that his creator would experience the exact kind of life-altering shower he clearly required after his full day on the SI floor.
Tony had already shuffled into the shower with Paradise by the Dashboard Lights blaring over the sound of the AI’s voice.
“Hey...J?”
Tony stood at the bar, studying the vase full of flowers, and he only recognized the six flame orange roses. The others – tall frilly cone-shaped red ones, and a cluster of delicate purple and pink ones – he couldn’t name on his own.
“Yes, Sir?”
“When did the flowers get here? Someone send ‘em to...I don’t know. Nat or Wanda? Or maybe Steve or Bucky tried to surprise each other, but someone brought them to the penthouse instead?” Tony asked, turning the vase around to study all the flowers together. The colors didn’t quite match, not in the way some bouquets he’d seen were arranged, and something niggled in the back of his brain just as he noticed the little rectangle envelope tucked into the vase on the plastic trident.
“Mr. Odinson brought the flowers up himself around noon today. He had wanted to take them downstairs to your SI office, but I had to inform him that you were busy in meetings all day that Ms. Potts would not have wanted interrupted, even though she does enjoy his company,” JARVIS answered, and if Tony wasn’t mistaken, he detected the slightest hint of exasperation in the bodiless voice, which made him wonder if JARVIS had said something to him earlier that he’d missed.
“Huh. Pretty things, aren’t they? Loki’s such a fucking sweetheart. Romantic,” Tony mused instead of drawing attention to whatever had gently rankled his AI.
“Yes Sir, that he is. And speaking of Mr. Odinson, he said to tell you that you were not obligated to take him out on a further fancy date to make up for the, and I quote, Valentine’s Day ‘scuffle’, but he is certainly interested in dinner with you tonight. He said to tell you that it is up to you whether you venture out or order in. By his tone, I get the impression, however, that he would prefer to stay in and order take-out as he appears comfortable in his sleep pants and one of your band t-shirts, Sir,” JARVIS went on, making Tony tilt his head away from the flowers just for a moment.
“Whatever my prince wants, my prince will have,” he said without a note of disappointment in his voice. “Just means I can stay comfy, too.”
He studied the flowers for another minute and then made his way back to the bedroom to tug on his favorite pair of pj pants – one of several pairs with an Iron man theme to the softest fabric – all the while spiraling his thoughts back to the flowers and Loki (probably) preferring to stay in. Concern for his boyfriend’s feelings after the botched Valentine’s date coiled inside him while he pulled out one of his other t-shirts from a drawer to slither into.
“Should I have Mr. Odinson come up here, Sir? Or should I inform him that you’ll be down to his apartment shortly?” JARVIS asked while Tony looked around the room in case there was anything else he needed to grab.
“Uh. Down there, J. I’m heading down there. That way he doesn’t have to get uncomfy to relocate up here,” Tony answered while he grabbed his Starkphone and his Starkpad, just in case he got restless if they watched movies or threw on a TV series.
“Of course, Sir.”
Tony headed back to the living room and paused to admire the flowers again.
“J, so...you have any idea what the flowers in the vase are? I know one’s a rose, but I’m not familiar with the other two,” he asked while he debated taking the flowers with him to Loki’s apartment so he could look at them throughout his time down there while snuggling the wonderful person who gave them to him.
“Yes, actually, as Mr. Odinson asked where in the city he could likely find this trio of flowers so that he could purchase them while he was out at lunch with the elder Mr. Odinson.” There was a pause, and when Tony gave one of the red lights a look, the AI continued, “You have correctly identified the rose, and the red cone-shaped flowers are hyacinth, while the others are sweet pea.”
Leaning close, Tony inhaled the delicate scents of the sweet pea cluster and the hyacinth. The roses were heady-sweet, intoxicating, and they made his heart race a little at the thought Loki had put into them – into actually seeking out a florist shop to buy him these. Remembering the other bouquet a month ago sparked another memory.
“So uh. I know you ordered and sent those flower books to Loki, but did you maybe, I dunno, download the information for your own knowledge, J? I’m curious if Mint Chip picked them out for specific meanings,” Tony mused.
“Naturally, I have added this information to my database, Sir. Would you like me to tell you the meanings, or would you like to ask Mr. Odinson yourself?”
“No no, tell me what they are, J. Loki might want me to figure it out on my own...with your help, of course...so that if there’s some deeper message he wants me to go in armed to our stay-in date with, I won’t have to pester him for it,” Tony insisted while he looked at the card inside the envelope. Again, it was just the initial L with a little hand-drawn heart that made him smile that much wider and feel a thousand pounds lighter after the dull as fuck meetings he’d been stuck in earlier.
There was a pause before JARVIS answered, a pause that stretched on for days and days within the whisper of a second, as if the AI knew his creator would get antsy and frustrated. If JARVIS could sigh heavily with his programming, he would do just that.
Perhaps he should adapt to allow himself the satisfaction of that emotional expression.
“Very well, Sir. The sweet pea represent blissful pleasures, and the red hyacinth means play. As for the orange roses, they are desire. I believe Mr. Odinson may be hinting that –“
“Ooooo. My Mischief’s in a feisty mood and wants some sexy times,” Tony breathed, the flash of interest and potential of arousal lighting a fire in his eyes.
“Yes, I do believe that may be what he is hinting at,” JARVIS went on, and if he had eyes, he would’ve been rolling them at that moment. “Perhaps, Sir, you would like me to put a set of the books I ordered for Mr. Odinson on order for you, too? Unless you would like to borrow your boyfriend’s copies, which I am certain he would let you.”
Tony pouted up at the red light and then scoffed.
“Or I could just keep asking you, J,” he mentioned.
Another long pause while Tony busied himself with tucking his phone in the pocket of his sleep pants, clutched his tablet underneath his arm, and scooped the vase of flowers into the curl of his other arm, carefully so he didn’t slosh out any of the water.
“Yes. I suppose you can, Sir,” JARVIS answered, accepting his fate.
“Great, J! Thanks!” Tony exclaimed as he headed to the elevator, the doors already opening for him thanks to the AI. He wouldn’t even have to press the button to Loki’s floor as JARVIS would have him covered just fine. As he always did.
When Loki opened the door before Tony had a chance to knock, he couldn’t help but smile to see the bouquet of mismatched flowers in the crook of his boyfriend’s arm.
“I see you received my delivery,” he greeted and stepped back to allow Tony entry into his apartment. As Tony walked past, he glanced over at Thor’s and Bruce’s door, taking in the otherwise quiet of the hall before closing the door, the lock clicking into place.
“I did,” Tony stated as he stepped past Loki so he could find a place to set everything. He opted for the small two-person table over by the floor to ceiling windows to one side of the kitchen, staring for a moment at the flowers again before he made his way back over to Loki.
“Like them?” Loki asked and then found himself wrapped in Tony’s arms and kissed so thoroughly his toes curled into the plush carpet underneath their bare feet.
Tony’s hands roamed up Loki’s back while he nipped at his lover’s mouth and licked inside, teasing along his tongue. As he exhaled warm over those lips he thought about at all hours of the day and night, Tony caressed back down, fingers teasing across the waistband of Loki’s pj bottoms before letting them wander further to grip healthy handfuls of his Jotun’s ass. His soft growl responded to Loki’s low and sumptuous moan, and Tony maneuvered them toward the couch with the intention of a taking this greeting to a much more intimate level.
“What do you think?” Tony barely managed a whisper while he toppled them onto the sofa, once more glad that he’d supplied all the tower apartments with furniture that could withstand the force of a sit or fall down by nod just Asgardian-Jotun gods but the Hulk and two super soldiers. No telling who they’d recruit to the team in the future as well – with Tony’s luck, they were likely to wind up with the asshole with metal fused to his bones and make them weigh as much or more than Steve on a ‘bloated after eating all the pizza and ice cream’ kind of day.
Loki laughed into Tony’s mouth when they fell together onto the couch that was plush and comfortable and sturdy.
“I’ll take that kiss as a yes, kjære,” he replied, still feeling the tickle in his belly that bringing happiness to his lover by simply gifting him flowers caused. Loki raked his fingers through Tony’s hair, loving the way the strands stayed so silky and soft post-shower and without the product his man usually tamed it with.
They both shifted and wriggled around until Tony’s body was threaded between Loki’s mile-long legs, and their lips continued to meet in slow sticky kisses that heated up the blood in their veins and awoke their hunger for each other.
Ordering their supper could wait; Tony needed to answer his boyfriend’s flowery message before they could even think of food.
The third time Tony found himself in possession of a vase of flowers from his gorgeous and adoring boyfriend, he’d been dragged down to Nick Fury’s office. He and Bruce both.
Two friends, teammates, sat together across from Fury’s desk while the man himself finished up on a phone call. It felt like they’d been caught putting cherry bombs in the toilets in high school and were sent down to the principal’s to await their punishment. Would it be detention or expulsion?
“So, is this supposed to be a...an Avengers meeting?” Bruce whispered to Tony, his eyes not leaving S.H.I.E.L.D.’s director.
Tony shrugged and muttered back, “No fucking clue. He got me out of a boring as fuck meeting for whatever this is, so I kinda want to thank him for it. None of the others are here, though, so it can’t be an Avengers thing...I guess.” He looked down at his phone, checking over the texts Loki sent earlier, mostly silly little affectionate things, strings of emojis, telling him he couldn’t wait to see him later. “Oh...wait. Were we in the middle of any projects that Fury would’ve gotten wind of? Think we’re about to get sent to the woodshed?” he asked, as if he’d ever had an experience with a woodshed – or any real corporal punishment – in his life. Howard punished mostly by yelling and insults, gaslighting and guilt trips. The occasional slap happened, but he’d never gotten ‘the belt’ or a spanking that didn’t come at the hands of a sexual partner or a professional.
Bruce scoffed, “No. We haven’t worked on a project together in a while, Tony. Just solo work.”
“Are you two aware that your significant others are out there together, wandering around a small town in Westchester?” Nick asked after he hung up his cellphone, dropping it on his desk to make the other two jump. It wasn’t enough of a startle to cause the Big Guy to come out, but it was enough to get their attention.
“And? Loki and Thor are brothers, and they’re getting along better than they did for a long time,” Bruce snarked as he leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest, looking every bit the defiant teenager that Nick would’ve expected out of Tony.
“A fact that we all appreciate, Dr. Banner,” Nick replied. He tapped out something on the keyboard of his laptop then turned it around for the other two to see. “Seems your two boys decided to check out Valhalla for some reason. Guess they were tickled by the name or something.”
Leaning forward, Tony took in what was clearly some sort of drone surveillance photo, no doubt something S.H.I.E.L.D. had going on there. Thor and Loki were dressed in comfortable clothes for the spring weather, expensive shades covering their eyes, Thor laughing his ass off over something Loki said. He pressed down on the right arrow key so he can Bruce could see the other photos captured. The brothers wandering along a historical downtown path of shops and cafés, carrying bags from whatever had caught their fancy.
“I second what Brucie-bear said. And? What’s the problem? They’re grown-up gods, and they don’t need us holding their hands everywhere they go when we’re busy with other shit. They’re allowed to hang out together, Nick. They do it all over NYC, for fuck’s sake,” Tony protested, looking more confused than irritated, while Bruce looked closer to throwing Nick’s stapler at his head.
Nick sighed. He really hated his job sometimes, except that he knew that if he wasn’t the one doing it, it’d likely be handed to someone who wouldn’t be so open-minded and tolerant of the strange things he made space for on this little blue and green marble.
“No problem with the brothers hanging out. As you said, they do it all the time here in the city. The only problem comes into play when they venture outside their usual stomping ground here...and you know, when Loki drives them in that sweet ride you bought when you were in Essex. Didn’t know you’d already gotten him a license, Stark,” Nick detailed what some of the concerns were.
Tony rolled his eyes so hard they could’ve falling into the back of his skull to rattle around like craps dice. He fell into the back of the chair, matching Bruce’s sullen teenager mode with ease.
“Thor goes where he wants all the time, even outside the city,” he pouted and glanced over at Bruce, seeing his friend nod in accord to his statement. “So what you’re really calling us on the carpet here, Nick, is that Loki is traipsing around another town without me or your guys shadowing him to keep him in line. Am I getting warm on that?” Tony watched Nick’s unflinching eye stare at him without confirming or denying anything, and he heaved out his annoyance in one long sigh.
“You do realize that Loki’s not turning on us, right, Nick?” Bruce defended and sat forward, tapping his fingers on Fury’s desk. He wasn’t quite angry enough to let the Hulk out, but even the Other Guy had gotten used to and friendly – as friendly as Hulk got – with the younger prince, so it wouldn’t take much for him to burst out to defend him as well. “He’s fought on our side the last what? Ten, twenty fights? He’s provided as much infiltration and spy shit as Nat and Clint do, and he’s even cloaked them better than S.H.I.E.L.D.’s tech to keep them safe. Whatever he did during the Chitauri invasion, it’s past, it’s over, and we know why he did it, so why don’t you back the fuck off and accept that he’s one of us now?”
For the moment, Tony schooled his emotions so he didn’t show the surprise he felt at just how heatedly Bruce rose to defend Loki. He felt pretty damned chuffed, though, that one of his best friends for certain accepted and liked the Trickster god, but he didn’t bring it up yet.
Nick, however, remained silent, ignoring the tell-tale signs that Bruce might be getting a little too angry. He templed his hands underneath his chin, studying both men on the other side of his desk.
“Get Loki a license to drive, Stark, and make sure both brothers stay out of trouble,” was all he finally said and pulled his laptop back to him to go back more pressing work.
Bruce and Tony looked at Nick then at each other. They didn’t move from their chairs. They waited to see if there was more, and when there wasn’t, Bruce stalked out of the office first.
“You need something still, Stark?” Nick asked, pointedly not looking at the inventor.
“Nah, Nick. I don’t think so. Other than I need you to leave my boyfriend alone. He’s done you a fucklot of favors, and yeah, okay. I’ll make sure he passes his fucking written and road tests so he can have a little piece of plastic that says he can operate a vehicle that’s an inferior mode of transportation from what he’s operated on other planets, but beyond that, back off, okay? If Loki gets out of line, we’ll deal with it, but I don’t expect that’ll happen.”
Tony pushed himself up to his feet, set his hands on Nick’s desk, and leaned down until Nick had no choice but to meet his stare.
“Maybe if you’d come over to the tower sometime when we’re doing a food and movie night and actually get to know Loki a little better, you’d stop looking for him to fuck up and prove he’s still a bad guy,” he got in the last word before turning on his heel to leave.
Before he reached the door, Nick called out, “You invite me to the next one, Tony, and I’ll be there. I’ll even spring for dessert...whatever Mr. Odinson likes best.”
As he stepped out the door, Tony gave one more second of attention to his S.H.I.E.L.D. boss.
“Count on it, Agent K. I’ll have Loki do up a really fancy invite to send you. You can R.S.V.P. back that you’ll be there,” he tossed out then let the door close behind him.
Tony tossed his keys into the tray on his dresser that held those and his wallet, which was the next thing to leave his pocket. He met his own stare in the mirror and wondered if Bruce was a little calmer now that they were away from Fury’s office and back home. At first, on the drive home, the two friends didn’t say much, and just when Tony was about to make some quip to lighten the mood in the car, Bruce let out an uncharacteristic moment of venting that surprisingly didn’t wind up with the Hulk riding shotgun in the Audi.
“J, question,” he tossed out there while he shrugged out of the casual blazer and hung it up in the closet.
“Answer, Sir,” JARVIS wisecracked back.
“Any idea on when Loki and Thor will be back from their jaunt up to Valhalla?” Tony asked and studied the suits in the half of the closet that was still his. The other side had been recently claimed by his boyfriend after he’d asked him to move into the penthouse with him.
It hadn’t taken the team long to demolish the fresh eggs they’d brought back from their trip to Essex, nor all the produce, but Tony wasn’t upset that it hadn’t lasted. It just made him want to get out to more farmers markets.
“The brothers have just arrived home, Sir. Pulled into the garage not long after you returned to the penthouse,” the AI answered.
“Fantastic. Do me a favor, J, and book Loki and me a table at that place Steve took Bucky to for Valentine’s Day. Well, I mean, took him back to. Where they both proposed to each other. Make it a tentative table for four and I’ll get Bruce and Thor in on it, too. I know they just had a day of it, but Fury rankled me a bit...acting like Loki was gonna try and take over the fucking planet again when clearly he and his brother just wanted to...I don’t know. Go antiquing, I guess?”
Tony tugged down one of the suits with a shirt to go with it and walked out of the closet, hanging it up on one of the wooden valets.
“Of course. Would you like me to inform Dr. Banner of this development to his and Mr. Odinson’s evening, or would you care to do the honors?” JARVIS asked.
“Would you mind, buddy? I want to greet my sexy significant other first, but I don’t want to miss out on monopolizing Brucie-bear and Point Break’s evening by waiting too late to mention dinner out on me,” Tony answered and headed out to the living room to wait for Loki to make it up to the top floor.
“I do not mind at all,” JARVIS replied before going silent again while he took care of Tony’s requests.
Given the tower’s height and all, it didn’t take long before the elevator dinged Loki’s presence, and the hot Asgardian prince stepped out into the living room. He carried a couple of boutique bags in one hand and a vase in the other, full of blue, pink, and yellow flowers. Tony stood behind the bar, pouring a tumbler two fingers full of whiskey.
“Hey there, Mint Chip. I see you had a day of it,” he remarked and grabbed another glass to pour the same for his boyfriend.
Loki smiled at Tony as he walked over to the bar and set the vase down where it wouldn’t block his view of those gorgeous eyes. The bags he balanced on one of the bar stools.
“I didn’t expect you to be home already,” Loki remarked. Calling the penthouse ‘home’ pulled a smile from the prince while he reached for the glass nudged across to him. “Even with your meetings earlier, I assumed you’d have retreated to your workshop,” he added before taking a drink of the smoky liquor.
Tony’s eyes immediately moved over the flowers. He recognized one of the pinks ones to be a type of rose, but the other pinks were huge and full and not registering in his brain any more than the red flowers or the yellow. No no, the yellow ones were a type of lily, weren’t they? He assumed he’d get an explanation from Loki, as flower-giving and flower meanings were becoming a semi-regular thing, it seemed.
“Got called out of the meeting to meet with Fury. Bruce and me both. We got home just a bit ago...right before you and Thor,” Tony answered and caught the coy look on his lover’s face when he let him know he knew the two of them hung out. “So, you two went up to Westchester, huh?” Before Loki could respond, Tony added, “Fury told us. That’s why we were dragged into his office like bad kids in school. Wasn’t a big deal. But he had a S.H.I.E.L.D. drone tailing you since you and Thor took the Mustang, and uh. Well, he thinks you need to have a license to drive, which, I mean, technically you do, so we’ll have to get on that.”
Loki hovered the glass at his lips, not drinking while he listened to Tony’s explanation. He set the glass onto the bar and turned it in slow circles across the cold marble.
“He was worried that I’d cause trouble out there on my own other than Thor to police my behavior, wasn’t he?” he nailed the crux of the matter without having it spelled out for him. “I’m not upset. I figured it would take some people a lot longer to trust me after...the other time. I just...well, I guess I thought that Director Fury had loosened up on that. Is he wanting me confined to the tower or even just the city?”
Tony shook his head and took another drink. He’d have to pace himself and not let his mood make him drink more than he should, especially if he wanted wine or beer or something more than just water or tea with supper.
“Nah. He wants you to get a license for the car, and uh,” Tony chuckled, “I think he might’ve realized he’d overstepped when Bruce tore into him in defense of you.” He watched Loki’s eyes widen in surprise. “Yeah, I know. He might’ve thought Bruce was about to go Hulk on him right there, but our guy kept it calm enough that it didn’t happen. Still. It was a little annoying to say the least.”
Sighing, Loki took a drink that demolished half the glass at once before setting it down again.
“I’m sorry that you and Bruce were called in like naughty children, kjære, because of me. It wasn’t exactly a whim that made us go,” he started. “Thor and I went out this morning not long after you left for your meeting and Bruce headed to his lab to work. I wanted to buy you flowers,” Loki gestured at the vase, “only the florist up the street was all out of peonies, and they were crucial to the bouquet. So she called around for me and the closest place to have them for some reason was up in Valhalla, which Thor and I thought was amusing, so we went. I drove us because you gave me that car, and I really hadn’t gotten to drive it much yet. It didn’t take us long to get there. We had lunch, did a little shopping, he found some fudge and other treats for Bruce since apparently some flowers make Bruce sneeze a lot. We had a good time, Tony, and we didn’t do anything wrong. I would think that Fury would appreciate Thor and me getting along so well now.”
Reaching across the bar, Tony held onto Loki’s hands. He leaned close and kissed the both of them, lingering his mouth against the back of one for longer than a heartbeat. When he looked up again, Loki’s smile stopped his words in his throat, and he could only grin back at first.
Then, “You don’t owe anyone an apology, sweetheart, least of all Bruce and me. I think Fury is glad to have you on board with the Avengers because you’ve been so helpful and all, and you’ve been willing to arm S.H.I.E.L.D. with knowledge about the cosmos and what could come at us or even just what could want to make contact and alliances. Maybe he was dealing with PMS or something, I don’t know.” Tony laughed at that then brushed it aside. “I’m pretty sure we’re all glad you and Thoreal are getting along better and aren’t pummeling cities into rubble any time you have a disagreement. It was just...frustrating, and Bruce was beyond pissed, both for Thor’s sake and yours. He should be calm now, especially if your brother’s giving him chocolate.”
He pulled back, though Loki cupped and caressed his cheek, and that in itself cleansed away a lot of the angst that meeting with Fury had caused.
“But enough about that. Tell me about these gorgeous flowers you bought me and what they mean...and then tell me what’s in the bags. Just as long as you haven’t planned anything for tonight because I’m taking the four of us on a double date for expensive eats and treats,” Tony said, ready to let go of his afternoon in order to indulge in all of the time with his boyfriend and later with him and two of their friends.
Asking about the flowers and whatever purchases Loki made brightened both the prince’s eyes and smile, and he darted his glance from the flowers to the bags, as if having a difficult time choosing which to start with, as he was childishly excited about all of it. It wasn’t often that anyone other than Thor – and that had been centuries before while they were still children themselves – was allowed to see Loki this animated over anything, but...but this was shopping, and buying and bringing home all manner of goodies always spilled the joy from his whole being. Especially when he could indulge himself in finding things that would make loved ones smile.
“Well, let’s just say that after our little jaunt to Connecticut those weeks ago, I have been feeling...how do you humans put it? Walking on Cloud Nine,” Loki finally began and turned all of his attention to the vase. He turned it around and around so that Tony could see all of the arrangement. “I thought flowers expressing how you made me feel during and after that trip would be an appropriate ‘thank you’, not to mention you asking me to move into the penthouse with you, showing me trust to actually reside in your personal space full time. So, let’s see –“
While Loki spoke, Tony made his way back around to the other side of the bar, sidled close to his boyfriend, and curled around him, not unlike a spider-monkey. He tried to appear that he wasn’t clinging to the tall drink of water he got to go to bed with every night now, but he didn’t know if he succeeded in that ruse. Either way, Loki didn’t seem to mind, as he wrapped one arm around Tony’s shoulders and kissed the sharp angle of his jaw just underneath his earlobe.
“The roses, well, specifically pink roses mean happiness, and the peonies, that is the other pink flowers, the ones we went to Valhalla for specifically, are also happiness, though it’s more like ‘happy life’. The yellows are lilies, and these specific ones are tiger lilies, and they mean happy and ‘walking on air’, which is how you make me feel, kjære,” Loki spoke, naming each flower as he gestured to them so that Tony would know what they were and recognize them.
“And the red ones?” Tony asked, nuzzling his cheek against Loki’s shoulder.
Loki touched his lips to the top of his boyfriend’s head and felt the smile so big that it filled his whole chest until it – the smile – would probably burst out of him.
“The red ones are salvia, and they mean,” Loki turned Tony to face him, their eyes meeting and locking into place, “well, they mean ‘forever mine’,” he finished, and when Tony’s gaze brought the warmth and brightness of the sun, he knew he’d struck a chord.
Tony fixed his stare on Loki’s face, and after those last words hung in the air between them, he couldn’t stop his own grin from becoming sappy and silly. He noticed the crawl of pink along the tips of Loki’s ears and fell a little deeper into the feelings neither of them had quite named yet. It wasn’t often anyone could make the God of Mischief actually blush.
“Forever yours, Mint Chip?” Tony asked and caught the hint of apprehension on Loki’s face, as if he waited for Tony to laugh at the sentiment. Or reject it. “Yeah, I think that suits me just fine,” he went on, that low hum of his voice the very one that often sent tingles of excitement through the prince.
He cupped Loki’s cheek and kissed him, just a soft, lingering kiss that meandered nowhere specific, like a walk in the park. Their foreheads pressed together as they often did in these quiet instants of affection.
“Oh yeah. Being forever yours is just perfect,” Tony murmured and tugged at Loki’s shirt before pulling back to meet his eyes, so full of wonder and surprise over what they were building together that it almost hurt Tony’s heart.
“Good. I’m glad you feel that suits you because –“
“And here’s the thing, Mischief, and I hope this is okay with you and all. Like really okay and you’re cool with this and it doesn’t freak you out, but you’re mine forever, too,” Tony interrupted and kissed the tip of Loki’s nose.
Loki wrapped his arms around Tony and was pulled closer in turn by his boyfriend. He sighed and nuzzled his cheek against Tony’s, like he was a cat scent-marking his favorite human. They could stay like that for an eternity, as far as Loki was concerned.
But slowly, the two pulled back from one another. Just for now.
“Now, gorgeous,” Tony continued, “show me what else you bought, and tell me about the candy Def Leppard bought for Bruce, and then we need to change into some nicer clothes, collect the other two, and go have the best damned dinner.”
And with all that excitement he’d built up over his day, Loki pulled out several boxes from one bag, all stamped with Crave Chocolate on the top, and each one filled to the brim with so many sweet-covered pretzels, macaroons, chocolate-covered macaroons, dipped and covered Oreos, chocolate-dipped marshmallows, cookie dough cups, and dipped rice crispies treats. He watched while Tony’s eyes went platter-huge, and then he set one final bag right into his lover’s hands.
“Ooooo!” Tony exclaimed when he discovered a bag full of multicolored little gummy bears, and he even tossed a cherry red one into his mouth while meeting Loki’s fond gaze.
“Clint might’ve clued me into these being one of your favorites,” Loki mentioned with a humble shrug, as if it was nothing at all to treat his boyfriend to something his sweet-tooth loved.
Tony plucked out one of the light green ones to press between Loki’s lips and laughed when he had to chew a little longer than most sweet treats he was used to eating. The delight on his face, however, gave away his enjoyment of the taste.
“Nah, you’re my favorite, Mischief. These are a bonus,” Tony promised and leaned close to kiss the sweetness from Loki’s mouth.
Loki wasn’t even in the building the fourth time he sent flowers to Tony.
In fact, Loki wasn’t even on Earth, though he’d set up the order with JARVIS before he left.
“Son of a bitch!”
Tony shoved his work goggles up on top of his head so he could get a better look at the angry red spot on his finger that his mopey distracted ass burned with the soldering iron. He almost sucked down on the burn out of instinct, but before JARVIS could issue a lecture or Dum-E could douse him with the fire extinguisher, he set the iron down where it wouldn’t burn through the table or any part of his project and headed to the small bathroom.
He held his finger under the cold-cold water while he tugged out the burn cream and a Hulk band-aid, and after it stopped throbbing quite so much, he shut off the water. Carefully, Tony patted his finger dry then set about tending to the burn itself.
“Are you alright, Sir?” JARVIS asked after Tony had wrapped the band-aid around his finger.
Tony snorted and shot back, “Yeah, I’m okay, J. Or I will be.” He shut off the light and headed back to his work station.
Falling back onto the stool at the table, Tony glared down at the half-finished project. Not even half-finished really. Not that it was anything important like a suit or something for someone on the team. Just fucking around really. Something to occupy his mind between SI shit, Avengers shit, and not pouting over his boyfriend being afk for who knew how long to deal with Asgard stuff.
“Would you like me to send Dr. Banner?”
Peeking up at the red light, Tony made a face but then realized his AI was just being concerned.
“Thanks, but he’s probably busy, and I don’t want to interrupt him if he’s knee-deep in one of his projects,” Tony answered.
Though to be fair, not being alone right now wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, and Bruce’s own beau was off playing good son/good prince/good warrior as well.
“Very well, Sir,” JARVIS responded.
Thoughts of not holing himself up in his workshop wouldn’t let him go, however, so he unplugged the soldering iron and stacked what he’d been working on out of the way. Tony darted his attention around his space, his eyes clocking the new suit that had come off of the production line the day before.
“Alright, J, I’m actually gonna go invade Brucie-bear’s space for a bit, so do me a favor and run the numbers on the new suit. I’ll take her out for a spin later if everything checks out,” Tony requested on his way out of the workshop. “Lights at the minimum, and lock up behind me.”
“Excellent, Sir.”
Once in the hall, his workshop locked down for the time being, Tony wandered to the elevator to head one floor up. Bruce loved it when Tony hung out in his lab. They’d be like two bachelors – without getting into the kind of trouble that two non-bachelors shouldn’t even sniff at.
Hours later, after distracting Bruce enough that he wasn’t getting any more work done than Tony did earlier, the two science bros wandered away from the lab and back up to the penthouse. In fact, they’d made a few stops along the way to invite the rest of their teammates up to the top for a take-out extravaganza and movie night.
All it took to hook and reel Clint in was to mention pizza AND Chinese as choices, and Natasha agreed as long as they could order up a variety of sweets from one of the bakeries. Tony promised enough sweets that there could be cake and donuts and pie and croissants left for breakfast the next day.
Steve and Bucky took a little more convincing – well, Steve did, as he’d just dragged back into the tower after a grueling training session with a gaggle of green S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, and he’d thought to get a shower and rest in before he and Bucky tackled some wedding plans. Tony left the puppy dog eyes to Bucky at that point, and within seconds, Steve was dancing to the team’s tune of food orgy and movies. Steve’s biggest request at that point was ‘no action movies’ as if his current bruises and exhaustion would be exacerbated with just one car chase alone.
While he waited for everyone to shower or change (or shower and change), Tony bustled around the penthouse, making sure there were plenty of cold drinks (with the plan to order more if necessary), bringing out the cushions and pillows and even several blankets for people to get comfy with. He’d already shucked his jeans for sleep pants and really just waited for everyone to show up so they could put in an order to several places – though Tony had already called up to a nearby bakery, and it wouldn’t be long before their sweet treats arrived.
Tony stood in the living room, viewing the queued up list of movie choices. Behind him, the elevator dinged, and the doors opened to let Bruce out first. With a peek over his shoulder, Tony’s grin quirked to the left before looking back at the list again.
Then –
“Hey, you’ve got flowers!” Tony exclaimed and turned around to ogle the vase full of white and blue flowers. Two looked to be the same flower, one in white, the other blue, and the third looked like one of the flowers he’d received a couple of months back – but that one had been red.
“No, you got flowers, and I’m going to assume that they’re somehow from Loki. I don’t know, do your Starkphones get service off-planet?” Bruce replied as he walked closer and handed over the vase to Tony. He plucked the card off of the plastic trident, however, feeling uncharacteristically nosy about his friend’s love-gifts.
“The Starkphones do not have off-planet service, Dr. Banner. Not yet anyway. I suspect that will be remedied one of these days when my brilliant creator decides to push those limits,” JARVIS spoke up. “And indeed, those are from the younger Mr. Odinson. He asked that they be delivered after he and his brother departed for Asgard.”
Tony made a face at Bruce for nabbing the card while his hands were full with the vase, but he took a step backward so he could set it onto the coffee table, which he’d moved forward quite a bit from the furniture to make room for the extra cushions and pillows.
“So what’s my card say? Probably a heart and the letter L,” he remarked while he continued to look at the flowers, taking in the delicate blue and white ‘drops’ surrounding the sturdy blue stalks.
Walking around the couch, Bruce made a face over the card before offering it to its rightful recipient.
“He put a heart and the letter L...or had them put those on there, but there’s a note in parenthesis,” he mentioned. “Sounds like a scavenger hunt.”
Tony took the card Bruce and read it carefully twice before he set it on the table and headed over to the bar. Lifting up the bottle of Loki’s favorite cognac, he smiled triumphantly, as if it had been a great search after such an obvious hint and by hint, Loki had actually written on the card ‘Look under the bottle of Courvoisier’. He picked up the envelope and brandished it where Bruce could see his success, laughing when his science bro gave a burst of sarcastic applause. The familiar handwriting made Tony feel a little less sad while his boyfriend was literally worlds away.
“What’s it say, lover boy?” Bruce teased around his genuine curiosity as he moved over to the bar.
A shrug was Tony’s first answer while he nudged his thumb underneath the elegant seal that he’d never seen Loki use before – an Ouroboros in deep green wax – and lifted the delicate pale green onion skin out.
“This may be the most elegant letter I’ve ever gotten,” Tony remarked while setting the envelope onto the bar and opened out the letter.
Kjære mín,
Let me preface this by saying that I’m fully aware that you and Thor have forgiven Bruce and myself for our little...prank and have realized that it was all meant to be harmless fun. That said, I’m aware that I might have damaged some of that trust we’d been building up again since last month with our falling out, and I would be devastated to find that that damage could be irreparable. I know that flowers are a lousy and trite way to apologize here on Earth as gifts such as those are often used as a – what is it called? – Oh yes, a ‘get out of jail free card’. I hope that you don’t view these as that. I never intended them as a meaningless apology, but as I was called away to deal with a family matter in Asgard, I didn’t have the time to say these things to you in person, not with our need for a hasty departure and you with your rush to your workshop to deal with your important project.
So, in lieu of hearing this apology from my actual voice, I hope that – for now, at least – you’ll accept it in this letter and in the flowers, which were chosen specifically to represent my apology to you. Two of them are both Lilies of the Valley, and they are considered by one of the books JARVIS ordered for me to be the best apology flowers for someone one has hurt. The other flowers are also hyacinth and they mean peace and an apology for an argument or a falling out, which I do realize we didn’t have again, but it was a strong meaning nonetheless.
Mín søte mann, my biggest hope is that whatever this fight is that is plaguing the All-Father at this time will be handled swiftly so that Thor and I can return home to you and Bruce. He’s already whining about being away from ‘his brilliant scientist-love’, and while I will tease him mercilessly the whole time we’re gone and perhaps a bit of time after we’ve returned, I cannot disagree with his feelings. I miss you already, and I have yet to leave, though by the time you read this, it’ll already feel like an eternity that I’m gone.
As always your own,
L.
There was even a little heart drawn beside the L.
Tony smiled and skimmed over the letter once more before handing it to Bruce, especially since Loki had mentioned him by name in regards to Thor.
After a minute, Bruce chuckled and said, “So that’s what all the flowers you’ve been getting are about. The meanings, and Loki purposefully chose all the flowers by what they mean. Isn’t that why they went off to Valhalla last month? Thor mentioned something about flowers.”
“Oh yeah. Apparently, Loki’s favorite florist up the street hadn’t had peonies in stock that day, called around, and found them up there. I’m sure you’re not bitching, though. Thor spoiled you rotten that day, didn’t he?” Tony chided.
Bruce carefully folded the delicate paper back up and slid it into the envelope before nudging it toward Tony.
“I think I finally finished off all of those sweets a week ago. There were so many!” Bruce answered with a wistful smile. He missed Thor as much as Tony missed Loki, but they’d been together long enough to deal with these jaunts back to Asgard or Bruce having to go off to conferences where he couldn’t easily take Thor with him or else it would cause a fuss. He and Thor had also taken the Big Step by saying the L-word to each other months and months ago. As affectionate as Tony and Loki were with each other, as well as obviously smitten, Bruce didn’t think they’d made it as far as saying they loved each other yet, though he suspected it might not be long in coming after this.
“Those were good sweets. I’ve been thinking we should take a trip up there for more of them. If we time it for early June, we could surprise the soon-to-be newlyweds with a whole huge gift basket of them for their honeymoon. They’re using the jet to get them down to the cruise ship they’re taking, so I thought we could leave several gift baskets and boxes as a surprise for them on the jet,” Tony told Bruce.
The elevator dinged, and just in case it was Steve and/or Bucky, Tony pressed a finger to his lips so they didn’t accidentally give away plots and plans for the lovebirds.
While the others all started to wander into the penthouse, Tony took the letter and the flowers – once everyone had their fill of cooing over them – to his bedroom where he could stare at them once he went to bed. He still missed Loki something awful, but the flowers and the letter would keep him company and keep his spirits up until his boyfriend came home.
The fifth time Loki gave Tony flowers was...unorthodox.
“Loki, where are you at?”
Tony had just blasted one of the bad guys from his aerial position and now darted around in the sky to locate the rest of his teammates while the S.H.I.E.L.D. ground support gathered up any and all of the Pain in the Ass Du Jour opponents who’d been rendered unconscious or at least had been left contained in some manner – whether by zip ties, duct tape, or seiðr.
“He apparated out of my sight about five minutes ago,” Clint answered, following that up with a laugh. “Left Coulson a little gift in this alley. Literally.”
“You weren’t kidding,” Coulson entered the conversation and perhaps his Serious Façade might’ve cracked just for a second to huff out a chuckle. “You know what? I don’t care if it’s professional or not, I’m snapping a pic of this one,” he mentioned with every intention of putting it in his report.
Loki had left the guy bound at the ankles and wrists with what appeared to be duct tape (or the magical equivalent?) covered in birthday cakes and balloons. He’d been left speechless by more of the same duct tape across his mouth, and written in what had to be permanent marker across the guy’s face was ‘I know it’s two months early, Phil, but happy birthday. L’.
“Yeah, well, that’s great, but now I want to know where my boyfriend is,” Tony fussed, even as JARVIS accessed Coulson’s phone to get a preview of Coulson’s photo.
What could he say? His boo had a great sense of humor even in the midst of battle.
“I just saw him apparate in, mirror-trap one of the other bad guys, and apparate out again,” Bucky informed the whole team, though he aimed his comment at Tony right before he threw a knife and snagged another in the shoulder who’d tried to tamper with the mirror trap left floating in the air. “By the way, Tony, brilliant move introducing Loki to all the pop culture and movies and TV shows. He’s getting really creative with his magic now that he’s seen stuff like Superman.”
“So what you’re saying is that our next team movie night should have a few movies specifically geared toward giving Loki ideas?” Steve asked from another spot two streets over where he was busy handing off one of the zip-tied foes to Yo-Yo and Mac.
“Exactly! What was that one Wade sent us last year? Free Guy? Yeah, let’s show Loki that one. I want my own dimensional pocket where I can pull out weapons and healing stuff, and –“
“Cash!” Clint exclaimed, interrupting Bucky’s wish for a magical stash for his guns and knives.
Inside his armor, behind his mask, Tony couldn’t wipe the silly smile off his face. The battle time banter was excellent, though he missed his usual verbal sparring buddy, and it did make him worry a little about what had happened to his boyfriend. Tony swooped down once behind one of the remaining bad guys (or girls – they were all wearing masks, so he didn’t want to misgender anyone even unintentionally; this was the Twenty-First Century after all), grabbed them under the arms and hauled them back up into the air, ignoring their yelp of surprise followed by screams once they realized they were several feet above the ground. He flew his captive right over to the Bus, seriously considered dropping the asshole onto the ground, and gave in to his inner Steve voice that said he had to play a little nicer once the fight was over.
“Here you go, Yo-Yo. Another prize for your collection,” Tony mentioned as he set the person on the ground, watching as their knees buckled before they fell face forward, whimpering and whining.
“Thanks, Iron Man,” Yo-Yo responded and whipped right over to the detainee, attached cuffs, and yanked them up all within less than a second before she shoved them at Mac, who maneuvered them into the Bus with the others.
“No problem, lovely lady,” Tony replied and launched himself back up into the air to track down Loki. “Alright, J. Loki’s gone radio silent, it seems. Can you get a location on him?”
He took it slow over several of the streets and buildings in the area. Of course, Loki could’ve shifted to blend in, especially if he was still stalking one of the leftovers of the gang they fought who might’ve tried getting away.
“He was over on Cambreleng Avenue the last time I clocked his whereabouts, Sir. I have not detected any further movement away from that area.”
Tony looked at the street above him and laughed.
“J, kid, it’s a long street. Got a way to narrow it down where you last spotted him? Oh...wait. I think –“
He surveyed the area around the New Era Foods and caught sight of an overturned flower cart and movement near. Honing in his sights, Tony made out Loki’s very distinct form and armor.
“Gotchya, Mint Chip,” Tony muttered and dropped down to the sidewalk not far from where Loki was righting the flower cart for the owner. When he caught Loki using his magic to restore the owner’s flowers from where the rush through of several of the bad guys had left them trampled, Tony smirked and walked toward his boyfriend. “You’re a softie, sweetheart,” he remarked after the helmet trickled back with the nanites.
Loki looked up from the task he’d taken, namely helping a small business owner by fixing up the destruction so she wouldn’t be out of money for something beyond her control. He smiled to see Tony walking their way, still in most of his armor, his hair a little sweaty and wild from being trapped for the past hour or so that it took to deal with the gang.
“Hello, kjære. I’m assuming the fight is over? Did Agent Coulson like his birthday gift?” Loki practically purred.
Before he could answer, the street cart florist rushed over to Loki, grasped his hands, and began thanking him in Spanish but with a Caribbean twist that Tony couldn’t pin down. Still, he waited close to his boyfriend while Loki patted the woman’s hands and responded to her in her own language. Impressive, but then Tony knew about his lover’s All-Speak thing.
“Uh. Yeah, fight’s over. Bad guys are all rounded up, and yeah. Phil was real happy with the gift you left him,” Tony told him with that half-cocked grin. “Though my birthday’s this month, you know,” he added in and gave Loki his biggest puppy dog eyes.
Loki said something else to the woman and even tried to wave off something she was offering, but then he eyed Tony again and smiled even sweeter at him. When he returned his attention to her cart, he gestured at three different types of flowers, and watched while she gathered them in a bunch and wrapped them in cellophane after twisting floral wire around the stems first.
“Don’t worry, my handsome little human. Your birthday presents are already bought and hidden securely until it’s time to give them to you,” Loki promised and laughed when Tony gave him a giddy smile and a soft little ‘yippee’.
The street florist held up the wrapped bouquet to Loki, and as he took them from her with another ‘thank you’ in her Dominican Spanish, he plucked something from one of his dimensional pockets and set it into her palm. Her wide-eyed excitement to see the silver dollar-sized faceted emerald made Loki smile even wider as he bowed his head and said nothing else before turning to join Tony.
“As I said, you’re secretly a softie at heart, darling, and now the whole team’s gonna know it. As if they didn’t already,” Tony teased, his eyes sparkling with his own mischief. He was and wasn’t surprised when Loki offered up the beautiful bouquet that the lady had given him for helping her fix her business once more.
“Consider these a prelude to your birthday,” Loki suggested and curled his fingers around Tony’s armored arm and started them walking back toward where the others were no doubt regrouping near the Bus or even attempting to clean up the area themselves if there was any damage they could take care of.
Tony lifted them to his face and smelled the very green scent to the trio of flowers. He continued to walk with Loki, as if they were strolling through the park on a romantic date and hadn’t just taken down another little gang of super-powered bullies.
“They’re gorgeous, Mischief. Thank you. You should’ve picked out flowers for yourself, though.” Tony looked at the flowers then at Loki’s profile, admiring how handsome his boyfriend was. No, he needed to buy flowers for Loki, and he needed to figure out maybe which ones were his favorites as well as pull out the flower language that JARVIS had access to. “So, I recognize two of these. I think. Uh...sunflowers that are kinda small from what I’m used to seeing and these are tulips, right?” He gestured to the two different bundles of yellow flowers. “These,” he went on, pointing to the white and purple and white and pink and solid purple and pinks flowers, “I don’t recognize.”
Loki used a bit of his seiðr to guide them back to where the others were likely waiting for them to show up, though he didn’t speed up their gait at all. He turned his head to examine the flowers he’d chosen and leaned close to kiss Tony’s cheek.
“You’re right. Those are dwarf sunflowers, which is why they’re smaller than what you’re used to seeing. And before you ask, I’ll tell you what they all mean. Those mean adoration. The other yellow ones are tulips as you said, and they mean ‘the sunshine is in your smile’, and the last ones are morning glories, and they mean affection. All things I feel either for you or about you,” Loki explained, his eyes focused on Tony’s happiness at the gift and what it all meant. He wanted to dare bolder flowers, ones with bolder meanings, but he was afraid; they were finally at a place of ease and complete trust with each other, and Loki worried that rushing to express those deeper feelings would just scare his former playboy boyfriend away.
Tony let Loki’s voice and words move over him and through him, and he felt the warm buzz of happiness. He’d never felt this content before in his life, not when it involved someone else and not just the euphoria from creating stuff in his workshop.
“You really are the best, Loki. I love these. I’ve loved all the flowers you’ve given me,” he told his boyfriend. When he paid attention to their surroundings, he realized they were probably a little more than halfway back to the others, but neither were rushing either. He glanced up to see that Loki still had his com-link in his ear, but he guessed that he’d been busy with helping the street florist and perhaps others who’d suffered damage from the gang.
“You’ve deserved every single one of them, kjære, and I enjoyed giving them to you,” Loki assured Tony. He opened his mouth to say something else when the tiniest and yet loudest meows caught his attention.
Pausing outside one of the apartment buildings, he looked around until he spotted what had to be the smallest black kitten he’d ever seen in his life. Loki actually gasped to see that tiny creature all alone – too small, really, to be away from its mother. He darted his gaze to try and locate the mother and perhaps its littermates, but there were none.
“Hey, Cold Brew, what’s caught your attention?” Tony asked and moved over closer until he watched while Loki gathered the miniscule panther in his palm and held it up to look at closer. “Ohhhhh. Look at that little thing. We should find who it belongs to.”
“Doesn’t belong to anyone,” one of the residents, an older gent with tightly curled graying hair, stated in a voice that spoke of decades of smoking. “Mama and other kittens were killed by one of the assholes that lives over there,” he went on. “Been trying to find someone to take that one in, but...some folks here are too superstitious to take in a black cat. You want it, take it.” He punctuated his last words with the point of his chin in the direction of Loki and the kitten.
And Tony knew at that moment that he’d be kitten-proofing the penthouse, buying or building a cat tree that would make the one in Bucky’s and Steve’s apartment and the one in Nat and Clint’s look small. No, he’d just help build Alpine’s and Liho’s bigger. Only fair. The look on Loki’s beautiful face, however, told Tony that he couldn’t separate the two.
“Mister, I’d say that’s exactly what we’re gonna do,” Tony reassured the old man, who sniffed and bobbed his head before wandering off. “Alright, sweetheart, you want the kitten, it’s yours. We can catch a ride back across with Coulson and his folks, and maybe Fitz and Simmons will give her a cursory once over until we can find her a vet. We’ll ask who Bucky and Nat use for their kids,” he went on while Loki remained quiet while he and the kitten stared deep into each other’s eyes.
Then the kitten gave a loud screechy meow that made Loki chuckle.
“Is that right, little one? Well, you won’t have to be afraid or angry anymore. You have two papas now who’ll love you very much,” Loki vowed.
Only to Tony’s ears, Loki was meowing back at the kitten, which wasn’t unusual. Everyone meowed at kittens, didn’t they? Whatever happened in that exchange, though, Tony watched as the kitten curled up quietly and calmly at the center of Loki’s palm.
“You just spoke cat-language, didn’t you?” Tony asked, his tone somehow managing to sound both flat and amused at the same time. He huffed out a laugh when Loki merely nodded and smiled at him. “Got a name picked out yet?”
Loki scoffed a little once they kept walking, bringing them closer to the Bus. They could already make out the others’ voices.
“Of course, not. Not yet. He needs some good sleep where he feels safe as well as food. He’s only about four weeks old, and he’s had to hide from so many people,” he explained as they made their way up to the others.
“You got all of that from his meows? Including the fact that he’s a boy?” Tony asked, amazed by his boyfriend’s abilities to speak to anyone on their terms. He couldn’t decide if he wanted to swoon or laugh when Loki gave him a look – that distinctive look that said ‘Well, duh?’
“What ya got there, Loki?” Steve asked, watching the pair mosey up to them as if they hadn’t been in the midst of a struggle not even half an hour before. He peeked over into Loki’s hand, and his eyes widened a little. “Oh, so we’re going to have another little adoption in the tower, huh? Alpine, Liho, and Lucky will all be thrilled,” he mentioned.
“Everyone ready to get home?” Natasha called out. “Bruce has already de-Hulked, and he and Thor are in the Bus. Kitten?” The last word was just nearly squeaked out, though even her cooing over the furry little bundle in Loki’s hand couldn’t erase her dangerous edge. Not entirely.
Most of the others took turns crooning over the new baby, but Natasha didn’t miss the flowers in Tony’s hand. She smiled at him and made him laugh by wiggling her eyebrows before gesturing with her head toward Loki – a whole unspoken exchange between them when Tony nodded back and even managed a soft blush with his utterly soppy smile.
“Time to go,” Coulson told the others still on the street then stepped back so that everyone could board. When Loki and Tony walked past him, he was not his usual stoic self the moment he spotted the kitten. “Oh!” he exclaimed and walked with Loki and Tony toward the infirmary to have the tiny creature checked out by the two scientists.
On Tony’s birthday, he was running late to his ‘surprise’ party back at the tower. He’d been at a dull business lunch that dragged out when the potential clients Stark Industries might be investing in decided to keep talking. Pepper wouldn’t let him leave; he’d texted her to tell her he wanted to walk out now that the business portion of the meal was over, but she’d warned him to remain polite as the group of young men and women had important ideas that would be a boon to SI once they could finish drawing up all the paperwork to incorporate them into the company.
He was almost back home and as he passed in front of the florist shop that Loki tended to frequent, he paused and looked at the displays in the window.
Well, it might be his birthday and all, but he could surprise his boyfriend with flowers. There was no law against gifting other people things on his special day. Loki would be surprised. Loki would love them.
His eyes were caught by the containers full of long-stemmed roses. All of them were gorgeous, and he thought roses were pretty universal in people loving them. Of course, it was a little daunting to figure out which color would be the best for his first time buying Loki flowers, but even as his gaze skimmed over the buckets of pinks and yellows and even the multicolored ones, he couldn’t stop coming back to the deepest red ones, the ones that looked like burgundy velvet.
“Hey J? Need a little help here,” Tony spoke to his AI once he dug his phone out of his pocket. He reached for the door, and the tinkling of bells announced his entry. “What do red roses mean?”