Tony Stark's Toga

Shall I compare it to a maiden’s breasts, Thy scrumptious, firm and patriotic rear? My highly tried and tested taste attests Not apple cheeks, nor bubble butt, my dear.

For oh! where apples rot and bubbles pop I know thy firmness evermore remains I hope in time for me thy pants shall drop And I will copulate away your brains.

All boasts aside, for now the truth be told: No better sight on earth I’ll ever find To grope, caress, to hold and to behold! God bless Captain America’s behind!

Iron Bunny is no longer alone! Spider-Bunny is here to keep him company 😊

Iron Bunny to the rescue!

#imadethisrabbit #dotpebbles #clairegarland #ironman #ironbunny #bunny #stuffedanimals #stuffedbunny #knitting #knittersofinstagram #knitstagram #knittedtoys https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx-BU-xoj5i/?igshid=1dgjpux5wdus0

Iron Bunny to the rescue!

#imadethisrabbit #dotpebbles #clairegarland #ironman #ironbunny #bunny #stuffedanimals #stuffedbunny #knitting #knittersofinstagram #knitstagram #knittedtoys https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx-BU-xoj5i/?igshid=1dgjpux5wdus0

(Another fill for the prompt game with the amazing @tonystarktogo :D Featuring the above prompt sent in by the lovely @aberwerzogausummichzufinden :) )

He could not find the room Natasha had told him about. The one with the skeletons. Tony guessed he wasn’t supposed to look for it, much less find it - rooms with skeletons didn’t sound like something anyone was supposed to find. Certainly not someone his age. He wasn’t even allowed to see movies with skeletons.

But he was curious about it. And it was exciting. Made his heart beat faster, he could feel it. That was good.

After his third round through the entire estate, Tony still hadn’t found the right room, though. It was a large place, chances were he had just missed it. And of course there were areas he wasn’t supposed to go, his father’s labs and study and bedroom, and people’s private rooms. How was he supposed to find a goddamn closet if he wasn’t allowed into people’s private rooms? The only actual closets he had been able to check had been his own - naturally Tony wouldn’t assume that just because he knew his closet it couldn’t be a good hiding place, that’s what the bad guys counted on, for people to be so naive - and Bruce’s and Groot’s. Bruce was his best friend, and he liked Tony to check his room, because he was scared so easily. And Groot was a kid, he didn’t even know people weren’t allowed in his room unless he said so. Of course he wouldn’t mind.

It had been a few hours by now, although Tony couldn’t be sure how long exactly, and he was starting to feel a little tired. He had missed lunch, definitely, and possibly also dinner. Jarvis would be mad, he wasn’t supposed to miss more than one meal a day. None, if he could manage, but Tony rarely did. He wasn’t going to give up now, though, not when he could feel he was so close to finding that room. Of course he had considered that Natasha had perhaps meant a piece of furniture, but there were no furniture-type closets in the entire estate, they all had walk-in closets, and even most of the shelves were let into the walls. Tony’s dad said it looked modern. Tony thought it only made this whole task more difficult.

As it was quiet enough to assume nobody was around, Tony decided to sneak into some of the others’ rooms. He was halfway through Drax’s bedroom when the door behind him flew open.

@drewthetimelord

A mini-fic for @billy-fucking-lee based on a small challenge we did. It was written to the song Love is Light by The Dark Tenor (link). Small warning for potential Thorki, although I guess there’s enough room for people to not read any Thorki beyond the brotherly kind into it.

In the shadows of a sunrise

The blood seeping into his remaining eye tinted his vision red even against the blue glow of the tessaract. He had perhaps never felt more connected with his brother than in this moment, when their eyes met. They knew how this was going to end, it was inevitable, and yet…

Thor felt the edges of his vision darken from the pressure of the fingers pressing in on his head, Loki standing in the middle of the encroaching darkness like a ghostly apparition. For a moment, everything slowed down and Thor was transported to a scene from his youth. A dark pool of water, and in the middle of it he watched Loki rise, illuminated by the red light of dusk behind him, his black hair connecting with the water as though it was part of it. The red halo around his pale figure had pulled Thor in until he was undenyably entangled with his brother without having moved from the spot.

Neither centuries nor strife had managed to sever the bond that had tied them ever since Thor had first laid eyes on Loki like this, had first discovered the beauty and vulnerability that was such an intimate part of Loki.

And now, surrounded by the smell of the deaths and fear of their people, this same vulnerability was laid bare before Thor. That same rope of red light that had pulled him in and bound them to each other was now pulled taut enough to sing between them. And it was that same rope of light that Loki had wrapped around himself, and it was cutting into his flesh, and into Thor’s hands trying so desperately to hold on, until his palms were wet with Loki’s blood.

“I assure you brother, the sun will shine on us again,” Loki spoke.

This is a small gift for my sweet @ketlingr ❤️ It’s not much, but I still hope you enjoy some fluff!

—–

“Tony, what in the nine realms have you done to the penthouse?” Loki has been staring for five minutes and he still doesn’t know everything is suddenly… sparkling. And bright. He was gone for a few hours to finish some mission Peter asked him to help with and comes back to… this. He doesn’t even know what it is that he’s looking at.

“Don’t be such a Grinch, Lokes,” Tony laughs and steps off the small ladder he used to hang up a big golden star in the corner. “It’s Christmas!”

“Not this again,” Loki groans and rolls his eyes when Tony steps on his toes and presses a kiss onto his cheek. “You know this whole holiday is made up, right? It’s stolen. You’re celebrating a pagan holiday that the church–”

Tony silences Loki with another kiss before he can continue, this time rolling his eyes too. “Can we not turn this into a history lesson, please?” Tony asks and tries to keep his smile up. “I know Jesus was born in summer and all that crap, but I’m not religious so I don’t care.”

“Then why do you insist on partaking in this celebration?” Loki asks and raises a brow.

“Because it’s fun, you spoilsport.” Tony returns to the ladder and carries it over to the big tree in front of the window. Loki didn’t notice it before. Apparently Tony was extremely busy while he was gone because the whole tree is already decorated fully, including the lights. “Do you want to help me put the star on the tree?”

“Sure, but it looks uncomfortable up there. I know you’re short but…”

Tony turns around and looks at Loki for a moment as the god walks over before it finally clicks. He’s about to say something in return, but Loki is already lifting him up and he can’t do much more but grab his shoulder to not lose balance and hold onto the star ornament in his hand.

“You will not put me on top of the tree, Loki! Stop it!” Tony shouts and laughs at the same time while Loki just grins at him.

“Didn’t you want a Stark on top of the tree?”

“A star, you barbarian!” Tony punches Loki’s shoulder, but still can’t stop laughing, not even when he’s carried over to the tree. “Don’t you dare, Loki! I will kill you, I mean it!”

“I’d love to see you try,” Loki laughs and brings Tony down again for a quick kiss before smiling at him. “Go on, put the star on it.”

Tony manages to calm down enough to smile too and nods, allowing Loki to lift him higher again. He could have used one of his suits for this too of course, but he thought it would be more fun to ask Loki. Turns out he was right.

An hour later the two sit on the couch, Tony leaning against Loki’s side and one of the god’s arms around him, each of them holding a cup of eggnog Tony made. It’s starting to get dark outside, but there’s no need to turn on the lights because Tony put up so many things, it still looks like the middle of the day.

“You know, it’s not that bad, actually,” Loki says and absentmindedly brushes his fingers through Tony’s hair, who sighs contently. “You really outdid yourself today.”

“It’s your first Christmas in earth, isn’t it?” Tony asks and shrugs. “I thought you might enjoy it.”

“I do,” Loki smiles and presses a kiss onto Tony’s head. “It’s quite beautiful, I have to admit. But… I don’t have a present for you. You give each other gifts, don’t you?”

“I already have my gift,” Tony says with the smirk and puts his cup down. He shifts enough to rest his head on Loki’s lap, looking up at the god. “You’re here, that’s the only thing I could’ve asked for.”

“You’re a hopeless romantic, Stark, do you know that?” Loki laughs and shakes his head. He is, but Loki finds it quote endearing.

“I don’t really have a gift for you either actually, unless…” Tony grins and takes something out of his pocket suddenly. It’s a small red bow he puts on his head before saying: “Do you think I’m gift enough?”

I’m participating in the Nano this year which unfortunately means I have even less time to write for this blog. On the bright side, December I’m planning to pick up on things again, and I already have a Christmas story in the making. 

Awww thanks, I’m glad you’re enjoying the madness of this verse!! Problem is, the #torture sock verse as it is right now is more of a prolonged headcanon than a fleshed-out story, which is why I don’t think AO3 is the right place for it, you know? But we’ll see.

The cheek!! :O And well, here we go…

First of all, it should be made clear that everyone keeps a careful count on the number of socks every team member got. 

Clint carries his count of 0 as a badge of honor (and, on an unrelated note, measures every team member’s likelihood of being emotionally compromised by their sock-count). (So does Natasha. That doesn’t stop her from wearing hers.) Contrary to Steve, Natasha also sees them as a sign of Loki’s own bonds towards them though. 

Steve keeps an eye on everyone’s stock because it’s his job to know these things (and also because he loves gossip and isn’t fooling anyone.) Bruce uses them to keep count on who is Loki’s weekly favorite and absolutely doesn’t make bets based on anyone’s socks. Of course not.

Thor pouts about his lack of socks a lot. They usually distract him by sending him to the negotiations with SHIELD – which may explain why those take so long.

The only thing in regards to The Socks™ everyone can agree on is that if Tony doesn’t have more than anyone else, something is wrong. And Loki will probably try to kill them. At least that’s what Clint insists on.

(Nobody ever disagrees with him though.)

*

As for what Tony finds, well, he’s not entirely sure about that. What he finds, I mean. The most surprising part is probably that he does find Loki (he’s honestly half-expected the guy to pull a disappearing act on them, now that he has recovered physically from SHIELD’s hospitality), but so far Loki continues to stick around. No one has asked him why yet.

When Tony enters, Loki doesn’t gut him with a knife (or threatens as much, which is actually a pretty normal greeting for, you know, them). Instead, Loki is sitting on his bed – still impersonalized and white like a hospital bed, despite his strengthening magic and Tony’s offer to buy some furniture. He doesn’t look at Tony. Or otherwise acknowledge his existence.

He’s too busy glaring at a pair of socks in his hands. They’re a dark red, with a complicated pattern that makes Tony want to poke it.

“What’s up, buttercup?” Tony asks instead because there’s no telling whether Loki might bite him if he touches the socks. Loki can be odd about those socks.

“Your pathetically limited imagination and obsessive desire to address me with demeaning nicknames fail to amuse me.” is Loki’s predictable response.

Tony lets out what he’ll deny is a relieved breath. Talking Loki is usually a good Loki. Or, not good maybe, but at least not murderous.

“What’s wrong, couldn’t work out how to get the stripes right?” Tony cuts straight to the point. In a manner of speaking.

Loki doesn’t talk about essential things – a trait Tony can well-relate to – but the way he’s glaring at the pieces of wool has Tony legitimately concerned. Clint would be impossible to live with, if Loki proved him right, and right now, Loki seriously looks like he might.

“These are not mere stripes!” Loki snaps. He sounds legitimately offended. “They are Celtic knots, if you must know.”

His voice is sharp in that don’t-come-closer-or-I’ll-scratch-your-eyes-out way.

“Huh.” Tony takes a closer look. “Do they mean anything?”

It’s clear from the way Loki is staring at them that they do.

“A childish game, nothing but a waste of time,” Loki mutters darkly under his breath, and it clicks then, with all the subtlety of a fist to the stomach, and suddenly Tony has a very clear idea for whom these socks are.

This time, Tony lets the silence hang between them, uncomfortable as it is. This isn’t something he should get involved. This is something dangerous and volatile and complicated, and all Tony can do is lean back and wait for Loki and Thor to figure out where they stand these days.

Or watch Loki set the carefully-knitted socks on fire, as the case may be.

“Tony.” The sound quality of Tony’s non-standard Starkphone is excellent, which is why there is no missing the hesitation in Steve’s voice.

“Yes, Cap?” Tony prompts after a long moment of silence. He’d make a joke usually, but he’s currently got his hands full and really isn’t in the mood for a verbal sparring with America’s national icon.

“You wouldn’t know anything about why SHIELD declared you an enemy of the free world some twelve minutes ago, would you?” Steve asks finally. 

“Fury and I had a difference of opinion,” Tony says, curses under his breath. “And by the way, Cap, I’m deeply insulted that it took you twelve minutes to call me. You do know that I could have been dead by now or enacted DEFCON 1 protocol, right?”

“Tony.”

“It doesn’t exactly inspire my confidence, is all I’m saying.”

“Tony. Did your difference of opinion involve blowing up the helicarrier – the same one we’ve spent the past two months restoring to its former glory – knocking out fifteen trained agents and freeing a subdued hostile?” Steve asks, and even his question mark sounds exasperated.

“I did not blow up the helicarrier.” Tony is insulted. He hopes he sounds insulted too. “You would know if I had, believe me. All I did was rip out a couple of doors and blow through the landing pat. Nothing that can’t be fixed.”

“Oh for– Two weeks, Tony. Two weeks. That’s all I asked off you. Two weeks of not doing anything crazy until me and Thor are done clearing things up over here.”

“Yeah, well, change of plans.” Tony pulls out his professionally equipped first aid kit from under his work bench. “Besides Point Break is gonna take my side in this.” He shoots the currently unconscious form of Loki, resting on his emergency sleep couch, a quick look. “Trust me.”

Steve sighs. “Of course he is, Tony. We’re your team and we’ll back your play. But, for future references, I’d appreciate it if you wait with  starting wars with international spy agencies until I’m not half a world away.”

Tony thinks back to Loki’s screams and– 

“Noted. But this really couldn’t wai– Wait. What are you saying?”

“I’m saying we’ll be there in ten minutes, Stark.” There’s an audible smile in Steve’s voice. “And you better have a damn good explanation for this.”

And Tony keeps asking who is it for because that’s the real question, isn’t it, and they both know the answer, and eventually Fury just starts this entire tirade about all the crimes Loki has committed, all the damage he’s caused and the people he killed and Tony just stands there with a stony face and says, “You’re using this thing to torture Loki.”

And Fury doesn’t deny it and Tony laughs.

(Because he knows this is how it works sometimes, he knows he has to walk away, he knows that’s what this all leads to)

And he says, “I really wish you hadn’t told me that.”

And then he blows up the helicarrier and gets Loki out.

Why indeed? More than a small part of him agrees that Loki needs to face consequences - punishment even. He does not care for Loki any more than he does for any other alien person trying to take over earth or simply harm others. But there is a reason, and it hurts to realise it fully.

But at the same time, it’s not like SHIELD put him on a trial or anything. It’s not like his punishment was even publicly discussed. They just shoved him into one of the cells most high-up politicians don’t even know exist and decided to experiment and interrogate and Tony– Tony doesn’t trust SHIELD. 

“Well, Tony, I don’t know about you but I expect people not to stab me even when I startle them.” Not that Bruce liked to think about what he himself did when he was startled.

But I also feel like Tony is gonna take the knife to the thigh as a point in Loki‘s favor. A la ‘you don‘t seriously think an ancient demigod would have accidentally mistaken my leg for my heart, do you? I think we all know if Loki had wanted to kill me, I‘d be dead.‘

“It‘s true,” Thor adds helpfully. “Even as a child, Loki has always enjoyed stabbing people.”

Loki gives him a Look.

There’s no question mark at the end of that sentence, which Tony suspects isn’t a good sign. Not that he lets that stop him. He has won over tougher crowds. He hopes.

“A gesture of endearment,” Tony repeats more confidently than he feels. Adds a sharp nod for the hell of it.

The judgy look Bruce shoots him totally isn’t fair.

“Like Natasha,” he continues because like hell is he gonna be the only team member with a screwed idea of what healthy social interactions look like. And well, it’s not like Bruce can refute that statement, which is probably why Tony doesn’t get locked up in a SHIELD containment cell for his own protection again.

Tony likes to think he’s just that good a salesman though.

*

Loki, meanwhile, continues to watch the mighty Avengers team sort-of-peacefully exist around him. These people defeated me, he thinks numbly as Captain America loses a vicious battle over a toy hidden in the breakfast cereal and Stark may or may not drown in his coffee – it’s hard to tell whether he’s sleep-drinking or just power-napping very quickly.

It’s moments like these – dodging yet another attempted half-hug from Thor – that make Loki regret not having had the presence of mind to stab himself instead of Stark.

Tony is not sure which he is more appreciative of - the fact that he’s not the one leading negotiations with SHIELD, or that Avengers HQ is impregnable, because Tony being Tony, of course he had foreseen that at some point they wouldn’t be on the same side anymore. Actually, he was surprised it had taken this long. And SHIELD was smart enough not to test Tony’s defences. Or perhaps Fury was simply smart enough to know that Tony had designed most of their current weapons and even his fail-safes had fail-safes. And while those negotiations were going on, Loki in turn was smart enough not to… well, not to do anything stupid. You don’t bite the hand that feeds you, and you don’t stab it more than you have to.

(He’d expected Stark to storm into his room and demand to know what kind of magic he’d infused the wool with or something along those lines. He’d expected shouting and possibly Stark locking himself away to analyze those socks. He’d expected a confrontation that would end this odd state they are currently stuck in.)

Never did it cross Loki’s mind that Stark might just wear them. Without even checking them properly for tampering.

Stark doesn’t even mock him for them. Loki honestly doesn’t know what to do with this.