Tony Stark was a man of many weaknesses. He had his strengths too of course, everyone does, but no one would deny his weaknesses.

And he certainly had a weakness for beautiful people, especially when put together with a bed, or really any other surface. That being said, he was still unsure how "Loki" and "bed" had ended up together. The man trying to destroy the world wasn't his usual bedmate, no matter what people like the self-righteous Steve Rogers might think about his extracurricular activities (Though Tony continued to do his damndest not to think about Steve and his bed. That blond head was not his and he needed to stop it).

Though, come to think of it, Tony was more than willing to blame that blond for this whole mess. Perhaps if he wasn't so distracted by thoughts of Rogers, his childhood dream walking around in front of him and thrumming with repressed desire, he wouldn't have fallen for the trickster's god's manipulations.

Yes. He really wanted to blame Rogers for all of this. Unable to have him, Tony got into bed with the wrong person.

Well.

That wasn't a first.

Bedding a megalomaniacal god bent on destroying at least some worlds was.

o-o-o-o

Loki Laufeyson strolled up the steps of the townhouse where the latest soiree was being held. The God of Mischief was bored, but not quite so bored as to attempt another attack against a major city. He was still stinging with the failure of his last attempt and had no desire for an immediate encore. He brushed an absent hand over the lapel of his black suit coat, the dark green tie he wore highlighting his eyes as he offered the doorman the invitation he'd called to himself.

Stepping into the building, the slender being looked around and handed his coat, scarf and walking stick to an attendant. He swept through the foyer, every inch the royal prince of Asgard he had been in his former life. He hardly acknowledged the doormen at the entrance to the main room, green eyes scoping around the area, categorizing the people lit brilliantly by the lights and the mirrors that circled the space. Everything seemed ablaze with light, the women's jewels capturing it and fracturing it, the windows offering a dark contrast which the Jötunn turned Æsir could appreciate.

Loki strolled along the edges of the crowd, listening to conversations and smirking at the tell-tale signs of lies. As God of Lies he was well versed in finding truth. The woman who doted on her husband to his left had been with three separate lovers that week, he would stake his life on it. While the man ahead of him in the navy suit—barely acceptable for such a night out as this—who wore diamond cuff-links had just lost well over half of his fortune to a bad business decision. That wouldn't stop him from buying drinks and trinkets for whoever he was trying to impress though, of that the dark-haired world-less one had no doubt. The question was whether or not to find a way to out these people tonight, or simply drop hints with the press later.

Of course, no such party would be complete without Tony Stark. He breezed past the doorman, barely flicking his invitation out. The gold embosses paper had said "plus one" but he was alone that night. Frankly, since hooking up with the Avengers, and since Pepper decided it was, in fact, quite weird to be romantic together, he'd had less of an inclination to bring along vapid women more interested in the jewels and alcohol than him.

Besides, he was trying to be responsible, not a rumor mill. Pepper would have been so proud.

Which wasn't to say he was entirely responsible. He pulled his sunglasses down slightly as he looked around the room, not caring that it was in fact already dark outside. Besides the glasses, he was dressed in a dark suit with an equally dark shirt underneath it, a red and gold tie standing out.

The traitor of Asgard looked toward the door, idly, as a murmur went up in the corner nearest him. One eyebrow arched sharply, he should have known that Stark would show up and planned accordingly. As it stood now, he could hardly magic himself away without notice of those around him. He was here to cause chaos, true, but there was no fun in it if he could not bear witness to it. And who knew, Anthony Stark might be the best way to cause said chaos. Deliberating for a long moment, the man finally made a decision and wove his way slowly, but purposefully, toward Stark. He would pause every so often when a particularly blatant lie caught his attention, smirking as the thread of the truth behind it became clear to him.

Tony tried not to wince when he heard several snide comments about how odd it was to see him without a drink in hand, but he only smiled charmingly and moved his way across the room. He glanced up, seeing a tall man coming through the crowd, frowning behind his glasses. There was something about the man that his brain informed him he should really recognize, and probably flee from but he wasn't placing it.

Loki's green eyes moved from the latest young debutant who was lying about some inconsequential thing or other to his target and he couldn't help but smirk slightly. He reached the shorter man's side and offered him a slight bow, "Mr. Stark. So good to see you here tonight."

"I'm sure it's excellent to see you as well," Tony replied, expression smooth.

A smile curled the god's lips, "You have absolutely no idea who I am do you?"

"Not quite," Tony agreed. "Though I'm sure I've seen you before."

"Well, a rare case of honesty in this room. I am rather surprised that it comes from you, though I suppose I should not be." Loki smiled again, an expression that was never long gone though rarely touched his eyes, "Usually when you see me I'm not in a suit."

"Yes, well, I'm sure," Tony started babbling and froze quite suddenly, having finally looked at the other man's face for a long moment, the features clicking in his head.

Right. Well, he'd not been expecting a chaos god at his soiree. Now he just had to figure out what he could do to get everyone out, and possibly an alert to the other Avengers.

Loki's grin turned a tad more feral, at the underpinnings he thought he saw in Stark's recognition, "No need to fear. I give you my word that tonight is all about alleviating boredom, not some great plan of death and destruction."

Tony laughed, the sound strangled. "Of course that's what you would say in a situation like this, isn't it?"

"I gave you my word, Stark, what more do you want?" Loki asked, the grin fading to a placid smile, but something cold flickering into his eyes.

"Collateral assurance would be nice," Tony said, rolling his shoulders. "Because last time I checked, your word doesn't mean all that much. It comes with the whole trickster god title and all."

"I have never broken my word," the taller man replied. "Nor allowed others to break theirs."

"Or you're just saying that," Tony said, snagging a drink from a passing tray, more to give his hands anything to do then to get drunk with a god bent on destroying the world, last time he checked, standing right there.

Loki picked up a martini from another tray, knowing how little Midgardian drinks affected him, "Well, if you doubt me-" he broke off before he finished that thought, thinking of how the results could easily turn against him. He might not break his word, but others had perceived it as such in the past.

"If I doubt you?" Tony asked, chin tilting slightly to the side, his body otherwise tightly controlled.

The trickster shook his head, "Never mind. Obviously you will not be satisfied unless I do nothing all night, which really rather defeats the purpose of even coming out."

"Maybe you should flex your muscles in not doing something devious," Tony shrugged, taking a sip of the champagne and thinking even that was a mistake. "Why'd you come out then, if not to do harm?"

Loki sipped at his drink, considering the taste of it and deciding it wasn't the worst he'd had since falling, "One does not have to do harm to see chaos."

"So what, you're going to expose society to its darker self?" Tony huffed.

"Perhaps, I have not yet decided," came the quiet response, accompanied by a smirk.

Tony blinked once behind his glasses, trying not to think that exposing society to itself actually sounded more fun than these parties usually were. "So what are your schemes then?"

"I'm not scheming tonight, Stark. I am simply bored."

"Trickster gods get bored?" Tony laughed.

"Trickster gods live in a state of boredom, as there is nothing truly diverting in any of the nine realms that won't get me killed or maimed," Loki rolled his eyes, sipping at his drink still a phantom pain ghosting through his lips.

Tony Stark absolutely refused to agree with him. Leaning back on one heel, his crossed his arms over his chest and dangled the mostly full glass from one hand, looking the other up and down. "Nothing?"

The taller man smirked, "Well, there are some diversions that could work, I suppose. But for a lasting diversion? It is the small things that keep boredom in check. Like coming to parties like this and seeing just how many lives could be ruined by one grain of truth."

"Oh, quite a few. I would know," Tony said, thinking he really should have called Thor by now to deal with his brother.

"Did you know," the Æsir began conversationally, "that the woman over there in the low-backed crimson dress is wearing the jewelry gifted to her by three different men present here tonight, none of whom are the husband she is currently coiled around? He believes that she purchased all of the pieces. The dress was his gift, and the shoes her own investment," he added off-handedly.

Tony glanced over, recognizing the woman. "You know, I'm fairly certain I slept with her before."

"Funny, I don't doubt that at all," Loki murmured, his gaze sweeping around. "Oh, and there's the man who cost his best friend everything in a bad investment deal. But you wouldn't know it to look at either of them, both look more than happy to spend money, though both owe more than they will make for the next four years."

"So you, what, come to parties and see everyone's petty secrets?" Tony arched a brow behind his glasses.

"Something like that. There haven't been any really interesting ones this time or I would see about dropping a word in the wrong ear about them. As it stands now, the most I could probably do is wait for the woman's husband to get drunk and convince him to break her latest lover's nose. Hardly worth the effort, honestly," Loki sighed and considered his glass for a moment.

Tony blinked behind his glasses, trying not to chuckle. "Well, if things aren't worth the effort whatever are you going to do?"

"I have yet to decide," the god sighed again, but a smirk graced his features. "Don't you think it a bit dark for those glasses?"

Tony shrugged. "I have to make some kind of outrageous fashion statement or it isn't much of a party."

"I would say that tie does admirably on its own."

"Do you like it?" Tony smirked, thinking he really should have called someone ages ago. But the god really didn't seem to be moving toward havoc or destruction at all.

"Did you know one of my titles was the god of fire?" Loki asked, considering the colors again.

Making a face, Tony let his eyes drift down to the tie. "Damn. You're right, it was. Well, I'm certainly not wearing it in honor of you."

"And here I was all ready to be flattered," the taller man drawled.

"Well, now that you've ruined my tie for me, I'm going to have to find someone obliging to take it off. How do you think that makes me feel about my night?" Tony returned, the sound easier than it should be.

"Oh, I'm sure you can find someone willing to do so." Loki waved a dismissive hand, "Perhaps you could be that lady's latest lover; that would certainly spice up the evening if it was your nose getting broken."

"Please," Tony huffed. "I am not nearly so stupid as to take an obvious lover, nor one likely to get my nose broken."

"Well, in that case, who would you have remove it for you?" A smirk coiled around Loki's lips, his eyes watching Stark intently.

Tony rolled his shoulders, waving his glass. "The night is young. I'm sure I'll find someone in the corners of this place."

"I've had the chance to peruse most of the guests here and I will tell you now that most of them are incredibly dull."

"Well, there goes my night," the shorter man said, rolling his shoulders again and smirking. "Who would you suggest as interesting then?"

"Oh I already made my suggestion, but that was more my amusement and interest than yours I suppose," the chaos god responded, his green gaze sweeping around the room again.

"That doesn't count," Tony shook his head. "Since that was simply an invitation to get my nose broken. Besides, she's not actually interesting beyond a spot of violence."

"I told you, I am bored and it would do me good to see something change in this evening," Loki came dreadfully close to complaining.

"Should I call in your brother?" Tony offered.

Loki's eyes narrowed for the briefest of moments before he cleared his expression and offered a lazy smile, "I can think of something far more delightful than a fight with Thor, which will no doubt result in little more than property damage that you will have to pay for and Fury will have to explain away."

Arching a brow, Tony smirked at him, aware he'd hit a button. "And what could that possibly be?"

"Well," oh if Odin could see him now...A smirk curled the corner of Loki's lip at the thought, "I need a diversion and you need to be divested of that tie, yes?"

Tony blinked once, tilting his chin down to look at the god over the top of his glasses. "I'm not usually propositioned by gods you know." People were already staring at them though, considering how long some stranger had caught Tony Stark's attention.

"I should certainly hope not. If you were I would hardly consider you novel," his green gaze moved away from Stark and met the eyes of a couple of the party goers boredly.

"Why, you flatter me," Tony said, running through his head everything that was a very bad idea. "Calling me novel."

"Do I?" Loki's brow arched slightly, "In the end I suppose it could be seen that way. Novelty is rather like beauty, fleeting and in the eye of the beholder."

That got a dark chuckle out of the smaller man. "So let me guess. My novelty has a time limit and probably has to do with how badly we kicked your ass recently?"

The trickster's smile thinned slightly, "Potentially. But novelty only lasts so long after all. Your decision if you wish to see whether I truly consider you novel or not, I suppose." Loki shrugged, placing his empty glass on a passing tray and briefly considering a second but determining he didn't care for the taste enough. He should have had champagne.

Tony glanced down at his full drink and shrugged. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, the first order of business would be leaving here, unless you have some pressing reason to stay," his tone indicated that he highly doubted that, "and the second determining where we go."

"You've already seen my penthouse," Tony said, dropping his full glass on a passing tray. "And I'm not even sure I want to see your accommodations."

"I have taste enough, but I do not allow others into those quarters. So your penthouse may be best indeed."

"The question would have been if I wanted to see your taste," Tony said, tapping a finger on Loki's chest, thinking he was possibly out of his mind, and turning gracefully.

The taller man looked momentarily affronted, brushing a hand over where Stark had touched him and falling into step with the other, "Well, as I apparently have to tolerate yours for the night I can hardly see that as a bad thing. What, do you think I decorate with skulls and blood? I am God of Mischief, not of Death."

Tony didn't even question the use of the word tolerate, since whatever this was had been Loki's idea. "I'd expect more booby traps."

Loki rolled his eyes, "I do rather hope you're not planning to take the long way back."

"The long way back?" Tony asked, arching a brow and glancing at him once the cool night air hit his face.

Shaking his head, the trickster caught Tony by the elbow, murmured a few words under his breath and allowed the magic to coil around them. When the green-black smoke and chill cleared they were standing in the center of Stark's penthouse.

Tony stumbled back, looking around quickly. "Alright. That's disturbing."

Loki arched an eyebrow at that, "It is merely magic, and far more efficient than sitting in any traffic that this city provides."

"You have a way into my house," Tony said, taking his sunglasses off and dropping them on the counter.

"I have a way anywhere. It is simply easier when I have seen the place before. If I have not it requires a spell to show me where I am going as well," the god explained with a shrug as he strolled over to the large windows and looked out over the city.

Tony thought he should have gone with the woman with three lovers and get his nose broken. "So. You have a magical way into my house. Why have you not ravished me before?"

"I do not desire a partner who is not willing," Loki answered, not turning from the window even as his gaze darkened.

Tony huffed out a laugh, trying to push down how much it bothered him that someone had a way into his house whether he wanted them or not. He had extensive security measures for a reason and his chest ached. "So, my question is, can you read people's minds, or only see their lies?"

"It depends on the person," came the response. "Mostly, I can only see the truth behind the lie. As the master of lies, that is part of my gift. To some extent that means I can read a person's mind, but it does not grant me access to anything not lied about."

"I'll just have to be sure not to lie to you," Tony smirked, chest still hurting in remembered pain.

Loki smirked in response as he turned from the window, "A lie is not only what is spoken, Anthony. Sometimes it is what is left unsaid."

Tony felt a rush of fear but shrugged. "Oh?"

"Sometimes. Not always, but there are some lies that are told in the way a man carries himself rather than what he says," the god waved a hand dismissively. "It hardly matters. I do not seek them out unless I am in that mood."

"So what are you in the mood for?"

"Oh for the love of all things you consider holy," Loki murmured under his breath, "have we not already danced this dance at the party?"

Tony smirked, shrugging and holding his hands out. "I figured out I'm a novelty."

The taller man rolled his eyes again and caught one of Stark's hands, pulling the other toward him abruptly.

For a second Tony tensed, before melting into the touch, knowing exactly what to do in a situation like this. Molding their bodies together, he glanced up. "I think you have a tie to remove."

A wave of his hand and the tie came untied. Loki took one end of it between his long fingers and slid in slowly off of Stark's shoulders, setting to work on the top buttons of his shirt as he leaned down and captured the smaller man's lips in a demanding kiss.

About to protest that magicking his tie was cheating, Tony pressed up into the kiss instead, letting his arms rest on Loki's shoulders, one hand tugging at his hair.

Loki smirked into the kiss, taking Stark's lower lip between his teeth and biting down, not enough to draw blood, but close. One arm wrapped around the smaller man's waist to hold him there, strong but conscious of the strength, as he used his free hand to undo the rest of the buttons of the other's dress shirt.

"You don't waste time do you?" Tony laughed, hand not buried in Loki's hair finally coming back around, undoing his tie the proper way.

"Would you prefer I give you time to think through who you're planning to sleep with?" came the response, mirth hidden in the trickster's words along with a hint of some other unidentifiable emotion.

The smaller man blinked. "Think that would make me change my mind?"

"One can never tell with mortals, you are fickle creatures." Let his words be what was heard, and not the fact that of course it would. Who in their right mind wouldn't back out when they remembered and thought honestly about who they would be bedding?

Muttering something about votes of confidence, Tony pulled the taller god back into a kiss, missing the underlying words entirely. This time he was the one to bit at Loki's mouth.

That action earned a dark chuckle from the god of mischief as he pulled Stark closer. He ran a hand under the fabric of the other's now open dress shirt, sliding the fabric off first one shoulder and then the other.

Tony tried not to stiffen, realizing there was only his undershirt now between the arc reactor and the goddamn god of mischief, grinning easily instead and working Loki's jacket and shirt off quickly, efficiently.

The god of lies felt the motion, drawing back slightly to glance down between them where the soft glow of the arc reactor shone through the white undershirt and reflected on his too pale skin. He didn't say a word, leaning in to kiss the smaller man again, "We should probably find a bed."

"I have one of those," Tony agreed.

"Good. The floor does not seem especially comfortable. I have no desire to execute a blind transportation, though, so I believe this is your lead."

"I'll have you know I have the best flooring in Manhattan," Tony declared. "Some rugs just for these sorts of occasions, not that I've ever actually used them but," he babbled as he stepped back, using the front of Loki's undershirt to pull him along.

"Anthony, do shut up," Loki said as they reached the bedroom. He pulled the other close and kissed him once more, backing up to the bed.

"Anthony," Tony huffed in annoyance but allowed the kiss to shut him up anyway, crawling back on the bed once his knees hit it and dragging the god with him.

Loki stiffened slightly at that, but allowed himself to be pulled onto the bed. His hand trailed down Stark's stomach, deftly unclasping the smaller man's belt.

Wiggling, Tony grinned, pulling the last shirt up over Loki's head, smoothing out his hair. "You have really nice hair, you know?"

The god smirked, "I do try to keep it in decent condition." He drew his hand away from the other's waistband, settling it instead on the hem of the other's undershirt, not moving the cloth yet, his green eyes sharp and attentive to the slightest change in the scientist.

Tony blinked. He'd had practice with this sort of thing after all. "Are you waiting for something?"

One of Loki's brows arched, but he didn't answer, simply sliding the shirt up, pulling it over Stark's head and leaving the black hair tousled, "Not a thing."

"Good," Tony said, for a moment one hand coming to cover the reactor before he slipped it back into Loki's hair, pulling him into another hard kiss.

The motion toward the reactor had been expected and the god of lies pressed down into the kiss, turning it demanding as he finally gave up on trying to deal with their slacks without seeing and simply utilized tendrils of magic to remove them.

Tony half laughed and half growled into the kiss, "That's unfair," he panted when he drew back for breath but grinned anyway.

Loki smirked in response, "How is that unfair when we both are in equal states of undress?"

"Magicking away clothes is cheating," Tony returned, nipping at Loki's ear.

"But ever so much simpler," the sorcerer replied, leaning down to nip at the smaller man's throat.

"Well, sure, but you haven't convinced me it's superior in any way yet."

"Did I intend to?"

"Maybe?" Tony tilted his head to the side on the pillow. "Not entirely sure I know what your intentions are."

"Well," he leaned down, biting the other's collarbone, "at the moment they cycle around the idea of ravishing you tonight."

Shifting, Tony just grinned. It'd been a while since he'd found a partner to actually banter with. "I signed up for that I suppose."

"You very much did, there is no supposing about it," Loki murmured against the bite mark. Someone to trade barbs with and actually present a decent wit was someone the trickster had not had the pleasure of bedding before. Asgard was filled with warriors and most of Midgard seemed filled with idiots, but Anthony Stark presented a different mental acuity altogether.

"Alright, I signed up for it," Tony smirked, sprawling back over the bed in invitation.

The lie-smith smirked down at him before pressing a harsh kiss to the smaller man's lips. A hand trailed down Stark's throat and slipped to the side to give the arc reactor a wide berth as Loki traced it down to the other's hip, the grip tightening almost possessively there.

For a moment Tony didn't react, unsure what surprised him the most before pulling at Loki's shoulders.

Loki slid their bodies together, ever half-aware of how fragile a Midgardian's form was. He was a trickster by nature, but even then he could only tease and tantalize for so long before desire took him as well.

Hey guys! Welcome to this fic that was... not supposed to happen.

Victoriousscarf explains: So this is my fault. Usually I get to blame Meadow for the pairings but in the middle of planning out some Steve/Tony fics we started talking about Loki and this happened. There are two reasons I'm really excited about the idea of this fic. First of all, I just about always ship the villain and the hero, but I haven't had much chance of that lately. And secondly, they're both so freaking broken. And I just enjoy, as an author, sticking broken people together.

So thank you all so much for reading, and we hope you enjoy the ride.

Hello all! Meadowlark here. So, I am aware that we are writing movieverse and posting it in comicverse. We'll solve that issue if the site ever grants a film category for Avengers. As it stands now, the fic was too much Avengers to be able to file it under one film or another.

As Victoriousscarf said above, she is entirely to blame for this fic. And this pairing. Loki came to me with a speech that we expected to be a precursor to a different fic, but they decided to take it and run with it. So, what could have been a relatively quick prologue has taken on a life of its own and promises to be an interesting ride. We hope you enjoy it, and ask that you please drop us a review on your way out.

Thank you from both of us!