Complementary

Tony knows that, in art, they have this thing called complementary colors, opposites on the color wheel that, when placed side by side, make each other seem harsher and bolder in comparison. Purple and yellow. Blue and orange.

Red and green.

Complements, Tony thinks. You try to mix them together, and you get this ugly brown-gray mess, but - but - set them side by side, and the green looks greener, the red redder, and they're both so bold you don't know which to look at first, last, or at all.

Opposites, Tony thinks. Red is a warm color, green a cool color, red primary, green secondary. Fire and foliage. Red burns green, but when the green is gone, so is the red.

He thinks of how red is his color, how green is Loki's, and how they are like that sometimes, complete opposites that don't mix well, that fight and yell and snarl, and yet - and yet . Tony is never as clever as he is around Loki, never as kind, as strong, and he knows that he makes Loki smile brighter, roll his eyes less (maybe even hate himself less) when they're together.

They're two wrongs that make a right, he thinks.

So when Tony walks by a flower shop and sees dozens and dozens of red roses, he knows it's silly and stupid, but he buys the lot and has them sent to Loki. What's the occasion? the girl behind the counter asks, and Tony shrugs and says, It's a Tuesday.

And though Loki is bewildered when he gets them, though he scrunches up his nose and says, I am not your woman, Stark, Tony sees him shake his head and smile later, and he knows, he knows, that Loki sees what he sees.

Red petals on green leaves.

A/N: FrostIron drabble, because there are other things I should be doing, so naturally I'm doing this instead. :P

To my darling tonylaufeysonstark (on tumblr, my RP buddy), the Tony to my Loki, who is to blame for the "two wrongs that make a right" line. I know I keep flailing over that line, but it just sums them up so beautifully.

Tony's writing is on wewillstartwith on tumblr, and features some of the most heartbreakingly beautiful writing I've had the privelege of reading. It's mostly FrostIron, so. Go poke her, guys. Her stuff is woefully underrated. ;)