Listening to Tony bemoan his own life choices was not something Bruce had anticipated having to do much of. Yet, here he was once again, settled on the couch and patiently listening to Tony as he regaled him with the tale of falling for Loki (no surprise) then denying it when confronted. "So, you know what you should do right?" Bruce finally spoke up after Tony had finished spilling his heart out. Tony leaned heavily in his chair. His hair was tousled from constantly running his hands through it and his eyes had that kicked puppy effect.

It was pathetic.

"No, what?" Tony practically whined and Bruce sighed, rubbing at his eyes. It might be worth it to start charging him at this point. He leaned back in his seat, crossing his ankles.

"Well, from the way you were talking, I think you have real actual feelings for Loki. Which means you need to get it together and talk to him." He explained in his most clinical voice. He watched Tony's expression carefully, daring not to blink. Tony scoffed, slumping back in his chair with a dismissive grunt, arms crossed defensively over his chest.

"Oh for the love of...that would be a really stupid idea. Like worse than my usual ideas. Good joke though" Tony scratched his nose, eyes fixed on the ceiling. Bruce scrubbed a hand down his face, eyes rolling dramatically. He released a low breath.

"Not joking. You have it bad for him, Tony. It's kind of sad." Bruce shrugged, ignoring the scowl Tony shot at him. Tony didn't bother denying it. Didn't bother arguing on whether on not he liked Loki, just on if he should actually say something.

"Okay, so oh wise one, how would you suggest I move forward?" Tony asked, sarcasm dripping from his tone.

"As the self coined billionaire playboy philanthropist, shouldn't that be your area of expertise?" Bruce shot back, lips twitching into an amused smile at the sudden lost look on Tony's face. The man had it bad and didn't know what to do with himself. Bruce stood up, stretching and feeling all to pleased with himself. "Well, I'm done for the day. Hope it all works out for you."

"Yeah...so do I."

That evening, Tony finally talked himself into going to talk to Loki. He had chanced his outfits three times before finding something he considered suitable and spent half an hour trying to get his hair into order. It seemed it didn't want to settle down, so it stuck up on one side, refusing to relax and wasn't that just the story of Tony's life? He walked to Loki's apartment, needing the fresh air and time to give himself a pep talk. The team hadn't watched another video feed in a a couple weeks so Tony could only hope that Loki was at the apartment. He found the familiar door and took a deep breath, regretting that he hadn't brought flowers or catnip to hold. "Loki." Tony peeked into Loki's apartment, noting that everything was sparkling clean. It smelled nice and fresh too and there was a new knitted hat on the counter. Loki was sitting on the edge of the counter, knitting away at something, his dark hair disheveled and pulled into a loose ponytail.

"Ah, Stark," Loki did not look up from his project. "Is there a reason you're here?" Tony noticed there was a string of yarn was caught in his dark curls. He shuffled into the apartment, quietly closing the door behind him. He caught sight of Kitty Fury from the corner of his eye and the cat looked at him in open disdain, an expression he swore he had seen on Nick Fury several times. Angharad was by the window, tail flicking as he stared out the screen, before glancing to Tony with large eyes. Loki glanced over his shoulder at him. "Is there something in particular you needed, Stark?" The tone in itself was polite enough, but Tony caught that underlining posh bitchiness that all but screamed 'speak now or die.'

Tony nodded, smoothing nonexistent wrinkles from his shirt and taking a breath, feeling like a middle school kid admitting his crush. "I'm not good at this." Tony suddenly blurted out and Loki set the needles down, finally turning to look at Tony, brows sculpted and furrowed.

"At what?" He asked, that same tone being used and Tony practically squirmed.

"At feelings." Tony replied, sullenly and watched as Loki rolled his eyes. Tony envisoned on of those knitting needles meeting his jugular.

"You came here to tell me you were bad at...feelings." It was not a question and Tony nearly shook under it.

"No, that's not why..." Tony trailed off, clearing his throat before trying again. "I came here to apologize." He admitted, voice smoother than he felt. Loki blinked at him, waiting for him to clarify. "I lied to you about...about the flowers. I did send them to you." He watched Loki who inclined his head at him, dark curls falling over his shoulders. This was it. This was the moment of truth.

"I'm aware." Loki simply replied, setting the needles aside, Angharad darting forward to attack the yarn. Tony noticed that it was a yarn suit of Deadpool's uniform. Complete with the mask.

"Wait," Tony blinked, mouth going dry. "You...you knew I sent them?" His voice was nearly a squeak and Loki nodded, pulling at the yarn to allow Angharad to choase after it.

"I did."

"Then why were you upset?" Tony questioned, leaning against the counter. "If you knew already, why did you bother asking?" Kitty Fury joined in the fray, batting at the yarn and meowing as Angharad leaped on him.

"Anthony, I am the god of Lies for a reason and I know when I am being lied to. I was disappointed that you were a coward and would not admit the truth, not that I was hurt you hadn't sent them." Loki shrugged, hopping off the counter. "I just had to wait for you to come to your senses."

"Oh." Tony replied, feeling awkward. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry I lied before."

"No offense taken. Like i said, I'm the God of Lies. You could have at least lied better. It was droll and weak. I appreciate a good liar." He primly put his hands behind his back, studying Tony with vivid green eyes. "As for the flowers and you facing me. What are you hoping for, Anthony?"

"I...I don't know," Tony admitted, not bothering to try to lie again. "I was hoping...something." He chanced a glance at the God who nodded, looking down at his feet for a long moment. The phone rang behind them and Loki apologized before taking it and answering it, eyes still on Tony.

"Wade, I hope this is impo-ahh yes, your anniversary with Vanessa...just be yourself. I have your uniform ready but I'm not certain it's her style. No? Well you have a week, we'll think of something...no Weasel is not the best choice about what women enjoy...we'll discuss it later, yes?" Tony listened patiently, he could hear Wilson's voice muffled through the phone. Loki hung up, offering Tony a small smile.

"I apologize. Wade is a good friend...where was I...Stark...I have lived for many years. I am given much more time than you Midgardians are given and with that time, I have had the opportunity to meet and be many kinds of people." Tony blinked, wondering where Loki was going with this. "I've met warlords and scholars from all over the universe and yet it wasn't enough."

"What wasn't enough?" Tony asked. Loki fixed with with a long stare, eyes piercing.

"It was always the same. I found that people, even of from different realms all seem to have this one flaw." He explained, Tony hanging on his every word.

"What's that?" Tony crossed his arms over his chest and Loki smiled at him, head tipping back.

"They bored me, Anthony." Loki drew out the o in bored in a dramatic fashion, lips curved into a little mirthful smile as Tony offered him a weak nod.

"Oh."

"But with you..." Loki trailed off, smile fading as he towards the window. Tony could feel his heart racing in his chest as he waited for Loki to continue speaking. Finally, Loki sighed, looking down at where his hands rested on the countertop "I have never in my time, met someone who could...manage to keep up with me." Loki murmured, walking around the counter with the cats following at his heels.

"I was the one who returned Kitty Fury." Tony admitted in a rush. Like he needed to get it all out. "Clint found him, but I brought him back." Loki hummed.

"You didn't stay." Loki's voice was no reprimanding or accusing. It was a simple observation and yet Tony nearly wilted under it.

"Yeah...sorry...but I wasn't sure what you would say or do. I left the flowers. Left the yarn. Those little gifts. It wasn't me being polite or anything. I'm not polite. I was hitting on you at the coffee shop, and whenever we fought I figured...I mean you know when you're being lied to, but you don't know when someone's flirting with you?" Tony tried to defend himself.

Loki looked down at the counter as Kitty Fury pawed at his leg. "Anthony, for all my abilities to understand the complex nature of people's minds, my strong suit was never with myself and anything that related to me." He admitted. It took a second for that to translate into Tony's mind but all at once, it made sense. Loki was socially awkward and had little confidence in himself.

"So people hitting on you would go right over your head." He managed to speak up and Loki smiled at him, nodding.

"Very much so. My mother told me many times it was a weakness of mine. Yet, I wonder if it is more of a defense." He pondered, allowing Kitty Fury to shimmy up his leg and onto the counter to bat at Angharad.

"I'm sorry I lied." Tony murmured, resting his elbows on the counter an Loki waved a slender hand, dismissively.

"I did drop this on you very suddenly. Don't worry about it." The pair watched the cats play in silence for a moment. Tonny wiped his sweating palms on his jeans.

"So, if I were to ask you on a date..." Tony tilted his head, eyebrows raising in anticipation as he casually went about petting Angharad who pawed at his hand, tail flicking.

"I would have to decline." Loki pressed a kiss to Kitty Fury's matted head.

"Oh..." He barely felt as Angharad bit down on his finger.

"Anthony, I am hardly dressed to go out tonight," Loki indicated to his oversized shirt, that probably belonged to Thor and the loose shorts he was wearing. "Perhaps tomorrow evening?" He offered. Relief washed over Tony.

"Yeah...yeah!" Tony nodded in excitement, only to feel like some dumb kid. Loki however offered him another smile.

"You are good company, Anthony and you are nice to my cats." Loki said it as if it were the simplest thing, and for Loki, perhaps it was. He stroked under Angharad's chin affectionately. Tony leaned over the counter towards Loki. The God's eyes widened for a moment before he leaned forward as well. The kiss was simple, a brush of lips against each other's but it had Tony feeling hot and shaky. Angharad meowed, paw patting at Tony's cheek, pulling the pair apart.

"So...tomorrow?" Tony murmured against Loki's lips.

"Yes...be here around five?" Loki pulled away slowly, a dark curl falling across his forehead.

"Yeah," Tony sounded dazed. "Sounds good."

When Tony returned to the tower, he was greeted with stares. He stood in the doorway, fighting the urge to glance over his shoulder. They were all looking at him. "Had a good night, Stark?" Natasha was the first to break the silence and in that innocent question, he knew they what they had spent the night doing.

"You uhhh...watched that." He spoke up, not bothering to deny it.

"Yup." Clint spoke up for everyone, grinning ear to ear. Natasha sniggered beside him, looking far too comfortable.

"So you saw..." Tony trailed off, hand weakly twirling in the air.

"Yup!" Clint made a popping noise at the p and Tony fought the urge to punch him in his smug, smarmy face. Thor was relaxed but it did noting to assure Tony that he wasn't in danger.

"You kissed my brother." He spoke up and Steve warily looked over at the Asgardian as Tony nodded.

"Yeah..." He shuffled and Thor stared him down for a long moment.

"You're a good match," Thor observed. "I guess I can give my approval..." It was the weakest, most unsupportive blessing tony had ever heard, but it was a blessing all the same. He threw himself onto the couch with a sigh.

"So how are you going to explain the spying?"

Well shit.

Sorry I've been gone for...over a year? I'm trying to get back into the Avengers! I'm hopefully back in? You should all look up Wilfred the Cat, Kitty Fury is liked an orange one eyes version of this lovely baby!