characters are from Marvel.

sadly I do not own them.

-When one can't speak-

What is it?

It is madness says reason

It is what it is says love

It is unhappiness says caution

It is nothing but pain says fear

It has no future says insight

It is what it is says love

It is ridiculous says pride

It is foolish says caution

It is impossible says experience

It is what it is says Love

Erich Fried

Frostiron, no idea where this is going yet, first story, non-native user of the English language. I have no beta. This is typed on my phone so the format might be a bit odd... If you read all this and are still willing to give it a try...Thank you so much.

prologue

somewhere in new York

~~~~
The god of mischief collided with the ground, his face hitting the stones with a sickening crash. Old dry blood mixed with new blood and he tried to groan. his lips didn't part and another flash of insane pain shot through his mouth. he didn't saw anything as his eyes shot open and the memories returned.

All those days in the cold dark cell-knowing nothing-waiting- his trial- all the angry and scared looks from the Asgardians- his mother crying-his fa-Odin speaking out-his sentence-Thor grabbing him and pushing him down- his useless struggles- the dwarves coming in- the cold needle in front of his face- on his lips-his last screams- the needle moving- unbearable slowly- inch after inch trough his flesh-In-out-paaaain-In-his vision blurring-darkness rising-pain-Out-In-Out- the unconsciousness didn't came-make this end, please!-pain-In-pain-pain-pain-please!-Out-and then he finally passed out.

When he woke up later the sun was setting and he was ice-cold. A cough died in Loki's troath, not being able to get out. His limbs were sore and his whole body was in pain but he managed to raise an arm. Touching the cold metal that sealed his lips, a single tear left his eye and he passed out again.

chapter one

Stark Tower

"You have an incoming call from S.H.I.E.L.D. Sir" The electronic voice of his AI Jarvis mentioned.
Tony sighed and took another sip from his scotch. "I am not at home."

"They say it's an emergency sir."

"They always do Jarvis. Urgh, just put them on the line then." barely a second passed before he heard an indifferent voice addressing him.

"Mr. Stark, we require your assistance. We got a message from a man who claims to have found Loki. Apparently he'd be in a bad state. It is probably false alarm since he should be facing punishment on Asgard but we need someone who'd be able to handle the situation if it were true."

The millionaire sighed again and raised from his chair. "I'm on my way. Jarvis, prepare the suit."

While walking out he got into the suit and flew of, following the coordinates Jarvis had received from the S.H.I.E.L.D agent. New York faded under him as he gained speed and approached an old industry-terrain. At the entrance there was a little group of people looking very scared. When he reached the ground an old man motioned him to follow and they went into a ruin of a huge barn. the roof was gone and the ground was filled with piles of stones and other they reached the middle of the ruins Tony noticed a body. The limbs were tangled in strange angles and there was blood all around. Only his shirtless back was visible and he had indeed the same hairstyle as Loki, but to be able to say it was Loki?

The man on the ground seemed rather dead, and only his very ragged and heavy breathing gave away he wasn't, so Tony approached him slowly. The back looked already horrific and bloody and he didn't wanted to see the rest but sadly this had to be done and it was his job so he grabbed the man's shoulder.

Lucky that he was still in his suit. He barely managed not to threw up at the sight of the man. Not an inch of his body was not bruised or under fresh or old blood. From an open wound in his arm he saw the white of bone and his face wasn't worthy of being called a face anymore. But the worst was his mouth.

It was full of old and new blood, bile and it was sewn shut in a horrible way with a rusty thread. The little wounds looked red and infected. The billionaire's mind was racing. He pushed the disgust and horror aside and thought about what had to be done.

"It is the madman that tried to destroy the city isn't it? My daughter was there that day and she recognized him." The old man whispered.

A minute of silence passed and Tony was glad he had his mask on. Finally he ended the inner fight he was holding with himself. "No." He finally muttered.

"No, it isn't Loki. He looks like him indeed, but you guys must've been fooled by the wounds."

The old man looked doubtful but said nothing. "I'll take him to a hospital. We'll be able to identify him later. But don't worry, it isn't him."

With each word the lies came easier and he got more convinced this was the right thing to do. The man on the floor was indeed the Asgardian god Loki but he couldn't just take him to S.H.I.E.L. would let him recover just enough to get awake and then continue this torture. When Tony had hacked their system he hadn't only found weapon-manufacturing plans. They way S.H.I.E.L.D. Treated their prisoners really didn't appeal to Tony. Especially not the ones who had information to give.

S.H.I.E.L.D. probably wouldn't do less than the state the god was in now. So the superhero scooped him up and flew away trough the ceiling. He made connection with S.H.I.E.L.D. and reported.

"False alarm dudes. Probably some lunatic with long black hair who drank himself into coma and made a bad fall in there. They're taking him to a hospital so I assume this is over then?"

"We'll classify this as false alarm. You can go home." The S.H.I.E.L.D agent on the line answered before breaking the connection.

"No problem at al, it was my pleasure" Tony sarcastically said to the empty air around him.

He tried not to look at the mess in his arms and only speeded up. "Jarvis, call my doctor. And make him sign a contract about not telling anyone or anything about this, just to make sure."

"I must probably warn you sir, that this might not be your best idea ever." His AI answered.

The man in the suit chuckled and nodded. " That might be totally true. But it doesn't change the plan. Make sure that S.H.I.E.L.D. or anyone else doesn't find out though."

Jarvis confirmed that he would make sure it wouldn't leak. Tony landed on his balcony and entered his tower. He carefully dropped the god on his cough and wiped some hair out of his face. Hissing at the disaster loki's face was he wondered what happened. Who could've been so cruel to sew one lips shut? He filled a glass of scotch for himself and thought to himself that he just couldn't understand this. Asking Thor about what happened wouldn't be possible since the god hadn't returned yet. Tony raised an eyebrow as he looked at the security footage visible on his tablet and saw the elevator arriving on this floor.

The doctor, a gray haired elderly man named James, got out together with his secretary and ex-girlfriend Pepper.

"Jarvis, I thought I said no one?"

"I am sorry sir, but she catched Mr James in the elevator and her suspicion is already raised. She doesn't know about your other visitor yet though."

Sighing the billionaire murmured "It's too late now anyway." and a second later his two visitors came in. Pepper didn't waist a second with looking around and attacked immediately.

"Anthony Stark what is this about? Why do you need a doctor and why do I not kno- " Then she finally saw the body on the cough and her eyes grew as big as tea saucers.

"Oh god Tony what have you done?" She yelled at him.

Tony shot the doctor a look and asked him to help the guy on the cough. He grabbed Peppers hand and pulled her on the balcony, where the doctor wouldn't be able to hear them. Whilst explaining why he took in the god and what S.H.I.E.L.D would do if they catched him his CEO sighed deeply.

"Tony..." she started but he quickly interrupted her. "I'm sorry Peps but I can't send him over to S.H.I.E.L.D. As much as I hate him for what he has done I can't let them torture him to death. I can't handle them alone but I can stop them from doing this to another person. And I don't know who did this to him but if it were the Aesir, I'm not sending him back there either."

"I was going to say that it was your own fucking choice but that you wouldn't be able to contain him once he can stand Tony." She answered looking her irritated-by-irresponsible-Tony-Stark-self.

"I have this cell for the Hulk if he ever needed it down in my lab. I had some readings from last time he did his little magic show over here so I think I managed to make it magic-pro-"

"you think? Oh Antonhy Stark, really..." Pepper started but seeing the look on his face she nodded.

"I am in San Francisco for a week running your business but if there's any sign of danger, Jarvis, you get all the avengers over here instantly and you warn me too!"

"yes miss Potts" the AI answered since he was also programmed to follow her orders. Walking out Pepper threw one more disgusted look at the god and disappeared towards the elevator. Tony got into the room again and closed the door to the balcony.

"that went easily..." He sighed turning towards the god. In contrary to Pepper he couldn't look at the god with disgust. Disgust for the ones who had done this, yes. but seeing him like this only made Tony feel pity and sadness. Of course he was angry about the trickster trying to kill Coulson and destroying half New York but no one, not even a crazy psychopath, deserved this. His doctor came in drying his hands with a towel.

"Well I've seen bad wounds, especially from you Mr. Stark, but this beats them all by far. Very far." The doctor murmured shaking his head. " The people who did that to him...the thread is rusty and the wounds are all infected. I am going to disinfect the cuts and other wounds on his body first but I don't know how far this mess goes inside."

"Jarvis, possible scans. Will you be able to get that out? " Tony said pointing at the metal thread.

"depends on what material it is. If I have something that can cut through it, I can get it out."James answered, starting his job. " I hope he doesn't wake up though. It will be a hell of a painful time. "

"I hope it too." the avenger answered, staring outside.

A.N.

actually I am not a writer. My English is bad, I rather read, I am the queen of writers block. But there was so little frostiron around lately , that I just needed to supply my own needs. Which means I will only continue to post this story if anyone is interested. If you are still reading by now, I don't care if you liked it or not, thank you so much already.

xxxx

Myr