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It happened a few days after the Revengers had arrived on Midgard. The Asgardians along with Heimdall had been given refuge on Alfheim, but Thor, Banner, The Valkyrie and Loki had all continued on to Midgard.When they had arrived it was just in time to assist in a battle. It had allowed Loki to be seen in a heroic light and it was that, and the support and assistance of Tony Stark that allowed Loki to be received favourably by the mortals.Tony had also opened the doors of his tower to the Revengers, allowing them safe haven during their time on the planet.They had been on Midgard for five days and Loki had spent most of that time either in battle or forcibly dragged by Thor into socialising with the Revengers and Tony Stark. Loki did have to admit to a certain interest in the mortal with his handsome face, easy smile and attractive physique, but Loki did his best to refrain from showing it. He knew it would do him little good to pursue the man what with such a violent past between them.Yet, the mortal surprised him as instead of avoiding him as Loki would have expected, Tony spoke to him on many occasions. He even went so far as to join him one day in the common room.Loki had been eating toast and entertaining himself with trying the different flavoured jams the mortals were fond of. When Tony Stark had stepped into the room, Loki had initially planned to ignore him, but when the mortal decided to drop into a seat beside Loki, it had the mage turning his attention on the engineer.Tony was smiling at him; easy and unconcerned. “FRIDAY said you’ve trialled the entire jam supply. Got a favourite yet?”Unwilling to ignore the gesture of goodwill, Loki answered, “Apricot and strawberry.”Tony’s smile widened and his eyes crinkled. “Together or separately?”Loki’s own mouth twitched. “Separate.”“I’m going to have to introduce you to peanut butter and jelly--that’s jam, by the way--sandwiches. I think you'd like them.”“You... put them together?” Loki asked, trying to comprehend that flavour combination.“Absolutely,” and Tony’s smile suddenly became smoother and his arm shifted just enough to lightly brush Loki’s. “They’re from two different worlds, don’t look like they’d go together, but when they do... well, I think it could be good. Damn good, in fact.”He followed it up with a wink and Loki just stared at him.The mortal was flirting with him. The mortal had recognised his interest... and that meant...Loki gritted his teeth and pushed away from the table, leaving his breakfast in order to teleport out of the room and to the one who had allowed such an insult.He appeared before Thor who had been walking down a hallway. His brother jerked backwards slightly, but little more; Loki just punched him, hard, making the Aesir stumble into the wall.“Five days,” Loki hissed. “I have been here five days and you could not hold your tongue on my preferences for even that long!”He moved towards Thor again who was holding his jaw and eyeing him with shock. “What? Loki, I do not know-”“My preference in lovers,” Loki growled, his fury making his magic crackle around him. “Why could you not bite your damn tongue in front of Stark?!”“But, Loki, I have not said anything!” Thor insisted, his voice earnest and face confused and that... that made Loki pause. Thor could not lie well; he could certainly not be this convincing, Loki knew him too well... and that meant...“Did...” Thor was starting to smile, looking suddenly, abruptly amused as the situation dawned on them both. “Did Stark express interest in you?”Tony Stark had flirted with him, genuinely and with actual interest; it had not been a joke like so many of Thor’s friends had arranged in the past.Tony had been... had actually...Loki teleported away abruptly; barely hearing his brother’s laughter before the mage was re-appearing in the common area where Tony was despondently making a coffee. He flinched slightly at the abrupt appearance, but forcibly relaxed. “Oh, hey, Loki,” Tony greeted, not looking at him, “didn’t expect to see you back. I, um, started clearing up your toast.”He's going to pretend it did not happen. It was everything Loki didn’t want, and it made him step forward and hurriedly admit, “I did not think you were serious.” Tony blinked and looked at him, a frown puckering his brow even as Loki stopped at the opposite side of the counter. “I did not think you would be inclined.” He swallowed a little anxiously; worried his actions had ruined everything. “May we... may we try again?”It took Tony a long moment, but slowly, he smiled. “With a handsome guy like you; how could I say no?”“I could say the same,” Loki replied, and Tony’s smile only grew, his eyes crinkling with good-humor. Loki just pointedly ran his gaze over Tony and for the first time, he allowed his own interest to show. “Perhaps you could show me this Midgardian delicacy that I should try?”Tony let out a soft chuckle, his eyes dancing with amusement and interest. Glorious, unexpected interest. “I think that could be arranged.”