Loki was no stranger to combat. He'd initially been offended at the Black Widow's suggestion that he needed to brush up on his skills, but after careful consideration, he'd realized she was correct. It had been a very long time since he'd practiced contact fighting. He was woefully out of practice. Darcy should not have been able to toss him. So he agreed to allow Natasha to hone his combat skills, albeit reluctantly. Pressing Stark into those same lessons was a small bonus.

He had to come to Darcy's rescue the first two mornings after her lessons began. He'd awoken to a pitiful cell phone call on the first morning.

"Loki – I can't move. Everything hurts. I can't get out of bed."

Her voice was so pathetic that he felt immediate sympathy. "It will pass in a few days, once your body adapts," he assured. "I will be there in five minutes."

He paused to commit the sight to memory when he arrived in her apartment. Darcy was stuck on her back in the middle of her bed, arms and legs flailing weakly like an upside down turtle. When he moved into her field of view, she pouted at him, full lips jutting out for sympathy. She was adorable.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and bent over to press a kiss to those pouty lips. "Did you not stretch your muscles?"

"Yes. For like 30 minutes. But Natasha worked us hard!"

Loki slid his arms underneath her, and bit back a smirk when she tried to raise her arms. A whimper escaped her throat, and she resigned herself to letting the arms dangle.

"I'm gonna die," she whispered in agony, as he slowly levered her into a sitting position. "Seriously."

"You're not," he corrected with amusement. "But I know what will make you feel better."

He didn't even ask her, just jumped them to his apartment, right into the Jacuzzi which was already on and steaming.

Darcy let out a moan that was almost pornographic as she was submerged in hot, jetting water. She slumped back against Loki's chest and let out a shaky sigh. "That feels so good. Thank you, Loki." She wrinkled her nose, and laughed. "We're still wearing our clothes. In the Jacuzzi. That's comparable to a mortal sin."

He laughed softly in her ear, teeth tugging softly on her earlobe. "I will correct that grave sin in a minute. But I quite enjoy the way the water has molded the clothes to your skin."

"Perv," she accused lightly. "It makes the girls jump out and call attention to themselves."

"They do that anyhow," he quipped, raising one hand to lightly her cup her. Darcy sighed again, and titled her head back so she could nibble on the skin where his neck and shoulder met. As the hot water did its work, she managed to wiggle around to face him. He smiled down at her. Even with her hair drooping limply in the steam, she was lovely. And full of mischief, he could see.

"Let me use your cell phone," she commanded. "I need to call and let them know I'll be late for work."

Loki couldn't stop the small laugh that escaped his mouth. "And what reason will you give?"

"The truth!" she told him saucily. "I have to soak my sore muscles until I can move."

The second day had not been quite as bad, but she still couldn't get out of bed on her own. Since she was in Loki's bed, it wasn't really an issue, as he simply repeated his therapy of the day before.

After that, the mornings were easier as Darcy's body adapted. Loki was quite enjoying the training sessions, as it gave him a sense of belonging that he had never really felt on Asgard. Plus he got to admire Darcy in action. She was a feisty little thing, and very enthusiastic.

A week into the training, the girls were practicing escaping a hold from behind, with Loki and Stark acting as attackers. Stark rather sadistically enjoyed being an attacker as well as getting tossed or punched, kicked, etc. He had just surprised Jane from behind, even as Loki did the same to Darcy, when a brief electronic beep caught everyone's attention. Before the girls could react, music began to play from somewhere near Tony Stark's stomach.

I've got the brains, you've got the looks
Let's make lots of money
You've got the brawn, I've got the brains
Let's make lots of money

Natasha frowned. "Dammit Stark. I told you to leave the phone in the locker room."

Stark grinned rakishly and gave her the 'peace-out' sign. "Sorry sweetheart. My other job has need of my awesome talents." He caught the towel Bruce threw at him, dried his face, and pulled the phone from the pocket of his hoodie. "Stark."

"Seriously?" Barton shook his head, watching the billionaire with an amused smile. "That's the ring tone for your company?"

Loki narrowly avoided Darcy's elbow as it jerked toward his stomach. The little hellcat had taken advantage of his distraction with Stark. "Tsk tsk," he reprimanded, swatting her on the backside, ignoring her offended yell. "That was dirty."

"But effective," Natasha called. "Her objective is to put an attacker down so she can run."

From the corner of his eye, Loki noticed Stark's body go rigid. He started to turn toward the Iron Man, and froze at Stark's hiss.

"What?"

Everyone turned to look. Tony's eyes were wide and color had drained from his face. He was holding the phone so tightly his knuckles had turned white, and sucking air in through his mouth. It whistled when it hissed back out.

"Stark?" Loki took a step toward him, but Tony threw up a furious negating hand, so he froze.

The gym was now eerily silent as everyone watched Stark. He ended the call and stood shock still for a moment, then hurled his phone against the nearest wall with violent force. The team scattered with surprised yelps as Tony left the gym at a dead run. Loki had never seen so much negative emotion from his minion and he knew that whatever had happened was very bad.

Steve Rogers blinked, looked around at the others, and then led the sprint out of the gym, after Stark.

They found him suited up and heading for the roof access. Somehow, even the Iron Man suit looked a little wild eyed. Rogers stepped in front of him with the air of a man expecting a fight.

"Tony, we need to know what's going on. An assemble hasn't been called, so you're doing this on your own, and you know how Fury hates that."

"Get out of my way." The voice didn't really belong to Tony Stark. It was strained and short. When the captain didn't move, Tony roughly shoved him to one side, tumbling him end over end before he bounced to his feet. Thor had already taken his place, barring the Iron Man's advance.

"We can assist, Stark. Tell us what has happened."

Stark growled, an animalistic sound of rage, and activated his jets. He crashed into the God of Thunder and Thor was propelled down the hallway in front of his teammate, bellowing in anger. Loki knew his brother would be fine, and he spun away, covering Darcy with his body while everyone else ducked for cover. The back blast from the Iron Man suit jets staggered them all.

Loki straightened and turned. He could hear Thor's bellows receding, and then a resounding thud told him that Stark had ditched his Asgardian roadblock. The dull, concussive force of the hand repulsors shook them a moment later, and building alarms went off as the roof access hatch was blasted.

As he stared down the hallway, the growl behind him didn't register at first, but the green hands that grabbed his arms got his attention. Too much excitement for Banner to deal with.

Darcy shrieked as Loki was shaken and then tossed against the wall, hard. He slid down to the floor, head spinning, but couldn't get his mind clear enough to subdue the Hulk before he was picked up again. It felt like Banner's freak-out personality was winding up for one hell of a fastball, but a sizzling noise distracted him.

The Hulk turned slowly, Loki dangling from his crushing grip. He snarled at the taser probes sticking out of his upper arm, and then focused on the girl who had shot him.

"Oh shit," Darcy breathed, eyes so wide the whites were showing all the way around. She backed as far away as she could without dropping the taser. "Um...sorry? Bruce?"

"Hulk smash," the brute promised, raising Loki to use as a weapon.

"Bruce stop!" Natasha's voice echoed in the hallway. She was using what Rogers had dubbed as her 'drill sergeant voice, and the Hulk paused, Loki dangling near his head. Some part of the green monster recognized the teacher voice, and was puzzling over whether he should obey or not.

The God of Mischief's brain finally unscrambled enough for him to realize he was about to be used to pound Darcy, and it wouldn't be the type of pounding that either of them enjoyed. He reached out to tap Hulk on the nose, and the Banner-less eyes focused on him.

"Nap time."

He sent a pulse of magic into the Hulk's head. It was like tasing the brain directly, and Hulk was not immune. He collapsed to the floor with a soft groan, eyes rolling up to show the whites. Loki pulled free as the big green fingers relaxed, and straightened his clothes absently as he stood. The expression he turned on Darcy made her wince.

"What?" She ducked her head, biting on her bottom lip and scuffing her foot on the floor like a child.

Loki took the two steps necessary to bring him to her. "That was not the best idea you've had." He pressed a kiss to her forehead, then drew back to look down at her. "I can take care of myself."

She frowned. "I thought it would put him down. But it only tickled him."

"What the hell happened here?"

Nick Fury was practically spitting anger as he came pounding around a corner in the hallway, guns in both hands, coat flapping. There was a contingent of heavily armed S.H.I.E.L.D agents behind him, led by Coulson. The director skidded to a halt, and surveyed the scene, one eye studying and calculating.

"Why did Bruce Hulk?" He spun on his heel, looking all around the area. "Where are Thor and Stark?"

Coulson stepped forward, eyes on the groaning, shrinking form of Banner on the floor, assessing the situation calmly. "Sitwell, Graham – see to Bruce. He's de-Hulking." Two agents slung their guns and peeled out of formation to deal with Banner. Coulson gave a short nod, and then focused his attention on the two Avengers who had been S.H.I.E.L.D agents. "Barton, Romanoff - talk to me. What happened?"

Natasha spread her hands. "Tony apparently got some very upsetting news from Stark Industries. He jumped in a suit and blasted his way out the roof access hatch. Steve and Thor tried to stop him." She shrugged. Steve managed to look apologetic when Coulson and Fury both glanced at him briefly.

Coulson's eyes came back to Natasha and Clint. "Where is Thor?"

"Probably near the roof access hatch," Loki reasoned. He swiveled Darcy around to his side and took her hand before moving down the hallway. "I think he broke the floor again," he called over his shoulder to the S.H.I.E.L.D agents. A pang of worry hit him. If Stark had been there and himself, he would have made some kind of crack about Thor's super powerful ass, as he had after the gym floor had been abused.

Thor was just pushing the roof access hatch off of his legs as everyone turned a corner and nearly ran him down. He was sitting in another depression, probably where Stark had tossed him. His expression was pure disgust when Loki reached down to help him stand.

"I fear our comrade in arms has gone berserk," the God of Thunder announced sadly. "He was not able to form an intelligible word." He accepted Loki's helping hand and popped back to his feet, dusting himself off.

Fury turned to his minion. "Where is he?"

Coulson was on the phone, talking in great animation. "I don't care how you do it. Just do it!" He snapped the phone shut. "He's jamming us, sir. We can't track him or talk to him."

Nick Fury scowled. "We need information. We can't have an Avenger going rogue."

"Where is your humanity, Nicholas?" Loki chided. He folded his arms across his chest. "You have known Stark longer than I. When has he ever surrendered to rage like this? Something truly terrible must have happened. Your thoughts and concerns should be focused on Stark's well being."

For one second, he saw the humanity behind Nick Fury's mask. The slightest twist of his expression and a widening of his eye told Loki that the man did have a heart, and he was very worried about Tony Stark. But the mask fell quickly back into place.

"I don't have that luxury, Loki. Can you find him?" Fury holstered his guns and wiggled his fingers. "With your magic?"

Loki frowned. "Not while he is in the suit, no. He took great pains to protect his armor against me, and it has been effective."

Coulson's expression never altered. "We'll have to locate him the old fashioned way then." He turned and began barking orders at S.H.I.E.L.D agents.

Thor looked quizzically at his brother. "You truly cannot locate him?" He smiled down at Jane, who was worrying over him and brushing dust from his backside.

Loki frowned. "I cannot. It seems he took offense to a pink suit of armor and developed some type of technology to prevent my tampering." The feeling of impotence that welled up inside surprised him. "I have never seen Tony like that."

"Not even when he was being poisoned by the reactor," Natasha confirmed softly. "Is there anything we can do?" She glanced at Loki. "He got a call from Stark Industries. Can you pop in there?"

"I would prefer not to squander my magics until we know what is happening with Tony. It is possible that I will need all of my energy." Loki laced his arms behind his back, and began to pace helplessly. Seeing Stark reduced to an animalistic reaction was troubling.

The others took their cue from him and milled around uneasily. The need for action was almost overwhelming, but there was no focus. They were itching to do something, but no one knew what to do. Coulson refused any offers of help, preferring to leave it to the people who were trained for it. "I'll come for you when action is needed," he told them, and then stalked away. Fury regarded them for one moment longer, then titled his head up to look at the empty space in the ceiling where the hatch had been. He sighed, squared his shoulders, and walked after Coulson.

Darcy looked so worried that Loki ceased his pacing to stand beside her. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I am worried too, Darcy," he assured.

She leaned into his side but didn't look up at him, staring blankly down the hallway. "Tony's always the composed one, you know? He doesn't let things get to him. Seeing him like that..."

"It's painful," Natasha called. She was leaning against the wall beside Barton. "He's an ass. He's almost intolerably fond of himself. But he's strangely lovable at the same time. His devotion to Pepper...Pepper!" She kicked away from the wall. "We can call Pepper!" She withdrew a phone from her pants pocket and held it to her ear after dialing. She waited what seemed to be a very long time, and then wilted, flipping the phone shut. "Voice mail."

Barton, still leaning against the wall, looked past everyone and dipped his head. "Banner. How you doing?"

Bruce Banner was just rounding the corner of the hallway, with agents Sitwell and Graham holding onto his arms to steady him. He was clutching the torn remnants of his clothes. S.H.I.E.L.D had yet to find clothing that could survive the Hulk transformation. He visibly flinched as everyone turned to look at him.

"I am sorry, Bruce," Loki apologized, as the scientist joined them. It couldn't have felt good to have the brain fried. Even if he had been the Hulk at the time.

Banner shook his head, wincing with the lingering pain. "No Loki, I'm sorry. I...almost hurt you and Darcy." He nodded his okay to Sitwell and Graham, and the two agents released him, melting away to find Coulson.

Darcy reached out to pat Banner on the arm. "No harm done, Bruce. I'm lucky, because I have a god boyfriend who can come to my rescue. Even though I was trying to rescue him. Which didn't turn out too well. Don't worry about it."

Banner's whole demeanor seemed beaten. "What if Loki hadn't been able to stop me, Darcy? What would have happened?"

"Tranquilizer gun," Barton answered shortly. He patted the small gun strapped to his thigh. Everyone else stared at him in disbelief.

Natasha shook her head. "You're serious about that, aren't you? It's the only gun you carry, and it's a trank gun for Hulk moments?"

Barton shrugged. "You know my weapon of choice. It seemed silly to carry a different weapon. I can always take a gun from someone else, if I really need one." He grinned. "I'd rather have the trank gun for the green rampages. I don't like broken ribs." He offered a cocky grin to Banner. "It's cool, Bruce. We've adapted to your rage personality being a frequent visitor. It keeps things interesting."

Bruce didn't seem convinced. "I need to get new clothes," he said softly, turning to depart.

It worked as a signal to everyone else. They quietly followed Banner through the halls. While he continued on to the locker room (which contained multiple sets of clothes for his after-Hulk moments), the others milled around the conference room, waiting for news on Tony. Banner rejoined them shortly, clothed, with his arms full of bottled water. He dumped them on the table and shrugged apologetically when quizzical eyes turned his way.

"We should stay hydrated for...well, for whatever."

It was almost an unconscious reflex that everyone grabbed a water bottle. At least it gave them something to hold on to while they waited. Loki took comfort from Darcy's presence at his side. It was maddening, this worry over a mortal's safety and sanity. Asgardians were hardy enough that there wasn't frequent worry over the safety of another in times of peace, and it was rare for insanity to rear its troubled head. But mortals were so fragile...

He glanced down at the girl by his side. She was so young, a mayfly compared to his lifespan and just as fragile. Even Tony Stark was fragile when not in his iron suit. He didn't enjoy the tight feeling in his stomach and chest caused by his concerns over their safety. Like his brother, his time on Earth had helped him to be a better person by creating those concerns for others.

It was maybe only 30 minutes later that Fury and Coulson came to find them.

"Iron Man is tearing apart Stark Industries," Coulson informed them grimly as he strode through the conference room doorway. "Assemble. Your job is to restrain him and take him into custody."

No one moved. Wide eyed looks passed between all remaining Avengers, but nobody moved a step. Coulson surveyed them with his usual lack of expression, and then his shoulders slumped. It was the closest thing to emotion Loki had ever seen from Fury's minion, and it was troubling.

"I don't like it either, people. But we can't help him until we know what's wrong. He's apparently lost his mind. We need to make sure he doesn't hurt himself or anyone else."

Why the hell were they all looking at him? Every eye had turned toward Loki, even Thor's. It was a responsibility he did not want. He wilted. "You must do as Agent Coulson says. Tony will not forgive himself later, if he hurts someone who does not deserve it." And they would not forgive themselves if they had to hurt Tony. What hell was this?

Their footsteps, though hurried, were heavy as the Avengers headed toward the Quinjet, Fury walking with them. Loki shared a long look with Coulson and Fury, and then bent to place a kiss on Darcy's head.

"I must go," he whispered. "I will do everything in my power to prevent a fight between them, and I will try to bring Stark back to his sanity."

Darcy nodded, eyes shimmering. "It must be something terrible, Loki. He'll need all the support he can get. Bring him back."

"I will." Loki dropped a cautious nod to Coulson, and blinked out of Avengers Headquarters, heading for a confrontation with a mortal man he'd come to consider a friend.

♾️ ♾️ ♾️

We're so close to 1k yes. I'm so overwhelmed. Thank you so much. All of you are wonderful. Love you.

Also, if y'all have Instagram give a follow to @itsrealshuri and the other role playing accounts. They are so cool OOF.

Love,
InfinityHaze ♾️