st_arkravinghazelnut | December 18th, 2012

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December 18th, 2012

Following the Battle of New York, Tony Stark and his brand were becoming many things. The days of being a no-accountability war profiteer were already well behind him, but he hardly anticipated playing landlord to a ragtag team of honest-to-god superheros. In the aftermath, that was one the first things he set about doing with Pepper. With her blessing, Tony had thrown himself into it. Never one to half-ass things, he oversaw the extensive remodeling to accommodate the specific needs of each and every Avenger. Several were essentially homeless and there was no initiative for the superpowerly-abled, even in a place as progressive as New York.

Including Steve. Even if he called Stark Tower ugly and immediately found an apartment somewhere in Brooklyn. Even though Tony set aside one of the top 12 floors for him like everyone else. Fine.

Today was all about adding that personal touch. He was giving free room and board, might as well be a gracious sugar daddy about it. Besides, who wanted to thwart crime with a guy or gal whose liquor of choice you couldn't name? Just bad form.

Stopping outside the luxury suite dedicated to the arguably most unique new friendly friend, Tony bounced on his heels. He contemplated just walking in for a split second, but he liked having his cranium hammer-free. And it was still about being gracious--as much as he could be. "JARVIS? Ping Point Break for me." Tony didn't feel like knocking. This was a compromise.

"Mr. Odinson, you have a visitor." JARVIS dutifully announced from within Thor's quarters.

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Thor leans forward, listening attentively to the song playing through the vehicle's numerous speakers.

We come from the land of the ice and snow / From the midnight sun, where the hot springs flow / The hammer of the gods / W'ell drive our ships to new lands / To fight the horde, and sing and cry / Valhalla, I am coming!

Thor's delight is immediate and obvious. "The song makes mention of me!" he exclaims, looking at Tony. "Who is this singer?"

In the face of Thor's burst of childlike exuberance, Tony was the picture of cool. There was a swell of pride in his chest at drawing that sort of reaction out of the man--certainly a purer sort than demanding his attention through endless needling.

"Robert Plant. Modern legend. He's a trip across the pond. I can have my people inquire if he cares to meet his, ah, muse."

"Certainly," Thor says, beaming. "Some of the stories about us aren't true, but others are. I always like listening to them. We had songs written about us, but nothing that sounded like that."

And nothing recent, either.

"Does Robert Plant have any other songs you enjoy? I'd like to hear them as well, after this one is done."

"Many." Tony nodded towards the street as they took a local exit, getting them onto 5th soon enough. "Plenty of time for it after eats. What say you, Big Guy?"

"I would enjoy hearing more," Thor says. "What kind of cuisine are we sampling today?"

"Burgers and brew. Burgers and brew." Tony directed a sharp nod at him. "Gonna make a bet right here and now, Point Break. After this, we take a spin to Jersey, hit up the Clint Station Diner. You take on their 50 pound burger, you lose. Calling it."

"On Asgard, we have great feasts," he says, directing a finger at Tony. "We make a game of who can eat the most. If you want to make a wager, simply name it. I do not fear this challenge."

And besides, Thor was starving.

"Oh straight up, I'm not competing." Tony, contrary to popular belief, knew when to fold 'em. He didn't get Stark Industries as far as he did without being shrewd. "If you win, I call in a favor to the Air Force and we take a spin on your hammer. If the burger wins, you refer to me strictly as 'Boss Man Stark.'"

Thor squints slowly at Tony.

"For how long?"

He doesn't know why he asked this; there was no chance he was going to lose.

"However long I deem appropriate. I'm the boss." Tony winked as the car pulled up to the busy street side.

"Age before beauty." He nodded towards the door.

Thor gives Tony a little grin as he steps out of the car.

~~

By the time Tony Stark's rear end hit the familiar cushioning of the limo, he didn't even feel it. He was floating on air.

A hearty round of drinking at the pub, followed by a road trip to the next state over, followed by more drinking courtesy of the Bountiful Bentley Bar accompanied by a rock marathon, and they were in the exact right frame of mind to kick off the bet.

Laughter was had. Tears were shed. Crowds cheered. Truly, not since New York had humanity witnessed such a feat of will and battling spirit.

The Burger--and Tony--had come out the other side victorious.

And while Tony was certain there was no greater victor than the diner itself (who now bore a polaroid of Thor on its wall and all the publicity that would surely come with it), he was riding that high all the way to the spiritual bank.

"Mmmmm...come on." He purred, staring down the Asgardian sitting across from him. "Let's hear it."

If Thor could get drunk off the few meager Midgardian beverages they'd drank together, surely the food he'd eaten would have greatly slowed his absorption of the alcohol.

Thor's stomach gives a painful lurch. He had overdone it this time, but he'd been determined to win.

Only to lose to the challenge just a little before he'd gotten halfway through the burger.

"Boss Man Stark," Thor says. Despite the loss, he still managed to be an agreeable loser. An agreement was still an agreement.

"Oh, yeah. I kind of...I kind of like that." Tony leaned in, cupping his ear. "Again."

"Boss Man Stark."

He really was going to take advantage of this, wasn't he?"

Edited 2018-10-30 05:06 (UTC)

A deep breath in. Tony savored it. A deep breath out.

The New York winter was bitter, but this would keep him warm for months. Tony cracked open another bottle of champagne, filling up Thor's glass, then his own with a flourish.

He took a sip and tapped the side of his head. "Once more, in Daddy's ear."

Thor leans over so that his mouth is close enough that his breath can be felt on Tony's ear and his cheek.

"Boss Man Tony," he says, his voice low, as if telling Tony a secret.

Thor's husky words danced down his ear and made permanent residence in his brain. This was good enough to give Tony gout. He was sure of it.

"You, my friend," He tapped Thor's nose with his champagne flute as he sat back, "Are a commendably good sport. I'll let you make the next call."

Thor settles his back against the seat, then takes a sip of his beverage against his better thinking. He's uncomfortably full and ready to burn off some restless energy.

"Would you take me ice skating?" he asks. "I've never been."

'On a list of things I didn't expect...' "Yeah?" Tony reached into the cooler and pulled out a bottle of water.

"It's kind of a, ah... ...oh, who cares. Sure. JARVIS."

"Rerouting, Sir."

Thor eyes Tony, curious.

"Kind of a what?"

"Kind of a couples thing." Now that he said it, he wasn't sure if that was strictly true--that just seemed to be the common conception. But when something was in question, Tony's usual answer was Who Cares?

Thor is mystified by this. "Why is it a couples thing?" he asks. He had seen plenty of people skating before -- even children -- and it had never once occurred to him that this might be part of some elaborate human custom. "Is it some human courtship ritual?"

Maybe he should bring Jane skating sometime.

"Sometimes? Couples, families, the usual suspects. It's not a rule just a, uh, trend." Oh, the joys of explaining all the many and varied gray areas of social expectations.

"Are you worried that people will think we're together?"

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