st_arkravinghazelnut | 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

st_arkravinghazelnut

"Uh. Yeah. Why? Is thoust too cool to chill with thy protectorates?" Tony tsked and shook his head.

From:

st_ormbreaker

"I have no such objections," Thor says, shifting on the couch. "I did not know that there was any such interest. What do you wish to know?"

From:

st_arkravinghazelnut

Alright, it was a start. Time to screw it up just the right amount.

"You a, uh, natural blonde?"

From:

st_ormbreaker

Thor blinks at the question.

"What?"

From:

st_arkravinghazelnut

"Your hair." Tony motioned at his head, then at Thor's. "It's like this--this maximum goldenrod value going on. Never seen anything like it."

From:

st_ormbreaker

Thor touches his hair, looking slightly offended.

"Why would I alter my hair? It is wonderful as is."

Clearly, Thor loves his hair.

From:

st_arkravinghazelnut

Tony leaned in, squinting, as if he'd catch some kind of trick upon close enough inspection. "So that is your hair! There was kind of a running bet. I chose the right horse. Banner owes me sushi."

From:

st_ormbreaker

Thor squints right back.

"If you are not certain, you are welcome to touch it and dispel all doubt."

From:

st_arkravinghazelnut

Tony raised a hand warily, positioning it every which way, as if mentally mapping the best plan of attack for going about this. He had every intention of doing so, but Thor could sneeze in his direction and knock him across the room and he did still have some feeble sense of self-preservation.

"Can I just--" Tony's hand flattened and mimicked a plane as it made a slow trek towards the top of the larger man's head.

From:

st_ormbreaker

What sort of Midgardian nonsense was this? Thor is uncertain what that hand gesture means, but he isn't sure he likes it. He is sure that Tony simply lacks the culture and understanding to know precisely how important hair is to their culture.

You make bets over who will win in a battle or who will engorge themselves with the most food during a feast. You do not make bets over the authenticity of a man's hair.

Thor decides he will forgive this slight; Tony meant no disrespect, he's sure.

Thor stands abruptly and holds out his hand; Mjölnir immediately races up to meet it. "I am going in search of something to eat," he tells Tony. "Would you like to accompany me?"

From:

st_arkravinghazelnut

Tony's fingers were just about to make contact when in came the hammer and Thor popping up, and Tony jerked like a startled rabbit. He was sure he made a little sound to accompany it, which he masked with a professional-sounding cough to clear his throat and let his hand drop.

This wouldn't be forgotten.

"We've got stuff here. We can order in." He paused, imagining what a day out could entail with the man in tow. "Actually, you're right, let's go. My treat."

From:

st_ormbreaker

"You will have to introduce me to your New York cuisines," he says, heading for the door. "Are we taking a vehicle, or is Mjölnir sufficient transport?"

After the aeroplane ride, he hopes a ride on Mjölnir is okay. Any human should be excited at the prospect of riding his hammer.

From:

st_arkravinghazelnut

If Tony squinted any harder, he'd have gone blind. "A ride on your hammer."

From:

st_ormbreaker

The doors whir open.

"Yes. I would grip it, you would grip me, and it'd pull us off the ground and to whatever destination we so chose."

From:

st_arkravinghazelnut

"Not sure that's flight legal, Point Break." Rising, Tony rounded the couch to follow and somehow kept from cracking up at the mere image. "...I'm sure no one would complain about a test drive, though."

Damn his curiosity.

From:

st_ormbreaker

"The laws of this land do not apply to me as I am not of Earth," Thor informs him as he continues down the hall. "For this reason, I was permitted to have Mjölnir accompany me on our flight though it is not usual custom."

From:

st_arkravinghazelnut

'Oh. Honey.'

"Well that is just so convenient. Who gave you the license to fly, now?" Tony was caught up with Thor in a moment, jovially patting his bicep.

Oh yeah. Those were definitely real.

From:

st_ormbreaker

"Myself," Thor answers easily and confidently. "Do you require such license when you fly around in your armored jumpsuit?"

Thor feels quite sad for him if he does; it is probably painfully inconvenient.

From:

st_arkravinghazelnut

Tony cackled at the jumpsuit remark. "I had a little and forth with the powers that be, yeah. Look it up on YouTube. You know what YouTube is, right? This is Earth, after all. Not Asgard. And on Earth," Tony patted his arm again, "You are an Avenger."

Adjacent to the elevators was a grand view of New York. Tony nodded from the sight back to Thor. "And I'm the business leader. So while you're here, Point Break, my authority supersedes yours." The man had a good eight inches of height and at least eighty pounds on him, but when did that ever stop Tony's baby talk before?

From:

st_ormbreaker

Thor laughs and claps his hand on Tony's shoulder a few times. This man truly believes that he can tell him what to do. It's kind of adorable.

"You have mettle, Stark," he says, as he pulls his hand away. "I like that about you. If we are to enjoy the occasion, we should not allow ourselves to get wrapped up in the rules and instead enjoy things as they come."

From:

st_arkravinghazelnut

"Ah." The word came out like a knowing chirp. Tony looked Thor up and down. "You're one of those."

From:

st_ormbreaker

"One of those?" Thor repeats.

From:

st_arkravinghazelnut

Tony nestled his thumbs in his pockets as the elevator began its slow ascent. "The type who thinks he makes the rules because he's bigger and badder than the guy next to him."

From:

st_ormbreaker

"I am crown prince of Asgard, protector of the Nine Realms. I do not bow to the commands of those with whom I disagree," Thor says, casually directing Mjölnir in the direction of Tony the same way a human might casually direct a pen at someone while talking to them in the office.