December 18th, 2012

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

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.

Comments

[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.

[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."

[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.

[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.

[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?

[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."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

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

[st_ormbreaker]

"One of those?" Thor repeats.

[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."

[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.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

Tony put a hand on Mjölnir, lowering it. "So yes, then."

[st_ormbreaker]

"If that thought makes you comfortable," Thor answers. "So how are we traveling to our destination again?"

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"Not by hammer." Tony's fingers rapped its metal surface. "National tragedy a few years back involving a flight gone awry, we're kind of sensitive about low-flying craft."

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor wonders what kind of tragedy might have happened here involving a flight, but he thinks better of asking it now. It might be better for him to ask Jane later.

"I'm still taking it along," he informs Tony as the elevator doors slide open. "We do not know what dangers we will face in your city."

Midgard was certainly no Asgard.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"I still want a ride." Tony patted his back as he wandered in after. "I may be your boss but I don't hate fun."

[st_ormbreaker]

"Flying with it is wonderful," he says, beaming. "You will have to let me ride in your Iron Man suit as well."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"Uh. We'll do our best." Tony flicked the ground floor button, assuming a leisurely stance beside his teammate.

"So. Woman in town. Yours."

[st_ormbreaker]

"Jane Foster," Thor says, beaming. "She the most beautiful, most intelligent, kindest Midgardian I have met."

Thor can't seem to stop smiling now that he's thinking about her. Even if she is cross with him. She is still wonderful beyond belief.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"Heard of her." Tony watched the familiar skyline expand as they made their descent from the eighty floors well above the ground level. "Didn't bring her with you, huh?"

[st_ormbreaker]

"No, she is at her conference, giving a talk on Grand Unification Theory," he says easily. "She doesn't have the time for recreation."

Thor, on the other hand, apparently does.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"I'd wouldn't mind hearing her take on it. Over a nice Blanc de Noir." Tony's back gently hit the elevator wall, side-eyeing his companion. Thor's mere presence raised endless questions in the physics realm. Questions that Tony was content to let some other hapless, frantic mind discover.

[st_ormbreaker]

"I will let her know your interest," Thor says, still looking outside, oblivious to Tony's interest. He's not entirely sure why anyone would require a building with this many floors and yet there seemed to be so many of them. The view, at least, was quite nice. "Did you have a telephone number she can reach you at?"

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"I'll have my people call her people." Tony's eyes lingered on Thor's hair and how he did not get the follow through he was waiting for. Banner would probably back down from their deal unless he could at least say with confidence he had his hands on it to confirm.

And he didn't want to just ask again, either. That would seem needy.

"You know what a telephone is, Point Break? Thought your folk sent for by raven."

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor runs his hand through his long blonde tresses, still looking down at the people below. "Yes, some do," he says. "It's considered a more secure form of short-range communication."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"Riveting." His hands had a mind of their own, and the levels of restraint Tony had to exercise from letting them boss his muscles around was significant. Thor was oblivious to his inner struggle, and seemingly his presence at all.

Sliding around into Thor's line of sight and blocking his view, Tony flicked his shades down over his eyes. "Yeah, I can see what Dr. Foster sees."