Cottage Cheese

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

As lively as he felt these days, it felt right to give his beloved a lively greeting. A little light show from above to get his attention and a rapid descent to join his side. He wasn’t one to be completely outdone when it sounded as if Thor had something special in mind.

“Don’t keep me in suspense.” Before he could descend completely, he positioned himself to sit on the massive man’s shoulder.

Comments

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor smiles and lets out a little laugh. "What are you doing?"

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“Watching the lines etch into your face.” Putting his morning yoga routine to good use, Tony bent up to peer through the V shape of his legs. “C’mere.”

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor wordlessly complies, though his expression shifts to something closer to bewildered amusement.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

Seizing his chance once Thor was at the right point of his projected parabola, Tony launched himself up to flip into a graceful arc over the man’s head—and coming down to land in a clean sit atop his shoulders. “This passes the ceiling height test.”

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor hardly reacts when Tony settles neatly on his shoulders.

"You didn't mention the ceiling when you made your request," Thor says, wrapping his hands around Tony's calves and giving them a squeeze. "I'm happy you're satisfied. I have always been partial to high ceiling myself." Asgard was full of them.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“You already barely clear doorways.” Tony bounced slightly atop him, especially shameless with the masses away. “Dunno how you cope.”

[st_ormbreaker]

"I'm used to much larger doorways," Thor says with a grin. "You having fun up there?"

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

Tony hummed in affirmation, his quick and clever fingers meeting to cup Thor’s chin. Then, they slid up his jaw to cover his cheeks, enjoying the fee of Thor’s rugged scruff against the sensitive nerve endings. Thor had a unique feel aside from his enviably ample warmth.

[st_ormbreaker]

"You like the beard?" Thor asks, tilting his head back just enough to look up at Tony.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“The man it’s attached to isn’t bad either.”

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor just beams up at Tony. "So I shouldn't shave it into a goatee?"

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tony pinched both of Thor's cheeks and tugged them into a gawkish smile. "No. Keep your own style."

[st_ormbreaker]

Tony doesn't need to tug very long; his face naturally shifts into that expression.

"When we go back," he says, "I want there to be a place for you on New Asgard. Maybe not a cabin like this, but a place of your own."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

A pang hit him at the mention of the future. Tony swallowed it.

"I'll miss being roomies." Tony chuckled half-heartedly, using his leverage on the man to turn him in whichever direction he felt like looking. "Aside from the sun-aged flank steaks, you're a nice roomie."

[st_ormbreaker]

"You'll miss the steaks," he tells him. "Whenever you're in town, I'll have you over for dinner."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"I won't miss the steaks." Their words collided as Tony spoke right over him, hooking his fingers into the inner corners of his Thor's lips. "Assuming you don't settle on Earth and I don't invent FTL travel, I'll need that fancy-schmancy communicator you promised me."

[st_ormbreaker]

"An asyumin Aye say ehn Erf?" Thor manages with Tony's fingers still in his mouth.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

There was only one response to that. Tony promptly tugged Thor’s head back to meet his gaze head-on with a warm little smile of his own.

[st_ormbreaker]

The ends of Thor's lips quirk up in a goofy grin at Tony's smile.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“We’ll figure it out.” Bumping foreheads, Tony released his grip on the man’s mouth.

[st_ormbreaker]

"We will," Thor says, though he can hardly figure out anything these days; every time he thinks he's settled on something, indecision seizes him. He always wanted to be a good man instead of a great king, but now he has to figure out how to be both when he often feels like neither.

"How do you feel about bear?" he asks suddenly.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“The animal?” Tony interlocked his fingers beneath Thor’s chin, lazily sinking forward as he remained on his Asgardian perch.

[st_ormbreaker]

"Yes," he says. "I was thinking bear skin rug." And bear meat itself, but that went without saying.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“Not the resident, right? The one that gives massages.” He mumbles into the crown of Thor’s head, crossing his ankles.

[st_ormbreaker]

"Some other bear," he says, running his hands up and down Tony's calves. "I've taken down my fair share of Bilgesnipes; a bear should be nothing."