Displaced

[iam_ironwoman]

Toni was pretty sure she wasn't expecting any guests. It was a Sunday, for one thing, Pepper's coveted me-time day of the week when she tried to avoid scheduling anything for Toni so she wouldn't have work to do by proxy. It was also about 10:30 at night which was not a normal business hour by any stretch of the imagination.

Yet, there was a man on her balcony.

Toni had spotted him when she went to pour herself a scotch. One moment she SWORE everything had been normal, the next she looked up and a tall person with slicked back dark hair was outside her windows, peering around at the tower and the balcony like he was confused.

Being equally confused Toni headed over to the doorway, stepping out onto the balcony with her scotch and a furrowed brow. What the hell? Had he been skydiving? Had he climbed the building?

"Excuse me!" She leaned over to catch the man's eye as he turned toward her. "Hey there! Hi. Couldn't help but notice that you're standing on my balcony, which is attached to my tower which is also kind of my house. Little bit of trespassing there. Did security clear you?"

Comments

[gimme_that_drink_now]

He looked up hearing her voice but ignores her for the moment. This was Stark tower for sure. But that wasn't the man he thrown out the window earlier. He looked up again quickly.
"This tower has it..?" He paused and sighed rubbing his forehead.

"If you are Stark's home help. Then I'd suggest keeping quiet unless you wish to fall from here?"

Wait a second did she say her tower? He must be hearing things. He had used a lot of magic or maybe the hit from the hulk did more damage than he realised. He simply began to pace.

[iam_ironwoman]

"HOME HELP?" Her mouth fell open, indignation sweeping through her in an instant. Who the hell WAS this asshole?!

She stormed down the stairs, visibly fuming, fixing him with a gaze that might well have physically burned a mortal man.

"Oh you're a riot. No. I AM Stark. Me. Toni Stark. MY name on the side of the building right there." she snapped, advancing and placing herself right in the path of his pacing. She was also rather peeved about his 'fall from here' comment but honestly the implication that she could be anyone but THE Toni Stark bothered her a lot more than the death threat.

She tapped her free hand on her chest for emphasis, rapping on the arc reactor that glowed faintly under her blouse.

"See, genuine. Now who the hell are you and what are you doing on my property?"

[gimme_that_drink_now]

Loki looks at the flustered angry woman pacing up to him and points to her in amusement. "You... you're?" He couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm glad to know I'm not completely off here." He wipes his eyes still visibly amused.

"I am Loki. Of Asgard. Have you not encountered I yet little girl?"

[iam_ironwoman]

"I can safely say I have not. I would remember that hair..." She replies, even more indignant at being laughed at. "And I am well past being a little girl, thank you."

Asgard she recognizes, though. She's read about it some...

"And what exactly is so funny Loki of Asgard?"

[gimme_that_drink_now]

"I simply never expected the great Tony Stark to be. Well looking like yourself" he paces up to her.

"Past a little girl yes the age sits well in your skin. Yet still only a child to I."

He reaches up one hand running it through his hair. At the moment he still looked a little worse for ware. But he wasn't to bothered.
"You see Stark. You could say we have met"

[iam_ironwoman]

She TWITCHES at that remark about her skin, fingers squeezing around her glass.

"What the fuck else did you expect the great Toni Stark to look like? Is my face not in enough magazines for your liking? Not striking? Not iconic enough? I'm not sure how much more memorable I'm supposed to get beyond having a glowing blue light in my cleavage."

She reaches up and points her finger in his face, just a breath from touching him.

"So where exactly have we met before then? Because it's just that I really think I'd remember a guy wandering around in a leather overcoat in summer while talking like he escaped from Stratford."

[gimme_that_drink_now]

"A man. Is what I expected to see. But if I still see a self obsessed, drunken mess. Then I suppose. Not much changes depending on where I travel"

A smirk brims his lips as he grabs her wrist and throws it down. "You need to think more before you even attempt to raise a hand to me. You don't wish to mess with the Gods just yet."

[iam_ironwoman]

Toni shakes her hand off as it there were some residue left by his touch and gives him a sour look, sipping from her drink.

"First of all, I'm not even halfway to drunk yet and I am a mess because I've been working all day so you can shut right up."

She is in torn jeans and a button-down that's covered in grease marks, yes, but that was just rude...

"Secondly, I highly doubt you're a God anywhere but in your own mind. Thirdly, where in hell did you meet a MAN version of me?"

She tries hard not to snicker but fails. "I can't even imagine..."

[gimme_that_drink_now]

"Not a God? Let me say a drink maybe to prove you wrong Tony"

He glares to her still wearing a sinister grin.
"Maybe you can amuse me. I trust you still to have your little toy if."
Walking over he taps the arc reactor.
"This is here"

He takes a step back. For now he was trying to be somewhat pleasant.

[iam_ironwoman]

"If by 'little toy' you mean my battle suit yes I do have one and no you can't play with it." she replied, leaning away from his touch but refusing to actually STEP backwards and let him believe she was intimidated enough to back down.

"Exactly what kind of entertainment are you thinking of?"

[gimme_that_drink_now]

"Well you see" His hand turns blue and he waves it past her face, it quickly turning back to its pale skin tone.

"You are a man.. Sorry woman who enjoys to gamble yes? And I wish to waste some time as I hide." He laughs to himself. She was trying to look big in front of him and it was all pointless.

"Do not try to look big little girl." He mumbles "I could end you in a mere second"

[iam_ironwoman]

"I like the roll the dice now and then." she answered absently, dismissive of both this question and his barb about looking big.

Her gaze had caught and held on his hand turning blue and back again. She pointed at it, brows knit in a puzzled frown.

"...how did you do that?"

[gimme_that_drink_now]

He smiles to her. "How do I do that? Oh I wonder. Maybe revisit my earlier point?"
Pulling his hand away from her he turns and looks over the edge of the balcony.

"Stark.. Walk from the edge of this Balcony. And I can promise you not to die" It would not benefit him right now to cause any harm to her. He was just passing time and liked to show off his magic sometimes.

"You will simply walk on air. This is my gamble for that drink"

[iam_ironwoman]

She blinks at him, looks at his hand, looks at the big empty space over the edge of the walkway.

"...oh this sounds like the start of a Darwin Awards entry."

But the man COULD turn his hand blue, and he absolutely had a mysterious magical air about him. Also all the things she'd read about Asgard...

She raises a brow at him, slides a toe over the edge of the building. Well, she does have the remote suit mostly ready, just in case.

She glances at the drop one more time then pushes her glass in his direction.

"Hold this. You can finish it if I die."

[gimme_that_drink_now]

He takes the glass and sets it down at his feet. Keeping a close eye he watches her step out and he mutters something to himself, his eyes glowing green for a brief moment before he calmly says the words.

"Go ahead enjoy"

The air beneath her should suddenly feel like solid ground. Making it easy for her to step out. His concentration remains high for now.

[iam_ironwoman]

She ALMOST backs out, even as she feels the pressure of apparent ground under her extended foot. LOOKING at all the empty space under her unprotected feet is just...

So she doesn't. She looks up at the building and slides one foot fully off the edge, shifting her weight onto before finally pulling the other foot off the ledge.

She takes a few measured steps before turning back to face him, before taking a glance at the enormous gap between her and the ground.

"Okay, this is highly intimidating without rocket boots, must admit."

[gimme_that_drink_now]

The temptation to drop her was high. But no. At one point he made her drop a little suddenly but that was it. A smile on his face.

"Do you wish to walk around further?" He place her glass upon the ground and walks out to join her.

"Do you believe me yet? This cannot be done with..science. I think you call it" His eyes showing a visible glow now. It required a little more magic for him to be there also. He walks a little further out than she does and looks back.

[iam_ironwoman]

"Can't be done by science YET." she corrects, though her tone is absent. She's still kind of gawking at all the empty space under her, just a little more so when he steps out with her.

She turns when he moves past her, cautiously stepping further out. She jumps just to see if she can.

"...okay, I'll give you that this is pretty amazing and totally worth a drink. Have you always been magic or did you get special physics breaking powers from somewhere in particular?"

[gimme_that_drink_now]

He simply sighs and looks to her heading back towards the balcony.

"I was born with such ability. Being born as a God has its perks" He smirks before his feet rest upon the balcony once more.

"Return my magic is low" He picks up her glass from his feet. And stands waiting.

[iam_ironwoman]

She's back on the platform in three steps, not needing to be told twice, taking her glass back from him as she watches the light of his eyes dull and fade out.

"Alright then," she says, letting out a relieve breath to be on something solid again. "I Suppose you ought to come in so I can make you something then. What do you want to drink?"

[gimme_that_drink_now]

He smirks to her. "The strongest ale you have"

He pauses for a second falling forward and grabbing her shoulder to maintain his balance. He shouldn't be such a show off when he was weak like this. He then straightens himself up acting as if nothing had happened.

"After you Stark"

[iam_ironwoman]

Instinctively she puts a hand out to his chest to catch him from that sway but he's righted himself only a moment later and though her brow knits she turns and waves for him to follow her inside.

"Well, you picked a good day to crash in on me, I totally just got some really good foreign beer this morning. Sure you don't need anything else?"

[gimme_that_drink_now]

"I shall be the judge of tastes" He laughs as he says it. "I have tried my fair share of ale."

He follows her quickly. The air had a cold chill, which did not bother him but he longed for good company and a seat. Turning to her he shows her as odd expression .

"Ale and a seat to rest is all I require. This much would make me grateful enough" He smiles to her. It made his chest feel heavy knowing he was going to thank an enemy for their kindness. But right now, a friendly expression may be nice to see.

[iam_ironwoman]

Considering his earlier tone the word 'grateful' and that strange smile takes her by surprise, but it's clear by now that he's not where he should be - lost, displaced - and Toni's never been good at being negative or at holding the dumb ego-fueled things people say when they're out of sorts against them for very long. (She at least TRIES not to be too hypocritical. Sometimes. When she remembers.)

She smiles back, just a turn of the corner of her mouth, and nods him toward the living area.

"Well then sit down and start in on the resting, okay?"

She grabs two of her favorite kölsch from the bar fridge and heads over to find her own seat in his wake, flopping down next to him on the sectional and passing him the ale.

"Here, let me know what you think."

[gimme_that_drink_now]

He nods to her. Taking a seat he felt such relief and he held out his hand as she offered the drink. Making sure to grasp it. First inspecting it before taking a sip.
"Not half bad." He takes another. "Maybe it was worth the amount you payed. As I imagine you don't cut corners on such matters"

It felt odd. A slight sadness as he took a few more drinks. He couldn't hold ale well. He then mutters.
"Thank you"

[iam_ironwoman]

"You're welcome. Thanks for not dropping me to my death out there."

Her reply comes without hesitation, coupled with a smile as she sips from her own bottle.

"Damn right I don't cut corners on my alcohol. I do enjoy the occasional cheap shitty beer out of irony of course. Just so I have a direct opinion on the taste if anyone asks."

She rolls the bottle between her hands.

"So, Asgard huh? Is it as cool there as what I've read makes it sound?"

[gimme_that_drink_now]

"Asgard, the golden city." He smiles as he says this.

"If one wanted a glorious place to rest their head it would be there. But under it's current leader I would not advise a visit." He grips the bottle tight in his hand. It almost looks as if it will shatter at any moment.

"When I take the throne. It will shine once more." The bottle shattered in his palms and he looked to her for a moment pausing his speech and looking to the ground to see the mess. Not saying a word

[iam_ironwoman]

She starts when the bottle shatters in his grip, just staring for a moment at her good beer draining into the carpet.

"Uh... maybe an anger management class might do you some good before you go taking over cities." she suggested wryly, rising from her seat to grab a towel. "Who's in charge now that's so awful they make you glass-crushing mad?"

[gimme_that_drink_now]

"Why the all father of course Odin" He sighs. "My brother follows him blindly"
He needs to watch his words closely now.

"But it matters not. I apologise for such a waste. I would mend it if I was able"

He rose from his seat leaning down, stroking the carpet, the smell of the ale potent in the air.