It had been bothering Tony for a long time, and he was genuinely curious as to the answer. So, Tony put down his tools and looked over at the god currently lounging languidly on the couch reading a floating book and spinning green mist between his fingertips.
Getting up, stretching sore muscles from bending over his workbench for too long, he wanders over to Loki and wiggles his way under his arm until he's comfortably laying on top of his boyfriend and snuggled under one arm, earning a fond chuckle from the man above him. Tony merely looks up at him with a grin, completely unrepentant.
For a while, Tony merely snuggles with Loki, a pale arm wrapped comfortably around his chest as he continues to read and absently flick his magic fingers.
Tony thinks about the best way to phrase his question, because he really wants to ask, but he doesn't want upset Loki by doing so. Although, Tony Stark has never been known to be overly sensitive to what could be a delicate topic if he wants an answer.
He shifts his head so he can gaze up and Loki's face. "Hey, Loki?"
"Hmm?" The trickster hums back in reply, eyes still scanning the words of his book.
"Which hurts more?"
"What hurts more?" Loki replies, still mostly focused on his book.
"Getting kicked in the balls or giving birth?"
Loki's body stutters as he suddenly looks down at Tony's innocent expression with surprise, dark eyebrows raised and green eyes wide. "What?"
"Which hurts more, giving birth or a kick to the balls?"
Loki stars at him in frank disbelief before he starts laughing, chest shuddering and vibrating pleasantly against Tony's back. His hands come up to cover his face and his book sets itself down on the table nearby as Loki fails to stifle his mirth.
It is such an unexpected reaction, that despite his best efforts Tony finds himself snickering along. "What? It was a serious question! And you're the only person I know who could give me a reliable answer!"
Loki just shakes his head, still silently laughing. He wraps both his arms around Tony and gives him a little squeeze, burying his face in Tony's hair. Tony merely raises his hands to hold the arms in place, glad to be enclosed in the warmth of Loki's body.
"Well? Are you going to answer me?"
With a great breath, Loki nods and composes himself, eyes still alight with good humor. "Well, my dearest Anthony, I'm not sure if I should answer that question."
Tony frowned. "Why not? I just want to know, because personally I think giving birth would be a bitch compared to a few minutes of pain after a good dick kick, although that's also a bitch without the benefit of endorphins afterwards."
Loki snorted. "Well, they both hurt 'like a bitch' as you say, but from personal experience I would say giving birth hurts more, simply because it is a more drawn out process." Loki pauses, then adds, "Not to mention the months of discomfort beforehand."
Tony nods, smiling and content with his answer, before he suddenly gets an idea that hadn't really occurred to him properly until now.
"Would you do it again?"
Loki looks off at nowhere in particular, before answering slowly. "Yes, I think I might, if it were under better circumstances than the previous times."
Smile growing, Tony feels his voice soften and nerves creep down his throat and tightening his chest. "Would I count as better circumstances?"
Loki freezes and Tony can feel his gaze burning into the top of his head as he'd shocked into silence. His arms slacken slightly and Tony feels himself reflexively tighten his grip on them just in case.
After what feels like an eternity, Loki's arms pull him inexplicably closer. "Yes." He breathes into Tony's ear. "Yes, this is much better circumstances."
Then Loki turns his head and kisses him lovingly.
