Hello! Here's a response to a challenge from Phoenix's Moon. I hope I did okay and you'll like it!

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Of similitude and differences

Bruce was the one who realized it. It wasn't surprising in the least since he spent a lot of time with one of the two protagonists, but nonetheless it did surprise him when he reached that conclusion.

The similarities between them were too numerous.

Sure they were different but… once you started looking, you quickly realized they had more than one thing in common.

Which one to use to begin…

Their place in their society, probably. One was the (adopted) son of a king and the (true) son of another. He was a prince, he was well-known across the world he lived in. The other in his own way had become something similar. In the present society, being a very successful business, first in many domains, made him someone you couldn't ignore when he said he disagreed. He was known in the world for many things, good as well as bad.

The both of them.

This of course lead to their fathers, because how could you avoid it when it was someone that had such a great influence in both their lives? One was adopted by a father who claimed to love him, but never told him until it was too late, going as far as to hide the truth from him (and they wondered why there was so much anger and resentment…). The other had been raised to take his father's place, when he wanted nothing more than the love and pride of his dad, only to be ignored and pushed away until he died and left a son who grew up without love.

Where were their mothers, would you ask?

Well they were there, around them, caring for them. From what he heard, they truly did, but… for one, she didn't show it enough, she didn't stand up enough to her husband, leaving her son alone when he just needed someone to care, to love him. As for the other… she had a real son and she might not have wanted to show she cared more for one than the other but she probably didn't prove it to the youngest one.

And both stood in the shadow of another. Both dark-haired boys had an older blond "brother". One had a brother, true son of his adoptive parents, crown prince and everything people wanted to be, the one people looked up to, and he wanted nothing more than to be an equal and not a shadow, which would be dismissed at first glance's notice. As for the other… it may have been worse, standing in the shadow of a man thought long dead, a man idolized by all children for being a hero during the last world war. A man who once was a friend of his father, a man he was always compared to and he could never reach the too high expectations set for a too young child.

Bruce had truly be startled by the similarities in their very origins, in their family. When Thor had talked about his life in Asgard, his battles, his adventures as he called them, the only thing Bruce could think about was how much Loki must have felt left out and alone being the "black sheep" out of them.

And that was another similarity between Loki and Tony. Both were not complete outcasts, but certainly not as integrated as others could be.

From what he gathered, Loki was an outcast because of his magic. He wasn't a warrior, he didn't use brute force to battle. He used his mind, his magic, and that made him an outcast in a society where strength seemed to be more valued. As for Tony, being a genius and so always the youngest and brightest wherever he went made him different, made people turn their back on him because of jealousy and envy for what he could do. Bruce knew how much scientists could resent those that had it easy compared to them. Some had felt that way towards him. He couldn't imagine how it must have been for Tony, who was not only a genius, but also the son of a rich businessman.

And Bruce couldn't help but wonder if Tony could one day turn like Loki. It was reasonable to think it at least once. They were both geniuses in their own right, with a similar background, no matter what one may think otherwise. Even in looks, they had a few similitude: dark hair, not too tall and surrounding by (mostly) bigger, stronger men and one woman who was just as much of a warrior as the others. They depended on their best capacity, one that wasn't always recognized for what it was: one used his brain and magic, the other used his brain and his hands to build and create.

Another thing they both had in common: they created. That was one thing they both were and no matter what it seemed to Bruce no one could take that away from them. It didn't have to be big and flamboyant – Tony's robots weren't perfect, they weren't something flashy he wanted to show off, they were just robots, a part of his family. And Loki, for all the bad things he may have done out of spite and anger and resentment, was the same. He created through his magic while Tony did with his hands. Both talented in their own way.

Bruce knew one reason why Loki may have lost it was because of how misunderstood he had been – still was. Because he was different from the norm, because he wasn't interested in the same things, people thought they knew him when they really didn't. Loki wouldn't open up to them, why would he? They couldn't understand him if they didn't shake off their beliefs to open their mind.

And it was the same thing with Tony. He had grown up in a world that wasn't made for a child, he had to grow up too fast, to learn by himself and to protect himself at a much too young age. People didn't understand him because they believed things they heard and read without knowing who he was and what he had gone through. Tony hardly let anyone in and Bruce understood why.

For the same reason Loki didn't.

Both protected themselves.

One of the ways they had in common was their words. God how good they were with them. Sass, sarcasm, words twisted and sentences turned to hit and smash and break someone. In those moments it seemed like they knew every little thing you were most ashamed of, every single secret you've kept your whole life and use it against you. The way their eyes bore into you…

Bruce didn't know what went wrong for Loki. It probably was when he learned his identity. He was alone then with no one who would help him, be there for him in this difficult moment.

And that must be the difference between Tony and Loki, Bruce mused. When Tony went through one of the worst moment of his life, he had Pepper. He wasn't alone completely. And she never left.

Bruce imagined briefly what it would have been like if Tony didn't have Pepper. God he would be such a mess. He didn't know the extent of their relationship or everything that happened after Afghanistan, but without Pepper, Tony may not be Iron Man or worse… he may be dead.

Bruce looked up from his cup of tea to see Pepper enter with Tony on her heels. She was holding a folder in her arms and speaking about some kind of meeting Tony missed. He was complaining, finding excuses and she was smiling softly, knowing he couldn't see her.

Bruce wondered what it would be like if Loki had someone like Pepper in his life, someone who would understand, who would be there when he needed it, who would never put him down completely. Things may be very different. Who knows, maybe the Avengers would still not be formed.

"Brucie!" Tony exclaimed sliding on the stool beside him. He rolled his eyes fondly but gently turned towards the genius. "Tell Pepper why I didn't go to the meeting!"

Bruce raised an eyebrow and looked at the redhead who was shaking her head lovingly. "Because you didn't remember you had one."

Tony fake-gasped and put one hand over his reactor, slightly moving away from him. "How could you?"

"Tony, please, stop trying to find stupid excuses. I know you didn't go because you didn't remember."

Tony sighed and turned towards Pepper. "Jarvis should have reminded me."

Bruce smiled and stopped listening as they kept bickering about how he shouldn't count on Jarvis for everything ("But I made him for that!"). He wondered how a conversation between Loki and Tony would go. He knew they had talked just before the attack but about what and how it went exactly (he knew about the throwing through the window part but that was it), he didn't know. Tony just said he had been his awesome self and made Loki see green, hence the throwing out part.

But Bruce was curious. If there was no threat hanging over Tony's head, if Loki wasn't blinded by anger… how would it go?

"Bruce? Bruce?" Tony was waving his hand in front of his face, calling him. He blinked a couple of times then turned to look at the man. His brows were furrowed in concern but that quickly disappeared as he sat back on his stool and raised them in curiosity. "What's on your mind?"

"You and Loki," he blurted out before he could think it through. He immediately snapped his jaw shut as Tony frowned and recoiled.

"Me and…? There's no me and Loki. What the hell? The only way you can have me and Loki in the same sentence is if it's to say me against Loki or me and Loki's brother, but not me and Loki." Tony shook his head while Bruce held up his hands in a calming gesture (and to stop him from rambling more).

"Tony, I know, I didn't mean it like that. It's just… I've realized you have a lot in common, that's all."

He winced when he saw the look on Tony's face. Wrong thing to say. "A lot in common? You're talking about a crazy intergalactic criminal. We don't–"

"Okay let me explain, Tony." The genius shut his mouth but not without throwing him a hurt look. He obviously didn't appreciate being compared to Loki. "Your childhood first. You both didn't have the best ever, with your parents not really…"

Tony crossed his arms and stared at the table. "Thor doesn't seem to be complaining about his childhood, quite the opposite. I don't think Loki had it that bad."

Bruce rolled his eyes and moved on to something else, knowing how stubborn Tony could be. "Fine. You're both not valued all that much for what you're the best at."

Tony frowned but didn't look up. "Kids send me cards because they love Iron Man. If that's not being valued…"

"Tony…" Bruce sighed. "I'm talking about your inventions. The reactor, the holograms, the sentient robots… Jarvis! Those are wonderful, they are the very proof of what you're best at: creating, using your genius and hands. No one had given you anything for them."

Tony looked away and shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

Bruce smiled softly. "Maybe. But it just proves my point. Loki is the best when it comes to magic and you heard Thor. Magic isn't for men on Asgard."

"Okay, fine, that's one thing. That doesn't make it a lot," Tony protested – not very strongly, Bruce noticed.

"You both react the same way. I mean" he quickly added when he saw Tony open his mouth, "You use sass and snark and sarcasm, you play with words, you don't let people see if you're hurt."

"Everyone does that."

It was weak. Bruce hoped he wasn't hurting his friend by telling all that. It wasn't his intention, it was just something he noticed. It didn't mean they were the same. They had turned out different, one fighting for what was right and the other led astray.

"And anyway it doesn't matter if Loki somehow got things in common with me. I'm sure there are others out there who share traits with him too. Why are we even discussing this?" Tony wondered, getting up and turning to face Bruce. His face was blank, not showing anything, but Bruce had learned by now to look in Tony's eyes to see the emotions he was feeling. It wasn't always working because Tony had a lifetime of hiding behind walls behind him, but sometimes he could figure out some.

Like now. Anger, hurt, fear. Those three were the most prominent, and the only ones Bruce could figure out.

"Tony, I never said you would turn like Loki. I mean… Loki was betrayed by his… well not his real father, but by the one he thought of as his father. Thor told us he lied to him about his origins and he thought he could use him to bring peace." Tony's fists clenched and his eyes turned dark. This time there were no emotions flickering there. "Tony?" Bruce wondered.

He said something wrong. Was there something he didn't know? He was talking about Loki's "father" betraying him, lying to him… Did Tony's father did that? Someone else?

"Tony, come on, talk to me. What did I say wrong?"

Tony shook his head and his hand came up to the reactor, covering it, closing around it. His shoulders sagged and he sat back down. "My… My dad had a friend. He was my godfather and when my parents died, he… he took over until I joined him. We worked together and all and… He was like a second dad to me. He cared, he showed he cared." Tony licked his lips and Bruce had a horrible feeling settling in his gut. His eyes moved from the way Tony held the arc to his blank face and closed eyes. No… "Afghanistan happened and I, you know, closed the weapons thing. And then… I discovered he was dealing under the table. He was… He ordered the shot on me in Afghanistan and then he…" His hand clenched around the reactor. Bruce swallowed. "He needed it for his own suit. He tried to kill Pepper. I…" Tony took a deep breath. "I killed him."

"Tony, I… I didn't know, god, I didn't…" Bruce clenched his fists and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and pushed the Other Guy away. He was angry, they both were, but now wasn't the time.

"I guess you're right. Loki and I." He laughed curtly. "Shitty childhood, not valued, betrayal by someone close, hell the Thor/Steve thing too right? That's… that's fucked up."

Bruce put a hand over Tony's arm. "But you have Pepper." Tony's eyes snapped to him. "Loki doesn't have anyone. You have Pepper and the Avengers and your friends Happy and Rhodes. You…" Bruce smiled at him. "You could have just given up in Afghanistan, you could have broken down when that man betrayed you, but you didn't. Loki chose his path, he chose to attack the people who hurt him, he chose his fate."

Tony frowned and looked at the wall, clearly thinking. "So what? We're like parallels or something and we diverged at one point?"

"Afghanistan for you, the truth about his origins for him," Bruce nodded.

Tony wrinkled his nose. "That sucks, man." Tony suddenly clapped his hands and jumped to his feet. "Okay, enough emotional and philosophic stuff for today. I have something to show you in the lab, come on Brucie!"

He grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the elevator, not leaving him any choice in the matter. Bruce rolled his eyes fondly but followed anyway. He was glad Tony had turned out the way he did. He wished Loki did the same, not just for them and the Earth but for the man himself, he would have been much happier.

So? What did you think?

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AngelShep