Starting Over - Loki (COMPLETE)

9) CEO offer

"I came as soon as I heard," Stark said with genuine concern in his voice, standing in the doorway.

Loki laughed. The billionaire had arrived a few hours after Daniel had left him to his own devices.

"No, you didn't. Libby told you."

"Ah, so that's the name of that gorgeous blonde!" The other man exclaimed, coming to stand at the end of his bed. "Remind me to get her number."

Loki waited for Stark to get to the point.

"I was actually here to give you a job offer but perhaps now under the wrong circumstances."

"What's the offer?" Loki asked, intrigued despite himself.

"Partner. Co-CEO. Being half of the big boss."

Loki was slightly stunned.

"That's a very generous offer," he replied slowly.

"You've shown you're worthy of the title," Stark shrugged, as if it were nothing.

"I don't have an engineering degree or anything along those lines. I have a degree in Classics and History and a couple of years' experience as a trauma surgeon."

"Finally owning up to the faked records?" The insufferable man asked, smirking.

It was Loki's time to shrug.

"They needed the staff and the expertise. What does it matter if I have the knowledge but not the qualifications?"

"That's precisely what I'm getting at!"

Stark was practically bouncing in his chair.

"You've been challenging me for years. You know the stuff. You attended that aeronautical engineering lecture and understood perfectly what was going on even though you knew nothing about aeroplanes. Hell, I could probably task you with reading the New York Public Library's section on mechanical engineering this week and you'd have it done. And, trust me, that's a big library."

Personally, Loki thought he could do it in less than a week but that was insomnia for you.

Instead of refuting this, he simply looked thoughtful. Stark leaned forwards, hands steepled as if in prayer.

"Walker, you're the smartest guy I've ever met. I think you might even be smarter than me."

He looked seriously at Loki.

"I've never said that before and it troubles me. I want the smartest guy in the world on my side."

"Oh, but I was going to interview for Hammer Industries," Loki remarked, teasing.

"Don't you dare!" Exclaimed Stark, horrified.

"As a joke?"

"You're on."

Daniel walked in and stopped dead at the sight of Tony Stark in his hospital.

"Daniel, meet Tony Stark," Loki grinned, waving a lazy hand in the billionaire's general direction.

"No shit," Daniel breathed. "Am I dreaming?"

"He's a clever guy, don't mind him," Loki told Stark, who seemed bemused.

"What's he doing here?" Daniel asked. "Are you long lost cousins or something? The height difference and the hair and eye colour and general differences would seem to indicate otherwise."