Chapter Text
"Every moment and every event of every man's life on earth plants something in his soul." - Thomas Merton
Loki remembered everything that has ever happened to him in the millennia that he has been alive. He remembers his mother's face, his father's harsh tone, and Thor's naïve opinions of the world. His life has not been the easy path that Thor has walked since he was born. The trickster was excluded from activities because of his small stature and lack of muscles, something that he hasn't yet forgiven the Warriors Three and Sif for.
The Void.
The very mention of that horrid place sent a shiver down the god's neck and made his hair stand on end. Loki never did find out exactly how long he was in there. He didn't really remember much about being there, maybe his mind thought that was for the best.
He did however, remember falling to Midgard.
Tony.
"HOLY SHIT!"
Oh look, he could hear again.
Loki tried to push himself to his feet, but soon found that he did not have the strength to even open his eyes to see where he was.
"Are you okay? Where in the hell did you come from buddy?"
There was that voice again.
The god clenched his teeth. "Where am I?"
The voice said nothing at first. "Malibu. California? The United States? Earth? Ring any bells there?"
Ah, Midgard, that explains the annoying voice in front of him.
"Midgard," Loki said softly. He had landed in the realm of humans.
"Mid- what?"
Loki smiled, he should have known better than to use the other name for this planet. No wonder the mortal was confused.
"So you're Loki. I'm gonna have to google you, because I don't think I remember anything from Freshman English class. Anyway, I'll help you to one of the many spare rooms."
That reminded him, he never did ask Tony what 'Google' was, nor did he find out what a 'Freshman' was. He made a mental note to ask the engineer later on. Loki turned his weary gaze back out on the sunrise that was occurring in New York City. It really was beautiful, so full of life.
"Good morning, Sunshine!" He announced, then stopped dead in his tracks. "Uh, dude, you're blue."
Loki turned in the direction of the voice and widened his crimson eyes in surprise.
"Don't worry about it," Tony said dismissively. "We found this guy who had been frozen in ice for seventy years, he was pretty blue too."
"You are not afraid of me?" Loki said slowly. It was a new feeling. Tony had no idea what a Frost Giant was, but he still wasn't afraid.
At least in this condition, I won't have to look at myself in this form.
Tony shrugged. "I'm used to freaky stuff."
"I see."
Tony paled. "Not that you're freaky!" He said quickly. "I like blue, blue is good. Though I prefer red and gold, but hey, that's me. Anyway, doctor, yes a doctor would be a good thing. Wait, since you're not human a doctor would be pointless, so scratch that. Are you in any pain? Of course you are. Um, you hungry? I am. I could go for some waffles or something. God, Tony stop talking."
The genius was not afraid the first time he saw his Jotun form, it was surprising. On Asgard, Frost Giants were monsters, on Earth however… it seemed like it was the logical step was to make the giant waffles. That was Tony's method anyway.
Tony, the idiot.
He stood up to the Allfather for him. No one had actually cared that much for him, besides Frigga and Thor. The tiny mortal man stared Odin down and didn't take "no" for an answer. There was something about Midgard that made Norse deities change, Loki couldn't put his finger on just what that was.
"Now, kneel before me, mortal," Loki snarled. "Just like the rest of this pitiful planet will."
"Uh, newsflash, bucko," Tony glared up at the god. "This 'pitiful planet' is your home! You've been living here for a year!"
"I have no home," Loki growled. "Now if you'll excuse me," he raised his spear.
Tears were threatening to fall from Tony's eyes as he shouted. "YOUR HOME IS WITH ME!"
Loki couldn't shake the guilt after he attacked his friends and the city. Everyone kept saying, "it wasn't your fault." But he knew differently. It was him. He could see as the city burned and how he lashed out at the Avengers. Part of him wanted to cause destruction, that part he was afraid of.
The autumn air was cool on his skin, not that he could actually feel it really, being a Frost Giant did come in handy sometimes. His long legs dangled over the railing as he sat idly as the sun made its triumphal entrance. The rest of the tower was still asleep, except for probably Steve, he was always an early riser.
A sudden jolt of pain rippled through his body, causing the god to wince. Loki shrugged it off as an aftereffect of yesterday's difficult battle against Dr. Octopus. Wasn't he that spider kid's problem anyway? Though, he thought, the good doctor was armed with an army courtesy of Doom. Why SHIELD didn't just kill their most powerful villains, Loki will never understand. Odin would have executed anyone that threatened Asgard's peace. Maybe SHIELD being different than the place he grew up wasn't a bad thing after all.
"Jarvis, is anyone awake?" Loki asked the AI.
"No sir," came the reply. "Though Captain Rogers is stirring. Is something the matter?"
Loki shook his head. "No, thank you though, Jarvis."
"My pleasure, sir."
Tony really had designed the perfect butler, Loki chuckled lightly. He remembered what his mother had asked him the night before he departed.
"Are you happy with them?"
Loki didn't miss a beat. "Yes."
"Is it because of Tony Stark?"
What was it he felt towards Anthony Edward Stark?
Clint had made fun of Tony for days after he found out the engineer's middle name. He kept calling him a "sparkly vampire", "stalker", and "disco ball," which Loki didn't understand. Natasha had taken pity on him and handed the god a book with two hands and an apple on it. Loki came back twenty minutes later raving about how God awful the "book" was. He had said that he had known William Shakespeare and F. Scott Fitzgerald and if he could, he would bring them back to life so they could instruct this horrible author on how to write properly.
Though, the entire Tony name calling ceased immediately once he found out Clint's middle name was Francis.
"I didn't choose it."
That was all the archer had to say on the matter.
Loki turned around on the railing so the sun was to his back. He was contemplating on what to do now, hopefully this city could stay problem free for one day. Maybe a walk would help clear his head.
"Well, you're up early."
Loki looked up. "I don't need to sleep as much as you."
Tony walked forward, shutting the sliding door behind him. "I've said that too, Pepper never bought it."
"Yes," Loki smiled. "But you are human."
"Touché."
Tony saw the sun lighting the Norse god's slender frame. It was breathtaking, to say the very least. There was a slight breeze and it whipped a few strands of raven colored hair into Loki's face, which he then brushed back and tucked behind his ear. He told his mind to screw it, and run forward towards the god and just touch him. Though it seemed that his body was not cooperating, it felt like he was frozen in place.
Loki stared at the billionaire, an eyebrow lightly raised in a questioning manner.
Of all the times for Tony's brain to shut down.
"Well," Loki said slowly. "If you don't mind, I'm going to take a walk."
Still nothing.
Loki nodded farewell to Tony and gracefully fell backwards off the tower and vanished.
"You know there is a thing called STAIRS!" Tony yelled over the side of the building.
Oh, so now his voice deems it appropriate to work. Wonderful.
Also note to self, talk to Natasha about what she's been teaching Loki.
Loki walked through Central Park glancing at objects aimlessly as they passed. He didn't know what he wanted exactly. Did he really want Tony? Everybody seemed to think that, including Thor, and he was usually pretty dense. Is the genius really what he wanted in life?
One day, Tony will die, Loki thought to himself. His lifespan is nothing compared to mine. I've lived a hundred of his lifetimes.
The god took a seat on a park bench and watched a flock of birds over by a fountain. He smiled. They didn't have a care in the world, in a way he was jealous.
He flinched again and grabbed his side. Maybe he should go back to the tower to rest, and probably take it easy in the next battle. But as soon as he thought about it, the pain vanished. Perhaps it was nothing after all.
If it was nothing, then why couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching him.
"What have you been teaching Loki?" Tony said as he stormed into the kitchen a few hours later.
Natasha schooled her face in a mask of surprise and innocence. "What ever do you mean Tony?"
Tony scowled. "Don't try that, it's not a good look on you."
Tasha smirked.
"Teach Loki what?" Clint said with a mouthful of cereal, Lucky Charms to be exact.
"Apparently, Loki is jumping off buildings," Captain America supplied helpfully. "Tony doesn't really find it amusing."
"Oh that," the archer replied. "Yeah, that was a fun day."
"You knew?" Tony shouted.
Clint shrugged. "Of course. It's not like he can actually hurt himself."
"That's not the point," Tony muttered.
"What is your problem?" Clint eyed the genius.
Tony threw them all a nasty glare and stormed out of the room.
Banner blinked slowly. "I'm not sure what just happened."
Clint just kept eating his cereal.
Steve walked down the Stark's private lab and entered the password. He found Tony hunched over his desk and a dozen computer screens flashing. The captain stopped trying to understand the engineer a long time ago. Technology just wasn't his thing.
"Tony?" he tried, but he couldn't even hear himself think over the loud blaring of Tony's Black Sabbath album. "TONY!"
At the sound of his name, Tony flipped his faceplate up and turned down the music.
"What?"
"Do you want to talk about what just happened?"
"No," Tony replied, flipped the plate back down, and continued welding.
Steve grabbed the device from him. "It wasn't a question."
Tony glared.
"It's about Loki right?"
Tony said nothing.
"You are acting like a child."
The genius stuck his tongue out.
Steve frowned. "Oh, you proved me wrong," he said sarcastically.
"Go away, Steve."
The soldier wasn't having any of Tony's shit today. "Not until you tell me what's wrong."
What was Tony supposed to say? Oh hey Steve, I'm think I'm in love with the God of Mischief, and up until recently I thought I was straight. And by the way he probably doesn't feel the same way about me because he is an all-powerful Norse god, and I'm just a lowly human who will die in a couple decades.
"You wouldn't understand, boy scout."
"Try me."
Tony frowned and set his facemask down on the table.
"I think I'm in love with Loki."
Steve blinked. "What?"
This was going to be a long conversation.
It was a shame that a super villain decided to wake up early and terrorize the poor, still sleeping city. The loud jerked Steve out of his train of thought, and he turned his stare to Tony, as if to say: "We're not done yet."
Tony ran for his armor and Steve leaped up the stairs five at a time to put on his suit. He passed Clint and Natasha who were all fully dressed and ready to go. Something about being world class assassins meant that they were always one step ahead, even to a super soldier.
The God of Thunder dropped his Pop Tarts mid-bite, and hefted Mjölnir over his head, instantly armor formed around his shirt and pajama pants. The archer scowled slightly, he was a little jealous that Thor could just magically clothe himself. Tasha elbowed him, hard, and told him to move.
"Where's Loki?" Banner asked once the team was loaded on the Quinjet.
Everyone looked at the billionaire.
Tony glared. "What? I don't know."
"Your piss-poor attitude is really getting on my nerves," Clint griped as he notched an arrow in his bow.
Iron Man was about to get up when Captain America grabbed his gauntlet and forced him to stay sitting.
"Guys," he said, all soldier. "We are a team, remember?"
No one had time to comment on the matter because the jet lurched to a halt, and the pilot announced that they had landed. All arguing was set aside as explosions rocked the ship, and Bruce almost tripped and hulked out.
"Come friends!" Thor's voice echoed around the aircraft. "Let us begin this glorious day right!"
Clint jumped off the ship after the battle-crazed Asgardian. "This is NOT how I would spend my Monday!"
It seemed that Dr. Octopus was back for round two, and he was pissed. The Avengers climbed out of the ship to find that the madman had tore up most of the main road and his goons were holding a bus full of school children hostage. Typical Monday morning.
"Where the hell is that spider kid?" Clint shouted as he took down one of the Doctor's henchman. "This is his problem, not ours!"
Natasha appeared beside him, seemingly out of nowhere. "Fury's got him doing something else."
There was a mighty roar and they say Thor flying straight at Dr. Octopus.
"At least someone is having fun."
Loki's ears perked up at the sound of explosions and gunshots. He waved his hands and his Asgardian armor flared to life, green cape, horns, and all. A young boy with his mother started pointing excitedly and pulled on her sleeve.
"Mom! Mom! I think that's Loki!" The boy smiled. "The other Avengers must be here too!"
The Trickster saluted to the kid and vanished. Loki always had a soft spot for children, maybe it was because he never had a chance to raise his.
A few seconds later, he reappeared in the middle of the chaotic battle and was almost knocked over by a stray car. Dammit Thor!
"Loki!" Cap said as he dove for cover. Doom had loaned some of his Doombots to the doctor and they were causing serious damage.
"Hello, Captain," Loki said smoothly. "Having trouble?"
Clint fell to the ground when a piece of shrapnel embedded itself in his right thigh. He rolled over and shot an arrow at the damn robot. "No, no!" He growled. "We are all peachy!"
Loki smirked lightly.
"I'm serious Goat Man, get your ass in this battle and help us!"
"As you wish," Loki replied.
"And that is the last time I let you watch the Princess Bride!"
There was a thunderous blast, and waves of Doombots were thrown backwards as Thor swung his mighty hammer. The Thunderer howled in delight.
"Brother! Come join me in battle!" Thor shouted merrily.
My God, there must be hundreds of those tin cans.
Iron Man kept blasting and blasting every one of those heaps of metal that came within his reach. He was angry. No that was an understatement. Tony was furious. The thing was, he really had no right to be. Loki really had done nothing wrong, but Tony needed someone to blame.
He glanced over and saw said God of Mischief running towards the school bus. Tony turned and flew towards another horde of bots, trying to ignore the little voice in his head that said he was being a total idiot.
Dr. Octopus had wrapped his metal limbs around the bus and was slowly crushing it, kids inside and all. The god raced forward at the children's scared screams, he promised that he would not let that man harm even one of them.
"Loki," Octopus leered and strengthened his hold.
Loki glared. "Let the children go."
Doc Oc smiled, his jagged teeth showing. "If you say so."
The Norse god's eyes widened as the doctor tossed the bus into the air as if were a toy. Loki moved on instinct. He didn't notice the detonators on the underside of the vehicle until it was too late. There was no time for thinking, he just acted.
Quickly, Loki formed a shield around the bombs to contain the blast. The children's shouts of horror was the only thing that he could hear right now, he had to save them, he had to. They were innocent lives that had their whole lives to look forward to, and dammit, Loki wanted to make sure they got that chance.
The timers hit zero and the blast almost knocked the god off his feat, but his shields held firm.
"Brother!"
Thor battled his way past the Doombots towards his brother, the rest of the team were behind him.
Loki felt a trickle of blood run down his nose. That was weird, normally his spells didn't force himself to exercise this much energy or concentration. Suddenly he felt his hold on the shield flicker ever so slightly. The same thing happened in the last battle.
He turned and looked toward the Avengers before he teleported away with the bombs. The bus, with nothing left to hold it up, fell to the ground, only to be caught by Bruce. The Hulk gently lowered the bus and the children onto the pavement.
Thor roared as Loki disappeared from his sight. He charged forward and swung Mjölnir at the doctor, knocking him back into a building.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY BROTHER?" Thor gripped the man by his shirt collar. "TELL ME WHAT YOU HAVE DONE WITH THE SON OF ODIN!"
Octopus coughed. "Nothing."
Thor felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Thor stop, this isn't going to help anything," Captain tried to reason with the Asgardian.
The Thunder God released his hold as SHIELD agents arrived to bring him into custody.
"But my brother-"
"Thor," Steve said reassuringly "I'm sure he just teleported the bombs away from the bus. He'll be back."
As soon as Captain America uttered those words an explosion rocked the city. The team jerked towards the bay as a cloud rose above the water. Behind them, Dr. Octopus cackled evilly.
Thor's icy glare could have frozen hell if he had tried.
"There was enough power in those bombs to level a small town. Your brother is dead!"
Steve had to hold the god back as he tried to smite the tiny man in front of him. And by "smite", he probably meant "beat the living daylights out of with Mjölnir."
As if this day couldn't get any worse. Tony sank to his knees, Loki could be dead, and he had acted like such an arrogant jerk! He tried the communication link, desperately hoping the god had remembered to put the damn thing in his ear.
"Loki!" Tony shouted, his voice breaking. "Loki, answer me you son of a bitch!"
The two assassins staggered into the picture, Natasha was supporting Clint with his injured leg. She wasn't looking that great either. They both stared at the billionaire as he frantically tried to get into contact with their teammate.
"Loki!" Tony tried again. "C'mon!"
All he could hear on the other end was static.