Loki awoke, body pulsing with pain.
He turned his head to see dark green walls of an unfamiliar room. He sat up, confused, and slowly swung his feet over the side of the bed. He winced as he put his weight on his legs and began shuffling to the door, bracing himself against the wall.
"Come on, Tasha!" Loki heard outside the doorway, his blood froze, "Just one date!"
"No," the smooth Russian voice said, "leave me be, Clint."
Loki was frozen, "Where am I?" he thought, panic rising in his chest.
"Man of iron where did you put the black ambrosia?" Thor's voice sent Loki into a frenzy.
"The coffee's on the counter," Stark's voice went unnoticed by Loki, who was currently circling frantically, trying to find a different door, a window. In his panic, he did not notice the dresser until he ran into it. The wood splintered and Loki fell to the floor, clutching his bleeding face.
"What was that?" the Bruce's voice sounded, followed by footsteps racing down the hall. Loki whirled around as the door burst open, all five Avengers forcing entrance. A mixture of panic and bile rose in Loki's throat as he scrambled frantically to get as far away from them as possible. He cowered in the corner, staring with wide eyes.
"Loki," Thor said softly.
"How are you feeling?" Bruce asked, stepping towards Loki.
The sheer panic that erupted in Loki's eyes caused Bruce to halt. He turned his head to look at the others, who shrugged.
"Loki," Bruce said softly, "we won't hurt you."
"Lies," Loki squeaked. Inside he knew he was being foolish, but with his mind in shock, rational thoughts were near impossible.
"Brother," Thor said, advancing, wincing when Loki tried to press himself further back against the wall. He looked like a caged animal, frightened and panicked.
"I thought he snapped outta all this back in Asgard?" Clint said with raised eyebrows.
"He's obviously in shock," Tony replied.
"Loki, I'm going to take you to the lab to check on how you're doing, okay?" Bruce asked in his Doctor-smooth voice.
"Do not touch me!" Loki's voice quivered, "I will not be bullied again!"
"Look," Bruce said, "the other guys not gonna hurt you, okay?"
Loki's body shook uncontrollably, his eyes clouded with fear.
"Brother, I'm going to take you, do not be afraid," Thor said softly as arms wrapped around the tiny god.
Loki's body continued to tremble, but his body was incapable of fighting off the god of thunder. So Loki sat, shaking in Thor's arms.

---

"I'm going to sedate him," Bruce said to Thor as he laid the trembling figure on a large cot.
"What?" Thor raised an eyebrow, he was painfully aware of Loki's eyes darting around the room at an alarming pace, which kept him from truly listening to the Doctor.
"I'm going to make him sleep so we can run some tests," he explained, attempting to pull Thor's attention back as he placed his hand on the god's forearm. Thor looked over at his brother.
Loki was lying on the cot, his chest rising and falling with rapid and panicked breaths. Thor simply nodded, turning away.
The sight of his brother, his once proud and elegant brother, sent his head reeling and his chest aching. It was all he could do to stumble over to the elevator and sink to the floor.

---

Bruce and Tony sat, staring blankly at the screen, horror and disgust coursing through them as they evaluated Loki's condition.
"What is it?" Natasha asked, looking over their shoulder like the other technologically useless Avenger.
"Call Thor back down here," Bruce said into his hand.
"Jarvis?" Tony asked, his eyes locking onto the screen.
"I heard him, Sir, Mr. Odinson is on his way," Jarvis said in quick reply.
"Good job, buddy," Tony muttered, running a hand over his face.
"What do you want?" Thor asked as he stomped from the elevator, his eyes puffy and red.
Banner turned to Thor, disgust filling his face, "This... This is."
"What?" Thor boomed.
"If he was mortal," Tony said to the screen, "he would've been dead a long time ago."
"It's obvious that he was not fed once during his imprisonment, no water, nothing. His stomach lining was resorting to basically eating itself. He was never bathed, so his wounds are beyond infected. The muscles in his arms and legs are basically nonexistent. Don't even get me started on that burn on his head," Bruce said with a monotone voice to hold back his disgust.
They all sat in silence, staring at Loki's still form. Sure, none of them but Thor had ever actually liked the guy, but no one deserved this. No matter what Loki had done, no matter if what he had done was tear down most of New York, and there was no denying the sympathy that tugged painfully in their chests.
"His magic level is so low it's pretty much not worth factoring in, so no healing incantations for Rudolph," Tony muttered, breaking the silence.
"He'll be in pain for a while," Bruce nodded, "I suggest we keep him here, away from activities."
The rest of the group nodded, unsure as of what to do. Fury would need to be contacted, but no one wanted to do that. The idea of explaining this to the one-eyed man was unpleasant to say the least. Their only options seemed to be: sit and wait with an angry Fury or sit and wait without an angry Fury. The latter seemed best, so no one contacted Fury.

---

Loki woke with a start, cold sweat sticking him to the sheets. He looked around to see the same green walls he had seen the last time he awoke. He groaned, squeezing his eyes shut. His body ached, but at the same time he felt ever so slightly better. He slid his feet to the floor experimentally and was relieved when only a jolt of pain raced up his leg. He made his way to the door, opening it and leaning out. He tentatively peaked his head from behind the doorway, looking for any signs of danger in the hallway.
"What are you doing?" Loki muttered to himself, "you are a god, you should not be sticking your nose around corners like a child."
"People will think you're crazy if you keep talking to yourself. Not that we don't already think that," the voice made Loki jump, spin around and scamper back into his room like a frightened rabbit.
"Hey," Stark said, standing in the doorway, "no one's going to hurt you, don't be afraid."
"I am not frightened," Loki said, standing his full height.
Stark rolled his eyes, "come on Rudolph, I think your brother might pee on himself when he sees you're awake."
"He is not my brother," Loki muttered, his face downcast.
Stark looked at him sympathetically, "come on."
Loki turned his eyes from the smaller man and took a step. He was unprepared for the shock of pain to jolt up his body. He sucked in a breath as he fell, bracing for impact. To his shock, a pair of arms shot out and caught him.
"Guess you're still a bit shaky," Stark mumbled.
Loki tensed at the touch, attempting to push away.
"Hold up," Tony grunted, steadying Loki, but keeping a firm grip on his arm.
"Release me, man of iron," Loki said, trying keep the tremble from his voice. Despite all reason, he could not trust that the Avengers really forgave him. The nagging guilt pestered him at the thought.
"Let's go to the kitchen first," Tony frowned. Loki reluctantly allowed Stark to guide him down the halls. "Hey, look who's up!" Tony announced as they entered the room.
"Loki!" Thor boomed, standing abruptly from his place on the couch and running to take him from stark.
"You are crushing me, Thor," Loki gasped as he was wrapped in an embrace.
"I care not," Thor said, nuzzling Loki's shoulder with his nose.
"But I do," Loki said, "you have fought hard to spare my life, was it only so you could crush me with your own hands?"
"I hope you jest and do not believe that as my intensions," Thor said with concern etched into his chiseled features as he held his brother at arm's length.
Loki rolled his eyes, "perhaps."
Thor's face broke into a grin, "good," he proceeded to pick Loki up and set him gently on the couch.
"For Odin's sake Thor, I can walk," Loki grumbled, "I am not a maiden."
Thor rolled his eyes, "stubborn god."
Loki was surprised as a laugh escaped his lips, it sounded foreign to his ears. It was obvious to Loki that it surprised the group as well, by the way every head spun in his direction so quickly he fear they break off. Loki averted his eyes, staring at his bare feet and legs.
"Are you hungry brot-" Thor stopped as Loki shot him a warning look, "are you hungry, Loki?"
Loki looked back at his feet, "I suppose."
"You suppose?" a voice that sent shivers down his spine cried, "You go a year or more without eating and you suppose you are hungry?"
Loki snapped his head in the direction on the voice. Bruce sat in a chair, facing him instead of the computer he had been working with. Bruce seemed to notice the fear in Loki's eyes and sighed, standing and walking to him. Loki twitched as Bruce neared him.
"Look, I'm not going to hurt you," Bruce soothed, "so don't be afraid, especially when I'm me and not... Him."
Loki's eyebrows knitted together before he stood on shaky legs, where he stood a good few inches above Bruce. "I hold no grudge against you," Loki said carefully, it was a lie, but only partially, "I was in the wrong and understand your actions. I hope you and your fellows can forgive me, it was... As I believe you midguardians say... My bad."
Loki was shocked as Bruce burst into laughter, holding onto the couch and gripping his stomach.
"I never thought I'd see the day that you would apologize to me," Bruce said, wiping tears from the corner on his eyes. Loki turned to Thor for an explaination, only to be met with the entire group repressing laughter.
"I do not understand," Loki said with his face twisted in confusion, "what is humorous about my apology?"
"Nothing, nothing at all," Thor smiled, "but please understand, these people have only seen you at your worst."
Loki scrunched his eyebrows together, "understood," he closed his eyes and sat on the couch, "may I have food?"
"Of course," Thor grinned, "what would you like?"
Loki thought for a moment, realizing he had no idea what sustenance this world had to offer.
"Whatever is abundant in this realm I suppose?"
"Bacon and eggs it is then," Steve smiled, walking behind the kitchen counter.
"You dine on the undeveloped offspring of birds?" Loki asked, scrunching up his nose.
"Unfertilized eggs, Rudolph," Tony smirked.
"What is this 'Rudolph' you continue to speak of?" Loki inquired, "I am Loki, do you not know this?"
The group once again burst into laughter, causing Loki to, once again, scrunch his face in confusion. He sat silently on the couch as he watched the group warily while shifting awkwardly. No one seemed to know what to do, how to act, what to say. The silence dragged on and on, even when Steve had finished cooking and they all sat around the table in mutual, silent awkwardness.
"I enjoy the offspring of birds and the hindquarters of a pig very much," Loki said after he had finished his meal, which had consisted of one or two bites, but that's all his thin stomach seemed to be able to withstand.
"Glad to hear it," Steve smiled.
They all sat around the table, all still a bit uncomfortable. Thor hoped Loki would warm up to his friends soon.

---

The next week passed and, well, it passed. Loki was distant, not speaking to them unless necessary. Tony or Bruce, mostly Tony because Bruce still frightened the Norse god to some extent, would take him each morning down to the lab. If it was Tony, Loki was slightly relaxed, he seemed to be more comfortable with the playboy than any of the other Avengers. But if it was Bruce, Loki would be tense and watchful, gripping the side of the cot ever so slightly whenever Bruce got near. So they generally stuck with Tony doing the check-ups.
The rest of the day, once Loki was released from the lab, he would hide in his room. He would wander out occasionally, but never to interact, just to mill around in the shadows without saying a word.
"Sir, Director Fury is requesting entrance," Jarvis said one morning, "shall I send him away?"
Tony sighed, setting his coffee on the table, it was too early for this if you asked him. The others were watching him, forks of breakfast frozen half-way on their paths to mouths, waiting. Tony glanced back in the direction of Loki's room, he hadn't awoken yet, maybe they could get lucky and he wouldn't until Fury was gone.
"Send him in," Tony sighed.
They all waited, forks now lain on plates.
"What if he finds out?" Bruce asked.
"What if he knows?" Clint replied.
Everyone fell silent as they heard the ding of the elevator, it was a promise to bring nothing but trouble.
"Morning Director!" Steve smiled, a spatula in hand and an apron covering his pajamas.
Fury eyed him, almost with amusement, "Stark," he said suddenly, "let's talk."
"About?" the genius asked innocently.
"This new addition you have taken upon yourself to add, without permission," he stated, straight faced.
"Look, I can explain, you see he-"
"He?" Fury asked, cutting him off.
Tony suddenly realized his mistake, "what is it we are talking about again?"
"I was talking about you replacing that obnoxious display of your surname on your roof with 'Avengers'. What are you talking about?"
At that moment, a messy haired, bleary eyed, shirtless Norse god shuffled into the room.
"Morning," he sighed, stretching, not yet opening his eyes. Tony could have smacked himself, of course, the first morning their little god decides to come out of his shell, there's a murderous pirate in the room.
"What the-" Fury started. Loki's eyes snapped open, relying on instinct, he turned to run. Before he got more than a step, Fury was pinning him against the wall, his arm against the god's neck.
"Director!" Steve exclaimed.
"Angry one!" Thor yelled as he stormed over to the man. But Tony got there first.
"Director, please put him down."
"Care explaining to me why you have a war criminal in your house?" the angry, one-eyed man fumed.
"Here I was, thinking you'd be glad to see me," Loki choked, a cold sneer on his sallow face. Tony was amused slightly, obviously even torture couldn't shake the god's troublesome nature.
"Look, it's all under control, ok?" Tony pleaded, watching Loki's face flush as he fought for breath.
"How exactly is it under control?" he boomed, his good eye flaming.
"He's as good as mortal," Bruce explained quickly, "Like any other human."
"How can you be sure of that?" the man asked, his anger seeming to subside, but only slightly.
"Do you really think you'd be able to pin me against a wall if I were in peak physical condition?" Loki growled, clawing at Fury's forearm.
"True," Fury grumbled, releasing the spluttering god.
"Much appricia-" but Loki didn't get to finish before the arm was suddenly replaced by a hand, slamming his head against the wall hard enough for him to see stars. Fury's hand was clamped onto Loki's neck, with more force and vigor than before. The Avengers tried vainly to pry the man away from the god, whose eyes were beginning to roll back into his head.
"Listen to me," Fury said through his teeth, "you will never be welcomed, never wanted. Don't allow yourself to feel at home here, you are a monster and unworthy of sympathy." Fury let go of the god, letting him drop to the floor. He turned, his face cold, and began walking towards the elevator.
"Oh, trust me, I know," Loki said, choking, "you don't know the half of it. You say I'm a monster? You are exactly right, I am a monster."
"Loki..." Thor started, reaching out to touch his brother.
"Look at me," he said, swatting Thor's hand away and standing on shaky legs, "I said look at me!" he screamed. In a split second, Fury turned, and so did Loki. Fury's eyes widened as he set his gaze on the god, for Loki's skin was quickly turning deep blue. Dark markings decorated his skin, mapping the power held within his being. His blood red eyes were angry, blazing with years of rage and pain.
"That's new," Tony said, staring in awe.
"Are you surprised?" Loki sneered, "Were you not expecting this?" he indicated his body, his exposed chest, "I AM the monster children fear dwells under their bed! I know this because my... Thor's father told me as a boy. Had I known he what he was truly saying, things might have turned out differently. But no, no I grew up as Loki Odinson, how was I to know that I was Loki Laufeyson, Prince of the ice giants? So you tell me I am not wanted? That I am not welcomed? This is not news to me! Never in my life have I been wanted, welcomed, not on Asgard or Jötunheim, a frozen, crumbling wasteland. So get off your high horse you bumbling quim, there is nothing you can say that can bring me lower! For I am at the bottom of the well!"
"How 'bout I throw you a shovel?" Fury said coldly, walking into the awaiting elevator and disappearing with a burst of machinery.
"That ignorant, blasphemous, worthless mortal!" Thor boomed, punching the wall, creating a deep crevasse, as the wave vibrated the building, "He will pay for speaking to my brother as su-"
"Do you still insist on calling me that?" Loki asked suddenly, it wasn't an angry question, but quiet and sad.
"You are my brother, I do not care abo-"
"Look at me, Thor," Loki said, his voice a whimper, "I am not even fit to be a frost giant."
"Loki do not speak so," Thor pleaded.
"Why? What does it matter? What do I matter?" He was shaking now from a mix of emotions too vast to name.
"You matter to me, to the AllFather, to mother."
Loki scoffed, "Surely you jest," he then began walking to his room, "only a fool loves monsters," he sighed before disappearing, leaving the group to deal with Thor's trembling figure.

---

The group stood in sheer, pure discomfort as the blond God sat on the couch. His large frame shaking with each sob that escaped his mouth. It had only been a few minutes since Fury's departure, but Thor's world seemed to have been torn apart.
"I'm gonna go deal with this," Tony stated simply, walking down the hallway towards Loki's room.
Tony knocked quietly on the door, waiting for a reply that never came. He tried the doorknob, but realized it was locked, "Jarvis, unlock the door."
"Yes, sir."
Tony opened the door and stepped inside. The lights were out, making the light from the hallway seem alien and unwelcomed. "Hey," he said, flicking on the lights. Loki was sitting on his bed, his skin back to milky white. His knees were tucked under his chin, a frown painting his face, "Thor's upset."
"I know," Loki sighed, "I can hear him, fairly certain Odin can hear him too, for all the blubbering and howling."
Tony had to chuckle as he sat beside the god.
"What do you want?" Loki asked, keeping his emerald eyes staring straight ahead.
"Oh you know, I was in the neighborhood."
Loki scoffed.
"But seriously, what was with all that?"
Loki shrugged, looking down at his arms, which were hugging his calves tightly. It seemed to Tony that his efforts would be for not. Why he had thought the little god would open up to him was beyond his reasoning.
"Did you know that Thor didn't used to act like a giant puppy?"
"Really?" Tony asked, sitting up straighter, surprised Loki was decided to open up.
"He used to be selfish, proud, rude, and stupid. Well, at least three of the four have changed," Loki sighed half-heartedly. Tony chuckled at the joke, "when we were children, Thor would be the one to start fights at random, usually with me. He'd always win of course, which made father proud. He always made father proud. Not me, I was quiet, distant, I preferred knowledge over muscles. I studied magic while Thor trained, guess who was praised?" it wasn't a question, Tony knew that, "He always had his moments though, like when his friends teasing of me would escalate into violence, Thor was always praised for those moments, even though he was always the one to start the teasing. He was protective, to some extent; I was his 'baby brother' after all."
"He sounds like... Well... An older brother..." Tony shrugged.
"I suppose, he doesn't seem to remember it though. It's always 'I care', 'you're my brother no matter what', 'I'll protect you' with him now. He doesn't remember the fights, the teasing, the hatred, the way he used to make it his personal goal to ensure I knew he was the favorite. Of course, he didn't have to remind me," Loki's lower lip quivered pathetically, Tony could only watch. Was this really the Loki he had fought all that time ago? Had there always been this much self-loathing pint up inside? It scared Tony, but he could relate to the god. The feeling of isolation, being unloved, fighting to be noticed, yes, Tony could relate.
"I understand," Tony said quietly.
Loki rolled his eyes.
"No, I really do. Always feeling like you can never be good enough, wanting nothing more to be noticed, the guilt of what you did to try and gain the attention..." he stopped, honestly he wasn't sure if Loki felt guilty at all.
But Loki was nodding, looking at the playboy, "Not a day goes by that I don't regret my actions."
"It wasn't your fault," Tony said quietly, even while he said it he was shocked slightly. Had he really just told Loki, his enemy, that his destroying half the city was not his fault?
Loki let out a snort, reading Tony's thoughts, "I don't believe you would've said that a year ago."
"It's not a year ago, it's now," Tony smirked.
"What do you want from me, man of iron?" Loki quipped, growing impatient with the man's beating around the bush.
Tony sat, thinking. He watched Loki, the way his dark hair fell over his face. He watched the emerald eyes that looked cold, but held the vast emotions Tony could not yet fathom. He watched Loki's muscles ripple over his back as he shifted his weight. He noticed the indent of his bicep, stretched to hold his long legs. Tony felt a strange flutter in his stomach, or maybe his heart, he couldn't tell. "Tell me your story," Tony said finally.
Loki turned his head, eyeing him quizzically, "Why?"
Tony shrugged, "Why not?" Loki sighed in response, turning to face Tony, folding his legs beneath him. He set his hands on his knees, reminding Tony of some marble statue he had seen somewhere once. He had never thought about the regal aura that pulsates from the god, even now when he was at his lowest.
"Very well," Loki sighed, then he started. He began at, well, the beginning. He began at his birth. Tony sat, politely silent, as he listened. Swells of emotions crashed together in waves as Loki spoke, he couldn't decide whether to be sad or angry, grateful or resentful. On one hand, Odin had saved Loki, on the other, he had destroyed him.
At some point during the story, Tony had shifted closer to Loki so their knees were touching. He relished, for some reason, the way Loki's mouth moved when he talked. He was enthralled with how the fire glowed in the god's eyes, whether it was from anger, pride, or humor.
Loki told about as much happiness as he did sadness. While he talked about the adventures he and Thor had shared, he was also required to tell of the sadness and regret. Honor and glory mixed with fear and abandonment. Friendship, brotherhood, which swirled with loneliness and a never ending sense of being inferior.
"Then next thing I know, Thor bursts into my cell and breaks me out and... Well... I believe that makes you caught up on my story," Loki shrugged, finishing. Tony sat silently for a moment, he was unsure as to how long they had been talking, but he didn't care. He watched as Loki shifted awkwardly under Tony's unwavering gaze. He could've laughed at the way the god played with the soft fabric of the sweat pants he was wearing while he waited nervously for Tony to say something. Then Tony stood abruptly from the bed, causing Loki to jump slightly.
"I'll just be a second," he said quickly as he raced out of the room. Loki wondered if he had frightened the man, his heart sank slightly at the idea.
"Not that it matters, it makes no difference to me if he cares at all," Loki muttered to himself, but even as he said the words, he knew they weren't true, "it does not matter," he repeated, trying to convince himself. But deep inside, Loki knew that it was a lie. He simply could not fathom why it would matter to him, a god, if a mere mortal cared for him. But Loki was no Thor, he had watched the man as he told his story. He had seen a fire in the mortal's eyes that told him that this man, this greedy, infuriating man, understood him. He didn't want to admit that his heart had been fit to burst when their knees had touched, that the warmth in his stomach had nothing to do with temperature. He wanted to pretend that none of that existed, because he was Loki, god of mischief and lies, not some swooning school girl.
"Mr. Laufeyson, Mr. Stark has requested your presents on the roof," Jarvis said, breaking Loki from his train of thought.
"Who is there?" Loki asked, jumping to his feet, "Show yourself!"
"Excuse me, sir, but may we deal with your confusion later? Mr. Stark was very adamant that you meet with him."
Loki huffed, his eyes continuing their search as he walked right passed the other Avengers, who stared at him strangely as he passed them, "Loki, what happened?" Steve asked.
"The man of iron has requested my presents on the roof, the ghost which haunts this castle told me as such. Would you be so kind, patriotic one, as to tell me how to get there?"
"Loki, this is a skyscraper and that's not a ghost, it's a-"
"Shut up," Clint cut Bruce off, "why'd Tony want to see you on the roof?"
Loki shrugged, "I will not know until I am there."
"Ok, well, just press the up arrow on the elevator. Then once you're inside, press the button marked roof," Clint said, pointing towards the elevator doors.
"Much appreciated," Loki nodded, turning, then turning back, "I do apologize for this morning. I do hope none of you have put your jobs at risk by housing me..."
"No problem," Steve smiled, followed by the rest of them.
"And... Do tell Thor I wish to speak with him..." he said, noticing that his brother was not in the room.
They nodded, watching Loki walk away and into the elevator.
"What do you think they were talking about all that time?" Bruce asked.
"I'm not sure, but they were in there all day..." Natasha said.
"Wonder why Tony wants him to meet him on the roof..." Clint said.
"My friends, I do not like where you are going with this..." Steve said, eyeing his smirking friends.

---

"Loki, hey," Tony said as soon as the elevator door opened.
"Your ghost told me you wished to see me?" Loki asked, stepping from the elevator warily, "I am intrigued by this moving box," he pointed to the closing elevator. Tony could only chuckle, the fluttering and warmth that was spreading through his body was overwhelming him to the point of insanity.
"What did you call me here for?" Loki asked, shivering slightly as a breeze brushed his bare chest.
"I want you to see something," Tony said, clasping Loki's wrist and pulling him towards the edge of the roof.
"Man of iron I do not know what I am meant to be seeing, is there something specif-" but he stopped, because at that moment he looked out towards the city, "The land is glowing!" Loki exclaimed, drinking in the florescent glow that resonated as far as the eye could see.
"Every bit of that light is from this building," Tony said smartly.
"Every bit?" Loki asked, his eyes still locked on the city.
"Yeah, I meant to announce it to everyone today, but I thought I'd show you first. It's the first day. But as far as I'm concerned, this city will be fueled with my 100% clean energy for as long as it stands."
"It is noble and extraordinary, but surely you did not bring me here to simply impress me." Loki smirked.
"No," Tony blushed, "I figured I'd tell you a story now, just a short one," Loki nodded, pretending he didn't see the sheepish additional color on the man's cheeks, much to Tony's appreciation, "Years ago, I was a weapons dealer, a big one too. I was a merchant of death and I was proud. I don't know how many people I indirectly killed and I'm not sure if I want to know. But, I'll spare you the details of my glorious eye opening moment for another day. What I brought you up here to show you is, a few years ago, I was proud to be responsible for the deaths of hundreds or maybe thousands. But now I'm, or I'm trying to be, a hero. I'm saving people, helping, being economic and all that jazz. Just because a few years ago I was evil, doesn't mean I have to be for the rest of my life. Sure, not a day goes by that I don't regret everything I did, constantly thinking about all those people's lives I'm responsible for ending. But I'm making up for it, day by day, piece by piece," Loki's hand was resting on the rail, so Tony used the pause to place his hand gently on top of the god's, "So, if I can do it, so can you. You don't have to define yourself by something that happened a few years ago."
"But, I..." Loki started, staring out at the city, but he stopped. What was he supposed to say? This man, this infuriating man, had shown kindness and understanding that Loki had never wished for in his wildest dreams.
"Look, it won't be easy. But I know that you're not evil, so can everyone else, but only if you let them see."
"The people of earth could never forgive me," Loki replied solemnly.
"I'm a people of earth, I forgive you," Tony smirked, squeezing the god's hand slightly.
"Why do you care? Why are you going to such lengths to give me this hope?" Loki asked, staring into Tony's chocolate eyes. The uncomfortable feelings crashing in Loki's stomach were unbearable. Who was this man to give him hope? If Loki was truly honest with himself, the idea of hope petrified him, for the simple reason that, hope is very easily taken away.
"Because we aren't much different from each other."
Loki scoffed, "please, I am a mons-"
"No you are not!" Tony said, "You keep telling yourself that you are," he poked the god in the chest with his free hand, "but you are not. You are Loki, god of mischief and lies; no one can take that away from you!" Loki stared, either in shock or in awe, he could not decide. Suddenly both men were aware that they were inching closer together, each was not within his power to stop themselves. Emerald eyes locked onto chocolate, they came to a shocking realization that their lips were mere inches from the others. Both would have pulled away if it were not for the waves of warmth and electricity that was creating a private tsunami in their stomachs.
Then, there was a cough, a wolf whistle, and an eruption on laughter.
The two men jerked apart, whirling to see the intruders. Standing in the doorway that led to the stairs were the Avengers, save Thor. Natasha was obviously the one who coughed, considering that she was now sporting a smirk. Clint was continuing to whistle, looking amused. Bruce was bent over laughing; looking like a gust of wind would knock him over and leave him rolling on the floor.
"I am so sorry," Steve blushed, shock painted on his face.
"N-no problem, Capsicle," Tony grumbled.
"Well um, thank you, Mr. Stark, I will um... Keep that in mind," Loki blushed furiously.
"Don't mention it," Tony said, staring up at him.
Loki sucked in a breath and leaned down, closer to Tony so his lips nearly brushed his ear, "We shall continue this another time."
Tony's face burned as he nodded. Loki smirked and turned from the blushing man, walking to the elevator doors.
"Mind telling me where my brother's room is?" Loki asked as the doors slid open.
"Button marked 'Thor'," Tony said his face still red.
Loki nodded and smiled at him before the doors closed.
"You guys suck," Tony grumbled.
"So Tony, how're things with you and Pepper going?" Clint smirked.
"Haven't been so good," he replied honestly, "about to be not going at all," he flipped out his phone and dialed, which the others took as a cue to leave.

Notes