A/N: Decided to post a story I've been posting on Archive of Our Own here too. Enjoy!

.o.o.o.

Prologue: Sidekick Application

.o.o.o.

'Winning' was slightly overrated.

Loki was bored. His former self was not exactly…gone, as it were, more like Ikol had once more become a part of him or something. He didn't dwell on it, outside of missing the bird's conversation.

Leah was back in the underworld with Hela. Thori had been a traitor, and though Garm was insistent that she would get her pup in line and return him to Loki he did not get his hopes up. Thor was busy with the Avengers and dealing with the chaos in Asgard caused by Odin's return.

Odin did not seem to wish to rule, but he was crafty and Thor seemed to mistrust him more than some people made it sound like he'd trusted the former Loki, so who knew what he really had planned? The All-Mother were determined to hold onto their power, and frankly Loki felt their rule was just fine, but many traditionalists were against it. Lady Sif had been fighting on their behalf in the arena for weeks, often against the same men over and over.

Loki was bored.

.o.o.o.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, until a few minutes ago, I was watching you beat up minor fiends," Loki said. "I thought I should let you finish."

"Good plan, kid," Daimon said, lighting a cigarette. "Might have roasted you."

"Or put me in a trashcan of doom?" Loki asked.

"Good one," Daimon said. "So, why'd you come looking for me?"

"Well…Leah had to go home and Thori betrayed me and Thor's busy…"

"Bored?" Daimon asked.

"Yes. I hope that's not too offensive," Loki said. "I also hope that perhaps I still have a chance to be your sidekick…?"

"…You're desperate," Daimon said.

"Yes."

"And people call you a liar," Daimon chuckled, taking a sip of his soda.

"Only with people I don't like," Loki said, stirring his milkshake. "Or if it protects my friends."

"Yeah. There's nobility in that—you really must have gotten rewired when you de-aged."

Daimon was looking at him and Loki realized that the man was testing him somehow.

"I…have finally retrieved the majority of my memories, though I tend to lock them up. Even when I see what the old me justified as his 'why' I cannot comprehend many of his actions," Loki confessed. "Nor his motives, in many cases. I do know I owe Spider-Man for something and that I wish to be nowhere near Victor von Doom…"

"Hey, fresh starts are important," Daimon said. "Last-second chance and all."

"So…can I be your sidekick?" Loki asked.

"Parental permission. I'm not getting an Amber Alert put out over this," Daimon said. "Have whoever come by tomorrow—your brother, a parent, whoever."

"All right," Loki sighed. "Can you be on good behavior?"

"Hmm…I am the Son of Satan you know…" Daimon said. "Kidding, I'll play nice. No trashcans of doom or alcohol…well, maybe alcohol…"

.o.o.o.

"So…you wish to travel with this man," Frigga said.

"Yes. He aided me in the Nightmare Debacle and with the Manchester Gods," Loki said. "He also regularly fights evil."

Daimon stared at the woman who was Loki's adoptive mother and one of the three current (if disputed) rulers of Asgard.

"And you, Hellstrom…can you keep Loki out of trouble?" Frigga asked.

"Ma'am, all of Asgard can't do that and you know it," Daimon said bluntly. "I'll do all I can to keep him alive and mostly intact, but that's the best promise you can get."

"All of Asgard could promise no more," Frigga agreed with a small smile. "Loki, thank you for ordering this drink for me, it's quite nice."

"Milkshakes are wonderful, unless you drink too quickly," Loki said. "So, All-Mother, may I go?"

"You mean 'will you explain this to Thor for me after the fact'," Frigga corrected.

Daimon hooted, "Lady, you've got style! No wonder you're able to keep this one in line!"

"He is Loki. 'In line' is the best you can hope for," Frigga said as Loki pouted around his straw.

"Amen to that," Daimon said. "Loki, you are hereby promoted from 'bored godling' to 'sidekick'."

"Yes!" Loki cheered. "Wait…I may keep my shirt on, yes?"

"Yes, you will," Frigga said sternly.

.o.o.o.

"So, where are we going to go?" Loki asked as he entered Daimon's motel room with his backpack full of random things he felt he might need.

"First off: weapons check," Daimon said. "Magic?"

"I can tap into the world's innate magic with rituals, but I cannot cast spells, charms, or curses," Loki said.

"Wards?" Daimon asked.

"I can do protective circles," Loki said.

"Physical weapons?"

Loki tapped his two daggers. "The Lady Sif also recently gifted me with some darts."

"Why?" Daimon asked.

"My own protection. She and the Warriors Three and Thor cannot be around at all times," Loki said, shrugging. "They are slightly barbed and intended to slow someone down so I can run like hell."

"Good plan. You've got a runner's build," Daimon said, shedding his trench coat and stretching out on one of the beds. "Anything else?"

"Well, it turns out the lady Kelda had forgiven me and gave me a pendant that warns of danger. She got the idea from her husband talking about Spider-Man," Loki said. "Hogun gave me a sharpening stone, I've got a couple books, change of clothes…oh, and this!"

He proudly held up his Starkphone.

"Well, at least we'll be able to keep in touch if we're searching different places," Daimon said, pulling out a flip phone. "Number?"

And thus began Loki's mildly-illustrious career as Daimon Hellstrom's sidekick.