Tony probably should have been more alarmed at the sudden appearance of a demi god in his living room but after four days without sleep he was too exhausted to muster up anything stronger than a sigh. If the alarmed look on Thor's face was any indication, the billionaire wasn't going to be getting any of that rest he had been looking forward to for a while yet.

There was a long moment where neither of them spoke. Tony looked at the blonde god with a distinctly unimpressed expression, completely with raised eyebrow, while Thor's eyes danced around the room in a wild panic before finally stilling on his teammate's face.

"Man of Iron, you are safe?" Tony blinked at him, forcing aside his exhaustion to dredge up some of that normally irrepressible wit.

"Looks like, Goldilocks. Should I not be?" His voice was scratched from days without sufficient hydration (according to Pepper several cups of coffee every few hours did not class as sufficient) but he spoke through the burn.

"I feared that you were in great danger."

"I usually am; part of being a superhero. But I'm guessing you're being more specific...?" Tony was too tired to deal with this right now. A small part of his mind started weighing up the pros and cons of just turning Thor over to Fury and being done with the whole thing - it was definitely a possibility.

"I thought that my brother would come here first seeking vengeance but it seems I was mistaken, praise the Allfather." The words flowed out of the god in a rush, his shoulders sagging in obvious relief. "This means that we have some time to prepare for an attack-" Tony cut him off.

"Wait, wait, your brother? You mean Loki? The very same Loki that's meant to be rotting in a cell in Asgard?" Tony's mind went entirely blank for half a second before black rage leapt up within him. "If you dare tell me you let him go I promise-" The god cut him off with an agitated wave of his hand.

"We did no such thing! My brother is a master of magic and managed to slip past his captors without even the watcher Heimdall noticing his absence." He sounded defensive but Tony could see shame in those eyes that told him Thor was blaming himself for the lapse. The billionaire had to take a moment to stop himself from punching something before he took a deep breath to calm himself and forced his mind to focus despite the fatigue that scattered his thoughts.

"And he's come back to Earth?" The solid edge to his voice was unmistakable.

"We cannot be certain. Loki has powers beyond most Aesir and can travel between the realms without the aid of the Bifrost - he could have gone anywhere."

"So, we have no way of telling where he is?" The anger was building again - he was too tired for this. "Well gee Thor, I don't know quite what justice means on Asgard but here on Earth we don't just let the criminals go whenever they-"

"We did not let him go!" Thor snapped, every inch of his body vibrating with sudden fury before he sighed softly, letting the tension drain out of his shoulders; Tony felt his heart beating in his throat, suddenly reminded of his startling disadvantage if this descended into violence. "I know that we have made a mistake in underestimating Loki's powers, but you must understand that on Asgard very little is known about sorcery. We did not know what to expect."

There was a momentary pause in which Tony rubbed at his eyes to try and muster some wakefulness from within him. Thor looked around the room edgily again, as though he was expecting a rageful god to dart at him from the shadows.

"We cannot say for certain where Loki has gone but I know my brother, even now. He has always had a keen need to settle debts or to deal out revenge where he feel it is deserved. It would be unlike him to not seek to harm you and the rest of the Avengers."

"So, there's a crazy Norse god who happens to be a master of magic that's gunning for us? Well, that's just brilliant."

"I do not see what is 'brilliant' about this situation," Thor said, confusion wiping the anxiety off his face for a moment. Tony almost laughed.

"Sarcasm, Point Break but nevermind. Jarivs?" He took sadistic pleasure in watching the god jump out of his skin when the British voice answered him from nowhere.

"Yes Sir?"

"Get on communications, I want the team here now. Please also tell Fury to wake his ass up, we have a situation."

"I shall relay the message Sir."

"Do remember to be gentle when waking Bruce," Tony told him but the AI didn't respond. He couldn't really fault him.

Thanks to Tony's brilliant idea for the team to live in the tower until a proper headquarters could be established, it took less than five minutes for the rest of the team to pile into the living room of the penthouse, most wiping traces of sleep from their faces. Only Natasha looked as though she was completely alert but the billionaire had a sneaking suspicion that it was only a front she was putting on for appearances sake.

"So, we have a problem," he told them, his voice light but an annoyed curl to his lips that the others took note of immediately.

"Something serious?" Steve might have looked as though he had just rolled out of bed and yet he still managed to present an impressive persona, slipping into Captain-mode without any hesitation.

"Depends. Does having Loki coming after us class as serious?" Tony widened his eyes to look innocent but he still received several glares when the surprise had slipped from their faces.

"Loki?" Barton snapped, his whole body as tense as his bow string as his fingers curled themselves into claws. Natasha very subtly slid closer to his shoulder.

"I regret to say that my brother has managed to evade his guards," Thor told them, solemnity written in every line of his face. "I fear that he intends to seek revenge for his defeat."

"Come now Thor, you make me sound like some mindless beast. Give me more credit than that."

The new voice had every single person in the room tensing, reaching for whatever weapon was closest to hand and spinning around to face the seventh figure in the corner. Lurking in the shadows was a man that Tony had hoped he would never have to see again, let alone in the same room he had been launched out of by the god that was leaning on his wall, idly observing his fingernails, looking to be completely at ease. He appeared entirely unconcerned that he was suddenly faced with six different people that were fully willing to attack.

"Brother, what-" Thor started but stopped himself when a hiss escaped through Loki's teeth.

"By the Norns what must I do to stop you calling me that? We are not brothers." The blonde god looked as though he was about to argue right back but Loki kept talking over whatever response the thunderer was going to give. "And all of you can calm yourselves. I have not come here to attack you."

Clint almost snarled at the man. "I don't care," he retorted sharply and half lunged for the god who made no move to defend himself other than holding up his hand, palm pointed at the archer who hesitated when green light cracked across the skin.

"I'm not here to attack but do not misunderstand me. I will defend myself." As he spoke he lowered his hand again, his point made. The team was unprepared, Tony was out of his suit, Cap didn't have his shield and Barton didn't have his bow. At least Thor had his hammer the billionaire thought to himself, eyeing the trickster warily.

"If you're not attacking, have you come to gloat? I doubt this is a social call," Tony mocked, his tone unforgiving. He was stressed and tired and he really didn't want to have to deal with this right now; he had just wanted to go to bed, was that really so hard?

"Maybe I came to collect on that drink I was offered," Loki shot back, a cruel smirk curling his lips while his eyes darted around the team for any possible threat. He still hadn't risen from where he was leaning against the wall. The comment actually managed to drag a laugh from the billionaire who found that in his muddled state he couldn't quite control his natural response to humour - Steve glared at him like he was mad. He might be, he thought all of a sudden - the tension in the room was palpable and here he was laughing at an insane god that had just teleported into his home.

"Brother, you cannot be here," Thor stepped in, trying to somehow diffuse the situation. His voice was pleading, hands raised in what was meant to be a placating gesture. "You are wanted on Asgard for crimes against the realms and I am bound by duty-"

"To deliver me back to Odin without question, yes, I know," Loki finished dryly. "If you really want to try, you're quite welcome to. But my promise of defence goes to you as well; I will not surrender to imprisonment." Thor looked a little bit heartbroken but said nothing else, clearly torn. "Maybe you will listen what I have to say instead of just blindly following your orders like always." The sharpness in that tone made it clear that there was a story there and Tony was a little overcome by curiosity but he reined it back in with some effort. Gods he needed sleep.

"Why should we listen to you? All you do is lie and scheme," Steve shot at him, his muscles bunched so tightly it was a wonder he could still get words past his clenched teeth. Beside him Bruce was vibrating like a tuning fork, flashes of electric green pulsing across his face in time with his racing heart but for now, the Hulk was contained. Natasha had one hand on Clint's bicep, whether for comfort or to hold him back Tony wasn't sure.

"God of Lies I may be but if you think that's all there is to me you are gravely mistaken my dear Captain," Loki told him with a smile that was almost mocking. "I am truthful when it suits me."

"And how do we know it suits you?" Tony's brain was finally kicking into gear and he found himself racing through different scenarios that almost all ended in disaster.

"You don't. But I would ask that you hear me and then make your decision. No harm can come of hearing me out, surely?" Having absolutely zero idea what to do Tony turned to Steve - the official leader of the team - who just looked at Thor, acknowledging him as the authority when it came to Loki. The blonde god just looked at his brother for a long moment, taking in his laid back stance, the lack of threats and the general aura of 'white flag' that surrounded the younger god. For his part, Loki just looked right back, unwavering under the gaze.

"Speak, brother. But know that if you try to trick us we will not hesitate to defend ourselves or others of this world."

Loki nodded his head agreeably at the terms, not losing his relaxed posture. "A fair deal," he murmured, before he shifted slightly as though he tried to stand then aborted the motion. A soft sigh escaped him and something that might have been irritation flickered across his face.

"Stand up," Tony demanded suddenly, something clicking into place in his head. Loki actually looked a little startled.

"I- What?"

"You heard me."

"Why?"

"Do you want us to listen to you or not? Stand. Up." Loki looked like he wanted to peel off his skin with a rusty knife but he didn't make a single move to push himself upright, glowering for all he was worth. "You can't do it can you?" The dark haired god was visibly seething but he still didn't do as he was asked, not acknowledging the question.

"Brother? What is wrong?"

There was another faint hiss from the trickster. "I understand your knowledge of magic is stinted Thor but surely even you can connect the dots if a simple mortal can," he said after a moment, the words biting. "I had to resort to magic to escape from my cell and then more to travel the hidden trails of Yggdrasil and after that I still had to teleport myself here, all the while making sure that I was hidden from those searching for me." His words were fast, stressed but he remained firm, clearly expecting the elder god to get the hint; he didn't.

Tony sighed to himself. A genius he might be, but wasn't it obvious? According to the looks the rest of the team were sharing apparently it wasn't.

"Seriously people?" He asked incredulously. "God or not, he's exhausted."

All eyes in the room slipped back to Loki (not that they'd ever strayed far) and they finally took note of the unnatural pallor to his skin, the way the wall was taking most of his weight so that his legs wouldn't have to. A closer inspection revealed scuff marks on his leather and a very slight tremble in his limbs. Despite the scrutiny the trickster kept his eyes on Stark, never wavering from his face; it was more than a little unnerving.

"You're observant, for a mortal."

"I'm not your average joe." Even though Loki clearly didn't know the term, he seemed to understand the general gist.

"So it would seem. Will you hear me out anyway? Or are we to fight after all?" He sounded somewhat downhearted, like the weight of the world had just come crashing down on him and he couldn't take the strain. His eyes had filled with a weariness that made him look a thousand years old (he probably was, but that wasn't the point) and Tony suddenly understood that he had lost his leverage: the god was too tired to take them all on, for all his threats he couldn't defend himself for long.

"It's our job to capture him," Clint spat, directing his words at Steve, deferring to his leadership. Anger pulsed across his face in a visible display of emotion they wouldn't normally have associated with the assassin.

"I say we hear what he has to say," Tony told them lightly, partly just for argument's sake and partly because he was genuinely curious. Everyone but Thor looked at him like he had suddenly grown a second head.

"You cannot be serious. Even you're not that suicidally reckless."

"Well that's a matter of opinion. But I am serious. Look at him for Christ's sake!" He gestured wildly at the god who just raised an eyebrow, apparently unwilling to argue his cause further and letting them fight amongst themselves. "In case you had forgotten, he's not stupid. He wasn't just going to waltz in here unable to defend himself unless he had no other choice. I'm pretty sure something bigger is at work here."

"The Man of Iron is right," Thor declared, clearly delighted to have an ally fighting his corner. "We should hear what my brother would tell us."

Everyone on the team (with the exception of Bruce who was too busy trying not to explode to really focus on anything else) looked at Steve, waiting for him to make a decision. The soldier looked around everyone's face, from Clint's anger to Natasha's impassive mask and then to Tony and Thor's quiet surety. After a long moment his blue eyes fell on the god who was starting to look worse by the minute, clearly in bad shape and yet still oozing with confidence as though he wasn't aware how much of a threat the team was to him.

"I'm sorry Clint, but we should listen," he said eventually, making sure that his voice didn't waver. The archer let out a strange strangled noise of anger, fists tightening in withheld fury; he looked like he wanted to storm away but he didn't want to turn his back on the enemy.

"Speak then brother. Why did you run from Asgard?"

"Why did I run from yet another cage?" He sounded like he couldn't believe Thor would even ask the question. "Maybe because I tire of being locked away, maybe because I value my freedom more than you can understand. Or maybe it was for the same reason I haven't stopped running since I escaped."

"Something's after you," Tony realised in the pause that followed. "You're in danger."

Loki nodded slowly. "My failure to take this planet from you signed my death sentence among some rather unsavoury characters. My survival depends on being able to stay one step ahead of them." He managed to keep his voice calm and smooth but Tony got the impression that there was deeper emotion there, lingering beneath the surface waiting to burst forth.

"You would have been protected in Asgard brother!" Thor told him, genuine pain written across his features. "I would have made sure no one could harm you."

"You mean besides the torturers of Asgard themselves? I'm sure Odin had them lined up to greet me had I stayed." The blonde god looked furious at the accusation. "Either way, it doesn't matter. You would not have been able to stop them and I couldn't defend myself from a cell."

"Our warriors would not-"

"Your warriors couldn't keep me in a locked cell. I find it unlikely they could have kept out the armies that are marching for me." Loki finally forced himself off the wall, propping one of his arms against it to brace himself as his legs trembled beneath him. "I do not expect any of you to care for my fate, in fact I'm sure most of you would welcome news of my death but this threat extends further than you know. I failed the Chitauri and their masters but you are the ones that destroyed the army."

"Is that a threat?" Clint's voice was deadly.

"A warning. I care not what you think of me but know that as soon as I am dead there will be monsters on your tail that you can hardly dream of." There was a moment of tense silence broken only by Loki's laboured breathing; he really was dead on his feet.

"So why the heads up?" Tony asked, still a little unnerved by this whole encounter. There was something major that he was missing, a variable he couldn't fathom and it was ridiculously irritating. "You're not warning us out of the goodness of your heart - I get the feeling you don't do anything unless it's profitable for you. Besides you want us dead as badly as these 'enemies' of yours."

"I have no way to make you believe me of course but your fates actually mean very little to me. Live or die, I do not care. My own existence however means somewhat more and for that I..." He hesitated, looking uncertain for the first time while his lips curled in something that spoke of disgust. "I require your aid."

Tony couldn't help it. He laughed. A full, deep laugh that burst from his lips like water, doubling him over and forcing tears to his eyes. He was vaguely aware of Clint doing the same and a smile curving Natasha's normally impassive face - Steve just looked like he was in shock. Bruce was still a little too preoccupied to do anything more than blink at the admission.

At Loki's words Thor's face had split into the brightest smile Tony had ever seen there, though it slipped away almost instantly when the others laughed as great offence took its place. Realising that he was half a step away from getting Mjölnir through his head the billionaire bit his lip hard enough to draw blood and straightened, doing his best to regain some form of composure. Once he was breathing somewhat normally again he chanced a glance back at Loki.

The god hadn't moved an inch and his expression hadn't flickered even slightly as though he was completely untouched by them laughing in his face but Tony knew (he didn't know how, it must have been that instinct that everyone was always talking about) that on some level they had just hurt him. An impressive mask it must be to hide something like that without even the slightest crack.

"You want protection?" He asked once Clint had quieted enough for them to be heard.

"Nothing quite so pathetic, I assure you." That biting tone was back, hinting at the anger they had just inspired with their own cruelty.

'No! You are not going to feel guilty for hurting the nutjob that tried to destroy the world,' he told himself firmly but it didn't really help. Tony hurt everyone he came into contact with, he knew that.

"Then what?" Steve had taken over, apparently having recovered enough to carry a conversation again. "What could we possibly offer you?"

"Right now? Somewhere to rest." It was clear that he was deadly serious. "As you have said, I am in desperate need of respite and as difficult as this might be to believe, this is the safest place for me."

"And we're going to help you why exactly? Inviting you in is just setting ourselves up for betrayal and apart from Thor, I don't think any of us would give a damn if you died," Tony told him bluntly. "Well, Clint might be a little put out that he wasn't the one to do it himself I suppose."

"I did not come here to beg," Loki snapped. "I came to offer a deal."

"And what deal would that be exactly?"

"You'll allow me to remain here - uncaged this time - and in return you have my allegiance against the ones that are coming. I know how to fight them, their strengths and weaknesses and I know how to win. But I cannot do it alone."

"Something such as that requires a great amount of trust from Midgard brother," Thor intoned quietly, looking more unhappy than Tony had ever seen him. A tidal wave of sympathy washed over him and he suddenly saw a new side to the god - after all he knew what it felt like to make the difficult call when everyone scorned you for it. Loki didn't respond to that for a long moment, long enough that the billionaire stopped waiting for a response but eventually the dark haired god sighed.

"I know that." He said something else then, something that Tony didn't understand (presumably something in Aesir) but it changed something within Thor. His shoulders broadened and his face hardened slightly.

"I know that you have little reason to trust my brother," he told them, turning his back on said trickster to face them, "but he speaks true. If we are to win this fight we need his help."

"No!" Clint snapped, his face outraged. "You can't ask me to trust that freak when he spent all that time rummaging around in my head, making me kill my own people! My friends!" Natasha's hand hadn't released his arm and she squeezed it softly, a silent gesture of support.

"Clint's right Thor. We can't just forget everything he's done," Steve chimed in, determined to be ruled by that sense of duty it was impossible to crush out of him. The blonde god didn't have an answer to that and heartbreak flashed across his face briefly.

Loki, for his part, didn't show much of a response to the reply though that weariness was back in his eyes, his shoulders sagging just a little bit more under the weight of his own, impending doom. Anyone could see that he knew what this meant - he was walking to his death. A brief, bitter laugh slipped from his lips, possibly the most painful thing Tony had ever heard.

"So be it. I'll not trouble you again. Goodnight Avengers," he told them, bowing his head slightly. Green light flickered across his skin again, building in brightness until it had almost consumed him.

"Brother! Wait!" Loki paused in his teleportation to glance at Thor. "I would come with you." Everyone in the room blinked at him (even Bruce which was somewhat impressive given that the man was a terribly unhealthy shade of green). "I'll not abandon you to them." The younger god frowned and the magic around him faded slightly as he considered the proposal.

Eventually though he shook his head, almost sadly.

"Why do you still call me brother? We share no blood. I have surely done you more than enough harm to sever any bonds of fellowship that we once shared. I cannot understand it."

"It matters not who is your father by blood Loki," Thor told him, his face earnest. "Neither of us can claim to be sons of Frigga but she is still our mother, just as she always has been. Our blood does not define us."

"That is not so," Loki retorted, trying to appear impassive but failing. "I am a monster Thor, and you would do well to remember that."

"In your own head, I have no doubt. But you don't see what I see."

Loki just sighed again, dropping his eyes to the floor. "You have more heart than anyone I've ever known," he told him after a moment. The green magic flared up again. "Stay and protect Midgard Thor. They will need you soon enough and there is no saving me."

Tony let it get to the moment just before Loki would disappear entirely - because far be it from him to interrupt what was clearly a last goodbye between estranged brothers - before he spoke up.

"Wait!" The light halted again to reveal an irate trickster.

"By the Norns, what else can you possibly want?"

"I was just wondering if you wanted to stay the night?" Everyone turned to look at him, even the Hulk seemed to be surprised enough by that to stop wrestling Bruce for a moment. He shrugged, unapologetic. "You see, we're a team sure. That means we discuss everything and take everyone's opinions on board and it's all very healthy et cetera but this is still my tower. My property, my rules."

"Is this a trick?" Loki took half a step forwards, not daring to look hopeful.

"No trick. I mean it. After all, inviting a crazy god into my home? What could possibly go wrong?"

This is a story I've wanted to try for a while now but it's also the first time I've really tried my hand at writing Loki in a proper storyline so I know it was all a bit clunky. I intend to streamline it later on. Also, I find it hard to write scenes with so many different characters in the room - I tend to forget who's where and what they're doing.

Anyways, I hope it sounds like it could be something interesting. I know similar things have been done before but hey, sue me. I swear I'm not trying to copy anyone else's story and anything that isn't mine will be flagged and credited as appropriate.

Maybe you could tell me what you thought? I'd really love some feedback on this to know if it's worth continuing or not.