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Requested by Anonymous on tumblr

"Oh, sorry, I didn't realise anyone was out here…"

Steve shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, suddenly overly aware that he was wearing only his thin pyjama bottoms and an old muscle shirt. He tugged awkwardly at the hem of the shirt, attempting to hide the revealed skin on his lower abdomen. He hadn't expected anyone would be on the terrace. It was late – probably around two a.m. although that was mostly because that's the time he had found himself wide awake the other four nights – and the cold winds that were coming down from the North Pole held the calling cards of the approaching winter. Steve himself wouldn't have even been out there if it weren't for the knowledge that it was the cool breeze and the fresh air and the silence, so far above the city, that seemed to clear his mind; that helped him to forget the nightmares that plagued him, if only for a little while. No one had ever been there before, that was way it was the perfect place to sit, but now, there was a visitor.

Loki glanced over his shoulder at the sound of the surprised voice, before turning back to stare out at the night sky. "Awfully late for you, isn't it Captain Rogers?"

"Um, couldn't sleep…nightmares…" he offered, as if that explained everything. He took a step backwards, away from the doorway, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I'll just be…"

"If you wish to sit on the terrace, it makes no difference to me," Loki interrupted smoothly, "And besides," he raised his cuffed hands upwards for the blond to see, "It's not as if it I can do anything."

It had been nearly five months since Loki had been returned to Earth, apparently under the orders of Odin who insisted that the god carry out his punishment on the very planet he had tried to destroy. He had been stripped of his powers and imprisoned within Stark Tower. As he was Thor's responsibility according to Fury, Steve hadn't really seen the dark haired man more than a handful of times around their home. And every single time, he was accompanied by Thor or, as he was in this case, handcuffed, just in case.

"Right…" Steve nodded slightly. He paused thoughtfully for a moment, debating the pros and cons of the situation – but the cold air was beckoning him forward and the stars that could not seen anywhere else in New York winked at him. He took heavy set steps to take his usual place on the steps. Legs seated apart, he rested his elbows on his knees and leant forward, as if it allowed him to get just that little bit closer.

The silence grew between them. Steve felt awkward, shifting every once and a while, and the urge to speak, to try and strike up a conversation, became stronger. He cleared his throat loudly and glanced out of the corner of his eye to their – for all intensive purposes – prisoner. "It's a beautiful night…" he tried.

"Yes, I must admit the night in Midgard has succeeded by expectations," Loki mused his agreement, "I find it strange how loud the day can be whilst the night remains so serene."

"It helps me to think, clears my mind," Steve whispered.

"And what, Captain Rogers, plagues your thoughts so much?"

Steve looked unsure whether to answer – but he was staring at him with such wide eyes, a genuinely interested look on his face that if someone had told him he would see after all the destruction and death he had caused, he probably would have laughed. Instead, he sighed, dipping his head. "The war, I guess. It's the last thing I remember before I'm here. It's as if it all passed in the blink of an eye and…I just haven't coped with the change well…I had friends and goals and plans, and now they're just…gone…"

"Life has a sickening habit for tearing someone's world apart," Loki muttered his agreement, glancing away once more.

"Speaking from experience?"

His lips twitched upward with bitter amusement. "Possibly…I can't say that Life has been entirely fair in the number of misgivings I've been handed, but perhaps I have not handled them as well as I should have…"

"Like what?" Steve looked curious.

"…I do not know whether my brother has told you this, but during his visit to Midgard a few years back, I discovered that the family I thought were my own…were not. I had been taken from my true home, the home of Odin's enemies, and I was raised as if I were one of their own. But I wasn't. I was the enemy; one of the creatures that Asgardian children are sent to bed with warnings about. I am the monster under the bed; the creature that all naughty children should fear…you can say I was not overly pleased with the secrets that were kept from me," he laughed bitterly, "And more so, there was the crown of Asgard to be worried about. Thor was nothing like he is now – he was selfish, irresponsible; bloodthirsty and war hungry – none of which are suitable attributes for a king. I was worried he would drop Asgard into a war that they just were not prepared to fight – but sadly, he was the older brother. The title of king befalls to him first and foremost. But I strived to do anything in my power to try and protect the kingdom, even if it means betraying my own brother." He bowed his head, "By the end of it all, I was angry, so angry, with them all. For secrets and the lies and the stories; for taking me away from my true family and for trying to make me apart of theirs when I was merely a war trophy for Odin's victory. I wanted them to feel my pain, I wanted…" he faltered, trailing off weakly, as if he did not know how to finish that sentence.

Steve eyed him closely, watched as his eyes fluttered shut and he let out a hissed breath, like he was trying to control himself, but whether he was trying to control himself from the anger he admitted he felt, or the sadness that was bound to follow the chorus of lies, he didn't know.

"Do you…" Steve paused, licking his lips as he thought of how to put his thoughts into words, "Do you think that was the reason behind why you wanted to…"

"Take over Midgard?" Loki supplied. He shrugged slightly. "It is very possible. My brother has a great love for this planet, as you well know, and it is a fairly reasonable thought to assume I wanted to pay him back for what had been kept from me, of having to live in his ever growing shadow…but I suspect the truth is a little worse than that. Power is both the destroyer and maker of men, and I have fallen victim to its call."

"At least you can admit it," Steve offered.

Loki laughed dryly. "I have never been alluded to my flaws, Captain Rogers, just as I am well aware of my aptness."

"It's still better than some men. I fought with a few who believed they were God's gift, superior to everybody, just as I knew some who felt inferior and suffered because of it," Steve assured, "A balance between the two seems…healthy I guess."

"Perhaps," Loki hummed, "What about you Captain Rogers? Are you balanced?"

"Balanced, I doubt that. I may look like this, but inside, I'm still that wimpy little kid before the serum, that had asthma and heart problems and needed Bucky to protect me, even if I didn't want him too," Steve sighed heavily, "In fact, sometimes I think all of this is a dream, and I'll wake up in a hospital bed because my lungs have given out or something…"

"I can safely assure you, this is not a dream," Loki stated with a small smile.

"Well, I hope not," Steve ducked his head.

The silence surrounded them again, only it didn't seem too awkward or uneasy. In fact, Steve was sure this was one of the most contented moments of his life. He could remember very few times he had been so comfortable – and in the presence of a criminal, no less. Now that was a strange thought…

Loki stood up suddenly, and Steve watched as his shoulders relaxed and he breathed in one last deep breath of fresh air, as if he were savouring it. He glanced towards his blond companion. "I must retire to my rooms. Thor only allows very few moments to myself these days, and I do not wish to ruin his trust in me and have these times revoked. I quite enjoy them."

"Of course, I understand you would," Steve nodded.

He seemed to hesitate for a moment, a thoughtful gleam in his eyes. "If you'd allow me one more moment of your time…"

Steve didn't get a chance to reply, to think, before lips were pressed firmly against his own. He stilled at the pressure, not entirely sure what was happening. The lips felt chapped against his own, but warm and pleasant. They didn't move, like Steve had seen Tony do so many times with Pepper. In fact, it was rather chaste, sweet even, as if just to feel the pressure rather than anything else. Steve's lips moved with little command from his brain, which was reminding him very loudly exactly who this was.

It ended as suddenly as it had arrived, leaving Steve dazed and confused, blinking rapidly. Loki cocked his head at him, and dragged his tongue slowly over his lips, as if he could still taste him. "I just had to see what that was like before bed," he whispered heatedly, before standing up straighter. He shifted his hands in the cuffs and rolled his shoulders. "Good night Captain Rogers."

Loki nodded once before turning on his heel and disappearing into the Tower with a sweep of his coat, leaving Steve on the step. His eyes stayed trained on the area the god had just disappeared behind for a long time after he'd gone, his mind racing to look for an explanation of what had just happened.

It took him one minute to realise there was no explanation.

It took him two minutes to realise his lips was still tingling.

It took him three minutes to realise he was smiling.

If you have any prompts for Avengers stories, anything you want to see in print, I am open for requests. You can either send me a private message on here, or leave me a message on my tumblr: WhatIMustWrite

Also, I want to write more Superfamily stories, in preparation and lead up to the new Spiderman movie, so if you have suggestion, please let me know!