Captain, here! I noticed I've become particularly obsessed with Avengers, as of late, and Loki/Natasha has severely interested me ever since I found the pairing. So, I thought I'd put my own contribution in. I hope the writing's decent, I hope that you like it, and I hope that I have some reviews coming my way. Maybe I have high expectations, but, you know. It's all very nice to have.

Enjoy!

It's nearly been four months since the grand battle of New York, and repairs are still going on. Bodies are still being found. The realization of just how devastating this entire thing turned out to be has not passed on. And it all seemed to be from one man. He caused utter terror and sorrow on the little planet known as Earth since it made him gleeful.

However, this demi-god, after months of little punishments that seemed no more than chastising, is about to be sent back down to Earth with his brother, Thor. And, as always, the Avengers have to show up to make sure no problem is caused because of this. They will, obviously, all keep an eye on Loki out of pure free will. After all, no one could have him skipping away from a pile of rubble that used to be a city. And even if that did happen, they would all take pleasure in putting him as much pain as possible.

In the heart of Stark Tower sat five of the six Avengers, since Thor had been sent on the duty of practically babysitting Loki and retrieving him for their meeting. Tony sat at the front of the table, feet propped up on the desk as he messed on what looked like a see-through phone. Steve was standing, looking a bit bewildered by the large screen that took up one wall. Bruce sat patiently, looking like an obedient child as he waited for his breakfast. Clint simply toyed around with one of his arrows, flicking the tip constantly and making a loud ringing noise, which Tony would often look up to with a face of irritation. Natasha seemed a little tense, however, sitting slightly hunched forward in her chair.

Tony's little amount of patience finally wore out. "Agent. Your arrows are fine."

Clint looked up for a few moments, looking virtually impassive. "Yes, but it doesn't hurt to check them." Perhaps this was more of an excuse to say, "I just want to be able to stick an arrow into Loki's gob if I'm allowed to."

Tony narrowed his eyes for a few moments, and if processing those words, before giving a sigh and took his legs off the table. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. You're not on a mission, cupcake. We're in a meeting," he pointing to the large, glass window, "And I don't plan on having any of these broken because of one of your little, metal toys."

Clint merely said nothing, and went back to checking over the arrow. Meanwhile, with a small flash that made Steve toddle off to the side, Thor and Loki arrived into the room. The smaller god was cuffed, and looked quite tired. His shoulders were slumped, his eyelids drooping, and dark circles lay beneath his eyes. He was also pale- or, at least, more than usual. Emerald eyes no longer had that characteristic shine.

Thor looked in relatively better condition, which was somewhat of a given. However, no one even seemed to notice him, and rather, all of their attention was directed to Loki. Each had a different look, but it all carried out the same feeling; hatred. Loki just seemed to give a small sigh, and moved to sit in the open chair in front of him. When he took a step forward, everyone immediately tensed. It seemed, even though bound by cuffs, that he was still capable of horrid torture.

Thor sat down next to him, giving a long glance around the room. He pitied his brother more than he hated him- even if he was adopted- and therefore these sharp stares everyone seemed to direct towards the weary god made him quite uncomfortable. Perhaps he still was the only one who believed something good would come out of this, that Loki would be redeemed. Alas, some things weren't meant to be.

Steve sat back down as well, and Thor finally spoke up,

"After a few months, my brother's punishment has finally been decided. As we can see, he broke New York City into pieces with the Chitauri as his allies, and he must recognize his actions."

Everyone seemed to just look bored with the introduction. They knew exactly what Loki had done, and therefore they believed he deserved no more than the same fate he had bestowed upon the city; death. The fact that he was still alive pissed off just about everyone.

Thor continued, "The Allfather, Odin, has finally decided what punishment his son should have. He has been sent to live on earth as a mortal; he no longer is connected to Asgard. All powers he once had are gone."

This sent a ripple of surprise through everyone, some more than others. However, the idea of Loki being no more than an Earthly mortal was surprisingly appealing. It meant that he was even weaker than all of them, most being superhuman. Sure, the two assassins were merely extremely fit, and Tony Stark was a priss in a suit, but Loki was still far weaker than any of them. He couldn't do anything if they wanted to mock him or toy with him. He was vulnerable, unable to even lift a finger against them.

Well, he could still throw a good punch or two, but that wouldn't end too well on his part.

"For an Asgardian, this punishment might as well be worse than death. Odin saw it fit for the crime his son had done. For now, he will stay inside Stark Tower until he is trusted enough for his own adobe."

Tony's eyes widened considerably, and he sat up straight in his chair. "Hold on!" he adjusted his sunglasses (Lord knew why he had to wear them inside a building), "Why do I get the job of babysitter? Give him to this hawk guy or Red, White and Blue. They'll keep an eye on him. Or what about you? I mean-"

"It is Odin's orders. I cannot do anything about them, Stark."

"And I don't want him either," Steve piped in.

"Are you kidding me?" Tony immediately protested, "You guys can just have this dude right back. I'll piss Bruce off just so he can toss him all the way back to your planet."

Banner cleared his throat, eyeing Tony with a small glare. However, the man really couldn't pull off an angry look.

"No offense." Stark threw in, before turning his attention back to Thor. "Earth doesn't want him, and if Ass-guard, or whatever it was, doesn't want him either, just put him in purgatory or something. My God, don't make more people suffer."

Thor seemed to be growing a little tense at Tony's complaints. "No one should ever defy Father's orders, and I am not about to. Loki will live in your home on your planet. I am sorry."

Bruce decided to now become part of the conversation, "Can't we put him just is a secluded area? Bring food to him if he needs it? That way we won't have to deal with him."

"But what if he gets out of wherever you're putting him? Even if you put him into the ocean or one of those big jungles you have in South America, he can escape. Even without powers, he can terrorize cities again," interjected Steve.

Clint hopped right on in the heated conversation. "Then we shoot him down before he can make his move."

Thor looked towards Banter with a look of worry, reaching out his hand. "No one will shoot my brother! He will stay on Earth, quietly, as instructed."

"As if, " Tony was already back with his complaining, "He escapes just about everything we can hold him in. He got out of that big glass cage meant for Greensprout and tossed you in it."

"Would you stop talking about 'him?' It's not my fault you know."

"Whatev-"

"But I am fine. Loki will be located here, and you cannot do anyth-" Thor was interrupted by Clint.

"Why can't be put him in one of SHIELD's containment chambers? He'll stay secure."

Bruce glanced over at the Hawk. "That's a better idea. We won't have to worry about him escaping. Mostly."

Tony pointed an accusing finger at Banner. "Ha! That's just it! 'Mostly.' He'll still get out."

Thor gave a groan, turning back towards the irritating fellow. "He will stay put. He has promised to do so."

"Nope. He's escaped before, and no doubt he'll just do it again."

Natasha finally broke in, her last nerve having been split. "Oh, bozhe moi. You're children! Sure, I don't think he should be here, in Stark Tower, either-"

"Thank you for your support, sweetie pie." Stark looked overly smug.

"But," the word came out sharply, and the smirk was wiped off Tony's face, "SHIELD isn't going to keep him either. Fury'll just try and kill him off."

Steve looked towards her. "And is there a problem in that? It's no more than he deserves."

"He's right. It's fitting." Clint always seemed to have to add little things in.

"I cannot have anybody killing my brother; not even if he deserves it. Odin wants to see if he is capable of being good." Thor would, no doubt, continue on with his argument. Family was family, after all, no matter how they acted or where they came from.

"You always have to talk." Tony was still bitching. He would, also, continue to fight. He was much too prideful to give up, after all. "Either you bring him back to your planet, or we murder him on this one. Your choice."

This seemed to bring out a whole new rage in the entire crowd.

"I sort of agree with Thor, as bad as it sounds," Bruce said, a little quietly, "No one really deserves to be killed. I mean, we've all murdered, intentional or not. But does that mean they really needed to die?"

This stoked a fire in Steve's patriotic little heart. "They threatened our country. That makes it all the more reason for us to make sure they don't do it again."

Both assassins agreed that all of their victims had deserved death. Even if they hadn't done anything wrong. Their missions meant more than their own feelings.

"It's four against two," Tony said, giving a small shrug, "Let's just get rid of him now."

"It is not as if I want to be here either."

The subtle voice immediately shut up the entire room, and everyone's attention immediately turned to Loki. He looked moderately irritated, but his depressing look more so gave the idea that he was just tired of the conversation.

"You do not understand how painful it is to be turned mortal. Yet, it is my Father's wish. I will not escape, per his request. I will stay quietly." He gave a small sigh, looking at the window ahead of him. "I intend little to no harm on this planet, anyways."

"Loki," warned Thor.

This issued a smirk from the dark-haired god, or otherwise now mortal. "Well, I do have a right to hate these humans. They're awfully feeble. It's a pity that I've been turned into one of them." He soon began to look around the room, eyes stopping on each Avenger.

Tony. "I almost took down the entire ship, had it not been for you. Repairing it was such a bad idea. Imagine the damage it could have done."

Bruce. "I still ache, every once in a while, from your treatment. I hope that something similar is done to you."

Steve. "I don't like you. I can't name an exact reason, but…" he looked at the ceiling, briefly, before making eye contact with him once more, "Perhaps it's because you so easily destroyed my allies with that annoying shield of yours. Yes…"

Clint. "You were such a good soldier. It's a pity you turned back to this ugly side. I hope you change your mind one day.

Lastly, Natasha. He had to pause on her for a few moments, before his smirk spread into a grin. "My promise is still kept. No matter how it is done, I shall make your petty partner torture you in every way possible. Slip knives into your skin, chop off your limps, scoop out your eyes, and then mutilate your carcass once I feel satisfied. Then, I will bring him to consciousness, and let him see his beautiful work-"

A shaky sigh escaped him, and he closed his eyes to imagine the scene. Everyone had petrified stares upon him. He finally opened his eyes once more, and those emeralds had been polished.

"I will explain every detail of what he did, and no matter how much he denies it, I will make sure it is seared into his brain. Once that's done, I will split his skull apart, letting that precious mind spill on the ground. I do not care what happens afterward. I will carry this out. However," he inhaled deeply, and then exhaled his breath as he seemed to calm himself down, "I think I will keep you around before that final act. You look far too much fun to kill off so soon. You are fit for so many uses." That grin grew even wider upon his last sentence.

The room was in a deathly silence, and no one realized even a few seconds had passed until they all saw Natasha with Clint's arrow that he had been toying with grasped in her hand, the tip pressed against Loki's forehead.

"Shut up, you cur."

She meant it in the worst way possible, but it only made him release a hissy laugh. That toothy smile never abandoned its master's face, and he tilted his head slightly.

"Does it make you afraid, knowing what I am capable of, even without powers? Words sometimes are more powerful than actions. They say I am silver-tongued. Do you agree?"

She only responded by pressing the arrow a little harder against his head.

"I see. I will torture you for a while, now. It will make it all the more fun, I can see. Imagine, everything I could do. Everything I'd make you do." His voice then dropped to a very lower whisper, to where even she could only just barely make out the words. "You will kneel for me, eventually. Be my follower. Be mine."

She pressed the arrow against his forehead hard enough until it drew blood, and Clint proceeded to grab her ankles, dragging her off the table. She landed on the floor with a thump, and he snatched the arrow from her quickly. Her hand was still clenched in a fist where the shaft had been, and she stared up at the ceiling. She almost seemed in a trance.

Wine dripped from the puncture in the demi-god's head, slowly dripping down the curve of his forehead. It dipped in the valley of where his nose connected to his face, before going down a crack along the left side. The maroon snake slithered to his curled lips, where his tongue reached up to gently lap off the delicacy. Oh, how wonderful blood tasted upon his tongue. Metallic, bitter, fiery; it was gorgeous.

Thor grabbed his brother by the arm and pulled him up, even as they walked along, Loki tried to peer over the table at Natasha, who still looked blankly into a world that never existed in reality.

"I will lead my brother to his quarters," said Thor, in a voice that did not seem fit for him. It was unsettlingly quiet.

Clint offered a hand down to the tense body of Natasha, who finally accepted it after a painfully long wait. She pulled herself up, and soon everyone began moving out of their chairs as well. it had been a particularly eventful meeting, and as Romanoff shuffled out of the room with Clint as her guide, patiently moving along with her slow pace at her side, she pondered over the god-turned-mortal's words. She doubted he'd ever be able to accomplish the task, but his words had done something to her. Something she hadn't felt in a while.

Fear.

It was a particularly odd feeling, with that hand clenching at her heart, forcing it to pump blood quickly through her body with each squeeze. Her stomach was turned into a clown's balloon, being tied into several knots in order to make a dog for a demented child. She hadn't felt it in such a long time.

And what was even worse is that she almost liked the feeling.

Almost.