Midgard was a much different place than Fandral had expected. The first time he'd come here he had not been impressed. He had not had time to be impressed. He'd come for Thor and having found him, things quickly escalated into a battle as most of Thor's adventure did. There was little time for sightseeing, investigating, or any real adventuring. Fandral was able to believe, because Thor had assured him, that the mortals had changed. That didn't mean that Midgard itself had changed though.

Midgard was actually a rather nice place once it was given a chance. It was vibrant and bustling and... very crowded. It took some getting used to, bumping into someone every two steps, being crowded together in such small spaces, but Fandral had adjusted.

He'd been hiding out on Midgard for longer than a year now. It wasn't his first choice when he'd escaped with Loki, but he agreed that it was likely the best. It was troubling that the heroes that defeated him where here, but it was the only realm that did not have regular contact with Asgard, so it was their best choice.

Loki didn't go out much. He could shapeshift, but he wasn't keen on doing so when they first arrived. Once Fandral got a better idea of how things works, once Loki had helped him to understand the intricacies of Midgard, he made sure that Loki didn't need to leave more than he wanted to.

Fandral wore an easy smile as he carried two bags of groceries up to the apartment he and Loki were sharing. He'd gotten so comfortable on Midgard, he'd been friendly with his neighbors, made friends, had a routine that often got broken by Loki, since his prince hated routines and stagnancy. It was peaceful. Fandral had never thought he'd be satisfied with a peaceful life when Thor would whisk him and the others off for adventures or hunting trips as frequently as possible. He used to feel the restlessness in his bones, would flirt with all those around him to siphon off that energy, but Midgard offered him something new.

Loki had always been smarter than the rest of them. He knew that immersing oneself in a knew culture, learning new things, could be as exciting as any battle if you let it be. Thor seemed to have tentatively learned that lesson from a woman on Midgard, he wondered if any of his others friends had, or would, learn the same.

Fandral shuffled around in his pockets for the keys, not paying much attention to the sounds around him. Midgard was always noisy, this wasn't anything new.

"Excuse me, do you have the time?" Someone asked.

Fandral glanced quickly at his timepiece before turning toward the voice. "Yes, its..." He stopped as he came face to face with an arrow. He dropped his bags and put up his hands.

"Guess your time is up," The archer replied with a grin. The expression was more vicious than it was amusing.

"Do you mean to rob me?" he asked. It was bad form to carry a sword on Midgard, so he was sadly unarmed. He really didn't want to surrender the pittance of funds that he had on him, but he would do so to avoid conflict outside his home. Loki would not be happy if he caused a ruckus.

"Think again," the archer said.

Fandral gulped. His eyes drifted to his bags on the ground. One of the oranges had rolled away and landed at the feet of another warrior, this one carrying a shield. Actually, not that he was looking, he was surrounded on all sides. There was a woman and a man in armor, as well. The pieces came together quickly after that. These must be the warriors that defeated Loki. He wondered how they had found him and if there was a chance that he could lead them away.

"Whatever you're thinking, blondie, I would suggest you not do it." The voice was strange and distorted, presumably from the suit of armor that stood behind the rest.

"I was only thinking of picking up my groceries," Fandral told them. "But I shall heed your advice nonetheless."

"Where is he?" The one with the shield asked. The captain, if Fandral remembered correctly. Loki didn't particularly enjoy telling the story of his defeat and Thor's stories had been light on the details, he couldn't name them all.

"Where is who?" Fandral asked. On the very small chance they were not here for Loki, Fandral would not be the one to give him up.

"Loki," The woman said. "Don't try to play dumb. We know he's been seen with you."

"Could you perhaps allow me to pick up my groceries and move inside?" He asked. "There's little point to standing around here."

"Answer the question, wise guy," the armored one commanded.

"How would I know that when I haven't even gone inside yet?" Fandral asked.

There was a pregnant pause and the group exchanged looks. "Alright," the captain said. "Open the door. But don't try anything."

"May I pick up my bags?" Fandral questioned.

"He might have a weapon on one of those bags," the archer suggested.

"Stupid of him to have dropped it, then." Armor man said.

"I'll get the bags," the female said. "You open the door."

"Alright." Fandral waited, staring at her until she picked up his grocery bags before he turned back to the door. He wasn't willing to let his groceries go to waste just because these warriors were here to disrupt the life he and Loki had been sharing.

He opened the door, pushing it wide and taking a step to the side. "After you or after me?"

"You first," the archer said.

Fandral rolled his eyes before walking into his apartment. "I'm home!" he called out. He went into the kitchen area, turning on the light as he went. The lack of response told him that Loki wasn't here. Curious, but not alarming. Loki didn't like to go out often, but he did go out. He spun around, placing his hands on the counter as he faced the warriors that cautiously entered behind him. He smiled. "No one home," he told them. "Can you place my bags on the counter, I need to begin cooking dinner."

Another round of exchanged looks before the woman stepped forward. She took things out of his bag one by one, scanning for weapons as she did so. Fandral just put away the things he wasn't going to use while arranging the things he would.

"Feel free to sit while you wait, but please do not go snooping around," he told them. "We enjoy our privacy, after all."

"You honestly expect us to wait here while Loki could be making his escape?" the archer asked.

"I don't expect much of anything from you lot," Fandral replied. "Well, except poor manner, perhaps. This is the first time we've met and you've yet to even make your introductions."

Only the captain showed any sign of reaction from this. "We're the Avengers," he told him. He made a round of introductions while Fandral boiled water and cut vegetables.

"Do you plan to stay for dinner?"

"We came for Loki, not-"

"So that's a no?" Fandral asked, interrupting the archer.

"No thank you," the captain replied.

Fandral mostly ignored them as he made dinner, keeping enough of an eye on them to be certain that they didn't go snooping around but otherwise staying focused on the task. Dinner had just been made when Loki returned home.

"I have returned," Loki called as he walked through the door. He could hear the falter in Loki's steps as he came through the door.

"I'm in the kitchen," Fandral told him. "We have guest."

"So I see," Loki replied. He walked to Fandral's side and kissed him on his cheek, pretending not to be concerned at the appearance of his foes. They didn't matter, not really. As long as he was close enough to touch Fandral they would be able to escape together.

"I made dinner."

"So you have," Loki said with a wry smile. "And it seems we'll be moving again! Fantastic."

"You're not going anywhere, Loki!" the archer cried. "We're taking you in!"

Loki opened his mouth to speak, but Fandral interrupted him. "Dinner first. I won't let all this effort be wasted."

Loki smiled softly at him. His hand dragged across the counter, quickly scribbling complicated patterns that Fandral assumed to be a shield. "I'd hate to let your hard work go to waste." Loki reached into one of the drawers, all the Avengers got to their feet at the action, and he removed a fork, lifting his plate into his hands. Normally Loki would hate to eat standing, but he wasn't about to take his eyes off of his enemies.

Fandral smiled at the others. "I would have made some for you, but you lot declined my offer."

"No way," the archer said. "We are not standing here while we watch Loki fucking eat!"

"Clint," the woman, Black Widow, spoke in a low warning voice.

The warning went unheeded. The archer fired an arrow and it bounced harmlessly off of the shield that Loki had erected earlier. This caused the Avengers to become even more defensive. It put Fandral at ease.

"I don't plan to be attacked in my own home," Loki told them.

Fandral smiled as he went to his own plate and began to east. It's been a long time and he didn't realize how much he missed seeing Loki at his best. There was little more satisfying than the rush that always came when they gained the upper hand because of Loki's tricks, when they pulled off one of his strategies beautifully. If his sword were near he would be willing to fight by Loki's side, he was willing to do so even unarmed but he knew that Loki would worry twice as much if he did.

"So, Avengers," Loki said. "Did you want anything other than to make demands and interrupt my day? I haven't attacked anyone. I'm not sure how you noticed me at all, honestly."

"Facial recognition," Armor man, he corrected his thoughts to Iron Man but Armor Man made more sense to him, said. "I lie to have Jarvis keep an eye on things and he noticed you."

"Ah," Loki said. "I'll have to keep that in mind next time."

"There isn't going to be a next time, Loki," Black Widow said.

"One can only hope," Loki agreed. He turned his back to them and held out a hand to Fandral. "I'd rather continue the life that I have made here, so if you would be so kind..." Fandral intertwined his fingers with Loki's. "Do not bother me again."

Fandral closed his eyes as he felt the earth drop from beneath his feet. It was the second time he'd dropped everything to flee with Loki, but it was much easier this time. Fandral suspected he would never have difficulty dropping everything for Loki again. Loki was more important to him now and he always would be.