A/N: Why hello! Thank you for reading. There are some things that need to be cleared up. As pointed out by a reviewer-Ty-Loki is indeed the god of tricks and lies. He is not the god of chaos, which I spelled incorrectly too, he is however the father of the three beings of chaos and my dysfunctional brain mashed the god part and the father of chaos being part. Hence the title change. I promise I do know my norse gods. So if Ty is reading thank you for pointing out that mistake.

To Platina: I don't write slash fiction so this story wont go in that direction. I'm sorry to disappoint, hope you'll still read though! However maybe if you squint really hard you may be able to infer such things. Maybe.

To me (the guest not myself): You'll just have to see. :).

If there was one thing Loki hated most in the universe, it was a near death experiences. They hardly came for the immortal but the rare few times they had were unpleasant. Like getting turned into a demigod pretzel by the hulk unpleasant. Thor usually laughed when he talked about his utter distaste for such experiences, but then again Thor always laughed at him. What peeved him the most about almost dying was just as he was resigned to his fate and even excited to see his daughter again after so many centuries of estrangement; life would come and wake him. It wasn't a gentle wakening either, more like having a thousand small puncture wounds and then being immersed in acid. So when the trickster opened his eyes and realized he was alive, he wasn't exactly jumping for joy. His throat hurt terribly and every muscle throbbed.

"Try not to move. The poison has not yet eradicated itself from your system." A deep familiar voice told him. Loki tried to grasp at what the man had said but he was still disoriented. After a few long moments with his labored breathing as background noise, past events started to flood his mind. False guard. Dark cell. Choking. The demigod jolted upright, pain however protested and darkness tugged at him. He steeled himself, though, not giving in to unconsciousness. Strong hands gripped his shoulders steadying him.

"I told you not to move." Loki relaxed as much as was possible when he met the eyes of Asgard's gatekeeper.

"Heimdall."

"Loki."

"…where are we? How did I get here? The Chitauri are they following… Thor! An-and fath- Odin, do they- are they aware…" An authoritative hand went up silencing the younger god. Heimdall stood. The gatekeeper broke eye-contact looking around them, Loki followed suit. They were on a mass of rock amongst a sea of different pieces of jagged rock, which probably made up the surface of a planet when pulled together.

"I have never seen you so flustered son of Odin and there aren't many things I haven't seen." The god looked down, his brow raised in question. His companion remained silent. "We are currently in the Jotunheim's planetary debris from when the bifrost wreaked havoc on it." Loki swallowed thickly. "You are here because this is where I brought you. The impostor guard has been taken care of and there is no one is following. No one is aware of what has happened."

"I am not a son of Odin." The trickster corrected. A flicker of amusement passed over the gatekeepers face but quickly returned to his stoic demeanor. "Why are you helping me?"

"For the same reason I did not speak at your trial. Why are you insistent that no one knows the truth?"

"I have no way to prove it and they wouldn't believe me solely on my word."

"They would have more than just your word."

Loki choked out a bitter laugh. "They would accuse me of manipulating you. Odin and his house can be very resilient, you know that."

Heimdall arched a brow. "I do. But no intelligent being could ever believe you manipulated me."

"Oh? Why's that?" He asked raising a brow of his own.

"My dislike for you is not what one would call subtle." Despite himself, the demigod smiled. "You need to hide, and I know of a place where the Chitauri would not think to look for you." That wasn't possible, no matter where he went they would always find him. However the smallest part of him hoped.

"Alright Heimdall. Where am I off to?"

"Midgard. Before you protest, think about it. The Chitauri think you are a vain god, and no vain god would ever return to the place of their latest failure. If you are worried that people will remember you, simply disguise yourself. The humans will not notice if you live life quietly." Loki touched the tips of his fingers together, brow pinched, thinking it over.

Finally he let out a heavy sigh. "Yes, I suppose your right." Then he noticed his still bound wrists, and remembered. "You said the poison wasn't gone from my system, should I be worried? And my bindings surely I can't go to Midgard in chains."

"The poison should leave your system within a few days maybe a week, there is a large amount in your system. As for your chains." Heimdall raised his sword and cut them loose. Leaving the shackles still on the younger god's wrists with his magic still bound. "It is best that you keep your magic suppressed, they might try to track it. Keep a shackle on at all times. Unless a dire need arises for you to use magic. Here is the key." The gatekeeper handed him a small block like key on a chain. He tucked it away in his pocket.

The orange eyed god took out the tesseract from the fold of his robes and began to pulse his magic into the orb. A portal formed above them. Loki could feel it tugging him upward while his companion remained firmly standing the piece of land they were on.

"I suppose this is farewell Loki. You never know, you may find redemption on Midgard like Thor before you."

"I'd rather not follow in Thor's footsteps, Heimdall. Farewell…and, um, thank you." With that Loki was taken up in the portal with a flash.

Over the years of being a hero, Tony had gotten used somewhat used to the unexpected turns of life. There were somethings however that still surprised the crap out of him. However these last few months in Manhattan had gone along quietly, in a crime-fighting sense. The big apple had undergone rigorous reconstruction after the alien invasion. There were only a few places left now that had any indication of that battle. All the while he had gotten used to his routine, which consisted of working, science with Bruce, spending time with Pepper, and lunch with the guys when they could all make it. The only unexpected event that happened recently was the early morning arrival of Steve and Clint.

"Couldn't you guys have picked a more decent hour to come over?" Tony asked gruffly, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"Our deepest apologies tin man. I should've asked our enemies if they were willing to start shooting at us at more decent hour. Maybe then they would've stopped attacking us in the middle of the night." Clint shot back, consuming a mouthful of pancakes.

"Shut up Legolas or I'll take away your pancakes." The dark haired man threatened.

"Enough boys. Besides if we hadn't come by while we were in the neighborhood please tell me you wouldn't have been melodramatically hurt about it." Steve cut in, a small smile touched his lips. The scientist responded with silence, because, in all honesty he didn't mind them dropping by despite the early hour.

"Alright cap, you've got a point. Although I resent that melodramatic comment. In other news, have you thought about my offer to come live-" A sudden flash and a deafening crack cut him off. The archer and captain immediately ducked behind the table and Tony filched back near the counter, although conscious not to spill his coffee. There was a loud thud, something heavy fell on the floor of the lounge.

Heart racing, the billionaire was the first to uncurl from his hunched position. He began to take slow tentative steps towards the lounge with his fellow heros following behind. There was a figure laying there, spread eagle, seemly unconscious. His-because Tony had quickly deduced he was a man- thick black mass of hair covered most of his face. Just as they made it to the back of the couch a few feet from him, he began to stir. The man let out a pained groan and began to sit up, a hand brushing back his long mane. The billionaire's mouth went agape and his companions tensed behind him.

"Loki." They all said in shocked unison. The green eyed god looked up at them an expression of confusion over coming his features. Heimdall what did you do!? He wondered, panicked.

"While I glad you all remembered my name, I have to say it's kind of creepy that you all said it at the same time. Did you practice?" His effected tone was light, nonchalant as opposed to his growing concern and confusion.

"Yah. We were practicing all morning."

"Tony, I don't think this is the time for sarcasm." Steve said stepping forward, positioning himself in front of him. The action was not lost on the scientist and he couldn't help but feel grateful. He had been on edge ever since that battle with aliens and while he never expressed it he had a feeling the soldier knew.

"Right. Sorry cap, nervous habit." Came the sheepish response. Steve nodded ever so slightly to him.

"What are you doing here Loki?"

"I was wondering the same thing myself."

"Cut the crap antler boy. I don't know if you remember but we're friends of you brother." Loki flinched, everyone was Thor's friend but why did that automatically and inadvertently mean they were his enemy? "And we would be happy to call him down and have him haul your sorry self back to Asgard."

"Thor cannot-"

"Guys! Is everyone alright, I heard this loud…" Bruce walked in hurried steps but stopped when he laid eyes on the demigod. "Loki?"

The man in question let out an exasperated sigh. "Good, now that we've established who I am, can we move on?"

"Sure thing pal. Bruce sick him." A flash of panic crossed his features and he slowly began to inch back. Bruce took a step toward him fists clenched, eyes turing green. He was too weak to get up and even if he could, he'd be too weak to fight the hulk.

"Wait." Clint spoke for the first time. He had remained silent through the exchange staring intently at the trickster trying to sort out what exactly the threat was. If Loki's back does that mean… He didn't have it in him to finish that thought, so he left the implication hanging in his mind. The archer walked past Bruce, who shot him a questioning look, and knelt in front of Loki. "What happened to your neck?" The question drew the attention of the other three to his heavily bruised neck.

Before the trickster could answer Tony spoke, "What does it matter Clint? He's the bad guy, and why are you being so friendly about this? He brainwashed you remember? Forced you to fight your own.e"

"Look Tony, this is more complicated than you make it out to be. Do you trust me?" The question hung in the air as he looked to his three friends. They slowly nodded in the affirmative. "Then believe me when I tell you Loki isn't the super villain everyone thinks, and I wasn't as brainwashed as it seemed."

"Um, I'm confused. If you weren't being mind controlled by him, does that mean you willingly killed those S.H.I.E.L.D. agents on the helicarrier?" Bruce asked. Clint shot him a look that could shattered Steve's shield.

"Every person that survived on the helicarrier was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Every person we killed an impostor. A complexity of going up against shapeshifting aliens." Was the gruff reply.

"What about Phil? He killed Agent Coulson!"

"No I didn't."

"Like hell you didn't. Thor saw you stab him through the chest."

"That's because I did."

"Well I don't know how it is in Asgard but humans usually die after being stabbed in the chest."

"I am aware of the limits of the human body."

"Then you killed Phil!"

"Tony I think you need to calm-"

"No Steave, just no. I refuse to take this idiot's shi-"

"I healed Coulson right after. A slight of hand. His injuries were surface wounds at best."

"But Fury said-"

"Fury has lied to you before has he not?"

There was a breath of a pause.

"Then where the hell is Agent Coulson?"

"That, I do not know. I do know that the only way your Coulson could have died is if he lost the will to live, which from our brief encounter I doubt that is the case."

"But-"

"Tony enough. And Loki I'm about up to here with your sass. I think the reindeer here would be a bit more comfortable not on the floor." Clint said turning his attention back to Loki and then said in a lowered voice, "There are questions that need to be answered Loki. Also if you don't want Bruce here to turn you into his personal piñata stick then I suggest you give tell them what's up. Can you stand?"

"No."

"Why the hell not?"

"The poison in my system has weakened me considerably."

Clint's brow pinched with concern. "Poison? Shapeshifting aliens? Coulson's apparently not dead and Loki's not the bad guy. What is going on?" The out burst came from Tony. He was ignored. The archer slinked alarm around Loki, who tensed at the contact, and helped him stand. Slowly they walked over to the couch and the demigod dropped heavily onto the soft cushion.

"Well, kids, it looks like Loki's got a story to tell us." Steve said after a while, sitting on an adjacent couch.

"I suppose if I must." Loki responded wearily. Tony sat on the other end of the couch the captain sat on, with Bruce in between.

"Yes you must. It better be a good story too, boring stories put me to sleep." Tony said.

"Of course Stark. I wouldn't want to bore you."

"I like romances." The comment came from Bruce and everyone turned to stare at him. He shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm just saying."

"Good to know…" Clint responded slowly trying, to process the information just presented. "You really don't seem like a romance kind of guy." The old soldier cleared his throat, grabbing everyone's attention and then gave Loki a pointed look.

"Ah, yes where should I begin?"

"How about at the beginning?"

"Alright. I was born in the cold, desolate realm of Jotunheim-"

"No. Fast forward a bit."

"When Thor and I were about a century old we went on one of our first adventures, which consisted of Thor dressing up like a princess and I disguised myself as a horse."

"Loki! Get to when you invaded Earth… However I would like to hear about Thor dressing up like a princess later."

"Alright, alright. I was captured by the Chitauri shortly after I fell through the wormhole…"