Loki could hardly walk, but Steve helped him.

The Asgardian was leaning on the blonde, who had a hand on Loki's waist to hold him up. Part of him was scared that somebody would see him walking down with a terrorist, because he wasn't just a person, he was an Avenger. He was supposed to be a symbol of all that was good, a symbol of everything good of America. And not be helping terrorists, but stopping them instead. On the plus side, there was little chance that anybody recognized Loki in his current state. If everybody looked they would only see the Captain of America helping out an injured hobo.

So, no problem, right?

Loki was still cold and his head was still on fire. He didn't know if he was walking into a trap. Most probably. But it couldn't get much worse, right? He'd been punched in the face by a mortal who'd wanted to fuck him. He really doubted the soldier out of time could do much worse. They weren't very far from Steve's place, but to Loki, the way was eternal.

When they finally got there, Loki collapsed onto a couch and almost fell asleep right in that moment. Something soft, at last, after so many days on the hard ground. Even prison had been better than those horrible homeless days. And feeling the wounds slowly infecting, and hearing the insults, and getting dirty. Every day more dirty. And the Captain's place was not luxurious, but at least it wasn't as cold as the street. He closed the eye he could still move. It was so welcoming, the darkness - but a voice stopped his thoughts.

Of course, he wasn't alone. Shouldn't forget that so soon.

"Loki, I... perhaps you should clean yourself a bit before sleeping, don't you think?"

The god looked up, surprised. The Captain seemed serious about it, and had some clean clothes in his hands. Could this be true? Where was the tricks? Was Rogers going to call the police while he was cleaning himself?

"Here, let me show you where the shower is."

Loki went there, with hesitant steps. He breathed heavily while the mortal showed him how to operate the shower. Water. He was going to let him be cleaned. For real.

"... you understand?"

There was a lone tear falling from his good eye. This felt like such a luxury, after his time on the street.

"Thank you, Captain. You are a good man."

Steve smiled. He hadn't seen gratitude like this in a long time, despite his line work including saving the world. And he had only offered the guy a shower. He wondered what kind of hell he'd lived since he got to Earth. It was probably better not to know.

"Ok, I'll leave these clothes for you to change and leave you to it. Enjoy your shower."

And so he left the room.

He felt strange, leaving Loki alone in his room like that. But he doubted he would do much damage - and whatever he did, he was prepared. He had his shield ready, his fist, everything. Plus, Thor had been in London and there hadn't been any Loki incidents on Earth. He counted that as a plus.

But if Loki was planning something, he wouldn't get Steve easily this time. He was a good Samaritan, yes, but everything had its limits. There was a line that shouldn't be crossed. A line of evilness. But that seemed to be on his thoughts in that moment.

Loki was enjoying his shower immensely. He took away all the dirt that had gathered with the days. The heat of the water cleansed away all his self-hatred, all the disgust. No more dirty homeless unidentified person. No more. He was back to being Loki.

When he came out, Steve saw that Loki looked like a different person. More like him and less like the crazy hobo that was on the street. Not only he was cleaner, he seemed also suddenly taller, more determined. He knew who he was again. A god, even without his powers. Someone important.

You could see better that it was him, even through the swollen face and the cuts and bruises. But the signs of who he was were there again: the shining black hair, the marble skin, the posture. He was limping, yes, but he was back to being himself. Criminal crazy Loki. He looked at the Captain with his good eye, proud, dignified. He was not going to be cornered again, treated like an animal. Not going to be led into a trap. He was Loki, of Asgard, and he still had some tricks on his sleeve - and now he had sleeves again. The clothes Steve had lent him (a light blue cotton shirt and some black pants) were baggy on him, but he wore them with grace.

Steve wondered what he had gotten himself into.

"You look much better." he said, with a small smile.

Loki smiled right back.

"Captain, I had never realized how luxurious hygiene can be. Never take it for granted."

"I don't."

Steve had been an orphan in the 1940's and then he'd been at a war.

He knew what was to be dirty.

He knew he should be grateful for every shower.

Loki looked around, as if uncomfortable, and then looked determined at his savior.

"Now, this has been lovely and I am profoundly appreciative of all your help, but now if you could show me to somewhere to rest I would be most thankful..."

Steve smiled. He'd been suspicious when Loki started talking, but now he saw that the guy only wanted a bed. People's necessities were universal, a you could be a royal alien that you needed a bed all the same.

"Not before I patch you up a bit. I'm not gonna let you ruin my sheets with all those bleeding wounds."

Loki was reluctant. Every time mortals touched him, they left wounds. He specially didn't want people touching him after the terrible incident with the man in the car, who had touched him so much. So much and so enthusiastically, with smelly, dirty hands. He had been so grabby reaching places of Loki that were always supposed to be private. He had touched him as if Loki was his property - as a toy to be played with. He remembered the man's sweaty touch and shivered. He had barely escaped. It disgusted him - made him nauseous.

At least the Captain seemed cleaner - and more honest. But still, he didn't want to be touched.

He also didn't want to be so helpless, at the mercy of a former enemy that could do with him as he pleased. He wanted to be stronger. But the man that had given him shelter had super-human strength, while he was even weaker than a regular mortal, plagued by disease and injury. The shower had invigorated him, really, but the thumping headache and the fevered flush remained there. Knowing that he was in no condition to fight, Loki let the Captain do as he asked, but keeping his guard up. He walked with the Captain, trying to ignore the pain shooting up from his leg. You're better than this. Don't let him see you as an easy prey.

Steve knew he wasn't supposed to be doing this, knew he shouldn't give shelter and show kindness to an enemy - knew that if the roles were reversed he wouldn't have any help... (Or would he? This Loki seemed much more complex than the one they had once fought.) But he liked to think that he was better than that. And he liked to think he had a mind of his own, even if people treated him simply as the embodiment of a flag, of some pre-made old values - but he was more than that. He was Steve Rogers, and sometimes he could be unexpected.

He directed Loki to his small kitchen, where he had his first aid kit ready. He showed the god to the chair in front of his own and sat, while Loki continued to look suspicious from his good eye. It was logical. Just letting someone shower doesn't build a lot of trust, and Steve wasn't his friend, wasn't his ally.

The soldier started disinfecting the wounds, since Loki had done a wonderful job of cleaning them in the shower.

"So, Loki...What did you do to get punished like this?"

"I…. I impersonated Odin for some months, while keeping him locked up." Loki admitted, too tired to concoct a flashier lie.

"Just that?"

Steve had been expecting some massacre, some war-starting incident. Some murder, at least.

Loki drew a small smile, despite the disinfectant liquid stinging terribly in each of the wounds when Rogers applied it. God, how could these mortals leave all their lives with such flawed bodies? Ugh. He went back to the conversation.

"Nobody complained of my work as king while they thought I was Odin… but they did when the truth came to light. I do have a bit of a bad reputation among Asgardians."

"And that made your father angry." Steve continued, trying to distract the other man from him disinfecting his wounds - it had to be hurting like hell, but Loki hadn't moaned or complained. Not once.

"That man is not my father." There was a distant look in his eyes. Bottled up feelings. Destructive thoughts about oneself and others. Resentment. Depression. It was obviously a delicate issue. He continued talking. "But yes, I should have probably known by now that I shouldn't anger him... But what can I say. I have always been an agitator."

Steve smiled. It was a nice feeling, even if he tried to deny it, going against the establishment. Even if he usually was with the rules and governments, he had rebelled a few times in his life and remembered the sweet sensation it left.

"And how is Thor?" Steve asked because Thor had been in his team and had seemed a good guy.

A warrior, like him. Someone out of place, like him.

"He's doing some space jumping with his lady. I can show you the world, I can show you every world." Loki said, mimicking his brother's voice. "You know how these gods can be when they're trying to impress a lady."

Steve smiled, again. The guy was being so nice... and after all he'd been through he still had a sense of humor. It was admirable. He didn't look like he belonged in jail. But he did have a reputation of being extremely smart and good with words, maybe he was just messing with his mind. Rogers made a mental note not to forget who he was dealing with.

Then there was silence, but it was a nice companionable silence. The kind of thing you never got with Stark, because he was ALWAYS talking. Jesus. But Loki seemed to appreciate silence almost as much as he did.

He bandaged some of the wounds (carefully, oh so very carefully, as if afraid to break the other man) and put some cream on Loki's swollen black eye. That was all he could do.

"I'm sorry I don't have any antibiotics or something. I've just never got any infections since the serum."

Loki didn't seem to understand too well. Probably because he was tired, and dizzy and his head felt on fire. Following the conversation with Rogers had been a huge effort.

"Medication. For your illness." The Captain explained. "But I'm sure a long night's rest will do you much good."

Loki's face lit up at the prospect of sleeping.

They stood up and the Captain showed him to a bed. The Guest room, finally being used. Loki was happy - the happier he'd been since he arrived to that hell hole of a planet. He looked at his savior, grateful.

"Thank you for helping out this crazy hobo, Captain, you have been most kind. You have offered me dignity when the rest of the world forsook me. I thought you boring and simple-minded, and you have proven me wrong. I shall not forget it."

Steve smiled, feeling proud of himself.

"Don't mention it." He left, but after a while, he returned.

The soldier watched Loki for a while he slept, peaceful.

He knew he had to be careful. Not get attached. Remember his crimes. Or else he would end up not wanting to turn him to the authorities - ever.

A/N: Chapter two. More Loki whump and Steve/Loki friendship to come! Reviews brighten my day ^^