Chapter 3

"Come on, /Tom/ it's not that bad." He grabbed Loki's hand and made him pet the tiger. Loki was nervous but surprised when the tiger seemed to liked his touch. "Your right. I think he likes me." Clint smiled brightly. "Do you want to go in the cage?"…

~O~

"What?!" Loki's eyes widened slightly worried, but his curiosity ended up winning, as always. "Um… well, I guess." Clint smiled and walked over to the entrance of the cage with Loki following close behind. "Great ok, first things first, no sudden movements. Slow, calm movements and leave any weapons out here. Ready? I'll go in with you."

"Okay, I do not have any weapons with me actually, so I think I'm good. You will go in first right?" He asked still a little nervous. "Right." Clint opened the cage door and stepped inside. Loki poked his head first looking around. He looked like a fool to be the god of mischief, and with his magic there was nothing the tigers could really do to him, but he wanted to make sure it was secure before stepping inside. Clint walked over to the middle of the tigers and petted one. "Come on Loki… I mean Tom."

"We are alone, you can call me by my name." He smiled and carefully stepped inside, then walked over slowly to where Clint was sitting. Clint patted the floor next to him, and so he sat down beside him and raised a hand to pet one of the tigers. "Go on it's ok." Clint encouraged him. Loki placed the hand over the tiger's head and petted him, the tiger purring a little in response. "I would like to name him."

"Go ahead."

"Would they don't mind?" Clint smiled and huffed waving a hand in the air. "They won't mind." Loki grinned and hugged the tiger lovingly. "I think I will name you… Askari." He kept petting the tiger's head and talked to him. "Do you like the name?" The tiger licked his face in response. "Ugh… okay good."

Clint laughed. "Askari likes you." Loki chuckled, wiping his face. "Yes, it seems so. You want to know something?"

"What?"

"For some odd reason I feel more at home here than how I ever felt in Asgard." He sighed. Clint raised an eyebrow at his statement. "Asgard is not a good place?"

"No, it was a good place. But I barely had any friends. Thor was the popular one. And my father never…" He gave another sigh. "Let's just say that Thor was the favorite. It was as if I didn't existed sometimes." He looked down at the floor. The memories of his home made him feel dreary and unloved.

Clint looked at him sadly. "That's ok… I get the whole dead beat father thing…" Loki glanced up at him. "What do you mean?" Clint gave him a weak smile. "My dad wasn't… exactly father of the year."

"Oh… then I guess you get what I'm trying to explain. It's just… I would like him to look at me once, not Thor, but me…" He pulled his legs up to his chest and rested his chin on his knees. "But that will never happen. I am and have always been alone…"

Clint glanced at him and gave a small smile. "You aren't alone. You got me!.." Loki tried to smile slightly. "Thank you. Nobody had cared for me this much before. And I suppose I got Askari too, right?" He hugged the tiger again.

"Right." Clint chuckled and leaned against another tiger.

"So how do I know that your mentor will let me be on the show and stay with the circus?"

"He said he needed a new member."

"Oh… I still do not know what kind of magic I can use for the show."

"We can work on that tonight when everyone's gone to sleep."

"Alright then…" Loki glanced outside the tent to the starry sky, getting lost in his thoughts again. Clint stared at him. "You miss it don't you?" Loki shook his head slightly and looked back at Clint. "No… I don't…"

Clint smiled lightly. "If it's worth anything… I don't want to be here, at the circus." Loki raised an eyebrow confused. "Why not?" Clint glanced down at the floor of the cage. "I don't like stealing."

"Oh… but if that is the case then why didn't you left earlier?"

"Because… the moment Barney and I leave, is the moment someone finds us and takes us to a orphanage and we get separated."

Loki raised a hand to pat Clint's shoulder, but hesitated and held it back. "Choices in life are never easy."

"Ya, you're right… but I guess since I've got a friend now to talk to." He smiled brightly over at Loki, as the other returned the smile. "Same I say… I think you are the first real friend I have ever had. Well, besides my books." Clint chuckled. "Ya, so won't your brother come looking for you?"

"I doubt it… although sometimes I fear he will… Heimdall can tell him where I am."

"I'm sure he'll come looking. I know Barney would."

Loki's expression changed for a moment. "Even if he comes I will not go back, he can not obligate me." Clint sighed and looked up at the sky. "I understand."

"Do you want to see something?" Loki smiled and stood up to get out of the tiger's cage. "Sure." Said Clint standing up as well.

They got out of the cage carefully and then Loki dragged Clint to a dark corner of the tent. "I think you will like this." He formed green sparks in his fingers and then made them fly around them. Clint looked around at them with a bright smile. "Loki that's amazing!"

Loki smiled at him. "I knew you would like them." Clint kept staring at them completely amazed. "Is… just… amazing!" Loki chuckled lightly. "I can make more, look." He formed more sparks of many different colors and watched them as they flew around Clint with a smile. "Thanks Loki…"

"For what?"

"Being my friend. It's rare that I get them."

Loki smiled brightly at him. "I should thank you as well, I am glad we are friends."

Clint hesitated before hugging Loki. "I'm glad you're staying I don't want to force you to." Loki's eyes widened slightly and his cheeks blushed, but he smiled and returned the hug happily. "So am I… and you don't have to, I am staying because I want to."

Clint then pulled away and smiled. "I'll show you where the beds are."

"Alright…"

End of chapter 3...