I AM SO SORRY I MEANT TO UPDATE SOONER! I really did! It's just that I've had so much else going on and then writer's block...
But here you go! As a present...my 'speculation' about Loki being posessed last chapter? I looked into it. And it turns out that I might not have been all that far off...
askcallie tumblr com(slash)post/26479665529/so-i-think-i-figured-this-out (put '.' in gaps and put '/' where it says 'slash')
So yeah. I have to go see it again and watch his eyes to see if that's the only place it happens.
Anyway, chapter 4 was being a pain, so I split it into 2 parts. So here's chapter 4 part 1.
Enjoy!
"Remind me again where we are going, Thor?"
"Midgard. To celebrate the fourth day of the month."
"Do they do this EVERY month?"
"No, just this one."
"Why? All of the months have a fourth day…."
"You'll have to ask the Captain. He's the one that insisted we celebrate it."
"Why are we in these outfits? They look ridiculous…"
"I was told that it is Earth tradition to wear 'shorts' and 'tee-shirts' on this day."
"Why does mine have to have flowers on it? It makes me look so effeminate…"
"With those legs? You cannot be serious. And it was the Captain's idea. He figured that you would appear less threatening in this 'floral Hawaiian shirt' and 'canvas hat'."
"I still think I look foolish. And can you not remove the cuffs, at least?"
"Now Loki, you know you are only getting out of the cell temporarily. Father was irritated to find that you had escaped earlier, so we are lucky that he is allowing this. Besides, only he can take them off. I have no power to do that."
Loki couldn't resist sticking his tongue out at his brother's back in a childish manner as Thor strode ahead to the dimensional gate that would take them back to Midgard. It had only been a few minutes after his escape when his brother's loud voice had given him away, and Odin had tried to lock him up again. However, after pleading from both him and Thor, who had thought to invite him to this Midgardian celebration, Odin had agreed to let him out. For now.
In handcuffs and with his magic sealed.
But it still beat staring at the ceiling and listening to the idiot guards discuss trivialities.
"So what are we to do at this 'fourth day celebration'…?" he asked, quickening his pace to a jog in order to catch up with the blond.
Thor glanced over his shoulder and gave Loki a grin.
"From what I was told…eat, drink, and be merry."
Loki couldn't suppress a smirk as he joined Thor at the gate's edge, his brother continuing to ramble about the upcoming 'feast' that they were going to.
"…all kinds of food, and celebrations all day, and a 'parade' and people lighting 'working fires' at night or something of the sort…apparently a big tradition for this celebration…and fine mead…and the best of meats prepared over fires and served fresh…"
The whole of Stark Tower had been re-decorated for the holiday in the typical Tony Stark way… over the top, excessive, and expensive as hell. The entirety of the third floor had been replaced by a full-sized swimming pool with a floating cocktail bar and a Statue of Liberty fountain in the middle.
Loki glanced around the lobby in wonder. It was full of people, all wearing shades of red, blue, and white. He had to admit that he and Thor blended in rather well with their strange clothes…
"Thor!"
Loki glanced up sharply as Tony walked up to them, wearing his Iron Man suit. However, instead of the usual red and gold, it had the American flag painted across it.
"So good to see you again, friend. And look! You even brought your brother."
Loki sent a withering glare down the bridge of his nose.
"You are just as short as I remember."
"Missed you too, Boris Carloff…" Tony muttered, walking past the two and being sure to bump Loki's shoulder on the way by.
Loki didn't have time to think up a witty retaliation before his brother was tugging him deeper into the crowds.
Above their heads a giant silver ball spun, tossing reflections of the red, white, and blue lights across the room like confetti. Streamers and balloons covered the walls and ceiling, and skimpily clad girls walked around on ridiculous heels offering blue cocktails with small, sparkling rods sticking out of them to the guests.
Other than the décor, Stark Tower looked mostly like he had remembered before the attack… save for a few new additions here and there. The elevator doors were fancier. More windows along the front. A display case with S.H.I.E.L.D. weaponry and armor in it, and…damn him, Stark had turned a section of the cracked and vaguely Loki-shaped cement floor from the old building into an attraction…
The dark haired god paused for a second to glare at two small children who were taking turns lying in the indent and plastering their faces with ridiculous expressions, playing 'dead', before Thor tugged him the rest of the way through the crowds.
Along the far wall - in a group kept partially to themselves, as if unwilling to get too close to the other guests - stood the rest of the Avengers.
They looked different in casual clothing. Less…threatening. Loki supposed the same could be said of him without 40 pounds of leather and metal covering his thin body.
Apparently they had been informed of his attendance, because none of them began attacking him or Hulking out. And thank the nine realms for THAT…
They were all situated around a small table that had been set up out of the way, a bouquet of color-themed flowers in the center, and a bar within easy walking distance. Probably Tony's choice.
His brother was greeted joyfully by the seated warriors, and he received either a stiff 'hello' or was ignored by each as they saw him. This suited him just as well, he didn't particularly feel like talking to the people who had ruined his plan to take over.
Edging slightly further away from Banner, he turned his attention to Thor's conversation.
"-and where is Director Fury?"
"Director Fury couldn't make it. Council meeting." Natasha explained, picking up Clint's glass and casually taking a sip. "He sent Hill in his stead. She's…somewhere. I think she went to get food."
Thor nodded, elbowing a houseplant out of the way and sitting down beside Banner.
Loki chose to remain standing.
"So how are things up in Asgard?" the doctor asked, specifically avoiding looking at Loki.
"They are good. Father is well, and my brother is doing much better."
"Oh yeah…much…" Natasha agreed with a sarcastic nod as Loki treated his brother to a rather murderous glare.
"How about on Midgard? How are the repairs going?"
"Well I'm pretty sure they have a team of repairmen on hold somewhere given how often this city gets leveled by Super-hero brawl-outs…most everything is back open and in one piece."
"That's good." Thor nodded, taking stock of the others – more specifically, their glasses, "Where are the drinks?"
"Bar's over there. I suggest the 'Star Spangled Scotch'. Quite tasty. And it comes with an umbrella." Steve nodded toward the bar, absently twirling the mini paper umbrella from his glass between two fingers.
Thor stood, nudging Loki closer to the table as he passed.
"Brother, sit and be social."
One of Loki's eyebrows shot right up to his hairline. Did Thor even HEAR what he just said?
Romanoff and Barton were giving his brother similar looks. Banner just looked mildly amused.
He turned to look awkwardly at the Avengers as his brother left. There was a moment of dead silence as he sized them up, and he assumed they were doing the same.
Barton looked like he was about to say something when the sound of someone clearing their throat from somewhere close beside them cut him off.
"Well hello."
Loki froze as he recognized the voice, stiffly turning around to find himself face-to-face with a familiar S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.
Coulson held out a beer with a smirk.
"Didn't know that the mighty 'King Loki' celebrated the Fourth of July."
The mischief god was uncharacteristically at a loss for words, and so instead took the cold bottle tentatively from the agent. Hel had been unexpectedly fast with that favor…
Coulson shot him a smile that was obviously hiding a threat as he moved to join the circle. "Let me tell you, though. If you try taking over the Earth again, I will tase you and watch Supernanny while you drool into the carpet. I remembered my Taser this time." He patted his pocket for emphasis.
Loki looked mildly disgusted. Stark snorted from somewhere behind them.
"Isn't that the same threat you gave me?" he asked, nudging his way between Coulson and Loki, and taking a seat next to a pretty young woman with strawberry blonde hair.
"Yes. I figure that I can deal with him the same way I deal with you, Stark…you both have similar personalities…and egos."
"I resent that." Loki and Tony said flatly, shooting a glare at each other.
Coulson turned his attention to the Captain.
"As for you, I have something. Now…if I could only remember where I put it…"
The agent busied himself with searching through his pockets while Captain America looked on with an embarrassed smile.
"Is it the trading cards? I would be happy to sign them…"
"No, no, though I would much like that as well, but I have something else for you…Aha!"
He produced a small package, wrapped nicely in star-spangled paper.
"Happy birthday, Captain."
Steve blushed deep red.
"It's your birthday?" Banner asked.
"And you didn't tell us?" Hawkeye chimed in, reclaiming his drink from Natasha with a half-hearted glare.
"Well, I didn't expect to get anything…" Steve started, rubbing the back of his head and neck.
"Wait. Hold on a second." Stark leaned forward in his seat, motioning toward Steve with his half-empty shot glass. "You were born…on the 4th of July? CAPTAIN AMERICA…was born…on the 4th OF JULY? OH this is too good…"
"Shut up, Tony." The strawberry-blonde turned to Steve with a smile, "Open it!"
Loki watched with interest as the man carefully untied the ribbon and unstuck the tape, being sure not to rip the paper, before unfolding it to reveal a small box.
The Captain removed a small pistol from the box, vintage. Setting that on the table to let the others admire it, he gingerly lifted what looked to be small silver pins from the box, unwrapping each of them from the soft white paper that they had been folded inside.
"These are…"
"Your Captain's Bars." Coulson filled in for him. The way he was smiling, anyone would have thought he was receiving the present. "We found them in the wreckage. The pistol was in a vault. Thought you would like to be reunited with them."
Steve looked up at Coulson, eyes glistening with gratitude.
"Thank you so much, this means the world to me…"
The happy, if slightly awkward silence was broken quickly by Tony.
"I still can't believe that you were born on the 4th of July…Are we all supposed to have birthdays on holidays to match our theme? Brucy, were you born on St. Patrick's Day?"
"What is-"
"You wear green on that day." Tony's lady friend explained to Thor as the blonde returned with a large glass of what Loki presumed was liquor.
"Oh, that's right." Stark sat back in his seat, waving his glass at each person as he introduced them.
"Pep, this is Thor. The demi-god I told you about. Thor, this is Pepper. CEO of Stark Industries, my current girlfriend, co-planner of this lovely tower, and main planner for this little party."
The two greeted one another as Stark downed the last drain of his Scotch before continuing. "Tall, dark and moody beside him there is his brother, Loki. The reason we had to replace the floor upstairs. And the windows. And half of the city…"
Loki gave her a curt nod, resisting the urge to take Stark's bait and start another verbal battle.
"You're the one who threw Tony out the window?" Pepper demanded.
"In my defense, you didn't hear what he said before I did."
Pepper turned her inquisitor's stare on Tony, who choked on his drink.
"Woah, Pep, hang on a minute…! You're not gonna believe him, are you?"
"Dunno Tony, you don't tend to think about what you say before you blurt it out…" Hawkeye pointed out, pouring another glass for himself.
"Just who's side are you on? Is this about the bird-seed comment I made earlier? It is, isn't it?"
The two devolved into a petty argument that Loki tuned out as soon as Tony started making bird calls at Hawkeye.
Thor dragged over some more chairs, so that he and Coulson could sit. Loki remained standing, ignoring Thor's offer of a seat until the blond started shooting him puppy-eyed, pleading looks. He sat then, if ONLY to get Thor to stop.
The conversation among the Avengers was trivial and friendly and thoroughly uninteresting to the trickster god, who spent most of the next hour watching the crowds pass by and wondering what was so special about the fourth day of this month.
Perhaps the Captain could explain to him later.
Sorry if it seemed a bit rushed. Next chapter will continue from here. Reviews are always appreciated, and thanks for reading! Happy (LATE AS HELL) 4th of July.