"We got a visit from some of your friends." For the first time since his incarceration the prisoner lifts his head to look at Coulson. "They would have killed my people if we had not been warned."

"And who gave you this warning?" the large man asks, his voice weary yet cautious.

Coulson says nothing, letting the silence draw out. Finally he says one word, "Thor."

The man's eyes go wide and he sits straighter. "Who told you my name?"

"It was on your hospital chart, so you could say it was Miss Foster. Our informant also told us, and you confirmed it."

"Who?" the man, Thor, repeats.

Coulson pauses again. The silence lets him judge Thor's reactions, while the man also becomes more frustrated each time. "You know him. He says you attacked his people not too long ago."

"A Jotun?" Thor asks. The speed of his response tells Coulson that there is at least some truth to Loki's claims. "Impossible. They have not the ability to travel beyond Jotunheim."

"Apparently at least one does."

"This is who you turn to, who you ally yourself with? The Jotun are savages!" The words are spoken without thought, words that have obviously been said for years before now, ingrained into the Asgardian's psyche. But Coulson finds the look of doubt that suddenly clouds Thor's face interesting. He only just catches the murmur of, "I thought they were."

"He wasn't the one who tried to kill my agents. He even saved a few."

Thor looks back down, his eyes flickering to the sides rapidly as he puts this information together. "They would not attack without provocation."

"My agents tried to talk to them. Even if they said something your people would see as disrespectful, it does not change that they came to earth and acted with hostility. As did you," Coulson adds.

Thor's hands clench into fists, and his nostrils flare in anger. "What would you have of me?"

Another long silence settles between them, broken only by Thor's heavy breathing. "I believe I have what I came for," Coulson finally says. He shut the door behind him, leaving Thor to his thoughts.

/

"You two took your time."

"Not all of us have technologically advanced suits of armor that allow us to fly, Stark," Clint replies lazily.

The billionaire makes a tutting sound with his tongue. "Excuses, excuses."

"It is your own invention then?" Loki interrupts.

Tony smiles brightly at the Jotun. "Of course, gorgeous." He taps the side of his head. "All came from up here."

"Fascinating," Loki responds. From the tone of his voice Clint can tell he really does find it fascinating, but there is something else there…

"The Director wants your report immediately," Coulson tells them, not even pausing his stride as he motions for them to follow. "He wants to talk to you two as well," he says to Tony and Loki.

"Yay!" Tony fake cheers.

Clint rolls his eyes, Loki raises an eyebrow, and Coulson ignores him. He opens the door to his office ushering the others inside. Fury is already onscreen waiting for them. He simply looks at Coulson and the agent begins to speak.

"Sitwell is supervising the cleanup of the site. His initial report states that after the comms went out the Asgardians demanded to be taken to their Prince. When Sitwell told them that he could not release him at the moment they grew hostile. He told them again that it was not his decision when to release Thor. At that one of the Asgardians drew a sword on him, but was stopped from harming Agent Sitwell when Agent Barton shot the Asgardian's hand."

At this everyone looks to Clint. "I made a call," the archer shrugs. He knows Fury has already seen the satellite footage by this point, and he really does not feel the need to elaborate on it.

Fury turns to Loki then. "There was a surprising amount of ice out there for a desert."

Loki raises one of those elegantly carved eyebrows. "Should I have left your men to die? I am sure by now you have seen for yourself how ineffective your weapons were against the Asgardians."

Fury growls and glares at the Jotun through his good eye. "This treaty you want, what are your terms?"

"Treaty? Are we going to war?" Tony asks. A look at the other faces in the room tell him that yes, they very well might be. He takes a deep breath through his nose, settling into a more serious attitude for a change.

"The terms are rather basic. If the Asgardian army comes to Midgard the Jotuns will come as well to fight with you. Should they push through the defense to Jotunheim Midgard will offer aid in the form of resources, such as medicines and food."

"No soldiers?" Fury interrupts.

Loki shakes his head. "No. Jotunheim is a harsh land. Many of your soldiers would not fare well there."

Fury nods and motions for him to continue.

"If there are any significant damages to property then we shall offer our aid in your rebuilding process.

"In addition, any treaties entered into with the Asgardians must have both a Jotun and Midgardian representative present to protect both party's interest. These are the main terms we will hold you to."

Fury takes a moment to contemplate Loki's words. "Those seem rather fair."

"We are not the savages the Asgardians believe us to be," Loki says lightly. "We see no advantage in mistreating our allies."

"I don't have the power to enter into a treaty with you. I'll have to bring these terms to the President."

"Of course." Loki lifts his hand and makes a complicated gesture with his fingers. A coin suddenly appears between them, which he holds out for Coulson to take. "When you have your answer simply place the coin face down."

"But there is one more thing, and this would be more for the benefit of my people than yours."

"And that would be?" The hostility is gone from Fury's voice, but his posture is still tense, showing obvious suspicion.

"Between the other realms when a treaty such as this is struck it is tradition that it be sealed through a linking of the two worlds, usually through adoption or marriage. From what I have seen it seems Midgard has a very different perception of marriage, but if this tradition was ignored my people would not understand. They would see it as a slight, as if you do not plan to take our alliance seriously."

There is silence in the room when Loki stops talking. Clint is the one to break it with one word, "Seriously?"

Loki blinks at him, seemingly confused at the question. "Yes. And seeing as I am the one being offered up for this, I do hope you find someone at least somewhat interesting."

Clint opens his mouth to protest, but Fury cuts him off. "You realize royalty doesn't have all that much power in the world anymore? America doesn't even have royalty."

Loki shrugs. "Whoever it is will first have to be approved of course, but anyone powerful and popular with your people will do."

"Gender matter?"

"Absolutely not."

"No, absolutely not. No, no, no, nope, not happening," Tony rambles. When Fury's eyes had flickered to him the inventor had immediately followed the Director's train of thought.

"Is that why you asked about gender?" Loki asks. The three humans watch in differing degrees of shock as the Jotun's features begin to shift. "I have no disagreement with wearing this form for a time if it is more to your liking."

Tony's eyes greedily take in the curves of Loki's female form before he shakes his head to snap himself out of it. "It's not the form, beautiful, believe me. I'd love to be the only guy who could actually claim to have Captain Kirked an alien, but if it comes with marriage attached I'm out."

Loki smirks as he shifts back to his original form. "And there goes all your bravado."

"Agent Barton, why don't you take Prince Loki to get a drink while Director Fury and I talk to Mr. Stark."

Clint nods at the order, and shoves himself away from the wall he had been leaning on. "You ever played chess before, Frosty?" he asks, holding the door open for Loki. "Coulson always beats me, but that's because Coulson scares the pieces into doing what he wants."