Like So Much Shattered Glass

by Batsutousai

Loki thought to break the Avengers, one man at a time, before killing them. His plans had never involved being broken in return. FrostIron-Tony/Loki

4. Chapter 4

Title: Like So Much Shattered Glass
Chapter: 4 of 7
Fandom: Marvel (movie 'verse)
Author: Batsutousai
Beta: Shara Lunison
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: Tony Stark/Loki Odinson(Laufeyson), canon
Warnings: Spoilers for The Avengers (2012) and prequel films, angst of the self-hate variety,
Summary: Loki thought to break the Avengers, one man at a time, before killing them. His plans had never involved being broken in return.

A/N: Minor spoilers for Disney's Beauty and the Beast. (Erm, if you haven't seen it, I'm ashamed for you. Just sayin'.)

Also, georgia (AO3) had a question about why I was using 'Friggadottir' instead of 'Odindottir' for Lady Loki last chapter, and though I explained it to her, I figured someone else was going to ask again – you've not seen the last of Lady Loki – so I might as well just save myself some trouble and tell everyone now:
There was this minor debate on the Avengers Headcanons tumblr about what family name to use for a daughter of Odin and Frigga, and after a bit of back-and-forth and – I'm pretty certain – some input from someone in the know, we settled on 'Friggadottir'.
So that's why I'm using that version, why I will continue to use that version, and why you won't be talking me out of it without some magic or hard evidence.

-4-

Loki woke with that same tightness in her chest that she'd fallen asleep with and immediately shifted back to a male form, as if that would help. It did help a bit – he didn't understand how real women could ever sleep on their back with the heavy weight of their breasts pressing against their ribs – but the sensation remained. Loki shook his head and looked to teach himself how to use the shower.

Clean and changed into a set of Midgardian clothing – his usual clothing was still missing and Loki made a mental note to twist Thor's arm until the elder returned everything – Loki sat on the edge of his bed and dropped back into his magic, ensuring it was recovered from his abuse of it. It responded eagerly to his call, wrapping comfortingly around him like a second skin, and he let himself drift for some minutes.

"Loki, your brother is asking after you," JARVIS interrupted.

Loki sighed and dragged himself back to the physical world. "Tell him I am well and headed up for breakfast."

"Will you be teleporting?" JARVIS asked.

Loki considered that for a moment; his magic jumped at the thought, but a day with only the barest of trickles made him cautious and inclined to save it for emergencies and Stark's tests, assuming the human wished to borrow him again. "No, I'll take the lift," he told the AI and moved to call the mechanical car.

"Your magic appears recovered to my sensors," JARVIS said and Loki wondered if it was possible for an artificial intelligence to be confused.

"Of course Stark would work his experiments into your programming," he said, shaking his head.

"It is as much a security measure as it is a way to keep an eye on your health."

Loki inclined his head in allowance of that. "As you say. And, yes, I am recovered enough to teleport, but if I am to serve as Stark's experiment again, I would prefer not to use it overmuch for things I am capable of doing without it."

JARVIS made no reply to that, but Loki hadn't really expected one.

Coulson and Rogers were seated together in the kitchen when Loki entered. They paused their discussion long enough to nod in greeting, then returned to whispering. Loki eyed them suspiciously for a moment before shrugging it off and considering the line of cereal; he didn't feel much like cooking that morning.

Armed with something called 'Special K' floating in milk and a mug of tea, Loki took his usual space at the far end of the breakfast bar. He had only just raised his spoon to take a taste when Thor stumbled into the room, bleary-eyed and his t-shirt inside-out and backwards. He took a moment to squint at Loki before stumbling over to him and dropping into the stool at his side. "Brother," he mumbled.

Loki sighed and left his breakfast for a moment to brush his fingers along Thor's shoulder, magic sparking as it fixed his shirt without Thor needing to remove it. "You're useless in the mornings," the younger commented, turning back to his food. "Why are you even out of bed?"

"Told the All-Knowing to wake me when you rose," Thor mumbled, looking for all the realms like he intended to sleep at the breakfast bar.

" 'All-Knowing'?" Loki repeated, blinking.

Thor waved a limp hand towards the ceiling before curling under his head.

"JARVIS?" Loki asked. Surely Thor wasn't so foolish that he didn't understand–

"The All-Knowing," Thor agreed.

Loki sighed and poked Thor's side, a jolt of magic making the elder jump and fall from his stool. When Thor glared up at him sleepily, Loki snapped, "Either wake up and start making sense or go back to bed, you lumbering idiot."

"You're in a poor mood this morning, Brother," Thor pointed out, obviously forcing himself to wake up.

"Was that necessary, Loki?" Rogers asked, disapproving. He stopped at Thor's side, holding down a hand to help him up.

"Yes," Loki snarled.

"I am well," Thor promised Rogers before stepping up behind Loki and wrapping the younger in a hug. Loki stiffened at the contact but didn't attempt to pull away. "Good morning, Brother," he said, resting his chin on Loki's shoulder. "It gladdens me to see you more yourself this morning."

"Get off of me," Loki muttered, shifting his arm until he could reach his spoon in spite of his not-brother's sudden attachment. "You're intolerable."

"I love you too, Loki," Thor said fondly and finally removed himself. "Is there still venison left over from last night?" he asked Rogers as he moved towards the fridge.

"Oh, uhm, yes." Rogers looked towards Loki, brow furrowed, and the darker immortal flashed him a cold smile. Rogers looked back at Coulson. "Something weird just happened there."

Coulson shook his head. "If you want to understand the idiosyncrasies of siblings, you're better off speaking to Clint. Although," he added, frowning towards the amused Loki, "I don't know that even he can explain these two."

Thor slid back onto the stool next to Loki, setting his plate of cold venison in front of him. "Heat it up?"

"Use the microwave," Loki replied.

"Please?" Thor looked hopefully towards Loki, widening his eyes.

Loki let out an irritated breath and waved heat at the plate. Before Thor could move to take a bite, Loki grabbed his earlobe and tugged on it. "Where is my clothing, Thor?" he requested sweetly.

Thor's eyes flickered towards Loki and he swallowed. "My rooms?"

Loki snorted and let his not-brother go. "Did you truly have it sent for cleaning, or was this your less-than-clever way of getting me in Midgardian garments?"

"It was clever enough to have worked," Thor pointed out. When Loki narrowed his eyes, Thor hurried to add, "I had your things sent out for cleaning, truly; Lady Pepper saw to it. She didn't have access to your rooms, so I had her leave them in mine."

"And you forgot to mention this to me last night, I presume?"

" 'Forgot' may not be the correct word..."

"Do not 'forget' to have them returned to my rooms today," Loki suggested and Thor nodded.

Others filtered in as the morning passed and Loki allowed himself to be led out and taught to use the 'foosball' table by Thor. Thor won the first two games, until Loki figured out how best to manage the line-up of rods, whereupon he decimated his not-brother. Others among the Avengers had come out to watch them play and Barton started chanting, "Thor, Thor, Thor," which was answered by Romanoff pointing out, "Loki is going to kick his ass." Which Loki did.

Loki won two more games, then stepped back to let Barton and Romanoff have a go, their heckling having become more and more violent. The group of watchers almost immediately split into teams, with Loki and Jane supporting Romanoff, while Thor, Banner, and Rogers cheered on Barton. Coulson watched them from one of the couches with a tolerant smile.

Romanoff and Barton had both won two games each when the lift dinged and Stark stumbled out, eyes wide and looking half mad. They all sort of froze to stare at each other, then Stark shouted, "Loki!" and ran forward to grab at the god.

"Stark," Loki replied, confused, and automatically steadied the human when he tripped over his own feet.

"I'm a genius!" Stark declared, tugging on Loki's arm. "You, come. Now."

"Tony, have you slept at all?" Banner demanded.

"No time to sleep," Stark replied, leading Loki towards the lift. "Genius working! Had a brilliant idea and I have to have Puff for it so I'm taking her– No, him. You're a him today? Okay, I'm good with this. I need Puff so you can't have him right now."

"Why am I 'Puff'?" Loki requested, more amused than irritated by Stark dragging him along without his permission.

Stark stopped in the entrance to the lift and gave Loki a weird look. "No, wait, Culture Week. Yes. No. JARVIS, play Puff, the Magic Dragon," he ordered before continuing to drag Loki into the lift and music came over the speakers.

Banner got into the car just before the doors closed. "Tony, you need to sleep. You can come back to this idea in a few hours–"

"No time for hours, only now," Stark declared and the lift opened on his floor, rather than the main lab. "You have to stay, Big Green. Not allowed. JARVIS, Brucy isn't allowed, okay?"

"Noted, Sir," the AI replied.

Stark pulled Loki out of the lift, grinning at Banner. "No going big and angry, Doc," he warned before the doors fell shut between them, the speakers singing something about an island called 'Honah Lee'.

"Stark, why are we on your floor?" Loki asked, looking around at the small space before the lift. There was a potted plant in one corner, but otherwise the area was a boring off-white. There were doors on either side of the wall facing the lift, and it was to the left-most one that Stark led them, which opened into a lab very much like the one upstairs.

"Not allowed in the main lab after I've been awake for over fifteen hours," Stark explained, grin manic. "Pep thinks forcing me to stay near my bed will make me more likely to climb into it. She's wrong, but at least she doesn't have to go between floors to put a blanket over my head. Least, that's what she said when I pointed out the failure in her devious plan." A metal contraption rolled up to Stark, holding a steaming mug, which Stark took with a fond smile and a pat to the contraption. "Good boy, Dummy. Oh, right. Dummy, Loki. Loki, Dummy. He's one of my helper bots."

"I...see..."

"No, you don't," Stark guessed into his mug. "But that's okay. You don't need to understand. No one understands. Now, come, this way. Genius. No, Dummy," he added to the bot, which had rolled along behind him. "Go right, you're going to get in my way. Other right, you stupid piece of scrap metal. JARVIS! Turn off Puff!"

The music cut out and Stark nodded, continuing to one of the metal-covered tables in the back corner. Loki followed him silently, looking around at the mess of half-completed machines. A couple pieces looked like parts of the Iron Man suit, and one table had what looked to have once been the new coffee machine Stark had picked up yesterday, which was now in pieces. Looking towards the smell of fresh coffee, Loki saw an unfamiliar coffee machine and deduced that Stark had cannibalised the new one to fix his preferred one.

"You can enchant metal?" Stark asked as he reached a mostly cleared table, then quickly answered himself, "Of course you can enchant metal, you turned everything into animals. Can you make this–" he tapped a box, "–fly without changing anything about it? No growing wings, I mean. Or, or... Tails. Or ears. Whatever. Magic. Go."

Loki considered the box for a moment, picking it up and raising his eyebrows at the weight of it. Shrugging, he cast a spell to allow it to float, then stepped back.

Stark poked the box with a wooden stick he'd picked up from somewhere. It shifted in the air, but didn't fall. "Cool. Can it move on its own, or does it need some sort of direction?"

"It would need direction," Loki replied. "You are trying to discover how Doctor Doom's creations move of their own will, acting more than reacting."

Stark shot him a sharp look. "You've been snooping through SHIELD's files," he said before shaking his head. "Yes and no. I know how he does it – he's got a program with directions about what to do when they run into various obstacles, including us – but I wasn't sure if it was completely the program, or if there was some sort of living part of the magic."

Loki narrowed his eyes. "Do you have one of these creations?"

"Not here. Fury won't let me bring one into the tower." Stark waved his hand in the air, uncaring, and nearly dropped his stick. "Could a program be sufficient to direct the magic?"

"It should be," Loki decided, taking hold of the box and looking it over again. "Is your programming already in this?"

Stark looked impressed. "Yeah."

Loki nodded and focussed his magic to connect with the machine components, waking everything up. The box jerked out of his hands and hovered above them, seeming almost uncertain.

Stark waved his stick at it and the box dodged. "Cool. You jumpstarted it with magic?"

Loki shrugged. "Not on purpose; it used the magic I attached to the program to power itself."

"Is it affecting you?" Stark demanded, eyes too sharp for how tired he'd appeared to be so far.

"No," Loki replied.

Stark looked towards a corner of the room and JARVIS helpfully offered, "I am detecting no further energy exchange between Loki and the bot."

"You'll understand if I don't trust you," Stark said to Loki.

"I would be insulted if you did."

Stark nodded and waved his hand for a holographic screen. He moved a few windows, then smiled at Loki. "Let me know if you notice any difference," he said and tapped a button.

Loki felt the world fall out from beneath him and he was dropping through light and then darkness, darkness, darkness, horrors beyond what anyone should ever see clawing at his mind, oozing in through his eyes and nose and Loki wanted – needed – to scream but then they would get in through his mouth and he would drink them in and everything would be lost, lost like Odin's approval and Loki's own humanity because he was a monster and did he not deserve every one of these horrors–

"Loki!" Stark's voice cut through the black madness and he was suddenly back in the lab, curled on the ground. Stark knelt before him, eyes wide with shock and fear and hands firm on Loki's shoulders, grounding him. "You back with me?" he asked, voice calm in spite of everything.

"Yes," Loki croaked and dropped his head forward, onto his knees. His magic churned under his skin, displeased, and it's only now that he realises he hadn't felt its comforting presence in that waking nightmare.

"Okay," Stark breathed. "Okay, we won't do that again. Thank you, Dummy." One of his hands left Loki's shoulder, then appeared with a mug of something sweet in front of Loki's knees. "Here. Hot chocolate."

Loki uncurled a hand from where they'd been hidden between his knees and chest. He paused for a moment upon seeing he was Jötun-blue, then took the warm mug and took a careful sip. It soothed the last of the terrors of the Void and he wasted no time in emptying the mug. When he looked back up from the empty mug, Stark was smiling at him, relief in his eyes, and Loki smiled back. "Thanks."

Stark shook his head. "I didn't expect it to affect you so much. Sorry." He rose from his crouch and held out a hand to help Loki up, which Loki accepted, pleased to see his skin back to the familiar Æsir-pink.

"What was it?" he asked, holding his mug out to the hopeful Dummy when the bot chirped and held out a claw.

"Anti-magic field," Stark explained, patting Dummy when the bot passed him with the mug. He motioned to the box Loki had put magic in, which lay awkwardly on the ground, one of its corners dented from a rough landing. "It worked on the bot about like I'd expected, but, well..." He grimaced. "Sorry."

"I would not have expected that reaction," Loki returned, brushing his nose against the lingering sensation of oozing horrors. "And I cannot guarantee that another would react the same. My life experiences have been most...unusual."

"Welcome to the club," Stark said drily, exhaustion wearing on his voice. "Do you think that would affect Thor?"

"I cannot say," Loki admitted. "He is not so much attached to magic as magic is attached to Mjölnir. It may lessen his usefulness in battle, but I very much doubt it would leave him incapacitated."

"Well, that's something," Stark decided. "I'll still run a test on him before I use it in a battle, just in case. And so he knows what it feels like." He rubbed a hand down his face and shook his head. "Okay. So, you can probably go back upstairs. I need to do some more work on the anti-magic field, but I'm not sure you should be down here for that. So, yeah. Go."

Loki shook his head. "No." He moved around the table until he was standing next to the human. "Stark, you require sleep."

"Really?" Stark demanded, looking up at Loki with disbelief. "You're actually going to do this? You– No. Okay, no. I don't let anyone tell me when to go to be–"

Loki caught Stark as the sleep spell he'd woven took effect. "There was little 'telling' involved," he told the unconscious human. "JARVIS, where is his bed?"

"The other door from the elevators, second door on the right," JARVIS directed. Then, "Dummy, Sir needs the sleep."

Loki glanced down at the bot, which was tugging on his sleeve. Dummy rolled backwards once he had Loki's attention and picked something up off another table, which he then held out to Loki. Loki shifted Stark so he could take the object. It took him a moment to recognise it as a pair of Banner's glasses, one of the arms obviously rebuilt. "These need to be returned to Dr Banner?" he asked.

Dummy's claw moved in a nod, then he rolled away, grabbing Stark's half empty mug to return it to the small sink Loki saw near the repaired coffee machine.

Loki slipped the glasses in one of his trouser pockets, then picked Stark up and carried him to the room JARVIS had directed him to. The room was mostly empty, with only the bare necessities and a small bookcase holding a line of old, worn books against the far wall. Loki settled Stark in his bed, removing the man's shoes with magic and covering him with the sheets before leaving to return to the common floor.

Pepper was just stepping off the lift when Loki stepped through the door that led to the hallway with Stark's room. She blinked for a moment, then sighed. "Please tell me you managed to get him to sleep for a couple hours."

"He will sleep for eight hours," Loki replied.

"If he told you that–"

"It is a spell," Loki interrupted.

Pepper's shoulders slumped with something like relief. "Okay, yeah, that should do it." She managed a tired smile, stepping back to let him into the lift. "Thank you, Loki. JARVIS and I have been trying to get him to sleep for almost twelve hours. Bruce called me to let me know Tony had dragged you downstairs, looking manic. I'm sorry you had to deal with him."

Loki shook his head. "Stark is not quite so bad as Thor when he's had too much to drink after a victory."

Pepper laughed. "I'll take your word for it."

Banner was waiting for them when the lift opened and he relaxed to see the two of them without Stark. "He's sleeping?" he requested.

"Loki hit him with a spell. He should be out until dinner at least," Pepper said with a tired smile.

"Thank you," Banner said to Loki. "I was going to have to send Phil down with his taser if Pep couldn't manage him."

"He'd have deserved it," Pepper muttered, shaking her head, and Banner smiled in sympathy.

Loki's eyes caught on the empty shirt pocket Banner usually kept his glasses in when he wasn't wearing them and reached into his pocket for the pair he'd put in there. "Dummy gave me these for you," he said as he held them out.

"Jesus, Tony," Banner complained, taking the pair and looking them over. "I broke these last night and tossed them – I have other pairs. He must have pulled them out of the trash in the lab." He sighed and slipped them into his pocket. "Thank you, Loki. JARVIS, thank Dummy?"

"Of course," the AI replied.

"What should we expect for dinner tonight?" Pepper asked Banner.

Loki left them to speak of food, intent on the space next to Thor in front of the television. He had no interest in whatever idiotic programme they were watching this time, but memories of unending darkness still played just out of reach and he had the disconcerting need to be close to his not-brother.

"Loki?" Thor said as Loki dropped into the spot next to him. "Brother, you look unwell."

Loki shook his head and leaned against Thor, forcefully suppressing a smile when the elder's arm came up to pull him closer. When Thor's hand brushed his forehead, feeling for Loki's temperature, he muttered, "When has that ever worked?"

Thor's hand fell away. "I worry for you," he said, voice unusually gentle.

"Well, stop," Loki returned even as he curled deeper into Thor's embrace.

"This is so disgustingly cute, I might hurl," Barton commented.

"You can certainly be hurled through the window," Loki returned without missing a beat, slitting his eyes at the archer, but not moving from Thor's hold.

"We're not breaking any more windows in this room," Pepper ordered.

"I can always fix it after," Loki said, uncaring. "It's a simple enough spell."

"There will be no hurling of persons through any windows," Coulson cut in, tone cool and just the side of dangerous. "I'm not interested in filing the paperwork, and I very much doubt that you can pull off bullet hole littered, Loki."

Thor's arm tightened around Loki's shoulders and the younger god rolled his eyes. "I shall avoid throwing people out windows, then." When Barton looked smug, Loki added, "I have far less obvious ways of punishing mortals with loose tongues."

Barton looked more than a little worried at that and Loki counted himself the victor. When no further comments about his sudden attachment to his not-brother were made, Loki let his eyes close and drifted to the sounds of the television and Thor's gentle warmth.

Loki was roused when Thor moved for lunch, though not enough for him to leave the couch. He was...content, the blackness from before vanished. Jane moved down the couch to sit next to Loki, asking, "So, what did Mr Stark want you for? Testing more of your magic?" She shared a smile with Banner, as if sharing a personal joke.

Loki shook his head. "He had created something not unlike one of Doctor Doom's creations and wanted to see how magic interacted with the inner workings." Loki paused for a moment before adding, "He also wished to test an anti-magic field."

Banner's head jerked up, concern sharp in his eyes. "He tested it while you were in the room?" he demanded even as he moved across the space between their couches to crouch before Loki. "No, don't answer that. Of course he did. I told him not to, not until he'd tested it on things imbued with magic."

When Banner reached up to touch Loki's face, he grabbed the human's wrist, eyes narrowed. "I assure you, there were no ill effects."

"You cuddled with Thor," Barton reminded him, something unreadable in his tone. "That doesn't sound like no ill effects."

"There were no ill effects to my magic," Loki clarified, voice tight. "Desist in this line of questioning."

Banner backed off obediently, and when Barton opened his mouth to comment, Romanoff caught his eye and shook her head. Jane remained a steady warmth at his side until Thor was suddenly there, a plate of sandwiches in one hand. The plate was handed to Jane as she scooted over, then Thor settled back into his spot and dropped his arm around Loki's shoulders, drawing him into a hug. Loki remained tense for a long moment, disinclined to show further weakness, but then Thor held a sandwich in front of his face and said, "I think bologna will prove to your tastes."

The meat of the sandwich was odd, but not entirely unappetising, and Loki settled in to let Thor feed him, the humans' attention returning to the television once it became clear that Loki would partake in no further conversation.

Stark finally made an appearance shortly after Banner had left them to work on dinner. There wasn't much of a reaction, beyond Pepper shooting Stark a displeased look – which he grinned at – from the Avengers. Stark noticed Loki at about the same moment that Banner came out of the kitchen. "That was the worst kind of–" Stark started.

Banner's hand landed on Stark's shoulder, smile warning. "Tony, come into the kitchen with me for a moment?"

Stark looked for a moment like he might refuse, then shrugged his free shoulder. "Sure. Also, Loki, you suck." Then they had vanished into the kitchen, leaving Loki smirking while the other humans rolled their eyes or snorted in amusement.

Stark returned after some minutes, looking morose, and sidetracked to grab a stool from the bar so he sit at the end of the couch that Loki was curled up on. "Sorry," he said.

Loki didn't stop to consider, he just flung a strand of magic at the stool, tipping it and Stark over, then set about laughing madly as the human glowered up at him from the floor.

"Loki!" Thor and Rogers both snapped, disapproving and angry. The other humans just glared at him, clearly displeased.

Stark let out a sudden snort, then joined Loki's laughter, and everyone turned to look at him like he was insane. "Yeah, okay," he said as he got up, "I deserved that." Ignoring the stool, he motioned at Thor. "Move over, Pikachu. I am sitting on this couch."

"I am capable of removing you from the couch," Loki pointed out, moving over slightly once Thor had squeezed closer to a smiling Jane.

"I don't doubt that," Stark returned, dropping into the open space and grinning at the other humans across the way. "Come on, Cap. Frown upside down and all that jazz."

Rogers' frown deepened. "Loki," he said, overly serious, "you need to stop dumping people out of chairs."

Loki flashed him an insincere smile. "I'll remember that."

"Wait, you've been dumping other people out of chairs?" Stark complained. "I thought I was special. Who else have you been– Wait, no. It was Thor, wasn't it?" Loki nodded, amused. "Okay, not hurt any more. Thor is good. As long as you're not pushing other people over."

"Not recently," Loki allowed.

Stark paused to consider that, giving Rogers the opening to say, "Tony."

"What? Really, Steve? I'm not hurt. I admit I deserved it–"

"For apologising," Rogers insisted.

"Payback," Stark insisted. "Not as cold as it could have been. And, really, I appreciate that. Because Frosty takes cold to, quite frankly, scary levels. Possibly 'I wet my pants' levels. This." He motioned between himself and Loki. "We're good. Stop being the good boy scout." He turned to Loki then, eyes glinting in the way they did when he talked about some invention or another. "So. I was doing calculations in the shower – the peanut gallery can shut up – and I ran my readings off the box against the Doombot they've got at HQ. Something's missing and I can't even– No. So. Agent Agent!"

Coulson let out a sigh. "Stark."

"Work your bureaucratic magic so Loki can look at the Bot next time we're assembled. He thinks he can tell what sort of magic is what and I want to know. No, I need to know. And I can't know unless Loki knows, and Loki needs to play to know. So. Magic."

"I will discuss it with the Director," Coulson replied without inflection.

Stark watched him for a moment, eyes narrowed, before his expression cleared. "JARVIS! I want something Disney!"

"Oh God, no," Barton complained, making to stand.

"Robin Hood," Stark said, grinning like the cat with the cream.

Barton froze, then sighed and dropped back into his seat. "Fine."

"Robin Hood: Men In Tights," Romanoff immediately insisted.

"No. Disney. I want Disney," Stark insisted.

"And I want Robin Hood: Men In Tights," Romanoff returned, looking more than a little terrifying with the smile she was wearing.

"Why don't we watch Natasha's movie, then something you want, Tony?" Rogers cut in, looking harried.

"Everyone will leave for mine," Stark muttered, pouting.

"You bet we will," Barton replied.

"No one will leave," Rogers promised, shooting Barton a frown. When Romanoff opened her mouth to speak, he insisted, "No one."

"Just...not WALL-E again?" Pepper requested.

"WALL-E is amazing. What have you got against WALL-E?"

"No one has anything against your movie, Stark," Coulson cut in, not looking up from his tablet, "We're just tired of watching it once a month."

Stark huffed. "Fine. We'll watch Pete–" He paused and turned to look at Loki, considering.

"What?" Loki demanded.

Stark nodded. "We'll watch Beauty and the Beast."

"Seconded," Banner called from the hallway to the kitchen. "Everyone come get plates of pasta, then we can start the movies."

Food was collected and they returned to the couches, Stark refusing his usual seat in favour of continuing to sit next to Loki. Thor looked resigned and Loki was probably more amused by that than he should have been.

The first film was...odd. And had a great many cultural references that Loki didn't bother trying to understand. (Judging by the expressions on Rogers' and Thor's faces, they got about as many as Loki, which made him feel better.) It did end with everyone in a better mood, however, which appeared a good idea when JARVIS switched films and Barton started moaning and making idiotic faces. He shut up as soon as JARVIS selected the 'play movie' option, before anyone could attempt to force him.

It took almost no time at all for Loki to draw a connection between himself and the Prince-turned-Beast. And, judging by the way Thor shifted, he had seen it too. And Loki wanted to leave, didn't want to watch a stupid mortal film about some human-turned-monster finding true love or whatever nonsense they were aiming for. But Thor's arm was heavy around his shoulders, anticipating, and Stark was warm against his side, something tight in the lines around his eyes that matched the sinking of Loki's stomach, the turn of Banner's mouth, the chill in Romanoff's eyes.

And Loki thought, We're all monsters, here.

So Loki stayed. He stayed and he laughed at Gaston in the mud, at the snow ball fight between woman and monster, at devious little Chip with the wood-chopper. And when the Beast was stabbed by Gaston, Thor roared "No!" at his side, hand flexing almost painfully on Loki's shoulder, and Loki was such a strange mess of happy and sad and he wasn't even sure why there were tears on his cheeks when the credits rolled, but he thought, maybe, he could get to like Midgardian films.

There was silence after the film had ended, the television still while JARVIS waited for direction.

"Suggestions?" Stark finally asked, voice too casual.

"Men in Black," Coulson offered and the humans all let out strained laughs.

"Aliens, explosions, sunglasses... I'm behind this," Stark decided.

"Do it!" Barton crowed and the technology in the wall behind the television whirred as JARVIS changed films.

Loki spent most of the film wondering about the sanity of the human race, but largely enjoyed himself. There was something about watching things explode...

Stark looked like he might suggest another film once Men in Black was over, but Coulson ordered, "JARVIS, tv off. The rest of you, go find something productive to do."

Everyone groaned a bit, but they dispersed all the same. Banner, Jane, and Stark stopped at the lab; Pepper and Coulson got off at their respective floors to work, they said; the other Avengers and Thor agreed to 'go a few rounds' in the gym; and Loki retired to his floor and his snooping through SHIELD's database.

-0-

Loki was woken by Fury's voice ordering, "Avengers, assemble."

"Is there a villain handbook somewhere that says to attack at the most inopportune moment?" Barton complained. "I mean, it's always terrible timing."

"Aw. Were you about to have a climax again, my little robin?" Stark cooed, sounding far too awake. But, then again, he'd been forced to sleep during the day.

"I will put an arrow in your eye."

"Both of you, shut up," Coulson ordered. "We've got two dragons loose–"

"Did you just say dragons?" Stark interrupted. "Like fire-breathing, flying–"

"The report says dragons; I don't know the specifics," Coulson replied, irritated. "They're on the National Mall, so it's going to be a bit of a trip. Thor, Iron Man, as soon as you're suited up, go. Widow, Hawkeye, Captain, Banner, get to the jet and take off as soon as you can."

"Understood," came the reply from everyone, serious and determined.

"Loki, meet me in the common so we can head for the D.C. headquarters. JARVIS can give you specifics once you're up there."

Loki had changed into Midgardian clothing – he made another mental note to get his own back from Thor – while listening to the orders and he immediately teleported up to the common area, leaving the lift free for the humans. "If you would, JARVIS, I will require an image of where in the building I am to teleport to. Also, an aerial view of the complex would not be unappreciated."

"The Washington D.C. headquarters is underground," JARVIS reported as an image of the capital city appeared in the air before him. It zoomed in on a naval yard in the southern section of the city. An irregular shape was highlighted in the area, partially under the river, then the image changed to a shot of a long tunnel with poor lighting and a metal door at the near end. "This is the main entrance, and likely where they will prefer you to arrive."

Loki nodded and turned as the lift doors opened. Coulson stepped out, leaving Banner, Barton, Romanoff, and Rogers to finish their way to the jet – Loki assumed it was on the roof. "You think you can get us there in one piece?" the agent asked as he approached.

Loki glanced back at the picture JARVIS had left up and shrugged. "We may arrive some distance from the door, but I will get us both there without damage to our persons." He held out his hand for the human to grab and, taking a breath, Coulson did so. Loki teleported them just as an engine started on the roof.

They appeared a good eight metres from the door, which was guarded by a group of men with guns. "My babysitters?" Loki guessed drily as he and Coulson made their way over.

"We're not inclined to take chances," Coulson returned.

"Is there a Doombot I might look at on the premises?" Loki asked.

Coulson stopped to look at his tablet as one of the guards pulled the door open. "Sergeant," he said to one of the guards, "take Mr Odinson down to Lab Five. He has the Director's permission to examine the Doombot."

"Yes, sir," the man said before motioning for Loki to go ahead of him. "Douglas, Lab Five," he ordered and one of the other men saluted before taking the lead.

Coulson remained with them for most of the journey, walking in step with Loki and looking far too comfortable in the god's presence. Loki had the urge to do something to remind the human about why he was still in SHIELD's database as an enemy, but the disturbed looks Loki's guards kept shooting the agent were more entertaining than any reaction Loki might get from acting out.

The lab room was fairly small, so far as Loki's experiences with human labs went, allowing only Loki and two other men in the room comfortably. The Doombot was laid out on an examination table, machines hooked up around it to keep track of changes in its energy patterns, as well as to examine the innards of the robot without tearing it apart.

Loki needed none of the equipment, intent only on the magic. He took a moment to consider it, not interacting, cataloguing differences between the Asgardian magic he was raised on and the human magic Doom had woven. There was the floating spell that Loki had cast on Stark's box, as well as the spells tying into the programming. There were also a series of other spells, most inert, that Loki considered curiously. Without interacting with the magic, Loki figured out a series of spells that attached to the sound and sight systems of the robot and, frowning, motioned the soldiers to proceed him out of the lab.

Out in the hallway, Loki said, "I require a direct line to Fury if you can, whoever is in charge of this base if you cannot."

The soldiers looked to their leader, the man Coulson had spoken to, and he nodded. "Let me ask," he said and took a few steps over to a phone attached to the wall down the hall. He spoke quietly into it for a moment before nodding and motioning Loki to come to him and handing over the phone.

"Loki, this had better be important," Fury snarled.

"Avengers losing?" Loki wondered, lips curled with a cold smile. "My, that must burn."

"I have nothing against locking you back up, you crazy fuck. Either tell me something useful or get off the line."

"Temper, Director," Loki warned before switching tracks, his smile and teasing tone both vanishing. "The Doombot has a magical surveillance system which is currently active, as well as a number of inert spells that I cannot dissect without activating them. I give no guarantees about what might occur to any in the direct vicinity when I interact with those spells, and it is quite likely that any outcomes could prove fatal to a mortal."

There was a long silence, then Fury said, "You're asking me to trust you with a weapon and no supervision."

"If I might remind you, Director, I am here with peaceful intentions–"

"Allegedly," Fury insisted.

Loki laughed. "Yes, allegedly peaceful intentions. I am more than willing to leave this toy active, recording further information about your organisation, yet I admit to some curiosity about this magic your Doctor Doom practises. I believe your people call this a 'fair trade'."

Fury was again silent for a long moment before saying, "Fine. Do your hocus pocus. Return the phone to Sergeant Yaks."

Loki did so and remained with the sergeant until he hung up and led them back to the soldiers. "We will be waiting behind the blast shield," he informed all of them, pointing down the hall to a fortification. "This hallway is currently empty, thanks to the early hour, so there shouldn't be any casualties if this thing goes up." He looked at Loki then, eyeing his casual Midgardian clothing, as his men started down the hall. "The Director seems to think you're either expendable or likely to survive any explosions, but if you would prefer some form of protection or for one of my men or myself to remain with you–"

"Fury is quite correct," Loki interrupted, turning to the lab, "I am both expendable and capable of surviving explosions. Concern yourself with your men, if you must show it for anyone." He closed the door between them, eyeing the robot and giving the idiot human time to get clear.

Finally, Loki closed his eyes and touched the magic of the robot. It jumped against the table, inert magics becoming active and turning violent intentions on the god. Loki just smirked at the empty eye sockets, looking through the new spells he could finally see the components of. "I wouldn't," he told the robot and, through it, Victor von Doom.

"I was under the impression that SHIELD had no magicians in their employ," a mechanised voice said.

"I am more of a...shall we say freelance magician," Loki replied with an easy smile. "I'm only called when they are incapable of discovering details with their technology." He stalked to the side of the table and the robot's head turned to follow him.

"They do not trust you," Doom said.

Loki laughed, loud and just this side of manic. "And they are wise not to."

"You could work with me. Bring SHIELD to their knees."

"And what a marvellous job you've done so far," Loki returned, voice sharp with sarcasm. "No, if I feel the need to destroy SHIELD, you'll only know about it after they've fallen, praying to me for mercy." Loki trailed his fingers down the side of the metal head, as gently as though it were a lover. "And, perhaps, if their words are pretty enough, mercy will be offered unto them." He leaned down, lips brushing against where the ear of a living being would be. "And then, little mortal, perhaps I shall bring you to begging. Would that not be beautiful?"

"I will destroy you!" Doom raged.

Loki laughed again, ducking an arm as the robot lashed out, breaking its restraints. "You may try," he allowed, then snapped the magic attaching the robot to its creator. The lifeless contraption fell with a clatter at his feet, wires sparking as metal scraped against them. He watched it for a moment, head tilted to one side in contemplation, then said, "That was unplanned," before turning and leaving the room.

The sergeant met him halfway between the lab and the barricade, relief in his eyes. "We heard the clatter. Are you all right?"

Loki raised an eyebrow at the man. "Mortals make no sense," he said to no one in particular. "The machine is dead. Truly, this time."

"Oh." The sergeant looked towards the lab while his men fell back in around Loki. "Right. Do you need to make a report? Or...something?"

"Or something," Loki agreed. "Are the Avengers finished with their business above us?"

"I don't know," the sergeant replied, turning towards where they had originally come from. "We can find out."

Loki shrugged and followed his guard detail to the main control room. There was a great deal of shouting and cursing going on, eyes riveted to where screens showed the Avengers fighting against two large lizards with wings. Dragons, indeed, Loki thought, moving forward until he was at Coulson's side in the centre of the room, his guards remaining out of the way by the door.

Coulson glanced up at him, then back at the screen he'd been staring at. "Bored with your toy?"

"Finished with it," Loki replied absently, observing the fight with sharp eyes. "This is pathetic."

"Feel free to be useful," Coulson returned drily. "Even your brother's best lightning strike didn't make them pause. Hulk managed to get a hold of one for about two minutes before it turned him into a bonfire."

Worry flashed sharp and surprising through Loki's chest and he frowned. "Dr Banner?" he asked, unable to not.

"He's in medical with second degree burns; he'll be out of commission for three to four weeks." Coulson glanced back up at Loki, expression tight with concern. "He's the worst off, but everyone has taken some hits and burns. Thor and Captain America are the best off, with their healing capabilities. If you know anything–"

"Making requests for my assistance is rarely in anyone's interest," Loki warned, watching the images on the screens and trying to spot a weakness, a way– "Idiots," he whispered, then shook his head. "I need to speak to Thor and Stark."

Coulson motioned for someone to his right and they held a small earpiece out to him, which he held out to Loki. "Do you need–?"

Loki shook his head and slipped it in, familiar with them from Barton. "Thor, Sta– Iron Man," he corrected, recalling a conversation over dinner where they discussed using their code names over the comms; Stark had a habit of using his pseudo-insulting names instead, and Thor was known to use their true names without thinking anything of it.

"Brother!" Thor returned, tired relief in his voice. "It is good to hear your voice."

"You are an embarrassment," Loki snapped.

"Brother, what–?"

"They are of fire, you useless sack of muscle. Think. How does one combat fire?"

"Water," Thor replied, confusion in his voice. "But we have no–"

"Jesus fuck," Stark spat. "We are idiots. Guys, back off. No, Hawk, don't shoot it. Thor, help me draw them out over the Potomac."

"Oh," Rogers said, and his small form on the screens slumped against a pile of rubble.

On the screens, they could see Thor and Stark shooting attacks at the two lizards and drawing their attention before flying just ahead of them, dodging fire when the lizards let some out.

"Thor," Stark said as they reached the widest part of the river, "get above and be ready to call lightning down if the water doesn't take them out immediately."

"It will hit you, as well, Man of Iron," Thor said, uncertain.

"Yeah, but I have a way to block the electricity from getting inside the suit and to me."

"Sir," JARVIS' voice interrupted, clear over the comms, "the suit–"

"Mute," Stark said tersely.

Loki's eyes, sharper than those of the average human, saw, despite the grainy images on the screens, the line of cracks along Iron Man's right arm, buried between black burn marks from where he must have been hit. And then, worry and a flash of fear in his stomach; Stark won't survive it if Thor has to use his lightning.

Then Stark was in the river, the dragons following without pause. "Thor!" Stark shouted, hurried and maybe a little afraid, "it's not stopping them. Slowing them, sure, but not– Light it up!"

Thor's form on the screens hesitated for half a second, but that was all Loki needed; taking a breath against the water, he teleported to Stark's position – uncertain, trusting his magic and familiarity with the man to lead him –, grabbed a gold and red arm – one of the dragons was reaching too close, a second from catching Stark's leg with its claw, and an unconscious spear of ice pushed it back –, and teleported them to Rogers' side, uncertain how the SHIELD command room would stand up against Stark's armour and the ton of water Loki couldn't teleport without.

"Holy–!" Rogers exclaimed as the two of them collapsed, soaked.

Loki batted angrily at the sparking comm in his ear, knocking it to the ground, then glared at Stark. "You're worse than Thor," he snarled.

Stark's faceplate retracted, revealing him to be pale with fear and wearing a shaky smile. "Hi. Thanks?"

"You have a death wish," Loki spat, standing so he could tower all the better over the fool human. "I should not be surprised; you once offered me a drink whilst I used your precious tower to call destruction upon your world. But this– You would be dead!"

Romanoff was suddenly there, getting in the way of Rogers' attempt to help Stark up. She poked a knife through one of the minute holes hidden in the scorch marks and Stark let out a yelp of pain. "You," she informed him in too calm a voice, "are an idiot. Also, damn lucky." Her eyes flickered up to Loki and she inclined her head.

Rogers finally managed to help Stark to his feet, but the turn of his lips beneath his mask was one of disappointment and Stark flinched away from it.

Thor dropped down just behind Loki and wrapped the younger god in a hug, which Loki attempted to shove out of, in no mood for his not-brother's affection. "Thank you, Brother," Thor said, managing to keep his hold on Loki through long practise. "Your assistance in finding the weakness of the dragons was most brilliant, and your courage does you proud."

Loki felt the terrifying bloom of pride in his chest even as ice filled his veins. First he was taunting an enemy of the Avengers, now he was saving them. Where have my carefully laid plans fallen to? He wanted to teleport away, to hide in solitude and find himself again where these humans were not around to crawl under his skin, past his defences. He did not want this. It was all wrong, falling apart, and he had saved them from painful deaths, from his own pleasure at standing back and watching the survivors suffer.

They were talking around him, Barton having joined up and shared his own opinion of Stark's stupidity while complimenting Thor on the light show in the same breath. Rogers had a hand to his ear, conversing with SHIELD. Thor was still holding Loki, keeping his weak knees from sending him to curl in the rubble. Romanoff was flipping a knife and smiling coldly at Barton's comments.

And then there was Stark, dark eyes watching Loki as he lost himself, ignoring the others around him. He reached out and a metal-encased hand touched the side of Loki's face. "Hey," he whispered, something like understanding in his eyes, though he couldn't hope to understand the storm in Loki's mind. "Hey."

Loki grabbed that hand tight enough that the metal creaked a warning, uncertain if he wanted to push it away or hold it closer. Everything was wrong, wrong, wrong, twisted and tilted, lighter than the Void, but just as dangerous. Where was this place that Loki had fallen into, where revenge was protection and monsters were showered with familial love and friendship?

"Brother?" Thor asked, concerned voice cutting through the fog of hysteria in Loki's mind.

Loki realised they were all looking at him, their conversations on hold, and he pulled himself back together, dropping his grip on Stark's hand and finally shoving his way out of Thor's embrace. Lies and magic held around him like armour, he smiled too easily and drawled, "I shall assume that you didn't think to check the creatures truly defeated, as you so often forget such," to his not-brother.

Thor blinked once, then winced. "Oh."

Rogers let out a strained laugh. "Thor, why don't you go do that before the agents get out there?" he suggested and the blond god soared away. "The rest of us..." he looked over his team, took in the burns and tears in their uniforms and flashes of red skin where claws or falling buildings had connected. "Let's get to medical. We can all use it, I think," he finished, touching a slow-healing burn on his shoulder, the fabric some centimetres around it gone.

Loki fell in with the humans, uncertain where else he might return to, considering he was to remain with an Avenger or his guard detail – and Norns knew where they were – and unwillingly concerned for Banner's state.

"Am I going to get shoved off another stool?" Stark asked, falling back to keep step with Loki. Rogers glanced back at them, disapproving, but Loki was uncertain if it was aimed at Stark or himself, and he didn't care either way.

"Perhaps I'll shove you out another window, instead," Loki commented absently.

"No, nope, I heard, you know," Stark said. "You're not allowed to go pushing persons out any windows."

"Off your balcony, then," Loki decided.

Stark opened his mouth to make a response, then closed it again, frowning. "Right," he said after a moment. "I won't go out on the balcony anymore."

Loki laughed, loud and uneasy with feelings he didn't want for humans he'd come to destroy. Romanoff looked over her shoulder, something knowing in her eyes, and Loki snapped his mouth shut. Monsters all, he remembered, and it was as comforting as it was sickening.

Coulson awaited them at the tunnel to the SHIELD base, smiling in relief at the sight of them. Gratitude flashed in his eyes towards Loki, even as he commented, "The Director nearly had an aneurism when you vanished."

"A pity it wasn't more certain," Loki returned, lips twisting with a cruel smile. Rogers was disapproving, again, but Barton, Romanoff, and Stark laughed, and Coulson's eyes had a hint of dark humour in them and Loki knew, Monsters.

A reminder that, maybe, it wasn't so wrong for him to enjoy these infernal, foolish humans.

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A/N: Can we talk about how the second part of this chapter just wouldn't end?

Also, Loki, sweetie, stop being so full of angst. Please?

Okay, yeah. Tired. Mad tired. I don't even know what I'm typing any more. ^.^"

~Bats ^.^x

..