Chapter 21:
They decide to let him join.
Though it takes nearly two hours deliberation before they're able to put it to a vote. And even then, they'd been evenly divided. Three against three.
Clint had been utterly unwilling to budge in his stance against, and it seemed so too had Bruce and Tony. Thor was obviously already accounted for.
Steve and Natasha had eventually ended up able to convince Bruce and Tony of their position by reminding the two that Loki was, apparently, far more dangerous than they had previously believed him to be, and allowing him to join would at least afford them the opportunity to keep an eye on the trickster god.
"Better than having him running around out there doing God knows what and acting as our enemy." Natasha had said.
And they hadn't really been able to argue against that.
No one said it outright, but the thought of having someone against them as powerful as Loki very clearly was, it was more than a little disconcerting.
They were beginning to realize it would be no different, truly, than making an enemy of Thor. And Thor now seemed so unfailingly loyal to his brother, they couldn't be sure that wouldn't in fact happen, were they to turn Loki away.
When they'd finally called the two gods back into the conference room, it had been Steve who'd gone to fetch them. And when he'd opened the door to the waiting room outside, it was to find Loki whispering into Thor's ear, Thor laughing suddenly, loud and boisterous before reaching over and shoving against Loki's shoulder, the smaller god himself then beginning to laugh.
The sight struck the super soldier as… odd.
Everything about them… everything he'd heard about their world and their culture and just the very idea that these two were what he could only think of as aliens from another planet, he wouldn't call them gods because that was blasphemy, it all had seemed so overwhelmingly serious, so heavy in consequence and repercussion.
He hadn't thought of Thor and Loki in the actual, defining terms of what it meant to be brothers. He had more regarded it as he might have when referring to the soldiers he'd led back in the war. They were his brothers, in a way, but the relationship had always been strictly professional and, to an extent, detached.
It had had to be that way, or he would have drowned in his own sorrow each time he lost a man.
Seeing Thor and Loki though… horsing about, as his Mother had used to call it between him and Bucky, it occurred to him that, yes, these two really were brothers, and in the weirdest sort of way, it made them suddenly more… relatable.
Though he was certain the feeling would end there.
They were otherwise so completely foreign to him.
It takes a long, few moments, and Loki notices him first.
Though when his eyes shift and look up, Steve feels distinctly as though Loki hadn't noticed him at all.
That he'd always known he was there.
Only just now he had decided to acknowledge his presence.
Steve clears his throat, and he doesn't know why he feels nervous.
Thor looks up then.
"Uh, we're… we're ready for you." He says.
And the two gods stand.
They're incredibly tall.
Steve isn't sure why he's just now realizing that.
He's used to being taller than everyone around him, these days.
Standing by them… it makes him feel like he used to…
Before the serum…
They say nothing as they enter back into the conference room.
Steve moves to retake his seat, the others all with their eyes fixed ahead.
Thor and Loki this time both remain standing,
A heavy silence falls over the place.
Loki's shifting is too subtle for any of them to notice as his hand finds Thor's elbow, long fingers wrapping tight above the joint.
A precaution.
He can see from their faces they've already agreed in allowing him to join their ranks.
They're unease in the decision is perhaps more apparent, though. And should he have to, Loki will spirit he and Thor away in an instant.
Humans can be of such fickle mind, he's noticed.
Steve breaths out, unsteady, hands folding, fingers lacing together over the table as he fixes the two gods with a pointed stare.
"So, we've decided Loki can stay."
The grin which spreads across Thor's face is bright as the sun, and he turns to Loki, giving it to him.
Loki's reaction is decidedly more reserved.
He doesn't let go of Thor's elbow, his face blank.
And Thor turns back to the team.
"Friends," he says loudly, affectionately. "you will not regret this decision."
"You better hope not." Tony says flatly, eyes fixed on Loki.
Steve shoots him a glare, holding it a moment before going on.
"They'll be certain rules we expect your brother to follow Thor." He says, turning his attention back to the two gods.
"Aye," Thor nods. "we understand."
"Does he understand?" Bruce asks, nodding towards Loki.
"Perfectly well." The trickster at last speaks, voice unmoved.
Steve nods.
"That includes following orders when given." He says. "And no lies. Your private life is yours. We don't expect that you share everything with us. This is a job. But like we already agreed to, you live and operate out of this building, and we expect a certain level of professionalism out of you in return. Anything related to the job, or to a mission, anything that does or has the potential to involve any of us, you tell us about it. And you tell us the truth."
Loki wants to smirk.
As if the mortals could ever tell when he was lying, he thinks amusedly.
But he keeps the expression from his face, if only for Thor's sake, instead nodding in compliance.
He'll lie when he needs to.
Lies are essential to the survival of any race.
And all of humanity relies upon such.
He understands not the stigma attached by man to the concept.
So long as it brings no, actual harm. Lies, in truth, are sometimes necessary in sparing harm.
He plans not on betraying anyone.
… Does not wish to.
He sees not though why a good bit of mischief should be entirely off-limits.
Steve is saying something now about assigning them rooms to stay in, and Thor is requesting that their quarters be placed on the same floor, and beside one another.
"You sure you two princesses don't want to sleep in the same bed together?" Tony remarks snidely.
Loki's eyes turn to him, cocking his head to the side, expression questioning.
"If so necessary." He says.
Tony stares gape mouthed at him a moment.
"… Uh, I was joking." He says at last, not bothering to cover the unease from his voice.
Loki shrugs.
"Thor and I have shared many a bed together. If you have not adequate space to provide us separate chambers, it will not prove an issue."
Tony frowns, face pulling in greater disturbance.
Loki's brow furrows.
"Something troubles you?" He asks.
"Yeah, like, that's totally gay." Clint shoots suddenly, drawing Loki's attention to him.
His expression is only further confused.
"… Gay?" He asks. "I fail to realize the connection."
Thor clears his voice nervously, recalling Jane's explanation of the words meaning on this Realm.
"It is not as you… perceive it." He steps in.
Loki glances at him.
"Loki and I shared a bed as children. And we have found ourselves on many a journey and adventure in which we had but a single space to lay both our heads."
Loki stares at him a long moment before his gaze shifts back to the team, a near imperceptible frown pulling at the corners of his lips.
"… Is such a custom considered so odd on Midgard?" He asks, genuinely curious.
He cannot imagine the reason for why it should be regarded so, but each Realm is different in its code of standards, he supposes.
"Well I guess there's nothing wrong with sleeping with another dude." Clint goes on. "But when that other dudes your brother…"
The puzzlement didn't move from Loki's features.
"There's nothing wrong with it." Steve begins suddenly. "It's just, uh, here on Earth, people who sleep together are usually… you know…" he swallows thickly, face flushing slightly. "you know, together."
"Together?" Loki questions. "You mean comrades?"
"We mean lovers." Clint says.
Loki blinks, an actual look of surprise coming over his face, brows rising.
Thor looks down, body tensing.
His friends do not understand. It is nothing of the sort they are suggesting.
But Jane's questions regarding his brother's sexual interests keep sounding in his mind, and this is far from the ideal place to address them.
An awkward few seconds of silence falling over the room.
And then suddenly, Loki laughs.
Thor glances up at him, frowning.
"How absurd." Loki says. "To share ones bed is not to share ones body. A senseless assumption, and a clumsy, lazy mingling of different expressions of intimacy. You mortals are wont to such curious and oft witless notions."
For a moment, everyone gawks.
Silent.
And then Tony frowns.
His expression quickly shifting into anger.
And he stands, taking a step towards the god.
"I'm sorry," he started, voice laced with sarcasm. "did you just say witless? You do realize you're talking to a genius, don't you?"
Loki smirks.
"Ah, yes." He says, sounding amused. "The standard by which you measure your intelligence against the rest of your fellow mortals. Beside them, you may find yourself exceptional. And yet, on Asgard, your intellect would rate, at best, just barely above average."
Tony scoffs, brows rising.
"And you're so smart?" He asks, incredulous.
"I am." Loki nods simply. "In a way beyond your own ability to comprehend."
Tony laughs, astonished at the gods arrogance.
Even by his own standards, it seems extreme.
"Oh yeah?" He says. "Then let's see you become an expert in thermonuclear physics in one night."
Loki scoffs, rolling his eyes.
"I already have learned myself thoroughly in every sort and form of your Midgardian mathematical and scientific theory. Much of which, I did note, to be based purely on assumption, and too constrained by the limits of your kinds marginal capacity of imagination and weaker brain function. So thusly, largely incorrect. You cannot grasp beyond that which you cannot see or label, or otherwise relate back to what you already have observed or tested. And what you have observed and tested is so very small as is. You presume the laws of all else in the universe to be governed by the same principles you base your logical processes on, and can fathom not another way or possibility."
Loki's eyes narrow angrily.
"The most complex and involved of your equations are but a mere child's distraction in comparison to the intricacies and depth of magical theorem. The most intelligent of your beings can barely even begin to grasp the most basic principles of how such things work, which is why near not a single human being, in the whole history of your existence, has ever shown any capability or potential to wield the energy of the cosmos. Needless to mention then how such energy is dead within most all of you. Does not reside in even the most infinitesimal quantities in the cores of the vast majority of you. As well it should not. For such energy would be wasted on your kind."
Loki's voice is steadily rising, growing more heated and incensed, hands twisting and clutching to fists at his sides, a vague tremor beginning to work through his thin frame.
His mouth comes open, ready to continue, shifting to take a step closer to Stark. Threatening.
And then there is a heavy hand upon his shoulder, fingers pressing down in warning.
"Brother…"
Loki turns, mouth twisted in a snarl as he stares up at Thor.
"What?"
Thor is frowning, brow furrowed in concern as he says, eyes intent, voice soft and gentle…
"It is alright." His other hand comes up, grasping loose along Loki's forearm. "It is alright now brother. You need calm yourself."
Loki stares back at him, face a mask of vibrating fury, sat just below the surface, ready to burst forth. He says nothing.
Thor leans closer, whispering to him.
"Calm yourself now Loki. It is alright. And I am here."
And the room watches, stunned in silence as, suddenly as it had come, the tension drains from the smaller gods frame. His shoulders slumping, features pulling in what can only be described as hurt, forehead lining in some deep, unspoken pain.
He looks away, seeming embarrassed, hands uncurling and coming together, fidgeting.
"I…" he begins, voice near too soft to make out. "I am sorry." He says. "I am sorry, I did not mean…"
He trails off, going silent.
Thor is still grasping his arm gently.
Loki's eyes are fixed on the ground.
He doesn't look up at any of them.
"I should like to be shown to my room now." He says after a long moment, sounding small. "If… if that is acceptable."
"It is fine brother." Thor says, taking him by the hand.
He looks to the Captain, and it takes a long, few seconds for Steve to react, transfixed on the scene, before he starts suddenly.
"Oh, yeah… uh, right. I'll take you to them. Just… just follow me." He says.
Moving past, and towards the door, Thor wraps his arm around Loki's shoulders, drawing him tight against him, his other hand coming to rest atop the younger princes head.
He whispers something against his ear, before the both of them follow like that after Steve, Loki's hand reaching, gripping to Thor's tunic as they go.
It is shaking.
No one in the room says anything for a long time after the two gods have left.
Awkwardly trying to pretend nothing has happened.
Until it is at last, Clint says aloud what all the rest of them have been thinking.
"Man, are we ever gonna regret this shit."
No one says anything else after that.
/
AN: As always, thank you to everyone who read and reviewed last chapter! I can never truly express how much I appreciate it. I hope you enjoyed this one, and please let me know what you think.
Also, about Loki's rant regarding humans and magic, I'm well aware of individuals such as Dr. Strange and Dr. Doom, but, this does take place in the movie verse, rather than comics, and I'm of the mind that, Loki being a, well, god, wouldn't think too highly of any human's ability to wield magic.