"We can't just re-seal it and pretend none of this ever happened."

"What do you suggest we do, then? If three hundred and twenty-five layers of state-of-the-art security didn't catch him in the act, nothing will."

"That's exactly my point. If we don't know how he un-sealed it or what to look for, we can't stop him from doing it again."

Clint leaned against the wall and listened to the conversation in silence, keeping his arms crossed and his expression blank. He examined every member of the team and their body language, both as individuals and as they interacted with each other. He knew what he wanted to say, but he was waiting for the right moment; he was waiting for a cue, so to speak, and his audience wasn't being very cooperative.

"I… understand if you want me to return him to Asgard." Thor stared at the floor, running his fingers lightly along the edge of his slowly healing burn marks. "Asgardians can monitor his magic in ways we cannot. They will be able to keep him contained until he is taken to face his punishment."

Tony shook his head immediately. "We're not doing that."

"Why not?" Natasha arched an eyebrow. "If we can't contain him, he could become a threat. If anything sets him off, angers him, or even scares him, he could take out the block, and we have no way of stopping him."

"We are not sending a man away to be tortured," Tony shot back.

Natasha sighed. "I hate to tell you this, Stark," she didn't sound all that apologetic, "but every government in the world has and will again, at some point, send someone away to be tortured."

Tony braced his hands against the table and leaned forward, his normal nonchalance completely absent as he stared Natasha down. "Your point? I don't care how many people do it, it isn't right."

"But putting thousands of people in danger to protect your conscience is?" Natasha, ever-calm and level-headed, paused before continuing in a slightly softer tone. "I don't like it either, Tony, but what else are we supposed to do?" She spread her hands slightly. "We obviously can't contain him or outsmart him. He's proven himself in a lot of ways, but not enough to be trusted with that kind of power. He would have free reign of the planet, and there would be nothing to keep him here or make him participate in therapy and street work."

Clint turned his head at this, directing his attention the far end of the table.

Bruce was staring down at his lap, trying to keep his eyes brown and his breathing even. Given everything that had happened, Clint was amazed Bruce had managed to keep himself under control, but they couldn't exactly exclude him from the discussion. Still, they might wind up taking a couple breaks before a decision was reached if Bruce kept walking the fine line between man and monster.

"You don't know he would hurt anyone," Tony snapped.

"You don't know he wouldn't," Natasha replied coolly.

"He would." Bruce spoke softly, not looking up from his lap and breathing deeply between phrases. "He's too volatile right now. He's confused, and conflicted, and angry, and scared, and..." He sighed and shook his head, rubbing his face. "Even if he doesn't want to, and even if he tries not to, he's going to lash out eventually. Someone will get hurt when he does."

Tony started to object, but he didn't get very far. "Bruce—"

"Dr. Banner speaks the truth." Thor swallowed thickly, still staring down at his feet. "I do believe this arrangement has helped Loki greatly, but it has also exposed parts of himself that he buried long ago. I do not want him to return to Asgard, but I do not want him to react in self-defense and take things too far."

"Exactly." Natasha leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest, frowning as though she were conflicted, though her words said otherwise. "He protected us with his magic, but he obviously didn't mean to do it. It was instinctual. Loki is jumpy and distrustful. What happens if his instincts misinterpret something, and he reacts without thinking? Even if he doesn't want to attack anyone, innocent people could still get hurt."

"Not to mention," Bruce started, rubbing his face again, looking exhausted in more ways than one. "If Loki really has improved as much as we think he has, hurting innocents unintentionally could damage him psychologically."

"So, what, we're just gonna abandon him?" Tony looked at the three in turn, running both hands through his hair. "Can't we just—I don't know, get someone from Asgard to give us that magic-detecting technology?"

"I don't think we should take his magic."

Clint turned his head to look at Steve, the faintest of smiles pulling at the corner of his mouth. Everyone else stared, silence settling over the room as they all, even Tony, waited to hear what their leader had to say.

"Not all of it, anyway." Steve cleared his throat, putting his hands on his hips and feigning a calm demeanor to hide his uncertainty. "I know I've had trouble being professional about this situation from day one, but hear me out."

They did, and Clint knew the cue he had been waiting for was right around the corner.

"When I found Loki…" Steve inhaled and exhaled slowly, "…I gave him a chance to escape."

"You what?"

"I said hear me out." Steve glared in Tony's direction. "I threw my shield on the ground and put my hands up. I invited him to kill me. He didn't, but the first words out of his mouth were, 'If I surrender, you'll take my magic.' I asked him what he wanted, his magic was the first thing he said; freedom came second." Steve looked around the room, and Clint could only imagine how torn he felt. "I know we can't let him have all of his magic, but… I don't think he was unlocking his magic specifically to escape. I think he just really wants his magic back."

Finally.

"False." Clint stepped away from the wall and approached the team. "I didn't say anything because not everyone is as good at compartmentalization as me and Natasha, but Loki has been unlocking his magic for months."

Tony threw his hands up and shouted. "Is there anything else I should know before we end this meeting? Is there a world domination plot I don't know about? Natasha, are you actually a woman? Is Steve secretly working for H.Y.D.R.A.?"

Clint ignored him. "Back in December, I realized Loki found a way out. I didn't know how, but I knew he had some kind of plan in motion. I told Natasha about my suspicions, but I wanted the rest of you to keep acting normal around him."

"Barton, you should have told me." Thor stood up, an old, familiar rage lighting his eyes. "I could have prevented this. I could have taken Loki back to Asgard and—"

"Keep your pants on. I'm not done." Clint glared just enough to silently tell Thor to back off, and then he returned to nonchalance with a shrug of his shoulders. "I've been watching Loki like a hawk, pun fully intended, since I realized he had something up his sleeve. I was able to observe him under a lot of interesting circumstances, like the H.Y.D.R.A. attacks and the days that followed, and I saw Loki starting to trust you. It was slow going, but it was going. I hoped Loki would change his tune by the time he got everything he needed in order to escape, and I was right."

Clint turned to his left, meeting Steve's gaze with a faint smile tugging on his lips. "Loki did unlock his magic with the intention of escape, but by the time he actually unlocked his magic, that goal was gone. Right now, in this moment, magic is more important to Loki than escape. It wasn't when he started, and maybe it wasn't a month or even a week ago, but it is now." He pursed his lips and shook his head. "I honestly can't even say with certainty that he wants to leave at all."

Clint fell silent for a moment, looking around the room and spreading his arms in a gesture of helplessness. "Look, I trust Loki the least of all of us. You know what he did to me, and you know what I'd like to do to him. But we said we were going to rehabilitate him, and we knew we were taking a risk when we did that. If we're really going to do this, we need to do it right, and we need to go all the way. We can't back out because he threw us a curveball."

For several moments, no one said anything, which Clint was fine with. It was a lot to process, and it was on the opposite end of the spectrum from everything they had been considering up to that point.

Natasha sighed, combing her fingers through her hair. "We can't let him keep his magic. He's too powerful."

"I agree." Clint nodded his head without hesitation. "I said we need to go all the way. If we start thinking about this like rehab instead of prison, I think the answer is pretty clear."

Tony caught on immediately and reinserted himself into the conversation, that familiar spark of ingenuity shining in his eyes. "We take him back to Asgard, and we have them lock every seal but one."

Bruce immediately caught on, snapping his fingers and pointing toward Clint and Tony in unison. "We would be rewarding his good behavior and punishing his bad behavior at the same time. It would show him that we're fair, we're not in it for ourselves, and that our endgame isn't to keep him powerless and imprisoned forever."

Natasha rubbed her chin. "We could observe how he reacts with magic in different situations, but if instincts take over, he won't have enough power to do very much damage. That way, as we consider giving him more power down the road, we'll have more data to make decisions with."

Thor started to nod, a smile gracing his face for the first time in hours. "If one seal is unlocked, it will enable Loki to unlock the rest, but if he chooses not to, it will show his sincerity."

Clint actually allowed himself to smile along, his expression half incredulous and half congratulatory. "Loki surrendered believing we were going to take all of his magic. I don't know how you all did it, but Loki wants to be here. He doesn't want you to hate him more than he wants his magic or his freedom. That's pretty freakin' amazing, and we can't stop now."

Steve smiled widely, his entire body emanating relief. "We could take him to Asgard every three months to make sure none of the other seals are being tampered with. We could let him incorporate magic into his street work. We can encourage it without putting anyone in harm's way, including Loki himself."

Clint shrugged his shoulders. "What can I say? I'm awesome." He smirked. "You're all welcome for the great idea, which, by the way, was not thought of by any of the geniuses in this room." He threw a hand in the air and waved lazily, walking away from the meeting table toward the exit. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go drink an entire pot of coffee and not talk for several days."

I just helped Loki, of all people, get a second chance to live on Earth, inside Avengers Tower, with the rest of us. Clint sighed heavily and shook his head, rubbing his face with his hands. Do me a favor, Loki, and don't screw this up. Deal?

Loki fidgeted with his hands, staring down at the shackles with tired eyes and trying to pretend he couldn't feel the world shifting and rocking beneath his unsteady feet. He hadn't slept at all the previous night, choosing instead to cast small illusions and create pointless trinkets and charms for hours on end. He didn't regret it, though, even if it was taking its toll. He wanted to do anything he could to enjoy his magic before it was gone.

"Are they too tight?"

Loki glanced up and met a pair of worried blue eyes, shaking his head slightly. "They're fine." He doubted he would have noticed even if they weren't; he was too distracted.

Thor nodded slightly and then squared his shoulders, clearing his throat. He rocked on his heels and looked out toward the Hudson River, reaching up to scratch at the mostly-healed burn on his cheek. "It is a nice day," he commented.

Loki slowly lifted his eyes and followed Thor's line of sight, offering a small nod of agreement. "Yes. There isn't a cloud in sight." Though there would probably be some disturbance after the Bifrost struck the atmosphere. "Your friends take quite a while to get ready."

Thor looked at Loki for a moment, pain registering on his expression for half of a second before being replaced with a tight-lipped smile. "Yes, they do."

"Hey, don't be talking about me behind my back." Tony approached the duo, fully suited with an irritated scowl on his face. "I can't believe I have to wear this thing all day. You owe me."

Thor chuckled, but it was halfhearted. "I apologize, but my people value strength above all else. It is best for everyone if we—well, if you arrive as Heroes of Midgard and not Humans of Midgard."

"That's species-ist."

Thor gave him a befuddled look but had no chance to inquire further, interrupted by Natasha and Clint joining them on the roof. Bruce arrived shortly after, the only one wearing civilian clothes.

Bruce came to a stop next to the group and tossed Loki a quick but genuinely sympathetic smile before looking around and frowning. "Where's Steve?"

Tony shrugged. "Probably still doing his hair."

Clint snorted. "He said Steve, Tony, not you."

Loki smiled before he could stop himself, quickly turning his head to hide the expression. He couldn't begin to imagine how angry they were, especially if they were coming along to watch him be sentenced, and he assumed they didn't want him laughing at their jokes.

"Sorry!" Steve came flying through the door with a duffle bag slung over his shoulders. "I wanted to get some stuff for the trip. We can go now." He joined the gathering and flashed Loki a friendly smile.

Loki returned it briefly. At least I didn't demolish every bond of trust I created here. Still, two out of the six Avengers was not enough to save his skin, and no matter how they felt, they had to do what was best for their planet.

Not that he didn't completely understand. He did. He just…

"We are ready, then?" Thor looked from face to face and then held Mjolnir skyward. "Heimdall!"

There was a moment of stillness, and then they were enveloped in a shower of bright lights and colors. Loki felt the ground disappear beneath his feet and braced himself for the moment it would return, hoping he could stay upright.

I can't appear weak in front of them. Not here. Not now.

Both feet hit the ground hard, and the handcuffs dug into his wrists as he tried to use his arms to steady himself, but he remained standing. Looking around, Loki found some of the others had not been so lucky.

Clint and Natasha were both pulling themselves to their feet, and Loki was certain the only reason Tony was still standing was because of his suit. It made sense, seeing as they were the only three who had never travelled through the Bifrost before. Steve and Bruce had grown accustomed to it during Loki's imprisonment on Jotunheim, so it was easy for them to catch themselves.

"Is everyone alright?" Steve looked around to confirm the answer before he turned to address the looming gatekeeper. "You must be Heimdall. Thor has told us a lot about you. I'm Captain America, and this is—"

"I know who you are." Heimdall's spoke evenly, his expression unreadable. "I know who all of you are." He held Steve's gaze for a moment. "King Odin is waiting for you."

Steve accepted the cold shoulder with grace, just as he always did, and if he was caught off-guard, it didn't show. "Thank you, Heimdall. We appreciate your help."

Thor took the lead then, walking around the center of the room and making a beeline for the exit. "This way, my friends, and don't delay. It is quite a walk to the palace."

Loki rolled his eyes, knowing Thor had forgotten one very important detail.

The Avengers had never set foot in Asgard before.

"Wow. Just… wow. Woah."

"It's literally a waterfall into nothingness."

"I think the entire city is made of gold…"

"It's… wow… it's just incredible."

"What are we standing on? It can't really be a rainbow, right?"

"I'm going to fly over the waterfall and see what's down there."

Thor stopped at that and turned on the spot, giving Tony a deadly glare. "You will do no such thing, Man of Iron." He motioned for everyone to follow him. "I will take you to see the sights later. Right now, we have important business to attend to."

"You sound like Pepper." Tony hesitated but eventually started walking after Thor, followed closely by the rest of the Avengers. "But I seriously am going to fly over the edge and see what's down there."

Thor only shook his head, but Loki saw a faint smile on his face. Had he thought it appropriate, Loki would have commented, but the last thing he wanted was to step on any toes.

Although, I don't suppose I could make the situation worse than it already is.

Still, the Avengers had surprised him on more than one occasion. If there was any chance for mercy or lenience in all the Nine Realms, it was them. He didn't want to jeopardize that.

Rubbing his palm with his thumb, Loki dove deeper into his thoughts, trying to ignore the palace as it grew steadily larger. He silently reprimanded himself for never making Thor tell him what his original sentence was; whatever it was would likely be what was handed down—though, if possible, more severe—and he had no idea what it was. He only knew it was supposedly worse than death and he wouldn't have his magic.

Obviously, it has to be torture of some sort. It wouldn't be considered worse than death otherwise, but that doesn't exactly tell me what kind of torture it is.

Then again, maybe it was better that he didn't know. Maybe it was better to panic about a million vague things than one specific nightmare in particular.

He could turn me into a slave. It wouldn't be unheard of for traitors to be stripped of their freedom in more ways than one. Of course, there's physical torture, and if he returns my immortality to me, that prospect becomes much more… eternal. Then there's mental torture—he could use his magic for that—emotional torture, which I suppose he could also use magic for, or there's… sexual torture. But surely Odin wouldn't go that far. There were other ways Loki could be punished without debasing and violating him to that extent.

…right?

Stop. Stop thinking about it. You don't know what's waiting for you, and there is no point in worrying about it until you know what you have to worry about. Just. Stop.

Taking a deep breath, Loki tuned in to the conversations around him, trying to focus on their bewildered curiosity instead of his own, rapidly darkening thoughts.

"Tony, I think they like your suit," Natasha commented with a small smirk.

Grinning, Tony spread his plated arms. "Well, it's probably the fanciest armor they've ever seen in their entire lives. I mean, look at me." He gestured to himself, ignoring Steve's irritated expression and throwing a quick wave in the direction of the civilians.

"Question." Clint jerked his thumb in the general direction of the onlookers. "When I see a kid that looks ten or eleven, how old are they actually?"

Steve raised a finger at that. "If my math is correct, I think they would be around five hundred years old."

Loki opened his mouth to make a correction but immediately closed it, looking the other way. Best not to engage.

"Loki, were you going to say something?"

Loki barely restrained a sigh. You are not helping, Steve. Wetting his lips, Loki turned his head to look at the group and offered a quick smile. "I was only going to explain that they are actually closer to three hundred and fifty years of age. Your math was correct; however, if we aged that slowly, it would take nearly three hundred years for us to be able to take care of ourselves. That wouldn't facilitate survival, so our children age fairly rapidly when they are young, gaining about one year for every twenty human years they're alive. When they hit one hundred human years, or age five, then they slow down to the fifty-year increments you're familiar."

Steve nodded his head slowly. "I think I follow you." He pursed his lips and thought for a moment. "So, how many human years does Thor have on you?"

Loki wet his lips and glanced over his shoulder, wondering if the other Avengers were paying attention. "Thirty-one."

"That's messed up," Tony muttered, effectively answering Loki's silent question. "How do you keep track of all that?"

"Well, normally we don't have to make conversions. You know what is expected of a human at age one, and I know what is expected of an Asgardian at age twenty. I never thought about the human equivalents before…" He almost kept going, but decided to cut the sentence short, not liking the attention he was receiving. Something's not right. They're being too conversational, too… laidback. There's something they aren't telling me, I just don't know what it is.

Or, more importantly, how it impacted him.

Loki turned back around and focused on the path ahead, the palace gates slowly growing larger as the distance between him and his sentence shrank. Small, simple houses faded away into spacious streets and luxurious two-story buildings as the lower class was left behind.

Unfortunately for Loki, the upper class was much smaller than the one before it, and it wasn't long before their little entourage was standing before two solid walls of gold set on hinges.

Here we go. Loki instinctively took a step in Thor's direction, though he tried to cover it up by shifting his weight back and forth, as if his feet were getting tired. No point panicking now.

Thor briefly addressed the guard at the gates, requesting entry with a statement rather than a question. "We're here to speak with the Allfather."

The Allfather? Why call him that? Loki frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly. Come to think of it, why didn't Heimdall greet Thor when we arrived?

Something really wasn't right.

There was no time to ponder his quandaries, though. Both gates swung inward, and the group was granted entrance into the courtyard.

Thor strode ahead, walking with increased urgency while the five heroes and their prisoner trailed behind. One staircase, and then another, and then another, all three of them made entirely out of marble. Then came another set of golden doors and a long, rich hallway with roughly half of a mile of scarlet carpet to walk on.

"Who designed this thing?" Clint groaned, thoroughly disgusted with the amount of walking he was being made to do.

Thor laughed, though it lacked its usual mirth, and kept on walking. "It is just up ahead, friend Barton."

It took a few more minutes, but they soon reached the doors, and Thor led the group into the throne room. Frigga and Odin sat on their respective chairs, waiting in silence, and Loki allowed himself a final, nervous swallow before he steeled himself.

No matter what happens, stay in control.

Thor came to a stop and dropped to one knee, the Avengers following his example and lining up on the ground. Loki knelt between Thor and Steve, knowing it was the safest place he could be in at that moment, whether or not he wanted to admit it.

Odin gestured with his hand, bringing his open palm upward and then resting it on the arm of his throne. Thor and Loki got to their feet, the others following their example and rising one by one until they stood, their little band of seven, in front of the King and Queen of the Nine Realms.

Odin spoke first, his tone making it very clear that this was not a meeting to be taken lightly. "You have come to discuss the sentence of Loki Laufeyson."

For the first time in his life, Loki didn't cringe when he heard his birth name, and while he didn't know how he felt about that, he hoped Odin noticed. He hoped it burned Odin to know Loki didn't care anymore.

Thor nodded his head. "Yes, we have."

"Then say what you have come to say."

Thor looked at Steve, who nodded and stepped forward.

What is he doing? Loki frowned at Steve, and then turned to give the same look to Thor. What are you doing?

Steve stood with his shoulders squared and his hands clasped behind his back, unwavering and confident. "My name is Steve Rogers, Captain of America." It might have been a trick of the acoustics, but Steve sounded… cold, almost. "I have overseen Loki's imprisonment and treatment from the first day of his sentence up until now, and I have come, along with my team, the Avengers, to inform you that Loki has unsealed his magic and to ask you to remedy this."

Loki put a small smirk on his face, a sort of reminiscence lighting his eyes, as if he were recalling a pleasant memory. He had no idea what the Avengers were doing, but he knew he had to keep himself guarded. Better hold off on the snide comments until I have a better opening. But he didn't let his fake smile falter. If there had been any hope for mercy before, it died the minute the Avengers started sabotaging themselves.

Not that Steve wasn't a good negotiator, but they were on Asgard. Thor would obviously have the most political pull and best chance of being listened to. If they put someone else up front, they were essentially handing Loki over for judgement.

Not that Loki blamed them.

Odin inhaled deeply, almost as if a sigh were soon to follow, but then stopped himself. "You are returning Loki to Asgard, then."

"No, sir." Steve spoke crisply and clearly, eyes fixed on the throne.

Loki's brow twitched, and he turned to look at the other Avengers, trying to get a read on the situation. They all seemed completely serious and professional—even Tony, who looked like he was posing for one of his magazine covers—but Loki couldn't see any logic in what they were doing. Odin might not have been as clever the infamous Master of Mischief, but he wasn't stupid by any stretch of the imagination. He would never let Loki return under the current circumstances. He wouldn't even consider it.

Well… I don't suppose I've got much to lose, now do I?

Loki swallowed hard and set himself aside. He set aside his walls, and his masks, and his quips, and his cynicism. He set aside everything he thought he knew about the situation, every outcome he predicted, and he leaned forward enough to see Dr. Banner on the other end of the line. Then, keeping his chains in mind, Loki did what came naturally without allowing himself to think about it. He turned his hands so they were palm up and gave Bruce a face that quite plainly asked, 'Who told you this was a good idea?'

Bruce only smiled, almost devilish, and threw a wink across the room.

"You do not understand how magic works." Odin's face was as impassive as ever, a hint of disdain creeping into his tone. "You cannot observe it as we can."

Steve nodded his head and met Odin's cool countenance with a stony mask of his own, utterly unintimidated. "I'm aware, sir. That's why we would like to bring Loki to Asgard every three months to ensure the seals haven't been tampered with."

Loki raised his hands a little higher and shifted his gaze toward Steve—never mind the fact that he was standing behind the soldier—his expression becoming more evident as the lines in his brow deepened. 'Who told you this was a good idea?'

"What would be the purpose of that?" Odin questioned, the faintest of curiosities tinting his tone.

Steve replied without missing a beat. "We want Loki to remain in our custody. We believe the rehabilitation is working, and with your assistance, we would like to continue on this path."

"Then you are a fool." Odin's tone hardened, his volume slowly increasing and sending his words bouncing from wall to wall in the large, empty chamber. "Your methods have obviously failed. If we send him back to you as he was when this began, the cycle will only repeat itself."

Steve didn't even flinch. "Agreed, which is why we aren't asking you to do that."

Loki turned back toward the rest of the Avengers, raising his hands just a little bit higher and silently screaming at them for not doing something to stop the absolute train wreck unfolding before them. 'Who told you this was a good idea?'

"Loki Laufeyson, do you have something to add?"

Loki's blood froze in his veins. Odin. Odin couldn't be trusted. Odin wasn't an Avenger. Odin was an enemy. I can't show him what I'm thinking. I can't.

All of Loki's default settings returned, and he turned back toward the throne with a sardonic smile, his voice adapting a tone thick with patronization. "Just trying to amuse myself while two old men exchange words that make even less sense than the ramblings of a lunatic."

"Loki." Steve looked over his shoulder, and though he maintained his businesslike composure, Loki could see a familiar, safe light shining in his eyes. "This isn't the time or place."

Loki arched a brow, not losing his tone or expression of arrogance and hoping he would have a chance to explain himself later. "What exactly would be the appropriate time and place, Captain?"

Steve opened his mouth to respond but was cut off before he had the chance.

"Sorry, Your Illustriousness." Tony walked over with his typical swagger and threw one arm around Loki neck. "Reindeer Games is just a bit confused. We didn't tell him about our plan—sort of like a test to help determine whether we really want to go through with this—so he's having a bit of a hard time keeping up."

Loki couldn't even tell Tony off for the physical contact and aloof attitude. He simply looked between Tony and Steve multiple times before turning to look at Thor, mouthing one of the many, many questions flying through his brain. "What is going on?"

Thor held up a finger and smiled, mouthing an equally silent response. "Patience."

Steve, who never once allowed himself to stop looking like the stone-cold general he wanted Odin to believe he was, cleared his throat. "If you're all done chatting…"

Tony looked almost ashamed, playing into his apparent role with a slight nod. "Sorry, Captain. It won't happen again."

Loki couldn't have gotten an apology out even if he wanted to. He was too busy trying to figure out what he should consider important and who he should pay attention to. Bruce? His wink? Steve? His coldness? Tony? His submission? Odin? Thor? Clint? Frigga? Natasha?

I don't know what to do.

"We are here today," Steve began, his voice ringing through the throne room almost as thunderously as Odin's, "to request that you replace six of the seven seals guarding Loki's magic as well as permit one or more of us to bring Loki to Asgard every three months to evaluate the other seals."

What? Loki couldn't process anything other than that one word.

"Magic does not work that way." Odin shook his head, growing impatient with their apparent lack of knowledge. "If you unlock one, you enable him to unlock them all."

What? Loki's heart pounded in his chest, his head throbbing in perfect sync. What?

"We know." Steve once again replied without missing a beat, pretending he didn't hear the patronization in Odin's voice. "Loki has shown a lot of improvement, and even with the recent reappearance of his magic, he chose to use that power to save lives. We let Loki believe he was going to have his magic completely resealed, but he voluntarily surrendered and hasn't attempted to escape." Steve paused just long enough to inhale. "We want to give him the chance to prove he can be trusted with his magic, and the only way we feel we can do this safely is to give him a little bit at a time and monitor it closely."

What? Gone were the thoughts of masks and defenses; the ideas of how he was supposed to act in front of Odin in order to keep himself safe. What? He couldn't begin to fathom how the Avengers had formulated such a ludicrous plan. What? He couldn't imagine why they would formulate such a plan.

Loki swallowed hard and dropped his gaze to the floor, inhaling slowly. His throat was dry, his muscles had turned to stone, and he wasn't sure if his hands were shaking or if he was just slowly losing his grip on reality and all the stable sensations that came with it.

Why?

He didn't understand. He didn't understand why they would bother to help him. He didn't understand why they would bother to try. He didn't understand how they could stand before Odin Allfather, King of the Nine Realms, and make such an outrageous request on his behalf. He didn't understand what he had done to deserve this much thought and effort and care from Earth's Mightiest Heroes. He just didn't understand.

Tony leaned in and whispered, "You okay?"

Loki didn't move. "Why are you doing this?" he breathed.

Tony chuckled under his breath and squeezed Loki's shoulder. "You crack me up, Reindeer Games. You didn't think we'd just forget the past year, did you?"

That was exactly what Loki thought they were going to do. He thought as soon as it sank in that he had been lying to them, that he had acted against their will behind their back, that he had betrayed them… they would consider everything he ever said or did to be false. He thought, in that moment, back at the Tower, when the jet hit the building, he had given up every good thing he had gained since entering their custody.

He thought it was over.

"You're not off the hook, of course. We're gonna be keeping a close eye on you for quite some time, Pinocchio." Tony poked Loki in the side and gave him one of those charming, million-dollar smiles he was so famous for. "But we aren't giving up on you."

Loki didn't say anything. He stood there, and he stared at the floor, and he tried to process even one, tiny bit of the information he had just received. It proved to be almost impossible, but as the debate between Steve and Odin began to escalate, Loki found he could salvage at least one thought from the mess in his brain.

It's going to be okay.

No matter what happened, it was going to be okay.

The Avengers would make sure of that.

Thor looked out over the sparkling city and let out a quiet sigh, worry knotting in the pit of his stomach as another minute passed with no news. What's taking them so long?

"Hey, Zeus, why don't you take off your cape and stay a while?"

Thor turned around and gave Tony a half-irritated, half-confused glare. "I do not understand your words, but I sense they were spoken in jest. I have not the heart for jesting, Man of Iron."

Tony left the uppermost flight of stairs and trotted down to stand beside Thor, putting a hand on the muscular shoulder. "Thor, we all decided leaving Loki here isn't an option, right?"

Thor gave a stiff nod. Once they heard Clint's plan and started to talk about the ways they could implement it, they had come to the unanimous conclusion that they wouldn't—couldn't—allow Loki to be tortured for the sake of convenience.

"Right." Tony nodded, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. "Steve is in there negotiating on Loki's behalf, and you know Steve. He's not going to give up no matter what happens. He doesn't know how to give up. It's not in his DNA."

Thor didn't say anything, staring down the steps to the city beyond with a furrowed brow and eyes darkened with the thick haze of doubt and anxiety.

"Come on, buddy. Steve doesn't know how to give up, right?" Tony nudged him again, flashing a broad grin. "Right? Right?"

Allowing a small smile to part his lips, Thor began to nod his head. "Right. Right."

Tony gave him a pat on the back and turned around to return to where the rest of the group was seated on the stairs. "Come on. I think there's someone else who needs to see that smile."

"Man of Iron—" Stopping short, Thor let out a heavy sigh and trailed after Tony, knowing there was little point in arguing.

Tony reclaimed his seat on the steps and folded his hands behind his head, smirking triumphantly. "Look who stopped staring melodramatically into the middle distance."

Thor gave them a weak smile. "How are you all faring?"

Natasha and Loki shrugged, Bruce gave him a smile, and Clint groaned loudly.

"I'm starving." Clint sprawled out on his back and stared up at the limitless, blue expanse, groaning even louder. "When do we get to eat lunch?"

Loki shook his head and picked at his sleeve, still somewhat disoriented from the events in the throne room. "Asgardians don't have lunch. I had no idea what it was until Steve explained it to me."

Clint groaned yet again. "I need food. Thor, make food happen."

Thor laughed, and it actually sounded somewhat genuine, even if he didn't feel it. "Fear not, Barton. There is plenty of food in the palace kitchens. I'm sure I can find something for you."

"Here," Bruce said, pushing Steve's duffel bag toward the hungry archer. "Steve brought along some snacks."

"Sweet." Clint took the bag and unzipped it, immediately removing a box of cookies. "These are mine."

Natasha leaned toward the bag. "What else is in there?"

"Bunch of apples, oranges, bananas, granola bars, brownie bites—Fruit Roll-Ups?" Clint reached in and grabbed four, sliding away from the bag and curling protectively around his spoils. "These are also mine."

Natasha rolled her eyes and grabbed one for herself with a quiet chuckle. "Hey, Loki, there's some water in here. Make sure you don't forget to drink a bottle or two."

"You're hilarious," Loki deadpanned.

Thor laughed aloud, starting to feel the slightest bit better. "Come now, Loki, be a good sport. Natasha only wants to ensure you don't—"

Everyone startled, all attention turning to the Bifrost as the sporadic, flashing lights signaled its use. It lasted no more than five seconds, but its affect was not so easily shaken off.

Bruce slowly stood up, squinting into the distance. "Who would be coming to Asgard?"

Thor instinctively reached back to ensure Mjolnir was on his belt. "I… I do not know." He moved back down the stairs toward the stretch of flat marble he had been standing on before.

Footsteps sounded behind him a moment later, Loki's voice falling soft on his ears. "Does anyone else know I'm here? Did you send a message to Odin and Frigga before we left?"

Thor shook his head slowly, still staring at the Bifrost. "I didn't tell anyone. I didn't send anything. I… suppose it's possible that news of the negotiations has gotten out." He looked over his shoulder at his team. "How long have they been in the meeting hall?"

Natasha looked up from where she sat. "It's been almost four hours." Then, after a pause, she added, "How does news travel between realms?"

"They probably have some sort of intergalactic newspaper," Clint offered. "Or maybe their shiny helmets are actually antennae, and they pick up radio stations with them." He stuck one end of his fruit snack into his mouth and started pulling on the paper. "Som'ing like 'at."

Loki rubbed his forehead and drawled. "Yes, Barton, that's exactly what it is."

Thor kept his hand on his weapon but tried to force a relaxed smile onto his face. "Friends, please focus. We need to be prepared to either fight or retreat, and we currently have no plan for either situation."

Clint sat up at that, throwing his quiver back over his shoulder and buckling it in place. "I've got my arrows. I'm ready for anything."

Natasha shrugged her shoulders. "I always have what I need."

"Do I need to answer?" Tony spread his arms and gestured to himself. "Or did I not complain enough about having to wear this today?"

Thor cracked a small smile and looked at Bruce and Loki. "What have you, my friends?"

Bruce wet his lip. "I… would normally offer to help, you know that, but… I don't think I can this time." He looked down at his feet, swallowing. "Sorry. I… I'm not ready yet."

Thor only nodded, his face painted with sympathy and understanding. He knew the attack on Canada had impacted Bruce in many ways, and even though Bruce was no longer holed up in his room, there were still days when he would stare off into the distance with a look on his face that just… wasn't right.

"Do not apologize, Dr. Banner. I understand." Thor looked back a the Bifrost, but he didn't see anything out of the ordinary, so he returned to looking at his team. "Loki?"

Shaking his head, Loki offered a similar answer. "I can't use much magic. This body is not acclimated to it. When I stopped the jet, I dealt a rather large blow to my health. I don't know how much more this mortal form can take."

Thor nodded his head. "I see. It may be better to retreat, then."

"Let's not move too fast, here." Bruce gestured in the general direction of the Bifrost. "We don't even know whether or not the visitor is a threat. I know you're nervous, Thor, but I don't think we should be jumping to conclusions just yet."

Thor's immediate reaction was to insist he was not nervous or jumping to conclusions, but he stopped himself short. Loki wasn't the only one who had changed over the past year, and Thor didn't want to lose his ongoing battle with his temper, no matter how tempting it was.

"I… you may be right, Dr. Banner. Perhaps I did… overreact a bit."

"Okay." Tony put an arm around Thor and leaned in close. "I have an idea." He glanced around and lowered his voice, as if he were about to share an important secret. "It's a bit crazy, but if we do it right, I think it'll work. I think we should… just go see who it is."

Thor shoved Tony off. "Man of Iron, I told you I was not in the mood for jesting!"

"I'm not!" Tony objected. "Come on, what's the worst that could happen?"

Loki snorted. "Would you like that list alphabetically or in order of severity?"

"Now, is that any way to talk about your mother?"

Thor whirled on the spot, his heart leaping into his throat as he came face to face with the reigning Queen of Jotunheim. She's here to take Loki away. That was his first thought, but he kept it to himself, grinding out as civil of a question as he could. "Queen Leiknyrr, what brings you to Asgard?"

Red eyes glimmered in the sunshine, mischief and trickery dancing their way across her face. "I heard Loki was in a bit of a bind. I came to see what I could do to help."

Thor turned to look over his shoulder, meeting Loki's eyes and silently asking him what to do. Loki stared back for a moment, not saying anything, but Thor could tell by the look on his face that he didn't want Thor to interfere.

"Queen Leiknyrr, it is good to see you again." Loki greeted her, bowing slightly. "If I might ask, what exactly are you planning to do to help me?"

She arched a brow at the two ex-princes in turn and then let out a soft sigh. "I told you before, Loki. You and I understand magic in a way Odin Allfather never can. He doesn't fully understand the gravity of the situation, and I would like to remedy that, if possible."

Thor almost reacted to her words, instinctively wanting to shout out a demand respect on his father's behalf because he was more of a person than she could ever hope to be. Then he remembered he was mad at his father, he was no longer duty-bound to Asgard, and he wasn't supposed to be thinking about Jotuns that way.

"It doesn't happen overnight, Odinson."

Leiknyrr's voice pulled Thor from his thoughts, his tongue refusing to work as he sought some way to explain himself. "I… uh…"

"You wear your heart on your sleeve." Leiknyrr tilted her head slightly, her translucent, sapphire cloak fluttering in the breeze. "You are very unlike your father in that regard."

Thor wet his lips, embarrassed, and bowed at the waist. "I apologize, Queen Leiknyrr."

"Don't. Simply keep trying to fix it." She offered him a brief smile, something he didn't think she had ever directed at him before. "Changing your mind is a lot easier than changing your heart. You can know something factually and logically, but convincing your feelings and thoughts of its truth is not so simple. Give yourself time, and give yourself the forgiveness you deserve for inevitable error. Because error is inevitable."

Thor didn't quite know what to say to that. Her kindness and grace in the face of his inability to conceal his blatantly racist thoughts made him feel worse, especially given the fact that Loki was standing right next to him.

I don't want to be like that. I want to be better than that.

Leiknyrr waved her hand at the two young men, effectively getting them to step aside, and then she proceeded to walk up the steps, full of the same regal elegance Thor had always admired in his own mother.

"Hello, Queen Leiknyrr." Bruce smiled, giving her a brief and somewhat timid wave. "I don't know if you remember me, but—"

"Of course I remember you. You are Bruce Banner, the Gentle Green Giant." Leiknyrr then looked around at the rest of the group. "Those of you I have not met but have heard about would be… Anthony Stark, the Man of Iron, Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, and Clint Barton, Master of the Hawk's Eyes. Have I named you all correctly?"

There were smiles and nods around the semicircle and, seeming rather satisfied with herself, Leiknyrr continued up the large staircase. "I suspect I'll be seeing you again, but there are matters I must attend to first."

Thor watched her leave, waiting until the edges of her cape disappeared beyond the doors to turn and look at his brother. "Loki…?"

Loki gave Thor a tight-lipped smile. "Just enjoying these lovely, earth-shattering surprises. Tell me, do you plan these events, or do they just happen?"

Thor smiled and then allowed himself to laugh, quickly joined by the other members of his team, though he suspected they were laughing for different reasons. Loki's quips were funny, to be sure, but Thor was laughing because he was too overcome with happiness to do anything else.

It's going to be okay.

No matter what happened, it was going to be okay.

No matter what happened, it was going to be worth it.

No matter what happened, everything Thor had sacrificed to get to that moment, everything he had given up to keep Loki at his side, every endless night he had spent staring at the ceiling wondering whether or not he was throwing his life away.

No matter what, it was all going to be worth it. It was all going to be okay.

The Avengers would make sure of that.

"You are absolutely certain I can take these things back to Midgard with me?" Loki arched a brow, looking between the spell books in his hands and the grinning face of one very happy thunder god. "I can take these, and there will be no trouble? I won't be—Anthony, don't touch that!"

Tony froze on the spot, his hands inches away from a stuffed bilgesnipe head mounted on the wall. "I wasn't touching anything."

Loki narrowed his eyes. "You were about to. That head is enchanted. If you try and touch it without using the appropriate spell, it will animate and bite your hand off." Shaking his head, he picked two books to add to his pile and began sliding the rest into their appropriate slots on the shelf.

"Well, now you've got me curious." Tony put his fists on his hips and grinned up at the furry fixture. "What are you hiding inside this head?"

Thor shook his head and laughed. "You mistake the magic for a safeguard, Man of Iron. Loki has always enchanted his personal belongings, simply because he knew I would touch them if I ever got into his room."

Loki managed a small smile at that. "Indeed. When we were young, I used to enchant everything in my room to at least some degree. That way, I would always know if Thor had come in without my permission."

"It gave me much grief, but it was also a fantastic challenge." Thor approached the fireplace and ran his fingers over the mantle. "Loki liked to keep magical little trinkets on this shelf, and the one time I actually managed to get my hands up here, they turned blue!"

Tony snorted. "The trinkets?"

"No, my hands." Thor laughed heartily, crossing the room and gesturing to the window. "This used to have such an enchantment on it that if I tried to climb or fly in through it, I would come out on the other side covered in stardust. That is to say, I was covered in a substance similar to your Midgardian glitter, and it would not come off until Loki commanded it so."

Loki chuckled then, joining his not-brother by the window and looking out over the city. "Come now, Thor. You didn't always get covered in stardust when you came in that way—sometimes it was feathers or dragon spit."

Tony joined the two men by the window, crossing his arms over his chest and giving them a cocky smile. "Oh, yeah. Your relationship is definitely on the rocks. I can see why you hate each other so much."

Loki and Thor looked at each other for half of a moment, but Loki was quick to turn his attention to things outside.

Don't complicate things, Anthony. I barely know what to think so as it is.

"It is true. Loki and I have had many differences, and I have failed him in a lot of ways, but…" Thor smiled, a reminiscent light shining in his eyes. "We had good times, too. Once we were old enough to go to battle, I became rather hotheaded and arrogant. I was proud of my conquests—as I should have been, for they were great—but I, ah… I allowed that pride to blind me."

Not you, too, Thor.

For a moment, Thor didn't say anything, and a heavy silence settled over the trio that Loki absolutely refused to break.

"However… things were different when we were here at home." Smiling again, Thor spread his arms and gestured to the magnificent chamber. "Loki loved to play tricks, and I saw every one of those tricks as a challenge that could make me stronger."

"Is that so?" Loki crossed his arms over his chest and gave Thor a look of disbelief. "I think you just liked invading my privacy."

Thor shook his head vigorously. "No, not at all. You should know, Brother, that I have always preferred the hunt over the capture. Trying to outsmart all of your tricks and traps was great fun for me."

Loki stared at him for a moment or two, and then he allowed a small smile to tease the corner of his mouth. "I vaguely recall a conversation similar to this one taking place when we were younger."

"I am sure it occurred more than once. We spent centuries playing pranks and trying to outwit each other with mischief. I always lost, of course, but it was still fun." Thor was practically beaming, and Loki knew it was because they were having a civil conversation with each other.

He had the same stupid look on his face last Christmas.

Loki pushed himself off of the wall and surveyed the room one more time, conducting a quick mental inventory before uttering a satisfied hum. "I think I have everything important. We can get back to the others, if you like." His train of thought was immediately derailed by movement in his peripherals. "Anthony! Do not touch the bilgesnipe head."

Tony stepped away from the fixture, folding his hands behind his back and smiling innocently. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Honestly, you are a child sealed within the body of a man."

"I'm wearing armor!" Tony objected. "What's the worst that could happen?"

Loki shook his head and picked up the two packed bags from the floor. "I won't dignify that with an answer." He opened his door and indicated his desire for them to leave. "If you want to touch a head so badly, go to Thor's room. It's completely covered in pelts and bones and trophies of the like."

Tony turned around halfway to the door, walking backward out of the room with a big grin on his face. "Seriously? Thor, I need to see that. I need it."

Thor looked between the two, a sudden tension running across his shoulders. "I do not think it would be wise to do so now. After all, they may finish the negotiations any minute, and we want to be waiting for them when they do."

Loki scowled, his eyes narrowing. Thor…

Tony kept walking backward, beckoning the gods with his fingers, seemingly unaware of the change in atmosphere. "If they haven't finished yet, what are the chances they're going to finish in the next twenty minutes? Come on, Thor; it's for science."

"I really think we should refrain. What will Odin think of Earth's Mightiest Heroes if he finds them playing with stuffed beasts?" Thor wet his lips, fidgeting with the strap on his hammer as he walked. "Let's return to our comrades. If you wish to see new creatures so badly, I will take you out and show you a live specimen once the negotiations are over."

Loki gripped his bags a little tighter, interjecting himself into the conversation. "Thor, you are not the liar in this outfit, so do stop trying. You're an embarrassment." He turned his head, meeting Thor's guilty gaze unwaveringly. "Truly, now. Why do you not want us to go to your chambers?"

"Loki, please. I don't want to fight with you. We can discuss it later—"

But Loki wasn't listening anymore. He had already started marching down the hall in the direction of Thor's room, his feet remembering the path before his mind even had the chance.

"Loki, please!" Thor caught up with him quickly, pleading as he walked alongside but doing nothing to physically stop him. "I cannot say this has nothing to do with you, but I can tell you there is nothing you can do to change it. Please, let it go."

Tony fell in step on the other side, trying to support his teammate and prevent something he was undoubtedly clueless about. "Hey, Reindeer Games, maybe we should just listen to Thor. I mean, we don't really need another reason for Big Daddy to get mad at us, right?"

Loki didn't respond to either of them, caught between a wall of panic and a wall of rage.

If he doesn't want me to enter his room, then there must be something in there he knows will anger me. There's not much left on Asgard that could do such a thing, but if anyone were capable of finding or adding to the list, it would be Thor.

"Loki, please, just trust me. You don't need to know my secrets or my reasons for keeping them."

Odin must have convinced him I'm beyond help or that they'll need some kind of leverage to keep me line. Loki scoffed. He did it again. His loyalty to Odin and Asgard beat his supposed love for me, and he has given them something that can be used against me. Some piece of information, something he could have only learned during my time on Midgard…

"Loki, please don't go in there. You can still walk away."

Loki spun on his heel and spat out a challenge. "Why don't you just grab me and drag me away? You're certainly strong enough, Son of Odin."

Thor looked at him, his expression helplessly pained. "I will not force you to walk away, Loki, but I am asking you to. I am asking you as a friend. I am asking you as… as your brother—"

"You are not my brother! You never have been." Loki turned back around and grasped a handle in each hand, tugging hard and pulling the doors wide open.

If a pin dropped on the other side of the palace, Loki would have heard it.

He didn't know what he had been expecting when he felt that old, familiar anger swelling in his chest; what he thought he might find at the bottom of Thor's pitiful lies; where he thought his suspicions were going to take him. It was so clear something was wrong, but Loki had still been in the process of laying out the possibilities when he got his first look at the room. His brain had already decided there was a threat, but it had yet to formulate what that threat might look like.

"Thor… why is your room empty?"

Silence.

"Thor." Loki took a shaky breath, determined to make it to the end of his sentence without losing his composure. "Why… is… your room empty?"

There was a sigh, and then came Thor's defeated voice. "Because my belongings are on Midgard."

No. Loki clenched his fists, dragging down another lungful of air and staring, utterly dumbstruck, at the naked chamber laid out before him. No. This isn't right.

"Loki, please—"

"You love your room." Loki forced himself to take a step, able to reconstruct the previous layout of the chamber in his mind. He was sickened by the contrast reality was throwing back in his face. "No matter where you go, and no matter how long you stay away, you always come back here." He turned around, eyes burning as the truth sank in. "Why are your things on Midgard, Thor?"

Loki didn't really need to ask. He knew what Thor was going to say. He knew why the room was empty. He knew why Thor hadn't referred to Odin as 'Father.' He knew why Thor hadn't stopped to chat with Heimdall. He knew why Steve had been the one to speak on behalf of a prisoner instead of the realm's own crown prince.

He knew, but he didn't believe. He didn't want to believe.

"Because I live there now," Thor answered plainly, shoulders lifting in a helpless shrug.

Loki glared, throat tightening. "You have lived many a place, Thor."

"Yes, I have." Thor raised his eyes from the floor. "I am simply staying indefinitely this time around."

Loki shook his head, uttering the only word he could process in that moment. "No."

Thor's expression hardened, his eyes still brimming with pain but guarded with an unwavering determination Loki knew he couldn't beat. "This is why I did not want you to know. This was my choice, not yours, and there was nothing you could have done to talk me out of it. There is nothing you can do now to talk me out of it."

There was a metallic creak, followed by a clearing of the throat that reminded the two they were not alone.

"I, uh, I hate to be the awkward third wheel here, but I have no idea what's going on." Tony looked between the two of them, more than a little concerned. "Thor, what did you do?"

Heaving a sigh, Thor accepted defeat and began to explain. "Several months ago, during the H.Y.D.R.A. attacks, I was here on Asgard. While I was here, Odin and I exchanged... words… and I was given a choice. I could return Loki to the Asgardian justice system and focus my time and energy on the welfare of Asgard, or I could keep Loki on Midgard and give up that which I did not have the time or dedication for. To put it simply…" He shrugged again, just as helpless and resigned as before. "I am no longer Thor Odinson, Prince of Asgard. I am simply Thor."

"You're an idiot," Loki whispered, staring at the fists he had yet to unfurl.

Thor tilted his head slightly. "What?"

"I said, 'you're an idiot!'" Loki screamed, throwing his bags to the floor and crossing the room with nothing but fire in his veins. "You gave up the throne to the most powerful realm in all of Yggdrasil, you turned your back on your family and your countrymen for sentimentality." Jabbing his finger into Thor's chest, he continued, unable to stop himself from shaking as the tirade continued. "You imbecilic, blockheaded, oaf! Are you so unable to accept defeat that you would surrender your throne, your family, and your home just so you can continue living in denial?"

Thor slapped the hand away, drawing himself up to his full height and staring Loki down. "You think this is about accepting defeat? I did not give up Asgard to prove a point, Brother. I gave up Asgard and all that comes with it because I love you too much to give up on you."

"I know you do, and that's why you're an idiot!" Loki beat his fists against Thor's chest, his screams echoing in the silence that followed them, angry tears slowly pushing their way out of the corners of his eyes.

"Brother…?"

Loki hit him again, lowering his head until he was staring at the floor. "Why, Thor?" He shook his head. "I have done nothing but hurt you. I have spit in your face, and I have stabbed you in the back, and I have rejected your every attempt to reach out to me. I…" His bit his lip, his own words rushing back to him, fists curling through the fabric of Thor's tunic.

"You're certainly strong enough, Son of Odin."

"You are not my brother! You never have been."

Loki inhaled slowly, holding Thor's shirt a little tighter in the hopes that it would stop his shaking. "Just… moments ago, I did it again. I threw your title back in your face." He shook his head, alternating between licking his lips and chewing on them. "I did it again, and this is what I find. You…" He hit him for a third time, striking him with everything he had but failing to cause any damage. "You idiot! You stupid, witless, buffoon of a man." He hit him again and again and again, screwing his eyes shut in an attempt to stop the stinging in his eyes. "You brainless, senseless, fatuous, asinine, moronic, worthless, sentimental, boorish, ridiculously absurd brother of mine!" He choked on the words and swallowed a sob, striking Thor one last time for good measure.

"Loki…"

Loki only shook his head, staring at their feet through a thick veil of tears. He couldn't remember the last time he had said that word without feeling a surge of bitterness and anger rise within him. Before the Battle of New York, before Jotunheim, before he let the Frost Giants into Asgard. Before Midgard earned more than a passing glance from either of them, that word had begun to darken, slowly developing a taste like old vinegar that soaked into his tongue a little more each time he said it

Brother.

"Thor," Loki whispered, still refusing to meet Thor's eyes, tears dripping from his nose and lips as he struggled to get his emotions under control. "I am sorry."

"I know, Brother." Thor wrapped his arms around Loki and held him tight, tucking his chin over Loki's shoulder and placing a hand on the back of his head. "I forgive you."

There were those words again. Those unbelievable, illogical, unfathomable words.

"I forgive you."

Steve had given forgiveness outside the cave, and now Thor was giving forgiveness while standing inside a marble reminder of all he had given up for the very person who needed forgiving.

Loki shook his head and pushed away, bringing his sleeves up to his eyes and quickly wiping away the evidence of tears. "I really hope I don't make a habit of this." He squared his shoulders and sniffed, staring out the far window and trying to get his composure back.

"Here." Tony pulled a small pack of tissues out of his armor sleeve and handed it over.

Loki blinked in surprise but took them nonetheless. "So, do you make a habit of this, Anthony?"

Tony chuckled, shaking his head. "No, it's just really nasty when you sneeze with the helmet on. You only do that once before you add emergency tissues." He sobered then, giving Loki a more serious look. "But it happens to the best of us. Seriously, we were all in a huge slump just a few months ago. Everyone deals with things in different ways. I put myself in a drunken stupor, Thor punches out a wall, and you cry like a little girl."

"Man of Iron!" Thor exclaimed, grabbing Tony by the arm. "That is not going to make him feel better!"

"Oh, come on, it was a joke. Jokes make everyone feel better!"

Loki laughed and reached up to cover his mouth, quickly dragging the noise back down to a soft chuckle. "Well, in the long run, my method costs the least amount of money and leaves the least amount of evidence. Really, it cannot be proven to exist at all."

"Uh, it can be proven if I take a picture of your miserable face with my StarkPhone."

Loki grinned, wagging his finger in Tony's face. "Unfortunately for you, you made the terrible mistake of allowing me to keep my magic. No such picture would exist for very long."

Tony and Thor both smiled at him, and despite the drying tear tracks on his cheeks, Loki smiled back. They were gracious enough to pretend nothing had happened, and he intended to take full advantage of that.

"So," Tony clapped his hands together, turning and making his way toward the hall. "If I'm understanding the situation correctly, there is, in fact, a bilgesnipe head in my tower right now."

Loki smiled slightly, reclaiming the bags he had dropped earlier and turning to look at Thor. "I don't recall. Do you actually have your own bilgesnipe head?"

"Indeed, I do, Loki." Thor wore a toothy grin, his use of Loki's name not going unnoticed.

He understands. He understands that it's not a simple matter of having one or two raw conversations. He understands it's going to take time for us to repair what we've lost, if repair is even possible at this point.

Loki smiled to himself. He really has changed.

"I think you should let me fly over the waterfall now."

"Absolutely not, Anthony."

But then again… so have I.