Percy wanted to Avada Kedavra Loki.

"Are you stupid?" Loki questioned, annoyed. "It says ek summon þú, not ek salmon þú."

While he was at it, he wanted to cast Incendio on the stupid Asgardian magic books, too.

"That's what I said." Percy groaned out, resisting the urge to bang his head against the wall.

It turned out that while being a god did let him understand most languages, he couldn't exactly pronounce everything correctly.

"No, you pronounced the ā sound instead of the æ sou—never mind; forget it. You obviously do not have an aptitude for seiðr spells."

Percy nodded gloomily.

When Loki had told him they'd be doing spells, Percy couldnt help but envision a Harry Potter-like experience. Unfortunately, it was nothing like that. There were no flying broomsticks or talking hats or wand-waving or crazy, nose-less villains.

...okay, so maybe Percy didn't really want that last one.

But that was beside the point.

Loki wasn't a bad teacher, per say. He was just very impatient. Percy had started a tally of the numbers of times Loki had called him names. 'Stupid' was first at 24, with 'idiot' a close second (at 19) and 'moron' and 'imbecile' tied at 5.

"You're just like Thor," Loki started, lip curling up in distain at the thought. "An oaf who values brawn over brains."

Ah, Percy got to start another word—oaf.

Percy scowled. "Just because I'm not as smart as you, doesn't give you the right to call me names." He huffed. He'd had enough of that in school.

Percy felt a flicker of sadness in his heart.

At some points, Loki reminded him of Annabeth. Annabeth hadn't been as callous as Loki, but they had many similar characteristics.

"Yo, Perce." Clint's voice echoed through the door, punctuated by his banging on the wood. "You still alive in there?"

Percy sighed and hollered back through the door. "Yeah, Katniss. Loki hasn't killed me since the last ten minutes you asked."

The spy huffed in reply. "Dont get smart with me, kid. And Loki, we're watching you!" Percy could just imagine Clint doing the 'I'm watching you' gesture to the door. The sound of footsteps slowly faded away.

Percy turned back to Loki, who was making an irritated face that Percy was sure was mirrored on his own face. "They're so overprotective," Percy muttered.

The rest of the Avengers had, unfortunately, found out about Percy and Loki's lessons. Thor had accidently let it slip in a group conversation, no shocker there. Needless to say, they hadn't happy. Tony and Clint had kicked up quite a fuss. Bruce had stayed quiet, smartly deciding not to tell the two angry heroes that he'd already known. Natasha had stayed silent as well, which had led Percy to believe that Bruce had been right—she'd already known. Steve had been less vocal in expressing his disapproval, but he'd definitely sided with Tony and Clint. However, the super soldier had been the easiest to rope onto Percy's side. Clint and Tony had grudgingly agreed, after much arguing and back-and-forth between them (Percy had made the very good point—in his opinion—that the only reason Loki was still here was to help Percy).

The two had had their conditions, though.

The men said they wanted to be able to check on Percy and Loki frequently, which meant every three seconds in their minds. Percy was supposed to leave the door open—it was like they thought he and Loki were hormonal teenagers or something—but that rule had quickly evaporated after Loki had slammed the door shut when he was interrupted four times in under fifteen minutes, yelling something in Old Norse that was definitely not 'Thanks for your great hospitality and letting me stay here!'

Percy rubbed his eyes wearily. "I don't get it. You don't say spells or anything when you do magic."

"I'm a master seiðmenn. Words are simply crutches to help focus magic, a lot like my scepter was. Of course, my scepter contained the Mind Stone, which greatly aided in drawing seiðr to me. If I do need a spell, I can think it in my head."

"Oh." That definitely didn't make Percy feel even stupider.

Loki sighed. "I wasn't expecting much anyway."

"Rude."

"It can take decades for seiðr practioners to even perform a simple summoning spell, much less a more complex spell, like producing illusions."

Percy groaned and tossed his head back. "Then why in the Hades have I been trying it?"

Loki lifted a shoulder and flipped a page of the Midgardian book he'd been reading. "Why do Midgardians reject the supernatural when they have evidence right before their eyes?"

Percy blinked. "Wha—no, don't change the subject."

Loki raised his eyes from the hardback. "I needed to see if you had an aptitude for it or not." He glanced back down. "But why don't the majority of humans believe in zombies or vampires? Sure, the draugar—"

"Dra-what?"

"—don't drink blood, or eat brains, or any of the ridiculous notions mortals have dreamed up. But they are undead nightwalkers with superhuman abilities."

"Wait. Vampires are real?"

"You have proof right before your eyes, but you refuse to see it."

"Is there gonna be a zombie apocalypse? Because Bunker Nine doesn't have enough food to last through the end of the world."

"Even your television set shows corroborate the paranormal." Loki continued, ignoring Percy's questions, which Percy thought were very appropriate given the situation.

"Huh? What shows have you been watching, Loki?"

"Ghost Hunters, The Walking Dead, Twilight, Ghost Busters, My Ghost Story, The Vampire Diaries—"

"Uh, Loki, I'm not sure that's really..."

"Really what?"

"Um..." Percy rubbed his eyes. "Forget it. Back to the real problem. I don't have magical aptitude. What does that mean for me?"

"Just that you fight more like Thor than me. Which is not really a surprise anyway." At Percy's confused expression, Loki continued. "Your seiðr is ingrained in your fighting. You can't perform spells, but your strength, agility, and fighting ability is strengthened when you draw seiðr to you. Some of it can be automatic, like in the training room. I'm not going to be able to teach you properly. You should ask Thor for advice." Loki didn't look happy at the end of his little speech. He never thought that last sentence would come out of his mouth.

"Huh. Ok, that makes sense. I think."

A knock interrupted their conversation.

"We ordered lunch if the two of you want any," Steve's voice sounded from the door. "It's shawarma."

Percy glanced at Loki. "We're coming," he yelled back.

Steve walked away.

"You should come," Percy said as he stood up. "It doesn't do you any good to stay holed up in here."

"Perhaps. But spending time with those mortals—and my brother—will do more harm than good."

Percy sighed. "You're such a pessimist, Loki."

"I prefer the term realist."

"You gotta start somewhere. It's just one meal. It's not like anyone's gonna die or anything."

Silence.

"Right?"

Loki blew out a breath. "Fine. I won't kill anyone." Percy raised an eyebrow. "Or hurt anyone."

"No provoking either."

Loki didn't even bother to look offended.

Percy crossed his arms and waited.

The exiled prince huffed. "You do not command me."

Percy rolled his eyes. "I'm not commanding you to do anything. I'm just asking you, as a friend."

"Friend?" Loki's dark green eyes swirled unreadably.

"Well, yeah. You saved me from hell, tried to teach me magic, and threw a bunch of knives at me. If that doesn't make us friends, then I don't know what does."

Loki watched him silently for a second. "Okay," he conceded. "One luncheon. One."

The Greek god grinned and clapped his hands. "Great. Let's go eat some yummy shawarma!"

Loki sighed at the boy's enthusiasm but followed him anyway.

Percy walked into the kitchen, Loki sulking close at his heels.

Everyone happened to be at the Tower today, and they all glanced up from the table when the two gods entered.

"Ah, Sleeping Beauty. Long time no see." Tony smirked, shaking half a wrap around in the air.

"Perseus!" Thor thundered in greeting.

Clint waved a hand and swallowed. "Glad you finally crawled out of the hidey-hole you were burrowed in."

"We waited on you." Steve grinned, putting an arm over his chair.

Percy glanced over at the table. Plates and glasses littered the surface of the wood table, and half-eaten shawarmas were scattered across the dishes.

"I see that." Amusement coated the son of Poseidon's tone.

Clint's countenance soured when he saw who was behind Percy. "Why's he with you?"

"Percy!" Tony complained, making a face. "What's Reindeer Games doing here?"

Natasha swatted Clint's head. "Be nice," she scolded the archer.

"Tony," Steve admonished, kicking the billionaire's leg under the table.

"Why?" Clint whined. "He's a freaking psychopath."

Tony pouted at Steve. "What?"

Percy heard a sigh from behind him. He turned to see Loki walk away, a closed-off look on his face. "Uh, uh, uh," Percy tutted and grabbed the Asgardian's arm.

"What?" Loki questioned, irritated by his forced halt and the physical contact. "They obviously don't want me here, and I don't want to be here. I don't see a problem."

"You're staying," Percy muttered, eyes blazing with determination.

Loki exhaled harshly. He not-so-gently removed his arm from Percy's hold but stayed where he was.

Percy turned back to the table and crossed his arms. He looked like a disappointed parent about to scold his children. Which, with the way Tony and Clint were acting, wasn't too far off point.

Both men shrunk under Percy's displeased gaze.

Bruce sighed. "Come sit down, Loki. Percy." The doctor gestured to the two empty seats by him, one of which he'd pulled from the counter during the conversation. He was used to the awkward tension whenever Loki joined them, which wasn't very often. Bruce hadn't exactly forgiven Loki, but he didn't see much point in maintaining the animosity between them when it seemed Loki was going to be here awhile longer anyway.

Percy strode over to the chair and plopped down with a sigh. Loki followed reluctantly behind.

The black-haired son of Poseidon grinned and shoved a shawarma in his mouth. As a god, he may not need food, but, man, that didn't mean he didn't enjoy it. Percy pushed a plate towards Loki.

Loki stared sullenly at the food. A clap on his back almost made him faceplant into the shawarma. "Eat up, brother! This Midgardian food may be small in quantity, but it is tasty."

Loki scowled at Thor. He looked back down at the food. The god watched the mortals eat with a disgusted look. They ate with their hands instead of utensils, like the animals they were.

Percy elbowed him. "C'mon, Loki," Percy exclaimed, his mouth full of food. "Eat something."

Loki stared at him. He slowly reached for the wrap and pulled out a miniscule slice of mutton.

Percy watched him chew and swallow the small piece of meat. "Well, that's a start, I guess." The Greek shook his head and continued eating.

He was on his fourth wrap—Percy was a growing god, after all—when Tony struck up a conversation with him.

"So, how's your chakra control training with Orochimaru," at this Tony inclined his head at Loki, "going?"

Percy rolled his eyes. "About as well as Rock Lee's."

"So... not very good then."

Percy nodded glumly.

Percy had dragged Tony out of the lab last week. Pepper had been away on a business trip the whole week, and without Pepper to force him to go to sleep, Tony had been staying up in the lab all night. Percy hadn't liked that, so he'd hauled Tony away. Percy couldn't force the billionaire to sleep, so they'd decided to binge-watch shows. They'd settled on Naruto. It had been a good bonding experience. The two had connected over how annoying Sakura was, guessing what was under Kakashi's mask (Tony was adamant that Kakashi had buck teeth), and laughing at how stupid most of the children—and teachers—were.

Everyone else, including Loki, looked between the two, confused. Tony sighed at Percy's glum look. "Cheer up, kid. You'll get there."

Bruce nodded, catching the gist of the conversation. "Yeah, Percy. You'll get it eventually."

"Actually, according to Orochimaru over here, I'm not gonna get it. I have no altitude—"

"Aptitude." Loki emended.

"—attitude for it."

The silver-tongued trickster sighed but didn't bother to correct him again.

"So, what are you going to do then?" Steve piped up, a little alarmed.

Percy lifted a shoulder. "Loki said I fight a different way." Percy turned to Thor. "Actually, he said I should ask you for tips."

"I would be glad to give you counsel, young Perseus." Thor boomed, banging his cup in agreement.

"Thanks, Thor." Percy turned back to his own food.

Conversations continued without him.

"How was your mission?" Steve asked Natasha and Clint.

"Fine." Natasha replied.

Clint snorted and elbowed the assassin. "Yeah, and she's got a rad new scar to top it off."

Bruce raised an eyebrow in question, turning away from his science-y discussion with Tony.

Natasha lifted a shoulder. "Got attacked by a merc with a serrated knife." She tapped her upper arm, which was covered by her long-sleeve shirt.

Steve sighed. "Guess you can't tell us anything else, huh?"

Tony patted his back with a chuckle. "Wouldn't be a top-secret mission, if it wasn't a secret, now would it?"

Steve shook his head. He knew Tony would make a beeline for his computer the minute they finished eating to hack into S.H.I.E.L.D. and find out everything about the mission.

Thor finished chewing. "It has been too long since we've campaigned together, friends." He lifted his giant mug, which had been special ordered just for him. "Here's to a gallant battle in our future, perhaps ending with our glorious deaths."

He received unenthusiastic, mumbled 'here, here's.'

Percy grabbed his own glass and swigged down some Diet Coke. Ah, the memories that brought back. He went to put his cup back down when his vision went black.

Darkness engulfed him.

Laughter rang in the gloom. "Little demigod. It's been far too long."

Tartarus flashed before his eyes. Black armor covered his body, in stark opposition to the portions of his form that were on fire. A giant broadsword dangled from his right hand. His coal eyes peered into Percy's soul.

Tartarus smiled his sadistic, one-sided smirk. "I am close, ever so close. You and your little Asgardian friend can't stop me." He lifted his sword and stepped toward Percy. Light from the fires glinted off the silver, throwing the sword into sharp contrast with the surrounding darkness. "I'll see you again soon, boy."

And then Tartarus plunged the sword into Percy's chest.