Ronan didn't like Germany.

Nothing against the country itself, except from, you know, the world wars, but he just didn't understand why Germany would appeal to anyone travelling to Europe. There was Paris and Athens and Rome and anywhere else. He didn't understand what appeal Germany held. Because, to him, it was just...well, boring.

Why couldn't Loki show up in Venice? He'd never been to Venice.

To be completely honest, Ronan had never been to Stuttgart either, but Venice just sounded much more appealing.

Despite not going into the field and being an active participant (he was literally sitting in the jet, a lucky charm which, ow, hurtful) he had been forced into SHIELD issued uniform. He missed his jeans and converse, worn as they were, and was now wearing black trousers, military boots, a black T-shirt with a bulletproof vest.

He felt stupid. He probably also looked stupid.

Fortunately, no one protested to him pulling his hoodie on over said shirt and vest, so at least he felt a bit more normal, a bit warmer.

Natasha was wearing her standard issue uniform and looked absolutely stunning. As usual. At least Ronan wasn't wearing the stars and stripes like Steve was.

But, then again, Steve actually looked like the superheroes Ronan read about in comics. Ronan...well, he definitely didn't. He also wasn't a superhero, which was probably also why Ronan felt so ridiculously out of place.

It was Steve who made the first dramatic entrance, jumping out of the plane without a fucking parachute and protecting one of the civilians from a blast from Loki's staff.

Ronan found himself scrambling to the front of the plane, ignoring Natasha's hiss of 'stay back' to get a better view of the situation.

His eyes, of course, locked on the so-called god first.

He was more slender than Thor had been, less visibly muscular and just looked smaller, though it did not detract from how opposing he was. He made the hair on Ronan's neck stand up.

Although...he didn't look healthy. Whereas Thor was all golden skin and well groomed, this man looked too pale. He looked...mad. Desperate. Despite the fact he had once stood in front on the crowd, speaking of ruling them, of controlling them, Ronan felt a stirring in his gut. A stirring that told him something was wrong with this picture. He wasn't sure what but...something.

He almost didn't notice the blast aimed towards the jet, but he managed to grab hold of something as they jerked to the left, avoiding the blast, and that was when Steve attacked.

The crowd screamed, running out of the way of two men who were more than just men went head to head, fighting each other with all they had. Ronan's eyes followed them, their twists and turns and how they could make a fight look almost elegant.

"Damn, they're all over the place." Natasha muttered, trying to get a clear aim. She would fail to, Ronan knew that, even without the comment. They were too far away, and the two on the ground were moving too much, too fast

When AC/DC began to play over the speaker system, and a man's voice spoke, Ronan was blown back.

"Agent Romanoff - you miss me?"

"Is that Tony Stark?" Ronan managed to hiss to Natasha. She may have snorted.

"The one and only." She said in response, as a streak of golden light appeared in the sky, signalling the arrival of the one and only Iron Man.

After that, it didn't take too long for Loki to surrender.

XoooX

Ronan was a huge fan of Tony Stark.

He liked his tech, how clever he was. Ronan was clever, but not with technology - he knew about science, read up on the stuff that interested him, but the technical jargon that some people could spout off just went right over his head. His hands were clever, though, and he could pick up things quickly. He could fix car engines and such, having helped Jane with her truck multiple times, but Stark...he was on a whole new level.

The arc reactor was the main thing that had Ronan blown away - a clean source of energy, that powered the Iron Man suit and, more recently, Stark Tower in New York. Then there was the way he stopped making nuclear weapons, focused more so on phones and tablets and stuff that couldn't destroy cities and kill civilians.

Ronan looked deceptively calm when Steve and Tony forced Loki into the jet, when Natasha got ready for flight again, when Tony and Steve remove their masks. Inside, he felt rather sick.

At least he didn't look like he was going to throw up.

Loki wasn't really looking at anyone when he sat down, which was a relief for Ronan. He didn't want to look at Loki's face, try and read him - he looked ill, sick, and it made Ronan uncomfortable.

"You must be Ronan Spire!" Tony's voice made Ronan almost jump out of his skin. He turned to look at the billionaire, who offered him a hand. "Afraid I don't know too much about you - your file is surprisingly small, considering it is SHIELD."

"I...uh...is that a good thing?" Ronan realised his voice had raised in pitch, and hastily coughed. "Sorry."

"Nah, it's fine." Tony waved a metal covered hand, completely unconcerned. "How did you manage to avoid them finding much on you?"

"Probably because I'm not that interesting." Ronan managed to answer. "Seriously. I grew up in a pretty average household. I just happened to become friends with Jane Foster and have the X-gene."

"Ah, yes. The lucky charm." Tony recalled and Ronan's nose wrinkled in distaste. The lucky charm - that was all he was here for, really. "No wonder Fury got you roped in."

"I wasn't too willing." Ronan said.

"Then he saw the helicarrier fly and turn invisible." Steve said and Tony let out a laugh. Ronan felt himself turn red.

"It was cool." He said in defense. Tony grinned at him.

"I like you, kid."

"I'm not a kid." Ronan huffed, folding his arms. He heard Natasha snort in amusement.

There was silence for a while, Ronan leaning against the side of the jet with his arms crossed across his chest. He was well aware that he looked much less imposing than literally everyone else gathered, and he felt...out of place. He wasn't supposed to be muscle, though, he was supposed to be a lucky charm. As usual.

It was Steve who broke the silence first.

"This is too easy."

"What, that he gave up so easily?" Tony jerked his head in the direction of Loki. The God gave him a withering look. "Maybe it's because we have Lucky Charms on our side."

"If one more person gives me a nickname after a brand of cereal, I swear to God I will actually shoot you." Ronan groused. "For the sake of all that is holy -"

Ronan was cut off by the sound of rumbling thunder.

Tony and Steve didn't look bothered, Natasha kept flying but Loki...Loki looked up to the roof of the plane, his entire posture radiating nervousness. Ronan would have thought he was afraid of lightning, if he hadn't met Thor a year ago.

"Scared?" Steve had to ask.

"Not particularly fond of what follows." Loki responded and Ronan groaned.

"There was a fucking reason I didn't want to get involved." He muttered. He was relieved that he was against the wall when something shook the entire jet. The hatch opened and a man landed in the opening, silhouetted against a stormy sky. Ronan sighed. "Hello, Thor."

Thor, who had made a direct line for Loki, paused at Ronan's voice. All eyes turned on Ronan and he suddenly felt very self conscious.

"Ronan Spire!" Thor's voice was booming, just like Ronan remembered, and a beam lit up his face. The hatch closed again. Loki glared at the door as though it had betrayed him. "It is good to see you, my friend!"

"Can you stop the storm? Like, please?" Ronan asked. "I'm not good with planes as it is. Never mind flying through a thunderstorm."

"Apologies." The rain and thunder ceased, and Ronan let out a relieved sigh.

"You...know each other?" Steve sounded very confused. Ronan didn't blame him.

"Last year my friend Jane hit him with her truck." Ronan explained and Tony let out a bark of laughter. "This is Thor. Thor, this is Steve Rogers, Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff." Thor nodded, before turning to Ronan.

"How is Jane?"

"I think she's doing something in London. She got all her science stuff back anyway." Ronan shrugged a shoulder. "She misses you. She might hit you when you see her next. Possibly not with her truck this time." He heard Loki mutter something under his breath - probably something insulting. Ronan didn't pay him much attention. "Say, do you want to join our super secret boyband?"

"...Boyband?"

"Well, plus a girl." Ronan grinned. "Apparently we have to save the world. Or something."

"Ronan, do you really think this is a good idea?" Steve spoke up. He at least sounded faintly amused. Ronan didn't need to think his answer through.

"It's Thor." He said. "He is one of the purest people I have ever met. He made me breakfast, Steve. You have never made me breakfast."

"I have known you for a few hours." Steve pointed out. Tony looked like he was struggling not to laugh.

"And yet I am placing the leadership of our mismatched team in your hands. Thor is going to join - right?" Ronan turned to Thor, and was startled to see him smiling at him, completely fond.

"Since you insist, I suppose I shall."

XoOoX

Chapter 3 shall include much more Loki. And more of Ronan's backstory, so there is that to look forward to.

Not ridiculously happy with this, but I need to get the story moving before I reach points where things really take a turn from the film plot. Which will happen next chapter.

Read, review and all that jazz! ~ Jazz xx