Loki didn't always enjoy his own pranks.
When the toaster ate his toast, Loki shrieked and flailed with frustration. The toaster began spitting smoke out of the slots just as Clint walked into the kitchen.
Clint muttered several censored expletives and grabbed the fire extinguisher. Loki continued to holler his protest, not at all interested in Clint spraying the wreckage.
Once the crisis was averted, Clint began making eggs. The stove fire went out as he sprayed the pan, though it returned when he fiddled with the knobs.
Clint made a show of juggling the eggs before cracking them over the pan. Instead of yolks and goop, baby birds emerged, resulting in shouting and a frantic scramble to save them from the scorching skillet.
The chicks were immediately adopted by Cooper and Lila, given names like Peeps, Pecky and Needle. The children and Thor fawned over the chicks, but Loki payed little attention, even when Lila tried to introduce them.
Lila renewed her efforts to encourage Loki to bring the toy horses to life, and Laura and Clint fretted over the possibility of suddenly having a whole army of animals to feed and care for.
Loki's book, once again, flew away like a bird. Only this time it was Loki's favorite, and such an obvious tell of magic outside could alert their enemies to the safe house.
Thor had to chase the flyaway book down with Mjolnir, which, again, could attract unwanted attention.
Thor returned the book to a distraught Loki, who intently spat on the pages so much they stuck together. It would ensure the book wouldn't fly away, but rendered it a useless brick that he slammed into the ground, as if punishing it further.
Thor decided it was time to return to the tower. It seemed more likely to find help for Loki in New York, and he did not wish to bring harm to Clint's wife and children with their presence. Having two Asgardian guests who were on many hit lists hindered the safety of the safe house.
Cooper and Lila longed to meet all the Avengers, but of course that would attract too much attention. Instead, Natasha arrived in the Quinjet and Tony tagged along to repair the broken appliances and tractor.
Lila, of course, cried out "Auntie Nat" and ran into her arms. Loki pulled Tony down and stuck his face near Tony's arc reactor.
"You ever heard of Shakespeare in the Park?" Tony asked Loki. "I called your brother that, but it's a real thing. You want to go sometime?"
Lila dramatically pronounced that boring.
As Tony tinkered with the toaster, Lila and Cooper regaled him with the tale of Loki's antics. They tried introducing him to the chicks, but Tony shooed them away. He clearly wasn't an animal person, but he hid behind an excuse. "They could get fried, it sounds like they almost did already."
Thor packed up his and Loki's things.
"You'll call us, won't you?" Cooper asked Loki, seeming to forget that he didn't acknowledge the Avengers at all on their calls.
Lila gave Loki a book about horses and a few plastic horses. "Don't turn them real until you visit, okay?"
Loki had already tossed the toys aside, throwing himself onto the ground. He gave Lila one last pony ride before they departed. This time, Clint stayed behind with his family, though he'd visit the tower soon.
"He doesn't want to go," Lila said, noticing Loki yelling in the jet. Lila herself was sniffling, gently holding one of the chicks Loki had unintentionally given her.
Clint refrained from mentioning that Loki hated plane rides, and his tears could have just as easily been about that.
Loki didn't seem particularly bothered that the Bartons weren't in the tower. Truthfully, he seemed to fit in better with the rest of the Avengers- they were all adults, after all, and all had odd abilities, even if they weren't all naturally super-powered.
Loki relished in the calm voice of JARVIS, and JARVIS relayed the weather, the stocks, and various other news.
In Loki's absence, Tony had made a customized electric wheelchair, as well as robotic leg braces to aid Loki in walking. Loki kicked furiously enough that the braces couldn't be put on his legs. He was more willing to sit in the wheelchair, though he still sat imperiously, waiting to be pushed.
It seemed only by accident that he discovered the joystick to move the chair. After much experimentation, he proceeded to try and run over Tony's toes.
Tony yelped. "This is the thanks I get? Geez, see if I make anything for you again,"
Loki laughed at the hollow threat, and sure enough, Tony was working on a device to reverse the effects of Loki's shrinking and growing spells. In the lab, Tony coaxed Loki to alter the size of objects. The one successful attempt involved shrinking the rolling chair Tony was sitting on.
Tony picked himself up, then picked up the small chair. He seemed too intrigued to be hurt, muttering "I'm not going to let Pym have all the fun."
Attending a Shakespeare play in the park didn't exactly mean a low profile. In fact, the Avengers garnered more attention to the performers, no matter how hard Steve and Thor tried to redirect it.
Steve shot apologetic looks at the actors, who were clearly more voluntary than he'd been in his USO days. They clearly took the phrase "the show must go on" to heart.
Loki was clearly thrilled, eyes fixed on the costumed actors. Suddenly, he vanished and reappeared onstage, right in between Petruchio and Katherine, as if to immerse himself in the story instead of the crowd clamoring to meet the Avengers.
In the chaos, Petruchio wound up tripping, and possibly breaking his leg. Loki didn't heal anything, his attention fixed on Katherine's flowing dress.
Tony promised to pay for all medical bills (though he could have afforded a lawsuit), and questioned JARVIS as to whether anyone had mentioned the phrase break a leg in regards to theater either directly to Loki or within his earshot.
The following day, while in the electric wheelchair, Loki hit his head with frustrated grunts and cries. Thor took him out of the chair, figuring Loki may prefer to crawl, but Loki did not cease. He continued to batter himself, hard enough that it would have left any non-enhanced human with a concussion.
A short while later, after Loki had decided to give the electric wheelchair another go, JARVIS announced a call from a Professor Xavier, who wished to speak with them.
A tad hypocritically, Tony told JARVIS to tell the professor that Loki was not a subject to be studied.
"He is saying he can help, sir." JARVIS replied.
The Professor's voice had the same calm quality as JARVIS, but Loki startled and moved to hit himself again.
"I must apologize." The Professor told them. "I attempted to reach out earlier, and was not welcome."
Tony frowned, glancing at the ceiling. JARVIS hadn't mentioned any previous attempts at contact from the Professor. Perhaps the PR department or Pepper had already turned him away.
"Where exactly do you teach?" Bruce asked, though Tony was already pulling up files with the help of JARVIS.
"Gifted Youngsters?" Tony asked with a raised brow. "Loki's great, but he wouldn't qualify as 'gifted' on most people's scales. And he's not exactly a youngster."
"Loki is indeed gifted." The Professor agrees, sincerely. "I specialize with students and adults who possess a wide range of gifts. Telekinesis, teleportation, telepathy, pyrokinesis and extraordinary strength, to name a few."
"So, telepathy. That's how you reached out." Tony frowned, turning to Loki. "Well, that explains why you were trying to pound something out of your head earlier. Can't say I blame you. Say, prof, if you try to go in my head, I'll-"
Loki shouted over Tony's threat.
Once the call had ended, mostly due to Loki's shouting, Tony said "Well, I guess you don't want to go there."
To Tony's surprise, Loki sent his new electric wheelchair forward, swerved into the wall, and threw himself to the floor to crawl.
"Huh, well, maybe you do."