Steve strolled cheerfully into the elevator, pushing the button to take him up to the penthouse where Tony was sure to be. He'd had a pretty good day, so far, spending the morning with his friend and fellow Avenger, Sam Wilson, and got lunch with Natasha and Clint. He had gone to the park, that afternoon, and sketched the trees, people, and animals therein, since they were having such wonderful weather. He hadn't talked to Tony in a while, so he had decided to pay the billionaire a visit.

The AI was still out of commission, what with Jarvis being implanted into Vision, but the lack of robotic help did nothing to dampen the Captain's mood. In fact, he'd always considered the body-less presence somewhat unnerving, so he was actually a bit relieved it was still gone. When the elevator doors opened, he happily walked over to Tony, where he was lying on the couch with a guilty expression on his face.

"Oh, great, what did you do, now?" He rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

Tony sat up, and forced a grin. "Oh, hey, Cap, good to see you!" He smiled the fakest smile Steve had ever seen. "Anything I can do for you this… fine… morning?"

Steve raised an eyebrow. "It's actually evening."

Tony glanced at his watch. "Would you look at that? So, it is." He was obviously trying to get away with something. "Time flies in the workshop, you know?"

Steve narrowed his eyes. "What did you do in the workshop?"

Tony's grin froze. "Nothing…"

"Really?" The captain crossed his arms impatiently.

"Yep!" Tony nodded emphatically. "That's my story, and I'm sticking to it! Want a drink?"

"I can get it!" A strangely familiar voice offered enthusiastically, before adding. "Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot I'm not actually… here…"

Steve looked around the room in confusion. "What was that?"

"Stay quiet, okay?" Tony hissed at the ceiling. "Oh, that's just… my new AI." He laughed sheepishly. "Still… working out the kinks…"

Steve waited for his friend to admit his deeds.

"This one's a lot buggier than Jarvis was…" Tony scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"Why did you give it Loki's voice?" The captain wondered, playing along.

Tony paled. Jackpot, Steve thought to himself.

"What? Loki's voice?" He stammered. "I-I don't know what you're talking about! I just… gave it a British accent. Nostalgic of Jarv's, you know? Good ol' UK… well, I guess you're a bit too patriotic to understand…"

"Anthony." The voice came again, and yeah, it was one hundred percent Loki's voice. "I… not to intrude, but I think he's figured it out."

Tony slumped in defeat. "Okay… yeah, it's Loki. But it's not my fault, I swear, I have no idea how this happened!"

Steve was even more confused than he had been when he woke up from the ice. Well, maybe not that confused, but still. "Can… you explain that, again?"

"Which part?"

Steve made a helpless gesture. "…All of it?"

Tony pressed his fingers to his forehead. "Okay, so it all started yesterday, when I was working on the new AI, and then suddenly it was Loki."

"Loki." Steve repeated dubiously. "Why does it sound like you're very, very drunk?"

"He's telling the truth." The AI spoke up again. "Neither of us know how it happened, but it appears I've suddenly been turned to a robot."

"And he doesn't remember New York." Tony chipped in.

Steve felt his mind reel. "Wait a minute. Let me get this straight. You believe him?"

Tony shrugged. "You don't?"

"Tony, this guy is literally known as the god of lies!" Steve gasped. "You can't trust him! He's probably going to turn around and knife you in the back first chance he gets! Or… steal important information, or something! You have to shut him down, now!"

Tony glared defensively. "Hey, be nice! He's cool, now, right, Loki? You don't wanna hurt anyone, do you?"

"No." Loki answered quietly, obviously upset. "And – and, we contacted Thor! Wait, do you know Thor? He's my brother. Anthony called him, and he'll be here in a few… weeks, at the most."

"I know Thor." Steve assured.

"Yeah, everyone does." Loki laughed softly.

Steve sat down on the couch. "Jiminy crickets… you two are on good terms?"

"Of course!" Loki laughed nervously. "He's my brother, why wouldn't we be?"

"That's not how you were acting, before." Tony explained, flipping a hand nonchalantly.

"I see. I assure you… My apologies, I don't believe I actually know your name." Loki said cordially.

Steve shook his head. "Steve Rogers."

"Prince Loki Odinson. A pleasure." Loki immediately responded warmly. He sounded so different from the cold, wicked, wanna-be world-dominator they'd faced a few years prior. "I assure you, Sir Rogers, I have no intent to harm your realm. I don't… even… remember why I did, before. I'm terribly sorry I hurt you…" He trailed off miserably. "And your people… I can't imagine what would have made me do that."

"Hey, it's okay, Rudolph." Tony smiled comfortingly. "You're not that guy, anymore."

"Sort of." Loki sighed. "I'm still the same man, but I merely don't remember the deeds I did while I knew you."

"No, you're not the same at all." Steve breathed in disbelief. "This is insane. He was insane! And now he's…"

"Not lying?" Tony shrugged. "Took a while to sink in, for me, too."

"If I may…" Loki spoke up. "Exactly… how many did I… k-kill?"

Tony shook his head. "You don't want to know that."

Steve could hear the frustration in Loki's voice. "Yes, I do, and If you shan't tell me, now, I'll look it up with your internet."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Fine. I don't actually know the exact number, but I know it was more than eighty."

"More than eighty…" Loki echoed, his voice hollow. "I-I-I'm so sorry… I'd never… I'm so sorry…"

Warily, Tony put his hands protectively over his head, just before the sprinklers came on for no apparent reason, pouring water down from the ceiling. With a particularly unmanly screech, the captain dove for cover under the coffee table. Tony, however, stayed standing in the torrent, murmuring kind words to the Trickster until the water sputtered to a stop. Cap hadn't caught what, exactly, Tony had said, but the tone in which he'd said it… he wasn't aware narcissist, egotistical, stuck-up Tony was capable of such kindness. Warily, he crawled out of his shelter, staring at the engineer in shock.

"I tried to warn you, Bambi, really, I did." Tony was saying. "Some things are better left unsaid."

Loki was silent, and Steve continued staring at Tony. "What's that look for?"

Steve shook his head in disbelief. "You know, I think you'd make a great dad."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Why, cause he's only mentally fifteen?"

Steve sputtered in disbelief. "He's what?"

After a few hours of conversation, the three of them agreed it would probably be a good idea to inform the rest of the Avengers, obviously breaking it to them gently, just so that, as a team, they'd all know what was going on. Loki had inputted that if he actually did turn out to be evil, then that would be better if the whole team were to know what would be going on. Steve had pointed out that Loki was not the best person to be reminding them that he could be evil, but Loki had only laughed. Not in an evil way, of course, more like a "I know I have a bad rep, and I'm going to make the best of this" way.

To both Tony and Steve's surprise, Loki seemed a bit (read as extremely) nervous about meeting new people, despite his having agreed it was optimal, the prospect worried him to no end. When he learned there were five other Avengers to meet, besides Thor, he had a bit of a panic attack, in fact. Steve never would have pegged him as the kind of person to have social anxiety, but it was rather obvious.

"Please don't make me talk to them." He actually begged, after about five minutes of nervous ranting.

Tony shook his head. "Okay, Lokes, if you don't want to talk to them, that's your call. But I really think you ought to."

"Oh dear." Loki replied in a small voice. "Now I've got to, or I'll be drowned in guilt…"

"You didn't seem particularly skittish, talking to me." Steve pointed out.

Loki hesitated. "Well, no." He admitted. "But that's only because I, uh… I recognize you from somewhere? I think? I don't know, but I felt like you wouldn't… you know, poke fun at me, or anything."

Tony snorted. "Yep, Captain Righteous-Spandex to the rescue."

Steve rolled his eyes, but held his tongue. It was better to just let Tony be Tony.

"It was the same way with Anthony, actually." Loki continued. "I felt like I could… trust you, I suppose. That's why I thought you might be my friend." Loki laughed softly.

There was an uncomfortable silence in the room. Steve and Tony glanced at each other awkwardly. Loki was so lonely, so desperate for companionship, but… could they ever forget what he'd done? If he'd forgotten what had happened, did that mean they could? Loki had killed so many people, and he didn't even remember. This new Trickster was someone Steve had honestly never heard of, although, in truth, they were the same.

"I'm sorry, did I guilt you?" Loki began nervously. "I'm awfully sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"No, it's okay, Rudolph." Tony waved a hand nonchalantly. "It's not your fault everyone up in space hated you."

"It's not?" Loki asked in wonder, as if that was a very new concept to him. Steve felt a twinge of sympathy. He knew what it was like to be looked down upon, always picked on, and always the underdog. At least, when he'd been small, he'd had Bucky. Had Loki had anyone?

"No, not at all." Tony was saying. "Some people just can't handle all that awesome." For some reason, the temperature in the room seemed to go up slightly.

"What are you trying to say?" Loki asked hesitantly. "You don't want to be… my friend, do you?"

The engineer shrugged. "I only choose super-cool people as my entourage, and it's not every day I find someone as smart as you, Bambi."

"Oh, stop it…" Loki mumbled, but Steve could hear the gratified smile in his voice. "You're just saying that…"

Tony shrugged again. "Well, if you don't want to be friends, then I guess…."

"No!" Loki quickly cut him off. "Not at all! That's not what I was saying in the least! I-I-I'd be honored, truly, I would… I-I promise I'll make you proud."

Tony shot a triumphant glance at Steve. "What about you, Stevie Wonder? Wanna be friends with a robot-slash-norse god?"

Steve rolled his eyes. "Well…"

"Oh, please?" Loki begged. "We could be like the Warriors three! And… and… if you do… I'll…" He hesitated. "I'll speak with the rest of your team." He finished beguilingly, almost wheedling.

"Fine." Steve huffed. "But if you start being evil…"

"I shan't, you have my word." Loki blurted. "Well. I've never had a group of friends, before."

"I think you'd really like…" Tony began, but then his face fell. "Well, would've really liked Bruce."

Steve patted his friend's shoulder sympathetically.

"Who's Bruce?" Loki asked in a small voice.

Steve shook his head. "We'll tell you about him, later. For now, I-"

But whatever the captain had been about to say was cut off by a loud crash from the balcony, followed up by Loki gleefully cheering, "Thor's finally here!"

Yepperoni.

With a side of squid.

If you didn't try some,

You wish you did.

TheOnlyHuman.