Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers, any Marvel related material, or the cover picture. This story is not for profit.

Steve gave a startled yelp as the pancakes he was making suddenly turned into live fish, flopping around in the hot pan before being cooked alive. Whirling around to glare at the trickster he knew was behind the act, he berated, "Loki, that's just inhumane."

"O Captain! My Captain," said God of Mischief bemoaned dramatically as he strolled into the kitchen followed closely by Tony and Bruce. "I do apologize if I'm not in the mood at the moment. There's been a development that I wish to share with the rest of the Avengers."

Thor put his poptart down instantly and directed his worried gaze to the slighter god, "What ails you, brother?"

Loki leaned against the counter next to Steve and transformed the fish back into their original state, now perfectly browned and fluffy. "Shall we wait for Widow and the archer? I prefer to say this as few times as necessary."

Tony and Bruce helped themselves to breakfast as Steve ladled a new batch into the pan. "Thanks, Steve," the volatile scientist said politely.

"Yeah," Tony added in the middle of a mouthful of pancake, "Absolutely delicious, darling. Would you consider also taking on the post of personal chef?"

Steve flushed pink at the endearment as he turned and pretended to focus on cooking. "Tony, would you be so kind," he gritted out with considerable effort, "to make some coffee, you know it's the fastest way to wake everyone up."

"Sure thing, sweetums," the genius teased, enjoying how the other's shoulders tensed. "I'll wash and then you can dry too." Grinning as he turned on the coffee-maker, he winked at Loki who just rolled his eyes in response.

Absentmindedly, Loki reached out to tuck an errant strand of hair back behind Thor's ear, causing the other to raise a brow in concern. "By the Norns, brother, you are awfully maudlin this morning, are you not?" Thor asked, recalling the younger's fondness for playing with his hair when they were young.

"Coffee," Clint interrupted, trance-like as he stumbled in blearily to join the rest of the group, accompanied by a wide-awake Natasha. "I smell coffee. Give me coffee."

Tony chuckled as he poured the archer a steaming cup, "Even I'm not that bad."

Cradling the hot cup between his fingers, Hawkeye took a reverent whiff of the dark liquid, sighing contentedly, "Sweet Jesus, my love! How I have missed thee!"

Natasha smirked fondly as she went to the fridge for chilled water, "So, why is everyone so serious?"

Waving his hand dramatically, Tony said through another mouthful of pancake, "Reindeer Games is having psychological issues, and since we're obviously his therapists, he's come to us for help."

Turning the superhero's next bite into gravel, the god went to sit by Thor at the table. "Unfortunately, the metaphor stands. I haven't completely shaken the Other's mental control," he informed bluntly.

Brain functions having charged to normal levels, Clint raised a curious eyebrow, "Then shouldn't you be all blue-eyed and murdering people?"

"It's…not a direct connection yet," Loki explained. "All bonds leave traces. He's using the vestiges of the former pathway connecting us to project his sentiments on to me."

"Basically," Tony butted in after he finished hacking and rinsing his mouth, "the Other is directing so much evil into Loki's mind that it's literally reshaping his thoughts and memories."

Nodding in assent, the Liesmith continued, "I can tell he has been searching for entry for a while. The first intrusion of my mind occurred this morning…I had a dream, or more a vision. It was as if the feelings weren't my own but at the same time, I yearned for death and suffering. However, the Other is not capable of reading my mind, that much I am sure of, but as he builds on the remnants of this existing bond, it will become increasingly difficult for me to block him out. As it stands, I am already vulnerable when I sleep."

Thor frowned, "This vision, what was it?"

Loki tensed, "It was first a memory that transitioned into a vision. …Remember when you first hit eleven?"

The blonde's brows furrowed in confusion for a moment before he understood, "That day at the river?"

"Yes," Loki smiled nostalgically. "It started with that but morphed, no…I morphed into your murderer."

The God of Thunder blinked, "It wasn't you, Loki. You're not a monster."

Letting out a small gasp, Loki had to fight to keep down the swell of hatred and self-pity that welled up inside of him. Stay away from me, you monster! "You don't know what I truly am," he hissed out, eyes hard and voice sharp.

Sensing a delicate subject best addressed privately, Thor continued in a soothing tone, "Brother, I have spent millennia by your side. I trust you with my life, no matter form you are in."

Sighing, Loki acquiesced and tore his eyes away from Thor's intense gaze. We will address this later, was the look on his face. "Thus, if we do not act quickly, all of you and Midgard will be in grave danger. The last invasion was a humiliation for the Other. When you become powerful, it is all about reputation, as I am sure it is here. He will not be merciful to your people."

"And you would be correct," Natasha spoke up, looking pointedly at Stark who just shrugged noncommittally. "What do you think is best?"

Loki huffed, "We must track him first, which is going to be much harder than it sounds. Tony, call Director Fury and inform him that I must borrow all of you for an indefinite amount of time. Am I right in assuming there are others capable of defending this planet? The X-men, perhaps?"

"It's freaky how much you know about us already. Jarvis should never have given you access," Tony muttered. "You should share some of that with Cap over there…"

"Stark," Loki said seriously, speaking in place of Steve's exasperated glare. "Make the call, time is of the essence."

"Why are you calling Fury first?" Steve asked.

"To tell him my plan, of course," Loki drawled. "I don't think kidnapping the Avengers would go over well with S.H.I.E.L.D. or even the public now would it? I can see the headlines now, Earth's Mightiest Superher—"

"Fury," a voice cut in over Javis' intercom. "What is it now?"

"Houston, we have a problem," Clint started.

"Director Fury," Loki nodded as he took over. "I appreciate your generosity in accommodating me at Avengers Tower. I assure you, I have been behaving myself."

"As if," Tony snorted.

"Get to the point," Fury demanded, ignoring Tony's quip.

Loki rolled his eyes, settling into his chair and crossing his legs. "The Other is attempting to gain control of my mind again. At this point in time, I am already susceptible. We must take our chances with a preemptive strike to take him out before he can fully mobilize his forces. The last battle of New York was child's play for him. He is eager for blood, human blood, and it would be in your best interest to aid me in this mission as I will need the Avenger's aid for an indefinite amount of time."

"And what exactly are the details of this mind control stunt?" the director sounded skeptical.

Tony interrupted before Loki could explain, "That's need to know, Director." At Steve's incredulous gaze, he amended slightly, "As in we don't want more people than necessary finding out about this potential threat. The majority of this battle would be taking place outside the range of our technological reach, so you would be in the dark anyway you look at it. Less information for you means less information for the Council. You know we can't trust those back-stabbing idiots."

"In their absence," Loki concluded authoritatively, "I'm confident that you have other means of protecting this realm. They will be given one week to prepare." He waved his hand and the connection was cut.

xxxx

Steve sat comfortably in his chair in front of this favorite café as he occasionally took a bite of his Rueben Panini which Tony had ordered for him. Glancing up for his sketch of the new Stark Tower in the distance, the blond directed his gaze at the man sitting across from him. No change, still answering emails or whatever on the latest model of his StarkPhone.

"I'm done when you're done, Spangles," the genius commented, eyes still glued to the screen of his handheld, brows furrowed in concentration.

Steve sighed as he put down his pencil, the sketch was completed anyway. "Tony, you know it calms me down."

Seeing that the other was paying attention to him, finally, the inventor smoothly tucked his phone away as well. "But you're so sexy when you're all wound up, sweetheart."

Rolling his eyes even as a flush settled on his cheeks, Steve took a sip of his water. "You're terrible, Tony, I mean it."

Grinning, Stark replied cheekily, "Oh you ain't seen nothing yet, just wait until I get you in bed." At Steve's swift glare, the man relented, albeit reluctantly, "All right, Mr. Defender-of-all-things-modest, let's talk business then. Loki's right, we are involved in this war whether we like it or not."

"I know," Rogers agreed. "I just wonder when we went from Loki's adversaries to his allies. I can't pinpoint the moment, and it worries me. Say this is all a plot to lure us away from a home-field advantage?"

"We don't have a choice," Tony defended. "Either we go with him and take them both down if Loki betrays us or we stay here and get pummeled when Creepy Space Alien decides to crush us."

"But how can we aid Loki if it's a battle between gods?" Steve continued. "I'm no match in muscle or brain power, and I don't think we have the advantage of them underestimating us this time."

"I think that's why Loki is so keen to keep the whole operation quiet," Tony mused. "If we can get into their base and pull an Anakin Skywalker, then maybe we'll do okay."

"You lost me," Steve sighed.

Tony gaped, "Seriously, Phantom Menace, nothing? What kind of cultural rehab has Fury been putting you through anyways? Whatever, it was a shit sequel anyway. What I'm trying to say is that we could engineer a stealth mission and sneak in while the gods are having a play date and then blow their entire base up."

"I've been trying, Tony," Steve sighed. "Okay, but we don't know how taking down one base will help. They could be housing their army in a separate location, destroying their base would only delay the attack again."

Tony shook his head, "Even if they were, since that's obviously what happened last time when they attacked, did you see what happened when I sent the nuke in?"

"Destroying the mothership, um, I guess, deactivated the soldiers," Steve concluded, recalling how the Chitauri had suddenly dropped limply after the nuclear bomb had detonated. "We just need to make sure Loki leads us to their main base with the Other on it, then."

"Exactly," Tony exclaimed proudly. "That way, even if we don't manage to blow up their entire army, the remaining forces would be without any capable leadership and would most likely scatter."

After a moments deliberation, Steve nodded, "You're right. You and Bruce have everything you need to track him down?"

Uncrossing his legs to subtly brush them against the super soldier's, Tony smirked as the other sputtered, "Yeah, Loki gave us a rough run-down of what he needs, we'll have everything ready within a few days."

"Tony—" the blond huffed as he shifted and accidentally brushed against the genius' other leg, "Stark! Is it really the time for this?"

"The elephant's going to be there as long as we ignore it," Tony drawled, masking the nerves he could feel fluttering in his stomach. "I'm sure Mr. Matchmaker has gone over the basics with you already, and I'm…ready to give it a go if you are."

Over the past few months, Steve had come to trust and respect his teammate more than the rest. Whenever there was a dispute, he always looked to Tony for support. And while the other rarely showed it outwardly, and sometimes even disagreed with him just for the sake of contradicting Steve, the super soldier could tell that the other had come to see him as an equal as well. Why should this be any different? Oh right, because this would be his first real chance at finding love…with another man.

Flattered and slightly embarrassed, the blond nodded as he held the shorter man's gaze, "Yeah, I am up for it. Do you want to, um, go on a double date with Loki and Thor before they leave?"

Raising a brow and effectively hiding his relief, Tony smiled, "Always the man of action, I see. Why yes, I'd love to go on a date with you, Cap. Let's head back and find the two love birds before they think of better ways of passing the time."

"Stark, get your head out of the gutter. That's an order."

Laughing, Tony mock saluted, "Sir, yes sir!"

TBC

More smut in the future kiddos, plot before porn.

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