A/N I think we're right around the half-way mark now. I hope you guys are thinking "Yay! There's still a lot more to come" and not "Half-way! This story is never going to end!" :P

Anyway, here's a light little chapter showing some friendship between Loki and The Avengers. I hope you guys like it! :)

Thank you so much to my reviewers! I know I say this a lot but it's because it's true: You guys are seriously awesome!

RossyGaray

Aka-Baka Hoshi

Son-of-hiddle

Ophelia Lokisdottir

aliceindeepdarkwonderland

ImperfectIsPerfect

maliha1205

RoxasGuyXIII

SwimmerGirl0726

OkieDokieLoki

OncomingStorm21

A Taste of Friendship

For the first time in what felt like forever, Loki woke up actually feeling refreshed. The remainder of his sleep had been peaceful and dream free. As he returned to consciousness, he was aware of feeling warm and comfortable, almost like he was laying next to a fireplace. As he opened his eyes and the memories of the night before came back, he realized why. He was still laying curled against Thor who was practically the definition of a portable heater.

Thor's arm was still around Loki holding him close even in sleep and Loki felt truly safe for the first time in a long time. As much as Loki would have liked to stay there in that feeling of safety and contentment, he knew he couldn't just sleep the day away. He started to sit up but found that the hold Thor had on him prevented him from being able to move.

He reached up and grabbed Thor's wrist and tried to move his brother's arm off of him but the still sleeping Thor simply tightened his hold, pinning Loki down.

"Thor," Loki said patting him on the chest. "Thor, wake up and let me go."

Thor, always having been a sound sleeper, only stirred before growing still again. Loki huffed in exasperation and went to plan B. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened and Loki knew how to wake his brother when he needed to. Taking a deep breath and hoping Thor didn't hit him in reaction, Loki wiggled around until he was able to get his other arm out from under himself and turned it so that his elbow was aimed at Thor's side. Then Loki sent a hard jab into Thor's ribs.

Fortunately for Loki, Thor didn't hit him. Unfortunately for Loki, Thor grunted and jerked away from Loki's elbow, snatching his arm up slightly in the process. In doing so, he moved his hold from Loki's shoulders to his neck, accidentally yanking the smaller man's neck with his arm as he jolted awake.

Loki let out a strangled yelp at the arm encircling his neck. Thor looked around bleary as Loki squirmed and tried to pull Thor's arm away from his throat.

"Thor," he forced out. "Let. Go," he gasped.

Thor realized what he was doing and quickly relinquished his hold on his younger brother who sucked in a deep breath and coughed as his poor windpipe sought to funnel the air into his lungs.

"Brother, I'm sorry," Thor said.

"It's fine," Loki said, waving him off. "I knew the risk of waking you like that while you still had a hold of me. I know better."

"Are you all right?" Thor asked.

Loki rolled his eyes good-naturedly at Thor's concern.

"Yes, I can handle a little strangling from you, Brother," Loki said. "I've had enough practice."

Loki's light, teasing tone brought a smile to Thor's face and even elicited a chuckle from him.

"Now come on. We don't want to be late for breakfast," Loki said.

Thor was instantly up and heading toward the door at the prospect of food.

"I'll be back in a few minutes and we can go together?" Thor asked.

Loki nodded and Thor beamed at him before slipping out the door. Loki shook his head and chuckled at his brother. Some things truly never changed.

Loki got up out of bed and started going about changing his clothes. A small smile remained on Loki's face as he went about his routine. He felt good for the first time in a while. He had slept well and things were actually good between him and Thor. Everything was finally looking up.

Loki had just shrugged into his black jacket when a spike of pain shot through his head and he pressed his fingers to his temples.

You will know pain.

Loki's smile disappeared. It seemed that he couldn't escape completely. Every time things started to look good again, his memories and fears had to reassert themselves. Loki froze as a chilling thought struck him. What if it wasn't just his memories? What if it was real? A growing dread took hold at the thought. Thanos was still out there. Loki knew that. And the titan had promised retribution if Loki failed. Could he be reaching out to Loki? Could the phrase that kept recurring be a current threat rather than a remembered one?

Loki thought about it for a long moment. He searched his mind for any kind of presence or influence but found none. His memories did contain that phrase and it didn't seem any different from other memories and flashbacks that Loki had. There was no evidence, other than Loki's fear of Thanos coming after him, that suggested the voice was anything but another lingering memory haunting Loki's mind.

He decided he was being silly and overly worried. He was letting his dreams get to him. If Thanos was going to come after him, surely he would have already. Loki pushed the silly thought to the back of his mind, determined to not let his fears and memories get the best of him. However, he wasn't stupid enough to dismiss it completely. He would keep his guard and awareness up. He would not be manipulated or taken by surprise again. If Thanos was coming, he would be ready.

)()()(

Not ten minutes after Thor left, Loki heard a knock at his door.

"That was quick," Loki mumbled in surprise. Thor never got ready for anything that fast. "Come in," he called as he straightened the lapel on his coat.

He heard the door open and turned, but didn't see Thor as he had expected. Instead, to Loki's surprise, Bruce Banner stood just inside the doorway. Loki waited for Bruce to speak but the scientist simply shifted uncomfortably. He looked like he wanted to say something but didn't know how to phrase it.

"I thought you were Thor," Loki said to break the silence.

"Oh. Sorry. I can come back later," Bruce said, reaching for the door handle.

"No. No. It's fine," Loki said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at Bruce's unease.

For someone who possessed an invincible beast within himself, the doctor sure was nervous and uneasy surprisingly often. If anyone should be uneasy in this situation, it was Loki. After all, Bruce wasn't the one who had gotten slammed into a concrete floor repeatedly.

"Did you need something, Doctor?" Loki asked, hoping the question would help Bruce get to the point of his visit.

"I... wanted to talk to you," Bruce said, rubbing the back of his neck as if whatever he wanted to talk to Loki about was a sensitive subject.

"You talked to Thor," Loki guessed.

Bruce looked at him in surprise. "Uh, yeah. We passed in the hall and he kind of... mentioned something."

"So what comprises your 'living with a monster' speech?" Loki asked.

Bruce looked at him in surprise again.

"My brother did tell you of my nightmares, did he not?"

"Don't be mad at him. He's just worried about you," Bruce said, hoping Loki wouldn't think Thor was betraying his trust.

"Don't worry, Doctor. Thor has always been one to talk through his problems. I knew he would likely tell his friends. If I had a problem with it, I would have told him to keep it to himself."

"So you don't mind us knowing?" Bruce asked.

"I have enough problems without causing more for others. If it helps Thor, then he can tell you whatever he wishes."

"That's very noble of you."

"And I am not capable of such?"

"No. No. That's not what I meant!" Bruce said quickly, realizing how his words sounded. "I just meant..." He trailed off, trying to find the words to phrase it correctly. "Recently, you two have been a little... at odds?" It came out sounding more like a question than a statement.

"You're right," Loki conceded, "but things have gotten better. And despite our differences, I have always cared for my brother, even when I wished I didn't. I do not wish him harm or distress. So if speaking about me helps ease his mind, so be it. Besides, he trusts all of you. The five of you have been good for him."

"We're all good for each other," Bruce said with a shy smile. He had never been very good at taking praise of any kind.

"So, that speech?" Loki asked. "I'm interested to hear your wisdom on living with the monster within," his tone was sarcastic but not mean. It came out more teasing than anything.

Fortunately, Bruce picked up on his levity, and didn't take offense.

"Honestly, I don't know," the scientist laughed softly. "I'm still trying to figure that out for myself. You don't need that speech, though."

Loki scoffed and looked at Bruce dubiously, thinking the man was joking. However, Bruce had turned suddenly serious, and Loki's grin faded.

"Monsters take many forms," Bruce said. "Some are easy to see. Many are not. Most monsters in the world look just like everyone else."

"I suppose I fall into both categories, depending on which skin I'm wearing," Loki said, his tone self-depreciating as he glanced at his pale hands.

"Take it from someone who is a monster, Loki, you're not one. Thanos is a monster. The Chitauri were monsters. You're not."

Loki looked back at Bruce in surprise, but the scientist was already moving toward the door.

"You're not either," Loki called out.

Bruce pulled up short in the doorway but didn't turn.

"Take it from someone who has seen more than his fare share of true monsters, you are not a monster, Doctor. And neither is your Hulk."

The room was quiet for a moment before Bruce turned slightly, meeting Loki's eyes and holding the gaze for several long moments as something, a level of understanding or perhaps acceptance, passed between them.

"Call me Bruce," the scientist said. Then he turned and was gone from the room.

"Thank you, Bruce," Loki said softly to the empty room.

)()()(

Twenty minutes after Bruce left, Thor was back in Loki's room. He noticed his brother seemed to be in deep thought about something but when he asked about it, Loki brushed it off as unimportant. After that, Loki had seemed to brighten as they walked to the dining hall to eat breakfast so Thor decided to let it go for the time being.

Once there, they saw that the other Avengers, even Tony who usually liked to sleep in, were already there and were eating and talking.

"Hey, Sparky, Reindeer Games," Tony called, "good to see you, have a seat." He motioned to a couple of empty chairs next to him.

Loki took the seat to Tony's right and Thor sat to Loki's right, at the head of the table. On the other side of Tony, sat Steve, and Bruce sat across from him with Natasha on his left and Clint next to her and across from Loki. Thor and Loki each grabbed some food and started eating, joining in the conversation with the others.

Before long, Tony leaned over to Loki and spoke softly so only he could hear.

"Things seem to be going better with your family," Tony said.

"Yes, thanks in large part to you," Loki said.

"Glad things are looking up for you, Reindeer Games," Tony said with a smile.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" Loki asked, loud enough that the others heard him.

"What? Reindeer Games?" Tony asked.

Loki nodded.

"A reindeer is an animal with big antlers that we have on Earth," Steve explained. "I guess it's kind of like a stag."

"I call you that because of your helmet," Tony said.

"Cow," Thor said as he started laughing.

"Feathers," Loki shot back.

"Feathers?" Bruce asked.

"Thor's helmet has wings that flare out on the sides," Loki replied.

"Now I'd like to see that," Clint said with a chuckle.

A mischievous glint appeared in Loki's eye and with a wave of his hand, a large, silver, winged helmet appeared on Thor's head. Thor reached up and pulled the helmet off his head to see that Loki had greatly exaggerated it, the wings much larger than they actually were.

"That's not at all how my helmet looks and you know it," Thor said to his brother.

"It's how it looks to me," Loki said.

"You need your eyes checked, Brother. I fear you are going blind," Thor said.

"You're the one who chose it," Loki said, getting rid of the exaggerations on the helmet and returning it to it's normal appearance with a wave of his hand.

"Just as you chose yours," Thor replied.

"I think you both have no taste," Natasha said, making everyone chuckle.

"She's got a point," Tony said.

"Says the man who flies around in bright red and gold armor," Loki shot back, causing silence to fill the room as everyone looked at Loki in surprise.

Loki was beginning to think he had crossed some kind of line when Tony started laughing, Steve quickly joining in, followed by everyone else.

"I think I'm going to like you after all, Loki," Natasha said. "Anyone who can give as good as he gets when it comes to Tony Stark is all right in my book."

"I think there was an insult toward me in there but I can't quite put my finger on it. Should I be insulted?" Tony asked no one in particular.

"If you wish, I can insult you so that you can be sure you're supposed to be insulted," Loki offered.

"Yep, I'm definitely going to like you," Natasha said.

"Yeah, I think you're going to fit in just fine, Reindeer Games," Tony said, patting Loki on the back.

"Fit in?" Loki asked.

"With us," Tony said, "as our friend."

"I am your friend?" Loki asked, and it was almost heartbreaking to hear the hope in his voice.

"Well, yeah," Tony said.

"Of course you are," Steve agreed, the others around the table nodding their agreement.

"I've never really had friends before," Loki said.

"You've never had friends? At all?" Clint asked.

"Not real ones anyway," Loki admitted with a shrug. "I mean, there were the warriors three and Lady Sif but they are Thor's friends. They only ever put up with me because I'm a prince and Thor's brother so they had to. This is the first time I've really had friends, friends that actually want to be my friend and not just Thor's or because of my status."

"Well, that's..." Bruce trailed off.

"Depressing," Natasha said.

"Well, you've got us now and we're your friends because of who you are, not who you're related to," Steve promised.

"Thank you, Captain," Loki said sincerely.

"Call me Steve. Friends don't use titles," Steve said.

"Steve," Loki said with a nod and a smile. "I can do that."

"Feel free to call me Wonderful, Genius, Master Stark," Tony said.

"I'll be sure to do that, Tony," Loki said without missing a beat. "Oops, I seemed to have slipped. Old habits, you know," Loki said.

"I think he's going to be good for us," Bruce said with a chuckle. "We need someone who can handle Tony without making him worse," he glanced at Clint who tried to look innocent, "or wanting to kill him," he glanced at Natasha who was fingering her gun as she often did when Tony irritated her.

"I believe Friend Tony and my brother will get along splendidly," Thor said. "Or kill each other."

"Well, we've already tried the latter. Why don't we give the former a try?" Tony said, and everyone hesitated for a moment at the reminder of Loki's actions on Earth, waiting to see Loki's reaction.

"I promise not to throw you through another window if you promise not to blast me again," Loki said, holding out a hand to Tony.

"Deal, Rudolph," Tony said, shaking the proffered hand as he and Loki both chuckled in amusement.

"I do apologize for that, by the way," Loki said, referring to throwing Tony out of the window.

"Not your fault," Tony said. "Besides it made me look really cool."

Loki wasn't the only one who rolled his eyes at the billionaire.

"So I hear you like pranks-" Tony began.

"No!" Natasha, Steve, Bruce, Clint, and Thor all said together. The thought of Tony and Loki teaming up for pranks was a very scary thought.

"We'll talk later," Tony stage whispered.

"I'm sure you will," Natasha said as she studied the gun in her hand, the click of the safety being turned off echoing through the room and causing everyone, except Tony, to laugh.

After that, the atmosphere remained light and relaxed as the seven friends talked and joked while finishing up their breakfast.

Loki laughed and talked with his new friends, enjoying himself and feeling happy, content, and accepted for the first time in... perhaps ever. However, Loki's laugh at one of Tony's jokes cut off and he winced as pain shot through his head.

You will know pain.

"Hey, Loki, you okay?" Steve asked.

"Yes, I'm fine, Steve," Loki quickly assured him with a pleasant smile, pushing his worries and fear to the back of his mind.

More and more he was beginning to think it wasn't simply a memory. It felt more like someone intruding on his mind for a brief moment. Loki knew he should tell someone that he thought Thanos was touching his mind and possibly coming for him, but things were finally starting to go good for the trickster. He was getting along with his brother. Thor was treating him better than he had in years and Loki finally had friends who truly cared about him. He didn't want to ruin it and he didn't want to put his problems off on anyone else.

If Thanos really was coming, he was coming for Loki. It was Loki's fault. Thanos was his problem and no one else's. The trickster could clean up his own messes and take care of his own problems. Loki would deal with this himself.

An image from his nightmares of the dead, lifeless eyes of The Avengers and the royal family flashed through Loki's mind, making his decision for him.

As he sat there smiling and acting like nothing was wrong, he silently vowed he would keep his family and his friends safe no matter the cost. Loki would give his life before he let his nightmares come true.

A/N And there we go. A bit lighter than previous chapters. Let me know if it was all right. Things won't be so light forever. It seems something is going on. However, is it really Thanos? Could it be someone else? Or is it all just in Loki's head?

Next chapter, The Warriors Three and Lady Sif make an appearance. What do you think will happen? Something good? Something bad? Something somewhere in the middle? Feel free to theorize! :)