A/N The torture known as "Finals" is over and the semester is finished! I am so excited. Now I can finally start thinking about Christmas and my writing! :D

I apologize if this chapter isn't as good as some of the others. I had finals all this week and it's a miracle you're even getting a chapter on time.

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! Seriously, you guys got me through one of the most stressful weeks I've had in a long time. So thank you!

RossyGaray

OkieDokieLoki

ImperfectIsPerfect

aliceindeepdarkwonderland

Ophelia Lokisdottir

maliha1205

Son-of-hiddle

thewriterstory

anastacianott

The Beginning of an Old Friendship?

Over the next couple of days, Loki spent a lot of time with Thor and the Avengers but also had some interactions with his mother and father. Things with his mother were quickly returning to normal. Things with his father were still awkward and stiff but they were amiable enough and the two of them were slowly but surely finding their footing with each other. In time, they might even have a true father and son relationship. It didn't hurt that, after Thor told Odin what Agir had said about Loki, Odin had promptly striped the councilman of all rank and holdings and banished him from Asgard. The king had been so enraged that he almost sentenced the councilman to death for his treasonous words. However, Frigga, despite her desire for much the same, knew that a councilman's execution wouldn't go over well with the general public, so she convinced Odin to simply banish the man forever instead.

During the day things were great for Loki. He got to know his new friends better and spent more time with Thor than he had in years. Ever since Thor's display with Agir and the episode with Loki's nightmare a few days prior, things had been almost perfect between the two brothers. Loki was even starting to believe that life could actually be good and that it wasn't all going to just fall apart and disappear at any moment. He finally stopped waiting for the other shoe to drop. That is, during the day.

Nights were a different story. His nightmares came every night without fail, different scenarios but always including the deaths of those he loved and ending with that same threat, or rather, promise.

You will know pain.

Sometimes he woke Thor with his screaming, after which the thunderer would comfort him and stay with him the rest of the night, both eventually falling asleep and sleeping peacefully till morning. But most of the time, Loki didn't wake Thor and those nights Loki didn't dare go back to sleep.

Loki had always been the type to seek out comfort and nurturing from those he loved, that was one reason he had been so close to his mother. While Thor was always strong and independent, needing no help or comfort from others, Loki had always craved nurturing words and hugs and Frigga had always been willing to give them. Although Thor never really needed comfort himself, there had been times when he had been willing enough to give it. Those times had been few enough over the years that Loki had craved them all the more.

So when Thor would awake to the sound of Loki's screams and come to his room to offer comfort, Loki, still in the grip of his horrific nightmares, would gratefully accept it, like a man wandering the desert suddenly being handed a glass of water.

However, when Loki awoke in the night but did not succeed in waking Thor, he did not go to Thor's room and seek him out as Thor had told him to do if he needed anything at all. Loki didn't want to wake Thor. He didn't want to be a burden. Things were finally going good between them and Loki didn't want Thor getting tired of Loki's constant problems and neediness. And quite frankly, Loki's pride would not allow him to do that. It was one thing to accept comfort when Thor was already there and offering it. It was another to go to Thor's room, wake him up, and tell him he had had a bad dream like a five year old. So as much as Loki wished for his brother's presence, he stayed where he was, sitting up in his bed, his knees hugged to his chest and his head resting on them as he trembled and silently cried alone in the dark until dawn finally came.

And when the morning came, he washed away the signs of his distress, put on a mask of calm composure, and never let anyone see the truth. That by day he was fine, even happy at times, and by night he was slowly falling apart.

)()()(

He was dreaming of him again. Phil Coulson. The courageous man who gave all to try to stop Loki. The man who saw the truth in him before anyone else. The man he had stabbed through the back and whose blood coated his hands.

Loki jerked awake with a sharp cry. The book he had been reading before he dozed off, flew from his chest and onto the floor.

He calmed down as his surroundings finally registered and the dream, or rather, memory released him. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath. After a moment, he shook himself from his emotions, trying, and failing to push the nightmare from his mind.

Obviously sleeping during the day wasn't any better than at night. That would teach him to doze off again. He was just so tired. He reached down to pick up his book but startled slightly as the door burst open. Natasha leaped into the room. She landed in a defensive crouch and scanned the room for threats.

"My apologies. I didn't mean to alarm you," Loki said from where he still sat on the edge of his bed.

Natasha studied him for a moment but relaxed her tense stance.

Loki didn't meet her eyes, too busy looking at his hands, which were coated in blood only he could see.

Natasha nodded slightly to herself. She knew exactly what he was going through but until he asked for help, it wasn't her business. After a moment, Natasha sighed softly before turning to leave.

"How do you live with it?" Loki murmured.

Natasha paused, turning around slightly, an eyebrow raised.

"The blood on your hands," Loki clarified.

She turned to fully face him, crossing her arms and looking him in the eye.

"You acknowledge that there is nothing you can do to change it. Then you do everything you can to make up for it. To counterbalance it."

"I'm not sure it works that way," Loki said honestly.

"No. But you didn't ask how it works. You asked how I live with it."

With that, Natasha turned and left the room, leaving Loki to figure out how to cope with the red in his own ledger.

)()()(

It had been nearly a week since Loki had been home and the two princes still hadn't gotten around to showing the Avengers around the palace. Finally the two brothers gave their new friends the tour before heading out into the city to let them see more of Asgard and meet its people. Loki had been apprehensive about facing his people for the first time since his fall, but agreed anyway as Thor and the Avengers insisted it would be fine and that the people truly did respect and admire him.

He had been skeptical, but sure enough, his friends had been right. As he and the others wandered through the streets, he had more than one person come up and tell him they were glad he was all right and that he was back safe and sound. Of course there were those who looked at him disdainfully, as there always would be, and even some who looked at him fearfully. However, many were genuinely glad to see him and it caught Loki so off guard at first that his silver tongue had failed him and Tony had actually had to come to his rescue. After that, Loki was able to graciously accept the praise and well wishes, still reeling from surprise but feeling a warm glow in his chest.

He had never wanted the glory or the cheers that Thor had always enjoyed. All he had ever wanted was acceptance. Now he was finally getting it and it felt so much better than he ever imagined it would.

You will know-

Loki squelched the thought before it could continue. He wasn't letting his doubts and insecurities ruin this for him. He was done defeating himself. And if the thought wasn't from himself then it was from Thanos who Loki was even less inclined to let bring him down. He had endured Thanos' physical and mental torture, he was done being subjected to Thanos' cruel whims. That monster had done enough to him. Thanos would ruin his life no longer.

They finished their adventure through the city. Then Thor took them to the training grounds where he and Steve sparred good naturedly as the others laughed and cheered them on. Even Loki who had always hated training, watching it or participating in it, had a good time. Truly having friends made all the difference in the world.

Once Thor and Steve finished horsing around, the seven of them all stood around poking fun at each other and talking and laughing until they were interrupted by the appearance of Lady Sif and The Warriors Three.

Loki hadn't seen them since they had watched his memories in the throne room along with everyone else. He couldn't say he really wanted to see them now, but he supposed he had to face them eventually and at least his friends were there. He would have hated to have to face them alone.

"Thor, My Friend," Volstagg said throwing his arm around Thor's shoulders. "We've seen not hide nor hair of you for days."

"I've been busy," Thor said, gently shrugging Volstagg's arm off and stepping over to stand next to Loki in a very obvious message.

"About that, Thor," Sif said. "We were wondering if we might speak to Prince Loki."

"I don't answer for my brother. You wish to speak to him, ask him," Thor said, earning a pleased and grateful look from Loki.

In years past, Thor wouldn't have hesitated to make decisions for Loki whether he agreed with them or not. Now, not only was Thor treating him like and adult and an equal, but he had subtly chosen Loki over his friends. Thor hadn't even spent any time with the four warriors in the last few days in favor of spending time with Loki instead. It spoke volumes in a way no words ever could have.

"Of course, my apologies, Prince Loki," Sif said, finally turning to him. "May we have the privilege of speaking to you in private for a moment?" she asked.

Loki was surprised and somewhat wary of the respectful tone. The four of them, and especially Sif, had never treated him with kindness or respect. They had bullied and walked all over him, only ever showing grudging respect when the situation and protocol demanded it. Apparently Thor was a bit wary of the radical change as well as he tensed a bit at the request of a private conversation. However, Thor still held his tongue and left the decision up to his brother.

Loki thought about it for a long moment. He could turn them down and go off with Thor and his friends but something in their eyes told Loki that if he acquiesced to their request then something would change between them, possibly for the better. Loki had never truly been friends with the four and he might not ever be, but he knew they were Thor's friends and Loki didn't want Thor to have to choose between them. If he could get on better terms with Sif and the warriors three then Thor could have both.

"Very well," Loki agreed.

Next to him, Thor stiffened and sent him a look that said he wanted to come with him but Loki reached out and gave Thor's arm a reassuring squeeze. This was a conversation Loki needed to have with the four alone and they were no longer children. Loki had endured and learned much in recent times, he could take care of himself if their motives proved to be less than honorable.

Loki and the four warriors walked a short distance away from the group, out of earshot but still within sight. Loki stood across from them, his arms crossed and his guard up against anything they might say or do, or so he thought.

He was not at all expecting them each to suddenly drop to one knee before him and place their right fists over their hearts. The action (which seemed to actually be due to genuine respect rather then forced obedience as had been the case when Loki had become king what seemed like a lifetime ago) stunned Loki so thoroughly that his arms dropped to his sides and he stared at the four warriors in front of him with his mouth slightly agape.

"My Prince," Sif said, her head bowed along with the other three. "We wish to tell you how sorry we are for the way we have treated you all these years and beg for your forgiveness. We treated you horribly. We bullied you. Insulted you. We looked down on your skills and methods and we saw you as less important than Thor. We never once thanked you for saving our lives the many times that you did so and we never even gave you the credit for those instances. We have been so wrong, so unfair, and so blind."

"We were young and immature and we acted as such," Volstagg admitted.

"We thought we were being strong and brave warriors but our actions only belied our ignorance a foolishness," Hogun added.

"There is no excuse for our actions and we know we can never fully atone for them," Fandral said.

"But we beg you now for your forgiveness and tell you how sorry we all are," Sif raised her eyes up to meet Loki's, truth and sincerity shining in her gaze. "I am truly sorry, Prince Loki," Sif said.

"As am I," Hogun said also meeting his gaze.

"And I" Volstagg added from where he looked at his youngest prince.

"And I too am sorry for my actions and my slights and I beg your forgiveness," Fandral said, humbly and sincerely, something Loki had hardly ever heard in the blond's tone before.

The four of them fell silent after that, holding Loki's stunned gaze as he stared at them dumbfounded.

"I-" he said, breaking off, and his mouth silently opened and closed a couple of times before he finally found his tongue and his brain finally started working again. "I forgive you," he said and hope and smiles spread across the four faces looking up at him. "However," he amended, "I cannot trust you."

The four in front of him broke eye contact with him and looked back down at the ground sadly.

"All the things you said and did to me over the years cannot be washed away by one apology. I want to believe you are sincere and I want to have everything be all right between us. If not for my sake then for Thor's. But I can't forget all those years so quickly. And I cannot trust you so easily," Loki explained.

"We will prove to you that we mean what we say. We will earn your trust, I swear, My Prince," Sif said.

"As do I," Hogun said.

"And I," Volstagg added.

"Me as well," Fandral agreed.

"I truly hope that you do," Loki said, genuinely hoping he could learn to trust and get along with Thor's childhood friends. "Now stand up, you look ridiculous," Loki said with a grin.

The four of them returned the smile and stood before bowing before him in respect.

"Thank you, My Lord. We will not let you down," Sif said.

That was all the surreality Loki could take so he dismissed them with a small nod and turned to rejoin Thor and the Avengers.

"What was that all about?" Tony asked as Loki reached them.

"That, My Friend, as your Earth saying goes, was a pig flying," Loki said.

"I do not understand," Thor said, causing the others to start laughing.

"I'll explain it to you on the way back, Brother," Loki promised as the seven of them started walking back toward the palace, first laughing at Thor's confusion then offering advice and opinions on Loki's encounter with Sif and The Warriors Three.

Time would tell, but it seemed Loki's memories had changed a lot of opinions and opened many eyes to the younger prince's true strength and worth, even if said prince was still having trouble seeing it himself.

A/N I hope you guys have enjoyed the fluffier chapters because things are about to take a complete one-eighty on us. The good times could only last so long and it's about to start falling apart. Next chapter, a threat is confirmed and Loki gets backed into a corner.

Let me know what you think! Until next Friday! :)