Unbeta'd and I've been on the computer writing and doing homework so my eyes are going buggy so this might not be as grammatically correct as it could be.

This has some Avenger spoilers.

There is character development!

Loki felt better after the haircut, but he wasn't about to admit that to Darcy who was actually brushing his hair into a ponytail.

Since neither of them had breakfast, they went to a diner first as they waited for the hair salon to open. There were a few things Loki learned about her in the time they spent eating talking. For one, Darcy liked electronics. Her phone was always near and rang often with text messages and notifications from Hay Day which was a game that required that he stay completely quiet while she played.

Then there was the constant chatter that never ceased, unless Hay Day was being enjoyed. She seemed to say whatever came into her head at any given moment even if it wasn't remotely relevant or appropriate. Her lack of decorum intrigued him more than he was willing to say.

He also noted that she was right about the sugar in the coffee and she liked meat it seemed, as she ate both bacon and sausages with her eggs scrambled.

Once they were done there they went to the hair salon where Darcy sat next to him giving instructions to the stylist on what needed to be done and how. It seemed his input was not needed or even wanted because when he went to protest about the length they were going to cut it, booth the stylist and Darcy shushed him.

Silly mortals. Didn't they know he could crush them if he wanted to? He could enslave everyone in this salon and turn them into toads for such blatant disrespect!

He didn't though. His coffee was wearing off.

That led them back to his room in the Avenger Towers with him sitting on a chair and Darcy brushing his hair out of his face. She had a determined look on her face as she pulled his hair through what she called a scrunchy but in Asgard it was referred to as a hair tie.

He looked at himself in the mirror. He very closely resembled the boy he was before he found out his heritage, maybe a little older and defiantly not as scrawny. In most ways he looked better than he had. He liked the mature look in his eyes, even if they no longer appeared to be innocent.

"See!" She took a step back to admire her handy work. "You look a zillion times better! Now come on. We're going to continue your lessons.

Loki glanced at time shinning on the cable box in his room. "Little Mortal it is already after noon. Can't we just call it a day?"

"Absolutely not!" She grabbed his thin fingers and pulled him out of the chair. "Come on it's the first day and you haven't actually done one good thing yet."

He pulled his hands from her warm grip. "I got you coffee."

"That totally doesn't count." She went to grab him again but he swayed out of the way.

"Of course it counts!" Loki said dodging her attempts to grip him. "Who said it can't count?"

Exasperated but determined to catch his arm to force him out of the room, she answered . "The Book of Darcy."

"That's not even a thing. You're making things up." She was fast for a little mortal but he always found a way to evade her.

"Says the man who is known for being a liar." She was getting frustrated, he could tell by the look of annoyance on her face and the tone in her voice. Was it wrong that it delighted him so?

"And yet, in the whole five hours we've been together, I haven't lied to you once." It was like a dance. She would step in with her right foot; he would step out with his left. Loki liked to dance so he grabbed her and twirled her around.

"Oh my!" She squealed as he effortlessly moved her any way he wanted. "That's a lie right there. You totally lied about curing Pepper."

He smiled, almost proudly releasing her from his grip and ending the dance. "Oh yes, I did."

"You are such a freak." She said breathlessly and a bit confused by impromptu dance.

He crossed his arms over his chest now bored. "So what am I to do for the rest of the afternoon then?"

"You are helping Stark magic proof Jarvis." She told him. "Tony specifically asked for your help."

"Oh, not Stark! I am not in the mood for his foolishness." He turned to sit back in the chair.

"Ok, then we can help Thor and Jane decorate…"

He turned sharply offering his hand to her. "Ok fine! Stark it is!"

She led him out of his room and to Stark's work area and he tried not to think about how long it had been since someone willing touch him. Well, touched him without the intent to kill or imprison him. "You know it would be easier if you just agree with everything I say."

Loki snorted. "Women, no matter the realm, always think they are right and men, no matter the realm refuse to admit it."

"Amen to that!" Tony replied looking at the pair as they entered his private area. "You ready to work Harry Potter?"

Loki huffed and looked at Darcy with annoyed already. "SEE!"

She smiled and sat in a chair in the corner. "You kind of deserve it. Now go, be helpful."

Loki was anything but. Though he was not actually hindering Tony from working, he was being rather difficult about everything the Metal Mortal asked of him. He pulled up a chair next to Stark and blasted magic when he was told to, never using the same magic twice in a row, but made sure he looked as disinterested as possible resting his chin in his hands.

He listened as Darcy and Stark talked about the latest Avenger gossip. It never ceased to amaze him how supposedly intelligent people wasted their time chattering about nonsense that no one cared about. He was way too smart for that. So he wasn't actually listening when he overheard that Barton was jealous of Window's relationship with Bruce and that Thor and Jane couldn't agree on a color scheme for their kitchen. He wasn't listening at all because it was all so stupid.

But if he was going to get into the conversation he would be sure to say that he was disappointed in how long it was taking Barton to claim the female spider. It was all he talked about when he was his minion. "Natasha and I went here…." "Natasha likes this…" "Natasha, Natasha, Natasha." All Loki wanted to know was the workings of SHEILD not how Natasha ate her pizza from the crust up or that she had to go to the dentist for a chipped tooth.

And why in the Nine Realms would Jane ask for Thor's input on color. Thor had no fashion sense. He was such a typical male. It made him boring and border line useless.

Loki was so busy thinking about that useless nonsense that he almost missed it when Stark called to him. "Potter," Loki glanced at Stark. "Come hold this."

Loki lethargically stomped his feet to where Stark wanted him and held what he was told to.

Stark glanced up at Loki before looking at Jarvis's controls before looking back up at Loki. Something on Loki's face seemed to capture his attention as he moved close in inspect it.

Out of instinct, Loki moved back. "Stark, please don't tell me you want to kiss me. I'm not an easy conquest you must buy me dinner first."

Darcy laughed, but Stark didn't. "You're eyes are green."

"Yes. Thank you for noticing."

Tony moved back out of Loki's personal space before eyeing him cautiously. "When you threw me out the window they were blue."

Loki blinked not in any ready prepared to answer questions about his failed attempt to rule the world or the events that led up to it. "Seriously Stark you need a new hobby if you take note of my eye color."

Tony's dark eyebrow rose. "And that Potter, is called deflection."

And so what if it was? "This is the second time today that you are accusing me of something ridiculous."

"And it's the second time it seems you aren't as bad as you think you are."

Loki turned sharply to Darcy "I'm going to lunch." He vanished then, without so much as a good bye leaving Darcy and Stark looking at each other.

000

Darcy decided it was time for her to take a lunch break too. She Tony and walked to the community kitchen where Thor, Barton and Widow were eating pizza. Darcy took a seat next to Natasha and grabbed a sausage slice. "How's it going?" She asked no one in particular.

It was Thor who answered. "I'm vexed. Jane keeps asking me which color schemes I liked so I told her they are all nice and she got mad."

"That's funny," Tony sat at the table but snubbed the pizza. "Your brother was just here talking about his woman problems."

Darcy's eyes opened wide realizing that Tony was referring to her as Loki's woman. Because that would be impossible. Loki was a prince, though a banished one, and was totally out of her league.

"Loki is here!" Thor visibly perked up.

Grateful that no one was going to comment on Loki's woman problems, Darcy answered. "Nah, he left a moment ago."

"Oh." Thor visibly deflated.

"But speaking of which," Tony started. "Did you guys know his eyes are green?"

Thor nodded. "Of course I did. I've been looking at him for a thousand years."

Tony smiled politely. "That wasn't really directed towards you… but… good for you."

"Why would we care?" Natasha asked.

"Because I'm pretty sure his eyes were blue when he tried to take over the world."

It took a moment for that to sink in but when it did, it was Barton who responded. "Blue? My eyes changed colors as well."

Darcy looked around the table wondering if anyone felt as lost as she did. Apparently this was something only those in New York could understand. "Can someone explain to me what's happening because I don't get it?"

"Lady Darcy," Thor answered her. "All of those influenced by the scepter had their eyes changed to blue. If his eyes were blue then perhaps he too was influenced."

"Why wouldn't he say something though?" Natasha questioned. "I mean, didn't he have a trial in Asgard?"

"Well no," Thor admitted slowly and Darcy noticed the very sad look Thor gave his pizza.

"He did look sick when he first arrived." Barton stated. "Could it be that he was just a pawn?"

"And if so," Natasha continued. "Should we be worried that something is strong enough to control a god?"

There was no time to respond to that question because Loki came waltzing in, looking very contented with himself, snatching a slice of pizza and Thor's coke. Darcy shook her head remembering how Loki took Thor's orange juice the first time he appeared to them. Was Loki consciously stealing Thor's drinks or was it something he didn't even notice? And was this common practice on Asgard because Thor didn't seem like he minded at all. Was this a brother thing? Something Loki, as a little brother, would do to Thor, as a big brother?

"What are we talking about?" Loki asked. "Recycling? Pollution? Have we finally realized that Midgard will be a better place with King Loki residing over it?" He looked over at Darcy. "Little Mortal, I don't know how you can continue to eat meat. I've had my full of sausage."

"That's what she said." Tony quipped causing Natasha to roll her eyes and Thor and Loki to frown in confusion.

Darcy counted the seconds before one of them would get it. It took five full seconds for Loki's eyebrows to return to normal and smile tugged at his lips. "How vulgar."

"What's vulgar?" Thor turned to his brother. "I don't get it."

Loki looked as if he was about to answer but a slow smile spread over his face. "Ask Jane."

Darcy could just see it now. Thor, going up to Jane after an argument about color schemes, asking why a woman would be full of sausage.

"You look tired Loki." Thor noticed. "Have you not slept?"

For someone who claimed to be full, Loki was devouring that slice of pizza and already reaching for another. "Well, the Little Mortal got me up early this morning and Metal Mortal insisted that I do strenuous labor."

Tony scoffed. "Strenuous? I asked you to hold a rod."

"That's what he said." Loki teased causing Tony to laugh and Natasha to get up sharply and take her exit. "And I barely got any sleep last night. I had a headache."

Thor went from looking confused to concerned. "Loki, you don't usually feel ill…"

"Headaches huh?" That was Barton. "In the back of your head."

"Indeed. It almost feels like…" His eyes turned into slits as he slowly turned his gaze to Tony who shrugged. He looked back at Barton. His eyes slowly opened to their full, wide, width. "Why haven't you made your move on your spider friend?"

"Deflection!" Tony pointed out.

Barton reddened.

Loki continued, ignoring Tony. "I've heard tales former minion. I hear Bruce might beat you to it."

"Where have you heard that?" Darcy tried to keep the smile off her face as Barton tried to sound indifferent when he looked like he was about to cry.

"Yes Loki where?" She encouraged.

Not that Loki needed encouragement. "I have sources that tell me that while they were working together in California they shared a room. It seemed cleaning up after that earthquake together did wonders for their friendship. You know she has a soft spot for him after he, you know, tried to kill her."

Barton stood up curtly. "I have to go." Darcy watched as Barton nearly tripped over himself trying to catch up with Natasha.

Loki smiled that pleased smile and took a huge bite of pizza.

"So let me get this straight," Tony started. "You left abruptly earlier claiming you were going to lunch but you obviously didn't eat anything because you are eating that pizza like you having eaten in a year. Then you come back with information that you would never could have known unless you asked Bruce, who you fear because he smashed the mojo out of you and then you came back, right to where Barton was, to give him the extra kick he needed to ask Natasha out?"

Loki looked like he was thinking of an answer as he was once again being accused of not being a bad guy. You could almost hear the wheels turning in his head. It seemed that he couldn't come up with anything, though because he turned to Thor. "So how's decorating going with Ether?"

Darcy and Tony glanced at each other before they both said. "Deflection."