Loki was aghast when the flight on SHIELD's fastest helicopter towards the tesseract and Malekith turned into a teamwork 'how not to' interaction. It started when Captain America tried to talk to Tony about Tony's father. This escalated into a full blown argument. Tony said how he felt about his father which led to Captain America defending his friend and insulting Tony. Loki made a mental note for an especially humiliating prank later unless Captain America redeemed himself. Loki was not sure what to do in the meantime as Tony would not want help. Then he saw Dr. Banner and remembered the doctor's situation. He was keeping control, but Loki could tell that could change if the conditions got worse.

"Dr. Banner, may I show you a shielding technique I've used," Loki asked gently.

Banner nodded clearly out of an attempt to distract himself from the loud and intense argument as out of interest in Loki's magic. Loki placed a shield around them and the sound blocked out.

"I can also cast illusions: waves hitting a peaceful beach, a field of flowers and so on," Loki added.

"I haven't had an incident for over a year now. Having one now is not how I want to break that," Banner told him tiredly.

Loki saw Agents Coulson and Romanov leave the cockpit. Loki gave them an all clear nod. Coulson went for the two arguers.

"I love Tony as a brother, but he can be an idiot sometimes. Captain Rogers appears to be the same," Loki told Banner.

"Look at this. We aren't a team: we're a ticking time bomb," Banner commented.

"Don't give up on us so soon. We've all suffered even Coulson I'm sure. Tony was ignored and misrepresented as was I. You struggle with something hard to control. I have experience with that as well. The part in the myths about me being adopted is true. I can appear as a frost giant but I don't want to. Captain America… being frozen for seventy years must have made Earth as confusing to him as it was to me at first. I knew it had to be my home, it was the best place strategically, but it took a long time for me to understand it. For him it must be worse because he must compare it to the past. That is how his argument with Tony started. Agents Romanov and Barton could not have had an easy life to have the great skills they possess. If we can recognize that common feeling of pain then perhaps we can be a team," Loki put in.

Coulson had managed to break up Captain America and Tony by gesturing to Loki and Banner. The two arguers winced. Loki winked at Banner.

"I will show you why 'Silvertongue' is a nickname," he said and got a startled chuckle from Banner. Banner seemed like he hadn't had a lot to laugh about in a long time.

"You two are going about this in the wrong manner. Captain America, what do you call a hero," Loki asked.

"Someone who stands up for what is right and puts others above himself," the captain replied.

"Heroes mean a lot to you perhaps, because like everyone on this team, you know what is like to need one and not have one," Loki asked him.

He was gambling on the Captain being honest. Like Thor, the man seemed incapable of dissembling. He probably thought it dishonest. If that was the case though why did he like Loki? The answer was probably related to the question Loki asked him.

"When I was a kid I got bullied a lot. I can't stand bullies. I won't let them get away with their behavior."

He can relate to someone else who had to fend off bullies then.

"Commendable. Tony, shield brother, you don't like bullies either do you?"

"Loki, you know I don't."

"Everyone on this team knows what it is like to deserve help and not get it. If we can recognize that we can understand how certain topics can inspire heated reactions. Coming back to your definition of hero Captain," Loki addressed.

Loki made his armor, helmet and staff appear.

"I was not respected on Asgard. That was a fact the myths portrayed correctly. The only reason I was not called a monster was only because no one, save a select few, knew I was a frost giant. People had no reluctance to call me weak and cowardly. Tony saw what they did not. Tony made these things for no other reasons than to for me to be happy and be safe. He spent hours, days-"

"Loki-"

"Please trust me shield brother," Tony nodded and Loki resumed speaking, "he spent much time crafting these things. Tony could have spent that time refining his own armor or making more money. Instead he spent it on me. When an enemy attacked his expo Tony went out to fight him. He could have run away. He did not. My shield brother does not like being called a hero because he does not feel he is a paragon of virtue. I submit, as much as this displeases him, that he is a hero despite that.

Also, Captain, is not seeing things from another's perspective part of placing others before oneself? Doing so, it should be noted, does not mean you allow them to do whatever they want. We are going to thwart Malekith. Other times, should it not allow letting someone stick to their own point of view? Sometimes arguments are needed, but others they should not be waged."

Captain America looked at Loki thoughtfully and then nodded.

"You're right. Mr. Stark, I apologize. My comments were out of line," the captain apologized.

Tony scratched his neck uncomfortably.

"If you say that then so can I. We're just going to have to disagree on how we see my old man and other things too," Tony suggested.

"I can do it if you can," Captain America agreed.

"Shake hands both of you," Coulson interjected and it wasn't a suggestion. Banner came over and Tony grinned.

"Sorry for making things difficult for you doc," Tony apologized.

"I'm sorry as well," Captain America added too.

"I've been through worse and Loki helped," Banner replied.

"Is there anything we can do to help," Captain America inquired.

"Nothing can change this. I'm stuck with it," Banner said resignedly.

"Like Loki said we've all got crud. Turning away from you because of yours would be an act of jerks," Tony told him.

He could see Captain America looking at Tony in a new light. If Captain American continued to be reasonable Loki wouldn't pull the as yet unplanned prank. Banner looked happy but then shook his head.

"You don't know how destructive I can get," Banner warned them.

"Hey I can too," Tony refuted.

"Not like this," Banner refuted.

"You're standing beside us Dr. Banner. We'll stand beside you," Captain America interjected.

Dr. Banner read the sincerity in all their expressions and nodded.

"Maybe we can do it after all," he told Loki. Loki certainly hoped so.