Steve Rogers was many things but blind he was not. He noticed the green fraying around the edge of 'Luke's' form. The very stutter when he gave his name. And that punch! Only he, Captain America and Tony the Robo-man had the power to do that to another person. Luke is Loki. He has to be.
"You look a little shaken. You sure about that drink? I know cheap beer tastes like horse pee but it serves its function."
"No thank you. I just need to rest and calm my nerves. Some warm milk perhaps?"
"I can do that." Steve's keys jiggled as he unlocked the door to his shit apartment. Far from Upper East Side, the two men had to hop on two subway trains to get to this place. A place called Brooklyn. It made Loki wonder what the hell the man was doing in Manhattan just for a sandwich. They are good but not that good.
"So what were you doing in that part of town?"
"Oh my work is near that deli, at Stark Tower." Steve said.
"Oh, alright." Loki looked around at the tiny living room. The servants in Asgard have better quarters than this. Steve went into the kitchen to heat up a cup of warm milk with some honey. Loki took a seat on the couch.
"You know, you never got whatever it was you were at the deli for. Are you hungry? I could whip something up. I have everything to make up a nice pot of spaghetti."
"No, I've lost my appetite, but I thank you for your hospitality."
"I know killing is hard. It changes a man. Any normal person would be upset."
"Yes of course. Upset." Loki felt upset, but not about killing the guy. That didn't bother him in the slightest. What had set his nerves on edge was the danger he'd placed his child in.
"Where did you say you were from again?" Steve pressed.
"The Upper East Side."
"Yeah but, where did you grow up? You sound British or something." Steve said. Or Asgardian he thought.
"I'm something like that yes." Loki lied, trying to think up something believable. Steve pulled a mug from the cupboard and his SHIELD cell phone from his pocket. He texts Fury and tells him he thinks he found Loki and that they are in his apartment. The milk comes to a gentle boil and he pours the hot liquid into the cup, followed by a generous squeeze of honey. The spoon clanks against the rim after a quick stir and Steve presents the steaming treat to Loki.
"Thank you. This is just the thing I need." Loki blew on it and took a ginger sip.
"You have one hell of a left hook." Steve said.
"I was always talented at throwing punches." Loki lies again. Compared to the typical Asgardian male he is a weakling. No one respects Loki for his physical prowess in Asgard.
"I'll say. How many times did you hit him in the face before it caved like that?"
"Three I think. It all happened so fast." It was one punch, the rest was just venting his anger. "So the police officers that questioned me seemed to hold a lot of respect for you. Who are you?"
"Well my name is Steve Rogers but the public knows me more commonly as Captain America." Steve says. Loki's mind races. He's heard that name before from that moving idiot box but he can't remember the significance.
"Ah, I see." Loki says quietly. Steve has seen people react in a lot of different ways to him before but not like that. This guy has no idea who Captain America is. He's got to be Loki. Steve glances at the clock on the wall. Five minutes have elapsed. It will probably take the team another ten to get here. Steve decides to stall by changing the subject.
"So what do you do for fun Luke?"
"Well I…ah…" Loki can't think of a thing that sounds normal. Horseback riding? In the city? No. Collecting herbs for his magic spells. Yeah no. Sparring? Maybe…
"I like to fight." Loki says. Steve chuckles.
"What style?"
"Um…boxing." Loki says.
"Of course you like to hit people in the face. But what else?"
"There really isn't much else. I despise television. The things I see people doing in this realm these days are rather disheartening. The other day I saw a woman grab another woman's hair and yank it all while screaming about some man. It was undignified." Loki laments as he takes another sip of his drink.
Realm. Steve's ears picked up on the word though Loki didn't seem to realize the mistake he's made. Steve is certain now. Only Thor talks about Earth in that way. This is Loki.
"Yeah I don't like T.V. either. Then again I didn't grow up with it so I don't really feel like I'm missing out on anything. I still like catching flicks at the theater. I miss the news reels though. They don't show those anymore."
"Ah yeah." Loki has no idea what the hell he is talking about. He feels relaxed. He doesn't know why but this mortal makes him feel calm. It strikes him then that this is the first time he has felt comforted since landing in this realm. He feels a kinship with this man that he does not feel with those simpering house wives.
For some reason that Loki cannot name a tear slips free and tumbles down his cheek. Steve reaches over to brush it away and the illusion on his face frays. Loki snatches Steve's hand but it is too late. Surely this mortal saw that.
"It's alright Loki. No harm will come to you. You don't know the wh…"
"You lie! Or is that the lie Thor told you?" Loki is on his feet in a defensive position, ready to tackle Steve to escape.
"Loki there is something you don't know. Thor was going to tell you something important but you disappeared. You are not in danger. Thor is not your brother."
"Oh really?" Loki couldn't be more sarcastic. "Since when am I not Thor's brother?"
"Since birth Loki. You are….Jotunn, I think is the term. Something about being a Frost Giant runt or something. Odin found you at the end of some war and took you home. You and Thor are not related."
"My father must truly be desperate to rip this child from my womb if he has filled Thor's foolish head with such nonsense. I am Thor's brother. I committed a crime against my brother and I am now swollen with his get. I will be dragged to Asgard and tossed into a cell where I will wait to give birth and then be executed shortly thereafter."
"You don't believe what Thor has told us?"
"Not. One. Bit." Loki crosses his arms and leans forward. He drops the illusion entirely and Steve sees his real face for the first time. He's stunning.
"Were you really a thousand old virgin when you had sex the first time with Thor?"
"My brother didn't hold back on the details did he? Yes it's true."
"I can relate. I'm 95 years old and I haven't had sex yet either. 95 is really old for my people."
"Very."
"I called people. They are on their way here. If they find you they'll take you to Thor. You need to run. Now." Steve says. They hear commotion outside of Steve's apartment and Loki's eyes go wide in fear.
"The fire escape. Go!" Steve points to the window. Loki changes his appearance to look like a redheaded 13 year old girl and makes a run for it. Steve looks at himself and tries to think up something. Well, the guy can punch. Steve punches himself in the face, giving himself a bloody nose. A pounding comes at the door and Steve opens it to find Thor standing there.
Thor barges in and scans the room.
"Where is my brother?!"
"He got away. He turned himself into a blonde man with a mustache." Steve says. Thor flies out the window and scans the people on the street below. He finds three blonde men with mustaches and accosts them all. Fury scans Steve up and down with his one good eye.
"What happened?"
"He overpowered me." Steve says hoping his lie doesn't show.
"Ah huh, I see." Fury says.