Loki, the God of Lies, Tricks and Mischief was tired. For the past two millennia he had played his role to perfection. The role his adopted father, the wise All Father Odin, had selected for him the day he had picked up the infant on Jotunheim. Abandoned by his biological father only to be manipulated by his adopted father, Loki had authority issues that ran almost the length of the Bifrost.
After his excursion in New York, he had been taken back toAsgard to serve his punishment - to be placed in a cave, bound with a rope while a snake dripped venom on his face. Sigyn, a handmaiden to his adopted mother Frigga, had the misfortune to be in love with Loki. As a result she had volunteered to hold a bowl above his face to catch the venom until the bowl was filled and while she went outside the cave to empty it, his face was exposed to the venom and the excruciating pain that accompanied it. Odin slowed time for Loki for his punishment - so while two hundred years had passed in the infernal snake pit for Loki, only two years had passed for the Avengers in New York. Enough time for them to recover, to band together again and save the world from other aliens. Enough time for Odin to forget his adopted son and for his adopted mother to plead for his release. Odin was a stubborn, proud man used to getting his way and was a man who only bent to his wife. Odin reluctantly agreed for his bastard son, as he was so fond of calling him, to be released.
Loki walked out of the cave and for the first time in his life was adrift with no purpose. He no longer wanted to be the God of Mischief and Lies but who was he outside of that? How could he discover who he truly was? His father had banished him to a remote part of Asgard no doubt in the hopes that he would rebel, cause chaos and be forced into another, longer, harsher punishment. The stubborn side of Loki refused to give him the pleasure. As a result, Loki found himself spending more and more time at the Bifrost with Heimdall, who like most everyone on Asgard, mistrusted Loki. Loki had the common sense to stay quiet and humble in his presence, asking the guard of the Bifrost questions and leaning from the man.
Slowly, Heimdall began to trust Loki and allowed him to view Earth on a more frequent basis. At first Loki watched the Avengers so he could tease his brother mercilessly about his good deeds but his focus slowly became Bruce Banner, the Hulk, the only mortal who had been able to best him while he had been on earth. As he observed Bruce he found himself envious of the balance the man had found with his alter ego. It was during this time that he also began to try and repair his relationship with his daughter Hel. Loki realized he was on the same path with her as Odin had been with him - forcing her to play a role she may not have wanted. The two of them began to slowly repair their relationship, and much like Heimdall, Hel slowly began to trust her father but with a healthy dose of skepticism. Loki honestly couldn't blame her.
Loki sat on the throne next to his daughter, scowling. He had been watching Bruce for a little over a year now. He wanted to seek out Banner, and learn how to find balance like he had but was unsure how to proceed with the Avenger since they hadn't exactly started out on the best of terms.
"Loki," Hel snapped, "Hel to Loki, come in!"
Loki had the decency to look momentarily chagrined before he scowled at hius daughter. She merely raised an eyebrow at her father, perhaps the only person in the universe truly unafraid or irritated by the former God of Mischief.
"Thinking of Bruce again are you? Where's your sense of adventure, your courage? Where is the God that tried to take over New York?"
"The God that failed and was sent to a poisonous snake pit for 200 years? No thanks. This requires more delicacy. Hel, I want to change, be different. I no longer want to be Odin's puppet, his plaything." He turned to face his daughter, his face full of genuine remorse, "I want to fix our relationship. I've forced you into a role you did not want but how do I fix hundreds of years of preconceived notions and habits?"
Hel raised an eyebrow at her father, "My my this is an interesting turn of events. Loki, the great God of Mischief and Lies, wants to break the cycle? Here's my advice then. Get off your royal ass, stop moping, and go talk to this green scientist."
"What if he says no?"
"You won't know until you ask, correct? I have a thought…if he is unsure of your sincerity tell him you will give up your powers for a certain amount of time to learn humility, fear, weakness or in other words what it means to be mortal."
It was Loki's turn to raise his eyebrow at his daughter's suggestion then slowly nodded. "Yes, that is a thought to consider. Thank you." With that he abruptly stood up in search of his adopted brother, leaving his daughter to shake her head in wonderment.