Starting Over - Loki (COMPLETE)

42) Avengers Assemble

"Ready for this, Steve?" Loki asked, coming to stand next to the man as he watched the horizon.

"It's a far cry from Nazis," was the supersoldier's only response.

There was silence for a bit as they both considered what was about to happen.

"This is what men like us do," Loki said softly at long last. "Our dominating thought is to fight, to protect the people we love and the people we have a duty to look after. Our overriding, prevailing duty is to others."

Steve merely looked at him.

"You would be a brilliant king, you know that," he replied simply.

Loki bowed his head with a small, grateful smile.

"I will not be a king of Asgard. Odin has seen to that."

"But you were born to be a king."

Loki shivered slightly.

"I have heard those words before," he admitted.

"Perhaps because they are true," Steve pointed out.

"Thor is to be king next," Loki answered. "And why should I want to rule the realm which wishes me ill? If there was any realm I would like to govern, it would be earth. Here I am respected but there is no need for planetary rule here. I do not wish to dominate a realm which is in no real need of a leader."

"It was just a thought," Steve said with a gentle smile. 

He extended a hand.

"See you on the other side."

When Steve left to assemble his gear, Natasha approached him.

"I assume this is normal for you," she said simply.

"Yes," Loki replied because she already knew the answer. "I have been trained to fight since my childhood and the passion for war flows through the blood of Asgardians."

Now was not the time to bring up his total lack of Asgardian blood.

"We are similar, Natasha," Loki mused. "Trained to fight against our will and put to task like dogs on a leash. I only wonder how we have come so far."

"I sometimes think that too," Natasha said softly, "But I don't think it really matters. It means, amazingly, that we've done something with our lives, that it hasn't all been for nothing."

She put a hand on his arm.

"This might go badly, it might not. But I want you to know, Loki, that I would die for you."

Loki smiled.

"And I, Natasha, for you."

He looked at the rising sun.

"But no-one is dying today."

"That's impossible," Tony stated, walking over to the two of them with Rhodey in tow. "I hate to be that person but there's no way there won't be any casualties."

"Remind me never to ask you to reassure me," Rhodey said, shaking his head.

"Don't worry, Stark," Natasha replied, smirking evilly. "The sole casualty shall be you: killed by a comrade before the battle has even commenced."