As soon as the sun was in the sky Matt Murdock, with a sleepy spider, was knocking at the New York sanctum's door. It was a 'good day to help a friend' he said when he went to get the teen. Peter, being too sleep deprived to say anything, only nodded and got dressed.
"Matt? Peter? What are you two doing here?" Wong asked followed by a yawn. He stepped out of the way to let them.
"Business with Strange. Where is he?" Straight to the point. Like always.
"It's Saturday, right? Can we go back home?" He spared a glance to his partner.
"Riiight. Stephen?"
"Probably in his room. It's-" Before Wong could give them directions they were walking off. "Mr.Murdock, I'm tired. I had to do patrol all by myself last night." Peter whined.
"You don't have to go out every night. We've all told you this before. Until you learn that that's why we formed this group you can bet we don't care how tired you are. I say this with love, young one." Peter huffed out a breath.
"Besides we can bother Stephan to lighten your mood." Peter smiled nervously as Matt knocked on Dr.Strange's door. When there was no response he knocked again..and again.. and again. After still getting no response the duo started hammering on the door. They were knocking for about 5 minutes before they were thrown against the wall by an invisible force. Neither had enough time to defend themselves.
"Wong what could-" The sorcerer stopped mid sentence at seeing his partners stuck against the wall. Lifting the spell he changed his sentence. "I don't understand why we had to wake up so early. Loki and Wade can handle themselves for a few more hours."
Matt rolled his eyes at his friends' attitudes. It wasn't that early. It was probably half past 9. Which sounds like a reasonable time. A lot of civis start work at that time. Kids wake up even earlier than that for school.
"We need to get to Stark tower. The sooner we talk to the Avengers the sooner we get this problem over before it can get worse.
"It's actually not a tower anymore. We're all based at the Compound." The adults turned to stare at the young man. "What do you mean?" Stephen asked, leading the other two inside. They sat on the medium sized couches in his room.
"Mr. Stark built the Avengers Compound a little after Ultron and at the end of Civil War."
"So Peter will just take us to the compound."
"Peter can't but Spider-Man can. Remember the Avengers don't know my secret identity. And wouldn't it be sus if I walked in with the Sorcerer Supreme and Daredevil." The two adults nodded in understanding.
"Either way the plan works. Should we go now?"
"No. We need to go see Loki." Dr.Strange adjusted his sling ring before creating a portal to Deadpool and Loki's apartment.
Wade and Loki were sprawled out on the couch together mindlessly watching The Golden Girls. Wade still hadn't told Loki that he had texted the team. He was a little scared to be honest. But also not. After all, Loki knew this was bound to happen at one point. So when the familiar golden circle appeared Loki just barely glared at Wade.
"Loki? Are you okay? Did they hurt you? What did they do? Who all was there? How did they find you? Are you okay?" Loki promptly pushed the spider child away from his face.
"I'm fine. If only a little annoyed." Which was true. As soon as he woke up and all the things that had happened the day before came rushing back he cursed himself. His reaction at the time was mild if anything. He thought that he should have fought more. But also knew why he didn't.
"No, they didn't hurt me. They starved me. Thor, Tony,Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Spartan?, Bruce Banner. " Wade snorted at the other end of the couch.
"It's Barton, Lokes." In return Loki shrugged. He obviously could care less and went on answering Peter's questions. "I'm not entirely sure how they found me. I was helping the elderly across the streets when they came out of nowhere. And I promise I'm fine."
"Well we're glad to see you in one piece." Loki nodded in Strange's direction.
"Why don't you two clean this place?"
"I thought you were blind, Matt."
"I am Wade. But even a blind person can tell this place is a wreck." There was a round of laughter at Wade's and Loki's expense.
"What the point. Whenever I clean he makes a bigger mess than what was just cleaned." Wade nodded in agreement. Loki sent him a bemused smile.
"So Loki, now that you have all this free time, what will you do?" At Loki's raised eyebrow, Matt and Stephen looked at Wade. He was feigning interest in a Disney+ ad.
"Why am I not surprised?" Murdock shook his head in disbelief. "You won't be able to leave the house for a while. Seeing Loki's eyebrows furrow Matt continued. "It's for your own good. The avengers could still be looking for you."
"Sitting here is just as bad. I should be teleporting all over that way they never know what side of New York I'm on."
"At least this way you can catch up on your reading. And I'll bring Peter over whenever I can. " Loki looked at the Doctor with fake malice. He hated the thought of being a sitting duck.
"Then I'm going to need more books. The whole reason I was out at all yesterday was to get more books."
"Can't you just teleport into the Sanctum?" All the men looked at their youngest member with shock. They were surprised he didn't know it wasn't possible for anyone other than the Sorcerer Supreme.
"If it were that easy I'd be over there more often. Alas I cannot."
"Well Peter has a point." Loki looked at Strange with a curiously raised eyebrow. "You could teleport in as long as I've adjusted the force field. But I'm not sure you would like the books we have."
"How so?"
"Majority is about our way of magic."
"Oh. Beginner's magic tricks. I suppose I could learn a few of your parlor tricks. At least now I can add volunteering at kids birthday parties to my to-do list." Wade, Peter and Matt laughed. They loved hearing Loki and Stephen talk shit about each other's magic. Every time Loki would win the argument. Mainly because Stephen knew that Loki's was far superior.
"Be my guest. You might get bored easily though. Those books make it seem boring and trivial." Loki took this with a grain of salt.
"You'll stay out of sight, right? If you really do leave the house?" A painful hex was sent to the protective trio. He then got up and walked to the kitchen mumbling about stupid devils, strange ass doctors, and dumb ass spider monkeys.
"Okay." Matt clapped his hands. "With that settled we can get down to plans for today." Loki just barely held in another hex. "And just what is the plan for today?"
"Today we'll be going to the Avengers Compound." To this Loki and Wade looked at the trio with a blown out expression.
"Even I know that that's a dumbass plan. You're walking into enemy territory! There could be a trap waitin' for you." Loki sat beside Wade nodding along. The mercenary was usually all for rushing in but this was just stupid.
"While that could be true, we won't be alone, Peter will be there to make sure we're welcomed with open arms."
"Plus they don't know why we'll be there." Peter added. "We could be there for anything, like them becoming Avengers or something." Loki nervously chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. A thing he picked up from the young boy.
"Well actually they might have some kind of inkling. I told them that we were all-"
"Why would you tell them?!" Matt, Stephen and Wade yelled. "Now they're definitely gonna be on guard. As soon as they see y'all they will attack."
"Maybe we should call ahead?" Peter straight up laughed at Loki's suggestion. He always did when Loki lost his cool. The god always started acting like a teenager. Ignoring what Loki said, the conversation continued.
"Peter shouldn't be going." Deadpool sat up seriously. "What if things actually do get bad? We can't risk our little cinnamon roll getting hurt."
"What? No. I want to go. I am going."
"The plan is already bullshit. WIth that being said you definitely shouldn't be going. And think about it this way, if you don't go you can stay here with us and cuddle." Deadpool wrapped his arm around the mischievous god.
Peter rolled his eyes before stating his case. "I can help. I could mediate the situation. Besides, I'll be fine. I'll be going as Spider-Man. The Avengers still don't know who he is." Wade's resolve diminished. He was still against it but let the other continue.
"Are we all at a mutual understanding now?" Wade and Loki grumbled in an affirmative. "Great. Now Peter, Matt," Stephen turned to look directly at the two. "I'm going to open a portal to your homes. You will have 30 minutes to change into your hero outfits. In exactly 30 minutes another portal will open and bring you back here. From there Spider-Man will lead us to the Compound."
"I actually know the address. So you could sling ring us there." Stephen narrowed his eyes at the boy. "What is it then?" The teenager pulled out his phone and started scrolling. They sat in silence for several minutes before he spoke again.
"It's 890 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan." The sorcerer supreme nodded and stood up.
"Greatness." He then started to make his teammates portals. The other two stood up as well. Walking to their respective ones. "As soon as you enter the countdown begins." They nodded in understanding and walked through.
"Be back soon." He called to the lazy bastards on the couch and made his own portal. That left the mercenary and would be god alone. They shared a look before going to the kitchen and making pancakes.
When they finished, about 30 minutes later, their other teammates were sitting down in the living room. And even though they looked like they were patiently waiting for their friends they were really waiting for food. When they had come through their respective portals and smelt the food they were beside themselves between running in and grabbing plates and waiting and leaving on empty stomachs.
"Sorry guys. We didn't make enough for y'all." Loki jabbed DP in the ribs.
"You know we wouldn't let you leave like that." Loki then snapped his fingers and the pancakes came floating out the kitchen. Each member had four thick, fluffy buttery pancakes. "Eat, then go handle my light work." Peter laughed. Loki trying to sound human was always a good laugh. The spider, sorcerer, and devil all nodded as Loki and Deadpool sat down.
At the compound the Avengers were also lying around. To any outsider it would have looked like they hadn't just kidnapped a person the day before. Truth be told, all of them were still in shock. They couldn't believe what had happened at all.
"Friday, pull up the footage from yesterday." The disembodied voice compiled and a hologram screen appeared in front of them. They all watched in anticipation. Everyone's eyes were searching for Loki in the crowd of New Yorkers. Clint then spotted him at the end of the crosswalk. "There!" The group all stared at the god. He was wearing normal clothing. Like any human. Blending in perfectly. He wore an anime t-shirt and black ripped jeans with black vans.
"What's he doing?" No one answered Tony's question. No one knew how to answer. The man was just standing at the end of the crosswalk. This went on for another five minutes before Tony asked Friday to fast forward. "Stop!" Loki had started moving. They all frantically moved closer. Loki was helping the elderly across the road.
"H- he could have tampered with the cameras." Steve stuttered.
"Don't back down now Cap." Tony smugly looked at him. "Besides when he would have had the time to do that. Thor knocked him out." Thor looked away sheepishly.
All eyes went back to the screen when they heard a scream. Loki's head instantly shot up. Anyone could tell he was looking for danger and any civilians in the way. Not once did he look at the avengers. He truly didn't care that they were there. And although there wasn't any sound they knew exactly what was being said.
"Look there." Clint pointed to the people in the far back on the left of the street. "Those are the people he was shielding. Away from us. He saved them." Clint looked warily at the screen.
"Why did we attack him?" Natasha looked at Bruce like he had Hulked out.
"We attacked because he's Loki. No matter what he says or does he can't be trusted." Bruce and Thor shook their heads. "I'm kinda disappointed in you all." And with that Bruce walked off. Thor follows at his heels.
"Wait! We still haven't talked about that call." The mysterious caller that had somehow called them. Whoever it was had said someone who resembled Loki was 'messing' with New Yorkers. They had all been cautious on whether to take it seriously. Honestly, all of them wish they hadn't. But some were just too stubborn to admit it. To truly believe there wasn't a villain to fight.
Tony and Bruce think it would be best to just leave him be. Like he said he had been here for years and did nothing. And he even had one of their own on his side. Granted they hadn't known before. Steve, Natasha, and Clint all think they should notify SHIELD.
"He's still a flight risk. You all know that." Steve continued to push. Despite the evidence that proved him wrong. Thor chose that moment to walk back into the room.
"I know for certain my brother cannot fly. " He sat down on one of the couches. Thor said no more as the others argued. He was too lost in thought. His brother was alive! And on earth! Right under everyone's nose the entire time. He thinks it's best to tell his father and mother. But wouldn't they have been the first to figure it out? He gasps startling everyone in the room.
"What? You just figure out how to think, Point Break?"
"No Man of Iron. I was just thinking. If Loki has been here seeking redemption wouldn't Heimdall and our parents know? After all, Heimdall sees all. Everywhere. " This time Tony gasped. "Bruce!" The gamma man ran into the room. Frantically looking for his science bro.
"Thor just became a genius." Tony then went on to explain what Thor had said.
"So if what Thor said is true, then Loki definitely doesn't mean any harm." Tony continued where his partner left off.
"If he did, they would have said something years ago. But it makes sense that they didn't. Loki hadn't- er, hasn't caused any trouble. It's like-
"When Thor was sent here!" The Science bros yelled together.
"Thor, when was the last time you went home? Was there anything strange about it?"
"Two years ago. No. I don't believe so. My father was, as always, cold. And my mother, she was curious about my life here. She wanted to know everything."
"What do you mean by everything?" Natasha moved in closer to look him in the eye. Thor tilted his head in curious confusion.
"Things like how everyone was doing, had I made any new friends, ran into any new people. Things like that." Tony and Bruce shared a look before shouting "They fuckin' know!"
"Think about it. She wouldn't-"
"Have asked that suspicious ass-"
"Question for no reason. She was hoping-
"That you had seen Loki!" The science brothers completed together. The rest of the group looked on in awe. It all made sense.
"Could that mysterious call have been from them?" Tony thought aloud.
"Could have been. Maybe they think Loki's repented enough and he can go home. Friday, play the call again." Bruce mumbled.
"Hold up! Are we really just gonna believe this? This ridiculous theory?" Clint threw his hands up in exasperation. "Need I remind you he brainwashed me. Made Tony drive a missile ethrough a fuckin' portal. Killed too many people to count." Steve and Natasha nodded behind him. "He probably brainwashed those other heroes too. No way would someone trust him. He's the god of mischief."
"He didn't have his staff."
"That's because he wasn't looking for a fight. He was helping people. Besides, the staff was powered by the mind stone. He doesn't have it anymore. Right?" Bruce looked at Tony unsure. Tony only shrugged. They all sit in silence. Letting everything sink in.
"I , like Hulk and Man of Iron, think we should leave my brother alone. He has not done anything." Natasha looked to Cap warily. 'If another war were to happen we would surely lose. But I won't let this team fight over Loki.' She whispered to him.
"Hi Tony!" Only Peter calls him Mr.Stark. Heads swung around at the shout. Never had Strange, Daredevil, and Spider-Man ever seen superheroes flinch so bad before. "Sorry, Tony didn't mean to scare you."
The avengers were surprised at seeing the trio. Thinking they were here to fight on Loki's behalf the group grabbed the nearest things as weapons. Thor called for his ax, Steve grabbed the plates on the counter, Tony activated his suit and Clint grabbed silverware while Natasha grabbed Bruce and ran.
In concern Stephen put a force field around them. They weren't here to fight.
"We come in peace."
"Really D? You sound like an alien." Daredevil shrugged.
"You expect us to believe that." Clint laughed dryly. "I told you they were brainwashed." Spider-Man looked over to Doctor Strange in confusion. "I thought Loki didn't have his scepter."
"He doesn't. And while Loki is powerful he's not there yet."
"Are you there?" Stephen shook his head at the Spiderchild.
"Um. Hello! We're fighting here!"
"No. We came here to talk about Loki, Steve."
"I suggest that you be quiet Spider-Man. You're already in trouble. Don't make it worse." Peter glared through the mask.
"We only came to talk!" The trio yelled. They really didn't want to fight. This was just the only way to come. The only way the Avengers would listen.
"There seems to be a misunderstanding. We really only came to talk. So please calm down." The majority of the avengers drop their quote on quote weapons.
"You can drop your little trick now doctor." Tony jibed. But Stephen never made a move to drop his shield.
"No. You won't get us like you did Loki. I mean, come on, he really would have gone with you." Guilty looks place themselves on their faces.
"Whatever you came here to say, say it!" Natasha ordered.
Matt smirked. "We just came to say you guys are the worst." Peter and Stephen hit him in the ribs.
"He's joking." Matt under his breath whispered "No I'm not." Peter ignored him and continued. "We came because Loki, and us, don't want any trouble. I've known Loki for years and- " Spider-Man is interrupted by Tony.
"You've known about him for years?! Underoos how could you keep this a secret."
"Because he knew you would react like this!" Stephen sensing the hostility in the room grew a little and dropped the shield.
Matt raised an eyebrow at his colleague from under his mask. He then threw up his hands and a stronger bigger field surrounded them just as an arrow came whizzing across the room. It exploded against the golden force.
"A bunch of brutes. We only wanted to talk. Clearly that won't be happening today. We'll be back again soon. Hopefully then you all can act like adults and not children." Doctor Strange quickly opened a portal to Wade and Loki's apartment. Leaving all the avengers to glare at Clint.
"I swear it wasn't me!" He yelled. Stark gave him a skeptical look. "I swear it wasn't. Look! Look! Caps got one of my arrows!" He pointed to the corner where Steve was twirling it in his hand. Tony thought to make a joke but held it back. Everyone collectively sighed. It was going to be an interesting day.