Tell The Truth And People Understand
Peter and Shuri both sat there, mimicking fish as their mouths opened and closed soundlessly. They were very obviously at a loss of what to say and Loki didn't blame them. He looked at the table, pondering whether it was too late to run and never look back.
Shuri twisted her hands together as she frowned with thought, "You led the invasion... but they said no one was there..."
"SHIELD covered it up." Peter said. "Mr. Stark talked about it once. He said that they didn't want people to panic."
"But it was aliens. How do they not panic?"
Loki gripped the edge of the table, "Are you going to call Stark or should I just go myself?"
"No!"
Loki blinked at both of their exclamations, "What?"
"Er-- I mean--" Peter stammered, "Well-- You're a villain-- but-- uh-- you know?" He held up his hands to try and emphasize his nonexistent point.
Shuri waved a hand, "What he means is that if you're a villain, why haven't you tried to kill us?"
"I didn't... I don't want to?"
"Why not?"
"I don't like to."
Peter grinned at Shuri, "Being a villain doesn't mean you're evil."
"Damn right it doesn't." She grinned back at him.
"What?" Loki gave them a confused look.
"Bucky's a villain," Shuri said.
"Yelena is," Peter said.
"Deadpool."
"Wanda."
"Nat."
"Don't say that to her face."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
"Stop," Loki ordered, "Slow down. What are you speaking of?"
"It all started with a woman!" Peter stood up, raising his arms in a dramatic fashion, "And man that gained a dream!"
Shuri stood up too, "The woman was from earth, yet was taken and taught in the stars. But then she realized the lies of her teachers and--"
"What the hell are you two talking about?"
Shuri sighed and they sat back down, "Nick Fury met a woman named Carol Danvers who used to be an airforce pilot. She was abducted by some aliens called the Kree and brainwashed by them."
"I know of the Kree. They took after Odin's way of conquering. But what does that have to do with me?"
"Carol thought she was doing the right thing while working for the Kree Starforce," Peter said, "But really the Kree were massacring an innocent race. Technically she was a villain."
"And we had other friends," Shuri nodded, "They were murderers. Stark was a weapons manufacturer. Rogers was a war criminal for some time. There are two assassins on the Avengers. Banner destroyed Harlem. Thor... I dunno a lot about Thor but I'm sure he's done some stuff."
Loki laughed, "Oh, if only you knew."
"You know him..." Peter shook his head, "Later. What we mean is that everyone is a villain in some way. Heck, I've done some things I regret. What matters is your intentions."
"Intentions."
"Like--"
"I know what it means. But why do you care so much about this?"
"Because it's important!" Shuri said, "No one should automatically be assumed evil! We've known you for years and you've never been evil to us! Is it really hard to assume that everyone can redeem themselves?"
Loki didn't answer.
"If we're being honest, you're one of the only true friends I have." Peter admitted. "I'm not ready to accuse you of something when there's probably more to it."
Shuri nodded in agreement. Loki felt his face go red and he looked at the table.
"So you're not turning me in?"
"Hell no!" Shuri slammed her fist in the table, "If the government wants to arrest you, they'll have to go through us first!"
"Yeah! And it's not like we don't have leverage," Peter grinned, "You're forgetting that I'm a superhero and Shuri's older brother is a king."
"Thank you."
Loki smiled, then frowned, glancing around. Peter and Shuri copied. Then they realized that they were still all alone inside of a cafe. Broken glass was everywhere and several of the other patrons drinks were spilled.
"Uh, wanna get ice cream?"
"Sure."
As they left, they failed to notice the gold and red suit flying away.
~~~
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck--"
"Boss, should I initiate protocol 'Hulk's Ragdoll'?"
"Fuck-- NO!"
Iron Man twisted so his blasters slowed himself down, stopping inches away from slamming into a building. Tony cursed again as he righted himself in the air and headed back towards the compound.
"You seem to be in distress," FRIDAY chirped.
"That's because I fucking am!"
"Is it the murderous supervillain's friendship with your son?"
"Yes-- No-- Maybe-- Wait, son?" Tony sputtered, "Fuck, it was Shuri. That's the last time I let her tinker with you."
"You haven't answered my question."
"Pushy much? Yes, I am in distress and yes, it is partially because the guy who threw me out of the window seems to have been his friend longer then I've known both him and Peter."
Tony made a mental note to remove the code from FRIDAY that Pepper had forced him to add to 'talk about feelings'. That and the code labeling his takeout as 'Unhealthy shit'.
"Shall I initiate the protocol?"
"No!" Tony commanded, "Do not. I haven't updated that code recently. It'll send out one of the old suits and they're all out of fuel. If I want him taken out, I'll order a drone strike."
"Shall I commence drone strike?"
"NO!"
Tony landed on the helipad on Avengers Compound. The new nanotech suit retracted back into his arc reactor and he put on his glasses.
"Don't attack. I just... I need time to think."
A flurry of thoughts went through Tony's head as he went inside. Of course, his guests didn't help. Bruce was sitting at the counter and frantically looking at something on a Starkpad while Thor was pacing the room.
Of course, it took Tony a few extra seconds to process Thor without his long hair and missing an eye. He didn't even have his hammer for some reason, which was extremely unsettling considering the fact that the asshole loved that thing then Tony loved his mother.
"Friend Stark! Have you located my brother yet?"
"Uh... about that..."
"What is it?"
"I don't exactly know how to break this to you or myself."
Bruce looked up from the tablet, "What's wrong?"
"Apparently, Loki has a connection to the kid."
"What kid?"
"My kid-- intern! Damnit, did you even read the file I gave you?"
"I'm sorry but my mental processing seems to have slowed down during my two years as a green rage monster."
This guy really knew how to be passive aggressive.
Tony pinched the bridge of his nose, "What I mean is that my intern has been in contact with Loki longer then we've known him."
"In contact?" Thor was very visibly confuzzled.
"Texting, Thor. Apparently they have internet in space."
"Of course they have internet," Bruce threw up his arms in exasperation, "Internet is the connection of devices through radio waves. Some more advanced planets have it. How is that so hard to believe?"
"Texting from Asgard to Earth seems a little hard."
"Loki knows his way around tech."
"He does indeed," Thor confirmed.
"Yeah..." Tony frowned, then remembered something, "Thor, what do you think about killing?"
"What do you mean, friend Stark?"
"Are you okay with killing? Do you like it?"
"I will kill, Stark, if I must. I am not monster and I do not kill for fun, but I will if it means survival or protecting someone."
"So you have nothing against it? No morals telling you that you shouldn't kill at all?"
"As I've said, I will kill if I must."
"Huh. 'Kay," Tony mumbled, "Well, if you need a place to stay, you and your brother are welcome here."
Thor grew more confused but happy too, "Truly? Thank you, Stark!"
"Yeah, just don't touch my stuff."
Tony left the room, headache and bewilderment growing. He needed more sleep to deal with this.