The Bargain

Chapter 22: Twenty-Second Installment

Twenty-Second Installment: A New Perspective

When he'd last come here, he'd been muzzled and chained. Loki had found the gag oddly gratifying. Though the chains had been magical in nature to prevent Loki from using any, Thor had still considered Loki's tongue a dangerous-enough weapon to silence. Even though he was walking down the rainbow bridge again, Loki couldn't help a small smile at the memory.

Loki Silvertongue. That was what they'd called him. It had a nicer ring to it than Loki Odinson.

Though no words had been exchanged about it, Loki knew as soon as they were snatched up in the Bifrost that his placement among the Avengers was intentional. Thor and the good Captain were in the lead, Rogers to Thor's right. Loki was behind them, and Natasha was to his right. Stark and Barton walked right behind, and Banner brought up the rear.

Heimdall inclined his head to Thor. "Welcome home, my prince," he said, his golden eyes uncharacteristically warm.

"Thank you, Heimdall," Thor replied. "Allow me to introduce my friends."

Loki managed not to roll his eyes. The Gatekeeper didn't even acknowledge Loki until it was all over, and it was only with a look he supposed was meant to give warning. Loki gave him a smile that could have been a greeting, could have been an, I'm considering gouging out your eyes and feeding them to crows.

They walked down the rainbow bridge to the place Loki had sworn never to return. At his side, Natasha's eyes roved ahead.

"So this is the Bifrost," she said, sounding contemplative. She pointed to the edge of the wide bridge. "What's down there?"

"Yggdrasil," Loki replied. For some reason, she had a rather calming effect on him. Almost absently, "Not a place to which you'd want to vacation."

She shuddered. "From what Jane told me, definitely not."

Curious, Loki looked down at her. "You've spoken with Miss Foster about it?"

"Yeah," the Black Widow replied. "I wanted to know more about it. She described it as a place of 'making and unmaking'. Does that sound right?"

Loki gave a faint snort. "Succinct. I like it. I would like to hear more of her theories on what lies between the realms."

"Make sure I'm there," Natasha requested.

"I will," Loki promised, pleased. "She is very clever." He gave the redhead an appraising glance. "Not unlike yourself."

Natasha flicked him a smile. "If you're flirting, I think you should know I'm seeing someone."

Loki couldn't help a faint laugh. "Yes, the good captain. His chivalrous nature outshines my own."

She gave him a surprised look. So did Rogers. "You knew?" she inquired.

"You'll find it difficult to keep anything from me."

"Wow," she said, shaking her head. "Most people assume I'm with Clint."

"I am not most people," Loki reminded her, "and Barton treats you like a little sister."

"Do I?" Barton piped up. "Sorry, 'Tash. Don't mean to."

She threw him a grin. "I'm used to it. You kind of feel like my big brother, anyway."

The thought rose, unbidden, I had such a free and easy relationship with my brother, once. He viciously quashed that line of thinking. Sentiment was a refuge of the weak.

"This place is incredible," Banner said as they neared Asgard.

"Yeah, how long are we going to be here?" Stark asked.