Regaining Innocence (avengers au)

[1] what the hell?

A/N: Everything you recognise belongs to Marvel, I don't own the Avengers. 

Peter Parker and Michelle Jones intern for Stark Industries, Pietro is alive and the rest of the Barton family don't exist.

"How will your friends have time for me," Loki's eyes glinted as a maniacal smirk slowly crept into his lips. "When they're too busy fighting you?" Dramatically, he raised his sceptre and slowly touched it on Tony's chest, right where his heart was. Expecting the genius' brown eyes to morph into the electric blue that only recently left Barton's, he was astounded when nothing happened. A faint 'clink' echoed in the empty room when the metal of his sceptre came in contact with Stark's arc reactor, leaving an amused smirk on the billionaire's lips that could rival his opponent's own.

"This usually works..." Loki's eyebrows met, confused when his trusty weapon failed to control the other man's mind.

"Performance issues, huh?" Tony said in a falsely sympathetic tone. "Don't worry, it happens to the best of us."

"It's over, Loki." The voice of Steve Rogers echoed from the doorway as Captain America himself stepped out from his spot in the shadowed corner. As if on cue, the rest of the Avengers emerged from their positions. Clint and Natasha dropped down from the air vents just as Thor marched in from the doorway. The Hulk grunted as he crashed through the stairway and Tony's Ironman suit flew through the shattered window, successfully covering him. Together, they raised their weapons at the demigod, and however much he hated to admit it, even Loki knew there would be no escape now.

The adopted Asgardian growled in frustration as Natasha shot two widow's bites at him, effectively electrocuting him and allowing Clint to expertly tie up his arms and legs. Thor took the chance to lay Mjolnir on top of Loki's chest, preventing him from getting up and escaping, even with the help of his magic.

"Learned your lesson yet, Reindeer Games?" Tony grinned, etching the image of a furious Loki struggling like a fish out of water on his dining room floor into his mind. "Boy, I can't wait to see all the news reports celebrating over how Earth's mightiest heroes beat the crap out of a so-called mighty Norse God, saving everyone in New York."

Loki's actions stilled as he turned his head to face Tony, a dangerous grin creeping back onto his face. "I believe you mortals have a saying that says, don't count your chickens before they've hatched. As it seems, I have one last trick up my sleeve."

A magical charge was building up in the room, freezing the Avengers in place as they looked around, trying to figure out the source of the foreign energy source. Until this point, his sceptre had lain forgotten on the floor in front of them, but as the true meaning behind the young Norse God's words sunk into them, the stone began to emit a blue glow brighter than any situation they had seen before.

Clint reacted first, shooting an arrow towards the foreign weapon, then leaping up into the air vents for cover, Natasha following suit. Steve raised his shield to cover both his and Thor's bulky figures, but not before Clint's arrow reached the weapon and a ground-shaking explosion resounded in the room. Scintillating wisps of blue and emerald smoke billowed out of the glowing stone in five neat threads, each one stretching to wrap themselves around the four men still on this ground. Loki's smirk had been wiped clean off his face as he realized that he had no means of escape, as Mjolnir still lay on his chest and his limbs were bound tightly together. Had they been watching from a distance, Steve would have groaned and Tony would have gloated at Loki's lack of planning, but at the moment they didn't have time to react. Ensuring that they would get out of this in one piece was the more important priority at the moment.

Natasha watched in horror as the strands of smoke wrapped themselves around her teammates, still shimmering tendrils dancing over their armour. Clint shielded his eyes as the stone glowed brighter than ever, lighting up the formerly dark air vent with an ethereal blue. He grabbed Natasha's ankle as he crawled further into the vent, hoping that the distance would protect his partner and himself from the second magical blast that was sure to come. With a blinding flash of blue light, smoke filled the whole room, obscuring everything from the two assassins' sight. The faint smell of burnt petals that had invaded their noses when they were near the sceptre was growing more powerful by the second, causing their eyes to water as if stung by strong perfume. Soon, the magical charge was white-hot and the light was so blinding that it forced their eyes shut. At the same moment came the explosion. Any window panes that had not been destroyed by the Chitauri attack shattered and chips of wood flew from the table and drinks bar. Struggling to keep his eyes open, Clint faintly heard Natasha murmur "What the hell?" before his world faded to black.