After Thor brought Loki back to Asgard, the allfather spoke his verdict over the Frost Giant. He exiled his disowned son to Midgard, saying he needed to clean up the mess he made, by doing good where he had been evil. To ensure this, Odin send Thor to keep watch over him, at least until Shield, their new diplomatic allies, have found a way to control the former prince of Asgard. Feeling even more like an outcast, it wasn't as difficult for Loki to adjust becoming a member of the Avengers, even though they took more time getting to know his brother than they did with him.
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One day after a battle, the group is sitting together in Stark Tower discussing the fight, as Banner chickened out at the last minute, reluctant to bring out the Hulk, thus causing them some delay in finishing the task. They have an argument, where the doctor starts to paint the Hulk as this raging, dangerous beast on the border to evil. As a monster.
After a few minutes of listening quietly, but getting more an more tense, Loki has enough and suddenly yells: “Will you shut up, you don't even know what he is like!“ Everyone stares at him in surprise, but Bruce, already riled up a little, argues back: “Excuse you? I have to live with this brute inside me! I saw what he did, what he left over after an attack! He never just stops, he smashes everything until there is nothing left, out of pure spite!“ Tony wants to calm down his friend, and trying to be funny throws in: “Hey, no wonder Loki tries to defend him, sounds just like him!“ Natasha also wants to comfort Banner: “I don't think it's true Bruce! I think there is still some of you left inside him.“, but the scientist wails: “In that case I'm even more ashamed! To think this monster is a part of me and my personality.“
But the Jötunn is getting angry, and hisses: “He isn't a monster! He... what if he just wants to be seen, have you ever thought about that?“ Thor, feeling ashamed of his brothers actions, leans in: “You mean like you did, acting up all the time?“ Barton agrees: “Well, that would fit, seeking attention by destroying everything in your path, seems about right.“, as he still holds a grudge against the trickster, who just replies annoyed: “I did no such thing you imbecile! I had laid out clever plans, set intricate traps for my foes! It is a lot more elegant, than simple destruction.“ Clint gets louder: “But you never cared for boundaries either! You would just take, without asking.“, at which point Banner leans in again: “And so is he. Just rage, and hate, and selfishness.“
“That's not true!“, Loki now cries desperate, and Hawkeye, stepping closer to the Jötunn, teases him: “Come on prince of darkness, stop defending the Hulk like you actually care for him! You only wanted to use him as a tool, as stupid and sadistic as he is!“ The Frost Giant looks at him shocked, then smacks him right across the face with the back of his hand, yelling: “How dare you! How dare you speak of him like this! How dare any of you speak in this manner of a creature that cannot defend itself from such slander!“
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The group looks at Loki in shock, angered at the slap. Rhodey asks shaken: “What the hell, man?!“ Clint holds his jaw, makes another step towards him and hisses: “You really are a piece of work!“ Steve wants to calm him down: “Hawkeye, don't let him wind you up like this.“, but he turns to Rogers to scoff: “Easy for you to say, Cap! He didn't put that scepter against your perfect heart and corrupt it! He didn't wipe your mind and made you do unspeakable things! He didn't crawl through your most private thoughts and memories!“ Nat is on his side: “He has a point you know!“ Thor hums embarrassed: “Well, uhm...“, but the Widow elaborates: “If you boil it down, he entered his body without his consent! That's rape.“ The others flinch at this, and Loki looks at his feet.
Stark tries to levy the tension again, quipping: “Oh. Uhm. Well, I heard about a mind fuck before, but since you put it that way...“ “Tony, please!“, his friend interrupts humiliated. Barton is still very angry, then turns to Loki with a determined face. Coulson tries to hold him back: “Clint, don't do something you're gonna regret.“ Without turning, the archer asks back: “Like what? What could I ever do to him, to match that?“, looking straight at the God of Mischief, who returns the stare with a touch of guilt in his eyes. And then Clint adds a little quieter: “And anyways, someone already took care of that!“
Rogers, wishing to bring order to the group again, furrows his brows at him: “What do you mean by that?“ Barton just fixates Loki, growling: “Which is actually why I'm even more surprised you defend that brute!“ The other Avengers grow more confused, as the tension rises notably between the archer and the trickster, and Coulson, trying to stop the escalation, begs his agent: “Don't do this to him. Don't out him.“ “Out him?“, Stark repeats curious. Loki looks confused at Clint, who whispers: “What do you think is worse, having your mind raped, or your body?“ Nat heard him, and though unsure what he means, she urges: “Clint? Don't go there!“ Steve, who heard it too, but thinks he misheard, asks alarmed: “What's going on?“
“I have no idea, what you are talking about, mortal!“, Loki snaps back unphased. Hawkeye growls threatening: “Oh, so someone brutally entering a body without consent, that is something that never happened to you?“ Thor is immediately outraged: “My brother is not a rapist! Take these allegations back this instance, Clinton!“ Phil gets closer to Hawks, to hiss: “I said, don't out him!“ Rogers remains alarmed: “Out what?“ “The fuck?“, Rhodey adds confused, and Nat, getting worried, turns to Phil: “You knew, too?“ “Knew what, what are you even on about?“, Banner demands, totally lost. Then Hawkeye reveals to the doctor: “That the Hulk smashed him around a good deal, when he was out in the snow alone!“
Some of the Avengers inhale in shock, as Bruce turns white. Tony asks: “Smashed? As in beaten or as in, you know...“, he makes a gesture, and Steve looks at Nat for help: “What does he mean?“ Rhodey sighs, covering his eyes: “Tell me this is a bad joke!“ Clint turns back at Loki, trying to rub it in: “Looked like you were having a rough time! I don't understand how you can excuse that. Unless you think, establishing dominance involves degrading others, and you want to pay him back by using him for that!“ Everyone stares at the archer, then Coulson frowns: “Dammit Hawkeye, we had agreed to keep that a secret!“ Natasha and Steve both ask: “Wait, you what?“, but Barton huffs: “Well you can't say he didn't have it coming, Phil!“ However, his boss rolls his eyes at him, to explain: “Not him, Banner!“
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