Archive of Our Own ^beta

"Okay, ow, God damn it," Clint complained as he and his fellow Avengers made their way back to the quinjet. "This is definitely on my list as worst mission ever."

Natasha gave him a Look. "Are you saying that because we all got beat up or because you got punched in the mouth?" she asked with a sweetness that was probably all arsenic.

Clint leveled a glare at his friend but had to admit, if only to himself, that while a lot of the former played into it he was most pissed off about the latter. He was the sniper, damn it, he wasn't supposed to even be close enough to anyone for them to take a pot shot at him!

And yet, somehow, the HYDRA base they were sent to take down must have been staffing the personnel who weren't afraid to bear down on the dude sniping them with arrows and punch said dude right in the kisser.

The rest of the team was a bit worse for wear as well, with the annoyingly notable exception of the Hulk. He hadn't shifted back down into Bruce yet, and that was something happening a bit more often after missions. It seemed like the Big Guy wasn't willing to go back to dozing (Bruce's words, and they did make a sort of sense with how easily they switched places these days) until he'd checked up on Loki once they returned to the tower. It had been that way since the bank robbery nearly ten months back, and the kid didn't seem to be too bothered at being scooped up by a jolly green giant and toted around like a doll for however long the Hulk felt like doing so.

Clint honestly couldn't blame him; the kid was cute, the Avengers were making sure not to fuck him up the way his old man had done the first time around (without actually saying anything negative about Odin, given that Thor hero-worshiped the guy and Loki didn't even realize anymore that he'd been screwy in the head as an adult), and he was always right there with Phil to greet them when they got home.

The flight back from Pittsburg was quiet, if only because Clint's teeth hurt. He was pretty sure HYDRA Goon Number Eighty-Seven or whoever had managed to break a molar or something, and it wasn't pleasant at all. Natasha was flying the jet, while Tony tried to do maintenance on his suit while still in it (apparently, he'd been flung through a wall by an explosion, lucky bastard), Steve frowned at Tony in disapproval, Thor poked at a rip in his armor that had cut down to the skin since armor didn't bleed the last time Clint had checked, and the Hulk simply loomed.

They landed safely in the rooftop hangar, and the second the door was open the Hulk was gone. Clint was out scant seconds later, and couldn't hold back a grin as he caught sight of the Big Guy settling the kid on his shoulders. Loki shot the archer a grin and waved the second he noticed the man, and leaned down to say something to his ride. Phil, who was not-shockingly there as well, walked over with the Big and Little Guys to check over his team.

"Hey, Agent, I'll be back for the debrief later," Tony said as he waltzed right on by, already shucking armor. "I need to get out of this and start JARVIS on repairs for next time I decide to try being a wrecking ball." And with that the billionaire disappeared into the tower, calling out for his AI.

"I'll get his report later then," Phil deadpanned. "The rest of you, please follow me and we'll try to make it as brief as possible."

Loki leaned down from the Hulk's shoulders to give Clint a searching look, a frown crossing his lips after a moment. "What's wrong with your mouth?" he finally asked after a moment; Clint noticed that the kid's eyes had glowed brightly for a moment before he asked the question and heaved a mental sigh of annoyance.

When the kid had first arrived, Thor had mentioned that given the age he'd been regressed to, Loki had no access to the magic he'd spent lifetimes learning. He wasn't aware of that fact, since he thought he'd only just begun learning, and didn't mind taking a break from his studies to live on Earth for however long Odin deemed fit.

However, sometime around the six or seven month mark, odd little things in addition to the kid being able to go Frosty the Snowman from time to time (which was just genetics, not magic) started happening. Fury had only needed to be there one time that the ice maker began dispensing smoothies to decide that someone needed to teach Loki a bit of control. Which was the reason that Dr. Stephen Strange visited the tower once a week for lessons; the second Thor found out that there was someone called the Sorcerer Supreme on the planet, he insisted that his baby brother learn only from the best.

And it looked like this week's lesson must have been some sort of x-ray vision or whatever.

"Some HYDRA goon got a lucky shot," Clint finally replied with a slight shrug. "Hurts like a mother, but SHIELD should cover the costs for me to get any damaged fixed." I hope, he added mentally; he didn't much like the idea of going around for even a few months with a mouthful of loose or broken teeth.

Loki's brow furrowed and he poked at the Hulk. "Down, please," he said, adding when the Big Guy hesitated, "I just want to see if I can help Mr. Clint and then we can all go to Mr. Phil's office together."

Clint watched with bemusement at the giant set the kid down on the floor, the feeling only growing a bit when Loki motioned for him to kneel down to eye level. Small, pale hands cupped the archer's face for a moment, and he could feel a tingling sensation in his mouth. It didn't hurt; in fact, it seemed to cancel out the dull ache he'd been feeling since a gloved fist had hit his face less than an hour ago.

Loki dropped his hands and offered a tiny grin. "Better? Dr. Stephen's had me trying to do little helpful spells, but that's the first time I've tried fixing anything more than a skinned elbow."

The archer grinned and reached out to ruffle the kid's hair. "Much better. Thanks, kiddo." As the boy's grin broadened into a full-blown smile, Clint stood and nodded to the Hulk. "Now, I think we've all got a date with a suit. Let's go, guys."

He turned and walked towards the elevator, listening to Loki's giggle as the Big Guy scooped him up once more.