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Loki prepared another blast of magefire, his hands glowing blue in the dark recess of the museum, when suddenly, he felt an insistant tugging at his thighs. Looking down, he saw two children had grabbed him, one around each leg.
"People are not for hurting!" the one with carefully smoothed black ringlets informed him. The other girl chimed in with "It's okay to be mad. It's not okay to be mean." Both wore matching looks of stern reprimand.
He looked up to see a horrified expression on what could be seen of Rogers' face below the cowl. The prince thought for a moment he might actually burst with irritation. He hissed, "I don't target children, idiot!"
Again, the tugging at his legs. "And no namecalling!" the tiny blonde firmly informed him, quickly followed by, "Now 'pologize. For real," from her friend.
This time, he took a moment to assimilate the details. Rogers, after all, would hardly risk harm to the two girls clinging to him, so he could afford a brief look. He swallowed convulsively. The dark one reminded him a little of Hela when she'd been that size, black curls, flashing eyes, but dressed... he realized to his surprise that her clothing was inspired by his own, with tiny golden horns attached to a headband, and a green and black dress with the same elaborate banding as his armor.
The other, the blonde, wore a blue tiara and a dress inspired by his foe, blue with a large silver star, and red and white stripes around the waist.
This was not supposed to be so difficult. All he'd wanted was to get into the museum, take a small artifact, and replace it with one that looked precisely the same, but lacked the magical power of the original, and he'd done that. But somehow, he'd missed that tonight was the annual sleepover. Or that the theme was Avengers, and the special guest was none other than Captain America. His attempt to return to the portal site had been intercepted and here were the results. But the tugging was unrelenting.
He sighed. "Captain Rogers, I apologize for calling you an idiot. A truce, perhaps, to deal with your unexpected champions?" He raised an eyebrow, waited.
"Truce."
Loki carefully dislodged the hands so he could squat down, if not to eyelevel, not far above it. "May I know the names of such brave heroes?" he inquired.
"I am Tiny Princess Loki and this is my best friend, Tiny Princess Captain America!" Both girls beamed proudly.
"Well met, Your Highnesses. I am Prince Loki and this is Captain Rogers. May we escort you to the feasting hall?" So saying, he extended his long hands, palms upturned.
But again, the imperious duo had other plans. "Ride! Wanna ride back!" Loki looked over, catching the eye of the supersoldier, who grinned back. Right, then. He used magic to dismiss his helmet and changed from a low crouch to a more stable position with one knee down. Tiny Princess Loki declared, "Me," And reached out to be picked up, as Tiny Princess Captain America demanded a ride from Captain Rogers.
As they walked toward the main atrium, the captain quietly spoke. "Thank you. I just... I didn't think you'd be so good with kids."
Loki raised an eyebrow. "No? I have six children, Captain Rogers. Six. And not one left alive and free. My eldest is kept as Odin's slave, my daughter banished to the realm of the dead, the next two imprisoned for what they might become. My youngest sons..." The prince looked away for a moment. "Well, at least they see their sister. And all at the hands of my loving adoptive family."
More loudly, he began, "Once upon a time, there were two brave princesses..." The story continued all the way to the atrium where they spotted two women talking to a security guard. "And the princesses returned to the castle, safe and sound, to regale the court with their adventures." So saying, he lifted the now sleepy girl from his shoulders and deposited her in the arms of her startled mother.
"They wandered, but are returned to you." A look of longing twitched across the Trickster's face for the briefest instant before he turned away, striding swiftly to a shadowed corner, and disappearing.