He's itchy and he's burning hot, literally.

Those were the words that Steve could think of as he looked at himself in the mirror designed with the usual silver and gold.

The clothes that he found in his temporary room were a dark blue long sleeved tunic with a black cowl and a black sash tied to his waist, they also gave him midnight blue pants that hung quite nicely with his legs. It looked good on him; even he had to admit that.

If only he didn't fell like scratching that itch in his back and felt he was going to die with suffocation, it would be perfect. Good thing Asgard's weather is never too hot or else he'll be swimming in sweat right now with how thick the cotton is.

He fixed the sash and turned to his new room. The golden walls paired with the red carpeted floor mixed with the royal furniture of Asgard, complete with a four poster bed with white creamy sheets. He felt a bit out of place with the elegance and taste of the room, but it did feel a bit home friendly. Steve took the white sheets and savoured the feeling of soft cotton running in his fingers. How long has it been since he touched five-star quality objects.

Now that he thought about it, this is the first time he touched five star quality objects.

A knock from the door got him out of his reverie. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes, sir." Steve had the thought of the voice being JARVIS but he dismissed it and answered to the voice with a polite. "Thank you." He fixed himself one last time before he got out of his room to the gold halls of the palace.

As a past soldier memorization was something he was used to. Memorizing maps, battle strategies and enemy ground was second nature to him. So he was mentally kicking himself as to why he can't remember which hall he can take that will lead him to the dining room. How long has it been since the last war that his losing all his soldier instincts, instincts that was grilled into him at camp?

Right, seventy years.

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as he stopped at a dead end, again. He's been turning left to right for about five minutes, no surprise if the welcoming dinner has already started without him.

He turned back to where he came from and paused at the middle of four halls.

He was thinking of which hall to take next when a voice reached his ears. "You do know being late is quite rude do you? Or is Stark getting to you about how being fashionably late is good, Steve." A shadow emerged in front of him. And Steve felt heat rush to his face.

Dressed in his usual black and green armour but without the cape, is Loki.

I

Like his father promised a wild boar was served during the welcoming dinner, and to Loki's glee his father said he could have it all to himself, and he will definitely not share.

So why isn't he helping himself to a huge amount of the wild boar that was glazed in sour and spicy seasonings, the wild boar that the servants placed right in front of him. It's because someone is late. And the rules that his good mother made is, if the family isn't complete, control your stomach and we will wait in our seats.

This person isn't even family and yet he's been waiting in his seat for five minutes.

Loki closed his eyes when his stomach rumbled for a tiny moment. Telling him that boar was hunted for him, so why isn't he enjoying it!

He opened his eyes and looked at the hungry and irritated occupants of the room. Well, his father and mother were not irritated at all, not even a tiny drop coming out of their faces. But the Avengers on the other hand were a different matter entirely. Loki heard Stark sigh and adjust his red cowl, grumbling about a certain soldier who was supposed to have manners. "And he calls me rude."

Loki had to admit, of all the people, he expected Stark to be late and come inside the dining hall with that being-late-is-part-of-my-style attitude. Not Steve, not the soldier who lives and breathes morals and values of life, not him. Odin adjusts himself in his seat and called everyone's attention. "I must say your friend is very late. Are you sure nothing has happened to him."

"Oh dear, maybe something has happened to him, maybe someone should go look."

Loki took his mother's distressed hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. He knows that the others are too hungry and too tired to go look for Steve, so he volunteered with a raise of his hand. Odin raised an eyebrow, his son never allows himself to do these kinds of things. For him it was too petty and small to even think about. "Are you sure?" "Yes father I am sure."

"Alright then, you may go."

"Do you need company brother?" Loki pushed back his chair and waved off Thor's offer.

"Finding a man who sticks out like a sore-thumb will be an easy task, brother."

And it was.

There he was, smirking at the flushed face super soldier who looked tired, hungry and embarrassed. Honestly, how much innocence can this man radiate?

"So Steve, what will you say?"

"Ah, well, I… ah… got lost." Steve had to stop himself from shuffling with his feet from the feeling of embarrassment coming out of him.

Loki gave him a disbelieving look, but the state of the captain did give you that impression. "Yes, I should have thought of that. And I thought you were trying to find a set of new clothes, because you look dreadfully uncomfortable." Steve cleared his throat and looked embarrassed and ashamed. "Yeah well, if you don't mind me saying these clothes are a bit uncomfortable."

Loki chuckled and moved towards the guilty looking man. His fingers found Steve's black cowl, loosening it. "I would have expected that since your cowl is so tight. Let it loose captain." Steve swallowed and nodded stiffly. He could feel the warm breath of Loki in his face.

Loki paused a bit when he saw the slightly tan skin of the first Avenger; his fingers unconsciously trailing the exposed skin and only when Steve inhaled sharply did Loki pull his slightly trembling fingers back.

The god of mischief hid his hand behind his back and stared at the wide-eyed captain. "I apologize Steve; I must say that was rude of me." Steve cleared his throat and rubbed his neck, still feeling the tingling sensation of Loki's fingers. Not knowing what to think of Loki's actions. The blond man shakes his head and spoke. "It's okay, not like you meant any harm." He gave a small laugh. But Loki didn't see any humour in it.

The atmosphere became awkward for both of them. Loki was thinking of why he did that in the first place, when a rumble caught his attention.

Steve's hand went to his stomach and Loki found himself once again with a blushing hero. "Ah, dinner." Loki smiled at the grinning Steve, and motioned for him to follow him.

Maybe he could share the wild boar, to Steve anyway.

II

Steve bowed low and gave a heartfelt apology to the king and queen for being late, telling them with all the pride could muster that he got lost and couldn't find his way back to the dining room.

The captain ignored the snicker he heard and allowed the king to give him punishment; he does deserve it after all (for him at least). King Odin couldn't help but smile as he patted the mortal on the shoulder. "This palace is grand and very much huge; I will not be surprised if any of you got lost on your first day here. So do not hold any guilt, now that you are here, the problem is already solved, so take a seat and enjoy."

Steve blinked and looked up to the smiling face of the old king and his wife. He nodded dumbly and took the only available seat, beside Loki. He pulled the chair and sat down, his stomach yearning for the delicious delicacies of Asgard. King Odin cleared his throat and raised his gold cup. "Let the welcoming feast begin."

To the Avengers relief the food wasn't all that bad. The finely cooked meat dipped in all kinds of sauce, fruits and vegetables all cut and neatly washed, and of course the wine. If he wasn't in a royal dinner with the king and queen of Asgard, Tony would no doubt be drunk right now. Steve took a bite out of the leg of an, what he guessed what as an oversized chicken. He smiled as the juiciness of the meat hit his tongue.

Queen Frigg smiled at her guests, the smiling and happy mortals that were eating her cooked meal like warriors. "How do you all of you fine the delicacies of Asgard?" "They are quite good your highness." Natasha answered. Frigg took her husband's hand and smiled at him. "They are so polite." Odin smiled. It has been too long since his wife has enjoyed herself. Too long indeed. "You must try dessert, it as freshly baked crumbelur. It is an out must delicacy here. Oh I will get it."

The sound of the queens heels were heard as she happily went into the kitchen to fetch her dessert. King chuckled at the dumbfounded look of his guests. "Excuse her; it has been a long time since she had any guests to entertain."

"Its fine your majesty, the queen seems quite joyful." Steve remarked.

"Yes she is, but she won't be when she finds out the real reason why all of you are here." The Avengers stopped their meal and chose to look instead at the old king. "Father, you have not told mother about the war." "No one in this palace knows about the war Thor, our warriors yes, Randel yes, but your mother and the servants, no. I will tell them when I know that this prophecy will change for the better good of Asgard."

"I hate to interrupt but, when will you know that this prophecy changed, King Odin." The all-father looked at the person his son says is called 'Tony'. "We will know once all of you will finish training." Tony choked in his wine as he heard the word training, the others looking surprised at the declaration of the king. "Training, father what do you mean training?"

The king mentally sighed as he told everyone the truth. How after Thor and Loki left, he had a meeting with the council of Asgard and how some councillors did not believe that a group of mortals could destroy or even hurt a Frostgiant. To ease the council's doubts, a proposal was made. All of them will have to train for a month here in Asgard, hone their skills and after the training they have to fight a group of warriors in a formal competition. What made the deal worse for them is that if one of them fails, then all of them will be sent back to earth.

Steve let the information sink in. He never thought that the people here think so lowly of humans. True they weren't that powerful and may not have powers, but humans have a lot to make up for it. But I guess here it's all about strength. He closed his eyes and thought for a moment. Odin's words are still being processed in his mind. "Your majesty, who exactly proposed this, solution?" Steve opened his eyes to Bruce's question, curios as to who got them into this. But the feeling of knowing who it is, was circling in Steve's gut.

"Why, it was Randel."

He was right.

The past soldier looked at his teammates and saw their faces blank and clean of any emotions. But he knew that they were already thinking of ways to make Randel pay. Well, they have to get in line. He cleared his throat and asked when this training will start. "I was planning to start tomorrow, Steve Rogers, if all of you are prepared and ready." "I'm sure I speak for the whole team when I say we're ready, sir." The sooner they start, the sooner they can get the second-in-commands neck.

But how?

Steve looked up and raised an eyebrow when Tony abruptly stood up, his hand holding a cup full of wine. "Well, I guess I need to work on my suit. Doctor Banner care to join me?" The doctor nodded, wiping his face with the avalaible napkin and followed Tony to the door. Steve thought it was a bit rude that Tony choose to leave so suddenly during a welcoming dinner.

"Oh, and since Randel was so kind enough to let us train here after insulting us, tell him we want to give him back that kindness by showing him what we trained, first-hand. But if the second-in-command is all about talk, then it works for me."

But right now, Steve is actually glad that Tony chose this moment to be rude.

III

"The training ground is a large room underneath the palace. It is filled with weapons, armour, shooting ranges; you can even spar with some of the warriors there."

"So it's basically heaven."

"Yes you could say that Clint. You'll find some of my friends there as well."

Loki stood at the back as his brother and the hawk talked about the different bows and arrows that he will find in the training ground. After Starks announcement of wanting Randel to be one of the warriors they fight for their test. King Odin said that they could start their training if they wish. Of course, before the Avengers could answer, Queen Frigg returned with dessert and they had to finish that first.

They have been passing multiple doors and passageways until they finally reached the long grey steps that will lead them to the training ground. It has been such a long time since Loki used the training ground. He could remember how young he was the last time he stepped into the cold, solid ground of what Asgardian citizens say is a Warriors Sanctuary, but for him it has never been sanctuary.

The memories were still as fresh as day, the taunting, cruel memories that have forced him to think irrationally and become a monster. A cruel cold monster.

Loki felt a shiver in run through his spine. He resisted the urge to wrap his arms around himself and run his hands around the growing goose bumps in his skin. "Hey, are you okay?" he turned his head and saw the worried looking Steve. He gave him a smirk to show he was still poise and calm, but Loki knows that smirk only half-succeeded. "I am fine Steve; you should not worry about me. You are after all, entering hell."

The blond-man didn't look like he believed him, but prying wasn't like Steve so he let it pass, and decided to just let the conversation flow. "Hell huh, I've been through torture and back, I think I can handle hell." Loki chuckled and decided to humour the captain. "And pray tell what kinds of torture have you gone through that you are so confident in entering hell." Steve grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm in a team with Tony Stark, doesn't that count for something."

Loki let out a chuckle. "That does sound very torturing, but I'm sure you can do better than that."

"I have Fury as my boss and you don't even want to know the torture I go through with that."

"Oh I think I know very well."

"Yeah." Steve laughed and gave a big smile, feeling at ease with the god of mischief. "My friends are a group of disoriented people, and I'm sure you know that."

"Yes, all those things might have prepared you for hell, but don't be too confident."

"Yeah, and what about you, are you prepared for hell." Loki smirked, of all the questions that Steve asked; it just had to be the question with the most obvious answers. "Why of course Steve, why would I not be? Being the brother of the god of thunder and the son of the all-father prepares you for lots of things, hell is certainly one of them"

Steve grinned and tried not to laugh, he might slip and fall and he definitely doesn't want that, and besides the others might think of as a lunatic and Clint, Clint and Tony are already teasing him, he doesn't need something to add that. "If you put it like that, I say both of us are well prepared for hell." "Indeed captain, I must agree with you on that one."

"We're here."

The two men stopped and stared at the giant double doors in front of them. You could see a few cracks and small holes in its rock like structure. Steve looked back to where they came from and wondered how he missed that long walk here. "Is this it?" "Yes, the training ground." Thor ran his hand through the doors, not chilled by the coldness of its rocks. He turned to his companions and nodded at them. He gave a small push and the doors opened to let its new soon-to-be occupants inside.

Loki swallowed thickly and looked at the corner of his eye at the dazed and somewhat awe struck captain. "Welcome to hell."

IV

With all the weapons like swords that can cut through anything and anyone, axes that are no doubt sharpened through the brim, spears, knives and more weapons that Steve thought only existed in one's imagination. He feels a bit small with his shield. Not ashamed, or embarrassed, no he will never be embarrassed to wield his shield. Just small.

He looked at all the warriors who were doing there business, not even bothering them a second-glance. Some of them did give Thor a nod, a smile and some even a bowed, but them, the humans who came here to Asgard to help. Not a glance, not even a twitch of curiosity.

He tightened his hold on his shield. Thor ordered a servant to fetch his shield when he forgot about it in his room. But somehow he was now regretting telling it to Thor. He sighed as he saw Clint picking out a good bow that will suit him well. Thor was showing Natasha the personally made guns that the weapons maker made. "It is not as good as the original I'm afraid." "It's good, I'm sure I can get Tony or Bruce to make one for me before that test, for now this will have to do."

He remembered the gun that he used to have. The gun he used in World War II, but his shield is honestly the only weapon his comfortable with.

"Are you ready for training captain?" Steve smiled as Loki made his way towards him, hand filled with what seemed to be throwing knives. "Knives?" Loki sat down next to the captain and took his personally made knives off its sheath, checking it for any damages. "Knives, more precisely throwing knives are my weapons. I have used them since I could remember; they give me a sense of defence, a sense of knowing if I can't use my magic, I can use them."

He ran a finger through the silver metal, light bouncing off it.

"Like my shield then." "You may say it like that." Loki sheathed his knives and turn to smirk at Steve. "So, are you ready for the training captain?" Steve shrugged and gave a grin. "I'll find out when it starts." "Cheeky aren't we, but I must warn you that some of the warriors here are… very confident in their skills. Do not lose your cool when one of them insults you, especially since all of you are human." The grin Steve wore disappeared and was replaced with a scowl.

"Are humans that low here?" Loki didn't like that scowl, it was unsettling. He didn't know why. "For them humans are foolish, low-like creatures. But I have to admit I thought of that once myself. I also thought that humans were nothing more than mere servants." "Yeah but you got through that. You're better than them." Loki raised an eyebrow at the confident looking captain and smiled. "Thank you Steve."

Steve smiled and wished with all the luck he's got that he isn't blushing right now.

They watched a group of warriors spar with each other for a few minutes before standing up to follow Thor. The heir of Asgard is going to show them the part of the training ground that was reserved for the Avengers, and only they can train there. "My father has made sure that all the arrangements are in check. He has told all the warriors not to disturb any of you, unless you call for them." They stopped at what seemed to be the far end of the training ground.

Everything is in shape, the practice dummies all lined up; practice ranges were tied at the wall, weapons all in order. And it seems they were far away from the other warriors all preparing for the war. "You will find everything you need. Water if you're dehydrated, towels, weapons, and if you want to stop, the door here will lead you through the guests' wing." Thor knocked on the rock door, making his point.

"I have asked if Loki and I could accompany you during training, but it seems the council wants all of you to train on your own, I regret to say that Randel has thought of everything." Thor sighed.

"We are allowed to observe, but other than giving advice, we cannot participate."

Clint picked up an arrow and tested his new bow. "You shouldn't worry about it too much, we can kick Randel's ass while the two of you sit back and watch. That guy owes me." Thor smiled as Clint didn't miss the bullseye. "I look forward to it my friend. Then my brother and I must leave. We will come to check on all of you later." Thor opened the rock-like door and stepped outside and Steve saw a long grey staircase. Loki bowed and uttered a small farewell. His and Steve's eyes locked for a moment before he left, the door closing behind them.

The soldier put his shield down as Natasha stood beside Clint, posing to test her gun. Steve instead walked over to the practice dummies.

As he gave the dummy one punch after another, he saw the growing, curios, Asgardian warriors hull up to see what the heroes of Midgar brought with them. The warriors all stopping to give that one glance that Steve thought of when he first entered this place. But now that he was receiving these glances, he was regretting it already.

This is going to be a long, long month.

That's it! Wow! I'm a bit happy with this chapter, I had fun with Tony and the scenes with Steve and Loki, I hope all of you like it too. Thanks for the reviews, the favorites and the story alerts. Hope you guys keep reading. GOD BLESS!

-lightning38dragon