When Nick Fury made the decision to pack all of Earth's mightiest heroes in one room, he wasn't exactly expecting them to become instant best friends.

But it would have been nice. What he got instead was a room full of miserable, exhausted, and rather cynical adults all believing themselves to be above one another, which happened to make his job a lot harder than it needed to be.

The director makes his way into the briefing room where the rest of the heroes are currently seated, when he catches the tail end of Stark and Banner's not so private conversation. Namely the part where Stark is confessing his admiration for a certain 'enormous, green, rage monster' and he suspects that's a conversation deserving of an interruption.

"Dr. Banner is only here to track the cube," Fury says. "I was hoping you might join him."

Stark looks unimpressed by the explanation but doesn't get an opportunity to answer before Steve is talking.

"Let's start with that stick of his. It may be magical, but it works an awful lot like a HYDRA weapon."

"I don't know about that, but it is powered by the cube." He turns to Dr. Banner and says, "and I'd like to know how Loki used it to turn two of the sharpest men I know into his personal flying monkeys."

A look of confusion graces Thor's face. "Flying monkeys? I do not understand."

"I do!" exclaims Rogers. He looks around a little awkwardly and lowers his voice before continuing. "I understood that reference."

Behind him, Stark rolls his eyes as Banner smiles in amusement at the absurdity of the situation.

Fury sighs as it begins to dawn on him just what he got himself into. We've got a lot of work to do.

After a sobering discussion of what was yet to come, the rest of the 'team' disperses, most likely to busy themselves with their own preparations and tasks. This is how Tony finds himself in the lab with Dr. Banner later in the evening, working on tracing the tesseract.

The two of them establish a rythym with each other, bouncing off ideas and theories with casual ease. It's something Tony really appreciates in the other scientist for the reason that it allows him to be in his natural element with no judgment in sight. It also helps that Bruce's mere presence acts as a soothing balm for his otherwise unpleasant encounter with Rogers earlier.

Seeing that man triggered unidentifiable emotions in Tony, primarily ones having to do with his father and those he actively tries to avoid.

"That's the guy my dad never shut up about? Wondering if they shouldn't have kept him in the ice," he mutters.

He doesn't look up from his workstation, choosing to continue meddling with various screens around the lab while Bruce does the same. He hears the other man lightly laugh somewhere from behind him at his assertion.

"They guy's not wrong about Loki. He does have the jump on us."

Tony stops to reflect on that for a moment. He hasn't actually contemplated what Loki might be playing at and he would be remiss if he didn't. For all his mixed emotions about Steve, he was right about Loki being unable to lead an army from here, and that it shouldn't have been so easy to capture him. Considering Loki had plenty of opportunity to escape during the fight between himself, Thor, and Captain America, Tony wonders whether Loki's playing a different game.

This then gives Tony an idea and he quickly glances at Bruce to see him still engrossed in his work. Taking this as a good chance to leave, he mutters a brisk 'I'll be back' to Bruce before heading out the lab doors, not waiting for the other man's response.

Though a genius, Tony was never one to think about his actions beforehand, which is why he finds himself heading in the direction of where Loki is currently being held, with no solid objective in mind.

When he reaches the entrance of the detention unit, the first thing Tony notices is the sheer size of the glass cell. Intuitively, he knows who it was meant for and the logical part of him understands the need for it, but seeing it in person after having spent time with Bruce sparks something visceral within him. He ignores the feeling and focuses on the figure inside.

He sees Loki pacing within the cell with his back towards the entrance of the unit. He makes no move to acknowledge Tony until he abruptly stops pacing.

"You're not very good at sneaking up on people," he says, continuing to face the other way.

"Ah well, it would help if I was trying to be sneaky," Tony replies. "I'm not exactly known for that kind of thing."

He moves a few steps closer to the cell just as Loki finally turns around to face him, a look of surprise on his pale face. Clearly the trickster wasn't expecting for him to show up, though Tony guesses he was expecting someone. Just not him.

"Surprised to see me reindeer games?"

"I wouldn't say surprised exactly,' he counters.

Loki pauses to school his expression into something more bored and guarded, as though Tony's mere presence is exhausting him. It wouldn't be the first time Tony had that effect on people. When he speaks again, his voice lacks the usual air of playfulness and is flat and unwelcoming.

"So they sent you. If I'm being honest, I was expecting to deal with someone who's a little more...legitimate."

"Are you implying that I'm not legitimate? Because I'm not offended. I take pride in my unusual methods." The genius drops his arms and gestures erratically. "To imply otherwise would be against everything I stand for."

Loki retreats to the far side of the cell as he continues to regard the other man with a small, albeit suspiciously knowing, smile.

"Yes, I do recall you are notorious for your unconventionalism. It is the reason you're here as a consultant, correct?" He subtly shakes his head and tuts. "Not even for your intelligence, it seems. How does it feel to play second in command for once?" Loki sneers.

Tony is smart enough to recognize proverbial bait when he hears it but the knowledge of it doesn't make it sting any less. It didn't escape him that SHIELD neglected to bring the only name in clean energy (Tony Stark) on board a theoretical project involving it. However, Tony is quick to remind himself that SHIELD's pursuit of the tesseract is likely part of a much bigger scheme, one that Fury isn't willing to share and is largely the reason he's having this conversation in the first place.

Though despite all of that, some part of him is aware that Loki's manipulative tactics don't necessarily make him a liar.

"What? You've got nothing to say that?" taunts Loki.

"I've got nothing to prove, least of all to a man who managed to get caught despite being something of a deity," Tony responds. He can't help but smirk at the disgruntled look on Loki's face knowing he hit him right where it hurts. "Speaking of getting caught, how exactly do you plan on taking over the world from inside a military grade snow globe?"

"It won't much matter how when you'll be too busy fighting amongst yourselves."

Way to dodge the question, Tony thinks. It's becoming more and more obvious that Loki is deftly avoiding the specifics about his plan when any other time, he seemingly gloats about his actions. And then it hits him.

"Something doesn't make sense to me, Loki. Of all the people you could have taken, why Barton?"

"Now, now Stark. This is would be an awful time for you to start caring about people," he replies.

"That doesn't answer my question," Tony says. "Is it because he works for SHIELD? That he's easy access to every secret?"

Loki doesn't respond right away. Instead, he gets up from his seat and slowly walks to where Tony is standing. If there wasn't a fortified glass wall between them, Tony may have felt a little more intimidated.

"No. It's because he was closest to me."

"By closest, I'm going to assume you mean in proximity."

"What an astute observation, I now see why they call you a genius."

Tony ignores the jab and continues.

"So then why let yourself get caught? What could Barton possibly do for you that you couldn't do for yourself?"

"My, my, somebody is a genius after all. Please don't be mistaken by it, mortal, but my presence here is anything but surrender. And if I were you, I would focus less on my motive and more on my chances because I can assure you, you're not prepared for what is yet to come."

The look on Loki's face has shifted into something more haunted, as though he himself is unprepared for the army he's leading. Almost like this wasn't even Loki's idea.

"Alright, listen up space princess. I'm running out of patience here with all this cryptic mumbo jumbo and like you so helpfully pointed out, I am a genius. A genius who suspects you're talking out of your ass because this whole medieval invasion isn't really your idea, is it?"

Some time during Tony's tirade, Loki's metaphorical walls had fallen and his eyes were wide and full of alarm though his gaze remained intense and unwavering. Even though the sight of the trickster so open and vulnerable is unnerving to look at, Tony feels a slight bout of triumph at having had that effect on him. He just hopes it doesn't blow up in his face.

Loki's attention snaps back into the present. His face becomes angry and he opens his mouth to say something but doesn't get the chance when Bruce walks through the entrance.

"Tony, I got something you might wanna see," he says.

Bruce is pointedly looking anywhere but Loki and Tony suspects that the cell might have more to do with it rather than the person inside. Deciding that it's best to leave quickly, Tony offers Loki a snide smile and says,

"Well then, princess. Why don't you take a time out to think about your actions and then we'll talk more later."

Loki simply rolls his eyes at the ridiculous nickname and turns to face the other way.