If they had met soon after the invasion of New York, maybe things would have been different. He might even have held fear for Loki.

Right now? He's at peace. And after a moment, he lowers the book he's reading, face down and open at the page he's at. He lifts his only hand to tug down at the collar of his shirt. On the left side of his chest where the scar from Loki's scepter sits, an ugly blackened criss-crossing patch of dead cells stem from it, creeping right at his collar bone.

"Get in line."