A/N: This is a prequel to "Laugh at the World," but it also works as a stand-alone fic. Thank you to the wonderful response to "Laugh at the World!" Just a heads up: the tone is quite different from the other fic, but that's because it's told from Loki's perspective and it deals with much heavier themes. There will be at least one more chapter, but the next chapter will, hopefully, be more light-hearted.

WARNING: mild spoilers for "The Avengers." It's nothing too major, just the basics of who the villain of the film was, circumstances etc., but still. I don't want to ruin the movie for anyone. So, if you haven't seen it, I don't recommend reading this fic.

And it'll Laugh With You

'You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel.'

"Excuse you, what? I'm sorry but this is just not okay. Okay? Hello, the entire history of this planet revolves around uprisings and revolutions, of people – small, fragile, breakable humans – who rise up and fight for their right to exist, to choose their own lives, to be free. How dare you say that we're better off listening to a totalitarian egomaniac with daddy issues?"

Dead silence.

"What?" the irate, dark-haired woman snaps. Loki finds himself staring at her in disbelief. He glances at a smug Nick Fury, who's standing with his arms crossed and looking like he's enjoying watching a centuries old god being chewed out by the bespectacled young woman.

"Ms. Lewis, see me when you're done." Fury says before stalking away.

Darcy spins on her heal and gives him a mock salute. She turns back to Loki and presses her face closer to the impossibly-thick glass, holding her small, picture-enabled communication device. The shaky recording continues to show a soldier battling against a god on the streets of Germany.

"See, Captain America is a hero. He and the rest of the Avengers totally kicked you and the Chimichanga's asses. I mean, come on, he fought Nazis during World War II! I doesn't get more heroic than that." Loki's jaw clenches at the dreamy look on the girl's face. Her crush on the soldier is pathetic. It's so very similar to the way that women looked at Thor, always pushing Loki aside to get to him. He feels that same sour twist of jealousy pull at his stomach and it makes him long for escape.

"Hey! I'm lecturing here. This monologue stuff is harder than it looks and I'd appreciate it if you paid attention. I'm trying to teach you something important."

"Teach me. What could you possibly teach me, you silly mortal?" The words drip with hate and poison and he's darkly pleased by the fear that flashes through the girl's eyes. To his dismay and grudging admiration, the look passes quickly and is replaced by a look of steely determination.

"I'm trying to teach you about people, about humans and how they can surprise you! Ugh, this is why I could never be a teacher." She cuts herself off and takes a few calming breaths. "Look, I studied Political Science and History in school. And one thing I've learned is that yeah, there's a lot of bad things in the world – war, famine, poverty, corruption, greed –"

"Then you agree," he interrupts, "Humans need to be subjugated, to be protected from their own selfishness and stupidity."

"No! You didn't let me finish, Mr. Rude. I was going to say that yes, there's all these bad things, but there are also good people who do good things simply because it's the right thing to do. It's not just people like Captain America or Ironman. There are heroes who are just normal people who do extraordinary things – people who stand up to corrupt politicians, people who fight in revolutions, people who run into burning buildings to save strangers." She stops suddenly, overcome by emotion. It surprises Loki. The snark and sarcasm that had colored her words was gone and only painful earnestness was left.

"But is it enough?" Her gaze snaps back to him, disbelief painted on her face. He too is surprised, both by his words and the gentle tone of his voice.

"It has to be." She gives him one last searching look before turning around and leaving without another word. In the coming hours, the last before he's taken back to Asgard to face punishment, he finds himself thinking over everything the girl said.

Weeks later, he's sitting in a cold, dark cell with nothing but rats for comfort when Thor ambles in. Loki wants to claw the look of pity off his face, but refrains, his body too battered and too tired to move.

"Brother, I – I have spoken to father. He still refuses to reduce the length of your sentence, but I am…hopeful that he will have a change of heart." Loki refuses to meet his eye. "What you did was wrong. I do not know if you have yet to realize this, but I am confident that you will come to understand someday. Know this, brother: I love you and I will continue to love you, no matter what you, but I will do everything in my power to help you see the error of your ways, the same way you helped me see mine." Loki feels something stir in his heart at Thor's words, a mixture of disbelief, disgust, and affection. For a moment, he longs to tear the enchanted thread from his lips and scream at Thor for his foolishness.

Thor sighs and attempts to brighten his countenance. "Lady Darcy has instructed me to acquire a number of volumes for you. I have collected most of them and have brought them for you. Lady Darcy assures me that they will be of outmost benefit to you and will help you understand Midgardian history and culture." He slips the books through the bars and sets them on the dirty floor.

Loki refuses to look at them or Thor. He doesn't want to see the hopeful look on his brother's- on Thor's face. He continues to stare at the wall until he hears Thor sigh and shuffle dejectedly out. When he's sure that he's been left alone, he reaches for the books. He's only mildly curious of their content, but weeks of punishment and solitude have left him starved for entertainment.

He picks the first book, a thick, heavy tome titled Les Misérables and begins reading.