Beneath the facade
It has been a little over a year since Thor practically begged Director Fury to take Loki in as part of the Team.
It proved to be a very well made decision for Loki became an invaluable Asset to the team: his tricks, tactics, ability to read people, psychological war superiority and his physical strength that rivalled Thor's and Cap's were absolutely Handy.
Only if it wasn't for his style in missions, which was suicidal.
To say that his willingness to join the team was borderline apocalyptic sign is the understatement of the century.
It was the one thing in the universe dare to say that intrigued Natasha.
He was still the same :stoic, stout and unreadable. His musk face giving the least of impressions, his mind trained as to avoid psychological intrusion or assessment.
He was the taciturn (very little talk, very little nonsense, Something Natasha valued above all).
He was the loner, the inapproachable; only Thor would stick by him during their time on earth.
Occasionally Bruce or Cap would try to mingle for they were the sensible, who don't self impose on people and give them their personal space type, that he seemed to appreciate.
Clint was still hostile.
And Stark couldn't stand his gloomy mood.
Debriefing has taken so long.
The tower was drowned in faint lights and shadows from its panoramic windows.
Natasha was making her way towards her headquarters. She needn't strong light; she learnt to navigate her way through darkness and dimness, some thing she regretted as she stumbled upon 'it'.
It was so sneaky; it emerged from the shadows, out of nowhere.
Its eyes fire red, its skin frost blue.
It was reeking of Alcohol.
Instinctively, she drew out the first weapon she could grasp.
A dagger, which she pointed towards his neck.
"Sif" he whispered with a voice so soft, barely audible as if addressing a shadow, an illusion that would dissipate dare he raise his voice upon that whisper.
The beast's gaze softened, it turned into sea green.
She recognised those eyes, those ones that stared her square in the eyes.
"You aren't her" he spoke "she was taller; her eyes were as sharp and defiant as yours, yet darker, tenderer, I used to drown in her eyes."
She didn't utter a word, she withdrew the dagger and she let him ramble, for a drunken Loki was a sight to behold.
"She is in Valhalla, and I am stuck here, she deserves no less than Valhalla"
Natasha was trying to connect, for she heard those words from Thor before 'Valhalla, Sif' they were familiar.
"Brother, there you are" Thor's voice hammered through the silence just like mjolnir
Thor appeared in the hall way and motioned towards her to clear the way.
She moved to the side line making way for them to pass.
"I thought She was Sif, yet she wasn't, Sif is gone, Thor, right?"
She could see the glaze in Thor's eyes, the one caused by the tears brimming over his lids, threatening to fall.
He slipped his arm around his brother, rather tightly while instructing
"We should get you to your Chambers, and don't use that invisibility trick on me again"
She could sense Thor was clearly avoiding that Subject that Loki couldn't seem to drop
"She is the reason I am here Thor, she is the reason I taking up all of this just as to join her, there"
"I know, I know Loki" Thor's voice was calm and so reigned at that point, something she knew meant Grief and a near outburst.
"She was goddamn stupid, she shouldn't have taken it for me, I was the traitor, I was worthless, she just…., why did she have to punish me that way?" he screamed now as he sunk to the floor "why?"
Thor dropped beside him.
"Loki, she didn't intend it that way, She was courageous and…She just Loved you to the extreme just as much as you do and she appreciated you sided back with us, she would have been proud of you"
She felt she was prying on a moment that she shouldn't pry on, so she retreated to the shadows and stood at a post there, watching in silence, making her so long forgotten presence more discrete.
Her ears picked up another foreign voice, one of very low breathing, someone restraining himself as not to cry.
Her eyes shifted towards the voice, to find a bulky physic so similar to Bruce, watching from the shadows as well.
"It was my fault, Thor, all mine, her death is upon me" Loki's voice was way calm now, too calm, deadly calm, dripping with sorrow and lament that could drown the whole of earth.
"Stop doing that to me, Loki' she could sense Thor losing it "She was my sister as well, don't you think I care? don't you think I know this is her death's anniversary? stop snatching at my wound, that is starting to heal, stop trying to pull the sorrow buried so shallow out of me, stop trying to make me tell you it was your fault, it wasn't yours, wholly at least. She made her choice; she chose to take the blow for you. Stop digging at your wound that is still so open and raw, it is already deep, it wouldn't close and won't stop bleeding, do you think I am such a dimwit as not to see your suicidal tendencies? For God's sake Loki, stop doing that to yourself, for our Parent's sake, for her sake."
She felt Thor's voice get muffled by now.
She could make out the voice of Loki, sobbing, weeping.
It was becoming more heart wrenching by each passing moment.
It was time for a flight, she resolved, obviously not to her chamber as the way was blocked.
She retreated to Clint's.
She didn't know how long Bruce would stay.
The events of the night rolled in her head as she was drifting to sleep.
They made sense now.
'Love is for children, Love is for children' her mind looped.
As she hovered, she cursed what love does for seemingly invincible callous people
That day was a cold, rainy one.
Nothing was out of place.
No one was out of character.
Thor was his usual enthusiastic self.
Natasha wasn't out of ordinary.
The day was uneventful, save for Tony's prolonged mourning about his drained whiskey supply.
"Where is Loki?" Bruce who was genuinely concerned, bothered to ask (for he was somewhat close to Loki; somehow he was touched by the uncanny similarity between them, the deep wounds, and the tragic story he knew Loki bore).
"He departed to Asgard, this morn"
"Why? Reindeer games felt homesick" mocked Tony
"You can say that, He has a place to visit today"
"What place?" snooped Tony
"Stark, he would have told you had it been your concern. Now get ready; pepper is waiting for you for the board meeting"
Thor casted a brief glance towards her, filled with Gratitude for saving him from Stark.
Only Thor knew where Loki was heading.
His Brother was heading towards a battlefield in the glorious Asgard, where once they fought alongside a brave aspiring warrior maiden.