Loki sighed and gripped at his injured side. It had been a long while for any news to reach Asgard on Loki s capture, so until Thor got permission, Loki was to stay on Earth temporarily till Odin s word came to Midgard. Now the Trickster was locked in a cell once again to his frustration. To further his annoyance, he had heard that the one named Banner was going to come for a visit. Since he was the only doctor in the whole area who was willing to look Loki over, it was up to him to come give their prisoner a check up and see if there was any true damage done to the god. The ebony haired former prince sat in silence, holding at his weakened body in vain to stop the aching and sore feeling.
Unlike many of the members of the Avengers, Bruce did not hold any hate towards Loki. Granted, he had killed many and destroyed much of the city, but he understood the other better than anybody else. So he was more than happy to take the job as Loki's doctor, and grasped tightly at his kit as he made his way to the cell. With a small knock, he entered, looking around to make sure he was safe first, though he was sure Loki would not try anything.
"Hello," Bruce offered in a simple greeting.
Loki who by now was teetering in and out of consciousnesses, snapped awake at the familiar voice. His raven lashes fluttered open to reveal dim emerald orbs which lazily made their way to the pair which looked down upon his beaten and broken frame.
"Mr. Banner...A pleasure" Loki grumbled; mustering up what he had hoped was his most menacing glare.
The worn and tired Trickster scooted away and farther back against his cold prison in defense and fear. Loki gripped tighter against his side out of instincts as his green gaze glinted in the dim light which hollowed out his bleak cell though fake his glare was it hardly looked it. He was a master a lying even to himself, but even he could not mask the pain that flashed in his eyes "Wh-What do you want here..." He finally asked lowly. A hint of curiosity and dread laced his scratchy and hoarse voice.
Bruce immediately knelt down in front of Loki to examine him, though he made sure not to touch him.
"I probably gave you that broken rib. Or two." He muttered, with obvious regret, and began to take the alcohol and some cotton out of his bag. "I'm going to need you to take your, um, whatever you're wearing, off. At least so I can see where you're hurt. Might be fatal." He adjusted his falling glasses and spoke.
"...I figured something was broken." Loki mumbled have aware of what was going on. He could hear well than see. Loki wheezed out a soft chuckle. His strong front in hiding his weakness becoming more and more difficult to play.
"It's called a robe and I'm not quite sure I can move let alone-" He was cut off by a hiss as he gripped tighter against his side. "L-Let alone be of assistance to y-you...I would try, b-but to all honesty...I wish n-not to move...I'll only cause more harm to myself..." Loki's blurry gaze traveled up and down the man s face. Why did he looked panicked and guilt ridden? Did he not know that he was still his enemy? One did not usually show regret for hurting ones foe, but then again these mortals did surprise him and confuse him often.
"Uh, yes. Right..." Bruce nodded, half-listening to Loki's stammered words and half-preparing the mild anesthetic. It would hurt, what he was about to do and the last thing he wanted was to cause this rather alien man more pain than he already was in. He reached out and very gently grabbed Loki's arm, pulled the sleeve up, and slowly injected the anesthetic needle into his pale arm.
"This is, hopefully, only strong enough to affect your body. You'll still be able to talk. I know how much you like talking." He offered the other a small smile before moving onto removing the said robe. "Little cuts everywhere," He muttered, though mostly to himself as he dabbed the alcohol onto the cotton. He waited for a moment before beginning to clean up Loki's wounds.
Loki winced slightly as the needle went through his pale skin. He blinked out the fuzziness in his eyes so he could watch the man s gingerly movements. "Hmm...yes, I rather do love to talk." Loki murmured.
"Though why you wish not to simply put me fully to sleep is something beyond me. Why are you of all people here anyways?" He asked finally. He was curious of why Banner willingly wished to help him and it had been something he wanted to ask since the man had come in. He was an interesting human but an odd one at that.
"Are you not...angry with me? Your other side surly made that statement clear." Loki shivered as the flashbacks but continued. The emerald eyed Trickster cocked his head to the side in confusion as he scanned the man before him. "Though this side of you makes it very...confusing to understand..?"
Bruce nodded in understanding, and then proceeded to shrug. "You looked like you needed help, and I was the only one with the proper medical training. Well, I mean, out of all the people who actually wanted to help, which, by the way, wasn't a lot of people." He chuckled as he finished the cleaning and began to look at some of the deeper wounds.
"We'll need to stitch that," The doctor sighed and began to prepare for the job. "I'm not angry with you, no. We're not...so different. And as for my other side, I like to think of him as a completely different being. A Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde thing." He began to stitch Loki's large cut on the side, his brows furrowing as he focused.
"There are not many people like you Mr. Banner..." Loki replied a bit amazed that even though all Loki had done to this man, he was still willing to help him. When Bruce only chuckled he frowned and looked away. His dim eyes down casting.
"I wouldn't blame them...For I have done...terrible things. I wouldn't help myself if I were you...I wouldn't even help myself." Loki blinked and looked back to the man in confusion once more. "We aren't? How, if I may ask...are we the same in a way? And what in all the nine realms are a Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?"
"Well, you meant it to happen. You invaded Earth and all." Bruce continued with the needle, his eyes never leaving the wound in fear of making even the slightest mistake. "We are. Sort of. I know...your anger. That's all I can really say about it. It's something I've learned to repress, but I know it's not a good feeling. Now I'm just rambling." He laughed once more, adjusted his glasses and finished stitching the particular wound up, cutting the end of the thread with his teeth.
"Oh, right. You wouldn't know what that is. It's an old story about a doctor who finds another part of himself called Mr. Hyde. And Mr. Hyde is the bad part of Jekyll and he ends up doing things the doctor would never have done. It's pretty interesting."
Loki gave out a small whimper of pain. Though the medication Banner have given him was strong, he could still feel some of it. "Yes...for I know the pain of anger...I understand it better than anyone and you do to apparently. But we are reverse. You try desperately to find a way to control it, while I have been controlling mine for eons and had finally been tired of keeping myself to the shadows to always being the quiet one..." Loki gave a humorless chuckle.
"I guess I'm deserving of this...for I see now the errors of my ways and my mistakes...you are no monster Mr. Banner...if you wish to know what a real best is, simply look to the man you are helping heal...then you see it." Loki let a sliver of a smile grace his thin pale lips. "It sounds very interesting indeed...I may have to read up on it one day. Sounds very similar to you."
"Ah, sorry." Bruce apologized at Loki's whimper, finishing off the the stitching completely and moving onto the ribs. He sat still for a moment and listened as he thought once again. "You were lost. We all do stupid things when we're scared." He reassured Loki, a sad smile appearing at his lips for a moment. "You know, you seem to think lowly of yourself. And you shouldn't. Well, you killed people and all but I've killed people too. We just happen to be on different sides."
He grabbed a soothing balm out of his bag and began to rub it over Loki's side, where he assumed the broken rib was. "I'll bring you my copy to read if you want. I always carry it around with me. And I'm sorry we couldn't get you a proper medic. They didn't want to come near you."
"It is fine..." Loki assure, with a small smile. "I will admit...I was lost... I still am, I'm just not oblivious to the fact now. Scare yes...of what I am...of who I was destined to be, but there is a reason I am low on myself. Atleast you weren't born a monster...When I found out I was an adopted child and who my real people where well...you've might have gone insane to. I hate myself more than I hate anything because of whom I am...A true monster doomed and fated to be the enemy...there is more or a difference besides you and I being on opposite sides. You simply aren't a true monster, no matter what you think. Inside you are a kind gentle soul. Your aura is light and pure while mine is iced and dark..."
Loki shuddered with the gentle touch Bruce skillfully used and the soothing feeling of the balm. "That would be very kind...and it is fine once again...I would flee too." Loki gently joked.
Bruce pressed his lips together in empathy as he continued to rub the balm over Loki's skin. "See, I think that all just depends on how you look at it. Sure, I wasn't born green and angry but I've still had to run. I've still had to give up...a good chunk of my life." He nodded and began to bandage the trickster's torso up. "But thank you for the compliment. I think it was a compliment, anyway." He raised an eyebrow at the next comment and finished with the bandaging. "Ah, I don't think the guys would let you escape."
"True...I bet you must have. Though try loosing and giving up on thousands upon thousands of years." Loki sighed, closing his eyes once he assumed most of the pain had eased away finally. "It was. Treasure it Dr. Banner." Loki smirked weakly. "For I do not give compliments to many people."
Loki gave out another soft chuckle, this time it didn't sound as though it hurt just as much as the last on did. "I was simply jesting. I'm still the god of mischief you know."
"Will do," Bruce began to pack his things once he decided that he was done for today. He would come back tomorrow to check up on how the wounds were healing, he decided. "I know you were. I don't think you could, anyway." He teased back as he grabbed his kit and stood back up. "I'll be here tomorrow with the book. Take care, yes?"
Loki smiled, fluttering his eyes open slightly to look at him just a bit more clearly. "No, unfortunately I would not." Loki gave a tired nod, but his eyes twinkled with what looked like amusement.
"Yes, that'd be lovely and I will try. Thank you for all your help Mr. Banner." With what little strength he had left, Loki gave a small bow, hoping it showed how great his generosity meant to him and hopefully showing his gratitude towards it.
"Anytime." Bruce smiled back and almost sheepishly began to make his way towards the door. "You're not a bad guy, Loki." He muttered for the last time before he made his way outside, closing and locking the cell door behind him. Bruce pretended not to see the soft happy grin Loki smiled at those words.
THE END.