Prologue: Drowning in Past Sins
The only sound that could be heard in the cold stone cell was that of labored breathing as the lone occupant of the cell lay curled up in a small ball. Pale flesh was covered in a sheen of sweat and lifeless black eyes stared straight ahead at the stone wall that was starting to blur together the longer Loki looked at it. The former god of mischief no longer looked like the strong arrogant man he used to be and he instead looked as weak and frail as the mortals he had tried to overrule not more than six months earlier.
Of course, to Loki, it felt longer than six months to the dark haired male who had been left to rot in the cold prison with a pair of glowing blue handcuffs clenched tightly around his wrists. The handcuffs were created by Odin himself in order to suppress Loki of his powers and so far they were doing an amazing job for Loki didn't even have the strength left in him to lift his own head. His entire body felt as though it was burning with an internal fire and each breath was hard to draw for the piercing pain that erupted from his lungs with each effort.
Why Loki continued to take such breaths when it pained him so was a mystery to even the trickster himself although there was a small part of him that knew the real reason why. Thor. His brother. Even though Loki knew that he and Thor were not brothers by blood, there was still a brotherly bond between the two of them that could not be shattered no matter how badly the dark haired male wanted it to be broken. It was because of his brother that Loki knew he still breathed and it was something the trickster wished would go away.
It was because of Thor that Loki had been reduced to nothing more than a mere criminal for it had been Thor that Odin favored despite the elder god's denial of such unfairness. Loki knew in his heart that he would never be considered a son of Odin because he lacked the proper genes for such a title and even though he never admitted such words out loud, the previous god of mischief was jealous of such a fact.
He would never know what it was like to be loved properly by a father and Loki supposed that it would only be a fitting end to such an unjust life as he took his last breaths in his accursed prison. Loki managed a weak smirk at the thought as his eyes slowly slid shut and he moved to curl up into an even tighter ball. The pain in his lungs was utterly unbearable and Loki could hear his own raspy breathing echoing all around him in the small confines of his prison. A prison that was barely large enough for Loki to stand up in if he had the strength to do so.
The metallic taste of blood filled the dark haired male's mouth from where he had stifled his coughing fits that often left Loki with blood staining his teeth as he hid such a serious ailment from the guards and occasional visit from his brother. Loki wanted to die in that cell, die and let his so called family mourn for his death if they really did care for him. That was why Loki no longer spoke for he knew that if he spoke, he ran the chance of revealing his serious illness and he could not take such a risk. Not when he was so close to death's front door.
Another sharp pain exploded in Loki's chest as his breathing suddenly started to become even shallower and the former god knew that his time was short. Just a few more hours and he would probably be dead, a thought that made Loki look forward to death's visit as he slowly closed his eyes and started to fall into a light and pain filled slumber. Just a few more hours, a few more hours and Loki Odinson would be no more than a mere memory in the back of everybody's mind.
To be continued…
A/N: I do not in any way shape or form own the characters or the movie that is associated with this fanfic. The only thing I do own is the idea so please read and review. Reviews greatly appreciated.