This is just an idea I had after listening to Demons by Imagine Dragons. Bruce and Loki, in the movie, never really had a one-on-one. But what if they did? Would they see themselves in each other?
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the song and neither the characters. All rights go to the respective owners. The plot is solely mine however.
For one of the most esteemed branches of American covert affairs, their security sure was lousy. It took a mere five seconds to hack into their central mainframe, and a further two to get the universal pass code. It seemed like an act worthy of Tony Stark, but Bruce Banner did not share the former's intentions. It was a way out of the suffocating boredom... And hopefully, a surefire method to relieve himself of the impending frustration due to the seemingly-futile search for the Tesseract.
Bruce set one computer showing all CCTV footage of the main as well as the restricted areas... well, one in particular. Just a bit of fun, he reminded himself. He'd sign out straight away, as soon as he was done. And after all, Fury should have expected this. One simply did not leave a man, who had ample time to skill himself in various fields, in a room with network access. But then again, he had proved himself to be... responsible. SHIELD had no reason to be wary of him.
But they were, weren't they? The way he was kept out of certain conversations, at the fear it would stress him out... the way Agent Romanoff would tread so carefully , and not to mention the Captain. The only one who treated him as though he was a human member of the team, was Tony Stark,
And here he was, following in the multi-millionaire's footsteps.
Tony was fast asleep on the couch, mouth slightly agape and iPad dangling loosely in his hand. If it fell... well, he could pay for a couple thousand...
He considered the other screens. Natasha was probably in the kitchen pillaging for some Ben and Jerry's... Not something he would say to her face.
The Captain would be in bed by now... Something about "Early to bed, early to rise".
Thor was on the upper deck, staring at the sky as though it were capable of giving him the answers he craved. And, maybe considering who he was, it was a viable option, but for regular humans... okay, he wasn't THAT regular but inclusive of himself... it was a futile endeavour.
Everyone was in their own world, and he was stuck in this room.
Just because he was who he was... did that mean he was to be denied the simple joys of a late night walk? That didn't seem fair now.
And Fury... Where was Nick Fury? He searched all available cameras and... there he was, currently engaged in an outgoing call.
It seemed like the best time. Best being relative, of course. But when would be the next time he'd be allowed for a solitary walk around the Helicarrier. If anyone had a say, he probably would be refused this as well.
And thinking about it, their fears were not unrealistic. If something angered him to the lethal level, no one would want the other guy tearing apart their elite stealth vehicle. Threatening lives.
Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn't want to think about it. But this room was driving him crazy. He NEEDED out.
He manipulated the current footage. Five minute loops were not that hard to create, and soon, whoever was on security duty that night, would be seeing Tony mumble the same thing in his sleep until Bruce returned. He truly hoped it was nothing embarrassing.
Or for his case, not too obvious.
Minimizing all screens, he threw his complementary SHIELD jacket on, and strode to the door.
As if rehearsed, he pressed the five digit code, and it slid open easily. Bruce stepped into the corridor. He had no dire reason to feel anxious, but the feeling could not be that easily ignored. He zipped the jacket til it fit snugly against his torso, and made a right.
It occurred to him after that it was indeed ironic that the right turn, would be the one to take him to the restricted areas. Technically, he had the maximum clearance to enter, didn't he? As a member of the Avengers, and all that...
Or was it the other guy?
Bruce took a deep breath. Do not think about it, he repeated again.
But as he typed in the universal pass code, he did feel the nagging uncertainty that the only reason he was still there was because of the beast he had within.
The God of Lies and Mischief- adopted brother of Thor- was fast asleep.
It was hard to imagine anyone who killed for fun AND was a megalomaniac could look so innocent and helpless. Loki sat on the floor, back pressed on the glass with his knees brought up to his chest. His eyes were closed, his head tilted slightly to the side as he roamed dreamland.
Bruce idly wondered what people... Gods... like him dreamed about. Did they wonder about their plans coming to fruition? Did they have nightmares? Loki's expression was, if anything, more open when asleep, but still it gave nothing away.
As the scientist climbed the aluminium stairs and went to look at the cage controls, he couldn't help but think of the lyrics to a song Tony had made him listen to that evening.
When the days are cold
And the cards all fold
And the saints we see
Are all made of gold
When your dreams all fail
And the ones we hail
Are the worst of all
And the blood's run stale
Bruce mirrored Loki's position and took a seat on the floor. How strange it was that of all places in the Carrier, he would feel most drawn to come here... and probably even more odd, the fact that he was actually comfortable.
But it was only in the quiet moments when the memories hit the worst. When his brain couldn't focus on anything else. No work. No research. No one to help.
Maybe that's why he felt entitled to take up the profession- nursing people back to health. It was the one thing he couldn't do for himself.
And even after all those years, SHIELD had found him. He wanted to begin afresh. No stimulus, no response, right? Yet, they had managed to drag him into the middle of their war. In his heart, they truly did not want him. They wanted... the incredible Hulk. The one who was indestructible... powerful. Not the doctor who traced gamma signatures. Any radiologist could have managed.
He wiped the tell-tale tear from his eye. Again. The feeling of being used was overpowering. The other guy didn't like it too much either. But for now, it was controllable.
Anger was controllable, for the most part. Sadness was not.
"You could've at least tried to muffle your footsteps," said a snide voice in front of him.
Bruce was snapped out of his reverie, and he met the blue-eyed gaze of SHIELD's most wanted.
"I heard you coming down the hall," Loki sighed, almost bored, "Not as ostentatious as the Man of Steel, but definitely not as silent as the woman with the flame-coloured hair."
The scientist said nothing. Here he was, making a conversation with Loki of all people. This was foolhardy. This was stupid. If Fury only knew...
"I do believe you came to grace yourself with my presence," Loki pointed out, "But if you have nothing to say... feigning sleep was truly more interesting."
"You're Thor's brother," Bruce said.
A look of annoyance crossed his features, lingering long enough for Bruce to pick up that he shouldn't have said that.
"Adopted," Loki hissed, and he looked away. Then, as if the thought just hit him, he turned to Banner and asked, "Why crying?"
"What?" he replied, evidently confused.
Loki rolled his eyes. "I've heard you were just as intelligent as Tony Stark. It is evident... Why cry? Why produce tears at the behest of emotion?"
"Don't... you cry?"
"I'm asking you, mortal beast."
Bruce cringed, ever so slightly.
"You do not like the term," Loki said, amusement edged in his tone.
"I... I think I should go," Bruce said, standing up.
Loki mirrored his movements now, and stepped closer to the glass separating the pair.
"You have not answered my question."
"Like you've answered any of SHIELD's..."
The raven-haired God laughed. "They ask the wrong questions." His blue eyes glittered mischievously.
Bruce turned to go.
"Wait..."
The scientist paused, but didn't turn fully around.
"How much control do you have over the monster?"
Bruce took a deep breath, thoughts become overbearing once again. "That's hardly information I'd divulge to you."
I wanna hide the truth
I wanna shelter you
But with the beast inside
There's nowhere we can hide
Bruce shook the thoughts out of his head. "Why though?"
Loki shrugged. "Curiosity... Killed the Midgardian cat, didn't it?"
"It did."
A pause. "Have you ever feared yourself, Dr. Banner?"
This time, Bruce turned around to look at him. Loki's hand was pressed onto the glass. If nothing was separating them, Banner was sure they would have been around his wrist (or neck. He sure didn't trust Loki)... as a way of preventing him from leaving.
"More times than I loved myself," he replied.
Loki seemed stunned by his answer, but he recovered quickly. "Why did you come here on all places in this vile transport vehicle? SHIELD no doubt would have prohibited your entry... I never expected to see you here Dr. Banner."
He chuckled, out of his own torment. "I don't fear you. Not really."
"Shall I take that as a challenge?" Anger flashed on his features, where had once been calm and open.
"No, it's the truth. The other guy would not be too pleased if you tried to kill me."
"I see."
"Do you really? You're making a mistake you know... wanting Earth."
"Not a mistake," Loki replied equivocatively.
Bruce realised there was something deep within his eyes. He remembered... when in India... the sick he often treated would meet his gaze and speak in their forced whispers...betraying their promised secrets as they lay on their deathbed. It felt like that now. It felt as though he was looking at the eyes of a broken man.
When you feel my heat
Look into my eyes
It's where my demons hide
Don't get too close
It's dark inside
"I have no choice. Not anymore," Loki continued, with a sigh.
"Shall I ask?"
"I will not answer."
"You can try for redemption, you know."
"Not for people like me. My father..." he broke off, "Thor's father lied to me for all these years. Told me I was his son, and made false promises that I would one day be king. But not of Asgard, he failed to mention. Of Jotunheim!"
The place where Loki's hand touched the glass frosted over.
"I am the monster parents tell their children about at night. I was raised despising, and learning to fight against the very people my heritage stems from. You speak of being a monster. But you aren't. Not in the truest sense."
"I..."
"Please spare me your sympathies. I neither crave it, nor need it anymore."
Bruce bit his lip. There was something here. What a pity he switched off all the cameras... Maybe Thor could've shed some light on his brother's (abeit adopted) plight. But Loki's words struck him deeply. Hadn't he thought similarly some years ago?
"We all have a beast inside," Bruce told him softly, "Sometimes, all we can hope for is control."
Loki regarded him thoughtfully. "Perhaps."
Bruce turned to go... for real this time, when he heard Loki speak up again.
"Good luck with your beast, Dr. Bruce Banner."
"And you, Loki of Asgard. It helps if you remember what keeps you sane. And happy."
"Sanity is an illusion, Midgardian, dictated by societal norms. I will never attempt to recall whenever I felt sane."
Banner forced himself to ignore the comment, How utterly unprecedented. Of all people to understand him, it had to be the person from whom he had to defend the Earth. "For the record, when we meet next..."
"You do not need to tell me. I well understand under what conditions you came here. I shall have no recollection of this encounter when we meet next. And when we do... we will fight on two sides of the proverbial coin of good and evil. No..." Bruce could feel him smirking. "No... nothing has changed. The Chitauri will come. But... thank you for the visit. Your demons... My demons... Thank you for showing me how to seek control."
"I did nothing."
"I suppose. Humans rarely recognise the value of moments... till they are long past."
Then the silence befell them. Loki had opted to fall asleep, leaving Bruce with his thoughts once again.
But his mattered nought at that point. He opened the door and casually made his way back to his room.
As though nothing had happened... As though Loki Odinson had said nothing that preyed on his deepest emotions...