Running from the ghosts and shadows
The world just disavows

There was a shadow of something unrecognisable in Loki's eyes, a crack in his just rebuilt composture. Bruce didn't know exactly what it was, but it had an effect on him, confirming his theory that whatever had happened there, on the Void had a big effect on his attempt at Earth domination.

"It is a void, Doctor Banner. There is not much to tell - just darkness and cold and emptiness." Loki easily lied.

That wasn't true, but Bruce wasn't going to press it, not just yet. Well, maybe a little.

"How did you find the Chitauri? Or... did they find you?"

There was silence. Bruce stitched, cleaned, disinfected and closed cuts, tears and all other sort of wounds slowly and with care. Giving him time, time for both of them. He didn't want to come off as one of those "interrogators" from one of those government agencies that had tormented him on more than one occasion. That didn't mean he was Loki's friend, of course - he just wanted to be some sort of middle ground.

Loki didn't answer, trying to order his thoughts, so Bruce continued.

"I get the feeling that they were puppets in the whole mess that led to New York, but what I wonder is, where they just your puppets, or was there someone else pulling their strings? Someone that maybe introduced them to you, helped you. Because I hardly think that you found that staff in the void."

Loki remained silent, trying to think of something that would satisfy the scientist without revealing anything he didn't want known. Unfortunately for him, the whole ordeal with Odin and Thor had completely worn him out, and not even the few hours he'd spent unconscious had improved his energy or focus. And that apparent safety provided by the Avengers had taken away the need to save his skin, the clarity that impending doom provided. He was still muddled and hurt and felt unable to come up with a decent answer.

And then Doctor Banner changed the subject abruptly, while he was stitching a long cut on his cheek.

"Your father is a dick."

Bruce didn't know where that had come from. He wanted to be getting information out of the guy now that he still weak, but couldn't forget who was Loki's main tormentor, and probably was one of the reasons he became... twisted. It was amazing that even either of them had become relatively okay. As much as he wanted to avoid it, he couldn't help thinking about his own father and the wounds that man had inflicted on him and his mom, both the physical and the psychological. Seeing that old man there, threatening his son with a spear, well... It hadn't been pleasant.

"Wouldn't you say that I deserved it for what I've done?"

"Violence always creates more violence. Maybe if he hadn't been so aggressive, you wouldn't deserve this, as you put it. And the violence inflicted by your own family... well, that stays with you. Always."

"It wasn't always like that. At first, he simply favoured Thor, didn't like me as much as he liked him. So I tried to become this mighty warrior that he wanted. I tried to become an unparalleled fighter, and I did - but not in the right way, apparently. So then he wanted me dead. Now not even death will satisfy him. I suppose it is my fault, like everything else."

"I would advise you not to play the victim too much in front of the others. I don't mind all that much, having felt sorry for myself for a long time but the others might get angry. Just a warning."

That was actually not bad advice. His escape from Asgard was dependent on the Avengers, and all the information regarding how to treat them was highly valuable.

"Thanks for telling me, Dr. Banner."

"I don't know why I did. You really didn't tell me anything important about what I wanted to know."

Loki tried to do the smart thing, get Banner on his side. But he couldn't just blurt out everything to one of his enemies. Partly because it wouldn't be clever, he needed to have something to bargain, and partly because that time was still too painful to articulate into words. Even after all that time.

"I want to tell you, and I will... But -not yet. I cannot, I truly am sorry. I will tell you this - there was someone who found me on the void - put the Chitauri and me in contact, gave me the staff."

"Someone else who made the choices."

"Someone who was in a position of power."

"Unlike you, who fell there alone and unarmed."

Loki didn't deny it.

"I'm going to leave you to rest now, but that was a nice chat, Loki. You're much more reasonable than people make you sound. To be continued?"

"I would very much like that, Doctor Banner."

If he was going to pull this off, Loki knew that he needed allies. He would much rather have Banner and his green beast n his side than as an enemy, so this was probably good. He just felt so tired and lost and confused. The last few months had been an unending escape, the threat of eternal torture too close for comfort. So he had outdone himself hiding and escaping, transforming and covering his tracks, magic, magic, and more magic until he was absolutely depleted of energy, spent, and he rested – and they got him.

And suddenly, that most horrible future was on hold. No need to kill himself, no need to fight anymore, no need to flee. He could just rest, which seemed amazing. There was a part of him that couldn't believe this to be true, who figured this had to be some sort of illusion, maybe a delirium he himself had created to escape Odin's punishments. But the illusion went on, and everything just seemed so real. He fell asleep practically as soon as his head hit the pillow on the comfy bed, despite the million thoughts running around in his head.

Steve wanted to do something more about the Loki situation, but there were too many things happening at once. With the rift in the Avengers and a good faction of Asgard against them, he needed to tread carefully. Extremely carefully.

He didn't exactly know why he'd been so adamant on defending Loki and keeping him with them. There was nothing redeemable about him, all he had done had been his choice. And he could have just sentenced him to jail here and he would avoided torture, but he had opted to take him to his home. But he had wanted to help – as much as possible. It had been going well, so far. Loki had slept the past afternoon, evening and night, after the care of Dr. Banner.

Now it was 9 am and Steve was making breakfast. Lots of it. There was something calming about cooking, something he enjoyed very much. He made pancakes, eggs with bacon, poured the orange juice and the coffee and added some toasts with butter and jam just for the pleasure of it. And then a limping figure joined him. Holding himself hig, but still uncertain.

"Have some breakfast, Loki. Sit with me."

Loki eyed the soldier with disbelief. This mortal and Thor had been practically the only people who had spoken out to help him. What was his agenda? Could he simply have helped him out of pity?

"Did you sleep well?" The american asked.

"Very much so. I thank you for your hospitality, Captain." Loki said, serving himself some of that delicious looking food. Better enjoy the luxuries while he could.

"Thor should be back soon, tell us the details of his agreement with yo-... with Odin. We'll work with that, see how we can start using you. Because your stay here is conditional, remember? You'll work with us, in anything and everything that we need."

"Of course." His pride wanted to complain, but the alternative was too grim to even consider. He would have to work with this people, at least while he was so weak, to avoid Odin's and Asgard's rage.

"But you can still rest a bit, have a shower before all of that. That electronic wristband will alert us if you try to leave, so don't even try. And, well, the food is all here and there will be some clothes left for you... You'll have a day to rest and recover from yesterday's nightmare and then it's showtime."

Loki was still looking at the soldier, amazed.

"Captain... I have no words. You have shown me a kindness that I could have never expected."

Steve just looked at him.

"Don't make me regret it."

A/N: Soooo, nothing really happened, sorry about that. But I have not abandoned this.

Reviews are love!