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Loki didn't know for how long he was wandering in between drowsing and sleeping; his cell had no windows and the only slightly yellow, dull light was coming out of a long, dirty cuboid placed right over the heavy metal door.
The raven-haired god sighed and looked around to take in his surroundings. Before he fell into the troubled sleep, he didn't pay much attention to his cell. When Fury was inside, Loki was focusing on keeping his whole attention on the director. Despite his efforts, Fury still managed to catch him off guard and frighten him.
Loki has always hated to admit to himself that he was afraid. Thor would never show fear and Loki naturally assumed that his older brother never felt it either.
Loki hated himself for being so weak, and so he would lie to himself, pretending that he was never afraid. This habit, of course, was completely shattered by…him in the void.
Loki smirked unhappily. The problem with lying was that sooner or later, the liar starts to believe his own lies. However, never the small, beneficial lies such as you don't have to be afraid. Only the devastating ones such as I remember you tossing me into the abyss. This leads his brain into a chaos out of which it is arduous to escape.
Loki's mind was in such a state of chaos for a very long time; only quite recently he began to be once again certain of his memories being truly his own and the implicated truths hidden behind them.
Such as that Thor didn't actually toss him into the abyss. He let go.
"Stop." Loki said aloud to himself. He had to stop his mind from drifting into those toxic corners of his mind. Once again, the god tried to concentrate on the room, trying to find anything that he could use to his advantage, preferably something that would help him escape.
In the whole room, which could not have been bigger than nine square metres, there was absolutely nothing. The four walls, the ceiling and the floor all had the same bleak grey colour and within them there was only stale air.
Loki moved his shoulder blades against the cold wall; he ceased hugging his knees and brought his hands on top of them. Curiously, he eyed the manacles binding his wrists. The metal was pressed tightly against his skin; when Loki tried to flex the fingers of his other hand enough to try to move the manacle on his wrist, he hissed in pain. The hard metal only dug deeper into his flesh, scratching his skin in the process. There was no way he would be able to get the bloody chains off him, especially not without his magic.
Ironically, a yawn escaped his lips. If only he had a bed. Not only it was very uncomfortable and highly inappropriate for a prince - who he undoubtedly still was - to sit on the ground, it was also humiliating. Bloody hell, he even got a bed in the Asgardian dungeons.
So much for Thor telling him that all will work out just fine; that the Midgardians are less focused on the art of war than the Asgardians. They are simply more humane, Thor would tell him ironically.
Since when it was humane to deprive people, or gods, of beds, Loki didn't know.
He felt himself getting annoyed with the whole situation. He became the saviour of Asgard and for what? To rot in a cell? While his oaf of a brother pretended to be a king who knows what he is doing? Loki was beginning to be angry at the whole universe when he heard muffled footsteps behind the door.
Instinctively, he knew it to be Fury. Unwillingly, Loki shivered, and he felt his forehead covering in cold sweat. Instantly, the rage left him as he felt the dread spreading into every cell of his body. Loki knew what it meant to be physically and mentally abused; the choice wasn't between being brave while keeping his dignity or being cowardly and telling everything to his tormentors. Everyone broke in the end. It took Loki some time to fully acknowledge this and stop blaming himself for the Midgard attack failure. Finally, Loki admitted to himself that everyone, even Thor, would plead for mercy in the end. And so he only waited in trepidation while his eyes followed the sound of the keys in the keyhole.
The anger he felt towards Thor was completely gone. Loki closed his eyes and thought of his brother making his way through SHIELD base to get him out of here.
Thor would do it. Loki kept telling himself.
Thor will come.
Loki repeated this to himself as a mantra when the doors cracked open and his eyes set on the unpleasantly familiar face of Fury.
Fury's face twisted into an ugly smirk.
"Let's begin."
...
Thor was shaking with rage and hopelessness; he knew his eyes were turning into flashes of light but he was unable to control himself. He knew he had done the right thing. He was the king of Asgard and his supreme duty was to protect its inhabitants. He had to put them over his brother.
As his father would.
Thor felt his fingers twitching at the energy that was forming within them. He had done what his father would; he gave Loki up for the good of the realm.
Watching his little brother being taken away from him caused immense pain to Thor. The God of Thunder stood idly by, watching Loki's shoulders hunch while being led as a criminal towards one of the black cars.
What struck Thor the most, however, was that Loki didn't even try to fight back. It wasn't in his brother's nature to go down without a fight or complaining. Especially the complaining. Then he remembered what his father told him after Loki's trial.
"He let himself being hauled into the dungeons?" Thor asked incredulously. "Didn't he try to talk his way out?"
"In the beginning he did." Odin answered simply.
"And then what?" Thor needed to know more. He didn't want to participate in Loki's trial and now he felt guilty for leaving his brother alone. Thor felt a strong resentment towards Loki, but he could never hate him.
"Then we had a little conversation which ended by me assuring Loki of you becoming the king when the time was right. Then the guards pulled him out of the room. He didn't say anything more or fight back."
"That is so unlike Loki." Thor said contemplatively. "Father, what did you tell Loki before you sentenced him?"
Thor would swear he saw a flash of guilt in Odin's eyes.
"It doesn't matter." Odin said quickly, regaining control of his expression.
"I have the right to know." Thor said as authoritatively as possible without being openly defiant.
"Then you should have attended the trial."
"I couldn't see him. I am so angry at him." Thor said avoiding Odin's gaze.
Odin gave a sight of resignation. "I told him that his birthright was to die as a child cast out on a frozen rock. I told him that he would never see Frigga again. When he asked if you would become a king, I told him that you had to strive to undo the damage he had done but afterwards you would be king. After that, Loki didn't say anything and the guards took him away."
Thor swallowed heavily. "Father. Doesn't this remind you of something?"
"What do you mean, Thor?" Odin seemed confused.
"Loki had his mouth full of words even when he was hanging from the Bifrost. It was only when you said no that he let go."
"Do you think that my words have affected him in such a way that he gave up resisting?"
"I mean…didn't this happen on Bifrost?" Thor asked insecurely, unware whether he is not overstepping some boundaries.
"I don't know, Thor. Anyway, it doesn't matter. Loki will spend the rest of his days in the dungeons and we will never have to worry about his schemes and lies again."
After the memory, Thor felt the rage leaving him while numbness filled its place. He understood; Loki felt unloved and friendless once again and the idea of resisting seemed pointless to him. That's why he didn't say to Thor that he trusted him. Loki didn't believe that Thor would do everything in his power to get him out.
Suddenly, Thor felt exhausted. It was like a circle; Thor wouldn't feel comfortable expressing affection towards Loki because he feared that Loki would laugh at his sentiment and stab him in the back. As a result, Loki would think that Thor held no respect or fondness towards him and he would actually betray Thor to hide his own hurt.
Thor felt a strong hand pressing to his shoulder and he looked up to see Banner standing next to him.
"Thor, we should go." Banner said carefully.
"Where?" Thor didn't feel strong enough to utter long sentences.
"The all-knowing and all-seeing guy…"
"Heimdall."
"Yeah. He can take your people to shelter. SHIELD will show him the way. You come with us to Tony's place. You look like you could use some rest."
"I can't leave my people." Thor said feeling a heavy burden in his chest.
"Actually, you can."
"No, I can't. You don't understand how it works on Asgard. I…" Thor was interrupted by Heimdall who silently approached the two Avengers.
"Thor." Heimdall said in a fatherly tone. "I managed to take care of your people when Hela usurped the throne. I can keep them safe for a while longer."
"I would never doubt your ability, Heimdall. It is just…"
"They want you to go." Heimdall said interrupting Thor again. In a way, Thor was grateful that Heimdall's attitude towards him didn't change when he became the king.
"What?" Thor asked being confused.
"The people understand, Thor." Heimdall said gently. "When your brother ruled Asgard disguised as Odin, Asgard was prospering. Surprisingly, he didn't make such a bad king in the end, your brother." Heimdall added smiling softly. "When they understood that it was Loki who was actually in power, they felt angry at first. Then, they were only astonished that Loki had never done anything unjust, never misused his powers….well, maybe other than a little bit of narcistic self-glorification. Odin was a powerful king. No one would ever question that. Loki, on the other hand, seemed to display a deeper understanding for those in pain or suffering. None of his orders were ever cruel or intending to cause harm. Actually, he was an attentive, dutiful and just king." Heimdall paused a little when he saw Thor smile.
"I would never believe you could speak about my brother in this manner."
"Everyone deserves a second chance. Besides, the people know who brought the spaceship that took them safely from Asgard before it erupted. They know that Loki saved them. They demand that you get him back."
Thor was quiet for a while.
"Heimdall?" Thor said after he managed to control the emotions in his voice.
"Yes, my king?"
"I wish you told this to Loki."
"I shall in time. Though I fear that it may only cause him to get the idea that he should have a statue built on Midgard as well."
Thor smiled a little. "It might."
"Heimdall?" Thor addressed the former gatekeeper again. "Tell the people that I owe them my thanks and gratitude. I will return to you when I get the prince back."
"Certainly." Heimdall answered and with a short nod he went back to the Asgardians.
Banner, who was watching the whole conversation with childlike curiosity, coughed to get Thor's attention.
"Eh right. Now that the matter is settled, we should go, buddy." He slapped Thor on the back. Thor only nodded and together with Banner went towards the rest of the team.
"Thor?" Banner said with hint of uncertainty.
"Yes?"
"I can't believe I am saying this, but we will get him back." Banner hated seeing Thor so heart-broken so soon after watching his home burning in flames.
"I fear the rest of the team won't be that enthusiastic about the idea." Thor answered drily.
"Yeah. Probably." Banner nodded only.
"Banner? Will you go with me to SHIELD tomorrow to try to reason with Fury?" Thor asked carefully.
"Of course, Thor. That's what friends are for."
Thor didn't even remember how he found himself in the Stark Tower. However, as soon as he did, he excused himself and retreated to the room designated for him. He flung himself onto a bed and let the weariness and exhaustion from the last days fill him. The God of Thunder felt asleep with his littler brother on the mind.
...
"Why did you attack the Earth?" Fury yelled for the second time. Loki flinched but otherwise gave no indicating of intending to answer to the director.
"What are you doing here now?" Fury screamed. Loki wondered whether the loudness was intended to intimidate him.
"I came here with the rest of Asgard." Loki said only, keeping an eye contact with Fury.
Don't let him know how afraid you actually are.
"You came here to do what exactly?" Fury hissed.
Loki hesitated before answering. "To seek…refuge."
Fury's cheerless laugh echoed through the cell.
"You came to seek refuge on the planet you had attacked?" Fury's voice was dripping with sarcasm.
"I know it sounds…strange. But it is true." Loki said only.
To Loki's horror, Fury's rage seemed to be accumulating.
"Are you trying to provoke me, puny god? Do you think it to be wise?"
Loki didn't react anyhow.
"Thor said you were sentenced for the rest of your days. How did you get out of prison?"
"I…escaped. With Thor." Loki was weighting his words carefully.
"I see. Thor had, incomprehensively for me, always seemed to hold a…certain affection for his poor little misunderstood brother. I remember his face when I mentioned that we should torture the truth out of you." Fury's eyes flashed dangerously.
Loki didn't know if to feel threatened by Fury's words or strangely relieved that someone as random as Fury thought that Thor still loved Loki.
"I will ask for the last time. What are you doing on Earth?" Fury made a step towards Loki who used all his self-control not to curl into a more defensive position than his current seated one was.
"I only came here with Thor. I mean no harm." Loki said, this time unable to keep the despair out of his voice.
Instantly, he knew his answer was wrong.
Suddenly, Fury stood right in front of him. He jerked Loki upright into a standing position by pulling up the chains binding the god's wrists. Loki trembled but managed to stay on his feet.
With satisfaction, Loki noticed that he was much taller than Fury. Even without his magic he could be able to….
Loki's mind wasn't allowed to finish the idea as his whole consciousness was suddenly suffused with agony. His knees gave up and he found himself lying on the ground struggling to catch his breath. When Fury's boot hit his stomach he felt a moan escaping his lips. Before he could regain his composure, Fury kicked him again. And again. And again.
Loki curled up, putting his chained wrists in front of his stomach in a desperate attempt to protect himself from more pain. It was pointless, however, as Fury's sole made contact with his face and Loki felt a dull pain in his nose. He instinctively moved his hands to cover his face, unable to defend himself from more blows onto his abdomen and chest.
Loki tried to keep quiet, biting his lips until they were bloody. When several of his ribs broke with a loud crack, he couldn't hold it back anymore and cried out in pain. It seemed to only encourage Fury as he started hitting him more violently.
Fight back. You have to fight back.
Loki kept telling himself while he was lying helplessly on the ground. There was no way he could manage to stand up and fight against Fury in his state with his magic suppressed.
Thor would not let this happen to himself. He would fight back. He wouldn't let anyone beat up and humiliate him.
Why couldn't he be like Thor?
Loki closed his eyes to separate himself from the room and Fury. Tears of pain and despair made their way down his bloodied face, falling unceremoniously on the ground.
The pain wouldn't stop.
