Oh look an update! I'll be coing back later to fix up any mistakes in earlier chapters. Thanks so much for all the support!
Loki slept heavily during the night. The cooling temperature was an appreciated change from the stifling summer heat. He was given two days respite from interacting with the Avengers. The time allowed the drugs to leave his system. He spent much of this time sleeping. Thor escorted him to the restroom as needed and brought him out to the kitchen for meals. The meals were normally condensed soups. Thor noting Loki had taken a liking for the tomato, stocked up on the brand. Loki couldn't help but appreciate the sentiment. However, Thor would quickly bring Loki back to his rooms and rush off. This left Loki alone once more. The room he had been put in had no windows. A single bed was stuffed in the corner with drab blankets and a flat pillow. A small plastic table sat in the opposite corner with a cheap metal chair. A bare light bulb hung overhead that was blinding when turned on. There were no books to occupy Loki's time. No window to gaze out or people to talk to.
It was a lonely existence. Lonely and usually quiet. Until he was dragged off to aid the Avengers. Even then he was closely monitored. He was constantly under scrutiny of the SHIELD agents that he was sent to. Every move he made was met with unrest. And the Avengers themselves...
Barton was easily the most outwardly hostile. He sneered every time he spotted Loki, his face lighting up in triumph as he looked at the collar wrapped around Loki's throat. It seemed he was getting his revenge on the God. The pleasure he willingly showed at Loki's expense was proof of that. Romanoff was different. She was aloof towards him and pretended that he was not even there. Banner treated him much the same as Romanoff. And during tests, he had no face. He was just an object. Stark was a bit more...social. He was by no means kind but if it was just him and Loki during the tests, he would sometimes ramble to the God. But if Banner was present, it was as if Loki was not. Rogers was by far the most conflicted of the group. he grew uncomfortable with the comments Barton made but never spoke up in Loki's defense. And there was the new man on the team... a tall angular dark man with something broken about him. The man made attempts to speak to Loki, but the God ignored his attempts. he did not trust this new man. It would be in no time at all that he too would despise Loki.
It was during the first snow fall of the season that the man named Bucky would once again attempt to reach out to him. This time however he would succeed.
The team had just finished a mission near Florida and had returned to the tower late during the night. Loki stood with a SHIELD agent, his face devoid of emotion as the team passed by. The SHIELD agent getting caught in conversation with Banner. Quickly Bucky approached the God who glanced at him.
"Hi." Bucky greeted and Loki blinked. Bucky quickly glanced ahead, noting no one had noticed him approach Loki. Bucky's gaze returned to Loki and he grinned.
"I got you something!" He stated pushing an object into Loki's hand. Loki's brows furrowed and he looked down in surprise.
"We had some time off before we head to head back, and I thought you might like it..." Loki held the object. A book tightly, staring down in wonder at the title.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
"Yeah I read them and I guess that the British version is called Philosopher's...anyway if you like it, I can get you the next one too." Bucky offered. Loki hesitantly studied the book cover before glancing over his shoulder and quickly hiding the book inside his coat. He stiffly nodded his thanks to Bucky and lowered his gaze just as Thor approached.
"Loki," Thor's harsh voice had Loki tensing up and quickly looking away from Bucky and towards his irate sibling. Thor regarded Loki with annoyance. "I thought I told you to stay with the SHIELD agent-I'm sorry he was bothering you." Thor glanced towards Bucky who shook his head swiftly.
"He wasn't bothering me." He replied in annoyance. Thor however was focused on Loki once more.
"Go back to our rooms." He muttered. Loki swiftly made his way past his sibling and the rest of the Avengers and towards the doors. Banner stared at Loki while the others looked towards Thor. Bucky coolly stared at the God.
"We were having a conversation before you but in." He muttered ignoring Barton's snort. Thor regarded Bucky unimpressed.
"I have made it clear to you that he is not to converse with you."
"Yes you were rather obnoxious about it too." Bucky snapped as Steve stepped forward. Thor's gaze hardened. "You dare-"
"Yes I dare. You don't scare me Thor. I've seen worse than you." Bucky snarled. Steve lightly pushed Thor back and stared at his friend.
"Bucky c'mon." He implored. Still staring Thor down, Bucky shoulder checked him and stalked towards the doors ignoring Steve as the man reached for him.
The doors had automatically locked behind him as he entered his room, his heart hammering in his chest. He glanced over his shoulder, half expecting it to burst open at any second. Loki figured Thor would come into his room to scream at him later, but for now Loki was safe. He clutched the little book close, examining the cover and running his finger over the boy on the cover's tiny face. He cracked the book open and sat cross legged on his bed.
Chapter One: The Boy Who Lived...
Loki managed to get half way through the first chapter before foot steps approached. Swiftly Loki shoved the book beneath his mattress and stood. The door handle jiggled for a moment before the door unlocked and swung open. Thor charged into the room, his nostrils flared. He approached his sibling and grasped him by the elbow as the other attempted to back away. Thor's fingers closed around Loki's elbow, sinking into his flesh. Thor pulled Loki towards him until their noses nearly touched.
"I know not what you are planning, but it would be wise to stop now." Thor stated, his eyebrows narrowed. Loki stared back, his face shifting into an expressionless mask.
"Barnes is now a member of the Avengers. He has no need to converse with the likes of you. You will not approach him, you will not speak to him and if he approaches you, you will turn the other direction. Am I understood?" Thor stated, his grip tightening. Loki wined in pain, gritting his teeth.
"LOKI!" Thor snarled, shaking the God who finally relented and gave a curt nod.
"Good." Thor muttered shoving Loki away from him and turning away as Loki stumbled backwards and fell into the bed frame. Loki did not lift his eyes until he heard Thor close the door behind him. He slowly pulled himself up and sat on the edge of his bed, hands clasped in his lap as he stared at the door. It took several moments for his heartbeat to return to normal. Having Thor rush at him was frightening, no matter how used he had gotten to it. Finally he reached for his book, wrapping his blanket around his shoulders and settled into the pillow.