It was late in the evening. I came across a few Agents as I walked through the corridors, but they spared me only brief glances, going about their business. Approaching the containment unit, I stepped up the ramp with a polite nod to the guard at the control panel and knocked lightly on the door. Loki looked up at me, blue eyes dull with fatigue, and I smiled at him. "Hello, highness," I greeted. Loki frowned at me in confusion.
"What is that?" he asked me. I beamed at him, shifting my load.
"It's bedding. I figure, since you insist on being uncooperative, we can probably afford you a few nights' sleep before we break you. Can I come in?"
Loki nodded slowly and I looked over to the guard. "Open the door," I ordered. The guard looked at me sceptically and I glared at him. "Don't make me sick the Avengers on you, Agent." The door whooshed open and I stepped inside. Loki stood to meet me and I dumped the sheets, doona and pillows into his arms.
"The Avengers don't know that you're here, do they?" Loki asked and I shook my head.
"You're not the only person here who can lie convincingly, highness." Loki quirked an elegant brow at me and turned away to set the bedding on the plastic bench.
"Yes, you have already proven that," he responded lowly. "Not many people can get the best of me."
"I have wondered about that," I admitted softly. "What did you see, or not see, in me before I stabbed you?" I wondered. Loki stiffened and turned his piercing eyes on me, thinning his lips.
"You are daring," he told me, voice calm, yet somewhat sinister. "I would not keep mentioning that, if I were you. Especially when your precious Avengers don't know you are here." I shrugged.
"You going to answer my question, or shall I give you a blow by blow to refresh your memory?" Loki glared at me, a muscle twitching visibly in his clenched jaw. I grinned at him.
"Admit it; you find my forward nature refreshing, don't you? I won't tip-toe around you, I'm not here to trick you into giving me information, I'm not trying to make you see the error of your ways. I'm morbidly awaiting your torture, and talking to you like I'd talk to anyone else I knew. When is the last time someone was this honest with you?" Loki looked me over pensively, like I was a puzzle with pieces missing.
"It has been a long time," he confessed. "I saw myself."
"What?"
"That is what I saw in you before you stabbed me. I saw myself, before I knew of my true heritage; tricky and complex. Always searching for approval I could never get. Always thinking, always playing the situation. I should have known that you were playing me," he grumbled, seizing a blanket and shaking it out. I stepped up and took the opposite corners on the sheet, holding it out. "It is not like you to be quiet," Loki commented, once we had set up his bed on the bench.
"It is, actually. I have multiple aspects of my personality. Much like yourself," I told him, fluffing up the pillow before setting it on the bed. "I was thinking. I don't know whether I should be pleased or concerned that you identify with me. Of course, I don't have your family issues, and I'm not royalty, so I'm unlikely to try to conquer a planet myself… I guess I'm okay with this. To be honest; I think I can see a little of myself in you. Only, you're way more proud than I am. I like to laugh at myself." Loki watched me silently as I adjusted the sheets and sighed, sitting on the makeshift bed.
"Comfortable?" Loki asked me pointedly. I smiled at him tiredly.
"Sorry, highness. I'll leave you alone now. Goodnight." Loki watched me leave. I was already at the door before he spoke.
"Goodnight, Miss Carter." I smiled at him over my shoulder before walking away.
"You went behind our backs again! And not just to talk to him, but to give him blankets!" I flinched at Tony's loud, angry shouting.
"Oh, come on!" I complained. "It's way too early in the morning for this."
"Ellie, we trusted you," Clint growled. I eyed him off warily.
"Agent Barton, can you please not peer at me with your assassin face on," I requested uncomfortably. "You're scaring me more than Loki does."
"Me?! I scare you more than Loki?!" In reply, I grabbed the hem of the Captain's shirt and tugged so he was standing in between me and Clint.
"Yes, you do. Loki has yet to raise his voice to me. You lot never seem to stop shouting at me!" I whined. Steve looked at me, colour seeming to have drained from his face.
"You really favour Loki?" he asked softly.
"At the moment?" I said meaningfully, letting my tone speak for itself. "Can I go back to my room now?" I asked, looking down timidly.
"Not just yet." I jumped and squeaked at the sudden, deep voice of Director Fury. "It seems to me that Miss Carter has made some progress with Loki. I think we should allow her to continue. She might be able to find out something useful from him." I blinked at the Director.
"Well, I can ask him. It may take a while before he deigns to tell me, but I'll give it a go if you'd like me to." Director Fury nodded at me.
"I would. I shall inform my agents that you are to have free run of Loki's cell." I giggled.
"Oh, I can't wait to tell him that," I said, grinning wickedly.
"Fury thinks I might be able to get you talking, so he says I can come in here and bother you whenever I like," I informed Loki, stepping inside his cell and grinning at him childishly. Loki blinked at me, apparently unsure how to respond to that piece of information. "So, have you got anything to tell me about the Chitauri?" I asked, getting directly to the point. Loki sighed.
"Will you believe me if I say 'No'?" he asked dryly. I shook my head.
"Not really."
"Then what is the point of talking with me if you think I lie?" I smiled, taking a seat on the floor in front of him again.
"I find you intriguing," I told him contentedly. "And I want to know why you are the way you are; if you are a product of your environment, or if you're just an all-out psychopath."
"You think that I will simply tell my life story to you?" Loki demanded coldly, glaring at me. I shrugged.
"Probably. I've been told that I'm very easy to talk to." Loki snorted, looking away from me disinterestedly. "Are you angry with Odin?" Loki gave a kind of choking laugh and looked back at me, eyebrows lifted.
"I cannot believe you just asked me that," he informed me in a voice that was a mixture of cross and amused.
"Well, believe it, Princeling, coz I just did," I retorted. "I'm angry with my father." This seemed to pique Loki's interest.
"Oh?" I smirked at him.
"Don't get any ideas, highness. It's not anything you can use against me." Loki shrugged, looking away again. I continued anyway. "A while ago, my father told me that I was a lazy, selfish bitch and I'd never amount to anything. And it hurts, because we used to have a really good relationship." I sighed, leaning back on my hands and staring into space. "But I guess; deep down I always knew what I was. Loved, but misunderstood and never… never quite good enough… I keep tearing myself to pieces searching for approval… And I'm not even adopted!" I added bitterly. When I looked back, Loki was watching me thoughtfully.
"Why are you telling me this?" he asked.
"Because I'm making a point!" I huffed. "You're not the only one with Daddy Issues."
"I see," Loki acknowledged, nodding slowly. We lapsed into silence for a moment before he broke it again. "I killed my real father." I blinked at Loki, taken aback by this sudden offering.
"Did you feel better afterwards?" I wondered, shifting closer. Loki tilted his head, considering.
"Not exactly," he commented. "There was a certain… satisfaction, I suppose. Laufey abandoned me, after all…"
"Do you know why?" I asked. "You know, aside from being obviously twisted, of course." Loki's lips twitched upward slightly before he responded.
"I am a runt. Frost Giants value size very highly; they would not waste resources on a baby that would never reach their standards."
"And why did Odin decided to adopt you?"
"He had hoped to bring about a permanent peace between our races through my heritage." I nodded slowly, waiting to see if Loki would add anything more to the conversation. Loki looked at me suddenly and smiled, almost approvingly. "You are manipulating me, Miss Carter," he purred. I looked at him through my eyelashes with a conspiratorial smile.
"I am," I agreed. "But I'm manipulating you in a nice way." Loki chuckled and I realised that I actually rather enjoyed the sound of his voice.
"Go now," Loki ordered. "I've had enough 'sharing' for one day." I smiled, standing.
"Yeah, it is a bit 'hippy,' isn't it?" I walked towards the door before Loki's voice stopped me.
"Miss Carter, I don't know what 'hippy' means," he pointed out. I looked over my shoulder at him, giggling.
"I'll get you a dictionary," I told him. "Catcha later, highness," I called, raising a hand in farewell as I walked out.
