I didn't say a word. What do you say to the man who almost kills you?
Are you alright?
I said nothing.
Holographic Loki walked over to the bed and kneeled beside it. He raised his hand toward my face and I panicked.
All I know is that I didn't want to black out for five days. Or longer.
"Don't," I said, while involuntarily shivering.
Loki's face changed. Pity and guilt was overflowing in his eyes.
I am not going to hurt you.
He placed his hand on my head. I shivered, uncontrollably. What was he doing?
A sudden sensation filled my head. It hurt at first, and I had to close my eyes. Then, nothing. I opened my eyes. My headache was gone, and I could sit up without being dizzy.
You won't be able to walk for another day, but at least your head isn't hurting.
I just looked at him.
I don't want to hurt you.
He disappeared. I stood up, and immediately fell back down. I'm not really good at following orders.
I sat there, thinking about Loki…and I thought about nothing else
A few days later, I could walk around, but Fury didn't want me near Loki.
"Be within range," he said. "But don't go in his cell again. Next time, he'll go farther than just knocking you out for a few days."
I was sitting in my room when Loki appeared again. I didn't know it, though. I was laying on my bed, earphones in, music up. It was some type of therapy Bruce wanted me to try, to block out the trauma of, you know, being attacked by Loki.
I felt a hand on my arm. Thinking it was Steve, I moaned.
"Steve, go away."
Busy enough not to talk to me?
I jumped and ripped my earphones out.
"Warn someone when you step in a room!"
Holo-Loki covered my mouth. Do you want them to know that I'm in here?
I shrugged.
He sighed. There is something that I have been meaning to ask of you.
What?
Is your real name Child? Is that your only name?
Random subject. I didn't know you cared so much about my name. I made a face. Is this love?
His eyebrows raised a bit, but he 'said' nothing.
I sighed. No, it's not my real name. At least, I don't think it is. It's just what everyone called me when they found me.
Found you?
Yes. Actually, it was Steve who found me. I ignored the anger waves Loki sent me. I was in a…storage compartment, I think. What Steve was doing down there, I don't remember. But I guess he saw me and woke me up. I did a little laugh. That's actually my first memory here. It was Steve's face, asking if I was okay. He looked so scared for me. At first I was scared, but he wrapped his jacket around me. I eyed Loki. Did I mention that I was naked?
Loki's eyes widened. I laughed.
So yeah, he wrapped his jacket around me and he kept his arms around me until Bruce came. And even when I fell asleep in the medical room, he was still there when I woke up.
I blinked. I'm sorry; I went waaay to the left subject wise.
Loki nodded. No, I see. He paused, as if he was thinking. Do you mind if I call you something other than Child? A proper name, perhaps?
Why, what's wrong with Child?
Well, do you like the name?
I was about to answer, but stopped. Did I like the name Child?
I… I guess so.
I don't. You are not a child. You are… His thought trailed off.
What did you have in mind?
Loki smiled. How about… Amara?
Amara? Where'd you get that from?
It means Eternal.
Eternal? Why that name?
Well, it's better than being called a child.
I smiled. "Okay, Amara. I like it."
Loki smiled. The smile faded. Youare in love with Steve Rogers, aren't you?
I frowned. Where did that come from?
I…I don't know.
Loki's face fell. Guess that wasn't the right answer.
"Child? Child?" Knock knock knock.
I must leave. Loki phased out.
"Child." Steve came in. I sighed a relief. At that moment in time, I really needed to see him. Too much awkwardness for me to handle with Loki being here.
"Hey Steve, what's up?" I tried to cover up the awkward moment that just happened.
Steve smiled. No, wrong word. Beamed. "You're sitting up!"
"Oh yeah, I'm feeling a bit better. The headache's gone too."
"That's good to hear." He wouldn't stop grinning. You could blind someone with that smile.
I scratched my head. "I don't mean to be rude, but was there a particular thing that you wanted?"
"Oh, uh, no, not really. I just wanted to see how you were dealing with moving rooms and all."
"Thanks."
Steve turned to leave.
"Wait!" I called after him.
Steve turned around.
"Can you tell me the story of when you found me again?"
Steve smiled. "Right now?"
I nodded.
"Alright," he sat down. "Well, Fury told me to go to the storage compartment and get an old file. So I went down there and saw you lying there. Remember, you were…"
"Naked, yeah." I blushed.
Steve blushed, too. "Yeah, naked. So you were just lying there. You looked injured, so I panicked. I tried shaking you awake and said, 'Hey, wake up. Are you alright?' And you just slowly opened your eyes and… well, to tell you the truth, my heart stopped."
I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Well," He said. "You looked so… scared. And the expression on your face…" He didn't finish his sentence, and looked at the ground, reminiscing.
I gave a small smile.
"So anyway, I pulled off my jacket and wrapped it around you, you know, because you were naked. I called Fury on the intercom and told him you were down there. And while we were waiting, I just held you. You leaned your head on my chest and fell asleep." He paused. "The medical team came and I set you on the gurney. You slept for about a week. While you were sleeping, we were trying to identify you from anyone on ship and facial scans from around the world. Nobody had seen you before. Then, one day, I was sitting by your bed, and you opened your eyes. And you reached out to me, then-"
"Then you held my hand. As you did Fury came in and said that I looked like a kid with my small hand in yours."
"And that's why we call you Child." Steve laughed. "It seems you can tell the story all by yourself."
"I'd rather hear you tell it. Besides, I was asleep the whole time. You know all the interesting parts."
Steve laughed nervously.
More silence. Then:
"Child, can I ask you a favor?"
I gave a mock-nervous face. "Depends…what is it?"
"Serious, Child."
I nodded. "What is it?"
He took both of my hands and held them in his. "Don't…scare me."
"Me scare you? Impossible."
Steve leaned forward, so close that I could feel his breath. "I mean don't risk your life. Don't go into crazy evil god's cells, don't jump off a boat if you know you can't swim." He slightly squeezed my hands. "Please, I don't want to wait every day, hoping that you will wake up and not be in a coma. You can't die on me. I care for you too much…"
My body froze. I think I knew where this was going, and it was about to get messy.
