Loki awoke to an intense pounding in his head. He tried to sit up when a familiar voice spoke up.
"Morning Reindeer games." Loki blinked a few times then his eyes rested on the man of iron, who sat at the edge of Loki's bed with a massive grin of his face.
"Were you watching me sleep mortal?"
"Yes, yes I was observing you." Tony smirked eyeing the broken god. He eyes trailed over his body, Tony couldn't help but notice the strangulation marks around his neck and bruising long his upper chest that wasn't covered by his shirt.
"That's fairly creepy."
"Says you, your sinister smile gives me the chills."
"That is rather the point."
"Mhh, well up for some breakfast?"
"Not particularly, but if I don't Thor will force feed me...no that can't be right.." Loki mumbled confused.
"What are you mumbled about?" Tony scooched closer to trickster. Tony considered placing his hand on Loki's leg, bring him back to reality, but decided that probably wouldn't end well. He is surprised however, that Loki hasn't freaked out about him sitting on the bed.
"How exactly did I get into bed last night? I have this strange notion that Thor carried me to bed." Loki gulped, he really hoped what he think happened yesterday did not. How embarrassing that would be.
"You don't remember you mental breakdown? Well basically you told your brother all about all the shit you've been through, screamed your lungs out for your father, then sobbed on the floor till you eventually passed out. Thor did indeed tuck you in." Loki paled and looked away.
"They feel bad for you, they pity you. We need this, if we are to tip control in our favour we need all the pity we can get." Fake Loki whispered in Loki's ear as he gently caressed the side of Loki's face.
"I'm sorry… for submitting you to such cries…"
"No need to feel sorry about that."
"Yes there is. He may pity you slightly but he still loathes you, hates you. Your presence is a burden, always has been. In the end they will tear you down. They may even with time show kindness, fain friendship even. It is all a lie. They will gain your trust, get you on their side, use you for your gifts and insight. When you need them they will abandon you like everyone else has. What's that silly human phrase? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer? That is how they will trick you, fear not we have the upper hand. They will be the ones betrayed." The hallucination Loki spat vile words in Loki's ear, causing tears to roll down his face.
As the tears cascaded down Loki's concave cheeks, Tony eyes widened. Loki's hands shook as he bit back a sob. He turned his head further away from the man sitting on his bed. His heart sped up and his breathing became sprung up from the end of the bed and rushed to Loki's side.
"Hey, Loki. It's alright, breath in and out. In and out like me okay? Listen to sound of my voice, it's going to be okay, in and out slowly."
Loki felt like he was choking, he couldn't get a breath in. Like he was being strangled.
"If you don't stop screaming I'll strangle you, you worthless scum. Come now it doesn't hurt that bad, just a few broken bones."
"He won't stop screaming, I think you should. Squeeze him until he stops."
Loki couldn't register that it was Tony Stark beside him, all he saw was that guard. The guard that took pleasure in breaking every bone then raping him after. Out of all of those bastards he was the worst.
"No!"Loki screamed trying to move farther away.
"Loki, it's me,Tony Stark. You're having a panic attack. Breathe in and out, you're safe here." Tony's voice remained calm and soothing. When Loki realized that no one's hands were around his throat, he wasn't being pinned down, he began to calm down. Loki's breathing evened out and the nightmarish memory faded.
"T-Tony?"
"Hey buddy, glad you're back with me. You had a panic attack, you're alright. No one's hurting you. Can you stop ripping out your hair?"
A look of confusion crossed Loki's face when he realized his hands had moved from clutching the bed sheets to having a death grip on his scalp. He had ripped out chunks of hair and his there was a small amount of blood on his fingernails.
" I wanted to stop you from doing that, but I was afraid it would only make the attack worse. You can put the sedative away Bruce." Loki's eyes scanned the room to see a very concerned, Dr. Banner holding a syringe.
"But, how?"
"You were screaming for a good ten minutes or so. You were hurting yourself so I got Bruce in here. You're relaxed now, so no need for sedation. Do you feel comfortable enough to come downstairs for some breakfast, or do you want to eat in here?" Loki didn't respond for several seconds.
"Here?" Loki croaked out. He felt to ashamed and terrified to leave.
"That's fine, Bruce could you grab him something?"
"Sure, no problem. Bruce smiled warmly at Loki before leaving. Loki couldn't help but notice his brother standing in the doorway when Bruce went to leave.
"We need Thor on our side. We can't hurt him if he doesn't trust us, if he sees it coming. We are going to betray him like he betrayed you. He belittled you your whole life, then threw you into prison to be tortured and violated. Let him in."
A burning flame arose in Loki's chest, he agreed with the hallucination. Thor should pay. Keeping his voice as anger free as possible Loki said,"Are you planning on spending your whole day in the hall or are you going to come in?" Loki gestured to the bed.
Thor tried to smile at this invitation, but the smile was aborted given the mess of his brother's head. Thor cautiously moved across the room, he was about to sit at the end of the bed, but Loki gestured beside himself. Thor looked in awe for a moment, then sat down next to Loki.
"I wish to speak with my brother alone, would you allow us the time?"
"Sure thing." Tony smiled then sat up from his position on the side. He gave Thor a warning glance which conveyed the message,"Don't freak him out." Tony left and the brother sat in silence for a minute before Loki spoke up.
"You carried me to bed, comforted me when I broke down, and vouched that I remain in the care of the Avengers instead of letting me rot in the dungeons. Although I harbour anger still, I no longer see you in the same light as before. It pains me greatly to say this, but I'm grateful to for what you have done for me."
"Loki…"
"My gratefulness should not warrant a hug."
"Understood brother." Thor chuckled and placed his hand on Loki's head. This motion caused Thor to receive an intense glare from Loki. "You said nothing about petting your hair."
" Well I should have clarified, an oaf like you needs consistent clarification."
"You wound me Loki."
"You state the obvious. Besides your not petting my hair, you're merrily resting your hand against my head."
"There's not much hair to pet now…" Thor said in a joking tone, yet regretted his words instantly. Thor was sure he was about to receive derision for his words but Loki laughed instead.
"Fair point, it is rather alarming that I do not recall harming myself."
"It is quite disturbing, you seem to lack mental stability." Loki laughed again.
"Well we already knew that."
"A psychiatrist might help, Jane and the Avengers told me all about them." Thor suggested hopefully.
"You and the avengers wish to stage an intervention for me? I would like to decline, but would rather not rip out my scalp in the future…"
"You're willing to try?"
"It's either that or fall to complete and utter madness... Or suicide."
"Loki...how long have you thought of suicide?" Thor wanted to scream at Loki, but kept his mouth shut.
"Since I let go of Gungnir, I was most disappointed when I woke up with the Chitauri looming over me."
"The chitauri-"
"Don't, I'm not going to talk about them, don't even try."
"Okay...Loki the Avengers are going to find a psychiatrist. They will be affiliated with S.H.I.E.L,D of course. Just give them a try. If it doesn't work, if you simply can't handle living anymore then I will…find a one of mother's potions and it won't be painful for you."
"That bastard son of a half troll wants to kill you. He's trying to mask it into a mercy killing, wow what an evil being. See they really are trying to bring you down. Keep up the facade trickster, don't let him see your rage." The hallucination fumed.
"That would be merciful of you...Thank you."
"I don't want you to suffer, you are my brother whom I love with all my heart."
"If he didn't want you to suffer then why didn't he save you? The Chitauri tortured you, the guards tortured you, all you have received is anguish thanks to him. This revenge will be sweet." The hallucination hissed then laughed hysterically. Loki responded by letting tears fall from his eyes. Exhaustion swept over Loki as he leaned into Thor. Loki allowed his head to rest against Thor's shoulder.
Thor was shocked yet again that day. As Loki allowed himself to be pulled in closer by Thor's right arm, Thor's hope grew. Thor saw a delightful future ahead for both of them, little did he know the puppeteer had intervened.
"Loki is finally coming around, you will be brother's once again. Trust him, and he will trust you back. All will be well." A voice in the back of Thor's head chimed in. A voice belonging to the mad titan.
"They will all burn, oh what fun this is." Thanos laughed wildly upon the wasteland he calls his home. Once the Avengers and the Odinson's are taken out, nothing will stand in his way.
Meanwhile downstairs the Avengers conversed once again about Loki's instability.
"Okay so we got a psycho god who is having panic attacks, was self-harming long before the invasion, and has been severely traumatized both physically and sexually? Clint clarified to the whole group.
"Yeah, that sums it up pretty well." Stark answered pouring himself a drink, not giving a shit that it was eight in the morning.
"Great, just what we needed. I guess Natasha and I will start looking for therapists then. Okay stop giving me that look Tony, I don't like the guy, but nobody deserves to be raped and assaulted. I feel bad. Now we get started on that, I don't' know what you guys are gonna do, make sure he doesn't rip out the rest of his hair? That's really disturbing, Tash let's go."
" You are not the boss of me Clint, I go when I say I go."
"Would you please come with me? I'm asking this because I don't want to deal with Loki if he comes downstairs and freaks out, and because I would like to spend some time with my girlfriend." Natasha couldn't help but smile at that. Tony stumbled, Bruce gaped, and Steve grinned.
"How did you get her before I did?" Tony smirked, Natasha immediately put her hand on her gun.
"What was that Tony?" She leveled him with a glare, unclipping her gun from her belt. Tony gulped.
"Nothing, carry on lovebirds." Natasha smirked releasing her hand off her gun.
"Congratulation you two." Steve and Bruce both said at the same time."
The avengers all smiled from ear to ear.
" You won't be smiling for long. Dispatch one of the Chitauri to the humans worthless planet. One of the more intelligent one's, one who can easily be disguised as a human therapist, and can articulate well, it has to be believable. Get her into their SHIELD and convince those fools she's the best for Loki. If you fail you will wish for something as sweet as pain. Now go!" Thanos boomed at one of his most trusted advisors.
This game, this play that Thanos had created with theses puppets was unfolding beautifully. This play is a tragedy and all will burn.