Third chapter in a row I've stayed up past 3:00am to finish writing. I need to stop starting so late. I think it's starting to wear on me.
Needless to say, I have some doubts about this chapter. After I finished writing it I honestly considered just deleting it and rewriting the chapter tomorrow... so I almost didn't post this. But then I thought that maybe since it's so late I'm simply being needlessly insecure, so I figured I'd at least give it a chance...
Following the attack everyone convenes on the bridge.
Natasha supports a shaky Clint, the man still holding a hand to one red cheek.
Tony had taken his suit off and deposited it in his rooms, grumbling about how it had gotten banged up when he got caught in the engine, while Steve sighs exasperatedly.
Bruce and Thor arrive last, the former still shirtless and holding onto his pants.
They both look harried.
"Has anyone seen Lo—Kitty?" Thor asks desperately.
The others shake their heads, confused.
"He was right there, and then he was gone," Thor says with a worried expression, holding his hammer as if for comfort, though it could do nothing for him in this situation.
"We can't find him," Bruce sums up.
Steve chews his lip. "Where did you see him last?"
"The aircraft hanger," Bruce answers, pulling up his pants as they started slipping down.
"But he could be anywhere by now," Thor points out.
Loki's practically a speed demon, after all.
"Right," Steve says, proceeding to split them into search parties and gave each of them a designated are to look.
"Where do you think you're all going?" Fury had demanded when he walked over and saw them scattering.
They hadn't deigned to answer him.
"Who is this Kitty?" Clint asks Natasha, as the two of them head down towards the aircraft hanger.
"A black kitten that Steve found, beaten in a back alley," Natasha explains, as they reach the hanger, raising impressed eyebrows at the destruction Thor and the Hulk had wrought.
"He's too adorable for his own good. We're all rather fond of him."
"I always knew you had a soft spot for animals," Clint says, only to get an elbow in the ribs.
They search every nook and cranny of the are, making soft calling noises, but they don't find him.
"Should I check the air vents?" Clint offers. "Perhaps he got scared by all the fighting and hid up there?"
"I highly doubt it," Natasha says. "But you can try, I guess."
Clint finds the nearest entrance and climbs up.
Several minutes later of methodical searching of the air vents, and Clint still hasn't found a cat.
He has, however, found some strange markings beneath one of his "Clint was here" signatures.
That might have been disturbing, had he the capacity to be even more disturbed than he is already, his time under The Other's control shadowing his thoughts.
Thor is getting extremely desperate now.
He's searched his designated area, and beyond that, and is considering running through the hallways and shouting for his brother, when he hears something behind him, like a flapping of wings.
He turns, his mouth falling open.
"Loki?" He asks. "Why have you caught Huginn?"
The black cat looks up at him, before sitting on his haunches, the equally black raven that is practically as large if not larger than he is still in his jaws.
The raven caws indignantly.
He was spying on us, Loki says, his tone sounding a snarl in Thor's head. And talk in your head, so that he can't hear us!
But isn't spying what he's supposed to do? Thor says pointedly, complying to Loki's request despite not understanding it.
Huginn can't be allowed to report our whereabouts back to Odin!
Thor winces. How come? Hasn't Heimdall probably done so already?
I've shielded us from Heimdall's gaze, Loki answers. I can't do the same for Huginn and Muninn, seeing as they're actually on Midgard. At least Muninn hasn't found us yet...
Why don't you want Odin to know our whereabouts? Thor questions, baffled. Although, I'm not fond of the idea of him knowing what's going on myself...
Odin can't know because he is an old fool, and would no doubt play right into Thanos's plan, Loki snaps.
Thor looks hopeful. You know Thanos's plan?
Loki is saved from having to answer by Tony walking in on their silent conversation.
"Dude!" Tony exclaims, glancing between the god and two black animals. "Why didn't you tell us you'd found him? And why does Kitty have a huge black bird in his mouth?"
"I'm sorry," Thor apologizes. "I lost the gadget you gave me. And that 'huge black bird' is Huginn, who is one of Odin Allfather's two ravens, who fly around Midgard and then tell him what they've seen."
Tony stares for a moment. "Right..." he manages, before telling the others over the intercom that Kitty has been found.
"Why don't we make our way back to the lab," Tony suggests. "And you can better explain there what the hell is going on."
The others are already gathered in the lab when Thor, Tony, and Kitty come in.
"Kitty, this is Clint," Tony introduces, pointing from the cat to the archer, who is sprawled on the couch. "Clint, the cat is Kitty, and he's brought you a feathered friend. Maybe you two can share a nest or something."
"Stark," Natasha says warningly.
Tony just winks at her, remaining unphased.
"Thor will explain, because I have no idea what's up with the bird," Tony says.
Huginn squawks, fluttering his wings as he tries, not for the first time, to escape the cat's hold.
It doesn't work, and he stops, seeming to realized that he is well and truly stuck.
Thor takes a deep breath, trying to figure out how to explain without mentioning that the cat is Loki, knowing that if he does than they none of them will believe him.
Cats are special creatures, Loki offers. Use that as an excuse if you'd like. They're also hunters, and Huginn was practically begging to be caught, swooping down the way he did.
Only that he didn't know he was I was there, and that I would catch him.
If he did know, I would have known, and I wouldn't have caught him in the first place.
Devious beasts, ravens. You can't trust them.
They're quite intelligent, though. And fun to talk to occasionally.
Are you TRYING to make this difficult for me? Thor says, glaring at the cat.
Maybe. Can you find a cage or something? Huginn's feathers taste like bifrost dust. It's not pleasant.
Thor groans audibly, head leaning back to look at the ceiling in exasperation.
I would offer to do the talking, only I'm afraid that wouldn't work out to well.
"Would you stop it?" Thor says, face flushing when he realizes he spoke aloud. "Sorry friends," he apologizes as the humans look glance at each other, trying to figure out which one of them was doing something to annoy the god.
I would be facepalming right now, only I think it would look suspicious if I did that as a cat. Also Huginn's in my face, so that makes it difficult as well.
Loki, Thor grinds out, in his head this time.
That's my name, yes.
Thor takes a deep, calming breath, closing his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest.
"Dude are you alright?" Tony asks, breaking the silence that he'd deemed awkward. "'Cause you look like you're having an argument inside your head."
"You're more correct than you might think," Thor mutters, opening his eyes. "I am truly sorry. I simply know not where to start."
"Well, why don't you start by telling them what you told me," Tony suggests, ever helpful. "You know, about it being Hogun or whatever."
"Huginn," Thor corrects. "It's Old Norse, probably the equivalent to your English word 'thought.' Hogun is actually a comrade of mine."
"Go on," Natasha prods.
Thor tries to explain.
In the end, they decided it would be best to put the raven in the cage that was meant for the Hulk, nobody having liked the idea of some King of Asgard knowing everything that had gone on there.
Thor had tried talking to Huginn, but the raven had refused to talk while in the cat's jaws.
"Whatever happened to you wanting to save your brother?" Steve asks Thor curiously, as he, Bruce and Tony parade to the cage, Kitty still holding the bird. (Natasha had stayed behind with Clint, the man still recovering.)
Thor purses his lips, eyes darting away. "He's communicated with me, in my head," Thor admits. "At the present moment, Loki doesn't need saving."
"Really? What's the guy up to?" Tony asks, joining in the conversation, like always.
"I'm afraid I cannot tell you," Thor says. "He's made me swear to secrecy."
"Boohoo," Tony pouts.
"You don't think there's anything important we should know?" Bruce inquires reasonably.
"You will be informed when the time is right," Thor assures, as they come to the glass cage.
It seems you've gotten better at lying, Loki comments.
It's not lying—it's technically the truth, only missing some minor details, Thor points out.
Lies are often grounded by that which is true. You would do well to remember that, Odinson.
Thor's tries not to shiver at Loki's words, and what they potentially entail. Don't call me that, he says instead.
My my, have you truly joined me in my rebellion?
You are first and foremost my Brother, Loki. If Odin does not acknowledge you as his son, I refuse to acknowledge him as my Father.
Sentiment.
"So you said this raven talks?" Tony says, unknowingly interrupting the brother's internal conversation. "And you're going to attempt conversation with it?"
"Aye," Thor affirms. He gently coaxes the bird from Kitty's jaws, taking Huginn into the cage, Bruce having opened the door.
Huginn perches on Thor's arm, the glass door sliding closed again.
An Agent had lined the cage with towels upon hearing about their plan.
Fury had, for obvious reasons, not been happy at having to house the raven, as well as having the cat.
"Are you all set on having pets?" he'd snapped. "This is a professional operation!"
"We understand," Thor had assured the man. "This is only a temporary measure, I promise."
Fury had nonetheless stalked off grumbling.
But who could argue with a god?
Especially one who was well over six feet tall, ridiculously ripped, was impervious to bullets, and carried around a magical hammer and sword.
Huggin chatters at the thunder god.
"Huginn wants your words that you will not drop him several thousand feet in this glass cage," Thor relays.
"He can have it," Tony shrugs. "Ravens have to have civil rights too, I'm sure."
"I don't think anyone will drop him," Steve says, Bruce nodding.
The raven eyes them with its beady black eyes, before turning back to Thor, its feathers puffing up as it caws at him.
Kitty watches, the tip of his tail twitching.
Thor frowns at the raven. "I don't understand how Odin can put up with you," he says.
Kitty sneezes.
"You know, I think I wish I could understand what the bird's saying," Tony chuckles, watching with obvious interest as the thunder god talks to the raven, looking every bit a deranged person.
The long blond hair and Renaissance Fair outfit certainly didn't help either.
"Find out everything you wanted to know?" Natasha asks, as four men return to the lab, Kitty riding on Steve's shoulder.
Bruce immediately heads over to open a can of cat food (not tuna) while he mumbles to himself about severe malnourishment.
The cat leaps easily from the soldier's shoulder to the table, beginning to eat the food before Bruce can spoon it out onto a dish, causing the doctor to sigh in exasperation.
"No," Thor answers, absently watching Kitty eat. "Huginn hadn't found The Other's lair."
Why didn't you let Huginn be, so he could follow the aircraft back to their base? Thor asks Loki.
The cat doesn't look up, doesn't even twitch a muscle.
Even if he'd managed to follow them there and bring the information to Odin, what would the old man have done with it? It surely wouldn't have benefit us.
Besides, Huginn agreed to help me with something.
I don't suppose you're going to tell me what that is, are you?
Not a chance.
Having finished the food, Kitty looks up, meowing at Bruce.
That man obediently gets him another can.
I like these humans.
Loki... Thor starts, frowning, only to shake his hair into his face as Loki's light laughter rings through his head.
Um... not too bad, I hope? (You know, I do my author notes in bold to differentiate it from the story, but now that I'm doing Thor's thoughts in bold...)
But I am extremely grateful to all you readers for your amazing support! :D And I am so, so sorry I didn't get around to replying to all your reviews D: I got rather distracted... by the videos of Tom as Loki at Comic Con, which a couple of you lovely people told me about... oh my gods, he's AMAZING! O_O I watched the videos of him over, and over, and over, and ended up with a one-shot idea I just had to write, so I wrote and posted that fic right before I started writing this chapter. The story's titled "Call Him Loki" if you're interested :)
Please let me know what you think of the chapter? And/or you can rant about the awesomeness that is Tom Hiddleston cosplaying as Loki at Comic Con. I'm totally open to ranting ;3