Author's Note: Hello again! Do you guys listen to The Features? I listened to them while writing this chapter. They're really good. Really great background music for writing. I just love 'em.
Anyway, I'll stop rambling. Rest assured, this is still not the end. I'm planning on at least two, maybe three more chapters after this one. I can't believe how close we are... I'm really, truly going to miss writing this story. Thank you so much for sticking with me so far! Hope you like this latest addition! I think you will...
Chapter Fourteen: I've Been Looking for You
Sága busied herself by removing the leather straps from about her arms and legs as they waited for Tony and Bruce to return. The latter had not seemed particularly thrilled at the prospect of borrowing Tony's clothes; but as the waistband of his pants had been pulled to shreds and his shirt was in a pile of useless scraps somewhere in downtown Manhattan, he didn't have much choice. Fortunately the two were about the same size, and Natasha mentioned that Stark maintained a number of different wardrobes for different occasions—though how she was aware of such information, Sága didn't really want to know—so a single set of clothes would be no great loss.
As the restrictive leather fell away, Sága heaved a sigh of relief. She had taken up wearing this preliminary armor during the past year as a precaution. Without her voice, she could not don her own armor nor wield her sword. It left her uncomfortably vulnerable, and she had come up with this as a way to quell her father's concerns. She hadn't realized how much she missed the freedom of her magic. With a grin, she considered lighting the pile of leather and iron aflame.
She soon thought better of it, not particularly wanting to explain such actions to the others. She stretched her arms far above her head, fighting back the tension that had begun to settle in her shoulders. As she shook out her arms, she realized she had forgotten Bruce's jacket back at the warehouse.
She glanced out through the window; it was still there, in the bottom of the crater they had left in the center of the mess they had made from the roof.
She could hear Bruce and Tony still arguing over clothes, and none of the others were paying her any mind (except for Loki, whose eyes kept darting over to her from time to time). She could be there and back without anyone noticing she had even gone.
With a grin, she pulled a bit more magic from the Tesseract, able to handle a larger dose now that she wasn't feeling quite so weak. Yes, that would be more than enough. She opened her mouth and closed her eyes.
She felt the ground shift beneath her feet, and looked down to see the stones and metal beams. She scrambled over bricks, snatching up the jacket and slipping it on as she caught the sound of police sirens nearby. Oops… Is it really 6:00 already?
She laughed, letting the sound wrap around her as she vanished, mere moments before an officer would enter the warehouse.
Just as she suspected, no one noticed her disappearance except for Loki, who watched her reappear with a furrowed brow. She just shrugged, not quite in the mood to explain herself to him right now.
Thankfully, Bruce and Tony were ready very shortly after.
Sága felt heat rise to her cheeks as they stepped into the room, feeling particularly grateful to Stark. Bruce looked…really good in dark colors, and clothes that actually fit him. He caught the way she was looking at him for a moment, before dropping his eyes and nervously rolling up the sleeves.
"So, uh… We're really doing this, then?" he asked.
"For the hundredth time, yes," Stark affirmed. "We can all fit in the Escalade. Come on."
Bruce sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "It's not about the fit, Tony! We can't just… What're we gonna do with him?" He gestured toward Loki, and everyone turned to look at the god of mischief. He had not left his spot on the floor, and was glaring at all of them with unconcealed hatred.
Thor strode forward, twirling his hammer in his hand. "My brother won't be going anywhere," he assured them. There was time enough for Loki to roll his eyes in clear annoyance, and then he was flat on his back, Mjolnir resting on his chest.
Sága raised a fist to her mouth, struggling to conceal a laugh. Tony didn't bother concealing his. "There, see? Problem solved. Let's go."
Bruce opened his mouth, struggling to find another excuse for why this was a bad idea. Sága didn't give him a chance, stepping over to him and taking his hand in hers. "Come on, I'm hungry," she told him, beginning to pull him to the elevator. He followed with a sigh, but laced his fingers through hers anyway.
"Gee, why didn't I think of that?" Tony muttered as the rest of them crammed into the service elevator.
They rode over in silence, all staring out the windows at the destruction, dreading the months—if not years—of cleanup to come.
The "joint" Tony had found them was surprisingly still operational, though an entire wall had been blown out. The husband and wife who owned the place were solemnly trying to clean the place up and put it back together; but when they spotted the ragged band of warriors, they ushered them in excitedly, praising and thanking them profusely and offering their food for free.
Shawarma was a strange-looking meal, but Sága found it to be a savory and delicious combination of flavors. They all ate quickly and wordlessly, and probably much more than the owners had expected them to. Rather than be annoyed, however, they seemed delighted that the "Avengers" were so pleased with the food.
As they prepared to leave, Sága went up to the wife and asked if she could have two to go.
"What, can't get enough?" Tony teased, but she just shrugged.
"Loki will need to eat as well."
That did not go over well. Barton and Rogers were adamant that they did not owe him anything, and that he did not deserve to be fed. Sága and Thor asserted that, though a prisoner, he must still be treated as a living being.
Surprising everyone, Natasha placed a hand on Barton's arm and told him she thought Sága was right. "You're right, Clint; he doesn't deserve it. But we can't let him starve. And anyway, you saw him. He looks like shit."
Barton frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "Fine. But I sure as Hell am not feeding him."
During the ride back, they discussed who would take Loki his food. Sága, of course, because it was clear he would not dream of trying to hurt her. Thor would also go, as only he could lift Mjolnir. Bruce, also, volunteered to go. After the beating Hulk had given him, it was unlikely that Loki would dare try to oppose him.
The others got off the elevator at a different floor, Tony telling them that there were a few guest rooms that hadn't been damaged that they could use. He pointed them out to the three who continued traveling up to the top floor, for their use once they finished with Loki.
Loki watched them approach, looking bored, and clearly not having moved from under the hammer. Thor strode forward and lifted Mjolnir, returning it to its side.
Seeing the hate burning in Loki's eyes, Sága placed a hand on Thor's arm and said softly, "Perhaps it would be better for you to wait outside, my prince."
Thor looked heartbroken, but saw the sense in her words and went out to the balcony to watch as the city began to pull itself together after the attack.
Bruce stood off to the side with his arms crossed, watching Loki's every movement.
Sága knelt beside him, passing her hands over his bonds and muzzle, releasing him. "We brought you something to eat," she told him, holding out the bag of food and helping him to sit up.
He ate in silence, and she did not speak either, choosing to just sit and listen to the sounds of the city below. Eventually, Loki set aside the plastic knife and fork, keeping his eyes trained on the food as he addressed her. "I see you've met your beast, Sághildr."
She frowned. "Do not call him that; he is more a man than anyone I have ever known." She bit her lip as he winced. She had not meant that as an attack on him, though he clearly interpreted it as such. Before she could open her mouth to apologize, Loki nodded and spoke again.
"And I take it that the two of you share some…affection?"
"We do," Bruce answered for her with a growl.
She looked up at him and blushed, pleasantly surprised that he admitted it so readily. "Yes, we do." Bruce's gaze softened as he looked at her with that crooked grin of his. "Someday, when we are able to speak freely with each other, I will tell you all about it. That is, unless they have your mouth sewn shut again," she teased, hoping Loki would take the bait.
When he glanced up at her with a smirk, she knew he had. "You remember that?"
She laughed softly. "Of course I do! How could I possibly have forgotten finding you, knocking on my door, eyes wide and lips sewn together? Oh, how you glared when I laughed!"
He even gave a bit of a chuckle. "No one else would even consider cutting me free. It was worth it, though."
She smiled, thinking of how he had held out Sif's golden hair to her, and how they had never stopped teasing her when it grew back black as night. "I still have it, you know? Her hair. In my trunk at home."
"Do you really?" He laughed. "I would not have thought you would keep such an obscene token."
She pulled her knees up to her chest, tucking them under her chin. "Of course I kept it. After all you went through, just to get her back for what she said to me… That was the first time someone ever defended me. We were so young, then…" She hesitated, closing her eyes, and whispered, "What happened?"
Loki was silent for a long time, and she did not think he would answer her. She started collecting his trash, and made to stand before he spoke up. "I suppose that I missed you, Sága. Everyone knows; you were always the best part of me. I am…truly lost without you."
She sighed, rising slowly to her feet and going to throw his trash away. As she returned, he held out his hands, allowing her to replace his bonds without struggle.
Before she could muzzle him again, he asked her a last question, keeping his eyes on the floor. "Will you ever be able to forgive me for what I've done?"
She fell to her knees beside him, trying not to let herself cry. "Oh, Loki… I already have. You are my friend, and I love you; and if you even have to ask such a thing, then I have done a very poor job of showing it. It should be me asking for your forgiveness, that I could not keep you from such despair."
He looked up at her, and there were tears in his eyes, something she had only very rarely seen from him. "I do not deserve you," he whispered.
Slowly, she raised her hand to his mouth, replacing his muzzle. "Perhaps not. But you're stuck with me."
She rose on unsteady legs, and called out to Thor, who stepped back inside and took Loki by the arm, pulling him up to his feet. "He will stay the night in my chambers," Thor promised, gripping his hammer. Sága nodded, and watched them step into the elevator.
She covered her face with a hand as the elevator doors closed, suddenly feeling very tired. Immediately, Bruce's arms were around her, pulling her close, and she tucked her face into the crook of his neck. God, he was so warm…
"Are you alright?" he murmured into her hair.
She nodded. "I am now. Thank you, Bruce." He kissed her forehead softly, and she stayed pressed against him for several minutes.
Eventually, reluctantly, she pulled away from him. "We should head downstairs," she suggested, and he nodded, taking her hand and leading her into the elevator.
They rode down in silence, and walked together to one of the rooms Tony had told them about. She knocked on the door and, receiving no reply, opened it to make sure it was unoccupied.
"A-alright, well, uh…goodnight, I guess, and I'll just see you in the mor—" Bruce began, but she held onto his hand and pulled him back to her and into the room.
"Where do you think you're going?" she breathed, and placed her lips on his.
He responded immediately, kicking the door closed and running his tongue along her lips. She opened her mouth to him, moaning as his tongue wrestled against hers, his hands frantically trying to push his blazer off of her shoulders. She reluctantly removed her fingers from his hair, shucking the jacket quickly so she could wrap her arms around his neck. She pulled him even closer, and moaned as his big, warm hands slid beneath her tunic, running along the smooth skin of her sides.
He pulled away first, gasping for breath as he rested his forehead against hers. She closed her eyes, relishing in the feel of his breath against her cheeks.
"I didn't want to assume…" he murmured softly, and she laughed breathlessly. His hands hadn't stopped moving, and it was making it hard to think. She was overcome with a desire to run her fingers through the hair on his chest once more, and she gripped the collar of his shirt.
"Assume away," she told him, pulling the shirt open with force, the buttons clattering to the floor as she pushed it open and placed her hands on his exposed skin. He growled, pinning her up against the wall as he placed his lips on hers again.
Afterward, they lay tangled together in the bed, her head on his chest and his hand running through her hair. It was dusk outside, and the first stars were beginning to shine through the window, the soft light casting a gentle glow about the room.
Sága couldn't remember ever feeling so safe or so…happy.
Eventually, the hand in her hair stilled. She assumed it meant that he had fallen asleep, and she nuzzled her face against his chest with a contented sigh. But then he took a deep breath, and whispered, "Where have you been all my life?"
She glanced up at him with a grin, and kissed him softly before resuming her spot just above his heart. "I've been looking for you."
He pulled her even closer, pulling the covers higher. Exhausted, they drifted off to sleep.