I'M SO SORRY! It's been too long huh… I've been partying and seeing family all over Texas. Our form of protest (Words from my uncle) But now I'm back and hopefully you all are still with me for this book! Sadly Clint is a bit of a dick for now. Don't know what i'm gonna do with him yet. But he does help the story move on so…
-cluelessreader
Chapter 18
Tony's eyes traveled to the object, a blinking red light tipped him off on exactly what was just shot at them.
"Move! Now!" Tony yelled, pulling Pepper while Thor reached for Loki. The group ran just in time as a bright light flashed behind them, the resounding boom proving Tony's theory.
Someone shot an exploding arrow at them. And Tony knew exactly who shot it.
Standing above them from an empty balcony stood the hawk in his nest.
"Clint…"
Two different things were going through Tony at that moment. A happiness that one of his friends he hadn't seen in a while is back… and fear. Because that certain friend has good reason to want Loki dead.
Tony's eyes looked around, catching Pepper on the ground behind him. Her gaze trained on the archer. Thor and Valkyrie were across the square from him, weapons ready in hand. Thor's ax only half-raised though, clearly not okay with the idea of harming a friend. Loki was standing beside Thor, a faint glow of green barley visible radiating from his hands. Clearly seeing Thor's apprehension of fighting Clint.
"Hey, buddy! How- how have you ah…"
"You can shut up now. Stark."
"Ouch. I thought we were friends' bird brain!"
Clint only rolled his eyes, locked in another arrow into the bow. "Why is he even breathing right now."
Thor flinched.
"Were Avengers right! He's the bad guy! We let him go last time… I'm not making that mistake again." A dangerous glint was in the archer's eyes.
"Look, Clint. This looks bad but-"
"Yea! This does look bad! Because it is bad!" Clint pulled back, ready to let another arrow fly.
Tony was sure he wouldn't miss.
Holding his hands out, like Clint was a cornered animal, he walked forward a bit. "Legolas, there's more to the story then what we thought we knew."
"Who is that?" Tony heard a small voice ask Thor.
"Who am I? Who am I!?" Clint was getting angrier by the second. "You fucking prick."
"He's just a boy. He has no memory of-" Thor tried to defend.
"Oh, I'll fucking make him remember!" Clint jumped from the balcony to the next below him, then jumped down to the ground. Landing perfectly. His clothes were dark, but Tony could see many areas where knives or a gun could be hidden. Natasha was always the better one at hiding weapons on her person then Clint, in Tony's opinion. But knowing that weapons were on him at all, made him want to be extra careful.
"He fucking used me! Forced me to kill my fellow S.H.I.E.L.D agents! My friends! And because he doesn't remember, that makes it okay!?" Clint raged out.
Tony started stepping closer to Loki. He doesn't know what he would do… but he would feel better if he, Thor, and Valkyrie were near the kid.
"He doesn't remember clint. Leave him alone." Tony spoke.
Clint only huffed out a humorless laugh, still walking slowly closer to Loki. "He doesn't remember… if he doesn't fucking remember then why don't you fucking tell him!" his gaze shifted back to the child.
"Or better yet. I'll fucking tell him."
Instantly Thor raised his ax, Tony held out his hand, and Valkyrie lifted her sword.
"It would be wise for you to step away hawkeye," Thor warned.
"Better listen, Clint." Tony spoke as he finally stepped to the Asgardians.
Valkyrie only watched on but her gaze did shift to Loki now and then.
"Or what. What are you going to do?" Clint looked to Loki. A gaze full of hate reached the fearful emerald green eyes of the kid.
"Did you know you came to the earth before? That you and I met the night you got here?"
"Hawkeye." Thor tried to intervene.
"Or what about how you took over my mind with a spear!? And then destroyed a whole S.H.I.E.L.D base! And took over so many other good people! Running their minds and lives!"
"Stop it!" Valkyrie yelled out.
"Let's not forget about the town in New Mexico you leveled cause you got made at dear dad for making Thor king and not you. And the fact that you went on a rampage and tried to destroy your real home."
"Stop talking bird brain!"
"But you don't know about that huh? That you're not even Thor's real brother!"
That was clearly all Thor could handle. Cause Clint got a face full of angry Asgardian god fist. "You shall cease your speaking!" The god didn't stop as the pair tumbled to the ground. Clint reached to his side, using all his skill to not get hit again, and pulled out one of the 'hidden' knives. He slashed but some puny knife wasn't gonna take down Thor. He'd been stabbed many times in battle and by Loki himself in play. Thor could handle a knife.
The two rolled around, close combat not a fan favorite of Clint's, but brute force something Thor had no problem using.
"Why are you even defending that thing!? He's not even your brother! You said so yourself!"
"Shut up!"
"But I'm not wrong damn it!"
Tony and Valkyrie watched on, Pepper was standing again but stayed by the hall doors eyes glued to the fight.
"Stop protecting that piece of shit!"
"Watch how to speak of my brother-"
"Not your brother though!"
Tony didn't have his suit on him, how the hell was he supposed to stop the two idiots from fighting. He just didn't know-how… The two didn't even fight like trained anything, it was a straight out street brawl.
Valkyrie leaned over to him. "Do we do something?"
"Honestly… I have no idea." Tony had a hand on his face, Valkyrie looked ready to join the fight. Sword in hand but for whatever reason, she didn't.
"Alright, you two. Knock it off!" Tony finally had enough. "Pointbreak! Legolas!" He didn't really have a plan but he had to do something. But that something didn't seem to be working. Neither of the two men were listening.
"Stay out of this Stark!" Clint yelled at him, dodging a left hook from Thor.
"Not happening, Barton."
Clint sidestepped Thor, and a carefully placed kick later, Thor went crashing into Tony.
"That's it!" Tony yelled, completely fed up with everything. He may not have his suit but he knew how to take a hit and return it.
"Why are you protecting him!?" Clint yelled to no one imparticular.
"Because he's my brother!" Thor answered.
"No, he's not!"
Tony was in the thick of it, ready to finally land a hit on the dumb bird brain, a strong wind from god knows where blew by each man. Clint and Tony fell while Thor stayed standing, not surprising.
"What is that man talking about." The kid asked. Fear and confusion in his piercing green gaze.
"Loki! Brother don't listen to-"
"Answer me, Thor." The kid demanded. "I knew something was going on, or something was wrong. Since September!"
The two men behind Thor only stayed quite. Tony watched on in worry but still saw Clint carefully loading an arrow into his bow, but not drawing it yet.
"Loki… what he says isn't-"
"Don't lie to me!" Magic blasted from Loki. The faint green from before now bright and visible.
"Brother I'm not lying!"
"Oh shut up Thor! Tell him the truth!" Tony yelled. Every one of the avengers knew the basics of what Loki was. What Tony didn't know was that Loki still didn't know. "You've told us before that what your parents did was a mistake! Don't make it again."
Loki looked to Tony. "You… you knew this too?"
Shit. "Look, kid. This wasn't mine to tell. And I thought Thor had already told you by now!" He defended.
Loki's eyes narrowed and Tony could swear the kid was looking into his soul. When the kid didn't sense any lie, he looked back at his big brother. "Tell me. The truth."
"I- Brother please…"
"Please what!? 'Please don't make me tell you the truth' when apparently this was an issue before!" Loki yelled out. The magic only grew brighter.
"Say it, Thor! Just tell him already!" Valkyrie pitched in.
The kid turned around quickly. Eyes laced with betrayal. Well… more betrayal. "You too?"
"He told me a while ago. If he can tell me then I know he can tell you too." She easily directed at Thor. "I'm sorry Lakey. I wanted to tell you too. But as Stark said, I can't be the one to tell you that." Valkyrie sincerely apologized.
Tony was sure she meant it but it didn't look like the kid was happy. Loki turned to face Thor, tears welling in his green eyes.
"Brother, you're not… you're not from Asgard." Thor started. Loki's gaze widened but he did stay quiet.
"During the war with the Jotuns… their king Laufey had finally fallen and Odin had found a temple. When he walked in he found a child. An abandoned youngling, small for a Jotuns child. He picked up the child and the magic within the baby instantly reacted and shifted his body to that of an Asgardian. He adopted it and brought it back home…"
Loki was listening, his gaze fixed on the ground. "The snowy day. The magic of the Jotuns brought snow to Asgard. It rarely snows in Asgard… but it was snowing when I was born."
"Yes, Loki… During the war, because of the casket of ancient winters, snow spread to some of the nine realms. When Father brought you back and I met you, it was snowing…"
"A-and what of what this man says. About being in Midgard before." Loki asked, a slight tremor in his voice.
"Yea Thor. Don't forget to tell him about that!" Clint yelled from behind Tony. He really wanted to punch him in the face but at least Barton wasn't shooting anymore.
Thor sighed but nodded. "During my coronation, Jotuns got into the palace."
"What! How!?" Loki yipped, eyes snapping up to Thor.
Thor looked as nervous as a sinner in church. "They got there because of- well… because of you…" The kid almost got a word out but Thor kept talking. "You opened a portal that Heimdall couldn't see. Three got in, close to stealing the casket, but the destroyer got to them before they could escape. When the Jotuns attacked, I got so angry! My naive mind wanted revenge and Father just said to leave it alone. But with some words from you, I got an idea to go to Jotunheim and fight myself. Me, you, and the warriors three and Sif. You had gone off for a bit for some reason but I didn't even notice at the time. It turns out you were telling a guard about my plan. You had hoped they would stop us before getting to the Bifrost at all."
"But that didn't happen… did it?"
The tall blonde only nodded his head. "As always… the guard didn't listen to you, and so we were in Jotunheim. I spoke to King Laufey and you tried to get me to leave. Which I didn't do. One of them called me a princess… and my rage got the best of me. We fought and a Jotun grabbed you. But instead of it burning and killing your skin… it started turning blue."
Loki's eyes drifted to his hands, as did Tony's. Both seemed to expect his skin to change right then and there.
"It didn't last long, for you stabbed the Jotun and once the contact ended your skin returned to its normal color. Father came with the Bifrost and got us all out. We argued and I got banished to Midgard."
"Why would he banish you!? How could he-"
"It was necessary Loki. Everything you ever said about me was right. I was cruel, brash, hard-headed, arrogant, and acted like a child. Not a king. My banishment taught me this."
"I would never… how could I call you those horrible-"
"I know you thought it, even at your age now brother." Loki's eyes widened, a faint blush on his cheeks. "Even when you were young… you knew my flaws. And kept on trying to tell me the error in my ways but I only followed what my friends said. That I was right and that you were wrong. That I was the best and that you… that you were just jealous of me."
"When I was banished, Odin fell into Odin's sleep. Making you the king. But instantly, no one listened to you. The warriors three and Sif left to find me. Even after you banned the use of the Bifrost. You formed a plan to kill Laufey, to prove yourself to father. And… and it worked. You froze Heimdall since he betrayed your order. And you let in some Jotuns. Laufey included. Lead them to fathers chamber, but then you slew him. To keep me and my friends busy, you sent the destroyer to Midgard. To a town in New Mexico. We fought it and it destroyed most of the town. And it killed me."
"What!?" Loki exclaimed. Terror easily read in his face.
"But it was necessary Loki! I swear it! For my sacrifice made me worthy again! It helped me learn the error of my ways. With Mjolnir returned, I came back to Asgard. Heimdall freed himself and was able to beam me back. We fought… and you planned to destroy all of Jotuinhim. You set the bifrost to the realm and froze it in place."
"I- but- it's one of the nine realms! What was I thinking… that would have destroyed the balance of the realms!" Loki stuttered out.
"That's true, and I know you weren't in your right mind if you were planning on destroying a whole realm. I destroyed the Bifrost to save the Jotuns. In the blast, we both fell off the edge of the broken bridge. But father caught my leg, I grabbed his staff and held you with that. You said that you could have done it, that you did it for him and everyone. But he… he didn't share the sentiment. He said two words. No Loki. and your face lost all emotion. And… and you let go of Gungnir. Falling into the void."
"I tried to- but that would disgrace- it… why?" Loki tried to understand.
"I know not why… just that you let go. And I lost you. We thought you dead when you appeared on Midgard a year later."
"So I was on Midgard?"
Thor shook his head. "No. You just appeared thereafter a year using the tesseract."
"And you killed S.H.I.E.L.D agents and took over the minds of people and stole the tesseract!" Clint told.
Loki looked to Thor, still listening to the stories that Thor didn't want to tell.
"Aye. It's true. You appeared at a S.H.I.E.L.D base. Taking the tesseract and from its power, destroying the base itself. You took a few people with you. One being Clint," He motioned to the man behind Tony. "And the other being one of my friends, someone I met during my time on Midgard the year before."
"I don't have that ability… how in the nine did I take over people?"
"You showed with a staff, in it was the mind stone."
"An infinity stone!? I thought they were a myth! Stories father told us in class!"
Thor laughed a bit. "You were actually in possession of two stones turns out."
Loki gaped. "No way! No one has ever held more than one infinity stone at a time! They would die if they did!"
"Well… you didn't die, brother. You held both space and mind in new york. And we all recently witnessed someone wielding all 6 stones."
"I had two stones…" Loki marveled.
"Hey! Hey! This isn't 'praise Loki for holding two stones' time this is 'telling him the horrible things he did' time." Clint said darkly.
Tony rolled his eyes but stayed quiet. Thor was still talking.
"You went into hiding for a bit. But then made a… a showy entrance to the mortals. You were in Germany and had attacked a man for something Clint needed-"
"When I was under control!"
"Right. When he was under your control… you showed your power and ordered the mortals to kneel to you. When one didn't you almost killed him with the mind stone. But one of the Avengers blocked it in time. Captain America fought you and Iron man joined in, blasting you back. You gave up and fell into their custody."
"Captain America? Iron man?" Loki turned to Tony. Shit. "the man you were fighting with before, that was the captain right?"
Oh right. Loki was there. "Yea. That's right kid."
"And he's Iron man!" Clint chimed in.
"Yes. I am. Now shut up bird brain." Tony snipped back. "Technically you and Rogers fought. I just arrested you. At the time I thought you were just all talk no bite. But turns out it was a part of your plan. Thor landed on the jet we were in, and kind of stole you from us. Which got us into a huge fight. Which you just watched from the cliff Thor left you on. I had wondered why you didn't try to escape but it's because you wanted to be on the big main jet we were headed to."
"I… I wanted to stay caught?"
"Yep, so you could learn about the avengers up close I think. And so Clint could bust you out, and seriously injure the group. So we wouldn't be able to stand against the real attack you were planning."
"You had me kill so many of my friends and co-workers. But someone got me out of the control you forced me under."
Loki's eyes went back to the ground. Tony hated it. The kid hadn't even done anything to anyone.
"The attack they speak of is an attack on New York. A large city to the mortals. You opened a portal above it and let in the army that you were leading. The attack was hard but one of my shield brothers figured out how to turn off the portal. Tony destroyed their mother ship with some bomb the mortals sent. And you were brought back to Asgard to face your crimes."
"Um, I think you're forgetting when he threw Stark out a window, stabbed you, got destroyed by Hulk, and the fact that the Avengers beat him hardcore," Clint said smugly, a smirk on his face.
"I stabbed you! And threw you out a window!? and what is a Hulk?"
Definitely not something he wanted to talk about with Loki. Thanks, Clint. "Yea. Yea you did. But to be fair I was talking a lot of shit and annoying you. I'm sure lots of people have thought about throwing me out a window. Your past life just had the balls to do it."
"Tony!" Pepper exclaimed. "Not appropriate!"
Tony flinched but did have a small smile on his face. "Sorry. But that was your past life. Not you." His gaze returned to Loki as he kneeled in front of the boy. "I'm not gonna lie. When I first met you and figured out who you were, I reacted badly. But the time spent before we even said each other's names showed me you're not the old you. Your Loki. Not what your past did. You're a new life."
Loki looked up at him, a small hopeful smile on his face.
"Aye brother, you are not defined by your past life. Your you and that's all that matters. Plus you've stabbed me many times. One more isn't going to kill me." Thor chipped in. Placing a hand on Loki's shoulder.
"I knew the Sakaarian Loki, kid. You had something on your shoulder but you still loved your brother. Enough to die for him. That's also a part of your past. You saved the Asgardians and gave them a chance to live. Your past isn't all bad Lakey." Valkyrie said, her arms crossed in front of her chest, a show of aloofness, but her warm gaze told them she did care.
Tony smiled at the scene. He was happy that everyone was able to let what Loki did go, and look forward to the new life he was given.
"How- how can you all be so… so fucking stupid!?"
Alright. All but one.
"Clint-"
"No! Shut up Stark!"
"You're just angry! And I get it! You probably lost something and you need to take out your anger on-"
"I lost everything, I'm done with things being done to me." Clint's dark gaze went to the bow in his hand. Tony, Thor, and Valkyrie feeling the tension building in the air, slowly stood up. Effectively forming a circle around the kid.
"It's about time I start to take. It's my turn to do things to evil people." Faster than Tony could see, Clint held up his bow, locked in an arrow, and pointed it at Loki.
"And you are evil."
The arrow shot. But then… stopped?
Tony moved his eyes, seeing the kids hand held out. Green forming around it and the arrow. It was inches away from him. Tony not even see it get that close at all.
"I knew you would do that," Clint said with a grin. "You caught it before too."
Tony at first didn't understand… till the arrow blew up.