I didn't feel like this chapter had enough at the end so I added a bit more.
He knew what would happen if he got caught. It was inevitable. At some point he didn't care. Anything was better than doing nothing so he didn't hesitate. When an opportunity revealed itself, he ceased it. He should've expected he wouldn't get far considering his luck these days.
It was like Thanos was waiting for him. Remembering that little conversation they'd had upon their arrival. He made well on his promise to beat him within an inch of his life. So close to freedom yet so far. He left Loki in a twisted bloody heap on the floor where he remained until his servants retrieved him. A deep gash across his temple with a cracked eye socket, broken back and numerous other bones.
Thanos wasn't too happy about the situation. He didn't understand. It would be in his best interest to wise up. Figuring he'd at least be smart enough to realize there was no escaping this place.
Day 8
Loki woke up with a splitting headache and audible wheeze in his chest. His throat was dry and sticking, lips cracked from dehydration. The scent of antiseptic burned his nose, hazing over any depictions his mind could manifest. His eyes remained closed, taking in the feeling.
It didn't take long for him to realize he was attached to machines. There was a thin hose running under his nose providing fresh oxygen. The other line running down his throat was less welcomed and as he regained consciousness it became noticeable. His brows towt as he attempted to make peace with this uneasiness.
Loki groaned as his forgotten senses braced his weakened state. He attempted to move but some other force prevented him from doing so. He quickly realized it was a hand holding him in place keeping him from wriggling against the cot.
"Easy big guy, there's a hole in your lung. It's stitched but shallow breaths." A voice cooed, sounding strangely friendly but to him as mere echo. His body roared with a fiery intensity with each inhale. Seconds rolled on as each breath became more troublesome to manage and even more agonizing to maintain. His eyes squeezed tight until the feeling passed, which it never really did.
It felt like he was spiraling. He laid there digging into the recesses of his mind for an explanation, finding it harder than he'd like to admit to stay grounded. He remembered letting go and that monster picking him up, claiming to be some sort of savior. Then his captures and mistreatment. His muscles seized at the thought. Thanos' ugly mug was seared into his mind. He remembered what happened. His aching body reminded him so. He grit his teeth. His breathing ragged as the memory of his failed escape plagued him.
Suddenly there was a prick in his neck so insignificant he didn't notice. Within moments the pain died down into something tolerable. He didn't question the sudden relief, silently thanking the source whatever it was. His sole focus became breathing, taking in slow shallow inhales.
Loki took a chance and even though his face was still swollen he cracked his eyes open. The right was near sealed shut still he managed to pry it open. It took a moment to clear his vision, not that there was much to see. Just another dark place, only this one was littered with strange lights and apparatuses.
Things that would set most on edge but he didn't think anything of it. They were mere discolored blurs in the distance. A tinge of pink and green isolated in jars on shelves mounted on the wall. Many of these chilling details within the room were a miss just accepted, never really setting in. Given he'd woken up under these circumstances; confined to a bed, no clue what lurks beside him. All in all everything considered he was unbothered.
"It's about time you woke up." He noticed the feminine tone. His eyes wavered lazily towards the utterance, finding it hard to focus on the figure sitting beside him. Only able to make out the silhouette of a woman. Her back was turned to him and for a moment he believed it was his mother, Frigga tending to him.
Her hair was long and was tied back similar to hers only darker. He shuddered at the thought of being home. Although he knew it was too good to be true. That flicker of hope burning inside of him was a fickle flame, smoldering embers holding onto that slim chance. Something inside of him was tearing apart. He knew better, claiming to be a being of logic he knew never to get his hopes up. More often than not, things never tend to work out for him.
Loki blinked long, as if this whole experience was a dream. Despair brimming the surface. Unfortunately like most simple pleasures this misconception was soon snuffed away by the realization that he'd never left this place. His eyes dulled as dread replaced this smidge of hope. Loki appeared lifeless as he shifted his gaze to the wall, his eyes adjusting to the darkness. He didn't speak, not that he would have much to say.
This waking state was unwelcomed, as was this place. His beaten form was graced with shooting pains. Brow towt as with each breath radiated with discomfort. His back was stiff from laying here for who knows how long. He doubted he could lift his head without sending a flurry of pain throughout.
"That's a scary look." She spoke again; observing him, hoping to gain a ruse out of him. Loki didn't speak, he didn't even blink, just traced the cracks in the wall. Each inhale, calculated and more heavenly than the last. The air here was different; it tasted sweet, clean. Something they starved him of since his arrival.
"I bet you're thirsty." She reached for a pitcher and it might be his mind playing tricks on him but he could have sworn he heard the sound of ice chips clacking together. This caught his attention. Not only because he was thirsty but the fact that there were amenities it was clear this place was better off than he imagined. They had clean water and still chose to give him whatever they fished out of a gutter somewhere. How cruel he thought, although he wasn't surprised. He tried to resist the temptation yet his dry throat and dehydrated body knew it needed it. He glared at her, wary of her intentions. His eyes told it all; bloodshot, exhausted and angry. Quite the intimidating look but it didn't work on her.
"Oh please if I wanted to poison you I would've done it in your sleep. I don't understand why he wants you but you're only valuable alive."
He didn't budge, still he didn't resist either as she tilted the cup to his lips. It was just water but to him it tasted like sweet nectar he'd been deprived of. Instinctively siphoning it down until there was nothing left. As she expected. She was quick to replenish it although Loki took a minute to catch his breath. Instantly regretting his greediness. His eyes closed, stifling the urge to cough but failing as it blossomed in harsh expulsions that wracked his body. The pain crept across his face as he struggled to steady himself. She waited patiently for him but it seemed that much was enough to exhaust him.
She narrowed her brow, her appearance shrouded by the darkness. No matter how many she saves. It never got any easier. Tending to these poor unfortunate souls. She eyed Loki with pity. His body was weak, the fact that he woke up astounded her.
She thumbed his bruised temple ever so lightly to confirm her suspicions. The fracture was still healing, and tender. Loki instantly pulled away from her touch as agonizing as it was. She backed off the moment as his eyes snapped open again, glaring towards her silhouette with fiery intensity.
She couldn't blame him, waking up in a strange place in pain and unable to make out your surroundings. She sighed. It was a never ending cycle.
He watched as the shadow of her arm reached up for a tiny metal cord above him. The little lamp above sparked with warm light just enough to illuminate the room and each other. She wasn't at all what he expected. Her skin was pale orange with a red blushing hue with dark purple almost black hair, nothing too out of the ordinary. He half expected another horrendous beast with teeth and claws hanging over him.
Although his eyes had trouble adjusting to the light and even with his vision blurry he could tell there was something off about this girl. The way she presented herself was slacked and laid back. Not at all like the rest of these underlings. She seemed odd. The way she sat on her stool practically hunched over, feet on her seat with her knees to the sky like a child. Her lips were pursed in thought as she scrutinized a tablet in her hand and sighed, flicking the image of a skeleton with her fingertip.
"Your body's in bad shape." She sighed, taking in a deep yawn before rubbing her eyes. Although it was still too dark to tell, there were prominent bags carved under her eyes. She got up and stretched.
"You're lucky to be alive." She said, stepping closer to him. She stood above the light which became the only thing he could see, his eyes taking their sweet time adjusting. His head was throbbing but it was obvious this was their idea of an infirmary. A bit grueling and primitive but he expected worse. Luck huh, is this what it feels like? What a sick joke, if his lungs weren't burning he'd manage a spiteful laugh. His dead eyes fell on her with an intensity that could kill. Something she was used to.
"They treat you better if you cooperate. It's not that bad, you know, working for them." She expected another bout of silence, beginning to wonder if he'd ever speak then he took her by surprise. His cold eyes, staring back at her.
"Is that the lie you tell yourself?" Loki said, his voice hoarse and wavering.
A placid smile crept across her lips not that he could see it. "Among other things." She admitted. You do what you have to in order to survive. It'd been so long since she thought about it. Her life, her place, is here now. The faded memory of her past has become tattered and bloodstained. Something she could never go back to, he made sure of that.
She was just starting out in life when he came to her home. Everything ahead of her, intelligence unparalleled and skilled in her trade. Thanos gave her a new purpose, bringing her under his wing. She had a gift, something he could use to benefit his cause. He told her she was lucky to be spared. After a while she'd imprinted that reality in her mind, taken away while she watched her world burn so far out of reach. She believed her will was strong too and although she disobeyed for a while. Even that was taken away from her. It's been a long time since she thought about it. She bit the inside of her cheek deterring these thoughts.
"How's your pain?" She said placidly, shifting her eyes up from the screen.
"Don't claim to care." He spat out. She furrowed her brow. It was obvious the way he carried himself. Pride was a prey instinct. To hide your pain for fear of how you'll be perceived. It is an outer shell on display. A disguise set for self preservation. It was immaterial to her whether he was comfortable or not but she despised his attitude. This job wasn't easy, it was thankless and more often than not unrewarding. It is what it is. Still she couldn't help but match his demeanor.
"Honestly I could care less. Your comfort is unnecessary. It's entirely your choice to be in pain."
Loki remained quiet. Still she had ways around the question. Like when he wasn't paying attention she poked his side. Which causes him to yelp out. He recovered quick enough to stare her down once again and although he couldn't see her face it was obvious she was snickering. That reaction was all she needed to know.
"My job is to keep you alive, just because I refuse to be like those monsters. Doesn't mean I'm incapable of doing so. If I hadn't convinced him otherwise he would've tossed you back in that cell and let you rot with just enough treatment to keep your heart pumping so I suggest you cooperate." She seemed entirely different and for a moment he eyed this stranger with a touch of curiosity.
"If I don't?" Loki narrowed his brows, challenging the woman. She was speechless, as he thought, so he continued. "Are you going to torture me too? Like those disgusting creatures?" He spat out. Her face churned with disgust. Her heart was racing. His insolence shouldn't have been so surprising and yet it made her blood boil.
"You think I enjoy doing this? Picking up the broken, discarded pieces of what they leave behind for me to stitch back together again." It'd been building up for a long time. The stress of playing doctor to his victims over the years has taken a lot out of her. She wasn't about to put up with his rudeness. In all honesty Loki didn't realize he'd said something to deserve this backlash. Either way he just laid there, accepted it. Having no other choice.
She furrowed her brow, eyeing him with an intensity that was quickly becoming overwhelming even for him. She let out a deep sigh, "I do what I can." Knowing her words fell on deaf ears.
Loki was stunned. His eyes wide, not really in a position to fight the one person who wants to help him. There was this deep seeded need to deflect his frustrations; it just so happened to concentrate it all on the first person he saw. The one he should be showing gratitude. He felt bad still he hesitated, latching onto his skeptical tendences. He couldn't help it, becoming somewhat habitual over the years. All things considered he should be thanking her. Even though it was a damp dark place he'd woken up in. It could be worse. Something told him it wouldn't be long before it was.
This hiss of the ventilator resinated in the space. It was the strangest feeling to have air forced in your lungs. Loki didn't have the energy to antagonize her anymore, knowing she probably didn't deserve it. Although he was never the type to admit when he was wrong he knew when it was time to stop. For once in his life with nowhere to hide he swallowed his pride and apologized.
"Sorry." It was a quiet murmur, just enough to grace her ears but it was enough. It caught her off guard, half expecting him to shut down but this was a surprise. His eyes were shifted elsewhere but she knew it took alot for him to say that. She managed a half smile and a subtle nod, thinking perhaps maybe she'd misjudged him. She took a deep breath, really wanting to eliminate the heavy feeling in the room but finding no way around it. This place would suck the life out of anyone.
"Look, I know it's hard for you to trust after everything you've been through. I doubt you ever truly will but for whatever it's worth. I understand how you feel." She reaches for his hand, probably the one appendage left undamaged and surprisingly he didn't pull away. His eyes scanned the darkness for her shadow but the light became the only thing glaringly apparent. They seemed different than before, more tame.
It wasn't too long ago she was in the same place. Nothing more than a play thing. Every so often she wondered what it'd be like to escape. Leave this place behind and start a new life. There was nowhere she could go where he would not find her. He assured her of that, knowing he would make well on that promise too. Only after receiving this grueling reminder did she finally give in. She felt it was time to show him.
"This is what happens when you disobey." She said, grabbing the lamp and shifting it towards her face. Loki didn't know what he expected but her appearance came as a sheer surprise. The skin on the left side of her face down to her neck seemed like it'd melted away, leaving behind a terrible chemical burn. Her skin which was normally a pale hue of orange was discolored and almost white where the scar was left. She was fortunate enough to have both her eyes. But she'd grown accustomed to the dark, despising her appearance.
Loki seemed pretty unfazed, still he seemed a bit more understanding. His eyes traced the ridges in the scar tissue stretched across her cheek. It seemed very painful. She could feel his eyes carving into her, bringing this uneasiness. She fought the urge to back out of the light.
"What's your name?" He said suddenly. She was hesitant at first, wondering why he cared to know. Her name was the only thing she had left. She didn't use it often. "Volta" It felt foreign on her tongue like a taboo. "You sewed me up?" He asked curiously, his demeanor subtly changed. "Well yea."
"Thank you, Volta." His tone was soft and timid. It threw her off, not used to receiving gratitude considering her place. "Uh, don't mention it." She replied coy as the tension sort of dissipated. Still something had been bothering her since he'd been brought to her workshop broken and bloody. What compels him so. She could see in his eyes the determination to survive. He seemed intelligent enough to know when to give in. Surely he didn't think it was that easy.
After a moment of silence she figured she'd find out for herself. "It's stupid what you did back there. Trying to escape, I pegged you for a lot of things but I thought you'd know better than to attempt."
Loki shifted his eyes away from her to the open ceiling where he traced miscellaneous tubes and wires that never did end. He didn't seem to roll it over long, "I weighed my chances." Volta furrowed her brow. "Did it turn out the way you expected?" She inquired. He couldn't help the smirk, "Yea actually, he was easier on me than I figured."
"Huh, a broken spine, punctured lung and multiple contusions weren't enough for you?" She could've gone on and on but from the look he gave her it didn't matter. He really didn't expect it to be that bad. It didn't feel like it. "He didn't kill me." Loki scoffed.
"You were unconscious for 5 days, the fact that you're even awake now is beyond me." Volta uttered. He just stared at her. It still didn't sink in. Either he had more severe brain damage than she thought or it truly didn't bother him. He just laid there allowing the fatigue to settle in. His eyes felt heavy but he didn't want to sleep just yet. If what she said was true he'd be out of it for almost a week. No wonder he felt so off. He'd never slept that long in his life. His mind was off elsewhere. Almost like it was overcompensating for the trauma. As if ignoring it would make it go away.
He pulled his hand from hers, feeling the raised skin beneath the bandages. Some spots were more tender than others. It was obvious his breaths were still carefully calculated even with the oxygen gracing his lungs. It constantly felt like he was being rung out like a wet sponge. She knew by the look in his eyes that the drug was wearing off. He wouldn't be able to deal with the pain once it returns. "It's only going to get worse. You can resist all you want, it doesn't matter. He will always get what he wants. He always does." Volta said, shifting in her seat.
"I expect nothing less." Loki smiled, his voice a mix of venom and determination.