Walking along the tiled floor of the Tower, her stilettos clicked with each step. Night was falling on NYC, the moon on the journey to its zenith.
"I told you, I can't go out Friday. Brandon wants to go on a dinner date. I can get drinks with you on Saturday." Audrey spoke aloud as she adjusted the security schedule on her tablet.
"Ugh, fine." Her friend, Anjani, groaned, her voice coming through the Bluetooth in Audrey's ear. The Bluetooth was an simultaneously permanent fixture as the Starkpad in her hand. Both were equal parts life-saving and condemning for she could always be reached, even if she did not wish to be. "Be a good girlfriend. 'Essence won't be able to meet then though. She's visiting her parents over the weekend."
"Butterscotch." Audrey swore, making Anjani giggle. "Shut up. How about we meet on Monday or Tuesday? That bar you like has a ladies' night on one of those days, right?"
"Tuesday. I'll shoot her a text and let you know what she says. Maybe I can convince Steph to ditch that new husband of hers for the night and join us."
This made Audrey laugh, thinking about her friend. "Good luck. They've only been married six weeks. I'd be surprised if they left their bedroom."
"Eh, probably just to move to the kitchen. Ok, I'll let you know what they say. Don't stay up too late taking care of superheroes."
"Oh, don't worry. I'm heading to my office now. Good night."
"Night!"
Audrey disconnected the call from her Starkpad as she continued walking. Most of these halls in the Tower she could probably walk through blind-folded for how often she was on the phone or working on her tablet or both when making her way around. Before leaving for the night, she had needed to inquire something from a particular security guard and then was ready to head out. It had been a good day, nothing overwhelming happened. Which was actually fairly miraculous given where she worked.
The sight of a figure dressed in black seated on a plush seat in a side alcove had Audrey's feet freeze while her brain processed what it was seeing. Then the internal debate began. Should she keep walking and leave him alone, clearly solitude was what he wanted based on the location he resided in. Did something happen she needed to resolve? He could not be lost, right? She shook her head before turning around, hoping she was not crossing some unknown line.
Loki sat still, as if frozen in the plush chair, face turned towards the glass wall overlooking the city. A book lay open in his lap, forgotten. His lips were pressed together but it was the faint tremble in his hands that made her speak up.
"Hey, you alright?"
Any miniscule of emotion was wiped away as his head turned to her. An emotionless mask covered his face, green eyes seeking something from her.
She took another step forward. "I figured you'd be with the other guys playing Mario Kart and drinking beer. I'm pretty sure your brother threatened Steve bodily harm if he hit his character again with one of those red shells."
A faint twitch of his lips betrayed his amusement. "He always was a poor loser."
The image of Thor as a teenager and throwing some kind of temper tantrum made her smile. Her attention was drawn back to the man in front of her. "What are you doing, if I may ask?"
He pointedly looked down to the book in his lap and back up at her.
"Smartass." She rolled her eyes. "What book?"
Not looking away from her, he tilted the book up so she could read its cover.
She winced, unable to help herself.
That got his attention. "You do not approve of my reading material?"
"Stephen King is a bit much for my taste. Especially right before bed. That's asking for nightmares."
A twitch of his eyes made her wonder if her flippant comment had struck a nerve but he did not give her time to inquire further. "And what would you recommend I read instead?"
She tiled her head to the side, studying him. Reading was a favorite activity of hers, something she had less and less time for as of late. "You might like Sherlock Holmes, I think you would like his intelligence. I can see you trying to solve the crime and figuring out the answer before him. Otherwise you can't go wrong with A Song of Ice and Fire, AKA A Game of Thrones. I got Bucky hooked on it."
"A Game of Thrones?"
"Yeah it's about…well, politics of running a country, betrayal, the fight for one's house to dominate, sword fighting, taking back one's rightful throne…all set up in a fantasy middle ages time. I can bring it for you tomorrow if you want."
"You would lend me your book?"
"As long as you promise to take care of it…and don't fold the corners of the pages down to mark your spot. People who do that are the worst and should get their fingers chopped off."
His eyes widened momentarily before a sultry laugh escaped him, lines around his eyes appearing as they crinkled. Her own laughter joined with his, the small desolate alcove suddenly feeling alive.
Placing a hand over his heart, a playful smile remained on his lips after the laughter faded away. "I vow as a son of Odin to take proper care of your book and will refrain from causing any damage to its pages."
"Wow…I'm not giving you my first born child but thank you. I'll bring it with me." What solemnness that hung in the air had lifted but she still found herself hesitant to leave. "I'll…let you get back to reading. Sorry to distract you."
"Feel free to distract me whenever it pleases you." He winked.
"Oh? Am I allowed to cause mischief too?"
"My dear, if you take on the role of mischief maker, whatever will I do with myself?"
She shrugged, "I'm sure you'll find something. I should get going. Good night, Loki."
"Good night, Audrey." He dipped his head before she turned to walk away.
Her heels clipped on the floor as she walked along the hallway, pleased that she had stopped after all.
Loki stood tall and regal, staring at his sparring opponent unafraid. He was a son of Odin. A prince of Asgard. A god among mortals. A sly smile slipped onto his lips as he looked across the mat. In a flash, his opponent charged him, having decided prior to stick with hand-to-hand combat for now. Loki deflected the rapid blows and kicks on the defense but not for long. The surge of adrenaline made his blood sing. There was nothing to compare the feeling of being in a fight, even if the odds were in his favor. Quickly Loki retaliated, his fist connecting to his opponent's side. His own movements were sleek and controlled, centuries of practice showing. His sparring partner's were based on speed and raw power, a beautiful brutality. Dodging a fist, Loki just barely missed a leg swipe from the brunet, slipping away to appear at his opponent's back. He grabbed the metal arm, to toss him to the ground but was pleasantly surprised when his opponent's flesh hand managed to snag him last minute sending them both tumbling to the ground. The firm mats on the training room floor greeted Loki's back making him lose his breath for a second. The metal armed man was heavier than he looked. He froze, wondering if their sparring was over or if he needed to be able to defend himself again. A harsh bark of laughter released his tense muscles as he sat up to look at the one laughing.
Barnes rolled onto his feet, a wide grin showing, then offered his flesh hand to Loki, pulling him up. "That was damn good. You almost had me." He ran a hand through his hair and he quick scanned those around the two. "It's nice to have an opponent to spar with who is actually a challenge. I usually only fight hand-to-hand with Steve, but the punk isn't very creative with his fights. Same hits every time."
"You do not fight the Widow?"
Bucky snorted. "Oh she certainly makes every fight a challenge. The fights usually ends with her legs wrapped around my head. Not much I can do there without seriously injuring her."
Loki took a sip of water from his water bottle before smirking at his sparring partner. "That does not sound like a bad place to be, I would guess you enjoy that ending."
"Naw, it's not like that between us. She's a friend, that's all."
"If you insist." Glancing around, Loki noted the other Avengers in the expansive training room. The florescent lights replaced natural sunlight since the training room was underground. The walls were concrete and reinforced so those with powers and super strength did not have to worry about harming others. Thor was the only one who grumbled since he had been told by both Stark and Rogers he could not summon lightening into the training room. Maximoff and Vision were off to the side chatting while Maximoff levitated multiple objects near the ceiling. Romanov practiced her accuracy with a pistol in each hand and targets moving towards her. Stark, Rogers and Wilson were discussing something related to Wilson's wings that he wore.
Never before would the god of mischief have considered finding himself being in a semi-stable relationship with these Avengers and neither side actively trying to kill the other. To further the strangeness, some were even trying to be friendly with him. It boggled his damaged mind. That morning as he sat alone eating breakfast, the Winter Soldier had approached seeking him out specifically to spar with. Hesitantly Loki accepted but found himself enjoying sparring with the metal armed man. It had been so long since the idea of comradery was an option, he found himself hesitating as with what to do with this. He had been the outcast, the unwanted, for so long.
"Want to go another round?"
He gave a single nod, as he set his water bottle down to move back to the middle of the mat. They had been sparring together for almost half an hour, but neither seemed inclined to cease the exercise. Before Barnes or him made a move, a loud, annoying voice reverberated in the echoing room.
"Brother!"
Loki straightened, turning towards the elevators behind him to make a snarky remark at Thor but it died on his tongue. Thor was walking towards the mats, a beaming smile on his face, dressed in sweats and a tight t-shirt. Beside him walked Audrey in a sophisticated knee-length dark green dress with gold accents, black heels, and a long gold necklace, a pendant hanging between her breasts. His colors. He could not deny that she looked radiant in the colors, only solidifying his preference for green and gold. Then he realized his brother was talking to him. How long had he been staring at her?
"I beg pardon, brother. What did you say?"
Thor's smile turned mischievous. "I was saying you need more of a challenge. Hand-to-hand is a strength of yours. Why not allow the Sergeant here to utilize his weapons…give him a chance to defeat you?"
"What are you saying?" Barnes asked, arms crossed.
"I merely suggest you utilize your daggers against my brother. Let him truly fight."
"You been holding back?" This time Barnes cocked an eyebrow in Loki's direction.
"Perhaps some. I doubted Captain Honor would approve of my damaging you, even accidently. I know you mortals can be frail."
"Ohhh…bring it on, puny god."
"I resent the use of that name. You were not even there."
Barnes laughed as he moved away to retrieve two long knives that he favored. A few of the others had taken notice, unable to escape the booming voice of the god of thunder. Rogers wandered over to stand by Thor and Audrey, a faint scowl on his face. It seemed the man never did anything under the definition of fun.
"What's the prize?" Stark called over, him and Wilson watching. "Reindeer Games and the Tin Man need something to sweeten the deal!"
"Tony, it's not a compet…" Rogers began but was interrupted by Thor.
"A kiss, gifted by Lady Audrey to honor the winner!"
This time Loki know Thor was messing with him for as he spoke, his blue eyes held Loki's green in an unabashed glee. Loki narrowed his eyes which only seemed to further provoke Thor's enjoyment.
"What?"
"No!"
"The king has spoken!" Stark threw his hand out, proclaiming like a herald of old. "So shall it be!"
Loki wanted to roll his eyes at the arrogant man but refrained, his eyes drifting to the widened chestnut brown ones whom seemed to be debating what to do.
Rogers looked at Audrey. "You don't have to, Drea. Its ok."
"Nope! Too late!" Stark came over and put an arm around Audrey's shoulders. Audrey looked back and forth between Barnes and Loki before rolling her eyes.
"A kiss on the cheek is fine. This is a one-time thing though."
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a prize!" Stark proclaimed, earning an elbow to the ribs from Audrey, but she had a smile on her face.
Barnes turned toward Loki with a smug look, as he flipped the knives in his hands. "Ready?"
"Of course."
"My money is on the Tin Man!" Stark said loudly, arm still around Audrey.
"Oh, I would not bet against my brother, even when he bets against me in favor of the Grandmaster's champion. I still won…" Loki rolled his eyes at his brother's comment. Thor nudged Audrey. "What say you, fair lady?"
There was a long pause as she tapped her finger against her lips playfully before her full lips stretched into a beautiful smile. "My bet is on his highness."
For a moment, Loki's heart soared.
"WHAT?" Barnes scoffed, rolling his shoulders.
"Prove me wrong, soldier." Audrey teased.
"Oh, I'm going to win that kiss now. Don't hold back, puny prince."
Loki faced his brunet opponent, fingers twitching in anticipation. "I wouldn't dream of it." Oh he had no intention of losing. Not after the unspoken challenge Thor sent him. Nor was he going to make this easy on the ex-assassin. Truthfully he had been holding back…but no more.
The two squared off, facing one another. A few jeers and taunt thrown their way by those watching, particularly Stark and Wilson. Loki easily zoned those out. His mind focused on his opponent and what he knew of the man's attacks and defenses. The knives he now had were of no concern to the god. An idea came to mind that had him smirking. This might be the most fun he had in a long time.
As soon as Barnes moved, Loki attacked. In three seconds, Barnes was on his back, Loki kneeling above him with one of Barnes' knives held to his throat. A quick backwards glance and a flick of the wrist sent the other knife flying through the air to land hilt up in Thor's sneaker.
"Odin's beard! Loki! Stop stabbing me!" Thor cried out, more frustrated than in pain. Mortal weapons only do so much to gods. They did hurt though.
"My sincerest apologies, brother. I did not see you there." Loki stood up and this time offered a hand to the bewildered Winter Soldier.
Barnes looked at the outstretched hand then to Loki's face. "You been holding back."
"You've been doing a marvelous job…as a warm-up."
Barnes laughed and let Loki help pull him up. "Damn it. Next time, Steve and I both take you. Maybe we'll have a chance." They stepped off the mat together.
"Don't get your hopes up." The raven-haired god's attention switched as the vision of beauty approached the two. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the others pretending to not watch.
"Drea!" Bucky stepped forward and opened his arms which she immediately smacked away with a disgusted look. "What?"
"You're all sweaty and I don't have a change of clothes with me."
"Fine." He pouted before running his hand through his hair. "What brings you down to the pit anyway? Not just to kiss this cocky idiot, right?"
"I was trying to find you. That thing you've been looking for…it's in my office." Her voice lowered to a whisper but a smile tugged on her lips.
The smirk on his face transformed to a beaming smile. "Really? Let me shower quick then I'll get it."
"That's fine. I need to…"
"Hey, Princess!" Stark yelled, disturbing everyone's peace like normal. "Kiss the guy already, he won it and so I can turn off the camera! Blackmail!"
Loki swore there was a tinge of pink on her cheeks. Unfortunately, her sun kissed skin diluted the color. She turned to face him, her posture having stiffened slightly and her hands clasped her Starkpad a little tighter. Without a thought, he coaxed one of her hands away from the Stark tech gently. Maintaining eye contact with those beautiful cognac eyes, he leaned over and brought her hand to his lips. A chaste kiss was all he placed on her knuckles before releasing her hand. Her lips parted slightly, plump and shiny from the lip-gloss she favored, and he tried to stamp down the elation that rose in his soul.
"Perhaps another time, my dear."
"Um…sure. Yeah."
"I'm not sure if this turned awkward or I should find a room for you two." Barnes quipped then received a sharp elbow to the ribs from Audrey, making him laugh and a true blush lighten her cheeks.
"Get going you. I'll meet you in my office in twenty?"
"Sounds good, doll. Thanks for the sparring, Loki." Barnes nodded at both before walking towards Rogers and Thor.
Loki found his attention not straying from the woman before him. He wondered what about her that drew him so. Yes she was beautiful but he had seen other beautiful women on Asgard. Bedded many of them in his younger days. Something was different about her. He relished the stolen moments they had alone. The light in her eyes, the smile he delighted in seeing on her, the peace and acceptance she wore as easily as a cloak. It peaked his interest. It did not matter, she belonged to another…and would never be interested in him. Even if he was, which he was not. He had no interest or time for that. He was an outcast…it was better to be alone.
"I brought that book for you." Her voice was soft, intimate, so no one could overhear them. "I hope you don't mind but I left it on your desk in your suite. It was on my way to my first appointment."
"I care not." He shrugged.
"Ok. Well, let me know what you think.'' She turned around, moving towards the elevator.
"Audrey." She stopped and looked over her shoulder at his voice. "Thank you."
A bright smile lit her face. "You're welcome, Loki." With that she moved gracefully in her ridiculous heels to the elevator.
He found himself watching her move, her long legs accentuated in her heels, the contours of her body highlighted in the professional dress and her hips swaying with each step. With a huff, he moved off the mat, grabbing his water and moved to a nearby bench along the wall. His interest had been sparked in this book she enjoyed so much, so willing and excited to share with him. After a shower, he planned on finding a quiet corner delving into the story. Maybe it would provide some insight into her?
A sudden looming presence cast a shadow over his otherwise pleasant thoughts.
"You're welcome, brother."
Loki did not need to look up to see the smirk he could hear in Thor's voice. The giant oaf was insufferable. "For what reason, I have no understanding."
"Oh come now." Thor sat down next to him. "I may have only one eye but I see the way you follow her movements."
"Leave it alone."
"Loki…"
"Leave it!" He hissed. "It matters not."
The sound of Stark's A.I. filled the training room. "Boss, Director Fury is here and wants everyone in the conference room immediately. The mission has a green light."
The two gods rose to their feet quickly, following the movements of the others.
Thor clapped a hand on Loki's back. "Well now that they have seen you fight, perhaps you'll join more adamantly this mission and not be an embarrassment…AH! Dammit, Loki! Stop stabbing me!"
It was another HYDRA base that needed to be cleansed out. Nothing the other Avengers had not done before. This time Loki found himself front and center amongst those whom prior had only thought of him as an enemy. He followed behind Captain America, Sergeant Barnes and Thor as they entered the underground bunker in Guatemala. The heat from outside drifted away the further they descended into the dim, murkiness of the concrete walls and floors. Stark and Vision guarded the perimeter, using the cover of darkness to conceal them. The Black Widow, Falcon and Scarlet Witch remained on the central floor, gathering intelligence from the computers before following down into the abyss. Banner waited in the quinjet, ready to spirit everyone away quickly or resign himself to help out if a code green came through. Loki desperately hoped they would not need a code green…he was still unsure how the Hulk would take to seeing him this time.
An elegant yet deadly dagger in each hand, Loki's eyes and ears remained sharp and open for sounds of an attack. They had met some opposition initially but it was easily subdued by those stronger than the soldiers of HYDRA. They came upon an off shooting corridor, darkness filling the open space between the concrete walls. Loki absent-mindedly wondered if someone had purposefully killed the lights or shot out the bulbs. The lack of light did not bother him, but it certainly made things feel more eerie. Through the tension radiating off the super soldiers, it was obvious the dimness affected them. The four stopped, the captain clearly debating as to continue their course straight or sending someone into the dank, inky darkness.
"Loki, can you send one of your illusions down there?" The blond super solider asked hesitantly.
Not answering verbally, Loki allowed his magic rise up and flow out to reveal a shade of himself standing next to him. Silently the shade turned and stalked away into the darkness, disappearing from view. They hesitated a moment before continuing forward. Thor threw a subtle nod over his shoulder at his brother for his assistance, but the main focus remained on the unknown. The next two corridors, Loki repeated the process of sending a shade into the darkness. A trickle of dread entangled around him. This felt too easy. This HYDRA base was supposedly active. Where was everyone? He kept his thoughts to himself, moving purposefully and slowly behind the others.
A large central room opened up at the end of the main corridor. It was simple, a few doors along the walls. A metal gurney and chairs resided in the middle of the room. A faint copper scent lingered in the air, the actual blood washed away. What immediately grabbed the captain's attention was the table along the wall covered in notebooks and loose papers. An unspoken and understood conversation flickered between the super soldiers before Barnes slid along the wall, clearly to check the closed doors. Thor and Rogers strode over to the table, hands and eyes moving frantically over the information there. Unsure of his place, Loki leaned casually against the wall and used one of his daggers to clean his nails. He maintained a bored expression, seeming outwardly unaffected by what was going on around him. When his shades had finished their searching, he allowed them to dissipate, feeling the magic flow back to him.
"Cap, got anyone down there?" Stark's annoying voice shot through Loki's brain like an irritating fly he could not swat away. Loki tapped the ear piece he wore, same as the others, wishing he could turn it off. He wondered if he left, created an portal and walked away, if anyone would notice or care. Thor most likely. He would be most upset by Loki's absence.
Rogers responded, not looking up from the papers before him. "No one down here. They have information though…some kind of experiment."
"Grab it and let's get outta here. This place gives me the creeps." Wilson interjected.
Loki could not agree more. There was something in the air, a malicious intent that clung to it. He had lived in this sense for too long to not recognize it. This feeling called to him, to move or to flee. Both to seek and abandon it. A furrow in his brows, he pressed onward. He descended the few steps, aware of each sound, each movement he made. Just a head, Barnes held his assault rifle next to his face as he scanned about. A single door lay open showing he had examined and cleared it. His chest rose and fell rapidly, while his gaze frequently drifted to the metal gurney above them before turning back to the sublevel he was supposed to be clearing out. Loki wondered if the soldier was fighting memories from this place, it was clearly having some kind of effect on him, even if he was trying to hide it.
The rest of the team rapidly organized a plan via the coms but Loki paid no mind. He was on edge and needed to know why.
"Sergeant…" He said, gaining Barnes' attention. Before he could pose his question, the reason for his tension made itself known. A door just behind Barnes flew open and HYDRA soldiers came streaming out. Barnes turned and made one shot before having to drop the rifle and rely on hand-to-hand because of proximity. Loki's daggers sailed into the exposed flesh of a few HYDRA soldiers' necks, as his magic allowed him to create more for his disposal. He moved closer, trying to protect his companion's back but could only watch in horror as one solider managed to slip something on Bucky's left arm and activate it. A frightful course of electricity shot through the super soldier, dropping him onto his side, twitching and immobile. Sounds of another fight above proved Thor and Rogers had their own attention diverted from Barnes' predicament.
With a cry of pent-up rage, Loki threw two more daggers at the soldiers trying to pick up his downed companion. His feet raced across the concrete floor as he charged the fools to challenge him. Six came at him, guns firing, to keep him from the four trying to drag Barnes away. The fools. Mortals would never learn they had no hope of defeating a god. Especially one who had fought and survived monsters far more terrifying then these men in their black cowls and body armor. His movements were a blur, avoiding the bullets, as he bared down on those shooting. The stinging sensation accompanied by a quick burst of pain caused Loki to wonder if he had been hit but he kept moving. Snarling, he kicked the chest of the soldier closest to him as he threw his two daggers into the faces of those nearby. A quick spin brought another pair of daggers to hand which sliced open the throat of another solider. He tossed the men aside unceremoniously as he slashed the chest open of one attempting to raise his rifle for a shot at the god's back. Movement behind alerted him to the one he had kicked reaching for his weapon once again, only to receive a hilt buried in his eye. A second burst of pain and stinging sensation made Loki grunt but did not cease his attack. He had survived worse. Far worse. It did not take long to end the miserable lives of the remaining soldiers, the last three scrambling to retreat but were rewarded with daggers severing their spines and drowning in their own blood. Loki could feel the droplets of their blood on his face but paid it no mind. There was time later to clean up. Aware of the Sergeant still on the floor, he came to his side and crouched down.
A quick but relentless scan showed that a small metal ring was still attached to Barnes' left arm. The brunet's blue eyes were wide and unfocused, breathing was ragged and panting and still immobile laying on his back now. Working fast, Loki flipped a new dagger out and used the tip to flick the ring off the metal arm. Immediately Barnes relaxed, eyes closing briefly as he took a deep breath. The sounds of fighting from above had dwindled and Loki could hear the raised voices in his ear but he ignored them. Without asking permission, he grabbed Barnes' flesh arm and pulled him to his feet before throwing it over his shoulders. Together they shuffled towards the short stairs, Bucky leaning heavily on Loki as his feet stumbled along. The electricity still held sway over his muscles even though the current was gone.
"Buck!" Rogers rushed to his best friend's side, looking helplessly at him.
"I'm 'right, punk."
"Sure you are, jerk." Rogers turned to meet Loki's gaze. "Can you get him to the quinjet?"
Loki nodded, beginning the trudge out of the underground bunker. Each step seemed to renew a bit of life back into the super soldier and as they exited the bunker, Barnes was not leaning so heavily on him. They reached the quinjet with Banner already prepared for them. Together they got Barnes onto the medbed and Banner began running scans. Less than five minutes later, the rest of the team entered the quinjet, taking their respective positions before Stark got into the pilot's seat and flew them out. Loki slumped in his chair, the adrenaline draining from him and the stinging sensation coming to the forefront of his mind.
"You are injured, brother?"
"Just a scratch." Glancing down, Loki noticed the blood soaking into the leathers on his sleeve of his left arm and pants of his right thigh.
Thor sported his own bruises but his choice of red garments concealed any blood spilt. "You must be getting slow for them to hit you so."
"Your words of comfort are always so insightful."
Thor chuckled before collapsing into the seat across from him, forearms on his knees.
A short time later, Loki looked up from his intent staring at the ground when he sensed a presence approach. Rogers stood before him, a bruise blossoming on his sharp jawline.
"Thank you…for saving Buck."
A slow tilt of his head was all the acknowledgement that Loki gave. Rogers retreated to speak with Maximoff and Vision next.
A smile tugged on Thor's lips as he regarded his brother. Although words stayed behind his teeth, Loki could practically hear his thoughts.
"Shut up." Loki resumed staring at the ground, ignoring his witless brother and the others in the quinjet. He tried to clear his mind, to think of nothing. To ignore the mild pain, the looks thrown his way and his own uncomfortable feelings rising up. When was the last time he saved someone without hesitation? Without debating what he could get out of it? Yes he had helped save his people from Hela and the destruction of Asgard…but there had been an internal struggle. A part of him wanting to stay on Sakaar and rise up to possibly rule the chaotic, lawless planet it was. It would have been so easy to stay. To betray his brother once again. To ignore the quieter side of him that desperately wanted to no longer be an outsider…to be a worthy man. He shook his head, his choice had been made for better or for worse now. His pain…his mistakes would always haunt him. There was no escaping them.
A/N: What do you guys think of the story so far? Feel free to leave a comment.