Competition/Challenge Block
Written for/Stacked with:
Monthly Challenges for All (Year 4); Whumptober 2021

MC4A: Fireworks; Garden; Link; Fa Bingo [2D - Knife/Dagger]; PP; NC; SIN; ToS; Rum; MLG; RoB; AV; ER; Fence; O3; SN; T3

Other Challenges: Whumptober Day 2: Talking is Overrated | Choking

Word Count: 449


Talking While Choked

The cruel Loki gave the dagger a good twist before pulling it out. He briefly inspected the blood dripping from its tip before placing the flat side of it against Loki's cheek.

"Feel like talking?" he asked in a hushed tone.

Loki maintained his glare, staring him down. "Why bother? Whatever I say you won't believe anyway."

"That may be," he said, sliding the blade to rest under his chin, forcing Loki to raise his head or be pricked by it. "But out of the hundreds of us we've seen here, you're the first to dress like the scum who sent us here. You have my genuine interest in what makes you so different… so pathetic, so weak."

Loki swallowed at the statement. This definitely was not a good position to be in. He didn't say anything, instead he set his jaw, feeling the threat of the dagger pressing against the soft flesh under it. He tried to look away, but a swift hand clasped around his throat and squeezed exceptionally hard. If choking wasn't a genuine aversion of his already, seeing the footage of Thanos choking and breaking his neck was the next reason why he hated it. This Loki must've had an inkling of this, and he did not relent.

"Look at me," he hissed, keeping the dagger firmly pressed against the bottom of his jaw as Loki shifted his gaze back to the wickedly dark emerald eyes. "Talk, now."

"It— was a means— to survive," he choked out, but long fingers only tightened.

The crueler Loki's eyes glinted before releasing him. He let in a sharp breath, but didn't make the same mistake of turning his eyes away this time.

"I highly doubt that," he said. "A few of us were tempted by them before, yet they refused to comply. Why did you really accept?"

Loki took a second too long to respond, and soon found himself struggling to breathe yet again. This time he could feel the magic pricking against his skin from that dangerous hand, aiding in adding pressure, threatening to collapse his resisting esophagus.

'Magic,' Loki thought. 'Why can't I—'

"Only just now realizing this?" the cruel Loki taunted, seemingly to have read his thoughts. "Asgardian tech really is quite handy after all, don't you think?"

Of course… he didn't notice due to the numbness of his arms and the tight, unmoving rope. They put him in the same magic-hindering handcuffs Thor slapped on him back in New York.

His vision started to grow dark, blurring from the lack of oxygen.

"I'd speak soon before passing out. Who knows what could come of you then," the cruel Loki said, not slacking his grip.