Warnings: Nothing past PG13 (if that)

"No, no, nonononono!" he screams and curls into a ball. He hugs himself and wishes Natasha would obey the rules. Master will be angry. So angry. Master will hurt her. Master will hit him. Master will send…Them. He bites his lips and tastes salt. He gags and rocks himself as he curls on the floor. "Bad. Bad!"

"Loptr," Natasha's soft voice says and then he feels her small hand on his shoulder. He shakes his head harder.

"Bad," he whispers. "Bad, bad, bad."

"Loptr, it's not bad," Natasha says and tries to take his hands off his arms. He doesn't let her. She's being bad. She's making him be bad. Master will send the Other to punish them. To hit them. To…to…he cries. Natasha's hand tugs on his again. "Loptr stop this."

He stops rocking and peeks over at her. "Please. No more."

He's never asked before. Not since…Then. He chokes and starts rocking again. It makes him feel calm and nice. Makes him think of golden hair and soft humming and gentle hands hugging him. No one hugs him. He has to. They only hurt him. Master says he's bad. He doesn't want to be bad.

He pulls his knees closer to him and rocks more. Everything gets blurry as water fills his eyes again. Something warm and salty runs from his nose. He cries and cries and cries. He broke another rule. He asked. HE's not supposed to ask. He can't. He won't….He did. He's bad now. Master will pull his hair again and make Them hurt him.

"Natasha," Steve says and steps closer. "Maybe this is a bad idea."

"No." She glares." He has to learn."

"But – "

"He needs to learn."

"He's scared stiff, Natasha!" Steve glares back. "Look at him!"

"It's just the conditioning. He has to overcome it."

"Maybe Steve has a point, Natasha." Bruce says.

Why does Natasha want him to be bad? Does she want Master to be angry? He can't understand it. Bruce knows not to break the rules. But Natasha always wants to. Why?

"Bad runt," he whispers.

"No!" Natasha snaps.

He flinches back from her and bumps his head against the wall. It hurts, but that's good. Master will be happy. Natasha frowns at him.

"You're not Runt anymore. Remember? You're Loptr."

He remembers now. "Runt bad."

"Yes. Runt is bad. You're Loptr."

"Loptr." He rocks back and forth and sees a red blanket blowing in the wind with thunder. "Thor."

"What?" Natasha's face is white, white, white now. She leans in. "What did you say, Loptr?"

He freezes and black spots start coming. He can't see. He can't breath. He panics. "No!"

Someone grabs his arm before he can run. He throws up the broth they gave him before.

"Loptr," Bruce's voice says through the black. "Calm down. Please. Just breath. It's okay. We're not mad at you."

He tries to obey Bruce. He tries. But he can't stop crying now and it gets faster and faster and he feels sick. So sick. Maybe the Other will hit him with the chains again. He tries to stop. He can't.

Then something roars and the ground shakes. He curls up again. He doesn't want the Other to hit him. Then something big picks him up and…hugs him? It's hugging him. He can hear a big, big thump, thump, thumping. And deep breathing. And…and…hugging. It's hugging him. It's warm and nice and hugging.

He stops shivering and leans into it. The black spots start going away and he can breath again. He looks up and sees green. Hulk. He remembers Hulk. Big, green, and nice. Loud. Nice. Hulk is hugging him and growling at the others.

"Hulk," someone says, but Hulk growls and they all step back.

"No. Hulk help." And Hulk turns away from them and pats him. "Good puny. No hurt anymore."

"Good?" he says, hopeful.

Hulk grunts. "Good."

He pats Hulk's big arm and smiles. "Good. Hulk good."

"Loptr good."

He blinks and smiles bigger. "Loptr good."

Hulk nods and pats him again. It feels nice. But now he's tired. He's good, so Master will let him sleep. He looks up at Hulk. "Sleep?"

Hulk grumbles. "Sleep."

He sighs happily and leans against Hulk more. Hulk is good. Hulk won't lie to him and make Master hurt him. Hulk is Bruce and Bruce never lies. Hulk and Bruce know the rules. Hulk and Bruce are safe.

Hulk hugs him more as he closes his eyes and sees thunder, gold hair, and red. "Thor."

I'm sorry it's so short. I mean, it's really, really short. I'm sorry. *grovels* But I've been busy and haven't found time to write a lot (not even my novel *sobs*). I think I should warn you that updates will probably be this long in coming, if not longer. I've got a job now, so I'll have even less time to write. :(

But I wanted to give you all something. You've been so patient with me, you angels. And, as short as it is, this is something that will hopefully help in a later, LONGER chapter. *crosses fingers*

Please, review and let me know what you think. Any suggestions or ideas for later chapters is much appreciated.