Warnings: None that I can see.

Things change in his room again, but it's…nice. He likes the tiny lights. They sparkle and wink at him and it makes him protected inside. At first, he got nervous about them. Sometimes, They would use lights to hurt him. Lights that stung all over and burned. He got scared these new ones would do it too. But Bruce came and said they were called Christmas Lights. He said they helped you feel safe and happy. He said maybe Loptr might feel that way too.

Happy like…like… He can't think of who it is. But it has to do with thunder and red, so those must be happy too. They feel safe, so Loptr decides they're good. Maybe…maybe one day he'll see them again. If he's good.

He smiles at the winking lights, but then curls up on the blanket, worried.

He's not sure Master wants him to be happy. Master always got angry when he smiled, but maybe he's been good enough and this is another reward. He's been good for so very long now. The longest ever. So, Master must be happy with him. Maybe…maybe that means Loptr can be happy too. Master doesn't seem to get angry when Loptr smiles at the Christmas Lights.

Maybe happy is good now.

The door squeaks and Bruce comes in. Loptr sits up straight on the bed. He didn't know Bruce was coming today. He came yesterday. Bruce doesn't come every day, so something big must be happening. Loptr scooches closer. "Bruce."

"Hi, Loptr," Bruce looks at the lights. "They good?"

He asked that when he put them up the first time.

Loptr doesn't mind. Bruce is nice.

"They good," he says to Bruce, and then adds, "They wink."

Bruce chuckles. "They do, don't they? Blue and white are definitely your colors."

Natasha had taken the first lights. They were red and green, but Natasha gave them blue and white ones. She says they remind her of Jotunheim and that this is good for Loptr. It is his…his…something. Something to do with blue skin and ice. Loptr doesn't mind. He likes the lights. They stay on and shine on him. They don't hurt or get mad.

Loptr blinks when Bruce sighs and crosses over the room. Bruce checks the windows and empty soup bowl. He looks at Loptr. "You like broccoli cheese soup, I see.

"Yes."

"Excellent." Bruce pauses. "Can I check your vitals?"

Loptr stops breathing, but nods. He can't say no. It's not allowed. But…Bruce is nice. Bruce doesn't hurt him. Ever. Not once. Even Hulk likes Loptr.

"Hulk." he says to Bruce as Bruce puts his cold metal thing on Loptr's chest. Loptr breathes in and out like he's supposed to. Bruce hums and nods.

"Hulk's here. Says "hi" again. I'd let him out, but this room's a bit small. Scraped up quite a bit of the roof last time he was here."

Loptr nods. Hulk is big. Very big. And nice. And loud. But mostly nice. He helps Loptr when Natasha gets mean. Bruce gets green and she stops. Loptr is glad Hulk likes him. He wants to tell Hulk that, but can't. He's not allowed to talk first. Just answer questions. Master says.

Except, Natasha says that's not true. She says Master allows it now.

Loptr doesn't believe her. She breaks the rules. She's bad sometimes. Loptr has to obey her, but also Master. It hurts his head. Is Master happy that he listens to Natasha? Does Master get mad when Natasha breaks the rules? Loptr never sees her hurt. Maybe Master keeps her until she can walk again and then lets her see Loptr. He hopes Master doesn't hurt her a lot. Natasha is nice…sometimes.

Bruce takes the metal off and smiles. "Your lungs sound better now. I think you'll be able to get off those meds soon."

Loptr thinks this might be good too. No more little, white pills every night. They taste funny and make his tongue full of dust, but Bruce says they help him, so Loptr likes them. He' glad they help him and Master let's Bruce bring them.

"Loptr," Bruce says and then stops. "Loptr, I've a question."

He sits up straighter. Master has sent Bruce with a question. That must be why he came so soon. Master hasn't had any questions for Loptr for a long time. Loptr must answer or Master will get mad again. He'll the Them come back. "Loptr will answer good."

Bruce coughs weird. "Loptr, I know you said you can't leave the room, but…I was hoping you might for a little bit. It's Christmas and we want you to share it with us."

Loptr flinches. "Bad Thing."

"I asked and it's not."

"Not bad." Loptr thinks over this. Leaving is not bad? Master always said it was. He made Loptr stay in the black, black room and never come out. Loptr knows not to leave. But…Bruce says he asked and Master said he could leave now. Loptr bits his lip and rubs the blanket on his bed. Master says he can leave his room. Leave. He can go out.

"Master says not bad?" Loptr risks asking. Natasha makes him ask things now and Master isn't angry, so Loptr does it sometimes. It helps him make no mistakes. He likes that. So he risks it now, so he won't make a mistake.

"Nope. Not even a little." Bruce puts his metal thing inside his bag. "Want to go out?"

Loptr bites his lip again. Hard. He pats the blanket and looks at the Christmas Lights. They wink. He pulls his legs up and watches the snow fall out the window. It looks soft, all white like his pillow. It makes him feel quiet and warm inside. But also a little sad. He sighs and looks at Bruce. "Good thing?"

"It is." Bruce touches his shoulder softly. Loptr likes when he does that. It makes him feel as if Bruce is protecting him. "It'll only be for a little while. I promise. Then you can come back here."

Loptr nods, uncurling his legs. "Yes."

Bruce smiles. "You'll come?"

Loptr pushes himself off the bed. "Master says."

Bruce's smiles goes unhappy, but he nods. "Right."

0/0/0/0/0

It's dark in the hall and it makes Loptr nervous. He always heard Them outside. They grunt and laugh and bang on his door. But then They stopped and Natasha and Bruce came. And now They're not here. Is that good? Does it mean Master is happy with him? Loptr hugs himself and hopes so.

There are more Christmas lights high, high up. Loptr has to stop so he can look at them. They are green and red now. They wink at him too and the warm in him grows. Master is happy with him. Master wants him to be with others. Not the Other, but the others. Bruce and Natasha. Maybe Steve and Hulk.

It's…his chest is very warm inside. He's been good and Master is happy. Loptr can be happy now too.

Bruce walks into a big room and there's a green tree with shiny, white Christmas lights in it. Loptr stops and stares at it. It makes him think of a big yellow tree. With lots of roots. And someone with yellow hair that hugs him and sings. He wants her. But he can't think of her. Master says and Master must be obeyed.

Still…

No! Master is happy with him. He can't be bad. He won't. He pushes the singing woman out. She's bad, bad, bad. Loptr looks at the tree again and sighs. The tree is big and smells…like woods? Like…home? But Master is his home. Isn't he? Loptr tugs his hair and tries to make his head not hurt.

Natasha comes over. "Hey, Bruce, I see you got him out."

"Evidently, Master said so." Bruce moves his shoulder up and down.

"Ah. Well, it's a start." She turns to Loptr. "Hi. Loptr."

"Natasha," he whispers and hopes she won't break any rules today.

She smiles and it's real this time. He likes her real smiles. They're quiet, like snow. He smiles back. "You pretty."

She pulls her hair behind her ear. "Thank you, Loptr. Here, let's have you sit down."

Loptr nods and follows her. There's a small, red fur blanket on the floor. Natasha points at it and Loptr sits down. It's furry and soft and Loptr wants to sleep in it. He likes it. Master must be so happy with him. He pets the fur. "Soft blanket of clouds."

"Mm-hmm," Natasha says. "Wait here, I'll go…get water."

Water. Loptr is thirsty. He didn't know that, until Natasha said something. He watches he go across the room to a table. Natasha is good to let him drink. Maybe she'll let him have soup too. He likes soup. And this tree. And the lights. He really, really likes the lights. Maybe, if he's good some more, Master won't take them away.

Loptr looks around and sees Steve talking with someone new. It's another man. He's thin and loud. His smile is sharp. He has a weird beard on his lip and chin. Loptr sees him look over and Loptr shivers.

Why does Master keep sending more and more and more people? Before…Before he only let the Other see him. And then Them. But only two. Now, Loptr has Bruce and Natasha and Steve and Hulk! It's so many, many people.

Why?

It is a good thing?

Is it bad?

Loptr doesn't know. He's tried to know, but he can't. It hurts his head and makes his skin itchier. His skin is always itchy. Like fire, but Loptr knows Master wants that. Master said. No more…stuff. Loptr can't have it anymore. It's bad. That's why he had to hold the staff of blue. It made him good again.

One day, you will even surpass me in power, my son, the tiny voice says. It's a female voice. Loptr remembers that. Like Natasha, but good. Or bad. Or…or….Loptr pulls on his hair again. Hard. Harder. Hardest.

A hand grabs his and makes him let go. Loptr looks up at Natasha. She seems upset. Her eyes are thinner and she's not smiling anymore. She shakes her head. "No, Loptr."

His chest hurts when she says that. Master says that. They say that. The Other says it. Master says it. The All…all fath…all…who else says it? It's a big person. Powerful person. With white hair and gold on him. He's mean too. Sometimes. But also nice. He says no…no Loki. But Loki is dead, so Loptr is glad. The big man won't say 'no Loki' anymore.

"You don't pull your hair, Loptr," Natasha says.

"Bad thing," he tells Natasha and puts his hands in his lap to show he's being good again.

She nods. "Yes. No hurting yourself."

"Okay."

She gives him a cup with water and pats his hand. "Good."

He drinks the water. It's cold and feels nice in his throat. He likes cold. Why does he like cold? Master never said. Loptr doesn't know why Master never said. Is that…okay? Will Natasha tell him why he likes it? Or Bruce? Loptr hopes they do. He wants to be good and get more soup. And keep the lights.

He brushes the red fur under him and thinks about being good.

Soft noise goes through the room. It sounds like…like…Loptr thinks hard and decides 'music' is the right word. It sounds like music. But, is that right? Is it music? He thinks so, but Master says he's not to think. Master will tell him. But Master's not here. So, what should he do? Loptr doesn't know. He can't. He's not allowed.

It makes him angry, not thinking. And sad. And scared. And safe. Always safe. No thinking means Master is happy. But…Natasha says he has to think now. Bruce wants him to think too. Does that mean Master wants him to think again? Loptr hopes so. It helps him be good.

"So, what say we turn up the jams and – " the new man starts to say, but then the windows all over smash and break. They sprinkle on the floor like snow. Some of them cut him, but the Other's done that too, so Loptr ignores it. Instead, he watches as some men in black clothes jump into the room.

Natasha steps close to him and Loptr can see Bruce looking green across the room. The new man is now dressed in red and gold. Steve has a round thing in his hand. They all glare at the black men.

"What do you want?" Steve asks.

The man in red and gold laughs. It's not a nice laugh. "Kinda obvious, Cap."

Loptr shivers at all the bad and Natasha puts a hand on his back. He looks up at her and she gives him a fake smile.

"It's okay, Loptr. You're safe."

"Bad men," he says.

"Yes. But we'll get rid of them."

But then the men in black move away and a woman comes out. She's dressed in red too, but her eyes are cold, cold. She waves her hands and more red comes off of them. It runs over and hits everyone in the eyes, even Steve as he ducks. They all stumble and shake their heads. Loptr whines and tugs on Natasha's sleeve, but she's staring straight ahead and won't look at him.

Why?

Did he do something bad?

No…no, Loptr realizes, the men in black did. The woman with her red did something bad to Natasha. To all of them. Even Hulk. The big, green monster is sleeping on the floor, frowning. Loptr tugs Natasha's sleeve again. He wants her to wake up now. The bad men will make Master angry if she doesn't. And then Master might hurt her.

But Natasha just stares more.

Loptr rubs his arms. His skin is itchy again. Really itchy. It hurts so much he wants to cry, and he doesn't know why. Why does it hurt and itch? Why is it bad?

A man dressed in blue appears at Loptr's side and Loptr scurries back against the tree. The prickly branches scratch him, but Loptr doesn't mind. He wants out. These men are not Master's. They wouldn't have attacked if they were. Loptr knows that.

The blue man reaches out. "Time to go."

"No," Loptr says, "Bad."

"You must," the man says. He's got Loptr's arm now.

Loptr rips it away. "No! Bad!"

One of the other men growls and stomps over. "Of all the…just grab him!"

Loptr whimpers when that man grabs his arm and yanks him up.

"You be good and listen to Pietro, or we'll kill your friends. Got it?" the man says, and shakes him hard.

Loptr stops struggling. Kill Natasha? Kill Bruce and Steve? They're Master's, these men can't kill them. Master will get angry. But they said they would, so maybe they can. Maybe Master is too far away. Loptr must save them.

"Okay," Loptr whispers. "Loptr be good."

"See?" the man says and pushes him into the blue man. "Get him out of here. Hydra has special plans for this one, so mind his neck."

The blue man, Pietro, nods and holds his neck softly. "Yessir."

The woman kicks the red and gold man. "Why not kill them now?"

The man in black growls again. "Because he said so, Maximoff."

"It makes no sense."

"Hydra has special plans for them." The man puts a hand on her arm. "Soon, Wanda. Soon you will have your chance against Stark for what he did. But for now…let him go."

Something that he said is important. Loptr can tell. But he can't think what it is. Maybe later…when he's saved Natasha and Bruce and Steve.

The girl…Wanda kicks…Stark?...again, but turns away. Loptr breathes again. He didn't want this Stark to die. Bruce seemed to like him.

Pietro steps closer and smiles. "I'd suggest closing your eyes, my friend. This can get a little, shall we say, bumpy."

And then Loptr's world fades to white, and then black.

So I went back and changed the chapter, cause I hated what I wrote before. I kept some of it though (ie: the beginning). I hope you all like the newer version. Let me know, kay?