Loki and the Dark Side
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'Well. That hurt. They truly did increase the potency of Sesshomaru's toxin. I can honestly hand it to Stark and Banner, they are certainly capable of terrific things when properly motivated.' Loki inwardly grimaced, his mind unable to reach his magic and his body in shock from the three two inch rounds incasing Cerberus.
The toxin jabbed through his veins like thousands of needles, and his nerves twitched his legs and arms. He had a hard time focusing on anything but the pain and a darkened blur above him.
Someone absurdly caught him before he hit the stage. He knew because he hit a strong, broad, warm chest instead of the hard stage. Loki's muscles twitched as he gazed up.
Short hair, tan skin, chiseled jaw, black suit. Not Thor…
Clint? Clint caught him? Why didn't he catch Sho? Surely, he was closer to him.
His mind became acutely aware that Clint was pushing down on his chest, not really helping. Good thing he replaced that protection spell on Clint, or the toxin would have burned him too. Loki concentrated all his mental effort into his optical nerves, urging them to activate. They finally did and locked onto Clint's strong jawed face.
The intense focus and panic Clint's light brown eyes concerned Loki.
The only person he expected to come to his side when he fell would have been Thor. He never would have guessed Clint would spring into action. And he would have chalked it up to his training, but that look in his eyes hinted at something else. Hinted at something Loki couldn't bear to entertain as reality.
After all, yesterday Clint told Sesshomaru he didn't like him and he wanted him bother someone else.
Bother. Annoy. Nuisance. Burden.
"Focus Loki. Eyes on me. Stay with me, please. You got this; you're tough. Hang on." Clint's voice thrummed like a drumbeat in his ears over his faint pulse.
He lost focus on the rugged, handsome man above him when a curved bolt of white lighting lanced across the sky. Another wave of acidic pain jolted through his body causing all his limbs to twitch and spasm.
"Loki, look at me damnit." Clint shouted as more metallic blood filled Loki's mouth. He couldn't though, his optical nerves were overtaxed as he stared up at the rolling, grey clouds.
'By the nines...this storm, Thor must be extremely irate. How peculiar, I suffered far worse at the hands of Asgard, but I never saw Thor's anger erupt this way. Could it be now he chooses to play 'big brother' again? Ha. Playing big brother to someone he never cared to truly understand.' Loki allowed his eyes to close. He calculated that two of the three bullets had passed clean through. This was fortunate, he would heal faster this way. He would have to heal the massive, ragged exit wounds on his back first.
'Well, at least judging by the howls and screams of these mortals my plan worked. Success there.' Loki would have smiled, but his body had to recalibrate. His mind slipped back into last night.
"Be my light of justice Clint, and I will be your shadow of vengeance." Loki lurched over Clint and he in an instant became an insatiable craving. Clint had crumpled on the ground in a way he never wanted to see again. He had to put himself back together; he had to stand up.
It would be impossible for Loki to laugh at Clint's pain, for it was a struggle he continually went through.
And the way Clint spoke riled Loki. Clint should be the angry, infuriated, over what these treacherous eels did to him! It provoked his black magic to unfurl, viscous, potent, and ominous. He shouldn't let these imbeciles defeat him.
These imbeciles who laughably thought that they could deal with the Mad Titan and be spared his wrath. Or thought the Mad Titan won't warp and destroy them once he gets all the information he wants.
He would be Clint's dark side. He would ensnare and eviscerate everything in Clint's path. Clint, with his sun-tanned, tattooed skin that solidly spoke of all that he had lost, all he had given up for these ungrateful mortals, would shine.
And the way Clint looked at him, like he wasn't an, unworthy, frivolous, crooked, or demented creation swept away all of Loki's resolve. Clint looked up to him like his opinion mattered to him. That he, a caustic, scattered creature, mattered to him.
If Clint, Hawkeye, who was so full of heart, honor, and self-sacrifice for his world could see something of worth in him… maybe it was true. Maybe…he could find something in him that wasn't all wrong.
Maybe he should chance it. Maybe he really did matter.
Loki didn't capture his mouth so much as eased his way onto it like one would slip into a hot spring. He didn't want to rush it, didn't want to devour him. He wanted to empower him, to see if he was capable of creating a small, soft beautiful bond, and not just destroying everything around him in a maelstrom of calamity.
Clint embodied everything luxurious, warm, and inviting. For the first time since before the fall from the Bifrost, Loki let himself fully relax. Clint tasted like hazelnut and cream Loki deepened the sudden, stolen kiss.
He worked his lips against his, getting feverish. He wanted him so badly; he just wanted to show him how much. He wanted to know if it was possible that Clint could admire someone like himself. There was something maybe redeemable withi—
A sharp, flat pain smacked across his cheek and tore his hot mouth from Clint's.
"Back. Off. That's too far." Clint slapped him and everything in Loki froze. Then everything in Loki fractured.
Clint's eyes speared him through and he was right. He wasn't really regarding Clint's feelings into the matter, was he? He was so selfish.
He destroyed their bond. He never knew when to stop. He always had to push the limits. Odin always thought he was insatiable, that always had his own agenda. His effort, his ambition, his risks always ended up falling short or going too far. He never got it right.
"I mean seriously, what makes you think…what gives you the nerve—" Clint started to lay into him and his black magic folded in on itself and dissipated. It was too much to ask for. Too much to ask for Clint to be his light for anything, for Clint to see himself as anything. As worthy.
He only had himself to blame. A violent wave of self-loathing slashed through his gut.
Loki raised from his kneeling position, he didn't kneel for just anyone, but of course Clint wouldn't know that.
He fidgeted his fingers and pursed his lips. He then did the only thing he knew how to do.
With a wisp of blackened green smoke, he fled. He worked the darkness out of him the only way he knew how. Clinching his fists, he threw bolts of black magic in all directions in substorage room 3-b, breaking the cameras and letting the walls and crates smoke and ash.
Memories of blue wires, razor thin scalpels, rivulets of blood, taunts, and his own enfeebled magic dusting around his feet, strangled his lungs.
He wasn't anything anymore, and he should be ok with that. He was at one point, now he wasn't sure. Something was changing within him, and it frightened him.
Loki screamed high and backhanded shock waves of black magic all around him. He didn't feel any better. He spun his magic into wires and lacerated the walls, and even his own fingers and palms split open with lines of blood. He still didn't feel any better. Finally, he fisted his hands in his hair and ripped out handfuls of it. It didn't help.
He still hated himself.
Loki, stunned, opened his eyes, again confused as two strong arms dragged him off the stage. Did he imagine Clint? Out of the corner of his vision he saw Stark fly overhead, followed by Thor, whose storm wheeled out of control. Thor should really learn to control his emotions better…ha, ironic advice.
Yet, this wasn't good, or was it? Loki couldn't be sure anymore, except now at least his magic began to slowly coil back in his chest. He still unable to reach it, could now at least get his body somewhat responsive. Responsive in something that wasn't a stinging, corrosive pain.
He conserved his energy until he was pulled completely out of line of sight from the fleeing media to struggle to get his upper body up. His vision blacked out at the edges, and light headedness set in. He failed at getting off the person who dragged him to 'safety'.
By the Nines, he didn't imagine Clint.
"Loki! Thank God. You—you need to take it easy. Don't worry ok? I've got you, you're safe. We got the situation under control." Clint's voice sounded scratchy and choked as Loki leaned back on his left shoulder.
Clint had taken a mostly seated position with Loki sideways in his lap. Loki turned his neck to face him, and managed a slim grin. His grin fell when he saw the stricken look painting Clint's face. Pale and taut, Clint breathlessly held him up with his tense left arm, bloody right hand still applying pressure to his chest.
Oh, so he had miscalculated. Perhaps Clint took the safety of 'the strategic consultants to the Avengers' more he thought. The 'Lost Creatures' were a team after all. He wouldn't be happy when he learned Romanoff kept him in the dark.
Loki tried to speak, but all that came out was a wet, sputtering, wheeze.
"Don't try to speak, Loki. Save your strength. I'll protect you here until you're more stable to move. Just stay awake for me, stay with me." Clint's voice began to even out and he locked eyes with the distressed archer. His light brown eyes burned into him and Clint managed a tense smile. Clint absently tucked a limp, blood soaked lock of hair that hung loose behind Loki's ear.
The tender gesture swelled Loki's chest warm and light, despite the stinging toxin, Cerberus, tracing through it.
Clint held him in his arms, his body trembling against his bleeding one and his strong left arm clamped around him protectively.
…Norns. Loki almost didn't want to believe what he saw, but he was too good at reading people to ignore it.
Clint cared for him. Maybe not as a lover but at least as a friend and comrade. He didn't sever their bond yesterday.
But, once Clint learned of his operation it would be. He would have wanted to be told, he wanted too, but Clint's reputation and safety mattered more. Now he will think Loki didn't trust him, that Romanoff didn't either.
The price to pay for a successful defense of Midgard, his revenge, and to protect Clint.
"I need—" Loki winced. "to go quell Thor's temper." Loki wheezed out. His magic hadn't returned to him yet. He managed to raise his left arm weakly and brace himself to stand.
"Are you nuts?! Someone out there wants you, and Fancy Pants dead. They almost succeeded! When you passed out back there on me, and your whole body seized I thought I… I can handle Thor." Clint's protest rocked him landslide, but he wouldn't risk Clint getting injured in Thor's barely contained lightning storm. Loki swallowed.
He would have to tell him here what exactly happened.
"I shot me." Loki coughed up some old blood. Though being held in Clint's arms was a luxury he never thought he could enjoy, he didn't deserve it. "It was a ploy Clint. I devised the whole tactic and executed it with help from Romanoff, Fury, Banner, and Sho." Loki admitted weakly and tried his hardest to guard against his chest caving in at the bewildered look on Clint's face. He'd see this as a breach of trust from Romanoff for sure.
Clint's face flashed though confusion, disbelief, and ended with his eyes softening in hurt.
Loki gathered enough magic to begin to heal the two exit wounds, but the toxin prevented much else. His nerves gained enough stability to break free of Clint's grasp and stand uneasily.
"What? Why?" Is all Clint whispered before Loki stumbled out, inelegantly, into the fray. His magic trickled back to his senses and his nerves began to reawaken his fine motor skills. The exit wounds on his back finally knit closed.
Sesshomaru, half draped over Banner's back, tilted his head up towards Loki as he staggered back into the raging storm. Loki breathed an inward sigh of relief.
'Sesshomaru is alright, he was just in a bit of shock.' Loki reassured himself. He remembered the punch of fear when the pelt materialized and disappeared that Sho may have been critically injured. They nodded at each other and he set out to seek a God of thunder whose rage churned out of control.
Loki had never seen such a fierce lightning storm. The roaring thunder and hooks of lightning and ignited everything around it in a tight orb of supercharged energy. Gales of wind blew bicycles, boxes and debris in twisters through the street. Street lights and transformers flamed and burst open, hailing tempered glass, power lines, and sparks onto the street. Loki thought he imagined its blustering, incredible power at first.
It didn't take long to spot Thor. Thor descended down from where Romanoff placed the weapons with Mjolnir illuminated bright.
Loki stiffened in shock. Surely not all of his vindictive ire was meant for him. Thor had thought of him as a traitor, an untrustworthy relation, and deserving of Odin running him through with Gungnir not a mere day ago!
Thor landed a bit away from him and wore visage of rage he had seen only rarely.
"Thor. You must calm you—" Loki started but reeled back, startled when Thor whipped around to him, eyes wide. His face brightened and he charged over to Loki with a speed usually reserved for hunting down Jotun, not rushing to meet one.
"Brother, you live!" Thor's gravelly voice cracked high in relief. Loki reflexively took a step back out of disbelief because the golden light that lit his face held such a stark contrast to the dark storm he summoned. Stark landed, suit on high alert from what Loki could tell, holding the remote-control relay.
"It takes far more than that to kill me Thor, much to most mortals' dismay." Loki coughed out a little blood and tried to heal his more serious internal injuries. Stark approached and his face plate flipped up and showed a bent shell casing.
If the storm was menacing, then Stark was hell itself.
'Oh, Stark is going to murder someone.' Loki had hoped Stark wouldn't have found out about Cerberus and Blitzen until after he explained everything.
"You both need to get inside. There is muc—" Loki attempted to explain before Thor approached him in a gentle embrace. He heard a sharp inhale, akin to a half sob. This one contrasted wildly to the last one in Asgard. Thor's wild blonde hair tickled his cheek and his deep breath calmed the winds of the storm.
Loki returned the hug tentatively. Would Thor never tire of these?
"Brother I thought you were in dire straits! I feared the worst! I am truly relieved. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. Whoever is responsible shall serve their due sentence on Asgard. I will not tolerate such a transgression. You only meant to help Midgard!" Thor growled lowly. Loki had to fight the reaction that surely Thor should think him stronger than a few bullets that under normal circumstances he could have shielded. Thor finally let go, blue eyes squinting in a radiant smile. Thor was always meant to walk the path of light.
And he the path of darkness. There always had to the one to traverse the path of darkness in order to keep the light bright.
"Yes, well I'm quite alright. Now both of you, come with me we have much to discuss." Loki waved. He realized, especially after the Star Wars viewing that he would always be the Dark Side. Thor and Clint always the Rebellion, golden hair sweeping in the wind and brown eyes searching the horizon like the heroes they were meant to be.
Loki once hated that idea: why him? Now that he had returned to Asgard and confronted it, he realized he didn't care. He never had a chance to succeed in Asgard, yet he would make this reality his own. He didn't fully own this shadowed destiny of before, but now, in the name of revenge, he could.
"Much to discuss? Brother what do you mean?" Thor's over-reactionary storm began to lighten and ebb. The waves of wind settled down as they made their way back into the tower, Loki noticed he SHIELD agents that guarded them must have been ordered to do crowd control, he saw no one on the street.
"You'll see. It will be far easier explain just once." Loki sighed in relief as his magic trickled through his veins, healing his entry wounds. The toxin, however still prevented him from accessing more.
Stark had not said a word, quite unlike him.
"Are you to say you already know the identity of the assailants? Man of Iron has the control device of the firearms used to wound you and Son of Taisho so!" Thor pointed to the relays and Loki knew that Stark would be able to figure out it was Romanoff who took the shots in his lab before long.
"Looks like you were lucky Loki." Stark's voice sounded like he had been recently tortured. "Is Sesshomaru up and around as well or was he not so lucky?" Stark asked stonily and Loki paused, he said his real name, and Sho's. Loki turned to him.
'His eyes look like chasms. He indeed feels more for Sho than he let on. He would be reacting quite differently if he saw this as a simple attack on his beloved Tower.' Loki noted as the elevator door opened.
"He survived the attack, go see for yourself, Stark." Loki stated as Stark marched into the main room of the main living space of the tower.
A molasses thick silence greeted them as Stark set down the relay devices in the middle of the room. Loki sighed through his nose, on one side of the room stood Romanoff, Fury, Banner with Jaken, Rin and Sesshomaru seated. Sesshomaru's once white blazer was removed and shirt opened Loki could see the entry wounds being healed slowly by Tenseiga, who pulsed blue. His long hair hung tangled still clumped with dried blood.
He looked terrible, but he knew he didn't look much better. His own hair was matted in congealed blood and his skin pale, almost green, from the toxin and tainted blood. It still raced through his blood stream, but the bite of the string had assuaged somewhat.
On the other side stood, Rogers, Lady Potts, Captain Rhodes, Clint, Coulson, and Hill.
Stark remained standing in the middle as if a ring of fire surrounded him, eyes set on the pale, silent Sesshomaru who now just stuck two fingers in his chest cavity, presumably extracting a spent slug.
Maybe Sho wasn't as lucky as Loki, only one shot went straight through.
'Well, isn't this all lovely. Clint would drill a hole through my head with his hard, brown eyes if he could. He probably thinks I somehow manipulated Romanoff into the scheme. He knows of the necessary monster I am.' Loki frowned, a soft melancholy dripped into his lungs, making it hard to breathe.
He was thrown back to late last night when they devised 'Operation: Sesshoki Down'
Loki found a shirtless Sesshomaru leaving the shower at 3:49 am. They certainly liked running into each other at this time. Only this early morning they weren't on the helipad, and they were not alone.
"Sho. The time is nigh to discuss strategy for tomorrow's greeting of the mortals." Loki gestured to Romanoff and Banner beside him. Both alert, too alert, for what mortals regarded the middle of the night.
"Hmmm." Sesshomaru flared his youki, drying his sopping wet hair and put on a red t shirt.
"So, that's how you can keep your hair so long." Romanoff nodded in approval.
"Told you, women approve." Banner fired to Sesshomaru who only shook his dry silver hair out of his T shirt.
"As you may know, I have committed a great atrocity to this city. No matter what Director Fury may claim or prove, these Midgardian mortals want my blood or worse. They will not be satisfied with mere words this time. Even my own." Loki started smoothly and Sesshomaru's gaze hardened.
"You wish to have them draw your blood for the sake of misguided vengeance?" Sesshomaru asked a touch suspicious.
"Negative. We are going to give it to them, tomorrow during the news conference. A preemptive strike on ourselves. We will also conduct a weapons test of the new toxin, Cerberus and Blitzen, the new poison Glow Stick gave Tony. If we draw our own blood first it will provide us a number of advantages." Romanoff switched off, Loki noticed they may work too well together.
"Firstly, it will allow us to control how and when we are attacked. Also, it will mostly satiate the mortals' desire for revenge. Thirdly, it will draw out any other dissidents for us to find, and show that security has been heightened. Finally, if you are up to it my friend, by allowing yourself to become a part of this tactic it will align us together as one. Midgard will subconsciously see an attack on myself as also an attack on you." Loki had practiced that pitch. Even if Sesshomaru didn't want to go along with it, he himself would. It would simply be a sounder strategy if he did.
On Midgard, there were a scant few who would care for his passing. Thor would only mourn for the loss of a brother, not Loki. Clint, well, Clint made it quite clear he didn't want his company.
"If I'm going to bleed, I wish for it to be on my terms no one else's." Loki added, knowing that would get through to his friend.
"My proximity barrier will alert me to threats within the perimeter. This seems unnecessary to fear an attack from humans so." Sesshomaru huffed and Loki inhaled sharply. He anticipated this response though.
"Sho, this is my responsibility. My price to pay. Asides, your vigilance is better used for our actual enemy. Not even you, my friend, can immediately respond to an explosion or a rogue sniper shot." Loki explained. His friend's proximity barrier, as far as Loki could learn from Stark, worked best against foes with immediate hostile intent. It may not work against a planted bomb.
"I also plan on using this Operation as a double-blind. Only us and Fury know of Operation: Sesshoki Down. If Fury is our mole, then he will somehow sabotage the Operation. I personally do not believe Fury is our double agent, but if he is then we need to act fast. The rest of the Avengers will be left out of scope for plausible deniability, and the rest of SHIELD will be left out to narrow down our spies." Romanoff expounded, shifting her weight and looking to Banner.
Loki didn't like the idea of not telling Clint. Clint, as well as the others had become rather close to Sesshomaru. Besides that, Clint would most likely see it as a breach of trust that he wasn't included.
"I...gotta say. I don't like leaving Tony out of this. I mean, I'm glad you're including me so I don't...transform..." Transform? Oh, Sho must have really instructed him if he no longer refers to his beast as a different entity. "…but Tony would want to know of an attack on Stark Tower." Banner stated seriously.
"We aren't including you just so you won't...transform, Bruce. You said it yourself on the Quinjet coming to New York, the public wants Loki's blood. We have to mitigate and control this, and you are the only one with approved access to Tony's lab and you made the ammunition. Besides, Tony would drown himself in his mini bar if he approved of this and it goes sideways, like if Pepper or Rhodes got hurt." Romanoff articulated, turning to Banner.
"I'm just… wary over Tony's reaction when we use him over there for target practice. He's gotten…um… well let's say he is going to care, a lot, if he gets hurt." Banner stumbled a bit on his wording, taking off his glasses and pointing them at Sesshomaru whose ears pricked up.
So, Banner had noticed Stark's interest as well.
"What makes you come to that conclusion? The fact they have matching outfits?" Romanoff narrowed her eyes and tilted her head. Banner held out his hands like someone was giving him rotten food. Then Romanoff looked at Loki who gestured to the freshly showered Sesshomaru and her eyes lit up.
"You're sleeping with Tony." Her voice rose and Sesshomaru furrowed his eye brows slightly. He cracked his knuckles that Loki knew he only did when he was annoyed.
"There was no sharing of quarters. He views me as a casual diversion. Your concerns are needless, Banner." Sesshomaru informed unemotionally, shifting his weight.
Loki's magic condensed and darkened within him. For all of that gaudy holier-than-thou speech in the lab, Stark went and did the one thing he warned him not to. It shouldn't have surprised him, but he didn't detect a lie from Stark in the lab.
'Far from it. His ire indicated he was deeply offended I would imply such a thing, and his barely bridled jealousy over Clint showed me Stark wanted my friend in much more than the physical sense. I had warned Sesshomaru of Stark's sexual behaviors. Yet, I would not have teased Sesshomaru so if I did not believe that Stark may see him similarly. Pity really. I truly have never seen Sesshomaru's interests so piqued.' Loki contemplated a prank on Stark…maybe he would change all of his human's spirits to horse piss.
"Jeez, Tony, I don't...nope. Not going there." Banner muttered mostly to himself, taking a deep breath.
Now that he really examined Sho, he picked up on his minute tells he wasn't his typical placid self. His gaze never landed on himself, Banner, nor Romanoff, instead it held a fixed spot straight out in front of him. His youki also ebbed lower than normal.
Loki was right when he said Stark was too afraid to properly court Sho. Loki and Stark had opposite problems it seemed. Clint had been so disgusted with his own advance he struck him for it. Not his best moment, he had mostly tempered down from the incident, but it still knotted his gut cold like ice. He had never been rejected in such a violent way before. Well, not since Suzaka that Pheonix Demoness, but she didn't really matter to him.
Loki knew that most mortals were heterosexual, but he didn't expect Clint to be so revolted by his kiss. It was clear now the archer he ached for wanted nothing to do with him.
He had teleported from Stark's lab in time to hear what he said to Sho in the training room. It… stabbed his insides more than he cared to admit. He could shoot a bow, sometimes he even did it for leisure. But he'd never get the chance to do it with him.
Clint saw him for the monster he really was.
"...well that is what Tony is known for. This doesn't change anything, we will proceed." Romanoff cycled through the new information in her head. Sesshomaru's ears lowered, not unnoticed by Loki.
"Ok Natasha, are you seriously implying that they won't care that we are gunning these two guys down? I mean Loki and Clint do their…spar thing, and..." Banner persisted and it really began to irk Loki. He was missing the point, and he was wrong.
"I can see it now! Your patriotic and gallant Captain weeping over my prone body while Stark plays a requiem. Shall I have Thor gather some lilies for when your Fury says my eulogy? Spare me. While they may be alarmed at Sho's fall, it won't be for long. Midgard's mightiest should be able to stomach some blood. The Mad Titan will certainly spill more of it." Loki's words rolled off his tongue flawlessly and Sesshomaru nodded slightly. Loki said what he meant, but was purposefully callous. If these mortals thought that the battle against the Mad Titan and his armada would be without bloodshed, they were wrong.
Besides, it was not like Clint didn't already hate him.
"Sentiment is for the privileged, which we aren't at the moment. If we don't act now with a preemptive strike, an actual attack on Stark Tower, from the spies or elsewhere, could prove far more deadly." Romanoff added and Banner just sighed through his nose. Loki could tell he felt quite outnumbered, but that didn't matter right now.
"Oh yeah, with friends like us who needs enemies?" Banner snickered to himself. Loki got it, really, but at the same time Banner needed to see that if this was the worst that they think they will face, they are wrong.
"Banner, what will happen tomorrow will be a love tap compared to what we truly face. If you truly fear loss of life, then understand how necessary this to prevent exactly that." Loki's green magic flared out in spirals on the floor not unlike tree roots.
Banner remained silent.
"Are you in, or out Pretty Boy?" Romanoff clipped and Sesshomaru cut his gaze to Loki.
"No pressure my friend, we were going to inform you whether we wanted to include you or not. It would not have suited the tactic if you flew off the handle at my wounding." Loki didn't want to imagine the wrath Sesshomaru would unleash upon the mortal city of New York if he was left out of the plan. Loki noticed Sesshomaru brewed deep in thought, his eyes unfocused out the window.
He also knew, first hand and second hand, Sesshomaru had weathered far worse attacks. It simply depended if the Demon Lord thought the scheme worth his spilt blood or not.
"This Sesshomaru accepts. I shall inform Jaken and Rin tomorrow. Jaken will be entrusted with Bakusaiga, Tenseiga, and Rin." Sesshomaru turned to Loki, suddenly serious like Loki had seen him explaining his failed invasion.
Which already felt so long ago to Loki.
"Again, Loki, are you sure we shouldn't tell Thor? Natasha what about Clint?" Banner eased into the conversation and Loki scoffed and laughed darkly.
"If there is a singular person we shouldn't inform it would be Thor. He cannot lie, and may let slip the operation. That aside, I believe he loves the idea of one large happy family than he does me as myself. I'd be particularly shocked if he sees me wounded as something to raise Mjolnir over if Odin's murder attempt of me Asgard is any indication." Loki flicked his wrist dismissively and Romanoff rolled her thick lashed blue eyes.
This time Sesshomaru leaned back, as if in disbelief at Loki's words. Yet, it was true. Why would Thor see what would transpire as any different?
"Agreed. Ideally, I'd include Clint, but Fury would disagree including anyone else, including him. Also, I owe it to Clint to protect him. If this goes awry, Clint could shoulder more responsibility than necessary. Also, strategically speaking, the more genuine reactions that the public sees from us, the better. The primary objectives remain getting public tolerance of Glow Stick, sympathy for Pretty Boy, and heading off a real attack on Tony and his tower. Whatever fallout that will come Steve and the others will be handled post-Op." Romanoff pointed in the air as if checking items off a list.
"So, this is what it feels like to be a SHIELD operative. I can feel that warm and fuzzy feeling just take over." Banner winced, scratching his head, small smile pasted on his face.
"As your Star Wars film would suggest, welcome to the Dark Side." Loki bowed with a flourish, Cheshire smile on full display and his green magic deepened. Sesshomaru, Romanoff, and Banner, each in their own way, despite Banner's protests, understood that to prevent unspeakable horrors, one had to be horrifying first.
"This isn't going to be pretty. Tony is going to lose his marbles, and if you think I rage out, just wait until you see what the rest of the others are going to do." Banner warned, lips thin.
"They're adults Bruce, and we are about to be at war. We signed up for the Avengers initiative to protect the world against potential threats. They should understand that this goes beyond them being informed at every step. Their egos, even Tony's, should weather this." Romanoff insisted, tone lowering.
"You're right, but doesn't mean I have to like it, or that they will see it that way." Banner replied and Loki laughed again, this time with more heart.
"Good. It's settled. I'll inform Fury at oh four thirty. Bruce, we will need three cartridges for Cerberus and three for Blitzen for the M24. Two rifles will be set up at the opposite building, 10th floor, in a vacant office. They will be hooked up to a remote-control relay that I will control. Give the signal we practiced on after Pretty Boy's first question. I'll alternate targets starting with you Glow Stick to feign two shooters. I'll aim for all non-lethal chest points. Once you give the signal don't move." Nat mostly directed at Loki, but ended looking Sesshomaru directly in the eyes.
"Naturally." Loki assured and Sesshomaru inclined his head.
Having Clint smile at him it was sweet while it lasted. He played with fire. Truly. But he couldn't help himself. His selfishness definitely bit him back and Loki didn't think ice cream would help this time around.
"They planned the whole thing Tony. Fury, Loki, Nat, Fancy Pants, even Bruce. They set up the rifles, they made fools of us all." Clint could have spat nails at him and it would have had the same effect. His dark eyes never left Loki's. Thor grabbed Loki's shoulder with his broad hand, blue eyes crushed.
"Is this true, brother?!" Thor's voice thin in disbelief. It was Romanoff who answered.
"Glow Stick, we are really going to have to work on your definition of 'post-Op'. Yes Thor. It was a solid, and necessary measure. The public would have attempted to take out Loki eventually. A bloodless apology means nothing to a mass of scorned people. Trust me, I'm Russian." Romanoff shot a look to Clint and he ignored her. Thor backed away from Loki, and the first patter of rain hit the panes of glass as he went on Clint's side.
Loki took his place next to Romanoff. Loki saw this coming, to an extent. It always was to be this way, he on one side, his brother on another. His brother out in front, he in the back. Never side by side.
Clint regarded him as one would an animal they wanted to slay. Loki wished his gut didn't twist the way it did. He wished he didn't feel so…defeated. Like he was so wrong.
"...and you just didn't tell us?! I expect this shit from SHIELD, Loki and well I guess now Sailor Moon, but you Bruce?! You thought that this was a good idea?!" Stark's face flushed blood red in barely restrained anger. Sesshomaru finally managed to extract a bent, two-inch round cartridge from his chest, looking at it like someone who found a pebble in their boot.
"I told you all from day one that Fury, everyone, wanted to see Loki suffer. By targeting Sesshomaru as well, we tried to get people to see an attack on Loki is also an attack on Sesshomaru, and no offense, demonize the attackers. We were trying to head off a real attack Tony. It also gave us opportunity to test Cerberus and Blitzen." Banner rubbed his temple in an attempt to stay calm. Stark charged over to Thor and took the shells out of his hand, eyes lighting up in recognition.
"You! You stole these?!" Stark shouted, Lady Potts eyes went wide at Banner.
"I actually made those. There as much mine as they are yours. I didn't steal anything." Banner retorted, leaning back offended. Stark took a couple paces, as if debating to physically assault Banner. Loki hoped he wouldn't. Sesshomaru had no spare youki if Banner lost his composure here.
"Gotta love semantics. You're banned from the lab. Consider your invitation revoked, for good. For life." Stark growled out and threw the shells on the floor for effect.
"Good to see you're acting level headed about this." Banner sighed, throwing his hands up in defeat.
"Level headed? You want to see leve-" Stark got cut off by Thor who gripped Mjolnir tight.
"I do not like your schemes brother!" Thor unleashed a rainstorm, it now battered against the windows.
"Then you dislike me. This is what I do Thor; this is who I am. I do what is necessary when advantageous to do so. I will not apologize for it, as I am through apologizing for who I am. You like the idea of a younger brother, but do you actually like me?" Loki clenched his fists.
"You've betrayed us right before an invasion is supposed to start. Some strategy." Rogers' voice cut like a machete through the tension. Fury turned to him, apparently waiting to see how this all played out.
"Betrayed? How exactly did we do that Captain? We did what we had to, like we always to keep people safe. I could wax poetic all day about how Loki wasn't behind the attack but it wouldn't work. Violence, Captain regrettably is the answer. We kept you all in the dark for plausible deniability. To protect you." Fury answered, voice commanding to reach Rogers.
"Protection?! We don't need to be protected by you! We need to work together, be on the same side! We can't function this way as a team." Rogers fired back and Loki just laughed, Sesshomaru's eyes meeting his, knowing what Loki was about to say.
"Just what does a strategist do Rogers? They minimize casualties, and devise tactics to protect their forces. You may not like it, but that is exactly why we are here. To protect you from unforeseen attacks and be one step ahead of the enemy. We headed off the eventual attack with our own with the outcome to satisfy Midgard's blood lust for me, and inspire so called 'humanization' for a Demon Lord." Loki's voice sounded like dark silk. Rogers and everyone turned to him, eyes glaring at him and Romanoff stepped forward.
"What he said. We operate from the shadows so you don't have to. Stark, what if an attack on Loki happened and Miss Potts or Colonel Rhodes were collateral damage? Or worse, what if something did go awry with the Op and there were casualties? How would you feel that you allowed the attack to happen? How would you deal with those consequences if it got out it was a planned Op?" Fury's booming heated voice speared into a fuming Rogers and a brooding Thor.
"Thor, would you rather have us waste resources trying to prevent an attack on your brother and be ill prepared for the battles to come? Steve, you both better than anyone we need the world's military, not just SHIELD, on our side. Clint...you know why we had to do this. You know our role; you know why we had to do this." Romanoff's steel voice cut slightly soft regarding Clint who simply crossed his arms.
"Yeah, of course. Who can trust me with anything right?" Clint snickered darkly and Loki's gut sank. No matter what Loki did; he hurt him.
"Actually, Tony, I'm gonna have to say I see their point here. It worked. Not last week I wanted to put two center mass in Loki, and well now let's say I'm pretty satisfied. And well mean I don't know Mr Silver badass, but on stage you could tell they were close." Colonel Rhodes said. Loki wanted to laugh, so that mortal Rhodes saw the merit in their tactic?
"Rhodey. You…You… don't get it do you?" Tony turned on his friend and Loki finally began to feel the lingering sting of Cerberus nullify in his blood stream.
"Get what Tony? You've kept me and others in the dark plenty of times, so explain to me how the shoe feels being on the other foot." Rhodes argued back and Stark set his jaw.
Before Stark could respond, Rogers spoke up.
"Who gave you the authority to decide we needed to be protected?! You can't just act on your own! I am the leader of the Avengers and you two-", looking at Romanoff and Banner, "-acted rogue. This can't happen with the Avengers." Rogers replied, still in disbelief that the original point wasn't addressed.
"I knew this would happen…" Banner muttered.
"Excuse me? Acted rogue? Who do you think founded the Avengers' initiative Captain?" Fury turned to Rogers, looking for a challenge. Oh. This would be interesting.
"How do you expect me to do my job when you have your own agenda? You made fools of us at an important showing." Rogers strode towards Fury and Agent Hill and Agent Coulson crossed the room to get between him and Rogers.
"Steve. You have a point, but you're no fool and no one will see you that way. They see you as Captain America who shielded Tony Stark from a terrorist attack. They see you as a hero." Agent Coulson reasoned. Loki gagged. Ugh, he did truly love the Captain didn't he? Rogers paused but his muscles remained flexed in frustration.
"You know what. I'm done. You all are kicked out of the tower. Get out of my house." Stark suddenly bit out and everyone turned to him. Fabulous. And to think people thought he overreacted. Sesshomaru gaze landed on Stark's neutrally.
"Seriously? Aren't we in the middle of something Tony?" Banner leaned forward, voice edgy.
"Do I look like I'm joking, doing stand-up? Yes, seriously. You guys got like ten minutes before I have Jarvis classify you all as hostile. Jarvis, declassify Natasha, Bruce, Fury, Horns, and Moonie as friendlies." Stark's voice honed sharp like a spear only aimed at one person, who currently had tangled silver hair.
"Done sir, though I do advise tha—" the AI system chattered but was cut off.
"Can it Jarvis, not in the mood." Stark, usually, didn't chastise his AI so strongly.
"Rin gather your things." It was the first thing Sesshomaru said during the whole exchange. Loki's face twisted as Rin nodded and ran by everyone. Loki didn't understand any of this.
'How could these mortals be this offended over looking foolish? Are they that unable to see the larger picture and get over their own sense of pride? That this tactic was exactly what was needed?! I never thought Banner would be so correct.' Loki, baffled, knew he didn't have enough magic collected for a teleport but he knew of a nice Midgardian hotel nearby, a suite, whirlpool bath, pool for Rin….
"Is that it? Is that all you have to say?!" Stark crossed his arms as Sesshomaru rose, one of the bullet holes still bleeding. Sesshomaru turned to him, wincing slightly as he carefully extracted the second slug from his chest and held it in his hand. He held the two bent cartridges out to Stark.
Pause.
"The two projectiles that stayed in my chest proved more highly effective than the one that passed through me. The poison, Blitzen is indeed potent; your work is a success." Sesshomaru stated with no hint of emotion. Stark looked like he wanted to strangle him. Banner chuckled.
Loki suppressed a smirk, Sho was actually oblivious. It was glaringly obvious to Loki that Stark was shaken by the fear of losing Sho. However, the way Stark treated him he night before threw the straightforward Demon off. Maybe Stark thought that just because his friend didn't express his emotions meant he didn't have them.
"Not. That." Stark clipped out and Sesshomaru's ears pricked up as he turned to Lady Potts.
"...Lady Potts, this Sesshomaru owes you for the garment that you acquired. Will this will be sufficient compensation?" Jaken handed Sesshomaru a stack of Midgardian currency, he then walked calmly and without hesitation put the money in her hand.
'Sesshomaru, you have a one-track mind.' Loki put a hand to his forehead.
"You...you think I care about the suit?! You think I'm that materialistic? You think that's what Tony, and we are all upset about?" Pepper's voice cracked, sounding abnormally soprano. Sesshomaru's ears lowered. Loki turned to Lady Potts, expression puzzled.
'Ah…yes I underestimated how much the mortals had harkened to Sho. They are most likely upset that they thought he was critically wounded.' Loki shifted his gaze to Romanoff who returned his exasperated expression.
"OK so Fancy Pants is suddenly loaded." Clint's comment went ignored. Sesshomaru sighed through his nose.
"I was in your debt, I wished to repay it. The tactic was a success by my account, and I fulfilled my position perfectly. By your reaction, you must disagree." He responded with the barest hint of anger.
"That has nothing to do with it! I can't believe you, either of you. Do you know how worried, how concerned we all were for you both?!" Lady Potts threw the money on the floor, they fluttered over the spent shells Stark threw earlier.
Sesshomaru blinked and placidly turned to Loki, both of their eyes slightly wide. Loki scanned the side of the room that currently glared him down.
'By the Nines...were all of these confused mortals genuinely concerned for my well-being? Is that why they are so highly emotional? When had this happened? What clues did I miss?' Loki, suddenly, was very caught off guard. Did Stark, Rogers, Lady Potts care about him?
He thought he had done a good job being distant from them. The Norns. What had Loki gotten himself into?
"Short sighted humans! Lord Sesshomaru has succumb to far worse injuries than this! He once, by himself, fought off an entire human army right after becoming critically wounded and losing his left arm! And do you think my Lord would befriend with a weakling who couldn't withstand such a predictable and feeble attack?" Jaken leapt to his feet, scuttling to collect the money off the ground.
"You lost an arm? How?!" Loki exploded, shocked out of his discovery. Sesshomaru glared down at Jaken then back up to Loki neutrally.
"My half-brother cut it off with Tessaiga. This Sesshomaru miscalculated and was not thinking clearly." Sesshomaru elaborated as Rin trotted in with a large bag and her bone.
'Ah, he must have transformed into his true form. The only way someone could have gotten the better of him. I still can't fathom why his father left that half-wit with Tessaiga and hid Sounga from him.' Loki reasoned, still vying to get Clint's attention who now ignored him. Clint would never forgive him for this.
"And you guys thought you two had problems." Banner pointed to both Thor and Loki. Loki rolled his green eyes and Thor reddened. Humor, at a time like this? Really?
"Can we get back on topic?! This isn't about how tough you guys are! You're both on our team now. We care about you two and you all manipulated that." Lady Potts spoke up again and Sesshomaru's ears shot up. Loki's jaw dropped.
Were these mortals using their wounded pride as a cover? Was their true offense their feelings were manipulated not their pride?
"Polly was right Lord Sesshomaru!" Sesshomaru looked down to Rin, still holding her bag, smiling brightly.
"So, that is what this is about. Dann, the dinner was no joke, you guys have gone and played house and I mean seriously played house. I heard that the Captain even wore an apron." Rhodes shook his head and crossed his arms. Rogers' face flushed red.
"Manipulation? In order for that to take place I would to not only have known of your sentiments towards me, but you would have had to tru...Norns! You lot trust me?!" Loki couldn't help it, he put a hand to his forehead, chuckling.
"Brother, of course we trust you!" Thor stepped forward. "You have spoken the truth of this invasion at every juncture." Thor observed and, well Loki straightened. Not really true, but he wasn't going to point that out to Thor.
There were secrets about the invasion that he was going to keep to himself, if at all possible.
"Norns, Thor, three years ago, I dismantled your team, crashed SHIELD's helicarrier, and killed hundreds of mortals. I do not expect such a grudge to not be held, even if it wasn't my expressed desire. I did not expect you all hold your breath about my injuries when that is all you sought weeks ago! Surely you recall Romanoff shooting Sho in the desert of New Mexico." Loki's weak magic wove around his fingers as he took a step back, looking at the room. Sesshomaru merely tilted his head slightly to the side at Loki.
He then remembered the conversation he had a while back with Rogers on the rooftop when Stark had dressed up as Sesshomaru.
'He had been the first of the 'Lost Creatures' to literally stand beside me. Lady Potts while did barter with Sesshomaru to throw me from a window, she had actually purchased me the lime tart the night of the dinner. And Stark, while insufferable, allowed me access to his lab.' These mortals not only trust me, but…
"Still not apologizing for it." Romanoff smirked slightly and Loki snorted in good humor. "Everyone needs to give Pretty Boy a break. His parents literally named him 'Killing Perfection' and his entire family tried to kill him, and his brother chopped off his arm. I think he may have some issues with positive emotional identification." Romanoff came to Sesshomaru's defense and Banner stood up.
"Can any of you even really blame Loki either? The guy is about open to friendship as Tony is to cheap coffee. Though, you and Natasha should never work together without telling everyone, again, ever. You two have gotten too close." Banner groaned, as if wishing he could go take a nap. Romanoff and Loki turned to each other and on cue draw stringed their mouths at him.
Wait. Did he just affirm that statement? He and Romanoff, close?
Pause.
"That answer you gave to the reporter. That you don't expect to be forgiven or trusted, you weren't just speaking to the press when you said that were you? You meant us, too, didn't you?" Rogers turned to Loki and his mouth went dry. He didn't know. Maybe? He was the God of Lies, it was far less complicated for them to trust his anger towards the Mad Titan and not who he was.
"Norns, you mortals don't listen! I do not seek forgiveness because I do not apologize. I do not seek to gain your trust because I do not…" Loki trailed off. He did seek out their trust though.
He wanted Clint's, but he had betrayed that. He had already sought out Romanoff's. He trusted her shooting him in the chest, not divulging anything about his Jotun heritage, appearance, and his desire of the Tesseract.
Why did he do those things? Why did he seek out trust that was so unnecessary? Why did he want it?
"Loki didn't seek our trust because it wasn't necessary and didn't think it would happen anyway. Loki doesn't waste his time with unnecessary efforts, unless it's something he really wants. I can relate." Romanoff finished for him. Clint turned to her and his face lit up and Loki finally locked eyes with him.
Clint's defined eyebrows rose up in an epiphany. An epiphany to what Loki had no idea.
"Trust is a currency we do not barter easily in." Sesshomaru lifted his chin and Stark caught his gaze. "This Sesshomaru will endeavor to report potential serious injury to his person in the future." Sesshomaru stood tall and straight, as if to say he had enough of the whole charade. His wound now finally stopped bleeding, but remained a ragged hole. Loki figured his exit wound probably looked far worse.
"And I don't intend on becoming, yet again, anyone's practice target." Loki added, cutting his gaze over to Clint who met his gaze. A lot less fiery anger danced in his eyes.
Pause.
"Good, now that this little heart to heart is settled, I am going with to Hill and Coulson and debrief the council. Romanoff, Barton remain here and report any suspicious activity. This has already become a media supercell." Fury straightened his tie and Stark turned.
"No, like I said you guys now have six minutes before Jarvis classifies you five as hostiles. I am not being made an ass of in my own tower. Clint can stay." Stark resolutely crossed his arms in front of his chest. Romanoff, and in particular Banner looked taken aback.
"Stark, you need to look at the bigger picture." Fury stated, voice like a whip. Stark didn't respond and instead just tapped his overpriced Midgardian timepiece.
"Fine." Stark clearly needed time to cool down his infernal attitude. "I know of a particularly splendid hotel, Sesshomaru. Their presidential suite has a luxurious two-person jacuzzi and a rather spacious bedroom. Oh, and of course an indoor swimming area for Rin and Jaken." Loki winked. He said it just to irk Stark, since Sho obviously had no idea what a jacuzzi was. He also knew Water Demons, even ones as irritating as Jaken, enjoyed fresh water.
Both Stark and curiously enough Clint shot him fiery glares.
Sesshomaru nodded. He began to button up his ruined shirt, his precious sunglasses broken and forgotten.
"Oh no. There is no way we are allowing you unsupervised especially since we can't seem to track your magic signature. I allowed you to stay here under the supervision of my agents and the Avengers but if you aren't staying here you're going to come back with us to headquarters." Fury commanded, leaving no room for negotiation. Loki eyed him curiously, maybe the veteran spy was the mole after all. Out of the corner of his green eyes, he saw Sesshomaru's sword, Bakusaiga rattle and glow in Jaken's hands.
"You will imprison my brother?!" Thor was to his feet as thunder clapped. Rogers turned to Fury in disbelief. The Nines Thor! Pick a better time to white knight.
"Oh, so you'd like me in a hotel I can check in into, but I cannot leave. At least until you need my services, yes?" Loki's face split into a smile that was all teeth. Clint's eyes stung Fury, wide like he wanted to protest.
Bakusaiga shot towards Sesshomaru, leaving a green trail of light to Sesshomaru's left hand. Sesshomaru's gaze fixated on Fury as he pointed Bakusaiga out towards him.
"You dare go back on our agreement, human?" Sesshomaru's voice sounded sharp and dark like tinted glass. Bakusaiga's green youki fingered out. Immediately Coulson and Hill had their guns out, pointed to Sesshomaru. This just got interesting.
"Drop the weapon, Demon." Hill ordered and Loki scoffed audibly.
Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed to slits and Loki wished he had enough magic to properly deal with the situation. He couldn't even summon his daggers yet.
"Coulson, Hill, keep your cool. The last time someone tried to make him do anything he destroyed a 22 million dollar fighter jet with a whip." Fury advised but Hill and Coulson didn't flinch. "You can put Tron away. He will be a guest, not prisoner. I don't go back on my word." Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, Bakusaiga not powering down. Forget interesting, this could get dire, and quickly. Could Fury truly be the double agent vying to get them both together in SHIELD headquarters?
'If Fury is not the double agent then he cannot be serious. This must be some sort of ploy to keep us here together in Stark's Tower. He would not risk something like this. He is either calling Stark's bluff, or he is the mole.' Loki weighed the different options in his head, fighting a growing anxiousness. He knew he had no way of telling which, even as the God of Lies.
Fury was telling the truth. It was either Stark's tower or nothing. Loki did not like the sound of any of this, they were essentially cornered. He noticed Romanoff shift her weight, probably realizing the same thing.
"Jaken, take Rin to the safe place we discussed. Remain until I retrieve you." Sesshomaru spoke slowly. Bakusaiga crackled with green jolts and Loki's pulse picked up tempo.
"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru! Come Rin, these humans are so fickle! First this blacksmith makes our Lord stay to defend his tower, then he orders him to leave it after he defended it! Humans are unreliable and ungrateful. I hope our Lord shows them no mercy." Jaken waved his dowsing rod staff. It had taken until Jaken used it for him to remember it. It was Inu no Taisho's and had a peculiar ability of picking up spiritual elements. Rin bit her lip to Stark, head tilted to the side.
It sincerely bothered Loki to see Rin upset. She was a sunray of a little mortal girl but seeing Stark treat her Lord so, dimmed her spirit.
"Rin, you, and Toady can stay." Stark relented, and Rin vehemently shook her head.
"No Stark. I will always be with my Lord Sesshomaru and Jaken. And Jaken is not a toad, he is a Water Demon, and he is right about you." Rin admonished. Nicely said Rin. She continued to walk to the elevator and Lady Potts shot a simmering gaze to Stark.
"Tony, I understand you're upset but let's talk this out. We can't allow them to be on their own." Rogers pointed to Rin and Jaken. Perhaps the Captain was coming around. He had been silent for a bit.
"Jaken is Mr. Moneybags, and Rin grew up in the warring states era of Japan; they'll be fine." Stark avoided Lady Pott's wide-eyed stare.
"Loki, if you come with us, we can avoid all of this. We will not harm you if you come peacefully." Agent Hill announced.
Loki snorted.
"I'm not going to sit here and let you just cage Loki, again." Banner stood striding next to Loki, facing Fury. "That was your plan this whole time, right Fury? Get all your monsters in house? Figure out how Sesshomaru helped me control my transformation? Tinker with Loki's brain to understand the full effects of mind control and magic? Coerce his Demon Lord friend into being a Guinea Pig too? You banked on this whole thing." Banner finished and Loki frowned. He didn't need Banner's championing of him. If anything, it was accelerate splashed on a fire.
"Is this what you really want Tony? You're willing to throw away all our work, sabotage our operation to prevent a global invasion because your ego got bruised?" Romanoff put her hands on her hips, eyes glinted like steel.
"Five minutes." Stark stood resolute. He really could be as stubborn as Sesshomaru.
The elevator dinged, Rin and Jaken got on. Right as the elevator doors closed Bakusaiga's energy ramped up, coils and flames of green igniting from the Bakusaiga's blade. Loki pulse raced in his temples. His magic still in no way recovered to stop Sesshomaru and Bakusaiga now.
"I'm going after them. Jarvis call the elevator back up." Lady Potts ordered, striding purposefully past Stark, face blank.
"Sesshomaru, it's quite alright, I can go with them." Loki held his hands up and Sesshomaru's cold eyes sliced over to him, looking feral and resolute.
"Never. Again." Sesshomaru's voice stopped his heart, his razorblade eyes returned to Fury. Loki as well as everyone else in the room knew exactly what Sesshomaru meant.
"Loki take Tenseiga." Loki balked, Sesshomaru needed Tenseiga for protection, not him. "You, Tenseiga, and Banner retreat and await my instruction. This Sesshomaru will handle this situation." Sesshomaru lowly growled out. Loki, again, knew Sho became protective when cornered, but Sho had never ordered him about and he was not about to allow it now.
"If you think you can command me, or that I will leave you to SHIELD at a time like this you are mad." Loki stopped talking as Sesshomaru whipped his red eyes toward him. They were black at the edges and his pupils stood out as hard shards of teal. His markings started to morph.
"I outrank you. Do as I command." Sesshomaru barked harshly. Oh, he did not just bring up that archaic nonsense about rank! Sho must be mad to think Loki would simply smile and bow to that rubbish. Even if he was no longer a Prince of Asgard.
"Sho, you know I don't take orders, not even from you." Loki chose his words carefully. Bakusaiga's youki was feeding his Demonic instinct to transform. He had only seen Sho's true form once, and it was, coincidentally, in a similar situation, only against Odin.
It wasn't a pleasant experience.
"Uh, everyone… " Banner stammered as laser sights pinged from the nearby building through the windows, lighting up Sesshomaru's chest and moon, along with Loki, and Banner, who now looked positively green, and not just from the glow of Bakusaiga.
'Sesshomaru is surely no fool, clearly he knows what those laser sights mean, and my magic is low to be of much use defensively. If he can stall, I may be able to summon enough magic to teleport Sho...' Loki, frustrated, tried in vain to gather more magic. He fought a surging adrenaline in his system that trembled his fingers and drained the color from his cheeks.
"Jarvis, put up full privacy mode on the tower." Stark demanded. Loki let loose a breath of relief. Yes, the situation would be easier to de-escalate now.
"Sir, I am afraid I cannot access certain aspects of my security protocol, including the privacy mode." Stark's eyes widened and he turned to Fury who revealed nothing. Loki fidgeted and wrung his hands, chest constricting.
"You aren't the only one who can light things up, Demon." Agent Hill's voice sounded heavy like uru stone. Loki gritted his teeth, so they set up a defensive perimeter around the Tower. Did Hill, Coulson, or Fury call it in? Two of the three mortals?
"Real Power and Mr Nirvana, it looks like our pissing contest has come to a draw. Both of you don't want to be practice targets, and I have a tight schedule. So, Loki, if you volunteered...Thor maybe give us a hand with your brother's dance partner?" Fury began and Bakusaiga surged again, blade singing. Thor shifted. Loki's spine stiffened like an ice pick struck it. If Thor took up any arms against Sho all Svartalfheim would cut loose.
"Thor, stay put!" Loki bellowed, voice cracking, lungs crinkling in anxiety.
"Fury stop this! It's clear you can trust Loki by now!" Clint shouted, voice hoarse. Loki's heart skipped in panic, Clint should be rallying for his capture, not his freedom.
"Tenseiga to Loki and Banner." Sesshomaru ordered, eyes still blood red, and Tenseiga soared out of his sheath and flipped blade down, impaling himself into the floor. Tenseiga summoned a blue glowing force field around the both of them. The laser sights now safely refracted off the blue youki from Tenseiga. Loki heard Tenseiga screaming. He could almost make out what Tenseiga was saying.
'Sesshomaru is now without protection. I can conceive of no way he can withstand not transforming if any of their shots hit their mark.' Loki frowned, throwing out his left hand to Thor, hand glowing a faint green in a weak attempt at intimidation. In response, a rattling thunderbolt raged across the sky. It most certainly didn't help the oppressive, charged tension in the air.
He needed to contain the situation, but he was running out of options.
"Tony, you can stop all of this right now if you just let them stay." Rogers turned to Stark and Stark just frowned and sets jaw. Everyone in the room, including Romanoff, stood too tense to move. Banner was barely holding it together. With the room sticky with frayed nerves, Loki swallowed audibly. How exactly could he get either Fury, Sho, or Stark to back down without his magic?
It was an obnoxious power struggle to be sure.
"Stark's sovereignty of his Tower will be respected. Loki go with Tenseiga and Banner. Now." Sesshomaru barked to Rogers and Loki both, fangs bared. So, he didn't want Fury to force Stark's hand.
"Stubborn Dog, I will do no such thing." Loki took a step forward and was immediately greeted by a shot from Agent Coulson's pistol. It ricocheted off of Tenseiga's force field and into the wall between Rhodes and Clint.
Loki grappled with the consequences of killing Agent Coulson swiftly with a good crunch to his neck. Though he replaced the intricate protective spell on Clint, it wasn't an infallible defense.
"Shit Coulson! It's a magic sword, you're going to hit us!" Rhodes exclaimed and Clint stilled. Loki pivoted to become fully between Agent Coulson and Clint.
"Captain America and the rest may have trusted you, but I know you're a snake, and I won't allow you to backstab anyone else." Coulson spoke impassively and something in Loki ran a shaking hand through his matted hair at the past tense. "You, and your rabid guard dog." Agent Coulson stated pointedly to Loki, gun smoking and Stark whipped around to him and sneered. Seems that Stark gets easily offended by someone demeaning Sho. Good.
Coulson saw them both as monsters. Clint thought him one, the rest of these mortals did now as well.
Yet, he couldn't allow Sho to transform and give the rest of the mortals, and maybe even Thor to think of him as one as well. They all still needed to trust him, and his true form was fearsome to say the least.
But how could he stop this?!
"Coulson he won't. In Loki's own way, he is trying to help us." Clint's voice seemed closer to Loki as Bakusaiga's youki surged out, twisting and coiling, shattering three windows. The green youki snapped out at Coulson's gun, vaporizing the barrel causing him to drop it. Another flare of youki snapped down Fury's feet but he didn't jump at the warning shot.
"You're defending him, Barton? You did quite the contrary when you last underwent your tests." Coulson suggested and Loki's eyes flashed a vicious gleam of green. Tests?
"Leave Clint be, you dim, whining mortal." Loki warned, his nerves working themselves into a frenzy. Cerberus still blocked his magic, like a dam on river. There but just out of reach. He could not access enough to neutralize Bakusaiga, but enough for one spell…
A shrrraaaaack was heard and then a deafening pop. In a flick of a wrist Bakusaiga cut the sniper rifle bullet from the air just in the nick of time right as Rogers flung out his circular shield to protect Sho from Agent Hill's shot. Romanoff drew her baton squared up at Agent Hill.
"Stand down! Coulson, Hill, Romanoff, everyone, stand down!" Fury bellowed the order, but Loki wasn't sure if the snipers would actually obey. Loki's pulse pounded in his ears like a wardrum. The hint of strained emotion in Fury's voice almost fully convinced Loki he was merely calling Stark's bluff.
"If you, Mr. Nirvana, come with me in Real Power's place, I'll allow him his freedom. Provided that you comply with some security protocols and strategic questions we have for you. And Barton, you can come with us as well." Fury negotiated and Loki's blood ignited. Black magic flooded the whites of his eyes. He had one ace in the hole left to play. He had to put an end to this, he had to.
"… really Fury? You're using their loyalty against each other like this? I won't…" Banner's voice churned followed by the sound of ripping fabric.
No. He wouldn't allow this. Stark was right. He brought Sho here; he was his responsibility. And he would prohibit Fury subjecting Clint to more useless tests. Clint was innocent, he would no longer pay the price for his mistakes.
"This Sesshomaru acce—" In no galaxy, time, nor realm would he allow Sesshomaru to finish that sentence. Loki dug deep and committed to his last resort spell.
What was that Midgardian turn of phrase? 'Desperate times call for desperate measures'?
"Director Fury, does your gall know no bounds?! Under no sun will I allow you them to walk into your dungeons. Lo and behold me! I'm the monster you seek to cage!" Loki's deep voice rippled through the room. Enough guessing games of the mole! Enough of this foolishness!
Coulson called him a snake and that accusation darted through his mind, zigzagging like a fly caught under a glass. Mortals did fear those creatures, didn't they? Which one would spark their fear most?
'Try to tame the Broken Blade, King of Monsters! I dare it!' Loki thought, or maybe he actually said it, it was hard to tell since he was beginning to shapeshift.
His bones shifted and cracked. Loki's blackened eyes inflated with a deep green pupil that rolled to life as his vision dimmed to black and white. His spine lengthened out long and ribs more than tripled and turned spindly and circular. His limbs shortened back into his spine as his skin hardened, darkened, and scaled over. His head lengthened, flattened and all his hair fanned wide and low around where his shoulders used to be. Finally, retractable fangs grew long, and potent with thin venom in an onyx, cave-like mouth.
Beside him a familiar, blood thinning roar echoed followed by a reverberating thud. A tongue darted out, tasting the air. Banner. Ally.
Loki uncoiled his massive, forty-eight-foot-long frame and reared back, his whole body covered in sleek, black, varnished scales. His long, thick tail whipped to and fro to a rhythm only Loki heard. Loki squared up and unfurled his narrow hood. Depicted on the backside of his hood in emerald green scales lay the stylized geometric insignia of Yggdrasil.
Though shapeshifting, once practiced, required little magic, Loki didn't shapeshift into other animals often for three good reasons. Firstly, they were arduous to perfect and hard to come out of. The simpler the creature, the better. Also, it was often much more trouble than it was worth, almost seen as a novelty, or a trick, more than anything. However, the most important reason was his sentient mind was often overridden by the creature's own instincts and biological tendencies.
This time, his mind clouded with the tenacious, territorial, secretive, and agile instincts of the Midgardian black mamba.
Pronounced and predatory, round black eyes with sinister emerald pupils surveyed the lifeforms around him and his nest. He quickly flicked a forked tongue before opening his jaw revealing a cavernous, obsidian maw. Loki then let loose an aggressive, savage hiss that could shame any banshee.
Despite that his large serpentine form had no ears, Allspeak still operated, though muffled and muted as if the sounds were in black and white.
"—ly hell." A lifeform murmured nearby. Male. Not one of his eggs.
He smelled the humid air with a dart of his tongue and read the innumerous, confusing vibrations and quakes on the floor and through the air. Banner, the large egg to his left, his vibrations rang strong and deep. Another egg directly behind him, rocked nimble and sure, Clint. To his right, a steadfast yet bloodthirsty egg to his right emitted a threatening, but not hostile, quivering, Sho.
There were other, disharmonious, clamoring reverberations that rattled his mind and almost deafened him. There were far too many lifeforms about!
The agitated serpent swerved, slithered, and lunged his steel smooth scales across the slick floor. He reared up even higher this time, his flat black head almost grazing the ceiling, and his retracted fangs sprung forward and seeped glistening, green venom.
Loki, suspended and flared, dominated his nest with a vicious thrash of his black tail. A blue, pulsing Tenseiga clattered unhappily across the floor. His hazardous, serpentine eyes locked down the three egg poachers as if he turned them to stone like the Midgardian figure of lore, Medusa.
If a snake could smirk, Loki did.
Hope everyone had a happy new year! Sorry this couldn't be a happier update! Thank you again for all of your support :) This chapter went through like 4 re-writes but I'm finally pretty happy with it.
Let me know how you like Loki's schemes and all the gooey parts between him and Clint!
-TL