Loki released all tension from his body, feeling the icy grip take center stage. Opening his blood red eyes, he stared at himself in the mirror with hatred. He fought the urge to destroy that which he had been raised to hate for so long.
I am the monster that children fear to come at night?!
He pushed that painful memory away, the day all of his troubles really began. The day he found out about this, this beast he was born to be. Maybe that was why he enjoyed the fights with his brother. Maybe that was why he enjoyed attacking Midgard.
Maybe I am...
He hissed at himself, then began to put his mask back on. As pale skin returned, a moan came from the dark corner behind him on the bed. The God of Lies slowly turned around, his red eyes the last to change back to emerald green.
Tony took a moment to make sense of where he was, even though he really had no idea, he still felt a little dizzy. Dark brown eyes saw a flare of red eyes, and it terrified him. He pressed his back against the cold stone wall, wishing he could disappear inside it, away from this nightmarish hell he was thrown into.
"Loki?" His voice was a little sore, dry, cracked lips begging for water.
"Don't." Loki threw up a finger to silence him, which Tony obeyed. He finally made eye contact with the man, happy to see fear tearing down those prideful walls. "You will listen to me now..." Loki kept calm, refusing to just blow up in his face, as that was not his plan.
But what was the plan exactly? Why did he bring him here?
To kill him? No...that would not be fun, and he was not that much of a threat, only a nuisance.
Torture? Seemed a bit harsh...but had potential.
After all, Loki knew a thing or two about that...
But his dreams...
And?
He's already been through so much...
Why do you care?
...
"I am tired of you mere humans putting me down like I am some kind of animal." He was starting to shake, but smiled at Tony's crashing walls of stubbornness he failed to keep up. "You think you're so special...not like the others, aren't you?" Tony remained silent, so Loki continued to dissect this strange human. His smile dropped, and he jerked his head, wanting a response. "I asked you a question."
Tony opened his mouth to try to speak, but he was not sure whether to be extremely sarcastic, or playfully innocent. He could tell Loki had literally lost his marbles, he could see the turmoil, even some regret in there.
Loki sighed and went to pick up his staff, the Mind Stone begging to come out and play. It was speaking to him in a language he could not articulate to the outside world, and he stubbornly resisted its true desire.
"You know Anthony..." Loki pointed the staff towards him, who flinched in fear and continued to creep along the wall until he found a corner. "You and I are very much alike, in a way. I can see us getting along splendidly." At no response, Loki got more irritated. He inched his way closer and closer until he could almost tower over the mortal. He reveled in the terror he caused him, raising the staff to tease the chest again.
Tony shied away, covering his arc reactor protectively. "Please..."
"We've been down this road before..." Loki got curious. "What of your heart? Do you still have one?" He raised his eyebrows as Tony looked off to the side, as if waiting for someone. "Yeeeeesssss...there is someone..." A tinge of jealousy grew within his racing heart. But why? He was the enemy.
Using the Mind Stone, he pointed at the man's temple, and saw an image of red, white, and blue.
"Well, well, well, who do we have here?"
Tony looked down, his sadness overwhelming him again. Why am I so weak?
"Are you in love, Anthony? With the soldier?" Loki smiled again, but with a bit of humor in it. "I must say, I am a little surprised. I thought you to be more...into just power..." Tony gasped as Loki tried again with the staff on his heart, but failed again. "Do you like playing the hero? Saving those who cannot be saved? This soldier out of time does not belong here, and yet..." Loki paused to admire the rage growing in the man's eyes. "Oh, getting defensive, are we? I can't help but admire a man who knows what he wants, and protects what he likes, but this? This must be love..."
Tony found his courage, and fought back. "Look, I don't know who stepped on your toe or broke your favorite toy, but you better back all the way up away from him. This is between you and me, right? That's why you brought me here, in this little, pathetic dungeon you call a room? You think you can just waltz into my house and threaten my boyfriend and expect me to just roll over and let that happen? You got another thing coming. You already know what I am capable of..."
Loki was enjoying this, more-so than the quiet, scared victim. Two can play at that game. "I do...and you are impressive for a man such as yourself. However...you have no idea what I am capable of..." Loki grabbed Tony by the hair and yanked him forward, searching through his memories, his worst nightmares. He saw a brilliant inventor, a man of science. He saw a determined worker, but he also saw a troubled soul, who hated himself and tended to overcompensate to make up for all of the faults he sees in his reflection. He saw he had a temper, he saw...his guarded heart...killing him? What a strange turn of events that seems to revolve around this thing throughout his life.
Both men stumbled back panting, trying to comprehend what they both saw.
"Stay out of my head, you freak." Tony rubbed his fingers through his hair, trying to get that feeling out of his head.
Loki hated that word. It was worse than "monster" because it was filled with so much hatred.
"Mental games aren't your cup of tea anymore? Done." Loki was getting to the point of being done, but he suddenly thought of a way he could get every bit of revenge and satisfaction he craved.
What if I break their hearts once and for all?