The door opened. Loki strengthened his back and peeked inside with fake confidence. He breathed in relief when he observed the corridor to be empty.
"Maybe I should go first." Banner suggested wisely as he squeezed around the brothers.
"I mean…they know we went for Loki. It shouldn't be that much of a surprise that we came back with him, should it?" Thor said with hope.
"Well…yes. That doesn't mean they will be welcoming." Banner murmured and continued inside.
Thor began moving too and since Loki was still holding onto him, he was forced inside as well. Once they stepped over the threshold, the door shut behind them.
Fantastic.
They continued in silence and Loki noticed that he was beginning to tremble. He tried to control it so that Thor wouldn't notice.
However, Thor in his reformed post-Jane state did, of course, picked up on it.
"This is the main corridor leading to a living room and kitchen. They are connected. There is also a bar. On the same floor, there are rooms for all of us. Mine is behind the third door on the right. You can stay with me. The rooms are huge and there should be everything you could possibly need. If you take the lift, you get to different floors where a gym, swimming pool and additional socialising spaces can be found."
Loki knew that Thor was only blabbing to divert his attention, but he was still grateful to have his mind distracted. He was trying not to focus too much on the daunting corridor. Loki knew that it was nothing like the one in SHIELD's facility, but he couldn't help himself but to feel a similar sensation of walking right into the lion's mouth.
Finally, the group reached the corner leading, as Thor had suggested earlier, to the living spaces.
"Hello! We're back!" Banner shouted in too cheerful and over-enthusiastic tone. Loki would roll his eyes if he wasn't terrified to death.
They were all there.
Right behind the corner, the bunch of his mortal enemies were all waiting for him.
While he was leaning onto his brother for support for walking.
"It'll be alright, brother." Loki heard Thor whispering as they passed around the corner.
Spacious living chambers appeared in front of the Asgardian brothers. Loki gratefully noticed that this was not the living room which he had unwillingly decorated. Before he managed to take in any other details, he was hit by an unexpected and strong affliction of agony in his left shoulder.
Loki cried out in surprise and would have fallen on the ground if Thor wasn't still holding onto him.
Both Thor and Banner turned their heads to see that an arrow was dug deep in Loki's shoulder. The blood was pouring out of the injury and was colouring the dirty armour that the god was still wearing.
The arriving group was in shock. Bruce and Thor didn't manage to make sense of the situation and Loki was seeing stars.
"Stark, now." A cold voice stated authoritatively.
At that moment, Loki heard an explosion and he felt his brother being torn away from him. Dizzily, Loki understood that Thor was being smashed to the wall behind him by the Iron Man's blow. The panicking god caught sight of Banner taking a step towards him, but he was abruptly stopped by Agent Romanoff.
"Bruce. Stay out of this." Loki heard her calculated voice.
Banner ceased moving.
Unable to support the weight of his body any longer, Loki slipped on his knees. He raised his right hand and as in a dream he brought the palm to his left shoulder. Immediately, the white skin of his fingers was coloured in red. A sharp affliction of pain ran from his shoulder to the entirety of his body. A dizziness overcame Loki once again and he didn't even spot a hostile figure that was approaching him.
"Stark. Secure Thor." The voice spoke again. Barton. It was Barton.
Stark didn't waste time and Loki was blurredly aware of him passing by his kneeling form. He heard the Iron Man pausing a few steps behind him. Loki imagined that he was located there to prevent Thor coming to his rescue.
Before he could process the implications of both Thor and Banner being incapacitated, Loki felt strong arms pulling him up. His head got even more dizzy, but his senses came back when he was roughly shoved against the wall. Barton was holding him under the neck. It was uncomfortably tight, and Loki was finding it difficult to breathe. His feet were still touching the ground though and silently, Loki thanked his tall figure.
"Barton! Stop!" Loki tried to turn his head around a bit and saw Thor who was struggling against the Iron Man.
"Shut up, Thor." Barton hissed only and tightened the grip on Loki's neck. Slowly, Loki was beginning to suffocate and automatically, he tried to fight back. He lifted his arms, which were helplessly hanging by his sides until now, and he tried to push Barton back. His left arm didn't cooperate at all and the only thing that Loki accomplished was more blood coming out of the cut caused by the arrow. His right arm tried to push Barton away, but it was futile in Loki's weakened state.
Loki started to panic. He couldn't even try to conjure an illusion as it would be useless now and anyway, Loki doubted he would be able to do so in his current state. Before his mind was completely overcame by panic, a ray of lightening ripped through Loki's mind.
Before Loki knew it, a dagger materialised in his right hand. Without thinking, Loki dug the dagger with all his remaining strength into Barton's ribcage.
Barton's expression turned into one of a complete and unexpected astonishment. Slowly, he released Loki's neck and stumbled two steps back. Incredulously, he brought his gaze upon the dagger that was dug deep in his flesh. He tried to bring his hands towards it but before he managed to do, he collapsed on the ground.
"Clint!" Romanoff screamed and ran towards Barton. She sank on her knees right next to his bleeding form.
Loki's brain was absorbing the picture in front of him disbelievingly. Everything happened in the blink of an eye. At one moment, Loki was walking next to Thor. Within a second, Loki was shot, Thor blown away, Loki pinned to the wall and suffocating. Within another minute, Loki stabbed Barton who collapsed on the ground.
Loki breathed in heavily when Barton's hand released his neck. He also found himself sinking onto ground, his right palm pressed onto the bruised spot on his neck. The dagger fell out of his hand.
He stabbed Barton.
They were certainly going to kill him now.
He must fight back.
Loki raised his eyes, ready to meet his destiny. What he saw was a bizarre picture.
Romanoff was pressing onto Barton's cut and uttering words that Loki was unable to comprehend. Banner was staring in shock at the events unfolding in front of him. Stark was still holding Thor in place who ceased to fight back. Everybody was frozen in place.
"Thor?" Loki whispered startled. He didn't know why he did it. Maybe it was an instinct to call for his big brother in the time of need.
Loki's plea seemed to snap Thor back into presence. The God of Thunder threw the unresponsive Iron Man out of the way. In an instant, Thor was right next to his brother. Without thinking, Thor lifted Loki from the ground and brought him close to his chest. Loki didn't protest.
Thor's movement, however, awakened the rest of the Avengers.
"He killed Clint." Iron Man's voice echoed throughout the living room.
"He's not dead. He will be alright. He must be." Romanoff's insecure response filled the air. She looked Loki straight into his eyes. "I will kill you for this."
"Get Barton into hospital. Now!" Banner was able to keep his rational thinking. He took out his phone and dialled an ambulance.
"Clint attacked him! Loki wasn't thinking!" Thor tried to defend his little brother who was slowly losing consciousness in his arms. The flood of blood coming out of his shoulder was not slowing down.
"Thor…don't…" Loki tried to say but Thor quietened him.
"Don't try to speak, brother." He said only.
"Thor." Romanoff stood up when Banner took her place next to Clint. "Choose a side. Now. If you don't step away from him, I promise you nothing."
"We are friends." Thor spoke with confidence.
"We are. If you move away from him." Stark added.
"You know I can't do that." Thor retorted immediately.
"Why not?" Romanoff countered.
"He is my brother. I can't let you hurt him." Thor replied with growing desperation.
"What do you imagine we were going to do to him?" Romanoff said. "We were going to secure him and then lock him up. Fury was to come to interrogate him. Nothing more. But he attacked Clint."
"Clint attacked him! He shot him! You even attacked me!" Thor screamed staring at Stark.
Stark looked penitent. "We knew you would not agree with our plan. But it was for the best. Loki is a murderer, Thor. Your love is blinding you."
"I am not letting you hurt him further." Thor announced resolutely.
"I don't think you have a choice." Romanoff replied as she took a step towards Thor. The God of Thunder, who was still holding the fainting Loki in his arms, took a step back.
The situation seemed hopeless.
"Enough." A clear, articulated voice echoed throughout the living room. The voice that spoke was perfectly calm but resonated with authority and confidence.
Loki knew the voice.
"Strange?" Stark asked in astonishment.
"You all need to calm down." Doctor Strange spoke as if he didn't just magically apparated inside the room.
"You are not thinking. You are letting your emotions cloud your judgement." Strange spoke as if he was lecturing a group of students.
"Stark. Take Barton to the hospital. Now." Strange turned his attention to Thor.
"Thor. Take Loki to your room. Lock the door."
Thor didn't wait to hear anymore or see if someone would try to stop him. He turned on his heels and hurried along the corridor. He pushed the door handle down and then leaned against the door with his back.
Finally inside his room, Thor hurried towards the bed. Gently, he laid Loki down on the blanket. Immediately, the Mighty God jumped back to the door and pushed them close. He locked the door up.
"Jarvis?" Thor called through the air.
"Yes, master Thor?" A mechanical voice replied.
"Don't let anyone unlock the door. I need privacy. Understood?" Thor spilled out, wandering where the rationality was coming from.
"Understood, master Thor."
Satisfied with the response, Thor walked back to the bed. Loki was still on his back with his arms loosely by his side, in the exactly same position as Thor left him. His eyes were closed.
"Brother? Can you hear me?" Thor asked with concern.
"Yes." Loki whispered.
"Can you open your eyes?" Thor added, worried that his brother might lose consciousness.
Loki opened his beautiful eyes which were filled with tears.
"I don't know what happened, brother. I didn't want to stab him. Is he…is he dead?" Loki whispered in a trembling voice.
"No. I mean I don't know. They were taking him to the hospital." Thor mumbled quickly, avoiding Loki's stare.
"I am sorry, Thor." Loki articulated as clearly as he could. Desperately, he needed Thor to trust him. Not because it could save his neck. Loki simply needed Thor to know that he didn't intentionally harm his friend.
Thor lifted his eyes to meet his little brother's and his gaze softened immediately.
"I know, Loki. I know. It was not your fault. He attacked you." Thor tried to reassure the younger god.
Loki tried to lift himself up but gave up with the abrupt burn shooting from his shoulder. Involuntarily, Loki cried out in pain.
"I'll take care of it, brother." Thor said and quickly went across the room. Loki had no idea where he was going but he had no energy to ask Thor. To Loki's relief, Thor was back within a moment. He was carrying a white box.
"The Midgardians keep their healing equipment in these boxes." Thor explained when he saw Loki staring at the box in confusion. Then Loki glanced back at Thor with the mix of worry and amusement.
"Yes, brother." Thor answered Loki's unspoken question. "I know I have never excelled in the healing art. But I will do my best."
Loki wanted to retort something witty but changed his mind when it dawned on him that his brother might be the only person on this entire planet, other than maybe a few Asgardians who were far away, willing to tend to his wounds.
"Alright, brother. Let's get it over with." Loki said, pretending not to be worried about the idea of Thor's gentle hands pulling the arrow out of his shoulder.
Thor put the white box on the bed and focused on Loki. After a second, Thor reached out and took all the pillows and rested them against the wall. Then he went to Loki who eyed him with suspicion. Loki knew what Thor was about to do and he opened his mouth to protest. Remembering that Thor had actually brought him to this room in his arms, Loki changed his mind and simply let his brother slip his arm underneath his shoulders. Gently, Thor lifted Loki up and moved him so that Loki was half-seated and half-lying against the pillows.
The arrow in Loki's shoulders hurt terribly but Loki bit his lips not to make a sound.
"Comfortable, brother?" Thor asked seriously.
"Never better." Loki murmured in reply.
Satisfied, Thor opened the box and stared at the healing equipment.
"You have no idea what to do with it, do you?" Loki made an observation when nothing happened.
"How hard could it be." Thor mumbled to himself and took out a random white bandage.
"How hard could it be?" Loki's voice seemed to be an octave higher. The idea of his brother using some Midgardian junk to get the arrow out was giving him enough energy to argue. "This is not some idiotic spaceship, Thor. This is my shoulder. And I would very much like to keep using it."
"It is not only your shoulder." Thor replied, pretending not to notice Loki's distress hidden in irony. "I spoke with Heimdall upon our way here. Your ribs are broken. And you have bruises all around you."
"It is clear then." Loki articulated. "I am definitely going to die."
"Shut up, Loki." Thor said, sounding slightly irritated.
He took a few steps to stand right above Loki and then, unsure what to do next, he sat on the edge of the bed right next to his little brother.
"Alright, little brother. Let's do this." Thor said to give courage to both of them.
"I told you not to call me that. Not even in….au!" Loki didn't manage to finish the sentence as in that moment, Thor touched the arrow. It seemed to Loki that the arrow dug even deeper into his flesh and his vision got all blurry.
Seeing the distress and pain in Loki's expression, Thor immediately pulled the hand back.
"I am so sorry, brother." Thor mumbled sincerely.
"No, it's alright, Thor. Go no." Loki hissed in between clenched teeth.
"You know, maybe it should be cleaned first." Thor contemplated loudly.
"Cleaned?" Loki only repeated, having no energy to argue further.
"Yes. I remember mother bringing me to the healers to watch them work once. They cleaned the patient first, so no infection could spread."
Loki smiled at the mention of Frigga.
"I bet you ran away before you could learn anything useful." He whispered.
Thor eyed Loki with amusement. "Well, Sif was training outside…"
"Yes, I got it, brother." Loki replied. "But I am definitely not moving to the bathroom so let's skip the cleaning part. I can use my magic to take care of the little imperfections left after your glorious healing attempt later."
"I can take you there and help you bath:" Thor challenged but ceased speaking as soon as he saw Loki's expression.
"You are certainly not helping me to bath." Loki' tone was somewhere in between a stubborn child and an authoritative king.
"We used to bath together when we were children. It is not a big deal."
"When we were children, Thor."
When Thor seemed unconvinced, Loki continued. "Thor, I swear that if you try to take me to the bathroom, I will use the remainder of my magic and strength to turn you into a raven."
"Raven?" Why raven?" Thor smiled.
"Shut up, Thor."
"Okay. No bath until you're better. I need to get that arrow out, though." Thor looked sad while saying that.
"I know, Thor. Just pull it out quickly and then try to stop the blood." Loki instructed.
"Brother?" Thor asked insecure. "Do you have enough energy to make your armour disappear? It would help with the bandaging."
Loki nodded and focused. After a few moments, his armour vanished, and he was sitting on the bed only in his simple dark green tunic and black trousers.
"Do it, brother." Loki said and closed his eyes.
For a while nothing happened. All Loki could hear was the beating of his own heart which was beating frantically quickly. Then, out of nothing, an agonising pain ran through his shoulder. Loki screamed his lungs out and then everything went black.
…
"Brother? Can you hear me? Brother, please. Wake up."
…
Loki could hear someone calling for him at the end of his mind. He felt fine. Everything was black but somehow, he felt alright.
"Loki? Darling?" Loki heard a familiar voice.
No. This was not possible.
"Mother?" He whispered weakly and opened his eyes.
She was there. Beautiful, dignified and elegant as always. She hasn't changed at all since Loki saw her for the last time.
"Mother? Is that you?" Loki asked with a childlike hope in his voice.
"Yes, it is me. You need to open your eyes, Loki." Frigga said with eternal patience.
"Haven't I opened them already?" Loki was genuinely confused.
"No, you haven't." The realisation dawned on Loki.
"If I open them, you will disappear. Won't you?" Loki questioned, suddenly feeling like a child again.
"Yes, my son. But it is alright. Your brother will be there. He is waiting for you to wake up. He is worried."
"Is he?" Loki found himself uttering against his will.
"You know he is. Thor loves you, darling. You must know that." Frigga said in an earnest but gentle tone.
"Yes, I know." Loki admitted finally and he felt a heavy burden falling off his chest. Frigga was beginning to disappear.
"Mother, please. Wait." Loki said, desperate to stop Frigga from leaving him once again.
"Don't leave me again."
"I will never leave you, my son." Frigga said and Loki understood that she was right.
"Mother, I am sorry. For what I told you. You have always been my mother. I have always considered you my mother." Loki whispered, desperate to say the sentence he's been longing to say for years.
"Don't worry, darling. I know that. You could never deceive me." Frigga smiled softly.
"Be strong, my son. Be happy."
As Frigga disappeared, Loki slowly opened his eyes.
…
"Brother? Loki?" Loki heard Thor's panicked voice and had to smile in his mind.
"I see you missed me." Loki whispered weakly.
"Loki. I was so worried." Thor breathed out in relief.
As Loki's mind and vision were clearing out, he turned his head towards his shoulder. The arrow was gone and all he could see were a lot of white bandages all around his shoulder. It hurt but the pain was bearable.
"Good job, Thor." Loki said and smiled at his brother. Thor returned the expression with proud grin.
"Thor?" Loki said insecure whether he should continue or not.
"What's on your mind, Loki?"
"I saw mother." Loki whispered while looking down onto his lap.
"You saw mother?" Thor asked confused.
"She was right here. She was beautiful as always. She told me to open my eyes. And she…"
"What else did she say, little brother?"
"She said you loved me." Loki uttered barely audibly.
"Mother has always been wise." Thor smiled sadly.
"Thor? Do you think it was real? Or did I just make it up in my mind?" Loki looked up at Thor and the God of Thunder felt like a child again, talking to his younger brother in the middle of the night after he had a bad dream.
"I don't know, Loki. But you know mother. I am sure she could conjure herself like that."
"I think so too." Loki smiled at Thor. Then he groaned. "Ah. So much sentiment. Saving all the people on Asgard and becoming the Asgardian hero and look at me."
"Yes, brother. Very modest." Thor replied only and Loki smiled.
"Don't get used to this, Thor. Most likely, I have a fever." Loki warned but his voice lacked any malice.
"Whatever you say, brother. Are you strong enough for me to take care of the rest of the injuries?" Thor asked.
Loki nodded but after a second he glanced at the door.
"Are you sure they can't come in?" He said, trying to keep the worry out of his voice.
"Certain. Stark told me the key the first time I stayed in. He said that if I truly needed to keep everyone out of my room, I would have to tell Jarvis that I wanted privacy. It then becomes his most important protocol. So even if Stark or whoever else told him to open the door, he wouldn't. I think that Stark had different things in mind than keeping you here, but that is irrelevant." Thor explained.
"Alright. Let's finish this then." Loki answered.
Thor pulled up Loki's tunic to reveal a bruised chest. Thor clenched his teeth when he saw the full damage of Fury's 'interrogation'.
"Do I look that bad?" Loki asked seeing Thor's expression.
"No. Well I mean yes. Anyway, Fury would look much worse if I saw this earlier." Thor spoke with a threat.
Loki only sighed and waited for Thor to take out another bandage. He let his brother apply some Midgardian healing ointment in which he had no confidence, and which made him shiver when it touched his skin. He flinched when Thor tried to apply the treatment for the first time, but it was more because of the coldness rather than the pain. Thor gave him a brotherly smile and continued applying the healing salve onto his skin. Unwilling, Loki had to admit that the puny Midgardian medicaments might have had a cooling effect on his damaged ribcage.
When the ointment was spread, Thor reached for the bandage and thoroughly bandaged Loki's chest. This did indeed make the trickster feel better as all the bones seemed to be finally in the right place and were unable to move.
"I think the worst is done." Thor said cheerful.
Loki wasn't sure he shared his brother's enthusiasm. He was deadly exhausted; his body was slowly stabilising but that didn't take the pain from all the moving and bandaging away. Nevertheless, he smiled at Thor and as a reward he saw Thor's grin widening.
"Let me just take a look on the scar on your cheek. We can leave the minor bruises for later. I think you could use some rest."
Grateful, Loki nodded. He saw Thor taking out a little bottle with liquid inside it. Thor unscrewed the lid and poured the liquid on a cotton bud. Then he brought the disinfectant onto Loki's welt on his right cheek.
Loki hissed and winced when the disinfectant touched his cheek. Thor laughed.
"Does it sting, little brother?" He provoked Loki. The concerned glared back at him.
"Yes, it stings, witless brother." He retorted, knowing that this was not the best of his jokes. Thor only laughed again.
"I think it is done." Thor announced when the scar on Loki's cheek was cleansed. Loki breathed out in relief.
Without warning, Thor reached out and lifted Loki out of the bed. Caught off guard, Loki automatically pulled his right arm around Thor's neck for balance.
Meanwhile, Thor pulled away the blanket and returned the pillows to their original position. Then, he gently put Loki back into the bed and covered him with the blanket up to his chin.
"Goodnight, brother." Thor said and took a step to move somewhere further to the room.
"Where are you going?" Loki asked in a weak voice. Finally rid of the worst pain and lying comfortably in the bed, Loki's eyelids were quickly closing.
"I will try to sleep on the coach and devise a plan of how to repair this mess." Thor smiled and turned back. But Loki's whisper made him stop again.
"I don't want to be the bone of contention between you and your friends, Thor." Loki mumbled looking at the blanket.
"You're not." Thor said. When his words had no effect, he went to sit on the edge of the bed next to his brother.
"Loki, look at me. You're not. All this was one big misunderstanding. The emotions were running high. Everyone was nervous. Barton will surely be alright and then we will talk with the rest of the team as civilised beings." Thor winked at Loki who still seemed unconvinced.
"Your only job now is to sleep and to get better. Can you do that?" Thor was once again reminded of their childhood. After training, Loki would often get injured and Thor would be in his chambers by his side, reassuring him that sooner or later, Loki will be strong enough to fight the other warriors without injuring himself.
"Yes." Loki replied sleepily.
With a heartening smile, Thor stood up again. He walked around the bed and disappeared from Loki's visual field.
"Thor?"
"Yes, Loki? I am right over here."
"Why don't you use the bed? It's big enough for both of us." Loki's tone was practical, but Thor smiled to himself.
"That's a good idea, brother. But I thought you would mind." Thor answered seriously.
"No, not really." Loki mumbled.
Before he knew it, Loki felt the other side of the bed bending. He turned his head to see his brother lying on his back and pulling the blanket over himself.
"Goodnight, Loki."
"Goodnight, Thor."
I really like the Avengers...I really like Hawkeye. But somehow, I don't have the heart to make Thor angry at Loki and we need some plot ;)
Anyway, thank you for reading and let's see in the next chapters how the situation unfolds.