This has been a frustrating chapter to write. I got a little lost skipped around a lot and then here it is. I hope it's not too clumsy a chapter.
And I apologize for my inexcusable lateness. As always, thank you for reading and please leave me a review!
Sparks
Ever since his awakening, Steve Rogers had been walking around with a shadow of guilt following close behind. It was always tugging at his consciousness, leaving him forever on edge.
Am I cheating death? He would think in times of silence.
He sure did feel like it. This was a place he didn't belong. The agents he met were all very kind, hard working souls. Soldiers of a different breed. This world was new and different.
Steve wasn't sure he would ever be comfortable here.
His current predicament wasn't helping him dig himself out of black hole he was sunk into. And now he had to deal with the irony. Sure Steve couldn't get drunk, but he wasn't impervious to the emotional swings that came with drinking. After knocking back three beers, he was stuck facing the irony. It was terribly, utterly, infinitely ironic. seventy years in a deep sleep and nothing had really changed.
Steve Rogers still didn't know how to talk to woman.
Ellie drank down another sip of her rum and coke. She knew very well what Loki wanted her to do, but she didn't know how to go about doing it. And she was still unsure of why he was so intent on doing it at all.
This man, Steve Rogers, didn't seem to her like any sort of threat. He seemed depressive and bashful and slightly boring. After calling up the bartender he had yet to say a word.
Elli coughed awkwardly.
"Are you from here?" She asked, spinning her chair slightly so that she could face him.
"Where?" Steve responded, still lost in his own in-capabilities.
"The city." Ellie clarified, trying to seem unaffected.
"No." Steve said, his voice flat.
"Oh." Ellie said.
Steve glanced at her. She was staring at her drink, her legs crossed and eyes downcast. She tilted nervously from side to side on the swivel stool and bit her lip. He realized that was probably a bore and her wondered why she didn't just wander away. He wished she would go, but he did want to see her smile again, just so he could imagine once more that Peggy was sitting by his side.
"I'm from Brooklyn." He said.
"Oh." Ellie said again, this time more lightly. "What are you doing here, then? All alone..."
If you only you knew...Steve thought. If only I could tell anyone...
Ellie didn't wait for a response. She was already wasting time and she knew Loki was not a patient man...god.
"You don't, erm, seem like the type." She said.
It was true. Steve looked nothing like the other men in the club. Most of them wore suits and blazers, all in dark colors and designer brands. Steve sat away from all the action, dressed in a pair of homely jeans, a tight fitting white t-shirt, and a vintage looking tan brown leather jacket. His hair was styled, but in a way that reminded Ellie of another time. It was carefully coiffed, parted on the side, and altogether old fashioned.
"Neither do you." Steve said in a mumble.
Ellie grinned and watched as Steve visibly relaxed.
"Would you believe my...bros forced me to come along?" Steve said.
Ellie tried to cover her mouth to stifle the laugh, but she was too late.
Steve flushed, hunching his shoulders. The slang term, one of many that had been shoved down his throat in recent days, sounded and felt entirely foreign on his lips. It was his first attempt at sounding more relevant. Apparently, a failed attempt at that.
Still, he had accomplished his silly, but well meaning goal. Seeing the woman smile.
"And where are your bros?" Ellie asked, playing along.
Steve didn't know what to say. It was ridiculous. He had fought enemy soldiers, with guns, flamethrowers, enhanced weaponry. He had defeated German psychopath in a giant plane thousands of miles in the air. He had survived seventy years of the harshest winters to roll across the planet.
And he couldn't think of a damn thing to tell the girl.
"W-what about you?" He managed after a moment of desperate thought.
Ellie snorted, rather unattractively.
"I don't have many of those." She said flippantly.
She was amused by Steve's genuine concern at her words. He leaned closer to her and she to him.
He's very handsome. She noted.
"Why not?" he asked, finally able to speak quietly, since they were so close to each other. They were no longer fighting against the chatter and noise.
Ellie was taken aback. No one had ever asked her that before.
"Well..." She started. "I guess...I feel as though I don't really...fit."
She had wanted to say "belong," but it sounded so very cliché. So much so that the writer in her wanted to smack her own self across the face. But it was true. She never felt like she belonged. Not in school, not in Los Angeles, not even in her own family. She didn't feel entirely comfortable with another person until Eric had come along. And then of course she found discovered that everything Eric was...was actually a lie.
The woman's words hit Steve with tremendous force. He didn't have to guess. He knew very well that he didn't belong. He wished he could offer her some words of comfort but he had none.
Instead he placed a hand on her shoulder and pulled her to him for a quick hug. Ellie smiled sadly.
"Thanks." She said curtly.
A certain understanding passed between them.
Steve shrugged humbly. "No problem."
Loki was not used to this. He was not used to failure. Ever trick, every prank, every plan had always succeeded. It was the faults and flaws of others that brought his plans to failure.
Thor had been the first. And it seemed Ellie would be the second.
He could not understand what she was doing. Or why he was so vexed.
The way that dog is...looking at her. He thought, his fist clenching.
Somehow, this wasn't what he had wanted. He glanced around the room looking for the S.H.E.I.L.D. agents that were sure to be floating around. He needed to identify them and end them. They would most likely be the best S.H.E.I.L.D. had to offer. He had already spotted the Coulson fellow, outside of the building.
If he could destroy any S.H.E.I.L.D. personal in the building, including that serum infused man, then he would be ready to snatch the cube for himself.
However, Ellie had yet to complete her end of the deal. She had reeled the man in, sure enough, but she was not leaving him like he had requested.
Damn. He thought. I have not the time for this.
He stood from his chair and snapped his fingers several times.
From the outside, The Stork Club seemed to pumping with music and people and booze. Coulson stood by the side entrance with his fellow agent, Maria Hill.
"This is boring." Agent Hill said, playing with the trigger of her gun.
"Boring is good." Coulson said, even though he didn't mean it. Boring was good. Which meant he didn't want to be good.
Maria tossed her head back. "How's wunderkid doing?"
Coulson reached for his radio. "Let's find out."
He clicked the transmitter on.
Seems to like this chick.
Enough with the commentary Agent Moore
Yes, sir. Apologies Fury, sir
Can we I.D. this woman?
Agent Porter is working on an I.D. as we speak.
Good to hear
Sir?
Dammit, what?
There's a-
A rumbling force shook the ground as a series of convoluted sounds pounded the radio.
Agents Coulson and Hill shared a glance before forcing the side door open. A river of people pushed past the door. Screams and shouts drowned out the music.
"What the hell happened?"
"Was it Roger's?"
Steve heard the familiar sound of firearms before anyone in the club. Instinctively he grabbed a hold of Ellie and pulled her behind him, wedging her between his back and the bar.
Ellie could hear the sudden screams and shouts and what sounded a lot like gun shots. The dimmed lights and music were not helping her senses. Peeking over Steve's shoulder Ellie gasped. A set of curtains was flaming. People, drunk and sober, were clambering to escape.
Loki traipsed calmly through the crowds of mortals. He could leave once Ellie was at his side again. He felt no qualms for his actions. If he was fortunate, an agent or two would die tonight.
With one last snap another series of spells, ones that mimicked the sound and force of a human made weapon, aimed themselves directly at Steve Rogers.
Steve, sensing the impending danger, pushed Ellie aside to take the force of the blow.
Before Ellie could hit the ground she arms wrap around her shoulders. And then she was overwhelmed by the sounds and sights and Chaos.
It took Ellie a second or two to realize that she was no longer the packed, heated club. Slowly but surely the winter night chill began to sink under her skin. She wondered faintly where her coat was and then she wondered where exactly she was.
Her first instinct told her to look up. Her gaze was met with a thick fog and a number of wispy tree branches completely stripped of their leaves. As panic, a near frequent feeling these days, rose in her throat, her breath left her forming a slivery burst of smoke.
I'm outside. She thought, shivering. How did I get outside?
She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt to steady hands of her shoulders.
"Your coat." A syrupy voice said.
"Loki!" Ellie snapped, her fear turning quickly to anger. She suddenly realized all that had just transpired.
"Where are we?" She asked.
Loki seemed completely calm, almost innocent, in the orange glow of a nearby lamp. He looked around coolly.
"In the...Ahh, what was it called? Central Park. How inspired."
For once Ellie ignored the condescension that oozed from his every word. She stormed over to him, standing on the tips of her toes so that she could look into his unfeeling eyes.
"What happened? What did you do? What happened to Steve?" She asked wildly.
Ellie liked Steve. Whoever he was, he was a sweet, rare sort of man. Whatever Loki had against this man, Ellie couldn't care less. She was sick and tired of Loki's attitude and trickery. He told her time and time again that he meant her no harm. Yet she was pretty sure that she just narrowly avoided certain harm. And it was all Loki's fault.
Loki had no patience for Ellie's outburst. Hearing that soldiers name on her lips made his stomach churn. With his defenses up, he sneered down at her.
"Are you worried about him?" He said snidely. "How quaint."
Without an explanation, he pushed her aside and began to stroll up one of the many bridges littered through out the park. He was almost convinced that Ellie did not care for the man. Aside from typical human worry...
Ellie stared at his retreating back flabbergasted.
The nerve...That little...bastard!
She ran after him. Grabbing his arm, she spun him to her.
"What happened to Steve?" She practically screamed, worry flooding her eyes.
Loki looked at her, surprised by her intensity.
How could she possibly care for him? She only just met him. Is she so fickle?
He wasn't blind. He knew the girl was attracted to him. But was she so easy that she already felt similar feeling to that S.H.E.I.L.D. dog?
He felt the anger creeping in again. Why was her obvious concern making him feel so...so...hurt?
His own words wriggled their way into his head. Words he had spoken to his brother not long ago.
What happened to you on earth that made you so soft?
He could hear his own disgust. And now it was time for him to turn that disgust on himself. It was because of Ellie that his attack had gone sour. He should have never depended on her. She was just a mortal. Just like Jane Foster. Flighty and weak.
What am I turning into?. Loki thought despairingly. My brother...Thor.
A roar of rage exploded from him and he rounded on Ellie.
"Your precious Steve Rogers will be just fine." He seethed, eyes white hot.
Ellie wanted to back away, but Loki was gripping both her arms.
"If you had succeeded he would be nothing but a pile of dust."
Ellie's eyes were wide. "You mean I was a distraction?"
"Of course, you were a distraction." Loki confirmed. "What else would you be? Without the help of superior beings you are no better than a sniveling worm."
Ellie's fear was trampled by her sense of pride. Her stupid sense of pride, it always got her into trouble. Without thinking, without considering the consequences, Ellie pulled together all of her strength and pushed Loki to the ground.
"Shut up!" She said, cringing at the silliness of her words. "Stop treating me like nothing! From what I understand, you would be nothing without me! You stupid...man!"
Loki lay on his back, paralyzed with surprise. No one, mortal, god, or otherwise, had dared to speak to him in such a way. The sound of her heels smacking against the chilled pavement shook him from his shock.
He was on his feet and blocking her way in six easy strides.
"I am not a man." Loki said, wounded.
Ellie was still riding waves of adrenaline. "You act like one. Did you know that? You are all the same. Let. Go. Of. Me."
He would not take orders from her. "You will pay for your insolence."
"Really?" Ellie yelped, incredulous. "What gives you the right? To treat people in such a way. Why? Why would you try to kill Steve Roger's? He is a perfectly fine man and a-a-"
She knew she was rambling but she didn't know how to stop. Loki, however, knew how. And he had done it before.
His finger gently touched her lip and her words her stalled.
"You wanted to know the truth about me?" Loki whispered in ear with much danger. "There is only one truth worth knowing."
Ellie gasped as Loki backed her up against a tree. "I was betrayed by the only family I ever knew. I lie because every word that was ever spoken to me was a lie. I care not for the lives of others because my life was merely chess piece: waiting in the shadows to be used and entirely disposable. What is that timeless little saying? Treat others how you wish to be treated. I treat others as I was treated."
Loki released his grip and turned away from her. His ears were ringing with the echoes of his own words, the truth of it. It was something he never really felt. The pain of the betrayal. Until now. Every words he spoke had been truth.
He now understood why he hid behind his lies. They were painless. Truth was worse than death. It was decided. He would leave her. Right there. Shivering in the cold. She was turning into a liability. And he had no patience for liabilities.
"Wait." Her voice was small, but it cut through the fog and night air like a freshly sharpened knife. "Loki, wait."
Loki could not at first identify the emotion in her voice. Empathy.
He was stilled by the thought. He could hear her clumsy footsteps behind him. He felt his heart skip when her small hand attached itself to her shoulder. He refused to look at her, to speak. He curious to know what she had to say.
Ellie gulped. She wasn't quite sure why she had called to him. Why she didn't just let him disappear, walk into the thick of the fog.
"I-I'm," she began, stuttering. "I'm sorry."
She wasn't apologizing for her actions. She knew she had nothing to apologize for. There were other people, it seemed, who owed Loki an apology. She felt herself that she was owed an apology or two. Ones she never expected to get. Someone who felt similar pain to hers, someone like Loki...they deserved to what was coming to them.
Loki shook her away.
"You hate them, right?" Ellie called after him. "Your family?"
Loki continued on, trying to block out her words.
"If what you say is the truth. Then...you have every right to hate them."
He stopped again. Validation. When was the last time someone had given him such a gift. When he had needed it most it had been denied.
No, Loki...
He shut his eyes tightly, trying to rid himself of his father's voice.
"Loki?" She was by his side again, looking up at him with those dark eyes.
Loki placed one hand on the top of her head. "Never question me again."
Ellie's mouth fell open. "Or what?"
Loki sneered. The playing field was once again his.
"Or I'll turn you into the feline."
He continued on his way, they were almost to the exit nearest their hotel. Ellie watched him.
"You wouldn't." She sputtered, running to catch him.
Loki sneered, waiting for her to match his pace. "You will soon learn, Elizabeth, that there is very little I wouldn't do to get my way..."
The next chapter will be up in a matter of hours I swears! ;0P
In the mean time, review yes?
Much love and thanks!
BB