Before we start this chapter I want to thank everyone who has been reading this for so far. Second I apologize for any confusing stuff in this fanfic. Anyways, please report mistakes and enjoy reading!
Thor arrived in the weapon's vault, at the same place where he had taken off. Mjolnir lay still on the same place where he had left it. Heimdall was standing a few meters away, looking at him with a unreadable expression. He had carved runes in his arms that were required to call Thor back. They still bled, the red drops falling down on the floor. It didn't seem to faze Heimdall. Thor felt sorry for the gatekeeper though, but he accepted the thought that Heimdall was simply serving him. He looked back to the floor, and then at Heimdall.
"My prince." Heimdall said.
Thor nodded to Heimdall. "Thank you my friend. Surely you must have seen what has transpired on Midgard?" Heimdall nodded back. "I have, and I do know what you want me to do. But I cannot." His voice was as low as always.
Thor gave Heimdall a confused look. "What do mean?" Thor stepped forward and Heimdall shook his head. He gave Thor a look full of pity. "Loki has been hidden from my sight since you arrived here with him. I cannot help you furthermore." Heimdall looked down with something that looked like disappointment to Thor. Thor placed his hand on Heimdall's shoulder and looked at his face. "Do not fret, my friend, for I am already in your debt. I will find him myself if I need to." He said, stepping forward a little more.
Heimdall understood, and he quickly left the weapon's vault after a brief goodbye to the thunderer. Thor sighed, tired of what happened earlier on earth. Barton had been lucky Banner had hulked out, or else he wouldn't have survived it. As wouldn't have Steve or Natasha. He looked to the side, were Mjolnir lay humming, calling him to pick her up. Thor hesitated one more moment.
He walked over to Mjolnir, and lifted her, the pleasant familiar feeling of her handle in his hand returning. He gave one more look around and left.
When he got out of the weapon's vault he started doubting. Should he ask Father first? Or see Frigga? But then he remembered that Odin and Frigga both couldn't help him, for when the council would discover it they would be in huge trouble. He decided to look for Loki himself and headed towards his quarters as fast as he could.
There he quickly changed into his Asgardian attire, without the cape to blend in a little more. The deity didn't want anyone to see him leave. he took Mjolnir, his hammer with him though.
He ran through the hallway where he remembered he had brought sleeping Loki to his new cell and opened the door that led to the dark alleyway. He gulped in realization that this was where he had seen Loki the last time and the had no idea what he would find down there. A horrible feeling came up in him, making him feel nauseous and sick.
What if Loki wasn't even alive anymore? What if Loki died in there, all alone while he had cried out for help. The image of a broken body came up before his eyes and he shook his head in denial. That couldn't be! Loki was in there for torture, not for execution!
He steeled himself then, and picked up the torch that hung from the wall, lighting it with a little thundering spark from his fingers.
Thor felt glad for his power to control the lightning for moment, he would never be in the darkness. Unlike Loki, who always had been alone.
The flame lit, and he stepped into the threatening dark corridor, coughing as dust entered his airways.. He walked for several minutes, and there was still no end. He wondered if Loki had woken up during being delivered to prison.
Suddenly a wooden door stood in his way, secured with iron locks. He simply smashed it down with Mjolnir, blasting the door frame from its hinges. He looked into the new environment, taking in what he could before leaving to find Loki. It could take him a while to find the right cell. Several corridors stretched out before him in a big room, lit by small fireplaces and torches that hung from the wall. There was no one to be seen.
The thunder god doubted if he could find Loki soon enough to save him. He looked once more at the halls and counted to seventeen before he picked the one that lay the closest to him.
Thor found himself lucky that the corridor was lit by torches along the way, and was a one-direction walk. When he started to pass doors he first looked into the room it shut off through the small window. them, but all of them were empty, save for a bed. After a couple of doors he noticed something dark hung beside every bed, and he squinted his eyes to what it could be.
Shackles.
The blonde paled slightly at the thought of Loki limply hanging from the wall in those. he slammed open the next door in rage when he realized he would probably find Loki in equivalent chains. He groaned as he found the cell was empty, and turned away, continuing his search for a cell that was occupied. He walked several more hours through the empty hallway, getting frustrated at the fact he still didn't see any change in the pattern of opening doors and walking towards the next one.
After a long time he decided to take a rest, leaning against the wall and breathing hard. He woke up the next day, still in the same place. He continued his search for his little brother after a moment of confusion and finding out what he was doing again.
In the end, it took him a month to find Loki.
Loki shrieked in pain and shock as he was being thrown back into his cell once again, his face a bloody massacre and torn all over. He had ripped his lips open during the torture and now it would have to heal again. He smelled the air and it smelled full of dried blood.
His head was still pounding from the realization he made during his torment. He had done terrible things. After the whipping they had thrown the white hot water on him again, and this time they had even thrown it on his already-torn face. He had screamed and writhed on the floor in an attempt to escape the pain. He was glad for one thing though, which was the fact that his eyes didn't hurt as much as they did before.
He wondered if he had scraped of his sinews with the movements of his eyeballs during his sleeping. If Loki did, he didn't care much about it anyways. He focused on what he had been thinking during his torture. During the whipping it had come to him that he was punished for something he somehow could not remember, no matter what he tried. The dark haired god started guessing he attacked Midgard in a haze of fury and hatred, and was stopped by the man that had comforted him in his cell. Maybe Thor had aided the man stopping him too. And maybe the man knew that Loki had forgotten everything, he had shown him more pity than anyone had ever in the last century. Mortals were such strange creatures, Loki silently thought.
He tried to remember what the man comforting had looked like, and all he could recall was the wary brown hair, along with the strange beard. Loki felt a pang of guilt at the thought that he had already forgotten the man's name. Loki prayed that he wouldn't forget everything before he would die in here.
But what if... What if he forgot Thor? Or Frigga, and everything that he knew to be nice? If his memories were to fail him then all he would know was pain. Loki winced at the thought. Thor had probably forgotten him already, but he would never forget Thor.
He would never forget how Thor smiled at him, or say he would protect Loki. The mischief god sobbed with sadness.
Warm tears rolled down his cheeks, and he wondered how it was still possible for him to cry. He had been deprived of any sort of moisture for weeks now. But still the tears rolled. His chest hurt with is heart throbbing for the comfort of Thor holding him close, embracing him with his warm and strong arms, smiling at him and saying he loved Loki, saying he would never leave him...
Unconsciously, he had moved himself to his usual corner, and harsh reality struck him again as he moved himself slightly, his back hitting the wall accidentally and sending him into a wave of agony. Thor had not come for him, nor did Loki have any hope left that he ever would. Thor had abandoned him. He sniffled a little when he realized he would be stuck in here forever, and never know comfort from his family again. Suddenly he felt how darkness crept all over him, and though he could not see he knew there was another presence than just him alone in the cell. At the same time he also knew it was only his imagination, that went wild whenever he was close to falling asleep.
The creature from his nightmares still lingered around in his head, whispering dark threats into his ears. Loki cringed when he felt a hand closing around his neck, slowly and crushing it further and further. He knew it was only his imagination, but still he shuddered. Suddenly the door to his cell was opened, and Loki jumped weakly at the sound. He rapidly shook his head and the pressure on his neck quickly disappeared.
Had his tormentors returned already? He didn't even get the chance to rest anymore? Why? Had the scheme changed again? He trembled as he heard heavy footsteps nearing him, and he closed in on himself, breathing hard through his nose. Please... He whimpered. A short silence followed, until he heard footsteps coming in his direction, fast. He started to shiver in anguish.
"Loki." The dark haired god whipped his head up at the familiar voice. Thor? Loki heard nothing for a while but his own breathing and whimpers. Disappointed he slumped back on the floor, telling himself it was only his imagination when he heard the footsteps coming closer again, hitching breaths accompanying it.
"Oh Loki..." Loki raised his eyebrows and he started to roll over to the side, further away from the oh so soothing sound of his brother's voice, wishing that his mind would stop bugging him until suddenly strong warm arms grabbed him tightly, and hauled him from the floor. And Loki felt dread, for what if this was not real? What if it was still his imagination, and he started trembling when the arms hugged him. He thrashed around when they did not leave him, they stayed there, holding him in a firm and strong grip, though it did not crush him. Loki felt confusion, and then he heard a voice he knew all too well and this time he was sure everything he felt was real. "Oh Loki, what have they done to you?" Thor said to him with a broken voice, wavering with sadness and guilt.
He felt Thor move around and a big hand patted his head, softly stroking his soft black hair. "I will never leave you again. You are safe with me now."
And after those words Loki felt so happy, so happy when he heard Thor's soft voice whisper soothing things in his ear and felt him kiss his forehead. He felt tears roll down his face, but he did not care, for Thor had come for him, not abandoned him. He was safe. He smiled, ripping his stitches only further into his lips, but it didn't hurt for Thor was now here. He laid his head to rest on Thor's shoulder,
"Shush, brother, I got you now." He heard Thor say, and he snuggled himself closer into Thor's shoulder, trying to get as much warmth as possible. Thor let him, and they sat together for what felt to Loki for seconds before he fell asleep in Thor's embrace.
Thor was tired, very tired. He had been roaming the Asgardian prisons under the castle for a month now. Yet he did not give up. He was resolute to find his little brother at all costs. Costs which had begun to show. The thunder god had dark circles under his eyes, his steps were slow and imprecise and his hair was lustreless and tousled. The only thing he had seen until now were a couple of Einherjar, which he had avoided with ease, a few rats and a countless number of prison cells.
Through many empty hallways he had called for his brother's name, but he knew that if Loki were to be in one of those cells, he would never gain an answer. Loki's lips had been stitched together, thus preventing him from letting Thor know that he was there. And after the first two weeks of searching Thor had stopped calling for his brother.
Until one day. He had opened another door, one without a window, and he peeked into the cell. It was no cell. Thor frowned. In the room stood a table, a bucket and nothing more. Then he looked to the wall opposing him, and his eyes went wide. The wall was covered in dried blood, and a whip hung from a small hook. Shackles hung loose, and had been used to restrain someone. The sad thought of Loki crying out for him as he was beaten rose up unwillingly, and Thor felt himself get sicker with the minute. He quickly slammed the door shut, and ran off to find Loki.
He found a room he had never been into, and only a few doors were in front of him. He quickly opened them all, examining the contents of the rooms. He was about to leave the chamber for another hallway when he heard a soft whimper come from one of the rooms.
Thor whipped himself around, running towards where he heard the sound come from. He gazed into the vast darkness in the cell, and it seemed empty. Then he noticed it. A small broken and bloodied body lay in the corner, trembling in fear. It had black hair, tousled and sticky with blood. Thor felt his stomach turn a little.
"Loki?" His voice croaked slightly, dry from not having been used for so long.
His eyes widened when the body responded though. Was that Loki? Thor let a horrified expression pass his features and he squinted his eyes again to ensure if he did saw it right. He gasped as his belief was confirmed by what he saw next. Loki was blue.
Loki had never shown Thor his Jotunn form after he had fallen into the void, but now here he was, markings trailing down his body, along with deep gashes and... Were those burn marks? Thor nearly cried at the sight of seeing his brother so broken and weak.
"Oh Loki..." He let his thought slip out when he caught a sight of Loki's face. Thor nearly vomited on the place he was standing, they had sewn Loki's eyes shut! Loki made an attempt to roll over to his side and it was then that Thor decided to move towards his brother. he ran over to Loki's side, and hauled him up from the floor, holding him tightly against his chest. "Oh Loki, what have they done to you?"
Thor swore he could feel his heart breaking apart when tears started to seep through Loki's closed eyelids, and he held his brother even more tighter. Suddenly Loki started to thrash, and Thor looked taken aback. He then tried to comfort his brother, saying he would never leave Loki, and the mischief god visibly calmed down, slumping a bit in his embrace. Loki then sniffed a bit, and snuggled his head into Thor's shoulder, tears from relief still streaming down his face. They sat for a long while together like that, Thor trying to examine Loki's wounds as good as possible without letting him know it.
Thor stared at the chains that bound Loki's hands. Not important, he thought. Healing Loki's worst wounds was more important now. He felt sad at the realization that Loki had been restrained though, but he would take the cuffs off later. Then the blonde started to think of ways of healing Loki. Asgardian healing was out of options, Thor knew he couldn't permit anyone on Asgard to know that he had saved his brother. That left his midgardian friends, but he wasn't sure if tony would let Loki live inside his house.
But then he remembered their shocked looks when he told them of Loki's punishment and he was fairly certain that he could take Loki with him. His brother was innocent after all. He stood up and noticed that Loki had fallen fast asleep, tear tracks running down his face. He permitted himself a little smile at the sight of the dark haired man in his arms, and left the cell.
Thor quickly returned to Asgard, and now that he was not searching anymore the trip only lasted several hours. Loki was still asleep, and he held him tight in his arms, carrying him bridal style. Now he stood in front of the door that led to the weapons vault. He quickly entered, seeing there were no guards at the moment and he took his chance.
He walked as fast as he could towards the Tesseract, and laid Loki down as careful as possible. He grimaced when he saw there was blood running from under Loki, mingling with the dried blood from others that had used rune carving for transport. Then he carved the runes in his arms, neater than the last time, and picked Loki back up. Thor examined his surroundings one last time to ensure not a single Asgardian would see him leave.
He grabbed hold of the handle and felt himself transporting to Midgard as he turned the handle.
He ended up on a parking lot next to Stark's tower, and he grinned a bit. He was getting better at aiming. He looked around, and found that there was no one close to him. Thor looked upwards to the tower, and saw that it was getting dark already. He flew himself and Loki upwards with Mjolnir, which he had carried all the time with him. He was noticed by Jarvis, and he entered via the balcony.
There was not a single Avenger in Tony's living room. He stepped in, looking around for something to lay Loki on. He found the couch. He laid Loki down as soon as he got there, sat down beside him and waited for the other Avengers to come.