So, a reviewer found this story to be supremely confusing; and - truth be told - so did I. As a result, I have rewritten and reedited the entire story, hopefully making everything more clear.
All chapters have been reedited, and chapters sevenandnineare all-new. This is because the contents have been shifted around slightly in editing and amongst other things some previously individual chapters now find themselves together. :-)
This story takes place in three different storylines, set in the past, the present, and the future.
I still do not own Marvel or anything associated.
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Future
Loki was lounging on his sofa, letting Jarvis project a book onto a wall, like Pepper had shown him how to last time he was a prisoner, and yawning as he read the words. Pepper had been at work all day, making him all sorts of bored. Being a prisoner was perhaps no quite as tedious, painful or even humiliating as it had been last time - not to mention numerous occasions in the past - but it was certainly trying your patience.
Thor wasn't there to entertain him either. Ever since he had made up with his brother a couple of weeks ago, he had come around very regularly to visit him. It had started to feel just a little bit like when they were younger, playing hnefatafl on a wooden board Thor had brought from home, lying on a rug, gossiping and discussing random things just like when they were boys. They had a lot of ground to cover before it was back to their friendship of back then, of course, but Loki was happier having a brother again. Now, though, Thor had gone off to his little mortal girlfriend. Not that Loki blamed him. Despite everything he really could not relate to in his brother's life, that part he could.
Suddenly, Jarvis announced a visitor, making Loki roll his eyes and put on a sarcastic face. Bruce Banner would be alright, likely bringing him a cup of tea as Pepper was away all day and perhaps asking him some question on the physics of his magic. He'd even let the scientist do some rudimentary tests before, as he was refreshingly not annoying, different from the highly tedious Captain America, always trying to bring sympathy or pity. Condescending idiot. Loki hated the man.
The "Space Archer" never visited, as torture had been banned by "the list", nor did Black Widow, seemingly by a simple disinterest, but Jarvis could be good company at times, suggesting books or educating him on modern technology.
It was neither of these people, nor any agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, which he had not expected anyway. Those practically never came around, as he could still get lightly violent with them, coupled with the fact that there was no reason to send them in.
It was Tony Stark. Loki blinked, almost doing a double take. The man was carrying a steel and glass hnefatafl board under his arm and brought a cup of tea as a peace offering.
"Care to teach me to play?" After a moment of hesitation, Loki nodded, gesturing to put the board down on the table and accepted the tea from Pepper's oldest friend, deciding that maybe gaining another friend might, just might, be a good thing. After all, he was not alone any more.