"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen," Bruce complimented as they spun. Her dress sprayed out from her body in waves of fabric. The blue dress rippled like water as she rested her arms on his shoulders, swaying to the violins. Though the room was full of faceless dancers, she couldn't keep her eyes off the man in front of her.
Saniya smiled. "I know, but please, tell me more."
The small twitch of his lips was enough to send her heart fluttering. Bruce guided them to the edge of the dancefloor. Somewhere in the midst of dancers were Pepper and Tony bouncing like they were listening to heavy metal. Pepper's neck was surprisingly flexible as she whipped her hair in an unnatural direction. Natasha was slow dancing with a grizzly bear while Clint was trying to convince Steve to chug a bottle of wine
Her smile wavered slightly as she caught the Avengers out of the corner of her eye. Oddly enough, she only wondered where the bear came from instead of the other weird behaviors.
His hand rested on the small of her back. "Your body is shaped like a statue in a museum, carved from the most talented of artists. Your hair is the shiniest I have ever seen. Your—"
"Okay," she interrupted. "But what about me?"
The scientist froze momentarily. Their dance became off tempo as they struggled to find the movements again. "What do you mean?"
Her fingers picked at the back of his suit. "I mean me. My personality. What about that part of me is beautiful?"
Bruce's mouth opened, then he snapped it shut. "I… well..."
"Can't think of anything?" Saniya frowned, face flushing a deep scarlet "That's expected."
He cupped her face, desperate to find some sort of compliment, but he was at a loss of words. "No, Saniya. You're... wonderful. Truly... wonderful."
The moment her mouth curled into a snarl was the second he realized how frustrated she was. His hand fell from her cheek and rested safely on her back.
"Wonderful? What about me is so wonderful, Bruce? Do you even care?" Saniya shot out. Her fingernails dug into the palm of her hand as she met his eyes. "Do you?"
Then, like a broken record, he played with a piece of loose hair and told her how beautiful she was. Her bottom lip wobbled. She had been so sure that Bruce wasn't like the majority of her exes that she, admittedly, swindled into a relationship with her looks. She had been so sure he thought more of her.
Slowly, she pressed her lips to his cheek, leaving a perfect outline of red lipstick. "I think you're amazing," she said. "I thought I was fine with this."
His arms around her tightened. "What do you mean?"
"I thought I was fine with you just liking my body. I thought that it was okay as long as I managed to have you." Saniya sniffled. "I have the biggest crush on you and I didn't realize how much this actually hurts. Holy crap, what is wrong with me? This used to be okay."
A sad smile painted his lips. She rested her head on his chest as they rocked back and forth. "You deserve someone who appreciates all of you," he told her. "Don't sell yourself short. You're worth much more than that."
Saniya sighed into his suit. "Maybe not. I mean, everyone I date, they end up saying 'you're not the one' or 'I really hate you'. And the one man who I dated that really loved me was impossible to be around. He annoyed the hell out of me." She pursed her lips. "His name was Greg and, well, he's... he's something. I think he's in prison now. But I mean, is that the best it's going to get for me? A convict who sells stolen cars for a living?"
She looked up, and suddenly she wasn't hanging onto Bruce anymore. It was Sammy. Him and all his golden-haired glory. The only expression she could manage was a sour grimace.
He scowled. "Why do you always make that face when you see me?"
All she saw when she looked at him was the tears and fights. Her parents had hated him almost as much as they hated her for running out on them. He used to be her one-way ticket to freedom. Sammy was the key to getting out of an arranged marriage.
"I don't do it on purpose. It just happens." She scanned the room for a sign of her scientist. "Where'd Bruce go?"
"Does it matter?"
"Yes."
The space between them doubled. They were dancing like two teenagers at a highly chaperoned dance.
Sammy upturned his nose. "So... Greg? Seems like you really hit rock bottom after I left you."
She fought back the reply that she left him. But if she did that, they would only get into an argument since both seemed to think they left the other. "Of course I hit rock bottom. I was living in a homeless shelter when I met him and was practically eating dirt." They both nearly tripped when the song changed to a faster tempo.
He glared at her. "You manipulated him like you manipulated me. Right? I'm sure he had plenty of money to spare."
Saniya winced, but her resolve was strong. "I-I cared about him."
"But the money," he insisted.
She smacked his shoulder. "He is what brought me out from under the poverty line," she defended. "I cared a lot about him. I needed him."
"And when he needed you, where were you? You didn't hire a lawyer or visit him once in prison."
"You can't possibly know that," she said after several moments of silence. "How do you know that?"
His eyes rolled, but his rigid hands relaxed against her. "It's a dream. All this is your dream, so of course I know everything."
A dream just like that creepy one with Indali and Marsha. She stared up at Sammy, not sure whether he was an illusion of her mind or she was connecting to him like she did with her sisters. But if Sammy wasn't real, then that meant Bruce wasn't either, and that would suck.
She sighed. "I'm sorry." His eyes widened a fraction, but he kept his surprise hidden well. "I never told you how sorry I was, but I feel so guilty for everything I put you through." Her thumb ran along the soft fabric. "And I'm not just saying that because you're confronting me about it. I really am sorry."
"You never loved me."
Saniya nodded. "But I did care about you." He scoffed and she scooted closer to him. "I did. You were so sweet to me, but I was young and felt like I was trapped so I didn't see that. All I saw was a way out, not another person with feelings."
His eyes softened. Suddenly, he tugged her close for a hug. Sammy felt the exact same as she remembered him: warm and sweet like a cookie fresh out of the oven. Her eyes drooped shut as she was mentally brought back to a simpler time.
"I'm glad you didn't marry that accountant in India," he murmured in her ear.
"Me too."
Sammy's fingers brushed against her skin. "Tell me what you just said, but in real life next time."
She, like with Bruce, buried her face in his crisp suit. "You won't forgive me."
"No, I won't," he agreed. "But it'll make things feel easier for the both of us."
Saniya jerked her head up when she heard Indali's anguished screams coming from the back of the room. The violins fell silent, along with everyone in the room. In fact, everyone seemed to disappear except for one man sitting in the middle of the room with his back to her. When she reached behind her, she found Sammy was gone as well.
"Come here," rasped the man. His voice was dry and sounded like a struggle to get out.
She scanned the room for Indali, but she wasn't there. Only her screams that echoed off the walls. The lights flickered as she made her first step, eyes stuck on the orange hair.
"Who are you?"
He coughed violently into the bend of his arm. "You know me."
As she made her way in front of him, she froze. "Christopher?" Saniya blinked. "Why do you keep appearing in my dreams? Stop it." At least he was appearing in a more clear way than before. She blinked hard then opened her eyes. He was still there, not easily pushed away like in the last dream.
Christopher struggled to suck in another gust of air. His face was a vibrant blue and the bruises on his neck were as clear as day. "I've been trying to speak to you. You have to save my doll." Christopher's cough was no less startling to hear when she was facing him.
"I don't want to talk to you," she replied, arms crossed. "You're a terrorist, you've killed people, and you're dead. I'm not listening to a thing you say for my own safety." Saniya pointed to herself. "I was almost killed in that car accident, you jerk."
His lungs struggled to fill themselves. Christopher sounded and looked dead. There was no life in his eyes, only glassy milk, and his voice sounded like a typical zombie moan. The only thing keeping her from screaming at the sight was that this was a dream. There wasn't a dead man speaking to her. Her mind was making everything up.
But, her thoughts protested, Bruce felt real. What's stopping this from being real too?
"Indali wants to avenge me," he warned. "She'll kill everyone."
She shifted in her heels. If Indali was still alive —which she was almost sure she was— then this wasn't surprising. "Why are you telling me this? Isn't that something you'd want?" Her gaze sharpened. "I've read part of your file. I know the type of things you've done."
Christopher latched onto her hand. The coldness seeped to her bones and Saniya felt dead herself. His loneliness was crippling and, oh god, he was so cold. Her energy began to drain until she was nothing more than a hollow husk like him.
As the blue in his face faded to peach the limper she felt. For the first time, his breathing didn't sound as labored. "Indali will regret it. She thinks she won't, but she will." His hand tightened around her thin wrist. "She can't win against SHIELD because she doesn't know the enemy she's facing. She just wants their death. They'll lock her away forever if she goes through with this."
"What should..." She forced her eyes open. "What should I do?"
"Find her," he pleaded, " and keep her safe."
"I don't... know where... she is." Her whole body was swaying, ankles threatening to collapse.
"You have to find her. And if it's too late, remember the story of Shiva and Kali."
Saniya sat up in her bed as Indali —or whatever was making the noise— screamed in her ear. And as soon as she was awake, the tears came rushing down her cheeks. She balled up the blankets and wept into the fabric. She wasn't sure what exactly was making her cry other than all the stress she had been carrying inside of her coming out at once. Christopher had been the thing to push her over the edge.
Marsha, who more often than not sleepwalked into the end of her bed, stirred from her sleep. She allowed her eyes to focus in the dark, only to see Saniya wiping snot on satin sheets.
"Saniya?" She reached out, holding Saniya in a hug immediately. "What happened?"
Saniya clung to her sister. "I'm so tired. I-I'm so tired of this." Marsha rubbed her back. It was a soothing gesture but did nothing to calm her shaking. "I want to go back to the way everything was before. I don't want this!"
Marsha's lower lips wobbled. "I'm tired too," she murmured into her hair. "Maybe we'll get used to always being tired, though."
"I don't want to get used to it," she sobbed. "I-I want everything to be normal again. What did I do to d-deserve this?"
Saniya shook with each sob. Never before had she been so thankful to have Marsha with her. She held her tightly and Saniya didn't feel alone. The cold Christopher left behind was gone thanks to Marsha.
When her tears quieted down, she pulled away but still leaned close. "Indali is going to do something bad. I don't know what, but she will," she said in at a hushed volume.
Marsha's eyes widened. "But you told me she jumped from a plane. She can't survive that."
"I know what I said, but don't you feel it? She's out there somewhere." Saniya gripped her hand, wet from wiping away her tears. "He said that she's going to hurt people."
"Who's he?"
She rubbed her eyes. They were red and puffy, not at all an attractive look for her. "Christopher. The man Agent Klemmer killed. He said that Indali's going to avenge his death against SHIELD." A frown crossed her face. "I don't know how she'll manage it because I don't think Indali knows much about SHIELD."
"Then there's nothing to worry about," Marsha said, strangely not questioning a dead man speaking to her. Or maybe she just wasn't questioning Saniya and took her word for it. She tugged her sleeves over her hands. "She might not know where they are, so she can't do anything. Right?"
Saniya held her tongue to keep from spilling her thoughts. Marsha was so optimistic, contrasting with her pessimism on the situation. Plus, it didn't help that if a 'ghost' visited her dreams, then it had to be a bad sign for what was to come. The whole thing didn't sit well with her and she couldn't bring herself to truthfully agree.
"You might be right," Saniya lied, for Marsha's sake. She scooted back under the covers. "We should get some rest while we still can."
Marsha was quick to fall asleep within minutes of saying goodnight. Saniya, was the opposite, instead staring at a spot on the ceiling as she thought over her dream. There was no sleep for her that night.
As soon as she saw Bruce, she ducked into Natasha and Clint's bedroom. Her back was pressed against the door as she listened to him walk past into his bedroom.
She sighed in relief. He hadn't seen her.
Her heart was beating out of control at the thought of him seeing her. What would he say? They hadn't spoken since the kiss and she was terrified of what he would say to her. Given how he pushed her away, though, she had a pretty good idea. But if she ignored the problem, maybe he would forget about it and she'd never have to confront him.
There was a click and she slowly opened her eyes. To her surprise, she came face to face with a gun.
"Stop reaching for the door handle," Natasha told her. "Put your hands over your head."
She did as she was told, not taking her eyes off the weapon. "What are you doing?" she exclaimed.
The assassin watched her with narrowed eyes. "What do you do in a situation like this?"
"Are you crazy?" she questioned. The gun pressed closer to her face. All Saniya wanted to do was melt into the door.
"What do you do?" she asked again. Natasha raised her eyebrows. "If this was real, you would have been shot by now."
"If— what?" She bit her tongue. The less she talked, maybe the less the assassin would want to kill her.
A spark of frustration rose through her as Natasha rolled her eyes. This was not an eye-rolling type of conversation. This was life or death. The gun lowered and Saniya could breathe again.
"I'm not planning on shooting you. This is a hypothetical situation to give you practical skills." With a flick of her wrist, the gun was pointed between her eyes. "What do you do?"
"I'd run out the door as fast as I can."
"A bullet can travel over a thousand feet per second. You're not out-running this," she deadpanned. She sighed, grinding her teeth. "What. Do. You. Do?"
Saniya eyed the gun warily. "This is hypothetical?" Natasha nodded. "So hypothetically this situation is after I'm done with training?" Another nod. "I would be able to kick that gun out of your hand, right?"
She bit the inside of her cheek before slipping it in the back of her jeans. "Good enough for now, I suppose. Next time I ask that question, I won't wait to give you time to think." Natasha motioned for her to follow her into the closet. Like in her room, she had leather uniforms in here, along with Clint's things. Natasha's side of the closet was much more organized than Clint's pile of arrows and uniforms.
"What the heck was that?" she demanded. To stop her hands from shaking, she wrapped her arms around her torso. "I thought..."
"That I was going to shoot you?" She smirked. "The safety was on and it wasn't loaded." Natasha picked up a pair of worn boots. The leather had thinned and they had seen better days, but she still looked at them fondly. "Put them on," she ordered, shoving them into Saniya's hands.
They dropped to the floor. "No way. Not until you explain what just happened."
Natasha met her gaze. "Agent Musa couldn't find anyone willing to come up to New York to train you. She was planning to send you to Philadelphia to someone with a more permanent location. When Clint heard about this, he asked me to train you."
Saniya blinked, taking in everything she was told. Clint came to her rescue despite the trouble she put him in. That thought was enough to make her smile. He was someone she'd be glad to call her friend.
"Put the boots on," she repeated. This time, Saniya didn't question it. Free shoes were free shoes. "Your workouts will be independent. I have better things to do than watch you run on a treadmill. It'll be your responsibility to make sure you're in shape."
When the second boot slipped onto her feet, an almost perfect fit, she looked up. "You'll just teach me how to be a proper spy," she finished for her.
The corners of her eyes crinkled but her mouth remained a straight line. "Exactly. Click your heels together."
Her mouth screwed into a frown. She wasn't Dorothy trying to return to Kansas, but there was no point in arguing in something as insignificant as this. The heels of the boots tapped together. Saniya nearly squealed in delight as two blades slid out of the sole. Kicking someone in the crotch was made infinitely more fun with these shoes.
Saniya's finger reached out to the blade but thought better of it. "These are sweet." Her toes wiggled, moving the blades side to side in the air.
"They're KGB. I brought them out of the Red Room," Natasha replied. Once again, the sly grin that made Saniya question Natasha's motives was on her face. "I've recently had a new pair made and I felt like you'd appreciate these."
She clicked the heels together. In a swift movement, the blades were hidden in the boots.
Saniya smiled. "Thank you. I'll have fun with these."
Natasha passed her with a short pat on the shoulder. "Wake up at seven tomorrow. I'll slide your workout sheet under your door in the morning." The assassin glanced back with an amused expression on her face. "And you better hurry up to Thor and Jane's floor. He's planning to talk to Loki alone."
A frown the couldn't be rivaled was stuck on her face as she stomped to the elevator. Jarvis, the always eavesdropping friend, brought her to the correct floor in a matter of seconds.
All the furniture had been pushed back to the walls. In the center of the room was a chair with the crystal set in front of it. Jane was setting up a camera and speaking into a tape recorder. Clint, most likely there as a SHIELD overseer, was twirling a pen around his fingers so fast that it was a constant blur.
Her breath caught as her eyes met Bruce's. His cheeks turned a slight red before he forced himself to face his laptop.
And Thor... well, he looked like a ghost when he saw Saniya standing in the elevator with her hands on her hips. He knew he was in a lot of trouble. Thor opened his arms wide as if to hug her. "Lady Saniya! It is not a wonderful morning?" he bellowed.
She crossed her arms. Her right foot tapped roughly on the carpet. "You were doing this behind my back?" she asked in a low tone. "Even after I told you that I wanted to talk to him with you?"
Jane paused in her work on the camera. "I was the one who suggested it," she spoke. Saniya's glare didn't even make her flinch. "We have no idea how this will affect you. It's easiest to let Thor go alone."
Her nose scrunched up. Jane was not her mother. She couldn't boss her around or make decisions for her. So, Saniya tugged Thor towards her rougher than she meant to.
"Didn't you say I had the sei— sai—" She bounced on her heels as she struggled to come up with the word.
Thor watched her with wide eyes, so pure that she wanted to forget how angry she was with him. "Do you mean seiðr?"
"Yes, that! Doesn't that make me like a witch or something?" she whispered.
He shook his head. "I don't believe you quite understand—"
She didn't dare look at Jane, Clint, or Bruce. She already felt their questioning stares. "But it's magic," she said. "And your brother —Loki— used the crystal with magic. Doesn't that mean that everything will be fine?" Thor cupped her face with a gentle hand. The look he was giving her was one of someone about to let her down as nice as possible. "I'm not completely normal," she defended. "It won't hurt me."
"It is not the crystal I worry about." His hand dropped. "I merely wish for you to be safe."
As she looked up at Thor, she realized that her anger with him didn't last long, especially after he said something as sweet as that. Already, she was done being furious with him. But, she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. There was no way she'd let him know that, not until she got her way.
"You said that I could come with yesterday." Her finger nearly broke in two as she jabbed his muscular chest. "Are you breaking your word?" Thor's shoulders began to sag and the guilt followed on both ends of the conversation. Suddenly, everything Sammy said about manipulation was brought back. She really hadn't changed much over the years considering what she was doing to Thor. Poor guy didn't deserve to be treated like this.
She sighed, determined to break this habit. "I'll be safe with you. You'll protect me. But, if you really," she grimaced as the next words came out of her mouth, "really don't want me there, I won't come. I don't want to be a jerk to you, so it's your decision."
The Asgardian stared at her with conflicting eyes. He set his jaw. "Is this what you want?" She nodded. "Then I will allow you to speak to him for a short time. When I say you must leave, you will listen."
Saniya beamed. "Thank you."
Thor and her began to walk back to the center of the room.
Clint tucked the pen behind his ear. "I take it from her face that you gave in to her demands," he commented.
Bruce slowly shut his laptop. "Do you think that's—"
"It's fine, Bruce," she interrupted without looking him in the eye. "Thor said it's okay, so it's okay."
The room fell silent until Jane dragged over another chair. Thor began telling her what the crystal did though she was half listening, half staring at Bruce. From what she heard, the crystal ran off its own source of seiðr instead of feeding off the person using it, making it the perfect training tool for young sorcerers. All they had to do was sit and allow it to do its thing.
Jane readjusted one of the cameras to fit their bodies in frame. She gave Saniya what was meant to be a reassuring smile. "It might not work right away for you since you aren't, well, Asgardian, but in theory it should." The scientist held up a wire and a pad on the end that looked like the things doctor's use on patients in hospitals. "If not, we can force it with some well-placed wires."
Bruce rubbed his hands together. "In theory, yes, but we shouldn't force it. Thor doesn't know how it'd react."
Jane half rolled her eyes when Bruce wasn't looking. If she wasn't frustrated with Bruce, Saniya would have called her out on it. "I know that, but it's a possibility and should be looked into." She pressed record on each of the cameras. "Doctor Banner, I assume we'll keep in touch after this. Maybe we can try to recreate this with earth materials. I've been talking to Stark, and he said he'd fund that sort of research."
Thor released a great chuckle. All eyes turned to him. "I admire your aspiration, but this is not something that can be recreated by mere mortals."
Saniya kicked at his ankles. "That was really patronizing," she scolded.
Jane smiled slightly. "I'm sure if you give us enough time, us mere mortals will be able to figure it out."
It didn't make her feel better to see Bruce unpacking a first aid kit, no doubt for her supposed failure. "If you feel nausea or a headache, tell me right away. We don't know what will happen to you exactly."
Thor clapped a hand on her shoulder. "She has a spirit of fire. A soul like that is not extinguished so easily." He turned to the scientist. "I promise you that the crystal will cause her no harm. It is used by the children in Asgard and is made to cause no pain or adverse effects."
Bruce's eyes met hers and a heat rose to her cheeks. For a moment, she imagined what it would be like to kiss him again. "I can't help but worry," he admitted. "Be careful."
She managed a small smile. "I won't do anything you wouldn't do if that makes you feel better." Then, she remembered that she was upset with him and sent him a bitter scowl. Bruce raised an eyebrow but didn't comment."Close your eyes," Thor told her. "You may feel a weird sensation."
"Close your eyes," Thor told her. "You may feel a weird sensation."
Her eyes fluttered shut. There was a small prick on the back of her neck. Then another on her nose. Suddenly, the small pricks rained down on her body. No spot on her skin was left untouched. Before she could so much as gasp, Thor was telling her to open her eyes.
He chuckled as she struggled to pick her jaw off the ground. "This is… different."
And different it was. Asgardian air, despite being in the depths of some sort of prison, was sweet in her lungs. That was the only nice thing she noticed.
A man —she assumed to be Loki— sat behind a glass enclosure staring at them with slitted eyes. The smirk that rose to his face just as she imagined: pretentious and mischievous. He rose to his feet in an elegant way she imagined all princes moved. She knew he was royalty, but he didn't look like it in his torn clothing and greased back hair. But if she focused on his face, she could make out the hard lines of a cruel monarch kicked from his throne.
It was clear that this man wasn't trustworthy. He was the cat and she was the mouse already trapped in his claws.
"Thor," Loki welcomed, lips twisted into a Cheshire cat smirk. "I was wondering why a guard set one of my old stones in front of my cell. You've come to visit, and you've brought a guest." His fingers pressed against the glass, almost laughing. "And not just any guest. No, no, you've brought me a mortal. How... unordinary."
"You really are insane," she breathed. He had the crazy-eyes trope going for him.
The smirk on his face didn't falter. "Insane is a word mortals use to describe someone who understands more than their pitiful minds can comprehend." Her eye began to twitch and she couldn't help but whisper 'so pretentious' to herself. "And that's why you're here, isn't it? For me to answer all your questions."
She crossed her arms. "Can you?"
"Better yet, I can show you." Loki gestured towards the wall of the cell. "Place your hand on the glass and I'll give you your answers and more."
Thor stepped between her and his brother. One of his large hands held her back. "Lady Saniya—"
"I'm not stupid," she hissed quiet enough for Loki not to hear. "I'm not going to touch the glass and I'm sort of offended that you think I would."
"But you are tempted," he replied.
There was no denying that the promise of answers was exciting, but she didn't forget who Loki was. He was the god of lies and trickery and couldn't be trusted.
She patted his arm. "Like I said, I'm not stupid." Her eyes narrowed on the god leaning casually against his prison. "He's a monster." She thought back to her days as a waitress, scraping along for her next meal. A gnarly ball of hate, one molded with a reason somewhat petty compared to the horrible things he'd done, rose in her stomach. "He's the one who made food expensive. He can go to hell for all I care," she growled.
Saniya stepped towards the glass, careful not to touch it. Though there was space between them, Loki towered over her with an impressively straight back. She lifted her chin. "Can you answer my questions or are we wasting our time?"
"I can, but it doesn't benefit me to help a mortal."
Mortal. There was that word again. It was spewed out with acid, like the word should be enough to put her in her place. He meant it as an insult, but she couldn't find it in herself to be offended by it. Being mortal wasn't something to be ashamed of, but even Thor was stiffer when he said the word.
Thor came up next to her. "Brother," he pleaded, to Loki's pleasure, "she has seiðr but she is most definitely a Midgardian. Lady Saniya is more than worthy for answers."
If she had seen his hand coming to pat her on the back, she would have prepared herself. Thor, always meaning well, did not seem to realize that he couldn't be as rough with 'Midgardians' as he could with his Asgardian friends. So, instead of taking it like a champ, she smacked into the glass, leaving an outline of her forehead.
Saniya cupped her face. "Oh, wow. Yeah, that hurt." She leaned against the prison, trying to regain her bearings. "Really, Thor?" As the pain subsided, she opened her eyes, only to see Thor frozen in place and Loki's hand over hers.
"Uh... what—"
His hand shot out and grabbed her chin. There was one Loki in the prison, frozen like Thor, and another forcing her back against the glass. With one hand to her throat and the other forcing her to face him, she was trapped.
"Thor must have thought he was so clever by using astral projection, wasn't he?" Loki sneered. A cruel laugh passed his lips. "Astral projection is about opening your mind. It's like leaving gold out in the open and being surprised that a thief stole it."
No matter how much she tried to pry his fingers from her throat, it made no difference. "You're in my mind," she gasped.
His eyes narrowed. "No," he drawled. Loki drew his face closer, looking quite disgusted with her. "That is not how it works."
"Then how does it work?"
"You would not understand."
"Of course I don't understand if you don't tell me," she snapped. All her attempts to wiggle out of his grasp failed. Loki was not as strong as Thor, but he still overpowered her. From the limited movement he allowed, she aggressively pointed her finger at him. "Stop being a jerk, unfreeze everything, and explain."
He tilted his head. "And why would I do that?"
"What else do you have to do? There's not much to do except for talk to me."
The edges of his mouth turned downward, his perfect smirk morphing into a scowl. Maybe he didn't like the fact that a mortal was telling him what he should do.
"When's the last time you ever talked to someone? Like a conversation about something other than 'hey you're locked in a cell for the rest of forever'. I'm offering that if you let me go."
He stepped away from her. Saniya took advantage of the space by backing away. Reading the emotions of a chronic liar wasn't the easiest thing to do, especially for someone as clueless as herself. She was pretty sure he was either amused that she thought she could manipulate him or offended that she thought she could get away with it, but it was clear that he knew she wasn't being earnest with her offer.
"You came here for something," he began. "I have not seen a soul since my imprisonment." That explained the extra dose of crazy in his eyes. Solitary confinement has proven to be bad for the mind, even that of a supposed god. Maniac or not, he had to be starved of social interaction. "Speak now before I become impatient," he demanded.
She blinked. Somehow, she didn't think her manipulation would work, and that caught her off guard. "Out with it, mortal," he snapped, leaning against the cell and glancing back at his frozen self. "I may answer your questions if I desire so."
"Rude," she hissed under her breath. Saniya gestured wildly to Thor. The poor guy wasn't going to move anytime soon. "What the heck did you do to him?"
The smirk made a reappearance. "We are on the same spiritual plane as we are all projecting ourselves."
"That doesn't explain my frozen friend," she replied.
"Your mortal mind is quite easy to use as it lays in the open when you project yourself. With the right amount of pressure, I can delve into the deepest parts of your mind," he reveled, sounding quite like the supervillains in movies when they tell the hero their evil scheme. Loki, like Tony, was eager to show off how much smarter he was than her. "I am using your gift against you."
Saniya interlocked her hands. "Gift? Is that my time thing you're talking about?"
Fingers crawled up the stem of her brain. She felt them itching their way through her memories, searching through them meticulously. Flashes of her falling from bridges and jumping off buildings flooded her brain, the nails scratching at each one. It wasn't until the feeling stopped that she realized her hands were squeezing her head.
His lips curled in disgust. "You use your gift for foolish things. This is why mortals should not be given seiðr."
She shut her eyes to gather whatever courage she had left. Then, she slowly opened them, keeping the frozen figure of Thor in her sight. "What do you mean?"
"Mortals are vile creatures," he said. "They are never born with seiðr. They are too impure."
"You're nothing special either," she retorted.
Saniya flinched when he took a step towards her. The touch, though not rough, was razor blades grazing across her cheek. "Midgardians are not worthy," he said. "Those who possess seiðr must pass on a part to live in those like you." His entire face morphed into pure disgust, drawing his hand away. "And those who have been given gifts are burned at stakes or ostracized. They should be celebrated as champions, not treated as criminals."
In an attempt to wipe his touch away from her skin, she pulled her sleeve down and scrubbed her cheek. Loki was not impressed though she figured she'd get the same reaction no matter what she did.
"Someone gave me my ability to turn back time?"
He blew roughly out of his nose. "So narrow-minded," he muttered almost quiet enough that she didn't hear. "I suspect an Asgardian. You reek of it."
The fingers returned, crawling through her memories. Her fists balled as his oily touch tainted her memories. Each push left an impression. Saniya would never be able to remember certain moments without recalling the invisible touch. She tried to tell him to stop, tell him that she'd kill him if he kept going, but her mouth wasn't working. Her body seemed to not know how to react to the foreign presence.
It stopped. His eyes fluttered shut and he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Frimia," he huffed. "I am not surprised." (A/N: reference to the beginning to Chapter 9 if you want). "She always had a dim mind and a too large heart."
Her hands couldn't stop shaking. So he wouldn't see them, she crossed her arms tight against her chest. "Frimia? Is she the one who gave my sister her thing too?"
For once, Loki looked surprised. "Your sister, she has a gift as well?"
Saniya tilted her head. "More like a curse, but yeah." Before the fingers appeared, she flinched back from him. "Don't you dare look through my mind again. Don't. You. Dare," she growled.
He slammed her back into the glass and touched her forehead. The fingers were more violent now, more thorough through the direct link. They prodded at each memory involving her sisters, including the few with Indali.
The second he released her, she slid to the ground. She cupped her head. It burned to remember.
Loki frowned, less disgusted with her presence and more contemplative. "It was Frimia. I am fairly certain your sisters have been given gifts from her but that's impossible," he said. "Giving the gift of seiðr is not easy. She could not have given three gifts that close together."
"Three?" Saniya winced as she strained her neck upwards. "Indali doesn't have a gift, she's just a murderer. Kind of like you."
"She's been given the gift of being a conqueror," he said, voice almost complimentary. "A voice that can sway others to her cause, warlike mindset, a strong body... she would have been a valuable asset." He scowled, all positivity gone. "There must be another person. Frimia is not strong enough to three gifts close together."
She pushed herself to her feet despite a raging headache. "Where can I find Frimia?"
Loki stared at her, eyes narrowed. There was a small touch at the base of her brain. Saniya couldn't hide her strong flinch. "You wish to have her take away your sisters' gifts."
"Stop it!" she yelled. "Stay out of my mind!"
If he was taken aback by her outburst, he didn't show it. He stalked towards her with intent in his eyes. "You ungrateful—"
"They're curses," she replied, back smacking into the glass. She shook her head. "I got the sweet end of the deal, but they're suffering. Frimia has to take their gifts away." The words flowed from her mouth, leaving her unsure when this conclusion came to her. It made sense, though. Marsha was terrified of what she could do and Indali was horrifying with her 'gift'. Frimia was a twisted person if she thought the abilities she was giving Marsha and Indali were good.
When he came close enough to her, she raised her fist to punch him. Loki grabbed her arm and forced it back. "And you do not see your gift as a curse?" She refused to answer, especially because of his mischievous grin. "I see now. I will not judge because I understand."
"No, you don't."
He held up a finger. "I do," Loki insisted. "You wish to be the powerful one while they are left useless. And you think we are not the same," he tsked.
She squirmed under his stare. "That's not true."
Loki face came closer to hers. "You constantly say to yourself that you want to be normal, you don't want to be special, but in truth, you want power. Why else do you manipulate everyone, sometimes without consciously doing it?" He smirked. "We both want power, just different ways of achieving it."
Her mouth opened then closed. His lips curved in triumph at her silence. Saniya's eyes met his as she slowly clicked her heels together. "What are you getting at?"
He raised an eyebrow. "You believe in so little of your abilities. Midgardians are not talented with seiðr, no matter how much they try. But, with the proper guide, you can do so much."
The dots began to connect. This was a sales pitch from none other than a god desperate to leave prison. He saw a weakness and latched onto it like a rabid dog. "You want to use my abilities," she stated. "You want to use me."
"With the proper push, I can make you great." His teeth looked sharp in the dim light. "I can make you important. Never again will you have to beg for attention, like you did all those years with your parents. You'll have the entire world's attention." When his finger ran down her neck, she felt something bubble in her chest. The seiðr inside her was reacting, showing her that he could, in fact, use it however he wanted with little effort. If she stayed, she might not have any other choice than to help him.
Without warning, she drove the blade of her shoe into his shin. His form flickered as he howled in pain. There was only one Loki now, this time in his rightful place behind the cell wall.
"Lady Saniya! I..." Thor's voice drifted off as he noticed she wasn't in the place he last saw her.
She stuck her tongue out at Loki. He slammed his hand against the cell. "Thor, I'm done with him. Let's leave, now."
The Asgardian had to know something happened. Even the most oblivious of people could figure that out from the mini tantrum Loki was throwing.
"Are you alright?" he asked
"Yes. I want to leave," she stressed.
He raised his hammer with a short farewell to Loki, then they were back in Stark tower. She raised her hand to where Loki grabbed her throat to find it smooth and unbruised.
Bruce and Jane were by her side with a first aid kit. Jane's eyes were wide. "Did something happen? You were barely gone for a minute."
Without warning, her face scrunched in the beginning of tears. Saniya sucked in a deep breath to keep the tears at bay. She was sick of crying just like she was sick of her entire life. "He... he used me," she told them.
Bruce's eyes flashed, his grip on the plastic first aid kit tightening. "What did he do to you?" he demanded to know. Saniya nearly froze as she saw his patience unraveling before her eyes. "Where did he touch you?"
She gestured to her throat. "He sort of strangled me and... Oh. Oh!" Her hands fluttered to his arm, feeling his stiff body. "He didn't do anything like that. Just a lot of manhandling and he... used my abilities against me." The edges of his eyes were almost turning green if she looked close enough. But when she clarified, it didn't fade like she expected it to. "I spoke to him for like five minutes. He told me a lot of things." Her nose wrinkled. "He's a jerk."
Bruce slowly relaxed under her touch. "Very pretentious," he said, not able to muster up even the stiffest of smiles. His breathing was more controlled as he fought back the green.
"So pretentious."
Jane, oblivious to the danger several feet away, smiled with relief. "When you both woke up, I thought something went completely wrong," she told her. "Could you describe the whole experience? It would be interesting to see if a human's astral projection felt different then, well, an Asgardian." She jerked her head towards Thor who was slipping the crystal in his pocket.
Saniya looked at Bruce momentarily. His eyes were almost entirely brown. "Sure, as long as you get me something to eat."
The corners of Jane's eyes crinkled. "Of course." She rose up from the crouch and moved into the kitchen to find her something to munch on.
She leaned closer to him so nobody would overhear. "Are you okay?"
Since his breathing was slower now, everything was close to normal. "We need to talk," he said. She caught on to the dual meaning: the obvious one about what happened with Loki and the kiss she was so desperate to not bring up.
Saniya stood up abruptly. "Suuuure," she said. "Erm, I just need to talk to Jane then to Marsha, and probably to Thor so he knows how awful of a brother he has. I... Natasha wanted to talk so I'm pretty booked for today."
His lips drew into a straight line. "Tomorrow over lunch?"
If she wasn't so sure that he was going to reject her, she would have thought he was asking her out. "Maybe," she said. "I have a lot of stuff to do." With that, she hurried to find Jane.
She wasn't sure why Bruce's rejection was so scary. Normally, she preferred confronting people as soon as possible and forcing them to spill their thoughts. But knowing that he'd tell her all the reasons he doesn't want to be with her, she was nervous.
This crush she had on him was the worst. It was so bad and she wasn't sure she liked all the feelings running through her.