Chapter Two: The Gathering Storm
As the room erupts with a flurry of reactions, I remain seated, observing the chaos unfolding before me. Once the shouting had ceased, the name 'Loki Odinson' hangs in the air. I have no idea what is happening, but I can feel the weight of Fury's announcement among the team. Natasha's face tightens with concern, Clint's brows furrow, and Thor's eyes flicker to me for a moment but return to the group with determination.
Tony breaks the momentary silence. 'Loki? As in the Asgardian God of Mischief? That Loki? The Loki that took over New York? Killed hundreds of people? Who threw me out the window?!'
My eyes raise in surprise at Tony's exclamations, looking between Fury and Tony whose gazes were now fixed on each other. Fury made no movement or facial recognition of the events Tony was speaking amount.
Fury nods slowly. 'Yes, that Loki. He will be staying at a secure facility here on earth as part of his punishment for his crimes.'
'What sort of crimes did he commit?' I chime in, my curiosity taking over, they all turn to me with a look of exasperation before, almost simultaneously realising that I would not know.
'Rose, where have you been this last year?' Barton speaks up, I know he is attempting a joke, but I feel a wave of uneasiness wash over me.
'Loki.' Fury interrupts, for the second time today I am grateful. 'Due to his widespread destruction, manipulation, and threat of safety of earth and its people, Asgard has decided to hold him accountable for this and has entrusted us with his containment. The…' He pauses before continuing. 'Council has made the decision –'
'A stupid one.' Steve, to my surprise, mumbles.
'—and agreed to Asgard's terms on the chance that if further assistance is required from any potential threats that they provide resources.' He finishes.
'Resource? Threats?' I have never seen Steve this wound up before, he stands in frustration and looks between Thor and Fury. 'And what if the threats come from their people? Again. What then? They send him to earth just to send their own armies in a few months' time?'
Natasha walks behind Steve and places a hand on his shoulder before speaking 'Do we have any idea why they are bringing him here instead of dealing with him themselves?'
Fury's gaze sharpens. 'I understand your frustration, Captain. Believe me I do.' He turns his attention to Nat. 'Asgard believes that keeping Loki on Earth, where he will be surrounded by the Avengers and under our watchful eye, will ensure that he pays for his crimes and prevents any further attempts at his chaos. It will be a joint effort between the two realms to ensure justice is served.'
'Nice speech there Fury, I almost believed you for a second.' Tony scoffs. 'Alright, if this is happening then we need to secure the facility to house Loki. I'll work on upgrading the tower's defences and creating a containment unit he won't be able to break out of.' He glances at Thor when saying the last part.
'Banner is already researching methods to keep the tower contained, I suggest you join heads to work out something.' Tony nods and makes his way to the elevator. 'Rose,' He now turns to me. Even I forgot I was part of this discussion. 'Unfortunately, due to the gravity of the situation, we have decided to withhold your training sessions until further notice.'
I swallow a lump in my throat and nod. 'Natasha will still oversee anything you need in the meantime, until we have Loki's ensured containment.' Fury says.
'We don't want to put you in any unnecessary danger.' Thor looks down at me from where he stands. 'My brother is very manipulative and given your situation,' He pauses. 'Given your situation, I believe you maybe at a high risk for Loki's attention.'
Before I can question what he means by that, the room again flurries into action, the Avengers breaking off into smaller groups for preparation. I am left sitting on the couch alone.
The next few hours passed as I watched the sun set, attempting to read the novel I had started earlier. However, concentration seemed impossible now. Darkness had washed over the city that never sleeps, and there were only fifteen minutes left until eight, as indicated by the large clock on the television screen. I remained alone on the couch, contemplating the weight of the situation. Everyone had gathered back in the living room, their tension and concern practically pouring out of the windows.
The descriptions of Loki provided by the others kept replaying in my mind, causing my heart to palpate in my chest. What if he was like them? If he had hurt and killed so many people, wasn't he just as bad as them?
"Mind if I join you?" a familiar voice broke the silence. I looked up to see a calm and composed Natasha, her presence almost comforting amidst my chaotic thoughts.
"Of course," I responded, forcing a polite smile and scooting over to make room. She gracefully settled down beside me.
Her gaze scanned the room, acknowledging the men engrossed in their own conversations. "It's quite overwhelming, isn't it?" she remarked, her voice filled with empathy.
I nodded in agreement.
"Rose, I worry about you," she said, her words catching me off guard. "Not just with the Loki situation. You've been here for five months, yet you still seem very secluded. I rarely see you leave the tower for more than an hour at a time, and the training sessions are the only moments I see you around other people. I know we should be focusing on his arrival, but I just wanted to let you know that I see you. Even if these next few weeks are crazy and unsettling, I see you."
Genuine gratitude filled me, and this time, my smile reached my eyes. "Thank you," I whispered.
Suddenly, a loud rattling noise echoed above us, grabbing our attention. "He's here," Steve declared.
Natasha and I stood up in unison, but then I felt it—a chilling coldness. Oh no. My hands began to tingle, and the familiar sting behind my eyes returned. "Damn it," I groaned, rubbing my eyes. Natasha turned to me, concern etched on her face, but before she could say a word, Tony urged us to be alert, mentioning something about reindeer. The stinging sensation subsided, but the tingling in my hands remained. Standing straight, I fell into line behind the rest of the team, finding a spot between an agent and Clint.
As the elevator doors chimed open, Thor stepped out, followed by two agents and a figure dressed in green, gold, and black—Loki.
"I would say it's a pleasure to be back, but that would be a lie," Loki's voice dripped with velvet honey as he surveyed the room, a sly grin etched across his face, his gaze lingering on each member of the team. He moved through the group, his eyes suddenly fixed on me.
The sting in my eyes returned, and the tingling sensation in my hands intensified. I kept my hands behind my back as Fury began his speech, informing Loki of his expectations during his stay on Earth and laying out the ground rules.
I couldn't tear my eyes away from Loki's captivating gaze. His eyes a captivating depth, a combination of the cerulean blue of the sky and the allure of the vast ocean. Like twin sapphires shining with brilliance. His raven-black hair cascaded in loose curls, framing his sharp features. It was meticulously combed back. Loki's attire was adorned with intricate gold accents, sharp edges of green, I assume to be made from Asgardian craftsman.
In my peripheral vision, I noticed Thor's discomfort with the situation, his previous warning playing in my head. As another agent started speaking about security protocols, Loki ignores his warming and his mouth moving and the honeyed sound of his voice caressed my ears, his gaze remaining fixed on me."I am Loki," he nodded curtly, restrained by his chained hands. "Prince of Asgard."
Tell a friend, to tell a friend. He's baaack.
Thank you for the read! Please let me know what you think, I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions.
As I said I am using inspiration from other fanfic's but this will be its own story. This will be a slow burn, so we shall see where it leads! This is my first fanfic so please be patient with me while I get the hang of this ?
What do you think is going on with Rose and her powers? Do you think its related to Loki? Is it something else?
Happy reading
SpinelessPages
