CHAPTER 3
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters except my own. The characters belong to MARVEL.
CHAPTER 3 Ants
Bucky was curled up at her feet, shivering as the magical bonds melted away. It didn't satisfy Hel the way she had thought it might. Oh well. It's a lesson he needed to learn sooner or later. I'm not the same he got to know.
She tilted her head to the side, bowed down until her breath had to be ghosting over Bucky's face. "You did not think, I would go through with it, did you?" A hollow giggle. "But you see: Saving you is no guarantee for safety from destruction on another day. Death has a temper unsure even to the most knowledgeable. Try to keep my advice in mind."
As sudden as her intrusion had been, she drew back. "Now that that's settled, tell me, brave soldier: Why do you risk your standing with me for these mortals?"
Bucky curled up into a tight ball. Hel could almost hear his heart jumping around in his chest. Forgetting the dangers of Death was a mistake. He certainly won't repeat it.
Bucky's breathing was heavy. Most likely unable to hear anything. Hel almost felt bad. Here he had helped her overcome her own fear and she had pushed him right into his own worst nightmare. Her eyes swept over the assembled crowd, landing on Wanda. Well, he did deserve it for trying to reign me in.
"But you do plan to revive us, right?" Peter suddenly spoke up. Hel turned her gaze upon him, along with the rest of the assembly. Fury cradled his chin in his hand, an intense look in his eye. Annoyingly smart and paranoid. Maybe I should get rid of him after all?
Peter on the other hand was not used to being the centre of attention like this. Thus, finding himself in the spotlight, he nervously wrung his hands. "Well, she never said, she wouldn't bring us back," Peter began to explain. His unsteady gaze mainly focusing on Strange, who looked at him with raised eyebrows. "She just said we're stuck with her. And she didn't contradict the notion of us being needed. So, I'm thinking, she'll let us go back. Just not now. Kinda like a kidnapping?"
Hel held perfectly still, allowing her guests to absorb the observations the probably youngest in their middle had made. She especially concentrated on not preening with pride. For him to keep his focus even amidst all this chaos. It's an incredible feat. And with such precision. He just might make it on my list of golden hearts.
More and more nods passed between the adults. Falcon, Van Dyne, Pym and Hill gave mumbled assessments of their own. Fury's eye wandered between them with calm attention. There is not a detail he misses. How inconvenient.The same could be said about T'Challa. Being king really had sharpened his senses. Being a cat-themed superhero might not have been to his disadvantage either.
At her feet, Bucky raised his head slightly off the ground. He peered at her through loose strands of hair. Eyes still wide. Not a single muscle moved beyond that. Quietly, Bucky lay on the ground and waited on her verdict. Hel allowed herself a tiny grin and wink directly at him. It wasn't a friendly gesture. After this ruckus, let's have some fun. It is my party after all.
Without once looking back at Bucky, she sauntered over to Peter. With a content purr Hel curled around the very obviously uncomfortable teenager as much as possible. Her chin rested upon his shoulder, her hands and legs wound around him, so Peter had to hold her up. She regarded the assembled from her perch on Peter's shoulders.
"Now this is what I call a clever mind. Why did no one else catch my meaning?" She leaned in as if to kiss Peter's cheek, running her fingers through his hair. The poor boy stood ramrod straight, every muscle locked and tense. Panic in his eyes. Not so clever now, are we? We'll work on that. Don't worry. One can learn to love the chaos.
"Hel," Bucky spoke up.
Her eyes snapped back to him with uncanny precision. "Yes, brave soldier mine?"
Bucky visibly flinched. Hel felt Peter's muscles clench under her fingers. No one seemed to like the implication of the nickname. Good. Let them have a look at what's mine. Remind them. Remind him, who kept him safe. Whom he should be loyal to and never turn his back on.
Across the room, Bucky forced himself to remain calm. To give off an aura of confidence. And had it not been for the fear written all over his face, it might have even worked. Now, he looked exhausted and afraid and tired all at once. Hel would have felt sympathy for him, if it weren't so justified for him to feel the consequences of his actions.
He forced himself to go on anyway. Prove his worth."If you don't intend to keep us and won't let us pass on to Valhalla or your own realm, why don't you revive us instantly? It would save you a lot of trouble, I assume."
In an instant, Hel was by his side, her eyes ablaze. She ignored the pained grunt Peter gave as he hit the ground and the murmurs of Mantis and Strange helping him up and stepping up to guard him. With a flick of her hand, she separated Bucky and herself even further from the others. Hel ignored Sam's protests or Wanda's whimper. Her single-minded focus was on her soldier.
"Now, brave soldier mine, why would you ask such a thing?"
Bucky took one look at her and squared his shoulders. His fear and exhaustion making him indifferent to whatever she planned for him. Sam called out to Bucky, trying to catch his attention. They both ignored him.
"Steve needs them to fight. I don't have to like them, if they are important to him, they are important to me." His voice was quiet, but there was no tremble in it. He looked her square in the eyes.
Hel held his gaze for a moment. Then she threw her head back with a patronizing laugh. "Always such a good soldier!" she mocked. "Thinking of others. It does come natural to you, does it not?" The goddess brushed a hand over his metal arm. Bucky winced, trying to shy away. "It is only natural to think of oneself first. You know that, brave soldier mine. Why fight the instinct?"
"Because it's the right thing to do," Bucky replied. His voice slightly stronger now.
"The right thing," Hel echoed quietly. "You will make a fine member of my guard, brave soldier mine." For a moment longer, she scrutinized him. Her expression was unreadable. His face was an open book for her to decipher.
"You didn't answer the question," Fury spoke up. He stood in one of the darker corners of the room with his arms crossed over his chest.
Hel pursed her lips, trying to suppress a smile. "You really don't send Nick Fury to voicemail, huh?" Her eyes flitted between Peter and the Van Dyne – Pym team. "Remember that. When Fury wants something from you, he gets it from you." The corners of her mouth lifted ever so slightly. "He wasn't the director of SHIELD for nothing. And never underestimate him or his subordinates. After all, who was it to send a newbie-rebel-archer after a trained assassin and recruited chameleon after chameleon? Avengers Initiative." Hel huffed a laugh. "So cute."
"I don't remember there being this much talk in kidnapping scenarios." Sam stared at Hel with a stony expression. It at least got the goddess of death to crack a small grin. Barely there.
Hel tilted her head in consideration. "I could disintegrate you on the spot. No one could save you. Or rebuilt you. You'd just be dead." The grin grew. "Wouldn't that be fun?"
"We seem to have vastly different definitions of fun." Quill raised his weapon, aiming for Hel's heart. She merely rolled her eyes. I wondered when they would get this genius of an idea. As if a little fire could hurt me.
"Let me help you." Hel flicked her hand and the weapon flew right out of Quill's hands along with any and all other weapons the mortals could hold on their person. "Now that's better, isn't it? Now we can all lean back and relax."
"How the hell is that helpful?" Pym growled at the goddess.
"The ant has no quarrel with the boot," she said, as if that explained anything. "And at the moment, we are all ants under Thanos' boot. How then, I ask you are we as insignificant ants to lift the boot that is stamping out our light?"
There was no response from anyone. Not even Peter had a clever idea to respond to that. He merely mumbled something about needing to read up on Shakespeare, when he got home. Whatever that would help him.
Out of the corner of her eye, Hel caught Janet looking at Bucky, providing him with mute coaching to calm down. From what Hel could tell, it worked. Bucky's breathing calmed, his muscles unclenched. Still, he looked tired and worn out. The stress taking its toll even on his enhanced body. At least he won't think of leaving me now. Plus, he is sitting less cramped.
The door towards the throne room opened. Hel lifted her head to see who the newcomer was. Even, if it wasn't a smart idea, she felt her muscles relax slightly.
With green robes billowing out behind him, his dark hair swept back from his face, came the god of mischief himself.
Loki.
Hel's green eyes narrowed at him in annoyance. Oh, now we show up? Now the spell is broken? But when I would have needed him, mister my-horns-are-bigger-than-yours has no idea, who I am. Leaving me alone. Defending my realm against a monster of a relative. An imposter! Still, no help. Not even a thought. I should just kill him right on the spot. Would serve him right.
But she didn't.
Instead, Hel said only one thing in greeting: "You're late."
Loki entered the room with a flourish. His cape billowed out behind him like his very own entourage. The light glinted in his midnight hair. A wicked grin tilted his lips.
Hel hated his guts.
The intensity was unexpected, but not unjustified. My very own father. Left me. Didn't love me enough to overcome my spell.
"I congratulate you on the spell, my little hellspawn." Loki's grin widened. Hel dutifully ignored the varying sounds of distress coming from her guests upon realizing just who had joined them. With an inconspicuous turn of her fingers, Hel enabled Wanda and Strange to use their magic to their full potential. She was not keen on Loki killing the very people she saved from death.
Loki didn't seem to notice any of it. His eyes were immediately drawn to Bucky, still crouched on the ground, more tired than before. He didn't look at either father or daughter.
A greedy glint glowed in Loki's eyes. "So that's your soldier."
"Hands off." Hel's tone was as cold as ice. Her posture changed slightly, magic weaving into her gown to protect her, especially around the magic wounds she carried from the fight with Hela.
Loki's face split into a wide grin. "No need to get overprotective, little one. It is just one mortal out of the many you have collected." His gaze fell on Bucky. "And I do not plan on breaking him. Trust me."
"Because that went oh so well the last few times." Sam snorted. Everything in his demeanour screamed 'challenge'. From the raised eyebrow to the set of his jaw. He crossed his arms over his chest and shifted his weight to one side. "Last time I checked, you were a bad guy."
"You destroyed New York," Peter piped up. "Like, that was real bad."
"Wait, Loki?" Quill stared at the god in disbelief. "Like Loki, Thor's brother?"
The eye roll of Loki was ignored all around. Everyone was too busy swapping murmured anecdotes about the events of 2012 in New York and before that in New Mexico.
Drax and Mantis took a closer look as well. Mantis's head swayed from side to side, her big black eyes considering Loki. Then, "I remember him from Thor's memories. He thought his brother had died at the hands of Thanos. Thor wanted to avenge him and his people when he went off with Rocket and Groot to Nidavellir." She took a tentative step forward, looking like a mantis about to lure in her food. "Did you trick your brother into thinking you were dead?"
As if it were the first time.Hel looked towards the ceiling, as if that might have less obvious questions than the mortals around her. Not even Groot commenting in between could help cheer her up. The teen-tree was definitely one of the less stuck-up trees she'd met in her life.
"So, what do you want here?" T'Challa had strolled up next to Fury, both scrutinizing Loki. Maria Hill shifted, her eyes darting towards where her gun had flown. Most likely calculating how much time she'd need to retrieve it should T'Challa choose to attack. His suit was practically sown to his body after all.
"Can a god not visit his favourite daughter?" Loki played hurt. He gave his best performance of almost tearing up, a hand on his heart, lips quivering.
It was Hel's turn to roll her eyes. "You can stop with the theatrics, father." She looked around to make sure that no one was going to attack either her or Loki within the next few seconds. "Why are you here?"
Loki met her eyes and the glint of mischief was right back. A smirk curled his lips. "My dearest Hel. I have of course come to join your little party in hopes of defeating my tormentor."
"And for that you needed to make your brother think you died?" Wanda sounded downright furious. Neither god acknowledged her.
"Why now and why me?" Hel's voice was almost deadly calm. "I placed the spell to forget me over you some time ago. And you didn't remember me. Why do you come crawling back to me now? Because it is convenient?"
Next to Hel, Bucky slowly raised his head to look at them. His eyes darted quickly between them. Hel refused to look at him. He is safer without the attention of my father on him. Better to leave him out of the whole ordeal as much as possible.
Loki changed his posture yet again, taking on the mantle of an appeasing businessman. "As you put it so nicely: We are all ants under the boot of Thanos. I would prefer to lift that yoke off my neck. There are so many things I still want to do."
Immediately the mood shifted. Every single human and alien in the room tensed, reaching for their weapons. A god of mischief and chaos on the loose was never a good idea. Especially considering many of them were aware of the chaos Loki had spawned on earth with his invasion of New York. Hel let it slide. They are mortal and feel threatened. They have every right to defend themselves against Loki. I won't stop them. Not this time. He left me alone. When I needed him most, he wasn't there.
Bucky rose to his feet. He loomed in Hel's back, looking Loki squarely in the face. "What have you done?" he asked calmly. Everyone blinked at him in mild surprise and confusion. "Excuse me?" Loki tilted his head to the side.
"What have you done," Bucky repeated, "to hurt Hel?"
Time slowed.
Hel spun around. She stared up at Bucky with wide eyes, speechless. She hadn't said anything along those lines aloud. Still, he cared enough not only to remember her but also to notice her suppressed pain.
Loki narrowed his eyes at the mortal assuming he knew more about his daughter than him. Magic crackled through the air towards Bucky.
Janet raced forward, trying to catch the magic somehow as both Wanda and Strange activated their magic to protect the rest of them. Both looked surprised at how easily they could form the shield.
Hel shoved Bucky out of the way. She placed a wall of magic between them and Loki. Her eyes were ablaze. "Did you just try to kill him?" Her voice echoed from the walls. "Because he told you the truth?" With a ripple, her magic revealed her true form down to the battle armour and swords. "That was a mistake."
Daggers fell into Loki's hands. He got into a fighting stance. At the same time, green wove through the barrier around the mortals, strengthening their defence. Lastly, with a mumbled apology, Hel wrapped her magic around Bucky.
The gods stared at each other. Loki wore a slightly twisted grin while Hel glared. Neither made the first move.
"I told you: He's off limits. You knew there would be consequences to your actions."
"Aren't there always?"
Hel charged. Flying daggers shot towards Loki's face with practices ease. Loki deflected them and launched his own daggers. Hel twisted out of the way, allowing for the fabric in her back to rip but protecting her skin with her magic. "I fought against Hela. On my own." Her sunset eyes seemed to be on fire. "Do you think, you are any match for me after that?"
Loki's expression hardened. He let another salve of daggers loose, using the time Hel needed to defend herself to multiply himself. "I fought her too. It was not an easy feat."
"I survived her." Hel launched her magic around her. The doppelganger disappeared. Loki still stood in the same spot as before. "I fought her, and she almost killed me!" Hel twirled, kicking out with her magic. Loki deflected her hit with a wave of his hand.
"She is still out there and if she knew I was alive, she would kill everyone I care about just to get to me and finish me once and for all."
With a cry, Hel clashed her sword against one of the flying daggers. "I wiped everyone's memory just to keep them safe. I hunted her down on my own. All alone, because no one cared enough to remember me!" Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. She leaped at Loki. "Least of all my own father!"
The silence following her last scream was deafening. Hel stood before Loki, her sword at his throat. He hadn't even moved to defend himself against her in any way. The god only looked down at his daughter with shadowed eyes. All around, the mortals stared in awe and pity at Death.
With a sob, Hel dropped her sword and collapsed into her father's chest. "I was so alone. All alone."
Loki wrapped her in his arms. He stroked her hair and rested his chin on the top of her head. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I hurt you. I promise to be there for you from now on."
Green clashed with grey as Loki and Bucky made eye contact. The men looked at each other. A silent agreement flitted between them. They would do anything to keep Hel safe. Safe and out of harm's way. Come what may.