Thor was fed up with being keept in the dark. Time and again, he attempted to get his brother to confide in him, to share his troubles, but to no avail.
Loki typically became more guarded, shutting himself off like a clam. He persistently secluded himself in his room or deftly sidestepped Thor's concerns with his eloquent speech. Loki didn't even allow Thor the opportunity to understand what was troubling him or to support him when he needed it.
Thor was well aware that he had made numerous mistakes in the past, and he could see why Loki was upset. This time, he had to acknowledge that Loki had every right to give him the cold shoulder. Thor realized that he embodied many of the flaws Loki pointed out: he was a clumsy, reckless fool, arrogant, and often rushed to judgment. He also recognized that he could be overly angry at times.
He was even worse with saying the right thing to the council or the elders, making an even greater fool of himself sometimes. Thor used to have his brother to help him with that, and Thor believed that Loki would always stay by his side through the good and bad times.
Thor was many things, but stupid wasn't one of those.
At a young age, he realized that Loki was being treated differently than him by everyone, even their parents. He had thought that it was because Loki had seiðr magic and that magic was still viewed as a weak trait by Asgardians. Despite the tales, he knows Asgard was not built on justice and peace. All that mattered to them was power and how well they could hold out in a fight.
Loki was not bad in a fight but was not one of their best. Thor admitted that he had teased him a lot about this in his youth. He was his brother! That is what brothers do. Even then, that doesn't explain why Loki thought they didn't love him. Thor had seen the love in their mother's eyes as she looked upon her sons. He had seen how she treated them with the same respect and love, and neither favoring the other. Perhaps she had been a smidge more strict with Loki than she was with him, but magic in untrained hands was dangerous.
But their father...Thor bit back a growl that threatened to tear through his throat. Their father was an entirely different matter. At that time, Thor loved the attention he had gotten from their father. It had made him feel special, and he had blown up like a peacock in pride. He had basked in his father's praises all his life.
It would have been great if not, at the same time, Loki was pushed further into the shadows that grew all around him. Odin had always put him before Loki, and it was easier to see it now when Loki had pointed it out to him. Perhaps that was another of his flaws? He needed his brother to point out what he did wrong and did not see.
The All-father had done nothing to silence the rumors that spread at the court or even try to stop the hateful words about his brother. Despite this, Loki was always found alongside him in his many other battles and always came to his aid when needed it. They were loyal to one another as a family should be.
As a prince of Asgard, Loki was given the golden apple on his 1600th namesday and was named the second heir to the throne. The grand feast kept in Loki's honor was filled with laughter and good food in waiting for their quest to start. Thor would never forget the following quest of bravery that would forever change their life as they went into Bifrost gates to a realm filled with strong monsters.
It was a long, hard, brilliant battle between young fools and their prey. Everything had gone so well until Thor could no longer see Loki with them. He could still remember the fear and horror that had shot through him as he realized that Loki was gone. It had taken them a day and night to find Loki. When they did, Loki was delirious and on the edge of death. He had spoken of a black-haired beauty that had saved him from the hands of death and the need to find him.
He knew that if Harald hadn't found his brother that day. Loki would likely have ended up dead. That had been the first time Thor could have lost his brother. He had been so close to never having the chance to hear Loki's laughter, cursing, or stabbing… well, the stabbing he could live without.
Years passed, and he could see how Loki grew more distant then. He had become more cunning and ruthless than before. Some even would call him sharper. That was until the Yule ball. Thor had never seen his brother so happy as that Yule Day he had found his soulmate again. He remembered how good they looked on the dance floor and, later on, how Loki's whole world shifted to fit around the younger male. It was like he had been replaced.
At that time, Thor had gone all out with his training. All the other warriors chicken out when he was in the mood for exercise. He could not help it that the only way he could get his anger out was through battle. The only ones who stood by him and held out were his most trusted shield brother -and sister.
They went to concurring worlds in his father's name and actively avoided Loki and Harald for the longest of times. He never had a kind word for his brother's mate. Looking back at the memory, it was an act out of youth, or what Loki told him, jealous. To have his brother's attention elsewhere than on him had been a big eye-opening, and he had been a real dick about it.
It felt like his brother forgot that he had a family besides his mate. Even as they lived in the palace, Loki was never there anymore. Not until Thor was put into place by said young fae prince and gained his respect, probably around the same time as the whole losing Mjolnir and the wedding dress fiasco acured.
Thor found great joy and pleasure in the fact that he had been wrong. He was not going to lose a brother. Instead, he gained one. After that, he could truly see how happy Harald made Loki. Where Loki had been gloomy and irritated before, he was now content and had more playfulness in his eyes than before. Harald was good for Loki. That was until everything changed.
Harald's death left everyone in turmoil, as his final battle's location and the whereabouts of his body for burial remained a mystery. Loki's reaction was a storm of emotions, revealing that something terrible had occurred, but the depth of his feelings was hard to comprehend. As Loki descended into madness, Thor was torn between despair and determination, trying everything he could to help his brother, yet feeling increasingly helpless and frustrated with every attempt.
Thor started to question whether everything during that period had been futile. Even when his brother stood before him, Loki's eyes appeared dull and glazed. Reflecting on that time, Thor realized Loki had likely been struggling to maintain his grip on reality, as his mind frequently drifted. Anger seemed to consume him more deeply back then as if he was trying to suppress the chaos within his mind but failing a bit more each day without Harald.
Thor knew he could not change what had been done in the past, but he could do something about what was right in front of him. Right now, he could see the slight trembling of Loki's hand as he was trying to come off as indifferent, with a look of irritation covering the black-haired male's face. Thor could only stare at him, hating how the seconds dragged over to minutes before he even could find the courage to break the silence eating him up from within.
"Loki, please, I need you to speak with me," Thor implored gently, gazing at his brother, who persistently turned his head. "I want to resolve the issues between us, but I can't do it by myself. I need your help, brother." This finally caught Loki's attention, and he looked up to meet Thor's eyes.
Thor could see Loki's pupils narrowed at him like two slits. It strangely enough reminded him of a grumpy Cat video that Lady Daisy had shown him as she introduced the strange world of webs.
"I have been giving you undue patience for eons. Only for me to be pushed aside and ignored, again, and again, and again," Loki said low." And now you have the guts to stand before me, demanding that I will talk to you?" Loki glared at Thor as his shoulders slumped and his head bowed.
A muscle twitched in Loki's cheek, and he felt the sour taste in his mouth only get worse. It was like he had been forced to drink acid as he stared at that once proud Aesir warrior who now bowed his head. How many times had he dreamed of seeing Thor in this situation? How many times had he wanted to push his brother so deep into the ground that the only thing visible was the dirt that would cover his blond hair? Even then, Loki would not be satisfied. There was a roar in his ears, and his vision felt mudded. All the years, all the memories of what he did, what they said...-
And a gentle warmth enveloped Loki's souk, causing him to softly gasp in surprise. For a brief moment, everything paused, allowing him to draw a deep breath. His lungs filled completely, tingling with a slight discomfort as they pushed air in and out. With another breath, he concentrated on the warmth within and sensed Harry's concern for him, along with curiosity and calmness.
Loki took another breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he felt more grounded than before. His thoughts were his own. So why? Why did this action hurt so much? Loki felt the irritation crawl beneath his skin that Thor would sink so low to bow to him.
"If there's nothing else, I wish you a good day and that you don't bother me anymore," Loki told him and turned around.
"No!" Thor almost shouted as he reached out to his brother. Loki instinctively flinched away from his movement.
Thor didn't need to be a genius to read the bursting magic in front of him, bottled up and almost bursting out in flickers of green and gold. At times like this, Thor wished he had more affinity with magic than he did.
"Please, Loki, give me a chance to speak my mind," Thor pleaded.
"Why should I?" Loki asked,
"Because I will not leave you alone before I do," Thor said stubbornly.
Loki looked at him with disdain and frowned. He did not have the patience to have him hovering all around him all day long, begging like a dog. "Then speak, you witless oaf, don't waste my time."
"I'm trying!" Thor blustered
"Then try harder! Or do you want me to force you? You do like to take the rougher path," Loki sneered impatiently. He could feel the voices in his mind whispering, tearing at his thoughts.
"Enough of this, Loki"
"Enough?" Loki choked out, "Enough of what? Enough talking? But didn't you want to talk?" Loki rolled his eyes. "Why, Thor Odinson, can't you make up your mind? But then again, perhaps you wanted me to stay dead? It would explain so much." He turned around. "I have had enough of this. Get out of my way, or I'll make you," Loki threatened as he started to walk away.
" Loki, please stay," Thor protested as he blocked his brother's path again, "I need to talk to you. After what I went through to get to you last time...-"
"-shut up! "Loki interrupted him, angry as he slammed his finger into Thor's chest. "This is not about you, for once in your life. You do not know what I've gone through, and I won't stand here letting you tell me how much it hurts YOU. You can't even begin to TRY and understand what I have been dragged through. "Loki barked, hitting his hand on Thor's chest. "YOU are the golden prince of Asgard! Everyone loves and adores you, and you know nothing of being unwanted. To be a burden and pushed down until you barely can stand, day after day". Loki's eyes were now shining poisonous green as he sneered at Thor, "Don't you dare tell me what's enough. You have no right to tell me that!"
"I mourned for you!" Thor bellowed as he griped Loki's arm, keeping him in front of him. "It felt like I was going mad with grief, brother -no stop." This time, Thor pointed his finger at Loki as he opened his mouth again to protest, only for the other male to snap it shut again. "You will let me speak my mind this time, Loki. No, running away, and do not put any words in my mouth that I haven't talked. Let me continue because I never have a chance to outwit you in a battle of words- "At this, Loki scoffed as he batted away Thor's hand and took a step back.
"You will not stop me, not now, when I finally have a chance to speak," Thor hurried to say, as he did not want to lose this chance to speak his mind. "You are my brother. Yes, you have done a lot of hurtful things. Yes, you are a pain in everyone's ass, but at least you were there, brother. I know that I failed you after Harald's death. I know it, and when I thought I had lost you," Thor's voice cracked.
"I know now that I need to hear your advice on how to rule our realm. I need you to keep me on the right track and your presence to make me a better person." Thor stared at him as he spoke, not wanting to give the other one a chance to escape. "I need you, Brother. I'm sorry that I haven't been the big brother you deserved and didn't notice that something was wrong. I know I still have much to learn, so please let me try to make up for my wrongdoings."
The silence around them was thick as Loki could only stay silent and stared at Thor like he couldn't grasp what came out of his mouth. Did he want him by his side? No, no, he could never... He was not even allowed to think he had a chance to stand beside the golden prince. He wasn't even his real brother.
"Well, that would be one of the problems, I presume," Loki sighed after another second of dreaded silence. A cold grin appeared on his lips, and Thor hated that look that haunted Loki's eyes as he tried to put on a façade. "We're not as related as we once thought."
"What?" Thor frowned.
"We don't even have the same parents," Loki taunted with an air of indifference, trying to hold himself together. Just for a few moments before he got rid of Thor, Loki might have convinced himself that he didn't care. But his hands betrayed him, trembling despite his efforts to keep them steady behind his back. He averted his gaze from Thor, feeling the intensity of Thor's piercing blue eyes.
As the silence stretched on, Loki's anxiety grew, and time seemed to crawl by painfully. However, when Thor finally spoke, Loki was at a loss for how to react to the nonsense that spilled from his mouth.
"Yes, I know. I don't see how those matters?"
Loki's head snapped up, and he looked at Thor, who frowned. Loki opened his mouth to speak, but his brain had stopped working momentarily. "You knew? You have known all this time?"
"Yes?" Thor's frown deepened
"What do you mean yes?! you knew?" Loki tries to think back on when that precise information was leaked. Or was he the only one that wasn't told?
"Mother told me after you fell," Thor answered and looked worriedly at his brother as he started to look paler than before."Loki, are you okay?"
"She did what?" Loki's voice flew up a few pinches as he turned around and dragged his hand through his hair. What? How? No…that…it… But why? All the questions flew around in Loki's mind, and he had no idea what he should think or even feel, for that matter. He had so many thoughts in the last few minutes, so many words, that he thought he would burst into flames—frost giant or not.
"Mother told me they adopted you, and you are of the jotun race. But that doesn't change anything. You still are my brother, and we grew up together. "Thor said and smirked, finally realizing that he had probably shocked Loki into speechlessness.
Loki stared at him. What? No… This… this was not what he had planned when he told him that, all this time, he had known. Then why? What is the name of Yggdrasil that made the buffoon even think that he still had the right… to call him brother when they were not?!
"I had to admit. When she first told me, I thought she would say that I was the adopted one."
Loki's mind stopped working as he stared at his brother. All right, now he was sure he was truly and completely broken. This… this took the price. Loki put a hand on his head. Thor had thought that HE was the adopted one.
"What? Are you… what?" Loki burst out in disbelief. "How on earth did you come to that conclusion?" Before Thor could respond, Loki raised a hand to stop him. " Wait, Don't even answer. I can't deal with your stupidity right now." Before Thor could respond, Loki raised a hand to stop him. "How could you even think such a thing? Especially when... when... I'm the adopted one, Thor!" Loki grumbled, exasperated, as he glared at Thor, who was now irritatingly grinning.
Thor shrugged while scratching his cheek. "I always thought you were more like our parents than me. You have our mother's gift for magic and vast craving for knowledge, our father's wisdom and sense of justice. Me? Well, I'm good with my hammer."
Loki stared at him. Was Thor complimenting him? No, this could not be real. Loki put his hand over his face, trying to hinder the aching pain drumming inside his scull that threatened to come forward.
"Mother once said in my youth that I probably was a changeling, so it would not be too farfetched if it had been true." Thor shrugged as if it was nothing.
Loki emitted a sound resembling a strangled cat as he almost choked on his saliva. His eyes were fixed in disbelief, and despite his efforts to hold it back, a burst of laughter escaped his lips. He was torn; while he couldn't contain his amusement, part of him was bewildered. Of all the scenarios he had envisioned unfolding, this was the last thing he had expected.
"Never change that part of your stupidity," Loki said as he calmed down from his laughter.
"Loki..." Thor said in a low voice.
Loki shook his head as he felt the fight leave him, and he felt like he had aged eons in mere seconds. "No, don't. Can't you see? I was never accepted because of what I am, not only because I was a male of the 'Asgardian'' race. "He did the air quote, "But I choose magic as my main weapon, which in their eyes was a sign of weakness. A craft that only women would practice because it was signed as a weakness in battle, not that women were weaker than others," he chuckled humorlessly.
"It doesn't matter to me, Loki," Thor commented. "I have always envied both you and Harald's affinity with magic, how easy you both made it seem. You were the closest to our mother because of that, and I did try, as you know, but as soon as I got Mjolnir, I quit trying. But I never resented you any less because of that. It doesn't matter to me if you have magic or not, and you are still you. "
"It matters to me! Even when I was at my lowest, "Loki's voice was barely a whisper now. "Even when Thanos was torturing me out of my mind, and I gave in to his insane demands, begging him to stop it all, I still could feel my magic running through my veins. Not even he could take that away from me. But the feeling of being caged...the shackles in my mind… the fact that I am... It changes everything..." Loki suddenly looked so small where he stood, hunched down on himself. "It changes everything."
"No, it doesn't," Thor answered as he took a careful step forward, words softer than Loki had ever heard him speak them. "Mother still loves you. Father worries about you, and you are still my brother, by blood or not. We grew up together, fought, cried, and went on glorious adventures together, and this will not change it."
"But I'm a frost giant, a monster!" The words were out for Loki before he could stop it. He had to make the blond one see that he was a monster that did not deserve love. He was a killer by blood and action, and nothing would change that.
"You are still my brother. "Thor stated firmly, "Frost giant or Asgardian doesn't matter. Blood doesn't make a family, but our bond does," Thor said again, hitting his chest. "And to me, you are my brother, and nothing you say will change how I see you. So, accept that this is not something I will ever change because you are trying to prove a point."
Loki stared at him before he sighed and shook his head. How could it come to this? How could he even think of giving Thor a chance? It was probably only because he was too tired and mentally exhausted that he considered the thought. That's it, nothing else.
"You always were one for dramatics," Loki said as his shoulder dropped in defeat.
"A compliment from you? I'm not worthy!" Thor teased with a relieved smile, his body visibly relaxing at Loki's words of his version of acceptance. It was a minor but a step in the right direction.
"Do shut up." Loki rolled his eyes, and if it was more fondly, well, there was no witness.
.⬝:*¨¨*:⬝.💓.⬝:*¨¨*:⬝.
Turning his back on Loki left Harry with an uneasy feeling as if something cold and sticky was lodged in his chest—a knot of regret. Unable to resist, he glanced back one last time, just to confirm that Loki was safe with his brother, nothing more.
Of course, Harry suspected that it had everything to do with Harald's side of his soul. Like a black dot that was squirming inside him, black and slippery as oil. He couldn't help feeling it was one of the remaining problems. Harry has already accepted that he was once Harald.
On the other hand, he has difficulty accepting the changes that have taken place within him in connection with his inheritance. Everything has gone so fast, and he no longer knows who he is. His love for Loki was so powerful that it scared him, yet he couldn't even imagine being without it.
Harry knew that he had many scars from the war, both physically and mentally. Accepting death at that time had been so easy. He knew that it had been something that had to happen to get rid of the Horcrux that was embedded in his scare.
Harry could feel their connection pulsing in his chest, the warm, tingling sensation that he had come to associate with Loki. He paused before the elevator door and took a deep breath, gazing over it. How did the muggles do when they were going to take the elevator? He could honestly admit that the times he had entered an elevator were limited to the magical part of his life. Not the mundane part. If he was not wrong, there should have been a button to push, but there was nothing around the door to press.
Harry tentatively reached out a hand, fingers hovering over the area where he thought the button should be. He hesitated, feeling utterly foolish as he realized that there was probably no magic involved in this mundane muggle device. With a scowl, he pressed his hand against the door, willing it to open. When nothing happened, he grudgingly pulled back his hand and looked around for some sort of clue.
Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be any stairs on this side of the apartment or another door out here, which gave him little to no choice.
He stared at the metallic door for a few seconds more, trying to figure out what to do. Harry shrugged as he knocked on the metallic door. It was worth a try.
"Mr. Potter, I will have to remind you that you are not allowed to leave this floor without an escort at this moment."
Harry blinked owlishly up at the ceiling, surprised that the knocking had worked.
"I know," Harry cleared his throat, "but I need to speak with your master and Dr. Banner if he is still in the building?" he asked with a wry smile.
"I will repeat myself. You are not allowed to go anywhere inside the tower without supervision, Mr. Potter", the voice repeated monology.
"But I would not be without supervision. You would see me everywhere, right? Then you could supervise me until I'm where they are, can you not?" Harry asked the ceiling with a smile. "Then there would be no problem?"
"I'm not entirely sure I would qualify as a supervisor."
"Then can you perhaps ask someone if you are qualified enough, Mr. Javis?" Harry pressed on
The voice was silent for a minute, and Harry shifted his weight from one foot to another. Was that it? Would the muggles change their mind and treat them like prisoners of war because he made a stupid request? Harry was well aware that they were being treated surprisingly well. From the muggle's point of view, Loki was an enemy. Controlled or not, he had invited an army of destruction on their planet.
"Sir has given you permission to come to his lab, where both he and Dr. Banner are at the moment." The AI suddenly responded. "And sire would like to tell you, 'Neat move' "
"I do live to exceed others' expectations of me" Harry grinned at the ceiling as the elevator door opened before him and went in with a soft. "Thank you for asking him."
"You mostly welcome Mr. Potter."
When the door opened, Harry didn't know what he had expected. A large spacious elevator that could surely fit at least ten people with a full glass wall wasn't even on his mind. On both short sides, the walls were covered in mirrors, while the long side faced the inside of the building.
Harry looked down through the glass, and it wasn't as far down as he thought. He could see many people milling around and sitting at different tables. Perhaps it was a food center for all the workers?
He turned around to press the button to close the door. Only to find out that there were no buttons on the wall. The doors closed behind him and slowly began moving upwards at a comfortable pace. For a muggle, Mr. Stark was something out of the ordinary.
"If I'm not too rude to ask, how do you work? I've been in houses that are semi-sentient but never in one that can respond or think as you can," Harry asked the AI butler, curious as he turned around, glass wall against his back.
"Yes, You may. Sir has programmed my AI to respond to voice commands and interact with his other inventions within the tower. However, I am not sentient and do not possess emotions or consciousness like living beings," the AI explained in its monotonous tone.
Harry nodded, taking in the information. He had heard of muggle technology that could respond to voice commands, but he had never seen it in action before. Hermione would have been thrilled by this. How could a person conjure such a personality from thin air? Even wizards needed to start with something to make something new.
Was the Wizard community truly so isolated from reality that they overlooked this advancement? This realization stirred another uncomfortable sensation within Harry. The wizard world had overlooked so much of the technological progress happening beyond their secure enclave. What other things had they missed?
The elevator came to a stop, and the doors opened to reveal a large room filled with various machines and gadgets. It was like something out of a sci-fi movie, and Harry couldn't help but feel impressed.
"Wow," Harry muttered under his breath as he stepped out of the elevator.
" We are here now, Mr. Potter. Follow the glass corridor, and you will see Sir's lab on the right." He could feel the temperature changes around him as he followed the AI instruction, and every door he had to walk through opened automatically before he could even reach out to it.
He came across a large glass door that also opened before him, and the noise in the Lab, which before had been muted, now assaulted Harry's senses. Right in front of him was Dr. Banner with his back against him and a huge floating screen right in front of him as he flopped through the different channels that all showed the same thing.
Switch
"Despite the devastation on what has been confirmed to be an extraterrestrial, The extradentary heroics of the group, Avengers have many- "
Switch
"Superheroes in New York? Give me a break…"
Switch
"Good morning, I'm Will Stevenson, and I'm here from News Today to bring you up on the latest news after what the public now calls Invasion. The NYPD has now confirmed that there is an ongoing investigation going on about what happened and-"
Switch
"Dosen victims have been drugged up from the rubble that was once an apartment here at 9th Avenue. The surveillant video you are now looking at shows you when Aliens came crashing down on the building before-"
Switch
"And then the Angel swooped down to save me," The little boy said as he grinned into the camera, flaring his arms around in wide motions. "He saved my life. Thank you, Mr. Angel! "
"Can you turn off the TV, Javis?" Dr Baner told the AI and the monitor turned off. "Thank you," he said as the TV retrieved into the ceiling.
Harry felt some relief that the boy he had helped was safe. But surely there were so many more who didn't make it. If he had acted sooner, could he have saved more? He acted selfishly. His desire to reunite with Loki had been such a strong driving force, and he couldn't help but blame Harald's side of their soul. At the same time, he knew they were just bad excuses. He should have done more; he should have done better.
There was nothing that said he couldn't accomplish both. Harry's gaze returned to the only man in the lab, who was now sighing heavily and looked more troubled than before.
"I hope I'm not disturbing," Harry said, making his presence known as he walked towards him.
Bruce looked up at Harry, surprised to no longer be alone "No, you don't bother. What can I help you with, Mr. Potter?"
Harry paused for a moment, sensing a subtle tension, and awkwardly scratched his cheek. "Not really help me with anything more than that I just wanted to speak with you, if you're not busy?" he asked, his words trailing off as more of a question than a declaration. It was clear that the other man wasn't thrilled with his sudden appearance. Who could blame him? Harry had essentially teleported them without any explanation beyond calling it 'magic' and then disappeared, leaving him stranded in a war zone.
Bruce seemed to relax a bit, his shoulders slumped slightly. "I apologize, my nerves are still on edge, and it feels like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop at any moment now."
Harry's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing the apology. "What? No, you don't have to say sorry," he said, lightly scratching the back of his neck and averting his gaze. "I admit I was being a bit impulsive, and overly enthusiastic about the whole situation," he added. Loki had been so near, and Harry haden't been able to resist the urge to see him as soon as he could.
Bruce gave him a peculiar glance and shook his head a bit. "Alright, we could spend the whole day saying sorry, so let's just agree to move on, alright?"
Harry laughed quietly and nodded. "Alright, I'll go along with you for now. But I still owe you one."
Bruce nodded. "Alright, but then we can make use of it immediately."
"huh?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "Whatever it is you're going to ask. I'm sure you won't need to use it for that. So doctor, tell me what it is?" he was pretty sure that whatever it was as Banner wanted it had to do with how they met.
Bruce stared down at his hands and didn't answer right away but seemed to be choosing his next words with care. He opened his mouth but then closed it again with a groan. "How do I put this without sounding crazy?" he muttered in frustration.
Harry hummed softly. "I usually go back to the heart of the matter. It's easier to take it from there and not go around it."
"Okay, you're right" Bruce took a deep breath and looked up at Harry, brown eyes meeting viridian green ones. "Was there a woman with us when we first met?"
Bingo. Harry inspected the other man before nodding. "Yes" he replied
Bruce bit his lip. "But she's not with us now.. so…"
"Just ask the question," Harry said
"Did Hulk kill her?"
There it was, Harry looked at the older man in front of him. He could see how his skin was pale and glossy with a thin layer of sweat. There was even a hint of green underneath his skin, and Harry sighed.
"yes, he did," he noted the impact his words had on the other person. "But it's not a negative thing," Harry added hastily. "Even though I wish I had been the one to kill her, I'm truly thankful to the Hulk for doing it as swiftly as he did," Harry said in a deep, low voice, locking eyes with Bruce.
Harry's words hung in the air for a moment, causing Bruce to blink and furrow his brow in confusion. "I don't understand, why would you be thankful for her death?" he asked, his voice low and hesitant.
Harry took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. "It's complicated," he said, trying to find the right words. "She was an enemy, someone who had caused a lot of harm and destruction. And she was planning to do even more damage. Her death meant that she could no longer carry out her plans and hurt innocent people," Harry explained, trying to keep his emotions in check.
"But still, killing someone...even if they were an enemy...that doesn't sit right with me," Bruce said softly, looking down at his hands again.
"I understand that," Harry said sympathetically. "But sometimes there is no other choice. Sometimes it's kill or be killed."
Bruce let out a heavy sigh and leaned back in his chair. "I guess I will never truly understand the way things work in your world."
"It takes some getting used to," Harry admitted with a small smile. "I'm still impressed how the Hulk could take out a Ljósálfar with one blow."
"A Ljósálfar? She was from Alfheim?" Bruce's eyes widened
"Yes, she was. Are you familiar with Norse mythology?" Harry inquired with curiosity. Before his memories started blending with Harald's, he could hardly name any gods and realms, and the few he knew could be counted on one hand. Now, however, he had a much richer understanding than before, one that Hermione would undoubtedly label as cheating. He preferred to think of it as having new resources.
"Some, I'm not that deep into it, but I know about the nine kingdoms and some of the history surrounding the main one" Bruce admitted. "I used to love reading about it when I was a kid, but back then, it was just that, fairy tales."
Harry nodded in understanding. "Well, I can assure you that they are very real and not exactly what the stories portray them to be," he said cryptically.
Bruce raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"Well, for one, they're not all good or evil. Just like humans, they have their own agendas and motivations. And some of them are quite dangerous," Harry explained.
Bruce's eyes widened in realization. "You mean...there are other gods and beings out there who could pose a threat?"
"Absolutely," Harry confirmed. "But there are also those who can be allies and friends."
"I see..." Bruce trailed off, deep in thought. He had always known that there were other powerful beings out there, but to actually meet them and see the destruction they were capable of was still mind-boggling.
Bruce's eyes drifted downward, his voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and caution. "You know, Harry, it's funny. When you're a kid, you hear these stories and think they're just tales to entertain. But then you grow up, and reality hits you like a ton of bricks. For me, it was the gamma radiation, the accident... the Hulk." He paused, his hands flexing as if anticipating the transformation he dreaded.
"Yes, and for me it's this—magic, gods, soul bonds. It's a whole different kind of reality." Harry nodded, his gaze still on the ceiling, though his mind was elsewhere. "I never thought I'd be having this conversation, to be honest. But here we are, bridging worlds neither of us fully understood just a short time ago."
The air seemed to thicken, and Harry felt a familiar tug at his soul. Loki's presence grew stronger, a mix of unease and agitation and Harry's impulsive sent a wave of calm through their bond. In response, he felt a flicker of gratitude, though it was tinged with something sharper—guilt, perhaps, or fear.
It was odd for him to be physically far from someone else, yet still experience everything so vividly. Through Harald's memories, he had learned so much, but feeling it for the first time was different. Harald's memories and phantom sensations were one thing, but this was Harry's own initial experience. A noise from the adjacent room caught Harry's attention, and his eyes darted to the door, which swung open as Tony emerged.
"What's up, Tiny bits?" Tony asked as he wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand, leaving oil in its track. "Tired of your boy toy already?"
Harry chuckled. "Yeah, right. Thor and he are having a well-needed family discussion and sorting some stuff out, so I figured it was best to give them space. Plus, I wanted to have a chat with Mr. Banner," he explained, gesturing towards the other man.
"How did the simulation turn out?" Bruce inquired. "any progress?"
"Negative greenie" Tony replied. "You should have seen it! It was fantastic. It blew up like fireworks on New Year's Eve"
"Am I allowed to know what you are doing?" Harry asked, "Or should I go?"
"Nah, you can stay, we are trying to fix the device Dr. Selvig used to open the portal. It broke when they closed the portal" Tony waved his hand in the air and wrote down some of his notes.
Harry nodded slowly "If I may ask, why are you in need of fixing the portal device that was going to bring aliens to Earth?" It worked just fine to bring them here, but then again, they probably needed to close it somehow.
Tony shrugged as he looked over the blueprints that were now floating in the air before him. Harry tried to read it but it was literary another languishes. "To send you guys home?"
"But you don't need the device for that? Do you?" Harry asked curiously, "Why don't we activate the cube? "
"If you do not want to be blown into pieces, that damn thing is an energy source without any compare, even my creation is bleak against what kind of energy that thing gives off" Tony snorted.
"But the stone is in the form of the Tesseract now, is it not? It should not be in its raw form?"
Tony stilled as he looked up and stared at Harry "It still gives out a ton of fucking unknown radiation, and is a portal-making stone. I will not take any chances to open it up into a new armada, thank you very much"
Harry looked at the other male who was now staring him down at him with a hard expression. It felt like he had missed something of importance here but nodded even if the other one hadn't asked for any response from him. There was something in the older man's eyes that Harry could not put his finger on what it was.
Tony's hard expression softened slightly as he returned to tinkering with the device, though his mind was racing. "Just to be safe, we need a more controlled environment if we're ever going to stabilize it. This thing is a ticking time bomb. Even if we wanted to use it to send you home, it's not reliable. I'm not about to risk it detonating and leveling half the city." He muttered under his breath, half to himself and half to Harry. "Assuming it doesn't open another portal and let in God-knows-what. The Chitauri were just the beginning, trust me."
Harry stepped closer, his eyes fixed on the blueprints floating in the air, though they still made no sense to him. He could feel the weight of Tony's concern, though the older man was doing a poor job of hiding it behind his usual bravado. There was something unspoken lingering between them, something Harry couldn't quite grasp.
"I see," Harry said softly, his mind drifting. The mention of the Tesseract reminded him of the faint, inexplicable chill he sometimes felt in his chest—like a distant echo of ice. He hadn't thought much of it before, chalking it up to the remnants of the soul bond he shared with Loki. But now, as he stood in Tony's lab, staring at the blueprints and listening to the physicist's worries, the connection felt clearer.
"You don't think Loki had anything to do with this, do you?" Harry asked, the thought spilling out before he could stop it. His eyes narrowed, a shiver running down his spine. He hadn't mentioned the bond to anyone—not even Bruce—because it was private, intimate. But the way the Tesseract pulsed with energy made him think of Loki's icy magic, the way it crackled like winter itself.
Tony's head snapped up, his eyes sharp and narrowing. "Loki? Why would you think that?" he asked, his voice guarded, almost too cautious.
Harry shrugged, feeling a mix of unease and curiosity. "I don't know. It's just… he's always been connected to things like this. The cold, the portals, the—"
He stopped himself before he could say more before he could admit aloud the truth he hadn't fully processed yet. That Loki's Jotun heritage wasn't just about frost and trickery—it was about a deeper power, one tied to the very essence of Yggdrasil and the realms it connected.
Tony studied him for a moment, his expression unreadable. "Well, if he does know something," he finally said, turning back to the blueprints, "I'll make sure to ask him myself."
The silence that followed was heavy, punctuated only by the faint hum of the lab's machinery. Harry stood there for a moment, his thoughts spiraling. There was something he was missing, something he couldn't quite see but could feel like a storm on the horizon. And for the first time since he'd arrived in this strange, new world, he felt a pang of fear—fear for Loki, for Thor, for all of them.
But he said nothing, simply nodded, and stepped back, letting Tony's words hang in the air like a promise he knew neither of them could keep.
"Alright!" Tony clapped his hands, successfully breaking the stiffness around them. "Now that you're here let me pick your brain, alright? You, my dear Fairy, are an enigma that appears like the man in the box "Tony said as he raised his arm and started to write on the small keyboard in front of him, bringing up a few documents in the Air.
"I took the liberty to look you up, and to my surprise, I came to a stop after your eleventh birthday. You more or less went up in smoke. There is hardly anything about Harry Potter in any papers, no doctor's visits, no school records, or late payments. No vaccination papers, or records, not even a valid ID card. " Tony looked at Harry through the transparent screen.
Harry's eyes lingered on the holographic images, the faint glow of the screens casting an ethereal light on his face. Tony's words hung in the air, a mix of curiosity and challenge. "You still found quite a lot," Harry murmured, his voice tinged with a blend of admiration and wariness. He reached out, his fingers brushing against the hologram of the Dursleys, the image flickering slightly under his touch.
"Well?" Tony asked impatiently
"Well, what?" Harry asked
Tony stared at him like he had grown a second head. "Go ahead and tell me why there is no trace of you after your eleventh birthday. "
Harry snorted. "And why should I tell you that?"
"Because I asked you?" Tony replied slowly like he thought it would make Harry understand better.
Harry stared at Tony, his eyes narrowing with disbelief. "Let me get this straight," he scoffed, crossing his arms defiantly over his chest and leaning back with an incredulous smirk. "You expect me to unload my entire life story just because you asked? Who in their right mind would spill their guts to a stranger?"
"Damn, I thought it would work" Tony snapped his fingers. "Well, it was worth a shot, I will get you to speak."
Harry looked at him and then over to Bruce, who only shrugged. "He is rather good at finding information when he wants to" the other male replied helpfully. That was not something Harry doubted.
"So why aren't you with the other immortal gods? Doing godly things? Not that I'm complaining that you want to hang out with us mortals. Just curious," Tony said as he waved his hand in the air.
"They are not immortal" Harry blinked as he returned to the present.
"What are you talking about?" Tony asked, "They are freaking gods? Are they not? " He honestly looked almost choked as he asked that.
Harry shook his head " It is hard to explain. But they are not Gods like you believe them to be. You can't kill a true God a deity, Asgardians can be killed, even if it is hard to do that, and they bleed."
Tony blinked "Huh," he said and wrote something down before him" That makes sense, but they are recorded as gods in our history. I mean, Thor, the God of thunder? Loki, God of lies?"
Harry raised an eyebrow. "God is like a title for them?"
Tony snorted. "Yeah, And I'm the god of sarcasm and good looks. If they are not gods in that meaning, what are they?"
"They are from Asgard, so Asier?" Harry answered with a straight face
Tony's mouth opened and closed a few times before he groaned, " Well played, Merlin. If you don't tell me, I will find out for myself. I can't miss how you said them, and not you."
Harry shrugged with a slight grin on his lips " I'm… something else?"
"Wh... Brucy! Are you hearing this?" Tony exclaimed, spinning around to face Bruce with astonished eyes. "He's challenging me! Me! Is he okay? Maybe you should examine him for a concussion?"
"I'm not that kind of doctor, and you know that, and I don't think that was meant as a challenge," Bruce said, looking over at Harry, who only shrugged.
"Let him try. I will tell him if he can find out who and what I am."
If Tony's eyes would shine, they would " Javis, start digging, begin with Harry Potter, and make a side project on 'fake gods'. So, Mr. Fairy, where are you hiding your wings? " Tony asked as he walked around Harry's desk and, without warning, poked him with a screwdriver between his shoulder blades.
Harry instinctively growled, a shiver of fear coursing through him. Reacting on impulse, he swung his arm, batting away the object that had jabbed him. In doing so, his hand unleashed a burst of magic that short-circuited the nearest computer.
"Tony!" Bruce shouted at the same time Harry swore "Bloody hell! What is your fucking problem, man!?"
"What?
"Don't poke anyone with a sharp object, I was alright with it because I can handle it" Bruce groaned.
"What? And do you think fairy dust here can't? Hm, scratch that. He clearly could not. But I'm a man child – Pepper says so- and I need to poke things to learn how it works."
"It is not nice, and it can be dangerous," Bruce said
"Not the point! He destroyed my computer, all my precious data! So many hours I have worked on it," Tony said dramatically.
"Don't worry, sire, I have made a backup copy of everything. You did not lose anything."
"Huss Javis! I'm trying to make him feel in debt to me."
"Very well, sir, continue one then."
"All that sass, J. Where did you get that from?"
"I don't know Sire, perhaps from you?"
"Touché" Tony waved his hand dismisses in the air,
Harry's cheeks flushed as he muttered under his breath, "Sorry, didn't mean to..." but Tony cut him off with a grin.
"Hey, no need to apologize, kid. It's not every day I get to see someone short-circuit my tech with a flick of their wrist. You've got a knack for the dramatics," Tony said, clearly enjoying the situation.
" It's all water under the bridge anyway," he said nonchalantly "But tell me, birdy, why did you kill a billion worth of technology? What had that poor thing done to you!?"
Harry glared at him, suppressing the urge to growl in anger once more. "Do all muggles tend to stab people?" Harry asked Bruce, ignoring Tony as he rolled his eyes.
Bruce grimaced. "No, they typically don't, but this one's an exception."
"Alright, then. How about this: if you answer three questions for me, like my own personal genie, we're good. Deal?" Tony asked
Harry rubbed his face, resisting the urge to unfurl and ruffle his wings in frustration. His muscles were too tired for that, and the space was too confined. He wouldn't put it past the other male to hope for such a reaction.
Harry did feel somewhat guilty for breaking another item that belonged to the man. But did he even have that amount of money? He should probably inquire with the goblins the next time he visits Gringotts.
"Maybe..." said Harry thoughtfully. "But… I do think I can pay for it if you give me a day or two."
"Oh, come on! "Tony's face falls as he suddenly whines in protest.
Harry sighed as he gave in to his bad conscience, even if it was completely the other man's fault to begin with. What could three questions do? "Fine," Tony whooped.
"But! "Harry added quickly as he saw the other man rubbing his hands together. "There are some things I can't tell you, not without knowing that it is safe to do, and if one of your questions is about that, I will reserve the right not to answer it, deal? "
"Deal," Tony said and grinned wide, and Harry suddenly felt like he had sold a part of his soul to the devil.
"I'm sorry to interrupt you Sire, but there is a matter of importance as I believe that Mr. Potter's friends are in the lobby and want here to see him"
The interruption couldn't have come at a more opportune moment. Harry felt a wave of relief wash over him as he stood, smoothing out his clothes with a tired sigh. "I think this is a good time for a break," he said, offering Tony a polite smile.
Tony scowled, clearly annoyed at having his fun interrupted. "Can't this wait? I've only just begun my interrogation," he protested, crossing his arms. "How do we even know they are who they say they are?"
Harry snorted," I probably know them," he said
"Huh?"
Harry nodded "Yeah, because only two people in the world know I'm in New York and would be clever enough to track me down here."