AN: I'd just like to say, this is the most I've gotten out of a story and I'm extremely happy about it. Thank you all for sticking with me. The chapters are going to start getting more interesting soon, trust me. Also, since I got this large review on the last chapter, I've decided to take this time and respond to all the reviews I'vereceived on this story. Bare with me, here. ^^'
Guest: Well, I am so glad that you're enjoying the story! I agree with your statement about Bruce and Natasha; the romance doesn't belong. I only put their little interaction in because it was in the movie and I felt i needed too. I also imagined the conversation the two held on the Quinjet would've stated that they could never work, and just left things there. Bruce x Nat is just... eugh. Hate the ship. Thanks for the review! 3
Das Nordkonig-Bergentruckung: Super glad you're enjoying! If you thought these last few chapters have been interesting, just wait 'till you see what else I've got brewing up over here. Hopefully it'll be a little more exciting for you. Thanks for the review! 3
RiftenRowan: God, Loki does deserve his hug though. I was so excited when they hinted to them hugging, and then they just ended it- SCREE! I've never reacted that way in a movie theatre before. Glad you're enjoying! Thanks for your review! 3
Alrighty, now that we're done with that, you may read the chapter now. After the warnings and stuff. Those are important.
WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SCENES OF VIOLENCE, TORTURE, AND COARSE LANGUAGE! IT ALSO CONTAINS EXTREME SADNESS AND ANGST THAT SOME MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HANDLE! VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!
Okay, you may read it now. *yeets chapter*
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Chapter 4 ~ You Should See Him in a Crown
"Is it decided, then?" Steve prompted, looking around at Wanda, Natasha, Vision and Sam. They all nodded. The group approached the sleeping Loki, who's head had rolled from leaning back to resting on his shoulder. The five avengers—six if you included Bruce, but he was currently asleep a little way off from Loki, had decided to have Wanda search through Loki's head.
"Find out if we can truly trust him or not," Steve had said. Now, Wanda crouched in front of the sleeping god, the other four huddled behind her. She watched him for a moment, before raising a hand and sending her scarlet red magic into his head.
Wanda was immediately sent diving into Loki's memories. Flashes of imagery appeared before her, moving too fast for her to properly make out. After the images flashed by several times, they slowed, and Wanda could see them clearly.
…
Wanda was in a golden hallway, the ceiling arching high above her head. Outside the stained windows she could clearly see it was dark outside. She blinked in confusion and looked around. Wasn't she just in the Quinjet a few moments ago? When she saw two young boys chasing after each other, their giggles echoing around the golden walls, she understood. She was in Loki's mind now, watching what he currently was thinking of.
Loki was running after Thor, unable to help the wide smile across his face.
"Bet you can't catch me, Loki!" The young Thor called over his shoulder, speeding up. Loki, too, quickened his pace.
"I bet I can!" Loki called breathlessly. They ran all throughout Asgard's palace, Loki slowly but surely gaining on his older brother. That was, until Thor bumped into one of the guards. The guard turned and looked down at Thor, who had fallen from the force of slamming into the guards armored leg.
"Prince Thor. Shouldn't you be in your quarters sleeping?" The guard asked. Loki stopped next to his brother, who had scrambled to his feet.
"Yes, well, we were just on our way," Loki lied easily, sticking close to Thor's side.
"You boys just wait until your father hears about this," another voice spoke up, sounding more amused than angry. Loki turned his head to spot Frigga watching the exchange from afar, shaking her head fondly.
"Hello, mother!" Thor greeted happily.
"You lot should be in bed," Frigga commented, crossing her arms with a smile.
"Thor came into my quarters and scared me!" Loki complained, pointing at his older brother. "I was trying to chase him away!"
"I did not," Thor protested.
"You did so!" Loki retorted, crossing his arms with a huff. He didn't admit that he'd enjoyed chasing his brother throughout the palace.
"Thor, please stay out of your brother's quarters. You know he hates it when people invade his space," Frigga sighed. "And, Loki," Frigga turned to her youngest son, who was staring at her with large green eyes, "next time, try and chase your brother towards his bedroom instead of away from it."
Loki grinned and looked at Thor, who returned his look with a smile of his own.
"Now, both of you off to bed," Frigga instructed, taking on a stern tone.
"Yes, mother," the boys agreed in unison, and began walking back the way they came. As they walked, the two couldn't help but look at each other and laugh.
Wanda watched the young Loki and Thor with interest, before sifting through Loki's memories and pulling out what she needed.
…
Loki was staring down at his hands that gripped the Casket of Ancient Winters, which was an icy shade of blue. His jet-black hair fell in front of his face, and his panicked breathing was all that was audible.
"Stop!" Loki froze at the sound of Odin's stern voice.
"Am I cursed?" Loki asked, never turning to face his father as he spoke.
"No," was Odin's reply. But was a lie. It was all lies. Because it was a curse. A curse Loki had to carry with him for the rest of his life. He was cursed with the simple knowledge that he was a monster.
"What am I?" Loki demanded quietly.
A pause. And then, "You are my son."
Finally, Loki lowered the Casket back onto the pedestal and turned. He kept his blood-red eyes trained on the All-father, a menacing stare any other would have flinched under.
"What more than that?" He growled. His skin faded back to his Aegir pale tone. He began advancing on the All-father, moving slowly through the vault. "The Casket wasn't the only thing you took from Jotunheim that day, was it?"
"No," was Odin's reply. Loki stopped a little way before the steps his so-called father stood on. "In the aftermath of the battle, I went into the Temple," Odin began wearily, and Loki listened, "and I found a baby. Small, for a giant's offspring. Abandoned, suffering, left to die." Odin hesitated before adding, "Laufey's son."
Loki couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Laufey's son?" He demanded in disbelief.
"Yes."
Loki could feel his breath catch in his throat for a moment. "Why?" He whispered. "You were knee-deep in Jotun blood. Why would you take me?"
"You were an innocent child," Odin insisted.
"No," Loki snapped. "You took me for a purpose. What was it?" Odin didn't reply. Then, Loki screamed, "Tell me!"
If Odin was surprised by Loki's reaction, he didn't show it.
"I thought we could unite our kingdoms one day, bring about an alliance, bring about a permanent peace, through you."
"What?" Loki breathed in horror. He was nothing but a tool.
"Those plans no longer matter."
"So I am no more but another stolen relic, locked up, here, until you might have use of me?" Loki didn't even try to hide the despair in his voice.
"Why do you twist my words?" Odin demanded softly, and Loki snapped his head up.
"You could have told me what I was from the beginning. Why didn't you?"
"You are my son," Odin murmured. "I only wanted to protect you from the truth."
All of those years of stories about the Frost Giants, how they were terrible monsters that killed for fun. Loki had been there that day in the vault as Thor declared to slay all of the Jotuns. All his life, he'd believe they were nothing but beasts. And now that he was being told he was one of said beasts, his whole world came crashing to the ground.
"What?" Loki demanded. "Because I-I am the monster parents tell their children about at night?" He took another menacing step towards Odin, his despair being replaced by hatred. "You know, it all makes sense now!"
Was it just him, or was Odin looking older than usual?
"Why you favoured Thor, all these years!"
The All-father fell to the ground, staring up at Loki with pleading eyes. "Don't," he murmured weakly.
"Because no matter how much you claimed to love me!" Loki continued, his voice raising. "You could never have a Frost Giant sitting on the throne of Asgard!" He spat the words 'Frost Giant,' as if even saying the name left a bad taste in his mouth.
…
"You can't kill an entire race!" Thor pointed out desperately.
"Why not?" Loki asked, allowing a wide smile to spread across his face. He began advancing on his brother, weapon in hand. "You could have killed them all with your bare hands!"
"I've changed," Thor insisted.
"Well, so have I," Loki replied smoothly. "Now, fight me!" He whipped out with Gungnir, slicing Thor across the face and sending him flying across the Bifrost.
As Thor slid across the floor, Loki made his way around the icy replica of Yggdrasil.
"I never wanted the throne!" Loki went on roughly. "I only ever wanted to be your equal!"
Thor stood, Mjolnir clutched in his hand. "I will not fight you, brother!"
"I'm not your brother," Loki snapped, eyes narrowed coldly. "I never was."
"Loki, this is madness."
"Is it madness?" Loki repeated, tilted his head slightly. "Is it?" When Thor gave no reply, Loki repeated harshly, "Is it?"
…
He was hanging off the Bifrost, the only thing keeping him from the void being Gungnir in Thor's hand, and Odin who had caught Thor's boot.
"I could have done it father!" He called desperately. "I could've done it! For you! For all of us."
"No, Loki," Odin replied, and Loki felt the familiar feeling of his heart sinking into his stomach. He'd never be enough for his father. Always a few paces short. That was the reason for what he did next. He let go.
"Loki—no!" Thor cried, and Loki watched his adopted brother get smaller and smaller as he fell into a void of nothingness. The void where he would die. At least, that's what he'd thought.
…
Loki felt himself be plucked like a useless object from the void. He didn't know how long he'd been trapped, too wrapped up in his own self-loathing to care. That was, until he found himself in a pile of rubble, bleeding and weak. Loki sat up with a gasp of pain and surveyed his surroundings. A few paces in front of him stood a being he'd never met before.
"Loki Laufeyson," the being rasped. "Prince of Asgard." Loki stumbled to his feet, eyes narrowed.
"Who dare speaks my name?" Loki snarled.
"I am known as the Other, child. You'd do best to learn your place," was the snarky reply. Loki narrowed his eyes.
"What do you want?" Loki growled, taking a step forward.
"We require your assistance."
"We?" Loki looked around expectantly. "I do not see anybody else other than you and I."
"He does not wish you be in your presence as of yet," The Other growled.
"Oh?" Loki smirked. "Well, I do not believe I'd like to assist you. Have a good day." With that, he turned to leave. Except, he couldn't make his legs move. Something was holding him in place, and yet the only other creature he'd spotted since arriving on whatever realm he'd been sent too was standing far away to be holding him in place.
"It is not a matter of choice, child!" The other spat. Loki struggled to move any part of his body with no success. It was like all of his limbs were frozen in a thick block of ice. And then he was on his side, being dragged across the stony ground.
…
"Nobody is coming to save you, boy," Thanos snarled. Loki was crouching in front of the Mad Titan after being dragged several miles by the Other. "I suggest you give up the location of the Tesseract, or you shall pay gravely."
"If you're going to kill me, might as well get on with it," Loki mumbled. "I'm not going to tell you."
Thanos tilted his head and smiled, apparently finding Loki's choice of words amusing.
"Very well, trickster," Thanos sighed with mock disappointment. Before he knew it, Loki was being dragged again. Except this time, he was taken aboard a ship and thrown into a cell.
"Really?" Loki rasped, stumbling to his knees. "Locking me up is all you're going to do?"
Before he could say any more, a new figure pushed through the doorway and kicked him across the jaw. Loki spat out blood and coughed, looking up at his attacker. A pale female with blue swiped over her eyes, the same colour as her hair. She held a staff in her hand, though she didn't use it. All she did was use Loki's crouched position to her advantage and continued kicking him around. At one point, a tooth went flying.
"You know," she growled, "you are in a perfect kicking position." Loki's only reply was a wet cough. She kicked him again. And again, and again. She aimed a foot at his gut, then as he leaned forwards in pain, she slamming his head onto the ground with her foot. As Loki struggled, she grabbed a fist-full of his hair and yanked his head up, forcing him to look into her eyes.
"I am called Proxima Midnight," she spat. "You'd do best to remember that name."
And then he was alone. Alone to nurture his wounds. Alone in a pool of his own blood. Alone in his own pain and despair.
Just like that, every few hours, Proxima returned. She beat him senseless, assuring him that by the end of it all, he'll realise his mistake and reveal the Tesseract. That by the end of it all, he will be rewarded. But he didn't believe the lies. He stopped believing the lies to moment he watched his hand turn blue on Jotunheim. That's all everybody ever did in the world; lie. So if that's how the Norns wanted to play it, he'd lie, too.
"I don't know where it is," Loki choked after Proxima slammed a fist into his head.
"Silence, trickster!" Proxima snarled, bashing another fist at his head. She did it again, several more times, until Loki passed out from the pain.
…
He'd started healing himself after each of Proxima Midnight's little.. visits. Loki thought he'd get away with it, too. Until the Other came into his cell and dragged him out. He was placed before Thanos again, left staring up at the Mad Titan, wondering what in the Nine Realms was going on. Perhaps they'd release him? Send him back to Asgard or, better yet, back into the void to waste away. Instead, Thanos turned from staring off at the vast expanse of stars to meet the trickster's gaze.
"You've been healing yourself with magic," Thanos commented. Loki narrowed his eyes.
"How would you know that?" He retorted, which he immediately knew was a mistake. Thanos tilted his head, a menacing smile spreading across his features.
"You think I don't know?" He rumbled. "My daughter, Proxima, has come to me with her concerns. You don't seem to be bruised or bleeding from her punishments."
Loki snorted. "Yes? And what if I was healing myself?" Thanos took a few steps closer, and Loki scrambled backwards on his hands to try and get away. But his attempts failed, and Thanos picked him up by his torn cape. The Mad Titan tutted.
"You should learn to respect those who show you such mercy as I have done," Thanos sighed. "I guess you'll have to learn the hard way."
Then he was dragged away again, but instead of being left in his usual cell, he was placed in a larger room with a metal surface in the centre. Loki blinked in confusion, then found himself tossed onto the slap of cold metal. A new face loomed over him; gray, with a lump for a nose. The face smiled.
"Father has asked me to discipline you. Using your magic, little trickster?"
His wrists and ankles were bound to the slap with rugged pieces of rope, rubbing against his skin. The next thing he knew was white burning pain spreading across his body. Loki screamed; he couldn't help it. It felt like all of his bones were being separated from their sockets. And then the pain eased, and Loki let out a breath.
"Have you learned your lesson?" His latest tormentor snarled. Loki coughed, blood bubbling at his lips, and nodded. "Good. Know that your agony came by the hands of Ebony Maw."
…
Loki didn't know how long he'd been in Thanos' clutches. All he knew was that every day brought even more pain and suffering than the last. He was whipped, beaten, and tortured in any way possible. In this length of time, he'd met two new tormentors; Cull Obsidian, and Corvus Glaive. He was only given enough food and water to keep him alive.
Until, for the first time in what Loki assumed were months, he was dragged out of his cell and placed before the Mad Titan himself. Loki spat a bit of blood, before lifting his head to meet the titan's gaze.
"Well, little trickster," Thanos began, "you've surprised me yet again. Almost a full year, and you're still alive. And you still haven't told me where the Tesseract is."
Loki frowned. He was almost positive another method of torture was in place for him, one so much worse than what he'd endured so far. But, to his surprise, Thanos chuckled.
"No matter. I've other ways to locate the Tesseract. I know where it is. You do not have a purpose to me, anymore."
"You're going to kill me?" Loki asked, hopeful. He'd longed for the sweet released of death. Anything to get him away from the agonising days that went by in Thanos' grasp.
"No, I am not going to kill you," Thanos replied.
Loki's shoulders sagged.
"I'm going to give you an offer," Thanos continued. "A new purpose."He turned, and when he turned back towards Loki, he held a golden staff. What stood out most about this new weapon, however, was the glowing blue gem.
"You are going to fetch the Tesseract for me," Thanos demanded. "If you succeed, I will grant you your freedom. If you fail, however… Let's just say you will wish you'd given up the Tesseract when you'd had the chance."
And so Loki had accepted the offer. He was granted the staff, and access to Thanos' elite army of Chitauri.
The moment his hand touched his new weapon, something felt off in his mind. He felt a new presence, someone else freely searching in his thoughts and memories. Someone whispering in his ear, telling him exactly what to do. He shook it off, like it was nothing. Not until he saw his reflection in SHIELD's cage did he notice something was seriously wrong.
…
His eyes were blue.
Loki had been born with green eyes—a vibrant shade of it, similar to his magic. Yet here he was, catching a glimpse of his rugged appearance in the reflection off the glass of SHIELD's containment for him. It made his stomach drop. Until that little voice, the one that didn't belong, whispered to him. Told him he was just seeing things. So, he brushed it off. But deep down, he realised the truth.
His mind was not his own.
He'd managed to break free of the hold for a brief moment, fighting his brother on top of Stark Tower. Loki had looked desperately into his brothers eyes and murmured, "There's no stopping it." Of course, his hold of his mind didn't last long, and it wasn't until the Hulk slammed him repeatedly into the floors of Stark Tower did he truly free himself.
Of course, he couldn't tell anybody. Not only had they slapped a muzzle on him, Loki knew nobody would believe him. It was like that stupid mortal legend of 'The Boy who Cried Wolf.' He'd lied and faked things all his life. Who would believe a single word that left his mouth now?
But deep down, he had hoped Thor would notice. That Thor would realise the slight change in his brothers facade. Of course, the witless oaf didn't think twice about chaining him up and leaving him for Odin. Watching him be locked in the dungeons. Not even bothering to come visit. All Loki had had in those dark days were Frigga's kindness and the knowledge that Thanos would be arriving to kill him soon.
Frigga. Loki remembered clearly the last words he had spoken to her. Their final conversation before she was slaughtered brutally by Dark Elves. Slaughtered protecting Thor's woman.
"Your father—" Frigga began, but was shortly cut off.
"He's not my father!" Loki roared, whipping back around to face her. Frigga frowned.
"Then am I not your mother?" She whispered. Loki swallowed, meeting her gaze shakily.
"You're not," he said after a moment, and as he spoke those words, he didn't know they would be the last he'd ever say to his mother. And Norns, did he regret it. All he wanted was to finally be released to death and apologise to his mother at the gates of Valhalla. But, sadly, that day kept getting further and further away.
…
Loki watched Thor walk away from him, going to check on Jane. They were in Svartalfheim, on their way to rid of the Aether. But that wasn't what Loki was there to do.
"Trust my rage," Loki murmured, and Thor turned around. Loki met him dead in the eyes, willing for Thor to understand his meaning. Frigga needed to be avenged. And if he had died stabbing that stupid beast responsible for the Goddess' death, he would have been fine with it.
Because he'd avenged her.
But if he had avenged her, why did it still hurt so much?
Loki had messed up several times in his centuries of life. Hell, he'd made so many mistakes he couldn't even remember them all. But the worst one of all was telling that elf where to go.
"You might want to take the stairs to your left."
He had led that horrible creature directly to Frigga. Directly to his mother. And he couldn't shake the feeling that her death was his fault to begin with.
…
All the memories, all the images had flashed before Wanda's eyes like a horror movie. She'd only really been in his head for about 3 minutes, but it was enough time to look through several years of his memory. And she understood.
Immediately after she'd left his mind, Loki let out a gasp and shot his head up. His eyes were wide and full of panic. He shoved her out of the way and scrambled to an open space in the jet, a space where nobody was.
"W-what did you do to me?" Loki whispered. Wanda was reminded that he'd been forced to live through all of those memories again.
"Good god," Wanda breathed. What the hell did she just witness? She felt like she'd intruded, and part of her regretted agreeing to search the tricksters mind. But she understood. She understood everything.
"Wanda?" Vision prompted. "Can we trust him?"
Wanda turned, her breaths coming in gasps.
"Yes. Yes, we can trust him."
"Woah, hold up just a minute!" Sam interrupted. "She was only in there for a few minutes! How do we know he didn't use his magic or whatever and gain control over you?"
"I agree," Nat spoke up. "He's done it to Clint and several other's I know."
"Look, you just have to trust me," Wanda insisted.
"I trust you," Steve declared. "We've already discovered that the reason Loki was able to control those agents was because of the Mind Stone. He doesn't have it anymore."
"I trust her, as well," Vision added. "There is no logical reason for her to be lying to us."
"Thanks, Vis," Wanda said with a smile. "I should go talk to him," she added in a whisper, nodding to where Loki was crouched.
…
Loki was trying to slow his breathing. He'd relived all of those things again, which could only mean someone had picked through his mind. Again. Oh, the Norns hate me, he thought as he steadied his shaking hands.
"Hey," a soft voice greeted. Loki looked up to come face-to-face with the girl, Wanda.
"You were in my head," he growled.
"I was," she agreed. "We needed to know if we could trust you or not."
"Well, are you happy now?" He snapped, getting to his feet. "Not only have you invaded my privacy, but now you're going to pity me! Go on, tell me how sorry you are fore everything that happened, just like everybody else!"
"I don't pity you," Wanda snapped. "I still think you are a complete ass-hole. The only difference is, I now think you are slightly less of an ass-hole." Loki rolled his eyes.
"Oh, yes, and how thankful I should be for that!" Loki muttered sarcastically.
"Whatever," Wanda sighed. "You have problems. Don't bottle things up, like your grief for Thor. It doesn't make anything better."
Loki scoffed. "Yes, O' Wise one," he mumbled, putting up a sarcastic facade to hide just how badly seeing his worst memories again had shaken him. Wanda shook her head and left, sharing a few words with the Captain, before sitting back down. Loki sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Somehow, Bruce had slept through the whole ordeal. Rhodey had put the jet on Autopilot and was getting an explanation as to what happened. Loki, thank the stars, was left alone for the rest of the trip.
When the Quinjet's doors had open to reveal the smouldering heat of Wakanda, Loki couldn't help but be disappointed. It wasn't exactly what he was expecting. Impressive, yes, but he couldn't help but think that there was more to the place than he saw at first glance. He's usually wrong, though.
Loki followed behind the rest of the Avengers, catching Rhodey and Bruce's quick conversation. A king, huh? He mused to himself. It certainly did look like it. Loki couldn't help but laugh and Bruce bowed, and the king responded with, "We don't do that here," in his thick accent
"T'Challa," Steve greeted, and the two men shook hands.
"Captain Rogers," T'Challa replied, stepping back.
"It seems like I'm always thanking you for something," Steve said.
"Do not worry about it," T'Challa insisted. "How big of an invasion should we be expecting?"
Bruce hurried forwards. "Uh—very big, sir!" T'Challa nodded.
"Do you have your forces ready?" Rogers asked wearily.
"Yes. All the tribes have agreed to fight beside us today."
"Plus, a semi-stable 100-year-old man," a new voice added. The Captains face lit up as they approached a man with longer, brown hair and a metallic arm. The two hugged, and Loki watched with his arms crossed.
"It's good to see you, Buck," Rogers said once the two had separated.
"You too, punk," Bucky replied with a smirk.
"I thought it best to have Sargent Barnes assist in this fight," T'Challa explained with a small smile.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Bucky added.
"Of course you wouldn't," Rogers chuckled, giving Bucky a soft punch in the arm.
"Excuse my intrusion," Loki interrupted, stepping forwards. "We have a Mind Stone to remove from a certain robotic-creature."
"And who is this?" The Wakandan king asked, turning to Rogers.
"That's L—"
"Loki, Prince of Asgard, God of Mischief," Loki interrupted, giving Rogers a look.
"Fellow royalty," T'Challa commented.
"I suppose. Could we get back to the task at hand?"
T'Challa nodded and led them through the city.
ONE FAVOURITE = Loki gets a comfort huggle. 3
ONE REVIEW = The force of the reader's anger towards Thanos is so powerful, the ugly purple grape falls over and dies. X^X