Natasha, Tony, and Steve Rogers were assigned to retrieve Loki and bring him to the helicarrier. The three returned with another god in tow.
Thor, god of thunder, brother to the trickster.
With Loki in captivity, Natasha was sent in to interrogate him. A plan that did not please me.
Should she not succeed, I was to go in after.
I take deep, purposeful breaths. Timing the smoothing of my shirt with each inhale.
Natasha exits the containment room, "I don't think he likes me very much."
Bruce Banner, whom I became recently acquainted with through Tony, had observed Nat through security camera screens in the lab. I'd sat patiently in the corner, watching my sister's eyes well up at Loki's cruel words.
"Really. That's..." My brain searches for the word, "shocking?"
She nods approvingly, "good. Now get in there."
A deep echo reverberates, bouncing from one metal wall to another in time with the click of locks slotting into place on the door behind me.
Natasha informed me that Loki seemed to be eager for her to move along, wanting to get to me. I took that with a grain of salt.
"Agent... Ivanov, is it?"
"You'd know better than I, I'm sure." His presence causes great disruption in my head. I feel blood rush to my ears, and my heartbeat pounds in my brain.
Loki chuckles, his robes swishing with every movement, and faces me. "I admit, I'm quite put out that we weren't introduced sooner. Given our," he pauses thoughtfully, "similarities."
I pull up a chair, settling on the bridge that connects his cell to the rest of the ship.
"You puzzle me." His gaze drifts over me, and I find myself honored when the god kneels to match my height. "Your mind, good intentions mixed with bad actions. It's all so confusing."
"Ah," I smile.
"Just ah? I would've expected more from you. Your sister is certainly a woman of many words when she likes to be, though I suppose every one of you mortals is different."
"Less words either please people or result in impatience. I enjoy figuring out which it is." Looking up through my lashes, I tilt my head. "You like to talk. I can tell."
"When it suits my best interest."
"And what is that?"
"None of your concern."
The chair creaks, rusty legs adjusting to the shift in weight when I lean back. "See, that's where we disagree."
"Oh?"
My eyes track each twitch of his fingers, never leaving Loki's large and rather intimidating figure. "It is my concern. I want to know what twisted little thoughts creep into that brain of yours."
Loki runs his tongue along his teeth. Looking me up and down like he wants my clothing to magically fall off, he says, "I don't think such a pretty girl should be worried about such trivial things. Do you, darling?"
"You're not going to seduce me." Deep down, an ache swells in my gut.
His pretty words grow sweeter.
"Seduction is not the goal."
"Then what is?"
The god straightens, brushing off what parts of him touched the floor. "I'd, matter o' fact, like to have you on my team. So to speak."
Faintly, I feel the tips of his fingers drift over my cheek. But Loki moves not a muscle.
"Please don't touch me."
The coolness dissipates. "As you wish." He dips his head in apology.
But I see the mischief in his eyes, the sly smirk that Loki tries to keep me from noticing by turning the other way and pacing his cell. "Do you not enjoy the touch of another?"
"No."
Plain and simple.
The god chuckles, making his way back around to me. He stands toe to toe with the glass now. I find myself moving to meet him. "Just tell me what you're doing here, Loki."
He looks down on me, interest lurking behind disgust. "No."
I suck in a deep breath through my nose. "What do you want from me?"
It's like he was aching for that question, hoping and praying I would ask out of pure desperation to complete my assignment.
"Well, my dear." Loki focuses on me, like I'm the only thing in the room that truly captivates him. Puzzles him. Intrigues him. "I want you to watch. Watch me command an army that will bring Earth to its knees. Watch me murder your friends, your family, and your world." The way he leers at me makes my skin crawl.
I retreat a few feet.
"You're disgusting."
"No more than you."
"I've attempted penance." Loki has made the room grow so cold I see my breath rise as I speak. "Unlike you."
"Penance does not rewrite the past, agent. No matter how desperately you strive to repent for your actions, you will always remember Lucy, Morocco, Dreykov, and what he molded you to be."
Pressure builds on the small of my back, bringing me forth as close to the god as I can possibly be. "If you think those words will hurt me, you're sorely mistaken."
"I can see into your brain, little one." Loki slowly brings a finger upward. I feel it, tracing over my jugular. "It makes you burn deeply. You yearn to atone for sins others forced upon you; the blood on those pale hands coats your conscious in a delicious guilt."
My stomach churns as my discomfort builds. I feel his hands on me, though I can clearly see them remaining still in front of me. "ππ΅π°π±." I attempt to smack him away; he laughs, rather heartily.
Hateful green eyes bore into mine. "Foolish mortal."
It's like his lips are right at my ear, brushing over the sensitive skin there.
"It would be a shame to ruin that pretty face with tears."