Chapter Text
Thor took off Loki’s muzzle and a gasp went through the room, faces awestruck. Bruce was the first one to make a move, stepping towards the God of Lies.
Loki took a step back while putting his index finger in the air, rattling the chains around his wrists with the movement, and his eyes shooting daggers at Bruce.
“Loki…” the scientist started, “let me get that out for you.”
Loki intensified his glare and made a low growl in the back of his throat, his eyes set wild but with the unmistakable intend of murder in them.
Bruce shuddered under his threatening glare and looked helplessly at Thor, not understanding.
Loki gave Thor an impatient glare and held out his chained wrists.
Thor sighed, his demeanor filled with annoyance. “You promise me that if I take off those chains you will not harm them,” Thor said threateningly, grabbing the chains.
Loki shrugged and put up a feint, innocent smile, at least he tried too as the threads sealing his lips together wouldn’t fully allow that and he grimaced.
“Brother…” Thor gave the chains a tug, the metal biting in Loki’s wrists.
Loki rolled his eyes but one look at Thor told him his Thor wouldn’t take of the chains off if he didn’t consent to his demand. Reluctantly he nodded while snorting a sigh through his nose. Thor gave him one last warning glare before he took off the chains.
Immediately Loki felt his magic return to him and within mere seconds he had fabricated an illusion of himself covering his true appearance. He didn’t mind looking battered and bruised but at least he could make his illusion speak. “Took you long enough,” he berated Thor.
“Do not make me regret taking them off, Loki,” Thor said venomously and shook the chains he was still holding.
“Okay, stop it right there! Can somebody please tell me what is going on!” Tony interjected before the brothers would start fighting. “I mean, you show up on my doorstep with your brother in chains who looks like hell - no offense Reindeer Games - and without any explanation you take off those chains while the last time we saw him he tried to take over the earth and murder us - again no offence. Please do explain!”
Loki sighed and rolled his eyes again and moved for the bar, muttering some words under his breath.
“Where do you think you are going?” Tony demanded more than asked.
Loki just kept walking to the bar and raised an eyebrow at Stark. “You still owe me that drink,” he said casually and pulled a bottle from the shelf, opened it and sniffed its contents and decided it would suffice. As Loki brought the bottle to his lips his brows furrowed. Although his illusion could talk, and therefore open its mouth to drink something, his true form could not. Angry he put the bottle down, almost shattering the glass.
“Yes, please do explain,” Clint said with one eye on Thor and the other warily eyeing the God of Mischief who gave him a predatory grin, sending shivers up Clint’s spine.
“The Allfather has given me a mission to accomplish. Yet, the target of that mission is somewhere on Midgard, although I do not know exactly where, and thus I returned.”
“That does not explain why he is here,” Clint spat pointing at Loki.
“Loki has been sentenced for his crimes on Midgard. He has been placed under my custody and I could not leave him behind on Asgard while I’m meant to keep an eye on him,” Thor sighed which drew another murderous glare from Loki who was still fidgeting with the bottle of alcohol, it’s contents still locked away from his grasp.
Bruce walked to the bar and rummaged through the cabinets while eyeing Loki warily, whose feeling were completely mutual and acted the same towards the scientist. Bruce pulled out a glass and a straw and placed it on the bar and carefully backed away, leaving the God to figure this concept out for himself. Loki wasn’t stupid and sighed in exasperation.
Natasha, who had been silently listening during the whole ordeal finally spoke up, “and why are his lips sewn shut?”
“Because it hurts less than your muzzle,” Loki interjected sarcastically while giving the Widow an exhausted glare.
“That can’t be more comfortable than that,” Bruce offered eyeing Loki with some confusion.
Loki raised an eyebrow and seriously questioning the intelligence of the mortal. “I really can not phantom why you need to know the details, for it is not of importance. Thor is going to find his target and we can get out of here as soon as it is allowed.” Loki advanced towards his brother, the scorn clear in his voice but Thor knew better and briefly caught the threatening look he got from Loki to not tell them the true reason his mouth was sewn shut.
It was silent for a moment before Bruce spoke up, “can I at least remove the wires? It does not look healthy and it might infe-”
“NO!” Loki shouted, his illusion briefly wavering at his outburst and Bruce took an involuntary step back.
Thor put a hand on Loki’s shoulder. “Brother please, control your anger. You do not want to antagonize Bruce or-”
“Yes, yes, or the green monster comes out,” he interrupted Thor with apparent irritation but briefly flinched at his own words. He briskly shoved Thor’s hand off his shoulder and walked back to the bar, smirking at Bruce while he passed the man.
“Is he going to help in this mision of yours?” Tony asked Thor while nudging his head towards Loki.
“I am actually more concerned for my safety, or better said, that of the earth,” Clint spat. “How are you so sure he won’t harm us?”
Thor held up the chains. “ If Loki is intended on harming anyone, I’ll put these back on for they seal of his magic,” and he gave Loki another warning glare.
Loki made an angry noise at the back of his throat at the sight of the shackles dangling from Thor’s fist. He poured the liquid in the glass and used his illusion to mask the fact that he needed a straw to drink, making it look as if he was casually sipping the liquid from the glass.
“So, if I understand correctly,” Natasha spoke, “the chains seal of his magic, and if he doesn’t have his magic he can’t create an illusion on himself - or whatever it is he currently is doing - and thus can’t speak either because his lips are… sewn shut and so he can’t lie either?”
“You are quick to catch on,” Loki taunted but was ignored.
Thor nodded. “Yes, and the used wire is also infused with magic and-” Thor had to dodge as Loki hurled the glass towards his brother, shattering it against a glass window.
“Wow, wow!” Tony said shocked, trying to calm the situation as he saw the murderous look in Loki’s eyes and the anger flaring in Thor’s. “He clearly doesn’t wanna talk about that, so leave it. It doesn’t matter, just stop before the two of you tear down the place!”
Loki smoothed his face and buried the anger he was feeling. It wasn’t so much that Loki was angry with Thor, for he hadn’t done this to him and was actually indirectly also punished for Loki’s crimes because he had the custody over Loki. The bitterness Loki was feeling was because everything that happened during his trail and before they had arrived on Midgard again. It was only because Thor’s target had let them here that he was now stuck with some over-curious so-called heroes who tried to find answers to questions they shouldn’t ask.
The door opened. “She is installed and-” Steve broke mid-sentence as he saw the two Gods upon entering the room. “What is he doing here?” Steve said warily as he saw Loki who scoffed at his question.
“Where are you going?” Tony asked with a little bit of panic in his voice as he saw Loki move for the door.
“Out to explore this… home?” Loki said while eyeing the area with disdain.
“Uhm, no. You are staying here where I can see you,” Tony said belittling.
“Try and stop me,” Loki said casually and walked into the hallway.
“Jarvis, keep me informed on his movements, and seal of the lab and… Well, seal of every area where he could do harm.”
“Yes sir,” Jarvis spoke.
“And keep an eye on her as well, Jarvis,” Steve said to the AI.
***
As she fired the arrow she heard someone speak behind her, his voice dark and filled with mockery, “you are not very good at this, are you?”
She sighed. It had been quite a while since she had last shot an arrow, her life never giving her the time to practice more. Of course she had first spend hours to craft the arrows to her liking, but she was satisfied and now was finally able to practice for the first time since a year.
Because it had been a while almost all her arrows had missed the target and had ended up in the wall or in white of the paper.
She sighed and actually she did not want to answer the person who had asked the question. She set another arrow and let it fly loose, the arrow shivering in midair and missing the paper.
She heard the new arrival scoff behind her.
The third arrow she fired barely graced the paper and the man belittled her once more for her poor performance.
She slung her bow over her shoulder and walked to the wall to retrieve her arrows. She eyed the God as she walked back to her firing position.
His hair was raven black, his pale skin fair and his green eyes tried to pierce her soul under his scrutinizing glare.
She gave him a mocking smile and he raised his eyebrows at her insolence. “Do you even know who I am, cheeky girl,” he asked in that same belittling tone.
As she let another arrow fly - which missed its mark - she answered him, “yes, Loki, I know who you are.” She fully knew who he was and she also knew he could be quite mocking, arrogant and belittling, which she was currently experiencing first hand.
Another arrow missed.
“My, my. I sincerely hope this isn’t your profession in this team of so-called heroes because I wouldn't trust you to have my back,” his arrogance resonating in his voice.
The arrow flew wide at his words and landed on the floor.
She didn't answer him. She didn't want too and she needed to concentrate as she let another arrow fly, this one ending up in the black ring, the first one of many actually closing in on the bullseye.
“You missed,” Loki said stating the obvious, his voice casually but a hint of disgust intertwined in it.
Arrogant and mocking, Loki was really getting on her nerves. She had just wanted to practice after settling in the tower with the Avengers. It had taken her hours to craft the arrows, their black shafts carefully crafted with intercrate patterns, their tips shining white matching the white feathers. Just her and the bow, trying to become one with it again, yet here was the God of Lies annoying her with only his mere presence. She hadn't even introduced herself to him and he was already making her blood boil.
After two more arrows she went to retrieve them again, both shots missing and both of them getting a snippy remark from Loki.
As she was back at the line again she could feel his eyes scrutinizing her once more, his eyes probably roaming her body, in his mind ravishing it and she felt very uncomfortable. “Don’t you have somewhere else to be?” she asked him with a sigh.
“No,” he casually said and crossed his arms while leaning against the wall, still eyeing her.
Another arrow missed.
“I seriously hope your aim is better during other activities,” Loki said amused but she picked up on the suggestive tone easily. For a second her composure stiffened and she heard him snicker.
That was it! She set another arrow to her bow and she started to whisper.
“If you mutter your answer I can’t hear you,” Loki taunted.
Right before she fired her shot she turned, still whispering, and aimed for the God of Lies. She loosened and the arrow narrowingly missed his ear, cutting of a little strand of his hair that stuck on the arrow in the wall. A faint smell of rot and parchment hung in the air.
Loki’s face dropped and was soon replaced by a scowl. “You little Mortal!” he said angrily, “don’t ever do that again!”
She shrugged. “Then stop annoying me,” she casually said flashing him a smile and Loki grunted.
She shot another arrow and missed the paper again. “You know,” Loki started, “it is a good thing you are so bad at this, that arrow narrowly missed me and could have landed between my eyes.”
“If you don’t shut up the next one will land between your eyes!” she shouted angrily at him.
Loki laughed. He really was trying to get on her nerves, seeing how far he could go before she would give up her futile attempts at hitting her mark. “I do not think you are capable of that and if you’d succeed, it would be a lucky shot,” he said with a smile on his face.
She set another arrow. “No, it wouldn’t,” she fired the arrow, again in the black ring.
Loki laughed. “You are lying to yourself, little one, next time I’m going to invade this Realm, I’ll start with killing you. One less Avenger in front of my feet, easy kill. That, or I might do something else to you…” his words trailed and a wolvish grin spread across his face.
She grimaced as she remembered that faithfull day that had wrecked her life. It frightened her how casually he spoke about what he had done and seemed to have no problem at all with all the blood he had shed. Innocent blood. Blood of children, parents… Friends.
A pang of emotional hurt wrecked her and a sad look crossed her face which was soon replaced by one of anger. As she set another arrow she started to whisper again, the ancient words of a language long forgotten by mankind rolling of her tongue. She could feel the words hooking on the arrow and a scent of rotting parchment filled the air. This time she was done with Loki’s blatant words and his insinutive tone. His actions had cost her dearly and she wanted to put the God in his place once and for all, showing she was not to be messed with.
“The whispering again,” Loki laughed. “Is this something you also do wh-”
Loki never got to finish his sentence because she turned once more in his direction and set the arrow loose going straight for his head. Just before it would lodge between the God’s eyes the arrow stopped, hovering in mid air and Loki had to squint to see the arrows tip barely touching the skin right between his eyes.
Shock washed over his face and she could hear him swallow.
“You are not the only one with magic in this building, Trickster,” she sneered challenging and with a short word the tip of the arrow touched the skin on his forehead. “And I’m not sure whether or not you know who I am, or my profession, but you might want to treat me a little bit more careful,” with another word the arrow slowly inched forward, making Loki’s illusion waver and she briefly got a glimpse of the way he truly looked.
The glimpse was brief, but it was enough for her to catch on the reasons Loki was antagonizing her and she made the arrow stop. “But I very much like you to apologize for your terrible behaviour.”
Her words were bold and once Loki had recovered from his initial surprise, he laughed. It wasn’t a mocking laugh this time, but one of genuine mirth and even a little admiration. “Asked by the vixen who is currently driving an arrow between my eyes.” He grabbed the arrow and his illusion wavered again. Quickly Loki decided not to touch the thing for he truly did not want to let his illusion fall in the presence of this meager mortal who tried to threaten him.
As if she could read his mind she spoke again, her words spitting, “and by the way, I am not Mortal!”
She muttered some words in the ancient language and the arrow floated through the air, returning to her hand as she set it on her bow to shoot again. This time she hit the bullseye and she heard Loki snicker behind her and a little smile formed on her lips at his words.
“I like her.”