The Concept of Trickery

-10-

Hi! I'm not dead!

Anyway, this is the last chapter in this story for a while. I'm kinda out of inspiration, but I will have you know, that if I do post another chapter, it will be the most surprising chapter in this entire book.

And I have no idea how to write it.

Plz enjoy this chapter, comment, like, and vote.

Tony POV

Loki stood up quickly and glanced around. Something in our expressions must have tipped him off, since he cast an almost animal-like glare, before hastily walking out of the room.

Bruce and Steve looked at the door where he'd just left with concern. Clint had a dark smirk, and everyone else concealed their emotions pretty well.

As for me, I was just trying to understand. I felt like I had an equation, but I don't know what the variables represent, so I couldn't solve the problem. And it's not like Loki would just have a change of heart and spill out his life story for us to help him. He'd much rather cuddle with a flamingo before doing that.

Soon the silence became too much for me to bear, even if it had only been a few seconds. "Well, that was interesting."

"He has an eating disorder," Bruce mumbled, still looking at where Loki had left. There was too much tension in this room. I bet I could physically swipe my hand and touch it.

I snorted. "Even I knew that." My fellow scientist turned to glare at me, and I felt a victory when he looked away from the door. He then bent over to pick up Loki's hardly touched food and plate.

"We need to help," Bruce persisted as he set the slice of pizza in the trash and set the plate in the sink.

"Says who?" Clint spoke up, his eyes full of hate. "I say we leave him be." I knew Clint didn't like the god of mischief, but to the extent that he would let him starve? This was new to me.

"Clint..." Nat tried, reaching for his hand. I swear to God, only they could do that and still make it feel platonic.

"No, Nat!" Clint's voice got louder, and was worried that Loki would hear. "He messed up my brain! I have nightmares because of him! That abomination ruined my life! What if he had succeeded, huh? Then I'd never see my wife or kids, or worse, he'd make me kill them! Do you know-"

"Barton." Steve's firm voice shut Clint up immediately. I didn't know that Clint had a wife or kids, but right now didn't seem like the best time to bring it up.

Steve then said in a lower voice, "He might hear you, and even if he didn't you shouldn't say that. No matter how much pain he's caused us, he needs help, and I don't know about you, but I don't turn away anyone needing help."

I smiled at my boyfriend's kindness to everyone, even the man who tried to kill him.

I thought of what Thor had told me. How he thought Loki was manipulated and controlled. How did that and his eating disorder fit together?

"I do," Clint said. "If they tried to take over my planet."

"Legolas, get over it!" I raised my voice, but I was unsure why I was defending the jotun prince of Asgard. "We get it, you hate him! But could you forget it for one second? Just one? He might need help!"

Clint had no response; he just hung his head. Everyone else avoided eye contact with me except Steve, who looked at me proudly.

"So what do we do?" Nat asked, crossing her arms. No one offered any suggestions.

I tried to think everything through. Obviously, I would continue my secret work with the scepter. So far, I haven't gotten anywhere, or actually even touched it. The stone just gave such a raw power that I knew it would be dangerous. It was also hard to practice controlling people if I didn't have people to control.