Change || Loki.

22.

With a loud gasp for air, Loki moved into revival. When he opened his heavy lidded eyes, they burnt in the sudden harsh light landing on his face. He shut them close quickly and tried to move but soon realises he was tied back to the wall with thick fat, cold chains. He opened his eyes again, anxiously looking around at his surroundings which seemed totally unfamiliar.

His heart started to pound against his chest, unaware of where he was, who held him here and how was he even alive. He knew very well he had died. He had felt his heart stop. He felt his agony turn into an utter halt. He knew he died.

But now it didn't seem like it.

He squinted his eyes as he searched for a finer picture of the tall figure that stood far away. He examined his features as he walked closer, his heavy footsteps creating an echoing noise in the empty dungeon.

Loki looked at the strange man with purple skin and raised an eyebrow at him. "What do you want from me?" Loki asked, his voice hoarse and raw. Thanos chuckled at the young man, looking down at him before taking a seat in front of him. Loki wiggled his hands, trying to get the chains off him, struggled to do so and ultimately failed.

"Easy there, boy." Thanos said, his deep voice rising slight fear in Loki's heart. "I have a rather beneficial offer for you. I'm certain that you are aware about the infinity stones. One of which I possess."

Loki stared at Thanos with a blank expression, unsure of where the conversation was going. "I want you to retrieve one of them for me. The space stone." He said accompanied with a small smirk on his lips. "In return, I give you what you have always sought. Recognition, validation."

Loki looked at him with a slight scowl pressed on his face and shook his head gently. "You get a throne and I get my stone." Thanos said lastly, his gaze intensely fixed on Loki for a response he hoped for.

"I have no interest in your proposal." Loki says, his pitch low, but his voice heavy and throaty. The big man chuckled, tilting his head. "Think again, trickster." He said, almost in a mocking manner.

Loki didn't utter a word and instead just let a glare pull up on his face as he looked at the strange man.

Thanos smirked at him. He was sure he could do a lot of things to change that answer. And maybe Loki did too.

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It had been days since Loki last saw light. His eyes were craving the burn of it but all he could see was darkness in the empty cell and all he could hear was his own unstable breathing while his lungs hurt like they were being stabbed over and over again. He gulped, trying to relieve his dry throat that hadn't had the touch of water for what seemed like forever.

He wanted to free himself free, he wanted to break away the chains and run far, far away but that seemed impossible. He didn't even have enough energy in him to snap a twig. It was as if he was paralysed.

His lips quivered as he let out a groan in pain over his aching wounds. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the wall while his stomach grumbled in hunger.

"Thought much about my offer yet?" The now familiar voice echoes from the entry of the dungeon. Loki didn't look up, having no power to do so. He remains silent, his answer still not changing.  "Still in denial. Are we?"

He laughed to himself quietly and spoke again. "I wonder why? You're not one with much fear, that I know." He leaned closer, his warm breath hitting Loki's cold skin.

"Is it selflessness? The urge to do the right thing? Disliking my ways? Or is it the insecure part of you that still seeks papa's approval?" Loki turned his gaze to Thanos when he heard the last sentence and asked himself the same question. "Oh I think I know the answer."

Loki shook his head lightly, denying the thought. "You don't know me." Loki whispered, his voice barely audible as he spoke but enough to reach Thanos' ears. "Oh I do. More than you." Loki lowered his gaze, not wanting to meet his eyes.

He snickered before he spoke up again. "It's amusing really, how you still care so much. You know it definitely will win you his disapproval but it's not as if you ever had his approval. Loose that hope, boy. You're making a grave mistake."

Loki didn't know how he felt. And neither did he know what he was supposed to feel. Did he agree with him? Would his father never really be satisfied?

Loki blinked at him while millions of questions continued to run in his mind. He couldn't even make up his mind if he was right or not. But he was right. "Why not do it yourself?" Loki asked, avoiding own doubts.

"Why bring awareness to the coming threat? Doesn't seem like the wisest thing to do, no." He stood up, towering over the man tied up and smiled, evil leaking through. "I'll need your cooperation."

Loki turned his gaze up and looked him in the eye. "But you don't have it."

Hours later, Loki sat awake, oblivious to whether it was day or night while echoed the voice of Odin in his head. He didn't know what he said, he was in too much loss of control and hysteria to understand what those simple words even meant. It was like an unfamiliar language to him when it wasn't. He just knew it was him.

Listening to his voice brought in him the familiar and intimate feeling of loneliness. It was the iniquity on his heart. Compressing him with just enough power for it to be constant. But today was just another day, with more pain, same loneliness.
It was like a slow poison.

His loneliness left him unaccompanied. Left him without comfort, without consolatio, without certainty, without any tears to cry.

"Stop talking." Loki pleaded, his voice unsteady and weak. He needed the emptiness of silence, even though it was driving him crazy. It was far better than Odin's voice. "Please stop." He begged in soft whispers, his breathing growing frantic.

"Please."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He repeated, distraught and let out a long, loud, bitter scream in desolation. He screamed as if trying to convince his father he was sorry.

All of a sudden, it was like he was robbed of sanity. The words kept on repeating itself in his head while he sat, cold.

He screamed. Again and again. But his screams went unheard, unacknowledged.

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Author's note-

Hey lovely people! I just wanna thank you guys for the tremendous amount of support and love from you guys, it has truly, deeply touched me. I am so grateful for such heart-warming comments and the number of votes, I could cry! I love you guys so much and I hope you enjoyed this chapter and enjoy the upcoming ones too! Good day! xoxo.