Loki x Reader: Into the MCU

Chapter 32: Aftermath

"Well, not officially---I mean, like, not in the sense that---" Bruce fumbled.

"It's like she said," Nat stepped in, "I adore him."

Bruce turned to Nat in surprise at her forwardness. He looked at a loss for words, finally settling on a soft smile and little chuckle.

"And I adore her," he told Valkyrie, though his eyes never left Nat.

The silent, sweet moment that followed was broken by Valkyrie.

"You scored way out of your league," she laughed to Bruce.

Bruce gave her a look like an older sibling gives the younger one when they aren't behaving. You and Nat just laughed.

"And don't you forget it," Nat teased.

"Well, it's all well in good that she knows you two liked each other, but I'm still not convinced," Valkyrie said, leaning back in her chair once again.

"What do you want me to do to prove it to you? In the future, or the future that would have happened had I not come here, you tell Thor that, and I quote: 'I am not getting dragged into another one of Odin's family squabbles' and then Thor goes 'What's that supposed to mean?' and then you answer 'Your sister. Her power comes from Asgard, same as yours. When it grew beyond Odin's control, she massacred everyone in the palace and tried to seize the throne. When she tried to escape her banishment, Odin sent the Valkyrie to fight her back. I only survived because...look, I already faced her once back when I believed in the throne, and it cost me everything. That's what's wrong with Asgard. The throne, the secrets, the whole golden sham.' Then Thor goes 'I agree' and you pull a knife on him saying 'Don't get familiar.' He repeats 'I agree' while lowering your knife, only for you to raise another one. He continues, saying 'That's why I turned down the throne. But this isn't about the crown. This is about the people. They're dying, and they're your people too.' And then you tell him 'Forget it. I have.' 'Ok.' 'Ok.' 'Great, good.' 'Great.' 'Thank you.' 'For what?' 'For this.' And then he holds up the zapper control thing he snuck from you. 'Didn't see that did you? There... that's better. You know, go ahead. Stay here and get drunk and enslave people for that lunatic. Keep drinking. Keep hiding. But me...I choose to run toward my problems and not away from them.' He claps for the ball Hulk is playing with, and he tosses it to Thor. He throws the ball at the window while saying 'Because that's what...' but the ball bounces back and hits him in the head, knocking him down. He gets back up and finishes his sentence. 'Because that what heroes do.' And then he jumps out the window....but I'm getting carried away now, aren't I?" you asked, realizing you'd gotten too into it, going full method with your voices too.

"Maybe just a bit," Bruce nodded, looking amused.

"So you made up a conversation between me and Thor," Valkyrie fought, though it sounded like she was grasping at straws.

"I made up an entire conversation? And your account of fighting Hela? Was that true?"

She looked like she'd rather remain stubbornly silent, but took a breath and nodded.

"Not that it proves anything."

"I can describe what happened that day...," you said tentatively, "Loki, in the alternate future, makes you relive the memory...and the audience sees what happened that day. That's why you eventually decide to help Thor and Bruce. Loki reminds you how much Hela took from you, and you tell Thor that you can't just forget...That if you're going to die, then it might as well be driving your sword through the heart of that murderous hag."

"I don't believe you," she whispered hoarsely, looking pained and angered by the mention of that day.

"You were flying in. All of you, on your pegasus things. Hela's swords flew through the air, slaughtering everything in her way. You were charging her, ready to fight...but another Valkyrie, a blonde one, pushed you out of the way, taking one of Hela's blows herself---"