Flightless (LokixReader)

Chapter Seven

(Loki's Pov)

Once he started leaving the bags of medication outside of her cell, it wasn't long until the others learned of his activities. Of course not- the buckethead could only unknowingly fund the delivery so many times. Which led to a very loud conversation, of how they actually took up the job to distribute new bandages to the prisoner. From what Loki could tell, they had just short of forgot about her wound entirely.

If the Avengers did suspect him of intervening, however, they did absolutely nothing to stop him. Despite how he tried to prevent himself from caring in otherways. Mingling with a prisoner- who was more than likely wrongly imprisoned, thus not likely to volunteer for treason- would be nothing more than an endless void to which his time would disappear and never return. Surely there were other, more opportunistic, ways to occupy his mind.

And still, Loki found it hard to distance himself. The questions surrounding her imprisonment, although somewhat solved, multiplied after every hour that passed away from her.

"Loki!" Thor's voice shouted from across the room, ripping Loki violently from his thoughts.

"Gods! I am right here." Loki exclaimed, setting his book aside on the couch side table. Without his magic, the only way to learn anything in this tower was to eavesdrop. Which led to many frustrated conversations, such as this.

"Sorry, brother. I thought you were in your quarters, as usual." He chuckled, the only response he received being a roll of the eyes. "The others have requested your presence."

"Have they?" Loki muttered, reaching for his book once more. If anything to give Thor another reason to hate his 'brother'. They weren't even related- and now, Loki had been practically disowned. Why must he continue to insist on the nickname?

But instead of a scowl, stomp, or strong tone- Thor smirked. "It's about our prisoner."

Well... shit. Loki's hand faltered in his reach, bringing out a larger smirk on the crown prince's face. To cover for his mistake, Loki matched his smirk with a mischievous one. "Two prisoners in one tower? I do believe that is the worst mistake Midgardians have thought of."

Thor's laugh dismissed the very notion of Loki's words. He started back for the elevator, refusing to even acknowledge his taunt. "Don't make me hold the door for you."

*

They arrived on quite nearly the lowest level, doors sliding open to reveal the Avengers, fully clad in their respective armours. Even after a few weeks here, they still wouldn't trust him.

"Reindeer Games! Nice of you to finally show up." The shellhead snarked, before gesturing for the team to start forward. Through the thick door at the end of the hall.

It finally struck him what was going on. They wouldn't be talking about her- Loki's actions- or even their conversations- Instead, the Avengers would be introducing the prisoners. Officially.

When they weren't supposed to have met each other in the first place.

Loki ran every scenario through his mind to escape this, and more so to escape the inevitable accusations of abetting the enemy. He's been accused of enough treason already.

But as time slipped away more and more with every step taken, his fate became sealed. The door flew open, Avengers pouring through. And with nowhere else to go, Loki trailing along behind them.

"So, Y/N." Stark started, peering through one side of the cell. The Avengers split up to different sides of the room, each with the best view of both Loki and the prisoner. Or Y/N, apparently.

Loki tried to avoid her eyes, feeling almost guilty for seemingly belonging to those which imprisoned her. He could feel her seething glare attempt to bore holes through his skull, the betrayal on her features dimming her usual shine. Loki noticed her fresh bandage and sling- relieved she was at least doing better. Physically- although trapped in a cell for endless weeks might start to deal a different form of irreversible damage.

"You don't happen to recognise Loki, do you?" The billionaire gestured towards the topic of conversation, to which Y/N remained silent. After his patience ran dry- thus, not that long later- Stark turned to ask him. "Do you recognise her?"

Her eyes caught his own, watching Loki carefully for his reaction. "I've never seen her." Loki shrugged, his mask holding strong. He didn't care. He couldn't- not while everyone still assumed it true.

At his words, however, a small smile found its way onto Y/N's lips. Quickly working its way into a smirk, which she managed to hide well enough from the others. But for Loki, Y/N made sure he knew that she had connected the dots between their visits. That he wasn't allowed down here, and had come anyway.

And better yet, that the others still didn't know.

"So you don't know her?" Stark asked after a moment, gesturing between the two of them.

"No." Loki rolled his eyes, tired of answering repeated questions.

"Great. Now you can."

The others turned to the billionaire, bewildered. "Tony, this is a stupid idea." Natasha attempted to intervene.

"No it's not. It's genius." Groans uproared from around the room, "It's Loki's first mission. Plus- this way, he's still at the tower."

First mission? Loki nearly scoffed at the notion. Working with the people who tried to kill him- multiple times? It seemed the others were thinking the same thing, until the exclusivity of this task came to light.

The team had tried and failed to interrogate Y/N, discovering no useful new knowledge. And now, with no other options, they were asking the master manipulator to do what he does best. Whether it was a mission or ditching an impossible task on the underdog, the Avengers were giving Loki the exact advantage he had searched for.

"Fine." He said, turning to the billionaire. "But you must remove your trinket." Loki gestured to the bracelet around his wrist.

"No." Loki raised his brows, pasting a daring expression across his face. "Instead, you can have limited access after you succeed in... translating, what information you find." The genius searched for the word, painfully aware the actual 'mission' could hear him as well.

Loki considered this. "Very well. But mission sessions must remain private. You've had your chances, let me succeed unmonitored."

"That's ridiculous."

"It's trust." He snapped, "If you want more knowledge about your prisoner, and you want my help, that is my condition. No one in the room, and no one watching on any of your cameras."

The team considered this. Even Barton, who had blurted out before. The archer sighed in defeat, first to surrender. Before the Captain glanced at the others, "One chance."

One chance? Loki smirked, accepting the deal.

He'll have to make sure it counts.