Imagine If You Assembled the Avengers: Volume 1

Kneel Before Me (Loki x reader)

"Sentiment."

Your spine stiffened at the sound of Loki's voice behind you, and your blood ran cold. When you turned to face him he was nothing more than a hologram, faltering in its image slightly as the distance between you grew greater. "What would you know of sentiment? You tried to trick me into thinking that you cared about me somehow," you snapped, "which I never really believed anyway. You were going to use me against my own team. You know nothing of feelings, of sentiment, of love. You're nothing, Loki."

The image of him stomped towards you with an angry expression, making you step back reflexively, even though he wasn't real. "I am not nothing, (Y/N). You shall see that soon enough. When this is done, you will see that by my side is where you belong. You will see." Loki's image was now directly in front of you, so close that your bodies would be touching if he were real. "And I do care for you, darling. Very much. From the very first moment, I knew. I think that you did as well." His false hand reached up to touch your cheek, but it passed through you; in that moment you swore that you felt it, and against your better judgment, all you wanted was more.

~~~

Nick had given quite the speech about the team, using the cards you had retrieved from Phil's locker as the dramatic point maker that you hoped it would be, but you didn't know if it had worked. You followed Tony to the holding area, standing silently as you watched him stare at where the cage had been, wondering what could be playing out in that genius mind of his.

"Mr. Stark,"

"Call me Tony."

"Tony," you agreed silently, "he was just doing his job."

"He was an idiot."

You smiled slightly, not really finding a valid point to argue that with. "I'm starting to feel like we all are. How the hell are we supposed to do this? The team is scattered, if it's even a team..." Your voice faded as Steve entered the room, crossing his arms and leaning against the bulkhead, watching the two of you from across the room.

"(Y/N), I need to know what's going on between you and Loki."

"You and Loki?" Tony asked in total surprise, turning to you with wide eyes. "What the hell does that mean?"

"It doesn't mean anything," you replied, holding your hands up in surrender, "he seems to think he has feelings for me, if he's even capable. I think his play is to get inside my head to help him keep this team apart."

"Is it working?" Steve's tone became deeper as he moved towards you, glancing up at Tony as he approached. He stood close, backing you up into the wall with his proximity and his towering height over you. "I need to know where your loyalties are, (Y/N)."

Tony responded, putting his hand on the Captain's chest and pushing him back slightly, "hey, maybe lay off the kid, huh? If her loyalties were with Loki, why would she be standing here trying to help? I think we've lost enough people in one day; we don't need to start pushing more out." Tony looked at you with anticipation, wanting you to back him up.

"Believe me, Captain, I'm on your side. Loki means to start a war, and we are nowhere near ready. He made this personal when he took out Coulson." You pulled yourself away from the wall, ducking under Steve's arm, pacing back and forth as you voiced your inner monologue. "He hit us all right where we live, why?"

"To tear us apart," Steve offered.

"Yeah, divide and conquer is great, but he has to take us out to win," Tony agreed. "He wants to beat us; he wants to be seen doing it."

You continued to pace past the two men, trying to find any clue that would lead you to Loki, anything that would get you to him so you could try to convince him to stop. If he really cared about you like he claimed, then you might be the only hope of avoiding an all-out war. "Loki's a full-tilt diva, right? He wants flowers, he wants parades, he wants a monument built to the skies with his name plastered..." your voice faded as your gaze shifted to Tony, both of you immediately understanding.