Heart Of Stone

Chapter 20

Loki looks at my hand in shock for a minute, then at my face. Tears escaped my eyes due to the pain, but they've already stopped. "It... hurts..." I force out. "It hurts... to touch... others..."

I've never seen anything like it, he says, switching to telepathic communication. I smile at him gratefully. If you touch it now, it will be fine, but only if you touch the part that has become stone, I inform him. He reaches out and runs his finger carefully along the cold stone that my skin became.

Can you still move? He queries. Slowly, but yes, I confirm, forming a fist and releasing it again to prove my point. I am stronger when I use the stone to my advantage, but for obvious reasons I prefer to use that as a last resort.

You are called a Stone Siren or a Singing Statue, he comments. Now I can see why.

I prefer Stone Siren to other names, I nod. Others include Medusa's Victim, Statue of Serenades and Water Spirit.

Why Water Spirit? He asks. The water heals me, I reply. It washes away the stone and any other injuries I may acquire. It is said that I am able to pass on these healing abilities to others should I wish, but I have not yet tried.

I should show you to some water, then, he says, standing up. I rise as well and he leads the way, seeing as he's been around a bit longer than I have. He takes me to the penthouse and shows me to what is called a sink.

Just as I'm about to run the water, I hear a voice. "What the fuck happened to your hand?!" I cover the stone self-consciously, though Stark has already seen it. "It will be gone in a moment," I tell him.

"What will be gone?" Steve asks, appearing behind Stark along with the rest of their little group. "Lexis, show them the back of your hand!" Stark urges. I only cover up further, but Wanda uses her telekinesis to gently pull my hand out for me. Everyone either gasps, freezes or flinches when they see the stone.

Wanda releases me and I quickly run the water in the sink, rinsing the stone away. I sigh in relief when I hear the familiar cracking and feel the wonderful feeling of revival. Everyone winces when they hear the cracks.

When I turn the water off again and hold my hand back up, the stone has already washed away. "I told you it would be gone in a moment," I say to Stark. "Removing the stone is the easy part."

"Again, what the fuck happened?!" He repeats loudly. "Gosh darn it, Tony, watch your language!" Clint scolds, causing Steve to groan in annoyance.

But for once Stark was not in the mode for sarcasm and jokes and stormed over, inspecting my hand without actually touching it. "Loki, what did you do?"

"I did nothing!" He defended himself. "It is true," I confirm. "Loki did nothing. This was my doing."

"Well what did you do?!" Stark was impatient to know. Then he narrowed his eyes at my face. "You've been crying."

"Lexis, what's happened?" Steve looks worried as he steps closer. Do you wish to tell them? Loki asks me. No, but I suppose I shall show them, I reply. He offers his hand, which I touch shakily with my palm, hissing in pain again. I'm doing good with not screaming.

The others step back in shock at what I've done. I raise my hand to show off the stone. "This is why I do not touch others," I snap to them all, wiping the fresh tears from my cheeks. "Are you all now satisfied? Or is there more you wish to whittle out of me?"

I rinsed the stone away again, then left, biting my tongue to keep myself from tearing up or saying anything more. If I anger them now they might turn me to stone. If I wasn't scared of them before, I am now.

"Lexis, wait!" Steve's voice called. I heard him hurrying after me and I couldn't be bothered to stop him, but I did go a little faster. Unfortunately he was fast and caught up before I got to my room.

"Lexis, why didn't you tell us?" He asked, falling into step beside me, butt I flinched away from him. "You... you would have tested on me... you would have tried it for yourself... I do not enjoy letting others know... it always ends in pain."

"We wouldn't have done that," he said gently. For some reason I felt like I could believe him. But I just couldn't, not when he was able to hurt me. "One can never be too careful," I point out, lowering my head.

He didn't pester me any further, thankfully. He simply walked me back to my room. "Tony's getting a pool installed after the last time you came here," he said with a warm smile. "If you ever want to swim, it should be set up in a month or so. Then you can head down there whenever you like."

"Thank you," I tell him sincerely. "Not a problem," he replies. "If you need anything, my room's not too far. Just don't ruin Bruce's room. He won't like it."

"I already saw the glass figures," I admit. "They are beautiful." "He let you see them?" Steve seemed surprised. "I entered the wrong room," I correct, causing him to laugh. "Fair enough. That's how Sam first found them. He thought it was Natasha's room."

I smile slightly. "We usually hang out in the penthouse at this time if you want to join us," Steve offers. "That's why we were all up there."

"Perhaps another time," I decline. "I am still not used to being within the company of even one person, let alone a crowd. Especially after showing you what I have."

He nods. "Well your secret's safe with us," he confirms, holding the door open for me and saying good night.