Everlasting Flame~Loki x oc

Set in motion

Kari's breathe hitched as she and Natasha approached Loki's cage. The Director had decided that they should go together the first time around. Natasha raised one well poised eyebrow at her partner as if to ask if she was ok. Kari nodded in response. The two strong red heads moved towards their prisoner.

"Not many can sneak up on me." Loki turned to face his lover who shot him a small smile. It would be best for everyone if she acted normal.

"Not many have been trained to be a Valkyrie. I want you to explain. Did you truly want me as your Queen, or was it simply so I could stabilize your precious stone." Kari's eyes bore through the glass with a look of menace that Loki had never quite seen in her eyes before.

"You know as well as I how much I adore you."

Kari scoffed at his answer. "That does not answer my question."

"I promise, the fact that you could have possibly stabilized the Tesseract if all else failed would have only been a bonus. I love you Kari." The woman in question shook her head and Natasha stepped forwards.

"And once you've won, once you're king of the mountain, what would happen to Agent Barton's mind?"

"Answer her question, Loki. Please." Loki glanced at Kari's tired figure before sending a cold smile to the ex-assassin.

"Is this love, Agent Romanoff?"

"Love is for children. I owe him a debt."

Loki sat down, a teasing smile still planted on his face. "Tell me."

"Before I worked for SHIELD, I uh... I made a name for myself. I have a very specific skill set. I didn't care who I used it for, or on. I got on SHIELD's radar in a bad way. Agent Barton was sent to kill me, he made a different call." Kari stood in silence as she listened to the infamous Black Widow's story.

"Tell me, what would you do if I vow to spare Agent Barton?"

"Not let you out, if that's what you are suggesting."

"No. See, I like this. Your world in the balance, and yet you stop to bargain for one man?"

"Regimes fall every day. I tend not to weep over that, I'm Russian... or was." Kari thought in silence. What was Agent Romanoff playing at? Whatever it is, she was doing it quite well.

"So, Agent Romanoff, what is it that you want?"

"It's not that complicated. I have red on my legure. I'd like to wipe it out."

" Can you wipe out that much red? DRAKOV'S daughter? SÃO PAULO? The hospital fire? Barton told me everything. Your ledger is dripping. It is gushing red, and you think saving a man no more virtuous than yourself will change anything?"

Standing up abruptly, Loki made his way to the glass. "This is the basest sentimentality. A child at prayer... PATHETIC!" Kari stepped forwards towards the other red head defensively.

"Loki..." Her voice was soft,but definitely had a warning edge to it. He continued.

"You lie and kill in the service of others like you. You pretend to be separate, to have your own code, something that makes up for the horrors. But they are a part of you, and they will never go away!"

"Loki!" Kari repeated, louder and with more edge. Loki ignored his angry lover again and slammed one arm against the glass.

"I won't touch Barton. Not until I make him kill you. Slowly. Intimately. In every way he knows you fear. And when he'll wake just long enough to see his good work, when he screams, I'll split his skull! This is my bargain, you mewling quim!"

"How dare you speak of my friend with such vulgar!" Kari shot him a glare before attempting to comfort the other red head.

"You're a monster."

"No, you brought the monster."

"So, Banner, that's your play." Kari's eyes widened. Smart girl, that Agent Romanoff. Not just anyone can play the god of lies and mischief.