The mortal guardian (Loki x Reader)

Ch 15: Fun and games

I sit like I had just gotten in trouble with my mom again. I curl into myself, a bit shaky, just waiting for this to all be over. I still need my meds. Maybe I can go pick them up once this is done.
Dr. Banner talks to Nick and Tony. Why cant I tell what theyre saying? Their faces dont show any real emotion, just moving lips and hushed words.

I just want to know whats wrong with me.

"Uh, Donnie?" Dr. Banner talks at me and my head pops up. "Mind coming over here for a sec?" I shyly stand to my feet, walking around all the haphazardly placed tables. It was organized chaos, but chaos nonetheless. "Uhm, y-yea? Whats up?" Tony and Bruce look at eachother before turning to me again. Tony asks me "When were you born?" "...I'm sorry, what?" Now I was confused. "Whens your birthday," Tony restates. My face contorted between when someone with sensitive teeth takes a straight bite out of ice cream, and a trapped fox.

"What...n-no, what does me being born have to do with anything?"

Silence.

"..do you know?" Banner cautiously asks. I mean, I know that I exist. I know that I was birthed. Shame took over. This is common knowledge. Why didn't I have it?

The words came out small, just barely a mumble. "I never had a birthday."

They just stared at me. Director Fury was the first to speak. "You're free to go."

[Nick]

"Why, if you're so concerned, are you not making her stay in your sight? I've seen how you work, Nick."

Tony wasn't wrong. I didn't trust Donnie worth a grain of salt. But if goose seemed to like her...I'm willing to give her a chance. "That, Stark, is none of your damn business. Right now, we need to figure who and what your new project is. You can either help me or leave with her." One glance at the door and I could tell he wanted to follow her. Not sure why he didn't. "Now, what's she told you so far?"

They both gave it a thought. You need to be thorough with these things. "She brought her mom with her." "Hold on, Tony. You let her bring her mother?" "No, Nick, " Bruce interjects. "She was cremated. From what she told us, her mom's been dead for a while." Then it hit me. I almost didn't think about it, getting caught in the small details.

"Does she have anything that wasn't cremated?"

{Donnie}

I read in my room. Occasionally, I look up to see Loki pacing. Maybe fidgeting with something. He looks...bored. Pure boredom is a feeling I have known well after living with my mother for so long. I set my book aside, placing it as neatly as possible on the shelf before cautiously leaving the room. "...Loki?" He mumbles, turning to me. "Speak." I swallow. What do I say? Man, I need to get better at this. "I-I just.. If you aren't too busy, maybe we could play a game?" I focus on his face. He just looks mad at me still.

"Of course not," he replies, sarcasm evident in his voice, "for already, I have too much nothing to keep me busy."

"Look. I know we didn't start out on the right foot. But if we're going to be here for a while I'd at least like to try being...not hostile?"

He gave it a thought and his face softened ever so slightly. A deep breath swelled in his lungs. "Very well. However, do not expect much from me in the way of kindness." I nodded, sitting on the ground. He followed suit. "So, what is this game of yours?" ...wait, I don't know any games. Shit, what was I thinking? He rolls his eyes, ready to stand up. "Wait! Uh, how about 20 questions?" He cocked an eyebrow. "What?" "Its a game where you ask the other person anything you want to know. We each get 20 turns. I've never really played, but it sounds easy enough, yeah?" I waited for a response from him. It felt like millennia before the words left his tongue.

"In that case," he purred, "what would you care to learn of me?"

Gulp

"I, uh...well...it's just-" I looked at my hands. "..why are you here?"

"Well, you should know the answer for that, dearest nuisance."

"That-thats not what I mean. I mean...well, I..why are you here, on Earth?" I look up at him. "You say that...that you hate us so much. Call us useless. Stupid, weak, and yet...you're the one who chose to come to earth. Er- uh...Midgard, I think you call it." There was a shift in his eyes. I couldn't tell what it was, but he seemed different now. Not that angry man who had taken his rage out on me. But even sitting right in front of him...I don't know if he had changed at all. "I just don't know why."

He rolled his eyes. Those same blue eyes that looked so hurt before. So angry, almost fragile, animalistic. Now they hid behind a veil of indifference. "And just why in any of the nine realms would I give you the answer?" He spit back at me.

"Because I want to help."

{Loki}
She can't help. She can't know about Thanos. I can't trust any of this information to a mortal such as her. I can't even trust Thor. A deep fear settles into the pit of my stomach. "You, help me. Heh, how cute." I sigh, ready to ignore her yet again. However...the loneliness does get tiresome. "I refuse to give you an answer. Though I will humor you with this 'game' of yours."

I relax ever so slowly in her presence. Thor may have her heart, but she seems to have a grip on my own. She nods her head. Let the fun begin.