Everything was spinning. You could feel everything inside of you go numb the second that the words left the doctor's mouth.
No. No this can't be happening. You're hallucinating from the cold. You're dreaming. This isn't real.
Loki turned back to face you. Worry flickered in his eyes but he stayed in character.
"I'm not sure what you're on about sir," he responded. You prayed that Young would shrug it off and continue with you. You didn't care if he took you back to your cell and never let you out for the rest of eternity. All you wanted in that moment was for him to let Loki go back to make sure the rest of the team was out and safe.
"Oh drop the act pretty boy," Dr. Young drawled, "You didn't think I couldn't see how you protected (Y/N) for the past two and a half years, did you? It's so blatantly obvious."
"I have no clue what you're talking about," you intervened through gritted teeth.
"There are eyes everywhere, sweetheart," he reminded you. His words were suffocating. You felt everything inside of you collapse as you looked back on all of the stupid reckless things that you'd done. You should have remembered that you weren't permitted to have feelings, especially for someone else. You should have remembered who you were up against and what you were getting yourself into. "So, as I was saying, please don't go so soon."
"And what's keeping me here?" more of Loki was leaking into the guard's voice the more impatient he became.
"Sit down and I'll explain," Young continued. There was nothing short of insanity in his disgusting expression. You hated that face. That face that taunted you for so many years. That face that fooled you into thinking you were safe for so long in his company. He wasted your life and you couldn't take it back now. You wanted to incinerate him, yet something held you back. You and Loki both slowly made your way over to the seats across from where Young stood. You felt the cold metal of the chairs on your legs where the fabric on your suit was torn. All you needed to do was stall for long enough to let everyone out.
"Isn't is so nice to be back sweetheart?" Dr. Young asked as you fiddled with the metal restraints around your wrists. They were warm enough at this point that they didn't interfere with your powers, but they were still in your way.
"Oh it's just as cold and disgusting as I remember that, though I do remember more constant screaming," you spat back with as much sarcasm as you could manage. You gave him a smile that would send grown men running.
"Still can't hold your tongue I see. I thought they would have taught you that one at superhero school," Young concluded. You glared at him but you knew he was right. You needed to be able to keep this act up without exploding.
"So what is it that you would like from us?" Loki interrupted, noticing the heat coming off of your finger tips.
"Oh well that's really quite simple. In an unfortunate turn of events it seems that I've lost my two best soldiers in my army of the most extraordinary humans on earth. You seem to have brought one of them right back to me as I'd hoped you would do. Spite is quite the motivator I see," Young began to explain. You knew he was taunting you but you kept your powers on a leash as best as you could.
"However, my other favorite seems to be gone for good thanks to our very own hothead here, meaning I'm short an agent and I feel like you owe me (Y/N). So either, you stay and choose one of your friends that I have locked up, or I take you all and choose for myself."
Everything in you stopped. You felt your throat closing as your breathing sped up. The fire inside of you raged, threatening to let loose. Why weren't you letting loose? Was it the threat of security or the lives of your friends? You tried to let the flames emerge from your finger tips but your powers would budge.
"Fine, but I need to see everyone in the same room when I choose, got it?" you commanded, trying to keep the shakiness in your voice to a minimum. Loki looked at you with concern but you tried to respond with a look of reassurance. You didn't really have a plan but no one could know that except you.
"Your wish is my command," Young chuckled. You knew you were playing right into his hands but you needed to find a way out.
~~~
There you stood in the middle of a vast, cold, metal training room with your entire team. You noted the location of every 'hidden' guard along the walls and ceilings in attempts to map out your surroundings. You knew exactly where you were in relations to every exit in the building. The frigid floors beneath your feet were all to familiar. They were cleaner than when you usually used them. The pristine silver shone so bright it could have blinded you, but all you could see were the remnants of blood. Whether it was from you or your opponent you couldn't really remember. All you remembered was that one of you made it out alive and the other didn't. Your stomach flipped as you thought about it and desperately hoped that the silver wouldn't be stained that same red today. Young stood at the door with a guard on each side as you paced the row as you thought of the consequences of your decision.
"(Y/N) please I'll get us out of this I just need you to pick me. I can't leave you here alone. I'm not going to leave without you," Loki pleaded quietly as you walked by. You knew what his argument would be but you couldn't put his life in danger. You couldn't put anyone's life in danger, but especially not the life of someone you loved so dearly.
"I'm not going to make you stay here and you know that," you responded in a whisper. Dr. Young's eyes bore holes in your back as he stared, waiting for you to finally speak.
"(Y/N) I have a plan if you just accept this and say my name. I will make sure that we both get out of this," Loki snapped. It would have been almost funny seeing the god of mischief and chaos in such a state if it weren't for your situation. You didn't know that he really could ever care for anyone this much.
"Stop the chatter and pick or I'll kill you all," Young demanded impatiently.
"Loki," you stated blankly without turning around. His name tasted like betrayal as it left your mouth. You really didn't want to do this but you knew that if you didn't then Loki would himself and everyone else in danger just to get back to you anyways. "I choose Loki."
"Awww look at the two love birds. How sickeningly sweet. The rest of your team is free to leave as long as they return to New York and don't come crying to me ever again. If any of them step on my base from this point on then they'll be dead faster than they can blink," Young instructed as guards at least three times your size forced your friends towards the door. Within minutes, you and Loki were the only ones who stood before the maniac in front of you. There wasn't a single word spoken between you before the signal was given and you two were taken to your cell.
You couldn't tell if it was generosity or part of a vile plan that led Young to put the two of you in the same cell. You tried to mentally prepare yourself for either your own death or the death of the only person you ever truly loved, but it was something you couldn't bring yourself to do and having him right in front of you wasn't helping you.
"Just like old times," Loki chuckled after a long period of silence, trying to lighten the mood a bit. You just stared at the flame that danced along your fingers, enjoying it's warmth as long as you could. You knew that they'd give you that awful shot in the next few hours and you weren't looking forward to it. You wanted to refuse to become a submissive drone again but you weren't sure you had much choice anymore.
"I should have turned him to dust where he stood," you mumbled more to yourself than out loud. You still didn't know what it was that stopped you.
"I know what it's like to have a lingering trust or even love for someone you want to hate. You know that he's bad and only ever took advantage of you, but you were forced to believe that he was there to comfort and help you. He was your only source of support for a long time. It isn't your fault that you can't get past that (Y/N). He forced that idea into your head and I know how hard it can be to get it out," he tried to comfort you. You shrugged it off and continued to watch your dancing flame.
"So what's your plan?" You asked, trying to change the subject.
"Just throw everything you have at them. When the nurses come to the door I want you to burn them down and run to the exit. I'll follow you and take down as many guards as I can. I'm sure that you will do the same. Whatever you do, don't stop moving," Loki explained.
"Sounds dangerous," you smirked as best as you could manage. He only responded with a wicked grin before you heard the latch on the door click. You took a deep breath in before rushing to your position, ready to run like you'd never run before.
The door creaked open as a bleach blonde woman with skin so pale it was almost grey walked through the entrance. She held a pair of freezing cold cuffs, ready to take you to the operating room. Before she got a chance to take another step towards you, you finally let go. Orange and red flames burst from your palms as you turned to already almost half dead woman to a pile of ash. You didn't have time to think about what you'd done before sirens began to blare, making your head throb.
Run
You did as your mind instructed and began bounding down the halls towards the closest entrance. Loki's footsteps fell behind you as you each took down security and doctors from every direction. You couldn't feel your legs by the time you reached the door but you didn't stop. You put all of your energy into melting the metal exit before you, making a hole just big enough for both of you to escape into the snowy landscape before you. Hurdling through the space and out into the frigid world, you continued to sprint as you ignored your body's protests. You knew that you weren't done. Your lungs were on fire and your leaps were getting shorter. The cold snow melted into your boots as the cold air sliced your skin. You were almost to the mountain. Freedom called your name as you searched the incline for any cave to hide in. Cold tears streamed from your eyes as the cold stung your eyes. You were so close.
"You really thought it'd be that easy?" You heard a familiar voice no more than five feet behind you. You turned around slowly as your heart dropped. There stood Young, holding Loki at gunpoint. "I mean I don't believe it either. The god of mischief falling to a mere mortal and his inferior weapon."
"What do you want from me?" You screamed. The cool personality from earlier was gone. There was nothing left in you but rage. You didn't have the energy to put on an act.
"After everything I did for you, this is how you repay me? Off screwing around with another asshole with a pretty face. I gave you a place in this world and you threw it all away just for a relationship that you knew wouldn't work in the first place. All he wants from you is a good time until you die and he moves on. You belong to me (Y/N). I made you who you are and gave you everything you have,"
"I belong to no one," you choked out as you readied yourself to let everything you had left out.
"Do it! Kill me! Either he dies at my hand or yours. Flames consume everything in their path so either you kill us both or I kill him and you come back home," Young insisted. His tone was nothing short of insanity. You began to draw your powers up, blinded by tears, heart beating in your chest, head pounding. Everything hurt but you had to do it for the sake of your team and everyone back at the base. Young had to die no matter the cost.
"Just let go (Y/N)! Murder the only two people you have lef-" Young's words were cut off with a sharp gasp as he fell to his knees, revealing the real Loki standing behind him. The clone in Young's grip merely faded to nothing as the snow began to turn a bright shade of crimson. The tears didn't stop as Loki ran to you and held you in his arms. You couldn't form proper words, so the two of you walked through the pristine snow without a word. The only noises were your occasional sniffles and the crunching of the ice beneath your feet.
Freedom was finally yours.
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Wow! What a freaking wile ride that was! This chapter took forever because of school and social stuff and all that jazz but I'm leaving for vacation tomorrow so I figured I should get it out before I leave. This one is kinda long but I hope you guys like it. It's a little angsty not gonna lie but it's here and it's an important part of the story and your journey moving forward so it's here. Thank you guys all so much for reading!! <3