I frowned, trying to keep track of enemies. The trigger on the gun was pulled off and the bullets went flying.
"Die, die you damned chicken!" Pietro hissed, tapping on the controller in between his pale fingers. Clint was smirking smugly as he finished Pietros player off. War on screen was confusing me.
I stood up and left quietly, not wishing to disturb the two in heated argument. My insides were churning and I felt a bile in my throat, the brightness of the large screen was also making my eyes water, I found myself in one of the rooms, it was quite large and filled with thousands of books, I froze and out of instincs, hid myself behind long, black curtains as I shamefully eavesdropped.
"has anyone even attempted a conversation while I was away?" the familiar tone of the red headed woman asked, making uncomfortable shiver run down my spine. She felt dangerous.
"Nat, we can't really force the guy to speak. Yes, we have asked him few questions, but just look at--"
"be honest Stevie Wonder, the guy looks like a puppy with badass assassin reflexes, which is quite disturbing because yesterday he didn't even know what the hell a doughnut was. So, for your information Natash, no. We haven't really attempted a conversation with a guy who stares at everything as if a blind man seeing colours." Tony Stark snorted, his tone sarcastic which I found rather rude as he was speaking to Steve.
I didn't move a muscle, afraid the woman would spot me right away as they walked towards my hiding place, of course I had chosen the place that was enar the couches.
"You do know it's his sixth day here, right? And you do know what Fury said?" Natasha Romanoff said coldly.
"uhm, no, I actually don't know what he said." Starks confused sentence made the woman groan. "he gave us seven days to make Atlas speak, if we get nothing out of him by tomorrow evening, Director will handle him from then on! He'll take him to the Raft, Tony!"
As she mentioned the place, Raft, it felt as if the temperature had dropped couple of degrees in the room. Steve's cold, fierce voice made me almost flinch. "no, Fury will not touch a hair on the kids head."
"would you look at that, am I seeing the gear, patriotic Captain America start rebellion? Wouldn't think I'd see the day hell would freeze."
"Friends, I don't see the problem." Strong voice of Lokis brother sounded, making me focus to try and understand how many of them were there.
"and what would be your great plan, point break?"
"of course ask the young one the questions, has anyone really conversed with him? Loki, you have spoken with him, have you not?"
My insides went cold at the mention of Lokis name, no doubt the trickster had sensed my presence in the room. "thank you Thor for letting them know someone here would actually be capable of getting answers from the boy, but the last time I talked with him, Buchanan nearly tore off the armrest. So excuse me if I haven't spoken to Atlas in four days." obvious lies.
The tricksters smooth voice answered, his silky tone filled with utmost boredom. I relaxed slightly, feeling relived he hadn't told them of my presence. I was afraid of them finding me, I didn't want to be there, I just didn't want them to disappoint in me, and so far, I hadn't gotten any punishments from them. But what if they found out I heard everything? What then?
I gulped, forcing my eyes shut as I tried so hard not to listen, but their voices were so close and too loud for my sensitive ears.
"and since when do you listen to anyone, oh almighty Loki?" Tony snickered, he got no answer, but I could almost see Loki looking past the man, not giving him another glance as he made Tony looks like a fly on a wall. That of course, made Stark angry. Loki was awfully good St getting under his skin, he seemed to enjoy their annoyance.
"okay, Loki what do you know so far?" a short and smooth nothing only agitated Natasha more. To my confusion, I realized the woman was filled with worry and anxiety. Why, I couldn't tell.
"fine, I'll get him to talk myself then."
"Wait, wait Nat! you can't just march there and tell him to spill everything, besides, he doesn't know you yet like he knows us. Let me try first okay? Bucky told me Atlas had quite a mouth when he was younger, Buck might be helpful trying to pry him out of his cell. I get it, it's very urgent now, but don't forget where he grew up. We can't be like them, Nat, the kid must realize himself that we are safe crowd." Steve's voice made the red head halt in sorrow.
Safe crowd.
"I agree with him, lady Natasha. You don't force a person to be your friend, to have friendship, one must first let the other in on their maze of a mind, together, they might find a way out and in the end of it form a friendship."
"If I'm ever getting married, Thor will write my speech."
"I'd be honoured, Man of Iron."
Their mumbling talk quieted down as the doors of the library closed with a quiet click, I was thankful for it. The moment the room was filled with loud silence again, I stumbled out form behind the curtains, falling on the soft, red carpet they had been standing on seconds before.
My breathing was so loud, so heavy. I closed my eyes, trying to distract my pounding heart with the low growls that vibrated through my chest, it was every erratic sound, wasn't every helpful. My head hurt, and the pain spread to my chest as I fell to my side, eyes flying open in horror.
It was so familiar, the way my chest punded with pain and I couldn't move my limbs, it was so familiar the way the claws of evil were sunken deep in my heart and sweat ran from my brows.
Fear had taken my neck in its large jaws and forced me into silent pain. I saw black dots dancing in my vision as I stared at the high ceiling. Safe crowd, they were safe crowd Atlas. They aren't bad, they aren't bad.
And suddenly I was on the softest carpet as the pain was turned into the cool water and slowly pushed away. I relaxed my legs and hands as I let my head fall back, slightly surprised when I realized there was a pillow under my head. Someone's calloused hands were placed on my head, seemingly not bothered by my episode and heavy breathing.
"for a dragon, you don't look so fierce right now. But don't worry, your heart is the one of a warrior."
The familiar quiet voice of Loki made me relax completely. "that's it, take a deep breath Atlas." I opened my eyes, silently cursing the bright light of sun that shone from the windows.
"I know you like sleeping on the floor from your old habits, but I don't think your protection dogs would really appreciate you laying on the carpet, so how about you stand up and sleep on that couch."
It wasn't a question.
So, I laid down there, staring up at Loki wide eyed as he silently picked up a book and sat opposite, crossing his legs as his face was the one filled with boredom, I kept myself from entering his mind. I felt too ashamed to want to know what was going on in there.
"I know Avengers -as they ridiculously call themselves- don't really seem like people you'd want as friends, at least, I don't, but by no means you shall feel threatened by them. So, I encourage you to use your voice next time Rogers asks for salt. And I must say, hiding behind a curtain wasn't the best idea, I'm just surprised you managed to do it so well even Romanoff hadn't noticed, really, I expected more from her."
He said, I placed my hand over my closed eyes. Wishing I'd just disappear from embarrassment.
"Look Atlas. There is nothing to be embarrassed of. What those midgardians have done to you, is unforgivable, and I swear to the one eyed father of Thor that when I get my hands on the humans who made you suffer, I will make them all kill themselves without blink an eye."
His cold voice, as weird as it might sound, made me believe him.
"Even thought you and I, we are both monsters in some ways, but neither of us wanted that. Neither of us signed up for that, see, open you eyes boy."
And I did, I stared at the opposite couch, looking at him. And oddly enought, I didn't feel disgusted by his blue skin that was covered with markings nor his blood red eyes that stared right back at my yellow ones.
"We hold our shadows on tight leash and let the darkness out to play when it's time, Atlas. I have accepted my faith as a monster children in my realm are afraid of. And I know, they will always be afraid of me there, here people will be disgusted. But you know what? I could care less of them. So, don't feel embarrassed, Atlas. And if you want, there is a way for you to change on free will."
Loki said and I watched as his skin changed back to pale from the icy blue it had been. I snapped my eyes up at the mention of changing forms on free will.
I narrowed my eyes at the smirk that danced across his lips as he picked up his book again, however I didn't miss the trembling of his hand.
So, he had lied again, he hadn't accepted himself just yet.
"to change forms, you must tell the words yourself."
A/N
Sorry you had to wait so long. I'm just not feeling the greatest lately. Sorry, hope the chapter met your expectations.
Oh, Loki will have his own TV show by the way, we'll see more of Tom Hiddleston on screen.