Author's note: Hey guys, hope you're all keeping safe and haven't been affected by coronavirus too badly <3 Early update because I'm procrastinating again :) hope you enjoy this chapter!
...
You felt your magic as it made its way down into the ground, into the small parts of the building which were still attaching the framework to the ground, and up, all the way up, holding the structure still. You'd never had to concentrate on anything more in your life; you couldn't think about the electrical sparks which were jumping from wires all around you, or the water which was pouring from a pipe dangerously near the wires, or the evidence of a bedroom which used to be located ten metres in front of you, now blown to bits. You definitely couldn't think about all of the people outside who had just lost their homes. You needed to think about concentrating, standing strong, keeping your arms up and your knees locked even though it hurt like nothing you'd ever felt before. It was worse than breaking your legs. But you weren't thinking about that. You weren't thinking about how if you let go now, people would die...
Shit. You had to stay here. You couldn't move, but it was so difficult, it hurt...
There was a sudden crunching sound to your left, and you turned your head ever so slightly to see Bruce, as Hulk, entering the wreckage. You could barely see him through a combination of your mist and a film of tears over your eyes. Bruce made his way to the opposite side of the hole which the bomb had made and crouched down, bracing his back against the ceiling. The weight it took off of you was infinitesimal in comparison to what you were holding up, but you would take all the help you could get. Squeezing your eyes shut, you prayed that no one was hurt, or worse, and that everyone would be out soon so that you could get out of here. Focus. Your knees were starting to bend from the pressure, and you heard Bruce roar in pain as the building's stability took a turn for the worse; your feet sunk a couple of inches into the soggy mud created by the water from the pipes. These heels Nat had picked for you to wear for your initiation, although not very tall, weren't ideal in this situation.
"Kid, you're doing amazing. Not long, I promise." Tony's voice was suddenly in your ear, and you cracked your eyes open to see him in his suit with his face uncovered brace himself against the ceiling and activate his rocket shoes, or whatever they were called. Your brain was fuzzy, but you doubled your efforts and felt your magic in every crack and particle of this building. Surely everyone was out by now? You hoped so, because your head was starting to feel more and more fuzzy by the second, and you were almost up to your knees in mud now; your arms shaking uncontrollably.
Y/N!
That was Loki's voice in your head. You'd forgotten about him.
I'm coming, stay there...
What did he think you were going to do, walk off? Wait, he couldn't be here, Tony would go mad.
There was a sudden unmistakeable groan from the building you were struggling to keep upright, and you literally felt it tilt dangerously to one side.
"Y/N!" Tony yelled, as Bruce roared yet again from the corner, also now half sunk in the mud.
Your feet began to slide, you weren't going to last much longer... until suddenly you didn't have to.
"I've got it. Let go." Loki was behind you, still disguised as the blonde man, and now everything was green rather than purple as you slumped to the ground, gasping for breath, trying to remember if you'd breathed at all in the last few minutes. You were utterly exhausted.
"Reindeer Games, what the hell?!" Tony yelled.
"Yes, hello Stark." Loki replied through gritted teeth, obviously concentrating as you had. You wanted to help him, but your body wasn't working, and you were sunk up to your knees in mud. It was all you could do to keep your eyes open. Something warm was oozing down your face; you had a nosebleed.
"Y/N, move... you need to get out." Loki said from behind you; you could feel him sinking into the mud next to you. He didn't understand, you were so tired...
"Okay, everyone's out, we're good!" Tony yelled to the three of you, having obviously heard the news through his earpiece.
"Bruce, you go first, then Stark, get Y/N and I'll hold it." Loki instructed, already sounding tired. You tried to protest, but Bruce was already extracting himself from the mud and crawling back outside.
"Are you sure?" Tony asked, and you had to assume that Loki nodded, because then Tony was next to you and grabbing your arms to pull you from the mud.
"Loki..." you said, not wanting to leave him by himself holding the building up, how would he get out? But Tony had already flown you outside into the pouring rain, and over to the rest of the team on the edge of the perimeter. You were soaking wet and shivering in seconds; Tony set you down amidst the rest of the team who all started fussing and asking questions, but you only answered Thor: "He's in there."
The second the magic around it vanished, the building collapsed in on itself, causing the ground to shake as if it had started an earthquake. There were yells and cries as the people you had saved watched their homes collapse. Barely remembering that this had been where you used to live, you stumbled forward a few steps and watched with your heart in your mouth as Loki didn't reappear. Five... ten seconds. Nothing. Only dust.
You closed your eyes and concentrated, trying to summon the energy to reach out with your mind.
Loki?
Yes?
You spun around in relief to find a very smug looking god of mischief in disguise smiling at you.
"Brother." Thor said in relief, as the others turned around too.
"The cuff, I don't... how are you using magic?" Tony asked Loki incredulously.
You were exhausted, and your brain was working slower than usual, but you were able to conclude that Loki had just forfeited his ability to use magic. To save you.
Thank you.
Your legs finally gave up, and you made a quick descent towards the ground as everyone lunged for you before you hit the ground. This time Loki caught you first.
After that there was nothing. In all fairness, you had just held a building up practically on your own for over five minutes.
You deserved a nap.
...
When you felt yourself beginning to regain consciousnesses, you fought to stay asleep. You'd been dreaming of nothing, and hadn't been able to feel the pain. You could feel it now. It was an aching, bone deep sensation which made you want to lie still for the rest of your life and never move again. Unfortunately, the more you tried to fall back asleep, the more your brain seemed to want to wake up. Eventually you admitted defeat, and opened your eyes. It was dark, but you were sure you were in the medical ward back at the tower. This ceiling was becoming a familiar sight.
You lay still, more because you were scared to move than anything, and listened to the sound of your breathing. And... someone else's breathing? Someone was asleep, judging by their breathing, close to you. You turned your head to the side slowly, gritting your teeth in pain as you did so. Everything hurt. Including smiling. Which is what you did when you saw Loki asleep in the chair next to your bed.
He was shrouded in darkness, a strip of light from where the blinds hadn't been shut properly cast across one side of his face, illuminating a closed eye and a single strand of hair which had fallen across his forehead. He looked so vulnerable in his sleep. Peaceful. There was none of the tension he usually held while he was awake: the clenched jaw, the frown lines or the eyebrow which always seemed to be raised; he was relaxed. It was an odd sight, but a nice one. Briefly, you wondered if you would be able to read his mind while he was asleep, but swiftly decided against it. Besides, you doubted you could use your magic while you were in this state.
Deciding to test this theory, you painstakingly raised a hand and tried to summon even a tiny particle of mist: the simplest of tasks, but nothing happened; you just received a sharp pain running from your wrist to your elbow. Letting your hand drop back down dejectedly, you turned your gaze to Loki again, remembering all that Thor had told you about him before he had arrived over a month ago now. He was a frost giant. He didn't look like one. He just looked like Loki. You caught yourself smiling again (even your cheeks were aching), but stopped abruptly when he stirred, frowning as he shifted in the chair and sighed deeply. There was a tugging feeling in your chest, which you determinedly ignored as Loki opened his eyes sleepily. They widened as he saw you looking at him, and sat up straighter.
"You're awake." he croaked, pushing his hair off of his face.
The tugging got stronger; you had to catch your breath before replying.
"I am." you whispered, unable to stop yourself from smiling again.
"How do you feel?" Loki asked, leaning forward and rubbing the back of his neck which was apparently sore from where he'd been asleep in the chair.
"Everything hurts. But I'm fine, tell me about what happened. Was everyone okay?" you asked, suddenly worried about the civilians you'd fought to protect.
"A few injuries, nothing major. No deaths, thanks to you." he replied.
"And you." you added.
"You did most of the work." he countered.
"What about Tony? What did he say about... everything." you asked, referring to Loki sneaking out of the tower and using magic without his permission, feeling bad that you hadn't thought to ask before.
"He wasn't happy. Correction: he isn't happy. Neither was eyepatch, the man who's mind you read? Fury?" he frowned, trying to remember, as if that was the most pressing issue here.
"So, what did they say? How'd you get out of it?"
"...I didn't. They were talking about imprisoning me again and I..." he didn't finish his sentence, puffing his cheeks out and leaning back in his chair.
"Loki." you sighed, closing your eyes dejectedly.
"You'd rather me be locked up again?"
"Of course not, don't say that. Just... what did you do?" you replied, watching him in concern.
"I left."
"Except you didn't, because you're here."
"I came back."
You stared at him.
"Why?" you asked, feeling your heart rate pick up ever so slightly. Thank god you weren't hooked up to a heart monitor.
"It's safe here." was his simple response.
I wanted to make sure you were okay.
You heard it in your mind, clear as anything. Had you just accidentally read his mind? Surely he hadn't meant for you to hear it. You tired brain couldn't work it out, and Loki's face remained impassive.
"What will you do?" you asked.
"Well, I was hoping you might talk to Stark... I'm not one to beg for forgiveness but I would also appreciate staying here for a while longer. I don't think that's what he has in mind at the moment."
"Course I'll talk to him." you agreed, suddenly overcome by a wash of fatigue.
"You need to rest, you're still healing."
"M'fine." you argued, feeling your eyelids growing heavy very quickly.
He didn't reply, and you felt yourself edging dangerously close towards sleep.
"Loki." you mumbled.
"I'm here."
"Stay."
Whether he replied or not would remain a mystery, because you had already fallen asleep by the time you'd finished uttering the request.