Unbroken (Loki x Reader)

Chapter 21 - Goodbye, For Now

"Leaving?" Tony says. "What do you mean leaving? Squirt, the last time this asshole took you somewhere you never even planned to come back!" he rages, veins popping in his forehead.

"You wound me," says Loki sarcastically, rolling his eyes at Tony.

Tony's fists ball at his sides as his eyes widen and his lip curls. "Watch it, Lover Boy," Tony growls.

"And here I thought we had made it to a first-name basis," taunts Loki. You smack your forehead, internally groaning.

"Yeah I got a name for you," Tony seethes. "And it rhymes with-."

"Tony," says Pepper, placing a calming hand on Tony's back as he takes an aggressive step towards Loki. Tony lets out a gruff exhale, and crosses his arms, glaring at Loki, with whom you stand hand in hand.

"And you," Tony says, his narrowed gaze dropping down to where Loki's fingers are intertwined with yours, his thumb running protectively over the back of your knuckles. "You're not just making decisions for yourself anymore. So you'd best make damn sure you're making the right ones," Tony whispers.

"I know it's...hard to understand. And even harder to believe," you say. "But Loki is the right decision," you say, glancing up at Loki who doesn't return your gaze, and instead remains cold-faced and passive under the scrutiny of Tony's glare. With exception to the small, affectionate squeeze of your hand.

"And you're sure?" Steve asks gently from over Tony's shoulder. "This is all happening really fast, Y/n," he says. "Maybe you should take a few days and think about it."

"I'm sure," you say.

"Well I'm not," Natasha frowns. "I don't know what's going on here, but I've never seen Loki skittish. Ever. So something's happening and it's probably bad."

"Nat, I-."

"You left," Natasha says, her tone flat. Pointed. The way she speaks when she's concealing her emotions. "You left Asgard and came home because you two couldn't be together. So what's changed?"

"Nothing," Loki answers before you can. "And everything, Widow."

"Well you're not taking her back to Asgard," Tony says. "Let's get that perfectly clear."

"I have no intention of taking her away from this realm," Loki huffs impatiently.

Tony's lip curls into a dismissive snarl. "Then you're staying here, where I can keep an eye on you."

"We can't," you say. "It's not a good idea."

"Right, right," Tony hums sarcastically. "And to the scary red-head's point, that's because...?"

"Loki is in trouble, Tony," you say gently. "He needs to disappear for a while. And I'm going with him."

"Can we help?" asks Steve from beside Tony. "I mean, whoever's after you, we can protect you both here at the Tower, can't we?"

"Doubtful," says Loki.

Tony scoffs and rolls his eyes, holding up his hand as his Iron Man gloves zips from somewhere down the hall and flies onto his hand a second later.

"As...impressive as that might be to mortals," Loki sneers, using a single finger to push Tony's glowing, gloved hand away from his face. "There's a god after me, as loathe as I am to call him that."

"Oh dear," Pepper hums, her face falling as the other Avengers still look confused.

"The good lady is brighter than the rest of you, it seems," Loki sneers.