Working Title : Loki & Annie

48 More Lies and a Truth

The morning came quickly for Thor despite the fact that he never went to sleep. Instead, he sat in his room in the Tower and stared at Mjolnir which waited where he had left her. He hadn't expected her to be gone, obviously. Yet now he remained watching as if he expected her to vanish before his eyes. He didn't touch her, he knew the magic inside of him connecting with Mjolnir's would create a beacon that Heimdall couldn't miss. So he just sat and stared.

His thoughts ranged from resentment at Strange for his threat towards Loki to a feeling of hopelessness because of the destruction of all his plans. If Strange refused to be convinced to change his mind, and it appeared that rethinking his decision wasn't going to happen, then Thor would be forced to find someone else. Someone with the power to undo a binding created by the AllFather. Thor knew few who could, and fewer who would. And those few were no friends of his and even fewer friends of Loki's. They would rejoice at the chance to have him powerless and in their hands. Most of the time Thor spent thinking he had also been rubbing at his temples. He didn't often have an aching head but this was one of those times.

Strange had been the least dangerous of all the options yet he had made his position clear, he was a threat to Loki, more than his brother would ever be to Midgard. Letting the mage anywhere near Loki was now a proposition he would never allow. Not willingly unless Thor was prepared to do battle with the man. Of course, he would if need be but he wouldn't search for a fight. Thor almost regretted going to Strange, Loki was in more danger now than before the visit.

By the time he noticed the change in the lighting signaling the rising sun he was rubbing at a pounding head. Again he felt irrational resentment at Loki for putting him in a position where he was the responsible one. He was much better at getting them into difficulties while leaving Loki to extricate them. Thinking of this brought remorse to him, Loki had not been the one to create this difficulty. Scrubbing at his face he stood and stretched his arms to the ceiling, revealing skin.  He shook himself to clear away any lingering lethargy then grabbed clean clothes before heading to take a shower. He needed to wake up and refresh himself.

Less than thirty minutes later he was leaving his rooms behind, dressed in clean jeans with a red t-shirt under a dark blue hoodie. His boots completed a look of a casual beach bum ready to literally kick ass. However, right now he was more interested in making his way to the common room to find something to break his fast with. He might not need sleep but he could always eat.

When he had returned to the Tower with Tony they had been able to avoid both Romanoff and Barton simply because the two had been called out. Now it appeared that they had not been needed for long because the agents were standing in the kitchen. As one, they both turned towards him as he moved to join them.

Despite the danger they represented to Loki, Thor didn't struggle to smile at them as he grabbed an apple from a bowl while heading to the cabinet to search for something to eat. He had no intention of giving them the slightest reason to suspect he was hiding anything. And he sincerely liked them, they were worthy shieldmates. He just wished they didn't desire to kill his brother.

"Good morning Lady Natasha, Agent Barton." He took a large bite out of the apple that suddenly seemed small in his hand.

"Hey there, big guy." Nat smiled back at him while Barton scowled.

"Where have you been?" Barton sounded petulant, "We could have used you in Hong Kong."

Thor turned to toss a look over his shoulder, "You would have me in a city full of electrical objects?" He shook his head and went back to moving boxes of cereal around. He wanted the one that was usually kept pushed all the way to the back. He took another bite of the apple.

Barton agreed reluctantly, "Yeah, I guess that would be a bad idea. But we still could have used you."

Nat huffed, "We can always use him, doesn't mean we always should." She pulled a gallon of milk from the fridge. "But where have you been? Still searching for Loki?"