Calitoral Damage

Safe Haven

Loki's POV:

I couldn't help the pitiful whimper that escaped me as I heard these last words. Magic gone . . . paralyzed . . . no magic . . . stuck on Midgard . . .  Terror ran through me and I could feel myself shaking. 

I barely registered that Stark had shooed everyone but Thor and Banner from the room, and pulled Banner aside to whisper urgently with him, gesturing towards me and Thor, who was trying to comfort me by saying he would call the All- Father, convince him to let us use the healing stones, and that everything would be back to normal in a few days. 

Except the All- Father will never allow me to come home to Mother. He would rather face another war than let them heal me. I'm never going to walk again. 

I could feel myself panicking, my breathing picking up speed, and Stark must have noticed my distress because he calmly walked over, shooing the protesting Thunderer from the room, and sat down beside me, laying his legs beside my now- useless ones, and asking, "Hey, do you need anything Rock of Ages?"

I lay my head on his shoulder, twisting so that my face couldn't be seen, and let loose a sob into the billionaire's shoulder. He looped one arm around my shoulder, the other reaching down and rubbing soothing circles on my arm, the only thing he could really reach. He didn't say anything, didn't tell me things would be alright or that we would find a way to fix this despite the odds, he just held me. It was so different than the way Thor would comfort me that it was startling by contrast, but I found it did calm me. 

He just let me cry, rubbing my back, as I gripped his shirt and muttered," The All- Father will never allow me to use the healing stones. Without my magic, I can't protect myself. I have nothing. I am nothing." 

Stark shifted and I sat up, looking away. He gently tipped my chin up to meet his brown eyes. "You are NOT nothing. Anyone who thinks you are nothing is stupid. If nothing else, you are a genius badass with daddy issues, not much unlike myself." This last comment held a touch of humor, but I didn't smile. 

"And, well . . . you could always stay here. I've got the best god- damn secreity system on Earth, and with a bit of research we might be able to find something that assists you in walking . . ." Stark trailed off, not getting a reaction from me. 

"You would let me stay?" I asked in a small, almost silent voice that I could see him straining to hear. I was utterly shocked that a man I had called enemy not even an hour ago would offer me a safe haven within his own home, crippled or not, and not as a prisoner or hostage of war. 

Stark smiled, his face lighting up in a way I hadn't seen before, and I couldn't hold back a smile in return. "Well, yeah, if you want . . ." He said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. 

"Yes, please. Thank you Stark." I said. He frowned, and I was afraid that I had angered him already. Maybe it was a trick? Maybe he doesn't really want me here. 

"My name is Tony, my LAST name is Stark. Just call me Tony, okay?" I smiled. "Of course, Tony." I said, laughing. We sat like that for a few minutes. until Banner came over, smiling reassuringly at me. 

"Loki, we need to set your leg, and I'd like to check to condition of your concussion. The sooner we get it done, the better" He said, gesturing to my leg. I stiffened, and felt Stark intertwining his fingers in mine. When I frowned at him, he just said, "When we reset your leg, as I'm sure you are fully aware, it will hurt. A lot. I thought you might want to hold onto something other than the bed." 

Pain suddenly exploded in my leg and I realized too late that Stark was distratcing me. I bit down on my lip, drawing blood, and stifling a scream, squeezing Stark's hand as hard as possible.