Fix You (Loki Romance)

Chapter 41

Loki's POV

He was trapped in his Jotun form. Try as he might, he couldn't recreate the illusion. He could do nothing more than exist. His appetite had left him, sleep eluded him without Thanos' maddening wine. He could breathe. And he could scream.

And with any luck, soon he could die.

Loki kept his head between his knees and his eyes squeezed shut as violent shivers raced through him. He gasped and squeezed his eyes tighter, trying to block the pain pounding in his head. Poison, again. But this poison did something to his self control. As if the hallucinogen was no longer enough, Loki could not keep Thanos out. The lines between right and wrong were blurred, the lines between what he wanted and what Thanos commanded melted together. And the more he fought, the more it burned through his mind.

Thanos lounged on his throne, watching with mild interest. He sighed finally and Loki heard him move. His boots clicked as he came down the steps and Loki opened his eyes to await more pain. Thanos bent down to his level, looking impatient.

"This is taking longer than I expected. Shall we return you to the chamber?"

There was a new room in Thanos' realm. A heat chamber that intensified gradually, draining Loki of his energy, his strength, his will. It had forced him to drop the illusion. He couldn't go back.

"I think it would do you some good." Thanos hummed.

Loki shook his head, slamming his palms to the ground and keeping his head low. Thanos paused, realizing with pleasure that this was finally what he had sought for so long.

"Are you sure?" He grinned slowly.

Parched and on the very edge of consciousness, it seemed too much to speak. Loki let his silence answer.

"Anything I want? Complete," Thanos leaned in closer, "utter..." He tipped Loki's chin up, grinning at the pitiful sight of a broken man, "submission?"

Loki's eyes fell closed, unwilling or unable to face his defeat. He would play the humble servant, anything to ensure his survival. The days had gone by and the cell would open any moment now. In one hand he held exactly what Thanos wanted. In the other, he desperately gripped his last chance at peace - if only the cell would hurry up.

The cell was meant to hold the Titan. That had been the plan all along. But Loki could no longer risk the chance of his escape. When the battle was done, the devil would die. And Loki would have his head.

Thanos gripped his arm tightly. There was a quick sting and Loki weakly lifted his head to see a needle protruding from his bicep. He raised his hand to yank it out but the world spun around him at the movement. His hand returned to the floor, barely holding him up. He grunted and in trying to speak, found he could only manage an unintelligible groan.

"Shh..." Thanos plucked the needle out. "It's time we begin your training. You have a very important task coming up."

Sparks of black invaded his vision. They grew steadily, blinking in and out of existence as they overtook his sight.

"A dead world is coming," Thanos murmured as Loki collapsed. His voice shook. "And demons will ride in its wake. I have to stop them, Loki. We have to stop them."