Loki's New Endgame

Chapter 3

While Tony gets to work on the Infinity Gauntlet 2.0, Bruce and Rocket both looking over his shoulder the whole time, the rest of the unbidding team just sits around, impatiently waiting for him to finish it. For the most part, it's quiet, save Tony's exasperated mumbling and the occasion question from Bruce. That just makes it more stressful for everyone involved.

Loki leans against the wall, keeping his distance from the Avengers no matter how many times Thor asks him to sit with him. Eventually, the elder god had to give up, but he still spares the occasional glance. He still can't believe he finally has his brother back... and he just happens to be from the time they were least like brothers.

Eventually, Loki speaks, looking at Nebula when he says, "With how you let your father treat you, I'm surprised anything could finally show you that he's a monster."

Nebula raises her gaze to look at him, but she doesn't respond.

Rocket looks at Loki in surprise. "You know her?"

"I spent months in the Sanctuary," Loki says. "Our paths crossed a few times."

"My father would always remind me it could be worse," she says. "He could do to me what he did to you."

Thor grimaces at that remark. What did Thanos do to him? And how did he never know? Six years passed after they had arrested Loki for his crimes before he was killed. He never once said he had been hurt. He never mentioned Thanos or his coercion. How different would it have been if he had?

"Funny," Loki says, though he clearly means the opposite, "he would say the same to me about you."

Nebula lowers her gaze to the floor, where it's been firmly planted since the work on the Infinity Gauntlet 2.0 began.

"You know," Tony says, his attention still on his work, "you could have saved us a hell of a headache if you'd told us about Thanos eleven years ago."

"He made sure I would not do that," Loki says darkly.

Steve glances over at him. "So you never wanted to take over the world, then."

"I had no issue with that," Loki says. "I was born to be king. It is my birthright. I am the rightful king of Asgard and the rightful king of Jotunheim, but I would settle for Midgard if those two realms' thrones were unavailable to me.

"But I did not want to give him the Infinity Stones when I was finished. He never told me what he wanted of them, but he did say his newfound power would span the universe. I had never imagined he would destroy half of all life, but I knew his plans were dark and I wanted no part in them."

"So he tortured you," Thor says quietly.

"You've seen his mild-mannered bloodlust," Loki says. "It should come as no surprise to you the lengths he was willing to go to."

"You should have told us," Steve says. "We could have stopped him back then. Together."

"If it was that easy, we would not be in this situation," Loki says. "He was always going to win. That was never a question. With or without my help, he was going to win."

Scott raises his hand. "Wait, I'm confused. Is Loki still a bad guy?"

There's an unsettling hesitation among them while they try to find an answer.

Finally, Steve says, "He's an ally. Right now, we need as many of those as we can get."

Loki gives a solemn nod.

"Alright, everybody shut up," Tony says. "I need to focus. This is it."

The room goes silent, all eyes on Tony as he slowly moves the Infinity Stones into the gauntlet. Thor clasps his hands in his lap, his heart pounding in his chest. This is it. This is all they have left to do. Then they can bring everybody back. They can have some semblance of normalcy again.