Mischief's Sparrow

Chapter 5

Things were definitely not going how he had hoped they would. For a second he thought that she might be willing to listen, but Stark’s impatience had ruined what little progress he might have made. And that’s not to even get started on the shocking revelation of Nyx’s history with Barnes. Loki knew that the man had a hard past; having come to Midgard just before Rogers and Romanoff brought him to New York. He had seen first hand how broken he had been. How broken he still was. He still did of course, but the urge to protect Nyx had him wanting to deal with Barnes himself for the pain in her voice at what he had done to her and her sister.

The files SHIELD had on the Crimson Sparrows were extremely limited because it seemed that their leader, this Orion, as well as previous leaders kept them as separate as they could from Hydra. Perhaps they knew one day the other would fall and didn’t want their secrets to fall into the enemies hands. What he had been able to read had been nothing more than a list of codenames. Choosing a codename tells you their powers, skills and then gives you a list of every target taken out by that person along with every other assignment tasked to them. There was even less on Nyx and her sister Mirage or Mira as she apparently called her. He’d hoped that if given enough time she would come willingly with him so that one day soon she might confide in him.

But here he stood while she sat ready to bolt at the first opportunity. She’d given him two minutes, but even Loki didn’t know if his silver tongue as Fandral called it would help him convince her to stay. Taking a calming breath he paced closer when Nyx did nothing but stare up at him expectantly. “I know this has come at you all at once, but I really do think this is your best option. If you stay here in the city we can protect you. If you run you’ll be constantly looking over your shoulder, never able to have any peace.”

Cutting him off Nyx points at the open doorway in the direction of Barnes and the others. “And you think I’ll be safe living with him? I don’t care what they say. He’s a monster without a master who can turn at any minute with a few simple words.” He chose to save the question of what she meant for another time. His mission at the moment was to get her to say yes.

“First, I would like to remind you I am on your side. Even so I have lived with Sergeant Barnes since he and Evie came back to New York. He is a kind man who has done all that he can to stop those of Hydra still out there. In all of the time I’ve spent talking to him all I feel from him is regret, shame and pain. Darling, he truly didn’t mean to do anything to you or anyone else. Second, if I didn’t think that he was safe I would never have suggested you come back with us to the Tower.” He moves to sit next to her. “Like you he was forced to do things he would otherwise never have done given the option to say no.” Shaking her head Nyx refuses to listen anymore about Barnes. Wisely keeping his mouth shut on the subject he tries a different route. “What if we chose a different location for you to stay? Between SHIELD and Stark they have more than enough resources to house us elsewhere.”

“Us?” She lifts a fine black brow with half a grin of incredulousness on her lips.

“You and I.” He smiles a little at the expression of curiosity and want in her eyes. “I swore that I would help you and I meant it. I will do all in my power to keep you safe. Nyx, please.” With this woman he wasn't above begging for her to stay. In fact, if he needed to, he would get down on his knees and beg for her not to go. The struggle inside her mind on what to do was one he didn’t try to listen to. He could feel how conflicted she was and as much as he wanted her to stay this choice was hers to make. No one would force her to come with them, he didn’t care what Fury said. He would not allow anyone to take her against her will.

Releasing her lower lip from between her teeth Nyx glanced up at him, her pale green eyes so full of uncertainty. “I really want to stop running. I do. It’s just hard to trust the people who have been my enemies.” He understood that completely and would have said so but she continued to speak and he didn’t want to interrupt her. “If it was just you, then sure. As much as I hate that you lied to me, I still trust you.” Nyx huffs out a disbelieving laugh as if she was shocked at the idea. “I don’t trust many. None really. Just my sister when it comes down to it. So trusting you is a big deal. Even bigger since I’ve known you less than a week.”