✍🏻 Bonds of Fear (Loki)

23 - Flingship

Loki

"Brother, you know you're practically stalking her, right?" Thor announced himself next to me, just as Feer disappeared to get some food and I was about to follow after her. I turned to him with an eye-roll but suddenly strangely conscious about how much time I spent talking to her, watching her or even thinking about her. It probably wasn't the healthiest thing to do.

"Not my fault she's the only interesting thing on Midgard."

"Mhm," Thor nodded all-knowingly, staring at me as if he knew something I didn't. "Fury asked if we could stay up during the night and keep watch. So that all the humans can get enough sleep before the descent tomorrow."

"Asked? Not ordered?"

"Well, he asked me. Ordered it to you."

"Of course, he did," I muttered, and once more put my foot forward to go after Feer but quickly stopped as Thor's earlier words sounded in my head. I growled and changed direction, walking to the next section of the cave where we were supposed to head tomorrow. If we were to keep watch, it only made sense to check the surroundings. And to put some distance between me and her.

The next leg of the journey was to be even more treacherous with the slippery path. The further I got, the more the caves were divided into multiple tunnels, creating an intricate layout that one could easily get lost in. Yet the most concerning part was that some of them were covered in a thin layer of some slimy substance, marking that the creature had passed the place at this higher level and didn't reside as deep as everyone assumed.

By the time I returned, the camp was only dimly lit and there wasn't a single soul outside of their tents, everyone already hiding in their little cocoons and trying to sleep. I made my way to Thor who was standing at a long, empty wall, all the equipment and shelters situated opposite him. I sat down and rested my back against the wall and once he did the same, I waved my hand above us and the ceiling turned into a starry night to give us something to look at.

"That's not Midgard's," Thor noted, pointing at the constellations.

"It's Asgard's."

"Damn, I miss it," he sighed and slid lower, making himself comfortable as he kept looking up. I missed it too. More than he ever could. There I mattered, and people treated me with respect but here I was just a nuisance and somebody to avoid. It wasn't that much better at Asgard, everyone loved Thor more than me but at least I had their respect.

I inhaled to speak but before I could get a word out, Thor spoke first, his gaze still fixed on the starry night. "Let me guess, you have a question about her."

My mouth momentarily closed again but I quickly regained my composure, "Well, it's gonna be a long night. I might as well make the best of it and get some answers."

"Of course," he said chirpily, getting on my nerves. I shouldn't have made him believe I liked her more than just a pretty distraction. Willingly assisting Feer in a plan I was no closer to figuring out than I was weeks ago.

"I want to know more about her relationship with Fury."

Suddenly, Thor straightened up and looked at me with surprising interest and alertness in his eyes. "I was just thinking the same today!"

"What?"

"She's so much meaner to him than usual!"

"Is that so?"

"Yeah!" He eagerly nodded and it piqued my curiosity even more, given that even Thor's terrible observational skills noticed something. "When she joined us, she was hesitant around practically anyone. She did what he ordered, and had some joking remarks here and there but not causing any trouble. As time went by, she actually became very helpful. Those two were getting along quite well and not only did she follow each of his orders but also offered help and went up and beyond." I was listening to his retelling, his words barely matching her current behavior. "I don't know when or why it changed but she became more snarky and less willing to do things. It began gradually but he was getting increasingly weary of her and the more he did, the more she pushed his buttons. It escalated exactly a year ago, she killed some prisoners who were held in the Tower. I wasn't there at the time but from what I've heard, Fury wanted to kick her out but got into a fight with Metalman, and in the end, she was given one last chance. So I expected she would be treating him better because I know the last thing she wants is to return to being alone. But though she hasn't killed anyone since then, she's openly disrespectful toward him and it seems like she's doing her best to irk him. I can't figure out why. I don't know what happened."