What If... HYDRA Got Hold of Loki?

i'll call out your name but you won't call back

Warnings: drugs, hallucinations

He wakes up in...

He wakes up.

He's waking up.

Did he fall asleep? He doesn't remember falling asleep. He must have, though, if he's now waking up.

Where is he? He can't tell. Everything's so blurry. All he can see is dull grayness. Everywhere, it's just... gray. Why is it gray?

He tries to sit up, but he can hardly move his arms. He turns his head to look, squinting his eyes until the world starts to come into focus. It's... ribbons.

No, it's not ribbons.

It's...

Restraints.

Of some sort.

He squints his eyes further, and, when that doesn't make the world any less clear, he squints his eyes less. He can't make out what he's seeing. He can't make out what's happening.

He tugs on the restraint, and though the fabric digs into his wrist, it doesn't budge. He looks to his other arm, tied down much the same way the first was. He tries to tug on this one. It hurts a bit more — is his hand bruised? He can't see clearly enough to figure it out — but he can't get free.

"Hello?" He can feel his voice shaking, and chastises himself for it. A king doesn't show fear. Odin has never shown fear. He should take after him. He shouldn't show fear. He shouldn't feel fear. Thor would—

Thor.

He can feel his heart stop in his chest.

Where's Thor?

He lifts his head, gaze flickering around the room. "Thor?" he calls out. Where is he? He has to be nearby. He's always nearby. He's always around when Loki needs him.

The room is eerily silent. There's no movement; no sound. If Thor's here, he's not showing it.

"Thor!" Loki yells. "Thor, where are you?" He tugs against his restraints. He needs to get these off. He needs to get up. "Thor?"

He pulls on the restraints once, twice, three times.

One of them snaps.

He uses both hands to pull the other side free. He sits up, propping himself up with his hands behind him. Are they on a mattress? Is he on a mattress? Where is he? Why is the room spinning? Why does his head feel like it's floating?

There's a flash of movement in the corner of his eye, and he snaps his head to look. "Who's there?"

Silence.

"I know you're here," Loki says, his voice shaking. "Who is it?"

"It's just me, brother."

Loki feels himself melt in relief. It's Thor. He can see him as clearly as day; perfect in focus even as the rest of the world blurs around him. Thor's here. Thor is here and he's going to tell him what's happening and he's going to help him get out of here and they're going to go home and everything is going to be okay because Thor is here.

"You scare so easily," Thor says teasingly.

Loki scowls. "You're an awful brother."

"But I'm your favorite brother," Thor reminds him with a grin, walking up to Loki's... bed?... with far too much confidence and cockiness.

Loki rolls his eyes goodnaturedly. "Where are we?" he asks. "What is this place?"

"It's a prison," Thor tells him. "They locked you in here."