What If... HYDRA Got Hold of Loki?

flare

Warnings: burns

Loki's had a nice night.

Pierce must have felt bad about leaving him in the snow for so long, because he wrapped him up in a blanket and gave him a nice, warm bowl of porridge before sending him back to the cage.

It's disappointing when the blanket lifts in the morning and the light shines into his cage. It means the night is over. His rest period has ended. It's time for another day.

On Pierce's urging, he crawls out of the cage, and he plops himself down on the floor, hugging his blanket tight. He's not even cold anymore; he just likes his new cocoon.

"How are you doing?" Pierce asks. He crouches down in front of him, pressing the back of his hand to Loki's forehead. "You feel warmer."

"May I keep the blanket?" Loki asks. He's almost hesitant to do it, but then, what's the worst that happens? Pierce says no? Then he's no worse than where he'd be without asking.

Pierce cracks a smile. "We'll see."

Loki smiles, too. That's promising. Maybe he won't lose his blanket. That would be nice.

"Alright, stand up," Pierce says, and Loki does just that. "Yesterday was remarkable. That kind of cold would have killed a human in a fraction of the time, and somehow, you're completely fine."

Loki feels a swell of pride at that. He passed the test. He did better than they thought – better than they'd even dared hope for, it seems. He hopes the same can be said for whatever test is in store for him today.

"Today, we're going to test your heat tolerance," Pierce tells him. "See if you can withstand the whole spectrum of dangerous weather."

Loki swallows hard.

That sounds... terrifying.

Pierce looks over his shoulder. "Rumlow!"

It takes a few seconds, but Rumlow enters the room, a duffel bag hung over his shoulder. Loki watches him warily as he approaches. If he didn't like this before, he really doesn't like this now. Everything is worse when Rumlow's involved. Everything.

Pierce takes his blanket and has him sit on top of the cage while he and Rumlow prepare. With their backs to him, he can't make out what they're doing, and he doesn't know whether that's a blessing or a curse. They're going to test his heat tolerance. He doesn't do heat. He's not a Heat Giant; he's a Frost Giant. There's a reason he could tolerate the cold, and it won't transfer over.

... Maybe he should tell them that.

Maybe he can save his own ass.

"Sir?" Loki says hesitantly.

"Give me a minute," Pierce says. "We just have to figure out..." He trails off, his attention focused elsewhere.

Loki clasps his hands in his lap. He doesn't want to give him a minute. He wants to tell him now, before they get too far into this to turn back. But Natasha told him to listen to them and Pierce told him to wait, so he's going to wait.

He twiddles his thumbs, eyes dancing around the room. He needs something to do that's not panic. But this place is so mundane. There's nothing happening. There's nothing to look at. There's nothing to keep his mind of off–

Squirrel.

There's a squirrel outside.

The poor little guy must be cold. Why is he outside in this weather? It was just snowing yesterday! There has to be at least a foot and a half of snow on the ground. How does the little guy stand that? Even Loki could hardly do it – and, sure, maybe he doesn't have fur to keep him warm, but how much does that help him in this kind of weather?