Flightless (LokixReader)

Chapter Fourteen

(Your Pov)

"ARUGH!" You try your best to stifle the guttural noise that barreled from deep within your chest, slamming your pillow into the sheets. Why? Why did you have to be trapped in a tower with Asgardians? With the ones who slaughtered your family and the rest of your kind? Let alone learning from one of them to control your magic: something you really needed to accomplish if there was any hope of staying hidden here.

But if Loki was your teacher? An Asgardian prince?

You planted your head into the bed covers, as you tried to control your thoughts. This truly couldn't get any worse. The mission? He never said it was a dragon. Yet you assumed just as much. What else could qualify as a beast that escaped Asgard?

The skin surrounding your scales felt as though it burned with every ounce of fury that wanted to be free. You couldn't help but run your hand over the illusion, regret from your magical heist consuming you. If only you had just covered it with a jacket maybe this wouldn't have happened. Figured out some other way instead.

However, you needed to learn. Performing the spell to cover up your returning identity had been much more difficult than you thought, and you had barely managed to harness your magic through it. Loki's lessons could help with that. You knew you needed them.

But learning from an Asgardian?

If half of what Loki said was true, you would be putting yourself in danger. It wasn't worth the risk. What if he found out? What if Thor did, or the team? Would they lock you up? Drag you back to Asgard? Write you off as a monster to be dealt with? You couldn't allow that.

But you would turn back anyway without knowing how to control your magic. That show would be so much worse.

You took a deep breath. As of this moment, Loki didn't know. You could figure out how to keep it that way. It couldn't possibly be that hard, could it? To come up with some believable lie for the princes and the Avengers?

You mulled over your options through the night, and by the following day you stitched together a plan. While Loki said that he wanted you to join him on their quest, you knew that he didn't have the authority. Thor might, but ultimately Tony or Steve truly needed to give you the go-ahead. Or Natasha... The Widow tended to hold an influence over the others.

"Captain Rogers?" You peek into the kitchen, choosing the most likely to understand your situation. Not about the dragon-vs-magic circumstances, but your 'want to do good' motives.

He peeked around the corner, a strange expression on his features. Normally, you wouldn't go to the team for anything, but this time you needed the approval. "Yes?" You jumped onto one of the kitchen stools, "What's up?"

"I had a question." You started, folding your hands in front of you. "Is there any way that I could join the missions?"

Steve froze mid-sip of his coffee, yet not quite as surprised as you thought he might be. More... suspicious. "What?"

"I'd like to join a mission." When his face doesn't change, you push on. "I am going to bore myself to death in this tower. I promise I'll listen to whoever is in charge; I just figured this would be a constructive way for me to help and maybe gain some trust from the team."

Rogers stared as if he were using the powers of patriotism to judge your intentions. "It's funny you mention that, Thor just asked if there was anyone available to help on their 'quest'."

You smiled, slightly amused that Loki would have the same idea to set this up. "Perfect! It's meant to be, then." You hopped off, ready to prepare for phase two of your plan.

"Y/N, wait." Steve called, setting down his mug momentarily. "If you're after trust, you need to remember that it goes both ways. Giving a little bit about yourself goes much farther than just helping out."

You flash a grin, masking the thought of what horribly short distance any honesty from you would go. "I'll keep that in mind."

*

After prepping and getting all your ducks in a row, you joined the princes on their journey out of the tower. You knew they often left for most of the day, and planned accordingly. Packing for any and every eventuality that could possibly come up. But not solely the quest, no. You didn't plan to stay long enough for it to be a concern.

You wanted to escape.

By the time you were ready, the brothers had convened in the war room, and were awaiting your entrance. Exchanging brief pleasantries before getting on their way.

Loki wasn't kidding when he said it took a lot of magic. The method of transportation? Teleportation. The method of searching? Tracking spells and various similar magical conjurings. Let alone appealing to Thor's every whim and random idea: which nearly amounted to more than the search itself. It wasn't long until the prince called for your help.

Loki glanced your way, in one of the moments that Thor occupied himself with what visible clues might remain after some 2000 years. The thunderer, as you learned of his godhead, had been keeping his eye on the two of you to the best of his ability. Leaving you little time to try and escape in any which way.

What scarce hope that remained was then swept away when Loki grabbed your hand, igniting your magic with his own to bring forth a connection. But this time he was quite careful, never letting your consciousness mingle with his own. You could feel as your magic drizzled away from your body—not nearly enough to affect you—but plenty for Loki to maintain his own reserves. The prince felt energized, and you didn't notice a difference.

Except for one small detail.

When Loki's hand left your own, it was as if it was still there.

His magic tried to disconnect from yours, but yours followed him right back.

Loki mirrored your confused expression, "Y/N, let go." You could feel your magic stick to his; the farther he receded to be rid of the connection, the farther your magic traveled. With no outlet for so long, the pent up energy wanted to burst out all at once. "You are going to hurt yourself, let go!"

"I can't!" You whisper, trying to calm yourself, or to reel in your magic... To do anything.

But you didn't know how.

What was enough and safe to give, kept giving. Your reserves drained faster and faster, even when Loki's were well filled. "Breathe, Y/N. Just shut it off or... take it back." He tried to explain, his voice growing desperate. When you couldn't, and your body started growing weak, he took extreme measures. "I'm sorry for this."

"For what?" You shot him the strangest glower, starting to hear the footsteps of a certain brother. But Loki had already moved, placing a cool hand on your forehead in his last effort to keep you conscious. You couldn't imagine what might happen if you ran out of magic, or if Loki's reserves were filled past his possible maximum. Either way, it couldn't be anything good.

But this alternative? His magic pushing and prodding until yours was buried deep within you?

"What did you do?" You snap, as Loki let go. You never thought that the warmth within your chest or the strength when you spoke would have any connection to what laid within you, but now when you fished for those feelings... It was gone.

He blocked your magic.

"Loki!" You whispered, as Thor's shadow hovered just within sight.

"Y/N, please." He almost looked regretful. You wanted to argue that there were better solutions than this, and yet... "Let me explain it later, Darling."

You didn't know why he kept calling you that. But with Thor closing in, and with little energy to fight anymore, you manage a small nod. It's all you could do instead of telling him off. You could only hope the trickster would keep his word.

"So!" Thor's voice echoed, "Have you two had any luck?"