Existence

Avoidance

The compound was surprisingly quiet as Loki made his way down the hall towards the kitchen. As he entered he saw Natasha and Steve talking quietly at the table. They both looked up at him as he made himself a cup of coffee. Natasha asked, "How is she handling the assignment?" Loki cringed, the way she yelled at him, the memories he had seen, all flashing through his mind. "She is angry." Was his only response. Steve sighed, "At some point her resolve has to break." Loki took a long sip of his coffee, he halfheartedly remarked, "It already has." Natasha and Steve both looked up at Loki with shock painted across their faces.

"What do you mean by that?" Natasha asked as she stood, Steve stood as well and they both walked towards Loki who sighed, "Her refusal to acknowledge any of us as teammates is proof her resolve is gone. She didn't have it when she arrived here. With how defiant she has shown herself to be, if she had any resolve left, she would have defied Fury. Regardless of a debt. She is defeated." Natasha and Steve looked at eachother before Natasha sighed, "Good point."

At that moment the door opened and Willow took two steps into the kitchen before she caught sight of Loki. As the three in the kitchen looked up, barely catching a glimpse of the look of horror on her face, she vanished. They all shared a glance, Steve asked, "What was that about?" Loki wasn't sure how to respond, he wasn't about to tell them about what he saw in the library. To his surprise and relief, Natasha answered, "She had an argument with Fury in the hall after briefing. Loki and I happened to interrupt when she said something about a 'last time' and not having it happen again. I don't think she meant for us to hear that."

Loki tactfully added, "She may be avoiding anyone now to avoid being asked what she meant. Fury refused to divulge that information when we inquired. Merely stated we did not need to know." Natasha nodded in agreement as Steve set his hands on his hips. He glanced up at Loki, "Have you both even gone over any of the plan for the assignment?" Loki shook his head. "No. And I doubt we will. It will most likely be a repeat of our first mission. I will be going in nearly blind." Natasha pat him on the shoulder, "At least you are good at improvising." With that both Steve and Natasha left. Leaving Loki standing alone in the kitchen.

He began his rounds of the compound in search of Willow. He knew she would be angry if he did find her, but his desire to get beyond her walls was always growing more intense. He was no longer sleeping much at all, his thoughts entirely consumed by Willow. He found her on the roof, she was standing beside the edge looking out into the field and woods that surrounded the compound. As he approached, her harsh grating tone met him, "Come to pry into my head some more?"

Loki stopped a few steps behind her, "No." Was all he answered. She didn't move or turn, but her tone shifted slightly, though he couldn't tell what was in it now, "Everything you need to know about the mission is in the file. From there it's all improvisation. So we have no need to discuss our task." Loki folded his hands behind him, his tone low and soft, "I came to offer my condolences."

It was obvious Willow was not expecting that. She turned on her heel and glared at Loki with an icy stare her tone as sharp as a dagger, "Condolences? For what? All those private memories you violated?" Loki kept a gentle gaze on Willow, "I am truly sorry. I hope you know that." Willow crossed her arms, "Sorry doesn't change that you saw things that no one was ever meant to see again. A past me that doesn't exist anymore." Loki braved a step forward, he knew there was a risk pushing her buttons, "I do not expect you shall ever forgive me for that. It is a pain I will endure. But I have told no one of what I saw."

Willow walked towards him, her expression growing angrier, "Am I supposed to be grateful to you now?" Loki shook his head, his gaze glued to hers, his voice gentle and soft, "No. I made a mistake. And the consequences of that mistake will haunt me for the rest of my life. I only wished to offer you my condolences for the heavy loss you endured. No one, especially someone as captivating as you should have to endure what you did." Willow blinked at him, but the change in her tone from angry to almost confused gave Loki a small glimmer of hope that her walls might go down. "What?"