Obsession (Loki Fanfiction)

Chapter Four:

A week later, a parcel arrives. It is smaller than I imagined it to be, secured heavily in brown tape with the SHIELD emblem stamped on the side. I begin to open the parcel when there is a knock on the door.
"You required assistance?"
Chris leans against the door frame, wearing a faded t-shirt and jeans. In his hand he holds a bottle of wine and is grinning like a fool.
"I thought we might need this," he winks. The tease.
I laugh and open the door wider.
"Come in then," I smile. "Shall I order a Chinese?"
"Please," Chris says, setting the bottle on the table.
After placing our order, we turn our attention back to the parcel. Having removed it from brown tape, I lift a smaller grey box out and place it to the side. The lid of the box is a flap and I ease it open with my thumbnail. A luminous blue light pulses from within the box. With shaking hands I gently take the weapon out. The tesseract piece pulsates in its centre, no bigger than a two pound coin. The weapon I had constructed was in the shape of a gun, although it was threaded with blue lines which glowed like the tesseract. This was no ordinary gun.
"It's beautiful," Chris breathes.
"With a deadly occupation," I warn him.
I turn the gun over, resting it against my palm.
"Can I have a closer look at the Tesseract?" Chris asks.
I nod, sliding my hand over the gun to remove the piece. As my skin connects with the tesseract I feel a sharp and sudden pain lancing through my fingers.

What have I to fear?

You crave subjugation...

...burdened with glorious purpose...

This is my bargain you mewling quim!

...in the end, you will always kneel...

"Shit!" I gasp, dropping the piece. It clatters loudly onto the table as I throw a hand against my mouth in pain.
"Isobel? What's wrong?" Chris demands.
"Did you hear that?" I whisper, jerking a quivering finger towards the Tesseract.
"Hear what?" Chris gently takes my hand. "Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine," I reassure him, squeezing his hand. "Did you hear what it said? Those voices -"
"Isobel, there weren't any voices," he says softly, his disconcerting blue eyes coming to settle against me.
"There was! There were voices speaking at once, voices that had belonged to the same person." My eyes widen and the breath hitches inside my throat. I recognised the voices. Undeniable and true. My eyes flicker towards the Tesseract piece. I extend an arm across the table before closing my fingers over the piece. Chris grabs my wrist and shakes it free from my hand.
"No Isobel," he tells me sharply. "Let me take it."
I step back, scowling as Chris leans over and picks it up from the table. He lays it against his palm without the same reaction I had.
"I hear nothing." Chris places it against his ear. "Are you sure you weren't imagining it?"
"Of course I wasn't," I snap. "Give it to me."
Chris almost reluctantly passes it back.

I remember a shadow, living in the shade of your greatness...

...you will know peace.

A man out of time...

Please tell me you're not going to appeal to my humanity...

I can't hold it any longer. I drop the piece onto the table where it rolls before stopping beside the gun. I notice my hand is shaking.
That voice...
There is a knock on the door.
"That will be the takeaway." Taking my hand, Chris submissively places an empty wine glass between my fingers. "Forget about it tonight. Let's just throw on a film and talk like we used to? We haven't done it in a while."
The Tesseract winks its wicked blue eye at me. I shudder before turning my back against it.
"Sure," I smile as I turn to open the door.

***

Empty silver containers are stacked one on top of the other on the table. A half drunken bottle of wine has been placed beside our feet. Sherlock Holmes plays on the screen. I lay curled up beside Chris, my head resting against his chest. His long pale arm drapes around me.
"Comfortable?" he murmurs into my hair.
I lack a response, overwhelmed with exhaustion. The conversation slowly trickles into silent thoughts as we watch the excitable Robert Downey Jr. darting through an explosive Victorian London. This had been the one thing I missed. It felt good to be able to do normal things for a change rather than focusing on work or therapy sessions. Not having to think about the important things, except wonder how Robert managed to look so good whilst being attacked by three other men. My eyelids become heavy with sleep. Before I realise what is happening I begin to dream.

He sits inside a prison made of glass, his long and slender fingers laced together in thought. His head is bowed, but his eyes stare unblinking at the marble coloured floor. Dark dishevelled strands of hair fall into his eyes but he makes no attempt to push them away. His face is set hard in concentration when he hears the doors to the prison chamber opening. He looks up, green eyes narrowing. A figure draped in black cloth moves with ageless grace towards his cell. It takes him only a moment to realise who it is.
"Thor," he greets the figure with bitter distaste. "I wondered when you would come."
Thor returns him only with a glare.
"Brother -"
"When will you ever learn?" the other one growls. "I am not your brother."
"Loki," he addresses him after a moment's hesitation. "I have come only to reason with you."
Loki's laughter resonates around the chamber.
"You have no other motive?" Loki splutters after ceasing his laughter. "No other options left? Did you truly believe that this would work? You clearly do not know me at all."
Thor had taken a step closer towards his cell.
"Loki," he speaks through gritted teeth. "I have confided with the Allfarther. He says he will release you upon the decision that you apologise for the devastation you caused in Midgard and no longer have any contact whatsoever with the realm. He says he will forgive you for what you did."
Loki had risen to his feet and had begun walking towards him. Thor watched as he stopped before him and stared at him with darkening eyes.
"I seek no forgiveness from that old fool. I do not care of it. I was glad for what happened upon Midgard on that glorious day and I will not apologise for it."
"Then you will not be freed," Thor says bitterly. "You shall remain rotting away within this cell and never see the light of a day again. Is this what you want?"
Loki turns away from Thor.
"Oh, I shall be free," Loki says, his hands clenching into fists. "You just not know of it yet."
Suddenly the wooden table stacked with books crashes to the floor, the chair toppling with it. Cups and empty bowls rattle and shake and a glass goblet filled with wine shatters into thousands of glittering fragments stained red. Loki whirls round, his hands pulsating with writhing black threads.
"You have no idea what is about to come," he says.

"Isobel!"
A scream is torn from my throat as the dream shatters around me. Strong arms drag me from the darkness. I am frightened and blind.
"Chris!" I scream, the panic rising in my throat. I feel Chris closing around me, his arms wrapping me inside his embrace.
"Hush Izzy," he soothes inside my ear. "You were dreaming. It's okay, I'm here."
My eyes flutter open.
"Oh Chris!" I sob, burrowing my face into his chest. I breathe in his warm and familiar smell. I feel his protection and comfort. As my rapid heart rate begins to slow I grip onto the folds of his t-shirt with my fingers.
"It's over," he murmurs as his hands stroke my hair. "It was only a dream."
I realise my face is stained with tears as I remove it from Chris's chest.
"I was so scared," I whisper.
"I know Izzy," he comforts. "I know."
His hand touches my cheek and I hold my breath as he slides his finger affectionately over my jaw.
"Chris..."
Chris looks up at me. His eyes are filled with concern and another, different emotion. Slowly, I raise my hand before covering his with my own. I watch as Chris passes his gaze over our entwined hands. I lean towards him, close enough for our foreheads to be touching. I have no idea what I am doing.
"Isobel."
His voice is intense. Neither one us speak as I lower myself over him, my other hand cupping his face as I press his lips to mine.

NO!

The scream pierces my mind like a needle going through my brain. The pain causes me to pull away from the kiss.
"Isobel?" Chris's voice is at my ear as I place my hand against my skull.

You are mine!

The three words stab me repeatedly inside my head.

You are mine! You are mine! You are mine!

"Stop!" I scream to the voice. "Stop please!"
The pain swells and attacks my mind like a thousand knives are being embedded beneath my skull. I clutch my head as the voice spits its poisonous venom at me.

You cannot love him. You shall not love him. Do not love him.

I groan as the pain overwhelms me, robbing me of hearing or sight. It becomes too much. I am falling, swallowed in darkness. I know of nothing, care for nothing, feel nothing except for two things. Darkness and pain.