On the Run (An Avengers Fanfiction) ✔️Completed

Hunted

When I regained consciousness I became aware that Loki was still holding me; I was propped up against him, my heavy head resting on his shoulder.
"What, what happened? How long was I out?" I asked, slowly coming round.
"Not long," he answered seeming relieved that I was awake.
I blinked and shook my head to try and clear it. The fuzziness seemed to subside. As I got to my feet I noticed that the group had diminished in size and it had begun to snow. I frowned.
"Did some of them leave?" I asked worriedly.
"Half of them fled in to the forest," he replied also standing.
"I can't really blame them for not hanging around now they have their freedom, but what about the ones who are left?" I wondered aloud.
S.H.I.E.L.D. would hopefully provide them with the medical attention they needed and maybe even help to rehabilitate some of them.
"You saved many lives Astrid, you're a good person, even after you escaped you returned to aid yet more of these people to do the same," he stated, his voice displayed affection and pain. I turned to face him and saw that he looked conflicted. I could feel the same in his mind, he was thinking that he was not worthy of me. I didn't know how to take this. My own feelings were hard to accept...

"So are you, you came back for me... And you helped me save those children" I muttered after thinking for some time.
"My willingness to help you does not count" he retorted, rolling his eyes.
"It was still a good thing to do"
"Alas, I confess in truth it was born out of selfishness"
"Loki, the way we feel, the way everyone feels about certain people leads to selfish actions... That is the nature of being alive and falling for someone," I reassured him, placing placing my hand on his chest over his heart.

I couldn't easily deny my feelings anymore and I suspected he couldn't either, not without it eating him up inside.
"I don't deserve to so much as feel this way about you... You certainly shouldn't do any less than harbour feelings of hatred for me... not show me such kindness and forgiveness, Astrid." He sighed.
"But perhaps that is just my nature. Besides, if I hated you... Still... You would certainly know about it," I grinned.
"I don't doubt that for a minute," he chuckled.

He reached up to take the hand resting on his chest in his own moved it back to it's rightful place but didn't let go of my hand. We stood with arms both back at our sides, fingers intertwined. We continued to hold this position as S.H.I.E.L.D. arrived. Two quinjets touched down and I soon saw Agents Coulson and Hill descend the ramp of the nearest one.
"They will not let us be together. We both know that." He warned.
"I know," I replied feeling lost. We were at the edge of the tree-line so no agents had spotted us yet. I could see Amy and Norman explaining the current situation to Coulson. Hill was dispatching medical help to the group who had chosen to stay. I tightened my grip a little on his hand.

"Perhaps fate wishes for us to be apart," he mused.
"Perhaps, so strange that our first kiss should also be a goodbye kiss. Maybe the last..." I added.
He looked taken back but I didn't give him anymore time to process what I had just said before I pulled him close to me and kissed him. We both leaned in to it and after a moment I became aware that the palm of my hand felt strange. When I opened my eyes and withdrew I realised why; where our hands were joined there was the distinctive shimmer of his green magic and the crackling blue of my own which seemed to rain down sparks. I watched in awe, as did he at this strange spectacle before it began to fade away once more.
"What was that?" I questioned, retracting my hand as the last hints of blue disappeared.
"I have no idea," he answered, looking equally confused.

I was about to say something else when I heard a strange splintering sound followed by a sharp crack. Loki gasped and grabbed my hand, almost yanking my arm out of its socket as he pulled me deeper in to the forest. I heard the roar of two more quinjets as they flew overhead. I soon realised what the sound was. Someone was shooting at us. The wood of the trees splintered not far behind us as we raced deeper in to the forest. Loki leapt over a fallen tree and I followed, scrambling over it and ducking under another. They were fast. In fear of my life we continued to tear through the undergrowth. Brambles scratched our skin and gnarled tree roots almost tripped us several times. Soon we came to an embankment and a small rocky outcrop. I was going too fast to slow down enough to come to a stop. Panicking I dug my heels in the soil but ended up tumbling down the slope, rolling to a stop at the bottom as Loki slid down far more gracefully seconds after. He pulled me under the rocky overhang and we waited. I hurriedly rubbed the worst of the dirt and soil from my eyes and face. Loki pulled a sprig of bramble from my hair.