Kept Behind Enemy Lines

C H A P T E R F O U R T E E N

(NOTE: Listening to the song is optional. I was listening to this as I was writing. I think it adds to this chapter, but that's just my opinion.)

It seemed to Percy that everyone was content to let the unconscious god be. After reluctantly helping Percy lie Loki on what had previously been his bed, everybody cleared out with the exception of Freydis, who wordlessly took up her post outside the door.

It was hours before the Norse god woke up.

"You must have really exhausted yourself healing me." Percy remarked as the tall male reclaimed his bearings.

"Mhmm." He hummed. Although awake, Loki still felt rather drained.

"Why do I get the vibe that the Avengers really hate you?"

"Oh, perhaps because they do?" Loki raised a tired eyebrow.

"You don't seem like that bad of a guy." Percy frowned. Loki chuckled darkly.

"Oh you have no idea."

"Really now? Then what did you do that was so bad?"

"I've killed."

"As have I. The Avengers too."

"I've tortured people." The were lame excuses to keep from what he really did. Loki wanted to avoid speaking of it. This one heroic mortal had no clue. This one might actually trust him. Though Loki didn't know why he truely held back. Once he was recovered enough, he would be back in his prison cell before he could blink.

"What a coincidence. Me too."

This boy just didn't give up did he?

"You must've done something else."

"I am a god. Use your imagination." Percy still flinched at the use of the word 'god'.

"Fine then. I'll just go ask Stark what you did that was oh so terrible." Percy taunted, turning to leave.

Oh no no no. Definitely not!

"That insignificant midgardian would make the tale worse than anything I could ever create!" Loki snorted indignantly.

"Your choice."

"Fine." Percy smiled triumphantly, sitting on the edge of the bed, beside the now upright god. "It was about five years ago."

Why is that familiar? Percy wondered.

"I controlled Agent Barton, put a hole in Agent Coulson and stole the Space Gem. Among other things." Loki could remember every detail as if it were yesterday. He could recall names and faces as if he'd known them forever.

"I also launched an alien attack on this city New York." Loki watched the boy cautiously. He'd gone stiff at his words, the muscles in Percy's back so obviously tense. His hands rolled into fists, the whites on his knuckles appearing.

"You launched that attack." Percy said lowly. Loki waited for the raven to launch at him, fists flying.

Percy never did. He simply stood up and left. That, was possibly even worse.

Percy slammed the door to his room shut. He'd found it with the help of Jarvis. He could hardly breathe. He stumbled over to the bed. Memories crashed over him. All those days on the beach. The jokes they'd shared. His mother who was always there to welcome him home after school, or when he'd come back from Camp Half-Blood.

Gone gone gone. Forever.

Because of him. That god.

Silent sobs racked his body, hands gripping his shirt as his head lay in the duvet at the end of the bed. His knees had long since buckled under his weight. Tears streamed down his cheeks.