Marvel At What Could've Happened

Chapter 9

Loki swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up. He gripped the edge of the mattress, resting for a moment. His wound hurt terribly, but he was sick of being stuck in bed. It'd been about three days now since the fight.

"Just go slow, Loki," Bruce said. "Really, you should rest another couple of days."

"I'm sick of lying here with nothing to do. I need to get up, move around."

"Well, take it easy." Loki pushed off of the bed and slowly stood up. His knees shook, but he took a deep breath and stood straighter. Instinctively his hand moved to his side, as if he could cover up the pain.

"You okay?" Bruce asked. He made a slight move towards Loki but hesitated.

"Spectacular," Loki replied sarcastically. "I'll be fine." He took a couple steps forward.

"Where do you plan on going?" Bruce asked. "I'm not sure how much you're allowed to roam around the compound. Tony was planning to send you back down to the cell as soon as you were well enough to leave here."

"I don't plan on going far, Bruce. I want protection. Even if that means I'm still stuck here." Loki headed for the door and Bruce didn't try to stop him.

Loki didn't know exactly where in the building they were, but he limped down the empty hallway. It opened up into the main entrance, and then he recognized where he was. The kitchens were down the hall across from him, the opposite direction from the main doors.

He glanced in a few doors before he found the kitchen. It was a bright, sunny, modern room with a wall of windows looking out across the compound. He went straight to the fridge and pulled it open. He didn't really know what it was, exactly, but it looked like something that might have food in it.

Loki spotted a drawer full of fruit and opened it. He grabbed an apple. The rest of the fridge had mostly packaged things with names that he didn't understand. He ate the meals they brought him, but he didn't really know where it came from or understand what Midguardians ate.

"Loki?" He spun around and shut the door, apple in hand. Steve was standing across the kitchen island from him.

"What are you doing?"

"I didn't want to stay in bed any longer. I was hungry."

"And Bruce just let you out?"

"Essentially. I'm not exactly in peak condition or going anywhere quickly."

"So what, you can't just teleport out of here or kill us all or whatever?" Steve put his hands on his hips.

"First off, I can't teleport. Secondly, the weaker I am, the weaker my magic is. Captain, I tried to kill myself a year ago and this is the healthiest I've been since, and look at me right now; that's not saying much. Third, unfortunately you all are my best chance at being safe. In short, I'm not going anywhere." He took a bite out of his apple and limped toward the door.

"Loki, wait." He stopped and turned back to Steve.

"How can I trust you? Tony will be pissed if he finds out you're wandering around free."

"Captain, did you not hear me? I have half the galaxy after me. I'm better off here."

"Tony won't buy that. You saw how he reacted when I brought you up the other night."

"Stark needs to learn that he can't control everything," Loki replied, and turned and left the room. He ignored whatever Steve replied.

**********

Loki didn't like to think that he was searching out Stark, but he sure wasn't trying to avoid him. He wandered around, going down quiet hallways, peaking in doors, finding everything from bedrooms to broom closets. It felt good to move, and after a while he forgot how much his body hurt.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Sitting." Loki didn't look away from the window he was staring.

"Did Bruce let me out?"

"You ask that as if I'm some animal put on display in a cage."

"Wow, you just described it perfectly, actually. That's exactly what I meant." Loki raised his eyebrows and glanced at Tony.

"Stark, your ego is in the way of you seeing anyone clearly. You may be the center of your own universe, but not anyone else's. I will not let you treat me like a vicious dog, that must be chained and controlled."

"Loki, that's exactly what you are," Tony said harshly. "You're a criminal, and you're our prisoner. Pretty nice jail, if you can leave your cell at will. Kind of defeats the purpose."

"You're the only one who seems to have a problem with me. You see, Stark, I've spoken to both Banner and Rogers, and both have let me wander free. Are you so much better, or smarter, more discerning, that they are both wrong and you're right about me? Or are you just that closed to the possibility that maybe I don't want to murder all of you." Tony was quiet for a moment before he replied.

"I think we need to be careful and watch our step with you. Maybe they're right and I'm wrong about you. But, maybe I am right. Loki, men don't just change their ways and claim within a few weeks of committing mass murder that they're not evil anymore."

"I never said I was a hero. I said I'm on your side."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" Tony asked. Loki laughed softly.

How about you take a risk and trust me, Stark, and learn that not everyone is willing to be under your control. I won't be the last."

"You're not even the first. You should meet my girlfriend. You two would get along great," Tony said sarcastically.

"Well then, you know how this goes. All I'm asking for is a little faith and a little freedom."

Neither of which you have earned," Tony replied wryly. "I'll believe you when we finally get rid of you and you've managed to not stab anyone yet."