Timeless (Captain America x Reader)

Chapter Eleven

Y/N headed down to the infirmary while Steve headed out to find Tony. After a few minutes, he eventually found him in the now empty detention center, looking down where Loki's cell used to stand.

"Was he married?" Steve asked, approaching Tony.

"No," Tony answered. "There was a uh...cellist. I think."

Steve leaned against the railing, "I'm sorry, he seemed like a good man."

"He was an idiot," Tony quickly replied.

Steve furrowed his brows, "Why, for believing?" Steve wondered.

Tony shook his head, "For taking on Loki alone."

"He was doing his job," Steve argued.

"He was out of his league. He should have waited, he should have..."

Steve sighed, "Sometimes there isn't a way out, Tony," Steve explained.

Tony began walking away, "Right. How did that work for him?"

"Is this the first time you've lost a soldier?" Steve asked.

Tony turned around sharply, "We are not soldiers!" he snapped. "I am not marching to Fury's fife."

"Neither am I," Steve countered. "He's got the same blood on his hands as Loki does. Right now we've got to put that aside and get this done. Now Loki needs a power source; if we can put together a list-"

Tony stood there, staring at the blood-stained wall, "He made it personal," Tony mumbled to himself.

"That's not the point," Steve denied.

"That is the point," Tony started. "That's Loki's point. He hit us all right where we live, why?"

Steve shrugged, "To tear us apart," he concluded.

"He had to conquer his greed, but he knows he has to take us out to win, right?" Tony questioned. "That's what he wants. He wants to beat us and he wants to be seen doing it. He wants an audience."

"Right," Steve confirmed. "I caught his act at Stuttgart."

"Yeah. That's just a preview, this is opening night. Loki's a full-tilt diva. He wants flowers, he wants parades, he wants a monument built in the skies with his name plastered..." Tony paused, coming to a sudden realization. "Son of a bitch."

Tony's suspicions were correct. Back in New York, at Stark Tower Selvig was preparing to open the portal on the roof, Loki sauntered around Stark's common room, relaxing. He knew that he was about to rain hellfire down on the city below, and in the end...he would be king.

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Steve walked into the infirmary on the helicarrier, he quickly found his way to Y/N's room, knocking on the door before entering. He walked in and saw her pulling on the top of her suit.

"Hey," she greeted, flashing him a smile.

"Hey, you okay?" Steve asked, noticing the bandage on her ribs.

Y/N nodded, "Just a couple bruised ribs, nothing that won't heal with time."

"The serum pumping through your veins should help," Steve added.

"Did they manage to locate the Tesseract?" she asked. "Or Loki?"

"Both, actually," Steve replied. "Stark Tower, that's where Loki plans to open the portal."

Y/N sighed, "He wants an audience," she concluded.

Steve nodded, "And the people of New York are going to pay the price..."