Both Monsters (Loki X Reader)

17. Sweet Torture, Bitter Memories

Loki's POV:

"I knew this day would come... Sooner or later, you'd end up back here with me." His deep voice projected at me, swiftly followed by another harsh jolt of electricity. It caused my body to shake and buckle, as the energy raced through, my muscles spasming uncontrollably. It burned, like the pure furnaces on Asgard. Blood and saliva dripped from the corners of my mouth as I clenched my teeth shut, waiting for them to break off into shards. Heart pumping faster still, my brain working overtime to keep me from unconsciousness, while still attempting to heal my ruined body.

I had felt pain before, at this point, it was an old friend that would show up unannounced. It clung to me like an infant wrapped around my leg, yet I continued to carry it wherever I went. "You're a lot stronger than you appear Asgardian or should I say Frost Giant" I snorted, we've been here for hours and if anything the harm being inflicted is growing dull. It still kills me every-time as my body weakens but being a God of sorts, you heal quickly. Keeping me trapped in a cycle of pain.

"You can't possibly hurt me anymore than you have already... You've thrown the whole book of torture at me. I'm not sure what's left on my body that you haven't bruised inside or out." I coughed as blood sprayed out my mouth with every word I struggled over.

"This is true..." he processed with a slight frown, but the evil smirk emerged quickly again. "But I can hurt her..." My body tightened, eyes shooting open; gritting my teeth together as I seethed.

"Don't you dare lay a finger on her! I'll kill you..." my venomous demand only landed on deaf ears as he left with a dark chuckle. I was trapped; chained in place. I struggled once more, heaving and pulling against the metal with every last bit of strength I had left, but nothing happened. I was left with blood trickling down my arms and torso. Hanging my head in shame, trying to control my raging breathing. Growling with frustration as I continued to strain my body.

"It's not worth it" a whisper came from across the room. I raised my head cautiously to discover Y/N, bound the same way as I was. Despite the dark, I could still see her bruised eye and skin, blood splattered across her body. "I already tried." she sighed as she stared down at the floor, almost embarrassed. A rage pulsed through me like no other as I glared up at Thanos looming over her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, her body flinched away immediately.

"You know I always use the things that others love against them..." he reminded me with a sinister smile. He crouched down in front of her, placing his other hand under her chin; the gesture made me cringe. "Look me in the eye, child." he muttered, nausea hit me like a brick wall; every last brick building a new level of disgust on top of me. Y/N raised her head gingerly, trying to swallow down the lump in the back of her throat. He smiled down at her as he took in the damage and fear spread across her face.

"What are you going to do to me..." Y/N stuttered as she looked up through bloodshot eyes at Thanos, awaiting his torture. He shook his head slowly, before turning to acknowledge me again as if we hadn't spent enough time together already. He sighed holding my glare and keeping his large hand resting on Y/N's shoulder.

"I understand why you chose her now." he chuckled, "It's the eyes. They have so much emotion in them, so much passion." he sniggered. I growled in return as he went on "Sometimes memories are the worst form of torture, don't you think? People do bad things when they are trying to survive. Things they later regret." His voice was firm and threatening, but it didn't phase me; not after everything else.

The sound of chains rattling stole my attention from Thanos, landing on Y/N, watching as she was trying to get away, despite her best efforts Thanos just hardened his grip on her shoulder before shoving her to the ground with a grunt. Raising his voice to a roar of thunder he began casually pulling her limp body over to me. "Tell me; would you take the life of a child?" finishing his sentence by dropping Y/N at my knees. I couldn't bare to look at him, feeling Y/N scrambling up, as she threw her arms over my body. "Look at them... The assassin and her Prince. So young and willing to kill for each other but in the end, this misguided loyalty will get you killed." Thanos unclasped both our chains, while he spoke.

What was he doing? It didn't matter. I tightly wrapped my arms around Y/N as I stroked her tear-stained cheeks, her eyes meeting mine. He had been right, her eyes were like a storm of emotion. "Tell him what you did, see if he can still hold you like that once he knows who you truly are..." Thanos' words dry and harsh, observing us. Y/N shook slightly, reaching out and grabbing my hands. Placing them gently against her temples, and immediately throwing me into her darkest memory...

~

Church bells rang out across town, the hands of the clock pointing at 2 am as a shadow slipped unnoticed behind the homes of families and the alleyways of shops. Everyone sleeping, dreaming of a fresh, new day. A deafening silence echoed around the cloaked woman as the wind whispered of the task they came to do. It was easy to track the house down; their victim cluelessly slept peacefully. Stepping onto the porch a hand dove into one of the pockets pulling out a card and pin; quietly unlocking the front door.

The smell of freshly washed clothes hit the back of my throat as the moon cast a dim light into the hallway of the house. Cautiously stepping through, making sure to lock it back in place. Climbing the stairs one at a time I could hear faint snoring from one of the bedrooms, the door having been left slightly ajar. Yet we kept walking past, our target slept alone, with their name plastered on their door. Down the landing was a door with the name "Freddie" written across it. With every step closer my heart thumped harder against my ribcage as the anxiety grew, as my realisation had caught up to the reality of what was about to happen.

My hands began to shake as I reached for the knife I kept in the holster, strapped to my right thigh. My legs carried me forward into the room, the softest carpet under my boots; body nimbly dancing around the toys littering the ground. Then I stopped. Everything stopped. My heart sank. Hands raising the knife, regrettably staring down at the sleeping toddler. This was a nightmare, a living nightmare.

Sitting back on the roof, weapon in hand, a shriek louder than ever ripped through the woman. Tears diluting the blood that stained outstretched hands but this blood would never wash off. It's branded to the skin; a reminder every day of what they had done, what they had become. A Cold, meticulous killer...

~

I couldn't move, I was frozen as I felt Y/N's heart race. I didn't know what to do, never would the idea of harming a child come to mind if I was desperately in need. That's the brutal reality of an assassin, no choice in who they're target is just a paying client and a name. There was never a luxury in knowing the whole truth.

"In the end, they were ALL made of flesh that could be cut, bones that could be broken and blood that could be spilled." Thanos smirked down at Y/N as she turned, pushing my hands away from her head. Trying to swallow down the pain; avoiding my eyes.

"It's not your fault.." I whispered. Y/N lifted her head to peer at me through the hair that had fallen over her face, lashes wet from tears that hadn't been shed. "I won't give up on you, so please don't give up on yourself. Both monsters, remember?" I shifted slightly closer to her. Despite what I had just seen in her memory I wasn't angry or disgusted; she had been misguided and used. The person I had met and got to know was so much more than a trained killer. She knew how to love, she could feel guilt, she wasn't heartless; she had shown me kindness and trust, something no one else had shown me after everything I'd been through. It was time to live up to my promise.

"You deserve so much better than me Loki, I lied to you... You were better off before me" she whispered and it hurt. Thanos had come through on his words. Memories truly were the worst kind of torture.

"Please don't say that." She looked at me confused as she went to open her mouth to argue; I leaned forward and softly kissed her, silencing her doubts. "You have given me so much these past weeks, it's not been smooth but it's been fun. Everything seems easier when I'm with you, that maybe I'm still worth something to somebody. I care so much about you Y/N to live without you in my life anymore. I love you and I gave you my word; I refuse to go back on it now." as I stopped talking she sunk into my arms and squeezed me tighter than ever before. "It's okay, you're okay. I'm not going anywhere. I'm with you till the end, Darling."