Eviternity | Loki

x

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❝ she's proof that you can

walk through hell and

still be and angel ❞

~r.h. Sin

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She yawned herself awake the moment sunlight reached its long fingers through her window. Prying her eyes open she noticed Loki, sprawled across the opposite side of the mattress. Running her hands over her face she sighed, suddenly overcome with guilt for asking him to stay with her. He rolled over, smacking her shoulder.

"Stop feeling guilty I haven't slept that well in years." His voice was hazy with sleep, his accent lazily mumbled. She rolled over to face him and pushed a stray hair out of his closed eyes before pushing herself out of bed.

"Where are you going? It's still early." She laughed, changing quickly into a sports bra and athletic leggings.

"Me? I'm going for a run. Care to join?"

♡

"Did we really have to run all this way?" Loki complained as they jogged through the crowded streets.

"Yes. It's good to train. And I wanted to see what this new body can do. It's miraculous." He could hear the laugh in her voice as she spoke, and continued to fall behind. 

She'd been distracted, having made the decision to join the team. They hadn't exactly been off to the best start, and she was apprehensive about the entire situation. The run was a much needed relief. They made their way quickly back to her old apartment, so she could retrieve her old uniform. If she was to join the team as a mutant, she wanted to make the statement loud and clear. 

Loki helped her keep up an illusion to keep people from seeing her true form. He was the master of illusions, and she found his abilities and strength impressive. Actually, it dazzled her as he was helping her to improve. She appreciated it more than she'd ever let him know.

They pounded up the last flight of stairs before they reached her door. Loki was out of breath, but Asta was pleased to find herself quickly recovered, unlocking her door with familiarity. The place was a mess. Everything she hadn't needed to take was scattered around, and empty whiskey bottles lined her shelves. She coughed on the swirling dust as she shut the door behind them.

"Charming, Asta. Really." She rolled her eyes at Loki, walking into her room and pulling a canvas print from the wall.

"Yeah well, New York is expensive. We aren't all royalty or Stark's." She looked at him pointedly and he shrugged, understanding that he hadn't considered that she wasn't inherently wealthy. "Ah, here it is." 

The thick suit was stuffed in a small hole in the plaster, rolled up in a paper bag. Memories flooded back to her of the time they'd first seen the uniforms, how she'd given her input to Hank while he worked tirelessly on them. It made her smile involuntarily. 

"What is it?" 

"Oh it's nothing, Asgardian. Just fond memories of people I love, that's all."

"Okay, well I am not running back to that ugly tower, we'll have to take one of those," he waved his hands about flippantly. "Whatever you call them. The yellow vehicles." 

She laughed. "They're called cabs. Or taxi's. And seriously? You can't do another run?" He shook his head and she sighed. "whatever your highness." 

He cringed, much to her satisfaction as she grabbed her last box of cigars out of the china cabinet and they exited the building to hail a cab back to the tower.

"So you're going to talk with The Iron Man when you get back?"

She nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah I am. Hopefully he's reasonable." The god looked over at her, studying her features worriedly.

"Do you want me to come with you?" She shook her head.

"No, it'll just sour his mood. He isn't a bad person, but he certainly isn't fond of you." He nodded in understanding as the vehicle pulled up to the front of the tower. When they got inside she gave Loki a light punch on the shoulder, travelling directly to conference room A where Tony had said to meet. 

He was waiting inside, reclining with his feet on the table while fiddling with a paperclip. He looked up when she entered the room, cool, calm, and collected as always. 

"Asta, take a seat." She neglected to do so, leaning over the table with the paper bag in her hands.

"Tony, I understand that we haven't had much time to become acquainted this last while, and I apologize for my outbreak. It was out of control, but I was just defending my own." She paused to take a deep breath. "I want you to know that I am joining the Avengers officially. I will fight for you how I fight for my own, proud, in the name of mutant-human cooperation. I have a few terms, as I am sure you have too." He nodded, a shocked look on his face that quickly turned to shame.

"Look, I don't blame your outburst. I was in the wrong, and I'm sorry. I really do admire your dedication and willingness to fight for your family." She widened her eyes, pulling out a chair and taking a seat.

"Did the Tony Stark just apologize and admit he was wrong in one sentence?" She laughed holding her hands up to the sky momentarily. "What a glorious day." His cheeks flushed pointedly ignoring her comment.

"I'm glad you've decided to join us. And you were right, I do have terms. I want to know what you can do, and I'd like to throw a party for you and Mischief joining us." 

"Well, it's complicated," she admitted, looking down at her hands. "I was away at the school to see an old friend, he found an anomaly in my DNA. When I was experimented on, it was fused with an old friends. So my own mutation of telepathy and telekinesis has been accompanied by his, which gives me a healing factor and Warrior's Madness."

"Warrior's Madness?" He looked completely lost, but captivated.

"It's a state of mind? It allows you to use your powers more fully, less limited. It allows for physical enhancement and when uncontrolled, the user becomes consumed with rage. It is also called feral mind. It's the reverting to primal survival instincts." He nodded slowly, taking it in.

"So can you control it?" 

"Yes, actually I was able to access it last night. Because of my telepathic powers, I can have it active in me constantly, feed from the strength it gives my body without slipping into the mindset. So it actually altered my physiology, as well as my appearance." She let her illusion slide, watching Tony the whole time. 

"Okay. That's cool and everything but there's no need to brag. What are your terms?" She opened the bag at her side and pulled her thick uniform out. 

"I want to be a part of your team, but I want this to be my uniform. If I fight with you, I'm fighting for mutantkind." He took the fabric in his hands, examining it. 

"This thing is ancient. Bruce and I can make a better one. We'll make it look similar."

"Also, you're all going to treat Loki with the respect he deserves. He's been a great help to me. Without him I never would be as strong as I feel now. I want you to leave Xavier's school alone. They aren't a threat, and if they're threatened, I want us all to be there to protect them. As a team."

"That's it?" She nodded and he reached across the table to shake her hand. "Welcome to the Avengers, Sigmund. The world needs us more now than ever."