Loki x Avenger Reader

3.

Pressure. Tons of rocks pressed down upon my chest, forcing away my breath. I chased after it, knowing that if I didn't catch it I would die. It danced at my fingertips, teasing me with its proximity. Seconds passed by, then a minute. No. NOOOO!  I screamed internally. New determination filled me and I tore my breath back from Death Himself. Oxygen filled my lungs, bringing life back into me along with clearing my eyes of the foggy black spots that had filled my vision. I gasped and reached up to my chest where a large sheet of bedrock had settled. I shoved away the concrete slab with all my might, arms screaming in protest.  True relief filled me for a moment, but last long it could not. 

I tried to brush as much dirt off of me as possible, shrugging off smaller stones and pebbles from my clothing and hair as I stood. Now that I was alone, my brain was scrambling about the appearance of Loki. What happened to him? Why is he here? Why has he changed?  I could not contemplate long on these thoughts. I was encased in a cage of rock, soil, and steel. I needed to find my way out before the oxygen ran thin. I just had to keep pushing through. 

I lifted my hand and summoned the energy within me, trying my hardest to summon the power forth. My light was weak, but still, I still had at least enough power to find my way to the surface. I held my hand up towards the ceiling of rocks and clenched it, creating a ripping motion in front of me. And the rocks followed my lead, falling away. A slight tremble filled the cave but the structural support of this place was the least of my worries. I tried to hold a smile as best I could, maybe if I help hope it would last me long enough to survive. 

I chugged along, draining my hope and my power reserves bit by bit. I forced my way through the rocks and steel that had all imploded around the Tesseract's excess energy. Finally I could a glimpse of the deep black sky studded with stars. That glimpse of freedom gave me enough energy to push through and rip through the last layer, escaping into the fresh air. I dragged myself out of the ground and laid down, my face turned up towards the sky. An ache creeped into my bones and I once again turned my mind to Loki. 

"What happened to you?" I asked aloud to the cosmos, "What happened?"

The universe was silent in response. What did I expect, it's always left us to fend for ourselves. Thor, Loki, and especially myself. The universe is cold and uncaring to those who face the shadows alone. 

You must make your own universe, he said to me. I shudder at the thought of him. But, at some level, he's right. I hate to admit that but he is. Throwing a pity party and cursing the universe for your luck is for weaklings. Force them to see you, he insisted, forge your path. I will push forth. But I will never be like him. I will... never... 

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