The Limits of Mischief

Chapter 5

(Endgame spoilers begin from this chapter onward. Also, since Endgame wasn't out on DVD at the time of writing this, I used a transcript to get the dialogue and blocking for the movie scenes I adapted.)

It had been twenty-two days since Loki, Nebula, and Tony had taken the Guardians' ship. He kept had out of their ways mostly just trying not to cry. Thoughts of Thor and the Guardians haunted his mind, their deaths replaying in his head like a cruel movie. Loki stared at Tony and Nebula. They were smiling as they flicked a piece of paper back and forth between them. He always wondered how in the world they could be smiling, much less over something so pointless. Did they not even realize they were stranded out here? That their friends and families were likely dead and the oxygen was going to run out tomorrow? Why would they even want to feel better? Loki certainly didn't.

"Loki, come over here and join us," Tony insisted, gesturing to him.

"Why would I partake in such an aimless activity?" he grunted from his place on the ground.

"To feel better?" Nebula replied.

"Why should I?" Loki asked, clenching his teeth. "Half the universe got wiped out and you sit here with your little game pretending nothing is wrong."

"Loki, you can't keep fixating on everything that's gone wrong," Tony argued.

"Why not?"

"Well it sounds pretty miserable," Nebula chimed in.

"Yeah," Tony nodded. "What's the point of living if you're just making yourself sad all the time?"

Loki sighed. "I've asked myself that same question." Nebula and Tony glanced at each other, their eyes wide. They didn't need to say anything to know that they thought the same thing.

"Loki... don't attempt that," Tony ordered.

"What's the point?" Loki sighed, pulling his knees into his chest. "The oxygen's going to run out tomorrow anyway. I'll die either way. Might as well save myself the effort."

"That one's a ball of sunshine," Nebula muttered, looking back at Tony.

"Can't exactly blame him," Tony replied, shrugging. "Dude did just lose his brother... and his friends."

"You know I can hear you, right?" Loki asked.

Tony glared at him. "Hey, if you don't wanna hear us, you can just go somewhere else," he snapped.

"Well alright then!" Loki stood up, marching toward the back of the ship. Nebula glanced at Tony.

"Is that really a good idea?" She asked. Loki put on his headphones and cranked the volume up as high as it would go. Not a smart decision but he didn't care. He just wanted to block out whatever Tony and Nebula were saying. He sat down on the ground, against a wall. After a while, Loki removed the headphones. The ship was completely silent. Moments later, footsteps echoed through one of the hallways. Loki followed the source of the noise. Concealing his presence, he spotted Tony, sitting in front of his Iron Man helmet. He pressed a button, and light was cast from the eye of it.

"Hey, Miss Potts... Pep. If you find this recording, don't post it on social media. It's gonna be a real tear-jerker. I don't know if you're ever going to see these. I don't even know if you're... if you're still... Oh god, I hope so." Loki's gaze softened. "Today is day twenty-one, uh twenty-two. You know, if it wasn't for the existential terror of staring into a void of space, I'd say I'm feeling better today." Loki fell into deep thought as he listened to Tony's monologue. He clearly cared a lot about what happened and whoever he was talking to. But then why did he and Nebula avoid talking about it? Why did they act so happy? "But it's now dead in the water." Loki listened back in. "We're a thousand light years from the nearest Seven Eleven. Oxygen will run out tomorrow. And that'll be it. And Pep, I... I know I said no more surprises, but I was really hoping to pull off one last one. But it looks like... well you know what it looks like. Don't feel bad about this. I mean, if you grovel for a couple of weeks, and then move on with enormous guilt. I should probably lie down. Please know that... when I drift off, I will think about you. It's always you." Tony tapped the mask, and the light was gone. Loki was about to walk in when Nebula strutted past him. Taking Tony in her arms, she laid him down on what had once been Drax's seat then walked off without another thought. Revealing himself, Loki walked inside.