Hellfire

Without You

Notes:

Hi everyone and welcome back!

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for waiting patiently! December is a little nuts around here... Forced interactions with family you haven't seen all year. Cursing and shouting at the Christmas tree because the damn thing just won't stand straight and keeps leaning towards the left.... Cursing and shouting at the cat and bunnies because they keep attacking the tree...
But, yeah, December is a pretty awesome and stress-free month ^^' XD

Anyway, I am afraid that the next chapter will be published somewhere at the end of this month or beginning of the next...

With that said, I would like to welcome you all to this new chapter. At first I wanted it to be all fluffy and love and then I was like... Okay, just ONE sad little scene, nothing more...
Than one thing led to another and now... well, now there's this.

I hope you'll like it and I PROMISE! Happy Avenger times will come! I PROMISE!
I almost ran my mouth here, so without further ado, please enjoy this new chapter!

'You're safe now, Loki.' Steve called full-heartedly, tears of relief threatening to trail down his cheeks. He gently placed his hand on the god's, careful not to hurt him any further as he smiled. 'I would never let you die.'

The raven averted his eye for a moment as he let his reality slowly sink in. He eventually stared at the ceiling again, eye nearly closing as pain and weariness consumed his body. 'How could you be so cruel...'

'Cruel?' The blond blinked, a frown on his face, 'I... I don't- Loki, we're safe. You're safe. You can stay here as long as you want. I will protect you and my friends will help out too.'

'When my brother spoke of you,' Loki continued, voice distant and cold. 'he said you were a mortal of honor, bravery and altruism. Yet all I see is a man who acts out of pure selfishness and guilt.'

Steve remained silent for a moment, the trickster's harsh words leaving him at a total loss. He had been sitting at Loki's bed for the last months, waiting for the god to regain his strength and wake from his coma. He expected Loki to be confused, to be disoriented, scared and in pain.

What he did not expected were these sharp and spiteful words.

'Loki, I... I don't understand,' the captain tried to stay calm, blaming the god's odd behavior on his traumatizing imprisonment. 'I tried to help you, I couldn't just leave you behind.'

'You could not leave me behind for you could not bare the thought of losing another victim whom you could so heroically save,' Loki spat the words as he pulled his hand from Steve's gentle grip. 'All I wanted was rest, silence, yet you unilaterally decided I had to keep on living through this hell that is my life. You could not live with failing yet again to save someone you claim to love.' He turned his head, a deadly glare lurking in his emerald eye. 'Tell me, Steven, has my rescue made up for your failure in saving your precious Bucky?'

Steve's heart dropped, eyes wide and lips parted. His lungs refused to take in oxygen, his stomach twisting painfully. The trickster's words like daggers piercing his chest, leaving him speechless and stunned.

A knock on the door disrupted the haunting silence.

'Steve?' Bruce opened the door and nodded. 'Hey, I just came to check on Loki.' He looked at the raven and smiled in relief as he saw that the god was finally awake, yet the feeling did not last long as he noticed the lingering discomfort. 'I-I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?'

Steve opened his mouth, only to be cut short by the raven. 'On the contrary,' Loki averted his gaze from both men. 'We were just finished.'

'... Natasha's waiting at the training ground,' Bruce continued uncomfortably, noticing Steve's clear apprehension. 'She'll help you today with the rehabilitation exercises for your leg.'