Curiosity Killed the Cat

Chapter 9: Overloads

"Okay, Loki, could you take a seat on the examination table over there?" Bruce said while gesturing to the long metal table in the middle of the room.

Loki nodded and pushed himself onto the table. Bruce went over to the cabinet to get some supplies. Peter and Frigga were talking more about Loki when he was younger and Natasha stood in the corner, silently observing the scene.

Bruce came back over to Loki and began a general physical examination. Nothing too out of the ordinary except that Loki weighed 525 pounds and his temperature was 6 degrees colder than an average human. Frigga assured them that this was normal for his heritage when she saw their shocked faces.

Now Bruce moved into more tender territory.
He took an X-Ray of Loki and while he was waiting for the photos to develop, he examined the scars on Loki's arms.

"You said Thanos did this?"

Loki nodded softly.

"Are there any more, or is it just your arms?"

Loki tensed. "There are more," he responded stiffly.

Bruce rested a careful hand on Loki's shoulder. "Can I take a look at them?"

Loki sighed and looked at Frigga and Peter as he took his shirt off.

They all gasped when they saw his torso. Frigga covered her mouth with her hands, while Peter was frozen in place. Natasha leaned forward from her relaxed position against the wall and Bruce looked on with wide eyes.

It was worse than the arms... so much worse.

Not only were there burn and whip marks, but you could see where slashes were made with jagged blades, where the chitauri's claws dug into his chest. But the worst was the scar along the middle of his spine that read "Monster".

Loki bit his bottom lip as they examined the scars. As soon as he got over the shock, Peter ran up to Loki and hugged him tightly.

"You're not a monster, Loki."

Loki gave him a small smile. "Thank you, " he said softly. When Peter let go, Loki saw his mother slowly walking towards him.

"My son... If I had known..." she broke off.

" 'Tis alright Mother, it was not your doing."

Frigga nodded and grasped her son's hand in her own.

The computer went off, telling them that the processed x-ray films were completed. Bruce looked at the X-rays and unsurprisingly, there were various signs of previous breaks, but other than that, it all seemed fine.

"Looks like your fine! Nothing's broken, there are some signs of past breakages but they all healed correctly, and otherwise, you are in good health."

Loki released a breath that he didn't know he was holding.

"Here," Bruce tossed him a sweatshirt and said, "so you don't have to show your arms anymore."

Loki smiled and pulled the black hoodie over his head.

Bzz. Bzzz. Bzzzz.

Peter felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. He pulled it out and accepted the call.

"Hi?"

"Peter! Where the hell are you?!"

Tony's voice echoed through the room. Peter winced a bit as he remembered the press conference he was supposed to have today. "I'll be up in a sec." He hung up and turned to the group. "Gotta run." He bolted out of the room, making sure on his way out to say "See ya Loki!"

He webbed himself to the right floor in the stairwell and burst through the conference room door. Immediately he was bombarded with questions and flashing lights.

Here we go again.

He made his way to Tony, but they wouldn't STOP. The flashing and noise continued, each second seeming farther and farther away. Before he knew it he was on the ground clutching his head with Tony above him. He seemed to be asking something but Peter couldn't hear him. The next minute, he was being carried by someone out of the room, away from everything but the pain wouldn't stop. His head was throbbing, his heart beating out of his chest, his ears pounding. He was laid on something soft and something was placed over his ears.

It was then that he passed out.

His head was stuffy and numb when he woke. He noticed Loki sitting on the side of his bed reading a book, but as soon as he shifted, Loki turned to him and carefully placed the book on the ground.

Peter meant to ask him what happened, but all that came out was: "Wa Ha-en"

Despite this Loki seemed to understand and smiled at him. "Sensory overload."

Ohhhh, so THAT's why it felt like a chick was trying to hatch out of my head earlier.

"Bruce brought you here after you fell senseless. He said the pain and discomfort should go away in a couple of hours."

"Wayr ya mam." Peter slurred.

"She had to attend to Thor."

"She i- nice."

"Oh you have not seen my mother truly furious yet, you saw but a small portion of her wrath. She can become very opinionated when she wishes to be. But generally, yes, she is very pleasant," Loki chuckled.

The door opened revealing none other than Aunt May, who rushed over to Peter and gave him a tight hug, not even noticing Loki sitting next to him. "What was Stark thinking!? You could have---" Peter cut off her rambling before it started.

"May, 'm fine!"

She sighed in a motherly way and kissed him on the forehead.

During this time Loki had snuck out of the room, hoping he wasn't noticed. He wandered into the kitchen after checking with FRIDAY that the coast was clear. He went in and saw Nat and Bruce eating and chatting at the kitchen island. He walked over and took the seat next to Nat.

"How's Peter?" she asked.

"He is recovering well. His..." he paused trying to remember who the lady was. "Aunt! His aunt came in not long ago to check up on him so I slipped out here."

Nat nodded silently, as though contemplating something. There was silence for a few moments before Bruce asked, " When are you going to tell the others about this?"

Loki pressed his lips together slightly, "I actually hadn't thought about it."

"Okay... but within the next few months, or else we'll tell them ourselves, 'kay?"

Loki nodded his agreement, but inside he was not as content as he wondered:

How do I tell a team of superheroes who hate me and are my mortal enemies that I am not only good but can be constantly left around their youngest team member that they love and cherish like their own son?"