My War Is Over (Original Unfinished Version)

Chapter Two

"Tony, you need to stop and calm down," Natasha commands, backing up a few steps to keep both him and Loki in her sights, her hand tense on her gun. Tony briefly wonders if she'd actually shoot him. Probably. Thor strides to Loki's cell as well, his face scarlet-red in anger. The shaking in Loki's shoulders would have been obvious to even a small child now.

"Loki. Cease this foolish behavior immediately and release your control of Stark or I shall make you!" He barks. "You have lost. Your misguided ideals will be no longer. Cooperate now and perhaps your punishment shall not be as severe." Loki's already too-pale face drains of any fragment of color it held before, swaying a bit again, unable to speak in defense.

"He's not-" Tony tries to explain but no one is listening to him.

"NOW LOKI!" Thor booms, banging his fist against the cell wall, which promptly shattered. So much for an "unbreakable prison". Clint switches from his gun to his bow in the flash of an eye, aiming an arrow straight for Loki's neck, still angry red to one side where the needle had stabbed him, though to the apparent surprise of the others Loki stays where he is.

"What kind of sick fucking brother are you?" Tony can't help but snarl into Thor's face. At his words, the thunder god's face contorts into a puzzled frown, as though he couldn't understand why Tony would ask such a thing.

"Guys, his eyes aren't weird like Clint's were..." Bruce pipes up from his position in towards the back, and Tony sends him a grateful look. The room grows quieter.

"I asked what pathetic excuse of a brother are you?" Anger pumps through his veins, lighting up his world with fire.

"Friend, if you are nay being controlled I know not of what you speak..." Thor trails off.

"Thor, you've lived with Loki for how long now?" Tony waves his hands violently, his left leg twitching slightly when he spared a glance at Loki, still standing perfectly still where he'd backed himself up to, though looking as though he might pass out at any given moment.

"I-" Tony didn't let him speak.

"A pretty fucking long time I think, yes?"

"Aye, but-"

"Tony-" Steve warns, and Tony sent the soldier a withering glare.

"So explain to me now how the fuck you couldn't remember what color his eyes are." Thor's face goes slack, his mouth parting slightly before his gaze snapped to Loki's quickly, guilty horror flooding into his figure. Clint and Natasha don't put away their weapons, but their arms lower slightly to turn to Loki's face. A low whine then sounded from Loki's direction, Tony turning just in time to watch the god crumple to his knees, his breaths coming in short gasps blocked mostly by the tight silver muzzle wrapped around his gaunt face.

"JARVIS, pull up those images you just showed me for the team," Tony mutters, his legs moving before his mind really catches up to what he's doing, stepping over the shattered pieces of thick glass on the floor to crouch by Loki's side, catching the god trembling shoulders when his body threatened to tip over even more. The god's body washes over entirely with panic, his blank, expressionless mask long forgotten as he struggles weakly against Tony's surprisingly gentle grip, strangled pleading notes escaping even through his bound mouth. With one arm holding onto his trembling shoulders Tony quickly reaches behind Loki's head to unclasp the cruel binding, the metal contraption heavy in his hands.

At that, Loki's body goes completely rigid.