My War Is Over (Original Unfinished Version)

Chapter Three

Tony tosses the silver muzzle across the room where it lands nosily in a pile of crushed glass, far away from everyone, but Loki remains frozen, his eyes blown wide in terror. The world behind them fades away, Tony's sole attention on the petrified man in front of him, seemingly only able to remain upright by the aid of Tony's arm holding him up. He sees so much of himself in those green orbs that it hurts. It makes his own arms tremble with anger at how such a crucial thing could have been missed by Thor and the rest of them. The Loki in front of him now, eyes shiny with unshed tears rapidly beginning to well up, limbs stiff as a corpse, is anything but the Loki trembling with madness in his tower just hours before, his crazed blue eyes screaming of insanity.

"Hey, Reindeer Games, you with me?" Tony keeps his voice as soft as he can, which is much softer than he'd actually thought was possible for him, but Loki doesn't respond, doesn't move, doesn't even blink.

"Hey, c'mon, Lokes, talk to me, yeah?" He tries again, giving Loki's tense shoulders a very light shake. When he gets nothing out of that, he reaches up and places his hand very gently on Loki's cheek, careful to avoid the stretch of bright, angry red skin from the tight muzzle, and giving it a soft pat. Loki jerks a little bit at that.

"It is time now, is it not?" He whispers, voice raspy as he blinks suddenly; freeing a single tear from his eye as he stares at the ground unmoving once again.

"Huh?" Tony lifts a brow.

"The Allfather's first touch to my punishment, no? I suppose...I suppose I should have expected as much. I will not struggle this time, I promise. Just...just make it quick...please. I-I won't struggle. I promise..." Loki trails off, desperation bleeding from his tone and more tears slipping down his cheeks, mixing with the blood and grime that coated his skin and leaving little trails of light porcelain in their wake.

"Loki," Tony stars slowly, unsure if he even wants to know what the hell Loki is convinced they're gonna do to him, "what are you talking about?" Thor makes a small sound behind them, pained and far-away sounding.

"You are going to s-sew my lips shut again, are...a-are you not?" Loki's eyes are glassy, pressing his lips together and flinching as though afraid of even saying the words out loud. Bruce releases a little growl, the tell-tale click of Natasha resetting the safety on her gun. Tony thinks he might puke right there and then.

"No, no, no fuck, I-shit, we'd never...we'd never do that. Fuck, Loki, no." Loki's entire body sags against Tony's hold at that.

"Oh," was all he offered in reply, his voice very small, before tensing up again and coughing, small scarlet flecks spewing from his mouth, sprinkling Tony's faded AC/DC shirt with color. Loki's eyes lock onto the specs, shaking his head back and forth rapidly.

"I'm sorry!" He squeaks the bright red of blood on his lips a violent contrast to how pale they were.

"It's okay, don-"

"ENOUGH!" Thor shouts from behind them. "I refuse to believe in these foolish tricks any longer! I-I won't...I-" Thor doesn't finish, his eyes fixated on Loki's. Tony moved even closer to Loki's practically shielding the raven-haired god from Thor even though he knew, especially without his suit, that Thor could easily best him. The nagging feeling is gone, replaced by a feeling much stronger, one Tony can't assign a name to. It's foreign to him, the understanding he feels for Loki. Perhaps it was the look in his haunting green eyes. Tony knows that look better than he cares to admit. He sees it every night he awakens, sweat pouring down his back, throat raw from screaming, tears dripping down his cheeks as he stumbles to the bathroom, his own eyes begging for something, for someone to make everything just stop. He knows how that feels. He knows that look, and he wants to wipe it off Loki's stupidly perfect face and replace it with a smile.

No one else should suffer the way he does.

"No." Is all he says, bright fire in his eyes as he stared each and every Avenger down. He locks eyes with Natsahsa, her own eyes narrowing before her green gaze flashes with something akin to understanding. She reaches out and places her hand on Steve's arm, who blinks before sending Tony a tiny nod, striding up to Thor and placing his hand on the thunder god's shoulder.

"Thor, Loki needs medical attention, badly by the looks of it, okay? One thing at a time. He needs help." Thor hesitates before he allows Steve's firm hand to pull him back a few steps, allowing Tony to re-focus on Loki, whose eyes are drifting shut. Fuck.

"Hey, Lokes, c'mon, no don't pass out on me now. Just stay awake a little longer, kay? Do that for me? Pretty please?" Loki moans, but his eyes open a bit wider. "Good, good. Just a little longer." Tony drapes the younger god's arm over his shoulder, murmuring a soft apology when Loki gives a small mewl of pain at the motion, slowly pulling him to his feet. Even with the support, Loki sways, his knees shaking and threatening to knock both of them down.

"Bruce!" Tony calls, his voice getting slightly higher when Loki's knees buckle. Tony's trusted Science-bro was suddenly at Loki's other side, wrapping his right arm over his shoulder. Loki whimpers again at the movement.

"It's alright, it's alright sweet cheeks, we got ya. Just stay with us a little longer, it's okay," Tony rambles into Loki's ear.

"Brucie, I need ya to play doctor for Lokes here." Tony can practically hear Bruce rolling his eyes.

"Tony, I'm not that kind of doctor...but I'll do my best."