The Disgraced Avenger (An Avengers Fanfic) [Completed] #1

Brithday Cakes and Charms *

For the days following the teleport I drifted in and out of consciousness. I remember looking out to snow capped hills and pearl-dusted trees. It was everywhere. The snow, white and fluffy and drifting down in flakes at night. Then I awoke again, Loki holding my hands steady, in them a cup of dark tea lay. It tasted like raspberries and it warmed my throat. Then Loki was gone and I was watching the crescented moon hang in the sky, accompanied by billions of dotted stars.

When I came to, for the final time, I was in bed. It was a slow and groggy awakening, the multiple layers of pictures became one reality.

I was in a room, styled comfortably. It reminded me of a log cabin, dark wood seemed to be the main focus. Even though the room was small (and slightly suffocating in my opinion) it was cozy. Quilts were layered upon me, I brushed them aside, and sat up.

The blood drained from my head, leaving me slightly light headed. It took a moment to summon the energy to stand.

What's up, Castor said, never mind, I already know, sitting in a bed for hours on end with nothing to stare at but the back of your eyelids, is just entertaining.

I'm sensing major sarcasm here. I thought, finally managing to walk somewhat steadily.

With the directions of Castor who apparently, had spent the last few hours of my consciousness alive, and well I managed to get to the kitchen. Apparently the Tesseract revived the bridge before the body. Castor had already been talking with Loki telepathically for quite sometime. He was on the brink of finding the right spell for us.

Loki sat at a wooden bench, flipping through a spell book. Like the other house we were in, the main room hosted the kitchen and the living room, but no dining table from what I could observe. Like my room, the colour pallet consisted of dark wood. A small fire crackled under the surprisingly modern tv.

"Hey," I said, leaning against the doorframe for support.

"Becky!" Loki turned and gave a smile that showed his teeth. I almost instantly noted the deep bags carved under his eyes. "Sit down, I want to give you something,"

I sat down at the stool, swinging my legs back and forth, just like Abby. Fond thoughts drifted towards her.

Loki pulled out a white box from a fridge and proudly presented a slightly smushed cake. The words Happy Birthday Becky! Were written in blue cursive.

"Thanks dad," I smiled, half surprise, half happiness that someone had bothered to actually remember.

Castor, what's the date? I asked her.

Am I a Jarvis? She snapped back. I can't say that I didn't expect it, her mood swings were as predictable as the weather. She sighed grudgingly, your birthday was two days ago. But you were unconscious.

Thanks...

Loki handed me a kitchen knife. We locked eyes. "Probably not the best idea," I muttered. He chuckled, any distrust between us had disappeared after I'd made that decision it seemed.

I cut the cake, hearing enough of the tales to know not to touch the bottom. I was about to remove the slice that would sit in the napkin and then make the short exit to my mouth and a rather long road to my stomach but Loki handed me two boxes. Presents.

"I did not know what to get you, but since you hold those mortal high in your heart and... upon your wrist, I was... Hoping for the same," He said it almost sheepishly, but in a way that I could clearly hear the regret and wistfulness in his tone.

I opened the mini box, inside lay a golden charm, a miniature version of Loki's helmet.

I gave him a smirk and attached the helmet to my bracelet. The charms clinking together. Now there was Natasha, Clint, Steve and Loki upon my wrist. Loki seemed happy, well, as happy as Loki gets.

Then he passed me another present; inside, nestled a simple charm with a sparkling emerald. It was the size of my pinkie nail.

"Not much," Loki muttered, "However,I did not know what to present to you,"

"Don't worry," I whispered, "it's perfect,"

Then I gave him a hug.

...

Sometime later after we were well and truly into our cake, I asked Loki a question that had been lingering on my mind.

"Loki... Since I am part mortal, part somewhat immortal, do I get extended life or something? Like from Lord of the Rings or something... Wait, you wouldn't know what that is... Well anyway... I had accelerated ageing for the first decade or so of my life, but it's slowing down."

That's why I appeared twenty-five but was really barely seventeen. It had helped me bypass many things when I was on my own. But thoughts of my lifespan had constantly lingered in the back of my head. How many years did I have left?

"That's natural for a part human, yet they are frozen in their youth, for a very long time,"

"How long?" I whispered. My stomach dropped to my feet.

"A thousand years or so," he replied, his voice soft.

I took a moment to comprehend that, a thousand years. My friends would be well and truly gone by then. Steve may live for an extra few decades or so, and maybe Bruce due to their part-human states, but, a thousand years.

Tears began to build, my throat closed up. I thought about them, watching them grow old, watching them die, attending their funeral.

"You can change the appearance of your age," I heard Loki mutter, oblivious to my pain, "but that's unusual, the charm should've stemmed the accelerated ageing,"

I snapped out my thoughts.

"Wait, charm?"

"The one I placed on you at your birth," Loki said but then realised his mistake, he instantly pressed his lips together and looked annoyed with himself. My eyes narrowed even more, Loki was a trickster, a truly deserving nickname of silver tongue. There was no way he'd let that line slip. He wanted me to know.

"At my birth? You said you left before you even knew!" A stab of betrayal hit my chest, here I was, beginning to believe that Loki wouldn't lie to me. Apparently not.

"Becky-"

"What happened? Don't twist the truth, don't feed me lies, tell me the total truth!" By this point I was standing and giving my best furyous glare at him.

Loki bit his lip before speaking, when he did, his voice was small, "July was pregnant, I had been courting with her for many months, protecting her, visiting her. Yet, my prolonged absences had been noticed upon Asgard, it took a report from Heidmall and Odin's rage was upon me. Afraid that his rage would in turn, bring harm upon Rebecca and the unborn child, you, I devised a plan." Loki's hands clenched on top of the counter, "We would fake Rebecca's death at a time my father was aware, when he was satisfied and when things had died down, we would continue our relationship." He released his hands, sighed and rubbed his head. "But what I didn't anticipate, would that Odin would send Thor to retrieve you so soon. In his rage at his failure of loosing you..."

"He killed her." I finished, my breath caught as I travelled back to my memories that I had of that fateful night.

"I erased your memories, placed a charm on you so that you'd be somewhat normal, you would age the same as any other mortal, live like any other mortal."

Tears were forming in Loki's eyes, his voice was coming out in a raspy whisper. "I thought she would be strong enough to survive against him... For me, for you, she had so much, so many people love her." A single tear streaked down his face, clinging to his chin. I felt guilty about pushing him to speak about my mother.

Maybe the Frost Jotun just, might have a heart.

Question of the Day: What's your favourite quote?

Mine; Sometimes, to hold on, you need to let go~ Random Person that I made up.

HULK SMASH!