A Tale of Mischief and Mutants part 2

The Boy

—-Loki—-

I've said before that satisfaction is not in my nature but that was before I carried out vengeance on those that hurt my wife, I can truly say that what I've done here today though gruesome was satisfactory. I clean my sword with a cloth as I watch the building burning down in front of me.

It had been messy but the task is finished. Sam no longer needs to worry about anyone going after her. I realize this circumstance is far too convenient for suspicion not to naturally land on me but that's somewhat by design. I want the message to get across loud and clear to anyone with similar ideas about Sam.

'Loki's wife is off limits.' What's transpired here today will be more than sufficient in transmitting that message. I throw the cloth into the fire and hold my sword over the flames for a moment to burn any remaining DNA evidence on the blade, I whisper an enchantment that will keep them confined to this area as not to start a forest fire, mask my magic's signature on this place in a way not even Strange should be able to detect, and make my way back towards the Blackbird.

I cautiously return to my Evan Chrisman form as I walk. I won't take the chance of the three people we rescued waking up and seeing me. After walking for a bit a figure suddenly runs directly into me, I get a better look at the figure who's fallen to the ground in front of me from the collision. It's a young boy with a light nearly paper white complexion, magenta colored eyes, and silver grey hair.

He's dressed in nothing more than a hospital gown and covered in bruises and scrapes. By his unusual features and the inhibitor collar around his neck I can tell he's obviously a mutant or enhanced in some other way. Realizing it's one of the abductees I grab him by the arm before he starts running again.

"No please!! Please don't hurt me!"

He's crying now and has gone limp making no attempt to escape my grasp. 'What happened to this child?' He goes on weeping uncontrollably.

"I wasn't trying to run I was being good I promise! I don't know how I got here..."

The fear in his voice obviously hits me differently than the fear in the voices of his captors. His pleas sound like some of my own whilst at the mercy of Ebony Maw. The illusion I seem to keep my emotions hidden behind falls almost immediately at the state he's in. I crouch down so I don't seem as threatening. This form's height is just as tall as my natural height.

"Easy... I'm not going to hurt you, no one is."

He doesn't look like he believes me as I pick him up off the ground holding him gently in my arms. I begin walking to the Blackbird carrying him carefully. 'Damn it why is it so easy for me to loose control these days?' I don't want to grow overly fond of every mortal I see. It hurts too much to loose them. I glance over the others as I enter the jet they've obviously been sedated with a much higher dosage. Laura and Logan are nowhere to be seen they're probably looking for the child.

"W-where are we going?"

He sounds panicked as I set him down in a seat next to mine. I try to make my voice sound soothing as I do with Sam after a nightmare.

"We're going to bring you somewhere safe then the police will take you home."

"I... I can go home?"

Poor thing, he looks afraid to get his hopes up.

"Well yes, they will need to figure out who you are and where you live though. Honestly they will ask you lots of questions and it may take a very long time but eventually yes you will be able to go home."

I suddenly find myself with the boy's arms wrapped around me.

"Thank you!"

I hesitantly place my arm around him knowing he likely needs the affection after the ordeal he's gone through. I'm not the right person to deal with this... I'm probably doing it wrong. I end the hug slightly early and a bit abruptly because my discomfort in it became unbearable. I'm not someone this child should look to for comfort, I simply don't know what I'm doing. I can't navigate my own emotions and trauma let alone help someone navigate through their's.

"I'm going to call my friends alright? They won't hurt you they're going to help get you somewhere safe."

He's silent for a moment looking nervous.

"You promise?"

'Why does he trust my word when we haven't even exchanged names?'

"Yes I promise."

He nods silently giving me his approval to call them. It's probably for the best I don't even know his name. I should try to learn as little as possible about him and share as little as possible about myself it's better for both of us that way. I call Logan and Laura and we fly to Stuttgart. I try not to think anything of the way the boy grabbed my hand as we took off or looked to me for comfort when he was unsure about the situation.

Sentiment it always comes back to sentiment... he shouldn't trust me. I try to convince myself that he doesn't really or that perhaps he's just too daft to understand he shouldn't trust strangers. Yes that's all this is... As Laura drops the three victims off on the doorstep of a police station despite my attempts to avoid feeling any emotion towards the child I can't help but feel concern for the boy. I hope he makes it home alright.