Unfettered (Loki x Reader)

Chapter 2 - Meeting the Family

The dark-haired woman with the cold eyes barely nods goodbye before leaving you alone with Mr. Stark. By the time you realize she's actually gone, Tony is already halfway up the street. And he's not waiting for you. Confused, but determined to get answers on what exactly is going on, you follow him as he heads for his car - parked haphazardly up the street.

"Uh, sir?" you call out, hopping over a downed lightpole and almost tripping on the edge of a crumpled mailbox laying on its side. 

"Keep up, kid," Tony shouts over his shoulder, almost to his car. 

"Right, sorry, I'm just-," your shoelace catches on a big piece of concrete and you toss your hand out to catch yourself on a smoking, sideways bus. But Tony seems annoyed by your un-asked question.

"Spit it out, kid," he says as he walks.

"I'm looking for Agent Phil Coulson," you say breathlessly, pushing off the bus and jogging to catch up with the Avenger who has finally reached his car. "He's with SHIELD. Do you know him?"

Without breaking his stride, Tony slides into the driver's seat, shutting the door. Frustrated, you knock on his window until he rolls it down, begrudgingly.

"Hey, kid, get your fingers off the glass. Do you know how expensive this thing is?"

Finding your admiration of the brilliant inventor turning to frustration, you place both hands on the edge of the car in the window's opening to prevent him from rolling it back up. "Mr. Stark, please," you beg. "I've been trying to reach Agent Coulson since the fighting started, and no one has been able to tell me anything. You, of all people, have to be able to get some answers. Right?"

With a conflicted sigh, Tony opens his door. You step back to let him out, but the look on his face sends your heart straight down into your stomach. "Mr. Stark...?" you question.

"Listen kid, Phil didn't make it."

Ice runs through your veins as your knees weaken beneath you.

"Woah, kid, easy," Tony says, gently guiding you to the ground. But as soon as you land, he quickly lets you go, stepping back as you hold your head in both hands and fight to catch your breath.

"No," you exhale. "He's fine. He's okay...he's okay, because he can't be...he's not...," you trail off, your pulse pounding in your head. 

For a few moments, Tony stands above you in silence as you sit on the road processing the news of Phil's death. The only person you had ever trusted. The one that had saved you from that HYDRA experimentation camp all those months ago. Just...gone. 

Now you are left with nothing. No one.

"Hey, kid. I'm sorry," Tony says. "He was a good agent."

"He was more than a good agent," you spit, finding the strength to stand and turning your back on Tony.

"I know, kid."

"Don't call me that," you seethe as the echo of Phil's voice calling you the very same rings in your ears. "My name's Y/n. I'm not a child."

In the shadows on the ground, you see Tony slowly reaching out to place a hand on your shoulder before hesitating and pulling away.

He's read my file, you think to yourself as you watch his shadow hastily retreat. At least he knows what I'm capable of.

"We lost a lot of good people today, Y/n," Tony says. "Agent Coulson among them. But that doesn't change the fact that we've got work to do. And if what I read in your file is true, we could use your help. So," he questions, pulling open his car door. "Are you coming?"