Hero [L.L]

Chapter Eighty-Four

"so what exactly is this whole fighting thing about?" Eden asks from the closet as she slips her arms through the armor and adjusts it so that it fits properly. She wanted to be ready just in case something went down.  It had been a few days since the ball and things were relatively calm between them, no major fights. A few small disagreements occurred, which had always been normal for the two. However, with this tournament, she was feeling nervous and frustrated with the amount of time she'd been forced to stay inside. She was beginning to go crazy with nothing to do all day. Her anxiety was at its peak and her anger level was constantly rising, however she, of course, understood why Loki asked her to stay inside. It was for protection but she hated it. She knew that if anyone tested her she would lose it and fully project all of these tangled feelings. 

"well it's a tournament, they start small and build-up to the champion. bets are placed throughout the whole thing. I'm not sure why or how it came to be but this has become the main form of entertainment within this planet, its tradition" he explains 

"I don't know this whole thing gives me a bad vibe, the fact that I have to pretend to be someone I'm not to avoid competing in this thing?"

"well this planet is certainly unlike anything I've ever seen, but I'm sure anyone would look at Asgard and say the same" he shrugs 

"yeah that's true" she smiles earning a playful glare from him

"this is gonna be nothing Eden, we're gonna go and make a few bets, watch a fight or two, and I'm gonna make sure nothing happens to you while simultaneously getting info about the Grandmasters ships and where to find them" 

"Loki-" she is cut off by him moving over to her and placing his hand on her shoulder 

"everything is going to be ok" she shakes her head feeling frustrated that he would try and act like things were perfectly fine. She would have preferred if he was honest because she wasn't ok.  She was only putting on an act so they didn't get forced to fight, which at this point sounded better than pretending.

"I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you so rest assured-"

"Jesus christ Loki enough of the bullshit!" she explodes causing him to take a step back away from her

"you did live with yourself after you broke my heart so shut up and stop telling me that everything is gonna be ok! I'm scared, I'm scared that we're too late to help Thor, and I'm fucking terrified that I'm gonna be stuck on this horrible planet forever!"

"Eden I promised-"

"no enough! I don't wanna hear any more empty promises, give me some answers, or else I will tear this place to the ground, you know better than anyone that I can" she threatens before walking straight out of the room and through the halls, Loki jogs to follow her and she ignores him and his anger and sadness practically drowning her heart. She knew that she'd possibly overreacted but she was tired of being locked away without any goddamn answers. They walk in silence to the viewing room where they spot the Grandmaster sitting on his throne with a drink in hand. He spots them and the two are quick to put on a fake smile and hold hands as they approach him. 

"Loki, Mary finally, I was beginning to think you wouldn't show! well, come now take a seat I'll show you who's fighting today. First we have Korg against Koa, should be a pretty good fight which is odd for the beginning rounds, so now what you should do is size them up and make your bets" Grandmaster explains, Eden smiles and nods pretending to be interested in what he said but in reality, she was disgusted. She could barely make out a device on the smaller one's neck which she could only assume is how they kept the fighters in line, it allowed them to control them or give them some sort of injury. Working for SHEILD she, unfortunately, knew far too many tricks. 

"I'm gonna pick the big one" Loki states, the Grandmaster pats him on the back applauding his choice before glancing at Eden who stared down at them blankly. 

"and you darling?" he asks catching her attention

"oh I'm not on for violence, I'll stand with whatever Loki decided" she responds earning a disproving nod from the leader of this odd world. As the two begin to fight she watches as the bigger one whose skin was made of rock and named, Korg if she remembered correctly raises his weapon and smashes it against the smaller ones. The fight was brutal, and she was fairly certain it would be to the death, or close to it. It made her sick watching two creatures fight for their lives when they clearly didn't want to, especially Korg. She felt for him as he hesitated with each detrimental strike on the smaller alien. It, unfortunately, didn't take long for Korg to finish off the creature they call Koa who lay motionless on the ground with blood gushing out of his various wounds. Eden felt sick as the fight was called and the crowd erupted in chants and celebration. Even Loki and the Grandmaster partaking in this, she looks up at her ' soulmate' with disgust and weakly claps her hands. She knew that she should have been putting on more of a show like everyone else but she couldn't bring herself to, Eden is a hero. It's in her nature to save those in parrel, not watch them get nearly beaten to death for entertainment purposes. Her stomach rolls as a few Sakaarians rush onto the floor of the arena and pick up Koa, placing him on a stretcher and run him out of the view from the crowd. Even from her spot, the girl could feel his energy-draining, he wouldn't make it to the medical wing. 

"Mary, aren't you going to congratulate your husband on his first win?" Grandmaster asks loudly through the cheering, she stares at the men who look at her expectantly and stands to her feet. She wraps her arm around Loki and places a fake smile on her face.

"Congratulations, you must have a talent for this," she says in a kind tone, though Loki knew she was insulting him. He laughs and continues holding her hoping that would be enough for the leader as the girl was already very upset with his actions from this morning, any more would condemn him to a painful death.  He knew not to get on her bad side better than anyone. 

"Oh come on, you gotta give him more than that! Mary your husband is gonna leave you one day for one of these lovely ladies if you don't give him something!!" he laughs, clearly he was intoxicated and hadn't understood his horrible words nor how they would impact the girl. She stares at him for a few moments trying her very best to keep herself together before laughing slightly.

"You're right" she nods moving closer to him

'you don't have to do this' Loki says into her mind, this surprises her as he hadn't done this since before he left her. 

However, the girl ignores him and moves up wrapping her arm around his neck, and places a kiss on the corner of his mouth, so that from the Grandmaster's perspective it would have seemed like they kissed. The older man claps and turns his attention back to the arena waiting for the next first level of the tournament fight to begin. Eden knew that she simply could not take another moment of this torture. She simply turns her back on Loki and the Grandmaster and walks out of the room. Loki's voice screams in her head but she pushes him out easily and blocks him from breaking through again. As she rushes through the halls, in desperate need of a break she spots Valkyie strolling along with a bottle in hand.