His Dove (Loki Laufeyson)

Part 1 (Design Flaw)

The air was stiff and humid on the balcony that morning; the outside seemed eerily dark. However, the mystery behind the darkness was quickly answered as I looked up to the sky, seeing the helicarrier floating above.

I huffed and turned around, but Pepper was already behind me, pacing back and forth as she also looked at the flying aircraft.

"I assumed you'd be up there as well." She stated, though it sounded more like a question.

"Tony says I'm still out until I've 'fully recuperated'." I responded with an eye roll. "What're they doing up there?"

She opened her mouth to reply, but I tossed my hand up before a word left her lips.

"-actually, never mind. If you tell me, I'll only be more encouraged to fly up and catch an earful from Toaster."

That earned a small laugh from her, though she seemed nervous. It wasn't abnormal, either, for her to be anxious for Tony's well-being.

"I'm sure they've got it under control." Just as the words left my mouth, Happy peered around the corner, another wave anxiety hit the room as he approached.

"You two, Tony says I've gotta take you to the safe room."

I rolled my eyes, but gently laid my hand on Pepper's shoulder, maneuvering her to the elevator.

"Go with her; I'll be alright." I told Happy, who switched his weight back and forth between his feet in a mixture of unease and frustration.

"Tony sai-"

"It's alright, Happy. I'll make sure to tell him it was my decision."

I lightly shoved him into the elevator and grabbed a cup of coffee, taking a drink before retrieving my clunky bracelet and shoving it onto my wrist. I could hear talking on the floor above me and went back to balcony to hear better.

The mumbling wasn't much better from my position, but nonetheless I pressed the button on the top of my bracelet, allowing the armor to surround all but my head.

Just as I went to step off, glass shattered from above me and I watched as Tony began falling. I went to jump off as Tony's armor began to form, so I instead went upwards as my helmet surrounded my head and face.

"Another one. Of course." A man rolled his eyes and looked at me. "A sidekick?"

I huffed out a bit of a laugh, still taking in the surroundings and situation. The man held tightly to a scepter, his bright blue eyes almost matching the swirling blue of the end.

"Something like that, I suppose."

I quickly went in for a hit, but it seemed useless as the man grabbed my hand, even with my suit on, flinging me across the room with ease.

"I'm playing nice, mortal. I expected the same treatment."

I stood up, glancing between the man and the window, waiting for Tony to get back. "Throwing a man out of a window? That's what you consider nice?"

I went at him again, this time hitting him and sending him backwards a bit, a stunned expression on his face. He went to point the scepter but I realigned it to the ground, before kicking him in the chest. The scepter fell to the ground with a thud, just as the man did a couple feet away from it. I went to grab the tail end of it, but was grabbed and flung to the ground underneath the man who had a firm grip on both of my wrists.

The dreaded sound of my armor breaking down surrounded us and the man smirked, almost playfully.

"Well hello there, little one." He had hit the button on my bracelet once more, causing my armor to compact itself back. He slipped the bracelet off my wrist with one finger, twirling it around before flinging it across the room. "That's no good." He mocked my expression and thoughts perfectly, almost as if he had read my mind.

"Design flaw." I grumbled, head butting him and scrambling for the scepter.

I felt my ankle being grabbed and was once again held to the ground. I had tried to pry his arm off of me when my sight was overtaken by the strangest feeling I had ever experienced.

I was standing, staring at a blue-toned figure with markings running across his skin. His deep red eyes were captivating to me; I couldn't help but stare into them, even though they stared right through me. As weirdly as it sounded in my mind, I thought to myself how comfortable I felt with that figure. How their eyes held a hurt warmth that made my chest flutter, nothing less than a desire to help them, shield them from their pain.

Suddenly the figure disappeared, fading into the darkness and leaving me in black nothingness as voices echoed all around. Much of it was impossible to decipher, but I tried to catch words here and there when I could. Jotunheim, frost giant, father, casket.

Then another blur rushed quickly behind me and took my attention. A purple, humanoid being stood next to the same man that I had just been fighting. Bloody and beaten, he looked as though he was just barely holding onto life. I remember feeling the heat blasting around us; what I could only describe as standing in an inferno.

"You.." I managed to get out before I was sucked back into reality. The shocked expression on the man's face made me realize he, too, had experienced whatever the hell that was.

"What did you just do?" He asked through clenched teeth, his grip on me tightening to the point I felt as though my wrist would snap at any given moment, crumbling beneath his fingers. I winced at the pain. I could feel the confusion and absolute rage beaming off of him in heavy waves, crashing onto me like water on the shores of a beach.

"I-" I was cut off as the man abruptly got up and brushed himself off, his emotions no longer swirling in the air. It felt like... Nothing. Absolutely nothing. He picked back up the scepter before I could even think of getting to it, and looked back at me.

"I suggest you get out of here." He said sternly, but his distraught expression made me pause. Without my armor I was nearly defenseless, but something in my gut was telling me to try to help the man in front of me. Just like the blue-toned figure in the vision, something in my chest was screaming at me to protect him. I stood up and opened my mouth to say something, but he cut me off quickly. He didn't sound angry, but was authoritative as the words left his mouth. "Go. Now... Before I change my mind once more."

I hesitantly walked towards the elevator, looking back once more. The man still looked at me, his eyebrows furrowed and his expression softer. I finally forced myself to break eye contact and went into the elevator, before going to join Pepper and Happy.