𝒑𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒕 || s. rogers & b. barnes

7||; 𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂-𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈

⤷ may 3, 2012
━━━━━━━━━━━

Loki paces his cell, and Irina watches.

Back and forth.

Back and forth.

Back and forth.

Planning.

Scheming.

"Do you want to go down or should I?" whispers Romanoff, who stands beside her as they collectively watch the god, eyes simmering with intense focus.

Irina purses her lips. "I will," she mutters. "I have some questions I need answering. I'll wring him out."

Romanoff quirks a brow at her, before looking back at Loki's pacing figure. "Alright. Scratch your left eyebrow if you're losing it. I'll come in and recover."

Irina nods wordlessly, and walks silently up to the cage, standing in front of it, and watching Loki pace.

Back and forth.

Back and forth.

Back and forth.

He stops, letting out a small chuckle. "There's not many people who can sneak up on me," says Loki, turning around to face her.

"But you figured I'd come," she says.

"After," Loki says, taking slow steps towards her. "After whatever torture Fury can concoct, you would appear as a friend, as a balm. And I would cooperate."

"Cocky of you to assume I'd ever be nice to you," Irina mutters, "even as an act."

Loki chuckles. "So truthful. It's a virtue many value."

"Do you?" She asks, quirking her brow.

"I value loyalty in my subjects," says the god, eyeing her with glittering blue eyes. "But I'm sure I can make an exception for a truthful one when my rule comes."

Irina scowls at him, her lip curling. "I feel so special," she scoffs. "Should I say "thank you"?"

Loki chuckles, approaching the glass and towering over her. She meets his gaze, her brown eyes dark under her eyelashes. "You know this is a losing battle, Irina," he purrs her name out, and she stiffens, eyes twitching at it. The reaction makes Loki's eyes shine with glee. "Yes, I know your true name. But your little outcasts...they don't, do they? You're scared that they'll find out your truth, the blood that's on yours hands and discard you, leave you for dead."

Her bottom lip wobbles slightly, and Irina purses her lips, fists clenching hard, and fingernails digging into her skin, pinching it. "I'm not afraid to be left alone," she says.

Loki grins. "Ah, but you are afraid that once your identity comes to light, it's only a matter of time before it slips out to the world, for all to see. And then...then they can come for you, at long last."

Irina inhales, sharp and trembling. She hesitates in taking a step back, debating it. "You don't know what you're talking about," she mutters.

"Oh, but I know very well. Because, you see, I have a little contact. A small bird, and he knows much about you, and your fears."

She freezes up, hearing her heart beat rapidly in her ears.

No.

It can't be.

She gulps loudly. "You — You don't know what you're talking about," she repeats in a panicked whisper. "I killed him."

Loki tilts his head, smirking at her. "Come now, Irina, we both know you're not as foolish as you like to think you are," he coos. "You know he's well and alive, and coming for you."