A Bang and a Whimper

1

Loki cowers.

This is not something he is used to doing, but given that Thanos broke both his legs and is battling Thor, Mjolnir against the Gauntlet, in a fight that seems to be perpetually crackling, thundering, and roaring, cowering does not seem like a terrible idea.

As he presses himself farther into the corner, hoping to disappear, using every ounce of his strength to maintain the sorcery that keeps the pain from becoming excruciating, he lets his mind wander to how he got here. The quest to prove himself. The acquisition of a throne. Repayment of a debt.

Yes, he gave Thanos the Gauntlet, but only because he thought it would save his life. There was little else he could do but allow him access to the vaults. It was only after it was gone that he did any research to find out just what it was he had given away and why Thanos might have wanted it. Once he knew what it was, he realized that he had very likely doomed the entire universe and it was little good to be alive if all of existence was going to be blinked out with you in it. And so he had done what he could to make finding the Infinity Stones harder. He nudged Thor's vision, he put protections around a ragtag crew of spacefarers, he hindered Thanos in what little ways he could and made sure to inquire after the Collector frequently. It was because of this that Thanos only had the Gauntlet to use against Thor. Loki finds that there is something somewhat funny in the fact that he has become, in a way, the All-Father, protecting the realms from a threat to end them all. Perhaps, he thinks, this means he has been a success. Unless, of course, Thor fails and Thanos kills him, acquires the Stones, and ends the universe, and then he will have been a terrible failure...but everyone will be dead, so it will not matter. This is somewhat comforting.

A large explosion of lightning brings his mind back to the battle before him and when the smoke clears and his vision returns, Thanos is dead, smouldering, and Thor's shoulders drop with the relief of knowing that something huge has ended, a disaster averted, everything properly Avenged. Loki tries to make himself invisible, hoping Thor's gaze will slip past him and he will be left alone, but when it begins to cause the magic keeping his legs from screaming, he drops the idea and returns his concentration where he needs it most.

Thor walks over to him, sets Mjolnir aside, and crouches in front of him, "It is over."

"This I see. It would be hard for it not to be, given that he is smoking."

"Yes, indeed."

"Deal the blow true, Thor, and do not delay. If this is to all end here, let it truly all end."

Thor shakes his head, "No, Loki, I will not."

"You will parade me through the city, defeated, and then execute me in the square?"

"No, not that either."

"Then what?"

"We shall see, but you will live."

Loki cannot believe what he is hearing, "Are you mad?"

"Likely. But a wise man once told me that he stood on the side of life. And I will follow his example in letting those able to serve the same purpose walk beside him."

"I do not understand."

"You do not have to." Thor sits, "You have, it seems, finally learned something."

"Oh?"

"That you are not infallible."

"And how do you come to this conclusion?"

"I know you gave him the Gauntlet."

"Do go on."

"And the only reason that I can think of that he would not have collected the stones is that a very powerful sorcerer was working against him."