Hero (Loki & Avengers)

Eleven

"Cassidy, is that you?" I hear from behind me. I stop in my tracks and turn around, and then there he is. The one person I've been forcing myself to not think about for weeks now.

"Dyl. Hey." I say, suddenly breathless.

"Hey? You drop off the face of the planet without so much as a goodbye, and all I get is hey?" He says angrily, walking right up to me.

"Yeah, I guess that's all I've got." I tell him in a small voice. My heart skips a beat when he comes closer to me, but I can't tear my eyes away from his. I'd almost forgotten how beautiful he was. How much I need him.

"Well then come here." He sighs, pulling me in for what feels like the tightest hug he's ever given to me. I hold back tears. I've been a horrible friend to him.

"I'm sorry." I whisper into him, clinging on tightly.

"Where the hell have you been Cassidy? And why didn't you call? Or at least, like, send a letter or something, I don't know." He says, rubbing the back of his neck. I never even really considered that he would be missing me, only how much I missed him. I always figured he meant a little bit more to me than I did to him.

"Didn't my mom tell you? I got a great job at a law firm, but I had to leave right away. I'm taking night classes to finish up my degree, and I'm so sorry but I've just been so busy all the time. Dyl, you know if I could be anywhere in the world it would be here with you and my mom." I explain myself with as few details as possible.

"But you didn't even say goodbye. Didn't call once. Do you know how shitty that made me feel?" He replies.

"I guess I was scared. Probably of the reaction you're giving me now." I say and he cracks a smile. So do I.

"Well we both know I'm not good at staying mad at you," He says and pulls me in for another hug, saying, "I'm glad you're back," into my hair.

It sends a shiver down my spine. I miss him. Even though he's here, I miss him, because I'm not really here. Not in the way he needs me to be, anyways. I'm lying to him about everything.

"Actually, I'm heading out now. I just stopped by to say goodbye." I tell him, and suddenly the memory of the flash drive in my pocket hits me. I have to get out of here before they realize it's missing.

"Okay, just please-" He says, grabbing my hand as I try to walk away and pulling me back towards him, "No more silent treatment. Call me, visit me, please. I hope your job is going amazing, you'll have to tell me everything later."

"I will. I promise." I smile back at him. Part of me thinks I'm telling the truth, part of me knows I'm not.

And then I'm out back onto the street, with thoughts of Dylan fresh in my mind, but more importantly a flash drive that feels like it weighs half a ton in my pocket. Guilt overcomes me momentarily for stealing from the people that have been like family to me, and it crosses my mind that I don't actually have to.

I don't have to trust Tony and the Avengers more than my own family. I could walk up to Mr. Connors, tell him everything that happened to me, and beg him to get this stuff out of me so I can go back to loving his son from afar. He is the expert on this substance after all, not Tony or Banner or anyone else. He's been studying it for who knows how long now.

I hesitate, but something in my gut tells me not to go back in there.

Loki. His words ring through my head, "Humans are the cruelest beasts of all. Do not have faith in them. Even the ones you love."

Somehow, I know he's right. I keep walking away from the compound, and I get on a bus to take me to where Happy is waiting for me with one of Tony's cars. I never thought Loki would be my guiding light in a situation like this. He keeps surprising me.