Hero (Loki & Avengers)

Twenty-One

They got the stone.

After they closed that portal behind them, there was no telling where in the universe they went. The battle finished up when all of the beasts left behind on Earth were killed, but somehow it still felt like a defeat.

Peter Quill is now here with more beings that call themselves the Guardians. Some of them are very nice, and others don't talk much.

Peter is incredibly funny, albeit a little bit strange, but he's upset that his portal let the aliens in.

Doctor Strange also came just as the battle finished, and he's not pleased we lost an infinity stone either. Of course, most people don't know that I had it and Loki let it go.

I didn't think telling them that would help. I don't think anybody else saw it, either. But I did, and that's all that mattered.

Loki saved my life at the risk of the entire universe. Looking into his oceans for eyes I felt safer than I ever have, even though there were hundreds of aliens all around trying to kill us. He may have trouble saying it, but Loki cares about me.

I'll never look at him the same after that. He is...unequivocally good.

All of us just flew back to the compound and took a break before our big group meeting to discuss the consequences of the stone getting away.

I peeled my suit off of me, which now has gashes in it from the fighting, and took a scorching shower to clean the foreign blood from my skin.

The blasts from the alien scepter across my back and legs is still a fresh and sore wound, but it's already beginning to heal. Just much slower than the rest of my already sealed cuts. I wince as I pull a soft cotton shirt on.

I walk into the hallway to head to the conference room, and as I pass by Loki's room I notice Thor inside. I go invisible and peer in, curious.

"I'm not mad, brother. I'm...proud." Thor tells Loki, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Proud? Well, thank God." Loki replies sarcastically.

"I mean it. You saved her life and lost the orb." He says, referring to me.

"I did." Loki responds.

"What has become of you brother? Are you growing soft?" Thor teases with a laugh.

"Soft? No." Loki scoffs, but then pauses. "It's just...perhaps these humans aren't as totally useless and mindless as I thought."

I smile and shake my head. That's such a Loki way to say he might actually care about me.

"No, perhaps they're not." Thor replies.

"Don't give me that look brother, I know what you're thinking." Loki challenges Thor's smirk.

"No you don't." Thor insists.

"Yes, I do. And it's completely ridiculous." Loki replies. I try not to be offended.

"Ridiculous, yes, and also very cute." Thor responds.

Loki mutters something like, "Oh, piss off," under his breath as he stands and leaves the room to go to the meeting. I press against the wall so he doesn't bump into me. Thor follows after a minute or so.

He passes by my invisible figure, and stops right in front of me.

"It's not polite to eavesdrop, you know." He says quietly. Shit. I'm caught.

I phase back in with a sheepish smile.

"I grew up with the God of Mischief. I've gotten pretty good at detecting when someone's spying on me." Thor says with a small smile.