I Don't Believe We've Met

Arrow Guy

"You have to eat."

"No, I don't," you answered flatly, making it clear that you didn't want to engage with your kidnapper, your gaze set straight ahead. No matter how hungry you had gotten already, and no matter how hungry you would become, you were determined to stay strong. No matter how loud the growling in your gut would become, you had to ignore it. You knew that Loki would find you. It was just a matter of when.

"You'll starve to death."

"Then I'll starve to death."

The man next to you let out a frustrated groan, pushing himself back into his chair with his arms tightly folded. "Listen, we don't want to hurt anyone, okay? We just want him to leave."

"Then we're at an impasse," you answered, "because I want him to stay. I want him to prove to you arrogant bastards that he's changed for the better, and to make you look like the idiots you are. But now that you've gone and done this, I can't say that this will end the way you want it to. Just remember, you brought this."

The man turned to one of his cohorts who had just entered the room to catch the last of your conversation, the two of them exchanging a full conversation in a mere glance. The new man crossed the dark room quickly, grabbing the other's arm with a firm, nervous shake and a look of fear in his eyes. You had to look, just to feel the satisfaction of their realization to give you the energy to keep up your resolve. You weren't proud of your darker side, but you almost looked forward to what Loki might punish them with; that was, until you realized just how far he could take it. "What's she talking about?"

"You guys don't even realize what you've done, do you?" you smirked. "If I weren't so worried for you now, this might have actually been fun for me."

"What's she talking about?" the second man repeated, just as the lights went out around you.

You held your breath at the sensation of warmth on your wrists, releasing the ties that held you to the table they had hastily chosen to keep you on. The red glow nearly lit the room, giving it an eerie glow that reflected in their eyes; eyes that were about to pop from their skull in their panic at what they were watching.

"Shit! That witch is here!" the first man yelled out, jumping up from his seat, pushing it away with a crash. "We just wanted Loki, not the whole damn lot of 'em! We gotta run, get everybody out!"

But his next step wouldn't land solidly on the floor. His foot barely moved to take it when he was grabbed by the back of his shirt and thrown into his chair with a landing that forced the air from his chest. Even in the dark, you could clearly see the shine of a blade pressed to the man's neck.

"Don't," you warned, gasping at what you were watching, "please. This isn't worth it, trust me."

"I should slit your throat so that your companions can witness your pitiful death," Loki sneered from behind him, and you swore that his eyes were aglow with a terrifying green that stripped away any part of him that you had come to recognize. "I should make a lesson of you."

"Stop, and think about what you're doing," you tried again. You slid your legs over the edge of the table, pushing yourself to stand even though your gait wobbled from the lack of movement. Your head spun a little at the shift in position, but your determination to stop him from making this so much worse drove you forward. It took only a few steps to reach him, and when you did, you brought your hand up to try to take his before he made good on his plan. "Look at me."

"I cannot leave this to go unpunished, (Y/N). They've hurt you and I cannot stand by and silent. I will not."

"They'll be punished, Loki, I promise. Tony will see to it, you know that."