The Syndicates || "MARVEL: Avengers" || COMPLETED

T H I R T E E N | ' alive and (not so) well '

I opened my eyes to thick, smothering darkness.

Only selective chunks of the world around me were illuminated by the few tendrils of moonlight that had managed to sneak past the spiderweb of branches overhead. Heavy winds battered the area nonstop and I jerked up as leaves and twigs soared in my direction. My hand flailed through thin air where my gun would usually be and I rolled onto my side to avoid the projectiles, wincing at the stiffness that ran down my neck and back.

With a groan, I climbed to my knees but as I attempted to stand a throbbing pain lanced through my left thigh, sending me tumbling to the floor. I wiped mud off my face, my grazed knees and forearms stinging.

Of all the places in the world of course Loki chose this freezing, stormy wasteland to bring us to. As if Hawaiian paradises didn't exist.

Us.

Was he even here?

I rubbed my arms furiously, shuddering in the chilling yet somehow humid environment. Once I'd gotten my bearings back, I tore away the bloodied fabric clinging to my wound, pressing my fingers lightly against the flesh around it. An excruciating burn erupted from my touch and tears blurred my vision but I wiped them away and without much thought, squeezed harder. Thankfully, I discovered it was only a flesh wound but as I prepared to heal it, a dull moan came from nearby.

Loki.

Against my better judgement, I crawled towards the sound, eventually finding a dotted trail of blood that glittered from the shadows. I dragged myself across the forest, my hands bleeding and arms exhausted from hauling my frozen legs behind me. Pain weighed down my every movement but I continued shuffling onwards.

Soon enough, I found him.

He was leant up against the trunk of a tree, his body drenched thickly in blood; a gory scene even to my eyes. Gritting my teeth, I clambered to my feet, clinging to a branch for support.

For once my own pain was the least of my priorities.

"Loki." I whispered, slapping him across the face.

He probably wouldn't have taken too kindly to that gesture had he been awake, but his eyes remained closed.

I finally caught sight of the bullet holes riddling his armour. Four of them, glinting menacingly in the moonlight, and all had torn straight through his chest plate. To be honest, I didn't know whether Asgardians even breathed but I tucked two fingers under his nose regardless. A puff of strangled air pushed back against my fingertips. His breaths were faint and weak, but at least they existed. I hung my head, sinking to my knees beside him.

For a while I debated healing him at all. He was a god, wasn't he? Couldn't he tend to his own injuries? Was it truly my responsibility to save this criminal, diminishing the little strength I'd gathered in the process?

I suppose though that Loki had faced a similar choice at the helicarrier. He had brought me here of his own free will and while he clearly hadn't consulted a travel agent first, he'd technically saved my life. Whether I liked it or not, I was indebted to him. I was just paying back what I owed. That's what I told myself as I gingerly pressed my palms against his chest, refusing to accept that part of my motivation may have come from empathy.

As the clouds shifted, a stream of light descended on my arms, exposing an assembly of red bruises tainting the skin around my right bicep. Damage that he had done. Suddenly, I was drenched in a new fear. What if there was some ulterior motive for his actions and all this was just part of his plan? He had chosen to bring us here, to the middle of a forest with no chance of outside help, instead of a hospital or a laboratory where we could access medical supplies.

I spared a glance up at him. His face was gaunt and pale, the skin barely hanging to his bones and his chest shuddered with every breath. He didn't look like an all-powerful god, taking joy in deluding a mortal he thought less of. He looked like a victim. With that thought I realised it was too late to turn back anyway. My strength waned and I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness as I brought him back from the brinks of death. My breathing slowed and the roaring fire in my thigh spread across my body but I didn't stop healing him until my eyelids closed of their own accord and I crashed to the floor at his side.