Hidden Troubles

Chapter 18

Spinning endless in the void, until the cold froze the blood in their tracks and he choked to death

The rightful king of Asgard. Betrayed.

vomit in his throat, vomit staining the floor, his hands, his skin, seeping—

What is kingship over kinship?

falling through the branches, falling in space, silent, endless

Who controls the would-be king?

humming, a song of pain, an endless dance to death

you don't deserve death, for it is too sweet.

Pain. There was something about pain. He remembers.

I who was and should be king.

Is this death?

Then death is life's greatest lie.

Loki?

The name sets his mouth on fire.

Pain.

Darkness.

He knows

nothing.

***

Whether or not Loki understood that was beyond Bruce. He couldn't help but notice how on edge Loki was when Bruce approached him, how his long fingers wrapped tightly around the armrests of his wheelchair and how taut his face became. Bruce backed off slightly, perplexedly trying to remember if he ever did or said anything to offend Loki more than the others.

Somewhere in him, the other guy must have chuckled.

"How about we get you on the bed?" said Bruce.

Loki shook his head.

"You just want to...sit for a while?"

Loki gritted his teeth and tried to wheel the chair with only one hand.

"Whoa, that's just going to make you spin in circles," Bruce said. "Just tell me where you want to go and I'll take you."

"Or we could just leave him to it. Wait until he figures it out." Tony remarked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Tony bent down to meet the god as he finished his snail paced half circle.

"So Reindeer Games. Do you want some help now?"

Loki looked at him reproached, but the mildly annoyed look faded into one of confusion. Loki reached out to Tony's collar, his fingers lightly brushing Tony's chest. His eyes widened slightly. He bit the tip of his tongue as he traced a perfect circle on Tony's chest.

Tony was just as bewildered as Bruce was.

"Er, Loki?" said Bruce.

Loki immediately pressed his hand flat against Tony's chest. Tony backed off immediately, his face the look of absolute befuddlement. Loki reached out again, more desperately, pointing to Tony's shirt.

"Bruce? What does he want?" said Tony, eyeing Loki like he was a misbehaving Rottweiler. "Bruce, make him stop."

"Is something the matter?" said Bruce.