The King and The Lionheart (Loki fanfic V:1)

The Edge of Glory Part 15

A/N (made when first posted) Hey guys, I know it's been longer than I said it would and I'm sorry about that. I guess I've just been worried about how people perceive my work and if it's good enough. I've had to go on depression meds and even though I'm down most days I'm still alive (on the outside. So let's just pick up where we left off, shall we?

     Romanoff sends the van back on it's way before walking back into the restaurant. As he hold me against his leather I breath him in and feel like I've caught a glimpse of being home again. He lifts me up and it's like reality sets in, once again. I hate reality. The second we join the others they'll tear into him.

     Thor joins us and Loki lets me go. Loki allows his brother to hug him for a moments before shrugging Thor off. "It's good to have you back, brother," Thor says before informing us that he told the rest of them that Loki was being controlled by Thanos when he did all of that. Loki looks slightly irritated and Thor goes back in when he sees the look on Loki's face.

     "What's the matter?" I ask.

     "Nothing," Loki brushes off and puts an arm around my shoulder. He takes a step towards the door but I don't move. I give him a look of skepticism. He sighs and admits "I don't like them knowing what Thanos did to me."

     "But if they know then they won't give you such a hard time, I don't-"

     "I don't," Loki starts out loudly before calming himself into a normal level. " I don't want people to see me..."

     "Weak," I sigh as I reach an understanding. "You're not weak for being held hostage or put under mind control, honestly, you're stronger for it." He rolls his eyes at me but he doesn't say anything against what I said. I'll just have to take the longer route of convincing him; reminding him whenever I can until he accepted it.

     We head into the restaurant and receive some suspicious looks from the others. "So... are we just going to ignore the fact that he tried to kill us, even if it was under the control on an alien with megalomania?" Stark asks.

     They stay awkwardly quiet so I decide to break the silence. "That would be the most comfortable solution, so... yeah."

     Stark nods slowly, looking slightly surprised by my reaction. "Well, I've already had my eye on this one kid for a while. Even started his training, guess I could check on the bug," Stark says and leaves quickly. I guess they were talking about formulating a plan of gathering new members while Loki and I were outside.

     "I've been hearing about a movement going on in Africa, some guy in a cat suit. I'm going to find Bucky and we'll find him," Rogers says as he gets up but he waits to hear our plans first. Romanoff begins to say something about getting backup. Suddenly a ring of what looks like electricity grows around Loki's feet.

     "What's this? W-w-what are you doing?" Thor asks. I see confusion flit across Loki's face as he reassures us it isn't him. Unfortunately right as he finishes his statement he falls into the ground, leaving only a piece of paper where he stood. I sigh in frustration, we literally just got him back. Thor pokes at the card and whispers "Loki?"

     "It's obviously not him," I grump as I reach down to pick up the card. "177A Bleeker Street... looks like we have someone to recruit," I say glancing at Thor. He nods in agreement and we wish good luck for the rest of our team to find good members. We have to go back to Manhattan but at least it's the opposite side from where the aliens were invading from.

     Thor picks me up and flies us to the street. We walk up to the door and I take a deep breath as Thor knocks on the door. We're instantly transported inside, I assume, into a darker room. I look to the window and nudge Thor as I see a guy floating towards us with a red cape. Probably not for dramatic effect... well the cape anyways, the floating was definitely for dramatic purposes. "Thor Odinson," The man intones.

     Thor holds out Mjolnir in a defensive stance as the man lands gently before us. I suddenly realize that Thor transform Mjolnir into an umbrella, probably to try to blend in more, I realize how weird this must look. "God of thunder," The man says. "You can put down the umbrella." Thor glances to the side and gently lies Mjolnir in an umbrella stand. As soon as it touches the ground we're transported again to a room right to the left of where we were.

     "Sigyn, wife of Loki," The man watches us.

     "No," I awkwardly try to correct but see Thor pick up something old looking. "Put that back."

     "So earth has wizards now?" Thor chuckles as he puts the diamond shaped thing back, or rather he tires to. As soon as he tries to put it back the rest of the fall out of place.

     "The preferred term is Master of the Mystic Arts," The man explains as Thor keeps trying to fix it while it keeps falling apart. I watch the man, concerned awkwardness clearly showing on my face. I don't once look back at Thor to see the mess he's making. "You can leave that now."

     "I liked wizard," Thor says trying to be cool by putting his hand on his hip, trying to play off what he just did. "Who are you and why should I care?" I roll my eyes and look at Thor. I elbow him in the ribs and he jumps.

     "Sorry, what my friend put so indelicately was 'nice to meet you.' I'm Sigyn, this is Thor, and who might you be?" I ask trying to be polite. If we want him on our side or to join the battle then we need to show at least a little respect.

     "My name is Dr. Stephen Strange and I have some questions for you. Take a seat," Strange says and once again we get transported, only this time we're sitting down. "Tea?" Strange asks as Thor begins to look around the room. A small dark glass appears in Thor's hand and I realize there's one in mine as well.

     This Dr. Strange is a rather large showoff. I'm not sure why but for one of the first time I find this a rather attractive trait. "I don't drink tea," Thor answers.

     "Well what do you drink?" Strange asks.

     "Not tea," Thor retorts with a smug look on his face but as soon as he starts to lower his hand it becomes a glass tankard full of ale.

     Dr. Strange gives me a questioning look. "I've put my day drinking days behind me, but thank you," I say only half jokingly but it gets a small smile out of him.

     "So I keep a watch list of individuals from other realms who may be a threat, your adoptive brother Loki is one of those beings," Strange says.

     "He's a worthy inclusion," Thor says and his almost empty glass begins to refill itself.

     "But not as worthy as Thanos who has aliens invading upper Manhattan as we speak," I argue looking at this doctor with utter confusion. Sudden realization hits me. "But that's the real reason why we're here, isn't it? You wanted to be apart of our 'kicking Thanos out' party but you didn't know how to get in. Or rather, you didn't know how to get in without seemingly lesser."

     I watch shock flit across his features before he school them back into neutrality. "You've made a lot of assumptions in that last few sentences, Ms. Sigyn-"

     "Except for the fact that I really haven't. You see I'm used to working closely with arrogant men with a tendency for showing off, so I know how to look for even the tiniest of emotional ques. You use the same ways of talking that they do in order to cover up what you truly want. You said it yourself, Dr. Strange," I say as I lean back in my chair, completely confident in what I'm saying. "You want to protect this world. Let's cut the bullshit and do that already."