Loki squeezed his eyes shut and gathered his resolve along with his seidr. It burned warm in his chest, curling within his metaphorical palms. There were footsteps from down the hall and he paused, blinking his eyes back open again. James was dragged back into the cell, limp, tossed to the floor.
He paused. Was he okay? What would he even do if James wasn't okay? If he was hurt? Loki turned to look at him, staring as James lay still and silent against the stone floor.
“James?” Loki muttered, shifting forwards on his hands and knees to check on him. His heart pounded in his chest. If James was dead, what was he supposed to do? Live on alone? Go back to Asgard and live like nothing had ever happened? Pretend that James had never saved him from himself, had never protected him. Or did he mourn, go back to his old life completely changed and ruined like Zola wanted.
He pressed his fingers to the scar on his stomach. A Midgardian had his hands in Loki's guts. Loki shook his head, pressing two fingers to James' wrist. His heart was beating, steady and strong. His skin was warm, and when Loki turned him over it seemed like James was only asleep.
Tortured, but asleep.
“Oh, thank the Norns.” Loki whispered, tears in the corners of his eyes. He lay down beside James, cushioning his head on the man's chest, and let himself relax. His seidr swelled in his chest, before rushing out and over his body in a burst with the mutter of a few words. “Heimdall, if you can see me, please come and get me.” He muttered, before his eyes fell closed and he collapsed into exhaustion.
The cold of the cell faded into nothing, and Loki lay comfortable for the first time in who knew how long.
—
“Loki! Loki!” Thor yelled in his ear, and Loki groaned and swatted his brother away.
“Thor, shut up..” He mumbled, squeezing his eyes shut. Thor sobbed and clutched him close, and he blinked his eyes open in confusion, then. Thor. Thor was there. He was safe. They'd found him. He'd saved himself.
“Brother, you're alright.” He sniffled, holding Loki against his chest. “I was worried for you, Heimdall couldn't see you and your magic… I felt it disappear when I came to look for you. Loki what in the nine happened to you?” Thor's embrace was blisteringly hot after everything, but Loki sunk into it anyway. He loathed being cold.
It was nice to relax into the comforting warmth of his brother. After Zola. After being alone for so long. After his own daggers on his skin and fingers in his stomach, Loki wanted simple. He wanted everything to go back to normal. He knew it couldn't, not immediately, maybe not for a long time. But it could get better, at least. Not so painful, not so constant. In a thousand years perhaps he'd even manage to forget it.
“Loki, what's happening?” James whispered, and Loki turned to find him wide eyed and backed into a corner. His hands were trembling along with the rest of him, and the Einherjar surrounding them had their spears trained on him. “I don't understand.”
“James, it's alright. It's hard to, to explain it.” Loki paused, wiping over his face with his hands before laughing shortly. “They're here to save us. This is my brother. Can I tell you once we're out of this cell?”
James stared at him for a moment, clearly stunned into silence. Loki felt awful for him. He'd been locked in a cell for who knew how long, alone and probably terrified. Then there was Loki, and company, someone to be with who understood him. Someone who noone was looking for. Except they had, many of them, and James was separate from them. Alone even in a room that was abnormally full of people.
He stood shakily, nudging Thor off of him, and offered a hand to James. He stared for a moment before taking it, hauling himself up to his feet. They exchanged a look for a moment, James seemingly searching for something that he found.
“Alright. Where are you going, after?”
“Home, I think. But nowhere you've ever been, I'd think.”
Loki entwined their fingers together and squeezed tight.
“We can take you home first, though. If you'd like.” He selfishly wished that James would want to go with them. But he had family on Midgard, most likely. People who thought him dead, who'd miss him. He couldn't simply disappear into the nine realms.
“Let's talk first, I think.” James replied, squeezing his hand in return. “Can we get out of this cell? It's awful in here.”
He nodded, his lips twitching into a smile. Loki turned back to Thor to find him staring, his mouth open. He titled his head in question, and Thor shook his head, trying to smile. It was more of a grimace than anything, but Loki appreciated the sentiment. Trying to understand Thor's expressions was more difficult after being gone for so long. He didn't even know how long.
The Einherjar led the way out of the cell, marching down the halls of the bunker with a confidence Loki didn't feel. It seemed to him that every time they walked past a door, Zola might jump out and put a needle in his neck. He kept a lookout because if they got Thor, he thought he'd give in to protect him.
James looked as on edge as he felt, his eyes darting to each door and corridor as the passed them. They were empty and where they weren't, there was blood on the walls. It was grim, but Loki felt satisfied, in some way.
They'd deserved it. Every wound and death that had occured was due to their own faults. Their own poor decision making. Loki would have loved to do it himself, to sink his own nails and teeth into their skin and watch blood bubble to the surface. He'd love to use his own daggers.
He paused. His daggers.
“Did you get my daggers?” Loki asked Thor, glancing nervously at the Einherjar. He couldn't let his weapons fall into any other mortals hands. They'd do the same as Zola had.
“Of course, Loki. They're here.” Thor pulled them from a sheath Loki hadn't noticed on his belt, and Loki cringed back instinctively as they were offered to him blade first. His brother's brow furrowed, and Loki tried to touch his arm to comfort him. Thor squeezed his hand after re-sheathing the daggers, and Loki smiled a little.
The door to the bunker opened and a rush of cold air hit his face. He shivered, and Thor swung a cloak around his shoulders. Beside him, an Einherjar was doing the same for James. Loki grabbed the fabric and tugged it against his chest tightly.
“We're going to take the Bifrost from here, brother. You ought to talk to your friend before we have to leave.” Thor placed a hand on his shoulder. Loki sighed heavily.
“Loki what on earth is going on?” James asked incredulously. “He looks like a goddamn viking, same as all of the rest of them. Who are they? Who were you, before?” He had his hand curled into a tight fist in his cloak, where he was holding it on. It wouldn't stay on his shoulder without his other arm present.
“I'm, James, I'm not exactly from here. From your realm. We can take you to where I am from, to heal you properly. Do something for your arm.” Loki placed a hand on James shoulder. “I'm not sure what I'm meant to explain. What I can explain. Noone is supposed to know we even exist but you, you saved my life. I think an exception could be made but-”
“It's complicated?” James said. Loki nodded in return, giving him a weak smile. He and James had never spoken so much. Neither of them had wanted to give Zola any information about them, nothing that was any more in depth than what they looked like and what hurt them. “I'll come with you.”
Loki blinked at him, grabbing at his hand. “You don't have to. You can stay here, I'll make them take you home.”
“I don't want to go back. Not right now. They won't understand, and the only person I really want to see is gone. I think.”
“I'm sorry, James.”
“It's not your fault. You were there with me when he died. The Captain, that Zola mentioned. He was a friend of mine. Steve Rogers, my best friend.” James let go of his cloak, letting it slide awkwardly off of his shoulder. He took a hold of Loki's hand. “We should go now, right? I don't want to wait here in the cold anymore.”
Loki nodded, turning to Thor. His brother nodded and raised his hammer.
“Heimdall!”
The Bifrost descended on them, and that was what made Loki really believe it was real. If he'd been asleep, or hallucinating, the force of the Bifrost would have shaken him awake. His eyes flew open.
The colourful glow of the Bifrost bridge was before him. Hofund sat in the golden plinth, Heimdall's hands curled around the handle. It was brighter than Loki remembered, although that might have been that he was used to the dark of his cell. Asgard had always seemed so beautiful, but it was even more so after cell bars and torture machines.
“Loki.” His mother breathed, wrapping him in her arms as he stepped out of the Bifrost. Loki froze, his face pressed into her neck. “Oh, my son, I'm so sorry. I'm so glad you're okay, Loki, dearheart. We thought, oh Norns.” He wrapped his own arms around her, half stunned into silence.
What could he say? She was so excited to see him alive, to see him happy. Loki wasn't sure how to respond. He remembered being a monster, curled up with blue skin and red eyes. He remembered being a frost giant, a creature of every Aesir’s nightmares. She must have known, but still she held him close. Loki wasn't sure enough of himself to admit what he was out loud, not in front of everyone.
He curled his hands into her dress, holding himself closer. Loki didn't want to let go. He wanted to be safe again, even if it meant embarrassing himself before half of Asgard by clinging to his mother. Maybe he'd have been embarrassed before he'd been forced to beg for his life, to cry while some mortal touched his organs and laughed at him.
“You are James, correct?” Loki heard his father ask, and his head shot up. He craned his neck to see Odin stood before a nervous James, the man staring at him to request help.
“Yessir.” James responded, his voice shaky.
“Father, please, he's done nothing wrong,” Loki started, throwing himself out of his mother's arms and towards the Midgardian.
“You have saved my son a great deal of pain, James. For that, you will always have my gratitude, and I will grant you leave to stay on Asgard for as long as you need. We will provide you with medical care from Lady Eir herself, back in the palace.” Odin paused to look at him, and Loki stared back, bewildered. James was okay. Odin was thankful. “I'm glad you're home, my son. Asgard was devastated by your loss, as much as your brother, mother and I were.”
Loki blinked, and his father had dragged him into a swift and fairly awkward hug. He was released as fast as he was grabbed, and his father marched off towards the bridge.
“Come, Einherjar, back to the palace. Bring Loki and James, treat the Midgardian as well as you might my sons.”
Everyone seemed to stand in silence as they watched Odin leave. It was nothing less than baffling for everyone involved that James should be given the royal treatment, especially as a Midgardian who had no real political power. Loki could hardly comprehend it. What could James have done that his father would value so highly? He had said it was because James had saved him, but Loki couldn't believe it. Not properly.
“Loki, what the fuck is happening?” James hissed. “The palace? Are you an alien prince? This is ridiculous, I'm going to lose it. How did you never mention you were a space prince? Obviously you didn't but Loki my GOD.”
Loki tried to stop it but he couldn't help a manic laugh escaping him. James stared at him incredulously before joining him, tears in both of their eyes as they completely lost it laughing. They were free from the bunker, safe and free on Asgard. Loki was back on Asgard.
“We're free. Holy shit we aren't even on the same planet as Zola. We aren't right?” Loki shook his head and James grinned wildly. “We're really out of there. He can't get us. Fuck, this is incredible. I'm so glad you're a space prince, Loki, this is maybe the best way this could have turned out.”
James dragged him into a one armed hug and Loki returned it fiercely, squeezing the man tightly. He was properly warm. Stood under the sun on Asgard again, a soft breeze brushing through his hair. He probably looked disgusting but he couldn't find it in himself to care. He could go to the baths and soak for hours if he wanted, and they'd left him. They'd give him all the fancy soaps and oils he asked for.
And James was there.
“I'm so happy we were there together, James.”
“Me too, Loki. You saved me. Crap, you really saved me.”