Amelie Stark - The Trickster's Guide
Amelie Stark - The Trickster's Guide
We stood together as the last of the crowd filed towards the exit. All in all, it'd gone pretty well. I turned to Loki and watched as he silently looked over the almost empty conference room, a strange look on his face. I stepped closer, sensing something was on his mind. "Loki? Is everything okay?"
He chuckled and turned to me, looking almost shyly into my eyes. "Yes" he said finally, after a few moments of consideration. "It's just... I suppose I'm still trying to take it all in."
"Take what in?" I asked, my brow furrowing. Loki ran a hand through his hair and sighed.
"Everything" he said simply. "The idea of belonging here, in this realm... on this planet." He paused for a moment before continuing. "The realisation that it's not all about me anymore."
I smiled softly at him, it was so obvious that the weight of this new reality had started to sink in for Loki. He seemed determined to find his place.
After a pause, he whipped around with a devilish grin. "Well, it is still mostly about me." He said playfully. I laughed, shaking my head.
Tony's voice broke the conversation. "Nicely done your highness." I turned slightly as he came closer to us, arms folded.
Loki smiled at my uncle, a warmth of true affection in his eyes. "I had a lot of help."
"Not something you're used to? That's fine, I suppose it'll take some time. But if you insist on showing your appreciation, bourbon will do just fine. Specifically, the aged variety from Kentucky. Something like that."
I smirked. Loki raised an eyebrow but his smile remained genuine. "Thank you Stark."
Tony looked at him for a beat, a serious expression on his face before nodding. "You got it."
The moment was suddenly broken by the rude reporter from earlier. He barged forward, his voice harsh and judgmental. "You all think you deserve a pat on the back, huh? You should be ashamed of yourselves for what you're allowing to happen." He turned his glare to Loki. "And you! I want to know exactly how you pulled this stunt off."
Loki's smile faded slightly as he looked at him but his voice remained calm. "Maybe it was magic."
I bit my lip, trying hard not to laugh as Tony snorted in the background. The man fumed, his face scrunched in disscontempt. “I see right through you. You think you can control the Avengers, but I know better. You'll go back to your old habits soon enough, mark my words. It's just a matter of time."
Loki's expression was unreadable as he regarded the reporter before turning away. I knew the comment had hit him hard but he refused to let it show. Instead, he just smiled softly at my uncle and me before finally speaking. "If that is truly what you think."
"You destroy lives and you don't give a damn. We all lost a lot that day. To you it was just another battle, another war to win. To me, it was my brother."
The air left my lungs as I hissed quietly in shock, the man's statement hitting us like a slap to the face. Loki was unmoving and statuesque beside me, his gaze completely devoid of emotion. Tony stepped closer, speaking calmly. "You got your moment. Now get out of here." The reporter's gaze burned into Loki like hot coals, so full of loathing and malice that it made my stomach churn. After one more hateful sneer in his direction, the reporter slowly began to retreat.
My heart sank as I watched him go, my eyes finding Loki's once again. His face was blank and calm, but I could see the emotion hidden beneath the surface. Tony stepped forward, placing a hand on my shoulder and nodding at Loki. In response, Loki bowed his head slightly, his hands clasped behind his back, before silently walking away.
Tony and I watched him go for a few moments before turning back to each other, each lost in our own thoughts. I smiled softly at my uncle before speaking. "Thank you." He shrugged nonchalantly but I could see a hint of a smile on his face as he glanced back once more at where Loki had been standing only seconds ago.