Loki Laufeyson - Tentative
Loki Laufeyson - Tentative
The Quinjet hummed beneath me as I sat in the corner, watching the others around me. They carried on with their tasks, preparing for the mission. I couldn't help but notice how easily they worked together, an unspoken trust binding them as a team. My fingers twitched in my lap, an itch to prove myself gnawing at me.
"Is everything alright, Loki?" Bruce's gentle voice broke through my thoughts. I tried to give him a reassuring smile, though I knew I didn't fool him.
"Of course." I replied, my voice betraying my uncertainty. "Just...thinking."
"About the mission?" Bucky asked, his gaze holding mine.
"Among other things." I admitted, feeling the weight of my past decisions bearing down on me. The fear of failure clawed at my insides, threatening to suffocate me. What if I couldn't do this? What if I was never meant to play the hero?
"Hey, Reindeer Games." Tony interrupted, his tone harsher than usual. "You better not screw this up. I'm not going to let you mess with my niece's future."
My jaw clenched, and I fought to keep my composure. "I have no intention of causing her any harm, Stark."
"Right, because you've got such a great track record." He snapped, his eyes narrowing. It felt like a punch to the gut, though I had to remind myself that I deserved it.
"Guys," Steve said softly, looking up from the table he and Natasha were leant over. "Enough."
"Come on, Tony." Bucky chimed in. "Give the guy a break.”
"Won you over huh, Barnes? Are you sure you're not just falling for his fake smile and pretty face?" Tony retorted, not taking his eyes off me.
"Enough!" Steve repeated, raising his voice this time.
Stark didn’t answer, he just sauntered off to join Ms Romanov and Steve.
I felt a hand on my shoulder, a gentle but solid weight that managed to ground me. I glanced over to find Bucky at my side, his blue eyes filled with quiet understanding.
"Hey, don't let him get to you." He murmured, his voice low and soothing. "You know how Tony can be, ‘specially when Amelie's involved."
I nodded, taking a deep breath as I tried to release the anger still simmering beneath the surface. Bucky's comforting presence was a surprise. Our tentative friendship was still new and somewhat fragile, yet the connection between us had grown stronger with each passing day. I imagined his easy and understanding demeanour was largely to thank for that.
"Thanks." I whispered, appreciating his support. He gave my shoulder an unexpected and reassuring squeeze before letting go.
The sound of Clint clearing his throat caught our attention. "We're approaching Deer Valley." He announced. The familiar hum of the engines seemed to fade into the background as we all focused out the windows.
Steve took charge once more, gathering us around a large map. "Alright, everyone listen up." He began, his tone commanding and authoritative. "First job is to drop Loki off near the enemy base undetected. From there, he'll make it appear as though he's betraying us and joining their ranks."
As Steve continued to detail the plan, I felt a twinge of unease. The idea of pretending to betray the Avengers, even for the sake of the mission, left a sour taste in my mouth. I was finally beginning to feel like I wanted to belong here, and now I had to act against them.
Again.
"Remember." Steve said, locking eyes with me. "Communication is key. We'll be monitoring your progress closely, so don't hesitate to reach out."
I gave him a nod, understanding the gravity of the situation.
Without warning, I felt the vibrations shudder beneath my feet as we began our descent towards the ground. My heart raced in my chest, a combination of anticipation and fear. I glanced around at the others, trying to gauge their emotions. Bruce's eyes were fixed on me, his brows furrowed in concern. Bucky simply stared ahead, his expression blank.
The silence was suffocating, the pressure of everyone’s judging eyes weighing heavily on me. Shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other, I focused on putting a small, discrete earpiece in, feeling very much like the outsider I was.
"No time like the present!" Bucky suddenly said, his voice low yet oddly encouraging. His words seemed to break the tension that had filled the small space and I managed a weak nod in response before moving toward the side door.
With the Quinjet hovering about two meters above the ground, Steve opened the heavy door easily and the sudden gust of wind was deafening.
I took a deep breath and leapt out, feeling the air rush past my face as I landed with a thud. Dust swirled around me, stinging my eyes and whipping through my hair. I narrowed my eyes in an attempt to shield them, watching as the aircraft ascended and disappeared into the sky.
The silence in it's absence was overwhelming. Everything around me seemed to be holding it's breath as I stood still.
After a moment, I began slowly walking towards the base, feeling a strange mix of fear and determination coursing through my veins as my magic thrummed in anticipation. Each step felt heavy, weighed down by the gravity of what lay ahead.
As I walked, my thoughts inevitably turned to Amelie. Her face, so full of warmth and kindness, flashed in front of my mind's eye. I couldn't help but smile, despite the circumstances. She was the reason I was doing this, after all. For her, I could face any danger.
My smile stretched into a smirk. If, 2 years ago, I'd been told I'd feel so strongly towards a mortal, I would have laughed and stabbed whoever had suggested it…. probably Thor.
Yet here I was.
My grin faltered as I remembered Amelie’s anger towards Tony. The memory sat uncomfortably in my mind, the knowledge that the Stark's were not their usual selves was upsetting.
"Get it together." I thought to myself, shaking my head as if to clear it of these distractions.
As I approached the gated entrance to the base, I steeled myself for whatever awaited me inside. My heart pounded in my ears, echoing the fears and uncertainties that still plagued me.
"Here goes nothing." I muttered.