Chapter 4
“He's injured.” there was no sarcasm. No biting tone that all of them had come to associate with Loki.
Only a quiet assurance. Something that set everyone on edge.
“What happened?” Tony bit out, itching to grab Peter from the slender fingers of the absolute monster that was holding him.
Thor had stepped in when he lunged, knocking him off kilter in an almost panicked fashion.
“He's healing. You'll break the energy” was the only explanation he got as he picked himself off of the cold wooden floor.
And low and behold, he noticed he finally noticed it.
The golden glow that was coming from the tips of Loki’s slender fingers, wrapping themselves around Peter’s head and the rest of his body.
“He's young. He'll recover quickly” Thor remarked as they stood around almost awkwardly, unsure as to exactly what they were supposed to be doing.
“He's eighteen.” Tony muttered, not taking his eyes off the magic happening before his eyes.
“He fell out of a plane.” Loki responded.
“The poison stopped his heart before he landed.” It was said as an afterthought, much softer than his previous brash statement.
Bruce took a shaky breath.
“So how exactly is he...alive?” Banner asked, looking more than a little green at the edges.
“There was a riff in space.” Loki answered shortly, looking almost uncomfortable as he took a seat on the stairs.
“The kid can jump dimensions?” Clint piped up.
There was a long silence before Thor nudged Loki.
“It's an ancient art.”
Tony quirked a brow.
“Wait a minute. Time out. Stop right there” he looked to Thor in disbelief.
“Are you telling me that you saved Peter?”
Loki didn't answer, cold eyes staring straight ahead.
“Since when does glorious purpose save people?”
Cap couldn't help but agree.
“It is penance.” Thor answered.
Tony shared a silent look with Cap.
“Penance?”
“He is originally very good in the healing magic.” Thor stated, pride evident in his booming voice.
“Undoubtedly the best in all of Asgard. So that is what his work of penance was demanded.”
“He's a healer…?” Bruce asked curiously.
“Indeed. And is his work now to heal whomever comes in search of healing. In the name of Asgard. “
“But Peter never went to Asgard.” Tony argued, still not taking his eyes off the ex murderer.
“I was sent by Heimdall.”
“Ah yes. I requested he keep an eye out on you all here on Midgard.” Thor agreed.
“So you caught him?” Bruce asked.
“I could not catch him mid fall, but I caught him through his landing. Most of the fall’s energy was dispelled once we slipped into the other dimension.”
“And he's healing Now? You've gotta be touching them to heal?” Bruce asked once More, coming out of his shell in fascination of this new found persona and his glowing magic.
“His skull and spine were badly broken in the fall, not to mention his other bones. Lungs collapsed and heart nearly exploded from the force.” Tony couldn't help as his heart picked up pace.
“Even magic has its limits. This sort of injury needs a more...direct approach.”
Thor winced.
“Meaning?” It was Cap who pushed.
“While death cannot be overcome in terms of healing, it can be...pushed out.”
And in that moment gears began clicking in tony’s mind. Clicking to a halt.
And then he saw Loki.
Really saw him for the first time since they had been magicked to this cold abandoned building.
He looked like he had under the tesseract.
He looked like he was fading, dark bruise like circles under his dulling eyes with a too pale complexion on his almost atrophied looking frame.
“This sort of injury requires energy from a life source.”
And in the span of that sentence Tony decided three things simultaneously.
First, he'd never ever ever ever let Peter out of his sight again.
Second, he'd draft a new accord. ASAP. Whether Fury agreed or not.
And third, if Loki died, he would fucking riot.