Next to him something was blazing - Loki felt the heat of the fire with his skin. Behind closed eyelids there was a deafeningly bright explosion, as if a star collapsed just above him. If he was a mortal, he would become blind. On his face, his hands, there was blood - his own and others'. It dried on the skin, becoming an unpleasant crust. Loki knew that everything was over. Those with whom he fought side by side should be alive. He was also alive. Just tired. Cannot even move a finger. What he needed was only to rest. Everything would be fine…
It seemed that someone called him by his name. The voice was far away, but then someone gently ran his fingers over his face, removing his hair.
"Hey, Loki," the familiar voice called again. “Come on, look at me”.
It was the Grandmaster’s voice.
Loki opened his eyes in surprise.
The starry sky shone with purple and orange. Loki saw with his side vision someone else's figures not so far. And right in front of him there were an unchanging blue stripe on the chin and the eyes full of secret wisdom. The eyes of the most ancient being in the whole Universe.
"How timely," Loki croaked, trying to give his voice some tone of sarcasm. The Grandmaster gave him a look.
"Well, you said you were just there and back. And I honestly waited for you. And then I was bored with waiting”. The Grandmaster ran his hand over his face once again, and Loki sighed in relief. At least, now he was certainly safe.
“So once again it’s me to blame, isn’t it?” Loki tried to laugh, but instead he coughed with blood.
"Hey, hey, shh, it's okay, baby, I'm with you". The Grandmaster picked Loki up with the utmost care. “I got you”.
"Take me home," Loki whispered softly.
He only had time to see Thor's bewildered face, and afterwards he closed his eyes and pressed his cheek to a strong shoulder.
He was returning home.