Chapter 11
Tony wasn't stupid. He was angry, sure. Hurt, yes. Stupid-no. He knew better than to step into that cell. It sucked to admit, but he knew Loki would rip him apart the moment he set foot in there. The look on his face said that much. He turned and grabbed Lily, forcefully dragging her out despite her protests. He felt bad in a way, but he wanted to protect her. He had to protect her. It was what he did; he protected people. Especially those he loved.
When she was out of the room, he slammed the door shut and locked it. He knew this looked bad and it wouldn't be long before Thor showed up, but he wanted a moment alone with the dark god. He had a few things he needed to say. The first order of business was to alter Loki's cell, making it to where you had to have a password and the computer's access to enter. Tony had originally thought it would be easier the way he'd originally set it up, but he also hadn't expected to keep finding one of his best friends sneaking off to get in there.
As he was punching codes into the computer, the god spoke. "What are your plans, Tinman?" he spat mockingly and Tony only smiled.
"Well, first off, I'm going to make sure your girlfriend, aka, my friend, cannot get into that cell anymore."
If Loki was effected at all by this, he didn't show it. "Ah, I see. Trying to keep her all to yourself, are we?" he laughed darkly.
"Yep. That's the plan." Tony smiled, finishing up. "Now that that's finished, on to phase two." Tony walked closer to the cell watching Loki's amused expression. "I don't know what the hell you want with her, but you can't have her. Even if you do care for her in some twisted way, you can't have her. What kind of life could you really give her, hm? Are you going to marry her? Give her children-oh that's right- you can't. Thor told me exactly what you are. When I said you were a monster, I meant it." Loki's face darkened slightly, but he remained silent. "Plus, she's a mortal. You live pretty much forever. What's her life to you, a heartbeat? It's nothing. The best thing you can do for her is let her go."
Loki smiled a dark smile. "She will never love you." he chuckled. "Such desperate attempts to keep her. Pathetic."
"You just think about what I said, all mighty one." Tony stated as he turned to leave the room. He could already hear Thor's loud footsteps running down the hallway. "You know I'm right."
Tony had forbidden me to see Loki. Forbidden me; as if I was a child. He also had to point out all my bruises in front of everyone and no matter what I said, I could feel their judgmental eyes all over me. Thor expressed his concerns as well, suggesting I stay away from his brother- because even though he may have been innocent of his crimes on Midgard, he was still not innocent of attempting to commit genocide against Jotunheim. I highly disagreed, but my opinion didn't matter. It wasn't as if I had seen everything and knew exactly why Loki did what he did...oh right. I had, I did. But Thor didn't seem to care. Instead, he took that moment to let me know he intended to take Loki back to Asgard the following evening. SHEILD had released Loki into Thor's custody, who was required to take Loki to Odin.
My heart dropped.
"What?"
"Loki is to return to Asgard. He is to face the justice with the Allfather."
Loki was leaving and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
Pepper, Tony's sweet assistant, brought me a change of clothes since I had been wearing the same outfit for two days. I hadn't left my room since I found out Loki was leaving, sobbing quietly to myself most of the day. It didn't make any sense. I should not be this affected by a person this soon. Was this extreme lust? Is that why I found myself unable to stop thinking about him. Was I getting obsessed? I wasn't the obsessive type. There was something about him, Loki, that I just couldn't put my finger on. He was dark, dangerous, selfish, and manipulative. He was out of this world and I wanted him. I wanted him because even though he was all those things, he was so much more than that. Only I and I alone knew that. No one else would ever take the time to see it. If Thor was going to take him away from me, I at least had to see him one more time. I would worry about Tony later.
I had snuck down around midnight without meeting anyone on the way. I was surprised Tony hadn't locked the double doors as I walked through them. I figured he'd do a lot more than just try to tell me to stay away from Loki. If Tony knew me at all, he knew I wasn't going to let him tell me what to do. It was as if Loki had been waiting for me. He was standing in his cell with his hands clasped behind his back, wearing a solemn expression on his face as he stared back at me. The look made me feel uneasy, but I approached the cell anyway as I always had.
"Why do you keep returning?" Loki asked coldly, narrowing his eyes.
I stopped at a dead halt right before I reached the cell and stared at him in disbelief. What did he mean? Everything had been fine before I'd left. He'd even offered to protect me from Tony. "What?" I say stupidly. "I thought-"
"-You thought what, that I wanted you around? That we were lovers?" Loki laughed darkly. "Hardly."
"You said you needed me." I mumbled, barely over a whisper. I could already feel my heart sinking into my chest. Loki couldn't mean that, could he?
"And I got what I wanted." he chuckled. "I used you girl, don't you see that?"
The tears were falling down my face now, I couldn't stop them. "Bullshit! You're lying..."
"I'm not."
I growled, intending to walk in his cell so he could say that straight to my face, only to bounce off of it. I couldn't get in.
No.
"The man of iron fixed my cage." Loki frowned. "Too bad. I'd planned on having you again once more before I left."
He knew? "You knew?"
"Of course I knew." Loki smirked. "I'd always known."
I swallowed and gripped my shirt for something to steady my shaky hands, shaking my head. I couldn't believe it. I wouldn't. "You're lying," was all I could say. Loki laughed a dark, manic laugh and stepped closer to the cage wall.
"Poor mortal. Fallen for the dark god who doesn't want her. Tisk, tisk." he chuckled. "You were so easy to use. Thinking there was some part of me left. Let me make it easy for you-there isn't."
I couldn't listen to this anymore. I turned and ran out of the room hearing Loki chuckling behind me. I couldn't stop the sobs escaping my throat. How could I have been so goddamn stupid? Had Loki manipulated me into thinking I'd used him so I'd come back? I still didn't want to believe it. There had been too many moments that contradicted what he had said to me. But he was a great actor after all. Loki didn't want to love. He didn't trust. I knew this and I still let myself get in too deep. I let him get to me. My entire world was falling apart and I knew I was being ridiculous over a guy I'd just met. Loki really had seduced me. I was just another one of his victims.
Jarvis had continued to watch Loki and Lily, knowing about the previous night. They intrigued him when they were together, which was why he had omitted to tell Tony that she had come back to visit him. He was concerned as he watched Loki's expression change the moment she left the room with something that resembled despair. The AI had hoped Loki wouldn't listen to Tony, but it was clear something he said made the God feel as if he needed to hurt the girl to keep her from coming back.
He watched Loki sink down into a corner of the cell, with his knees bend up to his chin, quietly sobbing to himself. Jarvis understood to a point where Tony was coming from, but he also hadn't seen the way Loki changed when she was around him. Or how sad he was when she was gone. Jarvis had. Thor had come by earlier in the day to tell Loki, he was going back to Asgard, so he really hadn't known he was leaving all along like he had told her.
The AI knew he had to do something. He couldn't just sit back and watch anymore. Lily was now convinced Loki didn't want her, and Jarvis knew better. He had to think of something before tomorrow. Tony may hate him for it in the end, but he was willing to take the chance.
Something happened to Loki when Lily was around him; when she is around him. He could tell something was happening to her too, if not already. Jarvis didn't understand love, nor could he exactly feel it, but he wasn't stupid.
He had to help them.