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batsutousaiTitle: Give This Man His Wings
Series: Interaction
Fandom: Marvel (movie 'verse) & Real Person Fiction
Author: Batsutousai
Rating: M/R
Pairings: Tom Hiddleston/Loki Odinson, Chris Hemsworth/Elsa Pataky
Warnings: RPF (legit warning), off-screen character death, war, magical torture
Summary: This is the story of humans and monsters and gods, of living and dying for your home, of facing down futuristic armies with pitchforks and torches, of discovering hope when you need it most.
This is the story of how Loki Odinson turned his back on his family to spend his last days with the mortal he'd fallen in love with, prepared to suffer any fate if it meant he could spend one last hour with Thomas' pulse steady against his skin.
Part One of Two
-0-
It was Jeremy Renner who came up with the idea, during a Skype conversation between himself, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, and Loki and Thomas: "If Loki's going to be dressing up, why don't we all?"
"What, you want me to wear my pyjamas?" Mark joked. "That'll strike fear into the hearts of the Chitauri."
"Don't be an ass," Jeremy returned.
"Behave, boys," Scarlett ordered, rolling her eyes. "Loki, would they even notice if there are Avengers here?"
Loki shrugged. "I could not say. That they would recognise the significance of the costumes, certainly. But as to their reaction, I might only make assumption."
"Well, I'm already an ass–" Mark joked.
"Cute," Jeremy said.
"–so, really. Assume. Let's go for it."
Loki glanced over at where Thomas was making dinner, paying attention, but not offering much in the way of comment while he worked. The human had been the one to open the chat when Mark had sent the invite, and Loki had only taken over when Thomas had insisted he needed to make them something to eat.
"They would very likely focus their fire on you," Loki told the humans on the other side of the screen. "You would clear the way for those with true weapons, yes, but it would mean a certain death."
"What about movie screens?" Scarlett asked.
"Movie screens? What, are you planning to give out popcorn and hope they'll enjoy a bit of late-night enjoyment between murdering everyone in sight?" Jeremy replied.
Scarlett sighed. "Remind me to punch you in the face tomorrow," she said and Jeremy grinned while Mark laughed. "No, idiot. I mean could the Chitauri tell the difference between images of us on a movie screen, and the real things? Could we draw their fire without putting ourselves in danger?"
"For but a moment, perhaps," Loki allowed. "They are akin to a hive mind, in that they communicate as such, so it will quickly become apparent to them that they fight false images. You might have as much as ten minutes of their distraction to lessen their numbers before they'll turn on a truer threat."
"Well, it's worth a try, I suppose?" Jeremy said when Scarlett slumped slightly.
"It's not a bad idea," Thomas said, coming over to stand behind Loki, his hands kneading the god's shoulders. "In fact, why not use the film screens, then bring out the people in costume? It might confuse them enough to get a few more rounds in before they turn on the supposed Avengers. And as soon as they do, you lot get the hell out of there and leave it to the men and women in uniform."
" 'You lot'? Are you not going to help, Tom?" Mark asked.
Thomas shook his head. "I made a promise to stay out of sight. You'll have a Loki, though. And one that can actually take a couple hits from those weapons. Right?" He smiled at Loki.
"It will add credence to your falsities were I to appear as you did," Loki allowed. "I would remain in sight while you fled, and my truth would seem as your truth."
"How many hits from those weapons can you take, though?" Scarlett asked, brow furrowed with concern.
"Plenty enough for this," Loki promised. "I retain my near immortality, for all that I am, otherwise, of little use."
"Stop it," Thomas ordered as Mark and Scarlett chorused, "You're not of 'little use'."
"I thought you were a god, crazy kid," Jeremy tossed out. "A particularly smarmy ass of a god. You're kinda pathetic right now."
Loki rolled his eyes. "Thor would insult me better."
"Thor's not here; make do with me. Hey, you and Tom got the word out, you're the one who knows most about these bastards, you're the one who decided to stay. You're kinda far from useless."
"We come up with the ideas, you tell us if they'll work," Mark added as Jeremy fell silent. "We want you for your brain, not your magic."
"Zombie," Jeremy threw out.
"Please, dear God, grow up already," Scarlett muttered and the three male humans laughed.
Loki looked between the images on the screen, feeling rather like the green creature in that children's book, the one whose heart grew however many sizes larger and delivered all the presents he'd stolen. He pulled off his armguard and ducked away from the laptop and Thomas' hands.
"We've embarrassed him," Thomas commented to his fellows, all of whom laughed.
"We'll leave him to you," Mark promised. "I need to get some lunch, though, so I'm going to scram."
"Ooh, lunch. I'm up for some Chili's. In your honour, Tom," Jeremy said.
"I'm with Scarlett; grow up."
"Let us know if Loki comes up with anything else," Scarlett said, laughter in her voice. "We'll let the others know. Have you got Chris H?"
"Yeah, I'll talk to him. Or Loki will," Thomas agreed. "Night, everyone."
"Afternoon," Jeremy corrected and Thomas signed out of Skype before they could hear more than Scarlett taking a breath to snark at him.
Thomas made a stop in the kitchen to check on their dinner, then came over to where Loki had stretched out on the couch. "Hey," the mortal said, brushing his fingers through Loki's hair.
"I am used to being of greater use," Loki murmured.
"We're all actors, what do we know of use in time of war?" Thomas returned and Loki snorted. "Everyone plays their part, Loki, and maybe it's not all you're used to, but it'll be enough. It's already more than most people thought you capable of." He swallowed, eyes bright with pain. "They don't know the half of it."
Loki drew Thomas' head down to rest against his chest, his fingers soothing through the human's hair. "I am sorry," he murmured.
Thomas closed his eyes, one hand reaching out to thread his fingers with Loki's. "I know," he whispered.
They stayed like that until the timer in the kitchen called them to eat, and they spoke no further of Loki's intended sacrifice.
-0-
The general consensus was that Jeremy's crazy plan, with Scarlett's modifications, was a good one. Suits for superheroes – Marvel and D.C. alike, to double their number and because, why not? – came out of storage and were sent to actors and their stunt doubles. Loki knew the Chitauri would focus on areas of high population, so those supposed heroes spread out across large cities, while soldiers replaced civilians, sending those with no thought to fight out into the countryside. The film projectors and screens were put into place by the soldiers, everyone happy to have something to do that didn't involve thinking of the war they were about to face.
Thomas and Loki stayed in London, the only two 'heroes' originally in that area. Loki had tried to order Thomas to evacuate with the civilians, but he didn't try as hard as he perhaps should have, and Thomas wouldn't hear of it: "I'll hide in the Underground once the fighting starts, but I'm not going to leave you alone until they come through. Not knowing I'll never see you again, not knowing what you'll face. I would rather chance a hundred deaths than leave you to face this alone."
They ended up having just over two weeks from Thor's visit before portals the violent yellow of torn reality opened over the soldier-occupied cities and the Chitauri came through.
"Hide," Loki ordered as Thomas finished helping him into the costume-armour he would wear. It had none of the protections his own clothing would have afforded him, but it was the show that mattered, more than the protection.
"I love you," Thomas whispered, voice breaking.
"And I you," Loki replied, pulling the human in for a gentle kiss. "Please, Thomas."
"I know." And he fled to the nearest Tube access, aiming for the comfortable hovel they had spent a few days making down there.
Loki found himself a place to wait, where he would easily be seen once he wished to show himself, and waited for the Chitauri to realise the images of the Avengers on the many screens were false. Below him, around him, above him, gunfire rained from soldiers hidden throughout the city, nestled in office buildings and flats alike. The Chitauri fell in droves, seeing only the false Avengers.
And then their attention moved from the screens, and a couple of buildings exploded.
Loki turned off the master control for the screens and stepped out to the rooftop he'd chosen. To his luck, a Chitauri had fallen nearby and he picked up an energy weapon that had landed just on the edge of the roof. It was a simple weapon, but he knew well how to use it, and did so to draw attention to himself.
And, oh, the attention turned.
He took down three of their small craft before they managed to hit him once, twice, and then he was off, dodging energy blasts while his costume smelled of burnt fabric and he cackled because it was fun. Because he'd forgotten how much he enjoyed drawing attention, causing chaos and confusion for his enemies.
And still they fell, dropped by hidden soldiers with bullets aplenty and everything to lose.
Loki took plenty more hits, his costume fluttering uselessly in the breeze, before the Chitauri managed to corner him on a roof that was just a little too low for him to jump to the next.
"Loki Silvertongue," three of them hissed in eerie tandem. "The Traitor."
"Oh, I do like that title," Loki said, grinning like a man insane. And then he jumped at one of the crafts, using his now-useless energy weapon – it had run out of power about seven roofs ago – to knock off the passenger, then drew a knife to slit the throat of the pilot. The craft wobbled for a moment before he took the controls, and then he was off, up into the sky and laughing as they all shot up after him, yelling curses and threats for his traitorous ways.
The pilot's controls didn't have access to a weapon, but Loki wasn't looking to take out the small crafts; he aimed for one of the Leviathans and jumped off just before his craft struck one of the few weak spots the large transports had. The explosion caught him up and he slammed harder than he'd expected against the roof of a building. He lay there for a long moment, gritting his teeth against the pain.
"Traitor!" a Chitauri screamed as a small craft landed and both pilot and passenger jumped off to approach him.
Loki bared his teeth in a parody of a grin and forced himself to sit up, at least. "Please," he scoffed. "Like so worthless a creature as yourselves could ever think to harm a god."
A door slammed open behind Loki and gunfire rang out. The two Chitauri dropped without a sound.
"Hey, can you stand?" a female voice asked, and Loki looked up to find a uniformed human woman standing at his side, her gun held steady against further Chitauri.
"Yes," Loki grunted and shoved himself to his feet. He listed warningly to one side, but the human grabbed his elbow and steadied him.
"No offence, but you look like shit."
Loki considered what was left of his costume – barely enough to allow him modesty, and that was only because the Chitauri had been more interested in hitting 'above the belt', as the humans would put it. "I have been worse," he told the woman.
"I am worryingly willing to believe that," she commented and tugged him back by the elbow. "We've got a bit of soup, if you're looking for a down moment. They certainly seem to be."
Indeed, the Chitauri attacks had lessened, the two Leviathans and maybe a dozen score of smaller crafts pulling away to just outside the firing range. "They'll be communicating with the hive mind, debating further attempts, reporting my existence," he allowed. "We will have some twenty minutes, likely."
"Good. Let's get you some soup. And a new jacket."
Loki nodded. "A moment." He collected the two energy weapons that had fallen from the craft, then joined the woman and her partner, who had remained by the door, in returning to their hovel two floors below them. The soup was good, helped strengthen him against an encroaching exhaustion, and the jacket he was offered was of a much better make than the costume he'd taken to appear more as the Chitauri would expect.
"Any word from outside London?" he asked upon seeing their radio set-up.
"All the blighters seem to have pulled back," the man crouched over the radio reported. "We've lost our fair share, but we're making a dent against what we can hit. Not the big things."
"Leviathans," Loki commented absently, considering their arsenal. "These, what do you call them?"
"Bazookas?" the woman who had collected Loki offered.
Loki raised an eyebrow at the name, then shrugged. "Yes. How difficult would it be to aim one at a target that is, perhaps, no greater than a metre in width?"
"I couldn't do it, but Russ can," she said, nodding at the man who had held the door on the roof.
"You have writing implements? I would show you some targets, some weaknesses of the Leviathans."
The man – Russ – dove for a pack and dragged out paper and a handful of pens. "Been writing to my girl," he said to his two fellows' raised eyebrows.
Loki ignored them and set about making a quick sketch for the man. When he was done, he passed it back with the two pens of differing colours. "The points in blue would be your targets. You might also attempt aiming your 'bazooka' into the mouth of a Leviathan, but I am uncertain of the effectiveness."
"And if you've got a clear shot at the mouth, you're probably better off running before the damn thing takes out the building, anyway," the man at the radio said.
Russ nodded and waved for the headset draped around the radio man's neck. "Here, put out the call: I've got targets on the big boys."
Loki stood as the two men sorted their directions for the other troops, picking up his two energy weapons as he went.
"Leaving already?" the woman called.
Loki shrugged. "I do you no favours by being in your company. I thank you for the soup, and wish you well."
"Yeah. Well, good luck," she called after him and Loki nodded before starting back up the stairs to the roof.
There, he used a bit of cabling to attach the energy weapons to his back, then hopped onto the craft left sitting to one side; he had Chitauri to irritate.
-0-
They managed to mostly wipe out the last of their Chitauri within another hour, and Loki set back down on the roof of the same group he'd rested with before, another couple stolen energy weapons strapped to his back to replace those that had lost power, and having gone through three crafts since, two crashing when they were hit, one used to take out the last Leviathan.
"News is pretty good," the woman said as she came out to meet him where he was crouched over his craft, trying to fix some battle damage so it would stop listing to the right. "I dare say they didn't expect us to fight back quite so hard."
"They did not," Loki agreed. "They will know to do so when the next wave arrives."
The woman paled. "Next wave?"
Loki glanced up at her. "I do you no favours to lighten this truth: They will come and come until either they have lost at the other end, or your world is ash. This will be no easy-won war."
The woman ran a hand down her face and dropped to sit next to him, holding out a bowl of soup. "Fuck. Someone forgot to mention that part to us."
"That was not my doing," Loki informed her, taking the bowl. "My thanks."
"Yeah." She sighed, then took a moment to look him over. "You look like you could use a couple days' rest."
Loki glanced up at the dim portal high above them, just visible against the dying sunlight. "I should only be so lucky," he murmured.
The woman followed his gaze. "How long, do you think? Before more come?"
"Hours," Loki said with certainty, because he knew the limitations of this magic, knew how Thanos thought.
She sighed again and stood. "Great. Well, I'm heading back down to warn everyone. Try and catch some rest, okay?"
"Perhaps," Loki replied and returned to his soup.
They had four hours before the portal lit again, and darkness had well-fallen by then. City lights had been turned on, keeping the city almost as bright as during the day and allowing the humans to continue to chose their targets from a distance. Loki had managed some two hours rest, and he felt better for it as he hopped onto his craft and took to the sky to meet the incoming, aiming to take out a Leviathan first thing.
It was another hard-fought battle, and these Chitauri was more cautious, had already learned the follies of their brothers that had fallen but hours ago.
It was nearing the end of this battle, Loki again cornered on a rooftop without a chance to run on, and the Chitauri too wise after four such attempted cornerings to bring their craft in close enough for him to steal, when reality shifted directly behind him.
Loki didn't stop to think, just spun and fired the last blast in his energy weapon. It dissipated harmlessly against Thanos' armour and the Mad Titan wrapped his hand around Loki's throat, holding him up high enough that his feet hung uselessly above the ground. "My little traitor. So weak, so without bite." He laughed.
Loki smirked. "Oh, I'd say I've plenty of bite. And any lack is well made up for by these mortals."
"Yes," Thanos agreed. "You have brought forth quite the play. I should enjoy destroying every. Last. One."
And then, to Loki's horror, a scream of gut-wrenching pain came from all around them, cried in hundreds of voices.
"A taste, my traitor, of your pleasures to come," Thanos promised.
And then Loki felt it, like fire in his veins, and he ground his teeth to keep from making a sound, to deny Thanos that pleasure for so long as he could.
And then the pain stopped, and Loki couldn't be relieved, because Thanos didn't just stop pain, not without reason. He struggled to focus on the words being traded between the Mad Titan and one of his drones.
"–ring him," Thanos said. None of the Chitauri around them moved, but they didn't need to, could just send the order down the line to another Chitauri who was in a better position. Thanos smiled nastily at Loki. "It seems we have found a rat hidden away below the ground," he said.
Loki's heart stuttered, and he knew, Thomas. No, Norns, no!
And it was Thomas who was lead in, face bloodied and bruised, but shoving back against the Chitauri when they pushed him forward, so full of spirit. And then he recognised Thanos and froze, eyes wide with horror.
"A rat with your face, little god. Such chance."
Loki scoffed. "Chance? Likely he wished only to emulate me, as he should." He bared his teeth in a smile. "I am a god."
"You are little," Thanos returned. "And unworthy of my time. This mortal, however... Yes, I should like a pet." He dropped Loki and he crumpled to the ground, his legs too weak to hold him.
"I'm no one's pet, Thanos," Thomas snapped, so afraid. His eyes darted to Loki, concern and apology bright in them.
No. No, no, no, nononono!
"You are as I say you are," Thanos replied and wrapped his hands around Thomas' neck.
And then Thomas started to scream.
Loki jerked as if he'd been struck, then surged to his feet and ran towards Thanos and Thomas, didn't know how he would do it, just needed to stop the Mad Titan hurting his lover; Loki would die a thousand deaths at Thanos' hand before he'd let anyone hurt Thomas. Anyone.
There, the glimmer of the spell. Loki reached out and he tore it, pulled it apart with his bare hands with but a thought, and Thomas stopped screaming, was sobbing through tears and Thanos still held him, but he wasn't hurting any more.
Thanos turned to Loki, surprise flitting over his hard features, and Loki took that chance, that unexpected moment, and pulled Thomas away.
Thomas crumpled into his arms, burying his face against Loki's throat and gripping tight to the borrowed jacket. Loki wrapped his arms around the human, one hand held tight against the rapid pulse in Thomas' neck, needing the comfort as he turned a silent challenge on Thanos.
Thanos was smiling. "So, the traitor shows his strengths at last."
Strengths? Loki wondered even as he eyed the Chitauri, who were approaching him and Thomas with clear intention in separating them. And Loki thought, If only I had my magic, I could get Thomas to safety!
A familiar burn lit his veins, and Loki thought, for a moment, that Thanos had cast his spell of pain again, but then he recognised the gleam of green magic held tight against his skin and he allowed himself no time for surprise as he wrapped a teleportation spell around the human, sending him to those mortals Loki had taken soup with and – hopefully – safety.
Thanos didn't stop smiling. "Find him," he ordered the Chitauri and those few crafts still hovering nearby turned away.
Loki twisted his fingers in a familiar pattern and the crafts exploded, green smoke following them to the streets below. Ice – blue, laced with green – crept out across the roof and caught the Chitauri around him. It would have caught Thanos, too, had the Mad Titan not blasted it away.
Thanos wasn't smiling any more.
Loki conjured knives and leapt at his remaining opponent. He knew he could never take Thanos, but perhaps he could leave a dent, could distract him from Thomas and Asgard. Thor would come – he had to believe that – and if Thanos was focussing on him, he wasn't casting pain on the humans, might forget about Thomas just long enough.
Loki had never, truly, fought Thanos before. The Mad Titan knew many of his tricks, had torn them from Loki's mind after his fall through the Void had weakened him to little more than a shadow of himself, but it was one thing to know Loki's tricks, and another entirely to be faced with them. Especially when his tricks were fuelled by desperation, by a need to protect the only person in his long life that had made Loki want to give everything to see safe.
And Loki's magic – held apart for thirty years, healed from the strain of his attempt on another Midgard – was the strongest it had ever been, casting illusions and bringing ice creeping with barely a hint of drain. Thanos was come from a long war, had thought this would be an easy conquest, only coming because Loki was here, and there was exhaustion writ in his slow return of Loki's attacks, the bloom of blood from one of Loki's knives dashing across his cheek.
Loki was living an impossibility, and wasn't sure he dared to hope.
And then, like a boon from the Norns, the pale portal above their heads died away. Whatever power source Thanos had been using to power it on the other side had been destroyed, and that meant Asgard had won.
Loki flashed Thanos a grin full of violence and teeth. "It is a hard-won lesson that one must never turn their back to Thor Odinson in battle."
Thanos let out a roar of rage and motioned a wave of violent magic at Loki. It caught him up, threw him across the street and through the outer wall of the building there.
Loki didn't give himself a chance to feel the rough landing, ran to the hole from his body and watched as a personal portal swallowed Thanos. He took a breath, then teleported to the hovel he'd sent Thomas to, stumbling to his knees as he appeared.
"Loki," a familiar voice breathed and Loki relaxed into Thomas' hug as the human wrapped his arms around him. "Thank God."
Loki pressed his hand over Thomas' heart, soothed by the steady thrum of life, the promise that his human was alive. They'd both survived Thanos, and Loki still wasn't completely sure how.
"Sorry to interrupt," the woman soldier offered, sounding truly sorry, "but we've got a lot of people asking what's happened out there, and you're the only one with answers, Loki."
Loki nodded and pulled back enough that he could see the man crouched next to the radio. "The portals have closed, and that means whatever source Thanos was using to power them has been disrupted. Most likely, the Asgardian army has taken his fortifications. He has returned to see to it."
The human relayed that, was quiet for a long moment, then asked, "Are we expecting them back?"
Loki shook his head. "I cannot say. I believe not, but as I am unaware of how, exactly, events progress in that other reality, I cannot say for certain that this battle has been won. It may be possible for Thanos to destroy Asgard still, and then he will return."
"But your gut?" the woman asked.
"I believe this is true victory, for all of us," Loki allowed and Thomas breathed a laugh against his throat.
"Either way, it's going to take them another week or two to get back here," Russ called from the window, watching with his gun for further Chitauri left on this side of the portal. "We've got time to see to our wounded and search for survivors under the fallen buildings."
"I would assist," Loki offered, gently trying to extract himself from Thomas' hold, which was proving most difficult.
"Why don't you catch a couple hours sleep?" the woman suggested. "We can't do much rescue while it's this dark, anyway, and you've been hopping around out there constantly while the rest of us have been trading off guns."
Loki felt energised, his magic jumping against his skin, but he knew he was tired, knew the magic's energy was not his own, no matter how it felt, and that if he didn't rest now, that energy would likely fail at a crucial moment. And he had need to be with Thomas, to reassure them both that they yet lived. "As you say," he agreed and stopped trying to free himself from his human.
"Show them to a bed, Janie," Russ ordered.
The woman nodded her understanding and came over to stand beside Loki and Thomas as the god got them both to their feet, Thomas still clutching at him like he was afraid Loki would vanish if he let go. They were led out of the main room and down the long hall to a closed door. Janie pushed it open and it was only now that Loki realised that this building was a hotel.
"There's always someone with the radio, so you know where to find us if you need anything," Janie offered. "I'll come get you for breakfast if you haven't already come out by then."
"My thanks," Loki offered as Thomas murmured, "Thank you."
"Get some rest, gentlemen," Janie suggested and left them to their business.
Loki closed their room door and manoeuvred them into the bathroom, flipping the light on as he passed the switch. Under those bright lights, he finally managed to free himself enough from his lover to look the mortal over. Thomas had a cut above his left eye that had mostly scabbed over, but was the origin of the blood spotting his face, and there were rips in his clothing showing bruises and more small cuts. He was also shaking ever so slightly, and Loki realised that Thomas wasn't the only mortal he'd seen doing so, though he hadn't really noted it in the three soldiers previously. The pain magic, he recognised and spared a moment's curse for the Mad Titan.
Loki had magic now, and his fingers sparked green as he brushed them over the cuts and bruises on Thomas' face. They faded away on contact, and Loki sent more magic to heal what he couldn't see so clearly, including the tremors of remembered pain. And if tendrils of his magic left to seek out other mortals in the city and soothe their remembered pain, well, Loki wasn't going to stop it.
Thomas caught Loki's hand and threaded his fingers through the god's. "You have your magic back," he murmured.
"Yes."
"How?"
Loki glanced down at their entwined fingers, eyes tracing over the familiar sheen of magic against his skin. "I am...uncertain. I recall Odin speaking something of losing my magic until I had learned my duties to the other realms, but I cannot begin to understand what action would have fulfilled that."
"You've done so many, of late," Thomas agreed, a hint of humour in his eyes.
Loki sniffed. "Of course. If is within my power to see less harm done to my worshipers–"
Thomas burst out laughing. And he kept laughing until he was crying and curled tight in Loki's arms, face buried against the god's neck.
"Let's get to bed," Loki suggested quietly against Thomas' hair.
"Yeah," Thomas whispered.
They stumbled to the bed and curled up together under the covers, hands pressed tight over beating hearts to reassure them both that the other was still alive and safe at their side.
-0-
The cleanup was tedious and no simple task. Civilians that had escaped to nearby cities, just outside the area where evacuation had been ordered, came hurrying back in to help, and things went smoother with the extra hands. Loki, too, was an enormous help, able to teleport into the wreckage and pull out those trapped, allowing less care to be taken in the cleanup. With Thomas, he moved from city to city, checking in on those mortals Thomas claimed friendship with and helping where they could.
By the grace of the Norns, there were fewer dead than initial reports had suggested. Keeping out of sight had kept the Chitauri from picking out targets to focus on, and most of those trapped in fallen buildings had survived with little worse than broken bones or a concussion. Of the actors and stunt doubles left in the cities, Thomas had ended up with the worst wounds, and since he'd suffered little more than cuts and bruises – and the pain magic, which hadn't reached past the London limits, to Loki's relief – that wasn't saying much.
"We were lucky," Thomas commented as they took a short break with Chris and Elsa in Australia. Loki had India in his lap and was delighting her with dancing motes of magic.
"We had the element of surprise," Chris said quietly. "If they come back, I doubt we'll be so lucky."
"Technically, you had human tactics on your side," Loki commented drily, not looking up from India's bright eyes. "There are not many species in the Nine Realms that would think to hide in and attack from their own homes to repel such an attack. The Æsir would think such tactics cowardly, and many others would agree."
"We would all be dead, had we fought like Æsir," Thomas commented.
"So you would."
"Æsir are stronger, though, can take the physical damage in ways that we can't," Elsa said. "If we had the same invulnerability that you do, we might have been more inclined to face the Chitauri head on."
Loki glanced up, then, smiling sadly. "I would not have suggested it. Had you not opened the war with deceit, the Chitauri would have certainly ended it with such, at Thanos' direction. Had those battles raged but another hour, I would not be so well."
"If your magic hadn't returned, you'd be a mess," Thomas returned with a hint of anger in his voice. "You were a mess."
It wasn't the first time that Thomas had called Loki out on his careless actions during the battle, and were the anger not driven so by fear, Loki might have snapped back. But he recognised the truth behind his lover's words and looked back to India, catching one hand with Thomas' and smiling when the human threaded their fingers together.
"Will it work a second time?" Chris asked. When Loki raised an eyebrow at him, he clarified, "The shooting from windows. In case they come back."
"It should. They understand the tactic, but it is unlikely that they have discovered a way to counteract it, beyond bringing down buildings. You might change positions, pick new rooms or buildings to fire from so they don't come in with set targets."
"It shouldn't be hard to manage," Chris decided. "Our military leader asked me," he explained to Thomas' curious look. "I guess they're having trouble pinning you two down long enough to get a straight answer."
"We've been moving around a lot," Thomas admitted.
"When are you returning to London?" Elsa wondered as India started to fuss. Loki handed her back to her mother and Elsa smiled gratefully at him.
"Tonight, actually," Thomas answered. "Most of what Loki can help with has been seen to by human means, and we'd like to be back before more Chitauri come through. Assuming they're coming back."
"What if it's Thor?" Chris asked. "Where would he come out?"
"He knew me to be in London; I believe that is where he will appear if it is he who comes," Loki said.
"So, back to London either way," Chris said and Thomas grinned while Loki and Elsa rolled their eyes. "Are we feeding you before you flee to the other hemisphere?"
"If it's not too much trouble," Thomas agreed.
"Only if it is Lady Elsa's doing," Loki added and Thomas elbowed him.
"My cooking isn't that bad," Chris insisted.
"Nor is mine," Loki returned. "But I would not wish to sully the good name of my home by gifting it to guests." And he smiled.
"How do you put up with him?" Chris ask Thomas while Elsa made her way back indoors after passing India to her father.
"Point him at other targets."
Loki and Chris laughed.
-0-
"Portal," Russ called from his position in the window, watching the sky. Thomas, Loki, Janie, the man who usually sat at the radio, and four other soldiers that resided in the same building and covered windows on lower floors all looked up from the board game most of them were playing. (Loki was not, but only because they all insisted he cheated. Which he did.)
Loki rose and stepped over to the window, Thomas and Janie following him while the others moved to their positions. The yellow light gleaming in the darkening sky was duller than it had been in the past. "It's Thor," Loki breathed, relief loosening a fear in his chest; he'd no interest in further battle with the Chitauri and Thanos.
"No other portals reported," the man at the radio reported, reaffirming Loki's announcement.
"Stand down, kids," Russ said into his hand radio, which connected to the other base camps in London. "Friends coming through."
"I'm coming with you," Thomas insisted to Loki before he could teleport to the roof nearest where the Asgardian war party was emerging.
Loki frowned, but nodded, trusting that he could keep the human safe if any violence was started. "Very well."
"Let us know the basics," Janie requested, passing Thomas a hand radio.
"We will," Thomas promised.
Loki took Thomas' hand, then wrapped them in teleportation magic.
There was a pause amongst the Asgardians as they appeared beneath them, the flare of magic giving their position away. And then a familiar voice boomed out, "Brother!" and Thor landed, hard, before them. He pulled Loki into a hug as other Æsir landed on the roof around them, many eyeing the disgraced prince with disapproval, while others looked over the damaged city or blinked uncertainly at Thomas.
"Thor," Loki replied, rolling his eyes. When Thor finally let him go, Loki took a quick step back so he was in range to entwine his fingers with Thomas' again – they'd been separated when Thor dragged him into a hug – then commented, "I take it Thanos has been defeated?"
Thor nodded, grin wide. "Indeed. It was surprisingly simple; even Father agreed." His expression softened. "You have your magic returned, I see."
Loki shrugged, as though it was of little importance. "It was a surprise to all."
Thor looked to Thomas at Loki's shoulder, and the human smiled and shook his head. "He earned it more than you can guess," he said, and Loki snorted.
Thor's grin widened again. "I had nary a doubt." His expression shifted again, more serious now, and he asked, "And this Midgard? How did you fare?"
"Very well," Thomas said, speaking when Loki made no show of doing so, too interested in glaring around at the surrounding Æsir. "There are nearly three times more Chitauri dead than humans. Loki, stop it."
All the Æsir seemed surprised at the numbers. "Your doing, Brother?" Thor requested.
Loki snorted. "My part was little."
"Surprise, surprise," an Æsir muttered.
"That is enough, Fandral," Thor ordered.
Thomas startled at Loki's side, and he knew the human had only just recognised the warrior. Thomas' eyes trailed over the others in the circle and Loki knew he would be spotting those he recognised from working with their mortal mirrors.
"We are friends here," Thor added, looking over his warriors with a heavy frown. The warriors ducked their heads, shamed.
"We wouldn't have managed as well without Loki," Thomas said into the silence. "He's what made the governments willing to believe in the danger, and he was the one who gave the soldiers the spots to aim on the Leviathans to bring them down. And I can't speak for the other cities that were attacked, but I know seeing him fighting the Chitauri gave those in London the courage to keep on, even when they were growing tired; apparently, it's quite hard to lay down your gun for a five minute rest when there's a mad god cackling as he goes flying past your position on a Chitauri craft, a dozen more flying behind him and failing to land a hit on him."
Loki, too, had heard that story, and his lips curled with amusement.
Thor stepped forward and clasped his hand to the back of Loki's neck. "You have done yourself proud, Brother," he murmured. "You have done me proud, as I knew you would."
Loki snorted and looked away to cover the block in his throat at Thor's words.
Thor's hand tightened against Loki's neck before falling away. He turned to Thomas to ask, "Have you any need of Asgard, then?"
Thomas shook his head. "We should be able to manage fine on our own," he promised. "Though, we're grateful for you dropping by, if only to let us know that Thanos won't be coming back."
"I could little think to leave you unknowing when it was I who led this danger to you. And, should you have needed it, we would have been glad to lend our aid."
"I know. Thank you."
Thor inclined his head and looked back to Loki. "Brother," he started, uncertain, and his eyes flickered to Thomas before again meeting Loki's gaze, which had narrowed. "Father has agreed to end your banishment, had your magic returned of its own accord."
"I'm staying," Loki said, not even bothering to consider the option. He would not leave Thomas, not until the Norns willed it through Thomas' death.
Thor swallowed. "Father was weakened in this battle and has need to recover himself in Odinsleep. I would have you as my Council."
"Tho–" Sif started, and Hogun hushed her.
Loki glanced at the two, then looked back at Thor, one eyebrow raised. "We've spoken of this already; you don't need me if you will listen."
"As I try, but your words have always rung most true–"
"There are many who would say otherwise."
"Most clearly, then," Thor amended. "You have oft said I am slow to learn; would you lend no hand in seeing to this lesson?"
"No."
"Loki, it's fine–" Thomas started.
"No," Loki snarled and Thomas flinched. Loki squeezed the human's hand in apology and gentled his tone to insist, "I will stay here."
Thor's gaze flickered again to Thomas and he offered, "Tom Hiddleston could come with."
Thomas twitched in surprise. "What?"
"For what purpose?" Loki enquired. "He has a home still, is no refugee. You know the laws concerning mortals." He squeezed Thomas' hand again.
"As your husband, Brother," Thor said, quiet but firm, and a couple of the Æsir around them let out sounds of surprise, clearly having missed the small signs of attachment, such as the way Loki and Thomas had yet to loosen their hold on each other since Loki had regained it after Thor's greeting.
"Father would never allow it," Loki snapped. And then he realised what he'd just said and opened his mouth to correct his title for the Allfather, but Thor spoke first.
"Father will already be asleep when we return; I am king, and I see no wrong in your binding to a human. This human, most assuredly."
Loki shook his head. "This is not simply my decision; I would speak with Thomas."
Thor inclined his head. "As you will."
Loki wrapped teleportation magic around them and took them to a roof out of range of the hearing of the Æsir. There, he slipped his hand from Thomas' and cupped the human's face.
Thomas' hands came to rest on Loki's. "What is it? You know I wouldn't refuse; I love you, Loki."
Loki closed his eyes and leaned forward to rest his forehead against Thomas'. Yes, he knew the human loved him, but marriage was hardly something they'd spoken of, not with a war hanging over their heads. "It is...complicated."
"These things always are with Asgard," Thomas replied drily.
Loki couldn't help but smile at that, and he pulled back enough to meet Thomas' gaze. "There are laws that no mortal might enter Asgard unless they are a refugee from a most unimaginable catastrophe."
"Like having your whole planet turned to ash."
"Indeed," Loki agreed. "There is a stipulation made for those mortals intending to marry one of noble birth, but the king must agree to the marriage, and Odin never has, in my memory."
"Why not? Because we live for so short a time?" Thomas asked.
Loki shook his head. "It is more, I believe, that you are not of the Æsir, that your culture is very different from our– from theirs."
"It's yours too, Loki," Thomas interrupted gently.
Loki pressed his lips into a thin line, the only show of his disagreement. "Mortality," he continued, "can be...cured, after a fashion. You would be gifted one of Idunn's apples as welcome into the royal family, and that would give you the gift of near-immortality and all that would come with it."
Thomas' eyes widened. "I would be immortal?" he asked. "You wouldn't have to watch me die?"
Loki found swallowing suddenly difficult. "Exactly that," he whispered. And then, because it needed to be said, "But you would be made to watch others die: your parents, your sisters, Hemsworth and other friends."
"Oh, Loki," Thomas whispered, moving his hands from covering Loki's to cupping the god's face. "I can survive that, but I can't leave you alone. I would rather face Thanos again than leave you behind."
Loki didn't bother blinking back the tears that sprang to his eyes, and Thomas' thumbs wiped them away when they spilled over. "I love you," he breathed and Thomas smiled. "Marry me?"
"Yes," Thomas breathed back.
Loki would never be able to say who was happiest: Him, Thomas, or Thor.
-0-
-0-0-0-
A/N: I know, I should have written more about how they got the governments to agree and how they decided how best to meet the Chitauri, but that part was giving me such a headache, so I just skipped it. (Bah, it's long enough as it is.)
So, I'mma gonna work on Code Name: Group Hug, next. And I may or may not write a sequel for Tom meeting people on Asgard. Ah, Frigga, Balder, Odin, Steve, Natasha, Bruce... All the fun. XD
But, yeah. No promises, really. Group Hug has priority. (Assuming Chris will behave. *beats head against a wall*)
Also, I'm doing NaNoWriMo, so I'll be rather absent for the next month. I'm intending to work on an original piece, but I've a history of getting distracted by writing fanfiction in the middle of the month, so you might see something posted. But, I intend to focus everything on my original piece. (If only so my family will stop pestering me to publish something already. *coughs*)
~Bats ^.^x
The Interaction Series:
Part One: Walkin' Through This World Alone
Part Two: Code Name: Group Hugs
Part Three:Give This Man His Wings
..
Series: Interaction
Fandom: Marvel (movie 'verse) & Real Person Fiction
Author: Batsutousai
Rating: M/R
Pairings: Tom Hiddleston/Loki Odinson, Chris Hemsworth/Elsa Pataky
Warnings: RPF (legit warning), off-screen character death, war, magical torture
Summary: This is the story of humans and monsters and gods, of living and dying for your home, of facing down futuristic armies with pitchforks and torches, of discovering hope when you need it most.
This is the story of how Loki Odinson turned his back on his family to spend his last days with the mortal he'd fallen in love with, prepared to suffer any fate if it meant he could spend one last hour with Thomas' pulse steady against his skin.
Part One of Two
It was Jeremy Renner who came up with the idea, during a Skype conversation between himself, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, and Loki and Thomas: "If Loki's going to be dressing up, why don't we all?"
"What, you want me to wear my pyjamas?" Mark joked. "That'll strike fear into the hearts of the Chitauri."
"Don't be an ass," Jeremy returned.
"Behave, boys," Scarlett ordered, rolling her eyes. "Loki, would they even notice if there are Avengers here?"
Loki shrugged. "I could not say. That they would recognise the significance of the costumes, certainly. But as to their reaction, I might only make assumption."
"Well, I'm already an ass–" Mark joked.
"Cute," Jeremy said.
"–so, really. Assume. Let's go for it."
Loki glanced over at where Thomas was making dinner, paying attention, but not offering much in the way of comment while he worked. The human had been the one to open the chat when Mark had sent the invite, and Loki had only taken over when Thomas had insisted he needed to make them something to eat.
"They would very likely focus their fire on you," Loki told the humans on the other side of the screen. "You would clear the way for those with true weapons, yes, but it would mean a certain death."
"What about movie screens?" Scarlett asked.
"Movie screens? What, are you planning to give out popcorn and hope they'll enjoy a bit of late-night enjoyment between murdering everyone in sight?" Jeremy replied.
Scarlett sighed. "Remind me to punch you in the face tomorrow," she said and Jeremy grinned while Mark laughed. "No, idiot. I mean could the Chitauri tell the difference between images of us on a movie screen, and the real things? Could we draw their fire without putting ourselves in danger?"
"For but a moment, perhaps," Loki allowed. "They are akin to a hive mind, in that they communicate as such, so it will quickly become apparent to them that they fight false images. You might have as much as ten minutes of their distraction to lessen their numbers before they'll turn on a truer threat."
"Well, it's worth a try, I suppose?" Jeremy said when Scarlett slumped slightly.
"It's not a bad idea," Thomas said, coming over to stand behind Loki, his hands kneading the god's shoulders. "In fact, why not use the film screens, then bring out the people in costume? It might confuse them enough to get a few more rounds in before they turn on the supposed Avengers. And as soon as they do, you lot get the hell out of there and leave it to the men and women in uniform."
" 'You lot'? Are you not going to help, Tom?" Mark asked.
Thomas shook his head. "I made a promise to stay out of sight. You'll have a Loki, though. And one that can actually take a couple hits from those weapons. Right?" He smiled at Loki.
"It will add credence to your falsities were I to appear as you did," Loki allowed. "I would remain in sight while you fled, and my truth would seem as your truth."
"How many hits from those weapons can you take, though?" Scarlett asked, brow furrowed with concern.
"Plenty enough for this," Loki promised. "I retain my near immortality, for all that I am, otherwise, of little use."
"Stop it," Thomas ordered as Mark and Scarlett chorused, "You're not of 'little use'."
"I thought you were a god, crazy kid," Jeremy tossed out. "A particularly smarmy ass of a god. You're kinda pathetic right now."
Loki rolled his eyes. "Thor would insult me better."
"Thor's not here; make do with me. Hey, you and Tom got the word out, you're the one who knows most about these bastards, you're the one who decided to stay. You're kinda far from useless."
"We come up with the ideas, you tell us if they'll work," Mark added as Jeremy fell silent. "We want you for your brain, not your magic."
"Zombie," Jeremy threw out.
"Please, dear God, grow up already," Scarlett muttered and the three male humans laughed.
Loki looked between the images on the screen, feeling rather like the green creature in that children's book, the one whose heart grew however many sizes larger and delivered all the presents he'd stolen. He pulled off his armguard and ducked away from the laptop and Thomas' hands.
"We've embarrassed him," Thomas commented to his fellows, all of whom laughed.
"We'll leave him to you," Mark promised. "I need to get some lunch, though, so I'm going to scram."
"Ooh, lunch. I'm up for some Chili's. In your honour, Tom," Jeremy said.
"I'm with Scarlett; grow up."
"Let us know if Loki comes up with anything else," Scarlett said, laughter in her voice. "We'll let the others know. Have you got Chris H?"
"Yeah, I'll talk to him. Or Loki will," Thomas agreed. "Night, everyone."
"Afternoon," Jeremy corrected and Thomas signed out of Skype before they could hear more than Scarlett taking a breath to snark at him.
Thomas made a stop in the kitchen to check on their dinner, then came over to where Loki had stretched out on the couch. "Hey," the mortal said, brushing his fingers through Loki's hair.
"I am used to being of greater use," Loki murmured.
"We're all actors, what do we know of use in time of war?" Thomas returned and Loki snorted. "Everyone plays their part, Loki, and maybe it's not all you're used to, but it'll be enough. It's already more than most people thought you capable of." He swallowed, eyes bright with pain. "They don't know the half of it."
Loki drew Thomas' head down to rest against his chest, his fingers soothing through the human's hair. "I am sorry," he murmured.
Thomas closed his eyes, one hand reaching out to thread his fingers with Loki's. "I know," he whispered.
They stayed like that until the timer in the kitchen called them to eat, and they spoke no further of Loki's intended sacrifice.
The general consensus was that Jeremy's crazy plan, with Scarlett's modifications, was a good one. Suits for superheroes – Marvel and D.C. alike, to double their number and because, why not? – came out of storage and were sent to actors and their stunt doubles. Loki knew the Chitauri would focus on areas of high population, so those supposed heroes spread out across large cities, while soldiers replaced civilians, sending those with no thought to fight out into the countryside. The film projectors and screens were put into place by the soldiers, everyone happy to have something to do that didn't involve thinking of the war they were about to face.
Thomas and Loki stayed in London, the only two 'heroes' originally in that area. Loki had tried to order Thomas to evacuate with the civilians, but he didn't try as hard as he perhaps should have, and Thomas wouldn't hear of it: "I'll hide in the Underground once the fighting starts, but I'm not going to leave you alone until they come through. Not knowing I'll never see you again, not knowing what you'll face. I would rather chance a hundred deaths than leave you to face this alone."
They ended up having just over two weeks from Thor's visit before portals the violent yellow of torn reality opened over the soldier-occupied cities and the Chitauri came through.
"Hide," Loki ordered as Thomas finished helping him into the costume-armour he would wear. It had none of the protections his own clothing would have afforded him, but it was the show that mattered, more than the protection.
"I love you," Thomas whispered, voice breaking.
"And I you," Loki replied, pulling the human in for a gentle kiss. "Please, Thomas."
"I know." And he fled to the nearest Tube access, aiming for the comfortable hovel they had spent a few days making down there.
Loki found himself a place to wait, where he would easily be seen once he wished to show himself, and waited for the Chitauri to realise the images of the Avengers on the many screens were false. Below him, around him, above him, gunfire rained from soldiers hidden throughout the city, nestled in office buildings and flats alike. The Chitauri fell in droves, seeing only the false Avengers.
And then their attention moved from the screens, and a couple of buildings exploded.
Loki turned off the master control for the screens and stepped out to the rooftop he'd chosen. To his luck, a Chitauri had fallen nearby and he picked up an energy weapon that had landed just on the edge of the roof. It was a simple weapon, but he knew well how to use it, and did so to draw attention to himself.
And, oh, the attention turned.
He took down three of their small craft before they managed to hit him once, twice, and then he was off, dodging energy blasts while his costume smelled of burnt fabric and he cackled because it was fun. Because he'd forgotten how much he enjoyed drawing attention, causing chaos and confusion for his enemies.
And still they fell, dropped by hidden soldiers with bullets aplenty and everything to lose.
Loki took plenty more hits, his costume fluttering uselessly in the breeze, before the Chitauri managed to corner him on a roof that was just a little too low for him to jump to the next.
"Loki Silvertongue," three of them hissed in eerie tandem. "The Traitor."
"Oh, I do like that title," Loki said, grinning like a man insane. And then he jumped at one of the crafts, using his now-useless energy weapon – it had run out of power about seven roofs ago – to knock off the passenger, then drew a knife to slit the throat of the pilot. The craft wobbled for a moment before he took the controls, and then he was off, up into the sky and laughing as they all shot up after him, yelling curses and threats for his traitorous ways.
The pilot's controls didn't have access to a weapon, but Loki wasn't looking to take out the small crafts; he aimed for one of the Leviathans and jumped off just before his craft struck one of the few weak spots the large transports had. The explosion caught him up and he slammed harder than he'd expected against the roof of a building. He lay there for a long moment, gritting his teeth against the pain.
"Traitor!" a Chitauri screamed as a small craft landed and both pilot and passenger jumped off to approach him.
Loki bared his teeth in a parody of a grin and forced himself to sit up, at least. "Please," he scoffed. "Like so worthless a creature as yourselves could ever think to harm a god."
A door slammed open behind Loki and gunfire rang out. The two Chitauri dropped without a sound.
"Hey, can you stand?" a female voice asked, and Loki looked up to find a uniformed human woman standing at his side, her gun held steady against further Chitauri.
"Yes," Loki grunted and shoved himself to his feet. He listed warningly to one side, but the human grabbed his elbow and steadied him.
"No offence, but you look like shit."
Loki considered what was left of his costume – barely enough to allow him modesty, and that was only because the Chitauri had been more interested in hitting 'above the belt', as the humans would put it. "I have been worse," he told the woman.
"I am worryingly willing to believe that," she commented and tugged him back by the elbow. "We've got a bit of soup, if you're looking for a down moment. They certainly seem to be."
Indeed, the Chitauri attacks had lessened, the two Leviathans and maybe a dozen score of smaller crafts pulling away to just outside the firing range. "They'll be communicating with the hive mind, debating further attempts, reporting my existence," he allowed. "We will have some twenty minutes, likely."
"Good. Let's get you some soup. And a new jacket."
Loki nodded. "A moment." He collected the two energy weapons that had fallen from the craft, then joined the woman and her partner, who had remained by the door, in returning to their hovel two floors below them. The soup was good, helped strengthen him against an encroaching exhaustion, and the jacket he was offered was of a much better make than the costume he'd taken to appear more as the Chitauri would expect.
"Any word from outside London?" he asked upon seeing their radio set-up.
"All the blighters seem to have pulled back," the man crouched over the radio reported. "We've lost our fair share, but we're making a dent against what we can hit. Not the big things."
"Leviathans," Loki commented absently, considering their arsenal. "These, what do you call them?"
"Bazookas?" the woman who had collected Loki offered.
Loki raised an eyebrow at the name, then shrugged. "Yes. How difficult would it be to aim one at a target that is, perhaps, no greater than a metre in width?"
"I couldn't do it, but Russ can," she said, nodding at the man who had held the door on the roof.
"You have writing implements? I would show you some targets, some weaknesses of the Leviathans."
The man – Russ – dove for a pack and dragged out paper and a handful of pens. "Been writing to my girl," he said to his two fellows' raised eyebrows.
Loki ignored them and set about making a quick sketch for the man. When he was done, he passed it back with the two pens of differing colours. "The points in blue would be your targets. You might also attempt aiming your 'bazooka' into the mouth of a Leviathan, but I am uncertain of the effectiveness."
"And if you've got a clear shot at the mouth, you're probably better off running before the damn thing takes out the building, anyway," the man at the radio said.
Russ nodded and waved for the headset draped around the radio man's neck. "Here, put out the call: I've got targets on the big boys."
Loki stood as the two men sorted their directions for the other troops, picking up his two energy weapons as he went.
"Leaving already?" the woman called.
Loki shrugged. "I do you no favours by being in your company. I thank you for the soup, and wish you well."
"Yeah. Well, good luck," she called after him and Loki nodded before starting back up the stairs to the roof.
There, he used a bit of cabling to attach the energy weapons to his back, then hopped onto the craft left sitting to one side; he had Chitauri to irritate.
They managed to mostly wipe out the last of their Chitauri within another hour, and Loki set back down on the roof of the same group he'd rested with before, another couple stolen energy weapons strapped to his back to replace those that had lost power, and having gone through three crafts since, two crashing when they were hit, one used to take out the last Leviathan.
"News is pretty good," the woman said as she came out to meet him where he was crouched over his craft, trying to fix some battle damage so it would stop listing to the right. "I dare say they didn't expect us to fight back quite so hard."
"They did not," Loki agreed. "They will know to do so when the next wave arrives."
The woman paled. "Next wave?"
Loki glanced up at her. "I do you no favours to lighten this truth: They will come and come until either they have lost at the other end, or your world is ash. This will be no easy-won war."
The woman ran a hand down her face and dropped to sit next to him, holding out a bowl of soup. "Fuck. Someone forgot to mention that part to us."
"That was not my doing," Loki informed her, taking the bowl. "My thanks."
"Yeah." She sighed, then took a moment to look him over. "You look like you could use a couple days' rest."
Loki glanced up at the dim portal high above them, just visible against the dying sunlight. "I should only be so lucky," he murmured.
The woman followed his gaze. "How long, do you think? Before more come?"
"Hours," Loki said with certainty, because he knew the limitations of this magic, knew how Thanos thought.
She sighed again and stood. "Great. Well, I'm heading back down to warn everyone. Try and catch some rest, okay?"
"Perhaps," Loki replied and returned to his soup.
They had four hours before the portal lit again, and darkness had well-fallen by then. City lights had been turned on, keeping the city almost as bright as during the day and allowing the humans to continue to chose their targets from a distance. Loki had managed some two hours rest, and he felt better for it as he hopped onto his craft and took to the sky to meet the incoming, aiming to take out a Leviathan first thing.
It was another hard-fought battle, and these Chitauri was more cautious, had already learned the follies of their brothers that had fallen but hours ago.
It was nearing the end of this battle, Loki again cornered on a rooftop without a chance to run on, and the Chitauri too wise after four such attempted cornerings to bring their craft in close enough for him to steal, when reality shifted directly behind him.
Loki didn't stop to think, just spun and fired the last blast in his energy weapon. It dissipated harmlessly against Thanos' armour and the Mad Titan wrapped his hand around Loki's throat, holding him up high enough that his feet hung uselessly above the ground. "My little traitor. So weak, so without bite." He laughed.
Loki smirked. "Oh, I'd say I've plenty of bite. And any lack is well made up for by these mortals."
"Yes," Thanos agreed. "You have brought forth quite the play. I should enjoy destroying every. Last. One."
And then, to Loki's horror, a scream of gut-wrenching pain came from all around them, cried in hundreds of voices.
"A taste, my traitor, of your pleasures to come," Thanos promised.
And then Loki felt it, like fire in his veins, and he ground his teeth to keep from making a sound, to deny Thanos that pleasure for so long as he could.
And then the pain stopped, and Loki couldn't be relieved, because Thanos didn't just stop pain, not without reason. He struggled to focus on the words being traded between the Mad Titan and one of his drones.
"–ring him," Thanos said. None of the Chitauri around them moved, but they didn't need to, could just send the order down the line to another Chitauri who was in a better position. Thanos smiled nastily at Loki. "It seems we have found a rat hidden away below the ground," he said.
Loki's heart stuttered, and he knew, Thomas. No, Norns, no!
And it was Thomas who was lead in, face bloodied and bruised, but shoving back against the Chitauri when they pushed him forward, so full of spirit. And then he recognised Thanos and froze, eyes wide with horror.
"A rat with your face, little god. Such chance."
Loki scoffed. "Chance? Likely he wished only to emulate me, as he should." He bared his teeth in a smile. "I am a god."
"You are little," Thanos returned. "And unworthy of my time. This mortal, however... Yes, I should like a pet." He dropped Loki and he crumpled to the ground, his legs too weak to hold him.
"I'm no one's pet, Thanos," Thomas snapped, so afraid. His eyes darted to Loki, concern and apology bright in them.
No. No, no, no, nononono!
"You are as I say you are," Thanos replied and wrapped his hands around Thomas' neck.
And then Thomas started to scream.
Loki jerked as if he'd been struck, then surged to his feet and ran towards Thanos and Thomas, didn't know how he would do it, just needed to stop the Mad Titan hurting his lover; Loki would die a thousand deaths at Thanos' hand before he'd let anyone hurt Thomas. Anyone.
There, the glimmer of the spell. Loki reached out and he tore it, pulled it apart with his bare hands with but a thought, and Thomas stopped screaming, was sobbing through tears and Thanos still held him, but he wasn't hurting any more.
Thanos turned to Loki, surprise flitting over his hard features, and Loki took that chance, that unexpected moment, and pulled Thomas away.
Thomas crumpled into his arms, burying his face against Loki's throat and gripping tight to the borrowed jacket. Loki wrapped his arms around the human, one hand held tight against the rapid pulse in Thomas' neck, needing the comfort as he turned a silent challenge on Thanos.
Thanos was smiling. "So, the traitor shows his strengths at last."
Strengths? Loki wondered even as he eyed the Chitauri, who were approaching him and Thomas with clear intention in separating them. And Loki thought, If only I had my magic, I could get Thomas to safety!
A familiar burn lit his veins, and Loki thought, for a moment, that Thanos had cast his spell of pain again, but then he recognised the gleam of green magic held tight against his skin and he allowed himself no time for surprise as he wrapped a teleportation spell around the human, sending him to those mortals Loki had taken soup with and – hopefully – safety.
Thanos didn't stop smiling. "Find him," he ordered the Chitauri and those few crafts still hovering nearby turned away.
Loki twisted his fingers in a familiar pattern and the crafts exploded, green smoke following them to the streets below. Ice – blue, laced with green – crept out across the roof and caught the Chitauri around him. It would have caught Thanos, too, had the Mad Titan not blasted it away.
Thanos wasn't smiling any more.
Loki conjured knives and leapt at his remaining opponent. He knew he could never take Thanos, but perhaps he could leave a dent, could distract him from Thomas and Asgard. Thor would come – he had to believe that – and if Thanos was focussing on him, he wasn't casting pain on the humans, might forget about Thomas just long enough.
Loki had never, truly, fought Thanos before. The Mad Titan knew many of his tricks, had torn them from Loki's mind after his fall through the Void had weakened him to little more than a shadow of himself, but it was one thing to know Loki's tricks, and another entirely to be faced with them. Especially when his tricks were fuelled by desperation, by a need to protect the only person in his long life that had made Loki want to give everything to see safe.
And Loki's magic – held apart for thirty years, healed from the strain of his attempt on another Midgard – was the strongest it had ever been, casting illusions and bringing ice creeping with barely a hint of drain. Thanos was come from a long war, had thought this would be an easy conquest, only coming because Loki was here, and there was exhaustion writ in his slow return of Loki's attacks, the bloom of blood from one of Loki's knives dashing across his cheek.
Loki was living an impossibility, and wasn't sure he dared to hope.
And then, like a boon from the Norns, the pale portal above their heads died away. Whatever power source Thanos had been using to power it on the other side had been destroyed, and that meant Asgard had won.
Loki flashed Thanos a grin full of violence and teeth. "It is a hard-won lesson that one must never turn their back to Thor Odinson in battle."
Thanos let out a roar of rage and motioned a wave of violent magic at Loki. It caught him up, threw him across the street and through the outer wall of the building there.
Loki didn't give himself a chance to feel the rough landing, ran to the hole from his body and watched as a personal portal swallowed Thanos. He took a breath, then teleported to the hovel he'd sent Thomas to, stumbling to his knees as he appeared.
"Loki," a familiar voice breathed and Loki relaxed into Thomas' hug as the human wrapped his arms around him. "Thank God."
Loki pressed his hand over Thomas' heart, soothed by the steady thrum of life, the promise that his human was alive. They'd both survived Thanos, and Loki still wasn't completely sure how.
"Sorry to interrupt," the woman soldier offered, sounding truly sorry, "but we've got a lot of people asking what's happened out there, and you're the only one with answers, Loki."
Loki nodded and pulled back enough that he could see the man crouched next to the radio. "The portals have closed, and that means whatever source Thanos was using to power them has been disrupted. Most likely, the Asgardian army has taken his fortifications. He has returned to see to it."
The human relayed that, was quiet for a long moment, then asked, "Are we expecting them back?"
Loki shook his head. "I cannot say. I believe not, but as I am unaware of how, exactly, events progress in that other reality, I cannot say for certain that this battle has been won. It may be possible for Thanos to destroy Asgard still, and then he will return."
"But your gut?" the woman asked.
"I believe this is true victory, for all of us," Loki allowed and Thomas breathed a laugh against his throat.
"Either way, it's going to take them another week or two to get back here," Russ called from the window, watching with his gun for further Chitauri left on this side of the portal. "We've got time to see to our wounded and search for survivors under the fallen buildings."
"I would assist," Loki offered, gently trying to extract himself from Thomas' hold, which was proving most difficult.
"Why don't you catch a couple hours sleep?" the woman suggested. "We can't do much rescue while it's this dark, anyway, and you've been hopping around out there constantly while the rest of us have been trading off guns."
Loki felt energised, his magic jumping against his skin, but he knew he was tired, knew the magic's energy was not his own, no matter how it felt, and that if he didn't rest now, that energy would likely fail at a crucial moment. And he had need to be with Thomas, to reassure them both that they yet lived. "As you say," he agreed and stopped trying to free himself from his human.
"Show them to a bed, Janie," Russ ordered.
The woman nodded her understanding and came over to stand beside Loki and Thomas as the god got them both to their feet, Thomas still clutching at him like he was afraid Loki would vanish if he let go. They were led out of the main room and down the long hall to a closed door. Janie pushed it open and it was only now that Loki realised that this building was a hotel.
"There's always someone with the radio, so you know where to find us if you need anything," Janie offered. "I'll come get you for breakfast if you haven't already come out by then."
"My thanks," Loki offered as Thomas murmured, "Thank you."
"Get some rest, gentlemen," Janie suggested and left them to their business.
Loki closed their room door and manoeuvred them into the bathroom, flipping the light on as he passed the switch. Under those bright lights, he finally managed to free himself enough from his lover to look the mortal over. Thomas had a cut above his left eye that had mostly scabbed over, but was the origin of the blood spotting his face, and there were rips in his clothing showing bruises and more small cuts. He was also shaking ever so slightly, and Loki realised that Thomas wasn't the only mortal he'd seen doing so, though he hadn't really noted it in the three soldiers previously. The pain magic, he recognised and spared a moment's curse for the Mad Titan.
Loki had magic now, and his fingers sparked green as he brushed them over the cuts and bruises on Thomas' face. They faded away on contact, and Loki sent more magic to heal what he couldn't see so clearly, including the tremors of remembered pain. And if tendrils of his magic left to seek out other mortals in the city and soothe their remembered pain, well, Loki wasn't going to stop it.
Thomas caught Loki's hand and threaded his fingers through the god's. "You have your magic back," he murmured.
"Yes."
"How?"
Loki glanced down at their entwined fingers, eyes tracing over the familiar sheen of magic against his skin. "I am...uncertain. I recall Odin speaking something of losing my magic until I had learned my duties to the other realms, but I cannot begin to understand what action would have fulfilled that."
"You've done so many, of late," Thomas agreed, a hint of humour in his eyes.
Loki sniffed. "Of course. If is within my power to see less harm done to my worshipers–"
Thomas burst out laughing. And he kept laughing until he was crying and curled tight in Loki's arms, face buried against the god's neck.
"Let's get to bed," Loki suggested quietly against Thomas' hair.
"Yeah," Thomas whispered.
They stumbled to the bed and curled up together under the covers, hands pressed tight over beating hearts to reassure them both that the other was still alive and safe at their side.
The cleanup was tedious and no simple task. Civilians that had escaped to nearby cities, just outside the area where evacuation had been ordered, came hurrying back in to help, and things went smoother with the extra hands. Loki, too, was an enormous help, able to teleport into the wreckage and pull out those trapped, allowing less care to be taken in the cleanup. With Thomas, he moved from city to city, checking in on those mortals Thomas claimed friendship with and helping where they could.
By the grace of the Norns, there were fewer dead than initial reports had suggested. Keeping out of sight had kept the Chitauri from picking out targets to focus on, and most of those trapped in fallen buildings had survived with little worse than broken bones or a concussion. Of the actors and stunt doubles left in the cities, Thomas had ended up with the worst wounds, and since he'd suffered little more than cuts and bruises – and the pain magic, which hadn't reached past the London limits, to Loki's relief – that wasn't saying much.
"We were lucky," Thomas commented as they took a short break with Chris and Elsa in Australia. Loki had India in his lap and was delighting her with dancing motes of magic.
"We had the element of surprise," Chris said quietly. "If they come back, I doubt we'll be so lucky."
"Technically, you had human tactics on your side," Loki commented drily, not looking up from India's bright eyes. "There are not many species in the Nine Realms that would think to hide in and attack from their own homes to repel such an attack. The Æsir would think such tactics cowardly, and many others would agree."
"We would all be dead, had we fought like Æsir," Thomas commented.
"So you would."
"Æsir are stronger, though, can take the physical damage in ways that we can't," Elsa said. "If we had the same invulnerability that you do, we might have been more inclined to face the Chitauri head on."
Loki glanced up, then, smiling sadly. "I would not have suggested it. Had you not opened the war with deceit, the Chitauri would have certainly ended it with such, at Thanos' direction. Had those battles raged but another hour, I would not be so well."
"If your magic hadn't returned, you'd be a mess," Thomas returned with a hint of anger in his voice. "You were a mess."
It wasn't the first time that Thomas had called Loki out on his careless actions during the battle, and were the anger not driven so by fear, Loki might have snapped back. But he recognised the truth behind his lover's words and looked back to India, catching one hand with Thomas' and smiling when the human threaded their fingers together.
"Will it work a second time?" Chris asked. When Loki raised an eyebrow at him, he clarified, "The shooting from windows. In case they come back."
"It should. They understand the tactic, but it is unlikely that they have discovered a way to counteract it, beyond bringing down buildings. You might change positions, pick new rooms or buildings to fire from so they don't come in with set targets."
"It shouldn't be hard to manage," Chris decided. "Our military leader asked me," he explained to Thomas' curious look. "I guess they're having trouble pinning you two down long enough to get a straight answer."
"We've been moving around a lot," Thomas admitted.
"When are you returning to London?" Elsa wondered as India started to fuss. Loki handed her back to her mother and Elsa smiled gratefully at him.
"Tonight, actually," Thomas answered. "Most of what Loki can help with has been seen to by human means, and we'd like to be back before more Chitauri come through. Assuming they're coming back."
"What if it's Thor?" Chris asked. "Where would he come out?"
"He knew me to be in London; I believe that is where he will appear if it is he who comes," Loki said.
"So, back to London either way," Chris said and Thomas grinned while Loki and Elsa rolled their eyes. "Are we feeding you before you flee to the other hemisphere?"
"If it's not too much trouble," Thomas agreed.
"Only if it is Lady Elsa's doing," Loki added and Thomas elbowed him.
"My cooking isn't that bad," Chris insisted.
"Nor is mine," Loki returned. "But I would not wish to sully the good name of my home by gifting it to guests." And he smiled.
"How do you put up with him?" Chris ask Thomas while Elsa made her way back indoors after passing India to her father.
"Point him at other targets."
Loki and Chris laughed.
"Portal," Russ called from his position in the window, watching the sky. Thomas, Loki, Janie, the man who usually sat at the radio, and four other soldiers that resided in the same building and covered windows on lower floors all looked up from the board game most of them were playing. (Loki was not, but only because they all insisted he cheated. Which he did.)
Loki rose and stepped over to the window, Thomas and Janie following him while the others moved to their positions. The yellow light gleaming in the darkening sky was duller than it had been in the past. "It's Thor," Loki breathed, relief loosening a fear in his chest; he'd no interest in further battle with the Chitauri and Thanos.
"No other portals reported," the man at the radio reported, reaffirming Loki's announcement.
"Stand down, kids," Russ said into his hand radio, which connected to the other base camps in London. "Friends coming through."
"I'm coming with you," Thomas insisted to Loki before he could teleport to the roof nearest where the Asgardian war party was emerging.
Loki frowned, but nodded, trusting that he could keep the human safe if any violence was started. "Very well."
"Let us know the basics," Janie requested, passing Thomas a hand radio.
"We will," Thomas promised.
Loki took Thomas' hand, then wrapped them in teleportation magic.
There was a pause amongst the Asgardians as they appeared beneath them, the flare of magic giving their position away. And then a familiar voice boomed out, "Brother!" and Thor landed, hard, before them. He pulled Loki into a hug as other Æsir landed on the roof around them, many eyeing the disgraced prince with disapproval, while others looked over the damaged city or blinked uncertainly at Thomas.
"Thor," Loki replied, rolling his eyes. When Thor finally let him go, Loki took a quick step back so he was in range to entwine his fingers with Thomas' again – they'd been separated when Thor dragged him into a hug – then commented, "I take it Thanos has been defeated?"
Thor nodded, grin wide. "Indeed. It was surprisingly simple; even Father agreed." His expression softened. "You have your magic returned, I see."
Loki shrugged, as though it was of little importance. "It was a surprise to all."
Thor looked to Thomas at Loki's shoulder, and the human smiled and shook his head. "He earned it more than you can guess," he said, and Loki snorted.
Thor's grin widened again. "I had nary a doubt." His expression shifted again, more serious now, and he asked, "And this Midgard? How did you fare?"
"Very well," Thomas said, speaking when Loki made no show of doing so, too interested in glaring around at the surrounding Æsir. "There are nearly three times more Chitauri dead than humans. Loki, stop it."
All the Æsir seemed surprised at the numbers. "Your doing, Brother?" Thor requested.
Loki snorted. "My part was little."
"Surprise, surprise," an Æsir muttered.
"That is enough, Fandral," Thor ordered.
Thomas startled at Loki's side, and he knew the human had only just recognised the warrior. Thomas' eyes trailed over the others in the circle and Loki knew he would be spotting those he recognised from working with their mortal mirrors.
"We are friends here," Thor added, looking over his warriors with a heavy frown. The warriors ducked their heads, shamed.
"We wouldn't have managed as well without Loki," Thomas said into the silence. "He's what made the governments willing to believe in the danger, and he was the one who gave the soldiers the spots to aim on the Leviathans to bring them down. And I can't speak for the other cities that were attacked, but I know seeing him fighting the Chitauri gave those in London the courage to keep on, even when they were growing tired; apparently, it's quite hard to lay down your gun for a five minute rest when there's a mad god cackling as he goes flying past your position on a Chitauri craft, a dozen more flying behind him and failing to land a hit on him."
Loki, too, had heard that story, and his lips curled with amusement.
Thor stepped forward and clasped his hand to the back of Loki's neck. "You have done yourself proud, Brother," he murmured. "You have done me proud, as I knew you would."
Loki snorted and looked away to cover the block in his throat at Thor's words.
Thor's hand tightened against Loki's neck before falling away. He turned to Thomas to ask, "Have you any need of Asgard, then?"
Thomas shook his head. "We should be able to manage fine on our own," he promised. "Though, we're grateful for you dropping by, if only to let us know that Thanos won't be coming back."
"I could little think to leave you unknowing when it was I who led this danger to you. And, should you have needed it, we would have been glad to lend our aid."
"I know. Thank you."
Thor inclined his head and looked back to Loki. "Brother," he started, uncertain, and his eyes flickered to Thomas before again meeting Loki's gaze, which had narrowed. "Father has agreed to end your banishment, had your magic returned of its own accord."
"I'm staying," Loki said, not even bothering to consider the option. He would not leave Thomas, not until the Norns willed it through Thomas' death.
Thor swallowed. "Father was weakened in this battle and has need to recover himself in Odinsleep. I would have you as my Council."
"Tho–" Sif started, and Hogun hushed her.
Loki glanced at the two, then looked back at Thor, one eyebrow raised. "We've spoken of this already; you don't need me if you will listen."
"As I try, but your words have always rung most true–"
"There are many who would say otherwise."
"Most clearly, then," Thor amended. "You have oft said I am slow to learn; would you lend no hand in seeing to this lesson?"
"No."
"Loki, it's fine–" Thomas started.
"No," Loki snarled and Thomas flinched. Loki squeezed the human's hand in apology and gentled his tone to insist, "I will stay here."
Thor's gaze flickered again to Thomas and he offered, "Tom Hiddleston could come with."
Thomas twitched in surprise. "What?"
"For what purpose?" Loki enquired. "He has a home still, is no refugee. You know the laws concerning mortals." He squeezed Thomas' hand again.
"As your husband, Brother," Thor said, quiet but firm, and a couple of the Æsir around them let out sounds of surprise, clearly having missed the small signs of attachment, such as the way Loki and Thomas had yet to loosen their hold on each other since Loki had regained it after Thor's greeting.
"Father would never allow it," Loki snapped. And then he realised what he'd just said and opened his mouth to correct his title for the Allfather, but Thor spoke first.
"Father will already be asleep when we return; I am king, and I see no wrong in your binding to a human. This human, most assuredly."
Loki shook his head. "This is not simply my decision; I would speak with Thomas."
Thor inclined his head. "As you will."
Loki wrapped teleportation magic around them and took them to a roof out of range of the hearing of the Æsir. There, he slipped his hand from Thomas' and cupped the human's face.
Thomas' hands came to rest on Loki's. "What is it? You know I wouldn't refuse; I love you, Loki."
Loki closed his eyes and leaned forward to rest his forehead against Thomas'. Yes, he knew the human loved him, but marriage was hardly something they'd spoken of, not with a war hanging over their heads. "It is...complicated."
"These things always are with Asgard," Thomas replied drily.
Loki couldn't help but smile at that, and he pulled back enough to meet Thomas' gaze. "There are laws that no mortal might enter Asgard unless they are a refugee from a most unimaginable catastrophe."
"Like having your whole planet turned to ash."
"Indeed," Loki agreed. "There is a stipulation made for those mortals intending to marry one of noble birth, but the king must agree to the marriage, and Odin never has, in my memory."
"Why not? Because we live for so short a time?" Thomas asked.
Loki shook his head. "It is more, I believe, that you are not of the Æsir, that your culture is very different from our– from theirs."
"It's yours too, Loki," Thomas interrupted gently.
Loki pressed his lips into a thin line, the only show of his disagreement. "Mortality," he continued, "can be...cured, after a fashion. You would be gifted one of Idunn's apples as welcome into the royal family, and that would give you the gift of near-immortality and all that would come with it."
Thomas' eyes widened. "I would be immortal?" he asked. "You wouldn't have to watch me die?"
Loki found swallowing suddenly difficult. "Exactly that," he whispered. And then, because it needed to be said, "But you would be made to watch others die: your parents, your sisters, Hemsworth and other friends."
"Oh, Loki," Thomas whispered, moving his hands from covering Loki's to cupping the god's face. "I can survive that, but I can't leave you alone. I would rather face Thanos again than leave you behind."
Loki didn't bother blinking back the tears that sprang to his eyes, and Thomas' thumbs wiped them away when they spilled over. "I love you," he breathed and Thomas smiled. "Marry me?"
"Yes," Thomas breathed back.
Loki would never be able to say who was happiest: Him, Thomas, or Thor.
-0-0-0-
A/N: I know, I should have written more about how they got the governments to agree and how they decided how best to meet the Chitauri, but that part was giving me such a headache, so I just skipped it. (Bah, it's long enough as it is.)
So, I'mma gonna work on Code Name: Group Hug, next. And I may or may not write a sequel for Tom meeting people on Asgard. Ah, Frigga, Balder, Odin, Steve, Natasha, Bruce... All the fun. XD
But, yeah. No promises, really. Group Hug has priority. (Assuming Chris will behave. *beats head against a wall*)
Also, I'm doing NaNoWriMo, so I'll be rather absent for the next month. I'm intending to work on an original piece, but I've a history of getting distracted by writing fanfiction in the middle of the month, so you might see something posted. But, I intend to focus everything on my original piece. (If only so my family will stop pestering me to publish something already. *coughs*)
~Bats ^.^x
Part One: Walkin' Through This World Alone
Part Two: Code Name: Group Hugs
Part Three:
..
no subject
Date: 30/10/12 10:02 (UTC)Anywho..*flails* OMG YAY! Sequels! :DDD Love this story. Actually I should say anything you write I love <.<;;
And *smacks Chris upside the head* BEHAVE! And we can has story time! *beams*
*flaps hands* So...any hints on the lovely writing for next month? And I'll support in the whole fun publish aspect *grins*
no subject
Date: 30/10/12 15:26 (UTC)It helps that I don't have a job... ^.^"Awww.... *hugs* Glad you enjoyed. ;)
SMACK HIM HARDER! XD
Mmmm... I'm rewriting At Good's End. Probably won't be posting it here as I work on it, though. As opposed to years past.
And, yeeeeeeesssssss... BUY MY BOOKS! *cackles*
*hairball*
no subject
Date: 30/10/12 16:51 (UTC)And yeah, helps if you don't have a job >.>;;
*hugs back* Of course I enjoyed! Loki is just so entertaining *snickers*
Hmmm...I'll have to check it out then
Annnd would help if I knew what books you had *arches brow*
no subject
Date: 30/10/12 17:29 (UTC)Ahahahah... ^.^" I need a job so bad...
I haven't actually published anything yet. So.
Small matter. Pre-emptive demands? ^.^"no subject
Date: 30/10/12 17:42 (UTC)*waggles fingers* job = money *nods head wisely, then snorts 'cause she'll need to find one when she returns home next summer*
<.< Pre-emptive demands always work >.>