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widows_kissWhile Clint worked on winning over Thor in the ways he was usually best at, Natasha turned her own attention on their other guest, although her methods of looking after him were vastly different. After their brief meeting at the bar, she figured that Loki was not one to kiss and make up as friends after a few boilermakers, dart competitions, and bad karaoke. (Thank god - gods? - because the universe might be officially doomed in her opinion, if it were.)
Instead, for the first two days, she granted him the privacy he seemed to crave. She showed up on clockwork, three times a day, bearing a tray of food and a few simple tidbits of information with her greeting. Most of them were inconsequential - Thor had healed and was up and around. Benny had been pleased to note that she'd sent the unknown stranger off to the big city on the latest bus that stopped in town, because apparently strangers made him nervous. Which made her laugh with a roll of her eyes at the irony. The inept agent she and Clint had mocked for letting Loki escape had been reassigned to somewhere in Siberia or Antarctica or maybe the moon. There was a betting pool starting up among the remaining agents on site over whether Loki and his brother were actually the Norse gods they were named after, and if so, how much of the actual mythology was true. She offered to share some of the more extreme tales with him if he got bored.
Each conversation was brief, not overly chatty, merely filling the air as she delivered his tray, checked if he needed anything. She brought him the daily newspaper with his breakfast and, noting it had been thoroughly read when she returned, she changed her habits on the third day.
It was midway between breakfast and lunch when she breezed through the door, a stack of half a dozen books stacked in her arms. Two were science texts, one of math, two were novels (a western and a murder mystery - Nowhere, New Mexico didn't have the most expansive selection of entertaining reads unless you were fond of the romances with busty females being rescued by cowboys or Fabio (or Thor, now that she gave them a second glance). The last was a text of Norse mythology she'd picked up from the children's section, a collection of stories to tell the tales of the old gods the Vikings had worshiped and modeled their civilization after.
"Here," she spoke in greeting, setting them down on the end of his bed. "I thought you might be getting bored."
Instead, for the first two days, she granted him the privacy he seemed to crave. She showed up on clockwork, three times a day, bearing a tray of food and a few simple tidbits of information with her greeting. Most of them were inconsequential - Thor had healed and was up and around. Benny had been pleased to note that she'd sent the unknown stranger off to the big city on the latest bus that stopped in town, because apparently strangers made him nervous. Which made her laugh with a roll of her eyes at the irony. The inept agent she and Clint had mocked for letting Loki escape had been reassigned to somewhere in Siberia or Antarctica or maybe the moon. There was a betting pool starting up among the remaining agents on site over whether Loki and his brother were actually the Norse gods they were named after, and if so, how much of the actual mythology was true. She offered to share some of the more extreme tales with him if he got bored.
Each conversation was brief, not overly chatty, merely filling the air as she delivered his tray, checked if he needed anything. She brought him the daily newspaper with his breakfast and, noting it had been thoroughly read when she returned, she changed her habits on the third day.
It was midway between breakfast and lunch when she breezed through the door, a stack of half a dozen books stacked in her arms. Two were science texts, one of math, two were novels (a western and a murder mystery - Nowhere, New Mexico didn't have the most expansive selection of entertaining reads unless you were fond of the romances with busty females being rescued by cowboys or Fabio (or Thor, now that she gave them a second glance). The last was a text of Norse mythology she'd picked up from the children's section, a collection of stories to tell the tales of the old gods the Vikings had worshiped and modeled their civilization after.
"Here," she spoke in greeting, setting them down on the end of his bed. "I thought you might be getting bored."
The Great Escape
Aug. 25th, 2012 08:21 pmcomplicatedliarLoki returned to his senses in some sort of cell, though it was rather more pleasant than the dungeons of Asgard. He fought down a wave of disorientation and anger, hands clenching until his fingernails bit into his palms, and forced himself to think slowly of what had happened.
Odin, the bastard, had banished him and Thor. And it seemed he'd taken Loki's magic as well. The profound emptiness gnawed at his mind, left him feeling as if he might collapse in on himself--
No. Not useful. Move on.
They'd been dumped onto another realm. From the few hazy memories after impact, he'd be willing to bet it was Midgard. Thor - brother or not, it was a sharp stab of a thought - had been injured. And was now probably being held elsewhere.
The very gall of the mortals, to think to hold Thor and Loki captive, was frustrating. Of course, they were both sadly reduced now. Magic or no, Loki had to find a way out of this, which really meant he needed to think a way out of this. A quick check of his clothing confirmed that all but one of his weapons - a thin needle hidden in the hem of his tunic - had been taken, as well as all of his armor and his boots. Well, he'd expected as much, it just meant these people weren't wholly incompetent.
While he was still taking stock of the situation, two mortals dressed in black opened the door. "Come with us," one of the men said.
Thor might have fought. Loki decided that simple cooperation for the moment would serve him better. He stood and allowed the mortals to bracket him and lead him down the hall. While he kept his head down, he keenly watched everything. This was not, he quickly concluded, an actual prison. Rather it seemed to be a building hastily repurposed, its construction rather flimsy.
The room they lead him too had the same construction flaws, and was stripped bare of fixtures. They were also intelligent enough to place him somewhere with no windows, but he'd spotted a few in the hallways they'd crossed.
There was another man, this time in a suit, waiting. He smiled politely, "Please, have a seat."
Loki complied, sprawling into the uncomfortable metal chair with studied insolence.
( My name is Agent Pierce. What's yours? )
Odin, the bastard, had banished him and Thor. And it seemed he'd taken Loki's magic as well. The profound emptiness gnawed at his mind, left him feeling as if he might collapse in on himself--
No. Not useful. Move on.
They'd been dumped onto another realm. From the few hazy memories after impact, he'd be willing to bet it was Midgard. Thor - brother or not, it was a sharp stab of a thought - had been injured. And was now probably being held elsewhere.
The very gall of the mortals, to think to hold Thor and Loki captive, was frustrating. Of course, they were both sadly reduced now. Magic or no, Loki had to find a way out of this, which really meant he needed to think a way out of this. A quick check of his clothing confirmed that all but one of his weapons - a thin needle hidden in the hem of his tunic - had been taken, as well as all of his armor and his boots. Well, he'd expected as much, it just meant these people weren't wholly incompetent.
While he was still taking stock of the situation, two mortals dressed in black opened the door. "Come with us," one of the men said.
Thor might have fought. Loki decided that simple cooperation for the moment would serve him better. He stood and allowed the mortals to bracket him and lead him down the hall. While he kept his head down, he keenly watched everything. This was not, he quickly concluded, an actual prison. Rather it seemed to be a building hastily repurposed, its construction rather flimsy.
The room they lead him too had the same construction flaws, and was stripped bare of fixtures. They were also intelligent enough to place him somewhere with no windows, but he'd spotted a few in the hallways they'd crossed.
There was another man, this time in a suit, waiting. He smiled politely, "Please, have a seat."
Loki complied, sprawling into the uncomfortable metal chair with studied insolence.
( My name is Agent Pierce. What's yours? )
Meanwhile, in New Mexico...
Aug. 18th, 2012 11:38 pmagent_cupid"Are you sure we're in the right spot, Boss?"
Clint eyed the starry sky over their head with a skeptical look as he maneuvered the SHIELD-issued SUV down the abandoned stretch of desert highway. The skies overhead were clear and bright and utterly empty except for a quarter-full moon and thousands of stars. It was a beautiful night - something they didn't see many of when on base in New York City, so it was nice, despite the fact that it was the middle of the night and they were in the middle of the nowhere.
Oh yeah, and they were chasing aliens. Because that was a completely normal thing to do these days.
"How did this become our lives? Seriously? Are we actually out here looking for little green men?"
Clint eyed the starry sky over their head with a skeptical look as he maneuvered the SHIELD-issued SUV down the abandoned stretch of desert highway. The skies overhead were clear and bright and utterly empty except for a quarter-full moon and thousands of stars. It was a beautiful night - something they didn't see many of when on base in New York City, so it was nice, despite the fact that it was the middle of the night and they were in the middle of the nowhere.
Oh yeah, and they were chasing aliens. Because that was a completely normal thing to do these days.
"How did this become our lives? Seriously? Are we actually out here looking for little green men?"
The drums of war
Jul. 28th, 2012 02:27 pmcomplicatedliarLoki took Thor at his word, that they would take the battle to the Jotun. He set the board carefully, causing delay in the Jotun army so that they would still be gathering, not yet departed when it was time for Asgard to strike.
But also, he made certain that they would be gathered, that they would be ready for the slaughter he and Thor would bring down upon them. Thor had given his word in that, as well. Loki could only hope that with each drop of Jotun blood, he'd be washed a little cleaner until he could emerge from the other side once more as himself.
The armies of Asgard gathered as well, waiting for Thor's command. Loki stood with his brother on the Bifrost, Gungnir in his hand. While it was the weapon of the King, Thor preferred Mjolnir, and the spear would serve Loki far better than his daggers for the coming slaughter.
The air echoed with drums like a frantic heartbeat.
Loki couldn't quite stop himself from smiling as he turned toward Thor. "Brother, it is time. Let us cut out the cancer that grows in Jotunheim. You need only give the word."
But also, he made certain that they would be gathered, that they would be ready for the slaughter he and Thor would bring down upon them. Thor had given his word in that, as well. Loki could only hope that with each drop of Jotun blood, he'd be washed a little cleaner until he could emerge from the other side once more as himself.
The armies of Asgard gathered as well, waiting for Thor's command. Loki stood with his brother on the Bifrost, Gungnir in his hand. While it was the weapon of the King, Thor preferred Mjolnir, and the spear would serve Loki far better than his daggers for the coming slaughter.
The air echoed with drums like a frantic heartbeat.
Loki couldn't quite stop himself from smiling as he turned toward Thor. "Brother, it is time. Let us cut out the cancer that grows in Jotunheim. You need only give the word."
Misunderstandings
May. 15th, 2012 08:30 pmshield_maidenSometimes, Sif really loved the fact that Heimdall was her brother, and that he indulged her enough to humor her in reporting when Loki returned to the palace. She’d been even more upset when she’d been released from the healing rooms to find him gone, worried when she’d had no word from him, no visits, nothing.
She’d wracked her brain, trying to think of a reason why he might be avoiding her now, but was hard pressed to come up with one beyond the troubling thought that maybe he’d tired of her. Maybe he did believe her too large a chink in his armor, too great a weakness. She didn’t want to dwell on that, had tried her best to keep from fretting on it, although as the days stretched out, it became harder.
So when word arrived from her brother that Loki was currently in the throne room with Thor, she held off joining them, heading instead to Loki’s private chambers to lie in wait for him. She sank down behind one of his worktables, making herself comfortable as she waited. And if one of his overly large tomes hid her mostly from view… well, that was his fault for having such large books in the way, wasn’t it?
She’d wracked her brain, trying to think of a reason why he might be avoiding her now, but was hard pressed to come up with one beyond the troubling thought that maybe he’d tired of her. Maybe he did believe her too large a chink in his armor, too great a weakness. She didn’t want to dwell on that, had tried her best to keep from fretting on it, although as the days stretched out, it became harder.
So when word arrived from her brother that Loki was currently in the throne room with Thor, she held off joining them, heading instead to Loki’s private chambers to lie in wait for him. She sank down behind one of his worktables, making herself comfortable as she waited. And if one of his overly large tomes hid her mostly from view… well, that was his fault for having such large books in the way, wasn’t it?
Flashbacks
Dec. 4th, 2011 12:46 amshield_maidenSif slammed the lid of her small jewelry box shut with a decisive click, a scowl crossing her reddened lips as she started sorting through the mess cluttering the surface of her vanity, looking for her favorite pair of hairpins. She’d been certain she’d left them in her small box before heading out to her morning training, but now they were nowhere to be found and it was one more annoyance to add to her lengthening list of the day.
“Blast,” she hissed out, slamming a fist against the surface of her vanity as she sank down on the bench, frustration welling up within her with a suddenness and a force that for a moment, she couldn’t think. It was such a little thing, but the little things had been adding up over the past few days and this was almost the straw that was her breaking. Struggling with her emotions, she gritted her teeth, rubbing angrily at her eyes before she caught sight of the door across the room in her mirror’s reflection. It was cracked open, just as it had been when she’d returned to her room after training, something she’d taken no notice of at the time but now made her suspicious.
Her gaze narrowed as it turned on her jewel box once more, her lips twisting downwards for a moment in speculation. “Dammit, Loki,” she hissed after a moment, pushing herself to her feet and stalking out of her room once more. She knew she’d put those pins in her box, she could remember it clearly. If they were not there now, it was through no fault of her own.
Her strides were determined, almost angry as she left her own home and crossed the square, returning to the palace she’d left a short time before. She was still dressed in her training gear – a simple bound corset adorned with bronzed mail and soft leather breeches with a belted sash of deep scarlet, the colors of her father’s house. Her pale blond hair was drawn back in a braid to keep it out of her face while she practiced. She’d had no more plans for the rest of the morning beyond taking a long soak to ease her sore muscles – training had been especially brutal this morning. It always was when she was partnered against Brull. The older boy was a brute, and a strong one. What he lacked in wits and speed, he made up for in sheer strength and he’d managed to get the best of her today. She’d been distracted and slower than her usual self and she was going to sport several vibrant bruises on her ribs and arms before the day was out.
The fact that she had to postpone her bath to search out her own missing possessions was not improving her mood any.
No one was foolish enough to interrupt her – Sif within the palace walls was as common a sight as one of the royal family. Not to mention that most people were wise enough to get out of her way when they caught sight of the expression on her face. She stalked through familiar halls with a purpose, only pausing when she came to the entrance of the library that the younger son of Odin had been haunting recently. The doors banged against the walls when she stormed in, but she didn’t care as she started off down the shelves, searching for the source of her ire.
“Blast,” she hissed out, slamming a fist against the surface of her vanity as she sank down on the bench, frustration welling up within her with a suddenness and a force that for a moment, she couldn’t think. It was such a little thing, but the little things had been adding up over the past few days and this was almost the straw that was her breaking. Struggling with her emotions, she gritted her teeth, rubbing angrily at her eyes before she caught sight of the door across the room in her mirror’s reflection. It was cracked open, just as it had been when she’d returned to her room after training, something she’d taken no notice of at the time but now made her suspicious.
Her gaze narrowed as it turned on her jewel box once more, her lips twisting downwards for a moment in speculation. “Dammit, Loki,” she hissed after a moment, pushing herself to her feet and stalking out of her room once more. She knew she’d put those pins in her box, she could remember it clearly. If they were not there now, it was through no fault of her own.
Her strides were determined, almost angry as she left her own home and crossed the square, returning to the palace she’d left a short time before. She was still dressed in her training gear – a simple bound corset adorned with bronzed mail and soft leather breeches with a belted sash of deep scarlet, the colors of her father’s house. Her pale blond hair was drawn back in a braid to keep it out of her face while she practiced. She’d had no more plans for the rest of the morning beyond taking a long soak to ease her sore muscles – training had been especially brutal this morning. It always was when she was partnered against Brull. The older boy was a brute, and a strong one. What he lacked in wits and speed, he made up for in sheer strength and he’d managed to get the best of her today. She’d been distracted and slower than her usual self and she was going to sport several vibrant bruises on her ribs and arms before the day was out.
The fact that she had to postpone her bath to search out her own missing possessions was not improving her mood any.
No one was foolish enough to interrupt her – Sif within the palace walls was as common a sight as one of the royal family. Not to mention that most people were wise enough to get out of her way when they caught sight of the expression on her face. She stalked through familiar halls with a purpose, only pausing when she came to the entrance of the library that the younger son of Odin had been haunting recently. The doors banged against the walls when she stormed in, but she didn’t care as she started off down the shelves, searching for the source of her ire.
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