(no subject)
Title: Light, Ash, and Shadow
Fandom: Avengers MCU
Rating: light PG13
Spoilers: very light spoilers for the end of Avengers
Pairing/Characters: Thor/Loki, Enchantress (Amora)
Disclaimer: I own nothing all rights reserved to the proper owners of who I am most certainly not
AN: This is all dreamingofeames like no really. We were discussing what I like to call fanon!Loki and how much that interpretation of the character bothered us. Which led to me discussing a possible scenario between Loki and Thor post-Avengers. Which led to this fic. I don't even ship them man, but I couldn't pass up this idea it kept bugging me. Un-betaed so apologies on that. I also threw Enchantress in there for reasons. Read up on her here
Another cell. Loki was beginning to grow tried of others placing him within cells. It wasn’t the fact that they were trying to contain him, or intimidate him even for his so called crimes, no. It was the sheer insult forced upon him that they believed they could contain him at all. How they underestimated him. Loki wasn’t sure what was more insulting truly. The fact those pathetic humans had considered him so little a threat, or the fact his own people believed it so.
Though, they weren’t his people anymore were they?
No. They were not. He was the monster of children’s’ nightmares, the dark outcast of legends, he was the shadow to the light of Thor, his brother, the dark moon to the bright sun of Odin, his father. Ingrates the lot of them. Blinded by weak morals and misguided ideals of valor. Fools. They were all fools. Soon he would be rid of them, or rule them if he was feeling merciful.
There was a creaking in the distance echoing in the long hallway that led to the outside world. Trapped beneath rock and locked in darkness Loki was. They thought him a caged animal when in reality he was a coiled snake waiting to strike. He only needed the right moment.
Foot steps following, heavy and loud, they were, of someone who had confidence in themselves, a sureness others lacked. The footsteps of--
“Odinson, now to what do I owe the pleasure?”
Thor didn’t appear amused by Loki’s jovial welcoming. Instead the frown that marred his features deepen. He seemed troubled, eyes dark with turmoil. Loki thought him ridiculous.
“What could possibly be troubling you, Odinson?” Loki inquired teeth near shining in the darkness of his prison. “You have everything do you not? The glory of victory? The praise of the people? The title of hero?” Thor watched Loki pacing his cell with hooded eyes. Eyes that bore into Loki’s, deep blue like the ocean, roaring with power and life. They wished to pull Loki in, they would twist him if he let them. Peering into those eyes had proved to be more tempting them Loki could have imagined. They tugged at him, trying to sweep him away in their tide. Come back, they had pleaded on earth, come home. Those eyes. So annoyingly deadly they were.
Thor stepped closer, just beyond the magical seal that kept Loki locked inside. “Brother,” Thor paused seeming to search for words.
“Do not presume,” Loki said lips beginning to curl behind his teeth, “to sway me with sweetened words of poisoned honey.”
Thor’s face twisted in an offended grimace. Now matter how much his once-brother may have grown he would always be quick to anger. “Would they be poisoned if they be true?” His tone angry yet still bordering on a plea. “Brother,” Thor reached out for him. Loki stepped back.
Such simple gestures and yet seemed to define them in some strange way. Thor was always taking steps towards Loki, attempting to build bridges when Loki had burned them long ago. He had taken steps back each time, watching as the past turned to ash under his hands. There was no going back. There never could be, not now.
“Don’t play me the fool even if you may excel at it.” Loki snarled. “You could never forgive me for the actions I’ve committed that you’ve claimed to be crimes.”
“They were crimes, brother,” Thor replied firmly. “You can not kill innocent people. You can not seek to rule an entire race. You can not--”
“Do not seek to lecture me!”
Thor’s face slumped. His blue eyes grew sad, but Loki stood unyielding. Many a time as those eyes could encourage him to do near anything. Not anymore. They were not naive children anymore. Lost was the innocence of youth.
“I seek not to lecture,” Thor said softly, “I seek only to make you understand. Understand the immoral nature of your ways. Your beliefs.”
Loki scoffed, “and what pray tell, am I to understand?”
“That is it true, I can not forgive you for the crimes you have committed. For the people you murdered without remorse.” Loki met his eyes steadily. Thor spoke the truth, Loki didn’t feel any remorse for killing the humans. Worms, ants, pathetic bags of flesh wasting away and aching for a strong hand to guide them. Rule them. They were beneath him, creatures so low they did not deserve the time it would take to feel petty emotions such as remorse. “I can not forgive, but even so I wish to help. I wish to go back to the days when we were brothers, when we loved each other.” Thor’s bright blue eyes bore into his. “Can you honestly say you do not love me anymore Loki?”
Loki looked away.
Thor continued on, “after you have paid for your crimes, after you have learned the wrongs of your ways, can we not go back?”
“No, we can not.” Loki stated with a sense if finality. “I refuse to live in the shadow you’ve cast wherever you may go. I refuse to believe those humans to be my equal. To acknowledge that I committed any crimes worth punishment.” At the end his tirade Loki had walked to the edge of the barrier, standing now face-to-face with Thor. They were close enough to touch now. Loki could see every line on Thor’s face, feel the breath of the other against his lips. Like when they were young men boys nearly still, just on the crisp of being full grown. Back in the days of shared, shy touches, and even shyer kisses. Gentle brushes of lips with the promise of more in the future.
But no, never again. There was no future between them that wouldn’t be dosed in anything other then blood and death.
“I will continue to hope, brother, Loki.” He spoke his name a prayer that Loki soaked up almost unwillingly. “I will continue to hold hope that one day, we shall be together again. In Asgard as brothers. That you will see the error of you ways and be the good man I believed you once to be.”
“You hope in vain.”
“So you say.” Thor took a step back. “Even so, I shall continue to do so without fail. I will die before I give up on you.”
“Then you shall die in vain as well.”
Thor turned on his heel, cape fluttered behind him in dramatic flourish. “We shall see.” With that he swept down the hall and out of sight. His footsteps echoing in Loki’s mind and heart.
Behind him a subtle flash of magic flared up. A woman stood, beautiful, blonde, and statuesque. Clad in green with eyes to match she bowed before him cordially. “My liege.”
“Ah,” he said without turning to look upon her. “The Enchantress has arrived. Watching from the shadows I presume?”
Her laugh that followed was the sound of bells ringing in the air. “I would do no such thing my lord.”
“Hm. No I suppose you would not,” he turned towards her then a wicked, cruel smile cutting across his face. “That would be to upsetting wouldn’t it? Seeing his devotion so fixed on another.” The smile dropped from her face. “But then, you also understand how caring--loving,” Loki corrected himself because even if he didn’t--couldn’t--anymore once upon a time yes. “Him is like flying to closely to the sun. Leaving you but burned and scared, falling from the sky.”
“Could you not also argue it is equally hard for the sun?” Amora questioned lightly though her tone spoke of deeper meaning. “Watching those it loves fall from grace because it is unable to shine any less brightly? Unwittingly burning those who get to close to it’s light?”
There was silence.
Then Loki barked out a laugh. “My, how sentimental you have gotten since I’ve been away dear Amora.” Facing her fully he saw no insult reflected of his claim. Merely cold indifference. “Such thoughts reek nothing but weakness within us.” Amora said nothing. All well and good for Loki. They had more important tasks at hand rather then discussing philosophical feelings for an enemy.
“Come,” he said walking briskly towards her. “We take our leave of this accursed place.” At that she agreed gladly conjuring up her magic to open a portal into another realm. With one last glance back Loki stared at the place where Thor--Odinson once stood before him. He thought of the words that were spoken to him. Promises and pleas of a different life. One where he paid for his so called crimes happily and changed all his ways. Where grievances were forgiven after punishments were paid. Where they could be…
Loki shook his head stepping through the portal. “Nonsense.”