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vicarfelix · 3 years

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Internal Suffering

Vicar Max x Fem! Captain

Warnings: Language.

Word Count: 2,756

“Captain. You’re better than this.”

“Is she okay?”

“Should we get SAM to break open the door?”

“Damn. No amount of alcohol in the world could drown out what she probably saw.”

“ERROR. Status of Captain’s door...LOCKED.”

Max finally held up a hand to silence the rest babbling crew that was expressing their concern for their Captain from where they sat around the kitchen table. They had known something was wrong the moment that Ellie, Max, and the Captain returned to the ship after they had been out for almost two days. She didn’t say much at all, only offering a brief hello before snatching a drink from the fridge and taking a shower before keeping herself buried away in her quarters.

She was bruised and had minor injuries in various places. Not to mention that she hadn’t slept in almost 48 hours. But it was clear that was the least of things on her mind.

Max had managed to convince her to open the door long enough for him to check on her, which didn’t amount to much considering that she practically yelled at him to get out and leave her alone for a while. Max usually wouldn’t give up so easily, but he could tell that (despite her angry tone) she wasn’t mad.

She was hurt.

She was completely rattled by what they had seen today. An ugly painting of horrific images and gruesome smells that not even the hottest of showers could wash away. It would haunt her for weeks to come, and on top of that, she was worried about how this was affecting her crew.

Thankfully, she had taken Max and Ellie along today, which made her feel a bit better considering they were two of the more thicker skinned of the group. Still, she felt guilty for exposing them to that.

Max and Ellie gave the crew a brief rundown of what had happened. While they were sickened by it, they were more worried about the Captain.

“Come on. We just want to know if she’s okay.” Felix pleaded.

“She’s just seen probably the worst that the colony has to offer,” Ellie huffed; “I’d be worried if she was okay.”

Max sighed heavily. He was beyond concerned. It wasn’t like you at all to shut out the crew like this. It wasn’t like you to shut him out. He was afraid that this had pushed you over the edge.

“She wishes to be by herself,” Max announced; “We should all give her some space and let her work it out.”

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, Mr. Vicar.” Parvati replied.

“Yeah, I don’t think she ought to be alone after seeing something as traumatic as you’re saying it was.” Nyoka detested.

Max shook his head.

“I know. But she doesn’t want to talk to us. We don’t need to push her.” Max pointed out.

Felix looked stunned at that, his eyes widening.

“She must be really shaken up if she won’t even talk to Max.” He said, clearly alarmed.

While Felix’s statement had innocent intentions, it caused a sting in Max’s chest. It was true that the Captain always seemed to flock to Max when she needed to talk. It was a mixture of things really. He was a professional when it came to listening to confessions, but he was even more comforting being as he was her boyfriend. She never felt like she couldn’t go to him when she needed him until now.

It was killing him that she was closing herself off to him.

“She’ll be alright. Give her a couple days...or weeks. She’ll feel better when we get this job done.” Ellie stated.

Max sure hoped that Ellie was right. He wasn’t going to be able to stand it if the Captain never got over this. For now, all he could do was keep his arms open to her for when she was ready. Or for when he knew she couldn’t take it anymore.

The crew dispersed reluctantly to finish out their chores to close out the day, the Captain weighing heavily on their minds. Max went to take a shower to wash off the blood (some his and some not his), dirt, and sweat from his body. He took a moment to reflect on what he had seen earlier, realizing that he hadn’t given himself a moment to process everything. He wasn’t quite like Ellie Fenhill who preferred to drink herself into oblivion until her mind was too foggy to remember much of it. He’d rather come to terms with it on his own time.

Max had killed more people that day than he had the entire time he had been traveling with you. The strung out marauders and the doped up test subjects were probably the most terrifying people he had ever encountered. They were basically soul ridden beings with no sense of purpose or morale. They were just blood thirsty, violent animals that were once loving people.

That was the scariest thing imaginable.

Max stood under the stream of water until it threatened to turn cold, prompting his exit. He changed into a pair of clean clothes before leaving the bathroom, debating on what he should do next. By the time he had freshened up, everyone else had turned in for the night. The only sounds were the humming and singing around the ship, as well as Felix’s beloved Tuesday night adventure serial coming from his cabin.

Max eyed his own cabin, the only one with the door open and the lights turned on. Max chuckled to himself as he entered. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had actually spent an extended amount of time in his cabin. Ever since establishing a serious relationship with the Captain, he found himself staying in her room pretty much always. Her cabin was much larger than his, and despite the fact that her bed was exactly the same as his, he was convinced that it was comfier.

Maybe because he always had someone he loved snuggled up to him at the end of every day.

He ran a hand through his damp hair to somewhat even it out. It always seemed to have a mind of its own when water dripped from his graying hair. She had always told him that she liked seeing his hair somewhat out of order, which was why she was likely the only person who had ever seen his hair unkempt.

He wasn’t too keen on the idea of sleeping alone, considering he had gotten so used to having her with him. But if she didn’t want him, then he would respect her desires. He bit the inside of his cheek in disapproval when he tried to stretch out onto his bunk. He sank into the mattress that hadn’t been used in quite some time, but it didn’t feel the same.

His entire cabin just didn’t have the same comfort that hers did. Although, it wasn’t her cabin that he found comfort in.

It was her.

Every other thought was occupied by his Captain. He wondered what she was doing as he lay there awake, worrying himself beyond measure. He was beginning to go against his own word, tempted to go to her even if she had pushed him away. She was struggling right now. She was suffering.

He couldn’t just let the woman he loved be in pain like that.

He got up from his bed, quietly going down the stairs to the Captain’s door. The red light above her door indicated that it was still locked, and he couldn’t get in unless she opened it from inside or ADA unlocked it for him. It was awfully quiet from inside the Captain’s quarters, and he hoped that she was just asleep.

He traveled down to the ship’s computer asking ADA nicely to unlock the Captain’s bedroom. ADA, however, almost always gave Max a run for his money.

“I cannot take orders from anyone other than Captain Hawthorne.” ADA informed the vicar.

He groaned.

“I know, ADA, but I’m worried about her. I just need to get into her room.” Max explained.

He always felt so stupid arguing with a machine. Although, ADA was likely light years smarter than he was.

“I can only take orders from Captain Hawthorne. You are not Captain Hawthorne.” ADA replied.

Max grumbled to himself. He’d have to take a different approach.

“Well...can you at least tell her I want to speak with her?” Max questioned.

“The Captain gave me direct instructions not to converse with her unless there was an emergency. Is this an emergency?” ADA acquired.

“No...” Max responded gruffly. He was a little surprised that the Captain had taken so many steps to avoid anyone from seeing her; “How would I go about unlocking her door myself?”

“Hypothetically, her door would automatically unlock if I entered a rest cycle. But that requires my restart button to be push-”

Suddenly, ADA’s screen went dark as Max put her into a manual rest cycle. The Captain usually ordered ADA to take a rest cycle overnight anyway unless something with the ship went wrong, so Max didn’t feel bad for shutting the computer up for a bit.

He commuted back to the Captain’s door, the doors whirring open to reveal what appeared to be an empty room. The Captain wasn’t sitting at her desk or laying in her bed, and she appeared to be nowhere to be found. Just as Max went to panic, he heard a sound.

It was a soft noise that he would’ve missed if the room hadn’t been as quiet as it was. He followed the sound of sniffling over to the far corner of the room behind her bunk.

The Captain was backed into the corner, knees huddled up to her chest with her head buried behind them. Her towel from her earlier shower was still wrapped around her naked body, indicating that she hadn’t even gotten dressed afterwards. Her skin was dry now, and her hair was just barely wet as if she had been there the entire time. She raised her head from her knees when she felt his presence, revealing her reddened, watery eyes and blotchy cheeks from her hours of crying.

Max’s heart broke at the sight of his Captain falling to pieces like this. She was hands down the strongest, most confident person that he knew. He always reminded her how proud of her he was for always being the bigger person and doing what was right. Maybe that was his mistake. Perhaps he had made her feel like she had to be at her best all the time.

She looked at him through bleary eyes, a fresh set of tears falling down her cheeks. Her voice cracked as she spoke, her tone thick with sobbing.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you.” She apologized, almost choking on her cries.

Immediately, Max was sitting at her side, her head falling onto his chest as she wailed. He eventually brought her into his lap to hold her close, rubbing her back up and down and kissing her temple. He hushed her, hating the feeling in his gut every time she sobbed out again. Her face was buried into the soft material of his shirt, her tears staining it. Her arms and legs were freezing from being exposed to the cold air of her quarters for so long without clothes, Max’s hands rubbing up and down to provide her some warmth.

“It’s alright, love. I’m here.” He hummed, holding the back of her neck in his hand.

“It was horrible. I’ve never seen anything like that,” She cried; “I don’t know how Spacer’s Choice could ever be capable of something like that.”

“Spacer’s Choice is arguably the most powerful corporation in the colony,” Max spoke; “The stronger the company, the more room there is for catastrophic events.”

The Captain sat up from his chest, leaning against Max’s leg that he had hiked up for her to lean on.

“I fucking hate the Board,” She hissed; “If I have to personally put a bullet in the skull of every single person involved then I swear to Law I’ll do it.”

Max was alarmed by her harsh words, his hands coming to her face to wipe away her tears.

“Captain. You’re better than this,” He remarked; “What’s the number one rule you always tell us? Try to talk it out before pulling the trigger.”

The Captain shook her head. Her tears had dried, but the anger coursing through her was giving her more energy than she had in days.

“It’s becoming obvious that doesn’t always work. I don’t care if I have to wipe out every soul in Byzantium if it means overthrowing the Board.” She growled.

The last thing that Max ever wanted was for the Captain’s heart of gold to be hardened by all the things she had seen. In the beginning, the Captain had the most hope for the colony’s revival. Now though, her hope was diminishing with each new discovery she made.

He didn’t want her to become a lost soul the way that he had been for so long.

“What happened to my darling Captain? This isn’t you.” Max stated.

“I want the Board out of the system. Halcyon’s never going to make it with them around.” She replied in fury, ignoring his question.

“Captain, I-”

“I personally want to throw Sophia Akande out of an airlock.” She went on.

“Listen to me, this isn’t-”

“I’d like to throw her in a cell and pump her full of drugs just like-”

“Stop,” Max cut her off; “This isn’t how you do things. I know this isn’t how you want to do things.”

She finally let her tense shoulders relax for a second. Her eyes falling downward, her hands fiddling with the edge of her towel.

“I know,” She whispered out; “I’m just tired of seeing so many people get hurt. Earth was never like this...not really.”

Max felt relief. Now she was beginning to sound like herself again. He pushed her hair behind her ear to reveal her pretty, but tired face. He caressed her face with his hand, her cheek resting in his palm.

“If you keep doing things the way you have been, taking things day by day...then we’re going to be fine,” Max said; “I believe in you. I believe in us.”

She nodded, his hand falling to her waist and rubbing through her towel.

“What do I do now?” She asked.

Max smiled softly.

“For now, let’s get you in bed. We can figure everything else out in the morning.” Max said, kissing the Captain’s knuckles in a gentle manner.

“Okay.” She replied.

She had to admit, it felt nice to have someone else giving orders for once.

Sleeping the rest of the night away was sounding really good to the Captain right about now. Without really giving it a second thought, the Captain let her towel fall so she could get dressed. She caught the way his eyes lit up at her naked frame, a blush evident on his face as he looked over her. She smirked a little, the first real positive emotion she’d had all day.

“You’re blushing, Vicar.” She teased,

His grin was blinding, as he pulled his leg in more to bring you in closer.

“It’s hard not to,” He purred; “Beautiful...”

She kissed him like she meant it. His hands were warm on her exposed skin as he touched her the way he had dozens of times before. She ran her fingers through his hair, his smirk showing on her lips.

“I’m here for you. I love you.” He rumbled deeply.

“I love you.” She returned.

Max guided her up from the floor, wincing at the way her joints cracked from being uncomfortable for so long. He got her into a shirt to sleep in, bringing her over to her bed and getting her comfortable up against him. It didn’t take her long to fall asleep. The feel of Max next to her and the softness of the mattress under her was enough to send her straight to sleep. Max was tired too, but he wanted to make sure she was okay before he got any sleep.

He knew she wasn’t totally back to normal. It’d be a while before she felt like herself fully again. But he didn’t care how long he had to wait.

He’d always be there for her.

#vicar max x reader #Vicar Max #vicar max fanfiction #vicar max x female captain #vicar max x you #vicar max x female reader #maximillian desoto #the outer worlds #the outer worlds fanfiction #the outer worlds vicar max #vicarfelix

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kianraidelcam · 5 years

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Written for @cownnor and their wonderful prompt. They also provided some assistance and helped me edit! Full fic under the cut as per the norm! And I present to you, Connor whump and Nines being a great little brother!

Connor just never knew when to fucking quit with the whole sacrificial gimmick he had going.

Detective Gavin Reed was confident that Terminator 1.0 could have easily taken on the four drug smugglers and walked away without a scratch, but of course he didn’t. Of course one of them pulled a gun on him and told Connor to freeze. And of course, Connor froze. It made sense; CyberLife didn’t design the asshole with a sense of self-preservation, making him some sort of self-sacrificing prick who didn’t fight back when he clearly could. Because, if they didn’t, he wouldn’t have been able to integrate with any team and protect humans at all costs. Of fucking course.

They had been assigned an undercover case together, much to their respective partners’ and their own chagrin. Apparently, while Nines was designed more like a soldier, Connor was more like a spy, an infiltrator. And Lieutenant Drunkerson was too well known by all of the Red Ice rings for arrests he made years ago, while Gavin was still in the academy. And, naturally, Captain Fowler felt like fucking up all of their days. But, they all had to admit that Fowler’s logic was sound, and all parties involved agreed this new drug ring had to be taken down. There had been too many overdoses, shootings, abuse reports, and of course, the kidnapping and murder of quite a few androids.

So, Connor had thrown on his ridiculous beanie to hide the LED he refused to remove (for whatever reason) and Gavin tried to ignore the “if I see even one scratch on him, Reed” coming from Hank and Terminator 2.0, and they set out to the arranged meeting place. And it all went downhill from there.

The four had been cautious, but friendly, at first, until one of them recognized Connor’s face. One “wait, isn’t that the android from the TV, that robot hunter?” later, their ring leader had pulled a gun before either of them could react and jabbed it toward Gavin’s temple. “Freeze, you plastic prick! One move, and I blow his brains out,” Kingpin Wannabe snarled, his green eyes bloodshot and wild, “You fucking pigs, think you can get the drop on us.”

Connor spoke before Gavin could. Of fucking course he did, what with the fancy computer brain working far faster than he could ever hope to. “It’s just me, I was using him as a way in. He had no idea.”

The addict to Connor’s left yanked the beanie off of Connor’s head, revealing a mess of curls and a yellow LED spinning fast enough to make Gavin dizzy, while the one to his right slammed his foot into the back of Connor’s knee. Gavin was an asshole, but he wasn’t fucking stupid. Just like his punch that first morning in the precinct didn’t really bring the plastic detective to his knees, this collapse onto one knee was strategic, designed to prevent further violence. Gavin moved forward, trying to salvage this shitshow by playing along with HAL’s claim. He ignored he gun trailing his every move and backhands Connor across the face, allowing his expression to twist into something akin to rage.

Gavin has wanted to punch the Ken doll for a long time now.

He feels sick to his stomach as his hand stings from the force of the blow, Connor’s LED blinking red for a split second as his head snaps to the side. “You goddamn piece of plastic, thinking you can fucking use me like that!”

With a jolt, Gavin realizes he didn’t want to hit the plastic anymore. He wasn’t sure when he had decided that the robots were alive, but ever since watching Robo Jesus fucking sing in the face of certain death, he began to question his previous belief system. And now, nearly a year after the revolution, he wasn’t sure he could deny it any longer.

But of course he did, because acknowledging he was wrong left him open to a large number of emotions he wasn't quite ready to face.

“Prove it,” Wannabe spits, his gun never lowering.

“And how the fuck do you want me to do that?”

The yellow toothed smile Gavin receives in response sends chills down his spine. Whatever happened next, Gavin knew Nines and Hank were going to kill him.

Nines was breaking approximately 12 traffic laws, which is very much unbecoming of a new detective. Ranging from what would be a felony speeding ticket to reckless driving, he knew Captain Fowler would be displeased.

He didn’t give a flying fuck.

{WARNING: STRESS LEVELS ^45}

He’d gotten the distress signal from Connor, telling him to move in now due to their cover being compromised. Reed’s followed exactly ten minutes and 14.8 seconds later, requesting technical assistance immediately. His brother hadn’t responded to Nines’ messages ever since. He should have been there ten minutes ago, when the first signal went out, and he was sitting stuck behind some rA9-forsaken ass who didn’t know to pull over for emergency sirens. Out of pure spite (Nines knew in the back of his mind that Lieutenant Anderson would be proud of these brand new emotions he was showing), he sends their license plate information along with a video file of them refusing to move aside to the precinct. They were going to get a ticket in the mail later, and it was more than deserved.

Nines finally, finally, gets past the driver, blasting the horn as he does, and it takes him another two minutes and 54.2 seconds to reach the scene, somehow the first on scene even though Fowler had promised backup would always be close by. He turns off the car cybernetically, updating Lieutenant Anderson as promised, as he rushes toward the building, his service pistol already freed from its holster. When he slams open the door to the warehouse, he is met with a sight he was not expecting.

That was a new one, feeling this sort of surprise. His processor was the most advanced ever created and his preconstruction software was more refined than even his counterpart’s. He prided himself on predicting events, using the software given to him to protect himself and the people around him. He files away the emotion to be reviewed later, a tip he received from Connor when he first deviated, and takes in the scene in front of him.

Four humans, all suspects in their drug ring case, his scan helpfully informs him, lay on the ground with their hands cuffed behind their backs. All have various minor injuries, although all are unconscious, caused by what Nines believes was blunt force trauma. The silver metal bat, lined with blood both red and blue, supports his theory. Detective Reed is in the middle of them, protectively crouched over a still figure, the bat laying discarded next to him. Nines runs a quick scan of his partner, relieved to find his only injury is a graze along his left arm and possible bruising to his right side. When he runs a diagnostic scan of the prone android, however, Nines could almost have sworn his thirium lines froze over.

{WARNING: STRESS LEVELS ^50%}

{SCAN COMMENCING: TARGET SELECTED - RK800 - DESIGNATION: CONNOR}

{THIRIUM LEVELS: >78%}

{BIOCOMPONENTS #8456w, #8087q, #7511p, #1951r DAMAGED}

{CRANIAL TRAUMA DETECTED}

{CHEST TRAUMA DETECTED}

{SHUTDOWN IMMINENT: 18:19:09}

{END SCAN}

Before Detective Reed can process his arrival, Nines has already rushed over his brother and sent the diagnostic report to New Jericho’s technicians, catching the end of Gavin’s hushed murmurs. “I named her Snips, and Ellie absolutely hates her but she can fucking deal with it. She’s handling the amputation well, doesn’t slow her down one damn bit,” Gavin looks at Nines, “Don’t worry, Connor, Nines just got here. You gonna be okay, you fucking hear me?”

Nines finally looks down at Connor’s face, the red LED casting an eerie glow on the right side of his face. Both of his eyes are bloodshot with thirium, and it leaks from his mouth and nose as well, the cranial damage causing a major leak inside of his skull. Nines retracts the skin from his hand and interfaces with Connor, trying to ignore the way his glazed eyes stare beyond Nines’ face.

{CONNECTION ESTABISHED: RK800 - CONNOR}

{RK900: Don’t worry, Con, you’re gonna be just fine. I need you to communicate with me verbally to prevent the thirium from entering your ventilation biocomponents. Can you do that for me?}

{RK800: I can’t see, Nines.}

{RK900: I know, we’re going to get that fixed right now. I’m going to pick you up, okay, and then I need you to talk to me.}

While interfacing with Connor, he glares at Gavin, “Did you think I was bluffing with my threat earlier, Detective Reed?”

He notifies Lieutenant Anderson, instructing him to meet them at New Jericho while he sends a signal for technical assistance to stand down. Nines would handle this and they couldn’t afford to wait. Gavin uncharacteristically refuses to meet his glare, and his voice holds no venom when he responds. “S’not my fault the tin can refused to rat me out.”

“Did you arrest these men?”

Gavin snorts, finally looking up to match Nines’ cold, gray stare, “It’s not like Terminator was in any position to do it. They were going to kill Connor if I didn’t snatch the bat away,” he glances at the blue blood staining his hands, “Is he going to be alright? Why isn’t he fucking moving?”

Nines hooks an arm under Connor’s leg and back and picks him up, “His cranial processors are damaged, as is his thirium pump regulator. In human terms, he is experiencing major head trauma and his heart is damaged. I’m taking him to New Jericho for repairs, stay here and make sure they don’t escape,” Nines turns and begins to rush to his vehicle, already turning it on along with the sirens, “I want to have a word with them after I get back.”

Connor doesn’t react to the sudden jostling he receives, instead he maintains the interface despite his lagging processors. From it, he can feel his predecessor’s fear threatening to overwhelm him, the lack of control and his blindness finally getting to him. Nines gently lays him in the backseat, shrugging off his jacket to cushion Connor’s head and wipe some the blue blood away from his face while running another scan over his brother.

{SCAN COMMENCING: TARGET SELECTED - RK800 - DESIGNATION: CONNOR}

{THIRIUM LEVELS: >74%}

{BIOCOMPONENTS #8456w, #8087q, #7511p, #1951r DAMAGED}

{CRANIAL TRAUMA DETECTED}

{CHEST TRAUMA DETECTED}

{POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGE TO VENTILATION BIOCOMPONENTS ^30%}

{SHUTDOWN IMMINENT: 16:24:12}

{STRESS LEVELS ^62%}

{END SCAN}

Nines gently removes his hand from Connor’s arm, the skin flowing back over his hand as the interface ends. Connor groans and reaches blindly for his brother as Nines slides into the driver’s seat. “None of that now, Con. Remember what I said, talk to me.”

“I can’t see, Nines. I can’t see anything and my diagnostic system isn’t working.”

The RK900 is grateful that Connor can’t see him at the moment. If he could, he would have seen the flinch at the static lacing the RK800’s words. “I know, Con, I know. Don’t worry, I already know what’s wrong and we’ll be at New Jericho soon. Talk to me about something else, okay?”

“My sensors indicate you are driving at 20 miles above the speed limit.”

Despite himself, Nines smiles. “Shut up and let me save you the way I want to. Talk to me about something else. Who was Gavin talking about?”

“He was updating me on the status of a cat I saved from a group some time ago. He named her Snips since she required an amputation of her right hind leg.”

Nines smiles as Connor rambles on about the cat as he speeds to the repair center in the heart of New Jericho, pleased to note Connor’s lowering stress levels as he reminisces about the animal. Nines makes a mental note to meet this kitten as soon as possible, as a thank you to the creature for keeping his brother calm during this car ride. He pulls into the parking lot and is immediately met by Markus and a team of technicians waiting with a gurney. As they carry him out of his car and load him onto the gurney, Nines runs his hands through Connor’s hair in the way he knows his brother likes. “Don’t worry, Hank and I will be right out here waiting for you. Markus is going to make sure you’re okay during repairs.”

And like that, Nines is left alone in the parking lot, with nothing but the sound of cars passing on the highway for company.

His hands are shaking.

He did not know they could do that without him being aware of it.

After ten minutes, Hank finds him in the parking lot as he races in. The police lieutenant’s heart rate is elevated and he is sweating, both are indicative of high stress levels.

After 15 minutes, Nines has him fully updated on Connor’s last known condition, and he uses human terms instead of the mechanical terms because he knows Hank prefers it that way. His voice is monotone and his hands are still shaking. Hank’s eyes soften and he leads him instead to the waiting room, urging him to sit down before he “fucking falls down, you look like a stray breeze could knock you over.” He grabs a wet paper towel from the restroom to wash the blue blood from Nines hands.

After four hours, the thirium Hank missed has fully evaporated but Nines can still see it.

After six hours, Markus finally comes back to the waiting room and Nines is immediately on his feet, scanning the leader of New Jericho.

{SCAN COMMENCING: TARGET SELECTED - RK200 - DESIGNATION: MARKUS}

{STRESS LEVELS 15%}

{THIRIUM LEVELS 98%}

{ALL SYSTEMS OK}

{END SCAN}

Hank’s knees make an audible pop and he scrambles to his feet, his heart rate rising once again. “How is he, Markus?”

The deviant leader offers the pair a smile and raises his hands in a placating gesture, and Nines own stress levels drop ten percent. “He’s going to be just fine. We’ve already repaired the damage to his heart and all other biocomponents,” Markus’ smile falls, “Well, all except his optical units.”

“Wait, you mean you still haven’t fixed his eyes? Why the fuck not,” Hank’s voice is gruff, blue eyes shining in his sudden anger.

“Lieutenant Anderson, I’m sure you know about Connor’s prototype status. His systems are even more advanced than mine, behind only Nines,” Nines receives a nod, which he returns.

“And?” Hank challenges.

“And that means not all parts are going to be compatible with his model, Hank. Our optical units are different from any other android, Markus included. We take in a lot more information, and we see a lot more,” Nines voice is monotone once again.

I should have been faster.

“I’ve already updated Captain Fowler at the police department. We will have replacements soon, but he’s going to have to wait a week. I’m sorry, but that’s the best I can do,” Markus’ tone is apologetic and Hank visibly deflates, all anger dissipating, “He’s still in stasis so his self-repairs systems can function at full capacity, but you can take him home now if you want.”

Nines agrees to let Hank drive Connor home, if only to give himself the time to calm down. Once Connor was fully recovered, he was in for quite the lecture, but for now, he had to focus on helping his older brother. As he takes in the scenery, decidedly not speeding this time, he devises a method to care for the RK800 and informs the Captain and his partner of his decision to take the week off.

When Nines returns home, he grabs Connor’s favorite mug and fills it with some thirium, sending Hank to bed with a promise to watch him as he recovers. He pulls up their desk chair, and settles in for the long night, counting down the seconds until Connor wakes up.

Connor is roused from stasis at 05:34:12, and his stress levels immediately jump to 15 percent when his foggy eyes open. Nines gently touches his arms, sending a request for an interface as his other hand musses Connor’s hair. The prototype detective latches on to the interface without a second’s hesitation, centering himself before he talks, “I can’t see.”

“So you’ve said multiple times,” Nines voice is cool but he sends a wave of reassurance through their connection, “New Jericho didn’t have any compatible units but we’ll replace them in a week. Markus promised.”

Connor frowns, his brows furrowing as he sits himself up, reaching out for the mug Nines guides into his hands, “I don’t like this.”

“I want to try something, once you’re feeling up to it. It might help.”

The older android tilts his head as he sips from the mug, “You know androids do not require recovery time following an injury. Once we are repaired, that’s it.”

“And you know I didn’t mean physically.”

Annoyance drifts through their connection from Connor’s side and Nines smirks as he deepens their connection. He gently guides Connor through his code and allows him access to his own visual feed, giving Connor the ability to see through his own eyes. The annoyance shifts to gratitude and Connor watches as a smile forms on his own face. “What did you do to my hair?”

Nines hopes Connor can see his eye roll as he replies, “We aren’t starting on that argument again.”

“Thank you, Nines,” his tone is soft, as is his smile, “Now go into stasis, your energy levels are a bit low, I can feel it.”

“I’m supposed to be taking care of you.”

“And I’m the older brother. From what Lieutenant Anderson has told me, that makes you my responsibility.”

Nines pulls away from the interface, blinking in sync with Connor as it fades away, “Alright, Connor. But please refrain from moving around without me and wake me if you require assistance.”

“Of course, Nines. Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.”

Nines doesn’t miss the double meaning behind Connor’s words.

{STRESS LEVELS 0%}

#dbh fanfiction #dbh fanfic #detroit become human #my writing #fanfiction #connor rk800 #rk900 nines #rk900 and rk800 are brothers #connor whump #blindness #lots of cussing from gavin #gavin reed #hank anderson

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writemoment · 6 years

Text

The Cold Reality Pt.2

Writer: Ellie-Mae (Pen Name)

Part: 2/5

Previous Parts: 1

Summary: People leaving you is inevitable in life, that's what y/n's come to learn. No one really lasts, even when promises are made, everyone fades away eventually. One day, y/n's almost killed when caught in the middle of an Avengers battle but gets whisked out of harms way by a pale, dark haired man, dressed in green and gold. Will this be the start of a mischievous but unavoidable ending?

Pairing: Marvel Loki x Reader

Warnings/Rated: Arguing, lies, emotional whiplash, fluff and angst.

Word Count: GOAL: 6,045

( Reader ) P.O.V.

"Hello, Y/n."

The shock soon passes and I narrow my eyes at him, showcasing my contempt. A corner of his mouth lifts a bit but it's not out of mockery or cockiness, it's out of feeling uncomfortable. Even the way he squirms under my glare, it clearly shows that my emotions are coming across.

"Get out of my room, Loki!" I say firmly and he raises his hands in surrender.

Standing up slowly, almost approaching me with the caution you'd have with a wild beast, he moves closer but only by a few steps. "Y/n, please let me explain. If you wish me to leave after that, I will do just as you please."

I hate how sincere his words sound and the pleading expression he's wearing. My mind tells me that he's the God of Mischief, the God of Lies and can't be trusted, not even for a moment. Yet, my body stays rooted to the spot and I continue to wait for him to speak.

"I'm sorry." Wait...Did Loki just apologize to me? "I shouldn't have spoken such words to you earlier and I would like to give my sincerest of apologies." He says this as he takes a few more steps towards me.

Looking down, shyly, I can't find the courage to look at him. "Thank you. You're not fully to blame. I said some pretty nasty things, as well...." When I look up, I stare into that same blue that I've come to be drawn to and I feel a sense of peace wash over me.

"I'm sorry, Loki."

Slowly, step by step, he nears me and before I know it, he's standing right in front of me. Thinking back on our argument earlier, I raise my index finger up and slowly push it into the dip of his cheek. I'm relieved when I feel solid skin, instead of my hand falling through a projection and let my hand fall back to my side.

Giving a breathy chuckle, he looks amused at my actions. "Yes, I actually 'made the effort' to come and apologize face to face." Soft fingertips lift my chin up so he can look at me and I feel a knot in my stomach. "Will you forgive me, Y/n?"

A smile creeps up and I speak quietly, almost like a whisper. "Hell no."

Immediately, Loki's face falls into a frown, wrinkling his once stoic face. Shaking my head, I laugh shakily and make him meet my eyes. "I mean, yes. I forgive you, Loki. Sorry, that joke sounded way better in my head..."

My voice trails off and I can feel my face burning with embarrassment, making me stare down at our feet. My attention is drawn back to the man before me when a light chuckle escapes him. "Ah, you're a feisty little one, I see."

Just as I open my mouth to quip back, I hear a knock at my door. "Y/n? Are you still awake?" Thor's voice, despite his attempt at whispering, booms. Loki and I give each other a slightly panicked exchange.

"Loki, I don't want anyone to assume..." I start quietly but he's already moving past me and into my closet, closing the door behind him. Sighing, I walk over to the entrance of my room and crack open the door.

The warm, friendly face of the blonde haired god looks down at me, smiling at my appearance. "Hello, Thor. How can I help you?" I ask, trying to keep any hint of anxiety out of the picture.

"I just wanted to check on you. You seemed rather far during dinner, are you alright, Y/n?" The fact that he noticed both warms my heart and breaks it all at once. There's so much sincerity behind his words that I long for when I know that I shouldn't.

Offering a weary smile, I try to assure him that I'm okay. "Thank you, Thor. I'm just tired, that's all. This is still all fairly new to me and I'm trying to adjust. You've been a good friend to me, I really appreciate the acceptance you've shown."

"No problem, my dear friend. If you need anything, don't hesitate to turn to me." It's true, every word that he breathes. So was what I said and we both know it. Ending our conversation on a good note, he leaves and I gently close the door before relaxing my shoulders.

Loki emerges from the depths of my semi-empty closet and he brushes out any wrinkles that might have occurred to his nightly attire. Truthfully, I like Loki better when he's dressed this way. He has a silky, dark emerald shirt on, black slacks, socks to match and his black, wavy hair is pulled back into a low bun.

This all occurs to me suddenly and I'm now very aware of how dashing he looks in the dim lighting. Stop! This can't happen and it will never happen, so stop such absurd thoughts. Running a hand through my hair, I put some distance between myself and the Asgardian Prince.

"Thank you for coming to speak with me, Loki."

A polite nod is given, followed by his calming voice. "Thank you, as well. I believe it's safe for me to retreat back to my quarters. Goodnight, Y/n." My arms wrap around myself as I return the departing words, seeing him out the door. He turns around to look at me one last time, for the night, and I feel that familiar knot in my stomach.

He does have a rather charming smile...

****

Morning comes and surprisingly, Nat is the one who wakes me. "'Morning, Y/n. Sleep well?" Answering her question, I greet her after stating that I slept wonderfully. After talking to Loki last night, it feels like a lot of stress has been lifted from my shoulders. Which is probably the reason behind my peaceful slumber.

Natasha tells me that she'd like to change my bandage and make sure my wounds are fine. So I quickly hop out of bed to clean up and change before meeting her outside my room, where she motions for me to follow her. We climb the stairs and enter into the infirmary.

It's strange to be back in here, recounting the memory of waking up in this, once foreign, room. It was bad enough that I had been in unfamiliar surroundings but I had also woken up in extreme pain, which was less-than-lovely, to say the least.

"Y/n?" Humming to acknowledge her, I turn to face Nat. "If you could sit down, we can get started." I take my seat and wait for further instruction. "Because of it's position, you probably need to look away so there's no tension brought to the area."

Following what she says, I turn my head away and my eyes linger on miscellaneous items on the counter. There's a little bit of pain as she examines but not enough for me to react to. Her fingers delicately work to clean up and she finishes off by re-wrapping it with fresh bandages.

Once she finishes, I look over at her and smile. "Am I going to survive, doc?" I tease and she smiles back at me, returning the humor with swift ease.

"Well, I think the odds are in your favor but we may have to consider the option of amputation." The way Nat says this is with such a serious tone that, if it weren't for the smile on her lips, I would have believed her. Laughing together, she walks me back to my room.

"Thanks, Nat. I'll see you later, I hope?" I ask and she nods at me before walking off. When the avengers first assembled, I had heard so many heroic stories of them in combat - they were all like figures on high pedestals. But now that I get to see them on a regular basis, I see that they're just as human as anyone else.

It's quite amazing, I think, the assumptions and expectations that are thrust upon those in the 'spotlight'. There's some truth, of course but not everything is as it seems. I would have never expected myself to have a connection with the princes of Asguard, yet here I am.

That goes for anyone here, actually. I've never been a very sociable person but it's so easy to interact with the individuals here. With the exception of Loki, of course. Oh, well. Loki is a work-in-progress kind of person when it comes to being around him, but I appreciate that in some ways.

Sighing, I fall back onto the bed with a muffled flop and think about why I'm here. I'm still not getting answers from anyone... I just want to understand, that's all. But being left in the unknown is frustrating, especially since I'm growing attachments the longer I stay here.

****

Two days have passed since Loki apologized to me and I am still completely clueless on why I'm still here. No one's giving me answers and Tony hasn't even been around enough for me to speak with him.

I've been trying to keep my distance from everyone because I get along with them well, which leads to unneeded attachments that I can't afford to make. That's why I'm chilling on my bed with a book in the middle of the morning.

Knock Knock Knock

Curiously, I roll off the bed and open the door. On the other side, Tony Stark stands, turning to me with a serious look. "Hello, Y/n. Walk with me, would you?" He's been MIA since the first day I arrived and now he wants me to join him? Swallowing my nervousness, I agree and fall into step beside him.

Neither one of us say anything, letting the only sound be the echoing of our soles smacking the smooth floor. The longer the silence grows, the more sick I feel. "What's on your mind, Mr. Stark?" I ask, cutting through the awkward atmosphere.

"Many things but I'll start with the most pressing thought; How are you feeling?" He asks. I would normally be touched by his concern but that's not how he asked it. He's looking at me, expectantly, like he's gauging my reaction.

"I'm okay. My wounds are healing nicely, according to Nat. They still hurt a bit, but everything's fine otherwise." Tony hums, continuing to lead me to whatever destination he has in mind. My answer was satisfying enough for him, I suppose.

His destination soon comes into view and I realize that he's leading me to his workshop. Walking in, I'm a bit confused to see that a lot of his gadgets are packed up into cardboard boxes. "Moving somewhere?"

"Yes, I sold this place and moving the team to a new base. The building should be completely empty in a few weeks." He explains, feeding my curiosity. Tony continues explaining some of the things I'm viewing and I listen to him intently.

A few loose wires are hanging out of one of the boxes and I reach to tuck them back in. As soon as my fingers make a connection with them, a searing pain shoots through my arm and by instinct, I want to remove my hand from it.

But something catches my eye that keeps my fingers where they are....

I cry out at the painful sensation but also out of fear for what's happening. Connected to the wires is one of Stark's iron man helmets and now it's all lit up and floating from a simple brush of my fingers. Tony hurriedly grabs my hand to pull it away and the feeling in my arm numbs.

"What the heck was that, Tony?!" I practically yell, completely flabbergasted. Stark's mouth is hanging wide open and his eyes widen at my question. What throws me off the most is the utterly clueless stare that he has.

Great. Just flipping great! If Tony Stark doesn't know then how am I supposed to get answers? "Tony!" My voice cracks from how shaken I am from the events that have just occurred. Everything went from cool to catastrophe within seconds.

Wordlessly, Tony firmly grabs me and leads me out of the workshop. In my panic-stricken state, I follow wherever he roughly guides me - which seems to be back to my room. We pass a few people but neither of us acknowledge their curious stares as we make haste.

Almost chucking me through the door, I spin around to face him. "Stay here."

"But Tony-"

"Stay here!" He repeats in a more stern tone and my mouth feels like it has sealed shut and I silently watch him leave. My heart feels like it's beating a thousands miles per hour and my mind is in overdrive. Oh god, oh god, oh....god!

Stopping in front of the full length mirror, I tear my bandage off and I cover my mouth at what I see. Because Nat has been tending to them, I haven't given my wounds much thought until now. Inside my arm, a glowing, purple stone is embedded into my skin, where I had assumed my injury, from the Chitauri's claws, had been. Yes, the tear marks are there, but they're spread out around the mysterious core in my arm.

I don't know what's going on or why this is all happening to me! I can't seem to focus on anything and it's all becoming very overwhelming. Did Loki know about this? He must have, he's the one who brought me here....He's the one who brought me here!

Loki lied to me, just when I thought I was getting somewhere with him too! Part of me feels betrayed, like everyone here was acting out a lie just to keep me in the dark. It feels like all the small connections I was building have just snapped and collapsed on themselves. My own stupidity got me caught up in situations I should have been avoiding.

My emotions are shot and I can't seem to settle on feeling just one thing. One minute, I'm sitting down and the next I'll be up, quickly pacing the room. The longer it takes Tony to return, the more anxious I get. What's taking him so long?

The door slides open and, for a moment, I think it's Tony returning. That's not the case, though. Loki walks through, looking uncomfortable and worried. "Y/n-" He starts when his eyes land on my unwrapped wound.

He extends forward a hand, taking a step towards me but I cringe away from him. "Don't..." I say, feeling my throat tighten. "Just. Don't." He stops walking and lowers his hand but I can still see it raised slightly at his side.

"Y/n, you don't understand."

A humorless laugh bubbles forth, not wanting to hear his excuses. "No, Loki, you don't understand! All I've been trying to do is understand what was happening and you all kept me in the dark!"

"Listen, we don't have any clue what that thing can do! The last thing we need is for you to mess around and wind up hurting someone with technology that's far too advanced for midgard!"

"Cut the crap, Loki! You could have told me, made me understand and maybe I would have been a little more careful with what I do! But you didn't do that, did you? You lied to me, Loki. You acted like bringing me here was for my own protection and a heroic thing to do for me! No, no, no, it was for a whole different reason - not being able to risk this technology falling into another's hand!" I yell, pointing to my arm.

Loki's taken aback and he is wearing a conflicted expression. Tears start brimming my eyes and all I want to do is return to my normal life, a life where I wasn't caught in the middle of all of this....

The sound of my door opening draws our attention and bodies file through. Tony, Nat and Thor join us, making me all the more lightheaded. "What's happening?"

"You're being transferred to our main base, we're taking you there now." Natasha informs me and I take a step back from the group. I'm being moved to another place, a place that's farther away from home I'm sure. I don't like this!

"Why are...why am I being moved? I don't...know what's going on, this isn't what I want." I stutter, my voice breaking along with my heart. The chances of me returning to my life anytime soon is low to none and I don't know how to process that.

"I'm sorry, Y/n but you have no choice in the matter." Tony says, his firm tone is now softer than usual. Panic rises and I feel it overwhelm me, causing tears to sting the corners of my eyes.

Looking over at Loki, I see him exchange glances with a very concerned looking Thor. When he finally turns his attention to me, after feeling the thick tension in the atmosphere, he sees my emotions on full display and I catch his jaw fall slack.

With a gesture from Tony, Natasha comes forward and gently, but firmly, grabs my shoulder to guide me away. "No, this can't be happening to me. This isn't how my life was supposed to be!" I cry, stumbling after Stark with Nat at my side. Thor falls into step behind us and Loki silently follows at a distance.

You can't trust anybody and life doesn't stop for anybody.

****

The rest of the day was just a blur; getting packed into the van, being driven out into the middle of nowhere, being escorted inside the base to be examined by Stark and occasionally catching glimpses of the Norse Gods. Which, by the way, ignites my feelings of betrayal all over again anytime I see them.

Specifically him....

None of this went well, to top it all off. I was basically a hiccuping mess when traveling, being too upset to speak. Then, when I made contact with any of Stark's (or anyone's) technology, the searing pain returns and weird effects surround said tech.

The only time I really spoke was when I was being escorted to my new room and Loki volunteered to lead me, which I shook my head to. Loki, on the other hand, insisted and I ended up yelling at him to not touch me. Truthfully, no one had attempted to touch me after the events that happened during Tony's examination. Which I hadn't given much thought to until Loki attempted to. I don't blame them, really, I wouldn't risk it either...

All of this lead up to where I'm at right now, sitting on the floor, in my new room, with my limbs drawn in close to my body as I rock back and forth. There's nothing that I can really do. I don't trust any of them, they're all extremely cautious with their contact with me and this is a new place. It took me long enough to figure out the last place, now I am forced to learn another.

This room isn't as fancy as the one in the towers and it looks very sterile with it's white walls and matching accents. That, obviously, is the last of my worries right now or at any point. Style has never been a great concern of mine.

Quietly, there's soft rapping on my door but I remain silent. "Y/n? Are you in there?" I hear Thor's voice call out. I wearily tell him to leave me alone but he's persistent with his task. The door cracks open for him to peek in, but his large form causes the door to practically fly open.

I watch him through my eyelashes, wishing for all of this to go away and for me to go back to whatever there was for me in the past. Was there ever anything out there for me? Maybe this is where it's supposed to end. Any other destination is out of the equation now and I mourn the possibilities that I was unable to pursue.

"My friend," Thor starts and tries to pull me up. Backing away from his touch, I shake my head fiercely. The hurt on his face burns guilt into the depths of my heart and makes my breath hitch but I won't let him near me. I can't let him near me...

Yes, my reaction may seem childish but how am I supposed to react? A normal person like me isn't used to being put under such intense, outrageous and traumatizing situations! "Don't call me that." My voice comes out, barely a whisper, but the way his body jerked at my words, it almost convinces me that I might have yelled at him.

Thor nods solemnly at me. "I have brought you food, lady Y/n. Stark insists on you eating, seeing as you haven't all day." My heart sinks farther into itself, devouring the pain and overtaking my senses, feeling like a black hole in my chest. All the happiness being sucked away and replaced with the numbing darkness.

Thor leaves the tray on my bed and leaves without another word, closing the door behind himself. Lady Y/n. That's a proper way to greet strangers and he's never, ever, used it with me. We've had a connection from the start, there was no need for such proper greetings.

Deep down inside, I know that I should be breaking down into hysterical cries but I'm far too drained for anymore sorrow. Sighing, I drag my fallen-asleep-limbs over to the bed and slowly spoon small bites of mashed potatoes into my mouth.

Outside, it's dark and it's hard to believe that the day has passed away so quickly. My mind wanders back to Nat, Thor and Loki. Natasha purposely hid my wounds from me and lied about it. I'm sure her friendly appearance was just to keep an eye on me without resistance from my part...

On the other hand, Thor was truly friendly. We did become friends and I do believe that he didn't fully know the circumstances. But a part of me wonders if the reason he stopped me from leaving that one day was because he knew they couldn't risk it.

Then there's Loki. The God of Mischief, the God of Lies, the raven haired man with a silver tongue and the one who I thought had saved my life. His bipolar actions have given me whiplash in the time I've known him, causing me to have many conflicting feelings towards the god. One moment he's pleasant, the next we're fighting, then he's apologizing, then he's lying. There's just no winning.

And to top it all off, I cared for these people. I care for these people....

I can't justify my actions because I swore to not trust these people but I continually find myself being drawn to them. There's something that I can't shake, when I want so badly to let it all go and be angry. I thought Loki saved my life but it seems that no matter what the outcome would have been in the moment of the Chitauri, the way I lived that I had come to call my life, would be over. My life would have been over regardless. I just don't know if this is better than the other option.

My stomach can't handle anything else and I push the food out the door and set it to the side of the entrance's frame. After closing the door, I drag myself to bed and crawl to the middle of the mattress. Drawing my legs up to my chest, I rest on my side and the effort to bring the pillows or comforter to me is far too great. Closing my eyes, I will myself to fall into the same escape into darkness that envelops me every night.

****

The night was less-than-great because I could hardly stay asleep for more than an hour at a time. Dark shadows are painted across my sleep-deprived face as the sun beams through the blinds. Groaning, I roll over but run out of bed, which ends up with me falling and my body hitting the hardwood with a loud noise.

Effort...

I continue to stay sprawled across the floor, my limbs twisting me in directions that make it look as if I were part of a crime scene. Ugh, I'm too tired to care. The time ticks by and it seems that every time I blink, the sun rises higher than the last.

My eyes are heavy but my mind won't settle. Four quick knocks sound at my door and I remain silent, hoping for the uninvited visitor to excuse themselves. The knocks sound again, getting more annoying by the second.

Too much effort.....

"What!?" I call out, my voice being slightly muffled by my cheek staying firmly pressed against the floor. The knocking stops abruptly and the quiet morning replaces the once irritating sound of fist against wood.

"Ms. Y/n?" An unfamiliar male voice calls. Huffing with great vigor, I push myself off the floor and jerk the door open to reveal a younger boy standing there, looking noticeably nervous.

I'm sure I look horrifying and gross, so I try to soften my appearance by clearing my throat and using my softest of voices to speak to him. "Yes, I'm Y/n. Do you need something?" When the boy's shoulders relaxed a bit, I smile and hope that I made him less nervous.

"Oh- Hi, Ms. Y/n. Yes, uh, Mr. Stark asked for me to wake you and walk with you to go see him." Understanding the request, I tell him that I need to wash up and invite him inside. "Thank you. I'm Peter, by the way."

We smile at each other and I inform him that he can simply call me Y/n. Peter takes a seat at my desk and I change in the bathroom after washing myself up for the morning. "I'm ready when you are." I tell him when I exit.

Together, we walk through the facility and I search my new surroundings. "So, what do you do around here, Peter? You seem younger than most that occupy this place."

With an awkward laugh, he shrugs. "I'm a fairly new member of the Avengers. The youngest, actually." My mind recalls the Avengers and I can't place this young man's superhero identity, so I ask him. "Oh, I'm spider-man."

"Really? That's really cool, I bet it's a lot of fun to travel by webs." I begin and we launch into a conversation about what missions he's been allowed on, due to his age being a restriction.

"So, what are you here for, Y/n? Are you new to the team, too?" Sighing, I look at Peter from the corner of my eye. He waits patiently for me to answer and I see a small jump in his step as curiosity lingers around him.

Although I'm afraid of scaring the boy away, I can't ignore him. "No, I'm not a member of the team. I got caught in that wave of Chitauri soldiers a while ago, which led to me being attacked. I wasn't killed because Loki interfered but when I woke up, I had this in my arm." I explain, pulling up my sleeve and showing the glowing purple shining through my skin.

I prepare for the worst reaction but I am surprised by his reaction. "That's sick!!" He says, looking at my arm with wide eyes. Raising an eyebrow at him, he corrects himself. "Uh, I mean, that sucks...Does it hurt?" I chuckle a bit at his words and explain everything that I currently know about it.

Just as we're rounding the corner to Stark's, Peter stops us in our tracks. "Don't worry, Y/n. Tony will get that thing out of you and get you feeling better." He says with such confidence in his voice.

A corner of my mouth tilts up and I nod at him. We both enter Stark's office and there's several people there. Bruce Banner stands beside Tony with his arms crossed and his glasses on the tip of his nose. Thor is turned towards them and clearly interrupted in their conversation, which brings me to the final person.

Loki stands there with one arm crossed over his chest and the other resting his hand underneath his chin as his thumb grazes his bottom lip. Just the same, everyone's attention is turned to me and Peter as we awkwardly stand there.

"Uh- Here's Y/n, Mr. Stark." Peter announces, his voice cutting through the surrounding silence. I wave my hand in a small circle as if they don't already know who I am, which I guess Bruce doesn't.

The group of men all give each other knowing looks, as if trying to silently decide on something unbeknownst to me. Sighing, the group moves apart so Tony can get a clear view of where I'm standing. "Y/n, due to changes in your situation, you will have to have someone with you at any time you're out of your room."

His statement makes sense but the way he says it makes me shiver. "I understand." I say, trying to sound passive. "Is Peter going to be the one for the task?" I ask. Peter looks a bit hopeful as he whips his head to hear Tony's answer.

A slight disappointment crosses when Stark shakes his head and I can see the same reaction on Peter. Before I can ask another question, I freeze at the words that tumble from the billionaire's mouth. "Loki will be accompanying you on your outings."

"Like hell he is!" I shriek, making Peter jump beside me but I couldn't care less about that right now. "Why him of all people?!" I ask, not being able to comprehend this horrid idea.

"Reindeer games is more equipped to understanding this technology since it originates from the realms he's accustomed to and that's something I can't argue with." He adds on 'believe me, I've tried' in a snarky whisper after finishing his sentence.

My mouth falls agape and I look to Loki to see him smirking, only fueling my irritation. "I suppose I should say, 'welcome to hell'." His words snap me back to reality and it finally dawns on me that everything I do from here on out will be under his supervision.

I begin to start arguing but Tony holds up his finger, silencing me. "Again, you have no choice in the matter. My priority is to keep you and my team safe. I refuse to risk anyone's safety and nothing you say can change my mind."

With that, he dismisses us and he goes back to working with Bruce. Thor walks past me with an apologetic look but he doesn't say anything. "You're stuck with Loki? I'm so sorry, Y/n." Peter says.

Giving him a small, sad smile, I wave his concern away. "Don't worry about it. I understand the safety risk I pose and accept that this is what needs to be done."

"Although Loki kinda scares me, I hope I see you around." Peter's smile cracks my defenses a bit and I wink at him after reassuring him that I'll be sure to make our paths cross again. "I'll see you later, Y/n!"

I watch him walk away and try to avoid the inevitable as long as possible but that time is coming to an end. Dramatically huffing, I spin to face the immortal idiot that I'm now stuck with until this rubbish is taken out of me.

Loki's eyes study me and I uncomfortably drum my hands against my jean covered legs, wondering what my next move should be. Gods, I must look like a child with my incessant drumming and swooshing of air between my cheeks.

When nothing happens and his eyes continue to look at me, puzzled and amused, I stop my hands and deflate my cheeks. Closing my eyes with a sigh of defeat, I walk away and pray that he forgets to follow. Unfortunately, the sound of his footsteps echoing behind me is a stark reminder of his presence.

Stark reminder, how ironic.

Maybe if I just ignore him, it'll be like he's not even here....Welp! That didn't work, especially since I immediately realize that I have no freaking clue where I'm going or how to navigate through this place....again. Loki must have realized this too, seeing as he chuckles mischievously at my abrupt standstill in the middle of the hall.

"Having troubles, pet?" He asks with amusement drenching his teasing voice. My shoulders tense and I slowly turn my head to him, grinding my teeth at his pearly white smile.

Screw that smile, why does he have to have such a charming one!? "None that concern you and I'm not your 'pet', so don't call me as such." I spit out. His smile grows wider and I have to dig my nails into my palms in order to keep myself from smashing his face in.

"Ah, what fun we'll surely have." Loki teases but I choose to just ignore him, for my own sake. "Where to, then?" I honestly don't know what's here and where to go, so there's nothing that I can really suggest. Because of this, I remain silent.

Chuckling, Loki gestures for me to head in a certain direction and falls into step next to me as I stomp forward. His mischievous side has definitely become stronger than before, with me, at least.

A part of me wants to go back to bed and attempt to sleep but I know that I wouldn't end up with any shut-eye. On the other hand, if I stay out and wander around, I have a royal pain attached to my hip. Decisions, decisions...

As we're walking, I quietly wince, which results in a pair of eyes darting over to look at me inquisitively. I try to keep a straight face and my eyes in front of me but the pain strikes me again. With a firm hand, Loki halts me in my step.

"What's wrong, Y/n?"

His voice is calm but I can feel his eyes boring into my face, even when I try to turn from him. Stepping in front of me, he leans down to examine what could be happening and a sharp hiss escapes my lips and my hands curl into fists, turning my knuckles white.

My focus is on controlling my whimpers and I don't notice that Loki is rolling up my sleeve. The Chitauri core is revealed and Loki furrows his brows as he notices that it's glowing a bit brighter than before, warming the skin surrounding it.

Just as I'm opening my mouth to object, he cuts me off by placing his palm over the purple stone and his hand turns a shade of blue, causing my eyes to widen. With the changing color, a cool temperature envelops the previously heated skin and I breathe a sigh of relief. The pain is now a dull throb and bearable.

Slowly, Loki retracts his hand before rolling my sleeve back down. His hand is once again the pale shade of skin as before. "Thank you." Loki doesn't say anything before he takes off walking again. "How'd you do that? With your hand, I mean." I ask.

His stride falters and he glances over at me with a conflicted expression that leaves me with a sense of shyness for my question. "Magic." He says quickly, obviously dismissing that topic of conversation. I nod, knowing that I should just be thankful and keep my mouth shut.

Still, as we walk, I begin to notice that his eyes are constantly looking to me and I wonder what is on his mind. How can he go from being a mischievous twit one moment to an almost-caring almost-friend the next? Our eyes meet as I study his expression and the smile that ensues causes my heartbeat to speed and my stomach to flip.

What is happening and what could this all mean?

Part Three Here

Masterlist Here

A/N: Omg, this is getting angsty!! (You guys are probably going to hate me for the upcoming angst.) But there’s also so much fluff in store. I love hearing from you all and the support that’s shown! - Ellie-Mae

Taglist: @jclements919 @jcalpha1 Want to be added to The Cold Reality tags or Permanent tags? Let me know!!

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