Season of Sadness - Chapter 7

"Loki, are you awake, brother?"

Thor had kept his promise and returned to Asgard the next day. With little more than a question to Heimdall, and a customary greeting to his parents, he had gone straight to Loki's room. Though Loki was still being punished, Thor and Frigga had persuaded Odin to let Loki out of prison and back into the palace. He was still muzzled, of course, as the muzzle prevented him from lying, and he also had cuffs on both wrists to prevent him from using magic.

Loki put his book down and sighed. "Yes, I'm awake, and the door is unlocked from your side." The muzzle only made lies silent; if Loki spoke the truth, he could be heard clearly.

Thor opened the door and stuck a book in it to keep it from closing all the way.  He sat down on Loki's bed and put his arm around his brother. On any other day, Loki would have pushed him away, but the sadness in the otherwise happy god's eyes stopped him. That, and he didn't know if he could escape Thor's grip.

"Thor?"

"Natasha and Clint have gone missing. We don't know what has happened to them, and Heimdall hasn't been able to find them yet."

Loki stiffened. "And why should I care? They hate me, and have every reason to."

"They do not hate you, brother. They are scared of you."

"Because I'm a monster!" But the muzzle silenced Loki. He tried again, to no avail.

"I'm... not a monster?" Those words came out clearly.

Thor smiled. "See, even your heart of hearts believes that there is good in you. And they are not afraid of the Frost Giant, brother. They fear your ability to control minds. You know that when Natasha was a child, she was brainwashed and turned into an almost emotionless assassin. And you also know that Clint saved her. But they still share that fear, deep down below their tough exteriors. So when you turned Clint into your mind slave and caused him to kill people, you awoke that fear, brought it to the surface. They are scared of you because you can do to them what scares them the most."

Loki pondered that for quite a while.

"You confound me at times like this, Thor."

"Hmm?"

"Most of the time, you are the big-hearted, bumbling oaf that I've grown accustomed to, and then there are times, like now, that you can be remarkably wise."

Thor was taken aback. Loki almost never - well, actually just never - complimented him. And he wasn't lying either, the muzzle would have muted him.

"So you have nothing to do with their disappearance?"

Loki shook his head and pointed to his wrist and mouth. "No. And these should be proof enough."

The blonde god's face brightened. "Then you will help me find them."

Loki's green eyes darkened and narrowed. "Why?"

Thor's expression saddened again, and he sighed. "You remember Ana, their daughter? I've showed you pictures and told you all kinds of stories."

"Ah, the little prankster after my own heart."

But Thor shook his head. "No, not after your own heart. She is scared of you too, brother. She is frightened to death that she may one day turn into you, because she thinks that you are evil to the core, and that all you do is kill for sport. She only sees the monster that you used to be."

Loki slumped, just a little.

"But brother, just think! If you saved Clint and Natasha, that may calm their fear of you. And Ana would see the Loki that I see. The one that does have a heart. Right there." He poked Loki's chest for emphasis.

Loki sighed, giving in. "Alright Thor."

"Swear that you will only use your magic to find them and bring them back to the Tower."

"I swear that I will only use my magic to find Clint and Natasha and to bring them back to the Avengers' Tower."

Satisfied, Thor grinned. "Splendid. I will ask Mother to talk to the Allfather about it. Because you know..."

"...no one can say no to Mother." Loki chuckled.

Thor pulled the book out of the door and skipped down the hall.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@