The Ides of July // Loki - Book 1 ✓

Chapter 33: Bonding

IT'S BEEN A DAY since they fought, and now Anna sits quietly on the cot while Loki kneels in front of her to check her injured arm once again. The wound has healed significantly, no doubt aided by his magic, but a few stitches popped from yesterday's excitement. Luckily, the injury is small enough now to close without fresh stitches - something both Anna and Loki are glad to discover - so Loki tears off a strip of fabric from the hem of his shirt and binds her arm.

"Thank you," Anna tells him, wincing as he pulls it tight. "Again."

Loki lifts an eyebrow, finishing the knot before shifting to sit next to her on the cot. He leans back so his body presses against the cool concrete wall, a comfort to his Jötunn skin, and smirks. If only Odin could see him now, trapped in a Midgardian prison, graciously administering aid to the mortal woman who betrayed him.

Maybe not so graciously, but nevertheless, it is a kindness that Loki's character rarely exhibits and Anna firmly believes she does not deserve. After a few moments of silence, Anna leans back next to him and clears her throat.

"Tell me about New York," she says, staring straight forward at the glass.

The observation room has been empty since their arrival, aside from the occasional visit from a guard who deposited a single piece of bread for them to share yesterday and another this morning. Loki insisted Anna eat the entire thing, citing her injury and his superior DNA, but she stubbornly refused - threatening not to eat a bite - unless he split it with her. After bickering for what seemed like ages, he finally split the bread and ate his portion in several fast bites before handing the other to her. Trapped in this cage, there is no use in arguing over such trivialities.

"There is nothing to tell," Loki murmurs as his eyelids shut.

Anna grimaces, "Well that's not true. C'mon, there's no one here. I won't say anything to anyone. I mean, they've got cameras on us - yeah - but...I just..."

"You want to know if I remember your fiance..." he finishes. "If I was the one to deliver the blow or if another did it."

"No, that's not it," Anna replies quickly. "I don't care about that. I mean, you're responsible either way, right?"

Loki snorts.

It's true, of course, he is responsible for the death of her fiance and so many others after the Battle of New York. The blood of many stain his hands, further drenching his monstrous soul in guilt, but he knows that they were not the first to die from his actions nor will they be the last. No, he is cursed to be a monster. He will never escape that fate, and he's long since given up trying to do so. 

"I meant why," Anna finishes. "Why come to Earth? Why all of the destruction?"

A lazy smirk tugs up the corners of his mouth, "A king requires a throne. This world was crying out for subjugation, and I - a gracious ruler - deemed to give it."

"Bullshit."

He opens one eye, glancing at the blue-eyed brunette.

"That's absolute shit, and we both know it," she says. "Jane told me you had a throne - a better one - while Thor was on Earth, and apparently you were the one to screw that up. Not only that, Thor fell in love with a human. Could he even ascend to the throne with her as his wife? I don't know your brother, but I'm assuming he'd choose Jane over--"

"I tire of this conversation, mortal," Loki bristles, his temper flaring. "Do this pitiful realm a favor and return to silence."

Fuming, Anna snaps her jaw shut for a moment while glaring at the Asgardian god. He closes his eyes again, refusing to look at her, which only fuels her anger toward him. While she knows fighting with him again probably isn't the best idea if she wants to get out of here alive, she can't resist jabbing him in the ribs with her elbow. Emerald eyes blaze at her, and she can't help but laugh at his extremely pissed-off expression. Sure, he's lost his cool a few times, but this is the first time Anna's been able to appreciate the crack in his ever-calm demeanor.

"Take care," Loki cautions, failing to hide his smile at her bubbling laughter, as he returns to his relaxed position.

Anna giggles, "Why bother? I've got you to take care of me instead. And I thought you were supposed to be the mischievous one."

"Do not be deceived," He tells her with a brilliantly ornery smile. "I am simply patient enough to wait for my revenge."

The two of them relax, smiling for the first time since this whole ordeal started. Anna isn't certain if she's laughed at all after hearing the news of Cole's death, and she is surprised that his murderer is the cause of current smile. It droops a bit at the thought, sadness clouding her vision, and she inhales deeply.

"You're thinking of him," Loki's voice draws her attention.

She nods, unwilling to speak any more about the subject, and Loki lets her sit in silence. Anna is stubborn and strong, but she's spent so much time running from Cole's death that she knows she isn't capable of handling it here in this moment. God knows this isn't the place to have a breakdown.

A grating voice breaks through their comfortable silence, booming through the speakers of the cell and drawing their attention to the glass.

"How sweet, you're bonding," Magnus says, his eyes sparkling. "Just in time for the fun to begin."

He's standing in the observation room with Eren and a handful of heavily armed guards and medical attendants. Both Anna and Loki tense at the sight of him, pulling their backs off the wall to sit upright. Magnus motions at two of the guards who stand outside the cell door, and Eren punches in the keypad to slide the door open just long enough for them to enter.

"Take her," Magnus instructs.

Now playing: "Here With Me" by Susie Suh ft. Robot Koch