Found - Loki

Chapter 7

"I'm just really confused." I mutter and he turns his head to look at me. 

"Then by all means, dear, ask questions." he says bluntly and I wrap my arms around my chest and put my chin on my knee.

"How did all of this happen anyways? How did you - if you are a god - end up here, and why did you stay? How did you get those injuries in the first place?" 

Loki cringes a little at my question before sitting up slightly. I open my mouth to protest his movements, but he does not sit up fully, but props himself up on the arm rest and continues to lie down. I stay silent and watch as he looks over at me.

"I suppose it is only fair for you to know how I got here," he muses and sighs. "I lived in Asgard, but it was destroyed by my sister...well, step-sister technically. When my brother and I, and the rest of the Asgardians, fled from our home, we were stopped by a being far scarier and more powerful than anything I've ever known. He wanted something in my possession, and I knew he would stop at nothing to get it." Loki looked quite frightened of whoever he was speaking about.

"He had already sworn to kill me because I had failed him before...because of past mistakes." Loki's eyes shift away from me for a moment and he recomposes himself.

"He tried to kill me, but I cloned myself and ran away before he could. I transported myself from that ship - billions of galaxies away from here - to Earth. I ended up in that park in the trees, and the consequences from my travel came from going such a long distance." he says, gesturing to his leg and stomach.

"And you know the rest from there." he says with a grin and I get to my feet.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you. That sounds awful. Do you know if the others are okay?" I ask and Loki shifts his gaze away from me again.

"I don't know. But I know my brother. There's no way he's dead." 

I grab one of the wet cloths from the bowl and kneel beside the couch, placing it on his wound. 

"It sounds like you've had a really rough month. I am glad you aren't dead though." I say, focusing on keeping the cloth over his stitches, hoping the cold relieves him.

Loki chuckles at my comment and I finally look at him. He looks amused at my empathy.

"What?" I ask and he shrugs.

"I think sympathy is useless. It doesn't help anything. That's why I always find mortals amusing." he says, trying to sit up completely and irritation sparks in me. I let go of the rag and grab both of his shoulders, forcing him to lay back down.

He looks surprised and intrigued at my forceful actions and I give him a glare.

"It's not sympathy, it's empathy. There's a big difference. And it isn't useless. If I can understand your pain and know why it's there, I can understand you better and know why you are this way even if I can't necessarily do anything to fix it." I say harshly.

Loki stares at me for a moment before he narrows his eyes. He grabs both of my shoulders and my eyes widen. He moved too quickly for me to fight what he was doing, and next thing I know he has me on my back on the couch, and he hovers over me, his eyes harshly staring at mine.

"And just what makes you think that you could possibly understand me or why I'm this way?" he snaps and I can tell I triggered him on something. 

I keep my composure and meet his gaze evenly.

"Because I can tell the worst pain you've ever suffered isn't physical, and I can see that just by looking at your eyes." I say and Loki's anger drops in an instant. He stares at me shocked and I swallow.