#loki lives

Loki can see through the pair. While Bruce houses no disdain for the trickster sitting in front of him, he doubts the success rate of the strategy that has just been explained to them.

“You two are the only way this is going to work,” the God enunciates. He turns his observant eyes towards the Black Widow.

Natasha sits with her arms crossed. She knows that Loki can read all probabilities she has already calculated. But unlike Bruce, she has her doubts about anything that is coming from the God of Mischief. 

“That is one crude way to get an Infinity Stone,” she finally responds.

“Had I been the creator, I would have made them kinder for you.” Loki smiles at her.

Natasha watches that smile, reading the little streaks of pain this God hides within the wrinkles near his eyes, and those exhausted pupils that have seen more of this universe than he would like to have seen.

“And this location. Is your informant trustworthy?” Natasha does not blink.

“Gamora knows the location like she knows the disdain for her father in her heart,” Loki stated, “the only one she’ll be betraying is herself and that excuse of a father.”

“And if what you are planning to…’recreate’…does not happen, then what?” The Black Widow wants to cover all bases with the one who thinks he can defeat a mad alien.

Loki looks down at his hand that works over the rim of his teacup. The God carefully reads the little grains under the glaze, the intricate details of the Wakandan art in this one little ceramic beauty. He thinks he hides the shiver in his finger well, clenched his fist before releasing it and looking back at the woman who has just been told a harsh reality of defeating the inevitable threat to her home.

“Then I would gladly surrender my head to you and let you know we were always doomed by the narrative.” 

Loki finishes his beverage, putting the cup back on the table. “But I am not willing to die till I see him squirm. And for that, I can assure you I have studied the stones like my existence depends on them.”

The Black Widow stares at him for a stretched moment. She gets up. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

“You cannot make any changes to the script once you get there,” Loki is quick to add. It is more of a warning than a threat. Almost sounding precautionary.

Natasha nods in affirmation.

Bruce seems to gain some confidence upon watching Natasha. He turns back to Loki, leaning over the table, “What do you need from me?”

Loki is about to speak when he chooses not to. He purses his lips and narrows his eyes, looking at Natasha for muted help.

The Black Widow nearly rolls her eyes. She looks at Bruce and exhales. “He needs the big guy for what he is about to ask you next.”

.

Fifteen minutes later, Wong is nodding at the God as he makes a portal to another place. The magical circle can be seen opening up to a desolated space with a spaceship getting ready for take off.

The craft has a familiarity to it- made to replicate a Quinjet used by SHEILD but for space travel. The sleek black body has pulsating purple lines running all over it; an upgrade provided by the Wakandan technology.

Natasha and Banner have suited up, their helmets ready in their arms as they have a final word with their team.

No one present there dares to put up a grim face. The God can see they have made peace with the fact that they cannot afford to. He had anticipated more friction with the Avengers than has been getting till now. On the contrary, the God has received quite valuable feedbacks on his concerns and strategies.

Once they have bid farewell to the rest, Bruce and Natasha walk over to Loki.

“Here,” Loki hands Natasha a device, “attach this to the ship’s control system and punch in the coordinates I wrote down for you. It’s warp you through the galaxies three times before you reach your destination. Do not stop anywhere in the middle. Keep your helmets on at all times during the warp even if you feel the urge to puke your guts out. The moment you land on the planet, everything will settle down. Is there anything else you need to ask me?”

The experienced eyes of the deadliest assassin/spy is watching the God in a different light, reading the veiled concern behind the repeated instructions.

“Be back in a minute.” Natasha pats Loki’s shoulder.

Bruce hands a box the size of his fist to Loki and proceeds to pat his back before landing soft punch on the God’s chest. “Thor would be proud of you, man.”

Neither of them wait for a response, already running through the portal towards the ship.

The God stands there, not moving a muscle as his eyes follow the two figures. 

Loki watches them board the ship while the sorcerer he saved a few hours ago walks in front to the ship through another portal.

Strange looks at Loki for a passing moment before turning his focus towards the space ship. Strings of green hue begin to emanate from the sorcerer’s chest before the portal is closed and the God brings his mind back to the Wakandan grounds,

Steve and T’Challa have already passed their instructions to the warriors on the ground.

The God comes over to stand beside them, looking at the lush grounds of the country. He convinces himself he would not miss this scenery even if they lose today, but does not speak his thoughts out loud. 

“Captain, were you able to safeguard our current concerns?” The God moves his hands to the back, leaning in ever so slightly towards Steve Rogers.

Steve nods. “Strange did what you asked for. It should buy Stark and Shuri some time. And that kid.”

“Will Mr Wong be able to handle the makeshift lab on his own?” T’Challa doubts the instruments of sorcerers rather than the man himself.

“Till the time the army arrives, he is getting all the help needed for the task,” Loki adds. 

The God looks down at his hands and arms, studying the healed wounds that were too deep to have been worked upon by his lone self. “Every second I am in this place, I gather a deeper understanding of why it has been kept hidden from the rest of this world. And yet you have decided to open your doors for everyone to witness this power. I hope his majesty is aware of the unfathomable avarice that dwells in the nature of a man.”

T’Challa smirks at the God, never losing his composure. “I was told something similar about your nature some time ago. And yet, here you stand, trying to save that very man, even if it is for personal vengeance. A smart creature knows when to wager, Mr Loki.”

“Wager, I have.” The God chuckles. “To send the almighty hulk to Vormir.”

.

A lazy bloop swims over the screen, moving closer to the centre. 

"We have found them," Cull Obsidian declares to the ship.

A grunt comes out of the bulky alien, who checks his armour with a few fiery punches. 

"Do you think they have held Maw captive, Midnight?"

Midnight eyes another screen that reflects a blue coloured bloop heading for Titan. 

“Maw is headed back to Titan. This can only mean that he has the time stone in his claim.”

The warrior looks down at the barren fields straight ahead, lined with trees along a strategic perimeter, where the bloop is pointing. 

Corvus joins his wife to look down at the ground where the ship is beginning its landing.