Chapter Text
Loki woke up and saw the blinding blue sky, which would be concerning enough considering he’s supposed to be at his throne, but it got worse when his other senses started registering…
First, he started hearing an awful ringing in his ears, then there was this pain in his abdomen and then this awful awful feeling on his throat once he tried to swallow and ended up coughing, having to sit up.
When he did that he realized something else: he was at the top of a building and in front of it, the unforgettable Empire State which could only mean one thing.
“Stand up and place your hands behind your head!”
The known voice of none other than Clint Barton confirmed his suspicions. He turned around slowly, doing as the archer had said.
“I’m not here to hurt anyone”
Loki replied, his voice coming out like he hadn’t talked in years, which, fair, as he remembered the already too far away events that unfolded here. As he stands there, he feels dizzy, he closes his eyes for a moment, still confused by all he was feeling after spending who knows how long feeling nothing, sitting with the strings of the multiverse.
“Yeah sure- the fuck are you wearing?”
Was Barton’s reaction to Loki’s very different outfit from the last time he saw him. Even he felt concerned as he watched Loki sway on his feet just as Steve and Tony arrived at the scene.
They watched for a moment, processing all they were seeing, before Loki’s suddenly collapsed, almost falling to the floor and only saved by Steve’s quick reflexes.
“woah there- what-”
Loki, still conscious only out of fear of what the heroes who once hated him would do, looked at steve, then at his hands, eyes unfocused.
“‘m sorry i-”
“No what the fuck is going on? why are you here? weren’t you just taken to Asgard?” were the questions Tony suddenly bombarded him with.
“What happened to you?” was the Captain’s smarter inquiry.
Loki didn't respond, still staring at his hands, but he looked up at the last question, hoping they’d know, disappointed as he found they didn’t.
He tried to speak but that only caused more of the coppery taste to come up his throat and onto his mouth and he coughed to the side, avoiding Steve who still stood grabbing him by the shoulders, and spitting the blood, oddly not mixed with saliva, onto the floor.
Now this, this caused an immediate reaction, cap’s face twisting in concern, and the hawk running downstairs to get…likely Banner, while Tony rushed to their side.
The thing is, Loki still feared Banner, despite the…years? that it had been for him while he was at the TVA and all after.
Loki knew the man was just that but…the monster…the monster caused him real fear.
After a minute, Barton comes back with Bruce and even Natasha, but not Thor, which is a relief he doesn’t let show as Banner examines him, despite not being that kind of doctor, and comes to the conclusion that Loki has a combination of a large list of things:
An infected yet closed stab wound between the ribs, old gift from Sylvie.
Severe dehydration, like, severe.
Severe malnutrition, also very bad.
An awful lack of sunlight reception, which can result in a weak immune system.
Everyone seems dumbfounded by the information but Loki, who is almost unconscious as it all starts making sense, albeit slowly, in his head.
It’s clear he hadn’t felt anything in the void with the strings but how long was he there? he also processes that he never ate at the TVA either, so maybe it was at an apocalypse that he last ate, with Sylvie there, and it must’ve been a while since.
The Avengers go into action and Loki's eyes finally close.