This month's flash fiction works doubly well, as it acts as a precuser to a movie I'm also very excited about: Thor 2!!! (October 30 :D :D)
The Avengers Headcanons: Submission #297
There is much amazement that Thor is not the only Avenger to advocate leniency for Loki, hoping that he can change. All of them do. All of them have their reasons, after hearing his story from Thor.
Bruce knows what it’s like to feel like a monster.
Tony knows how it feels to never measure up.
Steve knows the pain of losing your whole world.
Clint and Natasha both know the feeling of No Going Back.
All of them want to believe in redemption for Loki, because they want to believe that it’s not out of their reach either.
Submitted by Mangaluva
Thor gets away with sneaking out of Stark Towers to visit Loki in S.H.I.E.L.D.’s holding cells only three times.
The first time, Thor decides that night time is the best time for covert actions. Sadly, not being completely acquainted with the layout of the building—or rather not allowing for Tony’s habit of leaving objects lying around like a child—Thor runs into some piece of foreign machinery and stubs his toe. It doesn’t hurt the god of thunder, but the surprise of impact plus the clattering sound of falling machinery brings Bruce out of the lab.
His habitual mussed up hair is compounded by weary eyes as he first looks to Thor, then to the mess on the floor.
“What are you… doing?” he asks.
Thor’s first thought is to wonder how long Bruce has been down in the labs with Tony this time, as the slight man seems to have slipped back into being distinctly unused to human interactions.
His second thought is, “…. Poptarts?” He clears his throat. “I was going to make a midnight snack. Do you wish to join me?”
Bruce blinks, then shakes his head. He moves forward and Thor steps aside from the machinery that Bruce is obviously going for.
“I should get this back to the labs,” he says, and Thor knows that he’s safe because his fellow Avenger’s mind has returned back to the research he and Tony do together.
The second time, Jane starts to wake up as he slips back into the bed they share. She’s only just gotten used to being in bed with him, and the dipping of the mattress is enough to pull her from her light sleep.
“Thor?” she murmurs sleepily.
“Hush love,” he says as he pulls her close. “I am here now.”
Jane doesn’t resist his embrace, but her waking mind momentarily resists the comfort he offers. “I dreamed…” she started. “I dreamed that you went back to Asgard and never came back again.”
Thor doesn’t tell her that that will never happen, or not to worry about it. Instead, his lips lightly touch her forehead and he lies awake next to her for the next several hours.
The third time, Thor goes to visiting his brother by light of day, thinking that hiding his plans in plain sight may be the better way to go. This is completely undone when he finds Bruce, Jane, Tony, Steve, Clint and Natasha waiting for him.
“I… um…” Thor looks away, ashamed to be found sneaking around to see his brother; ashamed to feel ashamed over seeing his brother.
Bruce is the first one to step forward, and clasp a hand on Thor’s shoulder. In the shorter man’s eyes, he sees that Bruce already understands how it is to feel like a monster.
As he looks at the rest of the Avengers, Thor realises one by one that none of them are there to judge or offer censure. They are here so that he knows she doesn’t need to sneak around anymore.
Jane simply offers her support with a quick smile and her love shining from her eyes.
Tony gives the quick, manly nod of someone who knows what it’s like never to quite measure up.
Steve’s eyes have more sorrow in them as he identifies with the feeling of losing one’s whole world.
Both Clint and Natasha are there, sharing in the feeling of knowing there’s No Going Back.
Thor meets the eyes of each one of the Avengers—his fellow heroes—before passing them all and heading forward to see his brother.
Thor gets away with sneaking out of Stark Towers only three times. He knows what else went unsaid that day. If there can be redemption for Loki, they can believe that it’s not out of their reach either.
After that, Thor doesn’t need to sneak around anymore.
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