Fixated

Tony played the security footage over and over again. His fist was clenched so tightly he was about to break the screen in front of him. He wished he could pretend the figure Loki was carrying into the plane wasn’t his niece, but he knew with ever fiber of his being Loki had successfully escaped the helicarrier with the one thing that meant most to him.

He first became worried when he returned to the room they were sharing after he finished with his repairs. It was late at night and he expected to find her passed out once again, but all he found was furniture that had been rearranged haphazardly. He began searching the ship, at the same time hacking into security footage and using facial recognition software to find her.

It wasn’t until six in the morning that he found the video of Loki carrying Edie in his arms. Loki looked disturbingly pleased with himself. Tony was shaking with rage.

“Stark!” Rogers called.

“What?” Tony asked angrily. He wasn’t willing to deal with Captain Morality at the moment.

“We need to stand together and figure out Loki’s next move,” Steve said somberly. Tony threw his touchpad against the wall and smashed it to bits.

“He has her. The bastard has my niece,” Tony said through gritted teeth.

“Wait, Loki kidnapped Edie?” Steve asked with wide eyes.

“He carried her off unconscious while we were trying to keep this damn hunk of metal in the air,” Tony glowered. “I should have been there. He shouldn’t have been able to get to her. I should have-“

“You were trying to keep her and the entire ship full of people in the air, Stark. You were where you needed to be. We had no reason to believe he would try to kidnap Edie,” Steve said calmly.

Tony took several deep breaths, trying to calm down. “Do you believe in love at first sight?” he asked, finally looking directly at the Captain. “I don’t believe in the romantic crap, but I do remember the first time I ever held her. I had gone to visit my cousin in the hospital after having her baby and as soon as I walked in the door Eden was thrust in my arms. Edie just looked up at me and smiled. She just smiled. In that moment I swore I would never let anything happen to her. I’ve always been there to keep her safe until now. Now I’ve let her down.” His last words weighed heavily on his heart.

“You haven’t let anyone down, Stark. We’ll get her back,” Steve said encouragingly.

“Yeah, after that sick bastard has had his way with her,” Tony pointed.

“You don’t know that,” Steve countered.

“Are you blind?” Tony asked incredulously. “Half of the reason why I perfected the suit was to keep hormonal teenage boys away from her!” Had the moment not been so serious, Rogers would have laughed out loud.

“We’re all each other has,” Tony added. “When she came to live with me she was about to turn fifteen. We were just two orphans: lost and confused and trying to figure out what to do with ourselves. Edie is the only family I have left. I’ll never forgive myself if something happens.”

“Look, Stark. I understand where you’re coming from, I really do. And I promise you I will do anything to help you get Edie back safe and sound. But right now we gotta put that behind us and get this done. Now Loki needs a power source, if we can put together a list-“

“He made it personal,” Tony interrupted.

“That’s not the point,” Steve shook his head.

“That is the point. That’s Loki’s point. He hit us all right where we live. Why?”

“To tear us apart,” Steve answered, wondering where this was going.

“He had to conquer his greed, but he knows he has to take us out to win, right? That’s what he wants. He wants to beat us; he wants to be seen doing it. He wants an audience,” Tony concluded, still clearly on a roll.

“Right. I caught his act in Stuttgart,” Steve nodded.

“Yeah. That’s just previews, this is… this is opening night. And Loki, he’s a full-tail diva. He wants flowers, he wants parades, he wants a monument build to the skies with his name plastered,” Tony stopped in his tracks. The realization hit him like a Mack truck.

“Son of a bitch,” he said with wide eyes. Suddenly it was clear. Loki was going to use Stark tower. And Tony would bet his fortune that he was holding Edie there with him.

[***]

Loki stood proudly, dressed in his Asgardian armor. The battle would begin shortly and the Chitauri would soon be on their way. The Earth would be his to take and to make his own.

However, his mind was centered on the sleeping figure lying peacefully in bed. Edie was still naked, though she was wrapped up lazily in the bed sheet. The tranquil rise and fall of her chest left him debating whether or not he should wake her up.

His one night with Edie had been heavenly. But now it was time to release her from his control. Loki desired her desire; he wanted her affection to be true. But that would take time.

Loki leant down and ran his fingers over her sleeping features. She looked so delicate as she clutched the soft sheet to her chest. She stirred as he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and when he pulled away her eyes were open, staring up at him with a false passion.

“Where are you going?” she asked softly.

“The battle draws near,” he said. “I must go to open the portal.”

“Lay with me a little while longer,” she requested, reaching up with a delicate hand and tugging lightly at his armor.

“There will soon be plenty of time for that, for now I must do this,” he began.

Loki took his scepter in his hand and touched it again to her chest. Her eyes grew wide and she inhaled sharply, raggedly. His free hand touched her face and he saw the warm green return to her eyes. He was satisfied only for a brief moment, until her eyes turned dark and a hand reached over to slap him across the face.

The echo of the contact of her hand and his face rang clearly in the room. She glared at him with pure hatred in her eyes and she was shaking with rage. Loki stood tall, his mouth slightly agape and his hand to his red chin. Though he wasn’t in pain, he didn’t believe she had the strength in her to hit him that hard.

“How dare you,” Edie growled, wrapping the sheet tightly around her body.

“Eden, please,” he began, unsure of what should follow.

“I can’t believe you!” Edie shouted. “You take advantage of me and return me to my right mind just in time for you to run off and wage war?” she stood up, tying the sheet around her. “What the hell is wrong with you? Are you trying to break me apart?”

“Are you angry at me for returning you to your proper mindset?” he asked, aghast.

“I’m angry at you for your cruelty and for your delusions of grandeur,” she glowered.

“Delusions?” he scoffed. “My army is coming and I will soon be named ruler of your pathetic kind. If I were in your position, my pet, I would be begging for mercy on behalf of your people, not insulting me,” he growled, standing over her in an intimidating manner.

Loki looked down upon her and something flashed in her eyes. She was not afraid of him, that much was evident, but her mouth stretched into a smirk and Loki wondered what the unpredictable maiden before him had on her mind.

“You’re right,” she shrugged with a silky voice. Her hands slid up her body sensually to the knot on her chest. The sheet fell from her body and she looked up at him with lust in her green eyes. “You said you wanted to make love to me. Take me,” she challenged, pressing her naked form to his armor and running her hands over his chest.

Loki wasted no time pressing his lips to hers passionately. This was exactly what he wanted, though he knew her ulterior motives. She was trying to stall him so that her friends could come and stop him. Still, he held her to him and kissed her with all the passion the beautiful creature before him deserved. He pulled away from her gently and heard her breath hitch in her throat. She looked up at him with shocked eyes; suddenly aware of the passion they could share.

“I shall return to you soon,” he whispered, pulling away from her. He walked out of the room quickly, shutting and locking the door behind him. He heard her run to the door and shake it angrily, trying to open it.

“Son of a bitch!” she shouted and he smirked to himself. He would return for her later, when the dust was settled and he was named king.