The Fall

He must have lost conscious again, for when his eyes flickered open once more he was still in the sealed room, though with a familiar face frowning towards his leg. It took a moment of realisation for the pain to set in.

Loki hissed as quietly as he could allow, biting down hard on his tongue and shooting a venomous look at Bruce Banner, who was presumably meant to be helping him to heal, not encouraging the hurt that stemmed in quick flows from his ankle. Bruce glanced towards him, uninterested, before pulling once more on Loci's injured limb in an upwards motion. He felt the rough brush of bandages against skin and held his tongue against the profanities that threatened to spill out. As a God, and trickster, he had been through may tortures and punishments to amend for his numerous offences and crimes - but now, in human form, the pain seemed magnified, potent. A very real threat.

"You broke your ankle. Which you shouldn't have in such a small fall, by the way. I'm chalking it up to lack of food and general bad health, though it's a wonder how that happened - given how much Thor seems to be able to eat. No, the real issue," Banner paused in wrapping Loki's ankle and looked towards the former God "is why, despite Tony's failure to gag you, you haven't healed yourself. Or killed every single one of us." Gag. The word sent a slight shiver down Loki's spine and he looked pointedly away from Banner. Gags separated Loki from his magic, leaving its warm feel still in touch yet elusive of grasp. Odin used them on him when he could not trust magic to keeps Loki's tongue still; and as a method of bringing shame upon Loki. Muzzled, like some midgardian house pet.

Loki reached for his magic. He was met with emptiness.

This time Odin had found a way to remove Loki's powers completely. Of course, Loki had noticed when he first fell to this realm, but the mess of memories and his aching form had prevented him from thinking on the gaping the hole that seemed to now swallow him. Without magic. Mortal. Loki clenched his hands, pushed his nails against the metal table. He was defenceless. Vulnerable. At the beck and call of mere humans who had learnt to master their physical bodies, rather than their minds, and were formidable enemies to those who relied on the strength of muscle rather than spell; a percentage which now included Loki. Without magic, Loki's days and nights spent over books and in vicious training sessions with other sorcerers were swept away entirely - leaving him with the few sparring lessons he had attended and the vague know-how on fighting. Of course, he was skilled with a dagger, many a spell required blood or indeed sacrifice and Loki had been muzzled far too many times to completely rely on magic, but here, in the mortal world, skill with a dagger seemed fruitless when attaining one was hardly a likely possibility.

However, Tony had not gagged Loki, as Banner mentioned, so perhaps another slip up was not impossible?

"Loki?" he had not continued to wrap Loki's leg and was instead was watching Loki with an intensity that unsettled him deeply. Had he done something to trigger him? Was Banner about to turn - to smash Loki into the ground? This time he would not survive, he was sure. Even while in Godly form, the 'other guy' was not a foe to be taken on lightly.

"I have no magic. " he closes his eyes to block his view of Banner, to avoid the smugness that would no doubt be painting his features "It was taken from me." Also, please don't smash me through this table.

"By who?" By whom, thought Loki, mentally correcting the man and trying to ignore the crawling feeling his stare brought his skin.

"It matters not." The words seem to ring in their defiance and Loki half expected Banner to strike out at him. When he did not for some time, Loki opened his eyes, refusing to show his nerves as he surveyed the thoughtful looking man. Banner was still as he seemed to debate something in his mind, his grip around Loki's leg loosening. Eyes narrowing in on the fact that his leg was not restrained, Loki considered yanking it from the man's grip and attempting to escape. He could kick Banner back and hopefully-

Banner's grip strengthened once more and Loki visibly flinched away, fear darting up his chest and resting heavily on his lungs, making his head feel light. The avenger seemed not to notice the tricksters fear of him as he mumbled an apology for 'hurting Loki's ankle' and slowly returned to wrapping the scratchy material around the affected area. Loki evened his breathing and stared back up the plain ceiling.

He would not attempt escape with Banner present. The man was... a threat, when angry.