Loki x Reader: Into the MCU

Chapter 48: Time Heist

"Did you hear Korg?" Vision asked, "So will you."

"Yes, by far fewer," Loki said, giving the android a look like he was stupid.

"We don't trade lives," Steve said.

"If you want to save billions, you'll have to," Loki said, "And I don't understand why we're arguing about his," he waved his hands in frustration, "I'm giving you a way out, take it!"

"Yeah, by volunteering as tribute," Tony scoffed, "Any one of us here could say "Pick me! I'll do it" but that wouldn't make us all thank them for "giving us a way out," it keeps the same problem going."

"No, it doesn't!" Loki said in exasperation, clearly not understanding the issue, "You have a chance to save your friends."

"And what about you?" Tony snapped.

"I die."

"Not that! What about the fact that we have to lose you instead?"

"What about it?"

"God, this man," Tony whined, rubbing his forehead, "It's not me, is it?" he asked the room.

"Stark, what's your point?!" Loki asked.

"If we lose a member, we all hurt," Steve took over for Tony's attempts, "There's not one person in this room that could make that sacrifice without affecting the rest, and that includes you."

Loki's eyebrows were raised gently, nodding once to concede the argument. Though on the inside, he was lost in his own shock of what Steve had said.

"It means enough with the 'You all don't care about me, so I'm gonna kill myself.' You fished for the compliments and you got 'em," Tony said.

"I wasn't fishing for your adoration, Stark," Loki said.

"No, but you didn't hate it."

"Regardless, someone has to die for the stone," Loki said with much less aggression, "The other stones may be many obtainable places throughout history, but the soul stone has only ever been in one. Never removed."

"That's not true," Nebula spoke up.

"What?" Rhodey said, daring to look hopeful.

"The soul stone has always been on Vormir...until my father had it taken."

"We'd need the whole team to make sure we could take him, especially with the soul and reality stones," Bruce said, "And we'll be split throughout time."

"It's not him you'll have to take," she said, "When I was held, Thanos enjoyed gloating. He'd talk while he tortured me. About how Gamora was teaming against him, how he saw and heard everything. How among the information returned to him was a name. Vormir. He'd heard of the sacrifice needed, from his spies in Asgard. So he sent Maw out to retrieve the stone. Dispatched him right in front of me. When Maw asked who was to make the sacrifice, Thanos told him to find someone. That everyone is afraid to lose somebody."

"Happy father-daughter talks," Rhodes muttered.

"You're saying, when the stone is taken...it isn't Thanos that's there?" Steve asked.

Nebula nodded.

"We could take it before they get off the planet," Nat said eagerly, looking around for agreement.

"We'd be leaving some people to die," Clint noted, "A couple, a family, whoever this Maw guy got to make the sacrifice."

"They've already died," Nebula said, "Saving them won't bring them back here."

"Should we help past selves out?" Scott asked, "I know it's off topic, sorry, but like if we can make alternate timelines for our younger selves, should we do that? Let us know what's gonna happen?"