Loki x Reader: Into the MCU

Chapter 48: Time Heist

"Told yourself? What, so you actually did care that you almost got us eaten by a swarm of space monsters?" Clint said in disbelief.

"I cared more than I thought. If not for you, then for Wren. She'd just called my intentions the day prior, when she voiced her concerns about me knowing where the stone were."

"Looks like the kid was right!" Tony laughed.

"I tried to make her right. To go through with whatever beginnings of a plan I had. I didn't know what else to do."

"Not being an asshole woulda been a good start," Rhodey said.

"I know. Which is why I committed to helping after that. Wren, she had said I was going to form some stupid plan that would lead to more disaster, just like I always do. I proved her right! So, I don't know, something changed the night of the party. I wanted to try, to see how things went. If she was right about what my failures at betrayal bring, then what if she was right about what trying to help rather than fighting you would bring? It was too late, I know that. The Aether's gone because of me, and she's dead because of me! They're all dead because of me. Despite what Wren always claims, it was too late for me. There are some things you can't make up for."

The room was quiet, the team looking to each other or Loki, each trying to decide whether to be angry at him for something so long ago. 

"Thor, you knew about this?" Steve asked, more out of curiosity than any kind of accusation.

He nodded.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Bruce asked.

"Because it made no difference what he did then. It's in the past. It's done. He also attacked New York and tried killing me on many many occasions, but you don't see us letting that get in the way. Steve, you said before that Loki is a member of this team. Everyone in this room has accepted it. What he did before that became a reality doesn't matter."

"And he's tried making it right," Vision said.

"Has he?" Tony challenged, "Or is that another show, while he's parading around behind the scenes?"

"Tony, that was always a possibility," Nat said. She wasn't happy with the news, but she wasn't an idiot either. "If anything, telling us what he did shows he can be trusted now. If he were still lying, he wouldn't give us reason to distrust him."

Tony rubbed his hands over his face, looking around the group for some silent agreement to let Loki off with this one.

"Did Wren know?" Tony asked.

Loki nodded.

"Of course she did," Tony muttered, pacing back and forth.

Zemo continued observing everything. He wasn't surprised, necessarily, by hearing the secrets between Loki and Wren...more like, enlightened. He smiled to himself.

"Ok, so you know when and where this dark stuff will be?" Tony said, jumping back to business like nothing had happened. 

Clearly, that was the signal that all was let go. Forgiven? Loki wasn't sure. But he didn't see hatred in those around him, and the looks of betrayal in their eyes had faded. Breathing a little easier, Loki allowed himself the hope that he hadn't screwed up another situation.

"Yes, I know when I go to him. I can confirm where he keeps it."

"And what about the army?" Clint said, "You gonna take it all by yourself?"

"If I do my job right, the army will never be summoned. I can take the Aether and have him out before he has a chance to touch the control."

"So we have the Aether from Knowhere, power and space stones from Asgard, mind and time from 2012, and soul stone from Vormir," Nat read off the list from her notepad.