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had begun to enjoy Sakaar, and let the time pass aimlessly. Though Alex still had her doubts about the place, she knew she was safe from harm whenever she was with Loki. She often had nightmares about the missions she'd been on, but waking up to Loki next to her was an instant calmer.

However, just when she was beginning to feel comfortable, a small reminder of the outside world popped up. Loki and Alex sat in the lounge, talking amongst random people, when they spotted him.

Or, rather, when he spotted them.

"Loki," The voice belonged to Thor, who was strapped to a chair similar to the one Alex had sat in when she first arrived.

The pair walked nonchalantly over to Thor, who was frantic.

"You're alive?" Loki asked.

"Yes, of course I'm alive,"

"What are you doing here?" Alex spoke, wondering why he wasn't in Asgard.

"What do you mean, what am I doing? I'm stuck in this stupid chair--where's your chair?"

"I didn't get a chair." Loki deadpanned.

"Wait, you didn't get a chair?" Alex rose an eyebrow.

"You got one?"

"Focus, you two, get me out of this one."

"Can't." Loki shrugged.

"What?"

"We've made friends with this man--he's called the Grandmaster."

"He's crazy!" Thor squirmed.

"I tried telling him that." Alex muttered.

"The Bifrost brought us out here weeks ago,"

"Weeks ago? I just got here--"

Suddenly, the Grandmaster popped up.

"What are you whispering about?" His eyes darted between the brothers. "Time works real different around these parts,"

He laughed, making a joke to himself. Alex exchanged an uncomfortable glance with the Grandmaster's right hand-woman, who was holding some weapon.

"In any case, you two know this...you call yourself Lord of Thunder?"

Thor gritted his teeth. "God of Thunder. Tell him,"

"I've never met this man in my life." Loki shrugged.

Alex rolled her eyes.

"He's my brother," Thor pled.

"Adopted." Loki corrected.

"Is he any kind of fighter?" The Grandmaster inquired.

Loki shrugged once again, and Alex nodded furiously. They looked at each other in annoyance, not on the same wavelength at all.

"Hey, Sparkles, here's the deal." He spoke, as Alex giggled at the nickname. "If you wanna get back to Ass-place, Assberg--"

"--Asgard." Thor was practically shaking in anger.

"Any contender who defeats my champion, their freedom they shall win."

"Fine, then point me in the direction of whoever's ass I have to kick." Thor muttered.

"That's what I call, contender! Direction would be this way, Lord."

The Grandmaster happily directed Thor's chair away, where he'd be prepared to fight. The Grandmaster waggled his fingers at the couple, who simply waved.

"Loki, let's talk in our room, shall we?" Alex kept an unsuspicious tone.

"Of course,"

They walked out of the lounge, and into the hotel. Maintaining a calm appearance, they walked hand in hand to their room. As soon as the door shut, Alex panicked.

"Loki, what the hell are we going to do? Thor could die!"

"Oh, quit the dramatics. Thor is an excellent fighter."

"I can't even think about the fact you just complimented your brother, I'm too worried for him--"

"Darling, he will be just fine. And, I told you, should we need to leave, we can."

"Yes, and you continue to keep how a secret."

Loki winked.

Alex stepped over toward him, wrapping her arms around his torso. He did the same, except brought his hand to the back of her head. He gingerly kissed the top of her head, and she smiled into his armor.

"I can speak to Thor. You'll see the room I'm projecting myself into, but he can't see you. Just me. But, you'll be able to hear him,"

"Alright," She nodded.

She watched as Loki expertly projected himself. Thor was sitting, praying in front of a wall in a cell-like room.

"It hurts, doesn't it? Being lied to." Loki spoke up the moment he entered the room. "Being told you're one thing and then learning it's all fiction,"

Thor seemed to ignore Loki, casually picking up a rock and chucking it at Loki's body. Alex laughed as it passed right through him.

"You didn't think I'd really come and see you, did you? This place is disgusting."

Another rock.

"Does this mean you don't want my help?"

Thor threw yet another rock, and Alex could tell Loki was beginning to become impatient.

"Look, I couldn't jeopardize my position with Grandmaster, it took me time to win his trust. Perhaps in time, an accident befalls the Grandmaster, and then..."

Alex rolled her eyes as Loki gestured himself slitting his throat. Thor responded by sampling tossing another rock at his brother.

"You're not seriously thinking of going back, are you? Our sister destroyed your hammer like a piece of glass. She's stronger than both of us. She's stronger than you. You don't stand a chance. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?" Loki glared at his brother, who gave him a hateful glance. "Say something!"

"What would you like me to say? You faked your own death, you stole the throne, stripped Odin of his power, stranded him on Earth--to die, releasing the Goddess of Death."

Alex counted on her fingers, nodding once he finished listing. "He's not wrong."

"Have I said enough, or do you want me to go further back than the past two days?"

Loki looked at the floor, nodding spitefully. "You know, I haven't seen this Beloved Champion he talks of, but I've heard he's astonishingly savage. I've placed a large wager against you tomorrow. Don't let me down."

Alex rolled her eyes once again as Loki stopped projecting. He paced in their room, and Alex sat watching him.

"Wanna talk?" She spoke.

"He's so stubborn," Loki griped.

"Could say it runs in the family,"

He waved her off. "I won't mind if the Champion does him in--"

"Loki, don't say that. You know you don't feel that way."

She stood up to grab his hands. "We'll figure all of this out. We'll go back to Asgard, or Earth--it doesn't matter. All that matters is that we're together,"

Loki looked down at her eyes, not saying anything. He dipped down to kiss her, letting his tongue slip into her mouth effortlessly. She allowed it, moving her lips against his. Her hand tugged on his hair lightly, and he grinned.

"Let's go, we don't want to miss the execution of His Majesty," He waggled his brows.

"Oh, stop it."

They left their room, where people flooded the hallways. Everyone was on their way to the arena, where the Contest of Champions would be held. Thousands of citizens took up the many levels of the arena. Due to Loki's charms toward the Grandmaster, they'd be viewing in his private box.

Ships hovered above, where pilots and scrappers were allowed to view from the comfort of their own aircraft. The Grandmaster projected himself to all of the citizens, giving a welcome speech of his own.

Alex and Loki sat side by side right against the glass, drinks in their hand. There was never a time where you weren't handed a drink, most likely to help one forget the wack-ass place Sakaar was.

"And now, without further ado, it's main event time!" He paused for the thunderous applause. "Making his first appearance, though he looks quite promising, got a couple of tricks up his sleeve. I'll say no more, see what you think. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you--the Lord of Thunder!"

The crowd booed as the gate opened to allow Thor into the arena. Alex nearly spit out her drink when she laid eyes on him.

"His hair," She spoke to Loki, who chuckled. "You know what, I don't hate it."

"Okay, this is it. Let's get ready to welcome this guy. Here he comes. He is a creature. What can we say bout him? Well, he's unique..." The Grandmaster babbled about his Champion.

Alex tapped her foot anxiously. The ground shook as something roared behind the gate opposite Thor. He simply fastened his helmet, and gripped his gear.

"Loki, I won't be able to watch Thor get torn apart,"

"Neither will I without popcorn."

She looked at him incredulously. "You know what popcorn is?"

"Yes, Alexandra, I don't live under a rock."

She rose her eyebrows, sipping on her drink. "Let's go back to the room after this, yeah?"

He grinned, turning his head toward her. "You little minx,"

Their attention turned back to the arena as green fireworks exploded and the Grandmaster kept speaking. "He's undefeated, He's the reigning, he's the defending--Ladies and gentlemen, I give you..."

The door slowly opened, and Alex struggled to keep her eyes on the scene as Loki dragged his hand up her leg. He grinned at her squirming, ignoring the crowd's cheers.

"The Incredible....." The Grandmaster was cut off by the Champion charging into the arena.

Alex's eyes widened, and she nudged Loki's side furiously. It took him a minute to snap out of his lustful haze, turning his head to the arena. His smirk dropped instantly.

The absolute last person Alex expected--Bruce. Scratch that, not Bruce.

The Hulk.

______________________________

𝚍𝚘 𝚢'𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚟𝚒𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝? 𝚒 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚢'𝚊𝚕𝚕

𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔𝚜 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚞𝚙 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚟𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜 :')