Hurricane (Chapter 2)
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Fandoms: The Avengers (2012), Tom Hiddleston Fandom
Pairing: Tom Hiddleston/Original Characters, A Bit Of Platonic Tom Hiddleston/Loki
Rating: R (Sexual References, Language, Intense Violence)
Notes:Â Semi-inspired by and named after âHurricaneâ by 30 Seconds to Mars. Hence the chapter titles as well. Sequel/prequel to Lights, detailing Tasedioâs backstory.
Summary:Â Heâs a tropical storm, forged by the skies and shaped by the world in order to bring the humans to their knees. A force of nature, uncontrollable, he destroys everything in his path. He existed before them and will exist when they are gone. He is everlasting and unstoppable.
But he doesnât want this. He never wanted this.
Chapter 2: No matter how many breaths that you took you still couldn't breathe
âTasedio, they are everywhere.â
Atusiel sounded more exasperated than usual. âHm?â he asked, rubbing his eyes as he sat up. This was a fine way to wake up: Atu already bitching at him at something heâd done. Wonderful. This was going to be a splendid day. He sighed to himself and blinked away the sleep. âWhat are you on about?â
âThe humans. Theyâre a species now. Theyâve reproduced past anything you couldâve anticipated and now theyâre everywhere.â
âAnd you can control them, as youâve found out during your experiments on the poor things. Just manipulate them, as you are wont to do, and let me go back to sleep.â He flopped back down and rolled over, mashing his face definitively into his bed. But Atusiel didnât leave, despite Tasedioâs obvious lack of enthusiasm.
âThey are driving us out of our home. That is the point I have been trying to make. They are everywhere and they are spreading. I can force them back for a while, but they will continue to reproduce and spread until they eventually run out of room. As I speak they are settling in our area. We will need to leave. They are xenophobic. Until we can appear as them, until we have sufficiently observed them, we must keep our distance. If we do not, they will surely imprison us.â
âAre you quite serious?â Tasedio asked, finally sitting up again and paying attention. âHow would they imprison us? We are more powerful than they are. They could not hope to stand a chance.â Atusiel shook his head, turning toward the door.
âThey have something we do not, something we will never have. They have numbers, and no matter how powerful we are, they may still overcome us.â
âWait.âÂ
Atusiel stopped, turning back to face Tasedio. âWhat?â
There was a bit of a shake in his voice when he spoke. âAre we splitting up?â
It was then, for the first time, that Atusiel could not bear to face his fellow. âYes,â he said, his voice low. âThere is no other way. We may be able to meet up in the future, once we have learned how to blend in, but until then we must separate.â
âThen Iâm sorry that I could never stop annoying you,â Tasedio replied, and threw his arms around his friend, squeezing as hard as he could manage for a few seconds before letting go. âGoodbye, Atu.â
Then he ran.
 Tasedio was, naturally, the first to discover the most terrifying and dangerous thing about the humans. Posurin had been keeping them in touch with one another so they could know what was going on with relative ease. All the rest of them seemed to be much closer together physically, but that was neither here nor thereâTasedio had always been a bit of a loner, and it didnât matter at the current time anyway. In fact, Tasedio was glad no one else was around. That way, no one could make fun of him when he was inevitably enslaved or killed. He wasnât sure the humans could kill him, but if they could, he was sure they would find a way.
It had started out rather innocently, with him approaching a small group of people and trying to understand their customs and traditions. It had been several hundred years since heâd last had contact with them, and he wanted to know how theyâd grown. Heâd introduced himself, as had they, and then it had hit him like a sack of bricks. They invited him to do things, things he didnât really want to do, but when they said his name, it sounded so exquisite and euphoric in ways it never had with his fellows that he couldnât disagree. It was much like dealing with Atusiel when he used his abilitiesâthe only answer was thoughtless compliance. Resistance was painful and ultimately futile, and they both made taking orders feel much better than it shouldâve. This frustrated Tasedio, though he couldnât call out for help from Posurin since his mind was currently being commandeered.
âYou are very agreeable, Tasedio,â one of them said, and he nodded. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew it wasnât intended to be a command, but that didnât matter right now. It was getting to the point where he didnât mind taking orders from them. Every time he obeyed them, he got a rush of pleasure, and leaving or contacting the others would certainly stop that. Nothing truly bad had come of it so far, so why not continue?
âWhere are you from? Tell us of your origin, of your lands.â
There was the kicker.
âI- I canât,â he stammered, grinning and backing up a bit with his hands up in a gesture of peace. âYou wouldnât know them, very far awayâŠâ He took the moment of pause to send out a distress signal to Posurin, a call for help. âVery strange.â
âOh, but they sound so interesting! You must tell us all about them, Tasedio!â they exclaimed, and another wave of pleasure silenced his mind instantly. It was peaceful in his mind, quiet, empty. Surely no harm could come of telling them about his people. He had to tell them. There was no choice.
âWell, the first wasââ
âTasedio!â a voice shouted, and this time it didnât make him feel compliant in the slightest. This was strange considering the person it was coming from. âWhat are you doing here? Weâve been worried about you.â
The trickster very nearly addressed his former companion by his full name, but stopped himself before he did so. âAtu,â he said, âitâs good to see you again. These are just some people Iâve been talking to. They were just asking about you, actually.â
âAnd did you tell them anything?â he asked, giving Tasedio an accusatory look.Â
âNo. Iâd just started when you arrived.â He scratched his head sheepishly, then lowered his voice to a whisper. âTheyâre, ahâŠâ He swallowed, nervous. âPersuasive. Like you, a bit. More than a bit, really.â
Atusielâs eyebrows shot up as he took Tasedio by the wrist. âWeâre leaving. Now.â
âLook, Iâd love to,â Tasedio replied, âbut I, uh⊠I canât. They wonât let me.â
âWonât let you?â Atusiel scoffed, turning up his nose. âThat is possibly the most pathetic excuse Iâve ever heard for not leaving.â
It was about at this point that the humans decided to speak up. âBut he canât leave,â one said, a female youth. âHeâs only just showed up, and we were having fun. Werenât we, Tasedio?â Heâd never felt so much regret in his life as he felt the compliance wash over him, forcing him to nod in front of Atusiel.
âYes,â he said, his voice flat. âI canât leave.â Atusiel tugged at his wrist again, but this time he moved even less than before, frozen in place by the half-command given to him by the young girl.
âCome on,â Atu growled under his breath, but Tasedio only gave him a blank stare in response. Sighing, he focused for a moment, then looked back at his companion. âWe are leaving,â he restated, his voice suddenly compelling, âright now.â
Something cracked inside of Tasedio. The conflict of commands both required him to move and would not allow him to, and they must have been about equal in strength for he could not let either dominate him. He felt as if he were detached from his body, watching his own eyes turn glassy and a slight, crazed smile break out on his face as he froze in place. He was definitely not experiencing this. Atusiel grabbed his bodyâs wrist and tugged again, and his whole body seemed to go limp and collapse. He was still frighteningly aware of everything around him, but he wasnât able to communicate with his body, nor was he apparently able to stand. He watched as Atusiel apologized to the group, then slung the limp body over his shoulder and struggled his way back to his own tiny camp.
Putting Tasedioâs body down on his own bed, Atusiel then got to work trying to awaken him. âAre you in there?â he asked, and Tasedio wanted to say that he was, but couldnât seem to connect his words to his throat. The manipulator started to panic, his eyes wide as he shook his former companion. âGet up, Tasedio. Get up. You have to. Theyâre going to think I killed you.â Mentally, Tasedio narrowed his eyes. Heâd known Atusiel to be callous, but not this much. The other did look worried, though. Clearing his throat, he finally seemed to get an idea. âObey me, and only me.â Tasedio blinked once, twice, then shuddered.Â
âI donât want to,â he replied, his voice small. He was resisting more than heâd ever been able to, but still wasnât able to stop himself from letting out a small whimper of fear. âPlease donât force me to.â It was astounding, though, that such a command had thrown him back into the moment faster than he couldâve anticipated.
Atusiel reached out to him, shushing him and stroking his hair, his voice retaining its odd, soothing quality. âItâs alright, Tasedio. Iâm not going to harm you. The others have abandoned you, besides. Arasen couldâve come to save you much easier than I, but she chose to leave you to the humans. She doesnât care about you. She is allying more strongly with Posurin, besides. They are becoming a⊠a bit of a thing. Theyâve kissed now.â Tasedio didnât question any of what Atusiel was telling him. Heâd started out with something that made sense, gained Tasâ trust, and now he couldnât help it. Rage and pain festered in his chest, and he held back his emotions as he sat up. âI aided you, and I will help you more than they ever could,â Atusiel continued. âJust give me your mind and I will make certain that you are safe. I will make it alright.â
âYou promise?â Tasedio asked, looking at his companion with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. âYou wonât let me get into danger like that again?â
âThey canât control you using your name if youâll only obey me, Tasedio,â Atusiel replied with a laugh, ruffling his hair. âIâm not forcing you to, but I think you and I would both be much better off if you did join me.â
âOne last question,â he said as Atu continued to smile at him. âWhereâs Lanadel?â
Atusiel shook his head. âOff somewhere. We were supposed to split up, you know. Posurin and Arasen didnât listen, but the rest of us did and we havenât come across each other much since then. Posurin wonât tell me her exact location, of course, so I havenât been able to talk to her in private. The only reason he disclosed yours was because he wanted to keep you away from him and knew I wouldnât go near him. But weâre going to confront him, Tasedio, if that is what you wish, and if you give me control.â
âYes,â Tasedio murmured, nodding. âI want to confront them about this. If Arasen doesnât like meâŠâ He swallowed, his face twisting with grief. âThen I suppose thatâs fine. But Iâd rather she tell me to my face, rather than lead me on like sheâs done and then do⊠this.â Looking up, he made eye contact with Atusiel and sighed. âJust do it. Take this pain away.â
âWonderful,â replied Atusiel.
 Life had never been so simple, so peaceful for Tasedio in all his memory.
For the next few days, he would just wake up and talk to Atusiel about what they planned to do, about what theyâd do after that, about themselves, about everything they could think of. They just sat and talked and ate and relaxed so theyâd be in good shape for what they were about to do. It was very nice after having been on the move for so long. Tasedio didnât like running anymore. Staying here where it was calm and quiet seemed like a much better idea. If he wanted to curl up in a ball and just sleep all day, Atusiel didnât stop him. If he wanted to go out of the camp, he was only asked to be back as soon as he could. Being controlled was so much more freeing than heâd ever imagined it would be. All of the important decisions were made for him, so he never had to worry.
It mustâve been the others, Tasedio thought. Atusiel was so calm and non-confrontational. But then, perhaps, it mightâve been him that had been at fault. Now that he was safe and under Atusielâs control, he was much more agreeable. He wasnât sure what had been so wrong with him before that heâd always argued with everyone. It didnât matter now, though. The others were the ones causing problems, not him. All he needed to do was follow Atusielâs directions, and everything would be alright.
But here they were now, confronting Arasen. She was playing dumb, pretending she didnât know what they were talking about. The rage burned in Tasedioâs eyes as he spoke. âI know you donât love me, but you couldâve at least said it to my face,â he growled, walking toward her. She would always glance back, as if to make sure she still had somewhere to go if she could no longer handle it.Â
Tasedio thought that was funny. Of course sheâd run away. That was all she ever did.
âWho told you that?â she asked, obviously feigning her sorrow. âWas it Atusiel? You know he lies and manipulates! Thatâs all heâs ever done! Why would you let yourself fall to him? Youâre not stupid, Tas.â
âSilence!â he demanded, his voice rising. âHe helped me when you wouldnât. You and Posurin wouldâve left me at the mercy of the humans! You wouldâve let them have their way with me, no matter what that was! I couldâve been enslaved for life and you wouldnât have thought to aid me!â
âYou are enslaved!â she shouted back. âAtusielâs got you in his grip and you donât even realize it! I was the one who brought him over there in the first place! The camp he took you to was mine! I was going to bring you out, but he insisted that he be the one to get you out of there and wouldnât let me follow. Then he kicked me out of my own damn camp and made me live in his!â She stepped forward, holding Tasedioâs face and making sure he didnât look away. âPlease listen to me. I love you, but I donât love you so much that I wonât leave you if youâve decided to side with that asshole. Iâm not going to get with Posurin, because weâve never been more than friends. Iâd hate to be your enemy, but if youâre going to be a twit, I donât have a choice.â
Tasedio bit his lip. âI donât know. Do you⊠do you have any idea how good this feels?â His breath was shaky as he let it out, then drew in another slowly. âNot arguing with you. Being controlled, not having to make your own decisions. Itâs very soothing. I feel like Iâm a better person like this.â Cracking a weak smile, he continued. âI donât want to get on your bad side, Ara. Youâre too close to me for that to be desirable. But this is who I am now, at least for now. I am the Trickster, ever-changing. Donât expect this to last too long.â
Even as the words left his mouth, he felt a sting in his mind. Clutching his forehead, he sank to the ground. Things had been getting murky, but they were clearing up again. He shook his head, sitting up and looking at Arasen. âSo Iâm guessing this means youâre not with us. Ugh. I hardly remember anything thatâs just happened. Did we talk about Posurin? That was something I definitely wanted to discuss with you.â
But Arasen wasnât paying attention. âAtusiel!â she shouted, running around the area. âAtusiel, you coward, show yourself! Canât you see what youâre doing to him?âÂ
Tasedio was confused. Surely theyâd just been talking about her abandoning him? âWhat are you talking about?â he asked, narrowing his eyes at her as he remained on the ground. âIâm fine.âÂ
She ignored him, running around as if frantic. âIâll make you wish you could die!â she shouted, and Tasedio felt a presence at his back.
âWe should go,â whispered Atusiel. âI feel sheâs very⊠angry. Perhaps she feels the pain you felt when she betrayed you.â
âI hope so,â Tasedio replied with a nod. âMaybe then when she has remorse for it, we can be friends again.â
Atusiel took a breath, as if to speak, then shook his head and looked down. âYes. Perhaps.â He took Tasedio by the wrist, leading him out of the clearing. Tas was quite intrigued that Arasen didnât seem to notice that the man she was looking for was right in plain sight the whole time. Perhaps Atu had used his cleverness and his powers to evade her perception, he thought.
It was some time before he spoke with any of the others again. He and Atusiel spend a great deal of time together, with Atusiel learning nearly all there was to learn about Tasedio. What he liked, what he didnât like⊠Everything was open to him, and Tas was happy to provide him with the information. He talked about how he didnât like being so naĂŻve, so easy to manipulate. He always seemed to think that people had the best intentions, and they exploited him so much, and it upset him. He was grateful that Atusiel wasnât treating him like this, and he said so, but when he did, Atu seemed to look a bit sad. So he changed topics.
They conversed at great length for a very long time until one day, Atusiel went missing. He wasnât sure why or how, only that he felt strangely hollow without anyone around to command him. So he sat and waited for Atusiel to return. He was waiting maybe three days when he fell unconscious in the middle of the day without warning. When he woke, he was restrained and facing Arasen. Panic coursed through his system as he wondered what they were going to do to him, to Atusiel.
âWell, this was unexpected,â he said, pretending to brush it off. âI knew you had some sort of plans to get rid of me. Go ahead. Do your worst. I wonât tell you where Atusiel is, I donât know.â Mentally, he tried to contact him, but to no availâPosurin was paying attention to what was being communicated, and stopped it dead before it reached its intended target.
âYou idiot.â Arasen buried her face in her hands. âWeâre going to break his hold on you. Now hold still.â
Tasedio, of course, did not want to hold still. He squirmed and thrashed, but something held him in place very tightly. As Atusiel and a small girl were brought into the room, he grew more and more confused. âYou were the ones who took him?â he asked. âHowâd you get him to stay docile and not come find me? Whenever humans got close, heâd ask me to get rid of them. I assumed heâd do the same for you.â
âHe almost did,â Arasen replied. âWe stopped him from contacting you. It did take us a while to get him completely under control where he wouldnât be trying to manipulate us, but when we got it, we took you here so that we could fix things.â
âWhoâs we,â Tasedio asked, âand why are you doing this? We were working just fine.â
Arasen rolled her eyes and ignored the first question. âAllowing Atusiel to enslave one of us is just wrong. We all agreed that letting you go was the right thing to do. Well, except Lanadel, but I havenât seen her in ages. Posurin knows where she is, but he says she doesnât want to be disturbed. Needs some private time, I guess.â Sighing, she circled around to Tasedioâs other side. âNow then.â She looked over at the little girl and nodded, then stepped back.
The girl seemed like she was quite young, and it disgusted Tasedio that they would use a child that doesnât know what itâs saying yet in order to use Atusiel in that way. âAtusiel,â she said, her voice small and hopeful. As she did, Atuâs expression went from one of fear and bitterness to the purest calm Tasedio had ever seen on someoneâs face. He knew that feeling. He couldnât blame Atu for succumbing so quickly, either. Heâd done the same thing. âPlease release Tas from your control.â
Tasedio noted, very quickly, that she hadnât used his whole nameâprobably on purpose, considering the power it hadâjust before he realized what the little girl was saying. Squirming, he tried to escape his seat, but he was still held tight even as Atusiel said something he didnât quite listen to.
Then all of it just stopped. His desire to get away, his ties to Atu, his bitterness toward Arasen and Posurinâall of it faded as he sat and blinked. âWhat just happened?â he asked, looking between his two companions that were present and the girl. âArasen? Whatâs going on? Where are we?â He felt dizzy.
âAre you okay?â She seemed concerned.
Tasedio blinked. âAsk me again when the room stops spinning.â
Arasen put her hands on his shoulders. âListen to me, Tas,â she said, shaking him a bit. âYouâre free now. You donât have to listen to Atusiel.â
Frowning, Tasedio focused on her. âI did want it, though, Ara,â he said under his breath. âI need safety right now, security, company. I canât be alone to make my own decisions. Iâve only gotten into trouble while I was alone. Please donât make him leave. I donât think I can do this, not yet.â
Arasen sighed as her hands travelled down his arms and rubbed them softly, trying to comfort him. âShh,â she intoned, her voice similarly small. âIâll stay with you if you need someone around. I can hang around and tell you what to do if you canât function on your own.â
He smiled, nodding. âPlease do. Iâm sorry this happened, that I let myself succumb to him. Iâd really like to spend more time around you. Iâll go wherever you want. Itâll be like an adventure.â
âYeah.â She stepped around him, and he felt his bindings release. âI need to talk to Lanadel, and she doesnât want anyone elseâs input but mine. Obviously Posurin is going to hear too, so I donât think sheâll mind if you listen, but you canât engage in the conversation. Iâm not sure she wants to see anyone else right now. I donât know, Iâll have a chat with her. Thatâs not for a little while, though. Letâs get out of here first.â Arasen took his hand as he stood, and before he could blink, they were gone, off to their new destination.











