Learning to Love Again | Loki Fanfic

Chapter 6 - Press Conference

Astrid was impressed. She knew Natasha didn't have any magic in her, and she wondered how she knew this. "Give me a minute."

"Loki?" Astrid sent the thought to him, hoping his mind was open to listen.

There was silence for a few moments, before she heard his mind-voice. "Yes?"

"What happened?" She asked.

"I got out. Same thing you should do," Loki responded.

"I can't," Astrid said.

"Why not?" Loki asked.

Astrid didn't answer the question, instead asking a question of her own. "Are you coming back?"

There was silence, before a hesitant, "No."

Astrid smiled. "Okay...Well, good luck running from your brother."

Astrid closed her mind from him and turned to Natasha who stood there waiting patiently. "He'll be back." She said truthfully. The small pause before the 'No' was enough of a sign for her to see that he wasn't sure, which was close enough to yes for her.

Natasha nodded. "Better be back before the press conference."

"He will be." Well, she hoped so.

   *

A few hours later, Tony was on the edge of a full blown panic. Pepper had brought Astrid clothes for the conference, and everyone gathered in the limo as they waited for Loki to arrive to exit it. It would look unprofessional to enter and have Loki come later, or even miss it.

Tony sighed when the security guard knocked on the door to ask if everything was okay. He delayed for another few seconds, before opening the door and walking down the red carpet.

Steve gave Astrid a stern look before exiting as well. She pouted, why was it her problem that Loki left? She didn't control him.

The rest of the Avengers exited the limo as they smiled and waved to the cameras. Soon it was just Natasha and Astrid in the car, and Natasha gave her a pleading look, which she knew as a plea to call Loki, before exiting and leaving Astrid alone in the car.

Astrid took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she projected to Loki. If you're going to appear, it has to be now. Don't do it for me, or for them, do it for you. Show them that you can do whatever you want.

"I can do whatever I want, thank you very much." Astrid opened her eyes and grinned as she noticed the raven haired god seated next to her.

"See you on the other side," she smirked before exiting the limo and smiling to all the cameras as she posed for everyone.

She noticed Natasha's sigh of relief as she saw Loki exit the limo as well, using his magic to put on his armor that he wore when he attacked New York. A statement. She smirked as she saw it.

After an hour of posing and signing a few pictures, Astrid, Loki, and the rest of the Avengers all went backstage as everyone gathered outside as they waited for Tony to go on stage and speak.

"Alright everyone, I'm going to go on stage, say some dumb speech and then Loki and Akuma need to go up and answer some questions," Tony informed them.

"Wait, we have to go up there?" Astrid asked.

"Yeah. Got a problem with that?" Tony glared.

"Uh, nope. All great," she gave him a smile and he continued to talk to them about what was going to happen after, though she didn't pay attention.

What's your deal? Loki telepathically asked her.

What's your deal? She shot back.

What? You have stage fright or something? Loki asked.

Well I don't particularly like being bombarded with a hundred questions at once.

The trick is to just listen to them all for a few seconds, then pick the easiest one to answer. Loki told her.

You know this how?

I've been to my fair share of conferences since I've been on Midgard.

Astrid took a deep breath as Loki continued talking with her. Just look at the front few rows where all the people who will ask you questions will be. Pretend everyone else isn't there and it's easy.

You sound like you speak from experience.

I only act unshakable on the outside. No one is completely unshakable, they all have their tricks on how to cope. Loki explained.

Astrid was saved from having to respond to that confession as Natasha nudged her. "Akuma! It's your turn. You and Loki get up there so Stark can stop embarrassing himself."

The two teleported onto stage, for effect of course, startling poor Tony as the crowd cheered for them. Tony sighed and left the stage as the interviewers started peppering them with questions.

Astrid was glad Loki had told her what to do, or she would have freaked out. She listened to the crowd before pointing to a guy screaming out a question.

"Do you know what your name means?" He asked as he focused his camera on her.

"Of course I do."

"Then why keep it?" He asked.

"It's a choice. I chose this name." He started screaming out more questions but she ignored him as Loki picked a woman.

"Are you guys together?!" The woman asked causing Loki and Astrid to blush. Before the two could get out a real "No", the crowd started asking questions again and they realized they made a mistake.

The crowd took their hesitation as a yes, not what it was—that they were just surprised by the question.

Tony came in to save them then as the crowd groaned as he led them away.

"That was a disaster," Clint sighed.
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A/n: Seriously so sorry it's been so long since I posted on this story. I haven't really been writing on any of my stories and I'm so sorry to everyone who's waiting for a new chapter. I'm trying to get them out soon, I promise!
<3 - Hope