Collection of One-Shots

》a day off

you finally get a day off. smut

A day off, for a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, is a rarity and a luxury whether you are a field agent or a pencil pusher. Even though it was a day off you are still on alert as there is always the possibility that your skills will be needed, you just hoped you wouldn't receive that phone call. The new headquarters is much more spacious than the last with living facilities and other amenities, like a recreational pool. Hardly anyone ever uses it but you found yourself there quite often, before work and afterward on shorter days. The only other person you had seen there besides yourself was Loki.

The God of Mischief was well-behaved ever since his return journey. According to Thor he had served time in prison and now was back by Odin's decree to help the realm he tried to rule as recompense. You did not see him much, in fact, most of the time you only spotted him in passing at first but after meeting him the first time at the pool he had a knack for finding you on days off if he too was free of work. This was one of those days again.

You had already done laps around the pool, as was your routine but now you relaxed. Floating haphazardly on your back. Vaguely you hear the door to the pool room slide open but as you have a pretty good guess as to who it is you don't even look up. "Hello, Loki." The calm of the water is disturbed as he enters as well.

"Agent." His greeting is curt, more so than usual but you accredit it to a bad day and don't even bother to open your eyes. It's the long silence that is imposing and hanging in the air that finally causes you to look in his direction. Yes, Loki was never one to carry on pointless conversations but you had noticed he seemed to enjoy talking to you if only to complain about the others and Fury, but today he was silent. You glance at him, noting that he looks worn, tired. Most likely from the mission, he had been sent on but what you did not necessarily expect to see was the square gauze coverings taped on his side and shoulder and the bruises on his ribs and cheek.

He looks preoccupied as he sits on the steps, the water just hitting his waist. You lazily swim back to the shallow end of the pool, not wanting to come off as being too concerned as you knew he would mistake it for pity. "Loki?" You eye him cautiously.

"Yes, Agent?" You frown for a moment, half wishing he would call you by your first name and not the title of your occupation. Regardless of whether he wished for you to move beside him, you did, sitting on the same step he was perched on an arm's length away.

"Will you tell me what happened?" The volume of your voice surprises you, the question comes out as more of a whisper than anything else, and instantly Loki looks at you with furrowed brows.

"Incorrect information, they knew we were coming." He sighs and looks away, clearly frustrated with either the failed mission or perhaps your pestering questions. Maybe both. But you don't need to hear anything else as you knew the feeling of a failed mission well. Looking down at the water you become hyper-aware of every molecule, as you often did when flaunting your mutation as it was controllable and not visible to the normal eye. It was Loki who grew curious now, his eyes following your motions as you move your hand through the water causing small waves to form until your palm begins to glow alas. "What are you doing, mortal?"

He is staring at you, intently and you might even dare say there was a hint of awe in his crystalline green eyes. "I'm a mutant, Loki. Haven't you wondered why you always find me here?" Once more he looks distant in thought but nods as it was a curious thing that one would visit the pool on nearly a daily basis. "I can manipulate water but I can also use it to heal." You lift your hand from the water but still a small amount remained around your hand, glowing brightly. "May I?"

The god does not respond but he showed no sign of resistance either, timidly you raise your hand to his cheek. His eyes close at the contact and his lips part, but under your ministrations, the black and blue discoloration on his skin fades into nothingness and the perfect porcelain complexion has returned. Loki jumps a little when you take your hand away from his face and press lightly against his bruised ribs. It takes longer to heal as the area is larger but you can't help but notice the hard muscle beneath his skin.