The Sound of Silence

Chapter 8

  You let Loki walk you to the car and smiled when he opened your door for you. You had expected the courtesy. Living with the Asgardian for weeks had reminded you very quickly of all the courtesies you had forgotten and taught you ones you weren't quite sure were real things...

[You know how to drive?] you asked Loki before you would take the passenger seat. You had your license, or at least you'd gotten it right before you'd been taken. You still needed to get Nat and Clint to make you new IDs and papers, or talk to your family.

"I know how. Clint taught me one afternoon," he replied, "and Lady Natasha even gave me an ID that says that I am allowed to do so," he added with a smile. You returned his smile and settled in the car, pulling your phone out of your pocket so you could get the GPS set up to give directions to Loki while he drove. You didn't want him to have to try to read your signs and keep his eyes on the road at the same time.

You ended up at the giant mall nearby. It seemed like the easiest place to have the most fun. He parked near the doors to the mall and you tried to ignore the cars that had followed you from the press conference. They must have been the paparazzi that Cap wanted you to be normal in front of.

You touched Loki's arm before he got out of the car to get his attention. He looked over at you. [Most people don't sign] you warned him. [You're going to have to do all of the talking]

"They don't sign?" he asked, confused. He was used to everyone in the tower who did sign.

You shook your head. [No. Even the Avengers only know how because of Clint, and now me]. He sighed and looked put-upon.

"Very well. I can speak to the boring Midgardians. And not stab them," he added quickly with a grin, which earned him a giggle. He was out of the car and at your door before you had even put your phone back in your pocket. You were grateful to Nat for insisting on dresses with pockets, since she hadn't felt the need for you to bring a purse to press conference. Loki offered you a hand when he opened your car door. You placed your hand lightly in his and stepped out of the car. "What are they doing?" Loki asked when he noticed the photographers taking pictures of the two of you.

[They're the...news people] dammit, you kept forgetting words, though you weren't sure you ever knew the word for 'paparazzi' [Cap wants to see us] you explained quickly. [They're taking pictures of us]

Loki gave you his Cheshire cat grin in reply and lifted your hand to his lips, bowing over it to place a kiss on the back of your hand. He was going to have way too much fun today annoying the paparazzi. Or making every female in the vicinity swoon over his overly romantic gestures. You grinned in reply and placed your hand on the arm he offered so he could walk you into the mall.

You cursed Cap and Nat for setting you up to be uncomfortable. The mall was crowded on a Saturday. You and Loki were drawing a lot of attention, especially with the press trying to catch good pictures of you. He was Loki, and you were covered in very visible scars. You saw his attention shift, though it was only the slightest change in his appearance, as he listened to the crowd around you. There were too many people commenting on your scars. He dropped your hand and gracefully slipped out of his suit jacket. "It is cold in here, darling," he said, loudly enough to be heard by those nearby as he helped you put the suit jacket on. You heard the clicks of the cameras nearby and kissed his cheek before he'd straightened again from helping you with the jacket. You would have done it anyway, it was a perfectly friendly and totally not romantic gesture to say 'thank you'... "You're welcome," he replied with a smile. "Now, what fun shall we find is this marvelous place you've brought me to?"

You took his hand and led him to the movie theater in the middle of the mall. You stopped outside to look over the showtimes and the movies that were playing. This was going to be hard.