By Name Only

17)

      "Don't want to let you down
     But I am Hell bound..."

    (Tenshi's POV)

    Days have passed since the "Fury Incident" as we jokingly call it, and Christmas has come and gone (No, not the special). The team eagerly awaits the new year, the exception being Loki of course. I am thrilled at the idea of another year that I can prove myself to the Avengers and earn their trust for real.

    Currently, I am eating breakfast with the team, all of us in the usual places. Wanda sits closest to my right, with Thor in the corresponding position to my left. Loki is next to him, Thor between us. My eyes are cast onto my plate, more focused on the scrambled eggs, crisp bacon and brown toast than the chatter of the team. Wanda taps my shoulder.

    "Loki's staring at you," she whispers, leaning towards me. I turn to look at her, a confused expression on my face.

    "Why would he be staring at me? Did I miss something with my napkin a few minutes ago?"

    "No," she replies. "You don't have anything on your face. He's shielding his thoughts, but he looks almost puzzled, as though he's trying to figure something out."

    "Hm. Odd. He usually doesn't show interest in the rest of the team. What makes me so special, besides what I am?"

    "It's Loki. There's no real way of knowing his intentions unless you are him."

    "True. Is he still staring at me?"

    Wanda smirks. "See for yourself."

    Apprehensively, I raise my eyes. They immediately lock with Loki's. Loki looks smug. Blushing like a tomato, I thrust my head back down, taking extreme interest in the grains of the wooden table. Wanda laughs.

    "You like him, don't you?"

    My head shoots up. "Well, of course I think he's attractive, but I wouldn't go as far to say that I'm attracted to him specifically."

    "That's the wordiest denial I've ever heard."

    "I'm not denying anything."

    Wanda rolls her eyes. "Uh huh. And I'm the queen of Russia. Admit it. You like him. You wouldn't be borscht red if you didn't."

    "There's nothing to admit. Besides, he probably doesn't feel that way about me, either. Why would he? He could have any woman he wants."

    "Yup," she replies. "And guess what? He wants you."

    "No, he doesn't! I'm a demon, remember? No one's gonna want a demon. Especially not him."

    I look back at my empty plate. "Looks like I'm finished. I'll see you later, Wanda."

    She sighs. "See you, Tenshi."

    After putting my plate away, I head to my room to brush my teeth. As I gaze at my reflection in the mirror, Wanda's words come back to me.

    "You like him, don't you?"

    "He's shielding his thoughts, but he looks almost puzzled, as though he's trying to figure something out."

    I scoff to myself. What interest would Loki have in me anyway? As far as he's concerned, I'm just another person for him not to stab while he's doing his punishment.

    Rinsing my toothbrush, I glance at my door.

    "Of course I think he's attractive, but I'm not attracted to him specifically."

    Lie. I am attracted to him. But I'm not dumb enough to admit that in front of him. I'm blonde. I'm not stupid.

    I know that under that mysterious façade he's just insecure. He sees his race as monsters when he couldn't be further from the truth. He's a big sweetheart underneath it all and no matter how hard he tries to hide it, some parts of it show.

    The way he summoned a chair for me on my first night here, the careful way he handles his books, even the way he was staring at me during breakfast tells me that there's more to him than meets the eye.

    It hits me like a ton of bricks. Wanda was right.

    I do like Loki.

    A/n: I know it's short. Sorry. I wasn't really that inspired when I wrote this.