The Light that Shines Within

Papers and Arguments

Steve

I smiled to myself and put his note in my pocket, pouring myself a mug of heaven. It really was nice of him to do that for me. But this was exactly what I had been worrying about with him. I wasn't some easy girl to mess with from the '40s when all a girl was supposed to do was wait until a man wanted you and you'd settle down and give him complete control over your life. I hoped that wasn't how Steve saw me. I was an Avenger, same as he was. And quite frankly a hell of a lot older than him too...

I turned around to sit at the table and ran right into someone very tall and very hard, wearing an SSR T-shirt and grey sweats. Oh shit.

He chuckled and looked down at me with a small smile and those blue eyes of his meeting my green ones. Behind me, my cloak nudged me lightly. At least she encouraged Steve's liking of me. I still wasn't sure about all this myself. "Woah there, Cass. You'll spill that all over your shirt," he said, holding my cup as I jerked when we collided. My face was just inches from his shoulders and I couldn't help but blush a little. I hadn't expected him to be so quiet and I wasn't really expecting him to be up... And in his workout clothes...

I tried to compose myself and took some deep breaths. "T... thanks, Steve," I managed as gracefully as I could. He let go of my cup, handing it back to me. "You're very welcome." He reached around me and picked up his own cup of coffee, joining me at the table eventually. I opened my computer right away to keep from looking at him with all this embarrassment in the air. It was distracting me from my paper on the Romans' usage of reinforcement systems in the Coliseum. I decided to act natural.

"So, why are you up so late? Got a mission at a pyjama party or something?" I joked, typing my title. He chuckled, shaking his head. "A real mission, then?" Again he shook his head. "I really just wanted to see you. Maybe, once you're done with whatever you're doing there, we could go for breakfast?" His smile became nervous and I smiled back apologetically, gesturing to my laptop. "Sorry, I have this paper due before I leave for PAX, get all my stuff packed for said event, and get ready one god for the same event. And one uncle to formally inform if the days I will be gone so he doesn't try putting me on a mission. I'm swamped for today." 

Steve nodded calmly at first, then slowly his face fell and he was even maybe a little bit surprised. He looked at me with this intense stare. Something like... concern in his eyes... But why?

"You're taking... Loki with you?" He emphasized my new friend's name with anger hidden underneath his calmness. I nodded, somewhat angry myself now. And a little confused too. This entire month and half of him being here, I was the only one 'Loki-sitting'.  No one else bothered to offer if I wanted a break from my duty. Not even his own brother! 

But then again, Thor's non-involvement might have also been caused by my little outburst on the first day Loki spent on Earth. It was only self-explainitory that I take him with me to the convention. 'Cause Loki could be very disagreeable with the others, and I didn't want him breaking the calm streak he had going on with me. He was a model citizen so far. So why didn't he deserve a break? Get a chance to get out of this Tower? I mean, he was already in exile, what more punishment did he deserve than to never go home? See his mother? It was enough as it was in my opinion. 

I rose an eyebrow and looked at Steve from the top of my laptop. "What? Are you surprised I'm taking him with me?" I asked, annoyed. "Because I haven't seen anyone else take a turn watching the God of Mischief, you know." Steve didn't know what to say to that. That much was clear on his face. Somewhat surprised, maybe a little guilty. "I know that, but-"

"But nothing, Steve," I said, typing furiously on my keypad. "You guys have all been going on missions, vacations in Clint's case, home in Thor's case! I haven't seen my father in nearly a year. You know what's that's like? Nope. And just like the prisoner I'm guarding, I'm stuck in this bloody fucking tower and not allowed to leave! The last time I was outside in the open was the night he arrived, a fucking month ago." My agitation broke and I just focused on my work in silence, not even looking up at the super-soldier for his reaction. I knew exactly how Loki felt right now.

Trapped. 

Steve sighed several minutes later, getting up from his seat and going around behind me, I guessed for more coffee. "Cass... I'm sorry," he spoke kindly, soft and a bit defeated. I could only imagine what his face looked like at the moment. "That you've been all cooped up in here, that we haven't done our share of the work." I heard coffee being poured and his slow footsteps. "But you're the only person who he would behave for. The only one who didn't have a chance to meet him before a month ago. You didn't have a chance to hate him as we did. The rest of us would probably provoke him out of spite just to see him locked up in a cell as he deserves." He sat down right next to me, sitting his mug down on the table and looking at me so sadly and remorsefully I stopped typing to listen. 

"And I should have stood up for you when you got the job in the first place to watch him. I of all people should have seen you were upset before you had to tell me. I'm sorry, Cassandra. Could you ever forgive me?" Steve practically begged before I nodded. He smiled gratefully. "Thank you."

"Your welcome."  I went back to my paper and talked to Steve about other random shit until it was time to go about our days and saying goodbye. It was a huge weight off my chest and I was glad for the two things I accomplished today. I folded up my laptop later after he left, and headed to the library so I could teach a god how to Netflix and chill.