Marvel Oneshots

Sleepless (Loki x reader)

You couldn't sleep. Again. Well, ok, it wasn't that you couldn't sleep, but more that you didn't want to face that nightmare twice in one night. Unfortunately, it was 2 in the morning and there was nothing actual to do for hours yet.

So you got out of bed to find something to do besides face that nightmare again. You wandered the silent halls for awhile, ending up in the library as usual. You were surprised that Loki wasn't here. You usually found him here on your midnight strolls. He was pleasant company and didn't mind reading quietly with you or discussing books. He also kept your midnight strolls quiet from the others. They didn't need to know about the nightmares.

You grabbed a book that looked interesting and decided to go see where the wayward Trickster was hiding tonight. Everyone still seemed to avoid him and some were outright hostile towards him. He had changed, though, and seemed open to your friendship at least.

You found him in the livingroom sipping on a cup of tea while he read a book on your favorite couch. "Good evening, Loki," you greeted him so as not to startle him. He looked up from his book and gave you a rare smile.

"Good evening," he replied with a regal nod. "You could not sleep either?" he asked. You shook your head.

"One nightmare was enough for one night," you answered. It was somehow safe to admit your nightmares around him. He had them too. "May I join you?" you were friends, and yes, you'd like more, but it was still best to be polite with him.

He nodded again. "Of course." He summoned a cup of tea for you with magic.

"Thanks. What are you reading tonight?" you asked him. He always found the most interesting things to read.

"Old tales from Asgard," he replied, smiling fondly at the leather-bound book that was written in characters you couldn't read.

"Ooh, that sounds interesting," you replied with genuine curiosity and interest. New reading material was always of interest. "Is there a copy in English? I'd be interested in reading it,"

He finally softened into the friend you were used to having late at night. It always took him a couple minutes to relax his formal regal demeanor. He was so used to keeping his guard up around the others, that it took him a little while to remember you were his friend and not going to hurt him. You smiled at him once he had, it was always nice to see this side of him. "No, love, there is no English version. However..." he paused and you waited patiently, sipping on your tea. The key with his friendship was a lot of patience, and a willingness to partake in pranks and tricks with him when he got too bored or lonely. The other trick was to avoid letting him get that bored and lonely, but that was more difficult than it sounded. "If you would like, I could read them to you," he offered, hesitantly, warily, a fear of rejection in his voice.

"You'd do that?" you asked, more excited than you needed to be to reassure him.

"If you would like," he repeated, still scared.

"That's amazing!" you replied. Somehow the two of you moved positions so you were couch with your head on his chest where you could see the pages, even though you couldn't read the words on them. He flipped the book back to the beginning and began to read. His voice was soft warm honey and his accent was pleasing. By pleasing you meant damn sexy. You laid in his arms, listening to the tales of his childhood for a long while that night.

*

"And what do we have here?" Clint's voice asked. You and Loki both shot up from where you were laying together on the couch, books clattering to the floor. The sun was well up. You looked over at Loki and couldn't help but laugh at how disheveled he was and how very very red. You were sure you were about as equally red. All of the Avengers were standing around your couch staring. Thor looked excited and impressed. The rest just looked...shocked.

You looked back to Loki. "Go, teleport yourself out of here. Save yourself!" your voice was light, teasing, full of laughter. He laughed in return.

"I shall not abandon you to face the inquisition alone," he replied with a laugh. The others just continued to stare. Only Thor had ever seen Loki like this before.

"I'm out of here. This is obviously Bizzaro world and I want nothing to do with it," Stark announced and stomped off.

"We couldn't sleep," you volunteered for the others.

"You looked pretty asleep," Clint commented dryly. There were then a thousand questions. Most of them variants of 'so are you two a thing now?' You answered repeatedly that you were friends and had fallen asleep on the couch after a sleepless night. None of them seemed to believe it.

It was Thor who came to your rescue. "Leave them be," he boomed. The others finally left, bored with the game since Thor was putting an end to it. "I am glad you finally made a friend, Brother," Thor told Loki, then turned to you. "He did not do anything unseemly, did he, Lady Y/N?" he asked. You couldn't help laughing at the absurdity of his question while Loki spluttered that he would never do such a thing.

"Thank you for your concern, Thor, but there's no need for it. Your brother was a perfect gentleman," you replied. You turned back to Loki. "Quick, let's escape before the rest of the inquisition comes back," you offered him your hand. He took it hesitantly and you jumped to your feet, hauling him with you, and ran to the elevator before the others could see you. Loki laughed as you dragged him along behind you. He seemed to be enjoying your childish antics. You finally paused you escape when you reached Loki's room. "We should be safe now," you laughed.

"I do not think we are going to be safe for a long while," he replied. He then turned, looking like he had made some decision. "So a little more fodder for their talk would not make anything worse," he added. You looked up at him confused. What on earth was he talking about? He stepped closer, wrapping an arm around you so you didn't flee. He pushed your hair back from your face and leaned down, pausing when his lips were centimeters from yours. "May I?" he asked. You couldn't think of words, could only nod your reply. You had been wanting this for awhile, but had had to take things so slowly with him not to scare him away from even friendship. It looked like he was acting the same way.

"Yes," you finally managed to whisper.

He closed the last couple of centimeters distance between your lips and his, and gave you the very best kiss you had ever experienced. "I have been wanting to do that for a very long time," he finally said when he broke the kiss.

"So have I," you replied a little breathlessly.

"Not a couple, huh?" Clint asked from further down the hallway. You both spun to face him. He was stupidly good at sneaking up on you today.

"Not until about thirty seconds ago. Thanks for interrupting, Barton," you grumbled at him. He shrugged.

"If you didn't want interrupted, you shouldn't have been kissing in the hallway, also don't care what you two do. Though if you're nice, I'll send you the pictures," he held up his phone.

"We're very nice," you promised him and made him laugh.

"Sure you are, Y/N. Anyway, Nat wants you downstairs for weapons training. She has a new 'shiny' she wants to show you," Clint delivered his message and left.

You turned back to Loki, who was still looking embarrassed. You stood up on your toes to kiss him lightly. "We'll continue this conversation later," you promised and went to follow Clint to the training room and Nat's new toy.

"I think I will enjoy that conversation very much, darling," Loki called after you.