Loki's soft, gentle kisses on your neck wake you.
"Good morning, darling," he whispers, snaking his strong arms around your waist and pulling you tight to his chest.
"It's morning?" you mumble, tongue still heavy. "Already?"
Loki chuckles, his own voice rough and rugged with lingering traces of sleep. "Mhmm," he hums.
"But we just went to bed," you groan, giving the covers a pull as you try to slip your head beneath your pillow.
"And whose fault might that be?" Loki teases, pulling back the corner of the pillow to find your barely-cracked eyes. "All those hours drinking from those saccharine lips of yours, and still I did not drink from...any other chalice," he grins, a mischievous light in his eye as the hand on your stomach slips lower.
Your cheeks warm in embarrassment. You grab his wrist, and pull his hand back up over the covers. "I-I know," you stammer. "But that's...not why I came last night. You know that."
"I do," Loki nods. "But last night is past," he says, dragging the tip of his nose up the column of your neck, and taking your earlobe between his teeth. "'Tis a new morn."
The warmth of his breath across your skin sends a shiver down your spine. As he mouths at your neck, somewhere deep inside your mind your urge to step into his memories blossoms. It grows stronger as a playful touch traces gentle shapes on your stomach. But this time it's different. More familiar. Less of an instinctual urge, and more of a warming, calm invitation.
"Loki," you sigh, leaning your head back onto his shoulder. But a cold hand slips beneath your shirt, palming at your breast and sending jolts of arousal up your back.
"Yes?" he hums in amusement. But before you can respond, his other hand slips around your waist and dips below the band of your sweatpants. His fingertips run feather-light over your clothed entrance, eliciting a sharp gasp.
"Loki, stop," you snap, grabbing his wrist once more. "I-I...I can't."
"Why ever not, darling?" he croons, his tongue tracing the shell of your ear as he tries to free his hand from your grasp, and reach beneath the sheets once more.
"I said stop," you snap, pulling away. "Loki, seriously...I can't."
Loki tenses for a moment before shifting on his side, and propping himself up on the mattress and casting you a guarded, yet confused glance. "Have you changed your position on our affair?" he asks, that cold, neutral expression back in place.
"Affair?" you question. "What? No, I...it's not an affair, Loki, I just-."
"You have no need to explain," he says coldly, fully pulling his arms away.
"Explain what?" you ask, genuinely confused as to Loki's behavior. "Loki, listen, last night-."
"Ah," he hums as if in some sort of understanding, face falling into an expression of hurt even through his attempt at cold neutrality. "Well, fear not, human," he sneers. "This monster will not keep you here. You may go."
Monster?
You stare at him, mouth agape, trying to process what just happened. When suddenly it all clicks. Amused by the obvious misunderstanding, and how quickly Loki resorts to defensiveness, you let out a small scoff. "Are you breaking up with me?" you tease.
Now it's Loki's turn to look confused, as his hurt quickly simmers into skeptical curiosity. "Is that not what you want?" he questions.
"Oh my God," you groan, rolling your eyes. "If you had let me finish my sentence, I would have said 'last night I didn't shave'. Okay?" you laugh. "I haven't shaved in...well, a while. I didn't expect you to be out of your room. I didn't...you know," you mumble, embarrassed. "Prepare," you whisper, glancing down at your own thighs.
Loki stares at you in confused and disbelieving silence. So you shift in the bed, leaning into his side and resting your head in the crook of his neck. It's quiet for several long, almost awkward minutes until Loki clears his throat.
"I...could only assume that after what you witnessed last night, you no longer wished to further our entanglement," he says quietly, almost bashfully.
You laugh, and nuzzle in closer. "First of all," you say, reaching for his hand and lightly dragging your fingertips across his palm. "I told you. I'm not afraid. And I haven't changed my mind. Okay?"
Loki says nothing.
"Do you believe me?" you ask, glancing up from where your fingers dance across his palm to find green eyes.
"I...suppose I do," he says, almost in awe, as his gaze follows the patterns your fingers trace on his skin.
"Good," you say, leaning back against his chest. "That leads me to point number two. There's more to an...entanglement than sex. There's more than my body. You know that, right?"
Loki scoffs dismissively.
"I'm serious, Loki," you frown, halting the gentle caresses of your fingertips. "If you don't agree, then...maybe we should stop this," you sigh.
Loki hesitates, his gaze flitting from your own stare to where your fingertips lay just inches from his palm. But your heart sinks as he makes no effort to reach for them. Nor to say anything in response. Until Loki's eyes find yours once more - his earlier hesitation gone.
"You cannot begin to imagine just how much more there is out there," he says reaching for your hand, and placing your fingertips once more in his palm.
Your heart swells and stumbles as Loki catches you in a slow, but simple, kiss. You melt into his touch as Loki slides a hand into your hair and pulls you closer.
"Ahem," a suave English voice floats from the ceiling. "Miss? You are now considerably late for your morning commitments."
With a gasp, you pull back and glance up at the ceiling. "Late?!" you exclaim.
"Ah, yes," Loki says. "That is why I woke you in the first place, darling. The voice of JARVIS had tried to roust you several times."
"And you just let me keep sleeping?" you frown, giving Loki an annoyed shove and sliding from the bed.
"Did you not just listen?" he scolds. "I woke you when you failed to do so on your own."
"But you didn't tell me-you know what? Never mind," you huff as you grab your sweatshirt from the edge of the bed. "JARVIS? What time is it exactly?"
"8:17 AM, Eastern Standard Time, Miss Y/n."
"Oh shit," you exclaim, dropping to your hands and knees as you look for your missing shoes beneath the bed.
"And where might you be headed so urgently?" Loki inquires as he props himself up with one arm.
"I'm late for morning training," you say. "I was supposed to be there at 8. JARVIS, has anyone asked you where I am?"
"Yes, Miss," JARVIS responds. "Captain Rogers inquired into your well-being approximately 8 minutes ago."
"And?" you snap. "What did you tell him?"
"That I registered your biometrics on the Secure Floor."
"That's it?" you ask. "Anything else?"
"Apologies, Miss, but my surveillance capabilities have been deactivated on this floor. I am only able to read general biosignatures."
"Oh thank God," you exhale. "At least it's only Steve," you mumble. "JARVIS, enable my personal privacy protocols. No specific location tracking from here on out."
"Yes, Miss."
Relieved that no one else had come looking for you this morning, you slip on your first shoe as Loki watches with intrigue from above you on the bed.
"As entertaining as this has been, surely they can miss you for one morning?" Loki croons, tempting you back to bed.
"No, I'm sorry, they really can't I've already missed one in the last couple of weeks," you say, scouring the ground for your other sock.
You don't hear Loki move from the bed to behind you, and jump slightly when he wraps his arms around your waist. All but dragging you back onto the bed, he tosses you slightly onto your back with his enhanced, God-like strength. You can't help but let out a giggle as you bounce slightly on the mattress and Loki lowers himself to all fours, crawling atop you as he begins to suck gently on your neck.
"Stay, darling," he whispers in your ear as his hands wander down your sides. "And let me show you how very little I care about shaving," he taunts.
"Loki, cut it out," you laugh, half-mortified and half aroused. "I really have to go," you say, pushing him off by his chest.
"Fine," he relents with a sigh, flopping over to his back, allowing you to escape his clutches. "But I expect you back here tonight, woman."
"We'll see," you tease, tossing him a playful grin over your shoulder as you spy your sock across the room near the door. "But I really am busy today, Loki. I'll be back, but not until late."
Loki rolls his eyes and watches you lazily from the bed as you leave, stopping by the mirror near the door to run a hand through your obviously un-tamed hair. Satisfied that you've at least made it look like you haven't just rolled out of another man's bed, you make a dash for the security door when Loki's voice stops you from back in the living room, where green eyes lean casually against the wall.
"None is left to protest, kaerasta."
You smile to yourself as you leave his quarters, admiring how fluidly Shakespeare flows from his honeyed tongue.
---
"So, I take it your conversation went...well?" says Steve, cocking one brow as you run into the training arena, adjusting your utility belt.
Your cheeks burn bright red as you ignore his question. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Oh, mhmm, right," Steve hums in sarcastic agreement from across the mat.
"I still want to know exactly what you two talked about, Rogers," you say, eyeing Steve as he finishes laying out the course you're no doubt expected to run that day.
Steve casts you an innocent glance as he finishes hauling a 9-foot wooden wall, dropping it into place, then stepping back to admire his handy work. The ropes, bags, obstacles, and beams all set as well. As you stare out across the floor, your stomach churns. Steve is clearly taking his revenge for missing rib night.
"You can't be serious," you say. "You expect me to run this? Can you even run this?"
With a laugh, Steve walks up beside you, stretches for a moment, then takes off. You watch in amazement as he tumbles, flips, and leaps through and across each section of the course. Amazed by his flexibility, agility and strength, you find yourself doubting your own ability with each passing moment.
"There," says Steve in a huff, landing next to you as he jumps from the top of the wall. "I'm going to guess three and a half minutes. JARVIS - what was my run time?"
"Three minutes and fourteen seconds, sir."
"Nailed it," says Steve. "Now you," he says, gesturing to the course.
"Steve, I can't do that," you say, shaking your head. "There's absolutely no way."
"Not in three minutes and fourteen seconds you can't. But take the time you need. Think about your approach. Play it tactically, and go from there."
"No, Steve, I'm telling you I can't physically do that," you frown.
"You couldn't have done this three months ago when you got here," he says. "But you've put in the work. You're stronger. smarter, and faster. You can do this. Just take it slow."
You shoot him a frustrated glance.
"Listen Y/n," Steve sighs. "You did well on Tony's pressure test. But if you're going to be out in the field with us-."
"Pressure test?!" you interrupt. "You mean...that mission the other day - Banner going missing - it was just a test?!"
"No," Steve corrects you quickly. "I mean, it was, but the danger was real. And Tony knew you could handle it. We all did. You just proved us right."
You grumble under your breath, casting Steve a skeptical glance. He ignores it, and gestures back to the course on the floor.
"That wasn't what a real field mission is like," Steve frowns. "Out in the actual field you're going to have to be able to observe the obstacles in front of you, no matter how daunting they seem, and quickly figure out a way through them. And no matter how difficult a course I build for you, this training room won't come anywhere near what the outside world will throw at you. So," Steve says, gesturing once more to the course ahead. "Breathe, assess, then go."
You glance out over the course again, taking a deep breath and slowing down your heart rate. As you calm, you're able to break it down into its individual components - part by part. On their own, they aren't so bad. You can do just about everything...besides the wall. That damned wall. No footholds, no uneven ledges, just a straight, slick wall.
Maybe I can just-
"No," Steve pipes up, shaking his head in disapproval. "You can't walk around the wall. You have to go over it."
You frown, a string a curse words flying through your head.
"Hey," Steve snaps. "Language."
"I didn't even say anything!" you huff.
"Didn't ha'fta," Steve says. "I've seen that look before."
Annoyed, you block out Steve and turn your attention back to the wall, still utterly lost at how in the world you're going to make it over the damn thing. When suddenly, you notice one of the long beams on the ground is sitting slightly askew.
Perfect.
With a sly smile, you take off, following the same course pattern you saw Steve take. Moving quickly, you pass through each phase of the course, stumbling only slightly at the ropes, burning the tips of your fingers as they poke through your fingerless tactical gloves.
Once you reach the beams, you leap off the edge, grabbing hold of the wonky leg on the way down. A quick mule-kick and it snaps off in your hand with a large *crack*.
Smiling, you now hold a 12-foot, sturdy plastic pole. Sizing up the last obstacle in front of you - the wall- you take a running start, and vault your way over the wall with the pole, landing on your ankle and letting out a small cry of pain, but not letting that stop you as you spring up.
"WOO!" you holler, punching the air and simultaneously hopping on one foot. "What about that, Rogers?"
Steve crosses his arms and casts you a frown.
"Y/n, you're not supposed to break things to get through the course. JARVIS - let Banner know we need medical in training."
"I'm fine Steve," you say, attempting to show him how "fine" you are by standing normally, but instantly collapsing onto the ground as the pain from your ankle causes your leg to give way.
"Okay, maybe Banner should take a look," you say, your eyes beginning to water. "As for the whole 'breaking things' business, you told me to use my surroundings and plan tactically! That's what I did!"
Steve lets out a laugh, followed by a sigh before coming over and picking you up bridal style. "Fair enough. Let's go - I'm not waiting around for Banner to pull his head out of whatever science experiment he's working on."
Wincing as Steve picks you up, you hold on around Steve's neck as he carries you to the lab.
"Banner?" Steve calls out as the doors open.
"Yeah?" You hear a voice call out from the back of the lab.
"Our newest field agent needs medical."
"Squirt? What happened?" Tony says, emerging from his office.
"Well, Captain America here set up a soviet-style death trap for me in training this morning," you tease as Steve sets you down on Banner's lab table.
"Did you pass it?" Tony asks.
"Hell yeah I did," you respond, giving him a high five.
"That's my girl. Banner - make sure she gets what she needs."
"Yeah, yeah Tony, I got it."
Steve waves goodbye and Tony retreats back into his office as Bruce pokes and prods at your ankle.
"Ow," you hiss, as he tries to straighten it out.
"Hmm...," he hums. "It's not broken, but you'll need to be on light activity for a week or two. I'll bind it and give you some crutches - you'll be good to go."
"Oh darn," you pout with an exaggerated, sarcastic sigh. "No training for two whole weeks, what's a girl to do?"
Bruce grins. "You could come help me in the lab," he offers.
"Oh, well, uh," you stammer, not necessarily enjoying the prospect of having to spend countless hours watching Bruce sketch out blueprints. "As enticing as the offer sounds I'm thinking I'd just get in the way down here. With the crutches and everything, I mean," you say, knowing how weak of an excuse it is.
But Bruce is good natured, and doesn't pressure you further. "Yeah, rest is best, I guess," he says, chuckling at his own little rhyme. "Or you could go keep an eye on Loki."
You almost choke on your own spit, but do your best to stay neutral, and uninterested. "Sounds horrible," you say.
"Yeah, well, we might all end up getting guard duty anyway," Bruce sighs. "Tony's getting nervous at the idea of him sitting up there alone all the time. Said it'll do nothing but give him bad ideas and time to come up with another plan to take over the world."
Your pulse races as you spy an opportunity - one you truthfully haven't given much thought. As Bruce tends to your ankle, you hesitate, knowing that you're going to have to be very crafty - and very careful - if you want this to work.
"So...what is he wanting to do?" you question as casually as you can. "Always have someone watching him?"
"That's the idea," Bruce hums.
"Couldn't he just turn JARVIS's security features on?"
"I guess he could," Bruce muses. "But he already got past JARVIS once."
"Hmm," you hum, mulling over your next words carefully as Bruce tucks the last bandage into place. "Hey, Bruce?"
Casting a suspicious glance up at you, Bruce stops wrapping. You never call him Bruce.
"What?"
"Wouldn't it make more sense to just...let Loki out of the tower?" you ask.
Bruce drops the roll of bandages, looking up at you in stunned perplexity before picking them back up.
"I-I mean," you stammer, "He doesn't have his powers any more. And if Tony really is worried about him being left alone up there to, I dunno, stew on revenge, wouldn't it be better to not let him do that?"
Banner regards you suspiciously. "So, you're wondering if it's a good idea to willingly let the psycho God of Chaos out of his cell?"
"I mean, Tony is the one that seems to think he's worse off in the tower," you suggest with a casual shrug.
Bruce scoffs. "So we should just let him roam freely in the world? The same world he just tried to take over in a violent alien battle?"
"No, Banner. Obviously no one wants him out on the loose. But...to Tony's point, I mean, couldn't we at least let him be free in the tower? So he could...I dunno...mingle?"
"Mingle?" Banner looks at you, stunned. "Mingle, she says. Mingle with who? With us?"
"Well, yeah," you nod. "Who better?"
"I really have no interest in spending any time with him, Y/n. And I doubt the others would either."
You cross your arms, resting them and your head on your knee as you watch Banner finish up the wrapping. You're plan isn't working. You had hoped that by pitching Loki's release as essentially Tony's idea, that you could sway Bruce, who could sway others. But it's not panning out.
You're really only left with one option if you actually want this to work - honesty.
"He's not that bad, you know," you say.
Bruce laughs. "Yeah? And how do you know. Spend a lot of quality time with Mr. Mischief?"
"No!" you answer a little too quickly. "But I have talked to him. A lot, actually. And...I just don't think it's fair to leave him locked up all alone like that forever without even letting him try to fulfill the terms of his sentence. Which, by the way, if he does will allow him to go home and away from here, remember?"
Bruce quiets, and seems to be thinking over your assertion.
"I mean, isn't that really what we all want?" you question. "For him to just go the hell home?"
Bruce lets out a sigh, and glances around the lab before whispering to you.
"Alright, I'll think about it. But let me work the angle on this. It's going to be tough to sell it to the others, and almost impossible to sell it to Tony. I'll need to think."
You lean forward and pull Bruce into a tight hug, catching him by surprise.
"Thank you," you whisper.
He pats you awkwardly on the back before pulling away and handing you a set of crutches that one of the robotic lab assistants had deposited nearby.
"These'll do," you smile, beginning your trek across the lab back to the elevator. "See you later, Banner," you call out. "And...thank you," you say, casting Bruce a meaningful glance.
"Be more careful, squirt!" calls out Tony from his office as you hobble over to the elevators.
"You got it boss," you call back. Casting a final wink at Bruce, you hop in the elevator, eager to get off your feet, and to think about what it might mean for Loki to be free in the tower.