April 11th 2017
Avengers Compound
"I see the mortals are still trapping you here?"
Ember signed, and spun around on her heel, "Loki, hi."
"I expected to hear from you by now." He stated, disappointment lacing his voice.
"I thought about it a lot." Ember shrugged.
"You're different, Ember. I sense your power, and not just the power the humans gave you. Think of how powerful you could be- Think how powerful we could be together if you let me teach you."
"I'm not really into the whole partner thing, y'know?"
"Yes." Loki monotonously spoke, "I think you're making a mistake by rejecting my offer."
"I'm not rejecting your offer..." Ember could sense the atmosphere changing, and began to attempt to salvage whatever was left, "I just need some more time to think over it, and if I need you then... Then I'll contact you."
Loki nodded, and walked slightly over dramatically, to the other side of the room, staring out at the window, over the horizon where the sun was setting.
"I see they torture you here now, too?" Loki asked, nodding towards the sling her broken arm was held in.
"No, of course not." She shook her head, chuckling, "Just a training accident, that's all."
"Training? Why are they training you?"
"They're not anymore."
"Why were they training you?"
"I have no idea. Originally it was for me to become an Avenger, but now they chickened out of it, I guess."
"You're not becoming an Avenger?"
"I didn't want to originally, when they did want me to become one. But now that I do want to become one, they don't want me to. I can't get it right with these people."
"But you still care about them?"
"They're all annoying dorks, but yeah they're alright i guess."
Loki paused for a second, "So it's definitely a no?"
"... For now..." Ember replied, "But do you mind if I uh, keep the pendant... Just incase I change my mind?"
"I'll be on the other end waiting on your signal." Loki replied, "You're power deserves to be shown."
"Sorry..."
"It's alright, I hope to see you around sometime, Ember."
Loki gave a curt nod before walking towards the door.
"BROTHER." He called, "WE'RE LEAVING."
April 11th 2017
Avengers Compound
The day was coming to an end, and Ember was feeling rather sorry for herself, sat up on the couch, a low budget romance movie she had never heard of (Tony and Pepper had written her a list of pop culture she had to catch up on, since she had giant gaps in her knowledge of the world) and a tub of chocolate brownie ice cream in her hand, which had a post it note on it which clearly said Bucky, but she ignored that part.
"Whenever we talk. You're always eating Barnes' food."
"Anything he guys tastes better. Because he payed for it, and I didn't."
"Understandable." Natasha nodded. "He'll kill you, though."
"No he won't." She said, in almost a sing song voice, as she took another spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.
"So." Natasha begun.
"So." Ember replied.
The two had barley spent any time together, but they still acted as if they were close.
Natasha was always busy. Always at missions, always filing away some sort of paperwork, so she wasn't just hanging around the compound, or training with the team as much as the other Avengers were.
Or maybe Embers intense fangirling over her scared her off.
"You exploded a wall and fractured your arm?"
"Na, I was fighting a dinosaur."
"Oh, nice." Nat replied, "What colour was it?"
"Purple." Ember said, eating more ice cream.
"Did you take a picture." Nat asked, playing along.
"Yeah. And hung it on my bedroom wall."
Natasha burst out laughing. Ember was fun company.
Natasha grabbed another spoon and stole some of Embers already stolen ice cream. Twisting her body around and laying her feet over Embers lap, her head on the arm rest.
"I saw you talking to Loki today?" Natasha questioned.
"Mhm."
"What's the deal with that?"
"Deal? What do you mean?"
"Are you sleeping with Loki?"
Ember almost choked on her ice cream.
"Excuse me?"
"I dunno, Rose. That's a few times now I've seen you two comfortable with each other."
"I'm not sleeping with him." She insisted.
"Good. Steve would be so mad if you were." Natasha replied under her breath, quiet enough so that Ember wouldn't actually be able to make out the words she was saying.
"What was that?"
"Oh," Natasha said, concealing her smirk, "Nothing."
She hadn't played match maker in a while. It seemed fun right about now.
"Have you uh- Heard from Steve recently?" Ember asked, after a period of silence and watching the crap movie Ember had playing on the TV.
"Why'd you ask?" Natasha was desperate to fish for more answers.
"Just... Curious."
Natasha looked her way and raised her eyebrows, but Ember just broke the eye contact and looked back to the TV.
"What happened to the date he was going to take you on?"
Ember looked back at her, ever so slightly glaring.
"How do you even know about that? I swear to god if you hacked into my phone or something I'll-"
"I didn't hack into your phone. I just heard Steve and Barnes talking about it."
"Oh, right."
"So, why'd you not go?" Natasha asked.
She knew Ember admired her, as well as being slightly intimidated, so would probably answer anything she asked her, so an extent.
"Didn't want to."
Natasha scoffed.
"Bullshit."
"It's the truth."
"Well what's the reason behind you not wanting to?"
Ember shrugged.
"C'mon, Rose. You were obsessed with him when you first got here. Fuck, you still are."
"He's nice? We're friends I guess."
"Friends I guess? Ember c'mon your spitting out even more bullshit now. He's the only person you spend time with here, other than Tony and Pepper."
"He kissed me once?"
"He what now? Wow, good for Rogers."
"And then asked me on a date, I said yes, then I said no because I don't wanna stay here, and if anything happened between us then I think I'd actually want to stay here. But now that I'm so close with him and close with Pepper and Tony I want to stay but Tony won't actually let me do anythi-" She paused, and threw her hand over her mouth, "I wasn't supposed to tell you that. I didn't want to tell anyone that. How did you manage to make me tell you that?"
Natasha smirked, shrugging her shoulders, "I just have that effect on people." She replied, not addressing any of the other things she said that were actually important to the conversation.
"Don't tell anyone I said any of that. I don't want anyone to know I don't completely hate it here anymore."
"Your secrets safe with me." Natasha replied. "Oh, and are you going to that party Tony insisted on holding to celebrate rebranding Starbucks as Starkbucks?"
"Unfortunately." Ember sighed.
"Well I'll see you there. Steve will see you there too, he gets back early in the morning tomorrow."
"Shut up." Ember groaned, throwing her head against the couch in frustration.
"Mhm." Natasha grinned, taking one last scoop of ice cream, before walking out of the room, a plan forming in her mind.
Maybe Natasha was right.
Ember knew Steve was attractive. So yeah, she definitely was attracted to him, and had made that clear since the moment they met— Sometimes... Most of the time it was through a joking manner, but she was sure she had let him know at least some times that she had cared for him, right?
... Right?
Embers mind flashed back to the first time they kissed, the way butterflies overtook her entire body when he pressed his lips up against hers, the gentle, but passionate manner in which sent her into pure bliss.
But it wasn't just the attraction. He was the nicest, friendliest, hottest guy who still managed to act like a gentleman.
All reasons Ember was falling for him...
Hard and fast.