House Chapter
Before dessert came, I felt so full that I couldn't eat another bite. Of course, that changed as soon as it was placed in front of me. Three smallish crêpes covered in strawberry slices and drizzled with chocolate. I could see more chocolate and strawberry lumps inside, along with crystals of sugar and cinnamon. They were very sweet and a lovely end to a full dinner. When I finished, I leaned against Loki for support.
"Tired, darling?"
"Full. I ate too much but it's worth it because it was so good."
"Are you still awake enough to swim?"
"Of course. I hear it's a warmed pool, like the one we have."
"It is." Pepper confirmed, "The water is actually from a natural hot spring somewhere in the area. It's supposed to be good for the skin."
"Sounds delightful."
Getting up at first was difficult, I just wanted to sit and digest for a few more minutes, but Loki convinced me that I would be far more comfortable upstairs. We left the private room first and walked out through the busy restaurant. Nobody recognized us. Just as we were getting to the elevator, I saw the others emerge and one of the children present recognized Captain America right away. He raised his voice and caught the attention of just about everyone else there.
"I believe we will have some time to ourselves in the pool before they can make it down." Loki murmured as the elevator doors slid shut.
I was full of energy as I got ready to swim but on the elevator ride down, I started to feel slightly nauseous. I felt like all the food I had eaten could come rushing back up at any moment. Clearly, Loki noticed my change in demeanor and stature as I leaned heavily against the wall of the elevator.
"Mira?"
"Just....give me a moment." I tried to breathe deeply and focus on the smell of the chlorine and shut out the discomfort in my abdomen.
"Are you well?" He took me by the hand, "Do you need to return to our room?"
"No, no. I think I just need to sit for a sec." When the doors opened, we were met with an empty hallway. Good thing, because it would've looked very strange for onlookers to see Loki leading me step by step over to the pool. He took me to the lounge chair closest to the door.
"Are you at all fatigued?"
"No. Why? Loki, I'm fine. I think I just ate a little too much."
"Would you like to me heal you?"
"I don't think you can and I don't want you to try. I'll be fine. I just need a bit. You go test the water." Loki hesitated for a moment, but went through with my request. I laid back for a few minutes but that didn't help anything. I felt like I needed some fresh air. The air in this room was warm and the moisture was palpable. Taking it slowly, I entered the pool and headed for the door leading to the pool outside. The water itself was a couple degrees cooler outside. Refreshing, cold, mountain night air entered my lungs and slowly, the pressure in my stomach eased away. A light snow was falling now, the flakes falling soundlessly into the water, illuminated by the outdoor lights. The majority of the outdoor portion was a large circle, with a smaller one inside it. I entered the larger one, intent on going to the inside one, but found myself quickly swept away by an unseen current. It wasn't so strong that it pushed me under the surface, but it certainly pushed me along in the water. It was quite nice to get push around in the water, without having to work for it. But eventually, it got a little boring and I caught the opening to the middle of the pool and pulled myself inside. I found that the outer border was lined with a bench lined with jets much like the ones in our private room at home.
"Mira?" It was Steve.
"I'm here." I waved at him and Steve came over.
"Loki said you weren't feeling well."
"I wasn't. I just needed to wait it out. I'm just about fine now."
"Good. Thanks for the help, by the way."
"What?"
"When we got pretty much mobbed in the restaurant."
"And I was supposed to help you...how? Come on. You've gotten all the reporters in DC to leave you be, so you've forgotten what it's like to be a big name. What happened in there? That's how your life will be everywhere else."
"Awesome." His voice was laced with sarcasam.
"Mira?"
"I'm here, Loki!" He swam over.
"Are you feeling better?"
"Yeah. I'm fine now." He entered the current and was swept away, much like I had been. He must've tried to catch himself on a wall because his head suddenly went underwater. He didn't surface again for a few seconds. Steve snickered a bit. As Loki came around, he pulled himself in.
"I appreciate the warning, Kitten."
"I didn't get the chance." I replied innocently.
"Naturally." He sat next to me and put my arm around me.
"You're up to something."
"Perhaps. Perhaps not." He gave my exposed side a pinch.
"Oi!" I splashed him and went out into the current and by the look on his face, he intended to chase me. As soon as the entrance was out of sight, I pressed myself against the bumpy floor of the pool, below the strongest part of the current. I didn't come to a full stop but I came pretty close. Eventually though, I had to come up for air and when I did, I took a brief glance around for Loki and it made me very uneasy when I didn't see him anywhere. That meant he intended to sneak up on me. So I ducked back underwater and changed my strategy, I let myself be pushed around and shoved off the outer walls to propel myself even faster. However, that was my big mistake. I didn't even go one lap before I plowed into Loki from behind. I saw him right as I rounded a curve and tried to stop, but I was going far too fast. Fortunately, I caught him off-guard and managed to slip through his grasping hands. I surfaced as soon as I was out of reach, my heart pounding against my chest. Our eyes met and Loki smirked.
"I'll get you next time. Mark my words." I giggled with the pure glee of knowing that I had escaped him and put some more distance between us.
The next couple laps went off without a hitch, no sign of Loki. Of course, that wasn't a good thing but it was certainly wasn't bad. But my luck changed the next time I passed the entrance to the center. A heavy weight barreled into me and strong arms locked around my torso. I squealed and was promptly brought to the surface.
"I told you so."
"Shut up. You cheated."
"I do not recall you making any rules." I smacked his shoulder.
"You know what I mean."
"Actually, I do not. I cannot see what I possibly did wrong, I made a strategy based on what I was given, and I won."
"I hate you."
"Kitten, we both know you love me."
"You know what I mean."
"No, I really don't." His eyes were twinkling with mischief.
"Shut up, silver tongue. I–" Loki silenced me by lowering me underwater, just long enough to make me sputter when he brought me back up.
"I wish to try something."
"What?" He gave me a look that told me that he didn't intend to tell me.
"Fine."
"Take a deep breath, my love." I obeyed and he guided us under again, only this time until I was lightly pinned against the bottom. I sat up a bit to keep water from going up my nose but then, Loki did something that, in the back of my mind, I knew was coming. He kissed me. Pinching my nose shut with his thumb and forefinger, he closed the air inside my lungs while he invaded my mouth with his tongue. Being underwater added a whole new level of sensation to his actions, a level that shut my brain down and forced my instincts to take over. Not to mention Loki's intimate knowledge of my body. He knew it better than I did and could play it like a fine-tuned instrument whether I wanted him to or not, and right now I wanted it very much. It was as if he and I were the only beings in the universe. I had closed my eyes, I couldn't hear anything, my nose was blocked, Loki was all I could taste and all I felt aside from the water and it felt like our moment lasted an eternity,
Since Loki's lungs were physically larger than mine, it was up to him to keep me oxygenated after all my air was used by pushing air from his body to mine periodically. He was very literally my lifeline. When we both ran out of oxygen, Loki brought us back up. As soon as I breached the surface, I was panting. Loki was extremely winded as well, but seemed to be better at controlling his breathing than I was. Nevertheless, we both clung to the wall as we got our senses back.
"Loki....that was incredible." I moved closer to him and wriggled between him and the wall, "Thank you." His face brushed against mine.
"I thank you for indulging me in my curiosity. I did not injure you, did I?"
"No, you were very gentle and considerate. I think if Thor had been in your place, I would have been squished against the floor as flat as a pancake."
"Nay, he would not have had the creativity to think of that, or the guts to ask for permission. He thinks Jane is made of glass."
"Jane?"
"His....girlfriend? In a way. He had not seen her in.....it must be two years now and as I understand it, that it eternity for a mortal."
"Two years without you would be more than eternity to me." A loud whistle pierced the night sky.
"Hey! Lovebirds! It's after eleven and we have to leave early tomorrow!" I shook my head at Tony.
"Shall we go?"
"I suppose we should, yes."