A/N: I have like at least five other ideas for BlackFrost fanfics that I started working on but this was done first and just flowed really easily. I'm not entirely sure how long this is going to be and my chapters are usually pretty short but I hope you'll give this a shot anyway. I appreciate any feedback on this as I don't quite know where to go with this yet. We'll see on the way. I also might change the rating later. Anyways, please do let me know what you think and if I should continue this.
Disclaimer: There are so many aspects of this that I wished I owned but... nope. Nothing's mine besides the plot and the writing.
Life on Earth was boring.
The agreement he had with his brother was both a blessing and a curse of sorts. He could certainly think of worse punishments for his crimes and being stuck on Earth for a few days every month wasn't on top of that list. Thor had convinced Odin to let Loki come with him whenever he went to visit his girlfriend or his new comrades. Not without some conditions for the younger God, however, and they made him less than happy. He could only go back and forth with Thor and each time they would go, he would get his magic bound beforehand. He supposed it wasn't as bad as having his powers removed permanently but it was an annoyance nonetheless. At the very least, Odin hadn't deemed it necessary to restrict Loki's teleportation skill and he could use it as he pleased. He wouldn't get very far under Heimdall's watchful eyes anyway. So he spent most of his time roaming New York City, alone. He made sure not to spend a lot of time with Thor, unless absolutely necessary. He had posed a condition to Thor himself, before they left the very first time all those months ago. He didn't want to hear a word about the Avengers. He cared not how they fared and he did not want to know how well everyone had been since his humiliation of a defeat. Thor kept that end of the deal up perfectly. Not once did Loki have to hear about them and for that he was grateful. They all knew he was coming with his brother, Thor had told them about it, but Loki had never run into any one of them. None had made an attempt at hunting him down either. Not even Barton. He had expected the archer to be on his throat the second he set foot on Earth but nothing. Loki doubted they had been very happy about the news. He had no doubt that they were keeping an eye out in case he would stir trouble but for the moment, he had no intention to. His trips to Earth were by far the most freedom he could ask for right now and he didn't feel like cutting that short. Especially not without his magic. Teleportation could only get him so far.
Today, Loki was looking for distractions. New York grew boring quickly. He had visited the park a few times during the previous stays and even went to some of the festive celebrations but nothing held his interest for very long. Mortals were so very dull. Marching through the crowd on First Avenue, his mind took him to the Avengers. That bunch of mortals beat him like he was any other ordinary person. He snarled quietly at the thought. They were such pathetic creatures.
Stark was nothing without his suit, just a narcissistic man with money and a giant tower with his name all over it. He wouldn't last five minutes without his precious metal contraptions. How nobody had strangled the man yet was beyond Loki. Everything about him was infuriating.
Banner was haunted by the beast inside of him. There was no way of escaping it and being angered around humans wasn't very difficult. Loki had to admire the man's patience and calmness though. It was impressive, for a mortal.
The dear Captain was out of his own time, lost in a world he couldn't recognize. Loki knew from Barton just how pathetic the man had been before he became Captain America, small and skinny with no specialty about him whatsoever. The only thing special about him now was the serum running through his veins. Even though the man had strength now, it was only due to drugs. He would be nothing without them.
The thought of that ridiculous outfit he wore came to mind and Loki made a face of disgust. A few people around him looked at him strangely when he did but he paid it no attention, silently continuing the list of reasons why he hated the Avengers and why exactly they were so pathetic and below him.
As helpful as Barton had been during the attack, the archer was hardly extraordinary. His skill with a bow was admirable but that was all he had. One just had to take that away and he would be left with nothing. His mind had been so easy to take over. He had heart but he was weak. He couldn't understand just what the Spider saw in him.
Yes, Natasha Romanoff…
A smirk crossed his face at the thought of her. There weren't many who could best him at his own game and no matter how much it angered him, he found her all the more interesting for it. She was so small and so easily breakable, physically at least, but it didn't stop her from joining her little band of misfits in the fight against the Chitauri. He had to admire her bravery, or was it foolishness? It didn't matter. He had replayed their conversation in the Helicarrier at least a few dozen times in the last months and slowly, the initial anger had faded to the back of his mind. He had found a match. It ate at him that it had to be a lowly mortal woman but he found he no longer cared about the details. She was his match and that was something he would not easily let go of.
She would prove to be excellent entertainment. Thor had told him – before their agreement - that all the Avengers had moved into Stark's tower, now known as Avenger's Tower, and finally he could make use of that information. But not quite yet.
Loki decided to wait for nightfall to seek her out. He made his way to the apartment he had to share with Thor. Stark had invited him to stay at the tower but Thor wouldn't go without Loki and he wasn't welcome so S.H.I.E.L.D. had found them an apartment close to the Avengers to stay in. They never stayed longer than a few days but even Gods needed sleep. The apartment, however generous, was ridiculously tiny and Loki had to wonder however mortals could live in such cramped spaces. This was hardly big enough for one of them but having to share just made it all the worse. He could easily fit the entire thing into his bedchambers in Asgard's palace. It was degrading to have to live in such conditions. It didn't matter to him that he only ever went here to sleep for a few hours. He went to his room, sitting down on the bed to wait for the sun to set. Thor wasn't back yet and he doubted he would be for another couple of hours. All the better. It would be dark soon.
Loki teleported into her room a couple of hours after the sun had set. She was sitting on her bed, leaning back against the wall with a book in her lap. Her eyes found his instantly upon his arrival and he smiled to himself. As sharp as ever. He was mildly surprised when she didn't draw her gun or make a move to attack. It brought a smirk on his face, thinking he caught her off guard.
"Agent Romanoff. So good to see you again." He said mockingly.
Still she did not react. She looked neither shocked, nor afraid or defiant. She just continued staring at him. Something was different about her tonight but he couldn't pinpoint it so he elected to ignore it.
"What? Will you not even say hello to an old friend?"
Natasha marked the page of her book and moved to put it down on her nightstand. She ignored the taunt in his question but she also made no other move of action. Loki frowned but decided she was playing a game of sorts and it only widened his smirk. Her silence was new. He took a small step toward her, waiting for a reaction. When none came, he spoke again.
"Will you not indulge me in a conversation? Ah, I suppose it matters not. I'm bored, you see." He said, pacing in front of her with a grin, "New York is tiring. It is always the same, every day. One would think the city would hold more interest but it is as dull as the next. You have brought me the most entertainment during my first visit. Naturally, it drew me back."
He watched her closely as he spoke but Natasha hadn't moved an inch. She had watched him all the same though. The smirk on his face vanished, replaced by infuriation at her utter lack of response. Just what was that blasted woman playing at? She was supposed to taunt him, shoot back a witty retort, hiss threats at him; anything. But not this unnerving silence. She used words as well as he did so why would she not speak? He strode over to her, stopping right in front of her and glaring down at her. He couldn't tell if she was brave or foolish for not even flinching, or maybe just completely indifferent. All the options made him growl lowly in his chest. This was not right.
"What's the matter, quim?" He mocked, his voice dropping an octave, "Cat got your tongue?"
It was in that moment, when she stared back up at him with that same expression she had worn when he had come in, that he realized what was wrong. The uneasy feeling from just minutes ago finally made sense. Her silence was not an act. He frowned and his anger slowly faded into confusion. He knelt down to be level with her, her eyes never leaving his. Loki grabbed her chin a little bit rougher than needed and looked at her. Truly looked at her. He knew her expression all too well and his chest constricted with foolish sentiment.
"What has happened to you?"
The question was met with expected silence and he let go of her again, half in shock now. Never had he seen eyes so empty. Somebody had done what he could not.
The Black Widow had been broken.
