Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Note: So here it is, the beginning of the end, the oneshot that created a monster. I hope your happy with it Sarah.
Reason.
An Avergers oneshot.
Written by: Pandora's Lie.
The sky was dark, the sun having set on the field long ago. Loki lay on his back, head resting on what felt like a truly soft, warm pillow. He sighed contently and turned to rest on his side, nose brushing against what felt like cloth. He felt just as much as heard the soft laughter. He just snuggled closer, arms wrapping around to pull the warm, laughing pillow into a tight embrace.
"Who knew you were such a cuddle monster?" The voice came from above; kind and playful and coy and just so damn perfect.
"Only for you," He answered back, cracking one blue eye open to stare into a pair of endless green. The woman he had mistaken for a pillow smiled down at him, running her fingers through his dark hair. "Always" She craned her neck down, bending close enough to touch. He could feel her warm breath on his cheek, could almost hear her heart beating. Turning his head, he gazed at her lips, red and full and so damn close it hurt. He closed his eyes and leaned up.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BE-!
Loki shot out of bed, toppling over the side and taking the Odin-damned alarm clock with him. Even as he laid in a crumpled mass of limbs and sheets on his bedroom floor, he could help the feeling of satisfaction at the current state of said damned clock; which was in multiple, unfixable pieces. Untangling himself from the comforter was an endeavor he was not yet ready to face while still half asleep, but a glance at the clock hanging on the wall behind where the thrice damned alarm use to sit urged him up. It was only a minor struggle and he came out victorious as always. Taking a moment to grin smugly down at the defeated blankets, Loki spun on his heel and headed to the bathroom, yawning as he went. He truly hated mornings.
He liked to think that this was one of his more ingenious plans.
After his last battle, and subsequent defeat, with his father (even in his mind the word was a curse) and his brother Thor, Loki and decided to change things up a bit; to spy without spying, hiding in plain sight. Which would explain only in part of the reason for why he standing outside of a used bookstore in Greenwich Village, waiting for the ladder to the fire escape to fall. He didn't have to wait long.
Soon enough, there was the unmistakable sound of clashing metal as the ladder unhooked itself, sliding down low enough for him to effortlessly climb up. The window had been left open in a welcome invitation, the sunlight made the cyan walls seem to glow, reflecting off the large wall mirror and on to the two antique stained glass chandeliers. Every flat surface, from the dark hard wood floor to the window sills, was completely covered in books. The only space spared was the chocolate brown wrap around couch and the crème loveseat.
"What happened here?" The clothes hanging from the ceiling were a new addition.
"I can't find my keys!" there was a crash followed by a loud "DAMNIT!"
Loki spied the key ring under a very well loved copy of Through the Looking Glass. He glanced at his watch, they had time.
"Did you check the freezer?" The irritation that rolled off the fiery red head rounding the corner could be felt from Antarctica.
"One time. I did that one time." He smirked, "Yes I checked."
He laughed, pointing toward the lost, now found, keys. With a squeal of triumph, Adelaide was across the room, keys in hand, and by his side faster than should be possible when wearing heels. Odin's beard, was there nothing that could look bad on this woman? A chest hugging emerald tank top tucked into a high-waisted black shirt, drawing the eye to follow it down the curves of her body. Suddenly, he really didn't want to leave the apartment at all.
Adelaide took no notice of his appreciative glances, instead taking his arm and pulling him out the door.
The walk do the café was a short one, mostly filled with warnings of "Don't let her psych you out" and "Just because she looks like she preparing to disembowel you with a scone doesn't mean she will."
"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd think I was meeting your parents instead of your best friend."
"Honestly, it's not as bad as that. It's just, she can be a little intimidating at times so it's easy to forget that deep down, she's just an overprotective kitten." The with sharp, pointy teeth and a killer right hook was left unsaid.
Café Del Luna was what one would expect from a New York coffee shop. It sat on the corner, flanked by a noodle shop and a news stand. While its name did not hold the same instant recognition as Starbucks, its customers where loyal and if asked, would swear that Luna was the place to go if you wanted a real cup of coffee. The fact that the cup would cost you about half of what you pay at one of the more well-known shops didn't hurt either.
The painted walls seem to tell the story of the goddess Selene and her lover, Endymion. The ceiling made to look like the night sky, tiny sparkling stars circling a luminous full moon. Adelaide made a beeline for a corner table pushed up against the large store window, silent until she was almost uncomfortably close to the figure that sat there.
"No scrubs today? My, what's the occasion?"
"My day off is always a day to be celebrated." Loki caught a glimpse of chocolate eyes as the figure-no, woman- stood from her seat. "Well, that and I haven't seen a certain ginger in over a month. Hug me damn it." Aforementioned ginger did just that, throwing her arms around the other woman, a wide grin on her face.
The two stood for a moment, catching up in that way close friends do, with few words and lots of sarcasm. Loki cleared his throat.'
"Oh, right. Damian, meet Selina. Lina, this is Damian."
"Damian Lightwood." He stuck out a hand which Selina took, her grip strong.
"Selina Salvador-Randall. So you're the mystery man that I have heard so much about."
"I hope nothing to terrible."
"Terrible defiantly wouldn't have been the word I would have used." She smirked, "in fact, I'm pretty sure the word would have been-"
"And this is where I remind you that I know all your secrets." Addy glared, taking her seat across the table. Chuckling, Selina followed suit. "Where is your man anyway?"
"Last time I checked, confusing the hell out of Stephen. Who knew you could make ordering coffee hard?"
"Did you-?"
"Yes, Vanilla latte for you and a medium drip for your blue eyed beau."
"How did you-?"
"I'm awesome." Addy shot the darker skinned woman a look, "And you told Syd who, due to the fact that she couldn't be here herself, drilled it into my skull so your new 'friend'," She crocked her fingers into air quotes at the word friend, "Would feel more welcome. I just thought it would weird him out but hey, what can you do."
Addy nodded in understanding. Lina glanced in the direction of the checkout counter and sighed at the sight of what appeared to be a very tall, very well built man trying-and failing by the looks of it- to order coffee.
"Could you?"
"Already on it."
Adelaide pressed her lips to Loki's cheek before heading off to do minor damage control. The moment she was out of hearing range Selina's face changed. Hard, almost angry eyes locked with his.
"I know what you are."
He stilled, smile unchanged. "I don't know what you mean."
"Do you take me as a fool shape shifter?" Her mouth changing into a cruel smirk; "You can't seriously believe that you could hide all that power under such a simple disguise?"
Chuckling, he ran a hand through his short dark hair. "No, I guess not." He paused, studying her for a moment. "What do you want?"
"From you? Nothing." He gave her a quizzical look. "Well no, that's not right. Let me be frank. I don't give a rat's ass about why you're here or why you're hiding. Your business is your own. But," Selina's glare intensified. Power, old and strong and like nothing he'd ever encountered before, flowed off of her in waves. "If you or whatever you're planning hurts Adelaide in any way, I don't care if I have to tear apart heaven and earth to do it, I will put an end to it and then I will end you. Do you understand me?"
He was silent.
"I said" brown eyes flashing inhuman gold, mouth forming a vicious snarl "Do you understand me?"
Loki just nodded, fighting down the almost need to shrink way from the (By the gods he didn't even have a name for her) woman across from him.
Lina expression changed so fast that for a moment, he honestly believed that he had imagined the snarling beast from before. "Good to know. Now, Addy tells me you're a professor at the university. Tell me about it."
In his opinion, Adelaide couldn't have returned at a better time.
"I come bearing gifts!"
Selina laughed, taking her drink with a smile. "Where's Don?"
"He got a call and left in a hurry, saying something about work. He told me to tell you that he was, and I quote "So sorry that he must commit such an unforgivable act but will never stop hoping that you will find it in your heart to forgive him"" Adelaide rolled her eyes. "Where do you find these men of yours?"
"On the way to work always on the way to work; I swear if I didn't love those kids so much I'd quit."
"Hazards of working at a hospital, caring for your patients;" Adelaide shook her head sadly. "Oh! Before I forget, your boy handed me this to give to you, said he'd be back for it."
It was a thick leather wrist band, embossed on the front a lightning bolt silhouetted by a pair of wings. Selina smiled softly at the sight of it, expertly tying it to her unbangled wrist.
"He damn well better. So," She turned her eyes back to Loki "If memory serves, you were just about to tell me about your job."
The rest of the meeting went off without a hitch, ending with the dark skinned woman skipping out early to save her roommates cat from the claws of her own feline.
Later, sitting on the redhead's extremely comfy couch, said redhead sitting in his lap, Loki was reminded of the other half of the reason he was hiding in this city.
"Can you stay tonight? Not in that way, I just think I would sleep better in your arms than by myself." Her voice trailing off softly, face red. He chuckled.
"I thought you'd never ask."
Her smile was wide and her lips soft when he pressed his own to them.
Yes, he thought, this is my reason.