"Thor!" Jane exclaimed as she opened the door, rushing forward to greet him. He smothered her in a hug, picking her up off her feet and spinning her.
"Jane, my love, I missed you!" He grinned as he put her down.
"I missed you, too!" She smiled, happily.
"Miss Foster." Jane turned to see Tony Stark, looking partly amused, partly sickened by what he was seeing. She nodded to him, and outstretched her hand.
"Mr. Stark."
"Please, call me Tony." He seemed to be assessing her with his eyes. The sound of a throat being cleared cut through the moment of silence, and that was the first time Jane noticed Loki leaning against the wall.
"Jane Foster." The nod that he gave her was almost a polite gesture, and it would have been, if it weren't for that constant smug expression. She smiled, but it was forced. "So...we meet...again."
Jane rolled her eyes. "Everything about you is menacing. Stop it." Loki looked at her, a smirk playing at his close to bloodless lips.
"Stop what?" He raised a suspiciously perfect dark eyebrow. She scoffed, turning back to Tony.
"Mr Stark. Tony, you called me down here?"
"Indeed, Jane." He replied, "Indeed. I need to finalise some things about this place. Thor, Natasha needs you in training. Loki, for once you're fine where you are, just don't do anything."
"I'm on your side, why would I do anything." The god in question replied.
Jane smiled as her...boyfriend? As her boyfriend left the room.
Tony sighed. "Look, there are some things that 'Tash wanted me to tell you. First up, if you're in danger, just alert Jarvis."
She nodded. "Ok. Got it."
"Second, if you and Thor should argue, do it in your spare time instead of wasting lab or training time. Or if you and anyone start arguing, actually. Oh, and one final thing?"
"Yes?"
"No. Inappropriate. Fraternising. With. The enemy. Clear?"
"Yes."
"Good. Well, if you excuse me, I have to be off. You kids play nice. Jarvis, the doors." They were sliding shut behind him by the time Jane allowed another look at Loki.
"Seems you aren't too keen on me still, Jane. I wish to repay you one day."
Jane scoffed. "Excuse me? I mean, not to seem rude, but I shouldn't really be making friends with you."
Loki laughed. "Friends is fine. Just don't have sex with me or let me touch you indecently and you'll be fine."
"As if that'll ever happen. No offence." She headed to the door.
Just before she left she heard Loki's laugh, and he said, "Are you challenging me, Miss Foster?"
Jane found her new lab was easy to find, and most of her equipment already in place. She took out the rest, dusting her hands off as soon as she'd finished setting it all up, and stood back to survey it. "Pretty neat stuff you got there." Said a voice from a couple of feet behind her. Jane turned to see an older guy with glasses and a mop of dark hair looking on with his hands in the pockets of his rumpled black slacks. He smiled, and she smiled back, offering her hand to shake.
"Thank you. Jane Foster." He took it.
"Bruce Banner. You'll probably know me better as what Tony calls an 'Enormous Green Rage Monster'."
"You're the Hulk?" She asked, shocked. This guy didn't look like he could take down anything besides a small bug, or even want to.
"You seem surprised. Most people are."
Jane smiled. He seemed genuinely kind, if a little awkward "Well, thanks for the welcome. My assistant should be here soon, she should be here now but she got held up."
Banner stepped towards his own lab counter and started looking at the futuristic-looking computer screen. Jane turned to her own work.
"You have an assistant?" He asked, taking notes on a pad of paper of the occurrence on his screen.
"Yeah, her name's Darcy. She's really great."
The next morning, Jane returned to the lab to find a steaming cup of coffee with her name on it, literally. She picked it up to find a note stuck underneath, that read:
To my favourite astrophysicist,
I got here last night and if you're looking for me I'll be in the 3rd floor communal kitchen, but you'll probably want to get back to science. Just make sure you eat something today!
Love,
Darcy xx
Jane smiled. This was just so typically Darcy that it was unbelievable. Putting the note down on the side, she picked up her coffee and sipped the hot liquid.
She headed to the third floor kitchen, and found Darcy chatting to Steve, looking like she was in seventh heaven. Jane smiled. "Hey, Darce!"
Darcy grinned back, "Ooh, ooh, ooh, Jane! It's amazing here!"
"I know! Have you met Tony yet?"
"Yeah, he was there to welcome me in. Didn't even bat an eyelash that it was, what? Three in the morning?"
Jane smiled, but then her expression darkened. "So..you haven't met Loki yet?"
Darcy shook her head. "No. Have you?"
"Yeah...but he seems...different. Friendly."
Darcy looked at her boss worriedly. "Loki? Different? Friendly?"
Jane nodded.
"Are you alright?"
"Mmm. Thanks for the coffee."
"You're welcome. And, Jane?"
"Yes?"
"You'll have to introduce me to our new housemates. I hear they aren't so bad body-wise."
Jane shook her head, laughing to herself, "You're insufferable."