"I don't understand." She looked down on Loki from the ledge, his eyes bright under the shade of the surrounding trees. He smiled and turned to face Natasha, holding a pale hand out to her. She took it, grasping her dress and taking a large step down from the stone ledge onto the soft grass. His hand was bitter cold in hers, his fingers long and oddly shaped as they curled around her own shorter and olive in colour. She wasn't sure where they were going, and she knew he couldn't be trusted taking her into the heart of the woods, where he could kill her silently and no one would know as he would just turn to mist and disappear into the night…but she didn't care. Something was different in the eyes of the God, they seemed less angry however more strong, easy to get lost in still.

"It's not that difficult to follow Natasha." She couldn't help but smile at the sound of her name on his silver tongue. Loki's hand unclasped from hers as he began to walk down the hillside, she followed close by, however found herself stumbling over the uneven earth. She bent down and rather clumsily removed her stilettos, holding them in her right hand as she skipped after the demi-god who had taken lead. "Well, we're very alike. We trick, we lie…We gain the information we need." With the flick of his wrist, his cane burst into mist and smoke, vanishing from her sight. A smile broke onto Loki's face as he continued to walk, looking back on Natasha.

"I beg to differ." The man stopped, looking back on the smaller red head with a raised eyebrow. She took the lead given the chance, trotting ahead and hopping over the larger rocks with her angelic physics, feeling the smooth stone under her bare toes. "Yes, we lie and yes, we trick…but I fight, you're a sorcerer." She jumped down from a rock, losing her breath as she hit the earth heavily.
"Is that your only argument?" She snaked back towards the man, his eyes bright under the shade of the stone as he trailed his long and pale hand over the soft boulder.

"…why are you being so friendly?" He scoffed at Natasha's question wandering closer to her and leaving the rock side. She softly noticed his black suit shift and glow in the midnight mist, his fingers stretching and moving like thin liquid. He stopped again, his eyes trailing down Natasha's face and body. Loki reached out, brushing his fingers across Natasha's scalp, his nails trailed over her hairline as she let him do so. His face had broken from its original, pale complex and a smirk played on his face, his eyes burning emerald.

"Maybe I purely find interest in you or maybe I see a lot of me in yourself…and besides, there is a fine line between being friendly and civil." His voice was soft. Loki's hand was clutched around the back of her neck, massaging her muscles with his icy fingers as his green orbs burnt at her through the night. The black widow twisted out of his weak grip, slipping away down the hillside, grasping the bottom of her dress with a spring in her step. She heard the man snigger and chuckle behind her, slowing her down only slightly.
"You're a man of many words Loki, as for me…"

"…you're a lady" Loki interrupted softly. "Where I grew up you always had to be polite with a woman, whether they are Misguardian or Asgardian." His voice was distant almost, but she could hear his footsteps still.

She felt the strong magical presence behind her, glowing against her fragile skin like the sun radiated the earth. She looked back just in time to see Loki's body glow bright yellow, melting and shifting to his former godly glory. His body was dressed in the black leather and green robes she knew him to be in. His boots heavily punched into the earth as he followed her down to the unknown. Smiling widely as he strolled past Natasha however her gaze was drifted away to the golden horns towering over them in the dark night sky rather than the glowing green eyes.

"Was the helmet necessary?" Loki scoffed slightly at Natasha's ignorance but made no reply. He grasped her free hand, bringing it to his face and kissing her fingers with bitter lips before rubbing his thumb over the cold spot left.

"If only you remained polite, maybe the others would be nice to you." He smiled, freeing her hand as she trailed her fingers along the lining of his gold-plated helmet.

"Do you mean to tell me you can be nice Romanoff?" Suddenly he twisted his head around, her hand greeted by his soft skin and strong cheekbones. Natasha burnt red, removing her hand from Loki's cheek instantly. He laughed silently at her withdraw. Loki's eyes burning emerald green for a moment, knocking Natasha off her feet…literally. Her hands reached out to find the ground, dropping the black shoes as she did so but before she could feel the earth beneath her. She froze.

Natasha looked up at Loki, his hand twisted in an odd position, fingers clenched so tightly they shook with soft rage. Slowly he stretched his fingers till they were straight and his palm was flat; Natasha rose from the floor, levitating above the earth a foot so at Loki's command. Her jaw was hanging and her eyes blew up slightly, waving her hands around playing with her feet like a young child. He chuckled slight at her awe, "Have you never experienced magic?" She shook her head slowly earning another chuckle from the tall man as she was lowered to the ground. She pulled down her dress, tucking the fallen hair behind her ear and smiling towards the tall God. "…thank you."

She burnt red with embarrassment, attempting to hide behind her hands. Loki just smiled and reluctantly pulled her arms down again. His thin fingers crossed over her wrists, pulling her arms down from her face. She was taken back suddenly as she met unfamiliar blood red eyes. Loki's skin wasn't its usual milky pale self, but instead dressed over with a thick layer of glittering blue. She pointed dumbstruck at the familiar face, her mouth ajar. He frowned slightly looking at his hands and sighing with frustration.

"…I'm sorry." He dropped his arms, looking up beyond the skyline with sadness. Natasha studied his thin face, taking in the fine details of his sorrow. Thor had explained to her in great detail of Loki's troublesome life, Thor had no output to his anger or emotion and Natasha saw his discomfort and accepted the sorrow Thor had to offer. Thor explained the frost giants were seen as terrible beings and especially how Loki was the son of Laufey.

Natasha sighed, seeing the reflection of his troublesome life glisten through his red eyes.
"…you shouldn't hate yourself for…this." She reached out, trailing her fingers across his cheekbones. At the immediate touch his skin shone the original cloudy white, spreading across his face till it met his eyes. The red orbs melted to ones of pure ice, softening as they trailed back to Natasha with concern.

"You wouldn't understand…"

"What it's like to be different and unaccepted? I wasn't like normal children either Loki." She stroked her hand down his cheek. He nodded against the unfamiliar gesture, melting against it.
"Thank you Natasha."