So, I recently got some REALLY good advice from a reader. And I mean, like, awesome. So, I'm going to take her advice. Hope it ends up to your liking, Fantasy! To Maverik: Thanks for the OC advice, chica!
BTW, Erin isn't freaking the shit out that "OMIGAWD SUPER EVIL BAD GUY NOT FIVE FEET FROM MY LOVER" because she's chill. I'd like to imagine she's one of those surfer types of people who just doesn't give a flying fuck about anything. Except for her fiancée, of course. Trust me, there are such people. I know a few.
I'm sorry this took so long to get up, I've been distracted with some other stories I'm thinking about writing, including a one-shot involving Loki/Darcy based semi-loosely off the song Walk Away by The Script featuring B.O.B. The plot bunny's been chewing on my ear for days now. But I don't think I'll upload any new stories until I finish this and the Eyes like Emeralds sequel (which I have yet to start the next chapter for, ugh I'm such a bad person!).
Oh, btw, happy NaNoWriMo! The chapters that are uploaded in November are going to be written for NaNoWriMo, which means I'll try and make them really long without becoming boring.
Loki stretched himself across the sofa, making weird little sounds as his muscles and bones moved out of their once cramped positions. Pepper was sitting in the armchair next to the sofa, typing away on her little portable computer. Or, she was typing away. She was now giving him this "remind me why you're still here" look, her eyebrow raised impossibly high. He narrowed his eyes at her, but then they fully shut as his left arm finally stretched out and Valhalla it felt so good that he was momentarily dead to the world. Then he realized Pepper was still giving him that look and he sat up, rolling out his neck.
"How long was I asleep?" She glanced at her watch and shrugged.
"You were asleep when I came in here, so probably about four or five hours." He nodded silently, blinking away the sleep. "Have a good sleep?" It was obvious the woman was trying to make conversation, but she was doing it so badly and Loki was still so tired that he now gave her the same look she gave him.
"Ms. Potts, I know you don't enjoy my presence. Why bother trying to make conversation?" She was speechless for a moment before her eyes narrowed.
"Maybe I'm just trying to be nice." Loki chuckled, but said nothing else on the matter. "Wait, how do you know my last name?" He wasn't going to answer the question, but he was still grateful when the doorbell rang, breaking the tense air between himself and Pepper. He also noticed the nasty glare Pepper sent him before she turned in her seat to greet the arrivals.
Cam squealed and bolted past them on the way to the door. It opened and suddenly there was more squealing and gleeful laughing. Cam walked in, a giggling mess with an unfamiliar woman. Apparently she wasn't unfamiliar to Pepper, because the red-haired mortal smiled warmly before she turned around. Cam noticed him looking and grinned.
"Oh, hey Mischief Maker! This is my fiancée, Erin Saunders. Erin, this is Loki." Erin Saunders, who nodded politely, was a tall woman with platinum blonde hair cut into a "pixie" fashion, as it is referred to on Midgard. On either ear were two small hoops pierced into the side, one higher than the other. Her eyes were a twinkling cerulean, almost clear, blue. She was dressed in a Rolling Stones t-shirt and a pair of calf-hugging jeans tucked into black mid-calf leather boots, a scarf wrapped lazily around her neck. Her skin wasn't as pale as Cam's or his own, but it certainly contrasted against Tony's, who had just entered the room.
"Erin!" he exclaimed with a jovial laugh, hugging the woman tightly. "I thought Cam was kidding when she said you'd be stopping by!"
"No, I changed my mind last minute." Her voice had that Australian lilt to it, the kind Loki had always sorta-kinda enjoyed. He resisted asking her to say more words, because even though he wanted her to it was an incredibly childish demand. "I thought you were kidding when you said you had a super villain living with you." Ah, his wish had been granted. Then he realized that she was talking about him and he smirked, resting his chin on the back of the couch.
"Define 'living'," he muttered and Erin smiled, leaning against Cam slightly.
"I like you. Where can I get one?" The question was directed at Cam, who arched a brow.
"The very depths of Hell," she replied dryly and Loki rolled his eyes.
"Oh, Cam!" The brunette stood to attention. "I've got something I need to show you regarding the…um…" Tony cleared his throat, his eyes flickering to Loki for a split second. Cam looked confused for a moment, before her eyes widened with realization.
"Oh right! Of course!" She turned to Erin, faking a stern look. "Behave." Then, she smiled lightly and leaned forward, pecking the blonde's lips. Erin pouted as she watched her fiancée walk away, and then leaned against the wall behind the couch. Pepper shifted uncomfortably before finally just getting up and leaving the room without another word.
"And then there were two," Loki heard Erin mutter, and then she was dropping onto the other end of the couch, propping her feet up on the coffee table. "So, how did you end up here?" Her tone was surprisingly conversational, and Loki looked at her with a half-shocked expression.
"You…you aren't angry at or frightened of me?" Erin arched a brow, turning slightly to face him better.
"Do I need a reason to be?" Slowly, Loki began to shake his head and the blonde nodded, before she laughed a little. "Listen, I'm not normally one to make enemies. I'm typically a friendly person, yeah?" Her eyes grew dark and her expression became a mix of solemn and malice, startling the trickster. "But if you hurt Cam in any way, shape, or form, I will personally curb-stomp you so hard my boots'll leave an imprint in your skull, and then I'll drop-kick you into the next decade. Understand?" He nodded without really thinking about it. This weak female mortal probably couldn't even give him a bruise, but he didn't want to upset anyone, not when everyone was finally starting to become relaxed around him. Well, sort of. There was still the obvious tension whenever they were all in the same room with him. Erin then smiled brightly. "Good!"
"Psst, Erin!" They turned to find Cam peeking her head around the corner. She gestured behind her and Erin leapt to her feet.
"That's my cue!" She pointed at Loki. "You remember what I said, alright?" He nodded again and she climbed over the back of the couch, running around the corner. A door shut and Tony suddenly appeared in the doorway. He grinned almost mischievously at Loki as he plopped down where Erin had once sat.
"Well," Loki said softly, "they certainly make an interesting pair." Tony chuckled.
"No kidding. And to think, they met at a charity gala." Loki's eyebrows rose, but he said nothing more on the matter. "Hey, where'd Pepper go?"
"I don't know, nor could I care less," he muttered, waving a hand dismissively. Tony chuckled a bit. "What did you need to see Cam for?" Tony seemed startled by the question, but then he smiled a little.
"Oh, nothing that would be important to you." This only fired up Loki's curiosity, and the trickster frowned.
"Very well," he muttered anyway, resisting scrunching up his face in distaste. There were giggles, then the front door opened and closed.
"There they go," he muttered, and Loki looked his way at his wistful tone. "Cam said that she'll be leaving soon." Tony scratched the back of his head and Loki arched a brow. "She did the math last night, and in a couple of weeks she'll have enough from working for me to apply for that medical school she wants to go to so bad." He shrugged and gave a weak, crooked smile. "I mean, it's not like I care. She's just my assistant."
"Surely you don't mean that." Loki hadn't meant for the statement to come out so gently, but honestly. He's seen the way Tony's looked at Cam. He considered her his kin. Tony had obviously been thinking the same (how gentle Loki's voice had sounded), because he looked up in slight surprise. "You're terrible at feigning apathy." He chuckled and scratched the back of his head again. A popular gesture today.
"Only around you, it seems." Loki wasn't sure whether to blush or scoff. So, he just rolled his eyes.
Suddenly, there was a loud crash followed by a high-pitched scream. Both men were immediately on their feet, Loki more out of curiosity than concern. They went into the hallway that led to the bedrooms to find Thor and Steve rolling around on the ground, throwing punches. There were all kinds of crunching coming from both of them that Loki knew would've sent Frigga into a frenzy. They were throwing each other against walls and going for spots that made Loki wince.
Then, Thor was pinning Steve against a wall. There was a God-sized hole in the wall adjacent to Steve's bedroom door. Pepper was screaming at the Norse God to put Steve down while the others attempted to pry Thor's hands from around Steve's neck, as the man was becoming blue. Both had steady streams of blood dripping from their noses, and Thor looked like he was developing a black eye. Just how strong is Steve Rogers? Everyone looked extremely out of their wits. Loki assumed that in this realm, Thor was not the angry, violent being that he had been on Asgard. He must have his occasional tantrum, though? He just wouldn't be Thor without them.
"Would you all just shut up?" Tony hollered and all the screaming and yelling and growling just stopped. Like someone had pressed the mute button. One would be able to hear a pin on the floor, if one were dropped. Loki half considered testing the theory out, just to see if it would be true. But, that might make everyone, including Thor, come after him. Maybe some other time. "What happened?" Tony was obviously trying to keep his voice very calm.
"It's him!" Steve gurgled out, throwing an accusing finger in Loki's direction. The trickster's eyes widened slightly as everyone turned to look at him. "He's making everyone unhappy!"
"You would be wise to close your lips before I perform the action for you," Thor growled, tightening his grip. Steve was now purple.
"Thor." The sudden stern voice shocked the God of Thunder into loosening his grip slightly, and Steve breathed in a selfish gulp of air. His brother was giving him that desperate, "please don't do this" look that he knew tortured the older of the two. "Please release him." After a fierce stare down between the two, Thor surrendered and Steve dropped to the ground with a thud. There was a tense silence in which Loki felt very much like he had in Asgard. Like a scapegoat. He was practically waiting for them to start throwing stones at his face. He sighed.
"Is this…truly how you all feel?" More silence, only now the air was practically dense with the unspoken words that everyone knew were there. "I was unaware that I made you all unhappy. I apologize." That seemed to surprise just about everyone. Even Natasha took a small step back in shock. Clint's eyebrows were high on his head and Steve was looking up at him from his spot on the floor, his hand on his throat.
"Brother," Thor began, but Loki held up a hand.
"I did not realize, or I must have forgotten, that heroes and villains are not meant to share the same house for so long. If it would put you all at ease, I could leave." Thor was now giving him the same look he had previously been receiving, and Loki did his best to ignore it, instead surveying the others reactions. Loki had no intentions of leaving the household. If they were to become enemies again, then Loki could become invisible and very easily spy on the group, get information that he couldn't have possibly gotten before all of this. Then, Loki looked over at Tony.
The man that looked so much like Holmes was staring at him, but Loki was unable to read his expression. It seemed to be a mix of regret, anger, desperation, and all these other emotions that the God of Mischief couldn't quite place. It was then Loki realized that even if they returned to being enemies, it would be different. Especially with Tony. Loki was not at all pleased with the feelings he got when around Iron Man. Because those feelings are meant for Holmes, whom the man beside him is most certainly not. Still, it was that similarity, yet obvious difference between the two that drew the trickster to the inventor.
"Well, shit Loki." The green-eyed God turned to look at Clint, who was rubbing the back of his neck. "I didn't think you were capable of actually apologizing sincerely." That seemed to slice the tension in half, but it was still there. "I mean, I couldn't care less if you're here or not, just as long as you don't put Nair in my shampoo or something." Loki arched a brow, feeling himself slightly relieved that, for once, someone didn't care about his presence. Clint was nobody to Loki; it didn't matter if Clint cared. Natasha shrugged as well.
"Just don't touch my stuff and we'll be good." He nodded mutely. Peter shifted from foot to foot.
"Don't…don't touch my research," he muttered, scratching his cheek. "I worked hard on that." Another nod. Steve was on his feet now.
"If you hurt anyone on this team," he said in a low voice, "only then will we have a problem, I suppose." Loki nodded again before he looked back at Tony. The corner of his mouth twitched, just a bit.
"I don't give a damn what you do, as long as you stay away from my workshop." He turned to the rest of the group. "No more putting holes in the walls." Then he walked out. Everyone else also filed out of the hall, Thor assuring Tony that he'll get started immediately on fixing that. Loki turned to walk out with he felt a tight grip on his arm, nails digging into his skin.
"If you hurt Tony, physically or emotionally," Pepper hissed in his ear, "we're going to have a serious problem." Loki was taken aback (and slightly awestruck) at the small, fragile woman's courage, and nodded purely to make her back up. She did, thankfully, and walked off. He narrowed his eyes in her direction before sighing out of possible relief.
The boundaries have been set. Surely this means that the Avengers are more comfortable with him around, right? He glanced over his shoulder at the heroes' retreating backs, biting the inside of his cheeks. Just before he turned, he noticed how Tony looked over his shoulder at him. And for a split second, they locked eyes. Loki was suddenly overwhelmed with a passion that he had felt only once. A very, very long time ago. Tony must have felt it too, because his eyes widened slightly as he turned back around and hurried to turn the corner. The trickster assured himself it was only because he looked like Holmes. That was probably the only reason he felt anything towards Iron Man at all. Purely because he looks like Holmes.
And yet, there was a small voice in the back of his mind telling him that wasn't so. Telling him that he liked Tony, and not just as some sort of acquaintance. Of course, he scoffed mentally at the idea, but the fact that it could be true didn't stop bothering him for the rest of the day.
Random little drabble bit at the end.
Coming up: Someone leaves the mansion for good and Tony finally (you'll see why I say finally) gets Thor back for putting a hole in his wall.
I hope that it's to everyone's liking, and that I was able to improve on the problem areas I was told about =)
I love reviews as much as I love pie. Okay, not that much, but you know what I mean.
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