A/N - Phew! I finally finished this chapter, my fingers are aching like crazy. Thanks to everyone who reviewed/followed/favorited my story. There's no Loki here, just Thor and Natasha and lots of dialogue and lots of thoughts. It's all Thor's POV.
"I thought I'd find you here."
Thor did not turn or acknowledge the presence behind him, but Natasha went and sat down next to him anyway, sliding to the floor and resting her back on the wall. She exaggerated a shiver. "Brr, it's cold," she said, wrapping her sweater around herself tighter.
"Good evening, Lady Natasha," Thor said finally. Natasha arched an eyebrow. "I've told you," she said, sounding more amused than anything, "No need for formalities. Just Natasha."
Thor nodded, throwing her a sideways glance. "Where are the others?"
Natasha was staring out, gazing at the brilliant lights of New York, standing out sharply against the blanket of darkness behind it. "Doing their own thing," she answered, purposely misinterpreting it as if Thor meant, Find someone else and leave me alone. But Thor wasn't sure if Natasha was exactly misinterpreting it.
After a heavy silence hung between them for a moment, Natasha elaborated. "Pepper accidentally watched the recorded footage, of, you know, Loki and everything," she told him. "She got freaked out, and she can't handle blood very well. So after…Loki's injury got a little shaken up," Natasha added carefully, "She practically lost it, and I think everything with the Chitauri attack and Tony almost dying finally got to her. Pepper's in hysterics, and Tony's comforting her."
Once another silence passed, Natasha spoke again. "Bruce is with Loki," she said. "Clint just left to his room afterwards and wouldn't let anybody in. I asked Steve if he wanted a drink, but,"—Natasha laughed lightly, "he looked as though he'd seen a ghost. I told him I'd change my shirt, but he seemed even more embarrassed after. Steve excused himself real quick after."
Though it wasn't all that funny, Thor let out a sharp bark of laughter, the pang of nostalgia stinging him painfully. That was how Loki had always been, he thought. Thor had been very liberal with the ladies, taking a different one to bed nearly every night. Loki had always blushed and looked mortified when a scantily clad girl—naked except for one of Thor's old cloaks draped over her shoulders—had slipped out of Thor's bedroom, hair disheveled.
Thor had thought it highly amusing, and teased Loki to no end over this, who was definitely not amused. Loki had always been different from Thor and his friends, he realized. Thor liked gallivanting off on daring adventures with Sif and the Warriors Three, but Loki preferred spending the day in the library, head bent over a heavy, thick volume as he practiced the more 'womanly' arts of magic.
What had happened? thought Thor sorrowfully. When they were younger, Loki always tagged behind Thor faithfully. Thor never worried over Loki because his little brother was always at his heels. Loki and Thor had been inseparable. Loki told Thor everything, and Thor told Loki everything.
But something had happened. Thor had begun to tease Loki more with his friends, until after a while Loki had just closed up. Thor realized he'd never really known Loki. He knew Loki's little quirks, his habits, his fighting style, what food he liked, how he hated the way short hair felt around his ears, and how he preferred the rich shade of oak green to the royal colors of red and purple. Yet what was underneath that, Thor wasn't entirely sure.
"So," said Natasha abruptly, "I came to see how you're holding up." Thor blinked, shaken out of his deep thoughts as he opened his mouth, attempting to think of a reply.
Natasha smiled suddenly, a warm, seemingly-genuine, sympathetic smile full of pity and understanding. "And you don't seem to be holding up too well," finished Natasha softly, her gentle murmur laced with consolation and empathy. Her blue-green eyes were compassionate, inviting him to share and confide in her.
Yet Thor knew better then to fully believe her act. She was a trained assassin, skilled in lying and acting. Thor was a horrible liar, as Loki had so often told him in their younger years. Yet Thor had grown up with the god of lies in his house, and he had become well accustomed to discerning a lie from a truth.
It was simple, really. Natasha was so closed off, face drawn and expressionless during their discussions, that all the warmth and understanding on her face could only be an act. There were two things that could be going on. Either Natasha felt no emotion what-so-ever and was faking it all, or she actually felt something, yet instead of disguising it as she usually would, she allowed it to slip through her mask for the sake of gaining information. Thor sincerely hoped the latter was correct.
Yet there was no need for this facade, Thor knew. He would have told Natasha everything anyway. Well, not everything, but all the important bits she and the Avengers needed to know to save their realm.
"Loki was tortured," he said, cutting straight to the chase. Natasha's eyes flickered briefly with surprise when she realized he saw her facade, but she clamped it out and nodded wordlessly. Thor did not call her out on it, but went on. "He was tortured by the Chitauri and Thanos," he said, voice emotionless because he could not fake emotions, and wasn't ready for Natasha to easily read his real ones.
A light of understanding dawned in her eyes. "Are you saying Loki didn't initiate the attack of his own free will?" asked Natasha. Her voice sounded understanding, as though she understood what Loki had gone through, but Thor couldn't be sure if it was feigned or real. That was the curse of a liar, reflected Thor. Nobody ever knew if you told the truth her not.
After looking at her expectant gaze, Thor considered the question. He frowned, torn between lying and wringing sympathy from her, gaining an ally for Loki, and the fact that he lied to his friends. He went with the latter.
"I do not entirely believe so," Thor admitted reluctantly. "He brought the Frost Giants over to Asgard on my coronation and attacked a city here with the Destroyer, and he was sane then." After considering his words, Thor went back and amended them. "Well, I'm not sure if he was entirely sane," said Thor thoughtfully. "But he was not being mind-controlled then, for sure."
"Ah," nodded Natasha. There was nothing more to be said.
"Speaking of Puente Antiguo, the city Loki attacked,"—Natasha added after Thor's confused look—"Tony wanted to know if you'd like Jane flying over here. It was meant to be a surprise for you, we had it all planned out beautifully," she said, the perfect touch of regret lacing her voice. "But we weren't sure if you wanted her over now, with the Loki situation and all," she said, gesturing vaguely with her hands.
At Thor's brow furrow, Natasha felt obliged to explain. "You told us last visit you were coming soon, within in the next couple of weeks," she informed him. "We just told Jane to get everything ready to leave after a moment's notice. Stark was going to get one of his jets to fly her in."
Thor was touched. "Thank you," he said sincerely, warmed by the consideration of his friends. "But I'm not entirely sure if I can have her over. I need to think it over, may I tell you tomorrow for certain?"
Natasha agreed. "Of course," she told him. "There's no rush." After a moment of thought, Natasha added a bit at the end. "Unless if you're leaving for Asgard."
"No," Thor hastened to assure her. "I will stay here as long as Loki is here, to keep an eye on him. I would not leave you with such a burden." Although it was not clearly seen on her face, Thor got the impression that she was greatly relieved.
"Shall we go inside now?" asked Natasha, getting to her feet gracefully. "I'm getting a little chilly, and I need to see how Clint is." Thor gestured to her. "Of course, if you need to leave," he said, "You may leave. Don't let me keep you."
Natasha nodded. "Good night then, Thor," she said. "Good night," Thor answered. Natasha turned to leave, hand pausing above the doorknob. "By the way," she said, voice devoid of expression, "just remember if you need somebody to talk to, I'm there." Thor wasn't sure if that was another lie, or a truth.
But it was nice to think it was true.
Well, I'm proud of whoever read through this chapter! Not a lot of action, just yada yada. Anywayyyys, I'm still not sure if I should put in Jane or not. I'll wait for about two days, I'll see how many want her and how many don't. Please review and tell me. So the new chapter may take a while, I need two days to get the reviews and another two days to write it….anyway, please R/R! Criticism is welcome, just don't be too harsh on me :(