So, I have decided that I'll do a chapter that centers a main character (resolves an issue, deepens their motives, etc.) during this lull so I can build things up well. Steve is first. Can I get a woot woot from the senior section?

Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers. I do own Lily.

_-x-_

Day 10

Wake up. Shower. Brush hair. This was getting repetitive and it was killing me. I needed a change of scenery badly. If I did make it through internship, I didn't know how much I'd enjoy the actual job at SHIELD. I wouldn't have to babysit Thor, or be subjected to Loki's mind games by then, but the whole atmosphere of the place was hostile.

I think you know the drill by now.

I think you're right, Phil.

_-x-_

Tony and Bruce were discussing clean energy when I walked in, which seemed to be a part of their daily routine.

"Ahem," I coughed with a little smile.

Tony jumped up and grabbed both breakfasts and drinks. He then kissed both of my cheeks with an exaggerated 'muah' sound.

"The hell?" I mumbled.

"That's how I say thank you now."

I raised an eyebrow. Where was he hiding the alcohol?

"What? Bruce, can you hand me that file?" he said quickly while pointing to the folder next to Bruce. Maybe he was hiding acid.

Bruce handed him said file apprehensively. Tony jumped across the table and kissed him on the cheek.

He was mortified. The poor thing.

"Tony, are you okay?" I asked finally.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Totally fine," he replied. His feet were tapping at 300 beats per minute. I instantly regretted giving him coffee.

"Tony, you just kissed me," Bruce said, while wiping his cheek.

"Am I not allowed to kiss my friends?"

I hesitated. "Are you drunk?"

"I've never drank in my life," he scoffed.

At that, I bursted out laughing.

_-x-_

"Feeling better this morning?" I asked Loki, who was reading a book while sitting cross-legged on his bed.

"Not really," he replied without looking up.

I opened his door and set down his tray. He didn't look up.

"Good book?" I asked, still inside the cell. From here I could see the word "Sherlo", so I could assume what he was reading.

"It's written by a human, so it can only be but so good," he finally looked up at me.

"Human books are good."

"Lily, my dear, you've never read a book written by a God."

"Good point," I shrugged.

"And why haven't you ran out of the cell yet?"

"If that's my cue to leave before you hurt me…,"

"Yes. That's your cue to leave before I hurt you," he grinned.

_-x-_

Natasha was working hard on the shooting range, as always. I wondered how good she is by now, considering how hard she works at it.

Steve wasn't doing quite as good. He looked completely listless, which made me wonder when he slept last. I handed him his breakfast, which he smiled weakly at. Something was wrong with the dude.

"You okay, Steve?" I asked finally.

He hesitated. "Yeah, I'm okay." He didn't put much energy into the lie, so it was ridiculously see-through.

"Okay, if you need someone to talk to, I'm always around," I patted him on the back.

He nodded a little bit and moved to sit down on the bench.

In my head, I went over the long list of things that could be wrong with him, in case he decided not to talk.

In the meantime, Thor needed to be awoken from his "deep slumber".

"Thor?" I tapped on the door to room 140B gently, hoping that the intellectual version of Thor was with us.

"Yes?"

"It's time to get up."

The door opened a few seconds later. Out came Thor, who was calm. YES. HE'S CALM.

"Is it time for breakfast?" he asked in a normal inside voice. It took a lot of effort not to fist pump.

"Yes, it is time for breakfast, Thor. I'm glad you're using your inside voice today."

"WHAT?" he yelled with a smile.

And from there I knew that Thor was capable of being intentionally funny. I was well aware that he could be unconsciously hilarious.

9 pancakes later, I was starting to worry.

"Thor, do you think that 9 is enough?" I looked up from my own plate where said God was spraying the skillet (just like I taught him).

"Not really."

I sighed. "Okay. Make me one, too."

The kitchen door opened to reveal a soldier. Oh boy.

"HALT!"

The soldier jumped. Thor giggled. "I am sorry, I just wanted to try that."

"Ms. Coulson, the Director wishes to see you."

"Okey-dokey. Don't eat my pancake Thor," I hit the chef on the arm.

_-x-_

"Ms. Coulson," Fury nodded at me once I'd made it into the workroom.

I nodded back, "Director." How formal this was.

"I've been watching the security tapes," he paused for effect, "And I'm surprised by how well you're handling Loki."

OH YEAH. I JUST GOT COMPLEMENTED BY THE DIRECTOR. GET ON MY LEVEL. "Thank you."

"However, I don't want you EVER staying in his cell longer than you need to. Even if he's nice to you, he's a murderer."

"I understand." And I did, honestly. I'd gotten too comfortable with Loki. Going into his room wasn't even scary anymore.

"And I wouldn't recommend talking to him about personal subjects. He could use them against you easily, but it's your choice."

I nodded and took his words into consideration. Maybe I shouldn't let Loki in on my personal life, but it doesn't seem like I've been letting him in on anything. He's the one that's interested.

"You're dismissed."

_-x-_

"Do the kissing noises I heard this morning have anything to do with your problem?" Loki cocked his head to the side.

"Well, I haven't been kissing anyone, if that's what you're asking." I wish I had been kissing someone, my mind added.

"Not exactly what I was asking, but that will do." I opened the cell and set down the tray.

"You think you're close, don't you?" I asked while closing the door.

"I believe so," he smirked in that devilish-rogue way that was insanely scary.

Uh-Oh.

_-x-_

"It's lunch ti-," I stopped. "Why is Thor on the computer?" How could Bruce ever let Thor anywhere near anything expensive and electronic?

"Oh, it's fine, he's just on paint," Bruce said with a smile.

I sighed in relief. Tony was standing next to him and helping choose colors. I handed the two their lunches, which they were grateful for.

"Bruce, do you think something is wrong with Tony?" I whispered. Bruce's eyes moved over to Tony who was watching intently.

"Yes. I definitely like green tea better than white tea," he said loudly. Once Tony turned back around, he winked.

It was the cutest wink I'd ever seen, and it affirmed the fact that Tony was going crazy.

I nodded and set off to the basement.

_-x-_

Steve hadn't moved since breakfast, which was the first sign that he was getting worse.

"Steve?" I asked quietly.

He jumped. "Yeah?"

"Sorry," I smiled. "Are you still okay?" I sat down next to him and handed over the lunch.

"Ha. Yeah. I'm very okay," he replied sarcastically.

I sighed. He needed to talk about it, but I didn't want to force him into it. If comfort was an art, I'd consider myself an artist.

"I'm bet it's hard being you. You probably feel really old." Well that was blunt.

"Yeah, I do," he replied.

"At least you have swag," I nudged him.

He smiled just barely, but I'd consider it a victory. "I feel really alone."

I frowned. "You have all of us."

"Yeah, I know I do, but there are so many people I left behind."

"I'm not any of them," I said before pausing to collect my thoughts, "but if a guy died and came back to life 70 years later, I wouldn't want him to miss me," I smiled weakly, and it was the absolute truth.

He smiled. "I don't think normal people consider things like that."

"I'm sorry your life has to be so shitty, Steve," I laughed through gritted teeth.

He laughed with me. "Is there vodka in the kitchen?"

_-x-_

"Phil, do we have alcohol anywhere?" I asked my dear uncle, who was once again laying down in his office.

"That depends on why you're asking," he squinted.

"C'mon, it's not for me. Steve wants some."

"There's a stash in the back of the pantry, he'll find it if he looks hard enough."

"And as long as Thor hasn't rewired it," I mumbled.

"What was that?"

"It's an insider," I smiled and went on to dinner delivery, even if I was a bit early.

_-x-_

"Mr. Stark must've upset someone that you care about."

"Why do you care so much, Loki?" I asked in disbelief while walking in and placing his tray down. It was alarming that he had guessed it, I will admit.

"I find the human mind interesting," he mused.

"We're not smart enough to write a good book," I smiled and closed his door.

"I never said I didn't like the book," he grinned. His grins could easily make someone poop their pants. "I just think that the books on Asguard are better."

"You're getting close to the truth, though, it's pretty impressive."

"Has he insulted your uncle?" Now we were on to 20 Questions.

I rolled my eyes. "Phil is a bad-ass, Loki. He can defend himself from someone like Stark."

A moment passed and the atmosphere of the room changed completely. He must've figured it out.

"It's the beast that you care for, isn't it?" Loki asked, now with his arms crossed.

He's not a beast. Not at all.

"I'm right," Loki was so proud of himself.

"I didn't say that."

"Your body did."

"Hmm?"

"You blushed. It's the disadvantage of being pale."

Damn it. Damn it, damn it, damn it. I walked out of the room defeated.

I hoped to God that Stark hadn't been watching that exchange. My phone vibrated.

You can bet your ass I'm bad:)

Shut up Phil:)

_-x-_

"Did you find the vodka?" I asked Steve who was eating dinner with Thor in the kitchen.

He smiled and held up a big bottle. "I didn't think S.H.E.I.L.D. actually had alcohol."

"How many pancakes have you had Thor?"

He looked sick. Poor guy. "I lost count a few hours ago."

"Pass the bottle," I asked Steve and took a swig. Disgusting. I handed it over to Thor. He was huge, so his tolerance was probably amazing.

"That is not very tasteful," Thor said after three long swigs.

"It grows on you," Steve said while leaning his head back.

"Like fungus," I added after another swig.

"Where's my room service?" Natasha smirked from the doorway.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I forgot your dinner," I kicked myself mentally.

"It's fin… Is that vodka?"

Naturally, the Russian goes ham for vodka.

Steve held the bottle out to her, and she took it gladly.

And it went on repeat for a few hours. Depressing conversations, drinks, Thor's silly comments. Then the bottle was empty. It was a very big bottle, too.

_-x-_

Night 10

"You know the drill, Bruce," I said without slurring. It was hard.

He smiled and turned out the lights.

We walked to the lift (or shuffled in my case) in a comfortable silence.

Once inside, the pull of the elevator made me dizzy. I felt myself leaning, until Bruce caught me of course.

"You been drinking?" he quirked an eyebrow and smiled.

"No, I'm just tired," I yawned and leaned onto him.

"That's what they all say," he smirked.

I looked up at him, "Who says that?"

"All of the short drunken baristas."

I hit his arm. "5' 3''."

"You're drunk, so that measurement's unreliable. And you're still tiny," he teased.

We walked down the hallway and soon found out that I was incapable of unlocking my door. Bruce didn't seem to mind, like he didn't mind helping me take off my shoes, or putting toothpaste on the brush.

He even pulled down the sheets and helped me in. What a sweetheart/gentleman/perfect person.

"Need anything else?" he asked finally.

"Read me a story," we both laughed.

He bent down and kissed my forehead. Even in my half-intoxicated state, it was enough to make my heart stop.

"Goodnight, Lily," he whispered against my head. It tickled so perfectly.

He was gone before I could reply, and I was glad for that, because Lord knows what I would've said.

Granted a reply of "I love you", or "I want to have your babies", would be partially true, all of it could wait until I was sober.

_-x-_

Notes

LOKI KNOWS. OH LORD. Poor Lily, she's a little drunk. And Steve is lonely. Tony is going insane, also. This is one hell of an exciting lull.

A little cousin of mine was over for my brother's graduation this weekend, and she entertained herself by playing with paint on the computer. I couldn't help but think that Thor would do that in the lab.

As always, I love reviews. Who doesn't? Next chapter will be Natasha's. Das my hoe right der.

Love,

_-Maddie-_