Sorry it took me a while to get the new chapter out, guys! This chapter was being difficult. I kept changing it. Bleh. Anyway, thank you for all the responses! I would shower you all with hugs if that wouldn't be extremely frightening and creepy. Speaking of creepy things, it's about to get creepy in here (andalittleromanticbutyoudidn'thearthatfromme). I'm really interested in the feedback for this one...and nervous.
Also, expect a little delay for next time. It's finals week.
Disclaimer: Only the OC, the rest is Marvel's.
The clock ticked away steadily in the dark, but Wynn was oblivious to it, deep in unconscious. It seemed to have a lulling effect on her, reminding her of the old grandfather clock she had in her hallway at home. It eased her into a bottomless sleep. So when the figure slipped from the shadow of the room, Wynn never stirred. Granted, no noise was made, the bare feet skimming over the floor. Slowly, a white hand reached out and touched her pulse point, feather soft. Blood raced under her skin, pure life.
The fingers twitched, aching to rip the throat from the girl's slender neck, but after a moment the digits retracted. The time would come for that, and when it did, the reward would be all the sweeter. Without a whisper, the silhouette glided back into the corner and melded with the wall.
Wynn rapped on Loki's door the next morning, and pulled her hands back into the cocoon of her sleeves. Stark hadn't bothered to turn on the heat yet, and the tower was at a steady temperature of "freeze your ass off".
The door creaked open and Loki, from the other side of the room, waved her in. Wynn hesitated a moment before entering the room, and shook her head.
"You've got to stop doing that. I feel like I'm in "The Amityville Horror" when you move crap around."
Loki glanced at her and didn't bother to ask her what the reference was. Instead, he continued his pacing, back and forth, wall to wall. He looked like a caged tiger, brow furrowed in a jumble of creases.
Wynn watched him warily, and after a few seconds of tracing his body repeatedly from side to side, she asked, "What's wrong?"
Loki jerked to a stop, as if startled from a task. Their eyes met for a brief moment before he locked his jaw and shook his head the tiniest bit.
"I don't expect you to feel it."
"Feel what?"
Loki braced his palms upward, towards the ceiling, as if trying to conjure an explanation. Wynn thought she saw his fingertips tremble a little, a subtle warning of his exasperation.
"Something is amiss," he concluded, leaving Wynn more than frustrated.
"Did your dinner not settle well? Do you feel like you're forgetting something? Is there a disturbance in the force? Your specifics need brushing up, Loki," Wynn sighed. The god whipped a glare at her, and she put up her hands in defeat.
"Sorry, sorry. Let's just go get something to eat, okay? I'm starving. Tell me about it at breakfast."
Loki rubbed one eyebrow in aggravation, obviously put-off by the fact that he couldn't pinpoint exactly what was bothering him. It probably didn't help that he couldn't explain it to her, either. As he approached her, the disturbed look on his face grew into something like astonishment. Without warning, he bent forward and into the crook of her neck. Wynn recoiled in surprise, but he seized her shoulder and pulled her in the slightest bit. She felt the brush of his hair, and the cool tip of his nose barely skimmed the hot skin of her throat before he yanked back.
"I smell it on you," he said, releasing her from his grip. Wynn rubbed her neck, as if to gather her thoughts. She took a deep breath, and the fact that the air shuddered in her lungs didn't escape her.
"What the hell are you talking about?" she asked.
A knot began to wind up her gut in alarm at his words, and the knot only grew when he replied, "I would go see the doctor. Perhaps he will be able to trace it. I don't recognize it, but the feel of it…" he trailed off and she saw his throat tighten. "I wager that it's no white magic."
Banner gently swabbed her neck with the tracing cloth while she stared at the ceiling. Loki had told him to try at the pulse, but Banner had traced the whole side of her neck for good measure.
"If I work fast, I may be able to identify it by the end of today. If it's identifiable, that is."
Banner gently tucked the cloth in between two sheets of glass, to be examined and scanned later.
"And he wasn't able to tell you anything?" Banner asked, and Wynn shook her head. Loki had made himself scarce after dropping her off at the lab. He had looked paler than normal, and when she asked him where he was heading to, he just told her that he was going to "test the water". Whatever that meant.
"I guess it makes sense that he'd be able to detect it. Heightened senses, and all that," Wynn pointed out, as if defending him. But Banner just gave her a small smile and folded his glasses over his collar.
"I'll get back to you as soon as I can. In the meantime, try not to worry."
"It's a little tough not to worry. The whole episode gives me the heebie-jeebies." Wynn gave an exaggerated shudder, but the dramatics were lost on Banner. He remained passive as ever.
"I admit it's more than a little strange, but I'll get Stark in the know. We'll figure it out soon enough."
"I trust you, Doctor."
Wynn gave him a mock salute and hopped off the table, calling good-bye as she hauled it out of the lab. As much as she liked Banner, the whole sterile, scientific environment wasn't for her. After all the tests S.H.I.E.L.D. put her through after the explosion, she had received her fill of labs for a lifetime…and then some.
She began wandering through the tower, looking for Loki. But after the thirteenth floor, she decided to just go straight to the top. If she could find Stark, who was most likely at the bar, then she could find Loki. The watchful eye that Stark kept on the tower bordered on creepy.
And, sure enough, Stark was just where she had predicted, Thor by his side. He was filling a frosty mug to the brim with beer from the tap, and she judged by the monstrous size of it that it was intended for Thor. That, or Stark was having a really bad day.
"Hey, guys," she called, passing over the slick marble floor. Stark held up a hand in greeting, but Thor, ever the polite one, swiveled around on his chair and held out his arms.
"Lady Wynn! Have you come to join us?"
She shook her head and craned her neck up to meet his gaze. For a moment, she considered sitting down beside him, but she hardly thought a nosebleed was required just so she could have a conversation.
"Actually, I came to see if either of you knew where Loki was. I've been all over the tower trying to find him."
Stark gave her a skeptical look as he poured a clear liquid over ice. Something strong, no doubt.
"You don't know where he is? That's a first."
"I had to go see Banner, and he kind of ran off. He's been a little weird today. I don't-"
Stark held up finger to shush her, and pressed a hand to the intercom on the wall.
"Jarvis, where's Loki?"
"At the top of the tower, sir. He's been there for quite a while."
"Maybe he's gonna jump. You should go egg him on," Stark told Wynn, hand still pressed to the intercom. She curled her lip up at him in distaste, but Jarvis was still talking, so she kept her mouth shut.
"And sir? When you have a free moment, it would be in your best interest to recalibrate the security system."
"Mmm," Stark mumbled, letting go and turning back to the bar. Jarvis was silent after that, and Wynn gave Stark a worried look.
"Stark, maybe you should do what Jarvis says."
"Jarvis is even more paranoid than I am. Are you going to go push Loki off the roof or not?"
With a huff, she backpedaled away from the bar, keeping a steady glare on Stark. With a squeeze to Thor's arm, she headed off; at least Stark had the courtesy to open the doors for her. As soon as she stepped outside, a strong gust of wind hit her, and she turtled into her sweater. Hesitantly, she looked straight up, and sure enough, she saw a glimpse of Loki at the top of the platform. The very top.
With a groan, she began trekking up the narrow set of stairs that bypassed all of the glass windows. By the time she made it to the platform, the stairs had thinned significantly and she felt a bit weak in the knees. Wynn wasn't scared of heights, but the sheer height of it was disorientating. New York sprawled beneath her like a system of metal ants – even the tallest buildings were dwarfed by Stark tower. She let out a low whistle at the sight of it, and heard Loki scoff.
"You are impressed now. If only you saw Asgard."
"What's it like?" Wynn asked, taking baby steps over to his side. Walking normally felt dangerous on the small piece of building they stood upon, as if she'd careen over the edge without noticing.
Loki hesitated for a second before telling her, "Golden. The monuments and buildings rest on mountains, above the sea. It truly is beautiful."
Wynn didn't fail to notice how bitter that last statement sounded. Loki was the ultimate paradox – he was of Asgard, but was not really of Asgard. He had believed that the Jotunn were monsters only to find out he was one. She felt he was entitled to be just a tiny bit astringent when it came to referring the city.
"And what about Jotenheimr? Have you ever been there before?"
"You know I have," Loki said, his voice cool. Wynn felt the edge under his words though, and lifted a hand to rub her shoulder in nervousness.
"I'm not sure what-"
"I'm not daft," Loki spat, and his anger was sudden but familiar. "I know my bro- I know Thor told you of my true parentage. Though I commend you for keeping it quiet for so long, what with all the questions you ask."
"Okay, one," Wynn said, holding up a finger, "I don't ask a lot of questions, that's ridiculous. And two," she added another finger, "I don't know why you're upset. Whether Thor told me or you told me, it's not like it matters."
Loki twisted around so that he was facing her rather than the city, and she could see that his jaw was set tight. The whole topic of his past, no matter how slight, seemed to rile up some huge pit of rage. It seemed to her that Loki, for all of his obvious maturity and intelligence, was still like a little kid stomping his feet.
"Look, I can't imagine what it was like for you because I wasn't there. I don't know how those people treated you or what you went through, but you're not a part of that anymore. What's done is done, Loki. You can...move on, you know?"
The laugh that followed was harsh and hollow. "You're terribly mistaken. I will always be a part of it. I grew in the shadows of greatness and critisism. I cannot move on after thousands of years of slights, nor can I change what I am." He took a step back from her, two steps, and turned to face the city again. His posture was rigid, hands clasped to his sides.
Even without trying, he stood like a scolded child, holding his tongue. She wondered how many times he had stood like that, behind Thor, watching and waiting but not a part of it. Wynn sighed, and almost without registering it, covered the same ground his feet just had to stand beside him. Being this close to the edge made her knees tremble, but she stayed so close that their elbows brushed.
"And I think that's where you're mistaken," Wynn remarked, trying to sound calm even though her heart was clawing up her throat. "We get a choice. We're not our mistakes, and we're not our parents. I fought like hell to make sure of that."
Slowly, so slowly it was almost painful, she let her hand drift over to his so that just the pinkie fingers made contact. The touch was subtle, but she felt his hand twitch when he registered it.
"You're not Odin and you're not Laufey, and you're not Thor. You don't need to be. You're Loki. And I think that's good enough."
"Sentiments," he said, but his voice was weaker, like he was speaking a great distance. Wynn felt terribly aware of his skin touching hers, and he suddenly moved his hand away, as though it was an afterthought.
Wynn hesitated a moment before turning away. She felt that she should say something else, but she couldn't beat anything into his head. When Loki was ready, he'd open his mouth and explain things to her in his own way. Or at least she hoped he would.
"I'm going to go get lunch; you coming?" she asked. He cast a withering look in her direction.
"Are you going to make me play that damned game again afterward?" he asked.
"What, you mean "Sorry"? Dude, you won every game, be thankful."
"When you're my competition, it's hardly a challenge."
"That was just rude," Wynn called as she disappeared down the stairway. After a moment, she heard the sound of his footsteps following.
"We should flip a coin," Barton said idly. He stared at the ceiling as he spun around in the chair. Wynn watched his form rotate at a dizzying pace before she threw out a foot to stop him.
"I told you I'd go, and I'll go," Wynn insisted, but Barton just shrugged her off.
"It's not a good idea. What with that freaky shit Banner found on you, I'm surprised you're not hiding under your blankets."
"Is that really what you think I'd do?" Wynn asked, grinding her teeth.
"You heard Fury, Wynn. He was losing his fucking mind; Stark, too. We've been compromised. The same crap they found on that dead guy was on you. That means, if you haven't realized by now, that they got past all of Stark's security and into your room, and no one was any the wiser. If you're not scared, I'm scared for you," Barton replied, half-yelling by the end of it.
Wynn turned away, and saw Loki studying her with a furrow in his brow, silent and observing like always. She deliberately avoided both of their gazes and chose to stare down at the separated parts of her Glock that lay on the table.
"Yes, I realize, and yes, of course I'm scared," she muttered, not looking up as she started to reconstruct her gun, "But I was assigned patrol tonight and it's what I'll do."
"Whatever you say," Barton sighed, and stood. "At least switch with me and Nat by 2, instead of running around all night like last time. Stark and Banner are sitting out this round to revamp the security system."
Sensing that he was looking for a compromise, she said, "We can do that."
She finally looked at Barton and gave him a cheeky grin, which was supposed to be reassuring but only served to exasperate him more. Suddenly, the man turned to Loki, and said, "And I swear to God, if you don't watch her back out there I'll come for you myself."
Turning on his heel, Barton stormed out, leaving the two alone in the meeting room. There was a moment of silence before Wynn burst out laughing.
"I hardly find a mortal threatening me funny," Loki said, but there wasn't any malice in his voice. If anything, he seemed amused at Barton's outburst.
"Hey," Wynn gasped, rubbing a tear from her eye, "At least he's talking to you now. For a while there I thought he was going to try and stab you in your sleep."
Loki didn't respond to that one, but she knew he didn't take her seriously. They all knew, Barton included, that if he tried to hurt Loki he probably wouldn't stand a chance. But neither of them had pulled anything, and for that, Wynn was grateful.
"C'mon, it's almost ten. We should get going. Oh, and if you make yourself disappear again and pretend to be a stalker, I'm really going to kill you this time."
Loki smirked, and stood up to smooth out all of the various leather and metal that adourned his body. He was back in his Asgardian gear, looking like he was going to a war field in Middle-earth rather than the streets of New York.
"Is that a promise, Miss Randall?"
She snapped the magazine into the pistol, switched on the safety, and stuffed it in the holster. As she sheathed her machete and slung it on her back, Wynn gave him a smile, dimples and all.
"You know it is."