Hey everybody! As I predicted, things are slowing down due to life, and then randomly speeding up again for, like, two days. So updates from now one will be irregular and random - yay! Things to anticipate! But do enjoy!

BP

Chapter 14: Nice To Meet You

They were eating breakfast when Jarvis announced that Steve Rodgers was in the lobby, waiting by the private elevator.

"Let him up, J." Tony glanced to Kagome, who was contentedly eating a piece of toast next to Loki. "Kagome, do you want to be around for this?" Kagome's chewing slowed down as she thought and, as she swallowed, a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes. Loki grinned as he noticed it, knowing that she was going to give the Avengers a shock.

"No," She said lowly. "I'll… introduce myself later, I think." Then she stood and wandered away to their bedroom. Loki watched her go and then looked at Tony, who was grinning helplessly.

"When are you going to tell her?" The grin no longer reached Tony's eyes, but Loki knew that the question had to be asked.

"I don't know - she's been through so much and I don't want to lose what we have already." Loki scrutinised the inventor.

"You know that I'm also interested, don't you?" Tony shrugged and walked forward, leaning over the table with his elbows on it.

"It didn't escape my notice." He sighed when Loki gave him a frustrated look. "I knew when I asked you to help me that it was a possibility - and I think the fact that I asked you should give you permission, shouldn't it?" He smirked and winked at the God, who now looked mildly amused. "Besides, it's not as if we don't know each other well already." Loki chuckled and nodded, just as the elevator gave a little ding and the doors opened, revealing Steve with a duffle bag, wearing a white shirt, brown leather jacket, and jeans and trainers. "Rodgers. Welcome to my Tower." He said, cordially enough, though there was hidden tension in his posture, if not his voice. Steve seemed oblivious though, and smiled at Tony and Loki.

"Mr. Stark, thank you for having me." He reached out with one hand for a handshake and nodded to Loki. "And it's nice to see you not causing a war." Loki smiled a little and nodded.

"Captain." Tony stared at the outstretched hand in curiosity. Why would he take the hand? Steve had said some pretty harsh things in the Helicarrier, and though Tony had fought back, there was only one place the Captain was weakest, whereas he'd managed to hit several chinks in Tony's armour. Another moment passed before Steve awkwardly lowered the hand and Loki had to look away before the soldier saw his smile.

"Let's just get you to your room, eh?" Tony asked, and walked back to the elevator. Steve frowned, but followed. Tony gave a cheery wave to Loki as the doors closed, but Loki noticed the way the inventor was strained, and waved back, an utterly fake smile on his lips.

When they were gone, Loki got up and made his way to the bedroom, opening the door to find Kagome on the bed with a StarkPad, touching the screen with a kind of confidence that she hadn't had a week ago. He and Tony had been trying to slowly integrate her to the modern world, and she was a quick learner - there were still things like pop culture she wasn't picking up so fast, but the technology was something she was fine with. When she noticed he was in the room, she looked up and smiled at him, putting the StarkPad aside.

"Hey, Loki." Loki smiled.

"Hello. Can I speak to you for a minute?" Kagome gestured next to her on the bed.

"Feel free." Loki sat on the bed, facing her, and looked her in the eyes. She seemed surprised by his seriousness and business attitude, but kept the eye contact and adjusted her demeanour to suit his.

"Kagome, are you settling well here?" Kagome seemed confused as to what he was trying to get at, but nodded. "Are you happy with me and Tony?" Kagome frowned but nodded. "How do you feel with us?" He asked tentatively, and almost smiled at how quickly her gaze turned introspective.

"I feel…" She sighed, frustrated at how hard it was to describe. "Safe, I guess. And warm." She smiled softly. "It's easy to forget around you two, and I feel like I can be myself. I feel affectionate towards you both, and I feel free to give and receive comfort." Then she frowned. "But I'm concerned as well - about Tony's lifespan." She paused, debating with herself while Loki looked on curiously. "I can - I mean my reiki - I have enough power to heal him completely and stop his aging." She finally said, determination lacing her tone. Ignoring the contents of the sentence for now, Loki grinned.

"How long were you waiting to say that?" He asked, amused. Kagome sighed in slightly tense relief.

"Over two weeks." She said, a small smile on her face. Then she was serious again. "But Loki, I don't know how to ask if he would - because I wouldn't dare do it without his permission - and is it even a good idea? I mean, look at me. I've spent the good part of five hundred years alone or in pain or both, and I'm slowly loosing my sanity." She paused for a moment. "Or I was. But the point still stands." Loki was silent for a few minutes as he thought. On the one hand, Kagome was right - it could be a potentially damaging thing to Tony's psyche. On the other, Tony wanted to be with Kagome and him, and Kagome wanted to stay with Tony and Loki - he assumed -, and Loki himself wanted to stay with the two of them. And maybe after he'd served out his sentence, he'll bring Tony and Kagome with him to Asgard - at least, for a little while.

"I think that it would be nice," Loki started slowly. "If I could be with Tony for longer, and you obviously want him around longer." He smiled. "Which does bring me on to my next question." He met her eyes again. "I desire you in a larger capacity than a friend." Kagome's eyes widened.

"You… desire me… as a mate?" Loki shrugged.

"If that's what you want to call it. I've got a thing against marriage - but that's due to a bad past experience - but I would like you as my lover." Kagome's eyes sparkled happily, but then she frowned.

"What about Tony? I thought you two were lovers." Loki grinned wickedly.

"We are. But Tony desires you as well and we have discussed the issue." He shrugged. "He's just worried that it'll ruin what you two have already. But you have a quick mind and a fair heart - I'm fairly certain that it wouldn't make a difference at all, which is why I've asked." He paused for a moment. "I wasn't going to ask you for him, but it seems I have." He smiled crookedly, looking a little confused. Kagome laughed and, as it died down, she blushed lightly.

"So…" She started uncertainly. "You both want… me… as your lover." She seemed a little dazed by the prospect, then looked incredibly scared. "But I don't - I haven't ever had -" Loki smiled gently and rested a hand on hers, quietening her. He knew what she meant.

"Kagome, we're not going to make you do anything you don't want to do or feel comfortable with." Kagome felt a tear slide down her cheek and gave a watery smile. Loki brushed the tear away and shifted so he was next to her. "So, what were you doing earlier?" She smiled brightly at him and picked up the StarkPad again, grateful for the reprieve and happy for the distraction.

Tony sighed. It seemed that after Steve had come, the rest of them came one by one. They were all astounded by the fact that they had individual floors, and at first protested against such generosity, unused to it - well, with the exception of Natasha, who looked around and then nodded with a small smile, and Thor, who was obviously used to extravagance and was immensely pleased with his floor, and had loudly told him so. Clint's introduction was the funniest, Tony thought. Clint had looked around, nodded, protested a little and then looked again.

"What are the air vents like?" Tony had known what he'd meant, and couldn't help but laugh.

"They're big enough for you to get into and are all through the building - I'll make sure they're clean, shall I?" Clint had grinned.

"That'd be great, thanks." Tony's mouth twisted, trying to hold back more laughter as he clapped Clint on the back and went back to the elevator, leaving the archer to inspect his floor.

But now, all of the Avengers were in the Tower, and it was only two o'clock - quite the success, if Tony did say so himself. He stepped out into the penthouse and looked for his lover and guest, both of whom were no where to be seen in the living area. His brow furrowing, he made his way to the bedroom and opened the door, only to freeze at the sight before him. First he was shocked, then confused, then a surprising warmth went through him.

Loki was laying on the bed, Kagome in his arms, both fast asleep. They were both fully clothed in daytime clothes and had smiles on their faces. He chuckled at the sight, which woke Kagome up, as he shut the door.

Kagome blinked blearily up at him. "Tony?" Her voice was thick with sleep and his smile turned less amused and more affectionate.

"Now, why am I missing out on all the action?" Kagome blinked up at him, mind still not awake, and didn't blush as she usually would have at the comment - especially knowing what she knows now, but sleep seemed to have taken away her ability to be embarrassed.

"Get down here." She commanded sleepily, motioning to the space next to her. He smirked and lay down, his mind fully taking in exactly how sleepy he was - he was awake very early today, and this felt so comfortable… "And I wouldn't mind, you know." She murmured to him, and his eyes shot up to meet hers so he could find out what she meant, only to find she'd already fallen back to sleep. Damn. Mind what?

Tony and Loki woke up three hours later to find that Kagome was already gone, so they got up to find her. To their surprise, she wasn't anywhere in the penthouse and when they asked Jarvis they found out she wasn't in the lab, either. The AI sounded suspiciously amused, but they both knew that Jarvis wouldn't tell them anything other than where she wasn't and they were too lazy to go through all the floors of the Tower. Figuring that Kagome would turn up sooner or later, they decided to go down to Avengers' shared floor - which had a kitchen and several sofas, as well as a large screen TV and cupboard with game consoles in it.

They got some sandwiches and sat down on the sofa, turning on the TV and putting it on Countdown - something the two of them had gotten into recently - Tony liked to make up ridiculous words, and Loki like to play the game properly. Tony was sure that either their shouting and laughter was so loud it went through the floors or all the Avengers were telepathic, because they all came to the shared floor one by one. Tony and Loki ignored their increasing audience as they continued to say and/or shout words. Soon, the Avengers were all sitting on the sofas watching the two men more than the TV.

Unfortunately, the programme finished and there was a little bit of conflict over what they would watch next. They eventually decided on Deadliest Catch, because what better thing to watch at half five in the afternoon?

It was about half way through this, that Kagome came out of elevator silently, courtesy of Jarvis. She walked silently through the room and plopped herself between Tony and Loki before stretching herself out so she had her head in Tony's lap and her feet in Loki's lap. Loki rubbed a little on her ankles in greeting, while Tony began to card his fingers through her hair. He looked down at her smiling - slyly, he thought - face and smiled himself, ignoring the other Avengers as they stared in curiosity and shock - though in some cases, suspicion as well.

"Well hello." He said warmly. "Where were you hiding?" Kagome smiled even wider and stretched languidly, letting out a little purr - that sounded actually authentic, to the shock of the Avengers and to the expectation of Loki and Tony - as Tony began to scratch at her scalp before running his fingers through her hair.

"Mmm. Nowhere in particular." Mischievous eyes now watched Tony and he recognised what she meant and narrowed his eyes playfully.

"You didn't." He said, mock-frowning. Kagome snickered.

"I only explored a little bit." Loki squeezed her ankle.

"You weren't in the lab, or the penthouse - and you never go anywhere else." He pointed out. Kagome grinned at him.

"Yes." She agreed. "But that's when you are awake." Tony rose an eyebrow.

"We do ask Jarvis where you go - he doesn't lie." Kagome ginned even wider, with a smug edge to it. "Kagome." Tony said warningly. "Have you been corrupting my AI?"

"I assure you, sir, that I am fully operational." Jarvis offered helpfully, amusement in his tone. Tony still eyed Kagome suspiciously.

"I may have convinced him to tell a few untruths on my behalf." She said impishly after a moment.

"Kagome! You said sir would never know!" Jarvis scolded, sounding scandalised. Tony couldn't stop himself, felt the giggle rising up in his chest, and wasn't able stop it in time. Kagome watched with a smile as his mock-serious demeanour dissolved completely. She felt a wave of affection and acted on instinct - rising up a little and kissing his jaw gently. She doubted he'd know the significance, but she knew the meaning, and that was enough. What he didn't expect was for his laughter to halt immediately as he looked down at her in shock, while Loki looked on in fond amusement. He knew that Kagome was scared, and Tony was bad, really, at emotional things, and Loki himself wasn't all that good at intimate relationships, but he supposed they'd all awkwardly dance their way through this.

"Tony, who is this?" Bruce asked, breaking the shocked yet tender moment and Tony leapt onto the escape, refusing to think and talk about emotions in front of five other people.

"This is Kagome, a very close friend of mine." Kagome sat up at Tony's introduction and smiled, perfectly understanding Tony's reaction.

"Hello. Nice to meet you all." She tilted her head and debated how much to tell them. "I am older than all of you put together, judging by how old you look." At the Avengers' shocked looks, she couldn't help but smirk, catching Loki and Tony's amused looks. She thought for a moment. "Apart from you, Thor. However, I don't actually know the rest of you." Steve's manners apparently caught up with him before his wits.

"Steve Rodgers, ma'am. I'm also Captain America." Kagome frowned as something was triggered in her memory.

"Captain America… where have I heard that before?" Tony and Loki shared a look behind her, half worried. Then she gasped. "Oh yes, I remember - it was the 1940's, wasn't it? Something about a shield and people yielding." Steve blushed bright red at the reminder of his theme tune. The rest of them sent curious and amused looks to him.

"Clint Barton. Called Hawkeye." Said the blond-haired man. Kagome frowned.

"Why?" The archer smirked.

"Because I see better from a distance and I never miss. I'm an archer, mainly." Kagome grinned, seeming slightly feral.

"I challenge you to a match." A competitive fire ignited in her eyes. "We'll see who the better archer is." Clint grinned fiercely.

"You're on." Kagome gave a decisive nod and shifted her gaze to the red-haired woman next to him.

"Natasha Romanov, also known as the Black Widow." Kagome narrowed her eyes, clearly recognising the name disliking it immensely. Her lips rose in a mild snarl.

"You hurt me and mine in any way, and I will make you beg for death." She grinned darkly. "And maybe I'll make you live, crippled though you will be." Everyone shivered at the dark tone and ruthless look in her eyes. Tony groaned, almost inaudibly, though Kagome heard it and turned to him, still smirking.

"You are…" He trailed off and grunted when Loki elbowed him, looking a little dazed, but pointedly looking at the other Avengers, who were now looking at Tony with shock. "What?" He asked defensively. Steve looked a little disturbed as he replied.

"And you're okay with her being so… possessive and… violent?" He ended on a question, not really knowing how to describe it in the most polite way. Tony smirked, an expression almost mirrored by Loki.

"Of course." He said lowly, almost purring. "I think it's the most sexy thing I've ever seen and heard." Poor Steve looked horrified.

"Why?" Tony gave him the most condescending look Steve had ever been levelled before.

"Because it's for me." He paused. "And Loki." Natasha narrowed her eyes.

"How did you know? She didn't say anything like that." Kagome growled lowly, the sound seeming to reverberate around the room. Tony smiled sweetly.

"Considering that her body language is hostile towards you, and protective towards Loki and I, I think it goes without saying." He said, rolling his eyes and dropped the sweet smile, turning to Bruce with a happy one and resting a hand on Kagome's shoulder, making sure she knew he was going to do it. "Hey, Kagome, this is Bruce Banner - you know, the scientist I told you about." Kagome tensed a little and Tony abruptly remembered that scientists weren't exactly on her 'be-kind-to-immediately' list. But she smiled tensely and nodded to him. "He's the one that turns into an enormous green rage monster when he loses control." Bruce smiled nervously and Kagome relaxed, expression turning curious. Bruce frowned in confusion - she wasn't comfortable with scientists, but calmed down at the mention of the Other Guy? What the hell happened in her past? Clint spoke up then.

"What did you mean when you said that you were older than all of us put together, apart from Thor?" Kagome rose one eyebrow.

"I am over five hundred years old." Several eyebrows rose then. "How old is it again?" She asked, turning to Tony.

"Five hundred and thirty, at least, by my estimate." Kagome sent a side look to Natasha.

"That's how I know about you, spider. You are, what, a hundred or so?" Natasha looked unruffled by the insult and nodded in agreement.

"Around there." She paused. "I swear, I will never knowingly hurt you and yours, for as long as I live." Kagome smiled sharply, satisfied.

"Let's make that binding, shall we?" She murmured, unconcerned now about letting her reiki manifest in her eyes and around her form as it curled it's way around the assassin and touched her soul, making the woman gasp, before letting the power fade away again, as she knew that Loki and Tony would protect her, keep her safe from harm - not that she was unable to protect herself. It was just that legalities weren't something she had access to nor understood. The other Avengers were up with the exception of Thor and Natasha - who was too stunned to do anything.

"What the hell did you just do?" Clint demanded. Kagome looked up at him, face blank.

"I merely made sure that the oath was binding. It will alert me to whether or not she knows what she is doing if she hurts - in any way - me and mine." She shrugged. "Nothing to worry about." She took in their looks of suspicion as they sat down slowly and rolled her eyes. "And I'm a miko - or I used to be, not sure now." She added thoughtfully. "My original God abandoned me, so I guess not." Thor and Loki gasped and looked horrified.

"What? When did this happen?" Thor cried. Kagome shrugged stiffly, trying to play it off.

"When I was about eighty. I became… too powerful, I guess, even though she gave me the power, the potential to be stronger." She laughed bitterly. "Hasn't even looked my way since. I was her High Priestess at one point." Her eyes were dark with memories that she quickly shook off. Thor and Loki still looked horrified, but seemed to accept it, for now. The rest of the Avengers all univocally decided to get to know Kagome better, and maybe be her friends.

Natasha was admittedly impressed with this woman and her straightforward way of handling threats, regardless of any other problems that may occur. Clint wanted to know her as well, and was especially curious of the archery challenge he'd been issued. Bruce was curious about her mood changes and how she was more at ease with the Other Guy than with the fact that he was a scientist. Steve just liked to think the best of people and Thor felt a certain type of worry for this priestess who'd been cast out - and she seemed like she was willing to have a lot of fun, despite what she'd lived through, which reminded him of Loki, oddly enough.

Kagome, meanwhile, secretly regarded them all with caution and suspicion until they proved that they wouldn't harm her or hers - with Natasha being the only one she trusted at the moment, due to the oath, and therefore the only one she was willing at the moment to be friends with. Though Clint seemed especially fun, so she might make an exception her him.

So, the Avengers have all met Kagome now, and we can see the impressions made - on both sides. Things are going to be different from here on out, me thinks! I wonder how much Kagome can shock them all?

BP