Loki walked slowly upstairs to his quarters. He took of his slippers so his feet were padding the floor quietly, slowly, and carefully, it was a habit for him to be quiet, not like he cared for the welfare of the rest of the team, or did he? Even just a part of the team?

No, he didn't want to even think about it. It was tiring to think about, stressing, hard. It made him fret, a once proud god is fretting for his secret to be spilled by a half-drunk billionaire.

He entered the only empty room at the end of the hallway, gazing sadly at the empty bed. He was used to being alone, but now, he just wanted company. Good company.

He closed the door gently and the lights flickered on, how nice.

And so Loki spread himself on the bed, face up, dropping the slippers lazily at the foot of the bed. He closed his eyes, to take a break…

From the craziness and dizzy world he was in surrounded by the humans he once despised.

But loved soon nonetheless.

…

…

...

"Loki?"

He didn't mind it, he was still asleep.

"Loki!"

He slowly opened one eye.

"Loki! Please!"

He jolted right up, he knew the voice, it was Tenma's.

He rubbed his nape and realized he has fallen asleep, what time was it now? Three or four in the morning? Loki rolled his eyes at the soft knocking of the girl, it was unending, and annoying.

"Lo-lo-lo-lokiii!" the girl outside went.

He flared his nostrils as he opened the door slightly, "What is it that you want?" he asked through gritted teeth, his hair was all messy and his eyes were still sleepy.

Tenma bit her lip, holding her urge to grab Tony's hair gel to fix the god's hair, "I need you… To explain-"

She wasn't even finished yet and Loki shut the door in front of her face. Tenma's eyes widened before she glared at the door. She straightened her shirt and knocked furiously on the door.

"I'm not even done yet! Let me talk damn it!" she hissed as quietly as possible, careful not to wake the others. She banged on the door with another hand, "Let me talk to you! I need to ask you stuff!" she said between hard knocks on the door.

Loki was behind the door, he heard her pleas. "Go answer them yourself." He whispered to her.

But Tenma didn't hear it, so she continued talking to the door. "Why?!" She asked angrily.

"So many 'why's' to answer." He muttered, he was quite annoyed now.

"Why do you avoid me in times like these?!"

"Stop it, you know why… Don't be an idiot."

"You know we need to talk! Loki!" She slammed her fist on the door again.

"I've had enough talking for today."

"You don't even know what I'm about to ask!"

"The events today have given me a hint."

"I thought we were friends!" She silently screamed.

"I think you know we are a bit more than that." He whispered loudly to the crack of the door.

Tenma heard it, she stopped. She furrowed her brows, his answers were so vague. But she understood what he meant. A while ago she could not sleep. Doesn't he know he is the cause for her inability to properly rest?!

She began to quiver out of anger, "Tell me." She whispered back to the crack of the door.

Loki's eyes softened, he placed his hand on the handle of the door. Warily inspecting any sudden movements.

He opened the door slowly, then fully. There she was, in front of him. The woman he's been talking about with Stark and the same woman who has been haunting his pride.

She walked in without saying anything. The light dimmed as Loki closed the door, making the room a bit darker.

She grabbed a chair and put her face in her hands. Loki looked at her, arms crossed as he stood up waiting for her to speak.

Tenma breathed heavily before speaking, "Can you tell me… Why?" She said breathily, her eye bags were slightly obvious now, and her face looked quite paler than before.

"No." was his answer.

Tenma's eyes widened, her body was filled with red fury. When she wanted answers she fought for them, hardcore.

"TELL ME!" she loudly said as she quickly pinned Loki to the wall.

Loki did not stagger, instead he kept his position, chin up, as his arms tried to push her away.

"Why is it so IMPORTANT to you?!" Loki shouted back at her.

"Why do YOU have to hide it then?!" She said back, pinning Loki's struggling arms on the wall.

"Let go off me you wench!" he shouted to her harshly. His voice was strict and angry.

"NEVER! Until you tell me!" Tenma shouted back. She was starting to exert more pressure, a lot more than she normally does.

Loki's eyes softened, both were panting and glaring at each other. He grunted and gave her a sharp push, Tenma staggered and sat on the bed behind her.

"I don't want to fight." She sadly murmured.

Loki replied sternly, "I do not want you to hurt yourself."

Tenma scoffed, "I think hurting myself is out of the topic."

Loki snorted. The room fell quiet.

"Just tell me, okay?" she said quietly, grazing one hand into her hair. Finally, someone breaks the cold.

"You do not know what it feels like," Loki sat beside her, "to be placed underneath and to be treated as a lower status."

Tenma's brow furrowed, "Does that mean, that you think your current situation is putting you to a lower level?! Below your level as a fallen god?" she asked quite angrily.

Loki's lip twitched, "Honestly, yes. Yes I do feel that way."

"But you've already fallen." Tenma mockingly answered.

"Is it fine for me to think that I have not yet?!" Loki asked. Tenma gave a breathy laugh, "Nothing is wrong with giving a little illusion in life." But Loki did not reply, he looked sadly at her. Then looked away.

"Hey…" She said, "At least you accepted your current situation. That's a brave thing to do."

Loki looked back at her, "Not to me. Never to me," he replied. Tenma sighed, why was it so hard to talk to him?

"Maybe telling me why you went all-" she motioned to her lip and his lip, "to me will make you realize more your current state. Have some humility for a chance."

The god looked at her, she looked back.

He edged closer to her, then quickly, placed her head on his shoulder. She gasped, her lips just moments away from his neck, she stiffened at his touch of her hair.

He bent closer to her ear, "It is hard," he whispered breathily, "To accept my fate. My fallen fate."

Her eyes widened. "It is difficult to stoop down." He said again, bringing his lip closer to her ear, Tenma felt his hand quiver slightly on her scalp.

She stayed still and felt Loki breathe deeply, his slow rise and fall of chest made her blush. She had the urge to reach her hand out and bring him to a hug and so she did.

Loki felt his eyes turn glassy. For the whole time, ever since the day he fell down the Bifrost, he hid his pain. He hid his feeling of acceptance, so he turned cold, selfish. But the warmth she gave him, it felt familiar. Like a love he once had, long before he turned into something else.

"You don't have to tell me anything." She said in the hug, "I don't need to know anything. I am fine with being ignorant of the truth as long as it doesn't hurt you." Loki gripped her tightly.

"Shame. It is all I have in life." He sadly whispered.

"That's not true." She replied, shaking her head in the nook of his neck.

"The truth hurts."

"Avoid it."

"I can't."

"You can."

"Then help me." He said as he looked into her eyes, his voice was choking, he swallowed hard, and Tenma knew that she felt his pain.

She instead, smiled, and gave him a peck on the cheek, "Oh my. Loki, God of Mischief? Asking a mortal for help?" she said jokingly, and before Loki could reply, she kissed him.

Loki this time, kissed her back. And both were sure of their actions.

Tenma broke further into the kiss, Loki did the same. It was a sad one, but not as sad as the last. She felt his tears flow once more and she wiped them gingerly, but she let them flow to give them freedom.

Loki tore away due to the lack of breath. They panted and he looked at her; eyes painted a glassy color.

Tenma looked back hopefully and helplessly, letting him know she was always there for him. She soon felt herself tearing up. Remembering how this all started because of her. All the pressure her friends have gone through, the new adversary, the effort, the selflessness they showed-all because of her. It made her feel selfish, and the moment she had with the god of mischief just now made her feel worse. And so she cried as well.

Loki gazed at her thoughtfully. He gently hushed her up and rubbed her back, bringing her into a hug.

"I'm the one who is supposed to be crying here." He said with a small smile. Tenma just gave a small hiccup from her tears.

He chuckled softly as he felt her hiccup in his arms, he tilted her chin up to take a good look at her.

"We all feel pain. It is a never ending process." He told her sadly. Tenma felt her eyes well up again, but she did not let them flow.

Loki brought her back quickly into a hug, "Which is why we need company, and it seems both of us have lacked that for quite a long time."

He felt her pressure, he too was nervous for the upcoming enemy.

Why did it have to be this way? Well, our heroes in this story ask themselves the same thing.

"Can I stay?" Tenma asked, tears gone and lips slightly swollen.

Loki smirked, "Take the bed. I can stay on the chair."

"No." Tenma commanded, "You're staying with me." She blushed after realizing the meaning of what she said, so she laid down on the bed, her face facing the pale ceiling.

Loki peered down at her face, she sniffed as he positioned himself beside her.

There was a moment of silence, it was more of a moment of disbelief. They were beside each other. They were so close; and yet to both, their bond was still less that vague.

Loki looked at her, she was pursing her lips and her focus was set on somewhere else. He grinned and twitched his lip, "We are both on the bed and are filled with mild sexual desire... Are we on the same page?"

Tenma blushed and looked at him. Wide eyed, she threw a pillow at his face and placed it there, jokingly suffocating him. "Not now, Loki." She grunted and smiled as she the god struggled underneath the pillow. Loki burst out of the pillow and rolled it over her, placing it on her face, "No fair dude!" she muffled under the pillow. Loki couldn't help but grin widely. It's been a long time since he's grinned at something without malicious intent.

"Give up now?" He said with a sigh and a grunt. The girl nodded underneath the pillow and stayed still. Tenma felt the pillow rise from her face, she covered her smile with her arms as Loki looked at her.

He laughed softly as he fell on the bed to be beside her, she was right. Now was not the time.

They both panted softly, well, at least they made an effort to lighten the mood. Tough times were on them and they needed some happiness for once.

"I can't believe," Loki gulped between words, "I cried in front of a human like you..." he muttered to her. She looked at him and smiled nonchalantly; it was more of a smirk actually. "There's nothing wrong with crying." she replied with a light feeling in her tone. She edged closer to him, and Loki dragged her to him, as if it was an involuntary action. Tenma rested her head on his chest, and she felt the rise and fall of his breathing. It made him seem human.

"Perhaps I do like you, what will you say to that?" Loki asked hesitantly. He could not believe he brought himself to ask that. Nonetheless, he had to maintain his proud self and ask for her opinion instead of saying the direct thing.

Teresa bit her lip, that was happening, it was happening. He asked her THAT something. She felt annoyed at how he executed the question but hey, at least she got it.

"Well, if you like me," she started as she rolled on him so her face was facing his, "then you should know that you're in for a dangerous relationship." she said with a smirk, but she meant something serious.

"Ooh, I like that." Loki replied flirtatiously, flashing her a grin. Tenma laughed then fell into a sad smile, Loki kissed her forehead.

"I know what you mean by dangerous, Teresa. And I swear that in this short time you have to me, we will keep it as professional as possible... Although that will be very difficult; even to me. We can keep it slightly sentimental, just slightly. Because sentiment is-"

"-Man's greatest weakness. I know." She finished his sentence. Loki gaped at her then gritted his teeth as he saw her sulk. He sighed as the negative feeling returned in the room.

"But what all of this ends? Someday, somehow. Happily! No problemo, no Pesta. Just us and the band of misfits (the Avengers)!" said Tenma, she forced a smile to lighten the mood.

Loki ruffled her hair, "Oh I wish I was as optimistic as you." He said sadly.

Tenma went back to leaning on him, the night was ending and the morning was soon to arrive.

It will be another day where they had to pretend they were still nothing more than friends. And the two prayed to whatever or whoever deity they believed in that Tony Stark would not be drunk enough to spill the truth.

Oh the harsh truth.

"Night, Loki." She muttered.

"Yes. You've had a bad day." He replied, he too felt quite tired and worn out from his surroundings.

Tenma threw a thoughtful look, "Well, not totally. About 12% of the day was good." She said with a small smile, and Loki did not ask why.

* In SHIELD Headquarters, New Mexico* (add super spy music) (wait no, that sounds bad. Quit that.)

"Pew pew pew" went the computer. The tired SHIELD agent pressed the buttons lazily, finally beating the 200th stage in Galaga. He was the only one there in the office. The rest of the agents in other rooms, probably doing something more important.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes and went back to the SHIELD home screen. Nick Fury holding a tea cup with kittens in it was his background. He couldn't complain, it was the boss' order. The rest of the monitors were still turned on in the room, they were tracking down a certain island that reported to hold the Avengers, a post-adversary, and an unfamiliar agent.

The agent looked at his watch, "3:55am" he groaned and swivelled on his chair.

Then suddenly, there was a beeping. It didn't go "Pew pew pew" but it went on a high-pitched "Tooot tooot tooot..."

He narrowed his eyes, the sound was from his monitor. He quickly clicked on the mouse and found the radar sending signals back to the bases of SHIELD. He tracked it down and there it was- Just out of the waters near New York, the beeping resounded. It wasn't as far as he thought it was, but it was still far, About 300,000 km. Yep, still far.

The agent scrambled for the microphone on his desk and asked for Maria Hill. His voice was frantic and excited, it was a long time since he's had such adrenaline at this time of the day.

"What is it?" It was Maria, she strutted into the room looking healthier than the said agent. He pointed it out on his screen, "Maam, it's sending signals from the supposed island."

Hill bit her lip, the agent looked confused. "Something wrong, Maam?"

Maria turned around leaving the agent pondering.

"Tenma..." she whispered.

I'm really sleepy so good night. Next chapter coming soon! SO SORRY FOR LATE UPLOAD DON'T KILL ME I ASK FOR FORGIVENESS

~Mizra ;)