AN: Last filler before we get back to some action. More fluff again but I had to put it in. I forgot to mention that Waverly's appearance in the cover picture was based off of Naliah from Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn. Thanks again to those who review/favorite/follow. I hope you enjoy!
I own nothing.
Chapter Twenty Six:
Waverly's eyes blinked slowly open. For a second, she was very confused. It had been so long since she had slept in her room in Avengers Tower. Once she had calmed herself, the girl rolled onto her back and sat up. Loki was sprawled out next to her. The god's mouth was slightly open and he was snoring quietly. His arm still lay across Waverly's pillow where the girl's head had been moments ago. Waverly cracked her neck and stretched. A smile crept across her face as she debated the many ways she could wake Loki. She decided upon straddling the god. Kneeling over him, Waverly held her right hand before her face. Just by thinking, Waverly encased her hand in ice. It no longer felt cold or weird that ice enclosed her skin. It felt natural and sent a refreshing rush of adrenalin through her veins. Carefully, Waverly placed her icy palm on Loki's bare chest.
The god of mischief's eyes fluttered open. He let out a small shriek which caused Waverly to erupt in giggles. Loki sat up so quickly, Waverly tumbled backwards off his lap and rolled off the bed. Loki threw the thin pink sheet off of his body and looked over the edge of the bed. Waverly was a heap on the floor, shaking with laughter.
"What on Asgard was that?" Loki snapped, though his voice didn't contain its usual venomous sting.
"I had to wake you up somehow." Waverly sat back up and pulled herself back onto her bed.
"A simple shake on the shoulder would have been sufficient!" Loki shivered and pulled the sheet back over his chest.
"You're a Frost Giant," Waverly said with an eye roll. A mischievous smile still danced on her lips. "Shouldn't you like the cold?"
"Not when I'm comfortably warm and asleep in bed!"
Waverly let out another giggle. "Sorry."
Loki huffed and attempted to frown but his eyes betrayed him. The usual malicious glint had since vanished from them whenever Loki was around Waverly. Instead, the god's green eyes were practically soft. Waverly crawled back next to Loki and wormed her way back under the sheets. Loki lay back down as well and draped his arm over her torso.
"How long do you think it'll take to find The Other?" Waverly asked quietly. The tone in the room suddenly changed. Waverly couldn't help but shiver at the thought of The Other. She scooted backward on the bed until her back was against Loki's chest.
"I do not know for sure. It depends how quickly the Man of Iron and the green beast can trace the Tesseract's energy signature."
Waverly rolled over and locked gazes with Loki. "When they find him…" The girl's voice cracked. "When we kill him… what… what will you do?"
Loki tore his gaze away from Waverly's. "I am not entirely sure."
"Will you still try to take over Earth?" Waverly's voice was a whisper.
A guttural sigh escaped Loki's lips. He didn't answer right away. The war of emotions that had been raging inside him ever since he and Waverly kissed flare up once more again. "I was meant to rule," the god finally said. "I should be a king."
Waverly could practically feel the pain in Loki's voice. "Do you really want to be king? Or did you just want that to show Odin you're just as capable as Thor?"
Loki's eyes flitted back down to Waverly's face. He cursed her ability to read his thoughts so well. Honestly, Loki wasn't quite sure why exactly he wanted to rule. His hunger for power had crouched in the pit of his stomach for so long, he no longer remembered what fueled it. It was true, when he was younger and lived in Thor's shadow, much of his pranks and tricks were done simply to undermine his hero of an older brother. Then, when it had come time for Thor's coronation, Loki really did mean everything he had said to his brother that day, but he had also felt Thor was not ready to rule. Loki felt, that at the time, he was the better choice for king. And then, with all that he had done, everything he did to please Odin, to show the Allfather he was just as good as Thor, his adoptive father still did not equate the god of mischief with the god of thunder. The pain and anger Loki felt as he fell into the abyss fester inside him until he came across The Other and formed his scheme with the aide of the Chituari. Loki dropped his head to the pillow. He tried to pinpoint the source of his desire to rule, but he just couldn't. He knew if he continued on this path of devastation and destruction, he would alienate the few people who truly did love him. That thought caused Loki's stomach to squirm. The god had avoided thinking about his feelings ever since the Jotuns had invaded Asgard, but now, Loki knew he had to face his emotions sooner or later. From his time in his cell, Loki had come to realize that the anger he harbored, the pain he felt, all those negative feelings revolved around Odin. He truly loved his adoptive mother. And he was in love with Waverly. Taking over Midgard would just turn the two women against him.
Loki shut his eyes and dug the palms of his hands into his eye sockets. But the thought of being nothing more than a disgraced god and the fallen brother of Thor, king of Asgard, made Loki's cheeks burn. The god couldn't just let go so easily.
Loki also knew that once this mission was over, Waverly would pay for her insubordination by serving as one of the Avengers and living under Fury's constant surveillance. Even if Loki could get off with such a light punishment, assuming he escaped SHEILD's clutches once The Other had been defeated, he couldn't stand the thought of living under the watchful eye of Fury for the rest of his life.
But would all that control, would all that power really be worth it if he wasn't with Waverly? Ever since their first kiss, the god had yearned to be in the human's presence. She fueled a fiery passion in the god's heart that he hadn't felt in ages. Loki needed to be with her. He wanted to make her his, lock her away from the rest of the nine realms so that he, and he alone could protect her, love her, make her happy.
The retched thought that had crossed Loki's mind the night before came back. Only this time, Loki saw a glimmer of hope at the end. That in itself was proof of how much Loki had changed. Hope was something he hadn't believed in for a very long time. Loki knew that if he loved Waverly, he wouldn't make her choose him over her brother. But, there was a way that he wouldn't even have to make the girl choose. If Loki reverted from his evil ways, if he, dare he even think it, joined the Avengers, he could be with Waverly and she would be happy. But did Waverly's love outweigh the pleasure Loki would get from ruling the humans? Loki knew the answer to this question but his heart was still so tormented, he didn't dare let his brain work it out.
"Loki?" Waverly's soft voice jostled the god from his thoughts.
"We both have some thinking to do," Loki said quietly. He finally looked back down at Waverly. Her face was creased with worry but she still looked more beautiful than any woman he had seen before. He allowed his face to soften and took the girl's face in his hands. "We both have difficult decisions to make. When the time comes, I hope to simply keep you from getting hurt."
After the emotional roller coaster that had been the morning, Waverly and Loki now sat across from Clint and Natasha in the mess hall.
Loki, his usual mischievousness having returned, smiled evilly across the table. "This is just like, what to your mortals call it? A double date?"
Waverly snorted into her glass of milk while her brother's ears turned red. Natasha, ever the spy, carefully concealed her emotions. "I told you once before, Loki," she said, "Love is for children."
Waverly noticed Clint glance sideways at his fellow assassin before his ears turned an even deeper shade of scarlet.
Loki's mouth twisted even more evilly. "Whatever you say, Miss Romanoff."
Their witty banter was cut off by Fury storming into the mess hall. His boots 'thunked' against the linoleum floor as he reached the odd group. "Suit up," the director commanded. "They've found him."
"What?" Waverly asked, jumping up from her seat. "Already?"
"Yes." Fury said shortly. "Suit up. Your ride leaves in twenty minutes."
Waverly looked nervously up at Loki who had also risen from the table. When her eyes met the god's, she saw a brief glimpse or reassurance on Loki's face. It was gone before either Clint or Natasha could see it.
Natasha abandoned her breakfast immediately and went to ready herself. Clint shoved a piece of toast in his mouth and mumbled something to his sister that sounded like, 'go get ready.'
Waverly waited for her brother's back to disappear out the mess hall door before she threw her arms around Loki. The god returned the gesture.
"Promise me you'll be careful?" Waverly demanded. Her voice was filled with fear and she choked back a frightened sob. When she spoke again, her voice was full of its usual confidence. "Don't make me hafta save your butt a third time."
Loki ran his fingers through the girl's hair. "I will keep this promise if you keep yours. Stay by my side at all times."
Waverly nodded against the god's chest. "Fair deal."
Loki pulled himself away from Waverly. "Good. Now let's go get my spear."