At some point Loki started playing with the ends of her hair. "How long do you wager it will take Barton to notice us missing and send Agents after us?"
"Hmmm? Your brother saw where we went down the stairs." Sophie answered back sleepily.
"Does not mean that he will remember." Suddenly a ball of fur landed on Loki's stomach, Toukka had returned. Loki laughed at the weasels cocked head. "Hello to you too little friend. The hour grows late darling, let us head home and to bed."
Sophie reached out a finger and stroked it down Toukka's back as she hid her face against Loki's side. "I don't want it to be over. I don't want to go back to that world."
"Unfortunately we must, once this is over then we can have many more days like this one. Just us and the sounds of scampering paws." Toukka arched his back and playfully nipped at her finger then settled down and curled up on Loki's stomach.
"He doesn't want to go either." Sophie sighed as she pushed herself upright. Then she suddenly dropped a hand into the sand on either side of Loki's head. Her hair fell around them as she bent to take Loki's lips in hers.
He hummed into her lips. "You are trying to distract me." The hand behind his head went to her hair and cupped the back of her neck.
"Is it working?" She whispered huskily before she dipped her tongue into his mouth.
"Hmmm Yes, it is but it does not change the fact." Loki drew her tongue into his mouth and sucked on it gently.
She leaned her chest against his, being careful of Toukka on his stomach. "Shhhhh I can't hear you." Sophie laughed when she regained use of her tongue.
A voice from above them startled her, "Yeah babe, but can ya hear ME?" Clint grumbled.
Loki groaned and dropped his head back onto the sand. "How could we not Barton; yell louder, I do not think they heard you on Asgard." He called back grumpily.
Sophie got up, brushed the sand off of herself and held her hands out to Loki and the weasel.
He scooped up Toukka to hand to Sophie then stood up and brushed the sand off himself as well. "Sorry love but I will need to take the coat back, would not be good if you were spotted in it."
She pulled the lapels protectively around herself and held onto it. "It's just tasteless for me to wear it."
"It could be dangerous to wear it darling, being seen in the same coat that I tried to take over the world in could send quite a few bad messages. You can have it back once we get home." His lips quirked at the corners.
Sophie smiled brightly at Loki and slipped the coat off of her shoulders, handing it over. " Look at YOU! Starting to figure this whole situation out."
He took the coat and made it vanish. "Sometimes I am a quick study."
"And sometimes it takes you a month." She smiled back at him while following Barton up the stairs.
Loki shrugged. "No one is perfect, except maybe you." He smiled at Sophie, Barton made gagging noises. "You two are gross, romcoms aint got nothin on you. I can feel a cavity forming." Clint grumbled at them.
When they got to the top side of the pier, Sophie caught up with Barton and slid her arm around his waist, walking along side of him, "Awww grumpy much? You could have brought the waitress."
"She just wants to be friends with the occasional benefit." He huffed. "Isn't Snape going to go all Azkaban if he sees us like this?"
"Snape!" Sophie barked a laugh, then shoved Clint away from her. "That is SO not nice! If I have to tell him to play nice, I'll tell you the same thing."
Clint smirked and shrugged. "I have been playing nice. It is time to head back though, it's late and I'm tired."
"Yes, you have been nice. It means a lot. We're ready to go too." She flashed him a smile before dropping back to walk with Loki.
Loki just arched an eyebrow and slipped his arm back around her waist. "Everything ok?"
"Just fine. We're heading home." Sophie slipped her hand into Loki's back pocket as the walked and laid her head against his shoulder, only to find herself eye to eye with the weasel. "What about you little guy? You want to come home with Loki?"
Toukka squeaked then head butted her before climbing down to rest in the open part of her shirt, he settled in and let his head hang out.
"OK..." Sophie rolled her eyes up at Loki, then back down to Toukka. "Yes. It's also my home. I'm guessing you think it's chilly too?"
Another chirp was her answer, Loki laughed. "First time I have ever been jealous of a weasel."
"And to think, it was just a week or two ago that Natasha told me things couldn't get any more strange. I think today blew that theory out of the water." Sophie glanced back down at her cleavage. "I am getting rid of all expectations about life and just hoping no one ticks him off right now."
Loki laughed loudly and kissed the side of her head. They made it back to the vehicle and piled in, the ride back was quiet. Loki held her hand the whole way back.
Feeling happy and safe and tired, Sophie rested her head on Loki and soon her eyes fluttered closed. In her sleep she mumbled, "...dare look back... keep your eyes on me... you're holding back... destiny..."
In the front seat Thor turned around and blinked at her. "Barton? Do you have Seers here on Midgard? Oracles?"
Clint sideyed the guy and barked out a laugh. "Naw man, she's just singing."
"In her sleep?" Thor asked.
"Sure. She's asleep on your brother and has a rat in her shirt. That whole backseat is full of weird." Clint was still laughing.
"It is a weasel you bird brained twit. Only weird I see here is Thor trying to use his brain."
"Sure thing Loki, weasel is MUCH less weird." Clint reached out and turned the radio on softly to hinder any more conversation.
Loki rolled his eyes and sat quietly the rest of the ride home. Once they arrived, Sophie was sound asleep and he didn't have the heart to wake her, Loki scooped her out of the back seat as gently as he could and carried her to the elevator.
Clint took the lead and Thor followed behind, again relegated to bear carrier. When the elevator started, Sophie rolled her head, and wiggled in Loki's arms starting to wake up. "Ummm." she mumbled. "You can put me down."
"Maybe I like carrying you." He whispered. "We are almost to the top already, love."
"OK." She mumbled quietly and laid her cheek back against him smiling, completely oblivious to the other two men in the elevator.
They reached the top and stepped out, Clint was nice enough to have the door lock overridden so they could enter. "This is where I leave you gentlemen, we are going to bed." Loki carried Sophie to their bedroom and laid her on the bed, he tried to remove Toukka from his resting place but the rascal kept burrowing deeper.
Sophie's eyes opened heavily again at the scrambling at her chest. "Do you need some help?" she murmered, sitting up a little bit, and pulling her neckline out. She made a small kissy noise and said, "Come on out, Toukka. We'll find you a bed where I won't squish you."
Toukka blinked his eyes sleepily and yawned, he poured his body out of her shirt and into Loki's waiting hands. He held him close and went to grab a towel from the bathroom, Loki curled the towel up and made a nest to set on the nightstand for his furry friend. Toukka didn't fight much when he was placed in the soft towel and fell back asleep.
Sophie slid off of the bed and opened her closet, sighing as she took the lid off of a shoe box and going to the bathroom to line it with a layer of toilet paper. She set it down next to the nest. "Hopefully he'll figure it out, until we can get him a litter box or something."
"Good thinking, darling." Loki altered his clothes so was just in some sleep pants then slid into bed. "That carnival was entertaining."
Sophie changed into a nightgown and went to the bathroom to wipe her face off quickly, before shutting off the lights and climbing in next to Loki and curling up against his side. "I'm so glad you think so and that you got to have some fun." Her hand stroked up and down his chest. "And I like you just as much outside as I do in here."
"Ah yes, speaking of." Loki changed himself back to normal. "Much better." He rolled to his side to face her. "Did you have a good time darling?"
"Yesss." She whispered with a large grin on her face. "It almost made up for the morning."
"Other than a hiccup, I thought this morning went rather well." He grinned right back. "Before you say anything, yes I call that a hiccup."
Sophie wrinkled her eyebrows. "Well, you might NOW, at the time I don't think that you would have thought that holding your breath and drinking a glass of water would have solved anything."
"Would you believe me if I said that I was used to things like that? Normally I do not have others in my head with me but those memories haunt me to a degree every day." He shrugged a shoulder. "Enough of that, let us sleep." Loki scooted closer and curled up to her tightly.
Sophie held him close and stroked his dark again, hair. Kissing his forehead softly, she whispered, "How do you smile? How do we fix it?"
"We are already fixing it darling, everyone is working to fix it. The biggest thing, is you staying you." Loki nuzzled his face into her neck and slowly drifted to sleep.
It was still a few hours to sunrise when Sophie woke up to Loki thrashing under her arm. He was moaning and mumbling, not quite calling out, but it seemed like he was trying to. Sophie gently took him by the shoulders and said his name, but he didn't respond. "Loki, honey, it's a dream. You're dreaming. Come on, wake up Loki. You're safe now. You're home." She chanted as she shook him gently.
He was bound and being dragged through the dirt, guards on either side, to what seemed to be a hole in the ground. Without preamble he was thrown into the darkness, with a splash he landed but with his legs and hands bound there was no way he could swim to the surface. Under the surface he thrashed, trying to free his hands or legs, the fluid rushed into his lungs. Finally his hands slipped free and with all his might he swam to the surface, with a cough and a gasp he broke through.
Loki sat up with a gasp and immediately started coughing, it took some time but finally his fit subsided and he looked to the startled woman next to him. "Sorry darling did not mean to wake you." He held a hand to his throat while his eyes watered. "Bad dream."
"It's OK. Are you OK?" She brushed her hands across his face, wiping away the damp.
"Yes better now that I am awake." He coughed again then flopped back on the bed. "Another memory of that place." Loki whispered softly.
Sophie curled up against him, one arm protectively across his chest the other curling around his head so that she could stroke his forehead. She spoke very gently to him. "Just a memory this time? You can tell me about it, if it would help to share. You don't have to if it would hurt too much, whatever you need, dear."
"It was a memory of one of tortures I had to endure." He turned his head to nestle more into her arms. "I was thrown, bound, into a fluid filled pit. At first I thought it was water but once it flooded my mouth I knew better." Loki's hand found her leg and stroked it absently, just needing to touch to assure he was in fact awake. "Nothing quite like drowning on the blood and excrement of other prisoners."
At Loki's touch Sophie pulled her leg up over him paralleling her arm, as if she COULD protect him from his memories. As disgusting as it was, she knew every word was true. If he could bear telling her, she could bear hearing it. She lifted her head and placed a soft kiss on his jaw. "I'm so sorry, dear."
"Nothing to be sorry for love, it is not your fault." Loki rolled to his side to face her, his hand moving to rest on her thigh and he sighed. "Just being near you is a balm to my troubled mind."
Her arm tightened around his back and leg curled up over his hip when Loki rolled over. The stroking hand slid from his forehead into his hair, not stopping in its soothing motions. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. But it still makes me sorry. It shouldn't have been allowed to happen."
Loki closed his eyes, enjoying her touch. "This is hard to admit, but it is my entire fault, I… I let go."
"What? No. There is nothing you could have done that would justify what happened to you, nothing, It doesn't matter what you let go of." The words spilled quickly, but still gently from Sophie as she shoved down her indignation.
"If I had just let Thor pull me up, none of this would have happened. I would still be able to sleep at night and you would still have your brother." A tear slipped from his eye.
She continued stroking him and ducked her head to try to look him in the eye in the semi darkness. "Shhhhh. Stop it Loki. That way lays madness and you know that. What ifs are infinite, we need to fix what we can and move on."
He sniffed. "Sorry darling, the nightmares just bring out the scared child deep within me." Loki looked at her and smiled weakly. "I will be fine."
"Don't be sorry. And don't pretend." She pressed her lips against his gently. "And we will be fine. You're not alone in this anymore."
He placed his hand on the side of her face and stroked it gently, eyes closing and lips curling into a faint smile while he kissed her back. "Thank you darling."
"Thank YOU. It means I'm not alone either." The hand on Loki's back stopped the firm reassuring strokes and traced lazily up and down.
He hummed in approval. "That feels good love."
"Yeah?" Sophie murmured. "What about this?" Her lips found his again, sucking gently at first the top, then the bottom, both hands stroking lazily across him, head and back.
"Even better." Loki moaned and leaned more into her lips.
She slid the hand from Loki's back around his ribs to his chest, stroking him with the backs of her fingers. She was gentle as she brushed against his fresh scar on the way to let her fingernail whisper across his nipples
His breathing deepened as his fingers danced along the back of her thigh and rested on her bottom. "You have magic fingers dearest."
"I don't have any magic, dear. That's all you." Her teeth skimmed along his lower lip. "But you are feeling better."
"Very much so." Loki took her lower lip between his teeth and tugged gently.
Sophie exhaled against Loki and let her nails drag a bit more heavily against his chest.
He arched into her touch and moaned again. "I love it when you do that."
She shimmied her other hand down from around Loki's head and drug both sets of nails around his chest and stomach in slow random motions, one circling his navel while the other traced a pec and nipple. "This?" She whispered huskily.
"Yes." He hissed out between clenched teeth. "That, feels amazing. Almost as good as your lips or cunt wrapped around a certain part of me."
"I'll remember that," She laughed.
Loki surged forward and kissed her hard. "Good."
Her hands crushed between them and curled into Loki's chest as Sophie met his kiss.
Slowly he lessened the fierceness of his oral assault and released her lips. "You should try to get more sleep darling."
"Oh?" She asked, "Then is this my bedtime story?"
"Yes." His hips rolled, "And your punctuation mark is waking up."
She sought his lips and kissed him quickly, then rolled over on her back. "How is that supposed to help me sleep?"
"The knowledge that you make the story so exciting should be quite satisfying." Loki's slipped across her stomach to rest just under her chest.
"Satisfying is not sleepy." Sophie smiled down at him in the dark and slid the tips of her fingers along Loki's shoulders.
"True enough." He started rubbing circles along her abdomen. "Try to rest love; we have another long day tomorrow."
She cradled the side of his head for a moment, before resting her hands once again on his shoulders and closing her eyes and relaxing under his touch. "Mmmmmmm…OK dear."
"Goodnight love." Loki kept rubbing until he thought she was sound asleep, as silently as he could he got up from the bed and moved into the living room. Sleep would elude him for the rest of the night; instead he sat on the sofa with only the ambient light of the city shining in and read a book until the sun rose.
Sophie woke up twitching and wiggling her legs. Something wasn't quite right. She blearily reached over to Loki's side of the bed and her hand slid across cold empty sheet. She let loose a squeek as Toukka bounded out of no where to wrestle with her fingers, then dash to the end of the bed to leap straight in the air and land on her foot to try to maul her toes through the blankets. "So it's you and me this morning huh? Can't find Loki?" she mumbled.
The weasel ran up her legs and body to perch on her chest and chitter frantically at her. "OK. I suppose that you DO want breakfast." She picked him up and deposted him in the pocket of her robe after she got up and slid it on.
Entering the Living room she saw Loki reading. "You forgot someone this morning." she said, still a bit muzzy.
Loki looked up from his book and smiled. "Sorry, I should have grabbed him. He wasn't too much trouble was he?" He said and got off the sofa to approach Sophie and her wriggling pocket.
"No, dear. I just need to find him something to eat before he goes for toes for real." She tipped up and kissed his cheek as she slid Toukka onto his shoulder. "You didn't sleep anymore did you?" she said quietly with concern
He stroked Toukka's furry head and kissed Sophie on the forehead. "No I didn't darling, thought it would be better if i came out here so you could sleep uninterrupted." He sat at the counter and let the weasel sniff around.
In the kitchen Sophie opened a cabinet and made a face as she pulled out 2 tea cup saucers. She ran a bit of water into one and set it on the counter in front of Loki and the weasel. She stared at the empty saucer in her hand for a moment before she went to the refrigerator and opened a pack of hamburger, tore a corner off of the meat and set it on the saucer on the counter with the other. After rinsing her fingers, she started the coffee pot and tea kettle. "Loki, I don't like the idea of you being alone after those dreams. You don't bother me. It's why I'm here." she said as she leaned on the counter next to him.
"Last night was not as terrible as before." He saw the worry in her eyes. "Alright darling, I will stay in bed next time." Loki leaned forward for a kiss. "Promise." Toukka took a break from devouring his hamburger to squeak angrily at Loki, he laughed. "Make that a double promise then."
Sophie held his cheek after their lips touched. "You don't have to be tied to me. Just don't be alone."
"But what if I enjoy tying you up?" Loki grinned. "I know what you mean love, I will stay in bed but I hold no promises that I will not wake you up." He winked at her.
"Please do." she grinned back. "I've found that the best way to make this whole horrible world go away is to make you the whole world." Her hand lay on his back and softy traced one of the scars on his shoulders.
"Hmmm that tickles darling." His shoulder twitched. "What are we having this morning? Real food sounds good after all of that fried trash we had yesterday."
"Trash?! That was practically cuisine!" Sophie laughed. "So, no frying things huh? Oatmeal and fruit?"
"Kidding love, the funnel cake and corn dog were alright. Weren't they Toukka?" The weasel looked up from cleaning himself and chirped, Loki laughed. "Oatmeal and fruit sound great dearest."
Sophie banged around for a minute and set a large pot of steel cut oatmeal on the stove to cook. the poured out a cup of coffee and set a tea bag to steep for Loki. She took his mug over to him and stood behind him with her cup warmed hands on his shoulders for a moment before she swept his hair aside and kissed the back of his neck.
Loki hummed low in his throat and turned his head to look at her from the corner of his eye. "What are you up to back there?"
"About five eight unless I'm in heels." Sophie mumbled as she kissed along his hairline.
He tipped his head forward. "Very funny darling, whatever you are doing feels good."
"MmmmHmmm." She buzzed against him as she placed kisses down the top of his spine. Then she straightened up, pulled her robe closed and went to give the oatmeal a stir so that it didnt stick.
Loki laughed breathlessly and mumbled. "You little minx." He got up to grab a small bowl of water for Toukka and took a sip of his tea. "I believe sometime early this afternoon we have that meeting with Fury and his lackys, are you ready for that?"
Sophie set her spoon down and wordlessly crossed to Loki, reaching out and sliding her hand through his hair to the back of his head she gently tugged and tipped his head back. Bringing her open mouth down on his lips she tasted the tea on his tongue.
"Hmm, I will take that as a no." His lips returned to hers and deepened it.
She lost herself in the kiss for a moment as her fingers curled against Loki. Suddenly Toukka scurried up her sleeve an chirped at her. She stood up and sighed pointing toward the bedroom. "There's a box next to your nest. Go figure out what it's for."
Toukka slid along her jaw affectionately then hopped over to Loki and did the same before scampering off to investigate the apartment. Loki chuckled and slid his fingers into her hair. "We are not done here." He growled and captured her lips again.
Slipping between Loki's knees, Sophie leaned into him and the kiss. Breaking only to whisper, "My whole world."
"And you my everything." His lips moved along her jaw to the gap in her robe, he buried his face there and just inhaled, his arms wrapped tightly around her.
Her arms slipped around his shoulders and her lips landed on the top of his head kissing him gently. Closing her eyes she spoke, to herself more than Loki. "I have no idea what I am doing. Everything depends on this mess we are in and I have no idea. I'm just winging everything. But we will be OK. WE will be OK."
"Yes WE will." Loki emphasized. "Together we are unstoppable."
Sophie leaned back to look into Loki's eyes. Softly she said, "Yes." Then more emphatically. "YES." And took his mouth with hers as her fingers clung to his shoulders.
"Yes." He repeated. "You need to shut off the oatmeal darling."
Sophie sighed and went back to the stove, stirring the pan and turning the heat down. She stood at the stove for a long moment, simply stirring and staring into the pot.
Loki stood and came up behind her, arms slid around her waist. "Perhaps I should have elaborated. You needed to shut off the oatmeal…" His lips traveled along her neck. "So I can take you back to bed…" Hands slid up to cup her breasts through her robe and teeth nibbled at her ear. "And ravish you properly."
At the touch of Loki's hands and lips Sophie shivered. She clicked the burned off and leaned back against him. "I wasn't pouting," she said softly. "Just the last time I went head to head with Fury. I lost hard. Can't lose this one."
His hands slid back down to rest on her hips. "You will not be alone this time love, you have me by your side and of he gets too bad you can send Toukka after him. Let him snatch that eye patch right off his face." Loki started to sway with her. "And darling… You were in fact pouting." He grinned and backed off suddenly, ready to run off if necessary.
Sophie spun around with a fake shocked look on her face. "Was NOT." Then she shrugged and grinned back. "Well, I didn't put my fist through a wall…"
Loki shrugged. "So I have a flare for the dramatic, comes with the territory."
Sophie kissed her index finger and pressed it to Loki's lips before turning back around and clicking the burner back on
"Tease." He took another drink of his tea and went to get the fruit out of the fridge. Getting the bowls down and silverware ready he asked her, "Should I wake Thor or leave him until the last second so we can have a peaceful meal?"
"Might as well get him up. Oatmeal doesn't hold well." She gave the pot a firm stir and stepped back to Loki, where she caught his lower lip in her teeth and dragged her nails gently down his bare chest. "Yes. Tease."
"You, my little minx, are just asking to get into trouble." With a squeeze to her butt he went to wake his brother.
"I can deal with your kind of trouble." She called to him as he left.
Loki just grinned as he walked away, suddenly an evil idea popped in his head. He went to the bedroom and found Toukka chasing dust bunnies under the bed. Toukka, come here my furry friend. He laughed as the dust covered weasel bounded over to him and climbed up his leg, Loki picked him up and brought him to eye level. "I have a mission for you my cunning companion, you are going to wake up Thor." He crept silently into his old room where his brother now slept loudly, he placed Toukka on the corner of the bed. "Your mission is to wake that loud creature up, my friend. Any means necessary." Loki could just see the glint of mischief appear in the weasels eye and watched in amusement as he crept up the blanket and slid under it.
Thor slept soundly on his stomach, snoring like the thunder he called with the storm. Suddenly we was awakened by a sharp pain, he leapt up from the bed and reached for his hammer, still bleary eyed and wondering where the insane laughter came from.
Loki laughed hard enough to bring a tear to his eye, doubled over and wheezing. "By the Nine Thor your face!" He laughed even harder when Toukka popped his little head out from under the blanket with the weasel equivalent of a satisfied smirk on his face and squeaked happily. Loki picked him up when he was able to compose himself enough to do so, and cradled the furry little monster under his chin.
Sophie scooped out oatmeal and covered it with cream and brown sugar. Then hulled a few strawberries before sitting down and finally getting around to her coffee.
"What is the meaning of this brother!?" Thor boomed but Loki could only laugh more. "Cease this nonsense Loki, your rodent attacked me, explain!" Loki wiped the tear from his eye. "I sent him after you Thor, Sophie is making breakfast. It should be done by now and I could not resist a bit of fun, Toukka was more than happy to oblige." Said weasel sat up on his haunches and chattered at Thor. "Now come, it should be ready." Loki walked back out to the kitchen and sat on a stool by Sophie; Thor followed, gingerly rubbing the spot on his butt the Toukka so kindly sank his teeth into.
"What was all THAT about?" Sophie cocked an eyebrow as she slid a cup of coffee over to Thor.
"His weasel attacked my bum!" Thor yelled and pointed at Loki, Loki just choked a bit on the tea he was drinking then laughed again. Thor glared and favored one side as he sat. Toukka climbed onto the counter and sniffed around the food bowls, deciding nothing suited his tastes he scuttled over by Thor and sat up, tilting his head with what could only be described as a smug expression.
"Oh." Sophie said tonelessly. "The weasel, that weighs less than a pound, attacked the God of Thunder. AND won. I'm sure he will get better trained soon." She clicked her nails on the counter to catch Toukka's attention. "It's rude to gloat." She said to the small creature, then looked back to Thor. "Better?"
Loki was in tears trying not to laugh, Toukka looked back at Sophie and twitched his tail. He looked at Thor one more time and bounced over to Sophie, crawling under her nails and rubbing against them, his form of an apology. Loki completely lost it, almost falling off his chair laughing. "Good boy." He wheezed out.
Sophie watched Loki laughing with a small smile. It was good to see him like this, much better than dealing with the dreams. She nervously poked a strawberry into her oatmeal, playing with it more than eating anything. Absently she looked up at Thor and asked, "Did you have fun last night?" Then not even waiting for an answer, she stood up and emptied her coffee." I think I'm going to go shower." And she slid out of the room with a pat to Loki's arm.
Both Loki and Thor watched her leave with varying degrees of concern and confusion, Loki stood to go after her but Thor stopped him. "If she asks again, I did have fun last night. I hope you both did as well, for it will not be your last, I have seen to it. Leave Toukka here, go for your woman." Loki nodded and went to the bathroom to be met with a cloud of steam, slipping his clothes off he stepped into the shower with her and slid his hands up her back to rest on her shoulders. "Are you alright darling?"
She listened to Loki enter the bath, but waited for him to speak. "Yes. No. I don't know. Something doesn't feel right. One day you're dying and Thanos is in people's heads and everything is as bad as it can get. Then the next everyone's willing to keep my secret, we're at a carnival and the cavalry is coming in to help save the day. It's too neat. There's going to be a huge issue we don't know about." Sophie leaned back against Loki, pulling his arms around her.
"Everything will be alright darling, maybe it is time we both got a stroke of good fortune." Loki slipped an arm free to grab the soap and lather up her back with nimble fingers.
Sophie bit back the comment that came most readily to her lips. Instead she sighed, "Maybe." and slipped around in Loki's arm to lean her chest against his and her cheek on his shoulder.
"Hey now, you keep telling me to think positive, now its your turn."
"Who are you and where is Loki?" Sophie looked up at him with a half smile and slid her arms around his waist.
"He is about to fuck you into this bathroom wall if you do not stop moving about." Loki whispered huskily.
Sophie asked quite seriously. "What if I DO stop moving?"
"Then we finish our shower and continue on with our morning before its is necessary to go speak with the Director."
There was a thunk against the tub behind Loki. "I think I dropped my shampoo." Sophie looked up at Loki and bit her lip.
Loki licked his lips and slid around behind her. "Perhaps you should pick it up then."
Sophie squatted down slowly and snatched up the bottle from the floor of the tub, then winked at Loki over her shoulder.
"Such a bloody tease." He licked his lips and stood her up, pinning her to the wall and kissing her senseless.
Her eyes closed and she didn't even pretend to fight against him this time. Sophie opened her mouth and breathed him in.
His tongue probed her mouth as his hands wandered, stopping briefly to brush against her nipples before sliding lower and slipping into her center.
Sophie's freed hands roamed to Loki's back, her nails biting into his skin when his fingers slid inside of her.
The water combined with his attention made her slick and warm around his fingers, one hand came up to palm a breast once again while his lips plundered hers once again.
Pulling one foot up to rest on the edge of the tub, she moaned into Loki's mouth. Her hands slid down Loki's back with the water, until she had a butt cheek in each hand, kneading and clutching him.
"Mmmm Sophie?" He whispered out, fingers still probing.
"Yes dear?" she gasped.
Loki's fingers stopped moving and he stepped back. "I am going to go get dressed." He stepped out of her embrace and out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist and giving her an evil grin. Loki winked at her and went into the bedroom to sit on the bed, waiting to see if she took the bait.
"Wha…what?" She panted at the shower curtain as the shampoo bottle flew across the room.
Loki grinned again when he heard the thud, he was going to either regret this or really enjoy it., He leaned back against the pillows and threw the wet towel on the floor, laying on top of the blanket spread eagle and half aroused.
Sophie finished rinsing her hair quickly, then climbed out of the shower. The towel that was half wrapped around her did almost nothing to stop the water running from her head down her body. Swooping into the bedroom to see Loki spread out across the bed, she fumed, "There's a difference. There's teasing and then theres….THAT!"
He smiled innocently at her. "Would you not call that teasing, darling?"
"Teasing?" she growled. "And I see your face. Laughing at me right now will earn you a one way ticket to bunking with your brother."
"There is a difference between laughing and playing coy, I believe I was being coy, but if a more direct approach is required…" Loki trailed off and crooked a finger at her. "Come here and punish me."
Sophie dropped her towel and crawled across the bed to him. "Punishing you would be making you ACTUALLY go get dressed at this point."
"It would, but I think we both want me to stay right here." He grabbed her hips and pulled her up his body to sit on his abdomen. "And continue where I left off in the shower."
Loki was about to bring her in for a kiss when he heard Thor yell and pound on the door. "Loki! Lady Sophie! Lady Natasha and Barton are here to take us to see the Director!"
"And to punish ME is THAT." Sophie sighed and drooped over Loki's chest.
Sophie climbed off of Loki and the bed and sighed looking in her closet. "I have no idea here…Loki? Do you still have my sweatshirt? I might need armor.
"It is in my room darling." Loki groaned at the loss of her warmth and decided that physically getting dressed was not worth the effort; instead he opted to conjure his armor. They felt the need to interrupt him, he was going to intimidate or at least annoy the crap out of the Avengers.
Sophie caught Loki in his armor out of the corner of her eye and pulled a flouncy dress out of the closet. "Ahh you have enough armor for both of us I guess. I'll go with damsel in distress then. Crap! I have to dry my hair. I thought it was supposed to be afternoon. That generally happens AFTER noon."
"When have they ever been courteous about schedules?" With a flick of his wrist her hair was dry and static free. "Would you like your own armor dearest, I can make that happen." He grinned and stepped behind her.
"Just what are you thinking about doing?" Sophie arched an eyebrow at him.
"Nothing terrible I assure you, just a bit of fun. We could all make an impression, you in a battle dress and Toukka with his own armor. Would that not cause a stir? I can virtually hear the Directors blood pressure rise, glorious indeed." The grin never left his lips as he slipped his hands onto her hips.
"Isn't that a bit much for right now? I mean, we're kind of the ones asking them for help." Sophie covered Loki's hands with her own and swung her hips a bit beneath them. "I'll tell you what. If I really need armor, you can put it on me right there and then."
Loki kissed the side of her neck. "You have a deal my darling. Get dressed; I will meet you in the other room."
"I'll just be a minute." Sophie pulled on her dress and boots and tossed make up on, before tripping out to the Living Room.
Loki had just finished placing Toukka on his shoulder and glaring at his blushing brother when she stumbled into the room. "At least you know how to make an entrance." He helped her find her footing again and slipped his arm around her waist. Shall we? Loki stared pointedly at Barton, who walked stiffly to the door. They rode quietly down the elevator and to the offices where they would meet the others.
As the group entered the meeting room, it was clear the first half of the group had been waiting on them. Sophie cast her eyes around the room as she entered with Loki's hand on the small of her back. Tony Stark was playing with a coffee maker that was set up on a counter on one side of the room. Steve Rogers was sitting bolt upright in a plaid shirt at the head of a large meeting table in the center of the large room. Agent Coulson sat next to him talking quietly, yet animatedly. In the far corner if the room, in the only armchair was a nervous looking dark haired man, who sat with his legs crossed and his arms folded over his chest. Director Fury had been staring out of the window when the five of them from upstairs walked in. He turned to glare at them, "You took your own sweet time getting down here."
"Really? I would consider us quite early to this afternoon meeting." Loki replied back with sarcastic smile. He led Sophie to the nearest chair at the table and held her hand under the surface as soon as they were seated, he could feel the nervousness rolling off of her. Toukka stayed hidden under his hair, silent and waiting.
Sophie took a deep breath and exhaled, then smiled sweetly at Fury, "Besides, a girl in MY line of work needs time to look her best, Wouldn't want to wind up chasing twenty dollar bills in an alley in Hell's Kitchen would I?"
Tony barked out a laugh from over by the coffee table and Fury glared at her, Loki's grip tightened slightly with the reminder of just what Fury had done. "Nice to see you not so holy and drippy Lokes, the little lady doing some voodoo sexual healing on ya?" Tony took a sip of his coffee while absently thumbing through his phone, Loki was ready to jump over the table and the meeting hadn't even started yet. Before he could give a biting retort, Fury spoke up. "Alright kiddies listen up, Thor here has brought to my attention that dear old brother here believes that am evil alien named Thanos is going to rain brimstone down on our asses, obviously we all seem to have a shred of belief about it hence the reason we are here. Now we need to come up with an idea of how not to die, any suggestions?" Fury faced the room and was about to speak again but Tony cut him off. "Not to be rude, ok yeah to be rude but what good is the lady that hops on the pokey stick? Last I checked she wasn't an Avenger." He gestured toward Sophie and added. "Oh by the way, your Cunt cake was delicious."
Sophie turned the smile that she had plastered on her face toward to Tony. "Thank you. I've been told that before."
Thor tried to stifle a laugh and Fury just rolled his eye. Loki looked down right murderous. "Cease your babble Stark or I will shut you up." Loki hissed out, Steve banged a hand on the table to get everyone's attention. "Enough both of you, Loki tell us what you know." Tony scoffed and planted his butt in one of the chairs then propped his feet up on the table, Loki cleared his throat. "Thanos come with an army 4 times the size of the one previous, himself at its head." He took a deep breath. "He comes for me and a piece of the Tesseract."
Steve looked at Loki, sizing him up, then turned to Thor who stayed standing near the doorway. "I thought you took the cube home with you the last time. Can't you just take Loki back home with you and deal with this there? This doesn't sound like our fight."
Thor widened his stance and crossed his arms. "Father will not assist, and the Titan cares not what realm what he wants is or was on, he will destroy Earth for the simple fact that Loki and the shard were on it. He thrives on death and chaos, add the fact that we defeated his previous army has angered him and he wishes to collect his share."
Bruce mumbled from his corner, "It's our fight whether we want it or not. That's nice." Steve's eyes flicked over to him, then back to Loki. "Four times as many. Do you know how they will come in without the cube? Where will they attack?"
"He would have to bring his ships close to Earth for them to attack, where he would attack I do not know but I know it would be close to the shard and that is where I believe we have an advantage. We can lure him where we want him, say a remote location away from civilians here or to another realm. "Loki sat back in his chair and ran his fingertips along Sophie's palm.
Sophie closed her hand around Loki's fingers and studied the man in the corner who looked like he wanted to be there just about as much as she did.
"What the hell do you mean a shard? Are you trying to tell me that there are multiple pieces of that damn cube? Fury spoke up livid; Natasha moved further into the room and sat by the Director, staring intently at Sophie. Loki cut in, "Yes a shard, a piece that was broken off long ago by a group of scientists that studied it. As long as we have that shard then we can bring Thanos where ever we want him."
Steve leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. "There was only one kind of scientist that studied that before SHIELD got it." Bruce spoke almost over the top of him. "Away, the fight has to be away from people. It can't go down like New York." Sophie tried to shrink into her chair and be invisible.
"We are aware Brucie, hate to say it but broody pants over there made a point, we can lure this titanic ass away from populated areas." Tony spoke from over his coffee cup. "Stark will you stop with the mouth before I kick your ass? Let alone the God looks like he wants to murder you." Fury rubbed his temples. "Probably not but first for everything." Tony got up for more coffee. Loki was starting to regret even coming to them for help.
Barton spoke up. "So we send someone out to the middle of nowhere with this piece, that came from who knows where? Who gets a job like that and when does it happen?"
"Bait." Sophie said softly. "Not a someone, a piece of bait." Rogers asked over the top of her, "Do we have a time frame on this?"
"Thanos does not have the exact location yet, nor do I know his whereabouts. It is hard to say when but if things are planned then we can make our own time frame." Loki managed to get out before Tony piped up again. "I vote we send the former block of Swiss cheese out with a big red bow, let the alien baddie have him and hope he leaves."
"You have care about how you speak Man of Iron; we will not be sending my brother to his death." Thor growled and took a threatening step forward, Coulson whispered. "I would sleep better at night." The room erupted in squabbling, mostly between Tony and Thor with the occasional quip from Loki and yell from Fury.
Barton bust in. "But how bad can this Thanos be? We dealt with the Chitauri without any warning. We have time to set this up right?" Sophie spun in her seat. "How bad? Are you kidding me, look at the people he has nervous, Clint." But Clint didn't even hear her and moved around to the other side of the room. She tried to speak up a few more times, but was ignored and out shouted. Sophie turned to Loki, but couldn't even get much of his attention.
"Thanos is more powerful than you can imagine Barton! He is inside my head, making me relive the tortures he put me through!" Loki stood from his seat roared at Clint. "The horrors you saw while under the influence of my scepter are mere child's play compared to what I have physically been through at the hands of Thanos, Thor was able to see a sliver of what happened and it made him ill." Tony tipped his head and pointed at Loki. "How do we know you just didn't plant those images in his head? You are supposedly a powerful wizard or something so it wouldn't be out of the question." Loki hissed. The flashback was triggered by the Tesseract shard and knocked me unconscious; I have to be awake to even consider planting images in one's head you fool!"
Sophie tried to tug Loki back down, to calm him, but it didn't work. So she snapped at Stark and Barton, "I was there too! Did he plant things in my head too? I've been inside his head and I'll tell you what, I'd much rather have him inside my head than the other way around! You people are being idiots. Just listen!"
Tony gaped at Sophie. "Ya know, I was starting to like you then you go and yell at Barton and now I love you. Leave Harry over there and run away with me and Pepper."
"Just how were you inside his head Sophie? The shard triggered the vision which means it has to be in your apartment or one of you has it." Natasha spoke up for the first time during the meeting, Loki lost some of his fight and sat down heavily before whispering to Sophie. "You might have to tell them." He was close enough that Toukka was able to poke out and rub his head against both Loki and Sophie's jaw.
Sophie's eyes flew open wide at Natasha's question and she glared at the other woman. She glanced over at Steve, then closed her eyes and pressed down the nausea at the thought of letting her secret go like this. Taking a small comfort from Toukka she began to speak, "OK. I have the shard. I have always had it. It can be controlled a bit." She opened her eyes and looked around. Natasha and Loki seemed to be the only ones that were listening to her. She sighed and tried again. "I have the Tesseract shard, right here, I can use it." Shrugging she looked at them.
Barton and Tony continued to bicker back and forth, Loki was dragged back into the arguments along with Fury and Thor. Natasha tried to get them all back on track but the testosterone was flowing so heavily that no one was listening.
