Now only the avengers, the current and the former ones, and their closest friends were in the place, being observed by far by the supposed organizer of the event, a woman a little bit older than the star of the night, in curled black hair and inactive legs on the wheelchair. Loki apparently was the only one who identified her as she really was: an infiltered agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. to make sure Lin was no uncontrollable threat, despite having gamma rays in her organism. It was good that none of the members of the black list dared to show up, it wouldn't have been good if she informed her superiors that the Iron Girl murdered a public figure on her starring day. Why do the strongest never pay attention to those they find fragile? This is probably the cause of the ruin of most of them.
A bunch of claps, incentive yelling and howls called the attention of the god. In a corner, not very far from there, the avengers seemed to gamble involving alcohol, specifically the alcoholic drink that Tony created for Thor when he was still alive. Were they crazy? Most of them was too drunk to keep going, but the god of thunder, the queen Valkyrie and another competitor seemed fine. The blonde wouldn't give up so easily and apparently these words didn't even exist in the vocabulary of his adversaries.
Loki asked himself who was the crazy, mad, nonsense human who challenged both the Asgardian to drink. Only a completely unbalanced and a dispassionate-for-his-life person would do such a thing. What would take anyone to do it? The fourth competitor still standing fell aside unconscious, allowing the jotun to see the great stupid who… wait, was that Lin?
More claps were heard, everyone encouraging the only human still participating of the bet, she didn't seem not even a little bit altered, whilst even Thor faltered. More and more glasses were emptied, Stark seemed just to have fun while the other two got their cheeks red and kind of lightheaded. Lin raised the glass in victory while people laughed and congratulated her, she had won, she was the last one to get drunk.
When the trickster god saw her standing up and looking at him, he knew that was a great time to sneak out through the window. The bet said basically that the winner could propose anything to the losers and they should accept to do it without complains. Who would wait for a better opportunity to humiliate a friend, right?
- So, my dear losers. – She said for those still awaken. – Go to our dear Loki, court him and propose to him.
Loki would definitively run away through the window now, but he felt his body being hold by a strong and red magic, Wanda was indeed a traitor. He stared angrily at Stark and she answered just kissing her hands to him, not holding her laugh while comfortably sitting on a chair with the unbearable Jane by her side, both were laughing at him. Even Captain Marvel seemed to find it funny. The prince would take the revenge for it any day for sure.
- Loki of Asgard! – Bucky was the first to kneel in front of him. – Please marry me!
- No, Loki! – Scott came tottering. – Marry me!
- Choose me and Asgard will be yours. – Valkyrie didn't even showed difficulty to speak, it was probably her brother who convinced her to be part of this, she was even recorded for everyone's fun. – Her proposal was good, maybe in another occasion he would take it.
- NO! – Thor's voice sounded as a thunder from where he was, his brother practically wasn't drunk, but he wouldn't miss the opportunity to reverse the roles and having fun with such a play, even if he seemed not to believe that he would really say what he was planning to. – You have insisted many times we're not brothers, we really are not! So, marry me and claim the new Throne of Asgard to rule it by my side.
Loki regret to be pity on him earlier, he would kill him without thinking twice as soon as the occasion allowed him. Jane almost burst out laughing beside the now-goddamn Iron Girl and the target of all the laughs considered to push her from the stairs as soon as Wanda let him go.
- I didn't know you could get drunk, Lin. The prince heard Bruce saying, even with all the noise and distance between them.
- I can't. My organism eliminates the molecules of drinks too fast for me to get drunk, but none of them needed to know this detail. – She madly smiled again, the way her friend was so used to.
The prince decided that the best thing to do was to pay it back. Lin couldn't deal with things like a proposal, she wasn't ready for something like that and she would never accept it, mainly coming from someone like him.
- I beg your pardon, gentleman and your majesty. – He said, smiling as much as naturally he could. Loki knew that his friend would be embarrassed if he exposed her to an unexpected situation, to which she couldn't react to. Stark was rarely surprised, and she hated when she couldn't foresee someone's actions, this would be a good enough pay back for her, it wasn't like if the god would be really mad at her for doing something he himself loved to do. - I understand this may be very sad and devastating, but I would never compromise myself with anyone of you in this place. – Wanda let him go, curious with the next steps of the wizard, he slowly walked towards the Iron Girl while people opened up way for him to get to her. – Actually, there is, indeed, someone worthy. – Lin stopped laughing when noticing what he was about to do. - Linna Mary Stark. – Loki conjured two red ribbons, they were like wedding rings in the Jotunheim culture, and dared to get close enough to feel her breath. – Will you marry me?
Jane choked, saying "she is really his human", Thor showed a proud expression and Stark… well, Loki didn't know that humans could be that red. She completely frozen. She could only answer because one of the voices helped her and the prince noticed that for the sudden scarlet color that appeared on her eyes. Her expression was forced to relax and she could pretend a mocking smile, of course she would say no.
- Of course, princess! – Lin raised her head to look him in the eyes. – How could I miss the opportunity to see you dressed as a bride?
The human offered him her hand so that he could tie the ribbon. The voices made her do these kind of madness, but however much even Loki hesitated, he wouldn't stop the game. Because that just a joke, right? In another context, Lin would push him away when he got close to seal the deal with a kiss after they tied the ribbons on each other's wrists, wouldn't she? The prince expected the first sign of rejection from her to hysterically laugh and say that he would never be by her side that way, but this sign never came. The repulse he was expecting didn't too, not even the fear, the disgust or a laugh indicating she was having fun with the situation. Nothing.
When she closed her eyes after their lips touched and relaxed sincerely smiling, Loki saw himself in a no-way-back situation, his friend has always been considered inexplorable in this sense, he has always known about the trauma she had with the men who touched her body and that's why he never allowed himself to look at her with desire or this kind of lust. The god had never imagined she would answer positively this kind of initiative, better said, he had already imagined that a lot of times, but he never thought this could be really possible someday. He put his hand down her waist, not holding a satisfaction sigh, and she involved his necks with her arms, not allowing anyone to notice she almost fell from her heels with that move.
People around and even the sober avengers applauded. The Loki of that timeline gave no indication he was a villain a long time ago, many thought they could trust him. It wasn't exactly bad for them that the Iron Girl and the prince of Asgard had an affair, but the supposedly organizer of the event got out the place while everyone were entertained with the now-weirdly engaged couple. Fury had no reasons to trust Tony Stark's daughter and now he had reasons to believe she wasn't exactly what she wanted the world to believe she was.
(…)
The magic over Lin was undone and she turned back to be the horrendous little thing as always, but an ashamed horrendous little thing. Loki found it funny to see her blushing every time she looked at her wrist and saw that the ribbon was still there and the prince didn't even mention anything about taking it out or avoiding showing the one he himself had on him. They took a time to be finally alone, it was only almost in the morning when both stood in front of each other, not accompanied by anyone else.
The woman acted as a bride should, as a passionate and clingy person, she even played the shy role (however much she was extremely shy sometimes) and submissive, even she didn't have to do it necessarily. She made everyone to believe that they were a couple in love. Only now, alone with her, Loki saw her expression changing again. Lin frowned, ironically smiling and crossing her arms. It wasn't needed much intelligence to know she had already asked Friday to isolate the sound of that room, they didn't have to hide behind their masks for now.
- You're going to tell me what are your plans, or wait for me to discover by myself?
Loki calmly sat on the bed they shared, acting as the most innocent being in the world in front of her accusing look.
- The answer you gave to my proposal, was it you or another person? – Stark wanted to hit that beautiful face, just for a change, it was hard to play together with the god if he gave no tip about his next steps.
- One of the voices calmed me so that I didn't panic. – She turned around, escaping from the other's look and took her little-ducks pajama to dress. Lin could simply conjure the clothe on her body, but she was testing something. – But the answer was mine, they didn't interfere on that. – The pieces of clothe she was dressing during the party gradually fell on the ground, through the window glass, she could see Loki's look on her body, but she saw no desire there, as always, so why did the prince bothered to put a so-attractive lingerie among the set of clothes he chose for her to use?
She suspected that her friend had always lied for himself with the look, would he be just like the man who touched her without her permission? Stark lifted her hand to her hair, the universe could be very cruel, it wouldn't be a surprise if the woman discovered that the god deceived her even in the matter of never acting with her as the humans did.
- So, I can tell you I plan our marriage to happen in some months. – The goddamn could seem very sincere.
The human turned to him again, as if she believed in his poisonous words and walked calmly towards the jotun, put each leg on each side of him and sat there, deliberately causing a friction on the other's penis. Loki didn't react, but also didn't pull her back, he seemed to be curious about what she would do.
- You're not being coherent with yourself. – She whispered close to his ear, but his body didn't react at all. – Your mouth says you want to marry me, but your body never touched me more boldly, tell me, Loki, ask me and you know I go further, we're together on this until now, I wouldn't stop or hesitate if you made me understand what's the meaning to pretend something like that. – She increased the friction, she couldn't see the other's eyes, but expected he ended up giving away his true intentions in another way. – Tell me that this is part of a plan and Friday will turn off the sound block of this room, they will know what we're doing here and you know I can bear very well any sign of pain. No one will notice. – Lin stepped back to kiss him, but had her jaw strongly held so that she couldn't get close enough.
- I could never touch you like this. – Loki was angry, she noticed, but couldn't understand why.
- My appearance bothers you so much? – Lin was really confused. – You can make the perfect human image to come back to me at any time. – Stark used her own magic to change her shape, however, when lifted her hand to touch Loki's face, he held her wrist so strongly that it destabilized the spell and she turned back to what she was before. – Do you prefer an alien shape?
- It surprises me that you think I would force you to do such a thing, even if it's part of a plan. – He pulled her far away, making her to get up clumsily.
The human couldn't understand at all! She even opened her mouth to ask something, but the volume she saw between the legs of her "fiancé" cleared her doubts. Loki indeed desired her, but would never touch her in some intimate way like that if he wasn't sure she was completely comfortable with the situation, he didn't even let her to realize by his look or gestures how much he wanted her, because he didn't want her to feel bad about it.
Feelings were a weakness, right? Would the prince judge her as a weak if he knew she would purr now if she were in a cat shape? He was for sure the trickster god and many considered him the god of evil, but no one would ever convince her he wasn't, on his own way, the best person she had ever got involved with.
Lin smiled happy, even knowing that her friend wouldn't see it, and wore the pajama. This time she didn't lay down to sleep on the expensive carpet as she used to, but yes by the adopted asgardian's side, under the sheets hiding him. She held him in her arms just like he used to do to calm her down and Loki tried to escape, but Stark was physically stronger than the prince, so, she just pressed him against her.
- About that kiss… - She started, embarrassed. – You didn't force me at all to retribute it and I didn't feel bad for doing it at any moment. Actually, I'm waiting for you to start laughing at everything I did and everything I'm telling you now, but I really liked kissing you, however much I still don't understand you, what happened made me to realize how some traumas are not influencing me anymore. – Loki just mumbled as an answer, but he stopped trying to escape, he seemed relieved to know that. The prince interlaced his hand to hers, caressing the fingers she still had.
- In fact, there is a plan behind the proposal. – He said lowly. – But I won't complain if you want to kiss me more times, since you really want to do this. – Both laughed, involved in that bubble of complex partnership they had.
- But, you know… - She spoke in a sarcastic tone. – I won't mind if you want to beat the meat…
Loki cringed on the mattress while feeling her funny look on him, but he ended up beating the meat a little bit later, even having to wait the human to sleep before that.
Feelings were a weakness, but sometimes we need to be weak so that we can become even stronger. That woman was his only exception about everything in his life.
(…)
The rate of success of missions for which the Avengers team was called increased a lot since the Iron Girl started to completely be part of it, just as the numbers of deaths lowered each day more. But that was the only thing that kept the heroes' mouth shut when they had the opportunity to criticize their new partner. Lin was too unpredictable, she didn't know she had to team work and rarely listened to her fellows, all of them had the constant impression that they were just messing things up. She exposed them to greater dangers even being her duty also to protect them, and when asked about Stark, she just shouldered, claiming that she had already calculated every variant and that everything was fine because she already knew that in the end no one would get hurt.
It was clear that Lin just used them as pawns when they were in battlefield, she effortlessly ended up taking the leadership of the teams in which she acted and she didn't need much to make everyone to do what she wanted them to. However much uncomfortable it was, that woman made things end up just fine, without anyone hurt, just as she promised. The mission of all was to keep the population safe, apparently the way they made things didn't go exactly right, so, however much the teams wanted to claim, they didn't, because even with the unusual acting way she had, she kept the people safe, maybe more efficiently than everyone had ever done.
Currently, the team was in a rescue mission. Seemingly the Minister of Health had been kidnapped and there were the Avengers to save him, as the good heroes they are. Obviously the strongest of the group weren't chosen for the rescue. Wanda, Thor, Banner and Captain Marvel, for example, were very far from there, doing something much more pleasant and useful on their Sunday afternoon.
Sam and Bucky just observed the daughter of late Iron Man analyzing the floor plan of the building they were about to invade. They didn't understand how someone like her, a woman with almost no battlefield experience, could equal to both in a mission like this, being them specialists. The men asked themselves frequently what were the secrets behind that brilliant mind, but it isn't as if the girl or her best friend were people from which is easy to get information, except the ones they wanted to reveal. It was kind of funny to observe her, Lin showed the most vary and confusing expressions, it was as if she argued with herself and never agreed. It happened every time she started to create her perfect strategies.
Only them three flied over the place in one of the Stark's furtive-mode jet at that moment. They were the only ones casted for that mission, Iron Girl was the one responsible to free the hostage while the other two investigated the place detailly. The new Hydra was turning into a real plague, it was hard to know what they planned to do next and that's why each minimal information could be truly useful.
Out of the sudden, her face relaxed and her eyes stopped running through the map. The satisfied smile that appeared on her deformed lips just made it clearer what the other two already knew: she was ready.
- What is our height? – Sam asked Friday while they prepared themselves.
- We are 3195,54 feet from the ground, sir. – The artificial intelligence answered.
Sometimes Captain America still missed when he needed to use his original Falcon wings in such a situation, it's not that he wanted to fly as before, but those were good times, despite really liking the improvements Stark and his daughter provided for his and his friend's suits.
Bucky showed his arm again to "Mini-Stark" while she involved it with the armor. She always wanted to know more about technology and the super soldier didn't mind much to let her to study him, enough to feel comfortable in talking about what he could do in the battle with someone he found an ally.
- I'll never understand how you survive in the middle of all this messy world after all the chaos your mind has been through. You're probably very good on what you do.
The hatch of the airplane opened and Lin prepared herself to jump, but before she could do it, the ex-Falcon neared behind her speaking in a very funny tone.
- If you compliment him once again he will never leave you alone, be careful.
Sam also found it curious how she always reminded him his late friend in her simplest gestures, however much she had never met him in fact. But the Avenger didn't trust her the much he made her believe he did. Wilson was too expert to notice that Tony Stark's daughter lied most of the time, however, he couldn't understand yet the reasons why she acted that way, he wanted to discover anything about the girl that indicated who she really was and Fury didn't even need to order Captain America to do so, the alert had already ringed in his mind on the day Lin showed up with the trickster god. Sam wanted anything that told him that Stark he judged so alike to someone truly good wasn't just one else monster he had to eliminate, just like she seemed to be on the day she trained with him for the first time.
Barnes also knew that the younger was the target of the most diverse suspects, but he had his own way to act, he would put a bullet in her skull if he discovered anything that threatened the planet and yet, he wouldn't treat her differently before that happened. Everything related to Loki wasn't trustable and, however much he was a potential ally, he couldn't tell when he may decide to become an enemy. The two Avengers knew that they should let them to play their games to understand her intentions.
Lin smiled ironically, whispering that she would accept the advice. Looking at her now, it was hard to imagine everything that anyone who saw her scars thinks that she's been through and that is somehow worrisome. How could someone with her past look so normal? The mask of the armor closed and Stark jumped out the airplane together with Wilson, they would meet again when they had all their enemies to their feet.
- Friday, a song, please. – The artificial intelligence already knew the likes of its new master, analyzed the environment they were in and played the best playlist it could find.
- How can you concentrate in the missions with a song playing in your armor? – Bucky asked through the radio, by now he is probably also next to the ground.
- You should try it someday, it's like being in a movie! It also helps you to synchronize my moves.
- Parker is a terrible influence for you, Stark. – Lin laughed funny, Barnes made her laugh every time he mumbled something like what he had just said.
- The most that could happen is someone hitting me because I didn't hear the enemy coming. Relax, old man. I don't get easily hurt.
- Are you really going to discuss this right now? – Captain America claimed from where he was, but as expected, just made them both laugh.
Lin was already close to her target, she wasn't being much careful, she wanted to call enough attention so that her partners could enter more easily, but she didn't lie when she said that music in such moments helped her, Stark fought as if dancing and, when synchronizing her movements to the sound, her attacks were more precise and her actions were exactly as planned.
The Iron Girl had that much lead in the battles because she carried in her mind by herself the conscience of seven celestial beings, the experience she didn't have, these had in abundance. It was by chance that Lin discovered that the seventh would do anything to keep her alive in the battlefield and "anything" meant cooperating with the other six inferior voices. Stark turned her senses off to let the beings use her body, she didn't have the real power of none of them, but they all had a common interest: guarantee her physical integrity. The girl didn't need to be as smart as she was to realize that sooner or later those helping her would turn against her, so she just concentrated in learning detailly what were their techniques so that she could replay them whenever she needed to get rid of them in the future. Of course, the voices didn't know that, she was a good liar and at moments like these, she could even deceive herself.
To the rhythm of the song, her enemies fell to her feet, none of them escaped from her attentive eyes and from Friday's analyses. It was pleasant to see from afar (really afar, since she would probably consider you as an enemy if you were too close). Lin whispered the lyrics of the song with her Asgardian accent to annoy her friends while her body moved to the beat of those same words to knock out her adversaries.
- We're in. – Bucky announced minutes later.
- It's clear outside. – Stark said. – I'm going for the hostages, it would be good if one of you came with me, my heat measurements indicate there are more people kept here than we expected. – That's what she said, but she just asked for help to be sure she wouldn't hurt any innocent.
She flied over the area to be sure there were no one else and soon after headed to the building where the hostages were. A funny thought came to her mind and as soon as she put her feet on the ground, she got out of her armor to fight with her own hands. Some of the voices laughed whilst the others were shut. The ones laughing encouraged her to do what she wanted.
- Are you going to face the bad boys without your suit? – Sam asked smiling when saw her nearing with her common training clothe, a simple t-shirt with a blouse and sweatshirt pants.
- I've got a plan in mind that will finish any bad boy. – The other Avenger was momentarily proud of the confident smile the younger showed. – And you are part of it, so it'll be good if you cooperate. – Lin joked, making an authoritarian face, what made her almost-friend slightly smile.
Both together climbed the stairs while hearing what the super soldier was telling about what he was seeing on the ruins he was.
- The people of this region believe in a somewhat weird god. – He said, confused.
- We live with two weird gods, I think it's kind of hard to overcome them. – Stark commented as if it was obvious, but it didn't convince the man.
- There are runes and old artifacts here, Friday translations tell about a human chosen by a goddess that would be hosted by her to eliminate all the evil of the Earth. Crazy, right?
- Most of religions are. – Wilson answered, finding it weird the lack of reaction of the younger, he looked at Lin who was some steps ahead and his body almost weakened when he felt the same aura as that training day emanating from her for some seconds. Stark put her glasses to connect with the artificial intelligence that was already controlling the armor near Bucky, she seemed to be interested in registering whatever the man had found. – Tell me about your technique. – He asked just to take the other out of the trance she was in.
The girl blinked slowly, confused, as if she didn't remember what she was doing and stepped back, almost falling. Sam thought she would have a panic crisis and quickly sheltered the body, but his help wasn't necessary, the anguish expression disappeared as fast as it came, and soon Lin recovered her posture and faced him with a funny smile.
- It's an Asgardian technique, actually. – Both kept climbing and Captain America was attentive to any suspicious movement of her. – It was Thor who taught me. I tried to use it with Loki, but he turned his back on me and left when I proposed, I have no idea why.
The civilians were restless inside the room they were kept in, many prayed for their goddess, though they knew that the chances of her to help were almost null. None of them knew if the chosen one was already between the mortals or not, but one thing was certain, they would be saved sooner or later, after all, the help was already there. The Minister of Health was there among the people, he didn't understand exactly why those people kidnapped him, they didn't require anything in exchange of his security, they didn't hurt him or threatened him. It was like they just wanted to call the attention of the Avengers. Since the kidnappers brought him, they were getting prepared for the arrival of the team, but it wasn't like they wanted to defeat them.
The entrance door opened and the minister recognized the daughter of Tony Stark carrying Sam Wilson on her shoulders.
- Please, help! My friend is dying! – the armed men moved forward to attack them – Please, help! – Both smiled. – Help! – Lin threw the soldier on the enemies and he could get a perfect position with the impulse to knock out the three remaining enemies.
- Efficient! – He complimented her.
- Thank you, I have always wanted to do this. – Stark cleansed her hands quickly, smiling satisfied.
What came next was weird to be seen, the people shut up and everyone faced the Iron Girl with a great intensity, as if they already knew her or even were waiting for a long time to see her. Everyone started to walk calmly towards her, as if fearing to be rebuked, but at the same time as if wanted that more than anything else. Lin froze not knowing what to do and faced Sam as if asking for help, but people didn't try to hurt her when got too close, but in fact kneeled, crying gratefully and some of them even dared to touch her briefly, as if it somehow brought some peace for them. The man realized that they looked at the girl as if she were something divine.
That day was more and more confusing. He saw that Stark was afraid for the way she stepped back and cringed with a lost look. He didn't think twice to take her away from the humans, the people didn't seem disposed to let her go, but a simply threatening look from the Avenger was enough to make them to stop following them. When the left the building, Barnes and the armor were already waiting for them, including the recently rebuilt iron patrol robots had already arrived to guide the hostages back to their homes. The Avengers weren't needed there anymore.
The ex-Falcon waited for the younger to refuge in the armor and left before the airplane came back to get them. He faced the Iron Girl stepping back more and more, frowning.
- You noticed that too, right?
- Why would Loki be interested on her if she were simply Tony's daughter? – Wilson answered with the question many were asking themselves lately.
The secrets of those both is going to end up killing all of us. – Bucky confirmed what was turning clear for many.