Loki entered the captain's bedroom, heart beating loudly in his chest in anticipation. 'Steven?' he called gently as he sat on his knees next to the bed, admiring every inch of the man's face.

The mortal looked divine, skin bathing in soft morning sunrays, creating a golden hue over his short and tousled hair. Loki leaned forward, moving slowly and pressed his lips against Steve's temple, whispering gently; 'Wake up, Steven.' He held his breath for a moment before pressing a chaste kiss onto the man's skin. 'Wake up.'

Steve groaned, making Loki chuckle as he pulled the blankets over his head.

'Steven?' the god placed his hand on the man's shoulder, trying to shake him awake. 'I was wondering if you could do me the very great kindness of considering the possibility of waking up.'

The blond removed his blanket and peered at the god with a confused gaze, letting the sentence run through his head over and over. 'That… that is a very difficult way of asking someone to wake up.'

'I know,' he couldn't help but smile as Steve sat up and yawned. 'But it did the trick.'

'Yeah, well-' the blond stopped mid-stretch and tilted his head. He rubbed his eyes, something about the god seemed different. There was a bright, almost nervous smile plastered on his face, one he had never seen on him before. He was constantly shifting his weight, moving back and forth a little, fingers tensely tapping on his lap. His eyes were sparkling, wide and-

His eyes…

Steve gasped, jaw dropping as he stared into gorgeous emeralds. 'Loki… you… your-'

'I know,' he nodded, biting his lip as he tried to contain himself. 'I know!'

'Bu-but how-? I mean- you-' the blond stammered, then quickly shook his head and threw his arms around the raven's waist, pulling him in a tight hug. 'Loki this is amazing! Absolutely amazing!' He pulled the god back, his hands now resting on his pale cheeks as he stared deeper into his green eyes. 'Loki, I- I don't know what to say. Does it work? Does it hurt? Can you see properly again? How is this possible?'

'Yes. A little. Yes and something called StarkTech…?' He chuckled as he placed his hands on top of the captain's, a part of him wishing the embrace had never ended. 'I promise you, Steven, with my sight back, I will no longer cower nor falter. I will be worthy of your presence. I will finally stand strong.'

The captain frowned, 'What do you mean by that?'

'Well…' The trickster hesitated. 'When I lived on Asgard, with Thor, he- I mean, I should have-' he gulped, nervously fiddling with the brim of his sweatshirt as he struggled to find the right words. He looked at the mortal who saved his life, who sat in front of him waiting, patiently, for him to continue. He wanted to tell Steve what happened, wanted to share how he had suffered, hoping to find some form of coping or acceptance, and thus some form of peace.

He wanted to.

However…

'I have behaved most inappropriate and ungrateful since I have woken up,' he continued with a forced smile, his hands resting on his lap again to stop them from fiddling. 'I was outrageously discourteous, and I promise that it will never happen again. Steven, I am truly grateful for all that you have done for me.'

'… I see,' Steve smiled, knowing it will probably take a very long time for the god to open up to him. A part of him wanted to keep asking, a tiny voice in his mind whispering of distrust and lies. He quickly managed to get rid of these poisonous words, knowing that he should be patient, knowing he had to give Loki time. 'Well, just know that I'm always here for you, Loki. I am not going anywhere, no matter what.'

A rosy blush colored the raven's cheeks as the captain held his pale hands in his own, caressing his fingers. 'W-why won't we celebrate?' The raven smiled. 'Steven, you and I are going on a date.' He crossed his arms, his characteristic confidence shining through as he remembered Tony's advice. A sly grin formed on his face as he leaned back.

Steve fell silent for a moment, watching the god smirk with a level of sass to match Tony's. 'A date?' He repeated baffled, but eventually laughed. 'You know what, why not? Let's go on a date. Where you wanne go?'

The blond watched as the raven's smile disappeared. Loki clearly hadn't thought of that. '-Because,' he quickly continued. 'I've been thinking, I haven't been to the zoo in… well, actually I've never been to a zoo. So, I thought-'

'Steven Grant Rogers, you can read my mind,' Loki agreed, having read about zoos in one of the captain's books. Not being able to contain himself any longer Loki threw himself into the mortal's arms, pushing him back into his bed as he now lay on top of him. 'We are going to this zoo.' He pressed his body against Steve's, feeling his warmth and toned muscles. About half a minute of blissful silence followed in which the two lay together, arms wrapped around each other and eyes closed. 'You've got a bad breath.' Loki eventually commented, grinning like a Cheshire cat as he nuzzled into Steve's neck.

'Seriously?' Steve chucked, holding the god even closer. 'Give me a break. I just woke up.'

'You stink.'

'I haven't showered yet!'

'Your hair is a total mess.'

'Anything else, your highness?'

Loki could practically hear the blond rolling his eyes, which ended up in both of them giggling in each other's arms like little girls. 'Nothing,' he replied contently as he sat up, his legs spread over the captain's lap, straddling his hips. 'Absolutely nothing,' a dreamlike smile formed on his face as he wished this moment could last forever. 'Go. Take a shower. I will wait for you.'

Steve let his hands rest on Loki's thighs, admiring the god staring down at him. He had to fight the urge to move his hands underneath the raven's shirt. He wanted to feel his skin underneath his hands, his slowly developing muscles underneath his fingertips. He eventually settled with grabbing the god's small waistline and throwing him to the other end of the bed with a devious smirk, causing the god to yelp. 'Fine. I'll be right back.'

Loki waited in the communal kitchen, listening to Clint yapping on about some unfair bet he lost to Natasha about three months ago. The assassin merely sipped her tea in silence, though her smirk said enough.

Luckily the trickster didn't have to wait too long as Steve was quick to return. 'Ready to go?'

'Quite, but…' he tilted his head as Steve put on a pair of glasses and a cap. 'What- I did not know you wear glasses?'

'Oh, yeah, no, I don't.' He smiled a little sheepishly, 'It's just a disguise.'

'Oh I see,' the raven nodded in mock seriousness. 'Truly beyond recognition.' He grinned as he stepped forward, his body close against Steve's. Just as the man was about to lay his hands on his waist Loki tapped the blond's cap, causing it to cover his eyes and nearly knock off his glasses. 'Shall we go then, oh stranger?'

Steve adjusted his disguise with a sigh, though he couldn't hide his smile. He grabbed two helmets, offering one to the god and dragged him to the garage.

Standing in between a line of at least seven luxurious cars stood a single but proud motorcycle. The god glared at the vehicle with skepticism but eventually took a seat behind the captain, searching for something to hold on to.

'Uhm… How do I-'

'Oh, here,' Steve held on to Loki's hands and wrapped them around his waist, the trickster now fully pressed against his back. 'You good?'

'Y-yes,' the raven held on tight to the captain, his fingers digging deep into the fabric of Steve's leather jacket. He let his head rest against his shoulders, the smell of grease, gas and a gentle cologne overpowering his senses. He held his breath as the engine started, feeling the vibration of the vehicle in his core.

The ride through the city was short yet absolutely overwhelming. The towering buildings made Loki feel so small, a concrete jungle which seemed impossible to navigate through. Being completely surrounded by traffic, lights and pedestrians made the raven's head spin a little.

There was one other thing he could not help but notice, and that was the way Steve glanced around every once in a while, melancholy shading those usually bright blue eyes. At first Loki didn't understand. Steve was a Midgardian, born and raised on the streets of New York. Yet he soon realized that much of the captain's world must have changed after his seventy years of icy slumber.

Loki held close to Steve as he saw the mortal gulp after staring at a brand new and, dare he say, ugly pile of concrete. He wrapped his arms tighter around his waist, hoping to give him some form of comfort.

How he wished he could hold him in his arms and tell him he was not alone.

He would never be alone.

With so many sights to behold the rest of the ride went down within the blink of an eye. This Zoo was a vast place, creatures collected from all around Midgard, their natural habitats recreated as best as possible.

The god studied every information board he could find, making sure to read and learn all he could. He was absolutely fascinated by these Midgardian animals, from the smallest shrimp, whose heart was located in its head to the bright pink flamingo who can only eat when its head is upside down.

Steve smiled as he sat down on a bench overviewing the giraffe enclosure, grabbing his sketch book as Loki kept standing near the railing. He had intended to draw the animals, but his eye was constantly caught by something else.

Or rather, someone.

The blond opened his book, a smile forming on his face as he looked at all the sketches of the trickster god. Loki frowning, studying, wondering and smiling as he observed each animal he saw. His favorite draft was one where he was actually laughing, his white teeth in great contrast with his black hair.

Steve drew Loki as he leaned over the railing of the encloser, a gaze of wonder on his face, much like a child. It filled his heart with warmth, butterflies fluttering in his stomach.

'It is quite remarkable how none of you seem to be baffled by this bizarre mixture of leopard and moose with a 6 feet tall neck,' Loki walked back towards his captain and sat down next to him. 'Yet when I talk about unicorns you look at me like I am absolutely mental.'

Steve laughed, 'Are there unicorns on Asgard?'

'No, only on Alfheim. We do have Pegasi though,' the god leaned against the mortal, his head resting on his shoulder. He stared as the gentle giants walked by, his arm slowly intertwining with the captain's as he snuggled closer. He then looked at the black book in Steve's hands. 'What do you have there?'

'Nothing,' Steve quickly closed his sketchbook and jumped up, causing Loki to nearly fall of the small bench they were sharing. 'Hey, you hungry? I'm starving. I'll uhm, I'll just get us something to eat, okay?'

Steve was already gone before Loki could even ponder the question, his sketchbook tucked tightly underneath his arm. The god smirked as he watched him go, his grin only widening as he stared a little too long at the blond's ass.

He waited patiently for Steve to come back, only to be handed his questionable meal. 'What… What is this?'

'A hotdog,' he smiled, taking a bite out of his own. 'With ketchup, mustard and onions.'

The god frowned but then chuckled softly as he spotted the sauce stain at the corner of the captain's mouth. 'Steven, you have some ketchup right- no not there,' he sighed and raised his hand, effectively raising the blond's heartbeat as well as he moved his finger over Steve's lips, removing the stain. 'There,' he smiled as he put his finger in his mouth, licking the sauce of his fingertip.

Steve's heart seemed to stop as he stared; mouth still full yet appetite all gone as his cheeks turned red. He swallowed his food, not knowing what to say. 'T-thanks… Uhm, shall we continue? There's still a lot more to see.'

'Oh, right,' the raven grabbed a map he kept in his pocket and charted the remaining route. They crossed the entire park at least twice as Loki wanted to make sure he had seen every animal, the last place to visit being the indoor Marine Life exhibit.

'This is absolutely dazzling,' Loki whispered softly as the two sat on a bench, a massive aquarium holding a total of 5,400 tons of water in front of them. Countless fish were passing by, sharing their space in harmony. Massive stingrays occasionally floated by while sharks lazily swim over the aquarium floor, fish of all colors and sizes gliding with the streams. 'It is almost… enchanting.'

'Sure is,' Steve nodded in agreement. He then managed to tear his eyes from the tank and looked around. The exhibit was almost deserted, closing time nearly at hand. There was a pleasant silence, the main lights were dimmed, causing the water to engulf the entire exhibit in a blue and green hue.

He then looked at the god, smiling hopelessly. He dared to scoot a little closer, their shoulders pressed against each other as he let his hand rest on top of Loki's.

His heart was beating loudly in his chest, though he wondered whether the raven had even noticed the small movement as Loki kept staring at the aquarium in absolute wonder.

Steve's mind was a mess, hoping Loki would notice and acknowledge his closeness in any way. Yet at the same time he couldn't help but pray that the god was oblivious, fearing what he would do if he did notice.

What if Loki didn't share his feelings? What if the god saw nothing more in him but a friend or a puny mortal?

He stared at his hand resting on Loki's, his gaze eventually turned towards his feet as the raven didn't make a move.

He then looked up in surprise as the god let his head rest on his shoulder.

Steve could do nothing but smile, scooting as close to the god as possible. It was perfect. The scenery, the pleasant silence, Loki. All of it was perfect.

'Steven?'

'Hm?'

Loki smiled as he nuzzled into the man's neck, the scent of the mortal comforting him with a feeling of security. 'This date…' his voice was soft, a hint of shyness laced with his words. 'Is it… is it like you expected it to be?'

Steve remained silent for a moment before answering; 'No, not really.' He felt the god immediately lifting his head, emerald eyes filled with a glimpse of hurt now staring at him. The blond quickly smiled, leaning a little closer, 'It's way better.'

The god's frown turned into a smile of relief. 'Sly little creature,' he muttered with love, his lips moving closer towards the captain's.

Until they met.

Steve felt Loki's soft lips pressed against his own, his body, once again, completely frozen.

Yet this time it was not the haunting Arctic ice that left his muscles to strain. On the contrary. It was the gentleness of a god's touch, the warmth of his love, the pureness of such a simple yet intimate gesture.

Loki slightly pulled back, gulping as he did not dare to meet the mortal's eyes. His insecurity broke Steve's heart, the nervous twitching of the god's fingers making him wonder what went through his mind.

Though he feared he knew the answer.

He laced his fingers with Loki's, his other hand resting in the back of the god's neck. 'Loki?'

The raven looked up without a word.

'Whatever it is you're struggling with, we'll get through it together, okay?' he pressed his forehead against the god's as he noticed tears forming in his emerald eyes. Something was wrong, yet it seemed like Loki had completely shut down. 'Please talk to me…' Steve's voice was soft, almost desperate.

Loki's lip twitched, as if he wanted to speak but the words would not come out. He was so confused, his chest tightening with every attempt to look Steve in the eye. He wanted to kiss him again, wanted to be close, to hold Steve and never let go of him.

So why was he shaking with fear?

He had regained his sight, a gift he could never repay. His body was healing, all injuries caused by both Thor and his own hands slowly fading. He was regaining some weight and muscle tissue as he had worked hard on eating normally again with the help of Doctor Banner. He even dared to believe that he was surrounded by people who cared about him.

His life was pleasant now, comfortable and safe.

Why was Thor filling his mind?

Why could he feel his hands on his body? His lips against his own, his voice whispering in his ear.

He looked up; his breath caught in his throat as he saw his brother sitting in front of him. His eyes showed no love, his smile deprived of warmth.

Loki froze in utter fear. He wanted to push Thor away as he felt his hand on the back of his neck. He wanted to run.

It was only when he blinked that he snapped back to reality, the God of Thunder disappearing from his mind and sight. Sitting in front of him was none other than the mortal who saved him, staring at him with concern.

'Loki?' Steve placed both hands on his cheeks, eyes begging the god to respond. 'Loki, are you okay? Come on, say something.'

The raven realized then that he had all he could ever dare to hope for. He could no longer allow his brother to control his life, he could no longer let Steve worry over him.

Determination flashed through Loki's eyes, responding to the captain's pleads by leaping forward and pressing his lips against Steve's in a fervent and rough kiss.

He would force himself to forget about Thor and move on. He had to, for his own sanity.

Steve moved back a little in shock, but the trickster had no intent of letting him go so easily. The blond could hardly move after Loki wrapped his arms tightly around his body, showing that the god's strength was returning.

Something felt wrong, making Steve very nervous. He tried to move away from the kiss, a soft groan in protest, but Loki held him in place.

It was the almost embarrassed cough of the zoo staff that caught both men's attention and broke Loki's hold. 'I'm sorry, sir,' the girl walked a little closer, her cheeks colored red as she barely dared to look at the two. 'Our Zoo is closing, I would kindly like to ask you to head towards the exit.'

Steve's face had a color to match that of the poor employee. He cleared his throat before muttering a "thank you." He looked at Loki, at the smile on his face, knowing it was full of love.

'Thank you,' Loki replied genuinely, his voice kind and calm. He turned to the mortal and pressed a gentle kiss against his cheek. 'Let's go home.'

Steve remained silent for a moment, warily eyeing the god. He then took a deep breath, convincing himself that Loki would never do anything against his will. The god was probably just nervous and excited, his now regained strength not yet fully controlled. 'Yeah,' he answered with a hoarse voice as Loki took his hand. The two of them walked towards the exit, sharing another kiss before climbing back on the motorcycle and driving home.

Notes:

ps. I based the aquarium on my visit to KAIYUKAN's - Pacific Ocean Exhibit. (Osaka, Japan)
watch?v=fwkp1Gm6PI4
Please check out the link. It's just awesome. If you were ever planning on going to Japan, I would highly recommend this.

Hope to see you all again soon~!