Had he processed it well? The fact that she was gone.

He acknowledges it not really, not until he's in the closet that half's now empty.

Explain why this bothers him and he can't. Think it through he doesn't want to, giving it the best he can to avoid the matter completely.

Then he's in the shower and at the sound of water splatter, whooshing down in a steady manner within him evokes what feelings he kept at bay, a bubbling frustration hand-in-hand with hurt, all that was said he hadn't counted truly how much it hurt, or even that it would.

It's confusing, most of all.

It's asking why. It's in him this doubt, regarding himself wondering why or what it was she could not withstand. To remember and to think, back on her words and back on Loki's, to the latter's fixing because they were both of sense and easier, to blame her than blame himself.

Still it's there and it always has been, he just hides it so well, just how insecure he really was about himself, outshaded by a show of arrogance and pompous behavior yet when the people so close to him not question but demean him so fiercely, insistent, he has to wonder where he's going wrong. To remember what to her was the problem and how was that something that he could fix?!

…How can he stop?

Then persistent his mind in a voice identical to Loki's asserting it was a lot more than one thing, this that he's always known. Maybe it was him altogether – he knows how difficult he is,

he…

…

…But Loki never makes him feel that way…

He wraps up then quickly seeking to rejoin him.

No sooner in the kitchen making coffee by him he's approached, from behind the arms that embrace him and he breaks into a wide, earnest smile, turning throwing his arms across Loki's shoulders pulling him into a hard, startling kiss. Loki moans against his lips, grinning looks down into browns glimmering softly that his to them warm greatly. "Well good morning to you to," he smirks cheekily. Tony grins and moves in for another kiss when into the kitchen Nat steps.

Pulling apart they don't seem terribly mindful of how overly expressive they were being to the novel status of their relationship, and perhaps they ought to be, around someone like Nat especially taking into account her friendship with Pepper and it's easy to assume she'd taken her side. Glancing at them quite expressionlessly she makes wordless for the fridge.

Loki isn't sure what it is he speaks rather thoughtless calling her over. "Natasha, come here for a moment." Up at him she looks quizzically, as well does Tony from stirring his mug. Shutting again the fridge, somewhat cautiously Nat approaches the pair and as she does Loki thinks alas the wisdom behind giving into this urge peculiar and the closer she steps the less he finds it to be.

But then she's standing opposite them eyeing him expectantly, and what's the worst that could be? "It wasn't personal, you ought to have already known that." By this the two present are verily surprised, on Tony's face it shows and on Nat's just barely. Then she gives a short nod, says:

"I do." And unable to keep a smile from his face, Tony must this clarify:

"That was his version of an apology, by the way." Loki refrains from rolling his eyes; it is precisely why he was reluctant in speaking, not to have it sound so explicitly, because Loki doesn't 'apologize.'

But.

…He can't quite explain why, to her this must on a level be visible, not that he's sorry, just that she was not the target.

"You know. For putting a knife to your eye," Tony adds quipping. Nat is not amused.

"Yes, I was there," she drew at him irritably, looks again to Loki thoughtful and greens from Tony fix back on her. It's in seconds that she's decided quite firmly,

that Clint had been wrong all along, and were it not for what had happened with the scepter

he'd have been the first of them to see it.

…And speaking of. "I take it Clint's tried to talk to you." She's looking now at Tony who instantly seems vexed.

"…Tried." Loki takes this in both peeved now as curious. "You tell him to mind his own business, then we won't have a problem." {Indeed.} A beat and Nat nods once; she cannot in the least reprove of his anger because of what Clint has done he should be,

as she of what Loki had done, have been, but she wasn't. Yet Loki had made the albeit unexpected effort to clarify why, had Clint?

"You know why he did it?"

"Does it matter?" Tony shot back intolerant. Whether or not he had – and she was sure he had – given that he'd made quite the mess what did it matter indeed? She looks down in acknowledgement before back up at him, and she just has to mention it, with both of them standing there.

"…I talked to Pepper." It's only logical to expect that Loki is not of the topic indulgent, and it appears neither is Tony for less upset and more annoyed he asks:

"And?"

"…You know," she adds and that's all she'll say about it, and maybe it just barely shows but that gets to him, because he does know. And whether he thinks it's justified still remembers the cause and it's him, if she's seething if she's crying, it's because of him. Nevermind the context and the situation and that he knows they both as equally wanted it all to end, the aftermath wasn't pleasant.

…That he knows for her it is more than for him because Loki's holding him up. And as happy with him as he feels, like out of some form of courtesy he shouldn't be, but when has he ever abided to a 'should'?

It's not just what he's feeling it's what Loki is too that he must take into account. Maybe they ought to have taken it slower but that never would've held out. Be it because of the potency of their…love for one another, or that he didn't wanna keep him waiting.

That he doesn't want him to think for a second that he doesn't want this, them, just as badly and he can literally feel it then, the concern that Loki lets not show as those greens look at him that he hasn't yet met but can sense.

All of Tony's thoughts Nat with ease seems to read and cannot help agreeing on all points, that yes they should have waited but likely that they wouldn't have, and what so good would waiting do? Would it change the way Pepper was feeling?

Pepper wasn't here, she doesn't need to hear and she won't see. She doesn't need to know, so what does holding back matter?

Besides…"…I'm not placing judgement," she says impassively, shrugs. "I get it," was what last she'd spoken before on them stepping out.