Chapter 13: Temptation, A Dangerous Game

If she had stayed on Asgard, Eira would have lived in the castle her entire life. Perhaps some temporary residence would have been provided if she decided to go on missions like her father and uncle. The life of royalty was scheduled, though the past few years welcomed the contribution of much more surprise.

Even with the chaos of the preceding years, Eira decided she had to move lodgings too many times for someone her age.

At least her soon-to-be residence at Stark Tower would be more permanent when compared to her previous homes.

As she packed her clothes and toys and listened to Steve describe New York City, her mind travelled from excitement to panic. She missed Natasha during her month-long absence and anticipated reuniting with her. Her room, from what Steve told her, was designed to her interests and likes. The Tower was similar to the Asgardian castle she once called home; she would have more space to have her fun.

But when considering the extra security precautions, Eira worried about the interactions with her father. Would their meetings occur less and less out of fear that Loki's presence would be discovered? Even with the power of his magic, would the regnant abilities of the advanced technology at the Tower detect a hidden Loki within seconds? The worst possibilities played through her mind. She imagined the Avengers capturing her father, taking him to the worst of dungeons and ensuring that he would never see his daughter nor daylight again.

The positives of moving failed to quell her mind as she and Steve travelled to their new home. Steve occasionally glanced behind him during the drive, seeing Eira looking out the window, her eyes void of emotion. He could sense the fear emitting from her.

Probably should have considered her social anxiety before leaving, he thought.

"You'll like Stark Tower much more than my old apartment and Sam's place," Steve spoke, attempting to excite Eira. "Your room will be much bigger and you'll have more space to move around it. Pretty sure that there's a room for everything."

"I hope that the person designing my room made it look good," responded Eira (she talked much quicker than Steve expected.)

"I'm sure that it will be. You shouldn't worry. I know that you will adjust just fine, and that Bruce and Tony will like you."

"Bruce and Tony? I have to meet more people?"

Looking at the rear view mirror, Steve saw the unbelievable width of Eira's eyes. Her fingers tightly clenched the fabric of her navy pants. Well he certainly didn't take the right approach.

"Bruce and Tony are good people," comforted Steve. "They won't hurt you."

"I… uh, I think I've heard those names before," said Eira with a slightly shaky voice, trying to sound brave over her social anxiety.

"Your father and uncle told you about the Avengers, so it makes sense that you've heard of them. Hopefully it's good things."

"Uncle Thor said that Bruce was smart but weak, even as the Hulk, though he could have been lying about that last part. Daddy also said that Bruce was smart. He never talked about the Hulk though. I wonder why."

Steve never witnessed any interactions between Loki and both forms of Bruce, though he heard details of their short, yet seemingly painful, meetings after the Battle of New York. He wondered why Loki had blood stains and bruises on his face and his struggle to move his limbs; answers were given after Thor and Loki returned home. The God of Mischief most likely underestimated the might of a beatdown via the Hulk. That was understandable, as Loki had brushed off being flown in the air by his brother and an atomic blast from Iron Man. The durability and mightiness Loki held was immense, perhaps Eira would one day inherit that power.

"I'm sure that he has his reasons," Eira continued. "Both Uncle and Daddy didn't like Tony. Uncle didn't understand what he was saying. Daddy was much meaner; said he was selfish and had an ego bigger than his brain."

Steve chuckled. "I can't help but agree with your dad on that one. Tony is a good guy, he just doesn't show it often."

He heard Eira release a heavy sigh. Her social anxiety and timidness continued her worry. Steve knew there was a great chance of that and realized that he needed to calm her further.

"I called the Tower earlier today and Natasha is supposed to arrive before us."

"Really? She'll be there that soon?"

"Yep. Pretty sure she missed you. She'll probably come to see you right away."

"She probably missed you too."

Steve definitely missed Natasha's quips and banter - and subconsciously, her general presence - but Nat rarely got caught up in emotions. Certainly she cared about Eira and her teammates, though there was more love toward her. Natasha was a spy, trained to worry first about her own wellbeing and those of who she worked with if she was assigned partners. Maybe all she saw in Steve was that of a simple, stronger-than-most acquaintance. Or perhaps Steve was convincing himself that so he could not deeply consider his feelings.

He hid his temptations for now, rather proud of the smile that was on Eira's face. Their move would be smoother than he initially thought.

…

Ukraine served as a reminder of her homeland, which was rather redundant, as the culture of the country was almost exact to that of Russia. Its time as the Soviet Union was long gone, and not a hint of the red country was shown in the streets of its sister country.

Rather than the external features giving glimpses of her past, Natasha was reminded of her KGB days as she stayed with her Kiev acquaintances.

Before the fateful meeting with Clint, Natasha went to Kiev often for missions. She met secret associates during work, who typically gave her information to aid in the success of her motherland. When she contacted them after the inquiry by the Department of Defense, she joked that it would be a reunion of long-lost friends. In seriousness, they were giving her refugee and were most likely neutral about her situation.

Neutrality lessened as she stayed. If there was a word that decreased the value of friendship between acquaintances, then she would use that to describe those who gave her refuge. The Kiev locals were indifferent when she arrived weeks ago, but as she searched for new covers, Natasha sensed their annoyance. With each passing day, negativity emitted from them, as if every second she resided, the "acquaintances" were heavily bothered by her presence. There was a strong likelihood that they were worried about her safety. Nat would have felt guilty, but they definitely had considered the consequences of allowing her a temporary home, so she refused to give in to guilt, though she was motivated to work through her stay quickly.

A positive atmosphere was never common in the field of espionage, but not in the realm of caretaking over a child. Eira lacked the optimism of most children - likely a result of being raised by Loki, a professional pessimist, and the chaotic backdrop she often heard about her family going through - but she retained her innocence. Being raised in the Red Room prevented Natasha from having childlike curiosity and eagerness. Eira was a socially nervous child, though she always held a glimmer of excitement in her eyes whenever she learned something new.

She had only watched over Eira for two months, and yet for the past month, she wished she could return.

That wish came true sooner than she thought, as when she locked eyes with a seven-year-old demigoddess, there was an instant smile.

"Natasha!" eagerly greeted Eira. "It's so good to see you!"

The Russian walked up to the girl, kneeling and opening her arms for a hug.

"Glad to see that you're alright, Eira," spoke Nat, her smile growing as she felt small arms wrap around her neck in an embrace. "I missed you while I was away. I got you a gift."

She pulled away, taking a roundish doll out of her pocket.

"This is a матрьошка," explained Natasha, not deterred by the confused raise of Eira's eyebrow.

Eira took hold of the doll, tilting the curved doll while her thumb stroked it's smooth texture. She immediately noted the odd design of the doll. It's face was a perfect circle, two strands of brown hair curled upward to the flower-patterned circlet. An even pattern of Schrenck's tulips laid against the mulberry background of her clothing. Eira liked the juxtaposition of the dark purple and the fiery flowers.

"Nesting doll," she translated. "Why is it called that?"

"Let me show you after you settle in. I got some stuff to do here too. Adult stuff. Very boring."

"Alright! Am I going to my room?"

"Yep! Let me show you and Steve to your rooms."

Steve and Natasha finally locked eyes. The soldier gave an awkward smile as the spy stood up. There was a smile on his face as she watched Nat and Eira socialize for the first time in a month, but now that her attention was on him, he suddenly forgot the basics of human interaction. She grinned in response, squinting her eyes in mockery of his maladroitness.

Eira thought the two would greet one another, not make unusual facial expressions. Her eyes moved back and forth between the Avengers in a judgemental manner.

"Why are you doing that?" questioned Eira, effectively removing the adults from their trance. "You have never done it before."

"To be honest, Eira, I don't know why we did that," Steve answered, putting his hand on her shoulder to ease her. "But now we're done with it, so why don't we see our rooms?"

"Of course," said Natasha. "Let me guide you."

To Eira, it seemed like Natasha was pretending that none of the silence from seconds ago never happened. She and Steve had known one another for years, so why were they acting so strangely?

During the walk to the bedrooms, the adults had a normal conversation, making Eira more confused.

Colorful expressions were common in Asgardian clothing and not in their infrastructure. Upon teleporting to his daughter's new room, Loki was met with colors unfamiliar with his own chambers. The light green wall was surprisingly soothing, while the furniture and decorations ached his eyes.

Eira told him her favorite features of the room and was excited, though Loki could sense that she was not yet accustomed to her new chambers. Her bed had the simplest design: a dark wood frame was accompanied by black pillows and madras-patterned bed sheets containing blues and purples, with the occasional hint of teal. She had her own desk and bookshelf, both of which appeared to be built from wood. In the corner was a two-seater, navy couch, sat directly across a television attached to the wall.

Somehow, the Midgardians who worked for Stark had designed a room much more fitting for a princess than her chambers in Asgard. Loki prepared a rant for the designers at the palace in his head, stopping when he remembered that Eira never had a room personally made for her. She and Loki shared a room for the first three years of her life before that fateful day where he let go. She slowly made the chambers more accustomed to her tastes, though she never let go of the hope that her father would return to her.

But as she grew and developed, she was finding herself, so maybe this room was not as bad as Loki initially thought.

"I think that you will learn to like these chambers, Eira," Loki said after finishing his observations.

"I hope so too," she responded. "But I miss the palace. I miss you."

"Oh Eira," the god knelt down, opening his arms and pulling Eira into a hug. "I miss you too, but you must remember that you are on Midgard for your safety, and you are allowed to visit me at Asgard when times are appropriate. There are people here that care about you. They want you to be happy. You have no reason to worry, my little one."

The princess leaned her head on her father's shoulder, releasing a sigh as she tightened her fingers around his armor. His eyes widened at her display of strength with the tips of her fingers. Before he could question her sudden show of fear with fatherly concern, Eira explained herself.

"But what if they take you away?" she asked with a timid tone.

"Take me away? Eira, there is no reason why I would be captured."

"The cameras, Daddy. The cameras could show that we've met."

Intensifying his hold on his daughter, Loki glanced around the room, calmly scanning for possible hidden cameras. Before his attempted conquering of Earth, Loki would have never considered analyzing modern Midgardian technology. But as he prepared for the invasion, he realized that he needed ways to avoid detection. He always considered his magic to be far superior to any Earthly device, and the development of his seidr proved him right. Since then, he could conjure false images over security footage so not a person would know he was present.

As he prepared for his first visit with Eira since she moved into the tower, Loki used that ability once again with Stark's technology, where he was met with no difficulties. Perhaps he should have translated this information to Eira.

"Eira darling," he soothingly whispered, standing up and rocking his daughter. "I have taken care of that. I would never take any risks that could have consequences involving our separation. I will never leave you, Eira. I could never dream of not being able to be your father."

"I just don't want you to go away."

"I won't. I promise."

Eira angled her head, her eyes looking into the exact same shade that emitted warm, fatherly love. Loki smiled in response, lifting a hand to stroke her cheek.

"Before I settle you into bed," spoke Loki, glancing at the bookshelf, filled with classic literature that matched Eira's level of literary comprehension, though some rather simple children's . "Why don't we determine if these Midgardians stories are worthy of a read? Does that sound like fun?"

With a giggle, Eira nodded eagerly.

Steve wanted to speak to Natasha as soon as he saw her, but his nerves triumphed over his intentions. The opportunity to talk with her never arose, as the assassin spent most of her time with Eira. Not many changes occurred within their month apart, but they conversed like they had been separated for over a decade. Natasha told tales of her stay in Kiev, while Eira described her brief visit to her homeland and mentioned a gift she received from Loki. Upon mention of the war criminal, Steve's stance stiffened, while Natasha retained her cheerful expression.

Natasha volunteered to take Eira to her bedroom, unaware that Loki would be the one who would actually prepare her for bedtime. As the two walked away from him, the Widow gave him a suggestive glance, heavily implying that she wanted to talk with him privately.

During his wait, Steve went to the kitchen and grabbed a beer. Drinking was satisfying, but he missed the buzz he once felt before he took the serum. Sure, it meant that he could drink however much he wanted, but the thrill has disappeared.

"Enjoying some alcohol while you're not watching the kid? Way to relax, Rogers."

Steve lifted his gaze from the half-empty bottle, seeing Natasha stride her way over to him. Damn, even a simple walk of hers was sensual.

"I noticed some in the fridge earlier and couldn't help myself," he responded, placing the beer onto the counter, his full attention on Natasha. "Was your stay in Kiev nice?"

Natasha shook her head with a sigh. "Being away from the public eye was pleasant. Feeling like the people who are protecting you want you to leave as soon as possible? Not so pleasant. I got myself some new covers, but it wasn't easy. Talking with Eira was a way to temporarily forget all the tension I was surrounded by. She speaks dryly and sometimes pessimistically, but there's an innocence in her tone."

"Well I'm sure she was glad to finally see you. She missed you. We all did."

A raise from a red eyebrow followed. "You missed me as well?"

Shit.

Did he give too much away?

Her expression remained the same as he visibly gulped.

"I mean…" he began his answer with a stutter. "I've gotten used to hanging out with you. Only natural that I miss you."

"That makes sense. I missed you too."

The Avengers stood in silence, avoiding looking at one another. Both were worried that if their gazes met, all of their feelings would be instantly revealed.

Steve ended the quietness with a sigh.

"I can't keep doing this," he said with a shake of his head. "You're right, I'm terrible at lying. All I know is that these feelings I have aren't appropriate."

Natasha's eyes were wide with realization. Did Steve feel the same way about her that she felt about him?

"I know they aren't, Steve, but we can't keep ignoring them."

She gripped the edge of the counter. Looking downward, she felt unable to mask her emotions, very unlike her spy self.

Luckily, she knew a way to end their confusion.

"Steve, how about we relieve ourselves? Just for tonight."

…

As she entered his bedroom, Natasha knew that Steve was most likely a virgin. He was born and raised in a time where most saved sex for marriage. And even if Steve didn't want to wait, his skinny, feeble body probably made it difficult to do so.

But she was fine with that. She would guide him.

They undressed one another as they landed on the bed. Steve laid against the mattress as Natasha was on top, her legs wrapped around his waist. She used her feet to remove his pants, afterward stroking his bare butt with his foot. His ass was firm, a fact that surprised Nat more than she thought.

Steve caressed her shoulder as their clothes were removed. His instincts told him to press soft kisses to her neck, which he did. He felt another hand touch his. His eyes moved, seeing Natasha move his hand to her hips. As she lifted her upper body - Steve presumed she was placing her opening onto his cock - he noted her breasts. They were beautifully curved and probably larger than average. Was squeezing them a good idea?

He released a moan once he was suddenly inside her. Warmth entered his lower body, and Steve welcomed the pleasing feeling.

Natasha bent downward, placing herself close to his ear.

"Do whatever you're comfortable with," she sensually whispered. "Whenever you want this to stop just tell me."

After a nod, he was met with up and down movements.

Both were ignoring their struggles, enjoying their time inside one another as they explored their bodies. As Natasha pleasured him, Steve gave her strokes on her back and eventually moved downward to her butt, softly gripping her left cheek to keep himself sturdy. She continued kissing him in tandem with the fucking. Steve decided to give further into his instincts and grabbed one of her breasts. Natasha was pleased with the movement.

Their sex was simple yet gratifying. Each motion was pleasing. Both finally felt the pressure of protecting the world temporarily weighing off their shoulders.

Everything fell still when they climaxed together. Steve breathed against her neck as she removed his penis from her body. Natasha finally laid against the bed with Steve, looking into her bright blue eyes with deep lust.

All worries and consequences were ignored as they fell asleep.

The night was filled with dreams consisting of black voids. Steve and Natasha shared both a bed and empty thoughts that night.

Steve was unfamiliar with his surroundings when he awoke. It took him a few blinks to realize that he was in his new bedroom. His chambers were larger than his previous ones, but it had the same old-school feel with the addition of modern technology.

Despite being unacquainted with his room, Steve knew that Natasha, sleeping peacefully by his bedside, did not belong.

And as his eye moved downward toward her naked body while the breeze from the open window went against his own nude form, he realized what had occurred last night.

Fuck.

His mind had too many thoughts for him to process. Why did he suddenly give into his feelings? He knew that sudden sex wasn't exactly the best idea. The use of protection was also excluded, if he remembered correctly, and they definitely came together.

He really lost his virginity and had unprotected sex with the Black Widow. There could be so many consequences. Could he have gotten her pregnant? It was only one time, but it can only take once. Time with sex didn't matter, Eira was living proof of that.

"Goddammit," said a tired voice next to him.

Natasha sat up in the bed, a blanket clutched to her chest. Her breaths were heavy with exhaustion. Steve watched as she reached for her black bra laying on the nightstand, seemingly ignoring that he was even there. Albeit confused, Steve took the silence as an opportunity to redress.

Natasha put on her clothes from the previous night, while Steve took fresh clothes from his dresser. The spy usually feigned a neutral demeanor, but Steve could tell she was thinking about what to say to him.

She was unbothered by her lack of shirt, keeping on a tank top while holding her shirt. She sighed, her stance straightening as she began to speak, though her gaze continued to not be focused on him.

"Would you mind waking up Eira? I need to get a change of clothes from my room."

"Yeah. But… Nat, we have to talk about this."

"I know, Steve, but not right now. It's gonna be tough either way."

Steve approached her. "We can't ignore what happened. There will be consequences."

"If you're wondering about me getting pregnant, then you can relax. You can thank the KGB for making me infertile."

Her eyes finally met his when she spoke of her past. Sorrow clouded her vision. Steve wanted to express his sympathy, but then realization overcame him.

Infertile? Is that why she took a caring attitude toward Eira? That answer initially felt stereotypical, but Steve couldn't shake the feeling that he made a connection. He wanted to confirm it, if only there were not more pressing matters.

"Not just that," he commanded. "How will this change us?"

"We won't be able to forget this, but we can't let it happen again. Imagine what would happen if the other Avengers found out. The public? And you have to remember that we are Eira's legal guardians. We aren't two parents happy in love, no matter how much we want that. Technically, we are her foster parents, but she sees us as caretakers. She already goes through a wild wave of emotions thanks to her family and the constant danger they face. I can't imagine the confusion she would feel if she knew about us. Maybe she would be excited, but I don't know if us being together would be best for her.

"We have a job that limits how much we can be selfish. I'm glad to know that we feel the same way about each other, but there are too many consequences. I'm sure that you've thought the same thing."

Steve blinked at her speech, processing every word. He desired to express his lust for Natasha for weeks, but he recognized his duty to be professional, his duty to care for Eira.

A romantic relationship with Natasha would only serve some benefits, and the risks were too mighty to take.

"You're right," he finally spoke. "Sorry for questioning it."

"Don't be," Nat responded with a shake of her head. "It's only natural."

Steve nodded. "I'll go wake up Eira."

Her first night at the Tower was more relaxing than she thought possible. The smooth tone of Loki's storytelling lured her to sleep and put her slumbering mind at ease. Her bed was extremely comfortable and reminded her of her bed back in Asgard. Maybe living here would not be bad.

She awoke to an awkward atmosphere. Steve gently shook her awake, though his eyes seemed distracted and panicked. As she went through her new wardrobe, scanning for an appropriate outfit for the day, she noted his uneasy demeanor.

"Steve, are you alright?" she asked after choosing her clothes.

"I'm fine, Eira," he lied. "I'll prepare breakfast as you get changed."

He failed to notice the confused raise of Eira's eyebrow. She wanted to press further, but she knew there was a great possibility that he would deflect her concern. Natasha was better at getting answers from him, so Eira would leave that responsibility to her.

Eira remembered the path from her room to the kitchen. She walked along the halls, glancing around for any points of interest.

Upon reaching the kitchen, she saw Natasha exiting a different hall, walking past Steve without a greeting. She didn't even attempt to look at him. Eira stopped moving, trying to determine if something happened between the two. Did they have a rough argument while she slept last night? Was it… what did her father call it? Adult talk. Was it some adult talk she was too young to understand?

"Good morning, Eira," Natasha said with a smile, removing Eira from her thoughts. "It smells like Steve is making something good. Let's see what he is making. Maybe some of the other Avengers will smell it and drop by. They're definitely excited to meet you."

Eira nodded, hiding her disarray over the sudden change in mood. She sat down on a stool, watching as Steve and Natasha shared a quick glance, looking away even swifter.

When they looked at one another again, the awkwardness disappeared. Eira sensed the tension disappearing.

Now she was even more confounded.