The Stark Expo was a scene of bustling chaos and the electric energy of hundreds of excited beings. Loki could feel it crackling around her, giving everything an unusual sharpness. Bucky walked beside her, while Steve and a brunette woman Bucky had introduced as Elanor trailed a few paces behind them. Bucky's eyes shown with excitement as he pointed out all the most interesting inventions the Expo featured. His feelings were contagious, and Loki found herself starting to relax and just enjoy the evening.
"Oh, look!" Bucky said suddenly, pointing to a nearby display. Tiny clockwork animals scampered around, little brass cogs and wheels sparkling with reflected light.
"Someone built these?" Loki asked in wonder. She picked up a little clockwork mouse to study it in more detail. "They are incredible!"
"If you think that's amazing, just wait until the main show! Rumor has it Stark is gonna unveil something revolutionary!"
"He does tend to exaggerate just a little, though," Steve said with a slight eyeroll. "It's probably just a new rifle or something."
Bucky's shoulders sagged just a little at that statement. Loki glared daggers at Steve from where Bucky couldn't see her. "I'm sure it will be extraordinary," she told him, throwing another pointed look at Steve.
They spent another hour or two exploring before making their way to the central pavilion. As a crowd gathered around them, music started to play from hidden speakers. A group of Midgardians performed what seemed to be a dance routine, and then a young man with dark, curly hair and a mustache took the stage. "That's Howard Stark," Bucky whispered in her ear. "He's a genius inventor - and one of the reasons we've been able to stay in the war. A lot of the gear the army uses comes from his company."
Loki nodded, but her mind was already racing a thousand miles ahead. This man was dangerous, very very dangerous. That much was obvious to the goddess, even from afar. He carried himself with an air of superiority - not arrogance, simply the quiet assurance that he was the smartest person in the room and he knew it. Not this time, Stark, Loki thought with a smirk. Not this time. But then, you don't know that yet, now do you?
"...And now, without further ado, I give you...the Stark Industries hovercar!"
The world suddenly skidded to a stop around the young goddess as the shiny red vehicle on the stage moved up, up, up, only to crash back down to the stage as the engines sputtered out and died. Stark chuckled. "I did say it wouldn't be ready for another couple of years, didn't I?"
The audience laughed, but Loki barely heard them. The Midgardians had antigravity now. How long had Asgard possessed the power of flight, only to not bother to progress further, content in total scientific superiority? And now Midgard - the humans - weak, fragile, short-lived humans, had that same power. If that were the case, what had the other realms been up to in the same time? Were the humans an anomaly that needed to be addressed before it became a problem? Or were they a symptom of a much larger danger, lurking throughout the Nine Realms?
"Isn't this great?" Bucky asked, breaking into her thoughts.
Loki immediately forced herself back to the present and gave her companion a glowing smile. "I've never seen anything like it."
Bucky grinned, looking for all the world like a kid in a candy shop. "Hey, Steve!" he called, turning to face his friend, only to see he wasn't there. Bucky's face dropped. "Oh, not again," he muttered, then took off. Not knowing what else to do, Loki followed.
They found Steve Rogers outside an army recruitment building, staring forlornly at the posters lining the front wall.
"You're not seriously thinking of trying this again, are you?"
Steve opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again.
"Oh my god, you are."
Steve looked at the ground. "I have to," he said, voice full of anger. "I have to."
"Hey, I thought we were going dancing," Elanor called.
"Of course we are," Bucky told her, but he was looking at Loki. Then, he turned back to Steve. "Don't do anything stupid 'til I get back."
"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you."
Bucky chuckled as he led the two women towards the dancing pavilion. Elanor quickly wandered off to find a different partner, but Bucky's eyes were riveted to the goddess beside him. "So, um, would you like to dance?" he asked nervously. Why was he nervous? This wasn't even a date! Not really.
"You'll have to teach me," Loki said with a smile. "I am not familiar with how your people's style of dancing."
"Well then, let's not waste any time." Bucky held out his hand, and with a small, somewhat nervous smile, Loki took it and was whisked into the swirl of human couples. "Just follow my lead," Bucky whispered as he placed her other hand on his shoulder. "It's easy. Just relax and enjoy it."
Much to Loki's surprise, she did enjoy it. For a brief moment in time, it was just her and him and the music.
It was a beautiful, happy moment.
And then that moment ended, as all good things must do.