The next morning, Jarvis bid her a good one, causing her to smile in amusement at how polite the AI was. She freshened up, and made her way to the kitchen, having memorized which floor it was on, passing by Loki's room as she did.
The kitchen was as modern as it was lavish.
She could get used to this.
She made herself some coffee, and picked a bagel from the closet-sized fridge, having breakfast as she read over the news on her phone.
Half-an hour later, Tony awoke as well, dressed and ready to head out to the company. They small-talk, till it's time for him to leave.
He hesitates, even though they'd gone through this before Loki showed up. She continuously assured him that she'd be fine left alone with Loki, that he shouldn't worry.
He repeated the fact that if Jarvis hears her scream, He'd deploy a bunch of his suits to the rescue, and he himself would be there before she knew it. She nodded along. Even though she thought it was all too much, still, she appreciated how much Tony cared.
Soon enough, he left.
Snow went back to her room, picked up the phone, and filled Linda in on the day before, even though she'd called her the minute she landed, she understood that Linda would get overprotective the first few days, as Tony was being.
When well and done, Snow looked out the open door, inhaling deeply, every instinct telling her the same thing.
Eventually, she quit stalling, and made her way to his room. Snow gave three soft knocks.
No answer.
But she knew he was inside. She cautiously opened the door, hoping she wouldn't catch him of guard, or else. She calmed once she spotted him on an arm-chair near the window, looking at her expectantly, still armored.
Snow pushed the door open and walked in, semi-casually, wondering when she'd stop feeling so heavy around him, and why he seemed so intimidating to begin with.
She crosses her arms and furrows her eyebrows, stopping a few feet from him, near the bed that was still perfectly made.
"Did you get any sleep last night?" she asked subconsciously concerned. He picked that up quickly.
Sleeping soundly in a bed wasn't something he could suddenly get back to doing, after having spent months in prison cells, tortured to the brim.
A bed seemed a stranger to him.
And her concern? It wasn't comforting. It was strange. He didn't know what to make of it.
Yet,
deep down,
in the part of his heart that still lived, breathed, and yearned for life. He needed it.
He needed her.
"Does it matter?" he retorts plainly.
"Loki," she breathes tiredly. He studies her curiously as she headed to sit on the edge of his bed. "You can't encourage depression," she advised hopefully. He ignored it, and stared out the window.
Well, that didn't help.
Snow brainstorms.
She gets an idea, rising to her feet.
"Come on. I have something to show you," she smiles, heading to the door. He simply stares after her, not moving a muscle.
She turns irritably, placing a hand on the door's arch. "Don't make me come get you myself," she smirks, trying to lighten the mood, and get comfortable.
He cocks an eyebrow at her. She stares back daringly.
Realizing she was being serious, Loki reluctantly gets to his feet.
She smiles contently and resumes her walk, him following some ways behind. They reach the elevator and climb in. The air was heavy, and she did her best to avoid constantly glancing at him. He could read her tense posture like an open book, but couldn't find it in him to care.
They reached the required floor and climbed out, walking a few ways before stopping by a pair of double doors, moderate in size.
Snow pushes them open, strolling in. Loki enters, a certain air of familiarity filling his senses, indulging him a necessary amount of relief.
He looks her way momentarily, and this time, she's staring back, arms folded and smiling contently.
"What?" he asks somewhat irritably. She shakes her head softly.
"Nothing…I just figured you'd get comfortable here," she explained eyeing around admirably. He takes a few steps towards the nearest desk, poking a finger into its wood.
"Did my brother tell you that too?"
She furrows her eyebrows at that, then lets out a chuckle. "You two don't get along that well, do you?" she retorts, forcing a slight smirk onto his features.
"That would be an understatement."
"Right. Well, I can see why."
"Can you, now?"
"Well, yeah. I mean, you're both so different."
"You barely know either of us," he notes in mocks.
"True, but I know enough to say that confidently," she smiles teasingly. He looks away, as if refusing to be humored.
Snow's face falls slightly. "You know he loves you, right?" she speaks. Loki frowns at her words, disliking them greatly. He does not reply. "Okay. Sour topic. My bad," she shakes off, heading towards one of the sections.
Brushing it off as well, Loki follows after her. She stops by the literature section. Though she wasn't a huge fan, she figured Loki could use something distracting rather than informative in his current mood.
He studies her curiously as she browses through them. She could feel his eyes on her, and involuntarily heats up. She inhales warily. "Right. So. Um. There are a lot of books here that could…um, that you might find…" she stumbles for words, glancing to see the soft smirk on his face, causing her to laugh out nervously,
and it was the sweetest sound he'd ever heard in so long.
"Sorry. Just…some of the best writers have books here, that I think might interest you," she explains, intent on keeping her cool. "Shakespeare, my personal favorite, Hemingway, Jefferson."
He browsed through them himself as she watches contently. Her phone buzzes in her pocket and she furrows her eyebrows at it irritably, pulling it out. Loki turns at the noise.
Snow notes its Linda and turns to him. "Sorry. I have to take this," she says turning away and walking a few ways off.
Not far enough though, he could still hear her, and the person on the other end of the line.
"Hey, Li."
"Heeey, Snow. How've you been? You havin' a good day?" she draws, frustration evident in her tone.
"Okay. What is it?" Snow rolls her eyes.
"Oh, not much, just that itsy-bitsy little REPORT that should have been with me two hours ago!"
Snow closes her eyes momentarily. "I totally forgot about that," she notes shamefully.
"Course you did. Probably too busy making out with the God of Mischief!"
"Linda!" Snow whispers harshly as Loki suppresses a chuckle, pretending to browse the shelf. "I swear, if you don't stop, I'll ignore all your calls for the next week!" Snow threatens quietly.
"Alright! Alright…I'm just worried!"
"Everyone is…" Snow sighs tiredly.
At that, Loki frowns.
It never got old,
being reminded how everyone truly saw him.
"But I've had enough of it, so do me a favor, and trust me," she tells.
"Honey, it's not you that I don't trust."
"Well, I trust him," Snow states firmly.
Loki tilts his head upon hearing that, both doubtful and curious.
"Therefore, so do you," Snow resumes.
"Reverse-psychology won't work on me, doll."
"Goodbye, Linda," Snow draws.
"Don't forget the reports!"
"I won't. Bye."
Snow turns to Loki, who's smirking down at the book. She furrows her eyebrows at him. "What's so funny?" she asks.
"…Nothing," he replies plainly, scouring the pages.
It was then that she couldn't help the question: 'Could he hear us?'
Not wanting to find out, Snow changes the topic. "Right. Well. I have to work, sooo. I'll be back in a couple hours for dinner, till then, I'll be in my room if you need me. K?" He gives a nod. She turns away, content with the progress of the day.
XXXXX
Two hours later, Snow's in the kitchen. Coming to lately discover that Loki probably hadn't had a good meal since forever, she wanted to ensure that whatever she would cook, would include starch, veggies, and meat.
Surprisingly, Tony's kitchen was quite full, and the equipment looked too homie to have possibly been used by professional caterers. Did he cook himself?
Nevertheless, she found all she needed to make a proper meal, enough for three, and leftovers.
An hour or so later, it was ready. She packed two plates, and made her way back to the library. She would have waited, but Tony stressed not to. He'd be coming in late that night, and wouldn't keep them waiting.
She pushed the door open with her back, to find Loki seated on a desk, legs prompted up, book in hand, and several others on the table.
She smiles brightly, glad to see he was indulging himself in something other than sulking.
"I see you've been busy," she notes. He simply glances at her in reply, barely moving a muscle. She approached him, more confident than before.
Snow laid his plate down beside him, and pushed herself half-onto the desk, one leg dangling, and the other touching the floor. It seemed as though he gave little interest to her actions, but he was intently watching her every move discreetly.
"Care to take a dinner-break?" she offers subtly.
"I'm not hungry," he replies solely, eyes fixated on the book. She cocks a doubtful eyebrow.
"Really? When was the last time you ate?" she asks. He does not reply. She rolls her eyes. "Okay. Loki. I'm not sitting with a baby! Eat. Or I will feed you myself," she threatens half-jokingly.
His eyes lock with hers almost too suddenly, causing her to freeze. He put the book down, his expression between that of a confused one, and an amused one. He seemed to study her, she couldn't tell. But he was awfully intimidating when he wanted to be.
Having read himself into a better mood, her attention didn't seem as heavy as it was just that morning. He would humor her, for both their sakes.
Loki turned his attention to the plate. He picked it up, and the spoon beside it, leaning back into the chair and eating silently.
The sudden turn of events caught her off guard, and it took her a moment to regain her senses and go back to eating as well.
A silly part of her wondered what he thought of the food, but he said nothing, and she didn't push.
A few minutes later, he speaks. "The woman on the communication device, your mother?" he asks out-of-the-blue. She processes his question.
"No. But a close friend. And," she chuckles, him cocking an eyebrow, "if Tony catches you saying 'communication device', he'll never let you hear the end of it. It's a phone," she smiles, and had it been despite the smile, he'd have thought she was mocking him.
Stark. He was certainly a curious case as well. Loki could at least, on some level, comprehend Snow's involvement, but the Stark's?
Nevertheless, if he was to spent the remainder of his life, something he was yet to accept, on earth, he'd get the chance to figure it out.
"Did you read all of these?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows at the noted-to-be up to six books. He gives a sole nod. "Impressive," she smirks. He suppresses a smile. "Which did you enjoy most?"
He reluctantly reaches out to one of the books, touching it with his index finger. "Hamlet? A little depressing, but not a bad choice," she states, engaging in a not-so-bad conversation.
"Miss White, Mister Stark has arrived at the building," Jarvis's voice tells softly.
"I'll be right there," she replies. Snow turns to Loki's now empty plate, she picks it up, and hers. She gets up, and turns to him. "Wanna come-" He glances up as if already about to say no. She raises a hand. "Never mind," she smiles dismissively, heading off.
XXXXX
Snow renters the kitchen, dispensing the plates in the sink and washing them, as the Stark appeared at the elevator, suit-jacket slung over his shoulder lazily. He smiles in greet, approaching her. "Hey."
"Hey," she retorts. "And how was your day?" she questioned jokingly, noting how tired he looked.
"Oh, you know. Office, papers, people, the usual crap," he sighs, leaning on the counter beside her.
"Sounds fun," she states sarcastically, causing him to spare a smirk.
"And how was your day?" he retorts, just then noting the pots on the stove, heading to peek in.
"Oh, you know, office, papers, people," she draws jokingly. He grins.
"And how's our guest?"
"Friendlier than yesterday." He gives a thoughtful look.
"Cool. Where is he?"
"The library."
"I'll go say 'hi'," Tony states mischievously, walking off.
"Tony. Wait. If he doesn't say much, don't take it personally," she tells. He processes this, then nods.
XXXXX
"Hey," Tony calls, walking in. Loki doesn't reply, doesn't even look up from the book in his hand, causing Tony to grin knowingly.
He pulls a chair from another desk, it creaking on the floor loudly, causing Loki to clench his jaw irritably at the sound. Tony sits with his chest to the back of the chair, facing Loki.
"And how was your day?" he asks teasingly. Again, Loki says nothing. "No. Nothing?...Your brother would have said something," Tony smirks. At that Loki glares up at him, only feeding into Tony's play.
"Is there something I can help you with, Stark?" Loki stresses in annoyance.
Tony pretends to think, then shakes his head. "Mmm no. Not really. Watcha readin'?...Hamlet? That's depressing," he says.
Getting tired of this game, Loki puts down the book, and leans in to Tony. "Why don't we cut the act, and you tell me…why you agreed to all of this," he offers in a demanding tone. "For her?" he asks suggestively.
Tony's playful demeanor falters at that.
"No, prick. For you," he tells irritably. Loki scoffs.
"Please," falling back into the chair.
"Know why?...Because I felt sorry for you, that's why. Because Snow wasn't the only one...
who saw fear…
in your eyes," he tells sympathetically.
Loki's eyes widen at Tony's words, a combination of embarrassment, frustration, and confusion clouding his cool.
"And, you know, I've been there. Maybe not the same place, but…I know damn well what it's like to fall."
"…I don't need your sympathy."
"And I'm not giving it," Tony retorts.
A moment of silence follows. Loki considers Tony's words, unable still to fully comprehend them, to fully accept, that in his own home, he was unbelieved, and here?
Tony however, was looking for a way to break the ice. His eyes catch sight of Loki's lavish armor. "Have you been wearing that since yesterday?" he asks in slight shock. Loki eyes him weirdly.
Tony's eyes go wide. He jumps to his feet suddenly, clapping his hands as Loki wondered what in the world he was doing now. "I know what we can do tomorrow!" he exclaims, then turns to Loki, grinning like a mad-man. "We're taking you shopping…"
XXXXXXXXXX