Natasha wants to learn how to hide her trail the way Loki does.
She asks him about it the next time she sees him and neither brings up Thor's interruption. He doesn't ask what they talked about and she doesn't offer the information either.
He frowns at the request but he's not against teaching her, or rather helping her as of right now. She's not practiced enough to do it by herself yet.
"If you give me a few days, I will be able to help you until you are capable enough to do it yourself."
"Why can't you do it now?"
"I need something for it. You will see."
She sighs but nods. That makes sense.
"How long?"
She doesn't want to wait. If her energy gets stronger the better she gets at using magic then Thor is going to notice it soon. And she's well aware that he's not likely to be the only one on this planet – or the next, whatever – to tell she can use it. She'd rather not be found by someone more dangerous than Loki.
"A couple of days. I will need your help finishing it. It won't work without your magic infusing it."
She has hoped he could just teach her or do something right away but she sees the logic in needing a tool to help. She's still safe from being detected by Thor and as long as he doesn't suspect it, she doesn't mind waiting too much. She'll be fine.
Loki regards her curiously. There is something else she wants to know.
"What else is on your mind?"
"Can you teach me how to defend against magic?"
"Yes."
He carefully explains to her that there are different ways to do it and then goes over each. She listens.
"You can neutralize certain spells by countering them, either with an opposite or a spell of the same energy."
He summons a flame in his hand and uses it as an example. When he produces a dagger of ice in his other hand and holds it over the flame, it melts. She understands the elemental aspect of it right away. He makes another ball of fire appear and moves the flame towards it. When they touch, they both disappear.
"You are likely able to do both of these with me just as I am with you. Our energies match so if we were to use a spell of the same kind against one another, it will simply cancel it out. However, our signatures wouldn't need to match for that to work. I explained to you how spells need certain energies to work. If you cast a spell with one and I cast another with the same energy requirements, they will also be able to cancel each other out."
"Opposites and anything of the same kind then. That's simple."
"In theory. You will need the knowledge of spells and their required energies to make use of cancelling anything. You'll have to be able to recognize both if you wanted to counter it with one of the same or opposing energy."
Natasha nods. That she can learn. It is simple enough to understand and once she's able to use more magic, she will be able to work with that idea more.
"It is also possible to deflect magic. That is easiest with offensive magic, when you are able to see what is coming."
"Like your daggers, or the flame."
"Yes. It does require exact timing and is more difficult than the other options but I can teach you if you wish. I'm certain you will manage. However, I think for the time being, it might be easiest to go with the next option. Especially if you wish for a more immediate solution."
"What is it?"
"A protective rune. There are different ones for different spells, such as curses or possessions but a general one will be enough for now. They must all be made specifically for the person using it. Most mortals are interchangeable for this but I could not use the same rune for the archer that I would use for the captain. He is too different. Banner would also need a specific one to accommodate the beast." He pauses and looks at her, "You are different as well, are you not?"
Natasha hesitates. The others don't know and she hasn't told anyone besides Fury. Not even Clint. She nods eventually. He'll need to know if she wants him to help.
"Like Steve." She tells him, "The serum I took was essentially the same as his. Enhanced reflexes, strength… I don't age the same way the others do, just like Steve."
"I see. I could work out a rune, if you'd like."
"Yes. I still want to learn the others as well."
"Of course." He smiles.
He expects nothing less of her. She aims to be perfect in everything she does. This is no exception.
Two days later, Loki offers her an amulet. It's small and she can keep it around her neck. She takes it even before he tells her that it can keep her magic from being sensed. He shows her how to infuse it to activate it. Natasha feels another spike when she covers the pendant with her hand and lets the magic be taken by it.
"As long as you wear it, you will not be detected as a sorceress."
She's strangely pleased by him calling her that.
It's a month after he teaches her the basics of deflecting spells that Loki decides to cause some mischief. The Avengers are being called in to deal with him and while Loki is absolutely delighted to see her with the others, Natasha is irritated with him. He casts a few illusion of himself to occupy everyone but by now Natasha can tell which one is the original. She goes after him without alerting the others to them.
She catches up with him a couple of alleys down the block. He beams at her when she does.
"What the hell, Loki?"
"I've been bored. Isn't this fun?"
She frowns and tries to figure out what's really going on. He takes her confusion to wink at her and then disappears.
"Shit."
She hurries after him and is divided between telling the others which of him is the real one and keeping the knowledge to herself. In the end, she just goes for the real Loki again. She doesn't want to explain how she knows but she can make it look like she doesn't. Natasha doesn't believe he's bored. There's always more to it than that and he hasn't looked bored once since he's started teaching her.
When she gets to him again, he's cornered. Clint notices them both and ignores the copy he's busy with to shoot an arrow in Loki's direction. Natasha hates herself a little for how quickly she reacts and disintegrates it. Loki watches her and she notes that he looks really pleased. Luckily, none of the others could tell it's been her that's done it. It's like she thought though. He's not bored. It's a test for her.
"Another one, Natasha."
She looks for an arrow but that's not what he means. He has one more test in store for her and she doesn't like that he does it with everyone else around. Loki isn't completely insane though and he draws her out and away from the rest once more. Between all his copies, even if they know they are that, the guys have a hard time following them. It gives them some time.
"Loki…"
He doesn't even give her a warning before throwing a couple of fireballs at her. Natasha is quick to react and in one smooth motion, she deflects the first one to the ground and the throws the other one back at him. He evaporates it before it reaches him and he vanishes his clones so her team can get to her.
When they do, Loki has a dagger against her throat and she's trapped against the wall of a building. She can feel that he means her no harm and she knows it's just a show for her friends.
"Be mine, Natasha."
She's not as surprised as she wishes to be but she doesn't have anything to say in return. He's not in any rush to hear a reply either.
Loki lets go of her when the Avengers draw close enough to hurt him and they share a long look before he disappears into thin air. Natasha rubs her throat absently as Clint approaches her.
"Are you alright? Where did he go?"
"Fine. He didn't have enough time to really hurt me. Thanks. I think he's left. He's done for now. Whatever he was doing here, he just wanted to play with us."
"Then he was likely just bored." Thor sighs, "None of the bystanders have been hurt."
"Can't he find a hobby that doesn't include bothering us?" Tony complains.
Natasha gives him a smile. Thor is watching her thoughtfully but none of them pay it any attention. Steve convinces them to help clean up the streets afterwards and Tony invites everyone for some shawarma.
An hour after they've returned to the tower, Thor seeks her out. He goes to her rooms and knocks on the door, not needing to wait long for her to open it.
"Lady Natasha."
"What is it?"
"I wish to talk to you."
She regards him for a few moments and then lets him in. Thor is rarely this serious. She can't turn him down now. He steps past her and she closes the door behind him as he walks further in and sits down on her couch. She doesn't need to wait very long for him to get to the point.
"The magic that destroyed Barton's arrow was not that of my brother."
Natasha isn't sure how to reply to that. She decides to play dumb.
"If it wasn't his then-"
"Please."
She shuts up. He doesn't seem offended by her attempt to lie to him if his smile is any indication. Thor is very forgiving and she finds herself glad for it right now. She feels bad but only a little.
"Did you mention it to the others?"
"No. I have wished to ask you about it first."
She's quiet for a little while but Thor doesn't push her so she tells him. He's not stupid and she's past lying to him about it. Obviously, if it isn't Loki's magic, that only leaves her. Nobody else was close enough to do anything about that arrow.
"Apparently I have an affinity for magic." She explains.
"And Loki is teaching you?"
"Yes."
"I do not understand why. My brother has never wished to share his knowledge or teach magic to another." He frowns, "Since when are you his student? You seem quite capable."
He deserves some honesty, she knows, and at least he'll understand the idea of it. Not like the others. He won't judge her because he hasn't yet and he hasn't given up on Loki entirely. He's curious, not mad.
"A few weeks.. Two months, something like that. As for the why… He's told me about something equal to soulmates."
At that, Thor looks genuinely surprised.
"He has never believed in it."
"Neither have I. But the pull is there. He trusts it to be real and whether or not either one of us believes in the concept, it's difficult to just ignore."
He sighs, taking a minute to take the news in. Then he smiles at her and she's a little taken aback.
"Two months is not a very long time. You are indeed quite talented, I'd like to think. Perhaps Loki has finally found someone who can understand him. Not even he is fool enough to let go of that, regardless of you being a mortal."
"Maybe. It's a little confusing but I guess if he is going to attack again, I could do something to stop him now."
Especially if he is truly getting attached to her. She is too but she knows how to tune it out and do her job when it's needed.
"I hope it will not come to that. His focus has rested elsewhere lately."
He gives her a pointed look and she nods in agreement. It's odd to have their secret out in the open now, at least with Thor. Or maybe especially with Thor.
"Your necklace… It looks familiar… It is Asgardian in origin. Did Loki give it to you?"
"Yeah. To hide my magic from those that could feel it."
"I see…"
"Why?"
"An amulet like yours isn't easy to come by. Even for one of the royal family."
"Maybe he stole it."
Thor shakes his head. He's not very knowledgeable on this subject but he remembers things his mother has told them both as children.
"It cannot work if it is stolen. There is some sort of failsafe to prevent that from happening. It must be traded for something of equal value. Mother gave both of us one when we were small. That is why I recognize yours as a very powerful one."
Natasha frowns and fingers the pendant. She hasn't considered that Loki may have actually gone out of his way for her.
"I believe it is going to take somebody as powerful as Loki, or more, to notice you with this working. I do not know as much about this as Loki does or my mother for that matter but I am not as oblivious as Loki would like me to be."
"Does he still have his?"
"I do not know. Perhaps he has kept his like I have mine but I do not think he is using it. Loki doesn't need it anymore. I continue using mine because I am no sorcerer but Loki is powerful enough to not be subjected to the same dangers as me without one."
"Still seems careless." She mumbles.
She can potentially hide her trail even from him but she's not sure he can do the same with her. Worse than that, she's not sure he wants to. She sighs and Thor knows it is time for him to leave.
"Perhaps Loki can be swayed after all. I thank you for your honesty."
She smiles and he returns it before leaving. Natasha is left contemplating what she had just learned. Well, this is most interesting indeed.