"She likes you." You smiled.
"Are you sure you cannot see?" Loki raised a brow as he looked at you, causing you to snigger.
"Yes, I am positive. But every time you come into the room, I sense her becoming somewhat positively anxious to go greet you whenever she is permitted; and to say she is not next to me, I am going to assume she is nuzzling you for a scratch behind the ear."
"She has done so already." He admitted, you smiled smugly at being told that. "Why do you trust me so much?" Your smile turned to a frown. "Why do you not worry about being here with me, especially now that I am armed once more?"
"There were knives in this room the whole time, and as I stated before, if you wanted to kill me, you would have done it before now." You explained. "Now my question, why are you so desperate for me to see bad in you?"
"'To see bad' really?" He raised a brow at your choice of words. "I just cannot figure you out, you must have been struck with more than a flash bomb that day."
"I was."
"I knew it."
"I took a bullet to the shoulder too, hence why I don't use my right arm as much as I probably should."
Loki stared at you for a moment, having noticed before that you had a tendency to use your left hand more than your right, but thought little of it. "And this serum of yours, it would control that thing?"
"The Hulk? Yes, I truly believe so, and so did Dr Banner."
"Why would you want to help him? That beast did more horrific deeds than most others?"
"Dr Banner is a good man, and that is why I had to do it, not want, need. Each life he took killed him a little inside, he did not deserve that. And why would I allow people to die needlessly when I could prevent it?"
"You are more intelligent than most other mortals, a few of you would have done well to be born to better realms."
"But without us here, Midgard would be totally primeval, we are needed here." You winked and grinned. "Do you want something to drink, I am going to make another batch of coffee."
"I think I will take that offer, if I am to play alien bodyguard, I may as well be awake doing it."
"Can I ask you something personal?" You asked as you went to boil the water. You could sense the apprehension seeping from him, but he had not said no. "When Tony said 'you, whatever you are', what did he mean? You're Thor's brother aren't you, so you are what he is, surely?"
"No, I am not."
"Oh."
"Thor's father, Odin, was at war with mine, and when he went to the citadel where that realm kept their most prized possession, he found me, cast out, left to die. I found out since that I was a sacrifice to the Norn's for their victory. Well, I ended up being brought to Asgard and raised with Thor." He explained. "So no, I am not like Thor."
"That makes a little more sense. Sorry you had shit parents that wanted to sacrifice you." You went feeling around for two cups.
Loki looked at you in disbelief for a moment before erupting in laughter. You stopped what you were doing and frowned in confusion. "The manner in which you said that, it was almost like you were saying sorry I cannot find your favourite chalice rather than something so grave."
"I suppose it does, sorry."
"It was not your doing. You are at risk of knocking those cups." You pulled your hand back instinctively, causing it to collide with the cups, and for them to fall on you, hitting you on the head. "Are you alright?" Loki was over to you immediately, checking your scalp for wounds. "It will bruise, but no lacerations." He informed you.
As his fingers slid gently through your hair, you blushed. "I'm fine, just a little sore." You dismissed as you went to put some hair behind your ear, only for Loki to have gotten to it first. "Thanks."
"I tried to warn you." His voice was not it's usual growl or plain manner, but softer, something that intrigued you slightly. As you pulled your hand away, your knuckles grazed the back of his hand, and sent a jolt of energy through you. "I apologise." He voice was tight when he spoke, and he began to walk off.
"Thank you." He heard him stop walking. "I do not know what I have done to have you even bother to try and help me, but I am grateful to you for it."
Loki stared at you, trying to think of something to say to get you to want to distance yourself from him, but he could think of nothing, much to his own frustration; his famous silver tongue failing him. "Hmm."
"Do you still want that coffee?" Your voice was small. Swallowing, he shook his head for a moment before he remembered your lack of sight. "N…Yes."
"Did you try shaking your head at me?" You bit your lips together to prevent yourself from laughing.
"I forgot, I apologise."
Taking a moment to compose yourself, you forced the laughter to remain at bay. "Don't, please, it makes me feel like I am still somewhat normal."
"Why would you ever wish to be normal?" Loki grimaced and arched a brow at that idea.
"Because I miss it, I miss being treated like a capable adult."
"But normalcy is never something to strive for."
"It is when it is so far from where I am now." You pursed your lips. "I think it is clear I always did what I could to get as far as I could, but now…" You sighed.
Loki looked the coffee you had poured for him before heading to the refrigerator to get something to add to it to rid it of the taste he was too fond of. "Then why cease now? You were told you would not be permitted a hound to assist you, yet she sits beside you now. You should not have survived that attack on the lab, yet here you stand. Normalcy is not something for one such as you."
You gave him a small smile. "Thank you." You toyed with the mug in your hands.
"How do you know how far to fill that thing?" He asked curiously.
"Practise. I have scalded myself a few times doing this, but I have figured it out somewhat. If you notice, I only use certain mugs, because I can feel them get hot faster, so, if I pour at a certain rate, it tells me how far up the mug I am going." You explained.
"You are quite the intelligent little thing, aren't you?" The tone he used was a commending one with a hint of awe in it, causing you to blush.
"Do you…um…do you think they will come here?"
"No, they know that everyone will have pre-empted another attack, but it is better to be safe." He patted the daggers on his sides reassuringly. "I never actually thanked you." You frowned, not knowing what he was referring to. "For getting Stark to permit me to train; I missed that."
"It is the least I could do after all you did for me, you saved me, there is nothing that I can give that will show my gratitude. I gathered you missed it from the manner in which you had spoken of training in the past." You gave a small smile. "I am just glad I could help."
"Yes, well, thank you, again." He cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Well it was either that or cook you something, but that is probably not a good idea now I can't see. Now the best I could offer is suggesting for pizza toppings."
"What is a pizza?" Loki cocked his head slightly. You froze, eyes wide, mouth agape. "What is it?"
"You never…How do you not have pizza on Asgard, it is the most delicious thing in the world?" You demanded, you began to pat around the countertop.
"What are you doing?"
"There is a phone here somewhere, I remember Tony mentioned it before." You continued to pat around in search of it.
"Yes, it is over here." Loki walked to where it was and brushed it against your hand for you to locate it. "What are you doing?"
"Okay, press the following numbers, then give it to me." You ordered before dictating the numbers and being handed the phone again. "What sort of food do you prefer? Savoury, spicy or sweet?"
"I am not fond of the spicy foods of this realm."
"Got it." Just then, someone answered the phone. "Hello, yes; I need to order a delivery to Stark Tower please." You stated into the phone.
Half an hour later, Loki was staring at the peculiar circular food in a square box in front of him. "What in the realms is this thing?" He poked it cautiously.
"It's a pizza." You laughed. "It won't bite you. Try it."
"How?" He demanded. "How can you attempt to eat this thing?"
"You pull a dough around the edge, and it should come out as a triangle, so you start at the thinnest point and enjoy." You explained with a giggle. "It's actually funny trying to describe this."
"I am glad to be so amusing to you." He stated in a deadpan voice, but he picked up the pizza as you had described and warily took a bite. He chewed it for a few moments before swallowing it "It is odd."
"But nice?" You asked.
"It is not as good as Aesir food, but better than other Midgardian food." He stated before biting into it again.
"Ah-ha." You rolled your eyes. "We both know that means you love it."
"I would not go that far." He growled.
"Sure sure." You stuck out your tongue.
"And I was just thinking you were more intelligent than most of your species." He grumbled.
"Eat your pizza, and your welcome." He looked at you, a small smile tugging at his lips as you beamed at him knowingly.