"Are they gone again?" You asked timidly as you entered the common area.

"How are you so sure it is me here?" Loki cocked his head slightly.

"Because Beauty is excited, and you are the only one she gets excited for." You smiled. Loki chuckled. "So, what exactly happened?"

"You mean after you proverbially castrated the good captain?" You nodded. "Well a few more demands on why you were resting."

"I am so sorry about that…again." You blushed again at recalling waking on his lap.

"Please desist from that, you were told already, there is no reason to apologise, you were tired, and you had cooked that surprisingly delicious pudding. It was the least I could permit." Loki's eyes darted side to side awkwardly, not wishing to make much mention of it.

"Well thank you. I appreciate it." You got Beauty to walk on.

"If you wish for some coffee, I am already here."

"It's fine, I'm contrary, I like it a particular way."

"Yes, I never thought it possible for one to be so particular about their beverage sugar content."

"It is not that weird." You defended.

"You attempt to have it at a half spoon for the final one, how do you even manage that?"

"The weight."

"You can tell by weight?" Loki's brow shot up.

"I have had nine months of nothing better to do with my time than to learn to figure stuff like that out, and with my history in chemistry."

"I understand that feeling."

"How is your training?"

"Good."

"What?"

"What what?"

"Your tone, like you are wary of the question."

Loki studied her for a moment. "You are a very astute creature."

"I try." You smiled. "So, why are you wary?"

"No one tends to care enough to ask with me."

"Well I wouldn't ask if I didn't care about the answer."

"I am gathering that. It is going well; I must thank you again for asking Stark for such. How did you ever convince him?"

"I explained that you busy means you were less likely to be creating mischief."

"A valid argument."

"Why do you think I went for it, but I really did just want you to be able to do something more than mope around all day and read what I can imagine is terrible Midgardian literature."

"The literature here is interesting enough, other realms have works that surpass them, but they are on a par with most of the works of others."

"That's good to know." Slowly you put the sugar on the spoon before putting it into the cup and adding the coffee, smirking as you felt Loki staring and shaking his head slightly at you. Without thinking, you stuck out your tongue.

Loki stared at you for a moment before shaking his head again. When you went to pick up the mug to bring it to the sitting area, you were startled to feel his already on it. "I will take that."

"I can do it." Forgetting to pull your hand away.

"I am aware you can, I would never dispute that, but I am still going to insist I do so." You could feel Loki's eyes on you.

"Something tells me you are stubborn enough to wait for it to go stone cold before moving."

"Astute, and a good intuition, yes, that is correct." Loki smirked.

With a childish groan, you conceded and walked to the other area, Beauty nudging your leg just before each of the steps. "Thank you." You smiled as you heard Loki place the mug in front of you. "So in all their giving out, is there any news with what they actually sought out to find?"

"Not that I can gather, if their reactions when they returned were anything to go by."

"I think that was more what they witnessed; it was probably an outlet for their frustrations"

"Yes, I have long been such."

"Did you always know you were not from that family?"

"Well other than the fact I am the only intelligent and good looking male in it?"

You accidentally spat out some coffee at that statement as you laughed. "Yes, other than that." Playing along.

"Sadly not, I did notice I was different in most every manner to Thor, hence the different treatment, had I but known."

"That's depressing."

"Indeed." Loki snarled.

"I'm sorry."

"This part of this realm was not even colonised when such things occurred, you have no reason in all realms to ever apologise for that."

"Sill sorry you had to endure it though."

"Yes, well, such is life is it not? Is this any good?"

You raised your brow and tried to keep the laughter at bay. "You are holding something in front of me, aren't you?"

Loki's eyes widened before he dropped the book he had been holding accidentally to the floor. "I…"

"You forgot." You finished. "You're the only one that ever does."

"I apologise."

"Don't, that makes me feel better. I said it before; it makes me feel like I am a normal person again." You shrugged, unable to cease smiling. "I can only imagine the look on your face."

"I thought you said you do not know what I look like."

"I don't. But if I hear one more report of how handsome Thor supposedly is, and if you are the good looking one…I'm going to shut up now." You felt the heat rise in your cheeks, cursing your inability to control the words coming out of your mouth. Embarrassed, you rose to your feet and grabbed Beauty's harness.

"You are not finished that coffee." Loki frowned.

"I think I am." You rushed out the words as you aimed for the elevator, tears of humiliation in your eyes.

"Why are you upset?"

"I'm not."

"Then why are you acting as you are?"

"Just…Nothing."

Loki rose to his feet and placed the book he had been about to read the title of to you on the sofa again and walked after you, his long strides causing him to catch up almost instantly. "No, you are upset, you will only make the hound anxious and yourself more upset."

"I am fine." When he loosened your grip on the harness and swept you into his arms, you became infuriated. "What are you doing? Leave me down."

"No, you run too much rather than speaking through things."

"What are you, a shrink, so what if I do?"

"I have no idea what this shrink is, but it is not the best idea to do such." He placed you back on the sofa before turning to Beauty, who had followed you loyally and ordered her to the cushion she rested on; she immediately complied. "Why did you do that?" You could feel him sitting across from you.

"Do what?"

"Try to rush off."

"Because I got embarrassed." You could feel your cheeks redden more, how, you did not know.

"Because you took part in a jestful comment I made?" He raised a brow once more.

"Well, I didn't want to make things awkward."

"So you proceeded to try and exit the room without explanation, that is hardly the manner in which to do it?"

"I guess."

"Even intelligent humans are still just human." You glared angrily at him, so he stuck out his tongue.

"I know what you are doing."

"How could you possibly know that?"

"Because I just do, stick that thing back in your head, though tell me, is it really silver?"

"No, platinum." You scoffed a laugh. "Do you find yourself curious as to what I look like?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I am not sure, I think it is because I always so used to putting a face and a name together, I mean, you are the first person I have gotten to really know without knowing what you look like. It's weird. I can only imagine that this is what it is like having internet friends."

"What?"

"Nothing, Midgardian thing." You dismissed, twiddling your fingers nervously.

"Well you are not missing much, apparently, what was it the she assassin said I looked like, the doll from something called Saw."

"What?"

"What does that look like."

"Pale skin, long, black, straight hair and creepy eyes." You explained, having seen some of those films.

"Sounds about right." Loki's voice became far quieter.

"I doubt you look like that."

"Well, you will never be able to tell, will you?"

"I suppose not, though, I could…"

"Could what?"

"Can I see if I can establish some of your features by…?"

"By what?"

"Touching your face."

"How in the realms would that help you establish how I look?"

"Apparently you can picture it better in your head if you do, I never actually checked it out."

"Well then, why not try?"

"You don't mind?"

"No."

Slowly, you sat to the side, knowing you were facing him somewhat, and gently brought your hands up. "Tell me if I am going to poke you in the eye or anything."

"I will attempt to." His tone was almost as curious as your own.

Since it as taking you too long to get to him, he brought his hands up and directed yours to his forehead. "Your hair is long." You noted with a small smile. "And it's black?"

"Yes."

"Okay." You worked further down this features. "You have a regal nose, and high cheek bones."

"How does one have a regal nose?" His brow furrowed.

"It is straight, and arched in a particular way." You responded. "I knew you were lithe, and your face just confirms it, no excess weight on it, and a strong chin. Did I get that right?"

"I think that an accurate enough assessment."

"Good." You bit your lips together. "I'm sorry if my hands are cold."

Loki laughed aloud. "Jötnar are also known as Frost Giants, you are not cold to me, I can assure you."

"Really." Your hand went to his face again. This time, it actually came to his lips, which were thin from what you could feel before you pulled back. Anxiously putting some hair behind your ear, and with your heart beating hard in your chest, you apologised and pulled back, terrified in the realisation that you felt even stronger for the warrior alien than you had thought.