Could a kiss cause heart failure, you were unsure you would survive the event to find out. His lips were thin, as you had accidentally discovered before, and soft against your own. How all of this had happened you were unsure, but as you suspected, as soon as you were around Loki again, you had made an utter fool of yourself. Loki's hand was still cupped against your face, and it was the first time it lingered on your bare skin; you felt small calluses where his fingers met his palm, but that was a side effect of training with weapons you had learned, and with their age span, Thor and Loki would surely have significant training with such.

You did not want it to end, but as with everything else in life, it did. Never had you wanted your sight back as much as you did at this moment, you needed to know if Loki's face was filled with regret, you needed to know if you were about to have everything you had been attempting to prevent come to fruition. Instead of just heartache, was embarrassment to be added also?

Loki pulled back, studying your face carefully, he noted the tension and anticipation in your features. "I'm apologise, I should not have done that, not without ensuring your willingness first."

"I was." You confirmed, relief flooding you as you realised he did not regret the action. "I mean, I am glad, that you…" He leant forward again, though this time, you sensed it, and were more prepared, pressing your lips to his, causing it to deepen naturally. This time, when he pulled away, you found yourself grinning foolishly and biting your lips together. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to."

"I think you know I am more than willing." He grinned back as contently. "When you did not wish to see me…"

"It wasn't repulsion, it was the opposite." You explained nervously.

Loki frowned. "I do not understand, why would you try to stay away then?"

"Because I thought I was setting myself up for a fall." You took a deep breath, you did not need to be able to see him to know he was expecting you elaborate. "With everything with my parents, I never really have been able to allow myself to open too much to people, to allow someone in is the most terrifying thing to me, they…"

Loki did not need anymore information; the lack of love from your parents had caused you to try seek affection elsewhere, and to say you were so terrified to allow yourself be at risk of allowing others in now signified that you had been hurt terribly by the one who had been given your most intimate trust. Fear had caused you to not wish to try to seek such companionship again. He placed some stray strands of hair behind your ear. "Whatever that person did to you, I refuse to believe you deserved it."

You tried to give a weak smile. "I'm not so sure."

"Well, if you wish to divulge, I will judge." He offered.

"I got busy with my PhD, I tried to have time for him too, and whenever I could, I went to see him. Once; I was passing by where he lived on my way back from a lab I had been doing some work at, I saw him, with…" You swallowed hard, before shaking your head. "I was always so busy, and she was prettier than me anyway. He just looked at me, he recognised my car, he didn't even look embarrassed. I stopped the car, he said that I…I was uninteresting, that I was not really good at…" Tears fell from your eyes as you remembered his smug face as he grinned at the woman behind him, who looked as equally unapologetic. "He told me to leave, that they were getting ready for a baby shower, he was having a child with her. He had been doing that for so long, they were…and he had proposed…"

"What is that?"

"He had asked her to marry him. I went from the girlfriend to the bit on the side, and I never knew." You were about to wipe away the tears when Loki cupped your face in his hands and wiped them away.

"How in the Nine Realms was any of that your fault?" He scoffed. "None of that was your doing, they were to blame."

"They?"

"To say she was unapologetic meant that she knew you existed and she did not care. She is almost as guilty." He explained, pressing his forehead to yours. "You are far better than them, than most every mortal." He pressed his lips to your forehead. "I can see why you fear closeness, affection."

"I am scared." You admitted, your voice shaking as though adding to the credence.

"I know, I understand." Loki smiled. "I cannot make you believe me when I state I will not do something as cruel, but I ask you to at least give me a change to prove I am not. I know that that is asking a lot, considering who I am and what I have done…"

"You don't really trust either though, do you?"

"How do you do that?" Loki chuckled nervously.

"Do what?"

"See what is not clearly visible." He ghosted his lips over yours again. You were about to lean forward again when you heard Beauty begin to growl. Loki pulled you behind him, using his body to shield yours. "Stay here." He ordered. Heavy boots began to pound heavy on the ground as the walker made their way towards you both. Loki began to relax immediately, but Beauty did not, instead she rose to her feet, continuing to growl.

"Loki!" Thor's voice boomed through the room, startling you into gripping tightly to Loki's tunic. Beauty showed her teeth and lowered her head, readying to attack if you commanded. The usually sedate canine's demeanour astounded him somewhat. "What have you done to the hound?"

"You have scared her owner; therefore you caused her to feel she needs to protect her, just as Stark had requested for her to be capable of doing." Loki explained boredly, more than used to Thor's aggressive tones.

Thor stared at the dog for a moment and then to you, who he noted was very much still hiding behind Loki fearfully. "I would never harm them." His voice was far quieter.

You were unsure if he was as calm as his voice sounded, so you permitted Beauty to continue her warning. When Loki gently placed his hand to your leg, you allowed yourself to trust him and gave the command, immediately Beauty silenced, but her defensive stance remained, so Loki called her over, she glanced at Thor for another moment before she did as instructed.

"She obeys you?" Thor looked between the hound and his brother.

"She is used to me, and I am used to her commands." Loki explained. "What is it that has you roaring at me anyway?"

Thor studied Loki carefully, and you behind him. "Stark informed me of what you did, you caused a suit to suffer a malfunction."

"That was not Loki, it was me." You interjected.

"There is no reason to take the fall for this." Thor stated.

"I am not taking a fall. I thought of the idea, I wanted to execute it."

"Loki did not have to assist."

"It was an audio book of something he caused Loki to read, nothing dangerous."

Thor frowned. "He stated it was something that caused tortuous noises to emit over his system."

You could not control your laughter, Loki chuckled beside you also. "It is a terrible book from what I gather."

Thor folded his arms and continued to frown. "So there was nothing that would actually harm him?"

"No, why would I ever hurt Tony after everything he has done for me? It was a harmless prank, Tony has a flare for dramatics, you know this."

"I admit he is prone to them." You could sense Thor looking at you sceptically. "You like to prank people?"

"What, someone cannot be a serious scientist and not have a fun? My life tends to be far too serious for my liking, harmless pranks were always something to stop from being too sombre all the time."

"Oh Norn's this is terrifying to think of, no good can come of this alliance." Thor threw his eyes up, turning to leave.

"You owe Loki an apology." You all but ordered.

"What?"

"Loki, you came in here, scaring Beauty and me to within an inch of our lives, which I would say is also a situation that deserves such, but you did so to accuse Loki of something he did not do, apologise to him."

"But he did do it, by assisting you." Thor argued incredulously.

"But you accused him of being the mastermind and perpetrator, which he was not." You argued. Thor made a sound of disgust and irritation at that. "Apologise to him Thor."

Taking a deep breath, Thor glared at Loki, who was beaming in elation at how you were effectively bullying the usually difficult to intimidate God and future Allfather into apologising. "I apologise for accusing you Loki without getting all the information first."

"And?" You added expectantly.

"I extend similar apologies to both you and your hound for scaring you both." Thor had to almost force the words through his gritted teeth.

"Well apologies accepted, and thank you for your graciousness." You smiled.

Thor shook his head, irritated with what had occurred. "I best be getting back to my training."

"Wait, you interrupted your training for this?" Loki raised a brow. "Norn's that was as dramatic as Stark."

"I was concerned as to your behaviour Loki, I thought you were slipping."

"Well, I have been here, behaving." Loki shrugged back.

"Yes, that is why both of you have lips that look like you have been eating grogaberries." Thor chuckled as he walked for the elevator. "You may think me dim Loki, but I am aware what causes such." He laughed as he left.

"Grogaberries?" You asked curiously.

"A berry from Asgard, they stain lips red, they are a lot like what you call raspberries in flavour, though more like pears in texture."

"That would not be something my brain would be capable of comprehending. So is he saying we have red lips?"

"They are slightly pinker than usual, but not Grogaberry red, yet."

"Yet?"

"Well…" He grinned deviously before kissing you again.