29. Mischief 5 (Hindi)
"Well, that was a bust." Natasha squinted against the sun, her mind still buzzing from the bright reds and yellows of the country called Hindi.
Loki slumped next to her. "Perhaps this is all ridiculous. I you should return home and allow me to search on my own."
She darted a glance at him. If she protested he would instantly start to distance himself; instead she mused, "Talismans. What could that mean?"
He was about to take a bite of dried apple, but he removed the crescent from his lips. "Talismans! What does that have to do with anything?"
"It's what Ula said to us when we were at her Hive. Don't tell me you forgot."
Loki twiddled the dried apple between finger and thumb for a long time. At last he murmured, "Probably I could not hear over her hat."
Natasha had started to fall asleep in the sun, but at that she jolted upright. "Loki – did you just make a joke? A really bad joke, I might add?"
The sight of his signature dimple as he struggled to hold back his laughter melted her heart – it had been a long time since she had seen it. In fact, during the entire quest the god of mischief had become solemn, almost grim.
He stood, walked over to Sleipnir, and fed the steed the limp piece of apple. Natasha rose and put her arms around him from behind, felt the strong muscles of his back as he stroked Sleipnir's nose. "So, talismans. Do you know what it means?" she asked.
Loki turned in the circle of her arms and pressed her head to his chest, cradling it there with his palm. "Yes," he said at last. "I know what it means."
If you want to see what Ula looks like, you can find her and her headgear at the Marvel database here:
New_Mutants_Vol_1_84