Remember the PSA about safewords a while back? This chapter is a good example of when it would have been a really good time to have one. So, naturally, this chapter has some pretty mature stuff in it.
Just for fun, the theme song of this chapter is "S&M" by Rihanna.
Late start today, so I thought I'd post before I go to work. Enjoy!
Chapter 61: Payback
Natasha stared down at the unexpected bounty before her. An omelet, buttered toast, and a cup of the extra-caffeinated chocolate tea she loved were set on an ornate trestle tray, along with a single orchid in a slender glass vase.
"Breakfast in bed?" she laughed.
Loki shrugged and climbed back into bed beside her. "I just wanted to say thank you. And apologize," she chewed her bottom lip a little.
As she took a bite of toast, Natasha raised a quizzical eyebrow. "For what?"
"Well," Loki blushed. "I had... a lot of fun this week," she smiled.
Natasha smiled too. It had been fun, more so than she had anticipated. She had set herself a private goal of finding things which Loki was unfamiliar with, mainly because the look of surprise on her face was extremely gratifying, but she also had ulterior motives... "Ok, I can kind of understand the gratitude then, but why the apology?"
She sighed heavily and closed her eyes. "I'm apologizing for something that hasn't happened yet."
The omelet was heavenly, and distracted her long enough that it took her a few moments for Loki's words to sink in. "Not something you're going to do?" she guessed.
Without opening her eyes, Loki nodded. "He's angry. I can feel it. I don't know what He'll do when I switch."
Natasha leaned over, tilting Loki's chin up with a fingertip so she would open her eyes. "Whatever He does, it's not your fault. I'm the one who's been provoking him, and I can handle the consequences, ok?"
She nodded, and Natasha kissed her before getting up. "Wait until I've gone to work," she suggested. "Whatever mood He's in, He knows better than to interrupt me. Maybe it will give him time to cool off."
"Or get really worked up," she groaned.
Natasha chuckled. "Maybe. Either way, like I said, I can handle it."
Loki gave her a doubting look. "If you say so." She stood, stretched, and her green silk night gown was replaced with a long green tunic and tight black jeans. "I'd better go check in with Thor this morning anyway," she reasoned, "He's always nice and gullible. Or Jane," she made a face, remembering nearly walking in on the amorous pair. Jane had been staying over more often than not, but it had been less of a bother since she had spent most nights in Natasha's bed anyway.
After rummaging through her closet and selecting what she wanted for the day, Natasha turned and regarded Loki carefully. "You could move some of your stuff here, if you wanted to," she offered. Natasha was normally a very private person, but it was worth it just to see her face light up.
"Really? I mean..." Loki looked around, trying to hide her enthusiasm. "I don't really have a lot of stuff I need. I usually just—" and here she pulled a hair clip out of thin air before using it to put half her hair up.
"I guess not. But maybe some of His stuff?"
"Oh. Yeah. Maybe. You'll have to ask Him." She fiddled with her ruby absently.
Natasha watched her carefully in the mirror above the bed—Loki had eagerly duplicated her improvement to the vacation house here—without her noticing. She still wasn't sure how Femme Loki felt about her relationship with the other Loki. She knew He was oddly jealous of them, but this Loki seemed more insecure than anything. To Natasha, it was simple. Loki was Loki, they were more similar than they were different, and it was more like being in a relationship with one very bipolar person than two. Certainly not the most complicated arrangement she had ever found herself in.
"Well, um, I guess I'll be going, then," Loki said with a sad smile.
"Ok," Natasha paused in her morning ritual long enough to give her a very thorough kiss, leaving Loki more than a little breathless. "I'll see you next week," she murmured softly. "I'll miss you," she added without thinking, before realizing it was true.
"I—" Loki paused. She wasn't going to say she would miss Natasha, because it wasn't possible—for her the time He claimed passed like the blink of an eye—but she certainly couldn't say what had almost slipped past her lips. "I hope you have a good day," she amended lamely.
"Thanks." If Natasha noticed the hesitation, she said nothing about it. She just watched her leave, smirking as she thought of the old phrase Tony had used to joke about herself; Hate to see her go, but love to watch her leave.
Natasha sighed heavily. It had been a long day, but she had finally found the thing she was looking for. Sifting through the notes and recordings of dozens of interviews, she had managed to hit on the one commonality of the five girls. She had called a meeting for the next day, since Tony was at some charity function in Europe at the moment. For now, she had some time to deal with more personal issues.
As she passed the door to Thor and Loki's apartment, she could hear a turbulent song being pounded out on the piano. Sounds like Loki's still in a snit, she thought, and decided that she would change into more comfortable clothes before she dealt with the brooding god.
She unlocked her door and shuffled in, not bothering to turn on the light. Halfway across the room, the hair on the back of her neck stood up and she ducked out of pure instinct. She was rewarded with a rustle of cloth and a soft curse. Recognizing the voice, she frowned, but swept out a low kick just in case. Unfortunately, the spare second of hesitation cost her the edge. Her leg was caught, pulled, and twisted, causing her to flip over onto her stomach. She managed to get her hands under her, but before she could push up, something caught her arms and pulled them together behind her back, tying them securely.
With that, she suddenly realized what was going on. She sighed, exasperated. "Loki, I am not in the mood for this."
He moved forward, hovering over her so he could speak in her ear. "Too bad," he growled. "I am." From his voice, and the way he jerked the rope for emphasis, she could tell that he was still very angry. She did not protest as he hauled her to her feet, and then secured the rope that held her arms to something several inches too short. Kitchen chair, she thought. The uncomfortable height forced her to either arch her back or lean dangerously off balance. Loki's hand at the small of her back was all that kept her from tipping over.
"You have been driving me mad all week, woman," he said in a low, threatening voice.
Natasha failed to be intimidated. "Not my fault it's a short trip," she quipped, knowing as she did so that she was treading on thin ice.
Loki grabbed her hair and pulled, tipping her off balance and holding her there. She was reminded of the interrogation she had told him about, and wondered if that was what he sought to recreate. "You know very well that I know you did it deliberately," he hissed. Her eyes finally adjusted to the dark, and she could see him above her, could see the grudging admiration in his expression. "But did you know that She can tell, hmm? That she knows when you look in Her eyes, sometimes you're looking for me?"
Her eyes widened, and when she didn't answer he tipped her back further. "Yes," she gasped.
Setting the chair back down level, he took a step back, surprised. "How very cruel of you," he chided.
She glared at him. How dare he lecture her on such things? "That's why She likes it," she jabbed.
Loki's hand flew back, and he caught himself the moment before he slapped her. He stared at his hand in mild shock, as if it had grown a mind of its own.
"Don't," she said in a low, no-nonsense voice.
His eyes cut to hers, and he closed the upraised hand into a fist, but dropped it. "What was that?" he dared her to defy him again.
"No hitting, unless we're sparring," she clarified, irritated with his attitude.
He sneered, and grabbed her chin roughly. "Oh, so you make the rules now?"
"Yes," Natasha said, without a modicum of fear or reservation.
They held each other's stares in a silent battle of wills. Each knew that if Loki did not concede, the real fight was about to begin. At last, he let out a breathless laugh and let go.
"Look at you, setting terms from that position," he shook his head and smiled. "You are magnificent." He trailed a finger down her cheek, and the gentle touch felt like an apology. "Alright. I will not strike you, not if you don't wish it." He leaned in and kissed her, tipping the chair back again, but this time he held her securely against his body, and the sensation was entirely different. "But you make me so blindingly furious, Natasha. You cannot deny me a little revenge." He reached down and began to push up the hem of her pencil skirt. It wasn't as short as he would like, but it would do.
As he lifted her hips, Natasha had no choice but to wrap her legs around his waist. She was in an incredibly uncomfortable position, but Loki was finally mad with the passion she craved. Each thrust of his hips tilted the chair as he lavished attention on her breasts, which were thrust upward by the arching of her back.
"Loki, please," she gasped, clenching her legs around him tightly as the chair shifted, nearly scooting out from underneath her.
He cursed again, and reached behind her to pull out the knot, freeing her arms so she could cling to him as he turned and set her down on the table. He quickly disentangled himself from her, flipped her over, slipped off her panties, and then spread her feet with his own.
Natasha gripped the edge of the table, her heart racing as she heard him curse as he fumbled with the fly of his pants one-handed, the other pressing down on the small of her back. At last, he was finally inside her, and she cried out at the sweet relief of it. "Yes," she breathed, as he took up a quick and ruthless pace.
Although he wanted to stay angry, Loki couldn't help but grin. "This is what you wanted?" he demanded with a sharp thrust.
"Yes," Natasha yelped.
"This is what you craved all those nights, this is what you yearned for," he continued to emphasize his words with his movements, and then leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "This is what She cannot give you," he teased.
She closed her eyes, digging her nails into the wood of the table and biting her lip. "Yes," she whimpered. And then she lost herself to the force of his passion.
Afterward, his anger and lust slaked, Loki attempted to apologize. Natasha would have none of it.
"I knew what game I was playing," she argued as she located her panties and shimmied back into them.
Loki gave her the same doubtful look his counterpart had worn earlier that day.
She changed the subject. "I've called a meeting for tomorrow," she smiled slyly as she flipped on the lights, sauntering back to the table where he sat, momentarily exhausted. "I've found a common link."
His face lit up. "What is it?"
She wagged her finger at him. "Now, it wouldn't be fair of me to tell you before the others, would it?"
He regarded her with a mixture of disbelief and irritation. "You really like playing with fire, don't you?"
Natasha sat on his lap, facing him. "I missed you too," she joked, and kissed him, making him moan against her lips.
Loki framed her face with his hands, looking into her eyes. "Why do you do this to me?" he asked.
"Because," she smiled, but there was a seriousness to her voice. "Turnabout is fair play."
He smiled too, and shook his head. "And they call me crazy."
A/N: So I got waaaay distracted with my sister's wedding and finishing up Pity for the Devil that I didn't realize until today that I had nearly used up my buffer! Guess I better get back to writing this! I was hoping to have more time to write this summer, but I actually managed to land myself a full-time job, so I'll probably have less. *sigh* I fully intend to keep posting regularly, but I may need to drop down to a once-a-week schedule again. Not much of the story left, though, so we'll see.
