Author's Note: Okay, I know this might be a bit cliché, but I just want my Loki to be cheered up again, and then... you go the old-fashioned ways. Hope you still enjoy.
Chapter 12 revised now!
Natasha and Pepper are having a coffee together in the lounge. The two developed a great friendship over the past months. With Pepper as the only other woman around, well except for Loki, but that was later on, Natasha couldn't deny she enjoyed at least one other female company. And she keeps Stark at bay, for that you just have to love Pepper, simple as that.
"... so? How are things standing with Loki now on the team?" Pepper asks, sipping her coffee.
"Huh?" Natasha blinks at her.
"Well, Tony's been all over it how... she... is on the team now, active team?" Pepper grimaces.
"Still trouble with the gender swap?" Natasha smirks.
"Well, I'm open to most things, but last time I remember... she was a he trying to take over the world, hurting my boyfriend," Pepper admits.
"Sadly true," Natasha sighs.
"Well, ever since Loki came here... I didn't get to see much of her, you know? And I don't think she'd want to either. Though Tony seems to like her," Pepper sighs, leaning back a little.
"Yeah, he does, a lot," Natasha snorts.
"More than he admits anyway. He squealed like a small child when she agreed to help him with one of the converters coz he was just stuck. He said he was that close from hugging her, but then she glared at him and he knew he'd lose more than a hand if he tried," she chuckles.
"Yeah... that's true," Natasha grimaces. At least she can picture it to happen just that way.
"And you?" Pepper asks curiously.
"Me?" Natasha frowns at the other woman.
"Well, do you like her?" Pepper asks.
"... I think so," she shrugs.
"Wow, that means a lot coming from you," Pepper laughs, sticking out her tongue.
"What now?" Natasha snorts playfully.
"You take your time liking people," Pepper shrugs.
"True again," Natasha shrugs. There is no way to deny it, really. She has a hard time trusting people. And to Natasha, a friendship can only develop once you trust that person, so making friends is even more difficult, because you have to build up the bond of trust first.
"Tony says Bruce is all over her... I think he's just jealous that he's spending more time with her than him...," Pepper snickers, and Natasha can only agree, "They are what you could call best friends, really. She is very, very, very intelligent. I mean, it's one thing if you can pull a trick, but she knows so many things... it's mad. And that is of course something Bruce can identify with. Plus, she's analytic and... he seems to really appreciate her sometimes morbid humor... They found their vibe."
"It's good that she has someone in the team, isn't it?" Pepper smiles softly.
"Yeah, I mean... even Clint accepted her by now, after she saved his life. And that is essential for the work we do. We have to work together, not against each other," Natasha nods. Even if Clint doesn't talk to her much, they reached a level of mutual understanding. He seemingly forgave her for taking over his mind back when she cam to earth for the first time - and Loki is very respectful towards him... most of the time, and that is more than one could expect from her.
"Yeah, I know what you mean," Pepper wants to say, but then she looks at Natasha with concern. "Hey, are you okay?"
"What? Yes, of course. Why?" Natasha grimaces.
"Well, we talk about Loki and you suddenly look so solemn," Pepper frowns.
"Oh, it's just... ugh... I don't know. Something happened a few days back and that... it changed a few things for me, about her. I never thought that she'd... doesn't matter," the other woman shakes her head. One of the problems Natasha has to deal with ever since she started befriending the rest of the team and Pepper is that she actually shows more of herself and even lets things slip she normally wouldn't. She is afraid of losing that kind of control, but... she tries to accept that this might still be worth it, because true friends are those where you allow yourself to let go.
"Hey, we are friends. You can tell me. Trust me, I can keep a secret," Pepper assures her.
"Sure?" Natasha questions.
"I didn't tell anyone about Tony's lucky boxer shorts until now either, did I?" Pepper huffs.
"I wish you didn't mention that," Natasha grunts, almost spitting out her coffee.
"They look cute, with...," Pepper means to say, but Natasha holds up her hands defensively, "No more details, please."
"Okay, okay, so now... C'mon, I gave you this, now you gimme that piece of information about Loki," Pepper bargains.
"You will keep that to yourself?" Natasha asks.
"Absolutely," she nods.
"So okay, uhm... it was short after Loki was admitted to the active team. As far as I know by now, she had a major fight with Thor," Natasha leans closer to her.
"I thought they were good?" Pepper frowns.
"Did Tony say that?" Natasha makes a face. Pepper nods, and Natasha can't help but roll her eyes, "Of course that douchebag doesn't get the memo. Loki and Thor are at each other's throats all the time. I mean, he seems to acknowledge that she is on the team and he sees that she's really... one hell of a fighter and asset to the Avengers. But other than that... they don't talk to each other... and if he does, he's really, really rude."
"Well, she did try to kill him," Pepper shrugs.
"So did she with us, and so did we with her. And we moved past it mostly, too," Natasha shrugs. She knows it sounds odd, but... to her it still counts that Loki wanted to, and didn't follow through with it.
"True again," Pepper shrugs. "And hey, I'm in a relationship with the guy who built nukes par excellence. So really, I shouldn't judge people for their past that much, now should I?"
"Right," Natasha smirks. "So... there was this huge fight again. But this time she really took it personal."
"In how far?" Pepper frowns. Natasha glances around once to make sure they are really alone, "She wanted to jump off the roof."
"What?" Pepper cries out in shock.
"She tried to kill herself. And no, this was no act. It was mere chance that Bruce went. She was that close from doing it," Natasha admits.
"Oh my God! Is she okay now?" Pepper gapes, clasping the hem of her dress.
"Well, mostly. I mean... Bruce is having a close eye on her, and I keep watch also, but from a distance, because she didn't see me and I don't want her to think that I spied on her or so. She is mostly back to normal, but... I mean... it's one thing to argue with someone or to break the rules, but it's another if she really wanted to off herself," Natasha argues.
"Do the others know?" Pepper asks.
"No. As I said, she doesn't even know that I'm aware of that. I didn't want to startle her. She seems rather ashamed of the fact that she lost composure like that, so Bruce told me. To tell the others would only make matters for worse, I guess," Natasha makes a face.
"Poor Loki... and I never thought that I'd say it," Pepper grimaces.
"Yeah, I know," Natasha huffs. Once you are involved with Loki... everything seems to change, easy as that.
"So she tried to kill herself because of Thor?" Pepper makes a face. That seems rather drastic, even for someone as dramatic as Loki used to be.
"Well, maybe not just because of him, but because of the argument they had. It must have been really heated," Natasha shrugs.
"Well, must have boiled if she takes such measurements," Pepper makes a face.
"Surely so," Natasha nods.
"... do you want to involve him?" Pepper asks. It's one thing to keep it from the Avengers, but if Thor is the cause of the problem, then this might be what they should be heading for, at least that is what Pepper thinks.
"Definitely not," Natasha holds up her hands defensively. "That is something Loki will have to tell him, if she wants to, but that is solely up to her. I mean... who are we to take that into our own hands?"
"... well, don't you think it might become an issue for the fights? I mean... not that I degrade her for trying that, but... is she good enough again to join in the fights and actually be face-to-face with him, work with him?" Pepper argues. After all, she has a boyfriend and friends out there. If those two Norse Gods can't put the argument to rest, she shall be damned if she doesn't try to do something about it.
"She might be a bit on edge now, but she is a badass. If it comes to it, I'm taking any bet that she can pull herself together and smack this," Natasha argues.
"Well, would be bad for her to suddenly have a breakdown or whatever," Pepper makes a face.
"She won't, I think. It was really a knee-jerk reaction," Natasha shakes her head.
"Wow... never took her for the type," Pepper sighs, leaning back in her seat.
"Me neither," Natasha admits. "Well, is good that she is friends with Bruce. That helps a great deal because he makes her work at the lab, and she likes that, takes her mind off of this shit."
"Well, I'd be going insane by now, if I were her," Pepper huffs, flinging her hand in the air dismissively.
"What do you mean?" the other woman frowns at her.
"Well, ugh, apparently... Loki is stuck in this house for... forever, now," Pepper shrugs. "I mean, it's been months since she's been, well, outside. I'd go insane if I were forced to stay inside that building, and only be let out once I fight off some beast or madman who tries to take over the world."
"Yeah... yeah," Natasha grimaces.
"... wait, you really don't let her out? I was just joking... though I seemingly wasn't...," Pepper straightens up in exasperation. She wanted to exaggerate a bit... and not actually be dead-on.
Natasha admits almost embarrassed now, "Uhm, SHIELD was very strict in the beginning... and since she's an active member... she's just never been."
"No one's told her, though, either?" Pepper makes a face.
"No... fuck, no," Natasha grabs her locks angrily. "She's never argued about it... I mean, Fury and her discussed that she'd get a chance to go outside once things boiled down and she proved herself... but she never brought it up since."
"... so seriously no one gave her the memo that she could go out and socialize again?" Pepper blinks at her, still not believing it.
"Nope. It's just so natural that she stays there with Bruce that none of us ever bothered, really. Well, fuck," Natasha shakes her head. That really shouldn't have happened. Great kind of friends they are, Natasha thinks to herself. And one should think that one of them would actually, well, realize, but no, even a PhD and status as a Secret Agent don't save you from foolery, as it seems - or from sheer blindness.
"Well, there you go," Pepper gesticulates. Natasha glances at her, so Pepper goes on, "If I were her, I would straight-up kill you all. I mean... if you were to just store me here and take me outta the battery once it's needed... I'd hit someone in the face real hard... oh, and not to forget the clothes."
"She has clothes," Natasha frowns. Now Pepper is getting a bit ahead of herself.
"Right, plain shirts and jeans, as far as I can judge," Pepper snorts.
"We told her that we can get her anything she'd want," Natasha argues.
"... and who likes catalogs, for real?" Pepper makes a face.
"Well...," the other woman shrugs.
"Oh, c'mon. She is a girl, and even as a guy, Loki always was smooth, as far as I could judge. Had his signature style. Now... all 'Made in SHIELD', the casual line. I mean... that is fashion suicide right there," Pepper shakes her head.
"I give you that. Even Clint likes to wear certain things, like his leather jacket. And he gives a damn on fashion," Natasha has to admit.
"Right, and she isn't even wearing her colors, like at all. I mean, okay, she does for her fighting outfit, which is totally amazing by the way, but... other than that... she looks like she just came out of the SHIELD training camp or whatever," Pepper makes a face.
"You've never seen someone come from the SHIELD training camp, if such a thing existed," Natasha smirks.
"You know what I mean," Pepper rolls her eyes. "She is a person, and she's constantly wearing uniform, when no one else does. That sucks."
"I give you that," Natasha puckers her lips.
"But that is something that can be resolved quickly," Pepper declares.
"Aha," Natasha scrunches her nose.
"Well, let's solve the equation: Loki's a girl now. The girl is down. What do other girls do with a moping girl to make her feel better? Especially if she is walking around in a wardrobe that solely consists of fashion presented to you by SHIELD, which doesn't show her personal style in the least?" Pepper questions.
"Please don't say girl's day," Natasha grunts, covering her eyes with her hands.
"Well, in essence, it's what it is, but we aren't the type, and I don't think Loki is either, so it's... a girl's day, but without the name-tag on it," Pepper shrugs.
"She'd lynch you for that. I don't think she is the type of girl who enjoys such things," Natasha snorts.
"But there is this nice store not far from here. I know even you went shopping there before," Pepper winks at the agent.
"Yeah," Natasha nods, she remembers going there about half a year ago.
"Why don't we take her there and she gets to get herself some clothes for her own, that really are her own, huh?" Pepper suggests.
"I don't think she'll bite, to be honest," Natasha argues.
"What can it harm to ask, huh? I mean, she can't say more than no," Pepper huffs.
"She might turn our heads around 180° or something," Natasha shrugs.
"You think she would?" Pepper gapes.
"Not really. She kinda lost that edge by now," Natasha assures her.
"So you see. Plus, she doesn't know me much, so if I go ahead ask her and say I wanna get to know her... she might bite after all," Pepper shrugs.
"It's worth a try... and by the way, thanks," Natasha offers a soft smile.
"Oh, us girls have to stick together. Even if that means that Loki is now part of that club. And it's nice to see that you have a soft spot for her," Pepper smirks.
"Oh, whatever," Natasha rolls her eyes at her. Pepper snickers to herself as she empties her coffee, "Okay, uhm, Jarvis, where's Loki?"
"Miss Loki is in her room," the computer tells her. Pepper claps her thighs as she gets up, "Perfect. Okay, how about we just get over it...? Or don't you have the time?"
"No, there's no work for me, unless some madman takes over again, but that's... the way it always is," Natasha grins.
"Yay," Pepper throws her hands up mockingly.
The two make their way to Loki's room. Natasha pushes the buttons on the panel. Inside, Loki is sitting on her bed, cross-legged, yet again reading a book, since that is seemingly what she always does if she isn't occupied with work. As she hears the beep from the door, she glances up, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"Come in," Loki says. Natasha and Pepper enter the room.
"Oh, Lady Romanov, Lady Potts!" the trickster blinks at them.
"It's so cute that they call us Ladies," Pepper smirks.
"Yeah, Thor got over that quite fast, though," Natasha huffs.
"Of course, because he's a dork," Pepper snorts.
"Uhm, do you wish to take a seat?" Loki asks them politely.
"Oh, thanks, dear," Pepper smiles. She plops down next to Loki on the bed. Natasha can see the confusion literally dropping down Loki's face, "... what can I do for you?"
"Actually, I wanted to ask you a favor," Pepper tells her.
"I hope I can be of help?" Loki frowns.
"Well, it's not really that much of a favor, but...," Pepper grimaces, and Natasha jumps in, "A request?"
Pepper nods, "Right. Uhm, apparently, you and I didn't have the honor for long, or much at all. I think we saw each other couple of times, but we two never spent much time together."
"As a matter of fact," Loki nods.
"Well, and I would like to change that a bit, because you are part of the team and I spend a great deal of time here also, so I want us two to get along," Pepper smiles at her.
"... if you fear that I bear you a grudge, then I can assure you that I don't," Loki grimaces.
"Yeah, no, no, I got that," Pepper winks at her.
"Good. Because it seems to be a general notion that I bear grudges to each person in particular," Loki rolls her eyes.
"No, no, I'm with you on that one. So, uh, I actually wanted to get to know you. And that is done best by spending time together," Pepper tells her.
"And from your way of inquiry I take it that you already have a certain plan of how to spend that time together?" Loki cocks an eyebrow at her.
"Yes. Well, we realized that you don't go out, like...," Pepper grimaces, and Natasha adds, "... at all."
"Master Fury was quite specific about me having to stay under the radar. I took it that I was not supposed to, unless for a mission," Loki scrunches her nose at them.
"Well, we should have told you by now that you are free to leave on your own accord also," Natasha exhales.
"... aha, well, that is good to know, but as even Thor could tell, I am the type of person who can live inside and read books all the while without getting bored," Loki shrugs. Already as a child, Loki could spend hours in the palace's libraries to get lost in the microcosms of fiction, of the written world. The way the God of Mischief sees it, imagination is very often the far more interesting place to be at. it seems brighter, fuller, richer - at least it did to Loki for a long time...
Except for the times she remembers how Thor came to the trickster and just pulled him along to play, to go on yet another adventure, spend time, when he just took Loki's hand and didn't let go. That was when colors exploded and broke out of the microcosms - regardless of the scorn the trickster rewarded the action with.
However, that is long since over now.
"And that's cool, but maybe you wanna see the outside now again? Do something... fun?" Pepper suggests.
"Define fun," Loki demands skeptically, narrowing her eyes at them. The last time someone, Tony, told her that they'd have fun... he made her admire his prices and expensive possessions, for an hour. That was certainly no pleasure.
"For us girls it's shopping." Pepper smirks.
"... aha," Loki grimaces.
"Clothes," Pepper adds.
"I see," Loki tilts her head.
"And there is a shop not far from here we both like a lot. So how does it sound to you that the three of us go there to get you your own wardrobe?" Pepper winks at her.
"The clothes I have are functional," Loki frowns.
"Oh, c'mon. You were a fashionista even as a guy. Now you walk around in casual and plain shirts for the rest of your life? Loki, already as a guy you were too classy for that," Pepper huffs playfully.
"... thank you, I suppose," Loki says, unsure whether this was a compliment.
"What I mean to say is that you wear clothes that aren't in the least you. You have a style – and you have any damn right to wear... a skirt for a change, if you feel like it, damn it," Pepper gesticulates wildly.
"... even if I appreciate the gesture, I suppose it is, I do not come to understand why you have interest in my way of clothing or style," Loki knits her eyebrows at Pepper, who replies, "Let's just say that SHIELD messed up in letting it slip that you can go out and get yourself your own clothes, so us two decided that we make it up to you."
"But you don't have to, I hope you are aware of that," Loki shakes her head.
"Fully," both agree at the same time.
"... do I have much of a choice?" Loki grimaces, though she already anticipates the answer.
"Not really," Pepper shakes her head with a smirk.
"... then I suppose I am to go... shopping," Loki shrugs.
"That's what I'm talking about!" Pepper claps her hands together. She grabs Loki by the arm to get her off the bed, "Then let's head out, shall we?"
Loki quickly puts on her boots and with that they make their way down the street. Natasha and Pepper decided that Loki might prefer walking over riding the car, because that offers her... more freedom, so to speak. And in fact, she looks around like a curious child, almost.
It doesn't take them long till they reach the shop Pepper talked about.
"Okay, this is it," Pepper smirks, pointing at the sign. They get inside, where they are met by: "Lorenzo!"
Lorenzo is a shorter man with an Elvis-like hair flip. He wears a navy suit with brightly red designer shoes, accompanied by a tie of the same color and a bunch of flowers stuffed into the breast pocket. The designer wears a white undershirt and a flashy black belt, a chain attached to its side. The man is a bit overweight, but not much. He wears a hint of mascara and definitely rouge. Yeah, a designer out of the handbook.
Lorenzo is immediately all over Pepper, kissing her cheeks thrice, each, for the record. Natasha and Loki simultaneously take a step back to make sure he won't do that with them the same way.
Lorenzo holds on to Pepper, "Darling, it's good to see you. Precious, you look stunning as ever. I love those shoes... And you brought company!"
"Yeah, uh, I think you know Natasha already," Pepper smirks at him.
"Who'd forget those legs, huh? Hi," Lorenzo tells her almost lovingly.
"Hi," Natasha waves at him.
"And this is our friend, Loki," Pepper introduces the trickster.
"Oh, I love exotic names. And I love that."
He wildly gestures at her face. Loki frowns, though seemingly amused.
"Now look at that, the Three Graces in my store! This is unbelievable!" Lorenzo claps his hands together excitedly. "Kelly, Kelly, get here, now!"
"... Ah, now I remember why I didn't go here all the while. You can only stand that for so and so long," Natasha mutters under her breath, and Pepper whispers back, "Shush! It's cute."
Lorenzo appears again, now with Kelly in tow, a young woman dressed in a mixture of Army style with some girly accessories to give it a personal touch: high boots, lots of bracelets and necklaces, and a T-shirt in bright colors coupled with a camouflage Army jacket with a feminine cut, though. She has big red glasses and her brown short hair is messed-up-but-so-wanted.
"Ladies, Kelly, Kelly, Ladies. So what is it? Are you going to model for Rubens or...," Lorenzo rambles, but Pepper intervenes, "Main person is Loki. She needs new clothes."
Lorenzo shakes his head, "That I can see. She's wearing a sack."
"Very dangerous terrain," Natasha grimaces nervously. She knows that Lorenzo just acts that way, but Loki might get the wrong idea here... and turn his head upside-down. That wouldn't be, well, good.
"Oh, no, no offense, my darling. It's just that this clothing does nothing for you, other than pointing out that you'd look so much better in anything but that," Lorenzo tells her.
"Let's leave that aside. Loki needs some new clothes, and that's what we're here for. So now?" Pepper smiles at him.
"Okay, darling. Now, what do you like?" Lorenzo asks her. Loki glances at him a little uncertainly, actually.
"She likes green and gold," Pepper tries to get the party started.
Lorenzo's eyes shimmer at that, "Oh, be my Artemis!"
"I'm no archer, thank you," Loki retorts drily. Natasha glances at Pepper with an 'I told you so' on her lips, but Pepper waves her off. This will pass... hopefully.
"You would really sell that look, but... I see, maybe that's something not for the normal day wear. Kelly? Get our Ladies some champagne while I take a closer look at this piece of gorgeous here," Lorenzo snaps his fingers. He suddenly grabs Loki by the arms to put her at the right distance, as it seems.
"Okay, now, the hair out of the face, I have to see you," Lorenzo says. He pulls her hair back. Natasha and Pepper silently pray that Loki is in a good mood and won't sew his mouth shut for the act. But in fact she seems more curious at the designer than mad. Well, that's a good sign.
"Stunning. Absolutely perfectly stunning. Now, would you turn for me once?" Lorenzo smiles. Loki turns on the heel with a frown.
"Is she a model, my darling? Because then I'm hiring her right now," he asks Pepper, but Natasha jumps in with a smirk tugging at her lips, "Nope, she works with me."
"Oh, so a tough girl, hm? And still so beautiful! Even without any kinda make-up!" Lorenzo claps his hands together. Loki cocks an eyebrow at that man, "Seemingly in contrast to you..."
Lorenzo laughs at that, "This face of yours, gold, pure gold."
"You think he might come back to the other shore just to be with Loki?" Natasha whispers to Pepper, who replies, "He might..."
"And that hair, now look at that, Kelly. Such wonderful long hair!" Lorenzo exclaims dramatically, to which his assistant retorts sarcastically, "Yes, hair, but you are aware that you are a fashion designer, not a hair stylist, hm?"
"Oh, so let me be, my little assistant! I like to enjoy what I see, and this is like... I forgot the metaphor," Lorenzo mutters.
"Yay!" Kelly throws her hands in the air.
"Why did I hire you again?" Lorenzo asks her.
"Because you scared off all the other applicants. And you need someone to lift the heavy things?" Kelly shrugs.
"... right. Either way, even your cynicism won't destroy that for me, no! Beauty is meant to be cherished, so I cherish you, my new muse!" Lorenzo turns to Loki overly dramatically again.
"... you talk a lot, as I take?" Loki frowns.
"Yes, that's something you'll have to deal with. The more I talk, the more creative I am, the better the dresses I make, the better for you once you wear them, that's just the way it works for us," Lorenzo tells her.
"Interesting," Loki cocks an eyebrow at the man... he really is a curious case.
"Oh, Pepper, you really brought me a treat this time," he tells her. "I can already see it in front of my eyes. All those dresses I could put on you and make for you! I mean, any color, any cut, any shape, any form, it would all work for you, because, damn, even that looks stunning on you and it's disgusting for a fashion designer. You're sparking my creativity bone – I'm already working on five cocktail dresses inside my head now, solely for you to wear."
"... you are fantasizing about me?" Loki leans back a little with a grimace.
"And witty, too," he laughs. "I think I might die right here on the floor, Pepper. You are the love of my life for bringing me such a present."
"Happily together with the Iron Man, and you and I both know you don't swing my way," Pepper winks at him.
"You're always in my heart, but now... I have to tend to that. This is just such a rare precious moment. We have to use the moment! Life's too short," he declares.
"Oh, give it a break!" Kelly rolls her eyes.
"Is he always that dramatic?" Natasha asks Pepper, who shrugs, "Only if he's really excited."
"So Loki's appearance...," Natasha grimaces, and the other woman agrees, "Blows his mind. She is just his type when it comes to what he regards as his muse. I know that he loves dark-haired frail girls. Well, look at Loki, then you know that this is just what he'd always pictured."
Lorenzo starts to go through the racks and flips out dresses and shirts and whatever else he flings at Kelly, who already took her spot behind him to catch whatever he throws.
"This is so much better than watching TV," Natasha snickers as she watches the scene.
"Sometimes I just come here to watch his madness," Pepper agrees. "But Kelly is really the savior. Ever since she started here, comedy is the new word for it, because she's too cool to go with all his mood swings. It's hilarious to watch those two interact."
"I start to get the idea," Natasha nods.
"So, that's enough for the first round, up and to the changing room, now! Now!" Lorenzo exclaims excitedly.
"... do you consider me an animal or why are you calling out to me like one?" Loki frowns at him.
"Dearest, I didn't mean to insult you!" Lorenzo assures her quickly. "I'm just so excited to see you in all those dresses that I don't want to lose time. But of course I will stop that if it makes you uncomfortable. You are supposed to leave this house the happiest customer ever, alright?"
"For as long as you don't treat me like an animal, I think we will find a common ground," Loki shrugs.
"Perfect, so now... Milady, if you would try on these dresses for me?" Lorenzo smiles.
"Thank you," Loki grins at him. She enters the changing room as Kelly lines up the dresses. Lorenzo jumps up and down almost like a child on first school day. After a bit of time, Loki emerges from the changing room in a red cocktail dress tightly fitting around her thin frame. Pepper stares hard because damn, does she work that dress, moving her hips just the right way, not slutty, but really classy and seductively. Lorenzo almost cries in ecstasy.
"You look so beautiful in this, my love! Oh my friggin' goody!" Lorenzo exclaims.
"... I don't like this," Loki blurts out, and all cry out in shock, "What?"
"Well, let me rephrase: I like the dress itself, but I don't like it on me. It doesn't have the right length and the shoulders don't sit right," Loki argues. It might be that she is not all that familiar with Midgardian fashion, but she knows how a dress has to fit - and that garment doesn't.
"Loki, that is...," Pepper waves her hands in the air. Last time someone told Lorenzo that she didn't like the dress... Lorenzo started to cry, wanted to quit the job, close the shop and emigrate to Hawaii.
Lorenzo already pulls on the dress, "No, she's right, she's right – upon second glance. This should be shorter on her, or otherwise she appears smaller than she is, and the shoulders should sit here, not here. My darling, you have an excellent eye."
"Giving up yet, boss?" Kelly snickers.
"Shush, little one, you are not to talk when I'm envisioning!" Lorenzo huffs. "So now that we saw that, why don't you try this one? I think it should fit better."
Loki nods before heading back into the fitting room.
"Wow, that was a close call. Lorenzo hardly takes any criticism. Like, at all," Pepper grimaces.
"Yeah, I thought so," Natasha smirks.
"But Loki just has to say one thing and he's actually happy for that. Well, she really has a vibe for that, I guess," Pepper smirks.
"Kelly? Grab me this petrol dress from over there, would you?" Lorenzo instructs her assistant, who already goes ahead, "Sure."
"Oh, really, this is an epiphany in fashion!" Lorenzo exclaims dramatically.
"Oh please," Kelly snorts. Loki exits the room again and comes out in a beautifully cut short dress in violet, made of satin and violet leather.
"Loki, please tell me you want that dress, because otherwise I will have to buy it for you against your will," Pepper blinks at the young woman, who frowns at her incredulously, "Huh?"
"She likes that dress on you. I think we all do," Natasha translates with a smirk.
"I like this dress also," Loki nods. "It fits in the right places. The color is nice. And I like those applications."
"Oh! On second try already! I knew it. Just give me a bit of time and I grasp perfection for you, dearest!" Lorenzo claps his hands together happily. "Look at you, so beautiful. And now in my dress. Stunning."
He motions at Kelly to bring the petrol dress. Kelly gives it to Loki, who goes ahead and changes. The fact that it only takes her thirty seconds goes without Lorenzo's notice at all, though. He's too excited to realize. Kelly just shakes her head with a frown, but she knows better than to interrupt. Loki emerges in a skin-tight petrol dress that has only one strap over the shoulder, decorated with flower applications.
"Sweetheart, this is so perfect on you. Now just picture: you, that dress, a nice restaurant, glass of champagne, loose hairdo, pearls and diamonds, high heels with straps, hm? Oh, your guy can count himself lucky," Lorenzo smiles excitedly, fidgeting around. Pepper and Natasha have to try hard not to just jump up from their seats and hold Lorenzo's mouth shut. After all, that is exactly the topic they wanted to bypass.
"I have no one, but thank you for the compliment," Loki says, surprisingly calm.
"How can you not have a man with these looks?" Lorenzo shakes his head, but Natasha breaks it off, "She hangs out with us guys. And most of them are either stupid... or in a relationship."
"How can you do that to humanity?! This is meant to be put on a pedestal and shown to the world," Lorenzo cries out exasperated.
"Goodness sake, Lorenzo. I think you're getting a bit ahead of yourself," Pepper rolls her eyes.
"Curb your enthusiasm, rings a bell?" Kelly snorts.
"I ignore that. So now, my wonderful darling, how about this ball gown, hm?" Lorenzo huffs.
"As much as we appreciate your excitement, we should keep in mind that she mostly needs some clothes to wear other than cocktail dresses. I get it that you want to put her in all kinds of big gowns, but she needs something to wear for everyday use."
Lorenzo nods almost sadly before he picks out the next items.
"Don't do the kicked puppy on us, boss," Kelly tells him.
"Shush. I need a moment," Lorenzo says, waving his hand in the air.
"Customer is Queen, remember? If she doesn't want a ball gown...," Kelly argues, but Lorenzo finishes for her, "I think I'm going to cry, but fine, fine, you are right, you are right..."
He takes a deep breath, but then is all smiley face again, "You will look fabulous in those, my love. And here, extra for you, forest green, gold and black. I think you will enjoy that."
Loki nods appreciatively before getting changed again and again and again. She looks good in anything Lorenzo hands to her, no doubt, but she is really picky, as it turns out. Not in a bad way, but she just has an eye for what really fits her and what might need improvement here and there. Once they are done, Loki is equipped with enough casual clothes for at least two weeks straight, two cocktail dresses, some high heels, a clutch and a leather handbag for everyday use, and one long dress Lorenzo insisted on she'd buy because it's as though this was made for her and her alone and he won't accept anyone else wearing it other than her. They pay with the SHIELD card Loki was provided with when entering the organization.
"Won't SHIELD be mad at me for spending that much money?" Loki frowns.
"If they do, gimme a call, I will knock some sense into them," Lorenzo assures her.
"Yeah, you give it to them and throw tiaras at them!" Kelly calls out as she is busy cleaning up.
"It's fine," Natasha reassures her quickly. "You get the usual salary and up until now you didn't use any of it. You could go shopping here for about a year and would still have enough left, so don't worry. For risking our lives every day, we get the super bonus when it comes to money."
"That's good to know," Loki shrugs.
"Please tell me that you'll come here every day from this day on," Lorenzo pleads her.
"We are all busy people, but we will drop by when we can, Lorenzo," Pepper winks at him sweetly.
"Yeah, you are right, I have to let you go. Even if I would love to chain all of you up in my storage and keep you there to look at you in awe," Lorenzo sighs.
"And people tell me that I have dark thoughts," Loki mutters under her breath.
"He says that to all his muses! And that's why they usually run off!" Kelly yells over her shoulder.
"As I said, we'll come here as soon as time allows it," Pepper smirks.
"I hope that's soon again," Lorenzo exhales.
"Surely will be," Pepper winks at him.
"We should head back, then," Natasha shrugs.
"Right," Pepper agrees.
"It was nice meeting, you, Sir," Loki tells him politely.
"Oh, no, the honor is solely on me. And please, call me Lorenzo," he tells her.
"Lorenzo," Loki smiles at him.
"Wonderful," he claps his hands together. "I met my muse in real life today. This is the happiest day of my life until now."
"Wow," Pepper shakes her head.
"Bye, then," Lorenzo waves.
"Bye," the three say in unison. With that they leave the store.
Pepper nods at the mass of bags, "Ugh, we should call for one of Tony's cabs to get those back to the Mansion."
"Oh no I can take care of that, don't you worry," Loki tells her. She snaps her fingers and at once all bags and cartons and whatever else disappears, "Safely at the Mansion."
"That's pretty cool," Pepper makes a face.
"Yeah, an in-house sorceress saves you a lot of trouble," Natasha shakes her head with a smirk.
"So? Is there anything else you'd like to do?" Pepper asks Loki.
"Oh, no, thank you. I have already taken up so much of your valuable time," Loki smiles at her sweetly.
"It's cute that a God thinks my time is actually valuable," Pepper snickers.
"It would be sophomoric to claim that the personal time of any individual makes a striking difference in that of everyone else's, even for us Gods, or maybe especially us. Our kind likes to boast too much about how we are so much higher on the ladder, how far more important we are, to everyone and everything. We are the kinds of Gods who do not create matter out of nothing, breathe life into existence, we feast, gloat, drink, jest and fight. The Gods I got to know, Thor and I included, are no more than foolish children who didn't grow out of these boots yet," Loki says, and Pepper looks at her impressed, "Listen to that."
"What happened to 'I'm a God' and all?" Natasha winks at her.
"Change of mind, epiphany, call it whatever you may like, I think it grasps the essence of it about just right. If there is one thing I learned, then it is that the higher you dare to climb that ladder, the deeper you can fall, and the harder the impact will be. I fell, I know I got too high," Loki exhales.
"Eating humble pie, is it?" Pepper smirks.
"I suppose it is. I like the concept of becoming over that of being," she shrugs.
"Huh?" Pepper frowns at her, so Loki goes on to explain, "Well, to be means that you are set in one place, that you are rigid, at least it does to me. I rather think of people, me included, of being capable of becoming, striving for more than we are. Even if that is what got me on the rungs that caused my downfall in the end, I know. I wanted too much, become so much more than what I was that it all collapsed on me. Still, I think I like becoming over being. That gives even a people like me the opportunity to grow and have an epiphany to change the way I am now, to... eat humble pie."
"Wow, you surely would have made a good philosopher also, Loki, bound to say," Natasha smirks.
"Spending as much time on your own as I did... it leads your thoughts astray, so to speak," Loki sighs.
"You mean when you were in that prison?" Pepper makes a face.
"In the prison, when with the Chitauri, when on my voyages, or in general. I am quite the... lone wolf? Thor used to say so all the while. And I think it fits, for a wolf is still a predator," Loki grins. She crouches down to pick up a piece of paper flying over the ground.
"It's good to see you didn't lose your edge," Natasha snickers. Loki gets back up as she unfolds the small sheet of paper, not looking at the other two at all, "... because I tried to off myself, no, that was, after all, just the heat of the moment."
Natasha and Pepper almost fall over as Loki just drops the comment with almost nonchalance.
"Uh...," Natasha stammers, already working on an apology, but Loki speaks up calmly, "I very much appreciate it that you didn't push the topic, but I may tell you now that I knew you on the roof when I had my little moment... and I knew that you told her. I'm partial mind reader."
"Oh," Natasha gapes.
"Oops," Pepper bites her lower lip nervously.
"But that doesn't mean I read your minds all the while. It's just very strong emotions that I get. And I can tell that you were very much concerned about me. That is the feeling I got. And with that you linked the pictures of me, well, dancing around on the roof," Loki tells them.
"Wow, okay, I didn't see that one coming," Natasha grimaces, still surprised.
"I didn't mean to be nosy, but that I sensed this wasn't on purpose. You are practically radiating it," Loki makes a face.
"Hey, I don't blame you. I just didn't think you'd know. I would have talked to you otherwise," Natasha tells her.
"I enjoy the silence very much, Lady Romanov," Loki assures her. "The fact that this is not made a major deal, especially for all Avengers to know... it saves me at least my pride and dignity. And for that, more than anything, I have to thank you."
"But this is nothing to be ashamed of, you know?" Pepper argues.
"Oh, it is," Loki huffs. "It is and will always be. It is a coward way out, no matter which society you pick, in some way it's always the easy way out of one's problems. So I would rather save my dignity, it's one of the few things I have left."
"So you really don't want to discuss that with anyone other than us?" Pepper asks her.
"Oh, by the Gods, no," Loki hisses.
"What about Thor?" Pepper asks cautiously.
"Thor. Thor! What about Thor!? He is the one I'd want to be least involved!" Loki snarls grimly.
Pepper holds up her hands in surrender, "Hey, no need to be upset. I'm just saying... that maybe it'd help you, to be straight with the guys. I mean... no one's taken notice that you need new clothing or whatever either... because apparently, you have that trait to seemingly swallow up everything. Or that you're one hell of a scientist and fighter... it took them months to realize, because they are really stupid and thick skulls most of the time. It takes a lot of negotiation to get them to realize something, I know that, trust me. What I mean to say is that being straight with them can work real miracles."
"Even if you enjoy the silence, that doesn't mean you have to lose your voice entirely," Natasha adds.
"... being in banishment means just that," Loki sighs.
"But you aren't in banishment anymore. You are on our team. For real," Natasha argues.
"Don't get me wrong. I very much and, beyond everything, appreciate the opportunity you offered me. More than anything I feel gratitude for you," Loki tells them. "But in the broader sense... I'm still in banishment. And in the broader sense the truth remains, I have no longer a voice that is heard by the Allfather, or any of the royal family of Asgard. No matter how loud I scream in this very world, it always becomes a faint whisper, not audible at all, to them that is. I am bound to be silent, but I'm past the point where I actually care."
Loki bites her lower lip as she sets the small piece of paper on fire in her hand. She then blows the ashes away into the winds, her expression that of perfect calm, actually. Natasha and Pepper watch this with mixed feelings, uncertain what Loki is thinking now.
"But... nevertheless... I see that I have to try to live in order to change matters for me. It might be that I lost my voice to the outer universe, but... you allow me to speak, for which I'm grateful. So... thank you very much for the care. I very much appreciate it," Loki says, biting her lower lip.
"You're welcome," both say honestly.
"We should do that more often," Pepper smirks.
"I could reconcile with that idea," Loki shrugs.
"Even when it's Lorenzo?" Natasha huffs.
"Oh, I found him utmost comedic. And his dresses are the finest I have seen in a long time," Loki argues.
"You see, Natasha, a girl's...," Pepper wants to say, but Natasha interrupts her harshly, "Don't say it."
"Okay, so we have a date, the three of us. Shopping and all those other things. We have to keep sane somehow," Pepper smirks.
"I'm in," Natasha shrugs.
"Me, too," Loki nods.
"Then let's head back," Natasha suggests. The three start to walk down the streets and Loki actually manages to smile, actually smile. Doctor Banner was right. That's what friends are seemingly for...
And perhaps, just perhaps... they are making life a bit more worthwhile.