Hey again! I had this chapter already written too, so I thought I might as well update as not! Thanks again to my Beta-Person-Thing thefrozencherryblossom
I don't own Marvel or any of its works, just incase you were wondering or something.
Emmsy: Thanks so much! I'll be updating regularly, so keep an eye out! :D
orochimaru's cherry blossom: I'm glad you're interested, I'll try to keep it that way!
silimistrawberry: Glad you liked it! I'll update as regularly as I can :)
"Sorry we're late."
"Oh you didn't miss anything important. Except for when the Council decided we're going to forgive Loki for trying to blow up New York… which the Council tried to do as well by the way." Tony said, sauntering across the room.
"The Council had its own reasons for that Mr Stark, and while we are grateful for what you did, we would appreciate it if you would stop throwing that in our faces every time you disagree with us…"
"We're wandering away from the point. I am not ordering my best team to babysit a temperamental deity!" Fury said over the shouting.
"We're your best team Fury? I'm touched; I think I'm welling up…" Tony muttered with mock sincerity.
"I meant Agents Barton and Romanoff." Fury answered, ending Tony's emotional breakdown efficiently.
"Director Fury, I propose a compromise- Give Loki three months to redeem himself and if by the end of the time period he has not changed… you can deal with him as you see fitting." The lead council member announced loudly.
Fury let out a long breath then nodded slowly.
"No!"
"Fury, you can't be serious!"
"Director, please, the guy's bat-shit crazy!"
Fury silenced them all with a wave of his hand.
"The council's request is reasonable. And you never know- we might be able to eh… beat some sense into him."
"And the Asgardian King, Odin, has relieved Loki of his… gifts. He's practically human."
Practically, Natasha repeated in her head. Somehow, she knew that it wasn't going to be as simple as the council seemed to think.
"And why am I first on the babysitting roster?" Natasha grumbled over her breakfast.
"Why Ms Romanoff, you know very well why. Everybody else would beat the Asgardian shit out of Rock of Ages before five minutes went by." Tony said, food spilling from his mouth.
"And how do you know I won't?"
He grinned. "Because, you survived several months with me."
"True. Where are they keeping him? I doubt we have lots of Hulk- defying glass cages around."
"Obviously not, so since he escaped the "Hulk-defying cage" I've created something… a little harder to get out of. And comfortable. We didn't put much furnishing in the last one, since it was designed for a giant green rage monster. I've been working on it anyway, just in case. It's not completely functional yet, but Loki doesn't need to know that."
Natasha rolled her eyes as she finished off her salad. Frankly, she really didn't think that Loki deserved a five-star hotel, but Stark seemed to think he did. Well, maybe a nice, comfy prison cell might help with the turn Loki into a Hippy mission as Clint had dubbed it. He was, of course, last on the babysitting roster. Flying monkey Clint was still as fresh in Natasha's mind as he was in Clint's himself.
Dusting off the front of her uniform, she stood up from the table.
"I'd better get going. My shift starts in fifteen."
Tony nodded. "I'll see you in a couple of hours. Apparently I'm second best at dealing with Reindeer Games."
"Don't you have any other nicknames for Mr I've got some serious sibling rivalry issues?
He laughed. "Get going Black Widow; don't wanna be late, do you?"
"Roger that Iron Man."
"He's in there." Maria indicated with a tilt of her head.
"Any major trauma issues I should know about?"
"Not really. Several bruises, but the guys still a God strength wise. He's healing up fine."
"Good to know." Natasha muttered darkly, as she typed in the pass code she had been given.
"Agent Romanoff, you are authorised to use any force necessary to keep him in check." Maria said slowly.
Natasha simply nodded, as the heavy doors pulled open in front of her.
Marching into the room, she greeted Loki with "Fallen King."
Loki nodded. "Mewling Quim. I must admit, I expected my punishment to be more eh… physically painful."
"As opposed to mentally?"
"Your very presence revolts me."
Natasha smirked. "Good." She sat down on the low couch, at the other side of the room. She took in her surroundings.
Stark had made the room comfortable, but you could see the subtle things in the room- no windows obviously, cameras, tiny microphones, tranquilisers… amongst other things. Stark had really put his all into it.
"Tell me, how is Agent Barton? I'm sure you're delighted to have your one-true-love back to normal?"
Natasha didn't let herself answer.
"He is back to normal I trust?"
Natasha still didn't answer.
The truth was Clint wasn't really back to normal. He didn't laugh anymore, he was angry all the time, angry at Fury, at S.H.I.E.L.D, at her… Constant nightmares. He'd wake up screaming at shadows. Fury had him on endless missions, just to get him off the base. They weren't sure where to go with him from here.
She threw Loki a dirty look, then went back to his file. She'd read it before of course, but Thor might have added to it.
"Your silence betrays your thoughts, Agent Romanoff. I might know a few ways bring him back to you…"
Oh, how she itched to smash his nose in.
"You want to shut up?" she asked, her hand inching towards her gun.
"Temper, temper. I'm quite serious, unless of course you prefer this new Agent Barton…" Loki said, his signature grin spreading across his face.
He was about to speak again, when a knife whizzed past him, millimetres from him. It lodged securely into the opposite wall. His eyes widened.
"Are you sure you want to finish that sentence Fallen King?"
"Very well, Mewling Quim."
"The sooner the Council realises that this is pointless, the better. The word pointless was literally created for this situation." Tony ranted over his drink.
Friday night shawarma had become a regular happening since the famous Battle of New York. Natasha and Clint had probably missed more than they attended, and Bruce and Thor hadn't been present since the first time, but still. Tony threw a tantrum every time someone tried to cancel- Even though it was usually only Steve who came.
A young waitress came over and started handing out their dishes.
"I don't like to be handed things, sorry, if you could just…" Tony started muttering, and Steve took the plate before placing it in front of him.
"Thank you Captain."
"Next time I have to do that, it goes in your face."
"It's a pet peeve!"
Natasha laughed at their bickering, before she caught Clint's eye. He was fiddling with his fork, not eating. The dark bags under his eyes told her that the bad dreams were still a nightly occurrence. He had refused to tell her what they were about. In fact, he was still denying anything was wrong with him. She reached over and took his hand, giving him a look which she hoped was reassuring. It'll get better. I promise.
He gave her a tiny smile before taking his hand back. Natasha let out a loud sigh.
"You and Tasha had the first shifts today right? Is our friend talking?"
"Well," Tony started, "he was in a perfectly charming mood with me. He seemed to be delighted that our spider had left- Sorry Nat, I think he likes me better."
Natasha shook away the lame insult.
"Tony, he's all yours."
"Not my thing, Tasha."
Natasha flung her fork at him. He dodged at the last second, and it sank into the wooden chair.
"Can we have another fork please? " Steve called to one of the bored looking waitresses.
"Natasha, you know that I have nothing against you flinging cutlery at Stark's face, but not in a restaurant please. Remember what happened last time?"
Natasha contemplated it for a while, then dropped her knife.
"You win this time, Rogers."
"So is this how we are to spend our time together Agent Romanoff? In complete and utter silence?" Loki called from the other side of the room. Natasha rolled her eyes.
"Well obviously not in complete and utter silence."
"Touché. Would you prefer it, if I didn't interrupt your inner musings?"
"If you wouldn't mind." Natasha answered her voice dripping with sarcasm.
The usual hush settled in the room, before Loki interrupted again.
"I was quite the scholar on Asgard you know. It wouldn't be right for me to consider myself an academic if I didn't embrace the literature and science of Midgard as well." Loki mused, half to himself. Natasha let out an over dramatic sigh, before tapping her ear piece.
"Stark? He's bored."
"Well I'm sure you know more than a few ways to entertain him."
Natasha ignored the jibe. "Look just bring ever single mind-numbingly boring book you were made to study in High School."
Tony rattled off the few names he remembered and Natasha nodded. "Yeah you've got the idea, ask Bruce if you need any more."
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