Hey! New chapter, mostly Natasha coming to grips with her fancying Loki. Let's answer some reviews!

AlisonAPD: Fun Fact that was actually the first scene I thought up, while I was melting by a pool in Portugal. I love that scene...

Orochimaru's cherry blossom: I just did lol :P

Guest: Your review was one of the sweetest reviews ever! thank you so much, I do my very best to inspire as many feels as possible :)

Jo: I know what you mean, I love writing Tony's dialogue, it's easier to think of apposed to Natasha who I can never tell when she would keep her cool, or show some emotion. I think she wouldn't be to harsh on Loki since he probably reminds her to much of herself :)

Chapter 5

"Stark, is this really necessary? Surely we have more important things to worry about than shawarma." Natasha grumbled, as she sorted out the contents of her handbag. Tony gasped in horror.

"Black Widow, the sky may fall, the ground may crumble, but there will never be anything as important as shawarma. Get your coat dear, we're leaving."

Natasha let out a loud sigh as she pulled on her boots, when Tony stuck his head back around the door.

"Oh, and I've invited Reindeer Games. Not a problem is it?" He gave her a grin that totally said 'I know something you don't'.

Rolling her eyes dramatically, before glancing at herself in the mirror. She hadn't really made any effort. Tugging at the collar of her sweater and then fiddling with the belt hooks of her jeans, she frowned. Well. Nothing ever went wrong from looking nice.

She applied one final coat of lip-gloss as she went down the stairs, quickly catching a glimpse of her reflection in the cold metal walls. She smoothed down the front of the pine green peplum dress and pondered if Loki would like the ensemble, when she stopped so suddenly she almost fell over. Did she really just think that?

A shudder fluttered down her spine. She almost ran back up the stairs to put on the hoody again. Taking a deep breath she steadied herself. She was Black Widow. It never mattered if Clint or Loki or God himself liked her outfit. All that mattered was her life and the mission on hand. That's all that ever mattered.

"Jesus Tasha, there you are! We thought you'd been abducted or something." Steve said, his face filled with relief. Poor Steve, always worried about anyone and everyone, she thought with slight disdain and jealousy. It wasn't that she didn't have any empathy, it's just worrying about people never occurred to her in situations where should be worried. Worrying meant caring, and caring meant love. And love ,she told herself sternly, was for children.

"No such luck, Cap." She said with an easy, fake, grin. Her smile almost faltered when she Loki. He was wearing a crisp, light blue shirt and dark trousers that contrasted very nicely indeed. She refrained from biting her lip and picked a spot on the horizon to stare at until they got into the cab. It didn't last very long though.

"Lady Natasha, you look stunning. I must say, even though I'm very partial to green, it suits you better than it does me." Loki said smoothly, but his expression changed very suddenly, his eyebrows knitting together, his cool grin quickly turning into a frown. He looked away from her and began to quicken his pace slightly.

She answered slowly, his sudden mood swing throwing her slightly.

"Well uh… thanks. I guess this is the part where I say you don't look too bad yourself?

Loki waved her off with his hand. "That's a given, quim. The um… horseless carriage is here."

Natasha sat down in her chair glancing around for Clint to sit beside only to find he wasn't there.

"Bruce, where's Clint?" She asked the doctor as he sat down beside her. He shrugged.

"He said he didn't feel like it."

Natasha raised an eyebrow. "And Tony accepted that?"

"Obviously. Well, either that or Tony hasn't noticed yet."

Natasha nodded pulling her chair into the round table, lost in thought. Clint wasn't getting better then. He was getting worse.

"Well Ms Widow, what can you recommend?"

Natasha rolled her eyes. "Tony orders, you'll have to ask him." She answered coolly, placing her napkin over her knees. She noticed Loki smirk, then pull back into his chair.

An hour later and Loki hadn't said another word, at least not to her. Not that she was keeping count or anything. After fixing her used knife and fork on her plate she moved her hands to pick up her napkin, but found nothing there. She had absent mindedly torn it to shreds. With her knowledge of human quirks and movements she knew this only meant two things – nervousness… or a guilty conscience. She let out a quiet gasp dusting the shreds onto the floor. She slowly looked over at Loki, but her was staring right back at her. Her heart quickened to such a point that she couldn't believe nobody else heard it, she could feel the flush creeping into her cheeks. She wasn't used to this. She couldn't take this.

She massaged her temples, using the calming breaths Banner had taught her to use when she was frustrated. Breathe in for four seconds, hold for seven, then out for eight. Repeat…

"Natasha? Are you alright" Bruce asked her quietly. She glanced up to find all the eyes from her table, and a few from others, trained on her. She threw them all a weak smile.

"You know what, I'm not really feeling the best. I think I'll head home early. Sorry Tony."

He shrugged her off nonchalantly, not without losing the look of a kicked puppy. She took off throughout the restaurant without looking back once.

Once she was in the confines of her floor of Avengers headquarters she let out a long-held in scream.

Damn Loki! Damn Norse gods and their undeniable charm and… and… She sighed. God knows what it was that made Loki attractive. Suddenly a thought occurred to her.

What if she wasn't attracted to him? What if he just wanted her to be? Thor had said that Loki's powers were gone, but the dude was the God of Mischief, it was highly likely he had kept some… what if had just jinxed her or something? This was a calming if slightly worrying thought. She could work with jinxed. She could work with anything other than… compromised.

Doing the calming breaths again she thought out her plan. She would confront Loki. She would do whatever was necessary to get the truth out. Next compliment out of his mouth would be his last, she'd make sure of it.

"Lady Natasha? Are you quite well?" Loki asked, his voice slightly muffled from outside the door.

"You've lost the privilege to call me that." She answered opening the door, gesturing for him to come inside.

"Oh, whatever have I done now?" He said teasingly, slightly worried inside.

"You know exactly." She muttered darkly

"Was it because I called you quim?" He asked confused, desperately racking his brain trying to find what he had done to lose her favour so quickly.

"What have you done to me?" She whispered softly, thought the tone didn't reach her expression.

"Nata - Agent Romanoff, I don't know what you mean," He answered gently, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Why don't you tell me what I have done, so that I may win your favour again."

"Why don't you just wave your hand and make me like you again?" She said suggestively, hoping she wouldn't have to spell it out for him.

"Wave my… You do not think I have hypnotized you in some way do you?"

She shrugged. "You did it to Clint easily enough."

His eyes flashed angrily. "You know very well that I have lost my abilities! I am a man , an ordinary, dull man now, just like your Clint!" He shouted shaking her slightly.

"I can't make a feather levitate, and you think I've clouded your mind, to make you like me? I don't even know if I'm immortal anymore!"

"I just thought…" She started, but Loki scoffed.

"You thought, that I must have tricked you because, there's no reason on earth that you'd be able to relate to me Black Widow is there? Is there!? Well let me tell you this, miss Natalia, you relate to me because we are the same, you and I, and whatever feelings you have towards me, or I have towards you are completely natural, you understand? And they are nothing to do with my now non-existent powers, understand? Nothing!" He finished seething, turning away from her abruptly. Natasha choked back a sob, she refused to cry in front of anybody let alone him. They were silent, for how long neither of them knew, Loki's words still hanging in the air, like a poisonous gas that might suffocate them at any moment.

Wiping her eyes, Natasha approached him gently, like you would an injured wild dog. She placed her hand on his shoulder drawing him in closer to her.

"I'm sorry."

The words struck him harder that a physical hit. No one other than Thor had ever apologised to him before. And Thor rarely ever meant it.

He didn't really know how to answer so he just nodded, resting his forehead against hers, their breath mingling together.

"I forgive you." He said in a hushed whisper, not sure if the words were correct, or even if anybody used the phrase.

They stayed like that, so close, inches apart, moving closer at a millimetre a minute. And Natasha didn't know what would have happened if Clint hadn't walked in.

"Tasha?" He muttered groggily. "I heard shouting, what's going on?"

They broke apart almost harshly.

"Nothing." Loki said swiftly. "I was just enquiring after Agent Romanoff's health. Goodnight to you." He said striding out the door, before turning slightly at the door frame.

"Goodnight, Natasha" He repeated, asking without asking if I was okay to use her given name again. And she nodded.