Hey! I know I promised you fluff, and so I have delivered, and like 98% is all fluffy, but there's that 2% that needed to be there to at least hint at what's going to happen in the rest of story. Thanks to Moriarty-assbutt, AlisonAPD and TheEmoVanity for their wonderful reviews (TheEmoVanity- so many reviews, thank you so much! ^_^) Also special thanks to AlisonAPD for the beautiful cover she made for my humble story! HAVE YOU SEEN TTDW YET? IF YOU HAVE OMGOMGOMG IF YOU HAVEN'T PREPARE TO CRY WHEN YOU DO. Happy reading. :)

Chapter 10

Loki woke up in a cold sweat, his breathing heavy, crying out into the dark. He only stopped when a slim, cool hand rested on his shoulder.

"Hey, it's okay. It was a dream… just a nightmare." Natasha muttered soothingly, kissing his bare shoulder softly. Loki reached back pulling her closer to him.

"First one in a while." He remarked, still focusing on the confusing images rushing through his mind. Natasha frowned, making Loki grin.

"Don't take offense, love. I knew I wouldn't get a permanent break from them. It's nothing to do with you." He leaned over, kissing her gently.

"What time is it?" He asked quickly trying to find his watch in the dark?"

"5:15… I'd better leave." Natasha said quickly standing up to gather her clothes.

"Is that really necessary?" Loki muttered, wincing when she turned on the light.

"You never know when Tony decides to do a wake-up call, or when Steve or Clint want to go jogging or something. And if they walk in to find that I'm not there, and that my bed hasn't been slept in, what will they think?" She said with a smirk at Loki's scowl. He knew she was right. They didn't want any awkward questions. Not just yet.

"So Reindeer Games, less than two months left. Are you considering redemption yet?" Tony asked, raising an eyebrow. Loki rolled his eyes.

"One think I pride myself on, Stark, is my obstinacy."

"Meaning," Steve interjected, sitting down beside them, "that you're stubborn."

"Say it as you will. I'm not apologising." Loki answered, before rising up from the table, but Tony called him back again.

"Whoa, I'm not done with you yet," He said loudly, pulling him back down again by his sleeve.

"What now?" Loki said warily, at Tony's expression. It as one he knew very well- the look you had when you were about to blackmail someone.

"So," he began, "I was about to settle down for the night when Pepper asked me to get something from her office. Me, being the perfect gentleman that I am, went down to get it for her. As you know, the quickest way to the offices is past the fourth floor bedrooms… i.e. your room. As I passed, I was aghast to hear some very questionable noises coming from said bedroom." He paused to acknowledge Loki's look of guiltiness, and Steve's look of confusion and then horror.

"So, Loki, you old dog you… Who is she?"

"Who's who?" Natasha asked setting her tray down beside Loki. She missed the fleeting looks of 'go away' Loki was throwing her.

"The poor girl Loki entrapped in his bed last night." Tony said with glee.

Natasha thanked her lucky stars that she had years of training to deal with these situations, and that Loki as the God of Lies and stuff probably knew how to handle them too.

There was silence for a few seconds before Tony started getting impatient.

"Now we're all grown-ups, Loki of Asgard, there's no need to be embarrassed."

Loki groaned softly before making up a lie in his head.

"One of those secretary women you have all over the place." He said swiftly taking a drink, using the opportunity to glance at Natasha. She was wearing her signature mask of indifference, with a mild curiosity thrown into the mix. In Odin's name, she was good at this. Perhaps even better that he was.

"Well, I would ask which one, but I'm not in the habit of being on a first name basis with my employees, so I wouldn't know."

"Good, seeing as I'm not comfortable discussing the subject with the people I'm supposed to be at war with." Loki said coolly.

"Here, here!" Steve muttered raising his glass in agreement.

"We're going to have to pay a secretary to play along- Tony's not going to forget this." Natasha murmured into Loki's neck.

"Or, we could just tell him I'm courting you and have done with it?"

Natasha stifled a laugh. "Is that what this is? You're courting me?"

"I'd like to think so." Loki mused in mock seriousness. "We probably should have a chaperone or something. Thor might do, I can see him as the over-protective Nurse…" Natasha did laugh at that, then feeling slightly guilty for laughing at her team-mate.

"Are we going to tell them?" He asked turning on his side to face her.

"Maybe when you've announced your redemption."

"Oh, so never then."

Natasha looked at him, her expression suddenly serious.

"Loki, you aren't going to keep this… Mighty God thing up forever are you? You like us, don't even deny it; you're like… bros or something with Tony." She answered hating the most apt term she could think of.

"True, I do enjoy Stark's company." He conceded, nodding with her words.

"And then there's me…" She continued, trailing off with a blush.

"And then there's you." He repeated with a smile.

"And what am I exactly? Is there a word for what I am to you?" She said quietly, nuzzling into his arm.

"Other than lover?" He said with a smirk. She shuddered at description used about her so often in the past.

"Other that lover, please."

He thought for a moment, before letting out a sigh.

"I don't think there's an actual word to describe what you are to me right now. A comfort seems too little; a need seems to rash… So I'll try some other way."

"Less than a month ago, I would feel physically ill at the idea of having to apologise to your people, or grovel for forgiveness at Odin's feet, but now… Whenever I imagine one of those scenarios in my head, I'd like to think that you'd be beside me, or be waiting for me back on Earth, and in truth, it gives me strength. You make me stronger. You'd make it all worthwhile in the end." He finished quietly, glancing at her from the corner of his eye, both afraid and longing to see her expression. He didn't see much though, since before he could react she kissed him, puling herself as close to him as physically possible.

"Always the poet." She said softly against his lips.

The pain was unbearable. Like somebody was ripping him limb from limb. The Other glared at him, malice in his eyes, his features filled with delight at his pain.

"Tell me, what hurts more? This, or when you're brother triumphed over you on Midgard?"

He didn't answer, only looked on in horror at Natasha limp, lifeless body in front of him.

He tried not to wake up Natasha as he stole out onto the small balcony. Breathing in the cold night air, he knew he was going to tell her that they weren't nightmares.

He'd had premonitions before.