One Day
All others but Nat are in the common room, Loki finds upon exit, where all eyes to him avert and everyone tenses. This allergic reaction never ceases to amuse him; he lets this show, sauntering into the open kitchen, fills up the kettle and flicks it on, searching the cabinets.
So shocking it is that Clint can’t keep his mouth shut. “You didn’t actually break out cause Tony asked you to come. What he calls, you answer, is that how it is?”
“Barton,” Steve warns.
“Isn’t it?” Pouring a cup Loki chuckles.
“Tis flattering the measure of effort you exert puzzling out my intent.”
“Which ain’t a lot, not if said puzzle centers Tony Stark.”
Vexation he veils facing the hawk, stirring the mug. “Why Barton, you sound awfully obsessed.”
“Me?!”
He hears as does Thor, when that bedroom door opens. That Tony doesn’t appear indicates he’d opted to eavesdrop. Barton babbles on: “I don’t spend the better part of every day glued to his side.” Loki continues to stir nodding along with faux-focus. “Let him ramble on about tech, or play chess and watch movies with him till four in the morning!” A step the mage neared
that alone was a threat though Clint stood his ground. Coolly Loki said: “I’m sorry to hear you’ve lost hours of sleep stalking us.”
“Yeah cause who’s to say you won’t go whack and try and kill him. Again.” Of course this is brough up. Many times it has been behind his back or before him
and each time Tony would argue for him reason for him – Loki loathes him for it.
“Oh look how deeply you care, or merely waiting to see when I would indeed snap, knowing your fall would follow soon after,” a hiss frigid and low – he loathes the thought that one day, Tony will listen one day reasons will fail to suffice – one day Tony will see.
“Loki enough,” Thor interjects, afraid that Tony will see.
[You’re both prone to exaggerate.] Because Tony has seen.
Loki at his very worst. He has seen him destroy and take.
He has seen Loki at his lowest points. He’s seen greens gloss over in tears, he’s seen remorse in the eyes on him trained when they had hurt him.
He has seen in them else.
“You guys having a party without me?” teased humorless approaching.
“You aren’t missing much,” Loki answered lips curling.
“Good. Looks lame,” follows him to the kitchen shooting Clint a heated glare because Clint has not seen.
Along the counter Loki slides the cup towards him indicates it. “What is it?” Tony asks.
“Just drink,” Loki says.
They have not seen him, engrossed in his stories in his magic in new knowledge. They have not seen humor and mirth, they’ve seen no concern no fondness, like now. This shade in his eyes that has Tony reach for the cup, pull it up. These eyes on him remain as he breathes in the flowery scent of the greenish liquid he likely wouldn’t be caught dead drinking. “Better not be tea.” Loki doesn’t respond but with this calm, amiable look he sometimes directs his way, that he hasn’t seen aimed anyone else’s way, has him sip, long of the warm, herbal brew that washed down his sore throat. “Traitor,” he murmurs, lightness in his tone and Loki smiles.
“Finish it,” he says his silk voice quiet and soft that it sounds more requesting than asking, and Tony doesn’t take well to orders, being told what to do yet the mug remains in his grasp as he follows Loki out the kitchen further into the room,
ignoring the looks from Thor who has heard, and Bruce who has seen.
Bruce holds out a takeout bag of chicken wraps Tony plucks along the way, to set top the table Loki at sat, seating himself in the chair across as Nat steps out of another room and Clint asks her: “What’d he say?” She shrugs.
“So long as he stays under Thor’s supervision. He can stay.” Loki’s distaste towards the notion shows whilst Clint’s arms flail and Steve asks:
“And the contact?”
“We’re meeting with her tomorrow.”
“You guys wanna fill us in?” Bruce prompts so they do. An op like most others of those undercover only this time Tony’s needed in person and in guise. He’s to sneak into the facility via determined route, hack the mainframe retrieve critical intel. The complexity of this phase’s being explained when Loki interjects:
“Your odds of success would considerably elevate, if I were to accompany Stark.” Tony paused mid-chewing, stunned like the rest, though simultaneously intrigued. Clint laughs. Disregarding the pair faced one another, Tony determining Loki’s level of seriousness on the matter that Loki lets show plainly, whilst Steve concludes:
“No.” And of course Thor eagerly argues:
“Why not?”
“Why not??” exclaims Clint. Loki unpockets his buzzing phone to find from Tony a text asking:
‘are you serious’
‘yes’
‘come anyway’ Stark sets down his cell, Loki later as well as the others debate still:
“That isn’t-” and Tony interrupts:
“He’s joking,” to which silence trails. Loki adds smiling smugly:
“Obviously.”
“Good, good. Because obviously we don’t trust you,” Clint points out for the billionth time, “or your sudden eagerness to help us infiltrate a secret government facility for the good of mankind.” Thor stressed:
“But Loki would be of great aid-” Bruce calls:
“It’s just. Not now, not now. This is, too risky as is.”
“Oh right because sending him in all but defenseless poses no risk at all,” Loki drawls wryly. Clint scoffs:
“Right cause his wellbeing is your top priority.”
“It’s clearly of no priority to you.”
“Are you-”
“Fury won’t agree,” Nat adds, “and Bruce is right. Not now,” she gives Loki a look he returns unfazed. Quite done with this charade Tony stands.
“Right. That was tasteless,” sets the half-eaten sandwich down. “Think we can all agree it has been a long day so enough plotting and everyone chill, yeah?” He pats Loki’s arm twice so Loki’ll follow and he does, back into the room they’d claimed as theirs.