Amelie Stark - Remain Permanently Confused
Amelie Stark - Remain Permanently Confused
I was vaguely aware of the morning that was threatening to interrupt my sleep as I scrunched my eyes more tightly shut.
Whatever rubbish we’d been watching last night, I hadn’t lasted long enough to catch the end of it. Whether it was the monotonous movie that had made me drift off or recent events taking their toll, I wasn’t prepared to wake up just yet. As my mind began to wander and the question of how late I'd slept in crossed my thoughts, a sigh of resignation came from my lips. "Friday, what time is it?"
No answer.
“Friday?”
Nothing.
I groaned loudly, flinging an arm out from under the duvet and blindly feeling around for my phone. I encountered a water bottle instead, sending it flying off the bedside and smashing into something with a bang. I bolted upright. I never kept drinks on the same bedside table as my phone for this exact reason. I was way too clumsy, especially in the morning.
An uneasy feeling began to swell inside me as I peered around the unfamiliar room. My vision shifted frantically, desperately searching for something to latch on to and orient myself. Panic battled confusion in my mind as I tried to figure out where I was.
Why on Earth was I not in my own bed?
Quickly I ran through the events of last night in my head. I remembered Thor choosing an old-timey film that no one else had wanted to watch and I could remember the drinks and the takeaway, but for the life of me I could not remember the end of the movie or going to bed.
The knot in my stomach subsided slightly as I spotted the large floor-to-ceiling windows and realised I was still in the tower, but my entire body seemed to constrict in on itself when my eyes landed on a desk. There, perched atop it, was one of the mugs Peter, MJ, and I had bought for Loki.
I sat completely frozen as I looked around the room again, pinpointing more items I recognised as I caught my bearings.
Loki’s room... I had woken up in Loki’s room. Apparently after sleeping in his bloody bed!
No wonder Friday hadn’t answered me, there were no speakers or comms set up in here.
A thought dawned on me suddenly; my heart skipped a beat and my palms began to sweat. My hands flew to my chest and lap, checking for clothes - I still had my loungewear on from last night. A sense of relief washed over me like a balm, and I exhaled audibly.
So nothing like… that had happened, but this still didn't explain what happened. There was no sign of Loki and the bed sheets were so uniform that it was obvious no one had laid down on the other side.
It appeared he’d decided to spend the night elsewhere so that I could have his room, but why had he needed to?
As curiosity and restlessness tugged at me, I pushed back the duvet and got out of bed; needing someone to voice my questions to. It seemed likely that Loki would have gone to the sofas to spend the night. They were more than big enough to sleep on and most of us had passed out there at least once after drinking too much. After his garage, I was certain they were Tony’s favourite sleeping spot. He rarely made it to an actual bed, always choosing instead to pass out wherever he happened to land - be it from over-working or over-partying.
A small smile played at the corner of my mouth as several fond memories of my uncle played across my mind.
I shook the duvet out and tidied the pillows before remembering the bottle I’d sent flying earlier. It had smacked against the door but luckily hadn’t spilt. Picking it up, I returned it to it’s home and found a piece of paper propped up so it faced the bed.
My name was written in elegant script along with a short message:
Amelie,
I apologise for leaving you in my room, I imagine it’ll be quite a shock to wake up away from your own bed.
Rest assured you will be given your privacy. I will not re-enter until you’re awake and up & about.
Yours,
Loki
I cautiously laid the message down and swept my gaze around the room. Satisfied that every trace of my presence had been cleared, I took a few steps back. Loki’s message was overly polite and I got the impression he’d been worried I would be upset after I woke up. A knot of anxiety twisted in my stomach as I realised something must have happened last night—and yet, I couldn't remember drinking a drop...
It was now 9:00am. After detouring to my room to brush my teeth and change my clothes, I headed to the main lounge. As usual, Bucky was in his spot at the island eating his breakfast, but today Loki was sat with him. They weren’t talking, but were instead sat together in a comfortable silence. Loki looked tired but otherwise okay, and both of them smiled as their eyes found me joining them in the kitchen. “Mornin’” Bucky said quietly, nodding before turning his attention back to his cereal.
I smiled before flicking my eyes to Loki, raising my hand slightly in a sort of half wave. His smile grew and I was relieved that he seemed in good spirits. Clearly nothing too awful had happened last night. “Morning. You sleep okay?” I asked him.
He nodded, glancing to Bucky briefly before looking back to me. “I did, thank you. And you?” Loki raised his chin slightly, holding his head high, but he looked a little nervous.
Now unsure if he wanted Bucky to know I’d spent the night in his room, I opted for a safe nod. He smiled, seemingly satisfied, and I turned to busy myself with making my own breakfast. For some reason I now didn’t want to ask my questions in front of Bucky, whether Loki minded or not.
I made two strong coffees and a tea. We all sat quietly, savouring the quiet before whatever chaos today would bring could ruin it. As much as I despised early mornings, I could understand why Bucky cherished these first few hours of his day. Living with the Avengers meant no two days were ever the same and you never knew for sure what was waiting for you once everyone else woke up.