The Widow Out West
Natasha had just finished her bi-monthly meeting with the memorial committee and suddenly felt the presence of someone approaching her. Looking over, her eyes widened in surprise at the sight of her alien friend.
“Sylvie!” Natasha said in alarm, but quickly recovered, “when did you get here? And how did you know where to find me?”
“I have my ways,” Sylvie smirked as a Loki sauntered up beside her.
“A little green birdy told us,” Loki grinned until Sylvie nudged him in the ribs with a look of mild annoyance.
“Ahh, I see,” Natasha said, “If anyone I would’ve thought Tony’d be the one keeping tabs, but I suppose it’s more flattering this way.”
“Stark is also largely to blame in this instance, yes,” Loki said casually earning another look of reproach from Sylvie.
“Loki would you be a dear and kindly piss off for a while? I’d like to speak to my friend without the extra commentary on the side.”
Loki huffed and kissed her cheek briefly, “as you wish my love, it was lovely to see you Natasha,” he waved then turned and headed off toward the visitor center to mess with tourists.
Sylvie turned back to Natasha and grinned mischievously, “Now, the way I hear it, you’re already getting plenty of attention… is he here? Vandalizing this memorial with you?”
“Oh wow, Bruce really is keeping tabs, I wouldn’t have thought he would be the jealous type after all these years… and no, he is not here; more importantly we’re not vandalizing anything.”
Natasha picked up a messenger bag which sat on a nearby bench and stowed her clipboard into it before pulling it onto her shoulder.
“But it’s true then? You’re spending your nights fighting petty crime? He must really be something…” Sylvie teased airily.
Natasha rolled her eyes, “It’s a nice change of pace, helping people on a smaller scale…”
Sylvie quirked her head slightly and Natasha began walking knowing her friend would keep pace easily.
“It’s… rewarding, strangely so. And he’s supported my effort to help families—reconnecting and removing their returned loved ones from the memorial.”
Natasha looked pointedly at the stone slabs as they passed, “It’s been nice to have a partner, someone I can rely on who doesn’t see me as a mercenary.”
Sylvie smiled warmly shaking her head slightly, “And you saidIhad it bad…”
Natasha laughed and shoved her gently, “You did, still do from the looks of it,” she smiled softly, “I really do enjoy being with him—not having to pretend when we’re together… I never feel pressured to talk when I don’t want to, and he sees me clearer than anyone ever has…” Natasha chuckled quietly, “…ironically.”
“Why is that ironic?” Sylvie asked looking a little confused.
“Never mind—I suppose it’s just nice to feel like I can be myself.”
“I know the feeling,” Sylvie sighed, “the sappy git takes me at my worst and never judges me for it… I hate how much I love it…”
Natasha laughed at that, “I think you just love to hate things.”
“Also quite possible,” Sylvie deadpanned.
“I can’t even imagine how the two of them would interact,” Natasha said with amusement.
“Why…? Is he rather serious?”
“Not outside work, he’s a smooth talker like Loki, talks for a living in fact, so he might actually give Loki a run for his money,” Natasha grinned.
“Well Loki isn’t always as clever and eloquent as he likes to think he is,” Sylvie said playfully.
“I think that’s just around you,” Natasha smirked, “he’s a bit out of sorts whenever you’re near.”
Sylvie shook with laugher, “he does get rather flustered sometimes, especially when I point it out to him.”
“You’re his Achilles heel,” Natasha grinned, “lucky for him that he’s yours too.”
Sylvie opened her mouth to argue but ended up laughing and shaking her head instead.
“In a different way,” Sylvie clarified unnecessarily, “I’ve somehow lost my immunity to his unbearably sincere and amorous attentions.”
“Mmm, that doesn’t sound so bad,” Natasha teased in a sultry tone earning another small shove from Sylvie who grinned despite herself.
“What about your mystery man? Does he wax poetic over you?”
“From time to time,” Natasha said softly, “he’s more tactile… he speaks best through touch…”
Sylvie lifted an eyebrow knowingly, “I knew there was a reason you were glowing, sounds like my kind of man.”
Laughing happily Natasha came to a stop at a bench facing the ocean.
“It isn’t always sexual, he just sort of… sees the world differently…” she climbed onto the bench, sitting on the backrest with her feet on the seat and hanging her bag on the corner.
Natasha was quiet for a moment as she mulled something over, “I would love for you to meet him, Sylvie… but he tries to maintain his anonymity under the mask…”
“Tasha. Who am I going to tell? I literally only know you and the other Avengers here on Earth and it’s not as if Stark and I are penpals,” Sylvie rolled her eyes as she climbed onto the bench herself.
Natasha grinned, “that’s the only reason I even consider the idea. I’ll have to ask Matt, or at the very least warn him, but I’m sure I can bring him around.”
Sylvie smiled, “and are the gents to meet one another as well?”
“—I’ll work on that, and to that end I should probably warn you for the sake of his patience—Matt is technically blind.”
Sylvie blinked at her for a moment.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“His eyes don’t work. He doesn’t use them to see—I told you he sees the world differently…” Natasha tried to explain.
“And how exactly does that work?” Sylvie asked curiously.
“He has… heightened senses. His hearing is far superior to any normal human, as is his sense of smell and touch—so he sees more than what is in front of him, it’s like he sees everything.”
“That sounds exhausting,” Sylvie frowned and Natasha chuckled.
“I know it’s difficult for him sometimes, but he spent a long time learning to use it to his advantage, and now… well, Matthew’s one of the most remarkable people I’ve ever met…” Natasha blushed faintly.
Sylvie smiled genuinely, “he must be, I’ve never seen you like this,” she placed a hand on Natasha’s arm softly, “I’m happy to see you so at ease, it’s the highest endorsement of his character that anyone could give.”
Natasha smiled warmly, “Thank you, Sylvie. It’s nice to have a friend I can be myself with—even if she’s rarely on Earth.”
Sylvie laughed and Natasha hopped off the bench with a grin.
“Come on, I was planning to pick up something to eat on my way to Matt’s this afternoon—why don’t you and Loki go get settled at some expensive hotel and I’ll see what I can do about drinks with him later.”
“Here,” Natasha dug around in her bag and pulled out a scrap of paper which she jotted down a phone number on, “This is my new number.”
“Oh, I ditched the mobile you gave me when I heard about Tony’s tracking.”
Natasha laughed, “Understandable, I did the same. Well, call me from your hotel or get yourself a phone and let me know how I can reach you.”
Sylvie nodded and tucked the paper into her pocket.
“I’m glad you found me, Sylvie… part of me thought I’d never see you again… but I’m happy that part was wrong.”
Sylvie smirked, “You can’t get rid of me that easily, it would take a lot more than ‘Sorcerer Supreme Stephen Strange’ to keep me away.”
“Good,” Natasha nodded, “Then I’ll hopefully see you tonight. Now, go collect your troublemaker before he starts an incident and makes getting Matt to meet him even more difficult.”
Natasha gave Sylvie a warm hug and headed off to run her errands. After her friend had gone Sylvie sighed and went to find Loki lurking around the visitor center.
A small crowd had gathered around him as Loki performed overly elaborate street magic, reveling in the cheers and adulation of the tourists.
Sylvie rolled her eyes as she approached and watched for a moment as he transformed a woman’s visitor brochure into real flowers and people gasped and clapped.
Finally spotting her, Loki grinned cheekily and announced he would do one final trick. Pulling a long silk scarf from his sleeve, he shook it out to reveal it was as tall as him and black as night.
People ‘Oo-ed’ and ‘Ah-ed’ as he held it out in the wind like a matador, then with a sudden swoosh he pulled it around and disappeared behind it.
The crowd watched as the scarf fluttered into the air where the wind carried it and Loki appeared just behind Sylvie, out of their line of sight.
“For all their bluster, Midgardians do love to be deceived,” Loki said with amusement.
Sylvie shook her head softly, “And you, min elskede, love to be the center of attention.”
“Of course, is this news to you?” Loki said with a smug raise of his eyebrow.
Sylvie took his hand and rolled her eyes again but allowed him to kiss her briefly.
“Let’s go find a hotel, Natasha gave me her new number and we’re hopefully going to see her tonight.”
“Mm hotel? I like the sound of that,” Loki grinned and Sylvie winked before leading him off to head back to the road.