GREEN WITH ENVY
OLIVIA COMES INTO THE DREAMSPACE SIMMERING. Loki hardly seems to notice, instead humming.
“Finally asleep?” he drawls half-teasingly. “I think I’ve met bats that sleep better than you.” Olivia drops into a chair, huffing out a sigh. He opens his mouth to make another remark.
“I love the banter, babe, really; but can we not, for once? Really not in the mood,” Olivia interjects, and he can hear the last thread of her patience about to snap.
“Ooh,” he hums, raising one eyebrow with a small smirk. “Someone’s testy tonight. Any occasion?” Olivia takes a deep breath, then sighs it out, slumping with exhaustion.
“Met with the ex-girlfriend today,” she replies tiredly, rubbing her face. “She’s a reporter now, apparently; wanted an interview with one of the Avengers in exchange for keeping the secret I’m apparently one of them.” Loki leans forward, furrowing his brows with a judgmental frown.
“Really?” he inquires, sounding borderline disgusted. “And what did you say?”
“I told her where she could shove it,” Olivia replies, as though it should be obvious. “If we’re airing out dirty laundry, I’ve got more than enough on her.” He grins, looking interested now.
“Do tell.” His encouragement only earns him an exhausted look from his girlfriend.
“Come on Loki,” she sighs, “if I tell you, you’re just going to find a way to cause trouble.” He places a hand over his heart with mock offense.
“Trouble? Never. Come on, darling, I won’t tell a soul,” he pledges. She sighs.
“Really, Loki, it doesn’t matter anymore,” she replies. “I’m just ready to be done with the whole thing, and preferably never see her again.” This steals his attention.
“You really are affected,” he comments, his brows drawing together. “Remind me, just what was this relationship like?” Olivia’s head drops, exhausted.
“God,” she sighs, making herself comfortable for what promises to be a long conversation. “I don’t know. I know I loved her, but I can’t even think about her without just remembering MEDUSA.” Loki frowns.
“You loved her?” he repeats; now he’s the one sounding bothered. He scoffs, shuffling a little in place as he suddenly tries to cover his tracks. “I didn’t know you were capable,” he bluffs. Immediately, he winces.
Olivia stills, staring unblinkingly at the the wall her eyes had been when pointed at when he said that.
She doesn’t say anything, just staring at the wall with an unreadable expression, but he can tell he fucked up.
He wants to take it back, but suddenly he feels like she’ll erupt if he dares to do so much as breathe.
Slowly, she turns her head to look at him, rather than the wall, almost expectantly.
He holds his breath as a moment passes.
Then, another.
“I’m going to let that slide,” she decides, her voice calm, “because I know you didn’t mean it. Just this once.”
He releases his breath.
“I didn’t,” he confirms. “I just— I was surprised. You’ve never said you loved someone before.” Olivia sighs deeply, slumping back a little.
“Yeah, well, it’s a short list.”
He’s very careful not to look jealous.
“Is she still on it?” he dares to ask, and thankfully Olivia doesn’t look at him while he’s warring to temper his body language.
“…No,” she settles on. “Not really. It’s just that, y’know, I left her for her safety. And I hurt her a lot. And probably, part of me just still wants to hold on to someone who remembers me before MEDUSA. So, it ends up being a little complicated.”
He forces himself not to ask if he’s on it.
“I see,” he sighs instead. “Everything is complicated with you, isn’t it?”
“Says you,” she fires back, not missing a beat, as if she had been waiting for it, “the fake-dead Norse god-alien prince-criminal pretending to be his own adoptive father because he got arrested for trying to commit genocide, twice. And also trying to kill his brother. Twice. Once under mind control by a different alien war criminal through the medium of a magic rock, trying to obtain a different magic rock, apparently.”
He pauses.
“I’ll give you that,” he concedes. When she lays it all out like that, it is kind of complicated.
“Yeah you should,” she agrees, chuckling. “Anyways, before I forget, Mom texted today and we’re having do-over Christmas next Wednesday, visit will span the whole week. You coming?” He pauses.
“You’re serious,” he concludes, dubious even now. “Your mother really wants me to come into her home, even knowing who and what I am?”
“Yes, so do I tell her to make extra cookies or not?” she nods impatiently, having been over this with him before.
“…fine,” he concedes. “I’ll go with you; but I may not stay the entire week.” She chuckles, a half-smile forming on her face.
“Yeah, expected that,” she muses. “Don’t blame you; I wouldn’t wanna be around Bruce either.”
They laugh together.