Don’t Ask
Loki and Sylvie stood staring at the place Strange’s portal had closed.
“What a colossal arse,” Sylvie muttered bitterly.
Loki chuckled and turned to give her a slightly sheepish smile.
“I apologize for once again allowing my feelings to get the better of me… I don’t react well to ill words directed at you,” he confessed.
“I know, but you need to trust me to take care of myself, Loki,” she looked at him sternly.
Loki sighed, “You’re right, of course… I know full well how capable you are. You survived a very long time on your own, watching your own back. But you’re not alone anymore… and you shouldn’t have to fight every battle by yourself.”
Sylvie smiled softly, “Well it wouldn’t have been a battle at all had you not reacted so rashly…”
“Perhaps not…” Loki huffed in acquiesce.
“That being said… the way you broke those binds of his was… quite exhilarating.”
Sylvie’s eyes danced with mischief as she quirked a flirtatious grin at him. Loki lit up at the compliment, delighted by not just her words but the very fact she had actually felt comfortable saying them.
“Was it?” He stepped a bit closer to place his hands on her hips, “I could have done far worse had I wished to truly injure him…”
“Mm, I’m sure… he’s lucky you’ve gone so soft,” she teased as she placed her hands on his lapel.
“Well, I wouldn’t quite say that,” he gave her a cheeky grin which caused Sylvie to roll her eyes.
“You didn’t get enough this morning?” She raised her brow incredulously.
“When it comes to you? I’ll never have enough,” he murmured affectionately and leaned down to kiss her.
Sylvie hummed softly against his lips as his arms slipped around her waist. Wrapped in Loki’s embrace was rapidly becoming one of Sylvie’s favorite places to be.
His arms were so wonderfully strong and comforting, yet he was always careful not to squeeze her too tight. She thought perhaps all of Thor’s bear hugs had taught him what not to do, and for that she was quite grateful. So many years on the run had made Sylvie wary of physical restraint of any kind, but when Loki held her she never felt anything but safe.
Sylvie pulled back softly to rest her forehead against his.
“You need to talk to your brother,” she said gently.
“That’s certainly one way to break the mood,” Loki grumbled making Sylvie chuckle softly.
“There will be plenty of time for your moods after we leave, for now… you need to speak to Thor.”
“He will be upset,” Loki said sadly.
“Yes. But he will understand, and if he doesn’t, then you will make him understand,” she said with a quiet confidence which reassured him.
“Perhaps I could just throw Strange under the bus…” Loki said half jokingly.
Sylvie snorted a laugh quietly, “As amusing as that sounds—I think it would probably only cause more problems. Do you want me to help explain things?”
“No…” Loki sighed, “he should hear it from me… I’ve made enough excuses for myself in the past. I’ll be sure Thor sees reason. But thank you, for the offer—I really couldn’t do any of this without you.”
“Then it’s a good thing you don’t have to,” Sylvie said rather smugly. She gave him a final kiss before pulling back to drag him along behind her to the elevator.
“I don’t suppose you have any idea as to where we should look first for my brother? Would the commissary be too obvious…?” Loki asked with a raised brow as the doors closed and they began to ascend.
He looked to Sylvie who he was surprised to find texting on the phone Natasha had given her.
“Oh dear, don’t tell me you’re turning into a Midgardian teenage girl?” He asked in a rather teasing voice.
“Piss off, I was actually doing you a favor,” Sylvie said with a huff.
Loki smirked with amusement, “Is that so?”
“It is,” Sylvie said haughtily as she stuffed the phone in her pocket. “I asked Natasha where Thor was but seeing as you’d rather be an arse I’m not telling.” She feigned indigence and crossed her arms.
Loki couldn’t help but smile like the fool he was for her. He stepped close behind Sylvie and wrapped his arms gently around her midsection. Pressing a soft kiss to the shell of her ear briefly he hummed quietly.
“Forgive me love, what a thoughtless jest—however shall I repent?”
“Hmph, I’ll think of something…” she said with exaggerated petulance.
“Then let me begin my apology…,” he said softly as he brushed his lips tenderly down her neck, “with attentive kisses…” he worked down to her clavicle, “and the promise of more to come…” Sylvie’s breath hitched, “…in the near future.”
The elevator doors opened on the top floor where Natasha was just pulling a bag over her shoulder.
“Well—my, my, seems the honeymoon’s not over,” she teased with a side smirk.
Loki began to release her gently and Sylvie coughed self consciously, eyes downcast on the elevator floor as she blushed.
“Loki, your brother is taking a nap over there on the couch—had a few too many bottles of Ouzo last night.”
“Ah, then I shall take my leave of you ladies for the time being,” he cleared his throat a little shakily, “Thank you, Natasha. Sylvie… I’ll find you after I speak with Thor.”
He stepped out of the elevator with a polite bow of his head before heading to check on the snoring God. Natasha held a hand up in farewell before pressing the down button on the elevator.
“I see you two had quite an evening last night…” Natasha grinned with barely repressed amusement.
Sylvie blushed furiously and elbowed her friend earning a laugh from the other woman.
“I don’t mean anything by it,” she said with a good-natured smile, “—I just can’t help teasing when you two look so damn smitten with each other.”
Sylvie smiled softly and glanced at her friend, “it’s new for me—all this… I suppose I’m still learning how to balance friendship and romance… I’ve never really had either…” she sighed, “and Loki is so bloody maddening all the time. Makes it difficult to focus when he’s around.”
Natasha chuckled softly, “Sure sounds like a first love to me…” as she stepped out of the elevator toward the commissary.
“Does it?” Sylvie followed looking a little bewildered.
“You struggle to care about anything besides seeing their face…”
Natasha smiled fondly as she started to make them coffee.
“…and just the feel of their hand in yours is enough to ease your worries…”
Sylvie pulled a stool up to the kitchen island, resting her chin on her hand as she leaned over the counter with a pout.
“Ugh am I really such a cliché?”
“Don’t worry about it, there’s a reason people fall in love every day—”
Natasha pulled two mugs from the cupboard and set them down carefully.
“—it makes all the chush' sobach'ya feel a little easier.”
Sylvie laughed softly, “I never thought I’d have time for something as… pedestrian as love. I guess I’m not so different after all…”
Natasha rolled her eyes, “Falling in love doesn’t make you ordinary, Sylvie. It just means you have a heart—embrace it, it’s a gift.”
Sylvie sighed as she accepted the drink from Natasha, sniffing it and crinkling her nose.
“Just try it you big snob,” Natasha teased before taking a sip of her own coffee, “you know, I never really believed in soulmates… but if ever two people shared one soul, it would be you and Loki.”
Out in the hall they heard the elevator ding and a casual whistling as someone approached.
“I smell coffee, hope you made one for me—” Tony turned the corner into the kitchen area and smiled at the two women.
“Ladies! If it isn’t our newest dynamic duo—I gotta ask Sylvie, how did you like the restaurant? Properly set the mood to… how to put it delicately? ‘Dance the night away’…?” Tony waggled his eyebrows at Sylvie knowingly.
“The restaurant, was lovely, Tony,” Sylvie said haughtily. “Any subsequent dancing is no business of yours—”
“I knew you two just needed to get a room!” Tony grinned and placed a hand over his heart, “and I’m honored to have provided it—just think of me as your personal Cupid.”
Sylvie rolled her eyes and took a wary sip of her coffee as the billionaire went to pop a coffee pod in the nearby espresso maker.
“Cool it, Hef, just because you did something nice doesn’t mean you get to pry,” Natasha glared at Tony.
“No prying intended,” Tony said as he held a hand up as if to swear in court, “I only wanted to show support of my new favorite celebrity couple, I promise I’m not looking for details.”
Natasha smirked and looked at Sylvie, “That makes one of us…”
Sylvie gave her a conspiratorial grin, “Probably for the best Tony, the details might make you blush. The man is a God after all…”
She teased mischievously before taking another drink of her coffee enjoying the little turning of tables as Tony made a slightly queasy face.
“Alright that’s about all the Loki lovin’ I can handle for one lifetime, next topic please.”
He retrieved his fresh espresso, adding cream and sugar before tasting it.
“You asked,” Sylvie shrugged making Natasha grin even harder.
“She’s right, you did ask.”
“Well then if it pleases the court I’d like to have my question stricken from the record,” he deadpanned as he took a sip his espresso.
“Alright we’ll save that for another time,” Natasha said with amusement, “how’s Morgan feeling about starting school this year?”
Tony’s eyes lit up as he wiped the creamy drink from his upper lip with a grin.
“I honestly don’t know who’s more excited, me or her. Kid’s a baby genius, I can’t wait to see how quickly she picks up algebra—it’s only a matter of time before I get to help her build her first computer.”
“Yeah I don’t think they cover algebra in first grade, Tony—but what do I know? When I was that age they were teaching me how to make an improvised garrote with ballet laces…” Natasha said casually as she sipped her coffee.
“Oh Natasha, if you were vying for the number one slot on my baby-sitting speed dial all you had to do was ask,” Tony said sarcastically.
Natasha rolled her eyes with a fond smirk, “you’re just afraid I’ll teach her to kick your ass…”
“That’s exactly what I’m afraid of—a little rogue sleeper agent in my house who knows all my weaknesses. No, I think I’d rather let Steve catch up on his Disney movies with her for now thank you very much.”
Sylvie listened quietly, a distracted look on her face as she thought about how things might be if they hadn’t intervened.
She would be sitting here alone right now… and Tony’s daughter would be without a father. Despite his many faults, it was obvious what a devoted parent he was.
It seemed unthinkable to Sylvie that any timeline which would rob a little girl of her father—simply for trying to do the right thing—could ever be considered ‘sacred’.
“—right, Sylvie?” Tony turned to her expectantly, effectively breaking her from her reverie.
“Hm?” She asked somewhat absently.
“You alright?” Natasha asked softly as she studied her friend.
“Yeah… just, just thinking…”
“Oh boy, looks like he’s infected her—somebody get her to a doctor quick!” Tony mimed taking her pulse dramatically before she batted his hand away.
“Do you ever stop?” She huffed irritably.
“Not that I’ve seen,” Natasha said dryly.
“I swear you could give Loki a run for his money with your endless nattering,” Sylvie said reproachfully.
“And unfortunately he doesn’t have that Silver Tongue to make up for it,” Natasha said with amusement.
“Oh ugh GROSS, waaay too much information,” Tony said as he covered his ears childishly.
Natasha rolled her eyes, “have you honestly never heard Thor go on about that? He brings it up in almost every story… ‘And just as the dark orcs turned on us, my brother—the Silver Tongue—blahblahblah’” she crudely imitated Thor making Sylvie laugh.
“You’re telling me you actually listen to Thor when he goes off on one of his stories?” Tony asked incredulously.
Natasha shrugged with an amused smile, “What can I say? I’ve grown to enjoy the big doof and his never ending fairytales—just don’t tell him that.”