Chapter Text
“So why did you run out on Loki?”
I had been sitting in the living room where I knew Loki frequently avoided. Yes, I was ignoring him. But apparently, he had been asking around about me, and that led to Tony coming to sit by me the next day.
I shrugged, not making eye contact. “I wouldn’t call it ‘running’ exactly, more of a fast walk.”
The corner of his mouth curved up into a smile. He knew something was up, and he was going to do everything in his power to find out.
“Did he scare you?”
“No!”
“Did he try to kiss you?!”
At this suggestion, my whole face went red. Tony looked serious and a little worried when asking. He had told me from the start to stay away so I’m sure a crush on Loki was exactly what he didn’t want to
happen.
“No!” I leaped to my feet and tried to walk away.
“JARVIS close the door.” At his command, all the doors for a clear exit were shut and locked. I groaned. I hated when he did this; it made me feel like a prisoner in our own house. Well, I was a prisoner, but I felt it now more so than before.
“Tony!” I exclaimed. “We talked about me not being a prisoner and yet here we are!”
He ignored my accusations and continued to stay seated on the couch. “Dana, talk to me. Why did you leave in such a hurry?”
I sighed. There was no way I could keep completely silent without Tony thinking Loki had hurt me in some way, which was the opposite of the truth.
But I couldn’t tell him about the mark. No way. He already viewed me as different, and I didn’t want to give him another reason to keep me from being an Avenger.
So, I had to pick the hard way out. The truth.
“Okay, fine! I have a teensy tiny crush on him…”
“Dana!”
“But it’s not a big deal! He wouldn’t ever like me back. It’s just an infatuation!”
He didn’t respond. He checked me over, my flushed face, my downcast eyes, my shaking hands. He could see right through me, I was sure.
“That’s all it better be,” he said sternly.
When he left I took a huge gulp of breath. He obviously didn’t believe me fully but thank god he let it go. However, I knew he was going to watch me more closely, along with Loki. I groaned at that. Loki had just gained some sort of freedom, and I had probably taken it away from him
God, I’m a mess.
I decided to lock myself into my rooms when JARVIS finally unlocked the doors (which took a minute of arguing since he was being a little asshole yet lovable). I lied on my bed and took a short nap before I was called for dinner.
Thor got me this time. We went to the kitchen and ate with the rest of the team. I almost froze on the spot when I saw Loki there, but Tony’s eyes were on me and I couldn’t make a scene.
What was worse is that the only seat open was right next to him. How poetic. I glared at Tony feeling he had a part in this. He didn’t give anything away except for the amusement in his eyes. Oh, how I wanted to hit him.
I took my seat and tried to concentrate on the Chinese food Steve had ordered for us. It went without incident until Loki believed everyone was yelling over one another enough that he could speak to me without being heard.
“May I ask why you ran from me the other day?” he asked without looking up from his plate of food, acting casual. Maybe he knew we were being watched, too.
I took a bit of sesame chicken. “I forgot that I had to call my parents,” I lied. “They… would have killed me if I missed another scheduled Facetime.” I laughed it off as if I was being silly.
Loki kept eating and not looking at me. Then said, “I thought we agreed to no lying.”
“I don’t necessarily remember agreeing to it, only that you said it was in my best interest not to.”
“It is.”
“That may be so, but I believe I know better than most what is in MY best interest—”
Loki chuckled slightly. “Miss Bahar, you are most fascinating.”
“I would say that I am impressed you learnt my last name, but then again, it was never a secret.”
“I did not intend for it to come off as such. I simply mean to point out that you, my darling, are extremely intriguing.”
I rolled my eyes. I was intriguing to him because I was powerful. Not that I would let him use me in such a way, but that’s where my mind wandered to when looking for a reason as to why he thought me interesting.
“I’m sorry to say that I am rather boring,” I commented back.
Only Thor realized that Loki and I were engaging in a battle of wits. His small smile and constant looks at us gave his position away easily. The rest of them were thankfully occupied in an argument over who was the best cook in the tower.
“Doubtful,” he purred. “To me, you’re a diamond in the middle of this filthy planet.”
Was that a compliment? He called me a diamond… WHAT?
“Thank you?” It came out as a question, unsure of his intentions.
“It was meant as a compliment little one,” he laughed.
“You know, I’m not so little anymore,” I snapped back.
Finally, Loki turned to me for the first time that night and looked me in the eyes. “To me you are, little one.”
When dinner was over, I was headed to the library to pick up a new book for the night. The conversation between Loki and I at dinner was still replaying in my head. I was imagining things, right? He was being… different with me.
As I was contemplating his strange behavior, I was stopped by a strong hand holding my wrist just above my bracelet. My heart started pulsating.
“Meet me outside in the gardens tonight, little one. I would like to have a word with you in private.”
Then just like that, Loki was gone.