Ghost

Ghost

word count: 6,500

pairing: loki x fem!reader (platonic)

cw: mentions of death, mentions of family struggle, mentions of loss of a loved one, hurt/comfort, mild swearing

summary: You were quiet. Verbally, yes, but physically, too. You have this thing about scaring every one in the tower. All but one.

author's note: Thanks to @crimson25 for the original prompt! It was very very fun to write! Also, thank you all for the patience for this fic. I went thru a bit of a hard time, but I'm a lot better now. You all rock. Hope you enjoy!!!

Apparently, it was a thing you did. For a while, you had no idea you’d even been doing it; the members of the tower refraining from scolding you for it.

Sure, you noticed the gasps and how quickly their heads would whip around to see you standing behind them, but you’d never thought it was because of you. You assumed maybe they’d been doing something that they didn’t want you to see.

That was until this morning when you came across Tony and Natasha in the briefing room discussing a mission report from the day prior. You’d been searching for Nat exclusively in hopes that she would finish telling you the rest of her story about reuniting with her sister, Yelena. She was almost done once she got pulled away by Stark and Rogers to go to Peru, leaving you hanging on the edge of your seat.

By the time she had returned, it was past midnight, so you weren’t going to force her to finish her telling of the tale after she’d just returned home. You weren’t a sadist.

So, you waited until well past morning when the sun was high in the sky. You heard Nat’s raspy voice counter Tony’s condescending tone and decided then and there it was best to wait until they were finished with their conversation.

It didn’t seem secretive by any means considering they were talking loud enough for you to hear down the hallway, so you rested your shoulder on the doorframe, patiently waiting and listening.

“And you’re sure it was an accident?” Stark interrogated her, raising an eyebrow. Nat groaned, her hands wildly gesturing to the billionaire.

“I’m positive, Tony. Why would I have any reason to lie? Barnes is a good Agent and has proved himself time and time again. Why don’t you trust him?”

“Because he used to be a threat, that’s why!”

“Key words: used to! Barnes is past that and you know it. Yes, we got into an argument. Yes, it got heated. And yes, I got stabbed by his knife, but it wasn’t Bucky’s fault. He was about to get floored, so without thinking, I kicked one of the guys in front of him just as he was about to protect himself and he nicked me instead. It was completely my fault.”

Tony was uncharacteristically silent for a few seconds, tapping his pen against the desk. He huffed, then leant down to scribble his signature onto the paperwork. “If anything had happened to you…”

“Aw, Tony,” Nat cut in, jutting her bottom lip out in fake gratefulness. “It actually sounds like you care about me.”

“Don’t get used to it. You know I don’t have emotions.”

Stark slid the piece of paper into a folder and pushed it across the desk just before turning on his heels to head out of the room. Nat followed suit, both of them spotting you in the doorway.

“GEEZ”

“SHIT”

The pair of them jumped and yelled at the same time. Your eyes instantly went wide, their reaction having scared you as well. Tony clutched onto his chest as he gasped to bring air back into his lungs.

“Okay, seriously…” Nat snarled, her hands instinctively covering her eyes in embarrassment. “You have got to stop doing that!”

You raised an eyebrow, looking between the two of them incredulously. “Doing what?”

“Sneaking up on people!” Nat chastised you.

“What are you even talking abou—”

“Ah-ah! I got you figured out, American Bandit,” Tony cut you off. “One more infraction and I’m forcing you to rob banks for a living.”

“You’re like a ghost,” Nat held a hand up in front of Stark, keeping her focus on you. “Haven’t you noticed how edgy everyone seems when they turn a corner and you’re suddenly there?”

“Well, yeah, but I just thought it was because they didn’t like me or something…”

“No, no, you’re just so quiet and…” Nat tilted her head at you in confusion, “…you really didn’t know? You’re not doing it on purpose?”

“I swear I’m not!”

“Well, this talent that you’re completely unaware of will certainly work to our advantage,” Stark said as he began making his way out of the room. “FRIDAY, remind me to send the American Bandit out on more stealth missions.”

“A reminder has been set, sir,” The AI voice spoke. Tony left you standing in bewilderment, along with Natasha, who had something of a silly grin on her lips.

“You really had no idea you were scaring people?” She asked, picking up her belongings and shuffling closer to you.

You shook your head in disbelief. “No, not at all. I mean, I’m kind of new to the team, so I genuinely just thought everyone was on edge when I’m around because they didn’t want me to interact with them.”

“God, no! We all like you. You’re funny and courageous and sharp-witted, but you scare the shit out of us, sometimes,” Nat laughed, pushing you on the shoulder. “It’s actually a little funny now that I think about it; the Earth’s mightiest heroes never see one of our own coming.”

You chuckled along with her, thinking back to other times this might have happened. There was that time with Sam when you’d tapped him on the shoulder to ask if he’d seen Bucky. He’d been in the common room, blissfully unaware, and inhaled sharply once your skin came into contact with his.

Then, there was a different time with Peter. He was in the gym, practicing with his new web shooters on special targets that Tony had made for him. He’d hit the bullseye every time and once he was finished, you applauded and congratulated him. He turned around so quickly you thought he gave himself whiplash and squeaked a little.

Okay, maybe Nat was right.

“Why did you wait until now to call me out on it if you thought I was doing it on purpose?” You questioned her, following her out of the briefing room.

“We all thought you were just trying to be funny… like playing a prank on us.”

“Definitely not,” You replied, letting a breathy laugh come through your nose. “I’m sorry about all of that, then. I’ll try to be more conscious about it in the future.”

And you really did try! You’d walk a little louder than normal and make a bit of noise—like sniffling or clearing your throat when coming down the hall so they’d hear you coming. It worked for a couple of days, but then you’d forgotten to think about it.

It was never something you’d been aware of. It just happened naturally, so when going about your day, it wasn’t on the forefront of your mind.

That proved to be a mistake when you came across Bucky alone in the kitchen where he was making coffee. You had slept well the night before. So well, in fact, that when you woke up, you felt as if you’d been hit by a bus. It was one of those deep sleeps that made you feel a bit disoriented once you woke. Coffee was the only thing that would energize you.

You padded to the kitchen, noticing Bucky pouring his own cup when you arrived.

“Enough for one more?” You asked politely. Bucky instantly jumped, spilling coffee all over the counter and onto the floor.

“Shit!” He hissed, shaking his metal hand out to rid it of the scalding hot coffee. You gasped and rushed over, grabbing a few paper towels and assisting him in cleaning the mess.

“Sorry,” You apologized sheepishly. “Really, really sorry.”

“Agh, it’s fine,” The soldier grumbled, pushing his coffee cup away and taking more paper towels to soak up the liquid. “We gotta get you a bell or something.”

“I’m not doing it on purpose, I swear,” You said, wiping up the last bit of coffee and tossing the paper towels in the trash. “I’m trying to be more self-aware. Obviously, I forgot today.”

“How do you do it?” Bucky asked, resuming his routine. He reached into the cupboard above him, pulling out a mug for you, too. He filled it three quarters of the way so you’d have enough room to put some cream in it. “I mean, how are you always so silent? I didn’t even hear you coming and I have enhanced hearing. I should hear you coming.”

“I don’t know,” You shrugged. “I didn’t even realize it was a thing I did until a couple of days ago when Nat told me.”

“Yeah, you’ve been scaring us all shitless for weeks. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great advantage in the field, but it’s a little embarrassing for a super soldier such as myself to scream every time you walk into a room unannounced.”

You snickered, taking a sip of coffee. “I’ll be more careful next time.”

For days after that, you made sure to announce your presence any time you walked into a room. You’d wear shoes around the tower rather than socks. You’d bump into things on purpose just to make sure everyone heard you.

Sure, it was a little unnecessary, but if it stopped your teammates from jumping and screaming at the sight of you, then you’d do it.

Once the weekend had mostly come and gone, you found yourself aching for some normalcy. Being so aware to look out for everyone else had become tiring. You could never not be on your guard because of the fact that dozens of people lived in the tower and any one of them could be just around the corner.

So, when you were asked to join the Avenger’s in a group setting, you let out a very large and very visible sigh of release.

“Game night, Ghost Rider. You coming?” Tony asked as he came across you in the kitchen flipping aimlessly through a magazine. You rolled your eyes at the nickname, but smiled and leapt off the bar stool to join him at his side.

“That one doesn’t even make sense,” You quipped. The two of you walked down the hall towards the game room Stark had specifically designed for nights like this. A room filled to the brim with television screens, board games, video game consoles, anything you could think of—it was in there.

“Sure it does. You’re quiet and you scare people… Ghost, and you can drive a motorcycle… Rider. They don’t call me a genius for nothing.”

“Just stick to American Bandit and call it a day, would you?” You jabbed him in the ribs with your elbow. “Besides, that one makes me sound cooler than I actually am.”

“Whatever you say, Michael Myers,” Stark jested back. You snickered and entered the room where most of the team had already resided. A chorus of welcomes were heard from the group as you shuffled to the mini fridge to grab a beer, then settled yourself on an open seat next to Wanda.

“First game night with the team,” She openly expressed. “Are you nervous?”

“Whyhy would I be nervous?” You giggled, raising an eyebrow at her.

“We can all get pretty competitive,” Wanda explained. She gestured to Sam and Bucky across from the two of you. “Those two almost killed each other over a game of Scrabble last month.”

“Hey!” Sam shouted, pointing at Wanda then over to Bucky. “He was cheating! He started making up some random ass words that no one knows.”

“They were Romanian words!” Bucky bellowed. “Read a damn book for once.”

“No one else here knows Romanian!”

“I do,” Thor voiced, raising his hand.

“Not the point!” Sam held a hand up in his direction, but kept his eyes firmly onto Bucky. “Wanda speaks Sokovian, Nat speaks Russian, Thor speaks almost every language known to man, and yet, the only cheater I see is you!”

“You’re just mad because you’re stupid and can only speak English!”

“Oh, that’s real mature!”

“Boys!” Natasha yelled over the bickering. “You’re scaring her.”

The room went silent as everyone turned their heads towards you, suddenly mindful of how wide your eyes had gotten during the verbal scuffle. You laughed nervously, shifting in your seat to hide the fact that they had, in fact, intimidated you a bit.

“Serves her right,” Sam said, raising his bottle of alcohol. “She scares us all the time.”

You groaned and buried your face in your hands, embarrassed that this quirk of yours had been brought up. “I don’t know how many times I have to tell you guys, but I’m not doing it on purpose.”

“I think it’s interesting,” Wanda announced, “I mean, yesterday, she took down 4 guys by herself because they didn’t hear her coming. That takes skill.”

“Skillful in the field, terrifying in the tower,” Bucky grumbled, taking a sip of beer. “Every time I turn a corner, she’s there.”

“Raise your hand if Tower of Terror has ever snuck up on you,” Tony addressed the room. To your surprise, every single person had put their hand in the air. “Raising an extra hand for the kid since he’s not here and I know you almost made him pee his pants a couple of times.”

You blushed as you glanced around the room. “Wow, uh…”

“You have the power to scare beings who are not even from Earth,” Nat mentioned, smirking as she nodded to Thor. “Take it as a compliment.”

“Who, pray tell, is scaring others?” A deep, lilted voice asked from the doorway. “And why is it not me?”

Heads turned to see who the voice belonged to, though everyone already knew. Loki’s eyebrows were raised as he awaited the answer to his question.

“Brother! Have you come to join us this evening?” Thor beamed as he moved to make room on the loveseat for him. Loki’s face scrunched up, as if he’d smelled something bad, and he leaned against the door frame, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Absolutely not. I was on my way back to my room from the library since I couldn’t get any peace and quiet,” Loki glared at the two previously bickering men, “and I simply overheard the rest of the conversation. So, who seems to have taken the reigns of mischief around here?”

You instantly sank in your seat, knowing that you were seconds away from being scrutinized by the God of Mischief himself. You’d come across Loki a few times since you joined the team. Once when you sat next to him during your first mission briefing. Another time when you’d accidentally bumped into him when you were texting Nat—he teased you for it, but made sure you knew he was only jesting. And last night when you returned home from a mission and trotted into the kitchen where he was reading and drinking tea. He asked how the mission had gone and you told him it went well.

That was the extent of your relationship with Loki. Acquaintances at best.

Sam, Bucky, and Tony all pointed at you, causing your cheeks to turn crimson. “She’s scared every single person who lives in the tower,” Bucky accused you.

Loki marched into the room, rounding the couch to be able to see your face, and perched himself on the arm of the chair Nat was occupying. “On purpose?”

“No!” You answered a little too quickly. Inhaling sharply, you recovered. “Everyone says I’m too quiet. I sneak up on people by accident.”

“Like the other day when Tony and I were discussing a mission, she’d been standing in the doorway for at least 2 minutes and we had no idea,” Nat commented.

“Or when she came across Vis and I in the park. I nearly jumped out of my skin,” Wanda chimed in, turning to look at you. “Vision likes to say that you were unable to scare him, but I saw him flinch a little.”

You had to smile at that.

“She’s terrified even me, brother,” Thor bellowed. “I was simply enjoying Midgardian television when the young agent snuck up behind me and asked what I was watching. Quiet girl, that one.”

You averted your eyes to the floor, suddenly aware of how everyone else’s had landed on you to gauge your reaction to all of this. Loki’s gaze, in particular. His stare burned a hole through your head as he tried to figure out if you were a match for him. Either as an equal or a threat.

“She has yet to sneak up on me,” Loki muttered, his eyes still locked on you, though talking to the rest of the team as if you were not there. “It would be quite impossible to.”

“See, that’s what I said because of my enhanced hearing, but she surprises me time and time again,” Bucky stated. Loki huffed, albeit good-naturedly, and turned his attention to the super soldier.

“You truly think your serum-enhanced hearing can match that of a God?”

Before Bucky could retort, you butted in. “Guys, it doesn’t matter. I don’t intend on planning to scare anyone.”

“Why not?” Nat asked. “Attempting to scare the one person in the tower who is apparently immune to such would be very funny. Take it as a challenge.”

“I would advise against that,” Loki cautioned, looking to you. You shook your head frantically.

“I would also advise against that!”

“Smart girl,” He smirked.

“Aw, come on! You know you wanna try it,” Sam egged you on. “I’ll pay you $50 if you do it successfully.”

“Sam!” You chastised, though with a grin tugging at your lips. “I’m not going to willingly scare anyone! Especially Loki.”

“Especially Loki? Why especially Loki?” Bucky asked with a grin. These idiots were baiting you. For what, you didn’t know exactly. Possibly to get you in trouble with the God himself. Or maybe to get you to slip up on your words.

“Yes,” Loki hummed. “I’d like to know the answer to that, as well.”

“Anyone have any popcorn? This is getting good,” Tony finished his drink, setting his glass down with a clink. You groaned, your face finding a home in the palm of your hands once more.

“I just mean… like…” You mumbled into your hands before realizing that the room probably couldn’t hear a word you were saying. Sighing in defeat, you lifted your head. “I mean, like, Loki is good at mischief. That’s his thing. Why would I try and challenge that? He’d probably come up with something even worse just to get revenge!”

“Right, you are, darling,” Loki smirked down at you. “It would be wise not to antagonize me.”

“I don’t plan on it,” You forced a tight-lipped smile, trying not to show just how flustered you really were. “Can we, uh, get back to the game now?”

“Yes, I suppose I’ll leave you all to it, then,” the dark-haired God stood and made his way out of the room. The clobbering of his boots could be heard as he disappeared down the hallway. Once the only sound to be heard were the breaths of your teammates, Sam spoke up.

“Seriously, $50.”

“No!”

The room boomed with laughter as the game began and surprisingly, no one brought it up again after that. Despite the fact that you had almost been sabotaged, you finally began to feel like a part of the team.

You were recruited recently; only 6 dollars to your name and the need to avenge. The Avengers hadn’t known about your sister’s death, nor had they known about the team sent to kill her. They only saw what they wanted to see—you taking down the men responsible one by one.

You had left the leader for last, only to make sure that he knew you were coming for him, but the Avenger’s had caught you first. They were destined to throw you in jail and lock away the key, but there was a flicker of desperation in your eyes that Natasha had seen, and she let your story be heard.

So, when you pulled up to Viktor Borisov’s multimillion-dollar mansion, you were not alone. For the first time in a long time, you had backup.

You didn’t kill him that day. You knew it wouldn’t bring you a peace of mind. In actuality, you barely lifted a finger—letting Nat and Bucky have their way with him. It was after that when you had a long and grueling conversation with Steve, Nat right by your side explaining to him that having you on their team could be beneficial to you and to them.

Reluctantly, the Captain agreed and here you were almost two months later, proving yourself day after day. This banter—the jokes, the nicknames—you needed it. It made you feel like you belonged here rather than just being the agent that stalks around the tower scaring people because of how stealthy she is.

You had laughed more during the 2-hour long game of Pictionary than you had in months and you left the room that night feeling rejuvenated, almost. Like it was a new you walking around the tower.

And it didn’t go unnoticed, either. You had a bit more pep in your step in the days following, which in turn caused you to have heavier footfall. Bucky noticed it first.

“You seem happy today,” He commented, eyeing you from across the gym. You smiled and shrugged.

“Yeah, I am, I guess.”

“Your mood… it reflects your demeanor.”

“What do you mean?” You raised a brow before throwing a couple of punches to the bag in front of you. Bucky waltzed over to you, watching as you struck it with lethal precision.

“Every time you walked into a room, I heard you coming. You haven’t scared anyone recently. You think that’s a coincidence?” He asked. You barreled your fist into the bag once more before wiping the sweat off your forehead and turning to face him.

“You think the reason no one has screamed bloody murder when I’m around is due to the fact that I’m happy?”

Bucky grinned, patting you on the shoulder. “That’s how I see it.”

The super soldier swiftly made his way to the other side of the gym, preparing himself for a sparring match with Steve. What he said made you stop and think. It did make sense. Before game night, you’d been a shell of a person; hollow and empty. You never outwardly showed that, of course, but it was still noticeable. Your steps were quieter and your breathing was near silent, so sure, it made sense as to why you kept accidentally scaring people.

But for the last couple of days, your mood had significantly lightened and now that you thought about it, not one person had flinched, gasped, or cursed under their breath when you came into a room or walked up behind them. They had heard or seen you coming. It was an interesting revelation to say the least.

But unfortunately, happiness didn’t last forever. A few days after that, you’d gotten a call from your mother asking you to come home for the weekend to help sort through your sister’s belongings. You’d been avoiding even the mere thought of it since she passed, not wanting to sift through her childhood. You wanted to keep her memory the way you’d always seen her—young and free.

You’d flat out refused and that obviously made your mother upset. Her choice of words being “I can’t believe you would choose people you barely even know over your own sister.”

Now, that struck a nerve. You screamed, she screamed, you cried, and she told you not to come back home until you’d come to your senses. Immediately hanging up, you let your frustration tears fall. Then, without a second thought, you made your way through the tower to find Steve.

He noticed your tear-stained cheeks, but didn’t ask if you were alright. Instead, he let you speak. You didn’t say much; you only asked if he could exclude you from the mission the entire team was due to embark on that night. He pardoned you from it, saying that the team would be fine without you.

Thanking him kindly, you left his office and wandered back to the comfort of your room, spending the rest of the night mourning your sister and the relationship with the rest of your family.

It took time for you to come to terms with the whole ordeal and by time you meant the entire night. You had only slept for a few hours—a nightmare pulling you from your slumber. Groggily, you got out of bed, running your fingers through your hair and straightening your clothes. You had no real desire to change considering you’d slept in a t-shirt and shorts—something you wore around the tower on any given day.

You padded down the hall and around the corner to make your way to the kitchen, in search of some tea to soothe your mind. A few feet away from the entryway, you heard rustling. Odd, considering you thought everyone had left for the mission last night, leaving you alone in the tower.

A step or two more and you peeked your head around the corner, sighing in relief as you caught sight of Loki making a cup of tea for himself. You silently thanked all the Gods that you wouldn’t have to pull out any combat moves on an intruder at 8 o’clock in the morning and continued on your journey.

“You mind if—”

You never got to finish your sentence due to the shrill scream that left Loki’s lips. You flinched in response, eyes widening as the Asgardian whipped around, spilling his tea in the process. If you hadn’t been so shocked, you might have laughed, but the surprise on Loki’s face matched yours as the two of you took in what had just happened.

“I—Loki, I—”

“You little wretch,” He growled, scowling at you menacingly. You gulped and backed away from him.

“I’m sorry, really, sorry. I-It was an accident.”

“You expect me to believe that after the conversation we had last week?” He asked you, stalking closer to you. If you hadn’t known he would never intentionally harm you, you might have cowered in real fear, but you knew his anger was laced with pure mischief. “You really think bailing on the mission just to execute this little prank was smart?”

Your eyes widened farther and you spluttered in response. “What? Loki, no, I’m serious. It was an accident. I thought you were gone on the mission until a minute ago!”

“Lying in the face of a God,” Loki trailed off. “How very bold of you.”

He made another stride towards you, and you tried to match it and take one backwards, but your back collided with the wall. “Look me in the eyes and tell me I’m lying,” You frantically declared. Loki met you toe to toe, leaning closer to your face to do as you said. His gaze was unrelenting for seconds on end, but you captured the exact moment his facial features morphed from misplaced irritation to genuine concern.

He observed your bloodshot eyes and the puffiness surrounding them. He saw how red your nose was. It was at that moment, that Loki realized that you were telling the truth. “Are you alright?”

He backed away from you, but his eyes never left yours. You let a breathy laugh slip through your nose and you bit your lip.

“That’s a loaded question,” You answered, swerving around him to tend to the mess he’d made because of you. Loki put a hand in front of you, shaking his head firmly to tell you not to. He’d clean it up. He grabbed his mug and placed it in the sink before flourishing his hand—the spill disappearing before your eyes.

“Would you like some tea, darling?” Loki asked gently. Clearing your throat, you nodded.

“If you don’t mind.” You settled yourself on a barstool, focusing on Loki’s hands as he made you a cup of herbal tea. “I’m really sorry for scaring you. I don’t know why it keeps happening.”

Loki chuckled, his attention still on the mug in front of him. “It’s quite alright. I was only startled because I thought you’d left last night. I don’t think you would have scared me, otherwise.”

He placed the tea bag into the cup, then handed it to you along with a spoon.

“Thanks,” you said sheepishly.

“Of course,” Loki responded. He took his place next to you, glancing at your face every so often to try and gauge if he should ask the same question twice. He settled on a middle ground. “I’d be open to listening if you wanted to talk, you know.”

Stirring your tea, you peered up at him with the slightest grin at his uncharacteristic shyness, and shrugged. “It’s a lot to unpack.”

“I’m sure it’s nothing I couldn’t handle.”

“Hm,” You hummed.  You licked your lips, then looked at Loki. He was sincere. Sincere enough to get you to agree. “I had a sister. She was captured and murdered about 6 months ago. She’s basically the reason I’m on this team.”

“I did hear about that. I’m sorry for your loss,” Loki voiced, placing a comforting hand on top of yours. It was warm. You never thought his hand would be warm. The touch brought another grin to your face.

“Thank you,” you whispered. “Anyway, to make a long story short, my mom wanted me to come home for the weekend and help clean out her childhood bedroom, but I said no. She made a big deal about it and told me not to come home until I saw the ‘error of my ways’ or whatever. She thinks I’m choosing being an Avenger over my own sister.”

Taking another sip of tea, you let the silence of the moment wash over you. “It’s fine. I’m fine.”

“You loved your sister and I’m sure she would understand why you chose this course of action,” Loki stated. “There’s no right or wrong. You just do what’s best for you.”

You let his advice sink in, shutting your eyes and thinking about your sister. Loki’s right. She would understand. She knew how obsessed you were with the job and that nothing would get in the way of doing it.

“Yeah…” You muttered, finishing off your beverage. “Thank you, Loki.”

“You’re welcome,” He took the mug and made way to the kitchen sink, washing it thoroughly before depositing it in the dishwasher. You giggled quietly as he did, causing him to turn around with his eyebrows furrowed. “Something you’d like to say?”

“Uh, noho, I’ve just… never seen you like this. You’re normally so… hardened,” You told him, biting the inside of your cheek to keep from fully laughing. “It’s sweet.”

“I’d watch where you’re trying to take this conversation, agent. I still haven’t forgiven you for frightening me earlier.”

“Where do you think I’m trying to take the conversation?” You swiveled in the stool to fully face him as he leaned back on the counter.

“You’re trying to imply that I’ve gone soft,” He said. “I can assure you that is not the case.”

“I’d never say such a thing!” You impishly gasped, your hand pressing against your chest. “And besides, I already told you it was an accident!”

“Ah, but you still made a fool of me and I hate to say this, but that cannot be tolerated,” Loki pushed himself away from the kitchen counter and began trekking towards you. Instantly, you slid off the seat, using it as a barrier between the two of you.

“Well, how is that my fault? You said scaring you was nearly impossible. Are you a liar, Loki?”

“Watch your tongue,” Loki seethed through gritted teeth, though you could see the beginnings of a smile on his face. Admittedly, you were egging him on, just to see what he’d do. You knew he’d never harm you, so curiosity killed the cat.

“Not only are you a liar, but you also scream like a girl!” You laughed. “I can’t wait to tell everyone when they get back.”

“Allow me to persuade you not to tell anyone about our little interaction from this morning,” He chuckled maniacally. Your life flashed before your eyes as Loki vanished into thin air and you felt a pair of hands on your shoulders. You squeaked as the real Loki spun you around and bent down to throw you over his shoulder.

“EEP! Loki! Put me down!” You shouted, tapping on his back in quick succession. He didn’t respond—he merely sauntered out of the kitchen and down the hall. You squirmed in his grasp, attempting to wiggle off of him. “Where are you taking meEHEE?!”

Loki had squeezed your waist to keep you from falling off his shoulder, and you squealed at his ticklish touch. Shit.

You felt more than heard the God’s deep, rumbling laugh as he spun on his heels and began walking the way he came. “Oh, agent. This seems to have become very unfortunate for you and very fun for me.”

“You say that as if this wasn’t already amusing to you! Put me down!”

“I was going to throw you into the pool, but now I think a bit of tickling might get the message across,” Loki punctuated the word with another harsh squeeze.

“EEHEE! NO! I’ll take the pool! I’ll take the poohool!” You yelled, jolting when he dug his fingers into your side. Before you knew it, you were thrown down onto the couch in the common room, landing with an oomph and being pinned underneath a very hefty and muscly God. “Plehease don’t!”

“I can’t give you any slack, darling. You’ll think I’ve gone soft.”

“I-hi never said that! You dihid! All I said was that you scream like a GIHIHIRL, LOKIHI NO!” You were interrupted by Loki’s nimble fingers prodding into your ribs. Your hand quickly darted out to grab at his wrists, but you were already weakened enough to have trouble pushing his hands away.

“Dear me, you are quite ticklish,” Loki noted with a mischievous lilt to his voice. He switched to pinching at your sides, noting how your laughter audibly pitched up an octave. “Ooh, such an easily accessible spot, too. Tell me, darling, is this enough convincing for you?”

Through your bubbly giggles, you shouted, “Nohoho! I-hi need toho hold this over yohour hehehead!”

Loki glared at you non-threateningly, moving to find a more ticklish spot to weaken your resolve further. He settled his thumbs into the divots of your hips, toggling his thumbs into circles and scratching at the skin with his blunt nails. “It’s as if you’re just asking me to find your weak spot.”

“I-HI… NO!”

“I will find it eventually, agent, make no mistake and once I do, I’ll have no choice but to exploit it until you surrender and promise to never speak of this morning again.”

Loki spidered his fingers back up to your sides, smiling when you tried arching away from him, then continued his path upwards towards your ribcage again.

“Lohokihi!”

“Yes, darling?” He answered, never relenting. He clawed into the middle of your ribs and in an instant, your elbows clamped down onto his hands.

“Don’t, dohon’t!”

“You are giving me a map straight to your most sensitive spots, little spy. Is there something you don’t want me to find up here?”

You growled in response, but it turned into howling laughter once Loki shifted his hands one rib higher. He was able to move his hands higher and higher despite the fact that you were using all your strength and energy to attempt to block him from reaching the one spot you didn’t want him to. The only thing to get him to stray off course would be to appease him.

“OKAY! OKAHAHAY! I-hi won’t tehell anyone! N-Nohot there, plehehease!”

Loki stilled his fingers straight away, peering at you in disbelief. You took this moment to catch your breath, inhaling and exhaling evenly to fill your lungs. “You’re bluffing.”

“Look me in the eyes and tell me I’m lying,” You replied with the same sentence as before. Loki did as told, searching your eyes for a hint of a lie. All he could see was joy. The sadness that held you hostage just a few short minutes ago had ebbed away and here you were, a smile on your face and your tension washed away.

Loki knew within seconds that you were telling the truth, but he didn’t miss how this tiny bit of playfulness had lightened your mood.

“Alright, I believe you,” He spoke. Loki kept his hands pressed against your torso, detecting the exact moment when your expression went from relief to disappointment. Well, who was he to deny you a distraction? “But you’ve got me curious now, darling. I’ve simply got to see what the fuss is all about up here.”

“WAHAIT! NO!” You yelled. Loki snatched a hand out from under your bicep to grapple with yours, swiftly catching one and pinning it to the couch cushion above your head. He left your other arm free, so you began batting at his shoulder.

“You must be devastatingly ticklish here if you keep fighting this hard,” Loki commented. “Is this your worst spot?”

Drunk on your anticipatory laughter, you said, “Whyhy don’t you fihind out for yourself!”

That obviously turned out to be a mistake because in a second flat, Loki’s fingers where wiggling gently into the hollow of your underarm—barely covered by the thin fabric of your shirt. Even just the lightest touch seemed to send you into hysterics.

“AAHAHA! WAHA-WAIT, NOHO! DAHAMN IT!” You screamed in ticklish agony, legs kicking out from underneath him to try and find some traction to escape.

“Seems to me like it is. How lovely, this is!” Loki exclaimed. He was switching techniques every few seconds; digging, ghosting, poking. He never let you get used to a sensation, keeping you on edge for the duration of your attack. When you started hiccupping through your roaring laughter, he stopped to let you breathe again. “Very entertaining.”

“Yohou… I hahate you,” You said through an exasperated breath. “What’s to stop me from telling everyone now?”

“Asking for more, are we?” He scratched at your belly briefly, listening to your high-pitched giggles and watching your cheeks turn pink.

“Noho! No! Okay!” You pushed him away, prompting him to vacate his place on your legs to let you sit up. “Ugh, you are the worst.”

“Comes with the title, I suppose,” Loki snickered. “Keep this morning’s interaction between us and I won’t tell anyone that you’re ticklish.”

You rolled your eyes as he smirked at you, but you weren’t able to keep the light-hearted grin off your face. “Fine.”

You shook his hand to seal the deal, but that didn’t stop the fleeting thought of telling Sam that you successfully scared the God of Mischief. You could really use that $50.

No, you scolded yourself. You’d keep this secret.

Because you got to see a side of him that no one ever gets to see and it would be too precious to ruin.

I LOVE THIS FIC SM- I'VE RE-READ IT SO MANY TIMES IT'S SO CUTE-

Timid Hearts and Fresh Starts

Loki x Shy!Alien!Reader

SFW; angst to fluff, platonic, budding friendship

Words: 5976

Summary: The God of Mischief is not at all happy about becoming a resident of the Avengers Tower, even less so about the awkward interactions that come alone with living amongst the group of people he once tried to kill. When he drives away the one member of the team aside from his brother who isn't troubled at all by his presence or by his past, he sets to make things right, and in the process, hopefully to make his first proper friend since moving into the tower.

Warnings: Disgruntled Loki, feelings of guilt from both parties, self doubt + negative self talk, fluffy tickles

DISCLAIMER: This fic was originally written in January and I fine-tuned it a bit but I'm unsure about it. I hope the themes I'm trying to convey come across correctly. I imagine that if Loki were to ever live in the Avengers Tower with the others, there'd be a lot of self isolating and hesitancy to trust someone who wants to show him kindness and isn't fearful of being around him. Reader's guilt sort of reflects my own guilt process (a.k.a. hell LMAO) Overall, I just hope this tells the story of two struggling individuals who find common ground and start to open up to each other.

Also, reader's blushing is described as a luminescent pink and purple, because they're not human in this story. I do not, and will not, use color to describe blushing in other fics. Ages might not be accurate in this, and please forgive me if some characters seem ooc T-T Writing for multiple characters is a task. All the characters are still alive in this fic because I need some happiness rn 😭 Think of this as a self indulgent What If? (I'll probably rewrite this one day)

To say Loki was pissed was an understatement. Sure, he knew this was a chance at redemption for him, to start anew and do right by his family, but he could feel the mistrusting eyes follow him when he walked into the room. Of course, Thor always greeted him with a smile and an overly eager pat on the back, but it was hard to focus on the positive attention when the rest was negative. He knew it would take time to earn their trust, but the looks and aversion to interacting with him didn't help him to feel like he wasn't a monster. There was, however, one person on the team that never gave Loki any indication that they didn't trust him.

Y/N was a newer recruit, from a different planet by the name of Thauria, though they still had been on the team longer than Loki had. He didn't know much about them, aside from the fact that they were very quiet, and very shy. They were easily embarrassed, and would often resort to hiding their face in their hands if something flustered them. Loki had barely heard them say a word. The Thaurian knew about Loki's past. They knew about his attack on New York, but they were also the only other person aside from Thor who understood to the fullest extent that he'd been mind controlled during the attack.

Although Y/N knew people would have expected them to be afraid of Loki, they weren't. Why would they be? When Thor first introduced Loki as the newest member of the team, Y/N gave a warm smile, and greeted him with their home planet's non-contact way to say hello. He watched curiously and confusedly before being surprised by their small voice. It shouldn't have been as shocking as it was.

"W-Welcome to the team, Prince Loki of Asgard. It's nice to meet you." They were so formal, so polite. The God would be lying if he said his heart hadn't fluttered.

"Thank you... I suppose..."

He hadn't intended to sound cold, but if Y/N had been hurt by his words, they didn't show any signs of it.

"I hope you're able to get comfortable quickly, Prince Loki. Make yourself at home." Y/N left after that, but not before saying farewell to Thor, who couldn't help but pat their head affectionately, which made them giggle, their cheeks, ears, and nose glowing a luminescent pink and purple, a reaction that Loki found to be very cute, though he wouldn't dare say so.

Tony stared from the couch in complete disbelief, jaw dropped from what he'd witnessed. Everyone else was shocked that Y/N was so unafraid of Loki. Of course, Thor hadn't been shocked at all. He knew Y/N was a friendly, bubbly soul, and most of all, they were a very empathetic being. Even though they were without a doubt the most introverted person on the team, whenever Loki walked into the room, they would give the tiniest simper, and wave briefly in Thaurian, before resuming what they were doing. Before long, the timid smiles and waves were accompanied by other acts of kindness.

They noticed that he'd begrudgingly take whatever old mug was clean to use for his tea or coffee, and one day while out in the city with Wanda and Vision, bought an emerald green ceramic mug, and tied a little label on the handle with twine that read "For Prince Loki." Suffice to say, Loki was taken aback at the sight of the mug sitting cozily on the counter one morning. There was no indication as to who it was from, but his suspicions were confirmed when he saw Wanda gently nudging Y/N's shoulder with a bright smile out of the corner of his eye as he sipped his drink from the mug.

The next act was in the form of a book, which Y/N had actually worked up the courage to give him. It was a book of Thaurian poems, which they'd decided to give to Loki after Thor mentioned how much Loki loved poetry. They initially asked the God if he could be the one to give it to Loki, but Thor felt it would be more meaningful coming from them.

"I... I thought this book might interest you and wanted you to have a copy... It's a collection of poems from Thauria. I hope you find them to be a good read," Y/N had said quietly. "Take care, Prince Loki."

Loki spent days just staring at the book, frozen by confusion, and frustration. Why the Hel was Y/N being so kind to him? No one else in the tower aside from Thor trusted him at that point, so why did they? Why did this near stranger smile at him with such respect and adoration in their eyes? It angered him. He had been wary enough about joining the team already, given how they felt about him, and continued to feel despite knowing what Thanos had done to him.

The Asgardian Prince felt that no matter what steps he took, he could never redeem himself. It was irritating him that Y/N wouldn't just stay distant and mistrusting like the others. They never overstepped his boundaries, and gave him space, but they never went out of their way to avoid him or ignore him. He didn't understand. He didn't feel he deserved to be treated so respectfully, not after everything he'd done. There was a growing, slow boiling rage growing in his heart over it. One day, he couldn't take it anymore.

It had just been him and Y/N in the common room. He'd walked in to see them sitting there, and had tried to make his way back out, but Y/N noticed, and assured him he could stay to read if he wanted to. Loki awkwardly accepted the invitation, and sat down on the couch. As Y/N sat cozy in their chair several feet away, silently reading with a small smile on their lips, completely at peace, Loki grew annoyed and finally asked the burning question he'd been dying to ask since the first day the two had met.

"Why do you do this?"

They looked up at him with a bewildered expression, eyes widened a little more than usual, brows knitted ever so slightly. "What do you mean, Prince Loki?"

"What is it with you and being so friendly to me? Why are you so relaxed despite my presence? Why not flee the room when I enter or avoid me entirely?"

Those questions confused Y/N even further. They tried to answer, but Loki had already continued. "Are you that naive?"

"W-What...? Naive about what, Prince Loki? About you?" Y/N inquired, feeling themself grow uneasy from the question he'd asked. "Of course not... I've been well informed about what happened a few years ago."

"Yet you're not wise enough to stay away?"

"Have I made you uncomfortable...?" Y/N asked, their expression changing from confusion to worry and guilt. Loki's hostility was worrying them. "I apologize sincerely. My only intention was to make you feel more welcome-"

"Stop. Just stop that already," Loki's voice had grown louder and the Thaurian winced. "I don't need your pity. You have no bloody idea who you're talking to."

"P-Prince Loki... I don't pity you, I respect you..." Y/N could feel their sinuses burning from the urge to cry. Although they tried with every bone in their body to hide their reaction, they knew they weren't succeeding.

"It would do you some much needed good to stay the Hel away from me like everyone else on this Godforsaken team," Loki hissed. "Admit it already, Y/N. I see that look on your face. Admit it! I'll always be the monster people tell me I am!"

"I-I don't believe that... Prince Loki." The Thaurian's words were firm despite the tremble in their already small voice. "I know how daunting the journey of self forgiveness feels. I know it's hard to be optimistic about redeeming yourself, but-"

"Just stop." Y/N jumped. Though Loki hadn't been very loud, it was still startling. Another louder noise had their arms retracting toward their body, staring down with wide and glassy eyes at where their book had landed on the hardwood with a loud thump. Loki wasn't done, his ire still fueling his words.

"Stop trying to understand me, Y/N." He spat, pointing at them with indignation before he drew back and placed his hand on his forehead, his voice softening. "Please... You don't know a bloody thing about me. I assure you, it's better this way..."

The tears were screaming to fall, but the Thaurian refused to do so. Not yet. The guilt Y/N felt was overwhelming, and with one deep breath, they uttered one final response.

"You're right, Prince Loki. I promise, I'll leave you be...

Y/N bit their cheek, quietly leaving the room, book still lying open on the floor where it had fallen. As soon as they were in the hallway, they allowed their wings to materialize, before shrinking down. They flew into the library as fast as they could, making their way to a little space at the back.

Given that they often had a habit of shrinking down in size when they were distressed, scared, or needed time alone, Wanda, with Tony's blessing, used her magic to create miniature spaces around the compound that Y/N could use whenever they wished. Y/N then used their own Thaurian magic to decorate each one.

The one in the library was without a doubt their favorite, and they quickly opened the little nook, closing the door, drawing the outer window curtains shut, and curling up on the tiny bed inside, crying into the quilt, too wrapped up in their melancholy to think about much else. In the midst of their weeping, their body grew far too tired to remain awake, and minutes later, they'd fallen asleep, restless as their guilt plagued their dreams.

Y/N wasn't sure exactly how much time had passed, but they knew from the nook's window that the sun was setting. They didn't want to leave, and considered just asking F.R.I.D.A.Y to have someone bring dinner when it was ready. Tony had made sure the AI had been installed in the nooks and seeing Y/N use the feature was hilariously endearing. They remember his reaction to seeing them use the feature for the first time.

"Oh my God. Yup. If I get any cavities, I'm blaming you. This is genuinely sweet and it's pissing me off."

The genius' reaction had Y/N giggling.

"Y/N!" Thor's booming voice echoing in the library made Y/N jump with a cry. Their still-fragile state had left them very easily startled. "Are you in here, little fairy? Please come out."

Y/N stayed quiet, even as the God grew closer to the nook. He knelt down to be at eye level with the doors, delicately and gently using the little knocker before softly calling his teammate's name again. Hesitantly, Y/N opened the door and peeked out.

"Oh thank the Nine Realms! Hello there, little Y/N. It's just me," Thor assured them. "May we talk?"

"Okay..." Y/N relented, moving out of the door and sitting down on the little balcony. The Asgardian was grateful for the power of The Allspeak, since in their tiny form, Y/N could only speak in their native tongue.

"Little fairy, did something happen with Loki earlier?" Thor asked quietly.

"I made him upset..." Y/N answered, lip already quivering as they tried not to cry anymore than they already had. "It's my fault, Prince Thor... Please forgive me..."

"Your fault? What makes you say that?"

Y/N couldn't stop their tears any longer, and they began to cry again. "I was bothering him. I'm certain I made him uncomfortable. I really am naive and foolish... I'm so sorry, Prince Thor... I made Prince Loki hate me..."

"Little fairy, that couldn't be further from the truth!" Thor smiled sadly and held out his finger, which Y/N slowly placed their hand on, a gesture that never failed to melt Thor's heart. "He's been worried sick about you. He'd been searching for you five hours already when I arrived back at the compound from my mission."

"F-Five hours...? I m-made him worry..." The Thaurian was overwhelmed with a new wave of tears, and they began to apologize repeatedly, burying their face in their hands and wailing. "I'm so horrible! First I upset him and then I stress him out! I'm such a terrible person!"

"No! No you most certainly are not," Thor argued softly. "You're a very beloved soul with such a gentle heart."

"I'm not, Prince Thor... I'm oversensitive and weak..." Y/N was spiraling into self doubt and judgement. It happened quite a bit when things went awry. Their mind was also their biggest enemy and the overthinking was a huge hurdle to have to overcome as a member of the team.

"What makes you think you're either of those things?"

"It's the truth, Prince Thor... Prince Loki has every right to be mad at me. I'm going to give him space for the time being..."

"I can't stand this any longer, brother. I'm coming over."

"Loki, wait!"

Y/N jumped at the sound of Loki's voice and began to panic. They tried to rush back into their nook, but Thor placed his hand in front of it. "Prince Thor, please move!"

"You don't have to hide, little Y/N! Please don't hide."

"H-He's gonna be s-so angry with me! Please! I-I can't face him right now!" Y/N insisted tearfully, freezing their attempts to move Thor's hand when they realized Loki was standing a few feet away.

Thor unblocked the door to the nook, but Y/N remained frozen still, like a deer in the headlights. Loki slowly stepped closer, and that's when Y/N had quickly retreated into the corner of the balcony, breath hitching at the impact of their back on the railing. With an audible whimper, they tucked their legs into their chest. The tall Asgardian was a bit taken aback by just how little they were, and noticed their skin had become much more pink than before, which he guessed was the true hue of it.

He felt a pain in his chest at the sight of Y/N being so scared. When he spoke, his voice was hushed, and gentle. Although Y/N could still understand English in their shrunken form, Loki opted for using The Allspeak to speak in Thaurian, hoping it would make Y/N feel a little less fearful.

"Hello, little one," he greeted, kneeling down so he could be at eye level with the tiny Avenger. "May we talk for a moment?"

Y/N's eyes widened at hearing Loki speak in their native tongue, and the term of endearment. They looked up at Thor, who gave them a reassuring smile and patted Loki on the back. "I'll leave you two to converse."

Thor left the space and made his way to the front of the library, looking back once before leaving. When Loki looked back over at Y/N, they grew tense and averted their eyes, still crying.

"I never took the time to thank you for the gifts. Thank you, for the mug and the book of poems."

"Y-You're welcome, Prince Loki..."

The few seconds of absolute silence that followed made the two rather uncomfortable.

"Y/N, I wanted to apologize for what I said to you earlier..."

"I should be the one apologizing to you, Prince Loki..."

"You have nothing to apologize for, darling," Loki insisted sadly, before taking a deep breath. "Would you allow me to explain myself? I have no intentions of trying to justify the way I acted. I only want to assure you that it wasn't your fault..."

Y/N silently nodded, still sitting in the corner as they patiently waited for Loki to speak again.

"When you welcomed me to the tower so warmly... I was... confused. I know you were not on Earth during my attack on New York, but I figured that after the team had explained what I had done, that you'd be just as mistrusting of me as they are," the God said quietly. "For a very long time, I have had no hopes of ever redeeming myself. I have been unable to forgive myself for anything that I've done... It hurts to say but it's the truth. You were right, Y/N."

"I never should have assumed. It was wrong of me to say..." The Thaurian countered. "I had no business saying what I said, Prince Loki. We may be teammates, but I don't know you, and I acted like I do..."

"But that's just it, little one. You weren't assuming," Loki looked down at his hands. "You were merely seeing what I hoped no one else could see as vividly as I. That is why I got upset."

There was a brief pause as Loki fought to keep himself composed. He shook his head with a hollow laugh, unable to stop his eyes from watering with pure sorrow.

"I couldn't believe that a soul as sweet as you, was so willing to welcome me with open arms and show me such kindness. I don't know what you see me as, Y/N, but I cannot see myself as anything other than a monster, and that has kept me from accepting your cordiality..."

Those words made Y/N incredibly sad, and seeing the tears in Loki's eyes hurt them immensely. "I've never seen you as a monster, Prince Loki. A hurting soul is far from a monster..."

Despite their anxious thoughts telling them not to, despite the fear that they might upset him further, they slowly moved to sit right on the edge of the balcony, and silently beckoned for Loki to move his hand up to them. He eyed them curiously while he obliged, but when he realized Y/N had placed their tiny hand on his finger to comfort him, the tears finally fell.

"Y/N, from the moment I met you, you've been eons kinder than I ever expected anyone on this team to be toward me... Truthfully, I was warming up to you, much faster than I anticipated, and I was afraid that letting myself get close to you would result in you being hurt." Another empty and pained laugh left Loki's lips as he wiped his eyes with his free hand. "Yet I only managed to hurt you and frighten you in the end anyway. I can't tell you just how contrite I am for pushing you away, and for making you doubt yourself."

Y/N watched another fall from his eye, and began to flutter their wings, slowly at first, before they blurred from the speed at which they moved and began to lift the Thaurian from the balcony. They flew upward, then carefully got closer to Loki, using their sleeve to wipe his cheek. It became drenched instantly, but with a glow of their magic, it dried once again. The sweet gesture only served to move Loki to more tears, and the Thaurian panicked.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry, Prince Loki!"

Much to their surprise, the Prince began to smile, and that smile became warm sounding laughter. "IhIt's alright. It's alright. These are happy tears this time."

He gently held up his hand, encouraging Y/N to land on it, and they did so, holding onto one of Loki's fingers for support before carefully sitting in the palm of his hand. The Thaurian timidly stared down at their lap when Loki carefully lifted them closer to his eye level.

"A-Are you... are you sure you're alright, Prince Loki?"

"I'm right as rain." Loki's smile was brighter, and his expression was soft, a look that Y/N was not used to seeing on the God's face. "However, please, call me Loki. I admire your etiquette and formality, but it is not necessary now. We're acquainted a bit more properly, aren't we?"

The slow timid nod from Y/N was followed by a tiny smile. "I suppose we are, Loki."

"Y/N, I'm so sorry for everything I that I said to you earlier. You're not naive, and you're not foolish," Loki said quietly.

"I-I don't blame you for being upset, Loki... My actions were smothering and unwarranted-"

"No. No they were not. You respectfully kept your distance while showing me kindness." The God's voice was soft despite his sudden interruption. He looked into their eyes, and took a small breath. "Y/N, may we start over? Would you be willing to allow me the chance to earn your forgiveness?"

"We don't have to start over. You've made amends. You already have my forgiveness, Loki." Y/N felt fresh tears stream down their cheeks, that deep feeling of guilt still having a hold on their heart like a vice grip on someone's wrist. "Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"

"Whatever for?" Loki questioned.

"I m-made you worry... I'm sorry I hid, and I'm so sorry I caused so much distress when you couldn't find me," Y/N stated.

"Of course I forgive you, little one." The God very carefully brought his other hand up, delicately wiping what tears he could from their face.

"Thank you, Loki. I-I don't know why I cried so much," Y/N sniffed, embarrassment written all over their face. "I-I'm nearly one thousand and forty five years old. I should have a handle on myself by now."

"Everyone cries, Y/N. You're not oversensitive, nor are you weak. It doesn't matter how old you become. It's okay to cry." The Asgardian averted his eyes briefly before looking at them again. "Especially when someone's been unkind..."

Y/N nodded to acknowledge his words, more tears rolling down their cheeks when they blinked in an attempt to clear their vision.

"Care to know something?" Loki asked with a gentle smile, leaning closer when Y/N nodded. "I'm not much older than you. One thousand fifty-nine years, and here I am, just barely starting to get a handle on myself. I'm certain you've noticed my trial and error."

Y/N blinked, before an unexpected giggle bubbled in their throat. Loki's grin was instantaneous, and he chuckled softly, which only made Y/N giggle harder. He hadn't heard their laugh since the first day they met, and Norns, he wanted to hear it every day.

"Are you aware of just how saccharine your giggles are, little shortcake?"

And there it was. He saw the luminescent pink and purple rise to their nose, cheeks, and the tips of their ears. "Lohoki..."

"What a little darling you are~" he mused, words filled with playfulness and mischief, the side of himself he'd not shown Y/N before at all. "That glowing blush of yours is only serving to prove my point."

"S-Stop ihihit..." Despite being flustered by Loki's words, and their voice getting higher in pitch, their smile was growing. Loki gently placed a finger under their chin, with the intent of lifting them to look at him.

It initially startled him when they flinched and moved their head, but the giggle he heard right after caused him to smirk with realization. "Oh? Is someone ticklish~?"

The word in English flustered them enough already, but hearing it in Thaurian made them squeak. Despite their reaction, they shyly shook their head, pressing their lips together in a poor attempt to keep from laughing any longer.

"No~? Are you sure~?" Loki lightly brushed a finger on their neck, chuckling when their shoulders scrunched up, arms and hands folding closer to their body. "You're not ticklish~?"

Y/N began giggling harder, biting their lip and squeaking again when Loki teasingly wiggled his fingers closer. The sight had butterflies fluttering around in their stomach, a sheer feeling of giddiness washing over them. A loud squeal was followed by high pitched laughter when Loki gently tickled their sides, causing them to fall back on his hand.

"Lohohohokihihiiiiii!"

"You mean to tell me this isn't tickling you~?"

"Ihihihit ihihihihiiiis! Pfffhahahahaaa!" They lightly kicked their legs, partially hiding their face behind their hands. "Nahahahahahat thehehehehehere! EHEEEP! NAHAHAT THEHEHEEERRRRE!"

Loki continued gently brushing his finger across their belly, and noticed that their hands had fallen by the sides of their head, leaving their abdomen unshielded from the tickling. Since they were tiny in that form, they felt the sensations all over their torso, no matter where the tickles were targeted. They'd made no attempts to actually avoid his playful attack, and the God quickly connected the dots.

"Oh now that is absolutely precious~" he hummed. "Does someone like being tickled~?"

Y/N was too giddy to try and lie about it, and bashfully nodded, too embarrassed to look at the God and resorting to closing their eyes. Loki chuckled and poked at their sides again.

"Now now, no need to hide or feel embarrassed, little one. Where else are you ticklish, hm? Care to give me some hints?"

The Thaurian shook their head defiantly, grinning with glee and abdomen still shaking with hiccupy giggles. Loki teasingly hovered his finger above other spots, before using his finger and thumb to delicately attack their hips. The screech Y/N emitted had Loki laughing heartily. Their giggles were full of little gasps and squeaks.

Suddenly, their little body glowed and they were back to their normal size, wings de-materializing and pink hue fading from their skin. Loki had been quick to shift his hands, with one supporting their shoulders while the other was underneath their knees. They were still giggling, and Loki couldn't help laughing again over the sudden startling change.

"IhIhI'm sohoho sohohohorry!"

"IhIt's okahay! Ahare you alrihight?" He asked, his heart fluttering when Y/N nodded with a giggly simper and rested their head on his shoulder. "I'm ever so glad."

"IhIhI've gohot buhuhuhutteheherflies thouhouhough..." The Thaurian admitted through their laughter. "IhIn thehe fihiguratihihive sehehense..."

That particular phrase had absolutely bewildered Y/N when they first came to Earth. When Wanda once mentioned that she had butterflies in her stomach, Y/N was genuinely worried.

"H-How did they get in there!? Are they okay? Are you okay? Sh-Should we call Dr. Banner?"

Wanda almost cried from how sweet their concern was and assured Y/N that she was just fine. That's when the Thaurian learned it was just a figure of speech. Their added statement to clarify they meant figuratively had Loki internally fawning over them.

"Ah yes, the stomach butterflies," Loki affirmed, gently setting Y/N down on the floor beside him, still turned sideways with their legs over his as his arm stayed around them for support. He looked ahead with a smile, before turning and looking down at the precious alien sitting next to him. "You know what you should really watch out for, little shortcake?"

"W-What?" Y/N's voice had become a hushed whisper, eyes widening with curiosity and slight uneasiness. When Loki lifted his hand and slowly wiggled his fingers in the air with a smirk, their uneasiness was replaced by bubbly excitement.

"The tickling spiders~"

"H-Hehehehey! W-Wahahait! NaHAAAAA!" Y/N kicked their legs reflexively when Loki lightly attacked their knees, hiccuping and gasping in between squeaks of laughter. "LOHOHOKIHIHIII!"

"Uh oh~ Unlike stomach butterflies, these spiders can move anywhere they wish~" the God sang. "I wonder~"

He lightly tickled the spot where the back of their thigh met the skin behind their knee, and was a bit startled when they snorted, louder cackles leaving their lips before dissolving into the high pitched giggles once more. They hid their face in his Asgardian shirt, legs still kicking weakly as the laughter temporarily took their strength. Loki stopped before they grew tired, and grinned.

"Still with me, little one?"

"IhIhI've gohohot thehehehe gihiggles nohow," they hummed. Their laughter was so contagious that Loki began chuckling all over again.

After a few minutes, when the sounds of mirth had subsided, Loki stood with Y/N in his arms, and then gently set the Avenger down. "Shall we go get dinner?"

Y/N nodded, timidly fiddling with their sleeves, working up the courage to ask Loki a question.

"W-Will you eat with us? With me...? It's game night, so we'll eat together and then play some board games... Earth games are fun."

As much as Loki wasn't looking forward to seeing the other members of the team aside from his brother, Y/N's optimistic smile brought his mind a little bit of peace, and he accepted. Y/N let out an excited squee and bounced on their heels, before timidly asking if they could give the God a hug. Norns... Y/N was a darling. Loki felt bad about being so cold and distant for as long as he had been. He opened his arms, beckoning them to move in, and let out a huff of air in surprise at how suddenly they wrapped their arms around his waist. His chest rumbled with a laugh, and he happily returned the embrace.

"Loki... Thank you."

"Thank you, Y/N. I look forward to getting to know you better."

The team was shocked to see Y/N leading Loki to the dining room table with a smile on their face, but Thor was beaming with pride. Though it was a bit awkward at first, Loki found himself having fun, and enjoyed being mischievous during a game of CLUE with Wanda, Vision, Y/N, Sam, and Bucky.

"So why'd you get to be Miss Scarlet, Sam?" Bucky challenged.

"Because, I'm goddamn flawless," Sam answered with a snap. "Your turn, Colonel Grumpy."

"Mustard."

"I said what I said, grumpy."

Loki took the victory as Professor Plum, and Y/N cheered him on, clapping with the brightest smile. He was a little embarrassed, but he couldn't hide his joy. The others were stunned by how cheerful he seemed, but they weren't complaining. Not that most of, if any of them would admit it, but it was a pleasant change from his usual brooding and isolation. Y/N took the victory in a game of Candyland, which had been their all time favorite board game since they first played it with Peter and Steve.

"How fitting for the real life embodiment of Lollipop royalty to win a game of Candyland~" Loki mused.

The pink and purple glow crept up on Y/N's cheeks, ears, and nose in an instant.

"Y/N, I think that's the brightest I have ever seen you glow," Steve commented with a smile.

The Thaurian's attempt to cover their blush was thwarted when it grew brighter and illuminated through their fingers.

"Aww, Y/N!" Peter grinned at the precious sight. "That's so cool!"

"When the geek gets geeked," Sam joked, causing Bucky to break into laughter.

The longer the night went on, the more fun Loki had. Thor was overcome with happiness over it. His younger brother had even managed to share some lighthearted banter with Tony. As the games slowly came to an end, with most of the team having retired to bed, Y/N and Loki remained, along with Thor, who announced he was off to sleep.

"I'm so glad you two worked everything out," he declared. "Thank you for joining us tonight, brother."

"Y/N helped me come out my shell a little more today," Loki stated, smiling at the Thaurian with pure adoration. "Thank you."

Y/N giggled, their glowing pink and purple blush illuminating the dimly lit room. Thor patted Loki's shoulder, before gently patting Y/N's head, making them giggle even more.

"Goodnight, you two," he stated.

"Goodnight, brother."

"Goodnight, Thor."

It was just the two of them after that. There was a brief moment of silence, before Loki turned to look at them.

"Are you feeling tired?" He questioned, lips pressing together in understanding when

Y/N shook their head.

"I... I fell asleep in the nook after a few minutes... When I woke up, the sun was setting."

Loki knew they'd probably cried themself to sleep after they'd fled the room and his stomach churned with guilt. He offered his hand, and Y/N slowly placed theirs in his.

"I can't tell you enough how much I regret my harshness toward you," he muttered.

"Loki, I forgave you," Y/N reminded him with a sad smile. "We're okay."

Those words echoed in Loki's mind long after Y/N had said them.

"Would you like to stay out here a little while longer? Perhaps, I could read to you?"

Y/N's eyes lit up with excitement, and they nodded, maybe a bit too eagerly, but their bubbly reaction was adorable. Loki realized that they looked as if they were about to ask something, but were hesitant. "What's on your mind?"

"May we sit by each other, like... like how we did in the library? Please, if it's alright with you?"

Loki wasn't used to the idea of people wanting to be so close to him. He'd come to terms with being seen as a monster, someone to stay far away from, but he realized that if someone as kind-hearted and loving as Y/N, chose to be around him, and wanted to spend time with him, that perhaps he wasn't the monster he saw when he looked in the mirror. Of course, it would take time for him to trust and believe that for himself. Until then, he'd trust Y/N's kindness. It helped him reflect on his reconciliation with Thor as well. Thor saw his potential, his true heart, and since they'd made amends, he had been the only one Loki trusted for a long time.

"Of course we may."

He used his magic to change into more comfortable clothing, as he figured they'd be out there for more than just a little while. When he caught Y/N's look of awe out of the corner of his eye, he playfully raised an eyebrow. Y/N giggled before their own glow of magic ran down their body, their clothes transforming to pajamas. Loki chuckled, before motioning for Y/N to move closer. They moved their legs over his and leaned on him, casting their magic to summon a quilt for them to share, while Loki retrieved his book of choice with a glow of green.

"What book did you choose, Loki?"

"A Galaxy of Sonnets," Loki read in Thaurian. Y/N was beaming as they realized it was the book of Thaurian poems they'd gifted him a couple weeks before. "Thank you for this book, Y/N. I apologize that I hadn't yet read it."

"It's okay, Loki. I hope you enjoy it."

"I most definitely will, darling. Now then, shall we begin?"

The following morning, the team was utterly flabbergasted to see Loki lying on the couch, poetry book still in hand, with Y/N curled up to his side, legs still over his and both of them beneath the same quilt. The two were sleeping soundly, completely at peace in each others' presence. It would still be months, if not years, before Loki truly felt at home in the Avengers Tower. Until that day came, he'd do his very best to find joy and comfort amongst his older brother and new best friend. In time, Loki would find peace in his fresh start.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The self indulgence is real. I'm so unsure of my old fics agsjsjdkdjd I shall go hide 👉🏾👈🏾 Loki is a favorite character of mine (and another dream ler- what can I say?). I plan to write more Loki fics with pronouns aside from he/him in the future as well. I hope you enjoyed this (if my self doubt were harvestable it could be a new energy source 💀)

Ty for the tag, @spidey-bie!!

Early 2000’s animation, basically Winx Club art style

2. I'm still kinda working this out, but Lucia’s world has an MJ – Emile ‘Emmy’ Justica. She was Lucia’s only friend before joining Spider Society, and she ends up missing and/or dying due to cannon event stuff (again, I haven’t figured this out much lol). The name Emile is taken from Thomas Sander's character Emile Picani.

3. Not really, but the spider involved in modifying her powers was experimented on in the same facility she was trapped in.

4. Early 2000’s/2010’s

5. Yes she’s part of society and scouted after her first event (killing her father) but before her second event (losing Emile), she is chosen by Miguel because she’s considered odd for having direct murder as a cannon event and not resisting it.

6. Magic spider webs, similar to Aisha’s morphix power in Winx Club. Sort of a magical slime kinda thing? Gifs below.

7. No pets, but would probably own colourful fish at some point

8. She’s the only one in her universe as a spider-person, but not technically the only hero – her world is inspired by Winx Club (if you can't tell, I have a hyperfixation) and so magic is a pre-existing thing that people have and is perfectly normal. She simply gets enhanced magic powers + general spider benefits (strength, speed, etc) due to the bite.

9. Magic being commonplace is the main difference.

10. Given that one of Lucia’s cannon events is to kill her dad, she’s semi-indifferent to it because she hates her father. Then when she discovers that Emile is missing and presumed dead as her second cannon event, she’s more against it – enough that she supports Miles/doesn’t like Miguel.

Tagging: @juniperarts @qirarey123 @absolute-artlad

Y’know, I’m appreciating the abundance of Spider-Sona tag games recently- so I’m gonna be making my own here! Only 10 questions because I don’t want to go too wild with this one- or else we’d be here all day!

Spider-Sona 10 Questions!

What artstyle is your Spider-Sona’s world? ( For example, Gwen’s world is watercolor, Hobie’s world is inspired by punk art and punk album covers, etc. be creative! )

Do any characters that appear in the 616 or 1610 universes appear in your Spider-Sona’s world? If so, who and how are their roles different? ( For example, if Hobie Brown is in your universe, is he still the Prowler? Is Peter Parker in your universe? )

Is there a specific species of spider your Spider-Sona was bitten by, or was based off of? ( Can’t think of any specific canon examples here- but I’ve seen a lot of Spider-Sonas based off wolf spiders for example! )

What city and what time period does your Spider-Sona live in?

Is your Spider-Sona in the Spider Society? Were they ever asked to join but declined? Were they not scouted at all? Did they join and then quit? Tell me all about it!

Does your Spider-Sona have organic webbing, or do they use web-shooters? Mix of both? And is their webbing typical spider webbing, or does it have a style to it? ( For example, Miguel’s webbing being red and presumably digital. )

Very important question here- do they have any pets? And if so, do they ever take them out on their crime fighting missions?

Are they the only Spider-Person in their universe? ( For example, Miles and Peter co-existing in the Insomniac Games )

Are there things that exist in their universe but don’t in others? ( For example, Comic Con existing in Miles-42’s universe but not in 1610 Miles’s! Or certain Marvel superheroes existing in their universe but not others. )

And lastly ( For now will probably make a few more of these… honestly I could make one daily but I don’t wanna bother people lol ) what does your Spider-Sona think about killing criminals… and their general approach to crime.

Okay and that’s a wrap for this one! Let me know if you want more of these and how frequently you’d like them! If you aren’t tagged, you can still absolutely do this by the way, just gonna tag a few mutuals and people I follow who I know have Spider-Sona’s! Please let me know if you would not like to be tagged in the future- no hard feelings I’m just autistic and need things to be spelled out bluntly for me!

@spidey-bie @the-cat-and-the-birdie @brown-spider @autisticarach

( You know actually I don’t follow a ton of Spider-Sona blogs so if you come across this post and would LIKE to be tagged in future tag games please let me know in the reblogs or the replies! )

INKTOBER DAYS 11-15: 'WANDER' 'SPICEY' 'RISE' 'CASTLE' 'DAGGER'

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