Lies of Silver, Heart of Gold ~§~ Bucky Barnes

-018-

It's been three hours since Carina and Loki left the lab. Since then, Thor has brought back a dozen pizzas—minus a slice—and Nat has explained to Clint what's going on and that she is going to acquire those S.H.I.E.L.D. files on the Winter Soldier tomorrow.

~§~

Carina is sitting comfortably in her spot on the couch, next to Loki.

"I am regretting not trying this sooner," Loki says with a mouthful of pizza.

Carina laughs. "Yeah, well, that's Earth's most basic necessity. Bread, tomato, cheese, and toppings. I prefer pineapple on mine, and it's actually good despite what the rest of the world thinks."

"Pineapple pizza is weird!" Tony yells from the kitchen.

"And yet you paid for it!" she yells back. "Also, you eat yours with ranch! Gross!" She laughs as she takes the last bite of her pizza and takes her plate to the kitchen. Tony elbows her side.

"Watch the elbows, old man," she warns.

"I'm only forty-one. If anyone is old here, it's your boyfriend and Point Break," he jokes.

Carina chokes on her water at the comment. When she finally catches her breath, she hears Loki in her head.

Boyfriend, huh? he asks. I like fiancé better, but it's a start.

Carina looks up and makes eye contact with him. He winks and smiles. She blushes and looks at Peter.

"Crap, I have to get you home, Parks. Tony, please tell me the elevator is fixed now," she pleads.

"Yep. Get going," he shoos her.

"Wait! Riri, you said you would give him the drawing I made," Peter reminds her.

Carina snaps as if helping her remember and walks to her room and grabs the drawing off the dresser. She heads back to the living room and hands the drawing to Tony the moment she comes back.

"Aw, thanks kid. Guys, come look at this," he beckons. The rest of the avengers gather in the kitchen and compliment and thank Peter for the drawing. Thor takes it and puts it on the freezer door with a magnet.

Peter is fangirling at the action. "Awesome!"

"I'm so jealous," she laughs. "Come on, May is gonna start blowing my phone up if we don't get you back soon."

You won't be too long, will you? Loki asks.

Carina sighs. Thirty minutes at most.

Alright. I'll see you when you come back.

I'll see you then. She guides Peter to the elevator and they head to the garage. Once they are both in the car, Carina starts it and slowly backs out of her parking space. She starts driving back to Queens and is halfway there when she is startled by a voice in the backseat.

"So where are we going?" a voice asks from the backseat.

"Dammit Loki!" she yells. "You have got to stop doing that!"

"Sorry, darling. Just wanted to get away from my oafish brother for a few minutes," he explains. "And of course I couldn't stay away from you."

Peter turns around in his seat and waves at him. "Hi, Mr. Loki!"

"Hello, young Midgardian," Loki says hesitantly.

"Oh great. You're actually here," she groans. "How long do you figure it'll take for the others to find out you left?"

"Apologies, Miss Lewis, but Mr. Stark is overriding your vehicle. Please release the steering wheel."

"Nope," she says. "Call Tony."