One Choice Book 2

Part 2

Loki and Stephen walked down the busy street of New York. Stephen had made a portal in a discreet alleyway as a way to get to the shop faster and deal with less crowd. Loki certainly didn't mind. While he didn't like people very much, especially mortals. Being out and about was rather nice. Even if he had Vita and Mortem chatting away in his head.

"So where does one go to get a phone?" Loki asks.

"A phone store" Stephen answered simply. "There are other places but if you want a good one. You want a place like this one." he says as they reach the store.
"After you." Stephen says, opening the door for Loki to go in first. Loki couldn't help the slight smile.

"Thank you." he says walking in.

"Why don't you go pick a phone case while I get things sorted out?" Stephen suggested.

"Alright." Loki says, giving a nod before walking over to the phone cases.

"Wow, that's a lot of phone cases." Mortem says.

"So sparkly." Vita adds

Loki wasn't exactly sure what he was looking for. It was just a phone after all did it really matter? Apparently to mortals they did. Why else would they make so many options?
Purple, pink, clear with glitter, so many shades of gold. Along with every other color you could possibly think of. Loads of shapes and designs as well. It was all a tad bit ridiculous in Loki's opinion. He ended up so wrapped up in thought that he hadn't realized Stephen had walked up beside him.

"Having trouble?" He questions.

"What? Oh- I suppose so." Loki muttered bearly giving Stephen a glance. The other hummed thinking for a moment before pointing a phone case out.

"How about that one?" Loki looked to where Stephen had directed to see a green phone case with gold flecks.

"That would suffice actually." Loki says, grabbing it off the wall. Ge was actually rather surprised. Stephen had actually picked one out that suited him. Which means he knew what Loki liked. He wasn't sure why, but Loki liked to know that Stephen took the time to think about such things.

"Perfect." Stephen says. "C'mon then." With that Stephen paid for the phone and its case and they left the store back onto the busy streets.

"Alright now that's settled. Is there anything else we need while we're still out?" Strange asks mostly rhetorically. Only to find Loki wasn't listening at all. They were just outside a makeup store now and he couldn't bring himself to look away from the pictures of models sporting bright and elaborate makeup looks.
"Loki?" Stephen says, trying to get his attention.

"What? Oh yes sorry- I'm not sure." Loki says answering Stephen's question as he looked away from the posters.

"Have you ever worn makeup before?" Stephen asks.

"Well- yes. But not anything like that." Loki replies.

"We could get you some make up if you'd like." Stephen says. "We're out anyways"

"No- that will not be necessary." Loki insists. "I can just conjure something up if I deem it necessary."

Stephen was about to respond only for there to be an explosion across the street. He quickly pulled Loki away for some cover. Using his magic to send the phone to the sanctum.

"What was that?" Loki says, keeping an eye out to try and see what happened.

"I'm not sure but we're going to find out." Stephen says.

Just then a figure came down from the roof.

"Hey isn't that one of the avengers?" Loki questions. "That's good she's here right?"

Stephen's eyes go wide. He saw the red hair, the outfit. He knew something was wrong. "Normally it would be- but she's supposed to be dead."

Natasha looks at them eyes glowing bright red. Not a single bit of emotion showed on her face.

"Run." Stephen says and they book it.

Natasha was hot on their trail.

"What do you mean she's supposed to be dead?!" Loki questions as the dodge down another alley.

"She died retrieving the soul stone to stop Thanos." Stephen explains. "I would have brought her back but there was no access to her remains. So I was unable too."

"But now she's back anyway?"

Just then Natasha dropped down in front of them.

"Seems like it." Stephen says. "You distract her for a minute while I contact the others."

Loki smirks, allowing Vita and Mortem to transform. "Don't mind if I do."

"Oh yeah! Let's do this!" Mortem and Vita cheer excitedly.

Natasha lunged in for the attack. But Loki knew what he was doing, able to block before side stepping, getting a clear shot to hit her with the hilt of one of the blades.

She stumbled but didn't go down. Stomping on his foot and giving him a taste of an uppercut. That sent him back a couple paces.

Meanwhile Stephen was trying to reach someone on the phone. Carol and Thor with the guardians were all off-world. So that didn't leave a lot of options but there were a few. So he picked the first one he thought of.

"Stephen did you hear about the explosion?" She answers quickly.

"Yes actually. I happen to be right near it. But that's not the reason I called you." Stephen explains.

"Oh my- what happened, are you okay?" Wanda asks worriedly

"Romanoff is back."

"What?"

"She's here and currently battling Loki." Stephen says trying to stay out of both Loki's and Natasha's way.

"Are you positive it's her? Are you absolutely certain?"

"I'm pretty sure yeah- but her eyes are glowing so."

"The other me.." Wanda mutters. "Hold on- keep her busy for as long as you can. I think I know what to do" with that she hung up.

Stephen immediately knew he'd fucked up; He knew Wanda was going to the sanctum instead; He knew exactly what she would find there, and it wasn't going to be what she was looking for.