Captured Lightning (An Avengers / Loki Fanfiction)

The Excursion

I groaned loudly, throwing a frown at the cloudy sky above. This wasn't my idea of an enjoyable day out.

I closed my eyes, picturing a beach with gently lapping waves, a Mojito in my hand, the sun on my face, sand between my toes...

"Rose, snap out of it...I need your help on this," Loki said, giving me a gentle tap on the shoulder. I couldn't even look at him without giggling. Thor had found him some 'normal' clothes to wear for the day. The god of mischief in skinny jeans, what could I say?

I couldn't decide whether they were ridiculous or...attractive?

"Rose?"

Where had that thought come from? Sure he had alluring features. Those eyes. The cheekbones. The grin. I'd know that since I'd spied on him that day. But he'd killed people. He'd tried to take over Earth. He'd put his brother through hell. I had to be careful. I couldn't let myself...

"Rose?"

"I haven't lived in New York very long, you know. I'm terrible with directions and bearings."

He frowned at me in exasperation.

"You know as well as I, that this isn't my cup of tea," he murmured, bringing the map of New York close to his nose again.

I stamped my feet like a child and glared at the taxis whizzing past. Why did Fury have to be so demanding? If Tony and Clint had had their way, the team would be swilling beers at the local bar. Instead here we were, participating in a scavenger hunt.

I didn't even know why we were trying.

Banner and Rogers were surely going to win, and now that I thought about it Barton and Romanoff would probably cheat their way into victory. I wouldn't be surprised if Tony hacked the SHIELD mainframe, found the answers and then dragged Thor to triumph.

One thing was sure, Loki and I we're bound to lose.

"Why don't we just give up?" I pondered out loud, "We're not going to win"

His blue eyes crinkled as he smiled.

"I didn't take Rose Potts to be a quitter"

I grinned, "It must be your influence"

He rolled his eyes and turned back to the map.

"I'm determined to see this task through, if nothing but to prove Fury wrong," he mumbled.

"Fine" I said, snatching the map from his hands and chucking into the nearest bin, "If you want to do this properly, we're going to do it my way"

"Yes ma'am," he said, raising his hand in salute and mimicking Roger's tone of voice.

"And none of that," I ordered.

He chuckled lightly.

I pulled my personalised Stark phone from my pocket and typed in the address we had spent an hour piecing together in the New York Public Library.

"Lets go," I said, looking up and pointing to the end of the street, "We're not far away from the second checkpoint"

He looked puzzled as to how I'd so quickly found the directions but made no attempt to argue.

Rain had just started to fall as we can to turned down a deserted alley.

 "This is it," I said, looking down at my phone and then back at a disused shop window, "Do you think we have to go in?"

"I'd gamble it so"

The door swung open eerily. We traded an unsure glance as Loki moved into the dingy room. The floorboards creaked under foot as I stepped as silently as possible behind his tall figure. I could just make out the shape of an envelope placed neatly on the disused counter towards the back of the store.