By the Side of the Road [A LOKI FANFIC]

Long Faces

In which I make a doubtful horse joke, mention Chemistry jokes, and have a cliffhanger. Oh, and there's a Newton's Cradle.

A/N: So... I heard Bastille's Pompeii for the first time today. It's pretty cool. I need your input on this, because if the doubts don't get exterminated soon, I will go all berserker on your internet arses. SO COMMENT, BITCHES. Not you, Kearabee, or Nycgirl106, because I know YOU love me. Well, like me a bit. Go check out Kearabee's stories, they're better than mine, and she's less likely to be a psychopath. Probably.

Quote: Somewhere weaknesses are strength, and I'll die searching for that. (Let the flames begin, Paramore)

"You look stressed," she said, sauntering casually into Tony's office, three weeks later, balancing a coffee cup expertly on yet another stack of paperwork.

"That's 'cos I am," he replied, sighing melodramatically.

'What's wrong? You being sued again?'

"It only happened once!" he protested, "And, no, it isn't."

"Twice, actually. So why the horse?"

"Horse?" Tony raked his eyes around his office, searching for some sort of equine not yet sighted by himself.

"Yep. Classic take on the 'a horse walks into a bar' joke."

"Don't get it."

"Y'know, the barman goes- why the long face?" she said, "C'mon, Tony, you know this one."

"Still don't get it."

"Instead of saying 'Why the long face?' which is what horses have, I said 'Why the horse?' Duh."

"Not funny if you have to explain it."

"Neither are your Chemistry jokes."

"Just 'cos you don't understand them."

"I understand them perfectly, I just don't see the hilarity in saying 'I'd tell you a Chemistry joke, but all the good ones Argon."

"No. It's not 'okay', because that was comedy genius."

"Stop evading my question. Why are you so miserable?" Kenna said, aware that they could go on bickering in circles for hours more.

"Fury wants me to find another member for the super-secret boy-band."

"Why?" she asked, after remembering his stupid nickname for the Avengers.

"Odin's gonna make Loki serve his punishment on Earth."

She almost started at hearing his name again, but the connection between the homeless man in her apartment and a mass murdering genocidal alien was ridiculous. Odin wouldn't send Loki back on his own without escort or guards. She squinted for a second, and then made her decision.

"I know of someone for the Avengers."

Stark looked as if he was about to take fault with her use of 'I know of someone', but saw the steely glint in her eyes and changed his mind.

"Who's the person"

"Me."

"What? But you don't even- I mean you're just a-"

"Which is why I can do this, right?"

And, for once, the sight in front of him rendered Tony speechless.