Learning To Love

Chapter 10

For a moment they both relaxed into the kiss, but reality hit Sierra. I'm kissing Loki. What's wrong with me? She pulled away, blushing profusely.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly. "Let's go eat." He nodded awkwardly, and they hurried back into the Tower.

Everyone else had already gathered in the dining room, and Pepper and Steve set out the food. Tony and Bruce sat at one end of the table, talking. Sierra wiped her face clear of emotion and sat down next to Bruce. He turned to her and threw an arm over the back of his chair.

"No sign of Thor anywhere. Shield hasn't seen him. I was able to contact Jane, but she hasn't seen him in a while either." He seemed worried but she only shrugged.

"Figured as much."

Pepper and Steve joined them, and they began eating. Sierra ate quietly, trying not to stare at Loki from across the table. Somehow, he talked peacefully with Steve and didn't notice her. She knew that her face must be burning red from embarrassment and instinctively she ducked her head. I can't believe I did that, she thought. But when she thought about it, was it really a bad kiss? Pepper's voice jerked her back to reality.

"What are you zoning out about, Sierra?" she asked. Sierra pretended like it was no big deal and said,

"I don't know, with everything that's happened in the last few days, I have a lot to think about." She nodded understandingly and went back to her food, but Loki heard the two of them talking and caught Sierra's eye. He knew what she was really thinking about.

Sierra finished dinner quietly and excused herself so she could go down to her room. When she got there, she slammed the door shut behind her and slumped onto her bed, pondering. As if she hadn't done that enough already. She was horrified about what she had done and she had no desire to know what her friends and her brother would think. A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Can I come in?" she heard a muffled voice say.

"Sure," Sierra replied, falling back onto the bed. Loki pushed the door open.

"Hey." He crept in, shut the door behind him, and stood awkwardly across the room from her with his arms crossed. She sat up.

"I'm sorry."

"Oh, yeah?" he asked.

"For kissing you. I really shouldn't have." He paused.

"Why are you sorry? I didn't stop you," he said, flashing her a tiny grin and breaking the tension slightly.

"I just...I hardly know you. And I'm...not supposed to like you." Sierra cringed.

"So why, then? Why'd you do it?" he asked, even though he knew the answer. She took a deep breath.

"Because Loki, I've had fun with you the past few days. You're not as bad as I thought." She laughed ruefully, knowing full well how rude that had sounded. "I think I might be getting feelings for you-" He cut her off.

"Well, that is convenient because I have feelings for you too-" But Sierra plowed on with her little speech.

"But it's only been a few days together," she continued. "And you should know, I've never been in a serious relationship before! I don't know what it's like. I don't know what to do. And we have bigger problems we have to focus on right now. Remember that." He was quiet momentarily.

"Listen, I'm new at this too. Believe it or not, I never exactly had women lined up at my doorstep. That was always my brother's experience, but never mine. I don't have a clue what I'm doing either. We can learn together. Let's try."

"I like you, Loki, but we have bigger problems right now." She could hardly believe how practical she was sounding, but truthfully, she was terrified at the prospect of a relationship, especially with him; his reputation was a sticking point. But she wasn't lying. She liked him. A lot.

"I like you too. And I don't know what's coming, but whatever it is, I need you by my side." He appeared dead serious but his eyes were soft. Sierra knew he wasn't joking, and she sighed deeply.

"Alright," she said. "Let's try."

*********

Days, then weeks, flew by with no sign of Thor, and no way to reach him. Sierra spent her days either in the labs with Tony and Bruce or hanging out with Loki. They didn't see Pepper and Steve much. Steve worked for S.H.I.E.L.D., and Pepper had Stark Inc. to run. Together, Loki and Sierra watched through all the movies she could think of, including but not limited to all of the Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones, and Star Wars.

Nobody could find Thor. Near as they could tell, he had disappeared to a realm other than Asgard, on his search for Loki. Oh, the irony. Sierra mentioned this to Loki one day, and he just laughed.

"Fifteen hundred years of being siblings and he can't find me when I'm right in front of him," he said.

Finally, three weeks after they'd moved to Stark Tower, Tony called everyone to the lab to announce that they'd gotten massive energy readings just outside the city, and they were pretty sure who it was.

Not five minutes later, a thud on the balcony announced Thor's arrival. They all met him on the top floor and he saw Loki right away.

"Brother, I've been searching all of the Nine Realms for you!" He strode forward and grabbed Loki's shoulders. "I'm taking Loki back. How did he get here?" Thor glared at them.

"Thor, wait. We have answers. Don't take Loki back just yet," Sierra pleaded.

"You've better have a very good explanation for this." For once, Thor's face was stone cold.

Slowly Sierra explained everything to Thor, with help and input from everyone else, mainly Loki. By the time they finished, Thor was still angry, but not at them.

"Thanos will pay for this," he roared. "I will not rest until he has been stopped. Loki, we are going to Asgard, but I will not let Father imprison you again. I need your help." Loki nodded wordlessly, and Thor motioned for him to come with him. Before following his brother, the young god pulled Sierra aside. He put a hand on her shoulder and they tipped their foreheads together.

"I don't want to leave you." Sierra reached up and placed her hand on his, still resting on her.

"I know," Loki whispered. They embraced, and when Sierra pulled away and looked up at Loki, he kissed her. It shocked her a bit; though it was a normal occurrence nowadays in private, they had never kissed in front of their friends. However, she knew they couldn't hide forever and they might as well deal with this now.

"Sierra, what the hell?" she heard Tony shout in their direction, interrupting their goodbye. She reluctantly stepped away from Loki.

"We're so screwed," Sierra groaned.

"When did this happen?" Tony asked again, wiggling a finger from one of them to the other. Loki ignored him and turned to Thor instead.

"Brother, I want Sierra to come with us. She can help."

**********