Coffee and Books 1

Chapter 34

The Asgardians gather their things and I mean to leave the gym with them, but Sharon calls after me and I turn around to face her.
"Ylva," Sharon starts when the door is closed behind the Asgardians, "I hope you don't mind, but I want to talk to you about Loki."

"What about him?"

"Well..." She seems to have some trouble to say it.

"Just spit it out, Sharon. I won't bite," I smile at her. The smile is fake, because I have an inkling of what she is about to say. It's probably something along the lines of 'Loki is dangerous'. Nothing I haven't heard before.

"First of all, I'm glad to see you walking around again. The attack was pretty scary. I'm so sorry Steve and I didn't see it coming."

"Nobody did," I shrug. "I don't blame anyone but the guys who fired that rocket. You don't need to be sorry. But that's not what you wanted to say, right?" I feel my spine starting to glow. Not that I really want to comfort Sharon, I just want her to tell me what is on her mind.

Sharon frowns and seems to think about how to phrase the next bit. "After the attack, you didn't see Loki for a couple of weeks. But now you are here again. You even spent the night here, didn't you?"

"I did. Not that it is anything of your business," I tell her curtly.

"I am just worried about you," Sharon replies, putting her hand on my arm. "You know what Loki did here in New York, Steve told me. You were attacked because you were with him. And you know he is a lethal fighter. He just showed you what he can do, and this was without his magic or daggers!"

"Those are his weapon of choice? Hmm, fitting," I cut in.

"Ylva! You know what I mean. This is serious!"

"Yes, I know. But the way I see it, Loki is not threatening Earth or its inhabitants this time. He is cooperating with you guys so he can be with his people. And I hang out with them too. I like them, they are my friends. That's all there is to it."

"He is not the same as the others, Ylva. He is no Asgardian. Loki is dangerous!" Sharon warns me.

"Not to me. Is he dangerous just because he can fight? Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't you dating Captain America? He knows how to throw a punch too." I am starting to get irritated, a flare of heat running down my spine.

"That's not the same and you know it!" Sharon exclaims.

"Maybe not," I tell her sternly. "But I'm a little sick of people telling me Loki is dangerous, when he has been nothing but nice to me. I know what he has done, but that is in the past. You guys are keeping him under strict surveillance, so I guess I am pretty safe when I'm with him. Even in the gym S.H.I.E.L.D. is keeping an eye on me!"
A look of guilt flashes across Sharon's face and I start to laugh. "I am right, aren't I? You guys are watching me too?"
Sharon says nothing, clenching her teeth.
"It's ok. When I am around Loki, I'm being watched anyway. If S.H.I.E.L.D. gets a kick out of watching me serve coffee at Coffee & Books, be my guest!"
I am just talking from the top of my head now, but I guess I really feel this way. I don't care if S.H.I.E.L.D. watches me or not. "Now, if you don't mind, I want to get a shower. I'll be upstairs if you need me," I say to Sharon, also shooting a glance at her partner who has been standing a little behind her. "Bye!"

Walking upstairs, I think back to my words. I'm surprising myself, but I really don't care about being on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s watchlist. Being with Loki means being watched anyway. Not a lot of fun in the light of privacy, but I wasn't planning on a steamy make out session in the middle of the street. If that is an option at all. Personally, I've got nothing to hide. They know most of it already anyway, my involuntary talks with agent Romanoff cleared that up. So maybe I'm just hoping they'll get bored of me soon.
I don't know what Sharon meant with Loki being so different from the other Asgardians. I don't see much of a difference, but I could always ask Loki later. Right now, I just want to get cleaned up and put on my own clothes again.