Eviternity | Loki

between

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❝ She was made of a magic,

that only I could see. ❞

~Atticus

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There was chaos for a time, after S.H.I.E.L.D. had been buried. They were all quickly gathered together and brought up to speed on everything that had happened.

The Avengers were now the most important and almost the only line of defence with S.H.I.E.L.D. gone, and the pressure weighed on the hearts of the team. It wasn't long before nearly everyone was moved into the tower and they were still in the process of settling in.

Asta and Loki had been kept nearly entirely in the dark. It hadn't been announced that they'd joined the Avengers and the team were almost certainly considering whether or not the two of them were really worth the risk. They weren't part of any meetings in the following weeks, and Asta found it especially unsettling.

To her delight, Tony made it his job to be friends with her, to make her feel as at home as humanly possible. It was sweet really, even if he looked panicked and rushed out of the room every time Loki darkened the door.

Asta and the god spent most of their time together, much of it training. Loki spent his spare time brushing up on Midgardian history and literature. Asta, well, she was good at whittling away time without really doing anything.

Their friendship had grown as had their connection with each other. There was barely a moment they didn't share a neural link. It was as if an invisible string kept their minds knitted together at all times. It let them in on each other's emotions, and they came to know each other like the backs of their own hands.

It was a dreary afternoon and they had just completed another round of knife training. Loki impressed the importance of versatility on her tirelessly, and she'd be the first to admit she had learned a lot. As much as she loved to have him train her, it always ended up being an extremely long, gruelling session. 

She dragged her feet to the fridge in the lounge for bottles of water, leaning against the counter to watch Loki flop down on the leather couch carelessly. He picked up a textbook yet again, and she smiled to see he was reading on the age of absolutism. 

"Ah, brushing up on your history of distasteful rulers I see?" She wandered over to his side, sitting on the floor. 

He looked over at her, mild annoyance written into his sharp features. "Yes, yes I am. I'll admit that your history is far more interesting than I ever thought it could be." 

"I know! Told you." She smiled over at him, leaning over her sore legs. "If you'd known a little more about Midgard when you tried to take it over you would've had better chances with us. I think you would've been a very good politician. You'd own half the world by now." His eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Is that so? Maybe I should give it a try." She laughed dryly, swatting his arm. 

"The world knows your face, that's out of the question."

Out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of Tony and the Captain both entering the room, pausing to take in the two in front of them. Tony cleared his throat, his eyes wandering between them curiously as Steve made his way to the fridge.

"Just the people I was looking for." She smiled brightly from the floor.

"Really?"

"Press Conference in an hour let's go." She pulled herself to stand, skipping over to Tony and pausing once she stood in front of him.

"You didn't mention that. Are you announcing the newest members of your team? And is that my suit?" He nodded and she took the slim box out of his hands, opening it like a child on Christmas.

"No I didn't. You'll do fine. Is it up to your standards?" Tony smiled at her and she nodded enthusiastically.

"I'm not sure I'll do fine. They'll hate me."

"Not as much as they hate him." Tony raised his eyebrows, gesturing to Loki and he shrugged resignedly.

"Oh, I beg to differ." The playfulness left her body as she thought about the impending disaster of a conference.

"Oh shut up and suit up. Both of you." He turned to leave, pausing on his way out. "I'm throwing a little party. In the lounge tonight. For you guys. Let's say seven? And wear something nice for god sake." He winked at Asta before disappearing from view.

"It won't be big will it?" She called after him but he didn't answer and she rolled her eyes. Steve chuckled from the kitchen and turned to face her.

"It's Tony, it won't be small."