The Scientist (Loki x OC)

Pt. 45: Strengthen The Bond

A/N: wowza, it has been a minute, huh? Apologies all around for taking so long to post. I had to take a few days to recuperate from those two doozies, and on most days, I only wrote a few sentences at a time. To add, I also recently started an online grad class on astrobiology. It's super cool stuff, so I'm not mad. Anywho, I do hope y'all enjoy this one as you've enjoyed the others :D

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The pipe at the compound got fixed as promptly as it could. By the next day, it was like nothing had happened. But – little did Tony Stark and the rest of the employees know – something did happen. Something that would not be easily erased from time or the minds of the individuals involved. Something Tony did not desire to come about.

What to call it, no one was sure, but it wasn't something Loki wanted to disappear.

He felt a bit smug knowing that by being Luna's best friend, he was going against Tony's wishes, but the extent to which he craved to displease him had greatly diminished over the last few days. His core reason for coming was to get Tony on his side to fight Thanos, the moment the past caught up with the present. The combat suits they worked on were near perfection. He needed Tony to be ready for the impending war the Mad Titan will undoubtedly dole out.

Loki knew he would need Tony's complete trust so he could warn him adequately about the threat at hand, but it would take an amount of trust Loki did not have in him or anyone. No one, except maybe Luna.

His dearest companion. His little scientist.

Currently, his favorite person on the planet and his primary concern.

Since she got home from work, she kept up a tense silence. She greeted him at the door, and he returned the gesture, but onward, her head was bent, and her brow retained a tight crease. She was in deep contemplation about something, and as per usual, Loki wished to know what it was.

He stealthily approached her as she chopped up an onion half and a few garlic cloves. She didn't mention what she would be making or ask him what he would like, but it mattered not. He knew he would enjoy the end result. His present craving was for whatever troubled her.

Loki put a hand on the counter, close enough for him to appear in Luna's periphery, and spoke.

"You're quiet."

"Hm?" Luna stopped cutting and looked up at him. "Oh. Uh, yeah." She bent her head and continued working.

"What are you thinking about?"

She shrugged. "Something work-related." Her head tilted from one side to the other. "Something personal. Both, I guess."

"Are you at liberty to discuss them?"

"The personal one, I have to. I'd have to be painfully vague about the work one."

Loki leaned his elbow on the counter edge and clasped his hands together. "Tell me what you need to."

Satisfied with the size of the onion pieces, Luna rinsed the knife and set it on the far edge of the cutting board. She glanced over and caught Loki's eye. "I have a few days blocked out for a spring break, of sorts. It's in a couple weeks."

Loki raised a brow. "Really? How long?"

"A full week." Luna doused her hands with water and dried them with a dish towel. She was fidgeting, at best, and didn't want to arouse Loki's suspicions before she had a chance to speak. Taking a deep breath, she rushed to get it over with. "I wanted to ask if you'd like to come with me to see where I'm from."

Loki blinked and took a bit to respond. Luna wished she had put some music on. Anything to fill the moment. "Your hometown?" he affirmed slowly. It was infuriating.