All cats are grey in the dark

Chapter Nine

"Did you kids have a nice day shopping?" Tony asks calmly from the sofa as they wrestle through the door laden with bags. He makes no effort to help them but Steve runs to them and takes some off of their hands.

"Yes, although why did no one ever tell me how stressful Midgardian markets are? Why do people enjoy it there?"

"It's a mystery to me, kid." He swigs his whiskey "Was Loki good?"

"Yes, he was. We even gave him a little bit of free-range time." Natasha answers, hopping up onto the kitchen island and sitting cross-legged.

"You let him walk away?"

"Relax, I had a tracking spell on him the whole time."

"Why did you let him?" Tony asks, eyeing Loki suspiciously.

"Well, we went to Victoria's secret and Eldrid here got all embarrassed and red so we let him go the book store."

"Alright, we're going to take our stuff to our room. Thank you, Natasha, for taking us and thank you, Tony, for paying." She magics their bags upstairs then herself and Loki follow, leaving Natasha and Tony giggling whilst Steve sits in the corner doing the eyebrows of disappointment.

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"So, what are we doing this evening, Eldrid," Loki asks. He has sorted his new clothing and assumed his position on the bed, now he's looking at her as she holds up her new clothes for his inspection.

"I don't know, Loki, what would you like to do?" She answers, holding up a dress patterned with embroidered sunflowers.

"This tower has a roof terrace, yes?"

"Indeed."

"Okay, then I should like to take you stargazing. We'll have a picnic." At this, he sits up, cross-legged.

She folds the dress and places it in a drawer, then turns to face him. "Stargazing? Alone?"

"Yes, issue?"

Her brows furrow in confusion. "My dear Loki, are you trying to court me?"

"No, not right now. Will you let me have freedom of the tower for a while?"

"Yes, go ahead." she waves the golden shield down from the door, letting him go surprisingly nonchalantly.

"Meet me on the roof in an hour."

That hour brings her some blessed peace. She draws a bath, soaks for a while, spends some time scrubbing and shaving every part of her and then emerges from the bath as smooth as a baby dolphin. She wraps a plush towel around her, then runs to answer the knock at the door.

"Hello?" she peers around the door, one hand desperately clutching at her towel. 

"Can I come in?" Natasha asks, a grin on her face.

Eldrid lets her in, relaxing now. "What can I help you with, Nat?"

"He asked you on a date?" She shrieks, flopping back onto the bed, a grin wide on her face. 

Eldrid puts the privacy shield on the door, to cover her dressing, and replies "No, just a picnic."

"Under the stars?"

"Yes." 

"By candlelight?"

"Most likely."

"El, you're so smart and yet so clueless. This is a date."

Her brows furrow as she pulls on her newly acquired underwear. "No, I asked him if he was trying to court me and he said that he wasn't. Can you help me with the clasp on this godforsaken brazier?"

As Natasha does up her bra, she asks one question. "Answer me this: if it's not a date, why did you shave? Why did you bath? Why are you making an effort?"

This makes Eldrid falter. She'd been having new thoughts about Loki, and he could read minds after all... maybe this was some elaborate scheme.

"I don't know... I think... I just... I... Maybe you're right?"

"Oh, flower, I know I'm right. What're you wearing?"

"I don't know." She answers, pulling her damp hair into a bun on top of her head.

This sets Natasha in motion. She hunts through Eldrid's drawers almost manically pulling garments of every shape and form until she has created what she deems the perfect outfit.

"Put this on."

"Bu-"

"Nope," Natasha cuts her off "Put it on."

So she does, then she bids Natasha farewell and heads off to the roof.

Word count: 650
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