When We Were Young

CHAPTER VII

She let out a shriek of joy and buried her face to his chest. He chuckled and pushed her hair away when he tilted her head back so he looked at her face. Her face was flushed, her eyes screwed shut and her lips were pursed to suppress the massive smile itching on her face.

"Natasha," he whispered her name gently. "Open your eyes."

She moved her toes in the waters and felt the soft sand caressing under her feet. She bit on her bottom lip as she opened her eyes again to see they were surrounded by a glowing bioluminescence ocean. The sky was covered in blue-green auroras. "Loki..." she breathed his name. Then she gasped when she felt a tickle on her leg. She looked down to see a manta ray swimming peacefully passed her. She squealed and hopped excitedly when it swam away. She giggled, kicking the glowing blue waters.

Loki adoringly stared at her child-like reactions and grazed her cheek with his knuckles.

Natasha was on the verge of tears. She shook her head in amazement. "Where are we?"

"Well I believe," he looked around with a grin, "that we are standing in the middle of the ocean, somewhere in the world, far from civilization." He looked back to her, and wiped a streaming tear from her face with his thumb.

"And, and this is where you want to teach me?" Her voice was shaky.

"Yes. That way you will not forget anything. Because it will be a special memory you will hold for the rest of your life," he said all this while his hand travelled down her arm until he caught her hand. His other hand wound around her waist. He pulled her close as she put her arm around his shoulder.

"This is special, Loki." Her eyes were glowing.

"Follow my footsteps," he commanded.

She nervously nodded. "Okay." She looked down her feet as they began moving. She tried to keep up with him but did step on his toes more than twice in the waters.

He held her chin up. He was smiling. He was patient and caring for her. "Natasha. Keep your eyes on me. Watching your feet will only worsen the rhythm. Do not think," he told her, "just move." He leaned closer so their faces were inches apart. "Be fluid with me."

His eyes were even more gorgeous from the glowing lights around them.

They tried again. Over and over. And every time she stepped on his toes, he remained patient about it. She was motivated to correct her mistakes.
Until she was graceful.
Until they danced non-stop without her ruining the rhythm. She didn't even think about the rhythm, too locked in his gentle eyes to care. The waters splashed as they moved even more around. He spun her around, pulled her back to his chest, and hung her over his arm. Her hair dipping in the water. He pulled her back up and grinned widely. "You did it!" He took her in his arms and spun her. She squealed and hugged him dearly, laughing in pure happiness.

"I did it!"

He eventually dropped her. She was grinning ear to ear, unable to stand still and get rid of the giddiness.

He softly smiled at her. "This is a dream of yours, isn't it?"

She stared at him with genuine fondness and lightly shoved his shoulder. "You read my to-do-list. Swimming in a bioluminescence ocean..." Her endearing smile stretched. "But it's even better now. Dancing in a bioluminescence ocean with you. A manta ray just swam passed me. And there is an aurora sky above us!" She covered him tightly in her arms and her squeezing hug had him grinning like a fool. "I love you, Loki!"

Those three words warmed his heart, reminding him of back when they were younger. When she used to tell him she adored him all the time whenever he did these nice things for her.
Loki squeezed her back, sharing the same deep affection he had for her as well. She made him happy and he could not ask for anything more.