According to Plan (A Loki x Reader Fanfic)

Afterparty

It was the same red dress you wore when you first met. It fit a little differently now, muscles on your body where you once only held tension and stress.

A black or green dress would have been more "on brand" you knew. It was funny how you still thought about those details. It was funny how you were now on the other side of that line - a team of Avengers employees now monitoring and controlling your image and public perception the way that you had once done for others.

But you stuck with the red dress, knowing that Loki would spot the gesture, with a gold necklace that sat on your collar, and your beautifully cut black leather jacket.

"You were an avenger when we first met," he had said.

And now you're becoming an official one, with a capital A, finishing the thought in your head as you admired your look in the mirror.

Today was graduation day, as it were. You were going to be announced as an official member of the Avengers along with several community outreach initiatives. There would be a press conference, and then a big party. Everyone would be there. All of the Avengers who could make it, politicians, people of note. Elias had tried to worm his way into an invitation, claiming that he had deserved one, blaming you and the Avengers for the destruction of his property. But you had put your foot down. That monster didn't get to have any piece of joy that you found in your new life.

Loki would be there. He would be arriving shortly with Thor and the Valkyrie. Your skin buzzed with excited magic. He was nervous, you knew, to be there, to be a distraction, he was worried that he would take the shine off your moment. But you wouldn't let him dwell on it, and after scolding him for his self-deprecating talk, after reminding him that you loved him, he tried so hard to hide it, to show you only his excitement. You wanted to make it worth it. To show him your appreciation.

Your skin prickled again, searing this time with the sensation of the Seidr Plains. They were here.

You took the stairs down two at a time and pushed carelessly through the crowd of dazzled onlookers through the front door to the vast lawn that the Plains had deposited the Asgardians in. The groundskeepers weren't going to be thrilled by the sigils that were newly burned into the lawn, but that would be someone else's problem.

"AYYYYYYYYYY!!!!" The Valkyrie cheered. Her and Thor came running at you and wrapping you in an aggressive bear hug. From their exuberant countenances and the smell of their breath, you were pretty sure that they had pre-gamed. You were so glad to see them, so glad that they were excited for you. Their tight embrace felt like that of family, like you had known them for a longer time than you had spent in Tønsberg.

And Loki. He hung back, not needing to be the first to greet you, knowing you had a long night ahead to make up for lost time, patiently watching, waiting for his chance to hold you.

When Thor got distracted by seeing his old friends, the Asgardians reuniting with Bruce, and making new introductions you were finally able to slip away towards your lover, still standing silent in the center of the magic-charred markings of the Seidr Plains.

He looked extraordinary. A crisp ebony suit, matching shoes, white shirt unbuttoned dangerously low. His hair, usually so slicked back fell softly to the side, a curl falling over his cheek and up his jaw.

Loki reached one hand out, beckoning, and you took it, letting him pull you in close. He caught you by the chin, and in one graceful movement he tilted your head up and kissed your lips. Firm but tender. Absolutely perfect.

"Hello," he said in greeting, wrapping his arms around your waist, holding you tight.

"Hi," was all you could manage. You lost yourself in his eyes, you lost yourself in the fact that he was finally there, no longer a facsimile or a text message. His arms truly wrapping you in their embrace. If your earlier hug felt like family, this one felt like home. You kissed him again, forgetting yourself, forgetting the time, forgetting the place.