Loki x Reader: Into the MCU

Chapter 37: What A Bunch of A-Holes

Notes: Sorry it is late, and it is also shorter than I had anticipated. This last week was super crazy, so I had to save some things for the next chapter in order to get somethings published already. If I ever am late for any reason in the future, I'll comment it below the last chapter as a heads up, just so y'all know where to look for it. I also didn't proof-read much, once again. Sorry.

January came, marking the end of the holiday season. Life fell back into it's routine. You and Rhodey continued your frozen yogurt trips, trying to make it once a week as you had before the holidays pushed everything to a halt. You'd made sure to bring Thor at least once back in December, which meant he always wanted to join whenever he was around at the right time. Now, he was back on Asgard, so you and Rhodes went alone, both needing the relaxing trip. You'd gossip about the others, rant to each other about your problems, and basically enjoy the quiet.

Pepper resumed work in the Stark Headquarters on base, so you saw her much more frequently. Tony, however, no longer resided full-time at the compound, going home with Pepper instead and attending to whatever it is Tony does. He had a life outside of the Avengers, even if it was his family, so his appearances around the compound dwindled. You grew to love the moments where his voice would echo down the hall, as he'd grandly announce his presence whenever he dropped in.

Valkyrie had grown to enjoy the team and facility. She and Nat had bonded, but you could see the noticeable friendship between her and Thor whenever he visited. She was a sarcastic, humorous, no-nonsense kind of girl, which meant she got along with everyone essentially. She and Loki were on decent terms, neither having done something to offend the other, unlike in Ragnarok. It was just Loki, so friendships never really bloomed frequently with him. However, you'd go as far as saying they respected each other, which was a lot coming from both of them. You weren't best friends with her, but you at least liked each other...or at least you thought she liked you. It was Valkyrie, so of course you liked her. Despite your rocky first meeting, where you'd brought up her trauma with Hela, she'd seemed to move past it. After all, it wasn't like when Loki forced her to watch her memories just to be a jerk. You'd done it for a reason. You guys got along when training, and you had similar senses of humor, so you'd often end up laughing with her. Interestingly, she loved the Harry Potter movies, which she credited you for introducing her to them. You couldn't remember when Harry Potter World in Universal Studios had opened, but a bit of research showed it was supposed to open that year. You and Valkyrie planned to ask Tony for a trip there when the time came. One day after training, she opened up to you, Wanda, and Nat about how she missed Asgard. Despite the bad memories, being there for the short time she had stayed had rekindled her love for it. It was her home, after all. The three of you encouraged her to consider moving back, or at least spending periods of time there. She'd taken the advice, deciding to return home when the month was over. How long she'd stay depended on how things went.

You were going to be sad to see her leave, even if she would be back down. Your girl gang would be down a member. Though you trained with every member of the team and practiced fighting with each, there was always a time where just the girls worked together. Through that, a kind of bond had formed. Wanda always made you do fun stuff, like baking or taking a walk to get away from the guys. Valkyrie, though being a hardcore badass, had a fashion sense too, so she and Nat took the four of you out on shopping trips. On one of these trips, you'd stopped for some fast-food, which gave Valkyrie a new unhealthy addiction other than drinking. The talks you had with the three of them were the kind you couldn't have with guys, which was sometimes a good thing and sometimes bad. For example, you didn't have to worry about Rhodey telling you how attractive Loki was in an attempt to get you to admit you liked him. Teasing now and then from the others? Sure. But the girls? They loved bringing it up whenever the topic of relationships was mentioned, or even when it wasn't.