afterglows || loki laufeyson [3]

chapter 22

"for once i'd love to start my day without witnessing something that can make me physically sick."

third person pov!

"yeah, i saw how the two of you lay sprawled in the snow and how he carried her back here.", tony said shrugging, "for once i'd love to start my day without witnessing something that can make me physically sick."

"jealousy can take many forms, stark.", loki snarked, "where is lady pepper anyways?"

"she's busy!", tony said defensively.

"need couple advice?", loki offered tony sarcastically, as the both of them glared at each other.

"no."

"apologize to her and give her a good hug.", loki uttered anyway.

"how's that supposed to work?"

"decency, stark, and bring a box of chocolate for good measure, it works charmingly with belle."

"hey!", belle shouted from the other side of the room, "i can hear you!"

"i know!", loki shouted back.

belle promptly stuck her tongue out at him.

"my brother is a romantic.", thor stated beside her, "i bet it was those books he read back when we were teenagers."

"loki hates romance, he told me himself-", belle started, but then remembered how she had found him secretly sobbing over they both die at the end the other day, "you know what, maybe you have a point."

loki and tony had begrudgingly taken a seat on the breakfast counter with belle and thor after their argument/therapy session. the four of them sat in peaceful silence. belle drank her milk coffee, loki sipped his tea, tony drank his coffee-mix-energy drink that was concerningly bubbling over like coke, and thor swallowed his....beer.

"can you carry him?", thor suddenly asked and belle tilted her head as thor elaborated further, "i mean, can you carry loki bridal style as well?"

she smirked at loki.

loki on the other hand, backed off, "absolutely not, belle don't you-"

he didn't get to finish the sentence as belle stood up and made a move to grab him, chasing after him behind and over the sofa and tables, and eventually managed to wrap her hands around his waist and swoop him up off his feet.

belle grinned victoriously as loki grumbled, stiff and frozen like a chalkboard.

she put loki down and exhaled loudly, "hmm, i forgot you're not the physical touch type of person."

belle walked away, wringing her hands, in time for loki to mutter quietly, "i can be."

she didn't seem to catch on to it, but clearly thor did as he covered his ears and tony spat out the coffee in his mouth onto the counter.

"you should probably get her a christmas present.", someone said, and loki almost jumped.

he had been in the living room that noon, relishing in the quiet and calm as he flicked through his book, a cookbook. he hastened to close it quickly, not trusting the archer enough to not tease him for it.

instead, clint took a short look and shrugged, "i have my fair share of cooking too, you know."

"how did you get here?", loki said, ignoring his two previous comments.

clint raised the plastic water bottle to his mouth, and pointed up.

he meant the air vents.

"do you stay there for most of the day?", loki asked curiously.

"yes.", clint said simply, "it's a good place for sleeping."

"you poor soul.", loki commented with fake pity.

clint rolled his eyes at that, and loki almost dropped his jaw. he didn't remember the hawkman to be so sassy.

"so," clint continued after a brief silence, "have you gotten her something?"

"why should i tell you?", the prince asked the man coldly.

"just wanted to make sure you actually did get her something in the likely case that you forgot. christmas is in 2 days."

"the team is gathering for celebration tomorrow though.", clint added, "some of us want to spend christmas visiting family."

"i already got something in mind for her, and thor told me about the team's celebration already.", loki said thoughtfully, "will you go home to your children afterwards?"

clint shuffled awkwardly, not many people knew he was a father, and he just so forgot that loki was among those few people, "yes."

loki had known a few years ago, when clint was under his sceptre's influence. he had glimpsed at the agent's memories and invaded his privacy without consent.

"clint barton.", loki addressed suddenly, guilt coating his words, "i don't remember if i ever told you how deeply sorry i am for what happened a few years ago, it was a shameful deed and had caused disadvantage on your behalf. i understand if you choose to continue holding it against me, but i hope you know how i am not proud of my actions that day."

clint looked at loki, holding eye contact, before he let out a long exhale, "thank you, i appreciate your apology, loki. i know for sure that this business turns us into different people, people who aren't perfect, who commit plenty of mistakes."

reluctantly, clint continued, "besides, i've seen a few changes. and well, with the way you're treating belle, and how much you two are in love, i can see that you're not a fully bad person."

clint laughed dryly, "what makes a person 'fully bad' anyways?"

"no one's ever truly good and no one's ever truly bad.", loki responded as clint nodded in agreement.

"we're a bit of both. makes us real and human."

silence filled the room for a long time, the words sinking in. a rare moment so moving like this will probably never happen again between the two of them. finally, clint cleared his throat and pointed to the door, "well, i'll be heading out now. still need to wrap a few more things for tomorrow, guess i'll see you around."

"i certainly hope not.", loki said.

"you're lucky belle cares for you and your safety," clint said dryly, "or else you would have to sleep with one eye open."

loki smiled smugly, "merry christmas, agent."

"happy belated birthday, ye old one.", the agent shot back, the most sardonic of smiles displayed on both their faces.

author's note:

very minimum belle and loki interaction in this chapter, but look! clint barton appreciation<3
i felt the need to let both of them talk to clear things up once and for all.

anyways, reminder that you're an amazing person and you're very much loved. whatever tough things you're going through right now is only a moment in your life, and there will be better things soon.

anyways, there won't be any updates for a while because i got exams coming up :/
i hope i'll make it out with grand flying colors.