Instincts (A Loki Fanfic)

Chapter Twenty Nine

(Kit's Pov)

Time passed, just as anything does. The team went out on more missions, sometimes with or without Loki. Kit stayed behind, on the promise that they would find her a more suitable role on the team than just fighting. Whether they wanted to protect her physically or mentally from the horrors of war, she couldn't tell. Perhaps it was both.

Jarvis continued to teach her more English, and Kit started exploring more movie options. She had to learn about their world, and there were some things that were learned through simple exposure.

Like how you should never put shiny things in a microwave. If it was made of metal, it can turn the microwave into a bomb. Luckily someone noticed the pop tart's wrapper before anything bad happened.

As Kit learned more about the world, however, more and more she could understand the references the team made. And even some of the 'coded' words they exchanged. Although not all of them, like the time Stark mentioned how Loki's helmet somehow resembles how he feels about Kit. She still couldn't understand why 'horny' could mean anything more than a description for the literal horns on his helmet. But Kit made a note not to mention it, when Stark appeared the next day complaining about the horns added to his Iron man suit. 'Where horns should really not be', as he said.

With the spoken language slowly becoming mastered, Jarvis managed to teach her the alphabet as well. It was relatively easy to learn, as it wasn't actually another language. Just memorizing symbols to sounds.

Knowing how to spell helped her in all ways, from texting to actually knowing the temperature of her shower. And inevitably to being able to cook to some extent, although reading the ingredients and knowing what flavors 'work together' seemed like a language of its own. The team continued to teach her nonetheless, until she could manage at least a better form of breakfast.

Which led to this morning, as Kit sat across from Loki in the library, each reading their own books. Although it wasn't quite her favorite activity, she did enjoy spending time doing what he liked. To be sitting and reading in silence, in this instance.

Even after the weeks that passed, Kit still hadn't gained the courage to talk to him about her feelings. Any new feelings, rather. Anything that would hint about anything more than friendship. Between books, movies, and even the answers from the others- she realised that sometimes being friends might be enough.

Because if she were to confess, he might not like her back. It might make things too awkward between them to even still remain friends.

And still she wondered what it might be like to even accept the option of more. But those thoughts always left her stranded in reality, so Kit pushed them from her mind. Loki was a friend.

Just a friend.

He said so, she said so, everyone else said the same thing.

Friends.

"Kitten, what's on your mind?" A voice broke through the cloud forming from her deep ponder. Loki. Always Loki's.

Kit looked up from the black and white pages, before practically shoving her nose back between them. "Not much." It really wasn't much. Just a few questions. On a single matter- person, really. 'Would it be possible to be more than friends?'

"I find that hard to believe." Loki smiled, setting down his book beside him. The longer he looked at her, the more he realised how deeply bothered by a matter she was. Something that left her thinking intensely about a question. When she still didn't answer, he continued. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, Loki." Kit sighed, setting down her book beside her. They sat on matching armchairs turned just enough they could see each other easily, although not quite staring right at one another. She managed to wait this long, couldn't she wait one more day to ask him? "I'm alright."

"But you do have a question." Loki said triumphantly, as if he just solved the greatest puzzle. It was one of his many attributes Kit adored.

She smiled, sighing in defeat. "Yes." Yes, she did have a question. A big question. Many questions. And surely he would too, once she asked him.

But would he even like her that way? More than a friend? He seemed so appalled by the notion before, and yet she can't ignore the extra side glances he spares for her, or the extra bits of kindness he gives her. Kit was head over heels for him.

And Loki was none the wiser.

"Loki," Kit hesitated, not wanting to just ask him right away. She had to prepare both parties for the news. This would be the first time she really admits that she liked him. Loved him, really. "Are we friends?"

"I like to think we are." He shifted in his seat, creasing his brows in concern. "Why do you ask?"

"I wanted to make sure. I really do not want to lose our friendship."

Kit paused, as silence threatened to settle between them. But she couldn't forgo her explanation now. Not without creating a wedge between them.

But would the threat of a relationship be more of a wedge?

"I think-"

Bam.

The library doors burst open, revealing the entire team standing there fully clad in their Avenger outfits. And successfully saving Kit from what could've been a catastrophe.

"We have a mission! Suit up!" Tony shouted, interrupting what the team assumed was just some reading time.

"Now?" Loki rolled his eyes, standing in a huff. When no one paid him mind, he stood and summoned his armour. Not without sparing Kit a guilty yet curious glance. She knew he would bring it up later, for all that she hoped he wouldn't. With no doubt a few hours until they return, however, this mission should give her plenty of time to prepare-

"Kit, you too. Suit up." Natasha said. Effectively shocking both of them. Kit's first mission? She thought they agreed to leave her out of fights.

Whether or not prior agreements were made, Natasha still presented clothes to her. It mirrored Nat's, although the colors were a light gray trailed with gold. Kit magicked the clothes on her body, noting how it even featured a hood.

With cat-ear slots.

She gasped. "This is amazing!" She stuck her ears through the holes, the comfortable padding around them making sure it didn't brush up roughly. "Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome, Kit." She smiled, "But we need to head out now if we're going to make it."

Kit followed as the team rushed down the elevator, and then into awaiting trucks at the base of Stark Tower. Or, Avengers tower, now. They drove the team through street after street, until they pulled up to what Kit knew couldn't possibly be a mission site.

She looked out the window, spotting an enormous banner across the entrance of either a very fancy warehouse, or a building which resembled that of almost a Shield headquarters.

'Congratulations Avengers!'

(A/N: Sorry everyone for the cliffhanger, but I don't think I am going to be able to update until about the 10th (about a week from this post). Thank you all for the encouragement, you're all amazing. Thanks for reading!)