One and the Same (Loki Fanfic)

Chapter 7: Fight Me!

A/N: sorry for the long chapter, I just couldn't find a good place to cut the scene off at.

Loki spluttered as they boarded the jet, each and every Avenger present for the task since no one was sure what to expect. Taylor had traipsed past him just a second ago, jogging ahead to accelerate pre-flight procedures while Romanoff and Barton took the pilot chairs. Her raven dark hair had been whipped back into a tight ponytail, pulled over one shoulder for the moment. It wasn't so much what she was wearing that made him pause, it was where it sent his mind.

Her "suit" was little more than scraps of thick, fire-proof material, barely covering her skin. The top was a deep red V-neck, with thick shoulder straps and sharp lines that displayed a tight stomach. The bottoms weren't much better, a skirt in the same color that stopped mid-thigh with slits in the side up to the hip. The only redeeming quality was the pair of black shorts she'd donned beneath it to maintain some modesty. The ankle high black boots did nothing to hide the length of her creamy, muscular legs.

It made his heart rate kick up a pace or two, and his mouth went dry as paper. What in the Nine Realms was she wearing? And how in Odin's name was that supposed to protect her during battle? It was little more than undergarments, let alone armor of any kind. He couldn't believe her friends were even letting her run around like that! They were so protective of her, but they were allowing her to skip about almost indecently? Loki couldn't fathom it.

"You'll catch flies like that, Loki," Banner remarked laughingly as he passed him.

The god hadn't even realized he'd stopped walking, or that his mouth was hanging slightly agape as the raven-haired superhero flitted around in preparation for their mission.

"How is that at all an effective uniform?" Loki wondered aloud, continuing up the ramp.

"She can raise her body temper to the point that she burns anything she comes into contact with," Rogers explained, sans pajama pants, strapping into a seat, "The more skin she shows, the more damage she can do."

Taylor, oblivious to the conversation, approached them then, cutting off any further discussion of her clothes. Most of the flight was filled with idle chatter and the more tired Avengers attempting to rouse themselves. Loki contemplated this revelation. He hadn't inquired about Taylor's abilities, partially because he didn't care, but also because he knew the others would be suspicious if he started asking questions. He knew she could control fire, but was it more than that? How hot could she make her body temperature? How much heat could she stand?

"We're almost there, get ready," Romanoff called back to them, and Taylor sat forward, her fingers drifting to the release of her harness.

"Why Greenland, anyway?" Taylor questioned suddenly, glancing around as if someone had an answer, "It's not like they have a particularly large population—or really anything all that important."

Stark had already stood up, his suit unfolding and enveloping him where he stood.

"Maybe that's why," he suggested, "Greenland pretty much flies below the radar. If they're going for subtlety, that's a good place to do it."

"That's a good point," she agreed, sighing, "but I wish they'd chosen, like, Madagascar or something, instead."

The aircraft finally landed as she finished saying this and the group of nine quickly disembarked, planning to finish the mission quickly. As soon as she stepped out into the cold, Taylor grit her teeth, scowling as if the entire island itself were offending her. Small, white flakes drifted aimlessly from the blackened sky, attaching themselves to the Avengers hair and clothes. It melted immediately on contact with her skin, leaving wet droplets.