The Ides of July // Loki - Book 1 ✓

Chapter 14: A Friend

ANNA PACES THE FAR CORNER of the room nervously while Pepper and Tony are gone, clenching and unclenching her fists as she goes. She'd met Dr. Bruce Banner only a few moments earlier. A genteel, soft-spoken man with black hair sprinkled with grey, he wore thin wire-framed glasses across his handsome face that gave her the feeling they were more of a habit of lab work and staring at calculations than out of necessity. She was surprised when Tony Stark called him as the infamous Hulk, indicating that whenever he...transformed...he was a stark contrast from his calm behavior.

Needless to say, she made a mental note not to piss him off.

Tony, Pepper, and Dr. Banner had left Anna alone in the room, although she knew she was being watched on the various security cameras hidden and in plain sight around the building. No, here she would never really be alone, which only increased her nervousness.

Finally relaxing into a corner of a large, modern grey sofa, the sound of voices from the hallway sends Anna back to her feet.

Pepper enters the room first, a broad smile across her face. She is followed by Tony, Dr. Banner, and a muscular blonde man wearing odd clothing. The first thing Anna's brain registers is that this man is absolutely beautiful, then she takes in his armored chest and the red cape trailing behind him. She recognizes him from the videos on the internet - this must be Thor, the Asgardian god. Her face pales a bit as she realizes that fact, and she sucks in a shallow breath.

She's in the same room as a god.

A few steps behind him is another man in strange clothing, this time green and gold, tailored closely to his tall, lithe frame. His dark hair frames a pale and angular face dominated by startlingly bright green eyes that penetrate everything they land on. He's not handsome in a traditional sense, but his unique features intrigue her. She doesn't recognize him, but her gut tells her that he isn't someone she'd necessarily want to know.

"Anna," Tony says, his voice regaining some of its characteristic liveliness. "Meet Thor, god of thunder."

Before Anna could find the words, or the breath, to speak, Thor's booming voice fills the room.

"It's wonderful to meet you, Anna," he exclaims, beaming a broad smile and a courteous nod her way.

She bites back the urge to curtsy, forcing a smile instead, "Likewise."

Tony turns to Dr. Banner, mumbling a few unintelligible words to him, until the sound of a throat clearing causes him to lift his head. The black-haired stranger who cleared his throat grins cheekily at Tony, who rolls his eyes.

"Loki, Anna. Anna, Loki," he rattles off. "God of mischief. General asshole."

Loki's shoulders bounce in a silent laugh at Tony's description, his green eyes twinkling as he meets Anna's gaze. For a moment, she nearly forgets to breathe as she stares back at him and loses herself in the sea of emerald. He says nothing, choosing to watch her carefully instead.

Pepper's voice breaks Anna out of the trance, and she notices the corner of Loki's mouth curling into a smile at her obvious fluster. Like an idiot, she forgot to say anything to him after Tony's introduction. Her cheeks burn red with embarrassment, but she rolls back her shoulders and turns to face Pepper.

"Sorry, you were saying?"

"Would you like something to eat?" Pepper asks, motioning with the iPad she's holding out to Anna. "We're ordering some late dinner."

Anna nods, walking over to her to take the iPad and study the menu. She hasn't eaten anything since...well...she can't remember. It's been over twenty-four hours, she knows that much, and she's been running on little more than adrenaline for most of it. Until now, the idea of eating anything was nauseating, but she could feel her stomach rebelling against the lack of food. Looking at the menu, she's delighted to see that they are ordering Indian. Quickly adding an order of saag paneer and coconut naan to the menu, two of her favorite comfort foods, she hands the iPad back to Pepper.

"Thank you," she tells her. "I...I don't have any money, just lira and a credit card."

Pepper waves her off with a laugh, "I think Tony can afford to pay for your dinner."

Anna smiles at the woman, turning to face the men in the room. Tony's behind the bar, pouring himself yet another drink, while Dr. Banner helps himself to a water. Thor's laugh cracks through the room like rolling thunder as he takes a drink from the glass Tony hands him, his smile reaching deep into his eyes. It's hard to look away from him, Anna discovers, almost like there's some sort of magnetism pulling her gaze toward him.

Might be some sort of god-aura thing, she decides.

At the thought, she notices a slight movement out of the corner of her eye and turns to see Loki watching her with amusement. Pepper hands the tall man the iPad, which causes him to turn away from Anna, and he shakes his head at her. He's probably the type who thinks he's too good to eat with them, she wagers.

That's when she notices the shackles around his wrists, nearly hidden by his long green and black leather sleeves, and her eyes widen.

That explains why he doesn't want to eat, she tells herself. It'd be difficult to raise a fork to your mouth with your wrists cuffed together, and that doesn't even begin to cover how humiliating it would be.

He looks back at her, and for a moment she feels as though he knows exactly what she's thinking. Green eyes meet her blue ones, and a shiver runs down her spine. Exhaling, she lifts her chin a millimeter and takes a step toward him, willing herself to be brave. After all, he's the one in chains.

"Yes?" Loki asks her, a hint of annoyance in his voice as he lifts an eyebrow at her approach.

"I take it you're not one of the gang," she says, her heartbeat quickening.

Loki laughs, "Fortunately not."

His chuckle sets her at ease for a moment, as she glances over her shoulder at Tony and the rest of them. Whoever this man is, he doesn't appear to be on the friendliest of terms with the rest of the Avengers.

You know what they say, Anna says to herself, turning back to Loki with a timid smile. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Now playing: "Good Intentions" by The Chainsmokers.