Silhouettes | Loki fanfiction

IV

In which there is blushing, a good looking old man and not-a-submarine

SHIELD helicarrier. Location unknown. 

Freja could have kissed the tarmac when they landed an hour later. 

Flying in a spy plane that broke records for speed was never going to be fun, but when you are cramped into a tiny metal body, with no windows, and a father who's convinced he's going to turn into a giant, angry, green monster - it became nearly unbearable. As it was, she decided that locking lips with the ground was definitely not professional and settled for taking huge breaths of fresh, wonderful  air. 

"Freja," Bruce ran a hand over his jaw as if in deep thought - or, she mused, to prevent anyone from reading his lips - "Don't tell them about the shadows."

Interesting. She was right. He didn't trust them. "You think they're watching us?"

Her dad wrung his hands in typical Banner fashion. "They're spies. I'd be worried if they weren't." 

"Dr  Banner!" 

Bruce looked up guiltily like he'd just been caught but relaxed as he caught sight of Natasha (when had she disappeared?) striding towards them with a young man in tow. Freja frowned. He seemed somewhat familiar. 

Bruce stepped forwards "Ah, yeah. They told me you'd be coming." 

They shook hands in typical manly fashion, each eyeing the other up.  He fit right in with the whole defence force image; tall, muscled and probably not entirely bright (though altogether rather good looking if you asked Freja's opinion - even if his haircut did look like it was cool back in the '50s.) 

Bruce on the other hand looked laughably out of place with his greying hair and tweedy professor jacket, Freja suddenly wanted to give him a big hug. 

"Word is you can find the cube." Tall-muscle-blonde was talking. 

Bruce's nervous hand-wringing grew more intense, "Uh. Is that the only word out there?"

Freja bit the inside of her cheek. Ah. So, he was worried about whether they wanted him, or him. She made an inner tally in her mind. She owed him two hugs now. 

"It's the only word I care about." 

The man was smarter than she'd given him credit for. A dark blush broke over her face as the familiar anger at herself swooped down to her stomach. This, this was why she really shouldn't be allowed out in public, because she judged people too quickly, and based off intelligence, I mean what sort of person do----- she suddenly became aware of the three faces staring at her. The blush deepened. 

"Uh. Sorry? What were you saying - I mean, sorry, I wasn't listening. Not because it wasn't interesting but I was just thinking and then I got distracted, and sorry, I mean. I really. Uh..." Her tongue fell over itself in an effort to stumble out the words and the blush grew even fiercer under her freckles. 

The man gave a chuckle, effectively stopping her sad word vomit. "I'm sorry ma'am, I didn't mean to embarrass you. I just asked your name."

"Oh. Uh. Freja. Dr Banner's my dad." She cringed. Even to her own ears it sounded awkward. 

Tall-muscle-blonde was nice enough not to mention it. "Should have guessed. You two look similar." He shook her hand, "Steve Rogers ma'am. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Freja's face froze. "Steve Rogers. As in. THE Steve Rogers?"

It was tall-muscle-blonde's turn to laugh awkwardly. "Well, that's my name."

Freja turned to her dad with large wide eyes, the embarrassment audible even in her quiet mumbles. "No wonder he looks familiar. I just handed in an assignment on him." 

Unfortunately for her, Steve had super soldier hearing. He raised an eyebrow, "May I ask what it was on?" 

Surely no one in the history of the universe had blushed so much. Freja's ears felt hot. "How the way you kept trying to enlist despite multiple recruitment rejections shows the inherent fragility of masculine culture in the search of solidarity and appearance of bravery."

Steve stared at her like he was deciding whether to laugh in agreement or run far, far away. Luckily for Freja a smug-looking Natasha  saved her from any more embarrassment. "You guys might want to step inside. It's going to get a little hard to breathe."

The airfield suddenly started clunking like a machine coming to life. Steve looked impressed. "Is this a submarine?"

Bruce laughed without humour, sarcasm (Freja had to get hers from somewhere) practically dripping from his mouth as he followed Steve to the edge of the - ship?

 "Oh great. Yes. Perfect. Let's put me in a submerged, pressurised metal container." 

The airfield gave a tremendous jolt and Freja gazed open mouthed as the sea started churning like a whirlpool, spitting out in huge ferocious geysers and whirring in a way that made her clap her hands over her ears. She staggered towards them. 

"Dad! I don't think. This - this isn't a submarine." 

Bruce laughed again. "Oh no. This is much worse." 

Four turbine propellers lifted from the water in a rather incredible display of aerodynamic power and slowly the whole beast of the runway started to rise into the air.

"Come!" Natasha had to shout over the whirring machinery. "We need to go inside. It's too dangerous." 

Buffeted by wind, the four of them stumbled towards a nearby door, and found themselves marched down several corridors and into a large room swarming with people, machinery and a whole hubbub of noise. Floor to ceiling windows covered a whole wall, allowing a view out over the ocean, whilst in front of it, rows after rows of slim fit computers and transparent screens buzzed with information and readings. It was the coolest thing Freja had ever seen.

Steve seemed just as much in awe and gazed round in fascination. "It's calmer in here."

Freja raised an eyebrow. He elaborated. "The floor. It's not as jumpy. It's like being on flat land."

"Is it simply the result of being in an internal chamber?" Freja looked at her dad. But he shook his head and crouched to the floor, swiping his fingers across it. "No. That wouldn't affect it to this extent. If I had to hazard a guess I'd say it was induced -"

"Induced gravity stabilisers." An imposing man in a dark trench coat and eye patch stood before them. He smirked at Bruce. "Very impressive Dr Banner."  He held out his hand. "Thank you for coming." 

Bruce hesitated for a second before shaking his outstretched hand. The man nodded at Natasha, then Freja, and smirked as Steve handed him $10. 

But the grin suddenly dropped as he gave a double take. 

"Who the hell are you?"

*

A/N: Ahh!! Another chapter :) This might be the last for a week or two as I have mock exams :/ but then we'll get back into the swing of it! Also, I want to just say thank you so much to all of you who have read/favourited/commented. It's actually been incredible for my first fanfic and it means a lot. So thank you :) And please, (I hope it doesn't sound too begging) I really appreciate comments/questions/advice.

Oh yeah. Also :P forgot to mention earlier. The artwork shown at the top of each chapter 'is' Freja's.

And one more... I'm not a fan of this chapter I wrote it very quickly and without time to edit - so please!! :P If you see super incorrect grammar - tell me :P!!