Meant To Be (Loki x reader)

Chapter thirty six - In which it's Christmas Eve

Apparently, 'a bit later on' in Nat's book meant almost immediately, and so half an hour later you were a in training room stretching with her before you got started.

"So, a royal dance in an Asgardian palace huh? Meet anyone you liked the look of up there?" Nat teased, and you rolled your eyes at her.

"Hardly." you scoffed, and then felt bad as you remembered Fandral.

"Well, there was this one guy, but he was very eager. And I doubt a long-distance relationship between two realms would work out anyway." you grinned.

"Honestly, you go to Asgard for a day and you're already talking like you live there, 'realms'?" she laughed.

"That's just what they're called!" you said defensively.

"I'm joking, it's great that you got to see where you're from and meet your parents. Odin sounds like a dick though." she said.

You only hesitated for a moment before you replied. Would he know you were talking about him?

"Yeah. He is." you agreed, waiting for a bolt of lightning to appear and strike you down. It didn't.

"So this eager guy. What's his name?" Nat asked.

"Fandral." you replied, straightening up and reaching to tie your hair back.

"I see. And how does Loki feel about Fandral?"

You faltered, turning your gaze to Nat, who was smirking at you.

"What's that supposed to mean?" you asked, already feeling yourself turning red.

"Come on, I know you can read my mind." she grinned.

"I don't make a habit of it, but if you insist..." you grinned back mischievously, delving into her mind.

She knew that you liked Loki. And she thought that he liked you back. 'Like' seemed like such a trivial word, but that's what entered your mind when you explored Nat's thoughts. The dislike that she still felt for Loki was prominent too, but you pushed that aside. You could see flashes of memories, of you and Loki smiling at each other and of him watching you across the room; that rare smile which you hardly ever got to see but loved so much. And there was more...

"You guys made a bet?!" you asked, outraged as you withdrew from Nat's mind. She blinked a few times before replying, recovering from having her thoughts intruded upon.

"Yes, we did. Did you kiss him, or did he kiss you?" she asked. She was being serious.

"We – not that it's any of your business, but we didn't kiss." you replied indignantly. She looked outraged.

"Seriously?! Tony's gonna be so smug."

"I can't believe you lot! Tony condoned this bet did he?" you asked, desperate for details.

"He obviously wasn't happy about it, he's in denial, but we all know what's going on between you two. In fact none of us are very happy about it, why'd you have to go for him of all people?" she replied, moving to stand in the middle of the room and gesturing for you to follow.

"Maybe you lot don't have all the facts." you suggested, following her to the centre of the room.

"I think the fact that he's murdered a load of people and tried to kill every one of us here speaks for itself." she told you, not joking anymore.

It hit home when she put it like that. It made you think, but then you thought back to the conversation you'd had with Loki on Asgard.

Does it really not bother you? Everything I've done?