Summary:

Loki figures it out.

Notes:

Beta is mischieffuckinmanaged (She's awesome)

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Loki could hardly sleep trying to figure out what Natasha's problem was. She was definitely interested but she seemed very unsure of herself last night which was not like her at all. Her claim that it was because he was a villain wasn't really legitimate. If she really felt that way, she wouldn't have been flirting with him in the first place. So what was it that was holding her back?

He replayed the events of the last few weeks in his head and noticed that Bruce suddenly became very friendly with him as the same time Natasha started flirting. Perhaps it was a coincidence but then perhaps it wasn't. Maybe there was something happening behind the scenes that he was not privy to. Perhaps it wasn't as cut and dry as him wanting to be with Natasha and Natasha wanting to be with him. He was at SHIELD after all and things were never what they seemed at this place.

Loki got up early to meet the good doctor down in his lab knowing it was too early for Stark to be up and too late for Widow to still be in the building. One of the things Loki liked about Bruce was his inability to actually lie. He might hid a bit of the truth and he chose his words carefully, but out right lying seemed beyond him.

Loki watched his friend move around his work space for a moment before walking in. "Bruce, how are you this morning?"

Bruce looked up from his specimen and smiled. "Well. Where were you yesterday?"

Loki placed his hands behind his back and started walking around the room slowly eyeing Bruce's things. "Natasha paid me a visit and refused to leave."

A look of troubled-ness flashed across Bruce's face so fast Loki would have missed it if he blinked then he busied himself. "Really? She seems fond of you."

Wasn't that an interesting reaction? Bruce suddenly couldn't stand to look at him? Why? "Yes very much so. I am fond of her as well."

Bruce nodded still not looking at Loki.

"What's weird though is that she seems very reluctant to do anything about it. I thought perhaps she might have confided in you or maybe you know something I don't?" Yes it was a direct approach but he was expecting a lie so he had to be very forward with what he wanted to know.

Bruce swallowed hard, a sign he was choosing his words, and turned his back to Loki as he answered. "Perhaps she is worried about the consequences of a wizard sleeping with someone?"

It was a good thing Bruce had turned around or he would have seen the moment of pure confusion on his face. Loki fancied himself a smart person, but what he could not figure out what his friend was talking about. That was until it hit him… hard… in the gut.

"I don't have sex."

"With mortals?" Tony pressed. "In general?"

"In general."

All four present Avengers looked at him as if he was crazy. Who doesn't have sex?

"Magic is a constantly moving thing." Loki explained. "I have to be very careful who I tie my emotions with. I would hate to end up like mother."

Stupid mortals.

"Oh yes." Loki recovered. "One must be careful about that." He paused before adding. "I wouldn't want the wrong person gaining control over me."

There it was, the stiffening of Bruce's back, the tension building. That's what this was about. "Be very careful Loki." He said in a direct warning without actually saying that they were seeking control.

At least he knew Bruce was a good friend, even he wasn't sure about the company he kept.

"Thank you for your words Bruce. I must go back to my room."

"Loki wait! Just… give Natasha sometime to sort things out ok? She really does like you. It's just a heavy responsibility."

Loki smirked. "I'm sure it is."

000

Loki was stuck somewhere between furious and amused. It was an off handed comment and though it was the truth, it wasn't the whole truth. Yes being emotionally tied to someone was something Loki had to be careful with, but sex was not necessarily an emotional tie. He was no virgin. He learned a long time ago to separate his heart from his penis.

Truth be told, he could be emotionally tied with someone without sex. Bruce stood a better chance of controlling him than Natasha. It was a good thing he hadn't said that off handedly or everyone would have been trying to become his friend.

And how silly of those humans not to look further into it before setting Natasha on this stupid mission. Did they really think they could trick him into it? As if he would turn into some love sick puppy just because of an orgasm? Is that what male mortals became when they lay with women?

Even beyond all of that, there was a whole merging processes that took a while before the link would even be strong enough for her to control him. Surely Thor would have told them all that. Unless of course Thor actually was taking his side this time but that was highly unlikely. Thor would never take his side over his perfect mortal friends.

Speaking of his brother, Thor was away for the week tending to Asgard. If he could make them believe that that he was indeed linked with Natasha, they would take off the bracers and he could be free. He'd have to bed Natasha and a part of him didn't really want to use her but she was going to use him even if she had feelings for him. But then he was tired of being trapped here and obviously they had no intentions of actually letting him go if they were looking for a more permanent way to cage him.

The funny thing was, to pull this trick off, he wouldn't have to lie to manipulate. They had done all the work for him. All he had to do was follow the plan they already created.

Still a part of him stung a bit. He really did like Natasha and he thought she really did like him. Even if she did grow to have feelings for him, it was a mission. He was a mission. Would she have ever thought of him as anything more without SHIELD telling her to think that way?

Loki shook it off. It wasn't his first lesson in heartbreak and if anything it just reminded him that he really did have to be careful who he trusted.

000

He waited for her to come back to the tower which was late into the night hours. He put on some casual clothes. He might not be as attractive as Thor, but he knew he wasn't ugly either. He wore a t-shirt, something fitted, and black sweatpants low on his hips. He kept his hair messy and his feet bare as he knocked on her room door.

She answered it, fresh from her shower and looking delicious. "Loki." She gave him an approving look. "What are you doing here?"

He gave her a seductive smile. "I missed you." He leaned in and kissed her cheek, right on the corner of her lips and slid his way pass her into her room.

She closed the door and turned to him. "Loki…"

"I've been thinking about what you said yesterday." The key to dealing with someone as manipulating as yourself was not letting them speak. "You are worried because I'm a villain and a threat to your world. I realized there is a simple solution to this problem."

She swallowed. "There is?"

"Of course. We bond. You take control of me and I am yours forever. To serve you, to do your will. I will be unable to do wrong with you steering me right." OK, that was a lie. He still had free will and could do all the wrong he wanted. It was just that her disproval of it would be heartbreaking and if she kept him occupied with other things, he wouldn't really have the time to plan for wrongdoings. But she didn't need to know that. She didn't need to know anything about this process.

She looked horrified. This definitely wasn't what she thought was going to happen. She really didn't want to control him which pleased him on a lot of different levels but it didn't erase the fact that she was going to use his feelings against him.

But now, he wanted to give her the illusion of control. He wanted these bracers off and he wanted his freedom.

"Will you have me Natasha?" He made himself look as vulnerable as he could. His let his pupils dilate and his bottom lip poke out.

She blinked rapidly, stuttered some words but put up no real fight as he laid her down and made love to her. In fact, she seemed greedy for him. There was little foreplay and it was over entirely too quickly for Loki's tastes but this wasn't about pleasure. Sex rarely was for him. There wasn't a partner that he ever had that he laid with just for pleasure and though he had wanted Natasha to be an exception to that rule, he knew better than to expect it.

000

When she woke up the next morning, she felt oddly energetic. Was this was Thor meant when he told her she would feel different? Her hearing was sharper, her vision was crisper and she could see farther away. She could smell the bakery on the corner and the coffee shop two blocks away.

She turned to find Loki but found him gone. Had they already come for him? Had they told him the truth? Would he hate her?

Relief flooded her when he walked into the room carrying muffins and coffees. "Natasha. How are you feeling?"

She smiled. "Healthy."

Loki smiled. It was a simple spell to give her a temporary feeling of being linked to an immortal being. The spell to be able to tell her needs and feel her feelings was far more exhausting but it was necessary. "You wanted a muffin."

It was weird having her needs met before she was even awake to know she was having a need.

Loki put up a mock fight when she told him they should go take off the bracers. Fury seemed pleased and for the week, Loki was their errand boy. He put up a good front and catered to her in ways that a real bond had nothing to do with. His mother didn't cater to Odin at all. Sure she knew when he was tired or hungry or hurt. But she was a witch not a genie. She didn't have to comply with his every wish.

They didn't know that though and that was their fault. Not his. They had Thor and though he wasn't the most informed person in Asgard, he knew very well what a merger with a magical creature was like. He had slept with his share of witches as well and was very careful not to allow them to become emotionally involved.

Eventually Thor came back to town and they gathered for lunch. Loki was almost giddy with excitement. He couldn't' wait to see their faces when they realized that he had beat them at their own game. He wanted to see Natasha's face most of all. Would she be hurt? She would hurt in the way she had intended to hurt him and for that he would not be sorry.

Purposefully, Loki wore short sleeves, which he never did, and strolled in knowing it was about it go down.

It took Thor only seconds to realize. "Your bracers brother? They are removed?"

Loki sat down and smiled. "Have you not heard? Natasha and I have bonded."

A look of confusion crossed Thor's face. "Bonded?" He looked at Natasha. "When did this happen?"

Natasha looked down at her plate. "Earlier this week."

Thor's confusion deepened. "Week?" He looked at Loki and slowly realized what was happening. Surprisingly, Loki saw relief in his brother's blue eyes instead of anger. "And tell me Natasha, how was the merger. Loki's will is strong, I am very surprised it succumbed in a week."

Loki started doing an odd giggle which alarmed Tony and Steve.

"Merger?" She questioned. "What do you mean?"

"Of course, the merger. I was told when mother and father merged it took almost a year." Thor informed her. "You must have really earned Loki's trust."

Loki's giggle was turning wild indicating his intense pleasure at the moment.

Natasha looked at Loki realization hitting her. Loki took in her pained expression before winking away.

Thor leaned back, arms crossed. "You're all fools."

Tony continued to eat not fazed by anything that was going to. Bruce was laughing to himself realizing he probably had a lot to do with Loki figuring it out and not the least bit remorseful. They had no right to offer something has precious as love to gain the upper hand in the situation.

Steve didn't look particularly angry but he didn't look pleased either when he looked at Thor. "Why didn't you tell us all this before?"

Thor blinked. "Told you what? You did not ask me a question. You did not ask for information. You came to me with an already formulated plan, as you always do when it comes to Loki. Besides I made it clear that emotion had to be involved. It was not my fault that Midgardians know not the difference between sex and love."

Natasha wasn't sure what to say and felt a special kind of stupid. They really didn't look into the effects of controlling Loki's magic. They never asked questions or stopped to think about what would happen to her or him.

"I know sometimes it is hard for you to remember," Thor continued. "As we fight often. But Loki is my brother and I would not aid you in breaking his heart. At the same time, I swore an allegiance to you and so would not tell Loki of your plan. But I told you he would figure it out and when I realized that you were all more interested in my brother being bedded that Natasha would not succeed in her quest of earning his trust."

No. If anything now he trusted her even less than before.

Barton scoffed. "You should have said something."

Now Natasha scoffed. "You should have kept your mouth shut and not tell Fury something Loki said off handedly."

Barton opened his mouth but then shut it again.

Tony finally cleared his throat. "Should we be going after him or something?"

Thor shook his head. "He is Loki. When he wants our attention again, he will demand it of us." He stood up. "Forgive me friends but I no longer feel like eating. I must go to Jane."

Thor left the Avengers there sitting at the table looking at each other. Bruce wiped his mouth. "Well, it seems Thor finally picked a side." He looked at Natasha. "Have you?"

000

Thor opened his door and wasn't the least bit surprised to see Loki sitting there on his chair looking through his things. "You knew what they were planning?" Loki asked. "Why didn't you tell them the whole truth?"

Thor threw his cape on the bed. "Loki, I know you don't believe me when I say it, but you are my brother. I would not have them do that to you. I've allowed too much already."

Loki looked at him. "Thank you. I… I do care for the Arachnid."

"And she cares for you." Thor admitted

"But I am a villain." Loki added

"That's your choice not your birthright." Thor reminded.

Loki took a breath. "SHIELD would be more trusting if I merged with an Avenger."

Thor frowned. "Loki, Lady Widow's loyalty…"

"Yes I know." If he didn't know before he knew now. If SHIELD told her to she'd massacre small children holding bunny rabbits on Christmas Eve. "I wasn't talking about her, though she is a reason for me to stick around. I think we could work things out. But Bruce…"

"Banner?" Thor was surprised with Loki's choice of bonded. "You want to merge with Banner?"

A small smile pulled on the corner of Loki's lip. "Tony would use me for parlor tricks."

Thor laughed. "Yes he would."

"Banner would still allow my freedom while keeping me on track." Loki further explained. "And I could be of some assistance in keeping his anger controlled. Natasha will not be torn between SHIELD and you…"

"Will have my brother around more often."

Loki's smile widened. "I was going to say 'won't have to worry about me killing you' but yes what you said is true too."

Thor smiled. "Think it over brother. This should not be taken lightly and I will speak with Banner."

Loki nodded and then was gone.

Notes:

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