Watch Your Step

Although she initially refused to tell him what had been going on, who was the call from and what made her mood drop, after a beautiful night spent together "watching" silly movies (she just kept her eyes closed and her head leaning back on the cushions, concentrating on imagining what was going on) and eating a dinner he hadn't expected to taste so good, considering it was made by a blind person, he eventually found out. He almost hated his persuasion skills now that he thought about what she had told him.

And that was the main reason why Loki stayed up the whole night, mostly with his face hidden in his large arms, in deep thought as he considered all the possibilities, the rest having conversations with his brother and Tony and eventually anyone who wanted to know what was wrong. He didn't care anymore. He didn't even know why he felt so devastated by it, but he knew for a fact that he wanted to do something about it.

His mind kept wandering back to the moment she eventually moved her head to look in his direction.

"It was my ophthalmologist." she breathed out.

"Your what?" he questioned, unfamiliar with what seemed to be medical terms.

"Eye doctor." she explained, before taking another deep breath.

"Oh. I see. Was it something related to your sight?" at that, she nodded, not noticing how he leaned closer, intrigued by what she was saying.

"Yes..." she took another deep breath. It was obvious that the following things weren't easy for her to say. It was also obvious that he really wanted to hear, since he pestered her the whole evening. "He told me about the surgery..."

"Surgery?" he nudged her on.

"Yes. Surgery. There is a surgery I can undergo that might solve my problems. And I would hopefully be able to see again." she covered her face with her small hands.

He reached out and took her hands in his, slowly stroking her knuckles.

"Then what's the problem? Why are you not doing this...surgery?" he pushed, intrigued.

"Because I don't have the money for the surgery. And the bank won't give me a loan." she whispered rushed, hoping that he will either not hear or understand and drop the subject.

"The only problem you have is your Midgardian currency?" one of his eyebrows were quirked as he tried to take in the small worry line on her forehead and the way her lips were slowly turning into a pout.

"It might not be important for a god, but for me, it's the only thing that stands between the blindness and the possibility of seeing again..." she scrunched her nose and sighed, rubbing her eyes.

"I see." He whispered and that was the only moment when she realized how close he actually was. She jerked up a bit, but didn't move much, not knowing where exactly he stood on the couch.

"Can we just talk about so- " she didn't manage to finish her sentence when she felt cold fingers on her forehead.

"What are you doing?" she whispered, finally having felt his even breath on her face. He didn't answer, he just continued to slowly caress her forehead and then her temples, slowly massaging them.

"I do not like how much this bothers you. I wish I could help." he continued to slowly caress and smooth out the expression wrinkles that adorned her otherwise lovely features, slowly drawing down to the lines around her mouth. He brushed one thumb over her lips before leaning up to press his lips to her forehead.

She squeaked in surprise, moving away just a bit, but not enough, as she could still feel his lips very close to her skin.

"I truly am deeply sorry. For everything that has happened to you. For what has been and is my fault. And for everything else that isn't. For the fact that you can't see me as I see you and for the fact the you might never will." she wanted to squeal but stopped herself.

She didn't know where all that was coming from, but in all honesty, she couldn't care less. All she wanted to do at the moment was to wrap her arms around him and hug him tightly. Because of the way he spoke those words. The way he apologized let out enough feeling for her to know that he truly meant it and he was indeed heartbroken. And it made her heart ache too.

"Loki...." she tentatively raised her arms and proceeded to wrap them around him. He sighed and hugged back in their awkward position on the couch, him almost hovering over her as he snuggled closer, sighing contently.

"You don't have to feel sorry. It's okay. Some things can't be changed. I'm okay with my current situation. It's not your fault so don't apologize." She searched for his face and slowly caressed his cheeks when she found it.

"Alana...I..." she hushed him by placing one slender finger to his cold lips, with impressive precision for a person who couldn't see his face. He sucked in a breath when her fingers touched his lips and it was then when she had time to fully analyze the scent that invaded her feelings.

Loki smelled of cool rain, of musk and peppermint, but there was something else, something that enveloped her feelings and made her head spin the more she stayed close to him, taking in the delicious scent that seemed too intoxicating to be real. For a second she thought he could be drugging her or something. After all, he was the God of Mischief. She then wondered if it was just some sort of weird Asgardian cologne that he used. However, regardless to the images invading her mind, nothing could have been compared to what happened next.

If her eyes weren't closed already, they would have fluttered closed right when a pair of cold, unexpectedly soft lips brushed against her own. She let out a whimper of surprise and felt him pull away.

"Alana..I'm sorry. I know you don't..." This time it was her who cut him off, by clumsily pulling him closer and kissing him again. Moments later, their lips parted but he didn't move away again. He just snuggled up against her, having found a comfortable cuddling position. Although curled up against him, she did her best to cover her face with her hands. This only made the smile on his lips turn into a wholehearted laugh.
"Whut?" she mumbled, her face hidden in his sweater.

"Nothing." he chuckled again, carefully stroking the back of her head. "I'm just glad that you didn't reject me."

And glad he was, indeed, but at the same time, when he eventually left her house and returned at the Stark Tower, the importance of her problem, the fact that he couldn't help... Everything came back and invaded his mind. He didn't know for how long he stood on the stairs, not bothering to take off his coat, and watched his hands, trying his best to ignore Thor without sending him flying through the wall, thinking about his magic and wondering how long it would take him to give her back the ability to see with those damned magic restraints Odin put on him. The thought that he wouldn't be able to was a bit too much. He closed his eyes and let out a low grunt.

"Brother." he spat, finally managing to get Thor to stop talking. He looked up and saw the blond's face beaming in delight. 'Of course the oaf would react if I called him like that.'

"Yes, dear brother. Will you tell me what bothers you? You have been standing here for the past twenty minutes." this only made Loki roll his eyes.

"I am fine. Nothing happened. Stop pestering me. It's not like I'd ever tell you anything." he knew those weren't the best words to address Thor at the moment, but he didn't really care, after all. Alana was important.

"She rejected him." he heard Tony's voice and looking up, he saw him standing next to his adoptive brother, who had the general dumb look on his face, only slightly sadder.

"She did not." he answered, although he knew they would mock him anyways.

"Then you killed her?" Tony continued. Loki rolled his eyes again and finally took his coat off, placing it in the coats closet in the hall right before the lounge-area.

"Definitely. I have slaughtered her in unspeakable ways." he sat down on the couch and covered his eyes with one arm.

"You're acting weird, Reindeer Games. Do I have to assemble the Avengers?" Tony sat down next to him, soon followed by Thor.

"What's wrong with your baby brother, Thunder head?" Thor shrugged and his face contorted in even more worry.

Loki was pretty sure that one more word would get him to punch them both. Or use magic on them both. But he couldn't do that. If he used too much magic or caused too much fuss, they would lock him up again and he couldn't allow that to happen. He needed to see and possibly cure Alana.

"She's blind." he decided to take it slow.

"Yea. Clint and Capsicle told up already. Any other news?" Tony of course, mocked.

"She is blind?!" Thor asked, confusion and concern gracing his features.

"Yes. Where were you when we sent Clint and Steve after Loki?" Tony seemed exasperated at this point. And strangely, he didn't have any sort of alcohol around him.

"...I was eating the new Poptarts they bought..." Tony and Loki facepalmed at the same time. "Did you fall in love with a blind woman, brother?"

The question made Tony burst laughing, holding his stomach as he struggled not to fall off the couch. Maybe he wasn't as sober as Loki first expected him to be. Either way, he chose to ignore the obnoxious billionaire.

"Yes. And I need help."