Chapter Text
“What are you smiling about?” Agent Clint Barton asked as you retracted your legs off the coffee table for him to walk past with his plate.
“Nothing.” You mumbled, replacing your legs, crossing them at the ankle. You threw your phone careless down on the cushion next to you and turned your attention back to the laptop that rested on your thighs.
“Yeah right.” Clint grinned slyly, wholly unconvinced as he took the arm chair next to the sofa you were currently sat in the middle of. You ignored him, continuing with your typing, the click of the keys the only sound in the room apart from the occasional flick of Loki turning a page where he sat opposite you across the coffee table.
Your phone buzzed, and you grabbed it again, opening the new message, reading it and then typing a response before you paused, read it through, considered it, then edited it again.
“Wow, do you think this hard about every message you send?” Clint teased, taking a bite from his sandwich.
You scowled, “Not the ones I send you.”
Barton just smirked.
You hit send and tossed the phone away again.
It pinged again a few minutes later.
“Someone’s popular.” Natasha Romanoff observed as she too wandered into the living room area where, only a moment ago, you’d had peace.
“Must everyone comment on my phone activity?” You muttered, picking the device up again and unlocking it.
“Is that a dating website?!”
Shit. You hit the lock button on your phone too late, Stark - who had materialised behind you – having already seen the screen over your shoulder.
You saw Natasha raise her eyebrows at this revelation before you grimaced, scrunching your eyes close in embarrassment as Clint ‘oooed’ next to you, waiting for the comments that were soon to follow.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were looking for a hook up, kid?” Tony cried, slapping you on the back and then leaning on the back of the sofa with crossed arms, looking over at you. “I know lots of interesting people.”
“Because I’m not looking for a ‘hook up’.” You growled, glaring across at him. “And I don’t need your input.”
“Someone’s snappy….” Tony drawled with interest, pushing himself up and away from you, “The sea a bit empty of fish?”
“No.” You retorted moodily.
“Just not very good at the game?”
You gritted your teeth together.
“Stark.” Natasha warned him.
“Aw, come on, it’s just a bit of light hearted ribbing, right Specs?” Tony asked, looking to you.
You however, had already ducked your head back to your laptop. You grumbled something like ‘whatever’ but didn’t look back up, busying yourself with your typing.
You felt the eyes remain on you though and you desperately wished there was a way to supress the heat in your cheeks.
“So, how many matches have you got?”
“Clint!” Natasha reprimanded as you shot your head up.
“What?! This is the most interesting thing that happened since Thor lost his hammer and decided the smartest thing was to call for from four floors up.” Clint pointed out.
Tony grimaced. “That was not interesting.” He muttered. “That was costly.”
You felt your lip twitch at that - apart from narrowly missing the hammer as it smashed through the floor a few feet away from you and right up into Thor’s hand, it had been quite entertaining to watch it dawn on Stark’s face what had happened.
You realised everyone – bar Loki who has still apparently more interested in his book - was looking at you expectantly. You remembered Clint’s question. “I had a few matches…” You mumbled, trying to somehow hunker down in the sofa so far that you’d be swallowed up by it.
“And?” Stark pushed. Natasha shot him a look but didn’t say anything this time and you knew she must be just as intrigued, though a little better at hiding it.
You just shrugged.
Just then, Thor strode over, a sandwich in his hand similar to Clint, and followed on behind by a reluctant Loki. Obviously, today was one of the days that Thor forced his brother to socialise for a few hours.
“Thor!” Tony perked up, spotting the God and eager to relay the new gossip. “Specs here,” He gestured down at you who was turning even redder, sinking even further in your seat. “is on a dating app!” He exclaimed. Thor frowned in confusion, it wasn’t the response Stark wanted, he didn’t seem to care, having too much fun with this and now turning on Loki. “Hey, Reindeer Games,” The man in question glared at the nickname, or just at Tony’s presence – it was hard to tell - “you’re still single, right? Maybe you need to join too? Find yourself a girl who’s got an antler kink?” Tony suggested with a grin. You scowled at Stark.
“What is a ‘dating app’?” Thor frowned, ignoring all of this and continuing into the group. He took the armchair opposite you, leaving the only free space for Loki as the cushion next to you on the sofa. You shuffled quietly over, keeping your eyes down on your laptop.
“It’s an app for people that are single -,” Natasha explained.
“Not always.” Coughed Tony under his breath. Natasha shot him a glare as you felt the sofa sink under Loki’s weight and saw the edge of this thigh out the corner of your eye, though you pretended to be focusing on what was on your screen.
“You sign up,” Natasha continued, the sternness in her voice a warning to Tony. “put in your information in and then you match with people that take your interest.”
“Then what happens?” Thor asked, apparently very interested in this new thing.
“Uh –“ Natasha glanced around for help, but no one jumped in, “Well, it’s up to you I guess… You usually meet up in real life, get to know each other a bit more, hopefully ending up in a relationship.”
Thor scoffed. “That sounds ridiculous.” He stated, “What is wrong with meeting a maiden at a festivity and then wooing her?”
“What indeed.” You grumbled quietly to yourself, but you thought you caught Loki’s glance flicker down to you as though he had heard.
“Well… uh, there’s nothing wrong with it.” Natasha mumbled.
“Thing is, big guy,” Tony chimed in again, “the only real chance to meet someone on this planet is at work or at a party – and [Y/N] here,” He gestured to you again, “doesn’t go out, and works with us…” He gestured around the room. “So, unless someone wants to take one for the team…” He hinted.
“Stark.” You growled warningly, and he shot you a grin. “Look, if we’re done discussing my personal life, I have work to do and my laptop is dying.” You closed your computer down and pushed yourself to your feet.
“Don’t forget about the party tonight!” Stark called after you, “Come to this one! – you might even find Mr Right!”
You heard, Tony’s exclamations of ‘what?’ at everyone’s disapproving frowns and Natasha mutter something like ‘Jerk’ as you stepped into the lift.