Work Text:
You’d been working long shifts, pouring over data and figures to get to this point. All of your hard work about to pay off. You were finally going to be a part of the mission. That was until Maria and Loki were teamed up and given the assignment to take down the Hydra cell instead.
“It’s not fair, Steve.” You huff, trying to maintain your cool and not sound like a petulant child.
“I know, Y/N.” Steve said, keeping his voice painfully even. “But I’m not going to risk your safety just so you can be there to infiltrate and apprehend these guys.”
“Steve.”
“Your strength is in a different part of this process. One that we need more than you realize. Maria and Loki are more suited for the next few steps, that’s all.”
Blood rushes through your ears, your temperature rises as your irritation grows. You want to protest more but are unsure how to proceed.
Steve takes notice of your agitation and sighs. “Y/N, trust me, I know what it’s like to be pushed to the side when so much is at stake. You’ve done your part in this mission, we wouldn’t be where we’re at if it wasn’t for you, you should feel accomplished.”
“I do, I just…” You say, your voice small and broken.
“Hey,” Steve takes a step closer to you, concern etched on his features. “If there’s a way for you to be involved, and keep you safe, I’ll make it work. Alright?”
“Really?” You look into his sympathetic eyes with hope.
“Yeah. No promises, but I’ll try.”
“Thank you! That’s all I ask, just try. I just want to be there for once.” You do your best to wrap your arms around his muscular frame in a hug. Bouncing slightly, you make him laugh as he hugs you back.
“I know kid. I know. Don’t mention it.”
Two weeks go by and you bug, or do your best to casually ask Steve if there’s any progress on getting you on the mission that’s just a week away.
“Hey, Steve. Any news?”
Steve suppresses a sigh and an eye roll. “Now that you mention it…”
“What? Did something happen? Can I go?”
“Yes.”
Thanks roll off your tongue faster than Steve can keep up with as you babble excitedly.
“It actually wasn’t my doing.”
“Huh?” Your mind screeches to a stop from thinking about elegant dresses and where you’d be willing to hide a blade. “What do you mean?”
“You’ll have to thank Loki.” Steve smirks. “Because of him, you and I are will both be able to assist on this mission.”
“But how?” You laugh. “No offense Steve but you’re really recognizable.”
“Magic.” His smirks blooms into a full smile. “Something about a disguising spell so simple a child could do it.”
You stare at Steve somewhat dumbfounded.
“You and I are going to blend right in with the crowd, better get your dancing shoes.” Steve taps your shoulder on the way out of the room.
One week later, right on schedule, the guests start to arrive at the gala for a local hospital. The exact one that your research and data drops pointed to being the front of for a black-tie Hydra recruiting night of glamour and deceit.
A soft knock sounds at your door. “You ready?” Steve asks, his eyes growing wide as he takes in the sight of you.
An elegant dress hugs you in all the right places, showing off your curves and making you feel like a million bucks.
You slip on your shoes and laugh as his cheeks redden. “Thank you, Steve, that was the reaction I was going for. Too bad I won’t fully look like me tonight.”
“Loki’d have to beat people away with a stick if you did.”
“Loki?” You ask, hoping that Steve will ignore how hopeful you sound as you straighten his tie. “I thought I was your date tonight.”
“Well, I mean, I’d uh, I’d need help.”
A heady silence falls between you two. Questions filter through your mind, questions that your lips are unwilling to speak no matter how much your heart wants to ask. Maybe Steve’s trying to be nice. Maybe Steve knew something you didn’t. Maybe you were being too hopeful. But maybe, just maybe, you weren’t.
“I’m a terrible date.” Steve clears his throat, looking shyly to you. “You look beautiful.”
“You’re not terrible Stevie.” You smile, grateful for his distraction. “Thank you. You look very handsome, this color suits you.”
“Let’s hope it still does after Loki’s done his part.”
“Let’s hope so,” You chuckle as you place your hand in the crook of his arm. Tonight, will be interesting indeed, even if everything played out according to Loki’s plan.
The quartette starts another soft song, prompting Loki to offer his hand to Maria. “Take a turn about the room with me, love?”
Maria smiles and hums, accepting by placing her gloved hand in his, ever playing the part of loyal fiancée in tonight’s charade of cat and mouse.
“You know, you’re in love with her, right?”
Loki hums. “Since when?”
“Since pretty much always. You may be able to fool others, but not me. That’s why I’m breaking up with you.” Maria says arching a brow in defiance.
“Breaking up with me?” Loki asks in complete confusion.
“Yes. Officially, you are no longer my partner in this. I can handle things from here. Besides, we have Steve for back up.” Maria tilts her head toward one of the balconies where Steve is posted, nursing a scotch, and waiting for his cue.
“You know, I don’t what to say.”
“You can start by thanking me.” Maria smiles genuinely. “You two have been pinning after each other for some time now.”
“How long?” Loki tries to protest, but Maria cuts him off.
“I’ve known for a long time. Before you tried to so hard to get her here tonight, and before she started trying to get paired with you. Honestly, you both were getting a little sloppy. Your tells are subtle but always present. Hers are much more obvious, but ironically she does a better job at hiding it in her work than you do.”
“Maria, Maria.” Loki laughs.
“She’s not wrong.” Steve’s voice comes over the coms, his smile evident in his voice. “She’s on the patio.”
Maria chuckles and kisses Loki on the cheek. “Go on, go get your girl. We’ve got this.”
Loki murmurs his thanks, swiftly headed towards the patio and the woman of his dreams.
On the patio, the soft, drifting music barely reaches Loki’s ears; his blood rushes, adrenalin pulses, blocking every thought, every feeling, except for her, from his mind.
He lets out a breath at the sight of her. She stands alone, looking out over the city.
The patio, an empty void filled by only the two of them, gives him hope. A flick of his wrist blocks the doors to anyone wishing to intrude on their privacy.
He knows. Tonight, it’s now or never. Well maybe not never, but why not now?
Steve lets out a sigh, watching the patio door close behind Loki.
“Think he’ll finally make a move?”
“Wagering on the job?” Maria asks behind her whiskey glass.
“Buck has 20 that he will. Stark 50 that he won’t because of the dress.”
“The dress?”
“It’s… Nat picked it out. It’s perfect.”
“In that case, but me down for 40 that he will.”
“Done.” Steve types away at his phone. “Pleasure doing business with you.”
Maria throws back the last of her drink, motioning to the bar tender for another. “He better finally make a move; they’re driving me crazy.”
You didn’t hear him coming towards you, but had barely noticed that you were alone on the patio. How fitting, you thought, gorgeous night like this, all dressed up and I’m all alone, pouting outside the party.
“Beautiful evening.” Loki says, sliding up next to you.
“Hmm,” You smile, eyes following the flashing lights of an airplane in the sky. “I don’t think I could ever tire of a view like this. Everything looks so peaceful, so clean, so – perfect. Even though I know better.”
“The view from above usually looks more serine.” Loki chanced a long, slow glance at you. “You and I know more than anyone, that things are not always as they seem.”
“Yeah, I suppose you’re right.” You sigh, a tinge of pain in your voice, sipping at your champagne. “But uh, how the mission going?”
“The others can handle it.”
“Is everything alright?” You turn to him, concern etched on your features. “I thought this was really important.”
Loki smiles at you, eyes sparkling in earnest adoration. “It is, but I assure you, everything is quite alright. Trust me?”
“Yes.” You couldn’t help but relax at his smile. Something was different, the air didn’t feel so cold, or maybe it was just your hopes beginning to rise as you found yourself standing rather close to one you had wanted for so long.
Loki holds his hand out to you, “Dance with me and pretend the world doesn’t exist.”
“Now?” You whisper, taking his hand and abandoning your glass on a small table.
He nods, taking you into his arms.
You sway together, getting lost in the faint music from the party inside.
“Do you normally abandon the mission for a dance with a co-worker?”
“Never before tonight. Not before you.”
His words came as a soft whisper that calmed your remaining nerves.
“Honest?”
“Honest.” Loki hums, holding you closer, pressing his cheek against yours as he continues to whisper to you. “And if I’m being completely honest, I should have asked for this dance long ago.”
“With me?”
“It’s always been you. I’ve been falling for you since our first meeting. Do you remember that day?”
“When I gave you and Steve a hard time? Like it was yesterday.”
“He’s never let me live that down. How you silenced me with your wit and we had barely just met.”
“I didn’t know.”
Loki hums again, moving to look you in the eyes.
“You’ve been stealing my heart and thoughts since that moment.” He takes your hand, pressing it lightly to his lips. “I should have told you before, my darling. I love you.”
Your eyes being to water, tears not yet brimming over. “This isn’t a trick?”
Loki shakes his head, bringing your hand to his heart. “Not a trick, nor a joke. Solely my truth, that I want you in my life for as long as you’ll have me. It feels as though my heart beats only for you.”
“Loki, I..”
Words catch in your throat, tears threaten to fall, as your emotions and hopes collide, bursting with joy at his confession. A second feels like eternity, and all before this moment fades until it is only you and him.
“I love you too.”
“You do?” Loki lets out a small breath, and squeezing your hand.
“Truly.”
“Y/N,” His eyes drop to your lips, “May I kiss you?”
You nod, whispering yes, your eyes flutter close as Loki closes the distance between you, softly touching his lips to yours.
From the other side of large glass patio doors, Steve and Maria have finished gathering the last bits of intel and escort their targets to the elevators with the promise of cocktails and recruitment talk. Maria activates the beacon on her earing, letting the team down stairs know they’re on their way down with several persons of interest.
Steve looks over his shoulder out onto the patio one last time, seeing the pair of you dancing slowly.
Maria follows his eye line and her smile brightens. “Wonderful evening.” She says as the elevator doors open.
Steve enters last with a smirk. “Son of a bitch finally did it.”