Part 1: Still Awake
Tower Universe - Mini-series
Gwen has just gotten back to her apartment after a typical day of work in the tower. She dramatically flops onto the couch looking forward to a little break and some rest. Her phone buzzes and she hopes it’s not a mission…
Text from Loki: “How do mortals endure boredom without going mad?”
She can’t help but smile. His texts are usually pretty entertaining.
Text from Gwen: “Some of us just take a nap.”
Text from Loki: “Cowards.”
She laughs, shaking her head. Typical.
Text from Gwen: “What do you do when you’re bored, then?”
Text from Loki: “Improve upon mortal culture.”
Text from Gwen: “Is that so? And just how do you do that?”
Text from Loki: “I visit the theater and change all their lines into something more…interesting.”
Text from Gwen: “Interesting how?”
Text from Loki: “Oh I add just a bit of flair. A tragedy becomes real. Comedy is actually absurd and by absurd I mean, they trip and flail about the stage.”
Text from Gwen: “Loki, leave those poor actors alone.”
Text from Loki: “I thought you’d find it amusing. You’re so mortal and boring.”
Text from Gwen: “Then stop texting me.”
She knows he isn’t going to stop.
His response is immediate again, as if he'd been waiting for her next text. Which, knowing the God of Mischief, is probably exactly what he was doing.
Text from Loki: "No."
He's silent for several long seconds. Then…
Text from Loki: "You know, one of the things I hate the most about you: you don't take me seriously when I'm clearly trying to be dramatic."
Text from Gwen: "Do you want to be dramatic now? I can promise to be serious. Go ahead.”
Loki grins and immediately types back with exaggerated enthusiasm, his tone shifting into full dramatic mode.
Text from Loki: "Oh, thank you, Agent Barkridge. I'm so glad you asked."
He pauses for dramatic effect before launching into his tirade.
Text from Loki: "You know what I hate about you? Your insufferable habit of being unfazed by everything I do. You barely react even when I'm clearly trying to get a rise out of you. And when you do react, you have the audacity to find it all amusing. It's maddening!
She laughs. Is that all he's got? She'll give him a serious response even though she is formulating a smart-ass one in her head at the same time.
Text from Gwen: "I'm sorry that must be really difficult for you. Thank you for opening up and telling me how you feel."
Loki reads this response and feels his eyebrow twitch with annoyance. That was... not the response he was expecting. He can practically hear the sarcasm dripping from those typed words.
He narrows his eyes and texts back with an edge of snark that's both indignant and intrigued.
Text from Loki: "Oh, you're enjoying this, aren't you. How rude. I'm trying to be vulnerable and emotionally honest with you, and you're clearly mocking me."
Text from Gwen: "I would never! Thank you for being open and honest with me."
Loki is now 99% certain she's messing with him, but 100% of him is determined to see how far she'll take this. He types back with a mix of feigned vulnerability and faux-irritation, his smirk growing wider with every letter.
Text from Loki: "Oh, of course not. You're just being so thoughtful in expressing gratitude for my emotional honesty. I bet you're positively overwhelmed by the depth and sincerity of my feelings right now."
Gwen keeps up the faux sincerity.
Text from Gwen: "I am. I'm just so glad I could be a safe space for you to share your feelings."
Loki, who was absolutely expecting a different kind of comeback—maybe a sarcastic jab or even outright laughter—stares at his phone for a solid five seconds before responding with an edge of actual offense creeping into his dramatics.
Text from Loki: "I take it back. You're worse than I thought. This is psychological warfare."
...He's still texting her anyway.
Gwen rolls her eyes and laughs out loud. If he wants to drive her crazy, she’ll do it right back.
Text from Gwen: "Who do you want me to be? You don't like my jokes or my teasing banter, and now you don't like it when I take you seriously, like you asked."
Loki huffs in frustration as he types out his melodramatic reply, his smirk wavering just a bit in the face of her unflinching logic. He's not used to people calling out his bullshit like this.
And yet, he's also oddly fascinated by the fact that she's not backing down. She's playing his game. She's annoying and infuriating, and he can't stand her. And that's exactly why he's still texting her.
Text from Loki: "You're insufferable, did you know that?"
Text from Gwen: "and yet ..."
Loki, who's currently sitting on the roof of the building, reads her response and leans back against a wall with a sigh. He's torn between wanting to throw the phone off the building and wanting to keep this banter going. It's an unusual feeling to be so fascinated by someone who's clearly enjoying his irritation.
He huffs again and types back with a hint of reluctant admiration despite his annoyance.
Text from Loki: "...And yet I'm still texting you. Damn it all."
Text from Gwen: "It's okay to admit you're having fun. I promise I won't tell anyone what a big softie you are or how 'emotionally honest' you can be."
Loki's eye twitches as he reads her response, and he fights the sudden and inexplicable urge to throw the phone across the roof. He's the God of Mischief, and here he is getting emotionally manipulated by some mortal with a too-sharp tongue and an annoying habit of staying cool as a cucumber. It's maddening, and yet he's oddly enthralled by the fact that she's not cowed by him.
He types back, his annoyance flaring up again.
Text from Loki: "I'm not soft."
Gwen can’t help herself. She knows exactly what she is doing to him with her responses.
Text from Gwen: "No, just vulnerable."
Damn it all to Hel. He absolutely is starting to enjoy this back-and-forth, even though every rational part of him is screaming that this is a bad idea. And now she's teasing him and it's just... infuriatingly adorable.
He types back, his thumbs moving with more speed—almost as if he's a little desperate to keep the conversation going.
Text from Loki: "And you're a pain in my ass. Did I mention that yet?
Text from Gwen: "No, but now I'm adding to the long list of things you've called me."
Loki groans, tilting his head back against the wall with a quiet but dramatic exhale. He glances down at his phone screen again, realizing with a mix of horror and amusement that he's actually grinning like some lovesick fool over text banter of all things.
How terribly undignified.
Text from Loki: "That list is getting uncomfortably long, and yet you're still here. Curious."
Text from Gwen: "I think we've established that you are the one who keeps texting me. If it makes you feel better, I'll stop."
She had established that, hadn't she? Damn her for her ability to call out his bullshit. He's the one who should be keeping her on edge, not the other way around. He needs to regain control of this conversation.
Yet, the thought of stopping this banter is unexpectedly discomforting. It's almost unsettling how much he's enjoying this back-and-forth with an overly composed mortal. He types back in a somewhat frantic hurry.
Text from Loki: "Don't you dare."
Gwen is enjoying this too much to stop. She knows how much he likes it too; otherwise, he wouldn't keep replying. And now he doesn't want her to stop either. She smiles to herself and doesn't respond, deciding to play with him a little more.
Loki stares at his phone for a solid thirty seconds, then another twenty, watching the lack of response with growing irritation and maybe, just maybe, a sliver of panic. He actually leans forward as if that’ll make her reply faster.
...Nothing.
Text from Loki: "Agent Barkridge."
No response.
Text from Loki: "Gwen?"
Still nothing.
Five more seconds pass before he caves.
Text from Loki: "This is cruel even for you."
Gwen watches the messages roll in with a smile. She makes him wait a little longer before finally typing.
Text from Gwen: "Sorry, I had to step away for a minute. No need to panic. That's sweet you missed me so much though."
Loki, who had been about to throw the phone in his growing frustration just thirty seconds ago, now feels a weird mixture of relief and humiliation. What has this woman done to him? He's the God of Mischief, and he's sitting on a rooftop, feeling like a lovesick teenager watching a phone and waiting for a text.
And that's when he realizes just how much he enjoys having her attention.
Text from Loki: "I did not panic."
Text from Loki: "And I did not miss you."
Text from Gwen: "If you say so. You know, it is funny how well you adapted to text and cell phones. I suppose if you spend so much time in a realm, you should know how to communicate there."
Loki smirks, finally finding some footing in the conversation again. His thumbs fly across the screen with renewed mischief.
Text from Loki: "Oh please, Agent Barkridge. I'm adaptable—far more than you give me credit for. Though I do enjoy how mortals insist on sending little symbols to convey emotions instead of just saying what they mean."
Text from Loki: "Do you know how many times Stark has sent me this one? 🖕"
Gwen laughs hysterically. Tony would absolutely respond to any message from Loki like that.
Text from Gwen: "I've been holding back on emojis. I wasn't sure if you'd understand them. Although I do enjoy simply texting you without emojis to help make tones clear. I'd rather you wonder if I'm being sincere or a smart-ass.”
Loki can't help the grin that breaks out across his face as he reads this. She's so impossible.
But also, he's enjoying the fact that she's not using emojis. It makes the banter between them more intimate, somehow—like he's getting a glimpse into her unfiltered thoughts.
And he likes it. He's not about to admit it, though. So he types back with a scoff:
Text from Loki: "I do not need emojis to know when you're being a smartass."
She’s almost glad he can’t see the devious look on her face.
Text from Gwen: "Yeah? 🍆🍑?"
Loki just stares at the screen, a mixture of shock and annoyance warring across his face. Just when he thought he had her figured out, she goes and says something like that.
And he's secretly kind of impressed by the sheer audacity. He types back, not realizing how much he's grinning at the phone.
Text from Loki: "What. Did. You. Just. Type."
Gwen cackles at his response. Did she actually catch him off guard?
Text from Gwen: "What do you think I typed since you read my messages so well?"
Loki's grin somehow grows a bit bigger, despite his irritation. He's definitely enjoying this. He types back with an exaggerated tone that's both snarky and flirty at the same time.
Text from Loki: "I think you just used two emojis that are very inappropriate, and you should be ashamed of yourself."
She is practically in tears now, laughing so hard.
Text from Gwen: "I was just asking if you thought I should add eggplant to fruit salad. I have no idea what you saw there."
Then immediately:
Text from Gwen: " Oh. OH! Tsk tsk what a dirty mind you have."
Loki's cheeks flush against his will. He can practically envision the infuriating smirk on her smug, lovely face right now, and it makes his irritation flare again—even if it's now edged with something else. He types back with a mixture of snark and flustered indignation.
Text from Loki: "Me?! I'm not the one sending suggestive emoji combinations and then pretending to be innocent!"
Text from Gwen: "If you could see my face right now... I look like this 😁"
Text from Gwen: "Although, I suppose I could have just sent a picture."
She takes a quick selfie with a ridiculous grin and sends it.
Loki stares at the image, his irritation faltering for just a moment as he stares at her face in the photo: the joyful, impish grin, the dancing eyes, and the way her soft-looking brown hair frames her face and... he realizes, just then, how beautiful she is. Not that he's never noticed, but seeing her like this—so open and cheerful and genuine...
...It makes his heart lurch in a way he doesn't remotely understand. His fingers fly across the keypad.
Text from Loki: "Quit being so damn cute."
Text from Gwen: "Gasp! Did the god of mischief just call me cute? I'm swooning."
She stops for a moment and laughs again, but for a different reason this time. Here she is, a grown adult, a SHIELD agent, and an Avenger, texting LOKI of all people, like a couple of goofy kids. She shouldn't be talking to him like this. She should be professional... but she's not going to start now, not when he makes her smile like this.
Loki, who is also an adult with an ego the size of Asgard, knows he should also be acting like a mature adult and not some infatuated puppy. But... he's far too intrigued by this strange mortal woman to resist. The fact that he's texting her like some lovesick moron is irritating and thrilling at the same time.
He smirks to himself and shoots off another message:
Text from Loki: "I'm Loki Laufeyson. I do as I damn well please. And I will call you cute as much as I want."
Damn it. That message is too easy to flirt with... She shouldn't...but of course she does. If any of her colleagues read these texts, she would surely die of embarrassment.
Text from Gwen: "Yes, sir. What else do you want?"
Loki stares down at the message, his eyes narrowing in surprise. He was expecting her to fire back a smartass reply or something, not for her to actually agree to his demand.
Why is it so unbelievably hot for her to call him "sir"? He quickly types back, his heart somehow beating a little bit faster than normal in spite of himself.
Text from Loki: "I want you to keep calling me sir. Do I make myself clear, Agent Barkridge?"
Text from Gwen: "I'll do it when I feel like it, when you earn it."
Loki bristles with a mix of irritation and curiosity at her response. This woman is going to drive him insane.
Text from Loki: "And how do I "earn" it, Agent Barkridge? By jumping through your damn hoops? I'm not a damn circus poodle."
Text from Gwen: "Are there poodles in the circus? There might be, but I don't remember. I remember lions jumping through hoops. Still, it’s curious that you would choose to compare yourself to a poodle instead of a lion..."
Loki groans out loud in frustration as he types back, feeling a mix of annoyance and amusement at the same time. He's frustrated because she's right, and that's infuriating, but he's also strangely amused, because damn this is the funniest thing to happen to him in days.
Text from Loki: "Forget the damn circus. I'm not doing any ridiculous tricks just to make you call me ‘sir’ like it's some sort of reward. I have a reputation to uphold here, you know."
She knows she's got him. She can tell from every text that he is enjoying this.
Text from Gwen: "I suppose ‘poodle’ might be apt since you're high-maintenance too."
Text from Gwen: "And no, you don't have to do any tricks."
Loki bristles at the "high maintenance" comment, but he also can't deny the fact that she's right. He is high-maintenance. He's a god, damn it, and he was raised with royal privilege.
He types back, trying to sound as snarky as possible despite the fact that he's enjoying their banter more than he cares to admit.
Text from Loki: "Oh, yes, and you're just low maintenance, right? Agent of SHIELD, Avenger, and all-around pain in my ass? How foolish of me to forget."
Text from Gwen: "Tell me then, what are you wearing right now?"
She knows this message walks the line between innocent and flirty. That's where she thrives.
Loki freezes, his brain going into a sudden and absolute panic. He glances down at the clothes he's currently wearing—a black suit and a deep green shirt—and immediately wonders if she's secretly spying on him somehow, which is both incredibly unnerving and incredibly hot.
…Which is very, very bad because he's not supposed to be attracted to this damn woman.
Text from Loki: "Why the hell do you want to know, Agent Barkridge?"
Text from Gwen: "Just tell me."
Loki glares at the phone. He can practically hear the mischievous smirk in her words, and it's doing weird things to his heart.
Text from Loki: "I'm wearing a black suit and a green shirt. That's all."
He finally types back, his words short and curt. He also definitely does not mention the fact that he's currently lounging on the rooftop of a building while texting her.
Text from Gwen: "mm-hmm that's what I thought. So if I say that I'm in pajama shorts and an old T-shirt, who would be considered the high maintenance one here?"
Loki pauses, his eyes widening as the image that her words conjure up in his brain: her in some kind of loose-fitting shorts and a shirt that's just slightly too big for her. And the idea of her in an outfit like that is far too enticing for his own good right now. He swallows hard, fighting the urge to tell her all the things he wants to do to her at this moment.
But instead he huffs in irritation and types stubbornly.
Text from Loki: "Still you."
Text from Gwen: "Liar."
She can't stop smiling to herself. This is the most fun she's had in a while, and it's because of Loki of all people. He's pretty great when he's not unhinged and invading New York.
Text from Gwen: "Do you realize how late it is? I just looked at the clock."
Loki's eyes dart up to the time displayed on his phone. It's nearly 1 am. He hadn't even realized how much time had passed. He'd been so wrapped up in this banter with her. It was... fun.
Text from Loki: "So?"
She laughs out loud. He’s trying so hard to sound casual about it.
Text from Gwen: "No, you're right. It doesn't matter. I was just surprised."
Loki smirks at the response. He has no intention of stopping this conversation anytime soon.
Text from Loki: "Good. Now stop bringing up time like some boring adult. We're gods and Avengers. We don't sleep."
She was giving him an easy out by pointing out the time, but he didn't take it.
Text from Gwen: "Boring adult? I'm sorry. Yes, I am an adult, but you are 1000+ years older than me. Are you sure you don't need sleep?"
Loki scoffs, even though she's right.
Text from Loki: "I do not. I can go several weeks without sleep if I really need to. Besides, I find that I have no desire to sleep right now. I'm far too interested in this conversation."
He’s already feeling almost addicted to the banter with this woman. Why did he enjoy her witty responses so much?
Gwen is propped up in her bed, grinning the whole time she is typing back.
Text from Gwen: "You admit that you are interested in this? Then I'll admit it too. I'm having a lot of fun."
A lot of fun texting the god of mischief. Insane. Absolutely bonkers. Both SHIELD and the Avengers would send her for psych evals if they saw this.
Loki smirks at her next response, feeling another rush of excitement at her blatant admission. He feels like an idiot for enjoying this so much, but he has to admit that her sharp-tongued responses are incredibly addicting.
Text from Loki: "Of course I'm interested. You're a goddamn tease, Agent Barkridge. I can't walk away now."
Text from Loki: "...And you haven't called me 'sir' yet."
Text from Gwen: "You know you can just call me Gwen. No need to be so formal."
Text from Gwen: "Sir."
He really shouldn't enjoy the way she so casually said "sir" after he'd basically demanded it from her. It's incredibly appealing. Of course, he can't resist the urge to push a little more.
Text from Loki: “I have a better suggestion for what to call me."
Text from Gwen: "Oh? What would that be?"
Loki feels a rush of smug satisfaction as her response appears on his screen. Time to see how far he can push her. He grins deviously as he types back.
Text from Loki: "Master."
He stares at his phone, excitement fluttering in his stomach as he waits for what he hopes is a defiant and indignant response from her.
Gwen bursts out laughing so hard, she is sure she will wake the others down the hall.
Text from Gwen: "Haha that's great! But if I said you had to earn 'sir', you'll have to do A LOT to earn 'master.'"
Loki scowls at her laughter—but honestly? He's a little bit flustered. He never expected her to laugh like that.
Text from Loki: "You have no respect for authority, do you?"
He is trying, and failing, to sound annoyed instead of oddly amused.
A pause. Then—
Text from Loki: "What exactly would I have to do to earn it?"
Text from Gwen: "No, I hate being told what to do. As for earning it...I don't know."
Loki grins at that. He adores that she's just as rebellious as he is.
Text from Loki: "You don't know, or you just won't tell me?"
The idea of having to earn it from her is somehow more thrilling than if she'd just given in.
Gwen thinks it over for a moment. She knows she is too stubborn for this, even as a game.
Text from Gwen: "I don't know. Truly. I'm half-kidding, you know. I'd never call anyone 'Master'.”
Loki raises an eyebrow, surprised by the honesty in her response. He's also somehow disappointed that she would never call anyone "master" because the thought of her on her knees in front of him... saying that...
He shakes the thought from his head and types back, trying to sound annoyed rather than turned on by the whole damn thing.
Text from Loki: "Not even the God of Mischief?"
Text from Gwen: "We’ll see."
It's probably a terrible idea, but...
Text from Gwen: "Come to the tower for coffee tomorrow? Or rather, in a few hours?"
Loki's brain absolutely stalls. She's asking him to coffee. In the tower. The very thought should, in all honesty, piss him off. But here he is thinking about agreeing anyway.
Text from Loki: "Why?"
Text from Gwen: "Because I need sleep. I usually have coffee with the team in the morning, and it might be fun to have you join us. If you don't mind the team, that is."
Loki's first reaction to her suggestion is to immediately say, "Hell no." He can't even imagine the sheer awkwardness of sitting in a room with the rest of the Avengers. Most, if not all of them, despise him. He'd feel just as comfortable sitting in a room full of fire ants. But he's also incredibly curious about this woman, and spending time with her sounds far more exciting than just texting.
He types back, his heart still hammering with anticipation and some slight fear.
Text from Loki: "And they won't object to me being there?"
Text from Gwen: "If they do, I'll just talk until I get my way. I'm very good at that."
Loki lets out a small huff of laughter. This woman is far too confident for her own good, and yet, he can't help but be amused by it.
Text from Loki: "Fine."
He types back after a moment's hesitation, trying, and failing, to sound annoyed rather than excited about the idea of seeing her in person.
Text from Loki: "I'll consider showing up."
Text from Gwen: "8 am."
Text from Gwen: "Good night, Loki. Thanks for the conversation."
Loki, feeling strangely reluctant to end the conversation, hesitates for a moment before finally typing back.
Text from Loki: "8 am. And thanks for a surprisingly entertaining evening, Gwen."
Then he closes the conversation and tries his hardest to go to sleep.
He doesn't sleep a wink all night.
Gwen doesn't sleep for a while either. She supposes she could just text him again, but then she really wouldn't sleep. She skims through the text conversation with him. That's the most fun she's had talking to someone in a long time. It was just so easy, and she loves pressing his buttons.