Part 3: Inappropriate
Tower Universe - Mini-series
Gwen gets caught up in work for a while, with no time even to check her phone. She is looking forward to talking to Loki again, and now they have the botanical garden exhibit to go to together.
Does she like him, or is this all just harmless flirting? He doesn't like her, right? Loki doesn't like anyone. But he did stay up late texting her and came for coffee in the tower surrounded by Avengers who dislike him so…
No, she needs to focus on her plants.
The garden outing isn't until next weekend. That's plenty of time to figure this thing out with Loki.
She has decided that she must be insane. I mean, flirting over text with the literal god of mischief who invaded New York a couple of years ago. He's still...well, not a villain...bad guy?...no, she doesn't think those are accurate. He just does what he wants. Is she missing something here? Why is everyone treating him as if he'll start throwing daggers at them at any moment? He's not harmless, of course, but he's also not a psychopath…
She shakes her head. Her thoughts are all over the place. All she knows is that she has a good time with him. Maybe that's all that matters right now.
Meanwhile, Loki can't stop thinking about their coffee “date” in the kitchen. How she called him "sir", how they teased and flirted back and forth, how everyone’s jaw nearly fell off when she invited him for coffee. He can hardly concentrate. He tries to busy himself with some reading, but his mind keeps wandering to thoughts of Gwen. It's frustrating, to say the least.
Loki is going crazy. He still has an entire week until this botanical garden date. Every time he tries to read, to practice with his daggers, or even watch TV, his mind immediately drifts back to Gwen. What the hell is this feeling? It's been a long time since he found a woman so interesting. She's so casual about flirting with him right in front of the team, so unfazed by his reputation with the others, so quick to tease him. He's never met anyone like her before … and he kind of likes her…a lot.
That evening, she sits in her apartment watching a movie. She tells herself not to text him. It would be a bad idea no matter how fun it is.
Loki, pacing restlessly in his own quarters, is resisting the urge to text her as well. But then, his stubbornness finally cracks. He can't stand it anymore.
Text from Loki: "Bored. Entertain me."
He absolutely refuses to admit that he just wants an excuse to talk to her.
She picks up her phone and laughs at the message. She texts back, recalling a joke from their previous texting conversation.
Text from Gwen: "Entertain you? I'm not some circus poodle. 😉"
Loki's heart gives a damn lurch in his chest. That emoji … he's already growing quite fond of it. He smirks down at his phone and quickly types back.
Text from Loki: "And yet I suspect you would look rather adorable in a sequined collar with a leash attached."
Her cheeks burn red, but she's not going to let this go by…
Text from Gwen: "Damn, Loki, you are revealing to me a whole lot about what you're into..."
Loki nearly chokes on air when her reply comes in. He quickly recovers, a wicked smirk forming as he types his reply.
Text from Loki: "You have no idea what I'm into."
He debates adding an emoji—just to fuck with her further—but decides against it for now.
Gwen’s mouth goes dry. Wow. She is actually speechless. Maybe she is getting in over her head with this one...
Text from Gwen: "🫢"
Loki feels a rush of adrenaline when he sees the little emoji bubble appear on his screen. He's definitely having too much fun messing with her at this point…but he can't help himself. He grins and responds again.
Text from Loki: "That's it? No snarky reply? No quick comeback?"
Text from Gwen: "...nope. You win."
Loki actually blinks in surprise at her response. He was really expecting her to fight him a bit more. But her admitting that he won just makes him want to tease her even more.
Text from Loki: "Well, what's my prize for winning this round?"
Text from Gwen: "I guess bragging rights that you actually rendered me speechless."
Loki smirks down at his phone, pleased with her response.
Text from Loki: "Oh no, darling. I'm expecting something much more substantial as my prize. 😉But don’t worry, you'll find out what it is soon enough."
She burst out laughing as she remembered something from this morning. Now would be the perfect time to drop this little tidbit.
Text from Gwen: "After you left, Natasha told everyone she knew we were texting all last night. So, she has probably read every one of these messages. Hi Natasha, if you are reading this."
Loki instantly goes rigid. His entire existence freezes mid-stride as the message comes in. He stares at his phone for what feels like a damn eternity before he types back.
Text from Loki: "WHAT."
His fingers are flying over the keypad now, panic starting to set in.
Text from Loki: "HOW WOULD SHE HAVE SEEN ANY OF OUR TEXTS."
Text from Gwen: "I have no idea, but with that little leash comment, you might want to avoid her for a little while — I mean, unless you don't mind her knowing looks."
Loki nearly goes into a panic at the thought of Natasha reading everything he said to Gwen. Did that mean the entire team read all of their conversation?!
Text from Loki: "You're kidding. Please tell me you're just teasing me right now."
Text from Gwen: "I'm teasing. She knew about the messages but not what's in them... at least I don't think she knows what we are actually saying."
Loki releases the breath he didn't even realize he was holding, letting out a shaky sigh and running a hand through his hair in aggravation. He takes a moment to compose himself before typing another message.
Text from Loki: "Are you sure? Because I will murder Natasha in her sleep if she knows the things I've said to you. I should not be held accountable for the things that come out of my mouth at 3 in the damn morning when I'm half asleep."
Text from Gwen: "But right now, it's only 7pm, so what's your excuse for these comments?"
Loki rolls his eyes and lets out a huff of irritation. She has him there.
Text from Loki: "Smartass," he texts, unable to stop a smirk from pulling at his lips. "That's not the point. I don't need a nosy Russian assassin knowing my every dirty thought."
Text from Gwen: "The dirty thoughts you like sharing with me... Speaking of sharing, Tony said something about 'if I flirted with Loki like that...' and 'there's nothing wrong with flirting with Loki...'"
Loki nearly drops his damn phone in shock at her words. Did Tony actually say that?! He reads the text twice to make sure he isn't hallucinating before typing back, hands flying across the screen.
Text from Loki: "No. No way. Tony Stark said that?!"
Text from Loki: "Also, of course, I like sharing them with you, Gwen."
Text from Gwen: "Yeah, he also said not to tell you so...oops. 😉"
She should not... she knows she shouldn't, but she responds to the second message anyway.
Text from Gwen: "You do, hmm? And why is that?"
Loki nearly grins at her audacity. This woman really is far too bold for her own good. And damn, he kind of loves it. He bites his lip in amusement as he types his response, not even remotely embarrassed by her question.
Text from Loki: "Because, in case you haven't noticed, you're bloody gorgeous. I have a thing for gorgeous."
In a moment of impulsiveness, he adds:
Text from Loki: "...And also because I happen to like you, you damn tease."
Gwen actually drops her phone. What the hell is wrong with her that her heart just started racing and she wants to scream like a teenager meeting some pop idol?
It takes a minute for her to regain her composure, during which he is probably panicking at not getting a response. What does she even say to that?!
Text from Gwen: "I don't know whether to say thank you or call you an idiot, so maybe both."
Oh, Loki is definitely panicking at the lack of response from her. He nearly throws his phone across the damn room as his thoughts go haywire at the silence. He actually jumps when the next message finally comes in. She complimented him in one breath and insulted him in the next. That's just so very her. And Loki finds himself grinning wildly at the screen.
Text from Loki: "Ah, there's my girl. There's the smart-ass I was looking for."
She smiles at that phrase...his girl... maybe. She let it slide for now.
Text from Gwen: "I really do appreciate the compliment. You like me?"
Loki grins wider at the question, his heart skipping a damn beat. Oh, he really does. He hates how much he likes her. It's terrifying, but that's not something he's about to admit over the phone. So he settles for a smartass response, still trying to keep things lighthearted despite the growing feeling of nervousness in his stomach. He has no freaking clue how to deal with these feelings.
Text from Loki: "You have no idea how much I like you, you damn menace."
Text from Gwen: "And... if I liked you too?"
Loki actually sucks in a breath at her message. Is she saying what he thinks she's saying? His heart is racing again, that damn nervous feeling in his stomach returning tenfold. He is so screwed if she actually has feelings for him too.
Finally, he forces himself to type back.
Text from Loki: "How much?"
Text from Gwen: "Enough that I didn't run away at the 'sequined collar' comment."
Loki actually lets out a surprised chuckle at her reply. He had been half-joking with that comment. But if she's actually flirting back and saying things like that … God, he doesn't know how much more of this teasing he can take before he snaps and does something completely irrational, like barge into her damn apartment and kiss her senseless.
Text from Loki: "You know you're only going to make me want to make that comment even more, right?"
Text from Gwen: "Oh no, please don't. I need to scrub that from my brain."
Loki grins wider at her response, feeling bold now. He can practically see her blushing … and damn if it's not making him want to keep going. He thinks for a moment, then types:
Text from Loki: "Just imagine how good you'd look in a sequined collar, though … wrapped up and on your knees, all nice and pretty…"
Text from Gwen: "OH. MY. GOD."
And there it is. That reaction is just what he was hoping for. Loki can just about imagine her blushing face and stuttering response, and it's giving him all kinds of ideas. He smirks knowingly and continues.
Text from Loki: "You're blushing right now, aren't you? I bet you're all red-faced and flustered, my pretty little thing…"
Text from Gwen: "You can keep that collar. I need to go...water the plants."
A bark of surprised laughter escapes Loki as he reads her response. She's so damn cute when she's all flustered like this. And damn, the thought of her going all red and blushing while she thinks about the collar is only going to make him want to call her "his good little girl" someday soon. He types back quickly.
Text from Loki: "Oh, you're going to go "water the plants", huh? Is that your way of getting out of this conversation?"
Text from Gwen: "It absolutely is."
Gwen has not moved an inch since the text about the sequined collar came in. She is frozen to her seat in shock. Loki … Loki is saying these things to her. She can’t say she never thought about him in some intimate ways … but the fact that he texted her THAT. Wow.
Loki smirks and rolls his eyes. Oh, the sass of this woman. He can't decide whether he wants to call her a "brat" or a "good girl," and it both confuses and excites him.
Text from Loki: "I suppose I will allow you to escape my teasing for now, but I'm saving this for later. You better not go to bed just yet, my pretty little menace"
Text from Gwen: "Nope, I need to go to sleep so I can wake up and pretend this wasn't a real conversation."
Loki nearly drops his damn phone in an effort not to laugh out loud at that response. Damn her. She's so cute. He quickly types back his response, still grinning like a damn fool:
Text from Loki: "You can try pretending all you want, but you and I both know you will be thinking about me when you're in bed."
Text from Gwen: "You are terrible. Good night, Loki."
Loki can't help chuckling softly. She's really running off, huh? He wants to keep this conversation going, to tease her some more, and to see what kind of flustered reaction he can pull from her next. But he'll let her go for now.
Text from Loki: "Sweet dreams, my pretty little menace. I will be thinking about you."
She grins stupidly to herself as she goes to bed. Instead of taking it with her, she leaves her phone on the table like it betrayed her. What was that? Well, there's no question about whatever this is with Loki anymore.
Loki sets his phone down on the table beside him, still grinning like an absolute fool. He could get used to teasing Gwen like this. No … he could get used to Gwen, period. And that thought alone terrifies him in ways he didn’t think possible.
He won't be sleeping for a while.
Loki spends the wee hours of the night lying in bed wide awake, his thoughts constantly returning to Gwen. It's ridiculous. He barely knows this woman. And yet, he can't stop thinking about her. What the hell is wrong with him? Is he really catching...
Oh damn. He's falling for her. He's falling for her hard…