#wingedavenger

It was so easy to forget that Sam, at his core, was only human. Extraordinary, but still only human. So when a particularly brutal blast knocked the captain out of the air, Loki was slow to react.

Emerald energy slowed his descent at the last moment, but Sam still landed hard in a plume of dust. Barnes' rifle erased his attacker from existence, and the roar of the gun drowned the trickster's voice.

"SAM!"

The man was motionless when Loki finally reached him, and he was relieved to find a pulse beneath his hands.

"Loki, status."

Bucky's voice sounded in his ear as he assessed the damage.

"Standby."

"STATUS."

"He's breathing, damn you, let me WORK."

Loki only grinned at Sam's verdict, and his eyes traveled down to his assembled outfit again.

"I should allow you to chose my clothing more often. The choices have significantly improved since you realized I am, in fact, the god of lies."

There had been more than once when Sam had attempted to pull off a "you look great!" before remembering who it was he spoke to. Yet Loki's face hardened at the sight of Steve cornered, his arms crossed against his chest as if to guard himself from the men who stood between him and freedom.

It was painfully evident Steve wanted to be anywhere else, and his twisted expression bordered on alarming. Loki hooked his arm around Sam's and marched forward as his lips were tugged into a downright predatory smile.

"Steve, darling, if you had told me I was to dress to entertain dull, wealthy bigots, I would have worn something more revealing. Although the guest list states I am Captain America's escort, would that not make me Sam's date as well? If such is the case, I have several ideas for what may come after these feeble old men retire for the evening."

Late Night Wanderings Sentence Starters

“Too late for shopping? Nonsense, Miss Imahara.” 

Loba’s eyes had been fixated on the night sky until she heard the voice behind her. She turned to face the other woman, hands resting comfortably at her hips as a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

“You never know what you might find- at any hour..” there was a subtle playfulness to her tone, of course, always the one to tease and flirt. Though she had been enjoying the peacefulness of the night time to herself, the company wasn’t entirely unwelcome. In truth, Loba was a bit grateful. At late night hours like these, her thoughts leaned more towards her anger and fear, the past that continued to face her every time she jumped into the games. She shook the oncoming thoughts away as she welcomed the other woman to join her.

There was a time Loki would have killed at the suggestion of weakness, let alone the witnessing of it. There was also a time when Sam would have ended him without a second thought if he’d had the means to do so.

They were both going soft. Not for the world, but each other. And for Steve, who was the reason Loki was dressed at this public event in the hot sun, miserable to the point where his unlikely ally took notice. 

      “I hate this,” he tried to growl, but it was more of a wheeze as the offered water bottle was uncapped and immediately drained. On better days, he could offer the light concentration of seidhr to keep his immediate surroundings cool. Jostled almost elbow-to-elbow with strangers offered no such luxury without raising suspicion. Particularly with so many security precautions, both natural and unnatural, that he could inadvertently alert. It was an open area, full of high-profile individuals, and tensions were almost palpable. 

Anything to keep the suspicion off Steve’s “strange, eccentric husband” was worth it. Besides, he needed the sunlight and open air. Too many days in the overcast cold of winter took its toll, Loki could survive this trip.

Of all the resurrected people who milled about, Bernadette only had eyes for one. 

Her small form may as well have been as tall as Thor’s as she moved through the crowd like the Winter Soldier on a mission, and people were quick to step out of her way. Brown eyes were hard and a pale jaw was set. Bucky shifted instinctively as she bore down on Sam, but he knew that look. He’d worn that look. Holding her back would only make it worse.

Bern’s face cracked before she even reached him, shattered into something ugly and raw as her fist drew back and punched him hard in the cheekbone. The moment he straightened, a sob was torn from her throat, and battered arms crushed him close as she wept.

      “WHY DID YOU LET GO, YOU SON OF A BITCH-”

Her short frame shook against Sam, not giving a damn whether or not he hugged her back.

Send in 👁‍🗨 for my Muse’s First Impression Of Yours

“I think if Steve trusts him, I should too.”