Prompt from @SnakePerson (ao3 user): So eventually Loki will get out and will have to have a room in the building where he can sleep (we can all agree that's where this is going, right?) But what if he doesn't feel safe/comfortable and tells the reader about it, so she says she'll sleep in his room one night. He tries to stop her (saying people will gossip/just plain being mean so she doesn't want to) but she insists. Nothing NSFW happens, just a lot of fluff, but the reader is baffled as to why she wanted to comfort him and Loki is dealing with actually having a real friend. I think the gossip would also be really fun. 

A/N: LOVED this, please keep sending ideas! <33

...

When you return to the Tower, you, Amber and Josh are met in the medical wing by your boss below Fury, who is exceptionally pleased with the three of you.

Amber and Josh are both being treated for their injuries, but the nurse had given you a once over and correctly deduced that there was nothing wrong with you apart from a slightly bruised forehead, which you're now holding a pack of ice to.

"I can't believe you took on all three of those men and hardly got a scratch Y/N. I saw it all on CCTV, you hardly even used... used your..." Josh trails off, worried that he'd going to offend you.

You just shrug modestly. Loki must have altered the CCTV footage again if Josh hadn't seen you talking to him.

"It's late Y/N, don't feel as though you have to stay." Amber tells you kindly. Her shoulder is pretty bashed up, and she had been walking with a limp all the way back, insisting that she was fine.

Secretly you're quite relieved; you're really tired and aching all over, despite having acquired no serious injuries.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, go home." she tells you, and Josh nods in agreement.

"Alright. Feel better." you tell them both, before placing your ice pack in a tray on the side and heading towards the door. You barely make it halfway down the corridor before Fury appears before you.

"Agent Y/L/N. I heard you were back. Congratulations on a successful mission." he says to you; you smile weakly.

"Come with me." he continues, and you reluctantly follow him to the elevator. You're so tired.

The elevator ride is excruciatingly awkward. Neither of you says a word. After what feels like about ten hours you arrive at the correct floor and you immediately recognise it to be the Avengers' living quarters.

Fury leads the way to the end of the corridor and then opens the door which leads to the living space. The whole team is sat around the room, and they all look up as you enter.

You try not to look put out. A bit of warning might have been nice.

"So, what do you think?" Fury asks, coming to a stop and spinning around to look at you. Everyone is looking at you; Nat rolls her eyes.

"I- what?" you ask.

"You've proven that you're still extremely efficient in the field, and you have your powers. You'd be an extremely valuable asset to the team."

You blink. Is he seriously doing this now? Tony seems to be thinking along the same lines.

"Look, I told you this wasn't a good idea. The kid's obviously dead on her feet, let her sleep and give her some time to think about it, okay?" Tony tells Fury, standing up and crossing the room to stand by your side, a hand on your shoulder.

You're hugely grateful for him in this moment, although you're a bit annoyed about being called 'kid'.

Fury sighs and nods reluctantly.

"I strongly advise you to take this opportunity, agent." he tells you before he leaves the room.

"Do you wanna stay here tonight? Reindeer Games has the room you stayed in before, but there are others." Tony offers.

"I- yes. Please." you say, and he nods, beckoning you to follow him from the room. Nat throws you a reassuring smile as you leave.

Tony shows you to a room opposite the one you'd stayed in last time, the one which Loki now resides in, and you thank him before stepping inside.

"If you need anything just shout." he tells you kindly, before heading back off to the living space. You wonder what they're saying about you in there.

You're tired, but your mind is working too fast to sleep. Sitting down on the edge of the bed briefly, you make a snap decision and stand back up, walking over to your door.

You open it quietly and look both ways down the empty corridor before sneaking across to Loki's door, hesitating only for a second before knocking.

He looks surprised when he opens the door, but only briefly. You still gain an immense amount of satisfaction from it.

"What are you doing here?" he asks you, looking both ways down the corridor just as you had done seconds previously. You're not sure why you both seem to feel so guilty.

"I didn't get to say thank you. For... you know." you say, gesturing to you arm.

"Oh. You are welcome." Loki tells you. There's an awkward pause.

"Did you... come all the way here just for that?" he asks you, frowning.

"No. I'm staying here tonight. Fury-" you're cut off as Loki grabs your forearm and pulls you less than gently into his room, pushing the door shut quickly but gently.

"Wha-"

"Sh." Loki hushes you urgently. You fall silent, looking at him in confusion and slight annoyance before your gaze falls to his hand on your arm for the second time in one day.

He quickly removes his hand as he sees you looking, and then you hear voices in the corridor: Thor and Nat. You can't make out what they're saying.

"What the hell?" you ask him heatedly, massaging your arm.

"It's not a good idea that you are seen corresponding with me." he tells you.

"Again, it's called having a conversation." you emphasise. He sighs, but there's a hint of a smile, at least.

"And why is it not a good idea?" you ask.

"People might talk." Loki tells you.

"So?" you shrug.

"I am only attempting to uphold your honour. You have a good reputation, I would be ashamed to taint it."

You stare at him.

"Why do you care?" you ask, rather bluntly and quite rudely. You'll put it down to the fact you haven't slept in a day.

"I don't know." he says. Well, at least he's honest you suppose.

"What was it you were telling me before we were interrupted?" Loki asks you. Suddenly you're too tired to want to stand up any more, and move across the room to sit down on his bed.

He doesn't react, before moving to tentatively sit down on the sofa which faces the side of the bed you're sat on.

"Fury wants me to join the Avengers. He just put it on me tonight to give him an answer. I guess I should be grateful, he could just tell me I have to join. I did tell him I would, after all." you say.

"Do you wish to join them?" Loki asks you.

"No. I don't know." you tell him, looking at the floor before looking up at him.

"You're using an illusion still."

"Yes."

"You don't have to."

"I always have to."

You frown.

"Loki, you don't."

He smiles bitterly then, exhaling sharply through his nose and shaking his head.

"You do not understand." he tells you.

"Drop it." you say, a request rather than a command. He regards you coolly for a few seconds; you stare right back at him, determined not to break eye contact.

He drops the illusion. You try not to look surprised. He still looks gaunt and tired, but better than last time you'd seen him without an illusion.

"You look better." you tell him earnestly.

"I feel better." he tells you.

"Do you like it here?" you ask, gesturing around the room. It's certainly nicer than the cell he was being kept in.

"No. I miss Asgard." he tells you. Again, you fight not to look surprised. He's actually talking about himself.

"I've heard it's amazing. I'd love to see it someday."

"The Bifrost would tear your mortal body apart." Loki tells you.

"Right." you say. There's another slightly awkward pause.

"The mission. How was it?" Loki asks you.

"You were there." you say in confusion.

"No, I mean... for you. Being an agent again. How was it?" he rephrases. You can't comprehend why he's taking such an interest in you.

"I... it was fine, I guess. I haven't really had time to think about it." you say truthfully. You really don't know how you feel about having been back out in the field.

"When I was watching you fight... you used magic." he says, slowly, as though he can't comprehend it. Suddenly his interest in you makes an awful lot of sense.

"It's not magic." you say, almost bitterly.

"I've never seen anything like it before." he tells you.

"Is that why you're pretending to be interested in me?" you scoff. He frowns.

"I enjoy your company. You are interesting and you do not ignore me like the rest." he tells you. One look at him tells you that he's being quite sincere. You sigh.

"My parents were part of a radical group; they called themselves revolutionaries. They wanted to give ordinary people extraordinary powers. I'm the result of their only successful experiment." you tell your feet.

The only other person you've ever told about this is Nat, and that was only because SHIELD needed to know. They never found your parents, or their group.

"I am sorry." Loki says. He sounds like he means it. You shrug.

"It's saved my life a few times. But it's also taken lives." you say, your voice laced with resentment.

"Is that why you stopped being an agent?" Loki asks you. You nod almost imperceptibly, still looking at the floor.

"Sorry. I don't know why I'm telling you this." you say suddenly, your voice slightly constricted as you look up at him. He's no longer sat up straight, but leaning back into the sofa with his one leg crossed over the other.

"My real parents abandoned me and my adoptive father only ever wanted to use me as a bargaining tool, so I can sympathise with the having awful parents part." Loki tells you.

"Adoptive father?" you frown.

"Thor isn't my real brother."

"Oh." you say. Now that you think about it, they aren't all that alike.

"You're an extremely skilled fighter." Loki tells you. You smile, a hint of pride shooting through you.

"Thanks. That was pretty cool today." you reply.

"You took on and bested three men twice your size. I would agree that constitutes as 'pretty cool'." Loki says.

Thinking about it, it suddenly hits you that you are bone tired, and you can hardly keep you eyes open.

"Sleep, if you want." Loki says. Is... he inviting you to sleep in his room? You're shocked, but you don't want to offend him by saying no. You've just started to earn his trust. And you feel... at ease, in his room.

"Really?" you ask. He nods, reaching behind him to dim the lights. You kick your feet up on to the bed and lie back, your head against the pillows.

You close your eyes and feel yourself losing consciousness after about a minute.

"Thanks." you mutter sleepily. You can't tell if Loki replies.