Prompt from @silvermoon_artemis (ao3 user): Y/N is telling herself she doesn't care if Loki and Amber are a thing because she and Loki aren't a thing. So, if she and Loki aren't a thing, obviously she can go get herself a boyfriend. Because she wants one. Not because she wants to make someone jealous, not at all. 

A/N: assignments are almost over thank god, thanks for all the lovely comments and keep sending prompts!<3

...

If you'd thought that sharing a bed with Loki was going to change anything, anything at all, you'd thought wrong. The next day he and Amber are flirting with each other just as bad as ever, maybe worse, and Loki doesn't mention the nightmare incident to you again.

It's as though it never happened, which you suppose you should be grateful for. It had been hugely embarrassing.

To make matters even worse, Amber is acting differently towards you. Weird, cold different. It's as though it's your fault that Loki hadn't wanted to share a room with her, which it most certainly isn't. Is it?

No. It isn't. Loki was simply being chivalrous, or whatever it is that otherworldly gods are.

Over the course of the weekend, you tell yourself that you don't care about Loki and Amber so many times that you might actually start to believe it. You don't care that they're becoming... a 'thing', because you and Loki aren't a 'thing'.

You tell yourself you don't care when you can't sleep for fear of having another nightmare, listening to Loki's steady breathing as he sleeps, nightmare free.

What you do care about is finding new recruits for the SHIELD programme, and getting home, where you don't have to be around Loki and Amber 24/7.

The days drag by painfully slowly, until finally it's Sunday evening. The recruits are about to find out who is going home and who will be returning to New York with you, Loki and Amber.

You and Polly had decided yesterday that it would be Henry and Ffion returning to New York, despite your adamance that Maya should be given a chance. Eventually you'd backed down. There was always next year for her, and Henry and Ffion were excellent.

The recruits stand in a long line next to their luggage before you outside the airport, their faces lit orange by the dying the sun which is just about to disappear below the horizon.

Polly gives a short speech which you don't listen to, thinking about returning to the Tower where Loki sleeps across the hall from you.

"Henry." Polly says suddenly, and everyone claps as Henry steps forward to stand next to you, badly concealed pride written all over his face.

"Ffion." Polly continues, and you watch with a smile as Ffion steps forward, visibly shocked but grinning as everyone applauds her.

"And Maya." Polly says. This time there is a small pause before the clapping, a lot less enthusiastic than it had been for Henry and Ffion, starts. You look sharply at Polly before composing yourself quickly. Maya steps forward unsteadily, and you grin at her to hide your surprise.

Polly says a few more words to the remaining people, and then they turn and trudge off to catch flights back to wherever it is they had come from. Then she turns to you, Henry, Ffion and Maya.

"Congratulations. Have fun in New York." she smiles. The three shell shocked recruits next to you nod and express their thanks, and then Polly winks at you and turns to walk away.

'Thank you.' you mouth, when you're sure Maya has looked away.

"Right, come on then." you say when Polly has gone.

"Where are we going?" Ffion asks as you lead them not into the airport, but around the side.

"You didn't think we were catching a commercial flight, did you?" you ask, gesturing towards the private jet you'd arrived in. Maya's jaw drops.

"All right!" Henry says happily.

You make your way through private security in no time at all and join Loki and Amber, who are waiting for you on the plane.

Amber frowns and opens her mouth when she sees Maya, and you shoot her a death glare, warning her not to say anything, when Loki places a hand on her bare arm and shakes his head minutely. She shuts her mouth, and your throat closes over.

The flight back goes fairly quickly; this time you sit facing away from Loki and Amber, giving the new recruits a run down of everything they need to know before you get back to the Tower.

When you touch down in New York it's just getting dark, and so by the time you arrive at the Tower it's pitch black. Without saying a word to Loki or Amber you lead the recruits inside and up to Fury's office. You're almost nervous, these are your choices and if Fury doesn't like them it's on you.

"Before we go in... don't let him intimidate you, alright?" you say, looking at all of them in turn but really only addressing Maya. They nod, and you knock.

"Come in." Fury calls. You lead the three recruits inside, and they stand before Fury's desk as though for inspection. Which you suppose it is.

"Agent Y/L/N, if you could wait outside?" Fury requests. You do as he says.

About five minutes later your recruits file out in the corridor again.

"He's friendly." Henry says, pulling a face, and you laugh. He smiles.

"He wants to see you." Ffion says, nodding towards the door.

"Thanks. I'll see you all tomorrow." you smile, before reentering Fury's office. He waits until the girls' loud voices have died away before speaking.

"Henry and Ffion I understand, but Maya? Isn't she a bit... small?"

You scowl.

"I remember one agent saying that about me when I was recruited." you counter.

"Does Maya have powers?" Fury asks, an eyebrow raised.

"No. But I believe in her. You trusted me to find new recruits, so that should be enough." you say firmly.

Fury regards you for a few more seconds and... is that a smile?

"You are dismissed." he says eventually, waving a hand. You sigh as you leave, and are surprised to see Henry still stood outside.

"Hi." he says. He looks nervous, and suddenly you are too.

"Hey." you reply.

"Walk with me?" he asks, and so you do.

"What did he say to you in there?" you ask him, wondering why your hands are shaking.

"Well done, but don't screw up or you'll get thrown out. Basically." he tells you.

"Yeah, that sounds like Fury." you nod, smiling.

"Listen, I..." Henry stops and turns to face you, and so you do the same. He takes a deep breath.

"Now that you're not my boss or... whatever – would you wanna get a drink some time? I don't know -." 

He's flailing, and you suddenly see Henry not as a recruit but as a tall, quite handsome guy at last four years older than you.

And he's asking you out.

"I mean, I'm technically still your superior." you say, and he starts back pedaling at an astonishing speed until he sees that you're smiling.

"Oh, so... would you...?" he trails off, watching you hopefully.

You see Loki's hand on Amber's bare arm.

"Yeah," you smile. "Sure."