Author's note: Heyy, this is a really late update - I only got in at half ten (pm) and then sat playing Candy Crush for like half an hour for no reason in particular?? Then I had to sort my room out because it's still really messy after decorating it uGH. Anyways, here's chapter ten, reminder that the next few chapters of this fic are up on AO3 because I started posting on there before here! My username is highfuncti0ningfangirl on there, and the same for tumblr if you're on there! Leave a comment/vote if you enjoy!  (this gif of Thor is a bit random but it was hard to find a related gif for this chapter so... have some smiley Thor) <3

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It was two days after your first mission with the Avengers, and you hadn't left your bed since the previous morning. You had the worst cold you thought you'd ever had and definitely felt the worst you ever had; not allowing anyone apart from Thor anywhere near you, as he wouldn't be affected by 'a silly Midgardian ailment'. It hadn't felt very silly to you when you'd not slept all night from not being able to breathe. Ah well, you weren't exactly having a hard time, lying in bed all day watching TV and being bought food regularly by Thor who stayed to make sure you ate it and to keep you company for a while.

At exactly one o'clock in the afternoon Thor knocked on the door and you called him in, pausing the show that you were watching. You'd spent almost all of yesterday watching the news, which you had been on (apparently people had noticed that there was a new, magic wielding member of the team), and worrying about what people were saying about you until Thor had finally persuaded you to turn it off. Also on your mind was Nat's comment that she'd made after the party, about how you might be in danger if people knew about your magic. Which they, whoever they were, now inevitably did. You would have to talk to her about that later.

"Lady Y/N, feeling any better?" Thor asked, setting a tray of food down in front of you and sitting himself on the edge of your bed.

You were feeling better in fact, you'd even got dressed and made your bed this morning, so you were lounging on it rather than in it today.

"A bit, thanks Thor. This looks great." you replied, picking up the knife and fork on the tray.

"So, what have I missed this morning? Anything special?"

"No, nothing special. Everyone wishes you would come out of your room though."

"I'm not getting any of you lot ill, we've been over this." you told him sternly; he raised his hands with a smile.

"You are too kind to them."

"Why, have they been talking about me behind my back?" you joked, raising a forkful of food to your mouth. Your smile faltered as Thor hesitated.

"No, not like that... there's just been a slight debate." Thor hurried to reassure you. Suddenly you didn't feel very hungry anymore. You searched Thor's face for answers, but he wasn't giving anything away.

"What's been going on?" you asked, putting your fork down. Thor saw this and sighed, knowing it was your way of telling him that you wouldn't eat until you knew what he was keeping from you.

"Some of them are worried about your magic, and you using it in public when you're still not sure of it. They said that certain people might see it as a weakness, which would affect both the team and your safety, and no one wants that."

"Some of them being Nat. And Steve?" you guessed, apparently correctly judging by the look on Thor's face.

"That's fair, I guess." you muttered, picking up your fork again. Thor had spilt the beans; now you had to do your part. You ate in silence, stewing over what you'd just been told, while Thor seemed to be trying to find the right words. When you were finished, Thor opened his mouth, but you stopped him before he could start talking.

"Thor, it's fine, they're entirely justified in what they're saying. I'll talk to them myself when I'm better, okay?" you told him, trying to smile as you talked.

Thor bent his head as he stood and picked up the tray.

"I will tell them." he informed you as he started to leave the room.

"Oh, one last thing, Loki has been getting moody with no one to talk to, so try and get better soon alright?"

"Tell him to come visit me, I could do with some more company." you replied, slightly cheered by the fact that Loki was apparently missing you.

"I will." Thor smiled, and left the room.

Less than five minute later there was another knock on your door, and Loki appeared in the doorway.

"That didn't take long." you smiled, trying not to laugh at how awkward he looked.

"Thor said you wanted to speak to me?"

"Well, not about anything specific really, I just wanted some company, and you and Thor are the only two I won't infect with my germs." you told him as he made his way carefully over to the edge of your bed and sat down.

"Ah." was his simple reply. You cocked your head, frowning slightly with a hint of a smile. You hadn't seen awkward Loki before. Angry, sarcastic, rude Loki sure, but awkward was new.

"So, what have the others been saying about me out there? Thor told me that Nat and Steve think I'm a weak link." you joked, praying that Loki would correct you.

"Well... yes. But everyone else backed you up."

Great. At least the others had your back.

"You desperately need training, it's dangerous you not knowing how to control your magic when it's that powerful."

"Is it really that strong?" you asked worriedly, and saw Loki's gaze visibly soften. He did have a heart.

"Yes, but it will be easy enough to learn how to control it. First however we need to convince Stark to get rid of this." he said, gesturing to the metal cuff around his wrist.

Whoa, hold up. We? And had he just offered to train you? You composed yourself quickly, not wanting to lose this opportunity.

"I'll talk to him. Are you sure you don't just want your magic back so you can escape?" you asked, only half joking.

Loki looked up at you quickly, his eyes searching your face.

"Do you really think I would?"

Wow, way for making you feel bad. Honestly, you didn't know the answer to his question.

"I don't exactly get the impression that you enjoy being here." you finally settled for.

"Mostly, no. But it's safe, and I have nowhere else to go. And you're here."

The shock you felt at his words must have shown on your face, because he back-pedalled at an astonishing speed.

"I mean, I can't leave you here alone with these fools who don't know anything in the slightest about magic, it would be a disaster, you need training..." he trailed off here and looked towards the door as if he wanted to escape.

You prayed that you weren't going red. Prayed.

"Well, I'm glad you're not planning on leaving, if I don't learn how to deal with this magic soon I might spontaneously combust."

Loki looked blank.

"That's when you catch on fire without warning." you explained.

He laughed (laughed!) in disbelief and shook his head. "You Midgardians come up with some odd ideas."

"Hey, watch who you're calling Midgardian." you joked, and then there it was again, that rare smile. You were dumbfounded. Had you just made him laugh and smile in the same minute? Was this a world record?

"Sorry, I was referring to Midgardians in general." he amended.

You just watched him, raising your eyebrows and smiling.

"What?" he asked quickly, switching back to uncomfortable in a split second.

"Nothing... I've just never seen you laugh before." you told him truthfully.

"Yes, well. There hasn't been much for me to laugh about recently." he told you amiably, causing that sympathy to well up in you again.

"I'm glad you find me of amusement." you replied eventually, smiling.

Loki seemed to struggle to find a response to that, so you changed the subject.

"So, how are we going to persuade Tony to let you use your magic again? I think he trusts you... but I'm not sure if it's enough for him to get that off of you." you thought aloud, gesturing to the cuff around his wrist, watching Loki's thoughtful expression change to one of someone who had a plan.

"Unless we don't need to persuade him. He doesn't need to know..."

You were shaking your head before he'd even reached the end of his sentence.

"No, I can't go behind his back, not after what he's done for me." you said firmly, and Loki shrugged, looking only vaguely disappointed.

"I thought you'd say that. You'll need to talk to him, he won't listen to me." he told you; you nodded in agreement.

"I'll talk to him about it while I ask them about the whole using my magic in public business, he won't be able to argue with me then because technically Nat and Steve are already on our side."

"Stark wants a sorcerer to train you, someone called Strange." Loki said... bitterly?

"I'll talk to him about it." you said, trying not to feel secretly pleased that he seemed to want to train you so badly. You failed.

"I should go, the others won't appreciate my being alone in here with you." he said, standing up suddenly and turning to look at you.

"Oh, okay." you replied, trying not to display your disappointment in your voice.

"Get well, I'll see you tomorrow." Loki said, opening the door and giving you a shadow of a smile.

"See you later."

A laugh. An actual laugh. If that wasn't progress you didn't know what was.