Release, 4/5. NC-17.
Title: Release
Series: #18 in Ready For The Siege
(#1 - Look Over Your Shoulder, #2 - Armed Up To The Teeth, #3 - Misery Inspires, #4 - Broken Underneath, #5 - Change Is Coming Soon, #6 - Lick Your Wounds, #7 - Bitter Sparks, #8 - Father's Will, #9 - To Feel Safe Again, #10 - Hit Your Prime, #11 - Open Your Eyes, #12 - Can't Be Ignored, #13 - Make You Ill, #14 - Aim Straight, #15 - Not The First Time, #16 - Friendly Fire, #17 - Relieved)
Author: Eustacia Vye
Author's e-mail: eustacia_vye28@hotmail.com
Rating: NC17
Pairing: Loki/Natasha, Natasha/Bucky, Steve/Sif
Disclaimer: Not mine! Some comic backstory is incorporated into characterizations, but this is still primarily movieverse.
Spoilers/Warnings: Post-Avengers, AU to the rest of MCU. Alludes to events in prior stories and outright references others. References for Red Room mindfuckery, PTSD, violence.
Title and series title from "The Royal We" by Silversun Pickups.
Summary: Everyone was see-sawing into some kind of equilibrium. Sometimes, it didn't even get traumatic.
Previous chapters:
One - Pride
Two - Connections
Three - Arranging Playtime
Four - Dynamic Shift
Jane and Sif managed to wrangle Bruce and Steve to accompany them on another outing without being obvious about their intentions. Steve obviously wouldn't mind going clothes shopping with Sif at all, but Jane didn't think Bruce would be very interested. "I thought you already got Darcy's graduation present?" Bruce had said, shrugging into a light jacket in case the possible rain that was forecasted fell.
"Yep, and she'll love it like the technology geek that she is," Jane said proudly, grinning at him. "But there's the event being held by the Stark Foundation that we've all been invited to."
"Oh. Right. That," Bruce said, shrugging. "I hadn't been planning to go."
"Why not?" Jane asked, surprised. "It's to raise money for inner city schools to expand their science and math programs since there's another budget cut." She grinned at Steve's surprised look. "What? Darcy set up a RSS feed to pop up on my computer with various science related topics. This has come up a few times, and I might have ranted at Tony over Skype before that this was a travesty, since most of the issue with STEM fields is that there simply isn't enough exposure. I don't know if that's what started it, but apparently there's some promotional work he agreed to do with Lockheed Martin as part of their latest contract."
"At least our sensor arrays will go up," Bruce said as they headed for the elevators.
"Exactly, and this is something I love, obviously. Kids love the stars and making things explode, but teachers tend to suck the joy of discovery out of it. If we can give them the funding to do it right, they'll go into it."
"STEM?" Steve asked.
"Science, technology, engineering and math. Traditionally male dominated on top of that, but any mind getting to learn would be wonderful."
"If your schools don't value such things, then what do they value?" Sif asked curiously.
"When I was in school, they stressed math and science and looked down on the arts," Steve said, shrugging. "There was always stress on sports, too."
"That never really went away. But the New York City Board of Ed doesn't get a lot of money, so they have older textbooks for everything, nearly forty children per classroom, and it grinds down the teachers." Jane shrugged and looked a little sheepish as they stepped into the lobby of the tower. "Okay, I might have tried to teach summer school in order to earn some money when grant funding ran out while I was getting my first doctorate. That was an exercise in futility. Even Bronx Science didn't have the equipment I wanted, and they're one of the specialized high schools in the city."
Steve couldn't help but grin at her. "And if the Avengers and an Asgardian Ambassador show up at this shindig, we might be able to get the city some money?"
Sif was surprised. "I'm not here as an Ambassador!"
"No? 'Cause it would look like it. And Ambassadors would have to go between realms a little more often, wouldn't they?"
She caught his meaning immediately and laughed. "Why do your people think you so innocent?"
"They don't see past the smile," he replied, grinning. He held open the doors leading out to West 34th Street, and they started to walk.
"It is a nice smile," Jane said, looking around Midtown. "I feel weird in fancy stores, but with the rest of you, we should do all right."
"It's a question of commanding the room, Lady Doctor Foster," Sif said, a twinkle in her eye.
"Oh, are we getting all formal, Lady Ambassador?" she teased.
"If we're going to get dolled up," Steve said, a wide grin on his face, "then we might as well do it up right. We'll make sure the others are all dolled up, too."
"We don't all get a chance to get together outside of the Tower," Bruce allowed. "It could actually be fun."
A scream and then an explosion off in the distance cut off Jane's reply. "Oh. You guys gotta go do the superhero thing," she said, looking in that general direction.
"We don't know if-"
Another explosion cut off Bruce's statement. "People are probably in danger," Steve said.
"Of course we're going to assist," Sif said with a nod. She looked to Jane, who was starting to turn around to head back into the Tower. "But of course you're coming."
"But I'm no fighter!"
"There were explosions," Steve pointed out.
"Someone needs to calm the populace. Never look down upon the skill of an arbiter or leader," Sif told her. "You already know you have those in abundance."
Jane drew in a breath. "All right. Let's go see what blew up."
They raced across the six blocks until they found the building in question. It was Osborn Laboratories, and upper floors had billowing clouds of smoke coming out of windows that had exploded outward. Fire licked at the walls, and there were people milling about and staring. "Don't just stand there!" Jane snapped immediately. Of course Steve and Sif were heading toward the building without a second thought and Bruce was looking for someone that knew what had triggered the explosion. "Call the fire department!" she snapped at someone gawking and trying to record the fire on his phone.
Some of the smoke was actually purple, and seemed to dissipate soon after it billowed out of the window. The black smoke was behaving in an ordinary fashion, and Jane worried about whoever might have been inside the explosion. She turned and tried to find Steve and Sif, but they must have already gone into the building. There was little for her to do but keep people away from the building so the NYFD could get into the area and start putting out the fire. Steve and Sif came out bearing some of the people that must have been in the labs, including one that was stained completely purple.
Jane looked over at the others after the fire was out; even Bruce had gone into the building once he figured it was structurally safe. He hadn't turned into the Hulk, though he reported it as a near thing when one of the walls seemed ready to collapse.
"If it's all right with you guys," she said with a sigh, "I'd rather not go shopping for this party now. I'm feeling all worn out."
"But you still don't have a dress for the occasion," Sif said, frowning. "It would be less joyous an outing, certainly. Unless you would prefer to journey to Asgard, perhaps? If I am Ambassador, a formal dress and robes would be more appropriate."
That certainly piqued her interest. "Asgardian party clothes? I'm in. What are those parties like?"
Sif wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Tedious."
"Really?"
"Petty talk and attempts to make themselves appear more important in social standing. There have been changes introduced into the power structure after Natasha's visit, and I haven't been there in some time."
"It might only feel like a long time," Bruce began in protest.
"It does for me," Steve said with a smile.
"No, time between our realms does not flow in a cohesive manner. Our time and yours are not always the same. I have been on Midgard for almost three of your months, but I know that it will not be three months when we arrive there. Time may ebb and flow in odd ways in comparison to the linear progression that it has here."
"That's just... strange," Jane said, frustrated. "If time isn't even linear on your realm, I can't even use the information that Ketilve sends me on astronomical phenomena. The timing of things is so important..."
"There may be ways to correct it so that time is predictable," Sif offered. "Heimdall could perhaps help you? If we proceed to one of the royal tailors, we could still make use of the Bifrost and you can discuss the issue with him. He knows of such things."
"Huh," Jane said in a musing tone. "I wonder if there's an equation that would cover the difference in flow of time. Or if it's the way that dark energy is interacting with the matter in that realm? Because the way that Asgard operates simply doesn't make sense if you take only Newtonian physics into consideration."
The others grinned at her. "So... Asgard next?" Steve guessed with a grin.
"Oh! Yes, obviously. And just in case we're gone for a week because time starts dilating in an odd way, let's call Jarvis and let him know."
Bruce smiled and started dialing from his phone. "Not exactly what I expected to do today."
"What? Going to Asgard? Beats talking to paparazzi," Steve declared.
"I don't know... They seem to appreciate you," Bruce replied. He then turned his attention to the phone to start relaying the particulars of their outing.
"It's the smile," Sif said, linking her arm through his and grinning at him fondly.
"You did mention something about that," Steve agreed.
"It's a good smile," Jane declared. She looked at Bruce expectantly when he got off the phone.
"We're good to go."
Sif beamed and looked up to the sky. "Heimdall! We would like to visit Asgard!"
After a moment, the clouds above shifted as multicolored lights descended upon them and whisked them away to the golden realm.
***
Loki had missed being in the Astoria apartment. It hadn't been the same to be there without Natasha, and the atmosphere seemed to be a little different with James there. All of the security measures were explained to him, spells keyed to his biometric signature. He was suitably impressed and convinced that their safety was being taken seriously. Both Loki and Natasha had insisted on it once upon a time, and James was on board with continuing the measures even if Natasha no longer worked for SHIELD consistently and Loki didn't want to rule the world. "You both got enemies on a list longer than my arm," he had said plainly. "If you're both in this, your guard's going to be down. And if I'm in it, I can't keep watch. At least those things will watch over all of us."
He probably shouldn't have felt like James' concern was a heartwarming gesture, but it still came across that way to Loki.
James hadn't wanted his own sessions as a sub, but had agreed to watch or help during Natasha's sessions. He had been surprised that Loki subbed to Natasha more often than the reverse, but the way his lips had parted, Loki could tell that he liked the idea of submitting to her will. He suspected that a large part of that had to do with the programming he had been under for so long, as well as the idea of it being Natasha taking care of him.
To test James' readiness, they had all agreed that Loki would take his dom turn first. He was actually quite gleeful about this, though he kept his composure. Checking on Natasha and James, he gestured toward the bedroom. "Let us begin."
Once inside the bedroom, he had both strip. James did it without much fanfare, and looked to Loki with a question in his eyes. "Kneel somewhere comfortable," Loki instructed him. He watched Natasha strip and allowed himself a smile at the play of her sinuous curves. "Position yourself on all fours," he instructed her. "James will be your pillow," he continued, gesturing toward the spot where James had knelt on the carpeted floor. He caught her hair before she could move, halting her progress. "You can take your pleasures, pet," he murmured, voice laden with desire. "I give you this," he said, curling his other hand around her throat and then sliding it down the slope of her breasts. "And you will feel what I allow you to feel. What say you?"
"Thank you," Natasha murmured.
"Good girl," Loki crooned, letting his hand slide down to caress a breast. "Now get into position. You can look at his cock, but you can't put that pretty mouth of yours on it."
"Yes, Loki."
She wasn't needy and lost, so Loki doubted he could get her to drop into subspace. Still, it would be interesting to see how far he could take her.
First, he used the riding crop to trace the length of her spine and readjust the positioning of her limbs. It was also a subtle reminder that he would punish her if she fell out of line, though he doubted she would do such a thing. Loki smiled as he traced her limbs with the crop, then gave light taps along her skin. He tapped out a rhythm that was similar to a healing galdr, changing the locations of the strikes against her flesh. Nothing was too hard, nothing meant to welt, more to make her aware of his presence and the situation.
James' gaze was fixed on Natasha, head lowered in a deferential position. He sat very still, and Loki knew it had to have come from his time in Department X. Loki moved the crop to the top of James' head, then down to his right shoulder. The man didn't move, didn't give any indication that he felt the touch at all. Natasha's head was pillowed on his thighs, and she could breathe on his cock, slightly more turgid now than before, but otherwise she was following Loki's direction very well. But then, she was always good about following the letter of the law and sneaking her way past it. Loki had intended for James to merely watch, but Natasha's breath was also enough sensation directly along his cock.
"Clever girl," Loki purred, bringing the crop to rest along the curve of her ass. He rubbed it against her slit, grinning at her intake of breath. "Still doing as I say, I see."
"Of course, Loki," she replied. James' cock twitched slightly, and Loki wanted to laugh.
"You're still so very aware of yourself. Not sliding down at all."
"Perhaps it's a failing I have," she replied softly.
When their deal started, he would have agreed with her. Oh, the difference that three and a half years could make. "Or mine," he murmured, rubbing the crop against her slit. Her breath caught when the edge just nudged her clit, without really giving her the sensation she wanted. "You're thinking too much," he chided.
Natasha let out a huff, which got James' cock to twitch again. "I suppose you need to punish me for that," she replied, just a shade too cheeky.
"Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?" he asked, reaching down. He put his hand along her back, right between her shoulder blades, then curled his fingers. He scraped her skin, stopping at the small of her back, welts forming from the scratches. She really did have quite delicate skin that marked nicely when he put his mind to it.
"I take what you give me."
"Exactly."
Loki let the crop drop and undid the cuffs of the tailored shirt he had worn, then unbuttoned it. He drew out the process, then tossed it aside negligently. Next came the belt, treated leather and very expensive. That he let trail along the welts, the buckle cool against her skin. Collecting the belt, he gave her one sharp snap against her thigh. "For poor attitude," he said, before letting the belt drop to the floor as well.
"Thank you, Loki," Natasha whispered. Her eyes were fixed on James' cock, but the cheeky smirk was gone. Now she was falling into the role nicely, and Loki felt as though his chest would swell. This was what he craved from her. This kind of obedience. The acceptance of his rule, that his will was enough, that he was enough, he was good enough to care for her-
Good enough. Interesting phrase. Normally he knew he was far from it.
He soothed the welts on her back with the flat of his hand. "You want to be such a good girl, don't you, pet?" he asked, his voice a soft croon. "You want me to show you how to do this, don't you? How to please me?"
"What will make you happy?"
Not full obeisance, but acceptance. This would likely be her usual state, but Loki still adored this. It was like the way she had submitted to him in Andorra, kneeling at his command but still making eye contact. She was there, in the moment with him, not lost, not too far gone that she was slipping away.
Loki slid his other hand around to cup her ass, then shifted so that the tips of his fingers could brush against the damp curls between her thighs. "Fucking you, pet. Fucking you until you can't walk, until you're hoarse from screaming, until the cries are all you can think of." His long fingers slid home, then curled into her heat.
"Then I want that. I want to make you happy. Whatever will make you happy."
He started thrusting his fingers in and out of her, slowly, enough to drag a groan out of her. "That is good, pet. My darling girl."
Stroking her slit with the hand between her legs, Loki brought his other hand to the back of her neck. He held her steady as he fucked her with his fingers. Her breath came in short pants, fingers curling into the carpet. Just short of orgasm, Loki withdrew his fingers. "You moved," he taunted, squeezing the back of her neck. "You need to work harder to obey."
James twitched at that, making Loki wonder if something similar had been said to him before.
"I'm trying," Natasha panted.
Loki struck her on the backside, a single sharp blow. "Not enough," he rebuked.
Her breath hissed in between her teeth at the contact. "Yes, Loki," she panted.
He massaged the skin, then undid his trousers. "This time, you'll be a good girl and hold still."
"Yes, Loki."
Letting the trousers fall to the floor, Loki slid home. He used his magic to keep himself erect even as she tightened with her approaching orgasm. He pushed into her at a rapid pace, his hands tight on her hips to help keep her steady. This time she kept her hands flat on the floor, her eyes sliding shut and her breath coming in short gasps. James kept still, his own breathing shallow and his cock half erect as he watched Natasha moan in pleasure.
Moving until he was exhausted, Loki watched Natasha shake and tremble. She maintained her position through her orgasms, even though the tremors nearly threatened to have her collapse to the floor. She moaned, softly and quietly, but it was her real and natural response. Even as her body milked his cock, Loki kept thrusting, kept moving even after he spilled inside her. She was slick from her own wetness and his come, and that just meant that he had to push harder against her, move even faster to get some friction. He counted out how often she came, voice hoarse and mouth dry from her panting, and he let himself slow down after her fifth one. She was sweaty and shaking, obeying his rules by not even touching the cock about an inch from her face. It wept precome, and there was strain in his posture, but still James sat. They were both probably as close to subspace in a normal state of mind as he would ever be able to get them.
It felt glorious.
"You're so good, pet," he crooned, running his hands down her spine. "Suck on James' cock and swallow him down. He's been such a good boy, waiting this long for release. Give it to him."
Natasha greedily took James' cock into her mouth, and he grunted at the sensation, tension bleeding out of him. Loki still thrust into her, but more slowly, savoring the feel of her clenching tight around him and the sight of her lips around James' cock. He could reach down and take up a fistful of hair, could direct how deep and fast she took him, could draw it out even further. But he was growing tired, she was no doubt sore, and Natasha likely had to get off her knees. Even with a plush carpet, it would still hurt.
James let out a long and throaty groan as his hips jerked, pushing more of his cock into Natasha's mouth. Loki could see her swallow, head bobbing slightly, and he licked his lips as he drank in the sight of her. He knew the feel of her mouth on him, how she could easily bring him ecstasy and bliss.
This time, when Loki came, he let go of the magic keeping him erect and pulled out. "You cleaned up James so nicely with your mouth, pet. Lick me clean."
"I'll have to move, Loki," she reminded him, voice scratchy and dry. This wasn't quite her acerbic wit, but dulled somewhat by excessive pleasure and exhaustion.
"Of course," Loki said, running his fingers lightly down her back. "Just get me clean."
She did, her tongue soft and gentle, lapping at him before taking his cock into her mouth. The picture made his gut tighten with want, though now his own exhaustion was creeping through without the magic fueling him. His seed dribbled down her slicked thighs, making him feel almost proud for having caused such a mess. A flick of his fingers and a fragment of will to cast a spell able to clean her gently, and then all of it was gone. A useful trick, even if most warriors scorned spells like that.
Once Natasha was done, Loki dropped his hand onto the top of her head. "Excellent. I believe we're done for today."
As she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, Loki gathered her up in his arms and looked over at James, who had watched her avidly. "James. Turn down the comforter."
"Is that an order?" he asked, looking up in confusion.
"The scene's over," Loki said, shaking his head as he got to his feet. "I could always use magic, but you're right there and could help."
Still not understanding Loki's meaning, James got to his feet and threw back the comforter. A bit overkill, but Loki wasn't going to complain. He gently laid Natasha in the center of the bed, her body loose and fucked-out, lips curling into a soft and sensual smile. Loki kicked off the trousers still puddled around his ankles and grasped the edge of the comforter as he crawled into the bed. "You planning to stand there?" he asked archly.
"I'm allowed?" James asked, still appearing confused.
Loki wasn't sure if the prior conditioning in Department X had been that specific or they had treated him that abominably. Possibly both. "Yes, you are. Scene over. Now we cuddle and relax until Natasha is ready to leave."
James blinked in surprise. "Oh. I hadn't realized that was part of it."
"Aftercare, James," Natasha said with a grin, nearly giggling. Oh yes, she had come close to subspace indeed, and Loki could afford to give James a magnanimous grin and pat the bed on the other side of Natasha.
"Come in, Barnes. And pull up the blanket. We're naked, after all."
He snorted, finding the words incongruous, perhaps, but he did just that. Natasha put her head on his chest, settling into the space near his armpit, and pulled Loki's arm around her stomach so that he was flush against her back. Wedged between the both of them, Natasha let out a long, contented sigh.
"Pleased?" Loki asked, nipping her shoulder.
"Very."
Loki pushed her hair aside with his free hand as best as he could, then nipped the length of her neck. He heard her near-giggle and tightened his arm around her torso. He did that. He made her happy, he did this for her. Not once did she have to ask to slow it down.
"You please me, too," he murmured into her ear.
"Mmmm," she replied, sounding close to sleep. "Just you wait," she murmured. "I'll get you just as good as you got me today."
"Oh, I look forward to it," he purred, and settled in comfortably behind her.
James had observed them both very closely, and nodded absently now. "I do, too."
Hm. Interesting.
***
Pepper entered the common area of the Tower and noted how empty it seemed. "Jarvis?" she called out. "Where is everyone?"
"Bruce, Steven, Sif and Jane are in Asgard for formalwear fittings. Natasha, Loki and James exited via portal for an unannounced location but did not appear to be under duress. Clint and Thor are in the viewing room and are watching all of the Resident Evil films at 150% volume to accommodate Clint's hearing. Sir is in his workshop. Sam did not yet begin residence here, but I do track movements when they are announced to me. In this case, he did not."
She frowned a bit at the recitation. "Clint has hearing loss?"
"It has become more noticeable after his return from Atlanta."
"And odds are good he never bothered to mention it to the doctor I hired for the team."
"Miss Potts, I do believe that Sir took credit for that."
Pepper rolled her eyes. "I can see him doing that." She strolled into the kitchen to start brewing herself coffee. "I'm assuming Tony has something suitable for the fundraiser?"
"Sir did not point out which suit he planned to wear, Miss Potts," Jarvis replied, a touch more acerbic than usual. "He rarely discusses mode of fashion with me."
"You are utterly indispensible, Jarvis," Pepper said with a smile. "I meant he has clean formal wear in his closet, right? Or do I need to buy him a new suit?"
"There are eleven suits that would suffice. He is also currently crafting a new alloy for the Mark 49, should you care to know about those suits."
"Unless he's finishing one for me, not really."
"Sir has entertained the notion, of course," Jarvis replied, startling Pepper. "It is built with your specific measurements in mind, but is incomplete."
"I thought he was joking when he mentioned it."
"The suit is code named 'Rescue,' Miss Potts."
Pepper paused, then went through the motions to get her cup of coffee via the Keurig. "I like the sound of that. Tony certainly knows the truth of things, doesn't he?"
"Often times, he does, Miss Potts. Do you wish to visit Sir in his workshop?"
"I think I will. It should be interesting to see how far he got with the Rescue armor. It better not be pink or have some kind of weird robotic uniboob feature."
There was a pause, making Pepper think that if Jarvis could laugh or hide, the AI absolutely would have. "I believe Sir should show you what he had started to build. It lacks the proper scale and energy readings of the arc reactor, since it doesn't have one yet."
Smirking, Pepper grabbed her mug and headed for Tony's lab. There was AC/DC playing loud enough for her to hear it through the tempered glass, but the volume was lowered by the time she approached the door. Tony's protest cut off as soon as he realized who it was. "I didn't forget date night, did I?" he asked, a vague panicky look on his face as she entered the workshop.
"No, you didn't, believe it or not," Pepper said with a laugh. She took a lengthy sip of her coffee, savoring Tony's anxiety. "I just came to see you. And the shop. And the armor."
"Since when did you want to see the armor I built?" he asked suspiciously.
"Since hearing one of them is mine."
Tony looked up at the ceiling and heaved a long suffering sigh. "J, that was supposed to be a surprise for Pepper."
"She twisted my arm, Sir."
Pepper laughed outright at Tony's incredulous expression. "You don't have a-You know what? Never mind. I'll unplug a server or something." He looked over at Pepper and wagged the power sander in her general direction. "I was going to let it be a surprise."
"We'll say I'm surprised."
Only too glad to show off the armor, Tony gleefully headed over to another area of the shop and beckoned for her to follow. The armor carried a golden sheen that matched the strawberry blonde of her hair, and there was a distinct lack of anime-style robotic breasts. "Gold titanium alloy, vibranium in some areas to cushion the landing, deflect some of the stresses in the joints. I have to finish wiring it and getting a power source, test out the power on some of the repulsors. I'm not giving you guns, by the way."
Rubbing his back with one hand, Pepper sipped her coffee and looked over the suit with a critical eye. "It looks good. When I can I try it?"
Tony blinked in surprise. "Really? You're going to fly it?"
"When I'm not too busy with SI, of course. But yes, it should be fun."
Tony grinned and gave her a quick kiss, getting the oil smeared on his face onto hers. Rubbing it off only smeared it further across her cheeks. "Oh. I forgot I had that."
"I swear, Tony, sometimes it's a surprise you survived this long."
He took it as a compliment, of course, and swept her up into another kiss. "You really like it? You're not just humoring me, right? You really do like the suit?"
"Yes, Tony, I like the suit. It's not too flashy. Very subtle, very nice."
"Only the best for you, Pep."
She grinned at him and kissed him again. "Still need to do more work? Or are you done for the day?" At his diffident shrug, she ran her eyes over him appraisingly. "You need a shower, Tony. You're covered in motor oil and sweat."
"You said that's a good look on me!"
"Yes, I did. I lied. You know what's a good look on you?"
"No, what?"
"Soap and water. In our shower. Upstairs, with the entry locked so no one enters. With me scrubbing you with the soap and water."
Tony's eyes sparkled. "Oh. I do like your ideas. You have very good ones."
Pepper smiled and finished her coffee. "Of course I do. That's why I run your company. Let's go upstairs, Tony."
It was too easy to put down the sander and follow her out.
***
***
Series: #18 in Ready For The Siege
(#1 - Look Over Your Shoulder, #2 - Armed Up To The Teeth, #3 - Misery Inspires, #4 - Broken Underneath, #5 - Change Is Coming Soon, #6 - Lick Your Wounds, #7 - Bitter Sparks, #8 - Father's Will, #9 - To Feel Safe Again, #10 - Hit Your Prime, #11 - Open Your Eyes, #12 - Can't Be Ignored, #13 - Make You Ill, #14 - Aim Straight, #15 - Not The First Time, #16 - Friendly Fire, #17 - Relieved)
Author: Eustacia Vye
Author's e-mail: eustacia_vye28@hotmail.com
Rating: NC17
Pairing: Loki/Natasha, Natasha/Bucky, Steve/Sif
Disclaimer: Not mine! Some comic backstory is incorporated into characterizations, but this is still primarily movieverse.
Spoilers/Warnings: Post-Avengers, AU to the rest of MCU. Alludes to events in prior stories and outright references others. References for Red Room mindfuckery, PTSD, violence.
Title and series title from "The Royal We" by Silversun Pickups.
Summary: Everyone was see-sawing into some kind of equilibrium. Sometimes, it didn't even get traumatic.
Previous chapters:
One - Pride
Two - Connections
Three - Arranging Playtime
Four - Dynamic Shift
Jane and Sif managed to wrangle Bruce and Steve to accompany them on another outing without being obvious about their intentions. Steve obviously wouldn't mind going clothes shopping with Sif at all, but Jane didn't think Bruce would be very interested. "I thought you already got Darcy's graduation present?" Bruce had said, shrugging into a light jacket in case the possible rain that was forecasted fell.
"Yep, and she'll love it like the technology geek that she is," Jane said proudly, grinning at him. "But there's the event being held by the Stark Foundation that we've all been invited to."
"Oh. Right. That," Bruce said, shrugging. "I hadn't been planning to go."
"Why not?" Jane asked, surprised. "It's to raise money for inner city schools to expand their science and math programs since there's another budget cut." She grinned at Steve's surprised look. "What? Darcy set up a RSS feed to pop up on my computer with various science related topics. This has come up a few times, and I might have ranted at Tony over Skype before that this was a travesty, since most of the issue with STEM fields is that there simply isn't enough exposure. I don't know if that's what started it, but apparently there's some promotional work he agreed to do with Lockheed Martin as part of their latest contract."
"At least our sensor arrays will go up," Bruce said as they headed for the elevators.
"Exactly, and this is something I love, obviously. Kids love the stars and making things explode, but teachers tend to suck the joy of discovery out of it. If we can give them the funding to do it right, they'll go into it."
"STEM?" Steve asked.
"Science, technology, engineering and math. Traditionally male dominated on top of that, but any mind getting to learn would be wonderful."
"If your schools don't value such things, then what do they value?" Sif asked curiously.
"When I was in school, they stressed math and science and looked down on the arts," Steve said, shrugging. "There was always stress on sports, too."
"That never really went away. But the New York City Board of Ed doesn't get a lot of money, so they have older textbooks for everything, nearly forty children per classroom, and it grinds down the teachers." Jane shrugged and looked a little sheepish as they stepped into the lobby of the tower. "Okay, I might have tried to teach summer school in order to earn some money when grant funding ran out while I was getting my first doctorate. That was an exercise in futility. Even Bronx Science didn't have the equipment I wanted, and they're one of the specialized high schools in the city."
Steve couldn't help but grin at her. "And if the Avengers and an Asgardian Ambassador show up at this shindig, we might be able to get the city some money?"
Sif was surprised. "I'm not here as an Ambassador!"
"No? 'Cause it would look like it. And Ambassadors would have to go between realms a little more often, wouldn't they?"
She caught his meaning immediately and laughed. "Why do your people think you so innocent?"
"They don't see past the smile," he replied, grinning. He held open the doors leading out to West 34th Street, and they started to walk.
"It is a nice smile," Jane said, looking around Midtown. "I feel weird in fancy stores, but with the rest of you, we should do all right."
"It's a question of commanding the room, Lady Doctor Foster," Sif said, a twinkle in her eye.
"Oh, are we getting all formal, Lady Ambassador?" she teased.
"If we're going to get dolled up," Steve said, a wide grin on his face, "then we might as well do it up right. We'll make sure the others are all dolled up, too."
"We don't all get a chance to get together outside of the Tower," Bruce allowed. "It could actually be fun."
A scream and then an explosion off in the distance cut off Jane's reply. "Oh. You guys gotta go do the superhero thing," she said, looking in that general direction.
"We don't know if-"
Another explosion cut off Bruce's statement. "People are probably in danger," Steve said.
"Of course we're going to assist," Sif said with a nod. She looked to Jane, who was starting to turn around to head back into the Tower. "But of course you're coming."
"But I'm no fighter!"
"There were explosions," Steve pointed out.
"Someone needs to calm the populace. Never look down upon the skill of an arbiter or leader," Sif told her. "You already know you have those in abundance."
Jane drew in a breath. "All right. Let's go see what blew up."
They raced across the six blocks until they found the building in question. It was Osborn Laboratories, and upper floors had billowing clouds of smoke coming out of windows that had exploded outward. Fire licked at the walls, and there were people milling about and staring. "Don't just stand there!" Jane snapped immediately. Of course Steve and Sif were heading toward the building without a second thought and Bruce was looking for someone that knew what had triggered the explosion. "Call the fire department!" she snapped at someone gawking and trying to record the fire on his phone.
Some of the smoke was actually purple, and seemed to dissipate soon after it billowed out of the window. The black smoke was behaving in an ordinary fashion, and Jane worried about whoever might have been inside the explosion. She turned and tried to find Steve and Sif, but they must have already gone into the building. There was little for her to do but keep people away from the building so the NYFD could get into the area and start putting out the fire. Steve and Sif came out bearing some of the people that must have been in the labs, including one that was stained completely purple.
Jane looked over at the others after the fire was out; even Bruce had gone into the building once he figured it was structurally safe. He hadn't turned into the Hulk, though he reported it as a near thing when one of the walls seemed ready to collapse.
"If it's all right with you guys," she said with a sigh, "I'd rather not go shopping for this party now. I'm feeling all worn out."
"But you still don't have a dress for the occasion," Sif said, frowning. "It would be less joyous an outing, certainly. Unless you would prefer to journey to Asgard, perhaps? If I am Ambassador, a formal dress and robes would be more appropriate."
That certainly piqued her interest. "Asgardian party clothes? I'm in. What are those parties like?"
Sif wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Tedious."
"Really?"
"Petty talk and attempts to make themselves appear more important in social standing. There have been changes introduced into the power structure after Natasha's visit, and I haven't been there in some time."
"It might only feel like a long time," Bruce began in protest.
"It does for me," Steve said with a smile.
"No, time between our realms does not flow in a cohesive manner. Our time and yours are not always the same. I have been on Midgard for almost three of your months, but I know that it will not be three months when we arrive there. Time may ebb and flow in odd ways in comparison to the linear progression that it has here."
"That's just... strange," Jane said, frustrated. "If time isn't even linear on your realm, I can't even use the information that Ketilve sends me on astronomical phenomena. The timing of things is so important..."
"There may be ways to correct it so that time is predictable," Sif offered. "Heimdall could perhaps help you? If we proceed to one of the royal tailors, we could still make use of the Bifrost and you can discuss the issue with him. He knows of such things."
"Huh," Jane said in a musing tone. "I wonder if there's an equation that would cover the difference in flow of time. Or if it's the way that dark energy is interacting with the matter in that realm? Because the way that Asgard operates simply doesn't make sense if you take only Newtonian physics into consideration."
The others grinned at her. "So... Asgard next?" Steve guessed with a grin.
"Oh! Yes, obviously. And just in case we're gone for a week because time starts dilating in an odd way, let's call Jarvis and let him know."
Bruce smiled and started dialing from his phone. "Not exactly what I expected to do today."
"What? Going to Asgard? Beats talking to paparazzi," Steve declared.
"I don't know... They seem to appreciate you," Bruce replied. He then turned his attention to the phone to start relaying the particulars of their outing.
"It's the smile," Sif said, linking her arm through his and grinning at him fondly.
"You did mention something about that," Steve agreed.
"It's a good smile," Jane declared. She looked at Bruce expectantly when he got off the phone.
"We're good to go."
Sif beamed and looked up to the sky. "Heimdall! We would like to visit Asgard!"
After a moment, the clouds above shifted as multicolored lights descended upon them and whisked them away to the golden realm.
***
Loki had missed being in the Astoria apartment. It hadn't been the same to be there without Natasha, and the atmosphere seemed to be a little different with James there. All of the security measures were explained to him, spells keyed to his biometric signature. He was suitably impressed and convinced that their safety was being taken seriously. Both Loki and Natasha had insisted on it once upon a time, and James was on board with continuing the measures even if Natasha no longer worked for SHIELD consistently and Loki didn't want to rule the world. "You both got enemies on a list longer than my arm," he had said plainly. "If you're both in this, your guard's going to be down. And if I'm in it, I can't keep watch. At least those things will watch over all of us."
He probably shouldn't have felt like James' concern was a heartwarming gesture, but it still came across that way to Loki.
James hadn't wanted his own sessions as a sub, but had agreed to watch or help during Natasha's sessions. He had been surprised that Loki subbed to Natasha more often than the reverse, but the way his lips had parted, Loki could tell that he liked the idea of submitting to her will. He suspected that a large part of that had to do with the programming he had been under for so long, as well as the idea of it being Natasha taking care of him.
To test James' readiness, they had all agreed that Loki would take his dom turn first. He was actually quite gleeful about this, though he kept his composure. Checking on Natasha and James, he gestured toward the bedroom. "Let us begin."
Once inside the bedroom, he had both strip. James did it without much fanfare, and looked to Loki with a question in his eyes. "Kneel somewhere comfortable," Loki instructed him. He watched Natasha strip and allowed himself a smile at the play of her sinuous curves. "Position yourself on all fours," he instructed her. "James will be your pillow," he continued, gesturing toward the spot where James had knelt on the carpeted floor. He caught her hair before she could move, halting her progress. "You can take your pleasures, pet," he murmured, voice laden with desire. "I give you this," he said, curling his other hand around her throat and then sliding it down the slope of her breasts. "And you will feel what I allow you to feel. What say you?"
"Thank you," Natasha murmured.
"Good girl," Loki crooned, letting his hand slide down to caress a breast. "Now get into position. You can look at his cock, but you can't put that pretty mouth of yours on it."
"Yes, Loki."
She wasn't needy and lost, so Loki doubted he could get her to drop into subspace. Still, it would be interesting to see how far he could take her.
First, he used the riding crop to trace the length of her spine and readjust the positioning of her limbs. It was also a subtle reminder that he would punish her if she fell out of line, though he doubted she would do such a thing. Loki smiled as he traced her limbs with the crop, then gave light taps along her skin. He tapped out a rhythm that was similar to a healing galdr, changing the locations of the strikes against her flesh. Nothing was too hard, nothing meant to welt, more to make her aware of his presence and the situation.
James' gaze was fixed on Natasha, head lowered in a deferential position. He sat very still, and Loki knew it had to have come from his time in Department X. Loki moved the crop to the top of James' head, then down to his right shoulder. The man didn't move, didn't give any indication that he felt the touch at all. Natasha's head was pillowed on his thighs, and she could breathe on his cock, slightly more turgid now than before, but otherwise she was following Loki's direction very well. But then, she was always good about following the letter of the law and sneaking her way past it. Loki had intended for James to merely watch, but Natasha's breath was also enough sensation directly along his cock.
"Clever girl," Loki purred, bringing the crop to rest along the curve of her ass. He rubbed it against her slit, grinning at her intake of breath. "Still doing as I say, I see."
"Of course, Loki," she replied. James' cock twitched slightly, and Loki wanted to laugh.
"You're still so very aware of yourself. Not sliding down at all."
"Perhaps it's a failing I have," she replied softly.
When their deal started, he would have agreed with her. Oh, the difference that three and a half years could make. "Or mine," he murmured, rubbing the crop against her slit. Her breath caught when the edge just nudged her clit, without really giving her the sensation she wanted. "You're thinking too much," he chided.
Natasha let out a huff, which got James' cock to twitch again. "I suppose you need to punish me for that," she replied, just a shade too cheeky.
"Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?" he asked, reaching down. He put his hand along her back, right between her shoulder blades, then curled his fingers. He scraped her skin, stopping at the small of her back, welts forming from the scratches. She really did have quite delicate skin that marked nicely when he put his mind to it.
"I take what you give me."
"Exactly."
Loki let the crop drop and undid the cuffs of the tailored shirt he had worn, then unbuttoned it. He drew out the process, then tossed it aside negligently. Next came the belt, treated leather and very expensive. That he let trail along the welts, the buckle cool against her skin. Collecting the belt, he gave her one sharp snap against her thigh. "For poor attitude," he said, before letting the belt drop to the floor as well.
"Thank you, Loki," Natasha whispered. Her eyes were fixed on James' cock, but the cheeky smirk was gone. Now she was falling into the role nicely, and Loki felt as though his chest would swell. This was what he craved from her. This kind of obedience. The acceptance of his rule, that his will was enough, that he was enough, he was good enough to care for her-
Good enough. Interesting phrase. Normally he knew he was far from it.
He soothed the welts on her back with the flat of his hand. "You want to be such a good girl, don't you, pet?" he asked, his voice a soft croon. "You want me to show you how to do this, don't you? How to please me?"
"What will make you happy?"
Not full obeisance, but acceptance. This would likely be her usual state, but Loki still adored this. It was like the way she had submitted to him in Andorra, kneeling at his command but still making eye contact. She was there, in the moment with him, not lost, not too far gone that she was slipping away.
Loki slid his other hand around to cup her ass, then shifted so that the tips of his fingers could brush against the damp curls between her thighs. "Fucking you, pet. Fucking you until you can't walk, until you're hoarse from screaming, until the cries are all you can think of." His long fingers slid home, then curled into her heat.
"Then I want that. I want to make you happy. Whatever will make you happy."
He started thrusting his fingers in and out of her, slowly, enough to drag a groan out of her. "That is good, pet. My darling girl."
Stroking her slit with the hand between her legs, Loki brought his other hand to the back of her neck. He held her steady as he fucked her with his fingers. Her breath came in short pants, fingers curling into the carpet. Just short of orgasm, Loki withdrew his fingers. "You moved," he taunted, squeezing the back of her neck. "You need to work harder to obey."
James twitched at that, making Loki wonder if something similar had been said to him before.
"I'm trying," Natasha panted.
Loki struck her on the backside, a single sharp blow. "Not enough," he rebuked.
Her breath hissed in between her teeth at the contact. "Yes, Loki," she panted.
He massaged the skin, then undid his trousers. "This time, you'll be a good girl and hold still."
"Yes, Loki."
Letting the trousers fall to the floor, Loki slid home. He used his magic to keep himself erect even as she tightened with her approaching orgasm. He pushed into her at a rapid pace, his hands tight on her hips to help keep her steady. This time she kept her hands flat on the floor, her eyes sliding shut and her breath coming in short gasps. James kept still, his own breathing shallow and his cock half erect as he watched Natasha moan in pleasure.
Moving until he was exhausted, Loki watched Natasha shake and tremble. She maintained her position through her orgasms, even though the tremors nearly threatened to have her collapse to the floor. She moaned, softly and quietly, but it was her real and natural response. Even as her body milked his cock, Loki kept thrusting, kept moving even after he spilled inside her. She was slick from her own wetness and his come, and that just meant that he had to push harder against her, move even faster to get some friction. He counted out how often she came, voice hoarse and mouth dry from her panting, and he let himself slow down after her fifth one. She was sweaty and shaking, obeying his rules by not even touching the cock about an inch from her face. It wept precome, and there was strain in his posture, but still James sat. They were both probably as close to subspace in a normal state of mind as he would ever be able to get them.
It felt glorious.
"You're so good, pet," he crooned, running his hands down her spine. "Suck on James' cock and swallow him down. He's been such a good boy, waiting this long for release. Give it to him."
Natasha greedily took James' cock into her mouth, and he grunted at the sensation, tension bleeding out of him. Loki still thrust into her, but more slowly, savoring the feel of her clenching tight around him and the sight of her lips around James' cock. He could reach down and take up a fistful of hair, could direct how deep and fast she took him, could draw it out even further. But he was growing tired, she was no doubt sore, and Natasha likely had to get off her knees. Even with a plush carpet, it would still hurt.
James let out a long and throaty groan as his hips jerked, pushing more of his cock into Natasha's mouth. Loki could see her swallow, head bobbing slightly, and he licked his lips as he drank in the sight of her. He knew the feel of her mouth on him, how she could easily bring him ecstasy and bliss.
This time, when Loki came, he let go of the magic keeping him erect and pulled out. "You cleaned up James so nicely with your mouth, pet. Lick me clean."
"I'll have to move, Loki," she reminded him, voice scratchy and dry. This wasn't quite her acerbic wit, but dulled somewhat by excessive pleasure and exhaustion.
"Of course," Loki said, running his fingers lightly down her back. "Just get me clean."
She did, her tongue soft and gentle, lapping at him before taking his cock into her mouth. The picture made his gut tighten with want, though now his own exhaustion was creeping through without the magic fueling him. His seed dribbled down her slicked thighs, making him feel almost proud for having caused such a mess. A flick of his fingers and a fragment of will to cast a spell able to clean her gently, and then all of it was gone. A useful trick, even if most warriors scorned spells like that.
Once Natasha was done, Loki dropped his hand onto the top of her head. "Excellent. I believe we're done for today."
As she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, Loki gathered her up in his arms and looked over at James, who had watched her avidly. "James. Turn down the comforter."
"Is that an order?" he asked, looking up in confusion.
"The scene's over," Loki said, shaking his head as he got to his feet. "I could always use magic, but you're right there and could help."
Still not understanding Loki's meaning, James got to his feet and threw back the comforter. A bit overkill, but Loki wasn't going to complain. He gently laid Natasha in the center of the bed, her body loose and fucked-out, lips curling into a soft and sensual smile. Loki kicked off the trousers still puddled around his ankles and grasped the edge of the comforter as he crawled into the bed. "You planning to stand there?" he asked archly.
"I'm allowed?" James asked, still appearing confused.
Loki wasn't sure if the prior conditioning in Department X had been that specific or they had treated him that abominably. Possibly both. "Yes, you are. Scene over. Now we cuddle and relax until Natasha is ready to leave."
James blinked in surprise. "Oh. I hadn't realized that was part of it."
"Aftercare, James," Natasha said with a grin, nearly giggling. Oh yes, she had come close to subspace indeed, and Loki could afford to give James a magnanimous grin and pat the bed on the other side of Natasha.
"Come in, Barnes. And pull up the blanket. We're naked, after all."
He snorted, finding the words incongruous, perhaps, but he did just that. Natasha put her head on his chest, settling into the space near his armpit, and pulled Loki's arm around her stomach so that he was flush against her back. Wedged between the both of them, Natasha let out a long, contented sigh.
"Pleased?" Loki asked, nipping her shoulder.
"Very."
Loki pushed her hair aside with his free hand as best as he could, then nipped the length of her neck. He heard her near-giggle and tightened his arm around her torso. He did that. He made her happy, he did this for her. Not once did she have to ask to slow it down.
"You please me, too," he murmured into her ear.
"Mmmm," she replied, sounding close to sleep. "Just you wait," she murmured. "I'll get you just as good as you got me today."
"Oh, I look forward to it," he purred, and settled in comfortably behind her.
James had observed them both very closely, and nodded absently now. "I do, too."
Hm. Interesting.
***
Pepper entered the common area of the Tower and noted how empty it seemed. "Jarvis?" she called out. "Where is everyone?"
"Bruce, Steven, Sif and Jane are in Asgard for formalwear fittings. Natasha, Loki and James exited via portal for an unannounced location but did not appear to be under duress. Clint and Thor are in the viewing room and are watching all of the Resident Evil films at 150% volume to accommodate Clint's hearing. Sir is in his workshop. Sam did not yet begin residence here, but I do track movements when they are announced to me. In this case, he did not."
She frowned a bit at the recitation. "Clint has hearing loss?"
"It has become more noticeable after his return from Atlanta."
"And odds are good he never bothered to mention it to the doctor I hired for the team."
"Miss Potts, I do believe that Sir took credit for that."
Pepper rolled her eyes. "I can see him doing that." She strolled into the kitchen to start brewing herself coffee. "I'm assuming Tony has something suitable for the fundraiser?"
"Sir did not point out which suit he planned to wear, Miss Potts," Jarvis replied, a touch more acerbic than usual. "He rarely discusses mode of fashion with me."
"You are utterly indispensible, Jarvis," Pepper said with a smile. "I meant he has clean formal wear in his closet, right? Or do I need to buy him a new suit?"
"There are eleven suits that would suffice. He is also currently crafting a new alloy for the Mark 49, should you care to know about those suits."
"Unless he's finishing one for me, not really."
"Sir has entertained the notion, of course," Jarvis replied, startling Pepper. "It is built with your specific measurements in mind, but is incomplete."
"I thought he was joking when he mentioned it."
"The suit is code named 'Rescue,' Miss Potts."
Pepper paused, then went through the motions to get her cup of coffee via the Keurig. "I like the sound of that. Tony certainly knows the truth of things, doesn't he?"
"Often times, he does, Miss Potts. Do you wish to visit Sir in his workshop?"
"I think I will. It should be interesting to see how far he got with the Rescue armor. It better not be pink or have some kind of weird robotic uniboob feature."
There was a pause, making Pepper think that if Jarvis could laugh or hide, the AI absolutely would have. "I believe Sir should show you what he had started to build. It lacks the proper scale and energy readings of the arc reactor, since it doesn't have one yet."
Smirking, Pepper grabbed her mug and headed for Tony's lab. There was AC/DC playing loud enough for her to hear it through the tempered glass, but the volume was lowered by the time she approached the door. Tony's protest cut off as soon as he realized who it was. "I didn't forget date night, did I?" he asked, a vague panicky look on his face as she entered the workshop.
"No, you didn't, believe it or not," Pepper said with a laugh. She took a lengthy sip of her coffee, savoring Tony's anxiety. "I just came to see you. And the shop. And the armor."
"Since when did you want to see the armor I built?" he asked suspiciously.
"Since hearing one of them is mine."
Tony looked up at the ceiling and heaved a long suffering sigh. "J, that was supposed to be a surprise for Pepper."
"She twisted my arm, Sir."
Pepper laughed outright at Tony's incredulous expression. "You don't have a-You know what? Never mind. I'll unplug a server or something." He looked over at Pepper and wagged the power sander in her general direction. "I was going to let it be a surprise."
"We'll say I'm surprised."
Only too glad to show off the armor, Tony gleefully headed over to another area of the shop and beckoned for her to follow. The armor carried a golden sheen that matched the strawberry blonde of her hair, and there was a distinct lack of anime-style robotic breasts. "Gold titanium alloy, vibranium in some areas to cushion the landing, deflect some of the stresses in the joints. I have to finish wiring it and getting a power source, test out the power on some of the repulsors. I'm not giving you guns, by the way."
Rubbing his back with one hand, Pepper sipped her coffee and looked over the suit with a critical eye. "It looks good. When I can I try it?"
Tony blinked in surprise. "Really? You're going to fly it?"
"When I'm not too busy with SI, of course. But yes, it should be fun."
Tony grinned and gave her a quick kiss, getting the oil smeared on his face onto hers. Rubbing it off only smeared it further across her cheeks. "Oh. I forgot I had that."
"I swear, Tony, sometimes it's a surprise you survived this long."
He took it as a compliment, of course, and swept her up into another kiss. "You really like it? You're not just humoring me, right? You really do like the suit?"
"Yes, Tony, I like the suit. It's not too flashy. Very subtle, very nice."
"Only the best for you, Pep."
She grinned at him and kissed him again. "Still need to do more work? Or are you done for the day?" At his diffident shrug, she ran her eyes over him appraisingly. "You need a shower, Tony. You're covered in motor oil and sweat."
"You said that's a good look on me!"
"Yes, I did. I lied. You know what's a good look on you?"
"No, what?"
"Soap and water. In our shower. Upstairs, with the entry locked so no one enters. With me scrubbing you with the soap and water."
Tony's eyes sparkled. "Oh. I do like your ideas. You have very good ones."
Pepper smiled and finished her coffee. "Of course I do. That's why I run your company. Let's go upstairs, Tony."
It was too easy to put down the sander and follow her out.
***
***