Skye sat awkwardly at the breakfast table, her palms clammy and her thoughts cloudy. The knotted feeling still twisted further into her gut with every passing minute. She briefly registered a conversation about battle armour drifting around her, she of course was paying no attention, focussing her efforts mainly on controlling her heart rate.
“-isn’t that right Skye?” Steve Rogers said brightly, elbowing the daintily framed princess in the ribs playfully. Skye’s heart jumped into her throat threatening to choke her as she scrambled for words, attempting to create the illusion she had been listening.
“I- err…” Skyes usually well formed opinions were nowhere to be found, luckily Tony saved the day enabling Skye relax slightly. Stark re-steered the conversation into a frenzy of himself and latest ventures as per usual whilst the other rolled their eyes and started new conversations amongst themselves.

“Something you need to share, Skye?” Steve’s voice was soft against Skye’s ear, tempting her to open up.
“Go ahead.” He reassured her. Skye fought with her tongue, trying desperately to respond, but every time she opened her mouth all the moisture was instantly sucked from it.

'This is hopeless.' Skye thought to herself, she began to sink lower into her chair hoping that maybe, just maybe she could slither out of the dining room and back into the shower. Or maybe she could just go out in a puff of smoke unnoticed and discrete.

Loki grasped her knee, as she looked up to question his gesture his gaze was locked straight ahead, acting as if nothing was happening between the two of them, everyone else remained oblivious to the intimacy between the two. The gesture was a comfort and was probably meant to read as an encouragement to Skye, it helped slightly but the dry feeling remained in her mouth. At that thought Loki’s hand crept into her peripheral, nudging a glass of water in her direction.

'Can he hear me?’ Skye thought to herself but dismissed the thought immediately, as strange as some of Loki’s abilities were, he definitely could not read minds. . .She hoped. Skye sipped the water carefully. Her wrist faulted slightly as she motioned towards the table with the glass, spilling its contents on the table cloth. Just as she motioned to clear up she felt a slight squeeze on her knee, triggering her reflexes Loki had forced her to stand. Skye’s chair met the floor with a hard crack.

“What is it sweetie?” Jane asked worriedly, her brows furrowing slightly.

'Crap.' Skye's mind whirred dizzily, 'Say something!' Her brain screamed at her mouth desperately, as she scanned the table she noticed Bruce's eyebrows lift in question and Natasha's posture change in anticipation. Loki had managed to draw all the attention to her once again and there was no way she could brush all the commotion off now.

“I've decided. . .” Skye started wearily, “If I am to rule Asgard, I think that Loki should also have the opportunity to assist me in my duties. I'll need an extra pair of eyes and his knowledge of this realm already stretches further than mine.” Her speech became more confident with every word that slid from her newly acclaimed 'Silver tongue' as Loki so called it.

Skye anticipated a large bang as a result of her fathers meaty fist meeting the table in objection but to her surprise no such sound met her ears. The tension that had been fogging the air had lifted and all the expressions of her friends and family members were taken aback but calm all the same.
Thor reached across the table slowly and took her hand in his large palms,

“If you believe truly in the words you speak, then I believe in them to. If you wish for Loki to act with you then that shall be. After all he has proved himself trustworthy now and the, how do you phrase it? Ah yes, 'Bad blood' has now vanished. Do we all agree?” His words were soft yet powerful. His fellow Avengers exchanged hushed words of conformation between each other, Skye even caught a cheeky smile for Clint and a all too knowing wink from Tony. Although she still registered a slight scowl growing on Steve Rogers' handsome face.

Skye let out a deep sigh as she sank onto her newly made bed. Her room was cool again in the late hours of the evening, the day had flown by after spending most of her day with the horses. She supposed everything had ran far more smoothly than she had expected and the feeling of nervousness had stopped threatening to explode her gut. But the expression on Cap's face still stuck firmly in the back of her mind, his usually handsome, soft features had twisted into an unwelcoming scowl. Harsh and unsettling were his eyes, a deep crease between his strong brow and hairline.

With this image in her mind she crossed the room to her dresser, slipping out of her jeans and dirty shirt she slid a cover up over her tousled and messy fair hair, gently. She made her way down the halls again tonight, this time intent on finding someone rather than trying to avoid the rest of the palace. She reached Caps' door quickly and approached with care, but as she drew closer she noticed the door was already hanging slightly ajar from its frame. As a breeze tumbled through the halls the door crept slightly further into the room, revealing its emptiness. Skye leaned onto the tips of her toes just to check the room was indeed empty, as she reached the very tips of her toes she heard hushed voices leaking through the walls, barely detectable to untrained ears.

Skye followed the hushed tones further into the halls, her ear pressed to the wall until she stopped dead just around the corner from. . .

“If you hurt her or cross her, I swear to the lord I will make you wish you had never began.” Steve Rogers' voice was not its usual tone but commanding and authoritative, threatening if you like. Skye was slightly disturbed by this sudden streak she'd recently noticed in Steve, had this always been there?

“I do not wish to 'Cross' or 'Hurt' her. I would never. You know nothing of how I feel for the girl, so if I were you, i'd stop throwing around threats and even though I understand your concern Steve, there really is no need. You cannot begin to understand what I would do to keep her from harm. Good evening, Cap.” Loki's voice was snake like and guarded, Skye wondered if she were to kiss him she may taste the venom on his lips. The thought hung in front of her eyes, she struggled to swipe it away as footsteps advanced in her direction.

Skye fled from the scene as quickly and quietly as possible and back to her chambers. As she reached her bed, her follower was only a few rushed, hollow breaths behind her. From the heaviness of their footing, it had to be Steve.

It was clear now what she really wanted.

Notes

Well it sure has been hectic and i'm not going to bore you with excuses but seeing as this was a rather lengthy chapter the next may not be for a while unless you demand! Anyway enjoy and as per usual; Rec and comment to tell me your thoughts on the story, I love feedback :3

Love Laura xx
(i've made a few tweaks from the original piece on mibba, spot the difference?)