In the not so distant past, Loki would be concerned like he suspects Natasha is. He feels like he can read her better than he could a few minutes prior. There’s an undeniable connection between them now that he is convinced will not fade or fray, though he understands her worry. This has all happened so quickly, they’ve hardly had the chance to wrap their heads around it.

But Loki is from a different time. He is a different person than she met all those years ago and something in his more recent experiences have given him a confidence and assurance that everything will be okay. He’s seen infinite timelines from beginning to end and this is not the only one where things work out like this with Natasha. They are inextricably linked in ways that surprised him when he first found out, but also feels as natural as breathing. Of course, when he’d contacted her to apologize, he had done it with no expectations. This particular timeline had this possibility as an uncertainty. It was partially why he chose it.

He smiles at her. It’s a soft look that many who once knew him would think looked foreign on his face, but it’s one of the most honest expressions he has. He’d meant every word he’d said to her. He gently cups her cheek and kisses her gently before speaking. “Your feelings are reciprocated and though the way our lives are would make this relationship rather unconventional, please trust that this is real and there is a way to make this work. I will show you the multiverse, if you wish it.” He would give her anything she might want, including his heart.