"Holing himself up in the workshop, working on anything and everything to stay busy, keeping an even more erratic schedule than normal?" Elaine asked. She nodded. "You're not the only one to see it."

Steve nodded. "I didn't think so, but no one's talked to him yet. Not that it will likely help anything." Because he was well aware of Tony's habit of steering the conversation away from personal matters.

"No, I talked to him," Elaine replied. "A couple days ago." She didn't, however, offer up any details yet.

"Ah." Steve pulled her a little closer, not asking anything more.

"I think he may still feel a bit shaken," Elaine finally said after a few minutes. "He was freaking out when I talked to him."

Steve frowned. Tony didn't freak out very often. "That's... unsual," he offered cautiously.

"Yeah, it is," Elaine agreed. "So are the circumstances. I think he's kind of justified in flipping out like he did."

Steve nodded after a few moments. He'd give Tony a little while longer before trying to talk to him, then.

Elaine cuddled up to him.

"I like this, just you and me," she commented. She grinned a bit. "And I have it on good authority that the soundproofing is done," she teased.

Steve blinked before he chuckled, turning pink. "Well, that's probably a good thing," he admitted, still pink.

"Yes it is," Elaine replied. She cuddled him. "That just means that we enjoy each other, that's all." She grinned. "I don't have a problem with that."

"Neither do I." Steve paused for a moment. "Although it will be nice to know that we won't be bothering anyone else."

"That is a plus," Elaine replied, nodding. She grinned. "Although to be honest, I doubt Kae minded much that we bothered Bruce."

Steve snorted at that and shook his head. "They did look a little tired," he said with a little grin.

Elaine couldn't help but laugh a little.

"They did," she agreed. "So I don't think they minded too much." She snuggled closer. "But you're right, now we won't bother anyone anymore."

Steve nodded, quite content to stay there with her for a while.

It took a few weeks for Elaine to grasp the basics of magic, and a few more than that to really master them, but she eventually managed. She was ridiculously pleased when she did.

Loki was pleased with her progress. He'd been giving her a few hints and pointers when she needed them, but otherwise he'd left Strange in charge of her basic training.

"Your training is progressing quickly, for a human," Loki commented, seated in the living room watching her practice.

"I will take that as the backhanded compliment it was," Elaine said as she focused on trying to make a light without it bursting in her face. A small bluish-white light formed over one of her palms, although it wavered a bit.

"Well you are human," Loki said. "I was merely stating fact." He smirked faintly. "Think of that as being inside a ball or globe."

Elaine nodded and shifted her focus slightly. The light grew and stabilized, and she grinned.

Loki nodded his approval. "Magic is subject to your whim," he said, leaning back in his seat. "You just have to find the best way to picture it in your mind."

"Simple enough in theory," Elaine said as she held the light there.

"Practice makes it easier," Loki said, calling his own little ball of greenish light.

"I'd imagine so," Elaine replied. Concentrating, she stared at her own light and it began to slowly change colors.