This chapter features one of my favourite tropes, Loki eating a pizza. Huge spoiler there ;)
Background music suggestion: Sound of The Shire (Youtube).
Review, favorite, follow, enjoy :) And my deepest thank you for reading.
So let us spend...a Saturday in Middle-earth. The sweetest Saturday ever! :) And here's a slice of virtual pizza with your favourite toppings.
Chapter 11 - The Saturday in Middle-earth.
Lay down - Annie Lennox: Into the West
Your sweet and weary head
The night is falling
You have come to journey's end
Sleep now
And dream of the ones who came before
They are calling
From across the distant shore
...
Diana opened her eyes. It was morning and she felt a bit thirsty. She turned her head and saw Loki there, in his black t-shirt and jeans, sitting in her armchair. The sight almost startled her.
"Good morning," he said calmly, clearly studying her face.
"Good morning...Could I have some water?"
This is so strange.
To have him sitting there.
Diana pushed herself to sit against the pillows and the headboard.
Loki handed her a glass of water.
"Thanks." She took a gulp.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm better." She put the glass down.
"But..." A smile rose to her lips.
"What do I have to do to get a cup of tea around here?" she asked teasingly.
"I don't know. Bribe someone? Make it yourself?" Loki replied with mischief in his voice.
Diana was happy their nightly conversation did not seem to have changed their relationship that much.
"C'mon, Nurse Laufeyson. Please." She looked at Loki coaxingly.
"Fine, I'll be back in a moment."
He already left the room but then he immediately returned in the doorway.
"And don't call me Nurse Laufeyson. Ever again."
He had his familiar grin, a bit wicked. Then, he left downstairs.
When Diana heard he was coming back upstairs, she took the diary she had fetched and hid it under the blanket. He walked into her room holding a tray with a teapot, two cups and some toast. He was carrying it concentrated, quite gracefully. She didn't push her luck with Nurse Laufeyson again. He put the tray on her night table and poured her a cup, handing it on a saucer.
"There you go. But it won't be as good as the one you make...Only you have the perfect ratio of tea leaves and water," Loki said half in his thoughts. Diana thought only he could leave an accidental compliment like that. She took a sip.
"It's really good. Thank you," she said with a nod of approval."And thank you for staying with me. I know you didn't have to."
He could see she had the slightest blush when she said this.
"Really, you were in no condition to be left alone. I fear you father made a misjudgment when he left."
Loki looked very concentrated pouring himself a cup of tea. He clearly wanted to say something.
"Would you prefer to have someone here today? I mean...I could stay, because I do not have any specific plans."
He took the teacup with the saucer and sat back in the armchair.
"Well, I did plan to do some practice at the gym...But I can do that any day."
He stared at his tea quite intensely and blew on it.
"Won't they miss you at the main house?" Diana asked.
"It's Saturday. I honestly don't think they'll even notice...Besides, I'm free to do what I wish."
He finally looked at her again.
"Yes...I have noticed," she said smiling.
"And yes, I would like some company, thank you."
Loki was taking a sip of his tea when she said this, so his only reaction was a small smile and a nod.
"Actually...I have a suggestion what we could do. Let's watch Lord of the Rings, all of them, extended versions." She said this with such enthusiasm.
"I'm not entirely sure what you are asking of me but since you are the one who is ill, I am willing to comply."
Loki noticed she suddenly seemed surprisingly energetic for a person with chickenpox. Diana began to arrange the bed so that the headstand was covered with pillows.
"I just have one more thing to ask. Could you bring the television from downstairs?"
"The television...from downstairs?" Loki echoed her words.
"Yep."
Half an hour later the set up ready. They were both sitting comfortably in the bed, supported by pillows, the screen was at the end of the bed. She had drawn the curtains over the window so the room was quite dark despite it only being around noon.
"So are you ready to go to Middle-earth, for like 12 hours?"
"12 hours? You didn't mention anything of…" Loki began.
She feigned annoyance.
"Yes. I am. Prepared. To do this."
Diana had read the book and seen the films many times but got never bored of them. She truly felt like visiting another world, another realm. During the first half of the first film they sat more straight, but by the end of it they were basically lying on the bed. The pillows were a lot less organized; duvet was covered with traces of cashew nuts.
"My mind is still on Middle-earth, but my body is apparently here. I'm hungry. We should order pizza," Diana said.
"Pizza...I know this food but I have never tasted it," Loki stated. "They do not serve it at the main house."
"Somehow I'm not surprised. But still, how is it possible you haven't tasted pizza? Where have you lived?"
"On Asgard mainly. Few months on Alfheim and Vanaheim. None of these realms have pizza."
"Okay...So pizza it is, a Midgardian delicacy."
Her father would scoff her for going along with his lunacy but who cared. After a lengthy debate on the toppings, they decided to order two separate pizzas. She called the pizza place and 40 minutes later the door rang. She went to her wallet.
"This should be enough," she said giving the money to Loki. "I don't want to open the door looking like this."
"Honestly. It doesn't look that bad." he said taking the money and leaving downstairs. Soon he returned with two pizza boxes.
"The boy gave me these," he said looking curious.
"They actually smell quite good."
In the dim light of her night lamp they opened the boxes.
"It looks strange though."
"Go ahead, take a slice."
He followed her example, taking a piece in his hand. He had rucola, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella. He took a bite. Diana was amused at how elegantly he chewed pizza. There was always this finesse about him.
"It's not bad at all," he said taking another bite.
Diana was suppressing a laughter. He looked so funny. And soon they started watching the second movie, still eating their pizzas.
"What is this drink? I'd actually prefer water."
"Cola. It's a kind of poison. It's actually a good thing you don't like it."
By the end of the second movie, they were sharing the blanket sideways. When the end credits began rolling Diana left to the bathroom, leaving Loki in the dark room alone. He rested his head on the pillow and decided to close his eyes for a moment. He felt a bit tired. A melancholic, eerie tune had begun to play when the names of the actors had appeared on the screen. Then he heard the woman's voice. It began singing the saddest song.
Where once was light
Now darkness falls
Where once was love
Love is no more
Don't say goodbye
Don't say I didn't try
He was mesmerized, taking each word in, feeling its tragic taste. He knew it was about that creature Gollum and yet...
These tears we cry
Are falling rain
For all the lies you told us
The hurt, the blame...
And we will weep to be so alone
We are lost
We can never go home
When the meaning of the lyrics sunk into him, he felt a lump in his throat. And he felt the tears rising. He shut his eyes and couldn't concentrate on the rest of the lyrics. He shut his eyes even tighter. And when the song finally ended, he felt as if pain had wash over him.
I am lost.
I can never go home.
Soon Diana returned. Loki had had just enough time to regain his composure.
"Are you ready for the last one?"
He just nodded. So they rearranged the pillows and returned to their comfortable sitting position on the bed. And so they returned to Middle-earth once more. And it was very epic. Loki couldn't help glancing at Diana when she began weeping. This happened at the end of the movie. It was the moment when it seemed too late they could be saved, Frodo and Sam. And when the eagles arrived.
"It's alright. I always cry at this point," she whispered, not tearing her eyes from the screen, wiping her cheeks with her hand. And he knew it was all fictional and make-believe, but her tears were real and every fiber of his being wanted to reach out to her and comfort her...His hand was actually right next to hers. He could've just shifted his slightly and touched it. And he wanted to, but he just couldn't. Because he somehow was scared of...Actually his own reaction more than her possible reaction. His heart was suddenly beating faster. He could hardly notice what was happening in the film anymore. He took a deep breath and concentrated. And luckily the film drew him back in. And soon the film ended, or so he thought. But then there was another ending. And even that wasn't it. But finally it did come, the final, final ending. The end.
A beautiful serene song began playing in the background. Their voyage was over. She was sitting there, looking at the screen all teary eyed, looking feverish. It was way past two am.
"Darn, I should take a painkiller," she said touching her forehead.
Without even asking permission anymore he touched her forehead and confirmed her state. Even this gesture now made his heart beat a little faster.
"Yes, you're running a high fever again."
She had to admit she really enjoyed this, the palm of his hand on her forehead. Diana found the painkillers on the table and took the pills.
They were still not quite fully there, in that room, mentally. It took a moment for them both to adjust to the reality they were now in. Diana saw he was pondering something. He actually raised his index finger on his lips. Diana really wished he didn't look so good when he did that.
"What is it?"
"Well...Now that I've fully seen it, I actually remember reading this book. It's considered a Midgardian classic and we have it in our royal library. I've read quite a lot of books so it took some time...to remember."
"So what did you think of the films?"
He frowned.
"To be honest, I'm actually not that acquainted with this art-form of cinema. But it was definitely interesting. Of course, reading the book is so different."
"Wait," Diana suddenly said.
"So are you Loki, in fact, saying that the book was better than the film?" she was holding her laughter but he didn't notice it.
"Yes, you could put it that way," he said this so sincerely.
Diana burst into an uncontrolled laughter, almost hysterical, manic. And the worst thing was that it was totally contagious, Loki was laughing soon too. And the fact they were both really tired didn't help at all. Finally they settled down, gasping their breath.
"And what exactly were we laughing about?" Loki asked.
"I'm not sure...You just said the book was better than the film. And my bum really hurts from all this sitting."
"How feverish are you?," he said touching her forehead again feigning concern.
Her heart leapt in her chest when he did that.
"I'll be alright."
She cleared her throat.
"And I understand if you want to leave back to your room."
She looked at her alarm clock on the table, it was half half past two.
"But it is rather late, so it's totally okay if you want to stay here...You can sleep in the guest room. It's down the corridor. And you can borrow my dad's pajamas," Diana said.
"I could actually take up on that offer. Just in case you still need help."
After their laughing frenzy they were now lying on the bed facing each other, a mere foot away. She bit her lip. There was something she wanted to say. And she felt that if she didn't say it now, the moment would be lost forever.
"Loki…"
"Yes?" he said, giving her his full attention.
"Thank you for being my friend. I haven't had too many in my life."
There it was. She had said it. Her already red eyes were welling with fresh tears. He looked at her intently for a moment that seemed to last an eternity. She could not read his expression. There was a lonely tear that escaped her eye. She quickly wiped it off.
"Please don't cry…All is fine," Loki said.
On his lips rose a smile. Even his eyes were smiling.
"Thank you for being my friend. Norns I haven't had too many either."
If she was being delirious, this was a very good delirium.
"And now, you should really rest," he said becoming more serious and lifted himself from the bed.
"You can just shout if you need me."
"Sure. And wait, let me get you those pajamas.
Later in the corridor they wished each other good night and went their separate ways. When Diana returned back to her bed she suddenly realized something. She had spent the entire day in a t-shirt. And she was actually a bit shocked for she had totally forgotten...that the entire time Loki could see her scars.