Hello Everyone! Sorry about not updating in over a week. I left college the day I posted the last chapter, and I had to get my internet connection up and running again at home and get in touch with my beta reader again. Good news for me this semester! I got a 4.0 pushing my GPA up to 3.89! Yea!!! Junior year here I come!

If you haven't noticed I've changed all the asterisks to blah… blah for the thoughts Loki has. Except for chapter 5, where everything is in Urd's head (obvious reasons?—look at the title) I even changed it on back chapters because (besides fanfic.net not accepting the asterisk—at least when I was posting ch. 6) I found that it's easier to tell Loki's thoughts from his speech if I use this format.

Well… enough of me blabbing to you. On with the story!

Chapter 8: Give and Take

With Loki's help Mayura was able to sell the shrine and pay off all her remaining bills. And true to her word, as soon as Mayura had fully moved into Loki's mansion did she begin to do the laundry. Loki tried to convince her that she didn't have to do that. But Mayura was adamant, stating that she didn't want to be a complete free-loader. Loki conceded defeat there, admitting he truly did dislike freeloaders. There was nothing wrong with occasional mooching, he did it all the time, freeloading was another matter however. Narukami-kun, Narukami-kun…

Mayura continued to be noticeably different after her father's death, but it's hard to stay depressed with the Norse Trickster god Loki trying his hardest to cheer you up. Within a week of moving in the mansion Mayura was truly smiling again. Her fervor for mysteries, however, had largely diminished for which Loki was very grateful. That didn't mean she didn't continue to search for them. If anything, because she was less hyper about the whole topic, Mayura began to notice a lot more. One day, Loki's curiosity got the best of him.

"Um, Mayura?"

"What is it Loki-kun?" asked Mayura as she looked up from the textbook she was reading.

"I was just wondering, you don't seem as um… obsessed with mysteries anymore… and I was just wondering…"

"Oh…"

I'm an idiot, I'm an idiot, of all the questions to lose my ability of tact.

"I always been excited about mysteries and becoming a detective since papa found me when I had wandered off to the amusement park alone. See, mama always patted me on the head when I came out of the playground called Jack and the Beanstalk. But mama had recently died and I didn't understand that she wouldn't come back… So, I went to the amusement park thinking that if I went to the exit, she'd be there. But they were doing construction on the playground and I fell into a hole. But then papa found me. When I asked him how he found me he said it was because he was a detective. That's why I've always wanted to find mysteries. So I could be just like papa. But…"

Mayura's never been this open with me before… about her past. I know this story of course but, that's because I kinda came along for the ride. This time I'm learning about this because she wants to tell me. We don't really know about each other's past at all do we? Well, I can't say I've been very forthcoming about my life.

"When papa first died, I couldn't… I didn't have the heart to look for mysteries. And during that time I had plenty of opportunity to think about my life and how easy it is to lose it. I realized that there are a lot of blanks in my memory and too many close calls in my life. I enjoy mysteries, and I'm not going to stop looking for them, but… I'm not going to plow into any situation anymore. And, well… I guess I should listen to your advice a little more huh? Something bad always happens when I don't listen to you. Loki-kun, you can see the spiritual world like papa could right?"

What should I say? I can't tell her I'm a god. Odin would definitely get angry over that, and I don't need anymore trouble on that front. But, she's being so open. I can't just lie. And what was it that Narukami-kun said about the time I was trying to leave for Asgard...?

Loki began to hear Narugami's voice in his head. "Daidouji was really worried about you Loki. She had asked me to help, but I wasn't doing a very good job looking for you. Especially since I knew we wouldn't find you, or at least the Loki that Daidouji was searching for. All of a sudden she stopped and I asked her if she had any idea where you could be. Daidouji looked at the ground and I thought she was about to cry when she told me, and I quote… 'I don't. I don't have any idea where he would be at. Now that I think about it, I don't know anything about Loki-kun. So even if I want to find him, I can't think of anywhere to go to. It's just like the story of Alice in Wonderland. How I wake up one morning and all the mysterious things disappear from me. Even Loki-kun is gone and… I start thinking that I won't ever see him again… This feeling… I felt the same way once, a long time ago.' She then turned to me and apologized for wasting my time and just took off looking for you again."

Why can't I tell her the truth? Just as long as it's not the whole truth… mused Loki. "Yes Mayura, I can. How do you know about that?"

"I always knew it was there. I just tried to ignore the fact that papa and you, Loki-kun, in fact most of the people around me, could see what I so desperately wanted to. That's why I just rushed into anything. I thought that if I was there in the middle, I'd have to see something."

"It doesn't work like that Mayura. Either you have the gift or you don't."

"I sort of figured that out when I bothered to think about it. So, that floating mysterious spirit in all our pictures together is…"

"Ecchan. I summoned ecchan the first time I met Mayura papa."

"Was that what papa was scared about?"

"Yes." Well not really, but I don't have to tell her about that do I? Nope.

"Um… can I ask a…"

"If you have something to ask, go ahead Mayura. I'll answer it, really."

"Well, remember last year when Kotaro-kun took us to the vacation house by the hot-springs? And later that night you saved me from falling over the edge?"

"Yes…"

"Well, that night I saw your eyes glow red, and… and… and it looked really scary Loki-kun! When you told me to go back to the lodge, I didn't. I couldn't go back. I wanted to know what I saw. That's when I saw your eyes glow red again and you did this weird magic stuff when you were fighting that bird. I'm sorry Loki-kun. I know you told me not to. I'm sorry."

"Mayura… So that's what you wanted to ask me about that day you were acting really strangely in the study?"

"Um hum."

"And you said something about me going somewhere far away?"

"I don't know why Loki-kun. I just felt like you were going to go somewhere far away where I could never see you again."

Could she really sense a climax approaching, or was it just coincidence.

"Hey! Stop evading my question!"

"You're not going to let me avoid this one, are you?" The stare Mayura gave Loki suggested a definite no. How should I answer this one? I don't even understand it at times. "It has to do with my abilities. If I get really mad and sometimes when I use my powers my eyes turn red. There's nothing I can do it, it's the way I am."

"Oh… Why did they turn red that time?"

"I was mad at the hawk that was attacking us. His master was after me, and yet he was dragging you into the mess."

"When you were yelling at me that day, your eyes went red for a second too. I guess I must have really angered you…" Mayura looked guiltily at Loki.

"I never got to apologize for my actions that day. I'm sorry Mayura."

"No, it's okay Loki-kun. I shouldn't have done that…" said Mayura as her gaze fell to the floor. "You still don't have people trying to hurt you, do you?"

"Fortunately no, its gotten mostly worked out. Admittedly, some of my former enemies will never really like me…" more like mildly wish to kill me.

"That's good. Loki-kun's too young to have enemies. I mean, you're only ten at most."

Loki stared at Mayura, looked down at himself, and looked back up to Mayura. His breathing sounded a little strained. Ten… nine… eight… seven… six…

"I'm twelve!!!" fumed an obviously annoyed Loki.

"Twelve! But you're so short! If I hadn't have know you for two years already, I would have said you looked to be eight years old. I mean, I realized that you've gotten a little taller since I first met you and all but…"

"Yes, I'm twelve—almost thirteen. Why does it matter how tall I am right now anyway!" Well, I'm physically twelve. Why does everyone make such a big deal about how short I am? I could understand mother and father's comments. I'm about as tall as their thumbnail—when I'm full grown! They had a terrible time keeping track of me when I was really little. Of course, that did keep me out of the other giants' stew pots. I wasn't worth the effort to eat.

(A/n: It's said that giants eat their deformed children, and to a giant's reasoning, shortness is a deformity. It is also said however, that the taller a giant is, the stupider it is. That would mean of course that Loki is quite intelligent.)

"Um… I guess that's true. I remember when I was taller than all the boys in my class. And then looked what happened. Almost every boy now has to bend over to kiss me! Luckily I gained four centimeters in my last growth spurt." (A/n: roughly an inch and a half)

"Well then. Maybe I'll be taller than you! I bet I'll be taller than you."

"Okay, okay Loki-kun. Sure, you'll have to bend down to kiss me too," giggled Mayura. Loki smiled mischievously. "By the way Loki-kun, when's your birthday?"

"April first."

To Mikazukino Hikari: No problem. I just wanted to get the information out. Long live the crazy people learning how to speak Japanese.

Author: I love kanji.

Classmate: Weirdo

To LittleGreenWolf: I would have fallen for it too… hook, line, and sinker. The university newspaper sometimes changes its name from the Targum to the Mugrat (the name backwards ) Guess who falls for it all the time? Me! Although lately they've gotten a lot more sneaky about it.

To Bibliomaniac:

1. According to my calculations Mayura would be twenty-two when Loki is sixteen. Don't worry though; I have a surprise or two in store for Mayura. And the fates have no clue what's going on!

2. Mayura wouldn't ask Kotaro-kun (at least in my story) because well… not being able to pay the bills and having to sell the shrine is rather embarrassing. She went to Loki first because they're much closer, and Mayura probably feels more in Loki's presence. (I wonder why…NOT… Loki is only in love with her.) And Mayura barely accepted Loki's offer to help pay the bills. I don't think she would have accepted any help from Kotaro-kun. There's some kind of personal pride when you don't have to ask people for money. And I imagine it would only be stronger in Japan.

3. The living conditions will be quite… interesting, especially as Loki becomes more physically mature. Angst, angst, angst… my beta reader swears I broke the angst-o-meter in the coming chapters. But don't worry; there'll be plenty of fluffy cuteness later.