Chapter 22: And So They Meet
---At Loki's Estate---
"Loki… Loki…" said Narugami as he snapped his fingers in front of Loki's face. "Come on… look at me!"
"What is it Narugami-kun?" asked an uninterested Loki.
"Today's your birthday. And I think you need some serious cheering up. What do you say we drink to your woes."
"I'm not very interested."
"'To drink on your birthday and get drunk; it's the only thing to do on your birthday when you don't have a girl.' Isn't that what you normally say Loki?" goaded Narugami.
"I don't care."
"The drinks will be on me!"
"Fine… why not," said Loki in a monotone.
"Since we're going out why don't you get washed up first, and put on something clean."
"What's the point Narugami-kun? I thought we were going out to get drunk?"
"Loki… you of all people you should know. Being drunk is one thing… being a smelly drunkard is something else entirely."
"Whatever…" Loki sighed.
---With the Norns---
"Alright Mayura-chan… would you please turn around."
"I think we should put her hair up."
"I know Verdandi! I could do the same style she wore on White Day… it looks so cute on her."
"I don't know if that would be such a good idea Skuld." Verdandi leaned over and whispered, "Reminding Loki-sama about White Day…"
"I'll change it a little. Hmmm… I know! I'll braid the tied back portions and hold it together with a contrasting ribbon."
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"I have to agree with you Skuld. Mayura-san looks really cute with that hair style. It almost makes the outfit. Don't you agree Mayura-san?" asked Verdandi.
"It does, I guess."
"Eh…? Look at the time Verdandi! We got to run! We're going to miss the movie." On the wall, the clock read eight forty-five.
---Near the Twilight Café---
"Narugami-kun, where are we going? There are lots of closer places to buy alcohol."
"It's your birthday Loki. And we're going to drink to the woes of love. There's going to be no rice alcohol in my system tonight!"
"So where are we going?" asked Loki non-interestedly.
"Cohen's… it's a small Irish liquor import pub." Loki and Narugami continued to walk in silence.
"Skuld…? Verdandi…? Where are you guys? You were just here a second ago…" Mayura turned around looking for the Norns when another person caught her attention. "Loki…"
Loki stopped at the sound of a familiar voice calling his name. Turning around he saw Mayura across the street. Unable to speak, Loki stared at the sight before him.
"Loki?" asked Mayura as she crossed the street. "Is it really you? You're eyes are so gray. Loki?"
Regaining his voice, the only thing Loki could say was, "Stay away…"
"Oh no! He's going to bolt!" whispered Skuld as she watched the scene below from the second story roof across the street from the Twilight Café.
"Welcome to the Twilight Café! Would you please sit down?" A man's hand gestured to a beautiful cast iron table for two. "Your bill has already been taken care of, and your favorite dishes and coffee have already been ordered. I hope you two have a delightful time and I'm be back shortly with your entrées."
Loki and Mayura sat both sat down at the offered table, too dazed from seeing each other again to protest the implied relationship between the two of them.
"I'd didn't know Master was in on the plan Thor-san," commented Urd. She had been up on the roof the whole time, coordinating the plan from above.
"Well, when I went up to Master yesterday and explained the problem to him he agreed to help wholeheartedly. Master's even the one who came up with the plan to ditch Loki and Daidouji-chan."
"Why is he helping us so much?" asked Verdandi.
"I asked him that… Master said that Daidouji-chan, Loki and I are like the family he never had… and that's why he would help us anytime we had a problem. So naturally he wanted to help us now."
"Such a wonderful man," mused Urd.
"The stars are so beautiful tonight. Aren't they, Loki… kun." Mayura blushed a dark shade of red and looked down away from Loki, finally realizing that she hadn't been using an honorific in her address towards him."
"But they're so hard to see with all the city lights," comment Loki as he gazed at Mayura. No… I can't do this again. She's hurt me twice. I can't… I can't open my heart again… she'll just crush it. But… I love her. I can't help it. I love her with all my soul.
"That doesn't make them any less beautiful."
"I guess your right Mayura-chan."
"Here are your dishes… for the young lady we have a coffee with two crèmes and one sugar. And for the gentleman we have a dark coffee with one sugar. On the menu for desert we have a vanilla waffle crepe with raspberry sauce for you mademoiselle," said Master as he placed a plate in front of Mayura. "And for you Mistier, a slice a German chocolate cake. Please enjoy."
"Oh… I wish I brought a video camera," Verdandi sighed.
"Did and taping," announced Skuld.
"Sometimes… just sometimes… your gadgets do come in handy," teased Urd.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
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Loki and Mayura had finished their coffee and desert before either talked, and Loki was the first to break the silence. "They set us up, didn't they? I know Narukami-kun lend me here on purpose."
"Yeah… thinking back on it, Verdandi-san and Skuld-chan ditched me right before the café and then I met you. Are you angry at them?"
"No… I guess they were just really worried about us and didn't want either of us to give up on our friendship huh? Loki asked as he stood up.
"Aaachoouuu… I guess it's a little colder out than I thought it would be," commented Mayura after she sneezed.
Loki removed his overcoat and held it out to Mayura, "Here, take this… it's better than nothing." His voice had a soft and loving sound to it.
"Loki-kun… I… you're wearing the cuff-links I gave you… even though…" Mayura stood up and smiled at Loki, and he couldn't help but smile back as she put his overcoat on. "Are we friends now Loki-kun?"
"Did we ever stop being friends Mayura? Loki asked as he gazed into her eyes.
"I think… I don't think we're just friends anymore," replied Mayura as she went up on her tip-toes, closing her eyes. Loki leaned slightly down, meeting her half away and kissed her gently. As Loki and Mayura truly shared their first kiss together whistling and cheering could be faintly heard from across the street.
The kiss dissolved into nothingness, ending the same as it started, but neither Loki nor Mayura moved away. With their lips still touching they once again opened their eyes. Eventually however, Mayura rolled back onto her heels.
"Mayura… I…"
"Loki-kun… we shouldn't be doing this…"
"No! Mayura how could you say that again! Please don't do this to me. I can't live without…" Mayura placed a finger over Loki's mouth, and stopped him from finishing his sentence.
"We shouldn't be doing this… here."
"Eh…"
Mayura rose up onto her tip-toes again and lightly pecked Loki on the lips. "It's a little public here, don't you think… Loki?"
Loki smiled mischievously. "And where would you like to go… Mayu-chan?"
"Well… the shrine grounds are closed, but, I got keys to the gardens. And the cherry blossoms are in full bloom…"
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Hours later, Mayura and Loki were still sitting on a marble bench underneath one of the cherry trees. The moon, having risen late that night, was just at its zenith. Mayura's head was leaning against Loki's shoulder while his head leaned on top of hers. His arms were securely caught around her waist. Mayura brought her hands up, hugging the overcoat closer to her body and smelled it. "Just like Loki-kun's…" Mayura began to giggle.
"Eh? What's so funny Mayu-chan?"
"Remember the first time you let me borrow your coat?"
"Yeah… I remember." Loki smiled fondly into Mayura's hair. "Why?"
"Well… now your overcoat is too big for me," Mayura began to giggle again. "But they smell the same."
"You smelled it? When I was ten?"
"Ummhmm…"
"Is that why my age was such a big problem for you?"
"I couldn't believe I was crushing on a ten year old. It was wrong, and I had to keep telling myself that, over and over again."
I didn't help her any either. I didn't exactly act like a child. Huh, act like a child? I was crushing right along with her. "And then, when I was older?" prompted Loki as he lifted his head and tilted Mayura's up with a hand.
"I didn't want… I couldn't believe that you really wanted to be with me. I thought… I thought it was just my dreams finally affecting the way I saw reality. And I couldn't get the mantra that had kept me sane for so many years out of my head. I'm sorry Loki…" Mayura's eyes started to tear.
"Shhhh… don't cry Mayura. That's all in the past now," coaxed Loki as he dried her eyes.
"It's so warm," commented Mayura as she once again pulled the overcoat tightly around herself.
Loki chuckled. "I love you Mayu-chan," Loki whispered into Mayura's ear before he kissed her once again.
Omake: The Quote of the Day
"When Loki starts reciting Poe, it's time to let the angst go."
Rezo: I can't delete any of the Loki Ragnarok episodes.
LokiGirl: because?
Rezo: They're too cool!
LokiGirl: muahahahah
LokiGirl: and you wonder why I'm a fan girl.
Rezo: I found out for sure in the 2nd to last episode I watched, where Loki was in his original form. XD
LokiGirl: ep 13, coughs
LokiGirl: In the words of Animaniacs "Hellooo nurse."
LokiGirl: except he's a guy, but yeah
Rezo: I think this needs to go in my AIM profile, do you mind?
LokiGirl: no
Yes, this was an actual AIM conversation.
Author's Note: Quit my job. Hopefully I find something else. More time to write I guess. Oh well. Guess what? I'm learning how to drive. So what I'm 20 and have only driven four times. Today my dad made me drive to the store with him in the dark. Parking and everything! Alright so it wasn't really dark, just sunset and a little bit afterwards, but still.
To LittleGreenWolf: Or so many things can finally go right. Nothing special about April first besides a great birthday present for Loki eh?
To Ytak: Admittedly, not the best plan. But how can you plan something when you don't even know what the thing ('connection') you want to remake is? The closet is a good idea, but they might rebel to that plan out of plain stubbornness. Usually the best end to an argument is to get them to talk while somehow making it look like it was their idea. And Narugami-kun definitely had a hard time to get Loki out… he had to offer to buy the alcohol! Tight-wad Narugami spend money? The world is coming to an end! Ragnarok!
To Bibliomaniac: Well, true the plan wasn't much of a plan… but it was one of Narugami's after all. And sometimes the most simple of plans work the best.
Why didn't they get them together sooner? Because no one knew what the problem was—communication was definitely lacking.
Loki did sleep, but not a lot—basically only when he collapsed in exhaustion.
No more silent treatment. I love sap too much. But I probably fooled a lot of people with Mayura's line. It certainly fooled Loki and my beta reader.
Nope, Loki doesn't know about the Freyr thing. (Honestly, I had forgotten all about it. I think I'll write it in a later chapter, or maybe an omake.)
To akuweaselgirl: Normal, but a lot sweeter… at least towards Mayura.
To Erinys: Glad you liked Loki's reciting. I thought it was a little comic relief during that really down and angsty part. Anyway, how would a depressed Loki act?
To Manda-chan: Loki's had a long time to re-read the classics too. And Loki's got to have a good memory… that's have the art of being the trickster god—remembering all the dirt you've seen to use it for you're advantage. But you're going to have to wait for the "connection" information… ch. 37.