Chapter 10, people! xD
As promised, here is the next chapter! I'm quick, huh? xD
I'm so happy about the response I'm getting for this story :) Love y'all!
Disclaimer: Still not mine. Let's get on with it!
-o-
Chapter 10 - Bah, Humbug
A few days later – three weeks and three days after the day she had manhandled the God of Mischief inside her flat – Amber realised she was, in fact, happier now. She was happier than before Loki had showed up and turned her world upside-down. It was ridiculous, really, but no less true.
Today was the first of December, and it was something she had dreaded for a long time. She wasn't going home for Christmas, so she had expected to celebrate Christmas alone. Now, she would be celebrating Christmas with the God of Mischief. Absurd.
Today was a special day in more than one way, because today was the first day Loki wasn't here. He was doing volunteer work, something he had been reluctant to at first (to say the least), but eventually shrugged at – realising he should just begin somewhere, and see where it took him.
And so, he was aiding the rebuilding of New York. She wondered how he was faring.
-o-
The flat was empty when she returned home from the university, and she had to shake off a brief flash of fear. They hadn't taken him again, had they? No. He would return home soon.
She decided to distract herself with decorating for Christmas. It was December, after all.
Loki would probably hate it, and she couldn't help being amused from the idea of a grumpy God of Mischief.
"Bah, humbug," she said, and went in search for the Christmas decorations.
-o-
She was relieved when she heard the front door open and close a while later. However, she was in the middle of decorating the lamp over the kitchen island, so she couldn't greet him.
"Welcome home," she said loud enough for him to hear. "I'm in the kitchen."
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Welcome home, she said as if that was a perfectly normal thing to say. Did she truly see it that way? Did she see this flat as his home as well? The thought had Loki so distracted that he didn't even reply.
"Loki?"
He shrugged off his coat and headed for the kitchen. He was about to greet her, but paused when he found her standing on top of the kitchen island.
"What in the world are you doing?"
She smiled sheepishly. "Decorating for Christmas. I am very willing to meet you half way on a whole lot of things, but Christmas is not one of them. There will be shiny baubles, ridiculous, glittery things, and generally a whole lot of over-the-top Christmas things.
"Christmas," he said, and then realised, "Yule."
She nodded. "Indeed. This version involves a whole lot of bullshit, however. The birth of Jesus is apparently what we are celebrating. Of course, Jesus was born in March, but that does not seem to matter much. Then we have St. Nicholas – a very generous man once upon a time, and they have somehow twisted into Santa Claus. It's all somewhat ridiculous, but I love it. Not so much Jesus and Santa, but the concept. Christmas time is – for me – peaceful, full of warmth, and about finding ways of making people happy. Thus, Christmas is not negotiable. There will be shiny baubles whether you like it or not. Also, I have been dreading Christmas this year, because I would be spending it alone. Except, now I'm not. I have you. And you have no idea how happy I am about that."
I have you. And you have no idea how happy I am about that. Well, he could put up with shiny baubles, if that was her state of mind.
"How was your day? Was it horrendous?"
It had been a horrendous day, indeed. But not in the way he had expected. The horrendous part was watching all the destruction he had caused. He hadn't minded – not really, even if it had been a strange experience – helping out. But it had been…painful to see the aftermath of…well, him.
He realised she was waiting for him to answer. Also, she was about to climb down from the kitchen island. He didn't really think when he reached out his arms for her, and it didn't seem like she thought either – she just allowed him to lift her down to the floor.
She gazed at him with searching eyes. "It was horrendous in a different way than you expected?"
What was it with this woman and her ability to read him without him uttering a word? He couldn't lie, though, so he merely nodded.
"I'm sorry," she said softly, and then her arms came up around his neck, and she hugged him.
It took him a moment to realise what was happening – would he ever get used to someone touching him like this on their own accord? – but then he sighed, and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"I'm going back tomorrow," he said, and she just hummed in agreement.
-o-
She hugged him the following day as well. He probably looked like he needed it. He did need it.
He looked at her when she let go of him, and realised she had white dust in her hair, on her cheek, and on her nose.
He didn't even think before reaching out a hand, brushing away the white from her cheek. "What are you doing?"
She smiled sheepishly, apparently unfazed by his touch - surprising him again.
"I'm baking," she said, and gestured down. An apron. She was wearing an apron.
"I see," he replied, raising an eyebrow. "And how is that working out for you?"
"Well, the flour have been acting up a bit, but other than that, fine."
"The flour have been acting up," he deadpanned, and she laughed.
"It has been a menace, quite frankly," she said, and then walked back to the kitchen.
He followed her, but stopped in the doorway, taking in the sight of the kitchen. The flour had been 'acting up' indeed. To the point where it was all over the counters.
"See?" she said, gesturing around. "Complete menace."
He couldn't help himself. He burst out laughing. He laughed even more when she huffed in displeasure, and turned back to her flour-filled project.
"Yes, I am glad you find me hilarious," she said, and he didn't think. He never stopped to think when it came to this woman. He walked over to her until he stood behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, kissed the top of her head, and let go again.
And of course regretted his actions immediately, just to be surprised again when she laughed. "All right. You are forgiven."
He hadn't meant it as an apology, but apparently she approved – something he didn't quite understand, but decided to be grateful for.
There were these ridiculous waves of…affection, and those made him act without thinking.
Such acts in his past would always end bitterly for him, so when she welcomed his affectionate gestures, he didn't learn. He ended up repeating it.
And it made him happy. She made him happy.
Happiness didn't last, however. He knew this from experience.
For now, though? For now, he was happy. And he decided to enjoy it while it lasted.
-o-
Two days later, he came home - was it home now? She kept saying welcome home, but he had not realised he called it home as well. In his head, at least. Nevertheless, he came home, and was not greeted with a hug as usual.
"Sorry!" he heard her voice from the living room. "I'm...occupied."
He removed his coat and shoes and walked into the living room, finding her by the window, balancing dangerously in the windowsill.
"What are you doing?" he almost hissed as he hurried over to her so he could catch her if she fell.
"Christmassy things," she replied, and promptly toppled over.
He caught her - bridal style - and gave her a stern look. "Does that include breaking your neck?"
She gave him an amused look. "Not as long as you are here to catch me when I fall."
There was something about the way she said it that made him pause for a moment. "Foolish woman," he said as he lowered her to the floor.
"I cannot exactly disagree with you on that," she said before gazing at the window again. "I am almost finished. Will you catch me if I fall again?"
Always, his mind said, and that was the moment where he realised his feelings for this frail mortal was perhaps moving into dangerous territory. The territory outside purely platonic.
"Yes," he said, softly. "Yes, I will catch you if you fall."