Here is Chapter 14 and about six months into Isabella and Loki's relationship. All your comments have been lovely and please continue to ask questions and tell me what you think.
thephoenizandthedragon4ever, I thought about that actually and am thinking about it. I need to sew up a few holes and put more details into my broad plan for this story. Thanks for your comment and for reading :)
On with the chapter!
Previously
After a too-long moment basking in the sense of family, Dean coughs and says, "No more chick-flick moments, I already feel like I'm should be in a dress with long hair like Sammy's. Let's go watch something violent and drink a ton of beer."
The group laughs and agrees, all moving back into the living room where they watch the Godfather movies. Isabella curls up with Loki and falls asleep during the 3rd one thinking, It's so nice to be home.
Chapter 14
Weeks then months pass by until December rolls around. The couple have become closer and closer each day, developing a little schedule of doing little things for each other completely unknown to them and entirely hilarious to everyone around them. Loki always brings lunch and forces Isabella to eat more and more each meal, hoping to create a habit. In turn, Isabella provides him with his breakfast muffin and coffee. She also brings in different baked treats to the weekly movie night and family dinners she now attends.
Now, it's two weeks until Christmas and that finds Isabella, Charlie, and Jessica at the mall shopping for the Christmas dinner and of course buying the gifts. The girls settle with their bags down by their sides and their trays on a table at the food court, waiting for the boys to join them from their own shopping.
"I can't believe that dress was $500 dollars! It looked absolutely ridiculous with that huge bulbous fabric around the neck, and the puffed sleeves going to the wrist. Plus it was way too thin for the 40 degree weather out here, even with a heavy coat." Isabella scoffs, taking a sip of her Arnold Palmer, (half-tea, half-lemonade). "It's not fashionable at all"
"Says the one who looks like they walked off a fashion catalogue all the time." Jess says, rolling her eyes and nudging Charlie as she gestures to Isabella's outfit. "I mean, look at you."
"Ugh, I know. You always look so well put together. It sucks." Charlie agrees. Isabella looks down at her outfit of an off-white sweater with a black heart pattern, black wool pants, brown boots with the outside leather folded over, a maroon scarf, silver feather necklace on a long chain underneath the scarf, and a brown purse which her black Belstaff coat is hanging from. Her brown her is less curly and more wavy underneath the maroon beanie she's wearing, flowing down to her waist.
"I literally put this together this morning when I woke up late for the bakery." She mumbles, smiling sheepishly at the twin groans from the girls. "I'm sorry?"
"You should be." Jess pouts, poking at her grilled chicken and strawberry salad. "Speaking of which, how did your doctor visit go?"
"Actually, it went really well." Isabella says, straightening up immediately at her excitement to share the news from her health doctor, who is helping her to gain weight and reverse the years of abuse. "He said that the extra 25 pounds I gained in these six or so months has been a huge success in putting my body back into a normal state of health. My ribs aren't showing anymore, I sleep through the whole night and my hair hasn't been this thick ever. He even said that I could start toning; a mile or two for running although he said yoga or Pilates might be better. I'm so excited."
"That's amazing Isabella." Charlie says, Jess nodding in agreement and grabs her hand, squeezing in shared happiness. Both are excited for their friend though still angry that someone as awesome as her has to do this. "Have you told your boyfriend yet?"
Isa blushes slightly at the word "boyfriend" in reference to Loki, still not used to it after six months, shaking her head. "I was waiting until tonight, he's been hinting that he wants to work out and "get back in shape", like he needs to."
"All the Winchester boys are in great shape, especially Dean with how much he eats and what he eats." The girls groan in agreement, having seen to many episodes of "Dean the Human Trash Can."
"What's wrong with loving burgers smothered in grease and bacon?" Dean asks, pretending to be offended as he attaches another table to their and Sam, Loki, and Cas join them. He has, naturally, a burger drenched in grease with cheese and bacon, fries on the side. The girls roll their eyes at that and says, "Nothing Dean."
"Hey there beautiful," Loki murmurs in her ear as she smiles widely up at him in response and scoots over so he can sit next to her. "Having fun?"
"Mhm, it's so nice to be with girls out shopping." She says, leaning her head on his shoulder, then straightens up in slight shock. "You go a haircut."
"Yes, I did." He agrees, running a hand through his shorter hair, it still being pretty long, but ending and curling slightly at the top of his ears. "I thought it was time for a slight change."
"You look so cute." She says with a smile combined with a lip bite, running her hand through his hair as well. The others at the table observe them and say collectively, "Get a room!"
Loki rolls his eyes and shoos them away, Isabella joining in and going back to her food. "It's about time he got a haircut, he looked like a girl, right Lucy?"
Loki just looks at his food and kicks him under the table, missing horribly. The group laughs, digging into their food and talking about their time at the mall.
"-so then the lady in front of us shoots us the dirtiest look possible and says in this offended tone, "And you think that that is fashion?" as she gestures toward what Charlie is wearing. I respond, "It's sure as hell better than what you're wearing. At least she's not wearing a bird on her head or smells like mothballs." After that, she straightens up and tries to subtly sniff herself, to which she realizes that we're right. She sniffs and leaves the line, putting all her previous dresses back and looking for dresses similar to ours. Crazy bird lady." Isabella says, as the group howls in laughter at the image of the "crazy bird lady" doing what the girls describes.
After a few more stories, the clan gets up and heads back to the Winchester home, the girls in one car and the boys in another.
As Dean backs out, Sam asks Loki, "When is that custom item you ordered coming in? Are you thinking of asking her at the dinner or earlier?"
"It should be coming in on the 20th, and I'm going to ask her before the dinner so I don't embarrass her is she says no." He responds, for all the world calm, his hands twitching the only indication that he's nervous. "Or I might wait a little while longer, I'm not sure. It depends on what happens up until then."
"I'm sure she won't say no," Sam says reassuringly, patting Loki's shoulder. "Just ask her when you and her are ready. There's no pressure."
"So, Isabella, are you and Loki serious? Like, we-might-end-up-married serious?" Jess asks, as she drives to the clan's house.
"Well, we haven't talked about that road since I told him about my past, but that seems to be what we're heading toward." Isa says, turning a deep red but wearing the biggest smile ever at the thought of marrying Loki.
"Ooh, looks like somebody's in L-O-V-E." Charlie sing-songs from the backseat, Jess joining in as she sings, "Loki and Isa sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first come love, then comes marriage, then comes Loki with-"
"You all are horrible!" Isa moans, thumping her head on the back of the seat, as they continue. "I can't believe you all. We both aren't ready for that yet."
"Still, maybe another six months at most and he'll be down on one knee." Charlie says matter-of-factly, looking on her phone for the next convention date.
"Maybe, we don't know, but it's a nice thought nonetheless." Isabella murmurs, going silent as she thinks further on what the future holds for her and her boyfriend.
Jess and Charlie share a look, knowing exactly what Loki plans to ask the petite bakery owner come Christmas, provided he doesn't back out.
Asgard
"Father, Loki's been gone for months now. How long until he finds out what his mission is and completes it?" Thor asks Odin as they look down at where Midgard is, still unable to see Loki through the Orb.
"He must be humbled and understand what it means to care for something else, he must realize that something greater than himself and his own selfish desires is worth fighting for. Once he finds that something, he must be willing to die fighting for it. Only then can he come home, Thor." Odin says tiredly, having woken up from his Odinsleep quite recently.
Thor is silent, hoping that Loki comes to that realization soon, both for the sake of himself and Mother, who misses her son more and more everyday. Maybe that something could be that Miss Bane he was so fascinated with.
There is Chapter 14... Please do tell me what you think will happen at Christmastime, I would love to hear what you all think/want/crave to happen.
Comments are loved and constructive criticism is welcomed. Thanks for reading and see you later! :)
