- Disclaimer: Matantei Loki Ragnarok belongs to Kinoshita Sakura.
Ah, My Loki-sama!
written by Kurosu
- Chapter Sixteen.
People weren't sure if they should be staring in awe or in disgust at how fast the handsome, young man was inhaling the burgers and fries, while his young companion wished he was no where in the vicinity. But of course fate was rather fickle for Kazumi as he sat there, trying to bury his head into his hands to avoid the many eyes on them. He silently cursed Loki for all his misfortunes - something he had in common with Freya, it seemed - and wondered if he should kill Freyr now while they weren't in Asgard, though Odin might miss one of the apparently important gods.
"Freyr thanks Heimdall for saving Freyr's life!" the god managed to say after downing five burgers. He sat back and rubbed the hump of his stomach happily, having had his fill of delicious, earthly morsels, and by now, the people tried to ignore the strange man. Even though he had stopped stuffing his face with food, his whole extravagant attire was something else, as if he had just stepped out of a theatrical performance, a role of a prince or some idiotic royal, or some cosplay party.
Kazumi rolled his eyes, "And what are you doing down here? Weren't you busy finding a wife?"
Eyes wide, emotions heightened, the third-person-speaking god slammed his hands on the table surface, startling the surrounding customers once more, "Freyr's beloved sister, Freya, has disappeared!"
"So you came down to Midgard to find her?" The smaller god sighed, knowing the idiot would go to the ends of the nine worlds to find his twin sibling, though they did not look alike at all nor were their personalities in sync and compatible, which was rather odd in itself.
"How do you intend on finding her? Midgard isn't as simple as it was thousands of years ago," he was somewhat curious about Freyr's plans on the problem and even a bit cruel to withhold information that he had discovered earlier about the goddess.
"Freyr doesn't know! But Freyr will walk all over Midgard, swim the endless oceans, hike across lofty mountains... through snow and rain, and search through every house, every store, every ditch to find Freyr's beloved sister!"
By this time, many customers had heard his very touching speech, deeply moved by his devotion to his sister that they were crying and clapping at his performance, as he stood on his chair, one leg propped up on the table, with a fist raised into the air, a pose of promised triumph to an apparently difficult task, with billowing, long cape for added drama (where the breeze was simulated by three fast food employees fanning with trays).
Kazumi, looking bored with his head propped in his palm, leaning on the table, slapped his free hand against Freyr's foot on the table to knock his balance off, and the god comically went tumbling to the floor, "Stop embarrassing me, and maybe I'll take you to her."
It was quite an eventful dinner, with high tension among the silent participants, where only the two chattering persons were an inquisitive Daidouji and a very attention-hogger Freya, who ate her food with the grace of a swan. Fortunately Loki was able to give a rough explanation of the gods' situation on Midgard, specifically in the Daidouji home, that only Mayura knew of the gods' true identity and existence and it was to be kept that way.
Somewhat insulted that Freya had to keep her glorious identity a secret, she would only comply if Loki promised to take her on a date, which he dreadfully nodded to, much to the dismay of his sons and even an irritated Mayura. And so that was why the mortal girl sat all moody and silent during the rest of the evening, which surprised her father and worried everyone else, including Loki who finally noticed the sullen vibe darting in his direction. Every time their eyes met, she would be the first to look away, finding the carrots on her plate more favorable than him, and it bothered him that she wasn't saying a word to him.
By the end of dinner, Mayura was the first to leave the table, followed by Yamino to help clear the dishes. She had already begun washing the plates quietly, and he couldn't help but sweatdrop at the brooding silence. "Ano, Mayura-san," he smiled nervously.
She continued to scrub the plate but turned to him with a stiff smile, "Yes, Yamino-san?"
Before he could say another word, there was a sound of a crack, and when they both looked down, in to the sink, the plate in her hands had broken in half. "Um maybe I should do the dishes," he carefully took the broken pieces from her hands. "Why don't you um, get some rest...?"
She looked at the doorway connecting the kitchen to the next room and then turned away, sulking, not feeling like showing herself with the others. She pouted and marched to the refrigerator and opened the freezer door. She browsed through the contents, trying to search for something, but she couldn't find what she wanted, mumbling, "Hmm, I thought we had some ice cream."
She closed the door, calling out in a sad almost whiny tone, "Yamino-san, what happened to all the ice cream?"
"Eh? There was an unopened one the other day."
They fell into silence when Freya's voice from the other room praised the delicious ice cream that she was eating, and it was such a shame that someone just hid it away in the freezer. She insisted that Loki have some with her, but it sounded like the boy didn't want any either, attempting to politely decline.
Yamino sweatdropped at the obvious loud conversation, watching Mayura suddenly boil red, wondering how he could calm her down, but it was Fenrir's awesome timing into the kitchen that distracted her. Though the puppy was fuming just as badly as her, 'Oi, Jormungand! I want ice cream! Stupid Freya wouldn't share any with me!'
"We're all out of it, nii-san."
'Then go get me some!' he literally barked out the order, like he was king of the house.
Mayura's face brightened as she stooped down and picked up Fenrir into her arms, "Ah, why don't we both go, Fenrir! We'll get lots of ice cream, and eat them all this weekend!"
'Yeah! That's what I'm talking about, Witch Girl!'
Mayura shrugged at the new name, better than that really long one, but some day she would get him to say her name.
The puppy cheered, tongue already out, drooling from the thought of the sweet dessert binge. He happily remained in her arms as she exited the kitchen and walked straight to the hallway, having ignored Loki's curious looks and Freya's intense glares. Her father and Narugami had already left, needing to finish some things at the shrine, so the less people to question her mood, the better.
She slipped on her shoes and grabbed her purse, but Loki's voice had stopped her, "Where are you going? At this hour."
"Going to the convenience store," she answered flatly, without looking at him.
'Daddy, we're getting ice cream!' Fenrir explained, 'Come with us, daddy!'
"Oh Fenrir, I'm sure Loki-sama is much too busy," Mayura chided, "entertaining our guest."
He frowned at her, not liking that she was assuming too much and her behavior has been different ever since the news of Freya being stranded and staying with them had been announced. She had become strangely distant and emotionally volatile, as were most women who had conflicting feelings in their hearts. He knew she would get jealous with Freya around, but he didn't expect her to also avoid him, which was going to be a problem because he didn't like the lack of attention, mainly from Mayura.
Loki walked up to her and gave her bottom a gentle smack, "Don't be so cheeky."
"Loki-sama!" she cried indignantly, and he could only smirk in response.
"Loki~!" came Freya's voice, followed by her whole being bouncing into the hallway, holding onto her tub of almost gone ice cream that Mayura and Fenrir started to glare at it. "Where are you going, Loki?! Are you leaving me here?! ALONE?!"
"I'm going for a walk with Mayura and Fenrir," he sighed, and Freya had dropped the ice cream tub and clung to his arm, kneeling on the floor, and glared icy daggers at the mortal girl.
"I forbid it!" she declared.
"Freya," he tried to remain calm, "are you telling me what to do?"
"N-No," she flushed embarrassingly, not intending to force another god to her demands, especially one of Loki's status, and he was Loki after all, "Then let me come too!"
He sighed, wanting to smack a palm to his forehead in exasperation at Freya's clinginess, and he definitely didn't need her coming along to antagonize Mayura further. He just wanted some peaceful, non-Freya moments - was that so hard to ask? Yes, for Loki, it was a very difficult and almost impossible request to fulfill, because the universe was out to get him - a sort of ultimate karmic retribution so to speak for all the pranks and mischief he pulled.
"It's fine!" Mayura huffed out, heading to the door, "You two can stay here. Fenrir and I will be-"
Loki had caught her wrist before she could completely abandon him to Freya, who still had a hold of his arm. He gave Mayura that same, warning look when she had left him with Kazumi, and even that did not end well, but she wasn't going to give in to his demands, so she pretty much pulled herself to the door, tugging Loki along who also ended up dragging Freya across the wooden floor.
Fenrir hopped out of the girl's arms so she could reach the door knob, but the house suddenly shook, and those standing lost balance and fell over. Mayura landed first on her bottom, followed by Loki into her lap, after he got out of Freya's loosened grip. The goddess looked at the pair, eyes wide and appalled at the inappropriate scene of her beloved Loki caught in between the teenager's legs, and was about to dart to his aid when the coat rack tipped and fell...
'Daddy! Witch Girl!' Fenrir hurried to their side.
"Loki-sama! Mayura-san! Are you all right?" Yamino ran out from the kitchen to check on them, after the sudden quake of the earth.
'Jormungand!' his brother barked, very offended, 'You didn't ask about me!'
"Ah, sorry, nii-san," he sweatdropped.
"I'm fine," Loki told his sons, standing up, and helped the girl to her feet, "What about you, Mayura?" He examined her for injuries in the process, and everyone appeared to be fine... except for Freya, who had been knocked out cold by the coat rack, because she had dared to break the relationship between Loki and Mayura that had been created by a contracted wish, and the system was not going to have anyone interfere.
"This is a good time for us to leave," Loki stated. "Yamino..."
Understanding what his father wanted, he nodded, "Don't worry, Loki-sama, I'll take care of Freya-san."
"Thank you. And we're off!" He smiled gratefully and grabbed Mayura's arm and pretty much ran out the door with her, before anything else could interrupt them, even the girl's protests and sudden worries over the goddess was ignored. Fenrir bounded after them too, thrilled with an adventure and getting to eat a lot of ice cream in the process.
"Heimdall! Let's go in here!"
The vein throbbing on Kazumi's forehead was threatening to pop any second now, but apparently his health was not a priority for Freyr, who had been demanding to stop at every single storefront since they left the fast food joint. Now he was regretting his offer to take him to his sister, whom he assumed had been brought back to the Daidouji home by Loki since every god he knew on Midgard currently resided there.
"Heimdall!"
The boy whipped his head back to the shopaholic god and glared, very hard, but it did not phase him at all, if only the idiot was even paying attention. He had been busy staring at the watermelon display in window of the supermarket, advertising a 'buy one, get one at half price' deal - seriously, the watermelon was more interesting?
"I'm not buying any more of that crap!"
Freyr turned to look at his friend with big, sad puppy-dog eyes, "But Heimdall..."
Kazumi closed his eyes and debated on whether vocalizing his acknowledgement or completely ignore the buffoon, but of course, common sense was shot out of his brain when said brain and motor skills didn't coincide, "What?"
"It's such a good deal!"
He snapped.
"DON'T YOU WANT TO FIND FREYA?!"
"Of course, Freyr does!"
"Then we have to hurry. She was taken by Loki-"
"Lo... ki...?!"
All the shopping bags he had somehow conned Heimdall into buying dropped to the ground, and Freyr stood still, very still, like a frozen caveman that had been discovered after centuries being stuck in the depths of the ice bound land of the Arctic. Kazumi was mildly surprised, having expected more of a reaction out of the sister-obsessive god, and after being blessed with this opportunity of sicing said gullible idiot on Loki as part of a impromptu revenge plan, he took it.
He walked over to the god in shock and poked his side, "Freyr?"
As if it was enough to snap him out of his stupor, he went on a ranting spree, "Oh my god! That Loki! That devil! How dare he steal my sister! Oh the horror! My dear Freya! Being forced to do the unspeakable! No, no! Freyr will not let it happen! Freyr will rescue his beloved sister!"
Despite Freyr drawing a crowd of curious bystanders, this would have to do. Kazumi would make use of Freyr and his weakness, turning him against Loki - though Freyr and the many other immortals never did like the flirtatious god, whose popularity was as great as Odin's reign of Asgard.
So instead of actually going to the neighborhood convenience store, Mayura and Loki, still in his child form, with Fenrir decided to stop by an ice cream vendor, who was just about to close up for the day, just outside the park. They made the quick purchase and even got a discount for Loki and Fenrir being the most adorable kid and smartest, cutest puppy around, respectively of course.
Mayura, with her strawberry flavor treat near her mouth, mumbled, "If only you knew the truth, sir..."
Loki's ear twitched, and he glanced at her with raised brows, "What was that, Mayu-chan?"
"Ah, no-nothing!" she laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her head, and proceeded to the nearest bench to eat her ice cream.
Loki followed her and sat down, setting the big bowl of four scoops of ice cream on the bench for Fenrir, as the puppy hopped to the spot in between the pair. The three enjoyed their treat and the peaceful atmosphere, but Loki could do with a bit more talking, finding Mayura's silence an oddity. She leaned back against the bench, staring up at the evening curtain of the velvet skies littered with bright stars peeking into the world.
"Ne Loki-sama..."
Her voice sounded so soft, almost lost to the air around them.
"Hm?"
"What does the world look like, from up there?"
Loki stared at her, stopped in the middle of licking the ice cream because of her random, curious question. Of all the things that had happened, that was what she wanted to ask him, in that particular moment. They had left the house with her in a bothered, irritable mood, but now, she looked like a child gazing in wonderment at the vast world above her, wanting to know about his home world, what he thought of her world from his position.
And he laughed, so free and pleasant to her ears, that she turned to face him, her brows all furrowed and her lips in a pout, and even Fenrir looked up to his father, ice cream all over his mouth and snout.
"Mou, Loki-sama! I was being serious!"
"Sorry, sorry," he chuckled, "But to answer you. I don't know. I never bothered to look."
She rolled her eyes, "Geez, what kind of god are you?"
He grinned, staring at her, prepared to give her the greatest answer of all just to gauge her reaction, but alas, his words were never spoken because a certain ditz of a god appeared, standing on the light post next to their bench, and answered instead, "Loki is the most evil god there is! A kidnapper and torturer! A defiler of beautiful maidens!"
Loki, annoyed that someone would call him a 'defiler of maidens', which was so far from the truth, looked up, and why was he not surprised the idiot had somehow managed to make it down to Midgard, "Freyr..."
Notes: Lol, I got carried away... made it a bit long, so I have to continue and finish the rest later. I think I had too much fun with Heimdall & Freyr - they have such a funny tsukkomi & boke (straight man & funny man duo) relationship.
I can't wait to write more about silly Freyr! I can already see him going against Loki in the next chapter... lol, hilarity ensues? Maybe! -kuro.