Loki woke the next morning in a house he didn't recognise, and for a moment, he panicked.
"Loki! Breakfast!" Katerina called. Her voice reminded him of exactly what happened and where he was, and strangely, he didn't mind being in the company of the mortal at all.
"I am coming!" he shouted back. Now which chest drawer has what article of clothing?
He decided to check the second drawer. The god held his breath, and closed his emerald green eyes, expecting the worst as he yanked open the drawer. There was nothing there but a photo album. On the well-worn leather cover was written "To Kat, love Chad". He knew better than to go through the album, but a sudden, and familiar, urge caused him to go through it anyway. It chronicled Chad's life and then, once Katerina was born, hers as well. As he flipped through the book, he felt a heaviness in his heart that wasn't there before. It grew even more perplexing when a water droplet fell onto one of the pages. Loki studied it curiously, and looked at the ceiling for any signs of water damage or storm clouds. Finding neither, he grew even more frustrated until he felt something hot and wet streak down his face. He wiped away the moisture and came back with a tear. He had been crying, which was strange because he had not cried since... Now that he thought about it; had he ever cried?
"Loki, come on! Your waffles are getting cold," Katerina called again, snapping Loki out of his reverie.
"Alright!" he replied, putting the album back where he found it, and ran downstairs.
"He lives!" She chuckled as he walked in.
"If I wasn't alive, I wouldn't be coming down the stairs now, would I?" he asked, confused by her words.
"Right, you're Loki. Loki's don't understand Midgardian idioms." Kat sighed.
"Did I say something wrong?" He tensed, almost as if waiting to be struck.
"No, no, no! You didn't say anything wrong!" Kat reassured him. "What makes you think you did?"
"I don't know," he muttered.
Kat's heart ached for the man. "You don't have to worry about me. I'm not going to hurt you, I promise."
"Thank you, Katerina," he whispered.
"You're welcome, Loki." She smiled.
"Now, let's get you some food." She broke one of the waffles into four pieces and put them on a plate for Loki.
"They're really good. I promise."
Loki took a tentative nibble and was pleasantly surprised; the simple creations were delicious.
"What are these called?" Loki asked after he had finished his first bite.
"They're called 'waffles'. They're pretty popular in my house, especially when I make them,” she replied.
"I can see why," he said as he finished the waffle.
"Oh, I almost forgot! You and I will be shopping today. You can’t wear my brother's stuff anymore. I found out he's coming back earlier than I thought. Something about sleeping with a teacher... Anyway, he'll be coming tomorrow and he'll need his clothes," Kat said. Then added, "Sometimes I wonder if we're even related."
"That I can understand that, my dear. Believe me, I can understand that,” Loki replied, thinking back to the millions of times he had wondered himself how he and Thor were related; before finding out the truth.
"We're leaving as soon as I've finished my coffee,” Kat said, pouring herself a cup as if to emphasize the point.
"Alright." He looked around nervously.
"I'm not gonna leave you there! I pinkie swear." She put out her pinkie. "You're supposed to hold it with yours."
Tentatively, he took it.
She smiled and said, "I pinkie swear that I will not leave you at the store all by yourself."
Kat unclasped her pinkie and the promise was made. Somehow that promise had quieted his fears. Even if it was only for just a moment.
Loki smiled softly to himself. For the first time he had made a friend. An actual, factual friend.
