A Legend of Mischief (Loki Fanfiction)

Chapter 5

"Welcome to my humble, yet beloved, abode," Nyneve said with a smile at Loki.

Loki gazed around him, taking in the features of her home. The walls, paneled in a warm amber-brown wood, the darker hardwood floors, the black suede sofa and the armchair that matched it. Spread under the sofa, chair, and accompanying low oak table was a large blue-green square rug. From his position standing just inside the front door, he could see a doorway leading into what appeared to be a library on the opposite side of the living room, as well as a hallway in the far left corner. The bottom of a flight of stairs peeked out from the end of said hallway. Where either led, he couldn't tell.

The cat rubbing on his legs brought his attention back to the animal and its mistress. Nyneve chuckled a bit when she saw the tortoiseshell feline greeting him.

"I see you have already met Lady."

"Lady?"

"That's what I named her. She is usually perched on the back of the sofa in a very regal fashion." Nyneve gestured to the depression on the back of the suede sofa next to them. Loki raised a brow, but made no comment.

Nyneve shrugged out of her coat, stepping past him to hang it up next to the door. She unbuckled Caliburn from around her waist, carefully wrapping the belt around the scabbard before laying the sword on a wall mount. The mount resided next to the entryway to the library, leaving it in easy reach from any part of the house should Nyneve need Caliburn in a hurry.

"Hannah? I'm going to figure out some dinner for us. Can you show Loki the bedrooms upstairs so he can pick whichever he wants?"

"Sure!" Hannah called from the kitchen, sounding like she had a mouthful of food. She walked out of the kitchen into the hallway, popping a grape into her mouth.

"...I just said I would make dinner. Do you have to raid my fridge?"

"I needed a snack. I haven't used my powers in a while. Needed to top off some energy before I showed off your giant house."

Nyneve rolled her eyes. "It's not giant. That would be the rest of the property."

Hannah gave her a smirk before heading toward the stairs.

Rolling up the sleeves of her black button-up shirt, Nyneve turned to look at Loki again. He had found himself staring at her as she had moved about the room. When she had rolled up her sleeves, Loki had noted a few silvery scars across her forearms. Now his gaze met with those moonlit eyes of hers that seemed to have imprinted themselves into his memory.

Nyneve had noticed when Loki had seen the scars she bore. She considered for a moment before speaking. "Sometimes it takes the hard way to learn to avoid a blade." Her voice was soft as she met his gaze, trying to keep the memories of her darker days from rising. A deep breath helped settle her.

"There are four bedrooms upstairs. The first door on the right is my bedroom. You can have your pick of the other three. They are all furnished, but we can always adjust things if you want later." Nyneve began walking to the kitchen, leaving him to follow after Hannah up the stairs. "Oh. And, Loki," he paused to look down at her when she called his name, "you can treat my home as your own. Just remember to give it the same respect you would to yours. Alright?"

Staring down into those neverending blue eyes of hers, Loki acquiesced with a slightly curt nod. Nyneve gave a small smile, then turned and walked through the doorway into the kitchen. Loki, who had always prided himself on being able to swiftly read people, found himself puzzled by this Midgardian. No matter how many times he tried to analyze her, he just couldn't seem to settle on a picture of her before she revealed some new nuance. It both intrigued and annoyed him.