A Legend of Mischief (Loki Fanfiction)

Chapter 9

"Oh! That was a good one," Hannah heard Nyneve say as she opened the door of her friend's house. Entering the living room, she discovered Nyneve and Loki sitting in chairs on opposite sides of the room from each other. And throwing daggers back and forth.

Nyneve turned to look at Hannah. Loki took the opportunity of her distraction to toss a dagger her way, only to have his plan foiled when she caught it. For some reason, he wasn't too surprised. The Midgardian had annoyingly good reflexes for a mortal.

"You're early," she said to Hannah, sending the dagger back at its owner. "Thought you weren't coming until tomorrow."

"I had free time." Hannah was quiet for several moments, watching the two as daggers soared back and forth. "I want to ask, but part of me thinks that knowing will be worse than what my deviant mind can come up with."

"We discovered that we have a mutual thing for daggers."

"...So you're both a little crazy. Good to know."

"Hey!" Loki grinned at the indignant expression on Nyneve's face, amusement shining in his eyes. Nyneve glanced at him with a raised brow, then looked back at Hannah. "I guess he's the mad one."

"Possibly," Loki replied as he rose from his chair, casually flipping a dagger in one hand.

Hannah laughed as Nyneve rolled her eyes. Setting down her bag on the sofa, she addressed her friend who still sat by the window. "How did it go on the 4th? You okay?" She gazed at Nyneve with a discerning eye. The last time she had been here was just before the holiday.

Nyneve paused, dagger still in hand. Lowering it to her lap, she tested the edge of the blade as she thought back to the week before. On July 4th, Loki had hung out in the library after dinner while she had gone to her theatre room at the end of the hallway. The movie she had watched had helped drown out the sound of the fireworks.

"I did alright." Nyneve smiled in an attempt to reassure her friend. Hannah still looked a bit concerned though. Loki was watching them with puzzled curiosity from across the room. He too remembered that odd evening. It had been the first time he had seen Nyneve use the room that lay beyond the mudroom since he had come to stay with her. Though he still didn't know its function.

Just as Hannah was about to say more, Nyneve's house phone started ringing. Nyneve got up to check it, Hannah swiping the armchair her friend vacated, notepad in hand. Nyneve sent her a reproachful look as she went around the sofa to the little table against the wall that her home phone resided on.

When she saw the number, she froze. Nyneve gazed down at the ringing phone for a moment, her expression darkening. Then she pressed a button on the machine, muting the call.

"Who was it?"

"No one," Nyneve replied, turning and walking back to the stairs. "Don't worry about it." Hannah and Loki watched as she disappeared onto the second floor, the sound of her bedroom door closing drifted through the house.

"Ah, hell." Hannah sighed and tossed her notepad onto the table. Loki sent her a questioning look. "It was probably one of the members of her asshole family. Damn bastards never seem to leave her alone."

Loki considered for a moment before asking, "What exactly happened with her family?"

Hannah looked at him, debating whether to tell him. "Fuck it." She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "I might as well tell you. I don't know if Nyneve will ever have the courage or desire to. Now, realize, even I don't know the full story. I can only tell you what bits I do know." Hannah waited for his nod before continuing. "She's not on great terms with her family. From what I understand, they thought Caliburn should have chosen her older sister and not her and blamed Nyneve for her sister's death. Nyneve's family was constantly comparing her to her 'perfect'," Hannah did finger quotes, "sister. Her grandfather was the only one in the family that wasn't focused on any imaginary flaws the rest of her family saw and encouraged her the most, so she spent a lot of time with him." Hannah gave a sad sigh, wishing she'd been able to meet the man herself. "He was murdered, and Nyneve heard the gunshot that took his life, as she was on his property at the time. Nyneve doesn't like guns or the sound of fireworks as a result. Which is why I asked how she did on the 4th."