All Work and No Play - Loki x Female Reader

Eleven

Loki sat on the bench outside the bakery with the first tart he had bought, leaning over with his arms resting on his thighs and his thumb pressing and rubbing into his palm in a self-soothing pattern.

He felt nervous but couldn't place why, he'd invited people out before and had gone on actual dates without these kinds of butterflies in his stomach.

It was a simple hangout of pastry-based self-indulgence, so why had her quick reply send his nerves into a tizzy?

Could it be that he wasn't entirely sure what his deal was with her?

It wasn't love, there's no way it had progressed that far in a matter of hours, but it also didn't seem like lust.

Perhaps it was an infatuation? A curiosity?

Either way, Loki wanted to get to the bottom of it and he deduced that spending more time together would be the best way to solve his issue and, with any luck, gain answers.

He had to stew in his uncertainty for an hour before she hopped off of her bus across the street, her bag thrown over her shoulder as she looked around, either intending to cross the road and checking for cars or in search of him before making her move.

Upon spotting him across the road, her face lit up and she gave a wave, looking both ways to check for vehicles before making her way over.

"Hey, early bird," she greeted, adjusting the falling strap of her bag.

"Good morning," he replied, giving a small dip of the head.

She raised her eyebrow and snickered a little, a teasing smile gracing her lips.

"You don't need to be so proper, Loki, we've banged already, we're kind of past the whole prim and polite stage."

"Force of habit, I suppose."

"Ah, well I don't stop you as long as you don't mind me ragging on you about it."

"I feel it would be out of character for you to not poke fun."

"Perceptive," she smiled.

"So I have been told."

She nodded and then they both fell silent, lingering on the sidewalk as they thought of something to say.

It wasn't like Loki to get this awkward, he just felt a little out of place socialising out of work hours, it almost felt as though he had lost the ability to speak to others unless it involved business in some way.

When had he reverted back to awkward teenage years?

Heck, he had bedded this woman mere days ago and he was the one who invited her, it wasn't a random happenstance on the street so he shouldn't have been having this much trouble.

He'd lost his tact sometime between the ending of his last relationship and that moment, which he couldn't let slide.

Guess it was time for him to rebuild his game.

"And how is Bates?"

Though, he'd get nowhere with smooth talk like that.

She looked at him, eyebrow quirking before she smiled and glanced around them while nodding.

"He is well, he sends his regards."

"Polite fellow."

"I keep the best company."

"Of course," Loki smirked, "I wouldn't be here otherwise."

She laughed and nodded again.

"True, though you invited me to do something I'm still not entirely certain of."