All Work and No Play - Loki x Female Reader

Twelve

She had these little habits, Loki noticed as they sat at the table eating together.

It took her a while to straighten up and pull her shoulders back once they had sat down, slowly regaining a confidence she exuded when she was walking around over time, it was obvious that she felt uncomfortable sitting in public areas to eat and was hyperaware of herself.

If she laughed or overjudged the size of a bite, she would cover her mouth and lean back in her seat as though she were covering imperfect teeth that weren't as noticeable as she would think.

She'd also be sure to not look around too often, when they had first sat down she had scanned the area and then found a point that she could focus on when she wasn't looking across or at the table or menu.

Everything screamed of a self-conscious woman and Loki thought it was utterly ridiculous but understood that the mind is a cruel thing, giving you thoughts that you couldn't battle or believe if someone else voiced them.

He understood self-hatred all too well, but he did wish she wouldn't worry so much and let herself loose, as she had on the night they first met even if that had taken some convincing on her friend's part.

It was strange how he found these small acts of self-comforting endearing, especially the mouth covering.

She stabbed one of the prawns in her Linguine con Gamberi and then twisted some of the pasta around her fork, looking to Loki as she finished her story about a particularly difficult customer that she had dealt with at work with a little laugh.

He chuckled in response while cutting a piece of the lamb from his Carré di agnello in crosta di pistacchi, nodding slowly as he put the meat into his mouth and gave a few savouring chews.

"I too have had to deal with too many irritating beings," he smiled, shaking his head, "mostly in trying to sate them from something moronic that Thor has done."

"Ah yes, I have heard that he's quite the...uh...character?"

"To put it lightly."

She laughed and picked up her drink to take a sip, twirling some more linguine onto her fork.

"He must drag you into some wild adventures," she said before putting the forkful into her mouth.

"He does," Loki nodded, picking up his own glass of wine, "but I get my revenge with petty schemes to get us out of them."

Loki was sure that he knew what was coming next.

That particular line of conversation always went the same way, so he started to prepare some stories in his head, the same ones he had told a thousand times when he was in the mood to placate people's curiosities.

He watched her while collecting some of the roasted vegetables onto his fork, trying to keep his face neutral from the internal judgement that was going on in his head.

Finally she finished her mouthful and met his eye, Loki's breath almost caught in the back of his throat in anticipation of what was to come.

"Oh really? What kind of schemes?"

Loki immediately opened his mouth to reply before faltering, involuntarily flinching back with a rapid blink of surprise.

"I'm sorry, pardon?" He asked, suddenly feeling dumb in his stupor.

"What kind of schemes have you pulled to get out of the consequences? It's okay if you don't want to tell me."

"No," he said quickly, shaking his head. "It's not that, it's more that I'm not used to people wanting to hear escape plans, they usually want to hear the adventure that lead up to it."

"And if I was talking to Thor I'd ask him, but I'm talking to the God with a reputation for trickery so I'd like to hear some first-hand accounts from the deity themselves."

He couldn't deny that he was slightly taken aback, sure she wasn't the exact first to ask him for his account but it was such a rare occurrence that it always surprised him at least a little when the chance sprung up, especially one where he wasn't being judged or trialled for his choices.

"As long as it's not the wedding dress story," she continued with a smile.

"Ah, not to fret, that was many lives ago," he chuckled softly, "and thus not this Loki's story to tell, despite how humorous it may have been for them."

"That's okay, let's hear something from this Loki."

She scraped up the last bits of her food, put them in her mouth and then leaned forward against the table, arms crossed as she looked at him attentively, waiting for him to begin.

Loki couldn't believe that someone was so enraptured with something he had to say, but he wasn't going to turn down the chance of being the centre of attention and getting some of his stories out.

"Okay, then let me tell you about the time that Thor almost got sacrificed to the Fossegrim and how I out-fiddled him for my brother's life, literally."

An hour and a half, plus obligatory desserts, had passed before Loki felt that it was perhaps time for them to leave and allow someone else to use the table.

She was reluctant to leave, apparently enjoying his storytelling more than he was enjoying telling them, which was saying something as he was basking in the reactions she was giving him.

The street was no quieter as they left the restaurant, in fact, given that the schools were letting out, they were beginning to get busier as students wasted their time with friends before having to get back home for dinner and homework.

A breeze had picked up while they were inside and the light was already beginning to wane, the winter months settling in nicely.

"I can't believe it's getting so late already," she said with a sigh.

"Time does seem to get faster with each passing year," Loki nodded and then smiled wryly. "I know all too well, I've passed many."

"But you're still young at heart," she laughed while slipping her phone from her pocket and catching the button on the side with her thumb, illuminating the screen. "Guess I should see if I can catch the next bus home before all the kids take over and it gets too busy."

"Or, alternatively, I could drive you."

She looked at him with widened eyes and then gave that shy, uncertain laugh that he was getting accustomed to as she shook her head.

"That really is asking too much after you just paid for my food."

"Once again, it is no hassle if I offer."

"I feel like I'm taking advantage of you."

"No more than I am taking advantage of your time," he replied, looking down at her with an expression that made her stomach flip. One that was reasoning and yet non-negotiable. "I live barely twenty minutes away and it would use up more of the time that I need to somehow waste, I feel using it with you is better than using it to wander alone."

She stared up at him and then gave another sigh, though this one more exaggerated than the last for dramatic effect.

"If you insist."

"I do."

"Okay, then I will insist that you come inside for a drink and perhaps a bakery nibble once we get there."

Loki raised an eyebrow but then pulled his lips into a one-sided smirk of amusement as she smiled up at him, obviously being as stubborn as he was.

"Fine, I relent, you may keep my company for the evening."

"Wonderful," she chirped,slipping her hands into her pockets. "Then lead the way."