The Ancient Sorceress ~Loki x Bucky AU~

Chapter 6

Working at the bakery today was just not my cup of tea...no pun intended. After not sleeping well last night I was a little on edge. I was doing my best to make customers happy and trying to get orders right...but I just kept messing up. I dropped a customers coffee on the ground when I almost tripped in front of their table. I made a customers latte wrong. I completely zoned out on one woman when she was telling me her order. Hana quickly took over and just had me deal with things behind the counter or in the back.

Thank you Hana for saving me from this literal day of disaster.

I just spent my time working on making muffins or any other pastry I knew how to conjure up in the back. I was working on a third batch of blueberry muffins when Hana walked in.

"Hey, are you alright? You have never had this much bad luck with customers or coffee or anything!? What is going on?" Hana could tell something was off. She was shocked that you weren't leaving every customer you talked to with huge smiles on their faces and big tips on the table.

"I just...couldn't sleep. Sorry." I wiped my wrist across my cheek, brushing away my silver hair that had fallen from my ponytail and into my face.

Hana stood in front of me and grabbed the bowl I was mixing the batter in. She, slightly aggressively, set the bowl down to the side and huffed as she put her hands on her hips.

"Couldn't sleep? I have never heard of you not being able to sleep. This stuff has never happened to you before and I'd really like to know why." Her faced was contorted into anger but yet I still knew Hana wasn't actually angry. Maybe just upset or worried.

"I don't really want to talk about it." I shrugged her off and reached for the bowl again to continue doing my work. Not even five seconds later, the bowl was snatched from my hands and put on the table behind Hana this time. I looked at her pointedly.

"Don't you have customers to help. Just let me finish this batch. I'd like to do something right today." I snapped. I didn't want to share with Hana about my nightmare. I did not want her to go digging in things she didn't need to know.

"No. Now please listen to me carefully. You are my friend. Probably, my best friend at this point. I know you like your privacy but when something is seriously wrong that it is drastically changing your behavior, then I have a right to question it...let alone worry. You have bags under your eyes, your face is looking more sunken in than usual, and I am really worried about your eating habits." She states, satisfied that she has noticed all these uncommon things about her friend.

I looked at her with a straight face. I didn't care if she was worrying about this stuff. I didn't need her worrying about me. I could take care of myself. I was doing just fine and I wasn't going to allow her words to bother me...

"I haven't seen you eat at the bakery unless Alice is with you, which is rare, and she makes you. I doubt that you eat on a regular basis or you wouldn't look as thin as you do. Today, you were jumping and tensing up at every sharp sound and loud customer. You were zoning out, and I haven't really seen you smile today. Now I don't know if someone is hurting you, or you had a rough childhood... I don't know!! But whatever it is, you need to talk to me. I am not here to hurt you. I am your best friend and heck...we are girls! We don't talk about boys or soulmates like com'n." She raises her voice along with her hands in the air and finishes her rambling. She stands there...staring at me.

I didn't think I would have someone that would notice like her. I mean, maybe Alice notices but I guess she doesn't say anything or doesn't know. I just sat there blinking at Hana. My eyes started to sting as I could feel the emotion rushing up into my eyes. I rested my hands on the counter and put my head down. I tried to stop the tears that threatened to fall, but they fell anyways. Hana frantically came to my side and pulled my chin up with her hands. She took her sleeve of her shirt and wiped the tears from my face. She gave me a small smile and then pulled me into a hug.

I didn't really care what was happening in that moment. I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed her tight, accepting the loving hug my friend was giving me. I continued to cry into her shoulder, softly sobbing as the pent up emotions were just rushing out. Hana was slowly rubbing my back as I calmed down. I stepped out of her arms and took a step back looking at her.

"I'm sorry for crying, I guess... its just that no one has every loved me or cared so I still have to get used to it." I said shyly and looked down at the ground. Hana immediately grabbed my face again with her hands and shook her head at me.

"You have no reason to apologize. I notice and care because you are my friend. I know you don't open up to people well and I get it. Trust issues man. I will always be here for you. You never have to worry about that." She chuckles and laughs and directs me to go sit out in the bakery at our favorite spot by the window.

I notice all the customers are gone, so it's just Hana and I in the bakery. This makes me relax a little bit seeing as customers don't get to see me cry. We sit down and Hana takes hold of my hands in a loving manner.

"So can you tell me what has got you all tense and jittery?" She lightly rubs her thumb across my hand in an attempt to relax me.

"I had a nightmare." I put shortly.

"What was it about?" She asked curiously. I tensed up again and pulled my hands away from her. I turned my head to look out the window. Sniffing, I wiped my cheeks with the sleeve of my top.

"My past..." I put sharply, hoping she would get the point. She sighed and leaned back in the chair.

"Ok, can you tell me why you haven't been eating properly?" I glanced back up at my friend. I shrugged my shoulders. I didn't really know the right answer to that question.

"I...I don't know. Mostly just don't feel like eating. It's not all the time though. Just happens occasionally." I held my head up with my hands and placed my elbows on the table. Hana was watching my every move, trying to discern whether I was misdirecting her, or telling the truth.

"Well... you need to eat Doe. You can't just skip meals. That's bad for your health." I got up quickly and walked over to my bag, remembering the banana I put in there earlier in the afternoon. I brought it back to the table and held it up to Hana's face.

"I brought this to eat but never did. Happy?" I said as I started to peel the banana and take small bites. I giggled slightly and relaxed as I saw her lighten up and give me a smile.

"Yes that makes mommy dearest very happy," Hana said in a posh accent, mocking me.

I laughed back at her and pulled back my sleeves, slowly eating my banana, careful not to waste it. I put my right arm on the table in front of me, still focusing on my food. I heard a quick gasp and tensed up...confused. I looked at Hana and saw her wide eyes looking between me and my right arm. I looked down and saw that my soul mark was halfway visible. I hurriedly put my arm under the table out of sight.

"That is your soul mark! Please don't hide it!" She rushed her words as if she is scared I, myself will disappear.

"You weren't supposed to see that..." I hissed and I look away from her.

"No stop Shadow..." She said my full name. "You never talk about your soulmate. Your mark is beautiful. I just want to see it. Maybe I can tell you a bit about my soul mark and show you mine?"

I stopped and looked at her. Hana always means well. But I don't want to show my mark. I don't really know much about who it could be or how we could meet.

"If you show me yours, and tell me about soulmates...then I will consider showing you mine... deal?" I looked at her with raised eyebrows. "But we don't speak of this to anyone...not even Alice. I want to be the one to tell her."

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Authors Note

I really hope you guys are loving the story :))))

Please feel free to comment on things you like or don't like or whatever. I would love to hear from people who are reading my book.

LOVE,
Me

4/9/2022