EPITHET || [l. loki]

xii. Renewed Partnerships

──⇌•♚•⇋──

❝Give me coffee before I gut you like a fucking fish❞

"WHAT DID YOU do this time?" Cyra called across the room, hearing the front door click before footsteps entered the house.

"The usual," Loki replied nonchalantly, tossing the briefcase in his hand across the counter and flopping soullessly on the big blue couch.

"That's specific," she rolled her eyes, "Let me guess," Cyra caught the briefcase as it skidded to a stop across the counter, "Cash? Again? What's with this obsession?"

"Brings me satisfaction to see mortals fumbling chaotically," he shrugged carelessly before a wicked grin spread on his face, "I am the god of mischief, after all."

"What happened to laying low?"

"That went down the drain a month ago, darling. I can't just stay in the house forever," Loki got up from the couch and moved towards her, lifting a finger to push her book down onto her lap, "If I may, what are you reading?"

She ignored his antics for her attention and lifted her book back up, "Strange, how mortals portray magic. But I must say... the writing mesmerizes me."

"Tragic book," Loki frowned, "Excellent writing, however. You like tragedies?"

"I find them entertaining... ironic, even. I tend to think of what could've been if they made another choice, no matter how insignificant it might seem," she hummed, flipping a page.

"Getting too philosophical," he plucked the book out of her hands and tossed it to the other side of the couch, "We're not going to talk about our various days?"

"Hey!" Cyra glared at him, lunging upward only to be pressed back down by Loki. She struggled against his grip, finally sighing as she gave up. There was one rule between them: never use their powers against each other. That was the sole agreement made when they "renewed" their so-called partnership. "Fine, I got coffee in the morning after you left and did some training."

He raised an eyebrow, "You trained for nine hours?"

"Well technically eight because I needed to get lunch."

"Didn't you say that you didn't need to eat?"

"Food is good, why should I deprive myself of it. Just like how humans buy things they don't need for their own enjoyment, I do the same with food," she grinned with amusement.

"And you got coffee? By yourself?"

"Keep in mind that I'm not the one who told the barista to 'give me coffee before I gut you like a fish'," Cyra rolled her eyes, "Why? Can't picture a daughter of Thanos being capable enough in communication to at least get a coffee?"

"Whatever. Still, eight hours? Really?" He lightened his grip on her shoulder as they both sat upright on the couch. "You know we're safe here, right?"

"Laying low doesn't mean we're safe, Loki. Besides," she glared at him again, "Didn't you stop lying low ages ago?" She subtly gestured towards the case on the counter. "Besides, I enjoy training. It was... what I was trained to enjoy. I don't have much to do besides from that." Cyra averted her eyes on the ground sadly, thinking of her past.

Loki frowned before picking up the book from the side of the couch and handing it back to her, "Cheer up, darling." He flicked her on the forehead, "What do you want for dinner?"