WRITTEN IN THE STARS // Loki Laufeyson

★彡 CHAPTER ONE

i. All For a Cup of Coffee

✌︎☆*:.｡.｡.:*☆✌︎

With mismatched socks, jeans and a jumper, James all but falls out of the door to his apartment, runs down the stairs and out into the ever-busy streets of New York at 10:32am. Work had started two hours ago.

He ran into the road and casually almost got hit by a car. With raised hands and a frazzled smile, he continued across the road, and like magic, all the cars stopped for him as he passed (if you ignore the honking). 

It was like every other summer day in New York — cloudy yet warm with the delicate design of every cloud defined to perfection. The sun, albeit invisible, was the source of warmth for the day. A soft breeze blew and it was a very welcome source of therapy for James who was on the verge of a breakdown.

James stopped stark in the middle of the pavement as he watched the bus drive right past the stop. He took out his phone, the numbers on the top of his screen blaring 10:51am and the urge to call in sick becoming unbearably present. Next bus was due in 20 minutes.

"Running will be faster," he concluded, making mental calculations as to the shortest route there and wondered if he had time to stop off for coffee.

As he ran, he spoke to himself animatedly. "If I go down that road where that care home used to be, I'll cut down the time by at least seven minutes, plus there's that neat little coffee shop opposite which makes their coffee really quickly. In conclusion: I have enough time for both."

There was no chance he had time for both, but there was no harm in ignoring that, right?

There was also the irrational thought that perhaps if he also bought a coffee for his boss, he'd go easy on him. Of course that logic was flawed on many levels, but he was already late, an extra four minutes wouldn't be anything.

He crashed into the shop with heavy breaths. Upon the stares he got, he straightened up and walked towards the counter as quickly as he could while also looking as cool as possible.

The barista tutted with a smile on her face. "James, late again."

He winked at her, leaning against the display glass. "That's my trademark, Grace. The usual with added haste please. I'm currently fearing for my job. Oh, and whatever you think my boss would like too."

"I don't know your boss."

"To be honest, I don't think anyone really does."

She stared before shaking her head and heading over to the coffee machine.

James could see his working 'office' just beyond a couple houses and the broken down care home. He tried to estimate how long it would take if he sped-walked all the way there or if he should risk getting coffee everywhere and run.

Grace tapped the counter and slid the coffees over. "Here you are, Mr Leyings."

He spun around and grinned, handing her the owed cash (and a little bit more). "You are a godsend," he said as he walked backwards with two piping hot coffees in hand.

She laughed, waving him off. "Be careful on your way."

"Will do!"

Once outside of the shop, he took a sip of one of the coffee's just to ensure that it wouldn't boil his tongue off as he sped walked. It was indeed too hot, but by the time he got there it would be cool enough.

Though he looked up from his coffee a little too late. He bumped into someone rather harshly and spilt coffee all over himself and the other person.

He hissed at the heat and dropped one of the cups, desperately swishing his jumper to relieve his hot skin. He also started apologising profusely to the person in front of him.