WRITTEN IN THE STARS // Loki Laufeyson

★彡 CHAPTER THREE

iii. Do A Flip!

✌︎☆*:.｡.｡.:*☆✌︎

"What's up? You're surprisingly calm today."

James shrugged and went for his second slice of pizza. "Nothing much, just Ramson being an asshole as usual."

"What happened this time?"

"I was late so he chewed me out for it. Reminded me that I'm only there because of my mutation, you know, nothing I don't already know."

"Well that's a lie and you should know that." Elle grabbed a slice of pizza from the box in his lap. "But it wouldn't hurt to be on time to work once in a while."

James laughed and took another slice.

They were sitting on a bench at the park an hour before closing time. There were only a few stragglers hanging around. The sky was a deeper grey than before, readying itself for night.

"It's a nice evening," he murmured.

"Hm? What'd you say?" Elle took a massive bite of her pizza slice and turned away from him as she began chewing it. He wished his manners were as polished as hers sometimes.

"Was just talking to myself. Fun fact: talking to yourself is highly therapeutic."

"Well I have a fun fact for you too — talking to yourself is one of the first signs of insanity."

James sighed. "Let's be real here, I think I've surpassed the first sign of insanity a long time ago. Talking to myself is probably the final straw at this point."

"Some of the greatest masterminds were a bit mad in the head, dear."

"I must be an exception then."

Elle turned to him and put a hand to her chest. "Dude, what did I say about the self-depreciative comments?"

"Oh right, optimism and all that. Got it." He waved it off, finishing his own slice. He leaned back against the bench and pressed his head against Elle's shoulder.

Elle groaned. "If you get pizza in my hair, I'm suing."

He ignored her. "I'm tired," he complained instead.

"You always are."

"Because insomnia sucks."

She put her arm around the back of the bench and patted his arm. "Don't act like I don't know, darling."

"But you don't even look tired. I look like a six year old has scribbled under my eyes with multiple purple sharpies."

She hummed. "Interesting way of describing it."

James went back to the pizza box but he found nothing was there. He looked at Elle and saw her eating the last slice. She was staring out at the grass with a faraway look as she ate. "I really wish I had money," she whispered, then bit into the crust. "What would you do if you won the lottery today?" she asked.

James chuckled. "You're going to have to give me a specific amount. You can get two cents and say you've won and it still wouldn't be factually incorrect."

"Three million. What would you do?"

He mulled over the question for a minute. "I don't know. Pay off my rent or something, save it up. What would you do?"

"You know what I'd do."

James bit his lip. "Okay, but if you were selfish, what would you do?"

Elle mused over the question. "The same thing."