Animus (Loki x Reader)

II - Fly Awa- Never Mind

Sunday had come and gone quickly, the entire day filled with reading and bill paying. Despite finishing the book, you never went to the Sanctum, seeing as you had done a quick exercise routine when you were finished, which left you feeling lazy. You also had found a few new documentaries to watch.

You start your usual routine of waking up at six and showering, blow-drying your hair, putting on makeup and everything else, and then you made and ate breakfast. Before you leave you throw on a heavy winter jacket and cover the rest of yourself with a beanie, scarf, and gloves. You then grab a satchel, loading Stephen's book, and a cookbook you had stolen from your parents, as well as your usual items into it before leaving for work.

You arrive at the bakery around seven, always a few minutes behind Derrick, who gives you a smile when you walk in. "Did you-?"

He's cut off by a loud sequence of beeping, to which he jumps up from the wooden chair in the corner and rushes to throw an uncooked tray of cookies into the oven. "Sorry. Anyways, did you bring the cookbook?"

You chuckle and pull it out of your bag, a proud smile on your face. "Yep!"

He gratefully takes it from you, and immediately starts browsing through it as you hang up your bag and take off the winter gear. "Didn't you say you stole this from your parents?"

"Yeah, but they were jerks so I don't feel bad about it."

He looks at you with a raised eyebrow. "Were? So, are they better now?"

You shrug and move to the fridge. "I haven't talked to them in seven years, so I wouldn't know."

Derrick purses his lips and his eyes are filled with a mixture of confusion and concern. "I'm just... not going to ask."

You laugh and pull out milk, eggs, and butter, and set them on the counter next to the enormous mixer. "Oh, by the way, the eggnog recipe was a hit."

Your coworker's face lights up like a Christmas tree upon hearing the news. "Really?"

Mindy suddenly walks in and immediately looks between the two of you. "What're you two talking about?"

Both of you roll your eyes and focus back on your work. "My friend likes Derrick's new recipe," you answer.

"Ohhhh!" she teases.

You whip around and jab a finger in her direction with each syllable. "We-are-not-da-ting!"

She sticks her tongue out at you before adjusting her glasses and pulling off her backpack. "So, what're we doing today?"

Derrick, still flipping through pages, absentmindedly responds with "The usual holiday hustle."

She huffs and crosses her arms. "How long will we have to do this?"

"At least until Sam comes out of his office," he states.

Sam, the bakery's manager, always gets grumpy whenever a holiday rolls around. He's notorious for locking himself in his office and working on paperwork nonstop until things calm down. This was good for not just the workers, but the customers as well, seeing as he gets snippy when he's frustrated.

The short, red-headed girl scrunches up her nose and stomps to the back of the kitchen to prepare the various frostings and icings. You chuckle when Derrick sighs and pulls your book closer to his face.

Deciding to ignore the usual early morning happenings, you set to work, preparing a mint-chocolate batter.

~~~

The day was as busy as it had been for the past week, and nothing abnormal had happened. That is until a certain man walked in. Now it wasn't the man himself that threw you off, it was the way he acted. He came in around two-thirty, ordered a regular black coffee, and then went and sat down. He didn't have a book, or a phone, or a newspaper, he just sat in the corner, drinking his coffee...