Jewel Thief ◇ L. Laufeyson

3 ◇ mocking

"GIVE ME ONE reason not to kill you," I spoke with a steely gaze, meeting the stranger's eyes.

He clasped his fingers together, like he was deep in thought. "You won't kill me. You're too curious. Besides, I mean no harm. I only want to chat."

"Kidnapping me isn't the best way to start a conversation."

He chuckled and snapped his fingers, and all of a sudden I was sitting in a leather chair, just like the man.

"My name is Dr. Stephen Strange. Pleasure to meet you, Miss Stark," he said, his voice very smooth. "I admit, I was getting impatient. You don't leave that tower very often, do you?"

"I'm a homebody," I replied, pulling the bottom of my dress down. I felt like my legs - and upper thighs - were on full display.

"Oh! Here, Miss Stark," Stephen snapped his fingers again, a thin silk blanket suddenly covering me. His eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching a bit. "He gave you that dress, didn't he?"

I furrowed my brows and sighed. "I didn't really have a choice."

"Loki is dangerous. I noticed he had been dropping in New York lately. He's quite fixated on you, isn't he?"

I shook my head. "I don't know why, Doctor. So please don't ask me to explain myself, because Loki's motives are unknown to me."

He breathed deeply. "I believe you have no real choice in this matter. But the truth is he is infatuated with you, and he is chaotic. That's why I wanted to meet with you."

I stayed quiet. The doctor continued. "You have to keep him in control, Miss Stark-"

"Don't you understand I know that?! I'm trying my best, but Loki isn't scared of me. I can't control him."

"But you are a weakness. You realize he cares for you, right? You're not that oblivious..." When I blankly stared at him, he sighed and put his palm to his forehead. "You're much less intelligent than I thought."

I glared at him for a moment, then let his rude comment roll off me. "It's all an act, Doctor. Loki's mischievous, and I'm keeping my eye on him."

"He's looking for you, right now. He's very upset, too. Like a child looking for his mother." He smirked, eyeing the ring. "Though I think he sees you as something else."

I stood up, pushing off the blanket. "If you're only going to tell me what I already know, then I'm going to leave."

"No, no. I just wanted to make sure you knew of me. And that I know of you. And if you, or Loki, get out of hand, I will step in."

I scoffed. "Alright, then, Doc, you have fun with that. I can handle myself." I glanced around and frowned. "I wanted to make a dramatic exit, but I don't know where the door-"

"Right, right," he stood up, "I'll put you back, Miss Stark. Be careful."

A golden blaze surrounded me, and I nodded politely at him. "You too."

Suddenly, I was back on the street, the boxes of cookies lying on the sidewalk, luckily unopened and unharmed.

There wasn't anyone else on the street, only a very distressed Loki. He was on the other side of the street, looking around wildly. He as mumbling to himself, too. He was shouting my name every so often, then grumbling about how I was "too unpredictable. Too fiesty. Maybe she went home? Leaving me alone..."

I laughed at his worried state. Seeing a god scared out of his mind for my safety was enough to make me giggle. I grabbed the cookies and ran across the road. When I made it to him, his back was turned, so I tapped on his shoulder.