In Exile

Chapter Thirteen

"This is ridiculous."

"Ridiculous, but the best for us."

Loki scoffed and rolled his eyes, looking away from you as he crossed his arms over his chest and pouted like a child not getting their own way.

After your cleaning session after breakfast, you had set about preparing for the next stage of Loki's stay, the one bit that you weren't full prepared to get into just yet due to his nature but also one that you needed to lay down before you got too cosy with each other's company.

Once everything was washed up, rubbish and leftovers were thrown away and any leftover ingredients were put into the fridge, you wiped down the counter, ripped a sheet of paper from one of your many notebooks and called Loki into the kitchen.

"I don't need rules."

"Well I think you do."

"Well I think that you Midgardians should keep your business to yourself, as I will keep mine to myself."

"And typically I do, but you are now living under my roof and I am setting some ground rules, which I will add to if need be."

There was a brief glaring match between the both of you before Loki looked away again, his face twisted in displeasure.

You shook your head and started putting bulleted numbers down on the sheet of paper, you weren't sure how many you would need in total so went to five and left it there for the time being.

"Alright, rule number one, no complaining about the food."

"And what if it really is awful?"

"Then you'll have to learn to cook for yourself."

Loki grumbled and shot a dirty look towards you, which managed to make you smile despite yourself.

Needless to say, you were already enjoying this torture way too much.

"Rule number two, we will each clean up after our own messes."

"Excuse me? You don't have servants to do that for you?"

You lifted your head up from the paper you were writing on to look at him, noting the cheeky smirk that showed that he was, thankfully, only joking.

"You almost had me there for a second," you commented.

"I may be a Prince, but I'll have you know that I am not attuned to mess, that is more Thor's style and even he wasn't that bad."

"I'm actually kind of surprised."

Somehow despite the task that you were both partaking in, one which Loki had already whined about having to do, there was a comfortable and amicable atmosphere that coated the room.

He had taken the first two relatively well and you hoped that things would continue down this path, though that was a fleeting thought as you thought of one niggling voice in your head piped up with a suggestion you knew he was going to hate.

You mentally noted to mention that bit last.

"Rule number three," you continued after clearing your throat and trying to divert your attention, "for at least an hour after I get back from work, I am to have some alone time."

"That's easy enough for me, I don't particularly want to be around you anyway."

"Okay, that hurt."

"They do say that the truth hurts."

You flipped him off and tapped your pen against the paper, glaring down at the poor sheet as if it had been the one that wronged you.

"Whatever, rule number four, no bringing hook ups to the house."

"Pardon?"

"Hook ups," you replied, trying not to laugh at his bemused face, "like random dates that you plan on sleeping with and never seeing again."

"I'm insulted you would even insinuate I'd be that kind of person."

"If the stories about you in Norse mythology is anything to go by then I'd say you're more likely to bring multiple people and maybe a horse while also having a girlfriend."

Loki scoffed and shook his head, "We all know the horse story was hardly that linear and those stories refer to my previous lives."

"Now it's my turn to ask, pardon?"

"You don't know the theory of a God's life?"

You frowned in thought, pursing your lips a little before shrugging.

"Sorry, not a clue."

"It is said that once you have reached the status of a God you can go no higher, so when you die you are reborn as that same God."

"Oh, I see, so you're Loki but not mythology Loki?"

"In layman's terms, yes."

"That's actually pretty interesting," you smiled, leaning against the counter with crossed arms, "so you're still Loki but not the Loki that did those things?"

"Technically and there were many Loki's before him as there shall be many after me."

"Wow, for once you actually come across as kind of interesting."

"I have my moments," he chuckled.

"Though it's almost a shame, I kind of liked the image of you as a red head and Thor in a wedding dress."

"If that is what amuses you then I shall invite you to our next feast on Asgard, once the mead starts flowing things get a little out of hand."

You laughed at the mental image that flared up and smiled at him, pointing your pen towards him.

"I'll hold you to that because you're going to hate the next rule."

Loki's face instantly fell and his eyes narrowed suspiciously, you could see his body tense underneath what you learned he called his 'armour'.

"I'm dreading to hear what this will be."

"And I dread telling you."

There was a silence as you stalled, mentally preparing yourself for the bit you knew he was going to hate.

"Alright, for now the fifth and final rule, unless I find something else we need to negotiate on-"

"We are hardly 'negotiating' right now."

"-is that you will need to find a job."

Loki's entire being seemed to freeze and stutter to a halt as his eyes widened and he looked at you as if you had just told him that all books, bar your own, were to be confiscated indefinitely.

"Excuse me?!"