Muffins - Loki & Ylva alternate universe stories

Muffins II

Art by Evecora and Suddenly Steinberg.

***

While Thor is talking about some video game he played last night, Loki keeps an eye on the shop windows they are walking past. There is the chalkboard on the sidewalk, they pass it every time on their way to Stark Tower. 'Coffee & Books, it doesn't get any better...' it says in curly chalk letters. He already knows what is on the other side: '... until you try our muffins'. The staff of the coffee shop often wears T-shirts with the same text on the front and the back. He glances inside; it is the early afternoon and the place is filled with people. His eyes find her immediately, it's like she is some sort of magnet. With her simple black shirt and loosely braided hair she doesn't really stand out, yet he knows he would be able to find her in a crowd within seconds. She is serving a young couple their coffee, smiling kindly at them. Loki rememberes how she had smiled at him when he met her two weeks ago. Out on the street her unusual touch had made the biggest impression, yet her smile is what haunts him ever since. It annoys him to no end, this is a mortal! A waitress, practically a lowly servant! She shouldn't be worthy of his attention, he tells himself; if it wasn't for her magical abilities, he wouldn't ever have given her a second glance.

At that moment, she looks up and their eyes meet; it is as if the distance between them melts away and she stands right before him. Loki involuntarily steps to the side, bumping lightly into his brother. Thor looks up and sees the girl looking at them through the window.
"Hey, that's Ylva, right? The one who brought the blueberry muffins." The God of Thunder waves cheerily at the girl, who waves back and smiles.

Loki picks up his pace, before Thor can come up with the ungodly idea of going inside the coffeeshop. His brother easily keeps up with him and jovially slaps his shoulder. "Have you paid her a visit yet? I think she liked you too."

"Shut up." Loki rolls his eyes and shoves his fists deep in his pockets. The rest of the way to Stark Tower Thor keeps chuckling every time Loki looks his way.

After the meeting at Stark Tower - which was pleasantly short and to the point for a change - Thor stays there to play a game of pool with the others. Spending time with the Avengers socially isn't Loki's idea of fun, so he strolls back alone. When he walks past the coffee shop someone just opens the door, holding it open for the mortal that comes out behind them.

It is a split-second decision and the shapeshifting takes even less time. Loki looks around in the coffeeshop. Most of the seats are filled; a male waiter walks past him, balancing a tray on his hand. "Good afternoon, madam!"

He nods in response and looks around for a place to sit. There is a free seat at the counter, where the girl is using the coffee machine. She looks up when he takes a seat and flashes a smile that goes straight to his gut. "Hello! Would you like some coffee too, madam? I'm making it now anyway."

"I'd rather have tea," Loki answers, more awkwardly than he would like to admit to himself. He takes off his green coat and folds it in his lap.

"Tea? I'll be with you in a moment," Ylva answers. "You can select a flavour while you wait." She pushes a large, flat wooden box his way, filled with little sachets of tea in at least 20 different flavours.

Loki's manicured nails trail the top ends of the packaged teabags in the box, his eyes following the girl as she brings the coffee order to a nearby table. She has a kind smile for everyone, something that probably gets her good tips.

Next to Loki sits an elderly lady, reading a gossip magazine. Loki rolls his eyes when he spots a picture of Thor and himself on one of the pages. They get snapped by paparazzi on a regular basis, it comes with the territory of being part of the Avengers. Loki usually manages to erase the SD-cards of the cameras, if they are close enough. At first, he just smashed the camera, but his doofus big brother put a stop to that. So now he has to do it magically, which is unfortunately less accurate. That is why every now and then a photographer gets lucky and their pictures end up online or in magazines.