When a God Falls (LokixFemaleReader) [COMPLETED]

9

All the way into town I'm terrified that I'll squash the little mouse in my pocket. Every time we hit a bump or the car turns a corner, I freeze up and try to move as little as possible, reaching a hand down to protect Loki. I get a shock every time he moves around, and I feel his soft whiskers brush my hand every so often, sending shivers down my spine.

Finally we're there, and I carefully slide out of the car and reach into my jeans, drawing out my small furry companion and placing him gently in the breast pocket of my shirt where he'll be more comfortable and at less risk of death by asphyxiation.

"It's cold," he complains in my head, squirming against my chest as he wriggles around.

"Deal with it," I breathe, "I'll put a jacket on in a second, but you won't be able to breathe."

"Then put me in a different pocket."

"Ok, which one would you like? I've got the left breast pocket, right breast pocket, left and right jeans pockets, left and right jacket pockets, back pockets on my pants... really, take your pick."

"How dare you speak to me..."

"Shut up, you're a mouse in my pocket so quit complaining."

"I am a God, you dull creature!"

"Stop it with the god shit already! You're staying in my house, you're sitting in my pocket, and you're not exactly in any position to talk down to me."

He's silent after that, but I end up moving him into the front pocket of my jacket. I wander with the dogs, one hand in with Loki and the other one holding the leash, round and round the Arboretum as Fin does unnecessarily fancy tricks with a soccer ball. Occasionally, I feel the tiny furry body of Loki's mouse form shift positions next to my hand, but other than that he doesn't cause any trouble.

It's almost lunch time when we head back to my house, and by then I'm fairly sure that if I have to be near another mouse again, I'll lose it. I don't usually have a problem with them, but something about having one in my pocket is decidedly unpleasant.

After lunch – reheated spaghetti bolognaise, I decide I need to clean the roof. I haven't been able to do it in a while, because I'm too scared to do it without another person. I mean, if I fall, who would call the ambulance?

I get an old trowel from the shed, then, while Fin's inside having a heated discussion with his coach, I slip into the spare room.

"You're gonna help me clean the roof," I say to Loki.

He tilts his head to the side, frowning slightly. "Am I?"

"Yup, I need a partner."

"What do I have to do?"

"It's not hard," I shrug, "you just sit there and if I fall you yell out. Fin'll come and call an ambulance, and I won't die."

"Why can't Fin do it then?" he challenges.

"Because he's scared of heights, and because he's on the phone. Now come on, we gotta get up there quick."

With a sigh, Loki gets up from his position on the camp bed and follows me out the door, then around the back of the house to where I have a ladder set up. I climb up, then hold it as he does the same. When we're finally on the roof, I motion for him to sit down so nobody can see.

I get to work quickly, flicking black gutter-filth down onto the ground below as Loki sits, watching me carefully. The way he looks at me is unnerving, like I'm some kind of laboratory experiment and he's measuring my every move, collecting information. I shiver.

"You coming?" I ask when I'm done, dropping the trowel next to the ladder and scrambling up the side of the roof towards the spire.

"What was all that?" Loki asks when we get to the top, one hand resting on the side of the tall stone tower.

"Dunno," I say, looking out on the mountains behind us. "Bird shit, rat shit, possum shit, dead leaves, dead animals..." I trail off, catching his horrified look.

"And you drink that water?" he asks incredulously.

"No, that's gross." I point down to where I can see the top of the water tank, and the filter system above it. "I can show you when we get down, but I've got a system."

He nods, and we slide carefully down the side of the roof back to the ladder. Fin's still inside, so we head quickly to the ground, then I go ahead into the house. I quickly rinse my hands, then head back out to Loki.

I lead him around to the tanks system, glancing around to make sure Fin's not around as we go. It's a large tank, sitting on top of a frame so it presides over affairs with a lord-like presence. Where there would usually be a tap, is a hose running into a smaller, transparent tank filled with layers of different rocks and stones of varying sizes. Coming from this tank is the pipe that leads to the church's plumbing system.

"Water goes in the top," I say, "goes through the rocks and all that, then comes out clean. Simple."

"This is a human invention?" Loki asks, surveying the tanks.

"Um... yeah? We have brains, you know."

"I never thought that you were this technologically advanced. Remarkable."

"Excuse me?" I say, slightly baffled. "This is like... medieval stuff. You should see the shit they're coming out with at Stark Industries. That's some pretty cool tech."

He doesn't say anything, just shakes his head and continues to stare at the tanks.