Are you afraid?

26

Loki's POV

After Obi disappeared the three at the door had left me to my reading.

The silence is welcoming here. It's only a fraction of what the library in Asgard is but it'll do.

I let the words take me away placing myself into the main characters shoes. Seeing what they see, feeling their pain.

Books truly are extraordinary in that way. One moment you can be you, then the next your a mighty knight on an quest to save the damsel.

Father never appreciated books. Nor did Thor, but me and mother? Oh she would read to me for hours. I'd never bore of her narrations. This will probably be what I miss of her most.

I sigh heavily closing the book in my hands. I've mostly finished it already. It's about time to get something to eat.

Crashing sounds from the hallway as someone or something runs down it.

"Loki!" A demonic voice growls as the crashing gets louder and in the same way closer. I quickly cover myself in an illustration to become invisible not wanting such negative attention.

"Your making such a mess!" Someone calls from down the hall just as a shadowy creature runs into the room looking around.

"I ssssmell you!" Obi's voice is still demonic and scratchy gaining a hiss as he looks for me. This is not the same cat I had interacted with earlier this morning.

"Obi that's enough," Raven says sternly, walking into the room holding a broken vase "you've broken a vase is your tantrum and what was the rule of the day?" Obi visibly shrinks down turning to her trying for pity.

"But, I didn't mean to break it. It was an accident," he says "it's not fair to be mad at me for an accident." Raven places the vase down crossing her arms.

"Alright. If you can find Loki and get him to fix the vase you will be off the hook," Raven says smirking. I flinch in shock at her preposition to the creature. It wanted to harm me earlier and now she wants it to find me?

"Fine," Obi huffs looking around and flicking out a forked tongue "I'll find him easy." I watch as he walks towards me confidently. I look at Raven who is still smirking but at me now seeming to smile wider as I look at her.

"How can you be so sure he's there?" She asks suddenly causing Obi to freeze.

"Wait! That's not fair! You can't mess with his fear!" Obi growls turning on her back arched up in anger.

"Never said I was. I was just trying to ask a question," she says calmly looking down on the creature "do not growl at me. We never made any rules." Obi deflates at this flicking his tongue out a few more times before turning back towards me with less certainty.

"He has to be there," he says seemingly to himself flicking his tongue just inches from my feet. I fight the urge to move away unsure of the whole situation.

"Feel free to move around," Raven says chuckling when Obi looks back over at her "no one said it has to be an easy thing for him to accomplish. We all know you'd prefer not to be in the same room as me. Oh, and let's not forget Obi Loki can teleport." I'm confused by this reminder is this some sort of game?

"Wait no!" Obi calls sounding legitimately panicked "Loki! Please don't! I'm your friend remember?!" I'm starting to feel bad for the creature. This doesn't seem to be a fair game and she's purposely trying to cause him distress.

"I don't know Obi," Raven sighs dramatically "you did come in here pretty hot earlier." Obi flicks his tongue out looking back at me before flicking his tongue a few more times.

"You are there still right? We're friends right?" He says tilting his head and turning into a cat "I was only playing earlier. I wasn't actually going to do anything." I look back over at Raven who's looking at me curiosity.

"Hmm. Well looks like he's not going to help you," Raven says shrugging walking over and scooping up the cat who pouts as she looks him in the eyes. I watch in horror as I catch her eyes flash to red as a sinister smile creeps onto her face. She's not going to hurt him is she?

"You know what that means?" Now Phobia asks and Obi looks down sadly before nodding slightly. I can't just watch this.

"Wait stop!" I say dropping the illusion "I'll fix the vase. See? All fixed." I say motioning over to the now perfectly intact vase. Phobia looks over at me with a shocked look and Obi looks over in absolute joy squirming out of her hold.

"See! I've made a friend!" Obi says running his side against my leg. I keep my eyes on Phobia fear taking hold now that I've got her red eyes on me.

"Yes so it seems," she says before smiling boldly "nice to see you clearly Scrumptious. I was wondering if you'd just poof away or not." I nod shakily in response.

"What were you going to do to him?" I asks trying to fake bravery in the face of fear.

"I wasn't going to do much," she says shrugging with a giggle "but he was being a bad boy, and bad boys get punished." Obi huffs sitting on my foot. I can't find the bravery to move him with her this close.

"I just wanted to scare him a bit for the unfair trick played on me," Obi says in a very childish way.

"T-Trick?" I ask braving a look down at the now cat.

"With the laser," Phobia says chuckling "he felt quite betrayed by the prank."

"But that wasn't me!" I say looking back at her seeing the large grin on her face.

"Even so, you could have told me what it was," Obi huffed moving to climb my trousers "you watched me chase the dot." I don't look down at him completely frozen in the eyes of the women in front of me. She smiles wider at my obvious fear of her. She steps closer to me invading my personal space.

"You have such nice eyes Scrumptious," she says her smile becoming more sweet then before although still chilling "it's a shame we don't talk more. I'm sure Raven would enjoy talking with you as well. She's been wanting to ask you about a book. The Giver? We saw you reading it." I swallow thickly fighting the urge to back up. She wants me to be afraid.

"Why is that of any-" I freeze up when she tilts her head at me and backs up.

"You believe I wish to cause you fear for my own gain," she says it's not a question and her voice becomes bitter "do you truly think so little of me? Think me such a monster that I enjoy your discomfort?"