Bets and Wagers

Three

My strange day proved to be more than just a one-off chance.

A day and a half had passed without further incident.

He ignored me and I ignored everyone unless called upon specifically, it was good.

Then on Wednesday afternoon, he showed up again and lingered around like a bad smell.

Not saying anything or doing anything, he just stood at the window and watched the world go by with his hands behind his back, one hand clasping the opposite wrist akin to the pose he had taken on Monday.

On Thursday afternoon, I waltzed my way into my office after lunch, feeling refreshed and ready (read: Overfull with a sore stomach) for another round of reports only to find that Loki had taken residence on my two seater in the corner, one leg propped up against the other with one of my books resting open against the propped leg.

He looked up and caught me standing there, staring at him.

"You left your door unlocked," he said by way of answer.

"So you invited yourself in?"

"Of course, it was quiet and you have books, what more do I need?"

"Permission, maybe?"

"Such a trivial thing when it doesn't come to important matters," he sighed before looking back at the book.

"Like my privacy?"

"Do you truly get privacy in a place this chaotic?"

I admit, he had me stumped.

So, I sat down at my computer and continued my work as he read the book he'd effectively stolen.

In a way, it was kind of comfortable once I settled into it.

I finished my report minutes before my shift ended.

I saved the documents, sent them off and then shut down the computer with a loaded but happy sigh and a little tippy-tap of my fingers atop the desk as I pushed my chair back.

"Quit time," I said to myself, forgetting that Loki was there until he looked up and let out a small hum.

"I suppose that's my cue to leave as well," he commented.

Standing from his perch, he closed the book and set it on the arm of the two-seater.

"You can take that with you, if you wish," I said.

Loki looked down at it then looked back at me with a smile.

"I think I'll save it for tomorrow."

And he stuck to his word, the next day he returned to continue reading and that was our new routine for the next week.

For reasons I could probably never comprehend, he had decided that my office was the ideal place to hang out when nothing else was happening.

It wasn't exactly the kind of office that screamed 'welcome' to guests, but he seemed to enjoy that and took some kind of solace in the fact that it was a private room without it being intimidatingly secure beyond my protected computer.

Most of the time he let me work without saying a word, instead choosing to occupy himself with wandering around to look at the sparse decorations on my shelves and the titles in my bookcase, which he'd also taken open invitation into plucking out and reading.

The only time he would interrupt me was when he had a question about something, like where I had got a specific item or if I had a recommendation for him.

Truthfully, it was starting to get a little wholesome.

On Friday afternoon, after all was said and done, we entered the elevator together and rode down to the ground floor.

My fingers were clasped around the strap of my bag and Loki's fingers were linked in front of his waist as we rode in silence.

Eventually, he turned just a little to look down at me.

"Do you have any weekend plans?"

I looked up at him and slowly shook my head.

"I rarely do," I replied.

"No friends?"

"Oh, I have friends, but they live quite far away so we plan our get togethers."

"You must miss them."

"I do," I nodded, "but we talk regularly in other ways so it's not too bad."

"Good, lack of communication breaks down even the strongest of barriers."

I snickered and nodded again.

"How about you? What are your weekend plans?"

Loki took a moment to think, taking a deep breath as he shrugged.

"I suppose doing as I always do, trying to avoid Thor's incessant persistence in getting me outside while enjoying my own company."

I couldn't stop myself from laughing and Loki smiled along with me.

"You two really are something special."

"You think so?"

"From what I've seen and what I've heard when he talks about you, I would say definitely."

The elevator reached its seemingly never-ending descent to the final floor and the doors opened with a high-pitched ting.

Loki stepped to one side, allowing me to leave first while he trailed behind me as we both left the glitzy foyer and entered the chilling air.

"Well," I said, fishing out my headphones from my bag and untangling them, "I shall see you on Monday."

"Yes, bright and early."

We both smiled, lingering for a moment before turning in opposite directions and going our separate ways.