Mischief On Earth ✔

Of Loneliness And Love

"Kyra?"

No answer.

"You know it isn't your fault."

No answer.

"You could not have known. We were all deceived. You, me, the world. She deceived us - all of us."

Still no answer. Loki's sigh was muffled from the other side of the bedroom door.

"At least say something? You worry me."

Still no response. His voice hardened.

"Kyra, I am not lying when I say I will break down this door if you do not give me any sign that you are still alive within the next thirty seconds."

Another bout of silence, and Loki was about to take a few steps back, preparing himself to be a human ram when -

"Just leave me alone, Loki. Please."

"You can't seriously be expecting me to listen to that?"

"I - I need some time alone. I need to think."

A short pause. "Okay. Take your time. I'll be staying out here - "

"No." He could almost hear her shaking her head. "I want to be alone alone. Just me. Please Loki, please. I don't want to see anyone, I just want it to be myself. Go."

He could hear the desperate plea in her voice, as if she was on the verge of breaking down.

They had drove back to Kyra's apartment directly after. She said not a single word during the journey back, and the haunted look in her eyes had his heart jumping once in awhile to his throat. He knew she was remembering, comparing herself to Judy, because he knew in her mind's eye she saw six-year-old Judy as what she could have been if she had been brought up by her biological mother.

Once they entered the apartment she went straight to her bedroom, and had stayed there ever since.

The way she had gone hysterical earlier was scored in his brain. He could replay every single detail - the sound of her screams, the pain in her voice, the helplessness in her eyes. He was shocked and beyond worried, he didn't want to see her like this ever again.

So he didn't persist like how he normally would have done.

"Alright." He stood up. He patted the pocket of his trousers and was relieved to find that it was still there.

"I'm heading back to the office to tell Richard that you're taking a day off. I'll be back for dinner with some really really good food. Sushi perhaps, with your favourite wine? If you want me to come back earlier just call - I'm your boyfriend after all, I'll come flying."

She didn't even respond to that, just a small "Okay" was what he heard. He was so tempted, so so tempted to break the door down and pull her into his arms, but she had made it clear she needed space.

So rather reluctantly, with a longing glance backward at the bedroom door, he headed out of the apartment.

*

From inside Kyra could hear the front door slam, the sound echoing all around the now empty house. She had thought having Loki leave would give her some time alone with her thoughts, and maybe calm down, but instead the sound of the door slamming make her feel like bursting into a fresh bout of tears.

Man, women really do mean the opposite of what they say.

She sat there for maybe ten minutes more, silent and unmoving, lost in her thoughts that kept blaming herself, lost in remembering Judy crying, lost in hearing Jennifer's words rebounding and resonating in her ears.