you matter to me / loki laufeyson

Chapter 25

It looked different. It had only been a couple months but the house looked different.

Pulling up to Jack's house, I was met with a rush of nervousness in my stomach. Is this a good idea? Of course it is, I love him. And he loves me. He has made that abundantly clear. And no one on the Avengers team even wants me there. But Loki... no. I was just taking up space and they were exasperating themselves trying to appease me. But no longer. Go where you're wanted, right? And I'm wanted here.

I opened my door before Johnny could, ever the gentleman. While he was busy parking the car, I walked to the front door, past the large driveway and lawn. I knocked three times, the air of familiarity not familiar enough to simply walk inside the house without knocking.

A tall man with dark skin answered the door. He wore a tough face, like most henchmen had to in order to survive a tough job like this. The only person to ever survive wearing a smile was my love.

The henchman opened the door and gestured for me to enter, before telling me to follow him. As I did, I noticed how clean Jack's place was: the mirrors smudge-free, the floor clean, the pillows fluffed. He must have been doing just fine without me.... I would have thought, had I not noticed the vacuum cord that peaked out of a closet, the Windex spray bottle hidden on the kitchen counter, and how much the henchmen reeked of Febreeze.

Aw, he did all of this just for my arrival?

He always was one for chivalry.

The henchman stopped in front of the private dining room door and opened it for me to enter. I nodded my head to thank him and walked in the room.

I first noticed the delicious smell coming from the single plate that sat before a man at the table. Then, I saw that Jack was that man, looking as handsome as ever: clean shaven, suit clad, and... book reading? I couldn't remember the last time I saw Jack reading a book.

After he didn't notice me for a few seconds, which I'm guessing was intentional, I cleared my throat.

"Ahem."

He looked up with a surprised expression. "Oh, Everest. Frost mentioned you might be coming by," he said as he glanced back down at his book.

"Whatcha reading over there that is so very important to you?" I asked.

"Moby Dick. I feel it is important to brush up on our great literature every so often."

"How nonchalant of you. Remind me, which one is Moby Dick again?"

"Uh," he cleared his throat. "The sailer, of course. The book has such deep symbolism, it's really quite—"

"Drop the act, Jack, and give me some credit. Just because I got a bit of shock treatment doesn't mean my brain stopped working."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know, you don't have to impress me."

"Irrelevant. Now, why are you back?"

"Something changed. The mind stone messed me up for a while but now I'm back to normal."

"Elaborate."

"I got my memories then, but not my feelings alongside them. But now, I do!"

"Prove it."

"Anything."

"Kill a henchman."