LOKI IMAGINES

Hello, Neighbor!

Your quiet morning readings were rudely disturbed by the loud unloading of a U-Haul truck just outside your living room window.

"Just one day. Just one day of peace and quiet!" you annoyingly hissed into the air, rubbing your temples frustratingly. The ruckus was far too loud for you to continue focusing on your novel, and so you stopped reading altogether. Ruining your plans for the rest of your once quiet Saturday morning.

You grumbled incoherent things under your breath on your way to return the novel back onto the bookshelf across from you. You huffed and sat back down on your sofa, grabbing a throw pillow to project your anger towards.

Your already ruined morning got even worse when the moving guys started shouting at each other when moving the larger pieces of furniture. It soured your face and your tongue, not having the appetite to finish the warm tea on your coffee table.

You calmed down from your initial annoyance, hours after the moving guys finished unloading the truck. It was now well into the afternoon and the sun was getting closer and closer into the horizon. You decided to put on a movie on the television while you bake cookies. Whilst you were taking out the ingredients from your pantry and fridge, you notice a sleek black car enter your neighborhood and park right infront of the house that the U-Haul truck was once parked in.

You saw a figure exit the vehicle and enter the house right across yours, and so you presumed this was your new neighbor. Being the generous soul you are known to be, you decided to bake an extra batch of cookies for your hopefully lovely new neighbor.

When the cookies inevitably finished baking and were a tad bit cool, you gently placed them in a linen lined wicker basket to deliver them to your neighborhood's new resident.

You arrived at your neighbor's front porch, holding the basket of cookies in one hand, the other knocking softly on the hard wood door.

When there was no swift answer, you tried to knock again but the front door swung open infront of your face, revealing a very tall and pale looking man. You couldn't speak for a moment because he looked so familiar. Jet black hair, a straight nose, high cheekbones and green-blue irises that always seem to battle for dominance in his eyes.

It's Loki from your childhood neighborhood. Not to mention, your hometown friend.

Right?

"Loki?" you said breathlessly.

He said your name aloud as if in a dreamy state, like he was relieved in some sort of way. Out of sheer happiness you leapt into his arms for a hug, you squeezed him tightly for a second then you remembered he wasn't a very touchy feely person so you let go.

"Sorry. I forgot you weren't into hugs." you stepped back.

"No worries. It's alright." he reassured you.

"Goodness, it's been too long." you said in a wistful tone while smiling, utterly lost in the moment.

"It has. It has." he stared at you, mesmerized. The both of you stood there looking at each other contently until you snapped to your senses and cleared your throat, tearing your gaze away from his.

"I- um, baked you cookies," you grinned. "That's why I came," you handed him the small basket. "You can keep that." you added, rather awkwardly.

Loki cleared his throat, looking at the blanketed pastries in the little basket. "Thank you very much. You haven't changed." he said fondly, a smile ghosting his face.

"No, I guess not." you chuckled. "You on the other hand..." you teased, gesturing over his form.

Loki snickered quite bashfully, tipping his head down in embarrassment. "Oh, please. I've grown in height that's all."