#loreki

warnings: for ave's bday. lorelei rios x loki mendez. fluff

The warm breeze settles sunlit lullabies amongst the greenery. He sighs, lost in the comfort of cloudless azure and dandelion stars, breathing slowly as he lets himself go towards vast dreamscapes for the second time.

Even with his eyes closed, the warmth peeks in.

"Loki," she says gently, pinching his cheek to wake him from slumber. Smooth fingertips poke a myriad of taps on his cool skin, and he tries to suppress a bubbling grin. He can't help it, for her touch has only ever brought searing comfort.

The corners of his lips rise up, and she lets out a giggle. Hearing her mellow laughter tempts him to flutter his eyelids open so that he can get a glimpse of the ever-glowing beam reaching up to her honeyed orbs.

A calloused palm places itself atop the woman's soft one and pulls her hand towards his lips. "Yes, dear?" he whispers, breath tickling the inside of her wrist.

She then ruffles his wild fringe to fully catch his attention. Her laugh now echoing through the meadows, swallowed by the vastness of summer’s sun smiling down at them.

He perks up from his lying-down position and really looks at her, sleep totally forgotten for the time being. She smiles cheekily at him, her expression hinting at something she’d want to tell him, but she’s stubborn enough to let him go first. After all, Lorelei Rios tends to always start a challenge in regard to him (and most of the time he loses).

He could get used to this.

All those years ago, only finding comfort from the darkness within had been his way to keep the pain in check. Keeping the walls up, fortifying them to be towering enough, would maybe scare away the world from hurting him, which in return would prevent him from inflicting that same harm on others. It was stable, precise even, in the way the rot would start and stop with him. But it was exactly like how glass can cut, cold and brutal, leaving no space for even a breath.

Until her.

Even with stones stacked so high, her ivy had managed to take root and grow, persistently wrapping around each corner and crevice. Leaving behind cracks in what was once a firm barricade to finally let the light shine in. Defenseless he was, but not at all heartless, as he thought he’d be. And she had capitalized on that, such a sly woman who’d crept in so seamlessly; she didn’t pry and would let him open up in his own time.

Well, who wouldn’t come after her? She’s something of the divine, and he, a mere mortal who only ever experienced death, needed to relish that ounce of vitality that she so mercifully bestows. Gone was the cold bite of winter for the other solstice has risen, melting away all the doubt and the nightmares of the past. He knew right then and there, when their eyes first met, she was sunlight personified, not only in its positive facets but also the danger that lies within it. She was intense in a way that once you came close, there was no turning back, and only the brave would dare, just like Icarus had flown too close to his chosen fatality.

And he chooses her.

Again and again.

If she would gladly take him.

For the rest of their days.

He grins down at her, Loki’s never been good at words but he tries. He had promised her, as he gazed at the gold band on his hand, that he would try.

He takes her left hand, circling the identical gold band seated on her fourth finger, and presses two taps. Followed by a tap, a long tap, and two more taps. Lorelei rolls her eyes at his antics but fixes her seating so she can fully face him and mirrors his actions as she holds onto his other arm.

.. / .-.. --- ...- . / -.-- --- ..-

Episode 6: Knocks and Scratches

Overall Rating: 10/10

This episode earns a perfect score from me. I enjoy every moment of it —from the intense confrontation scene at the beginning to the chaotic “ghost hunting” at the end. None of the characters feels wasted; everyone gives it their all. I honestly have no complaints, but I’d still love to share my thoughts and feelings about each scene.

Melting Scene

Let me start with John Bautista’s actor. I apologize for not knowing his name. I tried searching through the internet, but couldn’t find any information about him. Still, I can confidently say he does an amazing job playing the villain. He fully embodies John Bautista as a deranged and unhinged character. I especially like the moment where he speaks to his mother over the phone, which quickly strips his evil persona.

Moreover, the way he speaks to Lorelei while explaining what he did to the other three girls is incredibly creepy. You can hear the evil in his voice and even in his laugh. I genuinely feel worried for Lorelei at that moment. If I didn’t know any better, I would actually think this is the end for her. That fear only intensifies when he starts screaming while banging the drum where Lorelei is trapped.

One thing that surprises me is how real his punches look. Compared to the other suspects in the previous crime scene reenactments, he actually makes it seem like his hits are landing. That alone says a lot about his acting.

Moving on to Lorelei—Jayda’s scream of terror is insane. She sounds genuinely frightened, like she’s actually about to die. My heart is racing the entire time she struggles against John’s attacks.

Then there’s our knight-in-shining armour, Loki. I’m honestly gagged seeing him fight—I thought he had no stamina? 😭 But he moves fast and even manages to make John bleed. And when he scoops up Lorelei, frees her, and they hug after??? I’m screaming! 

I KNOW I SAID I’LL NEVER REVIEW THIS SERIES IN ROMANTIC LENS, BUT LET ME MAKE THIS EPISODE AN EXCEPTION. The moment they hug is super nakakakilig! I know this is a detective story—a mystery, not a romance—but their chemistry is absolutely insane! My sixteen-year-old self is so happy right now.

Confrontation Scene

This scene really establishes how unhinged John is. He is under Loki’s mercy, yet he keeps provoking him by laughing at his face. As Loki continues to kick him and break his bones, he even dares Loki to hit him harder. What a masochist. He’s insane, for real!

As for Loki, I love the way he delivers his line here. I’ve been saying that they should speak more in English because they can absolutely do it, but I’m glad they mostly use Filipino/Tagalog here. Each line feels heavier, packed with anger and raw emotion, which makes the moment hit even harder.

As for Lorelei, I really appreciate how she acts as Loki’s voice of reason. Ever since she came into his life, they mirror each other in many ways, but she also keeps his decisions and actions in check —often challenging them for the better. ALSO! ALSO! Lorelei caressing Loki’s face to calm him down? Why don’t you just kiss him?! 🤭

Infirmary Scene

LoreKi checking on each other—aaahhhhh, gago kinilig ako nang sobra! Akala ko hug lang yung makukuha ko, but there’s more?! I’m going insane! It’s my headcanon, but what do you mean Loki brings Lorelei to the infirmary to get checked after the confrontation scene? Loki cares about my girl —is that what the show is trying to imply? Huh? HUH?! And then Lorelei checks Loki’s fist because it’s bleeding from the fight? Hands touching?! In my detective story?! HELL YEAH! 😝

In this scene, we also see Chief Estrada, who shares John’s confession in the interrogation room. Through this, we learn more about how Moriarty operates—he has underlings, who seem to be carrying out his orders. Unsurprisingly, John ends up dead as well, like Genesis, who stole the chemicals from the lab.

Lorelei’s PTSD

The flashback scene, where Lorelei sits beside the dead bodies while John pours the liquid on her, genuinely gives me goosebumps —the first scene in the whole series to do so. With John’s final words, “Moriya–Moriarty,” echoing like a chant in the background, the moment feels even more haunting.

Usually, Lorelei only has nightmares about her past experiences, but now they’re starting to merge with everything happening at Clark University. She needs the warmest hug. Give her a rest y'all 😠😠

New Missing Person Case

Professor Jim Morayta is here! Isn’t it odd that after knowing M’s full codename, being Moriarty, we get a new character with a similar name? Hmm. Something to think about, hihi. 

Anyway, Eric Ejercito, who plays the character, immediately establishes his presence the moment he enters the QED Club room. The way he carries himself, along with his tone when speaking, implies that he is a highly respectable professor. He speaks English fluently, too, which feels very fitting for someone who teaches higher-level math.

Speaking of having a similar name to Moriarty, I like that we can see Loki being cautious about him before shaking his hand. It’s a small detail, but it makes sense. At this point in the storyline and after all the murders and killings, you really can’t trust anyone.

With the new case presented by the professor, we are also introduced to Stein Alberts. For now, we only know him as the math prodigy who is missing. I think I’ll leave it at that. As for Monica Segundo, even with limited screen time, I love how her envy toward Stein comes through clearly. Her facial expression, voice acting, and body language during her confrontation with the duo really sell her character.

The Ghost Hunting

This is the funniest scene in the show so far. The boys are so funny, acting so terrified. I just know they are “the boys at the back” of the class XD

The acting is great, too. Even as side characters, they give it their all, especially when they’re screaming their hearts out. What really sends me, though, is when one of them goes, “Nagra-rap ka ba?” right after Loki deduces what the knocks and scratches mean. Such an asshole lmao

The Revelation

Nothing to say here but poor Stein. He just wants to compete in Math, yet he’s locked in an abandoned building. The world really is cruel 😖

---

If you want to dive even deeper and get a head start on the future episodes of the series, you can read the book here:

Lori: I don't know. Just compliment them?

Loki: Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?

Lori: Yeah, try that on them.

Loki: They're really dense though.

Lori: Maybe just tell them you like them, then.

Loki: I like you, Lorelei.

Lori: Yeah, exactly like that!

Loki:

Lorelei's POV

"Good night" I told Loki before I open my room door.

"Good night" he answered. I entered my room and shot a glance to Loki who's busy on his phone while sitting comfortably on the couch. I waited for a little while but he didn't even move. I sighed then closed the door, walked in front of the mirror and combed my hair.

I was about to turn off the light when I heard a knock, "Why?" I asked.

"I forgot something" Loki answered from the outside.

I unlocked the doorknob and swung the door open, "What is i—"

My word was cut-off when Loki rushed towards my direction and kissed me on my lips. It was so fast that I forgot to breath.

"I forgot my good night kiss. Good night Love." he smiled and went outside leaving me dumbfounded.

—Not affiliated with ProjectLoki/AkosiIbarra

summary: the appalling clean-up. yes, we do not talk about that one

pairing: loki mendez x lorelei rios

warnings: lots of cleaning. fluff

song rec: would you be so kind - dodie

A pair of heavy footsteps make their way along the sleek halls of the apartment. Vivid hues of sunlight flitter through the glass-cut windows, intromitting the peak afternoon warmth.

Slipping into their shared unit, the weariness built upon the gruesome school day finally settles on her shoulders. The boy next to her smothers a long yawn, mutual drowsiness engulfing the both of them. She makes her way toward the light switch with a skip to her step. Actions hinting at her giddiness to commence her afternoon nap time session, ready to flush out the faint feeling of after-class blues.

click

The scene resting in front of her puts Lorelei to a halt and reels her into an exhilarating madness. Papers are strewn across the floor accompanied by the couch cushions flung all over the place. The light-colored stuffing of her silk pillows sloppily spread out, decorating the interior as if Christmas snow had breezed through their residence.

An active crime scene.

Hearing the boisterous clang from the kitchen, their heads cock toward the abrupt commotion. Loki steps out, trudging carefully into the area. The sounds of delicate footfall echo through the suite, his movement wary to catch the suspect off guard.

The kitchen was not spared from all the disarray, cupboards were rearranged as well as last night’s leftovers decorated the tile floor. Loki pushes forward, each step drawing out the sound of utensils clicking against the soles of his leather shoes.

Another sign of movement startles the pair, resounding a faint creak, the refrigerator door opens wide.

The culprit reveals itself, white fur now spotted with ebony black. A paw-shaped ink trail behind its course, Freya lets out a hushed meow, a timid greeting to her owners’ arrival.

Loki picks up the cat, grime caught into a tangle of knots against its fur, and bundles her against his arms. Gaze serious on the furry offender, as if a wave of paternal responsibility washes over him, now painting her usually distant roommate in a different light.

Making her way towards the broom and dustpan, a grumble bubbles down Lorelei’s throat. She draws out a long heavy sigh, air violently coursing from her lungs to her lips, crushed from the appalling clean-up project after an already exhausting day.

“You do know that your mom and I had a long day. Now look at the mess that we have to clean up,” he utters while staring at a clueless Freya, lifting her form to eye level.

Already on the verge of deep slumber, her tired eyes suddenly widen upon eavesdropping on Loki's nonchalant implication. Feeling the heat rise unexpectedly to her cheeks, she instantly shakes her head in dismissal and shoos all the wandering thoughts away.

She reaches for the cleaning supplies when a swift hand cuts through the corner of her peripheral vision. Seizing the items into his hold, Loki marches toward the eye of their unit's chaos.

She gapes at him, bewilderment etching onto her features. Taking in the sight of something of such peculiarity, as if some unknown spiritual force had taken possession of his soul. There he is, the infamous Loki Mendez who despised carrying out the legwork, now seen tidying up their quarters. A tempting urge to conduct an exorcism on her roommate buzzes through her thoughts, adding a mental note that she should invite Alistair and Jamie to witness this monumental event happening in front of her very eyes.

Is he drunk? Did someone brainwash him to miraculously do chores?

As luck would have it, her raving thoughts were blurted out, leading the dark-haired boy to fix his attention towards her. She looks away and bites back a grin, trying to suppress her teasing remarks.

Helping her up with the mop, his hands grasp the bucket, soap suds peeking up at its brim. Loki hands it to her and he proceeds to work on a cluttered spot. He then finds Lorelie's gaze, eyes telling her to meet him halfway.

"Didn't I tell you that this is an activity I find liberating? We may be surrounded by a mess right now but all of this will pass if you actually start scrubbing the soiled floors, the chaos will not clean itself, dear Lorelei."

"Oh Loki, you and I both know that between the two of us, I am the one who often tidies up the mess," she scoffs, scrubbing the mop toward the rigid stain stuck on the black-and-white patterned tiles." And besides, I was genuinely surprised that you took the initiative to organize everything," she leans into the mop’s handle, using the tool to carry her weight, eyes scrutinizing him.

He gives a low hum of a reply.

The pair carry on with their cleaning tasks, Lorelei busies herself with the kitchen area while Loki directs his undivided attention to the mishmash of a living room. Shadows play out their efforts to reinstate their apartment back to its pre-disaster glory, movements languid from the weight of bundled student and household duties.

Their beloved club cat sits by and observes the pair’s mundane interaction through its heterochromatic orbs, the copper-haired girl directing the disheveled boy on how to organize the throw pillows upon the couch’s scratched surface.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

An afternoon spent on the quiet throngs of tiresome buzzing, the soft ticks of the clock foretell daytime’s denouement, remnants of its brilliance peer over the monochromatic interior.

Lorelei’s debilitated frame lies on the crisp sofa, her right leg dangling off the edge. Soft snores reverberate through the room, chest rising and falling to the still of tired beats. Pitter-patter, the sound of a weary heart drum out small steps, til’ she hears a shatter.

Lorelei blinks, consciousness stuck between the lines of wake and asleep, her eyes finally settle on the tenebrosity of sunlight’s descent. The reflection from grey-toned cityscapes envelops the complex with shadowed blue violets, giving Lorelei a hard time navigating her dazed form around their unit.

A disconcerting hiss bounces off the walls and the perturbed girl bolts toward the bathroom door, where the disturbance must be coming from. Small hurried steps leading to her destination.

Her eyes adjust to the radiance of the fluorescent bulbs where a big reveal of a scene consists of multicolored bubbles and overflown puddles.

Her smile widens at the sight of her occupied roommate, his usual tousled state a bit more prominent caused by the strenuous rush of afternoon’s trouble. Towel securely wrapped around a disgruntled Freya, enraged meows and tiny whines of protest pulsate through the washroom as Loki steadily pats on her damp fur.

Lorelei throws her head back in laughter as she has witnessed Freya headbutting Loki right on the forehead, earning a series of inaudible muttering from the teenage detective.

Loki then faces her, the source of amused chatter.

Her giggles consist of wind chimes ringing breezy cacophonies into summer's high.

Plopping herself by his side, arms outstretched, offering to cradle the freshly scrubbed feline. Loki instantly places Freya onto Lorelei’s grasp, and a sigh of relief escapes his lips, grateful for having to rid himself of the snowy menace.

The still silence. It settles in. Of jaded breaths and heavy-lidded eyes, a wave of exhaustion washes over them a second time.

But she's conscious.

"Thank you."

She captures his gaze. Tumultuous typhoons create greying showers within his orbs. She drowns into them. Her eyes soften.

He expresses a hint of a smile.

The pitter-patter from the leaking faucet echoes through the room, like small steps.

Small steps. That's how they were.

"I may have been partly responsible for the chaos as I may have forgotten to feed Freya before heading to school," he states, now avoiding Lorelei's glare.

A splash.

Between chattering teeth, he blurts out "Now, now, I am trying to make this right through diplomatic negotiations. I am deeply sorry, alright."

If it weren't for the fatigue settling in, Lorelei knew that her lecture would go on, but the both of them were frazzled by the bustle of harrowing student load and so she withdrew.

Though Lorelei would admit that she is grateful, truly. Admitting your error is one thing but correcting it is another.

Realization dawns upon her.

A succession of short steps meets her own.

Her hands clasp his soaked fringe and slick them back, taking in the view of the entirety of his face.

She flicks his forehead.

A pained yelp. The boy clutches the space above his knitted brows.

"That was for your mistake, I don't want it to happen again," Lorelei warns.

"But," she faintly murmurs. "I'd be caught lying if I told you that I didn't appreciate what you did."

He sighs, leaning his weight on the porcelain, his still too tired eyes burning into hers with pained gratitude.

Loki Mendez is indeed a handful.

But he is learning.

Blunt words and unconventional tactics define his very being, as the ferocious thunderstorms know no bounds. But sometimes the might of monsoons disperse into fox rain, even tempestuous gales bow down to the iridescence of the brightest star.

The boy picks himself up and quietly walks out of the bathroom. Pulling on his hoodie, Loki starts unlocking their unit’s main door.

“And where are you headed this late at night?” Lorelei questions, her one eyebrow raised.

“Need to buy replacements for the damaged decor,” his muffled reply blares from an attempt to get his head through the sweatshirt. “What color do you want your pillowcases to be?”

“Aren’t you going to contact Mr. Vasquez to pick you up?”

“My dear brother is busy with student council duties, he and Maggie will be taking overtime to make preparations for the upcoming event so Mr. Vasquez is preoccupied as of the moment."

A deafening pause.

"Fine," a rumbled sigh. "My phone is dead."

Lorelei playfully rolls her eyes.

"Would you like to accompany me?" Loki looks at her expectantly, awaiting her reply. His palm ruffling the crown of unkempt locks, he stifles a yawn.

Tired steps bearing the weight of daylight’s distress reach their unit’s entrance, she gives him a glance and nods.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Two beings stand next to each other amongst the dissonance of busy bees skirting the dull greyscapes. Cars honking and the loud tattle of strangers over jeepney drives. The city of Angeles is most alive at twilight.

Pitter patter, two pairs of feet journey through the winding asphalt roads. Shoulder to shoulder below the raging reds, tranquil greens, and blazing yellows of dusty traffic lights.

They exchange a knowing look. Witnessing a promise of young love wished upon dandelion stars into summer’s breeze. They hold onto it.

But it’s a school day and they are caught in a crowd of thousands. Encompassed by the high-rise structures and the glaring blurs of concrete jungles, no dandelions bloom here. All they have are small steps.

Spirits a bit drained, and eyes daring to shut at any moment. Though, hearts are full. Thrumming to the beat of small steps. For small steps carry moonlit affections.

They may be minute and nimble, but these steps have steered them towards each other.

In-a-Secret-Relationship Scenario 2

Lorelei is sitting on her bed, her back leaning on the headboard while she's holding a book. Its been one week since she took a vacation in their house in Manila. They have a 3-week semestral break, she took the first week in Henson's apartment with Loki and the rest two weeks in Manila. Her Dad Walter encouraged her to visit, so they can have time together after months. Although her Dad is still busy, she still enjoyed her vacation here after the different stressful case they solved.

She can't wait to go back to Pampanga, she missed her friends as well as her Aunt Martha, even Freya. For her, Pampanga feels like home more than her real house, maybe because she's happy to be there, she's happy with every experiences and memories she had in that place.

She still have a communication with her friends through calls and face time. Alistair also took a vacation in Manila but he's now on Japan with his family. Jamie took a home staycation and Loki on their mansion.

While still reading a book she heard a slight knock at the door. "Ma'am Lori?" the maid asked.

Lorelei closed her book, "Yes?" she answered, she placed the book at the top of the cabinet, stood up and went to open the door. She swung the door open and the maid 'Ate Delia' greeted her, "May bisita po kayo"

Her forehead immediately creased upon hearing what Ate Delia said, she glanced at her phone and its already 8 pm. Who will visit in this hour? Last time she check she doesn't have closed friends here in Manila.

"Sino po?" she asked. "Loki daw po"

Continuation...

—Characters from ProjectLoki

—Not affiliated with ProjectLoki or AkosiIbarra

—Typo and grammatical errors

—PURE Fictional/AU

Sub-title: In a Secret Relationship (Part 1?)

Lorelei's POV

We're on our way to the parking lot, me along with Loki and Al. Today is Friday and we're planning to have an overnight in our apartment—which in fact only Al and Jamie 'cause Loki and I were already flatmates—Jamie let us go here first and asked us to wait for her since she has still some errands to do.

When we arrived in front of Alistair's car, Al suddenly halted while looking at his phone, "May problema ba Al?" I asked. He put his phone back to his pocket and smiled at me, "No, I received Jamie's message she's asking me to help her to take her stuffs" he replied.

"Do you want us to help too?" I offered.

"No, I got this. You two can just wait here, I'll just go to Jamie." I nodded at him. I looked at Al until he's gone in my eyeshot. I went near the car and stood up straight while waiting at our two friends. I almost leap in my place when I felt Loki's hand wrapped around my waist. I looked at him, slightly surprised. "Nakakagulat ka, bakit ba bigla ka na lang lumalapit?"

"Why? Is it bad to be close like this with my girlfriend?" he simply replied.

"What if they see us like this? We still haven't tell them that we're already together" I questioned. I looked around the parking lot to see if there's any other students apart from us.

"If they caught us like this then let's just admit that we're already in a relationship, easy" he stated like its just that easy to tell them that we're already dating for months. I rolled my eyes, "We can't just tell them like that, we already talked about this ‘di ba?"

"Why are you so afraid of us being exposed as couple? Its not like we killed a person, we just love each other its not a sin right?"

"I know, I-I'm just finding the right timing. We can't just face them and say Kami na pala ni Loki. And I told you, you're my first boyfriend and I'm kinda afraid especially to my Dad"

He pulled me closer beside him as he placed a kiss on my head, "Okay, okay I'll wait until you're ready to tell them about us" he said.  I smiled and looked up to him, "Thank you"

"By the way Lori" Loki suddenly spoke.

"Yes?"

"I don't like your new shampoo"

"What?" I asked, kinda annoyed by what he said. He just broke the sweet momentum between us with that question. "I like the first shampoo that you used, it smell nice. I noticed that you changed your shampoo and I don't like it."

"How did you know? Oh never mind, are you sniffing my hair?" I asked, he looked at me innocently and nodded. "I always smell your hair whenever we hug or cuddles and I kinda like the smell of your shampoo."

I didn't know how to react, I know that he is observant but I didn't know that he is THIS observant that he even know the smell of my shampoo.

I was about to answer him when I noticed Al and Jamie from a far so I immediately distance myself to Loki and acted like we're not talking to each other.

—LoreKi fan art from my Momc Poleng (@Paupauxxxx) on twitter

—Characters from ProjectLoki

—Not affiliated with ProjectLoki or AkosiIbarra

—Typographical and grammatical errors