#mortal!verse

“I hath been overcome by an assembly of rhinovirus…I’m sick.”

'Bela realised with a groan, and a backward flop of his arm, that his celestial origins were showing, his mind and tongue slipping.

“Where might I find the nearest chemist?”

"Here 'goes nothin'."

Actually there went something. It was the first time Danno had tasted food, while hoping to gain nutrient properties from it. He was close to human - so close he'd watched a television programme at 3 am (the ardent dialogue had moved him, and he wept seeing the array of kitchenware).

           ❝ I happened to stumble across these during one of my trips and thought they would be a suitable gift for you. I must also thank you for the necklace. To tell the truth, it was not something I expected to received and the manner in which I found it…? You are sly one I’ll give you that. Merry Christmas, Grá. ❞

      With a warm smile upon her lips, Mia raised upon the tips of her toes to place a tender peck upon his chin before presenting the ancient books to Loki properly.

Gentle hands accepted the fragile parchment as if it were one of early Renaissance texts received by the library the week previous; attentive of the age-stained corners, and with the utmost respect. Habit even wanted Loki to don a pair of fingerprint gloves to prevent moisture transfer, however as he raised the text to eye-level, calligraphic Norse text observed under scrutiny and double checked with a quick peek near the table of contents, an educated guess had him pin the book at a touch-safe 16th or 17th century. Greens bright in appreciation before returning to the awaiting features of his beloved.

"You stumbled across this?”

Mia looked so smug, it was all Loki could do to place the book on the kitchen table before he bent to capture her mouth in a kiss. Heat-tinged thanks, long fingers sliding into her hair, gripping a little to angle their mouths, savouring the taste of her tongue —-and then he was pulling back, smile evident in his voice as he breathed,

           "Morning."

Twisting to view the bedraggled form that was staggering into his kitchen, the librarian gave a wry smile - he loved being in control of his life, more than almost anything, but unfortunately there were certain events on this earth that no mortal could dictate. The weather, for example,

Any rational person might wish they could be well ...surprised, about an attempted assassination. Or at least mildly startled. A little disturbed perhaps? But no.

Loki anticipated it.

Crunch. Noses were incredibly fragile things ---as were shoulders, a dull pop renting the air as the librarian's coiling body dislocated the man's arm. However, as the line went in one of his all time favourite movies, 'a four man crew for me? Fucking insulting.' - these ones had obviously paid attention to all failed attempts before hand. There were six of them.

A snarl ripped Loki's lips as something pierced his left shoulder, not needing to look down to know it must have been a long blade of some kind - the ease with which it had gone right through the thick web of muscle and sinew betraying the expensive quality of the weapon.

                F u c k.

9: forehead kiss

 ”…perhaps we should rest, you have classes in the morn’ do you not?”

Loki rubbed at the bridge of his nose as he spoke, reading glasses pinched in the other hand as he struggled against the blurred vision hazing over the book in his lap. Only when he received silence as an answer did he realise that his suggestion had already been taken - Steve's youthful features eased from the lines of exam-stress and curled rather contently atop textbook and temporary workspace upon his bed.

At some point in the eve the librarian may have considered making the other sleep in the guest room, leaving their options open for the uncertainty of their current relationship. But that choice was no longer necessary, smile twitching at his lips as he eased from his seated position to collect what papers he could from beneath Steve's weight.

  "I pray you do not snore, Steven. I am not the most heavy of sleepers."

Instinct, the soft kiss brushed across the blonde's forehead as Loki pulled the blankets over exposed skin. Affectionate softness in dark gaze, warding off the night's chill soon to be enhanced by his own body sliding in beside him.