Her habits were easy to anticipate. Her return text, with the same message, had been expected, so he put his phone on silent. Sherlock watched it vibrate and light up, her name briefly flashing on the screen before it went right back to sleep mode.
As before, he decided not to reply, if only to have the last word. However, his self-control was testeda few weeks later when news of one of Moriarty’s allies had escaped. Somehow, he managed to keep a straight face around his brother, only to grab the phone and fire off a quick text.
Dinner. 7. Anna’s place. – SH
Anna was the name of the woman who’d brought John to the dilapidated factory, and he knew that Irene would understand the reference immediately.
Irene looked down at her phone with a smile, it wasn’t often that she managed to get a reply out of him, never mind a face to face meeting. Maybe he decided to turn over a new leaf in the new year.
A girl can dream.
She took one last look at her phone, she has a while before she had to meet the consulting detective. But she did have to get ready, something that can take her ages, depending on the choice. The battle dress probably wasn’t the right choice this time, even though she knew she’d get his attention with that.
She slipped into her robe and moved over to her closet, this one was going to be a tough decision.
Irene couldn’t figure out why she’d suddenly become so nostalgic, it wasn’t her style, but she remembered a before Moriarty when she was playing her game with her favourite consulting detective.
With that thought, she picked up her phone.
‘Let’s have dinner. - IA’
The ‘obscene’ ringtone hadn’t been removed.
Hecouldn’t.
So when Mrs. Hudson snapped her head up and commented on its continued existence, he took his phone and excused himself. The message was short…and always the same. But as the fireworks began to set off, he chose to be a littledifferent this new year.
For a few seconds, at least.
Happy new year. –SH
The vibration in her pocket brought a small smile to her face and there was no one else it could have been, her contacts and her other games were on hold, they had been since the case with the royals.
One more game… Irene thought to herself, one more game can’t hurt.
Irene couldn’t figure out why she’d suddenly become so nostalgic, it wasn’t her style, but she remembered a before Moriarty when she was playing her game with her favourite consulting detective.
It was getting difficult to concentrate, to even form words. The pleasures of the flesh weren’t exactly new to her in that, well, she did live alone and had a lot of time on her hands. And how else was she to study the human body? But this was very different from the pleasure she gave herself. This was with a man. A man she might be developing emotional ties to, something she neither wanted nor needed; it would only cause problems and complicate things when it was time to say goodbye. And she would have to say goodbye eventually.
Yet those thoughts, any thought, was driven from her mind, replaced by white-hot heat that rivaled the lightning outside. His name echoed around the small cottage on her voice as her hips lifted into his hand and she convulsed, nails digging into the well-worn wood of the table.
Henry had had his fair share of rumors, both being spread by him and about him. And he had to admit that she was right there. His finger continued to move inside her, brushing against that sensitive spot and pumping in and out, mimicking the motions he would make once he’d slid his length inside her. Only when he felt her orgasm rack her body did he slow down, slipping his soaked finger from her and finally, finally freeing himself from his trousers. He was already hard, and the warmth and ease with which he entered, slowly, giving her time to get used to his length, had him groan. His head tilted back briefly before he looked at her again, his hands gripping either leg as he began to push her further down him.
Hokulani knew the mechanics of sex, given her part-time job as midwife, and she studied the human body, male and female, when she could. This was far different than her own fingers. Henry filled her up, stretched her. It was such an odd feeling, if one took away the pleasure aspect. She burned for him. It was the only way she could describe it. She was burning up. As he pushed in further, she was sure that she wouldn’t survive.
“M-more…” she whimpered, her hands finding the hardness of his belly before moving up to his chest. “I want… all of you, Henry…”
It was a bold statement, but given what they were in the process of doing, it should really be surprise. She leaned up, seeking his lips with her own.
While Hokulani had appreciated Bellatrix’s (odd) concern, the witch couldn’t stop her. Nor could Nagini, who Hoku cave a reassuring stroke over her wedge shaped head. She could feel the Dark Lord’s anger; it was a living, breathing thing. It rose the fine hairs on her arms, at the nape of her neck. The flight or fight response was strong and all her instincts screamed at her to leave.
But she didn’t.
Instead, she spoke softly, holding up the worn leather bound book that had been tucked under her arm. “My Lord, I mentioned before that my mother left behind many diaries. Diaries that I’ve read a hundred times. This is the last one, not entirely filled, and toward the end, her writing was… erratic. As if she were in a rush. It mostly seemed like jibberish to me. Until I heard part of the prophecy when it smashed at the Ministry.”
She still nursed the bruises from that night; Bellatrix had really taken advantage of the fact that Hoku was a double agent. She set the diary on the floor between herself and the Dark Lord. She tapped the book with the tip of her wand and stepped back. The room pulsated with magic as the book flung itself open with an invisible wind. Pages ruffled, the book tearing itself apart. Pages and ink swirled in a mini tornado until it took the shape of a body. Standing two feet tall, the ink-and-paper Alani stood before them.
“If you are listening to this, My Lord, I must have already passed on.” While it was indeed Ailani’s voice, it sounded as though she were far away. Tears brimmed Hokulani’s eyes; she’d already heard this the night before when she had deciphered her mother’s words. “Severus is not the only snake you have. I was there, that night, in the shadows. They couldn’t see me, I was too low to the ground. The information Severus passed onto you was not complete.”
Ailani then recited the prophecy in its entirety. “The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives… the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies.”
The small paper head turned, staring directly at Voldemort, as though it were truly alive and not a record of a woman long dead. “I have served you faithfully, my Lord, for many years. Not once have Edward and I ever wavered in our belief in you, nor have we ever asked for anything in return. Now, I ask, as your most faithful… watch over our Hokulani. Guide her as you have guided us. I, Ailani Hewahewa-Crawford, being of sound mind and body, name the Dark Lord Voldemort as godfather of Hokulani Hewahewa-Crawford.” The head turned once more, saying unblinking at the Hufflepuff. “Hokulani, your father and I love you very much. We’re already so proud of you.”
And then the small body was gone, an explosion of paper and ink as the book reformed and shut closed, going quiet. Hoku swallowed, lifting the book and hugging it to her chest. Tears ran silently down her cheeks.
“She’s mad.” Bellatrix was the first to break the silence while he had remained as still as a statue. He knew of Ailani and Edward’s loyalty to him, but he had to agree with Bellatrix. Ailani was mad to think that he would ever make a good godfather. The most he could do for her was to teach her how to fight, and he was already doing that. All that that display had accomplished was add a label, nothing more. What he was more focused on was the prophecy that Ailani had recited, and it added an interesting layer to what Severus had given him. Despite her sentiment and love for her daughter, Ailani was proving to be quite useful, and it was that usefulness that kept him from protesting his appointment.
Besides, Hokulani was already close to graduating; she didn’t need someone to guide and protect her. Once she was through with her lessons, she wouldn’t need a godfather in her life.
“Neither can live while the other survives. So it only proves that he must die.” The words were murmured more to himself than to either witch in the room. Hokulani’s tear-stained cheeks were not commented on, and Bellatrix’s resumed death glares were ignored. As far as he was concerned, both women were far too emotional for his liking. Had they not shown their devotion to him, he would have dismissed them a long time ago. “But what POWER does they keep referring to? You haven’t seen him with any special weapon while at school, have you?” This time, the question was clearly aimed at Hokulani, and he stood before her, silently impatient and intimidating, as if his very presence could prompt her to stop her tears and answer him coherently.
If he thought really hard about it or even understood the complexities of the magic associated with love, he might have figured out the puzzle sooner. But Voldemort was a wizard incapable of feeling any kind of love, and his experiences growing up in the orphanage had further emphasized that love was weakness, incapable of giving any form of strength. Thus, it was his hubris, and it could very well lead to his downfall. It was precisely what he was trying to prevent. but it was also possible that his actions were leading him right to it.
If the Potter boy indeed have some kind of secret weapon, the only true counter-measure that he could think of was to find a strongerweapon. He had read a lot of books about magic in his school years and even after, and he knew of one weapon, a wand, that obeyed only one master and could trump any attack and win any duel.
The Elder Wand.
Despite her age, Hokulani was not stupid. She understood what her mother’s words meant even if the adults in the room didn’t; by appointing Voldemort her guardian her mother had ensured that Hokulani was protected until she could protect herself. Much as her parents would have done, were they alive. When the Dark Lord finally did address her, she was quick to dry her eyes with a sleeve- it was a moment of weakness she would make sure she wouldn’t show him again. Besides, she only allowed herself one good cry a year anyway.
“In all the years I’ve know Harry Potter, it’s been made clear what his strengths and weaknesses are.” She met the Dark Lord’s gaze evenly, even as her heart pounded. “He’s recklessly brave, never shying from a challenge, even if said challenge puts him in danger, especially if someone he cares about is at risk. He’s ridiculously loyal to those he calls friends, which I believe are his greatest assets. He inspires loyalty in return because he loves them.”
She ignored Bellatrix’s snort and continued.
“I know I’m inexperienced, my Lord, compared to you and the others, and my use to you might be limited, but I know what I’ve observed. I’ve spent years as a tiny snake, watching from the shadows where no one can see me because that’s where I’m most comfortable, and love, as ridiculous as you or anyone who follows you might think it is, is a potent weapon because I’ve seen it.”
She reached out a hand and immediately Nagini was there, her large head fitting snuggly against her palm and Hoku looked down at the snake with affection.
“Love is what makes Bellatrix your most dangerous weapon. My mother and father loved you- not a romantic love but love nonetheless -enough so that they were willing to leave their daughter alone in the world when she was just a baby and die for your name instead. James and Lily Potter died for the mere sliver of a chance that their son would live, because they loved him.”
Finally, she lifted her gaze back to the Voldemort, her dark eyes searching his scarlet ones. Really looking at him, seeing him, unafraid where she should have been. “I’m just sixteen. I should be worried about exams and boys and what I’m going to do after I graduate from Hogwarts, about clothes and my weight and all those ridiculous things teenaged girls should be concerned with. But I’m not. I’m here, among murderers and revolutionaries, because I love you, just as my parents did before, and I’ll most likely die for you and you’ll not even remember my face after I’m gone. And Harry Potter is powerful because he loves his friends, and at the end of the day, he would die for them, which in turn, inspires more love from them. Love, utilized correctly, is the most potent weapon we have.”
It was hours until Hoku finally returned home. The first thing she did was drop to her knees and scoop the four of her cats into a tight hug, kissing each of them in turn. She was exhausted, dirty, and her eyes hurt from crying. There was so much devastation, people frantically trying to contact family and friends, afraid they wouldn’t answer. A lot of them didn’t, wouldn’t, in the coming days and weeks.
Once she was assured all five of her cat children were safe, she made herself a hot bath and sank as far down in her claw foot tub as she could, her hair floating on the surface of the steaming water like a thick mass of seaweed. She stayed in the water until it started to cool, got out, and pulled on boyshorts and a tank top. As Loki pawed the television on, she wrapped her arms around herself as she watched the news; it was the same on every channel: the deviation brought about by the Snap (as it would become known as in the coming years) and how the Avengers could let something like this happen.
With shaking cameras, brief shots of the Avengers were shown… the ones left, anyway, because not even a superhero was immune to magic as old as the universe itself. She scooped Loki into her arms, seeking his warmth as briefly a shot of Thor was shown. “He looks so defeated. As difficult as it’s going to be for regular people, for them it must be worse.”
Once, a long time ago, Nick Fury had approached her about the Avengers Initiative. She had politely turned him down. She enjoyed her freedom too much. She nuzzled Loki’s head. “I love you.”
The image of Thor flashed across the screen at the same time that he was picked up. Loki didn’t protest but instead began to purr, licking the back of her hand. Distant though he was, he did feel some form of affection for this cat-loving witch. He glimpsed some of her earlier memories, of how she helped the others before returning home. She’d shared their pain but had brought some kind of stability that allowed them to gather their strength long enough to return home safe.
But he knew that this was just the beginning.
It would take years, if not decades, for the survivors to pick up the pieces. And if he knew Thor, he wouldn’t take things lying down. He would find a way to hunt Thanos down and force him to use the Stones and reverse the effects. Loki wriggled closer, his head smooshed between Hoku’s breasts, as if he wanted to just crawl under her shirt and hide from the rest of the world. He waited for a knock on the front door, of the familiar booming voice telling him to quit his charade and to HELP them.
It never came. Life continued, albeit grudgingly, as there were those who refused to accept that their loved ones were gone. Cats, dogs, and any kind of cuddly companion seemed to be viewed as comfort pets now, and whenever he wandered outside, he could expect to be grabbed by one of the children and hugged within an inch of his life. This time, the children ended up dropping him by accident on a muddy puddle. Thus, he was pretty grumpy by the time he was found, his fur dirty and rumpled.
And life continued. It had to, because there was still three-billion-something people left on earth, even if entire towns had been dusted. The real issue was that entire species of animals were nearly wiped out, the endangered ones which now had no chance to recover. This would start a chain reaction that would, down the road, lead to a mass extinction event. Thanos might have achieved his goal, but he didn’t wipe out half of the population of a planet; he doomed the entire world.
This wasn’t Hoku’s concern, at least right now. No, her concern was scooping Loki up and taking him inside for a bath. She herself was dirty from working in the garden. She never bothered to close the door as the cats always figured out a way to open it and join her within the sea-green room, though Hoku never minded. All her cats enjoyed water, though Thran would never admit it and Momo sort of just… floated in place; Kalapana enjoyed swimming and little Tiggy liked to splash around much to Thran’s annoyance.
Once the tub was filled and there was the right amount of of lavender/vanilla bubbles, Hoku climbed into the tub with Loki still in her arms. Most would think she was crazy, but not once had he ever scratched her (unlike four others she could name) so she didn’t see what the problem was. She laid back, having rolled a towel to support the back of her head against the porcelain, and settled him on her naked breasts.
“I don’t know what I would have done if I lost one of you to the Snap.” With one hand, she gently poured warm water onto his body, using the other to rub along his back. “Especially you, Loki. I just found you. I refuse to give you up.”
“You’re a needy little thing, do you know that?” Not that she minded of course. It was easy enough for her to tote him around in her arms and do absolutely nothing else for the rest of the day.
She had trouble getting going in the morning, sometimes, but not since Loki showed up on her doorstep. Opening her eyes and seeing stare down at her in the mornings was a great way to start her day. The early morning was mostly uneventful, but by mid-morning things started to change. She started feeling almost ill, though of course she hid it from her customers, pressing a hand to her stomach. There was too much negative magics in the air, so to speak, and she could feel it.
She pretended to adjust things at the register counter as she listened in on th two women’s conversation. The battle in Wakanda seemed to the the source of the bad energy; war always generated bad mana. The women thanked her and departed the shop, the little bell above the door tinkling softly. She let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.
Out of nowhere it hit, a shift in the magic that circled the world. A surge of power unlike any she had ever felt before. It knocked the breath from her body, and before she realized it, Hoku snatched Loki up from the counter and ducked under it, practically crushing him to her chest. Her breathing came in hard,l and a bead of sweat rolled down her temple; she was sure she was having a panic attack even though she had never had one before.
Then the screaming started.
Vehicles crashed as their drivers turned to ash; a car would have came right through the front of her shop if it wasn’t stopped by the protective barrier she had up. As quickly as the surge of massive magic cane, it was gone. The screaming continued, the panic as not only that world but all worlds were thrown into chaos. After what seemed like forever, Hoku crawled out from under the counter and cautiously made her way outside, Loki still in her arms.
People- less people than there should have been given the situation -were scrambling around, pulling passengers out of cars where drivers simply vanished; down the block a mail truck had plowed into a fire hydrant, and a truck was through the front of a boutique. Other cars were crashed into each other. There were hardly any responders on scene.
Her first thought was to get home, to make sure her other cats were alright, but she couldn’t just run away and hide. She held Loki up in front of her, hands under his front legs and she pressed per lips against his face. “Listen to me, Loki, I know you understand words. I need you to go back to the shop and stay there, okay? I need to help where I can, but I can only do that if I know you’re safe. I’ll come get you after and we’ll go home.”
She gave him another kiss before setting him down on the sidewalk, trusting that he would (hopefully) listen to her. She took off, running over to a car that a group of people were trying to pry the door open to get the young teenager out of. She used her magic, bending the metal with her mind enough that the door could be pulled open. If the strangers noticed it, they didn’t seem to care, helping the boy out. She moved onto the next group that could use her talents.
His response was a surly meow, but he obeyed by returning home. He could hear the yowls from the corner of the street, and he raced the last few feet to slip inside via one of the half-opened windows in the kitchen. Loki paused, seeing Kalapana first, and then Tiggy ( who practically bowled him over in her excitement ), and then Momo, and finally Thran. They were all there. He relaxed and joined them on the floor where they stayed huddled. The other cats didn’t fully understand what was happening, but they had heard the pained sounds that some of the neighborhood animals made. It was enough to make them all afraid, and they ended up lying next to, or in Tiggy’s case, ON, him.
When they heard the keys in the lock, the four darted forward while he stayed on the floor, rolling onto his back. Most of the neighbors had been crying for hours, and it was from their spluttered words that he learned that thousands, if not millions, of people had disappeared at the same time. Thanos had finally achieved what he had set out to do, and it was to eradicate half of all life. From animals, to Midgardians, and thousands of other species across the galaxy, he had simply Snapped them out of existence. A part of him wondered whether Thor had been among them, but he chose not to focus on that worrying thought. Mainly because he believed that if his adoptive brother had ‘died’, he would have felt it.
Loki yawned and closed his eyes, selfishly content that HIS world hadn’t been impacted by much, if at all. News reports began to play all around them as frantic neighbors raced to figure out what was happening, and the knowledge that they weren’t the only ones affected was some kind of comfort. It also added to their nervousness because what if it happened again? It was the kind of phenomenon that felt unstoppable even by those who possessed magical abilities. It wouldn’t be long before panic and confusion began to spread, and Loki finally got up and rubbed his body around Hoku’s ankles.
Her little television was one of those box ones, not the fancy flatscreens that most people used. Thus, it was easy for him to stand on his hindlegs and push the ON button, retreating a few paces so that he could see the screen. Like all channels, a news report was playing, along with a live counter showing the number of people who were missing. The figures were practically flying up, with the numbers reaching a million in the span of ten seconds.
It was hours until Hoku finally returned home. The first thing she did was drop to her knees and scoop the four of her cats into a tight hug, kissing each of them in turn. She was exhausted, dirty, and her eyes hurt from crying. There was so much devastation, people frantically trying to contact family and friends, afraid they wouldn’t answer. A lot of them didn’t, wouldn’t, in the coming days and weeks.
Once she was assured all five of her cat children were safe, she made herself a hot bath and sank as far down in her claw foot tub as she could, her hair floating on the surface of the steaming water like a thick mass of seaweed. She stayed in the water until it started to cool, got out, and pulled on boyshorts and a tank top. As Loki pawed the television on, she wrapped her arms around herself as she watched the news; it was the same on every channel: the deviation brought about by the Snap (as it would become known as in the coming years) and how the Avengers could let something like this happen.
With shaking cameras, brief shots of the Avengers were shown… the ones left, anyway, because not even a superhero was immune to magic as old as the universe itself. She scooped Loki into her arms, seeking his warmth as briefly a shot of Thor was shown. “He looks so defeated. As difficult as it’s going to be for regular people, for them it must be worse.”
Once, a long time ago, Nick Fury had approached her about the Avengers Initiative. She had politely turned him down. She enjoyed her freedom too much. She nuzzled Loki’s head. “I love you.”
The newest addition to the Hewahewa-Crawford family seemed to heal incredibly quickly, but Hoku wasn’t complaining. The small foyer separated the kitchen and living room, but given the matching pair of arches allowing smooth access between them, Hoku could see the cat from the corner of her eye as she dished out equal shares of fresh tuna into separate dishes, each one engraved with a cat’s name; the new cat simply got a small plate until she could figure out what to do with him.
He watched her with an intense wariness, his tail twitching back and forth. She was used to cats staring at her (especially in the bathroom) but there was something about this big boy’s stare that was unnerving. There was an intelligence in that stare, as though he could see right inside of her. All her secrets. Her desires. It was ludicrous to think that a cat could be so intense, but there he was, entering her kitchen as if he owned the place and devouring the tuna that was set down for him.
That same day, she found him on the back of a chair, pawing one of her ridiculous amounts of books off the shelf. This particular tome was old and she watched with raised brows as he pawed through the pages until he found the chapter on Loki. If they could, her brows would have lifted right off her face and into her hair was he used one of those paws to point at the word LOKI and meowed up at her.
Cool, cool. She adopted an eerie cat who could read.
She could move things with her mind, so really, was it that strange? At least he got along with her other cats, for the most part, even allowing little Tiggy, who was really still a baby, to cuddle with him.
It was an eventful weekend, but all too soon, Monday rolled around, which meant back to work. But as they said, find something you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. She took Loki with her into the town proper. Bell, Book, and Candle was her little shop among other little shops, situated between a cafe and a second-hand shop. As the name implied, her shop specialized in charms, books on the mystical, and candles, salts, teas, and soaps to aid in… well, anything one could possibly need aiding in. All homemade of course.
During lunch she crossed the street and went down the block with Loki in tow to the pet shop where she got him a pretty green collar and used their personalization machine to make him a tag with his name on one side and her information on the other. She put it on him when they returned to the shop, giving him a smooch on the head and a scritch under his chin. “I guess you’re mine now, hm? And I’m yours, as long as you’ll have me, my darling.”
To her, an animal was not a slave nor a pet, much like a human wouldn’t be. If one of her cats ever truly wanted to leave, as heartbroken as she would be, she would let them go. If they chose to stay with her, as they have so far, she would continue to treasure them.
One thing they seemed to disagree on with her was her choice in company. Some of her more frequent shoppers would stop by for a home visit, just to chat, or looking for advice. These were usually the older women and occasionally a teenaged girl and her friends, sometimes a mother seeking a more natural cure for their child’s ailment (though Hoku never implied her homemade remedies were somehow better than modern medicine, thank you) and these types of guests never bothered the cats. In fact, they delighted in them as a welcomed guess often brought treats or new toys or attention and sometimes all three.
No, what her cat’s didn’t seem to like were the guests of the… male type; unless they were accompanied by their wives or girlfriends or were old enough to be Hoku’s grandfather. Not that Hokulani had many single male visitors; she rarely went on dates. However, there was Philip. He was a bank manager from London who had to often make trips to other branches of his banks, which included the one in Whitehaven. Apparently, he had spotted Hoku one day eating lunch at the cafe next to her shop and was “smitten ever since” (his words) and just had to speak to her. It had taken him months to finally wear her down enough that she agreed to a date.
He was attentive, polite, and seemed interested in what she had to say. Hoku would never say it was love, but she was fond of him, and did find him a bit attractive, even if he wasn’t all that fond of animals. That, of course, changed the moment she rushed into the living room from the kitchen where she was making them lunch. Her dark eyes took in the scene before her. Her other cats, who had shot under furniture the moment Philip arrived, gave her all the information she needed. While she could tap in and see what a human thought in words (which she rarely did as she believed in privacy) and animal’s mind worked more in pictures. Through her cats’ minds, she saw Philip kick Loki was was just minding his business.
She scooped Loki up, holding his big-little panther body to her chest protectively. “Get out of my house. Lose my number. In fact, forget I exist.”
“Now, love, lets calm down. It’s not what it looks like. I didn’t see him th-“ Philip broke off watching in growing horror as the other four cats emerged, fur raised, ears back. They spit and hissed, and he had to jump back as a paw, claws on full display, swing for his shin. As the cats advanced, they weren’t the only ones spitting.
“A man who can hurt an animal whose so small compared to him is no man at all. He’s a childish bully who has no place in a woman’s home.” The cat’s lunged and he backpedaled. Somehow, the front door was opened. Momo, with his solid body, planted himself firmly in Philip’s path.
The jerk tumbled out the door, landing hard on his backside where he looked up to see six pairs of eyes looking at him like he was worthless. Those eyes were focused on him, unwavering and even his massive ego was deflated in that moment. Hoku looked magnificent, all wild hair and dark eyes. Surrounded by her cats in her overgrown cottage in the woods, she indeed looked like the witch the townspeople whispered about. Equal parts beautiful and frightening.
“And to think I actually considered sleeping with you today.” And she slammed the door, turning the lock in place. The cats watched through the curtains with satisfaction as Philip limped his way down the path to the road and hopped into his car, peeling away, hopefully never to be seen again.
Hoku cuddled Loki to her breast, rubbing the top of his head with her nose. “I’m sorry, my baby. The mean man will never hurt you again. No one will. Or I’ll kill them.”
She was a feisty one indeed, and Loki was purring long before Philip had tumbled out of the house and right on his ass. He threw a triumphant look at Kalapana, and no words were needed for the mutual agreement that passed between them. He could sense that the female cat didn’t like Philip either. His manipulation would benefit all of them in the long run in the sense that they didn’t need to worry about dealing with someone as cruel and moronic as Philip Astor.
Loki closed his eyes in response to her nuzzling, placing a paw over her hand as if to bless her for her swift reaction. He would end up protesting if she decided to put him down on the ground; it would be hours before he allowed her to let him go. He was perfectly content resting his furry little head on the swell of her breasts.
Once he joined the other cats, however, he lay down on his belly, ignoring Tiggy, who climbed over his back and ended up using him as a pillow. The sound of their food bowls clattering in the kitchen didn’t even prompt him to move, so he was the last one to eat his dinner that night. He did follow Hoku into her bedroom and make his way onto her bed, using her butt as a cat bed once she rolled onto her stomach.
He knew that this kind of life couldn’t and wouldn’t last, but as far as anyone and even Thanos knew, he was dead. His body long lost in space, floating forever in the endless horizon. There was no reason for any of the Avengers to search for someone who no longer existed; this was his chance for a new life and a new identity.
Even if it meant being stuck in a cat’s body.
Morning came with him waking her up by sniffing at her cheek and then meowing twice. He knew that she needed to be up at a certain time so that she could be in her shop twenty minutes before it was supposed to open, and she was never late. Not since he started living with her, that is.
He liked going with her to her shop: most of her customers were nice, and they patted and stroked him whenever he was within their reach. Even the children seemed to be fond of the jet black cat with green eyes who sat by the cash register, and he purred at them if he was in the mood. Some of the tourists also asked for pictures with him and the other cat(s) that was there, but he rarely obliged. He didn’t want images of him being spread, just in case his brother ended up seeing them.
He followed Hoku to the store ( he never needed a leash or a harness ) and slipped in once the door had been unlocked and opened. After a quick check of the inside, he determined that there was no one else there, and he plopped down on his usual spot on the counter. The muffled conversations coming from the outside provided soothing background noises, and he rested his head on his chin.
That is, until he heard one of the first few customers discuss the disturbances in Wakanda. They’re saying it’s aliens, one of the women muttered as she put a few bottles of Hoku’s best-selling soaps. A few of the Avengers have arrived, and it looks like a fight’s about to start. You think that cute blonde one is going to be there? You know, the one with the huge hammer?
Loki narrowed his eyes at the gossiping women as they puttered around the store. But he could hear them perfectly from where he was sitting, so he just watched them like a hawk as if he thought that they were shoplifters. Now and then he moved to avoid getting in Hoku’s way, but he refused to leave the counter. The women finally finished shopping ( they’d gotten stuck at the tea shelf ) and brought their baskets to the front where they greeted her with a warm smile.
One of the women had whipped out her phone and was watching something, and she gasped and showed her friend live videos of the war, shot from a shaky camera. The familiar sight of the Chitauri flashing across the screen had him hiss and stand on all fours. So far, it looked like the Wakandans’ and the Avengers’ efforts were working – the shield was being rather effective – but he thought that it would be wiser to let the Chitauri in and slaughter them before the shield broke.
They would need to keep out something stronger soon.
The women had left before he could see what happened next, but based on their screams of joy, Thor had arrived. Despite everything, he still worried for his older adoptive brother, and he almost transformed just to insist that the women stay and show him what was happening. Before he could, however, there was a sudden, STRONGshift in magic that had him shudder and his neck throb in pain. Ghost fingers seemed to wrap around his throat and squeeze: echoes of a memory that hadn’t even begun to fade. He retreated to the other end of the counter, curling up by Hoku’s hand, but before he could seek or offer comfort, the screaming began.
He didn’t need to look outside to know what was happening: people began to turn to ash and disappear, leaving the rest to wonder in horror over what had happened. Loki looked up at Hoku, only to see that she was still there. He licked the back of her hand to make sure that she was, and a few minutes later, it was all over.
“You’re a needy little thing, do you know that?” Not that she minded of course. It was easy enough for her to tote him around in her arms and do absolutely nothing else for the rest of the day.
She had trouble getting going in the morning, sometimes, but not since Loki showed up on her doorstep. Opening her eyes and seeing stare down at her in the mornings was a great way to start her day. The early morning was mostly uneventful, but by mid-morning things started to change. She started feeling almost ill, though of course she hid it from her customers, pressing a hand to her stomach. There was too much negative magics in the air, so to speak, and she could feel it.
She pretended to adjust things at the register counter as she listened in on th two women’s conversation. The battle in Wakanda seemed to the the source of the bad energy; war always generated bad mana. The women thanked her and departed the shop, the little bell above the door tinkling softly. She let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.
Out of nowhere it hit, a shift in the magic that circled the world. A surge of power unlike any she had ever felt before. It knocked the breath from her body, and before she realized it, Hoku snatched Loki up from the counter and ducked under it, practically crushing him to her chest. Her breathing came in hard,l and a bead of sweat rolled down her temple; she was sure she was having a panic attack even though she had never had one before.
Then the screaming started.
Vehicles crashed as their drivers turned to ash; a car would have came right through the front of her shop if it wasn’t stopped by the protective barrier she had up. As quickly as the surge of massive magic cane, it was gone. The screaming continued, the panic as not only that world but all worlds were thrown into chaos. After what seemed like forever, Hoku crawled out from under the counter and cautiously made her way outside, Loki still in her arms.
People- less people than there should have been given the situation -were scrambling around, pulling passengers out of cars where drivers simply vanished; down the block a mail truck had plowed into a fire hydrant, and a truck was through the front of a boutique. Other cars were crashed into each other. There were hardly any responders on scene.
Her first thought was to get home, to make sure her other cats were alright, but she couldn’t just run away and hide. She held Loki up in front of her, hands under his front legs and she pressed per lips against his face. “Listen to me, Loki, I know you understand words. I need you to go back to the shop and stay there, okay? I need to help where I can, but I can only do that if I know you’re safe. I’ll come get you after and we’ll go home.”
She gave him another kiss before setting him down on the sidewalk, trusting that he would (hopefully) listen to her. She took off, running over to a car that a group of people were trying to pry the door open to get the young teenager out of. She used her magic, bending the metal with her mind enough that the door could be pulled open. If the strangers noticed it, they didn’t seem to care, helping the boy out. She moved onto the next group that could use her talents.
Whitehaven, on the coast of Cumbria, was no stranger to bad weather. The storm raged, lightning zig-zagging across the black sky. Rain lashed against buildings and no one was outside unless they had to be. The small cottage on the outskirts of town had buckled down for the storm, the windows closed tight against the wind and rain, in the fireplace the flames danced. While there was but one human in the cottage, there were four cats, all laying in various states around the fireplace on the throw carpet.
The one in charge was a petite female with pitch black fur, Kalapana, who had claimed the squishy armchair. Stretched out directly in front of the flames and warming his tummy was a rather hefty light-colored ginger named Momo. Tiggy, another small female tabby, was curled up on a pouf. Finally, there was the majestic Thran, a silvery-white with shocking blue eyes, who was stretched out on the sofa.
Their human mom was curled up under a throw blanket on a loveseat in the sunroom. Her head was tilted back and she was staring up through the glass roof toward the sky. There was something about a thunderstorm that Hokulani Hewahewa-Crawford enjoyed. Perhaps it was the chaos of it all, the raw, natural energy. Snuggled under her blanket in leggings and an oversized sweater, she was quite comfortable.
At least until she felt it.
Hoku always had an affinity for animals, for all of nature, since she was a child. She could harness the elements, find the healing herbs in a forest without really looking, and “speak” to animals. She stood, bare feet moving to the front door of the house immediately, tossing open the door. Despite the awning, rain soaked her feet and up her legs immediately. The cats had felt it as well. Distress. The need for help. Desperation.
“Stay.” Then she’s out in the pounding rain, immediately soaked through to the bone. It was freezing, lightening whipping across the sky. She follows the feeling until she sees it. A cat, huddled under a bush in the far corner of her garden. With little regard for herself, her knees hit the mud the same time her mind reaches out to the animal’s.
Hoku frowned, pausing for a split second. The brainwaves of an animal were different from those of a human’s. This cat’s was closer to a human’s, yet not quite; it was also different than an animal’s. She had no more time to contemplate this oddity as the bush whipped around in the wind, branches scratching her hands and face. Despite the cat’s weak protests, she managed to gather it in her arms and hurried back into the cottage, the door slamming shut behind her without her touching it.
She shooed the other cats away as she set about examining the newest feline. He (and it was definitely a male) was much larger than she had first realized. The fur around his neck was much thinner than the rest of his body, and what she could see if his skin under the fur was badly bruised.
For just a moment, her eyes met the cat’s; his eyes were a vivid forest green holding shadows and secrets and unimaginable pain. More than that, there was an intelligence not seen in an animal normally. She gently stroked him. “Don’t worry, my darling. You’re safe now. I’ll take care of you.”
The tricky part was getting him clean as he was already soaking wet and cold, but she managed it somehow. She got him dry and set to work on healing his neck; it was slow going as healing took a large amount of energy and she did not want to make a mistake. Once she was satisfied that she did what she could for him, she got a basket and laid it out with a pillow and then a soft blanket. She swaddled him in the basket before setting it in front of the fireplace.
She ordered Kalapana to watch over their new friend and keep the others away for the time being. Then she was stripping, sopping wet clothing hitting the tiled bathroom floor as she hopped in the shower. As much as she wanted to linger in the steaming water, she didn’t. She dried and got dressed in an oversized tee shirt, a towel-turban wrapped around her hair on her head. She sat down beside the basket and readied herself for a long night.
Pain. Smoke. Fire.
Three things that engulfed him as he fell down an abyss of space and stars and darkness. He was supposed to be dead, but Thanos was no god. Force and fury could kill an ordinary man, but Loki was someone with plenty of tricks up his sleeve. A mere crack of his neck didn’t equal his death, and the explosion that rocked the Statesman gave him the propellant that he needed to fly away from the site and to an unknown destination. Just before he blacked out, he remembered creating a portal out of space before the sudden collision with hard ground.
When he came to, he found himself in a four-legged form caught in a heavy storm. His magic was severely depleted that he didn’t have enough energy to turn back to his normal form, and so he waited, ears flattening as he tried to weather the storm. The first few cracked meows he made were enough to draw someone’s attention: a witch, a powerful one, based on the aura that she gave off.
He allowed her to carry him back inside her house, and despite his feeble protests, began drying him off. However, when he felt the warm, soothing tendrils of her magic around his neck, he stopped, his purrs filling in what was left of the silence. His eyes were half-closed by the time he was laid down on the basket, which was sinfully soft that he was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
But he was still vaguely aware of the other feline forms around him and that they seemed to know he wasn’t completely a cat. None of them were threatening him, however, so he let them be. The storm was still raging by the time he woke up to a grey morning, and he stood up on all four paws and stretched, baring his sharp teeth. He gave a start when the other black cat began rubbing herself all over him, prompting him to sit down and wait until she was done before he stepped out of the basket.
From a cat’s perspective, the house was large, and it took him a while to fully explore what he assumed was the living room. The rattling sound from the kitchen caught his attention, as well as the other cats’, and he was nearly bowled over when the four raced past him and towards the pair of bare, tanned legs standing in front of the kitchen counter.
Loki meowed, watching the five of them warily, tail flicking back and forth. It wasn’t until he was sure that he had a share in the food that he stepped forward, tail held high, and devoured the fresh tuna that was offered. He would have refused if he’d been given kitty kibble ( he looked like a cat but certainly didn’t and wouldn’t EAT like one ), and he licked his chops once he was done.
Well, he supposed it wouldn’t hurt to stay there with this witch and her four cat children.
And so, the witch called Hokulani unknowingly adopted a trickster cat, one who made his preferred name known by knocking down a book on Norse myth and pawing through it until he reached the page about LOKI. He meowed and pressed a forepaw on the name to help her understand, and he soon had a green collar around his neck with a name tag that bore his name. The one thing he disliked was when she considered embedding a tracker chip just in case he ran out: something that had him glare at her with contempt.
He also ended up learning more about the other four cats: Kalapana was the unsung leader of the group ( a position he often challenged her for ), Thran, the prissy diva cat, Momo, the chubby cat who loved the kitchen and all of its fishy treasures, and Tiggy, a sweet tabby who liked using Loki as a pillow. The cat dynamics weren’t different from the ones he had with his adoptive brother, the Lady Sif, and the Warriors Three, much to his amusement. But there was one thing they all agreed on: they disliked the man that visited Hoku every day.
Philip Astor ( oh the amount of derriere insults Loki thought of during their first meeting! ) was the typical wealthy dude who liked Hoku because of ‘her bangin body’. While he acted sweet around her, he was really a douchebag in a Porsche. Not the kind of man he or the four cats wanted around her. The number of times he’d tried kicking the cats when she wasn’t looking were too many to keep track of, but he made his mistake when he tried kicking LOKI that sunny afternoon.
Loki was snoozing in the middle of the living room after a nice, full lunch when Philip decided that having a cat in his way wouldn’t do. Loki felt the pointed tip of Philip’s shoe on his side and yowled in pain, louder than necessary, and it startled Philip, who began to back away. Loki lay on his side, breathing heavily, and began to meow pitifully when he heard Hoku’s familiar footsteps.
The newest addition to the Hewahewa-Crawford family seemed to heal incredibly quickly, but Hoku wasn’t complaining. The small foyer separated the kitchen and living room, but given the matching pair of arches allowing smooth access between them, Hoku could see the cat from the corner of her eye as she dished out equal shares of fresh tuna into separate dishes, each one engraved with a cat’s name; the new cat simply got a small plate until she could figure out what to do with him.
He watched her with an intense wariness, his tail twitching back and forth. She was used to cats staring at her (especially in the bathroom) but there was something about this big boy’s stare that was unnerving. There was an intelligence in that stare, as though he could see right inside of her. All her secrets. Her desires. It was ludicrous to think that a cat could be so intense, but there he was, entering her kitchen as if he owned the place and devouring the tuna that was set down for him.
That same day, she found him on the back of a chair, pawing one of her ridiculous amounts of books off the shelf. This particular tome was old and she watched with raised brows as he pawed through the pages until he found the chapter on Loki. If they could, her brows would have lifted right off her face and into her hair was he used one of those paws to point at the word LOKI and meowed up at her.
Cool, cool. She adopted an eerie cat who could read.
She could move things with her mind, so really, was it that strange? At least he got along with her other cats, for the most part, even allowing little Tiggy, who was really still a baby, to cuddle with him.
It was an eventful weekend, but all too soon, Monday rolled around, which meant back to work. But as they said, find something you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. She took Loki with her into the town proper. Bell, Book, and Candle was her little shop among other little shops, situated between a cafe and a second-hand shop. As the name implied, her shop specialized in charms, books on the mystical, and candles, salts, teas, and soaps to aid in… well, anything one could possibly need aiding in. All homemade of course.
During lunch she crossed the street and went down the block with Loki in tow to the pet shop where she got him a pretty green collar and used their personalization machine to make him a tag with his name on one side and her information on the other. She put it on him when they returned to the shop, giving him a smooch on the head and a scritch under his chin. “I guess you’re mine now, hm? And I’m yours, as long as you’ll have me, my darling.”
To her, an animal was not a slave nor a pet, much like a human wouldn’t be. If one of her cats ever truly wanted to leave, as heartbroken as she would be, she would let them go. If they chose to stay with her, as they have so far, she would continue to treasure them.
One thing they seemed to disagree on with her was her choice in company. Some of her more frequent shoppers would stop by for a home visit, just to chat, or looking for advice. These were usually the older women and occasionally a teenaged girl and her friends, sometimes a mother seeking a more natural cure for their child’s ailment (though Hoku never implied her homemade remedies were somehow better than modern medicine, thank you) and these types of guests never bothered the cats. In fact, they delighted in them as a welcomed guess often brought treats or new toys or attention and sometimes all three.
No, what her cat’s didn’t seem to like were the guests of the… male type; unless they were accompanied by their wives or girlfriends or were old enough to be Hoku’s grandfather. Not that Hokulani had many single male visitors; she rarely went on dates. However, there was Philip. He was a bank manager from London who had to often make trips to other branches of his banks, which included the one in Whitehaven. Apparently, he had spotted Hoku one day eating lunch at the cafe next to her shop and was “smitten ever since” (his words) and just had to speak to her. It had taken him months to finally wear her down enough that she agreed to a date.
He was attentive, polite, and seemed interested in what she had to say. Hoku would never say it was love, but she was fond of him, and did find him a bit attractive, even if he wasn’t all that fond of animals. That, of course, changed the moment she rushed into the living room from the kitchen where she was making them lunch. Her dark eyes took in the scene before her. Her other cats, who had shot under furniture the moment Philip arrived, gave her all the information she needed. While she could tap in and see what a human thought in words (which she rarely did as she believed in privacy) and animal’s mind worked more in pictures. Through her cats’ minds, she saw Philip kick Loki was was just minding his business.
She scooped Loki up, holding his big-little panther body to her chest protectively. “Get out of my house. Lose my number. In fact, forget I exist.”
“Now, love, lets calm down. It’s not what it looks like. I didn’t see him th-“ Philip broke off watching in growing horror as the other four cats emerged, fur raised, ears back. They spit and hissed, and he had to jump back as a paw, claws on full display, swing for his shin. As the cats advanced, they weren’t the only ones spitting.
“A man who can hurt an animal whose so small compared to him is no man at all. He’s a childish bully who has no place in a woman’s home.” The cat’s lunged and he backpedaled. Somehow, the front door was opened. Momo, with his solid body, planted himself firmly in Philip’s path.
The jerk tumbled out the door, landing hard on his backside where he looked up to see six pairs of eyes looking at him like he was worthless. Those eyes were focused on him, unwavering and even his massive ego was deflated in that moment. Hoku looked magnificent, all wild hair and dark eyes. Surrounded by her cats in her overgrown cottage in the woods, she indeed looked like the witch the townspeople whispered about. Equal parts beautiful and frightening.
“And to think I actually considered sleeping with you today.” And she slammed the door, turning the lock in place. The cats watched through the curtains with satisfaction as Philip limped his way down the path to the road and hopped into his car, peeling away, hopefully never to be seen again.
Hoku cuddled Loki to her breast, rubbing the top of his head with her nose. “I’m sorry, my baby. The mean man will never hurt you again. No one will. Or I’ll kill them.”
Whitehaven, on the coast of Cumbria, was no stranger to bad weather. The storm raged, lightning zig-zagging across the black sky. Rain lashed against buildings and no one was outside unless they had to be. The small cottage on the outskirts of town had buckled down for the storm, the windows closed tight against the wind and rain, in the fireplace the flames danced. While there was but one human in the cottage, there were four cats, all laying in various states around the fireplace on the throw carpet.
The one in charge was a petite female with pitch black fur, Kalapana, who had claimed the squishy armchair. Stretched out directly in front of the flames and warming his tummy was a rather hefty light-colored ginger named Momo. Tiggy, another small female tabby, was curled up on a pouf. Finally, there was the majestic Thran, a silvery-white with shocking blue eyes, who was stretched out on the sofa.
Their human mom was curled up under a throw blanket on a loveseat in the sunroom. Her head was tilted back and she was staring up through the glass roof toward the sky. There was something about a thunderstorm that Hokulani Hewahewa-Crawford enjoyed. Perhaps it was the chaos of it all, the raw, natural energy. Snuggled under her blanket in leggings and an oversized sweater, she was quite comfortable.
At least until she felt it.
Hoku always had an affinity for animals, for all of nature, since she was a child. She could harness the elements, find the healing herbs in a forest without really looking, and “speak” to animals. She stood, bare feet moving to the front door of the house immediately, tossing open the door. Despite the awning, rain soaked her feet and up her legs immediately. The cats had felt it as well. Distress. The need for help. Desperation.
“Stay.” Then she’s out in the pounding rain, immediately soaked through to the bone. It was freezing, lightening whipping across the sky. She follows the feeling until she sees it. A cat, huddled under a bush in the far corner of her garden. With little regard for herself, her knees hit the mud the same time her mind reaches out to the animal’s.
Hoku frowned, pausing for a split second. The brainwaves of an animal were different from those of a human’s. This cat’s was closer to a human’s, yet not quite; it was also different than an animal’s. She had no more time to contemplate this oddity as the bush whipped around in the wind, branches scratching her hands and face. Despite the cat’s weak protests, she managed to gather it in her arms and hurried back into the cottage, the door slamming shut behind her without her touching it.
She shooed the other cats away as she set about examining the newest feline. He (and it was definitely a male) was much larger than she had first realized. The fur around his neck was much thinner than the rest of his body, and what she could see if his skin under the fur was badly bruised.
For just a moment, her eyes met the cat’s; his eyes were a vivid forest green holding shadows and secrets and unimaginable pain. More than that, there was an intelligence not seen in an animal normally. She gently stroked him. “Don’t worry, my darling. You’re safe now. I’ll take care of you.”
The tricky part was getting him clean as he was already soaking wet and cold, but she managed it somehow. She got him dry and set to work on healing his neck; it was slow going as healing took a large amount of energy and she did not want to make a mistake. Once she was satisfied that she did what she could for him, she got a basket and laid it out with a pillow and then a soft blanket. She swaddled him in the basket before setting it in front of the fireplace.
She ordered Kalapana to watch over their new friend and keep the others away for the time being. Then she was stripping, sopping wet clothing hitting the tiled bathroom floor as she hopped in the shower. As much as she wanted to linger in the steaming water, she didn’t. She dried and got dressed in an oversized tee shirt, a towel-turban wrapped around her hair on her head. She sat down beside the basket and readied herself for a long night.
“James. Sexy name. He send you a naughty photo?” Lanakila, the next sister up from Hoku in age, shook the envelope that had been sent back with her pen pal’s reply, hoping for a Polaroid to fall out. When nothing did, Lana pouted, placing the envelope with its letter back on the kitchen counter.
“He’s in the S.A.S, I doubt they have any privacy to even take photos like that, even if they want to.” The windows in the kitchen were the one wide open to let the hot air from the oven out. Hoku set the next batch of goodies to cool from the oven; these were a pile of fat chocolate chip and walnut cookies. They were going in the pretty wrapping in the box with the Dream Bars; squares of graham cracker crusted coconut and chocolate delights.
Delights that Hoku had to slap her sister’s hand away from as she reached for them. Lana pouted, rubbing her hand dramatically. “Oh, come on. Just one isn’t gonna hurt.”
“Nope. These are all going. I’m not even eating any.”
Lana let out a mocking gasp of horror in which Hoku flipped her off. “This guy must be important to you if you’re not even eating any. They’re mom’s recipe.”
“Well, yes. He’s serving his country and probably hasn’t had any home baked goods in a while.”
“Are you gonna send him a photo of yourself?”
“I don’t know, I’m thinking about it.”
“Is it gonna be a nud-“
“Get out of my house.”
Later that night, all the goodies were packed away and ready to be sent, and Hoku just had to write her letter. She tapped her pen on the surface of her desk before she started scribbling, nibbling on her bottom lip.
James,
I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like being an only child. I have six older sisters myself, and let me tell you, it was hell growing up. Of course, I adore them and wouldn’t trade them for the world, even if the one closest to me in age, Lanakila, kept trying to steal the goodies I made you. I hope you like them; they’re my mother’s recipes and she’s owned her own bakery the last twenty years. My sisters and I are half English on our father’s side, but it’s been sometime since I’ve been there.
I had thought about teaching younger children when I had first started but then I realized older kids need slightly more guidance and I’ve come to love working with teenager, even if they can be little punks at times. There’s nothing else I rather do with my life; I’d like to think that I’m helping shape them into the awesome adults they’ll someday be.
On a more personal note, I’m single with no children (save for my cat) and I consider my students my kids. Truth be told, I’m not sure if I’ve ever even been on a proper date before. I’m terribly shy when it comes to men and even writing these letters have been a little challenging.
I know you can’t really tell me where you are or what you’re doing, but what do you like to do in your free time? I’ve found I’ve been thinking about you in my own free time. What you look like, your hobbies, that sort of thing.
Well, I have papers to grade and it’s nearing ten pm now. I hope you enjoy your goodies and I can’t wait to hear back from you.
Hoku xoxoxo
PS. I thought I would send you a picture just so you can know who it is making you cookies
She had actually enclosed a couple different photos. One of herself, of course, in a school shirt and jeans with her class on a field trip and one with her holding Kalapana in her arms and smiling at the camera. What she hadn’t realized was that Lana, before she had left earlier in the day, had slipped a photo of Hoku in her bikini on the beach in the envelope.
Then it was a waiting game after she sent off her letter and the big box. Everyday she was checking the mail, only to be disappointed when it was either ads or a gross bill. When his letter did finally arrive, Hoku squealed in a very undignified way and practically ran back into the house to devour it.
The baked goodies were delicious, and he had to smile when he read the story about her sister trying to steal some of the treats that she was making. It reminded him of what domestic life could be, and as much as he tried not to think about it, he missed that part of his life. Rather than reply right away, he kept her letter only to realize that there was something else in the envelope. The first two were photographs of Ms. Crawford, who was as beautiful as he imagined she would be. The third one was…well. He wasn’t sure what to feel about it ( or the fact that she’d included it with the others ) but considered the possibility that she might have mistakenly included it in the envelope. He’d return it to her when the time came for their replies to be mailed back.
James’ decision to share some of the cookies made him very popular among his companions and commanding officers, and they jokingly expressed their jealousy that he ended up with the teacher and not one of her students. Some even reminded him not to seduce her; their letters were still being checked for inappropriate content. He found it amusing that she managed to sneak in a sexy photo of hers and reconsidered returning it; he could just do so in person.
After a few days, all of the cookies and Dream Bars were finished, and he finally had time to sit down and write his response. The deadline for their letters was coming up in a couple of days, and he had two more weeks left. So, it was probably his last chance to write to her again, unless she decided to meet him in person and get her photographs back. He decided to include one of his photos: the most recent one was him with some of the members of his unit, and he placed a red line by his feet so that she knew who he was in the photograph.
Ms. Hoku,
Thanks for the cookies and bars. They were delicious, and you became more popular with the other soldiers at the base. I hope you don’t mind that I shared them with some of the soldiers; they needed a reminder of home, and you gave me more than I could eat. They say thank you and mention that if you ever decided to open up a bakery in Texas or Arizona, they’d be the first ones to visit.
Your students are lucky to have a teacher like you, and I’m sure they consider you as their pseudo-mom. Thank you for the effort that you put into your teaching, and you may have just taught the next president of the United States in your classroom. As for your shyness, it’s normal. I only talk when spoken to, and I don’t talk too much even with friends. My hobbies are boring. I like reading history books and visiting shooting ranges, and I miss going horseback riding and playing tennis. That’s about it. The rest are related to my work, which is ending in a couple of weeks. So I guess this will be the last letter from me you’ll be receiving.
I got the three photographs you sent me, by the way. You’re very beautiful, and your cat is just as gorgeous as her owner. The third one may have been included by mistake, so if you want them back, I can return them to you in person. Or just mail them to you once I return to America. I’ll be in Florida for a few weeks, and I’ve written the address on the next page, as well as my contact number. Just call me and let me know how to best return them to you.
P.S. I also attached a photograph, just to be fair.
James
His letter was among the others that were mailed to Ms. Crawford and her students, and by the time they were received, he was already formally discharged from the army and unpacking his things in the home he’d rented. He’d also adopted a white kitten who he called Snowball, or Snowy, and he was currently sleeping on the patch of sunlight that was streaming through the front window. He wasn’t expecting a call or a visit, and he was in the bedroom folding his shirts when he heard something.
It was ridiculous how excited she was to receive his letter, yet somehow she managed not to tear into the envelope but instead opened it very carefully. She read over his letter several times. She wasn’t sure what third photo he had written about and it was the excuse of getting it back that had her cashing in on her many vacation days and booking a flight to Florida.
It was a long trip from Hawaii with two layovers and after 10 hours, including layovers, she stood at his front door. It was a quiet neighborhood, from what she observed, but the sound of her thumping heart more than made up for it. It took her three times to lift her hand and finally knock on the door before she used the same hand to smooth down the front of her pretty floral sundress. Two suitcases sat just behind her, one larger and the other smaller.
She really had no idea how this would go, only that after seeing him in the photo he sent that she had to see him in person. She had to look into those blue eyes and touch those perfect cheekbones herself. It was only when the door opened did she blink; a photo didn’t tell her how tall he was or how wide his shoulders were. It didn’t do home any justice and as she tilted her head back to look up at him she smiled, her eyes lighting up.
The classes were uneventful, save for Mrs. Sano (biology) who made her stand up at the front of the class and talk about herself. She spewed the usual in a completely monotone voice (”I’ll be eighteen in June, we just moved here from Arizona but I’m originally from Hawaii, I have a cat who thinks she’s the boss bitc–er the boss, my favorite colors are blue and green, I’m an only child, my mom owns a chain of bakeries and my dad is a doctor, chocolate and caffeine are the only reasons I’m alive let’s be real–”) Mrs. Sano was quick to put an end to her introduction and sat her, thankfully, beside Loki. After that, lunch came quickly.
Loki filled in her on the secrets of the cafeteria food, and she made sure to remember it all. Then someone’s booming voice could be heard and it looked as though Loki’s suddenly pleasant mood disintegrated right before her eyes. She recognized the big blond jock from earlier that day who was holding hands with a petite brunette in jeans and flannel. Introductions were made, then Thor was flouncing off with his girl.
Rather than sit across from Loki, she sat beside him so she could hear him better in the loud room; she had decided on milk, an apple, and a grilled cheese sandwich. She’d probably start bringing in her own lunch from now on; her mother was a wizard (witch?) in the kitchen and had passed that talent onto her daughter. Under the table, their knees touched and she felt a tingle in her bare thighs. She didn’t move her leg.
“I don’t mind, as long as you and your mom don’t. Outside of knowing how to get to school, mom’s new bakery, and dad’s hospital, I really have no idea how to get around the city. We’re not even done unpacking yet, so I haven’t had time to explore, so I think it’d be fun.”
She was rambling. She always rambled when she was nervous or embarrassed. Why she felt that way now, she wasn’t sure.
“Your brother and his girlfriend seem nice. I think I met him this morning, kinda, when he stampeded with the other giants pass my locker.” Her sandwich oozed cheese as the pulled the two sides apart and she held one half toward him. “Want?”
Loki was about to take a bite of his grilled cheese sandwich when she said yes. It was a good thing that he wasn’t eating yet, otherwise he would have choked on his food. He lowered the sandwich back onto its tissue wrappings before he pulled out his phone and texted his mom a quick message about ‘bringing a classmate over’. His mother replied a little tooquickly ( a resounding OF COURSE, MY DARLING ) but it didn’t surprise him. He rarely brought friends over or asked them to go shopping with him and his mom.
“Yeah, we’re both cool with it. Got to warn you though. She looks at everything.”
His mom was picking him up after school, so Hoku could just ride with them on the way to the mall. They could also drive her home once they were done. His mom would never force a teenager to use public transport alone at night, and neither would he. Well, maybe if they deserved it.
Rolling his eyes at her description of Thor, he shook his head at her offer. His appetite was really small, but he had no problem keeping up with his brother. While Hoku was giddy over the fact that their legs were touching, he chowed down on his food and finished the last of their biology homework.
“Sounds like him. He’s okay. Better than some of the other guys in school.”
She would probably meet a couple of the bullies in school. Not that they would target her. She was way too hot to be tormented by Billy Hawkins and his gang. No, the two bullies she needed to watch out for, Karen and Chelsie, were headed their way.
“His girlfriend seems nice, too.” Hoku had Jane Foster in math class, a class Hoku dreaded as she wasn’t the best with numbers, but she was seated next to Jane and they struck up a conversation in which Jane helped her figure out a particular difficult problem.
They lapsed into a comfortable silence where Loki worked on some of his homework and she daydreamed as they ate. That didn’t last long as two girls approached, wearing various designer clothing. The blonde was Karen and Chelsie was the red head. The former dropped into the spot in one side of Loki and the latter shoved her way between him and Hoku, forcing Hoku to awkwardly shuffle over to make room.
“So, Loki,” Karen purred, “I’m having a party this Saturday since my parents are out of town. You’re more than welcome.”
“Yeah, you should come. It’ll be fun.” Chelsie dragged the tip of her index finger down his arm; to Hoku the long scarlet nail looked like a talon.
“Your new… friend… can come too.” Both girls looked over Hoku and their smiles didn’t quite reach their eyes.
“Uh… sure, thanks.”
Both girls soon sauntered away and Hoku let out a breath. She knew those types of girls, knew their type. She’d have to watch her back for sure. The end of school rolled around and she returned a few things to her locker as Loki returned his books to the library. She went to the place she was supposed to meet him, near the front of the school, and waited, scrolling through her phone.
She knew the exact moment Loki woke. There was a change in the tension of his body, his breathing, the beating of his heart. Despite the hand tangled in her hair, she didn’t only focus on his magnificent cock. His heavy balls were fair game and so was his thighs; those thighs of his were spared her lips and teeth.
She was relentless in her attention to him, worshipping him as was only proper. It was only when they were both nice and wet that she sat up, the sheets falling away to reveal her in all her naked glory. “Good morning,” was all she said as she slowly, achingly slowly, onto him.
And it was proving to be a good morning, all things considered. It surprised him a little to learn that she was aroused just by taking him in her mouth. Most women liked to avoid doing it as much as possible, but she relished it. It made it easier for him to thrust up into her, each upwards jerk of his hips strong and sure. He placed his hands over her thighs to hold her in place before he rolled them both over, his palms covering her wrists. The headboard bumped against the wall as he continued to pound into her, more driven by sexual instinct. “Good morning.”
One moment she was in control and the next she was on her back, hands pinned, Loki taking what he wanted. No, that wasn’t quite right. She gave him freely herself, adjusting her legs to give him better access. Her body arched up against his, each long, hard stroke driving her to want more. It had been sometime since she had a lover; a few centuries at least.
She had never wanted someone the way she wanted Loki.
Lost in the pleasure, her mind opened up to his as she lifted her head to catch his mouth with hers. That small glimpse revealed just how much she desired him, her impatience at having had to wait for him and then her anger at herself for feeling that way because he had every right to make her wait. In her mind it was the least she could do to make up not fighting for him when he was just a babe, something she regretted to this day and would continue to regret for the rest of her long life.
There was her determination to make up for that regret, that she would give him the throne he deserved, even if it was her own. More than that, she was determined to be someone worthy of him, he who had been wronged since birth. There was genuine affection in her for him, not just because he was Frigga’s son. She viewed him as brilliant, intriguing, and funny. She found him a pleasure to be around and enjoyed his company.
One of her hands managed to wiggle free and found the back of shoulder, nails digging in. Every time he buried himself in her, she grew louder.
