Flannel
I had finally just settled down with a fresh cup of coffee in a nook of the compound that no one else knew about. Well, I’m sure someone knew about it, but no one ever bothered coming here.
I’d had a table and chair set up near the window, I stole the pair from the library when I first came here a little over a year ago. The view from my seat was nothing to marvel at, but it was starting to feel like home.
I flipped open to a fresh page in my notebook and clicked my pen, taking a breath and-
‘Hello dear.’
I jumped in my seat and turned angrily to Loki, who was quite proud of the way he had scared me.
‘Jesus Loki, what did I tell you about sneaking up on people’ I rolled my eyes and let out a huff.
‘God of Mischief, love. I’ve come to talk to you about this-‘ he held up the thriller book I made him buy, ‘absolutely terrible. I hated every second of it.’
I scrunched my face up and couldn’t help but laugh a little, ‘why?’
He looked back at the book he was holding, ‘it had me terribly anxious for the young women the entire time.’
‘Ha, yeah that’s kind of the point. That’s why it’s a thriller. It thrills.’ I was smiling.
‘It was horrible, I just kept waiting for him to murder her and he never got the chance. I’m requesting another from the same genre.’
‘You just said you hated it!’
He scoffed playfully with a smile, ‘it’s an addiction! I hated every second of it but I couldn’t put it down. Do you have more recommendations?’
I laughed, ‘alright, come on then.’ I stood up and took his hand, guiding us back to my room in the compound.
When I opened the door Loki closed it behind us. I hummed as I skimmed the spines of my books with my fingers. I pulled one down to inspect it further.
I felt my breath hitch as Loki came up close behind me to look at the book over my shoulder. I felt him shift his gaze to me as I put the book back after deciding against it.
I could feel his breath on the back of my neck and it made me nervous. I pulled another book and passed it to him behind me, ‘try this.’
He hummed in response and wrapped one hand around me so that he could use both hands to open the book. He rested his chin on my shoulder as he skimmed the pages. I couldn’t help but lean into him slightly. I also couldn't help but notice that he smelled like the idea of flannel in the autumn woods after sun down.
‘Small town serial killer with a touch of psychological horror’ I said as he made a sound in my ear in approval.
‘Only you could make things like ‘serial killer’ and ‘psychological horror’ sound so enticing, love.' He breathed out and took another second to flip through the book. 'Ill take it. Thank you.’ He pulled his arms away from me abruptly and placed a fleeting kiss on my temple before turning away.
I held my breath. It was done with such little thought, I couldn’t figure out if he had actually meant to do it or if it happened as if it should be habit.
I felt my cheeks brighten and I hoped he wouldn’t notice. ‘Yeah, any time. It better come back to me in one piece.’
He kept his eyes down on the book and stopped just before he was to the door. He gave a quizzical look, ‘what are these markings in here?’
‘Oh, just old habit. If there’s some words that catch my eye or a passage I really love I mark it. Sorry if that’s annoying.’ I said, I sounded a bit nervous.
He looked back up at me, keeping his brow furrowed for a minute. He smiled. There it was again. That something that I just couldn’t pin down. ‘I don’t think it’s annoying. Maybe I’m coming down with something, I don’t seem to find you nearly as annoying as I used to.’
‘Hmm, must be the dreary weather,’ I bit back a smile and teased, ‘it couldn’t possibly be that I’m growing on you.’
He laughed, ‘Don’t be ridiculous.’