Loki X Reader - One Book at a Time (Request)

Loki X Reader

                As you stare at the ever growing of flame the raged in front of you, your stomach clenches. It was another book burning and this time everyone was required to attend. You hated that there was nothing you could do to stop the mutilation of one of the greatest inventions on earth, the written word. A man with spiky short blonde hair yelled from a podium on the other side of the fire his words being drowned out by the rising crowds’ cries of excitement.

     Your (E/C) eyes stare at each book as they burned in front of you as you fought the urge to run out and rescue what books you could. ‘Why would people do this?’ you think to yourself as you turn to see a cart filled with books being pulled toward the raging fire. Not being able to take it anymore you quickly make your way over to the cart and looking around make sure no one is watching you before you start to quickly stuff your shoulder bag full of all that it could carry. Suddenly you hear someone yell and turn to see an angry looking man stomping toward you. Your eyes widen as you secure the bag tightly around your shoulder and start to run.

    The crowd seemed oblivious to the fact that you were being chased making it perfectly easy to escape from the angry man. You keep running and upon rounding a corner end up bumping into what felt like a brick wall. “Ow!” you cry out as you fall hard onto your rear. “You should watch where you’re going!” You hear a male voice say and looking up your eyes widen as they come upon a handsome looking man. He was tall about 6’2” tall with medium length raven hair and deep green eyes. “I-I’m sorry, I was just-” “There she is!” That familiar official male voice yelled out and forcing yourself to stand say, “I’m sorry for running into you, I have to go.” He grabs your arm and says, “Why are you running?” You jerk your arm out of his grasp and a handful of books fall out of your bag making your eyes widen with fear as you quickly kneel down and start to pick them up.

    All of the sudden you see a pair of hands reach down and start to pick up the fallen books. You look up to see his face inches from yours and tilting your head say, “What are you-?” “I will carry these for you, now where are you headed?” Arguing with him would take too much time and the officials would have reached you by then so rolling your eyes you grab his hand and lead him to your apartment. When the two of you are safe inside the confides of your apartment you let out a long sigh before realizing that you had in fact brought a stranger into your home, a handsome stranger but a stranger none the less. You turn to see him standin there patiently running his slender fingers down the spine of one of the books he was holding for you.

    “Um thank you for helping me, can I- uh have my books back please?” He raises an eyebrow as he slowly turns to look at you. “I must say I am quite impressed, I have not met anyone whom would risk their well being for the written word.” You feel your face blush slightly as you say, “My life is irrelevant to that of one of these novels, if I happen to die saving even one it is worth it.” “I would hardly say your life is irrelevant,” He says under his breath and you raise an eyebrow as you try to think of something to distract you from him. “Um would you like something to drink? I can make a glass of tea for you if you like?” Keeping his eyes on the books he says, “Tea, thank you.” You nod as you walk past him and upon opening your kitchen door knock a stack of books over causing them to fall at his feet. “Oh crap! I’m sorry!” You cry out as you quickly start to pick up the books. “I take it you do not usually have company?” Holding the books in your hands you feel your face start to flush as you say, “No, actually you are the first one.” You look around until you find an empty space and gently sitting the books down say, “Not many people like the fact that I have so many books.”

    “If you do not mind me asking, why do you have so many? It seems like every room is full of different novels,” “You’d think it was silly, especially since this town has so many regular book burnings.” He walks closer to you making his height well known as he says, “Try me?” “I want to own my own bookstore. I love reading and I love the places books take you when you read them. One day when this stupid book burning ritual is over I want to be able to show others the beauty of the written word.” “I must say that I rather noble of you,” You shake your head as you say, “No, you helping me even though knowing the consequences was noble. Thank you,” He gently sets the books down on the table as he says, “Loki, my name is Loki.”

    You raise an eyebrow as you think to yourself, ‘Family obviously had a sense of humor.’ Before you say, “________, it’s a pleasure to meet you Loki.” You say as you hold your hand out to shake his. The corners of his lips tilt up in a smile as his long slender fingers wrap around yours, “The pleasure is all mine.” You were unable to stop the blush that crossed your face because you were lost in his beautiful green eyes. All of the sudden you hear the high pitched sound of the kettle and blinking your eyes quickly walk over and pull it off the burner. As you slowly make the tea you mind starts to whirl in your head, ‘Who was this mysterious man and why had he helped you?’ you made a mental note to ask him as you slowly turn back and hand him his cup of tea. He nods as he slowly turns and walks into the living room to see more books.

    “Have you read all these?” He asks as he runs his fingers along their spines. You smile as you say, “Not all but pretty close, once I start reading a book I can’t stop until I have read the whole thing.” “Another admirable thing about you,” He says as he stops at a book of Norse Mythology. “I’m sorry but I don’t know anything about you, forgive me if this seems rather rude but why did you help me?” He turns back to you and says, “Honestly I have no idea, if it had been anyone else I would have handed them over to the officials but you seemed special.” You raise an eyebrow as you say, “Special?” He nods as he sets his tea cup down on a bare spot and says, “Yes, I am very perceptive about a great many things and one thing I pride myself on is the ability to read people; but when I read you I find myself rather confused. That has not happened before.”

    “I don’t know if I should take that as a compliment or not?” You say as you take a sip of your tea. “A compliment and by all means take it as I do not give them out often.” “You know listening to you speak it’s as if you are a character in one of my many books, why is your English so proper?” “Because I am a prince, my speech must be perfect if I am to address everyone without being misheard or misunderstood.” Your eyes widen and your tea cup falls from your hands as you say, “You’re a prince?!” He lifts his hand and your tea cups starts to levitate in front of you. You slowly move your eyes back and forth between the two of them when you say, “Um how are you doing that?” He smiles as he says, “One of my many tricks.”  You quickly reach out and taking your teacup back in your hands hold it close to your chest.

    All of the sudden this handsome stranger seemed dangerous in your eyes. “I’m sorry but I feel as if I may be dreaming or am in fact dead, what you did isn’t possible.” He rolls his eyes as he says, “Of course it is, so long as you are not a mortal.” “Okay you saying that doesn’t make me feel any safer.” You say as you set the teacup down and back away from him. “Are you afraid of me now?” He asks as he slowly turns toward you a devilish look in his eyes. “Um, I think-No, I’m not afraid of you. I have read of scarier things than you.” He smiles as he stands tall and says, “Well I doubt there is anything as scary as some of the things you have read about seeing as you’ve read all these.” You let out a slight giggle and he smiles brighter as he walks over to you and leaning down gently places a kiss on your lips making your eyes widen with surprise.

    As he pulls away he looks down into your (E/C) eyes and says, “I must be off but do not fear, I will come back for you maiden of Midgard.” With that he disappeared leaving you standing there with your eyes wide and your fingers on your lips. A few minutes later you blink your eyes and look around to see that he was in fact gone. “I must have been imagining the whole thing,” you say as you roll your eyes and walking over to your bag empty the books out onto the table. “I need to get out more,” you joke at yourself as you start to read through the titles of the books you had saved when your lips started to tingle. Subconsciously you reach up and gently placing your fingers to your lips say, “Then why do I feel this way?” Perhaps one day the mystery Prince named Loki would return to you, but in the mean time you would carry on how you always did, one book at a time.