twelve - "mira is not that bad, mr. loki"

Loki opened his eyes to see Mira's hair towards him. He realized that his arm was wrapped over her sleeping figure. He widened his eyes and quickly pulled his hand back.

"What am I doing?!" he whispered furiously at himself. He shook his head and quietly sat up, slipping out of the bed. He magically made clothes appear on his body and walked out of the room, stretching his legs.

Loki heard Mira stir in her sleep and mumble something about David. He grimaced. He and Mira had spent most of the night on the balcony, talking and listening to each other. Well, it was mostly her talking. After hearing about her past with the man, he had felt, strangely, empathy. Loki knew what it was like to be neglected, to be left behind because of difference, because of uniqueness. How David could leave his family did not baffle Loki, but how humans could be so malicious and petty did surprise him.

Loki started to explore around the hallways, something he actually half enjoyed. He was starting to get close to the arena sitting area when he ran into a figure.

"Oh my-" Cora yelped, falling on the ground. Loki rubbed his elbow as he lay on the ground. Cora got up and gasped a little when she saw the god. "Mr. Lucky! Are you ok?!"

"It's Loki," Loki corrected with a sigh. He got up and dusted himself off. "And I'm fine. Hello, Cora." She blushed and bowed slightly.

"W-what are you doing outside of your room, sir?" she stammered.

"I was just walking around," said Loki, shrugging. "Mira is asleep."

"I know," Cora nodded. "She sleeps in very late."

"Humans enjoy their sleep," commented Loki. Cora laughed.

"Is that what you call her?" she asked. The green clad man looked at her.

"You've never met a human, have you?" he replied. She tilted her head.

"I've met Mira, and I think that's good enough for me," Cora said. Loki smiled a little bit.

"Where are you going, Cora?" Loki said. The redhead picked up a simple basket from the ground and hung it on her arm.

"The city. For more food because Mira says it is her favourite," Cora smiled. "Would um would you like to join?" Loki frowned but then changed his mind and nodded.

"Why not?"

A few minutes later, the pair was strolling around the bustling central city in Sakaar. It was mostly spent with minimal talking, something Loki liked. Cora was also occupied with many vendors in various alien languages to get food and supplies for Mira and the Grandmaster. Loki observed how she collected different cloth which he knew she stored magically to make elaborate outfits. He also noticed even though she was quite respected in the community, she always stayed humble and kind to the citizens unlike other Ladies he had met.

Cora was strange, he concluded. She was different - very innocent but powerful. Maybe that was why Mira enjoyed her company.

"So do you like her?" asked the Lady. Loki looked up from a strange painting of a green monster.

"What?"

"Do you like Mira?" Cora repeated. The god frowned again.

"No," he said quickly. "'I like Mira'." He put up air quotes mockingly to avoid suspicion. "Why would I? She's irritating." Cora scoffed and continued to walk.

"I disagree," she said. Loki rolled his eyes.

"And why is that?"

"Because," Cora explained, "you like each other." He wanted to faceplam but instead put his hands behind his back.

"We do not like each other," he said the phrase with disdain. Cora nodded.

"I can tell that you do."

"We do not, I can assure you," Loki said, eyebrow raised. She shrugged and picked up another fruit, handing some coins to the merchant.

"Mira is not that bad, Mr. Loki," said Cora. The two were now in a thin street full of people pushing their way through. Vibrant colours were splashed against the walls in a frenzy of art and cloth. Loki though it did not clash very well.

"Oh really?" he said sarcastically. "I bet." Cora turned around and put her hands on her hips.

"She really is not!" she said, a bit mad. "Mira is beautiful, she's firy just like you, and she also is very caring - something that you need in your life." Loki rolled his eyes again.

"I do not need care," he said, continuing to walk. Cora followed him. "I like being by myself."

"No one likes being alone all the time, sir," stated the redhead.

"I do," he shrugged.

"No you don't," she countered. "I see you whenever you're with her - you two are like two puzzle pieces! You always make each other mad, but it is all with good intentions. You are both either two puzzle pieces or two magnets. Or both."

"We do not fit together," Loki looked at her in disbelief. "We very much repel each other."

"Yes that's why I said magnets," Cora pointed out. "Use your brain, sir."

"Call me Loki," he muttered. "And when have you ever heard of puzzle pieces or magnets?" Cora blushed.

"Well Bruna tells me things sometimes. Of her past life and such." She smiled to herself.

"Do you like her?" Loki asked, intrigued at the unlikely friendship. Cora laughed nervously and shook her head. She walked over to a vendor and held up a piece of green cloth that shimmered in the sun.

"Do you think Mira will like this? It is green, which I know you like," she said, nodding towards his own clothes. Loki smiled a little.

"Mira hates green," he said, amused. "Let's get it." Cora laughed and paid the vendor.

"She will be very mad at us," she said.

"More at me."

"She is always mad at you, sir-I mean, Mr. Loki," Cora smirked. Loki shrugged again.

"That is not my fault."

"I disagree."

"My, you are starting to sound just like her." They both laughed.

After shopping around more, the pair went back to the palace area. Cora had grown a hobby of teasing Loki, something he did not particularly enjoy. He made no sign to stop it though. When they had gone up a some floors (Loki lost count), the redhead slowed down near a large window. Loki realised it was the same view of the balcony he and Mira had been on. The rest of the city spread out from them and drifted into the orange-blue horizon. He wished Mira could have been there to see it.

"How come you are so mean?" asked Cora, out of the blue. Loki looked at her with confusion.

"What?"

"You seem to always want to push people away," she pointed out. "And you see the worst in others." He shook his head and scoffed.

"Because others are the worst," he muttered. Cora gave him a look. "I just don't believe that people are the best. Or worth saving."

"Mira mentioned you had a brother," said the redhead. "Don't you think he is worth saving?"

"No."

"Oh." There was a small pause. "What about Mira?" Loki looked out the window, hesitating a little bit.

"No."

"Oh," Cora repeated awkwardly. "Well...I have to go back now to the Lady's area. Don't forget about the competition tonight. The Grandmaster said he's expecting you and Mira." She shuffled off with one last smile. Loki rolled his eyes a bit. The Grandmaster did love his competitions.

He thought about Cora's question as he looked out the window. Did he really push away everyone? He did, but it was only because no one ever understood him so he became antisocial and cold just like his Jotun origins. Loki had even gotten used to pushing away his family, who were the first people to be pushed away in his swirling mess of a mind. He had always just assumed that all parents were horrible because his were. Parents never knew their children, they never understood. Loki had never actually looked at it from another viewpoint, for example: Mira's viewpoint. She was the first parent he had ever met to actually loved her son, even if her husband had left because of him. She cared. What a strange word: care.

What if there was someone who was worth...something? Was it even possible for him to actually 'care' for someone? Would it ever be possible?

He shook his head and walked back to the room to wake up Mira. They did have a party to attend to afterall.

~

Mira woke up and rubbed her eyes. She turned over and noticed Loki's missing figure in the bed. She rubbed her forehead in frustration.

"This whole sleeping together thing is going to drive me crazy," she mumbled. Mira swung her legs out of the bed and noticed a dress already on the nearby table for her. There was a small note which read:

"Courtesy of Cora. She sends her regards. The dress looks interesting. It's for an extra fancy competition I guess. I bet your 'lover' will enjoy seeing you in it.

- Bruna"

Mira raised an eyebrow at the last line. She put the seemingly "electronic" paper on the table and looked at the dress. She whistled. It was Cora's best one yet.

Mira sat on the bed and took a long stare at the dress.

"What am I doing?" she asked herself. "You're not 20 years old anymore, Mira, geez." She sat up. "And I can't be going to parties! I need to be worrying about Kaleb and Strange and-and Loki and..."

"What about me?" Loki asked. Mira jumped and almost sent a fireball towards the god, who was leaning on the doorway.

"Oh my god, you can't scare me like that!" she said, throwing her hands up in the air.

"I heard my name," he said, unimpressed. "You don't need to worry about me, I'm fine."

"Well this planet isn't safe when you're safe," Mira said. He raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

"Yep," she popped the 'p'.

"There are gamblers and gladiators and alien drinks all around us."

"Ok so maybe this is the one planet that is safe...but still!" Mira tried to regain her position of superiority. He nodded towards the table where the dress was.

"Just come to competition, maybe destress, and we can leave early to go to that balcony again."

"I guess..."

"If you want," Loki added.

"You're being dangerously nice," she narrowed her eyes. He laughed.

"And?"

"And it's weirding me out. But ok, that sounds nice. I'm just-"

"Worrying about your son. Yes, but I am sure he will be fine."

"What do you know about parenting?" she grumbled, a sign that she was caving in. He smiled to himself.

"Nothing. But we have a party to go to, so hurry up." With that final statement, he left the room. Mira shook her head with confusion.

"Guys are weird," she concluded.

A/N

SORRY THIS CHAPTER WAS SO SHORT OMG BARELY 1800 WORDS RIP WELP ANYWAYS

so i really wanted a chapter with cora and loki going out on like a grocery shopping day and i hoped this worked

argh it's so bad omg it hurts my soul

anywho

the ship is rising can you feel it

SORRY FOR LACK OF UPDATES

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OK BYE YALL

IM NOT READY FOR INFINITY WARS