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The shrieks of children running to look at the toy display distracted Sylvie so she didn’t notice him come in again until he was standing in front of her till.
“Hello.”
He was smiling, wearing a tan plaid scarf, and looking like he’d just walked out of the fashion magazine she flipped through last week.
“You have some nerve showing up here again.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Oh, don’t give me some kind of innocence routine not after what you pulled already!”
“Madam, if this is about the incident earlier today my son is apologizing to everyone personally.”
Sylvie started at that and realized there were others with Loki and they weren’t Mobius or TVA agents she recognized. In fact they were young, very young, and all with black hair.
“You-your what?”
One of the children who had gone to look at the toys came running over to them.
“Mama, I have to go to the bathroom really bad!”
“All right, all right, Sleipnir, you take him please. Jormungandr, you find us a table and watch Nari and Vali.”
“Aw man, why do I have to do it?”
“Because when you soak people by jumping out of a pond you get to do boring things as punishment.”
The boy rolled his eyes, but took the stroller Sylvie now noticed beside them.
“Thank you,” Loki said, and picked up the little girl at his other side. “Now, Hela, what should we get?”
The girl clutched her stuffed toy tighter and buried her face in his shoulder.
“Sorry she’s rather shy.”
Sylvie closed her mouth that had being hanging open in shock and slowly managed real words.
“No, uh no, that’s all right I’m…I’m so sorry I thought you were someone else…umm we have Happy Meals for kids they come with the toys they were looking at.”
“That’s perfect I’ll take four and the largest McNuggets combo you have. Would you recommend the quarter pounder with or without cheese?”
“Er…with.”
“I’ll get two please.”
By the time their order was ready it barely fit on two trays and the little girl he’d called Hela was reluctant to let go of Loki’s neck leaving his hands occupied.
“Please let me,” Sylvie said, coming around the counter.
“Oh no, I couldn’t ask-”
“You’re not asking I’m offering,” she said, as she took the trays to the table Jormungandr had claimed by the window and set them down with practiced ease.
“Children, what do you say?”
“Thank you.” Jormungandr mumbled, barely looking up from entertaining his youngest siblings with swirling coloured lights in the palm of his hand.
Sleipnir though sat up straight in his chair and nodded to her.
“Thank you very much, madam.”
“You’re really pretty!” Fenrir declared.
Loki sighed and sat down.
“Close enough.”
Sylvie blushed and smiled at them.
“Just for that I’ll let you have an ice cream on the house later. The machine never breaks down on my watch.”
“Thank you. You’ve been most helpful.”
“I don’t mind, and sorry again for the mix-up.”
She went back to her till, but kept stealing glances at his table. Even in the chaos of the meal that soon had fries scattered everywhere there was also great joy there. Loki laughed loudly at something one of his children said and Sylvie realized she’d never heard her Loki laugh like that. Of course there hadn’t been a chance to with what they were doing, but after...
“Maybe we could figure it out together.”
It couldn’t be like that now she had left that behind. As she stood there though she realized he could have done the same found a Tempad and headed out on any branch never to be seen again. Lead a life just like this, but instead he’d stayed to protect others.
“All I’m suggesting is that we just take a moment to think about it.”
“Hey, Sylvie, you can head on break now.”
“Thanks, Jack.”
She took one last look at the happy family before heading to her truck. She had a lot to think about.
The End