Chapter Text
“Why aren’t you with the others?”
The voice startled you so badly that you knocked your nearly empty teacup off of your desk. You scowled as the dark liquid seeped into the carpet. Picking up the mug your scowl deepened when you saw the handle on the ground. Throwing it into your trash can with more force than necessary you spun to see who had disturbed you. Leaning against the doorway was Loki, one of the legal analysts for your company. As usual he looked impeccable, dressed in a solid black suit that probably cost more than you made in a year. You had only crossed paths a handful of times and to be honest you had no idea that he even knew you existed.
“What are you doing up here?”
“I forgot something in my office and noticed one of the lights was on. I got curious.”
You raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know how you received the moniker ‘Silvertongue’ in the courtroom, you’re a terrible liar. Your office is half a dozen floors up; unless you have x-ray vision you wouldn’t have seen the light from the elevator.”
The dark haired man shifted slightly. “Okay, you got me. I came up here because they were asking about you at the party.”
A bitter laugh fell from your lips. “You’re two for two. Would you like to continue or are you actually going to tell the truth?”
It was Loki’s turn to frown. “How do you know I’m lying?”
“Because there is no way anyone downstairs is asking after me.”
Tonight was your company’s annual holiday party and this year they had outdone themselves, or so you heard. All week it was the only topic of conversation amongst your co-workers. Apparently an award winning local restaurant was catering and a popular local band was booked as the entertainment. On top of that there was an open bar and a raffle with prizes including a 5 day all expenses paid vacation. People from other firms were green with envy but you didn’t see the allure of standing around in a loud crowded room full of drunk people. The office had been so chaotic all week in anticipation of the party that you were painfully behind. This was the perfect opportunity to get caught up before the insanity of the next week when everyone spent all of their time reminiscing about the party.
Apparently your answer threw Loki for a loop because he was quiet for several long moments.
“Why don’t you want to go to the party?”
“Why should I? It isn’t mandatory and I’m not getting paid so why waste my time pretending to like people that can’t even remember my name.”
A dark eyebrow rose in response. “Don’t you like your co-workers?”
“Meh. They’re fine but they’re just people I work with. If I quit tomorrow I doubt anyone would notice.”
Loki nodded thoughtfully. “But it’s the holidays.”
“The holidays are a waste of time.”
“Okay Ms. Grinch.” Loki gave you a grin but you didn’t return it. “Come on, it’s a time to celebrate with family and friends.”
Looking away you picked at your cuticle. “I don’t have any family.”
You spoke so quietly that Loki took a step closer so he could hear you. “What was that?”
“I don’t have any family. Parents are dead, grandparents are dead. I have aunts and uncles and cousins but we’re not close.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.”
“Why? It’s not your fault. It’s kind of nice. I don’t have to buy any gifts and I have extra time to get caught up on work.”
“Families can be complicated, I’m adopted and don’t really get along with mine. But what about friends? Sometimes they become the family that you always wanted.”
“No friends either. Acquaintances, yes but no real friends. It’s just me and my cat.”
An awkward silence filled the space but before you could turn back to your computer Loki spoke up once more. “Have you eaten yet?”
“What?”
“Have you had dinner yet?”
“No but I have change for the vending machine.”
Loki slid his hands into his pockets and nodded towards the elevators. “At least come downstairs and grab a plate. The caterer is amazing.” You crossed your arms. Since when did this relative stranger care if you ate dinner? You said as much and Loki shrugged. “You shouldn’t have to be up here all by yourself.”
With a laugh you gestured to your computer. “Trust me, I’m not alone. I have about thirty cases to keep me company. Is there anything else or am I free to finish my work?”
At your words Loki’s face tightened but you didn’t wait for a response, spinning back around and tapping your keyboard to wake up your computer. A few moments later you heard Loki’s footsteps retreat and the faint ‘ding’ of the elevator.
Even though you were drowning in work, Loki’s visit had thoroughly distracted you and you sat back in your chair, rubbing your eyes. Why was he coming to check on you of all people? True, you had crossed paths a time or two during mandatory meetings or if you needed legal’s insight on an issue but as far as you knew he didn’t even know your name. Of course you knew his name. He was one of the most prominent attorneys in the country, defending clients that had more money than they knew what to do with. In court he was vicious but could also turn on the charm when necessary which earned him the nickname of ‘Silvertongue’. It was a shock when he accepted a position with your firm and rumor had it that his signing bonus had seven digits.
You were just a grunt that answered the phones and compiled paperwork for your incredibly needy clients. Your tenure had afforded you the luxury of your own office which was roughly the size of a broom closet but at least it had a door. Most of the time it was closed, allowing you to work in peace, but the past week had been chaotic with everyone wanting to get things done before the holidays. This was the first time in five days that you had time to yourself and even that had been interrupted. With a sigh you opened up the first case and shoved all thoughts of the holiday party and the nosey lawyer out of your head.
A couple of hours later you returned from the vending machine with an energy drink and bag of chips in hand. For a moment you thought you were hallucinating when a decadent smell filled your nostrils but as you stepped closer you saw a plate heaped high with food and another that was nearly overflowing with desserts. You glanced up and down the hallway but there was no one in sight. Even though there was no note you knew this was from Loki and your stomach did a little flip. You had no idea why the lawyer was suddenly being so kind but your growling stomach wasn’t going to complain. As you dug into the elaborate spread you did your best to shove all thoughts of your dark haired colleague aside and focus on the dozens of cases that still demanded your attention.