The apartment smelled like expensive beer, foreign chocolates, and Dove's rising stress.
"You sure you can't just live off… I dunno, sunlight?" Dove tried one last time as he pulled pots and pans from the cupboards.
"No," Loki replied smoothly, flipping through a mortal magazine like this was some quaint vacation."Besides," he added without looking up, "this is more entertaining."
Thor was already at the tiny kitchen counter, inspecting a raw onion like it was some exotic relic."Do you mortals really cut these up?" he asked, eyes narrow.
"Uh, yeah," Dove said. "That's kind of the whole point."
With a shrug, Thor grabbed a knife the size of a dagger and swung it —
CHOP!
— splitting the onion and putting a nick in the countertop.
Dove lunged."Whoa, whoa, whoa!""You can't do that like you're murdering a troll!"
Thor chuckled."Not as durable as Uru," he remarked, tossing the knife into the sink.
And Loki?He just smirked and waved a hand."You seem stressed," Loki drawled. "I'd offer help, but this is much more amusing."
That earned him a dark look, but Dove decided it wasn't worth it.He powered through dinner prep as they casually "offered advice," which mostly involved Thor telling stories about food in Asgard and Loki poking at the pots like they might fight back.
By the time Dove was done, it looked like a cyclone had passed through his kitchen —but at least dinner was somewhat edible.
And surprisingly — gods or not — Thor and Loki dug in like they hadn't eaten in years.
That's when Dove allowed himself a tired smile and thought: Maybe this is gonna be okay. Maybe this is my life now.
…And far above —far beyond what Dove could see —
someone was watching.
Somewhere high in a distant realm of light and clouds, an old god reclined on a throne, arms crossed over his chest.His gaze was fixed on this tiny apartment scene like it was some peculiar mortal comedy.
He chuckled — a deep, slow sound that echoed across endless halls —and spoke to someone in the shadows.
"He's interesting," the god mused, eyes twinkling with divine amusement."Perhaps I'll pay them a visit myself. It's been ages since we had some fun."
And as the god's laughter faded into the cosmic winds, the worlds kept turning —and Dove's life had forever changed.
The three of them sat cross-legged on Dove's floor around a low table, plates loaded with hastily prepared food.
Thor was devouring his food like it was his last meal —the scraping of his fork loud enough to echo.Loki, meanwhile, took careful bites like he was attending some regal banquet instead of sharing a tiny mortal dinner.
And Dove?He just sat there, dazed for a moment, staring at them.
He'd somehow ended up here — sharing his apartment and dinner with two actual gods.
And what was crazier?This felt almost… normal.
Gods — sitting on his rug, bickering about beer and cheese like roommates.Gods that had crashed into his roof one night and never left.
And then his thoughts drifted deeper — back to the hole in his ceiling, his miraculous payday, and the ridiculous gold coins.This was his life now.
"Hey," Thor rumbled suddenly, jolting Dove out of his thoughts."You zoning out, mortal? Food too much for you?"
"Why?" Dove shot back, deadpan."Did I look like a horse at a trough to you?"
That earned a bark of laughter from Thor — and even Loki hid a smirk behind his glass.
"Careful," Loki drawled."You'll make him choke on his beer."
"Or," Thor shot back with a grin,"make him choke on your charm."
Loki gave an elegant snort."Please. My charm is wasted here."
"Wasted," Dove muttered, shaking his head, a tired smile tugging at his lips."You two are unreal."
"Oh yes," Loki replied, eyes gleaming."That's the point."
And then —
DING DONG!
The doorbell cut through their laughter like a sharp note.
The three of them paused, glancing toward the door.
Dove frowned."Did we order anything?"
"Not me," Loki said smoothly, reaching for another bite.
Thor was already half-rising to his feet."Could be your loud landlord again," he muttered.
But Dove felt something different — a strange tension in the air.Something humming just beneath his skin, like the quiet before a storm.
He set his plate aside, brow furrowing as he crossed to the door.
And when he opened it —a shadowy figure stood there, framed by the light of the hallway.
Tall.Powerful.And with a gaze that glimmered like they'd been watching all along.
The gods had company.