Siesta

Disclaimer: Matantei Loki Ragnarok and their characters (c) Kinoshita Sakura

It was a peaceful, quiet day.

And the four-foot high owner of the Enjaku Detective Agency was snugly fast asleep on the living room couch, propped up by a comfortable cushion.

Not on purpose, you understand. Even shrunken Norse gods of chaos and mischief who stayed up could get tired. Especially when he had been staring at a computer screen all night long, playing Pinball and Spider Solitaire.

So, with superhuman effort, Loki had dragged himself away from the computer at around daybreak (he had somehow managed to avoid being seen by his second son who awoke at 5 a.m. every morning) and into the bathroom to brush his teeth. Even splashing cold water on his face and taking a cold shower didn't erase the sudden sleepiness that descended upon him.

Pulling on the elaborate, larger-than-him tuxedo of the day was a task that required plenty of concentration worthy of a college finals examination. ("Question 1: Do sleeves go through the upper or lower appendages of the human body? Answer with diagrams and formulas included.") Luckily, Yamino was obsessing over a new gardening catalogue and didn't really pay attention when his father buttered Ecchan's ear and tried to drink coffee out of the flower vase.

At around three quarters part ten, Loki went into the living room on pretense of wanting to have a quiet place to read the latest over-five-thousand page tome from his library.

Five seconds later, the book lay on the floor having slipped from his fingers and his head was on the arm of the couch, eyes closed.

Putting up appearances of nonchalantly reading thick, hand bound leather covered, 100-year-old books with long Latin titles when you were in fact near brain dead and seeing playing cards in front of your eyes took a lot out of a god trapped in the body of an eight year old boy.

Ecchan, deciding to follow Loki's example, curled up on top of his soft brown hair and settled down for a mid morning nap. The mini marshmallow man look-a-like though decided to use Loki's stomach as a bed and was soon asleep, enfolded in the white bow's long ends.

.

A little later, the newest addition to the household, Spica came in from the kitchen after fastidiously scrubbing the sink. She had meant to dust the knick-knacks in the living room next, as per her son's grateful instructions. So, with duster in one hand and a rapidly disappearing muffin in the other, she meandered out into the room.

Only to find the sleeping Loki, mini marshmallow man look-a-like and Ecchan on the couch.

Or rather, the very cute looking trio on the very comfortable looking couch.

Tilting her head slightly, Spica looked to the large windows some feet behind the couch. Outside, her second eldest son was doing a bit of gardening. She looked back to the sleeping boy then at the duster in her hand. (The muffin had long gone to where no pastry had ever been before) Going over to the couch, she picked up the book from the floor and placed it with the duster on the side table. Spica slowly settled into the couch, curling up beside Loki like a cat.

Albeit a cat wearing a maid's uniform.

With her head against Loki's small shoulder and hearing the heartbeat of her love, Spica closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

.

Ten minutes later, Fenrir nosed open the front door and shut it quietly behind him, grumbling mentally about the unfairness of his younger brother. Just because he'd gone and messed up a bunch of posies… sure, he knew they were roses Yamino had planted from seedlings and painstakingly cared for, but it still didn't mean he could shoo the black dog back into the house. Didn't seniority mean anything to that boy!?

"Daddy!! Yamino-kun's being unfair!! Daddeeee!!"

The silence confused him. He'd thought Loki would at least look up or something. That had been his 'Need-Attention-NOW' whine.

"Daddy?"

Padding into the middle of the room, he glanced upwards at the full sofa. The dog blinked for a second, noting the four sleeping beings. He also noted the fact that Loki's arm was placed loosely around Spica's shoulders.

Well, when in Rome…

With a muffled 'Arf!' Fenrir hopped up onto the end of the sofa and settled down by Loki's feet for some shuteye.

.

A half hour ticked peacefully and regularly by when the front door opened up again. Loki's only daughter stepped through, her eyes peering around for anyone from behind her round glasses. Yamino had said she could find their father in the living room.

"Hello…? Papa?"

A slight noise from the couch caught her attention. She turned just in time to see Fenrir growl a little in his sleep and his legs twitch. Hel blinked to see the crowd on the couch and especially the very familiar looking girl whom her father had an arm around. Somehow… she felt like hugging the girl. After some minutes of staring and thinking, her eyes widened in recognition.

Several seconds ticked by before Hel came to a decision.

Walking determinedly up to the couch, Hel took off her glasses and gently placed them on the thick book on the side table. She gently picked up her eldest brother and curled up in his place, with Fenrir on her lap. The dog merely whimpered a little and settled again without opening his eyes. She settled back against the couch, a hand on her eldest brother's soft fur and soon fell into a dreamless sleep.

.

The hands of a clock hanging on the wall were ten minutes away from noon when the door was flung open and slammed back closed. (Why this didn't wake any of the sleepers is something of a mystery. Come to think about it… why didn't Fenrir's howling wake anyone up as well?

"Loki-kuuuuuuuuun!! Spica!!!"

(Why no one woke up here is also something of a Fushigi Mystery as well)

Mayura blinked to see no one and hear nothing but quiet.

"Eeh?! Where is everyone? Loki-kun? Spica?"

The girl wandered into the living room, calling about. She was about to declare this absence of people a "Fushigi Mystery!!" when her eyes spotted the couch and what was on it. Both eyes widened and widened and widened till they grew to the size of dinner plates.

Okay, fine, so they weren't THAT big but she was still highly surprised to see everyone curled up on the sofa like warm puppies on a rug.

Most of the surprise came from the fact that there was another girl with pink hair whom she hadn't seen before with Loki's dog on her lap, Spica was curled up with Loki and that the eight-year-old boy who was normally the epitome of elegance and protocol had gone along with this. The peach colour haired girl frowned, her brains trying to sort this all out. She finally came to a conclusion after ten minutes of hard thinking.

All her hanging around him had paid off! He finally knew how to have fun!

Beaming in happiness, Mayura decided to share in on the coziness. Shifting another armchair against the side of the sofa where Hel was sleeping sitting up, she sat down and instead of leaning back on the armchair, leaned against the side of the sofa back. Her legs hung over the other arm of the chair.

It was a rather strange position to sleep in but Mayura was no stranger to strange. (Uh… right.) Before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep, Mayura took one look at the peaceful scene beside her and smiled widely. Hopefully someone would have the sense to get a camera and take a photo of this.

In the meantime though, Mayura decided she'd take a little nap.

.

By that time, it was very nearly noon. At twenty minutes past twelve however, the unfortunate door was slammed open. (And again, no one woke up. Real uncanny.)

"Yo, Loki!! Megane said to let myself in!! Got some sushi from my new job for ya!"

(Again, another Fushigi Mystery why his hollering didn't wake anyone up. Don't ask.)

Silence permeated through the elaborate mansion. No little boy coming up to him, remarking dryly about his utter loss of dignity as a god and no pink flying thing either. The black mutt wasn't in sight as well.

"What the… if he's gone and gotten himself assassinated, somebody's gonna hear about this…" murmured Narugami to himself.

He stepped further into the room and looked around, ever-present Mjollnir in one hand and a plastic bag in the other. His feet halted in the middle of the room as he dropped the plastic bag onto the coffee table and smirked in amusement at the sight before him.

"Loki, I dunno what you're up to but you've got one heck of an explanation to give me…"

As if an answer, a small snore emerged from said boy.

"…right after you wake up," muttered Narugami, sweat dropping.

He continued to watch the sleepers for another minute, eyebrow raised with amusement before surprising himself with a yawn. This current part time job was taking a lot out of him. And since Loki seemed to be hosting some sort of public siesta fest…

Narugami plunked himself down on the floor and leaned on the bottom half of Mayura's armchair, leaning his head against the edge of the cushion. With a smirk one would expect a fang to protrude from, he settled in and still with a tight grip on Mjollnir, closed his eyes to nap, planning the teases that were bound to push Loki's buttons.

Quiet once again flowed through the vast mansion sans the even breathings and occasional snores of the sleepers in the living room.

.

The front door was opened again at twelve forty. Sweaty and rather tired at trying to restore order in the front garden and to his beloved roses, it took Yamino a few minutes to suddenly wonder why the house was so eerily quiet. Normally, Mayura-san's squeals or oniichan's barking or Narugami-san's voice could be heard from even outside. And if Hel-oneesan was here, even more squeals should have occurred since Mayura-san would have introduced herself.

Come to think of it, he hadn't heard a peep out of any of them since he went outside to do some gardening that morning.

That couldn't be good.

Rather alarmed but trying not to panic, Yamino remembered that his father was last in the living room. Hurrying there, his green eyes immediately zoomed in on the couch.

Panic instantly dissolved into a highly amused and wide smile.

Taking quieter steps this time, Loki's son went upstairs to take a shower and change out of his sweaty clothes. Coming back down in fresh clothing, he headed for the living room again. By this time, Hel who was still fast asleep had slid downwards sideways. Her head was now on top of Loki's legs. Somehow, Fenrir hadn't been disturbed and was still asleep, twitching in a dream. Their father's arm had also tightened a little around Spica's shoulders.

With a smile, Yamino took off his own glasses and placed it beside his sister's. Like Narugami, he settled on the ground only this time, he leaned his head against the cushion where Hel sat on and closed his eyes. Gardening was tiring work, after all and a little nap before lunch couldn't hurt.

All was quiet again. The door didn't open once more and the sleeping people in the living room weren't disturbed from slumber.

The clock showed half past one when Loki slowly blinked his green eyes open. With a slight shock, he realized he couldn't move his legs.

And that his arm was around something.

Something… vaguely…

…Spica?!

His eyes widening to full potential now, Loki still had the sense to keep silent and stay still as his eyes darted around him.

What on earth…

Ecchan was on his head, the marshmallow look-a-like on his stomach, Spica by his side, Hel half on his feet, Fenrir on her lap, Mayura in the armchair, Narugami on the floor sitting against the armchair and Yamino sleeping against the sofa on the floor beside Hel's feet.

And all of them were fast asleep.

Loki felt his lips slip into a very wide smile.

A family that napped together stayed together.

And really, who cared if two of his family wasn't blood related and another two were strange specter thingies?

…I guess another fifteen minutes wouldn't hurt.

Closing his eyes again, Loki took a deep breath of contentment and tightening his hold around Spica just a little more, fell asleep with a smile on his lips.

As said before, it was a peaceful, quiet day.

And the four-foot high owner of the Enjaku Detective Agency was snugly fast asleep on the living room couch, propped up by a comfortable cushion.

Alongside his family.

End.

A/N: Taking a liberty on Hel calling Loki "Papa" since I've only the first volume of MLR. Also not sure if Mayura has met Hel before so I'm taking another liberty on that as well. Thank you for reading.