The Art of Immortal Tea-ology: Loki, Alice, and the Secret of Perfect Tea Blends
In the heart of 4EverMore, where magic hummed through the very air and centuries folded in on themselves, there was one thing that could always unite the immortals: tea. Of course, it wasn’t just any tea—tea in 4EverMore was something almost sacred. There were blends that could send you into dreams of far-off realms, blends that could calm even the wildest of dragons, and then, there were those very special blends that could only be brewed by those who truly knew their craft.
Alice, Queen of Chaos and self-declared expert in all things tea, was one such person. She had cultivated a tea garden so vast and varied, it would make even the most seasoned sorcerers green with envy. The leaves shimmered with an array of colors, each promising something different—something extraordinary.
But as Alice worked on perfecting her latest blend, she was well aware that there was one person who could never resist pushing her buttons. Enter Loki, the God of Mischief, who seemed to find endless amusement in throwing off her carefully calculated tea sessions.
Alice had always thought it was just his nature to be irritating. After all, the man had an unhealthy obsession with causing trouble. But today, as he sauntered into her garden with that infuriating grin plastered on his face, she couldn’t help but wonder if his attention had shifted. For the first time, it wasn’t just about teasing her. There was something else in his eyes—something that sent a shiver through her spine, though she’d never admit it out loud.
Alice was standing by one of her most prized plants—a deep purple tea bush, its leaves almost glowing in the soft light. She was carefully picking off the leaves, humming to herself when she heard Loki’s voice behind her.
“I see you’re picking out the finest leaves, Alice. How terribly predictable.”
Alice didn’t even look up, knowing that if she gave him an inch, he’d take a mile.
“Predictable? Loki, you wouldn’t know good tea if it slapped you in the face. Why don’t you go brew your usual ‘mischief-in-a-cup’ blend instead?” she retorted, trying to hide the smile tugging at her lips.
Loki chuckled, leaning against the nearby stone wall. “Oh, darling, you wound me. I think you’ll find my taste is impeccable.” He pushed off the wall, making his way toward her carefully laid-out tea blends, his fingers brushing the various tins with feigned indifference.
“You’re a man of many talents, but tea brewing isn’t one of them,” Alice teased, raising an eyebrow, her tone light but edged with the knowledge of decades of tea expertise.
Loki didn’t seem to mind. In fact, his grin only widened, and Alice couldn’t help but notice how his eyes lingered a little longer than usual. She felt it—the shift in the air around them—though she stubbornly ignored it. She was used to his charm, or at least, she liked to think she was.
“Well, since you’re so certain of your superior skills,” Loki began, stepping closer to her, “how about a little challenge? You brew your ‘perfect’ tea, and I’ll brew mine. If mine’s better”—he paused, letting his words hang in the air—“I get to decide what we do with the rest of the afternoon.”
Alice narrowed her eyes at him. “And what exactly do you have in mind, Loki?”
He shrugged, the mischievous glint in his eyes growing. “Oh, you know. Just a little fun. We’ll see how well you can keep your cool.”
Alice laughed, the sound light and knowing. “You never know when to quit, do you? Fine, we’ll play your game. But don’t say I didn’t warn you when your tea turns out to be nothing but trouble.”
As they both began preparing their respective brews, Alice couldn’t help but feel the tension rising between them. It wasn’t just the playful teasing. There was something more—an electricity in the air that made it impossible to focus entirely on her tea. Every time she reached for a leaf, she felt Loki’s eyes on her, his proximity too close for comfort. It was almost like his presence was too much, his words too pointed, but she couldn’t pull away.
They both poured their tea, the aromas blending together in the air—one bold and rich, the other delicate and floral.
Loki, ever the showman, held his cup up first. “To chaos,” he said, flashing her a grin that could melt the walls of a castle.
Alice raised an eyebrow, taking her cup with a steady hand. “To tea,” she replied coolly, her eyes locking with his.
They both sipped their brews in silence, each savoring the taste as they studied each other over the rim of their cups. For a moment, neither of them said a word. But then, just as Alice was about to break the silence, Loki leaned forward, his voice low and teasing.
“You know,” he began, “I think I prefer your company to your tea. A little bit of chaos might just suit me better.”
Alice couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle, though she quickly masked it with a forced cough. “You are a troublemaker, Loki. I’m surprised you even know how to brew a decent cup of tea.”
Loki’s smirk only grew. “You’d be surprised, Alice. But I think you’re right about one thing—this tea is definitely more interesting than I expected.”
She could feel the words hanging between them, thick with something neither of them dared to fully acknowledge. Alice took another sip of her tea, trying to hide the flutter in her chest. “Well, let’s just say I know how to brew up a good blend of mischief. If you’d like to stick around for a second round, I’d be happy to show you how it's done.”
Loki’s eyes gleamed with excitement, but just as he was about to respond, they were interrupted by a voice from behind them.
Rumplestiltskin, his presence always felt before seen, had appeared at the edge of the garden. His eyes were fixed on Alice and Loki, a subtle tension between his narrowed gaze and the cool smile playing on his lips.
“I couldn’t help but overhear,” he said smoothly, his voice laced with an edge of something darker, “is this a competition I’m hearing about?”
Alice, completely unbothered, raised her eyebrows. “Well, Rumple, if you’re looking for a challenge, I suppose you could join us.”
Loki chuckled, as if he’d been waiting for Rumple to show up. “Oh, I’m sure Rumple would prefer to stay in the shadows. It’s more his style.”
Rumple’s smile deepened, his eyes flicking back and forth between the two. “Oh, I’m more than happy to stay in the shadows. But if you two are done playing with your tea, perhaps we can discuss something a little more... interesting.”
Alice rolled her eyes, but the corner of her lips twitched with amusement. She didn’t have to look at Loki to know he was enjoying every second of it. This was their game, after all.
Rumplestiltskin had no idea how much fun the two of them could have with the right amount of mischief and a perfectly brewed cup of tea.
And so, as the afternoon stretched on, the immortal tea ceremony came to a close—leaving behind more questions than answers, more spark than tea.
What did Loki want? What was Rumple plotting? And would Alice keep her cool under the growing tension?
You’ll just have to stay tuned to the Immortal Gazette to find out.
🖋️✨📜🖤
