Tricky Treats and Torture Candy (Loki’s Naughty Candy Shop) Part 3

g-w-3-d-damn:

(Click here for Part 1)

(Click here for Part 2)

By
the time Miss returned to the Tricky Treats candy shop in her new
striped shirt uniform, Loki appeared young again.  Lollipop trees and
other candy displays stood in the places where the mannequins
displayed themselves the night before.  A pinata in the shape of an
orange man with yellow hair sat conspicuously on the sales counter
above a display box of Skittles Fun Size bulk bags.  The pinata held
a banana colored sign with a rainbow.  The sign read Free Bag of
Skittles Fun Size with purchase of Presidential Pinata.  Confetti
free with purchase.  Taste the Rainbow.

“Well
that looks fun,” Miss said.

“They
were part of the order I made with the crème eggs.  They’ll expire
soon.  What we don’t sell today, the mannequins get,” Loki said.

“I
meant to ask, do the sex toys ever fail to change back into candy?
Because if I saw rainbow anal beads where I should be seeing
multi-packs of Rain-Blo I’d die laughing, but I don’t have kids,”
Miss said.

“Technically
it’s only merchandise that we cannot sell which remains in it’s
form,” Loki said, “so any merchandise purchased and taken out the
front door does not change, expired candy does not change.  As a
rule, toys don’t have an expiration date, but if one was broken the
night before, it’s possible it wouldn’t change back.”

“But
possible it would?”
“There’s nothing illegal about selling a
lollipop with a crack in it,” he said, “so as an example, it
would turn into a lollipop from a cracked wand, but it would remain a
lollipop at the end of the sales day because it’s illegal to sell
cracked glass.”
“So you’re not worried that anything
inappropriate will show up on the shelves while the store is in candy
mode?” Miss asked.

“Nah,
the mannequins have hours to go through and correct that sort of
thing overnight,” Loki said.

The
bell rang out in a panic.  Loki looked up.  The open sign was still
off, the flip sign read Closed, the door remained bolted.

“Why
is it doing that,” Miss asked.

“I
think I have an idea,” he replied.

He
took the pink envelope from the previous night and laid it by the
register.  He pulled up stools for himself and for Miss.  She sat
shoulder to shoulder with Loki and faced the door.

“What
should I do,” she asked.

“Nothing
at all,” he said, “just let me handle her.”

The
clock struck ten.  The door unbolted, the open signs welcomed in the
strange customer.  Her ridiculous pink outfit remained largely
unchanged.  A ridiculous hat with a cherry colored phoenix, the
actual size of a peacock, stood upon her head in false taxidermy to
replace the lace tiara.  The bottoms of Loki’s eyelids twitched
upward.

“I
see that you’re unsurprised to see me,” Highness said.

“I’ve
stocked up appropriately,” Loki said.

“Yes,
your selection is quite distasteful,” Highness said.

Miss
blinked.  She looked around the candy shop.  There were always a few
intense or pain-inducing candies through the storefront, but she
noticed a marked uptick in the quantity and variety of strange and
concerning candies.

“Your
face isn’t up to everyone’s tastes either, and yet here I am, trying
to be inclusive,” Loki said.

“Nice,”
Miss said beneath her breath.

Loki
and Highness escalated their hostile verbal exchange while Miss
continued to note the changes to the candy stock.  The lolipops
contained scorpions.  The candy canes were pickle flavored.  Where
the silicone dongs were displayed last night, rows of gummy pickles
remained.  The chocolates section contained stacks of Willy Pete’s
variety bars.  Someone refilled the gumball machine with atomic
fireballs.  Tons of the shop’s inventory had been replaced with
canisters of Bean-Boozled in various sizes.  The abrasive tone of
their conversation caused Miss to still herself in a strange way.
She recognized the timbre of a relationship gone wrong.  She wished
to escape, but she was employed and on the clock; she could not
escape.  She attempted to hide in plain sight.  Miss picked up a
packet of some candy called Pulverpadder in a language she could not
understand with little exploding frogs on the cover and attempted to
escape mentally, through distraction.

“And
technically, the eggs you stole,” Loki said.

“Purchased,
I left the money with your employee,” Highness said.

“Who
was not yet employed at the time of the theft which occurred after
regular business hours when no employee was present,” Loki said.

“But
she signed the contract, or you’d have destroyed the order,”
Highness said.

She
pointed to the pink envelope by the register.

“Signed
after you stole the merchandise,” Loki said.

“But
still signed,” Highness said.

Loki
looked at Miss with distress in his eyes.  He looked back at
Highness.

“We
could argue this until the end of time,” Loki said.

“We
could,” Highness agreed.
“I don’t owe you the cherries,”
Loki said.

“Something
tells me you’ll be agreeable,” Highness said.

“If
you turn her to plastic, I’m well within my rights to end you,”
Loki said with a sadness in his voice.

“Plastic?
Oh, that’s not my plan for Miss,” Highness said.

“Did
you not curse her?” Loki said.

“Indeed,
she suffers a curse, one that I can lift at any time she desires to
leave your employ,” Highness said.

Miss
and Loki looked at each other.

“Just
accept the order, Loki,” Highness said, “and I will cut you this
deal.  If you, with the help of Miss, fulfill the entire order, I
will end our business merger contract, in your favor, and the curse
on her will break itself.”

“That
seems very generous of you,” Loki said.

“However,
if Miss quits, or is fired from the position before the order is
completed, then you, Loki, must abide by the business merger
contract, in my favor,” Highness said.

“I’m
not quitting,” Miss said.

“That
doesn’t mean I won’t fire you,” Loki warned.

“Hah,
bullshit,” Highness said, “if he fires you, the merger contract
falls to my favor automatically.  Same if you quit.”

“I
won’t quit, and I won’t help you,” Miss said.

“Miss,
if you fail to deliver my order, the curse will remain every day of
your employment,” Highness squeaked, “I really can’t lose!”

Loki
opened the envelope.  Where several hundred dollars were previously
stuffed in the envelope, several thousand now burst forth.  He eyed
the order suspiciously.  Where the order had once been written for
two hundred boxes of chocolate covered cherries, it now showed an
order for two thousand boxes of chocolate covered cherries.  Highness
turned to leave.

“Oh,
and one addendum; the order is set to add an extra zero for each day
that the order remains unprocessed.  Uncompleted is fine.  Invoiced
and payment accepted is fine.  Unaccepted or unprocessed increases
the extent of the order exponentially, until all the cherries in the
universe could not fill it.”

With
that, Highness left the shop without saying goodbye.  Loki sighed.
He took a pen and signed the order received.

“Fine,
bitch.  Get out,” he called after her.

“Wait,
we really have to make 2000 boxes of chocolate covered cherries?”
Miss asked.

“Yes,”
he said, “your life might be at risk.  I don’t know what curse
she’s got on you, I don’t want to risk it.  So, as soon as the
cherries come in, we’re making chocolates.  All.  Damn.  Day.  Watch
the shop until I’m back.”

Loki
pocketed the money and started to walk out the front door.

“Where
are you going?” Miss asked.

“To
get a bodybag’s worth of fucking cherries!” he said.

He
took the storm of Miss’ anxiety with him as he left.  She heaved a
sigh of relief.  She looked around the work counter for something she
could do.  She spotted the heart-shaped boxes.  She read the order
again; the order called for delivery in the heart-shaped boxes,
wrapped in carnation pink paper and tied with cherry red ribbon or
lace.  Miss sighed, and took the blank white boxes and supplies from
the cupboard.

“Might
as well get this out of the way while I’m here,” she said.

Her
first few box wraps were awkward.  By the end of the stack, she
wrapped the box halves with a deft, swift precision.  She paused.
She looked.  There were clearly not two thousand blank heart-shaped
boxes, nor enough carnation pink tissue paper to complete the order.
She switched the sign to “Back in Ten Minutes” and bolted the
door.  She let herself past the red velvet rope and upstairs where
the mannequins slept on the loft.

“Eck?”
one asked.

“Yeah,
sorry to bug you, do you know where I can find more heart-shaped
boxes and wrapping paper?” Miss asked.

“Eck!”
the mannequin confirmed.

The
mannequin rose, fetched the supplies from the elevator.

“No
no, that’s good, I’ll take them downstairs, you go back to sleep,”
Miss said.

“Meg
eck!”

The
mannequin leaned forward, hugged Miss’ shoulders, and seemed to kiss
her on each cheek before returning to sleep with the others in the
loft.  Miss rubbed her cheek, charmed by the offered friendship.  She
took the boxes and paper downstairs, flipped the sign and unbolted
the door.  She returned to gift-wrapping the boxes.  The bell jingled
happily as Thor entered the shop.

“Oh
man, I’m glad it’s just you,” Miss said.

Thor
smiled at her, with a twinkle in his eyes.

“Good
to see you, too, Miss!” Thor said.

“Just
here to shop, or is there something I can help you find?” Miss
asked.
“Thank you for asking, just stopped in, passing by.  So
what’s all this, what have you got going on here?” Thor asked.

He
waved to all the pink frillery and heart-shaped boxes.

“Oh,
uh, preparing gifts for a, um, wedding,” Miss said.

“Really!
Whose wedding?” Thor asked.

Miss
coughed.

“Loki,”
she said under her breath.

Thor’s
happy expression dropped.

“Did
you say Loki?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Uh,
which Loki,” Thor asked.

She
paused with her eyebrows knit and her mouth agape.

“I’m
sorry, I don’t understand the question,” she said.

“Oh,
you must not have met the others yet,” he said, “That’s okay!”

“Oh,
uh, sure,” Miss said.

“By
the way, where is Loki,” he asked.

“He’s
just out on a supply run,” Miss said.

“You
seem nervous, I hope I’m not making you uncomfortable,” Thor said.

“No,
no, not at all, it’s Loki, he’s… Look, he’s kinda in trouble, I’m
just trying to think how to fix it,” Miss said.

“Trouble?”
Thor asked.

“I
probably shouldn’t talk about it,” Miss whispered.

Thor
looked over his shoulder toward the door with a cocked eyebrow and
leaned in to whisper at miss.

“It
isn’t because of the… you know,” he asked.

“Uh,”
she said.

“It
is, isn’t it?  It’s the stuff he keeps putting in the candy, isn’t
it?” Thor whispered.

“I’m
not-”

“Good,
you’re not a snitch, that’s good,” Thor said.

The
bell jingled.  A young, exhausted Loki stumbled in, carrying a
literal bodybag.  Reddish liquid dripped from the foot of the sack.
Thor’s eyes widened.  Everyone paused in one of those unprocessable
silences that began to plague this tiny shop.

“It’s
cherries on ice,” Loki said.

Thor
heaved a sigh of relief.

“Oh,
good, I thought I’d have to bring a shovel,” he said.

Loki’s
face lit up with an adorable smile.

“You’d
do that for me?” Loki asked.

“You’re
getting juice on the carpet,” Thor said.

Loki
scrambled for the work counter.  Miss caught Thor redhanded; he snuck
a peek at Loki’s high and tight little ass as it swished past.  Loki
pushed the sack on top of the work bench, rinsed his hands.  Miss
partially unzipped the bag and pulled some cherries for the colander.
Loki pointed at the boxes that Miss had wrapped.

“Good
job, good thinking,” Loki said.

“Thanks!”
Miss said.

“So,”
Thor interrupted, “you’re getting married?”

A
shudder ran down Loki’s spine at the words, at the thought.  The
whites of Loki’s eyes shone as he peeked at Thor over his shoulder,
then looked back to Miss.

“What
did you tell him?” Loki asked.

“She
said you were in trouble,” Thor said, “and that all of these
boxes were in preparation for a wedding.  Loki’s wedding.”

Loki
laughed.

“Oh,
well, that could be any of us!” Loki said.

Thor
held up a single finger.

“But
she’s only met one Loki.” Thor said.

He
pointed the finger at Loki.

“And
I’m looking at him,” Thor said, “congratulations buddy!  I’d buy
you a drink, but with that baby face I’m not sure you’d be old enough
to drink it!”

“Hah!
I’m well old enough to drink,” Loki said, “you should have
offered to buy me drinks sooner!”

“Too
late now, eh?” Thor said.

“Not
necessarily,” Loki said, “I still haven’t gone down that aisle,
yet.”

“You
act like you’re unwilling to walk to that altar,” Thor said.

“I
couldn’t be dragged kicking and screaming to that altar if it meant
giving up on drinks with you,” Loki admitted.

“You
flatter me!  If I wasn’t here to pick up more treats for my fiance,
I’d be inclined to take you home,” Thor said.

The
moment Thor uttered the word fiance, Miss dropped a handful of
cherries, a few of which bounced into the drain of the sink.  Behind
the work counter, in the sink, Miss saw the nails of Loki’s right
hand dig into the flesh of his left.  Loki simply smiled.

“Did
she enjoy the ones from yesterday?” Loki said.

“Very
much so,” he said, “she seems to polish them off the moment I
turn my back.”

“Wonderful!
I’ll make something special to commemorate the engagement,” Loki
said.

Miss
saw him twirl a cherry from the bottom of the sink drain with the
intent of hiding it in the chocolates.  She gripped his wrist,
finger-wrestled the cherry from his long, elegant hand, and threw it
in the trash.

“Thank
you for getting that for me,” Miss said.

Thor’s
eyes twinkled as he watched the dance between Miss and Loki.  Loki
slipped an Atomic Fireball from the gumball machine and dipped it in
the chocolate fountain with a smile.  As he reached to plunk it in
the heart-shaped box, Miss sucked it into her mouth, Loki fingers and
all.  She bit it out of his hand, sucked the chocolate off it, and
spat the warhead into the trash with the other toxic cherry.  Loki
chuckled, pointed at miss and smiled as he faced Thor.  As he faced
away from Thor, the vitriol burst in silence from his face.

“Operation
food safety inspection!” Miss whispered, “just trust me!”

She
continued to whip up a perfectly normal and delicious box of a dozen
chocolate cherries.  She thwarted attempts to dust the whole box with
wasabi powder, knocked his hand away as he attempted to drop a mother
of all bars in the chocolate fountain.  Loki busied himself with
converting the horrid pink envelope Highness left into a message that
read “For fucks sake, just break up with me already, Signed, Thor.”
He slipped the note into the box, she slipped it out and closed the
box.  She laced up the box of normalcy with rapid deft moves.  Loki
hid his disappointment in a fake broad smile, chin and shoulders held
high.

“No
charge, on the house, this was a practice box, we have to make like a
bazillion more of these damn things, you just get the very first
one,” Miss said.

“That’s
coming out of your paycheck,” hissed Loki between smiling teeth.

“Ask
me if I care,” Miss returned in similar hissing fashion.

Thor
chuckled.

“I
think I see what’s going on,” Thor said.

He
took the box graciously.

“Congratulations,
you two,” he said, “I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone, then.”

He
turned to leave.  Loki and Miss looked at each other.  Miss looked at
Thor’s back and called to stop him.

“No,”
Miss said, “it’s not me.”

Thor
tried not to look back at her.
“Thor, it’s not me, I’m not the
one getting married,” Miss said.

He
nodded without looking back.

“My
mistake,” Thor said, “Congratulations still stand for him,
though.”

Thor
walked out.  Loki and Miss held their breath as they watched his
broad backside walk away.

“See?
She likes what you’re sending,” Miss said the moment the bell
jingled.

“She
seems to polish them off the moment I turn my back,” mocked Loki,
“then how is the bitch not 400 pounds of whale blubber right now?
No, I’m willing to bet she’s throwing them out.”

“Maybe.
Or maybe she’s a big big girl.  You don’t know, you haven’t seen
her.  But wait, actually, if you haven’t seen her, then, what if he
doesn’t have a girlfriend?”

Loki
glared at her.

“That’s
preposterous.  Do you see him?  Of course he has a girlfriend,”
Loki scoffed.

“No,
I’m supposed to believe he has a girlfriend, that turned into a
fiance, today?” Miss said.

“Yes,
you’re supposed to believe that, why would you not believe that?”
Loki said.

“Because
it makes sense!  The moment he thought you were getting married his
fake girlfriend turned into a fake fiance,” Miss said.

“You
have no evidence to support this claim,” Loki said.

“You
have no real evidence of a girlfriend to refute this claim!  He was
checking out your ass when you walked by him with the cherries,”
Miss said.

“I-
Wait, he was?” Loki said.

“Totally,
I wish I had it on camera, he’s totally into your ass,” Miss said.

Loki
blushed.  He bolted from behind the work bench, changed the “Open”
sign to “Closed,” and bolted the door.  He took Miss by the wrist
and began to run upstairs.

“C’mon!”
he said excitedly.

In
the elevator, he flipped a panel below the labeled buttons.  A
landline phone handset hooked within the recessed panel, along with a
few other labelled buttons.  He pressed the one labeled “Security.”
The elevator dinged without moving, and the back doors opened to a
closet with a small CCTV setup, an AED, first aid kit, and fire
extinguisher.  A totally illegal rocket launcher leaned in the
corner, along with a megaphone, a jumper box, and an assortment of
random bits of equipment that could prove useful in either a hostile
takeover of a small government or the prevention of theft and loss of
life and property.  Loki slid into a chair at the CCTV display and
punched some commands into a keyboard.  He scrolled back to the
moment that Thor entered.  He watched the interaction at quadruple
speed until the moment he ran past with the cherries.  He paused the
video, backed up, replayed the run in slow motion.  He watched Thor
lock eyes on his own ass.  Loki’s jaw dropped.  His hand went to his
heart with his fingers curled in intrigue.

“Well,
what do you think now?” asked Miss.

“I
think I need to go do more product testing,” Loki gasped.

——-
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