The cozy warmth of Loki’s living room was interrupted only by the rustling of fast-food bags and the occasional muffled groan of protest. Sunlight poured in through the blinds, illuminating the green-scaled dragon standing proudly beside the couch, arms crossed and smirking down at his guest.

“Divine punishment for your fox insolence!” Loki declared, holding a cup of soda triumphantly like a goblet of truth.

Rohan, the fox in question, groaned, adjusting his red flannel shirt as he leaned further into the cushions. He eyed the chicken sandwich in his paw with mild disdain but didn’t stop chewing. “Divine justice this, divine justice that…,” he muttered between bites.

The fox's lap was already stacked with crumpled wrappers, and the remnants of a chicken box rested precariously on his knee. On the floor, bags with the telltale red logo of a fast-food chain spilled their contents like some caloric treasure chest.

“I warned you, Rohan,” Loki continued, pacing theatrically. His black tank top clung to his muscular frame as his thick tail swayed behind him. “Mocking the glory of a dragon comes with consequences. This is divine retribution, delivered in crispy, golden form!”

Rohan rolled his eyes but smirked. “Yeah, yeah, you’re real scary, big guy. But if this is punishment, I’m not exactly suffering.” He grabbed another chicken strip and took a defiant bite, though his stomach let out a low gurgle of protest.

“Not yet,” Loki shot back with a grin, his sharp teeth glinting. He leaned over, pressing another sandwich into Rohan’s free paw. “But we’ll see how long that lasts. You’ve got a long way to go before you’ve paid for your crimes.”

Rohan looked down at the sandwich, then at Loki. “You really think this is going to faze me? I’ve handled worse.”

“Oh, we’ll see,” Loki replied smugly, pulling another box of Chicken tenders from the pile and opening it with deliberate flair. “We’ve only just begun, my friend. Now open up!”

Rohan huffed but complied, taking a large bite of the chicken. As the dragon loomed over him, proud and relentless, the fox was starting to suspect this “punishment” wasn’t just about teaching him a lesson.

It was about setting the stage for something much bigger.