Working Title : Loki & Annie

52 Technology

Annie was in the kitchen cutting up a pancake for Loki along with some fruit. She was making sure to cut them into tiny pieces before sliding them onto a small plate. All the while she was thinking, thinking, and muttering to herself as she thought back over the morning.

"I can not believe, believe, you couldn't come up with better answers for those people. Aliens, gods, whatever." She shook her head while pouring milk into one of Loki's cups, water in the other. "They probably know you lied to them, some sort of ESP or something. Is that even still a thing, ESP? Or is it something else now?"

She washed the few utensils, scrubbing too hard and too fast. "And who wants pancakes? Uhg, idiot." She set the clean dishes in the drainer. "Just wait for Thor. You just have to get through this till he gets here without any more breakdowns and tears. None for you and none for Loki. No tears mean a winner. Winner winner chicken dinner." Annie snorted then dropped her head into her hands. Taking several breaths she tried to get herself under control. It took a full minute of breathing deeply before she felt steady. "You can do this. You got it, girl. You got it."

 She slid the plate and drinks onto her tray and carried it over to the couch where Loki still sat watching Mister Rogers. Annie wasn't even sure what number episode he was on now.

Sitting next to him she leaned over to watch the screen. Mister Rogers was wearing a snazzy sweater while talking to a puppet about using your imagination. Annie had no idea who it was, just that it was some kind of animal. A cat?

A quick check showed there were only a few minutes left so she let the show run until it was all over. She smiled when Loki gave what sounded like a satisfied sigh, she asked, "Did you like that episode?" She hit pause on playing the next one.

Loki looked up at Annie before focusing on the screen with a slightly disappointed expression. His fingers brushed over the fabric of Hulk and Thor while he kept them tucked up under his chin. He stared at the screen as if he could start the next episode with only a thought.

"I know you want to watch more, but let's eat something first, okay?" Annie went to pick the tablet up so she could slide the tray onto his lap when Loki looked at her and shook his head one time. "No?" Again he shook his head. "What? You don't want something to eat?" Another firm shake of his head. Annie frowned, "You really need to eat, buddy. You didn't eat any dinner last night. And you didn't eat your Cheerios this morning either."

Loki's shoulders hunched as his chin lowered to press down on Hulk and Thor. Before his head had dropped his eyes had narrowed with what looked like anxiety. One hand brought a finger up and started to slowly pluck at his bottom lip.

Annie wasn't sure what to do. She couldn't force Loki to eat, except he needed to eat. He had seemed like he was making progress but now he was sliding back and she didn't know why. "Um, okay. How about some milk? You want some milk?" She picked up the cup then gave it a slight shake. "Or water?" She picked that cup up. "Or juice?" She was feeling a little desperate. She didn't want Thor coming back with Loki having had nothing all morning.

Loki looked between the cups while his eyes weighed his choices as if it were life or death. At last, his hand plucked his lips one last time and he reached out for the cup of milk. Taking it he quickly started drinking using the straw. He continued until he finally paused just long enough to suck in several breaths through his mouth before continuing.

"You can slow down there, kiddo. No one's going to snatch it out of your hands." Annie meant it as a joke, then felt a spasm of guilt as she wondered if that's what Loki was afraid of. Does he think I'm going to rip it away from him? Should I not sit so close to him?

Loki finished, the straw slurping the last drops up. Breathing heavily he licked at his lips while contemplating the cup.

"How about some more?" Annie tried to keep her voice light and casual. "You can sip on it while watching another episode. Huh, how about it? Another cup?"