Working Title : Loki & Annie

72 Leap of Faith

Sitting on the couch Loki's hands were tightly clasped together while his thumbs rubbed and pressed against each other. His shoulders were hunched, his head bowed, only raising it enough to glance over at Not-His-Thor whenever the god moved even slightly. His bottom lip had a small section bleeding because he had pulled a tiny piece of skin off and now he bit it between his teeth. The taste of blood was familiar. He distractedly watched his thumbs, his attention split between keeping an eye on Thor and listening for Annie to come back to him.

Thor's own restlessness came out through the random starting and stopping of his right leg rapidly bouncing up and down. He was aware of Loki's furtive glances yet didn't acknowledge them, there was nothing he could think to do about them other than try to contain himself. This was a failure so instead, he focused his attention on listening for any sign that Annie was about to come out of her room. He had heard Annie's voice speaking lowly though he felt safe in assuming that no one else was in there with her. She must have been on her phone speaking to someone, Thor hoped she was getting advice from someone who would convince her to accept his offer. He didn't know what he would do if she refused him.

Despite them both listening for the door to open when it did they both were startled at the abruptness of it. Nor were they prepared when Annie marched over with a brisk step proclaiming, "Okay boys, we're going to the park."

Thor had hastily stood when Annie appeared and now he asked with a puzzled frown, "The park?"

"Yep." Annie came around the couch to face Loki who was looking at her with a wide-eyed expression that could have been alarm or bewilderment. Setting her hands on her hips Annie gave Loki a soothing smile then looked to Thor with her chin up. "The park." He glanced at Loki then back to Annie, a little apprehension showing through his confusion. "You know what a park is, right?"

"Have you come to a settlement on your-"

"Nope, nope, no." Annie interrupted while stretching out her hand like she was slowing cars in a school zone then raised up one finger which she waved back and forth. "We're not going to talk about what I have or have not decided." She watched a scowl come over Thor's face. "Hey, if you want me to decide right now then the answer is no. Or. We can go to the park where I'm going to talk with Sherise and make my decision after."

Thor clapped his hands together, rubbing them quickly, "To the park then."

Annie gave a half laugh as she watched as he struggled to give a convincing smile and pretty much failed. But at least he wasn't pushing the issue so she turned to Loki, her face transforming as the lines smoothed out and her smile grew. "So let's get your tennies on, and your hoodie then head on out. We're gonna meet Micah and his mom and dad there. Okay? Okay, be right back."

She ignored the growing confusion on Thor's face and went into their bedroom to grab Loki's shoes and hoodie. She was aware that she probably seemed a little manic but it kind of matched her feelings. She was tingling with nervous energy. Walking out with Loki's things she glimpsed Hulk laying on the bed and grabbed him too. 

Loki was a little disoriented at the speed of what was going on as well as confounded at what wasn't happening. He had expected Annie to tell him that she didn't want to stay with him although he had hoped she wouldn't say that but instead say that she wanted to be with him all the time. He didn't know what a park was and wondered what would happen to him there. He was glad that Micah would be there too because Micah was his friend and if Micah was there then he would go to this park to see him.

"Tennies?" Thor asked.

Annie knelt in front of Loki, tossing Hulk on the couch then looked over her shoulder to Thor for just a moment while pulling the velcro straps open to slide the first little shoe on. "Tennis shoes. Tennies."