Working Title : Loki & Annie

82 Are You My Brother?

The long walk home had been much quieter than the trip to Walmart. All their purchases had been fit into the wagons like a Tetris puzzle while still leaving room for Loki to sit cross-legged, the tea set once more clutched against his chest. This time had been much easier to get him to give it up long enough for the clerk to scan it. 

Thor had never regained his good humor, he had crushed the Loki figure to small pieces before throwing it all into a trash can outside the store. He had given both Loki and Annie a tight smile but neither one had been fooled that he wasn't displeased. 

Annie knew he was upset about the action figure and she was torn. Part of her admitted that the adult Loki had done horrible things when he had been here. And because he was the most widely seen figure the Avengers had fought against it made sense for him to be immortalized as an action figure. After all, the Avengers needed someone to fight against, right? Yet she also could see where Thor's anger was coming from, he just didn't see Loki as that person. And now that the Loki who had invaded wasn't the same Loki riding in a wagon clutching a tea set, well, Thor had to be struggling to figure his feelings out.

Loki wondered what he had done to make Not-His-Thor angry at him because he knew that he must have done something because Not-His-Thor kept looking at him. Loki wondered if Annie was mad at him too because she kept looking at him too but she didn't look mad at him. She just looked sad. He kept the tea set close, out of everything they had seen it was the only thing he really understood and wanted. It made him think of Mother and he just wanted her to give him a hug and he would give her a hug too but all he had was the tea set so he would hug that and pretend it was her. Even if it was nothing like a hug. Unless you were hugging someone with hard poky armor which Mother never wore. Loki gave a deep sigh and rested his head on the box. Hugging the tea set was nothing like hugging Mother.

Annie really wanted to ask Thor what he was thinking but she knew it couldn't be done while Loki was just a wagon's length away from them. She was pretty sure he had some sort of super hearing and she didn't want him to know what was going on around him. She felt that some things should be kept from kids when there was an option. She heard Loki give a deep exhalation and looked back at him, he was resting his head on the box, blinking slowly while staring ahead at nothing. He looked exhausted.

"Maybe we could have an early dinner, get Loki's bath done and have an early night." She wasn't sure if Thor heard her, he was staring ahead at something only he could see. "It's been a pretty active day. Loki was playing at the park and he's still recovering." She hesitated before plunging on. "Plus, I've got an early morning tomorrow."

Thor was furious and was trying to determine where that feeling was directed. He wanted to be angry at Stark just because that man seemed to be involved in everything. The fact that the words Stark were on the package told him the man was somehow responsible. Yet Thor was also angry at Loki, his Brother had earned the scorn and hate of Midgard honestly. There was no one at fault for Loki's actions except himself.  The issue Thor was having was despite these feelings there was no way to vent these feelings. Loki of the Battle of New York wasn't here. A feeling of despair washed through him as he wondered if that Loki would ever return. One part of Thor hoped he would and another wished to never see that mad creature ever again. So deep in his thoughts, it took him a moment to realize Annie had spoken which required him to think over what he had heard. Her words slowly took on meaning and Thor frowned at finally understanding them. "Tomorrow?"

"Yeah, you know, when I have to go back to work."

"Ah, yes." He nodded, "Of course." His previous feelings faded away as at her words the feeling of unease replaced it.

When he didn't say anything else Annie realized she didn't know what he was agreeing to. That she had to go back to work? Or that they should go to bed early? She figured maybe he was agreeing to both, she shrugged to herself, it really didn't matter because if she had anything to say about it both were going to happen regardless. And since it was her house, her rules.