𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 - 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒑𝒖𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 ✓

Corner Shops and Paparazzi

    Loki's eyes fluttered open, and closed immediately after he was blinded by the morning sun. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, looking at the time as he woke himself up. It was almost noon.

He sighed deeply and strode over to the dresser Thomas had placed next to his bookshelf. The drawers were filled with comfy, casual clothes. His closet held fancier clothes along with his armor. He decided on a black hoodie, black socks, and jeans. 

Tom and Zawe were already awake, busying themselves in the kitchen with breakfast. As promised, Zawe had looked up a few Asgardian recipes, and had prepared him a breakfast similar to what he would have eaten then. 

Loki trudged down the stairs, grumbling to himself about how silly it was that he had to wear Midguardian clothing. They were comfy, but his dear armor would always have his heart.

Tom greeted the god with a smile and led him to the island, gesturing for him to sit on one of the barstools. He sat down with a confused expression that softened once the food was placed in front of him. 

The plate consisted of grapes, slices of pineapple, and a bowl of yogurt with blueberries. He looked up at Tom and Zawe, his lips parted. Tom chuckled and grabbed Zawe's hand, leading her out of the room so he could eat peacefully. 

He happily ate all of the food, and placed his dishes into the sink like Zawe had done the night before. 

Tom caught himself fawning over his actions, and shook his head, walking back into the living room. 

A few hours later, Loki sat on the sofa reading a book while Zawe was cleaning up the kitchen, and Tom walked in sporting his running gear and Bobby on a leash. Loki's head perked up and Tom smiled at him, "Would you like to come with me on my walk with Bobby?"

Loki smiled genuinely and Tom's heart fluttered. 

Wait- what?? Fluttered?- His brows furrowed in confusion while Loki slipped on the shoes he had been given. It was a simple pair of sneakers that was perfect for the walk. 

Tom gave Zawe a peck on the cheek and left the house with Loki trailing behind him. 

"Where are we going Thomas?" Loki asked, looking around at the neighborhood. Tom was lost in thought, confused about the way his stomach had swam with butterflies just from Loki smiling. It was most likely just the amount of joy he felt for the god. He had given Tom a real smile, which meant he was happy. That's why his heart had skipped a beat.

No other reason.

"Just to the dog park and maybe a coffee shop if it gets too chilly." Tom said, smiling at the raven-haired man at his side. Bobby yipped happily ahead of them, trotting along the sidewalk. 

Once they reached the Belsize dog park, Tom unclipped Bobby's leash and let him run out into the leaves. He knew better than to run off, so he let him run free. 

Loki and Tom sat down on a nearby park bench together in a comfortable silence, watching the dog run around and play happily. Tom looked over and his heart melted at the sight of Loki chuckling as Bobby came barreling through a pile of leaves. The god looked truly happy, and that made him happy. 

"Thomas?"

He blinked, eyes focusing on the immortal's face. "Hm?"

"You're staring at me." Loki replied, watching as Bobby trotted up to him and nudged his leg. 

Tom chuckled, "Sorry. Just got lost in thought."

They stayed at the park for a while longer and then decided to stop by a pet-friendly corner shop for a drink. It was nearing the first of December, which meant the air had an icy nip to it. 

Loki ordered the same as Tom, and they sat down at a window table to eat their snacks. Loki took a bite of the sandwich and hummed in approval. Tom chuckled and dug into his own, falling into a comfortable silence with the god. 

Tom found his mind drifting back to the raven-haired man in front of him. He tried to think of other things, but he just couldn't. It confused him greatly. 

It's hard to imagine the Loki in front of him, face buried in a sandwich, was the same Loki that tried to destroy Earth. Loki had found a rip and escaped to this version of Midguard after the events of Endgame. He was happy to have the immortal at his side, and enjoyed his company.

Loki finished eating and they left the coffee shop. The streets were more crowded now as it was nearing two o'clock, and Loki felt himself grow wary and anxious at the looks he was receiving. Tom noticed this and didn't know what to do. He wanted to help him, but he just didn't know how. 

He thought of how he would comfort and reassure Zawe whenever paparazzi swarmed them, and just decided to use the same technique on him. Tom grasped the bottom of Loki's hoodie and pulled him close, almost flush against his side. 

A few more people began to recognize them, so he took it a step farther and took Loki's hand into his own. To anyone else it would look rather...intimate, but he was only doing it to comfort his friend. Paparazzi and fans can get overwhelming. 

Loki glanced down at their joined hands and looked back up at the mortal with an arched brow. He knew Tom was an affectionate person, but he was confused at the gesture. 

Oddly enough, Tom's warm hand closed around his colder one felt comforting and safe. He hesitantly held his hand back and they walked together back to his house, hands dropping once they were away from cameras and fans.

The day dragged on slowly, and Loki found himself missing Tom's warmth. He knew it wasn't right for him to crave that contact with him, but he did nonetheless. 

"How was the walk with Bobby?" Zawe asked as they entered the home. Tom walked over and gave her a gentle squeeze, kissing her sweetly before answering. "It was lovely until paparazzi caught wind of us."

Zawe pouted and looked over at Loki. "I'm sorry, I hope it wasn't too much."

For some reason, Loki had a strong urge to slap her silly. What a foolish question. 

"Of course it was." Loki snapped, narrowing his eyes at the mortal woman. Her eyes widened and Tom sighed. She opened her mouth to speak, but decided not to. Loki ventured off to his room, leaving the couple in the middle of the living room. 

"He's panicked and stressed love. Loki hasn't ever experienced that before. I promise you he won't be this snappy all the time."

Boy was Tom wrong.