Working Title : Loki & Annie

95 Confrontations Part One

By the time they had finished lunch, Annie couldn't eat another bite and they had three bags full of to-go orders. The food had come out one dish after the other and Thor had made short work of them until finally, he sat back in his chair with an utterly contented expression.

Annie was satisfied that her little plan had worked despite that when the fish curry had come Thor had to be nearly goaded into trying it. His expression had given away his surprise at enjoying the dish. He had eaten several bites of it however the best gratification came from watching Loki. 

As the food was brought to the table Loki watched with clear interest, in Asgard the food was brought to him on a plate. Even Annie brought his food to him already prepared though he did remember that at Micah's home he had been given an empty plate that Annie filled for him.

As each dish was set down Fatima explained what it was, Annie had heard of most of them but never had the extra money to try all of them. She planned to enjoy this treat so she listened attentively to each description while trying to remember so she could decide if she was willing to make one her new favorite. She didn't miss the expressions of skepticism when both she and Fatima told the brothers that the naan could be used in place of a fork. Loki watched her scoop up a bite and didn't need any further encouragement though Thor made do with using his fork just as much.

Thor didn't mind using his fingers to eat in Asgard since it was often the way of soldiers in the field. Even when dining in the palace where the meat was roasted it was often eaten with freshly baked crusty loaves of bread. However, he was aware that he was on Midgard and from what he had experienced from his time here, most cultures didn't use their fingers. It was one of the reasons he had wanted Loki to not eat that way, his Brother needed to fit in. 

Nearly all of the fish curry had been eaten by Loki, he had never tasted these flavors before and loved the way they danced on his tongue. He hadn't even minded that he was eating fish, he still accepted every bite Annie placed on his plate. There were other dishes he tried as well, none of them as good as the fish but he still ate it all.

Leaning back in the chair Annie watched Loki use the last little bite of his naan to wipe his plate clean. Her expression was satisfied as she asked, "Did you enjoy everything?" She was amused at how quickly he had taken to eating his food with the naan.

Loki looked to Annie as he chewed, he had enjoyed it all so he gave several nods before swallowing and quietly speaking, "Yes, I did."

It was the surprise of Loki speaking that made Annie's heart jump, despite knowing that he could talk it always seemed to be an unexpected gift because he did it so rarely. And even having spoken to Fatima in Hindi didn't make her as happy as when he spoke to her. She looked to Thor who was beaming at Loki with nearly paternal pride.

Clearing his throat Thor commented on Loki's appetite, "It is good to see your hunger returning, Brother."  He looked to Annie to explain, "Loki hasn't been eating as much as he should." Thor was also glad that Loki's need to smell and taste every single bite had changed to every few bites instead, Thor hoped it was a sign of recovery. "For him to eat this much he must truly enjoy the food."

A feeling of guilt started in Annie, her eyes darted from Thor to Loki. Leaning forward towards Loki she spoke her feelings, "I'm sorry, buddy. I should have tried making different things for you."

Thor interrupted, "You did nothing wrong, Annie." There was regret in Thor's voice, "Growing up Loki would often cease eating for days at a time." Meeting his Brother's curious gaze he added, "Even as an adult Loki can often miss meals. Especially if he has found something that holds his interest." He smiled a bit as he added, "Do not hold yourself accountable for Loki's appetite, he would not."