Loki Agere Ficlets

a gift [thor, tess, regressor!loki]

Summary: Loki regresses around Tess for the first time, but Tess isn't aware that this is what's happening. Somehow, Thor seems familiar with this "new" behavior...

Loki came into the room with clear excitement, feet moving quickly in a tumble-like run.

"Thor!"

His exclamation catches Thor's attention, and he grins, pausing the game he had been yelling at the television about for the past hour and a half.

"Loki!"

Tess watches from their position, perching on the chair in the corner, where they have been amusing themself with Thor's dramatics, a wooden 3-dimensional puzzle, and attempts to send Mind memes without the use of their tablet (the latter so far unsuccessful, though that might be because he is purposefully ignoring them).

Loki is holding something, a brown rectangular box, a packaged gift of some sort. Tess cannot tell from this angle what is on the label, though they know it is a gift (from Thor, evidently) because they can see Loki holding the cloth it must have been wrapped in previously in his other hand.

"That is not all, brother." Thor stands, and pulls out a lumpy rounded package, cinched with a tie at the top, from in between the couch cushions. How long has he been waiting, having that hidden there?

Tess watches the curious interaction without comment. Thor bringing Loki a gift back from Asgard is not out of the ordinary, but Loki's reaction of pure, open excitement is.

Loki gasps, hands starting to grab the mystery item before he seems to restrain himself and pull back, and instead he throws his arms around his brother. Thor lets out a dramatic "oof," as if Loki managed to knock the wind out of him.

Their hugging seems to last for ages.

It is only the three of them in the room at this moment– Thor, Loki and Tess.

As time has passed, Loki has gotten more comfortable around them, both as he got to know Tess and he reconnected and gradually rebuilt his relationship with his brother Thor.

Loki has the second package in his hands now, having pulled away from Thor to grab it, and is staring down at it, flipping it around and around.

Loki is still not nearly so close with the avengers as he is with Thor and Tess, which is hardly surprising. Tess has to admit while they themself are fond of the group of mortals, they are not yet among their favorites. Well, favorite, if they are being honest, considering that title belongs mostly to Loki.

Thor is still on thin ice, but they continue to hope Thor will not give them a reason to change their opinion in the future.

Still, even when comfortable, Loki is usually so calm and collected, standing straight, almost uptight in his regal posture. He is hardly ever so open with his emotions, unless extremely upset.

He is far from uptight as he mumbles unintelligibly to himself, still turning the package around rapidly in his hands, and plopping down to sit on the floor.

This is the first time his mood has been so... perky.

"I cannot claim full credit- it's from Mother's collection." Loki does not appear to be listening as Thor speaks, transfixed by the cloth pouch, which he is now attempting to untie. Though it seems he is only managing to tighten the knot.

"You, sneaking to steal a priceless delicacy from his own mother while she isn't looking?" Tess asks, lightly teasing though their tone sounds mostly serious.

"How did you guess? And for my little brother, don't forget that part. And it was two- two of them."

"Of course, only the most valiant missions for the mighty Thor."

Thor seems proud at hearing this statement. Tess resists the urge to roll their eyes, even if the look is oddly endearing.

"What is that anyways?" Tess asks. They had never seen anything like it, though of course something from Asgard would be packaged differently from the items they had seen and gotten used to on Midgard.

"It is a flour made from a grain which grows only in Alfheim, though it is naturally sweet and used for soft breads– like pancakes."

"No Thor, not like pancakes" –Loki pipes up, loudly, from where he sits on the floor evidently having been listening– "do not attempt to compare it."

"I apologize brother, I was not thinking," Thor replies immediately, earnestly.

Loki huffs, hardly mollified, though he does not bother to berate him further.

His behavior was... peculiar. Loki has been excited around them before, but this is somehow different, in a way Tess is unable to pinpoint. But, Thor does not seem to think anything is amiss and Tess is afraid if they point out the difference, it will break the spell of calm in the air, or worse, the joy on Loki's face.

"Shall we make some sweets?"

"Okay," Loki replies to his brother, hesitant at first and then with more confidence, "but no touching my flour."