The Scientist (Loki x OC)

Pt. 25: Dinner at the Parker's

A comfortable feeling settled throughout the apartment space. Loki sat at the counter, enraptured by a book on jellyfish, and Luna stood at the stove, preparing a vegetable rice dish and swaying along to The 1975's 'Somebody Else.' It was a brief time of bliss and peace for the two unlikely friends, and they appreciated each second they could spare.

"Did you know these creatures have no brain?" Loki spoke, too occupied with admiring the artist's rendition of a Portuguese man o' war to look away.

"Mhm. Nor do they have hearts," Luna replied, glancing back at him.

Loki turned the page, revealing another for his enjoyment. "Amazing how they can be considered a living being."

Deeming the food done, Luna turned the stove off and bent to get an insulated Tupperware container.

"From a biologist's view," she called to him, "an organism has to do three things to be considered alive: produce waste, expend energy, and intake some kind of fuel. For example, take a single algae cell." She opened the container and carefully scooped the fresh food into it. "Though it is only one cell, it takes in light and carbon dioxide as energy sources, produces oxygen as waste, and expends energy through its cellular processes. Now, take a virus." She turns around and places the filled container on the counter in front of Loki, pressing the lid down. "Even though it can infect its host and lie dormant for many years, it doesn't do any of those three biological activities. So, it's not alive."

"Yet it can kill so mercilessly."

"Yeah. Pretty freaky, right? I love it." She grinned. "But don't get me started on bacteriophages. I could go on and on about those, and we have somewhere to be really soon."

Loki closed the book and folded his hands together. "You can tell me in the car."

Luna nodded a little and let her smile fall as a strange sense of dread flowed over her.

"Do you think they'll like this?" She asked. "I mean, I haven't had or been to a proper Thanksgiving in forever, so I don't know."

"I wouldn't know either, but by the look and smell, I think it would be appropriate."

Luna leaned closer. "Do you really think this is a good idea? I mean, to go? I'm not family, and I'll probably be intruding on their good time. I'm basically the same as a teacher's assistant at Peter's high school, and the thought of me being at their table for Thanksgiving is just weird. What do you think? Is this weird?" She rambled, her nerves getting the better of her self-control. Loki tapped the counter and looked to where her hands rested.

"I will be honest, this is all new to me as well, but the boy did invite us to his home to spend time with the people he considers his family. He seemed rather confident when asking."

Luna's smile returned, albeit smaller. "Yeah, he's getting better at that every day."

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Loki knocked thrice on the new apartment door. He and Luna didn't have to wait long for their teenage friend to open the door and greet them with his trademark $100 smile.

"Hey, you guys! Come in, come in. May is the in the kitchen, and Ned's already here," he chatted as he led them into the living room. "It's so great you both could make it."

"I'm just honored you invited us," Luna said. She lifted the Tupperware in her hands. "I did bring something if that's ok."

"Oh yeah, awesome. You can put it wherever it needs to be."

"Alright. I'll go set it in the kitchen and say hi to your auntie."

"Cool, cool. We'll be here."