Working Title : Loki & Annie

Chapter Twenty-Four Pizza & Pigs

Annie set the pizzas on the coffee table, there were four of them, all extra large since Thor had insisted on spending the whole hundred when she had mentioned the pizza place may not accept or provide change for a hundred dollar bill. She hadn't wanted to say she didn't have money for enough of the good pizza to feed him. She was a horrible hostess.

While Thor was filling his plate with slices from each of the four different pizza's, Annie was in the kitchen with an idea. She carefully dropped some items in a low rimmed plastic bowl then brought it over to the couch where Loki was sitting, propped up between pillows next to Thor. Annie had told Thor to start eating as soon as the pizza had arrived. Now he watched with interest what was happening in front of him.

 Loki was comfortably wrapped in the cape which was bunched around his waist. He sat Indian style, his legs crossed and tucked under him. He was still wearing Thor's tunic though it was pulled to one side revealing a bony shoulder and healing scars. From one huge sleeve Loki's hands had appeared and were clasped palm to palm while his fingers were slowly twisting together.

Annie glanced at Loki, all she could see was the top of his head. He kept his head down, appearing subdued though Annie knew he was aware of what was happening around him. He was hyper vigilant actually. Even though his head was down, when no one was watching him his eyes were never still, always aware of the placement and movement of those around him.

 She didn't say anything, sliding a couple pieces of pizza onto her plate and sitting sideways so she could see Thor over Loki's head. She set the bowl in her lap then took a bite from her pizza.

"Wow, this is good. It's been too long since I've ordered from these guys. They toss their own crust. Thanks Thor." She gave him a smile.

"You are most welcome." Thor nodded, his eyes went down to the bowl but he didn't say anything. "Sometimes Tony orders pizza as well. It's different though."

Annie nodded, her hand picking up the bowl and casually setting it in Loki's lap on his legs near his hands. There was a high squeak of surprise from Loki but Annie was already speaking over it, "Well of course! You're probably eating authentic New York pizza. This is authentic, kind of close to New York pizza." Over Loki's head she watched Thor's eyes drop to his brother, he was worried about Loki's reaction.

Loki was staring at the bowl, it rested lightly on the cape in the space between his legs, doing nothing more. He had pulled his hands up and back against his stomach and now the fingers  of one hand were now rapidly pulling at the skin between the thumb and finger of his other hand. His breathing had increased slightly along with some high pitched warbles that came from his throat but other than that he was still.

Annie spoke casually, leaning just slightly forward, her voice calm and low. "Oh, that's yours, Loki. It belongs to you. No one is going to take it away from you." She heard the increase in the volume of the noise coming from Loki. He raised his hands towards his mouth, his fingers poking through his lips and into his mouth as though to gag himself.

Thor heard Loki's distress and looked at Annie. He didn't recognize what was in the bowl but had to assume the tiny items were food. He reached forward and gently pulled the fingers from Loki's mouth but allowed them to remain near. As he did so his mind raced to think about what could possibly be going through the boys mind. "Tis not a trick, Brother. It is yours." He spoke with certainty. "Tis as Lady Annie spoke. No one will take it. Tis your food, Brother." His words ended on a softer tone, "We would not take it from you. Trust us. Please."

Annie took another, smaller bite of her pizza while trying to casually swipe at her eyes. Damn big, soft guys who aren't afraid to show their emotions. The sounds coming from Loki slowed and his hands lowered. "Those are called Cheerios." Annie frowned slightly. "Well, they're the store version of them. A generic version. Anyway. There are ten in the bowl." Annie counted each out loud, her finger coming down towards the bowl to move slightly as she counted each one. "They taste okay." There was a slight whine from Loki as his fingers pinched each other. "You can eat them if you want. Or you don't have to eat them."