Chapter 23
It's how you live your life, not how long you live it.
Loki felt shaken as he watched April storm away to answer the door, her words more cutting than she would ever realise. He suddenly thought back to New York and felt guilt, not for the first time, but the most profoundly. He remembered Thor trying to reason with him at the Iron Man's Tower, when for a fleeting moment he had been forced to register the screams and destruction he had wrought. He had wanted to stop, but his fear of Thanos's wrath had been too great. But now, as well as fear, he felt anger and shame at being used and manipulated. The mutilations that still disfigured his body, the tortures that Thanos and the Other had delighted in inflicting, had still not quite healed, even with the acceleration healing properties of his magic, and they seemed to throb his internal pain.
When April returned to the room carrying two large flat boxes, she stopped and regarded him strangely. "Are you OK?"
He forced a smile, widening it into the devilish smirk that was so good at hiding his demons. "Never better."
She looked unconvinced as she continued on to the kitchen. "Well, if you want any pizza it'll be on the kitchen table."
After her earlier awe of his magic, her voice now sounded hollow and dispassionate. He didn't like it, her sudden disappointment in him. As he followed after her he decided he must make amends somehow.
April felt emotionally drained as she placed the pizza boxes on the kitchen table. It seemed to be one step forward, two steps back with her mysterious guest. One moment they seemed to be connecting…kind of…and then it all went downhill. She was probably expecting too much, too soon, but when they were getting along she just felt that little bit safer around him.
She knew she made things worse by allowing him to rile her. But this was her home, her space, he had invaded, and she refused to cower at his feet. Maybe her short fuse was really down to fear. She wanted to trust him, and almost did, but until she knew who he really was, she just couldn't let down her guard.
She spaced the pizza boxes so that when she opened them they were a lid apart. The delicious smell flooded her senses and she literally had to bite back a groan. Quickly retrieving a knife from the cutlery drawer, she quartered each pizza. Frowning at the still ginormous size, she halved each quarter as well. As she sat down at the table, Loki joined her, sitting in the chair opposite.
"They certainly smell good."
"Taste better," she threw back.
He sighed. "You are angry with me."
"No shit, Sherlock," she mumbled beneath her breath.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Never mind." She gestured to each pizza in turn. "Chicken supreme, vegetable deluxe."
He gestured back. "Ladies first."
"Oh no…" she countered, gesturing back yet again. "Surely Princes of the Universe first." She knew she was pushing it and a little voice inside warned her to stop it, but she couldn't help herself. She stared a little warily at the knife practically glinting on one of the pizza box lids. Hadn't he said they were his weapon of choice?
"Look, I am sorry," he blurted in frustration. "But this is new to me as well, you know!"
"What is? Eating pizza?"
"No, interacting with a mortal!"
"I think that's the first time you have said the word mortal without disgust."
"You're welcome," he returned, though it was a touch snarky.
It was a poor excuse of an apology but it was better than nothing. She was too hungry to start another skirmish. "Let's just eat."
He hesitated. "I gather we are to use our hands."
"Best way to eat pizza, in my opinion. But there is cutlery in the drawer if your majesty would prefer."
He smirked. "I can rough it if you can."
She smiled, despite herself, and reached for a slice of the vegetable deluxe. His eyes flicked back and forth between the pizzas and eventually chose the same.
The first mouthful was so sublime she couldn't help closing her eyes to savour the moment. There was a wonderful sensation in her stomach, almost as if it was saying thank you.
When she opened her eyes again, she realised she was being watched. She swallowed. "What?"
He didn't answer. Instead he grinned and took a generous bite himself, his face becoming more animated as he chewed. April guessed he was enjoying it. She waited for him to finish. "Good?"
"Very," he returned in surprise and proceeded to polish off another slice of vegetable deluxe and three of chicken supreme.
April managed two slices of each but held back from eating any more because she wanted to leave room for ice cream. She had eaten so little for so long she was worried about overdoing it and making herself sick.
He stared regretfully down at the leftovers. "It seems a shame to leave so much."
She closed the boxes, stacked them, and took them across to the fridge. "Nothing gets wasted here. Cold pizza is almost as good as hot pizza. This is tomorrows lunch."
Her next stop was the freezer. "I hope you have room for ice cream."
His brow furrowed. "And what, pray, is ice cream?"
"Well, let me put it this way. If you thought pizza was good, wait until you try ice cream. Prepare to have your mind blown. Or your brain frozen. Whichever comes first."
Sorry about the short quickie chapter this time!
Reviews always appreciated, pretty please! :D