My Best Friend's the God of Mischief // Peter x Loki

panic attack / I know it's hard to breathe sometimes

After dinner with his aunt Peter snuck another bowl with him to his room, he hoped May wouldn't see it. It wasn't like he couldn't come up with excuses like 'for when I'm hungry again at night and don't want to pause my homework by going downstairs to the kitchen' but lying was exhausting. He already lied to her more often than he should; about him being Spider-Man and now him secretly nursing Mister Loki in her apartment. So he tried to lie to her as little as he possibly could, and thanks God, May didn't see him going upstairs with the bowl. Her not asking question meant that he didn't have to say anything and when he didn't have to say anything it meant he didn't lie to her.

At least Peter wasn't lying when he said May made the best stew. It was excellent, Loki had to admit, but no matter how excellent it was it didn't make it hurt less when he swallowed. And Loki didn't think a good eat would magically heal his physical and mental state.

I think he's sad. Like real sad, Peter texted Ned, watching as Mister Loki absentmindedly swirled his spoon in the thick stew. It's been almost fifteen minutes since he last put it in his mouth.

Show him cute puppy videos, Ned texted back, when I'm sad I watch cute puppy videos on youtube.

Peter considered that, thinking about shoving a phone in Mister Loki's face and telling him to admire how cute the puppy in the video was. But then he wasn't sure if there was puppy in Mister Loki's hometown (thinking about someone growing up on a planet where there was no puppy made Peter's skin crawl. He felt even more bad for Mister Loki now) and what if Mister Loki didn't know what a puppy was? Sad. It would be so sad and heartbreaking.

Though when he saw a tear dripping from Mister Loki's face and into the bowl of the already cold stew he knew cute puppy videos were necessary.

"Hey, Mister Loki," Pete called and Loki slowly turned to face him, his face lack of emotions - if Peter were to google the definition of 'dead inside' this would surely be the first image he'd fine. "I got something to show you."

"Hmm," that was it; the response Peter got, just a little sound in Loki's throat like he couldn't care less.

Fine, Peter shrugged. He opened his laptop and typed 'cutest puppies' on youtube before turning it around so the screen was facing Mister Loki. The kid carefully watched his houseguest's face, like carefully studied every slightest chance of his facial expression as it slowly went from dead inside to the small interest slowly making itself present on his face to the littlest sparkle in his eyes to the way his tears stopped falling and to the way the corner of his thin lips curved into the softest smile.

It wasn't that much of a mood-changing, just a small change of his expression that could be unnoticed if not studied close enough, but Peter thought he felt that warm breeze of joy washed over his chest that made his heart grow big.

The puppies helped.

~~~

"How's your... ummm neck?" Peter carefully asked. He tried to think of the right words to ask the question without reminding Mister Loki of what happened. But it was no used, it was clear Mister Loki was aware of it every time he breathe.

When the question was asked Mister Loki looked at him, he looked... unsure. His hand reflectively reached up towards his neck, but when he realised he was doing it he quietly jerked the hand down. Eventually he replied with a short, quiet "fine,"

It was a lie, and Peter knew it. Since when did the God of Lies got so bad at lying that a high school student could pick out his lie? Probably since said God of Lies had no will to live left and couldn't give a shit about anything anymore. Pete sighed. He knew Mister Loki should be healing himself but still, it must be hurt. Pete tried to think of something, he thought May had a neck support pillow that she never used. It wasn't a neck brace for a broken neck, but it was better than nothing.