Loki was exhausted.
His muscles ached and his nose and lungs still burned from the fire and ash. His clothes were charred from the flames, but he had otherwise made it out of Asgard before its destruction unharmed.
It took a lot for him to do so, his sedir was dying out. He had pushed himself beyond his limits. From disguising himself as Odin for so long, using other galmors as well, casting illusions on Sakaar, enduring a bit of electroshock therapy from Thor, and then fighting his way through the army of the dead, and causing the destruction of his home.
He’s had a very eventful few weeks.
And it feels like he hasn’t rested in months. He honestly hasn’t.
Before taking the gig as Odin, he hadn’t realized just how much came with being king. There were meetings, banquets, and treaties that needed signed and written, speeches and addresses, wars then either needed to start or to be ended. At first, he was well over his head, but he thought towards the end there that he had actually gotten the hang of it. That was until Thor came and ruined everything.
Loki rolled his eyes.
His brother always did have to rain on his parade.
Giving all of that, and then his unexpected journey and stay on the trash planet known as Sakaar. Where he never closed his eyes for more than a minute. He was always on high alert, he didn’t trust anyone there, and he especially didn’t trust the Grandmaster.
He hasn’t slept in weeks, his muscles were aching and his head was pounding. He felt absolutely awful.
He was hit with another wave of nausea, one that felt like a swift punch to his gut. He doubled over, gripping the table beside him for support.
Thor stopped his conversation with Valkyrie and looked over. Seeing his brother’s pinched expression and his knuckles turning white as he held onto the table for dear life.
“Brother,” Thor said worryingly, walking over and hesitantly putting a hand on his shoulder, “What’s wrong?”
Loki closed his eyes shut. His stomach was cramping horribly, twisting with painful knots. “N-nothing.” He answered through gritted teeth. He knew what the problem was, but he wasn’t about to share it with Thor, especially not in front of the others. Valkyrie and Heimdall were still in the room, with the Hulk off who knows where.
“Loki,” Thor said sternly, “Don’t lie. Tell me what’s wrong.” He more than demanded.
Loki rolled his eyes, forcing himself to a standing position in order to look his brother in the eyes. Thor’s hand slid off his shoulder as he straightened up.
“I’m fine,” Loki made sure his voice was steady, “Just nauseous is all.”
Thor looked at him skeptically. He was aware of his brother’s issues with motion sickness, he doubted the ship they were correctly floating on was helping, but he was still doubtful that that was the true reason for his brother’s discomfort. But he seemed to take it nonetheless. Giving Loki one last worried glance before turning back to Valkyrie and Heimdall to finish discussing room placements, food sources, most likely stops to make on their journey towards Earth.
Loki took this as his chance to slip out of the room.
He hurried quickly down the dark corridor of the ship to the closest bathroom that he was aware of. He closed the door quickly behind him, checking the stalls to make sure he was completely alone. He sighed, locking the door. He slumped over the sink, his face contorted with pain.
He knew the cause, and he knew the solution, he just didn’t know if he could do it.
Loki looked up at his reflection. He saw the sweat beading across his forehead, the dark circles under his eyes. If his glamor looked this bad, he didn’t even want to think about what he really looked like.
But that was the only way.
He cringed, his nails scratching along the tiled sink.
He needed to give his sedir a break. It was already dying, it needed time to rebuild and replenish. He couldn’t keep using it on empty like this. That’s why it felt like his insides were being rearranged.
He took a deep breath, but it was more of a shuddered gasp.
He stared into his own eyes again.
He was so scared.
He’d been hiding behind these masks for so long. He knew his body had changed, he was too relaxed while he was cosplaying as Odin. Like he said he was busy, so there wasn’t time for exercising, and it’s not like it was common to see Odin in the training grounds anyway. He had to keep up with the lies and appearance. There was a lot of sitting, either in meetings or at his desk as he wrote letters, speeches, treaties, and sometimes plays, (he deserved to have a little bit of fun). And with that, he may be… indulged a little bit more than he should have.
But he couldn’t help it.
After being tortured for two years by the mad titan, and then thrown in the dungeons with very little to eat. He felt like he was in a constant state of hunger and on the edge of starvation. He had become extremely thin, which yeah, he had always been slim, but it had become unhealthy.
So, when he was king, and had access to food again, he enjoyed it a little more than before. He hadn’t realized just how lucky and appreciative he was of Asgards kitchens before he lost access to them for so long.
Loki looked down at his flat stomach, layered with armor and leather.
He swallowed thickly.
There were so many possibilities. What if his clothes don’t fit anymore- All he could imagine was his fat ripping through the seams of his leather, and then he would ultimately die of humiliation and embarrassment.
His face was already starting to burn, he couldn’t do this. He had to keep them up.
He doubled forward, pained by another punch to the gut. He groaned this time. His legs felt so weak, and his head felt like it was going to explode.
He wouldn’t be able to make it like this either.
He had a decision to make.
Drop his glamors and walk around as the true fatass he was, or continue to hide behind them and curl up in the corner of his room as his body wracked with unimaginable pain.
He released a shaky breath.
He closed his eyes, chewing on his lip as he let his magic fall.
He was instantly struck with relief. His migraine disappeared, and his stomach was no longer twisting. But then he was overly conscious of how his clothes felt on his body.
He felt his belly being constricted by the leather, his thighs fought against the seams of his pants.
He swallowed thickly, his eyes opening with fear.
The reflection in the mirror really didn’t look that much different from before. Seams weren’t ripping and buttons weren’t flying across the room like he had originally imagined. He looked pretty much the same.
He turned to the side, although his torso wasn’t perfectly flat anymore, there was a slight curve of his belly, but it wasn’t that noticeable. Everything felt extremely tight, but it didn’t necessarily look that way.
He released a shaky breath, leaning back onto the sink.
He knew once he got these clothes off, he probably wouldn’t be able to get them back on again. God, this was so embarrassing! What happened to his self control? He had always been disgusted by food and feasts before. He had no joy in stuffing himself silly like Thor and his friends did every night at dinner. And it wasn’t like he was binge eating for the past two years, no he was actually for the first time in his life not restricting what he ate. He wasn’t dieting, he wasn’t skipping meals, he wasn’t exercising profusely. He was eating three normal sized meals a day, and maybe a snack in between. He thought it was healthy, for fucks sake, that’s what everyone else does! So why does it look so bad on him?
He huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
He had to figure out what he was going to do next… It would take probably a week for his sedir to grow enough for him to recast the glamor, but what was he to do in the meantime? He couldn’t necessarily drop twenty or however many pounds he had gained in a week's time, it would take him longer than that to undo the damage he has caused himself.
He would need new clothes, these weren’t exactly comfortable. And he was a little afraid how well they would hold up if he did anything strenuous like sitting or kneeling. He did not want to have to deal with that humiliating experience.
But how was he going to hide it from Thor and the others? They were bound to notice, especially Valkyrie since she’s already made fun of every aspect of his body and personality already. He’s just fueling her with material now.
Great, he rolls his eyes.
And Thor- he might be a blind oaf when it comes to most things, but even he’s bound to pick up on this eventually. They are sharing a room after all. Even though Loki wanted to flat out refuse, he didn’t necessarily have a choice. Everyone else onboard was sharing. Some rooms had entire families shoved behind the doors, Loki couldn’t really complain when it would just be Thor and him.
He sighed, dragging his hands down his face. He really didn’t want this to be happening. He felt like he was going to be sick again.
Knock knock.
Loki froze, his eyes growing wide in the mirror.
“Loki,” Thor’s voice muffled by the thick metal door, “Are you in there?”
Loki heard Thor try to open the door, but was met with resistance from the lock.
“Yeah,” Loki cleared his throat as soon as he heard his voice crack, “I’m- I’m just sick is all.” Loki looked around the bathroom quickly. Not really knowing what he was looking for, maybe a place to hide? He didn’t know.
“Oh,” He heard Thor’s voice again, “Well, are you alright? Do you need medicine or something? I’m sure we can find-”
“No, no-” Loki had to stop and close his eyes, he sounded panicked, (because he was), Thor was definitely going to know that something was wrong. “No, I’m fine.”
He heard Thor take a breath to argue, but Loki had gathered enough courage and opened the door quickly, cutting him off. Thor stared at him, his mouth still agape, his words sitting on his tongue. Loki stood there, staring at his older brother, as Thor’s eyes trailed over Loki quickly.
“You look flushed, brother,” Thor said, which only made Loki’s cheeks burn brighter. Thor reached to feel his forehead, “Are you sure you’re alright-”
Loki leaned away from his hand, stepping out into the hallway, “Yes, I’m fine. I’m sure you have more important things to worry about than pestering me.” Loki’s eyes jumped around the dark poorly lit hallway. He was sort of thankful for the bad lighting, maybe Thor wouldn’t notice how tightly his pants hugged his waist, or how badly his thick thighs wanted to escape.
Thor squinted at him skeptically again.
“Well, okay, brother,” He said, and Loki felt himself relax. They started to walk down the hallway, Thor glanced over at Loki who was currently fidgeting with his hands as they walked, “We found crates of clothes in one of the supply closets. I’m sure you’re ready to change out of those.”
Loki’s head snapped in his direction and it sort of took Thor off guard, “Why do you say that?” Loki said quickly, his eyes wide with what Thor recognized as fear.
Thor’s brows pressed with confusion and uncertainty, “Because… your clothes are charred from the fire, and you’re all sweaty… I just thought it would be easier to rest in a change of clothes.”
“Oh,” Loki said dumbly, biting his lip and turning his head again. “Right.” He coughed.
Thor’s eyes burned a hole in the side of Loki’s head. There was a long beat of awkward silence that was filled with Loki’s heavy breathing.
“Are you sure you’re alright-”
“Yes!” Loki snapped, “Stop asking me that!”
He was very thankful that they had walked in the direction of their room so he could swiftly turn on his heels and slam the door behind him. Even though Thor followed behind him, having opened the door for himself.
Loki looks around the room, it was small, only having the one bed shoved in the corner against the wall and a stack of shelves and a dresser. There was a small bathroom that was connected to the room, so that he was at least thankful for.
He immediately went to the bed, taking a seat on the edge. While Thor watched him with a nervous look in his eye, slowly closing the door behind him. As Loki sat down, he suddenly remembered his current predicament, by how his belly and thighs protested against the leather as they expanded at his new position.
He froze for a second. Taking a breath and sucking in the best he could as he leaned down and started taking off his boots.
Thor stood by the door awkwardly.
Loki glanced up at him and rolled his eyes, “Do you want something?” He asked hatefully.
Thor shook his head, “Do you want me to grab you some clothes or not?”
“Yes! Fuck, Thor,” He mumbled underneath his breath. A sting of guilt in his chest for how rudely he was behaving. But he was just overwhelmed and emotional. He wanted to be alone, and Thor hovering over him with those damn eyes glaring at him wasn’t helping him feel more at ease.
“Okay, fine, that’s all I wanted,” Thor muttered, turning back towards the door.
Loki froze again, his hands gripping the edge of the bed, “Wait, Thor.” He said quickly, with a shake in his voice which immediately grabbed his brother’s attention. “Um…” Loki swallowed thickly, “Could you see if they have… like a large, or something?”
Thor’s face scrunched up, “You don’t need a large Loki.”
“Well,” Yeah, I do, asshole. “Can you just see?” Loki spat, before whispering a soft, “Please.”
Thor stood there a moment, “I’ll try to find something.” He said, giving his brother one last worried once-over before he left the room.
Loki immediately fell back onto the bed, sighing with relief. He had been holding his breath through all of that. He held his head up looking down at himself, he felt absolutely mortified at the idea of taking these clothes off. Especially when Thor comes back. He’s convinced that they’re the only thing keeping him looking somewhat slim and fit right now. Without them, well he really didn’t want to think about it.
Loki took a deep breath, keeping his eyes on the ceiling as he blindly untied the strings to his pants. It offered some relief, he still felt like he was being squeezed though. His arms, his legs, his chest, his belly- he felt like his entire body was being constricted.
He sat up, watching a strip of his lower belly slip out from under his leather top. Now that his pants were loosening, it had space to escape. He gulped, absolutely disgusted with himself.
He forced himself to get up. He tossed his arm guards onto the bed, undressing little by little as he walked into the bathroom. He closed the door, looking at himself in the mirror, mentally and physically preparing himself for the god's honest truth.
He pulled at the strings of his leather at his sides, loosening them. He closed his eyes, trying not to gag as he felt his belly expand with the new found freedom. He lifted the leather over his head, tossing it to the floor. He stared in the mirror at the sweaty black tunic that was sticky and tight across his body.
He bit his tongue, trying to swallow the unwanted vomit back down his throat. God, he was so disgusted with himself.
He fidgeted with the hem of his shirt for a second, before forcing it off his body. He breathed heavily once he finally managed to pry it off, he tossed it to the floor turning back to instantly freeze in his place.
He gagged, doubling forward and gripping the sink. Being forced to look down at how his belly moved as he started to hyperventilate.
He told himself he wasn’t going to cry, but tears were already beginning to run down his burning cheeks. He looked back up, covering his face with his hands so he wouldn’t have to look at his reflection.
In reality, he didn’t look bad at all. He was different, but it was a good and much needed different, Loki just didn’t see it that way.
Sure, he wasn’t thin anymore, and his ribs didn’t show and he didn’t have abs. He didn’t have a slim waist or bony hips, and his cheek bones didn’t jut out anymore. Because he wasn’t starving himself anymore.
He had lived two perfectly healthy years.
He ate a good amount, although he wasn’t getting as much exercise as he used to, he still found time in between. He wasn’t so worried and caught up with the thoughts and anxiety about how people might see him because he wasn’t him at all, he was Odin. Nobody could see him, so he didn’t care what he looked like.
For the first time in his long life, he let himself be comfortable.
He wasn’t skipping meals or running miles everyday, he wasn’t throwing up after feasts, or not eating for days. He wasn’t forcing himself to fit in too small of clothes just so he would have a reason to lose more weight. He wasn’t feeling guilty after every meal or snack, he wasn’t overwhelmed with anxiety over everything he put into his body. He didn’t hate himself.
But that was then.
When no one saw Loki, they just saw who he was pretending to be. Now he was him again, and people expected him to be the thin dark prince he’s always been. Not this- this chubby guy looking at himself in the mirror.
Everything that had ceased to exist for two straight years suddenly all came crashing back. His anxiety, his self-loathing, his insecurities- his mind had already started calculating the calories he would have to burn in order to fix this, how many days he would have to go without eating, how many sit ups and miles he would have to run. All of his bad habits had already started to take root.
It didn’t matter that now his shoulders and chest actually fit his natural frame. It didn’t matter how strong his arms looked, and how they were probably the size of Thor’s now. It didn’t matter how strong his legs were, (and he no longer shook at the knees after walking for long periods of time like he used to).
Loki let his hands fall, and he silently cried to himself. He poked and prodded his body slowly.
His chest was still strong, but he choked on a sob as he pinched his pec and it gave a little. He was overall soft, but he didn’t see the layers of muscle that he had built underneath it all. It didn’t seem to matter.
He pinched his belly, (if you could call it that). He no longer had abs, and his ribs and hip bones were hidden under a soft layer of pudge. Though, his torso still showed definition it wasn’t enough for him. He squeezed his sides, turning around in the mirror so he could see the long red marks that stretched across his sides, back, and lower belly.
His head ducked, and his shoulders shook as he started to sob harder.
He didn’t understand why he couldn’t just be happy?
Why did it matter what he looked like?
Why was it so important for him to be skinny and thin? No one gave a shit! He knew that- so why couldn’t he get it through his head?
Thor didn’t care. He never cared what people thought of him. He wasn’t the most shredded or cut guy, he was bigger and he took pride in it, he always has. He was still the strongest and he knew it. Even when they were kids and teenagers, Thor never hesitated to take his shirt off while they were swimming, or during training. It didn’t matter that he had a chubby belly, he still let himself have fun. All while Loki stood on the beach fidgeting with the hem of his shirt, or standing on the sidelines of the training yard drenched with sweat under the hot Asgardian sun.
Loki just wished he could let himself relax again. He didn’t care while he was Odin, because no one saw him. He was comfortable with his body then, he knew he was gaining weight and it didn’t bother him. He didn’t have a panic attack about it every night like he used to when he was younger. He just wanted that back, he wanted to not care, or maybe he just didn’t want people to see him…
He didn’t want to be judged.
He didn’t want people to whisper and stare at him as he walked by.
He’d always been thin, and Thor had always been bigger, it was their thing. He couldn’t ruin it now… It’s what people knew them for- how they recognized them both.
Loki shook his head, not crying as hard as he was.
He had to lose the weight. He’d throw his glamor back up when he had enough juice, but he’d continue to work on it himself so he wouldn’t have to hide behind a mask anymore. It would just be him.
Loki slid his pants off, rolling his eyes at how his thighs rubbed together. He stepped into the tiny shower, standing above the shower head. He guessed he was definitely above the average height on Sakaar.
He gathered water in his hands, splashing and rubbing his face with the cold water.
It didn’t matter how miserable it would make him. He had to lose weight. He had to go back to starving himself and hating himself for the rare occasions he did eat anything. Because it was what was expected of him. He had always been skinny, so he had to stay that way.
No matter how bad it hurts.
How uncomfortable he is.
How hungry he is.
No matter what.
***
Loki washed the soot and ash off his face, and scrubbed the sweat and grime from his body. He was starting to get used to looking at himself, he wasn’t instantly gagging anymore, which he thought was improvement.
He did jump, however, when Thor barged through the bathroom door.
“Thor!” Loki yelped, even though he was still in the shower and covered by a blurry foggy glass, he still didn’t necessarily feel comfortable with his brother seeing him naked. “Knock? Next time maybe?!”
Thor rolled his eyes, setting the stack of clothes on the counter. “Hurry up, I need a shower too.”
Loki huffed, hearing the door close.
Loki finished up, raising his hair one last time. He stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist. He wasn’t used to his belly folding over the band of the towel, or his sweats when he dried off and shimmied them on. They were far more comfortable than his leather had been, but he still thought they made him look fat. He was hoping they would be big enough to completely hang off his frame so people wouldn’t be able to see the outline of his curves. He guessed not.
He huffed, grabbing the shirt off the counter, he looked at the tag, reading the foreign language that said medium. Loki’s jaw clenched, and he dug his nails into the shirt as he tightened his fists.
He pulled it on. Still, way more comfortable than his armor. But he didn’t like how it fit. It was still too tight for his liking, he wanted it to be loose. Not stretching tightly across his thick chest, and the sleeves tight around his biceps, or how it clearly displayed the curve of his belly and hips.
He groaned, holding his head in his hands, muttering that he was going to murder his brother.
He opened the bathroom door, “I told you a large, Thor.” He huffed.
His brother was sitting on the bed, not looking up at him yet as he untied his boots.
“You don’t need a large, Loki,” Thor said, sounding exhausted. “There’s people here that actually need them. A medium will be fine.”
“Did you grab yourself a bigger size?”
Thor rolled his eyes, “Yes, because I actually need it.” Loki’s fists clench at his sides, still standing in the bathroom doorway. “What is up with you anyway? You’ve been acting weird since we got here.” Thor finally looked in his direction, his face immediately falling. His eyebrows no longer pinched and his mouth somewhat agape.
Loki looked away shamefully, his face burning with heat. He tugged at the end of his shirt, feeling the pressure of his belly fighting against him.
“Will you stop staring?” Loki growled through his teeth.
Thor shook his head, closing his mouth with a click. He stood up, clearly not sure of what to say.
“Loki,” words stayed on his tongue, he shook his head again.
Loki huffed, rolling his eyes as he walked to the bed.
“Go take a shower, Thor.” Loki plopped down, not enjoying how the mattress creaked underneath his weight.
“No,” Thor argued, “No, let’s talk. I want to talk.” He said sternly.
“What is there to talk about?” Loki yelled, throwing his hands but stayed sitting, “I’m fat! Yeah, I got it. There we talked about it.” He mumbled, slumping. His back rounding as he rested his chin on his hand, his elbows digging into his thighs. He hated how overstimulated he was. He could feel the fabric of his shirt stretch across his strong back, how the seams of his sweats contained the swell of his thighs as he sat, he was overly aware of how his belly pooled over the band of his pants and sat in his lip.
And the worst part was that Thor was still there staring at him the whole time.
“Loki, you’re not fat.”
Loki scoffed, an ugly laugh barked from the back of his throat as he rubbed at his burning eyes. They still stung from the tears from earlier.
“I’m serious, brother.” Thor said, taking a seat beside him, the bed dipping even moreso.
Loki glanced in his direction, but quickly turned away after seeing Thor’s big dumb eyes, like if you kicked a freaking puppy. Loki rolled his eyes, staring at anything else in the room. He insecurely wrapped his arms around his stomach.
“Loki, talk to me.”
“There’s nothing to talk about, Thor.” He whispered this time instead of yelling. “I made a mistake, and I’ll fix it. I just need time.”
“What are you talking about?” Thor asked, genuinely confused.
Loki groaned, doubling forward, holding his head in his hands.
“I got fat, Thor.” He said, his voice muffled by how he was talking into his thighs, “I ate too much, and sat around while I was disguised as Odin. It was a mistake, and I’ll fix it.” He repeated in more clear terms so his brother would hopefully catch on this time.
Thor planted a heavy hand on his brother’s shoulder, “Loki, you don’t need to fix anything.”
“Yes, I do, Thor!” He straightened up, swatting Thor’s hand away, “I can’t stay like this!”
“Why not?” Thor scrunched his face up again.
“Because I’m not you!”
Thor seemed hurt by his words. He obviously took offense to them, by how his face softened and he self consciously looked down at his own belly.
“No, no,” Loki shook his head, his voice soft, “No, that’s not what I meant, Thor.” He held his head in his hands again.
“It’s okay, Loki, I get it.” Thor smiled softly, “You don’t want to be like your fat older brother,” He tried teasing, but it only made Loki feel more sick with guilt.
“No!” Loki stood, turning to face Thor who stayed seated. “No, it’s not like that.” He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. “It’s different, okay? It’s- You’ve always been…” He stopped, trying to organize his words so he didn’t come off as such an asshole, “You’ve always been bigger, Thor. And it works for you- You’re confident, and strong, and you own it! And I’ve always been jealous of that.” Loki confesses.
“Of what?” Thor asks, still confused.
“Of- Of not caring. Of being comfortable in your own skin. Of being confident and not overwhelmed by insecurities. I just wish that I could do that. I wish I wasn't so worried about what other people thought of me.” Loki admitted honestly.
“Loki,” Thor said with a soft smile, “Brother, I’m still insecure.”
“What?”
“Loki, I have days where I wake up and hate what I see, everyone does! Because we all convince ourselves that there’s something better, that we can be better. That we can fix ourselves.” Thor grabbed Loki’s hand, and pulled him back to the bed. Loki sat beside him, Thor put a protective arm over his little brother, “There’s nothing to fix, Loki. Not at the end of the day.”
Loki swallowed thickly, not able to look his brother in the eyes, “You really think that?”
“Yes,” Thor smiled, squeezing Loki under his arm, “Besides I think you look great!”
Loki rolled his eyes, “I’m serious, brother.” Thor started again, “You finally look well-fed.”
“Oh, is that what you call it?” Loki said sarcastically.
“Brother,” Thor said in a more serious manner, “I know you’ve had these issues your whole life. I know you’ve struggled with this sort of stuff.” Loki looked away out of embarrassment, “I know nothing I say will actually change your way of thinking, or self deprecating. But really you look good.”
Loki fought against a shy smile, “Really?”
“Yes, of course!” Thor squeezed him again, “You look strong! And you finally fill out your clothes instead of them hanging off your bony frame.” Thor poked his belly, and Loki waved his hand away.
“Alright, alright, that’s enough.”
“I mean it, Loki. I’m not confident because of my body, I’m confident because of me. Doesn’t matter what skin you're in, it’s all up to you.”
Loki nods, his hands squeezing his knees nervously.
Thor felt his chest tighten. He knows how hard this probably is for him, but he’s trying his best.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.” Thor clapped a heavy hand on Loki’s back, sending him forward an inch. “What do you say, after I shower we go to the mess hall?”
“Yeah, okay.” Loki nodded, still twisting his hands together nervously.
Thor smiled, and before Loki could pull and push him away, he kissed his brother on the forehead. His fingers in his damp curls.
“Ew, stop it, Thor-” Loki whined. But after a second, he relaxed. He smiled to himself and wrapped his arms around his brother’s wide frame. He sunk into Thor’s warmth, and closed his eyes a moment taking in this rare moment.
Thor rubbed Loki’s back, giving him one last squeeze before he pulled away and stood up.
“You’re much more comfortable to hug now too, I don’t have to worry about her ribs poking me anymore,”
“Okay, that’s enough.” Loki said, crossing his arms over his chest.
Thor laughed, ruffling Loki’s hair before he left to take a shower.
Loki sat by himself on the bed. His elbows resting on his knees, he looked down at himself. He closed his eyes, taking a long and steady deep breath.
“It’s not my body,” He said under his breath, “It’s me.”
He opened his eyes, he sat his hand against his belly. It growled against his palm. He was hungry. And he knew Thor would encourage him to eat. He still had mixed feelings about food, but he thought he could give this whole accepting himself and letting himself be comfortable thing a try.
And he didn’t know for sure, but Thor seemed like a pretty good coach on the subject.
Maybe they could make this work after all.