Misfits (Loki x Reader) Slow Burn

Chapter 20 - Too Much

Warning:
Themes of alcoholism and trauma.

Althea stood at her sister's door, a special kind of dread overcoming her.

"Althea!" Nala stumbled over to her in a rush.

She grabbed Althea and held her tightly. After a few minutes she pulled back still holding her shoulders.

"What happened?" Nala's eyes were glazed with concern.

"What did you see...?"

"I saw you lunging for a server girl's tray and attacking bottle after bottle at the bar." Nala's concern was edged with a hint of judgement.

Althea was waiting for Nala to go on.

"You know better."

There it was.

"I knew you shouldn't have come here. We should have sent you to Midguard to continue your recovery. I've been talking to Bjørn about-"

"Nala. I don't want your 'solutions.'" Althea tried to stay come.

Nala's expression shifted. It was the expression that told Althea her sister was going to make her regret she said anything at all.

"Mother and father left the fortune to me so I could look after you. You always worried them to dealth. They had to count on me to pick you up out of that dark place."

Heat began welling up inside Althea. The corners of her mouth turned up with her gritted teeth.

"What in hell did you do for me?"

"I took responsibility. And what have you done for me? Really Althea. You've treated me like shit these past few years and all I've tried to do is help you."

"I treated you like shit?" She laughed through her tears."You mean not kissing your ass?"

She could see the anger boiling up in Nala.

"I'm so sorry your highnness. Thank you so much for all your 'help.' I just so desperately wanted to be cut out of mother and father's life before they fucking died. Thank you so much for constantly reminding me how much I disgraced our family's name. Thank you so much for managing to find creative ways to screw me over every time I see you." Althea scoffed.

"After all the hard work I've put into helping you get better and this is what you have to say to me. This is what you do? You haven't violated yourself with that prince have you? I saw him take you away last night? Are you still sleeping around too?"

Althea's stomach dropped and her jaw hung open.

"Dalia's been filling me in on how often you visit his coutiers?"

"Because of the jobs she assigns to me!"

"She says he calls for you quite often. Really Althea, why would you let someone like him violate you? I've been talking to Bjørn about finding you a proper husband, but if this gets out there's no hope for you to be wed. You need to stay away from him. I can tell he's tainted your spirit. Just like Calder."

Tears were burning down Althea's cheeks.

"Nothing is going on. We're just friends."

"I'm working on a letter to the queen. After the stunt you pulled last night I don't know how you won't be fired." Nala shook her head."You really need to grow up."

Althea was silent.

"He's using you." Nala put a hand on Althea's shoulder."You know that deep down."

Althea shook her head and clenched her eyes shut.

"We can get you out of here. Bjørn and I can help you." Nala tried to sooth her.

Althea shook her away.

"I. Don't. Want. Your. Help." She spat each word with precision. The calm in her voice was somehow unhinged.

***

Althea was stationed at the re-fill table for that night.

"Are you doing alright?" Eliza asked.

Althea nodded and gave her the best smile she could muster.

"Thank you." She said.

Eliza grabbed her tray and went on her way. The night passed Althea by in a flash. Before she knew it she was walking down the dark castle hallway. Alone. Loki had not come yet, and Althea assumed he wouldn't be coming again. She must have struck a chord, or maybe she had let him down. She was used to being a disappointment.

The sound of laughter and the smell of boos called to her as she approached the servants' hall. It was mainly server boys who would indulge in such risky behavior. They always got away with it of course. Althea wondered what would happen if she partook in the festivities.

Just like that she was taking shots with the other men. Beating each one of them out with her stamina for hard liquor. It was down to her and a young man named Gunnar. She could tell by his smile that he was almost done for.

"Can you take another hit?" Althea challenged, handing him another shot.

"Can you?" He shot back with a lazy smile.

Althea smirked and held the small glass to her lips. They had a few more rounds before Gunnar waved his hands in defeat.

"Here I was thinking you would go down swinging." Althea laughed.

"I'd rather not black out." Gunnar laughed, eyeing the sleeping men on the floor.

Althea laughed.

"Fair."

"So how'd a woman like you end up in low class service? You're clearly trained for more than doing laundry." His eyes glazed over her body in a way the made Althea ache.

She blamed it on the alcohol. He was one of the stable boys so he kept up his build quite well. Maybe it was his long dark hair.

"I..." Althea laughed."This." She motioned to her drink.

Gunnar chuckled.

"I had dreams of becoming a general like my father. I thought being a drunk was part of the job." She shrugged.

They both erupted in laughter.

"What about you? Did you have dreams outside the stables?" She asked.

He smiled.

"I wanted to work in multi-realm negotiations." He laughed."The idea of getting out of here and learning new things on a regular basis was quite alluring to me." He smiled and met her eyes.

He gave her a look that unleashed an untameable crave inside her, but it wasn't for him. She wasn't sure if it was the realization or the liquor that made her feel like she'd just been punched in the gut.

"Thanks for the chat." She hopped up from her seat.

"Will I see you here tomorrow?" He asked.

She shrugged and rushed to her room.