Loki Misses the Asgardian Prison System

Chapter 57

Thor is not entirely sure why rebranding Stark Tower into Avengers Tower warrants a party, but Tony wanted to throw one, so who was he to complain? He's a little disappointed that they don't get costumes this time, but he's been promised alcohol — and he brought some from Asgard for the occasion, too. He has a feeling he'll enjoy himself immensely.

It has been surprisingly easy to convince Loki to agree to this. Before Tony had even spoken to him, Steve had told him to say 'no' to whatever Tony asked him next, but Loki had no problem with it. He's been spending less time in his room lately, but he seemed perfectly content to sit in bed with a cat by his side and Bruce's Christmas books in hand for the night.

Thor's really enjoyed this party so far. It's been less chaotic than the Halloween one — a little smaller, too, he's noticed — but still roughly the same. He spends most of the night talking to the other Avengers, but he is somewhat frequently approached by young women when he's alone.

Usually, he doesn't know them.

This one, he does.

She approaches him without a word, and he hardly notices her until they're shoulder to shoulder. Even then, she seems to pay him no mind, her gaze scanning the throng of people ahead of them.

Thor looks her way and raises an eyebrow. "I hadn't expected to see you here."

"No, I imagine you didn't," she says simply. She brushes her long, black hair out of her face and looks up at him, though in her heeled shoes, they're nearly the same height. "A pleasant surprise, I'd hope."

"Well, certainly a surprise," Thor says.

She huffs a quiet laugh at that.

"Now, I must ask," Thor says. "Do I have a sister tonight, or are you merely hiding from the Avengers?"

Loki gives him a small smile. "A bit of both, really."

Thor shakes his head to himself, amused. "This is a game I've not seen you play for a very long time."

"Perhaps that would be because you continue to call it a game," Loki says. "You can hardly call it my fault that you Asgardians are so close-minded."

Thor rolls his eyes. "Am I to assume you do not want the other Avengers to know who you are?"

"If I could ask that of you, yes," Loki says. "I am here to enjoy the party, which would be very difficult with Stark breathing down my neck."

"Alright, but when this inevitably goes wrong, I will accept no responsibility for it," Thor tells her.

"Then it's a good thing I do not expect it to go wrong," she says with a smile. "Now, what does one do at a Midgardian party? It seems rather boring so far."

"My understanding is that it involves much talking," Thor says. "There is also alcohol at the bar, servers with snacks everywhere one could look, and in the living room, there is a fair amount of very poor dancing." That's about all he can think of. He's not sharing his Asgardian alcohol with her so there's no reason to mention that, and he thinks he covered everything else.

Loki grins. "Poor dancing, you say?"

Thor gives him a really? look. "Loki, you cannot dance in that dress."

Loki scoffs. "What's wrong with my dress?"

Thor eyes her outfit with an eyebrow raised. "The fact that it's barely a dress, for one." If she was looking for male attention, she's certainly going to get it.

"I have not taken this form for a very long time," Loki says defensively. She runs her hands down the green satin on her sides. "Excuse me if I wanted to show it off. It's not as though that's uncommon on Midgard."