Steve escorts Loki and Magda into a party in full swing. There are people they recognise there, but also those neither do. Older men. The members of Phil Coulson's team who were on the ground to rescue Wanda. A red haired woman laughing on Tony's arm. The hacker named Skye dancing with a drink in her hand, a circle of others around her. A woman with long dark hair at the bar talking to Clint.

Wanda throws her arms open and calls to them as she walks toward the elevator, "You made it, my loves!"

Pietro follows her, "And you are both absolutely lovely this fine evening! Come, and with no hurry, I assure you- we must take time to enjoy this party!"

Everyone embraces and there are kisses on cheeks and hugs, even for Steve, "Thank you for bringing them up."

"It was my pleasure. If you'll excuse me, Bruce is hovering alone by the bar and I want to check on him."

Pietro offers Loki his arm, "Sister today, is it?"

"Yes, I would be delighted."

"Then come, while you wait for your date. Shall we dance?"

"I am not the best follow."

"Then we will do well together, for I am a fairly bad lead."

"Oh dear. This could be interesting."

"That is one way to put it."

"May I ask why you are dancing with me when you barely know me?"

"My sister and her wife have adopted you. That is reason enough."

"You are as open hearted as they are?"

"Mostly. I trust far less easily. But this is good. There is nothing here that can harm any of us. And so we will dance, all of us together, and we will drink, except for those of us strictly prohibited from it, those bastards, and we will make merry."

"Prohibited?"

"Yes. They fear something will happen when I am drunk. But I am in a room of superheroes! What could I do? Mr Stark would beat me senseless in an instant. If there is any place I ought to take that risk, it is here!"

"That seems like sound logic."

"Ah, but they do not want me ruining their party by accident. But I could dare you to try something, no?"

"Alexi should be here soon. I would like to be sober when he arrives."

"Ah, yes. You have a boyfriend. I had forgotten. Forgive this."

"Of course."

"Good, good. Now, dancing! This song is lively!"

Thor bounds over with Jane behind, "You made it, dear Sister!"

"I did."

"And where is Alexi?"

"He should be here soon. He said he would meet us here."

"Then I hope we see him soon, for we are a cheerful band and the bar is open! I wish you still had our constitution so that you might sample all of Midgard's liquor this night- it is an adventure in itself!"

"You have tried this?"

"Heartily! Anthony wished to know if I would fall drunk were I to drink one of everything at one of our previous parties."

"Oh?"

"The answer is no. He took the same challenge and passed out long before I even felt it. Never enter into a drinking contest with one of Asgard, for it will not end well. But forgive me, I interrupt. We will dance beside you."

They do for a few songs, and then Jane insists on switching to dance with Loki. Pietro and Thor abandon dancing to seek out the bar. Phil steps between Pietro and it. Thor assures him he will give no alcohol to his guest. Phil steps to one side and warns Thor not to try anything.

Jane is teaching Loki how to dance to Skid Row when Skye approaches, "Hey. Can I join you?"

Loki wants to say no, but instead she remembers that she is the prince of Magda-gard and smiles, "Of course."

"Wow. From what I've heard, I expected you'd shoot me down."

"Would the rumours be literal or figurative?"

"Maybe both."

"Ah."

"Look, I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry for the way we were playing when you came for Wanda. I really was working- I was waiting for the computer. But it looked really bad."

"Thank you."

"So...we good?" She extends her hand.

Loki shakes it, "Certainly."

"So what's with the dress?"

"I am gender fluid."

"Oh. Cool. Is that something you started here or did back in Asgard, too?"

"Asgard as well."

Another young woman bounces up to Jane, "Hi! Oh my god, can you believe it- I'm at a Tony Stark party with the Avengers!"

Jane rolls her eyes, shaking her head, but still smiling, "Yeah, you've said that at least half a dozen times so far."

"Well I just can't believe it. Me! Avengers! Super. Heroes. And me!"

"You're on a first-name...well, only name, basis with Thor. And you helped fight Malekith. That kind of makes you one of us."

"No no no...you're the girlfriend. I'm your geeky intern. Not even a sidekick. This. Is. So. COOL!"

Loki interrupts, "Excuse me, you assisted in defeating Malekith?"

"Yeah. Sort of. I had these science sticks and I have no idea what happened, but there were portals everywhere. I have no idea where we sent that giant ship thing or all his limbs."

"Thor has not told me this story. But if you were part of the team that defeated the creatures that killed our mother, you are a hero indeed, at least to me."

She blushes and Jane makes introductions, "Loki, this is Darcy. She's my intern. Or she was. That internship's long ended. Now we just play with science."

Darcy waves, "Hi."

"Darcy, this is Thor's sibling, Loki."

"I like how you use sibling. So what's with the dress?"

"Loki is a she tonight. Sometimes Loki's a he. And we just go with it."

"Oh. OK. Whatever floats your boat."

Skye offers Darcy a hand, "And I'm Skye. I'm with Coulson's team."

"Got it. Super spies."

"Well, sort of. I'm the resident hacker."

"Cool. I met your geeky science boy. He's got some issues, but he's cute."

"He was dropped from a plane in an escape pod into the ocean with only one oxygen cannister. He gave that to Simmons. It's a wonder he's alive. You'll have to just get used to the awkward."

"Damn. You people live scary lives. I think I'm glad I'm not a super genius recruited by SHIELD."

"It gets pretty intense. How about you- are you an agent?" she asks Jane.

"Nope. Just the astrophysicist girlfriend of a guy from space."

"Now there's a crazy bit of happenstance right there for you."

"Yep. Fell out of the sky. She hit him with a truck."

Loki can't help but laugh at Darcy's description of their meeting; Jane winks at her, "Well from what Thor tells me, it's this one who started the whole thing that landed Thor on Earth. I should be thanking you for whatever you did."

Skye raises her drink, "Want to tell us the story, Loki?"

"Not particularly. I am surprised, though, that Thor has not told it himself."

"I don't know. Thor talks about you, but there's some stuff he doesn't like to say. Things like what you did that got him banished here. So like a good girlfriend, I give him a little space about that."

"Ah. Yes."

Skye nods, "Yeah, there was a guy on our team who had some family trauma he wasn't too keen on sharing. That didn't end well. I'm glad you're on speaking terms, at least. Ward...well, he wasn't. And I think the whole family was just super fucked up."

"Well I make no claims that my family is not, but at least we are done fighting one another."

"Good. I hope it stays that way."

"As do I. My life is the better for it."

"And given that when you fought here, you destroyed part of a major city, I'm pretty sure we're the better for it, too," Darcy adds.

"We were rather intense."

"That's one way to put it." She rolls her eyes.

Loki laughs, "Yes, I suppose I have a gift for understatement."

Thor comes back over with drinks and hands one to Jane, one to Loki, and keeps one for himself, "Had I known you had other guests, I would have brought you something as well! Pietro has gone back to Wanda. Shall we drink to our ever expanding family?"

Jane raises her glass, "Yes! To family!" They toast, they laugh, and then they wander the party, Thor with Loki on one side, Jane on the other. Darcy drifts over to the group of old veterans and plops down in the middle of their conversation to listen to the stories they tell, stories that are getting a little more raucous and raunchy as they drink. Magda is engaged in a lively conversation with Natasha, Bruce, and Steve, while Wanda and Pietro sit with the awkward young scientist named Fitz. He is interested in their stories of HYDRA and they, for once, do not feel too odd talking about what was done to them. His questions are intelligent, earnest, and even when prying, from a place seeking to understand. It is new for the Maximoff twins to speak to someone who can translate their descriptions of the technology they saw and that ws used on them. It is even more exciting to them that he can name it..

An hour into the party and Alexi still has not arrived. Loki sits in one of the large armchairs and takes out her phone. No messages. She types a quick note asking if everything is alright. Tony plops into the chair to her left.

"So I'm horribly insensitive and generally unable to have much empathy for people not me...or at least that's what Pepper says. But even I can tell you're not enjoying yourself over here. What's up? Nothing to your liking at the bar? Not into the music? What?"

"None of those, actually. Your party is lovely and the company enjoyable. But I was supposed to meet a guest here and he has not yet arrived, nor has he said why he has not."

"Eh, I wouldn't worry too much yet. It's New Year's Eve in New York. Nobody's getting anywhere if the don't leave at least a couple hours early."

"While I appreciate your reassurance, I fear something is amiss." Her phone buzzes, "Excuse me."

"Not going to be there tonight, sorry."

She stares at the screen and tries to figure out how to reply, "Bad news?"

"Alexi will not be joining us."

"Oh. Damn. Sorry to hear that."

"He gives no reason."

"Uh...then ask him?"

Loki types, "Are you unwell or is there another reason?"

"I'm fine."

"I'm sorry, but I do not understand. Did I do something to offend?"

"No. But I don't want to text about this. Talk later. Going to bed."

"He still will not say. I only know that he is not unwell."

"You looked like someone kicked your puppy. You were really looking forward to this, weren't you?"

"Yes. It makes me happy to come out dancing with my dearest. And I was hoping to celebrate my first New Year's Even in this realm in such a way."

"I'm sure you'll be fine. New Year's Eve'll happen again next year."

But Loki's mind is racing downward, his thoughts sad and dark, "Thank you, but I do not share your confidence."

"Why not?"

"Because it is all-together possible that I am more in love with Alexi than he is with me. I have not heard the words I so greatly wish to." He rises, "If you will excuse me, Mr Stark." He briefly bows his head and leaves.

Tony stares after him, "Well damn."