Chapter 13

For some people anger is an ugly emotion, and not just because of the unseemly and out of control tantrums they display, but because it simply does not sit well on their faces. They either wear their anger too lightly, so that it barely shows and what you are left with is a slight frown and a squeaky indignant voice that is too cute to be taken seriously; or they allow the anger to hang heavily off their features, turning cheeks bright red and glistening with sweat, as nostrils flare and spit flies out from between clenched teeth.

But for other people, anger flatters them, makes them look more powerful, stronger, assertive.

Thor was one of those people, and it annoyed Loki to no end.

It should be noted that the Hulk falls into neither group. His style of anger is unique to the point of being Bohemian. Hulk was anger and anger was the Hulk.

Thor strode in a straight line through the crowd of dancers with the confidence that they would willingly leap out of his way, which they did. No one wanted to get on Thor's bad side, not with all that lightening crackling around his head. Some of the onlookers looked at him lustfully.

He stopped directly in front of Loki and make a conscious effort to stand taller, because with her heels on Loki was a good inch taller than he was.

'I don't want to ask, but I'm obliged to. Did you steal Hermes' sandals?'

'No,' Loki answered truthfully, as Sigyn began fiddling with her hair.

Thor was obliged to have asked, even though he did not want to, and he was obliged to push, just a little, even though he did not want to bother. But after that he would be free to going back to not enjoying the party.

'Are you sure?'

'Thor, look at these heels I'm wearing. They're like needles, daggers! Look at how high they are. My toes will be bleeding all week after tonight. Do you really think that I could steal anything wearing these torture devices?'

'If they hurt so much then why do you wear them?'

'Because they make me look hot!'

Sigyn nodded in agreement and Thor said, 'Mm, sister. You look ravishing. But that is beside the point. I am too busy fighting Hercules to be dealing with this rubbish.'

'But you're not fighting Hercules. You're talking to us,' said Sigyn.

Thor sucked in a deep breath and Loki knew that it meant he was annoyed.

'Will I be fighting Hercules as soon as he arrives?' the thunder god asked forcefully.

'He may want a drink -'

'Will I be fighting Hercules as soon as he arrives?' Thor repeated in a slightly louder voice.

'Yes?'

'Exactly. As soon as he steps off his ship – Boom! I'm there! Which means you may as well consider me already in that fight. Mentally I am fighting him right now. Mentally you are watching me mentally fighting him. Do you understand me?'

'To the best of my ability.'

Inside Loki's dress the sandals were trying to go away. The twitching dress caught all their attention. Loki sheepishly folded her arms across her chest as Sigyn tittered and Thor looked aghast.

'I - ,' Thor began, but then raised his hands and backed away. 'I'm not even here.'

'Mentally you never were,' Loki muttered.

The party music came to an abrupt end, a sudden silence that it almost hurt to experience. Some of the more drunk dancers continued to lumber about for an extra few seconds. Apollo and his band had stopped playing.

'He's here!' Apollo's voice boomed. 'Hercules is here!'

A roll of deafening thunder had the gods clapping their hands to their heads.

'Finally!' Thor yelled.

Bonus scene

Loki went to the nearby pool to splash cold water on her face. Posedion rose out of the water, spinning his trident in his humongous hand.

'Loki! It's good to see you! How's tricks?'

'Well, you know, I was captured by the Mad Titan, escaped, ruled Asgard for a few years...Mother was murdered and Father died...oh, and Asgard was destroyed...Uneventful.'

'Yes,' Posedion said stiffly. 'It must have been.'

That uncomfortable silence, the kind of which occurs when two acquaintances who aren't quite friends bump into one another, grew, forcing Loki to ask, just as stiffly, 'How's your family? How's Pegasus?'

Posedion's face became more cheerful, 'Still making his old man proud. He flew to the moon last week, all by himself. He misses Sleipnir, though. Maybe it's time we arranged another playdate.'

'Alas, Sleipnir ran away some years ago. I have no idea where he is or even if he is alive. And as he is able to travel the Bifrost he could be anywhere in the universe.'

'Fear not for he is a sly one your Sleipnir and is far too clever to put himself in any danger. He will return to your people when he is good and ready. You're not worried, are you?'

'Absolutely not! That horse was nothing but trouble the day Odin brought him home.'

Loki walked away, as fast as her heels would allow her to, and with her back turned to Posedion, took the opportunity to brush away the tears in her eyes.


AN: One of Loki's bynames is Skywalker...(is he related to Luke?) and in one myth is described as owning a pair of shoes that allow him to walk in the air.

Has anyone else seen the Thor Raganarok deleted/original scene of Odin's death? I think it's the closest we'll get to having Odin the Wanderer. And in a very self-indulgent, shameful way, it made me happy to see Loki standing by a shopping trolley.

Thank you all so much for all the kind reviews! I will do my best to keep writing. Thank you for reading!