There were many parties Thor had participated in the past.

The loud parties at Asgard where food and mead was an plenty full, where people would drink to they passed out on the floor and eat till they literately couldn't get down another bite.

Parties on Midgard, just as loud but more modest, where people would laugh, eat pizza. At the end perhaps just pop on a movie to relax by.

Vanaheim which was much more subdued and elegant where Thor was well known for breaking the protocol with his loud boasting.

And other realms as well.

This party though, this was a party that Thor would be sure to remember for the rest of his life.

And in his own mind, in spite of having been to parties before with the most important people in the nine realms. He couldn't help but feel like this was the most important one.

It wasn't grand. It wasn't like Asgard were they would keep carrying in tray after tray with mead and open barrel upon barrel of meat.

But somehow it was just as merry all the same. They had made a huge fire in the centre of the camp to honour their dead.

Thor had sheepishly called Tony and asked his friend if it was okay if he used his avengers card to order some catering.

Tony had snorted and asked how many times he needed to flip the bloody bill, accidentally revealing he was also paying for Lokis hospital stay just to avoid further issues. But then at last said that Thor could do what he wanted on the one condition that Tony was allowed at the party.

At ones Thor said he hoped he would come, and the other avengers. So they did.

To Thors delightful surprise Carol Danvers came as well, wanting to learn to know the Avengers she was going to work with.

For the feast Thor and Bylestir sat right next to each other, and next to Bylestir sat Helbindi… Which honestly just made Thor painfully aware of the empty spot on his other side. A spot which should have been Lokis.

It seemed that everyone was aware of it, so no one tried to fill the spot out of respect for Lokis missing presence, which Thor deeply appreciated.

As intended the Jotunns and Asgards were mixing up their seating to Thors deep relief. It was true, both Thor and Bylestir had requested of their own people to start mixing, but to see them actually do it was a huge relief!

The humans though kept together, not that Thor could blame to much. This entire thing had to be kind of loud and unsettling for them. But they were there to show support regardless.

"To think this day would come." Thor commented looking at a group which were mixed Asgardians and Jotunns laughing together. "Can you believe it Bylestir?"

"I'm not sure." Bylestir admitted. "For so long the Aisir was a people we had to protect ourselves against, the enemy. I will admit, never had I believed we would become comrades."

"A shame it would have to come to this for it to happen." Thor swallowed. "But, regardless of anything else. At least this is one thing that has happened which is good." he stated. "I promise, when this is over. I will do all in my power to keep this good will going! You will have the respect you deserve and be an equal to the other realms. I promise."

"I know." Bylestir nodded. "You have always been true to your word…." he looked to another group where Helbindi had just joined and Helbindi was laughing. "When we were young, sometimes Helbindi would ask why we weren't allowed to go to other realms when others could travel freely." he said. "He was a curious little whelp, desiring to learn. Again and again I had to tell him. Jotunnheim is our pride and home, that must be enough for you. Then he would look at me and ask… But why Brother? The world is filled with secrets, why are we not allowed to discover? If we learned more surely it would aid Jotunnheim." he sighed deeply. "And I had to tell him no. I really shouldn't be that surprised that he left the realm the first chance he got to go on his own little adventure."

Thor smiled. "Loki would never stay at one spot for long. The second he had learned how to travel Ygdrasils branches he would go to norns knows where, he would be gone for moons and nobody would know to where. Then as he returned and I asked him about it, he wouldn't even tell me!" he shook his head. "Loki likes keeping his secrets to himself, says it's always good to have a hidden trump card up the sleeve."

"Sounds like an unruly child refusing to follow the rules." Bylestir snorted.

"Oh if that was just half of it!" Thor chuckled. "Loki following the rules? No that was never going to happen. He would eat dessert before dinner and wear his shoes backwards just to get a reaction from people."

Bylestir rolled his eyes. "I pity you."

"Don't! It made life amazingly entertaining." Thor smiled. "Loki he… He would always try things all these different ways, discover new things. Why should we do things the old ways when you could try other ways? Always thinking, always trying something new and discovering new things. Never sitting still." he smiled warmly as he looked down at his hands. "The world would be a poorer place without people like him…. My only regret is that he has been frightfully difficult to protect." he stated shaking his head. "Never asking for permission just acting." Sadly Thor glanced towards Helbindi. "And then he would get hurt… And I would be useless to help him." he closed his eyes.

Bylestir nodded thoughtfully. "I understand…" he said. "Helbindi he.." he halted. "He would often do things without my permission. Like going with Loki to Asgard, I knew I couldn't stop him even if I tried." he sighed deeply. "It is a sad reality, we can't protect them forever. They to are their own person."

"I suppose the best we can do is to support them." Thor nodded.

"Indeed." Bylestir agreed. "I was told… That the duty of a king is his people. Family is only second." he frowned.

"Perhaps. But even so…" Thor breathed. "That's what my father did. He put his people before his family. But it hurt both him and his family, and in the end it also hurt his people. That he pushed us away and was always King Odin before he was our father. So we never understood, and we never knew what we needed to do to archive his acceptance. I know he meant well, but I am afraid to say it did great harm to a great many people."

"My father neglected both his family and his duty as king to pursue his desire for revenge." Bylestir commented dryly.

Thor laughed a dry laugh then halted, he looked at Bylestir, his eyes turning sorrowful, outright hopeless. "How do we make sure we don't end up as either of them?" he asked. "I don't want to become Odin! And I am convinced you don't want to become Laufey. You said it yourself, and showed it with your actions. You saw that your father neglected his duties as king in favour of his personal feelings for revenge."

"Yes." Bylestir replied. "And I refused to follow his example." he said. "Don't get me wrong, my hatred for you and Loki was burning." he admitted. "You destroyed my realm. And though Laufey was a horrible father he still was my father! Part of me truly desired to swear revenge at all cost." he stated.

"But…." Thor breathed.

"What would it bring me?" Bylestir asked. "What would it bring my realm? Another war? More death? More famine?… My brother reminded me of this. I was burning with hate and anger the night of our destruction, the night that light came from above and wrecked havoc on our very landscape. I was ready to swear revenge on all of Asgard. Helbindi is the one who grabbed my shoulder and spoke to me. He said this to me. Our father brought this destruction upon our realm, do not be like him… I shall never forget those words nor how he looked at me."

"Helbindi was the one…" Thor breathed.

"He was." Bylestir nodded. "If not for him, I would not have calmed down. For my brother, I wanted to be a better person. A better King! Each time I desired to tear out the throats of an Asgardian, I remembered his words! Do not be like that! And I would follow his wish. For him."

Thor sucked in a deep breath then nodded. "I… I wish I had listened more to Loki…" he admitted. "In the past. I try to now!" he stated. "I really do."

"King Thor." Bylestir looked at Thor leaning his head in his hand. "Pardon me, but I don't think you should listen to everything Prince Loki tells you. He has proven himself to be quite the little manipulative opportunist."

Thor couldn't help it, help but laugh. "Aye I suppose that's true." he admitted. "Still, he has proven without a doubt that his wish to protect Asgard and its people is sincere!" he stated. "He is clever! Sometimes a bit to clever. Still…" he closed his eyes. "I need to be able to listen and consider several different viewpoints. From now on." he swallowed. "So I may not end up being like Odin."

Bylestir nodded. "That makes sense." he said. "I propose a toast." he raised a glass for Thor. "For your brothers speedy recovery."

"Aye!" Thor lifted his own glass. "And for future prosperity for both our realms!"

"Indeed!" Bylestir stated. "Let's drink it that!" and they clashed their glasses towards each other, both drank out in one fell swoop and then shattered their glasses on the ground to much cheering for those around them as Thor held up a hand.

"Another!" Thor requested. "For me and my shield brother!"

And quickly an Asgardian rushed towards them with two new glasses filled to the brim with beer.


Little did the people at the table know that out of sight where no one could see an astral projection was walking around.

Loki blinked astounded as he watched them, all the Jotunns and Aisir partying with each other. Honestly he wouldn't have believed it if he couldn't see it.

It hadn't been lost on him that the seat next to Thor had been kept empty. Sadly making himself visible for all the Aisir would be a waste of his precious magic.

Loki probably should have stayed in his own body, but honestly being confined to that stupid bed amongst all the beeping was pure torture. Why shouldn't he be allowed to roam around and have a look now that he could.

Even if he practically just was a ghost, floating between all these people who had bodies. Suddenly Loki found himself at the table with the Midgardians and a specific sorcerer with black hair and striking blue eyes looked up, his eyes looking directly at Loki.

"We both know my body wont fully recover anyway. Don't judge me." Loki snorted at the man.

Strange brow furrowed deeply.

"It's not even like I am using that much magic astral projecting. It barely takes a spark. What does take energy is making myself visible to all these idiots!" Loki kept on defending himself. "I would go insane if I didn't do it!"

Still Strange didn't say anything and Loki started to seriously consider if he was getting this wrong. Couldn't Strange see him after all? Loki had half the mind to go over there and wave his astral hand in front of Stranges eyes to be sure.

"Just remember to go back to your body in intervals." Strange then demanded. "I am your doctor now, which makes you my responsibility. If I start sensing the connection between you and your body wavering, I will be forcing you back and chaining you down until you have re attuned to your body."

"Oh, I see you are familiar with the rules of astral projection." Loki commented.

"Indeed." Strange nodded. "And I am familiar with the concept of all these alternative dimensions laying on top of each other sharing the same space. Our body is what anchors us to this dimension. Without an anchor, you could easily end up slipping into somewhere else like the dark dimension or the dream dimension. All sharing the same space as our reality dimension. If you slipped in and got lost, I wouldn't be able to save you."

"I wont I wont." Loki pouted.

Beside Strange Tony blinked. "Dude who are you talking to?" he asked confused.

"A particularly difficult ghost." Strange commented dryly making Tony blink and Loki chuckle amused.

"What?" Tony blinked. "Are you just messing with me?" he asked.

Strange didn't reply at all as he just kept glaring at Loki while Tony just looked utterly baffled. It was a pretty funny sight.

Then Loki sighed deeply as he glanced at the food on the table… His body was back at the hospital being fed through a tube. And that meat looked so good right now.

Loki shook his head, could be worse! At least he could astral project unlike most other people. Still, spending the rest of his life as a ghost really wasn't one of his top wishes.

It was what it was though, even if Loki couldn't do much. He would do what he could in his current form to help them. Thanos was still coming.