There is a message on Loki's phone when she wakes.
"Hey. I'm sorry about last night. I got some news from Sokovia that wasn't so good. Breakfast?"
Loki texts back, "Yes. But we will need to talk. Here or your apartment?"
"Out. I'll pick you up. There's a great little diner not far from you."
She gets out of bed and dresses in the coral tunic from Erie and black trousers after a quick shower. After plaiting her hair, she is trying to figure out if she wants to wear makeup when Alexi knocks on her door. She grabs her socks and a sweater and goes downstairs to answer.
"Come in, please."
"Sure. So do you want to talk before breakfast or after?"
"Before. Here. So it is not so public."
"Oh. OK. So...what's up?"
"I was deeply hurt last night."
"I said I was sorry."
"I know. And I accept. But Wanda told me that perhaps you did not know how much it meant to me- and not even the event, but the fact that I was wearing my beloved black gown."
"Oh."
"The dress has been a dramatic favourite for many years. One of the gowns from Asgard. And one that I was afraid to even have altered to fit, as I was not certain if a Midgardian seamstress could do it justice. Erie proved herself with the emerald gown, so I entrusted my beloved black dress to her."
"So...when you told me you were wearing the black dress, that wasn't just a 'I'm going to be super hot tonight' hint."
"Correct. And I fear I left that unsaid. You could not have known."
"Ah. Yeah. You did."
"I will do better in the future to communicate when something is important."
"You know, I thought you wanted to talk because you were pissed at me."
"Hurt and angry are very different things, though one can often fuel the other."
"Yeah. You've made that clear. Like, by trying to destroy an entire world."
"Indeed. That was not a rational response."
"No, the scary thing is that your reasoning behind destroying the entire race of Frost Giants is pretty sound. But never do that again, OK?"
"I have already said that I never plan on doing so."
"OK. Cool. You handled things last night without killing anybody?"
"Indeed. I had Wanda bring me home. We talked. And I went to bed. And here we are. Do you wish to tell me of the news that kept you home from the party?"
"Sokovia's been pretty unstable since the whole Ultron thing. I guess there's some kind of war going on. Rumour is that Russia's backing one side and the US is backing the other. And nobody can prove it. People are thinking the two countries are going to have a rematch of the Cold War over Sokovian soil and we're going to be the ones dead for it."
"I am so sorry. I wonder if Magda and Wanda know."
"They will soon if they don't already. I was getting texts all night. Everybody's trying to figure out what's going on and if they might want to go back and fight."
"Ah." Loki does not want to ask if he is thinking about returning. She knows she will have to ask this eventually, but she dreads the answer, so she says nothing.
"Look, I can see you want to ask. But no. Sokovia's military doesn't let women in. And since I still have lady bits, they wouldn't let me fight even if I wanted to." Loki is visibly relieved, "So do you want to go get some breakfast? This place makes a killer Belgian waffle. So much stuff piled on it, it's like an Olympus of fruit and real whipped cream."
"Good enough it is fit for the gods?"
"Yeah. It's that awesome."
"Mmmm, I think you have tempted me into leaving the house on this very cold day."
"Get your jacket, babe. We've got a date with waffles of destiny."
Loki tosses her jacket on and pulls on her socks and shoes before stopping Alexi at the door and kissing him lightly on the lips, "Are we alright?"
"Yeah. I think so."
She smiles and takes his hand, "Thank goodness."