Chapter Text
“So you’re not going to explain what the hell just happened?” Verity asked exasperatedly as she made sure she was no longer a ghost. Loki was sitting on the sofa, fiddling around with his staff absent mindedly. “Loki!”
“Huh?” He looked up from his staff.
“Were you even listening?” She asked, running her hand down her face.
“Sorry, I got lost in thought.” He made the staff disappear with a swish of his hand. “You were saying?”
“What the hell just happened, Loki?! Cause whatever it was feels like a fever dream!” Verity exclaimed loudly, loud enough that her neighbors probably heard. Apartments tend to have thin walls.
“I suppose this is what happens when you decide to become friends with a god, especially one like me.” Loki sighed. Verity raised her eyebrow at him.
“So this is my fault?” Verity crossed her arms, tapping her left index finger on her right arm.
“Verity, that’s not what I meant-” Loki tried to explain.
“No, you listen here! I’ve sat through so much of your bullshit and this just takes the cake!” She yelled, “You go missing for months, show back up out of nowhere, tell me you’re this- God of Stories, whatever the hell that means! Then you rip my soul out of my body or something, trap Asgard in some kind of orb or whatever! I don’t even want to begin to understand the whole god of gods thing! And then you hug, what? An alternate version of yourself? You from the future? Whatever the hell he was! And you put him in your staff- which in of itself I have so many questions about- and now we’re somehow back home! So tell me, Loki, how do you expect to explain yourself out of this one, huh?!”
“I can’t.” Loki said honestly. Verity hadn’t expected that from the god of lies- could she still think of him as that? “What you just said sums it up perfectly. It’s insane, I know, and I’m sorry.”
“Another famed Loki-Apology. Great.” Verity rolled her eyes. Loki apologized weekly, and at this point it didn’t feel sincere. More like one step away from a white lie. He could be sorry and she could mistake it for him trying to save his hide. It was all a mess.
“I understand why you’re mad at me.” Loki sighed again. He seemed distraught in his own way. “Hell, I’m mad at me, as well.”
“Look,” She said with a drawn out sigh-turned-groan. “Maybe we need a break from each other. Since clearly, this,” She gestured to Loki. “Won’t work right now.” Loki finally looked her in the eyes. His eyes were swirling with more emotion than his staff was swirling with stories.
“Verity, please,” He sounded desperate, but failed to continue. “You’re right. If you think it’s best.”
“I do, Loki. You’re my friend, but we need to work this relationship out.” Verity looked towards the ceiling. “Maybe in the future we can work this out, but I want some time to figure this out.”
“I feel like you’re breaking up with me.” Loki chuckled darkly. He wasn’t laughing so much as he was huffing softly.
“Maybe I am.” Verity sighed this time.
“Great.” Loki looked to the ground, raven bangs falling over his eyes. Under his breath, he muttered “Just another relationship I fucked up.”
“I-” Verity didn’t want to think about it. She didn’t want to think about Loki hurting because she’d change her mind, and they’d both be miserable together. “I need some time now. Maybe go back to your apartment.”
“Right,” Loki stood up, pulling the hood of his leather coat over his head. Verity didn’t even realize it had a hood. His bangs were still over his eyes, but she knew he was acting tough and trying not to cry. “Goodbye, Verity.”
“Goodbye,” She said quietly and turned away towards the window. She heard the door open and close and upon turning around she realized he was gone now. No tricks. He was gone. Letting out a deep groan, she took out her phone and dialed her mothers number. She needed to get out of town right now.
Loki walked back to where his apartment was supposed to be, only to find a giant hole in the building. Right… he thought, It got destroyed when King Loki paid me a visit… Loki sighed and leaned against the wall of the hallway.
"What am I doing?" He asked himself. After a moment of trying to find an answer he gave up.
He rubbed his hands over his face and let out what felt like the hundredth sigh that evening. "I need a drink." He concluded as he pushed off of the wall, and headed towards the nearest bar.
He left the apartment via fire escape, not wanting to pass by any neighbors. Ex-Neighbors, it seemed. The closest bar was nearly half an hour away, and in true sad-movie fashion, it was raining. He was drenched within seconds. It barely fazed him, as he was already miserable.
Walking through puddles, he silently cried a little. Great going Loki, you messed up another relationship! Now you have no one and nothing besides the clothes on your back and the horns on your head! He internally screamed at himself. Maybe you deserve this! It’s just so true that people like you don’t need friends!
Hiccuping miserably, he finally reached the bar and shouldered the door open. Everyone glanced at him before turning away and chatting amongst themselves. Look at you, a mess walking into a bar.
“Good Evening, sir,” Loki croaked to the bartender. The bartender looked him up and down for a moment.
“You in a boyband, kid?” They asked him. Loki growled before reigning in his emotions a little.
“No, I get that a lot.” Loki mumbled.
The bartender huffed out a small laugh, "So what can I do you for?"
"Just give me something strong." He ordered, resting his elbows on the bar, and threading his hands through his hair.
The bartender gave him a look before handing him a Zombie with extra rum. He sipped it cautiously and then downed it in one go.
“Jeez…” The bartender muttered. “Bad day?”
“You have no idea…” Loki replied darkly. “Another please.”
“Okay...You wanna talk about it?” The bartender prepared another drink.
“No. Just another drink, please.” Loki sighed for the millionth time.
“Okay. Just don’t go overboard.” The bartender gave him a concerned look as they handed him another drink. Loki accepted it graciously.
“Of course.” He brought the drink to his lip, despite knowing how far he would go.
Kate and America were enjoying their “girls night out”. They’d gone to see a movie, had dinner in the city and done some window shopping. They liked doing this, it was refreshing, considering they were the only girls on a team of seven.
“Where to next?” Kate asked. It was America’s turn to choose where they went.
“Hm,” America thought for a second before grinning. “I know a bar near here, why don’t we go there!” Kate looked a bit skeptical. “Trust me, they have great service, it’s not one of those disgusting, unkept or maintained places.”
“Fine, but only because you’re a trustworthy person.” Kate allowed America to lead the way. It wasn’t too far a walk, as it turned out.
They entered the bar and sat down, "I'll be with you ladies in just a minute!" the bartender announced from down the counter, where they were dealing with someone with their hood up, and their head resting on the counter.
"Just one more, pleeeease!" the drunk person- who sounded vaguely familiar -begged the bartender.
"Sorry buddy, no can do, you've had more than enough." The bartender stated, crossing their arms. That elicited another groan and a quiet sob from the patron.
The bartender set down a glass of water in front of the miserable person, "Why don't ya drink that up and then I'll call someone to take ya home." They suggested, patting the person on the shoulder.
Unfortunately that just led to the guy crying softly, "I don't have a home to go back to. ‘Got destroyed." They explained, lifting their head from the counter, causing their hood to fall down, revealing-
"Loki?!" America exclaims, staring at the sad, drunk man, who's sitting just a few seats away from her and Kate.
The two girls looked at the depressed god, blinking rapidly for a few minutes, as Loki looked back at them, blinking slowly and trying to comprehend who they were and how they recognized him.
“You know him?” The bartender turned to them.
“Yeah! I mean, yes.” Kate replied quickly.
“He’s a friend of ours.” America continued.
“Hm.” The bartender looked between the two and Loki. “Any idea why he’s drinking so heavily tonight?”
“Well, no.” Kate sighed. “We haven’t seen each other for a long time. But we recognize him.” Loki was still trying to figure out who they were, completely detached from reality. America watched and noted the very second he realized.
“America?” He hiccuped. She couldn’t tell if it was from the alcohol or from the crying. Either way, there was no denying it was incredibly out of character for the god to be this miserable, though they hadn’t seen each other in a while.
"Yeah, it's me Chico." America replied, walking over and putting a hand on his shoulder. After a minute of analyzing the god and sifting through her thoughts she finally suggested, "Why don't we take you to our place? Let you get some rest and then we can talk about this tomorrow."
"Wait, wait, wait! Let's talk about this first!" Kate interjected, "America, we can't just take him home!"
"Princess, look at him, he's too drunk to give anyone directions to his place," if he even has a place , she thought to herself, "and there's no way we can just leave him here."
Kate just stared, gaze flicking between America and Loki for a moment before she finally caved, "Fine! But you're in charge of explaining to the guys why we're coming home with a sad, drunk, sobbing Loki."
“Believe me, I’m sure they’ll have more questions besides ‘hey why’s he drunk’ .” America huffed a laugh. She turned back to Loki, who was now absently staring at the window. She hesitantly tapped him on the shoulder, grabbing his attention. “Hey, do you think you can walk?”
“Eh,” He shrugged weakly.
“Guess we’ll have to do this…” She helped Loki stand up and slung one of his arms over her shoulder. His head rested against her shoulder, the gold of his horned headpiece cold against her skin. She wasn’t a fan. “Kate, please take his headband.” Kate sighed, nodding, and carefully removed the headpiece from Loki. The god barely protested.
“It’s quite a walk to the car.” Kate said.
“I’ll manage.” America replied. “He’s actually not that heavy.”
“You’re also very strong, America.” Kate laughed.
“You’re right, you’re right.” America huffed. “Let’s get out of here.” Kate nodded as she paid for Loki’s drinks, which surprisingly didn’t wrack up too much. America wondered if the bartender gave them a discount.
As they walked out to the car, America wondered what had driven Loki to this state. Loki was nodding in and out of consciousness as she carried him, eyes not focusing on anything. He was really out of it.
They reached the car, Kate helping America with the door as they tossed Loki in the backseat. Kate got in the driver seat, and America sat shotgun. They shared a look that said they were both thinking the same question.
America sighed, “So Chico, what happened?” she asked, turning to look at the back seat. Only to find the god out cold. She turned back to Kate with a questioning look.
“We’ll ask him once he’s awake and sober.” Kate stated, cranking up the motor, and driving off to their headquarters.