The game had continued far longer than Eirlys had expected. What had started as a simple distraction had somehow turned into a loud competition involving accusations of cheating, arguments over rules nobody remembered properly and far too much mead. The Warriors Three had gradually become less useful with every passing round. Volstagg had begun laughing at his own jokes, Fandral was insisting that he was winning despite the evidence sitting directly in front of everyone, and even Hogun had become noticeably more relaxed.
Eventually, Sif looked at the three of them and sighed. "You're all finished."
"We are not," Fandral protested.
"You've been holding the same cards upside down for the last five minutes."
Fandral looked down, and immediately dropped them. That was apparently the end of the game. The three warriors eventually stumbled out together, still arguing about who had actually won, leaving Sif, Eirlys and Thor behind. Eirlys watched them disappear through the doors and shook her head with a reluctant smile. "They haven't changed at all."
"Neither have you," Thor said.
She gave him a suspicious look. "Is that supposed to be an insult?"
Thor laughed. "No."
Before Eirlys could answer, the door opened again, Jane stepped inside. She greeted everyone before joining Sif near one side of the room, where the two women immediately began talking about the reception and the plans for the days ahead. Eventually the conversation drifted toward the honeymoon.
Eirlys, who had been quietly rearranging her cards, stopped. "The honeymoon," she repeated flatly.
Sif glanced at her and Jane tried not to laugh. Eirlys made a face that could only be described as deeply offended by the very existence of the word. "And the reception," she added, as though that was somehow equally terrible.
"You don't want that either?" Jane asked.
"I want to sleep."
Thor burst out laughing making Eirlys turn toward him. "You find this amusing?"
"Very."
She narrowed her eyes at him before returning to her cards, though the corner of her mouth betrayed her. Sif and Jane continued discussing arrangements nearby, occasionally asking Eirlys a question that she answered with increasingly sour expressions. The room had settled into an oddly comfortable rhythm by then, everyone simply enjoying the familiarity of being together.
Meanwhile, Loki had finally finished everything Eirlys had assigned him earlier. He had checked the final arrangements, spoken with the servants and dealt with the last few matters that had somehow found their way onto his list. He was tired, but there was a small satisfaction in knowing he had actually completed what she had asked. He returned to their chambers expecting to find Eirlys waiting. Instead, when he opened the door, he stopped, Thor was sitting on the edge of his bed. With Eirlys. Both of them were laughing. For one horrible second, Loki's heart dropped.
The sight struck somewhere deep enough that he couldn't immediately hide it from himself. His expression fell, and his chest tightened with an ache he had become painfully familiar with. Of course, of all nights. Then he noticed Sif and Jane. Both were sitting nearby, clearly part of the conversation, with Sif watching the game and Jane talking quietly with her. Loki stared for another moment before releasing a slow breath. They weren't alone, they had never been alone. The jealousy that had risen so quickly inside him dissolved into embarrassed relief.
Eirlys finally noticed him standing there. "Loki!" She smiled brightly and held up her cards. "You missed everything."
He stepped inside, composing himself. "So I see."
Thor laughed again. Loki looked at him, then at Eirlys, and finally allowed himself a small smile and he decided not to misunderstand what he was seeing. The longer the night continued, the less successful Eirlys became at pretending she was sober.
She had never been a particularly loud drunk, but the mead had softened every careful edge she normally kept around herself. Her cheeks were warm, her eyes slightly glassy, and she had begun laughing at things that were barely funny. At one point, she tried to place a card on the table, missed entirely, stared at it on the floor for several seconds and then looked at everyone as though the card had personally betrayed her.
Sif burst out laughing. "I think you've had enough."
"I have not," Eirlys insisted, reaching for another cup.
Thor caught it before she could. "You absolutely have."
Eirlys frowned at him. "You're annoying."
"I've been told."
Loki watched the exchange with an amused smile, though he remained quieter than the others. He had barely touched his own drink, preferring to keep an eye on Eirlys as she grew increasingly carefree.
Then Thor's attention shifted toward him. "So," he said, leaning back with a grin, "you know what you're supposed to do tonight, right?"
Loki raised an eyebrow, Sif immediately understood where Thor was going and laughed, Eirlys did not.
Thor continued, completely unconcerned with how his words might sound. "Don't go forcing her into anything she doesn't want. If she says no, you stop. Simple."
Loki's smile disappeared. The words were clearly meant as teasing, but there was something humiliating about them anyway. Thor was speaking as though Loki needed to be warned not to cross a line with his own wife, as though he were the sort of man who might ignore her wishes.
Sif joined in, nudging Thor with her elbow. "Yes, Your Highness. Be a gentleman."
Loki stared at them. "I am aware of how consent works."
Thor laughed. "Good. Just making sure."
Something changed in Eirlys's expression, the drunken amusement vanished. She slowly put her cup down. "Stop."
Neither Thor nor Sif immediately noticed how serious she sounded. Thor chuckled. "What?"
"I said stop."
The room went quiet. Eirlys looked between them, her cheeks still flushed from the mead, but there was no laughter left in her eyes. "That isn't funny."
Thor's grin faded slightly and Sif lowered her cup. Eirlys turned toward Loki. He was sitting very still, his jaw tight, clearly trying to pretend the comments had not affected him. Her expression softened immediately. "I'm sorry."
Loki looked at her. "Eirlys…"
"No." She shook her head, almost stumbling when she tried to sit straighter. "They're being idiots."
Thor opened his mouth but she pointed at him. "You especially."
Thor wisely closed it. Eirlys looked back at Loki, visibly embarrassed now. "I'm sorry they said that to you. I know you would never…" She paused, struggling to find the words through her drunken haze. "You wouldn't do that. Not to me."
Loki's expression softened. "I know."
"No, you shouldn't have to hear it." She frowned at Sif and Thor again. "He's my husband. You shouldn't be talking about him like he's some bloody stranger who needs instructions on how to treat me."
Sif looked genuinely sorry now while Thor rubbed the back of his neck. "It was only a joke."
"I know." Eirlys sighed. "That's why it's worse."
Loki reached for her hand and gently squeezed it. She looked down at their joined hands, then back at him. "I'm really sorry."
This time, Loki smiled. "You don't have to apologize for them."
"I know." She leaned slightly against his shoulder anyway. "I'm still going to."
Thor watched them for a moment before quietly muttering, "All right. We went too far."
Sif nodded as Eirlys closed her eyes against Loki's shoulder. "Good."
Then, after a pause, she added sleepily, "Now someone give me my cards. I'm winning."
Fandral's empty chair seemed to mock her, Loki laughed as the tension finally broke. Eventually, Sif decided they had embarrassed Eirlys enough for one night. She gathered the remaining cups while Thor helped her toward the door, both of them exchanging amused looks. Jane followed after giving Eirlys a warm smile, leaving the newlyweds behind. The warriors were already gone, and soon the room fell quiet.
Thor paused at the doorway and looked at Loki. "Take care of her," he said, this time without a joke. Loki nodded. Then the door closed, leaving him alone with his very drunk wife, who was still clutching her cards and mumbling something about absolutely winning.