Bets and Wagers

Seven

Friday rolled around much quicker than I could have anticipated, it almost felt like a single blink and then there I was, sitting on the edge of my couch, watching the clock hands tick towards my pick-up time.

I barely remembered anything that I had edited during work, it all became a big blur of days until the final hour before I was due to leave.

Much like when it was time to go see a movie, time slowed down in those minutes that lead up to me leaving the house, though this time I fretted more about what I looked like.

It was a party and I had a date, so that was due reason to actually consider my appearance beyond; 'Is my hair washed? Yes? Good'.

Now I just had to hope it was smart enough while still looking casual.

"Perhaps it's time for a wardrobe update," I mumbled to myself.

At two minutes to the hour, my doorbell rang and my heart jumped into my throat.

It was time to rumble and I was nowhere near ready mentally.

I'd always had an aversion to parties or get togethers that mostly involved standing or sitting around and talking, I wasn't much of a talker at the best of times and though I could be patient, I found myself getting bored without something else to distract me during long talking periods.

Sitting or standing around jabbering got old quickly, but it would be considered rude if I were to take a book or something to fiddle with as others around me chatted with only my occasional input.

However, tonight was about Loki and I wasn't going to be the one to bring the mood down.

Practically leaping out of my seat, I grabbed my small bag and raced to the door, shutting off the lights as I left.

Pulling the door open, I'm greeted by Loki looking like the God he is, neatly squeezed into an outfit that he must have been sewn into to make it fit so perfectly to his frame.

I'll admit, I may have drooled a little.

"Good evening," he smiled, dipping his head slightly.

"And to you, sir."

"Are you ready?" He asked, holding an arm to me.

"No, but I guess I have to be," I laughed softly, linking my arm with his.

"Don't fret," he chuckled, walking us to the fanciest car I had ever been given the fortune of riding in, "I'm sure it'll be a wonderful night."

He opened the passenger's side door and watched as I climbed in, closing it behind me before making his way to the driver's side, sliding in smoothly.

"I didn't know you could drive," I said while buckling my seatbelt, looking at him with a quirked eyebrow.

"There are many things we don't know about one another."

"Valid point."

I watched from the corner of my eye as he moved his hands around the dash, putting the key in the ignition and running his long fingers over wheel before moving one hand to the gear stick.

A strange bubble started to build inside me as I watched him, something about those deft had stirred something up that I hadn't experienced with another person outside of my own imagination.

Apparently, he was also a little bit of a speed demon, whizzing through the luckily nearly empty streets as a strange Nordic band I had never heard of played over the speakers and filled the otherwise comfortable silence.

It certainly set a mood, to say the least.

We pulled up outside a bustling building just outside of the city in no time at all and I was ushered out by Loki so the valet could park his car, which I guessed was rented as I'd never seen any hint of him owning such a luxury before.

Stepping up beside me, he offered his arm again and gave me a charming smile.

Even if I was the most stubborn person in the world, I wouldn't be able to resist Loki in that moment, so I linked my arm with his and we walked inside together, instantly being hit with a barrage of loud chatter.

Maybe I would regret this after all.

"I don't know how many people I was expecting, but this is a lot," I said, glancing up towards Loki.

He huffed a small laugh and nodded, "It is, but we can leave if you ever feel uncomfortable."

"Thank you, I appreciate the thought."

I smiled at him then looked away, admiring the hall that Tony had hired out specifically for the event as to avoid the calamity that happened the last time a party was held at the tower.

The building was the most lavish place I had been to, boasting the high ceilings of a cathedral and the staircases and velvet carpets I'd expect to see in a typical high-class theatre, the red of the carpets and gold trimmings on the curtains suiting Tony's signature Iron Man colour pallet to a T.

There were paintings lining the long hallway that lead to the party room itself, most of them beautiful renaissance pictures that never quite made it to a museum or gallery despite being perfectly worthy of being displayed, at least in my eyes.

"This almost reminds me of home," Loki commented, gazing at a painting of a man riding a black stallion through a battlefield.

"Charming," I laughed softly.

"You would be surprised," he mused before leading me into the main hall, where music soon joined the chatter and created a cacophony of a soon to be induced headache.

The room itself slotted in perfectly with the red and gold of the rooms outside, a large, elevated stage with a live band stood at the very back and there were stands on either side of the room as we entered, one serving drink and the other offering food.

A couple of clothed tables run up each side of the room, stopping just before that dancefloor that sat before the stage, some people with drinks already in hand were happily bopping along to the upbeat tunes.

Tall windows lined the room, the middle of the left-hand side offering an opening to a balcony that overlooked the grassy grounds beyond which were no doubt off limits to us guests.

Although it had been Loki's advice, I felt far too underdressed for such a fancy place and some of the other guests had gone to more effort than I would have dared to myself, fair play to them really.

Familiar faces mixed with unfamiliar ones and I already felt out of place, most of these people I most likely knew the names of but hadn't had the moment to meet firsthand.

Much would have been the same with Loki had he not come into my office that day.

"Relax," he suddenly said into my ear, making me jump as his chilled breath ghosted over it, "find somewhere to sit down and I shall get us both something to drink."

And I did just that.

As he turned away, with an imagined swish of his usual cape from my mind, and strutted towards the bar, I found a free table near the balcony doors and took a seat, bag perched in my lap.

That was where I stayed for most of my time there, Loki returned with drinks and stayed to chat for a while then wandered off to get us some food and a refill, sometimes taking longer between breaks as he got caught up talking to people.

At one point during the night he had managed to haul me up onto the dancefloor so he could show off some impressive moves, another surprise that he had up his sleeve.

Much like the days before, hours whittled by and I found myself having a genuinely good time, mingling with a few of the more familiar faces and sharing drinks with the God of Mischief who I had a developing relationship with.

It was glorious and my cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

So of course, something had to shoot me back down to my level.

Where I belonged.