For Better or For Worse (Loki x Reader)

Chapter Seventeen

This chapter is a little shorter than I would have hoped, but I didn't want to add another part because then I would have been waaaaay to long. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know with a comment or a vote. Enjoy!

After our little excursion to the beach, we headed back to town to be met by a surprise. The town was decked out with even more colorful banners as children ran through the streets, their parents trailing behind at a much more relaxed pace. There was loud, brassy music floating on the air.

I turned to look at the man next to me as we entered the busy streets of the town. My furrowed eyebrows only creased more when I saw that he too looked confused.

"We couldn't have been gone for that long," I mused. Loki glanced over at me and shrugged. Normally I would he would have know about something like this, but he looked genuinely confused. As we entered the bustle of the port city, Loki wrapped his hand around mine as to keep us from getting separated.

Loki pulled me to edge of the street toward the vendors that still lined the streets. Surprisingly, this was a less busy part of the street. It seemed like everyone was heading in the direction of the center of the city. At the particular spot we stopped, there was old woman with a cart of fresh fruits in front of her.

"Excuse me, ma'am," Loki began politely, turned to the woman.

"How can I help you, dear?" she said sweetly, a kind smile on her wrinkly face.

"We just arrived this afternoon; we're sightseeing," the dark haired man explained with so much poise I would have never guessed he was ever confused. "I have been to this city a few times before, but what is all this?" he asked, nodding his head toward the crowds.

"Oh, of course, dear," the old woman said with a smile. "This is just a casual celebration; happens the first Saturday every month. We have music and food and dancing in the town square. It's very popular with the younger couples," she said with a wink. I couldn't help but blush at her words.

"I suppose we should go take a look," Loki offered. I nodded, grabbing his hand a little tighter in my own. We thanked the woman and bid her farewell before we joined the crowds and headed toward the center of the city where the celebration was taking place. I had never been a huge fan of large crowds, never enjoying any of the massive parties my father threw every other week it seemed.

However, this was completely different. The venue was open instead of a cramped ballroom and everyone seemed to be having fun. Children were playing near the fountain in the middle of the square while adults talked and laughed, trusting their children would stay out of trouble. There was no need to be formal in this setting. You could wear whatever you wanted without being yelled at about dress code and could talk and laugh as loud as you wanted. The atmosphere of this celebration was different, it was light and happy. You could breath easy as you danced and ate and talked with people.

Though the air of this place was light and happy, I still held on to Loki's hand, keeping me from getting swept away in the crowd. Loki and I stayed off to the side, listening to the music being played by a small band and watching the children play by the fountain. Loki wrapped his arms around me, and I leaned back into his strong chest.

There was a shriek from a small boy near the fountain. Well, he was actually in the fountain now. Two older boys were standing on the fountain walls, jeering at the smaller boy. Seeing the current situation, I let go of Loki's hand marched over to the boys. I glared at the older boys who were obviously old enough to know better. They froze in fear and jumped off the fountain, quickly disappearing into the crowd.

I sighed and turned back to the small boy still sitting in the fountain, his clothes soaked. He looked up at me, his lower lip jutting out and tears in his eyes. I carefully gripped him under his arms and pulled him out of the fountain, setting him down so that he was sitting on the edge of the fountain where the two boys were previously standing.