For Better or For Worse (Loki x Reader)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Ooooooh boy. I'm finally back! This is the longest chapter I have ever written, and I really hope you enjoy it! Let me know if ya did by dropping a like and/or comment. Onward!
⚠️Warning: mentions of abuse⚠️

For a while, it was simply bliss, Loki spinning me around the ballroom without a care in the world. There was no else but us. It was just me and him, looking at each other, falling deeper in love with every passing second. All I could see was his beautiful green eyes and his bright smile. And at that moment, that was all I could ever have dreamed of. This man, right in front of me, holding me in his arms as we swayed back and forth during slower numbers and spun me in circles during the faster ones. There was nothing else but his man, and I couldn't have been happier.

But of course, all good things must come to an end. As a faster song came to an end, Loki and I laughing heartily, my father made an appearance by our side. "May I steal my daughter for a dance?" he asked. I could smell alcohol thick on his breath, and I grimaced. One look at my father's posture, and I could tell he was drunk. Thankfully, he wasn't obscenely drunk and could probably be classified as slightly buzzed. Though I wished he hadn't drank as much, this was far better than the alternative.

"Of course," Loki said with mock formality before he kissed the back of my knuckle before my mother could steal him for a quick dance. My father's movements were uncoordinated and sloppy as he whisked me further onto the dance floor, bumping into a few couples on our way. I was more than embarrassed. I was completely mortified. I grimaced as my father placed in hand on my back as he spun me around messily.

We made small talk as we danced, but the man was mostly mumbling nonsense in his drunken state. Once the song had come to an end, he made no move to let me go, insistent on another dance, but I managed to evade him, saying I needed to take a visit to the ladies' room. He seemed to buy the little lie. With that, he let me go, and I was hurrying to take my husband back from my mother, sure that she probably had nothing nice to say to him. Loki led me back to where Thor and Jane were standing, Thor's arm around his wife's waist.

"Your mother doesn't seem to like me," Loki commented when we had made it out of earshot. "She thinks I don't treat you like a lady," he said. I only shrugged.

"You know I don't like that," I supplied, looking up at the man. "And I appreciate that you heed my wishes," I said, "no matter what my mother may think. She always wanted a very girly daughter to dress up and send on dates with different sutors." The man pulled me close and pressed a kiss to my temple.

"You are perfect just the way you are, my dear," he assured me, a smile on his face. I leaned up to give him a chaste kiss on the lips in a silent thanks.

Suddenly, Casimir was appearing seemingly out of nowhere. "May I steal my sister for a dance?" Casimir asked, extending a hand toward me, looking to Loki for permission. But inside, I knew he wasn't asking for permission. If he wanted to have a dance with me, he would have a dance with me. His faux politeness was all for show.

I saw Loki clench his jaw, choosing not to speak. Instead, he nodded and took a step back. I watched him for a moment as he went to join Thor who was standing on the edge of the dancefloor, Jane by his side. Neither Casimir or I spoke as a familiar tune picked up. It was a light Elvin waltz we had been taught since we were children. Not a word needed to be spoken as we took out positions, my right hand taking his left, his right hand coming to rest of my waist, my left hand taking his shoulder.

I hadn't danced this dance in what seemed like forever, but it was all muscle memory. We felt into a comfortable, familiar pace, though, the air between us was tense. It was so tense you could have cut it with a blade. I couldn't meet my brother's eyes. It felt as though I had suddenly forgotten how to speak. I didn't know what to say to him.