Isn't she lovely?

Loki was fourteen when he had his first taste of liquor. He liked the taste and the effect it had on him and, from then on, he kept stealing into his father’s cellar and now that he is twenty-seven years old, he just says that old habits die hard. He picked a fancy bottle from the shelf, smirking. It’s not that he doesn’t have the money to buy for his own; it just pleased him greatly to see his father pissed.   Today is his mother’s birthday and they are having a huge party thrown in their Family Manor in the Hamptons. It happens yearly and that’s the only time when the family becomes complete. Their family is known to throw luxurious parties and getting an invite to one is considered a blessing.   Taking a swig of his whiskey and with the stolen wine in his other hand, he made a quick way out the cellar, smiling cheekily at his teenage cousins who were busy chatting at the kitchen counter while the chefs worked on the meals. “You girls look absolutely fantastic today.” Loki noted, and the girls just gave him an annoyed smile. “Loki, they’re your cousins.” Loki’s all-American Aunt, blonde and bejeweled, wife of a senator, who happened to walk in on them, looked at him with disdain. Loki just raised his eyebrows at her, biting back a foul comment and made a beeline to the door. Everyone hates him anyway, so he just brushes it off, though it bothers him a little that that woman would think of him as incestuous. He took a big swig of whiskey. Tables and tents are arranged all around the garden and even on the poolside; buffet tables are being filled with a scrumptious selection of gourmet and table arrangements are being placed, the waitresses are cute this time, and Loki made a mental note to flirt with them later just to piss people off, especially his dad. He remembered his dad telling him that he’s only allowed to date those who are high in the society, someone who is educated, and, of course, with a classic ‘old money’ beauty.  But then his brother married a middle-class b***h. Talk about favoritism. He never really understood why his brother is the family’s favorite, because for him, Thor is just this big bully with no brains. And as a matter of fact, Loki was the one with recognition and awards when they were still studying. What seems to be the problem? Oh yeah, that incident he’d been in that happened in college, that would be one. The thought made him even more edgy, making him finish the glass of whiskey in one gulp.  “Loki! I am so pleased to see you!”                                                                      Placing his glass on one of the neatly done tables, he heard a thick accent hollered in his direction. And just by the sound of that voice he knows who it is. “Hello Sigyn.” Loki said, faking a smile. The girl is hot but the tan is just too much, and her blonde hair looks like she just swam the Atlantic Ocean just to get there. Sigyn is Loki’s ex-girlfriend when he used to study in their hometown in London. And last he remembered that it was in grade school. The girl threw her arms around him and he just tapped the girl’s upper back politely. “How’ve you been? I’ve missed you so much, Loki, and your hair is longer now. Don’t you really want to cut it?” Sigyn said with her toothy smile. Loki gritted his teeth.  “I am doing very well. And yes, I’m not cutting it. Ah. I see you have lost the braces, it really looked lovely on you. It reminds me of that girl in Finding Nemo.” Sigyn’s smile dropped a little but, not losing hope, she answered, “Thank you, so how was Harvard? I’m sorry I wasn’t able to come to your graduation.” Loki wants to curse the poor girl for even bringing up Harvard, but noticing that the crowd is starting to add up, he opts, “It was okay, by the way nice to see you again, but unfortunately I have matters to attend to, so I will see you later.” Loki ignored her pouty look and continued walking to the parking area to put his wine in the safety of his car.  Once he got there, a familiar big red Hummer caught his eye. And he knows for sure that his big brother and his spawn of blonde misfits are finally here because of the two black SUVs tailing his brothers’ car. Even though he doesn’t want to admit it, he misses them more than anything. “Uncle Loki! Uncle Loki!” he smiled wholeheartedly at his nephews and niece who were chanting and waving at him from their window at the back seat. His brother has 4 children, two boys and two girls, and not very surprising, Jane and Thor had kids with very short gaps in between years. And who knows, maybe there’s another one on the way. “Brother!” Thor boomed from the driver’s seat, waving at him. Jane smiled at him as well, waving Trudy’s pinkish little hand from her lap. He waited for them to be settled so he could greet the kids with a hug. And just as he expected, the tots ran to him and hugged him on his legs. He picked them up one by one to give them a proper hug, but when it was Tommen’s turn, the three-year-old and the third child to get the hug, the little boy accidentally kicked the wine from Loki’s grip. The 20-year-old wine fell to the paved ground and crashed into two, spilling the precious wine that Loki loves so much that his heart aches a little.   “You little shit.” Loki muttered with a tolerant smile to the kid, earning a glare from Jane and an apologetic smile from Thor. The boy in his arms just giggled and said, “Lil shi.” Copying what he just said. “Oh my God.” Jane gave Loki a death glare.   Thor chuckled a little bit, which made Jane turn to her husband and glare at him as well. Thor cleared his throat and held up his arms to get Tommen from Loki’s arms. “Tommen, do not ever say that word again.” Thor told his son. Tommen just stared at his father’s beard. “Sorry about that, Jane.” Loki glanced at Jane and grabbed his nephew and niece’s hands and leads them towards the house, with Thor’s two trusted personal security guards and four nannies trailing behind them, which Loki thinks is pretty ridiculous. “So, what’s my favorite blonde in the world been up to?” the children answered him enthusiastically. Once Loki and Thor’s family reach the table, he tells stories of his adventures while living in New York City and makes sure to put censorship on appalling parts to the children. Five minutes later, Jane and Thor made chitchats with other guests, leaving Loki and the children huddled on the table. He didn’t mind it one bit, because he thought that young ones are much more interesting to talk to than adults anyway, and he enjoyed the look on the children’s faces when he exaggerated things to them, even the simplest, like pooping dogs, in Central Park.     Loki wants to spend the entire day playing with his niece and nephew, but he is feeling fuddled and an irritating feeling is still literally slinking up on his skin. He feels like shedding all of his clothing and dumping himself in a tub of ice. He was about to go upstairs and take a cold shower in his old bedroom when the emcee announced that the party was about to start.    ……………………………..  Halfway through the party, when the people are enjoying the main course, Loki can feel his body temperature rise up to his chest, he feels very drunk, and he has just annoyed at least 20 guests by his behavior so far, and, for the record, it only happened for less than an hour. And he is glad his father noticed everything.   “Dad,” Loki said loudly, “Mum.” Frigga, his mother, gave him a hug, flinching at the smell of alcohol on his shirt, “Loki, it is my special day, please go to your room and change that shirt, and you will realize that you are the only one who did not even bother to dress up. I am very disappointed.” Frigga, the well-known theatre actress of her time, graciously whispered to Loki without giving away how aggravated she was feeling.        “Ha, you are both constantly disappointed anyway,” Loki said, making heads turn towards him. And unfortunately for his dad, even the next big target investor in their company noticed the commotion. “And I was wearing a suit this morning, didn’t you notice?” “Loki. Don’t make a scene, I beg you.” Frigga hissed; her lips tight and cheeks flaming red. If only they were alone, they would be having a scream fest, but since all important people to them are there, Frigga chose to stay calm. His Father is turning red with anger at how insolent Loki is acting; he wants to slap Loki for causing tension. “Off you go now, darling, please.” When his father was about to scold him, Frigga interrupted immediately, because once Odin said something Loki would definitely answer him and it would all be a mess.  Loki shrugged his mother’s hands from his shoulders and stormed off. “Happy Birthday Mum!” Loki loudly said, unbuttoning the first two buttons on his gray shirt, heading towards the main house. “No sir, my brother’s not with the company anymore, he refuses to work with us.” Thor quickly answered the Russian investor he’s sharing a table with when the man asks him what position Loki holds inside the company. “My love, I think I’m considering the punishment you’re planning.” Frigga whispered to her husband. …………………… “Sir, it’s your father’s orders, we cannot let you drive alone.” After he made an exit, Loki decides to just go back to Manhattan and have his own party, probably with blackjack and hookers and lots of booze; but his Father’s Security people are not allowing him to drive. “How much do you all want? I will go write you a check. Just let me get to my car.” Loki slurs angrily, his head pounding hard. When the guards do not budge, even after earning a punch in the nose from him, Loki curses and eventually lets them drive him back to New York City.