Loki After Endgame: Cheating Death

Chap 41: All-Consuming Darkness

"Is everything all right?" I ask cautiously, causing Hoder to notice me for the first time.

"Alas! A fair lady has come to rescue me from my distress!" He exclaims cheerily, his words heavily slurred.

"What happened? Why are you getting shitfaced by yourself?"

Hoder chuckles swaying slightly, then mumbles with a hint of playfulness, "Well, I took your advice that's what happened."

"Uh oh. What did she say?"

"Well, let me set the scene, shall I?" He mumbles with drunken swagger as he swipes at his guitar, playing a couple chords with surprising skill.

"There I was," He continues, gesturing exaggeratingly. "Just me and my dastardly good looks, watching Tarna make herself some dinner, when I mused aloud that Tarna and I make a rather excellent team. But that we'd make an even better pair of lovers." He waggles his eyebrows at me, the gesture far sloppier than it normally is. Then he shrugs, "You know, I thought it was an excellent line, but she responded by throwing a bloody knife at me! A knife? Can you believe it!?" He pauses, then takes another swig from his bottle. "Luckily, I dodged it in time, but still, she made it quite clear once again that she despises me completely."

"Shit." I mutter, "I'm sorry Hoder, I shouldn't have meddled. How are you handling it?"

He shrugs, then grins cheerfully, the booze obviously dulling his pain. "I feel good, I ate several pounds of meat, drank six bottles of mead and took my pants off." He announces drunkenly as he kicks up his bare leg and plops it on his desk. His muscular leg is bronzed and hairy and I'm immediately relieved that the desk is blocking the rest of his lower half from my view.

He sighs, his gaze lingering over his exposed leg, "I admit this may not be my best look. But just remember me like I was. A devilishly handsome scad, with the perfect amount of decorum and an impeccable sense of style to boot!" He chuckles, before shaking his head sadly. "Everywhere I go women adore me, but not this one... Not the one I want the most."

I sigh and approach Hoder slowly, "It's not the end of the world if you have to move on." I say gently, "Sometimes the best thing you can do, is know when to cut your losses and go." Once I'm close enough I swipe the bottle from his hand and read the label, which reads; "Award Winning Nornheim Mead."

He pouts at me, "Hey. Either chug it, or give it back."

I lift the bottle to my lips and take a big gulp, the mead sweet and tart as it swirls on my tongue.

"This is pretty good." I say, placing the bottle back on the desk in front of him. "But it won't stop the pain."

He chuckles, "Aye, but it certainly does make for a swinging good time!"

I roll my eyes, stifling a laugh. "You are a complete dork, you know that Hoder?" I smile gently, "Tarna doesn't know what she's missing."

At this he goes still, his eyes flicking over me slowly, his expression unbearably sad. "No she doesn't."

I take his meaty hand in mine and give him a light squeeze, "Then let her go. Besides we've more important things to deal with."

His eyes widen excitedly, "Like what? A fearsome battle, a wild adventure? A roguish heist?"

I shake my head. "Nothing that extreme, doofus." I reply, my eyes twinkling, as I pull the scroll from my pocket. "But I did manage to get this."

I toss the scroll over to him, and even in his drunken stupor, his reflexes are lightning fast as he snatches it from the air and unrolls it quickly.

His eyes rake over the parchment slowly and once realization sets in, he lets out a small grin. "Well my lady, how'd you manage to steal this away from him?"