The arrival of Eirlys's family turned the relatively peaceful breakfast into something considerably louder. Her younger brother, Ethan, arrived first, followed by three of their cousins, two girls and a young man who immediately began talking as though he had never left Vanaheim. Eirlys barely had time to greet them before the room filled with familiar laughter and the kind of teasing that made it obvious they had known one another for most of their lives.
Loki knew Ethan already, having met him enough times over the years to understand his personality. Ethan greeted him warmly enough, clasping his shoulder and congratulating him before immediately turning his attention toward Eirlys. The other three, however, were strangers to Loki. Thor, on the other hand, seemed to know all of them. That was the first thing Loki noticed.
Thor greeted each of them by name, remembered little details about their lives and exchanged jokes with them as naturally as if they had spent the previous evening together. The cousins seemed equally comfortable around him. One of the girls even hugged him without hesitation, while the other immediately began telling him about something that had happened back home.
Loki watched from beside Eirlys, he was not bothered by the scope of pranks. If anything, he found them entertaining. Loki had been playing tricks on people since before some of these cousins had probably learned how to properly pronounce his name. A few harmless attempts to embarrass him were hardly enough to frighten him. What bothered him was how effortlessly everyone seemed to gravitate toward Thor. He had seen it his entire life, but somehow it felt different now. These were Eirlys's people, her family. And they knew Thor and obviously liked him better.
As they laughed with Thor, one of the girls glanced between Eirlys and Loki, apparently studying the newly married couple for the first time, she smiled. "I still can't believe you're actually married."
Eirlys laughed awkwardly. "Neither can I."
The girl looked toward Thor. "I always thought you'd end up marrying him."
The conversation stopped for half a second, Eirlys's smile faltered and Loki's expression remained perfectly composed. The statement hit home, it stirred his deep buried insecurity that he was not Eirlys's choice.
The cousin continued, completely unaware of the effect her words had caused. "I mean, it always made sense. You two were always together, and everyone knew how close you were. If you were ever going to marry into Asgard, I thought it would obviously be Thor."
Someone coughed, Ethan suddenly became very interested in his breakfast. Sif looked at Eirlys as Thor's expression tightened. Loki simply took a slow sip of his drink. The girl finally noticed the awkward silence. "What?"
Eirlys forced a smile. "Nothing."
Her cousin looked at Loki again, apparently realizing she had barely spoken to him before that morning. "And you are…?"
Loki raised an eyebrow. Ethan looked embarrassed. "You seriously don't know?"
She shook her head. "I mean, I know he's Loki. But I never really met him properly."
Loki smiled politely. "Loki Odinson."
The cousin's eyes widened slightly. "Oh."
Her expression immediately changed, Loki almost laughed. So that was it. She knew Thor, his reputation, as well as Eirlys's history with him. But Loki had apparently been little more than a name attached to the wedding invitation. He glanced at Eirlys, she looked embarrassed herself.
Loki reached beneath the table and briefly squeezed her hand. "It is quite all right," he murmured.
She looked at him apologetically but Loki's attention drifted back toward the cousins. He could handle being unfamiliar and underestimated. What he wasn't sure he could handle was watching people who were supposed to become his family casually assume that Thor had always been the obvious man for Eirlys. Especially when he had spent his entire life being the less obvious choice. The irony was almost amusing.
Then the young male cousin leaned forward with a grin. "So, Loki, we have a few things planned for you."
Loki's eyes narrowed with interest. "Do you?"
The cousin nodded and Eirlys immediately groaned. "Please don't."
Loki's smile returned. "Now I'm interested."
Thor laughed, and despite himself, Loki laughed too. Perhaps he could survive the cousins after all. The question was whether they would ever stop comparing him to his brother. Breakfast eventually came to an end, though not before the cousins managed to make enough noise for several rooms of the palace to know they had arrived. Ethan and the others began filing out, with Thor, Sif and the rest following them toward the courtyard, where they had apparently decided to continue their plans for the day.
Loki remained at the table for another moment, finishing the food Eirlys had served him earlier. He had been slower than everyone else throughout breakfast, partly because he had actually wanted to enjoy his meal and partly because he had spent so much of it dealing with people stealing pieces from his plate. Eirlys smiled at him, but there was still something apologetic in her expression. She seemed to be searching for something to say, perhaps reassurance, but nothing came. So she did the only thing that occurred to her.
While Loki was still finishing his breakfast, Eirlys stepped closer, bent slightly and pressed a soft kiss against the side of his head. "Sorry," she murmured.
Loki stopped chewing for a second, he simply stared at the table, caught completely off guard. Eirlys straightened again, suddenly looking almost as embarrassed as he felt. She brushed an imaginary crease from her gown and avoided his eyes. "That was for the entire morning," she explained.
He had no reply to that apart from the faint pink that spread across cheeks and by the time he finally placed his fork down, rose, and was about to follow them, Eirlys stopped beside him. "Loki."
He turned toward her, she looked slightly embarrassed, her fingers absently adjusting the edge of her sleeve. "I'm sorry about them."
Loki glanced toward the doors through which her family had just left. "They're entertaining."
"That is not the word I would use."
He smiled. "You warned me."
"I did, but I didn't realize they would immediately decide to treat you as though you've been their childhood friend for years."
Loki leaned one hand against the table. "I can manage them."
"For a day?" He gave her an amused look.
"Just one day," Eirlys repeated. "Please. They haven't seen me properly in a while, and they're excited. I don't want you spending the entire day wondering whether they're trying to insult you."
"I wasn't."
"You were."
Loki's mouth twitched as Eirlys sighed. "I know they're fond of Thor. They grew up with him too, and most of them barely know you. It doesn't mean they don't like you."
"I know."
She studied him for a moment, trying to determine whether he truly meant it, Loki picked up the last piece of bread from the basket. "I promise I won't start a war with your cousins."
"Thank you."
"And if they start one?"
"Loki."
He laughed softly. "Fine. I shall exercise restraint. And I think I can survive a few hours now."
She smiled. "Thanks."
He reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before releasing it. Then Eirlys followed him toward the doors, where the distant sound of her cousins' laughter could already be heard from the courtyard. Loki heard it too and it made him sigh. "One day."
"One day," Eirlys agreed.
"And tomorrow?"
She looked at him innocently. "Tomorrow, you can complain."
Loki smiled as they stepped outside together. "Then I shall look forward to tomorrow."