Drugged
Though she won't admit it out loud, the Valkyrie actually enjoys hanging out with Loki. Especially on the planets and stations where the primary occupation is pleasure and gambling. He’s just as bad a cheat at cards as she is, and surprisingly good at it, for a prince. He likes chaos, and likes being the source of it. It was cathartic. They were letting off steam and tension and doing it without putting Asgard in too much jeopardy. Win, win.
That particular night had been fairly tame. They had hustled a few Xandarians out of some credits at the gaming tables and hadn’t even gotten into a brawl over it. So they go to the bar.
“We’re going to have to figure out how to replenish the stocks on the ships soon,” The Valkyrie says, looking fondly at her bottle.
“The Grandmaster’s supplies were extensive. I can’t believe it’s taken this long for us to even get close to running out.”
“We’ll have to convince your brother and the Watcher that it’s a necessary expensive.”
Loki smiles. "Or, we could just tell them after we’ve already acquired the supplies. Plus, they can’t argue if we’ve used funds we’ve stolen off of a few imperial fools.”
“They can try, you’ll know they’ll try.”
“They would put up a token fight, but Thor at least imbibes just as much as the rest of us. Besides, it is a necessary expense - you, for one, would probably drop dead in a week flat if you were cut off.” The Valkyrie shrugs, but agrees. “And it is a much needed relaxant after stressful days on the ship.”
“Could we use it to bribe the authorities on Midgard when we arrive?”
“Doubtful. They are unlikely to be swayed by bribery with alien liquor. Maybe if we had some usable currency they might be amenable but…I’m not hopeful.”
“Do you know what you’re going to do yet?”
Loki sighs. “I don’t. They will be calling for my head. Even with Thor and Bruce vouching for me.”
“Are you going to leave before we land?”
Loki is quiet for a long moment. “I don’t know. I don’t think so. I don’t…I don’t want to leave, but nor do I want to be locked up again.”
“What about the,” She wiggles her fingers.
“Shapeshifting? Yes, I think that’s the most likely solution, as silly as it may be. What do you think the Midgard authorities would say if Thor showed up to all the negotiations with a snake wrapped around his shoulders?” She laughs.
“Why does it have to be a snake? I think you would make a very cute cat. Or maybe a hamster.”
“It will probably be a glamour, of another human. We’ll have to make up an identity for me.”
“Ooh! That’s going to be a fun game. I think we need more drinks for this.” She signals the bartender.
They keep drinking, coming up with wilder and wilder stories for the false Asgardian identity they would have to cook up for Loki. They’re laughing and having a good time.
Until Loki falters, shaking his head like he’s trying to clear it.
“Hey, you okay?” She nudges him lightly with her boot.
“I’m fine,” He says, but it’s a little slurred.
“What, can’t hold your liquor all of a sudden?”
He scoffs. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He’s swaying. Something feels wrong.
“Hey. Loki, look at me.” She grasps his chin. He takes an extra second to focus on her face. “Your pupils are totally blown.” He jerks out of her grip.
“I’m fine.”
But she’s starting to feel it too. A pull on her limbs, something to slow her down, drag her under. She glances at the drinks. “Fuck. We have to get out of here.”
“What?” It’s affecting him faster than her. Maybe he had started drinking the contaminated liquor earlier than she did. Maybe it was her age that protected her. Who knows.
She just knows that someone put something in their drinks. Someone put something in their drinks and they had to get the fuck out of there.
“Come on, highness, time to go.” She grabs his elbow and tugs. He follows without question. She’s slurring her words now, but keeps talking. “We’ll just get out of here before they come back and we’ll let this shit get out of our system and it’s fine-” Loki stumbles, catching himself on the wall. The Valkyrie steadies him.
“A moment…just a moment,” He breathes.
“Highness, we don’t have much time.” She’s getting dizzy. The drugs are starting to drag her under too. She wraps an arm around his waist and drags and he stumbles after her.
They make it about ten feet before her feet tangle together and she doesn’t react fast enough to catch them. They fall hard and Loki doesn’t move. The Valkyrie fights to get at least to her hands and knees but her head spins and the world feels foggy. She manages to rise to her elbows.
“Shit, highness, Loki. Come on, wake up.” He doesn’t react, not to her words nor her shaking. He’s out cold. She leans against him. At least he’s still breathing, his chest rising and falling slowly, so it doesn’t seem like it’s going to kill them immediately. Whoever drugged them might, though. “Fuck.” She drops her head and a single, panicked sob tears itself from her throat.
There are footsteps approaching. She raises her head as much as she’s able, trying to guess who it was. The Xandarians were her best bet. They had surrendered the credits the Valkyrie’d cheated them out of a little too easily. They could have bribed the bartender to drug them so they could return to steal back their money. Maybe rough them up a bit. Worst case scenario, try to kill them.
When the feet came into view, she wishes it was the Xandarians. One pair large and booted. The other clad in sandals with nails painted bright turquoise.
“One-four-two, I can’t believe I’ve finally run into you,” The Grandmaster says, his smile sharp and dangerous.
“Caught up, more like.” Topaz scowls down at her.
“You’ve really disappointed me, one-four-two.” The Grandmaster shakes his head. “Running off with my champion. Conspiring to start a rebellion. You’ve been a very, very, very bad girl.”
They were fucked. That was her last coherent thought before the drug finally won and she blacked out.