Mastering Illusions

10

The following day, we're traveling again, this time to Xandar, District 9. It's a bit odd that all the Midgard districts weren't just all numbered in a row, instead of being split in between districts on other planets. It would certainly save a lot of travel time, but no. Instead, we will have to travel back and forth to Midgard numerous times over the course of the Champion Tour.

We reach Xandar sooner than expected, which pleases Jane. We disembark at the spaceport and Thor proposes he and Jane take Veers and I on a tour of the city. "We have some time before we must report to the Nova Prime anyway," he tells Hela. "It'll allow everyone a chance to relax a bit."

Hela lifts an eyebrow, glancing at Ronan. "Don't relax too much," she says after he gives a subtle tilt of his head. This comment is directed at me, and I understand her meaning. No matter what, I'm still to act as Veers' boyfriend.

But she lets us go.

As we leave the ship, planning to rendezvous with Hela, Valkyrie, and the Kree at the Nova Corps Headquarters at least an hour before the speeches begin, I realize exactly what this is. With Thor and Jane practically a couple at this point, and Veers and I being coerced into a relationship, this can only be one thing.

A double date.

"Brother, what is the meaning of this?" I hiss, pulling him aside.

"It gets us away from the cameras for a bit," Thor replies in an undertone.

"There will still be beings watching," I retort quietly.

Thor smiles. "Exactly, brother."

I tilt my head, giving him a quizzical look. "What do you mean?"

"You're supposed to be convincing the galaxy that you and Veers are a couple, right?" Thor whispers. I nod. "Right. So far, everyone has seen you act the couple on camera, and on camera only. With the exception of Asgard and Titan, no one has seen you two in person. But today, while there will be no cameras rolling, the people of Xandar will see you and Veers out for a stroll, as a couple. It will be casual, natural, and the Xandarians who don't believe may be more inclined to believe you two love each other."

I must admit, my brother's plan is pretty decent. It surprises me, how good it is. Having the common folk of Xandar see Veers and I out and about as a couple will be more impactful than anything we do on screen. This will be unscripted – as Thor said, natural. Just us.

A double date, with my brother and his girlfriend, and me and my girlfriend.

So Veers and I go with Jane and Thor, all of us dressed nicely but casually. In order to avoid a staged look, Veers wears a black tank top and Midgardian jeans, with her hair loose and free and wearing red lipstick, and I wear black slacks and a nice white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and no tie. Thor wears jeans and a denim jacket over a dull green T-shirt and a black, halfway zipped up thin jacket, and Jane is dressed in a nice, short-sleeved blue top with white flowers sprinkled across the fabric and nice slacks, with a dark leather jacket and a thin scarf knotted around her neck. Even though this is not what Selvig and Darcy intend for us to wear tonight – at least not for Veers, I will probably be wearing a variation on this suit – it looks more natural, like we are just a couple out for an afternoon in a beautiful city.

And we actually have fun. We walk all over the city, just talking and laughing as Thor and Jane point out various sites and shops. Veers and I hold hands for most of it as we finish with a walk by the water, enjoying the beautiful view. Xandar is truly a breathtaking city, its style newer than Asgard, more modern.

Veers and I sit on one of the benches by the water, but Thor and Jane don't. "We're going to keep walking," Thor says, his arm around Jane's waist. "We'll be back before long."