The Jotun's Daughter

Chapter 27

"What exactly are we doing in Tokyo?" Jase shifted the pan forward, the bacon sizzling on the hot surface. I had walked into the kitchen early enough in the morning that I had figured no one else would be up. Now I stood in printed silk pants and a black, loose tank, my hair bundled in a true messy bun. The coffee sitting on the counter next to him was half-drank, but he didn't like his coffee hot, which insinuated that he had been up for at least an hour. Probably more-his hair was wet from taking a shower after his workout. I knew from experience that getting up at 5:00 am was a hard habit to break, even more so now that we were in a different time zone.

White tank-top and crisp dark blue shorts; He had dressed carefully after he was done with the start of his day. A bruise lined his right shoulder, fashioned from when he had trained with Mack a few days ago. I mentally grimaced. I had fought against Mack as well. He was a good fighter, but I still found myself pulling my punches. The last thing S.H.I.E.L.D. needed was one of their own out for good. I didn't fake the yawn as I poured myself my own cup of coffee.

"This was the last place she visited concerning the files that contained information on the Chitari," I answered evenly. Jase slid the bacon onto a already-high pile, and cracked an egg over the stove. I walked behind the built-in bar and slid into one of the stools.

"I don't know how you handle it," He said quietly. 

"I mean, I know that if I was in your position I wouldn't be nearly as calm or collected. It's amazing," He turned, putting a plate with a sunny-side-up egg and bacon in front of me. I met his gaze with an even look, but he was being honest. His right eye crinkled slightly when he lied.

"You're amazing," Jase admitted, and then he quickly turned back to his cooking. My stomach turned, and I did my best to keep my face straight.

"It's life," I said simply. I bit into the bacon, and chewed.

"Save any for me?" Nico rubbed his eyes from the open doorway. He, on the other hand, had clearly come straight from his bed. Black sweatpants, gray shirt, black hair, obsidian eyes. There was nothing planned or organized about his appearance except for the black sword hanging from a cinch around his waist; his appearance was much more akin to my own. I was sensing a pattern here.

"Sure," Jase gestured to the plate of food next to him. Nico shuffled into the room, and pulled down a cup, glaring at the coffee as if it had personally offended him. He took one strip of bacon, shoved it in his mouth, and took a swig of the drink, grimacing at the bitterness.

"You don't have to pretend to like that, you know," Jase motioned to the creamer off to the side, "Even Kayla puts it in her coffee." That I had. I had also noticed him watching me.

"We compare how amazing everything is to Kayla now, do we?" Nico watched with a sly grin as Jase's cheeks turned red, and I hit my snort.

"What do you mean by-"

"You look like death," I interrupted the feud dryly, looking at the son of Hades.

"Very funny," He snarled back. I just shook my head disdainfully.

"Is it custom in your origin to wear your weapons to meals?" Thor's voice from the doorway was annoyed but curious.

"It's insulting in our world," Jase added, watching to see how Nico would respond to the pressure of both him and his father. But Nico just shrugged, and glanced sideways at me before walking towards the door.

"It's a part of me. It would odd to not have it."

"Besides," He said, pausing at the doorway, "I'm not the only one." His smile made me very glad that he was on our side, because if he hadn't been, I would have demanded to know exactly how he was aware of the twin blades strapped across the small of my back. After years of practice, I knew that they were invisible to see. Jase's gaze turned to me, and something flashed across his face. He didn't have time to elaborate, however, as Coulson walked into the room, a sheet of paper in his hands, already in a suit.