Guardian Angel | Steve Rogers

21

"You sure you don't want me to go with you?" Arden asked Nat. Nat had informed her that she was going to Tokyo to pick up Barton. 

"No, I'll be okay." Nat reassured. 

"Can we talk?" Steve walked up to Nat and Arden as they were talking. 

"Hey, princess. You coming or what?" Rocket asked after Arden. 

"I gotta go." She answered. 

"Where are you going?" He asked, calling after her. 

"To get my brother." She replied, giving Nat a small smile before running after Rocket to the ship headed to to Thor. Rocket, Bruce and Arden squeezed in the bed of a truck that gave them a ride the rest of the way to New Asgard. 

"You shouldn't have come." Valkyrie shouted, grabbing their attention as they hopped off the truck. 

"Ah. Valkyrie, how are you angry girl?" Bruce greeted her, smiling. 

"I think I liked you the other way, either of them." Valkyrie replied, looking at Bruce's new combined look. 

"This is Rocket." Arden introduced Valkyrie, pointing at Rocket. 

"How ya doin'?" He greeted, but she just stared at him. 

"He won't see you." Valkyrie pleaded. 

"That bad huh?" Bruce asked. 

"We only see him once a month, when he comes in for 'supplies'." She answered, looking behind her at the tons of empty kegs.

"Drama queen." Arden whispered to herself, and Rocket snickered.

Arden led them to Thor's place, Rocket knocking on the door with no answer. He opened the door for himself, leading them inside as the three of them cringed at the sight of mess and smell of combination of beer and food. 

"Whew! Something died in here." Rocket groaned, pinching his nose. 

"Thor!" Bruce called out. 

"Are you here about the cable? The Cinemax went out two weeks ago and the sports are all kinda fuzzy and whatnot." Thor's voice grew closer. 

"Thor?" Arden repeated, walking into the living room, spotting her brother that had grown fat, with long, dreaded hair and a disgusting beard. Thor slowly turned around with a beer in his hand, smiling. 

"Sister! Boys! Oh, my God!" He exclaimed, pulling her into a hug, but she politely pushed him off. 

"It's so good to see you." He added, turning to Rocket. "Oh, come here you little rascal." 

He pulled Rocket in for a hug, but Rocket tried to refuse as his stomach rubbed against Rocket's head. 

"Hulk, you know my friends Miek and Korg, right?" They all waved at them.

"Beer's in the bucket. Feel free to join the wifi. No password, obviously." Korg welcomed them, continuing to keep his eyes on the tv. 

Korg began to whine to Thor that the same kid was back on Fortnite, making Thor take the headset, threatening a little kid. 

"Buddy, you all right?" Bruce walked up to Thor, putting a hand on his shoulder. 

"Of course. Don't I look all right?" 

"You look like melted ice cream." Arden cringed.

"You just here to hang?" Thor asked. 

"We need your help. There's a chance we can fix everything." Bruce explained. 

"Like the cable? Thing's been driving me bananas for weeks." Thor obliviously asked. 

"Like Thanos, brother." Arden answered, and it shut Thor up quick, dropping his playful smile. 

Thor put his hand on Bruce's jacket, pointing at him.

 "Don't you say that." Thor cried. 

"Yeah, we don't say that name here." Korg pleaded, standing from the couch. 

"Please, take your hand off of me." Bruce politely demanded. 

"Look, I know that guy scares you, but, you need to come with us." Arden insisted. 

"Why would he scare me? I'm the one who killed that guy, remember?" Thor reminded them. "Anyone else kill that guy? Nope. Didn't think so." 

"I know you're in a tough spot. I was there too. And guess who helped me out?" Arden walked up to Thor. 

"Let me guess, Steve?" Thor chuckled. 

"You, brother." Arden answered, ignoring the sting in her stomach. 

"Why don't you ask the Asgardians down there, how much help I've been. The ones that are left anyways." Thor walked past, dropping his body on a chair. 

"We can bring them back." Bruce reassured. 

"Okay, I'm done being nice." Arden let out, swiping the beer out of Thor's hand. 

"Get your ass up." Arden demanded sternly, but Thor didn't budge.

"There's beer on the ship." Rocket bribed. 

"What kind?" Thor asked, standing from the seat. 

"Drunk idiot." Arden rolled her eyes, walking towards the door.