Avengers: Incursion

Dinner With Friends

Neither Kyle or Dean wanted to offer words of sympathy, as Taylor had been tetchy anytime anyone tried to console him in any way. As a result, he'd completely isolated himself from everyone- even the majority of his teammates- with Mark being the only constant figure in his life.

"Well, it's good to have you here," Dean reaffirmed.

"You're not going to make me talk about anything, are you?" Taylor asked, warily. "I know you have psychic empathy."

Dean smiled. "I can turn that on and off. I promise not to detect your feelings or ask you about them."

"Tonight is all about getting to know each other and having fun," Taylor assured him.

Taylor flicked the drink menu. "Feels kind of inappropriate, doesn't it? My entire universe dies and I'm here having drinks and dinner."

Dean and Kyle shared a look that said this is going to be a rough night.

"I think it's perfectly acceptable to feel that way. You're allowed to grieve your loss- and it's a massive one. No one should blame you for feeling the way you feel." The he gently added, "but surely you can't expect yourself to just live like a monk?"

Taylor kept his eyes on the drink menu. "I said I didn't want to talk about this and then I do it anyway," he muttered.

"You can bring up whatever you want and you can change the conversation whenever you want," Kyle said. "We're here for whatever."

Taylor looked up at them. "I'm sorry for fighting you." He looked over at Dean. "Especially for sending you to the Netherworld."

Dean shrugged. "Like I said- I've been through worse. Besides, I think I hurt them more than they hurt me. A being of light isn't popular in dark places like that."

"I just learned that I could do that," Taylor said. "Teleport myself and other people to the Netherworld. For the longest time I had no clue what I was doing. But then..."

Kyle and Dean remained quiet, waiting for Taylor to elaborate if he wanted to. The waiter walked over and took their orders, interrupting the moment. Then, following the silence that settled in, Taylor explained his heritage more deeply.

"I knew that your team used the Netherworld to avoid the incursion. But not the details of your connection," Kyle said.

"Yeah, I'm still working through that. Apparently my mother is the queen demon of the Netherworld."

"Wait a minute- you're a prince too?"

Taylor frowned. "I guess so. I hadn't thought much about it. Who else is a prince?"

"Dean is," Kyle said.

"Of the Inhumans," Dean supplied before providing a brief summary about his people.

When their drinks arrived and orders for appetizers were placed, conversation took a lighter turn.

"You and Mark are engaged? That's awesome!" Kyle said. "Congratulations!"

"Yeah, he proposed right before...everything."

Dean smiled over at Kyle, who returned his grin.

"What?" Taylor asked in a cautious voice.

"We should help you plan your wedding," Kyle said.

Taylor shook his head. "I don't know, guys. I feel like it would just be weird having a wedding with a bunch of strangers."

"But that's the whole point of getting you out of your room! So that we aren't strangers anymore," Kyle said.

Taylor shrugged. "I guess you're right. I don't like the fact that I have to start all over again. But if I have to...then it's good to know I'll have friends."

As the three of them ate dinner together, Taylor could feel himself loosening up around his new friends. Though each time he laughed, a silent ache throbbed within him. An entire lifetime had ended the day his universe died. And though he knew the fallen would have wanted him to move on, there was a large shard of him that simply couldn't. It was the same shard that harbored resentment toward the Avengers for hiding the architect of his universe's destruction- and the one who could make reality whatever she wanted it to be. It was during dessert that he decided he would find her. Something deep inside of him called out for justice, and that call would be answered.

Have to be smooth about it though, he warned himself.

He looked at Dean and Kyle with feelings of guilt knowing he intended to take advantage of their kindness only to manipulate them into betraying the location of the reality warper. He knew that this being was reputed to be extremely dangerous, but the pain of his loss was far too great. A great, yawning emptiness had occupied his heart, and it wouldn't be filled until he'd restored order. By any means necessary.

"Well, I think it's time we took this party elsewhere," Kyle said after the bill was settled.

"We should probably check in on Thor, Steve and Mark," Dean said with a smile. "Make sure they aren't up to no good."

Just then, Dean's phone rang and he chuckled seeing that it was Tony. "You rang?"

"What's up? What are you guys doing?"

Dean mouthed that it was Tony when Kyle and Taylor gave him a quizzical look. "Just finished dinner with Kyle and Taylor. We're headed back to Steve's apartment."

"Your elite gay power couple club just keeps growing and yet I'm still not welcome," Tony pouted.

"Are you asking me if you can hang out with us, Tony?"

"Please!"

Dean shook his head. "Let me deliberate with the others and I'll let you know."

"Are you serious?!" Tony groaned.

Dean laughed at Tony's insistence. "Meet us at Steve's, you big baby."

Taylor smiled at the exchange and couldn't help but notice a similar camaraderie to his own team's dynamic. The Avengers were as much a family as the Squadron.

Maybe...maybe I should accept what is. Maybe I should focus on making a new life...

No, a darker voice shrieked in his mind. Never.

"Are you alright?" Dean asked, breaking Taylor's thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm good." He smiled brightly at Dean and Kyle. "Let's get out of here."

Loki smiled as he stood in the shadowy Netherworld with Amora at his side. The Dark One would be most pleased with the new development.

"How fortunate that the prince of the Netherworld came to be here," Amora said as she waved a hand at the land around them. "And that we were able to plant the suggestion into his mind."

Loki grinned and nodded his head. "Yes. It will be just the distraction we need to finally do what we have wanted to for so long."