Notes: Sorry it's late...again. The title kinda makes sense, but like kinda doesn't, I just love that heartbreakingly precious line, and my brother was like "I love you my sons" when I mentioned Odin and asked for a title cuz I was lazy. Also, I know it isn't huge, but I never thought I'd have 20k views on something I started just for fun and randomly decided to post. Thank you so much to all of you! Every view, vote, and comment means so much cuz I love that people can find enjoyment through something I do. Love you all! Oh! And someone commented something that brought up a good point last chapter. Even though Vol. 2 came out in 2017, it takes place shortly after Vol.1, so Mantis is with them at this point and the whole Ego thing has happened. Thanks for pointing that out (you know who you are😊), as other people may not know that.
"What part of 'you don't go anywhere without me' didn't seem to stick in that nerdy mind of yours??" Tony asked, angry more at what had happened than he was at you.
"Come on, have we followed that rule since you said it? It wasn't a real rule, that's ridiculous," you defended, sitting in the kitchen with the rest of the team.
"Well, if you haven't been following it, I wouldn't know would I because I wouldn't be there, hence the 'you breaking the rule' part of taking me with you," he said, leaning his hands on the table to look sternly at you. He spoke to you almost like he did Peter. Though you were older than Parker, you were still the youngest in the room. Heck, you still felt like a teenager most of the time, so Tony's protection over you didn't feel irritating, it was sweet.
"Tony, you know she's been out with people since," Rhodey said, "Don't try that. I was with her today, ok? I shouldn't have left her alone."
"You went to the bathroom, Rhodey, you didn't get up and drive away. Who here thought I wouldn't be safe in a frozen yogurt shop in broad daylight. In fact, I wasn't really in danger."
"Excuse me?!" Tony looked at you like you'd just slapped him, "Weren't in danger? How does any of what happened today not scream danger? Is it me or her? It's her right, she's nuts?" Tony looked to the others.
"He knows your whereabouts, knows your schedule, and can walk up to you as he pleases. Darling, you clearly underestimate how serious this is, or you're choosing to ignore his actions and threats once again," Loki said, looking as grim as Tony.
"Yes, thank you asshat," Tony said genuinely, "Wren, you know it's bad when I'm agreeing with him."
"Zemo doesn't have the backing of Hydra anymore," Nat said from where she sat, arms folded, across the table, "He would have had a hell of a time trying to kidnap her under the nose of everyone in that store and on that street."
"Exactly!" you pointed to her, looking to Tony as if she'd won the argument for you.
"That doesn't mean he wouldn't have found a way," Wanda said worriedly.
"He's proven to be creative with his methods, thoughtful in his steps, and still manages to have intel on us that we were unaware he had. He's in control, whether we know it or not, and he's confident. We shouldn't rule out his ability to take her, if he wishes, even when surrounded by the public," Vision said.
You noticed, when he spoke, that he was sounding increasingly...normal? He was still wonderfully articulate, as always, but there was something about his tone and speech pattern that reminded you of his Infinity War self, where he's less awkward and more natural.
Does that work with the time frame though? I don't think it does. We're in the Civil War year, where he should still be very much robotic in his manners...Infinity War is two years later. Who knows though, maybe he adapts and evolves sooner than two years, it just happens off-screen during that time-gap? Still, this would be early.
You told yourself it didn't matter, that him evolving faster, if that were the case, was only a good thing. Somehow, it still felt like an attempt to convince yourself, pushing away that sixth sense that warned of something bad on the horizon.
You're being an idiot, what could be bad about it? Just because things don't go as the movies did, you're going to panic? We don't want things to go as the movies did, so get a grip.
The way he and Wanda openly looked at each other fondly when the other spoke was another red flag that shouldn't have been a red flag.
So you stopped Civil War, providing a calmer environment for the two of them to continue to live together in the compound and fall in love...what's wrong with that? Had Civil War not happened, maybe their love life would have advanced at the rate it is now? Except I don't even know which month Civil War takes place in, so this could be early and have nothing to do with stopping that event. So what though? A few months earlier is nothing, if this is even early at all. Vision made it sound as if they were seeing each other secretly for two years up until Infinity War...that implies it is soon after Civil War that Vis goes to find her...and why would he find her if he wasn't already in love with her? It's probably not early at all, and if it does advance more throughout this year, then that's fine.
"Right?" Steve said, and you blinked a few times as you pulled yourself away from the distant wall you'd zoned out staring at.
"What?" you asked, looking around at the eyes on you. Most in the room sighed.
"Is there ever a time where you pay attention?" Sam asked.
"I was paying attention...just not on that last part."
"You are ripe to be kidnapped, you know that?" Tony shook his head as he poured himself a drink, "Zemo could walk right up and pluck you from your seat and you wouldn't realize until you were strapped down on his table."
"And then you'd probably thank him for it," Sam snickered.
"Ha, yeah probably," you laughed stupidly, thinking about how, if at home, you'd totally joke about thanking Zemo for kidnapping you.
"Oh my God," Rhodey sighed, looking like he was so done with this shit.
You caught Loki's expression and attempted to hide your smile, though doing so only made it worse, as it was clearly a half-hearted attempt at being serious.
"I was saying," Steve said firmly, trying to draw the conversation back on track, "That Zemo made it clear he'd see you again, right?"
"Oh, yeah, yeah he did. He was basically flaunting the fact that we'd see each other soon and there was nothing I could do about it. Gotta love and hate that man's style, effectively intimidating and charming."
"One more compliment comes out of your mouth about that man, and you're locked in your bedroom until further notice," Tony warned.
"Can't we just call the man who controls the rainbow if we need?" Korg chimed, evidently paying attention, which was a shock, "Can't that guy see everything, like some freaky x-ray vision? That is, if x-rays could travel many miles and lightyears of space?"
"Korg's right, I can call out to Heimdall if I need. He's heard me every time before. Can Zemo ever really kidnap me for longer than a day if I can call out for help the second I'm alone? He has no idea how I did it last time."
"A day is too long," Loki said quickly.
"A lot could happen in that time," Wanda agreed.
"We're not letting Baron Von Bastard have you for another minute," Tony said.
"Maybe we should think of relocating Ms. Arlington for the time being?" Vision suggested, and the room was silent while everyone thought about that idea.
"Wha---what do you mean by 'time being'? How long exactly is that supposed to be?" you asked, afraid it meant indefinitely.
"Until the threat is neutralized," Steve said, confirming your fears.
"That could take weeks, months! Hell, we don't even know where Zemo is! He's not going to let himself just get caught!"
"Whatever he's planning, it sounds like he's put it into motion already," Nat said, "If we could disrupt his plans enough by having you gone for a while, even a few weeks, then we might make him desperate, force his hand into trying something else. Something he's less prepared for."
"We can't just ship her off somewhere and hope she's safe," Sam noted, "What do you all have in mind?"
"We'd need somewhere fortified or off the grid, preferably both," Bruce said
"I'm not sure T'Shakalaka will let anyone else in his home, especially if they have a target on their backs," Tony explained, "But I could ask Shuri if---"
"Asgard," Loki cut him off. Before Tony could snap at him for interrupting, Loki continued, "She should stay on Asgard. Any place on Midgard, however unlikely, is still within his reach. It's the most logical choice."
"She'd be with Pointbreak and those Guardians," Tony nodded.
"And we can easily contact her, stay in touch," Steve agreed.
"Whoa whoa wait, I can't just leave! What if...I don't know..." you struggled to think of a reason, "...something happens down here that I'd recognize?! That I could warn you about?"
"We'll keep in touch every week," Steve assured you.
"And Heimdall could have you back down immediately if needed," Bruce joined.
"There's not much going on right now, Wren, we'll be fine," Wanda smiled.
"Look, kid, you've done enough already," Tony said kindly, pulling a chair up next to you, "We're in a bit of a slow period because you've put us ahead of the game. But Vision's surgery is looking on track for next month. We'll have that stone out, and then we have four of the six, and we can get started on blasting the little suckers into a million colorful dust particles. Barnes has been in good hands for two months, and Shuri tells me they've started a process they think should work for him. There's not much more you can do down here, and that's ok. The biggest concern right now isn't something from your movies. It isn't something threatening our lives or our future...it's threatening you. It's about you. Like it or not, you've picked up an enemy, and a cunning shithead at that. Every hero needs a villain. I don't care if you like him or respect him or if he feels the same for you, we're his target, which makes you his current number one enemy. It's time for us to protect you, alright kid? This is our job. You've got to let us do it."
How could you argue with Tony? Ok, so you did that all of the time, but how could you argue with sincere, loving Tony? You didn't say anything, but you nodded reluctantly.
"We good? You're not gonna nod and then throw a hissy fit later? I won't have to drag you outside?" he asked good naturedly.
"No," you smiled, "I'll listen."
"That's a first," Rhodey said in surprise.
"Name three times I actually haven't listened?"
"When Clint told you to stay in the lobby of the building but you went to Bucky's room instead," Nat said.
"He didn't technically specify the lobb---"
"When I warned you calling Thor through the bifrost was risky, yet you argued for it and ended up get sucked up by the alien beam," Tony added.
"In my defense, we all agreed to the plan in the end, so I wasn't exactly not listening to advice, I was just---"
"Or the time you were supposed to stay where I left you, yet you charged into a fight with the Hulk and got thrown into a wall," Loki said.
"You never said to stay!"
"I thought the locked closet would have been a clear enough command!"
"He threw you into a wall??" Tony jumped on.
"No, you barely touched me...I just slid across the floor into a wall, there's a big difference---"
"There was also that time last month---" Sam started trying to increase the list.
"Ok we hit three times, I get it," you conceded, "So I don't always follow instructions...but neither do any of you, so talk to me when you're all perfect models of behavior."
"We should get you to Asgard today, if possible," Steve said, "Loki, will your father have any issue with her staying?"
"Thor's invited an entire band of buffoons, I'm fairly certain one more won't cause him distress."
"Could she leave today?" Steve asked.
"I'd argue against any other course of action. I was considering spending some time on Asgard as it was, so I can escort her there. If Thor is preoccupied, you can rest assured I'll make sure she's looked after."
"Awww, I'm sure he'll look after her real well," Sam whispered to Bruce on his right.
You and Loki gave him looks, but didn't indulge his attempt to rile you up. Steve gave Sam a side-eye for his comment as well, shaking his head but unable to not smirk at the taunt.
"Oh thank god, Reindeer Games, you've put my heart at ease," Tony said in dramatic sarcasm, "Ya know, maybe having her up there with him without our supervision isn't the best idea? A little too much privacy."
"Why would they need privacy, man? It's not like they're a thing, am I right?" Korg attempted a sincere laugh, "They would never need privacy so people don't walk in on them doing anything, because there's like nothing they would do that they wouldn't want people to walk in on." He smiled like he'd just helped you tremendously. You glanced at Wanda and Nat, who were both holding back their smiles.
"Why do I get the sense Kilimanjaro actually means something when he usually means nothing at all?" Tony questioned, eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
"Oh my gosh, he's been spending too much time around you guys, clearly," you said in your best attempt at irritation, standing up from the table as you did, "I should go pack, right? We're leaving as quickly as possible before Zemo and his nonexistent army comes crashing through that door?"
"I thought you were onboard?" Bruce asked in response to the sarcasm.
"I said I'd listen, that's not the same thing," you answered, giving him a quick grin to show you weren't angry and then walking off down the hall.
Once in your room, you began packing your favorite clothes into a small duffle bag, knowing you couldn't bring your whole room's worth of possessions. Over the months, you'd slowly started to make it your own. You had your decor from Tony, which he was more than willing to buy for you even when it wasn't Christmas, and your shopping trips with the girls had gifted you with more clothes and shoes than you could ever wear. Perhaps it was too early to feel this way, but you'd started having the connection to your room and the compound that you had with your home. You loved Asgard, and visiting there for an extended period of time was an extremely agreeable notion. In fact, that slice of heaven was the kind of place you'd dream of living, even over the compound. But that didn't make leaving a familiar place or friends any easier. But you'd be back down, and you could visit too. This was only temporary, the Zemo problem would come to a close one way or another. You'd had to get used to leaving your entire world and family when you first came here, which was undoubtedly harder than temporarily spending some time in your favorite place in the entire cosmos would be. Still, you felt like you were running away. At least when you left home, you were running towards something. You were trying to help, to save. Now, leaving the people you came here for made you feel wrong inside, as if your purpose was being left behind without you.
I'm being super dramatic about this! Just enjoy this vacation to Asgard, that's all it is.
Someone knocked on the door and you called for them to come in. Loki entered as you were throwing the last few things into your bag, pushing the contents down and pulling the zipper shut with some effort.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
"Just about," you said, scanning the room for anything else you missed and remembering your bathroom supplies.
"Are you truly so upset about coming to Asgard?" you heard from the bathroom.
"You know I love Asgard," you answered, walking out with your supplies in hand, "Hell, if I had to pick any place, real or fake, to live, Asgard would probably be at the top of the list."
"So it's not the place, but rather the company," he sighed dramatically, knowing he was trying to cheer you up by messing with you, "I understand, having to leave all of your heroes...to live in the home of a villain."
"Oh sure," you played along, "Though Thor's there, so that's a plus I guess."
"And your little circus," he added, still maintaining his serious facade.
"I guess there are people to go to if I want to get away from you."
"Precisely, you'll never have to see me if you play your cards right."
You finally chuckled as you shoved the last of your supplies into the outside pockets, zipping them closed.
"What's really the matter?" he asked, all traces of teasing replaced with sincerity.
"I don't know, I feel like I shouldn't leave."
"You heard Stark. For once, something intelligent came out of his mouth. There's nothing for you to do at the moment. The best thing you can do for you and for everyone is to leave."
"And what about my training with Nat? I should be learning how to kick Zemo's ass, not running away."
"I've run away from my fair share of fights. I've prided myself on recognizing a lost cause and when to make myself scarce."
"Sometimes when you should have stayed and fought. Thor was right about facing Hela when you wanted to hide, and you ended up fighting in then end."
"If you'd let me finish, I was going to say that, yes, sometimes I shouldn't have fled. But if anyone is going to be the expert on when someone should or shouldn't have run, it's me. Believe me, this isn't cowardice. You leaving now is strategy, one the others constructed. You'd be wise to heed their counsel."
You let out a sigh as you sat on the edge of your bed.
"I still wanna learn how to kick Zemo's butt," you pouted jokingly, "I love the man and all, but I owe him a good ass-whooping."
"I can help with that," Loki laughed.
"No no no, I don't trust you not to kill him."
"As enjoyable as that would be, and I'm certainly going to inflict pain on that man one day, I wasn't speaking of help in that way. I'll continue the Widow's training while we're on Asgard."
"Oh greeeeat, so I get an upgrade from the woman who kicks the shit out of me to the god who can kick the shit out of me even more. Yaaaay."
"You'll advance faster."
"I'll have to if I want to not get bruised and bloody every day."
"Exactly."
"No magic or knives or anything allowed. I haven't trained with weapons yet."
"You're still purely hand-to-hand?" he asked.
"Yup, and I just got to the point where I can hold a fight for a while, and that's not against a super soldier or god or iron suit."
"Fine, then we'll stick only to physical combat for a while, before we advance to armed attacks and defense."
"I'm suddenly overcome with the urge to leave as soon as possible," you said with heavy sarcasm.
"Oh please, we both know you enjoy combat," he said, turning with you as you threw the strap of your bag over your shoulder and headed for the door, "And we both know how much you'll enjoy Asgard, so stop your moping."
"Yes, sensei," you said, giving him a karate bow.
"Your sass could stay behind though. It's just a thought, but---"
"You're stuck with every part of me, so get used to it."
The two of you made it down the hall and stepped into the elevator, with you subconsciously standing further away. It was something you'd done since Christmas Eve.
"I could...introduce you to my father," Loki said slowly, "Not that I hold any desire for anyone to meet him," he added quickly, "But, I know how much you probably 'love him' like you do with everyone in this universe."
"Why wouldn't you want people to meet your dad? Still denying you love him?" you jabbed, kicking his leg as you did.
"Love is an equally strong word as hate, neither of which I'm prepared to say. One extreme often leads to disappointment, the other to loneliness."
"Ok, ya poet, a simple yes or no woulda sufficed."
He rolled his eyes as you giggled.
"At least you don't pretend to hate him anymore. Baby steps back to love, right? It's understandable, being cautious. You loved him so much once, that it hurt all the more when you found out he'd lied. It's ok to take your time..."
"Thank you for your permission," he sassed.
"...But if you could breeze through the baby steps process and get right down to the father-son hug, that would be great."
"There it is! I knew some hopeful cheesy longing was going to overtake your uncharacteristically sensitive respect of my feelings."
"Ok, it's been a few months since Odin's been back, I've waited long enough."
"We're on decent terms, is that not enough?"
"Nope."
"If you're holding out for a declaration of his love for me or I for him, then I fear you're waiting in vain."
"You both love each other, so it's not too far-fetched."
"Even if he does, he'd never say so. Open communication---"
"Was never your family's forte, I know."
You both stepped into the kitchen at that moment, everyone still mingling from before, waiting for your departure.
"Where's the ketchup?" Tony asked from the fridge.
"Ask Wren, she uses it on everything," Nat said.
"Ask Sam, he never puts anything away where it belongs."
"I at least put it back in the fridge," Sam defended, "Steve leaves things out all of the time, his mind must still be in the 40's before there was refrigeration."
"We had refrigerators in the 40's. They had actually just started becoming more popular in the years leading up to---"
"No one asked for a history lesson, Fossil, I just want my ketchup," Tony groaned.
"Did you check behind the juice on the top left?" you suggested.
"Yes I---" there was a pause where you heard him move something, "Ah, bingo!" he said triumphantly, closing the door and tossing the ketchup on the counter.
"Yup, Sam's fault."
"How do you know I put it there?"
"Because you always bring it back with the juice when you're done, and you put both on the same shelf, which isn't where the condiments go."
"Do you watch me while I eat or something?"
"I always have to move it or find it after you use it, so it becomes pretty easy to tell who's doing it."
"God help the people who misplace something on Asgard," he retorted.
"Speaking of which, are you all ready to go?" Tony asked, dipping a fry into his ketchup.
"Yeah I---oh wait wait wait, I almost forgot" you pulled your phone out of your pocket, handing it to Wanda. "Watch this for me will you? I doubt I'll get signal up on Asgard."
"Why does she get it?" Tony asked, offended.
"Because Nat and Wanda are the only ones I'd trust with my phone...besides Rhodey. Cap, no offense, I'm still not entirely sure you know how a phone works and won't take it swimming with you or something. Bruce...well, I'd like my phone to stay intact."
"Fair," he nodded.
"I don't think I even need to explain why I don't want Sam or Tony with my phone."
"Why cuz I could hack it? What are you trying to hide, young lady? God, I'm sounding like my father," Tony gagged in disgust.
"Ya do, and you should know I have no one besides you guys to text, so it ain't like I'm harboring a secret boyfriend you have to worry about, 'father.'"
"Yeah, Tony, Loki doesn't have a phone," Sam smiled, proud of himself.
"Maaaybe I won't miss some of you as much as I thought."
"It's not even a question of maybe for me, it's a huge fat yes. You and Bucky both gone? Hell, I'm getting the first moments of peace I've had in months."
"Cap, be sure to bother him extra hard for me will you?" you asked, picking your bag back up.
"Rogers usually doesn't have to try hard to get under people's skin," Tony remarked.
"I'll do my best," Steve smiled. He and Tony were nearly back to normal. At least Tony didn't make as many bitter jokes regarding Cap's secret. You couldn't be certain, but you had a feeling Steve had had a talk with him.
"We should be on our way. I've spoken with Heimdall, and he's ready for us," Loki said, making his way towards the exit.
Everyone came out to see you off. Wanda and Nat hugged you goodbye, both promising to pick up the slack if Steve wasn't vigilant in his 'bothering Sam' duties.
"If this goes on too long...will I be able to visit?" you asked Tony.
"As long as we keep them brief, in for a day or two and then out. If Zemo has eyes on this place, we wouldn't want you hanging too long. I've let Fury know what's up, and we've got eyes and ears out for this guy. Don't worry, kid, we'll have him before you know it. It's rare that someone out-Furys Fury, and it's eating at Eyepatch. If you want Fury to be quick at something, challenge him, and Zemo's done it. He's gonna regret being so damn sneaky when the king of sneaks comes for him."
"Right," you nodded, hoping he was, in fact, right.
"Have fun up there, but not too much fun. Don't do anything I would do," he added as you took your place next to Loki.
"We'll keep in touch," Steve nodded with a farewell grin.
"See ya, guys!" Korg waved, "Watch out for 'spiders' while you're gone," he chuckled at himself.
"Bifrost, now," you muttered through your smile.
"Yup, Heimdall?" Loki called quickly.
The lights fell down around you, as the most enjoyable experience in the galaxy began once again.
"Man that never gets old!" you giggled happily, walking across the dome with Loki. "Hey Heimdall! How's it goin?"
"Well, my lady. And how are you?"
"Eh ya know, can't complain."
"Yes she can, a great deal," Loki said dryly.
"You're one to talk."
"I don't complain nearly as severely as you."
"You're complaining right now about how I complain, that's how much you love to complain about stuff."
"I'm complaining about your complaining? I stated a fact, and you had to complain about the fact that I said you were complaining, proving that you complain more than I, because you can't help but complain."
"Did you just say complain four times in a sentence?"
"Why? Are you complaining if I did?"
"I'm stating a fact," you mocked.
"I hate to interrupt," Heimdall said, a smirk on his face, "But Thor is waiting for the two of you in Prince's Hall."
"I have no idea where that is, but you had me at 'Thor', so let's go," you said, rushing Loki.
"You've been there many times by now, how have you not remembered it's location?" he asked, quickly catching up to your swift strides out of the dome.
"Ohhh, is that the hall we usually met and ate in when we were up here?"
"Yes. It's reserved especially for me, my brother, and our friends."
"Waaait, I knew it looked familiar. Is that the place you're all in when you very cleverly manipulate Thor into going to Jotunheim?"
"The very same. Damn, he was so unbearably gullible," he smiled at the memory.
"Trusting, Loki. He's not an idiot to think his brother had his back."
Loki dropped his smile, taking a few seconds to respond.
"Why is it that you can admire my guile, but I can't laugh at my brother's stupidity?"
"I can think you're clever without thinking you're right or Thor's stupid. Just because you out-smarted him, doesn't mean that's a good thing."
"I never claimed it was. But can I not find amusement in my brother's actions?"
"Sure, but that just might not be the memory to do that with. Come on man, you know what I mean," you said in response to the eyeroll.
"I often don't understand half the gibberish that spews from your mouth."
You shoved him, bringing him a little too close to the edge.
"Oops, a little too close there, my bad," you smiled sheepishly.
"If I went down, I was dragging you with me."
"Is there a way back up this? Or would we have to swim the whole way?"
"I'd be able to make it up, though I can't say the same for you."
"Nah, no way you climb those things," you gestured to the pillars you'd pass, "What's there for you to grab?"
"There are plenty of handholds, not that I'd need them."
"Where?! Does any of that smooth golden surface scream handholds to you?"
"If you would take half a second to notice that it slopes out more at the bottom---" Loki had taken a step towards the edge to point to the lower half of the next pillar. That was all you needed. You threw all your weight into him, sure to jump back before he could grab you. A splash met your ears as you leaned over to see Loki's head break through the surface.
"HA! Unbearably gullible!" you laughed, throwing his words back at him.
He glared up at you, before smiling with determined revenge in his eyes, beginning powerful strokes over to the closest column.
"Oh shit, yeah run!" you whispered to yourself, sprinting towards the city.
You realized you should have waited til you were closer to the end before pushing him off, as he'd no doubt catch you. Thankfully, the foundations of the bridge were spaced a decent length apart, so Loki had a bit to swim before clambering back onto the bridge. You didn't want to look back, but the sixth sense started poking after a few minutes, and you were unable to resist the temptation. As it turns out, your sense was right, and you saw the distant figure pulling himself onto the rainbow surface.
Cap's training's really about to pay off , you thought, picking up the pace, the bag you carried making it difficult.
You ran through the open golden gate, entering the bustling city courtyard. People looked up as you charged in, and you paused, smiling and getting similar greetings in return.
Right, keep running!
"Excuse me, sorry. Pardon me, my bad," you said apologetically, making your way through the crowd. You prayed everyone you passed didn't stop and stare after you, as that'd give away your direction pretty easily. It evidently didn't matter, as a hand on your shoulder stopped your progress.
"You're such a child, you know that?" Loki asked, holding firm enough that you couldn't slip from his grip even if you tried.
"Oh...hey...Loki," you said through your panting, "I was just...getting cardio in...ya know?"
"Mhmm," Loki nodded sarcastically, "And I thought I'd just go for a swim."
"Really? Off the bridge? That's a bit dangerous isn't it? Bit of a far swim, tough climb back up right?"
"Why don't you try it and let me know what you think?" he smiled.
"I--I'll take your word for it, you're a very trustworthy individual after all."
"No really, I insist," he whispered, turning to drag you back.
"Ok ok ok, wait, it was my day to prank, right?"
He paused and hung his head, knowing it was true.
"Yup, that's right. It's my turn, so no repercussions until tomorrow when it's your turn. Respect the terms of our Prank War agreement."
"Very well," he released your arm, "I suppose you're safe...for today."
"I think we should consider implementing a week gap in between pranks, don't you agree? I mean, a prank every day is a lot, right? We don't want to overdo it."
"Nice try," he chuckled, the two of you resuming your journey towards the palace.
"How was the water?"
"You truly do not know how to make things easier for yourself, do you?"
"Whaat? I'm just curious! It looked really refreshing, and you use a little too much conditioning or whatever it is in your hair sometimes, so it could do with a---"
"Now you're saying I need to wash more???"
"No, I'm sure you---"
"Wow."
"---I'm sure you wash all the time, I just think you can overdo it with the gel on occasion."
"I thought you like my hair?"
"I do! And believe me, even your more oily look is like really good and can always flip amazingly, but if I'm being honest your softer, looser hair look is probably your best look. People can disagree, but damn your Dark World hair? Like when you're in prison and whatnot? Absolute gold."
"I'm so glad to hear you only like my hair on certain days."
"I like it every day, you're just fishing for compliments now! I was just messing around anyway, your hair is fine, even if I like the softer days. Like, look at it! You clearly just dried yourself after getting out of the water, and you hair looks so frickin good right now!"
He smiled at your open admiration of his hair.
"I didn't know you loved it so much," he teased.
"Why wouldn't I?" you said, trying to keep down your awkward thoughts that were once again making themselves known.
"I have no answer, for I agree. Why shouldn't you? It is remarkable."
Your walk through the city took longer than it should have, with you wanting to observe and enjoy everything as if it was the first time you'd been there. Asgard had a power over you, what could you do? Loki waited patiently every time you wanted to stop and watch something or engage with kids who came up to you, never making one of his snippy remarks about hurrying. Instead, from the time or two you glanced his way during these stops, he seemed to enjoy your actions.
He must like that I love his planet so much, you explained away his smile.
Eventually, you walked into Prince's Hall, where Thor, Rocket, and Groot were sitting at a table full of food.
"Ah, brother, Wren!" Thor smiled, standing and walking over with open arms.
"Touch me and I stab you," Loki said casually.
"Okay," Thor said, never breaking stride as he changed his direction towards you just before reaching Loki.
"It's good to see ya Thor," you said in his embrace.
"It's merely been a few days," Loki groaned.
"Which wasn't long enough, believe me!" Rocket called over from his seat.
"Couldn't agree more," Loki glared back.
"I am Groot."
Despite Rocket's presence, Loki managed a gentler expression, nodding to Groot.
"We talked about this," Rocket whispered loudly to Groot, "Stop being nice to people we don't like."
"I am Groot."
"Where am I going wrong?" Rocket muttered, shaking his head.
"I am Groot."
"Tree says hello," Thor told you.
"Hey Groot," you waved, walking over to the table, "What's up Rocket?" you greeted the raccoon.
"Absolutely nothing, and I love it! No jobs, no one shooting at us, free food, an entire armory---"
"That is off limits," Thor clarified.
"That is temporarily off limits," Rocket corrected.
"No, it's pretty off limits...forever."
"Right, 'forever'," he said in clear insincerity, winking to you.
"We can see you winking," Loki said, unable to keep from calling Rocket out.
"Your buddies promised a fight," Rocket said to Thor.
"Yes, and you shall have weapons provided for you then, Rabbit," Thor said cheerily, evidently enjoying his furry companion's company.
"Who's fighting who?" you asked.
"Oh not a real fight, just a friendly competition between Volstagg and our new friend here," he held his hand out to Rocket.
"He won't think it's a friendly competition for long," Rocket laughed maniacally.
"I am Groot."
"I'm not going to kill him," Rocket assured unconvincingly.
"Are you hungry?" Thor asked you, "Help yourself to everything, as usual. I'm so glad you get to spend some time here on Asgard, though the circumstances could be a little better. So he came back, did he? Uh Zeto, or Zeno..."
"Zemo."
"Right, him. Causing problems again?"
"Well sorta..." you began, but the look on Loki's face changed your sentence, "...yes, yes he is."
Loki nodded like "That's what I thought."
"Well you're welcomed to stay in Asgard for as long as you need. I've spoken with father, and he seemed rather happy that you'd be spending time with us. Hopefully you stay for a while! Not that I want someone after you on earth for a while, no I hope they catch him."
"Who're we talking about?" Rocket asked, "Nevermind, I don't really care."
"I am Groot?"
"Someone who is after her for the knowledge she possesses," Thor answered.
"I am Groot."
"Yes, he is a very bad man," Thor agreed, "But we'll keep her safe."
"Why don't you just blast the son of bitch with your almighty lightning powers?" Rocket asked, "Or Slimeball over here take him out with one of his fancy-shmancy daggers?"
"It's not that simple, Rodent," Loki answered.
"Why? Does he keep moving just enough that your shitty aim can't hit him?"
Loki's dagger knocked Rocket's cup from his hand, spilling the wine everywhere.
"Ohhh yeeeah, I was hoping you'd do that!" Rocket laughed, launching across the table into the god.
Loki grabbed Rocket by the chest, pulling him off of him, only for Rocket to bite the hand hard.
Loki exclaimed something in another language, presumably swearing, throwing his adversary to the floor. Rocket didn't miss a beat, going straight for the legs. He was stronger than you thought he was, using a well-timed tug on Loki's tunic and a clever maneuver around the legs to trip Loki to the floor. They were in a scramble now, Rocket scurrying over him like a natural critter.
"Don't hurt Rocket," you said, as you grabbed some grapes from the table and enjoyed the show.
"Me don't hurt him?" Loki grunted, taking advantage of a momentary pin on Rocket to look at you in disbelief. He shouldn't have take his eyes off of him, as Rocket used his bottom feet to claw his arm, throwing a punch when the god jerked his head back around to him.
"See, I thought at first that Loki would easily crush Rocket, but now I don't know."
"The Rabbit is formidable," Thor nodded, taking a grape from your bunch.
"I am Groot," he said in what you assumed was agreement.
Loki's magic finally came out, blasting Rocket backwards with a spurt of green light from his hand.
"It's about time," you said from where you and Thor casually ate your grapes and watched.
"I could have killed him already if you'd let me!" Loki whined, hair-flipping his disheveled locks and standing up.
Rocket charged once more, Loki pulling out a dagger and standing ready.
"Alrighty, enough," you said like a tired adult, walking in between them.
"Is that the only way you can beat me? With your magic tricks?" Rocket taunted.
"Oh I could skin you several ways without magic, vermin."
"Bring it WeaselFace!"
"Ah-ah-ah, nope," you put a hand on Loki's chest as he moved forward, sticking your foot out to stop Rockets advances. You kept having to move it as he tried getting around.
"Groot, could you?" you asked, twisting around to look at the little tree and nodding to his flustered father-figure.
He looked from his half-eaten plate of food to you, then back to the food, repeating the whole cycle again right after.
"Ok, Thor?" you called instead, seeing Groot smile in relief and continue munching.
"Yes, alright," Thor said like he was disappointed to watch the fun end.
He walked over and picked Rocket up.
"Hey don't man-handle me, MuscleHead!"
Thor placed him down back on the other side of the table, and, surprisingly, Rocket stayed.
"Y'all done?" you raised your eyebrows, looking from Rocket to Loki. The latter was sucking the blood from the bite on his hand, using a bit of magic to stop the bleeding.
"If crybaby needs to take care of his boo-boo," Rocket mocked in a childish voice.
"He does," you answered before Loki could speak.
"Hey!"
"Just let me say what I gotta say to shut him up," you muttered back to him under your breath.
"Brother, you're in here for a few short minutes and you've already pulled a dagger on someone. I believe that's a new record."
"No, I've pulled daggers on you many times in this room, all far faster than that. Had I been allowed to kill him," he said pointedly, looking hard at you, "That would have been the record in a category of its own."
"I'm just thrilled I'm not the one the dagger was thrown at this time!" Thor said with exaggerated excitement, "Must say it's quite strange not being the one you're trying to kill."
"The day is young," Loki said with a straight face and dead-eye stare.
"And on that terrifying note, Wren, how would you like to walk anywhere but here? I know Pietro, or whatever his name is, is around here somewhere with the others."
"Quill?" you half asked, half corrected.
"Yeah, well Quill can't stand that Thor's better than him in literally every way conceivably possible," Rocket explained, "Sparking the Battle of the Brainless Bozos, which Thor is still winning."
Thor looked like he wasn't sure that was a compliment, but decided to grin triumphantly to you as if it was.
"I know you know his name's Peter. Pietro was Wanda's brother," you said, though not hiding your smile at his antics
"Quail's as physically weak as a dead man, so what's the difference?" he laughed.
"Thor!"
"I'm kidding! I'm kidding, I'm so kidding. Quell isn't weak," he chuckled it off.
"That's---that's not the problem with your statement."
Thor's brow furrowed as he thought over his words.
"Ohhhh, the--the dead man thing, because he just---and it's it's not a---not funny. Right...my bad," he finished, smacking his lips together and nodding awkwardly.
"I thought it was funny," Loki shrugged.
"You would," you sighed, though your own dark sense of humor and love for Thor was making it hard not to grin.
"Shall we?" Thor asked, tilting his head to the door and holding out his arm for you to take.
Loki didn't look thrilled that you accepted the arm, probably upset at the idea of going to find the others...or maybe just spending time with Thor made him put on an angry face for show? He didn't have to come though.
"You coming? Or are you gonna start another fight?" you asked him.
"I think I'll go settle in. You can leave your bag, I'll have a servant take it to your room," Loki answered.
"Same room as before?"
"If you wish."
"Makes it easier, so yes please."
"Very well. No getting lost out there, my brother tends to lose his way."
"He's lying," Thor snickered, "It was one time. I assure you, I could walk this city in my sleep."
"Yet get lost when you're awake."
"Shut up," Thor said in such a sibling-to-sibling way.
"I'll see ya later," you smiled to Loki, who returned the act.
As you were walking away, you heard Rocket whisper to Groot.
"Come on, we're going for a walk."
"I am Groot."
"I don't care if you're not finished, we've got somewhere to be."
"I am Groot?"
"Somewhere," he repeated slowly, clearly implying a specific location.
"No armory!" Thor called out, gesturing his hand in the air but not turning around.
"Stop eavesdropping!" Rocket called back.
You and Thor both chuckled as you entered the hallway. He asked about the Zemo issue, the two of you speaking about the topic as you strolled through the palace and out into the beautiful balconies and steps surrounding the main courtyard.
"I think it was wise of them to send you here."
"Yeah I know. I just had this guilty feeling like I was running away, but I know I'm being dramatic."
"The time for fighting will come sooner than you think, it always does. As much as I enjoy a good head-bashing, I've learned to appreciate the moments where there are no battles."
"A wise king, never seeks out war...."
"But must always be ready for it," he laughed, "Exactly."
"I don't necessarily want to fight Zemo, but I don't want to let him scare me away. But you're right. I should just enjoy this. Heck, I'm actually staying on Asgard! My favorite place in the world!"
"And we're going to have the time of your life, just wait and see. Yes, I have a bit more duties in addition to my usual princely ones, since I'm helping my father and Heimdall, but my friends and I know how to make merry still! There's a festival soon too!"
"Seriously? When is it???"
"A week from tomorrow. Wren, there is little exaggeration when I say our festivals are a grand spectacle! A whole day's worth of events, starting with a parade in the morning and firework display at night. I've actually spoken with my brother about coordinating that event."
"The fireworks?"
"Yes, my mother used to perform the greatest shows ever witnessed in the history of Asgard. Loki may think I am unobservant, but I know my mother taught him a great deal, and I have total confidence in his ability to live up to her legacy, if not surpass it. Whether he won't aim the flying balls of flame at us is another story," Thor said light-heartedly.
"At least the show that kills us looks good while it does it. No ugly weapons of death allowed."
"Loki has a flare for style, so I'm sure he'd give us a particularly dramatic burst of color as we're blown into oblivion."
"He'd mix it in with the grand finale," you giggled.
"All jokes aside, it will be a sight to see."
"It's sweet that you have faith in him."
Thor smiled somewhat sadly.
"You know I always have. If not faith in his actions, then hope that he was still in there."
"You're a trooper, you know that? It's so much easier to be angry, especially with family members that hurt us. Yet here you are, someone whose brother literally tried to kill him, and you only ever held out hope that he'd come back. You rarely let your anger show."
"There's more than I show, underneath all of this handsomeness. There are times I've felt a boiling hatred for him...times I've wanted him to suffer for those who he made suffer...times I've wondered where I went wrong, what I did wrong, and then hated him all the more for making me hate myself. But I fought those feelings everyday. Because what is life without hope? It's meaningless. Anger is easier, but it doesn't make us feel better. Hope is the only thing that eases our minds, keeps us going. Why hate him, when I can remember how much I've loved him? And in doing so, have hope that that man I loved and who loved me must still be alive inside."
"I'll just say that damn there's a reason you're worthy of that hammer!"
"Thank you," he smiled, "Though I admit there are times I wonder if I am, if I should be."
"Never, for one second, question your worthiness, Thor. You hear me? Never. Take it from someone who's seen the future and seen you go down that path before. You are worthy and always will be, through every failure and every stumble."
"Down that path before?"
"You lose a lot. If you haven't kept track through my stories of the movies, you basically lose your father, your hammer, the Warriors Three, your planet, your brother, Heimdall, a lot of your population, then half of the people that remain."
"Oh shit," he mumbled.
"Yeah," you laughed at the way he said it, "Needless to say, it puts you in a bit of a low place. You blame it all on yourself, as you heroes always do, and you think yourself an unworthy, unimportant failure who let his people, and the entire universe, down. But you realize, with a little help from your mother during your time-travel mission, that you don't have to set yourself up to impossibly high standards. You don't have to judge yourself on how you failed to be something you thought you were supposed to be. You just have to succeed at being you. That that's the measure of a hero. Getting up after your failures."
"I speak to mother?" he asked in surprise.
"Mhmm," you smiled, "She helps you realize that you'll always be worthy. And that you don't have to be a king or perfect being to be a hero."
Thor thoughtfully processed your words, a grin breaking at the corners of his mouth.
"Mother was never wrong."
"And she's not about this."
"I don't want to be king, as you well know. I've started thinking, with all that I allowed get past me, such as Loki banishing my father, that it happened because I ran from what I was supposed to be. That if I hadn't left, Loki could not have pulled it off."
"You thought you failed your people."
Thor nodded. "I've started to think that this meant I was always supposed to stay and be king, that this is the life I'm now bound to."
"And now?"
"Now...I think mother, or technically you, have changed that. I can help my people, I can be a hero, but I don't have to be king."
"Ding ding ding, we have a winner!" you said stupidly, clapping for him.
"Tell me," he said through chuckles, "Do I come back around to the decision of not being king in the future?"
"Yup, you decide to just be you."
"And who do I leave in charge of my people?"
"Valkyrie. She was kinda helping you run things for five years while you were going through your low spell, so she was the natural choice."
"I was that low for five years?"
"Well, wouldn't you be if you lost that much? No one blames you."
"I suppose I would. Thank you for being here, Wren. I sometimes lose sight of how much you've changed by coming here."
"No one deserved the world nearly as much as you, and no one lost more than you...ok, so maybe Wanda, but you get my point. You all deserved so much better."
You'd reached the city part as you talked, with Thor nodding greetings to citizens while you spoke. Now, you approached a large park-like area. In a wide patch of grass, about the size of a sport's field, was a group of kids playing some soccer-like game. Right in the middle of them, playing keep away with the ball, was Quill.
"Oh which way's he gonna go?" he narrated as he danced back and forth with the ball, "Looks like he's gonna go righ--- but he spins left! Gotcha pint-size!" he teased the kids, all of them laughing and chasing him.
Gamora, Mantis, and Drax stood on the side, looking fondly at the fun.
"Guardians! Look who's here!" Thor said as you walked up to them.
Gamora nodded a greeting, the pleasant smile from watching Quill still on her face. Mantis gave a cute wave.
"Hey guys, how's it going?"
"Quill is destroying these small people," Drax answered.
"They're not playing for real, Drax," Gamora responded.
"They haven't touched the ball in minutes. I'm sure he's winning."
"I didn't know he was so good with his feet," you noted, watching Quill weave the ball in and out of the sea of kids.
"Pfft, you call that good?" Thor snickered, "I was the champion of this game when I was younger, that's nothing."
"Oooo can you show us?" Mantis asked.
"I don't know," Thor pretended to be reluctant, with you and Gamora knowing dang well that this is what he wanted, "I suppose I could do it for you, as a host to his guests."
He walked out onto the field, halting the current game. He and Quill spoke, but, because the game had moved further away than it was when you'd arrived, you couldn't hear what was being said.
"How much you wanna bet Thor actually loses this one?" you asked.
"We'll never hear the end of it from Peter," Gamora shook her head.
"He can't lose, he's the champion," Mantis stated.
"That's right," Drax nodded, "The god man said it."
You bit back your explanation at the last second, remembering who it was you were dealing with. The group on the field started splitting into two teams, with Quill and Thor at the head of each. The game began, and it really wasn't much different from soccer at all. A few changes in rules, but same concept. It became a Thor versus Quill battle, with an abundance of hilarious trash-talking and physicality. The kids ran back and forth, simply happy to be there. Thor was in the lead, due to pure brute strength, until Quill called for a ref. Evidently tackling wasn't allowed, something Thor was doing quite frequently. You stepped in to fill the role, keeping Thor in check and giving Quill the opportunity to creep back in the game.
"I didn't even touch him!" Thor argued with a call.
"His bleeding lip begs to differ. Thor, you can't stick your arm out as he runs by."
"It was a normal, fluid motion! Unintentional! He's the one who ran right into it!"
"You think I wanted a mouthful of sweaty god? You taste awful, by the way."
"At least I taste better than you," Thor shot back with a pointed finger.
"You haven't tasted these muscles," Quill flexed, "because I don't go shoving them in people's faces!"
You kicked the ball in play, the argument stopping immediately as they chased after it.
Quill won, in the end, and you apologized to Gamora for the endless bragging she was going to hear from him.
"I'm not sure it's worse than how sour he'd be if he'd lost," she shrugged.
Thor tried to continue the day with you and Guardians, forcing a smile whenever Quill brought up the match...which was every few minutes. Finally, he claimed he had "some important matters to attend to, because I'm a prince" and left, asking if you wished to come too or would come back on your own time.
"The sunset's gonna be perfect from the balcony on King's Corner, and Mantis tells me they haven't seen the view from there yet, so I was thinking of going there with them first. I know my way back."
"Alright, see you later then. Loki and I are dining with father tonight, but you'll find food in the usual hall an hour or so from now."
"Thanks Thor, have a good night."
The others waved goodbye, Quill and Thor giving little insincere and rather threatening smiles to each other. You brought the gang to the balcony you had in mind, chilling with Drax and Mantis while Gamora and Quill stood off to the side by themselves, enjoying the view.
"It's beautiful," Mantis said in an observant tone.
"Asgridge is very beautiful," Drax agreed.
"Asgard," you corrected with a smirk.
"That's what I said."
"You've been here before?" Mantis asked.
"Oh, I've stayed for a night or two on two occasions, that's all. I've always loved this place in the films though."
"How did you get into this world?" Drax said like he was super confused.
"I explained that, but you were sleeping."
"I don't remember that."
"Yeah...because you were asleep."
"I remember everything, even when I'm asleep. My senses are so sharp that my mind forgets nothing."
You restrained your desire to laugh, not wanting to offend him, if that was possible.
"Why are you here?" Mantis said.
"Here like here here on Asgard? Well, one of the bad guys I came here to stop, in addition to Thanos, isn't too happy that I'm doing that. The Avengers thought it best that I get away for a bit, stay hidden for a while."
"You should not hide," Drax said, "If Thanos was after us, I would stay and fight. He would pay for my family."
"You're currently here because Thanos is after you guys."
He thought about it for a second. "Damn."
"It's ok, Drax, Thanos will get what he deserves. We have to be patient."
The three of you chatted some more, all while the sun dipped farther below the horizon. Your crystal burned with the orange light, and, when asked, you explained what the necklace was and who got it for you.
"So he's your lover," Drax concluded like he understood.
"WHAT?! Noooo no no no," you laughed, "We're just friends."
"Riiight," Quill scoffed, him and Gamora having joined the conversation a few minutes prior, "Guy goes out of his way to get a gift like that and doesn't have the hots for the girl? Yeah, no, that gift screams 'let's get a move on'."
"You've never gotten a friend something that has to do with a thing they love before???"
"I've never had friends before these knuckleheads," Quill answered unashamedly.
You realized none of them probably had.
"Well, it's a common thing, ok?" you said defensively.
Gamora was narrowing her eyes at you, as if trying to decide for herself. When you said your last line, she smirked, evidently coming to a conclusion.
"We should get back or we'll miss dinner," you changed the subject.
The five of you returned to the hall, where Groot and Rocket joined you shortly after. You had a very enjoyable, albeit chaotic, dinner with them. Quill had to bring up his victory over Thor at least six more times. When it was done, and all were leaving to their respective rooms, you said goodnight and headed for your own. You found your bag there, as promised, taking your bathroom supplies out and preparing yourself for bed. You stopped short of changing your clothes, not feeling quite ready to settle into bed. Your legs were restless, the Loki situation nagging at the back of your mind. You found yourself missing his presence more nowadays whenever he wasn't present, which meant nothing obviously. The Guardians' words had made the issue of liking him fresh in your mind, however, and you couldn't push away your struggle as easily as you'd grown accustomed to doing.
The necklace doesn't scream 'let's get a move on'! It's just a gift. And so what if you miss Loki? He's fun to be around!
This wasn't just an "I miss him" kind of feeling like it usually is when you're bored or want to see a friend. Every time you thought about him, since the Guardians made their opinion known, you got the strangest feeling in your gut. All of those butterflies you'd learned to control were back in an instant, and all because Quill and Drax were just as silly as the Avengers.
I don't like him like that, I don't like him like that, I don't like him like that, you repeated to yourself until you were sick of hearing it.
You decided to go to the hidden balcony, feeling like getting out of your room but also wanting to have a place to clear you head. Was it the fact that Loki might be there that was pushing you to that location? You told yourself it wasn't, that indulging the stupid urge brought upon by your own worries was the opposite of what you wanted to do. Well, it was definitely the opposite of what you should do, but that didn't mean it wasn't what you wanted. You now panicked even more that it was the real reason you were going there, yet you continued in the garden's direction nonetheless. Pulling back the branch, you stepped into the familiar darkness. As you'd prepared yourself for the possibility of Loki being there, it was no surprise when you found the torches lit and a figure sitting on the bench. What was a surprise was who that figure was, for it wasn't Loki. You froze, not wanting to disturb him. Your right foot moved backwards slowly, as you made ready to retreat through the underbrush.
"Please, stay," Odin said, his back still towards you.
"Are you sure? Your Majesty," you remembered to add, not used to speaking to actual royalty. Thor and Loki didn't count.
"You don't have to cling to formalities, my dear. I am not your king, nor shall I feel offense at the lack of titles," he said kindly, "Come, sit with me," his hand patted the open space next to him.
You hesitated before walking slowly over and taking the seat. You weren't sure where to look exactly. You wanted to stare, as it was both Anthony Hopkins and a centuries-old king of a magic land in space, yet you didn't want to be rude or weird. Looking elsewhere felt awkward too, possibly coming across as uncomfortable and rude. Thankfully, Odin continued to stare out at the night sky, so you did the same.
"I've been wanting to meet you," he spoke after a few painful seconds of silence.
"Uh...r-really?"
"Yes," he smiled gently, "I have yet the chance to thank you. I'm afraid I wasn't quite strong enough for mingling during your last visit, or I would have made it a priority to speak with you."
"That's ok, how--how are you feeling?" you asked, saying whatever came to mind.
"Hmmm," he smirked, giving it some thought, "At peace."
You smiled at how content he looked. He seemed as calm as in Ragnarok, yet not as grim. Afterall, he was dying and about to leave his sons to fight his daughter at that time, which would put a damper on anyone's mood. He turned to face you for the first time, a soft twinkle in his eye from the torchlight.
"Tell me, child, what is it you sought by coming here?"
"Here like this universe?"
Odin nodded.
"Oh, well, I'm sure Thor's filled you in on the whole movie situation. I guess it was a no-brainer really, coming here if I had the chance to stop people from dying. I mean, who would I be if I passed up that opportunity and let things playout? I can't lie and say meeting all of you and seeing places that should have been fiction wasn't just a bit tempting too," you chuckled.
"And now?" he pressed further, "You've given this world more than enough aid to protect itself, leaving little else for you to do than jeopardize your own life."
He wasn't being harsh, simply honest.
"Yeah I---I guess there isn't a whole lot I can do."
"Why do you not return home? You have a family I presume? A mother or father?"
"Yeah, I have a family. But the way home is...complicated. Or damn near impossible," you finished softly.
"Have you tried seeking a path back?"
"I don't think there is one."
"One never knows what roads they will find until they take their first steps. Are you so certain you've tried everything?"
"Well I...n--no, I...I guess I haven't tried much of anything," you said like this was the first time it'd dawned on you, as you had really never thought about other alternatives.
"And why not?"
"I always thought I'd cross that bridge when I'd get there. That if there was a way back, I'd figure it out when the time came."
"I thought you said there was nothing left for you here?" he asked, a bit of humor in his tone.
"There isn't really, I suppose."
"Then has the time not come?"
"No, I--I can't just leave til I know it all works out! I know I may not be of very much use, but going home before I know if we come out on top??? It would kill me!"
"You care deeply about the people of this universe...your friends...my sons."
"I do. I know I haven't technically known them as long as my family, but in a way I have because of the movies. Living with them, getting to know them for real, has just given me this whole other family. Whole new friends. Leaving will be hard enough without adding constant worry to the mix. I have to stay until I know they're all alright."
"And so you should, my dear. Not that I would ask you to risk your life if you desired to return to your world. But your loyalty does you credit."
"Wait, you think I should stay? I thought you said there's nothing more for me to do, that I should leave?"
"Those words were never mine, only what you made of them. What I did was get you to see the reason you're staying, and in doing so show me."
"I see where Loki gets his tricksy side," you laughed, "You're just as clever."
Odin's smile grew more somber as he looked back at the view.
"There are many a things he's learned from me, all of them unfavorable, I'm afraid. No, his cleverness he got from his mother, as he did all that's good in him."
"That's so not true on like so many levels," you blurted before you could stop yourself from speaking so bluntly, "He's got the same fire in him that you have in you. Just because something like that might get him into trouble, doesn't mean it isn't a good thing. He's resilient, wise, when he wants to be, passionate, ambitious, and has one hell of a warrior's spirit. Your wife may have spent more time instilling knowledge and wisdom through her words and books, but Thor is no less wise from his time with you, is he? Both of your sons got the pieces of their parents that have made them some of the most remarkable guys in the cosmos."
"His anger is my own. When he escalated into madness through his grief and pain from the secret I kept, what did I do to bring him back? In my own guilt and sadness over what I'd let my son become, I lashed out in anger and bitterness. His attack on the people of your planet was my fault, yet I yelled nothing but fury upon his return home, further poisoning his heart."
"You can't blame it all on yourself, just as it's not all on Loki. Did you screw up a bit? Yes, but let me tell you something...so do all parents. Show me a single father who got everything right with their kids? And the whole 'Hey, we didn't tell you you're adopted' is a thing on earth too. Did Loki go more extreme than any human would when hearing that news? Yes, but we can't compare two cosmically different scenarios and species. Loki came from a world of great battles and warriors, so something as violent as destroying a race of mystical monsters to try to prove himself is not a far-fetched response from a god, when compared to the smaller scale of how a human would react. Does any of that excuse his actions? Are you to blame for all of it? Hell no, because Loki always had your love, he just didn't see it. And he still knew right from wrong, he just refused to see that line because he was overcome with his pain of feeling inferior. He tried to kill his own brother, but later tries to save him...like within a year or two. Why? Because he never hated Thor, or you. He never wanted Thor dead, even if he let his actions try to prove otherwise. If he'd actually succeeded in killing Thor, which I don't think he ever went hard enough to do, probably on purpose, then I'm pretty sure it would have devastated him. He'd never have been able to forgive himself. It's complicated, I know, but Loki's a complicated guy. But basically, he always felt weak or inferior, and hearing that he was adopted gave him an excuse to cling to, gave him something to lash out about. He was a child, desperate for attention, but unwilling to consider that you all did love him. Because if you all loved him, then there was nothing to explain away how small he felt. He just needed to realize he isn't small or insignificant."
"You're fond of him," was all Odin said after a moment's pause.
"He was my favorite character back home...and we're friends here, so yes. I'm very fond of him."
"I've tried to change for him. I was uncertain whether he'd changed himself. As you said, he was still responsible for his actions. Though I ultimately see myself as the catalyst, I couldn't blindly condone a murderous son if he was the same as when I'd left. I was hoping to handle it better the second time, but I return to find there is nothing to handle. He's more like his old self, happier even, if one can believe it. He tries to bury his feelings, to hide them around me, still afraid to let himself feel vulnerable. But I see it in his eyes. I see it in his stance. I hear it from Thor."
Oh crap, what else has Thor said to him??
"I'm glad he's happy. I told him all he needed was right in front of him. He has you and Thor back, and...hope. The future isn't bleak anymore. He's not chasing some absurd dream that he thinks will make him happy."
"From what Thor tells me, you've a great deal to play in his happiness."
"My goal was to fix things so he'd be in the position he is now, so I'm glad I did that," you answered, dancing around any other possible meaning in his words.
He gave you a smile that showed he knew what you were doing. There was something about that wise old face that made it clear you could never hide anything from him.
"Even when my son was more joyful in his youth, he never got along with their friends as Thor did. He was always wreaking all kinds of mischief, no one ever caring to wonder why or engage him in his playful antics. They saw a jealous boy, less trustworthy than Thor. That's not to say they were not his friends, but it was clear Loki lacked Thor's ability to draw a crowd. In comes this young lady from another world, out of her league amongst an infinitely larger reality than she'd ever imagined. A few months later, this woman has become a closer friend to my boy than any in his centuries of life. If accounts are to be believed, it was possibly a few short weeks before he trusted her already?" He raised his eyebrows, giving you that all-knowing smirk you knew you couldn't try lying to.
"We were slowly becoming friends after the first two weeks, that's true. Though I'm not sure either of us were positive we could believe it until time proved otherwise. Don't tell him this, but he's probably my closest friend here."
"My lips are sealed, my dear," Odin chuckled.
"Thanks, his ego doesn't need to go up any."
"You've both humbled him and given him self-confidence. A task such as that is hard enough without the tangled web our family complications have wrapped around Loki. You mean a great deal to him. You are, I think, a large part of what makes him so happy."
You felt your face threatening to redden from the comment, and you looked around to hide it from Odin.
"I don't think I'm as important as you make it sound," you laughed, "Loki's happy to have someone who gave him the time of day, but he wouldn't keep someone like me in very high regard."
"You think my son incapable of caring for someone?"
"No! No no that's not what I meant! I know he's truly my friend, and as such he cares for me, I know. Heck, we got each other Christmas presents, we hang out all the time, and he's kept me safe when facing danger. But it takes a lot for someone to mean a lot to him, at least in the way your statement made it sound. I'm not on the level of anyone he cherishes like you and Thor, so I couldn't be a larger part of his happiness than you two are."
"When I banished Thor to Earth, I could not foresee how he'd find his way back. But I trusted that he'd become the man worthy of his power. The world works in strange ways, my dear, and none of us can ever see where a road will lead or how many twists and turns surprise us along the way. My son met someone who changed his life for good. Jane Foster. His path then led him to the Avengers. A great many people now mean as much to him as any of his friends and family. You have done the same for Loki." He looked you in the eyes as he said that, putting as much conviction into the statement as possible.
Did he just compare me and Loki to Jane and Thor? you though uncomfortably.
"If that's true, I'm glad I could help him," you said, pushing away all other thoughts, "I'm no Jane Foster though. She may be a large part of Thor's happiness, on par with you or his other friends and family, but Loki isn't like that. I've had this dream of wanting to see him and the Avengers eventually get along, and I hope I've set the groundwork for that. He'll need that second family like Thor. But right now? We're just normal friends, and I haven't sparked any special change in him like Jane did with Thor. I've just put him in a position to find his own happiness, ya know, nudged him in the right direction."
"Maybe so," Odin smiled, "But for all of your knowledge pertaining to me and my sons, you forget one thing."
"What?" you asked, when the pause prompted the response.
"I am his father," he smirked, "I've watched him since he was an infant. There are things I see in my son that you, and anyone else in your universe, could only see if you'd lived with him as long as I."
"Oh my gosh! Look at me talking for however long about your son like I know stuff you don't!" you gasped.
"It's quite alright, dear, you are able to see things I cannot. You've had time to reflect on the situation from an unbiased position, helping me to understand where both parties went wrong. But on this matter, I believe I can safely say I know this part of my son better. You've only ever witnessed Loki's journey from the start of his struggle. You did not know the loving lad he was, running around with Thor. It is, therefore, understandable that you would be hesitant to believe he could care for something as deeply as I claim he does, for you've rarely seen such emotions in him. You would not recognize them at first glance. Trust me, child," he took your hand from where it rested on the bench, holding it gently and smiling reassuringly to you, "You mean more to him than he will show. As I think he means more to you than you will show, hmm?"
"I don't know what Thor's said, but if you're implying anything more than we're very good friends---" you started laughing.
"I never imply anything. I tell the truth as it is. No more, no less. What you take from it is entirely up to you."
"Ok, then I'll take that as Loki and I will never admit how important our friendship is to us, is that good?"
"It does not have to be good, only true. That knowledge is inside yourself, I cannot decide for you."
"Sweet, then it's true cuz I know me," you said, knowing it was an extreme lie to claim you knew anything with certainty.
Odin smiled, once again giving you that sense that he saw something behind your words, an answer you yourself didn't know.
"I have one more question to ask of you before I retire: What was it about my son that so captured your favoritism?"
"We talking superficial reasons or deeper? Cuz on a surface level, any fangirl will tell you your son is the most attractive man ever to set foot on screen, he has a sense of humor that could kill, amazing style, and, though I know in real life this isn't a good thing, he's a really fun villain.
There are about a hundred different characters that could match that description, though, so I don't think that's why he's my favorite. No, there's something about his struggle that's so...relatable? Tragic? I don't just ignore that he killed people because 'oh he was broken', because that's not an excuse. But I think we can all relate to some part of his story, whether it be you or his relationship with Thor or anything else.
Family is a common message in many movies and stories, and just about every character in the MCU has their fair share of familial issues. You see, movies are an escape, yes, but they're also a place we go to watch ourselves. They can help us process our own problems, maybe ones we never want to talk about or never realized was bothering us so deeply. Seeing characters fight through and overcome this can give us hope that we can do the same. Sometimes it doesn't work out for the characters, and we mourn their loss as we mourn our own. Sometimes that's what we need. To watch something that, though no happy ending, is realistic and can let us vent our own emotions through tears.
Loki's story is one of the most relatable things. Everyone, and I mean everyone has family issues. No household has it all together. We all either have a Loki in our life or are, ourselves, the Loki. Everyone has experienced some level of family troubles, such as fallouts with other siblings or parents, much like Loki. And if we're fortunate enough to not have experienced that, then we certainly will some day. No one makes it through life unscathed from the pain another family member can cause.
The cold hard truth of life is that no one has the ability to hurt us like family does. Yet we can't stop loving them, which makes it all the more unbearable. There's one fact of life that people often choose to forget, because we're all, on occasion, the Loki who feels so burned by another that we find it easier to feel nothing but anger. That fact is simple: Family means more than anything. Some people are estranged forever from each other, holding onto past wrongs or pain. In the end, they either find their way back to each other, or regret waiting until it was too late to try. Thor said it best when he told me how he managed not to hate Loki. It's better to remember the good stuff and hope that there's a bright future, rather than throw it all away in anger.
So, why is Loki my favorite character? Well, I feel for him, not because he's some poor boy with daddy issues who gets off scot-free for his crimes...but because he's deep down someone who loved his family, but pushed them away. His issues were legit, and the mistakes you may have made while raising him were legit, but none of that ever means more than the love you guys feel for each other. And in the end, he accepts that, despite any sins you've committed against him or he against you or Thor against him or him against Thor, none of it matters one damn bit when push comes to shove. Because Thor makes him see that love was always there.
So we can all learn something from Loki, either because we ourselves are him and we need to recognize what's important in life, or we're the Thor who needs a little faith that people who've fallen in our lives will find their way back to us. In both cases, it comes down to realizing that family will always be first in our hearts if we don't let anger blind us. So yeah, I think Loki deserves the world, not because he had some big bad parent that hurt him, but because he did the hardest thing a person can do: He changes. He comes back.
And it sucks that he's an example of waiting too late, yet also a symbol showing that, even right up until the end, a person has the chance to change. It's never too late, yet we can always be reminded to get a move on if we don't want precious time wasted. Many people may have legit parent issues, but they're no more justified in any subsequent actions than Loki is in his. We can all change if we want, and we can all hold out hope that loved ones we miss will come back. And most importantly, we can remember how important family is to us. No matter how much they hurt us."
Neither of you spoke for the seconds following your speech.
"I'm sorry, I just got waaay in depth and sappy there," you starting laughing at your own stupidity and embarrassment.
"No, no, my child," Odin shook his head, turning to you with a soft, satisfied grin resting on his face, "You answered my question."
He never said whether it was the answer he wanted to hear, nor did he explain why he'd asked his question in the first place, but you hoped, from his appearance, that he was happy with your answer.
"It is late, and you should get to sleep."
I could say the same for you, old man, was on the tip of your tongue, but you remembered this wasn't Loki who you could fool around with. After your lengthy conversation with Odin, however, you got the sense that he was more chill than you thought. You even guessed he'd laugh at your teasing if you'd indeed said what was on your mind, but you still kept it off your tongue.
"Walk with me back inside?" he offered, standing up and holding out his arm.
You took it with a smile, heading for the path out of the balcony.
"Is Thor the only family member who doesn't know of this place, or does he know too?"
"He is aware of its existence. Frigga showed them both. I was one of the first to bring their mother here, something they may not know. It was her place to come and escape from the world, a pattern followed by Loki it would seem. It is fitting he would show you."
"Oh, well, I actually kinda found it by accident when I first came here, also by accident. I was trying to hide from Loki, actually. Funny when you think about it."
"Yet fortune brought you to the one place he frequents."
"Yeah, I'd say it's unfortunate, but all turned out well. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise?"
"The only disguises are those we choose to see. If your meeting that day led to where you two are now, that is a blessing."
You re-entered the palace, bidding Odin goodnight.
"Goodnight, dear. Thank you for giving me your time."
"Thank you for being so kind! I'd always wanted to meet you, I just never thought you'd want to meet me...especially with how much I can ramble."
"You speak your mind, as anyone should. You say neither too much, nor too little."
"Your son might disagree with part of that claim," you laughed, "But I can now tell him his father says otherwise."
"Indeed you can," he smiled, "Rest well."
With a nod and kind expression, he turned in the opposite direction. You watched him go for a few seconds, before noticing you were staring. It was just so weird to have spoken with him. He wasn't as old or weak looking as in Ragnarok, still maintaining that grit and fire he possessed in the first two Thor movies. That, paired with his gentle manner, gave such a loveable and awe-inspiring aura about him. You smiled about the things he'd said, happy that he and Loki were on the mend. Despite how increasingly awkward his words could have made things between you and Loki in your mind, you somehow felt more free. He'd not pushed any notion that the two of you were anything more than friends, even if you suspected he thought it was a possibility. He had such a wise "let things play out how they're gonna play out" position on the matter, instilling this sense of relief that, for better or worse, things would make themselves known in the end, and you didn't have to spend your time worrying. You and Loki could just be friends, and anything more on either of your parts would show itself eventually...even if you still claimed it would come to nothing. Entering your room once again, you were now able to change and flop down peacefully in your bed. The sound of crickets was carried in on the gentle breeze from the balcony, leading you into a pleasant sleep.