Agatha had started her campaign against General Ross. Jarvis and Friday were a huge help. Her plan had to change slightly. The public's attention was still on what had happened recently. Some people, particularly in the USA, were quite happy that a man, albeit a non-enhanced one, had stood up to the Avengers. Agatha and her team still enjoyed a good reputation, but she would prefer to maintain it. She didn't want the situation to get too personal for her and her team.
As a result, Friday and Jarvis sowed the seed of doubt. They dropped a comment here, a tip to a journalist there. The process was taking longer than what she would have wanted. The media had that tendency to put the blame on Tony for everything, even if he had no involvement or influence in the event.
It gave them a chance to catch a breath and to live a little, as normally as they could. Hela wanted to explore this new world. They would start with New York. Things needed to be done little by little. Hela's mental health was their priority. She was more fragile than what she would let on. Agatha was ready to woo her properly. They had to catch up on a lot of things.
Tony had suggested a number of potential places for dates for Agatha. Tha man had his own plans centred on Hope, while Bruce might have some ideas concerning Loki. Dating wasn't easy for famous superheroes. Everybody was always recognising them wherever they went and even if they loved to interact with the people, sometimes they just wanted to enjoy their dates. Their relationships were at different stages but love was definitely in the air.
"The food on Midgard is truly extraordinary," Hela remarked in the Italian restaurant Agatha had chosen for them.
Having lived for so many years in the dark without anything, Hela had become hungry for everything life would throw her way. Before dinner, they visited one of the numerous museums of New York where the art, regardless of the form or time period, spoke to the goddess in many ways. Those things were made by people from all walks of life. In some ways, those works were life, all the opposite of what she was supposed to embody. They all had a second chance at life. They could be whoever they wanted to be. Nobody could stop them.
"I don't mind all the restaurants and outings, but when are we going to take things to the next level? I love the food and spending this time with you. All the courtship is causing us to waste a lot of precious time."
Hela had a direct way of speaking her mind, and Agatha couldn't deny that she had a point. Despite feeling a bit nervous, Agatha couldn't help but smile. She had been on edge for some time, trying to build up the courage to kiss Hela. It was almost like she was back in her youth, second-guessing herself about everything constantly. Agatha should have known better, especially about anything concerning Hela.
Everything was just right now. They were sitting in a booth, shielded from prying eyes. Soft lighting and a flickering candle set the mood. The day had been fantastic, and the food had been even better. Agatha finally leaned in closer to Hela. Their kiss was unhurried and gentle. They would no longer waste time, but they would still enjoy every aspect of their relationship. The life ahead of them would be beautiful, they promised themselves that.
Agatha and Hela decided to walk back to the tower, relishing their newfound intimacy. On Asgard, such a display of affection would not have been tolerated. The Aesirs did not approve of same-sex relationships. If two women were caught together, they would face harsh punishment, but it paled in comparison to the punishment for two men. That wasn't right in any case. The matters of the heart should never be under Odin's control. Despite everything that had happened, there was a silver lining.
In the common room, Loki and Bruce were engrossed in a movie when Agatha and Hela returned from their date. The men invited them to watch alongside them. Both of them were seated as close together as they could without appearing overly intimate. It made Agatha feel sad. The weight of Asgard's backward views had taken its toll on Loki. Bruce wasn't an Aesir. He wasn't going to live forever. For the sake of everyone, she hoped that Idunn's tree would bear many fruits as soon as possible.
"So, you two are finally an item?" asked the scientist with a knowing smile.
Agatha and Hela smiled in response, knowing no further comment was necessary. Bruce appeared to gain some confidence as a result. He understood that, given Loki's upbringing, he might have to take the lead in their relationship, but that was okay. Loki had been raised in a wrong environment resulting in a lot of trauma. Bruce believed Loki was one of the strongest people he had ever met. If he needed help once and a while there was nothing wrong with that.
Since the day Betty had come to give all the proof she had against her own father, she and Bruce had the chance to talk about their past relationship. The appearance of the Hulk was not the only reason for their split. Betty had given it much thought, and it had helped her move on without any resentment for their shared past. They had both made mistakes, and they needed to grow from them. They had agreed to remain close friends, and Bruce promised to be there for her whenever she needed him.
When Bruce took Loki's hand in his, the god said nothing. He had purposefully kept his gaze fixed on the screen. His body automatically stiffened. He didn't want to give in to that instinctive reaction. Loki only wanted to be as close to Bruce as he could possibly be in every way. Those kinds of reactions were so deeply ingrained in him that his first response would be to flee the situation entirely. He thought that the punishment he would invariably receive would not be worth the fleeting moment of happiness. Asgard was still in the back of his mind. Loki was determined to break free from that mindset.
Loki made an effort to relax his body and returned the light pressure of Bruce's hand. The sensation was pleasant, and even if it wasn't meant to last, even if he was to be punished for it, Bruce was worth it. He would savour every moment of it. Midgard was nothing like Asgard, and he needed to keep that in mind.
Hope had to return to the West Coast because Pym Technologies occasionally required its CEO to be on-site once in a while. Agatha offered to teleport her there and reminded her to contact her when she wanted to return. Hope would never put her responsibilities aside, but she really didn't want to go. She couldn't shake the feeling that leaving would result in something terrible. The feeling was not unfounded. That was how a superhero's life was.
"I'm coming too!" Tony said, walking toward the women." I need to work on my tan."
"I'm going there to do some work you know." said Hope with a smile.
She didn't want Tony to feel forced to do anything for her.
"Exactly! I'll have plenty of time to myself. Your house has a swimming pool right?"
"I'm afraid not. It is a townhouse."
"Oh well, I hope your neighbours are still not easily offended." Tony laughed.
The three of them disappeared from the tower soon after to reappear in Hope's living room immediately. Agatha didn't overstay her welcome and went back to New York as soon as she was sure that both Hope and Tony were not affected by the travel.
Tony was not used to being a guest in someone else's house. People assumed that because he was a billionaire, he should be the one to provide, that it was the least he could do. Tony was always the one who had to pay, who had to give everything and anything. People wanted to see inside the lives of the rich and famous and expected to see exactly what they expected it to be. If they saw what they had imagined, they were disappointed, if not outright angry. And if the lifestyle wasn't grandiose enough, they simply refused to believe it.
Hope was quite wealthy, but she was also very down to earth and Tony loved that. But now, in the middle of someone else's living room, he had no idea what to do with himself. Hope had gone somewhere else in the house, leaving him standing between the sofa and the armchair. The place appeared to have been well lived in and had a homely feel to it. Maybe Hope and Tony would live together one day. He will definitely follow her lead when it comes to decorating.
"There." said Hope, giving him a cup of coffee. "You can sit down, you know."
For a guy who didn't like being handed things, Tony had no trouble getting things from Hope. She had his trust. The genius had previously fallen in love, but never like this.
"You know, you didn't have to come," she said as she sat down on the sofa. "You don't even have a change of clothes."
"What's the point of having money if you can't buy a pair of jeans and a t-shirt when you need them?"
When she finally sat down, she smiled and pressed herself against him. The CEO would soon have to go out there and remind everyone who was in charge. Tony would most likely wander around San Francisco, at the very least to buy clothes, but also to look through jewellery stores for a special item. He desired something unique for Hope. Price wasn't an issue for him, but he wanted to find something meaningful rather than something expensive. That little trip had provided him with the ideal opportunity to go ring shopping while keeping it a secret from everyone else. Tony wanted these things to remain between Hope and him until she said yes.
The ceremony would then take place close to Idunn's magnificent tree, of course. Tony couldn't think of a more meaningful or lovely location for their wedding. They would all be dressed in white, with flowers everywhere. Rhodey would obviously be his best man, and Agatha would be Hope's bridesmaid. Idunn would say the words with their small family present. If the US didn't approve of their unconventional ceremony, they could always sign a marriage licence at some point. Tony even considered ways to bring Friday, Jarvis, and the bots into the forest. The genius may have to build artificial bodies for them. And if not, then why not?
Tony realised he may have been overthinking things. After all, he hadn't even proposed yet. He was getting ahead of himself. Hope might want an entirely different type of wedding altogether. They had plenty of time to consider their options. Tony was confident that they would find a solution that would make them both happy and allow them to enjoy their special day.
"Thank you for coming with me, Tony," Hope said.
"It's the least I could do, Hope. I know it's not easy for you to stay in New York," Tony replied.
"The team is there. You are there." Hope said with a smile.
Their time in San Francisco was perfect in every way. Everything was going swimmingly. The press was too preoccupied with finding more information on General Ross to pay attention to Tony's presence in San Francisco. Their plan was working out perfectly, even better than they had hoped.
And then, Steve and his band of merry morons broke out the raft, leaving a trail of death and destruction in their wake. They would never stop being annoying for Tony and his team.