Setting: Pre-Civil War in NY when everything in the MCU was hunky-dory, thus no major Thor: Ragnarok spoilers. If you don't wish to be confused while reading this, I do advise you have at least seen the first 20 minutes of Ragnarok.
"Pardon me, could you help me with something? I'm not sure I'm in the right building." Spoke a deep, accented voice from the lobby.
The curly headed brunette darts her eyes away from the computer screen and glances across her desk to see none other than Thor, the mighty Avenger.
"Oh!" The young woman gasps and abruptly leaps up from her chair. "Mr. Odinson, hello! Yes, you're in the right place. Welcome to WMCU-FM! We've been expecting you. The station is very excited to have you join us on the air this morning. I'm Allison, the receptionist."
With enthusiasm, Allison extends her petite hand for Thor to shake and he does so gently.
"Hello Allison! I am excited to be here. This is my first time being interviewed for radio."
Allison grins up at him as he speaks and gives him a once over, taking in his beige bomber jacket, the black umbrella he's holding in his grip, and finally the fact that his hammer is nowhere in sight.
"Did you walk here, by chance?" She suddenly asks. "I was told Mr. Stark had sent a car for you."
"He did, but I thought I would go on foot and enjoy the outdoors."
Allison's nose wrinkles as she peaks behind his broad frame toward the glass door at the grayness outside.
"A shame the weather's turning so nasty. With how dark and dreary it is outside now, I'm certain it's going to storm soon." She sighs.
Thor's smile holds a hint of amusement when he remarks, "Ah yes, I suspected that as well."
She regards his smirk for a moment and then it hits her: he's the God of Thunder.
"Oh um, of course. I do apologize. I didn't… well, it's not that rain is so bad. It can be lovely. It just makes things sort of uh, uncomfortable at times."
Thor chuckles at her flustered state, "I assure you, no offense was taken. Rain is not for everyone."
"But for someone like you, I'm sure it's no bother." The receptionist giggles nervously, "You can probably just make it rain or even stop the rain at will. Can't you?"
"Indeed I can, though most times I find it best to let Mother Nature take her own course, yes?"
He winks at Allison when he says this, and she flushes for the second time that morning.
Reminding herself she's not getting paid to swoon, Allison chokes off another giggle and promptly directs him to the elevator and its appropriate floor.
"Oh, and if you like," She adds, "You may leave your umbrella with me."
Thor watches her stretch out an arm in wait for said umbrella, but there's a slight hesitation upon his face.
"Thank you," He finally answers, "But I won't burden you. I'll use the receptacle here by the door."
The receptionist shrugs good-naturedly, "Whichever you prefer. But I could keep a better eye on it near me, just in case someone tries to walk off with it."
Thor's voice takes on that amused edge once again when he replies, "Trust me, no one will be walking off with this umbrella anytime soon."
An hour and a half had passed by and now a different woman- middle-aged, with silver streaked auburn hair- is sitting at Allison's desk.
One of the newer, paid interns steps off the elevator looking cheerful until he spots her in Allison's seat.
"Oh hi, Valerie. Where's Ali?"
"Hello Brad! Sorry, Allison took her break already." She gives Brad's disappointed look a knowing smile, then tacks on, "Now now, I know I can't measure up to the fabulous Allison, but is there anything I can help you with?"
Brad runs a hand through his thick dark hair and offers her a weak smile. "No, not really. My floor sent me on a coffee run across the street and I was just gonna ask her if she wanted something, on me."
"Aw, ain't that sweet!" Valerie coos.
Brad can almost feel his face heating, but thankfully Valerie lets him off easy this time and drops the subject.
"Well, stay dry out there, hun. It's raining cats and dogs right now."
"What, no!" Brad darts to the door to see for himself and indeed it was pouring in torrents. "Just my luck to leave my umbrella at the apartment today." He grumbles under his breath.
"I'd let you borrow mine, but like a silly goose, I left it in the taxi this morning, But hey, why don't you use one of those umbrellas in the stand over there?"
Brad follows Valerie's gaze over to the umbrella stand by the door. "Are you sure? Don't those belong to people in the building?"
"Well yea, but it's only borrowing. You'll be back in five, ten minutes tops. I'll be here for a while, and if anyone comes to claim one I'll stall 'em for a bit. What do ya say?"
"I guess it won't hurt." He agrees, "Okay, I'll be back in a few."
Pleased, Valerie nods and turns back around to her work station while Brad walks over to the umbrella stand to take his pick of the three that were left.
He sees a good-sized navy blue one, but he can already spot a huge makeshift patch on it, plus there's soggy duct tape wound around the handle.
"Someone's needs a new umbrella." He thinks wryly.
Beside it, there's another smaller, white, Hello Kitty umbrella, with cat ears and all.
"Is there a kid in this building?" Brad wonders to himself.
Nope, definitely not his style.
Ah, here was a simple, black umbrella with a wooden handle which would suit Brad and his short errand just fine.
Mind made up, he swiftly wraps his fingers around the smooth wood and tries to lift it out, but it feels like he's pulling dead weight.
Confused, he tries a second time, giving it a more forceful tug, yet once again it won't budge, as almost as if it's cemented to the stand.
"What the…?" Interjects Brad.
He slowly walks around the stand and examines it from each angle. Everything looks normal. He experimentally runs his hand across the other two remaining umbrellas. They move freely, unlike the black one.
It must be stuck, he assumes. It has to be.
He gives it another good couple of yanks, grunting as he struggles… and it's useless.
At last, Brad gives up, panting hard and perspiring.
When self-consciousness creeps in, he gives the room a visual sweep for curious onlookers, but thankfully the few people who are waiting in the lobby aren't paying him any attention and Valerie is still absorbed by her computer.
"What if this is a prank or something?" Brad ponders.
If he didn't know any better, he'd think there was a magnet on the bottom of that stand. There was only one way for him to check.
Certain that no one is watching him, Brad is prepared to turn the entire umbrella stand upside down; however, just as he's about to, he hears the elevator doors ding.
Out strides this tall, brawny, blond dude sporting a man-bun and a beard. He looks vaguely familiar, but Brad can't place him. He probably was someone at least kind of famous, Brad presumed, for this was a radio station after all. Unfortunately, knowing about the special guests was above Brad's pay grade.
This bearded fella walks directly over to Brad and with an easy smile says, "Good afternoon, excuse me."
Brad cranks his neck up and greets the man, then remembers he's still standing by the door, hovering awkwardly in front of the umbrella stand. He steps aside.
Seconds later, Brad's jaw goes slack and he does a double take as he witnesses this guy effortlessly pulling the umbrella free and into his grasp and stepping out the door without batting an eye.
"How…?" The intern murmurs, mostly to himself, because the blond behemoth and his umbrella were long gone by now.
Turning around to face the receptionist, Brad exclaims, "Val! Val! Did you see that?!"
"See what?"
"Never mind." Brad utters, defeated and exhausted.
Then, swallowing his pride, he grabs the Hello Kitty umbrella and heads out into the rainstorm, cat ears and all.
A/N: Inspired by a deleted scene in Thor: Ragnarok and by yet another email conversation with fellow fanfic writer, Sudoku, that somehow made me imagine what would happen if a random stranger came across Thor's "umbrella." Thanks for persistently prompting me Sudoku, even if half the time you're only teasing. ;)
PS. I called myself making up the WMCU call letters to be clever, but of course I find out it's already an existing station.