The clock's arm was ticking unbearably loud.
Eva smoothed out her apron one more time. They were late.
It wasn't a surprise with her daughter, not really. Jane had probably dragged the poor boy into numerous shops along the way, where the product could help with her scientific projects, especially the Einstein-Rosen Bridge, with which she had been obsessed with the last years.
She breathed in slowly, then blew the air out through her nostrils, until her lungs were almost empty.
An alien. Yes, her daughter had always been special, but to have an alien - one who was considered to be a god by the Norses! - fall for her... Never ever in her life did she see that coming.
Of course, she herself didn't expect to be in love with anybody that came from another country. And back then aliens and other creatures did not besiege Manhattan on a daily routine. To which they apparently they have taken a liking, then moved onto England so this half of the globe would not feel left out.
She certainly hoped that Godzilla will remain a creature of fantasy and that Daleks won't be invading London anytime soon, either. Although the Dark Elves - that's what Jane said they were called - were almost as good as those trash-bins. Luckily they didn't have those damage-absorbing shields and were proven to be almost as sensitive to guns as humans are.
She looked at the clock once again. It was half past three. They were an hour late. She'll have to heat the food. Again.
It was entirely too silent for her liking, only the tick-tock of the clock disrupting it. Perhaps she should get rid of it and get a digital one. If it's silence it is, then it better be a complete silence.
As she turned on the cooker, the doorbell rang. Why does she always have to begin something so that something else she had been waiting for will happen?
"Great goodness," she murmured, letting the soup heat up as she went to the door, fidged with the locks a bit before she opened it. The first thing she saw was Jane's face, shining with excitement, worry and anxiety, before she was pulled into a hug.
So much like her father.
"Mom!" she said, as she was released, "Hi! Sorry for being late, we had an unfortunate crossing of paths with a..." she looked at the man behind her, apparently having forgotten the name of the creature.
"A wendigo," he helped her out.
"A wendigo," Jane repeated, "Yes."
"You're here, that's what matters," Eva said, putting on a smile that said "though we will have words about taking on supernatural creatures later on", before turning to the black-haired male and offered her hand, "And you must be Thor."
She didn't miss her daughter's flinch and how the man froze up for a millisecond, before giving her a charming smile and accepting the handshake.
"Yes. It's a pleasure to meet you. And you must be Eva, Jane's mother."
Obviously. The boy - god or no, he looked younger than her, and so she was fully within her rights to call him one, especially if they matured on another scale than humans - was surely not accustomed to introducing himself one's parents.
She knew he was royalty,Darcy told her so much in-between her mysterious laughs, grins and giggles, so that much was to be expected.
She was thankfully saved by the timer screaming in the kitchen.
"That'll be the soup. A moment. Have a seat, if you would."
"Thank you," he nodded before pulling a chair out for Jane first who giggled like a schoolgirl. Did she not raise her better than that?
At least she seemed happy, whether he was truly Thor or not. She wouldn't know; after one fiasco with the media, she closed them out the best she could. Her only way of information were the newspapers and at times the radio, which didn't concern themselves with the Avengers, rather the new British and other European superheroes popping up here and there, some of whom became members of SHE, and others who continued on being solo.
At least the soup was warm enough, if she had so many problems with it.
Picking out a piece of wood from the drawer, she went back to the dining room, carefully as not to pour out the soup. The two seemed to be engaged in a rather serious conversation and Thor seemed not too happy about Jane's chosen topic; though judging from the maniacal light in her daughter's eyes, she certainly was. She had an affinity for that.
Too much like her father.
"That just doesn't work like that," Thor breathed out exasperated as she put the bowl down to the table. Jane slapped her thigh to emphasise her disagreement.
"But it could! If we would only..."
"Ehem," coughed Eva quietly. The two looked at her in surprise, jerked out from whatever world they were in. "Perhaps we should begin eating?"
"Ah! Yes. Sure."
For a long while only the clinking of the spoons could be heard. The man's face revealed nothing - nor distaste, nor the fact that he'd like the simple dish.
Though she doubted that. Certainly as royalty amongst gods, he ate food that couldn't be even compared with her cooking, even if she was always proud of it.
She always got sprayed in the face when she had thoughts like that. First, by her friends then by Jane's father.
"It's not healthy," he declared once, "And kind of pointless. What if there is somebody who is a better cook then you? Let them be happy with it and get over it. You're still the second best."
"Mmmm! It was really good, Mom!" Eva smiled.
"Thank you dear. Could you take away the plates and bring in the second course?"
"Sure."
"I'll help," Thor rose as well, but was quickly pushed back onto his seat.
"You, stay. You're the guest."
"But."
"No," Jane said, piling up the plates in one hand and picking up the bowl with the other. Thor made a surprised face, apparently not being used to her being willfull. Then, they were left alone, with only a few noises from the kitchen.
"You have a... Nice home," he commented finally. She nodded.
"I suppose it can be called that. Though I doubt it's what you've gotten used to on..."
"Asgard."
"There." A small smile flickered on his face.
"Indeed. But a few things feel nostalgic, actually."
"Do they?"
"Yes," he said, his eyes scanning the room once more, hovering on the vase of daisies, standing before the picture she had taken of the lily-of-the-valley last spring for a moment, before turning back to her "She much preferred the same flowers. At least, flowers that look like this."
"Mom, did you want to make me feel embarrassed on purpose?" Jane all but shouted as she brought out the clean plates.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Yes, you do," her daughter said, pointing an accusing finger at her, "You wanted to refer to my inability to make anything more complicated than scrambled eggs. You deliberately try to make me look bad in everything."
"I protest against these accusations. I'd never ever do something like that. What kind of mother would I be?"
"Would too."
"Would not."
"Would too. And don't try to deny it. There was that time with Donald..."
"That was for your own good and you know it," Eva said, her blood boiling at the mention of that doctor who left her daughter all, but broken. She knew that something was off about him the moment he stepped through her door, but Jane, in her love-struck state, would not listen to her and it left her in the end devastated.
The look Thor gave them said that he didn't know anything about a Donald.
"I know. But my point stands."
"Who is this Donald?" he asked, genuinely curious. Although some kind of darkness to his tone; as if he registered Eva's strong dislike towards the other man.
"My ex," Jane said, suddenly closed off. "Let's eat."
Things became even more awkward if it was possible that day. Thor continued on trying to inquire after Donald Blake and her daughter continued to saying "maybe another time", regretting hundred times over that she ever mentioned him.
Thank goodness, it was over soon and Jane volunteered to the dishes to escape the room.
Eva turned to Thor. They might as well get over with it.
"All right. This is usually supposed to be a father to boyfriend talk, but as things are... What is my daughter to you?"
"Excuse me?" Eva gave him a hard glare.
"Just answer the question. A god straight out from myths don't usually go after us normies, unless he has a special reason."
"She..." Thor was silent for a moment, apparently searching for words to express himself, "Changed my life. Fort the past few years, I wasn't exactly a good man. She changed that. She slapped some sense in me, you could say," a fond smile played around his lips, "And I never want to go down that road again, for no good things came out of it, even though my intentions were different."
"All because of her."
"Yes." Eva nodded, smiling.
"She has that effect on people."
"Tell me about it. Half of Asgard changed their views towards sorcery and Midgard because of her. She can be... Really enthusiastic and persuasive. And has a mean right hook. Which she knows and fully intends to use."
"Yes, that sounds like Jane," she nodded, smiling before leaning forward. "Just so we are clear on this; so far, I like you. But if you hurt Jane, in any way or form, alien or no, I'll make you regret it. You can count on that. And I don't give a flying cow whether you are actually a god, or you aren't."
"Oh, I believe you. I would never..."
First, it was the vases clinging that signaled the tremors. Jane's head popped out from the kitchen.
"Lo... Thor? I think you should see this."
DAISY- Innocence; Loyal Love; I'll Never Tell; Purity
LILY-0F-THE-VALLEY - Sweetness; Tears of the Virgin Mary; Return to Happiness; Humility; You've Made My Life Complete
This was a prompt I found on a Lokane fanfic prompts tumblr. It's awesome. Look it up.