Hey my peeps!
This is the 2nd story in my Iron Maiden series. It is from Thor's point of view since that was requested and it also has his, Sif's, and Hogun's reactions to Jane's lies. You also see more of Darcy/Tony! And I hint about another pairing (Clint/Natasha/Phil)!
I have had a few readers criticizing me over my slight Jane bash, despite the fact that I have put character bashing notices everywhere. This is my response to those readers:
"I didn't make her a mustache twirling ultra baddy. I made Jane a woman who was made bitter because she was in a society that holds soulmates and soul marks as the epitome of love and since she didn't have one she felt that she could never be loved like most of the population is.
She sees Thor and thinks if she can convince him that he is her soulmate she can have a better life on an alien planet as the wife of a Prince God. She just didn't realize that Thor had his own version of a soulmark and wouldn't believe her.
I was going to explain this in the next part of the series. Jane is being bashed in this story because this is from Darcy's view and she sees a woman who is cruel and mean to both her and others for no reason. Not evil, just bitter and lashing out at others due to her own sad circumstances.
Keep an eye out for the 3rd part of the series I will explain this in more detail from Jane's view."
On a happier note, this was 2,297 words when I started and 3,025 words when I posted!
I own nothing, no copyright infringement is intended. I make no money off of this.
Gossip and Rumors Involving Earth's Mightiest Heroes
Thor was extremely happy. He looked around at the people surrounding him and felt at peace.
Tony and his Lady Darcy were in the room picking (bickering about) which Instagram filter to use for their 'coming out.' Clint and Natasha had reunited with the Son of Coul and were reaffirming their bond with one another while in the privacy of their room.
The Lady Pepper was flicking through legal documents a StarkPad and muttering about incompetent lawyers while Happy smiled fondly at her (as if watching her say death threats was cute – it kind of was until you saw her high heels and wondered is she could actually do what she said).
But the greatest reasons for his happiness were sitting beside him. Hogun and their Lady Sif.
When he decided to be the protector of this realm his mates had come with him. Midgard was now one of the most protected worlds other than his own native Asgard.
He was glad they came with him; he did not think he would have protected the realm without them, no matter how fond he became of Midgardians. He looked to Darcy, he likely would have taken her back to Asgard with him to protect her, that was how fond he was of her, even his mates held a special regard for the Midgardian with the sharp mouth and great wit.
Thor remembered those long and better days where they were separated by the All-Father. After he attempted to destroy Jotenheim his punishment was harsh, He was to learn the humility needed of a King…without his mates.
That was the worst part of the punishment, the need to be next to your mate is almost unbearable, nearly nothing can distract from it. He was almost thankful to Loki for both providing that distraction and also for providing the catalyst needed to prove his worth as a future King of Asgard. Even if that is not what he intended it for.
Darcy also soothed his restlessness; she became the little sister he never knew he wanted. Almost as soon as he met her he felt a need to protect her, but she was adept at protecting herself as she showed him. He felt proud that she wielded his element with ease; he also helped her create designs for more high-powered weapons. He loved that his element would become her signature offensive and defensive force.
For as long as she and her line lived they would always have an affinity for his element, that was his gift to her. It could never be used to harm her. He would not tell her of his gift instead leave it to be a surprise for when her children are weaned. He looked forward to their reactions.
Erik soon became a friend also. He was amusing in his attempt to match him drink for drink, but he was no match for Thor's godly countenance. They had a relationship similar to Volstagg and Thor, only without the wars, less of the drinking games, and more of the discussions on life and the truths and falsehoods written about Thor in Midgardian Mythology.
Jane he was sure could have been another good friend had she been willing to accept that role, but she didn't. Thor felt conflicted about her, there were moments where she was genuine and enthusiastic about her work, but then it was almost like a switch came on and she returned to being angry and attempting to ensnare him.
He was used to people attempting to use him, he was a Prince! It was practically a requirement to have people try and use you for their own benefit.
He remembered her rather crass attempt.
He was walking through the room looking at all of the machines as Darcy explained what they were meant to do. She had also pulled out the data that showed his form falling from the bridge. The form was surrounded by the rainbow of lights that was common with each use, to the side his hammer could also be seen.
"You have such a big butt we almost couldn't tell it was a human form." Darcy had teased.
Thor thundered a laugh and was about to reply when Jane stepped in. "Thor? Can I talk to you."
Thor was curious, she hadn't displayed any interest in him other than to benefit her research. "Yes Lady Jane." He made no move to leave.
"In private?" Jane looked around glancing at Darcy who looked confused.
"Of course." He followed her out of the room into her trailer.
She let him in and closed the door behind him. "I don't know if you know, but there have been a few changes in humankind since you were last here. Within the last 800 years we have evolved to have soulmate marks."
"Yes, Lady Darcy tol-" Jane interrupted him.
"They are usually the first words that are spoken to each other."
Thor nodded, "They differ from Asg-" Jane once again interrupted him.
She took of her shirt giving Thor a view of her breasts incased in blue lace. Thor however didn't look at her, as soon as she took off her shirt he turned to the side. He would never disrespect his mates by gazing at another unclothed.
She pouted at him looking away, but turned around and said, "Look."
Thor still wouldn't look, "what would I be looking at?"
Jane thought he was playing coy. "At my soulmark, you are my soulmate." At that Thor's head whipped to look at her in shock.
"That is not-" he began.
"I know it's hard to believe but we have these on earth and they are your first words to me that's how I knew it was you."
"I am not confused. Asgardians have had soulmarks since before Midgardians evolved to get it. It was actually introduced by Asgardians when they mated with mortals, but the short lifespan caused it to manifest in words. For Asgardians it manifests in a symbol that lights up when you are ready for your soulmate. And worthy of them."
Jane looked confused, "Asgardians have soulmarks?"
"Yes. It is a mark" he buttoned open his shirt and on his chest were two alien symbol, "These are representation of our bonds and this glows when we are worthy of our mates, it took me to my 503rd year to be worthy of Sif and another 1,243 to be worthy of Hogun."
He looked at her mark, "I have seen the marks of Midgardians who are mated to Asgardians and they are written in our language not yours. I also only bear two marks. I do not believe I am your mate."
Jane had spent the rest of the time attempting to convince Thor that maybe his wasn't there because his mark though he was not worthy of her.
Thor was not convinced and tried to stay away from her. He explained that he only had two marks for his two mates, it was impossible for her to be his third if he had only two marks.
Darcy eventually cornered him and asked him what happened, since Jane was playing a wounded victim. "What happened between you two?"
Thor looked at his shield-sister, "She thought to convince me that we were soulmates, but her marks were not correct and I did not bear hers."
"What!?" Interrupted Darcy, "Sorry to stop you but I cant believe she would fake a mark! The first day I was here my sweater slipped and she saw my mark and she got all snooty and annoyed and told me to cover up that mistake of nature."
"Mistake of Nature?" He questioned.
"Ya, that is what the Anti-Soulmark League calls them. They are the people that have no soulmates so they band together and find someone else who doesn't have a soulmark. They believe that it is the de-evolution of humanity that caused soulmarks, that we could not pick proper mates so nature took over and took away free will. That's how I knew she didn't have a mark."
"They see it as a curse."
Darcy shook her head, "They see it as the loss of free will officially, but unofficially they try and disprove the compatibility of soulmates. They have a bunch of bogus studies out, they now spend a good amount of time attempting to prove that a higher power doesn't exist, since that is where most believe the soulmarks came from, God. I personally think that they hate that they don't have a soulmate so much that they try to ruin it for others."
Thor looked sad, "It is an awful life to live without a soulmate."
"Ya it is, sometimes the only thing that had kept me going was the fact that 'Duct Tape' guy is out there waiting for me." Darcy looked at him.
"Yes, even when I felt I had nothing the marks on my chest told me that soon I would have two loving mates made especially for me by the All-Father."
He and Darcy found out later that she had gotten the mark tattooed on herself when the tattoo artist called to made sure she hadn't gotten infected.
Darcy was not happy, but Thor told her to leave it alone since she still needed the credits that Jane refused to sign of off.
Thor did not make a scene, but made sure Jane knew that he knew she was not his soulmate. He was then distracted by the return of the rest of the Warriors Three and his Lady Sif and the battle that followed with the Destroyer.
He bid Midgard and his friends goodbye and left with them to stop his brother. Now that Asgard was in peace he had returned to Midgard to protect it from the other realms now that Midgard had come back to their memory, when the Asgardian prince returned and stories spread.
When he came back Sister-Lady Darcy had found her 'Duct Tape' man and was even more angered with Jane since she had once again attempted to spread that Thor was her soulmate so that he would look like the bad party for abandoning her to be with other Asgardians.
Unfortunately for Jane the Lady Sif had returned with her mate and had had some words with Jane. Thor did not know what was said only that Jane no longer said she was his mate. Tony moved Jane from the Avengers Apartments and in with the regular Stark Industries Housing since he didn't want any problems with anyone.
Of all of the Asgardians it was Hogun that had sympathies for Jane, and that was the only reason she wasn't fired. Hogun knew the bitterness that came with believing you had no mate. Hogun was the oldest of the three mates and as such had no mark for hundreds of years and it took even longer for him to know who they were and for them to be worthy of him.
He knew what it was like to attach your affections to someone and hope against hope that they could be yours. But unlike Jane he never descended into trickery to get a mate, he waited and prayed to Odin that he would receive a mate.
And Odin gave him two, one from his own loins and another as a gift for his long wait.
Hogun knew that Jane was infatuated with him and in her mind saw herself as the future Queen of Asgard and he pitied her for her lack of a soulmate.
Jane's blood must not have had enough Asgardian magic for her to be granted a mate. Since soulmates were a gift from the All Father to those of Asgardian blood. All those who had mates were descendants of Asgardians who came to Midgard to 'sow their wild oats' - as they say here - before they met their mates.
Lady Darcy, he could tell, had strong magic in her veins, he could not tell if she was a descendant of Loki or Odin (he could make convincing arguments for both at times). Tony was a great (lots of greats) grandchild of Baldur - Thor's brother - before his death 1,500 years ago. It explained why they all felt a camaraderie with each other.
Hogun knew that if he looked hard enough he could find his own descendants and those of his mates.
Sif hated Jane however; she did not pity her like Hogun did. She felt that the girl should not have attempted to entrap Thor; she hated the idea that if the Aseir had no marks that he would have taken Jane for her word and believed them to be life mates.
Thor was too trusting for a prince, that is why she and Hogun balanced him. Between the two of them they could provide the skepticism and suspicion that Thor lacked.
She never wanted to picture a future where that girl would be on Thor's arm instead of herself and Hogun.
Luckily she never would.
She wrapped her arms around both Hogun and Thor she was leaning in to kiss them when suddenly a yell broke out.
"I'm telling you the third picture in the Willow filter is best! Tony I'm not letting you put me on Twitter as your soulmate looking less than my best! You've dated models before!"
"But I like the sixth picture in the Valencia filter better!" He argued. "And you are much better than the models!"
"I don't care what you like, I'm telling you this one is much more classy. It looks like a great picture of us with my soulmark showing tastefully and elegantly."
"I don't care about classy! I prefer the one where it looks like the curve of your boob is in it. Everyone will be jealous of your rack."
An exasperated sigh is heard, "No Tony that one was taken for you not the general public. It's private."
"…Fine." He said sulkily.
0o.o0o.o0
Tony Stark meets Soulmate, Announces it on Twitter with Two Pictures!
"Personally I liked the back and white picture best, it was very tasteful and shows the affection between the two of them. The other one Tony Stark released however, with the caption 'Be jealous' was a little too risqué for me. But from the Twitter argument between him and his soulmate Darcy Lewis it looks like he put it on without her knowledge."
A male reporter shook his head and said, "I don't blame him though, I was jealous when I saw that picture. If she was my soulmate I would do that too!"
Another newscaster said, "Yes Lewis stopped following him for a little bit after that stunt of Starks. She re-followed him later when he bought her a personal strawberry PopTart factory."
"She did however tweet that it was more for her good friend Thor since she 'spent so much money keeping him with his addictions' but said that she does like PopTarts too, just not enough to own an entire factory!"
"It's the thought that counts though right?"
Looking at the TV screen Tony, Darcy, and the three Asgardian Soulmates look to each other.
Darcy looking surprised turns to Tony and says, "I can't believe our Twitter battle is on the morning news, don't they have something better to report? Like the fact that there was a female Iron Man Suit fighting when the DoomBots attacked yesterday?"
Tony shrugged, "Maybe they didn't notice since they were too busy scouring our Twitter accounts."
I was inspired by Amusewithaview's "Nothing but love in view" Series on Archive of our own. If you have not read her stuff, you should. She pretty much corners the market on Avenger soulmate fics.
The third part of the Series will have Jane's POV and Reactions so that the readers can see more from her point of view.
Leave me promps on pairings and situations if you want to see them!
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