A/N: I haven't written in a very long time so this feels awkward. Any constructive criticism would be appreciated, thanks for reading this anyway!
Glasses clinked as people toasted one another, soft laughter like chimes floating through the room. The open ballroom with its gold and cream curtains, large windows looking out onto a sea of green trees and a night sky with a gleaming slice of moon, was filled with restrained happiness. Even the lights were a subdued pale golden hue, very much unlike the neons that were usually favoured by the host, Tony Stark.
Tony himself sat at a table, surrounded by others like him. Well dressed men with lots of money and a penchant for small talk disguising the real big talk. He looked utterly bored out of his mind, only Pepper's hand on his arm keeping him anchored there.
It was a glamorous night and while Thor did not know how to feast in such a restrained manner, he enjoyed himself nonetheless. Perhaps it was as simple as the presence of his lady, Jane Foster, at his side but this was a lot more fun than the last few fetes he had attended.
"Oh hey, there's Dr Koothrappali from Caltech, Thor, we have to talk to him!" She said excitedly and dragged him over to a small dark man stood, awkwardly bobbing his head to the beat. When Jane and he drew near the man froze, eyes growing wide. "Dr Koothrappali!" Jane said excitedly.
Instead of responding in words the man smiled tightly before grabbing drink off the trays being circulated and downed it in one go. "Dr Foster. And Thor. I'm a huge fan!"
"Thank you." Thor answered.
"I meant of Dr Foster but I'm a fan of the Avengers too. Even dressed up as you for a Halloween party once." He grinned bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"Thank you for your consideration."
"It's cool, we drew names out of a hat, I was just glad not to be Black Widow again." The man nodded his head knowingly.
"Umm Dr Koothrappali, I was wondering if we could talk astrophysics." Jane asked, the smile on her face nearly breaking it in half.
"Suuure." He said and grabbed another glass from a tray, downing it quickly before offering his arm to Jane Foster and Thor was left alone once again.
He watched his comrades as they circulated in the crowd around him. Tony was clearly annoying Pepper if the exasperated look on her face was anything to go by, Natasha was laughing at something a rather rich man was telling her and Thor could tell even from the distance that she was not fond of him at all but was squeezing him for all he was worth, Bruce was trying to make himself as small as possible in the corner but not quite succeeding as Jane and Dr Koothrappali joined him. Even Steve had found himself a dance partner.
The captain and his partner drew closer to where Thor was and they turned in a circle clearly laughing and as they did so, Thor got his first look at the woman and was puzzled.
He could have sworn he'd seen her before.
But not on Midgard, every single person he'd met since falling to Midgard with his powers gone all those years ago were carefully remembered and this woman was not on that list. But where could she possibly be from? Not Asgard, certainly and not Vanaheim either. She could not be one of the Jotnar, nor Alfar nor Dvergar and certainly not Eldjotnar.
So where had he seen her?
Luckily, Steve and she were coming near where he was, Steve having spotted him sitting there all alone so perhaps he would have the chance to ask her himself.
"Thor, you look lonely."
"Captain."
"I told you, off duty it's just Steve."
"And who might you be milady?" Thor asked the woman.
"Therese." She smiled softly. "Therese York."
"Therese, this is Thor."
"Thor Odinson, prince of Asgard at your service." Thor said hoping the use of his title would coax her into telling him what realm she came from.
"It's nice to meet you Thor." She said plainly before turning her attention to Steve. "And thank you for the dance even though you were pushed into it."
"My pleasure Ma'am."
"Have we met before?" Thor asked before she could leave. He was trying and failing to place her in any of his memories.
She startled, taken aback. "Pardon?"
"I'm certain I've seen you before."
"No, we've never met, I'm sorry. I just have one of those faces I guess." She said laughingly.
Only she didn't have one of those faces, he would not forget the name that belonged to it so easily. She had rather a pretty one, oval shaped face, rosebud mouth and big doe eyes coloured a flinty grey and he could swear he'd seen the heart shaped mole on her collarbone before. He was also sure he'd seen panic flash in those eyes when he asked if they'd met before but she hadn't recognised him either. So why was she afraid and what was she afraid of?
"Are you certain?"
"I think I'd remember meeting you." She said but stepped back the smile dimming a bit. He must have scared her, Thor realised and rubbed his hand on the back of his neck, thoroughly chastised. "I'll be leaving now, thank you again Steve."
"You're welcome."
She hurried off then, stopping to say her goodbyes to Pepper and kissing her cheeks before leaving and the second she was out of sight Steve turned on him.
"What was that all about?"
"I swear I've seen her before."
"Doubt it big guy, Pepper said she's some hot shot designer, notoriously reclusive."
"Lady Pepper knows of her?" It didn't surprise Thor, Pepper Potts knew almost everybody important. Perhaps she could help him place her.
"Well yeah, she's the one who told us to dance. Pep found the most old-fashioned person she could and tried to set her up with me." Steve laughed. "What a waste of her time, that dame's clearly taken."
"She is?"
"Judging by the ring on her left hand, definitely."
Thor didn't care about her ring, he just wished he knew why she was so familiar and yet unfamiliar at the same time.
"So you're heading back to Asgard soon, right?"
"Yes, my father had need of me for a diplomatic mission."
And there he would get the answers he was seeking. Heimdall saw all after all.