Yes, I'm still alive. Life kicked me around a bit but I have been working on the story. It's just been slow.
Just a little bit more and we will be back to Earth. Let's see what's going on in the meantime...
Chapter 16
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They were sitting on the couch in her main office when she felt the first tentative touch. A small tug on her scalp told Jade that he was gently pulling on her hair. She let it go the first time figuring he was just trying to distract her. When it happened three more times she finally turned her head to look at him.
Thor was reclined back into the cushions, the ankle of one leg propped on the opposite knee. He also had a huge grin on his face as his fingers rubbed his chin. Jade gave him the stink eye and returned back to her work.
When she felt it again, she chuckled.
"Is there a particular reason you're messing with my hair?" Jade teased.
"That curl right there" he pointed at her hair as he spoke, "was calling to me."
"Does hair often call to you?"
"No, just that curl so far."
"You're a dork." Jade told him and went back to her tablet. It was a few moments before she felt him again, this time he had snaked his finger through the curl. Turning her head to look at him again, the same smug grin on his face, their gazes held and his finger didn't move.
"Are you flirting with me, Thor Odinson?"
Thor took a moment to think about her question before he answered. Jade giggled at the look on his face which made it seem like a hard question that required a lot of thought. When he met her eyes again, she felt a flutter in her stomach. His smile had softened but she could see something more in his eye.
"I do believe I am milady. You act surprised by that."
"Usually when people flirt with me they want something."
"I do want something." He responded her gaze swinging back at his words. "I simply want your time and attention. In a non-working situation preferably. "
"You're good for my ego." She said, chuckling as she turned back around. Jade felt the cushions shift as he moved closer to her, his warm form pressed into her side, fingers pushing the dark brown curtain behind her ear.
"I can think of no greater compliment to hear from a lady." His words whispered over her ear causing a chill to run down her back. "Except possibly in regards to my prowess in bed." He added, causing Jade to laugh out loud then cover her mouth at the volume.
She finally set the tablet down on the table in front of her and turned to him. His grin was in full effect and disarming as always. Opening her mouth to give him some smart ass retort, Jade found his lips on hers. Her eyes slid shut slowly as his hands came up to frame her face. Relaxing into him her hands slid to rest on his chest, fingers dipping into his skin as he pushed her back into the couch.
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Avengers Compound – Midgard
It was a rare Saturday afternoon where none of the bad guys were being particularly loud about their choices so the team was having a quiet day. Sam had woken up, fixed a big breakfast for anyone interested and then went on a leisurely run with no super soldier lapping him incessantly.
Whistling quietly to himself, he headed down the hallway to the common area to see if anyone was interested in playing some ball when a familiar sound reached his ears. A groan escaped him as he stopped in the middle of the hall and let his head fall back onto his shoulders. He took a few deep breathes and continued down the path until he came to his destination.
Wanda and Nat were sitting by the windows, talking quietly, the younger woman painting the other's nails. Nat didn't usually let others in but she had opened up to the Sokovian a bit after Pietro had died and Bruce disappeared. At least to the Avengers she had. She still appeared cold to everyone else.
Vision floated in the room, glancing over at Wanda before letting his feet hit the floor by the bookcase. He reached up taking something off the shelf and settled into one of the arm chairs nearby. Sam walked further into the room and glanced at the kitchen to his right. Clint was rummaging around in the refrigerator, an exclamation of success leaving him as he closed the door. The smile on his face was boyish, his eyes meeting Sam's as he toasted him with the bottle he held.
Tony, Pepper and Peter sat at the kitchen table, papers strewn out between them working on who knew what. Sam probably didn't want to know so he moved to grab a beer and walked back to the main room. Standing just inside the room he glanced at Steve and rolled his eyes as the blonde super soldier mouthed the words to the song now playing.
"Just look at the world around you, right here on the ocean floor…" Sitting in front of the TV, his feet propped up on the low table, Steve sat back into the cushions, his head barely visible over the back of the furniture. The man was way too serious about his Disney addiction and they had all been subjected to the sounds of some song or the other on days off.
He took a drink of his beer and let his eyes roam to the couch sitting perpendicular to the one Steve was on. The other resident super soldier sat there, his nose buried in a book. Sam was willing to bet it was some kind of warfare book since Bucky seemed to gravitate towards those. Taking another drink, Sam walked closer to the couch and stood there watching the screen for a few seconds.
"Seriously Roger's? Again?"
"Hey, I don't bitch about the stuff you like." Steve responded, still watching the movie but smiling.
"That's because the stuff I like is good. And made for adults." When Steve didn't respond Sam jumped over the back of the couch, the middle cushion separating the two men. His gaze again moved to Bucky who seemed to be doing a remarkable job of ignoring the noise coming from the TV. "Why are you letting him watch this stuff Barnes?"
With no indication he was going to answer, Sam sighed loudly and picked up a pillow, throwing it in the brunette's direction. It hit Bucky upside the head, causing him to jump and pull the ear buds out of his ears.
"What the fuck Sam?" Sam smiled at the words, knowing that even though he sounded angry, there was no fire behind them.
"Then don't ignore me."
"I was ignoring the movie, not you, ass."
Steve shushed them, causing Bucky to laugh and Sam frown. Releasing another huge sigh, Sam sat quietly next to Steve nursing his beer. Ocher eyes slowly glanced at the table in front of him as he searched for the remote. Slouching down into the cushions he waited until he thought Steve was engrossed in the movie, quickly darting forward to grab the remote.
Steve moved at the same time, his fingers shoving the remote further away causing it to skid across the coffee table and teeter precariously on the edge before falling off. Both men froze, turn their heads to look at each other and then sprang into action. They both slid forward, over the table, Sam a bit more gracefully than Steve, but their actions caused the remote to be pushed further away again.
Nat and Wanda watched the two, laughing and shaking their heads at the antics. The two men on the carpet were wrestling for the small, rectangle of plastic as Bucky sat on the loveseat, pinching the bridge of his nose. The girls shared a look before they give the other super soldier a questioning glance.
"What are they doing?" Wanda asked cautiously, her eyes fondly watching the two friends toss the remote back on the table and jab at each other as Steve found his place on the couch again.
"Being morons." Bucky replied going back to his book and trying to ignore his friends.
"How many times is this Steve?" Nat asked with a smirk. The returning smile wasn't as bright as hers but the super soldier continued watching his movie. "If you're not careful, you'll turn into a Disney character from watching this stuff so much."
Wanda laughed out loud, then a thoughtful look came to her face.
"Which character do you think he would be?" The young woman asked, her question catching the attention of the others in the room. Sam, who had recovered from the skirmish for the remote and was now sitting against the couch Bucky occupied, snorted.
"Buzz Lightyear, obviously."
"Explain." Everyone turned to Vision as he waited patiently for Sam's reasoning.
"Well, Buzz is everybody's friend, right? Not only that but he's a protector, keeping everyone else safe. He's extremely loyal to his friends and his goal is to make sure everyone stays together. Plus, he can do whatever he sets him mind to."
No one spoke as they digested Sam's words. The trio from the kitchen, slowly made their way into the room and found a seat with the others.
"That's eerily accurate." Bucky mumbled, his eyes still on the book he held.
"All right, then who is Tony?" Pepper asked, her question earning chuckles.
"Sheriff Woody. Before Buzz came along, he was the one all the other toys looked up to. He protected everyone and was loyal as well. Besides the fact he was determined and passionate, he was also smart and confident."
There were murmurs from others in the room, Tony and Steve sharing a look and a small smile at Sam's words.
"Do Nat next." Clint piped up from the doorway of the kitchen, the person in question's head snapping in his direction.
"Merida from Brave. Headstrong and wanting to be in charge of her destiny. Skilled in combat, despite being a princess, she's forceful on the outside and soft on the inside, particularly when it comes to those closer to her." When he looked in her direction, she had one eyebrow raised but there was a slight smile on her face. "Just a little bit of a rebel."
Sam waited a moment before continuing with his next person. He loved doing stuff like this and it seemed like everyone was interested in his characterizations.
"Wanda is like Megara from Hercules. Having a troubled past and developing some cynicism from having been hurt by others. She's a free-spirited, independent person who has a quick wit and who became the heroine after she realized there were people who cared for her."
"Pepper is Belle, from Beauty and the Beast. Extremely intelligent with an open mind about people and ideas. Confident and outspoken in her opinions and doesn't like being told what to do." Tony laughed out loud, earning him a smack on the arm from the woman in question. "Pepper isn't concerned about what others think of her and is able to see what people are really like despite their appearances."
"Who are you then Sam?" Peter asked, his excitement catching as he smiled widely at his teammate. Sam's brow furrowed as he tried to think of a character.
"That's a good question man, I don't know…"
"Genie." All eyes turned to Bucky, who had finally closed his book and turned to engage in the discussion. His face had lost the harshness it usually held, relaxing into slight amusement as a bunch of grown adults discussed Disney character personalities. "He's easygoing and friendly. Always making others laugh and have fun, and he thinks he's hilarious."
"Pretty astute there Tinman. I have to say I agree with your answer." Tony offered from the couch across the way, sharing a small smile with the soldier. "We can't forget about Clint though. Surely there's some bird we can associate with him." Everyone laughed, except Clint who threw something in Tony's direction.
"I mean, come on, it's obvious." Peter exclaimed, not waiting for Sam to answer. "Robin Hood. Besides the fact he's good with a bow, he is willing to risk his life to keep others safe he takes from the bad guys to make sure the good people are ok."
"Damn kid. I didn't know you thought so highly of me." There were some chuckles as Peter's face turned red and he sat back into the couch cushions. Pepper patted him on the knee turning back to the group.
"What about Vision?"
"Bambi?" Steve's answer garnered laughter from everyone, while Vision looked thoughtful. His face lit up a bit as he realized why that answer would encourage hilarity.
"An appropriate answer Captain."
"We haven't done Bucky yet." Pepper's soft voice offered, her smile deepening as the man in question dropped his chin to hide behind his hair. Even though she knew he hated the attention she was curious to see what everyone came up with in regards to the quiet man.
"James P. Sullivan." Steve answered confidently, his strong voice bringing his best friends' eyes up in surprise. "Someone who is a great friend and a very giving person. Also highly competitive and concerned with how others see him, especially when we were younger." A small smile twisted on the dark haired man's lips at this comment. "Very humble and modest with high moral standards."
"And a smile that makes the ladies swoon." Sam chimed in, the pillow from earlier making its way back as it smacked him in the face. The others laughed at Bucky's diversion, as he hid behind his hair again.
Taking control of the conversation again, Sam looked in Peter's direction with a raised brow waiting for the others to stop laughing.
"Young Peter here is an Olaf if I ever saw one. Optimistic, out-going. Welcoming to everyone and constantly putting his own safety at risk, driving the rest of us nuts."
The group chatted quietly for a bit, smiles on their faces and animated conversations as they talked about the different characters. It quieted down as the TV offered another suggestion for viewing which no one rushed to choose.
"We forgot Bruce and Thor." Pepper's quiet voice offered in the silence. The pair were constantly on the mind of the group, even if they didn't always voice their thoughts.
"Point Break would be Simba, without a doubt. It's like the song about being king was written for him." Tony's comment elicited chuckles all around before the group calmed down.
"He's adventurous and highly admired as well." Wanda offered. "Spending so much time wondering what it would be like to be king and getting into trouble."
"A damn good king." Steve's quiet addition caused the others to nod as they became lost in their thoughts.
"Bruce would be Begheera, from the Jungle Book." Nat spoke softly, a sad smile on her face. Wanda reached over to grab her hand in comfort, earning a rare smile from the woman. "Wise and level-headed and putting up with all our crap. Easily frustrated and dislikes goofing around when there's work to be done. A temper that can explode but a devoted friend who cares about others, more than himself at times."
The group sat in silence for a bit, the soft sound of the movie soundtrack playing as a back drop.
"Hey, who do you think Fury would be?" Peter's question was met with roaring laughter as the conversation started all over again and filled the room.
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They were five days out from Bicarra, meetings happening almost every day ensuring that everything was lined up for as seamless a transaction as possible. Thor didn't really sense anything was off until yesterday. Looking back though, he knew it had started long before that.
The Storm siblings and the Asgardians, of which Bruce was an honorary member at this point, had settled into Jade's office after dinner. Spirits seemed high after a rowdy meal but Thor didn't feel right. Or should he say Jade didn't feel right. She hadn't pulled away from him in any respects, they had continued their meetings and make out sessions but it wasn't the same. Something was bothering her and she wasn't sharing it. He had given her a few days, hoping she might say something, but so far she hadn't.
Jake occupied the smaller couch, Loki sitting beside him looking thoroughly bored with the chatter. Thor knew he was listening though. Taking everything in and processing like he always did. Heimdall and Valkyrie occupied two of the chairs from Jade's table that had been pulled over to the large carpet everyone was on. Bruce and Thor were in the high back chairs that framed one side of the couches both men sitting with one ankle propped on the opposite leg. Leaning against the scientist's chair, Valkyrie sat cross legged and watched everyone else passively. Jade currently sat with Vin and Lizzie on the couch, the man plopped between his two sisters, his arms casually splayed across the back of the furniture.
Thor took a moment to watch the leader, her posture showing she was relaxed but he had learned her tells in the short time spent in her company. Her fingers were moving, albeit slowly, as they tapped out a rhythm on her thighs. Her form was leaning into her brother's, tucked up under his arm and her head on his shoulder. The responses from her showed that she was listening but he knew she was also zoning out a bit.
His own body was a bit restless but he fought to not show it. Wanting nothing more than to walk over and pick her up so he could set her on his lap, he tried to focus on the conversation at hand. Bruce, being the nosy person he was, continued asking questions about anything and everything. He was currently interested in their culture and asked about everything from customs to biology.
They had been talking for a few hours when Bruce asked a question that made Thor sit up straighter.
"So none of you have been married?" With no idea what they had all been talking about, Thor's eyes shot to where Jade was seated. On the outside she appeared calm, though he knew the question would have brought her some sadness and pain, she didn't show it to anyone else. There was a moment of quiet before Jake cleared his throat and answered the question.
"Jade was a married, a couple centuries ago."
Bruce shifted uncomfortably in his chair, realizing he had stepped into a subject that might be sensitive.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" Jade's raised hand stopped his apology, the sad smile on her face letting him know it was ok.
"You had no idea Bruce. No reason to be sorry." Quietly, she told the story as the others listened respectfully and didn't interrupt. Thor didn't take his eyes off her the whole time and realized he was clutching the side of the chair a bit too hard when it started to creak. Relaxing his posture and his grasp he focused on her words and really hoped she wouldn't avoid him tonight.
The others gave their condolences and the group moved on to other topics, but Jade never seemed to join that conversation again. When there was a lull in the conversation, she excused herself saying she was tired headed to bed.
As soon as the door shut behind her they all shared a look and quietly started up conversations again. Loki's eyes were still on the door when he leaned over to the man sitting next to him.
"Will she be alright?"
Jake smiled sadly and nodded his head.
"She never avoids talking about that period in her life so something else must be going on. It makes her sad but she usually recovers quicker. I'll check on her later to make sure." Both men were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't notice Thor leave the room.
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His steps were heavy as he nodded at those he passed in the halls. It didn't normally seem to take as long to get to her smaller office but it was probably the uneasiness filling him that made it seem so. Opening the door he entered the partially lit room and sighed heavily when he realized it was empty.
Rubbing a hand over his face he spoke to the AI.
"Synergy. Where is Jade?"
"She is in her room. She asked to not be disturbed."
He murmured a quiet thank you to the voice and sat heavily on the couch. Thor hoped that giving her time was the right choice because he wasn't sure what else to do.
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The following morning, Thor and Bruce were walking to find something to eat when they came across a small group in the hallway. Jade's back was to the men but Thor could clearly see Falon and another of his cronies talking quietly, but forcefully to their leader.
They couldn't hear any words but he could see the rigid way she held her body. Falon was leaning into her space but she held her ground, watching stoically as the older man stomped away from her, his lackey following behind.
"Jade? Is everything alright?" Thor's voice was soft as they stopped behind her. She still hadn't moved and he thought for a minute that she had not heard him. When she finally turned around, the look on her face was very much out of place. There was no emotion, though it bordered on almost angry. Thor could see the exhaustion in her eyes but knew better than to mention it. He waited as patiently as he could but he had a feeling this was not going to go well.
"I don't require any assistance, your majesty. Thank you very much. I'm more than capable of handling things on my own." Green eyes glanced over at Bruce, his mouth open in shock, as she turned and walked away from the pair.
Bruce glanced over, watching Thor's face fall a bit before he composed himself and met his gaze.
"That was….interesting." His friend said nothing, nodding almost painfully and continuing his previous path down the hall. Bruce sighed deeply and followed.
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The two men moved quietly around each other as they readied for bed. The scientist kept glancing at his friend not sure how to ask the questions he had. Finally they had settled down, Bruce with a book and Thor under the blankets, the gentle humming of the ship filling the air.
"So you're going to bed now?"
Thor chuckled, his eyes already closed as he tried to calm him mind. It had been difficult the last two days and he was exhausted at trying to seem like he was ok.
"That was the plan."
Silence filled the room for a few beats before his friend responded.
"You don't usually go to bed this early."
"I'm tired."
Again silence reined as Thor waits for Bruce to finally ask what he wants to know.
"Did you two have a fight?"
"Who?"
"Um, I know you've been trying to keep things quiet, for whatever reason, but I assumed you and Jade were spending time together. That is why you haven't been coming to bed until late, right?"
A deep sigh escaped the big man as he processed the thoughts in his head. He had no problem sharing things with Bruce, though he wasn't sure how much Jade wanted anyone to know.
"She needs some space right now."
There was no response to his statement but he could almost hear the wheels turning in Bruce's head across the room. Another sign escaped and he finally sat up, throwing his feet over the side of the bed.
"Jade is a brilliant leader that does her best to take care of her people. She does not, however, take care of herself and tends to….stress about things. I haven't talked to her alone since she told me she didn't need help."
"Do you think she meant it?"
Rubbing a hand over his jaw he finally looked over at Bruce. His friend was sitting up in bed, leaning back against his pillow with a worried look on his face.
"I think she wants to be viewed as a strong leader that can take care of her people despite the fact she is on her own. I also believe she wants someone to depend on but is afraid."
"Afraid of what?"
"Afraid of being vulnerable. Of relying on someone that is not her family, though she struggles to rely on them as well. She has this insane notion that she has to be enough, on her own, to be of any worth to her people."
A quiet hum left Bruce at Thor's words and he looked in his lap before speaking.
"And what are you going to do about it?"
"I'm going to give her the space she desires. At least for now. If she continues to be stubborn then I will say something but I do not think it will last long. As much as she thinks she needs to stand alone, she does not want to."