This was a moment of peace that those people had not had in their lives for a long time the smiles began to come more easily and the guards gradually lowered. Loki's presence even as the threats threatened to bother him less than he should have Thor was the happiest of them all, this was the most enjoyable family moment he had in the last few years, and only he knows how much of those moments hurt him back then. The god of thunder was staring at his brother in silence, Pepper went out to quickly sort out some of the business that bears his name, Morgan went to school, and now Loki was trying to teach Lin how to peel on orange while Clint explained how some of his arrows worked as the girl seemed to be very interested in anything that involved science. Thor suspected the archer had thrown his weird mix out so it wouldn't go through the same disapproval that his bread did...
As he watched his brother, the blonde remembered how he found him months after the second fight against Thanos, in his memories the jotun and the people fell fighting bravely beside him and his time with the guardians of the galaxy helped him feel less guilty for everything that happened but never stopped waiting for the mischievous god to reappear again as it actually did...
"Thor watched new Asgard from the balcony of his new room, it was Tony who bought all that region so that the gods could move on and since even the billionaire friend was each dealing with grief in his own way. The sun was shining outside, but for the blonde, it was just another gray day like any other, it was the exact date that had been six years since fighting with Thanos for the first time and losing half his people, as well as the others that were left of his family. He felt terribly melancholy even though all his family was willing to be by his side whenever he asked.
When the mad titan was defeated and the battle was finally over, the blonde sought his brother among the one's who revived, but found none, as he found no other Asgardians, however, the body of the mischievous god was not found anywhere either, strong as Loki was the ship's destruction would not enough to disintegrate what was left to it so it still held hopes.
It took a while for things to settle down and he could think of stabilizing on earth, but now he was there, in an isolated city that few bothered to remember existed, alone at home with his new "hammer" and having no idea of what to do. Phone, another gift left by Tony before he left, so as not to be communicated and with that the god still clung to the small possibility that perhaps the jotun would come to him, it would be easier for his brother to find him if other people knew if you location, this is clear if the mischievous god decided to ignore the fact that both could communicate through their minds.
Loki would show up again, it was his naughty little brother they were talking about and he always comes back.
So distracted that Thor was started when he heard a familiar voice calling out to him. It's sounded a little desperate and so the hero was soon taking his hammer and going to the Bifrost to meet his old friend.
Dr. Erick Selving looked even more excited than he already was when he saw this Asgardian friend approaching in the snow
-Thor! Good to see you! You'll not believe what I found!
- If it's not the some bizarre alien who wants to destroy the world, I'm afraid I won't be of much help. -The blonde joked smiling slightly.
-Well, I don't know if he wants to destroy the world. -Erick widened his smile further. - Come on, come in, it's very cold out here.
In fact, Antartica was a very cold place, and the doctor looked more like a ball in so many jackets that he was wearing. Erick stripped off some of the so called warm clothing from the air- conditioners, Thor wrapped himself in the forgotten blanket on the couch of that makeshift inn. No one warned the god of thunder that he was going to such a cold place, he was only in his shirt.
-I met him while studying an area nearby. - The human led him into a room and opened the door. - He was so bruised and unconscious as he looks now, so fragile. - Do you know this species?
Lying in bed was an unconcious blue body often covered with bandages, with nothing but this a simple hospital gown covering his body. The creature seemed to like the cold.
-It's an frost giant.- The blonde found surprised after watching him a little. - A child probably. - Said the doctor. - See how small, these things are much larger than a normal human when adults. How did it get here?
- He was found in a hole near my research region, there is some kind of change in gravity just like what happened in that place that Jane found.
Thor approached the body watching him careful.
This is strange, he seems very familiar to me. - The blonde commented staring at the fatures of the creature's face, until it hit him, hard. - He is my brother...
The blonde had his eyes wide, but all the doctor's excitement was gone.
-Is this thing Loki? Oh heavens, I should have left him out there.
The god of thunder seemed to hear nothing of what the other said, tears came to his eyes and he soon took the small body on his lap.
-I'm taking him with me. - Only now allowing himself to look at his friend. - Thank you for finding him.
Erick wasn't too happy to know that it helped one, being so disgusted, but he looked so thrilled that the doctor was glad for the other's happiness as the Asgardian shortly afterward had his hammer and brother on his way to his lonely home.
The jotun was left on the bed of that small residence's guest room. It was still strange for the god to see his brother in his original form, there were few times when the cheating god appeared to him that way and perhaps that was why he didn't recognized him immediately.
The blonde was so happy to see the other alive that for a moment. He wanted to take care of until he got tired of his face and drove him out of his own house big brother thing. It hurt his so much to see Loki's pain and wished they could maintain a relationship of not being complete enemies as they had many years ago.
It was late at night when he left the younger boy is room and went back do his own. Thor found himself wondering what is life would been like if he had been born at Earth and not as a god, perhaps things would be more peaceful and happy for everyone, not realizing when he fell asleep, hid consciousness only fully returned when he was awoken by a strange noise coming from the kitchen.
Suspicious, the thunder god took his "hammer" and walked to the downstairs room where the sound came from. There he found his brother already back with his normal appearance and in Asgardian clothes, he was trying to find a way to escape the house that was obviously foreign to him, Thor approached in silence.
-Hi broth-...
And he took a beautiful frying pan with him.
-Thor! - Loki was now looking at him with fright, still with the frying pan in hand. - Is alive ! And fat!
-A frying pan? Are you serious, brother? - The blonde looked at him pretending to be angry and not surprising the comment about his appearance.
-It was the first thing I could catch. - He smiled more calmly. - I didn't know you were in this house too, I thought it was some kind of weird ogre behind me.
Thor smiled and moved the body to hug him, Loki didn't return it, but neither did he push him away. The youngest would definitely never change."
All the while Thor still felt that something was wrong with his brother, but always left it aside as that peace was too welcome for him to spoil it with his suspicions.
(...)
Sometimes the mischievous god wondered why humans let him room the earth freely after all he had done. Perhaps this was another consequence of time travel or just idiocy from the terrestrials, but then why he would worry about that.
On the second day at Stark's house the mood of those present seemed better, Clint and Pepper probably talked about the late billionaire's fatherhood and came to the conclusion that it might not be bad to include Lin in the family. Although the younger one suspected that some of this acceptance came from the pity the Iron Man's wife felt as she saw how Stark's entire body was covered with scars. Apparently the colored - eye woman, Thor and Loki were the only ones that didn't care about the brand.
Pepper's first attempt to get closer to her husband's daugther was basically a visit with the youngest girl to whatever country she chose to meet, sometimes having such a rich step mother was pretty cool and because of that they were in a park in Osaka in Japan. Thor and Loki were and obviously also included in the tour, the green-eyed, as much as Pepper hated him, was the only one Lin trusted, and the blonde came along. Peter was very excited when he was called in to go along, as a good nerd he liked a lot of Japanese things and was the first time he had the opportunity to visit the country.
The god of cheating changed his appearance by showing himself as a man with short blond hair, blue eyes and a short beard. He took the opportunity to throw an illusion on his friend turning her into what humans consider normal and laughed when she looked in the mirror before leaving. Heavens, she looked horrified at what he saw, much preferred the version with its marks. The clothes were another problem, dress and high heels definitely didn't match Lin, first for being too weird (as she would say) and the second for making her twist her foot after the first few feet she tried to walk. Pepper didn't seem to lie when she demonstrated that she was having fun helping her find something to match. Fashion came on the list of things Stark didn't like that day.
But now here they were, Lin with an ice cream in his hand, paying attention to some explanation Parker was doing about some kind of anime he found references along the way, Thor and Loki arguing over something, Morgan on the back of the thunder god supporting him. In the discussion, Pepper helping another Stark understand simpler things like what a raven was, for example. There was also one of the old Iron Man's armor that was there basically to carry the many things that Lin was getting as a gift, apparently Pepper would buy anything that caught her attention.
After the initial fright Mrs. Stark seemed very excited about the idea of being the mother of an older girl, it was as if that news left her hoping that the future might be better even if the panic attacks still continued.
Lin was dealing with humans better than expected and maybe that had to do with the fact that if anyone tried to hurt her there were aliens in the group ready to defend her. Thor seemed to have clung to the human very fast, and now he was treating her like his little sister, as well as liking that the child wouldn't let him go at all.
Every sarcastic or ironic response from the younger ones drew laughter from the group, with each passing minute those who didn't know her considered Lin more like Tony Stark, just as Morgan was, even younger and less troublesome.
The place they visited was really beautiful, there were lots of flowers, temples and they even came across a park full of deers, which resulted in the mighty god of thunder being surrounded by the animals. He found it very funny until the deer started trying to bite him, so Thor ran through the park being chased by the animals, eliciting laughter from the kids there and friends watching him from afar.
Loki had hidden the cookies they sold for tourists to give to the animals in his brother's clothes, and the animals were kinder than expected, not that anyone was complaining. The god of thunder might have fled the deer very easily, but stopped when he saw that he was entertaining the little ones.
Lin's eyes sparkled with everything she saw, this was being a good second, or third by time zone, freedom day. She wondered if the people who held her captive would have the courage to look for her.
Later, when Lin's body stopped simply protesting asking her to rest and told her to stop for a while, the group went to a coffee shop in the city's commercial area. To her astonishment, there were feline creatures available for those who wanted to pet them, so the woman disappeared with her sister in the cat area while the others waited for their drinks. When the group met her again there were lots of furballs sleeping around her and over her body. Lin was sleeping, looking like a child while the other girl played with the cats that were still awake and Pepper took a picture of that scene to save from remembrance. She probably pictured herself as an old woman showing off the various pictures she was taking throughout the day for her grandchildren. Perhaps Mrs. Stark was raising too many expectations.
That day Lin showed to be so happy that he barely controlled his voice and always sounded like the Asgardian accent.
As the elders joined the nest of cats the younger ones had raised, they forgot a little about who they were to others and adopted that momentary peace. Hero, villain, businesswoman, god, guardian ... It didn't matter much now.
It was then that an elegant, black, green-eyed cat caught the eye of the thunder god. He was the one who took the most space on Stark's lap with different eyes and looked at other humans as if he were superior to them all while receiving affection from the mortal.
- This cat reminds me of you, brother. - Thor commented with the other now also blond as he bent down to be closer to the kitten that looked at him with disdain - Hi, cute thing!
When the Asgardian ran a hand over the feline's body, he immediately writhed and bit him to push him away or to protect his new human from the bearded menace, no one knows.
- I also think he looks like me. - Loki commented holding back the laugh as his brother stood looking indignantly at the teeth marks that remained in his hand.
- I'm beginning to think the animals don't like me... - Thor whispered a little sad, Peter and Morgan laughed heartily, Lin smiled and made a mental note telling her to find a dog for the Asgardian later.
Before leaving the establishment, the owner of the place apologized about the feline's behavior and offered the money they had spent back there with proof that he really did not expect the feline to do such a thing. He was even surprised that the cat gave his attention to the tourist group.
In conclusion, Pepper turned down the money and Morgan won a cat (which, strange as it may seem, only sympathized with the human and the mischievous god, accepting affection from the child and Parker also if they brought food).
(...)
Lin looked lighter than she had ever looked before, she was sitting beneath a willow tree by a lake. This trip was becoming a great asset to her, the force returning to her body with stunning speed, it was the fifth day of freedom, and there was no trace of that morbid weakness in her. Stark had a white sheet of paper attached to the clipboard she was holding on her legs, a pencil was playing in her hand, and the woman made beautiful strokes of the still-blank extension. She always liked to create her small arts, however few she had the opportunity to do them. That huge drawing kit around her from afar was Pepper's gift that pleased her most.
Loki and the redhead watched from afar, both were being forced to mingle with each other and trying to make it as unpleasant as possible, not that the god really cared.
-So, Loki, how does your relationship work? - Pepper indicated the man beside him and the woman they watched. - I still can't understand how soon you found her.
- Ah, dear Stark. - He complimented ironically - As much as you do not believe me, I met her long before I knew you existed. - The jotun looked at his friend as he spoke. - She is my lifemate, apprentice, and weapon. - Just like I am her own.
- Weapon? - Pepper frowned.
- Yeah. You'll understand when you see us fighting together. - The god was smiling proudly.
-Do you really think she's a fighter? - She asked suspiciously, nothing about the girl reminded her of a warrior.
-When you really know her, you'll understand, - Loki assured him as he looked at the Iron Man's wife. - Lin is as powerful as any of us. The mind is the greatest weapon for those who don't have a huge brute force, you know better than any other and your husband Anthony was an example of this. Maybe that's a bad thing for her family, because she's one of the smartest creatures I've ever met.
Pepper looked somewhat proud, but there was something odd in her eyes, it was as if her conscience screamed at her to believe the jotun's words, as if by then everyone knew that Loki was on the good side despite his past. But that Stark didn't forget all the evil the god could do, and her instincts kept shouting that she shouldn't let her guard down.
-Do you imagine her as an avenger?
- No, I don't think Lin will ever want to save people on this planet. - Pepper didn't seem to understand why, so Loki tried to explain. - The scars on her body were all made by you humans, she was broken in such a way that memories of the people who hurt her never go away. Understand that Lin is a woman who would feel peaceful in the presence of the angry Hulk, but who trembles if she is alone with any human. Although she might one day want to follow her father's legacy, more for herself than for the people.
-Does Lin ... believe that I'll hurt her?
- For sure. That's why she keeps me or Thor around, we're not your kind. We aren't in her nightmares.
Pepper looked rejected for a moment, even with her high-confidence mask on again. She still blamed herself for what happened to the other.
-You say she can fight, will you train her?
-I plan to start when we get back from this trip.
-Good, I'll never let anyone hurt Tony's daughter again.
(...)
- Miw timihna vekaw sweda pas. (Your drawing was very good.) - Loki complimented in agardian.
He had just passed the room in which she was staying and saw one of the many sheets that Lin had illustrated in recent days. At the moment she was in her room's private hot spring, another of Pepper's pampering, huddled in a corner, watching the movement of the crystal clear water.
- Faki teq ema ti date. (You say that about everyone.) - The colorful-eyed commented smiling, that maybe it was the first time Loki looked at her and saw a completely healthy human being.
The Asgardian approached the water's edge and saw the woman come closer. Lin wasn't naked as people would normally be in hot springs but only dressed in her underwear.
- Imdo o and sweda disba? (Been there a long time?)
- Hoa mie teqix. (I can't tell.) - She answered sincerely - A disba ta yota ti vaxo ti wso kiyo boxiki bomox sound xobeta. (Time outside a cell seems to pass faster.) - The lips marked by her bruises played in a smile - Oh tiwm mapixoha! (Oh sovereign god!) - dramatized as she always did - Si toxeo o nahxo ti mwo kasbohneo himdom ojwom zihdim? (Would you give me the honor of your company in these warm waters?)
Loki almost laughed at her friend's relaxed expression, that was a really good sight to see. He was not reluctant to make his clothes disappear with the aid of magic and enter the water too, letting out a satisfied grunt as he dived.
Lin was still in the same spot, leaning against the rocks and watching him, she still couldn't swim, but seemed content to just stand there in the hot spring with the night stars highlighted in the sky. The prince stepped out of the deepest region and swam over to her, propped himself against the same rocks that his friend was on, and both looked only at the vastness of white specks above them.
-I've been researching a few things while I'm alone in this room. - Increasingly I think there is something wrong. - Her English was getting better.
- What kind of things? The green-eyed one raised an eyebrow.
- Cheap flights, to Sokovia. - She spoke simply, leaving an opening for the statement that she knew the jotun would make.
- Sokovia was destroyed a long time ago. It makes no sense for you to want to get to know the hole that was in place of the city. - Loki answered in a funny tone and the younger one was too serious for a joke.
-Sokovia is where it has always been, on the ground, intact and thriving. - The mischievous god widened his eyes slightly. – It wasn't destroyed just as some Ultron never existed. - Loki lowered his gaze to the water, perhaps a little lost.
-That makes a little sense.- He murmured, lost in thought.
-But that's not all. - Lin sighed. - I imagined you were lying to me for all the last few years and the stories were fake.
- Hey! - Loki pretended to be offended, but finally smiled and so did she. They both knew this was something his friend would do without thinking twice.
-And so I decided to research about you, which included asking Thor about your adventures together, watching the news in old newspapers, and stealing Tony's stolen files about S.H.I.E.L.D. - The god wasn't surprised at all. - Loki, some people see you almost as a hero, they fear you, but they are grateful for all the times that you have helped save the earth and fought for humanity. - Lin made a strange but funny face - That makes no sense.
- It really doesn't, but it helps to have the confidence of these people. - The green-eyed one already knew about disagreements over his pasts. - Although your stepmother still looks at me like an enemy.
-She was married to my father, and he was always smarter than the others. - She laughed slightly - I also found other interesting things. - Lin looked serious and stared at the stars, for a moment seemed lost. -Thor told me that Odin said he loved you before you died.
- What?! - This time it was information he didn't know. Maybe the other past had been better somehow, she couldn't clearly remember everything that happened in both of them.
-From what Thor said after what happened in New York, you were arrested and the Black Elves attacked Asgard, which resulted in Frigga's death and his thirst for revenge that led him to help him with regard to the Reality stone that I was stuck in Jane. You faked your own death in a conflict and took Odin's place where you remained until just before Ragnarok. I was with you at that time and his reports are in my memory, but I know they are not yours, not completely. - Loki listened quietly, trying to imagine what it would have been like if things went this way in all his memories, Lin intertwining the fingers in his left hand with those of his friend's right hand. - Thor also told me that Odin pushed him away because he saw in you the person he was when he was young and feared that you would bring more destruction into the universe than he did.
Loki didn't like to think of Odin, when he was a child the mischievous god trained and trained to get stronger while Thor only got into trouble with his friends, but it was to the blonde that their father gave the most attention. No matter how hard he worked or how much he helped his brother with his achievements, at the end of the day the other would hear, "this is my boy".
- Odin was a terrible father. What did he expect me to do to become a good king? Tear off an eye? It seems like a bad technique to change a person.
Lin laughed a little, her eyes seemed to glow brighter than ever, and she resembled the strong girl she'd met in the past.
-Maybe I'll tear off your eye on any given day, if you become a good man after that we may have figured out the solution to ending the world's evil.- The green-eyed one liked that sarcastic smile on her face. The woman was not insecure about speaking openly in a language that was not yet fully mastered in her friend's presence, with Loki she could be sure she would never hear a laugh or be reprimanded for her mistakes.
-And then I will be the kind old king of New Asgard, it doesn't seem like a fun future. - Lin arched an eyebrow.
-Wasn't your goal until the other day to be king?
-Yes, but not a kind king. What is the fun of being a leader if you can not annihilate your enemies? -There was some confusion in the god's eyes. - It's like you said, my memories are conflicting and I don't remember everything Thor says happened, things went very differently from my point of view and yet I can't deny the fact that my brother is talking the truth about our last decades.
- Have you noticed that even though you met a young Captain America, who once woke up seventy years in the future and came to live in our time as an avenger, we can now find him as an old man who claims to have lived his life the way he did. -as it really should have happened. It seems to me that there are different timelines existing together after all, but obviously I can't say that for sure.
- I have the slightest impression that none of this should be happening. - Sarcasm came so naturally that it wasn't even done on purpose.
Lin nodded and looked back at the sky, lost in his own thoughts. The voices seemed to have given her a break even though the crises didn't stop. She was up close, thinking it would really be a pity if things went wrong and her friend died.
- Do you trust me? - The question caught her eye and made her look back at him and move a little closer.
- If I trust you? - Lin whispered near the other's ear - Let me think ... - He did not see, but she closed her eyes. Loki somehow liked that proximity, her warmth comforted him and being able to look her in the eyes was really good but maybe she was too close. - Of course not! - And then she walked away smiling - I feel comfortable by your side, it's different. It would be stupid to trust you. You know I'm always waiting for people to hurt me, it's no different with you just because we're friends. - She shrugged. - It might hurt more when you cheat on me than anyone else, but it's not like I expect you to treat me differently.
-Glad you know you're disposable to me. - Loki didn't bother to force a smile, just kept his typical serious expression. It was true that he liked her very much, but if the situation asked he would throw her away without hesitation.
-I want to enjoy as much as we can before we have to kill each other,- His eyes looked sad but also resigned. -so let's make a toast!
- A toast?
- YES! I never made a toast, it must be cool! - Lin looked at the minibar installed in his room and called some drink to her hand with telekinesis and Loki called two wine glasses. Their powers resembled in some way.
- Your eyes are green again. - The god commented. - Will you become some kind of Hulk if you get angry?
- I never get angry. - She opened the sake bottle and poured a little into each bowl, taking one for herself soon after.
-I can fix this over time. - Loki smiled taking the remaining wine glasses and snatched a giggle from her.
That starry night, in a fountain of thermal water in the moonlight they shocked both glass cups, whispering together "Feelings are a weakness" and concluded that probably the worst lies were the ones we told ourselves.