Thump… Thump… Thump…
A slow steady thumping in Thors skull cut through the darkness, he wanted to ignore it. Tried to ignore, but it was persistent. Rythmically, it kept going and seemed to become more and more painful, yanking Thor into the waking world and he groaned deeply.
"Thor?" a voice sounded from the outside, it was muffled and distant. "Thor you waking up buddie?"
The voice sounded closer now, right next to him, it was familiar somehow.
Thor tried to open his eyelids but they were so heavy, the left one felt weird, not right. Finally though the right one managed to open only for sharp light to pierce through Thors skull and he hissed.
"Hey easy Thor. They said you would probably be in pain and if you want painkillers just ask.."
"To… Tony?" Thor asked in a hoarsh voice.
"Yeah." Tony replied. "The damn nurses said only one could be in here at the time, so we made a huuuuge list. I only got fifteen minutes left of my hour, then I believe it's one of your Asgard friends waiting outside the door."
"You are taking an hour each?" Thor asked in a groggy voice.
"What can I say, we are a bunch of worried idiots." Tony sighed deeply. "It's really weird seeing you of all people out for the count. You look horrible."
Thor swallowed, his throat felt so dry and it hurt. "Lo… Loki?" he asked.
Tony sighed deeply. "Sorry buddy, he's still in surgery. They have been working on him for six hours now." he admitted. "Apparently his little stunt didn't just burn his outsides super crispy, his insides has been turned to mush as well it seems."
Thor gasped, his one eye wet and his lip quivered.
Tony sighed. "Sorry buddy, the others thought I should say he was all right. But I don't believe in lying like that." he said. "The wizard is with them, apparently he is some sort of award winning surgeon. Loki is in the best hand she could be in, but again I don't think it's right lying. It's pretty bad."
"I… I appreciate you telling me the truth." Thor gasped.
"You how-ever, they say you'll be fine." Tony sighed. "I mean your eye is gone, obviously. And you have a minor skull fracture. You lost a lot of blood, but not enough that it will kill you. You have some bruises both inside and outside, but again… Nothing that will kill you as long as you just stay still. Not even a broken rib, jesus you guys are made out of sturdy material." Tony commented leaning his head in his hand.
"Bruce?" Thor asked.
"He's fine." Tony informed. "Hulk got super healing, if anything can kill him. We haven't discovered it yet."
"Are there… anyone else?" Thor asked.
Tony sighed. "Again the others told me to wait, but I don't see why. Clearly you want to know." he said. "From what I heard, five Asgardians lost their lives in battle. Two Jotunn soldiers. Rest… Got some bruises, some sprained ribs and stuff. Lots of stab wounds. But nothing which can't be fixed."
Thor swallowed. "That's good. I suppose… That was a very fortunate outcome." he said.
"Dammit we are in deep shit Thor." Tony gasped. "That Thanos guy is headed our way. How long do we have?!" he asked.
"I don't know." Thor admitted honestly. "I don't know how fast his spaceship is."
"How much do we know about him? What can we do to stop him?" Tony asked.
Thor swallowed. "The only one who would know… Loki. Loki was his prisoner."
"And it all goes back to Loki again, of course it does." Tony groaned deeply. "Well, Nick Fury has been updated on the situation. At last. He said he was calling in some secret trump card who owed him a favour. I sincerely doubt that will do anything to help us honestly. I mean, the way Thanos just picked you up? That was crazy." he gaped. "It was like… You weren't even."
Thor looked down.
"Of course you were already badly wounded!" Tony injected. "I mean, if you had been at full power and Bruce hadn't been out for the count. Then maybe."
"No." Thor shook his head. "He was so strong… Even stronger than Hela. If I had been at my full power, I still would not have won in even combat."
Wide-eyed Tony looked up.
"He held Loki prisoner…" Thor breathed. "Loki, whom isn't only strong. But has the power of illusion at his disposal. As well as many other tricks. Still Loki succumbed, no… We cannot underestimate this foe."
Tony swallowed as he wet his lip. "What do we do?" he asked.
Slowly Thor looked up, his one eye misty. "I don't know." he admitted.
Just as the door opened and a warrior maiden glanced inside. "Your hour is up Mr Stark, it's my turn." then her eyes widened. "Thor! You're awake!"
Thors eyes softened by the sight of her. "Sif…" he breathed.
Sif sniffed and then she ran inside, ran as fast as she could and them embraced Thors neck.
"Arrgh. Aw, aw, aw." Thor hissed.
"I'm sorry!" Sif sat back. "Sorry I just… Oh by the norns Thor." she gently put a hand on his face. "Are you hale?"
Thor grimaced. "I'm alive." he said shortly.
Sif swallowed then let go of Thors cheek so she could grab a glass of water on the table then put it to Thors lips. "Here, you need to drink."
The cool water felt amazing on Thors lips and he drank with a thirst he didn't even know he had, only to quick was the glass empty.
"Do you want more?" Sif asked. "I can get more, what about food? Are you hungry?"
"Water is fine for now." Thor assured. "Thank you Sif." and Sif immiedately rushed out with the water glass to fill it quick as possible.
Tony looked from one to the other. "Erhm…" he looked at the door Sif had vanished through. "Are you two…. A thing?" he asked.
"Huh?" Thor asked not getting it then blinked. "Oh, oh no not at all. Sif is a childhood friend, we've known each other since we could barely walk."
"Dude she totally has the hots for you." Tony commented. "I am pretty damn sure she is planning to feed you by herself. Putting little grapes in your mouth you lucky bastard."
"Tony, please." Thor asked.
Tony shrugged. "I'm just saying. Hot Xena warrior chick totally got the hots for you." he stated just as Sif came back and proved Tony right as she carried a tray which not only had a pitcher of water alongside the glass, but also a fruit bowl and some small piece of bread.
Tony smirked as he stood up. "Well, Xena seems to have things under control here. See ya later Thor." he said. "The others will be glad to hear you woken up." he said as he stood up and walked out, only for Sif to take his seat and put the tray down on the table.
Then she filled the glass and put it to Thors lips, this time he only drank half before stopping and Sif put the glass back. Then she picked up an apple, found a knife and started to cut it into smaller pieces.
Sif swallowed as she looked at the apple she was working on. "I… I heard the stories. Of what Loki did for Asgard. Sounds like he kept saving them over and over." she said as the apple was now cut in half.
"Aye." Thor replied. "He has proven his worth ones more. He is a hero." he said as one half of the apple became quarters and then Sif proceeded to remove the kernels.
"And the Jotunns…" Sif commented.
"How are they doing?" Thor asked.
"They've been taken to the camp where the Asgardians are settled." Sif admitted. "It erhm… There aren't enough tents. Asgardians has not been happy to be asked to move together to make room. Jotunns has reminded them they came to their aid and did not ask to be stranded on Midgard…"
Hopelessly Thor looked at Sif.
"You said that… We need to respect Jotunns because they are our allies now. And it's true, they came to our aid and fought vulnerable." Sif informed. "So I told them… These are honourable warriors, we owe them respect. At least people conceded. Here." she offered Thor a slice of apple.
Thor accepted, the sweet piece of fruit did feel amazing on the tongue and suddenly Thor realized, he was in fact very hungry.
"Thank you." Thor breathed, it was unclear if he meant the apple or Sif's action defending the Jotunns.
"It was an extreme showcase of honour." Sif admitted. "Coming to our aid, though they did not have to." she said offering Thor another peace. "I mean, King Bylestir did made it clear. They did it to protect their own realm as he didn't doubt Hela would turn her eyes to them after she was done with Asgard. Still, his actions were anything but cowardly and filled with honor."
Thor swallowed his second piece of apple. "Bylestir is a very honourable man." he nodded.
"Aye, I see now why you respect him." Sif admitted. "Weird to think about that he's Lokis brother huh?"
"Njah, they have the same kind of pride." Thor commented. "Though Loki tend to much more arrogant. And mischievous of course."
"Yeah." Sif smiled amused. Then her smile faltered. "I was wrong about him, I see that now."
"Sif?" Thor asked.
"He is no coward." Sif breathed. "His ways are not that of our old traditions but… He has his own honour. He chose the safety of the people over his own safety and I…" she closed her eyes. "I was wrong."
Thor had to struggle as he lifted his arm, it was so heavy, and so sore. But finally he managed as he touched Sif's cheek and she looked up.
"I know… I was in doubt as well." Thor admitted. "I thought I had lost him to selfish wants and pure arrogance. To his pursue of satisfaction. And maybe he was lost… for a while. But he clawed himself back out. And if you ask me, that's more amazing than anything." he said as his hand fell from Sif's cheek but instead it grabbed her hand. "I can't loose him now Sif, he has to be all right. He just has to."
Sif swallowed, then finally she took Thors hand as well and squished it.
"He will be all right." Sif assured. "You know how Loki is. He never does what he's supposed to do. If the odds are impossible, he'll do that one insane thing that would get him out the other side safely. You really think he'll fry himself like that and not survive?" she asked. "Really, Loki the god of mischief! You put a sword through his heart, that he will be sure to survive. The day he actually kicks the bucket, it is going to be from something super stupid. Like tripping over a piglet or something, I swear by the norns."
And Thor couldn't help it, help as he chuckled only to regret that as he hissed, everything hurt and he groaned.
"Are you hale?" Sif asked concerned.
"Aye… aye." Thor groaned as he laid back. "I'm fine."
And Sif picked up another piece of apple feeding it to Thor and Thor looked at Sif's face as suddenly something hit Thor.
Sif was pretty…. She was really pretty. Yes Thor had always heard people talking about Sif's beauty, but he couldn't say he had ever noticed it himself. To him she had always just been Sif, one of the boys. Practically a warrior three.
They were right though. Sif was really really pretty.
