Chapter 14: Eira vs the City That Never Sleeps
New York City never changed much, unless you count the new crazy guy that roams a single block and shouts some nonsense about the future, but even then, it was pretty consistent (and they were pretty easy to avoid.) Residents continued to walk the streets on their way to work, bagels were still ordered in heavy eastern-American accents, and the teetering fear of attack from an ultra-powered figure or group remained.
Natasha forgot the stride of the city after a one and a half year absence. She often went undercover in the area, and returning was oddly sentimental, though she was aware that she would soon become neutral about the city.
Even with the temporary sentiment, Natasha was not entirely familiar with the more relaxing areas of the city. After a month in hiding with hostile allies and spending her first day back in America by having sex with it's personification, she need something to cleanse her mind. The chaos that was New York City might not have been the best solution, but at least it was a solution, however temporary it may be.
Between the awkward glances she shared with Steve the day after, Natasha saw Eira creating a freeform tower out of Legos. Natasha then remembered the day when she took Eira to meet Clint and his children. Those innocent jade eyes nervously shook as she observed the busy streets and thriving businesses. Her social anxiety still needed improvement, and Natasha planned to walk with Eira more as a solution. Steve already made some strides by taking her to the gym and some restaurants to pick up meals.
Too bad they had to leak a majority of SHIELD's classified information, setting back her plans.
Now that she and Eira had a secure residence, the plan hypothetically could continue, if only they weren't living in the most populated city in the United States.
But Natasha knew that Eira could not stay inside the car forever and would be starting school a few months from now. Process in terms of her social skills had to be made soon.
"Hey Stark!" Natasha yelled to Tony upon entering his lab (without permission.) "I know when you can add those Jarvis updates to the tower."
Before Stark entered her view, she heard a loud thump.
"Ow!" shouted Tony as he sat up from his mechanic's table. The red and silver of the suit he was developing reflected onto his worn, unkempt clothes. "I have an intercom here for a reason, Rushman."
The spy clicked her tongue at the mention of her former alias.
"Shouldn't have expected anything more," she commented under her breath.
Tony placed his tool down and approached Natasha, annoyed that she seemingly entered his lab without purpose. "Did you just come down here to bother me?"
"Well that wasn't my intention," she answered with a sly grin. "Just more of a natural part of interacting with you. And I meant what I said about updating Jarvis."
"Since when do you care about how I develop my AI?"
"Since my foster daughter started living in your tower."
"Wonder if Loki is gonna stop his disappearing act because you said that."
Natasha tried to hide her shock at what she said. She acknowledged that her technical status as Eira's legal guardian was that of a foster mother, but she never considered herself that. Well, maybe she didn't use the literal term, but she certainly felt like a mother figure to Eira. She had only known Eira for one and a half months, and yet she felt attached to the young princess. It felt so stereotypical.
Deep down, she knew that Eira did not consider her a mother, and Natasha was fine with that. Her real mother was dead. Eira had accepted that she had one mother that left one day, and that her only living parent was Loki. Eira might have seen her as a womanly figure, something she lacked since she was raised by a single father, but definitely not more than that.
"I'm using the technical term when regarding a plan that involves Eira," Natasha finally answered. "We want to have Jarvis in the tower without scaring Eira. We can ease her into it by having it installed when she's out of the tower. Just tell me when the updates are ready, and I'll take Eira out to visit the city so we have nothing to worry about."
"Hold on a minute," said Stark with the shake of his head, processing the sudden rush of ideas. "Everyone who's met Eira said that she is incredibly nervous around almost everything. You sure that's the best idea? And are you forgetting that people might be judging you after every mission you've ever done has been released to the public? You think they won't wonder what you're doing with a random little girl."
"She's nervous around new people and crowds, Stark. She just needs to improve her social anxiety. I won't take her to areas with lots of people. I'll take her to small shops so she feels safe. As for me, you really shouldn't doubt the kind of technology I have. Though now I'm curious. You've been avoiding Eira since she got here, and now you're concerned about my plan? Interesting."
"Hey, I'm just reflecting on what people tell me. And can you really blame me? I've never been good around kids. She almost spotted me the other day, but I backed away when I noticed that she was playing near the window that her father threw me out of."
"Wait, isn't that where your bar is? You let her stay there?" Natasha squinted in frustration.
Stark lifted his hands in defense. "It's my fault that I'm still slightly traumatised from being launched out a window by a fucking god. I get that Eira shouldn't be blamed for Loki's actions, but their resemblance is ridiculously uncanny."
"Goddammit Stark."
"Alright alright, I get it. I could have handled that better. Anyway, I do think that your plan will work. The updates are all programmed, you just have to give me a good time to implement them. Happy now?"
"That's all I wanted," she said with a simple grin.
Tony smiled back. "Glad we finally got that settled. Now could you maybe use the intercom next time if Jarvis is down."
"That depends on how I feel," Natasha said.
She moved toward the stairs with her back turned to Tony, but she knew that he could probably sense her daft smirk.
Loki had a more eerily commanding presence since Eira moved to Stark tower. He sent her books containing knowledge of Asgardian magic and other books, fiction and nonfiction, about the Nine Realms. Eira squealed with joy when she awoke to his gifts while the Avengers smiled at her glee, internally cautious at the warnings the god gave them.
It was characteristic of Loki to leave threats to his enemies, especially when concerning his daughter. With an eminent level of deterrence, Loki encouraged the heroes to care for Eira, ending each of his messages with threatening language.
If Midgard became more dangerous than all the Realms, then he would take Eira with him. If any of them harmed her, Loki promised brutality.
Even if she wasn't protective of the daughter of the first Avengers villain, Natasha would never consider hurting a child that was under her watch (she did her best to repress the traumatizing memories of Draykov's daughter.)
Natasha would do better than worry for Eira; she would attempt to improve Eira's life.
Despite being physically courageous and incredibly selfless and considerate, Eira was concernedly timid. Upon their first meeting, Steve and Natasha had the sense that the moment Eira stumbled upon a stranger, she would hide behind Loki's leg. Further interactions between Eira and new people they observed proved their initial thoughts.
Maybe a walk around a less populous part of the city with someone she knew would protect her would improve her social abilities, at least partially.
Natasha reached the door to Eira's room and gave it a knock.
"You can come in, Nat!" Eira shouted from inside.
The spy opened the door, slightly alerted by Eira knowing who was outside her door, though acknowledging her lack of knowledge of Asgardian magic eased her.
Eira sat on the floor, two books, their pages worn and the yellow cue ancient, laid in front of her. Her palms were upward, emitting green particles of her seidr as it carried a scarlet tulip.
"Creating flowers I see," Natasha commented as she sat in front of Eira.
"Yeah," responded the princess as she blushed. "I can make objects composed of complex shades, and I'm starting to get better at making living objects."
"I guess a flower is a living thing, though most don't really think about flowers that way. Anyway, I have a proposition for you."
Eira twisted her fingers, forcing the flower to disappear. She tilted her head to the side in curiosity.
"I have been to New York City many times for work, never as a tourist," began Natasha's explanation. "The past few weeks have been pretty crazy for me, and less so for you. So I thought why not take a break from exploring cities as a spy and instead as an average pedestrian. I thought it would be a good idea if you came with me."
The wonder in Eira's face dropped. She glanced downward as her body stiffened in panic. She didn't have to look out the window to be aware of the extreme turmoil of the city. Rows of skyscrapers, cars moving at a snail's pace, and people walking too close together were always occurring. Eira couldn't handle that. Well, maybe she could if her father was with her, giving her a warm smile and comforting pats on the back, encouraging her to go beyond her flaws.
"Hey, I know this seems scary," comforted Natasha, putting a gentle hand on Eira's shoulder. "But you need to go outside your comfort zone. We won't go into the heart of the city. There are quieter places and small shops that I know you'll love. I'll be with you the entire time."
"Ummm, I don't know," finally responded Eira. "I would like to see more of Midgard, but New York is so big and busy. It seems like a lot."
"Well I can make it appear less stressful. We can take a car to where we're going so we don't walk in the busier parts."
"Maybe," she said with tightened eyebrows.
The idea of leaving the tower and exploring a popular area of Midgard was certainly tempting. Her new residence was similar in size to the comforts of the Asgardian palace, and it's other inhabitants treated her like a princess, though she didn't want to stay in one place forever. Yet New York City wasn't the most welcoming of cities, and she lacked the person she trusted the most to guide her.
Though Loki always prided his daughter on her bravery, especially when she overcame her timidness. Eira could imagine his glee if she could improve her social skills on her own. And Natasha cared for her and seemingly would never want her to be harmed. Perhaps Eira could trust Natasha.
A wave of confidence suddenly hit Eira, alerting Natasha, who raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Alright," spoke Eira with a curt nod. "I'll go with you. When are we going?"
Natasha's consternation changed into a supportive smile. "We can go whenever you want."
"Can we go now?" A hint of disquietude eased into her voice. She was feeling defiant at the moment, though it could possibly change as time progressed. Now would be better than later.
"I'm actually glad you said that. I wanted to go as soon as possible as well. It's so stuffy here. So much testosterone."
Natasha stood up, gazing at Eira's closet.
"I'll go change into some warmer clothes. I can get your boots while you put on your coat. Will you be alright in this weather, Eira?"
She nodded. "I should be okay with a coat and hat."
"Well alright, I'll be back here when I'm done changing."
Natasha left the room. Eira then walked over to her closet and took out a dark teal winter coat with puffed hems.
As she grabbed her navy and sky blue striped wool hat, Eira hoped that the confidence in her body would remain during her travels.
The Midgardians were under the protection of her family, yet Eira found herself unable to look at them through the window of the car. She had the fear that if one of them met her gaze, they would know who she was as reminders of her father's attack flashed back to them, and the lie the Avengers had formed for her would crumble within seconds.
The car ride was short, albeit with many stops due to the unyielding traffic of the city. Eira passed the time by bobbing her head to the tune of the radio. "Last Night" by the Strokes was a rather calm song; the relaxed guitar string soothing her mind.
Music was suddenly replaced by the ring of the car, signalling that the engine had been turned off. Eira tilted her head in disappointment, though when Natasha turned from the driver's seat to face her, she thought the fears from before their departure had returned.
"Hey, it's alright," comforted Natasha. "We'll go wherever you want."
Eira nodded, opening the car door without looking out its window. Lifting herself off her seat, she adjusted her hat, securing a place where her thick curls wouldn't threaten her hat to fall off.
She expected to see a crowd of people, similar to the bundles of bystanders she saw out the window of her room for the past week. They would walk past the visually loud, culturally confusing shops that plagued the city.
But as she lifted her eyes, she witnessed a sidewalk with a couple moving along. The shops varied in design, but all shared a homey feel. Clothing stores, cafes, and even a candle shop were in her view. She almost laughed at the juxtaposition of two stores: both seemingly boutiques, though each had a different style. One store, Tulip Threads, had traditional modern Midgardian architecture, though it's logo of a magenta tulip with the store name in a classical cursive font gave it a fancy, feminine feel. Directly across was BackStreet Palette, it's jet black columns and neon orange stickers on its windows giving a rebellious tone that attracted Eira's attention.
"Didn't expect to see you smile so soon," spoke Natasha, breaking Eira's trance.
Eira looked up toward the woman, an eyebrow arched in confusion as she did not realize herself that she was smiling. Natasha had a proud expression that almost brought the grin back, but like her father, Eira could sense the hint of a hidden feeling. There was a sparkle of concern transposed in the Russian's green eyes.
"Um, yeah, I guess so," Eira answered. "I thought it would be busier. This might not be as bad as I thought."
"I'm glad. I thought you would enjoy it."
Natasha noticed the diversion of Eira's eyes. They were directed toward a flower shop, Floral Outskirts, where a bundle of daisies laid in the window display.
"Why don't we go to that flower shop?" she offered, inviting Eira with an open hand. "I know that you like flowers. Let's see what they have and you can pick your favorite to take back to the Tower."
"I would like that," agreed Eira, taking Natasha's hand.
Such a simple action almost made Natasha cry. She had finally gained Eira's trust. The little girl was now comfortable around her.
She couldn't help but look down at Eira as they walked to the flower shop. Her gaze lifted slightly as she observed Eira's head turn toward the leather jacket on display at the window of BackStreet Palette. At only seven, she was developing a liking toward the rebellious. Perhaps a trait she inherited from Loki, though Eira's rebellion didn't match that of his.
The employees of the store paid no mind to the entrance of the Avengers. Natasha had her hair heavily curled, very unlike any of her previous hairstyles. The combination of a wool hat and hood further hid her face. If the employees did notice, they chose not to make their observations known, or they weren't paid enough to care.
She felt her hand become empty. Eira had moved away, her attention directed toward a bundle of magenta dahlias sitting on self. The princess was amazed by the geometry of the shape. The petals were harmlessly pointy, arranged in an almost geometrical pattern. She had never seen magenta be such a dark shade.
Such a unique flower, she thought. I've never seen it in the palace gardens. Must be unique to Midgard.
"That's a very pretty flower," spoke Natasha as she approached the girl. "You have quite a good eye for them."
"Daddy would take me to the palace gardens a lot," Eira explained. "And sometimes when he went somewhere for work, he would give me a flower as a gift. He said that mummy named me after a flower, Erikas. Are there Erikas on Earth?"
Despite her father being declared missing and not visiting her, Eira was always rather calm when talking about him. Whenever discussing her magic, she would brightly smile upon mentioning what Loki taught her. She never cried about being away from him. Seemed rather uncharacteristic of a child who occasionally had the urge to hide behind Loki's leg.
A child would never be tranquil about the disappearance of her only living parent.
Unless, she knew more than anyone realized.
Natasha knew better to pester her about Loki's whereabouts. Eira was still adjusting to life on Earth, and adapting to the presence of her and Steve. Even if Nat did question, she recognized how stubborn Eira was.
The best method to apprehend the answer was to take note of Eira's behavior and ask unsuspecting queries. A resolution could be gained through putting what little pieces she had together.
"We do have erikas here," Natasha answered as she pondered the princess's behavior. "Pretty cool that it's a flower found on multiple planets. It has to be beautiful if you were named after it."
Eira blushed while she stroked one of the dahlia's petals.
"There has to be other interesting flowers here," said Nat. "We'll definitely get one or more of the dahlias. Why don't you see if anything else catches your eye?"
Eira nodded and turned to see more of what the floristry offered. Her eyes stopped at a corner where a ray of light bounced against a pot of aquilegias.
Trouble within the realms was the only enjoyment Loki could find during his time in disguise as Odin. Managing conflict would be boring to the average person, but it was Loki's birthright to rule. He was a mastermind, and the throne encouraged his abilities.
Yet he could never join the battlefield. His bloodthirsty urges were not fulfilled, instead increasing each time he sent a fleet of soldiers to a war-ridden section of a realm.
Between breaks from meetings and readings of current realm events, Loki wished he could visit Eira in her room, but he then remembered that her chambers were empty of her presence. She was an excellent conductor of neutrality and calmness, and right now, she was severely missed.
Loki sat in his new chambers, staring at the beige, gold-embellished wall in front of him. Well aware of the good amount of minutes he had before his leave, he bent his fingers and spoke with a soft yet commanding whisper.
"Vismikr þeirviewr."
With that, the contents of the wall were engulfed by a green mist. As the scene formed, Loki expected to see Eira playing at Stark Tower, or perhaps practicing her magic while an Avenger lay witness.
The edges defined first, displaying a wall decorated with oak panelings, some spirals reflecting the light from the lamps attached to the ceiling, their design inspired by America's Golden Age. Loki lifted an eyebrow in confusion. Stark would never have one of his many residences be designed in such a rustic way. So where exactly was Eira? Then a woman wearing a polo and apron appeared, handing a paper cup, emitting smoke from the top, to a man in a puffy coat.
Loki's eyes widened in concern.
Was Eira out in public? He knew his daughter well, and he knew that she was not in the happiest state while in public.
He expected the center to contain Eira crying her eyes out, confused by the many people surrounding her, wishing for her father to randomly apparate and take her to safety.
But once the image was complete, all he could focus on was Eira's smile.
She sat on a table with Natasha. Eira had a sandwich and bowl of soup in front of her. Natasha took a bite of her savory crepe. Two containers, one filled with colorful macaroons and the other enclosing two slices of crepe cake.
Bags sat by their feet. Each one had a different color and design, some contents sneaking through the entrance. A bright yellow bag had a box reading "500-piece jigsaw puzzle" attempting to escape. The top of a flower laid atop a matching floral bag. It was red, similar in petal layers to a rose, but more even in width and heavy with petals, most likely an exclusive of Midgard.
Loki deduced that his daughter and the Black Widow went on a short shopping spree. He thought Eira would stubbornly argue against such an experience, but she was smiling, that same smile Runa held during moments of joy.
Tears of joy threatened to fall from the god's eyes. For years he witnessed his little girl refusing to look a stranger in the eye, only wanting the comforting embrace of her father. He always wanted to see the day where Eira would overcome her desires to not socialize. And here it was.
He didn't listen to what Eira and Nat were discussing. All he could focus on was his daughter's euphoriant demeanor and giggles, further squashing her social anxiety. It was glorious.
The aquilas purchased were placed into a vase on the dining room table. The Tower had a lack of variety in its color palette, and the flowers added an ameliorating feel through the splashes of purple and yellow.
The magenta of the dahlias and pure red of the ranunculi complemented one another beautifully, so they sat together in Eira's room. The princess was proud of the arrangement and showed it off to her father when he arrived for their visit.
"I was unaware of the beauty of Midgard's floral life," said Loki as he held the stem of the dahlia Eira had handed him. "I thought they shared some of the Asgardian plant life."
Eira shook her head with a giggle. Her father was so stubborn about the uniqueness of Earth, even when confronted with one of its most beautiful creations.
"Don't be so silly, Daddy," she said, removing the flower from Loki's grasp. "You should have known that. You've been to Midgard many times."
"Well my most recent visit was more city-focused. Highly-populated areas are rather grey and stone-like. Not much natural nature - if that is a term - to be found. And before that was a rather small trip in the seventies. Twas a plane ride where I was not on the ground much. That trip didn't end with me on the ground either. I wonder what Heimdall did with all that money?"
The dahlia was placed into a vase, no longer held by Eira as she glanced at Loki with confusion. He was laughing at one of his past adventures, likely one he never told Eira.
"What are you talking about?" asked Eira.
Loki once again giggled, no longer experiencing a flashback, but rather the unexpected legacy he had left. "The legend of DB Cooper" is what he heard through whispering of Midgardian culture. Celebrating an escape artist was daft, in Loki's humble opinion, though being referred to as a legend was complimentary.
"A story for another time, Eira. Truly a story worth telling, though not now," his expression turned serious, his eyes filled with anticipation. "You are ready for the next stage of your seidr: declarat mobilium."
Nerves moved Eira's eyes downward. "Declaract mobilium, moveable" she translated effortlessly, not daring to meet the gaze of her father. "Creating matter that moves without thought." Spoken like she memorized the textbook definition, an attempt to convince herself that she was capable.
No disguise could hide the uncertainty emitted from Eira. Loki felt as if he was looking into a gateway to the past. He remembered feeling mortal in the beginning. Frigga always had her ways to motivate him. When introducing him to magic at the age of three, she used a magic technique, it's masterful presence convincing Loki that he could accomplish much. Eira already knew her magical capabilities, but since she was uncertain about declarat mobilium, he could use the introduction to magic he was given over an eon ago.
"Eira, my little one," he spoke gently, moving a loose curl laying astray in her vision to a secure curve of her ear. "Do not deter yourself. There is a great potential, great power within you. You have advanced greatly with your magic. I can picture that, someday soon, you can open the palm of your hand, look deep inside your mind, and create fireworks the length of your hand."
Loki replicated his speech, neon-colored firework, miniscule in scale, being released from his hand. All doubt had left Eira's body, replaced by amazement at the display of magic in front of her. New fireworks took the place of diminished ones. Even when the wonderful sight disappeared with the flick of her father's hand, her eyes continued to be wide with bemusement.
"I can do that?" questioned Eira. "I can be like you?"
"You most certainly can," Loki answered with a soft smile. "You are capable of overcoming so much. I saw what you did today with Natasha, so I'm confident that you can learn declarat mobilium."
Eira finally met her father's eyes. "You know about today?"
"I did, and I am so proud of you, Eira. So proud. Prouder than words can display."
Tears escaped her eyes as she jumped onto his body, wrapping her arms around his body in a tight embrace.
"Thank you, Daddy."
Loki could only release tears of his own in response. He had actually done it, he had motivated his daughter through the ways of Frigga. He encouraged Eira as a teacher and, more importantly, as a father. There was no feeling greater than that.
Royalty life was incredibly restless. Loki and other nobles kept up a public persona while fighting in battles and participating in Asgardian politics. Though Loki felt he was working harder than all of them. His ambitions were much heftier, after all, and living in the shadow of his brother was a situation he wanted to stride himself away from.
There was a time when he could rest and party with his friends, but that was before fatherhood.
After a victorious battle, he was meant to celebrate with an audience that gathered at the palace grounds. He would have gleefully joined if not for the incident reports that required his opinion and the fussy six-month-old baby sleeping in her crib behind his desk.
Frigga, who was approaching an older age, pursued a path of royalty where she diverted her efforts to helping those less fortunate. Once she kept the magic of the realms in line, though she passed that duty onto her youngest son a century ago. So now Loki read the information on his desk, giving his interpretation of random occurrences, seemingly linked to seidr, on Vanaheim.
Eira prevented him from getting his work done earlier. He had arrived home from battle to his daughter being fussier than usual. She was whining all day, being clingy to Loki. For the past hour she was peacefully slumbering in her crib, the most quiet she had been all day.
Well, she was sleeping.
Loki heard a loud whine behind him, repeating in a rhythmic pattern, growing in volume in each turn. Moving his head toward the crib, he saw Eira, sitting up in her crib, tugging on the bars tearfully.
"Oh Eira," cooed Loki, getting up from his seat to pick her up. "Did you wake up too soon? Let's get you back to sleep."
He rubbed her small back as she leaned her head against his neck, whining heavily. Her legs attempted to wrap themselves around his hips, desiring to be secure in his embrace. Loki couldn't help but laugh.
"It's alright, Eira. I'm right here. I will not be going elsewhere anywhere soon. Shush, you will be fine. How about you fall asleep while I get some work done. How does that sound?"
Eira grunted while blinking up at her father. She continued to appear uneasy as Loki sat back down. He leaned forward to read the lines of the report, rocking his daughter in tandem.
Raising a child alone was not an easy feat. Not only was it difficult to measure time spent on certain duties, but the back of his mind was always wondering if he was doing enough. He was fulfilling the jobs of both parents. He had to be a father, which was hard in itself, but he always doubted if she was getting enough parental love without a mother. Sure, Loki was genderfluid, but he felt like a man most days and did not feel prepared in being a motherly figure. Well the duties of a parent could go beyond gender, but being short a parent and having the responsibility of filling the space through his own parenting could certainly have its effects, right?
Looking down at Eira, who was thankfully calming down, he considered how he was raising her and recognized that he was doing the best he could. He was a serious parent that deeply loved his daughter. He wanted to give his daughter the best life all while making Runa proud from Valhalla.
Eira has fallen asleep on his chest. Loki decided to keep her there instead of placing her back in the crib; she would most likely fuss more if she was moved.
"I'm doing my best for you," he whispered to his sleeping daughter.
"I'm doing my best for you," he whispered again, almost seven years later.
Occasional flashbacks of Eira as a baby flowed through his mind when he helped her sleep. Luckily for him, there was much less crying, though Eira was still stubborn about falling into his slumber.
Some of his choices had prevented them from being together, though they were making the best of their situations. Loki would never dare stop caring for his daughter, even if she was in another realm.
Loki was a master at multitasking, but perhaps his contemplation was too deep, preventing him from hearing the sound of the door opening and closing, along with the footsteps of the Black Widow.
"Nice to see you, Loki. Did you decide to take a break from your disappearing act?"