...
For that single moment, I just held the woman's gaze as I watched her expression react to my words, Thor's cheer frankly ignored, even as his people behind him warily and slowly joined him on it.
When disbelief filtered through her eyes as she shook her head, a wistful smile on her face, I let the smile on my own face grow.
"You're impossible!" She whispered, her hand going through my hair. "I was really worried there, you know!" She added, putting more strength behind her grip as she held onto my hair.
I snorted and raised myself into a seating position, her hand lowering down to my own, a grin still on my face.
"Please. It's going to take a lot more than that to get rid of me."
That was the moment Thor's shadow covered me from behind, his hands promptly going to my shoulders as he made to lift me upwards to my feet, the Asgardian completely ignoring the way Jane's expression changed as she stood up on her own two feet.
Shrugging the god of sparkle's hands of my shoulders I turned to face him, the man's too wide grin a direct contrast to his earlier mood towards me.
"Where on Midgard where they hiding you!?" His voice boomed all across the suddenly too quiet hall as his words earned, either forced or more likely genuine, laughter from his people. "Most would've soiled themselves in sight of such a demon!"
I crossed my arms.
"There's no need to soil yourself on my behalf." I deadpanned towards him.
He blinked once.
"Ha! You've got nerve to say that to the prince of Asgard!" He laughed, pumping a hand on his chest, before his gaze landed on, likely his father, behind me before turning back towards me. "Though, I can't say I am surprised." He added on, mischievously as he raised a hand to his mouth in an attempt to cover his words.
I shrugged.
"What can I say-"
"What magic was that..?"
I hadn't even noticed Loki's sudden appearance beside his brother, the trickster's expression straight, though his eyes showed off a certain type of hunger I'd only ever since in one of my own personal students.
Orochimaru.
Which... Frankly wasn't entirely unexpected.
"...That power..." The Frost Giant's expression seemed to twist the slightest as his eyes narrowed as they landed on the broken spear beside my feet. "...Only an infinity stone could do that to father's spear..."
I shrugged again.
"In my defense, I thought it'd hold up better- Though in hindsight I've yet to find anything that could."
Something seemed to flash across the other's eyes at the words, as a bemused expression took over Thor's for but a moment.
"Ah, I am sure there's a story to tell there! But, this is no time for that!" Thor bellowed as he turned around towards his people. "I dare say, this calls for a celebration! Never in the history of our realms has a Midgardian achieved something so grand!"
I snorted.
"You think that's impressive, you should see what I did to Dormammu."
My words froze whatever the thunder god had been about to say as he turned another wide-eye look towards me.
"That was your doing? That demon's disappearance has left his entire realm defenseless and without direction!"
Loki, unsurprisingly, showed no reaction to my boast.
Which, well, only proved he was likely the real culprit behind the shoddy seal work that had put Asgard under a false sense of security.
Of course... Whether he'd also been responsible for Umar's appearance or not was another matter entirely... Though... I suppose the more likely odds were that he'd drew her attention when he'd attempted to recreate what he'd seen.
Which really, only brought the better question out-
Was Loki in attendance when I'd put Dormammu into a cow?
My eyes briefly widened at the thought that he might've been masquerading as Kaecillius-
Though surely the Ancient Bimbo would've noticed that?
I frankly doubted I'd get the answer I was looking for-
"The Nine Realms are in your debt for putting a halt to his beasts!" Thor's words suddenly broke me out of my stupor. "I dare say this calls for an even bigger-"
A single cough promptly killed off whatever he'd been about to say, one brought about by the man's own father as Thor sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "With your permission of course!" Thor deadpanned as he stared at his father, though I had a feeling he wasn't going to take a no for an answer regardless.
Turning my gaze towards Odin, idly grabbing hold of Jane's hands as I pulled her beside me, I raised an eyebrow at the questioning and admittedly somewhat obscured expression on the king's face. His wife's own, not any easier to read.
After a moment, the king let out a long sigh, before raising his head, his eye narrowed.
"For your actions against that demon... And her kin... Asgard is in your debt, mortal. Consider your previous... disrespect towards this realm's authority, and subsequent breaking of one of its legendary treasures, forgiven."
Jane, and surprisingly Thor, breathed a sigh of relief. The golden-haired brawler turning to me with a wide smile, while Loki showed absolutely no reaction, his own gaze on the broken spear.
Naturally, in light of the recent events that led me here-
"Cool. Maybe if you return the gesture and help me or Midgard out when we need it, I might forgive you too."
You could hear a pin drop in the silence that followed.
Well, you know, if Loki hadn't started snickering to himself.
Odin's eye narrowed, as his queen tensed beside him.
I couldn't help the smile that cut my face.
"...Your name, mortal." The king remarked through grit teeth.
"I'll let you know, when you've earned it," I answered, idly waving a hand. "Sorry about the spear though, I'd say you should've polished it more often, but I doubt that would've helped to be honest." With that, I promptly started spinning my hands before me, a portal opening up immediately.
"I'll have to give you a rain check on the party Thor-" I made to speak before Odin's aura promptly lashed out, the king's expression twisting into one less... well, friendly.
Not that it was ever friendly mind you.
Loki, for a moment, seemed to hitch a breath, while Thor's own expression seemed to be torn.
"...Your tongue does you no favors... You could be writ into Asgard's own history-" Thor, surprisingly enough, started to speak up, briefly earning my attention before I cut him off.
"If it requires showing my respect to an Asgardian king for that... Then perhaps I don't want to be in it at all." I remarked, before locking eyes with the blonde. "Maybe if you lead it- Or your brother..." As bad as Loki might've been, at least he stuck to his guns.
Even Hela was true to herself, regardless of how much of a bloodthirsty psychopath she might've been.
I promptly turned my gaze back towards a much angrier Odin.
"But I refuse to bow my head to a hypocrite."
Thor, visibly upset, grit his teeth as his shoulder seemed to shake.
"Cease your words... Before you push me to defend my father's honor."
I turned an indifferent gaze back towards Thor, briefly opening my mouth to speak before a hand from my Jane- Err... from just Jane, which just sounded awkward- Regardless, her hand landed on my shoulder. The woman's expression... well, was frankly just confusing.
Between the worry and silent plea for me to shut my mouth and the clear adoration present, I wasn't sure what to think of the message she was sending.
Needless to say, I rolled my eyes at her.
"Mortal." Odin's voice washed over me again. "Asgard thanks you for your help, but you are not welcome here any longer."
I grinned in response.
Hopefully, that meant he wouldn't randomly whisk me off anymore!
It'd be really inconvenient if the fucker just randomly started summoning me whenever he felt like it.
"Midgard has no interest in your realm anyway. If not for your own doing, I wouldn't have considered coming here." I lied, well partially, as I shook my head. "But... considering what the Mad Titan has in store for everyone... I'll be seeing you all again anyway." I finished and promptly made to walk through the portal, only to briefly stop and take a glance towards Loki's face- My mind, for a moment going blank at the clear approval lining his own eyes.
That... Probably didn't bode well.
Of all the people I'd wanted to impress, Loki wasn't even in the top ten.
Just as my foot stepped through, however, one last voice called out, almost causing me to let out an exasperated sigh at the interruption.
"Mortal!"
Turning towards the queen herself, I raised an eyebrow at the witch.
"I would steer clear from using that kind of magic again... Lest you wish to destroy yourself. Death's spells are not to be trifled with." She remarked, practically insulting me with the backhanded warning.
Where the hell did she get off trying to tell me about my own abilities?
It was rather annoying been treated like a literal kid-
Though in hindsight, this might be the first time in who knows how long where nearly every single person around me was older...
Still though, the woman's wisdom, in my opinion, bottomed out when she taught Loki, a Frost Giant, one of her realm's greatest enemies, his magic in the first place.
Instead of, you know, just telling him the truth from the get-go? And then deciding if it'd be worth teaching the little shit how to magically manipulate everyone?
God knows how many things the fucker fucked up in the canon timeline with said powers because he found out the truth by accident.
"...Don't assume what I am capable of queenie. I've survived worse things, and used far more powerful magic." I evenly remarked, briefly taking in the expression of confusion and complete wariness that took over her face.
"Hell, turning Umar to dust, sealing Dormammu in a cow? Tip of your goddamn Bifrost."
I promptly made my way through the portal, Jane's grip on my hand tighter than before.
...
The other side of the portal, thankfully, had been Jane's own apartment. The window view showcasing a setting sun, the light shining through practically warming up the apartment.
Quickly going through the phone I'd been gifted, I found three missed-calls from Tony Stark, and surprisingly none from anyone else.
Which either meant Fury was still defrosting Steve Rogers, or he took my note more seriously than I'd expected.
Or... Not that much time had actually passed since my sudden disappearance.
Regardless, I breathed a sigh of relief and promptly walked over towards Jane's cyanid- coffee maker, and went about setting two cups, briefly glancing towards the woman in question, finding her head lowered and expression almost shadowed.
"...Couldn't you have..." She seemed to be torn at her choice of words as she raised her gaze up, meeting my eyes. "I don't know? Pretended to be nice?"
I turned back towards the coffee.
"I have my principles, frosties. And I am sure as hell not going to break them for anyone, let alone him."
I was fairly certain Heimdall could probably still hear me.
"But what if he... retaliates for it?"
"He can certainly try." I shrugged, watching as the coffee maker started to set off some steam. "His problems with me, he won't attack the earth if that's what you're worried-"
"I am worried about you..."
I sighed and turned my gaze back towards her.
"Don't be. Hypocrite he might be, Odin's not a fool. He prefers peace, over a fight."
"...How can you be sure?"
"...I, just am. If I am wrong, feel free to tell me you told me so, and I'll kick his ass anyway." I grinned, crossing my arms.
She let out a long-tired sigh.
"Like I said. You're impossible." She deadpanned, promptly grabbing hold of my hand, earning a blink out of me as she started walking towards the sofa-
"Er- What-"
"You said it yourself, you might have an expiration date." She deadpanned as she turned a look towards me. "I am making the most of it."
I blinked at the words.
Did... Did I just get Goku'd?
"What about the coffee?"
She ignored my question.
"You know most girls would ask about the magic-" She closed my mouth with her own, her hands still pulling me as she promptly pulled me into the sofa itself.
Kissing, in hindsight, was a very good technique to shut me up with.
Really glad Odin hadn't thought of it- Annnd there's an image I never wanted in my head.
Thanks brain.
She broke the kiss off, an off-setting expression in her face as she took in a breather.
"We can get to that later. After that, you're going to tell me your name."
Great.
Maybe I should just call myself Thanos? Would definitely make a good icebreaker when I inevitably meet Infinity-Chins himself.
"...Well, someone has her priorities-" She rolled her eyes and shut me up again.
...
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