Loki
He was in no mood for company so when he heard the knock on his front door, he gave it a scowl and growled "Go away." He didn't bother to shout since the individual on the other side would hear him just fine. In the ten months since meeting them, Loki had become familiar with the energy signature his visitor gave off.
There were many words he could use to describe the angels, and "subtle" wasn't among them.
His scowl grew deeper when the damn angel walked through the door, passing through the shields he had set up. It wounded his pride, although logically he knew it shouldn't. This particular angel was the Archangel Gabriel, and the only other two angels in existence more powerful than them were Michael and Lucifer. Logic didn't really hold a place in Loki's world, however, and it hadn't since his wife...
Loki fixed his eyes on the book he'd been reading, one of many he'd been using to occupy the lonely, unrelenting nights. Thor had offered to take him out tonight, again, but he wasn't in the mood for company and hadn't been for a while.
Gabriel produced two plastic bags out of thin air and set them on the dining table. "You need to eat," the archangel said.
"Not hungry," Loki responded, turning a page without having read it. Gabriel being here was a painful reminder, one that was unwelcome. He only wanted one angel in his presence, but she wasn't going to make an appearance anytime soon unless it was one of the rare times she was able to pull away from her duties. He wasn't sure if he would welcome that or not. On the occasions she had popped in since she decided to allow herself to be psychically mutilated, he was barely able to tolerate being around that cold, emotionless robot that she'd turned into.
There had been no warmth in her eyes when she looked at him. Her voice had been an infuriating monotone. Her posture had been ramrod straight, and through their bond he had felt nothing. Not a thing. She was a shell of the woman he had fallen for and married.
It had made him want to scream.
"Loki. You need to get over here and have something to eat so that I do not have to lie to Abriel when she asks if you ate something," Gabriel pulled two Styrofoam take out boxes from the bags
Loki scoffed. "You speak as if she actually gives a damn about my well-being."
"If you truly believe that she does not, then you are a fool," Gabriel responded with no hint of temper in their voice. Of course, there was no temper. Gabriel was an angel and anger was an emotion. Angels didn't feel. Loki had received very personal proof that they indeed felt nothing.
He heard Gabriel open the cupboard then the refrigerator. Knowing that the angel was not going to leave until he did what they wanted, Loki tossed the book aside and made his way to the table. As Gabriel set down glasses of orange juice, Loki flipped the lid on the box at his place. He was greeted by the sight of two beef patties cooked medium rare, four strips of perfectly crisp bacon, three types of melted cheese, pickle chips, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, and sautéed mushrooms all stacked between two toasted brioche buns.
He raised an eyebrow and looked at Gabriel, who said "It is the type of fare Tzadkiel consumes."
That explained the meal. Tzadkiel was a former angel now going by the name Derrick, who was turned into an immortal human centuries ago when they bit off more than they could chew during a fateful battle with the menace everyone was facing now. Derrick was now in charge of Sanctuary, a pocket dimension that served as a treasure trove of magic artifacts, and that had served as a base of operations while they had been fighting the rogue angel army while trying to salvage the planet in the midst of countless Beyonder-induced natural disasters that only stopped when Tracy...anyway, while they weren't too opposed to the angels referring to them by their former name, Derrick had made it very clear to the assembled heroes who were introduced to them that they were to call them Derrick or they would be kicked out of the Sanctuary faster than they could blink.
One of the Eternals learned the hard way that it wasn't an empty threat when he decided to test Derrick's tolerance shortly after things had calmed down. After Druig ended up in the sewers, everyone agreed by silent consensus to call Derrick by their preferred name.
When Derrick lost their wings, they decided to embrace emotion along with almost every vice known to humanity. Booze, sex, and especially food...the greasier, saltier, and/or more sugar-laden, the better. If the angels were using Derrick as a Guide to All Things Mortal, everyone was in trouble.
Not my problem, Loki told himself. "A salad instead of those fried potatoes?"
"That is in case she asks if you consumed something green when she inquires if you ate anything," Gabriel answered, opening the lid to his own meal which, Loki noted, had fries instead of salad greens. He sighed and sat down. His stomach had rumbled angrily at the first whiff of the food, and he knew she would ask Gabriel about him. And no one could lie to her. The moment she smelled the lie, she might demand to be brought here in person. Loki might welcome that if not for the fact that he knew it created a greater strain on her when she wasn't in the Silver City and in direct contact with the shield.
He picked up a fork and took a bite of salad, watching Gabriel as the angel took their burger and bit into it. Loki tried to think of a word to describe the expression on the angel's face. Something in between bewilderment and disgust.
Gabriel pulled the burger away from their mouth, set it down carefully, and chewed slowly like they were dreading swallowing the bite they had taken, but at the same time they wanted the taste out of their mouth. They forced the mouthful down and starred at the food before them. "How in the name of Father do humans eat this?"
"Low standards," Loki replied. The burger wasn't really his cup of tea either, but he ate it since he was hungry. Since Gabriel wasn't showing any inclination to touching their meal again, Loki ate their burger also, along with the fries. "Why did you get one for yourself anyway?"
"Abriel said that you eat more when someone is dining with you than you do when alone," Gabriel went to the fridge to get more juice. Apparently, the orange juice was to their liking.
"Next time ask her to provide you with suggestions for food then. She knows what I prefer, and you may find my tastes more to your liking," Loki suggested, then glowered. He could not believe he just invited the angel to dine with him again. Especially since his insistence on calling his wife Abriel, the alias she had adopted when she first arrived on this Earth since she distrusted everyone and hadn't wanted to give her real name, was making him twitch.
"Noted," Gabriel sat down with their full glass, their ebony hair absorbing the light in the room, along with those fathomless obsidian eyes. The angel was dressed rather casually in tailored black pants and a black button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, showing off those muscular forearms. With that pale, pale skin and those blood red lips, they didn't look like an angel so much as something straight from the fantasies of those younger girls who lusted for vampires—or at least the sanitized, fictional versions of them. If those same children ever encountered a real vampire, they would mess themselves. "I did not just come to bring you dinner. I have come to check on your general well-being. There has been some concern with the way you have been isolating yourself."
Loki blinked. Then he leaned back, twirled a finger, and the freezer opened. Out of it floated a bottle of vodka that made its way to Loki's hand. He poured some of the alcohol into his half-empty glass of orange juice, and as he swirled the glass to mix the contents he answered: "Oh, I'm fine. Let's see...the world was nearly destroyed, the one who almost destroyed it is still out there, and the only thing standing between him and the destruction of this world is a shield being maintained by someone who has no business channeling that sort of power through herself, at least not for another few centuries, so I am quite certain she is spending each day in unbearable agony and I cannot do a thing for her. We still have no clue how to reach this universe-destroying menace or what we will do should we manage the feat. Millions have died, the damage was catastrophic and will take several human generations to heal. I am lonely and depressed and miss Tracy with a pain that feels like a thousand razor blades raking my soul hourly, and now..." he took a gulp of the screwdriver he just made. "...now here I am, having dinner with one of the angels who lobotomized my wife."
"For the record," Gabriel replied, "She chose that. And the one time you were at the Silver City, you exploded into a rage upon seeing her and had to be removed. If you wish to protest your ban, you will have to appeal to Michael."
I just might, Loki thought. "Thor has been there. He's seen her."
"Your brother did not threaten to kill all of the archangels, myself included."
"Why are you here then, if you are holding a grudge regarding that?" Loki sneered.
"I am an angel. We do not hold grudges. I told you why I am here," Gabriel looked at Loki sharply. "Despite the fact that the Hierarchy is none too pleased with you at the moment, we still regard you as kin, and we look after our kin."
"I had every reason to be 'none too pleased' with you first. You took my wife away!"
"Again, with her consent. It was her choice."
He knew that and by the Norns, he was so angry with her for making that choice. But, "I am sure your nudging did not help matters."
"Again, speak to Michael. Any 'nudging' was entirely on their part."
It wouldn't be a good idea for him to see Michael anytime soon. Just thinking about the archangel made Loki see the world through a red haze.
"As for as any pain she may be experiencing," Gabriel paused to choose his words carefully, "Maintaining the shield has been…taxing, but she is managing."
Thor had hinted that there was a bit more to it, but had stopped short of confirming Loki's fears. His brother hadn't wanted to upset him more. Problem was, Loki could not ask anyone for an honest, straight answer. Any other angel he spoke to gave him the same carefully worded answer Gabriel just gave him, as did any Asgardian he requested take a trip to check on their princess and report back to him…even when he ordered them to be completely honest. He couldn't ask anyone else to go see her because mortals were strictly forbidden from stepping foot in the Silver City…and they had extended that ban to the Eternals and any immortal human. Basically, only angels and gods were allowed. The angels were much stricter about upholding that boundary than even his father and grandfather had been about Asgard.
Loki didn't bother with anymore juice. He just poured the vodka into his glass and gulped it straight. He felt Gabriel watch him.
"If you wish it, I will talk to Michael about allowing you back so that you may see her."
"Why would you do that? Why help me at all? When I first met Derrick, they informed me that you were a traditionalist and would not approve of our marriage." Loki remembered that quite clearly.
"Tzadkiel has been away from us for a very long time. What was true when last we saw one another is not necessarily true now."
"Why is that?" Loki didn't really care. He just needed a distraction because he couldn't handle being presented with any shred of hope at this point. To hear that there might be a chance he can see her and then have that taken away…
Gabriel sighed, toying with their own glass. Loki handed them the vodka but the angel just looked at it. "You know that does not work on us."
"Humor me," Loki dumped some of the booze into their glass.
Gabriel took a sip. "I have found myself questioning if my kind are truly better off without emotion."
Loki snorted. "I thought it was necessary, that without your whole Silence philosophy your kind was dangerous, and that you were more efficient warriors without emotion."
"That was the idea," Gabriel replied. "Now, however, I am starting to have doubts about the wisdom behind that decision to repress our emotions." He pinned Loki with his gaze. "You will never speak to Michael of this, but I disobeyed their directive to stay away from Abriel after they informed us all of her existence, after Tzadkiel had informed them."
Loki arched a brow.
"I did not get too close. She was not aware of my presence and I observed her only in public locales. I never entered your home nor that of Stephen Strange's, nor went into the Avengers headquarters."
"Why?"
Gabriel cleared their throat. "I was…curious about the first new mortal born angel we have had in millennia, and…intrigued by the notion of one living among humans and being married to an Asgardian prince."
Curious? Coming from one of the angels, a confession like that was a radical move. Loki was now intrigued.
"I knew of her history, because Michael explained it to us. Someone like her, to be so traumatized, and then traumatized even further by the transition…" Gabriel looked out the window. "The transformation from mortal to angel is not any easy change."
"She remembers how painful it was." Loki had to comfort her after many a nightmare or flashback concerning it.
"Whatever she remembers, I promise that it was actually thousands of times worse. She might have blocked most of it, her mind attempting to protect her as it had before. The transition is brutal. It is bloody, violent, and difficult for even those of my kind to witness. There is a reason why most of the mortals we attempted to bring over died during the transformation and of the ones who initially survived, many of them had to be mercy killed after." They paused. "Had I met her immediately after her transformation, I would have put her out of her misery as swiftly and painlessly as I could. I saw the Avengers' file on her and watched the recordings. Had any of us been aware of her, we would have arrived to Earth to give her mercy."
"The Avengers would have fought you."
"I know. Even if we had informed them it was for her own good as well as theirs, they would have challenged us." Gabriel took a sip of vodka. "I have noticed that once Steve Rogers decides he is responsible for someone, he does not let go easily."
"Neither does my brother. Did watching Tracy give you second thoughts?"
They nodded. "I saw how well adjusted she was and knew it was because of the bonds she made. Not just with you, but with your brother, the people of New Asgard, the mortals in the Avengers. It is having all of those connections that allowed her to find some balance. She has not been the only mortal born I have observed approving with exposure to other humans either." They sipped again. "You have met Joshua."
Loki had, yes. Joshua was a former mortal who had been turned into an angel around forty-five hundred years ago. Loki had watched the man and took note of how powerful he was, and felt that he was getting a preview of how his Pet would be in four and a half millennia.
"Joshua is a valued member of the Hierarchy. Having no wings and being mortal born did not stop him from rising in rank. However, he has not been the most mentally stable of individuals. We had to put him through the Silent ceremony five times. Since his exposure to this world, to the humans as well as the Avengers, he has stabilized…he has been calmer in the past ten months than he has been for centuries. It has me wondering and coming up with theories."
"Of what sort?" Loki was fascinated. He realized he really missed talking to someone. He had been aware that he was lonely but now he could acknowledge that much of it had been his doing. Perhaps he would contact Thor after Gabriel left.
It was more than having intellectually stimulating company, however. Loki really did feel as if he were bearing witness to something radical, an evolution possibly of an entire species that could lead to them adopting an entirely different way of life. If Gabriel, Michael's second in command, was admitting to having emotions like curiosity and rethinking angelic Silence…what of those ranked in the lower echelons?
There was that nagging spark of hope again. Loki fought it. Even if his Pet were to feel emotion again, she still needed to maintain the shield that was keeping the universe out of phase enough that the Beyonder couldn't get a foothold in it. She would continue to put herself through Hel to protect everyone. Loki didn't give a damn what assurances Thor, Gabriel, nor anyone else gave him. His bond with his Pet might be shutdown tight, but some information still leaked through. What he was able to pick up was not good, and he was not so much furious with her for leaving him as he was for purposely hurting and crippling herself.
Gabriel was playing with his glass. Another betraying action. Idly playing with objects was a sign of nervousness. "Humans are a social species," they said. "Humans need to interact with other humans. They need those connections and those bonds almost as much as they need food and air. Without such connections, they wither and can fall victim to all manner of ailments, both mental and physical. In some ways, those of my kind are much the same way. I believe it is for that reason that when we turned humans into angels in the past, so many went insane inside their first century."
Loki frowned. "Do you think it was because you cut them off from emotion? Emotion is the lifeblood of mortal existence...not just mortals, actually. Emotion fuels much of how my people live and conduct themselves as well. We too need bonds with others or we go mad." Loki knew all about that. He went through centuries of loneliness, living in the shadow of a brother he loved but hated at the same time, with a father who kept his distance from his younger son. His friends were Thor's friends, and preferred not to have him around the majority of the time. His lovers were Thor's castoffs. His mother...he had loved her, but he could not forget that she was just as implicit as Odin in lying to him his whole life about his true origins, and that she enabled much of the treatment he had received at the hands of Odin and others.
All of those centuries of isolation followed by imprisonment by Thanos for a year, and then another year of imprisonment by Odin, gave him a complex. It was still difficult for him to make friends, and he would not have bothered trying if he hadn't fallen for his Pet. Part of him still saw the Avengers as either her friends or Thor's friends, even though Barnes, Banner, Wilson, and others had invited him to accompany them on several occasions with neither his Pet nor his brother being present. Then there was Gabriel, who was confessing things that Loki knew would get them "rehabilitated" in a heartbeat if Michael knew about any of it, and to him of all people. Almost like the angel trusted him and thought of him as a friend in their own rather distant way.
Gabriel nodded. "This is true, and as I have said, my kind are the same, in a manner of speaking. However, our relationships to one another are not the same as the ones you have. We do not have emotional bonds with one another. We call ourselves a family, but our connections are not as deep as that of a human family, nor even an Asgardian one. And while the humans we turned became angels, the fact remains that mentally and emotionally they were still human. They still think like humans, and even after the Silent ceremony, parts of them still feel as humans do. But we neglected those parts of them that were still human, who still needed human connection. I am beginning to believe that is where we went wrong with the mortal born and that perhaps the ones who died really needn't have. Some of them anyway. There were a few memorable cases that truly were beyond hope and we had to execute them for the safety of all. But there were others who were much like Abriel and Joshua, and I wonder if we had allowed them interaction with humans..." They shook their head. "As I stated, I would have executed Abriel on sight had I met her initially, before the Avengers and you helped her stabilize. I would have been wrong for it. It also makes me question if putting the mortal born through the Silent ceremony is necessary."
"So it wouldn't be necessary for Tracy?"
Gabriel shook their head again. "No, Loki, I am sorry, but in her case, with what she has to do? The strain on her is taxing enough with her Silent. If she had her emotions still, I have no doubts she would be dead now."
Now Loki really wanted to see her. "Are you thinking about trying to make more mortal born angels in order to check your theory?"
Gabriel shut their black eyes. "No. There are good reasons why the practice was stopped. It resulted in more deaths than in live angels, and I believe banning it was a good thing. The idea of putting more mortals through that process..." They swallowed hard, an action that served as further proof of there being cracks in Gabriel's Silence. "But I believe that the existing mortal born can benefit from exposure to the human world and being allowed to slowly embrace emotion again."
Loki studied them while tilting his head. "And what of the purebloods, such as yourself? Do you believe you would benefit by allowing yourselves to experience emotion as well?"
Gabriel was silent, and they were clearly thinking. Then they stood up. "It is something to ponder. I need to return to my duties. It is my turn to interrogate the prisoners."
Loki nodded and Gabriel paused before going to the door. "I will speak to not only Michael, but the other archangels. If enough of us agree to allow you back, we can overthrow Michael's decision to keep you shut out of the Silver City."
"I would appreciate it."
They nodded and then teleported away in a flash of white light, clearly having changed their mind about going out the door.
Loki sighed, and looked at his glass. Then he reached for his phone and dialed Thor's number. It was never a good idea to drink alone after all.
Steve
"The rebuilding is going well. The people who are still in the shelter are grateful that they will be moving back into their homes soon. On a grimmer note, we recovered more bodies. We were able to identify and return the remains to their families."
Steve acknowledged the news with a tightening of his jaw. There had been way too many funerals in the past months. "Thanks Okoye. Let us know if you guys need any assistance."
Okoye nodded. "On a more personal note...how are you, Steve?"
"Things are going well here. New York has been cleaned up and the rest of the North American continent is well on its way to recovery. Cities are being rebuilt quickly with the help of the Eternals' tech and the magic users from Kamar Taj lending their aid."
"I was not asking how things are over there, Steve. I was asking how you are doing."
Damn Dora Milaje and their powers of observation and uncanny way of reading people, even over a long distance holocall. "I'm hanging up now, Okoye." She just responded with a smile while he hit the disconnect switch. Steve sighed and ran a hand through his hair, wincing at the sight of several strands of it clinging to his fingers. He gave a weary look at the cane leaning next to him, hating that his leg was bothering him so much that he'd had to take Okoye's call sitting down.
It wasn't so much the fact that he was now disabled. Steve counted his lucky stars that Tracy possessed those healing flames of hers. Without them, he very likely would be much worse off, a conclusion that Stephen and Bruce had agreed with. Unfortunately, there had been only so much that white fire did, and Tracy hadn't been able to call it up since the one time so that Steve could see if she could do more. But he was alive, his mind was working clearly, and he was functional.
He just felt so useless. It didn't matter that he kept telling himself that what he was doing was just as important as being out there with the rest of the team. He organized the missions, advised his teammates, provided a shoulder to cry on for those who needed it, handled dispatch and communications.
But he was a soldier, damn it. He wasn't made for these types of administrative tasks. He wasn't made for sitting in a pavilion while the knights went off to fight the enemy. He should be out there.
A deep voice made a negative noise from the doorway. "I know that look, Steve. Quit it with the self-pitying, will ya? We're counting on you for morale boosts."
Steve looked at his best friend leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed. Bucky was dressed casually, in leather jacket and jeans, along with the leather gloves. He preferred to keep his metal arm hidden as much as possible when off duty, so he could pretend that he was still "normal" in at least one area. "It gets exhausting smiling all the time," Steve responded. "Shouldn't you be out doing something stupid?"
"I wouldn't be able to, I left the stupid here with you." It was an old joke between the two of them and they would be using it until the day one of them died. "Came to get you. It's time to go meet everyone at Derrick's place."
Steve repressed a sigh. He knew that these meetings were necessary, for brainstorming on how to find the Beyonder and coming up with plans for what they would do should they find him. He just didn't like being reminded that when that time came, there really would be nothing he could do...wouldn't be even were he still in full health. Ah well. At least it'd get him out of the house for a bit.
On the way to the car, Steve gave the motorcycle that now rested under a cover a wistful look. There was a time when he and Bucky would have jumped on their respective bikes and taken the trip to the Sanctuary that way. But motorcycles were a no-no for him now. He missed them. He missed the sense of freedom that come with riding a motorcycle, missed the wind through his hair and the exercise that came with steering at high speeds against a particularly strong gust.
He looked away and slid into the passenger seat of the car Bucky chose. It took time because he couldn't move as fast or as gracefully as he did once upon a time, and he had the damn cane to worry about. Bucky was patient and paid him the courtesy of not watching him. There were good reasons why the two of them had been friends for all this time.
Steve silently scolded himself for wallowing in self-pity. Yes, he had to walk with a cane. Yes, he became winded after much physical activity, to the point where the only difference between pre-serum him and post-serum was that he was now bigger. Yes, he now appeared to be a decade older than he had before Sharon had imprisoned him to drain his body and make more super soldiers. But he was alive and at least he could walk, which was a testament to Bruce and Stephen's abilities as doctors, not to mention the power of that angelfire that he hadn't seen Tracy call up intentionally. It seemed she could only conjure that under extreme circumstances, or at least that was true before.
He didn't want to think about his friend now. Thor had finally opened up to him about her real condition, which the god had observed on his visits to the Silver City. Steve hadn't like any of what Thor had to say. He didn't like the idea of his friend being in pain, or being drained like that. He also didn't like that it indicated they were running out of time.
Bucky parked in front of the New Age/Wicca/Occult shop that Derrick used as a front. The two of them went through the place, behind the counter, through the Employees Only door, and knocked on the door to the broom closet.
Derrick slammed it opened, looking like a cat that had been stroked the wrong way. They schooled their face into a more neutral expression upon seeing the two of them. Steve noticed something else about their appearance. "Nice nosering," he said, while trying not to comment on the rest of it. Sarah Rogers hadn't raised him to be rude.
"I was hoping that this change would make the kid uncomfortable enough to finally move out." Derrick ground their teeth. "It didn't work."
Derrick was currently femme-presenting. They were still dressed in those jeans and combat boots, but had replaced the vest with a fitted black tank top. The tattoos were still as numerous, and moving on top of it. Instead of short and spiky like it was in their masc-presenting form, their hair sproinged out in riotous blonde corkscrew curls, and for some reason they were wearing a septum ring. That was weird since they hadn't worn one in the male form.
Steve didn't buy that whole "trying to scare the roommate" excuse either. He knew why Derrick did it. The former angel had it bad for Bucky, really bad, but Bucky wasn't attracted to masculine presenting individuals. They totally did it for Bucky's benefit, despite the fact that in order to do so, they would have had to go to sleep for a full day and have the help of an angel on top of it. Derrick couldn't just shift at the drop of a hat like the angels or Loki could.
He took his time entering Sanctuary, since he wanted to hear the conversation going on behind him. Bucky had lapsed into complete silence the moment Derrick opened the door. Now Steve could practically hear him scratching the back of his head as he said to Derrick, "So, um, what do we call you now?"
He could hear the grin in Derrick's voice, and didn't have to turn around to know that Derrick was leaning on the doorframe, one arm stretched up along the wood with the other hand at their hip. "You know you can call me whatever you want, Dimples." Steve didn't miss the purr in their voice. It wasn't too hard to imagine Bucky blushing from head to toe.
"Uh, that isn't what I-"
"I know what you meant. Told all of you before, all pronouns are fine." Derrick moved away from the doorway to allow Bucky to enter.
"No one else here yet?" Steve asked.
"You two are the first ones," Derrick answered, going to the kitchen and opening cupboards.
"Really? Doctor Strange lives right down the street!" Bucky observed.
Derrick just snorted. "He'll be the last to arrive." They began to set glasses out, then reached into the oven to pull out trays of stuffed mushrooms, bacon wrapped jalapenos, and mozzarella sticks. Over the past months, everyone had learned that you never left Sanctuary hungry. Derrick was from a very old time, when being a good host mattered.
"Need some help?" Bucky offered, and Steve finally looked at him. Yep, the man was blushing.
"I can use help with a lot of things, but you can open those bags of chips and set them out with the salsa and guac for starters."
Derrick was laying it on thick as usual. Steve would almost feel sorry for Bucky if not for the fact that he was pretty sure his friend enjoyed it. "So, why did you look so annoyed when you opened the door?"
Derrick's silver eyes, eyes that were as off-putting as they were ungodly beautiful, blazed with irritation. "The kid loaded the dishwasher without rinsing the dishes first. Again."
"Cut him some slack, he probably didn't grow up with one," Steve resisted the urge to smile at Derrick's indignation.
"I told him, if he needed a place to crash," Derrick ground out through their teeth, "That he could stay here for a short time. That was ten months ago, and he shows no signs of leaving. If he's going to keep mooching off me, the least he can do is pay attention when I tell him how to do chores. He reprogrammed my TV channels so now I have to scroll through to find my stories. He never replaces the toilet paper after he uses the last of it. And he lounges around in the public areas in his boxers! And the whole place stinks like demon!"
Derrick opened another oven and slapped a pan full of chicken wings down a bit harder than was warranted. Steve and Bucky just gave each other eyerolls. Neither of them bought the act. Derrick had been complaining about Robbie for months, but everyone knew that Derrick had a heart made of marshmallow. Despite their complaining, they would never kick Robbie out as long as he needed a place to stay.
The "kid" in question came down the stairs, thankfully fully dressed, and snatched a jalapeno on his way to join them. Then Derrick went to answer the door.
Ajak and T'Challa followed them back. Both individuals accompanied Derrick to the kitchen, where both pitched in to help put out the food. Derrick was alright with Ajak helping, but looked scandalized when T'Challa grabbed the tray of chicken and a spatula. Derrick was also the product of a time when royalty just didn't do things like that.
"Did Okoye give you the update?" the Wakandan king asked Steve as he set out the serving tray and a couple pairs of tongs for the wings.
"She did. I'm glad to hear your country's doing alright. Thanks for coming here. I know you hate to be away when there's still so much to be done."
T'Challa waved him off, then turned to grab the bowl of potato chips and smaller bowl of dip from Derrick, whose expression suggested that they were about to have a coronary if T'Challa did one more thing more suited to a servant. "This is important as well. Besides, there is a chance she might come tonight, and I would like to have a look at her."
T'Challa had a vested interest in Tracy, had ever since he saw her years ago, when she first came to this universe. Feral, mostly insane, childlike, and damaged, she had been a handful. T'Challa had seen her and wasted no time at all in offering Wakanda's aid, sending a couple of Dora Milaje over to help tend to Tracy's needs such as dressing, grooming, and bathing, and also aid her in relearning how to do those basic tasks. Months after that, she had spent some time in Wakanda undergoing survival and combat training with the Dora Milaje...training that T'Challa had also taken part in.
When Steve had asked T'Challa why he was so invested, the king had a sparkle in his eye. "I had a dream after seeing her that first time. I was on the ancestral plain, and the ancestors told me to look out for her, that this world needed all the angels it could get." T'Challa had known what she was before the rest of them, including Stephen, figured it out.
Steve was surprised to see the two people who entered with Tony, since he had assumed they were too far away from Earth to be able to make it.
"Dude!" Peter Quill's jaw dropped when he saw Derrick. Upon realizing what he just did, he turned beet red and tried to rectify. "I, er, I mean..."
Carol grabbed a mushroom and crammed it into his mouth. "Some food should keep you from embarrassing yourself further," she quipped. Then she came over and bent down to give Steve a hug. The two of them had become very good friends, bonding through stories of their various experiences in the military-Army for him, Airforce for her, and their shared commitment to the Avengers.
"What, she gets a hug and I don't?" Tony stepped around Carol and gave Steve an affectionate shoulder pat. "It's okay. I don't feel left out or anything."
Everyone filled plates, grabbed drinks, and took their seats. Derrick answered the door for Stephen, who joined them.
The last to arrive was Thor, who had two companions with him. One was an angel with seal brown hair with light brown skin. Steve knew them. They were one of the archangels, the Archangel Remiel to be precise. It seemed they were going to be the one to represent the angels at this meeting, which Steve wasn't fussed with since Michael creeped him out and Uriel wasn't much better. He liked Gabriel, but the archangel must have been busy this evening.
Remiel was also busy watching the other individual Thor had brought like a hawk. Thor, for his part, was also gazing at her with a protective and watchful eye.
Her dark brown hair was wrapped up in a practical twist, her clothing was pristine and fit her perfectly, but her eyes looked drawn and exhausted. Tracy betrayed nothing else, not letting on at all that she was in pain or any kind of distress. She also didn't smile at anyone like she would have before, coolly ignored Thor's hand, and took a seat without accepting any food or drink.
It was so wrong that Steve wanted to do violence. He knew by the expression on Bucky's face that his friend felt the same. He also saw Stephen's face tighten. Tony looked put off at the blank expression on Tracy's face, the perfectly straight posture, the politely folded hands, the eyes that held no warmth. Ajak and Quill didn't even know her that well, and they were uneasy. Carol didn't like Tracy, but even she looked disturbed.
He could tell that Thor was having a very hard time keeping his temper in check. Tracy was his sister by marriage. This had to be ripping him apart. Although not as much as the individual who just rushed in, not quite slamming the door when he opened or closed it.
Loki immediately composed himself upon becoming aware of everyone gathered in the room, but he didn't take his eyes off his wife. Steve realized Thor must have contacted him. Of course, he wasn't going to bring Tracy to Earth without informing his brother. If Thor hadn't, then Steve would have.
Quill had been sitting beside her, but he vacated his seat when Loki made a beeline for it, since Remiel was sitting on Tracy's other side and there was no making her move. Loki sank down into the chair. Tracy gave him a polite nod, but that was it. The look in his eyes was heartbreaking. The Vulcans from Star Trek gave better greetings to their spouses.
Thor grabbed some wings and jalapenos. Remiel politely accepted a few items off the veggie tray Derrick offered with a cup of tea and nibbled daintily. Neither Loki nor Tracy accepted anything. Loki's attention was on her, and Tracy was staring at nothing with a perfectly calm expression that had no emotion on it whatsoever.
"We cannot stay for long," Remiel stated. "Being away from the Silver City makes maintaining the shield even more taxing for Abriel. Shall we start?"
Abriel. Seriously. Steve wanted to scream. But Tracy didn't react to the use of the name so no one commented on it, though Steve knew that he and most likely Bucky as well wanted to scream "That isn't her name!" Loki's jaw tightened as he reached for his wife's hand and squeezed. She didn't squeeze back.
Without further fanfare, Remiel waved a hand, and an image of Earth floated above the table. "In our interrogations..."
Steve almost snorted. Interrogations. Torture was more like it, judging from what Thor told him. But he also remembered that the rogue angels had tortured mortals in their sick experiments, so he didn't feel too bad for them.
"...we have been able to ascertain that the Beyonder is somewhere on Earth. It seems that he has a particular fascination with this world, as it has been his focus in other realities as well."
"Didn't you say that in one reality, he took other versions of us and pitted them together in some type of war? On...what'd he called it? Battleworld? Awesome name, by the way," Peter smirked, but it quickly disappeared when everyone just stared at him.
Remiel nodded. "He wanted to witness a battle between good and evil. We can only assume he did so out of some sort of morbid curiosity." They almost sound disgusted, and everyone straightened in their chairs. It was the closest any of them had seen a non-fallen angel come to showing any emotion since meeting the race. Steve found that extremely interesting. "It was partially confirmed after Gabriel's interrogation of Hektaniel."
"The Beyonder is possessed of omniscience and omnipresence that rivals even that of Father."
"So, what, do we just start calling his name, hoping he will appear?" Tony asked. "Be honest, everyone...how many of us have already tried that?"
Tony raised his hand. After a little bit, Peter reluctantly raised his. Ajak and Carol looked at one another, sighed in unison, and raised theirs. "We're going to need something more concrete, Feathers. How sure are you that the Beyonder is on Earth now?"
"I have felt him," Tracy responded. Everyone's eyes were on her. Whereas Tracy pre-Silent Ceremony would have been visibly uncomfortable with being the center of attention, Tracy now had no reaction. "He has started poking at the shield, trying to find a weakness. It has been all I can do to maintain the shield."
"He's been what?!" Loki exclaimed, squeezing her hand harder. She didn't react.
"The other Archangels and I have begun taking turns feeding her our power since the Beyonder began doing this," Remiel informed them. "I am doing so as we speak."
That explained why the two of them were sitting so close together.
"An Archangel's power," Stephen said tightly, "Being channeled into her."
"You're going to kill her!" Loki snarled at Remiel.
"I assure you, any harm she is experiencing is being kept at a minimal. For now," Remiel replied at the same time Tracy said, "I am fine. It is a struggle, but I am adapting. I am, however not sure how much longer I can withstand the Beyonder's attempted breaches, even with the Archangels channeling their power into me."
Steve took a closer look at her. He saw that it wasn't just her eyes that looked drawn. Her skin was bleached almost entirely of color, and she had lost weight she couldn't afford to lose. If the way she looked was any indication, she wouldn't last much longer. Everyone else noticed the same thing. He could see Loki shaking with rage.
"She's too young," Stephen told Remiel. "And even were she centuries or even millennia older, she's not made to withstand the power of an Archangel."
"You are not telling me anything we are not already aware of," Remiel responded with that aggravatingly calm, emotionless voice that was starting to grate on Steve's nerves. Especially since he just heard it from his friend. The coldness, the remoteness...it was not right. "We are being careful, Stephen Strange, as much as we can be. But time is running out, so you need to contact the Beyonder as soon as possible."
"We have been trying," T'Challa snapped. "It has availed us nothing."
"Aren't you, like, channeling the spirits of an entire universe of dead people in order to power this shield?" Peter asked Tracy.
"Their emotional resonances, yes."
"Ugh. How are you not creeped out?" Robbie asked.
Tracy shrugged and said matter-of-factly, "They are dead. At least this way, their deaths have meaning."
Jesus, Steve thought. Just like that. Before, there would have been tears welling up in her eyes when she mentioned her dead universe. He wasn't an empath but he still got a sense of collective shock rippling through the room.
He wanted to go over, grab her, shake her, and tell her to snap out of it. This wasn't her, this wasn't his friend, this wasn't the woman he spent months coaxing into talking and then helping her readjust to the real world by showing her pictures, taking her on walks through the park so she could see trees and flowers, trying anything to reach her. This was a stranger wearing her skin.
At that point, Tracy sucked in a breath and winced. Remiel quickly said, "Enough. I must take her back to the Silver City. However, we have been able to conclude from the interrogations of our prisoners that the Beyonder is intrigued by new experiences. We believe that is why he is probing the shield. It is different from anything he has ever encountered." They shrugged. "Perhaps you can come up with a plan from there."
"What will you do with your prisoners?" T'Challa asked as Remiel pushed their chair back and rose.
The Archangel blinked at the Wakandan king. "They will be executed, of course."
"Whoa!" Peter exclaimed. "Just like that? You're going to kill them all?"
"They have committed the most grievous of crimes. They have harmed and killed innocents. They have participated in the destruction of entire universes. They must pay."
"Not even a chance at rehabilitation?" Carol asked.
"There is no rehabilitating a fallen angel," Remiel replied. "We are not human. You cannot apply the standards of human morality to us. Once an angel has tasted innocent blood, once they begin to find pleasure in the pain and suffering of mortals, there is no turning back. They are a danger to every living thing. They need to be destroyed."
No one had anything to say in response to that. Remiel offered Tracy their arm, which she accepted. With Remiel's aid, Tracy stood, and Loki stood with her, showing no signs of letting go of her hand. He looked at the Archangel. "A few moments. Please."
"A few moments, but no longer. She needs to go back," they nodded at Derrick. "Thank you Tzadkiel."
They led Tracy and Loki out of the Sanctuary. Peter blew out a breath, his lips vibrating, the result being that he sounded like a horse. "She's gorgeous as hell, but creepy."
"Which one?" Carol asked.
"Both of them."
"Getting back on track," Stephen interrupted, "Remiel's hypothesis about the Beyonder being fascinated by the shield has provided me with an idea about how we can get the Beyonder's attention."
"You are thinking of offering to provide information about the shield as an icebreaker?" Ajak asked.
"If we tell him that Tracy is powering the shield, that may result in him going after her. I won't put her in danger," Thor proclaimed.
"No, that's not what we want," Stephen said. "However,...and understand that I loathe saying this...it is the life of one woman verses our entire reality."
"No," Steve said immediately. "We will find another way."
"I agree," T'Challa said.
Derrick appeared bearing a large tray of fudge. "That's all well and good, mates. But there may not be a choice. We've been fighting this guy for centuries. I'm walking proof of just how powerful he is."
"I have been doing research," Ajak told them. "You are listed as one of the Archangels."
Everyone looked at Derrick, who nodded. "Yes, I was. So was Raphael, the angel who turned Abriel."
"Tracy," Steve and Bucky corrected at the same time.
"Give it up, guys. Abriel is her angelic name. She chose it, the Hierarchy decided that's what they'll call her, and there'll be no swaying them once that decision's been made," Derrick gestured to themselves. "Why do you think I don't bother trying to correct them when they deadname me?"
"Just because a bunch of pigeons are calling her that doesn't mean we have to," Tony stated.
"You didn't mention being an Archangel," Bucky shot an accusatory look at Derrick.
Derrick just grinned. "Why, Dimples? Would you have been more impressed?"
"Enough," Stephen interrupted again. "You two get a room on your own time. Derrick, how many Archangels are there?"
"There were twelve to start with. Thirteen if you count Samael, who you lot know as Lucifer. With Raphael dead and me being handicapped and de-winged, that leaves ten. You've met four of them. Metatron, Raziel, Cassiel, Jophiel, Haniel, and Sandalphon don't like interacting with mortals and rarely leave the Silver City, but you would have seen them fighting against Hektaniel's army," Derrick glanced at Thor.
Who nodded. "I have met them. I have also seen each of them with Tracy."
"That means there are ten Archangels feeding…" Stephen sucked in a harsh breath. "How is she still alive?"
It was bad timing that Loki came back in at that moment, looking crestfallen. He moved like a man dealt a crippling blow, slowly easing himself into the chair Tracy had sat in. Thor studied his brother with a frown.
"Ten Archangels though…that's good, right?" Peter asked. "Means there's plenty of juice to power that thing?"
"It isn't power that's the issue," Stephen snapped. "It's how long Tracy will be able to endure channeling that much power through a body that was still human a little over three years ago."
Derrick nodded reluctantly. "Agewise, she's basically a baby in angelic years. It'd be like dosing a human infant with medicine in amounts more suitable for a prize racehorse."
"And if she dies before we deal with the Beyonder…" Ajak concluded.
"Oh," Peter breathed out.
"As for how she isn't dead now…I hate to say it, but it's likely Silence keeping her alive. Mortals are not able to deal with having close up encounters with the power of an Archangel." Derrick winced. "For that matter, neither are most angels, especially the mortal born. If not for being Silent, she likely would be insane from that much exposure. We've always had to be damned careful in our interactions with mortals and even other angels."
"Wait," Robbie held up a hand. "You're telling us that the times any of us interacted with any of the Archangels, that was with them holding back?!"
"It's not much different from what Loki or I do," Thor told him. Robbie's s jaw dropped. So did Peter's.
Tony looked at Loki. "So, Reindeer Games, when you're with your wife, do you hold back when…"
"Really?" Tony shut up after Steve's outburst. He had to say something. Tony was his friend but sometimes the man didn't read the room before opening his mouth. Steve was pretty sure that the only reason Loki didn't kill Tony right then was because Thor had gotten up and placed a restraining hand on his brother's shoulder.
"The point is," Stephen cut in to the tension. "We are running out of time."
"So, what do you suggest, Copperfield?"
"I may have an idea, Megatron," Stephen starked back to Tony.
The Beyonder
He observed the humans passing him by on the street, easily navigating his way through carts, cars, animals, and motorcycles in the crowded city somewhere in southern Asia. Only ten months after nearly being destroyed, and the people of this region had bounced back. They were wounded but they were also stubborn and determined to persevere.
This Earth was strangely different from the others he had observed. It wasn't just the fact that it was still alive. It wasn't just that strange defense that prevented him from playing with this reality the way he had done with others. Although it was a very clever move on the part of the inhabitants of this universe. No one else had come up with anything similar. He had tried to probe the ethereal structure but his investigation had only picked up the vague sense of great power being filtered through a medium that was barely able to siphon it.
It was a weakness, and one that he was happy to leave alone. He was a patient being, and it wouldn't be long before that defense imploded.
In the meantime…the Beyonder gazed about him.
In the meantime, there were other ways to amuse himself.