Chapter 6
Mark
Mark got dressed in his room. He put on his jeans and a button-up shirt. He put on his jacket to keep him warm in the cold night air. Mark sat down and put on his converse shoes before getting up and grabbing the letter on his dresser. Mark walked the few steps in the hall in front of Steve's door. Mark paused for a moment remembering how he was angry with Steve earlier in the day. Mark took in a deep breath and knocked on the door.
"It's open," Mark heard Steve shout. Mark opened the door and saw Steve sketching on his bed. "Hey," Mark said.
Steve put down his sketchbook when Mark walked into the room. "Hey," Steve said.
"I wanted to apologize for earlier, Steve. I got angry at you, and I shouldn't have. I just don't like to think about me living longer than all of you. You have been one of the best people I met in my life. It sucks that in reality, you will only be part of a fraction of it. I want you to be part of more, I don't want to think about you passing away and me living on without you, without any of the Avengers," Mark said, and then he paused. He felt the pain of it all come back to him. Steve edged his way to the side of the bed to be closer to where Mark stood. "There is a reason I am a loner and have been for so long. I don't take in students because no master should outlive his students. I shouldn't outlive anyone I meet, but I do. I have that curse to bear because of my powers. I would do anything to give that up."
Steve sat silently as Mark finished. The silence felt heavy in the room before Steve broke it. "You told me Andrea asked you if you could live without your powers you would have. Is it because of me?"
Mark looked at Steve and slowly nodded his head. "I want to live alongside everyone, but I prepared myself when I took Natasha and Andrea in as students. I didn't mean for me to join with them. My task was to teach them and find a family for them. Somehow, I found one for myself. And I found you."
Steve stood up and hugged Mark when he finished speaking. "I want to be part of any fraction of your life," Steve said while hugging Mark.
"But I don't want to think of my life when you are gone, Steve. When all of you are gone," Mark said as he rested his head on Steve's shoulder.
"I don't know how to fix that, Mark," Steve said unsure of how to respond.
"There is no fixing it Steve. I said to you some things can't be fixed. But the truth is after meeting you, I don't want to lose you sooner than I have to. I will deal with the pain when it comes, but that is a long way from now."
Steve hugged Mark harder when he said those words. Mark knew Steve hated it he couldn't do anything about this. If Steve wanted to do anything for Mark, it was to fix what was broken. Nothing was broke yet so nothing would need to be fixed. Mark knew the day he lost Steve he would break, and Steve wouldn't be there to fix things.
"I am sorry I yelled and got mad," Mark said.
"It's okay. I thought about what you said. It makes sense," Steve pulled Mark back from the hug and looked into his eyes.
"I just can't plan for the normal things people do. I want to plan for the lifetime I would have, but I need to prepare for the pain and loss more," Mark said.
"You are still planning for the future with me?" Steve asked. Mark laughed at Steve's determined voice when he said those words. "The future does suck, but we are here, and we will enjoy it," Steve finished. Mark kissed Steve on the cheek. "You always know what to say," Mark said.
"I thought you said some things can't be fixed no matter what," Steve said with a smile.
"I thought that to be true. But you always prove me wrong. You always seem to know how to make me feel better about things."
Steve kissed Mark. "Feel even better now?" Steve asked as he pulled from the kiss.
"Yes," Mark said with a laugh, "But I need to head out," Mark said holding up a letter. "I will see you later tonight," Mark kissed Steve again. "Thanks for forgiving me," Mark said as he left the room.
Mark walked down the hall when Steve popped his head out of his room. "Where are you going?" Steve asked.
"I got another assassin calling me out. He is a weak one, cheap hire. I will have him arrested and be back later tonight," Mark said as he walked with a smile on his face. Andrea opened the door from Tony's room and popped out her head. "Who is it?" She asked.
Mark paused and opened the letter, "The black rose," Mark answered.
"Oh god!" Andrea shouted. "Who would hire him?"
"Don't know, but he sent the letter."
"Who is the black rose?" Steve asked.
Andrea turned to Steve. "Oh hey, Steve. The Black Rose is this very talkative assassin who sucks at his job. He fails more missions and ends up being indebted to those who hire him. He plans to leave a black rose for his signature but never succeeds, so it is more of a joke in the underground world. He claims to be a master of daggers, but he couldn't even hold his own against Tony without his Iron Man suit."
"I resent that," Tony said as he popped his head out into the hall as well. "So going to have this one arrested as well, even if he is no threat?" Tony asked.
"Well, he made the letter, its fancy with calligraphy. So might as well pay the man a visit if he put so much work into his letter," Mark said as he walked down the hall. "See you in a few hours."
"See you in the morning, we will be busy," Andrea said pulling Tony back into the room and closing the door.
"Then I will see you in a few hours, Steve." Mark corrected himself.
"Be careful," Steve said. Mark froze when Steve said those words. Mark didn't take it as an insult. Mark knew Steve cared and always wanted him safe. Mark looked over his shoulder, "I will be." And then Mark walked down the stairs. Mark left the mansion and began to walk down toward the street.
Mark made his way to a park. There were no people present, and the lights didn't work well. It was the perfect place for the meeting. Mark went over to the park bench and sat, waiting. Mark pulled out the letter; he crumpled it and threw it in the trash can. Someone showed up and caught it in midair.
"Least I know you are not littering. Curious, though, you have a letter addressed to you, but it is blank."
"And you suck when it comes to hiding your mission. Thor knows you are searching the Highlands in Asgard," Mark said.
From the shadows, Loki walked and sat next to Mark on the park bench. "Do the other's have knowledge of our meeting?"
"That's why the letter. They think I am taking out an assassin right now. I used a low ranked one. No one followed me. And I am keeping them off your trail while you are in the city. You make too much noise in both worlds," Mark said to Loki.
"I am a master of the dark arts, not an assassin like you. I make noise to seek what you told me you wanted me to find," Loki stated.
"And? Any news?" Mark asked.
Loki leaned back on the park bench before he spoke. "I did locate the temple which holds the information we both seek. I cannot get to it without your help. Too many warriors guard it, and I do not know what lies in the temple. You will need to travel to Asgard with me," Loki said with a smile.
Mark leaned forward taking in everything Loki said. "You're positive this temple has what I need?" Mark asked.
"Indeed it does. I searched around other temples without any luck, this one for certain is the temple we seek."
"How long will we be in Asgard?"
"You are an interesting human. You do not hesitate to travel to a foreign world; you proceed head-on into the unknown. It could take anywhere from four days to a week. I do not know what we will find in the temple."
"Even with my powers, it will take four days?" Mark asked.
"If you do not hold back we can complete the task in two days maybe. We will need to travel to the temple, which will be the majority of the time required."
Mark sat back on the bench, "Damn, I don't know how I can explain my absence for that time. I can't ask Fury to lie about a mission. He will want to know why I need him to lie."
"You can always claim to be on holiday with the human you are fond of. I can form a sleeping potion, and we will have all the time needed while he rests," Loki said with a smile.
"You aren't giving Steve anything. And I am a human as well remember."
"I find it curious you claim to be. You are more like myself or Thor, a god living in this world. Why do you try to be human?" Loki asked.
"Because I am," Mark answered without hesitation. "And I want to be more human." Mark thought for a moment, taking in everything which he heard. "Okay, so here is the plan. We will leave for Asgard in two days. Thor is there looking to see what you are planning. He said he would return to the Avenger Mansion in two days. That's when we leave. We don't need to be there while he is looking for you. I suggest you hide out in this world in that time. We will plan to leave from this park. Any questions?"
"Why do you want to lose your ability to be a god to be human?" Loki asked.
Mark took in a breath before answering, "Because some things about being human are worth more than being a god."
Loki looked at Mark with intense eyes. "I find it difficult to believe you find that human worth it all."
"I find everyone I am living with worth it all. You will get what you are looking for in the temple, and I will get what I need. If this works out well, then the most we both will get is a scolding from everyone," Mark said.
"Yes, let's hope that is all that happens," Loki said as he stood up. Loki began to walk away from Mark into the darkness as he paused and turned back to Mark. "The assassin that time forgot. I find you very interesting. I still cannot believe what you will give up to be human. But you offered me a bargain I could not refuse."
"And don't think I won't have my eye on you during our time in Asgard. I know not to fully trust you," Mark said.
"And I know not to fully trust an assassin. We will meet here in two days. Be prepared. You will travel the Bifrost to get to Asgard. There we will go to Midgard then to the Highlands. The Bifrost is known to leave some disoriented."
"I will be ready. See you in two days. Keep hidden until then," Mark said as he stood up to walk in the opposite direction.
"I would normally not take kindly to a human ordering me to a task, but since the words came from a fellow god, I will allow you to live," Loki said as he disappeared into the darkness.
Mark walked back to the mansion. He opened the door and realized it was late for the house. Mark walked up the stairs and saw the light to Steve's room shining into the hallway. Mark walked to Steve's door and opened it. Steve sat on his bed, sketching. Steve looked up to see Mark entering the room.
"Not knocking now?" Steve asked.
"I figured I have gotten to the place where this can be my bedroom as well," Mark said with a smile as he walked over to the bed.
"Oh claiming this as your room as well? Shouldn't you ask first?" Steve said with a smile. Mark sat down and untied his shoes, taking them off before lying on the bed. "Nope, I am claiming this room as my own now. Is there any objection?"
Steve turned and began to nudge Mark from the bed with his feet. "Hey," Mark said as he fell from the bed. Steve laughed as Mark fell to the floor. Mark sat up and glared at Steve. "Not funny."
"Yes, it was," Steve said with a smile.
"Alright I guess I am being kicked out," Mark said as he grabbed his shoes and stood up to walk to the door. Steve got up quickly and placed himself between Mark and the door, closing the door. "So no objections?" Mark asked.
Steve stepped forward and grabbed Mark kissing him. Mark braced himself and kissed Steve back. "No objections," Steve said when he pulled from the kiss. "I am glad you are back. What happened?"
"Don't know. He never showed up. I guess he really is bad at his job. I heard rumors of him missing the time to strike his targets, but not the times he set up. I waited, and no one came. I guess he will owe money to the person who hired him," Mark said.
"Are there really bad assassin out there?" Steve asked.
"It's a profession, Steve. Some people are good at their job, and then some people who suck at their job. Most likely this is some man who wants fame and glory with no means to get it as an assassin. His name is the Black Rose for crying out loud."
Steve laughed. "You're right. Some people aren't cut out for some things."
Mark picked Steve up and put him on the bed. Mark went over to grab Steve's sketchbook and handed it to him. "But some people are great at some things and don't want to show their skills off."
Steve grabbed the sketchbook. "I told you, I do it for myself. I showed you the sketches."
"And I told you they were great. You are really talented. It just adds to my point, people are good at things, and either do them professionally or don't. Some people are bad at things and should never attempt them at all," Mark climbed on the bed and lied down next to Steve. Steve combed his hand through Mark's hair. "You are good, though. Don't forget that." Mark said as he got comfortable. Steve kept running his hand through Mark's hair.
"I am still sorry about before," Steve said.
"Don't be," Mark said with his eyes closed. "We will do dumb things and take our emotions out on one another. It happens when two people are close. There will be a time I piss you off, and I hope you forgive me." Mark thought about what he will be doing in a few days and hoped Steve would forgive him. He was doing this for himself and for Steve too.
"Haven't you done enough dumb things to make me angry already? Like leaving me here when you lost your powers?"
"If I recall," Mark began, "I am the one who found a way to get my powers back, found Red Skull, and saved your butt in the factory with the bomb in it. So I think it was more me saving the day."
"Didn't I save you?" Steve asked. Mark slowly grabbed Steve's hand. Mark pulled Steve down toward him and kissed him. "You did, and you did much more too. Don't forget that either." Mark said as he wrapped his arm around Steve. Steve put his sketchbook on the nightstand and was going to turn off the lamp, but stopped. Steve turned and asked, "Are you really going to sleep in your regular clothes?"
"Who said either of us will be keeping our clothes on tonight?" Mark asked back. Mark felt a kiss on his lips from Steve before he saw the light go out.