Welcome to Season 6 of PNG.

[As I'm writing this chapter, it's Mother's Day 2021. I don't have the whole season planned but I'll be writing up to whatever I can. Trust me, it'll be worth it.] [As I'm publishing this, it's March 2022. The whole season is planned and I'm working on finishing it. It will be worth it].

Chapter 189: Life-Changing Moments

Natasha: I really like Blake.

Merida: Mom, you just met him.

Natasha: So did you and you already got him as a wedding date where he met everyone important to you. You know that's what Steve did with Peggy at Tony and Pepper's wedding.

Merida: So I've heard. Repeatedly. At the wedding.

Natasha: And now look at them.

Merida: So I've seen.

-o-

JFK International Airport - 11:25 AM

Merida hates airports. All the waiting, the line-ups, the questions, the crowds, the rowdy children, the overpriced everything. Her SHIELD badge gives her the same rights as diplomatic immunity which was one of the few perks of graduating from the Academy. She just flashed her badge to any TSA agent and she could go wherever and bring whatever she needs.

But today she looks like a handful of other people in proximity. A pair where one party has luggage and the other only has their phone in their hands.

Now she's standing across from Blake, holding her phone after texting her mom as he went to ask about his flight. She sits next to his bags, wishing she wasn't here and that this moment wasn't happening at all. Merida wasn't sure how to feel when Blake told her he had to head back home to California. It's not like she didn't see that coming, but it felt very sudden. She wasn't happy but she wouldn't say she was sad either. There's a pain in her chest growing a pit in her stomach but she can't put any words to it.

"Should be called soon," Blake says as he sits next to her. "I'll call you when I land."

"Why?" Merida asks.

Blake pauses, eyebrows etched in the centre. He slowly grins. "Communication is the key to any successful relationship. You and I both have degrees in other aspects of Communications."

She doesn't falter. "Is that what this is? A relationship?"

He plays along. "You tell me."

Merida bites her lips on the inside as she looks at him. She'd be lying if she said she doesn't feel anything for him at this point. She almost said something after they kissed in front of the shark tank, when they were watching Jaws afterwards, and when they were getting matching tattoos (an odd drunk decision they didn't regret. Tattoos are supposed to mark revolutionary moments. They ended up with a small shark above their left elbows on the back).

But she didn't know what to say.

Merida's throat tightens. Standing right here with him is real. This is real. There's so much about him that makes her feel they could be important to each other. When will she see him again? She wasn't even looking for him when they ran into each other again. He called her name and it's been wild ever since. A wedding, stopping an illegal weapons shipment, and matching shark tattoos. Time's up for now.

"One more thing I want to ask you," Blake asks. His arm rests on the top of her chair, meant to wrap around her.

She glances back and catches his Macbeth tattoo since his jacket sleeves are rolled up. "You're not proposing, are you? Because you seem like you would and, heads up, no."

"Dammit," he says sarcastically, smiling wildly, "okay, change of plans. Can I be your boyfriend?"

Merida stares at him. She isn't sure if she's blinking. That's a question she didn't expect and yet she denied a proposal as if it were lunch plans.

"Yes," she mutters, "yes you can. So, boyfriend-"

Blake almost laughs as he wraps his arm around her this time. "Is it really that hard for you to say? You said it to Victoria."

"Because it wasn't true then," she argues. "Now it's real."

He rubs her shoulder as the airport's intercom makes its announcements. "It really is."

Merida's face burns at the settling reality she created for them. She clears her throat. "Are you being called to board?"

"I am, Agent Mer, I am. I'll call you when I land."

"I'll be sure to send you to voicemail."

"You would."

When the airport calls his flight to board again, they stand. Blake and Merida look at each other, not saying anything. She shoves her hands in her jacket pockets. Blake looks at her longingly and she nods. He leans forwards and kisses her right in the centre of her forehead. When they part, they see each other's scrunched-up faces.

"Okay, that was weird," Blake states.

Merida scoffs. "Some boyfriend you are."

"We just started but now you're getting used to it."

"Who put you in charge of giving people love advice?"

He can't argue but looks at her face. Her sharp features are softer when she looks at him, more off-guard than when they first crossed paths in San Francisco.

"There, that face, don't try and change that while I'm gone."

Merida can't help but smile as he takes his bags and heads over to his terminal. Her grin is as big as seeing her friends frustrated that her past mission was only a few hours and in her neighbourhood when they were shipped all over the place or had their own events interrupted. That wasn't her intention but she loved it. Once Blake is out of her sight, she heads on out and texts her mom back.

-o-

Asgard

"Why are you sitting here?" Freya asks.

Apollo isn't sure how long he's been sitting on the edge of the Bifrost. His thoughts were running a mile a second as he kicked his feet back and forth. Now that Freya caught his attention and is sitting next to him, crossed-legged and facing him, he believes he was here for hours.

"Everything got too calm, which means there will be more to do," Apollo says.

Life in Asgard has been hushed for eight years and continues to be, but now he thinks he can hear it. Everyone would walk through the halls and go through their days like cordial strangers, barely muttering greetings. Every time Apollo would look at his parents, he would see the fear etched into their faces, worried about Ragnarök. They won't mention it but they can sense his resentment towards it (especially since he wasn't making an effort to hide it). It's like they're inevitable reminders of the end.

"Or it's an interlude," Freya suggests.

"A what?"

"A milieu period, an in-between," she explains.

Apollo nods, understanding. "But that was Emily and Daniel's wedding."

Freya raises a brow, tilting her head a little as she looks at him. "Who says it's over?"

"I do."

"Why?"

"Because they said their vows and left for a honeymoon."

"Again, why?"

Apollo frowns. "Because - because I said so!"

Freya laughs a little, patting his leg. "Good reason."

Apollo glares at her. He's had time to think this over in prison and the Freya he dreamt there was way more supportive than this one.

-o-

Somewhere in Brooklyn - 12:08 PM

Sigyn sits on a park bench sipping an iced coffee as she watches Xavier. They were walking through the streets after having gone out for breakfast. She marvelled at seeing the places she and Xavier used to visit as teenagers remain mostly unchanged. Some stores got a fresh coat of paint and others didn't exist anymore. However, none of that mattered to her since she mostly missed the boy who took her there on weekends or after football games … who is now the man talking on the phone a couple of feet away.

It's weird how it feels like no time yet eight years have passed.

She would catch his eye whenever he'd look her way and make faces like sticking out her tongue to which his lips would twitch as if he wanted to laugh. Her paper coffee cup has been dripping on the spot next to her and she wipes it with her sleeve as Xavier returns from his phone call.

"Hey, wanna go on a trip with me?" Xavier asks.

"Where?" Sigyn responds interested.

"Camp."

Sigyn's brows wrinkle. "Since when were you a camper?"

"Not camping," he says offended. "Camp. And I'm a counsellor."

"You'll have to keep explaining."

"That was my SO on the phone."

"Significant other?" She questions with a small laugh.

"God, Sigyn, supervising officer." He shakes his head at her. James has made the same joke before in the Academy. "Anyways, he called and asked if I was available for Camp SHIELD this year. I asked if I could bring you and he said yes."

"He didn't ask me if I was available."

Xavier eyes her. "I'm sorry, do you have plans?"

"No," she purses her lips as she sips her coffee, "Angela told me about Camp at Stark's bachelorette party. You didn't even mention it and you were there six times. Apparently, you've been there the most and built some sort of reputation. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Nearly died one year and almost blew up the last time. I was a brooding mess who scared cadets and didn't want to be there half the time."

Sigyn's lips part. Brooding Xavier? "Holy shit. Can't wait."

"Great." He stands. "I have to drive to the Academy to help set things up but I will come back and get you before we fly off. Where will you be?"

Sigyn scoffs, twirling magic on her fingertips. "I'll be at the Academy with our things."

The first item of unplanned things to happen in this arc: Blake and Merida becoming official. I thought it'd happen later.

Also, I know some of you are excited about Camp SHIELD in this story. I am too. In SA, I've only written two years of it so far. Year Three is a memorable one so far but trust me, this year at Camp will be even better.