Son of Asgard.Hero of all

he could not fully explain why he had chosen this moment to confess such feelings. but the again, there had never truly been a right time to tell someone you loved them. aidoneus had always been too afraid, and they had always been too consumed trying to stop this curse from repeating itself. the time had never belonged to them. and it was not fair. thor was right. but then again ... how could he simply disappear into nothingness without speaking the truth at least once ? without knowing that wherever this curse would drag him now, thor would at least know that he had loved him, in his own quiet and complicated way.

long fingers gently squeezed the other's hand, almost as though aidoneus wished to offer him comfort, almost as though doing so could somehow calm the storm he had created inside thor's chest. ❝ i could not leave without knowing that you understood i felt something for you. ❞ the words came softly, calmly, the confession leaving him with frightening ease. aidoneus leaned closer then, pressing his forehead against thor's.

❝ it's not fair ... and i wish i knew another way. ❞ he let himself remain there for a second longer. eyes closing briefly before he finally pulled back. ❝ but you have to let me go now. ❞ his free hand rose to cup thor's cheek, the gesture impossibly tender for men like them, and yet he did it anyway. because this would hurt them both far too much otherwise.

❝ close your eyes. ❞ his thumb brushed softly against thor's skin. ❝ it will be easier than watching me disappear. ❞

Looking at Aidoneus was an act of devotion, as though memory had already begun its slow theft and thunderer wished to gather every line of features before time would claim them.

' You are a fool Aidoneus....' and it is more breathed than spoken, the words scarcely louder than the wind fluttering around them.

Hand rose and settled in the crook of Aidoneus' neck, resting there as though warmth itself needed to be captured. The confession had hollowed him; all this time something had grown between them and now it was revealed, unearthed, and there was nothing he could do to keep it.

Ceruleans lingered upon Aidoneus's face, tracing with a tenderness usually reserved only for sacred things; the curve of his mouth, the impossible softness that survived beneath centuries of loneliness, the crimson eyes the god feared he would spend lifetimes searching for again.

Every instinct rebelled against the request, eager as he was to witness, to remain present until the very last moment. To fight the inevitable somehow, still. Yet Thor yielded, after a breath, another, bowing golden head languidly, lids falling to a close.

' Find me again,' and the whisper holds a sliver of urgency.

Meg's head tilts a little, her smirk only growing with delight. There's something decidedly flattering about someone ordering the same drink, trusting one's example.

Her eyes flicker with interest at his assessment. He isn't concerned about pulling punches either. He sees her more accurately than many in his same position have. That is as terrifying as it is attractive.

"I'd say... you're a very quick study. Am I really that easy to read?" she teases, reaching over to trace small, playful circles over his forearm. An excuse for closer contact, really.

' It always pays to be adventurous, you always end up learning a lot.'

The drink is indeed as expected, warm with a sharp edge to it as it passes the throat, the sweetness in it almost comforting. Another sip follows, keen eyes resting upon hers without a flinch.

Touch is pleasant, and reminds thunderer it had been quite some time since affection was placed upon him in a physical manner.

' I will never pretend to know the breadth and depth of a woman's nature,' and here a small chuckle disrupts the sentence, the incline of golden head a courteous and inviting gesture.

the proximity to thor confused his mind, the darkness fell quiet in the presence of the god of thunder, as though it could sense his power and the hold he had over aidoneus. or perhaps it was simply the warmth that filled the former god from the inside out whenever thor stood this close. because hades knew he felt something dangerously close to mortality. something he did not understand, only heard whispered about through lives he could barely remember, and now, as memories rushed back into his mind like waves against the tide, he felt overwhelmed by them.

everything was happening too fast, he wanted all of it. and yet he could barely hold himself together, fighting against feelings he believed unwanted while darkness filled his veins, as though he was no longer that lost man without memories. and still, when thor's hand brushed against his arm, the touch felt warmer than ever before. whether it was the confusion inside him or the darkness slowly turning his skin colder than usual, he could not tell. but something was undeniably happening within aidoneus.

whatever had imprisoned his memories was beginning to loosen its hold, and the man was slowly becoming the god he once had been, only powerless. it had started in his eyes, and now it crawled beneath his skin. he said nothing, allowing thor to approach him, to hold him. his scent alone made him dizzy enough to forget the voices still whispering their desires and hungers into the back of his mind. how could one soul hold such power over another ?

when the word home left thor's lips, something colder settled inside him. because it was not his home. truthfully, he had not possessed one in a very long time. he could barely remembered what it felt like for a place to mean safety. and there it was again, the darkness rising beneath his chest, rushing violently through his veins, stronger than before. ❝ home ... ❞ the word left his lips coldly, as though he were tasting it for the first time. bittersweet, even now.

when the light of asgard touched his skin, it seemed only to pale him further. ❝ i haven't had a home in a very long time. ❞

The bridge had always felt like a creation that spoke out loud, realms stitched together by light no mortal could ever possibly comprehend. And yet its splendor, and infinite brightness, did not bring about a sense of comfort in the Asgardian this time, attention never leaving Aidoneus.

Between them the word lingered, home, and something heavy pressed behind the god's sternum, a weight that was difficult to assess in this moment.

Gaze drifted briefly towards the path once the light had faded, returning quickly to the other, noting the strange stillness that had settled into Aidoneus since the light had touched him. Asgard welcomed all who crossed the bridge, yet she was old enough to recognize disturbances, unrest, imbalance, and beneath their feet the bridge flickered in erratic patterns now.

Deep bass carried none of the pride one might expect from a prince returning to his realm, only gentleness.

' You need not call this your home in any fashion. A place does not earn that name just because it is convenient, or comforting.'

Hand raised once more, settling briefly upon Aidoneus' shoulder, thumb brushing absent circles through the fabric there before touch transforms to a gentle guiding between the god's shoulder blades.

Great halls rose in the distance, proudly gleaming beneath the light; warriors crossed broad courtyards, laughter drifted upon the mountain winds. Somewhere far beyond hammers rang in the forges.

' Come.'

There would be no audiences, no feasting halls crowded with curious eyes, or whispers carried through gilded corridors about the forgotten god, one of them, walking at thunderer's side. Instead companion was led toward the quieter paths winding beyond the Bifrost, where the forests climbed the mountainside and the air smelled of pine and rain, something crisp like the scent of a cold river entwined through it.

Out of sorts. Thor's choice of words draws a giddy, soft giggle from her, the green sheen in her eyes flaring with amusement. His worry is clear as daylight, however, and the empath shakes her head.

"Nothing, nothing." Mantis does not wish to worry him, therefore she will not tell him of the terrible things that will happen soon, he will learn in due time but for now, he does not need to worry. He deserves to rest. "I just wanted you to know that I appreciate you." Sincerity within every word, her voice firms, solemn yet soft. "I appreciate you all, whether I am out of sorts or not."

And that fact alone fills her with joy. The knowledge that for some reason, there are people she feels happy around, even when she lacks context. She feels happy when she sees Thor, his presence heart-warming as the sun itself. She feels happy when she hears the word Avengers, even when the word is not used as a name. She feels happiest when she sees the Guardians of the Galaxy, even when she struggles to understand why.

She is happier than she used to be, even though Mantis does not remember that either.

"Can we have tea? Perhaps you can tell me what I used to be like!" Mantis chirps, excitement all over her face.

Features soften, and the voiced appreciation receives a smile in response, finally a curl coming to the god's lips as a half-bow is offered. Keen eyes remain on the empath for a prolonged moment, and with a gentle hum massive physique relaxes, taking in the sight of her before he moves to provide what was requested.

The distance between them grows ever so slightly; whilst handling the kettle ceruleans shift from streaming water to the empath's ethereal presence, and there is a brief moment of recollection, a memory of beloved mother and the state in which the Sight left her at times.

Perhaps this was similar, a kindred experience that had transformed Mantis in a state that was so far removed from her usual demeanor.

' What you used to be like?'

Query flows outward in deep voice that was still warm and void of worry, and the movements continue, the arrangement of items pure habit and requiring no focus.

' Surely you have not changed all that much since we last saw each other? It was only a few Midgardian weeks....'

A pause, a tentative glance moving over those dark eyes.

       He'd  already  been  having  a  stressful  day,  which  had  lead  to  the  banking,  then  there'd  been  the  spilling  of-  Christ.  Focus,  it  was  just  cookie dough for the ice cream,  but  the  measurements  still  had  to  be  somewhat  close.  And  just  how  was  he  supposed  to  be  able  to  keep  his  mind  on  measuring  ingredients  when  he  just  wanted  to  measure  Thor's  bicep,  with  his  teeth. 

       ….

“I've  always  been  a  sucker  for  a  tall  tale.'  He  really  needed  to  keep  his  hands  busy,  forgoing  the  fork  to  mix  the  dough  with  his  hands,  they  were  clean.  His  thoughts  weren't,  but  his  hands  were  just  fine.  ”He's  a  good  one  to  have  around,  reminds  me  of  a  couple  guys  I  used  to  know.'

       Carefully  scraping  off  his  fingers,  Steve  tried  not  to  imagine  other  very  hands  on  things  that  he'd  like.  He  could  get  away  with  asking  for  a  spar  session,  it  wouldn't  even  be  that  odd  an  ask  and  he  could  get  rid  of  the  itch  under  his  skin.  Pinching  a  bit  of  dough,  he  turned  towards  Thor  and  made  an  ah  noise.

“Course  I  know  that,  gotta  get  a  feel  for  what  needs  doing,  really  sink  your  teeth  in.'  Pinching  a  bit  of  dough  for  himself,  he  scraped  it  off  his  finger  pad  with  his  teeth  that  were  bared  in  a  grin.  ”I've  always  been  a  hands  on  learner  myself,  so  teaching  me  should  be  pretty  easy.'

The offered morsel is accepted without hesitation, without any protest, fingers brushing the captain's deliberately unhurried.

' That explains a great deal about you,' and the smirk is faint, a barely visible curve of lips as thunderer nods, almost approvingly. ' You have never struck me as a man content to simply standby and watch.'

There is something almost unfair about how easily the soldier turns the most ordinary labors into something worthy of intense observation. Flour dusts the back of capable fingers, dough yielding beneath a practiced touch, and for a fleeting instant the god wonders whether Rogers realizes the danger of that easy grin

Somehow, he suspects he does, very much so.

' Tell me, what more is there you could possibly want to learn? From where I stand little remains a mystery to you. You have learned battle, patience, you are clearly multifaceted in many ways.'

And the lean forward is necessary, a now beaming smile spreading as a pinch of dough is stolen with a wink.

“Oh, come on,” she said through a snicker. “I think the nickname hits the nail on the head.”

      She watched him drink, feeling a giddy flutter seep through the silly victory and elation. There was something almost normal about the situation, as if the universe as a whole hadn’t been snuffed out by some grand calamity neither of them could figure out. Skipping rocks in the quiet wilderness under a broken moon with Thor… he chased away the dark.

      Her amusement dimmed thoughtfully as she realized her affection for him went deeper than simple admiration, but the thought was pushed aside as he asked about her powers. Carol’s brow creased and she looked at her hand, on demand it glowed. When she looked at him, the light vanished.

      “Doesn’t look like it,” she answered, ignoring how when she’d drank from his flask earlier, her powers felt a little more… alive. “Not… ordinarily, I should say.”

      Carol regarded him curiously as she offered him a stone.

The lake lay dark and smooth as glass before them, the broken moon's scattered pieces dolloped across its surface like broken fragments of porcelain. It had almost smoothed out once more after the disruption, only small, barely perceivable waves were lingering, fading away. And Thor's eyes did not rest upon it much longer, finding his gaze returning to Danvers, noting the way her laughter rang through his own broad chest somehow.

This dead world felt less empty, and so alive, because she stood upon it.

It was too brief, the glow, beautiful light spilling across her fingers like dawn caught beneath skin, and as it vanished, and the look offered towards him, thunderer felt an odd pang of disappointment, quickly hidden behind a gentler smile.

' I ask because I am curious,' and the admittance is followed by acceptance of the stone, the smooth rock turned once between fingers, almost tenderly.

' About your powers. They are unlike any force I have ever seen. But also about you.'

There is a steady and unguarded nature to the god's eyes that fix upon her.

' What causes it, and what makes you brighter, what you feel.'

The confession settled between them, the silence not heavy in the slightest, and then, perhaps to save himself from saying more Thor drew back his arm, hurling the stone away. It skipped hard and fast, clearly not swung with full force this time, vanishing into the darkness after a few more splashes.

She’s glad that Asgard and her people are real, especially Thor.

“Okay,” she says with a soft sigh of relief and soft smile. The last thing she wants to do is cause any trouble simply by existing in their space. She keeps pace with him, returning the smiles of those they encounter, although she is careful to keep her teeth hidden. She doesn’t want to tempt fate and plans to ease everyone into all of her quirks, if she can.

She looks up at him at his comment, brows lifting. Oh, right. Melody has the decency to blush and actually looks a little sad at his questions. “Nope… not once and I’ve tried,” she admits. “Seems all I can do in this form is smoke,” and she is genuinely annoyed by this.

“I… might have given some thought to… trying to be a hero or something if I could actually do more than just smoke any time I’m emotional in any fashion when I look like this… I mean I guess the armored skin is enough, but,” she shrugs.

When Melody falls silent once more there is no sound from the god for another few paces.

' Hm... I do not think your fire is absent, only... restrained.'

The words are thoughtful, void of certainty yet warm, and gaze moves towards her, making a short assessment of her features before attention returns to the road ahead.

Fear was a powerful chain, fear guided and forced many a thing to the background, and it was impossible to not consider it to be a factor when great power resided in a physical form.

' Only smoke, for now, may be your nature's compromise with itself. Fire held contained until you truly believe it no longer needs to be feared.'

A soft smile emerges after that, the reassuring expression shaped upon the god's features an entirely subconscious transformation. The softness in visage remains for a prolonged moment, until the rest of the comments have been considered carefully, his own words shaped with deliberate care.

' I have known many a hero who wielded spectacular power and inspired very little hope.'

And it is mildly intriguing, that it was this purpose her mind has swivelled to.

     A strategic mind would be a terrible thing to waste, though in itself it carried ill luck on the occasion exhaustion weighed wings and heart alike. Huginn had worried that this would be one of those such times, that he would find himself rebuffed by an arrogant child unwilling to face the terrible thing that darkened what had once been sunny sky. It would have been accepted with grace, the loss of parent no easy burden despite it being the natural progression.

     But his vague worries had been overridden by his belief in the man he could see in his mind's eye. Clung to the idea of after clawing himself from the fjord he'd found himself drowning in, desperately clinging to cliffs that offered little in the way of escape. Might have allowed himself to simply sink into the welcoming grasp of grief had not the shining promise of a godling reminded him of his duty. 

     And he came with mead and boar. 

"I doubt the rumor heard should be trusted if it came not from my own beak.' A tease, there was much to see, to learn, to report, he should never have indulged himself so long.

     Step falters at the reminder of a home neither will see again, thought the smile on his lips is steady. Years of practice, through temper and joy that smile holds place. But the blow exacerbates the ache, threatens to undo the desperate shoring of the hole that feels ever hungry. His own personal Fenris, with gnawing teeth and the promise of pain ever lingering. Life moves ever onward, they were a hardy people, a blow only broke that which was poorly tempered. 

“Than I may just have to keep my wits about me, more's the pity.' Shoulders slump, a player's lark, looking side eye at his companion with lower lip protruding slightly. ”My own fault for disregarding duty, a fitting punishment indeed.'

     The sigh is longer than it needs to be, though his breath catches as they come within sight of the settlement. It's far more impressive on the ground, though most things are. Up close where sound and scent surround and overwhelm as sight blinds discerning eye. But it felt like home, and that surprised him even as it pleased him. 

Strange, how grief had managed to be a teacher to them all, and how it had sharpened his perception even further...

Thunderer's eyes lingered only a moment before drifting ahead once more, granting the raven the quiet dignity of pretending the falter had gone unseen. There was a mild mercy in that; sometimes the kindest thing one could offer another was the opportunity to keep their armor buckled for a little while longer.

' Hm..' The sound rolled low in the broad chest, followed by the faintest twitch at the corners of his mouth, and a sidelong glance followed, a short-lived thing to accompany the acknowledging of the words.

The path curved gently beneath their feet, dunes giving way to tall grass that bowed beneath the gentle wind. Beyond, lanterns were beginning to kindle against the deepening blue, one after another, until the settlement shimmered as a constellation coaxed gently downward from the heavens. Smoke curled lazily into the cooling air; someone was baking, somewhere further in came the unmistakable crash of a barrel being dropped, followed immediately by several voices attempting to convince one another it was their fault.

Home.

It resembled only vaguely the realm that had fallen beneath flame and prophecy, yet the signs were there, as were the sounds, shaped differently this time.

' You should know, there are more than Asgardians waiting behind those gates now.'

Words came after a thoughtful, brief silence, gaze settling upon the lights that flickered in an almost beckoning fashion now. Expression softened, rugged outlines turning gentler upon the god's features as something resembling fondness emerged.

' When we first settled here it was only those who had escaped the end with us. Broken things, all trying to remember what they were before the world cracked beneath their feet.'

A gentle sigh flows outward, a near apologetic one-shouldered shrug jolting thunderer's physique.

' The years have a habit of filing empty spaces. There are Midgardians with us now, Vanir, Elves... More than one soul from worlds I had thought never to set eyes upon again. Even.. Muspelheim..'

Sentences are shaped tentatively, ceruleans fixed upon the raven then, assessing the reaction that may follow.

When she catches his gaze over the roof of the car, his playful reassurance makes her giggle and shake her head once. “Imagine…” She scoffs, but there’s a lightness to it -- a quiet reassurance that whatever it was, they’d deal with it together.

Liza slides into the passenger’s seat while Thor stuffs their bags into the back, the trunk too much of a hassle to deal with even on a good day. A smile settles on her lips as she reaches for her sunglasses, sliding them on before glancing over at him as the engine starts. Lips purse slightly at his comment on the squeak, and she hums softly. “Bet mom knows someone, and I bet they’ll be able to do anything cheaper than we can find here.” She suggests with a small shrug -- maybe they’ll be lucky and it’s just an easy fix, but she knows better than to count on that.

It’s why she’s also having a hard time being positive about whatever mail it is that’s waiting. She knows better than to assume it’s something good -- not after the tail end of the conversation she heard earlier. Still, she smiles and links her phone up to the car’s bluetooth. “I know it’s not a long drive to Tommie’s, so I’m saving the road trip tunes for the actual adventure -- this part doesn’t count.” She says, glancing over at him with a teasing smile.

If if was from Asgard INC. he very much doubted it carried anything positive, and if it came from his brother, or father, the chances of it being something not devastating were slim to none...

The thoughts were brushed aside, forcibly so, and instead hand reaches across the console as they rolled away from the curb, fingers finding Liza's a force a habit and the brief, reassuring squeeze an act that was entirely on instinct.

' We'll see,' and the murmur is followed by a gentle little smile, lips curling briefly while eyes are kept on the road ahead. Whatever it was it would have to wait, it would be ignored for as long as he could stomach to do so, and as if wanting to do it's own brand of reassurance the Prius settled into a steady, familiar humming, the earlier squeak fading as the engine warmed.

It drew a relieved breath from him, something akin to an affectionate tap on the wheel performed before both of Thor's hands settled on the steering wheel again.

' See. She just wanted to complain for a little bit...' The little old car had earned that sort of personification after so many miles shared, and would always provoke a fondness in his voice despite the many troubles they had with it. Their first big purchase together, one that had brought them so many great moments, was causing more concern than joy these days, but somehow he could not find it in him to let go of it just yet.