#ofdevastation

“hey,” frank was leaning against the counter of her apartment, a cup of coffee he’d let grow cold two hours earlier in his hand. he didn’t mean to get up so early, but he never slept well anyway. “want breakfast?” he asked, tilting his head and offering a smile, moving to set the coffee down and to walk towards her - one arm snaking around her torso and pulling her in. “i hope you slept well, i know i toss and turn a lot...” he knew he should address their feelings, what they both seemed to realize from the day before - but frank was in territory he hadn’t been in for a long time. “you good?”

“so... you’re fighting today on this... ‘doomsday’?“ she asked, eyeing him suspiciously - an attempt to hide her feelings behind a trained expression that resembled a half-smirk. she didn’t understand fully why he actively was throwing himself into the fights, but then again - she didn’t understand him at all, did she? “hell of a name - ‘doomsday’ especially after the worlds apparently ended, he’s not very creative is he?” she was rhetoric in her criticism of doom, but it sparked a truth underneath the lightness of the conversation. “tawaret’s warned me about him, says you and the bird should be careful.” she paused, “marc, i agree with her, please be careful.”

“scarlet witch, right?“ valkyrie asked, her brow raising as she stood back on her heel - taking the fabled hero in. “valkyrie.” she offered, crossing her arms over her chest and giving a hint of a smile. “heard you were gardening around, thought i might ask you for a favor or something,” she’d had it in mind to keep fresh herbs around her place - in case she needed something that ancient magic did better than modern science. “healing herbs - i don’t really need them but i work with humans and mortal alike, want to make sure they get everything to their advantage when they’re thrown into the battle - it’s not very fair when they’ve got to fight a god or two, you know?”

“you’re home,“ layla spoke up, not turning to greet him - knowing it was marc. “i have something to show you,” she raised a brow, slowly uncovering the cloth covered artifact she’d found way out on the outer edges of the valley of doom. it was certainly egyptian - though it felt strange and instinct (aside from taweret’s guidance) told her it was from an alternative universe. slowly she held it up, still keeping the layer of cloth between her hands and the stone - and turned to face her husband. “i can feel its power, but i don’t believe it belongs to our earth. what do you think?”

“marine!” frank shouted, his tone deep and menacing. the moment he spotted marc, he had to do it. though he was pretty sure the moment that marc turned and recognized who it was that had called him, he’d try to kick his ass. try. “how’s the head mates and the dead bird?” he asked, waiting for marc to approach with a smirk on his lips. one of the few people who knew frank - knew his past - and he’d been entrusted to know marc’s as well - to know marc as well. “you uh... treatin’ layla right? i saw her around in timely a few days ago - covered to her neck in dirt and sand, she’s dedicated to those pits, man.”

she stared at yelena, wondering why the hell she’d made her way down from the castle to the killiseum. yelena was a lot of things, but hunting natasha down to just say ‘hi’ was improbable at best, and completely suspicious. “what.” it was a statement rather than a question, natasha knew that yelena would get to the point faster if she was blunt. “why are you here? don’t tell me its for his stupid holiday thing.” she frowned, tilting her head to the side - taking in her younger sister’s appearance. “how’s guard duties? do you see our wonderful emperor often?”