#spaces between

Winter 2017

It’s your fault you’re in this situation, like usual, but this time there was no escaping.

“My, my. What do we have here?”

You were only there for a half a second, a random New York City rooftop. Did he know you were coming somehow?

“You’re a Jumper, aren’t you?”

“How the hell did you kno-” you turn to face the voice, but freeze when you recognize its owner.

Loki.

“Know you could teleport? Besides you appearing in front of me out of nowhere, I watched you disappear from a building three blocks south and reappear on another two blocks west in seconds. I know a Jumper when I see one.”

The fact that he was taking an interest in you probably wasn’t the best idea, but things were getting boring and this could be fun. Right?

“What’s it to you?” you smirk.

“Wonderful, you’re feisty too.” He laughs, slowly walking toward you. “So, how far have you jumped?”

“I can be anywhere in the world in five seconds, but I have to know where I’m landing.”

Five years ago, after the battle of New York, you woke up in the hospital. Tessa, your best friend and roommate, was there and told you about how you both were looking for safety when you got hit with alien debris and had been asleep for a couple of days. After that you had these.. enhancements. You could not only jump from one location to another, but when you focused, you could see the first few seconds of what would be happening when- and where- you land.

A few weeks ago though, you saw a bug and thought you screamed so loud that you broke a glass cup on the counter. But Tess convinced you it was just your cat, Smokey.

“Have you tried jumping somewhere more, out of this world?” His voice was seductive enough to make you want to try jumping to the moon without thinking about how you would breathe.

“How would I have-”

“Hold onto this,” he reached for your left hand, then a black serpent with emerald eyes wrapped itself around your wrist, transforming into a bracelet. “It’ll help me find you, and I’ll show you just what you can do.”

You just stood there, like an idiot. What were you supposed to say to this man? This God? ‘Hey this was really cool at first but it went from 0 to infinity and beyond faster than I could blink, what’s happening?’

“Keep practicing, little one, we’ll meet again soon.” he was gone, like he was never there. But he was, the snake bracelet around your wrist was proof. You had to tell Tessa.

.5 seconds later

“TESSA! YOU WON’T BE-FUCKING-LEAVE WHO I JUST MET!” you yell throughout your apartment, until she finally opens the door to her room.

You tell her everything that happened. It wasn’t much, but it happened and she was the only person you could trust with your secret. She’s the only person you’d even trust with your life. After all these years, Tessa was more than your best friend and roommate, she was your sister, your person.

“Dude,” Tessa laughed, “can you imagine the God of fucking Mischief just showing up for a booty call?”

“I tell you he could teach me how to jump to space and your mind goes to booty call… how?”

“I just said what you were thinking.” she shrugs, walking back into her room.

“You’re such an asshole!”

Spring 2018

You were running in Central Park like you normally did on sunny spring days when you felt the snake on your wrist start slithering in circles, something it hasn’t done since it locked in place.

“Yn.” You look up from the snake to find Loki in front of you, obviously in a panic. “I’m currently on an Asgardian ship and I’m doing something very stupid and I.. I need you. Listen carefully, when the snake's eyes glow green, you’re going to be brought to me. Don’t panic.”

Suddenly, you feel like you’re being pulled in all directions. After what felt like years, you were by Loki’s side. On an Asgardian ship. In space. Watching another Loki run out of the Hulks way.

“Now, Yn. You need to jump us home now. And those two.” He nods to Thor and Hulk.

“I’ll have to come back, they’re too far.” you’re shaking, but determined to not screw up. Even if you’ve never jumped light years before.

You grab onto Loki and think of home, New York, you apartment, of Tessa, of Smokey.

It must have worked, you couldn’t see straight, but you could hear Loki. “You did it little one, I knew you could! Now do you remem- Yn, are you okay?”

You only remember him catching you, and hearing Tessa’s scream.

☄︎