Thor held Emma's gaze, watched as her face softened. He hadn't expected her to share her experiences, to let him in right now, but he was grateful. Again, she was showing him that he wasn't alone. It was clear that they both had made decisions that they regretted. Thor himself had spent many nights going over what ifs. He knew the torment that they brought.
"He is not the only one to find solace in the knowledge that he is not alone, Emma," he replied quietly. He turned his gaze to the sky, watching as the stars started to make their first appearances of the night. He took in a deep breath. "He sees me as a great hero. Perhaps I am, but I am not the only one who walks these streets. If what you have told me is true, I daresay he is a great hero himself. Perhaps there will be stories of him, someday."
Another small smile pulled at his lips and he sent another glance Emma's way. She was a terribly beautiful woman, he couldn't ignore that. But more than that, she was strong and caring. It was clear in the way she spoke of her son. There was much to admire in her.
"Perhaps you are," she echoed, noticing the way that he looked to the sky. He'd done that a few times in her presence, and it made her wonder if he was thinking of home. Emma reached out when she saw him smile, resting her hand against his arm for the briefest of moments before she slipped her hand back into her pocket to pull out her key. She knew she had a tendency to keep her feelings close to the vest, but she was beginning to feel that she could trust him.
"Henry may not be on your scale yet, but he's my hero," Emma agreed proudly, leading him up to the door when they approached her building. She didn't expect Granny to bring Henry home for another hour, but she had no doubt that he would be happy to see Thor when he came in. "I think he feels cheated, he's the only one who isn't in the storybook."
Thor smiled a little wider as she led him, feeling a small rush at the brief contact her hand had bestowed upon him. There was something about her that continued to draw him nearer, that piqued his curiosity in the most intriguing ways. He was unsure yet what to do with it.
"I believe he is on the right path," he replied. He peered up at the building. It was not his first time seeing it, of course, and he knew that it was hers. He had only been inside a few times before, however, and never for long. "I can understand why he may feel left out, but perhaps it only means all the more opportunity for himself. He is not bound to what legends tell him he should be."
"So, you're an optimist," Emma teased, walking with him down the small hallway to her apartment, where she opened the door and quickly stepped aside to let him in. With her parents working on their marriage, Snow had moved out and Henry had moved in. It has a bit more disorganized than it had been before the curse, but Emma wasn't going to be shy about that. If she was lucky, he'd think it was just how people were in this world.
"You have a way of looking at things..." She found herself holding back a laugh at how out of place he looked in the apartment, all strength and size among Snow's flower arrangements and earthy decorations. "I could probably learn a thing or two about that." On her own, Emma tended to be more negative, but Henry was already changing that just by being with her.
Thor stepped into the apartment and glanced around, trying to see where he fit in this place. He was still mostly unfamiliar with how houses were here in Midgard. Stark Tower was rather atypical to the average home, and as was Jane's lab in New Mexico. Truthfully, most of this was completely new to him, but he tried not to stare too much. In any case, he liked it here. He liked to see where Emma spent her time.
He turned his gaze back to the woman once again as she spoke, his smile growing as he saw her own amusement. He couldn't tell what was funny, but he like her smile.
"I am not sure there is much to learn," he told her. He had never attributed his optimism to anything but simply knowing that there was hope in all things. If there was no hope, there was no point. Thor had always found that there was always light to grasp onto, regardless of how bleak the outlook became. "Except... Perhaps it simply takes time. It is not terribly hard to find the bright spots in life."
Before her time in Storybrooke, Emma would have argued that it wasn't always easy to find the bright spots in life. Her old job and her old life made it so that she wasn't always surrounded by hope and helpful strangers. Still, Emma had always believed in good people, and had always believed that they were meant to triumph in challenging situations. She tried to push down that line of thinking as she tore through the cabinets, taking out vanilla, cocoa powder, salt, and sugar. It was a familiar routine now, and she found herself glancing back to Thor before she pulled additional ingredients out of the refrigerator and set everything down on the counter.
"You're speaking as a prince, but I grew up in the foster system," Emma said finally, before she realized that he had no idea what that was. "It's our way of assigning homes to kids who don't have families. They get carted off to whoever will have them - usually people who want the check the government sends out for having an extra mouth to feed. Then when they decide they don't want to deal with a child anymore, the kid gets shipped off to the next family." It wasn't that she disagreed with Thor, but she wanted him to understand why it was more difficult for her sometimes.
He was easier to confide in that most, partly because he wasn't a long lost friend of her family, but also because he just...seemed to care. Whatever he hadn't discovered about this world, he clearly was eager to learn. Emma liked that about him, even if she had let the conversation take a more serious turn.
Time for a subject change. "Do you take cinnamon in your hot chocolate? I'm guessing you like whipped cream." Because really, who didn't like whipped cream?
Thor sat at the bar, watching as she gathered all that was needed. The process fascinated him, as he didn't really cook. He was much more interested in what she was saying, however. He had never heard of this concept of a 'foster system,' and he had to admit it all sounded rather unjust. Was this really how she had grown up? It must have been so very different from his own happy childhood. It didn't seem fair. Didn't anyone care? Perhaps he would look into this.
His brows furrowed slightly, allowing her to change the subject. He didn't want to press the matter, though he was certainly interested in hearing more of her life. Later, perhaps.
"Cinnamon? I'm not sure I've had it with cinnamon," he told her. He offered her a small smile. "And... Yes, whipped cream would be lovely."
"Try mine first, we'll see if you like it and add it in," Emma suggested, sorting through the spice rack until she found the cinnamon. She stayed by the stove as she measured everything out, able to recall Snow's instructions perfectly by now. Henry liked his hot chocolate with cookies, and she wasn't ashamed to admit that she was going to want one as soon as she was finished heating the hot chocolate. Sweets were always a welcome treat at the end of a long day, whether she was supposed to give her kid that much sugar or not.
"So here's a question," she prompted, keeping her eyes on the pot at first to try to seem casual about it. "How long do you plan on staying in town?" She knew that he couldn't stick around forever, and that he would be needed elsewhere. The problem was that Emma was getting used to having him around, and Henry was getting used to having him around. She wanted to make sure that they were both ready for anything, and that was hard to do when he was turning out to be such good company.
Thor nodded in response, agreeing it was a good idea. The addition of cinnamon intrigued him, and he had grown eager to try the many combinations of spices and flavors that Midgard had to offer. If Emma liked it, he had reason to believe he would enjoy it as well. They would have to find out.
He perked up at her next question, immediately feeling weight in it. She had sounded casual, but whether or not she really cared, he found that he himself was quite invested. He hadn't yet thought about it, perhaps avoiding the issue on purpose. He didn't know how long he intended to stay.
Theoretically, he could stay for quite some time and it would still feel fleeting to him. When you had all the time in the world, it wasn't hard to devote it to one place or thing. It was true that he would likely be called to defend some other front of Midgard, to ward off foes once again, but would he come back? Something told him that it was likely.
After some thought, he turned his attention back to Emma, choosing his words. "Until I am needed elsewhere," she replied to her sincerely. "Though... I think I would much like to return. To check up on my new friends. I find it unlikely that I will forget you so soon."
"Then you'll be here until it's time for you to run off and save the world again," Emma translated, turning toward the saucepan to hide the frown that came as the result of his open-ended response. She knew that anything could happen at any time, which meant he could head out in the next year or as soon as the next day. He wasn't a permanent part of Storybrooke, and more likely than not, something would pull him elsewhere.
Really, she had expected as much.
"Henry would like it if you came back to visit," she added, stirring the warm liquid as she avoided any attempt he might have been making at catching her eyes. Was Emma hiding her feelings behind the feelings of her kid? Definitely. And she could hear Snow's voice in her head, with a simple 'there's that wall again', referring to the way she guarded her feelings when it came to...well, most people. Emma didn't have any trouble sharing her opinions most of the time, but when it came to caring about people, it was different.
Her experience was that the universe generally didn't allow anyone to stay in her life for very long.
When steam began to rise up from the hot chocolate, Emma turned off the burner and took two mugs, filling hers and stirring the cinnamon through. Taking a smaller spoon out of the silverware drawer, she brought the mug over to Thor and swirled the spoon through, filling it with the hot chocolate before she raised it to him slowly. "Blow first - lightly," because otherwise, they were going to have a hell of a mess. "And then tell me what you think."
He watched as she so carefully avoided his eyes, finding that a little more telling than if she had met his gaze. Perhaps it was a hope on his part, but it seemed that she did not want to say goodbye to him at all soon. If this was true, he shared that opinion. If he had his way, he would have no obligation to go elsewhere.
"I would like very much to see him, as well," he answered evenly. If she didn't wish to confront the issue of his desire to visit her as well, he wouldn't force it. Not just now. He knew within himself that he would be just as happy to see her again.
Thor smiled lightly as she handed him the warm mug, feeling the heat of the liquid inside emanating through the barrier of porcelain. He did as she told and he formed his lips into a small 'oh,' blowing through to help cool the hot chocolate inside before he could take a sip.
Emma stepped back to see his reaction as he tried it, wondering if he would like it as much as she did. Chocolate and cinnamon wasn't just one of her favorite combinations, it was the first thing she had unknowingly discovered that her mother and son enjoyed. Even if she wasn't explaining it to Thor, she did think that it was a way of letting him get to know her better.
Talking to Thor was usually like opening a book. Family aside, there wasn't much that he hesitated to tell her. And knowing that his stories (which always sounded unbelievable) were actually true and had shaped him made her enjoy them all the more. But talking about herself - that was a lot harder.
"Taking on the cinnamon and chocolate taste test, you really do know how to live dangerously," Emma joked, letting it fall flat as she lowered her voice while he drank some down. She waited until he moved the mug from his lips before she could ask, "what do you think?"
Thor's eyes widened as the smooth taste of chocolate filled his mouth, only to be punctuated with the slight spice of the cinnamon. He hadn't encountered a great deal of tastes that he didn't like here in Midgard, but he decided immediately that this was one of the finer delicacies that he had tested. He enjoyed it a great deal.
"This is delicious," he complimented eagerly, looking up at her. He stopped himself from taking another sip, not wanting to take more of hers if this was to be her cup. He looked up at her with bright eyes, smiling. "You said you use cinnamon, but I understand that is unusual? Why doesn't everyone do this? It is quite delightful."
"Because some people are purists and want chocolate to be chocolate," she explained with a laugh, taking a step back and allowing him to keep that mug. Now that she knew he liked it, she would let him drink from that one and pour another mug for herself. Emma had even expected him to have a larger appetite than most - thanks to Ruby's warnings, and had prepared extra. She left that in the saucepan and moved to join him at the island once she had filled her mug.
"One more thing." And she reached over for the canister of whipped cream on the counter and topped off his hot chocolate, then sprinkled cinnamon over it before doing the same to her mug. "I'm glad you like it."
"Ah," Thor responded with a soft chuckle. Perhaps he could understand that, but he found he quite liked Emma's way. It was interesting and Thor enjoyed that a great deal. He was never one for boring.
He watched as she pulled away and poured her own. He had just been about to take another sip before she stopped him to add the finishing touches. He had almost forgotten about the whipped cream. That would have been a shame. Another bright grin appeared on his face and he turned to her once more.
"Thank you, my dear Emma," he said, finally taking that second, luxurious sip. A let a tiny hum of approval escape him. "I am very glad that you have invited me here tonight. Truly, it has made me quite the happy man."
As he thanked her, Emma found herself nearly laughing at his words, smiling once again because of the way he spoke to her. She didn't question his sincerity, but Thor had a way of making hot chocolate in a cluttered apartment sound like the greatest thing in the world. The excitement in his voice; the way he acted genuinely grateful for this opportunity, had a way of making Emma forget her problems within the town so that she could enjoy the evening the way that he was.
"You could have stopped at the first two words," she teased, taking a sip of her own hot chocolate as she settled on the stool beside him. She pulled the cookie jar on the counter closer to where they were seated and opened it up, offering a snickerdoodle to Thor before she took one for herself. "But I'm glad that you were able to accept my invitation. You're a pretty popular guy around here."
"He is not the only one to find solace in the knowledge that he is not alone, Emma," he replied quietly. He turned his gaze to the sky, watching as the stars started to make their first appearances of the night. He took in a deep breath. "He sees me as a great hero. Perhaps I am, but I am not the only one who walks these streets. If what you have told me is true, I daresay he is a great hero himself. Perhaps there will be stories of him, someday."
Another small smile pulled at his lips and he sent another glance Emma's way. She was a terribly beautiful woman, he couldn't ignore that. But more than that, she was strong and caring. It was clear in the way she spoke of her son. There was much to admire in her.
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"Henry may not be on your scale yet, but he's my hero," Emma agreed proudly, leading him up to the door when they approached her building. She didn't expect Granny to bring Henry home for another hour, but she had no doubt that he would be happy to see Thor when he came in. "I think he feels cheated, he's the only one who isn't in the storybook."
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"I believe he is on the right path," he replied. He peered up at the building. It was not his first time seeing it, of course, and he knew that it was hers. He had only been inside a few times before, however, and never for long. "I can understand why he may feel left out, but perhaps it only means all the more opportunity for himself. He is not bound to what legends tell him he should be."
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"You have a way of looking at things..." She found herself holding back a laugh at how out of place he looked in the apartment, all strength and size among Snow's flower arrangements and earthy decorations. "I could probably learn a thing or two about that." On her own, Emma tended to be more negative, but Henry was already changing that just by being with her.
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He turned his gaze back to the woman once again as she spoke, his smile growing as he saw her own amusement. He couldn't tell what was funny, but he like her smile.
"I am not sure there is much to learn," he told her. He had never attributed his optimism to anything but simply knowing that there was hope in all things. If there was no hope, there was no point. Thor had always found that there was always light to grasp onto, regardless of how bleak the outlook became. "Except... Perhaps it simply takes time. It is not terribly hard to find the bright spots in life."
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"You're speaking as a prince, but I grew up in the foster system," Emma said finally, before she realized that he had no idea what that was. "It's our way of assigning homes to kids who don't have families. They get carted off to whoever will have them - usually people who want the check the government sends out for having an extra mouth to feed. Then when they decide they don't want to deal with a child anymore, the kid gets shipped off to the next family." It wasn't that she disagreed with Thor, but she wanted him to understand why it was more difficult for her sometimes.
He was easier to confide in that most, partly because he wasn't a long lost friend of her family, but also because he just...seemed to care. Whatever he hadn't discovered about this world, he clearly was eager to learn. Emma liked that about him, even if she had let the conversation take a more serious turn.
Time for a subject change. "Do you take cinnamon in your hot chocolate? I'm guessing you like whipped cream." Because really, who didn't like whipped cream?
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His brows furrowed slightly, allowing her to change the subject. He didn't want to press the matter, though he was certainly interested in hearing more of her life. Later, perhaps.
"Cinnamon? I'm not sure I've had it with cinnamon," he told her. He offered her a small smile. "And... Yes, whipped cream would be lovely."
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"So here's a question," she prompted, keeping her eyes on the pot at first to try to seem casual about it. "How long do you plan on staying in town?" She knew that he couldn't stick around forever, and that he would be needed elsewhere. The problem was that Emma was getting used to having him around, and Henry was getting used to having him around. She wanted to make sure that they were both ready for anything, and that was hard to do when he was turning out to be such good company.
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He perked up at her next question, immediately feeling weight in it. She had sounded casual, but whether or not she really cared, he found that he himself was quite invested. He hadn't yet thought about it, perhaps avoiding the issue on purpose. He didn't know how long he intended to stay.
Theoretically, he could stay for quite some time and it would still feel fleeting to him. When you had all the time in the world, it wasn't hard to devote it to one place or thing. It was true that he would likely be called to defend some other front of Midgard, to ward off foes once again, but would he come back? Something told him that it was likely.
After some thought, he turned his attention back to Emma, choosing his words. "Until I am needed elsewhere," she replied to her sincerely. "Though... I think I would much like to return. To check up on my new friends. I find it unlikely that I will forget you so soon."
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Really, she had expected as much.
"Henry would like it if you came back to visit," she added, stirring the warm liquid as she avoided any attempt he might have been making at catching her eyes. Was Emma hiding her feelings behind the feelings of her kid? Definitely. And she could hear Snow's voice in her head, with a simple 'there's that wall again', referring to the way she guarded her feelings when it came to...well, most people. Emma didn't have any trouble sharing her opinions most of the time, but when it came to caring about people, it was different.
Her experience was that the universe generally didn't allow anyone to stay in her life for very long.
When steam began to rise up from the hot chocolate, Emma turned off the burner and took two mugs, filling hers and stirring the cinnamon through. Taking a smaller spoon out of the silverware drawer, she brought the mug over to Thor and swirled the spoon through, filling it with the hot chocolate before she raised it to him slowly. "Blow first - lightly," because otherwise, they were going to have a hell of a mess. "And then tell me what you think."
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"I would like very much to see him, as well," he answered evenly. If she didn't wish to confront the issue of his desire to visit her as well, he wouldn't force it. Not just now. He knew within himself that he would be just as happy to see her again.
Thor smiled lightly as she handed him the warm mug, feeling the heat of the liquid inside emanating through the barrier of porcelain. He did as she told and he formed his lips into a small 'oh,' blowing through to help cool the hot chocolate inside before he could take a sip.
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Talking to Thor was usually like opening a book. Family aside, there wasn't much that he hesitated to tell her. And knowing that his stories (which always sounded unbelievable) were actually true and had shaped him made her enjoy them all the more. But talking about herself - that was a lot harder.
"Taking on the cinnamon and chocolate taste test, you really do know how to live dangerously," Emma joked, letting it fall flat as she lowered her voice while he drank some down. She waited until he moved the mug from his lips before she could ask, "what do you think?"
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"This is delicious," he complimented eagerly, looking up at her. He stopped himself from taking another sip, not wanting to take more of hers if this was to be her cup. He looked up at her with bright eyes, smiling. "You said you use cinnamon, but I understand that is unusual? Why doesn't everyone do this? It is quite delightful."
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"One more thing." And she reached over for the canister of whipped cream on the counter and topped off his hot chocolate, then sprinkled cinnamon over it before doing the same to her mug. "I'm glad you like it."
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He watched as she pulled away and poured her own. He had just been about to take another sip before she stopped him to add the finishing touches. He had almost forgotten about the whipped cream. That would have been a shame. Another bright grin appeared on his face and he turned to her once more.
"Thank you, my dear Emma," he said, finally taking that second, luxurious sip. A let a tiny hum of approval escape him. "I am very glad that you have invited me here tonight. Truly, it has made me quite the happy man."
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"You could have stopped at the first two words," she teased, taking a sip of her own hot chocolate as she settled on the stool beside him. She pulled the cookie jar on the counter closer to where they were seated and opened it up, offering a snickerdoodle to Thor before she took one for herself. "But I'm glad that you were able to accept my invitation. You're a pretty popular guy around here."
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