Ficlet 8
Möbius
An Avengers Ficlet
Characters: Thor, Jane.
Warnings/Kinks: Thor is a Sad Sack.
Part the First… Part the Sixth… Part the Porn. NSFW. To get the full story (and extra porn!) be sure to read post comments! Especially Nemi-chans!
Yggdrasil had gone root up. Thor perched atop Jane's observatory, though unlike the many that had come before him the warrior did not raise his gaze to the heavens. He looked down upon the encampment as Asgard's Nobility fluttered about like leaves in the wind. Flickering dots of fire -a sea of stars against the earthen green, a parody of the world right- littered the landscape, halls of healing erected with haste as midgardian poultices were rejected most venomously.
As Prince, Thor had done what he could to soothe relations but his mother, she who had drunk, and cried, and embraced long-dead brothers was not present to take Odin AllFather's arm and offer small glances of assurance. Primitive, Odin called the Son-of-Coul and his SHIELD brothers, weak and mortal. The King of Asgard would not accept assistance, would not risk being in debt to another Realm, and no one would say what caused the exodus.
What Sif had related-
"Impossible." Thor murmured to himself, twisting his cape -royal red, like the sun over a battlefield- about his shoulders as if to ward off the chill he could no longer, not being human, feel. Yet he couldn't shake mingled disgust and fear that laced his childhood friend's eyes and voice as a handmaiden wiped blood from her brow.
"Thor?" Jane called tentatively from the trapdoor before climbing out. Another time the Prince would have rejoiced to introduce his people to the woman who had done so much for him. Another time, perhaps, his father wouldn't dismiss his claims of love. Another time, his people wouldn't be shell-shocked and aggressive, exerting what control they could over their environment in a see-through attempt to save face.
(Another time, he would perhaps have been able to see his brother smile, and laugh, and meet this giant of trickery and share space at Loki's table.)
The Dead did not Rise. Did not Revolt in their Revelry.
(A traitorous part, the voice of a child, whispered Loki.)
But why would the court spread such a fiction? Why would Heimdall not tell him of his Brother's fate? Why did the Gatekeeper turn away at his questions of Loki but answer the tales of Fandral -who now kept a favor of dried flowers- and Hogun the Wanderer?
"You alright?" Thor turned as Jane walked down the curvature of the roof, a steaming mug in her hands, and smiled. There were lines around her eyes he didn't remember being there. She pushed the cup at him; frowned. The lines deepened. Her head on his arm was warmer than all the light of Asgard.
In many ways Jane Foster reminded him of Frigga.
"Did you know, I had two Uncles?" He wasn't sure why he said the words until he did. Bits of meat and five-pointed pastry floated in the mug. Jane curled closer, fingers threading through his hair as she gave a hum of inquiry, her own salty streaks hastily scrubbed away. "My father… was the youngest of three. It was never expected for him to gain the throne and I… I…"
He watched a carrot bob in the broth, and wondered why he could feel it in his throat.
"I never met them."
"I'm sorry."
Thor took a sip of broth but his appetite had faded some time ago and yet to come back. He -carefully- balanced the mug on the lip of their perch. "Jane?" He whispered, hesitant, because he knew someone was always listening… but perhaps, this time, they were distracted enough…
"I'm here."
Thor thought of a cracking bridge, and empty halls. Empty words. Empty jests.
"I do not like what it means to be a Prince of Asgard. I do not want to be King."
Jane was quiet, and for a moment he worried he had offended her.
"…then don't." There was a tired fire in her voice, her arms wound around him and squeezed tight.
"You don't understand, it is expected-"
"If I always did what was expected of me, I wouldn't be here." Jane's tiny, mortal hand reached up to palm his chin. "It's your life. Not your Father's."
She thumbed away his tears.
An Avengers Ficlet
Characters: Thor, Jane.
Warnings/Kinks: Thor is a Sad Sack.
Part the First… Part the Sixth… Part the Porn. NSFW. To get the full story (and extra porn!) be sure to read post comments! Especially Nemi-chans!
Yggdrasil had gone root up. Thor perched atop Jane's observatory, though unlike the many that had come before him the warrior did not raise his gaze to the heavens. He looked down upon the encampment as Asgard's Nobility fluttered about like leaves in the wind. Flickering dots of fire -a sea of stars against the earthen green, a parody of the world right- littered the landscape, halls of healing erected with haste as midgardian poultices were rejected most venomously.
As Prince, Thor had done what he could to soothe relations but his mother, she who had drunk, and cried, and embraced long-dead brothers was not present to take Odin AllFather's arm and offer small glances of assurance. Primitive, Odin called the Son-of-Coul and his SHIELD brothers, weak and mortal. The King of Asgard would not accept assistance, would not risk being in debt to another Realm, and no one would say what caused the exodus.
What Sif had related-
"Impossible." Thor murmured to himself, twisting his cape -royal red, like the sun over a battlefield- about his shoulders as if to ward off the chill he could no longer, not being human, feel. Yet he couldn't shake mingled disgust and fear that laced his childhood friend's eyes and voice as a handmaiden wiped blood from her brow.
"Thor?" Jane called tentatively from the trapdoor before climbing out. Another time the Prince would have rejoiced to introduce his people to the woman who had done so much for him. Another time, perhaps, his father wouldn't dismiss his claims of love. Another time, his people wouldn't be shell-shocked and aggressive, exerting what control they could over their environment in a see-through attempt to save face.
(Another time, he would perhaps have been able to see his brother smile, and laugh, and meet this giant of trickery and share space at Loki's table.)
The Dead did not Rise. Did not Revolt in their Revelry.
(A traitorous part, the voice of a child, whispered Loki.)
But why would the court spread such a fiction? Why would Heimdall not tell him of his Brother's fate? Why did the Gatekeeper turn away at his questions of Loki but answer the tales of Fandral -who now kept a favor of dried flowers- and Hogun the Wanderer?
"You alright?" Thor turned as Jane walked down the curvature of the roof, a steaming mug in her hands, and smiled. There were lines around her eyes he didn't remember being there. She pushed the cup at him; frowned. The lines deepened. Her head on his arm was warmer than all the light of Asgard.
In many ways Jane Foster reminded him of Frigga.
"Did you know, I had two Uncles?" He wasn't sure why he said the words until he did. Bits of meat and five-pointed pastry floated in the mug. Jane curled closer, fingers threading through his hair as she gave a hum of inquiry, her own salty streaks hastily scrubbed away. "My father… was the youngest of three. It was never expected for him to gain the throne and I… I…"
He watched a carrot bob in the broth, and wondered why he could feel it in his throat.
"I never met them."
"I'm sorry."
Thor took a sip of broth but his appetite had faded some time ago and yet to come back. He -carefully- balanced the mug on the lip of their perch. "Jane?" He whispered, hesitant, because he knew someone was always listening… but perhaps, this time, they were distracted enough…
"I'm here."
Thor thought of a cracking bridge, and empty halls. Empty words. Empty jests.
"I do not like what it means to be a Prince of Asgard. I do not want to be King."
Jane was quiet, and for a moment he worried he had offended her.
"…then don't." There was a tired fire in her voice, her arms wound around him and squeezed tight.
"You don't understand, it is expected-"
"If I always did what was expected of me, I wouldn't be here." Jane's tiny, mortal hand reached up to palm his chin. "It's your life. Not your Father's."
She thumbed away his tears.