Norway - New Asgard (January 2018)

[Hollywood Heidi]

New Asgard


Located in Norway, a beautiful open land Odin had exiled himself to knowing that it would one day be a place for his people to rebuild and call home after Ragnarok.

[Anduin]

---

4 months ago 

---

It has been a while since Asgard was destroyed. Asgard – his... home. Odin died, the prelude to this tragedy. Hela, his sister, appeared and claimed her right to rule Asgard. What sense!
Fortunately, he and his brother could defeat her.

To make matters worse they were confronted with another space ship. At last Thor sacrificed himself or something like that, so that all the others could escape.


That was a lot of weeks ago.


Now they had settled down on the place in Norway where the former king of Asgard drew his last breath. Of course, there are no real houses by now, but half-decent huts. And of course, HIS hut was the most pompous one.
(If you can call a hut pompous.)


And to be sure that none of the humans would find their New Asgard – at least not until they had finished to build it – the Trickster used his magic powers to hide this place from foreigners. Although he was not sure if that would protect them against this new unknown enemy... But normally no one could enter this area without his permission.


Loki sighed. He was sitting at the same place where he had seen his father for the very last time. Many thoughts crossed his mind. Leading his people in such a difficult situation was not as easy as leading them at the good old Asgard he once knew...

He wondered when – or if – Thor will be back. And what Odin would have done in his place.

Destiny was a strange thing: Once he got everything he had wished for during so many years, he felt like loosing and missing something anyhow.
At least he possessed the Tesseract again.
He smirked briefly and gathered a stone from the ground at his feet. He threw it up into the air and caught it back, again and again.

„Things could be a deal worse...“, he whispered to himself. „I should be pleased.“

[DarkSideCookie]

It had passed quite some time since Bruce got out of the green bubble the other guy had been holding him captive. Something he wouldn't have managed without the help of Thor though. He had to admit that he had never anticipated such cleverness hidden behind all those mountains of muscles. No offense meant of course. Everyone had their strong points and he just thought... Oh well, was he just explaining himself inwardly? Maybe he even should be the last judging from someone's muscles. But then, the Hulk was a blithering idiot. There was no parallel intended of course. And yet again, explaining himself.

Bruce let out a toneless sigh, as he walked out of his hut, the one farthermost from anyone else's. As much time as he was spending with the Asguardians, and he really appreciated their attempts to make him feel part of this community, he still was an outsider. Self-chosen that is. Sure, he had become able to control his anger and therefore the other guy, but if there was only the slightest risk that he could break out again, Bruce wanted to be with nobody around. To keep the others at a healthy distance was the better choice. The safer choice.

He made a short pause on his walk in this evening hour, as he passed one of the other huts. It seemed not everyone here had settled down the modest way he did. Bruce moved on, heading nowhere special actually. So he decided to just enjoy the view along the skyline. The drear feeling, coming up at times, started to feed on him again. Among all these people yet he was alone. He had a look up at the stars, gradually lightening the dark, as a thought, something else coming up at times, made him wonder. Was she looking up at them as well? Not right this moment, but at times? And when she did, was she missing him the same like he did?

„Things could be a deal worse...“„I should be pleased.“

Bruce's head turned to the side, an unsure look on his face. "Oh", it did escape him. "I didn't know someone else was here. Shall I... let you to yourself with these... thoughts?" They were spending time together now for already two months, but he still felt a little uncomfortable in this guy's presence. Might be perhaps down to the fact that he once was trying to enslave the whole humankind.

[Anduin]

"Oh, I didn't know someone else was here. Shall I... let you to yourself with these... thoughts?"
Those primitive mortal beings! Of course, the God noticed that man approaching his place.
„If you would open your eyes instead of looking bashfully at the ground or moony at the stars, you would see what happens right in front of you“, he answered without turning around.

Finally, he stood up and turned around to Dr. Banner.
„You’ve already disturbing me and my thoughts.“
Loki faced Bruce with a supercilious glimpse. Then it turned into a lopsided sneer.
The God knew that this human distrusted him. And to be honest, he couldn’t blame him for that.
Sometimes he wondered how this weak guy could at least control the Hulk. If he wouldn’t know that these two were sharing one body, he wouldn’t believe it.

But now it seemed to be the right time to get a closer look at Dr. Banner and his thoughts.
„Everybody else is going to sleep. What keeps you awake?“
The Trickster showed himself unfamiliarly affable. That was because he had to prove his real leadership abilities during the last weeks. Besides he didn’t want to wake up the Big Green Guy by threatening Bruce with too much of his usual hybris.

[DarkSideCookie]

„If you would open your eyes instead of looking bashfully at the ground or moony at the stars, you would see what happens right in front of you“„You’ve already disturbing me and my thoughts.“

Looking a bit like put up against the wall, Bruce said nothing to that. Someone seemed to easily get flared up. And they call him the angry guy.

„Everybody else is going to sleep. What keeps you awake?“

"Actually, nothing specific.", he replied Loki's sudden and admittedly unusual affable question. And nothing specific it was. He had been wandering around while all lights were turned off for already quite some time. In fact, for almost every night. And for what? Nothing specific. Nothing presently at least. And above all was he not exactly keen to pour out his heart to the probably most untruthful person he knew.

After a short pause, in which he had thought about if it really would be wise to ask the following, he went on anyway, the caution hearable in his voice though.

"And you?" Probably forging plans how to stab us in the back whenever you'd get offered an occasion, Bruce inwardly answered to himself with a toneless hiss. Despite the caution towards this guy, there was a healthy amount of superiority in Banner's eyes; In the factual not in the arrogant way. To him, Loki was like a child waving a weapon around he was too young for, which didn't make him less of a danger in his opinion. Quite the contrary actually. After all, it wasn't needed more than a finger to pull a trigger.

[Anduin]

"Actually, nothing specific."
Actually, an evasive answer.
But the current king of the Asgardians didn’t expect anything else.
If it would be the other way around, he wouldn’t tell that guy anything.

"And you?"
A few moments later it was the other way around.
The God was sure that Bruce had to overcome his fear and inhibitions to ask him such an innocuous question.
Of course, Dr. Banner knew that he was inferior to Loki. As long as he wouldn’t wake up the monster...


The God of Mischief couldn’t help playing a trick on him.
„Well, actually I was thinking about how to deliver you from your pain and sins.“
His face seemed motionless.
While everyone was already sleeping, no one could blame him for his jocular words.
He stared at Bruce with a serious look. For appearances‘ sake, he took some steps closer to him so that they were directly face-to-face. He even tapped Bruce‘s chest with his trigger finger while whispering: „You are still a risk for my people. I will keep a close eye on you, Dr.Banner. Did you think I won’t recognize your nocturnal activities sneaking around the huts?“


Then suddenly, as though nothing had happened, the God stepped back.
He gave Bruce a toothy grin. His voice now sounded amused.
„Don’t worry, purse-mouth. The Big Green Guy couldn’t destroy everything around.“
With a twinkle in his eye, he added: „Believe me!“
And that coming from him!

[DarkSideCookie]

Of course, Bruce wasn't able to guess what was going on in this man's head, but if he was, he probably would have come up with an inner shake of his. Loki believed himself to be inferior, but, in fact, he wasn't. Maybe regarding his powers he was, but would he be nothing without them. Just a boy seeking some love from his family. After all, they had gone through since Asgard had been destroyed, Bruce started to actually pity him instead of judging from his actions only. But anyways, rather did he prefer to avoid Loki's company.

„Well, actually I was thinking about how to deliver you from your pain and sins.“ At that the God Of Mischief received a questioning look. As he was coming closer, Bruce may not have stepped back but did the discomfort seeable increased in him, mixed with a healthy amount of wariness.

„You are still a risk for my people. I will keep a close eye on you, Dr.Banner. Did you think I won’t recognize your nocturnal activities sneaking around the huts?“ Now Bruce's expression changed from questioning to disbelieving. He couldn't be serious.

Wordless he watched Loki stepping back again, as no peculiar encounter would just have happened. Why couldn't it have been his older brother to bear him company with the Asguardians?

„Don’t worry, purse-mouth. The Big Green Guy couldn’t destroy everything around.“„Believe me!“ Bruce's head shook in mind. Oh, he could. But that was not the point. He had himself under control now. That was as long nothing would be able to break him out of it though.

"Maybe not.", he agreed with him before a pause was following.

Eventually, his eyes carefully turned back in the other's direction. Was Loki going to bear him company any longer? Or should it be him taking a walk elsewhere? Bruce sighed. Well, it could mean no harm to change some words. "Do you sometimes think about your brother and if things go well for him?"

[Anduin]

Oh, it was such fun kidding this guy! He was like an open book. All his senses and thoughts were written directly on his face.
Dr. Banner had to think that the God was insane and barking mad. No matter, let him think so. Perhaps the Trickster was mad... Who knew?!


"Maybe not."
That was what he said. But his face said On the contrary!
Loki waited for a few breaths, but Bruce didn’t do him the favor to demand.
This stupid little human being!
At the same moment when the Asgardian wanted to start explaining his words, Bruce started asking one of his silly questions. And what a silly question!
"Do you sometimes think about your brother and if things go well for him?"
Really?!
He – the current king of Asgard... pardon, the Asgardians – was willing to demean himself to explain his brilliant safety measures to this poor creature, and he dared to ask him something about his brother!

All of a sudden the black haired God scowled at his collocutor.
„Tush! Things always go well for Thor“, he wrathy railed against Bruce‘s words and emphasized his own words with energetic gesticulations. He also threw the stone, he still held in his hand, in the direction of Bruce. Certainly, he didn’t hit him because he didn’t really want to do so.

Of course, Loki thought about Thor very often. But he didn’t want to admit it. Especially not to this man.
„Don’t forget that he wasn’t the only one who fought for his people!“
That was true. They couldn’t defeat Hela without his own help.


Suddenly Loki sighed, closed his eyes for a moment and covered his face with his hand. This behavior was unhelpful.
„Good, all over again.“ Now with a hushed voice.
He lowered his hand again, opened his eyes and gave Bruce a pretended conciliative smile.
„Forget about Thor. I’m sure he is still alive and will try to find us... He knows where we settled down...“
The Asgardian had a momentary lapse of concentration because of his inner feelings. Just for some heartbeats, his face was overshadowed by deep mourning. At last the God of Mischief had lost his beloved mother, his father, and his home. And, of course, his brother too. But Thor will be back for sure...
But maybe he won’t find us – not until it’ll be my will!
His confident look returned.


„Do you want to get an idea of my precautions, Dr. Banner?“

[DarkSideCookie]

As Bruce saw the sudden scowl thrown back at him, he rued to have asked anything immediately. It seemed that it actually could mean harm to change some words. He tried to stay calm and collected. Well, not that Thor's little brother's outbursts could excite him all too much, but rather did he try to withstand the upcoming urge to just walk away.

„Tush! Things always go well for Thor“ Apparently, Bruce had decided on just the wrong question. And now he actually wasn't sure if it was better to look Loki into his eyes while he was talking to him, or not. Just like you don't want to look a gorilla straight into its eyes to not provoke it, even though he thought for this guy the more appropriate comparison would be a howler monkey.

Bruce winced a little at the stone thrown his way, even though he saw it wouldn't hit him anyway. Well, you never know with this guy though, right?

„Don’t forget that he wasn’t the only one who fought for his people!“ Oh wow, was he just...? Well, this was not exactly the direction Bruce had intended to take with his question. Now, what? Cheering up the runt, because no one else was there to handle it? Bruce sent a quick look at the stars, almost as if he was going to reach out for Thor somewhere outside just to ask Why me?, before he looked back at his little brother. To his relief that one seemed to have already calmed himself.

„Good, all over again.“„Forget about Thor. I’m sure he is still alive and will try to find us... He knows where we settled down...“

"Look, I didn't mean to stir up some kind of... family affair." Or whatever this had been about all of a sudden. "I was just trying to... converse." At first, Bruce wasn't sure if this would make it even worse, so all the more did he feel glad when Loki changed the subject all of a sudden.

„Do you want to get an idea of my precautions, Dr. Banner?“

Well, no. "Sure." Patiently Bruce waited for what would follow, come what may.

[Anduin]

"Look, I didn't mean to stir up some kind of... family affair." "I was just trying to... converse."
Loki didn’t act on those words. He just gave him a dismissive gesticulation. Subject completed. Say no more!


Anyway, Dr. Banner did him the favor. „Sure.“ Of course, his face said No.

„Listen well, my friend“, the God started with a didactic tone.
„We are save here. I built a magic barrier. I don’t want human beings destroying our new home. If anybody gets close to our position, he wouldn’t realize us. No one from the outside could come to the inside and the other way around.“
Now the Trickster God smiled engagingly.
„You see – even the Hulk wouldn’t get out to harm other people. Except...“
Loki made a dramaturgic pause. „...I want him to do!“
Finally, he got closer to Bruce again.
„So, don’t worry, Big Guy!“, he said sneering and slapped him on his shoulder.

„Oh, one last thing: This is my place. It’s some kind of... family affair.“ He used Bruce’s previous words deliberately.
His eyes said I’m serious.
This was the place where his father had gone. It was a personal matter.

[DarkSideCookie]

„Listen well, my friend“ While Bruce let the egocentric talk, on his features was shown a mix of tensity and a feeling that said he better might not want to know. But he was willing to get taught his worries were unfounded. „We are save here. I built a magic barrier. I don’t want human beings destroying our new home." Bruce couldn't help showing a quick sign of disbelief at that, not on purpose that was. But he doesn't want human beings destroying something? Really? "If anybody gets close to our position, he wouldn’t realize us. No one from the outside could come to the inside and the other way around.“

"Wow, that's good news.", Bruce gave back a little unsure before Thor's little brother continued with a smile on his face. A mad person's smile never meant good. But maybe he would get disabused on that too.

„You see – even the Hulk wouldn’t get out to harm other people. Except...“„...I want him to do!“„So, don’t worry, Big Guy!“

"Believe me, you wouldn't want to." Bruce didn't have to add Because the other guy could squash you like a bug to know Loki would understand.

„Oh, one last thing: This is my place. It’s some kind of... family affair.“

"Okaaay...", Bruce replied with a tone one used to speak to a really mad person you better not want to contradict. And that, among other things, was this guy in his eyes. An unpredictable mad person. Despite that fact, he couldn't suppress a little sarcastically remark. "I didn't know I would need a residence permit for a public place though."

[Anduin]

"Believe me, you wouldn't want to.“
Of course, he didn’t. He remembered the Hulk smashing him to the ground. Painful.
But he also remembered him doing the same with his brother – that, in fact, was fun!

"I didn't know I would need a residence permit for a public place though."
Oh, this guy! The God gave Bruce an eye-roll. But he answered him with a tone between jocular and serious.
„You always need a residence permit for being around the king.“
Then he gave a short laugh and slapped him on his shoulder again.
„Don’t worry. I will not go to kill you if you dare coming here again. It is just...“
He cut off in mid-sentence. Suddenly he felt like wanting to talk to someone about his father‘s death. He didn’t do so actually. He and his brother didn’t really have enough time to talk about all that what happened before Thor got lost. Damned Hela!

Since Loki got to know that Laufey was his real father, he never longed for being the king of the Frost Giants. Even if he was adopted by Odin and Frigga – his beloved mother -, he claimed himself as an Asgardian.
„It is the place where we saw our father for the last time before he vanished.“
The Trickster didn’t want to say it loud. He just spoke to himself. He lost himself in thoughts and memories. He just forgot Bruce for a moment.
It was the first time that anyone saw the God of Mischief without putting on a mask.

[DarkSideCookie]

„You always need a residence permit for being around the king.“

Really? Oh man, this guy seriously had to work on his ego, and that not in the expanding way meant. Bruce might not flinch at the repeated physical approach, but was he throwing a slightly disapproving look towards the king. Not too intense to cause another change of mind in him though.

„Don’t worry. I will not go to kill you if you dare coming here again. It is just...“

Why couldn't he escape the feeling that he got spoken to like either a kid or some sort of moron? Then a pause was following and for a moment Bruce wasn't sure if Loki was actually going to take up the thread of their conversation again. Should he just give in and give this guy his head? But then finally the little god went on.

„It is the place where we saw our father for the last time before he vanished.“

So, now it was our father, good. He remembered to once have heard Thor talking about their father and how his little brother had banished him as an act of another betrayal. But okay, probably family affairs he didn't have to understand. A god thing or something like that. Telling by the sudden change of his facial features Loki at least seemed to be serious. So no trick this time?

Bruce let out a scarcely audible sigh before he decided to ask a question he probably would regret to have asked immediately after. "You wanna talk about it?"

[Anduin]

"You wanna talk about it?"
„What?“
The current king of Asgard suddenly gave Bruce a look of astonishment. He really forgot that Dr. Banner was still around him for a moment.
Certainly, he wanted to talk about it. But of course, not to this guy.
„Well,...“ He paused for some seconds.
Then he wagged his head.

It won’t make any sense to tell him everything. It was too much. And surely this little human wouldn’t understand all of it.
But to be honest, the God of Mischief needed to talk to somebody. He couldn’t do to his people because he didn’t want them to see his weak side. Especially Heimdall kept an eye on him.
Maybe Bruce would be the only one who probably could understand him just a little...

„I’m not sure if you really want to hear about it.“
Why should the God tell him anything if Bruce didn’t really want to lend an ear?!
While he was talking Loki turned his back on Bruce, took some steps back to Odin’s stone and sat down.
No words needed. If Dr. Banner truly wanted to hear something about the God’s mind, he should sit down next to him and request him to talk again.

[DarkSideCookie]

„What?“

And there it was. The regret to have asked. Bruce was already about to apologize and to just leave, as Loki suddenly spoke up again, this time with an unusual inoffensive tone.

„Well,...“

Almost as if he really wanted to talk about it. Well, that was new.

„I’m not sure if you really want to hear about it.“

And so wasn't he. But any possibility to placate the psychopath part in this guy was the better option, wasn't it? Maybe talking would work. And deep inside Bruce didn't feel too averse to talk as well. It had been a long way back he had allowed anyone to get close to him, and that in the figurative sense meant. To keep everyone at a healthy distance might be the safer option, but also the lonelier.

And so Bruce made an effort and closed up to Loki, who had taken a seat on a stone nearby. For some more moments, there was silence between them, before Bruce turned his head aside to start something like their first honest conversation. "I admittedly never thought I would say that, but yes, I'd like to hear about it." Instead of facing the god agog, his head turned at front again, his eyes having a look at the soothing landscape.

[Anduin]

The God hadn’t taken a look at his back to notice that Bruce came closer. Well, perhaps it was actually the time to talk...
Loki even didn’t take a look to the side when his colloquist took a seat next to him. For some more moments, there was silence between them. 

"I admittedly never thought I would say that, but yes, I'd like to hear about it."
„I admittedly never thought I would talk about personal matters to any human being, especially not to you.“
He breathed a sigh, his voice sounded quiet. His eyes stared at a fictive point somewhere in heaven above them. „Pardon me. Don’t mind my sincerity, Dr. Banner.“
A kind of apology. Another sigh, another deep breathe. The eyes still in heaven.

„I’m not sure how much Thor told you, so I won’t weary you by telling all the things that happened in the past. But I‘m sure you know our older sister, Hela...“
Of course, he knew her. Poor Bruce didn’t have another opportunity then accompanying them fighting against the Goddess of Death.
„Odin... – our father – banished her because she was too dangerous.“
First time since he started to talk honestly to Bruce Loki turned his head to the side. „The Hulk is nothing compared to this woman. I think you know what I mean and would agree.“
A pause. And he turned his head back staring at the stars.
„Thor and I found Odin here, sitting on this stone and waiting for us... He knew that it was the time to leave for him. He wanted to tell us about our sister – and that she would escape her prison right in the moment of our father’s death.“
And he also said that he loved both of his sons! But that was in fact too personal. Loki would carry this words in his heart but didn’t want to talk about this.
„His last words were Remember this place – home.“
His face didn’t turn aside but he took a short look at Bruce. „You know the rest of the story. We defeat Hela and brought our people here... Home.“

[DarkSideCookie]

„I admittedly never thought I would talk about personal matters to any human being, especially not to you.“

And there it was again. The offensive tone. This time seemingly prefacing something else though.

„Pardon me. Don’t mind my sincerity, Dr. Banner.“

Sobriety.

"Never mind.", Bruce replied calmly and with a little bit of a feeling of disconcertedness as for the fact he actually has gotten an apology this time. And then finally the god of mischief, or however he was calling himself, opened up to him. In fact, there suddenly were a lot of words following, while Bruce's eyes remained on the landscape in front of him. On the one hand to not unsettle his conversational partner during this personal level their conversation had reached, and on the other hand to just enjoy the view of the night sky glow in the meantime.

There were moments when Bruce's eyebrows furrowed a little, as for instance at the part with Hela. This other member of the Adam's Family, yes, he remembered. Maybe, against all expectations, Thor actually was the one being the family's black sheep.

„--...The Hulk is nothing compared to this woman. I think you know what I mean and would agree.“

"Well, you don't know how he was before I was able to control my anger.", Bruce interposed with a hearable nasal breath and a slightly sarcastic smile at that, before Loki went on with his narration about his father.

„--...His last words were Remember this place – home.“ When Bruce felt suddenly the other's eyes on him, he turned his head in his direction for the first time of their changed conversation, and back to front only a moment later. „You know the rest of the story. We defeat Hela and brought our people here... Home.“

A place to call home. That was a nice thought, but unfortunately, to him, no place had been to call home for a long time, because it's not the place itself you call home, but what the place means to you. How could any place mean something to you, when every one of them was not more than a hideout? But then again, there had been one place he wanted to call home without this kind of probation. Not a place, but someone.

Once Bruce came to realize that his mind had deviated for much more moments than intended, he slightly shook his head and turned his attention back to their conversation instead. "I'm sorry about your loss. This is never easy." Especially not when you're the one to be to blame for it, he added only inwardly, and with that, he didn't mean Loki but himself. "But you can be lucky to still have your brother." Despite everything that might have happened between the two brothers, they were family after all. And with Thor he really had someone accepting and most of all forgiving on his side, in view of the fact that, how much Loki had made a mess of things in the past, they got to hear one line again and again - He is my brother.

[Anduin]

"Well, you don't know how he was before I was able to control my anger."
Loki didn’t interrupt his speech. Not even by the time Bruce annotated something about the Hulk. Who cares at this moment?! Not the time to correct him or give him another sniffy answer.


When he had finished and took a short look at Bruce, Loki noticed that he seemed to be absent-minded. Certainly Dr. Banner had his own demons (or only ONE demon) inside.

"I'm sorry about your loss. This is never easy." "But you can be lucky to still have your brother."
No, it wasn’t easy. And Thor truly was the only relative left – unless Odin withheld another family‘s black sheep.
The current Asgardian king took a long sigh. „The hardest thing is that there are many unspoken words left... between me and my father... and... my mother...“
For a moment the God of Mischief was nothing more than a child which had lost his parents. Every single emotion was written on his face. No hiding. He only could suppress tears – that would be too much in front of someone else. His sight went to the stars above. „I didn’t have the chance to say goodbye to my mother. I hope that she and my father are together now with our forefathers.“
He kept silence for one or two minutes starring to the stars. It was something like a prayer for his lost parents.


Then his mien changed again back to impenetrability. „But you are right – Thor surely is still living. He is such a really stubborn person. I often think that he is too hardheaded to die. And he will find us. He also knows this place.“ Now Loki turned his face to Bruce. „But for that amount of time you have to make do with me, Dr. Banner“, he said with a ghost of a smile.

„And now it is your turn. What are you thinking about?“



Both men didn’t notice the dark-skinned man with the unique eyes which let him see everyone everywhere. He really knew that Thor was still alive. And he stood watch that no one of his people would dare to disturb Loki and Bruce. Odin’s youngest son desperately needed a conversation like this.

[DarkSideCookie]

„The hardest thing is that there are many unspoken words left... between me and my father... and... my mother...“

But weren't there always? When ever had anyone been able to lose someone with no unspoken words left? Wow, maybe he should have added another doctorate to his account; without sounding all too boastful here, but right now he had to remember this odd therapy session he had with Tony once, one he actually still had no idea how that had come about.
When Bruce noticed his mind was running totally off the track, he tried to carry that fact off well, before completely listening to Loki's storytelling again, for what it seemed just in time. As soon as the word you was mentioned it was time to get focused again. And yes, he even felt a little bad for having his thoughts allowed to wander away for some moments.

„... ... you are right – Thor surely is still living. He is such a really stubborn person. I often think that he is too hardheaded to die. And he will find us. He also knows this place.“

There was still a slightly ashamed expression on his features when Loki turned around to face him all of a sudden.

„But for that amount of time you have to make do with me, Dr. Banner“

Was he actually smiling? Bruce served with one himself, a little clumsy looking though. Oh man, now Bruce really felt bad for not have listened to his complete story.

„And now it is your turn. What are you thinking about?“

"My turn?", he asked obviously surprised. So, now this was about changing the seats? Bruce turned his gaze ahead again, folding his hands in his lap before he started with a sigh: "There's not a lot I could tell. Most of my recent life I've spent alone." And he actually didn't say this in a way of sounding self-pitying, but in a way of something as a simple matter of fact. "You don't want to have a lot of people around when you are... well, you know... when you have a short-tempered green roomie."

Bruce paused for another moment, biting his lip in thoughtfulness. He somehow doubted this guy would understand him anyway. Maybe understanding him in general, but surely not the true sense of it. Well, how could he anyway; a guy, pretty much short-tempered himself and, other than Bruce did, using it to rallying people round him with the wish of subjugating them.

[Anduin]

Loki didn’t notice that Bruce wasn’t following his words all along. But during Banner’s mental absence the Asgardian kept quiet most of that time. That was the moment when he thought about his parents in a prayer, silently.


But when he turned his head around to him, the Doctor seemed to give him a smile – at least he thought this should be one. However, his dialog partner got quieter. No more snippy answers like Hulk would do this, Hulk would do that and so on. Instead, there was this expression on his face like a child being caught when it did something wrong or forbidden. The Asgardian wasn’t sure what this meant. Perhaps Bruce felt a bit uncomfortable listening to him? It was the first time Loki allowed him (or anybody else, to be honest) seeing a true part of his own mind.


"My turn?"
Oh wow, this guy couldn’t really hide his emotions from being seen on his face!
If the God himself would have been like this, he wouldn’t be alive any longer!
To be fair Bruce didn’t live like him.

"There's not a lot I could tell. Most of my recent life I've spent alone. You don't want to have a lot of people around when you are... well, you know... when you have a short-tempered green roomie."
Well, the God of Mischief couldn’t share all intentions that lead Dr. Banner to live like this, but he was an expert in noticing people’s behavior and manipulating them by using it. Even now.

„Isn’t the most shattering fact – although you try to protect all people, especially your friends (He deliberately stressed the word friends.) – that they all are going to use you?! If they need the Green Guy, they beg you to let him out. But who cares about Doctor Banner, hm?“
He made a short pause to let his words took full effect. But not long enough for Bruce to disagree him.
„Trust me, I know how you feel. They all judge you by only this one issue.“

The Trickster gave Bruce a pat on his shoulder. His facial expression looked empathetic. Pretending something was one of Loki’s best qualities.
(Never mind that not all of his words were pretended this time.)
„But I am serious – I prefer you, Dr. Banner. Because you are the one who takes care of the others. And you are the one who thinks about your actions with full particulars before reacting.“

Somehow or other they both didn’t seem to be too much different... It was the intention behind that behavior that distinguished Bruce from the God.

Loki gave a short quiet laugh.
„They think you are the muscles. But to be honest – you are the muscles AND the brain behind them.“
Perhaps these words would encourage Bruce a bit, but first of all, they hopefully would improve their relationship.

[DarkSideCookie]

„Isn’t the most shattering fact – although you try to protect all people, especially your friends (He deliberately stressed the word friends.) – that they all are going to use you?! If they need the Green Guy, they beg you to let him out. But who cares about Doctor Banner, hm?“

The way Loki emphasized the word friends hadn't slipped his attention, this time causing him to come up with a quick smile at that though. It actually hadn't sounded like something that was disgusting the God Of Mischief, but like something he wanted to shuffle off by all means, maybe even unconsciously realizing that those friends were more part of his life already than he thought so himself.

Then it seemed Bruce got aware of the second part of Loki's words only a moment later. Was it just him or was this somehow about getting him down, after Bruce had actually psyched him up before? The sudden confusion was visible on Bruce's features, along with a short swaying of his head. This had been the God's intended pause to let his words take full effect. Just this begged the question what kind of an effect that was supposed to be.

„Trust me, I know how you feel. They all judge you by only this one issue.“ Bruce's head turned to the side a little when Loki gave him a pat on his shoulder. Yah, with the difference my issue isn't containing the subjugating of a whole population. „But I am serious – I prefer you, Dr. Banner. Because you are the one who takes care of the others. And you are the one who thinks about your actions with full particulars before reacting.“

At that Bruce had to state an objection after all. "No, you prefer Dr. Banner because he is not able to swing you around and bash you into the ground." And yet had he somewhat to join in his rare conversational partner's quiet laughter. Maybe this guy wasn't as bad as everyone thought; although Bruce had no doubts he was as insane as everyone thought.

„They think you are the muscles. But to be honest – you are the muscles AND the brain behind them.“

"Thanks.", Bruce eventually replied with sincerity, being truly thankful for Loki's (may the sense of his words comply with the reality or not), as he really had the feeling he meant what he said... maybe for once.

"You might as well not be that much a disaster of a guy as I thought.", he eventually added carefully. Carefully not only because you never knew when someone like Loki could switch to the insane child with the knife again, but also because he didn't want to serve with too much of ego massaging words in return. This guy just had enough of that.

[Anduin]

"No, you prefer Dr. Banner because he is not able to swing you around and bash you into the ground."
There it was again: The Hulk could do this and that!
But the God decided not to commentate this.
And if that made Dr. Banner laugh a bit, it was helpful.
Somehow Loki wondered about his own thoughts. Could it be that he really tries to help that guy?!
"Thanks."
No matter if he really tried or not, it seemed to work.

"You might as well not be that much a disaster of a guy as I thought."
„Disaster?!“, the God of Mischief replied with an arched eyebrow. „Oh, you are adulating me. That is too much honor...“, he joked smirking.
A moment later he returned to sobriety. „It is most appreciated. We're all in the same boat. So we had to work together.“

He paused for a few seconds while he stared into the distance above them again. Thor was somewhere there, lost in space. And also Thanos! Remembering those guy he had to shook his head instinctively.
„Thanos will come. I’m not sure if anybody really would be able to stop him. But I’m sure no one could do on his own.“
He even wasn’t sure if his magic barrier would guard his people against the Titan. Maybe their enemy could find them because of the Tesseract? Hopefully not. But unfortunately, it seemed so...
Or why did he found their spaceship before?


„We are saved here“, he whispered contrary to his beliefs, attended by a sigh.
It was the first time ever Loki wishes his brother would be at his side. Thor was stubborn, but he also was optimistic. Once anything seemed to be in vain, his brother always found a way out...



Neither Bruce nor Loki said another word. They were just sitting next to another on Odin’s stone, watching to the stars above and dwelling on their own thoughts.




„After all, an auspicious beginning“, Heimdal soliloquized. 

**********************************************

[Hollywood Heidi]

***Hope, Tony, and Nat enter from Plane - Pym Tech Private Jet***

Their travels had gone smoothly thus far. Their path from the plane to wherever Tony's device was leading them had been rather desolate. In the middle of nowhere and nothing; the perfect place to hide.

Their conversations were short, occasional updates with a sprinkle of friendly jibes here and there. As they got closer and closer, their speed slowed to allow for serious concentration and observation of their surroundings. The frequency with which Tony's helmet would scan left and right was increasing, giving Hope the indication that they were near but there was still nothing as far as the eye could see.

"I'm not seeing anything out here." Hope began to slow, waiting for the other two to do the same. "Why don't we pull over and take a closer look at your data."

Once they'd stopped, Hope's wings kept her hovering in place as she thought herself to normal size then mentally flipped her helmet open.

[Lady Lee-o]

"I'm not seeing anything out here. Why don't we pull over and take a closer look at your data."

"I agree, I'm not seeing anything." She pulled to a stop and parked next to Hope, removing her helmet she dug out some water and took a long drink.

[DarkSideCookie]

"I'm not seeing anything out here.""Why don't we pull over and take a closer look at your data."

"I agree, I'm not seeing anything."

Tony joined them on the ground, this time going without any of his fancy comments about Hope's changing sizes or whatever else. He flipped his helmet open to check the data on his phone once again. Without taking notice of what the others were doing, Tony continued to look up and down from the smartphone in his hand and the exile right in front of them.

Why would he be here anyway, in the middle of nowhere, all on his own? Unless...

"Oh Banner...", he whispered more to himself. There actually weren't a lot of people Tony was sincerely respecting, but Bruce Banner definitely was one of them, and also Tony might be one of the few seeing the doctor and not the Hulk in the first place. He wasn't so sure though if that was what Banner had seen in himself lately.

"Unless our friend is using one of those rare invisibility cloaks from the wizardly world, I`d suggest we take a little walk to recon this place.", he then stated after a while of nobody else doing something propellent to their situation.

[Hollywood Heidi]

If Tony's information and tech weren't faulty, then there was something else at work here. The thought of some sort of cloaking tech hiding the location had hit Hope just as Tony had spoken his same conclusion aloud.

"Already on it," she answered distractedly. Though Hope, herself, wasn't doing any of the walking. She concentrated, sending out the communicative electromagnetic thought waves via her EMP and could feel thousands of little life forms responding. She sent them fanning out and began to slowly turn in her spot, watching while continuing to send out her request.

It was after about a turn and a half that Hope stopped and pointed. "There," she said, pointing to a sudden blanket of black that seemed to be coming up out of the ground. The sight was especially odd as the land seems to go on for miles beyond the forming curtain of ants, making it appear as if they were crawling on air. She looked back at Tony and Nat. "Definitely some sort of cloaking tech."

[Anduin]

Loki and Bruce still were sitting next to each other in silence.
As time passed they fell into sleep without really noticing by themselves.
And they also overslept sunrise.
The awoken Asgardians around noticed them, but no one dared to wake them up.
he recent weeks had been strength-sapping for all of them.
And most of them had never seen such a peaceful expression on their current king’s face...


Sometime later – it was early afternoon – the God of Mischief started from his sleep.
There was some noise coming from heaven above them.
He took a look at the sky and caught a fleeting glimpse of an unknown flying object. It seemed like it would sink down on the ground not far away from their place.
Loki wanted to get up when he suddenly noticed Dr. Banner still sitting next to him, his face leaned on the God’s shoulder.
What the...?!
The God gave Bruce a dig with the elbow.
"Wake up! There was a Jet - or however you humans called your spaceships – landing nearby. I don’t like humans so close to our place. It could be pure coincidence. But it is really too close to us for my liking. We had to be careful. Maybe they are searching for us..."
He made a short pause. When he continued he forcefully looked at Bruce.
"No matter who they are or what they were doing – we must be calm. We should not show up. Remember that, Doctor!"
The current king of (New) Asgard emphasized the word Doctor a bit sarcastic to appeal to Bruce’s brain-power. It would be way more stupid and maybe dangerous than useful to show up their position.
"It could be Thanos...", Loki added afraid rather to himself than to the man sitting close to him.

[DarkSideCookie]

Sometime during the night, there had come a moment, in which the exhaustion of the recent weeks had gotten the better of both of them and had sent them to cloudland alongside one another.

Bruce was still fast asleep, when suddenly a voice, not to mention the accompanied nudge in his ribs, woke him up.

"Wake up!"

"Whoa! Wh...", he started to speak up disjointedly while perking up like a headless chicken before something made him literally wince at once. That was Thor's insane little brother sitting close to him... like real close. Good heavens, this guy could have killed him while he was sleeping like a baby!

"There was a Jet - or however you humans called your spaceships – landing nearby." While Loki was pointing towards the sky above, Bruce tried to pull himself together until no more than salient widened eyes gave away his discomfort. "I don’t like humans so close to our place. It could be pure coincidence. But it is really too close to us for my liking. We had to be careful. Maybe they are searching for us..."

"Wait, did you just say a jet?", Bruce suddenly interrogatively repeated while getting back on his feet to have a look into the distance as well, seeing nothing by then.

"No matter who they are or what they were doing – we must be calm. We should not show up. Remember that, Doctor!""It could be Thanos..."

It suddenly happened that Bruce's discomfort vanished and gave place for something else. "Do I look like a stupid to you?" His question wasn't asked in a furious way but as a serious question indeed, because, at times, Bruce really got the feeling that he wasn't taken seriously.

It was only a second later though, giving Loki no time to respond to his question, when Bruce suddenly received his latest statement just now. He swallowed hard, his eyes yet again widening. "You mean that Thanos?"

[Anduin]

"Whoa! Wh..." "Wait, did you just say a jet?"
Oh my, did he listen to him anyway?! Yes, he said a jet. It seemed like Dr. Banner was still in dreamland.
The Asgardian wondered if Bruce could survive on his own. Of course, he should because he was still alive until today.
"Do I look like a stupid to you?"
Seriously? Indeed. At least partly.
But Loki didn’t speak this aloud.
First and foremost it wouldn’t help them to solve their current issue with that jet. And it would be a step back in their relationship.
The truth was that the God of Mischief didn’t want Doctor Banner to hulk out. Not here and not at this moment.

"You mean that Thanos?"
Oh, good. The Doctor understood the problem.
Loki looked back at him. There was no phoniness or arrogance in his look or his voice. This time he was just serious. Just a man who feared an almighty enemy.
"Yes, that Thanos. You got just a surface impression of that guy. Believe me – he’s really insane! And he would stop at nothing. I still wonder how we could escape from him. There had to be something more important than our spaceship."
But what could be more important for the mad titan than getting one of the Infinity Stones?
(Loki certainly couldn’t know that Thanos wanted to save his older sister Hela and that the Goddess of death survived Ragnarok.)
"It was him, or to be honest one of his underlings, who gave me an offer. That was the case with New York... you remember?"
He made a short pause.
It was just a few years ago but it felt like a long time. So many things happened after that days. Many things which have changed his mind and behavior. First of all Ragnarok.
"Once Thanos gave me the Mind Stone to fulfill the conquest of the Earth."
(And to get the Tesseract. But the Trickster didn’t mention this because he didn’t want Bruce to ask about it. It would just force him to lie again.)
"You can be sure that he will come to Earth to get it back. Maybe now or maybe later. But he will! And if it should be today I won’t betray my people. I will stay here at their side. And I hope the titan wouldn’t find us."
That was the truth.
Even if he knew that Thanos would probably have his capabilities to find them.
And if he would it would be his own fault. He was the one who took the Tesseract and brought it here.

[DarkSideCookie]

"Yes, that Thanos. You got just a surface impression of that guy. Believe me – he’s really insane! And he would stop at nothing. I still wonder how we could escape from him. There had to be something more important than our spaceship.""It was him, or to be honest one of his underlings, who gave me an offer. That was the case with New York... you remember?"

"No, I don't.", Bruce replied sarcastically as a somewhat questioning look made him remember that these Asgardian people, being indeed immortal, had a serious problem with getting an eartly thing just as sarcasm. So he quickly added, "Yes, of course, I do." How could he not remember the day Thor's little brother had tried to subjugate earth? Oh, he must have been crazy for having said yes to this, sharing this leadership position with just that guy.

"Once Thanos gave me the Mind Stone to fulfill the conquest of the Earth.""You can be sure that he will come to Earth to get it back. Maybe now or maybe later. But he will! And if it should be today I won’t betray my people. I will stay here at their side. And I hope the titan wouldn’t find us."

At some point Bruce's attention went elsewhere, the fact that he had just woke up probably adding to it, mostly though, the talking about Mind Stones, conquesting of the Earth and all these other things he never asked for being right in the middle of it. He sighed inwardly.

"Sounds like you care for someone after all.", Bruce eventually stated with a side glance at Loki, only inwardly adding for once. "I just hope it'll be final this time." He suddenly bid his lip in the same moment these words had left them. But then again, after their conversation last night, Bruce had the feeling it really would be final this time and also that this statement wouldn't incur Loki's wrath again; like it had been of importance to have had it for fighting this war together. This time on the same side.