A Tale of Mischief and Mutants part 2

How Old Are You?

—-Loki—-

I feel a smile make its way to my lips as Thor and this Rosalind woman finish their explanation of how they met. My brother looks happy and Rosalind seems to be willing to give me a chance if only for Thor's sake. I'll return the favor. Sam and I talk a bit more with them then Sam decides we should probably go see the person this party is for. Sam greets Steve with a smile.

"Hey Cap! Happy birthday old man! Tell me... how awesome was it when lightbulbs were invented?"

Wilson and Bucky laugh at her comment and Steve looks a little annoyed though he's still smiling.

"Sam I'm not that old!"

She smiles before teasing him more. I'm so glad to see her comfortable around so many people.

"No? Ok... then how was it seeing a television set for the first time?"

Steve turns to Bucky as if to seek help and Bucky in turn lifts his eyebrows as if to shrug and Steve relents.

"I was seven... that's not fair! Why do you gotta call me out like that? Lokes is like five times older!"

She giggles at his mock frustration and his use of what I recognize as a more modern Midgardian phrase, he must be spending too much time with Peter and Shuri again, I butt in.

"Closer to ten, but who's counting?"

Steve looks surprised for a second this confuses me.

"What?"

"I just, I knew you were old because of the whole Norse myths thing but I didn't think it was quite that old. How old are you?"

Now I'm curious as to how old Steve's been viewing me as in the time I've known him.

"How old to I seem?"

"Well if you were a regular human I wouldn't peg you as being a day under twenty seven but I thought maybe you were around five to six hundred maybe seven hundred years old at most."

I chuckle

"You both underestimate and overestimate my age I am 1,058 years old but from a biological standpoint well..."

I look at the bottle of beer in my hand and have a last minute debate with myself as to whether or not I should reveal just how young I am. It could be seen as a weakness... Steve already knows me to be a formidable opponent and ally... I can tell him.

"I'd have to wait a time period relative to a year of development to drink this."

Steve looks utterly shocked and Sam also looks up at me in surprise.

"You're twenty?"

"In essence. ...the science isn't exact but we use a system that sees about 50 to 55 Midgardian years equaling one Asgardian, Vanir, Ljósálfar, or Jotun developmental year, it's the most common developmental rate for humanoid beings in the n- eight realms. Though it varies depending on genetic and environmental factors so I'm somewhere close to that age biologically."

Steve looks deep in thought and seems to speak without thinking.

"...New York... you're just a kid."

He realizes what he's said and looks immediately regretful.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking I didn't mean to bring that up. And I didn't mean to insult you you're not a child twenty's just on the young side and what you went through that got you to that point-"

I cut him off realizing he's genuinely afraid he's offended me. I was a bit offended at first but hearing his rushed apology and explanation immediately quelled my anger leaving only sadness over what happened to me at Thanos' hand and to others at my hand around that time.

"Steve."

He stops talking looking as if he's expecting me to explode on him.

"I'm not angry."

He seems even more surprised by that than he was at the revelation that I'm biologically equivalent to twenty years old. I'm a little surprised by myself that I'm not letting my base instinct of anger guide my reaction, it's progress I guess. I smile just a little though the memory of that time is threatening to put my tears on display for all to see. For some reason seeing the genuine sympathy on his face has made the memories all the more potent.

"Your apology is more than acceptable, I wish you a happy birthday. I'm not angry with you but I do need to leave for a moment..."

"Of course."

I take off to find somewhere more private with Sam at my side though he misspoke today I'm still glad I can call a person as genuine and understanding as Steve Rogers my friend. Friends are something I've lived without for most of my life but I could grow used to them if they'll have me.