Among The Stars ✰ Thor Odinson

47

*not edited*

------ Five Years After the Snap ------

Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton walked on a dirt path deep in the South Korean country side. The passage of time evident in the way they looked.

Natasha's hair was longer, streaks of blonde only remaining on the bottom half of her hair, no longer being a fugitive meant she didn't have to hide her identity anymore.

Clint had the more drastic change however, Tattoos covered his arms the sides of his head were shaved. His face and entire demeanor were hardened, a side affect of being a deadly vigilante for five years.

The forest around them was dense. It was cloudy and the air was humid from the recent rainfall.

"You sure this is the right place?" Clint asked uneasily as they trudged down the overgrown path.

"I'm only following the directions Lena gave me, you know how vague she can be." Nat murmured while looking down at the aged letter.

"What you haven't visited her at all? Why is she even here anyways"

"She made it very clear that she wanted to be left alone unless it was an emergency. For why she's here alone... I don't know."

"Wait alone? I thought she'd be with Thor"

Natasha opened her mouth to reply but as she pushed back a particularly dense branch they found themselves in a clearing. A clearing containing remnants of a village with a river running across the middle.

The duo walked slowly through the village. Rubble lined the pathway, where plants hadn't grown on the few structures still standing, they could see scorch marks. Still, with all the destruction around them, the path of the village seemed like it has been cleared off.

"There" Natasha pointed and Clint followed her gaze. At the end of the main path, was a bridge leading across a calm river. On the other side, stood a house in a much better condition than the others.

They walked across the bridge, made their way to the house and walked up the short flight of stairs that led to the gate in the house. As they stepped into the large courtyard it was still silent with no sign of Milena. the only sign of anything living was the birds singing in the forest.

They walked up to the front door and Clint hesitantly knocked on the wooden door.

When there was no answer Natasha sighed and opened the door. "Lena? You in there?"

No answer.

Still Nat and Clint walked in in hopes of finding their old friend. Politely taking off their muddy shoes at the entrance before stepping fully in.

They found their way to the living room where a low table sat in the middle. Shelves lined one wall carrying an assortment of items, books, preserved vegetables, alcohol. An intricate wall scroll decorated another.

Nat walked up to another corner of the room where Milena's armor and sword sat on display untouched. Collecting dust.

"Nat? Clint?"

Both whipped there heads around towards where the veranda led out to the back and were greeted with the sight of Milena holding a large basket full of produce in her arms. She too looked different since they last saw each other.