Of Life And Hope

·.¸¸.·♩♪♫ 🄲🄷🄰🄿🅃🄴🅁 11 - 🅃🄷🄴 🄼🄰🄶🄸🄲 🄷🄰🄼🄼🄴🅁 ♫♪♩·.¸¸.·

You smiled, looking down at your feet that were in a pair of comfy black shoes. "Thanks."

-~:~-

You and Nat walked down the stairs, being immediately pulled into the mass of people.

At least it wasn't a dramatic all-eyes-on-you type of entrance, you thought to yourself, the few thoughts of comfort helping you handle the crowd.

You and Nat walked along in the room and you let your eyes roam, casually slipping them past a man, probably in his early twenties, sitting all alone by a window.

And then you did a double take.

And the man was gone. Instead of the man was Loki.

"Hey, can I...," you asked Nat, trailing off as you gestured in the general direction of Loki.

"Yeah, of course, you can do whatever you like," she said, smiling.

You smiled back and off you went.

"Hey, Loki," you greeted quietly when you arrived.

The man furrowed his brows at you and looked around at all the people that he expected to look at him if it wasn't for the illusion over himself at the moment. "What do you mean?"

You blinked, confused. "I greeted you."

"Yeah, but, you can see me?" he inquired. "Like, me, actually."

"Well, I couldn't at first," you admitted, "and then I could." You shrugged a shoulder. "Am I not supposed to?"

"No."

"Sorry," you grimaced. "Why not, then?"

"I've cast an illusion over myself and I supposed it was working because no one was looking at-"

"Why an illusion?" you asked, cutting off the God of Mischief.

He deadpanned.

"Oh," you remembered the one thing you tended to forget - Loki was a mass murderer.

You didn't really know what else to say so you were pretty grateful when you felt a breeze and discovered at the next second that Pietro's hand was on your shoulder. "Hey, Y/n. Who's your friend?"

You saw Loki relax a bit at the fact that the illusion was still working as you answered. "Jonah," you said, lying. You surprised yourself with how naturally it came. "He volunteers at the library I used to go to."

"Volunteered," Loki corrected, playing along. "I got another job so I quit. I'm representing my boss here."

"Oh, what does he do?" Pietro asked, friendly as ever.

"He researches different kinds of metals and iron so when Iron Man threw a party and he couldn't come-"

"-he had to send someone," you finished the sentence for Loki, smiling at Pietro. "Did you need anything specific, by the way?"

"Oh, I was wondering if you knew where the fridges were," your friend said, remembering what he came to ask. "Wanda wanted me to fetch some ice cubes."

"No, sorry," you said, giving an apologetic smile.

"Okay, see you around." With that, he was gone.

You turned back to Loki. He raised a brow at you. "You're good at lying," he noted.

"I surprise myself sometimes," you smiled, "you, too, by the way, but I suppose that isn't a surprise."

He let a smile slip. "I'd suppose that, too, if I were you."

"So-" Thor entered the room, making you forget what you wanted to say. "Is that the magic hammer?" you inquired, looking at the thing he was swinging around so carelessly.

Loki snorted. "That's Mjolnir."

"So it's the magic hammer," you nodded, paying no mind to the fact that you were most definitely misnaming it.

You shook your head, clearing it. "Anyway, if you don't want anyone to see you, why did you even come?" you asked before realizing how rude it probably sounded. "No offense, I'm just curious."

He stared at you. "Nice necklace."

You rolled your eyes, getting the hint. "Fine, don't tell me." You narrowed your eyes at him, wondering if you'll take the compliment. "Thanks," you finally said before standing up, "I'll leave you to your secret business now, Jonah."

Loki rolled his eyes.

-<>-

You sat on a couch, quiet as you stared at the hammer by Thor's foot. Then you finally opened your mouth. "What exactly is so special about it anyway?" you asked.

"Only the worthy can lift it," Thor answered, proudly.

"So it's heavy?" you asked, narrowing your eyes.

"No, it's enchanted," Thor explained. "Those who can lift it are destined to be rulers of Asgard."

And there's that feeling again, you thought, a shiver running down your spine at mention of the place.

"Can I try?" you asked, not sure why you even wanted to.

All of the Avengers quieted down in a moment.

"None of us can, kid," Tony warned as Thor gave you a nod, "don't be too disappointed."

You reached your hand for the hammer. "Yeah, I won-" You heard a swishing sound, making your eyes turn from Tony, who you were talking to, to the hammer in your hand. You frowned and turned to Thor, weighing the thing in your hand. "You said it would be heavy."

"You're worthy," Thor... gaped, more than anything else.

"So I get to rule what? A kingdom? A planet? A country? What's Asgard?" All of the questions spilled out of you as they would out of a fountain.

"Kingdom," Thor muttered, scowling at the floor. Then he looked up. "Are you sure you're of Midgard?"

"What?" you asked, your eyes furrowing further.

"Of Earth?" Thor elaborated.

"I-"

You were cut off by Tony Stark. "So what if the kid is worthy? She doesn't have to be an alien for that. Vision is also worthy, remember?"

"Yes, but-"

"Thank you for the opportunity," you smiled, handing Mjolnir back to Thor before sinking into a chair. The Avengers were still looking at you despite the fact that their little argument was cut off.

"So," you drawled.

"So...?" Pietro questioned.

You yawned. "I'm off to sleep," you said, standing up. "Night."

After receiving a few 'goodbye's and several smiles from the group, you wove your way through the thinning crowd.