Avengers: Seven Brides of Set

Support Group Pt. 2

Thor sat at the kitchen table in his house with Steve, Tony, Clint, Reed, Blackagar, Bucky, Sam and a round of beers. Having spent the night alone in the house, Thor found himself craving companionship and a sympathetic ear. He'd not slept the night prior, instead laying awake and replaying everything that had happened between Dean and himself. He tortured himself over what happened to his husband, with his anger at Set's actions ensuring he wouldn't rest. His actions after finding out what happened were completely justified in his own mind. Had something of this nature happened to his mother, Odin himself would have scoured whatever realm housed the guilty party, leaving behind a trail of blood and destruction in his wake.

"So he and the boys are staying at Jack and Rosie's house?" Tony asked.

"Yes," Thor said. "Dean wished to have space. Which I am struggling to wrap my head around. Did I not act as I should have? I sought out Set and ensured that he was dead. Should that not have brought comfort to Dean?"

"I don't want to be the one. But I'm going to be the one. Did it ever occur to you that maybe Dean just wanted you to be supportive?" Clint asked as he reached for his beer and knocked it back.

Thor stared at his mug of ale and sighed. "I thought that is what I was doing."

"By tossing Set's head at Dean's feet?" Tony sputtered.

Thor shut his eyes. "I was defending Dean's honor," he reiterated for what he felt must have been the thousandth time. "Set took his honor and I brought it back."

Bruce cleared his throat before nervously speaking up. "I think you had good intentions."

Thor brightened some and laid a hand on Bruce's shoulder. "Thank you, Bruce."

"But," Bruce carried on.

Thor's face fell.

"But I think maybe it's possible your position on this is very different from Dean's," Bruce carefully explained.

Thor shook his head. "But I love Dean and want to protect him. Is that not enough to...bridge the gap between our positions?"

Tony slapped Thor's shoulder and sighed. "Buddy, I love you."

Thor lifted a brow. "Stark?"

"You're hundreds of years older than the rest of us but you're just as clueless in love sometimes. It's comforting."

Thor shook his head and grabbed his mug. "I am glad to bring you such comfort during my time of grief."

"Oh, don't be a big baby!" Tony sighed. "Look, it's like this- Pepper and I have been married a while. We've got a kid. We have a beautiful life in spite of everything. But we still speak in different languages all the same." He waved a hand at the others. "Anyone else want to weigh in?"

Reed nodded his head in agreement. "Sue and I are the same way. No matter how much we may love our significant others, we can't always be on the same page."

Blackagar, though unable to speak up, nodded emphatically enough to show that he certainly shared similar experiences with Medusa.

"That's why it's important to listen and be present," Steve added. "There are things that Kyle feels and thinks that I may never fully understand. But I know that if I'm there with him then sometimes that's all that matters."

Thor finished off his ale and shrugged his shoulders. "Dean does not want me near him."

"Not right now," Steve said in a supportive tone. "But he will. Just be patient and let him come around when he's ready."

"I am a man of action," Thor grunted. "Waiting for things to happen is not easy for me."

"Welcome to relationships," Tony chuckled.