"Hey! You're back! Where have you been?" Flash asks, his arm flung around his girlfriend's shoulders. They are your first customers since you've reopened your shop after making the necessary repairs. Apparently things have been going well with him and the all mother, since they seem closer than ever here six months down the road.
It's been four months since Hela burst through the front windows of the store. When you first brought Loki and Váli back to Earth, you were wondering how you would explain the fact that you suddenly had a family, especially taking over care of a child, you weren't sure how to legally fix that. Enchantress and Odin assured you they would take care of it, and a week after Loki and Váli moved in, you found an envelope in your entryway, slid under the front door, containing birth certificates for Váli and Loki, now known as Váli and Luke Sorenson - you had insisted on keeping Váli's name, but Loki, after the battle of New York needed something a bit less conspicuous - there was also a marriage license, passports, and enrollment information for Váli for a local private school. There were also forms included for you to change your own last name, should you so choose.
"I'm sorry, but I've been busy dealing with this mess."
"It's good to see you again, we were getting really worried," she said.
"Thanks, Elizabeth, it's great to be back." The head to a rack on the wall, browsing through the new inventory,
"Momma, where's my backpack?" Váli calls, running to you from the back room. Elizabeth whips her head around, looking at you wide-eyed,
"'Momma'?" She asks, you chuckle a little nervously,
"Yeah, uh..." What was your cover story again? "My husband and son... have been living in England... Váli's father and I were, uh, separated for a while."
"You were married?" Flash asks, his mouth hanging wide open,
"I still am, actually. Lo--Luke and I are back together now. He's unloading a shipment in the back room right now."
"Momma, I'm gonna be late!" he tugs your shirt hem to get your attention,
"Did you check in the bathroom?" He pauses for a second and bolts to the bathroom without another word. "You're welcome!"
"Wow... You think you know some people." Flash jokes, with a wink.
"What about you two? How have you been? Didn't you both graduate last month?" They share a look, and just before Elizabeth answers, a glint of silver on her left hand catches your eye. You gasp. "No... really?" She nods, both of them beaming, "Oh! Congratulations!" You run around the counter to hug them each, getting a little bit misty eyed.
"Who are we congratulating?" Loki says, bringing a box into the front of the shop.
"Elizabeth and..." You pause, flushing as you realize you don't know his real name.
"Really?" He says, laughing at your pause, "How do you not know my name by now?"
"I'm so sorry, I normally just... nevermind."
"No, what do you call me if you don't know my name?"
"Well, I have nicknames for everyone here... You're-- the Flash..." He stares at you for a moment before he throws back his head and laughs, "Come on now, kid. What's your real name and I'll start using it."
"That's part of what's so funny. My name is Barry."
"No way." He just keeps laughing as he nods. "Well, I should get extra points for that."
"What's my nickname?" Elizabeth asks,
"Oh, uh... you and the girls were the All-Mother." She seems to be happy with this, standing a little straighter,
"You hear that, Bar? Don't mess with the All-Mother, boy."
"Anyway, Luke..." The name still feels wrong, "Elizabeth and BARRY are engaged. They've been a couple of my regulars for several years now." He nods, his gaze distant for a moment before shaking himself,
YOU ARE READING
The Purging of Asgard
Fanfiction(This is a work of Fan fiction, meant to be read from the readers perspective, so I have omitted the main heroine's name.) You are a simple, quiet, comic store owner with a penchant for nick-naming your regular customers. So far your life has been a...
