Watch How They Fall

Being Careful

Two weeks earlier

'So... it's like the Hunger Games. But with gods?'

'I don't know what you're talking about.'

'The Hunger Games? Seriously, has no one shown Thor the Hunger Games movies?'

'Is that the one with the wizards?'

'No–'

'Can we stay on topic please? This sounds serious,' Bruce interrupts, watching Thor intently, waiting for him to go on.

'I just feel like someone should have shown him those movies by now. But sure, whatever, go on,' Tony shrugs, turning back to whatever it was he was doing on his laptop.

'Once every seven years, my siblings and I are turned mortal as a punishment from our father. We lose our godly statuses and immortality for a week, and if we are killed in that time then our powers transfer to our killer, who becomes the new version of our legend.'

His words are followed by silence.

'That's cheerful,' Clint says, earning a smack on the back of the head from Nat, standing behind where he's sat on the sofa.

'Okay, I'm sorry for not taking you seriously before. You're going to be hunted for a week? By murderers?' Tony asks, his attention apparently piqued again.

'That is about right,' Thor nods.

'But, this has happened before, right? And you've been fine?' Wanda asks.

'Oh, yes, many times before. But I have always found somewhere to lie low for a week and stayed out of it while my siblings got themselves into various... predicaments. I've not done it since joining forces with other mortals, as you know.'

'Are your siblings still... I mean, are they all...' Steve struggles, clearly grappling for a way to ask who, if any, of his siblings are still alive.

Thor waits patiently, giving nothing away. When it becomes clear that Steve isn't going to find the right words, he speaks anyway. 'You have to understand that I was never particularly close with many of my siblings. I know only four of nine personally. Baldur, the twins: Freya, Frey. And Loki.'

'Your parents have trouble coming up with names?' Tony smirks, before scowling as he receives withering looks from nearly everyone in the room.

'Time moved strangely back when I was young, so most of my siblings were grown and gone by the time I started retaining memories. Regardless, Baldur, Freya and Loki survive. Frey has been missing since three cycles ago. Njord, Hel and Tyr are slain, their places taken by mortal imposters. Bragi and Heimdall remain.

'Ten of you altogether?' you ask, having been counting on your fingers.

'Correct,' Thor nods.

'What do we need to do? Get you somewhere safe, out of the city?

'I cannot leave the city during the Hunt,' Thor tells Wanda, shaking his head. 'My main concern is keeping you all out of harm's way.'

'Well, I wish you'd given us more than two weeks' warning bud, but we'll do what we can. We're going to have to let Fury know...'

'I don't know if that's a good idea,' Nat interrupts him. 'Wouldn't SHIELD be a perfect place for groups to be planning on getting intel on Thor? And if they've had seven years to get ready...'

'That is a good point.'

'Who are these god-hunters anyway? Why have we never heard of them? Bruce frowns.

'They come from all over the world to the city where the Hunt is every cycle. Last year it was in London. Most of the hunters are descendants from our ancient families, or people who claim to be. They train their whole lives for weeks like these.'