Roots of Eternity

Chapter 28 - Roots of Friendship

The following day at Stark Tower was a whirlwind of Tony's persistent charm and never-ending questions. He had made it his mission to make me "experience" Midgard, as he put it, and I found myself dragged into one conversation after another about Earth's oddities.

"You've never tried pizza?" Tony asked, disbelief evident in his voice as he paced the room. He had just pulled up a holographic menu of pizza options, flipping through them with exaggerated gestures. "You're telling me that in all your Asgardian godly wisdom, no one ever thought to bring you a slice of this magic?"

I gave him a bemused look. "No, Tony. We don't have... pizza on Asgard."

Tony sighed dramatically, throwing his hands in the air. "Well, we've got some serious catching up to do. You're missing out on life's greatest joys."

"I'm pretty sure Asgard has better food," I replied with a small smile, though the sight of the strange circular food on the menu did pique my curiosity. "But I'll trust you on this one."

He grinned, clearly pleased with himself. "You won't regret it."

As he placed the order, I wandered over to the massive windows, gazing out at the bustling city below. Midgard was so different from what I was used to-louder, busier, and... messy. The natural world here felt suffocated, tangled in the man-made chaos. Yet, in its own way, it was beautiful.

"I see the wheels turning," Tony said, suddenly beside me, leaning casually against the glass. "What's going on in that plant-powered brain of yours?"

I hesitated, glancing over at him. "It's just... so different here. The world is so loud, so disconnected from nature."

Tony nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, Earthlings aren't exactly the best at keeping things in balance. We're a work in progress."

I sighed softly, turning back to the window. "I can feel the land beneath the city. It's trying to grow, trying to breathe, but it's... strangled."

Tony gave me a sideways glance, his expression softening. "You really are Mother Nature, huh?"

I smiled faintly. "I guess I am."

There was a moment of quiet between us, a rare pause in Tony's usual banter. Then, he leaned in slightly, his voice lower. "You know, Helena, I think you being here-on Earth-it might be exactly what we need. You see things differently. You care about things the rest of us barely notice."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Is that your way of saying I'm too sentimental?"

"Not at all," he said quickly, flashing one of his trademark grins. "It's a good thing. The rest of us are so busy trying to save the world with weapons and tech that we forget about the world itself. You bring balance."

I let his words sink in, feeling a flicker of warmth in my chest. It wasn't often that people saw value in what I did-especially when compared to Thor's strength or Loki's magic. But Tony saw it. Somehow, that made all the difference.

"I appreciate that," I said softly.

Before Tony could respond, the elevator doors slid open, and Thor entered the room, his presence immediately commanding attention. He looked between Tony and me, his expression guarded.

"Helena," Thor said, his voice filled with that familiar protective tone. "I've been looking for you."

I turned to face him, giving him a small smile. "I've been here with Tony. He's been showing me... Midgard things."

Tony nodded, clearly amused by Thor's barely concealed concern. "Yup. Just introducing her to the wonders of Earth. You know, pizza, skyscrapers, the occasional alien invasion. Real cultural stuff."