Roots of Eternity

Chapter 43 - Ghosts of the Past

The night air in Stark's penthouse was unusually quiet, though the city below buzzed with life as always. I found myself standing by the large glass window, looking out at the world beneath me. It felt foreign, not like Asgard's golden skies or the vibrant meadows I had known growing up. Here, I was without Thor and Loki—two pillars who had always been part of my life. And for the first time, I was alone.

The absence of my brothers felt like a heavy weight on my chest, a constant reminder that everything had changed. Thor had gone back to Asgard, and Loki... well, Loki was gone. Truly gone. Not in the way he usually disappeared, only to return with some grand scheme. This time, it was different. Permanent.

A sigh escaped my lips as I pressed my forehead against the cool glass. My fingers instinctively brushed the windowsill, and small green shoots of grass sprouted where my hand had been, responding to my emotions as they always did. It was strange. Back home, the plants were always vibrant, reflecting the life I felt inside. But here, in this towering city of metal and stone, everything felt muted.

"That's quite the gardening trick," Tony's voice came from behind me, startling me out of my thoughts.

I turned to see him standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame with that signature Stark grin, though tonight it seemed softer, more concerned.

"Sorry," I murmured, looking down at the small patch of grass I'd unintentionally conjured. "It happens when I'm... distracted."

Tony crossed the room and plopped down on the couch near the window. "Yeah, I've noticed. You've been kind of... distant lately."

I forced a small smile, though it felt hollow. "It's just... strange."

Tony tilted his head, watching me closely. "Strange how?"

I hesitated, not sure how to put it into words. "Being here. On Midgard. Without Thor. Without Loki. I've never been on my own before. Not really."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "You? Alone? Come on, you've got me."

I couldn't help but smile at that, though it was short-lived. "It's not the same."

Tony's expression softened, and he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "No, I guess it's not. But... you don't have to go through this alone. I'm here. And I'm sure Thor would drop everything to be here if you needed him."

I shook my head. "Thor's needed in Asgard. He has responsibilities. And Loki... he's not coming back this time."

The weight of those words hung in the air, heavier than I had expected. Saying them out loud made it feel more real like I was finally acknowledging the truth I had been avoiding.

Tony's gaze softened even more. He wasn't the sarcastic, quick-witted man most people saw. He was quiet, thoughtful, and—perhaps most importantly—he was listening.

"I don't know how to do this without them," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know who I am without them."

Tony leaned back, his gaze never leaving mine. "You're Helena, Goddess of Nature. You're strong. Stronger than you give yourself credit for."

I swallowed, trying to fight back the tears that threatened to spill over. "It's different. I've always had them to lean on. Even when things were bad—when Loki betrayed us—I still knew they were there. And now..."

"Now, you feel like you're floating without an anchor," Tony finished for me, his voice unusually gentle.

I nodded, feeling a lump rise in my throat. "Yes. Exactly."

Tony sighed, running a hand through his hair as he thought. "I get it. Believe me. After everything that happened in New York... I've been floating too. Trying to find some kind of solid ground."

I glanced at him, surprised by his admission. Tony wasn't usually one to talk about his own struggles—not like this.

"You... feel like that too?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.

Tony let out a small chuckle, though there was no humour in it. "Yeah. Anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia... you name it. The Battle of New York left a mark, and it's not going away anytime soon."

I blinked, taken aback by his honesty. I had noticed the cracks in his armour—small moments where his bravado seemed to falter—but I hadn't realized the extent of it.

"Why didn't you say anything?" I asked, stepping closer.

Tony shrugged, his eyes drifting toward the city lights. "Because I'm Tony Stark. Genius, billionaire, playboy... whatever. People expect me to be fine. To be unbreakable. So I play the part."

I stood in silence for a moment, watching him. It was strange, seeing him like this—vulnerable, open. It made me realize that, in some ways, we weren't so different after all.

"You don't have to play the part with me," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper.

Tony looked at me, something unreadable in his expression. For a long moment, he said nothing. Then, finally, he nodded. "Same goes for you."

I sat down beside him, the weight of everything settling between us. It felt comforting, knowing that I wasn't the only one trying to find my way through the darkness. Tony had his own demons, his own battles, and yet here he was—still standing.

For a while, we sat in silence, the distant hum of the city filling the space around us. I let my head rest against the back of the couch, closing my eyes as I breathed in the stillness. The grass beneath my feet responded to my calm, growing taller and fuller, wrapping around my ankles like a comforting embrace.

"Do you ever wonder what it would be like?" Tony asked suddenly, his voice cutting through the quiet.

I opened my eyes, turning to look at him. "What what would be like?"

"To not have any of this," he said, gesturing vaguely to the room around us. "To not be Iron Man. To not have the pressure of saving the world on your shoulders. To just... be."

I thought about it for a moment. "Yes, sometimes. Especially now. With Thor and Loki gone... it feels like I don't know who I am anymore. Like without them, I'm just... lost."

Tony was quiet for a moment before he spoke again. "You're not lost, Helena. You're just... finding your way. It's a process. And you don't have to figure it all out right now."

I smiled faintly, appreciating his words. "I guess not."

"And hey," Tony added, nudging me playfully. "You've got me. And I'm pretty good at finding my way out of impossible situations."

I laughed softly, the sound light and unfamiliar. It felt good, though—like a small release of the tension that had been building inside me for so long.

"Thank you, Tony," I said, turning to look at him fully. "For being here. For listening."

He grinned, though it was softer than usual. "Anytime, Nature Girl."

We sat there for a while longer, talking about nothing and everything at the same time. The conversation shifted to lighter topics—stories from Asgard, tales from Tony's past adventures. And for the first time in what felt like forever, I found myself smiling.

As the night deepened, I realized something. It was strange, being without my brothers. But maybe, just maybe, I wasn't as alone as I had thought.

"Do you think I'll ever stop missing them?" I asked suddenly, my voice barely above a whisper.

Tony looked at me, his expression thoughtful. "No. But that's okay. Missing them doesn't mean you're not moving forward. It just means they mattered."

I nodded, feeling a warmth spread through my chest. "Yeah. They did."

And for the first time since Loki's death, I felt like I could move forward—slowly, carefully, but forward nonetheless.