Into the Fray {Marvel} ||4||

3. The Sore Spot

Introducing an Asgardian to Earth's modern technology was the funniest thing someone could ever see. Watching Aria get freaked out by the toaster in the kitchen the following morning was hilarious, but I could sympathize. I was once the clueless Asgardian.

"It doesn't explode," I told her easily as I walked in. She looked at me, a little surprised at my attire, then back at the toaster. "It won't bite you either."

"Why are things so complicated on Earth?" she asked.

"Because it's Earth." I tugged on the sleeves of my shirt. "Steve caught me up on what you told Thor yesterday."

"Steve?"

"Captain America. The guy in the red, white, and blue outfit. It'll take you a while." I smiled, but then it quickly disappeared. "He told me the Queen was dead."

Aria sniffed. "She is. It was terrible, Kiara. The Dark Elves, they attacked Asgard."

"What for?"

"I don't know, all I know is that she was killed and I was there for her sendoff." She wiped her eyes. "I think if you want that story, Thor is the person to ask."

"How is he?"

"I think he's preoccupying himself in every way possible to not think about it. I don't blame him. I wouldn't want to remember that my mother was gone, too."

"Do you know where he is?"

"Not sure. You're going to have to start looking."

It would give me something to do. Bidding Aria a goodbye, I wandered the tower in hopes of finding Thor. I know he won't want to talk about it, but I need to know. I need to know what I've missed. Thor, if you're listening, I need to speak to you. You know why I'm asking. I only want to hear the story once, and then I will never talk to you about it again. Asgardian's honor.

I'm on one of the upper levels.

Alone?

Yes. Why?

Just wondering what I'm walking into. Give me a few minutes to reach you.

I was preparing myself mentally for the conversation. How did you bring up something like that?

Even as I entered the room Thor was in, my mental preparation went out of my head. His face screamed grim, and I began to wonder if I was going to regret this conversation.

"So, Dark Elves," I started nonchalantly. "That's what I missed?"

"It was much more than that, Kiara." Thor couldn't even look me in the eye. "A powerful force possessed Jane. My mother was killed in cold blood."

"Who's Jane?"

"Jane Foster. The woman I've been...seeing."

I tilted my head. "Since when?"

"Since a while."

"You never told me."

He shrugged. "You never asked."

"I don't put my nose in people's private lives, Thor. I'm not Tony."

That got a chuckle out of the God of Thunder. But that laughter faded from his face, his eyes especially. "There's something else, Kiara." For this, he turned his head towards me. "It's about Loki."