| Morningstar | A Crossover Story

☆Chapter Thirteen☆

"We are doing what now?"

Tony groaned dramatically, going so far as to bend himself backwards to show how disappointed he was in everyone.

"A vacation! All of you guys have been acting like you're starring in the latest tragedy! Come on, live a little!"

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm up for anything Stark says as long as it has 'free' and 'vacation' in it," Bill said from the floor's pantry.

"See, even Dante over there is up for it."

"Wait, wait, Dante? Are you assuming that I, as a demon, have explored the levels of hell?" Bill interrupted.

"No," Tony sassily began, "I'm modifying the usage of Dante to say that you are all the levels of hell in one short stack."

Bill considered this for a moment, and shrugged with indifference.

"Seems fair. Incorrect, but fair," Bill said, and returned his attention back to raiding the pantry.

"So where were you planning on taking us?" Natasha asked.

"I don't know exactly yet because I wanted to ask all of you first, but I was thinking like a beach or somewhere calm for all of us to relax," Tony sang.

"Yeah, I'm gonna stop you right there, that seems a little cliche," Natasha interjected.

"Ugh, I know," Tony whined. "I feel like we can't relax anywhere anymore."

"But it does sound like a nice idea," Steve added in.

"I too like the idea of going to a beach. We don't have many on Asgard, and the smell of the ocean is always pleasant." Thor spoke up, feeling excited about a beach.

"I'd be up for anything personally," Steve said, and next to him, Bruce nodded in agreement.

"Personally as someone who used to live in space, I would just like to mention that I have never seen an ocean as filthy as this planet's ocean," Bill said as he sat down on the couch with some orange slices.

Tony gave him a sassy death glare, because he was ruining things for everyone again. Bill had a satisfied look on his face.

"Must you ruin everything for everyone?" Tony asked.

"Hey, I'm just keeping my part of the deal: you guys ruin things for me, and I ruin things for you."

Bill popped an orange slice in his mouth. He smiled contentedly, as he successfully ruined everyone's day.
The rest of the Avengers went silent, annoyed with Bill as usual.

"So," Clint drew out the o in so, "the beach then?"

Everyone thought for a moment before all agreeing with a collective "yeah."

"Alright, the beach it is then!" Tony exclaimed. "But none of you will know what beach until we get there!"

Tony dodged a pillow that came hurtling towards him as everyone groaned. It seemed they did not like surprises. He made an oof sound as a second pillow hit him square in the chest.

"Hey, why the pillows? I'm being nice enough to take all of y'all on vacation and this is what I get?" Tony joked, tossing the pillow back towards the couch.

"This is not going to end well," Bill said ominously.

Everyone turned towards him with worried eyes.

"You can't see the future can you?"
Steve asked like he was stepping over shattered glass.

"No, I'm just assuming," Bill replied.

"Please don't assume things like that."

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The date was set. By next Friday, the Avengers would be piled in a private jet to Bermuda. Bill got a kick out of this, simply because Bermuda made up one of the points of the Bermuda Triangle. He frightened Thor into thinking the plane would automatically crash as they passed over. The idea of a vacation was now extremely stressful.

But they all made it to the end of the week with minor flurries of accidents and missing items. And despite how well it was going so far, Loki was dreading the trip. He didn't like the idea of being even closer with his so called friends, and Their wasn't making it any better.

"At least try to have some fun, brother. You've gone so long without it," Thor said from Loki's bed. He had flopped down, and was watching Loki pack his necessities.

"Your idea of fun and mine are completely different, Thor," Loki sighed and turned towards Thor, "I really don't want to go," he nearly pleaded.

Thor sat up to look his brother in the eyes, and he saw how uncomfortable Loki really was with all this.

"I know your situation puts you in such distress, but I'd rather have you here than in Asgard's dungeon," Thor said quietly.

"I'm not sure if I'd rather be there or here now. My situation makes it impossible for anyone to ever feel like they can be normal around me. And your new friends aren't exactly good at hiding their feelings, Thor."

Thor shifted his gaze to the floor. He didn't know what to say now. There was nothing that could make the situation any better. Thor couldn't convince his friends to change their mind about Loki. Loki gave him an empty glance before returning to his packing. Thor wished things could be better.

But suddenly his melancholy was interrupted by Loki's bedroom door getting kicked open to reveal Bill. He had a bottle of something, obviously alcohol, and it looked like he had stolen a pair of Clint's sunglasses. The lenses were rose gold in the sunlight, and circular. Taking another sip of whatever beverage he had, Bill turned back around.

"Are you guys coming or not? There won't be anything left to drink on the plane if y'all don't hurry it up," Bill nearly slurred.

"You're not planning on decimating Stark's alcohol supply, are you?" Loki asked with genuine concern as he zipped his suitcase up.

"Loki I am fully prepared to lay waste to my liver. I might need to borrow one once this vacation is over."

"Not only do you have a problem, but you are not getting my liver," Loki droned, and motioned for everyone to exit the room.

Thor hopped up to his feet, and followed Loki and Bill put of the bedroom and into the elevator. The ride down to the ground floor was silent except for the swish of liquid and the hum of the elevator. They all exited the elevator as it dinged open, and piled into the second car Tony had ready for them. The drive through traffic was slow, and noisy, with people honking their car horns aimlessly. Once they got past the congestion, the drivr to the airport was easy. Instead of checking in normally with security, they were able to make it past that mess, and go right to the reserved runway Tony booked. A learjet, white and pristine, was prepared to take the Avengers away on a sunny vacation. As they had once piled into the cars before, the team and company piled into the comfy leather seats of the jet. It seemed there was just enough room for all them, and there were a couple of seats left over.

After an hour into the flight, nearly everyone had fallen asleep due to boredom. Loki was still awake, the feeling of flying in a plane felt uncomfortable, despite his experience with the Bifrost. He busied himself with his usual habits of reading a sketching things on pads of paper he brought along. After two or three hours, he found himself weary of doing the same thing over and over again. He finished his first book already, and if he started another there wouldn't be any books left for him to read on the rest of the trip.
Loki looked at the ceiling of the plane, and another round of turbulence hit. It made his stomach turn.