The Seventh Avenger

Chapter 36: Reconciliation

I was rummaging through one of the many cupboards of the research base in search of my favourite mug so that I could make myself a coffee when I suddenly hear the sound of approaching footsteps from somewhere behind me. They were light and quick, the complete opposite to Thor's and Erik's loud and heavy ones, suggesting to me that they probably belonged to either Jane or Darcy. The thought of it being the former made my stomach drop in dread, not yet wanting to or ready for another confrontation with my friend this evening. So like the chicken I was, I kept my head hidden behind the open cupboard door, moving around more objects with my hand to make it look like I was busy, despite the fact that I had thoroughly searched this cupboard for my mug already.

"There you are," Comes the familiar sound of Darcy's exasperated voice, causing me to sag with relief as I realized that it wasn't Jane that was behind me, but rather the bubbly brunette with the Taser

"Where the hell have you been?" She adds as I lower back down on my heels, slamming the cupboard door shut with a bang. "Because you would honestly not believe what's happened tonight and-oh my God, what the actual shit?" She ends with a shriek as I turn around to properly face her, my hands emptied handed and my mouth worked into a frown of disappointment due to the absence of my mug. But my frown disappears off my face entirely and is instead replaced with a look of confusion at the small girl in front of me, her blue eyes wide and her mouth parted as she stared at me, shocked by something. Whatever it was that surprised her I didn't know, but I soon got my answer when she exclaims, "What the hell happened to your face?"

My mouth forms into a small 'o' as I realize what had caused her sudden outburst, while I absentmindedly reach up with my hand to press timidly against the bruised and swollen skin, emitting a small hiss at the pain that this causes. I quickly drop my hand away however and only offer Darcy a simple shrug of my shoulders. "I got punched in the face by the God of Thunder," I explain calmly, too tired too care or debate with myself whether or not I should tell her the truth. I was going to have to explain at some point what had happened this evening and that I believed that Thor was the literal God of Thunder. Better to get it over and done with now.

I expect her to laugh and accuse me of being crazy, or to at least accuse me of messing with her. But too my surprise, she only remains silent. Silent and still as her crystal blue eyes stare back at me, tugging at her bottom lips thoughtfully as she stared. I'm so taken back by her unexpected silence that I don't say anything to her either, which results in a silence falling over the two of us as we lost ourselves in our own thoughts. Why she was silent I didn't know: if the roles had been reversed than I know for a fact that I probably would have been laughing this all off as some big joke. But it appears this wasn't the case for Darcy, who was now watching me curiously with her arms crossed over her shoulders.

"So you believe it too, huh?"

I feel my mouth drop open in surprise for the second time since returning to the research base that night, leaning forward slightly thinking that I had misheard her. But with the serious look that she was shooting me, I realized that I hadn't misheard her and that she was being deadly serious. Though her words only confused me more: who else believed that Thor was the God of Thunder?

"Jane," Darcy suddenly says, making me snap out of my thoughts as I register that I had spoken those last thoughts out loud. I don't dwell on this for too long however as she wearily adds on, "She saw what he could do when she took him to where your boss and his other spies are out in the middle of nowhere. She came back without him and told us that what had happened and asked Erik if he could go and get Thor. It's been a long night."

I let out a bark of laughter at this, but there wasn't a single trace of humor in it. "I feel ya," I reply bitterly as a sudden wave of exhaustion rolls over me, causing me to suddenly sag slightly at the weight of it. This doesn't go unnoticed by Darcy whose mouth works it's way into a sympathetic frown, pity practically radiating off from that one, small gesture. She uncrosses her arms before she then suggests hopefully, "How's hot chocolate, a movie and some girl chat sound?"