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IT HAD BEEN ABOUT A MONTH SINCE THE LIBRARY AND NOT MUCH HAD CHANGED. The kiss had been fleeting, nothing more than a test, and the two returned to their normal routine soon after, Thor still sleeping in Kaipo's bed and Kaipo still avoiding Thor's advances, though he found himself thinking of the kiss often as he laid awake, staring at Thor's sleeping face, running a finger over all the edges of curves, finger swiping over his lips, wondering when his exasperation had turned to fondness.
Kaipo had been doing just that when Thor stirred awake. He felt himself freeze, breaking out into a cold sweat as he tried to find some reasonable explanation as to why he was cupping Thor's face in his hand so tenderly.
Before he could so much as find his voice, he found there was nothing to explain, as Thor simply turned his head and kissed Kaipo's palm, falling back to sleep, his snoring a surprisingly faint rumble, and Kaipo didn't know what to think.
He tried to breathe as his heart began to race, his palm on fire, seared from the kiss, and Kaipo found himself aching to be as close to Thor as possible, as if they weren't already pressed up together in his bed.
Strange that, the first time they had to stay together, they had slept so far apart. Now, it seemed that one couldn't fall asleep without the other. Kaipo wished he could blame it on the bond, but he found that he didn't necessarily want to.
º º º
"Where do you think the Time Stone is located? Earth is rather large," Kaipo asked, lounging in one of the seats while he and Thor looked over the map that sat in the middle of the room, the Prince of Asgard standing with a hand under his chin, one arm crossed over his chest.
The two were drawing ever closer to Knowhere, but not quite there just yet. Thor was certain that the Collector was still in possession of the Reality Stone, but wanted to make sure that everything was still stable, which meant the two had turned their attention to the Time Stone and its supposed whereabouts.
"I'll admit, I have not been to all the places on the Earth, but I'm sure we can ask for help," Thor said, and Kaipo's eyes widened at that.
"I didn't think you would ever be the sort to ask for help," Kaipo pointed out, and Thor frowned at him, crossing his arms.
"Your perception of me is very different than what I actually am," Thor said, and, normally, Kaipo would just roll his eyes or make some comment, but the way he said it made him pause.
In the time they had spent together, Kaipo had learned much about Thor. He had heard all about his exile, his meeting Jane, his meeting the Avengers, everything. The Thor he knew was different from the Thor before his exile, more humble, more understanding.
The Thor he knew still chose violence at times, but so did Alasdair, and Kaipo didn't think less of him for it. The Thor he knew was not the Thor he believed him to be.
