The Weight of the Universe | Avengers

7. The Next Step

S P A C E

Mantis has taken care of Aurora's wounds while Rocket provided her with backup equipment since hers was now useless and damaged trash. Aurora barely notices the moving figures around her as she only feels a hollow void inside her. Not even tears coat her cheeks anymore and the auburn-haired girl feels drained and empty, almost dead. The whole tragedy keeps flashing through her mind, over and over again and every time, it weakens her heart more and more. Her face is pale and her stomach twists when she thinks of how cruelly Loki died. How she couldn't help him.

"Hey..." Peter slowly approaches her again after having talked with Gamora. It's about time they handle the stranger. Sitting down next to her, he places his arm around his sister, pulling her against his chest one more time, to reassure her, or maybe himself, that she's safe now.

Aurora stays silent, still staring at the ground with a blank expression as if a ghost was sitting next to him. Yet, she leans into his chest and searches for the familiar sensation to fill the hole in her heart although Aurora is certain that there's always gonna be a void left.

"I love him... I'll always love him. I don't even know why I love him. He was such an ass when we first met. He lied to me, hid things from me. He didn't even trust me enough to tell me about his deal with Thanos. He never felt guilty when killing someone. He was so troubling sometimes, he could be so cruel, Peter. But... despite all his flaws, I still love him. He's never been cruel to me. He... he showed me a side that nobody else has seen. A side that was meant for me. And I guess... I just love who he was. With all of his flaws and facades."

"I know." Peter nods understanding against her head and the tears almost rise again when she thinks of everything they've been through.

"I can't even bury him, Peter. I can't say goodbye." She buries her head deeper into her brother's chest and her blue eyes burn, but they're too dry to produce any tears.

"We will fight Thanos, alright? We won't rest until there's justice for Loki, for everyone." Peter presses a comforting kiss on Aurora's forehead before he pulls back to look at her. "Can you focus? Can you stand up again?"

"Yes." She nods and swallows lightly, pulling herself together. Loki died, his death shouldn't be in vain. The fate of the universe is at stake. Besides, she's not the only one with this loss. She can grieve later when the time is not limited.

"Okay, good. We'll do this together, okay? First, tell us who that guy is." Peter points at the unconscious God of Thunder on the table, glancing back at her. He doesn't want Aurora to revive the whole trauma, so he plans to ask Thor. "We could need every information about Thanos. And to in order to get them, I first need to know if we can trust this guy over there."

Aurora nods weakly, looking over to the blonde muscular man. "That's Thor, Loki's brother and... King of Asgard. I trust him. He- he saved me back in there."

"We're gonna wake him up, okay?" Peter helps her up, so Aurora can sit down on a chair close to the table. It bothers her that Quill treats her like a fragile girl but it's not exactly wrong. The wounds are too fresh and she has no strength left to protest, so she swallows his gentle and cautious treatment. Sitting down, her eyes are attached to Thor. He has lost so much within such a short time. His father, his sister, his home, half of his people, his best friend and his brother. There's not much he can lose any more.

"So, guys, this dude is Loki's brother, Thor." Peter informs the others who are still staring at the God.

"He's not a dude. You're a dude. This? This is a man. A handsome, muscular man." Drax clarifies, mesmerized by Thor Odinson and the other Guardians seem to react in a similar way but Peter himself.