Voices - A Collection of One Shots

A Visit From a Ghost (Avengers: Endgame)

Time had never been a foreign concept to Thor. Asgardians viewed the concept much differently than humans. The other worldly beings seemed to have a much more supple abundance, something humans could only dream of. But as of late, Thor could not understand why humans would want to live as long as he had. Who would want to live thousands and thousands of years while others they knew passed on? It became a very lonely life the longer one existed.

Now, with all the more time in the world, hanging up his kingly duties to New Asgard and passing them on to another, Thor had no idea what to do with himself. There was always the option of travelling the world and getting the full Earth experience with different cultures.

So the God of Thunder had done just that: travelled to different places, saw different faces, embraced different cultures, different food. But in the midst of all this, he felt as though he should not be going on this adventure by himself. And while he did crave company, he wanted it from only one person, and it was not from Jane Foster. While Thor did miss his ex from Earth, his heart still ached, his brain still haunted him, about his adopted brother, Loki.

Even now, in the midst of a rowdy pub, staring at a mug of beer that had long gone warm, Thor did not catch the atmosphere's vibes. Instead he felt a void, an emptiness. He'd recently learned that allowing guilt to hold him back and for depression to get him would do him no good. It was not the way to live. Despite the mindset, it did not fight off the lingering feeling that would make its rounds to him on ocassion. This was something Stormbreaker could not fix for him nor take care of.

The axe was not present at the pub--that would surely get suspicious looks. Thor was not out to make trouble. But if trouble should ever come knocking, he could summon Stormbreaker into action.

He missed his friends, those he lost, those he never saw again the wake of the final battle against Thanos and Tony Stark's funeral. He missed his father, whose passing unleashed his hidden older sister, Hela, onto Asgard. He missed his mother, who died at the hands of a Dark Elf. Jane Foster had broken his heart, but at times he did think about her. And Loki...

Time had no limit with Asgardians, but it did not mean that everything it brought was good. In recent time, pain and loss had hammered down on the God of Thunder. It stuck in his lungs like a disease.

Negative flashes of thoughts rained in Thor's mind as he continued to mindlessly stare at the warm beer in front of him. While he heard whispers, excited whispers, about his presence, he did not approach them or join them in their revels. Instead he kept to himself, which was most unlike him. Even in his more humble days he could allow himself a little fun.

This is something I have to work through alone. But most days when he had times like this, he wished he had the support. He wished he had people who could lift his spirits and make him forget why he hurt, why he felt sad. He wanted someone to motivate him to stay positive, and to perhaps maybe work on getting back in shape. The years of alcohol consumption did not do wonders; Asgardians were not immune to gaining weight, nor were gods. 

Thor sighed inwardly as someone sat in the chair across from him at the table. Great, someone wants to talk or wants a picture. I just want to be alone. Why hadn't I just hunkered some place more isolated? 

While the God of Thunder did not want company, he did not want to throw biting words at the stranger. He was no longer the arrogant young prince he used to be; he had grown mountains since then in manners. If anything, in that moment he felt like an old man wanting to tell a youngster to get off his damn lawn.

"I'm not who you think that I am," he said in a low tone. While the stranger had not spoken, he figured he could get a head start to shut the conversation off before it really began. After all, the last people saw of Thor he had been thinner, leaner, and his hair and beard on the shorter side. If the stranger believed him, they would think him to be someone pretending to be the God of Thunder.