A Tale of Mischief and Mutants

Tønsberg 2023 A.D.

—-Sam—-

After a scenic hour car ride we finally arrive in Tønsberg. Seeing it in the light of the morning (local time is 7:00 in the morning). It's not what I had expected it's a normal relatively small town. No golden pillars, no marble statues, nothing like the description of what Asgard was supposed to be from mythology textbooks. This doesn't stop my anticipation from nearly bubbling over.

My anxiety isn't only due to the fact that I'm going to be meeting some of Loki's friends I guess later today. It's also due to the fact that I'm halfway across the world from my home in a town filled with living myths. What if I'm not up to standard for the other residence living here? Granted my anxiety today is less like the dread I felt yesterday.

Today the sick feeling in my stomach is replaced with nervous butterflies my breathing remains unhindered too. Today's anxiety is a different kind of anxiety not that of fearing for my life or my safety but a more gentle general anxiety about the newness of everything to come.

I know that In New York the time would be insanely late or early depending on how you look at it but I am apt at staying up hours on end and I intend to at least stay up till noon. Then I'll crash and try to adjust to the time change. 'How does Loki do this?' 'Go back and forth between time zones?'

We pull up to a relatively nice looking house and get out of the car. The house is nearly surrounded by a garden full of flowers which reminds me of Storm's garden back home. I feel a pang of sadness my homesickness returning. Without thinking I begin wandering towards the garden.

I spot a group of cats soaking up the sun near a bench and I seem to be magnetically drawn to the spot I sit down and one of the kittens curiously waddles up to me. Loki who was focused on carrying some stuff he bought for me (basics clothes, toothbrush, exedra) realizes I'm not at his side.

"Sam?"

"Right here."

I have begun stroking the little black kitten and pull a piece of long grass out of the ground and drag it across the dirt watching the kitten give chase. The S.H.I.E.L.D car pulls away and Loki comes over and sits next to me scaring the cats away.

"You know I put out food for them but I've never been able to approach the creatures without them running away."

"Ah that's just because they don't know you."

We both know we're talking about more than just the cats.

"You just need to spend more time around them that's all."

"What is the point if their lives are so short?"

The kitten cautiously sneaks closer again now that Loki's sat down and doesn't seem like as big of a threat.

"Because though their weak and don't live long they can still bring joy into your life."

I scoop up the kitten and gently pet it, it begins purring. I hold it closer to Loki and gesture for him to try. He sits for a moment seeming to think he might scare it away. Then begins petting the kitten too the kitten begins to purr even louder soaking up all the attention. We sit outside for a bit the other cats come back out from their hiding place to bathe in the sun again. We enjoy the sun too especially me. It's peaceful here.

Eventually we head inside and he gives me the grand tour. His house definitely screams Loki it's elegant yet casual. It's a good sized house with several guests rooms each with their own bathroom, a large living room which has a giant bookshelf taking up an entire wall and a brand new Smart TV in it (I can't help but wonder if it was purchased specifically for my sake) and an amazing kitchen and dining room.

"This is beautiful!"

I'm in awe taking it all in.

"It's alright."

Loki shrugs it off and I remember that the home he lost was probably one hundred times better than this. I feel a pang of sadness wondering if he ever gets homesick. I sit down and begin looking for news about me at the airport. We have time to kill before we meet Thor and Loki's friends for lunch and I need to make sure I didn't mess up and my face hasn't been plastered all over the news.