Chapter 14
"How Thor saved Christmas"
(Beautiful War– Kings Of Leon)
Day 12: Tuesday, December 22.
THOR
The silence in the halls made Thor feel uncomfortable. The house, even thought full of people, felt empty. He didn’t need Heimdall’s gift to see that there was something going on with every single one of his friends. The past few days had been nothing like the first ones. Dinner’s weren’t as enjoyable, they hadn’t seen another movie and when they had breakfast everyone was too quiet.
Tony was still in his lab, he slept and ate there, Steve acted like everything was alright and he didn’t care what happened with Tony, but his tone was sad everytime he spoke. He could see Natasha was doing what she thought she did best. She acted as if everything with Bruce wasn’t important and Bruce continued to talk about his work as if he was excited to leave.
Thor felt bad for Vision too.
Since the very fist day of his life, he and Wanda have had a connection. Something beyond his knowledge that had bound them together since the first time they saw each other. But right now it seemed that they have lost that connection for some reason. At least Pietro and Clint seemed to be in a great mood lately.
He stood up from his bed and turned his laptop on, Erik had explained him that he and Jane could “video call” each other while they were apart, Thor liked it even more than calling her, he could see her beautiful face. Jane, who was in Berlin at the time, had promise to video call him at nine. He looked at the clock in the nightstand.
8:48 A. M.
A knock on his door pulled him out of his thoughts. He stood from his bed and opened his door.
“Hey, Thor” Clint smiled at him.
“Barton” he smiled widely, seeing someone actually smile made him feel immediately in a better mood. “Breakfast is ready”
“I will be there in a minute” He said, “Jane will be calling me in a few minutes and I don’t want to miss her”
Clint nodded, “Very well, send her our love”
“I will” Thor said. He closed the door and went back to his bed.
A few minutes later his screen lit up, a picture of Jane appeared. He pressed the button, like Darcy had showed him, and a familiar face appeared. Jane’s eyes lit up to the sight of the god.
“Thor! Oh my god, hi” she said.
“My Jane” he greeted, “How is Berlin treating you?”
“Well, I miss you” Jane sighed, “and it’s freaking freezing” she said, “but the job is great, all my co workers are nice”
“That’s great!” He was relieved, Jane had told him that in her previous job, her co workers have had trouble taking orders from her because she was a woman, at least that much Darcy had told him.
“How’s everything over there?” she asked.
“Oh, Jane, if only you knew” Thor then sighed heavily.
“What’s wrong?” she sounded concern.
Thor shook his head, “Nevermind” the last thing he wanted to do was concern Jane.
“Thor, please, you can tell me” she said with a small smile.
“Well, were do I start” Thor hummed, “Something happened with Natasha and Bruce, at first everything was fine but now he’s leaving to Seoul-“
“I thought he had cancel that” Jane frowned, “Sorry, please continue”
“You knew about that?” Thor asked.
“Well, Darcy told me, that Erik told her, that Helen told him that she and Bruce had some kind of conference but Bruce cancelled after Fury called him” Jane took a deep breath, “I thought he wanted to spend Christmas at the Tower with you guys” she pursed her lip, “Bruce always works”
“That’s the thing, my Jane, he did, until yesterday when he received plane tickets” Thor shrugged, “It might be about Natasha”
“Oh, damn” Jane rested her head in her hand, popping an elbow in the table she had the computer on, “Why don’t you talk to her” she said after a few seconds.
Thor chuckled, “Natasha is not the most open person in the w-“
“Trust me, there is something going on with her” Jane added, “Call it… Um… woman’s intuition”
Thor thought about it and after a few seconds he nodded, “if one of my friends need me” Jane smiled, “Do you think I should also talk to Vision?”
“What happened to him?” she asked.
“Well” Thor sighed, “You know about him and Wanda, right?”
Another voice came from the screen, “Everyone knows about him and Wanda” Darcy then appeared behind Jane, “Sup, Thor”
“Darcy!” Thor greeted, “How’s everything?”
“Better than I expected, the weather is shitty but German men are cute” she answered. “Not as cute as Pietro, thought”
Darcy had met Pietro when she and Jane visited Erik in the New Avengers facility a couple of months ago. Thor laughed.
"Did you get my present?" Darcy asked, off screen, "Jane ask him if he got my present, the present!"
"Okay, okay" Jane rolled her eyes affectionally, "Thor, Darcy sent you a present?"
"Yes I did!" Thor confirmed, "They are very... dope?"
"He liked it" Jane told Darcy, "He even used one of the 'cool words' you taught him" Darcy cheered.
“So! What happened to Scarlett Vision?” Darcy asked, it took both Thor and Jane a minute to realise she meant Vision and Scarlett Witch, which is how Wanda was called by Avengers.
“They seemed to have had an altercation” Thor answered.
“Man, you have got to get them to talk” Darcy yelled, She appeared on the screen, squeezing herself next to Jane, “I ship them so hard, almost as hard as I ship me and Pietro”
“Darcy!” Jane nudged her shoulder, “She is right, thought, Vision and Wanda are meant to be together” Thor nodded, Jane gave him a small smile.
“I will speak to Vision” he said.
“I have to go” Darcy said, “Say hello to Pietro from me!”
“I will!” Thor said, she waved at Thor and left.
Jane shook her head and chuckled, “Hey, you haven’t mention Steve”
“That’s what I wanted to tell you about” Thor looked around him, “Are you alone there?”
Jane looked around her, “Yes, Darcy just left the room” she frowned, “Why?”
“Steve and Tony” Thor whispered.
“What?” Jane looked confused.
“Steve and Tony” Thor said, louder this time.
“I knew it!” Jane exclaimed, “Oh God, I’m so happy for them, you should have seen them at the Halloween party, Tony couldn’t take his eyes off of Steve”
“I know” Thor grinned, “Steve spilled his drink all over my costume when Tony complimented him on his costume”
Jane smiled and nodded.
“Do you think Steve and Tony should get together thought?” Thor asked.
“What do you mean? It’s obvious that Tony is crazy about him”
“Yeah, but Tony is not exactly a relationship kind of man” Thor explained.
Jane looked thoughtful for a few seconds. She then sighed.
“The Tony I met a couple of years ago wasn’t” She answered, “Tony has change a lot and it’s because of Steve”
“You think?”
“I know” she nodded, “Maybe Tony wants a chance but doesn’t know how to ask” Jane chuckled, "He's a very proud man, doesn't really talk about his feelings"
“I don’t want to see Steve hurt anymore” Thor said sadly, “You should have seen him”
“Oh, Thor” Jane put her hand on the screen.
“Steve loves him” Thor sighed, “And I know Tony loves him back”
“What do you think he should do?”
“Cut the bullshit?” Thor suggested, Jane laughed.
“Cut the bullshit” she said.
“I will speak to my friends” Thor said.
“Okay” Jane smiled.
“I must go, breakfast awaits me” Thor smiled, “I love you, Jane”
“I love you, Thor” she said, “I will call you tomorrow, too”
“I will be waiting” He closed his laptop and then stood from the bed.
His friends needed him, even thought they weren’t saying anything he could see it. He would help them find their way to each other.
But first, breakfast.
To Thor’s surprise all of his friends were eating breakfast together. That didn’t change the fact that there was an awkward tension between some of them. He looked at Wanda, she was talking with Clint about some book, Natasha was asking Steve to slow down on his training while his bruised hand healed. Steve insisted that he will heal in a day or two so it didn’t matter. Fury was conversing with Tony about the diner, Thor was surprise that the man didn’t seem to notice that his team was acting strange. He then paid attention to Bruce’s conversation with Pepper, who was with them and Happy.
“It’s a miracle you even got tickets” Bruce said.
“You know how she is” Happy said, “A miracle worker”
Bruce smiled. Pepper grinned and held Happy’s hand. The man grabbed it and kissed it softly. Wanda’s eye lit up, she was definetly a romantic. Tony groaned.
“Mom, Dad, please” He said with a tone of annoyance.
Pepper rolled her eyes affectionally, “Tony, how’s the hand?”
Tony looked at his bandaged hand, “Better, I guess” he answered, “I will be able to work with it in a week or so”
“Mm” Pepper nodded and went back to his plate.
“Thor, are you eating that?” Pietro nudged his shoulder and pointed at his toast.
“Pietro, let him eat” Wanda scolded.
“It’s ok” Thor chuckled, “You can have it”
“Thank, man” he smiled.
“By the way” Thor added, “Darcy sends her regards”
Clint laughed and nudged Pietro’s shoulder. It was as if Clint and Pietro knew something no one else did. It couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that they were an item, since everyone knew, but instead of mentioning it, he shrugged.
After breakfast Thor had propose they all went to do something together. There was a Christmas parade later that night and he wanted to go with his friends. Pietro, Fury, Wanda, and to his surprise Tony, had agreed.
Natasha said she had some Christmas shopping to do, Steve said he had to finish wrapping their presents and Vision simply that he was busy.
“I don’t think I can” Bruce shrugged, “My flight leaves at nine”
“Oh” Thor nodded, “Well, the rest, we will meet downstairs at six” he smiled at the others.
“you can take your skates, Wanda” Tony added, “there’s a lake that freezes completely and people skate in there” Wanda smiled and nodded.
Everyone left to their own rooms.
Hours later, Thor left his room, ready to meet with the others downstairs. He found Bruce in the living room ready to leave, his luggage already with him. The man smiled when he saw him, he then went back to look for something in one of the bags.
“Bruce” Thor greeted, “What are you looking for?”
“I’m looking for-“ Bruce huffed, “I can’t seem to find my-“
“Glasses?” Thor asked.
“Yeah. I think I might have lost-“ Thor then pointed at Bruce’s shirt.
In the small pocket in his left side, there were his glasses. Bruce grabbed them and the chuckled nervously.
“Thanks” he said.
“Isn’t is a bit too early to go to the airport” Thor asked, he pointed at the clock on the Wall.
6:10 P. M.
“No, I mean Yeah, but” Bruce sighed, “There’s no point in me staying any longer”
Thor nodded and both of them got into the elevator together. The ride down was quiet, when the door opened, there was a cab waiting for Bruce. Thor helped him with the two big bags he had, while Bruce held his carry-on on his shoulder. Barton, Fury, Tony and the twins were already down there waiting for Thor.
Thor hugged Bruce and Clint and Pietro shook his hand, Fury patted his shoulder and Tony hugged him quickly and then patted the man’s shoulder.
“Call me when you get there, man” he said, Bruce nodded.
When it was Wanda’s turn she first shook the man’s hand awkwardly and then, to Bruce’s surprise, she hugged him. Thor chuckle, everyone knew Wanda was a hugger, everyone but Bruce. Until now.
“I will see you later, yes?” she asked, patting his hair like she did with her brother constantly.
Bruce smiled softly, feeling like Wanda ended up liking him, “Have a merry Christmas, Wanda” he said.
Bruce then gave one last wave to the group and got in the cab.
“Here come the water works” Tony said and they all chuckled, “We better get going”
Thor absolutely love the city at night. Specially now. It reminded him of when there were parades in Asgard, Wanda and Pietro looked equally amazed. Wanda was holding Pietro’s hand and pointing at everything that called her attention like a little child.
Clint said that they could go walk around for a while, since the parade started at eight. They decided to grab some snacks and stopped at a restaurant near the park.
“This is amazing” Thor said to Tony.
“Um?” Tony looked around him, “Yeah, it’s great” Thor then remembered Jane’s words.
He had to do something about his friends and he would start with Tony.
“Tony” Thor sighed, “What happened between you and Steve?”
Tony stopped walking for a few seconds before resuming his walking, it was almost as if he was trying to run from Thor. The god sighed heavily remembering that Jane said Tony had always being proud.
“Absolutely nothing” Tony finally answered.
“Well, it didn’t seem like nothing to me” Thor continued, Tony wasn’t one to speak of his feelings, so he had to push.
Tony sighed heavily, “Look, I know Cap is your friend and-“
“He’s our friend” Thor cut him off, “The thing is you want him to be more than that” he continued, “and if you don’t fix whatever you did wrong that might never happen”
Tony looked stunned for a few seconds, as if he didn’t expect to get a heart to heart from Thor. Much less in the middle of central park and surrounded by people dressed as elves. Thor smiled to himself triumphantly, only for his smiled to fade when Tony muttered.
“Steve doesn’t want anything to do with me”
Thor frowned, he had never seen Tony Stark look so… defeated, “Why do you think that?”
“I fucked up, okay?” Tony almost yelled.
Thor noticed there was a woman next to them with a little kid, she glared at them and covered the child's ears before leaving.
“I fucking ruined it even before it started” Tony sighed heavily, “Just like everything pretty much always” He muttered.
“Did you apologize?”
Tony chuckled dryly, “Steve would never forgive-“
“Did you?” Thor asked, “At least tried to?”
Tony stayed in silence for a few seconds. Thor grinned widely, this time Tony chuckled sadly before looking at him.
“I don’t think it’s that simple, blondie”
“Maybe it is” Thor shrugged.
Tony rolled his eyes, “So, you are saying that I just go over there, knock on his door and say Hey cap, I’m sorry I broke your heart you know what a dick I am”
“Maybe not that simple” Thor said, “Think a little bit harder, my friend”
Tony stayed in silence for a few seconds, “Thank you, man”
Thor clapped his shoulder and then left. He then saw Tony telling Fury something and disappear among the crowd behind them. Pietro and Clint then looked at Thor, who just gave them a thumbs up.
He then saw Wanda, who was sitting on a bench eating a candy apple. He walked towards the bench and sat next to Wanda. The woman swallowed the piece of apple she had in her mouth, wiping the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand and smiled at him.
“Trying to give Pietro and Clint some alone time?” She asked, a complicity smile on her face.
“Oh” Thor chuckled.
“You want?” Wanda asked offering him one candy apple.
“Sure” Thor accepted it gladly.
"I saw you talking to Tony" Wanda smiled at him, Thor chuckled, "He had that look in his face before he left"
"What look?"
"That look he makes when he has a great idea"
Thor smiled widely.
After a few minutes Thor excused himself and went to the bathroom. On his way to the bathroom, he looked outside and caught a glimpse of a familiar red hair, walking inside one of the stores on the other side of the Street. He left the restaurant and walked towards the store.
He accidentally bumped against an old man.
“Watch where you’re going, blondie” the man said.
“My most sincere apologies, sir” he said.
The man waved his hand, “Don’t worry about it” he said, “I’m pretty sure that you have a good reason to go wherever you are going in such a hurry” the man said, “I use to be a mailman! Always in a hurry like you”
Thor nodded, and with a small smile he continued walking.
“Merry Christmas!” the man yelled.
“Merry Christmas!” Thor answered, “Father christmas?”
When he entered the store he saw Natasha near the jewellery section. He approached her, under the gaze of several women who smiled at him and then whispered to eachother. He walked towards Natasha and put a hand on her shoulder.
“Natasha”
“Thor!” Natasha jumped, “You gave me a fright”
“I apologize” He smiled, “What are you doing here?”
“Um… I’m, I was-“
“Excuse me, miss” A woman behind the counter interrupted Natasha, “We do not accept returns”
Natasha sighed heavily. The woman gave her a small smile and a bag. Natasha took it quickly, putting it in her coat pocket and then left. Thor walked behind her.
“What happened?” Thor asked.
“Nothing” Natasha cleared her throat, “This earrings I got Wanda” she explained, “I change my mind about them and came to return them but, you know”
“Oh” Thor nodded.
Natasha smiled at him and continued walking. He noticed the woman was walking towards the tower, he sighed heavily and walked faster behind her.
“Natasha” Thor stood next to her.
“Yes?”
“Bruce didn’t want to leave” he said, going straight to the point.
Natasha stopped walking stared at him for a few seconds, she clenched her jaw and then looked downwards. Thor smiled internally, he had her.
“It was for the best” She said, it sounded rehearsed, as if she had already repeated it countless times before, “I just want him to be happy“
“As far as I know, you are the best for him” Thor shrugged, “Whenever he’s with you, he’s happy”
“I am not enough“ Natasha said, “It would have been selfish to keep him from-“
“Did you ask him what he wanted?” Thor asked, “At least ask him”
Natasha stared at him for a few seconds, then she shook her head, “It’s too late” she whispered.
Thor looked at his watch. A hideous Dora the explorer watch he had found at the tower.
7:28 P. M.
“I think you can figure something out” he said.
Natasha looked thoughtful for a while. She then looked up at Thor and kissed his cheek, “Thank you, Thor”
“Anytime, my friend”
“Jane’s one lucky woman!” Natasha said, before she sprinted away.
Thor laughed and watched her run until he lost sight of her. he grinned widely and threw a fist in the air. He had to do one more thing before going back to the rest of his friends. He called Mjolnir and left.
Thor found Vision in a construction building a few minutes later. He was looking at where a forest used to be. Only dirt and cut down trees were left. It wasn’t a very pretty view, but Vision stared at it as if it was interesting.
“Thor” Vision greeted.
“Vision” he said, sitting next to the man.
“Is the parade over?”
“It hasn’t started yet”
“Then what-“
“Wanda” Thor simply said, “She is hurting”
“Hurting” Vision frowned, “I meant no harm to Wanda”
“I know” Thor nodded.
Vision looked at the horizon.
“Humans act so strange” he said with a frown.
“What do you mean?” Thor asked, it could mean so much but knowing Vision, it had to be more specific.
“Everything they built, they destroy” the man answered, “Everything they love, they… eventually end”
Thor understood. He always understood the Vision. He was afraid of loving Wanda, of not being enough.
“It’s called human nature” Thor said after a few seconds.
“Human” Vision smiled to himself, “That’s the part I will never understand”
“I think you already do”
Vision looked at Thor.
“You are as human as humans can get, Vision” Thor continued, “You are aware, you are scared, happy, sad,” Vision looked down, a tear running down his cheek, “You are”
“Am I in love?” he asked.
And it seemed like he had asked that to himself without being able to answer it.
“And you are in love” Thor confirmed.
“It…” Vision looked at Thor, “It scares me”
“You will realise that love is so much more than that” Thor smiled at him.
Vision stood up, ready to fly away, he turned and gave Thor a small smile, “Thank you”
“Always, my friend”
Thor went back to the parade just before it started. He would call Jane as soon as he arrive at the tower. He had done what he needed to do to help is friends, the rest was up to them, knowing them, he knew that they would figure out what to do.
“Love don't mean nothing unless there's something worth fighting for”