My Dad, the Boy (*Man) Who Lives

Thor Odinson
Asgard’s market
Around 8 AM

Just last night, the god of Thunder went to Midgard to pick up his two most favorite people. He almost couldn’t sleep even with lady Jane in his bed because of the existence of these two people.

And this morning he couldn’t help but introduce his lady to his people through Asgard’s market. What better way to meet the people through stalls and goods they sell. He didn’t forget to ask Loki to come as well.

The people of Asgard rejoiced the return of their favorite Prince. As much as Loki thought the Asgardians didn’t know him, the people knew his kindness and wisdom. They loved him.

Maybe the soldiers and the noblemen and advisors still didn’t like him, but they couldn’t help but respect him after he was presumed dead. Thor made sure his friends and the guards who witnessed Loki’s bravery in Jotunheim and rainbow bridge spread the words of his courage and heroism. He wanted Loki to be known for his goodness and not his mischief.

He was fond watching Loki and his fair maiden conversing with one another, even if his Jane was talking more than his little brother. His brother. Thor still couldn’t believe his eyes.

For 6 long months, he had grieved for the brother he grew up with all those centuries ago. It was a surprise to find out that Loki was not related to him by blood; nevertheless, the God of Mischief was his shield brother and his beloved brother, blood or no blood.

After he felt into the void, bleeding with a look full of betrayal and desperation, Thor felt shattered. He even didn’t put up a fight when his Father took his power away and casted him out of Asgard to Midgard.

He appeared on a land of sand where he was hit by a metal carriage called the SUV. He met Lady Jane, Lady Darcy and the good man, Selvig. Finding out that he couldn’t lift Mjolnir was a blow to the head and his pride. Without Lady Jane by his side, he would be very lonely and sad. The Prince of Asgard couldn’t help but be infatuated by the intelligent lady Jane.

SHIELD, the people who looked after Mjolnir, gave him a task to help and protect lady Jane. He would have done it even without their say so. He would follow his lady love to the depths of Helheim, although this London city, was a Helheim on itself with all this raining.

Thor may be the God of Thunder and the happenstance of raining was a usual occurrence with his easy to anger character, but that was all in his control whilst the sky in this London city was not.

Living in London was interesting. He stayed with lady Jane and lady Darcy on a plot of space in a big building. Unfortunately, Selvig could not travel with them after he was commanded to work with SHIELD back in the land of America

As fascinating as the people and the culture were, he missed his own realm. He missed his mother and wanted to erase the disappointment in his father’s face. His biggest contrition was he didn’t get to search for his brother’s body.

Thor vowed to find a way to regain his worthiness of Mjolnir and his godhood. Then he would find a way to search for Loki. He would not believe he had perished until he found his beloved brother’s body.

However, before he could fulfill his vows, he has to find Jane. That day, he and lady Darcy had searched for lady jane for 6 hours, only to find her with eyes glazed over. She had an odd aura that reminded him of Loki’s magic yet at the same time different from his magic.

As if being under the control of Amora the enchantress, she ignored them and used their carriage to go somewhere. Lady Darcy used his mobile electronics to follow the map to where his lady love had disappeared to.

As they arrived at their destination in a place called the University of Greenwich with the black carriage, they soon chased after lady Jane using Lady Darcy’s mobile. It was not difficult to find where his lady was because there was a strange aircraft in the middle of the tall buildings and chaos.

An army of what looked like the dark elves were fighting with people with dark robes, that looked like midgardian mages. He recognized some of the beasts coming from a line of portals in the sky and there were a lot of mages trying to handle them and prevented them from running amock.

The strange thing was there were normal midgardians far away from a certain line around the buildings and grounds walking casually even when there were chaos behind them. This meant that there were an invisible shield that prevented the normal mortals from knowing and seeing the chaos happening near them.

Without thinking too long, he ran towards the chaos, forgetting about Lady Darcy whom still looked confused. Possibly, it has something to do with the shield, Thor thought.

With his mind full of battle rage, he ran towards the battlefield while at the same time he drove towards one of the elves with his body and stole his sword. He succeeded in asking an elf about his Lady Jane by describing her as the brown-haired lady with red magic around her. He told him Malekith has her.

He fought and fought until he found his intelligent lady in the middle of the courtyard. She was on the ground and an elf, Thor guessed was Malekith tried to smite her. He tried to attack the enemy but the elf has some strange magic.

Thor struggled to breathe as Malekith held him and lifted him by the neck. Then he saw him. His brother, Loki. The brother who always looked neat and clean, looked disheveled with blood spattered around his battle gear. The God of mischief who always looked calm and collected now looked weary and scared.

He didn’t know what frightened his brother so, but he wouldn’t let anything happened to him. Not again. So when Malekith tried to strike him, Thor pulled Loki away and protected him with his body.

The aesir wouldn’t let his brother die. As he looked at the frantic way his brother looked at him, he started to feel his body grew colder.

Thor was relieved that he managed to protect his little brother this time. His brother who always tried to save him from his stupidity and arrogance. The God who he trusted to watch his back in the battlefield. The brother who he couldn’t save. The family member who died because of his arrogance.

Nomore.

“Thor?” Jane called out to him. Now she wore a confused look on her face as she watched him from the middle of the market’s road. Loki was standing with a nonchalant look, yet after a thousand year knowing each other, he knew his brother looked a bit worried.

He smiled at Lady Jane as he thought, as Midgardians said the rest is history.

Thor regained his god hood and destroyed his enemy. Loki and Lady Jane were saved by Loki’s healer friend, Lord Potter. And after a fortnight, the Midgardian wizard even brought him a suitable container for the aether to bring back to Asgard.

Since he came back, he has been ruling Asgard in his father’s stead for one season before he could rule once more. He envied his mother for being able to talk with Loki every time she wanted in that past one season.

It was a long way to have his family whole again. Loki was still reluctant to go back home to Asgard, but he didn’t refuse to visit Asgard once every few months. His parents and Loki’s relationship were rather strained, but thankfully in Loki’s word, he was more forgiving towards Thor since he didn’t know about his adoption.

I know you are stupid, Thor but you’re not malicious and you didn’t know about my adoption. I still resent you for… Our history. I will need time, but you are… Thor. I still consider you my… bro… brother.

“The big oaf is daydreaming as usual, Lady Jane, “ Loki told her calmly. “He would come on his own after he heard about the availability of food and mead. It would be wise to let him be.”

He grinned happily and pounced on Loki with a playful hug and hair shagging.
“Don’t listen to him, Lady Jane. He’s jesting. My brother always jests.”

Suddenly, Thor felt himself slipped and felt with his bottom first on the ground and a look of disdain on Loki’s face and Lady Jane’s quiet laugh.

“If you did that again, you big oaf,” Loki warned him. “I will turned you into one of those Midgardian animal, the golden retriever.”

His lover laughed quietly,” It would suit you well.”

Thor could see the mirth in their faces until he couldn’t stop himself from laughing. His life was wonderful right now. He has his lady Jane and Loki. Even ragnarok would not destroy his good day right now.

***

Edward Remus “Teddy” Lupin
Kamar-Taj, Himalayas
5.20 AM

Since his marriage last year to Nat, Teddy couldn’t be happier with his life. Even his grandma has forgiven them for eloping, although sometimes uncle James still gave him the stink-eye for it.

At least after being married, the metamorphmagus has certain clearance for being informed about his wife’s health condition or mission situation if she has not contacted her CO more than 48 hours. And the other way around, Natalie was able to visit him at his office without a second glance.

Their last honeymoon was too short since he was called back to help organize a hunt for a dark wizard. He felt so guilty over their short period of holiday as husband and wife but Nat just stroked his hair and nuzzled her nose to his nape.

Kotehok, being married to you is the best gift I could ever hope for. I don’t need honeymoon or traveling. I’m just happy that you’re here in my life. Just going home to find you in our house is more than enough. You are my home.

He couldn’t believe his luck. Merlin blessed him with a wife as cool and wonderful as her. They literary complemented their own weaknesses. She might not be a great cook, but he was one and he loved how she smiled and moaned over his cooking. He might be clumsy at fixing things around the house, but she was the best fixer he knew after Tony and Uncle Howard. She’s confident and assured of herself while he was rather clumsy and nervous around her.

For all that they were different, they both loved their works even if their methods were different as day and night. They loved their families and friends and would do anything for them. They both want kids someday, maybe two. And they agreed to wait, so they have a cat, Penny.

Penny was a house cat with black and white fur. He and his wife looked around the shelter until they saw the last cage and found Penny, the grouchy sweet-looking cat. The cat shelter found her in a dumpster a year ago.

Nat felt in love with her instantly and Teddy loved seeing his wife happy so even when the cat hated him somehow at first sight, they still brought her home.

Fortunately, she warmed up to him after a month. Penny was similar to Natalia in a way that she’s independent and possessive on her stuff, the couch. (Nat was very possessive of him at their early stage of relationship, which he didn’t mind. It was even endearing her to him even more)

That particular couch was Penny’s territory. She would hiss and scratch his hand when he wanted to sit down on it. He envied Nat, since their cat allowed her into her territory and even sat on her lap and purred when she scratched the cat behind her ear.

Now, since they decided to go to the Himalayas with uncle James, they entrusted Penny to his grandma. That cat liked his grandma as much as he liked Nat that first time they brought her home. It still confused him what they had that he didn’t have.

“I know James could fight, but I didn’t know he’s this good.”

From his peripheral vision, he caught a glimpse of Dr. Stephen Strange, his father-in-law’s surprisingly significant other. No doubt the former world-known surgeon was handsome and seemed sophisticated. Teddy’s straight, but even he could see that the man was attractive.

They were both watching Natalia and James used their whole bodies to try to take the other down. They were fast and their techniques were impeccable, but surprisingly they seemed to enjoy themselves a lot.

“He’s better than my wife at fighting and nice necklace.”

The man was wearing a necklace with an eye-looking pendant with swirling lines before the middle of the cornea. He smiled mysteriously and said, “ Well, it started calling to me yesterday. I think it feels lonely.”

Such an odd thing to say, Teddy thought.

It was a surprise that uncle James suddenly asked them to take a week off their work to spend time with him in the Himalayas. The man never really asked them for anything so it was just right to ok-ed his wish. It took a couple of months, but their off days were successfully signed off by their bosses for the end of March. It’s been three days since they arrived at the hidden monastery and the view still amazed him.

They had been more than surprise when they were introduced to Dr. Strange, his boyfriend. He’s not a bigot, but he never thought that uncle James swung that way.

He always thought that James was a lone wolf and that he would always stay single; yet, he was relieved he thought wrong. If somebody deserved to be happy, James was the man because his past history was worse than his wife’s. They both are happy that he found someone and knew well that he could take care of himself if the doctor broke his heart.

That didn’t mean that they couldn’t give him the shovel talk, though.

“I’ve known you for several days now and you seemed like a good guy, “ he said.

“Is this a shovel talk?”

“Let me introduced myself one more time, “ ignoring the man, he turned around to face him with his hand held up towards him. “You knew us as Teddy and Natalia. My name is Edward Remus Lupin, people called me Teddy Lupin.”

“The metamorphmagus of American wizarding government?” Strange managed to hold back his surprise. “The Head auror?”

“The one and only, “ he smiled calmly. “And my wife is the black widow, Natalia Alianovna Romanova-Lupin. I guess you know of our reputation, don’t you?”

The man was calm, but he noticed that his fingers twitched a little. “I know that they called you the Hound, because you always caught the bad guys, alive with or without their limbs intact. And your wife’s reputation is well-known even among us, Kamar-taj’s sorcerers.”

“And uncle James still managed to beat us, “ he grinned viciously, “when we teamed up against him.”

The good doctor eyes grew wide with realization of just how scary strong his uncle could be. Either out of fear or relief that his lover could take care of himself, Teddy didn’t know.

“I would never hurt him. I love him.”

“See that you keep it that way, “ he shrugged. “Coz if you don’t, my wife and I will finish you up after my father-in-law is done with you.”

Teddy smiled widely.

Shovel talk delivered.

***

Margaret Elizabeth “Peggy” Carter
Apartment in Brooklyn
1.50 PM

Peggy Carter died two months ago and there was an empty coffin buried under a plot in the cemetery in London with her name on it. It was a difficult decision to make: yet, it was not a hard one when she pictured her future with Steve.

After losing his fiance and Steve, it was not easy for her to move on. But her husband never gave up on her, and seven years later she was married to him and have the best ten years of her life with him and both of their children. That was until her happiness was taken from her once again.

Peggy lost her family too soon in her life, that’s why she spent her grief doing something else. She vowed to focus her whole life to her other baby, SHIELD. And once again life betrayed him. SHIELD was infiltrated by HYDRA, the organization she fought back in WWII with her ‘one who get away’. With the help of her best friend, Howard Stark, Steve’s best friend, James Barnes, and the real SHIELD agents, they eradicated their personal leech from her baby.

After that, she was already too old for the job, which would look suspicious for her to still be on top of her game. Peggy realized, she should let SHIELD go and evolve with a new director. She would leave HYDRA extermination to this new SHIELD and her successor, a badass competent patriotic named Nicholas J. Fury.

With Howie’s serum in her veins, she could travel the world in her old age and finally let herself enjoy the world. The former director loved working for SHIELD to ensure America and the world’s safety but the organization has taken too much of her life.

She has pulled herself away from another chance of happiness by staying with SHIELD. The old agent realized that she has denied herself from grieving over her family’s death. So by handing her resignation, she took time to travel the world and grieve as well as let herself be happy, truly happy.

And, after a decade, once more Peggy found her ‘one who get away’, Captain Steven Grant Rogers. She was a realistic person. Peggy was old enough to be his grandmother, so she couldn’t believe her luck when the young man decided to stay with her.

Looking around their apartment, Peggy couldn’t believe her decision to stop her adventures in favor of staying close to Steve. Then one miracle happened, or actually James Barnes happened. He went on a long work trip to Nepal and it all began from that.

Peggy didn’t want Steve to be alone, and she has a lot of spaces on her apartment so she offered him to stay with her. First night, she found out that Steve has nightmare. For almost a week, she stood by him and stayed with him all night after the nightmares before she offered him to sleep next to her in her bedroom.

They found out that Steve has less frequent bouts of nightmares with another person sleeping next to him. It became a ritual to sleep and wake up together on the same bed. Then before long they have their morning, noon, afternoon and night routines. She didn’t want to accept how easy their relationship are, but she couldn’t lie that this half year were the happiest she has ever been since the night before she lost her whole family.

She couldn’t deny that Steve was happy as well, even when strangers talked about them behind their backs. The old Brit would be lying if she said she wasn’t feeling uncomfortable with how people’s view of them. Then the Starks and Potters brought an alien sorcerer to their home.

After their explanation, Peggy was utterly reluctant to use the potion. She didn’t want to use Steve’s to become young again, but Steve, being his stubborn self managed to sway her. Once again, Steve saved her from herself. She loved him for pushing her towards happiness and not away from it.

“Are you ready?”

She left her carry-on beside the couch before turning around to find the blonde man standing behind her with a duffel bag. He might be in the future, but the former soldier was still a man out of time, thus he’s quite an old school when it came to his stuffs.

Peggy Carter, or now Peggy Williams to the world, put her head on his broad chest and her arms around her lover’s waist, feeling the fabric of his dress shirt with her smooth skin before sighing happily.

“Yes. Are you sure, you’re up for another adventure?” She looked up at him.

“Yes,” he smiled lovingly down at her. “I’m ready and I want you to show me the world. We have money and a lot of time. I couldn’t wait to spend it all with you with all the adventures and excitement the world could offer us.”

The newborn woman looked fondly at her soulmate as the warmth feeling built in her chest. “I love you.”

“Love you too,” he leaned down to kiss her.

She couldn’t wait to spend her life with him. Like Steve said, they have a lot of time and money on their hands. But before that, they needed to visit Howard and Maria before going to the airport. After all, it would be rude not to tell them that they finally ready to travel the world. They didn’t want to tell Howard about it yet, since they wanted to surprise him.

The old inventor has been whining and pushing them to see the world with the second chance that they have been giving with. Peggy has been ignoring him since she wanted to respect Steve’s need to adjust with the future. But then her boyfriend said that he wanted to see the world, not for her but for them.

She couldn’t wait to tell Howie about it. Not by phone but face to face. After all, Howard loved surprises.

***

James Rupert “Rhodey” Rhodes
Central Park
3.15 PM

Being an Air Force man meant having to work and devote his life to his country. He took his vow and duty to the United States of America seriously. Rhodey loved serving his country so much. (no sexual jokes, Tony * he hissed)

Though, the only thing he regretted from his chosen job was that there weren’t enough time he could spend with his momma Rhodes and his little brother from another mother, Tony and his other friends.

As a lieutenant colonel, he has more leeway around the off time he could take like this past week; therefore, he wisely divided his off week spending a few days with his momma before flying out to New York for his last three days.

Yesterday…

When he met Tony, he was quite secretive and nervous. They met at Rhodey’s favorite restaurant in town for dinner. After they ordered some Italian pasta, his friend showed him a blue velvety box and opened it to show him a ring. It was a beautiful silvery ring with small red and yellow diamonds around it from side to side.

“Tony, is this what I think it is?”

He looked fidgety on his seat with a mix of nervous and excitement. “It’s from starkium. I made it myself. And yeah, it is what you think it is.”

“Wow, Tones, “ Rhodey was elated at his brother’s decision. He clasped his hand on the man’s shoulder. “Finally, after five years. I told you, you should put a ring on her soon.”

“Yeah I know, “ he grinned. “But you know Pepper. Too fast and she would refuse me. There’s so many rejection a man can handle you know.”

The genius shrugged and even though he tried to sound nonchalant, there was a hint of hurt in his voice. Sometimes he cursed Pepper for rejecting Tony for moving too fast, even though he knew that with Tony it was only logical Pepper wanted him to be sure with their relationship. He couldn’t deny that Tony was easy to bore and marriage was a big commitment.

“Hey, she will say yes, “ he gave his shoulder a light squeeze. “In the span of five years, you guys have moved in together, have kids together… Don’t deny it, Tones. She loved those children as if she birthed them herself. You know, adopting kids while you’re in a relationship was a big no-no.”

“But, Pepper loves my twins, “ the wizard slashed inventor looked confused.

“Hear me out first, “ he held out his hand to stop the genius from interrupting him. “ She worked with you and in a romantic relationship with you at the same time. I know you, Tony and I love you like my own brother and even I know being with you almost every day was frustrating still drives me crazy at times. Your brain works all the time and Pepper is able to handle your brand of craziness.”

“Well, you’re not wrong, “ he sipped his wine.

“And she still love you, “ he smiled at him reassuringly. “I have no doubt she will say yes.”

Slowly a smile so relieved showed up on the genius’ face. “Thanks Rhodey. You always help me pull myself out of my own ass.”

“Well, that’s what a big brother for, little bro, “ he grinned. “Tell me, does anybody else know?”

“Haven’t tell my folks yet. They blab about it so fast I can hear it from the moon. I decided I wanted to tell you and Ted first, together, but he had to go to the Himalayas with Natashalie and uncle James, so I kinda have to tell him first, “ Tony bit his lower lip.

“Hey, he’s your best friend too, “ he shrugged. “No matter who knew first, it didn’t matter. The only thing matter is who is the best man.”

The air force man waggled his eyebrows. He knew Tony would choose Teddy as his best man. After all, Ted was his first best friend, so he couldn’t compete with him.

“I chose you, Rhodey, “ he smiled fondly at him. “And Teddy. You’re both co-bestman. I couldn’t choose between you two. You two are my best friends in the whole world. And this is going to be a Stark wedding, the wedding of the century, platypus. I need both of you two to be in your best game. Don’t mess it up for me.”

“Don’t worry Tones, I wouldn’t mess it up, “ he gestured his fingers in a scout’s honor. “Scout’s honor.”

Then when their dinner came, Tony suddenly got a phone call. Then he called Pepper to tell her that he has a SHIELD problem he needed to take care of and that he’s going to pick up his father on the way there. It sounded urgent that Tony entrusted the box of ring to him. He also told him that his room at the Stark tower has been prepared as usual.

He knew SHIELD from the whisper in the government’s community. The organization managed to exterminate HYDRA from every single government affiliated agencies in the world. They basically helped clean the world from evil. He wondered how Tony knew someone from SHIELD.

This morning, after breakfast with Pepper and the kids, he invited them to go to Central Park. The twins seemed down that their dad weren’t around to play with them on this fine Sunday.

Rhodey also didn’t have the heart to deny the kids from bringing Mia, Tony’s invisible pet, so she came with them as well, with all of her invisible limbs. Pepper was thankful to him and even packed a picnic basket for them all for lunch.

The kids was having fun after their picnic lunch in Central park. After lunch, they rested and began to walk again. They were all enjoying their ice cream before going back home to the tower until there were suddenly a crowd of people running away from something. Those people were all looking up behind them and screaming.

Rhodes put his hand up to cover his eyes from the sunlight and looked up at what people were running away from.

“What the…?!”

***

Lily Hill-Evans or Lily Hermione Potter
Howard and Maria Penthouse, near Central Park
3.16 PM

Lily was lying on the couch, messaging her friend with her stark phone in the living room while his dad and grandma talked over tea on the dining table. Suddenly, she faintly heard screaming outside. At first she thought she heard wrong, but her mind was niggling at her to find out. She put her phone away and walked around the couch towards the balcony door.

She noticed a huge metal thing from the glass door as she looked up. There was a huge circular ship floating above the skyscrapers.

“Dad! Grandma!”

***