Thor
Recounting the loss of his planet and the subsequent loss of half of his people makes him feel numb and surreal, and Thor suspects it's because in the face of all that has occurred, all they -- he -- had failed to do, it is almost small.
That is an absurd thought, but he holds to it, preferring to focus on the problems in front of him, the ones affecting his friends more than he. The ones that did not involve his complicated feelings regarding his brother and all of his regrets.
They are his friends, he remembers. His team. His allies. He has almost forgotten what that feels like, what it had been like only a few years ago when he had chosen to remain on Midgard with the Avengers and they had worked together to eradicate what remained of HYDRA. Until Stark's reckless behavior had nearly got them all killed.
It's odd to think about now. He holds no grudge against Tony Stark and indeed remains impressed by the man's genius. He never said as much to him -- his ego didn’t require cossetting, after all -- but he feels regret and loss and grief in not knowing where Iron Man is or whether he is alive.
"So you met Strange too."
Bruce is cross-legged on the bed, leaning slightly towards him with that look of keen interest, the scientist in him. He appears calmer than Thor has seen him of late, but this, he knows, is illusion. Beside him, sort of, is Natasha, who's taken the corner of the bed, her posture tense and her face thoughtful. Thor imagines it a strange tale to hear, the expanse of space and where her estwhile lover has been for years.
Captain Rogers appears small on the ottoman near the window, but older, too. He has never had an especially sunny demeanor, but Thor wonders if it is not only this tragedy they face, but this rift with Stark that has led him to these grayer lines.
"Yes. Before I found you on Sakaar, Loki and I traveled to Midgard to find our father. Strange captured Loki and trapped him in another dimension until we came to an agreement. He claimed himself protector of this realm."
Steve and Natasha exchange looks at that.
"How exactly does that work? Why don't we know about him?"
"It's magic," Banner answers for him, for which he is grateful, as he does not believe he has the answers Natasha seeks. His view of technology is different from humans, he knows. "He controls energies. Creates disruptions in physics and reality, all based in what's essentially eastern mysticism. But it's real."
He sounds very certain. Natasha looks surprised. Thor notices then how exhausted Banner appears, and he remembers to worry about him too.
"If you of all people say --"
"How are you handling all this, Bruce?" He asks, interrupting Steve. "Your perception of time must be very difficult."
"What does that mean?" Asks Natasha.
Banner looks uncomfortable, but he answers her.
"He means how...well. He didn't explain this part, so I will. He found me on Sakaar, yeah, but it was Hulk. Just Hulk. And had been for years. After -- after Ultron, I never, uh, came back."
There is stunned silence from the other humans.
"Yeah," Banner fills in, awkwardly, looking around at the others, his hand going up to scratch his head. "I don't...remember much, from all that time. So it's sorta been a really long, awful weekend."
Thor gives him a sympathetic look. "I do not envy you, my friend. To come straight from Ultron to finding out you were kept in captivity to the fight for my people to this..."
Natasha has reached a hand out, laying still on Banner's knee. The man does not object and it seems Steve wishes to distract from the fact, if the speed of his next words mean anything.
"I think that's enough sharing for now, for all of us," he says quietly. "We should focus on the present."
There are nods all around.
"Thor --" Thor looks at him. "Do you plan to stay, or do you need to go find your people?"
The question feels tentative, uncertain, as though Steve does not wish to sound selfish. Thor appreciates the fact that he has perspective enough to see beyond his own losses. It is a mark of a great leader.
"I intend to stay," he answers readily, having already considered his options. "My people are in good hands and prepared for the worst. If nothing of the plan has changed, they are already headed this way. If you've no objection, I wish to help ensure Midgard's stability."
"No objections here," Steve answers, what appears to be almost a smile on his face. It makes him look more like Thor remembers, despite the facial hair. "I think for now, we'll work best from here in Wakanda as long as Shuri is okay with having us. Bruce can work the lab, Natasha, Colonel Rhodes, and I can get a start on the...politics."
"Sounds thrilling," Natasha says dryly. "We might run into a lot of problems on that front, Steve. We're both still wanted people."
"You will be welcome," Thor intones. "From what I've gathered while traveling, help in any form would be better than what people are left with."
He knows his words are not comforting, but they are reality.
"All right. Before we split up and get back to work, there's one more thing I want to discuss."
Steve looks from Thor to Natasha to Bruce.
"We need to find out what happened to Tony."
There is a brief moment where Thor feels the four of them must all be thinking the same thing. Certainly their faces all reflect one another.
"How?" Natasha asks finally, glancing at Thor.
"The Bifrost is not the all-seeing eye for me that it was for Heimdall," Thor explains apologetically. He is not quite certain he can travel as he pleases anyway, the power still new to him.
"Strange," Bruce says excitedly. "He can travel dimensions, maybe he can bring them back."
"Strange is dead."
Banner's face falls, his hands going up to scratch through his hair.
"Wong told me he could feel it, and I believe him."
"Maybe Tony can figure it out. Space travel. He got there; he could come back."
"Steve..."
The Captain looks wary at Natasha's tone, but she presses on.
"We have a lot of people here on Earth to worry about. More to track down, too. I know it's not what any of us wants, but if we don't even know where to start for Tony -- if we don't even know if he's alive..."
"We shouldn't waste our energy or resources," Steve finishes for her, his voice dull. He sighs. "You're not wrong."
It sounds to Thor as though he does not care much for that fact. He understands the sentiment, although he has buried much of his worry over his own people.
"I think we'll all feel a lot...well, not better, but you know...whatever...if we get moving. Momentum and all. Plus we've got a very young world leader and a lot of grieving people to look out for."
It's Banner again making the suggestion and Thor finds himself less surprised this time, knowing that the man is running on desperation, like he is.
"Banner is right," he says aloud, rising to his feet as he geared up to motivate the others. "We have much to do. We're the Avengers, are we not?"
He looks at Banner when Natasha and Steve just look at each other.
"Let's go help some people."