chapter 5

"Oh, Odin is dead. It's somebody else I think might not be. I mean, he's died a million times, but did he ever really?", he asks. "And when we went back, things changed. We let a lot slip."

"Oh...Oooooh. Well Thor would give anything to see him again", I say.

"I'm workin on it", Banner says and picks up our enormous bag.

Back at the hangar, we deliver the food, and everybody is happy to put down their tools.

Steve wipes his dirty hands on his white tank top and winks. He should sell tickets.

I hand out food to the boys, and then take Thor's hand so we can go eat alone.

"All this for me?", he asks, wiping sweat off his forehead. "I really don't eat as much as you may think."

I raise an eyebrow at him.

"I can't do this", he says, grumbling.

I pick up a taco and hold it to his lips. "Eat up, buttercup."

He takes a bite. I wipe off his mouth, and let him take another.

"Messy", he says, the corn tortilla cracking. I manage to get most of it into his mouth.

He's mesmerized, watching me without looking at what he's eating. Nobody breathes until I've fed him five tacos. I pat his belly.

"Wh...what was that for?"

"You're perfect. Exactly the way you are. Even if you have to evolve."

"I can tell you've been talking to that damn Banner, he never makes any sense, talks in riddles, but I don't care...I don't care! I just have to know..." He takes me by the shoulders. "That you can love me despite everything I've become, everything I've lost, and everything I may never be again. The man I was when I called you for a movie date all those years ago doesn't exist anymore."

"I like this one", I say, leaning into him. I lace my fingers through his thick ones.

"I'm tired of being sad and lonely. I think the whole world is", I say.

"So am I. Come to Asgard? It's not much. You'll like Korg, he's a sweet guy, if a little...messy. And he likes Fortnite...it's uh, a game for children. Online. Listen, it's not Valhalla, but...if my enemies find out about you, well, I know I can protect you there. We've all been on high alert after what happened to Captain Marvel."

"You'll get her back", I reassure him.

"In the meantime, I'm not letting you out of my sight", he says, wrapping a thick arm around me. I'm afraid I'm agreeing to move into a frat house, but I nod. "I'll send Banner back with you to your hotel room to get all your things. Then come right back here."

He leans in to kiss me. "I never thought...I'm so happy to see you again, Sophie."

"You think you'd be happy to see someone else again?" We both look up and see Banner holding up a pile of papers. "I think I found him."