✧ ✧ ✧

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴇɪɢʜᴛ: sɪᴛ ᴛɪɢʜᴛ

❝ ɪ'ᴍ sᴄᴀʀᴇᴅ. ❞

✧ ✧ ✧

THOR SAT IN A CHAIR WITH HIS HANDS cuffed behind him, staring forward blankly. At the other end of the holding cell, Agent Coulson.

And you.

"It's not easy to do what you did," Coulson said after a moment. "You made us all look like a bunch of mall cops. That's hurtful."

The agent received no response from the angsty god, just lingering silence as Thor maintained a perfectly blank expression. He saw it pointless - to try and converse with others. In his mind, he had failed, in every sense of the word; he was unworthy.

Even the presence of you was not enough to shake him from his depressive trance, despite his desire to connect with you; he saw no point in trying, because he felt as if he had failed you, too.

"The men you so easily subdued are highly-trained professionals, and in my experience, it takes someone who's received similar training to do what you did to them," Coulson continued taking a few small steps forward, "Would you like to tell me where you received your training?"

Thor sat silently.

Coulson, desperate for some kind of answer from the god, pressed on. "Pakistan? Chechnya? Afghanistan?" A pause. "Then again, you strike me more as the soldier of fortune type. What was it, South Africa?"

Still no answer. With unwavering determination, Coulson leaned in close to Thor and spoke quietly.

"Certain groups pay well for a good mercenary. Especially Hydra." He waited for a reply but yet again, didn't get one. "Who are you?"

The agent knew full well who the man in front of him was. There was no doubt about it. His closeness to The Director allowed him access to top-level information, such as the existence of Asgard. His question to Thor was merely a means to find out the god's intentions.

After a long moment, Thor stopped staring blankly at the concrete wall, and shifted his gaze to you. You locked eye contact with him and the disappointment in his eyes was unmistakable, and so intense that you were forced to look away.

Then, with a slight shake of his head, Thor spoke for the first time since being placed in the holding cell.

"Just a man."

You breathed out shakily, catching Coulson's eye for a second before the agent regained distance from the god and started for the door. Just before he exited the room, he tossed one last bit of information at your cousin.

"One way or another, we will find out what we want to know. We're good at that."

Coulson left the room and after another brief glance at you, Thor lowered his head. You stood still, wanting to say something but having no idea what to say. You couldn't exactly comfort him and tell him that everything was going to be okay, because truthfully, you had absolutely no clue what exactly was transpiring.

Before you could pull yourself together and formulate a proper sentence to say to him, a smooth voice emanated from the corner of the room, startling you back into complete silence.

"I thought he'd never leave."

Thor looked up immediately, seemingly as shocked as you by the sudden appearance of a third person in the room.

"Loki?" he asked in disbelief, staring wide-eyed at his brother, who was clad in 21st century attire, much like himself. "What are you doing here?"

"I had to see you." You caught Loki's eye, then, and he looked you up and down with a small smirk. "Skadi," he spoke, slowly and clearly, acknowledging you for the first time.

You cleared your throat and folded your arms over your chest protectively. "(Y/N)," you corrected.

The God of Mischief's eyebrows raised in surprise, as his lips pursed slightly. He didn't get the chance to offer a response, since his brother - who it appeared had found his spirit again - exclaimed loudly.

"What's happened? Tell me!" Thor hollered, straining against the chair holding him down. "Is it Jotunheim? Let me explain to father-"

"Father is dead."

Thor stared at him, stunned. "What?" he whispered, feeling as if he had just been made the butt of a twisted joke.

"Your banishment, the threat of a new war..." Loki explained, "it was too much for him to bear."

The implications of Loki's words dawned on Thor - he was responsible for his father's fate. Him. It was all his fault.

Noticing his brother's current state of self-loathing, Loki spoke up again. "You mustn't blame yourself. I know that you loved him. I tried to tell him so, but he wouldn't listen." Loki held his tongue for a brief moment, and then continued. "It was cruel to put the hammer within your reach, knowing you could never lift it."

Thor once again stared ahead, falling deeper into the abyss of self-despair, as his brother sighed softly.

"The burden of the throne has fallen to me now."

The God of Thunder whipped his head around, looking at Loki hopefully. With Odin gone, that meant Thor's banishment could be lifted. "Can I come home?" he asked.

Loki shook his head. "The truce with Jotunheim is conditional upon your exile."

"But couldn't we find a way to-"

"Mother has forbidden your return," Loki shut his brother down with those five awful words, and Thor nodded, lowering his head in defeat. "This is goodbye, brother. I'm so sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," Thor muttered. "Loki... thank you for coming here."

"Nothing could have stopped me."

You stood at the other end of the room all the while, observing the brothers and listening intently to their conversation. Something about it all bothered you, but you couldn't place your finger on what exactly it was.

It came to you a second later, however, when Loki glanced over at you and you caught a glint of mischievousness in his eyes. It was so subtle and quick that it almost escaped your notice, but if there was one thing that spending time around Brendon taught you to do, it was to pick up on all subtleties surrounding physical cues.

Loki observed you for a moment more, as if analysing you. It put you off, but before you could call him out on it, Coulson entered the room; he took no notice of Loki.

"Farewell, brother," the raven-haired god spoke, looking from his brother to you. He spoke to you, then - barely a whisper, just loud enough for you to catch. "I hope to see you again, Skadi. Soon."

"Goodbye," Thor greeted, much to the confusion of Coulson, who looked at the god in perplexity.

You and Thor watched as Loki disappeared.

"Goodbye? I just got back." Brushing it off, the agent stepped forward. "Now. Where did we leave off?"

The door opened, this time revealing Agent Sitwell, who entered the room and requested a sidebar with Coulson. Straining your ears, you managed to overhear what was being said.

"Sir... he's got a visitor."

With a sigh, Coulson looked to Thor, then to you, and with a short nod, turned to leave yet again.

When it was only you and Thor left in the cell, you pushed yourself off of the wall you'd been leaning against all this time. Crossing your arms over your chest just as you did earlier, you cocked an eyebrow and made a show of looking around the room.

"That it? We alone now? You not expecting any other Norse deities to come down for a visit?" you queried, sarcasm dripping from your tongue.

"I'm afraid I wouldn't know," he stated simply, matching your attitude. "And are you expecting anymore of your fellow 'agents' to barge in through the door?"

"This is our facility; not yours," you countered quickly, "Every move we make is warranted."

Thor chuckled quietly. "Is stealing the work of another warranted, too?" he retorted; you knew that he was referring to the raid of Jane's lab, "Or is that simply something you chose to do in your spare time?"

"Why are you here, Thor?" you ignored his backhanded jab, instead getting right to the point. "You've never deemed it necessary to come down to Earth before; why the sudden visit?"

Thor went silent for a moment, memories of him being cast out flooding his head. "I was banished by Odin. Were you not present during my conversation with my brother?" he sassed.

"Oh, I heard it," you nodded, biting on your bottom lip before shrugging, "But I'm not sure if I believe it."

Thor scoffed. "You believe my trip here to be of my own willingness? What business would I have on Midgard?"

"You tell me."

Narrowing his eyes a miniscule amount, Thor's lips parted as he looked at you. Your body language was standoffish, and it immediately resonated that you did not trust him.

"You think me to be a threat?" he questioned. "That I have come to wage war on this realm? With its people?"

You held up both hands and pursed your lips. "Your words, not mine. All I'm saying is that Asgard has never shown any interest in Earth before, so why now?"

A small spark of anger was ignited within the god, manifesting itself in a frown and a clenched jaw. "Be mindful of your accusations. Asgard wishes not to wage any kind of war, especially not with Midgard."

"So, why, Thor? Why here? Out of all of the realms, why would Odin banish you here?"

That was the question Thor had been asking himself ever since he woke up in this realm, and now, as he looked at you, realisation finally dawned on him. With a newly enlightened expression, Thor held your gaze intensely.

"Because of you."

Slowly, your forehead began to crease, and you scoffed softly. "What-"

Doctor Erik Selvig burst through the door, followed closely by a S.H.I.E.L.D agent, and rushed over to Thor.

"Donny, Donny, Donny!" he exclaimed in exasperation. "There you are!"

Thor looked up, unsure of what the hell was going on, as the agent untied his restraints. Selvig pulled the god to his feet, enveloping him in a warm hug.

"It's going to be alright, my friend," he assured, "Come on, I'm taking you home."

Turning, he led the bewildered Thor out of the door. The god turned his head, surveying the room for sight of you, but you had disappeared.

You appeared a minute later in the control room, stomping your way towards Coulson with a panicked look. Gesturing wildly to the door, you demanded answers.

"What the hell was that? You're gonna let him walk? I wasn't finished-"

"Director's orders," he stated simply, forcing you to shut up. "But don't worry, we'll keep a close eye on him."

You watched as the agent walked out, heading for the main entrance to the base. A few minutes later, you did the same.

"So will I."

✧ ✧ ✧

A few hours later. Jane's lab.

Walking out from the shadows, you treaded towards the small building, paying careful attention not to make too much noise as you walked over the gravel.

When you were close enough, you called out to Thor. "You two look cute together," you remarked softly.

Thor startled a bit, having not expected your arrival, and swiftly glanced down at Jane, who was nuzzled into his chest, sound asleep.

"I don't suppose you came all the way out here to inform me of that fact," he responded, keeping his voice as low as he could as he gently untangled himself from Jane.

Nervously chewing on your lip, you shook your head and shoved your hands into the pockets of your jacket. "No. Can we talk? Or... ya know, finish our talk?"

"Depends. Will you be making any more false accusations?"

Sighing, you dug your heels into the gravelly ground. "Yeah. Sorry about that. In my defence, though," you paused and pointed to yourself, "major trust issues."

Thor hummed softly before leaping down from the roof, landing on his feet not too far from you. He walked forward until you were only a few steps away from each other.

"And you've now come here and decided to trust me because..."

"Last year, when I activated my powers, I-," you breathed, closing your eyes for a brief moment, "I saw my dad. He told me something, then - something that I'd forgotten about, until now."

"What did he say?"

"You have people out there who care about you. You have family. And you will learn just as well from them as you would from me," you quoted your father. Judging from the look on Thor's face when you'd finished, the words held meaning to him, too.

"And considering you told me that I'm the reason you're here..." you continued, referring to the god's earlier words, "I'm guessing that this was kinda meant to happen."

"Yes," Thor agreed with a slow nod, "I believe so."

There was an awkward silence that followed, as the two of you stood under the moonlight, thinking over everything that had happened over the last little while.

You were the first one to break it.

"I'm scared."

Your admission caught Thor off guard, and he looked at you in bewilderment. "I would never hurt you-"

"No," you cut him off, shaking your head to indicate that that was not what you had meant, "I'm scared of my powers. What I can do with them. I'm scared that I'll lose control; that I'll hurt people. I have hurt people," your voice dropped to barely a whisper during the last sentence. "There was an accident a couple weeks back - I destroyed the entire coastline of a city... all because I lost control. And I've gotten better since then, I have, but there's still a part of me that's afraid that it'll happen again, and worse. I hate feeling like that."

"It's tough," Thor said, "And I cannot imagine what it must be like to be the only one down here with abilities like you and I. On Asgard it's simpler; there's no such fear that would plague you." The god drew in a deep breath and reached out to squeeze your shoulder in reassurance. "While I cannot make your fear go away, I can teach you how to better manage your abilities... and I do believe that that's the reason I'm here."

You smiled at him thankfully, but then scoffed when you realised that time was not on your side. "And how long would that take?"

"Mm." Thoughtfully, Thor glanced up at the sky, asking you a question. "How many hours until sunrise?"

Pulling your phone out of your pocket, you pressed the home button to bring up the clock. "Just under five. Why?"

"All we need is three."

You couldn't help but laugh at that. "Three? You're giving me much more credit than I deserve, cousin. I'm a mess. Pretty sure it's gonna take a hell of a lot longer than three hours to get me in check."

"You've such little faith in me?" he cocked his head and smiled teasingly.

"No," you scoffed, "I've such little faith in myself."

"Do not," he said, gesturing for you to follow him as he led the way into the dessert. "After all - you are a goddess."

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Thank you for reading x

Note: Yeah, I was gonna write the training scene for this, but nah.