Who: Steve Rogers and Thor What: Steve checking on his bro When: Before Jane's hospitalization Rating: Green
Steve worried. It was what he did best. Not about himself, but about his friends, his teammates. The world. Right now, Thor took priority. Jane was sick. Thor wasn't doing well. Steve was there for his friends so he was there, knocking on Thor's door.
The door opened to a neutral looking guard. With all the Asgardians under one roof, the complex itself had grown in size, aided by Loki's magic. It was no longer just rooms, a kitchen, a roof, etc. Now there were wings, and quarters and as the King, Thor was no longer allowed the tedious duties (or so his staff called it) of answering the door, or greeting guests.
Naturally, all the Avengers had been placed on the entry list, so without a question, Steve was escorted upstairs to a pair of lavish doors. A swift knock caught Thor's attention, who then opened the door. "Friend Steve!" Thor gave his friend a tight hug. The guard disappeared without a second glance, and Thor invited Steve into his map room. "Thank you for visiting. I am sorry that I was not there to greet you. If I had known, I would have been downstairs. As it is, I have been going over some blueprints for our new home. What do you think?" He motioned to the stack of almost indecipherable papers on the table, all written in varying languages. The Allspeak also affected the written word, and Thor was happy looking at it all. "It should be most comfortable when we have completed it."
The only reaction Steve had to all the new additions to the compound was a lift of his brows. That nice guy smile of his was given to anyone nearby as he was led through, and he couldn't help but look around as he was led to Thor. The doors got a long look from him as the guard knocked. "Huh." Jokingly, he wondered if Thor had grown to Hulk proportions when he wasn't looking. But when the doors opened that thought was proven false...not that the hug wasn't Hulk like.
"Hi, Thor." He followed Thor into the room, glancing around just as he had moments before. "No problem. Guess they're giving you the whole royal treatment. Too good to answer doors?" Steve grinned so Thor would know he was joking. As requested, however, he took a look at the...well he wasn't sure what they were but he nodded all the same. "Good. I'm glad."
But none of this was why he came. Still, he'd let Thor talk for a while first.
Thor looked slightly embarrassed at Steve's words. All this rigmarole, for what. They were still on Midgard, but his people thrived with routine and traditions, so he accepted it all, allowing for what he thought was ridiculous.
"Yes....well, I am trying to be flexible and allow for what needs to happen. Loki continues to care for the actual building and his magic has been indispensable. It has been trying, I cannot lie, to make a place in this world for my own, but we have managed." Stepping away, he motioned to a map on the wall. "As you can see, I have been petitioning various world governments, and Norway has agreed, due to our peoples' intertwined history, to sell us a parcel of land. These islands will be ours, and will allow for a stability that we all sorely need." He grinned toothily. "I cannot wait to begin working."
Thor looking embarrassed was the equivalent to a toddler's mea culpa. In other words, adorable. Peggy would swat him though for making the thunder god look like that...which only amused Steve more.
"Y'know, the more you let them get away with things the more those things will become set in stone if only because it'll be familiar." Steve had a smile on his face but he wasn't entirely joking. It was kind of part of his argument against the Accords. At least with this the gestures were well intended.
Steve stepped closer to get a look at the map. It would be a good place. "Gonna miss having you guys nearby, but it'll be nice for you to have your own place that isn't a warehouse on the New York docks." He smiled as he looked back to Thor. "Do yourself a favor and have Pepper or Tony look over the legal stuff."
Thor gave a dismissive nod. "I have councils and my brother to assist with all matters, legal or otherwise. It is nice to not have the entire weight of ruling on my shoulders, while at the same time, I continue to retain all responsibility. It is an interesting balance, one that is familiar and reassuring." For what was a King if he had no people?
"I will miss this location as well, but with the Bifrost at my command...well, I am not limited in where I want to be. Besides, although Jane has agreed to come with me to Norway, I highly doubt it will be a permanent move on her part. She too will miss New York and her friends, so we will be back and forth regularly." He gave one of those toothy grins of his. "And there will always be room for friends there. You could come and visit. Fish, if you would like."
"Fish?" Steve's brows lifted as he chuckled. "The closest thing I ever did to fishing was dangling a shoestring into the East River." And all he caught was a cold. "But sure. I'm willing to give it a try. Peggy would enjoy watching me struggle with a worm and a hook." Steve would do almost anything to see Peggy smile, make her laugh.
He was glad Thor mentioned Jane first. It spared Steve from having to bring the subject up and take a chunk out of his friend. "How's she doing? Jane." He watched Thor closely for his reactions.
Thor's face clouded over slightly. "Jane...continues to have her medical struggles. She sorely needs friends, I would encourage you to visit her and talk with her. About anything that isn't her illness. I worry that she's starting to feel that her illness is first, and she is second to that." It wasn't something Thor really wanted to dwell on. It was also the first thing people asked him about, which he appreciated.
Support was always nice, especially when he wasn't accustomed to it.
"And yourself? You are well?"
Steve had watched Peggy deteriorate then helped carry her casket. He knew how Thor was feeling and why Jane would want to talk about anything but her medical condition. That wouldn't be a problem at all. He reached out to put his hand on Thor's shoulder to give it a reassuring squeeze. "Peggy and I will both go see her." Maybe not at the same time. No one wanted to tire Jane out, and there were some things girls were more comfortable talking about with each other.
He hunched his shoulders up with a smile in reply. "You know me. I always get by." "Thank you, my friend. It makes my heart glad to know I have support in many places. You know, once, I would have said I had many friends, and yet I know now that besides my four... Lady Sif and the Warriors Three, I did not. They were simply there because I was a prince, and not for any other reason. The Avengers, and others I've met since.... you are true friends. With or without my crown, you would be there for me." Thor beamed widely "It is a good feeling."
Steve kind of doubted that those four weren't real friends to Thor. From what he'd heard, they were good people. Still, he didn't want to argue the point. Instead he let a grin form on his face. "Even when you don't want us to be, and some of us are pushier than others so you can't shake us." If Thor ever went AWOL Steve had a plan on how to find him. It helped that Loki wasn't being a jerk anymore...and that Strange was here.
"Yes. I would have to agree with that point." Another smile. "And it seems like more and more of our colleagues keep appearing. I wonder if that means more of our enemies will too." Although he pointedly did not say Thanos.... well, he was definitely thinking of Thanos.
Steve smiled as he gave Thor's shoulder a shake. "You can always count on me." A look that on anyone else would still seem boyish and nice was Steve's version of being sly formed on his face as he took a step closer to Thor. "Which includes getting you out of here for some time away from being a king if you ever want."
Thor would like that but he knew at some point, even Loki and Val would say something about the time he spent away.
"It is enough that you come and visit me." And it really was.