Jane and Thor -- Pre-Battle Jitters
Who: Jane and Thor What: It's Jane's turn to distract Thor When: The night before the battle Rating: Green (implied fade to black)
Jane had never seen Thor the night before a big battle. Before, when they together on Earth, his fights with the the Avengers had always been spontaneous. The only night they spent before a fight they was coming was before they snuck out of Asgard. Jane had been under guard at the time with no chance if seeing what Thor was like.
Jane had no idea what she was like. She abandoned her laptop, then her crossword, and went to stand at the window. They had a view of the train and she watched it go, stabilizers moving in and out like a dance and lights going in the dark. The technology was amazing and she tried focus on the math of it all. Jane wasn't sure it helped.
She plucked at the hem of her camisole. "Do you think they'd throw me out of the country for trying to take apart a set of kimoyo beads?"
"Hm?" He turned towards her, and frowned. "Did you say something?" When did she put that on? And for that matter, how long had he been staring out the window? Battle plans, ideas, thoughts -- so much was swirling in his mind.
Normally he would be out right now, sparring or really doing anything to burn off this energy, but he had forced himself to be still. Past memories of the last attempt continued to linger, and no matter how hard he tried to shake it off, he couldn't. So here he stood, playing every possibility out. They had the info, they knew HE would be there within a day...Thor wouldn't let anyone down this time.
"Contemplating treason," Jane offered. "Par for the course for us. Don't know why I'm worried." She looked at Thor. "How are you? Cause I'm a little concerned I need to keep my distance in case you wind up calling Stormbreaker."
He gave her an undecipherable look before chuckling softly to himself. "I am poor company right now, I must confess. It's that.....well, I am simply trying to visualize the battle, determine what steps could be taken, what needs to be taken, what is the best position for myself..." He reached out to her and pulled her to his side. "Tactical things that no doubt will keep my mind busy. I will not be able to sleep tonight, I am warning you in advance. If you are tired, please, rest. Tomorrow will be a tiring day for all."
This was probably routine for Thor. He'd probably spent hundreds of nights before a battle. Jane was much less experienced. Instinctually, she shoved her elbow into Thor's side. "Hey," she chided. "Pay attention to me."
Now he laughed freely, looking down at Jane. "Is that what I sound like when I say it?," he teased, his hands playing with her hair. "It's so ...unbecoming. How do you manage to put with me when I'm like that?"
"You're pretty annoying," Jane agreed. "And stubborn - but I can be too. If I can't make you sleep, the least you can do is talk to me until I do. So pay attention to me."
"Anything your heart desires," he said, trying to sound like himself, even if his mind was still a million miles away. "Is there something in particular you'd like to discuss? I am at your disposal."
"I don't know, Jane said honestly, unsure what to do with his attention now she had it. "I've never had to wait through a night before a battle. I don't know what to do."
What was routine for him wasn't for her, and yet until this moment, he hadn't thought of it in those terms. He'd never had someone waiting for him, or even actively in the vicinity during one of these battles. This was a foreign feeling, and for a moment, he wondered if it wouldn't have been better for her to stay behind. No. No, it wouldn't have been. She'd been behind long enough. He needed to show her what he could do.
"I do not expect you to fight. I hope you do not have to fight." he corrected himself. "But in the event you do ..... well, would you like me to show you some techniques? That would work to burn some energy, some of this restlessness." He cracked a smile. "Or there are other ways to do that too."
"I don't know. I kind of think that by the time anyone gets close to me, it's too late for me to do anything about it," Jane said honestly. She didn't think there was no way for her to help and she would defend herself or her friends but hand-to-hand combat was hardly her area. "What's the other way?" Jane raised her eyebrows at Thor. "Pilates? Stairmaster?"
Thor refused to even entertain the option of Jane's demise. "Well, you will be safely in the lab with Shuri, Nick Fury, Darcy and Peggy Carter. You should be in safe hands.... and if Pilates is all you can think of, well..." He waggled his eyebrows. "I'm afraid I have done a poor job of showing you my skills."
Jane didn't often downplay her intelligence, even when joking, but they both needed the distraction. "Which skills?" she asked, stepping in close to lean her hip against his. "Swinging an axe? Making waffles? You should be more specific."
"I am amazing at waffles," Thor admitted, bumping her hip back with his. "But really, my love, if all you are desiring is breakfast food, you need not play this games. I am sure the King will allow me entrance to his kitchens, and I can cook you a repast worthy of you."
"No," Jane said, not quite done playing games. She wrapped an arm around Thor's waist as if to stop him from leaving. "No. You're not going anywhere."
Echoing her movements, he looked down at her, his eyes searching her face. "And how do you propose to keep me here? Do you have any special skills I am unaware of? Other than, of course, the hypnotic gaze of your eyes." Leaning down, he lightly kissed her. "Or that of your irresistible lips." His lips moved to her neck. "Oh, I know," he murmured, "it is the impeccable softness of your skin that is so alluring, I will never want to go elsewhere. Is that it?"
Jane looked pleased and more than a little self-satisfied at the progression of events. She twined her arms behind Thor's neck to pull him closer, answering low in his ear. It seemed to Jane Thor was pleased as well.
Time passed. Jane was curled up with Thor, head on his shoulder and arm across his chest. "So," she said. "Tomorrow..."
Thor's eyes were closed, but he wasn't asleep. Even after expending energy, he still wasn't tired. He wouldn't sleep until after the battle. "Yes, tomorrow is generally what comes after today."
Jane's rolled eyes weren't entirely visible under her mess of hair but her gentle smack against Thor's arm made it clear. She was only playing though and followed her sign of annoyance with a kiss against his collar bone. "Yes. Tomorrow. I'm not going to do the thing where I tell you to be careful. You know what you're doing. Just... take it serious?" She looked at him through her messy hair. "I know everyone's joking about beating him but what he did to make half the world disappear... Just don't underestimate that, okay?"
He looked down at her, his fingers rubbing gently at the side of her arm. "Yes. I promise I will do everything I can to return to you in one piece. I do not take any fight lightly, and this one ...." He didn't have to say how high the stakes were. They all knew. "I will not be alone. My friends are by my side, and each are worthy warriors. I am confident that once everything begins, it will end far better than before." There was that boundless optimism. Besides -- this time? He was going for the head. "And then when it is all over, we shall begin the plans for bringing the rest of my people to Midgard, and work to restore Asgard." He brought her hand up and kissed the back of it. "We will never need to be apart for long periods again."