[Post Infinity War piece. Any Endgame spoilers must be tagged and minor in comments]

[juststeverogers]

It starts out like a joke of questionable taste. Captain America, Black Widow, Rocket Raccoon, and Thor God of Thunder walk into the Plaza.

What that it were a joking matter. All of them are pale, beaten, and filthy. None of them says much to anyone commenting to them while they wander past people. Natasha's eyes are wide and panicked, her head turning every which way as if she could count and see all of the people passing them by. Her blonde hair is matted with blood and it hangs in clumps with ever jerky turn of her head. Steve's walking slower than Natasha, his beard and hair unkempt mess. Every step drags. His mouth hangs slightly open and moves every now and again like he might have something to say before he looks down at his feet and keeps going. Thor brings up the rear with Rocket sitting in a daze on his right shoulder, silent with a thousand yard stare that's as empty as the rest of his expression. Most of his left arm is missing, replaced by a very ramshackle prosthetic that isn't quite proportionally right for his size. In its metal skeletal fingers he carries an axe that's easily as large as Natasha is. Every now and then there is a sniffle from Rocket before he paws at his eyes and shakes his head.

Wherever these Avengers have been for the last few weeks, they've clearly been busy.

And it doesn't take much guessing to assume they've Lost.

They wander aimlessly. Eventually Rocket hops down and stops them outside a fountain. Somewhere with seating and clean water so they can tend to their injuries if they'd like. It's going to take more than anyone has to do much yet though. But they all sit. Stare. The question hangs between them all unspoken because there are no answers yet to give.

How can they possibly come back from this?

Whatever this is to them.


[This post is meant to bring several MCU muses in the comm up to Post Infinity War status. This post is OPEN TO ALL, not just Marvel characters. This is NOT meant to spoil End Game in any way. Any comments that may even IMPLY Endgame spoilers due to association with post Infinity War MUST BE TAGGED at subject level and you must talk to your OOC partner before posting them. The standard 3 weeks rule is still in effect regarding Endgame.]

Comments

[pirateangelbaby]

It's not nearly enough to outweigh the guilt and grief that is drowning Thor, but even a small candle casts a light in the darkness. Something to hold onto, when everything else is crumbling around him, leaving him in ashes and ruins.

Thor's metal fingers creak as he curls them tighter around the axe, grasping the weapon as tightly as he is clinging to the thought that all is not lost, yet part of him recoiling from the offer of hope like an abused dog when offered a friendly hand. Experience is a harsh master, and Thor has never had a greater failure in all his long centuries. But it is the only hope he has left, the only way he might have to make things right.

It will not bring back the ones he's lost, and that thought alone would still send him to his knees. But at least the universe may not have to suffer as it does now. If they succeed.

"His armies are broken," Thor says, a quiet tremor in his voice, and while the furious bloodlust that had fueled his rampage of revenge in Wakanda is absent entirely, for maybe the first time since his shellshocked arrival in the Nexus, there's a spark of rational thought in his eye. He has been beaten and bloodied, and his spirit crushed into horror and despair. But this... this small hope is what he must build on, to make it his foundation that will carry him forward, or else he may shatter entirely. "He's still more powerful than us. Me. Anyone. But he..." Will never be a god, Loki's strangled voice croaks in his memory, and Thor flinches, remembering the snap that came after.

He takes several breaths to steady himself again, more tears silently slipping down his cheek. "It would have to be an ambush," he says at last. "A sudden strike, before he can retaliate."

[liverfree]

That's encouraging news, although Prometheus doesn't make a show of it, merely nodding slightly and giving his friend the space to continue his thoughts uninterrupted. The trailing off of Thor's words has him tilting his head, wondering what more there was to that sentence. "Because of the Infinity Stones?" he asks, just to make sure he understands the situation properly. That this is not about a vastly omnipotent being, but one who wields a vastly omnipotent object.

There is a difference. Separate the latter from its owner, and you might be on to something.

"Yes," he says in quiet agreement. He glances briefly at Thor's prosthetic arm. "You'll need an upgrade, friend." There must be time enough for Thor and the others to recover before they go after Thanos again.

[pirateangelbaby]

"Yes. I... he slaughtered my people with only one. Six stones... only Stormbreaker could match that." And Thor had squandered the opportunity for a chance to make the Mad Titan suffer instead, and trillions had died because of it. Of all the mistakes he has made in his long life, the one Thor wishes to take back most is that single moment.

"He killed half the universe," Thor whispers, as if Prometheus did not know, as if the thought is still sinking its claws deep into Thor where it intends to stay forever. "Killing us would be easy."

There's a blank, uncomprehending look when he turns to look at his friend, before following the Titan's gaze to his arm, as if he'd forgotten it was there. Not the weapon, then. "It was the best the rabbit had for me. We... we didn't have a lot of options, at the time." It's oddly easier to talk about the arm, though he's still reeling at its loss, forgetting and remembering in turns that part of him was left on the Statesman to burn with Asgard, more than just the part of his soul that feels as though it died with half his people. But what is a limb compared to the loss of so much life? Thor would have given all of himself if it would have made a difference.

[liverfree]

The Titan's gaze slides to Thor's weapon when he mentions it. A formidable blade, and a most curious handle. He wonders briefly if the Nexus has anything comparable, but decides not to pursue that line of thought. Enchanted weapons are a tricky business. You can buy, steal, or borrow one, but if you are not the rightful owner, all of Tartarus will break loose.

He wants to help though, to give Thor the advantage that he needs to best Thanos. To somehow right the wrongs of trillions lost.

There is a brief, befuddled look at the mention of a rabbit, but then his mind latches onto a possible way he can assist his friend. "I know someone on my world," he offers. "He's from my pantheon, and he owes me one. If you give me a few days, I can take you to him and he can make you a new arm. He's god of the forge, but he's big into cybernetics these days. It should be a straight-forward job for him."

[pirateangelbaby]

It's something to focus on that isn't the staggering, crushing loss that consumes his every waking moment, and Thor does not hesitate to grab it as a lifeline. His own recent memories of Nidavellir still burn hot in his mind, his body remembering well how it felt to burn alive under the star's fire, but he rather doubts that Prometheus' friend will require such drastic measures from him.

It will be less urgent, at least.

"I think... I would like that," he says, looking back down at the arm he wears now, absently flexing the fingers. It's a wonder the prosthesis held on long enough to forge the axe, never mind surviving the battle that came immediately on its heels. "The dwarves I know are... no longer making such things. I don't know anyone else who could make a replacement that could withstand me."

[liverfree]

No, he won't need to do anything nearly so arduous. The armor and weapons that Hephaestus makes for his family require little except an occasional fitting. Zeus especially is never one to suffer if he can help it.

Thor's reply makes him smile -- small, but pleased. "Then I shall make it happen. Hephaestus has fashioned all sorts of things for Zeus. He knows how to properly outfit a god of storms." It may not be the same as what Thor is used to, but it's probably the closest he'll get to what he needs.

"If I am to convince him, I should leave now..." And yet Prometheus is reluctant to go. He does not want to leave his friend in this state. But what choice does he have? Thor will be like this for some time, and even when his fire and spirit have returned, he won't be free of the grief. "I will contact you soon."

[pirateangelbaby]

Hearing that Prometheus' friend has crafted gear for someone with powers like Thor's is promising, and if he was not so distressed, he might wonder now how well this Hephaestus' works will compare to those of Nidavellir. But there will be time for that later, once he has had time to properly process everything that has happened. Once he can see a glimpse of a future past the horror that stretches out in front of him.

Thor nods, and this time he is the one to reach out to his friend, grasping at his arm. Prometheus has given him something to hold onto, no matter how small, and it might be the only thing keeping him from rattling apart right here as he sits, so close to the edge. "Thank you."

[liverfree]

It certainly helps that both pantheons have gods with similar powers. Although that does mean that Prometheus will have to make sure Zeus doesn't interfere. The king of gods would be petty enough to not want to share his resources. But Zeus doesn't have the authority that he used to, and with any luck he'll be too busy cheating on his wife yet again to notice.

He places his hand over Thor's arm clasp reassuringly. "You are welcome." He lets Thor hold on as long as he needs, and then he does leave, more hopeful that Thor will get through the coming days.

He has to, at the very least for his people who survived and need their king. And, as slim a chance as it might be, to fight Thanos again and somehow undo the damage.