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Dear friends! Do not tell me the days of heroes are gone. Some have taken an eternal slumber, but do not presume their stories sleep. It is through tales that all heroes live. Consider the hero from Gates who the spear-Danes praised, or the prince who feigned madness over his father, slain. Both long dead, if they ever lived at all, but we still tell their stories.
Aye, but I’ve misspoken. Those are not the heroes you seek. You wish for those newer heroes, the fights of cosmic scales, filled by vita-rays, alien gods, and robotic saviours. I shall grant you one: a tale of that strongest battle, the one for love.
This story begins in the halls of SHIELD, where the Avengers would take their leave. The leader of the group was Margaret Carter, the shield-dame and captain whose blood held vita-ray secrets. The others were fight-forged friends whose names you all know:
- Tony Stark, the gold-keeper and crafter of technological wonders
- Thor, son of Odin, the thunder-god, larger than life
- Natasha Romanoff, the clever assassin using her skills for good
- Clint Barton, the archer whose arrows always aimed true
Now there was a new member, the Hydra Stomper, Steve Rogers. Preserved by ice and technology, he was proud to rejoin the fight with his lady fair. He was not part of the Avengers at that time, and I refuse to twist the truth to add him to their ranks. He would join them at a later date.
There was another resident in those halls, one who would never win a place among the Avengers family. Not Fury or Hill, but that villain they’d defeated in their debut: that trickster whose trials turned men into monkeys to create his own monarchy. Loki lived under lock and key, kept as a lowly prisoner, proper punishment for his misdeeds. His travel in the tower was monitored and his access to magic was minute, but he still had eyes. Even a prisoner squirrelled away in his cell could tell love-flames were trying to strike.
For that great leader, Captain Carter, and her wartime beau were reunited, but their love was restless. Years of holding out hope had made them worry. Steve Rogers was still learning to live among the modern glitz and glam, while Peggy knew what was what. Could all her dreams match with her reality?
Amidst the pining, friends built a bet, seeking to cut this forest clear and give love’s flowers space to grow. Whoever gave the lovers a chance to confront their feelings would gain a fine reward. Natasha and Clint worked together, trying to convince them love could blossom. Those efforts fell on deaf ears; the press had swooned over Captain Carter’s crush, but feelings weren’t the problem. Thor took a direct route. He stood in front of a crowd at a party and told long winding tales of love, constantly referencing details of Peggy and Steve’s lives. Had he not been thoroughly drunk at the time, the argument may have been convincing. As he was, it brought shame to all involved.
But when it comes to tricks, a trickster is game. Loki devised a plan all his own, He’d need no words to set this plan in motion, just patience and time. For days, while others tried to win the prize he hid, winding magic like a skein of yarn.
They took turns watching him. On Peggy’s shifts, Steve would visit, bringing food and friendship. This was his opening. While the couple ate, he came closer. He gathered the magic together. Without a sound, he placed his hands on Peggy and Steve’s forehead, pulling through their minds. Within the memories, he found a perfect moment.
At one moment, Peggy and Steve were in the tower. The next, they were in a tavern, celebrating victory. Their glasses held whisky. Their eyes held compassion.
“You’re my hero,” Peggy insisted, but her words weren’t secure. “I mean, you’re a hero.”
Steve smiled shyly, blue eyes barely engaging her gaze. “You’re my hero too.”
They knew this moment. Howard and Bucky would rush in. Bucky would have stolen a Jeep, which Howard would be proud of him for. Their work was not done. The war wasn’t over.
But that moment didn’t come. Loki held time in stasis. Howard was mid-step, and Bucky was still down the road.
Peggy’s heart pounded. Her head spun. After so much lost time, here was a light token, something she could hold. Her earth-coloured eyes stayed on Steve’s blues, seeing through the windows to their souls. They drew near. After all this wanting, she could have this.
The wick of desire met their wild dreams. Love sparked. Time was no longer important, forgotten as the fiction lifted and they returned to the tower. They had their truth.
Thor was the next Loki-watcher, and ready to take his post. He first to see Peggy and Steve. Soon, the word was spread. Cheers went up among Avengers and friends.
The prizes were returned to their sender, for Loki never was a contender. That was no matter. He had his prize. The love lived large. For him, that was the win.
And now our tale is told, dear friends. Though heroes fight, they do much more. Keep that in your hearts.