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Chapter Text

 

Thor is awoken in the middle of the night by his mother yanking him out of bed.

 

“Wha- Mother?” He mumbles trying to rub the sleep from his eyes.

 

“Thor! Thor listen to me!” She says intently, shaking him as he blearily tries to scramble upright “Vanaheim is lost. The armies will soon be in the very Realm Eternal... you must go-” she yanks him up and shoves him towards the door. “GO now!”

 

“But Mother-” Thor tries to argue.

 

“In a matter of hours the city and the palace will be under siege. You must get to the Bifrost before then. I've spoken to Heimdall, you'll go to Midgard” Frigga says, abandoning her attempts to push him towards the door and trying to drag him out now, Thor resists trying to return to his wardrobe at least, and put on some decent clothes and some shoes, but his mother's grip is relentless and he resorts to awkwardly prying at her fingers as she opens the door.

 

Thor pauses when he see Hogan and Volstagg outside. They play at being his friends but they are far to old to really want to spend their days seeing to the foolish adventures of a young prince. Thor knows, though he has never been told, that they took oaths to protect him when he was a child, and in Asgard an oath sworn must be kept for life.

 

Could she be serious? Is she sending him to exile, rather than risking that he fester as a prisoner should Asgard fall?

 

“I am the Crown Prince of Asgard Mother!” he finally manages to protest “It is my duty to stay, and protect the realm. I cannot abandon it on the brink of a siege.”

 

She pulls him close and kisses his cheek.

 

“There is nothing to be done now my dear. There is a shield on Midgard that will protect you. When the time is right I'm sure I shall see you again. Go. Go now. I've sent people for Loki. With luck they will meet you at the Bifrost and you may flee with your brother. Protect each other. And think of me, when you can.”

 

“But Mother-”

 

“No, my son. Farewell.” And she has turned away and is walking back towards the centre of the palace.

 

Volstagg is the one pulling him along now. Hogan hastily drapes a cloak over him as they head towards the city. The entirety of the palace shakes and without a word they break into a run. They run the whole way to the Bifrost. The sky is full of the war boats flying and enemy ships are beginning to appear.

 

There are others in the streets, guards and soldiers running towards the defenses, and civilians running for their lives towards the palace.

 

The enemy ships are blasting the warboats to pieces and setting the city ablaze by the time Thor, Volstagg and Hogun scramble up onto the rainbow bridge and make for the observatory.

 

They are halfway there when Hogun looks over his shoulder and his steps falter.

 

“Soldiers.” is all he says. Volstagg and Thor turn too and sure enough there is a troupe of enemy soldiers in the eery silvermasks, that Thor has never before seen outside of the oldest and dullest books on history and magic, bearing down on them.

 

“Well, now's not the time to stop then, Hogun.” Volstagg says as Hogun falls behind.

 

Hogun shakes his head. “Go.”

 

“No, Hogun, don't-” Thor starts

 

“Protect the Prince my friend” Hogun says and takes his spiked mace from his belt.

 

Volstagg nods and grabs Thor swinging him up over his shoulder.

 

“But we can't just leave him...” Thor cries, even as Volstagg carries him away.

 

 The observatory is empty of all save Heimdall when they reach it.

 

“HEIMDALL! OPEN THE BIFROST!!” Volstagg shouts as they stagger through the door.

 

Heimdall moves to obey.

 

"NO!” Thor yells,“Loki and his attendants were meant to meet us here! We must wait.”

 

Heimdall glances at Volstagg “Your Highness, it would not be wise to delay. Your bodyguard who held the bridge has fallen. If your brother made it out of the palace, there is little chance that he could reach us now.”

 

 “B-but..No! Mother said...she said he'd meet us here...I can't...I can't just abandon him.”

 

“The Queen would not wish you to risk your life for a hope, my Prince.”

 

Thor nods. “Very well, Heimdall. Open the Bifrost.”

 

 Heimdall bows and moves to use his great sword to open the Bifrost but, there's a crash from outside and they all turn to see a group of elves running towards them.

 

 “Hurry Heimdall!” Volstagg mutters hefting his axe and tossing Thor a dagger.

 

 The Bifrost opens in the same moment that the elves falls upon them. Thor stabs one just as he feels the great light of the bridge surround him.

 

When he wakes up, he is alone. There is no sign of anyone for miles in any direction, just reddish rocks and sand. The sun beats down on him and he wonders what he shall do alone in this strange place.

 

Chapter Text

(Spring 2005)

Clint is surprised when he's called in for a private meeting with Deputy Director Hill. He's still on probation for the Budapest incident and has been trying to keep his head down.

 

Hill is calmly sitting behind her desk, her face the usual serene mask that most of the higher level agents have perfected and keep on no matter what the circumstances.

 

“Agent Barton” she greets him.

 

He nods and tries to school his face into the appropriate mask of mild and polite interest. He's never been very good at that part of being an agent, it's probably why they don't use him in undercover work too much.

Hill unlocks a briefcase and hands him a file.

 

“This is the file on the asset known internally as Subject Red. Familiarize yourself with it. You're going to be in charge of surveillance on him from now on. Which means he doesn't sneeze but you know about it. Clear?”

 

Clint nods. “Crystal.”

 

Hill must press a button under her desk because Agents Coulson and Romanoff file in from an ajoining room.

 

“Agent Coulson has been supervising this case from the start. Agent Romonoff has been brought in recently in order to conduct some tests on the subject. You'll be working with her and reporting to Coulson.”

Clint nods.

Hill stands and seems about to leave the room but stops and turns. “I just want you to know that this is a very difficult and dangerous assignment for which you are completely wrong, but you are on probation since Budapest. All of you. If you should fail, you will likely die. If you fail and do not die, I'm afraid it's likely SHIELD will have no more need of your services. Barton those files don't leave this room, when your done Coulson will lock them up again. I'll be back in 20 minutes if you're here or those files aren't. I will be extremely dissapointed.”

 

She strides out of the room and Clint pulls a face at Natasha behind Hill's back as she brushes past him. Natasha, sadly, does not look amused.

 

Clint sighs and leans against the desk, leafing through the file. “ Subject Red. Subject found disoriented and delusional in the New Mexico desert, dressed only in what looked like pyjamas, suffering from severe dehidration, subject appeared to have gone without food for several days...Initially very cooperative, big surprise, Coulson you processed him and recommended he be brought into SHIELD custody...”

Clint frowns and turns a few more pages. “However.. there have been several violent incidents in the last couple of months...An attempt at comprehensive medical testing of the subject had ended with two broken arms, four broken ribs and a cracked skull. It was recommended that further testing be postponed until the subject was less volatile.

An Agent was apparently attacked unprovoked and found himself with a hand crushed to a pulp; another received a childish kick to the shin that snapped both bones in his lower leg. Jesus, what is this assignment? Some kind of punishment?”

 

“You're on probation Agent Barton, we all are.” Coulson answers.

 

“So they're sending me and Nat in blind? Just to...what? See how we handle it?” Clint asks.

 

“We're not going in blind, Clint.” Natasha says. “All we need to know is either in those files or in the mind of Coulson here.” Natasha grabs the file and frowns as she reads. “This is clearly some sort of sick experiment gone wrong.”

 

Clint snorted. “Another Hulk do you think? Tried the testing on a younger subject see how it worked?”

Clint glances at Coulson. “Care to share with the class Phil?”

 

Coulson rolls his eyes and takes the file from Clint. “The subject, known as Red was found staggering around in the new Mexico desert covered in blood, he was hit by a vehicle carrying Drs. Erik Selvig and Martin Foster who were studying atmospheric anomalies in the area. He walked away without a scratch.”

 

Natasha arches a perfectly plucked brow at that. “Head on collision?”

 

Coulson nods. “According to the Doctors. Of course, the front of the car was crumbled like tinfoil. They described him as being very distressed and disoriented, unable to state his location, the year, the president, or where he'd come from.”

 

Clint opens the file and looks at the slightly blurry picture of a young blonde man. “So, what? It's a super soldier runaway?”

 

Coulson shrugs. “Could be anything really, but that does seem most likely. We haven't got definitive test results but observations indicate he could be as strong as Subject Green.”

 

Clint whistles. “Jesus. And we're supposed to contain him while we run tests he doesn't want to take?...Wait, no.” Clint snatches the file back from Natasha and reads “Subject appears to have military training...oh fuck. You geniuses are hoping he gets lucid enough to be a field agent aren't you? This when you're-”

 

Coulson gives his patented fake smile “The boy is going to end up fighting someone. I'd just as soon he be fiighting on our side. Look, dealing with him it's..it's not as hard as it sounds. Just a few safety tips before we head down there: try and keep at least one arm length away from him at all times, he's a bit volatile. Be kind and polite, apparently whoever grew this kid instilled some old fashioned manners. Also, he seems to have imprinted on me a bit so, no sarcastic comments at my expense, that's how the leg snapping incident happened. If you're speaking to the subject call him Thor, it's his preferred name, Okay?”

 

Clint notices Natasha already has her game face on, and he nods.

 

They head down to the lower containment levels. As they wait in the elevator Coulson clears his throat. “I know the reports are intimidating. We're dealing with something unprecedented.”

 

Clint snorts. “You can say that again.”

 

Coulson doesn't even turn his head. “But think of it like this. If you wanted to study a tiger, or an elephant or a blue whale, you'd do everything to keep it calm, keep it happy, and even then people might get hurt, just because it's so much stronger than them. People might get killed, hell, people DO get killed. And that's if it's animal that's been treated well”

 

Natasha nods, clearly seeing where this is going, Clint doesn't. “I'm sorry do you have a point?”

 

Coulson shrugs “We're dealing with someone who was grown and raised to be a weapon. Who something bad happened to. Who was wandering around alone in the New Mexico desert for who knows how long. He's scared, and he's had to take an entire secret government organization on faith, anyone in his position would lash out. He just happens to have superstrength.”

 

“In short, if he crushes your windpipe it'll be on par with expectations and consistent with his psychological state.” Natasha deadpans. “Treat him as you would anything that is very strong and very afraid. He's dangerous, but he's probably not bad.”

 

“Great, Superman: homicidal mutant edition.” Clint growls.

 

When they finally get down to the lower level where Subject Red has been living, Clint is amped up and ready for just about anything. He can see from the corner of his eye that Natasha is the same.

They get to a reinforced steel door. The one that leads to a secure vault usually used for storing the really scary weapons.

Well, actually come to think of it, it's still being used to store a really scary weapon.

 

Coulson leads them down a long hallway to a large metal door. He inputs a code, a finger-print and a it opens with a hiss. Inside is a small sleek room, full of screens and equipment, and a second steel door.

Coulson knocks on it.

 

“Thor?! It's me, Coulson. I brought those people we talked about.” nothing happens.

 

Coulson knocks again. “Thor. Come and open this door.” A longer pause. “Alright, if you don't open the door I'm coming in in 10 seconds.” He steps back, carefully times it on his watch and the walks in.

 

Clint's not sure what he was expecting. Whatever it was, he doesn't find it in the brightly room furnished a standard issue bunk, a couch, some books and what looks like the sad smashed remains of a Starkpad. There is also a blonde head sticking out from one end of the sofa and a pair of feet in truly ugly socks from the other.

 

“Thor? Why didn't you open the door?” Coulson asks.

 

The blonde on the couch doesn't move but his feet start bouncing. “I have been thinking, Son of Coul, perhaps you have been hasty in this decision.” a voice says from somewhere behind the couch.

 

Coulson sighed and crossed his arms. “Hasty?”

 

“About your choice to begin instructing me in the warrior ways of Migard.”

 

“Thor, this is about you learning to control your strength, while also learning about the strengths and limitations of humanity.”

 

Thor sits up and pokes his head up over the side of the couch, finally giving Clint a good look at what's been causing all this fuss.

 

It's surprisingly unimpressive. 'Thor' looks to be between 18 and 21 years old, has very blue eyes and very long, very blonde hair and is handsome enough, if you like that sort of thing.

 

He also looks a bit nervous.

 

“I think it would be best to postpone it.” He says.

 

Coulson almost had an expression on his face. Natasha looks like she wishes she had a camera.

 

“Is this about Agent McGuiness?”

 

“No.”

 

“He's recovering.”

 

“He will never regain full use of his hand.”

 

“That's not necessarily true, we have all sorts of medical procedures these days.”

 

“I crushed every bone in his hand. Even on Asgard such a wound would be permanent, I maimed him for life. It is best I remain here, where no harm will come to me or to anyone else.”

 

Coulson folds his arms. “Are you telling me you're too afraid of hurting someone to bother trying to learn to control your strength around humans?”

 

Thor is on his feet immediately. The lights in the room flicker, and, yup, Clint can see now why this guy had everyone so worried. Thor is young, and looks to like he's stillbgrowing into his frame but he's six-and-a-half feet tall and in a few years it won't be a surprise to anyone when he rips through steel with his bare hands.

 

“I am NOT AFRAID!!” Thor bellows.

 

Coulson gives his patented non-committal smile. “Then why are you changing your mind when we've already agreed on it?”

 

Thor scowls. “I have merely been considering the issue from all angles.”

 

“I don't hear you objecting when I have Drs Foster and Selvig come by to help you learn about science. Think of it like that, just with different teachers for a different subject.”

 

Thor crosses his arms and scowls. Just like that, Thor, in his standard issue SHIELD sweats and t-shirt, looks like a typical American teenager with entitlement issues and a too big ego.

 

Thor and Coulson seem to be having a staring contest. Clint starts shifting uncomfortably, this could go on a while, Coulson has been known to have staring contests with Fury that go on for ever (longest one clocked in a 21 min 11 sec).

 

Finally Thor shrugs. “If it would please the Son of Coul then of course I shall aquiese.”

 

Clint grins. “Hey, breaking out the ten dollar words. I like it.”

 

Thor seems to notice him for the first time and Coulson jumps in. “This is Agent Barton and that is Agent Romanov. They're going to be putting you through some very mild exercises today, just to see what level you're at.”

 

Thor glares but bows to Natasha. “I am honoured to meet the finest warriors on Midgard, but know that I have been trained by the finest warriors in the Nine-realms and there is absolutely nothing you can teach me that I don't already know.”

 

Clint almost feels sorry for the guy when Natasha smiles he most polite and non-threatening smile and sweetly says: “We'll just have to see about that.”

 

Chapter Text

Clint and Natasha run Thor through a variety of exercises and the whole experience is more than a little surreal.

When Clint offers to show Thor how to shoot a bow he laughs out loud, grabs the one with the heaviest draw from the rack and hits the target almost perfectly three times in a row (even if his grip and stance aren't quite right), but when Natasha hands him a hand gun he holds it up between his thumb and forefinger and stares at it.

Natasha smiles and takes it back. She settles into a solid stance and aims it at the targer. “Like this.”

She shoots.

Thor jumps about a foot in the air and knocks a hole in the wall of the shooting range.

 

It follows that pattern for the rest of the day. Thor seems to have a comprehensive knowledge of battle techniques and tactics. With a broad grin he describes broadsword training, axes, spears, and he positively glows at the mention of warhammers, but he doesn't even know what a car, gps or automatic is.

 

Natasha is lucky that Clint has such anachronistic taste in weapons because he has a feeling she doesn't know what half the stuff Thor's talking about is. The Red Room produced human weapons for the modern age. They didn't take those human weapons on a rollicking romp through the history of garroting.

 

They put him through the regular fitness tests, running, jumping, climbing, punching. He does everything without even breaking a sweat, the whole time talking about the many and varied battles and fights he'd been in with his boon companions and his little brother.

 

It actually worries Clint a bit and from her expression he knows Natasha is thinking the same thing. If Thor has a brother and companions as strong as he is, where are they? What happened and just who managed to grow 6 supersoldiers to maturity with SHIELD having any clue.

 

They return Thor to his room, and he's a bit reluctant for them to leave. He keeps trying to get them interested in his stories, and clearly doesn't want to be left alone.

 

Coulson is waiting for them in the break room upstairs. “So? How did it go?”

Clint sighs and dramatically collapses into one of the chairs. “I don't know who fucked with that kid's head but they should get some sort of award for a thorough and comprehensive job well done.”

Natasha rolls her eyes. “Honestly Clint, for all we know he was just raised giving names from Norse mythology to ordinary objects. Not a bad plan if you're worried about what your doing getting out. If Dr. Foster had called anyone other than SHIELD they'd have just written that boy off as crazy.”

Coulson nods, “So, what's the verdict on your tests?”

Clint scrubs a hand across his face. “His strength and endurance is off the charts. Not only did he lift 200 pounds like it was easy, he didn't even have to pause in the story he was telling. Based on what we've seen and heard from him, he's mostly been trained in close quarters armed combat. Though he seems to be pretty familiar with unarmed combat as well.”

Natasha nods “He seems more than happy to learn. Even if he does keep trying to correct me on certain things.

Coulson smiles. “Good. Good, we really can't have him continuing to accidentally break people's arms and legs.”

Clint can't help but grin at Coulson. “Did he really snap someone's leg because they were mean to you?”

Coulson looks ever so slightly embarrassed. “He kicked them in the shin a bit too hard, okay? It was an accident. But, yes.”

 

Natasha shakes her head. “We'll have our work cut out for us then.” And cracks one of her rare perfect smiles.

 

Thor lies awake and stares at the ceiling. It is one of the ugliest ceilings Thor has ever seen. It is not golden, it is not intricate. It appears to be made of a solid white plaster. Thor is bored looking at it. The books were dull and now Thor has read them all anyway.

There's a pressure in his chest- a storm is close by.

If Thor was really good, if he did as he knows his mother wants, he wouldn't draw it from it's path. He'd let it drift by some miles to the north and no one would ever be aware of the true extent of his abilities.

 

Thor glances at the ceiling and very very casually calls the storm. Not even calls really more like whispers, whispers like the voices of the bee-people of Niddavellir when they wished not to be overheard. The storm probably wouldn't even hear him Thor thought..

 

But, however much Thor loves storms, the storms love Thor twice as much

.

The storm could feel his fear, and it raged that he was so afraid.

 

Thor feels the storm move very fast in his direction and smiles. He's been so lonely here and so worried. At night sometimes he thinks about that moment on the Bifrost when Hogun went down and Loki wasn't there and he bites down hard on his first to keep from screaming or crying. He's not sure which.

The storm is comforting though. Curious and happy like a new hunting dog. It's never seen anything like him on Earth before.

Thor wonders if this is why his mother sent him here, because the weather was powerful and tame at the same time. Because his powers were greater here among these weak creatures and he was safe... but then again, they'd been attacked just as Heimdall had opened the Bifrost. Perhaps earth was not where she'd meant to send her sons at all.

 

Thor could feel the thunder rumbling in his chest now, a low growl to announce the presence of the storm.

 

He gets up off of the couch and walks to the door, leaning his hands against the lintel on either side. He had promised the Son of Coul that he would not wander. He had promised the Lady Natasha and her champion the Archer that he would not do anything to put his weekly sessions in jeopardy.

And on Asgard an oath must be kept for life.

....But they weren't on Asgard. He would not be wandering, he would be going exactly where he intended and if they were reasonable in this kingdom than a simple visit to commune with the weather wouldn't be that much of an issue....

 

Thor opens the first door and stepped into the little room with the screens and monitors and equipment. And the very large impressive door.

The door was so very impressive that Thor knew just by looking at it that any damage to the door would cause Coulson to be very unhappy.

Unfortunately for the door it stood between Thor and the storm whose lighting was even now crackling in his rib cage.

 

Thor carefully tests the handle. It doesn't open. Thor glances up at the corner where he knows that the Hawk watches from afar.

Thor backs up and runs at the door. He hits with a crash and the entire thing crumbles and caves in. It takes a few more blows but it's very easy to get through.

Once he's past the door it's smooth sailing. No one seems to be about at all, which is slightly odd even if it is the middle of the night.

 

But Thor doesn't believe in questioning good fortune.

 

It takes so long to find his way up out of the dwelling that Thor is half afraid the storm will pass before he reaches the surface.

 

The big glass doors are locked when Thor tries the handle but with a wrench it comes off in his hands and he's outside and it's dark but the storm cracks the sky with a bolt of lightning and with a crash of thunder the skies open and it pours rain.

 

Thor laughs and smiles at the sky. It's bliss. He feels the thunder in his chest, the lightning is playing across his skin and the rain has soaked his hair.

He lifts a fist and lightning jolts from the heavens to sit in his palm. He flicks out little sparks one from each finger until the lightning is spent.

The weather on Midgard is glorious. There aren't storms like this on Asgard. He couldn't control a storm like this there even if he wanted to.

 

“Ahem.” a voice says behind him.

 

He turns. It's Coulson in the odd black and white garb of the realm standing under a large black umbrella.

 

“Son of Coul” Thor nods in his direction and then splits the sky with a bot of lightning which he immediately flings out into the desert.

 

“I'd like you to come back inside Thor.” Coulson says.

 

“I'm sure there's a great many things you would like Coulson.” Thor answers without turning to look at the Agent.

 

“Thor. Get back inside.”

 

Thor frowns and turns to Coulson. “You have no power or authority to compel me Midgardian. I will return when I wish and I shall do as I wish until then.”

He closes his eyes and stands feeling the rain on his face, hoping Coulson will leave.

 

He doesn't. Not for hours.

 

Thor wonders if he should regret the sadness and discomfort he is causing Coulson, but he doesn't. There's rain and lightning and thunder and if he closes his eyes and tries hard enough he can imagine he's off on one of his hair-brained adventures and Loki is hiding out in a tent somewhere grumbling about idiots who can control the weather while Volstagg, Hogun, Fandral and Sif laugh at him.

But they're gone, half of them may be dead, and the others are lost to him- trapped in a besieged city a long long way away.

 

The storm starts to pass, the rain lets up and it's moving on. Thor can tell it's sorry but the weather of the world can't be put on hold forever, not even for him. When the sky is clear Thor feels like there's a hole in his chest where the safety of the storm had been.

 

Thor clears his throat and turns to Coulson who's still standing there looking distinctly unhappy.

 

“Thor. That was a very expensive door you just broke.” Coulson all but growls.

 

Thor shrugs.

 

“We'd like it if you'd come back inside.”

 

Thor glances back towards the doors where some Midgardian warriors are standing.

 

“You can not make me. Even if you tried.” he says.

 

“No, we probably can't” Coulson agrees.

 

Thor sighs and, with one last look in the direction of the disappearing storm, nods. He follows Coulson back into the deep tunnels of the SHIELF fortress. He hopes he'll see another storm soon.

 

Chapter Text

In retrospect they all let their guard down, even with the door/lightning incident it was easy to forget that Thor wasn't a regular trainee recruit.

 

Natasha blames herself though. Thor is a supersoldier and has been raised to kill. She'll admit that as far as she can tell, beyond whatever brainwashing number was pulled on him Thor is a decent kid. Arrogant sometimes, insufferable others, but also painfully naive, and sweet when the mood takes him. And lonely. The kid is so obviously lonely, being by himself most of the time. With all that, it's easy to ignore the fact that he could crush her skull with one hand.

 

But, that doesn't change what he is, and if anyone should have realized the danger it was her.

 

Natasha understands why Fury wants the kid trained up, a sucessful supersoldier is the holy grail of espionage and has been since the day a Hydra goon killed Dr. Erskine. So she and Clint run bi-weekly sessions with the kid, teaching him about modern equipment and technology, while helping him learn to control his enormous strength. He'd gotten pretty good, they'd even started gradually introducing him to some of the medical testing.

 

Thor had just finished running through a series of drills for unarmed combat. Natasha had been observing from a safe distance and making small corrections to his moves. Clint was up on the gantries that surrounded the gym, making notes on Thor's behaviour and abilities for his files.

 

Sitwell came in and without a thought or a hestitation went up to Thor and grabbed him by the bicep.

“You're coming with me big guy. There's some people that want to take a look at you.”

“I will go nowhere I do not wish.” was Thor's predictable reply. Natasha and Coulson had learned early on that ordering Thor to do things didn't end well.

“Sitwell” Natasha said getting to her feel, but he didn't turn.

 

Natasha had warned all the Agents who regularly interacted with Thor not to try and grab him or threaten him physically. The only time she'd ever been afraid was when she'd tried to demonstrate a move and knock him off his feet and not only did he sidestep it, he grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the ground. That was why she had a hands off approach to teaching him now.

 

 

But not only had Sitwell grabbed Thor he was trying to lead him out the door, only Thor wasn't budging so it ammounted to Sitwell yanking none too gently on his arm.

 

““C'mon, don't be so difficult. What are you afraid of a few needles? ” Sitwell asked

 

The lights flicker. Natasha looked up at Hawkeye and he started moving towards the rope that led down from the gantries.

 

Thor shook off Sitwell's hand.

“I am not afraid.”

 

“Than come with me and do the medical tests.”

 

“Thor's not scheduled for any tests today.” Natasha interjected.

 

Sitwell looked annoyed, Thor looked grateful.

 

“There was an incident and one of our medical specialists was brought to base, so while they're here we want them to gather as much data on Subject Red as possible.” Sitwell told her, treating Thor as if he wasn't there.

 

Natasha glanced at Thor's hands, they were clenched in fists.

 

“Well, I have him scheduled for the next hour and a half.” She replied.

 

Hawkeye was down from the gantries and heading this way. Good. He was Thor's favourite because of the whole archaic weapons thing.

 

“You can reschedule this any time. The specialist-”

 

“The specialist will want to do anything to get their hands on Thor. They can wait an hour and a half.” Natasha snapped.

 

Sitwell sighed and threw up his hands.

 

“Fine! I'll be back in exactly an hour and a half and you better not give me any trouble, alright?”

 

He turned away and headed towards the door. Natasha let out a breath and watched in relief as Thor relaxed. Clint sidled up next to her. “That was a cl-” he started to say, when Sitwell muttered something under his breath.

 

It happened so quickly Natasha didn't even have time to move. Thor stepped forward and in the same movement brought his arm around in a long arc. He caught Sitwell under the jaw with the back of his hand and sent him flying across the room where he hit the wall and crumpled to the ground like a rag doll.

 

Thor shook his hand and for a strange moment Natasha thought he'd hurt it, but the then there was a spray of blood across the room. He was trying to get the blood off his hand without wiping it on his clothing.

 

Natasha exchanged a look with Clint and then rushed to Sitwell.

 

His jaw was obviously broken and the right side of his face was smashed almost beyond recognition. There was so much blood. It was coming from where he'd hit the wall and from where Thor had hit him. His left eye is undamaged and Natasha can see it moving in panic and in pain.

 

She turned to ask Clint for help and is just in time to see Thor take a swing at him too. Clint ducked it and let fly an arrow. Thor caught it out of the air, and tossed it to the ground in contempt before storming out of the room.

 

“CALL THE MEDICS!!!” Natasha screamed.

 

It was too late. She felt the rattle of Sitwell's breath against her hands. He died before they could get him to the medical wing.

 

It's not unexpected that Natasha has to report to about the incident.

 

So, Natasha is not surprised to find herself in front of Fury with Clint and Coulson trying to explain what happened.

 

“Ms. Romanoff. I've got an Agent in the morgue, a rogue asset and approximately 100 grand of state of the art security equipment that's been destroyed. Care to illuminate the chain of events?”

 

Natasha sighed “You have a volatile teenager with super strength that was presumably engineered to be a weapon and you are trying to study him. Surely, this sort of thing isn't shocking.”

 

“Shocking, no. Unfortunate? Definitely. Tell. Me. What. Happened.” Fury snaps in reply.

 

Natasha nods and brings up the surveillance footage. “As you can see here, Sitwell was incautious in his approach of the subject. Thor was immediately on edge after that. As far as I can tell he was insulted by the implication that he was a coward...and...” on screen Thor backhands Sitwell. “...That was that.”

 

Fury leans on the table. “Anything to add on surveillance Barton?”

 

Clint shakes his head. “Thor didn't leave the base, he didn't even try to. He paced around the lower levels, punching walls and the like, before returning to his room. Where he's been ever since.”

 

Fury groaned “Tell me you didn't put Agents in danger trying to contain him?”

 

“Negative, sir. The floor Thor was on was immediately evacuated and he returned to his room without prompting.”

 

“He still there?”

 

“Yes sir.”

 

“Do we have a way of making sure he stays there?”

 

Natasha and Clint share a look. Natasha answers “At this point: No, sir.”

 

“Nothing?!”

 

“We haven't reached the limit of his strength, based on our projections he could be as strong if not stronger than Subject Green.” Natasha says.

“So, he could rip this place apart with his bare hands?” Fury demands.

 

“You saw what he did to the containment door.” Coulson says softly.

 

“Given Thor's initial strong negative reaction to invasive medical procedures and medical procedures of any kind, we made the decision to hold off on further attempts at testing until he became more stable. We had become gradually granting the research and medical department more access to him. So we have no idea what sort of physical weaknesses or sensitivities he could have. Mainly we've been relying on psychological methods and Thor's own reluctance to leave what he percieves to be a safe space, to contain him.” Coulson reports.

 

“What about other containment methods?” Fury asks

 

Natasha shook her head. “We've yet to really test the limits of his strength...we know that the first door took no real effort for him to destroy, we know that he isn't particularly affected by most poisons, and that given his relationship with lightning it's a fair guess to say electric shocks are not going to be effective.”

 

“Alright, Coulson, weaknesses? Fears? Goddamnit, a vague dislike of spiders! Give me something! We need to contain this and we need it contained yesterday.”

 

Coulson shrugs and Natasha almost hates herself when she says. “Well, we don't know what he can't take but we know what he needs. Food, Water, basic necessities of life.

 

“Are you suggesting we torture him?” Coulson says it as midly as he says everything else, but Natasha knows there's an edge there.

 

“The Director was looking for suggestions on how to contain the threat. I gave him one.”

 

Fury wheels and presses a button on his desk. “Hill! See to it that all the footage we have of Thor gets down to the scientists. I want estimates of how hard he can hit and R&D putting something together that will contain him. Then, get everything we have prepped for a possible Mr. Green code and have it shipped here, ASAP. For the time being, Barton you are going to have eyes on him at all times, he so much as shifts in the general direction of an exit, I want to know about it. Romanoff I want you to brief security on what they're going to be contending with should he make a break for the exit. Coulson, I want you to see what you can do to get control of it- to get control of him.”

 

“But sir-”

 

“No buts Coulson, we have the possibility of a super soldier that would out-do even Captain Rogers, I firmly belief he's someone we want fighting FOR us. If not, I'm sure we can whip up a windowless room for him to rot in. Dismissed.”

 

They all troupe out, Natasha watches as Clint swings himself up and into the ventilation system.

 

Coulson, leans against the wall and puts his head down.

 

“Coulson?” she asks. “You okay?”

 

Coulson nods. “Yeah, definitely, just...I don't know whether or not Thor did it on purpose.”

 

Natasha stares at him. “Me neither.”

 

“What if it was?”

 

“Well, Fury's suggestion of a windowless room is not impossible.”

 

“He's not evil.”

 

“He doesn't have to be evil. He just has to be dangerous.”

 

“Do you think it will come to denying him food and water?”

 

“I don't know.”

 

Coulson nods, takes a deep breath and is once again the unflappable SHIELD Agent.

 

Thor is sitting at his rickety excuse for a kitchen table when Coulson walks in. His head is in his hands but when he looks up at Coulson he looks anything but sorry.

 

“Son of Coul.”

 

“Thor.”

 

There a beat of silence before Coulson speaks again. “I hope you realize your actions yesterday are going to affect things around here.”

 

Thor doesn't say anything.

 

“Until now we've been very understanding of your needs and issues but, you killed someone yesterday in cold blood, and SHIELD as an organization has been reevaluating your status here. If you are a danger to those around you then, obviously we won't be comfortable with you staying here.”

 

“I didn't mean to hurt him.”

 

Coulson's expression doesn't change. “We both know that's a lie. You may not have meant to kill him, but, I've seen your recent training Thor, you definitely meant to hurt him, and you meant to hurt him badly.”

 

Thor smiles. “I should have know that you would not be fooled by my lies Son of Coul, for you are mighty in mind and in body.”

 

Coulson doesn't smile. “Be that as it may. We gave you food, shelter and safety, asking nothing in return. You've payed us back by breaking bones and killing people. That's hurtful.”

 

Thor's grin has gone jagged and dark. “You are truly puny mortals if such misconducts fill you with fear.”

 

“Well, puny though we may be, remember, you're the one who's hiding behind us.”

 

Thor clenches his fists on the table, but doesn't get up.

 

“It's never been a matter of us keeping you here, if you want to leave there's no way we could stop you, but if you want to stay then you're going to have to do what we tell you to. Because, you are not our responsibility. You found us, and all we've done is try and help you. So, choose to stay or choose to go. But if you choose to stay you will be following our rules and agreeing to face the consequences of your actions.”

 

Thor growls in the back of his throat and makes to stand but it's too late, Coulson has backed out of the room and has disappeared down the hallway. Thor considers pursuing him but decides against it. He genuinely doesn't want to hurt Coulson, but his temper is up and if he caught the mild (vicious) man then he would. Thor lets him run and stares at the ceiling.

 

“Heimdall,” he whispers “I know not if you still stand guard over the realms, but if you do...Give me some sign of what has happened on Asgard, of what fate befell my mother, brother and father. Do they yet live? Are they prisoners? Are they safe? Some small sign Heimdall, I beg you...”

 

It pours rain for the next two days. No one makes any comments about moving Thor to a less arid region because they're scientists and it's impossible for someone to control the weather, even if he does occasionally catch lightning

 

Fury sighs as he stares out his window, he has 12 Agents undercover in life or death situations, 57 potentially volatile situations they're monitoring, and 259 people in the union that are starting to cause trouble about unsafe working conditions. The last thing he wants to be dealing with is the, possibly indestructible, homeless teenager with occasional murderous rages who happens to be living in the basement. But, these are the crosses you have to bear when you are running a super secret intelligence network and response organization.

 

He turns around and is surprised to find a statuesque women with long curly blonde hair and a breastplate has entered his office. She stood like a queen, and doesn't smile when she speaks.

“You are the man they call Fury?”

 

“I am, and to who am I speaking to?”

 

Here she lifts the corners of her mouth ever so slightly. “I am called Frigga, Mother of Thor and Loki, Wife of Odin, Daughter of Fjorgynn, Queen of Asgard.”

 

Fury raises an eyebrow. “Thor's mother? To what do I owe this pleasure?” he says dryly.

 

Frigga smiles fully now. “You have my son, surely you do not expect me, as a mother, to abandon him to your tender care.”

 

“The boy claims to have been swinging swords longer then he could walk. Your care doesn't strike me as particularly tender.”

 

“My care is as tender as it needs to be for my son to be strong.” She walks around the desk towards him and Fury almost steps back away from her. “Do not be afraid.” She says and waves her hand so that it passes through the desk. “What you see is merely a projection.”

 

“And what does this projection want?”

 

Fury notices that her hair is coming loose from it's pins and there's a rusty red streak down the length of her dress, there is a long knife held loosely in her hand. She is not just a Queen, she is a Valkyrie warrior of old.

 

“This Queen wants her son to be safe. Your organisation harbours many that are great and strange. Where better to conceal a warrior prince then among the mighty of your court?”

 

“It's not a court”

 

“You rule this world, whether the world is aware of it or not and you gather to you the mighty, the brave and the brilliant. That is a court.”

 

She turns quickly as if she's heard some sort of noise. “I must be briefer than I'd hoped. Heed this warning: Thor may be beyond my reach, but he is watched, and he is loved, and there are those who will risk everything to come to his aid if he should need it. Remember, my son may seem alone, but he has more allies than you can imagine, and if you harm him, they will come for you. And your life will be brief and brutal from that moment until your death.”

 

Suddenly she dissolvies in a green flash.

 

Fury presses the buzzer on his desk, “Security, please tell me all of that is recorded on camera.” There's a pause “Affirmative sir. We have the entire conversation on film.”

 

Fury smiles. “Good.”

 

Thor wakes in the night to see his mother standing next to his bed. “Mother!” he cries

 

“Thor” she says sternly.

 

“Has the siege been broken? Can I come home?” he asks eagerly.

 

She shakes her head. “The siege looks likely to last a century or more.”

 

“Shouldn't I try and rally forces from the nine-realms and engage a force to break it then?”

 

She shakes her head again. “They have broken the Bifrost. No help can come to the Realm Eternal now.”

 

“You cannot mean that you are doomed?”

 

She smiles softly and reaches down to cup his face. He feels a slight coldness where the projection touches his skin.

 

“We will never be doomed. Your brother-”

 

“Loki lives!?"

 

“He escaped the palace, the elves didn't catch him because I'm sure they would have made that known, but... he is hidden from Heimdall's gaze.”

 

“I should search for him.”

 

“No. Stay here. The elves have set a price on your head. They want nothing more than to parade you in chains before the walls of Asgard, they know that nothing would break the spirits of the people more than for them to see their prince made a slave.”

 

“It is not proper for the son of Odin to cower when brave men fight!”

 

` “IT IS NOT PROPER FOR THE SON OF ODIN TO BE HUNTED DOWN LIKE A DOG!” Frigga shouts. “This man Fury, he collects all the great and strange of Midgard to his court of the SHIELD. None would think to search for you on Midgard, and if they did, then you would be hidden among the great warriors of Midgard.”

 

“But....but I do not like it here. They are cruel, they treat me like an animal.” Thor murmurs brokenly.

 

Frigga stands back and looked down at her son. “I would rather see you live here than die at the walls of Asgard.”

 

“Mother...” he begs.

 

“No. As your queen, I command you to remain here at the court of Fury. There's no where else in the Nine-realms where you might avoid the spies of Malekith.”

 

“As you command my Queen.” Thor says bowing his head.

 

“I may not have the power to send a projection to speak with you again. So, until the day I may see you face to face, know that you will always have my love. My dear dear son.” Frigga whispers as the projection dissolves.

Chapter Text

Thor is moved from his dorm room. In the days and weeks since he killed Sitwell Thor had been listless and passive. It's decided to move Thor from the research facility to one of the secure holding areas that house agents, and other dangerous assets outside of Seattle.

 

They don't tell him anything about where they're taking him. They don't tell him that they've reinforced the restraints so even he couldn't break them if he tried (he doesn't).

 

The first room that he stays in in the new location is plain and white with a mattress on the floor. It's a detention level holding cell, in the very lowest level of the basement; They are relatively confident he couldn't break out if he tried. They tell him that because of the move his training may not resume for some time.

He doesn't have books or video games or television.

 

It's a simple enough plan. Thor, as far as they can tell, has been raised completely isolated from the realities of 21^st century earth. Natasha would put her money on some sort of glorified research facility that's been softened and prettied up around the edges. They are just keeping up with the standards that have been set.

 

After one week without having seen another living person, Thor tries calmly at first and them with increasing panic to break out of the cell. He cracks the walls and dents the doors but he can't get out. In the end he sits there and howls at the ceiling.

There are violent thunderstorms for a whole week.

 

Once he quiets down Coulson starts speaking to him over the intercom. He reminds Thor that he chose to remain with SHIELD, that he doesn't know anything about the world. He tells Thor that all Thor needs to do is ask to leave and they will take him anywhere in the world he wants to go, and he'll never have to see or hear from them again, but Thor only ever shakes his head, and says nothing.

 

 

They leave him the cell for 3 weeks without having him see another living person.

 

When Thor begins to weep, silently, Coulson decides it's time to break the boy's isolation.

 

It turns Clint's stomach but after that it's easy. Thor is strong, stronger then any young man his age should ever have to be, but he's also uncomplicated. Which is part of why it is so easy, in the end to do to him what they're doing. Psychologically conditioning someone who is young and trusting and doesn't have complicated desires is very easy. Thor is so lonely that Clint doesn't doubt he'd rip his own arm off if it would mean a kind word.

 

Thor is moved into the second room. It looks like a standard barrack's room for an Agent to stay in while on base, but it's walls and furniture are all reinforced against any possible outburts and the door only locks from the outside. It contains a bunk, a bedside table and a small dresser. It is Plain, utilitarian, impersonal and bare. Still no books, still no television and they keep him in SHIELD issue uniforms with no shoes.

It easy to deny him these things, since it doesn't occur to him to ask for them.

 

Agents are assigned on a rotating basis to instruct Thor in the things that SHIELD decides he should know. Coulson monitors the curriculum and the results. After this goes off flawless for a month they start making Thor undergo medical tests.

 

He sits completely still while they take his blood, cut pieces of his skin, swab his cheeks. He runs until he collapses (2 weeks without pause), and grits his teeth when they inject him with various chemical cocktails.

 

Clint is still on surveillance for the kid and it's starting to be a bit difficult. Yes, Thor killed Sitwell, but most everyone Clint had ever loved had at least one impulse murder on their consience.

 

The fact of the matter was that Thor was a good kid. Whenever he saw Natasha or Coulson or (those occasions when Clint took pity on the poor guy) Clint, the sullen silent statue was replaced with a cheerful and genial young man.

 

Hell, when Thor wasn't half-heartbroken or in a rage he was practically a golden retriever puppy made human.

 

Thor doesn't talk about Asgard anymore and Natasha finds she misses it. In the two months when she'd been training him before he killed Sitwell, he used to tell stories that related to whatever they were training. If she wanted to demonstrate an unarmed wrist block, he'd tell her about the time two of his friends had gotten into a fight and one had accidentally stabbed the other through the arm. If she had been talking about pressure points and using the opponents weight and momentum against them he would laugh and talk about the times one of his particularly large friends would simply bear-hug whoever was trying to spar with him and hold them up off the ground with their arms pinned until they yielded.

 

He doesn't tell those stories anymore. Instead he nods, serious and focused and practices the maneuvers a dozen times on the weighted bags, and then the dummies, he's so calm these days that they're thinking of letting him practice with real people soon.

He's careful now and Natasha is glad but she's also afraid, because she doesn't think he'd actually care if he killed another Agent, he'd just care that by killing another Agent he'd upset her.

 

Aproximately one year after being introduced to the blonde haired menace Natasha and Clint are officially taken off their assignment.

 

Apparently they've redeemed themselves in Fury's eyes (that or the Thor problem has made him so angry that the Budapest incident hardly even rates as an incoveniance anymore).

 

They go their separate ways but meet up as usual the next time they're both stateside and go for some beers. They don't mention Thor but they both think about him.

Chapter Text

Clint doesn't seen Thor again until 3 years later when there is a Hulk incident.

 

He's been brought in to monitor the perimeter and see to it that no one else goes in or out except the SHIELD response team who he's flying in on a helicopter.

 

The response team consists of two mid level field agents, the kind who can competantly jump out of planes and infiltrate criminal organizations when given the proper back-up, but who you'd never trust to improvise and a tall kid who's probably cutting his teeth on this new world.

 

Said blonde kid literally picks Clint off the ground in a bear hug when Clint walks through the door and bellows “CLINT!! It is a joy unlooked for to see you again! When they spoke of the Hawkeyed one I did not think it would be you!!”

 

That's when it all clicks. “Thor...?” Clink asks. Over Thor's shoulder he can see the field agents unclipping their weapons, “Put me down you're scaring the normals.”

 

Thor dropa him but keeps grinning like Christmas has come early. He hadn't aged a day in the last 3 years, and was every inch the not-quite-adult that he'd been when Clint had last seen him, minus about a foot and a half of blonde hair.

 

Which, if Natahsa ever finds out about this, will be his excuse for how Thor managed to catch him by surprise. That and this is the first time he's ever seen the guy in anything but standard issue SHIELD sweats and a t-shirt. He's wearing a suit not unlike Hawkeye's custom one, sleeveless with a kevlar vest and pants that are tight and stretchy enough to allow for a full range of movement while also allowing the wearer to maintain a shred of dignity.

Actually, on further reflection it's also the only time he's seen the guy in shoes either.

 

“Agent Red. Step away from Agent Barton.” Field Agent number one barks.

 

Thor's face falls like a ton of bricks and he glanced over his shoulder and then took one deliberate step back.

 

Clint doesn't realize that Thor is the entirety of the plan to contain the Hulk until he jumps out of the helicopter and the other two field agents very obviously don't.

 

This seems monumentally stupid right up until Clint sees Thor grab one of the Hulk's punches and head butt him. After that it seems monumentally brilliant.

 

When Clint flies in to collect Dr. Banner another helicopter comes down to collect Thor with his field agents.

 

Thor looks happier than Clint has ever seen him as he slaps Banner on the back.

“Truly the warriors of Midgard must be proud beyond measure to have such a great berserker amongst them!” He's saying when one of the field agents barks at him to get in the heilcopter.

 

This leaves Clint alone with a mostly naked man in the middle of what used to be pristine Himalayan wilderness.

 

Dr Banner looks like he's going to be sick as he watched the helicopter fly away.

 

“I take it I just had the honour of meeting the first successful attempt since 1941?” He says hollowly.

 

“No, well, maybe” Clint admits. “Would you believe we found him wandering around in the desert?”

 

“So, you're saying it wasn't SHIELD.”

 

“As far as I know.”

 

“And you know everything do you?” Banner asks wearily.

 

It sends ice down Clint's spine, but he hides it. “They found him in New Mexico claiming to be Thor the God of Thunder. Whatever made him what he is, it wasn't us.”

 

“And instead of giving him psychiatric care you decided to turn him into a weapon.”

 

“Listen pal, I don't make decisions, I'm a soldier I follow orders. And, don't go looking at him like he's some sort of lost puppy. He came to us a weapon. He threw tantrums that broke limbs and ended lives. The least he could do is try and make up for that.”

 

Banner glances at him. “Do you really believe that Agent Barton?” he asks.

 

“I believe what I'm told to believe Dr. Banner. Now, if you don't mind, let's get out of here.”

 

Banner nods and walks gingerly towards the jet.

 

They're halfway to a covert base in Nepal when Banner blurts out: “Is he always like that?”

 

“Is who like what?” Clint asks, unsure of what is happening.

 

“Thor, is he always like that?”

 

“What? All 'Now is the hour we draw our swords together' ? Yeah, pretty much.” Clint replies.

 

Banner leans his head against the window. “That seems pretty exhausting.”

 

“You're telling the guy who spent nearly a year crawling around in vents tracking his every move.” Clint says with a grin.

 

Banner almost chuckles. “And I thought the other guy was terrifying.”

 

The joke falls flat because it's true. The other guy was the result of an experimental procedure that was consented to by an adult, who'd engineered it in the first place. Whatever, or whoever made Thor they didn't do it when he was old enough to make a choice. Given the way he talked, Thor's been something more and less than human for a long long time.

 

SHIELD was supposed to have made Thor more human but flying Dr Banner down to Calcutta and listening to him talk about his meditation and tea drinking, Clint can't help but wonder if they didn't make him less.

--------------------------------------------

 

Thor was very happy to see the warrior Clint again, and to learn that his renown was such that all the great warriors of Midgard admired him.

 

The warrior Clint, unlike most of Fury's household warriors, did not shy away from Thor and Thor enjoyed that. He had been very lonely in the last years. He misses the early days of Shield when he had a large room to himself full of books and a couch, when the scientists would come and talk to him and Coulson looked at him with kindness. It was his own fault that had ceased, he knows but that did not mean he didn't mourn it's passing nonetheless.

 

Thor isn't allowed to wear his uniform unless he was out on a mission. So when he got back to base he changes into his sweat pants and t-shirt again, and runs his hand through his hair. He misses how long it had been, but SHIELD had insisted that if he wanted to fight for them he would have to have short hair.

 

Anything was worth getting out of his tiny room, so he'd let them cut it all off.

 

Thor pads barefoot towards his room, but pauses at the door. Perhaps the Hawkeye would be willing to sit and talk to him when he returns. He would be willing to share stories of his battles. To know such comraderie again would be a great joy indeed

 

Thor sits down at a different table in the cafeteria. In the past he'd usually sat at the one closest to the food, but today he chooses to sit at one that has a good view of the door. If Hawkeye is like the other agents this will be the first place he comes after his debriefing.

 

He gets a tray of food and sits down. He eats it as slowly as possible so that he will have an excuse to stay in the cafeteria (his handlers have a bad habit of showing up and shooing him back to his room if he looks idle).

 

The Hawk does not come in to the cafeteria that day even though Thor waits until the kitchen is closed. He doesn't come the next day either.

 

By the fourth day of glares, and sitting alone at his table Thor has had enough. The Hawk is probably away on a mission and may not return for weeks or months (or perhaps he remembers the death of Agent Sitwell and will not frequent the cafeteria while Thor is there).

 

He doesn't go to the cafeteria go the next couple of days.

 

He lies on his bed and stares at the ceiling. Mother had commanded he stay here and hide among the great and strange of Midgard, so stay here he must, despite the boredom and how much he wishes to leave.

 

It is not a good life. Most of Thor's days were very very dull. He was allowed access to the training rooms only when supervised and only when preparing for a mission and he was not allowed to read the many tales and histories of this realm.

 

He misses his friends and his brother like a missing limb. He wonders if Hogun is dead, he wonders if Volstagg is. Fandral and Sif should be safe since, like him, they will be considered too young to risk in the fighting.

 

Thor groans and rolls onto his stomach. It's been about three years. It's likely the siege will last another 50 or 100. Even then, who knows whether someone will come get him?

 

There's a small sound on the outside of Thor's door and he looks up to see what is definitely the Hawk decending from the ceiling. After a moment Thor hears the familiar beeps of the door being unlocked.

 

“Thor, can I come in?” he hears Barton whisper.

 

“Of course! Enter my friend.”

 

Barton ducks into the room and immediately closes the door behind him.

 

“I'm not really supposed to be here.” he says.

 

Thor grins. “Why are you here my friend? Not that your prescence isn't welcome, but...”

 

Clint grins right back. “Well, I saw you, all grown up and an Agent and I wanted to talk to you. I heard you were hanging around the cafeteria, I hoped to find you there, but...” Clint shrugs.

 

Thor smiles sheepishly. “The other agents do not care for me, so I thought it best I make myself scarce..”

 

Clint frowns. “Is that about Sitwell, because honestly, if they don't have the stomach for bloodshed they're in the wrong business!” He sits down on the bed next to Thor. “ II mean half of the field agents have accidentally killed someone at least once, or, in Natasha's case, many times on purpose!”

 

Thor smiles a little. It was on purpose, but he's not going to tell Clint that.

 

 Clint hops off the bed again and stretches, looking around. “This is not a very big room.” he comments. “Do they keep you in here all the time?”

 

Thor shakes his head. “I'm permitted access to certain parts of the facilities, and may wander there whenever I wish.”

 

“Alright man, let's wander!” Clint says going to the door and grinning at Thor.

 

Thor smiles. For the first time in 3 and a half years, it feels like he's got a friend.

Chapter Text

Fury starts to get nervous, because, like it or not, someone had come after the kid, and had cared enough to basically give Fury a shovel talk, and Fury, while not directly ignoring said talk is, nonetheless, obeying the letter but not the spirit of the orders given.

 

So, it's the memory of that Queen in her blood streaked dress that keeps him from ending the budding friendship Thor seems to be forming with Barton.

 

Because Barton is trouble. Trouble with a captial T. Barton didn't come at this the usual routes (those being the army, the underworld or science, not the circus). Which wouldn't be that much of a problem if he weren't also the type of person who crawled around air vents eavesdropping for fun, did backflips off of highrises with a bow and arrow as his only safety line and befriended teenagers with super strength who believe themselves to be Norse deities.

 

Clint does realize that technically he shouldn't be spending any time with Thor. He acknowledges that point. But, the kid's...well, a kid! More of one than Clint ever got to be and more of one than Natasha ever was, and yes there was that killing thing that happened, but- but...this is SHIELD and if you're not lethal enough to kill someone by accident then you are probably shouldn't even be here.

Thor is allowed access to a couple different areas other than his room but most of he agents give him a pretty wide berth, so Clint isn't exactly helping his image by hanging around the kid.

 

That's okay because, Clint, for a variety of reasons, has a somewhat unfortunate reputation: 1) he's friends with Natasha and everyone is scared of the Black Widow, 2) the air-vent thing has been blown completely out of proportion 3) the story about that time he was tied to a chair and ripped out his own finger nails in and used them as projectile weapons to kill his captor had started making the rounds again.

 

So, Clint sits with Thor and talks with Thor and does acrobatic avoidance maneuvers whenever Thor tries to pat him too hard on the back. It's good. It's as close to friendship as Thor is ever going to get in SHIELD.

 

But things can't stay good forever, Clint knows that better than anyone. Thor is becoming less and less easy to handle. It's not that he's violent it's just that he's implacable. He's stated asking Clint lots of uncomfortable questions, about who rules these lands and why Fury acts only in secrecy. His missions also mean he's been catching bigger and bigger glimpses of the world. Worse than that, he's bored stiff and Clint's pretty sure if they don't give him SOMETHING to do Thor'll start making trouble just for the hell of it.

 

Clint is pretty sure Thor has put it together that he's basically a prisoner, but then the guy's smarter than he seems. He probably knew all along.

 

Clint is also pretty sure that Thor doesn't know about the drugs and cages that have been developed to contain and control him should he ever stop playing nice (technically Clint isn't supposed to know about them either but come one! He's a SUPER SPY).

 

Clint is in the vents when he hears two of Thor's handlers discussing his latest mission

 

“....I swear, he stopped in the middle of the street and wouldn't move until I explained to him why everyone was waiting in line in front of the Apple Store.”

 

“Aw, man that thing is more trouble than he's worth. Did I tell you about our mission in Rio? He completely went off-mission...”

 

The voices fade as the Agents move down the halls, but Clint has heard enough to know that Thor is going to be in serious trouble soon. He squirms forward at top speed, heading for a room on the third floor where computers are often left unattended by a lazy tech assistant.

 

Thor may be a mildly-delusional murderer but the same could be said of Clint himself, and he's not about to let Thor get nailed for being a thinking-feeling person instead of a trained attack dog.

 

 Clint isn't surprised when he gets called in to talk to Fury.

 

“I won't mince words” Fury barks. “Thor is becoming a liability in the field, last mission he paused to look at an Apple Store and downtown Tucson was nearly destroyed.”

 

Clint cleared his throat. “He's a teenager, there's a big world out there, give him an apartment somewhere close by that can be monitored and he'll probably behave a bit better.”

 

“Give him an inch he'll take a mile and he is not an Agent, Barton! He is an asset that's well on his way to needing to be contained.”

 

Clint snorts “Sure, Hulk wreaks Harlem you send him off to be a Doctor in Calcutta. Thor bitchslaps someone a bit too hard it's a cold windowless cell for him!”

 

“The two incidents are hardly the same. We try and bring Hulk in we're going to have another incident that may make Harlem look tidy. Thor was fully in control-”

 

“So was Natasha!” Clint nearly yells.

 

“Ms. Romanoff is HUMAN!! We have no idea what we've got living in our basement!! As far as we can tell there is NO match for Thor in a fight. We cut him lose and he goes off reservation we don't have a safety net. We have him in our control now, but for how much longer?” Fury asks. “We have a small window in which we can neutralize him. We let that pass...we will never be able to contain him.”

 

“Sir yes, Sir.” Agent Barton says, standing at full attention.

 

Fury gives Agent Barton a calculatting stare. “Subject Red is an asset,and as of today we are going to be taking measures to contain him. We are going to begin dosing Subject Red with the specially formulated sedatives and tranquilizers R&D have been developing in the last 3 years.”

 

“He's going to be drugged into a near vegetative state from now on?” Clint asks.

 

“Unless we have a need for him to be alert and able. Which is highly unlikely.”

 

“So, that's it? He's what? 22 years old and his life is over?” Clint asks.

 

“If you choose to look at it that way. I prefer to think, he's 22 years old and he will never hurt anyone every again.” Fury responds.

 

“What are your orders sir?” Clint asks.

 

“You are...friendly with Subject Red. You are to monitor the effects of the drugs and advice the staff if a higher dose is needed. You will also ensure that the subject suspects nothing. Is that clear?”

 

Clint snaps to attention again. “Sir, yes, sir!”

Chapter Text

Thor does not feel...right. He can hardly focus his eyes on anything and when he tries to walk if feels as though the floor is moving like the deck of a ship.

 

Is he ill? But, that is impossible....no midgardian virus should harm him....

 

He wanders, listing from one wall to the other as he tries to make it down the hallway. Clint of the Hawkeye. Clint is his friend. Clint will help.

 

He stumbles and finds himself on his hands and knees. Even braced on his arms he feels the world sway around him. He can not rise. Why can't he rise to his feet?

 

There's something he needs to do...something important.

 

He's weak. People are walking around him but nobody stops. Someone should help him! He's a prince! Or maybe he's only a monster who dreamed he was a prince.

 

His head feels very heavy. Everything feels very heavy. It's like a joke Loki would play, mighty Thor with all his strength: too weak to stand up.

 

Heh. Loki. Where's Loki? He usually visits when Thor is sick...

 

A hand grabs his shoulder and Thor tries to knock it away but it feels like he's wading in molasses.

 

“Whoa there! Buddy!” he hears. “It's me! Clint! Hawkeye!”

 

“manofhawk...I took youfwar my brother...where's Loki?” Thor slurs.

 

 

Clint is in a panic. What they hell were they thinking? What the hell was Thor thinking?

He grabs Thor's head and tries to get him to look at Clint but Thor's eyes can't seem to focus.

 

“C'mon Big guy.” Clint grunts trying to leverage Thor up into a standing position. It's like trying to shift 200lbs of jello. Thor's on the good stuff and it's kicking in fast.

 

“Msorry....Some....somethings the matter with me...” Thor manages to say as he lolls half upright, leaning against Clint.

 

Clint glances around. They're in the middle of a busy intersection and Clint knows that the audio mics in communal areas are shit, these ones will probably be on because of Thor but... it's a risk he's willing to take.

 

He grabs Thor's face again and turns it so he's looking in the general direction of Clint's face. After a few seconds he almost seems to focus.

 

“Listen, Thor.” Clint hisses. “If you ever want to see your brother again you stay conscious. They drugged your food. You pass out it's a needle in your arm and a small windowless room for the rest of your life!” he finishes the last bit at barely a whisper.

 

Slowly Thor nods. “I...have...beeen....betraayed.” he says, very slowly, as if getting each word out takes all his concentration.

 

“Yeah, buddy. I'm sorry.” Clint replies. “I'm taking you back to your room. If you can stay conscious until you sober up you're home clear. Then, get out as far and as fast as you can. Okay.”

 

Thor nods again, but then a looks very afraid. “I...have noo...” He can't finish. He needs to tell Clint. He needs to tell his friend this but the words are so difficult to find and he's...

 

Clint seems to understand though. He nods. “On your way out, look for a paper bird hanging from the ceiling. I'll put the address of someone you can trust on it okay.”

 

He traps Thor between his body and the wall and manages to leverage the boneless man up and into a full standing position. He drapes an arm over his shoulder and starts to stagger down the hall.

 

“C'mon Thor. Enough babbling about your, I'm sure, completely adorable kid brother. Let's get you back to your room.” He says loudly, in the directly of the mic.

 

It probably helps his plan that Thor starts crying at that, and mumbling about how he may never know whether his brother lives or not.

 

Clint deposits Thor on his bed and props him into a sitting position. Before he leaves he grabs his face again and hisses, “Remember.”

 

Clint heads down the hall and says into his earpiece. “Thor is responding very strongly to the drugs, but I'd advise holding off on further doses until he goes unconscious. Shouldn't be long now, but he's quite distressed by what's happening. Keeps asking where his brother in. Over.”

 

“We copy Agent Barton. Medical team on standby. We'll wait for your signal.”

 

Clint lets the connection end and swings himself up and into the vents.

 

It's going to be a long night.

 

 

 

Thor doesn't know how long he sits there, trying to stay upright and trying to remember the name of each and every rank in the Asgardian army to stay awake.

 

He needs to stay awake. The Hawk said to stay awake. The Hawk is his friend.

 

Thor remembers why in a panic. The were going to lock him away, deep in their dark vaults. Like one of his father's stolen relics, never to see Loki, or his mother again. Never to feel another storm or catch another bolt of lightning.

 

He needs to leave.

 

He grabs the handle of the door but it won't move. He turns it as far as it will go but it just snaps off in his hand.

He screams and swings his fists wildly. The door doesn't budge but the wall around it comes apart in pieces.

 

He runs than. As fast as he can up through the many halls and passageways, towards to a world he knew nothing of. He screams for the storm, for any storm to come and guard his passage.

 

He feels an answering rumble in his chest where half a dozen little storms have stopped their lazy passage across the world to come to his aid.

 

Theres' a small bird hanging from the ceiling. He grabs it remembering Clint's words. Somewhere safe. But, the SHIELD was safe. Perhaps safety wasn't worth it.

 

It's pooring rain outside and Thor grabs a bolt of lightning on it's way down. He considers sending it shooting through the long hallways of his prison, but he thinks of his friend the Hawk who had warned him and given him help. The Hawk might be hiding in the vents and Thor could hurt him.

 

Instead he swings it round so that it scortches the outside of the building.

 

A warning and a promise. If they pursue him, he will grant them no more such mercies.

 

Thor feels the dirt beneath his feet turning to mud. He leans back and drinks in the rain. Then, clutching the little bird in his first, he heads east. The storms trail behind him and cover his tracks.

 

Chapter Text

There's a knock on Dr. Erik Selvig's door.

 

Huddled on his stoop, thin and muddy is a young blonde haired man dressed only in a t-shirt, and sweatpants. The poor fellow didn't even have any shoes on.

 

“Greetings! Dr. Selvig! I hate to impose upon your hospitality but...I require aid.”

 

It's the strange Shakespearean English that does it. This is the young man that Erik and Martin had hit with their land rover all those years ago. He hasn't aged a day since Erik had last seen him.”

 

“My God!” he says “Thor! What happened!? Are you alright?”

 

Thor smiles weakly. “I decided to leave, Dr. Selvig. Clint! Who is my friend! He became my friend after you went away... He said you might help me?”

 

He looks so sad and so hopeful and soo very very young. Selvig thinks about Jane, who is young and alone and afraid. He thinks about what he would want someone to do if she went to a stranger asking for help.

“Of course Thor, come in, come in..” he says, opening the door for him.

 

Thor smiles, rubbing his hands against his bare arms. “Thank you Dr. Selvig. I'm sure I won't bother you for long...”

 

“Nonsense, Thor. Nonsense! Stay as long as you need!”.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Clint is expecting it when he is called into Fury's office this time. \

 

Fury gazes at him over his steepled fingers. “Anything you'd care to share with me Agent?”

 

Clint stands at attention. “No sir.”

 

“Nothing you'd like to tell me about how Thor happened to escape?”

 

“He's a genetically engineered supersoldier sir. I would think that is pretty obvious.”

 

“MmmmmmHhhhmmmm” Fury hums.

 

Clint refuses to crack. His poker face isn't as good as Coulson's or Natasha's but he can do this. He can do this.

 

“'Cause looks to me like Thor was reacting as expected to the drugs right up until you helped him to his room. Then he seemed to put a real effort into fighting their effects.”

 

“I guess we underestimated him sir.”

 

“MmmmHmmmm..”

 

The stare at each other in complete silence for nearly a full minute before Clint cracks.

 

“Was there anything else sir?”

 

“No, Agent Barton. Dismissed.”

 

Clint turned to go and was almost free and clear when Fury suddenly said: “Oh, and Barton. If I ever find out you were in anyway, behind this? You'll wish you'd never been born.”

 

Clint turned and smiled as sincerely and as innocently as he could. “Well of course sir.”