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Jane liked the daytime sky just as much as the nighttime sky. Most people would be shocked to hear that, but it was true. After a long night of diligent work and several disjointed hours of almost sleep, there was no better way to spend a warm summer afternoon in the grass watching the clouds.
She found the perfect spot on top of a hill to lay down her blanket. It was a good thing Tony owned this entire park or else she might have to share. While he and Steve argued over how to cook the burgers and the rest of their friends waited impatiently for lunch, Jane lost herself in the beauty of nature’s Rorschach test. She smiled at flowers dropping cumulus petals and laughed at an elephant balancing on a ball.
Closing her eyes, she let fresh air fill her lungs and cleanse her of her troubles. A scream cut her moment of peace short and had her scrambling to get up. At the bottom of the hill, Tony was running around like a headless chicken, completely drenched with water. Overhead, a humanoid creature spread black, feathery wings to the sun, like an angel from the pit of Hell.
As the people cried out in fear, the creature flew low, circling Jane like a bird of prey. The wind he generated almost knocked her off her feet. It was like something out of a horror movie.
Jane rolled her eyes. “Loki, come on. Haven’t you had enough for one day?”
“Enough?” Loki landed gracefully beside her. “There’s no such thing as enough, my dear. Especially when I’ve been so grievously insulted.”
“All Tony said was that he didn’t think you could grow wings,” Jane said, “and I’m pretty sure he’s right. You conjured those.”
“Is there a difference?”
Instead of waiting for an answer, Loki took off. He soared over the party and dodged an arrow Clint lazily shot his way. He swirled around Tony’s head and summoned another water bucket. The rest of the party couldn’t help their snickers as Tony boiled with the rage of a thousand wet cats.
“All right, that is IT!”
He activated his nanotech, suiting up in seconds. Thus began an intense chase through the sky, Tony easily keeping pace with Loki and Loki masterfully evading his attacks.
“Ridiculous, aren’t they?” Pepper said, scaling the hill.
Jane scooted over. “At least they’re cute.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
They settled into cloud watching, occasionally checking on their husbands’ epic battle. Nothing was broken and no one was dead, so they weren’t concerned yet.
“That one looks like a cocker spaniel,” Pepper said.
“You mean on the left?” Jane asked.
“Further down, next to the one that looks like Marilyn Monroe.”
“I thought that was Heddy Lemarr.”
Loki and Ironman burst through Heddy/Marilyn’s face. The cocker spaniel was no more and now resembled a pile of crumpled papers.
“Guys, come on,” Pepper shouted.
“We’re in the middle of something here,” Jane said.
“My apologies, ladies,” Loki said, doing a mid-air backflip to avoid a repulsor blast.
“Why don’t you guys just watch the clouds with us?” Jane said, hands on her hips. “Because I’m pretty sure someone is going to call the cops.”
Loki gasped. “Oh no, not your oh-so-terrifying police force, whatever shall I do?”
“Stop antagonizing people, that’s what.”
“Jane, do you know who I am?”
“Hmm… fair point.”
“You’re on the ground!” Tony leaped out of the air to tackle Loki and they face-planted into the dirt.
Loki vanished, reappearing behind Jane and gathering her into his arms. He took flight, a shield protecting Jane from the chill of open air. “If you want clouds, dearest, I can show you clouds.”
He carried her into the heavens, while down below, Pepper calmed an incensed Tony. They flew higher, so close that Jane could reach out and take the clouds in her hands. It was beautiful, indescribably so. Almost as perfect as the stars.
“Now what was that you were saying about my wings?” Loki asked.
"That they’re fake." Jane hugged him. "Fake and wonderful. I love them.”
Loki chuckled, leaning in for a kiss. “I love you, too.”