nextgenerationmarvel | Midnightmare Snack

Every night for the last few months, Niklas Thorson of Asgard had been having the same dream. He was standing outside an icy cave, cold gusts of wind battering his face as he waited for the mysterious figure in a scarlet cloak and hood to appear. As always, the mysterious figure’s face was obscured in darkness. As always, the figure beckoned Nicky closer, to follow them into the cave. As always, Nicky stood his ground, and beckoned the figure to come to him. He would not follow a faceless figure into the dark, cold cave, because he knew what lay there, and it was something he wanted no part of. As always, the figure would hesitate and step closer to Nicky. Each time though, he would reach out to yank the figure’s hood off their face, but just as the face was about to be revealed, he would wake up.

As he did tonight, a cold sweat coating his lithe, deceptively strong body. His hand reached up to touch the axe pendant he always wore around his neck. It was, mercifully, still there.

Not that many others could really lift it. The thing had the mass of a star.

Nicky swung his legs over the edge of his bed and shoved his feet into the fuzzy Throg slippers that sat at the end of his bed. Wrapping his thick, red robe over his bare chest, he padded downstairs.

Nicky needed mead. Mead and a whole stack of prime ribs.

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"By now mix of the two actually." She shrugged as she took a nibble of her cooling sandwich.

"Trying to avoid the zombies that invaded my nice tech dreams." She slid the rough sketches over, they were basic clockwork designs, kind of her comfort scribbles. "How about you?" She noted his snack. "Must be a night for comfort foods. No way drinking that stuff at this hour can be good for you." Though mead's one thing she's never had.

"Kind of is, isn't it?" He'd already managed to finish one set of ribs. "Bad night for you too? I'm sorry. I know what that's like." He stood up, walked around the granite-topped island, and reached into one of the cupboards, and pulled out a shiny copper beer stein. He poured some mead into it and then passed it to Mira. "This is mostly what we drink at home," he said. "Back in Asgard." He sat back down and took a gulp. "I mean, water too, but water's nourishment. This is comfort."

She chuckled a little. "Not complaining, wanted to work on things anyway before the computer kicks my ass again in training." Though truth be told she's been setting it at the level just above hers lately to push herself and her bike.

She glanced at the mug. "Drinking at..." A glance at the clock told her it was far to early under most circumstances, but she shrugged again taking a small sip. "Ooh, sweeter than I would have thought." Though not too sweet. "Beats Aztec chocolate, which is normally my go to for nightmares. Just couldn't find the baking chocolate so coffee and BLTs. My mother would disapprove of all the fat in it." Mira didn't care she lived with heroes the fat got burned off keeping up with them.

"This is probably the best time to do that," Nicky said. Usually, he'd be up a couple of hours from now, training for an hour before heading out to do whatever it was that he did, barring any horrible emergencies.

"Asgard," he grinned. "Any time is a good time for a drink." He indicated the BLTs. "Honestly? Fat's probably better early in the day than late at night." Which, they were just beyond splitting the difference for that time of day. "Especially considering the lives that we lead."

"How's your training going, anyway?"

"Makes me feel like I'm back in college really." She stretched a little. "I was a bad student in class though."

There was a laugh. "Really to keep up with the energy levels you guys have, I need to down a quad shot espresso as we're going into a fight." She may or may not be joking about that.

"Not too horrible. I'm now just getting my ass handed to me at level four instead of one. We'd be screwed if I'm the last one standing, though I'm determined to get at least two levels higher by the end of the week." She was pretty sure if they had to rely on her saving the day... it wouldn't be in a fist fight, but hey, she'd give it her best shot if she had to.

"I did most of my learning on Asgard," Nicky said. "Haven't really had the school experiences you guys have had."

"Two levels is...well, I'm sure you can do it." She was in Avengers Mansion. If this was something she wasn't capable of, she wouldn't be there. "Besides, give yourself some credit. I don't think you're quite as incapable as you think you are, Mira."

"I wouldn't mind seeing it at some point. I mean I vaguely remember the myths from when I was in school, would like to see how close they are." She meant it too.

"Oh I know I am not that weak, just... under trained when it comes to fighting people who can launch me across the city." She knew where her weaknesses. "Against other normal humans one on one I can handle it though." She grinned. "And I know when I first got here I asked for help... I'm not going to run off because things are too hard for me. Tired of running and me and the bike want to try to do some good."

"I wish I could show you," Nicky replied. "I'm locked out, thanks to Hela." He missed home, but there still wasn't any way to get him back home.

"I would be more than happy to train with you, though," Nicky said. "I mean, I was trained by one of the greatest swordswomen around." Well, who had been around, until Hela had killed her. "Given that I could launch you across the city myself - don't worry, I promise to never - I'd be happy to help teach you how to hold your ground."

"Who knows; you might be able to sometime. Until then I'm happy with you and Vincent telling me about it."

She thought about it. "I wouldn't mind that actually. And as long as I don't end up in the bay I'm okay with flight. Really thinking I will be designing better jump jets for the bike though." She's not sure she'll get over the shared fear of the water she and the bike's AI have. "That if it won't get in the way of your usual activities."

"It'd be nice if I could," Nicky replied. "It's something I've been working on ever since I came back to the Avengers, but all avenues seem closed." Though there was that new Valkyrie he'd heard about. He'd been meaning to visit her one of these days. Maybe she had a way in.

Or not.

Samantha Parrington had been working with him as well, and they hadn't come up with anything yet. Though he didn't show it to anyone, Nicky was on the verge of losing hope here.

For some odd reason, Nicky was more than happy to take the world's problems on his shoulders, but he could never unload his on anyone.

"For a friend and a teammate? There's always time, Mira." Most of what Nicky did in his freetime was help people out. This was on a more personal level, and he was more than happy to help. "Just let me know whatever fits your schedule. I'll be sure to be free then."

"Maybe you'll figure it out soon." She smiles again.

"I'm flexible, besides it will get me away from the workshop for a bit. I swear I'm in there or on the phone hunting down my contacts for Bruce... Some of them have dropped off the face of the earth, but... Then again I did for a few months. And some of them have activities that make them pulling that stunt reasonable. If I don't get an email back in the next few days I'll start to worry." Basically she was going to let him decide.

Nicky grinned. "One never knows, right?"

"Sounds like you do need a break," Nicky added. "What are you usually doing around, say, eight in the mornings? If you prefer afternoons or evenings, we can swing that too." He really could make himself free any time.

"Right," She grinned back then sipped her mead again.

"Depends what morning. Weekends that usually means I'm just getting to bed." She gives a small smirk. "Blame it on needing to calm down after being on stage."

Midnightmare Snack

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