#(that interim of time where everyone is still adjusting to the long-term team dynamics...)

[magnusmodig]

after-action patch-up starters / @starseized

╰┈➤ "You did well out there, but you're not invincible. Let me help." ( from steve ! )

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐍 a long one. chasing down the many agents of HYDRA was no small task. they knew well the ins-and-outs of their territories , and claimed vestiges of the tesseract's power. THEY WERE RESILIENT as humans ever were , and so loki's scepter remained unaccounted for. with such power still held firmly in the clutches of FIENDS it had been of ill consequence to thor the lengths to be taken to ensure its RECOVERY.

so perhaps this time about , spurred in no small part by his own fire-wrought visions , thor had been a bit more RECKLESS than usual.

and the battle had been glorious for it. together , the avengers had had driven HYDRA into the depths. thor had laughed and shared in his companion's REVELRY as he had held the line in a FLURRY OF WINDS , AND THE FURY OF LIGHTNING. this time , their enemies had fled all but SCRAMBLING for safety. but the scepter still remained MISSING.

thor had spared them his worry for it. but his FRUSTRATION had been palpable on the ship ride back. soon enough , thor had disappeared from the main hangar of the carrier. SLIPPED AWAY as the conversation had veered off between barton , natasha and stark.

rogers had found him in the med-bay , slowly , methodically fussing with a dislocated shoulder , and a healing , open wound ripping up the side of thor's abdomen. it was not the first time that thor had been sought out by any one member of the team. and still , thor found himself searching rogers with all the mild - mannered wariness of fox circling a hound.

silence reigned. . .

until , finally , thor dipped his head in acknowledgement. this , punctuated by a low grunt. the door whizzed shut behind rogers , but it seemed entering was about the only acquiescence his teammate was allowed for now. thor's body angled part-way aways , hands thumbing through the propped-open tin of a midgardian FIRST - AID BOX. stubborn as ever. stubborn , stubborn , stubborn.

"You did well out there, but you're not invincible. Let me help."

airlessly , thor laughed. ❝ contrarily , my friend , i have not said that i am. ❞ thor's lips curled tersely around a grimace as he relaxed his shoulders and methodically worked his shoulder back into place. but feeling it ill-mannered to leave steve's offer of kindness on such an uneasy note , thor TRIED AGAIN. this time , with a teasing twinkle in his eye.

❝ i just heal faster than you. ❞