Shine Again (An Avengers: Infinity War/Endgame Story)

Chapter 44: Sisters Nonetheless

    Layla stood hesitantly just outside the doorway to Anja's bedroom. She had been standing there a few minutes now, trying to work up the courage to go bother her best friend. She needed to talk to her about something, and she only hoped that when she did, Anja didn't take it personally. This talk was one she had been meaning to have with her for a while now, there just hadn't been a good time. Not to mention, Layla preferred to have this chat with just Anja, and it was hard with Loki being attached to her hip. Luckily she was able to employ Thor's help to keep his brother busy for a bit. Surely their discussion about dual kingship would be a lengthy one.

    The blonde woman took a deep breath and then stepped through the door, hoping Anja was in her room and not wandering somewhere around the palace. Luckily for her, Anja was inside the room, oblivious to the fact anyone had entered. The future queen had her back to Layla and was dancing around to music only she could hear. It was surely a strange sight. The young woman was still dressed in one of the various gowns Loki had procured for her, and her golden tiara rested between loose curls once again. The green off the shoulder gown had three-quarters sleeves, and they were adorned with a thin tulle-like fabric that went all the way to the floor, or at least it would've had Anja not been moving her arms to the beat of whatever she had been listening to. Layla felt rather under-dressed in comparison, but she doubted Anja would care.

    Layla watched her friend for a moment, unable to resist smiling. It had been a long time since she had seen Anja dance, especially if she excluded the coronation and the New Year's party. During happier times, Anja danced all the time. Layla remembered many nights of them dancing together while they did their chores as kids or around the campsite as teenagers and adults. And then after what had happened with Clint, it just stopped. Layla hated correlating so many of the changes in Anja to the breakup, but it was very hard not to. It changed her drastically, and Layla was terrified that it could happen again if Anja wasn't careful.

    After watching her for a minute or so, Layla decided she was going to say something, but Anja finally turned to face her as she continued to dance, causing her to jump back in astonishment when she realized Layla was standing there.

    Anja removed her headphones from her ears. "How long have you been standing there?"

    "Only a couple minutes," Layla answered. "You looked like you were enjoying yourself, so I didn't want to interrupt."

    "Uh huh, likely story," Anja replied, placing her headphones on a nearby two-person table next to her cellphone. She tapped the screen of her phone, likely turning the music off. "So do you need something? I thought you would've been spending the afternoon outside or something."

    Layla shrugged. "Eh, I thought I'd spend some time with you instead. Thor wanted to talk to Loki about stuff. Spencer, Tony, and Bruce are gone... so it's really just us for the first time in a while."

    The expression on Anja's face softened a bit at the realization. Layla couldn't remember the last time it had been just the two of them, and she was sure Anja was struggling to remember it too. It was certainly long before this adventure started, probably for the first time in nearly a year. Anja sighed and gracefully sat down at the table, gesturing for Layla to do the same. Layla sat in the empty chair across from her, staring at her hands for a moment before looking up at Anja. So much had changed since their last one-on-one time that Layla wasn't even completely sure where to begin. Anja was nearly a completely different person than she was at the start of this, let alone a year ago.

    Layla took a deep breath. "So uh... how have things been?"

    Anja raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Things have been fine," she answered.

    Honestly Layla expected more. "Just fine? I would've assumed you would've said fantastic or something, considering all this time you've been spending with your new man and all," she replied.

    "Things with Loki have been remarkable, but I know you are far from his biggest fan, so I assumed you don't want to hear me singing his praises," Anja retorted.

    The comment stung a little, but Layla knew Anja had every reason to be on the defensive. To this point, Layla hadn't exactly shown her support beyond the initial conversation on the spaceship. If anything, her actions had shown she was against them, even if she wasn't.

    "I get why you would think that, and I am sorry I have given you that impression," she sighed.

    "Well if that's not the case, then what is it?" Anja asked, crossing her arms across her chest as she gave Layla an expectant look.

    Layla thought about it for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to word her trepidation. "I guess I'm just worried that Tony has made some valid points. Loki doesn't exactly have the best track record. He's betrayed a lot of people, including us once already- even if he did it to save you," she started. "Everything right now just seems too good to be true, you know?"

    Anja was quiet for a moment. "You all have this image of him as this horrible person. While he has done some questionable things, Loki is not all bad," she answered. "He has started his path to redemption. He helped save Asgard. He agreed to help us to stop Thanos, and saved me from him." She paused for a moment, contemplating her words carefully. "I feel that you and Tony both feel this way because you haven't gotten to know him as well as I have the last few months during our travels and assume the worst about him based upon his past."

    This was a serious conversation, but Layla couldn't resist making a quip, "Well of course we don't know him as well as you; Tony and I aren't sleeping with him."

    "Hey," Anja retorted weakly.

    Layla smiled a little. "Sorry, sorry," she replied. "You're right. I don't know him like you do. For some reason, he only has really opened up to you, which is fine since you're together and all. I get that. But it's also because of that that I'm worried."

    One of Anja's eyebrows raised. "Why's that?"

    Layla sighed. "Well, the last time I blindly trusted you with someone, they turned out to have a whole secret family that even people close to us covered up," she explained. "While I doubt Thor is covering up anything of that magnitude for his brother, Loki has his own slew of issues Clint never did. It's his reputation for lies, deception, and chaos that have me concerned. Not to mention he's a talented sorcerer, and could've easily manipulated you with those abilities."

    There was no hesitation from Anja. "He wouldn't do that. He's not like that."

    "Neither was Clint; not until Tony exposed his lies," Layla pointed out, her voice sounding harsher than she had intended. "As your best friend, I'm just trying to make you realize how quickly things are progressing and to hopefully make you exercise a little caution. You've only been with him a few months, and you're all but officially engaged. It's all happening so fast and it worries us. None of us want to see you hurt again."

    Her words didn't seem to matter. "I appreciate your concern, but you really don't need to worry about me," Anja insisted. "I'm not a child, and I don't need you or any of the others trying to police my decisions."

    Layla sighed again. "Anja-"

    "-no. Loki has done nothing for any of you to be so critical of him," Anja cut her off. "I told you back on the ship that he made me happy; that hasn't changed. I love him so dearly. He treats me well, and ultimately that should be what matters to you all, but for some reason it isn't. And quite frankly I'm tired of trying to explain that to everyone."

    Layla took a deep breath, trying to calm herself a bit. She didn't blame Anja for snapping off like she did. It had to be tiring, defending your choice to be with someone constantly. She hadn't intended for this conversation to go south the way it did, and she was going to try her damnedest to correct that. She didn't want Anja mad at her, especially right now when Thanos could rear his ugly head at any moment and kill them all.

    "I know, okay? Just listen for a second," Layla replied. "As long as you are happy and treated well, I'm going to support you, alright? I just wanted to express my concern over the speed things are going. This is your first relationship since Clint, and I don't want to see you hurt again. That's it. I'm not saying this because I hate Loki- because I don't hate him; I'd be telling you this no matter who it was. His reputation isn't great, but I'm trying to look past that for you. I just want you to be safe."

    Anja was silent for a few seconds. "You weren't like this with Spencer when she started getting all googly-eyed over Bucky after her and Gianna broke up. Bucky's got just as sketchy a reputation as Loki does."

    "Oh yes I was; you were just too busy with Clint to notice it," Layla countered.

    Anja huffed indignantly at the mention of her ex, but said nothing else. She looked away from her friend, diverting her attention to her phone, seemingly scrolling through an app. Layla frowned, and even though Anja wasn't looking at her, she must've caught it from the corner of her eye.

    "I'm not really sure what you want me to say. I don't feel like we are rushing much of anything," Anja replied, setting her phone back down. "Loki merely expressing his intention of marrying me doesn't mean we are going to be wed tomorrow. I'm sure it will be a few months at least before that happens."

    "That's just the thing, Anja," Layla continued. "You were with Clint for what? Three years? Marriage never came up."

    "Of course it didn't; he was already married and I was just the side-piece, remember?" Anja spat, unable to hide how hurt that whole situation made her. She was quiet for a moment before adding, "As much as I loved him- as much as parts of me still do- and as naive and deluded as I was, that was never going to happen. I was never going to be good enough."

    It was a fair point. Layla was sure bringing up the old wounds wasn't helping matters, but Anja needed to hear how crazy this whole thing sounded. A few months with anyone- let alone the God of Mischief- wasn't truly long enough to make such a life altering decision. She doubted Anja was going to change her mind, being the stubborn woman she was, but at least she tried to caution her. She could tell her friend was getting frustrated, and Layla didn't want to go down that route anymore. Enough was enough.

    "It wasn't your fault, Anja. You didn't make him lie to you for years. I don't know, maybe he did love you, but ultimately his actions were not ones of love," Layla replied softly. She paused, thinking over her words carefully. "It's honestly because of this that I am so skeptical of Loki, even if I don't have a reason beyond his reputation. I truly hope he proves me wrong and makes you the happiest you have ever been."

    Anja nodded slowly, holding back some tears. "Thank you."

    "No need to thank me," Layla said, offering her friend a small smile. "Now enough about that. Let's talk about something else." When Anja nodded, wiping her eyes, Layla continued. "So I saw you talking to Nat last night at the coronation between all your dancing and future queen duties. That's not something I thought I'd ever see again, considering she never told you about that whole mess."

    Anja shrugged. "We talked about it, and she apologized for not telling me before Tony did. She didn't know how to tell me. Clint's her best friend. I don't agree with it, but I get it. I forgive her," she explained, her voice still a little strained like it always was when they talked about Clint. She paused for a moment. "She was telling me about how after the Civil War nonsense she found her little sister, Yelena."

    "I didn't know Nat had a sister," Layla replied.

    "They're not biological sisters. They're like us," Anja elaborated. "Raised by the same parents, but no blood relation."

    Layla nodded. "Sisters nonetheless."

    Anja smiled a little. "From what she was saying, I think their relationship is probably a lot like ours," she went on. She paused for a moment before looking up at Layla. "They butt heads, but ultimately always come back together and know that the other is only looking out for the other's best interest."

    That last sentence spoke volumes. Layla was worried that Anja was going to take everything she said during this personally or as an attack against her and Loki. That wasn't her intention at all, and it seemed that despite getting defensive throughout the conversation, Anja understood that. Even if she didn't listen to any of that, Layla was just glad Anja wasn't mad.

    "That's what sisters do," she said, smiling back at Anja.

    The smile on Anja's face grew, but she said nothing more. She didn't need to.

    "So why don't you turn that music back on, and we make this a party?" Layla asked. "Like old times."

    "I was wondering how long it was going to take you to ask about that," Anja replied, unable to hide a laugh. She picked her phone up and tapped and swiped a few times before she sat it back down with the music playing once more.

    As the song echoed through the chamber, Layla couldn't help but laugh. "It's Raining Men?' Seriously?" When Anja merely shrugged. "Do you realize how fitting this is?"

    Anja smirked as she stood up. "Maybe. I mean, what are the odds we both found someone on this horrible misadventure?"

    Layla got up from the table as well and shrugged. "I'm not getting into that math today."

    "I figured as much," Anja said, starting to dance along to the beat once again.

    Layla joined in a few moments later. Her feet still hurt a bit from all the dancing she did at the coronation the night before, but she was too happy to complain. How could she worry about pain when she was having the first real dance session with her friend in ages?

    "It's raining men! Hallelujah!
    It's raining men! Every specimen!"

    As the girls sang along, the next set of lyrics almost made Layla topple over in laughter. "Tall, blond," she started.

    "-dark and lean," Anja continued.

    "Rough and tough and strong and mean!" they both sang together.

    As the song continued, both girls stopped singing and burst into giggles as they danced about the bedroom.

    "If that doesn't describe Thor and Loki, I'm not sure what does," Layla pointed out between laughs.

    "Exactly!" Anja replied.

    The girls continued singing and dancing around Anja's room, and for a moment, Layla certainly felt like she was a young teen again, just having fun with her sister. Momentarily forgotten was the looming threats and all the drama that came with them. All Layla wanted to do was enjoy this time with Anja. Even if she wasn't actively thinking about it, in the back of her mind, she knew this could very well be their last dance together.

*****

Hi everyone! Sorry this took me so long. September has been a very unkind month for me thus far. Between being busy with the daughter's birthday, several appointments, and work being way more insane than normal, I've been tired , and as such, struggling to find the motivation to get this finished. I finally bit the bullet and decided to push through how tired I am tonight and get it done. I can only hope the next one doesn't take as long.

Hope you all are doing well! Thanks again for being patient with me. I appreciate you all!

~arty_writes