On the Run (An Avengers Fanfiction) ✔️Completed (under editing)

Target Practice

Astrid's P.O.V.

I only caught a few snippets of the conversation Norman was having with Tony stark but I could tell they were talking about Loki. I tried to focus in on their words more, now my interest had been spiked.

"He deserves it! Since the plan to take him back to Asgard has been delayed by some technical issues, he's stuck here. Surrounded by us...'mere mortals' and what can he do? Nothing, that's the best part, see, his dignity and pride are important to him and he barely has either intact." Tony explained.
"Ah." Norman nodded, too starstruck to properly respond.
"He's getting off too easy. That bastard deserves to be put through hell for what he did," Hawkeye put in.
"I agree. As does most of the world," Black widow said stiffly as she eyed the three of us with apprehension, evidently somewhat displeased with Stark inviting a bunch of random 'kids' he'd come across on the helicarrier to hang out with them.

"I try to pretend he isn't here. Him being imprisoned on board makes me uncomfortable to say the very least. What if he escapes?" Bruce muttered, only looking up from his paperwork briefly. He seemed to be working intensely on something and I wondered what it was. From my seat opposite a table from him I thought I could make out a drawing of the tesseract surrounded by scribbled equations. Perhaps this was his attempts to rectify the aforementioned 'technical difficulties' of returning Thor and Loki to Asgard.
"I visit him when I can... But he does not appreciate my brotherly efforts. Things are not at all what they used to be. I fear we diverged long ago; we are on different paths now, " Thor put in with a tinge of sadness.

I couldn't believe we had managed to be invited on one of the few days when the team was assembled. It really was a surreal experience.

"Sometimes I wish I had a brother or sister... Even if they were an adopted one. But my parents are still the only family I need I guess," I threw in, trying to relate somehow because I was conscious that none of us were adding anything to their conversation. I was terrified of coming across as rude as opposed to in awe.
"Yeah. On the other hand my family are all way, way different to me. I have too many siblings and my family is literally a circus. My upbringing was pretty hectic," Amy grinned.
"A circus?" Thor wondered aloud
"They travel around and perform stuff, i'll take you to one some day Point Break" Tony explained.
I couldn't stifle giving a grin at hearing this nick name.

"Do they display their fighting skills in arena battles?" Thor asked, most likely searching for something to compare it to that he knew.
"Not quite. We perform using animals like horses, do acrobatics, eat fire, walk on tightropes, and then there's more dangerous things involving weapons like my speciality; knife throwing. But mostly it's all for show," Amy tried to explain.
"So there is a battle element?" Thor asked, seemingly intrigued by the subject now.
"You could say so. I guess..." Amy replied.
"Your talent is knife throwing? How good is your aim?" Clint questioned, suddenly taking an interest.
"Clint, don't put pressure on her, she's a level one agent who has only been here a couple of months," Steve reminded Hawkeye.
"It's against protocol anyway, they shouldn't even be here." Natasha reminded us.
"I'm just curious, where do you think I started out? How good is your aim, kid?" He asked again.
"Pretty good," Amy said fairly confidently. She wasn't wrong, if anything she was understating it because her skills were amazing to witness.
"Do you want to do some target practice? A little competition?" He asked, a mischievous glint in his eye.
I was starting to like him, he was the most welcoming, aside from Tony. (But he had far less of the ego)
"Why not?"Amy replied, always one to jump at any chance of putting on a show.
Bruce, Steve and Natasha all exchanged worried looks across the table.

Everyone except Bruce and Thor, who had 'other business to attend to', along with the three of us, headed down to their training room to spectate as soon as we'd finished lunch. It was much nicer than the standard type we were used to as low ranking agents, and far better equipped.  Targets in the shape of assailants were set up and everyone stood back except Clint and Amy. They had already selected their weapons from the armoury and Hawkeye stood ready with his legendary bow and Amy with two knives in her hands and several more strapped to her.