Real-Life Myth

Thirty-one.

Lana, as he was her twin brother, demanded a proper Asgardian funeral back in New Asgard. Only close friends were invited. This includes: the Stark family, Quill, Nebula, Bruce, and Valkyrie. Everyone else understands why they weren't invited. So those eight, dressed in their best, showed up at New Asgard for the funeral.

Thor, dressed in a suit (but wearing black crocs), stands outside the makeshift palace. Lana, dressed in a satin black dress, walks out with Athena trailing behind. The five year old also wears a black dress; but because she insisted on having a color, she wears green ribbons in her hair. Lana picks her daughter up before she walks with Thor to meet everyone.

The guests- honestly should they even be called that?- all stand waiting for the family of three. Morgan holds her fathers hand tightly but when she sees Athena, she runs to the girl. Athena looks to Lana sadly; her mother nods and sets her down. The two five year olds hold hands. Quill, dressed in a black suit Bruce lent him (one he had before he and Hulk merged), moves to Lanas side and grabs her hand. She intertwines their fingers and sighs sadly. He kisses her cheek.

With a nod from Thor, everyone heads off to the lake where the funeral is being held. Loki, dressed in his proper battle armor, lays on a boat tied to the dock. His hands are neatly folded over his stomach, holding a bouquet of foxglove flowers; the one flower Loki actually liked here on Midgard. The boat he lays in is carved delicately with runes blessing his ascent into Valhalla. Lana chokes up just looking at it.

She ordered someone to cut off the rope tying Loki to the dock. Once everyone was standing where the needed to be stood, the Asgardian cut it. Loki might have burned some bridges with people when he was trying to regain himself after being under Thanos' control but that didn't mean the people of New Asgard didn't grow to love him. The Joutun prince turned out to be an excellent king (in that short moment he had it) and an even better person. The royal family isn't the only one who lost someone that unfortunate day.

Lana looks over her shoulder and nods at one of the archers they have. He nods back, rubs his eyes, then draws the bow back with the flaming arrow notched in it. After aiming correctly, the archer releases the arrow. It falls onto the boat and lights it up. The queen looks back to watch her brother's boat drift away while the fire eats it away. Thor lets out a shaky breath, stood at her side. Athena reaches out and grabs her mother's hand. Lana holds it tightly. Quill holds onto her other hand tightly. Soon, everyone is holding hands. Lanterns- dark green lanterns with Loki's helmet imprinted on them- get sent into the air. They follow after the boat that's already started decaying.

The funeral party watches for a few more moments before turning back and heading up to the makeshift palace. One of the chefs has laid out a nice lunch for everyone to eat. Everyone sits around the table and starts passing dishes around. The upsetting mood starts transforming into a lighthearted one as people start exchanging stories and laughing. Lana, sat at the head of the table (with Thor at the other side), grabs onto Quills hand under the table and smiles at him. He smiles back.

"Miss Lana?" Peter Parker speaks up. Lana looks from Quill to Spider-Man. "Remember, you are loved 3,000." She smiles and nods.

"Thank you, spider boy. I shall remember that." Peter smiles at her before going back to his food. Lana laughs softly and starts eating.

Athena looks to Quill skeptically, positioning her spoon at weird angles. Once she has it where she wants it, she flings her pudding onto Quill's face. Quill yelps out, surprised. Everyone turns their attention to the five year old, who's laughing her ass off, and her father. Lana watches intently.

"Was that you?" Quill asks, pointing an accusatory finger at Athena. The little brunette shrugs, feigning innocence but still laughing. He gasps. "Ooh, you little shit."

"Don't call you daughter a little shit," Lana scolds. The words come out faster than she can process. Athena immediately stops laughing. She turns to her mother.

"His what?" Lana's eyes widen.

"My what?" Quill asks, looking to Athena. He supposes they share the same hair color. And perhaps skin complexion. And, alright, maybe the lips. But other than that, there was no similarities between the two of them.

Lana stands from the table. "Can we do this outside?"

~~~

Outside, by the lake, sits Quill and Lana. He's on her right, their hands brushing against the others by their sides. He's staring off into the horizon. She stares at the side of his face; different ways of starting this conversation running through her head. Sharply inhaling, Lana starts to explain.

"Look-"

"She's really mine?" Quill cuts her off, looking over to her. Lana pauses, her mouth still open. It takes a moment before Lana closes her mouth and nods. Quill nods slightly before starting to laugh. She raises an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be laughing it's just-" He laughs harder. "I'm so sorry!" Lana stares at him. "That was one hell of a one night stand, then." Lana stares before laughing as well.

"Yes, I suppose it was." She agrees once they've composed themselves. "One Hel of a one night stand." She mutters. They slip back into a silence.

After moments of silence, he bumps her shoulder. She looks to him, biting her lip. "You know, five years ago you made me a promise." He starts. She raises an eyebrow. "That if we make it out of this alive. . . You'd be mine." She snorts, crossing her arms over her chest.

"When I said that, I meant the first time we went up against Thanos." She informs him, looking away. He studies the side of her face, pulling his bottom lips between his teeth. "But, now that we have a daughter. . ." She drifts off, slowly looking back to Quill. She sighs softly. "Look. I'm not saying we should run off and get married-" His eyes go wide. "-but, maybe, just for Athena, we do have some sort of relationship?" Quill smiles softly. "Maybe start slow; hand holding and kissing for now. Then, as our relationship progresses, we work our way up?" Quill grabs her hand and interlocks their fingers before he kisses her softly.

"That sounds perfect." They share a smile, their foreheads presses together.

"But where are we going to have this relationship?" Lana whispers. Quill pulls away.

"What do you mean?"

"It's just, your life has been on that ship of yours and our lives have been here." She elaborates. "Am I going to have to give the kingdom to Valkyrie so Athena and I can go save the galaxy with you? Or are you going to stay here, in New Asgard, and be our king?" Quill frowns. He hadn't thought of all these complications. Lana bites her lip. "Or. . ." She draws out, her tone slower than it was before. He raises an eyebrow. "We can both run away from our lives and go explore Midgard." He smirks. "How old were you when you were taken? Eleven?"

"Eight," he corrects. Lana shrugs.

"Alright, eight," she corrects herself. "How much of Earth did you truly get to explore?" He shrugs. She closes her eyes then opens them a moment later to reveal bright blue eyes. Quill gasps. "I stole the Tesseract while they were collecting the stones." She shrugs. "I think my brother would be very proud of me." Quill nods. "So why don't we take Theenie and go explore?"

"I love that idea." Lana smiles. Quill steals a kiss.

"Perfect," she purrs, "we can leave tomorrow." He smirks, kissing her again.

"Great." He pushes her onto her back. She kisses him, her arms wrapping around his neck as her legs wrap around his waist. "Because I think I'm already going to take things to the next level." Lana giggles.

"What are you going to do to me, Mister Star-Lord?" He smirks at her.

"I'm going to make sweet, sweet love to my Asgardian baby mamma."