The Boy Born From the Sea

File: Team Iron Man

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Shopping with Fenrir, Hela, Sleipnir, and Nico wasn't as bad as Peter thought it was going to be. Sleipnir had to hold someone's hand throughout the trip, the small eleven year-old trembling ever-so-slightly as he stepped into the mall. Fenrir had finally managed to shift into his human form; a 6'1 young adult with silver hair and poison-green eyes, though he refused to speak more than a few sentences at a time. Hela made sure to keep a secure grip on Sleipnir's hand as the group walked, her other hand making sure her light brown hair covered the skeletal half of her face. Nico and Peter were talking about videogames, debating whether or not they should buy some new release then or ask Tony nicely for it later.

Hela, at first, was not interested in looking at any of the shops until she spotted a vendor selling nice-looking silk shawls of varying colors. There were many designs, each interweaving with each other as if they were telling a story, and the goddess knew she had to buy some right then and there. She told Sleipnir to go to Peter while she bought some items and the boy gladly took the teen's hand.

"Hello, miss," An elderly woman greeted, smiling kindly from where she was sitting on a stool. "See anything you like today?"

"Yes, ma'am," Hela responded, eyeing the designs once more. "I would like to get one for my father and grandfather."

The woman nodded. "I see. My name is Agnes. Each of these tell their own story and each, I like to believe, carry their own meaning. If you choose one, I will tell you about it."

Hela gazed back at the shawls, studying the patterns and colors. Her father Loki was a wonderful man, if not a bit broken. She wanted something that represented his fight for good and the progress he made from the beginning to now with his new family.

"You've picked a good one."

Hela looked over at the old woman and watched as she took the shawl out of her hands, running her fingers along the embroidery along the edges gently. Her smile was wistful, as if she could look back on the time she spent creating such a beautiful article of clothing and remember the thoughts that went with it.

"This is a road of redemption. The gold here," Agnes pointed at the top near the edge. "The way it rises and falls, represents past struggles and battles. The green of the overall piece means life and longevity and the way the gold blooms over the green like a flower shows the way the bad becomes the good."

Hela was speechless when the lady finished. It was perfect for her father. She knew that the god of mischief struggled to overcome his burdens from all that he went through, from losing his children to falling through the void, and he was making amazing progress. There were still moments where he would go silent, eyes distant, as if he was reliving the memories over again before he would shudder slightly before smiling at her like she didn't just see his pain. The world had wronged him many times over but he still prevailed, able to smile and laugh with everyone else and open his guarded heart bit by bit.