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Pale light is shining through the big windows of the agency's office, cold sun of late november illuminating the wide space, giving it an almost ethereal glow.
Two pine desks face each other on one corner, and another one is located between them. It isn’t necessary great psychic or deductive skills to pinpoint which desk belong to who: the one nearest to the door is tidy and in flawless condition, every paper in its pertinent folder, pens and other office material almost geometrically ordered; that’s unequivocally Farah’s.
The one in front of hers, on the other side of what Dirk calls “the serious yet boring working” corner, is bit messier, papers of the cases mixed with sheets full of doodles and half written lyrics, the laptop’s lid on top of them covered with various types of stickers. Todd’s one.
The owner of the last desk, the one in the middle of the latters, is ridiculously easy to guess just by a quick glance: chaos dominates it, the wooden surface totally hidden by piles of random things (a rock, candy wrappers, bright colored markers, a very suspicious and unknown thingy that they found on their first official case, colorful post-its with glitter on them, and occasionally, a squeeze toy-shaped-Mona). Farah has a mental breakdown when she looks at it, but every time she has tried to compel Dirk to organize his desk, the little shit has managed to slope off (“you can’t tame the universe, Farah”, “you are not the universe, Dirk, you are just a lazy disaster”, “yeah, dude, that’s a very lame excuse”, “Todd, you’re supposed to be on my side!”). Yet, Dirk still manages to work on that desk with arguable efficiency (ha), although it isn’t his favorite place on the office.
That title is reserved by the cozy space not far away, the one with the big, burgundy sofa and a couple of armchairs, near the windows. On front of it, on the wall, there is two cork boards, one to pin cases related things and the other full of photos of them and their friends (Amanda and the Rowdy 3-now-6 send them periodically photos, and Dirk insists in print them and pin them on the board, along with various selfies and pictures of him, Todd, Farah and whatever Mona was in that moment, and also Hobbs and Tina, when they visit; it’s corny, but it makes Dirk extremely happy).
There are other spaces on office like the eating zone, with a table, a microwave, a coffee machine and a fridge with way so many take-away places pamphlets; or a bathroom with a functional shower (you won’t believe the things they end up covered with); or the waiting room for the clients with chairs completely despaired and two huge cactos.
They all spend the majority of their days in that office, but neither complain: more than a working place, it really feels like home.
That's why the three of them head there directly after wrapping up their last case, tired as hell but ready to celebrate it over a pizza and beer (well, water, on Dirk's case, because after a not-so-little incident just a month ago, an incident called The Incident We Don't Talk About, Farah and Todd don't let him near alcohol, and neither he wants anyway).
“... I really can't believe we end up being chased and shot. This was supposed to be an easy case, the 'get photos of the cheaty husband and get paid' kind of thing”, Todd complains, his legs still jelly-like after running so much.
“Well,”, Dirk makes a face, a little wince escaping his lips while climbing the stairs: it's been more than two months since he was shot on the leg, but it still hurts, especially when he extenuates himself by petty things like running from death (situation that keeps happening more than it should), “who could have guessed that the cheaty husband was part of a white-collar and deathly band of thieves? Not me, for sure”.
“Ow, I just wish they wouldn't have machine guns”, almost sighs Farah.
Dirk is about to comment that yes, how inappropriate and out of character was for men who are supposed to steal the most delicate and precious objects to have such brute armament, but then Farah halts, extending her arm and stopping them just at the top of the stairs.
“What…”
“The door. It's open”, she whispers, moving her hand to the holster on her hip and grabbing her gun.
In fact, the agency's door is ajar, not closed, and definitely they didn't leave it like that.
Shit.
Todd and Dirk move behind Farah, who holds the gun in front of her as they all step in silence into the office: whoever entered it, they could still be there, and the chances of them being dangerous were pretty high.
And indeed, as they get inside, they spot a figure (a man) near the brass plaque, with his back to them.
“Ok, freeze. I have a gun and won't hesitate of using it” warns Farah with a steady and firm voice. Dirk thanks the universe for the millionth time for having her on his side.
The man slowly raises his hands, his tall and broad figure starting to turn, and Dirk feels something pulling on his stomach, something warm yet a bit twisted, and he just knows who the man is a second before he finishes turning.
The first thing Todd thinks about the guy is that he's surprisingly cheeky for someone who has a gun pointed at his face. The second thing is that his eyes glue to Dirk, not in a menacing way, but in almost… is that a fond look?
“This is a very nice detective agency, Dirk Gently. I'm glad to find you finally fulfilled your dream”, the stranger (or not so much, Todd suspects) says, his voice deep and rich, with a subtle special rumble in it that definitely brings goosebumps to Dirk's skin.
Dirk, who can feel the confused glances of his friends on him, but who for a moment only can breath shakily, his eyes wide and something in his chest doing weird things. When he finally gathers himself and overcomes the turmoil of confusion, excitement and a bit of yearning inside of him, he smiles and waves.
“Hello, Thor”, and ok, maybe his voice is an octave higher than normal, but he's sure no one notices… well, 67% sure.
The man (Thor) widens his smile, a perfect smile on a perfect face, because that's what he has: strong jaw with just the perfect amount of blonde beard, the blue on his eyes light and vibrant even from distance, with the facial structure of a renaissance sculpture, all that framed by long, golden hair, elegant tied by a low half bun. He's wearing a casual outfit, dark jeans and a grey hoodie over a white t-shirt, but damn, he still seems someone out of a model magazine.
“Thor”, Farah deadpans, blinking, the gun still raised.
“Thor as…” starts Todd, an incredulous question on his tone and his eyebrows almost on his hairline.
“Thor as Thor, son of Odin, God of Thunder and defender of Asgard”, Thor replies with a shrug. As if it was completely normal at all being the god of something.
“Oh, ok, sure”.
“Farah, you can stop pointing him with the gun now”, intervenes Dirk, because although Thor is probably bulletproof or something like that, it isn't nice to have those things pointed at you; he talks from experience. Farah doesn't seem so convinced, but finally she lowers it.
“I see you have gained some fierce protectors”, Thor lowers his arms too, doubting just a second before approaching the trio.
“Yes, I have”, and if Dirk beams a little at that, is ok, “These are my friends and partners, Farah Black and Todd Brotzman”.
Thor extends his hand to Farah, who takes it and shakes it firmly.
“You seem a very ferocious warrior, Farah Black”, that seems to appeal Farah, who smiles a little and losses the stressed face. Then Thor turns to Todd and shakes his hand too, “A friend of Dirk Gently is a friend of mine, man of Brotz.”
“That's not… nevermind”.
Finally Thor faces Dirk, who is bouncing a little on the balls of his feet. He also goes for a handshake, but once Thor has grabbed his hand, much more delicately than with the others, he spins it and kiss the back of it with a little reverence.
“It is a pleasure to meet you again, Dirk Gently.”
Dirk goes red immediately, the tips of his ears burning more than the everbulb.
“Likewise”, then he coughs, and tries to dissimulate, wiping his free and sweaty hand on the back of his trousers, “Although, you got me a little confused here… Is there a specific reason you came or this is just… a courtesy visit? It's been… almost ten years since you… left”, Dirk swears he tried to say the last sentence as nonchalant as possible, but apparently he fails because Thor lets go his hand and makes a face, guilt in his light eyes.
“Yes, I… a little of both, actually” he keeps his mouth open, as if he wanted to say something else, but then doesn't, which makes Dirk's heart drop. A heavy silence establishes in the air, thick and tense, full of unspoken things.
Luckily, Todd (bless his soul) breaks the awkward situation.
“Ok, I'm sure whatever it is why the God of Thunder is here can wait a little. We almost get killed and I'm starving. Maybe we could move this conversation to the couch, preferably after ordering pizza.”
Dirk smiles, throwing a soft smile to Todd, as the others agree and start moving.
“Yeah, that's fine, excellent assistance, Todd.”
***
“… and then… then I called the Mjolnir, unaware, and what was my surprise when it came with this strange British man attached to it”.
The group burst into laughter, even Dirk, who only tries to cover his smile because he has to play the offended role.
“Well, it obviously wasn’t my fault?”, he says from his position, sat on the corner of the sofa, Thor by his side and Farah and Todd occupying the armchairs. They all have already eaten, the empty pizza boxes piled on the little supplementary table, and now they are enjoying the funny tales Thor has to tell, being the current one the story of how Dirk and he met, almost a decade ago, “I don’t know how my sleeve got all latched with the handle.”
“I’m sure you saw the hammer and didn’t think twice before messing with it”, Todd smiles playfully over the rim of his beer and Dirk throws a napkin at his head.
“Excuse me? I’m a very thinker individual. Besides, a hammer like that hidden on a bush was certainly something very suspicious. What would have you done, mmm?”
Todd throws the paper ball back, hitting Dirk right on the face, who squeals.
“For sure I wouldn’t have got hooked on a magical hammer who flew me across an entire park because its god owner called it, duh”.
“For sure I wouldn’t have got hooked on a magical hammer who flew me across an entire park because its god owner called it, duh”, Dirk repeats Todd’s sentence in his most mocking tone, gesticulating dramatically. Farah, who was just drinking his beer, chokes on laughter.
“I must admit it was quite funny after the initial surprise”, Thor turns to look at him, his own beer half empty in his hand.
“No, it wasn’t, what it was was traumatic. Flying is a quite terrific experience, I much more prefer to stay with my feet on the ground, thank you so much.”
“Well, you surely enjoyed the time when I flew you to the top of the tallest building in the city”, Thor jokes with a smirk, wiggling his eyebrows.
Dirk blushes just a bit, rolling his eyes and smacking Thor biceps with the back of his hand.
“But that was because the view from there compensated the terror, not because of the flying itself”, and not at all the fact that for them to fly, Thor had carried him in a tight hug, nope, having those strong arms around him wasn’t what he enjoyed the most.
Thor jabs Dirk's ticklish side with his finger, making him jump a little.
“Lies, all lies”, he says, a knowing smug on his face.
“No lies. And stop looking at me like that.”
Of course Thor just intensifies his smouldering look.
“Like what? Do you still find my face distracting?” Dirk can hear Todd chuckle on the background and he can feel more than see the knowingly glance of Farah.
He knows he should be mortified because at this point it’s evident that, ok, he has had (and may or not may still do) a huge crush on the thunder’s god, but he feels happy with his friends, the actual ones and the only one from his past who gets near that concept.
“You still think so much of yourself; you are not as nearly as good-looking as you think”.
And that’s the real lie. Thor was stunning, like… well, yeah, like a god. But this was a bickering they had since the day they met, and during their short yet quite rememberable acquaintance. As a lot of things in his life, Dirk didn’t know exactly how, but on the same day the flying incident happened, only a little after, he found himself on a coffee shop on the company of an actual god. Of course he has been elated when he found that Thor was actually the Thor, and his natural curiosity had taken control, starting to ask million questions per minute to the god (“how do you communicate with the hammer?, it’s a mental bond?, can you use it only for fighting or is useful to more mundane things like cracking nuts, oh, god, I mean the snack not the… other ones, which I guess enters on the category of fight-related-things….”). Needless to say he was ready to the usual, annoyed rejection, often mixed with bewildering and something angry in the lines of “are you insane?!”; strangers didn’t usually appreciate his hyperactive friendness.
However, for some reason he can’t still grasp, Thor had only laughed, and with a entertained look had offered to make up for the trauma of being dragged mid-air by Mjolnir, inviting him to a coffee. Dirk had been so taken back by the offer, the nice behaviour towards his person completely odd, but truth was a hot coffee was more than welcomed (especially as he was homeless and without a cent then) and, yep, certainly he could use a little company. Bonus points for the company to being so bloody good-looking.
On Dirk traits have never been, not even then, subtleness. So it was not long into what dirk had called on his mind not-a-date-because-I’ve-just-know-this-man-well-no-man-alien-it's-more-accurate-for-an-hour-but-definitely-I-wouldn’t-complain-if-it-was that Thor had smirked. Dirk still remembers the feeling on his stomach when the god had looked at him like that, and even before he had asked if Dirk enjoyed what he was seeing in such flirty way, the detective was blushing. Obviously, when he was discovered and exposed, he panicked and answered that “of course not, why should I?, pffffff, that’s a such a ridiculous idea, you… your face is not that enjoyable”,what had developed into more laughing, more smirking and more denying, becoming a constant on the development of their relationship.
It sparks something on Dirk's chest now, the easy bantering being still present even when so much time has passed. But then it also makes him remember the reason why his first nice relationship has ended, and he feels dread tainting that spark.
“So…”, he starts, the soft smile on his face turning a bit fake and tense, “what brings you here, Thor? Are you visiting Earth to do a little tourism or are you on a godly mission?”
The mood is almost instantly cooler, as if the unsure spoken words were a cube full of ice poured into the air. The god adjust his position on the sofa, diverting his eyes to the opposite wall.
“In a way, yes. I have a few issues I have to take care here, on Midgard.”
“Oh.”
“Besides, entities from all corners of the universe have been whispering. Something strange is happening. It’s like…”
“Like the universe is coming apart by its seams”, Todd completes, his sister words still burning on his brain. Thor makes a concerned face, his light eyes clouding in worry.
“Exactly. I thought maybe you would know something… giving your… connection with the universe and all that…” the next words are softer although he doesn’t look at Dirk directly; a pause and then, “And… part of me just wanted to see if you were, you know, ok.”
Mixed emotions swirl into Dirk’s chest, leaving him a bit lightheaded. Thor’s concern touches him, and maybe it awakes something inside his heart, making it beat a little faster than normal, but other something is telling him to be wary and keep distance, because, although his friendship with the god is one of the few nice memories he has from his past, truth is it ended with him alone and heartbroken.
The bittersweetness of all it makes his tongue heavy, and he doesn’t know what to say now, an awkward silence starting to suffocate the place.
Luckily, Farah’s phone starts ringing just in time.
“Ow, it’s Tina”, she announces as she starts rising from the armchair, “I should…”
“Yes, of course, go answer your girlfriend”, because yep, apparently defeating an evil Mage from another dimension created by the dreams of a child was a great way of bonding. The change on their relationship was still new, Farah having a little bit more trouble of seeing that she was as smitten with Tina as Tina was with her, but they both were 100% on board and something (a hunch, but not the holistic kind… ok, maybe a bit holistic) told Dirk that they were just made for each other and this is just the begining of a long, lovely relationship.
“Say hi from us!”
“I will”, Farah nods, trying to cover the soft smile that creeps up his face when she picks up the phone, while retreating to a more private place.
“And… I think I’m gonna clean all this”, says Todd a few seconds later as he gets up too.
“We’ll help”
“No”, Todd answers quickly, giving Dirk a pointed look as he collects the pizza’s boxes, “I got it. You two just… stay here and talk. I’m sure you have so many things to catch up with each other”.
He finishes preacariously piling the boxes on his arms and then frees his hand awkwardly in order to give a last pat on Dirk shoulder before he heads to the other side of the office, leaving Thor and Dirk alone on the sofa.
“These friends of yours… they seem to really care about you”, Thor is the first to talk, after drinking the remains of his beer.
“Yes, they do. And I care about them. They… they are my family”, and Dirk can't help but smile, genuine happiness curving his lips, because yes, he can say now what he has always dreamed. Thor turns to face him, his knee bumping against Dirk’s accidentally; he doesn't move it though.
“I’m so glad. You are such a wonderful man, and it is what you have always deserved.”
The softness on his voice makes Dirk blush, although his smile dimes a little, again that bittersweet taste on the back of his mind. The god notices and retreats a little, moving his knee so they are no longer casually touching.
“If my presence here disturbs you in any way I’ll leave, the least thing I want to do is making you uncomfortable”, he states, sadly but sincerely. Dirk is unconsciously shaking his head before Thor has finished his sentence. It takes just a couple more seconds to him to express his refusal on words.
“No, Thor, you don’t make me uncomfortable. And certainly I don’t want you to leave yet… I think, which makes it 'not certainly', I guess, mmm”, he frowns a little, thoughtful; why do the words always come all messed when he speaks?, anyway, “This is a bit… emotionally confusing for me, but I’m really happy to see you again.”
Thor relaxes again, the tense crease that has formed between his eyebrows dissolving as fast as clouds do and sun is reveleaded, and after two heartbeats, he tentatively reaches and puts his big hand on top of Dirk’s smallest one. He squeezes it, comforting but yet ready to back off if Dirk shows any kind of discomfort. But discomfort it's far from what Dirk is feeling right now, a goofy smile playing on his lips.
“I’m gonna stay on Midgard a couple of days” Thor announces a minute later, or maybe a bit more?, the detective isn't sure because he's been staring at his joined hands and has spaced out a little, “Do you still like those awful beverages with too many sugar on them?”
“Hey, they are not awful, they are called smoothies and they are the best drink ever”, refutes Dirk, “And yes, I still like them”.
“Ok, ok”, Thor laughs at the firmly defense of the drinks, and then squeezes again Dirk's hand, “I can invite you to one tomorrow. If you… want”.
Dirk bites his lip, partly pensative and partly to stop the toothy smile that threats to break his face. “Yes, I think I’d like that”.
“Nice.”
“Nice”, the detective repeats with a silly voice because his brain isn't properly functioning right now.
They stay in silence then, and Dirk can do nothing but marvel at how the low light of the dusk shines and gives Thor a golden glow. Little he knows that the god it’s thinking exactly the same about him, enraptured in how the sun makes Dirk’s eyes beam and his freckles stand out lovely on his pale skin.
And well, yes, now they are sharing on of those moments that the romantic films show, when the world seems to stop or at least slows its turning, and the only thing that is onfocus are the eyes of the other. Super sappy.
But as in like those films (because there is not rom without com), the moment is abruptly interrupted when Farah comes back, her phone against her chest and a apologetic expression on her face. She at least pretends that she hasn't seen them holding hands before she appeared.
“I’m so sorry, but I may have told Tina that Thor, the actual norse god, is here, and now she won’t shut up about making a Skype and meet him”, muffled noises come from the speaker, the deputy probably excitedly rambling, “Is… is that ok? I was going to do one with her anyway, maybe you could just say hi. But it's ok if you don't want.”
“Oh, no, it’s not problem for me.”
“All right, then let me…”, she starts pushing buttons on her phone, and just in time Todd also reappears near the couch, a curious look on his lifted eyebrows.
The high squeal Tina lets out when the Skype is running resonates on the whole office, and a few minutes into the funniest conversation ever ends with Thor agreeing to meet in person one day and braid each other hairs.
Dirk giggles during all the exchange, true happiness bubbling on his body. Maybe this doesn't have to end in a disaster again.
***
This is going to end in a disaster again.
That's all Dirk has been thinking since he woke up. Saying that he is nervous is a big understanding. He feels like one of those teens from high school, when they go on a date (because now, yes, it definitely was a real date, oh, bloody hell) with their first crush; and true, he’s never been one of those typical teenagers (thank you, Blackwing) but he has seen enough romantic teen films on Netflix (for Todd’s desmay) to get a very accurate idea.
He’s so stressed that he’s been pacing all morning on the office, getting absoluting nothing done except stressing his partners to the point that Farah had to go out, excusing herself in order to grab some coffee from the shop on the corner of the street, although Dirk had pointed that they already have a very functional coffee machine here. Farah then had glared at him, but he was already pacing again, so she just left.
When the detective has sat on his chair for the fifth time in an hour, dramatically sighing and rapidly muttering things to what he thinks is Mona now (a blue stapler), Todd decides it's time to intervene, before his friend suffers a short-circuit or worse.
It's obvious that Thor and Dirk have a story together, it was pretty evident by the way the two of them interacted yesterday, from the greeting kiss on Dirk's hand to the not-so-platonically holding hands on the couch (what, the office has an open concept, Todd couldn't not seeing them even though he tried to give them privacy… and ok, right, maybe he glanced a couple times their way, but only because he wanted to keep an eye on his friend, in case he needed his assistance). And by the way Dirk has blushed and giggled and looked at the god as if he was planet toward which he couldn't help but gravitate, Todd doesn't have to be a genius to see that whatever they had, it still affects Dirk more than he probably lets himself admit.
What leads to a panicking british detective because he has a date with the god of thunder.
At first I was been funny, seeing him all flustered and turned into cute mess of nerves. But with every passing minute, the distress has picked into a worrying levels. Todd wants to help, but he's not sure how to approach the situation; truth is he hasn't a lot of experiences with romantic relationships, and certainly there isn't a protocol of “how to help your best friend on his date with an actual norse god: guide for dummies”. He guess he could ask Dirk if he's okay, but knowing the detective as much as he does, he’ll probably divert the question and pretend that he's peachy; direct, easy ways aren't how Dirk worked.
After almost fifteen minutes of thoughtfulness (and because Dirk has already toused his hair thrice in that span of time, making it all wild; if he does it again Todd is going to tie his hands before he goes bald), he gets up his desk, heading towards Dirk's.
“I guess now it's clear what you meant when you said that the Beast wasn't really your thing”, Todd says, tapping his fingers against the surface of the desk.
Of course, Dirk plays dumb and stops talking with the Mona-slash-stapler, busying himself instead with a pile of papers.
“I haven't the sightless idea what you talking to, Todd”, Dirk retorts, but the nonchalance and seriousness in his voice is ruined by the way one of his locks of hair stands completely vertically on the top of his head.
“C'mon, don't be difficult. I’m not stupid. And certainly I’m not blind. You and Thor…”
Dirk doesn't stop fidgeting, his hands moving as faster as his words usually do. An almost invisible blush covers his cheeks, and Todd is about to sigh and let the conversation drop, or maybe try another approach, when finally Dirk speaks, although what he says isn't what Todd had expected to hear.
“I was going to tell you. Some day. That… that I'm…”, his voice is low and timid, even a bit if scared. For a moment Todd hates himself, because with this conversation he didn't want Dirk to feel self-conscious or in the need of apologizing for who he was, quite the contrary. He moves, circling the desk until he's by Dirk's side and without hesitation puts his hand on his shoulder, giving it an encouraging grip.
“Hey, it's ok”, he almost whispers, soft, and then shrugs, “I think I've always suspected anyway.”
Now Dirk squints at him, with that adorable face he makes when he's confused (which is 75% of the time).
“What… yeah? How so?”
Todd smirks then, grateful for being able to channel the conversation in the way he initially intended: a playful way to show his support.
“I have never, in all the time we've been together, seen you check Farah out nor any other women we've come across.”
An affronted frown creases Dirk's eyebrows.
“Well… maybe they weren't my type? You know I'm picky, not that I'm saying Farah or our other female acquaintances aren't great, I'm just saying that...”
“But…”, Todd continues as if Dirk didn't interrupt him, and his smirk now turns malicious on the corners, “I saw you check my ass several times. And Panto’s, when we were on Bergsberg”.
Bam!, Dirk opens his eyes, wide, so wide it's a miracle that they don't fall off his face, and the previous subtle blush turns now into a very, very visible one.
“Oh… that's…. That's not….”, Dirk fumbles, and Todd counts to three before freeing him from his misery, because he's evil but not that much evil.
“Dirk, it's fine, I'm messing with you. I'm joking. Well, not on the part of you checking my ass because that definitely happened, but”, he gets serious, trying to sound as sincere as he feels, “what I'm just trying to say is that… I support you. And that as your best friend I want you to be happy and loved. And Thor seems to genuinely care about you.”
The blush and embarrassment is still there, but among them it blooms a soft smile.
“Yes… I think he does…”
“Then why are you so stressed? I get that you're nervous but you are gonna get sick if you keep panicking this way”, Dirk doesn't even try to deny the fact that, indeed, that's what he's been doing all morning, “What's the matter? I think is quite cool that you're gonna date a real god, and yesterday you seemed pretty interested.” Todd looks at him, openly, silently stating that if Dirk wants to talk about what's been eating him alive, he's going to listen.
And it seems to work, because less than a minute later Dirk averts his eyes, picking a clip from the desk and fumbling with it and starts talking, his voice low and a bit child-like.
“We… we had a thing. All those years ago. It wasn't much, and it only lasted a few weeks, but… it felt important to me. I was so so lonely after escaping Blackwing for the first time, with nothing on my name, and he was the first person… well, entity, since he's not estrictly human… that saw me. Like, really saw me? As a person, not as a project or a homeless guy or the weirdo man who found lost cats. I don't really know why I catched his attention, really, I didn't understand why he kept hanging out with me or why he even liked me. But it was nice. I guess I fell in love with the idea of him, of... us, just a bit”, he smiles, sadly, “But then he had to go. His people needed him, more that I did. He also had a role on the universe and it was very clear that it was one completely separate from mine”, Todd can see Dirk's fingers tremble around the thin wire, and he reaches and squeezes his shoulder again, “It hurt so much. I was just starting to grasp the concept of real connection and having it cut so soon hurt so much. And now… now he's back, and maybe those feelings I had aren't as buried as I thought, and I really want but… I'm not sure it will work. Not in the way Farah and Tina work, anyway. It didn't in the past, why should now? And I don't know if I want to go through all the mourning again.”
He lets out a shaky breath, and Todd looks away to give him the privacy of drying his eyes with his sleeve. Only when he's finished, he returns his gaze, a little heartbroken by being reminded how awful the world has treated such a kind soul. He wants nothing but to comfort him and make sure he doesn't feel that abandoned again.
“Maybe it hasn't to be like Farah and Tina”, he speaks, trying to express himself as good as he can; the universe knows that feelings aren't really his thing, but he definitely is going to try, “And yeah, he's a god, and you are… you, and your paths may diverge. But if being at the edge of death several times has taught me something, it's that you shouldn't worry about the future that much. Not right now. You want something and he wants something, that's pretty clear. So maybe just… enjoy it while it last. It's better to miss something that you did that something that you didn't”, Dirk's eyes shine again, sniffing a little, and Todd decides to give him the last nudge, “Besides, this time there is a significant difference.”
“Oh, what is that?” Todd smiles widely.
“You are not going to be alone in your mourning. You have connected and you are not going to lose those connections. You have a family now.”
Todd knows Dirk is an emotional guy and that he carries his heart on the sleeve, but the teary yet beaming smile that draws in his face is still breathtaking, as much as the tight hug Dirk pulls him in.
“Thank you, Todd” he says, with that little, sweet voice he makes when he's overwhelmed with positive feelings. Todd pats him on the back, smiling and ok, maybe a little emotional too because it's just so nice making people feel good, and even more his best friend.
“You're welcome, Dirk”.
The hug lasts a little bit longer, and when they break away, it Dirk the one who has now a mischievous smirk.
“And just for your information, Todd, your ass is the third on my top 3”.
Now Todd is the one who blushes and laughs nervously but anyway asks,
“Yeah? Who's first and second?”
“Well, the first is quite obvious, isn't it. And you mentioned the second.”
“Panto's?”
“I guess learning the scissors reaaaally pays off, maybe I should start doing it”.
Todd snorts, rolling his eyes, still a little flustered.
“Dork.”
“No, I'm Dirk".
“You know what? Don't speak to me ever again”.
***
The night is colder than Dirk first foresaw, his nose red and a bit numb, his hands firmly tucked on the pockets of his black with rainbow striped lines jacket since Thor and he left the coffee shop. But even being half frozen, he can't bring himself to regret anything right now, and surely it can't break the happiness bubble he is in.
Once Todd gave him The Conversation (bless him, Dirk didn't know what he would do without his assistance; he was fascinated once again of his luck, he couldn't have wished for a better best friend), Dirk's mood lightened quite significantly. Well, he was still nervous, but more in the excitement tingling on his toes way than almost unbearable oppression on his chest kind.
And truth is the date was nothing but great. The awkwardness dissolved within minutes, and by the time the two of them arrived the coffee shop, that complicity they created a decade ago was floating easily between them, as if it has never gone. They have shared their respective whereabouts, funny and not so funny stories about what they had been up to since they parted ways.
Now they are walking in comfortable silence, after Dirk has animatedly finished telling Thor the Wendimoor adventure. They are heading side by side towards the agency, bathed by the golden light of the street’s lamps and the last specks of the sunset. Dirk can't think this could be more perfect.
Of course, the universe is ready to prove him wrong, and when he shivers and complains in a whiny voice that no matter how far on his pockets he puts his hands, they are still as cold as a penguin bum, Thor laughs, taking his wrist and extracting one of those hands from one of those pockets, immediately proceeding to cover it with his and put the both of them joined on his own pocket. Warm overflows Dirk, a shy blush painting his already rosy cheeks, as he leans a bit on Thor's side.
The detective has never been happier: who have thought, just a year ago, that he was going to have everything he ever wanted.
Unfortunately, the lovely walk shortly comes to an end as they reach the agency's building. They stand on the street doorway, Dirk’s brain trying to come up with an intelligent and not-needy excuse to extend the date. Of course, what he ends up saying is, ridiculously, the opposite of subtleness.
“Can you… open the door for me? Todd and Farah aren't on the office”, (which wasn't at all planned, nooo), “And my fingers are far too cold to try to fight the lock”.
Thor arches his eyebrows, far from oblivious of Dirk's intentions. Dirk smiles as innocently as he can manage, making his eyes wide and round and even pouting a little.
It works.
“Where do you have the keys?” Thor asks, facing him with an amused smile on his lips.
“Oh, yes, they are… in my breast pocket. I think”, and Dirk doesn't move. Thor’s smile turns into a smirk.
“If I didn't know better, I'll think that all this is a trick”.
“Ow, how can you ever think something such a thing of me? I'm still a perfectly innocent man with no ulterior motives”.
“Aren't you cute when you try to be mischievous”, Thor mutters, but with his free hand (because the other is still warmly engulfing Dirk's on his jacket) reaches and goes directly for the left back pocket of the detective trousers.
“I-I said they were on my jacket”, Dirk tries to complain with indignation but his voice betrays him, coming more as a gasp than anything else.
“Oops, my mistake then, I apologise”, but he definitely doesn't seem sorry at all. Thor now goes to the right pocket, getting the keys and spending a few more seconds this close to Dirk (so close he can smell him; he smells like stormy skies and rain), gazing at his face with one of his blinding smiles before dragging the other man to the building door.
“And you dare to call me mischievous”, blabbles a bit flustered Dirk as they climb up the stairs (and he's glad he hasn't to make up another poor called excuse for Thor to accompany him to the office). Thor chuckles besides him, a entertained glint on his light eyes.
“You are. You have this cute, naive demeanor but part of you is wickedly sly”.
“I'm not!”
“Shall I remember you the time when you threw yourself into a river because you wanted me to cuddle with you?”
Dirk makes an offended noise, dramatically turning his head to glare at Thor.
“First of all, I did not throw myself into the river, it was completely accidentally… ish. Second, in the hypothetically case that the throwing might happened, its purpose wasn't you, but the duck I was chasing, which, let me tell you, hold the key to the resolution of my current case.”
They have arrived the doorstep of the agency, the dim light of the corridor projecting their shadows all over the floor.
“And you did not whine at all until I wrapped you in my cape and cuddled with you until you were dry, no?” Thor is laughing, white teeth and all.
“Hey, I was soooo cold and you agreed", softly replies Dirk, "Besides, turning me into a burrito was your idea not mine, as well as making a little fire with your thunders and sparks”, Dirk extricates his free hand to point at Thor chest, a smug on his face, “Maybe you were the one who wanted to cuddle and show off your cool godly superpowers in order to court me”.
The god catches his hand, strong fingers circling his wrist, effectively holding both Dirk's now. He has turned, or maybe Dirk has, but anyway now they are facing each other, close but not as close as before, in front of the agency door.
“It clearly worked, because you wanted me to stay even though you told me how scared of electricity you were”.
There is still a smile on Thor's face, but now is a bit sadder, here, just on the corners.
Yes, Dirk remembers telling him that night that he was quite wary of his thunders and sparks because they painfully reminded him to all those awful experiments he had to endure at Blackwing. It was silly, really, because one thing hasn’t had nothing to do with the other (one was pure power and the other just another wicked way to try to tame him), but the noise, oh, the noise, that faint buzz that run on Thor’s hand when he had made the fire had brought such a horrible memories.
“I’ve been electrocuted enough now (did I tell you that Todd and I were attacked by a third electric rhino once?)”, he shrugs in an attempt to play it down, “I think I'm not longer afraid of it”.
And it’s true, yes, because although he had been recaptured and been tortured again, and although from time to time (the inevitable Bad Times that come from a life of traumas) he can still feel those electrodes, ghosting on his skin, clamping his body when he’s on the verge of one of his nightmares, he knows now that all is part of his memories, of his past, and they can't trap him from there; he has faced his fears and has won, and Blackwing doesn’t own him anymore.
Thor sees the determination on his statement and frees his hand, the last one he grabbed, and then slowly extends his between them. After a heartbeat, tiny little sparks start dancing on his skin, jumping on his fingers.
Dirk doesn’t doubt and lowers his hand, touching the rough skin of Thor’s palm before sliding through it, until they are holding hands again; and now the sparks are dancing on his skin too. But they don't hurt, just give him a buzzing, ticklish, warm sensation, raising goosebumps in his whole arm. It’s beautiful, and he’s a little enraptured by them.
When he lifts his eyes, a proud smile on his lips, he expects Thor to be looking at their joined hands, at the little thunders swirling over them, but the god’s gaze is fixed on his face instead. The sparks on their hands stop, but other kind of electricity seems to bound his eyes together.
And, yep, another one of those moments from romantic films is forming, Dirk feels it, like a snowball rolling on a hill, or a wave on the sea’s horizont, and he doesn’t want anything more than being drowned by it.
However, Thor is still hesitant, something darkening his pupils, lurking behind them, and then he opens his mouth to talk, and bloody hell, Dirk wishes he would use that mouth to kiss him stupid once for all instead.
“Dirk, I’m s…”
“Don’t say it”, Dirk cuts him, a new fire on his eyes and on his chest and on his tongue, “I know. I know you are sorry for leaving me. I know you are sorry for not coming to see me sooner. I know that you wish things were different. But it wasn’t your fault. You had to go, and I knew so I let you. And I’m not pretending that it didn’t hurt, losing you for what I thought was forever, because it did. A lot; it broke my heart. I was starting to feel connected with the world in a not-scary-holistic way and then I was alone again. But I repeat: it wasn’t your fault. And you showed me kindness when no one else had and give me a lot of first times that I wouldn’t change for anything. I’m glad we met. And I’m glad you are back, even though you have to leave again. I’m okay now, more than okay, and I will be, whatever happens. Stop dwelling on the past, and let’s move forward”, the vehemence on Dirk’s voice is firm and lets not chance for a retort.
Thor looks at him with bewilderness for a second, two seconds, three, four until Dirk starts to feel that maybe he’s been a bit sharper than necessary, or maybe he has bared his emotions a bit too much. He gulps.
When he’s about to make a silly comment to break the silence, Thor steps forward and drops his hand, only to raise it; then, with infinite tenderness, caress Dirk’s cheek. And he has this fond smile on his perfect face, so Dirk thinks that maybe he hasn’t fucked up as bad as he first though. Theory that is confirmed completely when the god slides his fingers until he’s grabbing the detective’s chin, tilting it upwards.
Dirk doesn’t need a deeply connection to the fabric of the reality to know what’s going to happen next (it’shappeningit’shappeningfinallyit’shappening), but anyways he feels a burning, tight, wonderful sensation on his chest that leaves him breathless before Thor inclines and kiss him.
And maybe it’s because he hasn’t been kissed in a long, long time, or because he’s kissing the god of thunder, but he swears a warm and amazing electricity, more intense than the previous sparks, spreads to every single one of his cells from the point where they lips connect.
The kiss is sweet, and lasts more than a chaste one should, and it tastes a tad of nostalgic but also brand new, and Thor’s beard scrapes his chin, and his heart is beating fast, so fast, bambambambam against his ribs, and the tip of his fingers and toes tingle, and butterflies bat their tiny wings all inside his belly, and a blush is crawling down his neck, from his cheeks and the bridge of his nose, and it’s as perfect as he remembers, no!, even more.
“You still taste like sunshine", Thor whispers when he pulls away, just a bit, smiling charmingly while his thumb goes from Dirk’s jaw to his pink, plush bottom lip and dries it, unhurried.
“And I still don’t know what that means or how that’s possible but I’m more than happy if you keep tasting it. And by tasting it I mean that you should kiss me again. As soon as possi-” luckily for him, Thor shuts him up with another kiss, less sweet and firmer, making Dirk’s knees go all jelly-like. He feels light headed, and full of joy and nervous excitement, so he gladly recoils until his back is against the wall, his world reduced to the tiny space created between it and his companion’s bigger, perfectly sculpted body. One of Thor’s strong hands rest on his waist and his own spread through the broad chest in front of him (and he doesn’t know when they have moved from Thor’s pocket to his chest but right now he can’t care to analyse it), giving him enough stability so his head stops spinning madly… For a moment, at least, because when the god slides his other hand until the back of his neck, the tip of his tongue pleading for a way in, when the kiss deepens just a bit, just wonderfully, Dirk feels like he could melt into a british, holistic puddle on the floor.
“Are you sure you want to do... this?”, asks Thor a little later, when they part to catch air… or at least Dirk, he’s not sure Thor needs it, he’s not human, right?, maybe he doesn’t need oxygen, in space certainly there isn’t oxygen… ok, Gently, focus.
“What?” he replies very eloquently. The god extracts his hand from Dirk's hair (and the sound the detective makes isn't a whine at all) in order to vaguely gesture between them.
“This. Us. I… I want to know that you are sure; I don’t want to break your heart again. And I can’t promise you that I can stay forever.”
Dirk just rolls his eyes in a very Brotzman way (Todd and Amanda would be proud), leaning back on the wall, his head muffly thumping against it when he looks at Thor through his eyelashes.
“I’m not asking you forever. I’m asking you now and until you can and want”, he bites the corner of his already bitten lip, linking his eyes on Thor's, “A very, very good friend has told me that it's better to miss something that you did that something that you didn't. So”, he smiles shyly, moving his arms until they circle Thor’s neck on a loose hug, “I’m ready to miss this. Are you?”
The god grins, his blue, electric eyes shining with fondness and maybe somehing more, and they are so close again that Dirk can swear he sees real sparks lighting them.
“Of course I am, sunshine”, he replies, words breathed against his skin before he’s kissing Dirk again. And it seems like he has no intention of stopping in all night.
***
Three days later Thor has to go again, his duty as prince and protector of Asgard claiming his attention again. But his departure is completely different from the last one.
For a start, Dirk is far, far from heartbroken, because the goodbye kiss tastes nothing like a goodbye, but as promises of more in the recent future.
Second, he is no longer alone, his family, the one he has created and fought for, and who he loves madly, and who love him too, is here with him, and they don’t plan to go anywhere.
Third,.. well, a horrible pun involving Thor's name was going to be made with this one, so let’s just stop here, shall we?