The campfire made their faces glow.
Volstagg finished his sixth can of beer, crumpled the empty can into a ball, tossed it aside, and let out a satisfied burp. Fandral leaned against a piece of dead wood, his fingers tapping unconsciously on his sword hilt. The alcohol was taking effect, and he became more talkative, telling Hogun about which tavern owner in Asgard was the prettiest. Hogun didn't reply, only occasionally nodding in response.
Thor sat opposite Lin Xiao, remaining silent for a long time. Suddenly, he finished the last swig of his drink, stood up, and patted the sand off his butt.
"It's time to go."
Fandral looked up. "Go? Where to? The fire's still raging."
"Time to go find Jane." Thor slung his hammer over his shoulder. "We're going back to Asgard tomorrow, and I need to say a proper goodbye to her. You guys come with me too; Jane's been a huge help these past few days."
Volstagg and Fandral exchanged a glance, then simultaneously looked at Hogun. Hogun stood up expressionlessly, brushing the sand off his trousers, clearly preparing to follow. Fandral hesitated for a moment, then also stood up, leaning on his sword sheath. Volstagg pulled his axe from the sand and slung it over his shoulder.
" Sif, let's go." Volstagg called out, turning his head.
Sif sat there, her back ramrod straight. She glanced up at Volstagg, then at Thor, her lips moving as if she wanted to say something. Her fingers unconsciously dug into the edge of the armor on her knee, her knuckles turning white.
Lin Xiao sat down next to her, adding another dry branch to the fire. His face was expressionless, but his eyes kept gesturing to Thor.
Sif stood up. She picked up the spear stuck in the ground, shook off the sand, and took a step forward.
Thor suddenly reached out and stopped her.
"You shouldn't go."
Sif stopped in her tracks, her brow furrowing slightly. "Why? I should say goodbye to Jane; we're returning to Asgard tomorrow."
Thor looked at her, his tone unusually serious, " Lin Xiao is injured like that, someone has to look after him. You stay and take care of him, we'll go find Jane. Don't worry, I'll convey your message."
Sif opened her mouth, but couldn't find the words to refute. She glanced down at Lin Xiao, who was just raising his right arm and shaking the gauze in an extremely exaggerated manner, letting out two "ouch" sounds.
"Look, he's not fully recovered yet," Thor quickly chimed in, patting Sif on the shoulder with a slightly awkward, teasing tone. "Stay. It's an order. I'm the Crown Prince of Asgard, and tonight I can also order you to take care of him."
Sif bit her lower lip and ultimately said nothing more. She planted the spear back into the sand and sat down.
Thor turned around, waved to the Asgard's Warriors Three, and strode towards the town. Before leaving, Volstagg turned back and winked at Lin Xiao, his expression incredibly ambiguous. Fandral mouthed "Good luck" to Lin Xiao before being pulled away by Hogun.
After the four figures were swallowed by the night, the sand fell silent again. A crackling sound came from the fire, and a few Mars rose half a foot into the ashes before falling back into the embers.
Lin Xiao turned his head to look at Sif.
You're really not going?
Sif didn't look at him. Instead, she picked up a long branch and unconsciously poked at the edge of the fire. "Since Thor said so, if I follow him, it'll seem like I'm disobeying orders."
"Don't you have any other thoughts? Like, you're reluctant to part with it..."
Sif paused in her poking at the fire. She glanced at him, her eyes carrying a hint of warning, yet something else unreadable. "If you say another word, I'll untie your bandages and see if it's really healed. I saw you perfectly fine today when you were picking up the Crystal, full of energy as if nothing was wrong."
Lin Xiao immediately crossed his arms over his chest, his expression exaggerated. "You're abusing the wounded. These two arms of mine shielded you from the Heat Vision today, how could you do that to me?"
Sif snorted and didn't reply, but the corners of her mouth curled up very slightly. She threw the branch into the fire, dusted off her hands, and sat down half a foot closer to Lin Xiao.
The campfire warmed her profile, and Mars fell softly at her feet. Lin Xiao stopped his taunts, took a Crystal shard from his pocket, and handed it to her.
"For you."
Sif looked down. The Crystal was about half the size of her palm, and its color was extremely deep, an almost inky purple. The firelight shone through, and inside the crystal, it looked as if a very thin band of stars was slowly flowing. She reached out and took it, placing it in her palm, and quietly looked at it for a long while, her expression somewhat dazed.
"This is very precious; although it's damaged now, it still retains a lot of magic."
"Things that aren't precious are not worthy of you."
Sif turned to look at him. Lin Xiao met her gaze, a faint smile playing on his lips. He suddenly leaned forward and kissed her.
Sif didn't have time to think, but her body acted before her mind.
She jerked her head to the side, and Lin Xiao's lips brushed against the corner of her mouth, missing her. In the same instant, she opened her mouth and bit down hard and accurately on Lin Xiao's lower lip, the taste of blood immediately filling their mouths.
Lin Xiao hissed, but didn't back down. Instead, he grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her back, pressing his penis against hers again. Sif let out a muffled whimper, her hands pressed against his chest, her fingers clenched so tightly that her nails almost dug into his clothes. She wanted to push him away, but her fingertips touched only bandages, so she dared not exert any force. The bandages were like an invisible shackle, binding all her strength.
She bit him in a fit of anger and frustration, her teeth initially driven by venting her anger, but gradually losing strength, the salty and rusty taste mingling together.
Lin Xiao seemed not to feel any pain at all. His movements gradually softened from their initial rudeness. He released her nape, his fingers sliding into her hair, stroking it gently, as if soothing a young animal cornered in a corner.
Sif's shoulders were trembling. It was hard to tell if it was from anger or something else.
She finally loosened her jaw, turned her head, and breathed heavily. There was still a trace of blood at the corner of her mouth, and the corners of her eyes were slightly red at the boundary between the firelight and the moonlight.
"You bastard." Her voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible, the last syllable seemingly torn off by the wind.
"I know," Lin Xiao replied softly, carefully wiping away the trace of blood from the corner of her mouth with his thumb. "But I wanted to kiss you, and it wasn't just a passing fancy."
"What gives you the right?" Sif turned her head and stared into his eyes. Those eyes were startlingly bright, filled with anger, confusion, and the panic of someone pushed to their limits for the first time. "What gives you the right to act like this? I am a warrior of Asgard, not some Midgard woman you can mess with. Is it because you saved me, or because of your wounds?"
Lin Xiao didn't answer. He just stared at her for a long time, watching as Sif tightened her grip on the Crystal, her fingertips turning pale.
"Why did you bite me just now?" Lin Xiao asked back.
Sif was stunned.
"Because you're a scoundrel—" she began, then stopped mid-sentence.
Lin Xiao chuckled softly, a faint smile in the moonlight, "If I hadn't dodged that bite, you could have torn half my lip off. But you didn't bite; you just held on. You were afraid of hurting me, yet also afraid I wouldn't feel the pain."
Sif's breathing visibly faltered. She stood up abruptly, but Lin Xiao reached out first and grabbed her wrist, preventing her from leaving. The force wasn't strong, just enough that she could easily break free, but she couldn't.
"I'm going back to the Asgard right now. I don't want to spend another second with you, you bastard. I hope I never see you again in this lifetime." Sif's voice trembled as she said this, sounding like she was trying to convince herself, but she didn't break free from Lin Xiao's large hand.
Lin Xiao watched as Sif remained motionless for a long time after hearing her harsh words, and his courage grew. He slowly slid his fingers up her wrist, finally covering the hand that was clutching the Crystal, and gently pried her fingers apart one by one. The Crystal lay in her palm, its purple light shimmering and reflecting on their faces.
"This stone isn't a parting memento," Lin Xiao said, "It's a token. Now that you're back in the Asgard, I'll be here whenever you want to come down. If you don't want to come down, I'll come to the Asgard to find you after things settle down in the Nine Realms. If your father god tries to stop me, I'll tear the Asgard down."
Sif looked down at the Crystal, then looked up at Lin Xiao. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but her eyes welled up with tears first.
"Don't cry." Lin Xiao hurriedly reached out to wipe her eyes. "I can't stand seeing women cry, really. Someone as handsome and cool as you, crying like a little leopard caught in the rain, makes my heart ache. I want to pick you up and spin you around three times."
"Get lost," Sif cursed through her nose, shoving him in the chest.
Lin Xiao didn't move at all; instead, he pulled her closer. Sif didn't resist anymore, resting her forehead on his shoulder, her shoulders slowly softening. Lin Xiao opened his coat and wrapped her inside. Neither of them spoke, and they quietly leaned against each other, using the last embers of the dying Mars.
Just then, Lin Xiao's phone rang.
He sighed, took his phone out of his pocket, and saw Coulson's name flashing on the screen.
"I need to take this call," he said.
Sif got out of his arms, wrapped herself in her coat, and sat down next to him. Lin Xiao pressed the answer button.
" Lin Xiao." Coulson's voice came through the receiver, unusually calm and laced with rage. " Agent Sitwell came back this afternoon, completely dehydrated—his lips were purple, and his face was peeling from sunburn. Two of his underlings suffered heatstroke; one has already been taken to the clinic. He just gave me a full report. Lin Xiao, you've really made something of yourself, wielding such authority!"
Lin Xiao held the phone close to his ear and didn't say anything.
"You abused your power on site, forcibly conscripting non-field personnel to perform high-risk missions, transferred alien artifacts without authorization, and publicly humiliated Agent Sitwell, didn't you?" Coulson paused, his voice deepening. " Lin Xiao, do you think Director Fury has been too idle lately, or do you think I'm too old to deserve cleaning up your messes for the rest of my life?"
"Boss, I--"
"You'd better give me an explanation," Coulson interrupted him abruptly. "Now, tell me what you're trying to do?"
Immediately afterward, the phone beeped as if someone had pressed the speakerphone button. Lin Xiao raised an eyebrow, thinking, "Well, it's on speakerphone." Lin Xiao shifted to a more comfortable position and spoke slowly and deliberately, "I do owe Agent Sitwell a formal apology, but I can't admit to abusing my power. The metal shell had just exploded, and the temperature at the scene was terrifying. If the debris wasn't gathered up in time, the sandstorm would have covered it up, and the subsequent technical team wouldn't have been able to find a trace. Agent Sitwell arrived with his team, the only fully-equipped team on site. If I didn't use them, who would I use? Thor? He's a god, not a porter. Or those three Asgard warriors covered in blood? Boss, I also prevented an alien invasion, and I was injured myself. Do you expect me to pick things up with my feet?"
There was a deathly silence on the other end of the phone.
"As for transferring the artifacts," Lin Xiao continued, "That batch of alloys belongs to Asgard. Thor himself said on the spot that Asgard artifacts shouldn't be handled by the Midgardian. You can ask Agent Sitwell; he was there and heard everything clearly. If I were to force it into the agency, that would really cause trouble for S.H.I.E.L.D.. They simply said they would have it stored away, not that they would hand it over to any party. Stark Industries ' equipment is readily available, and the transport team is readily available, saving the agency money. You can do the math when you get back and see who loses out more."
Coulson didn't speak. Lin Xiao could hear a very faint breathing sound coming from the receiver, as if someone was desperately suppressing something.
"Also, we humiliated Sitwell." Lin Xiao's voice suddenly softened. "I admit that, boss. You know I sometimes can't keep my mouth shut. Letting Agent Sitwell and his men move things under the sun today was a poor decision on my part. They shouldn't have suffered like this. When we get back to New York, I'll host a formal apology to Sitwell and the brothers."
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone. Then Lin Xiao heard footsteps, the sound of chair legs scraping the floor, followed by a very soft sound of a door closing.
Coulson's voice rang out again, this time noticeably relieved, but still tinged with lingering anger. "Alright, stop acting, they're gone."
Lin Xiao chuckled.
"You can still laugh?" Coulson sighed on the other end of the phone. "You know, Sitwell was sitting across from me just now, his face peeling like a snake's molt, his glasses were crooked. He's over forty, and when he spoke to me, his eyes were red and his voice was trembling. At first, I thought it was from the sun, but then I realized it was from you."
"So I apologized to him," Lin Xiao said.
"You call that an apology?" Coulson scoffed. "You refuted all three charges against you, and then you added, 'I'll treat you to a meal to apologize.' It sounds more like you're paying for the meal, not for your mistake."
"Boss, I can't help it if you interpret it that way," Lin Xiao said with a grin.
"Don't give me that." Coulson's tone turned serious again. "I've covered up what happened tonight. But when we get back to New York, you can't avoid Director Fury. Sitwell isn't someone to be trifled with; he'll most likely expose this. You'd better prepare a written explanation beforehand and keep a humble attitude. Don't make me take the fall for you in front of the chief."
"Okay, okay," Lin Xiao replied quickly. "I'll write it when I get back, and the tone should be as sincere as possible."
Coulson paused for a moment, then said, "Also, before Sitwell came back, you said that the Uru alloy was for making equipment for your own people. I'll pretend I didn't hear about that. But you need to talk to Hawkeye. Your name is on the mission log he submits tomorrow. Give him a call tonight, don't let anyone get involved with you without knowing it."
"Okay," Lin Xiao agreed, "I'll call him right away."
"And—never mind, never mind." The sound of crumpling paper came from the other end of the Coulson. "Be careful. Don't keep putting your life on the line. New Mexico isn't New York. If something really happens, I won't even be able to send someone to collect your body."
"Boss, the way you're talking makes it sound like I'm some kind of troublemaker."
"Have you ever had an easy time?" Coulson retorted, hanging up the phone before Lin Xiao could reply.
Lin Xiao sat on the dead tree for a while, holding his phone, and suddenly chuckled softly. The night wind swept in from behind the sand dunes, carrying a chill. Just as he was about to put his phone away, he heard two rustling sounds from the sand behind him.
Sif had somehow gotten behind him and draped half of her coat over his shoulders.
"Is it some kind of mess from your department again?" she asked.
"Okay." Lin Xiao put his phone back in his pocket. "It's cold, come sit closer."
Sif didn't speak, but slowly sat down beside him. Their shoulders touched, their body heat gradually merging through the thin fabric. Sif glanced at Lin Xiao, her lips moved, but she didn't say anything.
Lin Xiao also fell silent, only looking at her.
After a while, he suddenly reached out and tossed the cloak-like coat aside. Several slender Blue Silver Grass vines sprouted from his palm, slowly growing and twining around the two of them, weaving into a semi-circular cocoon. The cocoon was neither too big nor too small, just enough to accommodate the two of them. The blue light was extremely faint and soft, like moonlight sifted and spread on the sand.
Sif didn't move or ask anything. She simply watched the vines curve around her, eventually closing in above her head. Starlight filtered through the gaps, shattering into fragments. Lin Xiao turned to face her. They were so close they could hear each other's heartbeats.
"When you get back, be careful not to get involved in Loki and Thor's affairs, okay?"
Sif didn't answer. But she slowly raised her hand and placed it on the back of Lin Xiao's hand. Her fingertips were cool, but her palm was hot.
Lin Xiao didn't say anything more. He lowered his head and kissed her.
This time, Sif didn't resist much.
Lin Xiao's kiss was light at first, as if afraid of startling something, but it gradually grew stronger, as if trying to snatch this person away from the impending farewell. Sif tilted her head back, closed her eyes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and ran her fingers through the hair at the back of his head. Lin Xiao then pulled her into his arms.
Blue Silver Grass swayed gently around her, filtering the moonlight into a pale blue that fell on her shoulders, the ends of her hair, and the back of her neck. Lin Xiao lowered his head and laid her down on the sand. The slender vines automatically spread out, cushioning her beneath him, soft as clouds and resilient as undried vines.
The wind outside picked up, making the entire sandy area rustle. The sounds were like countless tiny waves surging in from all directions and then receding. Sif's breathing became erratic; she opened her mouth, wanting to speak, but Lin Xiao stopped her.
Her fingernails dug into Lin Xiao's back, leaving several bloody scratches. Lin Xiao groaned, but didn't stop; instead, he held her even tighter. The two of them were entangled tightly in the bright blue cocoon, as if trying to meld each other into their very bones.
A very faint dark red hue seeped into the sand, like a red plum blossom secretly blooming in the snow, quickly covered by the Blue Silver Grass. Sif turned her head, biting a strand of her hair, tears rolling down her cheeks, it was hard to tell if it was pain, fear or something else. Lin Xiao saw this, stopped, and kissed away the tear from the corner of her eye, one by one.
"Don't cry." His voice was low and hoarse, as if it had been broken in the wind.
Sif didn't speak, but buried her face in his neck and hugged him tighter. The Blue Silver Grass curved in arcs around them, as if creating a temporary haven for this hasty encounter destined to end in separation, a haven undisturbed by anyone.
After an unknown amount of time, the blue light gradually dimmed.
Sif rested her head on Lin Xiao's arm, her eyes open, looking at the small patch of fragmented starry sky above her. Her heartbeat had slowly calmed down, but she still felt empty.
"I've heard the Queen of the Gods say since I was little that fate is the fairest thing in the Nine Realms," Sif said softly, her voice still a little hoarse. "I didn't believe it. I thought that as long as the spear in my hand was fast enough, there was nothing I couldn't choose. Thor was banished, Loki betrayed me, Odin fell into slumber—I told myself that these were all temporary. As long as I fought back and took back what was rightfully mine, what did fate matter?"
She paused, turned her head, and looked at Lin Xiao. Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the vines and leaves, illuminating half of her face. Her eyelashes were still wet, but her eyes were bright.
"But I believe it now," she said. "The Queen said my fate was intertwined with yours. I laughed, thinking that Midgardian were short-lived, how could they be worthy of being connected to my fate? Tonight I know she was right."
Lin Xiao reached out and pulled the blanket-like vines up to cover her bare shoulders. He didn't say anything, just listened quietly.
"I still can't shake off that hand of cards." Sif's eyes slowly closed for a moment, and when she opened them again, the tears had dried, leaving only a very faint red. "But I don't regret it."
Lin Xiao pulled her closer, resting his chin on the top of her head, and spoke after a long while, "I won't let you have a day when you regret it."
Sif chuckled softly, her voice like the wind brushing against the tips of Blue Silver Grass: "You can't even take care of yourself, how can you protect me?"
"Then don't leave," Lin Xiao said half-jokingly. "Stay and keep an eye on things, see if I can take good care of them or not."
Sif didn't answer. She just snuggled closer to him, wanting to store up all the warmth of his body from the night before, to use it little by little when they returned to that heavenly Asgard where the sun never shines.