Mantis Stood Perplexed Before The Colorful Mat On The Ground Before Her, Her Large, Almond-shaped Eyes

Mantis was that much more excited when her enthusiasm was returned, looked up from the screen at Carol with a bright smile. "Screaming goat videos? I shall definitely explore those. Thank you for the suggestion, Carol Danvers," she replied, shaking Carol's hand with a gentle warmth. "I'm Mantis. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Pause, rewind, and repeat babycakes, because that is the most adorable thing I've seen all day." Nevermind that it was only ten-thirty in the morning, that wasn't important. Carol flashed a grin to her newfound companion. "Apart from yourself, obviously. Carol Danvers," she said, extending her hand earnestly. "Also, if you need a switch-up, try the screaming goat videos. I found those to be very funny."

SHAY MITCHELL photographed for Tommy Hilfiger December 2023 campaign

Mantis nodded slowly, her expression a mixture of vulnerability and gratitude as she squeezed Johnny's hand back, drawing comfort from his reassuring touch. "Yes," she admitted softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "It was… unsettling." Her gaze drifted to the ground for a moment before she met Johnny's eyes again. "But I'm glad we made it out alright. It was still very odd to see the Iron Man suits attack people like that. What if it happens again?" She bit her lip, pausing briefly. "Not to mention it's made me doubt Tony a bit, and I hate that feeling the most. He's a teammate, I should be able to trust him."

Johnny gave her a mock pout when she hesitated, but took her hand when she did reciprocate and gave it reassuring squeeze. "It's fine if you're not," he said, easily, fingers lacing around hers as he led her out. "No one's fine all the time." Johnny looked over at her. "Is it because of what just happened?"

Mantis paused in her cleaning, contemplating Ella's question. "The weather here is… different," she replied thoughtfully, her antennae twitching slightly as she recalled her experiences on various planets. "I have been to a few planets, and each of their climates and atmospheres its own beauty and challenges." She resumed her task, a serene expression crossing her face as she continued to tidy the room. "But there is something tranquil about the gentle warmth of this planet, a sense of harmony in the air." Mantis glanced out of the window, observing the vibrant colors of spring beginning to emerge. "It is quite pleasant."

Ella nodded with a smile, glad that it seemed to resonate with Mantis so well. "It is isn't it?" She grinned, finishing up what she was wiping down. "This is probably my favorite time of year. With all the flowers blooming and the weather getting nice but not too hot yet." Speaking somewhat mindlessly. "How do you like the weather here? I bet you've experienced a lot of different types on other planets right?"

Mantis beamed at the compliment, her antennae perking up slightly. "Thank you, April. I'm so glad you had fun and got some good content." She answered softly, her delicate fingers wrapping around a cup of tea. "I'm actually feeling really happy," Mantis continued, her eyes reflecting her genuine excitement and joy. "Seeing everyone enjoy themselves made me feel warm inside. It's probably the first time since I've been here that I've felt fully integrated, you know? It's been a crazy adjustment, but I think I finally got the hang of this human stuff."

April snorted and sat at the table, smiling fondly at the display. "You're too adorable. And yes, I did. It was amazing. You did a good job, babe. It was a lot of fun and I got a lot of good content, so that's always a plus." She picked up a pastry. "How are you feeling after it?"

"Crack the eggs, crack the eggs!" Mantis happily sang to herself, attempting to avoid making a mess as she cracked open the shells. Unfortunately, she missed the bowl and she left a yolky mess on the counter as her attention shifted to the toast popping up from the toaster. "Oh, yay! Toast!" she cheered, smothering her overdone toast with butter before turning back to her abandoned attempt at pancakes. "Okay... so now I stir this and pour it into the pan." Mantis carefully dipped her mixing bowl over the skillet, dumping a rather large amount of clumpy batter into the center. Her attention was drawn away once again as her roommate joined her, a bright smile crossed the alien's face as she greeted the other warmly. "Hi! I'm making breakfast!"

@stvrlcrd

Mantis listened attentively as Loki explained his hesitance, her empathic senses attuned to the nuances of his emotions underlying his words, though she didn't push for more details. She nodded understandingly, offering him a warm smile of reassurance. "It's perfectly alright, Loki," she murmured softly, her gentle voice a calming presence in the room. He'd been patient with her opening up regarding her past, the least she could do was offer him the same kindness and not pry. Though as he elaborated on his abilities, Mantis's eyes sparkled with interest. "Your mastery over magic is truly impressive," she remarked, genuine admiration coloring her tone. When he mentioned his ability to manipulate ice, she tilted her head curiously. "Is there a reason you aren't as well versed in that magic?"

"Oh, it's not you, darling," he shook his head, seeing her reaction. "It's just a weird thing for me." Loki leaned back in his seat and continued, "It's a long story." He tilted his head to the side, humming at her response, "That's a useful skill, though." With a shrug, he replied, "My mother was raised by witches, so she's very skilled in magic and taught me what she knew. Shape-shifting, spell-casting, telekinesis, that sort of thing." He paused for a moment, before adding, "I can conjure and manipulate ice too, but I haven't really expanded much on that ability."

Mantis, with her multifaceted eyes flickering in shades of green, considered Ella's proposal. "Electronic games could be intriguing, but I have observed that the tactile nature of card games has a unique charm. And I've heard of so many games that can be played with a single set of cards. I'm curious to know how that works."

Ella thought for a moment, "Do you want to play something electronic? Or like a card game?" She asked the other woman, thinking of all the different possibilities. Plus she was sure there were a ton of games she didn't even know about. That was just on Earth! She couldn't even imagine what sort of things aliens did to pass the time.

Mantis blinked in confusion, her head tilting slightly. "Inside her head?" she questioned, trying to imagine what the inside of the giant green lady might look like, which only made her wonder if it was rude to be wandering inside of the lady to begin with. Peyton's question about fostering animals pulled Mantis from her thoughts, her heart fluttering with warmth at the idea. "Oh, I've been thinking about it a lot, actually. A cousin for Leia and Luke would be wonderful. I can sense their longing for more family," she mused, her empathic nature attuned to creatures as she reached over to pet them. "Maybe we can fit that into today's plans too, although I did ask Johnny if he wanted to come when I decided... But nothing says I have to decide today! We're just looking."

"Yep." She agreed with a nod, sitting Leia down beside her brother so they could eat the pancake together. "I don't actually know yet, but it's not top secret unless they tell me. And they didn't tell me. So..." Peyton looked up at her and smiled, before snorting at what she said next. "Yes, we can go get a giant pretzel. And go to the Statue of Liberty. You can walk inside her head." She nodded at her. "So, did you think about fostering an animal anymore? I think they could totally use a cousin."

"It's easy, Peter! Just let the music guide you. Feel the rhythm and let your body follow. You don't need to worry about your hands, they'll find their own groove. Trust me, dancing is like tapping into the universe's heartbeat." She extended her hand towards him, a hopeful smile lighting up her face. After a while, dancing on Earth didn't seem all too different than dancing anywhere else in the universe. "Come on, just one dance won't hurt!"

"Look, I'm refusing for your benefit, I swear!" Peter insisted, laughing. "I have no idea what to do out on a dance floor. Like, what do I even do with my hands?"