Mantis Withdrew Her Hand Respectfully As Loki Reassured Her, A Hint Of Embarrassment Washing Over Her.

"You're right, Johnny. I do tend to overthink things sometimes," she admitted with a sheepish smile. "It's comforting to hear that I've fit in well with everyone here. I still feel like an outsider at times, but knowing that I have friends like you makes it easier." Her gaze lingered on his a bit longer before glancing around the common area, her eyes landing on the Avengers' emblem on the wall. "And you're right about not being normal. But I've learned that being different can be a strength." Mantis turned back to Johnny, her eyes sincere. "Thank you for reminding me that I have all of you. It means a lot." She leaned in a bit closer, resting her head on his shoulder as she picked at the rest of her doughnut. "And I'm glad to be here with all of you. Normal or not, it's nice to feel like I belong."

"I get that," Johnny nodded. "Self-imposed responsibility is a bitch. And you've had to think like that your whole life" He looked over at her and shrugged. "But you have a whole team of people around you now. You don't have to let the weight of everything weigh on just you anymore." He looked up at her, laughing at what she said next. "You are very welcome for that. And the doughnut." Johnny smiled. "Stop overthinking so much, though. You've fit in with all of us perfectly. We're not exactly normal anyway."

Mantis chuckled softly at Peyton's initial assumption, shaking her head as she watched her roommate's reaction to the creature in her arms. "No, not a construction worker this time," she teased lightly, her smile widening at Peyton's immediate change in demeanor. Setting the cat down gently, she observed Peyton's affectionate interaction with the furry newcomer before replying, "I know, I was leaning towards a dog, but when I saw this little one at the shelter, I just couldn't resist. Isn't she just precious? I just loved her cute little face, there was no way I was leaving without her." Mantis went to set the cat on the ground, hoping she would acclimate to her new surroundings quickly. "They called her Maine Coon, but that's not a great name, I think we should rename her."

Peyton had been awake for a little bit, not surprised to see that Mantis was gone, already up and about despite it being early on a weekend. She yawned, stretching her arms behind her head as she padded down the hall. "Please tell me you didn't bring one of those construction workers home. Babes, even if they tell you sweet stuff, they aren't -- " She dropped her arms, pout immediately forming on her face when she saw what her roommate was holding. "Oh my God! It's so cute!" She went over to gently greet the cat. "i thought you were getting a dog."

She couldn't help but chuckle at Peyton's sleepy protest. "Sorry for the early ruckus. But you see, pancakes wait for no one!" Mantis grinned, her eyes sparkling with joy. As Peyton scooped up her curious cat, Mantis's smile widened. "Hello, Luke! Would you like some breakfast too?" she asked, her voice filled with warmth. Peyton's compliment about the smell made Mantis's heart flutter with pride, even if the appearance of her breakfast creation was a tad unconventional. "Thank you! I promise they taste better than they look," Mantis assured her with a playful wink. At least she hoped it did. "And there's coffee too! You know, this cooking thing is pretty easy once you get the hang of it." Mantis paused to take a bite of her toast, leaning against the counter while waiting to flip the pancake. "So, any plans for the day?"

Peyton padded into the kitchen, making a noncommittal noise when she heard her roommate already moving around like it was a normal hour of the day. "Bruh. It's 8 am. It's basically illegal to be this awake at 8 am." She pouted a little, about to say something else, but one of her cats was on their way over to the pancake mix. She scooped them up -- Luke, she realized once he was in her arms -- and returned the other girl's smile. It was annoyingly infectious. "Hi. It smells good." She hopped up onto the counter, Luke on her lap. "Lowkey looks kinda weird, but smells good."

Mantis tentatively stepped closer, her large, empathetic eyes studying Pietro. "Sometimes, being alone isn't the best way to heal," she said softly, her antennae twitching slightly. "I can feel your sadness, your pain. You don't have to carry it all by yourself." She hesitated, then added, "I didn't mean to intrude. I just want to help."

Pietro heard the voice from behind him and turned with a scowl. "Who invited you up here?" he asked, looking back to the cityscape. There were plenty of balconies in the tower, but this particular section of rooftop was a little harder to get to, more out of the way. Still, maybe she had just stumbled on him by accident, and she'd leave as quick as she'd shown up. "I'm fine. I'm not hurt." Not physically anyway. "I just wanted to be alone."

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?"

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?"

Though she'd only been on Earth for a short time, Mantis had found a number of things she enjoyed. Recently she stumbled upon an intriguing Earthly pastime—rock-paper-scissors. Not realizing it was a game better suited for multiple players, she had started a game by herself. With childlike enthusiasm, Mantis animatedly formed the hand signs of rock, paper, and scissors in various combinations, giggling to herself each time she'd 'won' her one-woman competition, blissfully unaware of anyone and anything.

🤔 for a confused starter for @awclintno

"Oh, a stealth mission! I love those," Mantis giggled softly. As they crept into the hallway, she lowered into a crouching position to appear as small as possible. She couldn't contain her excitement, her antennae twitching with anticipation. With each step, she moved as silently as she could, eyes wide and scanning the surroundings. So far it seemed as though the hallways were deserted, making the game all too easy. Pausing at a corner, Mantis poked her head carefully to ensure nobody was in their path. "Coast is clear," she whispered, motioning for Johnny to follow as she pushed forward, excitement building as their chances of winning looked better with every step. She so hoped they won this game. "Where are we headed when we get out of here? Where's the safe zone? Oooh, is it the ice cream shop? That would be the best prize!"

Johnny opened his mouth to mention the door was going to slam, but Mantis caught it before he could. He snorted softly when she tiptoed over to him, tilting his head to look at her. He glanced back at the door, and then to her again, before answering, in a quiet voice, "Everyone who isn't us is it." He smirked and took her hand, tugging her back towards the door. Cracking it open and nodding into the seemingly empty hallway, Johnny continued, "And we have to get out quietly and quickly before anyone sees or hears us."

"No, I am not from here either," she replied softly, her voice carrying a soft lilt. "I come from a distant planet known as Ego, and trust me when I say it's quite unlike anything you have likely seen here." She tilted her head, studying Klara with a gentle intensity. "But I find Earth fascinating. There is so much diversity, so many different beings coexisting in this vibrant tapestry of life." A gentle smile graced her lips as she spoke, her demeanor serene yet filled with an unspoken wonder. "And even with all there is to experience here, I can't seem to pull myself away from this thing." She gestured to her phone as she spoke, swiping up to the next video.

Growing up on Asgard for her entire life, Klara understood the excitement over Midgardian technology all too well. She'd only been living on Earth for three years and there were still so many things she had to explore. "Oh that is very cute," she agreed with a bright smile. "I take it you're also not from here?" Klara asked after a few moments.