Chapter 7: Shawarma

The case tumbled from future Tony's grasp as he hit the floor. The Tesseract rolled across the lobby, coming to rest at Loki's feet. Mark and Loki exchanged glances.

As Loki reached for the Tesseract, Mark swiftly snatched it with a tendril and stored it in his portable space, absorbing more of its energy.

He winked mockingly at Loki, then turned towards the present Tony, who was being helped to his feet.

"Looks like the Tesseract is missing," Mark said to Alexander Pierce, noting the open and empty case.

Pierce's face reddened with anger as he barked orders to his men to locate the artifact immediately.

Mark shot a knowing glance at the Avengers, signaling them to make their exit. Hulk followed them, still sulking.

Loki shook his head and subtly signaled Pierce toward Mark. As Pierce's attention shifted, Mark quickly enveloped Loki's face in smoke to prevent him from causing any trouble and pulled him along with him.

As they made their exit, Mark looked back one last time to see future Tony limping out of the building. "They'll be okay," he mused. "The 1970s trip will do future Cap and Tony some good."

Unbeknownst to Mark, a reset charge was sent through a timedoor and placed in a corner of the lobby. It began to activate, starting to prune the floor and gradually widening its effect.

Before it could stretch further, it was engulfed by dark purple smoke, which swiftly restored the area to its previous state as if nothing had happened.

At Shawarma Palace, the Avengers gathered around a large table, Bruce having returned to his normal self. Their earlier tensions had melted away as they enjoyed their meal. Loki, restrained and seated at the end of the table, was given a small, meager portion of shawarma as a token gesture, remaining under close guard. Mark sat near Natasha, his attempts at flirting drawing amused chuckles from her.

Tony, already halfway through his shawarma, raised his voice to be heard over the chatter.

"So, Mark, where exactly are you from? No offense, but I tried looking you up and came up empty."

Mark took a moment to swallow his bite before responding. "I'm not really sure how to answer that. You wouldn't believe it anyway."

He thought to himself. How do you explain that you're not from this universe? That their world is like a movie from your world? That you were spirited away while watching a movie, thrown into the void, swallowed by a smoke-like monster, and then regurgitated into this universe? They'd think I'm insane. Or worse, they might end up like Professor X finding out he's a character from a comic—going completely bonkers.

"Oh? You're going to leave us hanging?" Tony leaned in, intrigued.

"Let's just say I'm from a place where things aren't quite as they are here. It's a bit complicated and definitely not something you'd find in a textbook." Mark gave a wry smile.

"Come on, now you've got us interested. What's the real story?" Natasha raised an eyebrow.

Mark shook his head lightly. "I've had my share of strange experiences. If I told you the whole truth, you'd probably think I'm crazy. Trust me, it's better this way."

"You're making it sound like you're from another planet or something." Clint chuckled.

"Something like that. All I can say is I'm pure earthling and I come in peace." Mark's smile widened.

Thor nodded thoughtfully. "Well, all I know is you're a fine warrior and worthy of being called a friend." Loki rolled his eyes at Thor's enthusiastic approval.

Tony laughed and took another bite of his shawarma. "Alright, we'll leave it at that. As long as you keep doing what you're doing, we're good." The other Avengers nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, guys. I appreciate it," Mark said, a bit embarrassed.

He then turned to Tony. "By the way, Tony, could you help me with some identification papers? I could use a bit of assistance getting things sorted out here."

"Sure thing. I can get you set up with something that'll make you look like you've been around forever. Just give me the details," Tony said, raising an eyebrow with interest.

"I'll fill you in on the specifics later," Mark replied with a grateful smile.

"So, where are you staying?" Natasha asked, looking up from her shawarma.

"I don't really have a place to stay yet, and I'm short on cash. Any chance you'd take me in?" Mark joked.

"That might be a bit too forward," Natasha smirked. "But I can lend you some money to get you started."

Mark smiled in relief. He then remembered the Chitauri items he had scavenged and showed them to Natasha. "Do you think your boss might be interested in these? I could use some extra cash."

Natasha inspected the items thoughtfully. "I'll pass these along to Fury—he should be interested. It might take some time, though. In the meantime, I can provide a small advance."

"Thanks, Natasha. I really appreciate it," Mark said gratefully.

As they continued their meal, the conversation turned to lighter topics. Bruce, now back to his normal self, chatted with Tony about recent scientific breakthroughs, while Clint and Cap reminisced about past missions. Thor, still getting used to Earth's cuisine, expressed his enthusiasm for shawarma, much to everyone's amusement.

Tony leaned back with a satisfied grin. "Looks like everyone's getting along. Mark, we'll get you sorted with those papers soon. If you need anything else, just let us know. It's the least I can do for saving me earlier."

"Sounds good," Mark said, finishing his shawarma. "Thanks, Tony."

As they finished their lunch, the team gradually began to disperse. Natasha and Clint headed off for mission briefings, Captain America made his way to his apartment, and Tony, Bruce, Thor, and Loki returned to Stark Tower. Mark followed them, eager to get his identification papers sorted and to return the Tesseract.

At Stark Tower, Tony led Mark into his office, where a high-tech workstation buzzed with activity.

"Alright, let's get you sorted," Tony said, gesturing to a chair. "I'll set you up with some papers that should help you blend in here."

Mark sat down and watched as Tony began typing away, his screen filling with a flurry of digital documents and personal details.

After finishing the paperwork, Tony handed the documents to Mark with a satisfied nod.

"Here you go. You should be all set now. Just keep a low profile and you'll be fine," Tony said.

Mark took the papers with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Tony. I appreciate the help."

Tony then reached into a drawer and pulled out a sleek, brand-new smartphone. He handed it to Mark with a grin. "Oh, and here's a phone. It's got all the latest features and, of course, Stark Industries security. It should help you stay connected."

Mark accepted the phone, looking impressed. "Wow, thanks. This will definitely come in handy."

"Just don't use it to call any out of this world travel agencies," Tony joked, tapping the phone. "And if you need anything else—"

"—just ask," Mark finished with a chuckle.

Tony waved him off. "Exactly. And remember, if you run into any trouble, don't hesitate to reach out."

Mark then approached Tony with the Tesseract. Tony's eyes lit up as he took the cube and carefully secured it in a container.

"Perfect. I'll just need to add some additional gadgets to help send Thor and Loki back to Asgard."