Second Chances Rpg

Who: Dudebrocheezwizard and Valkyrie
Where: New York and New Asgard
What: Do what Asgardians do: Drink, Fight, Fly, Be awkward
When: Shortly after Thor arrives..... prior to bad guy portal incursion.
Warnings: PG violence, Language, but no f-bombs, petty larceny.



Thor flipped through the pages of Beyond the Northlands: Viking Voyages and the Old Norse Sagas and snorted. “Aragon, can you believe this utter shit? Leif was nothing more than a two bit used boat salesman.”

“Sir, um…. We do not allow um…..pets…. In the library.” The young man anxiously wrung his hands as he looked from Thor to Aragon nervously.

“PET? GOOD SIR, ARAGON IS NO PET!” Thor remembered he was in a library as he heard his voice echo through the hall. He gave the man his most charming smile and continued, “Sir. Aragon is my emotional support animal. Surely, you understand?”


Val made her way to the library, fast. There was simply no telling how much trouble Thor and Aragorn were going to get into. She was sure it was going to be a lot.

Aragorn for his part just looked bored, and like he was trying to find a way to not take up so much room. He patiently stared at the librarian, like he was an utter idiot.

She came into the library, but it didn't take her long to find Aragorn and Thor, not only because Thor was loud but her bond with her mount helped. Aragorn got greeted mentally while she hurried over.

"Thor! By the Norns." She sighed, he looked, well, awful still. Sigh.

“VALKYRIE”, Thor boomed and threw his arms around her, squeezing her tightly, before drawing back and saying, “Look at you! I am so glad to see you!” He gave her a brilliant smile.

“Do not sigh, dear friend. The library is not for warriors such as us, but it is still a useful and glorious hall.” He gestured towards Aragon, “You’re welcome.”

She groaned as he hugged her, hugging him back even though she wanted to drag him and throw him in a bath. "It is good to see you." She smiled a bit, though, actually happy to see him.

"It is a useful place, yes. Let's go before they throw us out." She looked up at Aragorn, "I'm glad he found you." She looked back at Thor, smirking a bit.


“Throw us out? That would be inhospitable. The people of New York are friendly and generous of spirit,” He laughed, but began lumbering towards the door.

“Tell me. Are our people safe in this time and place?” He scanned the library, “I do not see Korg or Meik. Have you seen them anywhere?”

"Horses do not belong in libraries, Thor." She sighed softly, "come on then." She led them both out of the library, where she laid a hand on her horse's neck.

"They are safe like home, in New Asgard. I have not seen either of them, turning the Norns." She said lightly then sniffed, "did you want a drink or food?" She asked after a moment.

“Aragon belongs wherever he chooses. He chose the library, I merely followed his wise counsel.” Thor hoped that wherever Korg and Meik were, they had free wifi, cinemax and beer delivery.

He sauntered alongside Valkyrie and Aragon, “Both of course!” He clapped her shoulder and said, “No salad though. Warriors do not eat salad.”

Val resisted the urge to face palm, but only just, as she looked sideways at Aragorn, her poor, long suffering steed, who really was just happy to saunter beside them, ignoring the looks.

"We do, actually, eat salads." She muttered before making the worst life choice ever: steering him towards one of the dive bars she'd found here. It had food, and drink, and was easy enough to get to.



They had only traveled a block or so when the sound of honkytonk floated out the door along with a twangy voice wailing, Well, I start to feel like Superman... Then I pick a fight, noticing the large sign which advertised “TWO FOR ONE CHEESEY FRIES,” Thor grinned at Valkyrie.

“Surely, Aragon will wait while we partake?” He walked in and noticed that the bar was filled with what looked like most of NYPD’s finest.

“We are among heroes, Valkyrie. This is where we belong!”

Val felt her life flash before her eyes, her soul started its journey to Valhalla. She heaved the heaviest sigh, "he… he'll wait yes." She sighed as she all but got dragged into the bar.

She opened her mouth to say something, then shut it as she sighed. "I am not sure that is entirely true but it… will suffice." She died a little on the inside.

"Come on then."

Rolling on up to the bar, Thor ordered four orders of the cheese fries, extra cheese, four Keystone Lights and tequila shots,” he reached for his wallet, realized that his sweatpants didn’t have pockets and shrugged, turning to Val.

“You’ll spot me, right?” He grinned at Val and looked around the room, “If only Heimdall were here!”

Val ordered herself less food, but, pulled out her card to pay for everything, then just started a tab. She'd beg Pepper or Tony for more after tonight. She really didn't want to think anymore.

Her head hurt.

"I've got it don't worry." Famous last words, right? She ran her hand through her hair, letting out a sigh.

“You’re the best, Val. Absolute best,” Thor thanked the bartender as shot glasses, beer bottles and huge plates of greasy fries were put in front of them.

Holding up a shot, Thor said, “To friends who feast in the halls of Valhalla” and slammed the shot back and grabbed a second,”May we honor them!” He slammed the second.

There was not enough alcohol for this, that was her first thought. Her second was she was not going to get drunk enough to forget any of this and hope it was a dream.

She cringed at the greasy fries, then plucked up her shot glass, "To all of those in Valhalla." She drained it without even blinking, grabbing the second and tossing it back.

Damn. This was going to be a long, long night. "Just remember that I'm the best."

“How could anyone forget it?” Thor laughed, ate a handful of the fries and then washed them down with an entire beer. He called out to the bartender, “Sir, your finest Everclear. Two bottles, please.”

The skeptical looking bartender ran the card again, and only then plonked two bottles of Everclear on the bar. Thor opened the first one, handed it to Valkyrie and opened his own. “To Asgard.” The drink burned fire down his throat, reminding Thor of his last view of Asgard as it was consumed by flames. He shoved that memory aside and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

A large man wearing a t-shirt that said, “Nock Your Punkass Down” sidled up next to the two Asgardians and smiled ingratiatingly at Valkyrie.

She took the bottle, and took a drink. That was better, that was likely to help kill her brain. For a few minutes at least. The burn made her cringe, it reminded her of the same thing.

She shuddered at the thought and chased it with another drink before she looked over at the man.

One look and he was dismissed as not worth a second glance, Valk didn't care about any man who wanted her attention, she had her best friend and that was all she wanted.

“Hey babygirl, don’t be, don’t be that way,” the man’s over gelled hair looked as if he had cut it with his weed whacker, his voice slightly slurring as he leaned in and clamped his hand on Valk’s butt.

Thor was tipping the bottle back when he saw Valkyrie’s face change.

The change was instant, too. She cursed, tipped the bottle back, and while the bottle was still tipped back, her other hand pried his fingers off her ass.

Then without even blinking, broke all the fingers that had dared touch her. The cops? All drank their drinks, ignoring the girlie screams coming from him.

As the man screamed like a twelve year old girl, Thor stared at him in contempt, “You dishonor your brothers in arms, pitiful dog.” He took another long drink and called out, “Brothers in arms, the finest in all the mid realms, does this dog represent you?” He belched and then slammed back another beer.

He called out, “Gentlemen, that is Asgard’s ass and you will not dishonor it.”

Valkyrie sighed, and set the bottle down. "Time to go… " then she stared at Thor with an expression that flit between astonishment and anger.

The closest cop looked at the pair, "We saw nothing." He said with a shrug, lifting his glass.

Val shoved the crying guy away with her foot while at the same time slapping Thor upside the head. "Asgard's ass, what the Hel!?"

Laughing, Thor looked at Valkyrie, “What? Would you be dishonored?” He grinned and said, “Can't go yet. Not done with my fries.”

He took another drink and said, “You saw nothing?” Thor picked the still mewling jerk off the floor by the back of his jeans and tossed him into the middle of the bar, knocking over a table and sending bottles of beer and cheap glasses of whisky crashing to the floor.

Ignoring the chaos he had just created, Thor leaned in towards Valkyrie and said quietly,
“Valkyrie, I must ask you something of the utmost importance.”

She ran her hand over her face, "Not really no. Just, really!?. That is not a phrase you'll be keeping in your vocabulary though." she licked the last of the alcohol off her lip as he picked up the man add tossed him onto the middle of the bar.

She didn't really care what happened to the man, picking her bottle back up to take another long drink.

"And what, Thor, is that question?" She tipped the bottle towards him, "ask away."

“I am seeking your wise counsel, you must be honest.” Thor took another drink, “Do you think these pants make me look fat? Because Korg thinks they make my ass look huge. I told him my ass is huge on it’s own regardless of pants. He insists it is only these pants.”

"Korg was trying to be polite. It is not the pants." Well, she had zero reason to pander to his good will, or lie. "We need to work on that, for the record. I mean, enough of this self pity bull shit."

She held out one hand, stopping broken handsy guys buddy from getting in her face, while she took a drink. "You wait."

“Knew I could trust you, Valk,”.

Val only grinned, "of course you can."

Then she looked up at the guy she was holding off with her other hand. "By the Norns you are relentless. I'm not some meek woman you can trample over and manhandle. I'm Valkyrie, warrior Queen of New Asgard. And you? Aren't worth my time." She picked him up by the front of his shirt and tossed him to land in a heap with his buddies.

She would be lying if she denied the wicked gleam in her eye as he scrambled back up. "Thor, my friend, it is time to play."

Thor’s grin broadened as he drained the last of the Everclear, and turned to the still uniformed man who’d walked up and tapped the god of thunder on the shoulder, “You’re going to have to come with me.”

Turning only slightly, Thor brought the empty bottle down on the man’s head and returned Valkyrie’s wicked grin as the man slumped to the floor. Shirt riding up as he lifted the man over his head, Thor tossed the man neatly onto the pile of bruised and blubbering men.

“Nice crocs, there tubby. Did your girlfriend there buy 'em for you?.” The voice belonged to a man who clearly felt that his uniform made him an equal to the Asgardians.

Thor’s laugh was hearty, “You people are so petty, so very…..” his lip curled contemptuously under the mustache and beard, “....very small.” He reached out, lightning fast and grabbed the man by the neck and raised him up so that his feet scrabbled against the floor.

“You can’t…” the man wheezed.

“I already have, mortal”. Thor’s eyes crackled with brilliant blue as he casually tossed the cursing man towards the other Asgardian, “Valkyrie, this gentleman not only believes that you are my bae, he believes you are responsible for my choice of footwear.”

Val was juggling a contender for a Darwin award when she heard the comment, a brow arching sharply. She dropped the one who had tried to punch her to catch the one Thor threw.

"Oh jeez, man, I wouldn't let him out of the house in those if he was my boyfriend." She punched him in the face and dropped him to the floor, closing the gap between her and Thor so she could punch him.

"Also don't use the word bae, it is just ridiculous and unbecoming of a god. Please pull yourself together." She subsequently threw Thor in front of her as someone else joined the party. Her face was lit up with a grin as wicked as they came, angry but also, enjoying herself.

“Would you prefer, boo?” He elbowed a man in the gut, laughed as the man’s tiny fist hit him square in the chub. Thor headbutted the man, who crumpled to the floor. Seeing a man sidling through the melee as if to come up behind Valkyrie, Thor said in a conversational tone, “Duck.”

He swung a barstool around, caught the man’s center mass with it, and then reached over the bar for another two bottles of Everclear, “I could call you, ‘My old lady’ if you prefer.” He tossed her a bottle, unscrewed his own and took another long swig before kicking a burly man who rushed toward him like a raging moose.

Thor’s croc went flying off his foot, he grimaced, pulled the other off and used it to backhand the bartender who dared question the payment arrangements.

"I would not prefer 'boo' or anything like it." She ducked without flinching, trusting him. She took a bottle, opening it without a second thought, "I would also not. Please refrain from commentary on my age unless you want this bottle in your face."

She hopped over the bar to pluck her card from the counter, letting Thor throw people around as she looked around, nosy about what they had tucked behind the bar, taking a drink from hers.

"Are you done yet? There's a diner down the road that makes amazing… "' she got cut off as a bottle bounced off her head. She ran her tongue over her teeth before finding the thrower. She plucked a beer bottle up and threw it so it bounced off the guys face. "Amazing burgers and I'm hungry now." She finished.

Thor grabbed the man in front of him, headbutted him and then gestured toward the door, “Glorious, We will feast! After you,” The God of Thunder began making his way towards the door, but stopped to step over a mountain of a human being. Thor looked down, and noticed that the man was wearing a particularly nice pair of boots. Judging them an acceptable replacement for his beloved crocs, Thor paused to strip the man’s footwear and plunged his feet into them. “Spoils of battle,” he muttered.

As Valkyrie preceded Thor out the door, he slung an arm around Valk’s shoulders, “Shield Maiden, I have missed you.”

The good thing about a cop bar was that none of them were going to admit, or report, they'd gotten their asses handed to them by a man in crocs and a chick.

She leaned against her friend, "Norns, I haven't been called that in forever either." She grinned at Aragorn who peered behind them and sighed. Valkyrie patted the horse before grinning at Thor.

"I missed you too, how you feeling after that?" She teased, one hand coming up to wipe a smidge of blood from the corner of her lip as she steered him down towards the diner.

“Aragon, you are a patient steed,” Thor gave the horse a smile but did not presume to touch him. Thor cocked his head and looked at Valkyrie as he considered the question, “Good. Very, very good.” He leaned his neck to one side, cracked it and took another drink from the bottle he’d taken from the bar.

“Thinking that it is time for me to stop wondering what could have been and confront what is,” his voice was low, “Maybe time to stop pretending Odin wasn’t a complete and utter bastard to everyone but me.”

He grinned to lighten the moment, “Yes. I feel very good. But also hungry,” His eyebrow quirked up as he offered the bottle to Val, “....and I pray you will not speak of salad this day, Hilde.”

Aragorn snapped his teeth towards them and Val rolled her eyes at him. "He says you're smarter than you look." She shook her head at the horse, she loved him dearly and was glad he'd joined them.

For all the joy that fighting had brought out, her face fell quickly. She swallowed, then took the bottle, stuffing her own emotions down, before looking at him, "he was a warmonger and wasted people." Before she took a long pull from it. Odin brought up so many dark memories.

"Tonight will stay salad free, Thor." She said quietly as she looked at him thoughtfully, her lips pursed, "Who said you could call me Hilde, hmm?" She grinned at him.

“I hope Aragon is correct, though of late I do not deny there is little to demonstrate it,” Thor pulled a bottle of tequila from the pocket of his robe, opened the bottle and drained a quarter of it. “....he played people like tokens on the tafl board at whim, with no regard.” Thor’s punctuated the sentence with a thunderous fart.

“No one, Shield Maiden, but it is best that we remember who we are, no?” He grinned at her good naturedly as they approached the diner.

She sighed, serious for a moment then Thor farted and she sighed harder. "He gave no regard for us." Then her voice dropped into a dark hiss. "He regulated me to legend. A myth among my own kind." She clearly had Opinions.

Val opened the door, "I know who I am, Thor, I'm not the same woman that had that name. I haven't used it in millennia, but I'll give you pass to use it. For now." She gestured inside.

Following her into the diner, which smelled wonderful, Thor replied, “He turned us all into stories that he could warp and twist taking from us far from the path the Norns intended.” Tugging thoughtfully on his beard as he sat down in one of the ancient chairs, “And I did not see what was right in front of my face.” He picked up a menu, tossed it back on the table and steepled his hands on the table.

“You may not be her, Shield Maiden, but she is still within you and I thank you for allowing me to remind you of her.”

Thor leaned back in the chair, which creaked in a particularly threatening way, and then allowed its legs to drop to the floor again, knowing that if shattered the chair, Valkyrie would not only never let him live it down, she would be right for doing so.

"Well..it is what it is. I lost a lot of my years to him, and in his service. There's nothing I can do about it now." She sat down, grabbed the menu, and looked over it ignoring the tug of hurt. "I don't really remember anything before, so, I'll die mad about it."

"Don't think anyone else will get to call me that. Well. Maybe your brother if he shows up." She conceded as she pushed her hair back.

She wouldn't ever let him live it down, "I'm glad you're here, Thor." She sighed softly, "no one else really gets me, and I needed this." She looked up at the server. And ordered two big burgers and fries for herself.

He thought for a moment about laying his large hand over Valkyrie’s smaller, but strong and calloused one, decided that he had no desire to draw back a bloody wrist, and settled for, “No one else would dare, now would they?” Thor thought about the months after Loki’s death, when no one seemed to understand that regardless of anything Loki had ever done, Loki was his brother. His. And Thor had failed that brother, not once but hundreds of times over a millennium. He had failed him when it had mattered most.

Shoving the thoughts away and not allowing a trace of them to show on his face, Thor grinned at Valkyrie, “I am very glad that you are here.”

Thor ordered a single burger, extra fries and a Coke. While waiting for the server to arrive, he glanced at Valkyrie and said quietly “I hope that Loki finds his way here. We have much to talk about, he and I.”

Val would absolutely take his hand off at the wrist. Or put a fork through it. Val understood, Val knew. But she bit it all back and sighed instead. "No one else would know. You and Loki are it, these days." She said softly.

"I am grateful for you." She said then leaned back in her seat, to be fair, she weighed more than she looked like and it was not pleased under her either.

"It would be nice to see him again. I miss him as much as I missed having you around." Dark eyes focused down at the table, she had a lot on her mind suddenly.

“And I for you, Hilde.” Thor was grateful for the server’s arrival and the food that she plonked down on the table with a bored huff.

He took a large bite, chewed thoughtfully, took a drink of the Coke and then said, “I know my brother. If there is any way for him to reach us, he will.” Thor shrugged, “And if he cannot, we will tear the Nine Realms apart until we find him."

She added ketchup to her first burger and started in on it. Fighting meant she'd worked up a real appetite, and it had been the first real one she'd had since she'd gotten here. Food was suddenly the best thing she'd tasted all week.

She set her food down to lift her soda towards him, "Damn right we will. I'll go to the ends of the universe for either of you." She'd take Aragorn and hunt him down, too, she grinned widely.

"What else do you feel like doing, tonight? I am in a good mood. You are here. Aragorn is here. I haven't bloodied my knuckles in weeks so that was fun."

“You, in a good mood?” Thor cracked his knuckles and took another bite, “First, we will wait…. To make sure that it does not pass like a lemming fart in a brisk wind.” He took a drink of coke.

He leaned towards her, “I will summon Mjolnir. Let us fly to New Asgard.” Thor knew the New Asgard would be peaceful, he knew that they were safe. He knew this because their Queen would not be sitting with him in New York if it were otherwise. Yet, he felt drawn to the place, wanted to see it with his own eyes.

Thor shoved the last of his fries into the non alcoholic pocket of his robe, tugged his shirt down over his stomach and said, “Shall we?”

She polished off her burgers, smirking a touch at him. "Good moods do happen, I swear. But they are rare." She washed the burgers down with her soda before getting up to pay.

"I am sure Aragorn would like to stretch his wings. Off to New Asgard then." She agreed, easily, she knew home was peaceful..she had the paper work to prove it. She might be staying in New York, but she made sure to keep up on her actual work too.

She paid, stretching lazily. "Let us go." She headed out, whistling for Aragorn to come back down.

Walking out to the street, Thor held up his hand. He waited. He looked over, saw Aragorn’s face and muttered, “Sometimes it takes a minute.” At the horse’s derisive snort, he thrust his hand into the sky once again and was rewarded with a rush of air and the solid thunk of an axe handle into his palm. The braided leather fit his palm exactly, reminding him of not only of the person he had become, but of his promise to Frigga, that he would become who he was supposed to be.

He felt the hammer draw electricity from the heavens, gave Valkyrie a grin and said, “Try to keep up,” as the hammer pulled him off his feet and rocketed him into the night sky.

Valkyrie swung up onto the back of Aragorn with ease, she didn't need a saddle or bridle to guide him, she just had to think of where she wanted to go and they went.

H"I have no doubt I'll keep up just fine." She hunkered down on his back, fingers tangled in his mane. They were off after him in a blink, Aragorn cheated, after all, he was a magical construct of sorts.

And he was happy to stretch his wings.

The bite of icy winds and the velvet black of the night sky over the North Atlantic invigorated and revitalized Thor. He grinned at the flash of light that shot across the horizon, realizing it was very likely that Valkyrie and Aragorn would be waiting for him on the cliffs above New Asgard.

As he descended rapidly, he thought about coming down on one knee, realized that his center of gravity had changed enough that there was a better than fifty percent chance he'd end up flat on his ass. The idea of the story being told for generations did not appeal to him, so he hit the ground with both feet, shook out his hair and brushed the ice crystals out of his beard.

Valkyrie would so tell that tale for centuries.

She really hadn't gotten ahead of him by far, but she was sitting comfortably on Aragorn, looking out over the ocean when he got there. Her hair glittering with ice, she'd coasted down over the last few miles to enjoy the ride.

She looked over her shoulder, grinning, "How was your trip?"

“Glorious!” He came over to stand next to Aragorn looking up at Valkyrie, her face flush with the chill of the wind, the ice crystals sparkling like diamonds were nothing to the sparkle in her eyes at what he knew must be the joy of being reunited with Aragorn. The sight of her lips curved into a smile brought one to his face as he went to hang Mjolnir at his waist…...and realized he hadn't worn a belt in…. far too long.

He threw the hammer hard out over the waves below, towards the sun which was just beginning to inch its way over the horizon. Remembering the manners, Frigga had attempted to beat into him, he held out a hand to assist Valkyrie in alighting from the back of the horse. Before she could backhand him, he said, “Yes, I know you are perfectly able to get down. Pretend we are civilized.” His eyes crinkled as he smiled up at her.

“Humor me.”

“I am glad.” Aragorn had a gleam in his eye that promised mischief if Thor wasn’t careful. The horse was not above pantsing his majesty if Aragorn even thought his mistress was displeased by any action taken by the man beside him. For her part, Valkyrie was smiling down at Thor like he was a project in need of a lot of focus.

Which wasn’t likely far from the truth. Her eyes tracked Mjolnir for a moment as he threw it out over the water, amused, then they focused back on him. “You speak as if we do not know how to be civilized.” but her tone was light with humor, she wasn’t terribly offended - he had at least not made an effort to just help her down without asking. She’d have let Aragorn send him flying after his hammer if he had just assumed.

She took the offered hand, hers calloused by thousands of years of fighting in some form, her skin warmer than the ice crystals on her eyelashes would suggest. In an act of utter graciousness, she let him help her down without actually fussing too much. After all, she was Queen - he’d given that to her - and they were in their little kingdom. “I suppose humoring you a little will do me no harm.”

“Very little can harm you, Valkyrie, least of all a bit of courtesy from me.” When her hand met his, Thor smiled at the strength in it, the callouses that bore witness not only to eons of combat, but also to the hours she had spent building a community for their people. He let go immediately, ashamed that she had had to do that task alone. He pushed the thought away, apologies could wait for another day.

Thor stepped over to the craggy cliff edge and sat down on the bare rocks, overlooking the village below and the ocean beyond. The hammer returned and Thor caught it easily and hurled it back out over the waves.

Her head tilted just a little bit, her lips pulled up at the corners into a smirk, “No, I would not expect harm from you.” a pause, a slightly softer smile gifted in his direction. It was as rare as a winter thunderstorm, but it was just as strong for all it’s gentleness. “I can live

with some courtesy from you.” Her hand suspended for a moment there where he left it, before she raked it back through her hair, smoothing the braids out and shaking off the last of the chill.

She didn’t blame him - not for any of it. Everything had been so messy, so chaotic. She was used to working in such wild situations that shouldering the responsibility had been easy. She’d wanted to compensate for the thousands of years she’d left Asgard to itself. That meant building a home. He had grieved in his way and she had worked herself to the bone to grieve in her own.

The Valkyrie stepped up behind him as he sat down, resting her knee lightly between his shoulder blades. A tiny gesture that meant a lot from someone like her. “It is a beautiful place, is it not?”

Leaning back against her a little, Thor was quiet, breathing in the cool air as the distant sounds of the village beginning to stir to life drifted up to them. He looked up at Valkyrie, turned back to look down at the village, “Very beautiful.”

For all her bluster, Val found the peaceful mornings to be one of her favorite times, much like the middle of the night. The peace just before the day’s chaos burst onto the scene was her favorite time. The faint sounds of the village coming to life had a wistful smile on her face. It was not like Asgard, or Sakaar, had been - not really. This had a charm to it that set her soul at peace, and the tension she often held leeched right out of her. The moment was perfect.

Then she ruined it - mostly because she wasn’t entirely sure if he had meant the village, her or both and one of those options warranted a lobbing off a cliff. “You should walk amongst our people again.” The knee shifted, being replaced by a foot, that ever so deftly pushed him right off the cliff. He’d be fine. She stepped off the cliff after him, but she whistled on the way and she landed neatly upon Aragorn’s back. Who said she didn’t have a touch of the dramatic?

The ground rushed up towards him, Thor’s laugh rang out as he reached his hands out, the hammer returning immediately to one while the other one reached out, grabbed Valkyrie’s ankle and yanked her hard off of Aragorn’s back. The moment she was unseated, he allowed himself to fall another few feet, caught her around the waist, lightning coursing through him, they rose in the sky….. thus avoiding, albeit temporarily, Aragorn's teeth.

Changing course, he skimmed the coastline, doubled back and landed nearly where they had been a few moments before, he looked down at her, grinned and said, “That was almost as funny as when Loki turned into a snake.” He laughed and stepped away quickly.

Sometimes confidence was great. Sometimes it got you pulled off your horse mid-flight. Valkyrie had not been expecting that (though, she should have) and she was unseated and had a few moments to figure out her next move as even Aragorn looked surprised. As he caught her, one arm wrapped around him as she burst out laughing. The snap of Aragorn’s teeth echoed in the space left behind.

Her laughter was a sweet sound - for once free of the bitterness that often crept in. Her eyes sparkled and danced as she set foot on the ground once more and unwound her arm from him. “Well, he has more tricks than I.” she admitted as she looked up at him. A few strands of her hair had come loose, one falling over her left eye as she tilted her head up to see him.

Then the sound of hooves landing right behind Thor was the only warning he got before Aragorn bit him in the shoulder. He had thought about biting him in the ass but had decided that the padding there was enough his anger wouldn’t have gotten through. So the shoulder it was. “Aragorn!” she squeaked as she both started to laugh again and tried to scold her horse.

Thor's laughter rang out, “Aragorn, how easily you forget who reunited you with your mistress.” He was sure that the shoulder would be bruised, but shrugged it off.

“Don't be too hard on him, Hilde.” Thor’s voice was warm, the sound of her laughter made something tight in his chest unwind. He remembered the sight of her standing on a Sakaarian ship, her cape flying like a banner behind her as she defended their people from Hel, herself. He saw for the briefest moment, the pain in her face when she spoke of Odin, and then the beauty of her smile caught his attention. He thought about tucking the errant strands of hair behind her ear to see if they were as silky soft as they appeared.

The light of the sun sparkling off the icy waters sent rainbows dancing across the coast, Thor made an exaggerated bow, “Your majesty, if I have offended the dignity of the ruler of Asgard, give me the word and I will humbly atone.” He rolled his eyes and then against his better judgment, brushed Valkyrie’s hair away from her face and stepped back, prepared for her to bash him with something.

“You can kill me if you like, your Royal Highness, but you know you like me.”

His scolding of Aragorn earned him a head bashing right into the newly bruised spot from the biter himself before the horse stomped off, arrogant and grumpy as always. He hadn’t forgotten but Thor’d put his mistress in danger (as minimal as it was) and he clearly was not pleased, but he’d doled out his punishment and was content to nibble on grass, while side-eying Thor pretty hard. Just. In. Case.

Valkyrie gave off the impression that she was tough as nails, and nothing got to her, to everyone else. But under all her armor and walls, she was affected by the years that had gone by. As much as she tried to distance herself from Asgard, as much as she had tried to say she was nothing more than a fighter, she felt as deeply, and vividly as any other Asgardian did. Centuries of life afforded them the ease to take risks others wouldn’t, to explore not only who they were themselves but places, and it gave them the gift of insight. Her scars were deep, her wounds still fresh, but she could laugh, too.

But one of the things that was always constant with her, no matter where she landed, was that if you took the chance, the opening, the risk, around her? She would notice. Strength didn’t just mean how hard you could punch, it also meant knowing that there was no reward without risk. How she reacted, of course, was always up to chance. As he bowed, and spoke, her eyes probably could not roll further than they had. Which is why she didn’t see him move until his fingers were tucking the hair behind her ear. His saving grace was that he was not some mindless oaf coping a feel in a dive bar.

“Thor Odinson,” her voice was razor sharp, her eyes still wide with surprise, and her warm hued skin was just a little warmer in the cheeks. She pulled herself up a little straighter, she was no height match but she could certainly take up space on willpower alone, “Just how confident in that statement are you?”

Having thought about head butting Aragorn in return and deciding that the horse had had a tough enough day, Thor was about to throw the hammer again when Valkyrie spoke.

He considered her question, at first planning to simply laugh and avoid the question. That would allow him to avoid the nagging doubt about himself and the fear that he had lost his way so thoroughly that while he might be worthy of Stormbreaker and Mjolnir, he might never be worthy of respect from the people who mattered most. Watching Valkyrie, knowing what it took for her to let down her guard enough to laugh, he knew that he owed her the truth.

His eyes were steady as he replied, “Confident enough to risk you taking my head off, not confident enough to repeat it without invitation.”

Her gaze on him was as sharp as her tone, she didn't care about things like royal protocol or whatever bullshit came with being Queen. She had confidence in herself, she knew what she was worth, and that she'd never be taken advantage of again in her life.

Slowly the edge softened, the hardness in her eyes eased. It wasn't much, and she'd never be anyone's definition of gentle, but it was something. And it was visible.

"That is a good answer." The words were quiet, thoughtful. She breathed in the ocean air, the scent grounded her when she thought she'd be lost to the chaos. "You may keep your life and your hands." Then, almost whispered into the wind, "I did not mind it. You would not lose your fingers."

“You're too kind,” his voice was solemn, “Should I consider that an invitation or merely a commutation of sentence?” Standing next to her, Thor felt in her the same caution he knew resided in himself. Yes, they could take risks that no Midgardian could, they could commit acts of great heroism and courage. They were stronger and more resilient than the Midgardians that outnumbered them. While they had at least millennium to let go of old wounds, Thor had learned that sometimes there wasn't enough time…. that some mistakes could not simply be allowed to fade into the past.

“Hilde, you know who I am, and I believe I know you, and I do not presume anything. But I do like you. You are beautiful and strong and I would very much like to sit with you.” He paused, “Provided your chaperone gives his permission.”

"Consider it conditional permission." She said after a moment of thought. She did not specify what the conditions were, but wasn't that half the fun? Time moved faster on Sakaar, she'd lived multiple lifetimes even for them, and under it all, where the light of day never reached, she wanted what everyone else wanted: to be understood. To be needed.

They were a proud people, and it cost her some of her own pride to admit that she craved that connection. She was not, however vain, compliments on her looks didn't do anything for her, at least she liked to think so. But a small crack appeared in the walls she wrapped herself in at his words. He asked for nothing that was hard to give, he expected nothing and yet the request had more weight than if he'd suggested they go to one of their beds.

"If he likes to continue eating and flying in his life, he'll be a smart creature." She finally moved, finding a patch of ground that had a good view. Without looking at him, she sat down, stretching her legs out in front of her, her weight resting back on her right hand, the breeze rifling through her hair. It was only when she was comfortable did she look up, brows arched, "Well, are you going to sit or are you going to stare at me?"

“Probably a bit of both,”. He sat down next to her, liking how Valkyrie never played games. She stated things as she saw them. He liked that she could hold her own counsel, he leaned in a little closer to her and said quietly, “I am not the man I should be right now, Hilde. Do not think I am unaware of this.”

He blew out a long breath and gazed out towards the horizon, “I thought that I would find answers out there. Then the portal brought me to New York and now I find myself back where I started, I don't know what that means, but the Norns draw me back over and over.” He smiled at her, “I know that it is Loki who should be here, not me."

He thought of his brother and all the Loki had lost, “I am glad to be here, now, in this place,” he held open his palm inviting her to place her hand in his. but unwilling to push or rush.


Valkyrie didn't play games, she didn't dance around topics, she faced everything head on. Playing games with any potential partner was something she felt women who had very little to offer did. She knew her worth and it didn't depend on anyone's opinion of her, or any trickery. "You are who you are meant to be, right at this moment." Would she prefer him to give up the cheese whiz and pop tarts? Sure. Not because he was fat, but because they were not conducive to good fighting ability.

The mention of Loki tugged on her heart, wedged a chisel in the crack, and widened in a tiny bit. While Thor hurt that Odin had used her, Loki knew exactly what it felt like. And she wished he was here with them. "He deserved this as much as we do." But she let out a soft sigh, "the Norns have put us on our paths. Their will guides us where we belong. It is not always fair."

She looked at his hand for a long moment. The weight of the fate of their people rested on her shoulders, she wondered what it would be like to be able to share that burden with someone who understood. Then without hesitation, or second thoughts, she laid her hand in his. It was not her giving in. It was a gesture that opened a door, but held no guarantee that behind it was what he was looking for.

Fingers closing around Hilde’s, Thor nodded at her words watching as the sun came up. Valkyrie had reminded him that to be Asgardian was more than eons of loss and betrayal. It was food and drink and companionship. It was fighting- not for the fate of the world, but for the sheer fun of it. To be Asgardian was to race though the velvet black of a star strewn sky and land half a world away to greet the sun.

It was a beginning and it was enough.