Who: Thor and Valkyrie What: Talking - aka Valkyrie giving him an earfull? Where: Valkyrie & Loki's place in New Asgard When: Post storm Warnings: Language? Valk is her own warning Status: In Progress
Valkyrie hadn’t slept very well since they’d visited Strange. Her house was dark, but she was sitting out back with Aragorn. She was mostly patched up from her tussle with Thor, and then her subsequent fights she’d gone and picked with members of some other realm. Thanks, Aragorn, her official travel agent was nice. She had needed that. Her mount made her aware of someone at the door. She sighed, she did not want to deal with anyone right now.
“I’m out back” she yelled, her voice carrying. She climbed to sit on the split rail fence, feet hooked in the rail below her, eyes staring off into the distance as Aragorn wandered off to nibble on grass, but he wasn’t going too far from her. Not right now. She sighed as she looked back. “Hello, Thor. Are you feeling a little better today?” she wasn’t.
She had a vivid bruise across one cheek and her knuckles were fading from bruises. She had yet to get her hair back under control. Fighting with Thor meant her already prone to frizzy hair got a dose of electricity and she was pretty sure shaving it off was the only way to calm it back down until Loki got back to help. He had access to enough good products to keep her hair looking great.
She was tired of looking like she could mitigate anything that came their way because of all this. But she was, she’d take the burden off Thor for that, as de facto … whatever, ruler?, she wanted to shield the village from any fallout. Even if she was so tired. “Are you okay?” she asked, carefully, mindful.
“Why is that the first thing people ask me,” Thor muttered under his breath as he walked into the backyard. Of course, he knew why -- what had happened in New York … it was less than desirable. In fact, it was so far from desirable, he was sure that he had single-handedly ruined his country’s reputation and had absolutely no idea what he could do. The news had been playing continuously, streaming from New York, Canada, even New Zealand. It appeared every country in the world was watching and waiting for Norway’s official response.
Stupid.
“I should be saying the same of you.” Thor barely remembered the fight they had between each other. The bruises and scrapes on his sides, and one rather dark eye was all the evidence he had that she’d taken the brunt of attention from him. “I thank you for what you did. The storm … it could have been worse if I had been able to focus everything into it.” He swallowed hard. The storm was already as bad as it could have been.
“We haven’t sparred like that in some time. I believe you would have won, had Jane not appeared when she did.”
She gave him a Look. "Because we care," she said carefully then rolled her eyes, "and I was trying to avoid you asking me the same thing." She would fix it somehow, or try to, that was her job. Even if she was spinning in the wind with zero desire to fix this and every desire to get Loki home no matter what she had to do.
"No need to thank me. I was doing what any good friend would do. I am sure you would have done the same for me." Hypothetically speaking, anyway. She rubbed the bridge of her nose. "No. We have not and I have gotten meaner in my old age. More willing to pull dirty underhanded tricks out if I have too. Cannot be a warrior queen without the warrior part" she winked, with some approximation of a smile.
She ran her fingers over her new tattoos on her left hand, the snake on her finger, the ouroboros on her wrist. "I will do anything to protect our home and to get him back. You know that, aye?" She didn't look up, her right hand twitching, she badly wanted a drink.
“As do I.”
Thor walked over to Aragorn, and rubbed a hand on the steed’s neck before heading over to where Val was sitting.
“Like usual, our values have intersected. We will get him back, Val. I know we will. This ...this cannot stand. I understand he has broken laws for this realm but it’s Loki -- is there a realm where he is faultless? We will need to find a way to have him extradited to our custody, so that we can do something, something more to our laws….” Also highly unlikely.
“Stark is helping. Everyone is helping. Except Strange.” A clouding of the eyes showed how he felt about that, even if rationally he knew that Strange couldn’t do anything. He recognized the sorceror’s roles, recognize that Thor had overstepped the boundaries and yet he couldn’t find it in himself to apologize. Not yet, anyways.
“We need to donate funds to New York for the damage. Do some sort of goodwill gesture. It cannot come from me. It must come from you. I have funds, you can requisition them, state it part of my punishment, for you must punish me, you realize that right? You are the acting head of State for our people. It is in your hands what happens next to me.”
She hadn’t really talked to anyone yet - not really - about how she felt. How easily she’d settled into a routine with Loki or just how much he meant to her. She hadn’t expected to spill to Thor, either, because she was far too private for that but she couldn’t help it right now. “I will not let him linger there. I can’t. For his sake and my own. And for yours, but I’ll be selfish here too. I need him back.” she looked over to him and sighed softly. “And no, I cannot think of anywhere he is faultless, but then again, neither am I. He has tried hard and they must see that. Or must be made to see that.” she nodded, “Good. I did not expect the Sorcerer to help, but I am glad for Stark’s help.” she laid her hand on her friend’s arm. “We will figure it out. I do not back down, you know this.”
“Funds. Volunteer clean up. An offer of help to rebuild lost property. I needed a day to wallow before I could start in earnest.” she needed a lot more time than that but what could she do. She paused, she hadn’t thought about that part of things. A wince, “Right. Oh Norns I do not have any idea, Thor! I must condemn your actions in public - but know that I do not blame you in the least either. We are, I suppose, lucky I do not have outward signs of my anger. Funds, from you, see to it perhaps you stay within our boundaries for now unless they’ll accept your help rebuilding.Perhaps send others to help, or at least the offer, I am not sure anyone will take it though...” her fingers fell to the fence and curled in the wood.
“I never expected to have to make such big decisions - small infractions made by our people, funding sources, how to run things - but nothing like this. Honestly - I don’t know what they’ll accept from us. Money? Help? Do they want you to step aside for good or self-exile or? It’s hard to tell with Midgardians. We are guests and I don’t know what the right step is. What do you think??”
Everything Val said made sense and more. Thor would abide by whatever she determined, and he was sure that she would make good decisions. He almost opened his mouth and said they should consult with Loki before realizing no, they couldn’t do that. They most certainly wouldn’t be able to do that for quite some time, unfortunately.
Curses.
“Knowing what I know of the United States, aid will not be welcome for some time. They are overly proud and have long memories. Whatever you do in terms of my funds though...do it quickly. We will not have much time before things are blocked.” Once again, he cursed the fact that he hadn’t thought to transfer accounts to Norway yet. Their move was so sudden, and he generally left that kind of Midgardian activity to Jane.
“I do not know what they will demand of me. I simply know that we will need to make a statement and soon.” He threw his hands up in the air and sighed. “Do I relinquish my hammer? As my father said once, I am not the God of Hammers, I can do things without Stormbreaker. Would that ease their minds? I do not know, Val. I am truly so sorry for these events….”
The sky, which had lightened a bit was starting to darken again and he had to swallow hard, quell his negativity before another storm raged. At least right now, it was only a drizzle of rain. Helped with the melt and helped cover the fact that he felt he was brimming with tears at any given moment.
“I am a failure.”
Valkyrie ran her hand over her hair and gave Thor a Look “Focus, we do not need to get soaked today.” she even snapped her fingers in front of his face. “You are seriously just as bad as my husband. Both of you sink into moods and I swear the to Norns if I have to drag you both out by your ears you’re going to both owe me.” she spoke with a little exasperation and a fair amount of fondness. She liked Thor, he was a good friend, and she loved Loki but she was learning that they both needed similar handling.
“I’ll get the money moved and maybe reach out to Stark. He can move funds better than we can. If they won’t accept it from us, maybe he can manage.” she was already thinking,and had a good idea of what she should do on that front. She just needed a little help, she’d get that later. “If you think it is the smart thing to do, sure. Set it aside. Nothing, and hear me right now, Look at Me.” she said in a tone that didn’t leave much room to argue - Loki had been insistent that she remember she may have been left the title of King but she had risen to it and had every right to wield a little of its power - and she drew on that to get Thor’s attention, “Nothing. Is. Permanent.” she said firmly.
“We do what we must for now - set aside Stormbreaker, let them think you’ve decided you aren’t ready to take up the crown, set up a fund for reparations and double down on work to keep ourselves functional and safe - but nothing is set in stone. Time passes, we’ll deal with the immediate fallout, make plans for the future, then let you step back up, pick up Stormbreaker again - if that’s what you want. That’s on you to decide.” she reached out to rest her hand on his arm. “Please listen when I tell you this:” she paused,
“You are not a failure, Thor. If I’m not a failure for turning and fleeing, and losing myself in the middle of a trash planet, then you are most certainly not for having emotions. Loki is trying so hard to be more grown up - and he’s been an incredible help. He’s your brother. You’re allowed to be upset. We just need to work on focusing that into something less destructive. You’ve got me and Sif and Jane and everyone here. We will survive this. We will come out on the other side, even if that means we look forward and know we need to not stay here longer than necessary.”
She looked up at the sky for a moment. “I’ll make apologies, renounce your loss of temper, set up funds, get things moving, reach out to our friends, then we’ll focus on finding a way to get him home where he belongs. And trust me when I say that I can only manage to be polite for so long before I will literally walk through walls to get him out. Let’s prevent two of us for making big showy losses of temper, mm? I’m going to need you to focus to help me - even if it’s behind the scenes and out of the public eye. I’m going to talk to Sif, too.” she held out her hand palm up. “Agreeable?”
There wasn’t much Thor could say. It seemed Val had thought this through well. She was clearly handling it all better than Thor.
It wasn’t a hard stretch to formally renounce the crown at this juncture of time. Val was more than capable.
“Agreeable.”
He cleared his throat.
“I would also suggest that we speak to T’Challa. Wakanda is a friend to Asgard and we need all the friends we can get.” Another deep breath followed by a shaky smile. “I haven’t felt this empty in quite some time, Val. Not since...Ragnarok. Not since all that occured with my family … losing everything...everyone.” He cleared his throat. “I do not want to slip back to that and yet what else am I to do? I may not be a failure...yet I cannot help but shoulder some disappointment in myself.” The clouds were starting to swell again. “This is ridiculous. I came here to speak to you about yourself, and yet I am waxing on about myself. Val. Do not remain here in this empty home if you do not wish. Stay with Jane and I.”
He hadn’t cleared it with Jane, but he was sure she wouldn’t mind.
“No one should be alone right now ….or stay with Sif, if you need the distance from me. I would not fault you that.”
She gave him a smile, "We'll get through this. You aren't blameless, but who is? Though I think we really do need to work on your control a little, maybe we should spar more. I'm good at getting under your skin." She asked with a shrug. She had been thinking non stop for all her complaints she didn't know what to do, she did know, she just hadn't wanted to say it. "Nothing we do is forever. I'll hand this back over to you the moment you ask it of me sincerely. We'll reach out to everyone that is friend."
Valkyrie grinned a bit at him, "it is understandable. This is a hard time. But you are not alone, you haven't lost everyone. You haven't lost me, or Jane, or Sif. You are not lost. We know Loki is safe, not happy or handling things well likely, but alive which means we will find him. We will get him back, you have my word." She nudged him with her shoulder. "Don't get lost in the bad, I need you."
"I'm also really good at deflecting, I hate talking about my feelings. But I miss him. I keep expecting to turn a corner and walk into him. But it's just me, even Aragorn is worried about me." She let out a shaky sigh, she hoped maybe showing her own vulnerable side will help him. "If Jane is agreeable I'll come stay a few nights. It would not be a bad idea to have company." Then she rolled her eyes at him.
"Do you think one crisis is enough to make me not want to be around you, my friend? I am not angry with you. Well, I am a little but not angry enough to not want to be around." She nudged him harder, "I swear we will get through this. On my honor, which admittedly is a bit tarnished and blood stained, we will be okay."