WHO: Thor Odinson and Valkyrie WHEN: backdated to when the pirates attacked, just afterwards WHERE: Thor's suite on the ship WHAT: Valkyrie brings Thor Nutella and checks on him. WARNINGS: probably nothing, will update if needed STATUS: gdoc, finishing in comments.
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Thor was laid out on the couch. It was where Loki left him when he brought him back to his room. Loki was, indeed, strong enough to deposit his brother there after the battle with the pirates. Thor’s ribs ached, his forehead had a gash, and he kept making little sparks by accident between his fingers. After nearly killing his phone, he laid it down on the floor near the couch. Brunnhilde would be coming soon, and he’d have to get up to open the door for her. He wished the boat was still turned into ‘off’ mode, so that she could just come in.
He pulled his shirt up-- he wasn’t wearing his armor when the pirates attack-- and could see a blooming bruise across his torso. It would heal quickly, but for now, it hurt. Thor had a high pain tolerance but didn’t often get hurt… so he was suffering. The only thing that got him to move was the knock on the door. He stumbled like a sleepwalk to the sound and opened it.
Nutella in hand, Brunnhilde moved well beyond briskly to Thor’s quarters. She had spent most of the time in search of his unusually named treat mentally berating herself for not protecting him. She would have killed him if he had died (it made sense, obviously). When she’d spoken to Loki, she hadn’t quite believed him when he said Thor had fallen in battle to some extent, having learned early on how deceptive the trickster god could be, but inevitably she realized he hadn’t been lying.
Now, her endless heart was rattling inside her chest from anxiety.
One knock resounded in her head, sounding like an eternity until he opened the door. She was unharmed, and he was well the opposite. Brunnhilde had to remind herself not to crush the jar in her hand. Immediately, she wedged the door open with her foot and turned to wrap her arm carefully around his waist to help support his weight.
“If you were aiming to lose your eye for real, you shouldn’t have ducked,” she remarked dryly but shakily, glad to be facing away from him so he couldn’t see how his damaged appearance had genuinely rattled her. She could shoulder his weight all the way to the bed if need be, and would insist upon it, but bearing a visible hint of her own emotion? Perish the thought.
“Come on, you big oaf,” she added softly. “Put your weight on me, I’ll get you to bed. If you don’t, I’m eating all your bloody nutella.”
She was a sight to behold. Every time he saw her, he felt a little tickle in his throat. Thor’s face lit up upon opening the door, and again when he saw she had a jar of Nutella in her hand. “You wonderful woman!” Suddenly, her arm was around him and he knew what she was aiming for. He knew she was strong and he let himself drape on her. “I’ve done it once, wouldn’t have minded much if it happened again-- and the problem was that I ducked too much.” Thor was a warrior, but he also was a thunder god shaped golden retriever. Sometimes a little over excited and clumsy.
“I’m doing it, I’m doing it,” he protested, letting her drag him along. Loki had done the same and he was worried about breaking his little brother. But Loki was Jötunn, and could for sure carry him. He didn’t dare worry about Valkyrie, she would sooner clock him in the jaw than let him hesitate. They were partners, after all. Equals. (Even if she considered him her king).
“Oaf,” he repeated, sounding somewhat offended. The walk to the bedroom wasn’t far, however, it felt like a few miles with his shaken up insides.
“This is nothing, tomorrow I’ll be fine.” He looked at the bed once they were in the room and made a pained face. Thor knew he’d have to somehow lay down without jostling himself. “I might even be better in the early morning, three am at best!”
It wouldn’t be an easy day or so for him. Brunnhilde didn’t know with certainty how long it would take his majesty to heal, but she would be by his side regardless. The battle was over, responsibility to the crown was off her shoulders now. At the moment, her only concern was watching over Thor for her own reasons.
“Three am?” She scoffed, not at all convinced. “In the shape you’re in? Give you ‘til at least five.”
Once at the bed, she steadied herself to turn and help lower him onto it. The sheer difference in their height made things rather difficult, but she made up for it in sheer strength of will and, well -- physical prowess, really. After facing down Hela once and for all, handling the mighty God of Thunder’s weight hardly was a bother.
“I’d prefer three am though,” remarked Brunnhilde as she sat down after ensuring he was as settled as well as he could be. Vulnerability wasn’t her strongest suit, Loki had learned that the hard way. She looked at Thor with only a hint of it exposed, if only because she hated seeing him in pain. “Give you one thing though. You didn’t die on me. You know I’d hate that.”
Thor eased himself on the bed with her help, and wiggled a bit to make some room. The beds were big, but maybe not big enough for two Asgardians. (Unless they stacked, which had already happened in her bed).
“Lay with me, it’ll help. You emanate warmth and happy feelings, come.” He waved his hand at her to get her to come closer. “You’re right, dying on you would have made you very angry. I don’t want that. I just want you happy.” He was being a sap-- or as Loki would call him, sentimental. Thor couldn’t help it, he wore his heart on his sleeve.
The whole time he had walked (with her help) to the bed and laid down, he didn’t let out a sound of pain. Once settled though, he let out a groan. “Oh, Brun, this is painful. Do we have anymore of that elf wine?”
Laying with him was appealing, but she was concerned for his physical well being. Even with his request, she remained seated for the moment seeming to mull over the logistics. With as much pain as he was in, adding to it would not help his cause. Denying him comfort, too, would be counter intuitive.
Ultimately deciding to kick off her shoes and curl into bed beside him, she turned on her side to regard him with yet still veiled concern. At his groan, Brunnhilde reached out to dance her fingers along the side of his face as her own creased with a visible frown.
“Only brought the nutella,” she said with apology in her tone. “So, unless you’ve a stash here, all I can give you are sweets as I’m not about to leave you now that I’m here.”
His eyes stayed on her as she moved into the bed beside him. They stayed on her as she situated herself against his body, and stared straight into her soul when she touched his face. “I have no such thing. The sweets will be good for later, when I’m starting to feel better. I’ll be hungry.” A crazy Asgardian metabolism will do that.
Thor reached up and took her hand, the one that sweetly touched his face. “I wanted to tell you something, even if I already admitted in by telling you I wanted to tell you--” He smirked at the ridiculous sentence he just spoke. “I’ve enjoyed every moment you’ve been with me, and I find myself thinking of no one else. Ever since I saw you-- well, I was excited because you’re a Valkyrie, but I knew there was something else to you. I… I don’t know what I’m saying here, Brunnhilde.” He smiled goofily, almost embarrassed. The God of Thunder was in awe of the woman next to him.