Thor Odinson is a flummox. (thepowerofthor) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2012-12-04 16:29:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, carol danvers (captain marvel), thor odinson |
Flying, Flirting, and other Fundamentals
Who: Carol and Thor
What: Thor goes to renew his pilot’s license, and starts a friendship
When: Sometime Tuesday
Where: Phones, then her office, then in the sky?
Warnings/Rating: PG
Status: Complete!
Thor liked being able to fly. He liked it a lot. He had been enjoying having a pilot’s license and with his renewal coming up, there was only one person he wanted to help him. Carol Danvers. She was smart, tough, and knew her planes backwards and forwards.
He hoped she would have sometime to see him and help him out today. With no work to keep him busy, time felt like it was running very slowly.
So he picked up the phone, dialing her number, and settled back as it rang.
Carol was a bit distracted today. She was thinking of Jessica (overly much) and trying to place just way. When the phone rang, she got up to get it. Most days it wasn't a problem, but occasionally her leg ached, and today was one of those days. She ordered it to shut up, and answered cheerfully. "Up in the Air, this is Carol."
“Hello, Carol, this is Thor Odinson. I earned my pilot’s license from you, awhile back, if you remember? And it’s coming up for renewal. I was wondering if I could do the test with you. If you even do that?” He was bouncy, and smiling to himself as he talked. His legs ached right now too, but he was trying to ignore it.
"Hello!" Carol leaned against her desk, smiling into the phone. "Yes, I remember you." How could she not? He was friendly and boisterous, and very flirty. She was too professional to be taken in by it, and too self-conscious about the scars from when she'd been shot down.
"I don't mind." She quoted him the price.
Thor smile when she recognized him. He had flirted, and been turned down, but it had all been easy going, and nothing nasty or hard of words. She was professional, and he liked that. “Sounds good. In fact... if you have a time today to do it, I’ll double your price. I’m kind of at loose ends, and getting this done would be interesting.” He hoped she would go for it. “What do you say?”
In a way, it occurred to him, she reminded him of Faiza.
Carol blinked, and looked at her itinerary. "I have time. I had a cancellation earlier. I was thinking of just closing up for the day." That would..really actually help. A grin formed on her lips and she bounced a little in place. "I think I can manage it, Thor.”
Thor smiled wider. “Good. When can I come in? “ He was eager, and bouncy, and ready to go. This would be fun, and he would have a license renewed and maybe he would do a fly during this two weeks.
"Now's good. Meet me at the airport, I'll get my baby fueled up, and we'll walk through the inspection together. Get your memory refreshed on what that all entails." She smiled, a little rumble in her voice, "I hope you remember I'm very thorough."
“Be there in a half-hour.” He grinned as he nodded to himself. he had been going through the specifics this morning and he was ready., he hoped.
“Your thoroughness is always appreciated. And part of why I come back to you.” Thor nodded to himself, grinning. “I do enjoy attention to details.”
"Great! I'll see you soon then! I'll lock up and head right over." His flirting was rather pleasant, at least. She'd gone through far, far worse over the years.
Thor tried. Especially now that he was doing his est to not flirt himself into sex. Which was new and weird, but maybe good? Maybe.
He hung up and got in the car, dragging his flight bag along with him, and throwing it in beside him. Then he was zooming off.
A little under a half hour later, he was pulling up before her hangar, and hopping out. He had the usual waiver already signed and the rather hefty check clipped to it as he walked toward the open front of the hangar, feeling excitement overtake him.
“Carol?”
"Hey there." She was wearing tight jeans and a loose sweater that was several sizes too big. Her hair was back in a messy pony-tail. She wiped her hands on her jeans and then held one out. "Good to see you. Got everything?"
Thor was wearing a pair of tight but moving and breathable pants, and a green t-shirt that showed off his muscles, and just felt good, to boot. And boots. “And you. I do, yes.” He nodded tp her, and took her hand, then extended the paperwork, smiling and admiring. he glanced past her at the plane and his face softened as he took in it’s lines.
“It ‘s good to see you’ve been keeping trim, and making sure everything is ship-shape.” His voice was gentle as he turned back to her, eyes dancing, now with excitement.
It was nice to look at, definitely. She took the paperwork, and looked it over quickly. She signed something, pocketed the check and the waiver, and handed him a receipt. "Okay, lets walk through the inspection and make sure you remember how to do this."
he slipped the receipt into his pockets and then nodded.”Okay. Lets do it.”
And he walked forward. Luckily, he had been boning up the last few days on the book, and even taken a brief trip out here the day before in the morning, to look at his own plane, and walked around it. So he was able to do the walk through, almost perfectly, having trouble with reversing a couple of steps, and one word completely dropping out of his brain.
He facepalmed at himself.
Carol laughed, correcting him gently. "Not bad. Half the time they mess up right off the bat. There's no need to be nervous, just remembering things. It's like riding a bicycle, I swear."
“I know. I just feel silly. i was just out looking at my own plane when the other day. Then, i knew all of this.” Thor smiled sheepishly. “At least I didn’t mess it up entirely. Must be the teacher I had.”
"Yes, I'll bet she's a remarkable woman." Carol winked, then opened the door. "Good enough. Come on, lets get into the air and see if you really remember how to fly."
The plane had four seats in the back, and the two up front. The colors inside were warm and the air freshener smelled of forest. Up front, she had red fuzzy dice, an honest to god hula girl, and a picture of herself with a dark-haired woman taped to the console.
“The best kind of person. Smart, strong, expert, and kind, and not bad on the eyes.” Thor grinned and then stepped in, and inhaled, the scent of the plane making him grin. It was times like these when he realized, and remembered, that he loved flying.
He followed her in and forward and glanced around, his eyes taking in the hula girl, the dice, and the picture. “A new picture.” He grinned over at her.
Grinning, Carol sat in the pilot's chair. She would give Thor control but she preferred this seat. "Okay preflight checklist."
Her eyes fell to the picture and seemed to actually sparkle a bit. "My bestie. That's a more recent picture than the last one I had in here."
Thor settled in and started the checklist, going step by step. This one, because of his running up his plane the other day, was spot on, and he smiled as he finished it, the plane starting to hum under them, all the readings perfect. He buckled in and nodded. “All green and ready to go.”
He smiled across at her. “I thought so. You two look happy together.”
"Take us up!" Carol ordered, double checking her belt in a superb vote of confidence. Color tinged her cheeks a little bit. "We get along well. We met after I was discharged and kind of..bonded. Missed her when I was up north. Pro-tip, Alaska is stunningly beautiful, but boring."
Thor grinned as he started the plane forward. “Sounds like an awesome friendship. I think I recall you having a pic of you and her the last time I flew?” Taxing out toward the taxiway and calling the tower for permission for the training flight, he glanced at her. Once he had it, he came into the right runway, and then started accelerating. with a prayer and with hands that seemed to move exactly as he wanted, the plane rose, dropped and then soared upward and Thor whooped.
When he got his nerves back, checking everything, he nodded to her and put the plain on a slow curve. “I had a chance to go to New Zealand for a shoot for a minor part in a movie. It was beautiful, amazing, and fascinating, and I was bored in two days of off time.”
"Yes. I took another one before I went up to Alaska. That one was getting old, and it didn't really show either of us at our best."
She kept her hands close to the yolk in case she needed to take over, but otherwise let him have control. "New Zealand sounds like it would be more exciting!"
Thor ran through the maneuvers of circling the airport and then set off for a short flight straight out a half hour or so. “I thought so too. I was excited to be asked in and along for the shoot, and then... it was boring. I felt sort of cheated.” He chuckled. “I’m sure if you know the places to go, it is amazing, but it wasn’t, at all.”
Flying seemed to come right back to him, and he breathed, feeling the plane as it moved, and almost like he could feel along its skin. “I love this.” His voice was quiet.
Carol settled back in her chair, looking at read outs, Thor's face, and occasionally sneaking looks at the picture. Something seemed odd all of a sudden, but she couldn't place it. She put it out of her mind.
"You should have done your research, bet there was some places you would have enjoyed."
She fell silent for a time, as they flew. She had to ignore the part that screamed for being in control, and focus on enjoying it.
Thor glanced at her and smiled. “Probably. Maybe next time. You ever do any work for the cinema?” He pondered helping his friends get random work all the time. What use was small amounts of fame if you didn’t use it?
“OKay. reached marker 412, turning about for return to airport. How am I doing, Captain?”
He smiled.
"Oh? No, I've never done anything like that. I could probably find work like that, they always need pilots, but I kind of like setting my own schedule." She might be convinced if she got to fly a jet, though. "So far so good, nothing I can really mark you down for. And I'm stern!"
He grinned at her, nodding.
“Thanks. I was hoping you’d say that. I really want this to work out. I am pondering applying for a role which would put me behind a cockpit stick. If I can actually fly, I can do more stunts and make sure things are more authentic.” He nodded. Thor enjoyed making things more real.
"Oh ho, you just don't want me to steal any roles from you." She laughed, then decided it might be worth asking. "If you hear anything about needing a jet pilot, let me know? I'm still licensed and that's my real love."
Thor snerked.. “Actually, I was thinking of seeing if you wanted a job on this next movie I am in. I know the pilot they are thinking of using and he stinks.” He nodded firmly. “But I don’t want you to think i am in any way pushing.” Because he felt that would suck, really.
And her words made him grin. “And it does involve a military jet...”
If she’d been in control, Carol would have sent them to a dive in her excitement. "What kind of jet?!" She doubted it was anything modern, if they were using a civilian pilot. But even if it was a retired military fighter, she'd be all over that!
“F-16, modified two seater, with a modified exterior for the shots for some sort of special project thing. I’ll be a soldier who gets a ride from the plucky pilot who has to wend her way through enemy fire to drop him off. “ He grinned at her. ”Not a romantic thing, but there will probably be flirting written in.”
"You're shitting me!" Carol stared at him, thinking she could kiss him. "The hell did they get one of those? No, I'm not going to ask. God, I haven't flown one in five years..." Her tone was wistful, wishful. Her plane had been her lifeline and her baby and it had hurt to lose it, almost as much as her injuries.
Thor laughed at how she reacted. “I most assuredly am not. And I am told it involved a bet, turkeys and wine.” he smiled softly. he glanced aside at her.
“So does that mean you’re interested?”
Then he paused. “When did you fly one last?”
"Yes!" She settled down a bit, stroking a hand up and down her left arm. "About five years. My last mission ended pretty badly. They wouldn't let me fly combat again, but I was allowed to take a bird up one more time before I was discharged. Had a Major that owed me."
Thor smiled, widely. “Good. I’ll drop your name in the right place.” He pretty much already had and his bosses were excited. Thor grinned and listened to her.
Then he winced.
“I’m sorry.” He’d never known that darker portion, and he began to ponder something, but it would take time. If everything worked out right. It just might work.
"Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this means to me!" She tilted her head. "A two seater?"
She wondered if she could sneak Jess into it some time. She'd have to bribe her though. Or trick her.
“I don’t, true, but I can guess. And what else is influence for, than to get friends jobs that they like?” He smiled at her. It will be work, and may suck, some days, but the director and producer are good women, and they treat people right.” When the day hadn’t sucked too bad, but he figured she knew about that sort of thing from working in the military.
“A two-seater, yes.”
"I'll owe you so much," Carol replied, a stupid grin plastering itself to her face. "It's like a birthday and christmas present all rolled into one. You have no idea. No idea..."
She was considering refunding his check.
He waved a finger at her. “No you won't. Listen to me. I am working on getting you this job, because, well, yes, I think making friends happy is important, but also because I know you. You’re smart, strong, and good at what you do. You’ll make this work better than anyone I can think wil. You will make this shine, and that is what I need, and want, and hope for. yeah, I’d do something just to make you bounce, but in this... I’m doing it because you are the best, Carol.”
He gave her a grin as he checked instruments. “Why do you think I came to you for flight lessons in the first place?”
"Since when could you read minds?" She asked, laughing. She settled back into the chair, and watched him fly for a moment. He really was a sweet heart of a man. A big friendly bear. She could see how he could get a lot of women's jet engines into afterburner. She just preferred to not fool around with her clients. Yeah, that's what she tells herself
"My stunning personality? My ass?"
Thor choked on nothing and coughed, then glanced at her accusingly. “I looked up dozens of instructors, checked their histories, their skills, their natures, reports on them and about them. Of all of them, you are the most expert, and the most dedicated to getting the job done without being an ass or an asshole to people. You are stern where you need to be and kind when you can be. And you are a damn fine flyer. “
He paused.
“Your stunning personality and incredibly sexy ass were at best quadrilary considerations.” He nodded, serious faced.
"Fair enough." She grinned at him, relaxing more and resting her hands behind her head, stretching her sweater nicely. "Be sure to put that review on my website." She winked at him.
Thor was glancing over when she said that and did that and he laughed, but he did notice the stretching and yanked his vision back to the sky again, cheeks just a little warmer.
“Be sure to do that. I’ll even sign it.” He chuckled. She was a good woman. And a good pilot, and he was glad to know her.
They were approaching the airport again and he hunkered down and called in, getting his approach path.
"A nice testimonial from a genuine movie star? The clients will come rolling in!" Carol laughed, sitting back up to watch the landing with an eagle eye. This was always intense when she had a student at the yolk, but she trusted Thor. mostly.
Thor blushed. Not a big movie star. Just a minor one.” If he could even be called a star. Maybe a moon. He chuckled as he brought the plane around, and he felt the plane leaning into it. She was a good ship, and he grinned as he brought her in line, lowered the landing gear, and then brought her down. They touched down and for a moment, for one moment, he felt like the ship was an extension of him, and the touchdown was perfect. The moment ended, and there was jouncing, and he blushed as he adjusted things. The plane slowed as he taxied toward the hangar, and he slowly blew out a breath.
“She’s gorgeous.” He gently touched the dash.
"Still a star, and a hot one that that." She replied, reassuringly, putting a hand on his arm after the landing. It had been one of the more perfect landings that she hadn't done herself, and she was proud of him for it. She saw no reason to not give him the best score possible.
Her eyes fell to the picture under his hand, and she felt suddenly stuffy. "Yeah. She's gorgeous."
He blushed, hotly, at her words, and shivered, then smiled a little, to glance at her as he brought it to a halt. No, not it, her.
He smiled at her and and then glanced at her, and at the hand and then blinked, blushing.
“I meant... the plane.”
."Oh." Carol's eyes widened a bit, then she smoothed her hair and fixed her ponytail to give her hands something to do. "The plane's beautiful too, of course. I try to take care of her and treat her well. She's my life, both in keeping me in house and home and quite literally when in the air."
She turned, giving him a smile, as if she hadn't just called her best friend gorgeous. "I think you pass with flying colors, Thor. Would you like a gold star?"
Thor smirked just a little. He would remember that, too. Yes he would. He smiled gentler then, and held out his hand. “Tempting, depending on where you put such things, but No. I will thank you. I couldn’t have done it, or even learned, without you being you. You deserve every penny of what I paid, and more.” He nodded.
"Are you sure? You're going to be doing me a huge favor, and that's almost enough payment for this," she replied, opening a compartment, and taking something out. She pressed a gold star to Thor's cheek. "You still deserve a gold star."
“I’m sure and I---” He flushed bright red, and looked at her with a slightly different look, one a touch more heated. The feel of her hand on his cheek was... nice. He remembered suddenly why he had experienced a sudden and overpowering crush on her, when he was learning to fly. But he had two reasons not to do anything. One, she liked this other woman, and two, he was trying to be good. He shook his head and looked away, then swallowed and nodded. “Thanks, Carol.”
He smiled a little softly, lopsidedly as he rose and stepped out of the plane, the landing checks complete, and helped set the blocks to make sure it could not roll.
“Thank you again for doing this.”
She leaned against the outside of the plane, arms folded and one foot crossed in front of the other. She looked like an extension of the plane, or perhaps the other way around. Like she belonged in the air. "Anytime. You know it."
He glanced at her and was caught by that, that image, really, and smiled as he saw it. She did. More than he, by far, she looked like she was... well, almost a bird, but not. He shook his head, and then nodded. “I guess we can square the paperwork away and then you can go desposit your new funds.” He winked at her.
"Thanks. Maybe we could go flying again sometime," She replied, giving him a wry smile.
“I’d love that.” Thor gave her a bow, and then headed for her office. the day was done and the way was won. time to end it and go home, grinning.
Fin!