back with Thor and Natasha, and featuring a cameo from Valkyrie too. also back on the angst train... 😉
enjoy.
"It's really starting to take shape," Natasha remarks as she looks out over the construction site. She glances at Thor and flashes him a small, encouraging smile which he attempts to return.
The once empty area by the cliffs is now abuzz with activity as workers continue to build the various buildings for New Asgard. As soon as the walls of the first building had gone up, Thor had felt a bit of the weight lift from his shoulders. He knows his people would have preferred to still be on Asgard, but in the wake of Thanos' attack, most were simply happy to have a permanent place to lay their heads at night again. When the walls of the next few buildings went up quickly shortly after, Thor sent a message to Natasha requesting she fly out to see the site and meet some of his people now that they had arrived. It was, after all, largely thanks to her that all of this was even possible.
Thor nods in agreement with her. "I must admit I underestimated the speed of our workers. I did not think we would have completed so much of it so soon."
"I guess they're eager to settle in. All the deliveries of materials have been smooth?"
"Yes, on schedule and in many cases ahead of schedule once they noticed our progress."
"Good."
"Ah," Thor says as he spots Valkyrie walking toward them, "I'd like you to meet a friend of mine. This is Brunnhilde," he introduces with a gesture of his hand. "And this is Natasha," he adds, gesturing again with his hand, this time to Natasha.
"Valkyrie is fine," she says quickly. "I haven't been Brunnhilde in a very long time."
"Nice to meet you," Nat says politely with a nod.
"I'm told you're the one I should be thanking for all this?"
Nat shakes her head immediately. "Thor did the heavy lifting. I just called in some favours to get him in front of the right people."
"Not at all," Thor disagrees vehemently. "Natasha was instrumental in cutting through the- what did you call it? Red tape?"
"Ah, yeah. Governments love their paperwork," she says with a shake of her head.
"Well, thank you then," Valkyrie says with a curt nod. "It's much appreciated. If you'll excuse me, I have some matters to attend to with Korg."
"Oh, yes, yes," Thor says quickly, "of course."
"Good to meet you," Nat says with a nod and a smile.
"And you," Valkyrie returns before turning and walking back toward the construction.
"Valkyrie, huh? They're a legion of female warriors right?" Thor looks at his friend with widened, surprised eyes. "What?" she says with a shrug. "I've read the fairytales."
"I was led to believe these fairytales were not believed to be true by your people."
"Yeah, well, you turned out to be true, so who am I to cast doubt on the rest?"
Thor nods because it's a fair point. "They were a mighty force, the Valkyries. Unparalleled in their ability and skill, and renowned for their prowess in battle. They were revered by all in Asgard," he says, perhaps a bit wistfully.
"Sounds like they earned their respect," Nat says, and Thor thinks he detects a touch of bitterness in her tone, which doesn't altogether surprise him given how she's been treated over the years. The general failure of most male humans to respect the ability and prowess of their female colleagues was something he still, after all his experiences with humans, failed to understand.
"They did," he confirms. "But she is the last of them," he explains with a nod toward where they can still see Valkyrie walking toward Korg. "Most died battling the evils of my sister's corruption."
"You have a sister?"
He can feel her eyes on him but he doesn't shift his gaze. "Had. I didn't know of her until recently," he explains, a bit hastily. "But I do not wish to speak of her - she wrought only death and pain."
"Okay," Natasha says, accepting his request easily. He finds himself a touch surprised by her willingness to let it go. Then again, she had always been one to value her privacy. "You have any drinks for mortals around here?"
Thor smiles. "Indeed. It's all we have. Some people have begun to age some Asgardian mead, but it will be decades before it is palatable. Shall we?"
She nods and grins, though Thor can see it's a far cry from the smiles he remembers from years past. He supposes his own are lacking genuineness too, so he doesn't blame her.
"I'm sorry for your loss."
Thor recognizes Valkyrie's voice and rather than reply right away, he waits for her to join him in front of the tree which they'd just planted in Natasha's honour, absent any of her things or even her body. "Our lives are all richer for her having been in them. I owe her a great debt, and not just for her actions before the battle. I will always remember it was her who negotiated for the existence of New Asgard."
"I remember," she replies with a nod. He remembers then that she had met Natasha in those early days after the remainder of the Asgardians had arrived. "Do you want to honour her in New Asgard in some way?" she offers, her gaze appraising the tree casually.
He wants to, if only for the fact that he still laments being unable to have a proper funeral for her, but in many ways, it didn't seem appropriate. She had been a private person, and a monument or a statue, fitting as they might be to honour her, seem out of touch with what she would have wanted.
"It doesn't need to be flashy in the way things were in the old days," she continues, apparently sensing his hesitancy and correctly identifying the root of it. Asgard had been filled with large statues and monuments to great heroes and warriors, none of which were entirely appropriate in their new home, and certainly not for someone as private as Natasha had been. "It doesn't even need to be known to everyone. Perhaps when it has grown enough we can take a branch and plant it in New Asgard to grow," she suggests with a gesture to the tree.
He considers the suggestion. It would honour Natasha's wishes in terms of her privacy, and still honour her sacrifice as well. And it was a fitting tribute that they could establish roots of her tree in the place she had helped them establish roots in. He nods once. "A wise suggestion," he concurs.
"I'll speak with Banner to see if we can arrange it."
"Thank you," he says, turning to face her and holding out a hand. She is a fine leader, and he is at peace knowing their people will be cared for and safe under her leadership.
She grasps his hand with her own tightly. "Of course," she replies with a nod. He moves to release her hand, but she maintains her grip tightly. He looks up and meets her gaze. "You did not fail her."
He blinks at her words, confused where she might have gotten that impression. Yes, a part of him had mulled it over, wondering why he'd failed again in his job to protect the people of Earth and his friend, but he hadn't expected anyone to say it out loud.
"I don't know the specifics of her sacrifice, only what has been whispered among those who weren't there, but what I have heard fits with the woman you've described. She made her choice. She gave her life to save everyone. Don't take that act of bravery and courage away from her."
"I'm not—"
"You didn't fail her," she repeats firmly, still holding tight to him with her hand. "She fought every battle knowing it could be her last. We all do. She made her choice to save those she loved and those who she had vowed to avenge."
It is only when he exhales heavily, closes his eyes, and then nods that she releases her hold of him. He knows she's right. Natasha had been fierce, determined, and independent, and she had made the brave choice to give her life to save not only Barton's life but the lives of everyone else too. It was an act of heroism that few understood the weight of, and even fewer truly appreciated.
"Human's lives are fleeting but she more than most deserved to live longer," he says, remembering the brief conversations they'd had over the years about her upbringing and the things she'd endured.
"It is the rare few for whom death does not come early and unexpected, but instead as a welcomed next step."
Thor considers her words for a moment, which he vaguely recalls his mother telling him once as a child. He wonders if after a life fraught with fighting battles to right the wrongs she'd been forced to deal out as a child and young woman, whether she had been ready for death.
"She won't be forgotten," Valkyrie continues, tone firm and brooking no argument. "Her legacy lives on in everyone who her actions helped to bring back. And in those she saved over the years."
"It doesn't seem enough," he admits. Will people still remember her in a decade? Will her story still be told in a century?
"It never does," she agrees sombrely. They stand in silence for a moment before she speaks again. "Come," she says while tugging on his arm gently, "we will drink to her and the rest of the fallen, and to the victory their sacrifices afforded us."
He nods and follows her, letting her words echo in his mind. He had sworn to cut back on his consumption of alcohol, but it was tradition to toast to fallen comrades, and with no way to properly lay her to rest, as the humans called it, this would have to suffice.
Perhaps we can find some of her preferred drink, he muses, remembering the clear liquid she had often opted for at parties. He had tried it once at her behest.
"What's it called again?"
"Vodka," she says.
"And this is the drink of your home?"
"Oh yeah," Stark interjects, "you think of vodka, you think of Russians."
He takes a drink, finding it lacking flavour of any kind. "Is it supposed to taste like something?" he asks, puzzled.
"Regrets," Stark answers with a laugh.
"Not really," Natasha answers after shooting a glare at Stark. "It gets mixed with a lot of stuff most of the time."
"But you drink it plain?"
She nods. "You gonna let me try some of the fun flask contents?"
"This?" he says, holding up his flask of Asgardian liquor. She nods. "This is not meant for mortal men."
"Well it's a good thing I'm not a mortal man, now isn't it? C'mon, just a taste," she cajoles him.
He chuckles and then hands it over. "Don't say I didn't warn you."
She takes the flask and gives it a sniff before she takes a small sip. "Holy shit!"
Stark starts to laugh. "Oh, we finally found something the Widow can't handle."
"That's intense," she says with a slight cough as she hands the flask back to Thor.
"Hey, I wanna try," Stark whines.
"Tony, I swear to god, don't do it. I don't think your heart can take it." She pauses for a beat as she coughs lightly again. "I mean it," she adds seriously.
"Oh, fine," he pouts. "But only because I know she'd tattle on me to Pepper," he says while pointing an accusing finger at Natasha before he leaves to join Banner and Cap who are talking with some guests on the other side of the room.
"So, feeling overwhelmed?" Thor asks with a knowing grin.
"Nah, it's intense, but nothing I can't handle," she answers with a wink while gesturing for him to hand the flask back to her. "Can't let Tony in on the fun though."
Thor laughs deeply and claps her on the shoulder, mindful to rein in his strength. "You, Natasha, are a true warrior. Strong in mind, spirit, and body."
thoughts and comments are welcomed, as always.
more to come... 😊