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They land on the deck of the ship with a jarring thud, and Hulk staggers forward as the bay doors start to close behind them. The space is full of refugees, both Asgardian and Sakaaran, crowded along the walls. Hulk grunts and sets Valkyrie and Thor down, and as he takes a step forward, everyone around them retreats, backs pressing against the walls as hands clench around weapons.
Hulk’s lip curls, baring his teeth and off to the side Thor can see Korg cradling Miek protectively as next to him Elloe, another gladiator they’d fought with, crouches, swords out, ready to spring.
This is about to go very badly.
“Banner!”
“Big guy?” Val asks from Hulk’s other side.
It hadn’t worked the last several times he’d tried it, but… “Banner? The sun’s getting low?” Thor holds up his hands, placatingly—see, no weapons here.
There’s muttering around them, people edging towards towards the exits or getting into better fighting stances, and Hulk is shaking his head like he’s trying to clear it, breath coming heavier and fists tightening and—
“Say the sun’s getting real low!” Thor hisses to Val.
“What?”
“Oh for—“ Thor mutters to himself. This isn’t going to work, he knows it isn’t going to work, time to move to Plan I’m making this up as I go please don’t let my giant green teammate punch a hole in the hull as we are rapidly leaving the atmosphere and entering the vacuum of space. Thor could survive that, probably the other Asgardians, possibly Hulk, but he didn’t help free the slaves of Sakaar only to get them killed trying to help save him and his people, and there are children—
“Big guy!” Thor says, as jovially as possible, quickly placing himself in front of Hulk. “Strongest Avenger.” A smile, as he claps Hulk on the shoulder; he finally seems to have Hulk’s full attention. “You saved us, truly.” His smile is genuine as he stares up into Hulk’s eyes. “Thank you.” His hand slides along Hulk’s shoulder and Thor stands up on the tips of his toes so he can grip Hulk by the back of the neck and press his forehead against the other man’s. “Thank you.”
He can feel Hulk’s muscles relaxing under his hands and Hulk takes a step back, and then another. “I saved,” he says in his deep growly voice, and he’s shaking his head again. “—My friends.”
“That’s right, big guy,” Val says, and Hulk turns to her.
“Angry girl …?”
Val smiles, reaching out to lay a hand on his other shoulder. “Yeah, I’m here. We’re all okay.” She glances at Thor and then back to Hulk. “Is Banner okay? Is he in there somewhere too?”
“Banner,” Hulk grumbles, and then he gives a partially annoyed, partially resigned sigh. “In here too …”
It’s a violent, jerking movement when the Hulk crumples in on himself, groaning in pain.
“Hulk?” Val cries.
“It’s fine, he’s fine!” Thor quickly says as the body in front of them writhes and starts to shrink and change color.
Val stares. “Is this something about midgardians I did not know?
“No,” Thor says with a lopsided smile, “He’s special.”
Out of the corner of his eye he can see the others taking the chance to flee the bay more quickly now, but he doesn’t pay them any attention as the body in front of them completes its agonizing metamorphosis, and then lying on the ground is one gasping, sweaty Bruce Banner, naked except for a mostly destroyed pair of pants.
“Banner!” Thor cries in joyful relief, and quickly kneels by his side, pulling off his one-shouldered cape to drape around Bruce’s shivering form.
Bruce looks at Val and Thor on either side and then down at his own hands. “I’m back. Oh, thank god.”
Val smiles, and Thor throws an arm around Bruce’s shoulders and squeezes.
“It is good to have you back, my friend.”