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Bruce and the Scrapper soared over the wasteland in her ship, the moon illuminating the landscape of junk beneath them. The Scrapper had convinced the Hulk to give up control for a night in order to sneak Bruce out of the apartment for some time away from the palace.
Bruce marveled at the horizon before them, it appeared no matter how far they flew the mountains of junk never ended, only the illumination from the city faded. He still couldn't understand how such a place could be so uniquely beautiful.
"How far out are we going?" he asked curiously.
"Not much further," the Scrapper responded. "There's a spot I like to rest sometimes when I'm out here."
"How far does it go on for?" Bruce asked craning to see out of the window.
"How far can you imagine?"
Bruce shook his head still unable to believe all the impossible details of Sakaar. "How far out have you been?"
"As far as my ship could get on half its fuel. The further out you go the more dangerous it becomes," she explained. "Most of the scrapper gangs are too afraid to venture out into the far wastes. No one knows what you'll encounter out there. There are places so far out and untouched that no one has ever dared to travel that far."
Bruce shivered, imagining the vast mountainous piles of junk and the potentially terrifying creatures lurking within.
It wasn't long before the Scrapper began their descent, setting the ship down on a rocky outcrop. There weren't many wormholes around them, meaning that for once they were not surrounded by junk.
Bruce stood up to head out of the ship but was stopped by his friend. "Not that way. Up here," she said, opening a panel above their heads.
Bruce watched as she climbed onto the roof of the ship. Turning back she offered her hand down to him. Taking it, he braced to push himself up but he found himself being pulled effortlessly up by the Scrapper. Bruce was accustomed to super strength companions although he still couldn't help but marvel at the Scrapper as he sat by her side.
"So what are we doing out here?" he asked.
With just a smile the Scrapper lay down on the roof of the ship, starting up. Following her lead he lay down next to her, inhaling sharply as he saw the vast, starry sky above them.
Stars blanketed the sky, constellations and planets that Bruce was obviously unfamiliar with glistened high above. It was one of the most beautiful sights he had ever beheld.
"The Hulk likes stargazing," Bruce informed the Scrapper, turning his head to the side to smile at her.
"How do you know that?"
"Just a theory I'm working on. I've woken up several times, staring up at the sky. After a while I began to realise he probably enjoys it."
"Perhaps I should have brought him out here instead of you," she joked.
"You should next time," Bruce said, his eyes still taking in every detail of the constellations that he could. "They're beautiful. Some things don't change no matter what planet you're on," Bruce remarked.
"Yeah..."
"Did you use to look at the stars, back on your world I mean, before you came to Sakaar?"
"A few times. I would sit at the top of the highest mountain and just, stare. My home had one of the most beautiful views in the nine real-"
Bruce heard this last remark catch in her throat. Clearly she had not meant to let that last part slip out. Bruce had suspected for a while that the Scrapper was Asgardian, but knew better than to bring up unwanted topics.
"Do you miss it?" Bruce asked. "Your home."
"I spend most of my time trying to forget everything about it. Then sometimes I just can't stop thinking about it and everything I left behind. If I come out here and stare up at the stars, it's almost like I'm there again."
Bruce nodded. "I used to do the same thing on Earth, because no matter where I was the sky was always the same. No matter how alone or homesick I felt, I could always look up at the same beautiful night sky and remember what it was like before I lost everything."
"Were you alone a lot?"
Bruce nodded. "For a long time yes. People on my planet don't like the Hulk as much as the Sakaarians do. It was... necessary, to be alone, but not all the time."
***
Bruce often came up to the roof of Stark tower for some time alone and stare up at the sky. The roof was a welcome place of solitude where he could come to think, sitting with his back against the wall so that he could lean his head back and simply stare up.
The click of the roof door made him turn his gaze, and there standing at the open door was Tony. "Oh, sorry," the startled engineer said. "Didn't realise anyone would be up here." He looked unsure whether he should join Bruce or leave him in peace.
Bruce petted the ground next to him indicating that Tony should take a seat at his side. Bruce was sure he saw a smile flash across Tony's face as he made his way towards him. Bruce smiled to himself too, as much as Tony put on a big show Bruce could tell it really was the little things that truly made the man happy.
Bruce didn't say anything though, instead he just returned to staring up at the night sky. It was a sad sight compared to other places he had lived. The light from the city made it nearly impossible to see the stars, with only a few speckling the sky. Bruce suddenly became aware of how close Tony sitting beside him, closer than was necessary for stargazing, but it was not unwelcome.
"So," Tony started, a hint of nerves in his voice. "Come here often?"
"Only when my roommate plays his music too loud," Bruce replied with an air of amusement in his voice.
Tony looked taken aback but laughed. "Ouch, Doctor." He slid himself away slightly along the ground. "Message received loud and clear."
Bruce shook his head. "Don't be ridiculous," he chuckled. He found himself seizing Tony's arm in order to pull the engineer back towards him. When had he gotten so comfortable having Tony this close? He quickly let go of Tony's sleeve but it was too late, he knew Tony had noticed because now the engineer had slid himself right up alongside him so they were pressed up against each other.
The two sat in silence staring at the half ruined skyline, still being rebuilt after the battle with the Chitari. Tony of course had wasted no time in having the new 'Avengers tower' rebuilt.
Bruce was still figuring out who Tony Stark really was behind the whole playboy, billionaire persona. Ever since the man had flown a nuke through the wormhole into an oncoming alien fleet without any expectation of surviving Bruce had realised there was something lurking beneath the surface. For some reason he had found himself overcome with a burning desire to discover exactly what it was. Bruce looked sideways at Tony and saw he was staring up above, to where the wormhole had been.
"Can you believe it?" Bruce asked.
"That I'm the most handsome man in the world, yes I do believe it, thanks Brucie," Tony responded without looking away from the sky.
"I mean the invasion. Up there," Bruce pointed to the sky. "Only months ago an alien fleet was descending through the sky and yet, look out there. Everyone living their lives as if nothing happened."
Tony looked uncomfortable but masked it in his usual manner. "Human race," he shrugged. "It will take more than that to keep us down."
Bruce nodded slowly in agreement. The two sat in silence for some time, listening to the sounds of the city and staring up to where the stars would be if not for all the light of the city.
"I never thanked you," Tony said, breaking the silence.
"For what?"
"Diving through the air and catching me before I became the Iron pancake."
"That wasn't me, thank the Hulk," Bruce responded, slightly flustered by the compliment.
"Well, sadly, he's not here so you'll just have to accept it on his behalf." As he spoke, Tony reached down and seized Bruce's hand, squeezing it in his own.
Bruce exhaled. Then slowly, terrified of what might happen next, he lowered his head against Tony's shoulder. Then without hesitation, as if he had been waiting for it, Tony's released his hand and sliding his own arm up to Bruce's shoulders he pulled Bruce in close. Then Tony was burying his cheek against Bruce's unkempt hair, sighing contently.
This felt, good. Bruce had been terrified that he was reading signals wrong ever since he agreed to stay at the tower, that years of solitude had made it impossible for him to connect with anybody again but now he was relieved to discover that was not the case after all.
"It's funny isn't it?" Tony mused.
"What is?"
"The Hulk catching me as I fell. One of the most defining moments of our relationship and neither of us were awake for it."
"Our relationship?" Bruce asked inquisitively, raising an eyebrow even though Tony couldn't see him.
"Figure of speech Doc," Tony retaliated.
"Uh, huh," Bruce responded with a smile before closing his eyes and pressing himself tighter up against Tony's chest.
***
"How about you?" Bruce asked, turning once again to look at his companion. "Were you always this tough loner type?"
"Hey!" The Scrapper responded, swatting him on the side.
Bruce flinched away, laughing, before rolling back to his position by her side. Whenever he thought about everything that had happened to him he was grateful more than anything about the friendship he, and the Hulk, had found in this unlikely companion.
"Ever think about going back? Bruce asked as sensitive as possible, hoping this wasn't too much of an unwanted subject.
The Scrapper didn't speak at first, instead simply shaking her head, before finally speaking. "I lost it all. There's nothing to go back to. I had it all once, everything anyone could have wanted but not anymore."
***
Running up the wooded path of the mountain, Brunhilde didn't look back despite the protests of her companion.
"Brunhilde wait!" She heard the voice calling out behind her but the sound only made her laugh more as she darted through the undergrowth.
"Hurry up, Sigrún! I know you can catch me!" She called over her shoulder to the pursuing woman.
After darting past several more trees she finally felt the strong arms of Sigrún catch her from behind, causing them to both tumble to the ground. Brunhilde couldn't help but laugh at the sight of Sigrún pushing her long blonde hair out of her disapproving face as she pulled herself up off the ground.
"We are going to be reprimanded if we are caught out of the barracks at this time of night!" Sigrún stated disapprovingly.
"Oh please. We're Asgardians, sneaking out to drink and look at the stars is what we're born to do!" Brunhilde shot back playfully despite her partner's annoyance.
"But as Valkyrior we are sworn to protect and-" Sigrún begun but the next words Brunhilde silenced with a kiss. Pressing herself in close against her lover, sometimes the hands-on approach was best when it came to Sigrún.
"Well if you’re so afraid of getting in trouble then go back," Brunhilde stated once breaking apart from the other woman. "I however, am going." Without waiting for a response she spun around and leapt up the part of the mountain, landing on a small cliffed area before leaping once again until she eventually arrived at a secluded outcrop that was perfect for stargazing.
Making herself comfortable she lay down on the ground, staring out at the expanse of night sky above her, Brunhilde settled in.
It wasn't long before Sigrún landed softly on the ledge by her side, clearly haven given into temptation.
"If we get in trouble for this I'm never talking to you again," Sigrún stated as she took her place at Brunhilde's side.
As they lay together pointing out constellations, Brunhilde couldn't help but feel an onset of sadness.
Things were perfect here, almost too perfect. Asgard had always provided everything she ever needed, but somewhere, lurking at the back of her mind was the desire for something else, something more.
"What if we ran away, Sig!" Brunhilde blurted out, rolling onto her side to face her partner. "We could steal a couple of Aragorns and fly away tonight. Just you and me, go out and see everything the universe has to offer!"
Sigrún rolled over to face her, seizing her hand, giving her a caring but stern look. "What are we talking about? We are Valkyrior, sworn protectors of the throne. We don't just run away and abandon Asgard." Sigrún reached slowly over to Brunhilde's hair, tucking a stray piece behind the ear. "You understood that responsibility when you took in the title of head Valkyrie."
"Yeah, I know," Brunhilde said, flopping onto her back once again, resigned. "I just feel like there could be more, out there, beyond Asgard, beyond the Nine Realms."
"Like what?"
"I don't know, sometimes I feel something, something calling me. Like there is somewhere out there where I'm meant to be, for some reason. Don't you feel it too?"
Sigrún shook her head and rolled in close to lay her head on Brunhilde's chest. "I'm happy right here, with you."
"Yeah, so am I," Brunhilde whispered, stroking her partner’s hair. It was true, there was nowhere she would rather be than at Sigrún’s side, however she still couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else out there waiting for her beyond the stars.
***
The more time Bruce spent with the Scrapper the more he realised that the two of them shared more in common than he ever would have imagined. Perhaps this was why they made such great companions to one another. There was no need for the detailed, painful memories of the past, they both already knew and understood one another without having to say a word. He knew he could say as little or as much as he wanted and she would understand.
"Well," Bruce began. "Even though we both find ourselves in a place we never imagined, without any idea about what the future holds for us, there is one thing I'm certain of."
"What's that?" The Scrapper asked turning her head to look at him.
Slowly he reached his hand across and seized hers. "That for everything I've lost in coming here, I'm still glad I met you."
The Scrapper let out a laugh, clearly touched by the sentiment of Bruce's statement, before squeezing his hand back.
"You were right," Bruce added. "Staring up at the stars out here, it's almost like being home."