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They sat side by side watching the sun slowly fade to make way for the moon. Neither spoke a word for hours, not since Thor pulled her aside from wrecking a punching bag in their training room to travel here. He allowed her the time to gather herself, for her breathing to go from harsh pants to quiet sighs and the fists she’s been clenching this entire time to slack before he speaks, “It’s not like you to be this quiet.”
It takes her a few moments to respond, but when she does she sounds of her regular self, “Maybe I have nothing to say.” No sign of tension or trouble in her voice. If one did not know better, they would think she was the strong capable warrior unmoved by trivial things such as life that she always portrayed herself as. He might have believed it himself once. It was a good thing that after months together he knew far better. She was a warrior stronger than any battalion he ever faced, but she was a person as well.
“Somehow I doubt that.” He says amused. He ponders quietly over what the best move here would be. Asking directly, what troubles you, tends to trigger her defenses as she infers that he perceives her to be weak. Of course, that was far from the truth, but he understood the impulse. Weakness killes in their lives they live and both had suffered enough lost for a lifetime. And while he had friends and his crew by his side, she had no one to rely on but herself.
She snaps him out of his musing before he could decide on a plan of action. “It’s just a little annoyance. Nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about.”
His lips twitch into a smile the same way they also do when she refers to him as pretty. Perhaps it was shallowness or a deeper part of him that always craved her approval no matter if it was uttered in a genuine confession or pure snark. Either way, it only ever took a simple word or a appreciative sideways glance for her to set his blood on fire.
He tries not to let it distract him from his mission of his attempt of comforting her. He turns to face her eying her closely to see if there are any hints as to what was bothering her. What he finds surprises him.
Gone was the clenched jaw and even tighter clenched fists. The hitch in her shoulders had dropped as well. Now she sat serenely on the edge of the building kicking her feet off the sides. With the orange hues lighting up the sky in the background, she looked breathtakingly beautiful.
And she caught him staring.
Again.
It wasn’t the first time, wouldn’t be the last either. And like each time before, that cocky smirk stretches across her full lips was an irresistible draw for his eyes.
“Are you sure.” He mutters softly raising his gaze from those tempting lips to her eyes. He does not miss, however, the smile that stretches onto them. That rare genuine smile she gifts to him when they were alone that still manages to make his breath catch every time.
She pretends not to hear the question. Just looks out into the changing sky one more time before stretching her body out. Before he could say another word she her body dips and her head lowers itself onto his lap. “I’m taking a nap.” She announces causally.
“Here?” He questions. The on my lap going unsaid.
“Yes.” She says simply as if this was an everyday occurrence between the two of them. She gazes up at him trying to goad his expression and asks, “is that a problem?”
“No.” The answer quick and truthful.
The silence engulfs them once again, only this time, he realizes that its calming. Usually he could not stand for periods of inactivity and being left to his thoughts for too long, but here with her, he finds himself relaxing into it as well.
They both close their eyes and allow the warmth they shared along with the smooth call of the wind lower their defenses to allow the growing feelings between them rise. Its in a haze of tranquility that Valkyrie speaks, “You calm me in a way only one other has. I’ve been chasing for this feeling for so long, but it’s never been the same. The bottle has never been this warm.”
“What do you need?” He mutters into the now night sky. Say whatever you need, and I will give it to you, my universe is yours should you ask for it. It is yours.
“Just this.” She sighs softly snuggling deeper into his lap. “All I need is this.”
And so, they stayed until the sky truly darkened and the beckoning lights called them home.