A GODS WEAKNESS [l.laufeyson]

TWENTY SEVEN

     Thor's eyes pop open. He's lying in a heap on the ground, still dirty, bruised, and beat up. Thor is being tended to by a couple of nurses who are swabbing his wounds. This freaks him out, which results in startled thrashing. His sudden awakening scares the two nurses which results in them running away.

Thor starts to get up, but then winces. He moves slowly. He's in a giant room with stark graphic patterns on the walls. With a few achy grimaces, Thor stands up and wanders around. There's furniture, large cushions, and a sleeping area enclosed by the skull of a giant beast.

"You should take it easy." He hears a voice coming from by the door. He turns to see Astrid standing there. "You really got quite the beating."

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be taking over Sakaar with Loki." His response was cold.

"You don't actually think I agree with staying here do you?" Thor just stay silent. "I want to return home to Asgard just as much as you do. But Loki's freaking out about me being pregnant and all and-"

"Wait p-pregnant?! As in with child?" Astrid forgot that she hadn't told Thor yet. She wasn't fussed though. He would find out sooner or later. Besides a small bump was showing. Not big enough for other people to notice but at least she could tell.

"Yes. But Loki's getting all protective of me again which is nice but he forgets how strong I can be now."

"Wow pregnant." Thor obviously wasn't listening to Astrid. "Wait so if you're carrying my brother's baby then that means I'll be..."

"An uncle." It was painful watching Thor trying to figure out how the family tree works.

"An uncle... wow." Thor rested his hands on his hips and looked up. He seemed in a world of his own to the point Astrid gave up trying to talk to him so left him on his own.

~

Later on that day Astrid runs into Valkyrie again. She spent most of her time wondering around the place trying to avoid Loki. She was pissed at him but at the same time felt awful for what she implied so couldn't face him.

"Hey, still sulking about your boyfriend?" Valkyrie punches her lightly in the arm.

"Fiancé and yes, for the matter of fact I still haven't seen him since our argument."

"Well why don't you come with me? I've been summoned to the Hulks suite."

"No I really shouldn't-"

"Oh come on. You can't spend your life moping around." Yet again Astrid was being dragged off without any options.

~

"Angry girl!" Valkyrie bounds forward leaving Astrid standing by the door and gives the Hulk a big hug. Hulk laughs and then begins playfully roughhousing with her.

"What's going on? What do you...?" Hulk steps away, allowing Valkyrie to see Thor. Her smile disappears. She stares at Hulk, annoyed. Hulk mopes a little.

"You're so thick-headed that you can't tell when someone's hiding all the way across the universe and wants to be left alone?"

"We need to talk."

"No, you want to talk to me."

"Wait. Maybe you should hear him out." Astrid walks over to Thor to try and convince her new friend to stay. Valkyrie however turns to leave. Valkyrie is at the exit when Hulk throws a part of his massive skull bed and it comes crashing in front of her blocking  the doorway. Valkyrie shoots an annoyed sneer at Hulk but the Hulk snorts back.