Gunderkeen one-shots

Happy New Year!

Mallory's POV:

Christmas had come and gone and the new year would be approaching in a matter of hours. A lot of good things had happened in the past year. Alex joined us; we had stopped Ragnarok; Blitz and Hearth had got together; Alex and Magnus had got together; and the oaf and I had our first major make up. There were some bad as well though. We lost a lot of good einherji; we came close to dying how many times; and Halfborn and I had had our first big break up.

That was all in the past now, I shake my head and leave my room to meet my hallmates for the ceremony.

"So, what is this assembly?" Alex inquire as we enter the elevator.

"It's a ceremony. We gather in the hall and make our way to the pond were we normally have funerals. Then we put little boats in the water, each boat for each warrior lost, and we light them on fire." TJ explains "It's more of a memorial. We watch them burn before we are all free to go our separate ways."

"Our separate way is to Halfborn's room for food and games and such." I say.

"TJ's hosting next year, thankfully." Halfborn grumbles."You people don't seem to know how much work is put into hosting."

"We go in order of when you die. So obviously, it's Halfborn, TJ, Mack, me, then you." Magnus explains to Alex, who nods.

"It's only a lot of work for you because your room smells and it's a pigsty ." I comment.

"I only have to clean up due to what happened last night, Keen." Halfborn whispers in my ear. A blush burns its way up my neck.

"Shut up." I grumble elbowing my oaf of a boyfriend in the gut, though my blush refuses to extinguish.

"Gods of Asgard you two." TJ rolls his eyes.

"You're just jealous, Jefferson." I say.

"Nope, I am happy with being a single pringle shipper." TJ exclaims perkly.

"I can respect that." Alex states. The elevator beeps open and floor 19 exists, joining the rest of the hotel. We all chat for five minutes before Helgi announces it's time to go to the pond.

"Isn't it weird that no one is here?" Magnus asks as Hotel Valhalla gathers in a circle around the pond.

"No, the park is closed for cleaning or something, Helgi always closes it for this." Halfborn explains.

"He has the power to close down an entire public park?" Magnus inquires.

"Duh, Beantown." I say sarcastically.

A enchanted box of small wooden boats are passed around. Few einherjar politely pass the box on without taking one, others take ten or fifteen boats. When it comes to our group Halfborn and TJ take two, and Magnus, and I each take one.

"Does it have to be for an einherji?" Alex asks when TJ passes him the box.

"Technically no, most of the older residents do, since more of their einherjar friends have...faded. But no, you could do it for anyone who's passed, or you don't know where they are." TJ explains. "Mack's is for the kids and other victims of her bomb." He brings his voice down, thinking I can't hear him. Ignoring him I continue to carve words and squares to resemble bus windows into the side of my boat, 'I am sorry'.

People begin placing their boats gently into the water. I place down mine and glance at Halfborn's. MOr was carved onto his first boat. Mom. I knew he felt bad about leaving his mom over a thousand years ago. The second boat, had a handful of names on it. ErIK, ASMuND, CALDEr, BJOrN, and HALVAr were messily carved into the wood. The names of his friends that had faded this past year.

Magnus had carved mom onto his. TJ carved jeffrey toussaint onto one and mama onto the other. Sam joined us, setting her boat with the names of the valkyries who she had lost over the past year.

The surface of the pond was covered entirely with boats. The oldest resident, Jameelah, was given the honor of firing the arrow. She mutters a quick prayer before sending her flaming arrow into the middle of the boats. The flames spread to other boats and soon every boat was set aflame.

I wrap my arm around Halfborn, leaning into him and breathing in the smell of wood smoke. We stay like that for a few minutes before floor 19 quietly departs back home. Some einherji stay, either in peaceful silence or reminiscing in bittersweet memories with friends.

Fairy lights had been strung along Halfborn's walls, weaving around the blades on the walls. Appetizers and drinks were set out on the peninsula in the kitchen.

"Gunderson, I wouldn't have pinned you as one to string fairy lights or know how to cook appetizers." Alex said impressed.

"TJ came in and helped with the food. Mallory is a terrible cook." Halfborn explains dipping a chip into a cheese and sausage dip.

"I'm not that bad of a cook." I protest.

"Yes, you are." TJ, Halfborn, and Magnus rebuttes simultaneously.

I grumble, but couldn't resist the deviled eggs.

"The devil eggs are fitting for you, Keen." Halfborn laughs as I stuff another egg into my mouth. I stick my tongue out him.

Magnus has shoves six falafels into his mouth. "You are going to choke." Sam says motherly.

"I'm nut." The blond protests with a mouthful.

"You are a nut, I agree." Alex states, to his boyfriend.

"But you love me." Magnus says, swallowing and giving Alex puppy dog eyes.

"Maybe." He says, slightly giving in.

"Oh my gosh! Someone come eat these! They are so good." TJ exclaims with a mouthful of meatballs. Barbecue sauce decorated his cheeks, lips, and chin.

Magnus and Halfborn almost ran over to the crockpot of meatballs. Each taking forks and stabbing meatballs. They both groan at the taste.

"Yep, Mack didn't make these." Halfborn says, shoving two more into his mouth.

I shove him in the chest; the oaf just chuckles. He spears another meatball and waves it in front of my mouth. My glare doesn't stand, and I give in; opening my mouth for him to put the food in.

"Okay, it's good. I'll give you that." I say, the meatball was sweet and spicy at the same time and it was absolutely delicious.

The night goes on. Filled with laughter, food, a few card games, and even a game of charades. A horn rings through the hotel signalling a thirty second countdown to midnight.

Floor 19 and Sam go out into the hallway, chanting the numbers with the horn blasts.

"Three, two, one! Happy new year!" We can hear the rest of the hotel chanting at the same time. Confetti bursts from the ceiling.

I jump up and give Halfborn a sweet kiss on the lips. Click. Click . Breaking apart from Halfborn I see TJ holding a camera with a shit-eating grin on his face. Alex and Magnus seemed to have just come from a similar position as Halfborn and I.

"Those are going in the albums." He says, Sam nods approvingly over his shoulder.

"What album?" Both couples ask.

A/N

Happy new year everyone! In case you haven't seen, my email and wattpad acount aren't sinking together. Thus leaving me unable to respond to messages or post things on my conversation board; though, I can reply to comments so...? I'm not ignoring you, just really terrible a technology. If you have any suggestions to fix my problem that would be great (you'll know if it worked because I will be able to reply). Thank you depressed sunflower for the message and for unintentionally drawing my attention to my messaging issue, I also hope you had a lovely Christmas.