Valkyrie and Carol

Wakanda

Valkyrie awoke with a feeling of excitement. How stupid, she laughed at herself. She knew exactly what she was looking forward to, who she was looking forward to seeing. She rummaged around in the chest inside her small cottage, until she felt the familiar rough material of her Valkyrie uniform. She held it up to her heart, sighing, she hadn't worn this since she had come to live on Earth, the last time had been in space, when they were attacked by Thanos. This was her armour, and it had been through a lot, she thought as she slid it on, she could never part with it.
She waited for Carol Danvers on the outskirts of the village, until she saw a ship emerge from the clouds. It was a simple grey ship with an "A" patterned on the side, Valkyrie had heard enough from Thor to guess what that stood for.
The ship had a perfect landing onto the grass, and then the pilot emerged.
Valkyrie caught her breath at the sight of her, she still had this silly effect on her. Carol was in her usual warrior clothes, with a brown leather jacket thrown over the top, her blonde hair was in a ponytail. Valkyrie smiled and nodded her head, "Captain."
Carol beamed at her, "Brunnhilde."
Hearing Carol speak her true name was so strange, but it didn't frighten Valkyrie. There was a time when she had not opened up to anyone, not let anyone know her, but there was something so honest and reassuring about the way Carol spoke her name, it made her feel- at home.
Valkyrie made her way over to her, "I see you're right in your element here."
Carol glanced at the ship next to her, "I am, it has definitely been a while. You ready to go?"
"Let's go" Valkyrie answered.

The pair were sat in the front of the ship, as it hummed through the sky. Valkyrie looked over at Carol, who seemed completely content. "How does it feel? Flying again?"
Carol's eyes brightened, "you remembered!"
Valkyrie chuckled quietly.
"It feels, amazing. There's something so different about flying with my powers and flying in a ship."
"Hmm, and I suppose being on Earth again...strange?"
Carol's expression changed, and she nodded. "Its....as if i'm returning to a past life, but, it doesn't feel like my life anymore you know? I visited Earth for very short, quick visits sometimes but my connection to Earth feels distant-, unconnected."
Valkyrie tucked a curl of hair behind her ear, "I understand. That's how I feel with my life, in Asguard...before-" She broke off, struggling to find the words.
Carol looked over at her, her eyes deep and caring, "..before...everything happened." She spoke simply, a tone of understanding and acceptance in her voice.
Valkyrie released a breath, it was nice to know that she could do things at her own pace, Carol understood how hard it was for her to talk about her past.

.....

They entered the barrier of Wakanda and were captivated by the array of colours that surrounded the landscape. It was so beautiful. They landed at what once was T'Challa's headquarters and were greeted by Okoye, in her warrior clothes.
Carol and Valkyrie made their way over to her,  Carol immediately recognised her from their meetings in the avengers headquarters. "Okoye." She greeted her.
"Carol." Okoye replied welcomingly.
"This is Valkyrie, from New Asguard."
"Nice to meet you." Okoye greeted the asguardian.
"As for you." Valkyrie replied.
"As you know I reported that there have been strange energy signatures running around Wakanda since the snap. We've looked into it but it is best you see for yourself and report your findings to the headquarters. Usually our smartest scientist would know more but-" Okoye broke off, a flash of pain in her eyes, before continuing, "maybe the avengers could lend some insight."
"Of course Okoye." Carol agreed.
Okoye pointed them in the right direction to where the energy begins and told the pair to follow it along the border, they thanked her and began their journey.
They walked through the tropical forest, Valkyrie was overwhelmed by the sounds and sights. "It's beautiful." She murmured, half to herself.
"Yes."
Valkyrie's gaze flickered to Carol walking ahead, watching her walk through the trees, and her hair bounce softly against her shoulders. There was so much she wanted to say, but didn't even know where to begin. Luckily, Carol spoke first. "Do you like New Asguard?"
Valkyrie smiled to herself just at the fact that she spoke to her, "yes and no. I'm with my people again and it feels like home, but Asguard was, special."
"I never had the pleasure of going, but I heard it was a beautiful world of gold, food, wine and beauty."
"It was."
"But the people of New Asguard have a different leader to the one they did on Asguard."
She must be referring to Odin. "Yes." Valkyrie replied.
"You seem to be a natural leader."
Valkyrie almost stopped in her tracks, "what? me? definitely not."
Carol slowed down so she could look at Valkyrie directly, "Valkyrie. I've seen Thor. He could not have been taking care of New Asguard all this time, and now I know it was you! The people listen to you. They trust you."
Valkyrie felt a flutter of happiness in her chest, she laughed. "I'm not a leader."
"You are, I see that about you. I saw that about you the first time we met, I sensed you had been a leader and you had felt the pain of that. I understand."
Valkyrie's eyes locked with hers, "The guilt. The responsibility." She looked down. "The failure."
Carol placed her hand under Valkyries chin and turned her head up to her, looking at her so deeply, so intently, Valkyrie wanted nothing more than to fall into her arms and kiss her.
"Brunnhilde. Whatever happened, was not your fault." Carol spoke strongly, placing a hand on her hair, cupping her head.
Valkyrie nodded, feeling her eyes sting slightly from tears, she willed them back. "I- know. I know that now."
"I will tell you however many times you need to hear it." Carol promised.
Valkyrie smiled at her, feeling so overwhelmed with emotion. She glanced at Carol's lips, and edged her head closer, so that their foreheads were touching. Carol took a breath, Valkyrie could feel it, and she got even closer, so that their lips were hovering over one another. Valkyrie closed her eyes.
A strange noise cut through the silence between them. Carol immediately turned toward it. "What was that?"
"I'm not sure." Valkyrie replied, trying to sound like she cared.
Carol turned to look at Valkyrie, a glint of amusement in her eyes, "Let's go."
The pair followed the energy, a dusty white glow that seemed to have a heat to it. Carol stopped by the beam of light and was looking at it. "The energy is just hovering in the forest, it's uncontrolled. It could be dangerous, I should get rid of it." She closes her eyes, and Valkyrie watched, captivated, as Carol's hands began to glow with their beautiful light. She placed them into the light beam. Valkyrie watched the power flow through her, "You're absorbing it." She spoke, half a question, half a statement. Carol half smiled, her eyes still closed. "If I can absorb the power of an infinity stone I can absorb this."
The energy beam gradually diminished, and flowed into Carol, she opened her eyes. Valkyrie watched the gold beams shine through them then diminish.
"Let's report back to Okoye." Carol said.
They made their way back through the forest, watching the setting sun's beams shine through the leaves.

They bid Okoye goodbye, and got back onto the Avengers ship. Carol steered them through the sky, there was a comfortable silence between the two of them.
They arrived at New Asgard, and Carol landed the ship on the outskirts. Something was telling her not to say goodbye to Valkyrie just yet. She decided she would walk down with her.
"Thor seems to be very fond of you." Carol said, and immediately realised what she was feeling and cursed at herself.
Valkyrie laughed with a quick sideway glance at Carol, looking suspicious and amused. "Well,  someone has to take care of him."
"He's lost everything hasn't he?" Carol asked, knowing the answer.
Brunnhilde sighed, "Yes, this time I don't know if he will ever come out of it."
"Well you did." Carol responded.
Valkyrie smiled, "Yeah, I did."
"It's great to see, you seem like you are in a better place."
They arrived at Valkyries door. "I am, although my love for alcohol has not changed one bit."
Carol laughed. She knew she should say
goodbye but her feet were rooted to the ground.
Valkyrie bit her lip, glanced at the door then back at Carol. "Speaking of, do you wanna come in for a drink?"
Carol couldn't be happier she asked. "A drink would be great." And she followed into the house behind Valkyrie.