rebuildyourruins | Drift Fleet

[Frankly, Vision's coma had been the only thing preventing Thor from contacting the android sooner. Part of him dreaded the idea of it but it was nowhere near strong enough to override his need to see his friend once more.

Vision just comes right out the gate with the hard questions, leaving Thor unclear on what to say next. His conversation with Natasha rings in his ears.]

I'm glad to hear you're awake again, my friend. I'm unharmed - but I have remembered more from home.

[First Natasha and now Thor. Or is it first himself? He'd been the one from farthest along, if briefly, when he returned here after his long absence. But there was obviously something he was missing, if that weasel-wording is anything to go by. Unharmed and all right are two different things. So there's a pause as he considers his wording in response.]

Just a normal nap for me, I'm afraid. My memories remain as they were.

Do you want to talk about it?

[He's not sure whether he's relieved or not. Whether that's cowardly or not. It is what it is, and Thor will just have to move forward however he can.]

I'm not sure that I do, but I do wish to see you.

[Honestly? Not an uncommon sentiment after someone's been in a coma for a few weeks, so it doesn't raise any alarm bells.]

Of course. I'm on the Twin Roses, unless you'd prefer to meet somewhere else?

Twin Roses is fine. I will be there soon.

Then I will meet you in the cargo bay.

[True to his word, he's waiting in the cargo bay not long after, checking up on his garden and making sure the aquarium is in good working order. Everything's fine, but it's a routine maintenance that's good for killing time. When he hears the shuttle dock, he turns away and gives Thor a smile - he looks a little strained, but nothing more serious than one would expect after being out of the loop for a couple of weeks.]

[The journey over is - tense. If only because he's looking forward to seeing Vision and dreading what feelings it's going to inspire in him. It won't be so bad as running into the man without warning, but even so. Thor's already heartsick.

Exiting the shuttle, Thor sees Vision turn to him with a smile and takes it like a stab in the heart. It shows, briefly, when he falters in his step and there's an awful flash of relief and distress on his face. He's so wrung out from the past few days however that he's able to mute it relatively fast, and bring out more of the genuine happiness to see Vision here at all.

So he makes his way over without further delay and claps a hand on Vision's shoulder.]

I'm glad to see you awake again. You had us worried.

[Wanda hadn't been kidding. Thor looks like he's been to hell and back, even if he has a new dark eye where his eyepatch had been before. And that initial expression - there's no mistaking the distress there.

He clasps Thor's shoulder in return, concern written clearly on his face.]

I'm sorry to have worried you, my friend. [And then, bluntly:] You look terrible.

[Thor has to laugh, startled by the honesty.]

You know, I've heard that a lot lately. Or people keep giving me looks that say as much.

I'm not surprised.

[Good to know it's not just him, though. The concern isn't going anywhere.

There's a small table and mismatched chairs set up over by the basketball hoop, and he leads Thor in that direction. The Vision prefers this to the lounge room because of the greenery, but they can go somewhere more private if necessary.]

May I offer you something to drink? We have orange-flavored beverage and water here, or a better selection in the galley.

Ah, water's fine.

[People keep getting him drinks, too. He wonders if this is how it is amongst mortals who see someone brought low by grief. He hasn't really experienced it before. Thor takes a seat at the table, eyeing Vision with that odd mismatched gaze he now has.]

It is a worry that this place can send even you to sleep.

[In this case at least it's hospitality, rather than an assumed need for alcohol. He pours a tall drink for Thor in one of the flamingo-print tumblers received from some Fleet promotion or other and settles down in the chair opposite him.]

I would agree. I do not, under normal circumstances, sleep at all. Not as humans describe sleep, at any rate. [He rests, and often closes his eyes when he does to minimize new input, but it's not the blackout-oblivion of the past few weeks, and he doesn't dream.]

Still, if there are any lingering effects aside from causing my friends to worry, I've not yet identified them.

That's fortunate, for you and for the rest of us. [He sighs, knowing he can't avoid the subject forever.] I didn't experience a coma this time. I just went to bed and woke up with-- more.

[He nods, having expected as much by Thor's appearance. He speaks in a gentle tone.]

It would seem things did not improve much for you.

No. They did not.

[As simple as that. He rubs his thumb along the edge of the glass absently.]

Our ship was attacked. The one carrying the surviving Asgardians.

Oh, no.

[But his people had already been decimated by his sister's attack. If they were attacked again--]

I'm so sorry. Is there anything that can be done?

Not anymore. Half escaped, but the rest ...

[Didn't. It's a constant halving and halving and halving of his people, and he doesn't yet know if it's happened yet again. He knows some must have survived, only... it's hard to trust in that without doubts creeping in.]

[The Vision shakes his head, almost too stunned for words. What horrible force could do that to the Asgardians?]

That's terrible. If there's anything I can do for you, here or there, please--

[He doesn't even know where to begin, but he feels like he ought to at least offer.]

[Thor can't even make himself smile in gratitude. After all, Vision is dead at home, and there is little he can do there.]

Thank you. [That's sincere, at least. Thor rubs at his face tiredly.] I know that they will make for Earth when they can, and Valkyrie is with them. She'll make sure they stay safe.

I'm afraid I don't know her, but if you believe your people are in good hands, I'm sure she will live up to your expectations.

[He pauses. Not really sure he wants to know the answer, but if there's something else out there that can wipe out a lot of Asgardians headed for Earth, it's probably better if he knows about it.]

Who did this? Is it someone we should be concerned about?

[There's a long beat of silence as Thor wars with himself over what to say, tense and unhappy. He can't go too far down this road without unravelling the whole knotted mess of what happens with the Stones. He can't say that so many of them met their ends at the hands of the same man. But ... he doesn't need to go that far, he thinks.

His hands curl into fists on the table.]

His name is Thanos. He is a Titan.

[This is obviously upsetting Thor, but--it's important to know. The Vision nods.]

Thank you. I don't know that he'd show up here, but if he does, you have the Twin Roses at your back.

[Is he even really allowed to promise that anymore, since he's not a captain? In this case, yes, since he knows the rest of his crew well enough to know they won't let that kind of thing stand.]

[It's telling - extremely telling - that Thor looks almost panicked at the very suggestion. His expression freezes before he sucks a breath in through his teeth, mind racing. The glass cracks in his hand slightly.

After a couple of seconds he says, low and dark:]

If he does, I'll kill him myself.

[Well. That's a cause for concern and no mistake. Thor is usually full of brash confidence or, at most, grim determination where enemies are concerned. This--

This looks suspiciously like fear.

The Vision's look of concern only deepens, and he speaks in a soft voice.]

Are you quite certain you're all right?

No.

[At least he's honest. For a long few moments he says nothing else, before he shakes his head.]

No, I'm not. There's not much to be done about it.

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