rebuildyourruins | Drift Fleet

[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.

[He exhales and leans back, keeping his eyes on Thor. That's a hell of an admission - in his own way, Thor is as proud as Tony Stark, and it had taken Tony literal years to admit that anything was wrong. And while the Vision has always been comfortable here in the Fleet, trusting that he'll get back to things in their own world in time and not bothering to worry about it, for the first time he's starting to feel like he should actually try, for his friends' sake.

He speaks in a soft tone.]

I'd like to help you.

[He's not sure how, but there must be something he can do.]

[Only he can't. Not without Thor explaining exactly why he reacted that way, understanding the parts of the story he's conveniently left out. Knowing that Vision is among the dead and that Thor feels strongly enough that he should have done better by the android to bear some weight of responsibility for it.

Thor takes a deep breath, letting go of the glass so he doesn't shatter the thing entirely. He looks at Vision properly and some of the darkness leaves his expression.]

Believe me when I say that you already have, by speaking to me now.

[And by being here at all. That he won't say, but he'll feel it.]

[...Frankly, he'd be more suspicious if he didn't think Thor was still out traveling the cosmos somewhere and not returning to Earth to fight. Losing half of your people is enough, surely - he has no reason to suspect Earth is affected as well.]

Then I am at your disposal, my friend.

[He doesn't know what Thor is feeling--he's not Wanda--but seeing a little light return to his eyes is good enough to know that he's being genuine.]

Would it help to establish some kind of routine to ground you in the present, do you think? Because I'd be more than happy to meet every day to train or consume media or paint, if you like.

Paint?

[He honestly can't help the bewildered reaction. Vision might as well have suggested he take up sheep herding.]

Training would be better, I think.

[If nothing else it'll get some of his frustration out.]

[He bites back a smile. That's about the reaction he'd expected to painting, which was why he led with training.]

It would be good to have someone I don't need to pull my punches with, admittedly. Let's arrange for that, then.

All right.

[It's something tangible to do, at least. And it doesn't involve much talking. That can only be beneficial.]

[See, but talking would probably be good for Thor--

--at his own pace, when he's ready. Like today. It's not something you can force, not if you want to keep your friends.]

Shall we say Monday mornings before breakfast, then?

It is agreed. I look forward to it.

[Strangely enough, he finds that's true.]

I'll look forward to it as well. And in the meantime--

[He's not really sure how to make the offer, so he shrugs.]

I'll be here.

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