—☾—

Val leaned against the metal doorframe, clutching her arm and breathing laboriously. She frowned at Maya’s bleeding foot and silently sat down before her, taking the tweezers and gently Maya’s foot in hand. 

“Hold. Still. I’ll make it. Quick. And Careful.” 

“It will hurt, won’t it?” 

“A lot,” admitted Val, breathing into the tweezers, bringing the metal to shine. “Think of something. Happy.” 

Maya tried couldn’t suppress a smirk, but it was mixed with pain. “Then I’ll think of you.” 

Val grinned at this. “That works.” 

The Valkyrie went to work, plucking out the smaller shards skillfully. Maya barely noticed anything except for a lighter prick. She suppressed a whimper on the bigger ones, held a hand against her mouth and looked elsewhere, enduring it. 

It might have been a coincidence that Val wore a top with a low neckline today, but it helped distract Maya just fine.

“This one. Will hurt.”

“Yeah, I can take it,” thought Maya, gaining some confidence during the process, but it quickly shattered like the mirror when the Draugr smashed it. 

Maya yelped and then screamed into her hand. If Val didn’t hold her foot with the other hand, Maya would have already kicked her in the face to make her stop. 

But Val didn’t and swiftly removed the shard. Maya let out a cry of relief. It was almost over. Val drenched a cloth in warm water and dabbed it against the wounds; Maya whimpered. 

Val blew against Maya’s foot, closing the wounds until there was no sign of them left. 

“How do you. Feel?” asked Val, brushing her thumb over the heel. 

A little whine escaped Maya. “Still hurts a bit.”

Val suddenly kissed the base of her foot and met her eyes. “Better?”

Maya bit her lower lip and nodded with a blush from the surprise. “Better, thanks to you. Won’t even need to worry about walking,” she laughed. 

Val smiled. “That’s good.” She gently kissed the top of her foot now and looked down. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault.” 

“Yours!?” Maya exclaimed. “How? No, it’s mine! I went up against those undead things because I thought I could take them. Fun fact, I COULDN’T!” Maya yelled, tears streaming down her face. “I was stupid and reckless. You exerted yourself by trying to save me.”

“But I brought. You. Into this,” said Val, her hand shaking. “You helped me. But I. Bring Danger. They even. Attacked you. At home.” 

“It wasn’t so bad,” laughed Maya. “I mean, I got chased through my apartment, got my doors smashed, roped down my balcony in my gown—which I really hope to change out from finally—and stepped on glass. Sounds like a Tuesday.” Maya joked, but Val didn’t find it funny. 

The Valkyrie sighed. “I shouldn’t be. Here. And drag you. Into. This. I should. Leave.” 

“Please don’t!” Maya lowered herself to the ground and put her hand on Val’s. “I- I don’t want you to leave. I know it sounds weird, but I grew to like you… a lot. Let me help you. I want to help you.”

Val turned her hand and squeezed Maya’s, not feeling like letting her go. “I shouldn’t. But I don’t. Want. To leave… Are you. Certain? I can stay?” 

Maya cracked a smile. “Totally. I grew addicted to your food and I can’t cook to save my life. Undead Vikings be damned. They’ll have to go through me.”

“Scary,” laughed Val, causing a chuckle out of Maya. “Thank you. Again. For your help.” 

“Don’t worry about it. I mean it.” Maya stood up and tugged on her dirty gown again. She shuddered at her state. “I need a shower, or better, a bath. I feel dirty, but ergh, I don’t have the energy to scrub the tub.” 

“Let me do—” 

“NO!” protested Maya, keeping Val away from the cleaning equipment. “You did enough. Don’t pretend you can tough it out. Your breathing hasn't fully recovered. I can hear it. Go take a break.” 

Val furrowed her brows, squirmed in place, and stapled her hands. “At least a. Little. Please?” 

Maya narrowed her eyes at Val, whose squirming only worsened. Grumbling in response, Maya let out a defeated sigh. “Fine, but I’ll watch you, you hear me?” she gestured with her fingers from her eyes to Val’s, amplifying the statement. “I have to make a call. Don’t overdo it.” 

“Yes, ma’am,” Val saluted jokingly, cracking a smile after her hand went down.

Maya left the bathroom but glimpsed right back. Val waved at her until Maya slowly disappeared to pick up a phone—sadly, the Draugr destroyed hers. 

Dialling a number, Maya waited for the other end to pick up. She blew a breath in the meantime. Feeling grimy and exhausted but happy, they were home. 

She felt terrible for how she had forced Val to help her, but apparently, Val was also feeling remorseful for putting Maya in danger. “At least she will stay. I don’t think I would have liked her to leave.” 

Maya put a hand on her heated cheek. Yes, she would have hated it if Val left. 

“Whose calling?” came from the other end. Maya let out a relaxed sigh that Austin picked up despite the unknown number. 

“Am I talking to the Ghostbusters?” she jokingly replied and waited for an answer. It beeped. 

“Maya?” Austin eventually asked. “Where are you? What number is this?”

“Phone broke,” grumbled Maya. “Stepped on by a monster, but don’t worry, I’m fine. Val found me. We’re at home. Nothing should happen anymore, I hope.” 

“Phew,” said Austin in relief. “Guess I don’t have to take the bus anymore. Would have taken ages anyway.” 

“You’re so unreliable, you know?” joked Maya and Austin let out a mock reaction of shock. 

“Maya. Bath is ready.” 

“Coming!” 

“What was that?” asked Austin. “Are you taking a bath together?” 

Maya fumbled for words. “It’s not like that! We…” she whispered. “I don’t think I am ready for that yet.” 

“Damn girl! Have fun. I have something to take care of, and apparently, you too.” Austin let the phone run a bit more, listening to Maya fumbling desperately for explanations. He laughed and snapped a twig underneath his boot as he approached the Draugr he destroyed. 

One of them, the bulkiest one, was still struggling underneath the tree Austin uprooted to save Maya. 

“Tell me. Who sent you?” Austin crouched before the Draugr and grabbed its face with his tawny hand. “Who are you working for? Loki? Utgard-Loki? Mimir? Thrym? Hm? Answer me.” 

The Draugr gurgled from the pressure of Austin’s hand. The bones cracked, and an eyeball fell out before Austing crushed its head, turning it into mush.

“I know you never would have answered. Have a pleasant stay in Helheim.” Austin turned to the rest of the Draugr approaching him. “Ah, the cavalry, I presume? Do your worst.”

Austin’s arm enlarged. He slammed it into the entire contingent of undead warriors and turned the scene into a battlefield.