A GENTLE SIGH escapes past her lips, while her eyes size up her companion. a moment of contemplation, a gentle chew of her bottom lip. ❛ —— you’re obviously very successful, smart, wicked intelligence, i hear. ❜ a pause as she considers her next words — takes a swig of her drink. ❛ —— but so is banner, and you two seem quite different. i don’t think your intelligence is appreciated like his — therefore you hide behind this snarky eloquence. how am i doing ?? ❜

❛ —— THEN WHY ARE you wearing one ?? ❜ it’s said plainly — not meant to be taken in a rude way.

❛ —— THE ONLY WAY a person could ever enjoy a party is if they’re drunk , ❜ a blunt comment and she barely looks up from her own drink and when she actually looks up and almost scoffs. ❛ —— you’re drinking water, sweetheart. how are you supposed to have fun ?? ❜

❛ —— WE’RE IN LUCK , ❜ valkyrie responds as a slender hand slips into the inner lining of the jacket she had draped from her shoulders and retrieves a flask. she shakes it a little in a celebratory manner. the flask contains what is left of her asgardian liquor and she’d like for someone to stumble around with her tonight, so she tips it toward the other woman in offering. ❛ —— we’ll have a little bit of this and then we’ll look for that russian stuff, whatever that is. ❜

❛ —— NOT AT ALL, ❜ valkyrie gives out a low sigh, the tone caught somewhere between annoyance and boredom. ❛ —— i might have to start drinking an alcoholic paint thinner. you look like you can handle your liquor. ❜ she spares her a look of approval.

❛ —— I DON’T NEED to be drunk, just more of a personal preference. ❜ yeah, she doesn’t need — but what else is she supposed to do with her present self ?? the present is filled with waiting and routine. the past is untouchable without a bottle or four in her hands and it’s easy to watch time pass in the number of drinks you’ve downed. she hasn’t been on earth very long but she’s heard impressive things about her present company, but she’s not one for fawning. ❛ —— too easy, ❜ she says in reference to the party goers. ❛ —— i want a real challenge. ❜

❛ —— YOU know, you really ought to consider buying a more extensive selection of bottles. ❜ she’s been on Midgard long enough to know there’s a wide variety out there to choose from. and the ones she recently perused are hardly enough to keep her occupied for the next hour. ❛ —— i thought this was a party, after all. how am i supposed to get drunk enough to make fun of some strangers ?? ❜

❛ —— AREN’T you a little young to be doing this while hero routine ?? soon we’ll be having kids in diapers fighting the bad guys. ❜