A/N: I hopped onboard the Lokyrie train before I even saw the movie, so now I'm ecstatic that I can finally write it. And also good Loki. I'm so glad he's back on the good side in time for Infinity War.

After a little while of not-so-dramatic flying towards Earth, the Asgardians dispersed. Hulk went off somewhere – much to Loki's relief – as did Valkyrie. Heimdall stayed, staring stoically out the window on Thor's other side. Part of Loki wanted to leave, but he just stood there with his arms crossed and head ducked a little.

Thor look up at him. "You're allowed to leave my side, brother."

"I know," Loki said, "but-"

"Those I protected will not harm you, my boy," Heimdall assured him. "For better or for worse, you are their prince, and an Asgardian."

"I'm not-"

"You are an Asgardian in every way that matters," Heimdall stated firmly. His golden stare practically dared Loki to argue, so Loki just nodded and reminded himself to accept the affection.

"Regardless, it's not the civilians I'm concerned about," he admitted. Not entirely, anyway.

Thor chuckled. "If Hulk was going to smash you into the floor again, he would have done it already."

Loki winced at the memory but shook his head. "He is not who I was referring to."

Thor twisted around to see Loki better, intrigue lighting up his remaining eye upon seeing his expression. "You have a crush on her!"

"What?" Loki exclaimed.

Thor laughed. "You like Valkyrie."

"She tried to kill me! Why would I like her?"

"Denial is the clencher," Thor said triumphantly.

Loki cleared his throat and edged away. "I have an apology to make. Excuse me."

"She would be good for you!" Thor called after him as he disappeared around a corner.

"Crush on Valkyrie," he muttered to himself. "What nonsense."

But when he knocked on her door and she opened it, bottle in hand and still clad in her white-and-gold armor with her hair in slight disarray, Loki's breath caught for a moment. She just eyed him. "What do you want?"

Loki opened his mouth, but the apology faltered at his lips, so he just pointed at the bottle. "Care to share?"

Her eyebrow rose, but she shrugged and stepped aside to let him in. The room was small and sparse, furnished only with a single-person bed shoved into the corner, a couple chairs, and a table already covered in various bottles of alcoholic beverages. "You don't strike me as a drinker."

Loki eyed the bottle as she slapped it into his hand. "I'm not."

Valkyrie grabbed a different bottle from the table and flopped onto the bed, leaning up against the wall. "Well, drink up," she urged, tipping her bottle almost entirely upside down and gulping it down.

Loki sniffed his, then gingerly took a sip. He gagged as it hit his throat, burning viciously. "Oh gods," he rasped.

Valkyrie laughed. "That's some of the strongest stuff in the universe right there."

Swiping away tears of pain, Loki set the bottle down on the table and pulled up a chair. "I can tell."

She grinned at his pain for a moment longer. Then she sat up and leaned her elbows on her knees, a more serious expression chasing away her mirth. "I get the feeling there's a story with you and the rest of your family. What is it?"

Loki straightened up, avoiding her gaze. "I would prefer not to tell it."

"And I would've preferred not to have my worst memory thrust upon me."

Loki looked back at her, the familiar sting of guilt hitting him as he saw her anger. "I'm sorry about that."

To his surprise, she just shrugged and took another swig of drink. "Nah, I needed it. Otherwise I'd still be rotting on Sakaar."

He lightly flicked one of the many bottles on the table. "It doesn't look like much has changed."

"Now I'm drinking for fun instead of to drown my sorrows." She hopped off the bed and picked through the bottles, finally picking one up and handing it to Loki. "Here, this one's much easier to stomach. Promise."

Loki took a sip, relieved when it slid pleasantly over his taste buds. "Much better."

She resettled on her bed. "So, back to the subject of painful backstories…"

Loki sighed. "You're not going to let up, are you?"

"Nope."

Loki swallowed a few more mouthfuls before starting. "I'm a Frost Giant."

Valkyrie spat out the drink she'd just taken. "You're a what?"

Loki smiled wryly. "I'm Laufey's son. Odin found me after Asgard defeated Jotunheim, cast out to die because I was a runt. So he took me in and raised me as his own. I… didn't react very well to finding out."

Valkyrie arched an eyebrow. "What exactly did you do?"

"Oh, just a little treason," Loki mumbled. "I tried to destroy Jotunheim. I may have tried to take over Midgard before setting my sights on Asgard. I did manage to take Odin's place for four years."

Valkyrie barked out a laugh. "You've got guts, boy."

Loki blinked. "Boy?"

"I was one of Asgard's top warriors before you were a twinkle in the Allfather's eye, Loki," she pointed out.

Loki conceded the point with a nod, taking another drink. "What's your real name, anyway?"

Valkyrie stiffened. "I prefer Valkyrie."

"And I prefer Odinson to Laufeyson – it doesn't mean they're not both equally valid."

"You wouldn't care to know."

Loki leaned forward. "I'm trying something new. Tell me – please."

She pursed her lips, but eventually relented. "Brunnhilde."

"Brunnhilde," Loki repeated, drawing it out. "Well, I've heard worse."

She blinked at him, wonder creeping into her eyes. "You just managed to make it sound pretty."

Loki sat back with a smirk. "It's a talent, Brunnhilde."

In a heartbeat, she had a knife unsheathed and aimed at him. "Stop calling me that."

He held his hands up. "Sorry. But I think you need a name that's solely yours."

She lowered the knife. "I'm open to suggestions."

Loki thought for a moment. "Valki?"

She snorted. "Maybe when we're dating. I'll agree to Val."

A grin tugged at Loki's mouth. "When?"

Val pointed at the door. "Out."

Loki backed towards the door. "I'll keep this in mind, Val."

A knife whizzed past his head to lodge in the wall. "Out!"

Loki slipped out and shut the door. Sensing something, he spun around. "Thor! Heimdall."

The two men stood with laughter on their faces. "She's a keeper, all right," Heimdall said.

Thor slung his arm over Loki's shoulders and began to lead him away. "Now, brother, the trick to flirting is this…"

-MCU-

Valkyrie peeked out of her room. The brothers were disappearing down the corridor, but Heimdall remained. He smiled softly at her. "You care for him."

She huffed. "He needs to be taught some manners."

"As I recall, you were the first to mention courtship."

Valkyrie narrowed her eyes at him. "You were listening."

He dipped his head. "I watch members of the royal family constantly. Especially under our current circumstances."

Valkyrie relaxed a little. "The people need their king, and their king needs his brother."

"And the prince needs to know he is loved. As do you, I believe."

She looked down. "He is attractive," she mumbled. "And I guess we do have our similarities."

Heimdall began to walk away, leaving her with her thoughts. "In my experience, sometimes that is all it takes. This ship is a new beginning for both of you – perhaps you should embrace that."

A/N: I may continue this, should the inspiration strike me. Considering I'm seeing the movie two more times in the next few days, it should. At least, I hope it does.

I know Valki is on of their ship names, but I like it better as a cutesy nickname for her.