One moment, death is bearing down on him, so close that Thor can feel the almost painless sting of that sharp blade kissing against the skin of his chest. And then suddenly the weight on him is gone, the looming figure banished, and Thor finds himself staring across the battlefield at Captain America with his hand outstretched, only to blink at seeing Mjolnir land neatly in Steve's free hand.

The shock of it cuts through the fear and dread, and Thor knows he should be looking to see what their enemy is doing but he can't look away from the sight of his friend, his shieldbrother, wielding the ancient hammer of the gods as easily as he hefts his shield, and looking just as stunned by it as Thor is.

Something bright and hopeful bursts in his chest instead of a blade, and Thor laughs out loud. "Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy..."

Of all the companions Thor has had in his long life, Thor can think of no one worthier.

And then Steve charges, and Thor moves to get to his feet, and catches a backhand from the Titan that sends him hurtling across the battlefield and into a twisted pile of wreckage. He wheezes at the impact, the wind knocked out of him and his head spinning, and tries to blink away the dust clouding his one good eye as he listens to the sounds of battle raging nearby, Mjolnir singing in Steve's hand.