#Loki: we should communicate well before any commitments are made

[worstloki]

Loki unable to secure a marriage because of unworkable socialisation and awkward ulterior motives 🤝 Sigyn unable to secure a marriage because people keep slipping up and snitching on themselves

[ynscrazylife]

Loki request (spoilers)

Reader is a variant who got captured by the tva, they're sent to trial and Loki saves them from getting killed bc he still owed them a favour. Morbius gets confused bc those two dangerous variants know each other, turns out they were best friends in their original time line. Now Morbius has to babysit two sarcastic assholes. Double trouble ensures.

Double Trouble | l.l fluff fic

Summary: The request. 

Authors Note: I fully acknowledge and support Loki being genderfluid. In this fic, I will be using he/him pronouns for Loki since those were the pronouns they’ve used for Loki in the show so far, indicating that at the time this fic is set, Loki’s genderfluid identity is of a man. Should those pronouns/identity change, so will the pronouns for my fics. I do not intend to be harmful in any way so if this is harmful to the genderfluid community, PLEASE let me know!

Request to be on a Taglist (or multiple) here! (Taglists are at the end of the fic)

MCU Masterlist #1 | MCU Masterlist #2 | Main Masterlist

PSA: Do NOT copy, steal, translate, plagiarize, republish, etc any of my works on Tumblr or any other platform. Also, do NOT claim any of my works as your own. All of these works are either requests I’ve gotten that people have wanted me to write or original ideas I’ve had for works. If you happen to take inspiration from anything I’ve written and want to write something inspired by that, please a) ask me first and b) IF I say yes, credit me as inspo in your post by tagging me and link whatever work of mine that inspired you. Thanks.

header c @dearcardan on twitter

Yeah, Loki was definitely not taking any of this seriously. At this point, he theorized that the Avengers were laughing their asses off on this elaborate prank they were playing on him, and he decided to just wait it out. It had to stop at some point, right? There was no way that this “TVA” bullshit was actually, in any way, real.

At least . . . He believed that until he saw a familiar face.

Mobius had just saved him from being reset to the original timeline and they were walking out of the courtroom just as the doors opened and two TVA agents were walking another “criminal” in. Loki still wasn't buying this elaborate scheme so he didn’t really pay this new person much attention, until he heard the judge speak. 

“Miss Y/N Y/L/N - am I correct?” 

Loki froze, eyes traveling to the “criminal” passing him. He first thought that Thor had set this part of the prank up, but he knew his brother didn’t really understand how mischief really worked. Plus, Loki could tell Y/N wasn’t an illusion. 

. . . So that meant she was actually here. 

“Hey, wait, can I see this trial?” Loki whispered to Mobius, who glanced back at the judge and raised his eyebrows skeptically at the brunette deity. Loki added, “I just want to see a little more of how this place works, okay?” 

Mobius was sure Loki was onto something and after a couple moments of thought, he agreed. At least this would give him a chance to get to know this troublemaker better, and they both shuffled into seats. 

“You are correct, madame,” Y/N answered mockingly, a big grin on her face as she walked up to the podium. She then looked around in an exaggerated manner. “Well, do I get a lawyer or what?” 

Loki smirked and the judge scoffed. “How do you plead?” The judge asked, dismissing her questions. 

“What ‘crimes’ have I supposedly committed?” 

“You have been accused of creating an alternate timeline that does not fit into the main continuum. You snuck into Odin’s vault using your Asgardian abilities  and when you used the fake Infinity Gauntlet and, in your attempt to enchant the Gauntlet to work like the actual one, you accidentally travelled forward in time and created a new timeline,” the judge summarized. 

Loki smiled, amused and proud. He only wondered what led her to this. 

“In my defense, I heard that my friend was in trouble and wanted to help out,” Y/N said with a shrug. 

“Well, the enchantments were not supposed fully work. They were meant to just backfire on you and knock you unconscious, where you’d be imprisoned in the dungeon. But then you tried to use another powerful object in Odin’s vault which created a Nexus event, messed with your enchantment on the fake Power and Time stone, and here you are,” the judge explained.

“If I wasn’t meant to do this - why didn’t these ‘Time Keepers’ control my actions and make me do something else?” Y/N asked, changing the subject.

“I am not going to entertain you any further. In your previous statement, quote: ‘In my defense, I heard that my friend was in trouble and wanted to help out’ You have admitted your guilt and will now be reset,” the judge declared sternly.

Immediately, two TVA agents grabbed Y/N harshly and began to drag her away from the podium. Loki, who at this point had connected the dots that he was the friend she had been trying to help, knew he owed her one. He couldn’t just let her be reset and then be imprisoned. So, thinking rather quickly, he leapt up from his seat and shouted, “No!”

All heads turned to him. Y/N’s eyes went wide, not having spotted him, and Mobius was beginning to regret his decision. Loki turned to Mobius. “You need me to help you with this ‘sacred timeline’ stuff. I’ll only do it if Y/N stays,” he said, panting.

Mobius caught an angry look from the judge but his gaze settled on Y/N. After a couple moments, he sighed and relented. “Fine.”

Y/N and Loki cheered and she broke out of the agents’ grips, running to Loki who picked her up and hugged her. “That’s my girl,” Loki said, proud of her for her prank.

Mobius internally groaned. This was going to be a long day.

———————————

“So how do you know each other?” Mobius asked as he walked in-between the Asgardians, leading them to his office.

“Y/N’s been my best friend, partner in time, ever since I was little,” Loki said, grinning.

“Got it,” Mobius said, frowning. He could only imagine the mischief they had conjured.

———————————

After reviewing both of their files, Mobius had to step out for a second, leaving Loki and Y/N alone. “Let’s try to break out,” was the first thing to leave Loki’s lips.

Y/N rolled her eyes. “And suppose we do, how the hell are you gonna get the Tesseract back? Plus, I won’t wanna be imprisoned on Asgard,” she reasoned, quickly shutting the idea down.

Loki huffed. He was bored. He wanted to do something.

And he had something to do when Y/N stood up and started walking around. With a smirk, he grabbed the remote controlling Y/N’s collar and clicked it, immediately sending her back to her seat.

She turned and glared at him, and he just smirked, innocently shrugging. “I wanna have fun,” he said.

Y/N rolled her eyes and cautiously stood up again. When nothing happened, she walked around a bit more, and Loki let her . . . Until he got bored again. With another click, she reappeared on the other side of the room, in mid-walk.

Before she could protest, Loki did it again. And again. And again. He finally stopped when she got out the words, “CUT IT OUT!” and laughed to himself.

“You asshole,” Y/N grunted, beginning to walk towards him, but skidded back when Loki clicked the button just one more time.

“Oops. My finger slipped,” Loki smirked.

Y/N glared, but being reset made her lose her footing, and she tumbled to the floor, causing her best friend to cackle. Annoyed, she ran at him and managed to push him off his chair, tackling him to the floor. They rolled around, neither one gaining the upper hand for too long, until Mobius re-entered, saw the chaos, pulled Loki to his feet, and grabbed the remote, resetting Y/N so she was back in her chair.

“Hey!” Loki exclaimed, pushing Mobius off him. “No one controls my best friend!”

Y/N couldn’t tell if he was being serious or not, but smiled nonetheless. Mobius glared and grabbed Loki’s remote, resetting him so he was back in his chair. He then turned to them both.

“I’m beginning to agree with my colleagues that this-” he gestured to Loki and Y/N, “-was a bad idea.”

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[valkyrieandstrangeridingaragorn]

So wait. Odin after getting his memory back knowing he was at the end of his life just goes to Norway rather than warn anyone about Hela. He didn't know his sons were going to show up. What was he like " Eh, my messed up daughter is earth's problem now. "

I think he knew his sons would show up. They changed the way he loses his eye from the myths but from the things he said to Thor it seemed he knew Asgard was doomed, so he's not all-knowing but close. How? No clue. He does have the ravens with him so perhaps they help him.

I can understand him staying away from Asgard since the whole point was Hela should never make it there, but he had a chat with Stephen before Thor and Loki showed up so why not warn him and the others about it?

They could have helped by containing her or making a shield of energy from other dimensions so that she wouldn't just show up in the middle of Norway, Stephen could have made something similar to what he does in NWH with the villains or send her falling for 30 minutes until they could figure something out.

Then if Thor can communicate with Heimdall from Sakaar, it stands to reason that Odin would be able to talk to him from Earth, why not tell him what's going to happen so that he can warn Loki? "He wouldn't listen", yeah well, if he was told Odin was about to die and he had lied his whole life about an elder daughter who had fought alongside him for centuries while committing genocide across the realms until she stopped being useful at which point he caged her and made sure she wouldn't be unleashed until his death you truly believe Loki wouldn't think "that makes so much sense" then do his utmost to defeat her so he could claim the victory for himself? Ha.

And we could have gotten Loki and Stephen and the other sorcerers fighting Hela. And Heimdall could have warned Thor and he would have joined them too. There you go, that's a better Ragnarok that what we got.

The only reason they didn't do any of this is because they wanted a movie with Hulk on Sakaar and for Hela to kill a bunch of Asgardians. But in-universe it comes to show how little Odin cared about Earth and the humans because if she showed up there and Loki hadn't panicked and called on the Bifrost, then what? She stays there and kills how many mortals? Because if she can't make it home nor visit other realms she's going to make Earth her bitch. Not even the excuse that Odin knew about the Avengers works because if Thor and Loki (and the whole army of einherjar) were incapable of defeating her what could the Avengers possibly do? Blast her with Stark's suit, punch her with the shield, fire a few guns or arrows at her? Please, she would have killed them in an instant.

It's quite simple really. When Thor tells Odin "we can fight her together" his father's reply is "No, I'm on a different path now" which basically translates into "IDGAF about this, this is your problem now, Odin out". He's like Dumbledore like that.

[stewblog]

BLACK WIDOW

It shouldn’t have taken this long to happen, but now that it’s finally arrived Black Widow was (almost) everything it needed to be. 

Admittedly, it’s a little difficult not to harbor at least a small amount of animosity toward Marvel Studios regarding the first (and almost certainly only) solo outing for Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson). Black Widow should have, at minimum, replaced the release of Captain Marvel in 2019, if not arrived years earlier. One of the founding members of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s version of The Avengers deserved a more prominent placement in the canon thus far. But, none of that is really the fault of this particular film or the people directly responsible for making it, but I felt it necessary to specify that upfront. 

Given that Natasha has already (spoilers for a three-year-old film, I guess) died, it made me wonder what the point of giving her a solo film would even be at this juncture of the MCU. Making it a prequel, though technically necessary, sounded even less interesting. That said, once this thing hits home video you can quite easily slip it in right after Captain America: Civil War where it belongs and nearly all of the release timing issues will simply melt away. 

So how does it fare when you’re watching it right now in the theater (or on Disney+ Premiere Access)? I was honestly a bit surprised at how much I enjoyed it and at how well it holds itself up as a standalone adventure, albeit with some notable flaws. 

After a brief prologue in 1990s Ohio where it shows Natasha and her little sister Yelena were raised by a pair of Russian sleeper agents, we pick things up right after the events of Captain America: Civil War. Natasha is on the run having betrayed her commitment to the Sokovia Accords (the pact which outlaws all superhero activity not explicitly sanctioned by the United Nations). She heads out into the middle of nowhere and does her best to lay low (she’s a big fan of the James Bond movie Moonraker, it turns out). But it’s not long before trouble comes calling. 

Natasha wasn’t the only child groomed to be part of the Widow program. Yelena (Florence Pugh) grew up to become quite the adept secret agent as well, only she’s discovered the hard way that her generation of Widows have all been genetically brainwashed after being unexpectedly dosed with a vaccine that reverses the mental locks put into place. Now on the run herself, Yelena attempts to reunite with Natasha in an attempt to free their Widow sisters and take down the so-called Red Room program. 

The ensuing film moves at an appropriate breakneck pace with all the motorcycles, car chases, fist fights, shootouts,derring do and clandestine political intrigue that one would expect to find in any given movie starring the likes of Jason Bourne. And like Jason Bourne’s escapades, this becomes a very personal mission for Natasha and Yelena as they seek to enact vengeance upon the organization and people who so callously disregard the humanity of the women they reprogram and exploit. 

There’s a pleasing physicality at play throughout the action and mayhem of Black Widow. Granted, that’s almost by necessity given that all but one major character lacks anything resembling traditional super powers, so the action takes on a more grounded feel than what we typically get from a Marvel movie where robotic suits of armor, demigods and mystical arts have become de rigueur, bordering on passe’. It doesn’t (or perhaps can’t) measure up to the type of action and stunts offered up by the likes of, say, the recent Mission: Impossible films but it’s still satisfying and engaging on its own terms. 

That said, what makes this more than just The Bourne Imitation, though, is the focus and attention on the ersatz family that ends up being the heart of the film. Natasha and Yelena are initially abandoned by Alexei (David Harbour) and Milena (Rachel Weisz), only to once again be thrust together decades later. This culminates in a wonderful scene at a dinner table where everyone slips back into their domestic roles both knowingly and not. There is both conflict and affection flowing back and forth, and not always equally. But the chemistry and writing at play turns this scene and, as a group, these characters and this scene into something that rarely rears its head within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

Harbour has sort of cemented his career playing lovable schlubs and that’s played to maximum effect (and affect) here as he charismatically lumbers his way through each scene as the Soviety Union’s own Communism-loving Captain America knock-off The Red Guardian. Alexei’s blowhard nature is quite often played up for comedic effect (even during fight scenes) but Harbour still manages to allow an endearing sincerity to shine through, especially when he’s interacting with his “daughters.” 

Weisz, sadly, is given very little to do though she makes the most of it. It’s Pugh and Johansson who, rightly, carry the weight of the entire proceeding. Their interactions feel human, fully informed and realized thanks to years of resentment, hardship and all that comes with being a hyper-trained super spy. Pugh and Johansson carry it naturally and with ease. Johansson deserved to have this film much sooner, but I will at least admit that having it this late in the game does at least allow for Johansson to draw from a deeper slate of the character’s history and experience, lending additional weight to the proceedings. Pugh also is a superb actor in her own right and at the risk of spoilers, let’s just say that I can’t wait to see where she takes Yelena further down the road. 

If there’s a significant flaw to Black Widow it’s that the story’s central villain leaves a lot to be desired, and not just by the fairly high standards Marvel Studios has set with its canon of villains. I realize that not every film can have a Loki or Killmonger or Hela-caliber villain, and certainly more than a few MCU films have faltered when it comes to the bad guy in charge. But so much of Black Widow’s thematic weight comes from watching these women reclaim their lives from the men who stole them. Natasha has an engaging encounter with Dreykov (Ray Winstone), the man behind the Red Room, but there’s too little meat there, too little actualized history for it to mean much. It doesn’t help that Winstone’s performance is wildly, distractingly uneven as he wavers constantly between a cartoonish persona and delivering actual menace. To say nothing of his hilariously inconsistent accent. 

Despite this, Black Widow largely succeeds at providing a proper sendoff both for the character and for Johansson via an exciting outing that’s got heart and laughs to spare. 

[coppoladelrey]

No One Cares For Orphans - Part 1

A/N: I really hope you guys like this idea, let me know if I should do more parts.

Summary: You are an orphan, when you were in High School you met Bucky Barnes, the both of you started dating. But one day you take the blame for a crime that your boyfriend commit, how much is your life gonna change?

FEEDBACK!

Bucky Barnes x Reader

Warnings: Angst, just overall sadness.

Tagging: @lostinthoughtsandfeelings​

Main Masterlist

You didn't have a family, living in a orphanage your whole life in New York, but you were really intelligent which allowed you to attend a prestigious private school, that’s where you met Bucky and Steve, and you fell in love with Bucky since the first time you’ve ever seen him. But you weren’t the only one from the orphanage that was extremely intelligent, Josh he was two years older than you, but his problem was his addiction, his mother was a prostitute addicted to heroine, he barely made it out alive, doctors were more than impressed that not only he survived without any consequences, but he had such a high I.Q.

You remember the first time you saw Bucky like it was yesterday, he was laughing with his group of friends, Steve, Sam, Natasha and the twins Wanda and Pietro. You were walking with Josh, trying to get to know the school more, that’s when your eyes locked with Bucky’s and you got shy, averting your gaze, his deep blue eyes were too much for you. Josh was talking to you about something but you couldn’t concentrate, trying to get another glimpse of Bucky, without getting caught. That’s when Bucky came alone to talk to you and Josh, he had a smirk on his face, exuding confidence.

“Hi, you guys must be new. I’m James, but everyone calls me Bucky. And you are…?” Bucky extended his hand to shake your hand, but that wasn’t something that Josh wanted.

“Leaving.” Josh dragged you away from Bucky, he didn't want anyone hurting you, or taking advantage of you.

“Josh, he was just being nice.” You said after you were away from Bucky and his friends.

“I thought you were smarter than that, rich kids ain’t shit, little goblin.” Josh laughed when you slapped his arm, he was the big brother you’ve never had.

“I’m not a little goblin, you’re just freakishly tall.” That was true, Josh was too tall for his own good, you’ve never met anyone as tall as him.

“Whatever, just stay away from the rich kids. I will too, because if we don’t, they will chew us up and spit us out. Nobody cares about orphans, promise me.” And you did promise him that, and Josh promised you the same thing. But neither of you kept that promise, Josh was dealing drugs inside the school, and you started dating Bucky. And eventually you and Josh parted ways throughout High School.

*******************************************

You were so happy with Bucky, all your life you were looking for someone that loves you, that takes care of you, that respects you, that will work for your relationship, and you found all of that on Bucky. In your senior year, you and Bucky were trying to get into the same college, and he said that you wouldn’t have to worry about housing, because he wanted the two of you living together, you had so much planned, you couldn’t wait to spend the rest of your life with Bucky.

But everything changed in a matter of a week, your whole world crumbled down right before your eyes. You found out that Josh died of an overdose, in a ditch somewhere. You felt guilty, because of Josh’s drug problem, you distanced yourself from him, instead of helping him, and now he was dead and there was nothing that you could do about it. And you also found out that you were pregnant, which was worse due to the fact that you and Bucky had sex a few times, and he was your first. Bucky gave you a car as soon as you turned sixteen, you said that it was too much, but he insisted, and having a car was a lifesaver to you.

You haven’t seen Bucky in three days, ever since you discovered your pregnancy. You knew that it was going to be complicated, but you and Bucky would make it work, having a baby wasn’t easy, but you craved for a family, and you knew that the man you loved more than anything in the world did as well, because he hated his family, because they didn't approve your relationship, you knew that Bucky would be happy.

It was three in the morning when you got a call from Bucky.

“Y/N, I think I killed someone.” That’s all what he said, you tracked his phone and went out to find him. He was in the middle of nowhere, and he was crying, you saw a man on the road, he didn't seem dead.

“Thank God that you’re here, doll.” He hugged you, tightly. You’ve never seen Bucky so distressed, he was usually so calm and aloof. “I’m gonna go to prison, gonna go on trial as an adult.” He kept mumbling whilst you were trying to help the older man, and that’s when you made the worst mistake of your life.

“Take your car and leave, I’ll handle this.” You were still seventeen, but Bucky was eighteen. He looked at you with a dumbfounded expression, but he kissed you and left. You put your car where Bucky’s were, and you called 911.

*********************************************

After the ambulance and the police came, you were taken to the police station, you didn't say anything, but you sent Bucky a message, saying that you needed him and that you were being held at the police station, he read the message, but did not replied. That’s when the tears came, you took the blame for the man you loved but he couldn’t even help you. You have been sleeping in the police station for three days since no one would bail you out, the only person that could help was dead, Josh.

You were in the small at the precinct and you saw a man, he had dark black hair and a wide grin on his face, his presence commanded respect. You saw him talking to the detective that was handling your case and he left for the interrogation room. The detective took you to him, you haven’t showered in two days, and sleeping wasn’t an option.

“Miss Y/L/N, I am Loki Odinson your lawyer.” You gave him a warm smile, Bucky didn't forget about you. You couldn’t be happier. “I will help you with your case, my firm does many cases pro bono and I take the time to help the causes that are close to my heart.” Pro bono? That meant…

“No one sent you here?” The smile fell off your face, Bucky did forget about you.

“No, but the good news is that you are a minor which means that your record might sponged. And you haven’t told them anything, which is good.” Loki was the best lawyer money could buy, and he was known for his ‘non traditional’ methods of defense, but no one could ever prove foul play.

“I’m used to bigger people bullying me, I’m not easily frightened, sir.” Loki pointed at the chair for you to sit down and you did, and you tried to prevent tears from falling. “How much time do I need to be in jail for?” You didn't want to give your baby for adoption, and at that moment you realised that you were truly alone in the world and that Josh was the only person to truly care about you. Loki laughed, as if you said the most ridiculous thing in the world.

“You won’t spend any time in jail, the man was missing for two weeks and the family is more than happy to have him back, they don’t want to press charges, he wasn’t badly injured. But the State does, and I’m more than capable of giving you community service, if that. Before we start, I must know everything about you, and do not leave any detail.” You took a deep breath, if that meant not giving your baby up to adoption, you’d do anything.

You told him every single little detail about your until to that point, uneventful life. Loki was paying close attention to you, and he seemed more than satisfied with your story.

“That is the reason why you asked me if no one sent me here?” You only nodded your head, how stupid you felt. “The Barnes family are ruthless, they wouldn’t allow themselves to be caught up in this mess, even if it was their son that created it.” That was the moment that your innocence died, only believing the best in people, that wasn’t you anymore. “I already know what you’re going to say to the police and at your hearing, and you will leave without any type of repercussion, and I intend on suing the NYPD for the way that they treated you.” You only nodded, and at that moment you’d do anything not to end up in jail.

“The baby that you’re carrying is from your former friend Josh, in the middle of the night he came to your bedroom and violated you.” You were going to protest, but Loki only raised a finger to stop you. “The reason why you hit the man was because you fainted while driving, due to the pregnancy. You’re going to say that you tried to report the rape but they didn't listen to you, a little bit of victim blaming a pregnant teenager, the judge will apologize to you on his knees.” Your case was the easiest thing that Loki ever dealt with, in week you’d have nothing to worry about besides your baby.

“Why do I need to smear Josh’s name like that? Why can’t I say that the baby is Bucky’s?” You didn't want to do that to the only person that ever cared about you, you parted ways at the end, but you never stopped loving Josh.

“The Barnes Family won’t allow their precious son to have a bastard child, and they will hunt you and your baby down. They are ruthless people, Y/N.” A lump on your throat formed, Bucky would allow his family to do that? But when you stopped to think about it, Bucky did everything that his family told him, the first time you went to his house, mother told him that she didn't want you there, so Bucky never took you to his house ever again. His family controlled him, and he did nothing about it, you doing this for him was his way of getting rid of you.

“I will do it, no one weeps for orphans.” You’d only hoped that no matter where Josh was, he would be able to forgive you. Calling Josh a rapist was probably the worst thing you ever did in your life, he was like a brother to you, and he would never hurt you.

You gave your statement to the police with Loki by your side, you even cried, the detectives assumed it was because your the sexual assault, but it was because you were accusing Josh of a crime he didn't commit, that he would never be capable of doing with anyone, since he was a baby conceived through rape. The police let you go and they give your things back to you, on your way out. You threw your cell phone away, and you left the building with Loki, you broke down, you had no one to turn to, you would eventually be kicked out of the orphanage because you would be eighteen in six months, and you had nowhere to go.

“What am I going to do now?” You said between sobs in Loki’s arms, you were desperate.

“I have something in mind for you.” Loki guided you towards his car, and drove off.

***********************************************

Loki entered a huge tower in New York, everything was so pristine and the building screamed wealth. Loki didn't say anything to you, he was simply guiding you to the elevator. He pressed the button for the penthouse, and the elevator started. When the doors were opened you could hear a man shouting, and someone aggressively typing on the keyboard.

“Stark.” Loki made his presence known, but the man didn't acknowledged him or you for that matter.

“I’m busy right now, Odinson.” The man shouted, but Loki only rolled his eyes.

“There is someone that I want you to meet, and I’d like to know if you can help her.” Tony stopped to look at you and Loki, and he got up from his chair, he was wearing glasses and he seemed to be in his early 30s.

“I’m Tony Stark, and if this horrible man says that I must help you, then I will.” You shook his hand, and he sat down again in his chair.

“Y/N, if you need anything just call me. I have to prepare for your case and many others, I’ll speak with you shortly.” Loki smiled at you, and you hugged him, murmuring ‘Thank you.’ “Take good care of her, Stark.” Tony only dismissed him with his hand and Loki left you there, but you trusted Loki, if he trusted this man, so did you.

“Do you need anything, Mr. Stark?” The least that you could do is make yourself useful, but Tony visibly winced.

“Never call me that again, it’s Tony we’re going to be roommates. What do you know about I.T?” You liked Tony already, he reminded you of Josh, carefree but also very intelligent.

“I wanted to go to college to study, I.T.” That seemed such a distant dream, your whole life was turned upside down, because you loved a rich and entitled brat, that wanted you to go to jail for a crime that you didn't commit, just to stop him from getting into trouble.

“Colleges are a waste of time and money, trust me I’ve been in three.” Tony got a bottle of water, and came closer to you. “Tell me more about your story.” 

“Can I rest for a little bit? I haven’t been sleeping well for these few days.” Tony nodded.

“Of course, choose whichever room you want. But tomorrow you’ll tell me your story and then I’ll teach you everything that you need to know about I.T and we can get my company back.” To be honest, you weren’t that tired, but you were avoiding telling all the horrible memories of everything that you’ve been thought. You entered the first room you came across, you took a shower and put the same clothes that you had before, and then you cried.

Bucky probably never loved you, and he found a way to get rid of you and you were stupid enough to believe him. You were happy that Loki found you, you had no idea what to do if he didn't did those pro bono cases, probably jail and giving up your baby, but your baby would be loved, he didn't need his horrible father, he would have everything from you, you had a reason to keep fighting and make sure that your baby doesn’t become like his father. Josh was right, no one cares about orphans, especially James Buchanan Barnes.

[in-a-cave-with]

do you have any fics to recc that arent stevetony? you have the beeeest taste ilu

apparently all my comics fic bookmarks are stevetony but also all my non comic marvel fic bookmarks AREN’T stevetony so that’s just. kind of weird. also a lot of these are irondad . also i added some fics that aren’t in my bookmarks which mean this post is going to be gigantic

for good by Madelinedear"Sorry, May, we can't all be best friends with a celebrity.”May opens her mouth to retort reflexively, the words 'we aren’t even friends' on the tip of her tongue before she closes her mouth. Because they are friends, now. They’re way past that point.Oh my god, she thinks somewhat hysterically. Tony Stark is my best friend.(or; Tony Stark, May Parker, and the road to something like friendship)rec note: this is THE marvel fic. THE fic i tell you,,,.

chocolate chip cookies (alternate words for i love you) by hopeless_hopeBeing a superhero, Tony has come to expect a lot of things. He can’t really afford to be surprised by too much; being flexible is just part of the job. Aliens attacking New York? Sure. People threatening to attack his home? Not uncommon. A teenage spider-kid baking cookies in his kitchen at almost three in the morning? Completely unexpected.rec note: PETER MAKING COOKIES NEVER MADE ME CRY SO HARD

the spider-man conspiracy by tempestaurora WHO IS SPIDER-MAN?The screen showed Peter Parker, sixteen years old and determined to prove the identity of Spider-Man over the course of the three-part documentary he was making, unknowing that it would become viral within days of the first part being released. Behind the camera, way off screen, was Harley Keener, Tony Stark’s other prodigy child, grinning like crazy as Peter started the documentary. Only a few people knew what was to come, and those few people were about to have a great few weeks.“My name is Peter Parker, and with the help of my friends, Ned Leeds, Harley Keener, and my Aunt, May Parker, who provided me with a lot of red yarn for this project, we’re going to uncover the identity of Spider-Man.”rec note: THIS FIC IS SO FUNNY!!!! I LOVE HARLEY IN FICS

5 Times Peter Made Tony Laugh Out Loud by grilledcheesing... and one time he did not.Post Spider-Man: Homecoming — Tony is just trying his damn hardest to keep this reckless kid from Queens safe, but it's hard when Peter is, occasionally, ridiculous as all hell.rec note: sof.....last chapter don’t interact....

if you love something, let it go by theprimrosepathBy now, the Avengers are well-acquainted with grief. But grief is a companion that rarely travels alone, particularly not around a prince.Really, grief is the least of Thor's problems.rec note: THOR MY POOR SON BOY SUN BOY :(((((((........

The Art of Publicity by xmypandabearAfter everything with the Accords, Tony Stark's reputation is in the toilet. Fortunately, he's got Spider-Man to make it better.(AKA Five times Peter and Tony's relationship made the internet implode a little)rec note: THIS FIC IS SO GOOD

We've Made It This Far, Kid by EmAndFandemsTony's just trying to protect the kid from SHIELD. Why does everything have to be so hard?Meanwhile, Peter's biggest problem is buying movie tickets, until he gets a harsh awakening.rec note: this fic is so good!!!!!! it feeds me in every way i want (also this was from the irondad big bang and i did art for it heyyyyy)

of nukes and goats by doingthewritethingsAs Tony find out, it’s hard to say no to teenagers who burst through a window into your lab and tell you they have made a grave mistake. (“We?” says Shuri. “There’s no ‘we’ in this mess, Pete.”)or, the one where Peter Parker buys a farm animal on a whim, and it almost leads to intergalactic doom.rec note: hey remember all the shuri & peter parker content we all made after infinity war? good times good times

We Drown Together by GalaxyThreads"...Sir?" Peter repeats, cautiously. The man licks his dry, split lips and then parts them, ragged breath escaping followed by a pleading whisper: "Help him."Odin arrives too late to save Thor and Loki from the plummet into the Void at the end of Thor 1, and both are captured and claimed by the hand of Thanos. Four years later, Peter Parker comes across two half-dead men wandering the streets of New York.rec note: this is such an interesting au!!! also, please give the brodinsons a hug.

Exclusive by copperbadgeHeroes In Manhattan: From Captain America's Hidden Talents To The Truth About The Hulk, We Debunk The Myths And Expose The Daily Lives Of The Avengers.rec note: ah yes, a classic! 

Stars, Hide Your Fires by YellowDistressStarks didn't create beautiful things.They created weapons that destroyed beautiful things. That was the way it had always been.But when the four-year-old's wide eyes blinked at him, Tony was struck with the sudden realization that maybe that had been a lie.rec note: this fic is part of a rlly long series that basically entails tony adopting peter after learning he’s his dad. i don’t really read a lot of bio dad aus (me reading irondad: it’s about the found family) but this is super good! it makes me feel a LOT 

buried alive by twoifT'Challa, king of the living, king of the dead, king of the in-between.The body is heavy. T'Challa's own trembles. He may not be able to support much more. He has been through so much already. Bast be with me, he curses. I have already borne so much today.But still, he carries Killmonger once more.rec note: SCREAMS i love t’challa so much

home training by theformeroneT'Chaka takes Erik back to Wakanda.Erik is a problem child.rec note: THIS IS SOOOOO GOOD!!!

Small Gods by LullabyKnell"Larger than life.They say that a lot, in the interviews and social media posts, when they talk about meeting Tony Stark. (Who’s ‘they’? Well, everybody, of course.) Shorter than they’d expected him to be, in person, but with a presence that makes him seem like... more.More than a regular celebrity, more than a man, more than a person - something big, something brilliant, something that’s already left a blazing mark on history."rec note: on god i am such a slut for tony character studies in fics

Remembering September by sunbean72As Tony confronts his past demons using BARF, Peter’s enhanced senses allow him to experience the world differently from others. When BARF malfunctions and someone needs to rescue Tony, Peter might be the only one who can save him.rec note: now that ffh came out this fic becomes uncanon but it’s canon in my heart

Stray by MemoryDragonJim Rhodes went out to get some studying done at the library. He ended up with a best friend.rec note: *clutches heart* OH

He's My... Intern? by losingmymindtonightA kid from Queens was all it took to melt the ice around Tony Stark's frozen heart.--A series of oneshots that delve into the relationship between Tony Stark and Peter Parker as their lives begin to merge.rec note: hhhhng. HHHHNG. HHHHHHH

Then How Do YOU Explain Peter? by Asphodelia“I DID NOT HAVE SEX WITH A SPIDER, THOR.”rec note: this fic made me laugh really really hard. also i’m 90% sure thor’s just trolling all of them

In Your Corner by asterismsFive adults who try to be the reasonable authority figure Peter needs in his life post-homecoming and one who was there all along.rec note: UGH i have many feelings....about spidered man.....

the one where Tony breaks Captain America by singingwithoutwordsTony and Rhodey have been in a committed relationship since Tony was sixteen. This is apparently news to Steve(and also the rest of the team).rec note: why is there not more rhodeytony fic. this is a crime.

Hypothetically, I'm a Role Model by madastheseaFor lack of better options, Tony asks Clint a question about kids.rec note: yes i know mcu clint is a rat. i still adore this fic because i can tastefully ignore his canon characterization

The A-Team Challenge by Isnt_it_pretty_to_think_soTony Stark just wants to keep Peter Parker on the down low. Heaven forbid Spiderman do something stupid, like go viral.OR: Peter Parker accidently patents the superhero equivalent of the ice bucket challenge.rec note: THE only cacw fixit ever

Small Town by ifitwasribaldIn the aftermath of Extremis and the Mandarin and Killian, a town keeps Tony's secret.rec note: honestly i just. really really like tony and his potato gun son

Pretend We're In Love (The Heartache Still Hurts) by InsaneJuliannRhodey's dad is dying, and what he's always wanted is for Rhodey to be happily married. Tony and Rhodey were best friends, and haven't spoken in years. But after a chance meeting at the airport, and a desperate, insane idea on Rhodey's part, they end up pretending to be engaged.But how much of it is really pretend?rec note: rhodeytony in this fic are like. ahaha what if we fake-kissed....but we’re still secretly pining for one another...

Time Past by flute25After the events of Dark World, Loki has deposited Odin at the Shady Acres retirement community.And that - should be that.But the pull of family (not his family) is strong, and Loki soon finds himself a regular visitor at the decrepit institution.After all, Odin is enchanted, and what harm can there be in finally telling the old man what is on his mind without any repercussions?What harm, indeed?rec note: lokiiiiiiiii :((((((((

An Eggscellent Adventure by flute25Loki teaches Thor about a new Midgardian cooking method as the two sons of Asgard settle into their new home at Stark Tower.Post-Infinity War/A4. Thanos is dead, everyone else is alive, and the sun is shining on us again.rec note: LOKIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!

Tony Stark is the New Tokyo by CiderSkyTony Stark has a complicated relationship with moths.rec note: this is a pretty old fic but also. MOTHS FLYING AROUND THE ARC REACTOR

This Tiny Bird by battybatzgirlYou can never be too sure of what teenagers do on dates these days. Good thing Tony is excellent at being stealthy.(He's NOT overprotective. He's not.)rec note: ahhhhhhhhh

The Adventures of Captain Crowbar and Spider-Man by ciaconnaaPeter gasps. “It's like you're psychic. A super-powered brain. You sure you aren’t an Avenger, too?”“No. And the answer to the next question, 'Is Spider-Man an Avenger?' is also, no.”“I’m an honorary Avenger, Em. It’s a big deal.”“Stark comes up with fancier ways to say lackey every single day.”or;When Michelle gets mugged and hit over the head with a crowbar, she's gifted with a concussion. It's not a fun time. Luckily, she has Spider-Man's number.rec note: this starts out as spideychelle but is part of a series that’s a mcu/brooklyn nine nine crossover which makes me so happy

the sky collapsed but the stars remain by ciaconnaaOn the day of the Snap, Harley Keener watches his mother turn to dust.With a duty to look after his younger sister, the two of them abandon the wilting town of Rose Hill in search of Tony Stark. Because if Harley helped him before, he can damn well help him again. Tony's a mechanic. He fixes things.To put it simply, they have to fix this.rec note: oh, my feelings,

...two birdbrained heroes and a spider in a stark tree by ciaconnaaThis year, the first Christmas after Thanos, the Avengers decide to do gifts by simply doing a Secret Santa for their Christmas party. And it's just Peter's luck that he drew Mr. Stark's name.rec note: THIS IS THE POST ENDGAME FIC THAT I SHOULD’VE GOTTEN. GODDAMN YOU R*SSOS FOR K WORDING TONY ISTG

potato guns and repulsers by gossamernotesHarley Keener was four when his dad left.Five when Tony Stark became Iron Man.And ten when said superhero broke into his garage and demanded a sandwich.Life, after that, was never the same.[The story wherein Harley Keener thinks over his life and watches where it goes after he meets the one and only, Tony Stark. It doesn't really go the way he planned.]rec note: this makes me so soft

Restless Night by Fernandidilly_yoSometimes even heroes can't sleep, but that's alright because there is always someone else awake and nearby.Or: Five times Tony couldn't sleep and the one time he did.rec note: you may notice a pattern of “not a lot of these fics are angsty! wow!” this one kind of is

Silence is Golden by GloriousBlackoutPeter doesn't say a word during his first six months with the Ravagers. Yondu learns to adapt to having a silent shadow following him around.rec note: DAD YONDU AND SMOL QUILL

Watch Our Souls Fade Away by GloriousBlackoutNebula and Tony struggle to come to terms with everything they've lost as they make the journey back to Earth.rec note: this fic was written before endgame but I SWEAR. THE WAY NEBULA AND TONY ARE WRITTEN BY THIS WRITER I CRY

All You Distrust, All You Save by GloriousBlackoutNebula could be forgiven for hoping things couldn't get much worse than being stranded in space with a man she barely knows and little chance of rescue. Unfortunately, the universe has a habit of proving her wrong.Missing scenes from Nebula and Tony's difficult journey back to Earth.rec note: please i am fragile,

All That's to Come by GloriousBlackoutIn the aftermath of Tony's funeral, Nebula tries to comprehend her feelings of loss and ends up meeting a little girl who's grown up hearing stories about her.rec note: I’M NOT OKAY. I’M NOT FUCKING OKAY

Lazarus, come forth by iron_spiderTony's mind is a chaotic mess but he remembers the moment—remembers his death, remembers the red hot pain and Peter screaming, Rhodey rushing to his side. How he knew he’d never see Pepper again—but they’d fixed it. They’d fixed the world, erased the lost time, set things right—and the kid was back. The kid was crying, the kid hated him for doing what he did, but he was back. He was alive.rec note: this isn’t an endgame fixit but....i also read this around 10 times after endgame because. yeah. also here comes the iron_spider spam

dear mr. fantasy by iron_spiderTony worries his brain is misfiring, transporting him across time and space in one final insane journey. He swallows hard, and he hears those garbled voices again. He can’t make out words, or tone, or who the hell is talking, but somebody definitely is, and it sounds strangely like they’re underwater. Or he is. He grits his teeth and turns around, and before he can even begin to trudge over towards Peter’s room, he’s stopped in his tracks. By a door. In the middle. Of the living room. Straight up and down like a monolith, just beside the glass coffee table. Tony chews on his lower lip and stares at it. “Well that’s new,” he says, still rooted to the spot.rec note: listen i swear i’m not going to just rec every single iron_spider longfic *does exactly that*

the rattle of their hearts by iron_spiderTony deals with the aftermath of Infinity War. He needs to get things back to normal. And Peter is an essential part of normal.rec note: this is one of the first marvel fics i read and i started reading it while it was being updated and i was SHAKING in ANTICIPATION and i SCREAMED several times i just. h,,,hhh.. this is an infinity war fixit but it’s miles better than endgame

Stark's Home for Wayward Animals by iron_spiderTony narrows his eyes and turns the corner. Peter is splayed out on the third stair, in his Spiderman suit sans the mask, soaked to the bone. His hair is plastered to his forehead, he’s shivering, and he’s holding a gray cat clutched to his chest.Tony stares at him. Both Peter and the cat are looking at him, wide-eyed, and then the cat meows again, breaking the silence.“What’s happening right now?” Tony asks.rec note: CAT CAT CAT CAT CAT CAT CAT CAT CAT

ever in your favor by iron_spiderHe remembers what day it is, and his heart beats like a drum at someone’s execution. But he tries to put on a mask, make it all seem normal. It’s everything but, despite the fact that he’s been dealing with reaping day since he was born, between himself, Ben and May. That fear that one of them could be taken away. Sent to surefire slaughter. But now Ben is gone, taken despite never having his name drawn from a bowl, and May’s finally safe. Now Peter’s name is in there alone. The last Parker sitting on the chopping block. He doesn’t know how to be. He doesn’t know what normal is, when the Hunger Games are looming on the horizon.rec note: ghhghfjkgf this fic is so top notch...it gave me so many feelings....it GAVE ME CAROL&TONY RIGHTS?? FROM AN MCU FIC???? LITERALLY THE DREAM ??

5 times Peter is stuck with Tony by iron_spider(...and one time he’s stuck alone.)“I wonder if Pepper’s reported me missing yet,” Tony says, with an exaggerated sigh. “I wonder if this is some kind of scheme to kidnap me or something.”“I think the ride’s just broken,” Peter says.“Today of all goddamn days,” Tony says, exasperation clear in his voice and in his eyes. “Ruining our trip—”“It’s not ruined,” Peter says. “Look, we’re hanging out."“Real quality time,” Tony huffs. “Us, a few other trapped members of the general public, and a handful of animatronic pirates. Drunk pirates. Repeating themselves.”rec note: this fic is a RIDE. i laugh in one chapter and then my feelings get vibe checked in the next.

what if there is no tomorrow? by iron_spider"We're in a time loop. I'm Bill Murray. I remember everything, you guys don't, we're...we are trapped. We're trapped, buddy. I've done this over and over. And over. And over and over and over. I don't know how to fix it. So I'm...giving up. I make snow angels now. And that's it."rec note: this fic made me like justin hammer. it’s done the fucking impossible.

[theonethatwritessometimes]

First Step

    Hi! So this is a story that I wrote for my final essay for school. I would like to share it with you guys even if it’s not that good. Possible trigger warning though so proceed with caution.

word count : 1681

My dark brown hair was soaked even darker. The water droplets fell from my hair only to be soaked up by the fabric of the towel I was wrapped in. Grace, my sister older than me by two years, stared at my with so much sympathy that I almost gagged. My mother and father yelled at me. They were red faced and slightly embarrassed that I would try such a thing. I was labeled ungrateful and thrown into my room for the remainder of the day. During the night I could only think how close I was to my goal. I just stared at the bandage on my wrist. So close. I was young then, I didn’t know what life had planned for me. 

    Even though my parents didn’t understand or care about what was going on with me, they still had me thrown into therapy. They couldn’t have this little secret be known about so the therapist was one known around the rich community. So I found myself outside the therapist's office. His name was displayed on the door, “Dr. John Vizsla”. The second I was about to turn around and leave, he walked out with a smile on his face. “Hello, you must be Victoria.” Dr. Vizsla said with his hand out as a greeting. 

    Dr. Vizsla wasn’t ugly. He had slicked back black hair with some wisps of silver buried deep within. His beard was the same way, slightly more silver than his hair let on. The suit he wore was a dark black. It was almost like looking into a dark abyss. His eyes were the weirdest part of him. It was like they were an ember mixed with amber. They pierced into my eyes when i didn’t reply. “Yes, but please call me Vic.” I said as I finally took his hand. We walked into his office. I was surprised by the high ceilings and the red and white color of the walls. Gave me real Hannibal Lector vibes if I’m being completely honest. 

    “So,” he started but I interrupted, “How much are you getting paid for this?” I felt and still feel that that was an okay question. It wasn’t inappropriate question, I think. He chuckled either way, “I was told you might be like this. Didn’t expect it so early. However, Vic, if you want me to help you, you have to be honest with me. If you are serious about getting help, then I will help.” I looked at him once again, he was writing something on his notepad and to this day I still want to know what. “If you must know, $230 an hour. Your parents offered that much even though I usually go as high as $140.” My nostrils flared slightly. Why would my parents offer so high if they didn’t care? My conclusion is that they cared a little bit but not that much. 

    “How do you feel in social situations?” Dr. Vizsla asked. He grabbed his pen, clicking it while waiting for my answer. The clicking resounded around the room and I took a deep breath. Might as well be honest with someone. “I feel like I don’t belong in normal society. It’s almost like I’m hyper aware of everything around me but still being the most oblivious person alive. Sometimes it feels like I’m being stared at but when I turn around, literally no one is looking in my general direction. It’s like when people are just laughing behind me, I feel like they’re laughing at me. I don’t know how to stop. It’s not just social situations either. I feel like half, if not all, of my friends are only my friends out of pity. I can barely get out of bed in the morning because all I think about is how I have to live everyday, over and over. Same stuff, different day.” I always had a tendency to overshare. Dr. Vizsla was nodding while writing down notes. “Have you ever tried to commit suicide?” he asked when he stopped writing. Something about him made me want to tell the truth. So I did, “Yeah.”

    “May I ask how?” He looked at me, pen ready. I guessed it was going to come up anyhow. I gulped, “I-uh. I tried to make myself bleed out in the bathtub. I didn’t get very far before my sister walked into the bathroom looking for me.” He nodded but didn’t look surprised. “Women do actually prefer drowning over jumping.”

    “Why would you let me know that? What if I try again?” I said, slightly angry with his word choice. “You won’t. Not if it means your sister finds you again. Whether she’s older or not, you don’t want to put your sister through that pain.” Dr. Vizsla told me from the place in his chair, one leg placed over the other so he could write better. I looked up to keep the tears in my eyes, not wanting them to fall, “You’re right.” I looked back down at him. “No one can imagine the pain on her face when she saw me in that bathtub. And what hurt the most is that she thought it was her fault. That she hadn’t been a good enough sister. She just kept..saying sorry.” He let me breathe for a moment. 

    “How did your parents react to your attempt at suicide?” He asked. I scoffed slightly, wiping the tears from my cheeks. “They told me that I was a disgrace to the Constantin name. They were so angry, trying to justify my actions and calling me names. They never actually stopped and asked me why. Why would I want to not exist anymore.” I paused and took a deep breath, “To be fair, I don’t think they want to know. Maybe the thought that the reasoning could have anything to do with them is too much.” Finally, I stopped. Cursing myself for telling a stranger all of my problems. Technically it's his job but it's still a little weird. I get the whole doctor patient confidentiality thing, but does it really stop them if they don’t say names?

    I shifted on the dark brown leather chaise lounge that Dr. Vizsla put in his office for his patients. I had to lift my leg up, as it had gotten slightly fused to the precious leather. I completely wasn't paying attention and it took the sun fluttering in through the window for me to notice. I noticed Dr. Vizsla was staring at me when I followed the sun. Quickly i shook my head trying to focus. 

    “Did you say something?” I tried to say softly as not accidentally offend him. Dr. Vizsla smiled and nodded, “Yes, Miss. Constantin. I want to put you on a low dosage of sertraline. It will help with your depression and anxiety,” he handed me a slip of paper. “ here’s a prescription. Go to any pharmacy and you’ll be set.” He said with a smile. “Thank you.” I said as I took the paper. 

    “No problem. We’ll schedule you for every other Thursday for therapy. Is that okay?” He asked as he was about to write more information. “Yeha, that’s great.” Dr. Vizsla continued to write whatever he was doing before while nodding as he did so. A couple strands of his dark brown hair broke free from the gel. I snickered quietly and looked around the room again. I didn’t notice the window like white marble panes on the walls. It was a nice subtle touch that I just know my parents would die for. 

    “So, Miss. Constantin. For a stress reliever and something that would deter you from misuse of the medication, not that I think you would but it’s happened, I suggest getting out and taking a quiet walk when you feel pressured or overwhelmed. Ok?” I nodded. I always liked going for walks. 

    A couple days after my second appointment, I felt like my resolve was going to split. Everything made me want to crawl into a hole and cry for eternity. 

    “Breath, Vic. What did Dr. Vizsla tell you?” I said out loud. I recalled him saying something about taking a walk. Quickly I rushed around the house gathering things I needed for the walk. Water? Check. Dog leash? Check. Bags? Check. Dog? Not check. “Loki! Come on bud. Wanna go for a walk?” I yelled; my voice echoed through that halls. From a slight distance I heard the pounding of nails trying to run on hardwood. All I could do was brace myself when my all black Great Dane Pitbull mix came running at me at full speed. I got close to the ground and held out my arms, welcoming the impending doom. The moment he ran into me, I was knocked down onto my rear end. Loki was so excited that he could only lick my face and jump in semi circles. 

    “Loki! Bubba! I need you to calm down!” I tried to yell through my laughter. It was moments like this that made me want to stay. Loki was one of the reasons I had hesitated.

    Then it dawned on me. Maybe I should stay. Try to get better. Life is what you make it, right? Then, in that moment with Loki, I decided I’m going to make life what I want. Sure, I still have thoughts that I shouldn’t have but I try my best to combat one negative thought with three happy ones. Even if they are the same ones, I still think them. Because I want to live and make something of myself. I still see Dr. Vizsla, he says I’m doing better but he wants to keep me in therapy just in case. I’m fine with that because I’m still getting the help I deserve. Which is a thing that everyone should do. 

I learned that only I have to muster the strength to get help, no one can do that for you. You’ll be better for it, I promise you. I just took the first step.

[imagine-loki]

fear and other related emotions

TITLE: Fear and Other Related Emotions

CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter-23

AUTHOR: latent-thoughts ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine meeting Loki to interrogate him while he is incarcerated in the Helicarrier glass enclosure. He initially tries to scare you away but then becomes interested in you as you keep talking to him. RATING: NC-17/ MA NOTES/WARNINGS: Warning for explicit sexual situations and violence (combat/fighting/interrogations).

A/N: Here’s a longish chapter, hope you guys enjoy it.

________________________________________

“What are you doing, brother?”

“Freezing the damn thing.”

“Loki, what does that mean?” Thor asked, sounding panicked now. “How are you going to do that?”

“I don’t have time to explain, just get everyone all off this block!” Loki snapped, feeling his anxiety growing with every moment. Now that he had committed himself to this mad idea, he was going to have to follow through. Even the usually headstrong Tony Stark was desperate enough to do as he asked, just to ensure that he succeeded in stopping Ultron.

“Fine, just don’t do anything reckless.”

“That’s your forte, brother, not mine.” He nodded to Stark. “Let’s get this done.”

“I’m not sure what we’re getting done, but okay. Off we go!” He lifted into the air with Loki hanging off his arms. “You can put your feet on top of mine; more stability.”

Loki did as he suggested, ignoring the awkwardness of the situation in order to do the needful. He was already feeling the pinpricks of regret with his decision, but he knew that someone had to do something here. There didn’t seem to be any other solution, unless they were prepared to risk the lives of several thousand mortals.

“Ain’t this romantic,” muttered Stark as they flew to the edge of the block and then started descending.

“Keep your focus, Stark, and under no circumstances should you let go of me.”

“I’ll admit, it’s very tempting, especially when I’m not sure what the hell you are doing.”

“Everyone off the landmass?” Loki asked, concentrating on his magic to summon the Casket of Ancient Winters.

“Not yet,” Rogers replied. “Give me a few seconds. These things are trying to get off the land too.”

“I don’t have time! Thor will take care of them.”

Thor grunted in affirmation. “Aye! Go and jump into the hellicarrier, Steve.”

“Then go ahead,” Rogers stated mulishly, “I’ll walk it off.”

“You can’t! You’ll get frozen.”

“Yeah, been there, done that. Go ahead!”

The casket materialized in Loki’s hand then, and he saw his fingers turning blue in response to the inherent Jotun magic encased in it. He closed his eyes and tried his best to ignore the odd sensation spreading through his body. He knew that when he’d open them next, they’d be deep red.

“Reindeer Games, are you… what the fuck… you’re turning blue.” Stark’s grip faltered, and for a moment Loki was certain that he was going to drop him.

“Shut up, Stark, and don’t you dare drop me,” he snapped, having run out of both patience and gentility in the wake of taking on the skin he had been taught to hate.

“You expect me to shut up in this situation? While you’re turning into Papa Smurf right in my arms? Not happening, dude.”

Stark’s jabbering actually helped Loki in ignoring the dread that was taking over his mind. It kept him in the present; and the present demanded certain actions from him regardless of how he felt.

Taking a deep breath, Loki adjusted the casket in his hands and willed it to shoot the coldest, hardest ice that it could.

“Thor! Off the block, now!”

“Whoa… what fresh hell is this?” someone rasped into the communication device, and Loki knew it was a response either to him or to the ice.

Intuitively working with the casket, Loki coaxed it to build both upwards and beneath the piece of land, knowing that the moment the machine came to a halt, it would start to fall freely. Even without the thrusters it would cause a lot of destruction.

He also sent in all of the seidr that he had within his reserves, making it meld with the ice to work against the machine.

“Sweet mother of god…” Stark exclaimed behind him as the casket worked, his metallic arms holding on to Loki tighter than before. “I’ve never seen something like this before. Is this what all the hoopla was about… well, about you being a Frost Giant?”

Loki ignored him for now, he had more important things to focus on.

The ice spread quickly, covering the base of the machine in an instant, then traveling up to cover the rest of the block. He glanced up to see Thor flying off it, with Rogers tucked under his arm. He’d have laughed at that sight had he not been so damned anxious.

The spread of ice happened almost like a flash of light, forming a solid pillar beneath the flying land and heading straight down to the hollowed out ground.

Just as Loki had calculated, the machine jammed under the intense cold, causing the piece of land to begin its descent downwards. However, the presence of the pillar of ice beneath it stopped the descent immediately, forcing it to hang in the air.

“Dude, this is phenomenal. Friday, get me the stats on this block of insta ice, please.”

Loki wanted to roll his eyes at Stark’s awed words. He just hoped that he’d not want the ‘stats’ on his Jotun form.

“Lower me further towards the ground,” he instructed, and immediately, Stark followed without a word. That was indeed satisfying.

He used the casket to thicken the ice further, stabilizing the pillar to make sure that it didn’t crumble under the weight of the block.

“Impressive. What exactly are you planning to do with that?”

“Not let anyone die.”

“How?”

“I’m going to slowly melt the pillar and have the piece of land fall back into its place. Then, we’re going to find a way to take apart Ultron’s handiwork… “ Loki took a deep, cleansing breath to collect his thoughts. “…while the others can take care of the thawing automations. I’m not sure how well they’d be functioning after being imbued with ice, but I’m not about to take my chances.”

“Right. I suppose everyone’s in on it.”

The affirmation from everyone was heard through the communication device, and that made Loki relax just a wee bit.

————————————————-

The block of land was resting on the pillar of ice, high up in the sky. It was a wonder reminiscent of one of the artificial moons of Vanaheim—one that had been made of nothing but massive masses of rock and soil, held together by gravity and magic. The Vanir had grown lush gardens and groves even there, and to travel from one landmass to another there were special bridges and walkways. Often, he had stayed over with Frigga and Thor, and the power of magic the Vanir had wielded had called out to him.

There was nothing magical about this mass of land, though. Up in the sky, detached from its realm as it was by ice, it looked rather out of place. Hence, it was imperative that it be brought back to its initial position.

Loki stood at the base of the icy pillar, studying his handiwork while trying to gauge how to melt the ice in order to slowly bring the block down. The pillar itself was now thicker than the landmass it was supporting. He knew enough about the dynamics of naturally formed land to know that his icy pillar, if it remained in place for long, might cause problems for the supporting land beneath it.

“Loki?” Thor’s voice was uncharacteristically soft when he called his name, surprising Loki enough to break his concentration.

He didn’t know for how long Thor had been standing behind him before speaking. Usually, he’d have known the moment he stepped into his general circle of awareness, but right now, his awareness of his surroundings was very brittle and marred with exhaustion.

“Loki…” Thor called again, his voice almost a whisper now. His hesitance was palpable, and Loki knew well why. It would’ve given him an almost perverse sort of satisfaction to see Thor so uncomfortable, had he himself not been feeling the same way.

He was, after all, not himself right now. He was what he had been taught to hate most of his life…

Very reluctantly, he turned around to face his brother. He kept his eyes cast down on the Casket of Ancient Winters, which he still held in his hand. He was quite sure that his crimson gaze would be horribly unsettling.

“Yes, Thor,” he managed to force out, feeling an intense sense of unease upon being seen by Thor as a Jotun. It was the first time… it could be the last.

“Brother…” Thor mumbled, and Loki heard the tell-tale thump of Mjolnir hitting the ground as Thor rushed to him. The move surprised Loki, who took a few steps back and finally looked up at Thor’s face.

“You should stay back,” he warned, his own voice feeling weighed down.

“Why?” Thor asked, still advancing on him, his face solemn and determined. “You’re not binding ice.”

“I’m not…”

Thor’s face broke into a grin then, as he reached Loki and grasped his shoulders. “You did great, brother. You stepped in and did something I couldn’t have. You saved the day.”

Loki remained quiet and still, unable to absorb what Thor was saying. His mind was still caught up in the thought of Thor seeing him as a Jotun… and possibly being disturbed by the sight.

As he looked at Thor’s bright face, he realized that he couldn’t clearly see. His vision was blurring, and he recognized it too late that his eyes were getting watery.

“Brother… Loki.” Thor shook his shoulders a bit. “I’m so proud of you.”

“I’m Jotun.” The blasted tears slipped out of Loki’s eyes as he stared at Thor in disbelief, feeling as though he’d burst out of his own skin.

Thor appeared to be baffled for a moment, but then his expression cleared, and he smiled wide. “Yes, I know. I’ve known that for a while now.”

“I’m Jotun right now,” Loki snapped, wondering how Thor was not reacting appropriately… as an Aesir ought to.

Why was he not showing the overt disgust that all of Asgard harboured for the Jotuns? Why was he not shocked enough? Why was he… staring at Loki as though he was precious to him?

Thor grew solemn again, and his grip on Loki’s shoulders tightened. “You’re still you, you’re still Loki, still my brother.”

“Are you sure?”

“There was a time when I wasn’t, I admit.” Now, Thor’s eyes grew watery as well, and they both stared at each other betwixt tears. “It was because of my own prejudices than anything else. The prejudices of our culture and upbringing. But yes, you are my brother. You’re my brother of heart, even if our flesh is inherently different.”

Loki couldn’t quite believe the words flowing from Thor’s mouth, but he knew that he wasn’t lying. He was too good at detecting deception, especially from Thor.

“You don’t find me abhorrent?” he asked, pure wonder lacing his voice.

“No.”

Still, the urge to test Thor prevailed, and Loki brought his hand up to touch his cheek. Thor didn’t flinch, but his warm tears flowed over Loki’s cold fingers, adding another layer to the stark contrasts between them.

“I just…” Loki swallowed and tried to will himself to stop crying. It didn’t work. “I find myself abhorrent.”

Thor pulled Loki in for an embrace then, thumping his palm against his back. “I cannot say that I know how it feels, but you have my support and love, brother. It is indeed a bit jarring to see you like this, but it’s most certainly not abhorrent.”

Loki let go of the casket, then, and slumped into Thor’s arms, feeling the terrible drain of the situation. Thor stiffened in response, but he kept his arms firmly around him as his Aesir form reinstated itself.

“Brother?”

Loki nodded, not willing to speak, worried that his voice might break under the tremendous burden of anxiousness.

“Loki?” Thor prompted again, and this time Loki had to utter a low grunt in response. “If I may say so myself, you look rather fetching as a Jotun.”

“Shut up.”

Thor laughed, and then, so did Loki, the burst of warring emotions making it sound almost hysterical.

A creaking noise came up from behind them, and Loki quickly turned back towards the ice pillar, a sense of latent panic flowing into his nerves. “I have to melt it slowly to bring the block of land down. If it melts on its own, it’s going to cause problems.”

Thor approached the ice and touched it, his eyes keen and curious. “Isn’t Jotun ice stronger?”

“It is. But it will still melt under intense sunrays. Midgard’s sun is certainly stronger than the sun of Jotunheim.”

“How would you melt it?”

Loki shrugged. “Seidr. Unless you have a better solution.”

Thor pursed his lips as he stared at the ice, seemingly out of other solutions for tackling it.

Just as Loki was about to mention how he planned to melt the ice, Stark flew in and landed right in front of Thor, who had to step back a bit. “So, I hate to break the brotherly special time, but I have to butt in now.”

“What is it?” Thor asked, looking back at Loki as though making sure that he was still standing there with him.

“So, the Snow Queen here created quite a stir with the ice magic and what not. Fury is holding back the press for now, but it won’t be long till they’re pouring in. I suggest that we deal with this impressive ice sculpture quickly and efficiently.” He opened his helmet and gave Loki an assessing look. “I didn’t know you could do that, by the way. Care to share the knowledge for a bit of climate change mitigation and reversal?”

Loki glared at him for a bit, but then turned away. He was not in the mood to expend his already drained energies on Stark. Banter had a place and time, this wasn’t it.

“What? You’re not talking to me now? Hey, I’m the one who carried you while you spread your winter cheer all over the place. I even forgave you for playing with my heart as Luke.”

“I don’t want unnecessary exposure,” Loki ground out, giving Thor a meaningful look before turning back to inspect his icy creation.

“Well yeah, I’m not sure that SHIELD is yet capable of stopping the media coverage of this spectacle.” Stark came forth to study the ice as well, forcing both Thor and Loki to step aside and make room for him. He raised a hand up and started scanning it with his equipment. “It’s a miracle that they even assisted in the rescue of the CERN staff here. I wasn’t expecting that, given their recent collapse with all the project insight bullshit.”

Loki tried not to flinch as Stark stepped closer to him, eyeing him calculatingly. He didn’t feel threatened by the man, but his scrutinizing eyes were causing him a bit of disquiet. He had, after all, seen Loki in Jotun form, and was, in all probability, thinking about that experience.

While it was one thing to show his brother his Jotun form, it quite another to present the same to someone who didn’t even consider him a friend. He hadn’t planned on sharing that part of himself with Stark of all the people in the Nine Realms.

“Honestly, Reindeer Games, I suggest you get used to the media coverage. Sooner or later, the cat is getting out of the bag. And it’s perhaps a good thing for you, since you just managed to save the world. Kinda evens out what you had done earlier.”

Loki took a deep breath as he tried to use his seidr to start melting the ice. There wasn’t much of it left now, and he knew that he needed to be careful with it. “The memory of bad deeds is stronger than the celebration of good ones… such is my experience thus far, Stark.”

Stark shrugged. “I can’t say that you’re wrong there. But still, the media loves a good redemption story. They would’ve gobbled it up had you made a sacrifice as well, like, of your life or something.”

“Tony, enough,” Thor growled, “we’re not having this discussion. You know what happened in Svartalfheim.”

“Oh yeah… well, I didn’t think about that.” Stark sounded a bit contrite, but Loki couldn’t be sure, as he was trying to concentrate on the ice. “I was just speaking from experience, you know, back when I threw that nuke at that grotesque Chitauri spaceship.”

Loki’s hands glowed as he directed his spell over ten different points on the pillar, generating a low heat to begin the melting.

He could feel both Stark’s and Thor’s gazes upon him as he worked. Furthermore, he knew that he’d soon be the focus of the innumerable stares from the others in the team, who were standing at a distance. It was a good thing that he was resilient enough to be able to ignore all of that and get on with the task at hand.

There was a crackle in Stark’s communication device then, and he started with a low curse. “What the hell? Why would they come here?”

“What is it?” Thor asked, and Loki heard the unmistakable pulsation of Mjolnir flying to his hand.

“Uh… the prince and princess of Wakanda are coming here,” Stark replied, sounding mistrustful. “I’m not exactly sure why, but they’re saying that they want to help.”

“Wakanda…? Is that not the place where your indestructible metal comes from?”

“Yeah, that’s the place.”

“Then these people ought to be knowing more about it than others here.”

“Well, I guess…” Stark sounded as though he was doubtful about it.

“What is the meaning of that, Tony?” Thor sounded slightly annoyed now, echoing Loki’s feelings.

“Well, they’re essentially a third world country. I’m not sure that they know the full potential of their vibranium reserves, that’s all.”

“What’s a third world country?”

“Yeah well, that’s a discussion for another day. Basically, a country that is economically weak and poor.”

Loki decided to impose upon the conversation then. “I believe that’s not actually where the term comes from, Stark. Wasn’t it the result of the division of Midgard’s pillars of power?”

Stark made a distinct noise of irritation in his throat. “Yes, you nerd, I’m picturing you with your nose buried in all the Cold War related books and stuff.”

“It happened before my eyes. The books came later.”

“So that’s true,” Thor stated, aghast. “You did sneak around and visit other realms even though father had forbidden it for us.”

Loki nodded, smiling fondly. “Mother was my secret keeper.”

“She did encourage you in your wayward endeavours.”

“Don’t speak as though she didn’t cover up your misadventures. At the very least, I covered my tracks.”

Both of them chuckled, but then a solemn silence fell over them. Loki turned his head to look at his brother, and found him staring off into empty space, his eyes carrying the weight of unspoken grief in them.

He wanted to hold him and speak soothing words of commiseration to him, but Loki stood frozen in his spot… the pretext of melting the ice kept him from moving.

They had never truly grieved together for the loss of their mother, and it was still a sore spot in many ways.

Their moment of silent reflexion was interrupted then, as a flying machine landed nearby, announcing the arrival of the Wakandans.

“Keep working, Reindeer Games, I’ll talk to them.”

Loki bristled at Stark’s words. He had all but forgotten that he had been standing nearby, witnessing all that had just transpired between him and Thor. Nevertheless, he nodded and kept working with his melting spell.

Thor came closer, watching the melt water that was beginning to flow from the glacial pillar. “You look exhausted, Loki. Tony may not notice, but I do.”

“Since when did you become so perceptive?” Loki couldn’t help asking, a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

“Since I lost half of my family.”

Loki sighed, all the sarcasm gone now. “I do feel drained, but I need to finish this task. I started it.”

“Ultron started it, not you. You’re still recovering. Those apples can only help so much, brother.”

It appeared as though Thor wanted to say more, but he desisted from it as Stark came back with the newly arrived company.

“Their royal highnesses, prince T’Challa and princess Shuri,” he announced, adding a bit of deliberate pomp in his voice. “Blessing us with their hallowed presence on this fine day.”

“You���ve never announced my arrival like that,” Thor commented, just as Loki halted his spell and turned around to face the Midgardian royalty.

“You have enough going with your sparkly rainbow beam and lightning, no need for intros there.”

Thor ignored that comment and went to shake hands with the prince in a mimicry of the Midgardian greeting. Loki approached the princess and took her hand to buss her on the knuckles, introducing himself. She was but a wee child, but he saw a roaring intelligence in her bright eyes.

“I saw your hands glowing. Are you using some sort of nanoparticle heat generator?” she asked him without preamble.

“It’s a bit more complicated than that,” he replied with a slight smile, trying to gauge if she and her brother were actually there to help or if they were there to spy.

“I’m sure I can grasp it.” She nodded, turning to observe the pillar. “But first, we need to form a temporary canal system here. The water from that ice behemoth would flood this area if it’s let out too quickly. I’ll make a few quick models with T’Challa to resolve this issue and then deploy the best solution. Are you in?”

“I am,” Loki replied, deciding that he liked the little princess and her no-nonsense attitude.

————————————

“You know, ours is not the first such union, where a Jotun wedded a person from another realm” Idunn stated carefully while Reva and Jane listened. “Thjazi’s cousion, Laufey, took an Alfan councilwoman as his wife, much to Asgard’s chagrin. Her name was Lady Ingirúna, daughter of Lady Freyja.”

“Wait, Laufey?” Jane stared at her in surprise. “The King of Jotunheim Laufey?”

“Yes, the boorish King who brought nothing but war and disrepute to the Jotuns,” Thjazi answered, tapping his foot on the floor. “He didn’t have the favour of the people when he ascended to the throne, but he ruled with an iron fist and there was little anyone else could do to resist him. He was, after all, the legitimate heir to the throne, and the Jotuns respect tradition more than anything else. Well, at least the elders in the council do.”

There was a lot to unpack here, and Reva was amazed at all these new revelations regarding Loki. The problem was… the more she learned, the more confused she grew.

“Wasn’t it out of tradition to marry someone from a different species?”

Thjazi smiled at Reva, and even though his sharp teeth unsettled her, she didn’t show it.

“Some traditions are harder to break than others. Queen Ingirúna brought certain special assets with her, something that the royal Jotun lineage had lacked.”

“And what was that?”

“She was a seiðkona.”

Reva and Jane both looked at him blankly.

Thjazi sighed, giving Idunn a sideways glance. “She was a wielder of magic; a powerful one.”

“Oh…”

“And… I’m guessing that she was Loki’s birth mother?” Jane asked, raising her eyebrow in curiosity.

Thjazi nodded, while Idunn shuffled behind him, her eyes furtive.

So that was where Loki had apparently inherited his magical prowess from…

Reva was still lost in thought when Jane spoke up. “So… that makes you Loki’s uncle, right?”

Idunn muttered something under her breath, and Thjazi simply shrugged. “I suppose, yes. That’s a pleasant revelation.”

Reva wasn’t sure that Loki would respond to it in a similar way. Usually, he didn’t take surprises that well. And quite honestly, she couldn’t even blame him for it. All of this information was bound to be quite rattling.

Though, given how sneaky and secretive he had been with her, she couldn’t help but consider it as just desserts for Loki. She knew she was being petty and spiteful, but she couldn’t help it. She had been through a lot, all thanks to Loki.

Jane giggled then, causing everyone in the room to stare at her.

“Sorry, I just can’t help it.” She fidgeted under everyone’s regard, shifting in her seat awkwardly. “I’m imagining Loki calling you ‘uncle’ and trying to show respect. It’s not gelling well in my head.”

Thjazi frowned at her comment, and Reva surmised that he didn’t quite understand the humour here. She gently touched Jane’s arm, trying to silently get her to stop laughing. Perhaps the weirdness of the situation had gotten to her…

Right as she was about to try and refocus the discussion on Loki’s biological parents, the overhead speakers blared with the voice of Friday.

“Everyone urgently move to the panic room. We’re under attack. I repeat, everyone urgently move to the panic room. We’re under attack.”

The way she was sagely relaying the message was quite contradictory to the sheer panic that it launched into the room.

———————-

“Reva, get to the panic room! Didn’t you listen?”

Reva was running… she wasn’t listening. Jane kept calling after her as she was dragged by Drax towards the panic room on the lower floors, but Reva wasn’t responding.

No, hiding wouldn’t do right now, not when others were trying to fight and fend off the attacking bots. She would’ve loved to hide in the panic room with Jane and Groot, but she knew what the attackers were after.

While Idunn and Thjazi tried their best to defend the infinity stones in their hold, Reva knew that the scepter was vulnerable.

Stark had kept it in a secret location somewhere in the tower, convinced that it was still influencing people around it. He hadn’t told Reva anything about it, and she knew that it was because of her association with Loki.

And now, she knew that Ultron’s hive minded bots were going to locate it sooner or later if someone didn’t retrieve it first.

So here she was, running on her newly superpowered feet and legs, feeling like an Olympian as she dashed for the scepter. Only she could gauge its tentative location, thanks to her strange bond with the thing. Others could only guess, and there was no time for that right now.

Reaching down to the fifth level of the basement, she was able to detect the faint hum of the scepter. It was being blocked by something, but not in its entirety.

She reached a thick door and tried to open it, to no avail. She wasn’t sure, but it looked like the door was lined with lead.

“Access denied!” The artificial voice spoke from the surrounding speakers as she tried to open it again.

“God damnit, Stark!” she growled, punching the door.

Much to her surprise, the punch was enough to put a dent in the door.

“What the…” Reva stared at it in shock. This was the second time she had punched a dent in something hard and metallic. “Well, shit.”

She gave the door a once over, wondering if she was about to put herself in the infirmary again with her next move. Sadly, there was no time to second guess or to find a better solution. She could hear the bots on the floors above, and she could hear that they were overwhelming the defenders of the tower and closing in on the scepter.

Hence, Reva drew back a few feet… and then ran straight at the door like a battering ram.

——————————–

When Loki landed on the helipad of the Stark Tower, panicked, as one his magical wards had been tripped, he was expecting an entirely different scene than what was transpiring before his eyes.

He had expected Drax and Rocket to defend the tower with Stark’s legionaires; he had expected Duna and Thjazi to defend the Infinity Stones in their hold.

What he hadn’t expected to see was Reva… standing in the middle of all the chaos, firing bright energy beams at all the attacking automations.

She looked utterly enraged as she took them down, standing over an injured Rocket in a protective stance, her hair out of her braid in a grand disarray.

She looked utterly magnificent…

For a moment, Loki simply stood still as a statue as he watched her. He was in awe.

But then he saw one of the machines approaching her from her blind side, and that was enough to galvanize him. Instantly, Loki took care of the problem with a flash of his seidr, alerting everyone of his presence.

Reva stared at him with frenzied eyes, still holding the scepter in a death grip. He put his hands up in a manner of declaring peace, worried, for a moment, that she might fire at him in her anxiousness.

Performing a quick scan of the area, Loki tried to detect if there were any other hostile machines left to deal with. There weren’t.

“Reva,” he spoke softly as he approached her, noting that she hadn’t moved an inch.

“You’re back,” she murmured, her gaze traveling from his head to toe.

“I am.”

Finally, she moved… but not in the manner he had expected. She stepped forth with the scepter and pushed its blunt edge at his neck, backing him up right into Stark’s coveted alcohol bar… the remains of it, that is.

“Reva, I’m not sure what you’re trying—”

“Shut up,” she muttered, still prodding him with the scepter.

It was humming wildly, and he wondered just what it was conveying to her. The prodding only stopped once he pretended to stumble and landed on his back; a gesture of surrender, so to say.

As she stood over him, she looked like a striking image of one of the goddesses of the olden Vedic people of Midgard. To Loki, she was stunning in her ire.

“I’m at your mercy,” he said, his voice thick with emotion as he stared up at her.

He was proud of her, slightly shaken even, to see her like this. There was also a rather unexpected reaction down between his legs, but he was trying to ignore it for now.

The scepter was still at his neck, and he wondered just what she was attempting with it.

She took a deep breath before speaking, the fire in her eyes easing a bit. “You’re such a dickhead.”

And then she was on top of him, straddling him as her lips came crashing towards his.

[embrystarr]

Finally found my Patron!!!

So none of you are probably aware of this but I’ve been super interested in Wicca/Paganism since high school ( I’m now 25 ) I’ve dabbled in spells, tarot, talking to spirits, opening and closing circles, talking to the God and Goddess , etc. BUT the main reason why I’ve never been able to really fully commit is that I saw all these wonderful members of the pagan community gushing about their patron and matron dieties! And I just could NOT find anyone that really vibed with me. I researched Egyptian gods, Greek gods, Celtic and Nordic gods and although I found some super interesting ones that I wished I could have chosen I just ... didn’t feel anything. For over five years I’ve struggled with committing because I never really had any personal experiences with my own personifications of the God or the Goddess. It’s been super frustrating. BUT!!! Something absolutely AMAZING! happened a couple nights ago.

I’ve been super attuned to dreams ever since infancy. In fact, my first memory is a dream. I lucid dream like no other. I remember almost all, if not up to like six dreams when I wake up every morning. I’ve had prophetic dreams. Found past lives through my dreams. Dreams are a huge part of my life and actually one of the main reasons why I started pursuing paganism. I realized that reincarnation is real through my dreams and then started looking into Wicca not long afterwards. So finding my Patron God through my dreams is actually super perfect for me and solidified my knowledge that this actually happened and is real ( to me )

So I’ve been struggling with nightmares of a certain evil person from my past for over five years. They come and go. Some worse than others. Sometimes I wake up bawling in the middle of the night and it haunts me for days. Other mornings I wake up and I have this sick taste in my mouth and I know it’s because he was stalking my dreams. Anyways, I had an experience with this guy a couple weeks ago. And it was completely my own fault for meddling in the first place. But what I did, I thought would help me heal. Well... it didn’t. In fact, it made it worse. Unbearably worse. I was having multiple nightmares of him almost every single night. Super realistic, terrible ones too.

So I got desperate. I went to my local Pagan shop XD yes I know I should go to a counselor but I’m a Taurus and I’m stubborn and full of pride and the thought of telling a complete stranger my personal secrets is like asking me to shave my head. Just no. Anyways, this super nice lady helps me pick out some stones. Gives me a pouch. Tells me to put protective symbols on the pouch in sharpie marker and to talk to the stones before I fall asleep.

I do as she says and for the first night in a week, I don’t have a nightmare ! Instead, I have some weird dream about the Nordic gods. Second night comes around, I do the same thing except I call the elements to me as well to keep this guy out of my dreams. Well the second night ( two nights ago now ) is when my Patron decided to finally show himself to me! Maybe it was because I asked for help and this was super serious. Maybe he had been with me this whole time and only now did he decide to step forward. I don’t know. But who comes to me in my dreams ??? * drum rolls *

LOKI!!! He basically told me that he is my God. And if I want him to continue protecting me that I have three days to make an offering to him. We basically made a deal together. So... here I am. Second night after my first contact with my Patron and second night with different offerings.

Its actually quite comical, all of this because out of all the gods I looked up and studied, for some reason I never looked into Loki. I don’t know how I didn’t but I didn’t. So the morning after my contact with him, I wake up and start doing my research. And he is AMAZING!!! Everything about him vibes with me so much. Wit and cunning over strength and brawn. All my dreams of being chased by wolves but never getting harmed and one of his familiars is a wolf. Dreams of having pet snakes but never ever in my waking life wanting pet snakes. My love for spiders. Tricking my way out of sticky situations. Manipulating those around me who intend to harm me. It’s almost infuriating I didn’t realize this sooner.

Oh. And for those of you who have Loki as your diety, please know that I am fully aware that Loki can change genders and is very often not only a Patron God but a Matron God as well. I wasn’t aware of this at first and I apologize for thinking he could only be respresented as masculine. I studied though now and am fully aware of this. So please know that just because for ME he is my Patron, know that I in no way have any problem with or quarrel with anyone who sees him as a she or who has him/her as their Matron. Blessed be and thanks if you read all of this story. I was just so excited 😆

[eternityunicorn]

Elijah’s Eternity: Part Twenty Four

Author: eternityunicorn 

Genre: Romance/Fantasy/AU

Pairing: Elijah Mikaelson x OC

Warnings: Violence, Language, Smut (*Smut chapters marked +18)

Summary: Elijah Mikaelson didn’t know what to expect when he encountered the strange archer in the night, but he certainly didn’t think his whole world would be turned upside down by it. Yet, he quickly learns that she is more than what she seems, having come looking for an Original after a large spike in supernatural being populations started cropping up on Earth a thousand years ago. Now, he must help her decide if the supernatural community should stay on their home planet or leave it for good? A task that is made more complicated along the way, as his life is changed forever.

NOTE: OCs and original elements are from my up and coming novel series!

———————————————————————————————————

Unlike the diner in Maine, this Californian diner was upscale and more importantly kept up. The outside was a pale yellow color, bright and inviting. The inside was very much the same. Also light yellow in color, the diner had marble topped tables instead of booths with the finest silver chairs that had light brown cushions made of soft velvet. The waitress station was in the center of the restaurant, as was the cooking area with the seating surrounding it in a big circle. 

Elijah sat by the large storefront windows with Eternity sitting across from him and Veren sitting beside her. Upon the closer inspection the intimate seating provided, Eternity’s cousin looked like a mirror image of his white-haired lover. She had the same rounded face, same big almond shaped eyes, and even her lips were plush cupid bows. Her hair moved in ripples down her back and she moved with the same shining grace as well. The only difference save for her colorings was that Veren liked to keep her ebony hair partially tied back with a large fuchsia bow to match her eyes.

“So, you are Eternity’s cousin,” Elijah started the conversation. “You are as striking as she is.”

Veren grinned bashfully at his compliment, looking down at her hands on the tabletop. “I am,” she shyly replied. “Her cousin, I mean.”

“My cousin isn’t used to receiving compliments,” Eternity spoke with a fond smile, nudging Veren a little. “You see, she is like me and carries a great and important duty. Like me, she carries with her a powerful power source; the second greatest next to my Unicorn Crystal. Because of her duty as it’s guardian, Veren spent a lot of years in solitude, protecting what is dubbed the Magic Stone. Therefore, for a long time, her social life was severely lacking, hence her inability to take compliments.” She said this in a teasing manner toward her cousin.

“It’s true, but I’d have no social life, if it hadn’t been for you, cousin,” Veren replied to Eternity and then turned to Elijah, “She saved me from my solitude and gave me purpose as her second-in-command. I’ve been beside her ever since, helping her shine brightly.”

Elijah smiled.

“But you have your own adventures too, like this business with Niklaus and Loki for instance,” Eternity told Veren. “I wasn’t even aware that you were on the mission. If I had, then I wouldn’t have interfered.”

Veren nodded, “This is true. I cannot let you have all the glory.” She laughed and Eternity joined her, then she said, “Though in this case, I actually acted on your behalf, cousin, knowing that Loki was involved and how hard it is for you to stand against him. I thought I’d save you the pain and deal with him myself.”

Eternity’s eyes darkened a couple shades then and she broke gazes with her table mates. The smile that had been upon her lips vanished into a deep frown. Her hands that had been loose up in the tabletop had curled into fists. 

“I appreciate what you have done for me,” she said evenly, though there was a darker, less pleasant undertone in her voice, “and I am happy that you would look out for me, but Loki is my responsibility. He will fall by my hand and my hand alone.”

Elijah was immediately concerned. He reached over and covered one of her tight fists with his hand in comfort. Instantaneously did she snap out of whatever dark place she had gone to. Eternity smiled at him as if it had never happened, her hands relaxing again upon the table.

“I apologize, cousin,” Veren spoke timidly. “I didn’t mean to overstep.”

While looking at Elijah, Eternity replied kindly to her cousin, “I know you didn’t. It does mean a lot that you would act on my behalf, out of love and concern for me. I simply need to deal with Loki alone.”

“I know,” she murmured back. “I understand.”

Just then the waitress came over and the strange, intense moment was broken. The little human was a young woman barely twenty-one with short blond hair that was tipped in a pattern of blue and violet. The girl was polite and awfully peppy for it being so early in the morning. 

“What can I get everyone this morning?” The waitress asked the three immortals brightly.

Elijah ordered coffee and an order of biscuits and gravy. Eternity ordered the same breakfast, but chose hot tea instead of coffee. Veren ordered scrambled eggs and bacon with white toast. She also had hot tea as a beverage. 

Once the waitress was gone, Eternity casually turned the conversation away from Loki and said to Elijah about Veren, “Did you know my cousin is royalty in her own right? She is the heir to the Elysian throne, one of the worlds of the Immortal Universe: Princess Veren of Elysian. It’s a beautiful country, isn’t it cousin?”

Veren nodded, “Yes, it is. There isn’t a place quite like it in either universe, but I am biased since it is my home.” Then she explained to Elijah, “It’s a world full of different mythical creatures, but because it is ruled by unicorns, the place is enchanted with the unicorn’s magic, making it always springtime there and everything is pure; the water, the air, everything, unlike this human world.” She mentioned the Earth with a hint of distaste. 

“The human world might be impure, but that is what makes it grand, dear cousin,” Eternity said impassioned. “There is never a dull moment here, as it is always changing and renewing, never stating the same. The worlds of the Immortal Universe are stagnant and have been since the Universal Kingdom’s inception. It’s beautiful there on that side, sure, but it is also incredibly dull.”

“You prefer this world, don’t you, Sweetheart,” Elijah smirked at Eternity, still holding her hand in his. 

“Aye, I prefer it to any other and I will defend this world to my last breath,” she replied animately, “if only to preserve it’s imperfect perfection. Besides, I much rather spend my time here. I never know when I might meet some handsome stranger and fall madly in love.” She grinned and laughed lightly, before winking at him.

His smirk widened in response to her flirtation.

Veren piped up then, “Speaking of that, how did you two happen?”

“Well, as you know, the supernatural community has grown exponentially,” Eternity answered her. “So I decided to investigate the phenomenon of this new breed of magical creatures. I discovered the source of the community growth; the Original family of vampires. I sought one out, met Elijah, the connection was instantaneous, and the rest is history, as they say.”

“Our connection was immediate,” agreed Elijah, “but that’s not unusual for the supernatural community as we feel things more profoundly and more quickly than non-supernaturals.”

Eternity smiled at him, “Aye.”

“Well, I am very happy for the two of you,” Veren said. “You seem like a better man than your brother and certainly better than...well, the Trickster.”

“I don’t know about that, as I know that Niklaus is just as capable of being a better man,” Elijah replied. “However, Loki...well, I simply do not have enough knowledge on him to assert whether or not he has such a capability.”

Eternity’s face darkened again slightly at the mention of the Trickster. “I used to think Loki was capable of more,” she said lowly, “but it has seemed in recent times that maybe what love I had for him might have blinded me to the truth of his nature; that he is simply an irredeemable creature of darkness and chaos.”

“Sounds kind of like my relationship with Niklaus,” Elijah responded, sympathetically. “I have always loved my brother, stood beside him, hoping that he could be redeemed, only to have him betray me again and again. I understand that kind of disease perfectly well: the hope for someone’s change for the better.”

Eternity smiled a little, “There is still hope for your brother. It’s there - the light. Loki, on the other hand, is lost to his darkness. He has been ever since....” She trailed off, looking away.

At Elijah’s look of confusion as to why she didn’t finish speaking, Veren stepped in to carefully explain, “By the look upon your face, Mr. Mikaelson, I gather that you are not aware of the whole story between my cousin and the Trickster, such as the fact that Lord Loki and Her Majesty had children together. They had twin boys once, but they were killed by a mysterious murderer as infants in their cradle.”

The surprise of the revelation was evident upon his face. He couldn’t hide it behind his poker face. It was an impossibility. “I see,” he spoke softly to Veren, while looking at Eternity. “I didn’t know that.” Then to Eternity, he said, “More than lovers were you two?”

Eternity shrugged noncommittally, “We were together for fifteen hundred years or so. Children were a result of that long lasting love. I have other children with Loki too; two sons and a daughter.” She smiled fondly then, “Maybe you can meet them some time, my love.”

Elijah was also a bit taken aback by this other revelation. He understood that Loki had been her lover, but he hadn’t realized just how deeply committed they had been to each other. They had been a family. He didn’t quite know how to feel about that. Not that they had been together or even had kids, but the level of commitment that she had shared with Loki for all that time was daunting to him, whom had never been with a lover for so long to have a level of commitment of such profoundness. 

He felt a bit unsettled. A profoundly lasting relationship surely had profound feelings that couldn’t be washed away, no matter how the relationship dissolved. Elijah couldn’t help but ponder if that was true of Eternity; if there was still enough of her heart in Loki’s possession to make it an issue in their budding one.

Still, he masterfully hid his thoughts from showing up his face. He smiled at Eternity and charmingly said, “I would love to meet your children one day. No doubt your daughter is as lovely as you are.”

Eternity smiled shyly.

Just then, the food they had order arrived. The young bubbly waitress politely went around and placed each person’s order in front of them, while reciting what each order contained. Once everyone had their food, the girl asked if there was anything else she could get them. When there was a resounding ‘no’ in response, the human walked away with a bounce in her step.

“So, Mr. Mikaelson,” Veren said as she dug into her food, “I was supposed to grill you in regards to your romantic involvement with my cousin.”

“Yes, you were,” Elijah played along. “Ask me anything you like, my lady?”

The raven-haired woman smirked, “Well, I suppose the cliche question would be: what are your intentions for my cousin?”

He had agree that the question was cliche, but it was still a reasonable one. “Though we may have only met a few weeks ago,” he replied, “I can swear to you, Lady Veren, that I am committed to your lovely cousin. I have the best intentions where she is concerned.”

Veren hummed and nodded, narrowing her eyes at him in all seriousness. “I hope so,” she said, all playfulness gone. “I will not see that my cousin is hurt again by anyone. I do not know how much she has told you about Loki, but I will not permit another to abuse her in such a way as he did. You must swear to me that you are going to treat Her Majesty right, always.”

Eternity had told Elijah a bit about Loki, but had never given a lot of details pertaining to their relationship. She had spoken to him of the Trickster’s abuse, but would never give specifics. Whatever had happened, it must have been bad, if Veren was so animate about him treating her cousin better.

“I swear that I will never mistreat your cousin,” he spoke seriously, looking her directly in her fuchsia eyes. “I will be a man worthy of her.”

“You already are, Elijah,” Eternity chimed in with an affectionate smile.

He grinned at her in return.

The rest of the conversation was light and not so serious. Veren seemed to like him well enough and she also seemed to believe him when he had said he’d be good to Eternity. The dark haired woman enjoyed talking about the many adventures around the cosmos that she had shared together with Eternity. It was intriguing and Elijah found that he could listen to those little stories about his lady’s life all day.

He had learned that Eternity hadn’t been born from her mother’s womb, but that of her aunt, Veren’s mother by means of a magical transference. She didn’t know her parents at all. Yet, eventually she had learned the truth of her parentage and her destiny as the greatest warrior ever to have lived, and had gone to begin training with her grandmother, the reigning Universal Queen at the time. Her relationship with her grandmother had been cold and contentious, but also one of mutual respect and admiration.

“Grandmother was a hard-hearted woman,” Veren explained to Elijah. “A lot of tragedy in her life had caused her heart to turn to stone. Yet, she was still a fair and just queen who cared about her people, and her family too.”

“Aye, but she never approved of my love for anything,” commented Eternity. “She didn’t care about my desire to protect and live amongst the humans nor did she approve of either of my lovers.”

“Lovers?” Elijah asked

Eternity nodded, “Aye, my first love wasn’t Loki, but an exiled demon prince. Then when Grandmother discovered my relationship with him, she sent me away from him to Asgard, to marry Thor the Thunderer, where I met and instead got involved with Loki. Grandmother was unimaginably furious, but it had been worth it; to disobey her wishes.”

“Even though, it hadn’t worked out between you and Loki?”

“Aye.”

“Grandmother would absolutely love you, Mr. Mikealson,” Veren said sarcastically. “I could see the veins popping now, if she were still around to see her prodigy involved with a vampire. Even better, an Earth-based vampire.” 

Eternity smirked, “It is good that she is no longer amongst us to judge and dictate my love life.”

The cousins gave a resounding cheer of agreement to that statement.

Soon after, the conversation wound down to an end. Veren took her leave of them, stating something about another solo mission elsewhere, on a planet that Elijah of course didn’t recognize.

Once she was gone, Elijah was left alone with Eternity again. They remained at the upscale diner fir a little while longer. A thought was nagging at the back of Elijah’s mind as they sat there in companionable silence.

“Forgive me, if this is out of line, but I was wondering why you have never told me the extent of Loki’s abuse toward you,” he said, breaking the quiet between them. “Even Veren seems reluctant to speak of it in detail.”

“That’s because she doesn’t know the details of it,” Eternity replied. “Well, not fully anyway. Besides, it’s not really her place to speak of the full extent of what Loki did.”

“Will you tell me?”

“Do you really need to know?”

The response was immediate, “Yes.”

Eternity studied him for a moment. Then she sighed reluctantly and sat a little straighter in her chair. “Loki and I fell in love long ago,” she spoke softly, “and were faced with resistance from many, because they didn’t think him worthy of me; that our relationship could spell doom for all, because he could use his power over me to his advantage. For a long time, we were strong against the naysayers and that opposition brought us even closer together.

“We remained together against the wishes of our authority figures and remained as one unit through many good times and bad ones, like any other couple. Then we conceived the twins and never before had Loki been happier. He was over the moon about being a father. So full of hope for the future was he after our babes were born, that when they were slain, he fell into a darkness that was unlike anything I have ever witnessed.

“I too fell to darkness. I tore through the two universes, terrorizing all. I even committed genocide once. Not my proudest moment, to be sure. Even so, Loki had been the one that brought me back to myself. His love healed me, but nothing, not even my love for him, could heal the darkness inside him.”

Elijah was stunned to hear about her committing genocide. He couldn’t even imagine such a creature of light doing something like that. It sent unpleasant shivers down his spine; a dark Eternity.

“Loki was always a dominant force,” Eternity carried on. “Even when it came to sex, he was always in control, but I liked that about him. I’m always the one who has to be in charge, in control; the alpha. So to have a lover that liked control gave me a freedom from my station that I enjoyed immensely. 

“For a long time, it was a game. I’d antagonize him playfully and he’d react in that domineering way that I wanted. But when the darkness fell upon Loki, it was no longer a fun game between lovers. His controlling ways went outside of the bedroom and he became jealous and possessive over me in the worse way.

“We started fighting violently all the time because of his paranoid jealousy, anytime I was in conversation with another, and these fights would always lead to sex. The sex was satisfying, but left me hating myself when it was over, because it would always feel as though Loki had won the fight. It was his victory over me. Worse, I couldn’t resist him, even when I wanted to, because he appealed to my darker nature, manipulating me into submission to him.” She laughed bitterly, “Me, one of the most powerful immortals ever to exist. He managed to make me weak against him, something that nobody had ever been able to do.”

Eternity paused, looking down at her hands. 

Elijah’s eyes followed hers and he noticed that they trembled upon the tabletop. He looked up at her in concern, but didn’t speak. He waited for her to say whatever came next.

With a heavy sigh, she continued in a soft, shaky voice, “Eventually, this cycle of disfunction had grown too unbearable for me. One night, Loki attempted to pick a fight with me, but I wasn’t having it. I was tired of it - the vicious cycle. I tried to leave, but Loki made me powerless against him, quite literally, using a secret few know of. No matter how I fought, begged, pleaded, he didn’t stop. He raped me that night, violently and without mercy. I fled him after that in fear.

“Never before have I faced an enemy that I cannot defeat with swift precision, until Loki. I’ve never had to run away either, but I have been forced to evade him for the last four hundred years, because I don’t have the strength to do what must be done. I cannot be with him nor do I want to, but neither can I kill him.”

Elijah swallowed thickly. He felt the bitting of his fingernails in the flesh of his palms. Looking down at his own hands, he found them balled so tightly that there was blood slightly oozing out of the sides of his fists. Immediately, he ceased and with the napkins on the table, he quickly wiped away the crimson liquid.

“I am sorry,” he ground out quietly. “You put your faith and love into him, only to have him commit unspeakable crimes against you, the woman he was supposed to love. Nobody should have to deal with that. What’s worse, is that I cannot promise to protect you or to defend you against him. I am but an earthling, not a contender against gods.”

Eternity smirked slightly, “Not gods.”

He smiled tightly in return, “No, I suppose not.”

“Do not trouble yourself over this, Elijah,” she comforted. “I will find a way to end this feud, as you once called it, someday. For now, Loki is subdued. Besides, even if he wasn’t, I have found enough strength to ensure he never touches me again.”

Elijah reached for her hand, lifting it to his lips palm up and kissing the skin there. His dark eyed were on her the whole time. “Good, because I want to be the only man that touches you,” he rumbled to her, “and I promise that by my hand you shall always only know pleasure.”

Eternity smiled broadly then. A playful mischievousness came over her as she flirtatiously said, “Oh? I think I might need a demonstration of this pleasure your hand can provide me.”

A devilish smirk took over his face, lust began to rise within him at her suggestive suggestion. “Well then, Sweetheart, let us depart this place and I shall grant you your demonstration.”

The seriousness of their conversation had been forgotten for the time being and Elijah made the effort to keep what Eternity had told him about Loki out of his mind. He couldn’t help her in her predicament with her former lover, but at least, he could take her mind off the past - and give her hope for the future.

Immediately was Eternity out of her chair and headed toward the exit. Without hesitation, he followed her like a hunter hunting his prey.

To Be Continued....

[red-5]

Sins of the Father

Summary: You’d been banished. Tossed aside to be forgotten about as you served out a punishment that wasn’t yours. Your escape was a miracle you never questioned, but your kind was never meant to live in the shadows.

Possible pairings: Reader x Thor, Reader x Bucky, Reader x Steve, Reader x Loki (Reader Input)

No spoilers for Infinity War.

Yet.

A/N: To anyone following any of my stories, I am so, terribly sorry. Life, as it tends to, happened. And while I’ll never complain about working with dogs 40+ hours a week, it is exhausting and there just aren’t enough hours in the day.

But, I’ve been playing a lot of God of War lately and got inspired. So this may be a bit of a stretch. Feel free to just go with it. I’d like to play around a little bit with the idea of a reader input storyline if there’s interest. More about that later.

Three years.

That’s how long you’d managed to avoid detection. Despite the damn Asgardians using Midgard for their own personal power struggle and to sort out family squabbles, you’d managed to fly under their radar and live something close to a normal life.  Hiding in the eye of the storm, where you’d crawled out of the frozen hell you’d been banished to through the treacherous network of Yggdrasil’s roots and landed in New York. A dangerous tactic, but given the circumstances, a large city easy to get lost in was exactly what you needed.

A place where wearing long sleeves year-round wasn’t weird was a bonus.

If anything, your fashion choices allowed you to blend seamlessly with the ‘artistic’ community you’d found yourself living amongst. An open community that didn’t ask too many questions and welcomed your sometimes-odd choice of wardrobe as some kind of statement.

Three years, you’d made that work. Ignoring the call of your birthright and the heirlooms you’d buried once you’d set food on Midgard. The scars across your forearms burned at the thought, a searing ache for the merciless tear of steel on flesh. Maybe you’d gotten lazy. Maybe your father’s voice in your head had gotten softer over the years. Maybe you’d stopped looking over your shoulder, anticipating the danger so you’ll never be surprised by it. Maybe if you had, you never would have walked into that bank that day. You’d have turned around and left your business for another day.

But you hadn’t.

And now they had you on camera.

They said you should be thankful they found you first. Maybe they were right. They wouldn’t try to open you up like a science experiment and play around with your parts. But, the trouble remained of the Asgardian. You hadn’t seen him yet, but he was near. Try as you may to focus on the words spoken by the blonde man that sat across from you, being trapped in the same building as the Son of Odin wasn’t doing anything for your nerves.

“You don’t need to make a decision now.”

Decision? What decision?

“But, given that the security tape has already gone… I believe it’s called viral? I think it’s best you stay within the compound until a statement can be prepared and some of the public… commotion has died down.”

Statement? So much for low profile. Father had warned you this would happen. That your kind could never stay hidden.

“Then, if you choose not to join us, we can help you assimilate back into the population in a way that poses the least threat to your personal safety. Of course… now that your mutation has gone public, I can’t promise- “

“I’m sorry, mutation?” you blurted out against your better judgement.

You could almost feel Father’s knuckles cracking against the back of your skull.

The blonde man blinked back at you in surprise, thought probably more out of the fact that you spoke at all rather than what you said.

“W-well yes,” he sputtered after a moment.

Of course. That would be the explanation the Midgardians would come to. You saw no need to correct him, not that he would believe the real explanation. He may be accustomed to the presence of the Asgardians, but you weren’t certain he was ready to hear there was even more to his world. He narrowed his eyes at your silence.

“That is what- “

“Yes,” you interjected at his prompting. “Yes, I’m sorry, everything’s just happened so quickly.”

One lesson your father hadn’t taught you, but one you had learned yourself living on the streets of an unforgiving city in a world with no honor, never underestimate the damsel in distress card. You squeezed your eyes shut, burying your face in your hands and giving just enough of a sniffle to sound convincing without being too obvious. You felt his gaze soften and knew that was the end of that.

“I know,” he said softly. “But, believe it or not, we’re here to help.”

You kept your face hidden as he paused, forcing a nod and a meek ‘okay.’ If he wished you to stay, he would certainly give a lone maiden quarters of her own. If there was a way out of this prison, you would find it. You had escaped far worse.

“I think we’ve both had enough,” he said finally after a few more sniffles, the sudden calming positivity to his voice nearly making you sick.

Your nerves were already on fire.

“How about I show you your room and you can get some rest? We can continue this once you’ve had some time to process.”

With a shuddering sigh, you tugged your sleeves down past your wrists, wiping your nose pointedly on the soft fabric with a nod.

“Alright,” you said softly, looking up with doe eyes and a weak smile.

He returned your smile with one so genuine it nearly took you aback. You’d forgotten what that looked like.

“Come on,” he prompted gently as he stood, moving to the door to hold it open for you. “We should have everything you need to get you through the night. We can get someone to escort you to your home so you can collect any belongings in the morning.”

You hummed your consent as you fell into place behind him. Careful to keep the emotionally distraught facade meticulously in place, you allowed survival mode to kick in. Kitchen. Staircase. Elevator. Window. Five other doors in hallway, circular construction with adjacent living quarters. Rest, refuel, collect resources, wait for nightfall.

“…and I’m right down the hall, in case you need anything.”

Your eyes snapped to his as he came to a halt before the door at the end of the hallway, gesturing back the way you had come. You glanced behind you, making a mental note of the door he said to be his before turning back to him with another weary smile.

“Dinner is usually an every-man-for-himself kind of deal, but Tony always keeps the fridge stocked. Kitchen is back that way.”

You nodded to show your understanding, having already committed the floor’s layout to memory. He paused, flashing you another awkward smile as his hands wrung together in front of him. He obviously didn’t do this often. You’d allow him his routine, wanting only to play your part until the time came to make your move. Eyes downcast, fingers fiddling nervously with the ends of your hair, you waited.

“Alright then,” he announced after another moment of silence. “If you’re all set, I’m going to go get the team up to speed, let you…rest up. Feel free to join us after, if you’re ready. Everyone usually seems to convene in the common area at the end of the day.”

You forced another smile, lifting your eyes to his to mutter a muted ‘thank you’ before stepping forward to put a closed door between you and everyone else. A sigh of relief blew from your chest as the door clicked shut as you reveled in the sweet embrace of privacy. You needed to rest. Once you managed to find you way passed Stark’s security measures, assuming you don’t alert one of the many Avengers currently living in the rooms next to you, you needed to put as much distance between you before they realized you were gone.

Not that you couldn’t fight your way out, but that’s what had gotten you into this mess in the first place. Besides, if the Son of Odin still hadn’t worked out who you were, it was best to keep it that way. Odin’s ravens had yet to find you, and you weren’t keen to test the strength of the rune burned just behind your ear’s ability to keep you cloaked from Heimdall’s sight. Running was, as usual, your best option.

But first, rest. Your tongue stuck to the roof of your mouth, stomach wrenching in a painful reminder of just how long a day it had been as you leaned against the door. You’d skipped breakfast, naturally. You were planning on treating yourself to a ‘special’ breakfast with the money you were supposed to walk out of the bank with. One horrible real-life display of wrong time, wrong place and one long car ride later, your body wasn’t shy in firmly reminding you of it’s needs despite your unfortunate circumstances.

You glanced at the clock on the bedside table. You didn’t have much time to sunset, but you had enough. The blonde man said he was gathering the rest of the team. If there was a time to avoid the displeasure of meeting anyone else, this was it. You glanced mournfully at the plush queen bed that sat along the far wall, waiting another moment or two to ensure the hallway was empty. You didn’t hear anything. It was likely the rest of them were already waiting in another location patiently awaiting their debriefing. With one, last, wistful look at the puffy pillows at the head of the bed, you wrenched the door open and darted out into the hallway.

You could see the kitchen clearly through the glass walls, just down the hallway and around the corner. If it was a provisioned as the blonde man said it was, your trip would be short, and you would be safely back in your assigned room before anyone returned from their gathering. You padded softly into the kitchen, eyes darting carefully around you as you moved closer to the refrigerator, quietly pulling the door open to rummage inside.

Sandwich of unknown filling. Good enough. You placed the tightly wrapped bundle on the counter, reaching back for a bottle of water before closing the door as quietly as you’d opened it and collecting your things to be on your way.

So close.

Maybe, if you hadn’t waited so long in the safety of your temporary dwelling. Maybe, this was just your destiny all along.

‘Destiny doesn’t exist, girl. Fate doesn’t exist. We walk the path we choose, and we suffer the consequences.’

The thumping of a second set of footsteps in unnerving proximity froze you in place. You felt it, now. The thrumming of power from the hammer slung on his hip despite his plain dress. How you didn’t feel it before, you didn’t know. Even your kind fell prey to weakness of the mind and body sometimes. And where there is rain, there is often thunder.

His voice was soft, quiet, meant only for your ears, and you had no trouble making out every word as they passed through his lips.

“I know who you are, Spartan.”

@angelaiswriting @geeksareunique @wildefire @youngmoneymilla @storm-howlett @catchydrug @carriewfob

[youngpossumandthemagickaldo-blog]

Sorry this is long...

So I listened to the Happy Sad Confused podcast. It was worse than I expected. The Russo brothers’ idea of “deconstructing” narrative is really as obvious as kill everyone and everything? With such a rich array of characters and individual stories, there has to be a wealth of options to choose from that can show characters making complicated decisions that force them and the audience to question their motivations and their actions (while maintaining a character logic - I’m looking at you Loki). This, in turn, would work towards that deconstruction by making the character and the audience question what does a hero really do? What is the hero’s or the villain’s place in all of this? Where do I stand in among these decisions? These directors trying to make Thanos the protagonist could have been a good idea if their moral compass had not broken right at the outset. Protagonist does not have to mean good guy. That’s a basic lesson you learn early in any lit class, so come on guys. Their whole “oh flip the story and say Thanos saves the universe” is deeply concerning. Thanos is someone who invaded other planets, committed genocide, stole children to make them soldiers, and then tortured them into submission. He broke children down to nothing, and in Nebula’s case, literally made her a killing machine by forcing her to fight the only other person she could bond with and punishing her failure to inflict pain by removing parts of her body and replacing them with machinery. How much more hit-you-over-the-head obvious can it be that Thanos is a war criminal of the worst kind. I called him Hitler meets Joseph Kony, and I’ll never stop calling him that. There are real people who do these things to real children, to real communities. Can these villains be the focus of a story? Sure. But should we insist that they are sympathetic and deserving of the “hero’s journey”? Not when they have done nothing to be heroic. And Thanos did nothing to be heroic.

And saying that Tom Hiddleston and Idris Elba had to be gotten rid of because of age and to enable Thor’s revenge arc is just insulting to those actors and their characters. The Russo brothers’ implied meaning that Loki and Heimdall served no further interest to the Marvel community is simply a symptom of the directors’ unoriginality. Taika Waititi showed us exactly what Heimdall was capable of, and in each Thor film before that, while his part was small, we still saw how complex his relationship with Asgard was every time he questioned his loyalty to the rule of law versus his loyalty to doing what was best for Asgard. And Loki? Well, I’ve already said that he was an underdeveloped character, and that his entire purpose in this film was to be killed to make Thanos the new Big Bad Powerful and to attempt catharsis in Thor’s revenge story. Both Idris and Tom have given amazing performances. Zoe Saldana has always given an amazing performance, and she deserved better than being Thanos’ redemption rag doll. But the Russo brothers just could not handle the scope of the undertaking. And Marvel knew they’d make their money with social media hype before the film even reached the final cut. And admittedly, we’re just playing into their giant purple hand by writing about it so much. The least we can do is have our own conversation about it. 

[gold-from-straw]

Reassembled - final chapter!

I’ve never had a story take THIS LONG to finish before omg! (well, apart from all those half-finished first drafts of novels I’ve got in my drawer... shhh!) I think this is finally done, though I’m not ruling out some future fluffy slice of life scenes, similar to the ones I started with! If you’d like to read from the beginning, here it is, but otherwise, here’s a chapter of Frigga being the true BAMF that she is ^_^

Frigga felt the adrenaline rise in her blood as she followed her husband into the mortal’s conference room. With a tiny nod to her, Agent Coulson placed the slim tablet on the table and retreated, closing the door behind her, the Allfather, and their guards.

“Frigga,” he said, his voice as steel-lined as it always was in his dealings with diplomats and his second son. “I demand to know the meaning of this behaviour.”

“If you will not listen to reason, husband…”

“Listening to reason is one thing entirely, and you know you have my ear at any other time. But to present a disunited front to a clan of simple-minded mortals? This is unlike you. You have always been a consummate diplomat.”

Frigga snorted and dropped her facade of patience. “Do not treat me as some vassal or disappointing apprentice. You know very well what has driven me to these ends.”

“Loki,” he growled.

“Indeed, Loki. Your son. Or, as you have made clear, my son alone.”

“He has never been your son. He is but a political prisoner who has been treated extraordinarily well, and has repaid such treatment with dishonour and treachery!”

Frigga did not allow the pain in her heart to show on her face. How had she let things get so far? “He is not a tool, Odin, but a young man, a prince, of whom you should be proud. He has forsaken his birthright—“

“His birthright was to die as a child, abandoned on a rock!” Odin roared. “It was I who saved him from such a fate, who brought him to not only safety but a life of opulence. But of course, I should have known better than to expect loyalty from a Frost Giant.”

Frigga gritted her teeth. “Loyalty is earned by more than a single act carried out in secret.”

“Indeed, but it is usually expected of a son towards his father!”

Odin’s hypocrisy had long driven Frigga to circular arguments, and with an effort, she suppressed the expression of surprise that she longed to make, that suddenly Odin called Loki ‘son’ once more. “That sort of blind loyalty is what leads misguided young men to attack another realm, having learned to demand absolute obedience from their subject at their father’s knee. You cannot have it both ways, Odin!”

“And now you would have that attack go unpunished?” he demanded, as if seeing a weakness at which to strike. “You dare to speak for the Jotun, say that the attacker of their world should be allowed to frolic in freedom with his new pets rather than serve time for his attempted destruction of their entire realm?”

“I had been referencing Thor’s invasion, but now that you mention it…” Frigga worked quickly, not sure when she would get a better opening. With a gesture, one of her handmaidens brought forth the prepared anchor for the communication portal, and Frigga opened it with a burst of magic. “Helblindi, can you hear me?”

The Jotun king appeared in the portal, only his chest and head in view, and behind him, an entire court, arms clasped in respect and apprehension. “I see you, Queen Frigga. Well met.”

“Well met, indeed.” She stepped back so Odin was in view, and saw him straighten and apply his regal mask, face impassive. “I received your communique and was delighted to hear of the return of your people’s fortune.”

Helblindi bowed his head, as they had rehearsed. “Indeed, your majesty. It is my deep pleasure to report that the replacement Casket is working better than any of us could ever have expected.”

Frigga noticed the sudden tension almost radiating from Odin in sharp spikes, and offered up a desperate prayer to the Norns, but Helblindi was as talented a wordsmith and showman as his brother. He stepped aside to show the green-blue artefact glowing at the centre of the great temple, surrounded by a people who looked, already, so much healthier than they had done the last many centuries. “When we received word that the Casket of Ancient Winters had been lost, we were in despair. And then, to hear that you, Odin Allfather, were sending your own two sons to bring succour to our people and to repair the damage they had wrought! It was a balm to freeze many a heart molten in grief. This replacement has already done so much for our world, and will surely stand as a symbol of peace between our two great realms for millennia to come. I look forward to resuming diplomatic exchanges and trade in the next few months ahead.”

Frigga did not allow her smile to change in quality in any way, even though she wanted to bark an hysterical laugh at the Jotun king’s audacity, sneaking in that last statement that they had not discussed. She felt pride glow in her heart. This Helblindi may be young, but he would be no toadying fool, and he would grasp everything he could for the good of his people.

If Odin did not call their bluff, and declare outright war for their deception.

When Odin smiled through gritted teeth and inclined his head graciously, Frigga nearly wept in relief. “I am glad to see our reparations have been well received. Let us walk together towards a more peaceful relationship between our two great lands as once we did, and put the foolishness of the war behind us where it belongs.”

At his words, the Jotun court raised their hands and ululated in joy. Helblindi’s face split into a genuine smile that made Frigga’s heart ache. He looked so much like her Loki in one of his rare unguarded moments.

As the final platitudes were exchanged, and the portal closed, Frigga took a moment to savour the tentative victory before turning to face Odin again. He looked at her, expression blank, and she felt the anxiety of a young bride still battling an arrangement. She straightened her back, and smiled instead of cringing. She would win this time. “It appears there is no crime to punish.”

He stood in silence for a moment. “Leave us,” he said softly to the Einherjar and her maidens both. The women looked, with no uncertainty, towards her before they made any move to obey. Frigga saw his temper rise and told herself she was not afraid, simply excited at having won another point. She held his gaze and said aloud, “will you give my husband and I our privacy, handmaidens?”

The women bowed as one. Their long, elegant skirts would never shift to show the extent of their freedom, the number of weapons they concealed. The loose bodices appeared to conceal plump chests and bellies, but instead guarded lightweight dwarven armour and powerful muscle. Frigga had trained each and every one of her maidens, and they knew well that she could protect herself without them, too. They turned and walked demurely to the door, curtsying daintily to the Einherjar who held it open for them.

Odin waited until the sound of footsteps had faded to stillness, the loyal servants just outside at wait in the corridor. At last he spoke, his voice as expressionless as his face. “You dare defy me like this?”

“I dare much more in the name of my children,” she said, and unlike him, allowed her voice to fill with just a hint of the depths to which she would go. To which she should have gone many years before.

“You seem to think you are indispensable to me.”

She shook her head, and her blood thundered in her ears. “Indeed, I know otherwise, husband. I know there are none you would not forsake in your pursuit of power.”

“Of power?” he demanded. “Have I not been a faithful guardian of all nine realms for millennia? Have I not cared for your realm, and all others, keeping them safe from the marauders of the rest of the galaxy? How deep does this betrayal go, Frigga?”

The hint of hurt in his voice almost caught her, but she shook her head, as a cue to herself as much as him. “Do you know, Odin, that the humans have words for such as you? Narcissist. Abuser.”

“Abuse!” He scoffed. “You know not the meaning of the word! I have never treated you or our children with any cruelty, and only brought punishment for crimes that deserved it! As with any of my subjects, had their behaviour been above reproach, there would have been no reproach. All punishment was brought to them by their own hand.”

“There is a word they have for such insidiousness too,” she continued, almost conversationally. “They call it gaslighting. When a person in power manipulates another to believe that they are misremembering events, or feeling emotions incorrectly, or thinking incorrectly. As a woman who has long been lauded for her intelligence, I am ashamed that I have allowed it to continue so long, but I have been assured that there is no shame to be placed at the victim’s door. And yes, I am not ashamed to count myself a victim either. What I am ashamed about is that I have allowed you to victimise our sons, particularly Loki, for so many centuries in this way. Indeed, I have added to his suffering, telling him you have a reason for all you do, when even I could not see it. That ends today, Odin. You have stricken Loki from your bloodline, but I have taken him into mine. He is my son, and I shall allow no-one to threaten him, or his brother.”

“And so, because Frigga wills it, he is now free to commit his crimes across the galaxy?” Odin scoffed.

Frigga did not allow him to continue. She had come to the end of her patience, and it was time to bring this conversation to a close. “I know about Hela.”

Odin’s voice, his very breathing, seemed to come to an abrupt end. He stared at her, and Frigga wondered if the faintest hint of fear had crept into his visage. “Hela.”

“Indeed,” she said. “Your firstborn child. She who fought to please you in every way, and when she became too much of a threat - too much like you - she was locked away. I imagine she would be interested to receive another visit from her stepmother.”

“You would not—“

“I would,” she said, and could not hold back the viciousness. “I have failed my children, I have held back while I watched you build them up only to tear them down, time and time again. Make unreasonable demands, and then punish them for failing and for succeeding in meeting your expectations. You have wanted puppets, and will never see the worth in any of your children as they are, as I have wished for so long. It is over, Odin Allfather. Should you ever make a threat on either myself or my children, I shall not hesitate to ally myself with Hela.”

Odin was on her in an instant, his hands at her throat. “I should kill you where you stand!”

She smiled, calmed her heart. “And do you think I have not prepared for such an eventuality? You may never have admitted it aloud, but you know in your heart it is true - I have always been more skilled at magic than you, and have always been able to find a hole in your workings.”

Odin’s face paled. He stepped back and she stood upright once more, not allowing herself to touch her throat, to breathe any differently. It was no empty threat. Should she die, Hela’s prison would become her throne, all of Frigga’s power flooding her veins. She would prefer a longer term approach, one which would temper the poor girl’s broken fury, and she had… plans to that effect. But if safety was denied her and her sons, she would settle for revenge.

Without a word, Odin swept from the room. Frigga waited until he had marched down the corridor before slumping slightly, taking a deep breath.

She walked over to Agent Coulson’s tablet and lifted it from the desk, turning it so that the screen faced upwards. “Agent Fury, it is good to see you once more.”

“The honour is all mine, your Majesty,” said the image of Fury on the screen. He sat behind a great wooden desk, hands clasped in front of him. “I’m glad to see you remain unharmed. I must admit to being concerned there once or twice.”

She smiled and was glad the man had only been able to hear, not see, else the assassins she was sure he had secreted around the room would have surely come to her rescue, as unnecessary as it was. “Your support and hospitality has been invaluable, Agent,” she said instead. “I believe we have been successful in our endeavour.”

He nodded once. “It sounds that way, for now. And you’re sure Odin will not decide to attack at a later date?”

She shook her head. “He may have done so had he been able to reach Midgard earlier. But with the destruction of the Bifrost, he has been forced to only observe your world, and see the full power of your heroes. Not only yours, but those in Japan, Wakanda, England, and many others. Beyond that, the simple force of numbers of you humans has been enough to give him pause. Even so, as we discussed, my handmaidens will each be dispatched to provide the gifts you requested.”

“A pleasure doing business with you, your Majesty. With the apples distributed carefully we may have some chance of protecting our world in the long run… the very long run.”

“It will almost certainly be the last time we can provide such a payment for your assistance. I hope you have taken that into consideration?”

“Princess Shuri of Wakanda has several contingency plans already in place,” he said. “And I imagine Stark and Banner will be able to take similar steps.”

Frigga allowed a full grin to split her face. “In that case, I shall leave you to your logistics,” she said. “Well met, Agent Fury.”

“God speed,” he said wryly, and the screen went blank.

She left it on the table, then stepped out into the corridor. Her handmaidens arranged themselves at her back as she walked out into the common room to see her sons, her beloved sons, in a tight embrace, Loki sobbing in his brother’s arms as Thor comforted him. For a moment she wasn’t sure she would be able to speak around the lump in her throat. When she did it was a croak. “My sons.”

[cali-holland]

Earned It- Loki One Shot

Pairing: Loki x Reader

Prompt: When Thor brings Loki to stay with the Avengers, the team decides to prove just how much the God of Mischief has changed by assigning you to earn his trust; but you end up earning more than that. 

Word Count: 3700

~~~

“But why me?” You let out an exasperated whine, “He knows me the least.”

“It’s not just that.” Steve nodded, “You weren’t there when he tried taking over the world, so you’re the best candidate.”

“So what? I’m chosen just because he’s never tried to kill me directly before?”

“Basically. Plus, you’re a hot, young girl that Loki would totally mess with.” Tony added, making Natasha hit him over the back of his head and you roll your eyes. “I’m just saying that you have more assets than I do when it comes to gaining the God of Mischief’s trust.”

“Thanks, Tony.” You replied in a flat tone.

“Will you do it, Y/N? It’s the best way to see if he has changed and if we can actually trust him.” Steve said.

“If I’m our only hope, then sure, but, I swear, if Loki tries anything on me, Thor, you will no longer have a brother.”

“Get in line.” Clint laughed dryly.

“Yeah, you’ll have to wait your turn for that.” Bruce said.

“Hey, now, no one will be killing my brother. He has changed.” Thor said. When the mighty God of Thunder first approached the Avengers about his brother staying in the compound with them, they were all quick to say no. Thor then went into detail about Loki’s redeeming actions while his brother walked into the room. After putting away their drawn weapons, Tony locked Loki in one of the cells, so that the team could discuss the issue at hand. That’s when Tony, Natasha, and Steve came up with the brilliant idea of using you as bait. You, the newest Avenger that has never even formally met Loki before, were chosen as the person to draw him out. You would somehow gain his trust and learn whether or not he has truly changed. If he never trusted you, then he was the same Loki as years ago; if he trusted you, then he had changed.

With your decision made, the Avengers left their meeting room to the cells. You all stood before Loki as he beamed mischievously at the sight before him. Tony opened the cell up and allowed the God to step out.

“Alright, reindeer games, we’ve got some rules that you must comply to- if you are to stay here.” Tony stated.

“Ah, rules- don’t you just love them and the chaos they bring?” Loki replied and Steve scolded Natasha as she began to curl her fists.

“Look,” Steve said, stepping up, “You’re not allowed to leave the compound unless one of us agrees to go with you; you cannot create any chaos inside or outside of the compound; you’re not allowed anywhere near the ships or weaponry-”

“I get it. I’m under house arrest. I’ve been in trouble before.” He stated, “Now, where is my bedroom? I’d like to catch up on some sleep.”

“Follow me, brother.” Thor said, leading Loki up the stairs as everyone dismantled from their protective stances. You watched as the two brother headed up the spiral staircase and you caught how Loki peered over his shoulder at you. You were quick to turn your head and invest yourself in a conversation with Steve.

~~~

That night, Loki did not come downstairs for dinner. Thor offered to take him a plate, but you insisted on doing it- that way, you could introduce yourself properly to him. Thor, knowing your intentions well, allowed you to take his place in serving his brother. You stood outside of Loki’s room and knocked lightly on the door, holding his plate of food with the other hand.

“Come in.” Loki said dryly. You slowly opened the door to find him sitting on his bed with a disinterested look in his eyes.

“I brought you dinner.” You gestured to the plate of steak and potatoes.

“I’m not hungry.” He replied and you shook your head with a laugh.

“You haven’t eaten all day. Please, eat this. Sam makes the best steaks.” You held it out to him and placed the book in his hands on his lap, before taking the plate.

“Sam?”

“Yeah, Sam, he’s the Falcon. He’s super cool and there are no steaks that compare to his- well, actually there’s a really nice restaurant in Upper Manhattan that has the best steaks. Sam’s are still amazing.”

“I’m dying to try it.” Loki replied sarcastically as he poked it with his fork.

“I’m Y/N, by the way.” You said, holding a hand out to him.

“Loki, but you already knew that.” He shook your hand almost timidly. He felt that there was something off about you- why were you so kind compared to the others? He expected Thor to be the only one to treat him as a normal person- not some random Midgardian that he’s never met.

“What book are you reading?”

“Excuse me?” Loki asked and you nodded toward the stray book on his bed. “It’s just a story my mother used to tell me. It’s a part of Norse mythology, as you humans call it.”

“It sounds interesting. I’ve always enjoyed learning about mythology.” You said, genuinely.

“Well, as good of a book it is, it does get boring after a while. I should have brought more books with me.”

“You know, Loki, we’ve got a library.”

“A library?” Loki asked, his whole stance perking up at the word.

“Yeah, I’d offer to show you it tonight, but I’ve got dishes to do. I’ll show it to you tomorrow.” You paused and then nodded, “I’ll see you later then. Good night, Loki.”

“Good night, YN.” Loki replied as you quickly retreated from his room. He looked at the plate in his hands and set it on his bedside table. He picked up his book and began to read it once more. He couldn’t help but think about you and how you were so intriguing to him. As much as he’d appreciate you showing him the library tomorrow, Loki got up and made it his mission to find the library on his own.

~~~

The next day, you went to find Loki in his room, but found that it was empty. You then decided that the library would be the next best place to look, knowing that he had shown a level of interest in it. You found him as expected; he was comfortably lounging in a chair with his nose stuck in a different book.

“I see you found Steve’s Shakespeare.” You said with a short laugh. Loki jumped, startled at your sudden presence. He lowered the book and looked over at you as you stood in between two shelves.

“It is quite entertaining to read.” He replied, glancing down at Macbeth in his hands.

“I know. It’s one of my favorite Shakespeare plays.” You nodded.

“If you’ll forgive me, I’d like to continue it.”

“I’ll be quiet, but I want to do some reading of my own.” You replied. You searched in the shelves for a book as Loki continued his reading.

This happened once everyday for the next two weeks. You would enter the library to read in peace, and Loki would already be sitting at a chair by the fire with a different book in his hand than the day before. You would both make small talk for a few minutes when you arrived. You felt, over this time period, that your feelings for the God were growing, and growing romantic. You also felt that there had been no progress on your part- Loki still treated you as if you were just another Avenger, as if you were on the same level as his brother for trust.

“Just give it some more time.” Natasha told you as you complained to her in her room.

“Time won’t do anything, Nat. Nothing is working. We just sit in a library and read as communication.” You let out an exasperated sigh and she shrugged. You watched as she focused on painting her toenails a light shade of purple almost more than she focused on your complaints.

“At least he bears being in the same room as you. He makes every meal incredibly awkward.” She replied. You remembered back to just this morning- Loki was silent, like he always was, and, as soon as he finished eating, he left the room. His presence filled the entire room with tension.

“That’s one thing, though.” You huffed.

“Aren’t you usually reading by now?” Natasha asked, peering at the clock on her wall.

“I’m quitting this mission. It’s stupid and it’s pointless. The guy has been here for two weeks and he’s done nothing. Isn’t that reason enough to trust him?”

“Look who you’re talking to and think who you’re talking about- guess again.” Natasha laughed. She had been on so many missions where she was undercovers for weeks, and Loki most likely had no problem with committing to fooling someone for long periods of time.

“That doesn’t matter. What I mean to say is this whole idea is corrupt and I’m done with it.”

“Corrupt? As in it isn’t good on Loki?”

“That’s not what I-”

“Ohhhh,” Natasha let out sinister laugh followed by a knowing smirk, “You like him, don’t you?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” You tried to defend yourself.

“Sweetheart, you can lie to yourself and to him all you want, but you cannot lie to me. You are totally into him!”

“Fine, so what if I am? Why are you so happy about it?” You asked, referring to her blatant hatred of him.

“I don’t agree with you, but I think you liking him is cute. Maybe you could end up changing him.” She shrugged hopefully, “Plus, if he hurts you, it gives me even more motivation to kill him.”

“Like you need anymore of that.” You said, making her chuckle.

“Fine, if you’re giving up this mission, then you can go make me a sandwich. I’m starving.” Natasha said and you playfully rolled your eyes at her.

“Turkey or ham?” You asked as you headed towards her bedroom door.

“Turkey please!” She called from her spot.

You left her room and went straight to the kitchen to make up her snack. You finished her sandwich and then decided to make one for yourself. Just as you were about to top off your own with the final piece of bread, you heard a voice, announcing the presence of someone else in the room.

“Could you make me one too, please?” It was Loki and the sincerity in his voice was something almost unusual. He seemed quieter and mellower in his demeanor today.

“Would you like turkey or ham?” You asked as he stepped into the kitchen completely and began to watch you work.

“Either will be fine.” He said, “You didn’t come to the library today.”

“Oh, you noticed that.” You stated, awkwardly fumbling with the sliced meat before you.

“Why, yes, I did.” Loki stated, taking a cautious step towards you, “I do notice when the one person who does not alienate me leaves me alone.” You turned to him to see him being completely genuine- his soft eyes telling you everything. He looked away and took the sandwich from your hands, “Pardon my directness.” He left the room with the sandwich and without another word.

You sighed at his retreating figure. Maybe you shouldn’t quit- at least not yet. He had shown some feeling in that moment; he had shown that he cared about you. You wouldn’t jump to saying he thought of you in a romantic way like you thought of him, but you could conclude that he felt connected to you.

You took the last two sandwiches to Natasha’s room. You dared not speak of the recent events to her. She munched happily on her sandwich as you two watched reality shows and as he toes dried.

~~~

The next day was completely lovely. The sky was blue and the leaves were in the middle of changing colors. You absolutely loved it and you figured Loli would too. You quietly entered the library and saw him exactly where you had planned to: sitting in that same arm chair with yet another book.

“Loki,” You said, making your presence known to him. He peered over his book at you and offered a smile, “I was wondering if you’d like to go outside- since, you know, you’ve kind of lived in this room for the past couple of weeks.”

“Outside? You would accompany me outside?” He asked, completely thrown off by your question.

“Yes. It’s a beautiful day. I was going to visit the park and I thought that you might like to join me.” You explained yourself.

“I would like that.” Loki said. He set the book on the table and stood up. Using his magic, he changed his clothes from Asgardian wear to Midgardian casual attire. You smiled at him, admiring his change.

You took Loki to the nearest park, much to the dismay of some of your fellow teammates. Thor offered to tag along, but Natasha quickly shut that down. Thor was far too recognizable and anyone could recognize Loki if they had seen his brother. You were pleased about introducing Loki to feeding the ducks with the few pieces of bread that you had smuggled from the compound. From what you could tell, he enjoyed it. It was the simplest thing, yet it displayed Loki’s humaneness in such a strong way. He never really stopped genuinely smiling while at the park and all of it was because of you.

~~~

Loki was pacing around in his room the next day, rehearsing how he should ask you out. He wanted to take you to that restaurant that served the steak you loved, but he didn’t know how Midgardian dating worked.

“Brother!” Thor greeted, walking into Loki’s room unannounced and startling him.

“Thor, have you forgotten how to knock?” He asked with a sigh.

“I heard you pacing. Is anything on your mind?”

“Why would anything be on my mind? I’m fine.” His reply was defensive as he attempted to conceal his emotions. As the God of Mischief, he is normally much better at it, but his feelings for you had grown too great for him to easily cope with.

“Does this have anything to do with Lady Y/N?” Thor inquired.

“What are you on about, brother? This has nothing to do with her. Nothing is wrong.” Loki stated.

“Whatever you say, I shall believe, but I do think you should ask her sooner than later. Unlike us, Lady Y/N does not have thousands of years.” He spoke with a calm smile.

“Is that all?”

“Well, I was originally sent to ask if you were joining us for dinner, so will you?”

“It depends if I am hungry or not. You can leave now, Thor.” Loki said and his brother exited with his hands up in surrender. Loki looked at himself in the mirror and cast an illusion so that he was in casual clothing for the second day in a row. He left his room and headed straight to yours. As he was about to knock, he realized your door was cracked open and that you were speaking to someone in your room.

“I’m actually glad I didn’t quit.”

“I’m glad you didn’t, too.” Natasha said, “It seems to be working.”

“I learned from the best.” You laughed, referring to your best friend before you.

“Do you think he’s changed?”

“I think Loki has.” He froze hearing you mention his name. His heart hammered in his chest, “He seems kinder and gentler. I still feel bad though. A part of me wishes I gave up, but a part of me is proud that I’m going through with this mission.”

‘Mission?’ Loki thought. He felt a stinging pain build up in his heart. No, it couldn’t be. He was the God of Mischief. There was no way you, a mere Midgardian, could have tricked him- and there was no way you could have tricked him into falling in love with you.

“Going undercover is hard, but you have done it well, even if your target was the God of Mischief.” Natasha replied proudly. Loki heard you two come closer to the door, but he wasn’t quick enough to move. His feet were planted in that moment- replaying your words in his head. As you opened the door to reveal him, he used his magic to transform him back to his Asgardian self.

“Loki-“ you started. Natasha looked at you with concern, knowing fully well that he had heard the two of you.

“Don’t.” Loki spoke with a firm shake of his head. The smile that you had grown fond of over the past few weeks was completely gone. “Congratulations, you succeeded in fooling the God of Mischief.” He sarcastically raised his hands and did a partial bow for you, before he left without another word.

You watched his retreating figure in pain. You had never wanted to hurt him- that was never the plan, but, yet again, falling in love with the trickster was never a part of the plan either. You started to walk in the direction of his room when Natasha caught your hand.

“Y/N,” she sighed, “Leave him be for a bit. C’mon, we should tell the others.” Agreeing with her, you quietly followed her down the hall to the lab, opposite of Loki’s direction.

~~~

“Well, this is-“ Tony started after taking a deep breath, but was cut off by Steve.

“Bad. This is bad.” He stated. You could feel all of their eyes watching you, as you kept your eyes focused on the ground beneath you. “Thor, what do you suggest we do?”

“I do not know.” The God replied, “I have never seen my brother act the way he was with Y/N before. He showed a whole different level of respect and compassion for her-“

“Could it be that he was playing her as well?” Clint asked.

“No.” Thor shook his head, “Loki is mischievous and he is great at pretending, but not like this. I have never seen him so vulnerable.”

“You think he actually loves her?”

“I don’t know if I would call it love quite yet, but I do believe it could have become that.”

“Should I talk to him?” You asked quietly. Guilt and pain was all you could feel. Loki was upset with you, and, now, Thor believed you to have broken his heart.

“Maybe I shall speak with him first, Lady Y/N.” Thor said. “I know my brother best and I fear he is too unpredictable at the moment.”

“Very well then. Thor, go see him.” Natasha stated and he nodded. The room was silent as all of you watched Thor leave the room.

Thor entered Loki’s room to find his brother casually sitting on his bed, a book in his hand. Loki lowered the book and looked at the other God. He answered, “Yes?”

“Do you love her?” Thor asked.

“That mortal? Please.” Loki said, rolling his eyes lightly.

“Loki, drop this act. Do you love her?” He asked again. Thor stepped into the room and a bright gold burst came from the room as Loki’s magic disappeared. The seemingly normal bedroom was an illusion and shifted into the remains of a bedroom. The bed was torn apart with the mattress falling into the wall; the opposite wall had a few fist holes in it; and the bedside table was smashed, bits of it splattered around the room. Loki sat in the far corner and lifted his head from hands.

“See for yourself, brother.” Loki said, slowly looking up at the other God. His eyes were red and his hair was a mess from his recent angry motions.

“Loki-“ Thor was speechless. He had never seen his brother so broken and hurt. The last time Thor walked in on Loki in a state like this was when their mother died; and, now, Loki was broken once more.

“Surprised? This is what one look like when they are upset.” He stated.

“This is far more than upset.”

“It’s against my nature to call myself heartbroken.”

“Y/N would like to speak with you.”

“And I would not like to speak with her, or anyone for that matter, so, brother, you may leave now.”

“I will not leave you here to swallow yourself into a hole of despair.” Thor said as Loki stood.

“Despair? How would you feel if the mortal you loved betrayed you? How would you feel if you loved her and she had been lying to you this whole time?” His voice raised in anger.

“You have it all wrong, brother. Y/N has not betrayed you.”

“Leave! You know nothing of her lies!” He stepped towards his brother and Thor straightened up to his full height, preparing for any violence that may come.

“Loki,” You spoke from the doorway. Both Gods turned to you in surprise and Loki’s heavy breathing seemed to calm.

“Lady Y/N-” Thor started.

“I’d like to speak to Loki alone.” You said. The blond looked between the two of you and then left the room without another word.

“I do not wish to speak to you right now.” Loki turned his back to you and you took in his destroyed room. You sighed softly and stepped towards him.

“Please, allow me to explain myself.”

“I don’t need any further explanation. I understand your actions- you don’t trust me, none of you do.” He stated with a firm shake of his head, making you stop in your tracks.

“Loki, I can’t speak for the others, but I trust you. What I did was wrong, but I was doing what was best for the team. They wanted me to earn your trust-”

“Well, you earned more than that. Congratulations.” He said.

“If it is love that you’re speaking of, then I feel it too.” You replied and he slowly turned to you.

“Pardon me?” Loki questioned and you continued your walk to him until you were directly in front of the God.

“I love you, Loki, and I’m so sorry that I made you feel betrayed. It was never my intentions.”

“Is this the truth?” He asked and you delicately took his hands in yours. You nodded, causing a grin to form on his face. He leaned down to kiss you softly. He pulled away and whispered to you, “Good. I love you too, and it frightens me.”

“I’ll never lie to you again.”

[crushing83]

Okay, guys... I’m sick with some sort of flu-like plague (working in an animation studio is worse than preschool, germs-wise, I swear!) and I want to write but I just can’t stop coughing long enough to even think about writing. I’m going to go curl up with a movie or two, and hopefully pass out in a cough-syrup-induced snooze... and in the meantime, if anyone seeing this feels like reading the little snippets I’ve pasted below and weighing in on what you feel like I should tackle first, when I’m feeling better, I would appreciate it!

(There’s SPN (slash, gen, char/ofc, char/reader) and AB/BtVS (Willow/Asher) and SPN/Criminal Minds (Spencer/Gabriel) and Tolkien/FF (Owen Shaw/Thranduil) under the cut...) 

1. “Bring it on Home,” the current MOL AU story...

"What if it *was* my fault?" Sam interrupted.  

The words were out of Sam's mouth before his brain---and all its worries---could hold them back and keep them in Sam's mental vault of secrets. He saw Dean's eyes widen and then he looked down at his feet; he didn't want to see Dean's face when the truth was between them.  

"Sammy... no, it... if you'd seen traces of sulphur or anything weird, you would've protected her."  

Sam sighed and moved away from Dean, taking a position against a couple of crates that seemed to be doubling as a table. "I'd been having dreams of how she died," he admitted, still looking down at his feet. "For weeks, before. Not after. I mean, after, too, but those were dreams. These were... they felt different. But, I shrugged them off, because we don't have psychics in our families... because if you found out and thought I was a witch or something---"  

"Hey, no," Dean said, softly but quickly. "Never. Sammy. You are my brother and nothing else matters."  

When Dean came closer, Sam wanted to move away but Dean tapped his chin and forced him to raise his eyes. He wasn't scowling, he wasn't frowning. He wasn't smiling, either, but he looked more pleasant than upset.  

"Do you really think any psychic on either side of our family would've 'fessed up?" Dean asked.  

2. “Six Months,” the current vape shop AU (Sam/Gabriel) story...

"Good boy," Gabriel murmured. Sam felt his face heating up in reaction to Gabriel's compliment. "Now. What do you need to do?"  

"Wash up. Find sweatpants? And call Donna. Oh, and text you before I leave."  

Gabriel made a soft, pleased sound before he spoke again. "Good," he said, his voice still soft. "If I don't hear from you in an hour, I am going to come looking for you."  

Before he could curb the reaction, Sam was smiling into his phone. Gabriel cared enough to worry, enough to come for him if he took too long. Maybe he and Gabriel were becoming real friends. The idea was enough to dissolve the guilt in his head. He knew he'd do the same thing for Gabriel, if he ever came to Sam for help, and... it felt *good* to let himself believe that they were more than customer-and-proprietor.  

"Thank you, Gabriel," Sam whispered.  

"You're welcome. I'm happy I can be here for you," Gabriel said. "Just... get here, okay? I'll handle the rest for a little while."  

Sam nodded, even though Gabriel couldn't see the gesture, and he ended the call with another few grateful words. When he pocketed his phone, he looked around the room and decided to wash his face and change his shirts before calling Donna. He could do the rest while they talked.  

3. “Untitled,” an ace-spec!Sam/pan-Gabriel story I’ve been messing with...

"You're kidding me, right? The whole point of this is to mingle---and probably hook-up---and you want to invite the celibate kids to put a damper on things?"  

"They're not celibate!"  

Sam sighed and closed his eyes. He liked Charlie and he knew his brother considered her practically family, but studying was pointless when she was in their apartment. Dean had come out a year ago, and Charlie had basically gotten him on every committee she could after that; he was on a Safe Spaces board, something that worked with local businesses to create a directory of services and resting places for <I>everyone</i>, and he'd also been roped into doing volunteer work with kids, giving them older role models who weren't heterosexual, and he was on the Pride committee, too. Sam was impressed with Charlie's tenacity in getting Dean to commit to so many activities, but the fact that she was in each group, too, probably helped. The only problem was when they were organizing an event they were in the apartment; that did nothing to help his academic focus.  

He was in another room and they were still interrupting him. Though, to be fair, he could usually ignore their arguments about who the hotter porn star was because he didn't care *at all* about who won.  

"Oh, c'mon," Dean groaned. "Everyone has sex. It's a neurochemical drive or imperative or whatever. Just because they haven't met the right people yet, or just because they're choosy or saving themselves for 'the one,' that doesn't give them special status. No one discriminates against them."  

"I can't believe you just said that," Charlie replied. "After everything you've been through, after everyone you've met, you can't imagine that attraction is a sliding scale just like gender or orientation? You can't imagine that it's hard for them to meet people and connect with them in a positive way?"

Dean's grunt might as well have been a punch to the gut. Sam felt... abandoned. Any shred of hope he had tucked away, after the incident with Andy, seemed to shrink inside of his heart.  

Sam couldn't tell him. He couldn't have those words directed at him---not from Dean. Hearing them directed at a nameless, faceless group was hard enough.  

4. “Falling is the Easy Part,” my Criminal Minds/SPN crossover...  

"Where is Sam, Dean?" Spencer asked.  

"Out," Dean replied. He sighed again. "Cas told me Ezekiel was an okay guy, for an angel, and at first, I thought... I thought it'd work out. Even if I had to trick Sam into it. But..."  

"It's not going the way you expected?" Spencer asked.  

"Not really, no," Dean said. "I shouldn't be telling you this."  

"I don't mind," Spencer replied. "I know you two go through a lot, and right now, things are difficult. It's Sam I have history with, sure, but you're the most important person in his life, and even if it were only for that reason, I'd be more than willing to listen to you."  

"You're not gonna confess your undying love for me, are you?" Dean asked.  

Spencer snorted. "No," he said. "Your virtue's safe."  

"Don't have much of that left, Doc," Dean said after barking out a brief laugh. "But, ah... well, thanks. For listening."  

"It's no problem," Spencer said. "We're in Virginia. I don't know what sort of trouble we might encounter on the road, but we'll do our best to get there in a couple of days."  

Dean sniffed once. It didn't sound like a crying sniff, but Spencer wasn't well-versed in Dean's sounds. He waited, trying to listen to see what Loki was doing; Loki's silence was unsettling and it pressed upon the parts of his mind that was trying to piece together the mystery Loki wouldn't share.  

"That sounds good. Gives me time to try to put Kevin somewhere safe and figure out what the fuck to do," Dean said. "Be careful. If anything looks angelic, just hightail it out of there."  

5. “Out of the Box,” a SPN fic with an OFC where I’m not sure if there will be a pairing yet...

His footsteps come closer and I inch back a bit more, trying to make myself as small as I can in the darkest part of my cage. I must have whimpered because he makes low, crooning noises so unlike anything I've ever heard before that I'm peeking out at him before I remember how wretched I am.  

"Hey there," he murmurs. "I'm Sam. The other guy's my brother, Dean. We're not here to hurt you."  

"Someone's in there?"  

"Looks like a woman," Sam says, without taking his eyes away from mine. "Dean, start looking for the keys or a way to open this."  

"Do a silver check," Dean replies.  

It makes sense. I know enough about the devil's other hobbies. If they're like him, even a little, they are aware of everything that can bite and kill.  

"Hey," Sam says. His attention is on me again. "Can you give me your hand? I have a knife. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just going to put it on your skin. Just to make sure it won't burn you."  

I shouldn't but I know what happens when I disobey orders---even when they're disguised as suggestions. To avoid more pain, I force myself to move my hand towards Sam. He slides his through the bars and presses his palm against the back of my fingers. He's so warm.  

The devil is always cold.  

"Easy," Sam murmurs. He has the knife in his other hand. When he presses it to my hand, nothing happens. He smiles at me. "There. See? You're okay. We're gonna get you out of here."  

"If Ketch had the place rigged to explode, it could've been to keep people out, but it also could've been to keep people in," Dean says. "Might not be the only trap."  

6. “The Pitch,” the first story in a (maybe) series with an ace spec OFC and Sam, Dean, and Cas...

"Dean!" she called out.  

"Uh... no," I said, quietly. "Charlie, no."  

"Charlie, yes," Charlie countered. "Dean! Get your fuzzy butt over here!"  

Dean was the one that made me blush earlier when he threw a wink and a couple flirty questions my way. He seemed like a good person; a lot of the community seemed to turn to him and two others if there were problems or if someone needed help. But, he and his friends were too handsome to ever put me at ease around them.  

Before I could slip off of my stool, Dean appeared over Charlie's shoulder. After he kissed her temple and wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind, he said, "I got waxed yesterday, Charlie. I am as smooth as a baby's bottom. *Everywhere.*"  

"Ugh, gross, TMI, Winchester!" Charlie hissed.  

The use of a last name surprised me. A lot of people used nicknames. If anyone used their first name, they never gave out their surnames. It wasn't like fetishes were completely taboo anymore, but some of the club-goers didn't want to be outed to their bosses or families. I was included in that group; I worked in a casual environment and I knew no one would care but I wanted to keep my private life separate from my work life for as long as I could. Sometimes, I forgot that other people didn't have that need for separation or compartmentalization.  

Dean chuckled and peeked at me before turning his attention back to Charlie. "You love it," he insisted.  

"Dude."  

He kissed her temple. "Sorry, Queen of Moons," he teased, using the name she used during The Strap's infamous Dungeons and Dragons weekend event. "How may I be of service?"  

"Are you still looking for a live-in sub?" Charlie asked.  

Not bothering to be discrete, I aimed a kick at Charlie's shins. She winced, swatted her hand against my knee, and turned her attention back to Dean.  

"Well?" she asked him.  

"Charlie, may I have a word with you *in private*?” I hissed.  

"Nope."  

Dean rolled his eyes. "Charlie, you didn't even give her a clue?"  

"Kitten takes too long to make a decision," she huffed. "And, when bad things are happening, she gets bummed out and can't see the awesome happening around her! I'm doing my toppy duty and taking over."  

7. “Untitled 2,” a Sam/Gabriel/OFC fic from nearly two years ago that I’ve never gotten very far along...

I woke up with a scream in my throat and a distant wail in my ears. That was hardly unusual, given my current predicament. Since being grabbed off of the street over a year ago, nightmares were a regular thing no matter if I were awake or asleep. I'm in Hell---though my cellmate assures me Hell is something altogether different---and there is too much horror for my mind to process.  

As I brought my left hand up to rub my eyes, I felt fingers curl around my right hand. They were gentle fingers. I knew that touch. I turned towards my cellmate and managed a small smile.  

"Hey," I whispered.  

He smiled back at me and held up a bottle of water.  

"Thanks, Lo," I whispered.  

I pushed myself into a sitting position and took the bottle from him. He stood up before sitting down on my cot, being careful to keep a little space between us. Across those inches, I could feel his energy. It was different from other people and other monsters; he said he was the real Loki, and I found that hard to believe, but I couldn't deny that he felt *different* than everyone else I'd ever encountered. That different feeling---his presence in my life---was the only good thing about where we were.  

"It's all right," I said.  

Loki sighed. "Nothing is all right," he said. "If I were up to full strength, I'd have a shot at getting us past the warding, but..."  

"Sure you could," I murmured.  

"One of these days I'll do something to convince you I'm the real deal," Loki said.  

8. “Alive at Last,” my Buffy/Anita Blake crossover...

She didn't know much about the ardeur. Any time it was talked about in her presence, it was likened to a hunger. But what she'd felt crash into her wasn't hunger. It wasn't an attack. It was... something else.  

With a bit of daring and a lot of curiosity, Willow lowered her shields. She only relaxed them a fraction, only the same amount she'd done to light candles when she practiced elemental magic, and she hoped it would be enough to give her more information.  

Something lapped at her---not at her skin, but at her magic. Asher's grip tightened on her as if he could feel it. It didn't feel... directed. If anything, Willow would have said it felt curious.  

Was the ardeur sentient? Was it possible to have a self-aware power that fed through others on sexual and emotional energy?  

Willow shuddered.  

9. “I have to run; I’ll find you when it’s safe,” the latest instalment in Bullets & Blades (Owen Shaw/Thranduil)

After slipping into the humid room, Thranduil hopped onto the countertop. Leaning against the wall and drawing up his legs, he focused his gaze on the shower, on the man underneath the stream of water and behind the glass doors. When Owen opened his eyes and saw him watching his performance, he grinned before belting out another (much more cheerful) song. Thranduil grinned and waved; Owen waved back.  

When Owen finished his song and dance routine, he emerged from the shower stall and wrapped a fluffy green towel around his hips.  

"I tried waking you," he said, bending slightly to kiss Thranduil's knee, "but you seemed to be very cross with Elrond."  

Thranduil snorted as he realised he'd been talking in his sleep. "Understatement," he muttered. "We were having quite the argument."  

"I picked up on that," Owen said. He leaned over and kissed Thranduil's cheek. "What were you two fighting about?"  

"He thinks I should gather the others like me and leave for a secret location," Thranduil replied. Seeing Owen's frown, he reached out and threaded their fingers together. "It does not matter. It was only a dream," he added, before smiling a little. "Elrond was an old friend, of sorts."  

"Of sorts?"  

"We mostly frustrated each other," Thranduil said, smiling more. "I haven't dreamed of him in a long time. It's fine."  

10. “The Winchester Gospel,” which is a ridiculous collection of ficlets I’ve been writing that span 2017-2081, approximately

"You really think I was born, and then able to help Leto birth Apollo?" Artemis asked as she sat down at the table in the war room. She smirked when Dean shrugged and Sam leaned forward in interest. "There's a reason some still consider me the goddess of the hunt---of hunters.

"The world has always needed balance. It doesn't always get it," she said, crossing one leather-clad leg over the other. "I was born in a time when Eve had all the power. It was like Purgatory. Dangerous. Vicious. Wild. I almost died again, this time protecting a family from my village. And the Light brought me back. Or, his Messenger did---on His orders."

She closed her eyes and shook her head. The mask of a confident deity slipped away to reveal a nearly-human expression. "I don't remember what the creature was. It's been a very long time," she said, smiling at them a little, no edge to her expression. "Gabriel taught me what I'd need to know. And when he was done---"

”Gabriel?" Both Sam and Dean asked at the same time.

Artemis snorted. "It's a small world, isn't it?" she asked. "But, yes. Gabriel. He didn't stay long. But he taught me enough. And after, the Light returned and asked me if I would help them spread the word. The lore. What kills what. What can be used for protection.”

”Eve," Sam said. "She... couldn't have been happy.”

”Understatement. But for... about a century, I was able to avoid her. I was able to get information to people, I was able to protect communities. I hunted," Artemis said. "When she caught up to me, I was able to put her where her creatures' souls went. It nearly killed me. But, I did it. And I thought the Light would abandon me. I was on the ground, at the foot of a great mountain, barely breathing. I thought the Light had abandoned me. But before I could die, Leto and I found each other. She was in labour, but she healed me---and then I helped her. I became her daughter that day, Apollo's sister because I helped care for him, and when Zeus arrived to see his son, he adopted me in thanks and imbued me with more power.”

Sam nodded. "You became his daughter from his decision to take you in. You were already smart. And fierce. And he liked that.”

”He really liked that," Artemis agreed. "He protected me, supported me... I thought he loved me. And maybe he did in the beginning. But, time changes everyone, as you two will learn.”  

[imagine-loki]

House of Cards in the Wind

TITLE: House of Cards in the Wind CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter Sixteen

AUTHOR: wolfpawn ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine you were a powerful villain who was captured by S.H.I.E.L.D. and put in Cryogenic storage because there was no other way to deal with you. After doing some research, Loki learned about you and became obsessed. So much, that he looked for you and woke you up, knowing that you’d seek revenge and he would be more than willing to help. RATING: Teen and up

NOTES/WARNINGS: This story is the result of an imagine I saw on another blog theartofimagining13. The credit for the imagine goes to the author on that page.

Thor fought against the force controlling him. He begged, swore and threatened Rebecca as she had him walk through the building. She and Loki waited a safe distance away, not allowing themselves be picked up on any form of security system.

The guards Thor came across on his journey were meaningless and in no way a concern to the Aesir god, so Rebecca ignored them. They were not any bother, to harm them would more than likely only raise suspicion and for what she had planned, that would be counter-productive.

Thor made his way to the centre of the building easily. On his arrival, he was gutted to see most of the Avengers had been gathered, including a still bedridden Stark.

‘You got our message,’ Rogers sighed in relief.

‘You said it was urgent.’ Thor sat down, inwardly wondering what message this was that he had not received.

‘There has been sighting. We were wondering for a while if they were still on another world since we saw no sign of them, so we thought it was safe, but in the past few days, there have been, of her, not of Loki, in her hometown.’

Internally, Thor screamed that their intelligence was completely wrong, but no sound passed his lips. He wanted to tell them that Loki and Rebecca were a mere couple of hundred metres away. ‘We need to stop them before they cause any more damage.’ Thor stated. For once, he agreed with the words Rebecca left out of his mouth. ‘Where is everyone else?’

‘We had to get the intelligence somehow.’ Rogers grinned. Thor gave a pleased smile back as the Avengers readied themselves for what was to come.

Rebecca turned and looked around.

Loki looked at her curiously. ‘What?’

‘They think they can set a trap.’ She informed him.

‘What do we do?’

‘That is where you come in.’ She smiled. ‘I cannot…..really?’ she scoffed. She edged forward and a boy came into the room, no more than a teenager. ‘They sent a child.’ She snarled.

‘So?’ Loki took out a dagger.

‘I do not hurt children.’ She stated adamantly.

‘He is an enemy.’ Loki pointed out.

‘No.’ She reiterated, turning to look at the youth. ‘Did they even tell you what you are up against?’ He answered in his head. ‘They used you because they know you are the same age as my brother was when he was killed by the British Army.’ She explained. ‘They are appealing to my humanity. What they did not factor in was the loss of it as a result of those actions.’ She cocked her head slightly as she walked forward, looking at the boy in front of her. ‘We will not kill you, but you want to kill me, don’t you?’ She looked through his thoughts. ‘Little Peter, so desperate for a father figure that you chose Tony Stark, I suppose I can see the appeal, he’s charismatic, fun; hell, he even gave you this lovely cool suit.’ There was anger in his eyes. ‘I did not kill him, you can still speak with him, so no, I do not deserve to die for that, do I? I have not killed any of your friends, I…’ She paused and looked around, her eyes growing wide. ‘We need to go.’ She ordered, walking over to Loki, who looked at her worriedly. ‘They are learning.’

‘What?’ Loki asked, unsure what she meant.

‘They are all thinking differently.’ She growled in annoyance. ‘They all are scattering plans so I cannot read what is the real one.’ She glared at the boy. ‘He is their distraction, very well, if he is theirs, then he is also ours.’ Peter turned and made his way back outside, internally shouting. ‘Come on.’ She ordered, turning, as soon as she and Loki were about to leave the building, however, they were blasted backwards by something, Loki moving quickly last moment to protect her from the blast. When the light died down again, they turned to see not one, but several of Stark’s Iron suits aimed at them.

‘Get rid of them.’ Loki looked at her.

‘They’re unmanned, I cannot control a robot.’ She hissed back.

‘Who is controlling them?’

‘No one here. I cannot find them.’

Loki took matters into his hands, getting two daggers and swiftly throwing them before forcing them through the machines, somewhere on the way causing them to multiply. This only had limited success and the machines started to charge up for another attack, Loki again grabbed Rebecca and moved the pair out of harm's way, but their relief was short when more of the machines found them.

Rebecca scanned the minds of every human she could find in the nearby vicinity, yet her success was limited, there was no one who knew exactly what was going on. Stark, she realised had gotten a man by the name of “Rhodey” the mass control coding for his machines, but told his friend not to tell him his plan for them. It was Stark that had figured out the best way to deal with the issue of her knowing their thoughts. She snarled to herself, regretting not just killing him.

‘We need a new plan.’ Loki growled. ‘We should have just done it.’

‘There is no point to saying that now, it doesn’t help us.’ She snarled.

‘Give it up.’ A voice that Rebecca knew to be Rhodey’s from sieving through Stark’s mind called out over an intercom. ‘If you come quietly now, you will not have to be harmed.’

‘I just get frozen again, right?’ Rebecca scoffed. ‘You see Colonel Rhodes, there may not be a single strand of hair harmed on me, though freezing is terrible for your hair, I found out, but I am going to die before I allow myself be taken again. I was imprisoned for crimes I did not commit before, I know what awaits me.’ She concentrated on those she could sense nearby, one of whom being Dr Banner, she forced him into the Hulk, only a moment later, screams rang out over the intercom.

The machines charged, but the moment of silence between Rebecca and Loki was not as silent as they had thought as Rebecca communicated with Loki telepathically, instructing him to get ready to move them elsewhere. With the sound of the Hulk coming as an incentive for him to do as she asked, Loki grabbed her and brought her with him as the vanished into the air while the repulsors fired, hitting nothing but the wall behind where they had been standing.

When they arrived at their new destination, Rebecca gave a small shriek of anger. ‘Those filthy….’

‘That is not helping.’

‘And standing there saying nothing is?’ She retorted as she began to pace. ‘They are all making plans and not telling one another them so no one knows what is going on and what to expect so I cannot counter, they all only know dribs and drabs.’

‘You can counter them if you encounter them though, obviously.’

‘No, because those coming towards me do not know what they are about to be told so they cannot reveal to me what they are doing, the only one privy to the whole plan is Stark’s computer, which is a machine, something I cannot manipulate or read. That kid had no idea what was planned with the suits, they just told him to go and that I would be conflicted about harming him, that they had his back.’

‘Which was an accurate presumption, you should have dealt with him.’ Loki growled.

‘I do not harm kids, only those bastards do that.’ Rebecca shrieked.

‘He chose to get involved, he wanted to harm you, he is old enough to pay the price.’ Loki snarked back. ‘By this realms pathetic lifespan, he is old enough.’

‘I am from this Hell Hole, remember.’ Rebecca glared at him.

‘You are not like them.’ He reminded her. ‘We need to think.’

‘Their beloved Hulk is giving them cause for concern right now, that will give us time to think.’ She informed him.

‘Yes, have it actually do something with them.’ Loki sneered.

‘I can’t have him do anything, we are too far away, but he is on a rampage, so that will do a lot of damage in itself.’

‘So you are not controlling anyone right now?’

‘They are too far away.’ She repeated. ‘I am keeping an eye out for them all, but we are better off not having any attention that we are even close by right now.’

‘You said the Hulk is on a rampage, they won’t be looking for us.’ Loki reminded her.

‘They won’t all focus on him.’

‘What makes you think that? You cannot even think to know what they are thinking right now. You admitted you cannot.’

‘I can’t, not yet, but I will. For now, I can only think as me, and if there was more than one of me, I would not have it that I had all available people focused on one situation, I would divide and conquer, they will do the same.’ She was sure of it.