#fandralxthexstabulous

[storiesofwildfire]

Guilty of Treason

          { closed starter for @fandralxthexstabulous }

♔—- Things went better than Loki could have hoped. Ridding Asgard of Odin after the Elves invaded had been a surprisingly simple task. The attack on Asgard, losing Frigga, and losing all control over Thor ( he would never believe Odin loved him enough to be impacted by the news of his own death, so he didn’t even count that as a possibility ) in one vicious swoop knocked Odin into a state that even the almighty All-father didn’t seem capable of pulling himself out of. It was almost sad, really, how long Odin had managed to keep him on a relatively short leash, only for him to truly crumble when the going got rough.

Complacency. That’s the only way Loki could explain what happened to a once-great conqueror. He’d grown old and complacent in his rule over Yggdrasil. So many years passed without a single person challenging his power that he truly tricked himself into believing that there was no one who could.

Even Asgard’s defenses hadn’t been kept up to par over the thousand years of peace, making it easy for the Dark Elves to not only invade but destroy half the realm in their process.

Taking up the role of Odin was... less desirable. Loki had a plan in mind for how he could eventually shed the Odin disguise and take the throne as himself, but it would take some clever work on his part and some time to build up a positive mentality and memory of the second prince of Asgard. So many of them seemed to forget everything Loki had done that positively impacted Asgard because of a few incidents that... well, Loki could explain rationally, but did he truly want to? Especially when it came to discussions of Thanos?

But unveiling himself would have to wait. Asgard needed a strong leader to help rebuild, to reset defenses and ensure they were actually functional this time around, and ensure the citizens were not only moving forward but working towards being happy again. His children needed to be freed from Odin’s prisons. Preparations needed to be made in the event that Thanos became an immediate threat. Eventually, he would come, and Asgard would be Yggdrasil's best hope of beating back the Mad Titan. So much needed to be sorted out and, unfortunately, that meant wearing Odin’s face longer than he wished.

One problem that needed to be dealt with in the swiftest manner, however, was in regard to those who helped Thor commit treason. In all fairness, Loki did owe them, as their treachery was the tool that ultimately led to his being freed of the dungeon, but Odin could not easily overlook such a thing. Three times Sif and the Warriors Three committed treason in Thor’s name. Running off to Jotunheim to face Laufey after Thor’s failed coronation, the four of them running off to Midgard to bring Thor home from banishment, and now this...

Odin had been lenient with them the first two times, shifting the blame onto Thor and Loki respectively, but Odin was not known for allowing rule breakers to roam free. He liked to present himself as a fair and just king and he fooled most people into believing in that persona, but he had never been shy about holding criminals accountable. Sif and the Warriors Three’s earlier treason had also caused extreme trouble for Loki his first time around on the throne, so dealing with them in a constructive manner seemed an important task. But what to do with them?

In truth, there was an extremely petty part of him that wished to throw the lot in prison. Well, not all of them. Each held a different level of respect and like in Loki’s eyes and Sif was definitely at the bottom of said list. Hogun wasn’t much higher purely because any time Sif said anything negative about Loki or insinuated something to be his fault, Hogun was right alongside her, agreeing and ready to condemn him on nothing more than his natural dislike for the younger prince. Seeing those two locked up in Asgard’s dungeon, even temporarily, would have been so incredibly sweet. Petty, true, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Volstagg had Loki’s sympathies more than any of them. While Volstagg did occasionally tease Loki, he was never truly unkind or cruel. Volstagg had a big heart and a massive brood of children and Loki identified with that paternal nature. A powerful warrior but often unable to deny his friends, it was loyalty and blind faith more than anything that often led Volstagg to actions with horrible repercussions. Taking Volstagg away from his children was something Loki couldn’t really bring himself to do. He knew what it was to have children, to love them, and to watch as they were ripped away and kept from his reach. He didn’t wish that on anyone, especially not a genuinely good man such as him.

And then there was Fandral... and Loki’s feelings for Fandral were very complex. Deep-rooted longing for the swordsman’s affections sprouted when they first met and never truly faded, but there were certain decisions and events that pushed a wedge between them and turned some of those feelings down a bitter path.

In the end, Loki went easy on Volstagg. No prison, no banishment. Instead, he was confined to his family’s estate so he could be with his wife and children, but he was still seen as receiving punishment for going against the king’s orders again. The other three? Banishment seemed the easiest way to deal with them. As much as part of Loki wished to hide Sif and Hogun away in the dungeons, imprisoning them while letting Fandral and Volstagg off easy wouldn’t reflect well on the king, so instead, they were separated and banished to various realms under the same understanding of Thor’s banishment. If they could prove themselves worthy of it, they could return home.

Fandral, as it turned out, was sent to Midgard. Loki chose Midgard purposefully because he knew that Fandral had lived on Midgard before. He managed to establish something of a life for himself there, so surely, he could do so again. It was Loki’s way of silently being lenient with the swordsman without making that leniency obvious.

Weeks passed after Loki’s sentencing. Volstagg confined to his home and the rest of them spread across the realms. Loki didn’t think much about any of them, truly. He had far too much sitting right in front of him to pay mind to. Wasting time thinking about people who probably didn’t even think about him seemed like a foolish way to spend energy or trains of thought.

It wasn’t until Loki truly started going through Fritjolf’s reports and files thoroughly that Loki’s attention pulled back to a certain blond swordsman currently restricted to Midgard. It wasn’t obvious straight away. Most of Fritjolf’s agents used aliases and codenames while working, even on the reports that they delivered to the spymaster, in order to protect themselves. They wouldn’t be very good spies if they didn’t protect their true identities. That didn’t bother Loki as he read through the reports. The intel was all he cared about; it didn’t really matter who obtained it...

Soon enough, though, Loki did pick up on a pattern of one particular agent. Multiple codenames showed up numerous times, often named after wildlife, but Fox managed to capture Loki’s attention. It took quite a bit of digging through records and timelines, but after a while, matching up Fox’s reports to areas and times Loki knew Fandral to be in said areas unveiled itself flawlessly. Even Fox’s current reports all came from Midgard, in a similar area around modern-day England...

Could Fandral truly be a spy? That would explain so much about the way things transpired between them and why Fandral always seemed to keep part of himself hidden from public view. Loki always wondered why Fandral acted so differently when they were alone...

Against better judgment, Loki decided to pay Fandral an unexpected visit. Revealing the truth of what he’d done to Odin and why was risky, to say the least, and leaving Asgard unattended also wasn’t the brightest idea, but Loki left a clone of Odin to sit upon the throne and had enough people in his council that he trusted to keep Asgard going for a few days while he slipped away. Gods, he could use a break anyway, and if things didn’t go well with Fandral, he could at least go and visit his son. Seeing Jor would brighten his mood, surely.

But he took to backward means of travel, deciding for the sake of time to open a small portal between realms that would let him step through to some abandoned farmland in England, just to ensure no one saw the process of magic. From there, a tracking spell would do nicely to lead Loki straight to the banished warrior and apparent spy. He did little to hide aside from shifting his attire to something passable for modern-day Midgard. A pair of dark, form-fitted trousers, a simple belt with gold detailing around the clasp, a light sweater in a lovely shade of green, and a jacket. He didn’t need so many layers, but it was cool this time of year and walking around in anything less would gain him some pretty odd looks.

His spell directed him towards a rather impressive and clearly old estate. It’d been kept up over the years. Clearly, there were people that cared deeply for this land, but why would Fandral be in a place like this? What had he gotten up to during his time on Midgard? Aside from literally being the legend of Robin Hood, that was?

‘Fandral?’ A simple spell that would deliver a message to a single person in the way of words forming in the air before them and then fading. Fandral used it to contact him a few times. ‘I’m outside your... home? But you probably already knew that if you were paying attention. Would you come and meet with me, please?’

He didn’t bother stating who he was. Asgard might have believed Loki was dead, but Fandral should have been familiar enough with his magic to know who was reaching out to him now.

[cherryfinolahobbes]

Send me <3 and I’ll make a ship aesthetic

Fandral and Cherry

Quite possibly the epitome of the golden knight and the damsel in distress. Everything about Fandral and Cherry are classic. I dearly love them. Fandral really offers a true security for Cherry. True, most people mistake him for heart breaking knave with all the women at his heels and his rougish nature, Cherry knows better than that. I think Cherry also offers Fandral validation. He doesn’t have to play or wear the mask around her. He can just be and still be accepted and loved.

I adore @fandralxthexstabulous. Please go check her and her lovely golden rogue out!

[ladysifwarriorborn]

@fandralxthexstabulous

She wouldn’t drop him, he knew that. Just as she knew he was only teasing. That she met his jests with ones of her own delighted him. He adored having someone who could tease him back.

“Oh, for the pit,” he said airily. “He was hardly enough of a challenge to rate the pyre.”

Once they had hauled the body into the hole in the ground, Sif arched and stretched her back before picking up a shovel.

“Next time, pick up a worthier adversary. Burning them is much less work, you know...” she grumbled.

[devil-in-the-heart]

How did you die?

“That actually is true.”

Tagged by: @the-storm-within-me

Tagging: @little-earthquakes-rp, @lokiodinsonblog, @strcngerthanilook, @empcleur, @fandralxthexstabulous

[dimmuvdres-archieved-blog]

Get to know the Mun

NAME: Desi

GENDER: Female EYE COLOR: Icy Blue HAIR COLOR: Silvery White RELATIONSHIP STATUS: I dunno... cursed or something ZODIAC: Libra FAVORITE COLOR: Purple, wine red, poison green, blue FAVORITE SEASON: Spring FAVORITE PLACE: My bed, my kitchen, my home village FAVORITE HOLIDAY: Halloween FAVORITE VIDEO GAME: The Legend of Zelda, Castlevania LAST SHOW YOU WATCHED: Tokyo Ghoul WHAT’S YOUR HONEST OPINION ABOUT YOUR MUSE?: Loki is a very many layered character and you see his change of behavior in nearly every movie. Like he turned from wrathfully evil into someone more .. vulnerable. He still remains a trickster though. He is an ass and has all kind of fun and pranks inside his head but he also is a very sentiment and emotional character, that’s why I love him so much.  WOULD YOU DATE YOUR MUSE?: TOTALLY!!  WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE KINDS OF THREADS?: When two muses are slowly starting to get closer to each other, might it be on friendship level or relationship level. If Loki tries to open up to someone it is also for me a very emotional moment between fluff but also very much angst. Like he starts to trust somebody fully with all his secrets and emotions he actually never would reveal to someone. These are my favorites ~  ARE YOU A SELECTIVE ROLEPLAYER?: Yes especially when it depends on the muse and writing style. That’s why I have rather less Rp’s than too many.  DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE MUSE?: They are all my babies ♥ WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE FANDOM?: I’m here for 6 years now and I still love this fandom of Loki fans who protects the shit out of Loki but also Thor. Honestly I consider us as a really badass and wonderful group of fans ♥ That’s why I’m here, to see and interact with people who share the same love to him as I do DO YOU SEE YOURSELF STAYING WITH THE FANDOM FOR A LONG TIME?: Yes and if Loki dies I will burn down Marvel and then tumblr. #letlokilive

Tagged: @grandmasterrp Tagging: @askthecollector @snakurofeden @neverparted @fandralxthexstabulous

@unyielding-storm 

[storiesofwildfire]

Okay, I promise this is my last personal post spam ( maybe... ), but I found this actor after watching The Nun--he plays Frenchie. His name is Jonas Bloquet and I gotta tell you, if Loki and Fandral ever had a son, 10 out of 10 it would be this boy. That’s all. Thanks for coming to my TedTalk. 

@fandralxthexstabulous​ - don’t mind me, just tagging you for reasons

[cherryfinolahobbes]

‘♡’ ~fandralxthexstabulous

Send me X and I’ll make a ship aesthetic

here

[ladysifwarriorborn]

Character Questions for Asgardians (Please repost, don’t reblog)

Name: Lady Sif, Sif Adisadottir Age: somewhere between 1500 and 2000 years Height and weight: 6’ 2’’ (188 cm) / 425 lbs (193 kg) Species: Asgardian/Aesir

Social Status: Free citizen of Asgard Military Rank (if any): Recruit trainer God/Goddess-hood (if any): Goddess of War Occupation (if any): Warrior (Is your character canon in Marvel Comics, MCU, other Marvel production, or an OC?:) Canon in both MCU and comics

Weapon of choice: Sword and shield Who trained you to fight: The Valkyrior Your favourite finishing move in battle: Impaling my enemy through the chest, or whatever kills them. Kill count: Too many to remember Your first kill: I have a drabble about that.

Do you use magic/seidr, if yes, what kind: None whatsoever.

Favourite drink: Alcohol Favourite food: Roasted meat Favourite member of the royal family: Thor Loki

Describe the house/room you live in: I in the palace, in my own rooms. It is mostly one big room with space dividers to separate a sleeping area from the rest of it, with a small cooking are I rarely use. There’s a decent sized bathroom with an actual bath. I keep my rooms tidy and ascetic, to Asgard’s standard. HI have been gifted few fine weapons I not use, and I have them hanged up on the walls. There’s a small balcony with a view over Asgard, and I like keeping the doors open so that the room gets lots of air and light. Not like anyone dares to creep into my rooms uninvited...

Describe your everyday wear: Armour, leather vest and leggings underneath, linen shirt, tall leather booths

What would you wear to a feast? What would you wear to a casual meeting with friends? To a feast something that resembles an armour as much as possible, preferably leggings and boots. To meet friends, a soft tunic and a cloak. If it’s Thor, needing me to commit treason again, my armour, all my weapons and my dark cloak.

You are minding your own business and look up to see two ravens watching you. What do you do? Nod and continue on my business.

First time you travelled through the Bifrost, did you get sick? Very much. I did not throw up. I did not.

What was the first place outside the realm of Asgard you visited? Vanaheim.

Do you feel you belong to Asgard or do you feel more home at some other realm? Asgard is my home, no other place can mean more to me.

Is it wise for Asgardians to marry Midgardians/humans?: Not really, they are so short-lived. I know them to be brave and sometimes wiser than some give them credit for. But our life spans are so different... It would only result in grief, I think.

If you were in Asgard when Loki disguised as Odin was running the place, how good/bad of a job you think he did?: The plays suck. When you heard Thor left Asgard to be in Midgard, what did you think about his decision? In all honesty, I thought him selfish. We needed him, and he left us. I tried to think that he needed the time to reflect, and would soon return to us... but it was too late. Who should be ruling Asgard, or what’s left of it, after Odin’s death? What do you hope for Asgard now that the Realm itself has been annihilated? It is Thor’s duty, which I hope he will now fully accept and embrace. Who else would it be? Certainly not the traitor. As for Asgard’s future... We have helped other Realms in their distress. We have friends, and we are not completely useless punch. I know we have a future, but what that is like... I cannot imagine yet.  Tagged by: Me! I made this! Tagging: @loralie-of-asgard, @lokiodinsonblog, @fandralxthexstabulous, @arcanelokadottir, @endrethesly, @prevariicator, @raventhekiller, @the-mjolnir-owner, @thebrokengodofmischief, @thegreatwolf-fenris, @mjolnirisuseless, @hisladyofmischief,  @dearlokigodofmischief, @sxlvertongue, @theadoptedprince, @kingxfmischief, @wellxtraveledxgoddess, @the-silver-son, @hewhomisworthy, @redeemedasgardian, @valkyrierp, @elneragoddessoftime, @eir-goddess-of-healing,

[storiesofwildfire]

Fandral the Dashing

LEGAL NAME: Fandral Bjarteson

ALIASES: Fandral the Dashing and Robin Hood are definitely the most infamous. From time to time, especially when accepting an assignment from Sigurd, Fandral will adopt various aliases. They also just make traveling to other realms a bit easier for the natives of those realms, so it’s common practice for him.

AGE: Fandral sits close to 1,200 Asgardian years old, though he would be much older in Earth years. Fandral is also slightly older than both of Asgard’s princes.

OCCUPATION/TITLE: Warrior, swordsman, adventurer, part-time operative

GENDER & PRONOUNS: Male, he/him

FACECLAIM: Zachery Levi

APPEARANCE: Standing nearly six and a half feet tall with striking blue eyes, blonde hair, and an athletic build, Fandral is easily one of the most beautiful men to grace Asgard. Oddly enough, he is also one of the few grown men that can actually get away with short hair. He has an incredible fashion sense that also makes him stand out, and he’s definitely not the type to shy away from the attention.

SEXUAL/ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: Pansexual and panromantic

PARENTS: Bjarte (father) ;; Gyda (mother)

SIBLINGS: None

CHILDREN: None

RELATIONSHIP TO LOKI: Fandral is a friend and secret crush of Loki’s. After convincing Fandral to travel to Asgard, the pair grew close, even if a lot of their relationship remained out of sight. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind, though, that Fandral has a huge soft spot for the younger prince of Asgard.

Most knew him as Fandral the Dashing, companion and loyal friend of the princes of Asgard and faithful member of the Warriors Three. Many people would point him out for his fine skills with a sword, his prowess in battle, his dedication to his friends, and his undeniable charisma. Fandral charmed his way around beautiful women and men alike. He gained quite the reputation of wiggling his way into the hearts of everyone he met and the beds of quite a large portion of those numbers, and yet, most knew nothing more about him.

Fandral always appeared to be an open book to anyone who wished to take a look. His welcoming smiling, hearty laugh, and natural beauty drew in just about everyone, and he willingly engaged with them. There weren’t many who disliked him unless, of course, they were jealous of him or jealous of the lovers he took up with because his eyes weren’t on them. Even those who found envy when they looked upon the swordsman, though, had a hard time truly hating him.

He was just too kind, too genuinely good-hearted, and too fun to be around for many to loathe.

Throughout Gladsheim, Asgard’s capital, home to the royal palace and many of the nobles who kept the realm running and overseeing Yggdrasil’s protection, most of the citizens knew of Fandral, of his passion, and his adventures. Those who spoke with him personally would claim they knew him rather well. Being such a well-liked individual with open arms tended to make the people around him believe they were well within their rights to say that they knew him rather well.

And, in truth, Fandral would be inclined to agree with any of them. No one noticed how Fandral always remembered their names, even when he likely shouldn’t have due to only meeting an individual once or twice under the influence of a lot of Asgardian mead. No one noticed how, despite laughing off most serious conversation, he was one of the first to speak up with intellectual insight on important matters such as battle strategy, Asgardian security, or even more personal understandings of people, like his commentary on Loki’s mischievous tendencies but overall good nature when the rest of his friends insisted on blaming the sorcerer for Thor’s banishment.

Always quick to be written off as a flamboyant warrior with fancy footwork and swordplay, quicker to take up a goblet of wine and the company of a pretty lady than to engage in more serious matters, most overlooked how bright the young swordsman actually was. Often assumed to be of average intelligence and easily distracted, no one truly knew how severely they had misjudged Fandral and, as a penalty, never took notice to how much of his life they imagined on their own.

Most people believed Fandral to be from some sort of nobility. He certainly dressed, fought, and carried himself as if he belonged amongst royalty, but the truth was, he came from a much more modest background. He didn’t even try to purposefully deceive the people around him, they just came to their own conclusions and the longer he dwelled in Gladsheim, the more he realized that status was everything. Perhaps he hadn’t intended on lying to anyone of where he came from, but he grew more and more inclined to keep certain details to himself unless directly expected to answer personal questions about his childhood.

Most people never asked.

In actuality, Fandral grew up in a small town on the outskirts of the realm. Idavoll, commonly known to Midgardians as the expansive field where all of the houses of the Aesir Gods stood, was actually just a small farming community where Asgard exported many crops from. Perhaps Midgardians were not as clueless as they seemed, as they did get the ‘fields’ part of their description right.  

Born to a farmer by the name of Bjarte and his wife, Gyda, Fandral lived by modest means as a child. He often found himself roped into helping his father in the fields or helping his mother prepare, package, and deliver their goods to the rest of the town.

While Fandral did help Bjarte and the other workers in the fields, more of his time went to traveling with his mother to sell and deliver. Most of the people they interacted with were common folk as well, merchants, blacksmiths, and teachers were among the most common, but they did interact with nobility. Their tiny town had a few small, noble families who seemed to favor harvesting their goods from locals rather than reaching out to other towns and cities across Asgard. Fandral’s family grew to be a favorite local source.

Word of their little farm spread to a few nearby towns and by the time Fandral reached adolescence, he found himself traveling outside of his home to visit with people and nobles from their neighboring settlements.

The excitement and adrenalin that came with traveling, even for such a short distance, woke up a desire for adventure deep within Fandral’s bones. He couldn’t say that he came from nothing. His family was successful and loving and did the best that they could for their son, but there was nothing exciting about the life of a farmer or a merchant. They made an honest living for their modest life, but Fandral found himself wondering... was this really all that life had to offer him? Would he grow up to be the spitting image of his father? A man with so much to give and so much potential to fulfill, tilling the soil and living off the land?

Until that very first trip outside of Idavoll, Fandral hadn’t considered that, perhaps, he could be destined for so much more? He was born into a life he had no control over, but that did not mean that it needed to be his existence for thousands of years, right?

It sounded like a childish dream, a fairytale that parents told their children they could believe in, but Fandral couldn’t help but think why not? What was stopping him from achieving something greater? Of becoming something more? Sure, his background probably didn’t do him any favors. He had no real advantages in the world despite being a rather attractive boy (yes, even at such a young age, people knew Fandral would be nothing short of a heartthrob) who had a strong work ethic and a surprisingly strong moral compass. Even from a young age, Fandral seemed to be a stickler for what was noble and honorable.

But how? That was the real question, wasn’t it? How did he break off from the course his life was on and make a change for a better future?

No... for bettering himself?

Trusting his mother to understand his desires, he spoke with her on the return trip of their first outing. He did not expect Gyda to be cruel or discouraging, but the genuine delight and even the slight bit of amusement that filled his mother’s beautiful features truly took him by surprise.

“You can do whatever you set your mind to, Fandral,” she whispered, wrapping her arm around her son’s shoulder so she could pull him close. “You can be whatever you want to be. Life may not make things easy for you, but if you want something badly enough, and you are determined to let yourself have it, you can take the world by storm and the world would happily hand itself over to you.”

She had no idea just how correct she was in that assessment.

“You truly believe that?” Fandral asked, blue eyes wide with wonder at how quick his mother had been to agree to such a thing.

“Of course,” she replied. “And I want the best for my boy, so what is it that you want to do? If not follow in your father’s footsteps?”

“I—” Fandral sounded excited, but it quickly died out when he realized he hadn’t put much thought into what he actually wanted. “—don’t know? Adventure, I think? The freedom to roam and explore and do great things.”

Gyda chuckled and squeezed her son’s shoulder. “That sounds like a great place to start, but I think you’ll need to put a bit more thought into it. I’ll do what I can to help you, darling.”

And she did. From that point on Gyda did everything she could get gather resources for her son, to get him texts he could study, resources that interested him, and even tutors that would be beneficial for him. Of course, they lived modestly, but she splurged as much as she could into her son’s future, and if she could not afford to pay, well, she had plenty of good favors to cash in on around Idavoll.

For several years, she assisted her boy in every way that she could, exposing him to as much as she could during their travels, but there was one thing Fandral didn’t have much access to and something that he, honestly, didn’t feel a whole lot of desire to pursue. Combat training.

It wasn’t until a last-minute trip to a neighboring town cropped up that such a need truly arose. Fandral helped his mother prepare their horses and pack their wagon for the journey late one afternoon.

Halfway to the next town, however, a small band of thieves approached them from the East. The horses couldn’t hope to pull the loaded wagon quickly enough to outrun the men and women on horseback, so Gyda stopped the wagon and pulled Fandral from his place beside her. He wanted to question, wanted to insist that they needed to keep going, but his mother lifted a single finger to her lips, indicating that he ought to remain silent. Ushering him into the woods that ran alongside the path, she draped a thick cloak over his shoulders and covered his blonde head with it.

“Mum,” he whispered, but she shook her head.

“You need to stay here, hidden, until those people are gone. Understand?” Fandral nodded. “Promise me you’ll stay here until I come to fetch you?” The boy nodded again, and his mother quickly returned to the side of the cart, busying herself with checking the reigns on one of the horses.

The bandits approached her, an argument broke out, and one of the larger men backhanded the woman across the face, sending her to the ground. Fandral, watching from the forest line, shot up, prepared to rush to and defend his mother, but he locked eyes with her and she vigorously shook her head while the group of strangers rummaged through the wagon, picking it apart.

In the end, they’d taken everything, even their horses, and one man, out of rage or hatred, Fandral couldn’t tell, beat his mother bloody for no good reason other than he could. She did not attempt to stop them, did not fight the robbery, knew better than most that if she did, they could very easily kill her.

Fandral could not take his eyes off of the man who caused his mother so much pain, his face forever engrained in the boy’s mind as anger boiled through his blood. He wanted to run to her, protect her, but what would she say? He promised to stay put, but if he did nothing, her assailant could murder her.

A blow, followed by another, and another, and before Fandral knew what he was doing, his feet were carrying him as quickly as possible to the bloodied woman on the ground beside their wagon. He threw his entire weight into the man, shoving him away from his mother and purposefully positioned himself between the two. Hysterical, Gyda demanded that Fandral run and hide, but the blond refused to move, instead choosing to stare down the man that dare lay a hand on his mother as if there was something he could actually do about it.

The furious brute lifted a hand to him, but a woman’s voice rang out from the side of the wagon. She stepped around from the back, hands on her hips, glaring at the man almost as intently as Fandral was. “We got what we wanted. It’s time to go.”

“This little brat—” the man protested, but the woman just scowled at him.

“Is a child trying to defend his mother, you big, ugly bastard. Let’s. Go.”

The raiders left with all of their goods, leaving them no way to get home short of walking. Fandral half-carried Gyda home. Thankfully, she did make a full recovery, but the event left a lasting impression on the son of a farmer. There were plenty of evil people in this world, or people desperate enough to hurt innocent people, and people like him were destined to stand by and watch it happen, unable to do anything about it. His mother could have been killed, and for what? For goods that she hadn’t fought over in the first place.

That sense of honor that Fandral developed at such a young age seemed to kick into overdrive from that moment forward. He even went as far as to acquire his first sword from a local blacksmith after trading him a handsome amount of leather. It became clear rather quickly that Fandral had some natural born talent with a sword in hand, though he spent most of his earliest time practicing alone. Self-taught meant that, despite having a raw knack for it, he was rather sloppy.

Word of his growing talent made its way through the small town, which wasn’t nearly as difficult as it sounded due to how close-knit the community truly was. Needless to say, Fandral piqued the interest of many, even a few stray warriors here and there who were passing through town on business or had retired for a calmer, peaceful life after their years of service.

One particularly gifted swordswoman by the name of Brenna (whose name ironically did mean ‘sword’), took a real interest in Fandral and after speaking to the charming lad, she agreed to properly train him. The talent was there already, a solid structure to build upon, but Brenna helped Fandral hone his craft with precision and technique that he would never accomplish on his own.

It became clear rather quickly that Fandral’s skills reached far beyond that of a boy from a small town, that he did not belong in Idavoll, but Fandral’s intent behind learning to fight had never been to grow into a warrior. He only wished to protect the people closest to him, to protect himself in extreme cases, so what happened to his mother would never happen again under his watch. It never occurred to him that what he wanted out of learning to handle a sword actually did line up with what it meant to be a warrior, just on a much broader scale.

Many people that he’d known for most of his life—his parents included—suggested he travel to Gladsheim, that he demonstrate what he could do to the influencers of their realm, but Fandral was of a very different mindset. Yes, he was good with a sword, intelligent, and possessed a quick wit, but why would anyone from the capitol care about a farmer’s boy who happened to get ahold of a blade? If he went, he would be nothing short of a laughing stock, surely. Charming and captivating the citizens of the small town he’d been raised in were one thing, but doing it before a royal court? Asgard’s army? People with real power?

That seemed almost laughable.

At least, until Fandral met a young woman in the woods on one of his trips.

He’d grown old enough that he could travel to neighboring cities without his mother or another guardian and he’d grown deadly enough with his prowess for battle that no one feared he wouldn’t return. Unfortunately, as he grew older and older, he found himself more likely to goof off or find distraction in engaging company and he would return home to lectures about being punctual and putting work ahead of play and pleasure. Fandral understood, of course, but what was life if he made no room for the enjoyment of it?

The beautiful, young woman with rich ebony hair that reached her backside certainly qualified as the perfect distraction. Taller than most women, she must have only been a hand shorter than Fandral himself, and she was dressed in a form-fitted body-suit that seemed ideal for both travel and battle. The material of her cloak spoke of wealth, and the intricate jewelry laced in her braids only added to the assumption, but it wasn’t her beauty, nor her wealth that pulled the warrior-to-be to a halt.

No, instead, it was the man who had all but knocked the woman off of her horse. A man that Fandral recognized very well. He could never forget the face of the raider who nearly killed his mother.

He didn’t think twice, didn’t stop to notice the green aura that radiated from the woman’s hands, and engaged the thief immediately. After spending years honing his skills, he backed the man into such a tight corner, there was nowhere to go, and for a split moment, he debated on killing him. Part of him wanted to, truly. First his mother, and now this young woman? How many people had this creature preyed on? Harmed? Killed?

“I think you got him,” the woman spoke from somewhere behind him. “Might I suggest these?” She conjured a pair of shackles, and Fandral spun around just quickly enough to catch sight of the magic. Captivated, he couldn’t help but stare. “I appreciate the help, swordsman, but I could have handled him on my own. Do you make a habit of saving damsels in distress?”

She stepped around Fandral and restrained the man with her cuffs, though he seemed to have lost consciousness for the time being. Fandral found himself staring at her, though, caught somewhere between adoring her and embarrassment for rushing in so brashly to save her.

“No, of course not, I just—” Fandral offered her a charming smile, one that fit so easily onto his face, it seemed like a natural state of being. “Forgive me. I did not mean to step on your toes, my lady, but this man has terrorized others in this area before. He attacked my mother when I was nothing but a boy. When I saw him harassing you, I feared the worst. I did not possess the skill to protect my mother then, but I had the ability to stop him now.”

“Skilled you are,” she chuckled, amusement clear in her jewel-toned eyes. They were like perfect emeralds... “I haven’t seen someone dance around with a sword like that in quite some time. Are you from around here?”

The woman introduced herself as Lagertha and she expressed to Fandral that, perhaps, he ought to consider moving somewhere where his skills could be valued. She even went as far as to abandon the reason she’s come all that way in the first place and rode with Fandral to his delivery, getting to know him as they went.

The young sorceress coveted her true identity in the face of the Aesir, as Lagertha had become a front she put on when she needed to escape the palace, but the longer she spent with Fandral, the easier it became to stick around, to be honest with him, to open herself up to him. She realized quickly that Fandral was more than what he appeared. While skilled with a sword, he was not some cocky warrior who felt entitled to everything. Instead, he was a self-taught, self-made, and honest worker who believed wholeheartedly in doing what he believed was right. She saw an intelligent and charming young man who seemed so intent on learning and bettering himself and she could not argue...

Fandral was destined for better things.

She convinced Fandral to spend a few days with her and Fandral, captivated by her intellect, her beauty, and her magic, happily agreed. Yes, his father would be furious, but he would deal with the consequences later on. Something kept him rooted to Lagertha and he couldn’t bring himself to turn her away.

After several days together, Lagertha slowly building up the idea that Fandral ought to come with her to Gladsheim, she opened up further.

“What if I told you that I wasn’t who you think I am?” she asked.

“You’ve kept details of yourself rather vague,” Fandral admitted. “And you’ve kept our conversations mostly focused on me during your conquest to bait me into this adventure of yours. I suppose it wouldn’t surprise me much to learn you aren’t who you say you are.” The shock on Lagertha’s features had him smirking with satisfaction. He liked producing that reaction, especially from someone as witty as the woman at his side. “If you aren’t Lagertha, then who are you?”

“Would you believe me if I said I was the Prince of Asgard?”

Fandral laughed because surely, she must be joking. She only watched him with that cool, calm demeanor of hers, waiting for him to calm himself of his joyous giggles. “You can’t be serious?”

“I can show you if you’d like.”

And she did. One of the only people to ever see Loki shape-shift from Lagertha to the form most of Asgard knew him by and one of the few who actually knew the secret alias of the prince, Fandral realized quickly how much Loki must have come to trust him in such a short time. Pulling away from her—him?—once the truth was revealed seemed like a valid option, but one that Fandral didn’t take. His heart thrummed in his chest as the call to adventure all but screamed in his face.

He’d impressed a prince. That prince wanted to bring him to Gladsheim, to take him on that journey that he’d so desperately craved for years. Perhaps a bit too quick to agree without thinking things over, Fandral threw caution to the wind and accepted Loki’s offer, requesting only a week to prepare for his departure.

Gladsheim, as it turned out, was the perfect place for someone like Fandral, but it was shell-shocking to the system at first. Going from such a small, quiet place where everyone knew everyone to a place as massive, grand, and glittering as the home of the royal family took some getting used to. For the first time in his life, Fandral felt overwhelmed and almost timid, but he never allowed anyone to see it. At least, most people were not observant enough to pinpoint it.

Because Fandral hit it off so well with not only Thor but several of Thor’s friends many people assumed that the warrior actually had strong ties to Thor and likely came from some sort of nobility. No one really knew that it was, in fact, Loki who convinced the swordsman to make the journey to Gladsheim, but Fandral was never shy about his soft spot for Loki.

He went on to earn himself a title of being one of the best swordsmen the realm had to offer and often accompanied Thor and Loki on their adventures off-realm, even earning himself a stint on Midgard where locals modeled the tale of Robin Hood after him. His true talents, however, were often kept from view and while most pegged Fandral for being a flirtatious socialite, his quest for bettering himself and studying just about anything he could get his hands on remained at the forefront of his passions. It was his tendency of tucking himself away with a good book or questioning a professional on their practice that so often brought the younger prince back into Fandral’s company, and the two grew rather close.

Loki even decided that Fandral was so skilled in working his way up through the ranks undetected, that he introduced him to Sigurd, Odin’s most trusted advisor and the head of an intricate spy organization that spanned throughout and beyond Yggdrasil. Sigurd even liked the warrior enough to use him from time to time, when Fandral had the time, of course.

Author’s Note: I do wanna take a moment to give a quick shoutout to @fandralxthexstabulous because she writes such a brilliant Fandral and, honestly, has been a huge inspiration to me for a really long time both for Fandral and just playing off of her writing in general. While my take on Fandral is my own and I got way too wordy with all of the info you see above, there are a few elements that were inspired by @fandralxthexstabulous and her lovely Fandral. Mostly, the idea that Fandral does any sort of spywork. She offered to let me use her backstory ages ago and while I couldn’t bring myself to simply take it, I did keep a few shoutouts to her incredible Fandral.

Fandral is someone I’ve wanted to write for a very, very long time. I have loved him for a long time, but I definitely wanted to give credit where credit is due because @fandralxthexstabulous is incredible and honestly one of my favorite interpretations ever. High quality, highly fun, and forever my Loki’s Fandral of choice <3

I love her a lot, okay, and she deserves recognition for the amazing work she’d done with her Fandral because I routinely forget that he’s not canon.

[storiesofwildfire]

TAG 8 PEOPLE YOU’D LIKE TO KNOW BETTER!

( repost, don’t reblog. )

tagged by: @sviker tagging: @lameshsorsye @inadxquacy @masterofthepastandpresent @likesbeingbad @mxctxns @starkxsarcasm @ragetrusted and whoever else would like to do this!

ONE ( NAME / ALIAS ): Amber

TWO ( BIRTHDAY ): September 15th

THREE ( ZODIAC SIGN ): Virgo

FOUR ( HEIGHT ):  5′6″

FIVE ( HOBBIES ): I spend a massive about of time writing, obviously. RP is a hobby, yes, but I also went to school for writing, so it consumes a lot of my life even outside of Tumblr. I also read a lot or do research for writing projects, video gaming (I mean, I can’t stfu about Destiny, Tomb Raider, and Dead by Daylight v.v), binge-watching shows because idk how to watch just one episode, exploring Southern California with a lot of trips to Disneyland, interior decorating... 

SIX ( FAVOURITE COLOUR(S) ):  Green, turquoise, teal, rose gold

SEVEN ( FAVOURITE BOOKS ): Oh Gods, uh... honestly, I have no idea. I’ve spent so much time reading, it’s hard to choose. As far as children's’ books go, I’d say A Series of Unfortunate Events, young adult novels, I’d probably go with The Mortal Instruments series, with a close follow up of Harry Potter. Adult books... To Kill a Mockingbird has always stuck with me. The Ritual I recently read and it was pretty damn good, the Destiny Grimoires which they recently released into hard copy anthologies so it counts! Probably a lot of the books sitting on my shelf that I haven’t read yet.

EIGHT ( LAST SONG LISTENED TO: ): Warriors ;; Imagine Dragons

NINE ( LAST FILM WATCHED ): I went to see Greta with my roommate on Monday. I didn’t know what to expect, but it was kind of iconic. I think I’m going to see Captain Marvel on Monday or Tuesday. We’ll see.

TEN ( INSPIRATION FOR MUSE ): Aside from the obvious answer of Marvel, I tend to draw a looooooooot of inspiration from Norse mythology and the Viking Age. I’m actually working on a personal project outside of Tumblr that focuses solely on Norse myth Loki, so mythology plays a huge role in my portrayal. I do take inspiration from a lot of places, though, including music, genres, and specific stories. I love giving Loki AU verses that I’ll try my best to fit into his world and, if I can’t, Loki becomes a complete AU version of himself. A couple of examples would include my vampire verse, my Pacific Rim verse, and my cyberpunk verse.

ELEVEN ( DREAM JOB ): Screenplay writer. Film or television preferably, but I wouldn’t turn my nose up to working in comics or video games.

TWELVE ( MEANING BEHIND YOUR URL ): Loki is often accredited with titles that we all know like God of Mischief, Lies, Chaos, etc., but if you do a little bit of digging into Norse myth, you’ll unlock a long slew of godly titles that Loki carries. People boil him down to Mischief and Lies because he’s the Trickster God, but Loki is also the God of Fire and the God of Stories and/or the Parent of Storytelling, along with even more titles like God of the Hearth and even some extremely lewd (and gay) sexual activities, just to name a few.

Loki is usually referred to as being born to his mother, Laufey, but in some interpretations of Norse myth, Loki is actually born of Chaos itself and is described as a spark of wildfire until he manifests a physical body. I do not, obviously, go with this interpretation, but it’s a nice metaphor for Loki’s attraction to fire and why he might carry the title.

So the ‘stories’ part of the URL boils down to Loki being the God of Storytelling. My blog is basically a dedication of Loki’s stories and stories about him, so ‘storiesof’, while the ‘wildfire’ part kind of holds multiple meanings, the most basic being that he is also the God of Fire and can manipulate the element of fire with magic. It goes on from there to reference how Loki has been referred to as wildfire in spirit and even reflects on his personality in a lot of ways. Wildfire, as the name suggests, is chaotic, ever-changing, and capable of destruction or cleansing. It is neither good nor bad, it is just a powerful force that can bend and manipulate itself in countless different fashions, but never yields to the whims of others, much like Loki.

In several threads, I’ve even applied the codename ‘Wildfire’ to Loki. In a thread with @notcompliant , for example, Loki’s been captured by Hydra and turned into a weapon much like Bucky. As Bucky is known as ‘Winter’, Hydra decided to call Loki ‘Wildfire’. In another verse with @fandralxthexstabulous , Fandral actually works for Asgard’s spymaster, and for safety reasons, they have codenames when interacting with one another and they also have codenames for important figures that they interact with. Loki’s codename within the spy network is Wildfire. 

[storiesofwildfire]

On the Eve of Disaster

          { @fandralxthexstabulous }

♔—- Loki’s life changed rapidly after the Dark Elves invasion. For months, he sat in Asgard’s dungeon, expecting to live out the rest of his unending days there, slowly rotting away into a mental state that couldn’t even be recognized as intelligent anymore. Being locked up for a few months hadn’t been the worst thing he’d endured. No, not by far, but the fallen prince knew that if he didn’t find some means of freedom, he would slowly lose every last shred of his sanity.

But the time came where he was granted his freedom in exchange for hunting down the beasts that attacked Asgard and, more importantly, the people who were responsible for the slaughter of his mother, Frigga. During the battle against the Dark Elves on the miserable realm of Svartalfheim, Loki was injured in the process of protecting his brother and his brother’s love from certain death. The injury had been fatal, as he’d been impaled through the chest in such a way that disrupted the immediate and necessary function of several vital organs.

If people knew that Loki was still alive, they’d probably claim that he’d faked his own death, but in truth, even Loki believed he was suffering his final moments. His brother dropped to his knees beside him and wrapped his arms around him, sobbing like the sentimental sap that he was and all Loki could do was express how sorry he was. If there was anything he needed to say before he died, it was that.

Loki wasn’t afraid of death. As he rested in his brother’s arms, quickly slipping out of consciousness, he felt a sense of peace. He died for a good cause. He died avenging his mother. He died knowing that he’d redeemed himself. And if he chose his words carefully, he’d die without the regrets of never trying to mend things with his brother.

When Loki woke, alone in the dirt of Svartalfheim, he was nothing short of confused. Why was he not dead? Even with his magic, how could he have possibly lived through such horrible trauma? And why had Thor left his body on the realm without attempting to recover it? Loki feared the worst, that Thor hadn’t succeeded in his attempt to stop Malekith.

What he returned home to find outraged him rather than soothed his fears. The realm was in ruins and Thor? Thor was nowhere to be seen. As a matter of fact, he didn’t even want to take on the responsibility of helping Asgard rebuild and recover from the detrimental damage caused by the invasion. He hadn’t gone back for Loki’s body. He hadn’t helped his people rebuild. He hadn’t helped his friends resist the charges of the treason he convinced them to commit. He didn’t even want to stay by his miserable father’s side as the old fool attempted to hold Asgard together in his grieving. 

Odin, without Frigga, was nothing but a tired old man whose health and will seemed to decline rapidly.

Even if Loki hadn’t eased his father into Odinsleep, it would have taken him sooner or later. Odin wasn’t well and he was only holding on for the sake of his realm. In a way, Loki felt like he was doing the old man a favor by letting him rest after all he endured. 

Loki took Odin’s place as king, choosing to disguise himself as the one-eyed All-father that the realm came to know and love. He didn’t exactly like parading around as Odin, a man he had so much lasting anger and animosity towards, but he found himself in a unique position to take care of Asgard, mend its wounds, and alter the general public’s opinion of him as well. If Odin sang praises of his second son’s bravery, surely people would listen? And why shouldn’t Odin honor his assumed to be dead son? Loki died protecting Asgard, after all. Without him, many of the survivors of the invasion would probably be dead as well. The entire galaxy would have been altered and damaged forever.

In theory, Loki could be a good king while slowly shift public favor in his direction as well. He could tell his story through the way that he always perceived it and people would finally listen. 

And Gods damn it, he deserved a bit of happiness, didn’t he?

Once he began reconstruction projects and established a plan to build Asgard back up to its former glory, he started publicly sending out small search parties to look for his body. As Odin, he claimed that since they were never able to recover a body, he had hope that Loki was still alive. Perhaps he’d been captured or he’d run away in hopes of escaping being locked up again? Either were legitimate explanations as to how Loki could still be alive and he made it appear as if Odin clung to the hope that his second son could still be alive.

Sooner or later, he would have one of those search parties find him and make a display of him returning to Asgard, beaten and battered, but very much alive. Only once he’d established a positive image for himself and the immediate dangers Asgard faced in its time of vulnerability were catered to first.

Some of his desires were selfish, he had to admit, but that didn’t stop him from doing the job of king. And, truly, he wasn’t half bad at it. Even if he was planning to erect a statue of himself and was currently commissioning a play to honor his sacrifice for Asgard. If he was going to use Odin’s face to show the realm a different side of himself, he was going to do it in the most obnoxious and extra way possible. More importantly, he was going to back up that praise with proof that he was good enough to deserve it. 

He was going to take care of the realm, it just came with a few added perks, like improving his popularity and even releasing and protecting his children.

One curveball he hadn’t counted on was Fandral.

For a time, quite a number of years before Loki’s fall from the Bifrost, he and the swordsman had been in a rather intimate relationship. Loki loved Fandral and he believed that Fandral loved him in turn, but they’d been young and Loki had been... too unsure of himself, too caught up in his lacking self-worth, and too jealous to maintain the relationship. He grew so distraught over Fandral’s constant flirting and how easy it seemed to draw his attention away from him, yet he’d been unwilling to speak to his lover about his feelings, choosing instead to squash them down and repress them. He was setting himself and his relationship up to fail, he just hadn’t seen it until it was too late, and by then, the damage was done.

Eventually, Loki broke up with Fandral, and it broke his heart to do so, but he just wasn’t secure enough with himself to accept what came with Fandral’s position. His persona that serviced his work for the Old Wolf was just an extension of his true self and Loki kept telling himself that Fandral didn’t need to constantly flirt. He didn’t need to constantly make beautiful women swoon and pine after him. But he chose to. And Loki’s insecurities and his jealousy eventually became too much. He regretted the decision almost immediately, but what could he do? 

In truth, Loki wasn’t sure he ever really got over the swordsman. Loki often found himself lingering on his time with Fandral, wondering if he could have done something differently.

But did Loki still love him? He wouldn’t admit it, but he knew, deep down, that he never stopped.

After their breakup, though, they stopped interacting all together. Loki avoided Fandral at all costs because it was too painful to even attempt to be around him. So imagine Loki’s shock when he sat upon the throne as Odin and Fandral came to him, requesting that he be sent off on one of the search parties to bring Loki home? Why did Fandral want to go searching for him? He couldn’t get that off of his mind. It plagued him from the moment Fandral approached him and even now, a solid week after Fandral had been given permission to leave, Loki still lingered on it.

Which really didn’t help him much, considering he was staring at a massive stack of paperwork that needed to be done before the morning. Sitting in his private study, Loki took on his normal visage. No one would interrupt him so late at night and if someone came searching for him, he’d just shift back into Odin before anyone could see him. He sat in nothing more than an emerald robe made of fine silk that exposed quite a bit of his chest and he’d gone through half a decanter of wine already as he poured over the endless stack of parchment in front of him.

His mind kept darting back to Fandral, though, and he found himself signing papers that he couldn’t even remember reading, even though he’d read them all. 

“Gods,” he groaned quietly, setting his quill aside for a moment so he could actually rub his eyes. “This is going to keep me up all damned night if I don’t pick up the pace here...” But he really just wanted to go to bed. Surely, paperwork could wait, right? “No,” he hissed at himself. “You need to get this done before the sun comes up. Just focus.”

But could he?

[storiesofwildfire]

dashingfrost/fandroki?

send me a ship and I’ll tell you – status; accepting

vomit / don’t ship / okay / cute / adorable / perfect / beyond flawless / hot damn/ screaming and crying / i will ship them in hell

I shipped this for years before I ever started rping it with @fandralxthexstabulous . I mean, it because a pretty substantial part of Loki’s backstory that, for a time, he was severely romantically invested in Fandral. I love everything about this ship and when it’s written well, it’s amazing. Unfortunately, it’s a very small ship, so I don’t see a whole lot of love for it, but I will ship them to the grave and then into the afterlife.

[storiesofwildfire]

A YULE GIFT FROM LOKI ;; @fandralxthexstabulous

♔—- Loki had a few packages set out for Fandral by the time Yule came around. A couple of them were rather small and then there was a particularly large box sitting in the center of the table with a couple of smaller packages around it. All of them were wrapped in the same beautiful, shimmering teal fabric complete with golden bows. He took the smallest package from the table and handed it to Fandral.

      “This is your main gift, darling. I know it doesn’t seem like a lot, but I thought it would like nice on your desk. Plus, I painted it myself.” A simple glass mug sat inside the box, but it had a stained-glass fox painted on it.

     “The rest are things I’ve picked out for our wedding, but I wanted to surprise you with them now.” And yes, every piece did have a solid-yet-subtle theme. A wine bottle holder, a set of wine glasses that they would drink from during their reception, and, in the largest box, an example of what their centerpieces could look like. “I wanted to incorporate a few pieces like this into our reception.” He couldn’t help but grin. “I think they’re appropriate. And beautiful.”

[storiesofwildfire]

📖 📷 💋 🔪 💌 📫 📨 💬 💀 👪 👊💒 (From Fandral, feel free to mix and match verses)

{ @fandralxthexstabulous } || send me a symbol to see what my muse would say about yours – status; accepting

📖 for what my muse would write about yours in their diary. (from the POV of Loki and Fandral mending their friendship)

     I’m not entirely sure what to make of Fandral anymore. After he chose to openly support Thor, I didn’t think there was anything left between us, but… He was so quick to realize that he’d hurt me and immediately jumped on wanting to make amends for it. He’s been honest with me in ways I didn’t even think he was capable of, but I’m afraid, too. That sounds stupid, doesn’t it? He’s bending over backwards to make things right between us because he cares and yet I’m afraid of getting too attached again? 

     Can I be blamed for that, though? My feelings for Fandral became so intense so quickly that it startled me. Those feelings are still there, really, but should they be? Yes, Fandral’s doing his best to make amends and yes, he’s explained to me why he made the decisions that he made, but… I’m not really sure what to make of what he feels for me, I suppose. There’s enough uncertainty to make me wary because there was a point in time where I thought he might feel the same way about me that I felt about him. Now I’m not so sure. It’s very obvious that he cares about me. He wouldn’t have gone so far out of his way to make me happy again if he didn’t, but is that a result of valuing our friendship and nothing more?

     It’s relatively easy to convince myself that I’m the one with feelings above and beyond that of friendship. Fandral’s able to have literally anyone he wants. Why would he want to be with me? It makes perfect sense as to why how I’m feeling would be one-sided. And yet, every once in a while, I catch Fandral starring at me with a sort of longing in his eyes. Maybe I’m just imagining it, but it’s happened more than once, usually when we’re alone and he doesn’t think that I’m paying any attention to what he’s doing. Hel, a time or two, I even caught him watching me in the bath house after hours of training… 

     Gods, I sound like a lovesick teenager right now. This is actually pathetic… I shouldn’t be sitting in my bed, writing about my feelings for some boy that’s far too pretty to ever climb into my bed. Sometimes it still amazes me that I still harbor such strong feelings for him after everything that happened, but his efforts to make things up to me have only proven to make me want him that much more. I think even Sigyn might approve of him. I’ve been so unwilling to explore romance since she died, but when I’m around Fandral, it almost feels like she’s offering me her blessings, in a way.

     Sooner or later, I guess I’ll have to tell him how I feel. If I ever work up the courage to do so, that is.

📷 for what my muse would say to the paparazzi about yours. (from the POV of Loki being questioned by other court members about his choice in lover once he and Fandral have finally become public, because… does Asgard even have real paparazzi?)

     “Yes, I think Fandral is a perfectly fine suitor. If I one day have to retake the throne hardly matters in my affairs with the person I’ve chosen to spend my life with, does it? So long as we are able to have children–and I can assure you that we can. I’m sure none of you have forgotten that I’m able to carry children. You usually never let me forget about all of the times you believe I’ve stumbled or faltered, after all. Regardless, my point remains the same.

     “With Thor refusing to take the throne and no other suitable heirs, it’s likely that I will probably have to become king once again when Odin decides it’s his time to step down.” Fortunately, Loki was able to hide the shiver that ran down his spine at the prospect of becoming king again. “I realize that puts a heavy load of responsibility upon my shoulders. I was acting king for months after the Dark Elves invasion, after all, but I still fail to see what any of that has to do with Fandral. He’s a strong, loyal warrior who would die for Asgard should he be asked to lay down his life. He’s a member of a respected noble house. He’s extremely intelligent, adaptable, and given a position of power, he’ll do right by his realm and by me. We’ve long since had this discussion. Fandral understands what it means to be with me and how that will impact his life and responsibilities.

     “What I fail to understand is what any of this has to do with the rest of you? Does my decision on who to love offend you so greatly that you feel the need to question me about it? I’m not going to marry for political reasons. Odin didn’t. Thor wouldn’t. I shouldn’t be expected to, either. If your worry stems from how it’ll be viewed by the realm, then it’s about time we stop acting like Midgardians and start showing acceptance, isn’t it?” That last comment seemed to shut everyone up. No Aesir liked to be compared to a human. It was an insult above most things because Asgard thought so highly of itself.

💋 for what my muse would say to the person trying to woo your muse. (from the POV of a jealous Loki who is still keeping his relationship with Fandral a secret)

     “You know… It’s not exactly attractive or desirable to drool over someone you’re lusting after,” Loki murmured as he leaned against the bar next to the redhead who spent most of the night attempting to lure Fandral over to her. In truth, the woman was absolutely beautiful. Her hair was so vibrant, it almost didn’t look real, and she was taller than most women, with curves in places that every man would want them to be. Perhaps that’s why he found so much displeasure in her attempts to woo Fandral because she was absolutely stunning?

     “You look desperate. Don’t throw away your self-respect just for the chance to be with someone for a night or two. No man is really worth that.” And while his words might have sounded a bit harsh, he actually did mean them in a way that didn’t entirely stem from jealousy. He’d been around Fandral long enough to know that plenty of women–and some men–forgot what dignity was when they were around him. Even Loki had fallen victim to that once or twice. “You ought to invest your efforts in someone who will take real, lasting interest in you.”

🔪 for the eulogy my muse would give for yours. (from the POV of Loki watching Fandral die during Thanos’ invasion of Asgard, right before Loki ignited Ragnarök)

     Fandral was one of the few warriors left on Asgard who hadn’t been killed or crippled by Thanos’ invasion. The realm crumbled around them as the Titan made one final push to crush those who stood in his way while obtaining the rest of the Infinity Stones. Sif had fallen. Volstagg and Hogun were gone. Fródi, Inka, Inge, and Alvida were dead. Even Thor had perished in the face of the Mad Titan, but Loki endured and Fandral was always right at his side.

     Until he wasn’t.

     Asmund and Sigurd were a couple of the only friends Loki had left aside from Fandral and when they heard Loki’s screams of anguish, they both came running. A void of darkness opened behind where Loki hit his knees in a pool of his lover’s blood. The dark-haired trickster carefully pulled Fandral into his arms, pleading with him not to leave, but Fandral was already gone. Life left him long before Loki could ever reach him and there was nothing he could do to bring him back.

     “Loki…” Asmund murmured as he stepped free from Sigurd’s shadows. The shadowmancer’s voids seemed to be one of the only safe places that they could go where Thanos could not follow them, but even they were only temporary solutions. The healer placed a hand on Loki’s shoulder as silent tears streaked through the blood and grime on Loki’s cheeks. Even Asmund had a difficult time bearing the sight of the dead warrior in Loki’s arms. “We need to go. Thanos will kill us to if we don’t.”

     “Thanos is going to kill everyone,” Loki murmured, though he didn’t fight his friend. Instead of kneeling in Fandral’s blood, Loki picked himself up and carried Fandral’s lifeless corpse with him to Sigurd’s void. Once Asmund and Loki were inside the darkness, Sigurd shut the open end and sealed them inside of it. Loki sat down and held Fandral against his chest, silent for a long time. So many people were dying so rapidly that there was no time for funerals. Fandral’s death was no different, but his death finally put things into perspective for him.

     “Fandral’s taught me a lot of things over the years,” Loki began. Sigurd and Asmund stood before him, watching as he grieved for his fallen lover. “He taught me that things are not always what they appear to be. He taught me that being a good person didn’t have to be difficult. He taught me the importance of loyalty and passion and he showed me how to love again. He even showed me how to love myself, which was something I never thought I’d ever be able to have. He was the one person I thought would always be by my side. When everyone else was gone, I thought he’d be there, but even he couldn’t endure this. With all of his strength and all of his wit and all of his charm… The world has been dimming since this war broke out, but now it feels truly cold.” He paused for a moment. Miraculously, the tears that fell from his eyes didn’t choke him up. His words were calm and eerily concise for someone who felt like he’d lost everything in the matter of a few moments. 

     “I feel cold.” That was the first time he’d ever uttered those words and truly knew what it felt like to experience the sensation of chill seeping into his bones. 

     “If losing Fandral has shown me anything, it’s that we aren’t going to win this war. He was the strongest person we had left and now he’s gone… But hope didn’t die with him. There is one thing left that we can do, that I can do to make all of this stop. I don’t know what will happen, but I have to try. I can’t let his sacrifice be for nothing. His death has to mean something. It has to count and I’ll make sure that it does.”

💌 for a letter my muse would write to yours. (from the POV of Loki contacting Fandral sometimes after Otherworldly Monsters)

Dearest Fandral,

     It hasn’t been more than a couple of weeks since I left Asgard. At the time of my departure, you were rather busy. I didn’t think it would be fair of me to ask you to come alone when your attention was already so divided amongst your responsibilities. You do take your role much more seriously than I can ever comprehend, but…

     I miss you a great deal. 

     Normally, when I leave Asgard, I don’t think about it at all. Occasionally, I might linger on what my friends are doing or how much I miss them if I’ve been gone for a particularly long period of time, but otherwise, Asgard doesn’t intrude my thought often. But since my last trip to Midgard and having you come in search of me, I feel like something’s missing. Normally, I work better alone and I get so much more accomplished than if I have someone with me, but that wasn’t the case with you. While you were with me, I had a sense that we worked so well together, it would be better if you accompanied me every time I left Asgard.

     Since I left, I’ve been kicking myself in the arse for not asking you to come along. I’m finding that I miss you a great deal more than I could have anticipated and I’d really like you to come and join me if you can spare the time.

                                                                                                             -Loki

📫 for a letter my muse would write about yours to a third party. (from the POV of a message delivered to Snoke sometime after Loki begins training Fandral and Loki’s decided he’d like to keep Fandral safe from his superiors)

     I wish to keep this brief, as I do not trust that this message will be left untampered before it reaches you, Master. I’m sending this to update you on the status of the Force-sensitive boy I made contact with months and months ago. I know your hope for him is high, but I’ve decided that he is no longer worth pursuing. His connection to the Force is weak and he can barely comprehend even the most basic teachings. I’ve made very little improvement with him since the day I first made contact with him and I’m not willing to waste any more of my time with him. I will dispose of him in the most discreet manner and move on. I’m not ready to return yet. I believe there is still potential elsewhere, I just need to locate it. Sadly, my first attempt has failed and I am unwilling to return until I can bring success along with me.

📨 for a text my muse would send to yours. (from the POV of Loki and Fandral meeting Loki’s kids for the first time in Resetting the Odds)

[ text; Fan ]; I’m really nervous about this. I know Eydis thinks it’s a great idea for me to meet my children. I know she thinks it’ll help bring back some memories, but… [ text; Fan ]; I don’t even know why I’m scared? These are my kids, right? I’m their… mother, right? I love them. I know I do. I can feel it even if I can’t really remember them, but I’m still terrified.[ text; Fan ]; Please come home soon. I really don’t want to do this alone. 

💬 for a text my muse would send about yours to a third party. (from the POV of Loki contacting Thor while he and Fandral are on Midgard searching for the Mind Gem)

[ text; Thor ]; All of Asgard–your father included–is angry with you for leaving when they needed you most. My concerns were about letting my idiot brother who ran off know that I was alive. My concerns were with Asgard.[ text; Thor ]; And truth be told, Fandral really doesn’t want to see you. As angry as most of the people of Asgard are, Fandral might be even more upset with you.[ text; Thor ]; Rightfully so, considering you convinced him to commit treason for you and then left him to clean up the aftermath.[ text; Thor ]; What if he’d been imprisoned for what he did? Or executed? Did you even stop to think about how your decisions impacted his life? Or any of your friends, for that matter?[ text; Thor ]; We’re just here for the Mind Gem. If you can’t help us get it, there’s no reason to stay in contact with you.

💀 for what my muse would say upon hearing about your muse’s death. (from the POV of an AU we’ve never roleplayed or even talked about where Fandral goes undercover and all of his friends are left to believe he’s dead)

     He shouldn’t have been upset, really. So many years passed since Loki and Fandral were anything close to friends. After Fandral decided that he would throw his support behind Thor and his future rule, Loki couldn’t bring himself to be happy around Fandral. He tried. Truly, he did try to keep hold of the friendship that they built together, but being around the warrior only made his heart ache with bitterness and that same sense of not being good enough that he felt with just about everyone. 

     And yet, being told that Fandral had been struck down in battle left him feeling… numb. He couldn’t even bring himself to look at Thor after his brother relayed the news to him.

     “Look,” Thor murmured. “I know you and Fandral weren’t the best of friends, but you two seemed to get along rather well. Fandral liked you a great deal, you know. He used to stick up for you all the time. He never really liked when any of us picked on you or assumed you were up to no good. The least you could do is say something.” Thor couldn’t even bring himself to sound demanding. His heart ached for his lost friend.

     “I don’t expect you to understand what went on between Fandral and me, Thor,” Loki finally said as his eyes fell shut. “But don’t mistake my silence for indifference. I care more than I can express with words. I just don’t know what to say…”

     “That’s a first,” Thor said, doing his best to offer his brother jesting smile, but it faltered as Loki finally looked up at him. Even Thor, a man who usually paid very little attention to the feelings of others, could see the agony swimming in Loki’s eyes. “You weren’t kidding when you said you cared more than you could say, were you?”

     “No, Thor, I–” He brought his hands up to his face to wipe his eyes before the tears that stung his eyes had a chance to fall. “–I loved him.”

     Thor didn’t need Loki to elaborate on what he meant. Whether or not Fandral ever had a relationship with his little brother, he didn’t know, but Loki developed deep feelings for him somewhere along the way and hearing that he was dead must have been devastating… The elder prince couldn’t bring himself to speak, so he opted for sitting down beside his brother and pulling his lean frame into his arms, hugging him tightly.

👪 for what my muse would say to your muse’s child about them. (from the POV of sometime in the future when Fan and Loki finally have those twin girls we were talking about)

     Loki took the twins into their room once they were in their pajamas and ready for bed. Because of their young age, Loki and Fandral decided it was best to keep them together. One day, they would want their own rooms and space from one another, but for now, they were attached at the hip. In a way, the beautiful little girls reminded him a lot of how the triplets were with one another when they were young. The only significant difference was that Asgard took such a warm liking to the twins that had honestly shocked Loki after their birth.

     “Is Papa going to come read us a bedtime story?” Marian–the twin to be born first (something she loved to hold over her sister’s head)–asked as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “He always acts out the different parts. It’s funny.”

     “No, darling,” Loki murmured as he picked her up and set her on her bed. “Papa’s not here, remember? He’ll be gone for a few more weeks.” This produced a pout from both of his girls.

     “Why does he always go away?” the younger girl, Frija, asked. Loki decided to name the second child after his mother, though he’d given her a variant of his mother’s name rather than literally name her ‘Frigga’. “He always seems so happy when he’s here with us, so why does he leave?” She climbed up onto the edge of the bed next to her sister despite the fact that her bed was on the other side of the room.

     “Your father is very happy,” Loki reassured them both. “But as all adults do, he has responsibilities that he needs to attend to for work.” Loki’s responsibilities also pulled him away from his girls from time to time but he’d been extremely insistent that he never be kept away from them for more than a few days at a time. As much as he loved off-realm work, his daughters were far more important. Perhaps once they were older, he’d feel more comfortable leaving them, but for now… Well, he’d lost children already and perhaps he was a bit too overprotective. “Sometimes that means that he has to leave us for a few weeks at a time. Trust me, darlings, I don’t like it any more than you two.”

     “Are you ever going to tell us what he does when he’s away? Aside from the obvious sword work?” Marian asked.

     “One day, when you’re older, your father and I will tell you all about the things we’ve accomplished separately and together. For now, settle for knowing that he’s doing what he’s doing to protect Asgard and, more importantly, to keep his beautiful little girls safe. He loves you two more than anything else in all the Nine Realms. You know that, don’t you?”

     “That’s not true, Mum,” Frija murmured with a yawn large enough to put even Thor to shame. “He loves you more than everything,” she pointed out with a matter-of-fact tone that left little room to argue. “That’s why you guys are so gross whenever Papa does come home from his long trips.”

     Marian wrinkled her nose at the thought. Their parents were rather icky, weren’t they? “She’s right about that.”

     Chuckling softly, Loki placed a kiss on each of their foreheads. “Do you two want a story or not? Continue to insult me and I won’t give you one.”

     “Will you tell us a story about one of your adventures with Papa, then?”

     “You really do miss him, don’t you?” Both girls gave Loki a very signature expression that Loki usually gave most people when he thought they were being dumb. He laughed and stroked their hair. “I miss him too. All right then.” He climbed into bed with them so each girl could snuggle up beside him. “Let me tell you about the time I took your father to Midgard to search for a few Infinity Stones, then. Pretty sure you haven’t heard that one yet.” 

👊 for what my muse would say upon hearing yours has been arrested. (from the POV of Loki ordering anyone who left Asgard in hopes of bringing Thor home to be arrested)

     “Who all attempted to leave?” Loki asked as a guard came into the throne room to inform him that several arrests had been made at the edge of the Bifrost. 

     “Lady Sif and the Warriors Three, your highness,” the guard replied. “Each is outside, awaiting your judgment. If you would prefer me to escort them all to the dungeons instead…”

     Loki sighed and rubbed his temple. “No, I will deal with them individually,” Loki said. “Send Fandral in first.” The guard bowed and excused himself so he could return to the prisoners. Each had been chained appropriately so they would not so easily be able to make an escape, even with their expert skills in combat. The guard too Fandral by the upper arm first and led the warrior into the throne room. The doors closed behind him, ensuring that Sif, Hogun, and Volstagg would be unable to hear what went on inside.

     Loki stood from the throne, leaving the spear that his father usually wielded to rest against the uncomfortable chair. He approached them and looked directly at the guard. “Leave us.”

     “With all due respect, your highness, this man is a criminal. I don’t think it’s wise for you to be alone with him without any sort of protection.” Loki raised a brow at the guard and after a moment of discomfort, he bowed his head and excused himself. Only then did Loki actually look Fandral in the eyes. Disappointment shone brightly in those emerald pits. 

     “After all this time, I truly did hold onto the hope that you were better than this, Fandral,” Loki said. “I’d like to say that I’ve never been so disappointed in you in all my life, but that’s not entirely true. I can think of one instance where I was more disappointed. I gave you and your friends a direct order as your King and you still went behind my back to liberate a man who was banished by the All-father. Do you think I enjoyed seeing Thor cast out any more than you did? No. I didn’t. Thor is my brother, but he was cast out for a reason. A reason that I truly hoped you, of all people, would understand. Or did you so easily forget that it was his temper that almost got you killed back on Jotunheim?” He fell silent for a moment as he clenched his jaw. “Why couldn’t you just listen to me? Why did you have to commit treason, Fandral? Do you respect me so very little that it’s truly come to this? To me having to send you and your friends to the dungeons before you finally get it?”

💒 for the toast my muse would give at your muse’s wedding. (from the POV of Loki and Fandral finally getting their arses in gear and getting married)

     “I know it’s usually friends and family who give the toasts and speeches at events like this,” Loki said as he stood up from his chair and placed a hand on his husband’s shoulder. The wedding happened less than an hour ago and it was still somewhat surreal. All those years of pretending they weren’t together and all of the days spent sneaking around finally gave way to a real and solid future for them and it was just… a lot to take in.

     “But I have something I wanted to say, not just to you, but to everyone.” He squeezed Fandral’s shoulder for a moment. “If it weren’t for you, I don’t know that I would have kept myself together during the time I acted as king after the Dark Elves invaded Asgard. No one knew how close we became back then, but you were an entire support system for me and, therefore, a support system for Asgard. You still play those roles very well, Fandral, and I think it’s important for everyone to know that. I don’t know exactly what the future holds, but so long as we’re together, we’ll do what we can for one another and for Asgard. You made me believe in second chances and I think you’ve helped most of Asgard believe in them too.”

     People cheered at that last comment. Fandral had a much larger impact on Asgard than even the warrior could probably comprehend.

     “So while people should be toasting us, I’d just like to take a moment to propose a toast to you, my love.” He handed Fandral a goblet of wine and then held his up. “There isn’t a single person I could think of that would be more deserving of it.” The guests all put their glasses up in the air, cheering for Fandral and shouting encouragements as well as congratulations.

[storiesofwildfire]

Otherworldly Monsters

     { @fandralxthexstabulous }

♔—- Life on Asgard was often too difficult for Loki to maintain without developing some cracks in the mask that he wore for the benefit of those around him. He faced constantly uphill battles with his father, his peers, his mentors, and the people who looked to him for answers. Whether someone liked him or not became irrelevant because of the stigma that hung around his shoulders. 

Forever cast in the shadows of his brother and forever the one that was too weird, too mischievous, too immature, and too likely to break his loyalties, Loki lived in a state of teetering over the edge. His entire life became one giant balancing act to stay as true to himself and his happiness as he could while also proving his worth and his loyalty to the people of Asgard. Their expectations constantly knocked him from side to side, attempting to push him off of that high wire that he always walked and sometimes...

Sometimes it worked. Sometimes he didn’t just teeter, he fell to the side and couldn’t drag himself back up before someone noticed. 

These were the moments when he decided he needed to get away from Asgard for a while. Not just to go out on some sort of quest or expedition that was assigned to him by his father. No, these were moments when he needed to get as far away from Asgard and anything to do with the realm as possible. If he didn’t separate himself for a few weeks or months, he’d surely lose the calm that he worked so hard to maintain. His control would slip and in a fit of true emotional turmoil, he might even do some serious damage that he didn’t mean.

Magic was such a fickle thing. It constantly wanted to be in motion. It needed to be used and sometimes even the most skilled sorcerers could lose their handle on their own power. Emotional breakdowns weren’t just humiliating in the face of his peers, they were actually dangerous for himself and anyone unfortunate enough to get close.

And it seemed like the older he got, the more his “home” beat against his stamina and resolve. He wanted to be away from Asgard more and more as the years went on and he inched closer and closer to that line of truly breaking and cracking apart under the pressure that constantly rested upon his shoulders.

Needless to say, his trips off-realm were normal and no one was surprised when Loki decided to leave for a few weeks or months.

This particular trip led him to Midgard, where he took up the persona of a man by the name of James Conard, a decommissioned British Air Service captain. The persona he created gained a reputation quickly for being a phenomenal tracker and survivalist. Numerous people came to him during his time on Midgard, asking him for his employment for various missions, search parties, and rescue assignments. He accepted the ones that he thought would interest him and the jobs kept him busy during his time away from Asgard.

More importantly, they fueled something that he’d love to do ever since he was a small child; explore and uncover secrets left behind by ancient creatures.

Everything was fun and games until the Skull Island assignment came up. He, along with numerous soldiers and civils pursued an unexplored island that was, quite literally, in the shape of a giant skull. Massive creatures roamed the surface of the island and the most dangerous ones inhabited the hollow innards of the island. These creatures... 

They were like nothing that Loki had ever seen, even in other worlds and planets. He certainly couldn’t logically fashion how these massive and deadly beasts could thrive on a planet like Midgard where humans dominated everything. The horrors he saw there were enough to keep him interested in exploring more areas of the globe that human hands had never touched. 

And the people who hired him weren’t likely to let him go after his performance on Skull Island. Had it not been for Loki, every single person sent in would have probably been killed. Not many escaped, but they came back with a story to tell and the scars to prove it. The military and the government weren’t keen on letting the story of Skull Island get out to the masses of the planet, but they were more concerned with other islands and territories that exhibited similar symptoms to Skull Island. 

Needing to know more, Loki was the first to volunteer for expeditions to these new locations. What other sorts of creatures and ancient histories existed there? He had to know.

But in his pursuit of adventure and knowledge, Loki didn’t realize how much time passed since he’d actually been home. His trips usually lasted no more than two or three months at most, but now? He’s been gone for nearly 18. 

Enraptured with the secrets of a planet that he thought he’d figured out centuries ago, Loki had no way of knowing that other threats slipped into Midgard during his absence. Beings from other realms that somehow managed to break into this foreign world brought havoc and chaos but the Asgardian Prince knew nothing of it.

He’d enlisted to explore a second island after Skull Island. Preparations were being made and intelligence was gathered. Loki grew antsy as precautions and detailed plans were set in place. Reverting to some of James’ old habits, he began frequenting local bars and clubs that offered billiards, beautiful women (and men), drinking, and socialization. It allowed him to unwind a bit in the anticipation of the upcoming trip, but his focus was always split.

On that particular night, he sat in the back of a club with a sixth round of scotch on the rocks and a cigarette. As always, the alcohol did nothing to help him feel even the slightest buzz. Midgardian alcohol never did, but he drank for the taste. Cigarettes had a calming effect when he smoked them but again, they did nothing to alter or affect his body. Nicotine was neither addictive nor hazardous to his health. It was about the taste, the appearance it gave to those around him, and the attempt to relax.

“You looking for some company?” A scantily-clad woman asked from off to the side. Loki ignored her for a moment. There were so many people in the rundown joint that she could have been talking to any number of people if she thought she stood a chance of making some money off of spending a few hours with one of them.

When she received no answer, she sat across from the chair Loki planted himself in. The position she chose was nothing short of provocative, as it left very little to the imagination, but as Loki’s eyes feel on her, he looked... unimpressed and uninterested. This irritated the beautiful women. Men went weak in the knees for a chance to be with her. “I saw you playing pool earlier. You were quite good,” she said. “Looks like you made quite a bit off of just a few games. Is that how you make a living for yourself?”

“No, that’s how I pay for my drinks,” Loki replied, frowning softly at her as he took another long drag from his cigarette and slowly exhaled the smoke through his nose. “I’d advise you find someone a few degrees drunker than I am and try to talk him out of his money. You’re not really much my type. I’d be more than happy to buy you a shot, though, if that’ll tickle your fancy.”

“Surely, you don’t wish to sit back here all by your lonesome?” she murmured, staring up at him through her lashes.

Well, he had to give her one thing, she was certainly persistent. She didn’t like to take no for an answer. They shared at least one trait, then, but it only served to kill his interest that much more. 

“If I wanted companionship, I would have searched for it myself, wouldn’t I?” Loki asked.

The woman’s presence kept him preoccupied despite his lack of enthusiasm. She kept him distracted enough in her very forward advances that he didn’t even notice another man approaching him.

[storiesofwildfire]

@fandralxthexstabulous -- continued from (x)

“You do have to get up pretty early in the morning to beat me,” he agreed cheerfully as he accepted the box. “I’ve known about Midgard’s Valentine’s Day tradition for a while now, but it seemed particularly apt to celebrate it with you.”

He drew Loki close and kissed him softly before opening his gift. His eyes lit up at the sight of the lovely quill as he picked it up. It fit perfectly in his hand, and it was quite gaudy enough to suit his somewhat extravagant tastes. “Loki, it’s gorgeous!” he exclaimed.

He hoped Loki would like the gift he’d found for him, an elegant little carving of white crystal that looked remarkably like his cat Fanny.

♔—- "I appreciate the thought, Fan,” Loki murmured. “I’d assumed you’d love the concept of this holiday. You’re always such a stickler for being as sappy and romantic as possible and from what I can tell, this is the one holiday that promotes just that.” He allowed himself to be pulled against the slightly taller warrior, returning the kiss before either of them opened their presents. That’s what this was really about anyway, wasn’t it? The love that they shared, not the baubles that they presented one another as a representation of that love.

A soft grin spread across his lips. “I’m glad you like it,” he chuckled. “We both have to do so much paperwork these days, seems only fitting to have a proper instrument for the job. If you’re just tired of writing, it’ll write for you. I have a similar quill in my study but it’s not quite as flashy as this one.” Out of the pair of them, Fandral was definitely more of the peacock type. Loki’s pride and love of gaudy things was a bit less obvious.

His attention, however, turned to the heart-shaped box and he carefully opened it, sure not to ruin the lovely packaging. Inside was a tiny white crystal sculpture that looked just like Fanny. The tiny trinket was heavy for its size as he plucked it from the cushioned box. “Where did you find something like this?” he asked. “This is beautiful and the craftsmanship is nothing to laugh about.” Small, yes, but whoever made the tiny cat put a lot of hard work and love into creating the piece. “I’m sure Fanny will be honored to have a statue of her likeness,” he added as he slipped his arms around Fandral’s neck, hugging him tightly while the tiny treasure remained firmly in one of his hands. “Thank you.”