#off you go into the aether roger

[ndostairlyrium]

Let him send the troops for once, I beg you

[magnusmodig]

headcanon/development qs / anon / no longer accepting !

╰┈➤ What’s the lie your character says most often?

||. I've written two mini-meta on his biggest lie (his 2011 facade) before, so I won't go into that one again.... Thor is contrarily a very sincere person. If he doesn't have anything good to say, or if he can't agree to something outright but can't deny it either, or otherwise is in a position where he might need to be dishonest or unkind to someone in good standing with him, Thor doesn't say anything at all.

Or if he does, he'll word it in a way that gives him a loophole out of it, and then proceed to abide by that. Thor doesn't (usually) lie intentionally unless it's for a specific gain, something he can't entirely agree to, and usually to further benefit the lives or plans of his friends and allies.

To my count, he's only ever lied on screen 4 times.

2011 - Only bowing his head to Selvig during the bar scene and not actually giving his word that he'll leave Puente Antiguo and Jane Foster behind)

2013 - Purposefully misdirecting Loki and leaving him out of the "Get Jane out of Asgard" Heist

2013 - The entire "get Jane out of Asgard" Heist and attempting to misdirect Malekith into destroying the Aether (which I'm only counting because it's deliberate treason against his father. which he only did because odin refused to at least attempt to make sure Thor's plan would go off smoothly)

2015 - Electing to not bring up to Steve Rogers that he can lift Mjolnir (though this, they both knew)

I might be missing some small fibs here and there, but Thor is an incredibly honest person, so I doubt it's very much more than 4. (I guess you could also count Thor telling Jane he'll return for her and then not doing that for 2 years, but that's less of a lie and more of a broken promise; he fully intended to return and chose not to after the drama of his family escalated to the point of insanity.)

As far as the lie that Thor believes and will state as if it's truth? That he isn't worthy to be king. Tangentially also: that he would lose himself as king, the same way his father did. It's his "resistance to reality", so to speak.

Thor can talk and believe all he wants that he isn't the king his father would want, and he isn't a worthy steward of the title, that he's afraid he'll drown in the politics of the matter instead of being a good king... never realizing that that heart is exactly what would make him a good king. And a good man at that. He already has the qualities, he already has the skills... the only person who neglects to see this is Thor himself. (and where his character arc should have ended him: finally seeing that he has always been worthy, and not because a hammer (see: his father) told him so.)

╰┈➤ What would you (mun) yell in the middle of a crowd to find them? What would their best friend and/or romantic partner yell?

||. Honestly? Just his name, "Thor". Maybe Tony would call him one of his various on-the-spot nicknames like Point Break but nothing too terribly out of the ordinary.

[arcshuanranger]

So... Buzzwole, huh? Serenity swiped out of the Rotomblr app to contact the two other Rangers who answered the call for backup.

Ultra Beast is non-aggressive according to Aether, just wants to boast and have a good fight.

Three dots on the line, and then the reply. ur near it? we'll keep the wild pokemon off it, they're frenzied so they need to be captured anyways lol. Roger that.

Serenity closed her phone, looking back to Emma who gave an assuring cry. "Gooohhaaaahhhh!" The recruited Pokemon, consisting of Pom-Pom Oricorio, Flabebe, and Butterfree, seem nervous but ready. Serenity took in a deep breath.

She coughed, walking forward and drawing the Ultra Beast's attention towards her. Serenity kept a grip on her Styler in case it suddenly attacks and she needs to calm it down. "Hello?" she called, warily. As predicted, and yet still unexpected, it began flexing, showing off its bulging muscles at her. "Yes, yes, I see. You're big and strong. But you're disturbing the peace, and you can't be here." Buzzwole tilted its head at her. "Okay, what the hell what am I doing trying to reason with an Ultra Beast? It's not going to get my intent the same way normal Pokemon do. I'll just do a standard capture, hopefully this Pokemon understands friendship." "Hyraaahhhhhhhh!"

Capture On!

[chrancecriber]

Radio NET Bulgaria (December 16, 2022)

23:56 DIRK K - Change Is Gonna Come 23:52 SHARMOND SMITH - It's Christmas Time Again 23:48 EJAZZ ARTISTRY - Need You Now 23:44 LIN ROUNTREE - Candie's Dance 23:39 OLI SILK - Rest Assured 23:33 KEN NAVARRO - Parallel Lives 23:30 JAREZ - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus 23:27 NATE HARASIM - Both Sides Of The Coin (feat. Steve Oliver) 23:22 NAJEE - One Note Love 23:19 NORMAN BROWN - Unconditional 23:15 MILES GILDERDALE - Live Your Life 23:10 PETER WHITE - Happy Christmas,O Holy Night 23:04 KIM WATERS - You Are My Lady 23:00 KONSTANTIN KLASHTORNI - I Feel It Coming 22:57 ANA CRIADO - Can't Hold Back The Rain (Dark Matters Original) 22:54 BT & AQUALUNG - Surrounded (Tony Awake Remix) 22:50 JAZZAMOR - Hidden Treasure 22:45 ATB - Remember That Day 22:42 KRISTER, DALBANI - Self Control 22:37 SEVEN24 - Oasis (Original Mix) 22:34 DJ SALAMANDRA - I Want It All (DJ Alatiz Remix) 22:29 MATHIEU & FLORZINHO - Life Is Just a Dream (Levitation Remix) 22:23 CERF, MITISKA & JAREN - Beggin' You (Aeron Aether & Gorm Sorensen Remix) 22:18 LINKIN PARK - My December 22:15 DJ G.ROS, IAN CAREY - Keep On Rising 22:09 TITIYO - Come Along (Naid Remix) 22:03 BOBINA, BETSIE LARKIN - You Belong To Me (El Gambrero Remix) 21:59 RUSSELL SIMINS - Comfortable Place 21:55 LEO ROJAS - Colors Of The Rainbow 21:50 MATT DAREY, ERICA DRISCOLL - Too Far (Zetandel Chill Mix) 21:45 351 LAKE SHORE DRIVE - Over 21:39 SUNLOUNGER, ZARA TAYLOR - Try To Be Love (Chill Out Mix) 21:32 ARMIN VAN BUUREN, JUSTINE SUISSA - Burned With Desire (Chillout Mix) 21:27 INUSA DAWUDA - Dreamily 21:22 DIDDY, KEYSHIA COLE, B-STAR - Last Night (Slow Version) 21:18 BLUE METHENEY - Don't Be So Shy (Sirius & Nyla Mix) 21:14 MARKUS GARDEWEG, MICHAEL FEINER - Fairplay (Let There Be Love) (Ambient Mix) 21:09 ARNEJ - People Come, People Go (Chillout Mix) 21:05 WALK OFF THE EARH - Somebody That I Used To Know 21:00 GANGA - Secrets 20:54 LUSTRAL - Someone (Original Mix) 20:51 ROBERTO BRONCO - Mad 20:46 BETSIE LARKIN, BOBINA - You Belong To Me (Sunset Version) 20:42 MOBY - Porcelain 20:37 ANGE - Some Day (Perception Of Sound Mix) 20:33 ANDAIN - Promises 20:28 TIFF LACEY - Show Me The Way (Acoustic Mix) 20:24 BLANK & JONES - Risin' To The Top (Original Mix) 20:19 ANA CRIADO - Vulnerable (Mark Otten Downtempo Remix) 20:16 THE LIGHTNESS PROJECT, NICK FERA - Beautiful Dream 20:12 MARCELA MANGABEIRA - Don't Stop The Music (Lounge Version) 20:09 ARMIN VAN BUUREN VS. SOPHIE ELLIS BEXTOR - Not Giving Up On Love (Acoustic Version) 20:06 JAMES BUTLER - Coastline 20:04 EMMA HEWITT - Miss You Paradise (Strings & Acoustic Version) 19:59 ROGER SHAH, ADRINA THORPE - Island (Album Mix) 19:53 SUNLOUNGER - Sunny Tales (Chill Version) 19:48 LUIGI LUSINI - I'll Be Home (Original Mix) 19:44 DMITRY FILATOV - Sunlight (Incognet Chill Out Mix, English Version) 19:40 TENISHIA, SUE MCLAREN - Strong (Chill Out Mix) 19:37 CHRIS REECE, ROMINA ANDREWS - Right Back (Album Mix) 19:33 ALY & FILA - Rosaires (Chill Out Mix) 19:28 3RD. FORSE - City Of Desire 19:24 DARK MATTERS, DENISE RIVERA - Take Me Home 19:20 JOSE SANTONIOS - Spanish Cello (Instrumental Remix) 19:18 DARK MATTERS, CATHY BURTON - Together (Album Mix) 19:12 LOUNGAHOLIC - Careless Whisper 19:08 AMURAI - Love & Light (Downtempo Mix) 19:03 YULIET TOPAZ - Frozen 19:00 STONEBRIDGE - Don't Matter (Album Mix) 18:57 ERIK HAKANSSON - Smooth (Original Mix) 18:53 ROMAN MESSER, LJ AYRTEN - Break The Ice (UltraNova Chillout Remix) 18:49 LAZY HAMMOCK - Star 18:44 ABOVE & BEYOND - Blue Sky Action 18:41 FARUK SABANCI, CAMI - Awaken (Zetandel Chill Out Mix) 18:33 TARAS BAZEEV - Western 18:30 ARMIN VAN BUUREN, TREVOR GUTHRIE - This Is What It Feels Like (John Ewbank Classical Remix) 18:26 TIGERFOREST - Take Me Home (Lemongrass Blue Ocean Remix) 18:20 LEO ROJAS - Brothers 18:15 MUSIC EMOTION - Believe (Jazz Fusion Mix) 18:11 ANDY MOOR, ASHLEY WALLBRIDGE, GABRIELA - World To Turn (Original Mix) 18:07 DA KENT DJ AT WORK, SELECTA - Take My Heart (Da Kent Dream Of You Mix) 18:02 CAFE DEL MAR - Mandalay (Beautiful) 17:56 DJ ARTAK SAMVEL, SONE SILVER - I Feel Your Body 17:50 YOGEE, TWEET, MISSY ELLIOT - Thugman (Lounge Remix 2011) 17:46 GABRIELA MENDEZ FUENTE - Romance in Ibiza (Orchester Lite Edit) 17:41 SPACE ROCKERZ, ELLIE LAWSON - Under The Same Sky (R.I.B. Remix) 17:37 THE FUSION, JANE MAXIMOVA - Behind Rain Waves (Chillout Mix) 17:33 LO TIDE - Quietly Here (Original Mix) 17:28 SIMMONDS, JONES - Home (Vox Mix) 17:23 GET FUSION - Last Day Of Summer (Chillout Mix) 17:17 BRAVE - The Muse (Chill Out Mix) 17:13 PIANOCHOCOLATE - Forgotten Love 17:09 BROCKMAN, BASTI M, NIC - Live Your Life (Free Your Mind) (Brockman & Basti Sunset Mix) 17:04 MARTINIQUE LE SOUFFLEUR - Sound Of Panama 17:00 YANOU, DO - On And On (Piano Version) 16:56 BRIAN SIMPSON, STEVE OLIVER - Like No Other 16:52 SAM BASSMAN JENKINS - Movin 16:48 BRIAN SIMPSON - Gotta Get to You 16:44 MICHAEL LINGTON - Silent Night 16:39 JAZZ FUNK SOUL - Timmendorfer By The Sea 16:35 KONSTANTIN KLASHTORNI - Love So Right 16:30 MARK MAXWELL - The Christmas Song 16:25 GREG MANNING - Cruising' down the Road 16:20 EUGE GROOVE - Play Date 16:16 VINCENT INGALA - If I Could Fly 16:12 WAYMAN TISDALE - In Love 16:09 DR. SAXLOVE - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 16:04 MEZZOFORTE - Sizzle 16:00 KEN NAVARRO - When We Dance (from the album Into The Light) 15:56 NILS - Jump Start 15:52 NICK COLIONNE - Spend the Night 15:48 ERIC DARIUS - Kingstons Flavor 15:44 ZOLBERT - Good Vibes Only 15:39 MARCUS ANDERSON - Christmas With Her 15:35 PHIL DENNY - Align 15:31 MARCIN NOWAKOWSKI - Coming Home (Feat. Adam Sztaba & Atom String Quartet) 15:28 SHAKATAK - Sing (Little One) 15:25 WILL DONATO - Illuminata 15:20 OLI SILK - New Bounce 15:16 MARCUS JOHNSON - Yellow Cup 15:11 TIM BOWMAN - Love Forever More 15:08 AARON BING - The First Noel 15:04 GREGG KARUKAS - Happy The Man 15:00 KIM WATERS - High Stride 14:56 KONSTANTIN KLASHTORNI - In the Night 14:51 CINDY BRADLEY - Grey Area 14:47 MARION MEADOWS - Kaleidoscope 14:41 DAVE KOZ - O Holy Night (feat. Jonathan Butler) 14:37 PAUL BROWN - Jumpin' Uptown 14:33 CHRIS STANDRING - As Luck Would Have It 14:30 ELY BRUNA - All I Want for Christmas Is You 14:25 CHRISTOPHE GOZE - Passing Time 14:21 ROCCO VENTRELLA - Say Goodbye 14:16 ROBERT HARRIS - Midnight Rendezvous 14:12 BLAIR BRYANT - That Girl 14:09 JACK JEZZRO - Santa Baby 14:04 CAROL ALBERT - Chasing Waterfalls 14:00 BLUEY - Back Here Again 13:56 JAZZ FUNK SOUL - D.C. 13:52 PAUL BROWN, PETER WHITE - Take Flight 13:47 LEBRON - Say You Will 13:44 HERB ALPERT - The Christmas Song 13:39 NELSON RANGELL - Send One Your Love 13:34 PIECES OF A DREAM - People Say 13:30 MICHAEL LINGTON - Mary Did You Know 13:26 BEN TANKARD - Remember Wayman 13:22 NILS - Hey Joe 13:17 BONEY JAMES - Got It Goin' On 13:13 KIM SCOTT - I'm Every Woman (feat. Althea Rene & Ragan Whiteside) 13:10 STEPHEN ROTHHAAR - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 13:04 OLI SILK - Lazy Sunday Groove 13:00 NORMAN BROWN - Missin' You 12:56 PHIL DENNY - Be There for Me 12:50 WALTER BEASLEY - Hydra 12:47 ART FOUR SALE - White Christmas 12:42 EUGE GROOVE - The Journey Ahead 12:37 MARCUS JOHNSON - Believe 12:34 SHAKATAK - O Little Town Of Bethlehem 12:28 GREGG KARUKAS - You'll Know it's Me 12:23 KIM WATERS - Step to This 12:19 MEKIEL REUBEN - Summer Breezin 12:14 KONSTANTIN KLASHTORNI - Waiting For You 12:09 PETER WHITE - River 12:05 THE SAX PACK - Disco Here 12:00 BLAIR BRYANT - Squid 11:56 RICHARD ELLIOT - Mystique 11:52 DAVE KOZ - A New Day 11:48 TIM BOWMAN - Seaside Drive 11:44 MAYSA - Joy To The World 11:40 ROCCO VENTRELLA - Soulful Strut 11:35 KEITH MASON - Ascended 11:29 JAY ROWE - O Tannenbaum 11:25 SKINNY HIGHTOWER - Force 11:21 GORDON JAMES - Cafe Soul 11:16 BRAD ALEXANDER - Just Between Us (feat. Donald Hayes) 11:12 ANDREY CHMUT - Night Ride 11:07 JODY MAYFIELD - Christmas Time is here 11:04 PATRICK YANDALL - Back In The Day 11:00 BRIAN SIMPSON, STEVE OLIVER - Unified 10:57 BK JACKSON - Find Your Way 10:52 ANDY SNITZER - A Few Wild Nights 10:48 PEET PROJECT - Rosy Cheeks 10:44 BRADLEY LEIGHTON - Angels We Have Heard On High 10:40 NICHOLAS COLE - The Weekend 10:37 TERENCE YOUNG - Friday Night 10:33 BROOKE ALFORD - The First Noel 10:29 PAUL BROWN, NAJEE - Casablanca 10:24 MARCUS ANDERSON - M-Possible 10:19 PHIL DENNY - Got It Like That 10:16 496 WEST - Intentional 10:10 NATHAN WOODWARD - O, Holy Night 10:05 GEORGE JINDA - Mother of Pearl 10:00 MARCUS JOHNSON - You And I 09:56 DARRYL WILLIAMS - Don't Ask My Neighbors (feat. Ashling Cole & Greg Manning) 09:51 GREGG KARUKAS - Heatwave 09:47 KIM WATERS - Beyond The Horizon 09:43 SHAKATAK - Silent Eve 09:38 KONSTANTIN KLASHTORNI - Nice and Easy 09:33 PETER WHITE - (Un)Forgiven 09:29 DAVE VALENTIN - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town 09:26 BEN TANKARD - George The Duke 09:22 VINCENT INGALA - Dream Girl 09:17 MARCIN NOWAKOWSKI - Easy Going 09:13 EUGE GROOVE - Livin' Large 09:09 BEN TANKARD - Away In A Manger 09:04 NICK COLIONNE - Got to Keep It Moving 09:00 MARION MEADOWS - You 08:56 BENNETT B - Show Your Love 08:51 ADAM HAWLEY - Party People (Feat. Jeff Lorber) 08:47 K.VIO, TIM TONIC - Silent Night 08:43 PAUL BROWN, DAVE KOZ - Avalon Nights 08:38 BRAD ALEXANDER - Lovely Day 08:34 JAY ROWE - Jingle Bells 08:27 STIX BONES - L.O.V.E. 08:23 POP'N BOSSA - Talking to the Moon 08:18 AVENUE BLUE - Nightingale (feat. Jeff Golub) 08:14 ALTHEA RENE - Barbara Mae 08:09 HANK BILAL - O Christmas Tree 08:04 KIRK FISCHER - Kiss on My List 08:00 ROBERTO VAZQUEZ - Never Far Away 07:54 KEITH SLATTERY - Duality 07:50 DEON YATES - Love On Top 07:47 ILYA SEROV - Heat (feat. DAVE KOZ) 07:43 ART FOUR SALE - Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree 07:40 BLAKE AARON - If You Were Mine 07:35 PATRICK YANDALL - Chasing the Light 07:31 BROOKE ALFORD - Greensleeves (A Dance Celebration) 07:27 PHILLIP DOC MARTIN - After the Rain 07:24 JASON PETERSON DELAIRE - Nightcap 07:19 MARCUS JOHNSON - Table For 2 07:14 GREGG KARUKAS - Home To You 07:09 DANA FIELDS - O Holy Night 07:04 KIM WATERS - Stay with Me Tonight 07:00 KONSTANTIN KLASHTORNI - Here We Go 06:54 OLI SILK - Latin Haze 06:49 CHIELI MINUCCI - Leilani 06:44 DR. SAXLOVE - Let It Snow 06:40 PATRICK BRADLEY - Shoreline (feat. Eric Marienthal) 06:35 EUGE GROOVE - Sneak A Peak 06:31 BEN TANKARD - Minstrel's Christmas Song 06:27 DANIEL DOMENGE - Patchwork 06:23 BRIAN SIMPSON - Out of a Dream 06:20 BRANDON WILLIS - In The House 06:15 NICHOLAS COLE - Endless Possibilities 06:12 DARYL STUERMER - The Little Drummer Boy 06:06 ANDREY CHMUT - Moving Forward (feat. Bob James) 06:00 PAUL HARDCASTLE - Eyes Closed 05:56 DAVID BENOIT - A Midnight Rendezvous 05:52 PAUL TUVMAN - I'll Be Back 05:47 PIECES OF A DREAM - Never Let It End 05:42 JACK JEZZRO - White Christmas 05:38 NILS - Fire of My Heart 05:34 PAUL BROWN - Toast And Jam 05:29 RHYTHM JETS - The Christmas Song 05:25 ADAM HAWLEY - Anytime At All 05:21 RONNY SMITH - Ticket to Miami 05:17 DREAMING IN COLOUR - State & Main 05:13 DANNY LERMAN - Amadeus' Kiss 05:08 MARCUS ANDERSON - Jingle Jam 05:05 SAM RUCKER - Be True 2 Who U R 05:00 KIM SCOTT - Off The Top 04:56 DEE BROWN - I Will 04:52 PATRICK YANDALL - Viejo Amigo 04:48 OLI SILK - Seasons Change 04:44 JAY ROWE - Do You Hear What I Hear 04:39 PHILLIP DOC MARTIN - Black Shoebox 04:35 GREGG KARUKAS - Uptown Rendevous 04:32 YOLANDA RABUN - I'm Coming Home for the Holiday 04:28 BRENDAN ROTHWELL - Destiny 04:22 KIM WATERS - The Moment I See You 04:18 KONSTANTIN KLASHTORNI - Autum's Edge 04:13 PETER WHITE - San Diego 04:09 CAROL NETHEN - Angels We Have Heard on High 04:05 AL DEGREGORIS - Into The Night, Al DeGregoris 04:00 BOBBY LYLE - Spirit Song 03:56 JAREZ - 24 Hours (feat. Julian Vaughn) 03:52 MARCUS JOHNSON - Love 03:47 RAINFOREST BAND - Caribbean Sunset 03:43 SHAKATAK - Christmas With You 03:38 NELSON RANGELL - Don't Forget Those Forgotten 03:34 NICHOLAS COLE - Crank It Up 03:30 MICHAEL LINGTON - Last Christmas (feat. Philippe Saisse) 03:26 NORTH 2UNES WOODALL - 102 Degree 03:20 JEFFERY SMITH - Turn It Up 03:16 NATE HARASIM - West Bound 03:12 JAEE LOGAN - You Can't Love Her 03:08 JONATHAN BUTLER - Winter Wonderland 03:04 MARK ETHEREDGE - You & me & we (Remastered) (feat. Paul Brown) 03:00 H ALLAN - All Along the Watchtower, Stairway to Heaven 02:56 PATRICK YANDALL - Smile For Today 02:52 UNDER THE LAKE - When Autumn Comes 02:48 JOYCE COOLING - Camelback 02:45 AMANDUS - Sing a Song 02:40 THREESTYLE, MAGDALENA CHOVANCOVA - Thank God It's Christmas 02:36 ROBERT CHRISTA - Pure Life Begins 02:32 DAVE KOZ - Let It Free 02:30 JUSTIN YOUNG - Let It Snow 02:26 JACKIEM JOYNER - Generation Next 02:22 DEE BROWN - Controlled Passion (feat. Merlon Devine) 02:17 JAZZ FUNK SOUL - Fish Grease 02:12 OLI SILK - London to L.A. Express 02:08 BRADLEY LEIGHTON - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 02:00 JEFF KASHIWA - When Will I Know 01:55 MARCUS ADAMS - Alone for Christmas 01:52 NORMAN BROWN - Unconditional 01:46 KIM WATERS - With Open Arms 01:42 KONSTANTIN KLASHTORNI - Silky Way 01:37 PETER WHITE - The Look Of Love 01:34 GORDON JAMES - Smooth Sunshine 01:29 GLODEAN, LINDA - Christmas Time Is Here 01:26 ADRIAN CRUTCHFIELD - Go Girl 01:21 DANIEL DOMENGE - Asian Dream 01:16 BRENDAN ROTHWELL - Carmel 01:12 MARCUS JOHNSON - My Caddy 01:08 KIMBERLY BREWER - Every Day Feels Like Christmas 01:04 NORMAN BROWN - Just Chillin' 01:00 NELSON RANGELL - With All My Heart 00:56 PAUL BROWN - Say It Like It Is 00:51 BROOKE ALFORD - The Christmas Song 00:44 JEFFERY SMITH - The Chill Zone 00:40 CAL HARRIS JR., JEFF LORBER - The Neighborhood 00:36 NORTH 2UNES WOODALL - Loving 2 00:32 MARK JAIMES - Trigger Happy 00:30 JONATHAN BUTLER - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 00:25 JACOB WEBB - My Feelings 00:22 JASON PETERSON DELAIRE - Check Please (feat. Chris Camozzi) 00:16 BOBBY WELLS - Count It All Joy 00:12 NILS - Night in the Algarve 00:08 DANIEL D. - Silent Night 00:05 TONY SAUNDERS - Uptown Jazz 00:00 DARREN MOTAMEDY - You're Incredible

[tharros-auris-black-asimi]

Cruel Summer (Chapter 6)

Pairing: Alpha Steve Rogers x Female Omega Reader

Summary: It's a normal day for Alpha Steven Grant Rogers.

Well, if you don't count the fact that his childhood friend and best pal James Buchanan Barnes is currently on trial for his crimes as the Winter Soldier. Paired with his responsibilities as an Avenger, there's a lot on his plate.

Until he meets you by chance in an elevator.

You're just trying to figure this new world out after being frozen for forty years. You're hoping for a fresh new start. A new normal.

And then you meet Steve.

Life can't get worse... right?

Chapter Warnings: Mpreg, childbirth, mentions of demigod children, mentions of Bucky and Natasha's shared trauma from the Red Rom/Hydra.

Additional Notes: Hello everyone! Welcome the part two of the double update! I hope you enjoy this little detour. Originally, this chapter was going to deal with Steve's Rut, but I didn't want to jump into it right after the Reader's Heat. So the next chapter will be dealing with Steve's Rut, and this will be a little filler chapter if you will.

As always, you can read this chapter here.

Word Count: 3969

A month later...

If you asked Bruce Banner what he had imagined for himself a few years ago, it wasn’t this.

Almost over a year ago, Thor had shown up on Earth and proclaimed that he needed Bruce’s help with something.

That “something” being the Tesseract.

The Asgardians had gotten it back from SHIELD, (sorry, Hydra), and had begun to do tests on it again. To see its potential. All the while Loki had been a somewhat helpful ally.

Thor had told him after the death of their mother that something had changed in his brother. A switch, perhaps.

Bruce could sympathize with that. He really could. Plus, Loki wasn’t all that bad.

… mostly.

Anywho.

Bruce had decided to bring Jane Foster and Darcy Lewis on their lovely trip back to Asgard. He had reservations for Jane though. Because of the whole Aether and Dark Elves thing.

And because Jane and Thor used to date.

But Jane had assured him that nothing would be awkward. His fellow Omega had told him that she and Thor had broken it off on friendly terms. Not to mention, once they got to Asgard, she had met Val.

Well. Her real name was Brunnhilde. Her Asgardian name anyway. Jane and Val had become a Bonded Pair, and somehow, in some weird freaking way— so had Loki and Darcy.

Really, Bruce couldn’t figure that out. But they were happy, so he was happy for them.

Which, really just left him and Thor.

Just the two of them.

He didn’t really know when it happened, really.

Bruce had never believed in that True Mates stuff. Sure, maybe as a kid, but once he had been affected by the gamma rays, he stopped believing. He could become a huge green monster, after all. He Hulk Smashed everything in sight when he was the big guy.

Who would want someone like him?

Thor, however, was that someone.

Finding out Thor was his True Mate was… odd. Weird. Something he still couldn’t wrap his head around, even with his pup growing in him.

Oh yeah.

And it just wasn’t him.

Jane and Darcy had joined the Knocked Up By Asgardian Peeps club. And all six of them were going back down to Earth, leaving Thor and Loki’s older sister Hela in charge. Hela had been hard to come around, especially with the whole I-was-the-older-one-so-I-have-ruler-superiority thing going on. But Thor, being the eldest of the two, had kindly told his technical older sister that he didn’t have any premeditated motions to rule Asgard. He was far much more comfortable being on Earth with the Avengers.

To say Hela had been surprised. Bruce had been sure it had been the first time he had ever seen her smile.

Then, the six of them were off going back through the nine realms and back to Earth.

Or Midgard, as Thor and Loki affectionately nicknamed it.

Jesus frigging Christ, Bruce hated being pregnant. Every step he took closer and closer to the Compound's roof was really making him queasy.

“Dr. Banner!”

It was Steve.

Bruce had always liked Steve. Steve was one of the people who regarded and treated him like an actual person. Of course, there was always Tony, even Natasha too, but Steve was actually someone he considered a good guy.

“Captain Rogers!”

His Mate’s booming voice made Bruce feel a little sheepish. His cheeks colored a little. He really wished he wasn’t pregnant right now, because his walking had been basically reduced to a waddle. It was kinda embarrassing.

“Hey! Dr. Banner! It’s nice to have you back.”

One of the cousin Omegas that Tony had hired, the one in Medical, was beaming at him. Dressed in the ugliest green scrubs imaginable, you were smiling at the doctor.

“Miss Yang, it’s great to see you.” Bruce greeted you kindly.

It was there, that he noticed it.

There was something different, the way Steve held you as he was guided back into the Avengers Compound.

It was different, the way Steve held you, Bruce noticed. He didn’t know anyone who Steve held as tight as you.

“Things have changed around here,” piped Wanda. The Romani-Jewish mutant looked positively giddy as she floated along with the Vision.

“Really?” Bruce looked interested. But his smile might have looked like a grimace due to him waddling around like a penguin.

“Oh yes,” Wanda nodded happily. “Captain Rogers has found his Mate.”

Bruce saw your cheeks flush.

Ohhhhh.

“Congratulations Captain Rogers!” Thor looked absolutely ecstatic.

“Thank you, Thor.” Steve smiled politely.

Suddenly, Bruce stopped in his tracks.

A deeply pained noise came from him.

“Dr. Banner? Bruce?” Steve’s voice sounded urgent, but by the time he had tried calling his name for the third time, the doctor had slumped onto his knees, gasping.

You sprung into action.

You could smell it.

Leaking amniotic fluid.

Bruce Banner was officially going into labor.

“Steve, Thor, I’m gonna need you to pick up Bruce. FRIDAY?”

“Yes, Miss Yang?” FRIDAY’s voice floated down.

“Can you please alert any other nurses and doctors still on the Compound that we have an Omega in labor?” Your voice rang out.

“I will alert Doctor Cho and Doctor Hudson.”

“Great. Thank you. Steve, Thor— come on—“ You urged the two Alphas as they lugged Bruce along, the male Omega groaning.

“Feels like hell,” groaned Bruce.

“I know it does, Doctor Banner. But you gotta hang in there. Just hang in there.”

In the labor room, a good thirty minutes later…

“Come again?”

Helen’s eye twitched.

The Korean Omega had bounced to the labor room when FRIDAY had told her that an Omega had gone into labor. Bruce was okay. You had checked him, while Steve and Thor had run off to get the stuff.

Bruce hadn’t been fully dilated to eight inches. So he was still okay. But the contraptions were hell. You were desperately holding his hand as he winced in pain.

“Bruce Banner is in labor. With Thor’s pup.”

Now.

Now.

Helen had heard down the grapevine all about Thor. The muscular, himbo god of lighting from Asgard. And his emo Shakespearean brother.

The bad thing was, that Thor was a god.

Bruce was a human.

Bruce was going to have a demigod baby.

An actual fucking demigod baby.

“Can he even survive the childbirth?” came Helen’s hissed response.

You weren’t quite sure. You knew about supersoldiers, mutants, and gods. Even if you were a Shaman.

“I don’t know. Maybe the gamma rays in his body can help him survive it? But we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Before Steve and Thor had left to grab the things you needed to assist with the birth, you had slathered on some scent blockers. To hide and conceal your scent.

It was essential that when the pups would come, only the Alpha and Omega, or Alpha and Beta, Beta and Beta, Omega and Omega’s scents were the only ones that lingered. It was good for the afterbirth too. The afterbirth was an important bonding between the newborn pups and their parents.

So, therefore, you not smelling your own scent wasn’t bothering you.

Not really.

To make matters worse, you didn’t even have a birthing suite for Bruce and his pup.

And, because Thor was a literal frigging god, no one would probably touch Bruce or his incoming pup, because their baby was a frigging demigod.

You still couldn’t wrap your head around that one.

So Steve and Thor had been sent out to get the supplies down from Medical, which just left you and Helen to man the joint.

“Is there literally anyone else who can help us?”

If it were heavenly possible, Helen would have marched all the way up to the rooftops of the Avengers Compound and screamed to her heart's content.

A deep whimper came from Bruce. Sweat was rolling down his face as his entire body trembled. Another contraption had hit him. Making his eyes squeeze shut as he gritted his teeth, trying to ease the pain.

Cause it hurt.

It hurt like a bitch.

“I may know someone who can help you, Doctor Cho.” FRIDAY’s voice floated down.

Both of your heads jerked. Bruce just shuddered.

“Miss Laura Barton is in the building, along with Agent Barton and Miss Romanov. Shall I send them up?”

Laura Barton was a lot of things.

A daughter. A sister. An aunt. A mother.

Back when she had been young, almost nine years ago, she had gotten pregnant with pups.

At first, Laura had fantasies of marrying her Alpha. They had met and started dating. Six months in, she had fallen pregnant.

And then her Alpha had abandoned her.

She had no one.

No one but her older brothers, Clint and Barney. Barney was the eldest of the Barton brood. Last she had heard of her oldest brother, he was in the Army and was married to his male Omega, some dude named Brian. She had met Brian. He was a nice dude. Seeing Barney be a family man after what their dysfunctional family was… it made her happy.

She was happy for her brother. And then, Clint had convinced Natasha to defect from the Soviet Union and the Red Room to the US and the two of them had gotten married. She had become a sister-in-law.

She was happy now. Utterly content with her life, and her two pups, Cooper and Lila. They lived in the Avengers Compound. Laura worked up in Accounting. Cooper and Lila attended a school that was close to the Avengers Compound.

Her pups happily sleeping and snoring away, Laura was awoken to light rapping on her door. Curious but guarded, Laura grabbed the metal bat she kept against the wall of her bedroom. Walking out of the bedroom, and through the hallway to the front door of the private apartment, she unlocked her door.

“Hey Laura— Woah Woah! Put the damn bat down!” Clint signed to his sister.

“Clint?” She signed. “It’s me,” he signed back. Slowly lowering her bat, she yanked him inside.

“What’s going on? It’s three in the morning!” she signed frantically.

Beep. Beep.

Having turned on his hearing aids, he answered her.

“Bruce is back. He’s pregnant, and he went into labor with Thor’s pups. You remember Thor, right? Blond, big dude? Huge muscles? That Thor?”

Nods.

Nods came from his sister in confirmation that yes, Laura did indeed remember the god.

“Doctor Cho and Doctor Omega don’t quite have all of the equipment. Plus, FRIDAY suggested that since we were there for Cooper and Lila’s birth, we could help them out.”

Childbirth. Oh yes. Laura was very well versed in that field. She had given birth to two pups, after all.

“Okay. Let’s go.”

When they got there, Steve and Thor, (and was that Bucky?), were wheeling in the proper equipment. Heck, even Loki was helping out. Green magic fluttering under his fingertips, the trickster god helped move along the equipment needed for the birthing.

But Clint just ushered Laura along to the birthing suite, where they had found you, Helen, and Bruce.

“Oh! Thank goodness you’re here!” Cried Helen.

And yeah, Helen was about to kneel at their feet.

You were too.

“How months has it been? Since the conception?” Laura was already firing off questions.

“Seven months,” rasped Bruce.

“Seven months? You’re early.” Astonishment was written all over her face.

“Really early.” Clint agreed with her.

Even a dumbass could figure out that was too early.

Far too early.

“My cousin was born seven months. She was really small. Like a little rat. Small and sickly. It took her two months after being born to be given the clear to be taken home.” You remarked. “But,” you continued, seeing the looks of pure horror on their faces. “Thor’s a god. Who knows, his semen might be really potent, like Steve’s.”

“How do you know that?” Helen was looking at you. To which, you just pointed at your gland, showcasing Steve’s teeth marks in it.

“Oh….” Three heads were nodding at you.

“The pup could be sired full to a full term already. We just need to make sure we have the correct equipment to help us out.” You concluded.

“How are you not nervous?” Clint blurted out at you. “Of course, I’m nervous Barton!” was your scandalized hiss. You even swatted his shoulder for good measure. “I’m fucking nervous as shit! We don’t have any good doctors on help that is experienced in delivering pups!”

“You’ve delivered a pup before!” Helen’s retaliation made Clint and Laura’s eyes bug out comically like they were anime characters.

“You have?!” They exclaimed.

Whipping your head so quick in Helen’s direction that you might have almost twisted your neck, you snapped at her.

“Once! Once! I delivered a pup ONCE! And it was in a hurricane shelter in Japan while my uncle was hyperventilating!” Your protests were ignored by Helen though.

“And that’s more experience than me! I never got that experience! My field is genetics! You’re trauma!” Helen shot back.

You were about to bicker with her a little more, had Yasha not entered the room.

“We got the stuff. Are we moving Bruce or not?”

James Buchanan Barnes had never delivered a pup before.

He had scattered memories of his mother, Winifred Barnes giving birth to his younger sisters, Rebecca, Mary, and Frances. But other than that, no other experience.

Through the year that he had spent on the run, his year of freedom— Bucky had been thinking.

Thinking. Thinking. Thinking.

In between catching up with this new century anyway.

After helping Thor and Steve bring in the essential things needed for Bruce’s birth, Bucky was allowed to leave. He didn’t need to stick around. However, before he left, he swooped by to ask you something.

“Where does your cousin live?”

The question might have taken you out of focus for a second.

Then, you realized it was just Yasha.

“Oh! She lives…”

Bucky had made sure to memorize the address, but you had kindly suggested that Natasha, (who had managed to get up and was nursing a cup of coffee in the hallway, playing guard), go with him. She knew where and how to get there.

So the two former assassins were on a subway to get to downtown Brooklyn because the Avengers Compound was upstate.

And because your cousin lived in downtown Brooklyn.

Brooklyn. The familiar borough made Bucky remember foggy memories. Memories of hearing his Ma’s laughter, his Pa’s deep rumbles. Rebecca’s light voice. Mary’s chiming of her favorite books. And Frances’s favorite piano pieces. A smaller, skinnier Steve.

All of those memories blurred together as he sat with Natasha on the subway. Speeding through the underground tracks.

“What’s on your mind, Yasha?”

At last, Bucky had turned to look at his former student. The redheaded Omega was looking at him, too.

“Just things,” was his rough reply. “Everything’s… different. The people are different. The atmosphere… it’s different. People… feel different. Cept Stevie. You. Steve’s Omega. And… my Mega.”

Natasha could understand that. The first year after defecting from the Motherland and coming to America was a weird culture shock. Everything was new to her. Really new. And it didn’t help that because of the supersoldier serum the Red Room had given her made it that she didn’t need much sleep.

Her hand brushed over his in comfort.

Finally, at last— their spot was called. Exiting the subway, Natasha guided him out of the subway station and onto the streets.

For the first time, the streets were empty. Everything was silent.

The two Russian assassins walked down the streets of downtown Brooklyn towards your cousin’s apartment complex. Once Natasha found the right one, they walked inside and up the staircase. Upon getting to the sixth floor, Natasha and Bucky quietly walked to the apartment door.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Something had woken up your cousin. With a groan, her eyes opened. Bleary-eyed and still tired, she checked her phone.

1:55 AM.

Who could be at her apartment at nearly two AM?

Still tired, she saw the text.

Natalia: Come outside. Yasha and I are waiting.

To say she raised an eyebrow was an understatement.

Natalia and Sasha were here?

Spurring herself out of bed quickly, she let out a few curse words that even Tony Stark himself had never heard her say as she scrambled to make herself look presentable.

Hastily grabbing a hair tie, she quickly tied her hair back as she scurried and hurried for the door.

The front door to her apartment swung open as she panted deeply for air, looking at Natasha and her Alpha.

No. Bucky. Sasha.

“Bruce is back with Thor. And Loki and Darcy, as well as Valkyrie and Jane. Yasha wanted to stay with you while Bruce gives birth to his pup with Thor.” Natasha explained to her.

All your cousin could do was slowly nod in response. “Uh-huh…” was all that came from her. “Oooookay… that sounds… great. Yeah… I can… handle… that. Uh-huh. Makes sense. Totally makes sense. Gotcha. Wait. Thor? Thor as in the god Thor? Lighting dude, who had his hammer?” She questioned.

“That’s the one,” Natasha affirmed.

“Oooookay. Kay. Cool. Um— yeah. Come in, Sasha.” She opened her door wider to allow Bucky to step into her apartment.

Once he stepped into the threshold, Natasha spoke. “I’ll come and pick you up later, Yasha. See ya later.”

Bucky and his Omega waved her off as Natasha jogged back down the stairs. Closing the door and making sure to lock it behind her, your cousin leaned back against the door.

Looking at the Alpha specimen in front of her.

“Tony’s gotten in touch with T’Challa,” said Bucky softly. “He’s the King of Wakanda.”

“Wakanda? Oh right… Steve’s shield. Uh-huh. Go on.”

“They’ve… offered me asylum there. T’Challa’s got a younger sister. Her name is Shuri. He hopes that she can deprogram the trigger words from my head.” Bucky swallowed thickly. His Adam's apple bobbing up and down nervously.

“That sounds great, Sasha. I’m happy for you.” Your cousin was looking at him with a gentle look in her eyes. Her hands reached out as she walked up to him. Closing that gap between them. Gently holding his metal and flesh hands.

“I was thinking…” he was swallowing again. His hands felt clammy. Even his metal hand felt heavier than usual. If that was even possible anyway.

“Yeah?”

“I want you to come with me. To Wakanda.”

Meanwhile, back at the Avengers Compound, a couple of hours later…

You were exhausted.

Extremely exhausted.

All you wanted to do was take a nap.

But, alas you were still up and about.

You had even chugged down a frigging coffee earlier! An iced latte with three pumps of espresso in it too!

And you were still tired!

And hungry!

God, your stomach had been growling ever since Bruce had finally given birth to little pup Frigga. She was eight pounds and three ounces precisely. Perfectly healthy, too.

You referenced Thor’s semen for that explanation.

He was a god, after all.

This, however, led to Darcy Lewis panicking after her own pup. Sired by Loki. If Thor’s semen was potent and sped up the process, would her pregnancy with her own pup be the same way? Being that she was currently four months in. Jane was only barely two months in.

That, however, you left for Darcy and Loki to debate over. You weren’t dating a god.

You were dating Steve Rogers. You would leave that discussion for a later date.

As you walked through the halls of Medical, tired and hungry as shit, your Bondmate managed to catch up with you.

Once again, he had changed into a plain white t-shirt and sweatpants. Ones that hung to his hips, and you knew that they were showing the v of his hips. Just the thought was making your Omega horny. She wanted nothing to do but lick that v of his hips at this very moment.

You quieted her.

It was far too early for that shit.

“I’m gonna go exercising with Sam and Romanov.” Your Bondmate told you. You nodded. 

"And then we'll eat. Is that okay?" He asked you.

The mention of eating made your stomach growl again.

“You haven’t eaten yet?” Your Mate questioned you. “Nope,” you said with a sigh. “I’m really hungry.”

“Okay. You can join us for breakfast.” Steve smiled at you.

You smiled back.

So, you had managed you eat some breakfast.

And oooh boy, you had eaten a lot.

You had been in the middle of scarfing down your third plate of breakfast. Pancakes with whipped cream and powdered sugar on top, bacon, scrambled eggs, and a glass of your preferred beverage.

Chew. Chew. Chew.

Munch. Munch. Munch.

“Damn,” Sam whistled at you.

“What?” You said through a mouthful of food. You swallowed. “In my defense, I haven’t eaten in like, probably five hours.”

“Nah. I ain’t tryna blame ya. I love food too.”

Vigorous nods came from you in agreement.

Indeed, you enjoyed the joys of food. After Hydra, tasting new food after nearly almost three decades was something of a new thing for you. It had been nice, to taste Hmong food again. It was like breathing in familiar air. This was familiar to you. You knew what Hmong food tasted like. Tasting new food though… that had been a journey.

Two plates fell onto the table.

Steve and Natasha had returned from their fifteen-mile run. Steve sat beside you, while Natasha sat next to Sam. Natasha grabbed her fork and immediately dug into her breakfast. While Steve looked at you and greeted you with a soft “Omega.”

“Ew,” Sam scrunched up his nose. “Y’all are nasty.”

“You’re just jealous that I have an Omega and you don’t,” Steve smirked at him. Like the little shit that he was.

Sam gasped in blasphemy. “I do not!” was his fiery protest. “I am dating someone, I’ll have you know!”

“Is it Kristen from Statistics?” wondered Natasha.

“Please don’t tell me it’s Karen from Accounting,” you added with a sour look on your face. You had bumped into the Omega once, and it hadn’t been pleasant. Maybe it had been an off day for her, who knew. But she hadn’t been very nice to you.

“No and no. God no. Especially on Karen from Accounting.” Sam wrinkled his nose in disgust. A sigh of relief came from you.

“Does Kristen still have that lip piercing?” Steve asked Natasha. “Yup.” she even made sure to pop the p.

“Nah. It’s Cecilia from downstairs.”

Someone choked on their food.

That someone was you.

It was totally you.

“Cecilia from downstairs?” You wheezed. At Sam’s nod, you gave him a look of pity. “Good luck with that, Wilson.”

“What?” He was frowning at the look on your face.

“She had two boyfriends at the same time if gossip serves me right… anywho. If you’re not serious with her, it shouldn’t be a problem.” You waved it off.

“How do you know?” Sam inquired. Pursing your lips, you took a sip of your drink. “I was friends with one of the dudes back in ye olden days. We were good friends, actually. I told him not to date her cause she gave me weird vibes. But then he didn’t listen to me. So when I found out, I told him, and then another friend gaslighted me. Needless to say, we’re not friends anymore.” And you left it at that.

“Well, it ain’t all that serious. Just some good fun. Thanks for tellin’ me.” Sam smiled at you.

“No prob.”

Steve reached his hand underneath the table, squeezing your hand in reassurance.

You squeezed back.

Taglist: @bxnnywriting, @greeneyedblondie44, @hawsx3, @sunflowerfive

Fic Taglist: @openup-yourmind, @captainson-of-coul

[shivada-jade]

let's play wii

modern!au

characters: xiao, kazuha, venti ➡ mentions: aether warnings: n/a

notes: 4nemo are roomies !

xiao:

xiao looks over you, concerned with how you're holding the wii remote. it isn't strapped to your wrist and you're holding it loosely.

"[y/n], you should really strap the remote on you," he cautions while waving his own remote while sitting. you don't turn away from the screen in front of you and continue to dance to one direction.

"but xiao, i'm in the middle of getting five stars!" you huff, finally reaching four stars. from your peripheral vision, you see xiao just sitting on the floor with an oversized mint green hoodie.

"i don't understand how you always get perfect when i'm the one dancing and you're the one sitting," you quietly fume, unable to accept the fact how you always lose to xiao when all he did is lift the remote up and down.

xiao shrugs, adjusting the strap to his own controller before moving it around again. "you should really wear the strap on your controller, my roommates wont appreciate it if you accidentally fling your remote on our TV..."

he stands and grabs hold of your wrist, grabbing the remote. you whine, pointing at the screen "i was this close to getting another star!"

"you can play now, "xiao takes the strap and puts it around your wrist, tightening it.

you sigh and xiao frowns.

"what's wrong?"

you sigh louder and point to the screen, "you won, again."

the end of the song arrives, showing 'happy' and 'jazzy's' scores. jazzy at over five thousand, and hapy just a few numbers off.

xiao looks at you then to the screen before the corner of his lips curl upwards. it's not noticeable at first, that's why you did a double take.

you slap a hand over your mouth, "xiao!"

xiao tilts his head, "yes?"

"did you just smi-"

"beat you? yeah, i did."

kazuha:

he sets up the game and bounces back when he pops the disc in.

the familiar tune of the game chirps in your ear.

"are you ready for defeat, [y/n?]" he cheekily asks, handing a remote with the second dot at the bottom glowing blue.

you roll your eyes with a smile adorning your face, "no, because you're the one who's going to cry when i beat you."

"how daring of you to make such an assumption." kazuha smiles, wrapping an elastic around his locks before the game starts. "you lost at wii sports already, who's to say you're not going to lose in wii sports resort?"

you gasp, hitting him playfully. "i'm the best you at wii sports bowling, how dare you," you say remembering the wii characters jump in circles when you hit a strike.

the red strand of kazuha's hair falls out of the elastic, so he tucks it behind his ear instead of re-doing the low ponytail. he lets the game start by pressing A and B on the remote.

"anything you wanna play?" he asks.

you grin, "you studied the art of the blade when you were younger, right? let's do swordplay. get ready to lose."

kazuha glances at you warily before pressing 'swordplay: duel,' "i'm the one who's going to win."

"HA. good luck."

kazuha presses 'two players' and steadies the remote to get the game started. you do the same and look at your little mii characters.

two rounds in, and kazuha has one point while you have the other.

his sticks his tongue out, concentrating on blocking then attacking while your little mii character wobbles before attacking back. from the side of your vision, you see kazuha's roommate enter the living room where you play. xiao has never looked so confused, but he stands by the door, unmoving and holding two bags full for grocery.

you whip your wii remote from side to side, pushing kazuha's character at the edge of the stadium and see it plunge in the water.

you laugh in triumph, waving to xiao "did you see that?! your roommate is a loser!"

kazuha smiles, setting his remote down. "actually, that was our practice round i believe. [y/n] said so."

"no that was for real. just admit defeat."

venti:

you swerve your princess peach kart, avoiding the red shell venti threw at you. the room is intense.

you hear aether cheering you from behind, hyping you up.

you're placed second, just a hair behind venti's toad kart. you wanted to push venti, "STOP DROPPING BANANA PEELS."

"STOP THROWING SHELLS AT ME," he screams, dropping another banana peel then takes a shortcut.

you threw another shell and he spins off.

aether walks out of the living room and comes back with a bowl of cereal. he eats, watching the screen with focus. your kart passes by venti's and you laugh in delight.

venti bites his lip, leaning towards his right as if moving his body would help steer the kart in screen. he gets a boost and drives by next to you. you try to push his kart off, but he dodges it.

you press different buttons on your controller, hoping it would make a difference so you can cross the finish line first. luckily, you didn't need to press different buttons because aether 'accidentally' knocks venti over, making him lose control of his toad kart.

"aeTHeRR???" venti complains, watching you take first place and him second.

you high-five aether, passing him your remote for his turn. "your turn to beat the crap out of venti."

you pinch venti's cheek and blow a raspberry, "you're the one who LEFT ME in lego: star wars. while you were on the next stage, i was dying with the roger-roger droids."

"it was a mistake!"

"you laughed at me!"

notes: JUST PLAYED JUST DANCE AND BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF A SIX YEAR OLD. HA. *flexes my five stars*

[anonallia]

“Good Hunting”

// tw: Blood, Violence, Kidnapping

The smell is hard to get familiar with. The amount of blood that stained all throughout the house was something that could never be erased. It was the 6th murder in less than a month, and there was no signs of stopping. The blonde’s eyes scanned the area to be sure every detail was recorded for further research.

“Blue hair, olive colored eyes, her name is Eula Lawrence,” Aether’s partner, Childe, handed him the file of the victim. “She has zero ties that I am aware of to any of the other victims. In fact, she was pretty alone because of her ties with the Lawrence family— poor woman.”

“So that means there are still no patterns beside them all being females. They all had different jobs, ages, and economic class,” Aether cupped his chin reading more into her file. “Yeah, she was alone, sadly the day she found a friend was one of her last,” he bowed and prayed to the Archon’s that her soul find peace.

“She was pretty well off, so it’s a bit concerning the murderer is traveling,” the last victim, Noelle, wasn’t as fortunate and lived on the very outside side of town. She was only living on a maid’s salary so her living conditions weren’t exactly grand. “Whoever our guy is, is one sick bastard,” Childe closed his eyes, avoiding the blood around the room. Oh how it made him shiver, “but hey, I will wrap it up here, you can head out,” Aether shot him a glance, “what’s wrong?” He had to solve this case, he had been on it since it first started. He couldn’t exactly rest until he found the killer, he had to for the safety of other women in the city of Mondstadt and for his own little sister.

“No, it’s okay, I need to find more information,” his eyes then wandered to her purse, “anyone check it?” Childe shook his head, “alright I wil-“ suddenly his phone rang, and his partner laughed.

“Not if your sister has anything to say about that,” he teased, crossing his arms over his chest. Aether felt a blush rush across his cheeks, going to answer his phone.

“Lu, hey, what’s going on? Are you okay?” She assured him she was fine and was just wondering when he would be home. “I will be home soon, yes I am being careful. Don’t worry, ok? Yeah, yeah—“ Childe just watched as his partner paced back and forth with a smile on his face. He hardly ever saw his partner smile, but when it came to Lumine, you could never get him to stop. “Of course, can’t wait, I love you, haha, bye,” and on cue his smile faded looking down at his lock screen of the two of them at the beach. Childe knew that the only person Aether cared about was his own sister and I am sure she felt the same way.

“Don’t worry,” Childe rested his hand on his shoulder giving a comforting squeeze, “you will find him.”

“Yeah, thanks,” he laughed softly, “I should get home. She seems worried and I don’t exactly blame her— Um I will be sure to look over the evidence that you send to me. Please be sure to attach everything, ok? I will be back in the office later tonight after she has gone to bed.”

“Sure sure, but I really think you should take care of your sister first. She sounded like she really needs her older brother,” Childe’s gave a look of concern, but Aether wasn’t having it.

“I am doing this to protect her, and I won’t stop at nothing until I know she is safe,” he hated when other’s butted into their relationship, especially Childe.

“I see. Like I always say, I don’t mind taking care of he-“ Aether held up a hand.

“If you even dare go there I will kick your ass off my team, and kick your ass completely,” his lips thinned in aggravation.

“Roger that,” Childe laughed. Oh, how Aether hated his juvenile jokes involving his sister, no man was good enough for her especially not even Childe. “Only a joke— anywho have fun, detective,” he waved him off.

When Aether arrived home, he felt a strange warmth surrounding him. This was the effect his sister had on him, comfort. Once he opened the door, he was greeted by a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Hey, it’s okay,” he rubbed her back, “I am safe, see?” She puffed out her chubby cheeks that he loved pinching.

“That’s not the point, dummy! I still worry about you…” She pulled away and looked to the ground. She always dreaded the thought of him never coming home and he knew that was her fear.

“Lu you have nothing to worry about,” he flexed his muscles, “your big brother can handle himself,” she laughed softly.

“It doesn’t help that your partner is almost a whole person taller than you,” that really stung his ego. “How is he?”

“How is he?” He echoed, “since when do you care how Childe is?” Her cheeks flushed with red, “is there something you haven’t told me?”

“N-no! I was just wondering! Geez you are allowed to flirt with Keqing, but I can’t talk to Childe?” Aether couldn’t believe his ears, were they having a fling behind his back. “We aren’t doing anything, I promise, he asked to go for coffee one time, but we never did.” What a relief, Aether thought.

“I just think you can do better, he is a playboy anyway,” he noticed his sister’s body shift, “err never mind. I just know that you deserve so much more,” a small smile formed on her face. “Come on, let’s eat, it smells too delicious in here.”

“I made my favorite, Buttered Crab,” he followed Lumine into the kitchen with a big smile on his face.

After dinner, Lumine headed to bed which gave Aether time to look over the evidence. “Everything should be there,” Childe said over a video call, “I am going to head home for the night, when do you think you are coming back in? Keqing has been wondering but not wondering for a while now.” Aether’s chuckled, minimizing the documents and looking at Childe.

“Shouldn’t be long, she is asleep now, which reminds me,” Aether looked over his shoulder and then back at the camera. “You asked her out to coffee?” Childe’s eyes widened a bit before chuckling, “it’s not funny. I told you I would kick you off my team.”

“I know, but, you act like you two are dating,” Aether squinted, “I just noticed me and her had a lot in common so, I took the shot.”

“Behind my back.”

“Yeah, I did do that, but it wasn’t meant for any offense. I really like her, and when we talk-“

“You talk?”

“Mm, I really think we should focus on the case, and then we can talk about that,” Aether closed his eyes trying to calm himself. “Hey, I really didn’t mean to step on any toes.”

“I told you to stay away from her,” he said through gritted teeth, “tomorrow I will be sending a letter for you being inappropriate with a co-worker’s family.”

“Aether, dude, it’s not that serious.”

“It is! When I tell you to keep your eyes off my sister and you ask her out for coffee— I have a fucking problem with that!” There was then a silence between them.

“I understand. I messed up, and if you want me off your team, I understand… I really want to work with you, it has always been so fun haha, but I get it.” Aether scanned his face, and could tell he was being genuine, “I will pack my desk u-“

“No no, I am sorry, I went off the handle there,” he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I am just stressed out, and I just want her safe.”

“I get it. If she was my sister I would feel just as protective. Look, I promise, strictly professional,” he held up a hand in scout’s honor fashion.

“Thanks for that, anyway, you get home, I will be back in a bit,” he hung up the call and ran his hand through his hair. He quickly gathered his things and went back to his office.

“Hey you are back,” Keqing handed him a cup of coffee, “just on time.”

“Hey, thanks for this,” he took a sip, come on and fill me in,” she followed him to his desk where he began unpacking.

“Here are all the files of the victims, let’s try and crack something.” In front of him were the files of Eula, Iris, Una, Lisa, Mona, and Noelle. After an hour later the two had nothing that even came close to connecting each individual woman. “I suppose they are just acting at random,” Keqing sighed.

“Wouldn’t be the first, but I have a feeling like they are,” he leaned back in his chair, “the killer does it in a timely manner,” she hummed. “There is a connection somewhere, there has to be—“

“Captain,” the two looked over to see Albedo, “here I have this tape recorder found at the scene,” the two lifted an eyebrow.

“Tape recorder, who found it?” He took it from Albedo, slipping a glove on his hand before taking it out of the bag.

“Childe found it underneath the victim's purse.”

“Childe never said anything about this in his reports,” Aether was ready to call him up again to scold him, but he had other matters to attend to first.

Pressing play he heard the screams of the woman, they were absolutely blood curdling. After a few minutes the screams turned into shallow breathing, and then— nothing. The three closed their eyes giving a silent prayer for the victim. Her last minutes— she never deserved it. No one did. Suddenly there was shuffling and finally a voice came, “hello detective, have you caught on?” The voice was distorted so Aether wasn’t able to match it with anyone, “are you getting a headache? Does it hurt that you can’t capture me?” Aether’s eyes narrowed, the taunting was unbearable. This man clearly thought it was a game. The voice let out a cackle, even with distortion it felt so cold. “Ah, detective, maybe it’s time we finally met. I am on my way to my final target, and once you have heard this tape, it will already be too late.” His eyes widened, jumping up from his chair.

“Aether!” Keqing stopped him.

“Don’t be rash, captain,” Albedo said and he clenched his fists until they turned white.

“Oh detective, you want to know who my last target is?”

“This fucker is toying with me,” Aether cursed.

“The name, it’s in the files. Good hunting, detective,” the recording stopped. Aether began to pace around the room trying to figure out what he meant. He stared at the files and read off the name of all the girls.

“Eula, Una, Lisa, Iris, Mona, Noelle,” he repeated it again, “Lisa, Una, Mona, Iris, Noelle—“ his blood ran cold, grabbing his car keys and heading out.

“Albedo, send a unit,” Keqing called, he nodded before rushing off.

The detective raced up the stairs, busting into the apartment only to be greeted by the sight of blood, but no sign of a body. He began to tremble, trying to find the person he was looking for, but there were no traces of her. He fell to his knees, eyeing the blood. On the wall in front of the twin was written in big crimson letters, ‘GOOD HUNTING DETECTIVE.’ He had lost. His eyes then fell to a lone tape recorder, his hand couldn’t stop shaking as he picked it up and pressed play.

“She is beautiful, but you already knew that. I have been admiring her for some time, but you wouldn’t allow me to be around her. I wanted her, and you told me no,” the distortion in the voice faded, “I love her, Aether,” he dropped the tape recorder, hearing who it was. “How does it feel to know it wasn’t just coffee that we decided on, I have been to your apartment without you being there. Hah, don’t worry, we haven’t, not yet that is. Maybe if you let us be together I wouldn’t have resulted in this. It’s your fault they are all dead, Aether, and now it is your fault she is gone. Hey, don’t worry, I will take care of her. She will be pampered, shown love that is unimaginable, and even please her in ways you never could.”

.

.

.

Childe adjusted his rear view mirror on the face of the sleeping blonde in his back seat. “Wasn’t that fun, girlie?” he stopped at a red light reaching back and stroked the side of her face. “Now you are all mine, and I am never letting you go.”

[bluemoonfantasiesiii]

Photo-snythetic (Aether, Paimon, & Rubedo)

Aether and Paimon had been tasked with watching Rubedo for the day while Albedo and Nigredo holed themselves up in their camp to work on a rather risky experiment.

“You can handle Ruby today, right?” Nigredo had asked, already nudging his son toward the outlander and his tiny companion. The red-clad whopperflower bounded excitedly toward the two, big magenta eyes sparkling.

“Yeah, it’s no problem,” Aether responded.

Albedo offered a grateful smile. “Thank you, Aether, Paimon. The project Nigredo and I have planned for today could get a bit…messy, and we don’t want anything happening to Rubedo if something goes wrong.” The younger homunculus turned his attention to Rubedo. “Play nice with Aether, okay? And don’t stray out of his sight.”

Rubedo nodded. “Got it! I’ll be good, Uncle Albedo!” Albedo gave him a quick pat to the head before turning toward his work station.

“You can take him off the mountain if you want,” Nigredo said, “but try not to bring him too close to the city or the winery. We’re not quite ready to introduce him to the others just yet. Also, try to have him back before sundown. We’ll make sure to have everything cleaned up by then.”

“Roger dodger!” Paimon piped up with a salute as Nigredo pressed a kiss to Rubedo’s forehead. “Well then, we’ll get out of your hair.”

Aether extended a hand to the flower. “Come on, Rubedo. Let’s go check out Windrise. I think you’d like it there.”

Rubedo took Aether’s hand and started bouncing. “I’ve never been off the mountain before! Is the grass really green out there?”

“Yep, it sure is!” Paimon chirped. “And it’s nice and warm so you don’t have to waste all your time looking for torches or seelies!”

Rubedo tilted his head at that as they made their way out of the campsite. “I feel perfectly fine up here, though,” he said.

“That’s because you’re made mostly of Cryo energy,” Aether supplied. “so naturally, the cold doesn’t affect you.”

“Ohhhh, that makes sense!” Rubedo said.

The trek down the mountain was a strange one for Aether. All the monsters they passed left the group alone when they noticed Rubedo. It seemed that even though he looked like a human, they could still tell he was a whopperflower. As the snow started to recede, Aether and Paimon finally started to relax as they were nearly out of the cold, but just as his boots hit green grass, he felt resistance tugging at his arm.

“Rubedo?” he asked, turning to look at the flower. “Is everything alright?”

Rubedo clung stubbornly to Aether’s hand, but his feet were rooted to the snow. Almost literally as Aether noticed his human form begin to deteriorate, pale blue starting to peek through cracks in his face.

“I’m scared,” he said. “Like you said, I’m a being of Cryo. What if the world outside the mountain is too warm? What if it hurts?”

Aether offered him a gentle smile and lifted his free hand to pet his hair. “It won’t, I promise. I’ve seen Cryo whopperflowers all over Teyvat. If anything hurts, we’ll come right back, okay?”

Rubedo still looked unsure, but his skin began to stitch itself back together as his form stabilized itself. “Okay,” he said with a nod. “Just…don’t let go of me? Please?”

“I won’t. I’m right here.”

Rubedo swallowed his fear and took his first step onto the unfrozen grass. When nothing happened, his second step was much more confident, and in with the next step, he was throwing his arms around Aether.

“I did it!” the flower cheered. “My first time out of Dragonspine!” He let go of Aether to clasp his hand again. “So, where are we going?”

“I’m going to show you one of the Anemo Archon’s favorite spots,” Aether said before leading Rubedo away from the edge of the snow. Just like on Dragonspine, the monsters they passed by ignored them completely. At one point, Rubedo decided to play a prank on the other two by shifting into a windwheel aster, sending Aether and Paimon into a panic as they thought they’d lost him until he burst out of the ground. Paimon gave him an earful for it when she was done screaming, and Rubedo promised he wouldn’t do it again.

It was well into the afternoon by the time they reached the massive tree that shaded the Barbatos statue in Windrise, and Aether and Paimon decided it was time to eat. They settled down against the trunk of the tree while Rubedo was busy climbing it and Aether dug into his satchel. Paimon’s stomach audibly rumbled as she smelled each delicacy wrapped in parchment her partner pulled out. Roasted apples, mora meat, and fish skewers were all laid out for lunch.

“Hey, Rubedo!” Aether called up to the branches above his head. He heard them creak and rustle before the flower poked his head out between the leaves.

“Yeah?” he called back from his perch.

“Want to come down here and join us for lunch?”

“Lunch…? I’ve never eaten human food before. Okay! I’ll try it!” Before Aether or Paimon could stop him, Rubedo leaped down from one of the higher branches of the tree. To their relief, he used his Cryo abilities to form a slide for himself out of ice to ride harmlessly to the ground next to the traveler.

“Rubedo!” Paimon scolded. “Warn us when you’re gonna do something like that! You nearly gave Paimon a heart attack!”

“Huh? D-did I do something wrong?” Rubedo asked.

Aether pet the top of his head. “We were just worried you’d get hurt, that’s all,” he said. “Now, what did you mean you’ve never eaten human food before?”

“You know what photosynthesis is, right?” Rubedo asked.

“Oh. Oh! Yeah, I know,” Aether said with a chuckle.

“It really is easy to forget that he’s a flower,” Paimon said. “So how exactly does that work when you look like this? Do you just lay out in the sun for a bit and then you’re good to go or something?”

“Pretty much, yeah!” Rubedo answered.

“Huh. That’s pretty convenient,” Aether mused, unwrapping some mora meat. “You don’t have to waste time finding or cooking food. It’s just right there all day long.” He punctuated his sentence by taking a bite.

“I mean, it does have a few downsides,” Rubedo said.

“Like what?” asked Paimon.

“Well, I get really sleepy when there’s no sunlight. I don’t have as much energy during a bad storm or at nighttime.”

Aether swallowed before speaking. “Ah, yeah, that makes sense.”

Paimon picked up a fish skewer. “Oh! So that’s why Nigredo told us to have him home by sundown! So he doesn’t fall asleep on us!”

Rubedo nodded. “Mm! That’s right!”

Aether huffed out a laugh. “What, did you think he was just being an overprotective dad?”

“Who knows with that guy?” Paimon decided she was done talking and began stuffing her tiny face with the grilled bass.

Rubedo’s eyes roved over all the food. “Whoa, there’s so much here! Um, Aether can you pick something for me? I can’t decide.”

Aether looked over his selection until his eyes landed on a glass bottle. He uncorked it and handed it to Rubedo. “This is called dango milk. It’s a dessert from Inazuma. Basically, sweetened rice mixed into milk to give it a bit more flavor and texture.”

“Dango milk…” Rubedo took the bottle in his hands and peered inside.

“Since you mentioned that you normally just eat through photosynthesis, I figured you might want to try something sweet,” Aether explained.

“Mm, I see.” Rubedo hesitantly put the rim of the bottle to his lips and took a small sip of the beverage. Magenta eyes widened and suddenly he was gulping down the whole thing.

“C-careful!” Aether said. “You’ll make yourself sick drinking that fast!”

Rubedo pulled the now empty bottle away from his face, a line of white over his top lip. “Sorry,” he said. “It was just really good.”

Aether chuckled and grabbed a cloth. “I thought you’d like it. Hold still, you’ve got some on your face.” Using one hand to steady the flower’s face, Aether gently dabbed at the milk mustache to clean it off. “You know, while I was over there, I learned how to make dango milk myself, so I can make you some more any time.”

“Can you teach me how to make it?” Rubedo asked.

“Sure,” Aether replied. “But the recipe calls for sakura blooms, which you can really only get in Inazuma. I’ll give you some for now, and I’ll bring you more each time I head out there.”

Rubedo’s excitement dropped into a pensive expression. “You really do travel a lot, huh?”

“Sure do. I’m planning to head to Sumeru soon.”

“It must be nice. There’s so much I don’t know about this world.”

Aether ruffled his hair. “Well, you’re with two of the best people to teach you about it back home. Your uncle knows a lot about Teyvat, and your dad can tell you all about Khaenri’ah.” Aether’s grin fell a bit as he looked off into the distant mountains. “And it is nice, getting to explore every corner of this world, but it’s also lonely. If it wasn’t for Paimon, I probably would’ve lost my mind by now.”

Paimon dropped her half-eaten apple to place a tiny hand on her companion’s back.

“Uncle Albedo said you had a sister,” Rubedo said. “That the two of you used to travel together.”

Aether nodded. “That’s right. I don’t know what Lumine was doing while I was asleep, but I’m going to find out. And once I do, I’ll convince her to come home with me.”

The wind filled in the silence for a moment before Rubedo spoke up.

“I’m sorry,” said the flower. “I was so worried about me getting hurt, and now I… I think I hurt you without meaning to.”

Aether offered Rubedo a tired smile. “I’m not hurt, Rubedo. I do miss her, but I know we’ll see each other again. There’s still plenty of time. We have always had enough time.” He shook his head and stood up. “But enough about that. Let me show you how to make dango milk.”

With Rubedo’s help, the group managed to convince a small camp of hilichurls to let them use their cooking pot. With the flower’s natural curiosity, Aether ended up teaching him quite a few recipes he’d learned during his travels. Before they knew it, the sun was low over the horizon.

“Oh, crap,” Aether said. “Seems like we lost track of time. Come on, Rubedo, let’s get you home before Albedo and Nigredo worry.”

Rubedo nodded, and the three started making their way back to Dragonspine. Unfortunately, their race against time was a losing battle, and the stars were out well before they reached the alchemists’ camp. Aether could hear the crunching of snow behind him start to drag and slow, and he turned around to see Rubedo wobbling, eyelids drooping, until he had to lean against a tree to stay upright.

“Wow, you weren’t kidding when you said you drop without sunlight,” Paimon said.

“Mmn… Sorry…” Rubedo said, trying in vain to rub the sleep from his eyes.

“No need to apologize for something you can’t control,” Paimon assured. “I mean, it’s just your flower-y instincts, right?”

Rubedo nodded. “Right…” His next sentence got tangled in a yawn. “I don’t think… I’ll be able to make it back… Like this… So sleepy…”

“Well, there’s only one thing to do, then,” Aether said before stepping forward and lifting Rubedo into his arms. “I’ll just have to find an alternate route to the camp.”

“But…”

Aether shushed him and shifted him into a more comfortable position. “You just get some rest. I’ll have you home in no time.”

“Okay…” It wasn’t as if Rubedo had any say in the matter anyway. He could feel everything slowing down and going lax. Nestling into Aether, he closed his eyes and drifted off to the gentle rocking of the outlander’s steady footsteps.

Albedo was waiting at the entrance of the cave with poorly-masked nervousness that quickly melted into relief when he saw Aether with his sleeping nephew.

“Sorry,” Aether said sheepishly, handing Rubedo off to Albedo. “Cooking lessons ran a little overtime. By the way, he really likes dango milk.”

Albedo gingerly took Rubedo into his arms with a chuckle. “As eager to learn as his father and uncle, I see,” he said.

“Where is your brother, anyway?” asked Aether.

“In bed already,” Albedo answered. “He overworked himself again trying to rein in a slight mishap on his end of our experiment, which kicked off his condition. The absolute dunce tried to fight me on it to assist me with the cleanup, but I threatened to force feed him one of his sleeping elixirs if he refused to go to sleep on his own terms.”

“Do you think you’ll ever be able to find a way to treat that?” Paimon asked.

“To be quite honest, I’m not sure. But until we’ve exhausted every option and tested every theory, I’m not giving up. He deserves to be free from the lingering effects of what Master did to him.”

“You could get rid of the physical remnants, sure,” Aether said, “but the scars it left on his mind… I don’t think those will ever go away.”

“I know,” Albedo said, sadness laced in his words. “But I can at least try to make it more bearable for him.”

“You’ve already given him an identity,” Aether said. “That was all he wanted, really. I think you’re doing a great job.”

Albedo allowed himself a small smile. “Thank you. I… I appreciate that a lot. Anyway, let me tuck this one in, and then I can finally call it a night myself. Thank you for looking after him.”

“No problem!” Paimon said.

“Yeah,” Aether added. “He’s a really sweet…kid? Flower?”

Albedo chuckled again. “That’s a question for another day. Good night, Aether. Paimon.”

“Good night!”

“Rest well, Albedo.”

With that, the two pairs went their separate ways. Aether and Paimon headed back to the city. Albedo carried his nephew back into the camp to get them both ready for bed. As he tucked Rubedo into the covers, he spared one more glance at his older brother before climbing onto his own mattress. Someday, he would find away to combat the effects of Durin’s venom that clung to Nigredo’s very cells, but for now, it was time for them all to rest

[raindrvq]

ok so, more of the like 2017 au or whatever u wanna call it

this was not meant to be this long and i spent way too much time on this but yknow what that's okay <3

Ralph

skin: the classic cool guy skin with the headphones and hoodie, probably a creeper face on the back

fav mob: slime

fav item/block: jukebox (fav music disc is chirp) and prismarine bricks

fav biome: snowy taiga

play style: starts the game and builds a basic house, gets food, then just starts mining. likes exploring and uses every map he finds. tries to get maxed out diamond armour + tools so he can do boss fights. always has at least 3 dogs. fairly well at combat. hides all his valuables in a secret room that is behind a painting, hes a genius i know. has tried to make an aether portal many times but sadly has not succeeded </3

Jack

skin: another one of the classic cool guy skins, mayb one of those ones with a bandanna and a sword on the back or smth

fav mob: blaze

fav item/block: diamond block bc hes like that yknow

fav biome: jungle

play style: loves pvp. also parkour, one of those ppl who play parkour maps all the time (what a weirdo lmao, not just saying this bc im ass at parkour aha). most of his bases are super tall cobblestone towers. makes super small animal farms bc he hates farming so he just breeds animals instead and they're always overflowing with animals. and they are so incredibly loud. tries to speedrun doing everything while everyones still building their houses. 'jack calm down this is a server you dont have to grind and beat the ender dragon by day 5' 'idc im getting full diamond armour rn' 'we just spawned in???'

Simon

skin: one of those soft pastel skins with a flower crown or smth. probably has overalls or a sweater and heavy blush.

fav mob: ocelot n snow golem (he likes to shear them so they have silly little faces)

fav item/block: magenta wool and lily pads

fav biome: mushroom island and flower forest

play style: collects every flower he sees, favorites are peonies and blue orchids. prefers farming. likes to use cute texture packs. randomly plants flowers around your house and likes to leave random little gifts. likes to build pretty houses (they r usually inspired by LDShadowlady bc hes a Shadow Cadet real) and his pets have their own room in his house. also tries to make a bunch of potions but never rly has any use for them. makes cookies, cake, n pumpkin pie bc hes fancy like that.

Piggy

skin: yknow like those skins that were like some sort of mob in a suit. what if his is a pig in a suit, which is why everyone calls him Piggy. idk

fav mob: chicken

fav item/block: bricks

fav biome: birch forest

play style: somehow actually understands redstone and uses it to make secret bases. likes to make puzzle maps and force his friends to play them. good with command blocks. refuses to go to the nether unless he rly has to bc he has a habit of falling in lava lol. makes lots of automatic farms and xp farms and what not. tends to set up a base and then not travel very far bc he can and will get lost if he goes too far away (especially because he hides his bases). if he needs something he'll just pay Ralph in diamonds to get it for him.

Roger

skin: either one of those basic skins with the long bangs covering one eye or some creepy skin that he will use to jumpscare you

fav mob: parrots bc he can hide them in ppls bases to scare them into thinking theres monsters near

fav item/block: tnt

fav biome: the nether (not necessarily a biome but)

play style: starts off playing the game fairly normal then quits and resorts to just stealing from everyones chests. if u go afk near him u will come back trapped in an obsidian box or wearing a pumpkin with curse of binding. purposefully builds shitty huts right in front of your nice build. constantly tries to summon herobrine and scares the shit outta Piggy and Simon. he will also change to a herobrine skin and creep around their bases.

[callmearcturus]

My enthusiasm for DQXI also dipped once I hit the postgame. The premise just... really doesn't vibe with me? Honestly, I just feel bad even doing it.

I mean I think two things:

Stephen on Into The Aether was right, the entire team should have kept their memories of the reset and that would fix a lot of the problems with the set up, especially since the game does nothing with the gap between what the Luminary knows and what everyone else knows. Just let everyone keep their memory.

I think my turn-off point was when I was like "oh shit lemme take Eric to see Mia and see how that shakes out" and its like nothing. If the post-game committed to the bit and really re-treaded all these plot threads in new ways, that would be rad.

But in truth, it's very clear to me that the post game is a bonus campaign. Like Tim Rogers said, DQXI is generous. It contains what feels like three seasons of a show, structurally speaking. (Or, tbh, maybe four.) I am very very happy with my journey with the game ending at the credits. I feel like the game makes it Pretty Clear you absolutely do not have to do the post game. Which is nice.

Aaaaaand I'm probably going to start a fresh playthru anyway. Because I fucking love this game and I wanna redo the whole thing with the English voice cast. And also I love Sylvando.

[marveliciousloki]

Wait WHAT–

Right off the bat, this is no hate towards Nia DaCosta, I don't like her argument. I do not support or encourage harassment to her or anyone else.

Below the cut I'll argue against this argument:

Basically it goes that he was an antihero because he decided that "a robots" life was more valuable than half of the universe. But, I hate this logic.

First off, I've always seen people whine about unrealistic goody-good heroes who are willing to sacrifice their loved ones to save the world but if Steve Rogers –the perfect hero, good man archetype– does not want to sacrifice his friend he's suddenly the bad guy???

Like, is it an ilogical thing to do? Sure, specially because Vision himself was willing to give up his life for the cause. But Steve didn't want to kill Vision if there was an alternative (thing that T'Challa himself supported by the way but I don't see anyone blaming him), because not only was Vision his friend but letting him do that sacrifice was straight up murder (seeing that when they destroyed the gem or detached carelessly it killed Vision) and Steve is not a killer. In a battle you get a –even if low, depending on your skill level– chance to survive, Steve wanted to give Vision that chance not only because he was his friend (which is a 100% valid reason on its own) but also because he was not doing that to Wanda, AND because Vision is a hero too, who if given the chance to survive could save countless more lives.

This is like that stupid argument of the snap being Quill's fault for... Having a breakdown because Thanos had murdered the love of his life... "What a dumbass, am I right?" Like, he had no right to panic and lose control of himself for being destroyed emotionally over being essentially turned a widow afer recently (a year, tops) being orphaned twice the same day (I know Gamora and Quill weren't married but you you get my point).

But I've seen no one blane Strange, who also gave Thanos the Time Stone too, which by the way is what allowed Thanos to do this little time loop thing to rewind Wanda and Vision's sacrifice, making it useless and ultimately causing the snap. "Oh but he saw it was the only way", dude, that's my point, that was the way things were supposed to happen, it's not Stephen's fault either.

And we could keep going:

"Oh, it's Loki fault for sending the Aether to The Collector who was clearly too incompetent to keep it safe"

"It's Gamora's fault for not making a run for it the second she realized that Thanos was intending to kill her" OR

"not killing herself instead of wanting to make Quill do it."

It's ridiculous.

The only one to blame for the the snap it Thanos himself.

And his devoted followers (Squidward, that emo lady, and the chunky guy).

Whether their choices were the right ones or morally pure all the heroes were trying to save the universe with the least amount of deaths possible specially from heroes and friends.

[wiypt-writes]

Stark Spangled Banner

Ch53: I’d Like A Bloody Mary, Please.

Intro: The team plan their Time Heist and figure out exactly where, when and how to get the Infinity Stones.

Warnings: Bad Language words. Some pretty dirty Smut in this one! (NSFW) No under 18s. 

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC Katie Stark

Disclaimer: This is a pure work of fiction and classified as 18+. Please respect this and do not read if you are underage. I do not own any characters in this series bar Katie Stark and the other OCs. By reading beyond this point you understand and accept the terms of this disclaimer.

A/N: @angrybirdcr​ is my SSB edit BAE

Chapter 52

Stark Spangled Banner Masterlist // Main Masterlist

After some grumbling from Emmy about it being a “ridiculously, god-forsaken time on a Saturday morning” to which Steve had quipped back that there were two six o’clocks in a day, the Rogers family, plus bags and a dog were leaving their Brooklyn home behind and heading to the compound for the foreseeable. Once they arrived, Steve effortlessly grabbed the bags from the car, Emmy picking up her rucksack and following him into the base, whilst Lucky raced off over the grounds to greet Clint who had clearly been on an early morning jog. Jamie shot off after him and Katie headed behind at a slower pace. She watched as Jamie reached the dog who was receiving an ear scratch from Clint and laughed out loud when Jamie straightened up and gave Clint the ‘I’m watching you’ sign with his hands. The Archer’s head fell back as he roared with laughter and Jamie stalked off, complete with sandy coloured dog at his heels, casting a filthy glance over his shoulder to double check Clint wasn’t following.

“Tony taught him that!” Katie explained as Clint looked at her. “I really should tell him off for being so rude but damned, he loves that dog.”

“Well Lucky clearly loves him.” Clint smiled, watching the two as they gambolled over the lawns “You can relax Nova, I’m not gonna steal him back.”

“Good. Because Steve and I would be really screwed if you did.”

Clint threw his arms around her and gave her a squeeze before he headed inside for a shower. Katie called Jamie back and they walked into the compound and down to their living quarters. Steve gave her a quick peck before heading off to the briefing room to meet Tony and Bruce, whilst Katie made sure the kids were settled.

“We’re only doing the brain storming today.” She looked at Emmy. “So if you wanna go out in the grounds feel free but just watch him, okay? And stay away from the labs!”

“Yes, Mom.” Emmy nodded.

“If you need us just ask FRIDAY. We’ll probably break for a late breakfast, or brunch, in an hour or so.”

Emmy nodded and Katie dropped a kiss to Jamie’s head as he was sat furiously scribbling at his latest drawing. She loved how he had taken to art like his dad. Emmy also had a natural talent for it, and it made Katie almost jealous. She had often joked to Steve how she couldn’t even draw curtains.

She headed down the familiar corridors and arrived at the briefing room, grabbing a coffee from the waiting batch someone, she suspected Natasha, had ordered in. Taking a place at the edge of the room besides Clint, she perched on the arm of the sofa next to Rocket and looked up. There were a number of hologram displays, showcasing each of the six Infinity Stones and the rest of the group sat round the room whilst Tony, Steve and Bruce were pacing at the front ready to lead the planning of the mission. They were deep in conversation, and Tony pressed something which made one of the holograms flip to the forefront, the one bearing the Aether or the Reality Stone as they knew it. Katie took a long drag from her coffee.

 “Kids okay?” Steve asked as he approached her, dropping a kiss to her head. She nodded.

“Jamie was scribbling away, Emmy was doing something on her laptop, not sure what, she’s being cagey.”

“She got a boy on the go?” Steve frowned. “Do I need my shotgun?”

Clint snorted and Katie grinned as she looked up. “No idea, and if she has threatening whoever it is ain’t gonna help, she’ll just call you a moron or something.”

“She’s right.” Rhodey smirked as he took a seat next to Natasha, overhearing on his way past “Gotta keep it cool, Cap. Although I seem to remember Tony flipping out at your first boyfriend, what was his name?.”

Katie snorted. “Michael Swanson, Mikey.” She sighed. “He was a nice guy.” Steve arched an eyebrow at her. “What?” she laughed, looking up at him. “I was sixteen. Mikey only lasted a year, surprised he made it that long to be honest after Tony threatened him with a blowtorch the first time I introduced them.”

“A blow torch?” Steve pondered. “Now that’s an idea…”

Katie narrowed her eyes at him. “No.”

He gave her a cheeky grin then looked up as Tony called across the room “If you two have finished gazing into each other’s eyes thought we could start.”

“Bite me.” Katie quipped to her brother as her husband returned back to the front of the room and took his place. Katie watched as Steve Rogers disappeared and Captain America emerged and smiled to herself softly at how easy he had retreated back to his Avenger persona, as he effortlessly commanded the attention of the room.

“Okay so the ‘how’ works,” Steve began as he looked at the screens to his side, “now we gotta figure out the when and the where.” He glanced out at the room. “Almost all of us has had an encounter with at least one of the six Infinity Stones.”

“Well I’d substitute the word encounter for damn well near been killed by one of the six Infinity Stones.” Tony shrugged, sipping his coffee as he walked in front of the displays, looking at the Avengers assembled in front of him.

“I haven’t.” Scott held his hand up. “I don’t even know what the hell you’re all talking about”

“Regardless, we only have enough Pym Particles for one round trip each.” Banner circled the table to the front of the room “And these stones have been in a lot of different places throughout history.”

“Our history.” Tony nodded, pacing as he talked. “So, not a lot of convenient spots to just drop in.”

“Which means we have to pick our targets.” Clint added as Tony passed by him.

“Correct.” Tony pointed to him with the hand holding his coffee cup.

“So, let’s start with the Aether.” Steve nodded, hands on his belt buckle as he stood in front of Banner and looked to the corner of the room. “Thor, whaddya know?”

Everyone turned their attention to the god. He was sat on a chair in the far right of the room with his sunglasses on, left hand resting on his belly which was exposed as his grubby top had ridden up slightly. He looked like an absolute hobo. Katie hated seeing him like this, but they needed him to pay attention and now, well he was making it impossible to tell whether he was awake or asleep. His lack of response, however, made Steve believe it was the latter. He drew in a frustrated breath as Natasha spoke, voicing his suspicions.

“Is he asleep?” She asked, pen clutched in her left hand. 

“No, I’m pretty sure he’s dead.” Rhodey deadpanned.

Katie sighed, drained the last of her coffee and stood up. She took a step forward and launched the empty cup at Thor. Her aim was impeccable as ever and it hit him softly in the middle of his forehead. Clint gave her a hi-five at her shot and Steve rolled his eyes, a smirk tugging on one corner of his mouth as Thor jerked awake.

“What?” he asked, looking around. “Yes, I, what was the question?”

“Infinity Stones, planning a huge mission.” Katie spoke slowly almost as if to a child. “We need to know what you know about the Aether.”

“Oh, yes, of course Little Stark.” Thor pushed himself up with a groan. Katie watched as he made his way unsteadily to the screens. Clint pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning on and took up the empty seat between Rhodey and Natasha 

“Where to start? Umm,” Thor began, taking his glasses off and squinting at the light of the room, “the Aether, first, is not a stone, someone called it a stone before.” He pointed at Steve who frowned, puzzled, as Thor continued. “It’s more of a, err, an angry sludge thing, so…” he tipped his head back dropping eye drops into his left eye and pinched the bridge of his nose, “someone’s gonna need to amend that.”

Steve exchanged a glance with his wife at the same time Rhodey and Clint looked at one another. Was he drunk? Hungover? Both? The Captain frowned again as Thor continued, Tony stood not far from him, chewing on a plastic coffee stirrer, peering at Thor over his glasses.

“Here’s an interesting story though, many years ago my grandfather had to hide the stones from the Dark Elves…wooooh, scary beings.” Thor waggled his fingers to imitate a spooky ghost and Katie heard Rocket give out a little sigh from where he sat beside her, holding his paw up to his head, rubbing it slightly. She then looked at Nebula who was occupying the spot Clint had been in and the blue woman shrugged. “So Jane…” an image of the scientist popped up and Thor looked at it, grinning, “oh, there she is. That’s Jane. She’s an old flame of mine.” He pointed to the screen with his sunglasses “She, she stuck her hand inside a rock this one time and then the Aether stuck itself inside her.”

Now Steve was utterly confused and perplexed. He folded his arms and the crease between his brows deepened as he cocked his head slightly to the side as Thor continued to ramble on.

“And, she became very, very sick. So I had to take her to Asgard, which is where I’m from.”

Everyone in the room began to look around at one another in utter exasperation, all except Lang who was eagerly mopping up the information, smiling slightly and nodding.

“And we had to try and fix her. We were dating at the time, you see. I got to introduce her to my Mother, who’s dead,” at that point Thor’s face crumpled slightly and the God looked utterly broken. Banner began waving his hand across his throat signalling Tony to call time and Katie stood up from where she had been sat and headed towards him. “And oh you know, Jane and I aren’t even dating anymore, these things happen though you know, nothing last forever.”

“Why don’t you come and sit down?” Katie suggested to him gently, patting his chest as both her and Tony reached him, Tony gently pushing on his shoulder, guiding him back towards his chair.

“I’m not done yet,” Thor looked at the Stark siblings in turn as Rhodey and Clint shared another glance, Clint’s mouth hanging open in utter bewilderment, “the only thing permanent in life is impermanence.”

Tony clapped his hands together and nodded at the God. “Awesome.”

“Thank you.” Thor acknowledged.

“Eggs? Breakfast?” Katie asked, looking at him.

“No,” Thor chuckled, “I’d like a Bloody Mary.”

Steve exhaled, and rubbed at his brow. This was not how he wanted the day to start. He turned to the Raccoon, hoping that he would be more use. “Rocket, you mentioned something about the Aether the other night.”

“Yeah, when we knew Thanos was chasing it half my team headed to Knowhere, which is a place manned by an idiot called the Collector, at least it was.”

“I had my friends take it to the Collector once we had retrieved it back from Jane.” Thor cut in again as he slumped down in his chair, adding his first thing of real use to the conversation. “My friends, they’re all dead too.”

“So then surely going to Knowhere is our best bet?” Natasha added but Rocket shook his head.

“The Collector, when I call him an idiot, he is an idiot, but he’s also a crafty bastard. You’ll not get it from him without something to trade, unless you wanna go in for a full firefight. And you risk him tipping Thanos off in the process, and we don’t want him to know what we’re doing, regardless of what year it is when we do it.”

“No, we need to do this discreetly.” Steve agreed.

“Thor,” Katie spoke sternly and he looked at her, “how did you get the Aether out of Jane?”

Out of Jane…what the fuck?

“Malekith, he was the King of the Dark elves, he did it.” Thor shrugged. “Before we had a huge fight and he killed Loki. Or didn’t kill him, as it turns out. That was Thanos in the end.”

“That doesn’t sound like an option either.” Bruce shook his head.

“So then our logical opportunity is Asgard.” Katie looked around the room.  “Get the Aether out of Jane before this Dark Elf guy does?”

Steve positively beamed at her. She was fucking awesome at this type of stuff. Her brain was so logical, even when everyone else was frustrated she could see details incredibly, analyse and draw conclusions like no one he knew, not even Tony. She looked at him and flushed slightly, knowing full well what he was thinking, he’d told her enough and she gave a small shrug.

“So Asgard.” Tony nodded. “FRIDAY, capture that.”

“Got it.” She spoke, and by the picture of the stone the location flashed up.

“Thor, timescale?” Tony turned to him. But to no avail, he’d nodded off again. “Alright, we’ll come back to that when Sleeping Beauty is back with us.”

Knowing that was about as far as they were going to get on that particular stone for the time being, the team agreed it was a logical place to break for a coffee and breakfast and they all headed to the kitchen, Katie picking the kids up on the way. There was a selection of food already waiting, Tony (or Pepper, as the case really was) having re-stocked the kitchen fully for them, ordering in a large selection of pastries and donuts. Steve watched as Jamie settled in a seat between his Uncle and Natasha, happily munching on an apricot fruit whirl, chatting away. Emmy was talking to Bruce, no doubt about some other science project she was working on, whilst Katie leaned against the counter, picking off bits of a croissant as she poured out coffees for everyone. Except Thor that is, who true to his word, had sauntered in a few minutes after the rest of them with a Bloody Mary in his hands, Natasha narrowing her eyes and telling him he better not have used the good vodka. 

Steve had a suspicion there was more likely to be Asgardian Liquor in there than normal strength vodka.

They all ate, the mood slightly bolstered by the fact they were pretty much one down on the Infinity Stones, and Thor was even with it enough to give them an accurate time frame too. Something which set Steve at ease as he’d been a little edgy the God was going to lose it completely.

The rest of the day continued in that vain. The next stone they discussed was the Space Stone, or the Tesseract, which was very much Steve’s domain, although Thor- seemingly pepped up after his Bloody Mary- was able to give them a potted history of the item once Steve had explained his encounter with it and The Red Skull during the war.

“It was used by various ancient civilisations before coming into the Asgardians hands where it was kept in my father’s vault.” He spoke clearly. “He eventually brought it to Earth, don’t ask me why, and it was left in Tonsberg where it was guarded by devout worshippers.”

“SHIELD had it until the early nineties.” Katie then picked up as she knew this bit from the research she had done, digging into files and also from a download she had requested from Carol, the woman finally getting back to her late the previous evening. She moved her hand over her tablet and projected the information. “It was used and studied under ‘Project Pegasus’ until a lady called Mar Vel hid it in her laboratory. Then Danvers took full brunt of its power on an accident. But when Danvers found it again, it was given back to SHIELD and they had it right until it was given back to Thor, full circle.”

“And it stayed in Odin’s Vault until Loki stole it and brought it onto the Asgardian ship that Thanos took it from.” Bruce nodded.

“When he killed half my people.” Thor growled.

“So, is Asgard the best place to get that too?” Clint asked. “I mean we can’t get it from the ship?”

“Possibly.” Thor popped a shoulder as he scratched his head. “It would take some doing to get the Aether and the Tesseract and escape without trouble. It might be wise to consider an alternative time and location.”

“Preferably not New Mexico.” Clint mumbled, and Katie grinned at him.

Their discussions continued through the day, and when the evening light started to close in, Tony suggested a few hours down time before reconvening over dinner, which would allow Katie and Steve to settle the kids for the evening. Katie offered to cook again but Steve shook his head.

“No.” He refused, she’d been up all day, she’d made lunch, and he didn’t want her slipping into the routine of doing it all the time for the group, despite how much she said she enjoyed it. “You’ve done enough, we’ll sort the kids and get takeout, does that suit everyone?”

The group nodded eagerly and started to file out of the room.  Katie stood up and cricked her neck as Steve crossed to look at the screen, the image of the tesseract rotated in front of him on one, the image of the Valkyrie airship on the other. He let out a loud sigh. His initial idea had been to split the Avengers into smaller groups to retrieve the stones individually, but he was worried now. There didn’t seem like there was going to be any chance of getting some of them without a full fire fight, and there was no way they could do that apart. Katie, recognising the look on his face as he was agonising over his strategy, crossed the room and slipped her arms round his waist.

“It’ll work out.” She told him softly and he bent his head towards her so she could kiss his cheek. “This is why we’re here, remember? It’s what we do.”

Rhodey approached them to the other side of Steve. “Not meaning to eves drop but she’s right.” He smiled. “Might takes us a bit of time but we’ll come up with something, Cap.”

“Yeah, I know.” Steve chewed the inside of his cheek, looking at the images on the screen.

“You got a lot of history with that thing.” Rhodey pondered thoughtfully as he nodded at the Tesseract.

“You’re not wrong.” Steve muttered. At one point it had felt like everything had centred on that damned cube.

“So you and this Red Skull, you fought him?” Rhodey asked.

Katie looked at him, frowning. “Do you not know the story about how my dad found it?”

Rhodey shrugged “Kinda, but there’s gaps.”

“Well me and the Howling Commandos systematically took Hydra down.” Steve spoke, his eyes not moving from the image. “But we never found Schmidt’s hideout. So we mounted an op to capture Armin Zola who told us where his final base was and all about his plan. So we stormed it, only Schmidt escaped. Which is how I ended up on the plane.”

“So what happened to the Tesseract then?” Rhodey asked, keen to fill the gaps in his knowledge.

“Ended up at the bottom of the ocean, which is where Howard found it. Fell out of the plane right before I had to crash it.”

“Yeah, I’ve been meaning to ask, why did you have to crash the plane anyway?”

“There were bombs on board.” Steve answered.

“Bombs on board, right.” Rhodey turned back to the screen “And you couldn’t just jump out of the plane before it crashed?”

Before Steve could answer, Rhodey patted him on the shoulder.

“Hind-sight eh Cap?” And with that he turned to leave the room.

Steve looked at his wife who grinned at him. “Don’t.” He began with a sigh.

She laughed, her arms snaking round his neck. “If you had jumped off that plane, you wouldn’t have spent sixty-five years taking a cold nap and we would never have met. Maybe it was just fate.”

Steve groaned as his hands locked at the bottom of her back. “Fate, my ass. The damned thing was on auto-pilot, I had no choice. If I could have jumped, I would. I don’t believe in fate, you-“

“Make your own luck, yeah I know.” Katie smiled as he gave her a peck on the lips.

He shook his head, looked at the screen once more before he turned to Katie and took a breath. “Come on, let’s settle the kids for the night and then we can eat.”

****

“Okay, so,” Steve looked up, swallowing his mouthful of chow-mein, “we’ve looked at the Aether, the Space stone, how about the power stone? What do we know about this one?”

“Thanos employed Ronan the Accuser, a Kree warrior, to retrieve it for him only before he could obtain it, it was stolen by our friend. He intrusted it to the Nova Corps on Xandar for safe keeping.” Nebula spoke, Katie looking over to her.

“The what?” Natasha asked, furiously making notes as she ate.

“Nova Corps, they’re, or they were an Intergalactic Military and Police force of the Nova Empire.” Rocket added, looking around to see more blank faces “Seriously? You guys don’t know about them?”

“We’re not exactly versed on Cosmic Security forces, no.” Tony deadpanned, drawing a snort from Clint.

“Well I suppose it doesn’t matter really.” Rocket hopped up onto the table. “What matters is where we can get that stone.” he began pacing in front of everyone. “So Quill said he stole the Power Stone from Morag.”

“Quill, is that a place?” someone asked.

“Morag’s a planet. Quill was a person.” Rocket corrected.

“A planet? Like in outer space?” Scott swallowed, his eyes lighting up. Steve had to smile, Scott was still getting used to things that the other Avengers simply took for granted now. Other planets and aliens existed, it was fact to them. To Lang it was still astounding.  Rocket picked up on this fact and smirked.

“Oh, look. It’s like a little puppy, all happy and everything.” He bent over and ruffled Scott’s hair, and when he spoke again his voice made Katie snort, as it was one Steve often adopted when talking to Lucky. “Do you wanna go to space? You wanna go to space, puppy? I’ll get you to space.”

At that Tony’s voice cut sternly across the table.

“Hey Trash Panda, back on track, come on.” He clicked his fingers.

“Trash Panda?” Rocket looked at him indignantly as there were titters of laughter round the table. “Well that’s just fucking rude.”

Rocket went on to explain about the Battle of Xandar, whereby he and the other Guardians of the Galaxy managed to use the power stone between them to save the planet. It was when he mentioned jokingly something about a ‘dance off to save the universe’ that Katie noticed Tony stiffen. Without a word her brother stood up and walked to the doors that led to the small outside area. She gently squeezed Steve’s shoulder, he too noticing Tony’s exit, and wordlessly went after him.

“You okay Tone?” She asked, pulling the door closed behind her as she followed him out to the little patio area.

“Yeah, I just, well I heard that story before, from Quill, you know, about the dance off? It just reminded me of Parker that’s all.” He sighed, looking up at the sky. “He was teasing Quill about Footloose being a shit film and I just told him to shut up.” At that he fell silent and Katie looped her arm round his waist, his falling over her shoulder.

“You really cared about the kid didn’t you?”

Tony sighed, squeezing her shoulder. ”Yeah. I did.”

“We’re so close to doing it.” She looked at him. “So fucking close, Tone. And then you can tell him to his face.”

*****

From the other side of the window Steve watched the siblings as they shared a moment, Tony dropping a kiss to Katie’s head.

“They okay?” Natasha asked, drawing up to his side.

“Yeah, they’ll be fine.” Steve turned to her.

“I think we’re just about wrapped up.” Nat nodded her head to the table. “I think our best shot is to go to Morag and shadow this Quill to see where he found the stone.”

Steve nodded. “Sounds logical.”

He turned back to watch Tony and Katie who were now both looking up at the sky, Tony pointing at something, Katie giving a little laugh as she playfully gave him a dig with her elbow, causing Tony to laugh as well.

“Feels good doesn’t it?” Nat spoke again, and Steve looked at her. “Actually being back together, doing something.”

“I know these past five years have been shitty for you, Nat.” Steve said gently and she shrugged.

“It’s not all been bad. Seeing you and Katie bring up the kids has been kinda awesome.”

He smiled and pulled her into a hug. “You know, we couldn’t have done it without you.”

Nat smiled and then took a deep breath. “It’s getting late.”

Steve looked at his watch and blinked. It was almost midnight. He nodded.

“Okay, tell everyone to wrap up, we’ll reconvene in the morning, say eight-ish over breakfast?”

She nodded and walked back into the room she’d left before. Steve gently opened the door that led to the outside and both Katie and Tony turned to face him.

“We’re finishing up for the evening.” He smiled gently “Back to it tomorrow morning.”

Tony nodded and Katie gave him a last hug before she turned away and followed Steve inside.

“Everything okay?” Steve asked she stepped inside.

Katie nodded. “He was just having a moment, thinking about the Parker, that’s all. Then he got on some rambling story about stupid shit I used to say as a kid.” She took a deep breath as Steve slid his arm over her shoulder. “He was talking about how I once told him I was going to be an astronaut and fly amongst the stars. That’s why ‘Drops Of Jupiter’ will always be our song.”

“Well, you might not be an Astronaut, but you got up to space.” Steve pointed out and she gave a little laugh, before she sighed.

“Yeah, suppose I did.”

*****

"Is it weird to feel like I kinda miss this place a little bit?” Katie turned to look at Steve as he walked out of the en-suite in nothing but his boxers. “I mean, I know it’s not like we’ve never been back in here since we moved but still…”

“No, I don’t think so.” Stev shook his head, crossing the room towards where she was stood by the window. He wrapped his arms around her, dropping his chin to her shoulder. “This was our home for a while after all, sometimes I still miss DC, you know.”

“Yeah.” Katie turned in his arms. “Although I think I prefer our home now.”

He smiled and dropped a kiss to her lips. “My home is wherever you are baby" 

"That’s so lame!” Katie snorted.

“Hey.” Steve pouted, mock hurt flooding his face causing her to laugh even more.

“You wanna unpack, Soldier?” She asked, patting his chest, nodding to the case that lay at the foot of the bed.

“Tomorrow.” He mumbled, dropping his mouth to hers again, his hands sliding down her back until he gripped her ass and easily hauled her up against him. She giggled as she wrapped her legs round his waist, a sound he would never tire of hearing.

“You got other plans for me, Stevie?” She teased. Steve looked at his wife and with a quirk of his eyebrow he smirked as he carried her towards the bed.

"I distinctly remember you reminding me that this room is soundproof, and I intend on making the most of us not having to worry about disturbing the kids.”

He dropped her gently onto the soft mattress and she smiled at him, reaching up to brush back the longer locks of his hair that had fallen forward over his forehead, before her hand made it round to the back, tangling in the shorter ones at the nape of his neck, pulling him down to kiss her.

And that was it. Suddenly he was pulling the t-shirt off her, his mouth nipping and sucking at her bare chest as she writhed and keened underneath him. His hand worked into the waistband of the shorts she was wearing and she gasped as he slid his fingers into her.

“I love you, I love you so fucking much.” He sighed, making her groan again as he continued to tease her with his hand. Eventually she couldn’t take it anymore and she wriggled underneath him.

“You want something?” He asked and she raised her head, glowering at him.

“Steve if you don’t fuck me right now I swear to God I’ll-“

“You’ll what?” He teased, his fingers curling against her spot and she gasped. “What you gonna do?”

“I’ll tell Jamie where you hide your stash of British Chocolate.” She looked at him and his hand paused.

“You wouldn’t!” His eyes widened, horrified at her threat.

“Oh I would.” She smirked.

“I don’t like being threatened,” his eyes darkened, “especially when it’s simply because you’re being a brat and not getting what you want.”

“Yeah?” She propped herself up on her elbows before she smirked and replayed his words right back to him. “What you gonna do?”

With a grin Steve sat up, grabbed her hips and flipped her over, lowering himself down again. He hovered over her, chest to his back, his mouth tracing a line down her spine as she continued to whimper. His lips formed a smirk against her skin and, as he reached the dip of spine he wriggled out of his boxers and grasped her hips, pulling her ass off the bed. He easily discarded her underwear, another pair he had shredded, but he didn’t give a fuck.

He positioned himself behind her, tip of his cock teasing her entrance. “This what you want?” He practically purred and she groaned.

“Yes, Jesus Christ! Just fuck me already, Steve!”

In a swift movement he buried himself in her and her face dropped to the pillow, muffling her moans.

“Not tonight, Kitten” he growled, as his hand reached out and gripped her hair and he pulled gently on her loose braid, so she was propped up on her elbows. “I told you, I wanna hear you.”

Katie bit her lip as he started moving, hard, fast, deep. Every thrust was rocking her very core and she was putty in his hands within minutes. His hips snapped back and forth, loud grunts and groans filled the room, mingling with the sound of skin slapping on skin as he continued his ferocious pace, his hand on her shoulder pulling her back onto him with every thrust he made.

It was crude, coarse, animalistic, a far cry from their love making the night before but no less pleasurable for either of them.

Katie’s hands fisted into the sheets, her toes curling, her entire body trembling as the pleasure mounted, his cock brushing her walls. Tearing his eyes off the sight of his cock disappearing over and over again into her, Steve bent over her to nip at her neck, a little harder than usual, and he spoke into her ear with a growl. “You feel so good. So fucking good.”

"So do you.” She moaned to him as he kept up his relentless pace, and she felt the release creeping up through her belly. “Shit, Captain…”

“Come for me, Doll.” Steve groaned and a loud cry ripped from her throat as her hands fisted tighter around the sheets and her entire body shook. Unable to control herself she collapsed and in a flash Steve curled his arm around her waist, holding her up. A few short thrusts later and he was done, giving into the ecstasy himself and he collapsed forward, letting Katie down as gently as he could before he face planted onto the bed, sweating and spent. Katie was led front down next to him, breathing deeply into her pillow. Eventually she mustered the strength to turn her head, only to see Steve led on his stomach, looking at her, a smug grin on his face.

“Fucking hell.” She mumbled and he laughed, reaching out to brush her hair behind her ear.

****

“How long did you fight these guys?” Rocket asked, standing on his chair. They were watching footage of the Battle of New York, having started on the analysis of the Mind Stone. The obvious point, as Steve had said to Natasha the previous evening, had been the time in New York when both the Tesseract and Loki’s Sceptre were present. Katie looked at him across the table which was laden with half eaten bowls of eggs, bagels and a Bloody Mary for Thor.

“Oh I dunno, two, two or three hours.” Katie shrugged, glancing at Tony who was sat behind the animal, an electric razor in his hand as he trimmed his beard. He nodded his concurrence as did Natasha. 

“Hours?” The raccoon scoffed. “The Chitauri are the suckiest army in the galaxy, why didn’t you just blow up the mothership?”

A silence fell across the room and Katie exchanged a glance with Thor who looked at the Racoon, narrowing his eyes.

“We didn’t know that was a thing.” Steve muttered, somewhat lamely from his vantage point-stood behind his wife, arms folded across his grey Henley clad chest.  

“YOU DIDN’T KNOW THAT WAS A THING!” The raccoon bellowed and began to howl with laughter. Thor was still looking at him, now with the piece of celery from his drink held in his hand, almost like he was wielding his axe. Steve could tell he was debating throwing it at the animal and part of him really wanted the God to hit him right on the snout with it. The Soldier’s attention flitted to Tony who gave an angry, silent huff and stood up. He held a finger to his lips, telling Steve to keep quiet and he simply raised an eyebrow watching as his brother in law nonchalantly stepped over to the racoon who was still laughing 

“EVERYONE KNOWS…THAT’s A-” the gleeful gloating was cut off as Tony ran his razor straight up the racoon’s back, shaving a line into his fur.

Katie spat out the coffee she had been drinking, choking as Scott began howling with laugher. Banner’s roars filled the room and even Steve couldn’t help himself as he threw his head back in glee, clutching his chest as his laughter rang out. Natasha was snorting too and Thor pointed his celery stick at him.

“That serves you right, Rabbit.”

“That’s a shitty thing to do!” Rocket glared at Tony, who shrugged.

“Stop being an asshole then.” Tony shrugged simply, and the Raccoon sat down, arms folded. As they continued to discuss their plan for getting their hands on the sceptre, Katie couldn’t help but snigger as his paw kept straying to the naked line of skin which stretched up his back.

An hour later they were another stone down, and Steve was feeling bolstered. Tony took himself off to the lab, realising that they were making fast progress and he wanted to start working on their own gauntlet for when they brought the stones back, Thor going with him to advise as he explained the stones had to be in a certain order to harness their power correctly. Nobody bothered to tell the God they all had a picture of Thanos’ glove imprinted in their minds forever. 

The rest of them were sat on various sofas and chairs by the large windows as Nebula explained about the Soul Stone, telling them that Thanos found it on Vormir.

“What is Vormir?”  Natasha asked in a very business-like manner as she scribbled on a pad where she was sat on the arm of the sofa, feet on the cushioned seat. Katie was perched on the edge of the arm next to her, in an identical position almost, with her left arm gently looping round Steve’s right thigh, her hand coming to rest on the inside of his leg, just above his knee, her hand stayed still, relishing the feel of his solid muscle against her palm.

“A dominion of death, at the very centre of Celestial existence.” Nebula explained. Nat paused looking up as the woman’s voice grew sombre. Katie noticed she had tears in her eyes.  “It’s where Thanos murdered my sister.” 

Steve looked down, arms folded, as an awkward silence fell on the room. Katie exchanged a glance with Natasha, then Clint, no one knowing what to say. Steve took a deep breath, Nat began scribbling again.

“Not it.” Scott muttered.

Steve let out an exasperated breath and glared at him.

“What?” Scott asked, innocently

They broke then for lunch. Once they had eaten, Steve took a break, taking Jamie and Emmy outside to play a bit of ball as their son was growing restless. Katie knew it wasn’t easy for him to relinquish control but she encouraged him to take a bit of time with the kids, Clint and Rhodey joining in so they could form teams. Thor disappeared off with Rocket and Nebula somewhere, most likely to raid the booze cabinet, whilst Katie, Tony, Nat and Banner continued their brainstorming. 

The siblings lay on the large table, surrounded by papers and books they’d been making notes in, Natasha lounging in a chair whilst Bruce lay on the floor. 

“That Time Stone guy.” Nat spoke, tapping a pen against her teeth.

“Doctor Strange.” Bruce offered his name up.

“Yeah, what kind of doctor was he?”

“Ear-nose-throat meets rabbit from a hat.” Tony quipped, making Katie snort as she looked up at the ceiling.  

“Nice place in the village, though.” Banner mused.

“Yeah. Sullivan Street?” Tony asked, his hand pinching his nose as he tried to think of the address.

“Bleecker.” Banner corrected.

Suddenly something in Katie’s mind clicked and she sat up slightly. “Wait, he lived in New York?”

“No. He lived in Toronto.” Tony groaned sarcastically and Katie dug him harshly with her elbow. “Yes, he lived in New York.”

Katie looked at Natasha as she sat bolt upright, understanding immediately.

“Guys, if you pick the right year, there are three stones in New York.” Nat pointed out what Katie had seen.

Tony paused, before he tilted his head to look at his sister who raised an eyebrow grinning at him, as Bruce sat up suddenly in surprise. 

“Shut the front door!” Banner looked around at Natasha, then Katie.

“Three stones, one bird.” Natasha quipped, smirking. 

*****

Steve felt the familiar bristle of adrenaline as he looked at the holograms which were displaying the different locations and dates. His eyes not leaving the displays for a second, he spoke clearly and confidently “All right. We have a plan.” He walked up towards the screens. “Six Stones, three teams. One shot.”

The other Avengers gathered behind their Captain as they all either rose from their seats or stepped forward from where they had been stood, staring at the screens, the determination seeping from every single one of them hovered in the air which was practically crackling with anticipation.  

Katie slipped her hand into Steve’s and he looked round at them all.

“Get some rest, we’ll reconvene first thing in the morning to make the final preparations. We go first light the morning after.”

The team all began to excitedly chatter and move about and Tony stopped, turning to Katie and Steve.

“We’ll take the kids up to the house tomorrow afternoon.” He nodded “I know we’ll only be gone for seconds but…”

Both Katie and Steve agreed, neither of them wanted them around whilst the Stones were at the compound.

“They can stay there until we’ve done the, reverse snap, the ‘pans…’” He quipped, saying the word backwards and Steve rolled his eyes.

*****

Katie had tears in her eyes when she bid the kids and Lucky goodbye the next afternoon, but she had to laugh when Jamie showed her the huge bag of M&Ms Natasha had sent him off with, along with a kiss and a cuddle from his favourite Aunt to keep him going until she saw him next time. She’d also slipped Emmy a crisp twenty instructing her to spend it when Pepper took them into the small village near where they lived to visit the Art Store the Teenager loved so much.

Steve eventually managed to steer Katie out of Pepper and Tony’s house, back to the car, Tony lingering slightly longer to say goodbye to Pepper. The drive home was almost completely silent, the three of them lost in their thoughts. They hadn’t been on a mission together with the full original team in over seven years. It felt odd, yet strangely familiar. 

After a final bit of prep, Katie trying on her cat-suit, surprised to see it actually fit, they collapsed into bed, although neither of them could sleep. Katie turned over, scooting closer to Steve as she lay her head on his chest, her mind churning. Over the mission, over the stones, over the kids. Steve let out a sigh and kissed her head.

“I know you’re nervous…” 

“I’m not nervous.” Katie shook her head against his chest. “Steve, I’m terrified.”

Steve closed his eyes and sighed, whilst the last five years had overall been kind to him and his family, he was desperate to bring everyone back. Not just for himself, but for the entire world, universe even. He hated failure, hated feeling like they could have done more. And this time tomorrow they’d know one way or another whether they truly had one final shot at undoing it all. 

And if not, well, the last five years were about to become their forever reality, and it really would be time to quit. 

*** Chapter 54

 **Original Posting**

[valeriethepussycats]

Inside Out

Chapter 10

Pairing- Loki x Reader

Warning-cursing and killing

Your thoughts and other characters are in italics. Flashbacks are in bold.

“What are you all doing? You need to get out of here! Now!” Jane said run.

“You're joking, right? That's Thor out there waving his hammer around and everything!” A Student as he uses his phone to record the battle outside; in their ensuing fight, Thor and Malekith are transported through the realms to Svartalfheim and London continuously, at the same time a fighter jet flies towards Malekith's ship.

“Confirming ship is hostile.”

“Confirm, the ship is hostile. You have permission to engage.” Pilot said into his headpiece.

“Roger. The missile's locked. The missile's on its way.” The pilot releases the missile. “Missile off target! I repeat...”

“Mayday! I'm losing control. Mayday! Mayday! I'm losing control!” The jet is then transported to Valaheim.

As they run through the library ground. “What are you doing?” Erik asked.

“My signal's lost connection.” Jane answered.

Some of the dark elves are behind them chasing after them.

“Jane! Come on!”

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

As Thor and Malekith continue their battle through the realms they land in Jotunheim and are confronted by a giant beast which then is transported to London, at the same time Darcy and Ian are being ambushed by the dark elves when Ian, with the help of the anti-gravitational energy force, grabs a car and throws it at them, Darcy looks at him in shock.

“Are you alright?” Ian asked.

“You saved my life.” Darcy answered.

“Yeah. Yes, I did.”

Back at the library grounds Jane manages to make the device work again and as she uses it suddenly makes Darcy and Ian appear behind her in each others arms kissing.

“Darcy?”

“Jane!” Darcy lets go of Ian and falls to the ground.

“Ian?”

“Selvig!”

suddenly Mjolnir appears and flies past them. “Meowmeow!”

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Thor and Malekith are then transported through the realms again with Malekith landing back in Greenwich but Thor ends up in Charing Cross Underground Station

“Mind the gap.” Said the Man over speakers.

Thor turns to one of the passengers on the underground train that's just arrived. “How do I get to Greenwich?”

“Take this train, three stops.” Said the Woman on Train.

“Thor steps onto the train and places his hand on the bar above him.”

“Mind the gap.” Said the Man over speakers.

As the train starts to move, the movement causes the woman to fall against Thor and she stops herself by placing her hand on his chest. “Sorry. Sorry.”

Thor smiles politely at her

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

In Greenwich the realms come closer to converging, Malekith readies the Aether within him to bring forth the darkness. Y/n walks into the courtyard, in the middle of all the Mayham and destruction. Malekith had made a sphere around himself using the Aether.

“Dark One, come forward.” Malekith announced.

“What’s going on?” Y/n mumbled to herself as she looking at where Erik and Jane is.

“We're out of time.” Jane said.

“Maybe not yet.” Erik said looking at Y/n.

Y/n walks up to sphere and walks though it to see Malekith. “I thought Thor stoped you on Svartalfheim.”

“I can not be stoped with the Aether on my side.” Malekith said smugly.

“There’s a first time for everything.” Y/n said as her eyes glow white.

The Stratus clouds in sky turns into dark Altocumulus clouds. A lightning storm in each cloud, the thunder is so loud that the ground being to shake and the cars that’s around alarms starts going off. A pair of Electric blue eyes are watching everything unfold. Lightning begins to strike the sphere relentlessly until the sphere shatter blasting Malekith yards away.

Malekith stands up and gives Y/n a hearty laugh. “You are truly extraordinary, Dark One.”

Y/n looks over at Malekith with a cocked head. “Why do you keep calling me that?”

Malekith points at Y/n’s chest. “That power inside you it comes from the universe. It’s endless,constantly growing, and......dark.”

Y/n raises her eyebrows at Malekith. “Dark.....there’s nothing dark inside me.”

“Y/n!” Jane said rushing off to Y/n

“Jane. Jane!” Erik shouted.

Thor rushes out of the station to watch the Aether taking over Malekith and Y/n is fighting him.

“Y/n, I need to tell you some.” Jane started. “Y/n, Its about Loki.”

“Not the time, Jane.” Y/n snapped.

“No...Loki wasn’t taken back to Asgard....Malekith.....killed him.” Jane said with quiet empathy.

Upon hearing those words it begins to rain hard. The sky was already dark but the sun was able to shine though but now the sun wasn’t nowhere to be found.

Something inside Y/n snapped and the whole area begins to shake like an earthquake. Y/n’s eyes turns black as vines start to slowly form all over her body.

“Oh no.” Nathan whispered from the clock tower as he rushes down.

“He....Did.....What?” Y/n snarled as her hair stand up and red lightning starts to strike down on the ground in a straight line towards Malekith. Y/n uses her powers to pick up Erik’s gadget spears and fly them over to the Dark Elves.

“Is that why I felt emptiness because you took..Him..From..Me.”

Fire starts to form around Y/n as she starts to walk over to Malekith. Everything in her path burns she’s even leaving burned marks on the ground. Y/n holds out her hand and freezes the rain drops and then flat them then shot them at Malekith.

“Y/n! You have to calm down! Y/n!” Erik called out.

“Y/n’s not here right now.” Y/n answered.

“What.”

Y/n moves her hand and picks up Malekith’s ship and move it towards him. “Now Die!!!”

Y/n drops her arm and the ship falls on Malekith. Y/n looks around at all the Dark Elves and shot water arrows at them making all Dark Elves turn drop to the ground.

Jane uses the gavemetric which makes them disappears and appears on Svartalfheim.

Breathe Y/n

Loki

It will be alright I will always be with you

Tears start to fall from Y/n’s face. She puts her hand over her mouth to stop the sobs from escaping but it was all in vain Y/n’s wail had seep through and just as it did a little green and blue colors appeared in the sky. An aurora borealis (Northern lights) starts to appear all around the area. But little did she and everybody else know it was happening all around the world.

“Y/n.” Thor called out.

Y/n looks over at Thor with eye black. “Is he really gone?”

Thor nods yes. Y/n’s face slowly turns name to normal and just as she is about to fall but Nathan catches her. Thor rushes over to catch Y/n but someone beats him to it.

“Don’t worry, I’m a friend.”

Darcy smiles and throws her arms around Ian and kisses him passionately.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

In New York

At Tony’s tower Bruce is working on something that would change the world, when he looks up out the window and see Northern lights “Tony come look at this.”

Tony walks over to Bruce and looks out the window. “Is that the Northern lights?”

“Yep.” Bruce answered.

“You don’t think it’s Y/n’s doing.”

Tony and Bruce looks at each other with an uneasy feeling crawling up their spine.

Westchester, New York

Jean and Scott is watching tv when an emergency Broadcast on to the channel there watching.

“Breaking news the Northern lights is appearing all over the country.....ok I’m just getting word that the first Sighting of the Northern lights was in the United Kingdom. Some say it’s the effects of global warming.” News reporter explained.

One of the kids run inside the mansion. “Come you have to see this” said the trying to encourage her friend to come outside.

“You want to see what’s all the fuss is about?” Scott asked Jean.

“Why not.” Jean said with a smile.

Jean and Scott get up and walk outside to and they see the Northern lights.

“This is not caused by global warming.” Charles Xavier said as he wheels up to Jean and Scott.

Jean looks over to her left and see Charles and he has a worried look on his face.

“Professor, what’s wrong?” Jean asked.

“Grief, Jean.” Charles answered. “Grief.”

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Couple of days later, Jane, Erik, Darcy and Ian are in her apartment sat having breakfast quietly.

“He's gonna come back. Except, you know, last time he was gone for, like, two years.” Darcy told.

“Well, it's only been two days, so...” Jane settled.

“Did he say anything before he left?” Erik wondered.

“Yeah, he had to figure some stuff out with his father. He kind of committed treason... on our way out.” Jane looks away and carries on eating her breakfast.

“Oh.”

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

On Asgard Thor meets with Odin at the palace.

“You once said there would never be a wiser King than me. You were wrong. The alignment has brought all the realms together. Every one of them saw you offer your life to save them. What can Asgard offer its new King in return?”

“It was not me who save them it was Y/n.” Thor stated. “Y/n’s powers took over.........Father, I cannot be King of Asgard. I will protect Asgard and all the realms with my last and every breath, but I cannot do so from that chair. Loki, for all his grave imbalance, understood rule as I know I never will. The brutality, the sacrifice, it changes you. I'd rather be a good man than a great King.”

“Is this my son I hear, or the woman he loves?” Odin questioned.

“When you speak, do I never hear Mother's voice?”

Odin sighs.

“This is not for Jane, Father. She does not know what I came here to say. Now forbid me to see her or say she can rule at my side, it changes nothing.”

“One son who wanted the throne too much, another who will not take it. Is this my legacy?” Odin wondered.

“Loki died with honor, I shall try to live the same. Is that not legacy enough? “ Thor declared.

Odin nods his head, Thor then holds up Mjolnir to offer it back to Odin. “It belongs to you, if you are worthy of it.”

“I shall try to be.”

“I cannot give you my blessing, nor can I wish you good fortune.”

“I know.” Thor turns to leave.

“If I were proud of the man my son had become, even that I could not say. It would speak only from my heart. Go, my son.”

Thor smiles. “Thank you, father.” he turns and starts walking off, as Odin watches

Thor walk off.

Odin's form transform to reveal Loki. “No. Thank you.” Loki smiles devilishly.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Sif and Volstagg are taken to meet, The Collector Taneleer Tivan.

“I present to you, Taneleer Tivan, The Collector.” The Collector's Assistan announced.

“Woh, Oh. Asgardians, it's an honor.” The Collector said as he bows theatrically.

“You know why we're here.” Sif stated.

“Of course. But if I may ask, why not keep it secure in your own vault?” The Collector asked.

“The Tesseract is already on Asgard. It's not wise to keep two Infinity Stones so close together.” Volstagg answered.

“That's very wise.” Sif hands the Aether over to The Collector. “I can assure you it will be absolutely safe in...in my collection.”

“See that it is.” The Collector bows his head, Sif and Volstagg turn and leave.

“One down, five to go.”

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Weeks later

Y/n wakes in a bed and sits up fast looking around the room and she’s home her home. He rushes up to her and hold her head in his hand.

“Your here.” Y/n said with tears in her eyes as she covers Loki’s hand with hers.

“You have to let me.” Loki stated.

“No...No..No...I just got you back.” Y/n said as her chin trembling as tears roll down.

“If you don’t you will hurt a lot of people.” Loki said with a voice soft with affection.

“Please don’t make me do this.” Y/n wept.

Loki wipes away Y/n’s tears. “I love you...always.”

“I love you.” Y/n said as she grabs Loki’s face and kisses him with the want...the needed to have him.

Loki moves back and rest his forehead on Y/n. “You have to let me go. You have to let me go.”

“Goo...goodbye Loki.” Y/n uttered.

Y/n suddenly wakes up and see Nathan sitting at the foot of the bed. “Nathan.....”

“You were crying.”

Y/n sits up and touches her face and feels that it is wet, she quickly dry her face and looks over at Nathan.

“How long have you’ve been holding back your powers?” Nathan said softly.

“Couple of days.” Y/n answered.

“That was couple of days.” Nathan earnestly.

“I was calm.” Y/n started sad smile. “Queen Frigga, helped me find it and then she was murder and then I saw everyone I cared about turned to dust right in front of me, then I found out Loki is.......dead. I don’t think I could’ve hold it in anymore.” Y/n finished.

“I’m so sorry, Y/n.” Nathan said placing a Comforting hand on Y/n’s.

“The Aether told me that me that in order to stop what I saw from happening I need control over my powers and you look like you have everything together right.” Y/n said.

“Ya I do wait....you want me to teach you?” Nathan asked.

“Besides Charles Xavier you are the only person I’ve met that share powers with me. If what I saw was true then I need to get stronger and your the only person that can help me.” Y/n proclaimed.

“Y/n, you need to grieve...” Nathan disclosed.

“If I do that a lot of people will get hurt.” Y/n told Nathan. “Nathan, I have a strong feeling that the same person that’s going to kill everyone is the same person that tortured Loki.”

Nathan looks over at Y/n and can see that she’s a 100% sure about her theory. “Ok I’ll teach you.”

“What? Are you serious?” Y/a wondered.

“Yes.” Nathan said nodded.

Y/n hugs Nathan like her life depended on it.

I’ll get stronger and have control powers....I’ll stop him Loki

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

At her apartment Jane, Erik, Darcy and Ian hear the sounds of thunder, Jane looks out and smiles as she sees lightning, Jane walks out onto her balcony as Thor appears, they embrace and start kissing passionately; at the same time we see the beast transported from Jotunheim running amok outside the abandoned factory.Inside Out

Chapter 10

Pairing- Loki x Reader

Warning-cursing and killing

Your thoughts and other characters are in italics.

Flashbacks are in bold

“What are you all doing? You need to get out of here! Now!” Jane said run.

“You're joking, right? That's Thor out there waving his hammer around and everything!” A Student as he uses his phone to record the battle outside; in their ensuing fight, Thor and Malekith are transported through the realms to Svartalfheim and London continuously, at the same time a fighter jet flies towards Malekith's ship.

“Confirming ship is hostile.”

“Confirm, the ship is hostile. You have permission to engage.” Pilot said into his headpiece.

“Roger. The missile's locked. The missile's on its way.” The pilot releases the missile. “Missile off target! I repeat...”

“Mayday! I'm losing control. Mayday! Mayday! I'm losing control!” The jet is then transported to Valaheim.

As they run through the library ground. “What are you doing?” Erik asked.

“My signal's lost connection.” Jane answered.

Some of the dark elves are behind them chasing after them.

“Jane! Come on!”

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

As Thor and Malekith continue their battle through the realms they land in Jotunheim and are confronted by a giant beast which then is transported to London, at the same time Darcy and Ian are being ambushed by the dark elves when Ian, with the help of the anti-gravitational energy force, grabs a car and throws it at them, Darcy looks at him in shock.

“Are you alright?” Ian asked.

“You saved my life.” Darcy answered.

“Yeah. Yes, I did.”

Back at the library grounds Jane manages to make the device work again and as she uses it suddenly makes Darcy and Ian appear behind her in each others arms kissing.

“Darcy?”

“Jane!” Darcy lets go of Ian and falls to the ground.

“Ian?”

“Selvig!”

suddenly Mjolnir appears and flies past them. “Meowmeow!”

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Thor and Malekith are then transported through the realms again with Malekith landing back in Greenwich but Thor ends up in Charing Cross Underground Station

“Mind the gap.” Said the Man over speakers.

Thor turns to one of the passengers on the underground train that's just arrived. “How do I get to Greenwich?”

“Take this train, three stops.” Said the Woman on Train.

“Thor steps onto the train and places his hand on the bar above him.”

“Mind the gap.” Said the Man over speakers.

As the train starts to move, the movement causes the woman to fall against Thor and she stops herself by placing her hand on his chest. “Sorry. Sorry.”

Thor smiles politely at her

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

In Greenwich the realms come closer to converging, Malekith readies the Aether within him to bring forth the darkness. Y/n walks into the courtyard, in the middle of all the Mayham and destruction. Malekith had made a sphere around himself using the Aether.

“Dark One, come forward.” Malekith announced.

“What’s going on?” Y/n mumbled to herself as she looking at where Erik and Jane is.

“We're out of time.” Jane said.

“Maybe not yet.” Erik said looking at Y/n.

Y/n walks up to sphere and walks though it to see Malekith. “I thought Thor stoped you on Svartalfheim.”

“I can not be stoped with the Aether on my side.” Malekith said smugly.

“There’s a first time for everything.” Y/n said as her eyes glow white.

The Stratus clouds in sky turns into dark Altocumulus clouds. A lightning storm in each cloud, the thunder is so loud that the ground being to shake and the cars that’s around alarms starts going off. A pair of Electric blue eyes are watching everything unfold. Lightning begins to strike the sphere relentlessly until the sphere shatter blasting Malekith yards away.

Malekith stands up and gives Y/n a hearty laugh. “You are truly extraordinary, Dark One.”

Y/n looks over at Malekith with a cocked head. “Why do you keep calling me that?”

Malekith points at Y/n’s chest. “That power inside you it comes from the universe. It’s endless,constantly growing, and......dark.”

Y/n raises her eyebrows at Malekith. “Dark.....there’s nothing dark inside me.”

“Y/n!” Jane said rushing off to Y/n

“Jane. Jane!” Erik shouted.

Thor rushes out of the station to watch the Aether taking over Malekith and Y/n is fighting him.

“Y/n, I need to tell you some.” Jane started. “Y/n, Its about Loki.”

“Not the time, Jane.” Y/n snapped.

“No...Loki wasn’t taken back to Asgard....Malekith.....killed him.” Jane said with quiet empathy.

Upon hearing those words it begins to rain hard. The sky was already dark but the sun was able to shine though but now the sun wasn’t nowhere to be found.

Something inside Y/n snapped and the whole area begins to shake like an earthquake. Y/n’s eyes turns black as vines start to slowly form all over her body.

“Oh no.” Nathan whispered from the clock tower as he rushes down.

“He....Did.....What?” Y/n snarled as her hair stand up and red lightning starts to strike down on the ground in a straight line towards Malekith. Y/n uses her powers to pick up Erik’s gadget spears and fly them over to the Dark Elves.

“Is that why I felt emptiness because you took..Him..From..Me.”

Fire starts to form around Y/n as she starts to walk over to Malekith. Everything in her path burns she’s even leaving burned marks on the ground. Y/n holds out her hand and freezes the rain drops and then flat them then shot them at Malekith.

“Y/n! You have to calm down! Y/n!” Erik called out.

“Y/n’s not here right now.” Y/n answered.

“What.”

Y/n moves her hand and picks up Malekith’s ship and move it towards him. “Now Die!!!”

Y/n drops her arm and the ship falls on Malekith. Y/n looks around at all the Dark Elves and shot water arrows at them making all Dark Elves turn drop to the ground.

Jane uses the gavemetric which makes them disappears and appears on Svartalfheim.

Breathe Y/n

Loki

It will be alright I will always be with you

Tears start to fall from Y/n’s face. She puts her hand over her mouth to stop the sobs from escaping but it was all in vain Y/n’s wail had seep through and just as it did a little green and blue colors appeared in the sky. An aurora borealis (Northern lights) starts to appear all around the area. But little did she and everybody else know it was happening all around the world.

“Y/n.” Thor called out.

Y/n looks over at Thor with eye black. “Is he really gone?”

Thor nods yes. Y/n’s face slowly turns name to normal and just as she is about to fall but Nathan catches her. Thor rushes over to catch Y/n but someone beats him to it.

“Don’t worry, I’m a friend.”

Darcy smiles and throws her arms around Ian and kisses him passionately.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

In New York

At Tony’s tower Bruce is working on something that would change the world, when he looks up out the window and see Northern lights “Tony come look at this.”

Tony walks over to Bruce and looks out the window. “Is that the Northern lights?”

“Yep.” Bruce answered.

“You don’t think it’s Y/n’s doing.”

Tony and Bruce looks at each other with an uneasy feeling crawling up their spine.

Westchester, New York

Jean and Scott is watching tv when an emergency Broadcast on to the channel there watching.

“Breaking news the Northern lights is appearing all over the country.....ok I’m just getting word that the first Sighting of the Northern lights was in the United Kingdom. Some say it’s the effects of global warming.” News reporter explained.

One of the kids run inside the mansion. “Come you have to see this” said the trying to encourage her friend to come outside.

“You want to see what’s all the fuss is about?” Scott asked Jean.

“Why not.” Jean said with a smile.

Jean and Scott get up and walk outside to and they see the Northern lights.

“This is not caused by global warming.” Charles Xavier said as he wheels up to Jean and Scott.

Jean looks over to her left and see Charles and he has a worried look on his face.

“Professor, what’s wrong?” Jean asked.

“Grief, Jean.” Charles answered. “Grief.”

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Couple of days later, Jane, Erik, Darcy and Ian are in her apartment sat having breakfast quietly.

“He's gonna come back. Except, you know, last time he was gone for, like, two years.” Darcy told.

“Well, it's only been two days, so...” Jane settled.

“Did he say anything before he left?” Erik wondered.

“Yeah, he had to figure some stuff out with his father. He kind of committed treason... on our way out.” Jane looks away and carries on eating her breakfast]

“Oh.”

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

On Asgard Thor meets with Odin at the palace.

“You once said there would never be a wiser King than me. You were wrong. The alignment has brought all the realms together. Every one of them saw you offer your life to save them. What can Asgard offer its new King in return?”

“It was not me who save them it was Y/n.” Thor stated. “Y/n’s powers took over..........Father, I cannot be King of Asgard. I will protect Asgard and all the realms with my last and every breath, but I cannot do so from that chair. Loki, for all his grave imbalance, understood rule as I know I never will. The brutality, the sacrifice, it changes you. I'd rather be a good man than a great King.”

“Is this my son I hear, or the woman he loves?” Odin questioned.

“When you speak, do I never hear Mother's voice?”

Odin sighs.

“This is not for Jane, Father. She does not know what I came here to say. Now forbid me to see her or say she can rule at my side, it changes nothing.”

“One son who wanted the throne too much, another who will not take it. Is this my legacy?” Odin wondered.

“Loki died with honor, I shall try to live the same. Is that not legacy enough? “ Thor declared.

Odin nods his head, Thor then holds up Mjolnir to offer it back to Odin. “It belongs to you, if you are worthy of it.”

“I shall try to be.”

“I cannot give you my blessing, nor can I wish you good fortune.”

“I know.” Thor turns to leave.

“If I were proud of the man my son had become, even that I could not say. It would speak only from my heart. Go, my son.”

Thor smiles. “Thank you, father.” he turns and starts walking off, as Odin watches

Thor walk off.

Odin's form transform to reveal Loki. “No. Thank you.” Loki smiles devilishly.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Sif and Volstagg are taken to meet, The Collector Taneleer Tivan.

“I present to you, Taneleer Tivan, The Collector.” The Collector's Assistan announced.

“Woh, Oh. Asgardians, it's an honor.” The Collector said as he bows theatrically.

“You know why we're here.” Sif stated.

“Of course. But if I may ask, why not keep it secure in your own vault?” The Collector asked.

“The Tesseract is already on Asgard. It's not wise to keep two Infinity Stones so close together.” Volstagg answered.

“That's very wise.” Sif hands the Aether over to The Collector. “I can assure you it will be absolutely safe in...in my collection.”

“See that it is.” The Collector bows his head, Sif and Volstagg turn and leave.

“One down, five to go.”

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Weeks later

Y/n wakes in a bed and sits up fast looking around the room and she’s home her home. He rushes up to her and hold her head in his hand.

“Your here.” Y/n said with tears in her eyes as she covers Loki’s hand with hers.

“You have to let me.” Loki stated.

“No...No..No...I just got you back.” Y/n said as her chin trembling as tears roll down.

“If you don’t you will hurt a lot of people.” Loki said with a voice soft with affection.

“Please don’t make me do this.” Y/n wept.

Loki wipes away Y/n’s tears. “I love you...always.”

“I love you.” Y/n said as she grabs Loki’s face and kisses him with the want...the needed to have him.

Loki moves back and rest his forehead on Y/n. “You have to let me go. You have to let me go.”

“Goo...goodbye Loki.” Y/n uttered.

Y/n suddenly wakes up and see Nathan sitting at the foot of the bed. “Nathan.....”

“You were crying.”

Y/n sits up and touches her face and feels that it is wet, she quickly dry her face and looks over at Nathan.

“How long have you’ve been holding back your powers?” Nathan said softly.

“Couple of days .” Y/n answered.

“That was couple of days.” Nathan earnestly.

“I was calm.” Y/n started sad smile. “Queen Frigga, helped me find it and then she was murder and........ I saw everyone I cared about turned to dust right in front of me, then I found out Loki is.......dead. I don’t think I could’ve hold it in anymore.” Y/n finished.

“I’m so sorry, Y/n.” Nathan said placing a Comforting hand on Y/n’s.

“The Aether told me that me that in order to stop what I saw from happening I need control over my powers and you look like you have everything together right.” Y/n said.

“Ya I do wait....you want me to teach you?” Nathan asked.

“Besides Charles Xavier you are the only person I’ve met that share powers with me. If what I saw was true then I need to get stronger and your the only person that can help me.” Y/n proclaimed.

“Y/n, you need to grieve...” Nathan disclosed.

“If I do that....a lot of people will get hurt.” Y/n told Nathan. “Nathan, I have a strong feeling that the same person that’s going to kill everyone is the same person that tortured Loki.”

Nathan looks over at Y/n and can see that she’s a 100% sure about her theory. “Ok I’ll teach you.”

“What? Are you serious?” Y/a wondered.

“Yes.” Nathan said nodded.

Y/n hugs Nathan like her life depended on it. “Thank you.!”

I’ll get stronger and have control over my powers....I’ll stop him Loki

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

At her apartment Jane, Erik, Darcy and Ian hear the sounds of thunder, Jane looks out and smiles as she sees lightning, Jane walks out onto her balcony as Thor appears, they embrace and start kissing passionately; at the same time we see the beast transported from Jotunheim running amok outside the abandoned factory.

[carryon117]

Chapter Twenty-Seven:

We are walking through the grounds of the base. I know that once we stumble upon the building that we need, Steve and I will recognize it. As we are walking through the uneven grounds, I turn and ask Steve,

“Changed much?”

“A little.”

We continue our trek and find ourselves standing before the base, the place where SHIELD started, and our destination for this leg of the journey.

“This has to be it. Army regulations forbid storing ammunition within five hundred yards of the barracks.”

“I know. The building is in the wrong place.”

We cautiously approach the building before Steve uses his shield to break the lock on the door.

The old metal door creaks as he pushes it open. As we walk around the room, I notice that on the far wall are a few framed pictures. Howard Stark stands stoic next to a picture of Peggy Carter. Steve glances at the photos before looking away. I reach up and place a comforting hand on his shoulder,

“We keep moving forward, together right?”

“Together.” Steve gives me a grateful smile before continuing the search around the room.

I point to a wall of shelving.

“That one, there. It should move to reveal the elevator.” Steve nods and moves to push the shelf out of the way.

The three of us ride the elevator down to the recognizable computer room. I nod to each of my companions before approaching the computer terminal. The screen is dark and dorment.

“We don’t have the flash drive to wake it up, I totally forgot about that.”

Reality can be altered… The aether retorts, sounding grumpy at having been forgotten.

I.. I don’t know…

Will your reality to alter, I will do the rest…

I nod to myself, and turn my attention to the palm of my hand. I picture the small flashdrive from the movie appearing in my hand and I feel the light weight metal make contact with my skin.

Thank you.

I feel the presence shift to the shadows of my mind once more, content to watch events unfold. I reach forward and plug in the flashdrive. I can hear Steve slinking around the different computer banks, placing wireless compact explosives.

The computer screen comes to life and begins to blink, ‘Initiate system?’

“Yes.” I say while I type in the command. Speakers spark to life with the crackly voice of Zola.

“Rogers, Steven. Born 1918. Y/L/N, Y/N. Born 1994.”

“Dr. Zola. You’re looking, not dead.”

“He got some work done. A little bit off the top, and voila. Evil Nazi Computer.”

“How do you know who I am?”

“Unimportant. What is important; how do you know about who I am? And-”

“Ah Fraulein it is important. I know you and it seems you know me but neither will disclose how.”

“Cut it, Zola. Tell us what we need to know to defeat Hydra.” Steve snaps.

“Hydra cannot be defeated, Captain. Cut off one head and two more shall grow in its place.”

Steve smashes his shield into the nearest screen and sparks fly with the destruction. Zola’s digital face reappears on a different screen.

“As I was saying before being rudely interrupted by the Captain, you cannot hope to win. Hydra has ruled from the shadows and will always be one step ahead of you, be careful where you tread, Fraulein.”

I grin and reply with malice coloring my tone, “I wouldn’t be too sure about that.” I nod to Steve and we turn to head back towards the elevator with Loki-wolf following close behind. As the doors slide open and we step on, Zola shouts after us,

“You have nothing. You will lose. Hail Hydra!” His shouting grows quieter as we ascend.

We quickly walk back to the car, but before we even open the door I nod to Steve. He pulls out a small device and pushes the button. The next moment the base, and the evil contained within, go up in flames.

The sight of the fire ignites laughter from within me. Both Steve and Loki-wolf look at me in confusion.

“Sorry,” I start, waving off their concern between fits of laughter. “It’s just that there was an evil computer man that was threatening us. Us!” I gesture between the three of us. “A super soldier, a god, and some anxious chick who creates elements when overly emotional! I know he could alert someone, eventually, but in the meantime what could he actually do? Force us to listen to some annoying song, like Baby Shark, on repeat? Maybe Rick Roll us? Or he could-” I cut myself off looking at Steve’s dumbfounded expression.

“What? What did I say?”

“A god?”

“Shit, um… yes a god. You never truly asked so…”

“What god?” Steve asks, anger creeping into his tone while eyeing Loki-wolf.

A green light shimmers over his form, “Surprise.” Loki whispers, eyes focused on the ground.

For a moment nothing happens, the fire of the base crackles behind us but we don’t move or speak. The next moment Steve has Loki pinned by his throat to the side of the car.

“You know what he has done?” Steve seethes.

“Steve, please listen to me.” I plead while tugging on him to let go of Loki. “It wasn’t him!”

“I was there! It was him!”

“No, Steve!” I tug as hard as I can at the arm holding onto Loki, who isn’t putting up a fight to the abuse.

“It wasn’t him! He was tortured and brainwashed, just like Bucky. And he can help him!”

At the mention of his friend’s name, Steve pauses and pales.

“How can you be sure?” Steve asks, slightly lessening the grip on Loki.

“Besides me seeing everything?!” I shout and pause before saying in a quieter voice, “Look in his eyes.”

“What?”

“Do it.”

Steve makes eye contact with Loki and releases his grip.

“What?...”

“His eyes, last you saw him they were blue, like Clint’s were when controlled?” Steve nods his head and stays silent.

“And now?” I ask.

“Green…”

[chrancecriber]

Radio NET Bulgaria (October 01, 2022)

23:59 RICHARD ELLIOT - Living Inside Myself 23:54 GINO ROSARIA - Gentle Touch 23:48 OLI SILK - Lay Back and Think of England 23:44 PETER HEROLD - The Way You Are 23:41 NORMAN BROWN - I Miss Your Groove 23:36 JWHITE - Listen Up 23:32 DARREN RAHN - Free To Be Me 23:27 ROB TARDIK - Flip Flop 23:23 PHILLIP DOC MARTIN - Flowin' with It 23:19 PAUL BROWN - My Funny Valentine 23:15 JIM ADKINS - Into The Storm 23:11 WAYMAN TISDALE - Rebound (feat. Dave Koz) 23:04 SOFT JAZZ SEXY MUSIC BAND - Laid Back Baby 23:00 JAREZ - Taken Off 22:56 ARMIN VAN BUUREN, DJ SHAH, CHRIS JONES - Going Wrong (Acoustic Mix) 22:52 DJ OKAWARI - Luv Letter 22:47 TIFF LACEY - Show Me The Way (Acoustic Mix) 22:42 DON GORDA PROJECT - Attractive Qualities 22:38 BLUE METHENEY - Don't Be So Shy (Sirius & Nyla Mix) 22:35 EMMA HEWITT - Carry Me Away (Live Acoustic Version) 22:30 ROBERT NICKSON - Russell's Teapot (Original Mix) 22:24 LUSTRAL - Someone (Original Mix) 22:19 TENISHIA, KIRSTY HAWKSHAW - Falling (Original Mix) 22:16 TYDI, TANIA ZYGAR - The Moment It Breaks (Original Mix) 22:13 ANDREA SAENZ, ROBOTS MEMORY - Straightblocks (Unplugged Mix) 22:10 ZARA, SNATT & VIX - No Angel (Zetandel Chill Out Mix) 22:06 ZAZA, JORGE NAVA - Broken (Chill Mix) 22:03 ACTIVA, JULIE HARRINGTON - You Are Here (Ambient Mix) 21:59 ANDY MOOR, SUE McLAREN - Trespass (Masoud Chill Out Mix) 21:54 ALEXANDER POPOV - The Last He Said (Original Mix) 21:50 ARMIN VAN BUUREN, FIORA - Waiting For The Night (Zetandel Chill Out Mix) 21:45 CHRIS REECE - Overflow 21:42 CONJURE ONE - Only Sky (Lounge Edit) 21:38 DARK MATTERS, ANA CRIADO - The Quest Of A Dream (Original Mix) 21:32 ARNEJ - People Come, People Go (Chillout Mix) 21:26 ASCESION - For A Lifetime (Chillout Mix) 21:23 ASHLEY WALLBRIDGE, ELLEAH - These Walls (Album Mix) 21:18 ASTRID SURYANTO - Distant Bar (Original Mix) 21:13 ATB - Remember That Day 21:07 BEN GOLD, SENADEE - Today (Chilled Datt Remix) 21:04 BENYA, PENNY NIXON - Serendipity (After Meridian & Dave Costa Remix) 20:59 BISSEN, THE CROSSOVER - Washout (Piano Mix) 20:55 BRIAN - Drowning (Acoustic Version) 20:52 BT & AQUALUNG - Surrounded (Tony Awake Remix) 20:46 20SABANCI - As Faces Fade (Domenico Cascarino & Luca Lombardi Chill Out Remix) 20:40 CERF, MITISKA & JAREN - Beggin' You (Aeron Aether & Gorm Sorensen Remix) 20:36 E ONE, ARUNA - Still Holding On (Aruna vs Conjure One Chill Mix Lounge Edit) 20:33 CERF, MITISKA & JAREN, RANK 1 - Witness (Acoustic Mix) 20:29 CHRIS REECE, ROMINA ANDREWS - Right Back (Album Mix) 20:27 DARK MATTERS, CATHY BURTON - Together (Album Mix) 20:21 DASH BERLIN - Till The Sky Falls Down (Monokini Beach Mix) 20:16 CHAKRA - I Am (Vox Mix) 20:11 CHICANE - No Ordinary Morning (Original Mix) 20:08 CHICANE, KATE WALSH - Playing Fields (Original Mix) 20:03 DJ SHAH, ADRINA THORPE - Who Will Find Me (Acoustic Version) 19:58 CHRIS WONDERFUL - History (Original Mix) 19:54 CHRISTIAN BURNS, MARCO V - Frozen Heart (Acoustic Version) 19:48 CIARAN McAULEY, ROLY, OONAGH - Forgotten (Ambient Mix) 19:46 CLAES ROSEN, NATALIE PERIS - Stay (Original Mix) 19:42 COSMIC GATE, EMMA HEWITT - Be Your Sound (Live Acoustic Version) 19:37 FARUK SABANCI, JOSIE - Wake Up (Zetandel Chill Out Mix) 19:34 COASTLINE, MADELIN ZERO - Alone With You (Chillout Mix) 19:30 CONJURE ONE, LEIGH NASH - Under The Gun (Original Mix) 19:25 ROGER SHAH, SUNLOUNGER - Trademark White (Omega 3 Bossachill Remix) 19:21 JOHN O'CALLAGHAN, AUDREY GALLAGHER - Big Sky (Acoustic Mix) 19:17 DARK MATTERS, DENISE RIVERA - Take Me Home 19:13 DASH BERLIN, SECEDE, SARAH HOWELLS - Believe In You 19:10 DEEP'N PURE, RADBOY - R We Ever Gonna Be (Original Mix) 19:05 DELERIUM, SARAH McLACHLAN - Silence (Acoustic Mix) 19:00 DJ SHAH - Over & Over (Acoustic Mix) 18:56 DT8 PROJECT - Hold Me Till The End (Unplugged Mix Lounge Edit) 18:53 KRONO, VANJESS - Redlight (Original Mix) 18:46 MOUSSA CLARKE, TERRAFUNKA - She Wants Him (Dynamic Illusion Chill Mix) 18:40 KIRSTY HAWKSHAW, TENISHIA - Invisible (Kopi Luwka Mix) 18:35 EMMA HEWITT - These Days Are Ours (Zetandel Chill Out Mix) 18:32 FARUK SABANCI, CAMI - Awaken (Zetandel Chill Out Mix) 18:29 JOSH GABRIEL, WINTER KILLS - Forward Facing (Zetandel Chill Out Mix) 18:24 JAN VAYNE - Fruits & Passion (Armin van Buuren's Downtempo Mix) 18:20 JEROME ISMA - AE 18:15 JOHN O'CALLAGHAN, LO - FI SUGAR 18:09 JULIAN VINCENT, CATHY BURTON - Certainty (Andy Prinz Chillout Mix) 18:06 LOWLAND - Seven Cities 18:01 ORJAN NILSEN - Drink To Forget (Original Chill Out Mix) 17:57 ROGER SHAH, ADRINA THORPE - Island (Album Mix) 17:52 MATT DAREY, ERICA DRISCOLL - Too Far (Zetandel Chill Mix) 17:47 NADIA ALI - Fantasy (Original Mix) 17:44 NASH & PEPPER, ROGUE RAVEN - Am I Wrong (Acoustic Mix) 17:40 AMEJ, JOSIE - Strangers We've Become (Acoustic Mix) 17:37 PUBLIC SYMPHONY - Wings 17:32 TENISHIA, TIFF LACEY - Burning From The Inside (Tenishia Frozen Mix) 17:30 TENISHIA, CHRIS JONES - Memory Of A Dream (Unplugged Mix) 17:25 ROBERT NICKSON - Spiral (Chillout Mix) 17:20 SIR LOUNGEALOT - Silver Beach (Original Mix) 17:16 SUNLOUNGER - In & Out 17:13 STONEBRIDGE - Don't Matter (Album Mix) 17:09 SUNLOUNGER, SEIS CUERDAS - A Balearic Dinner (Chill Mix) 17:04 SUNLOUNGER, ZARA - Crawling 16:59 PATRICK LAMB - I See it in Your Eyes 16:55 DREAMING IN COLOUR - Back in the Day (feat. Michael Scherer) 16:50 PAUL HARDCASTLE - Wavelength 16:44 OLI SILK - Tokyo 16:41 JULIAN VAUGHN - Amore 16:37 ROCCO VENTRELLA - Where is The Love 16:33 BRIAN SIMPSON - Fiona's Song (feat. Dave Koz & Wayman Tisdale) 16:28 RICHARD ELLIOT - Boogie 16:24 PATRICK YANDALL - Law St. Locals 16:17 KEITH MASON - A Little Talk 16:13 ROB TARDIK - Bounce 16:09 JOEL DEL ROSARIO - Delicious Vinyl 16:05 PETER WHITE - How Does It Feel 16:01 JACKIEM JOYNER - Main Street 15:57 RICK HABANA - Cheers 15:53 NILS - I Like the Way You Do It 15:50 WAYMAN TISDALE - In Love 15:45 NATE WHITE - Kupenda 15:41 DARREN RAHN - Revelation 15:37 DEON YATES - Step By Step 15:33 JULIAN VAUGHN - A Feeling 15:28 SOFT JAZZ SEXY MUSIC BAND - Leonardo's Saxophone 15:24 MEKIEL REUBEN - Zoraida (A Feel for Hope) 15:19 RICHARD ELLIOT - Right On Time 15:15 BRIAN SIMPSON - Take It Up 15:10 KIM SCOTT - No Worries (Feat. James K. Lloyd) 15:06 ROB TARDIK - Smoothy (feat. Davor Jordanovski) 15:01 ADAM HAWLEY - Shake 14:57 CHRIS STANDRING - Shake You Up 14:52 BRAD ALEXANDER - Because of Who You Are 14:49 BONEY JAMES - Powerhouse 14:45 AL DEGREGORIS - Absolute 14:41 WAYMAN TISDALE - Throwin' It Down (feat. Darren Rahn) 14:37 CHRIS GODBER - Momentum 14:33 3RD FORCE - Compassion Passion 14:28 ALEXANDER ZONJIC - Night Crawler 14:23 JULIAN VAUGHN - Romance The Rain 14:19 KOOL&KLEAN - Dream Weaver 14:14 GREGG KARUKAS - Blue Touch 14:09 KIM WATERS - Midnight At The Oasis 14:04 RICHARD ELLIOT - Moon Gazer 14:00 SOFT JAZZ SEXY MUSIC BAND - Let's Stay Together 13:56 ROB TARDIK - East Meets Wes (feat. Paul Brown) 13:52 AMANDUS - Hey Man 13:47 BRIAN SIMPSON - Irresistible 13:43 DEE LUCAS - Tried and True (feat. David P. Stevens) 13:39 EUGE GROOVE - Another Sad Love Song 13:35 STEVE COLE - She's The One 13:30 WAYMAN TISDALE - Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up (feat. Toby Keith) 13:25 KENNY NIGHTINGALE - Never Let You Go 13:21 JACOB WEDD - Belmont Ave 13:17 RONALD BOO HINKSON - Making It Easy 13:14 KOOL&KLEAN - Cruise 13:09 JULIAN VAUGHN - Sway 13:05 EJAZZ ARTISTRY - Never Too Much 13:00 JAMES SAXSMO GATES - Airwaves (feat. Fabian Lance & Carl Lester 12:55 NICHOLAS COLE - Pillow Talk 12:52 WADE C. LONG - Mr. Jones 12:48 PHIL DENNY - Switch Up 12:43 CHILLAXING JAZZ KOLLEKTION - Speak Life 12:39 RICHARD ELLIOT - Move Ahead 12:36 ROB TARDIK - B Positive (feat. Dave Koz) 12:31 GREG MANNING - Elegant Lady 12:28 NICK COLIONNE - On the Move 12:23 SOFT JAZZ SEXY MUSIC BAND - You Are My Lady 12:18 JEREMY HECTOR - Spray Bay 12:14 BRIAN SIMPSON - All I Want is You 12:09 KOOL&KLEAN - Beautiful Surprise 12:05 BRETTINA - Simple Pleasures 12:01 LEBRON - Say You Will 11:56 WAYMAN TISDALE - I'll Do the Driving (feat. Brian Simpson) 11:51 JEFF RYAN - Blue Wave 11:47 CRAIG SHARMAT - Something About You 11:43 EJAZZ ARTISTRY - We Belong Together 11:39 JULIAN VAUGHN - Someone To Love 11:35 BRIAN BROMBERG - Lazy Afternoon 11:32 WADE C. LONG - GodChildren 11:27 CINDY BRADLEY - Grey Area 11:23 CHILLAXING JAZZ KOLLEKTION - Send My Love 11:19 PAUL BROWN - Chill Out 11:16 THREESTYLE - From the Coast 11:11 CHILLAXONIC - Quintessence 11:07 ROB TARDIK - You Know What I Mean 11:02 KOOL&KLEAN - Begin Again 10:58 THE SMOOTH JAZZ ALLEY - Livin' In NYC 10:54 RHYTHM LOGIC - Tuesdays Love 10:50 RICHARD ELLIOT - Secrets 10:45 BRIAN SIMPSON - D'Groove 10:41 GEREY JOHNSON - Silk Dress 10:36 EJAZZ ARTISTRY - To Love You More 10:33 KEITH ANDREW - Little Sierra 10:29 BRETTINA - Bop Baiye 10:25 GINO ROSARIA - Island Life 10:21 SAM RUCKER - Be True 2 Who U R 10:17 CHILLAXING JAZZ KOLLEKTION - My Story 10:10 AVENUE H - Straight Up the Middle 10:06 CHILLAXONIC - Mellifluous 10:01 WAYMAN TISDALE - I Hope You Feel It To 09:57 KOOL&KLEAN - Amazing 09:53 JULIAN VAUGHN - Her Peace 09:48 SOFT JAZZ SEXY MUSIC BAND - Where Is the Love 09:43 JEFF RYAN - Edge of Tomorrow 09:40 WADE C. LONG - Happy Go Lucky 09:36 JEREMY HECTOR - Flow 09:27 EJAZZ ARTISTRY - Need You Now 09:23 JESSY J - Tropical Rain 09:18 JEFF KASHIWA - Back In The Day 09:15 BRETTINA - New Day 09:10 KONSTANTIN KLASHTORNI - Look Around 09:05 CHILLAXING JAZZ KOLLEKTION - Wherever I Go 09:01 CHILLAXONIC - Other Side Of Jupiter 08:57 KOOL&KLEAN - Feel Again 08:52 RICHARD ELLIOT - Walk With Me 08:46 DARREN MOTAMEDY - Makes Me Feel Young 08:42 THE SAX PACK - Like Old Times 08:38 BONEY JAMES - A Little Attitude 08:34 PETER HEROLD - Seabreeze 08:29 JULIAN VAUGHN - Hotel Lover 08:25 ROB MALETICK - Backwards Talkin' 08:21 WAYMAN TISDALE - Comin' Home 08:17 JAREZ - In Too Deep 08:13 AVENUE H - Careless Whisper 08:08 JWHITE - I Like It 08:05 JIM RICHTER - Peace III (feat. Michael Cornett & Jack Jones) 08:00 LOUIE FITZGERALD - Peace I Leave with You 07:56 JEREMY HECTOR - Clarity 07:52 BRETTINA - Low 07:47 JACKIEM JOYNER - Generation Next 07:43 JIM ADKINS - Highway 12 07:39 RICHARD ELLIOT - Slam 07:35 ROCCO VENTRELLA - Sensuality 07:31 SOLEX - Full Moon 07:26 JEFF RYAN - Tenderly 07:22 JULIAN VAUGHN - Over & Over 07:16 KEITH MASON - Arisen 07:12 WAYMAN TISDALE - Watch Me Play Again (feat. Robert Wilson from The Gap Band) 07:08 BONEY JAMES - Drumline 07:03 ANDY SNITZER - And again 06:56 AVENUE H - Silk To Sand 06:52 NORMAN BROWN - Heading Wes 06:48 PHILLIP DOC MARTIN - Her Touch 06:44 JEREMY HECTOR - Islander 06:39 MARCUS ANDERSON - With All My Heart 06:35 MAX HIGHSTEIN - The Ship Hail Mary 06:32 PATRICK YANDALL - Yearning for Your Love 06:28 SOLEX - Flying High (feat. Jonathan Dubose, Jr.) 06:23 DREAMING IN COLOUR - State & Main 06:19 J. WHITE - Spirit Walk 06:16 PAUL BROWN - The Funky Joint 06:12 CHICO MARIO - Need You In My Life (feat Konstantin Klashtorni) (Smooth Mix) 06:08 JULIAN VAUGHN - Waiting For You 06:04 JEFF RYAN - Up and Up 05:59 PETER WHITE - Perfect Moment 05:54 KAREN DEVROOP - Sunset in Koh Samui 05:48 JOEL DEL ROSARIO - Coastside 05:45 RICK HABANA - Island Hopping 05:41 NILS - Stratmosphere 05:37 ANDRE CAVOR - You Brought the Sunshine 05:32 JEREMY HECTOR - Ascension 05:28 NATE WHITE - Migration 05:24 DANNY LERMAN - The First Time 05:19 ANDREW NICHOLS - I Love the Way You Love Me 05:15 DARREN RAHN - One Step Ahead 05:09 EUGE GROOVE - The Last Song 05:05 DEON YATES - Suit and Tie 05:01 JEFF RYAN - Dusk To Dawn 04:56 KIM SCOTT - What You Stank About This 04:51 ADAM HAWLEY - Party People (Feat. Jeff Lorber) 04:47 PAUL HARDCASTLE - Echoes Rising 04:42 CHRIS STANDRING - Ain't Mad Atcha 04:37 BRAD ALEXANDER - You Are My Lady 04:33 BONEY JAMES - Tonic 04:29 ANDRE CAVOR - Road Trip 04:26 JEREMY HECTOR - I'll Remember 04:22 AL DEGREGORIS - Mauritius 04:18 CHRIS GODBER - Downtown Shuffle 04:13 3RD FORCE - Follow Me Home 04:07 EUGE GROOVE - From The Top 04:01 ACOUSTIC ALCHEMY - Oceans Apart 03:57 JEFF RYAN - Embrace 03:53 AVENUE BLUE - Stockholm (feat. Jeff Golub) 03:49 ALEXANDER ZONJIC - Hipster 03:44 GREGG KARUKAS - I Mean What I Said 03:38 AMANDUS - One Day for a Lifetime 03:34 DEE LUCAS - To Be Continued 03:29 KENNY NIGHTINGALE - Coltrane to Montgomery 03:25 DOMINIC CAMARDELLA - Life Goes On 03:21 STEVE COLE - Minty Fresh 03:17 ANDRE CAVOR - Say Somethin' 03:12 JEREMY HECTOR - African Lady 03:09 KEN NAVARRO - When We Dance (from the album Into The Light) 03:05 JACOB WEDD - Dancing for You 03:01 EUGE GROOVE - Belle Mania 02:57 RONALD BOO HINKSON - She's Mine (The Girl Is Mine) 02:53 NELSON RANGELL - All 'n All 02:48 JEFF RYAN - J-Factor 02:44 JAMES SAXSMO GATES - Together We Can Make It (feat. Freddie Fox) 02:40 BRIAN SIMPSON - Persuasion (feat. Boney James) 02:36 CHRIS STANDRING - Too Close for Comfort 02:30 PAUL HARDCASTLE - Eyes Closed 02:25 NICHOLAS COLE - Turning It Up 02:20 MEZZOFORTE - Angel Town 02:16 PHIL DENNY - Playin' Coy 02:12 OLI SILK - Ooh Baby! 02:08 CHRIS GODBER - Meant 2 Be (feat. Hawc Griffin) 02:03 BRIAN BROMBERG - Snuggle Up 01:59 ANDRE CAVOR - Without a Doubt 01:55 JEREMY HECTOR - Chandelle 01:50 GREG MANNING - For the Love of You 01:46 LEBRON - Issa Party 01:42 EUGE GROOVE - Vinyl 01:38 CRAIG SHARMAT - The Back Nine 01:32 CINDY BRADLEY - Sonny's Home 01:28 CHRIS STANDRING - Change The World 01:24 JEFF RYAN - Versace on the Floor 01:20 PAUL HARDCASTLE - Angelic Chimes Radio version 01:15 CHIELI MINUCCI - Big Sky Country 01:11 BUTCH, RHONDA COLEMAN - Train 01:07 BUFF DILLARD - My Destiny 01:03 CHRIS GODBER - Dreamin' 00:59 JESSY J - Remember the Night 00:55 JEFF KASHIWA - Free Flyer 00:49 DARREN MOTAMEDY - Love You Just so Much 00:45 ANDRE CAVOR - Heaven 00:41 JEREMY HECTOR - Finally Home 00:37 PIECES OF A DREAM - Turn It Up 00:33 THE SAX PACK - Into You 00:29 EUGE GROOVE - Livin' Large 00:24 MICHAEL LINGTON - City Life 00:20 CHRIS STANDRING - The Gist of You 00:15 JOYCE COOLING - East Side 00:10 PAUL HARDCASTLE - Flight of the Phoenix 00:06 THREESTYLE - Bring It Up 00:02 THE SMOOTH JAZZ ALLEY - Let's Ride

[sparrowwritings]

Final Fantasy 14 Writing Challenge Day Ten: “The day I met you was the luckiest day of my life.”

Day Nine - Masterpost - Day Eleven

“I’m thinking you should have a rest.”

The Crystal Exarch blinked up from his work. His room, covered as it already was in books and papers, was in even more disarray then usual. This was due to him actively researching how to transport the Scions of the Seventh Dawn (and himself, if luck would have him) back into the Source. There was only so much time before their bodies would no longer be able to support the lack of aether that their souls would give them, so he absolutely needed to keep working.

That didn’t seem to be the opinion of Beq Lugg, the brilliant Nu Mou expert on souls. They prodded at the flesh of the Exarch’s non-crystalized arm until he flinched away from the desk he had been working on. “You have been staring at the same several pages for an age. You should rest if you’re stuck.” 

“Begging your pardon, Beq Lugg, but there’s much to do and no way of knowing exactly how much time we have to do it,” The Exarch protested. “My merging with the Crystal Tower has given me the boon of a body that has no need for rest. I can keep at the work.” He flinched again with a startled “Ow!” when the Nu Mou prodded even harder at his arm. 

“I didn’t mean a physical rest but a mental one you young fool.” They snorted. He was too astonished at being called “young” to interrupt. “You have poured blood, sweat and tears into saving the lives of your friends in the most literal of senses. Time is of the essence, but the only result of your inner workings slipping from their proper settings will be mistakes you can ill afford. Go and see to your Crystarium and allow your mind to work at the problem from a different angle.”

Having recovered, the Exarch implored, “But what about your end, Beq Lugg? You have been working for nearly as long with just as little rest!”

They snorted again, this time with something that sounded like amusement. “You need not worry about myself. I can handle the research and testing for the time it will take you to walk your city. Go.” 

“But--” Feeling more and more like a child, his plea fell on deliberately deaf ears.

“Keeper of this tower you may be, but I will not allow you to assist me further unless and until you have been away for at least a half hour.” Beq Lugg made a gesture and one of their familiars was summoned to the room. It hugged itself around the Exarch’s torso and bodily carried him to the main entrance to the tower where it let him go suddenly. 

He was already out the door and several steps down in his shock when he turned back. He wasn’t sure what exactly he was about to do, but the magic seal on the inner side of the door was proof enough that Beq Lugg was as good as their word. In the space of a thought, the Exarch could use the power at his command to break the seal and enter the tower regardless of the orders given to him.

Except, something stopped him. A nudge of a memory so old that it had almost completely faded from his mind. A sense of...familiarity about the situation came to him. Even though he had never once in the hundred years of being the tower’s master been locked out of it.

With a heavy sigh and a quick word to the Crystarium guard who saw to those who entered and left the tower, the Exarch stepped the rest of the way down the stairs. If he was being told to have a break, he might as well spend it seeing how the city fared. Much like he did in the hundred years past, he stood for a moment on the cobblestones and stared around at the courtyard. His ears twitched from their place on top of his head, following the sounds of his people as he tried to gauge the mood. 

Many were in small groups, scattered about and whispering of the visions recently forced upon them by Elidibus. The people affected wouldn’t describe the phenomenon with those words, seeing as they now were declaring themselves Warriors of Light and starting journeys similar to that of the heroes of old. The ones that sacrificed their very lives to prevent the Flood of Light from engulfing the entirety of the First. One of whom’s body was now possessed by Elidibus in some scheme that involved the creation of new heroes. 

The Exarch sighed inwardly. Half a wonder that Beq Lugg demanded he take a mental break. There was far too much for a single mind to worry itself with on top of the complex workings it would take to transport five souls (and his own) back to the Source unscathed. A walk was just what he needed. 

He decided to circle the city in a somewhat widdershins fashion. First he saw to the Spagyrics, listening to the concerns about supplies and wishing a full and quick recovery to those still being treated. Then he went past the Ballistics upstairs to the Amaro Launch to check in on incoming and outbound flights. As he journeyed through the city, passing through or by places such as the Crystalline Mean, the Cabinet of Curiosity and the Rookery, the Exarch allowed himself to spare a word or two to anyone that wished it of him. Raised as they were to trust in him and not question, none of the people had a word to say about his newly unhooded self nor of his race, known in this world as Mystel. All they cared about was his well being and, by extension, that of his friends.

“Seems they keep scattering off to find things these days!” Darlfort laughed. His tavern was one of the last stops on the Exarch’s patrol around the Crystarium. It was well past the half hour away from work that Beq Lugg had demanded of him, but he indulged in conversation in case there was to be any room for doubt in the Nu Mou’s mind. Not that he minded chatting with his people in the first place, of course. “Barely any time to come for a drink, much less a chat!”

The Exarch smiled, perfectly picturing the Scions in miniature while running willy nilly around the city. “Indeed. I feel I must apologize for your lack of patronage, as some of what they have been doing has been on my behalf.”

“Pah, well worth the lack of coin then.” Darlfort grinned as he cleaned a glass. “Although...come to think of it I saw the Warriors of Darkness heading towards the Pendants not so long before you came strolling up to my bar, Exarch.”

He thought back to what Lara and Roger were supposed to be doing in their quest to return the Scions back to the Source. He hadn’t heard that they had completed their mission yet. It was odd that the two of them had returned to the Crystarium so early and with nary a word. He felt his ears flatten a little with concern. “Strange. You’re the first to inform me of their arrival. I’ll have to visit them before I return to the tower.”

Darlfort raised a hand in farewell. “Be seeing you, then.” 

“And I, you.” The Exarch nodded before taking his leave. 

He’d been expecting to need to go to the apartment that the Warriors of Darkness shared. Instead, he discovered Roger laying on his back in one of the patches of grass just outside of the building. He was staring up at (or perhaps through) the glass ceiling that once helped shield the more residential part of the city from the harshness of the Light that pervaded the world until very recently. The weather had been kind, giving way for a clear blue sky with dottings of friendly white clouds. Through the tinted glass, one could even pick out shapes in those clouds. From the way he was lazily using an extended pointer finger to draw in the air, that appeared to be what Roger was doing.

“Well met, Roger!” The Exarch called out as he approached the young man. “How goes the sky watching?” 

Roger blinked several times before sitting up and looking in the Exarch’s direction. It took him a moment or two longer to process the question. “Oh! It’s fine. Sky looks...clear, here.” He scratched at the back of his head. “Just don’t ask me about other parts of Norvrandt. I dunno how the watchers manage to know…”

“‘Tis a trade secret I also have yet to glean.” The Exarch stopped walking when he came within comfortable hearing range, but did not make to stand or sit next to Roger. He refused to do so unless invited, particularly after...well, the reveal of his true identity.

“Oof, then I guess it’s gonna have to stay a mystery.” 

The two lapsed into silence. Despite being the one who was standing, the Exarch felt as if he were small under the scrutinizing gaze of one of the Warriors of Darkness. Or, well, Light as he once knew them. He briefly wondered if the two would adopt the new moniker on the Source when the thought was broken by a sigh from Roger. 

“You’re allowed to sit down next to me, G’raha. We’re still friends, you know.”

The Exarch’s ears perked up at the use of his true name. Even after having it known to the Scions, the use of it, particularly by either Lara or Roger had yet to fade in significance. That he was being reassured of friendship in the same statement also contributed to his upward mood shift. He took the invitation and sat himself down so that he was looking directly at Roger.

“I’m...glad to hear it. You have my thanks and yet another apology for my deception.” There would never be enough apologies for the well intentioned but failed plan of his to save his friends. Nor would there be enough apologies for the series of events that took place because of his actions. It was the best he could do while working on his actual apology gift of sending the Scions back to the Source. 

Roger rolled his eyes, which surprised the Exarch. “You really don’t need to keep apologizing. Sure I wish you would’ve told us who you were earlier, and it’s not like Lara and I were thrilled about finding that out on top of...everything else that was going on at the time…” He gained a faraway look as he trailed off.

Responding to his emotions far faster than his face ever did (one of the main reasons why the hood he wore over most of his face was necessary to his initial plan), the Exarch’s ears flattened against his head in shame. He also looked away from the younger man’s gaze.

Roger shook himself out of his state and continued, “Your plan was stupidly suicidal for how long you had to refine it, but you promised to do everything you can to live from now on and we both forgave you already.” He paused a moment before grinning awkwardly and scratching at the side of his face. “It’d be kinda stupid if we held a grudge about that anyway. Lara and I do a ton of stupidly suicidal things. Some of them we even plan out in advance.” He gave his final sentence a dramatic gravitas and the Exarch could feel himself smiling a half second after his ears had returned to their more neutral state.

“A cautionary tale against such plans indeed. I’ll endeavor to keep it to heart.” He looked around the lawn before settling his gaze back on Roger. “Speaking of your sister, where is she? I’d heard that you both had returned to the Crystarium but I only see you.”

The good cheer that Roger had been showing deflated at the question. “Lara’s...we did the mission and usually violence against things trying to kill us helps her feel better, but she’s still very upset about the Elidibus thing. She needed some time to herself, so I let her have the room for a bit.”

The Exarch nodded. “She and Ardbert were quite close, from what you’ve said. I can’t imagine what she must be going through right now.” 

Roger put a hand to his chest as he nodded in kind. “Close is a way of describing it, yeah. She really wants to tear Elidibus apart for just that. I’m...” He hesitated. 

“Conflicted?” The Exarch filled in.

“Yeah. I mean, I’m angry too. Just because I didn’t ever get to see or hear him doesn’t mean I didn’t get to know him so it hurt when we figured out it wasn’t really Ardbert. But. I’m also kind of...sad for Elidibus? Like, I feel like I might do something big and mean to the people that killed all of my friends, y’know?” 

The two were quiet for a moment.

“I think I do understand.” The Exarch said after a moment. “You’re trying to empathize with him.”

Roger shrugged and looked away. “I guess? It sounds stupid, though. We haven’t gotten anyone on the Ascians’ side to listen to us once.”

In the melancholy lull that was left by the Warrior of Darkness, the Exarch couldn’t help but chuff. “Another addition to your list of bad plans, I see.” 

The younger man blinked at him for a moment before snorting. “Yeah, it is!”

The two chuckled together until the laughter died down again. Instead of letting silence take over, the Exarch took initiative to say, “I actually had a couple of motives other than a need to apologise again.”

“Oh?”

“I wished to thank you and Lara for everything you’ve done.” The Exarch gave a gentle smile to Roger. “I’ve truly been blessed since the day I met you two.”

“What, even after everything??” Roger got to his knees in order to lean closer to the Exarch. “Doga and Unei, the long sleep, the time travel, the sin eaters, Emet-Selch...really?”

“Yes, really.” The Exarch put his living hand on Roger’s shoulder, as much reassurance for his friend as it was for himself. “While I have indeed made many mistakes in the process, I am still quite glad that I was able to save you and Lara both. I was able to discover my destiny, and in turn was able to save you. Whatever the future holds for any of us on the Source, I will be thrilled to join you two in what’s to come.”

Roger’s expression was far more serious than it normally was when he put his own hand on the Exarch’s shoulder. “You better make that a promise. You will live to see the Source again, G’raha Tia, and you will go on adventures with us.” 

Tears started to form in the corners of G’raha Tia’s eyes as he fiercely nodded. “This I swear by all that I am.”

“I’m gonna hold you to it.” Roger’s expression then softened a little. “What was the other motive for coming here?”

“Oh, er,” He sniffed and scrubbed at his eyes with the palm of his living hand. “Beq Lugg insisted I leave the tower for a mental break, so I took a walk around the Crystarium.”

There was barely a second’s pause before Roger snorted into a laugh.

“I know, it’s ridiculous…” 

“Not just that!” The hand that had been on G’raha’s shoulder came to Roger’s mouth, as if to try to contain the mirth spilling out of it. “They made you take a break like Rammbroes did when you hit that wall in your research!”

The familiar feeling from earlier in the day came back in full force as the memory unfolded before him. He’d almost forgotten that moment in his first adventure with Lara and Roger. “And...Lara made candies for the camp, to keep up our spirits. Honey drops she called them, or something similar.”

“Yeah, that’s it! I should ask if she can make more sometime, or teach me how.”

With that memory also came a memory of what had happened when Roger had consumed too many of the candies. “You’d never sleep again if she taught you.”

“It would be worth it! Honey’s the best!” 

“While I don’t deny that, too many candies will…”

The two had chatted a little longer before G’raha finally made his way back towards the tower. He felt more invigorated than he had been in ages. It was a moment that he planned to cherish forever. A moment that would have been denied to him had he gone through with his initial plan. Bolstered by the idea of fostering more moments like the one he just experienced, he stepped into the Crystal Tower with his head held high.

An idea had finally started to take root in his mind. With any luck, it would be the key to everything.