#that he made this whole giant universe just for us to see and explore

[theriu]

But what if we’re all, “There HAS to be other life in the universe because otherwise it’s such a waste of space,” and then it turns out God is like, “It’s not wasted, I made it all for you. I am not constrained by time and space and I wanted to give you a glimpse of my Glory and fill your skies with endless wonder.”

[just-my-latest-hyperfixation]

Congratulations on 1k! It's impressive how many different genres your AUs have covered with such fun stories

For the ficletbuild a prompt game, perhaps F "Where's your sense of adventure?" + 🧜‍♂️Just add water? Vibes and item are dealers choice :)

Thank you so much, I love trying new things and exploring different universes and themes. Hope you like what I've come up with, I've been wanting to write this for a while. 🧜‍♂️❤️

Night swimming

Rated: T

Words: 1,000

Tags: Established relationship; mer!Steve Harrington; sexually explicit language; nudity

Notes: Bonus drabble to Just add water

“Okay, not to sound ungrateful,” Eddie mutters, huddling deeper into his flannel. Summer is well and truly over and the nights are getting chilly, especially out here on the water. “I appreciate this whole three-month anniversary surprise date, I really do. But couldn’t you have gone for dinner and a movie perhaps?”

“Nah,” Steve smiles. He stops rowing, pulling the oars into the boat and leaving them floating on the surface of the moonlit lake. “It had to be here. This is where I fell for you, where we first kissed. First made love. C’mon, where’s your sense of adventure?”

“Back at the shore, probably.” Eddie pretends to shiver, even though his face has gone hot at Steve’s casual mention of their first time. “Where all of that stuff actually happened, by the way, so I still don’t get why you needed to row us out here. Now where’s that surprise you promised me?”

“Patience,” Steve scolds, leaning closer on the rickety bench so that he can press a kiss to Eddie’s lips. “I'm getting there.”

Then, without further preamble, he starts stripping.

“What the-” Eddie blurts as Steve’s sweater hits him in the face. “No way, forget it. We're not fucking in the middle of the-”

“Get your mind out of the gutter, who said anything about fucking?” Steve rolls his eyes, shrugging out of his jeans and underpants. “We’re going for a swim.”

And then, before Eddie has a chance to stop him, he dives headfirst into the dark lake. Eddie yelps and clenches his eyes shut as the boat rocks. When he opens them, Steve is just emerging again. He laughs and shakes the water from his hair, happy like a fish in the water, which … okay, yeah. That's actually an apt comparison, considering the giant, glistening tail and the fucking fins that have taken the place of his legs.

You'd think that after three months, a guy would get used to his boyfriend being a real-life mermaid. No such luck, apparently, because Eddie still finds himself as dumbstruck as the first time as Steve swims closer and casually rests his arms on the edge of the boat. The patch of scales on his temples shimmers in the pale light.

“Not coming in?”

Eddie grins, trying to ignore the way his heart hammers against his ribcage.

“Nuh-uh, fish boy. Don't wanna freeze to death. You have fun, I'll take care of the food.”

He has just bent over to retrieve the huge picnic basket from the hull of the boat when Steve says, “Oh, you thought that was for you?”

Eddie whips his head up, mouth already open around a question- … which turns into a garbled half-scream when he sees what has appeared beside Steve.

A gleaming pair of eyes, each roughly the size of a saucer.

Eddie blinks. The eyes blink back. There's two pairs of lids on each, the inner one a thin, translucent membrane.

“She's been dying to meet you,” Steve smiles. “Say hi?”

“Hrrrrrrgh,” Eddie says.

The creature makes a sound - a long, high-pitched trill. Steve chimes in with a laugh of his own, and wait, do they think this is funny?

Steve sees the scowl on his face and tilts his head. “C’mon, Eds, don't be like that. You've seen her before.”

“Yeah, from a distance,” Eddie squeaks, finally finding his voice again. “Not like this. Jeez, warn a guy! What happened to meeting the family first?”

The creature makes an affronted sound and Steve pets her large, arrow-shaped head.

“Of course you are family, he's just a bit confused,” he tells her. She grumbles and he turns to Eddie with a chuckle. “Uh-oh, you'd better apologize.”

Eddie stares. Steve’s eyes flick down to the picnic basket.

“Ugh, alright,” Eddie mutters. He reaches down to flip the lid open, steeling himself for the sight of slimy fish heads, only to be met with… “Fruit? She eats fruit?”

Steve shrugs. “She's an ombi- … obvy- … she eats everything, really. Oh, give her the watermelon, she loves those.”

Eddie obeys, because why wouldn't he? If your mermaid boyfriend tells you to feed the friendly lake monster a watermelon, you feed the lake monster the goddamn watermelon. It's only logical.

The melon is about as large as his head. He lifts it, and a long neck comes curling out of the water, until those eerie eyes are level with his - and then higher still, so he's looking up at them. It's a weird feeling, being face to face with this creature who's so much older than him - older than the lake itself, maybe - holding out the fruit to her like an offering. Awe, he realizes. He's feeling awed in the truest and most original sense of the word.

And then she bends down and plucks the melon from his hands. Something crunches and Eddie shrieks in surprise and disgust as a shower of juice and seeds descends on him. The creature swallows, blinks her glowing, double-lidded eyes at him one last time, and then she's gone, slipping back under the surface of the lake with barely a ripple.

“Huh,” Eddie exhales a shaky laugh. “That went pretty-”

The world tilts.

His scream turns into a wet gargle as he hits the water, but Steve has him under the arms and is pulling him up to straddle his tail before he can go under. He sees Eddie’s shocked face and laughs, gently combing dark strands soaked in lake water and melon juice out of his face.

“That went fantastically,” he says, grin wide and brilliant and incredibly proud. It makes Eddie’s heart kick in his chest, just a little. “She really likes you!”

Eddie spits out a mouthful of water.

“What, really? Is it just her or do all of your family members have such an odd way of showing it?”

Steve hums, a bit nervously perhaps, and pulls Eddie's shivering body closer to his chest.

“Well, wait until you meet my mom.”

More celebration ficlets

[accidentalshifter]

I cannot switch my ask to my shifting blog so anon it is!

Hi! I'm Lai Lai! It's so nice to see another adult shifter! I'm in my 20's and i only see a few other adult shifters on here!

You've been shifting for a while right? Any favorite memory you wanna share? If not, that's completely fine!

I love hearing about shifters experiences and hearing them talk about their time in their dr's!

Hello there, Lai Lai~

Wow! I love your name. It's really very cute & sparkly in my brain. Lol, I'm glad I'm not the only old person in the Shifting Community. A lot of the friends I have who're close to my age have lost their whimsy. I refuse to. And so do my daydreams. I've been traveling in my sleep (and awake) since before the craze on Tiktok and only just discovered that other people were having the same experiences as me! It shocked me. But it also gave me sooo much comfort knowing that I wasn't alone... Even if I'm older than the generation who is exploring it now.

Some favorite memories from my desired realities include:

🌈 Solving a puzzle cipher out in the middle of a bamboo rainforest based on Chinese constellation mythology and discovering a jade sword afterwards. Then running into an old sage who called himself "Wang Bo" that invited me to train with said sword in order to defeat a powerful demon that lives in the rainforest. I am still training with the sword in this DR and Wang Bo is an amazingly cool teacher even if I'm a bad student lol and he doesn't get my internet jokes.

🌈 Just sitting and watching the rain in my Autumn-themed DR while keeping the hearth fire lit and drinking hot steaming tea. Listening to the wind as it blows through the golden leaves of a shivering aspen tree. The kind with eyes all up their whiter than white bark.

🌈 Time traveling in my Winter-themed DR & going to pre-historic times when mammoths had just died out to see/heal a past life that has its roots in issues that I experience in this life now. After confronting my past self, learning how the things I consider "weird" about me are actually my strengths, and hugging it out, I was able to move on emotionally, and have been in a much better place since then. I use shifting as a therapeutic tool as much as I do it for the thrill of exploring the whole multiverse.

🌈 Watching Klaus Mikaelson (from TVD/The Originals) read a book for a half an hour while being stuck as an invisible ghost in the New Orleans Mikaelson chateau. This one wasn't as fun and exciting as it was just plain memorable in general. While my other seasonally-based DRs are more in my control, anything to do with the Mikaelsons have been...unscriptable, unpredictable, and very vivid. Sometimes I feel like someone from that universe is summoning me there rather than me consciously deciding to be there.

🌈 Drinking at an ocean-themed neon nightclub in a futuristic world made completely out of plastic and enjoying all the weird colorful cocktails at the bar. The place was called Club O. It looked like a giant blue glass tower shaped like a 〰️ that speared a pirate's ship being consumed by a coral pink octopus 🐙 kraken. The tentacles the kraken had moved on their own and the suckers were made of LED lights that lit up the entire establishment. The tentacles also held huge glass bubbles 🫧 that were different parts of Club O that you could access with a keycard...given that you had the permissions to. Those were more private parts of the club while the main stage was housed in the pirate ship. If any of you shifters ever get to go there, I recommend you try the Monterran Sunset and the Neptune's Swill. Both drinks are a favorite of mine. ❤️

A lot of my DRs are seasonally-based and run on very light/no scripting. I really crave the fun and adventure of not knowing what my DR will throw at me at any given moment. So, every shift feels like anything could happen! Right now I've been putting a lot of focus on my TVD/Originals DR because the Mikaelsons have been yanking on my brain really hard and at this point I'm like:

I'll be probably talking about that DR first before I open up about my more personal, seasonal DRs. Thank you for sending me this ask, Lai Lai!

[mk-wizard]

Winnie-The-Pooh Blood and Honey: The Liberating Hidden Message

Just to make it clear, I am not going to watch the movie, but I still appreciate its hidden message, which is not only intelligent, but it is a wake-up call.

I absolutely adore Winnie the Pooh and even as a little girl, one of my favourite cartoons was The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh which was made during the time Disney actually still held its work to a high standard. Even the other absolutely adorable live action show Pooh Corner holds up as being sweet, cute and great for kids. To say Disney really did wonders for Winnie the Pooh is an understatement, but the operative word here is “did”. Now, the more modern Winnie the Pooh works do not feel like something out of a child’s imagination anymore which is depressing as that was the whole premise of Winnie the Pooh: he, his friends and the entire world was made up by a boy named Christopher Robin. Speaking of which, I find it disrespectful that the character Christopher Robin was dropped for a long time from the series and was only brought back later in a way that I feel did not honour him at all. At times, I felt like they were making fun of the guy and childhood in general which is sad. It is not just Winnie the Pooh who has fallen from grace either. A lot of modern Disney works lack any love behind them, and it shows because Disney is making new movies and shows way too often. Plus, they are made to please modern audiences instead of the intended audiences. Just look at how Disney+ has a new show or film almost every week. The only pocket that takes its time and it shows because it actually produces amazing work 90% of the time is the Star Wars franchise. Yes, it has flops, but you can count them on your fingers on one hand and even then, their flops tend to try harder than all of Disney’s other pieces as of late which includes the Marvel Universe.

But in the midst of all this, someone decided to come up with this;

No one would think of making a Winnie the Pooh horror movie, but in its defense, has anyone thought of doing anything with Winnie the Pooh at all instead of waiting for Disney to do something new with it? There is a deep, dark yet liberating message behind this daring film and it is not about the bear;

Disney does not own Winnie the Pooh. Nor does it own Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast, Pinocchio, The Fox and the Hound, Hercules, Aladdin, Mulan, Robin Hood or any of the princesses from classic literature. All of these pieces are public property meaning anyone is free to adapt them as they wish. The problem is that everyone has been too afraid to try because in the back of our minds, it will never compare to what Disney did.

This fear of touching something that always was free for us to use is crippling us and it is depriving future generations of a chance at seeing a classic tale be reimagined in a way that truly is amazing rather than as another empty cash grab. In other words, the true message behind Winnie-the-Pooh Blood and Honey is: take back our public property.

And believe it or not, when artists did, they made amazing things. The thing is not all of them are in the form of films (though some are). I could even recommend a list. And while they may not be giants like the Disney adaptations, they are worth your time and dare I say, better in some cases. Here are some of the non-Disney adaptations of classic tales I recommend.

Ever After: which is a reimagining of Cinderella that replaces all magic with feminist elements and get this; Leonardo Da Vinci is part of the main cast.

Gepetto: a webcomic adaptation of Pinocchio with a science fiction twist along with all kinds of other twists.

Megan Kearny’s Beauty & the Beast: a webcomic adaptation of the classic tale which takes on a more gothic tone and also explores the trauma behind the Beast’s life story.

Snow White and the Huntsman: a film where Snow White is on equal heroic footing with her “prince” and is a great watch if you love Lord or the Rings or Game of Thrones.

Beauty and the Beast (TV Series): a reimagined version of the classic where “Beauty” is a badass detective and “Beast” is a super-cyborg soldier making the setting more superhero like in all the fun ways.

Red Shoes & the Seven Dwarfs: a deconstructed version of Snow White where the dwarfs are the ones who actually need saving and it is the first ever version of Snow White to be plus sized.

Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp (1982 anime film): this film follows the original tale almost to the letter with a few differences.

Splash: a reimagining of The Little Mermaid that takes place in the 1980s which also happens to be one Tom Hanks’ best classic movies.

Ponyo: another reimagining of The Little Mermaid except the two main characters are children and it was made by Chibli Studios, so you know it will be high quality.

Penelope: the most unique reimaging of Beauty and the Beast there is because in this case, the titular character is both the Beauty and Beast.

Let us make the list even longer, friends. Let us take back our public property. Let us stop comparing our work to Disney before we have even written it.

EDIT: Demon’s Mirror: I forgot about this one. This is a reimagining of The Snow Queen which is no Frozen. I would classify it as a horror-adventure that does not shy away from body horror, trauma and fates worse than death.

[scifihobbit]

Yuletide Letter 2023

I’ve been participating in Yuletide incredibly sporadically since 2009. I love it here! It's such a fun look at what we as fandom care about and such an incredible labor of love from everyone involved.

I'm scifihobbit over on AO3 as well. I am very open to treats. Thanks for reading my letter! (I didn't get this posted in time to include it with my sign-up, but maybe you found it anyway.) We all know the mantra, optional details are entirely optional, so, if you even see this letter, don't feel beholden to it, just use it as a jumping off point if you're so inclined.

I enjoy yuletide for so many different reasons. The gift work isn't the end-all be-all of it. (It's about the friends we made along the way!) So, if you're feeling anxious, know that I'm going to have a great time no matter what, so, have fun with it!

Things I'm a sucker for in general

Character studies

World-building

“There was only one bed”

Found families

Angst with a happy ending

Hurt/Comfort

Broken characters finding ways to heal each other in general

Using smarm to hide wildly low self-esteem

Extremely close, to the point of being unhealthily codependent, friendships

Playing with genre conventions. (i.e. Something that couldn’t be easily shelved in a bookstore that insists on having a literary fiction section and a sci-fi/fantasy section and a thriller section etc.)

Canon compliance. (This is not to say that I wouldn't enjoy a story that takes canon in an unexpected or unusual direction. Like I said, throw genre conventions out the window, but I would love the story to have emanated from somewhere in canon.)

Queers and queerness and queering

DNWs:

PWP (I'm not particularly prudish, I just like me some plot, or meandering conversation.)

AUs

1st person narration

2nd person narration

Major character death (that isn’t canonical)

mpreg (well.... Lower Decks pulled it off, but, in general.)

A/B/O

Non-canon unrequested romantic relationships

Rape/non-con

Fandom: Star Trek: Lower Decks (Cartoon) Characters: (any combination) Kayshon Samanthan Rutherford Shaxs Dr. T'ana

Request: It is hard to explain how much I adore this show. I was raised on Star Trek and this show never disappoints. Every episode leaves me with a smile plastered on my face basically the entire time. I love the entire crew (and especially the main 4), so I've just requested a FEW of my favorites, but feel free to write about anyone on the Cerritos and mix and match! A few prompts/ideas for my requested characters below. (But really, all of these prompts/ideas could apply to just about any of the crew. I just want to know more about them!)

Kayshon: I am still not over the concept of Kayshon! I love him as an addition to the crew so much. The Universal Translator is a constant source of fascination for me, so of course I love the Tamarians and their whole deal. Anything you want to do to explore that would be amazing. I'm also curious about how Kayshon navigates life on the ship and in Starfleet in general. (I love the little moment where Ransom uses a Tamarian phrase and Kayshon is touched.) What does he miss about Tamarian culture? What is he surprised and delighted by on the Cerritos? How does he spend his free time?

Rutherford: My perfect cinnamon roll of an engineer dealing with more trauma than any everyman ever should! I love his energy and optimism and eagerness, and am of course fascinated by his backstory. (If you want to explore that more you should absolutely feel free! But, also, it is a giant can of worms and if you would prefer not to touch it, completely understandable.) Despite what we've learned about Billups, I won't ever be able to stop shipping Rutherford with him at least a little bit, so, if you want to explore that, be my guest. (At the very least Rutherford has a competency crush on Billups and it is adorable.) Whatever engineering adventures you want to send him on I am thrilled to follow. Whatever downtime activities you want to drop him in I'm delighted to read.

Shaxs: I love Shaxs as grumpy mentor to all the floundering ensigns. I love his one-up-manship with Kira. I'm curious to know about his time in the resistance and what brought him to Starfleet. I'd love to see him interacting with other members of the crew (lower deckers or not.) His speech to Boimler about how security's there to protect the crew's emotional well-being too was so wonderful and I'd be delighted to see more of those "missions."

T'Ana: I love a grumpy doctor! (Bones is my fav. I'll be a Pulaski defender for life.) I want to know everything about T'Ana's backstory and what she gets up to in her off hours. What was her time at the academy like? So Caitians used to hunt Betazoids?? Does she indulge in some "most dangerous game" time in the holodeck? Who are her heroes in Starfleet? Who inspired her to be where she is? (Even if she'd never admit it.) What are her friendships with the rest of the crew like? Just give me T'ana content!

More Feelings: I asked for Lower Decks last year, too. So you can check out my 2022 Yuletide letter if you want even more of my giddy delight. Also, my Star Trek and LWD tags are overflowing on this blog.

In general, Vulcans are not my jam. And I find Jennifer kind of irritating... I'm usually annoyed by the mirror universe and section 31, but if there's any place they could be properly skewered, it's in Lower Decks. My Star Trek knowledge runs deep, but I'll admit I gave up on Discovery around the beginning of season 4, didn't finish Prodigy, and have never seen The Animated Series.

Also, since Star Trek essentially invented the AU, there is certainly some wiggle room here around my AU DNW.

Fandom: Severance (TV) Characters: Irving Bailiff Burt Goodman

Request: Irving and Burt ran away with my entire heart and I want so much more about them. This was one of those rare delightful times where I started shipping something not believing the show was going to go there, and then it did!

I would be happy to read about some of their innie's stolen moments. It would be interesting to know more about their life on the outside. (How did Irving take up painting? What kind of solace does he find in it? Why did either of them decide to go through with being "severed"?)

More Feelings: This show is just so good. I love all its weird mysteries (the goats? the green house?) Its aesthetic. The found family of the MDR division. This is another show where I'm incredibly fond of all the characters, so if you want to bring in more of them, please, feel free! I would love to see Irving talking to someone else in MDR about his relationship with/burgeoning feelings for Burt. Feel free to go wild hypothesizing what might have happened after the terrible-awful-no-good-very-bad cliffhanger of season one, or set things firmly within season one.

Fandom: Oppenheimer (Movie 2023) Characters: Leslie Groves J Robert Oppenheimer

Request: Leslie's fascination with Oppenheimer was so interesting to me. I did not expect to come away from this movie with warm feelings about the military general played by Matt Damon, but man, did I.

Anything you want to write exploring their relationship (platonic or romantic) I'd love to read. They're just such an extreme set of opposites that their begrudging admiration of each other is so interesting. Their dynamic is endlessly compelling. I love how intrigued Leslie is by Oppenheimer. I find Leslie's pragmatism vs. Oppenheimer's naivete fascinating.

What was day-to-day life for them like at Los Alamos? Did they ever run into each other years later? (I'm going to be honest, I know next-to-nothing about the actual history around these people, so feel free to play it fast and loose. But also, if you're the sort of writer who likes to get lost in the nitty-gritty, don't let me stop you!)

(Do I think they had "the world might end" sex before the first test? Yes. Yes I do.)

More Feelings: Are you detecting the theme of incredibly driven, rather geeky people being drawn to each other despite/because of their differences in these requests? (I might have just noticed it myself...) I've had a soft spot for Cillian Murphy for a long time now and he was stunning in this movie. Everyone was. It was incredibly well acted and I just feel like the scenes between Groves and Oppenheimer crackled. (Well, most of the movie did.) Again, thanks for reading this letter! Have so much fun! Happy Yuletide!

[ladyofpomegranates]

Our Flag Means Self Love?

For today’s entry to @ourflagmeansparty  I, @ladyofpomegranates, of Team Black bring you an a exploration of one of the best themes in Our Flag Means Death

Prompt 5: Themes

 Man vs Self

This one is a deceptively simple theme, one of the oldest types of conflict in stories, but don’t underestimate the power of Man vs Self! This one packs a real punch and is the driving force behind your least favorite character decisions. 

Man vs Self manifests in many ways: self loathing, guilt, internalized misogyny, fears, indecisiveness, impulsivity, I could go on for days. The crux of a good man vs self conflict is a clash between what the character wants and a trait that makes them their own adversary.

One of the most prominent examples of Man vs Self in Our Flag Means Death is the various self expressions of Edward Teach, also known as Blackbeard. 

When we first hear about Blackbeard it is through the heavily fictionalized stories told by Black Pete. Pete describes Blackbeard as the manifestation of the golden age of piracy: a head made of dark smoke and glowing red coals for eyes, faster on the draw than any normal man.

Blackbeard isn’t a man in these stories, he’s a monster, a legend, a great looming figure who heralds death and destruction for all those who cross him. He fits in more with the fearsome tales of pirates told in Black Sails than with the ragtag band of pirates aboard The Revenge.

When we first see Blackbeard the man, it’s only in glimpses: an arm holding a pipe, a leg propped up on a massive desk, a man sitting in a giant chair shot from behind to carefully obscure identifiable features. He exudes a threatening mysterious aura, this aligns with the reputation of Blackbeard the dread pirate in universe so far. Though Izzy Hands also refers to him more casually, ‘Edward, can’t I just send the boys?’ he says with an exhausted, almost whining tone that suggests these two are familiar with each other. The Blackbeard of legend almost certainly would reprimand a subordinate who spoke to him like this, but instead Izzy is given a reason why it must be him who undertakes this particular mission: ‘I want this done right’. 

When we finally see Blackbeard clearly, it’s not as a villain but as a rescuer! He cuts Stede free from the noose tied by the Spanish navy then proceeds to spend a whole episode by Stede Bonnet’s side as he recovers from injuries. “Discomfort In A Married State” shows us the quirks of Blackbeard from the point of view of Izzy Hands and Stede Bonnet. Izzy is annoyed by the short attention spans, focus on ‘silly trinkets’ and desire for novelty that his captain shows in this episode. He even delivers my favorite Izzy diatribe “for years I have managed your increasingly erratic mood, I have massaged your ego, and when we once again barely eke by to fight another day I will very willingly offer you this, my fucking resignation, you absolute twat.”   

Stede Bonnet on the hand, sees these same traits and thinks, ‘what a delightful man! I wonder if he’d like to see my auxiliary wardrobe?’ With Stede, Blackbeard begins an exploration of himself for perhaps the first time in years, he even introduces himself as ‘Ed’! 

Stede Bonnet becomes the catalyst for Edward Teach’s journey of self reflection and internal conflict as he questions whether he can be the man he wants to be rather than the image he has carefully constructed around his darker impulses.  

I’ve seen analogies of Blackbeard and Edward Teach as a man and the mask he wears. While I appreciate these and definitely agree that the source material supports this, I would argue that the truth is somewhere closer to the iterations of grecoroman gods like Athena and Apollo. Edward Teach and Blackbeard and the Kraken are all differing aspects of the same entity. There is The Lover, the Trickster, The Vengeful Man. 

Blackbeard contains multitudes and his journey will ultimately be one of exploration and acceptance of these aspects. 

[lanaintheskydreams]

Dream Journal for Sep 24-27

Yesterday was a CRAZY day but I still somehow managed to achieve THE LONGEST FULL FLIGHT SESSION THIS MORNING. HUZZAH BABY. Yesterday morning, (since I knew I had one more day left before my dream challenge started again full fledge) I wasn't being aware, and all the events that fell afterwards SHOWED. First of all, I got a pumpkin chai white mocha doppio con panna with a cookies and cream pop (it was fall time I COULDN'T help it). Then the rest of the morning went downhill. I took the dogs for a walk and could barely handle them with the pop and coffee in my hands. I was fumbling around and THEN after taking my eyes off of the dogs for 10 seconds, I heard Moony yelp repeatedly. I suddenly knew. I turned around and I saw he had walked into a cholla patch. He had about 10 on his poor little body. As I pulled them out with my bare hands I got them stuck on me and also he would bite me because it was so painful and he thought I was the one hurting him. I panicked as I tried to keep my other dog Piper from the same fate, and removed enough cholla balls to hold Moony without pushing the spines further in. Somehow I hobbled down to the concrete trail and a mom came over and helped me remove the balls as I held Moony's face shut from biting me or hurting himself. He ended up biting my face. I wanted to get him a full shave so I can make sure I dressed any wounds from the cholla but found out he wasn't up to his rabies shot so the salon wouldn't take him. I was so nervous and manic because I had only sugar and coffee for breakfast, and didn't eat until about 1pm, and was dehyrdated. Anyways, I had sushi, pho, cherry juice the rest of the day, but what really made a difference has been the Soursop remedy I have been taking that I mentioned earlier.

So in my dream I was flying around a university campus, I flew for what seemed like a whole minute. It was Magneto style and I first used just TWO fingers on my left hand (middle and pointer) I controlled the height of my flight as I moved forward around the giant campus. I just raised my fingers up and down like a lever. And then I experimented without my fingers (just my mind), and it worked as well. I had very minute control of my movement and it was calm and steady flight. I was very happy. I was aware that I had control over my flight but I don't think I was in full lucidity to control exploration around me because I went into some thoughtforms and conversations with other characters. I went into a reptilian sexual mindset at once point in the dream too. So I wouldn't say I was fully aware. I had talked to someone who seemed to be one of the engineers/inventors of some technology that I had forgotten about now. I can't tell if I was in another realm or in a complex thought form. I did not have a specific identity but I felt like a masculine, bisexual female form.

So I AM seeing that a clean gut and good sleep is key to having these experiences. Also the soursop having irish moss is huge.

[dailylogyn]

Logyn Meta: Loki & Sigyn’s Family in Myth and Marvel (Comparison)

Photo Source: https://www.deviantart.com/youkai-no-shimo/art/Colouring-LOKI-s-FAMILY-260392721

The family that is ready to begin Ragnarok in order to defend your honor. It’s a tragic tale, but family is something worth fighting for!

Follow me as we explore this crazy, wonderful family that is probably the most famous of the Myth’s. 

We may not know much about Sigyn’s side, but Loki’s side is one that legends are made of. 

From the Norse Myths, to Marvel Comics and the MCU, we will see the similarities and differences for each member in the different universes as well as learn facts about each one and why they are important. 

Laufey (or Nál) - Loki’s Mother 

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

She is Loki’s Mother in Mythology.

Mostly mentioned by the matronymic, “Loki Laufeyjarson” meaning: Loki Laufey’s Son.

Her name (Laufey) is typically thought to mean leaves/foilage. Nal means Needle. 

Not much is known about her. We don’t even know if she was a Goddess, human or giant so it is assumed Loki gets his godhood from her. 

In the poem Sörla þáttr, Nál and Laufey are portrayed as the same person: "She was both slender and weak, and for that reason she was called Nál [Needle]." 

Laufey is listed among Ásynjar (goddesses) in one of the þulur, an ancestry that perhaps led her son Loki to be "enumerated among the Æsir", as Snorri Sturluson puts it in Gylfaginning.

Related to nature like forests and leaves.

MARVEL COMICS (Earth 616)

Laufey is Loki’s Father in this universe. 

As Loki was born small, a motive of embarrassment for his parents, his existence was kept a secret.

A younger Loki sends Laufey into a fateful battle between Odin, leading the All-Father to claim Loki as a son. Laufey was left for dead, wounded, but alive, leaving a future Loki to kill him. 

A group of Frost Giants try to revive Laufey by retrieving his skull. It ends with Malekith performing a spell to resurrect King Laufey. 

Laufey hates Loki and thinks of him as a disgrace

It ends with Loki killing his father again after he tries to steal the Casket of Winters and kill Frigga. 

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU)

Same as Marvel Comics Counterpart. Appears in the first Thor movie. 

Fárbauti - Loki’s Father

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

He is Loki’s Father in Mythology. 

Attested in the Prose Edda and in Kennings of Viking Age Skalds.

A Jotunn

The Old Norse name Fárbauti has been translated as 'dangerous striker','anger striker',or 'sudden-striker'.

Related to lightning

MARVEL COMICS (Earth 616)

Mother of Loki in this universe.

Gave birth to an unusually small child to the annoyance of her husband.

It is said the night Loki was born that she stabbed her own heart with an ice dagger, but Loki suspects Laufey is the one who killed her. 

Appears as a figment taken on by a parasite. She’s mostly deceased in the comics. 

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU)

Does not appear or have a reference in the MCU

Loki Laufeyjarson - Son of Laufey & Farbauti. Lover of Sigyn & Angrboda (and many others honestly)

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

Everyone already knows the tales about Loki, so I won’t repeat it all again. It’s pretty lengthy. I’ll just point down the basics for him with it. 

He’s famous for causing trouble among the gods as the Trickster and God of Mischief. Not a bad guy, but misinterpreted that way, although he can be a dick too. Despite how much he causes trouble for them, he also helps them out of situations too. He just wants to have fun, even if he takes it overboard at times.

Some sources put as Jotun and some say he is Half-Jotun, Half-Aesir (on his mother’s side.) 

A well-known Shapeshifter who can be anything: Salmon, Male, Female, Horse. The list just goes on. 

A really handsome being who loved to get it on. *finger guns*

Blood Brother’s with Odin. How? We don’t know. It’s interpreted as a friendship or foster-brothers. It’s unclear really.

Gonna start Ragnarok for valid reasons honestly after having his entire family taken away from him or killed by the Gods. #TeamLoki

MARVEL COMICS (Earth 616)

Far too many appearances to document here from 1942 to present. There has been some retcons as well with the fact the current Loki has been reborn in a new incarnation also known as Ikol.

In the comics Loki is the adopted son of Odin and Frigga and Adoptive brother to Thor & Balder. 

He’s depicted as being the God of Evil in the classic comics serval times. In fact, it’s one of his titles. 

Depending on the writer for the classic comics, Loki can have moments of humanity, but all around he causes trouble.

Just wants to rule Asgard and get rid of Thor who is his enemy. 

He’s honestly a bad guy most of the time in the classic comics #VillianTrope

I personally have yet to read any current comics of Loki that aren’t the classics so this is where my knowledge and research stops. 

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU)

First off, Tom Hiddleston as Loki is just *chefs kiss* perfection. 

Pretty much the same as comics except for the fact he isn’t really a villain. He plays tricks on people for fun and laughs and truly cares about his family. 

However, things change when he discovers the truth that he is a Jotun and has been lied to about it his whole life despite being told countless stories of how Jotun’s are monsters to be slain (You fucked up a perfectly good kid, Odin. Look, he has anxiety and trauma.) 

He develops major identity problems on top of others things, but despite it, Loki tries to still do best by his family as he wants to belong. Yes, he becomes a villain in The Avengers movie, but not for the hell of it. #Thanos

Honestly, he just deserves better. That’s where this leads. Thank you.

Angrboda - Loki’s Consort/Lover (Fenrir, Jormungandr & Hel’s Mother)

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

She is only mentioned once in the Poetic Edda as the mother of Fenrir by Loki. The Prose Edda describes her as "a giantess in Jotunheim" and as the mother of three monsters: the wolf Fenrir, the Midgard serpent Jörmungand, and the ruler of the dead Hel.

A Jotun known as Mother of Monsters and Giantess of Ironwood. 

In Old Norse, Angrboda means: 'the one who brings grief', 'she-who-offers-sorrow', or 'harm-bidder'.

According to scholars, the name Angrboða is probably a late invention dating from no earlier than the 12th century, although the tradition of the three monsters born of Loki and a jötunn may be of a higher age.

Some scholars say she was a very powerful witch and that she had the ability to see into the future. She was confined to Hel and would not be released from the realm of the dead until Loki was unbound.

In some versions of the Myth’s she knows her children will bring about the end of the world (Ragnarok) as well as being a witch set on fire three times before Loki eats her heart. 

MARVEL COMICS (Earth 616)

A giantess of Jotunheim and a Witch.

Born to Elderspawn Vârcolac and Echidna.

She mated with Loki and gave birth to Fenrir and Jormungadr. Legends say she also gave birth to Hela, but it seems to be nothing more but legends. 

Angrboda died of unknown causes and was sent to the Underworld of Hel. 

When Thor needed to know how to get to Hela's realm because she had been taking mortals to Niffleheim, he went to the Hlidskjalf and summoned Angerboda from the underworld, forcing her to tell him how to get there. Once she revealed to Thor the path he had to follow, she tried to take him with her to the underworld.

Only has one appearance in the comics -- Thor #360 (1985)

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU)

Does not appear or have a reference in the MCU

Sleipnir - Loki’s Son

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

Attested in the Poetic and Prose Edda. In both Sleipnir is Odin's eight-legged steed and child of Loki by Svaðilfari. He is described as the best of all horses.

The Prose Edda contains extra information saying he is grey. 

Old Norse meaning: Slippy or the Slipper. 

Sleipnir is also mentioned in a riddle found in the 13th century legendary saga Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks, in the 13th-century legendary saga Völsunga saga as the ancestor of the horse Grani, and book I of Gesta Danorum, written in the 12th century by Saxo Grammaticus, contains an episode considered by many scholars to involve Sleipnir. Sleipnir is generally accepted as depicted on two 8th century Gotlandic image stones: the Tjängvide image stone and the Ardre VIII image stone.

Scholarly theories have been proposed regarding Sleipnir's potential connection to shamanic practices among the Norse pagans.

Sleipnir was born when Loki shape-shifted into a mare and became pregnant by the stallion of a giant, as is recounted in the tale of The Fortification of Asgard.

MARVEL COMICS (Earth 616)

There are two different origins for Sleipnir in the comics: 1. Thor fighting off an army of the undead on Midgard. He promised to help as long as his horses weren’t eaten, however, Thor was betrayed and took his horses remains back to Asgard, coupling it with Asgardian Magic to create Sleipneir. 2. Loki had hastily agreed to let a Frost Giant re-build the wall around Asgard, in exchange for the Moon, the Sun, and Freya, only he had to do it in six months. The Frost Giant had only asked to use his grey stallion, Svadilfari. Right as the last brick was about to be placed, Loki transformed into a beautiful white mare, and lured Svadilfari off. Loki later gave birth to Sleipnir. (Just like in the Myths.) 

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU)

Odin’s eight-legged steed. 

Sleipnir’s origins are unknown. He appears in the first Thor Movie. 

Fenrir Wolf - Loki & Angrboda’s Son

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

Attested in the Prose and Poetic Edda as the first son of the Jotun couple. He is a wolf destined to kill Odin. So, they bind and seal him when he's still young, with Tyr losing his arm in the process. When Ragnarok comes, he indeed kills Odin, but is killed by Odin's son Vidar in return.

Fenrir is the father of the wolves Sköll and Hati Hróðvitnisson. 

In the Prose Edda, additional information is given about Fenrir, including that, due to the gods' knowledge of prophecies foretelling great trouble from Fenrir and his rapid growth, the gods bound him, and as a result Fenrir bit off the right hand of the god Týr.

No chain can hold him, except for Gleipnir, a rope made by Dwarves containing the roots of a mountain, the breath of a fish, the sound of a cat's footfall, the sinews of a bear, the beard of a woman and the spittle of a bird, all of which were impossible items to obtain.

MARVEL COMICS (Earth 616)

Pretty much the same as his Mythos with some additional storylines. 

When Raganrok happened, Fenrir was reborn with the other gods on the New Asgard universe on Midgard. No details of his fate on Earth have been revealed.

Fenrir helped the mutant Wolfsbane as she was carrying the child of one of his descendants. 

It is one of the few individuals believed to be more powerful, or equally as powerful, as Dormammu; the others being galactic entities like The Beyonder.

Fenrir is Genderfluid in the comics. 

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU)

Fenris is a giant Asgardian Wolf who serves under Hela and is portrayed as Female. She resurrects her as they take over Asgard. 

Instead of being her brother, Fenris is her loyal companion and mount. 

Fenris ends up getting into a fight against Hulk as he pushes her off, sending her falling into the void below to her supposed death. 

Appears in Thor: Ragnarok. 

Hel - Loki & Angrboda’s Daughter

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

Attested in the Prose and Poetic Edda. She is a giantess/goddess who resides over the Underworld that is also called Hel, a place where many of the dead reside. She is the daughter of Loki and Angrboda, sister to Fenrir and Jormungandr and usually depicted as the youngest of the three.

Goddess of Death and Graves and ruler of Hel who welcomes the souls of those who died of old age, disease or by accident.

Hel is described as having been appointed by the god Odin as ruler of a realm of the same name, located in Niflheim.

The Prose Edda details that Hel rules over vast mansions with many servants in her underworld realm and plays a key role in the attempted resurrection of the god Baldr.

Old Norse Name Meaning: Hidden

She’s mostly mentioned only in passing. Snorri describes her appearance as being half-black, half-white, and with a perpetually grim and fierce expression on her face.

MARVEL COMICS (Earth 616)

Renamed Hela in the comics.

Allegedly the daughter of Loki and Angrboda, but it’s never made clear or stated. Hela's genealogy is the subject of controversies and retellings. 

Her path pretty much follows her Mythos where she is destined to do terrible things and Odin makes her the ruler over the dead in the realms of Hel and Niflheim until maturity. 

At some point, she was considered the daughter of Odin and of a long-lost goddess.

Honestly, she usually tries to expand her powers, wanting to rule over Vahalla and obtain Asgardian souls. 

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU):

Appears in Thor: Ragnarok as Odin’s firstborn and only daughter. Sister to Thor and Loki.

Kinda pissed her dad locked her away and wants to rule Asgard and take revenge.

The cause of Ragnarok and supposedly dies on Asgard after everything is said in done in the movie.

Jormungandr - Loki & Angrboda’s Son

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

Usually depicted as the middle child of Loki and Angrboda, he is known as the Midgard Serpent or World Serpent who is a giant snake. When Odin takes Loki’s kids away from him, he tosses Jormungadr into the ocean that encircles Midgard. The serpent grew so large that is was able to surround the Earth and grasp it’s own tail. When it releases it’s tail, Ragnarok will begin and he will fight his arch-enemy, Thor. 

The major sources for myths about Jörmungandr are the Prose Edda, the skaldic poem Húsdrápa, and the Eddic poems Hymiskviða and Völuspá. Other sources include the early skaldic poem Ragnarsdrápa and kennings in other skaldic poems; for example, in Þórsdrápa, faðir lögseims, "father of the sea-thread", is used as a kenning for Loki. There are also several image stones depicting the story of Thor fishing for Jörmungandr.

MARVEL COMICS (Earth 616)

Both Loki and Angerboda were descended from the Frost Giants of Jotunheim and were of humanoid appearance; however, the sons Angerboda bore Loki, Jormungand and the Fenris Wolf, did not. It has been suggested that Jormungand and the Fenris Wolf were born as sentient animals because their parents each had the magical ability to change his or her own shape. Hence, Jormungand and the Fenris Wolf each bear the form of the animal that their parents had assumed at the moment they were conceived.

Jormungandr follows the same as his Mythos to a certain degree with his fate to fight Thor during Ragnarok as the God of Thunder would die from his venom. 

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU)

Does not appear or have a reference in the MCU

Sigyn - Loki’s Wife

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

Sadly, not many stories that have Sigyn in them have survived to this day. She is only attested in the followings works: Poetic Edda & Prose Edda. 

The most famous of her story tells of how Loki has been bound by the gods with the guts of his son, Nari, and how his son, Vari, has been turned into a wolf. The Goddess Skadi fastens a venomous snake over Loki’s face, from which venom drips. Sigyn, stated as Loki’s wife, stays by his side and holds a basin under and catches the venom so it won’t drip onto her husband, but when the basin grows full, she pulls it away to empty it, during which time venom drops onto Loki, causing him to wither so violently that earthquakes occur that shake the entire earth.

In the poem, Gylfaginning, Sigyn is introduced in Chapter 31 as being married to Loki and that they have a son by the name of “Narfi or Nari”. She is then mentioned again in Chapter 50 where events are described differently than in Lokasenna; Vali, described as a son of Loki only, is changed into a wolf by the gods and rips apart his brother, “Narfi or Nari.” The guts of Nari are then used to tie Loki to three stones, after which the guts turn to iron, and Skadi places a snake above Loki. Sigyn of course catches the venom in a bowl. This process is repeated until he breaks free, setting Ragnarok into motion.

In the poem, Skáldskaparmál, Sigyn is introduced as a goddess, an Æsir, where the gods are holding a feast for their visitors and in kennings for Loki: “husband of Sigyn” and “cargo [Loki] of incantation-fetter’s [Sigyn’s] arms.”

Old Norse Name meaning: Victory Girlfriend. 

MARVEL COMICS (Earth 616)

Lonely and looking for female companionship, Loki ends up coming across Sigyn and plans to make her his. However, she is already engaged to a warrior of Odin’s Crimson Hawks -- Theoric. Hence, Loki sets up a trap to have Theoric killed during a mission so Loki can disguise himself as Theoric. Once they are wed, Loki reveals himself and despite Odin attempting to annul the marriage (which goes against Asgardian Law)), Sigyn tells the Allfather that she will follow the duties of a loyal wife since she is Loki’s now. 

This is when Odin proclaims her to be the Goddess of Fidelity. This was a thing first started by the Marvel Comics.

Sigyn doesn’t have much of an agency in the comics except being a loyal wife to Loki, sometimes going along with his plans or getting on him for it. 

I personally haven’t been able to find any evidence of Sigyn’s parents being Iwaldi and Freya in the comics, so I’m not sure if this fact is Fanon or not. 

Sigyn has suddenly seemed to vanish from the comics with her last official appearance being in 1996. It has been allueded at that she died or was killed during Ragnarok. 

Her relationship with Loki in the comics is...complicated and changes a lot depending on the writer. 

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU)

Does not appear or have a reference in the MCU

Narvi/Narfi & Vali - Loki & Sigyn’s Sons

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

Not much is known about Narfi and Vali except for being Loki & Sigyn’s sons with Vali being transformed into a wolf by the gods and killing his brother whose inners are used as a chain to bind Loki in the cave. 

Narfi and Vali are referred to in a number of sources. According to the Gylfaginning section of Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, he was also called Nari and was killed by his brother Váli, who was transformed into a wolf; in a prose passage at the end of the Eddic poem "Lokasenna", Váli became a wolf and his brother Nari was killed.

Snorri also names "Nari or Narfi" as the son of Loki and his wife Sigyn earlier in Gylfaginning, and lists "father of Nari" as a heiti for Loki in the Skáldskaparmál section of his work.

Narfi’s name could mean “Corpse” in Old Norse, relating to how he was killed by his brother. 

There's no mention of what became of Vali after he became a wolf.

MARVEL COMICS (Earth 616)

Narvi never makes an appearance in the comics and is only mentioned in: Free Comics Book Day Vol 2018 Avengers. 

There is a Vali in the comics called Vali Halfling. He is the son of loki and a unnamed mortal woman. So, I don’t consider this to be the same Vali that is the son of Loki and Sigyn. 

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU)

Does not appear or have a reference in the MCU

_________________________________________________

Thanks for reading everyone. This required a bunch of research, but I hope this helps and has been educational. We only have what we can work with considering the surviving myths, but there is so many stories out there that we don’t know of that aren’t clear because of it. 

I tried my best to cover everything I knew about them in Marvel too, but sometimes so many retcons is too much to keep up with. I know there may be some errors in places, but it’s the best I could get this with what we have to work with.

SOURCES:

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Laufey_(Earth-616)

https://marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Laufey

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laufey

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fárbauti

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Farbauti_(Earth-616)

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Angerboda_(Earth-616)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angrboða

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Hela_(Earth-616)

https://norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/giants/hel/

https://norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/giants/jormungand/

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Jormungand_(Earth-616)

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Sleipnir_(Earth-616)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleipnir

https://marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Sleipnir

https://norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/giants/fenrir/

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Fenris_Wolf_(Earth-616)

https://marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Fenris

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigyn

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Sigyn_(Earth-616)

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Narvi_(Earth-616)

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Vali_Halfling_(Earth-616)

https://norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/the-aesir-gods-and-goddesses/loki/

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Loki_Laufeyson_(Earth-616)

https://marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Loki

https://skjalden.com/narfi-and-vali/

https://marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Hela

[itsbeaconhillsbaby]

octopus hearts || tom holland x reader

a/n: how do my intended blurbs turn out so long! god dammit. this idea popped into my head, so I hope you all like it. as always thank you so much for supporting; liking, reblogging, commenting or messaging me about any of my work. I love interacting with you guys and I plan to try and be more of a presence in general, not just with writing. come chat! hope you’re all well x  word count: 1638 warning: none...I think everything I write is pretty tame summary: it’s about time you and tom extended your little family 

“You do know she’s only young...” “And? What’s your point?” “The point is, you’ve managed to find the biggest toy in this whole place!” Tom turns to you, cradling two sacks of dry food to his chest, muscles straining slightly against his t-shirt. In his free hand was a large fluffy purple octopus - all 8 legs dangling centimetres off the ground. You’re both stood in front of the full aisle of toys, picking out your favourites for your new arrival. “She’ll grow! Plus look at it...she’ll love it.” He holds up the toy until it’s eye level with you, its stitched mouth looking at you almost mockingly. You roll your eyes, smiling at Tom’s pleading face, his bottom lip curling upwards into a pout. “Okay, it is cute. But that’s the last one Tom, we don’t even know if she’ll like them yet.” Tom grinned cheekily, slipping the toy into the growing basket you were holding, planting a sloppy thank you kiss onto your cheek as he did so. You laughed as he fist pumped the air before continuing your way through the aisles. The excitement was building, the whole situation becoming more and more real, as you searched for the necessary items.

//// “No peeking!”

If you could’ve rolled your eyes, you would have. You had been sat in the car for around 15 minutes, with your eyes closed and your hands covering your face.

Tom had finally wrapped his latest film in the US, and you had spent the past three days in-between your classes ‘reuniting’ – neither of you surfacing from your shared bedroom unless you were forced to do so. You had assumed Tom had met up with the boys, gone down to his local or played golf during your class time and were therefore extremely confused as to why he suddenly woke up one morning, bribed you to get dressed and dragged you out of the house, only to beg you to keep your eyes closed as soon as you got into the car.

“I’m not sure I like this surprise Tom, where the hell are we going?”

“We’re almost there, you’re going to love it! I promise.”

You felt the car come to a halt, gravel crunching beneath the tyres.

“Stay here one sec.” You heard Tom’s car door slam shut, and soon enough you felt the cold air as yours opened.

He guided you out of the car, allowing you to use him for balance as you struggled to get your bearings, eyes remaining closed the entire time.

“Okay. You can open them.”

You slowly opened them, blinking confused as you looked at a grey building. you eyed tom from the side, seeing his cheeky grin lighting up his entire face before you turned back to the building. It was then that you noticed the sign.

You were at your local dog rescue shelter.

“Tom…what are we doing here?” You fully turn to face him, eyes widening in both excitement and shock.

“Well we’ve lived together for over a year now and I know we said it wasn’t possible. But with this new film, they’re looking at a franchise and it’s an entirely UK based production, so I’ll be here, and I don’t know – you’re graduating soon, I’ve looked into dog sitters and walkers for during the day. My family can help ou-”

You interrupt him mid-sentence, arms wrapping around his neck and shoulders as you pull him towards you, eyes fluttering closed as you kissed him. Your entire stomach erupted into fluttering butterflies at all the thought behind the surprise, at the idea that Tom was genuinely just as excited about adding to your little family as you were.

You push back suddenly, “This is actually happening right now? You’re not messing me around? Because that would be a mean prank…”

“No,” he grins, laughing. You felt his breath tickle your cheek, “it’s all real. Now c’mon, we’re going to be late for our doggy date.”

He tucks you into his side, arm wrapped around you as you head into the building, your stomach doing somersaults the entire time.

////

Your phone buzzed, lighting up next to your laptop. You were in your university library, researching titles of books you needed for your dissertation when a text from Tom popped up:

eta 10 minutes x

You immediately took note of the last couple books on your list, before closing your laptop and stuffing it into your bag. You grabbed the pile of books you’d already collected into your arms before checking them out at the front desk, heading immediately for the nearest train station.

You made it home in record time.

As you unlocked the front door you could hear the pitter patter of tiny feet on the wooden floor. Placing your bag and books on the entry table, you let your keys fall into the bowl alongside Tom’s.

“Hey baby. In here.”

You peeked around the corner into the living room where Tom was lying stretched out on his side in the centre of the room. Holding his head up with his palm, he held up a soft crinkly toy as your new little ball of golden fluff jumped on her hind legs in her attempts to reach it.

“We’re bonding,” he murmured, lifting his head to look up at you, “come join us.”

The little puppy was all legs and floppy ears as she caught her toy and bounced across the room, tripping over it as she tried to hold it up. She paused as you entered, her head tilting dramatically from left to right, her toy immediately laying discarded as she tumbled towards you.

“Hey puppy! Hi Nala.” You kneel down, letting her sniff you to remind herself of who you were, before she wiggled onto her back, paws in the air as you gave her belly rubs. Her white and golden tail thumping on the wooden floorboards.

“Oh my god Tom, I can’t believe she’s here!” He sits up, grinning from ear to ear. He rolls one of the balls next to him and you both watch as Nala bounces after it, attention immediately grabbed. You shuffle towards him, placing yourself in his lap, “Thank you, thank you, thank you. Did she cope with the journey okay?”

Tom winds his arms around your stomach, “She was a star. She’s great in the car, didn’t even cry.”

You nod as he begins peppering kisses on your collarbone, as you watch your new puppy continue to explore her new home.

Your eyes are immediately drawn to one of the discarded toys, the giant octopus that was taking up a scary amount of room on the floor. You roll your head towards your boyfriend smirking slightly, “I take it she didn’t like it?”

He whines quietly, huffing, “So she might have run away from it, I think it freaked her out…” you laugh, tangling a hand into his hair as you pull him towards you, before you hear a noise that causes you both to dart your heads up in search of the destructive sound.

“Oh, fantastic so she’s hates my choice in toys, and she’s a cockblock,” Tom mutters as you stifle a giggle, immediately hurrying after your little pup.

////

You were laying on the couch, Tom’s chest pressed to your back. Nala had completely passed out, lying half in her crate, and half out of it and you couldn’t take your eyes off of her.

“Well, I think that was relatively successful,” you murmur.

“You would think that, it wasn’t your shoe laces that she chewed up,” Tom murmured from behind you.

You’d both had a tiring day with Nala. Once she got bored of playing with her toys, she immediately decided that running outside with Tom’s shoe and hiding under one of the bushes just out of reach would be far more exciting.

“You can’t get mad at her, look at her little face.” You sigh, officially completely head over heels in love, “I can’t believe someone would just dump her, she’s gorgeous.”

You felt Tom brushing a hand up you side absentmindedly as he nodded, “I know. They think she was bought as a christmas present, and then abandoned a couple weeks later.”

“We’re going to give her so much love. And I can’t wait to introduce her to Tess. You think they’ll be friends?” You grasp the fingers trailing up your arm and bring them closer round you, interlocking yours with his.

“For sure...best of friends.” He says as you snuggle further down against Tom, his arms tightening around you as you both relax against each other.

The pair of you let Nala recharge her batteries, diving into an episode of the latest show you had been watching together when you jump with a small gasp at the startling movement beneath you, as Tom sat himself up.

“Oh my god, look!”

You take a glance at Nala. she’d shifted herself in her sleep so instead of laying on the cushioned dog bed and blankets that were in her crate, she’d shimmied out and lay flat out against the giant octopus. Paws tangled with the soft legs of the toy as her head rested on its fluffy body, her pink tongue lolling to one side.

“Yes!” Tom cheered, Nala’s eyes immediately opening from the noise, “I knew she’d love it! Watch this space, Oscar the octopus is going to be her favourite.” He jumped off the couch and hunkered down next to her.

“Wait…do not tell me you named it?”

You took in the man in front of you, lying on his front playing with the pads of Nala’s paws and felt your cheeks begin to ache slightly from the smile on your face.

“Who’s clever! Yes Nala, clever girl.”

You took in your dorky little family, sliding off the couch to join them. The perfect little family of three. 

[imagine-loki]

Loki's Daughter

TITLE: Loki's Daughter CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter 14: Ynatu's Auction House AUTHOR: traveling-classicist ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine Avengers: Endgame AU Loki that gets away with tesseract has been using it to explore the universe. During his adventures, he comes across a little girl with developing but oppressed magical abilities. Intrigued (and subconsciously lonely) Loki keeps her around. RATING: T

AO3 Link: here NOTES/WARNINGS: A little bit of bloody violence in this chapter so be warned if you're squeamish.

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Kuna watched as Loki paced back and forth in front of her, taking bites out of their last piece of bread. He had one arm bent behind his back, the other holding the bread in front of his face. He stared at the floor as he walked, his eyes occasionally darting from side to side as if reading an invisible page. He muttered to himself and shook his head, turning on his heel and going back the other way.

“So, if the Masters needed to trace back slaves to their families, should they show potential with magic, how would they do that?” Loki asked, his mouth full of another bite of bread.

Kuna stared at him. He had been pacing back and forth all morning, asking her periodic questions about her home-system. She answered what she could, but it did not feel like they were getting anywhere. “Um, well, they could look at the little chip in my back,” she said.

She contorted around, stretching her arms behind her back until she was just touching the area around her shoulder blades. She reached under her shirt. “Here it is!” Her fingers rubbed a small patch of skin behind her left shoulder blade.

Loki dropped his bread in horror. “You have a microchip in you?” He dropped to his knees and felt her back, being careful around the bandaged areas until he found the spot Kuna showed him. He could feel a small, hard, lump just under her shoulder blade, deep below the skin.

“Mmm-hmm,” Kuna nodded. “The auctioneers scan it when we’re being sold to get all our information, like how many masters we’ve had and how old we are and what jobs we can do. I think it says who all of our old masters were and probably our families too.”

“I cannot believe they microchipped you,” Loki said, rubbing it with his finger. “Why didn’t you tell me? Does it hurt?”

“No! And you didn’t ask!” Kuna cried.

“All right but as soon as we’re done, this thing is coming out.”

Kuna pouted, regretting her decision to tell Loki about the chip.

“How do they scan this thing?” Loki asked, replacing Kuna’s shirt.

“With this little scanner gun thingy,” Kuna said. She pantomimed a small, handheld device, measuring it with her hands in the air. “I don’t know what it is. The auctioneers carried it with them... with their whips.” She shuddered at the thought. “I don’t wanna go back there.”

“It will be fine. We just have to steal one of these ‘thingies,’” - Loki copied her gesture - “from one of these auctioneers, scan your chip, and then we can figure out who, or at least where, your parents are. I’m sure they kept that information. Your people sound as paranoid as SHIELD.”

“Who?”

“They’re... never mind. Once we know where to find your parents, we can go to them and force—I mean figure out who cursed you.”

Kuna looked at him flatly. “Are you going to kill them?”

“What?! No! I won’t! I’m not!”

Kuna looked down at the floor in thought.

“If I did that, we wouldn’t get the information we need,” Loki continued.

Kuna did not respond. She folded her hands in her lap, occasionally picking at her palms.

“Listen, darling. You don’t have to see them if you don’t want to. I will handle everything. And I won’t kill them, I promise.”

Kuna nodded, slowly.

“And I will be with you the whole time we’re there.”

“Do you think they ever loved me?” she asked.

Loki sighed. “Mmm. No, probably not.”

Kuna stared at him in shock.

“But my real parents didn’t love me either. So, you’re not alone.”

Kuna went back to picking at her palms.

“But… I love you,” Loki said, bumping her shoulder with his.

She smiled and hugged him. “I love you too.”

  ***

  They arrived on a planet in Kuna’s home-system, in a dark alleyway that smelled putrid and damp. Loki’s nose crinkled at the foul smell, but Kuna took his hand and led him away. The city was closely quartered, with the buildings and houses nearly leaning onto each other across the streets. Stone and wooden buildings were packed together and stacked tall enough to topple over. Loki could see several different styles of architecture in one building alone, seeming to grow younger and more innovative with height.

“Where are we, Kuna?”

“This is called Yaraai. It’s a city where a lot of Freepeople live on the planet, Ynatu.”

“Freepeople,” Loki said.

“People who aren’t slaves but aren’t masters either.”

“How original,” Loki muttered.

He had not had any real direction when teleporting them back to Kuna’s system. He figured any planet in the system would have a slave auction where they could find an auctioneer with a scanner. This planet seemed to be the right place.

People passed by in dirty tunics covered in soot and who knows how many layers of grime. Loki could see at least a few different species of hominid-like beings. Torileena’s markets had not been so densely populated as this city. Loki had been quick to vacate them for the tranquility of Torileena’s massive trees. However, now he was quite interested in this system, despite its rather primitive culture.

A scaly, lizard man with a long tail and yellow eyes with slitted pupils watched them pass by as he leaned against a post. A woman with a copious amount of fur covering her entire body sold some kind of clothing that Loki thought was likely made of her own fur. A human-looking man shouted on a street corner about slave auctions, touting slaves starting at 10000 turans. Loki scoffed in disgust. Kuna’s shoulders slumped.

Kuna suddenly squeezed his hand and started to pull him to the side of the busy street. Loki looked up and found everyone standing against the walls, leaving a clearing through the middle of the street. Kuna tugged harder on his hand, but he ignored her. A man clad in fine robes was walking down the middle of the street towards them, clearly the cause of all the drama, trailed by several people wearing the same shackles he had found Kuna in.

Loki’s eyebrows raised at the sight of one of these masters Kuna was so afraid of.

“Loki! Get out of the way,” Kuna hissed at him, pulling on his arm. Her voice was quivering with fear.

But Loki stood his ground. Taking Kuna’s hand, he marched up the street. The Master stopped some yards ahead, aghast at the pair walking towards him. His slaves bumped into each other at the sudden stop and peeked around either side of him to see what was happening.

Loki walked with purpose, ignoring the gasps and whispers of the people flattened against the walls on either side of them. In truth, he quite liked their looks of shock as they passed.

Unable to free her hand from Loki’s, Kuna kept her head down, trying with all her might to disappear.

“This is preposterous!” the Master said loudly. “Get out of my way, yara.”

“What did he just call me?” Loki asked Kuna.

“It’s a nasty word for Freeperson,” she whispered. “We should move. He has right of way. He’s a Master.”

“I beg your pardon, yara,” Loki said haughtily to the Master. “I am no Freeperson. I am a god. And you’ll get out of my way before I smite you into a grease spot on this dirty street.”

There were gasps. A baby started crying. A man in the crowd fainted. Loki marched on, dragging Kuna with him. The Master took a step out of the way, mouth hanging open. The slaves skittered to the wall, away from Loki. Everyone watched as they passed by. Even the birds stopped chattering to watch.

Kuna was having a panic attack. Her chest heaved as Loki strode on, unfazed.

“I told you, I’d take care of everything,” he said to her.

“You’re crazy!” she breathed. “He could have killed us.”

“Bah, I think he’s a spineless little cockalorum,” Loki said, smiling at her.

Kuna was convinced he had gone truly mad. They approached the man advertising slaves.

“Where is this auction taking place, sir,” Loki asked politely.

“At the auction house, of course!” he replied.

Loki gave a stolid laugh. “Of course. And where might that be?”

“Follow this street til you see the big building.”

“The big building?” Loki asked, raising a brow at the big buildings all around them.

“You’ll know it when you see it.”

“Right,” Loki scoffed.

“Don’t let those fools mark you down for that girl, now!” he called after them.

Kuna gasped and hopped a few steps to catch up with Loki as he walked. She knew the building when she saw it. Tall and black as night. The reliefs on the front showed slaves holding up the pillars of the building. Statues lining the angled roof depicted the first masters that had enslaved evil magic users. They glared down at her, accusingly.

Loki watched all manner of people filing in and out of the front of the giant building. The masters were easily recognizable as the cleanest and most well-dressed. The freepeople, he figured, were those who were dressed dirtily, speaking in hushed tones with masters as they walked by. However, he did not see any slaves.

“Kuna, where are the slaves?”

“Th-they go in the back way,” she whispered. She took his hand and pulled it close to her face almost speaking into it. “It’s much worse back there.”

“I can imagine.”

He knelt down in front of Kuna. “We’ll be quick in there. I know you don’t want to go in there, but we need to find one of those auctioneers and get that scanner.”

Kuna shook her head as he spoke. “I don’t wanna go in there,” she whispered, shaking her head. She felt suddenly foggy, like she was swimming in her own mind.

Loki looked at the auction house. Of course, he knew why she did not want to go in. He could not imagine the torture she had endured in this place. But he did not want to leave her alone either. He didn’t trust any of these people not to swoop in and try to kidnap her.

“I understand,” he said. “Tell you what. We’ll have some fun with it. I’m going to show you a trick I observed in the streets of Asgard more than a few times. It will help us get in and out of there as quickly as possible. We’ll be off this stinky planet before you know it.”

He whispered in her ear their plan. Kuna shook her head in fear, staring at the auction house while Loki explained the trick.

“It’ll be fun,” he said.

“That doesn’t sound like fun at all.”

“Oh, come on. Please?” He put on his most persuasive smile, batting his eyes at her.

Kuna rubbed her arms and looked up at him. She felt confused, suddenly disoriented like her mind did not wish to focus on the task at hand. But Loki’s shining smile reassured her. She sighed, “Okay.”

She pulled up her hood. It slid down over her eyes. Loki chuckled and pushed it back.

“Oh! I almost forgot! I found this tucked away in my pocket. It used to be mine, but I think it’ll fit you.”

He pulled out a small golden crown with two curving horns protruding from the front. Kuna gasped softly and touched it.

“Just like mine.” He patted his brow.

Kuna put the crown on and beamed up at Loki.

“Perfect,” he said.

She took his hand and they walked into the crowded building. They entered into a large room, lit by sparking magic torches. The room was the same black coloured marble as the outside of the building making it dark and foreboding. Stages lined the walls of the room, each with lines of slaves being bought and sold. The echo of men shouting prices and children wailing made Kuna shudder. It was hot and humid in the crowd. Kuna felt like she was suffocating.

“Do you see any of them?” Loki asked over the chatter.

Kuna stared at her feet. She did not want to look up at the stage where slaves were being showed off and bid on and sold in front of them. She could smell blood, surely from a slave with fresh flogging wounds. Other foul smells attacked her nostrils. She pushed her face into Loki’s leg.

“Kuna?”

She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to do the same with her ears. And nose.

“Kuna? Which one’s the auctioneer?”

She shook her head.

“Hey, you there!” someone shouted. “Are you buying or selling?”

A man approached them. Kuna was shaking like a leaf. She stepped behind Loki’s legs, trying to hide herself behind his cape. She made the mistake of looking up at the man. His eyes were stern, and he glared at her when she met his eyes. She quickly looked away. He was shorter than Loki, with blond hair, a round face, and a smell like stale beer.

“She looks like a good chew toy. I own a beast-fighting ring on Honerquin. I’d be interested in buying her if you’re interested in selling,” he continued to Loki.

Loki looked at the man aghast. Kuna hid behind his legs. Her knees shook with fright. The shaking continued all the way up to her teeth. She felt like she would pass out. She stared obediently at the floor.

“I think they’d love her. Squirts like her always get the crowd roaring, if you know what I mean,” the man went on.

“No, I don’t think I do,” Loki said, his voice level.

Kuna was finding it harder and harder to breathe. Her head felt like it was swirling. Loki wouldn’t really sell her, would he? What were they doing here? Why did he bring her here?

The man had started babbling about his fighting ring and all the beasts he had. Kuna wanted to throw up. She wanted to be anywhere else but here. Why did Loki want to be here in this awful place talking to this awful man?

“Well?” the man said, impatiently. “Are you going to sell her or not? I’d offer you a good price.”

“This one’s had enough of this system’s foul beasts, I think,” Loki said, coolly. “However, if you’d point me towards one of those auctioneers, I’d be grateful.”

Kuna let out a little gasp and clutched a handful of his trousers.

“Ha! New here, are you?” he spat at Loki’s feet and harumphed through the crowd towards another stage and began bidding on the slave for sale. A tear tried to escape Kuna’s eye, but she blinked it back as Loki looked down at her.

“Pleasure,” Loki growled, taking Kuna’s hand again. “Come on, we still need to find one of those auctioneers. Have you seen one yet?”

Kuna shook her head without taking her eyes off the ground.

“Hmm.” Loki looked around, scanning the crowd for someone that looked like the ones Kuna had described. “Look, I think there’s one right there. Come on. We’ll be quick.” He grabbed her hand.

Kuna dug her heels in but slid on the marble floor. Loki was much stronger than her. Why did he want to talk to an auctioneer? Did he really want to sell her? Her heart was pounding as they walked straight towards a burly auctioneer. The handle of a whip rapped at his side. She inhaled deeply, her back tinging at the thought of the magic lash he might be able to conjure. Her eyes darted to his other hip; the scanner was held in a small holster and suddenly, she remembered what they had spoken about outside.

“All you have to do is swipe it from him,” Loki had whispered in her ear. “I’ll distract him.”

Kuna had not liked the sound of it at all. She was not sneaky. The auctioneers were ruthless. They would get caught for sure.

“It’s a classic trick. One man distracts the target, the other reaches into his pocket and grabs his coin purse. The target never knows until they’re long gone.”

She glanced up at him. He nodded back at her with a sly grin. Swallowing hard, she let go of Loki’s hand. Loki hit shoulders with the auctioneer. He turned and glared at Loki.

“Oi! Watch where you’re going!” he barked at him, turning to face Loki.

Kuna skirted around his other side as he turned and gingerly reached up, sweeping the scanner off his hip.

“Excuse me,” Loki said, louder than he needed to. “Apologies.”

“Ruddy tourist,” he grumbled, glowering at Loki.

Kuna tucked the scanner under her cloak and kept walking. Loki made an apologetic bow towards the man before walking away. Kuna took Loki’s hand again once they had passed by the burly man. Her heart was pumping with exhilaration. That had not been as bad as she thought it would be. And the auctioneer didn’t even see her!

Loki escorted her towards an exit. They walked down in front of the crowd, in front of the stage. Kuna glanced up and locked eyes with a young girl, a slave, being sold. She gasped as a memory flashed before her eyes. Light in the darkness, tiny hands offering food, and blue eyes. The slave’s blue eyes.

Loki didn’t see. He had his eyes set on the exit.

“Did you get it?” he asked as soon as they were clear. He led her down an alleyway just off the square.

Kuna revealed the scanner from her cloak.

“You did it! Oh, I knew you could, Kuna!”

Loki squeezed her into a hug. A darkness seemed to lift from her mind, and it felt clearer. Her doubts about being sold again melted away in his embrace. He took the scanner and hid it away in his pocket.

“Now, we can get off this dreadful rock,” he said.

“Loki?” Kuna asked, softly.

“Hmm?”

“That girl back there. I know her. She saved me once, I think,” she whispered.

“Saved you?”

“Can we…” She looked back towards the auction house.

Loki looked back. “What?”

“Can we free them? Those slaves?” she shuffled from foot to foot. “I know her,” she repeated.

He sighed and looked down at her. She looked up at him with big pleading eyes, her lips pouting.

He looked at her sternly. “I don’t know where you learned how to do this face thing but it’s not going to work,” he said, folding his arms and trying to look away. Kuna stared at him, her eyes still pleading with him. “Oh, all right. I think I know of a few planets we can teleport them to but that’s it.”

A big smile crossed Kuna’s face.

“Come on, then,” Loki said.

They walked back towards the building. Loki followed Kuna towards a rear entrance. There were carts and wagons with metal cages around them. Loki grimaced at the sight. He could not imagine how horribly these people were treated. A large man approached them and brought his attention back.

“This entrance is for auctioneers and masters only,” he said.

“Bold of you to assume I’m not a master,” Loki huffed.

“Pah, wearing that? Yeah, right. Shove off, yara.”

Loki shrugged, turning as if to leave. Kuna took a few steps back with him. In a swift, sharp movement, Loki turned back, throwing all his weight into his arm and punched the auctioneer square in the face. The man fell flat on his back, knocked out cold, blood gushing from his decimated nose and broken teeth.

“This is fine Asgardian leather, thank you,” Loki said, straightening his armor. “That takes care of him. Come on. Let’s be quick.” He started towards the doorway.

“Loki?”

“Hmm?” Loki stopped short and looked down at Kuna.

“Could I have the real dagger?” Kuna asked, politely.

“I thought you could just look at all those guards in there with those big, pouty eyes. If it worked on me, I’m sure it will work on them.”

Kuna frowned.

“No?” Loki produced the dagger for her. “Fine.”

“I promise I won’t cut off my fingers.”

“Do me a favour and cut off their fingers.”

“Okay!”

He handed her the dagger and they walked into the auction house. This room looked much different than the marble-clad atrium in the front. The floor was covered in straw. Cages were stacked against the walls, crammed full of men, women, and children in chains. Loki covered his mouth and nose at the stench inside. The appearance of two strangers caused a stir in the cages but the slaves remained quiet, with their heads down.

“Oi! What are you doing in here?” a man’s voice rang out. He rushed towards the centre of the room from a door that led out onto a stage. Pulling his whip from his side, he raised it, ready to strike. The slaves in the cages cowered. Even Kuna took a step back, grabbing Loki’s pantleg with one hand and raising her dagger with the other.

Loki held up his hand. A green sheen whisked over the man, and he froze in place.

“Hold on, sir,” Loki said. “We’ve got a tiny warrior-in-training here. If you wouldn’t mind being her practice dummy,” He looked down at Kuna and smiled. “Don’t go easy on him, darling. Go on. Go get him.”

Kuna put on her best warrior face and ran towards him. Loki unfroze the guard and watched Kuna carefully. He would not let anything happen to her, of course, but she deserved to get back at one of these horrendous people after all they had done to her.

The man fired off a blast of magic. Kuna tumbled out of the way. Loki hissed and waved his hand at the man. There was a flash of green and a crack. The man cried out, grabbing his now broken arm. Kuna regained herself. He threw out his good arm for another magical attack, but Kuna slashed at him. His fingers thudded to the floor. He screamed in pain.

Now, with two useless arms, the man stood no chance against little Kuna. She leapt up again and took a stab at his chest. He collapsed on the floor. Kuna turned and looked back at Loki for approval. He smiled at her. The auctioneer lifted his head slightly from the floor behind Kuna. Loki gestured towards him, and Kuna squealed, kicking him in the head. He did not move again.

Kuna skipped back over to Loki, beaming.

“Aww, that’s my little assassin,” he said, warmly, caressing her head. He could see the terror in the eyes of the slaves as they looked at him.

“He’s a fingerless cockalorum!” Kuna said, between breaths.

“That’s right.”

“There’s a control panel over there,” Kuna said, pointing to a standing computer by the doorway to the auction stage.

Loki strode over to it, examining the screen and various buttons. He picked Kuna up.

“Which one?” he said. “You read them. Which one reads, ‘Open’?”

“Mmm,” Kuna looked over the buttons until her eyes landed on a green one with the word ‘OPEN’ written beneath it. “That one!”

"Good job!” Loki said. “Well, go on!”

Kuna smiled and pressed the button. All the cage doors swung open at once, but the slaves did not move. Kuna’s smile disappeared.

“You’re free!” she said. Loki put her down.

“We’re going to lead you somewhere safe. Where you can find new, free lives away from Masters,” Loki explained.

“Quickly!” Kuna said, urging them to come out of the cages. “We won’t hurt you!”

The young girl Kuna had seen earlier stepped out of a cage door. She had red hair and blue eyes; her face speckled with freckles. Kuna nodded at her and smiled. She tiptoed closer, eyes glued to the floor. Kuna held out her hand to the girl and she gingerly took it. Kuna led her towards the back of the room where they had come in. Some of the other slaves began to edge out of the cages, following after them. Loki watched, proudly.

There was a shout from auction stage and heavy footfalls.

“Hey! What’s going on here?” a man bellowed. A whip cracked in the air, making everyone, including Loki, flinch. Slaves darted back into the cages.

Loki wheeled round, ready to fight. As if in slow motion, a silver glint passed his vision on his right side and the man in front of him stopped in his tracks, arm raised for another crack of his whip. The hilt of Kuna’s dagger stuck out of his chest, just below his throat. Loki’s mouth fell open. He turned slowly to see Kuna standing a few feet behind him, hand still extended from the throw. The slave girl cowered behind her. The thud of the man’s body hitting the floor behind him did not change Loki’s expression of shock and fatherly pride.

“I think we should leave,” Kuna said.

“Right,” Loki said. He retrieved her dagger from the auctioneer’s body and hurried the slaves out the back of the room. “Get out of those cages now unless you want to be slaves forever!”

It was dark out now and the streets were practically empty. He opened a portal with the tesseract.

“Quickly, now!” he addressed the slaves. “Go through the portal!”

“Loki!” Kuna cried.

Loki turned round and saw several angry men marching towards them, including the smelly, round-faced man from before.

“That’s them!” he shouted.

“Go!” he yelled at the slaves.

They jumped and started running through the portal. Flashes of magic began to light up the square as the masters and auctioneers let loose upon the slaves.

“Kuna!” Loki called. In a moment, she was beside him. There were still many more slaves left to go through the portal. They needed to fend off the oncoming masters.

Loki looked down at Kuna. “Help them get through the portal,” he ordered. “I’ll take care of this.”

She nodded and went back to the portal to usher the slaves through.

Loki turned on the masters. A flash of green light sent several of them flying back. The masters sent off red lightning-like zaps, sending sparks flying up from the ground around the slaves. Loki blocked them with a warding spell. A small child ran away from the group of slaves, crying and confused. A master conjured a silver whip and cast it towards the child.

Kuna leapt in front of him. The whip snapped tightly around her arm. She winced but turned back to the boy and pushed him back into the group. The master at the other end of the whip yanked hard on Kuna’s arm. She took several jaunted steps forward and pulled back. She pulled out her dagger and tried to cut the whip, but it did not give, even under the sharp blade. More red lightning snapped around her, sending sparks up towards her eyes. She tried to shield her face, but the man pulled on her again.

“Papa!” she cried at Loki.

He whipped around and threw knives at the master holding her. The man fell backwards, and the silvery whip melted off of Kuna’s arm. She ran to Loki. Nearly all the slaves had gone now. Loki was trying to keep his eyes on the remaining masters, who were bearing down on them.

“No!” Kuna cried out and Loki felt her run away from his side. “Let her go!”

She ran towards a master who had the red-haired slave girl in his grasp.

“You’re not going anywhere!” he grunted, struggling with her. She screamed and cried, reaching for the other slaves at the portal entrance.

Loki turned to follow Kuna, but the masters attacked him all at once. He threw another ward to hold them off but could not hold it up and fight them off and go after Kuna all at the same time.

Kuna reached the master and slashed at his leg. He had been struggling with the girl so much, he had not even seen Kuna run up to him. The gash she left on his leg was deep and he collapsed as his leg gave in. Kuna grabbed the girl’s hand but before they could run away, the master wrapped his arm around Kuna’s middle and hoisted her up.

He gasped. “You?” he growled, recognizing her.

Kuna let go of the girl’s hand and shouted at her to run. Thrashing in the man’s arms she got one of her hands free and clawed at him before sinking her teeth into his flesh. She bit down harder and harder, tasting blood in her mouth as the man writhed and swung her around by his arm. Becoming dizzy, she let go and flew back a few feet, rolling across the ground. Sitting up, she spat out the master’s gross blood and flesh. She scrambled to her feet and ran back towards the portal.

The blue-eyed girl stood just outside the it, waiting to see if Kuna was all right. Kuna reached her and started to push her towards the portal, but the girl took Kuna’s arm and started to pull her through as well. She pulled back.

“No! I can’t leave!” she turned to look back at Loki who was ferociously fighting off the masters and their guards. “You go!”

The girl nodded and disappeared through the portal with one last look at Kuna as it closed behind her.

One of the masters held up a cannon-like gun, aiming it right at Kuna. She gasped and tried to roll out of dodge, but the gun fired off. A net flew out of the cannon’s barrel, spreading out like a spider’s web, with round, heavy rocks attached to the ends.

There was nowhere for Kuna to go. The net wrapped around her, tripping her up. She hit the ground hard, white stars flooding her eyes, her arms twisted at odd angles in the net’s grasp. Her dagger had dropped out of her hand when the net hit her and now lay a few, agonizing inches out of reach. She tried desperately to get an arm free of the net to reach for it but saw the ropes start to glow a deep shade of red.

Her body was suddenly wracked with searing, white hot pain as the magic imbued in the ropes attacked her. They began to tighten fast around her. She wriggled and writhed to break free. The masters swooped in; one had his arm outstretched to snatch Kuna up.

Loki leapt over her, standing astride the net.

“That’s mine!” he snarled at them. His fists were glowing a phosphorescent green. Slamming his fist down on the ground, a blinding flash of green light exploded around them, sending out a shockwave that reverberated off the buildings, making them shake and shiver. A blast of magic hit each of the masters, killing them instantly and sending their bodies flying backwards, some hitting walls, others hitting the ground with sickening cracks and pops.

Loki faltered a moment. The explosive spell had caused his head to spin and his vision to blur. Kuna caught the hilt of the dagger with her finger and pulled it towards her. Through the pain, she tried desperately to cut the net.

At that moment, a deafening roar filled the square. Loki jumped and turned to see a fully armored gigagrunt staring him down. The enormous creature that had once chased them off Torileena, was now surrounded by several dozen armored soldiers, holding various weapons. He could see the glow of magic in some of their hands.

“We’re leaving!” he announced, more to himself than anyone else.

He hoisted Kuna up and opened a portal as the gigagrunt charged them down at full speed. Leaping through, he could still hear the pounding feet and angry roars of the monster as the portal closed and they were safe on the other side.

They had teleported to Torileena, its massive trees creaking above them, as tall as skyscrapers. It was quiet and still, their entrance into the forest causing a sudden silence of birds and other lurking creatures. Kuna squirmed in Loki’s lap and whimpered.

“That was close,” Loki muttered. He looked down at Kuna and found that the net was still tightening itself around her.

“Shit!” he cried, and desperately tried to cut the ropes loose.

“It won’t cut!” Kuna choked. She held on to a rope that was tightening dangerously around her throat.

Loki dropped the knife and grabbed two sides of the net and pulled hard. The rope dug into his fingers as the fibres of the rope began to tear under the stress. Finally, it gave way with a fizzling, popping sound as the magic in it was released. He unraveled the ropes from Kuna’s throat and body, tossing them aside.

She jumped up at him and threw her arms around his neck, crying into his hair. He sat back against a tree and hugged her, rubbing her back as she calmed.

“Are you hurt?” he asked, fearing but knowing the answer.

She sniffled and sat back in his lap, rubbing her forearm where the master’s whip had wrapped around it.

“Let me see,” Loki said, gently pushing back her sleeve. She winced as he pushed it passed angry red burns on her arm. “Oh, oh,” he said, softly. “That looks like it hurts.”

Kuna nodded slowly. If she nodded too much her head spun.

Loki looked her over. She had a scrape on her head where she had hit the ground and her face was pocked with black marks from the sparks that the master’s lightning had caused. Her neck was red from the ropes but the thick scars from her old chains seemed to protect her from any lasting damage. A few other superficial cuts and scrapes and a multitude of bruises but nothing broken.

“I think I can hear water,” he said. “Come here, we’ll get you cleaned up.”

He gently lifted her up, carrying her on his hip. She put her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. They came to a small stream of crystal-clear water babbling over rounded pebbles. Loki knelt down and sat Kuna on a nearby rock. He brought over some water in a bowl he conjured and dabbed a cloth into it.

He cleaned her face first. The sparks did not leave any burns and the scrape was only surface level, but Kuna still winced when the cool cloth touched it.

“I’m sorry, darling,” Loki said. “That didn’t go to plan at all.”

“But they’re safe now, right?”

“Yes, that’s right,” he said.

He took Kuna’s arm and cleaned it. She watched him, keeping her eyes down. He wrapped her arm in some bandages and replaced her sleeve.

“How did you know her? That girl,” Loki asked.

“We were owned by the same Master once. That one that I bit. I remember he had a ziganberry orchard. He made me climb the tall trees to get the ones out of the very top. One time, they made me climb up a dead tree to get some of the last berries out of it. A branch broke and I fell. I squished all the berries I had picked and broke my arm. The Master’s men were so mad at me. They flogged me forever. Then, they locked me up in a barn where they kept bad slaves. I was supposed to stay there for a week without any food or water, so I wouldn’t do it again.”

“So, you wouldn’t fall out of a tree again?”

She nodded. “That girl… I just remembered her eyes. There was a loose brick in the barn, and she would pull it out and push ziganberries through for me. One time, I looked out to see who was there and saw her looking back at me. We never talked. She worked in the Master’s house, I think. I think I would have died if she didn’t give me those berries.”

There was a somber silence around them as Kuna looked at her hands. Loki didn’t know what to say.  

“Where did you teleport them to?” she asked after a while.

“It’s a very nice planet that I found in my travels. Pretty secluded and inhabited by very kind and welcoming people. I think they’ll have good lives there,” Loki said. “And all thanks to you,” he added, giving her a soft poke in the chest.

Kuna shook her head, blushing. Loki smiled and picked her up again. “You were very brave, you know. And I’m sure that little girl is very thankful for what you did. She saved you and now you’ve saved her. And, of course, that master has a lovely scar to remember you both by.”

Kuna smiled, abashed.

They walked to the base of a humongous tree. Its massive roots created large, sloping walls as they dug deep into the ground. Loki picked a nice spot to sit and rest. He was completely exhausted by the spell he had used on the masters and the massive jump they had taken with the tesseract. His head ached and he felt dizzy. He would need time to recover before doing anything or going anywhere. Kuna, too, was exhausted, and already nodding off on Loki’s side.

He tried to cast a duplicate to watch over them, but it sparkled and faded away. His shoulders slumped in shame. He didn’t even have to strength to hold up a duplicate.

Pathetic.

Loki let out an exasperated sigh. “Ugh, you again,” he thought.

I never leave.

“Clearly.”

Loki closed his eyes and concentrated hard on making the voice go away. He hated being this exhausted. It made him feel normal and that made him feel vulnerable. Looking down at the snoozing Kuna, his eyelids began to droop as well. He fought against sleep. They were not in a safe place. The last time they had both been here, they had nearly been trampled by a monster. There was no telling what was lurking in the trees. He did not want to wake up in a kapkas mouth or worse, staring down a wild gigagrunt.

He pulled out the scanner Kuna had taken and fiddled with it. Pressing a button on the side, a screen illuminated on the front of the scanner.

            SCAN CHIP ID

The words flashed at him. He blinked and looked down at Kuna. He did not want to disturb her. She was peacefully sleeping, curled up next to him.

So soft, the voice hissed.

Loki grunted disapprovingly, folding his arms. He stared into the brush. There was no movement. No wind. It didn’t seem to reach the forest floor like it did the canopy. He looked up towards the towering tops of the trees. He wondered if rain ever reached the ground through the leaf cover above. Surely it had to. There were plants growing down here.

The effort of thought only made him more tired.

Just give in.

“No,” he grumbled firmly, as if saying it aloud would make the voice stop.

Why are we wasting time on this child, anyways?

“What else would you be doing?” Loki scoffed in thought.

Figuring a way out of the mess you’ve made. You know he’ll find us.

“He has his hands full with all that Avengers business. Dead army and all. I think we’ll be fine, thank you.”

Complacency will be your downfall.

“Go away,” Loki muttered through clenched teeth.

He settled in next to Kuna and put his arm around her. He figured resting his eyes for a short while wouldn’t hurt.

[mocacheezy]

Things that made watching Transformers (2007) easier and even enjoyable:

[note: B'verse gets the treatment that it gets by fandom for good reasons. There are tons of posts that dissect the bullshit of these movies far better than my second-language-english-non-american self could ever tackle, so I am not doing that, or plan on doing that. But if I decide that I'll get through every continuity of the franchise I will find a way to make it fun for myself. And so, this is my search for golden nuggets in these movies, because they did bring in new fans to the franchise and that's why we have other continuities that we might not have otherwise. Credit where it's due, and some positivity for those that did find B'verse at least amusing if nothing else. ]

🍴🥄🔪🍴🥄🔪🍴🥄🔪🍴🥄🔪🥄🔪🍴🥄🔪

Frenzy

Anytime Frenzy was on screen made me smile because his movements and personality were hilarious, he is just so expressive despite looking like someone super glued a bunch of knifes together. I wouldn't know it was Frenzy if I didn't go to the Wiki, but no matter that, he was funny and that's what matters.

The original Cybertronian robot modes

We don't see them for long, but the glimpses were glorious. Just look at Optimus

Gorgeous. What I wouldn't give to see the details up close. Maybe I'll go looking eventually, but this is just so nice.

We also get a "sexily rises from the pool" scene with Ironhide (probably unintentional and I am biased due to being a robofucker. In any case, very very nice and Cybertronians look so good as aliens)

"Excuse me, are you the Tooth Fairy?"

You see this kid?

This little girl was the only human I cared about in the movie until I saw just how badass Mikaela is, and how cool the military dude is. I don't like kids, but I would lay down my life for this girl.

This one scene just makes me think of what would happen if her parents showed up way earlier. Ironhide would be her guardian and it would be both adorable and hilarious because "Honey, you have to drive in a sentient alien that looks just like our car because the goverment men said so or there will be consequences and potential alien threats."

There are so many joke potentials there; the cultural barrier, the "I am the ine that is supposed to keep her safe" glaring contests, there is just so much shenanigans that could happen.

Also, tea party with the kid. Tea party with the kid.

Sam Witwicky actually reacts like an average human would when faced with the situations he finds himself in

Do I like Sam Witwicky? No, he is the kind of character that I would want to punch irl because of his personality and actions. He is disgusting. But watching him scamper and scream and stutter when faced with giant metal robot aliens that can squish him like a bug? Good, that was a beliavable reaction and I enjoyed it a great deal.

Megatron. Just, ✨Megatron✨

(the best screenshot of the few I could take while watching, no, I am not going back for a better one, he looks perfect like this)

I also laughted at how they kept him frozen like a popsicle. And not even well, like, they COULD'VE made an actual freezer and pop him in instead of using those couple of tubes just so he was displayed for all personell to gawk at. HE CRASHED IN THE ANTARCTIC!

The design looks so good, because it looks ALIEN and POINTY and AGH!!! The colors? There are no colors that would make him stand out, he looks like someone opened a cutlery drawer, mixed up what's inside, threw in some extra knifes for a good measure and then shook the whole thing until this guy materialized from the pile. It is both incredibly annoying and satisfying.

🔪

Mr. Welker did an amazing job with his voice, I don't know what the directions were, but oh man it sure sent shivers down my spine. That is the kind of voice that spells "You are going to die" and I already have my coffin picked out.

EDIT: SO APPARENTLY! IT WAS NOT WELKER THAT VOICED MEGATRON.

It was Hugo Weaving, and yes the man did am amazing job, but I apologize a million times, I was CERTAIN that THE OG VA OF MEGATRON WOULD ALSO HAVE VOICED MEGATRON. LIKE, OKAY BAY, OKAY!

🔪

LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF ICE! With how quick he came back fully online once Frenzy turned off the freeze liquid tubes, I bet he was half awake through the whole thing. Systems just below idling or something, in any case, AGENTS YOU ARE SO DUMB! WHO WAS GIVING SUBPAR FUNDING TO THEM, THEY BETTER BE FIRED!

I also was glad that Sam refused to call him by the name the sector asigned to him, despite Megatron being in stasis. And that he insisted they use the correct name. Good job Sam, acknowledge the threat by the actual name and show respect to a fellow sentient lifeform. Even though said lifeform is hellbent on destruction of the universe and your world.

ALSO, AND I CANNOT STRESS THE LAUGHTER AND AMUSEMENT HERE; the sheer DISRESPECT! They don't disassemble Megatron's corpse. No, these idiots, these absolute morons decide to dump him into the ocean, letting him sink to the lowest possible point (not sure if they did say it was the M' Trench or not), where there are proper freezing temperatures - good! You're learning, good job!! - just... In full. Full corpse. What's left of him. Just blup! Down with the fishies he goes!

I understand that they probably didn't know how to approach Optimus about it, but... At least behead the guy. He came back ONCE, who is to say he won't come back again?! Safety precautions my dears.

They also completely disregard what a giant extraterrestrial metal alien rusting away on the bottom of the ocean could do to the ecosystem at large. Like, I find this incredibly amusing, because this ISN'T something most folks think about when watching a movie but we have giant squids down there. We have so much weird things down there, the ocean isn't even fully explored AND YOU WANT TO CHUCK AN ALIEN CORPSE DOWN THERE?!

Now the real question: is he a looker? *looks at the pictures* hmmmm, depends on if you like knifes. Like, really like knifes. Like really, really REALLY want to get it on with a fine assembly of kitchen knifes that were exposed to the elements but somehow haven't rusted away completely.

I think he's neat.

Needs a good long powerwash though. Preferrably with something to help the whole "I was frozen for more than 50 years and sprang back to action as soon as I woke up" thing that happened.

My man needs to take a moment and get his bearings, like dude. Please. You can conquer the world after some energon and slow system boot-up period. The strain on the systems my dude, you ain't young.

Also love that this "death" was probably reused in TFP because lord golly, do we love our faves ending up under the sea. (Though Megan took a much bigger fall, Bayverse WAS PLOPPED INTO THE WATER LIKE A NEWLY ACQUIRED FISH I CAN'T YOU GUYS I CAN'T!)

In short: I love the comedy of american military giving such disrespect to an Alien Warlord. These guys are really sealing their fate.

I loved the way they got the Witwicky family to be important to the plot

The whole "selling my great great grandpa's glasses on e-bay" thing gives us a very good self insert/OC/rewrite/movie AU potential. Don't like Sam and his disgustingness? Find a way to write a cousin or some far off relative or hell, even just someone who buys the glasses off e-bay and go wild with it!

Archibald was also clearly an inspiration for Isaac Sumdac as far as I can tell, what with both of them using Megatron as a means of helping technology advance.

Only difference being one of them lived and actually talked to Megatron after he came back online and the other got driven to madness and death due to the amount of information beamed into his brain. Isaac also acquired a space baby daughter, so the guy is absolutely luckier of the two.

Mikaela being fucking competent and badass throughout the movie, and not being just fanservice eyecandy

I could do without the fanservice, but her personality? I loved it. I loved that she wasn't crawling to Sam and wasn't being "hard to get". Which is also why I was very displeased at the very sudden "oh yeah, romance! She returns his feelings after he took her for a ride and let her vent her frustrations!". The movie is 2 hours long and they could throw in some moments where these two connect?

Welp, it is an action movie, boy gets girl no matter what, can't complain about the staple in the genre.

However, Mikaela x Optimus? Now THAT is something I considered as soon as the two locked eyes and interacted. Like, even taking my shipping goggles off, these two could have a very interesting dynamic and Mikaela could be a very good protagonist. I wonder what the movie would be like with her as the lead and Sam being the fucking moron she has to drag along with her.

BUT ALSO! Can we talk about the horrible, excruciating fact that her and Bumblebee drove around with Bee's damaged legs dragging over asphalt all the time he was shooting at 'Cons? There were sparks flying! SHE WAS DRIVING BACKWARDS! She took command of the situation and did what she could because Bee still wanted TO FIGHT!

Also, they way she beat up Frenzy? Gorgeous, I want to slap Sam's non-existent balls off for not atleast saying "thanks". The dude would be sliced thinner than cabbage if she wasn't there.

The millitary man we are supposed to care about because his wife gave birth while he was on duty and we see his baby three times in the whole movie, actually being a pretty awesome and well-written character

Look, personally, I was a little confused at the reason why we were seeing his wife and baby interacting/the scene where she thinks her husband is dead. Mostly because I don't like kids, so scenes like that, when I don't even know who the character is, have no impact at all. Him having a baby isn't going to make me like the guy more, unless I know his character. Him being absent because he's on duty doesn't mean he'll be a good dad (though he looks like the kind of man that will try his best, and I like that in a man). So seeing his wife and kid at the start of the movie seemed pointless to me.

BUT! FOCUSING ON THE POSITIVES HERE!

Lennox is a good character and whenever he was on screen I was invested in what is going to happen to him. He's the kind of action movie lead that would have me invested, despite my meh interest in mainly gun fight oriented action movies.

Essentially, loved the guy, would love to see more of him while also being able to tell what's happening on screen. Also the comedy scenes he was in were usually funny.

~

Okay so these are the things I like about the first movie! It was very long, had to watch it on 2,5x speed because it simultainously dragged while ALSO giving me too much information, but the moments like these and the way my imagination latched onto characters I liked made it watchable. It isn't a movie I'd use to introduce someone to the TF franchise, but it provided me with lots of material for my imagination to run wild.

[demonslayedher]

I'm glad you reactivated the questions, here are some flowers for you: 💐 Seriously speaking I'm sorry that because of a question I asked you a few weeks ago you watched a series of videos of psychopaths 🥲It made me laugh at first but then I felt guilty 💔 it's all Muzan's fault for leaving us all with curiosity (imagine his parents' reaction once they realized there was something wrong with him even as a human)

Yay, flowers (which I shall kill with my black thumb)! And no, no, it’s fine, I had hoped it came off funny! I like listening to stuff like that while I draw anyway because I’m a nerd anyway and I found it very interesting.

Speaking of being a nerd, you have innocuously unlocked the following essay about Heian period nobility and wisteria flowers: There is nothing to state so in canon, but I find it highly reasonable to say Muzan might had been of the very powerful Fujiwara clan. Step inside my office, Anon.

Okay. So. The Heian period, simply put, was a time of cultural flourishing and beautiful pastimes, the origins of a lot of Japanese style aesthetics, and a romantic courtly like of romancing everybody else in the court. This is assuming, of course, that you were at the very, very, very, very top of society. Otherwise, the vast majority of people were poor and sick and starving and ew, in young Muzan’s world, we do not wish to associate with that. In the Heian court, Kyoto basically is the whole cultural world. Even though there were other cities that could rival Kyoto, the emperor was there, so it was essentially the cultural center of the country. The nobles who lived there got money from owning land in far-flung provinces, but actually having to live in those provinces? What a drag! Having to live away from Kyoto for work, even if it wasn’t an official banishment, often felt like a punishment to the nobles and their families who were used to the social scene at court. And, like affluent courts around the world throughout history, understanding all the intricacies of style and “Heian Rumors” was key to having social clout, and popularity was power. And yeah, nobles would be vicious to each other. While clan dynamics and history are complex and not something I’m getting into here (I don’t consider myself well-versed in it enough), the Fujiwara clan is a BIG DEAL.  Basically, in Heian times, children were typically raised in their mother’s home, thereby heavily influenced by their mother’s clan, so besides a young man’s parents, his in-laws also would had been hugely influential in his life, as they will have a long-felt influence on his progeny. The Emperors typically married Fujiwara daughters. This, in addition to other positions of influence of the Fujiwara clan members usually held with influence over the Emperor, means that politically, there was no messing with them. Now, just because I say Muzan might had been a Fujiwara clan member, I don’t necessarily mean a member of the main branch of the family. Often, due to inheritance management, different branches of various noble clans might be given different surnames. The Fujiwara clan does have different branches, some of which did go one to have close ties with the imperial family even after the fall of their power at the end of the Heian period and all the way through the Taisho, and some branches carry some impressive family legacies but otherwise live like normal or high-class common folk in modern-day. (I know one such Ojousama from a renamed Fujiwara branch; she’s a sweetheart and never brings it up herself but every time I hear other people say things about her family, I’m like, dang.) We can venture from Muzan’s likely expensive medical treatment, multiple marriages (meaning other clans sought to be connected with his family even by marrying their daughters to a sick man), and even preparation for cremation as a baby that he was of a very, very high status. 

Being the sick son of a prominent family may have warped his personality in multiple ways: first, he was probably already used to a culture of popularity equated political power. We see in Muzan’s dealings with humans in the Taisho period that he can be exceedingly charming to get what he wants (a psychopath trait, haha), so he was probably pretty aware of the complex ways of socialites in the court. But, even being aware of that, it probably frustrated him to no end that he was too sick to take part in the social pastimes where he’d gain clout. It’s also possible that he was a bit of a bargain husband for his wives’ families who were seeking to a make ties with his family, as they must not had been politically useful enough to be married off to other powerful matches. This may be some of why he was so ruthless to them, for he never saw them as useful to him in the first place. This probably got a bit worse once he became a demon. Now to be lewd, but he probably got more vigorous in his pursuit of more powerful lovers, and knew how to slay the women’s hearts as he liked (you know, popular Heian pastime, everybody had lots of lovers, it was the norm, though political marriages and legitimate children were still important). That new sense of power probably went to his head. But, ultimately, he must had been limited in clout since he couldn’t take part in any daytime activities, thereby limiting his access to more powerful spheres of influence. His reputation from having grown up sickly must had followed him too. It’s anyone’s guess how much affection his parents had for him and how happy they were about his health at first, and if and when they might had noticed his changes. He was a full-fledged adult by the time he turned into a demon, so who knows how closely they even associated with him. They likely had healthier children who they devoted more care and attention to, and invested more family resources in while assuming Muzan would probably die young.

Who knows what the final straw was in Muzan leaving court? Was it frustration at not being able to walk in daylight that made him flee to the Kanto area in pursuit of the blue spider lily (from near where the doctor lived) long before Kanto became politically affluent? Or was it the rumors at court about how he didn’t age, and that he was eating people?

Of note, a lot of the early legends of demons in Japanese culture take place in the Heian period.

In his book “Japanese History of Demon Slayers,” retired Shizuoka University professor Tetsuo Owada capitalized on the success of Kimetsu no Yaiba to dive into a lot of ties between the series and what it may pay homage to throughout Japanese history and culture. While this was published last September and a handful of his theories have been disproven by the second fanbook published last February, and while I think a lot of his theories are stretching a little too far to make strong connections, it’s still deeply, deeply interesting stuff. He goes into some specific comparisons of demons, like Minamoto-no-Raiko and his posse of four big bad warriors taking on the Tsuchigumo (giant spider demon) terrorizing the mountains north of Kyoto harkening to the case of Rui’s family (and, ding ding ding, this was the primary focus of the official Kabuki/Kimetsu crossover last November), as well as takes little questions left in canon and dives into them a bit deeper. One such question is, why were wisteria lethal to demons? According to Prof. Owada’s research, there is no historical basis for this. Some of the talk online is that: 1. Wisteria are in fact poisonous, and consuming too much of them would cause vomiting and diarrhea (though I’ve also seen people make jam out of them because of the fragrance, so, like???) 2. Beans are thrown around at Setsubun to ward off demons (like so, Feat. Muzan and Kimetsu Beans), and wisteria are of the bean family 3. Wisteria like sunlight, so perhaps like Nichirin, they soak up some of the sun’s properties that are lethal to demons 4. In the language of flowers (Hanakotoba), wisteria symbolize kindness, welcomeness, refusing to leave someone’s side, being drunk with love, being straightforward and truthful, not losing the humanity in one’s heart, thereby containing a lot of meaning contrary to the conduct of demons Interesting, but some of its kind of a stretch. While still finding it a stretch to apply it to wisteria being poisonous to demons, Prof. Owada goes on to say that since ancient times, while the wisteria has some negative connotations of how it was sometimes written with characters meaning “doesn’t heal” (不治) and growing downward with smaller and smaller flowers like symbolize the slow downfall of a family line, it conversely also carries positive connotations of longevity and flourishing family due to the fact that its vines grow upward.

Now, you might picked up at some point that the Japanese word for wisteria is “fuji.” Not to be confused with Mt. Fuji (that’s written differently), it IS the same fuji as in “Fujiwara”: 藤.

Prof. Owada goes on to explore the association with the use of Wisteria crests in Kimetsu no Yaiba, especially on the houses of supporters of the Demon Slayer Corp. His recurring thesis is that the pandemic is partly responsible for Kimetsu no Yaiba’s popularity since demon legends have long since had origins in epidemics, and he supposes the Wisteria crest has a protective effect on the houses, similar to a talisman used in a lot of real life rituals for warding off illness and then often displays in or on the entries of houses to protect the family every year (I have one such item gifted to me, it stays by my doorway, along with a couple sticks of charcoal (but the culture of charcoal is a post for some other day)). The talisman is in reference to a god of Hindu/Chinese origins being treated with hospitality by the So clan, so although other families perished in disaster/disease, he promised to always protect the So clan descendants, so the talisman says “Descendants of the So Clan” so that any household may try to claim that divine protection. The gratitude-exchange of hospitality and protection and sure sounds familiar! Prof. Owada isn’t done yet. While the crest design used in Kimetsu no Yaiba isn’t an actual family crest in in real life, there are lots and lots and lots of family crests that use a wisteria design and have the character for “wisteria” in the name. Any time you hear “—tou”, like Satou, Saitou, or even Gotou, you can typically assume it’s 藤. It’s very common nowadays, but the first family to be granted the use of this name was the Fujiwara clan, when one of the pre-Heian and very powerful emperors granted their clan head this surname, which was a major honor, and it marked the start of the Fujiwara clan’s political dominance (there was already influence leading up to this, but meh, we like clear-cut stuff to simply centuries of history, don’t we?). Furthermore, although we often think of the Fujiwara clan for their influence at court, and we might think of the Minamoto clan for warrior heroes who fought demons, Prof. Owada concludes his argument of wisteria’s protective influence by pointed out a long list of Heian period Fujiwara warriors who also were the heroes of demon slaying legends, stating that their name has also long been tied with demon slayer culture. SO!!! Let me go on with my theory here. Muzan is from the same family line as Ubuyashiki. At some point (I assume after Muzan is long gone from Kyoto), the family is told while their children keep dying, and they accept their mission to bring an end to Kibutsuji Muzan and clear this curse on their family line. My thought is that their ancestor was a full blood sibling of Muzan, one whom was more invested in than sickly Muzan. While perhaps already an off-shoot of the Fujiwara Clan and thereby not entitled to the same sorts of inheritance, they probably maintained close ties with them. But, as it was already not direct by that time, the other Fujiwara clan branches were not affected by this curse. To further spare the clan the effects of this curse, this was probably when that sickly branch took the name Ubuyashiki. (And yes, I have things to say about this name and its possible mythological origins which I find a highly, highly interesting connection. Prof. Owada supposes it is tied with Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine and that is why there are nine pillars, but as much as I love Izumo Taisha and its giant pillars I base my argument in separate Shinto (but also Izumo!) mythology and accept that there are not always supposed to be nine Pillars specifically and Gotouge simply chose that number based on the number of strokes in the kanji for ‘Hashira’ (柱) BUT I DIGRESS). So, the Ubuyashiki Clan is it’s own thing, but is sort of like a cousin to the other Fujiwara branches and thereby continues to enjoy Fujiwara support throughout the Heian period, like some of the Fujiwara warriors going out there and slaying some of Muzan’s early demon experiments, and using their influence to bring in other warriors to the demon slaying cause (pet

theory: Genpei War warrior Kumagai Naozane was a member of the proto-Corp and using Kasugai-garasu was in practice since at least late Heian period). While the Ubuyashiki Clan probably already their own inherited land (and funds that came from it), throughout their history, their cousin clans might also have provided financial support to the Ubuyashiki Clan. But, they probably distanced themselves from the clan due to the curse and not wanting to be tainted. When you bring back in the wisteria associations this puts the contrary associations with a flourishing and dying family line in a new light. Furthermore, the “not healing” way of writing “fuji” also means a lot more in the context of Muzan’s, and later the Ubuyashiki clan’s illness.

[royallyprincesslilly]

Title: Crown For Two {4}

Henry Cavill AU x OFC Xari Thornton AU

Warning: Plot, Mild Cursing, Cheesy Christmas Themes, Slow Burn, Dialogue Heavy, PLENTY OF WORDS

Words: 6.6k

Summary: Xari Thornton is a travel photographer with a blog and social media that garners some heavy-duty traffic. People tune in to see where she is and what she’s doing there, all in hopes of either living vicariously through her or to plan their next vacation.  

Her slogan; “Traveling the path to the most off-beaten places, so you don’t have to.”  

Her next stop on her four destination travel itinerary of “Places You May Never Have Heard Of” is Sandvell, a small European country. When her plane makes an impromptu stop due to bad weather, she has no idea where she is. It feels like she’s stepped inside of a snow globe and back in time in a modern way. It leaves her fascinated.

This bad weather forces her to stay at an Inn, The Beaux, for the night. Rather than letting the hours tick by in her room, she explores and meets the friendly locals. While taking photographs, one local in particular captures her lens with eyes as blue as the ocean and a jaw that was chiseled from stone. They strike up conversation during their time drinking at one of the local bars, Ickles. Once they separate, she gets herself into a harrowing situation.  

As soon as she awakens, she realizes she’s not in some fever dream, but a palace and the owner of the palace is none other than the local she met before with the piercing blue eyes, His Royal Highness Henry Wellington Leopold Danglishton, First of his name, Crown Prince of Brexendor.

Note: All right, all right people, the ride continues. I really, really hope you enjoy this. As a reminder, it’s going to be fast-paced a bit, and I am gonna overload you with pictures because why the hell not, it’s a Christmas Fic. 😁 Feel free to come by and tell me what you guys think.

As always, thank you all for reading, I appreciate each and every one of you.

If you enjoyed this, please, LIKE, COMMENT, REBLOG!!! ❤️❤️

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-Five Days Later-

-Henry-

“Before we get to cut this ribbon, I want to say something. My father—your king.”

 He paused, swallowed, and bowed his head slightly, trying to gather his thoughts and reign in his emotions. This was one of the first times he’d spoken about his father since his death, especially in front of the entire country. This unveiling was televised all around Brexendor and probably in neighboring sister countries, which meant he was probably speaking in front of over four million people. Clearing his throat, he tried to continue.

 “Eh-em, my father, and your king loved this project. He spent so many nights coming through every detail of it. He particularly wanted to be hands-on with this because he felt this endeavor would bring many people together.”

 He looked from face to face in the crowd, making eye contact and giving reassuring smiles—a tactic he’d learned long ago that made speeches more effective.

 “He believed though we are individual countries filled with many different races, ethnicities, beliefs, and cultures, he believed we are all one people. He believed that one of the most universal things was connection.”

The crowd murmured their agreement as several heads nodded. He felt the hand of his mother on his shoulder, gently reassuring him and giving him some of her strength.

 “As humans, we all crave connection. We all want to make connections in our lives that are worthwhile. That is what this endeavor is, a bridge for our connection across the world beginning with our finances, and he would be so incredibly proud to see it today.”

 The crowd before him erupted with applause, giving him a reprieve to bring himself back to his stoic image. He waited for them to quiet down before he continued.

 “Without further ado.”

 He walked over to the shimmering blue ribbon that was aesthetically tied in front of the bank's doors. Once before them, one of the men handed him giant scissors, and he got into place. The crowd counted down from three. Each second that passed, he could sense the excitement increasing. Once “one” was yelled, he cut the ribbon signaling the crowd to explode with applause and cheers. The camera snapped pictures of him from every angle as he shook hands, waved, and posed with everyone on the bank’s council and the finance commission’s office.

 The next hour was spent walking through the location, explaining all the details that his father had put so much time, thought, and energy into. As he pointed things out, he remembered the various conversations they had together about the items and specifications. This was a project just as close to his heart as it was to his father’s. from the corner of his eye, he saw his mother standing in front of the giant grandfather style clock that his father had chosen special. He loved clocks and had collected quite a few in his years. She placed her hand on it, then dipped her head down. He knew her pain.

 The following few hours passed with him answering questions and doing his duties as head of the country, never breaking away from the status quo. He could do this in his sleep. That was how well trained he was for this. In a matter of weeks, his duties would be tripled or even quadrupled when he went through his coronation. At that time, he’d really put all that grooming to use. It was an event he’d imagined differently his whole life. For one, he’d always expected to look out to his mother and father’s faces as they’d passed the duties on to him. This future was one he was not prepared for.

 “Mother.”

 She hummed and spun her head to him with a solemn smile on her lips.

 “Are you well?”

 She smiled brightly, and any evidence of her previous sadness was only visible in her pale blue eyes, but just a smidge.

 “Of course, I am. What about you, my darling boy?”

 He smiled. She’d been calling him that since he was, in fact, just a boy.

 “Glad to have gotten through that.”

 His mother nodded before she looped her arm through his.

 “You did beautifully. Your father would be incredibly proud of you, Henry, so incredibly proud.”

 The tears welled in her eyes before she kissed his cheekbone.

 “I have only ever wanted to make him proud,” he admitted.

 “He has been proud of you every single day since you were born. Every day.”

 She turned her face away, and he knew it was to hide the tears that had rolled down her cheek. He pulled out his handkerchief and handed it to her, allowing her to dab at her eyes. Several moments passed in silence as he looked out the window at the passing snow-covered hills. After a minute or two, his mother cleared her throat.

 “So, what is this I hear of a house guest?”

 He smiled to himself, thinking of you, your smile, your tenaciousness, and stubbornness. Since his mother had been away in Sandvell on Queen duties, she’d been absent for the excitement from the last near two weeks. He explained it to her in the vaguest of terms and finished stating you would be remaining at the palace most likely for the duration of the month. He spoke it so flippantly that he hoped it sounded to her ears that it was not a big deal.

 “Mm-hm. Well, I am pleased you are showing your charming side rather than your scrooge one.”

 He gasped, then snapped his head to her to see her amused eyes dancing with laughter.

 “I do not think it is right for a mother to call her son a scrooge.”

 She did not look as if she regretted it at all. “It is right for a mother to let her son know how he is perceived or has been for the last seven months.”

 “Mother, I do not mean to—I have tried--,” he sighed. “It has only been seven months since--.”

 “I know darling, believe me, I know. One of the tragedies of our roles, we are expected to carry on as if we are not human. We are seen as figurines, and we must ever be pristine. The human emotion of grief cannot hold us bad. Oh, how I wish it were different.”

 They sat quietly again for a few turns on the drive back to the palace.

 “I assume you have taken the necessary precautions with our house guest?”

 “Yes.”

 “Have you spoken to her?”

 “I have.”

 “Was it my son the scrooge or my charming son who did the talking?”

 He scoffed, then shook his head. “I am always charming.”

 His mother giggled before she rested her head on his shoulder.

Once they reached the palace and walked inside, the staff swarmed his mother, giving her details for the preparations for the opening ball that was taking place within the coming days for the beginning of the festive month. It was the tradition for a ball to be thrown the first weekend of the month to usher in the month-long festivities. That also meant that many would come to the palace to stay and join in on the jam-packed month of celebration.

 “Yes, Carolina, I know we have much to plan in a short amount of time.”

 Carolina, his mother’s personal royal assistant, nodded her strawberry blonde head as she gripped the stack of papers and folders in her arms tighter.

 “Welcome home, your majesty,” she began. “Shall we begin right away?”

 His mother, now free of her coat and outside garments, shook her head. “No. Prepare the necessary details, and we will meet in the pink tea room in thirty minutes.”

 “As you wish, your majesty,” Carolina replied with a head bow and curtsy.

 “Oh, Carolina, for tonight’s supper, please tell the kitchen I am feeling quite festive and maybe a roast. I hear we have a house guest, and I would like to welcome her properly.”

 “Mother, do you really think that I have been anything but absolutely hospitable?”

 She smiled and looped her arm through his again as they began ascending the stairs.

 “Of course, I am sure you instructed the staff to be hospitable and tend to her needs,” she clarified.

 She knew him too well. If only she knew that he himself had been the most hospitable of all, he thought to himself. He reminisced on the last few days. He hadn’t been able to have dinner with you for the last five days because the closer the event got, the more work he had to do. You’d exchanged emails about his speech with you leaving notes on what he’d prepared or even giving him suggestions on where to carry other thoughts he’d begun. He liked all your additions and suggestions. It was your suggestion to bring up something personal about his father, especially since it was his passion project. He’d had every intention to disregard it, but in the end, he’d listened to you, and he still hadn’t regretted it.

 Though you were maybe a six-minute distance from his own bedroom and under the same roof, he hadn’t physically seen you in those five days. He did get information from Dr. Alphonsi and even details from McArthur about how you looked, who had been to see you to extend his apologies for getting you into this predicament. McArthur was now your greatest fan. You hadn’t chastised him or belittled him for hitting you with the car. You said it wasn’t his fault, accepted his apology, and even thanked him because you would have probably had a health crisis sooner rather than later with your other ailments.

 Everyone in the palace seemed to have grown to like you. When he saw Jemma, his sister, she often sang your praises and chattered on about something you or your sister had told her. It was easy to see that even she’d been captivated by you, just as he had.

 “Were you listening to me?”

 Shaking his head, he glanced at his mother with a raised brow. “I am sorry, mother. What were you saying?”

 “What has got your head so far away? work?”

 He sighed, shrugged, and looked forward, realizing they were in the hall leading to your bedroom.

 “Where are you leading me, mother?”

 “It is you who is leading me, son.”

 He scoffed. Even his feet seemed to want to go to you. he made a swift left turn away from your hall.

 “Mother, I have some work to attend to before supper tonight.”

 “All right, do not work too hard. Supper is at seven…promptly, Henry.”

 He smiled and kissed her cheek. “Promptly,” he repeated before continuing on his way.

  ~~~~~~~~~~

  -Y/N-

“I am quite happy with your improvement, Xari.”

 You smiled.

 “I do feel a lot better today than I have in weeks.”

 Dr. Alphonsi smiled and began closing his doctor bag.

 “That is wonderful news. The direct infusion through IV usually does work better than capsules or any other treatments. You have been a sample patient. If only my other patients would give me this little trouble.”

 You snorted, then shrugged. “What can I say? I’ve always been a teacher’s pet.”

 Dr. Alphonsi smiled again before he walked around to the IV rod to disconnect you. You watched as he slowly removed the needle from your forearm, only flinching slightly. He pressed down on the puncture hole for a few moments then plastered a band-aid across your arm.

 “There. So as our plan goes. A week IV, a week injections, then repeat,” Dr. Alphonsi reiterated.

 “Sounds good.”

 Dr. Alphonsi walked over to the stainless steel trey resting on the side table and placed the needle on it, then began taking the emptied IV bag off the pole. Once the items were arranged on the trey, he walked back over to his doctor’s bag.

 “Any questions for me?”

 You thought for a moment, then began. “Not really since I already know you’re going to say no traveling.”

 “You are not a prisoner here, Xari. If you are feeling strong enough, you can go anywhere you choose. The palace has plenty of rooms that would interest you. When it comes to venturing outdoors, I would say be careful, pace yourself, and do not overexert. There have been many who thought they could walk a block only to find they could not make it more than fifteen meters.”

 You nodded again.

 “Would you like me to speak to the prince about assigning you a lady’s maid?”

 “Oh my goodness, no. that is not at all necessary.”

 “All right. Well, you have my telephone number if you need me, as does the staff. I have instructed someone to inform you every time you are to take an injection. I have a trained professional here at the palace who can administer it if you are not confident enough to do it yourself. If you feel confident, remember every six hours one vial. I’ve combined them to decrease the number of needle pricks.”

 “Thank you very much, Dr. Alphonsi.”

 He nodded, then prepared himself to leave. As he walked to the door, it opened, and in came Anika.

 “Does she have a clean bill of health?”

 “Cleaner, but we still have quite a way to go. Slow and steady, says the tortoise to the hare,” Dr. Alphonsi said before walking out of your room.

 “Oooh, look who doesn’t have a pole attached to them anymore. How do you feel?”

 You took a deep breath and thought about it for a moment, then smiled. “A lot better than a did.”

 Anika smiled with you, then dropped on the bed beside you. “Does that mean you can finally leave this room and go exploring with me?”

 “Nika.”

 “Don’t Nika mean, you know you’re curious and want to look behind every door of this place.”

 She had a point. You were curious. You’d been in a few palaces from around the world before, but you’d never been in a palace as a guest. At the thought of “guest,” you began to wonder if that was what you were. Patient yes, unexpected and unwanted temporary responsibility, maybe. The look Anika was giving you said she was impatiently waiting for a response.

 “Ugggh, fine. Yes, let’s get our Dora on,” you said, slowly getting out of the bed.

 A shower took you longer than usual, mostly in part because you couldn't help but marvel at your surroundings. There was marble and porcelain everywhere. The amount of luxury that surrounded you made your jaw dropped. You sampled everything, beginning with the twelve jets in the shower to the heated bidet. The shower even had a switch that you could change the water from fresh to sea saltwater. That part tripped you up because you didn’t know why anyone would want that. Even the sink had buttons you could use to change the water pressure.

 By the time you’d showered and changed, an hour had passed.

 “What’d you think of the sea salt option in the shower?”

 You snorted, then busted out laughing. “Oh my god, I almost lost my shit. Did you try it?”

 “You know I did. Then I immediately regretted it when I forgot and began really getting into crevices to wash and rinse. Ouch.”

 That only made you laugh harder. The whole time Anika protested and pouted. When you stepped out of the room into the adjoining one, you felt like you saw it in a new light. The first or even second time you’d been in it, nothing registered. Now, you could appreciate the art on the wall, the décor, and color choices. It screamed elegance but also comfort.

“I asked around, and this particular room is called a sitting room. All of the bedrooms have one,” Anika informed.

 “Yeah. When I went and toured Versailles, the sitting room was where visitors were entertained. Marie Antoinette loved to also have tea and cake there before turning in for bed,” you added as you walked around, touching different materials and snapping pictures from a few different angles. It was all super high class. You didn’t expect anything less.

 You and Anika stepped into the hall, and your jaw dropped.

 “Holy Shit!”

 The people in the hall stopped what they were doing and looked back at you while Anika tried to stifle her laugh.

 “Sorry, sorry. Please carry on.”

 They slowly continued what they were doing while you and Anika made your getaway. The halls were gorgeous. The white and gold complemented each other so well you just knew that this was just the beginning. Then when you looked up to the ceiling at the Sistine Chapel worthy mural, you could hear a heavenly hymn in your ears.

 “The Sistine Chapel could never,” you muttered while walking and snapping pictures.

 It was so beautiful you almost didn’t want to move. Anika’s arm looped through yours was the directing force. She pulled you down the stairs that were on the same level of grandeur as the Russian opera house’s. The carpet that lined them was blue instead of the red that bathed other royal abodes. It even looked like it was silk. When the two of you finally descended the stairs to the main floor, you went down one of the halls on the right.

 The first door you both walked into, Anika whistled loudly. “Well, fuck!”

 It was the largest dining room you’d been inside in a long while. The table looked like it could seat at least seventy. As you walked around the room, you took pictures from different angles until you got to the window, then you gaped at what you saw.

 “Wow.”

 “Like a winter wonderland, right.”

 “Have you gone out?”

 “Heck no. You know me and winter don’t agree. There is a reason I live in Georgia.”

 You shook your head and snapped two pictures before you walked off in search of more. Once you and Anika finished looking around the dining room, you walked into a large parlor with several places to sit. You wondered what the room was used for. Your imagination said it could have been where smoking parties happened, or maybe a lounge area before dinners. It honestly could be used to anything.

 A library followed that you knew you could get lost in for days and days and lost you got. You touched titles you were familiar with and others you’d never heard of before, making a mental note to come back and have a closer look. The ones you couldn’t pass up, you took from the shelves and took with you. You didn’t know how long you spent in the library. It was hard to tell because you hadn't looked through the whole thing even with all the time you spent there.

 Somehow, you found yourself pushing open intricate golden doors and walking into an ornate room filled with gold, marble, and that same blue carpet lining. From the ceilings hung low hanging crystal chandeliers and an even more awe-inspiring mural. At the end of the carpet, you saw a pair of thrones. Immediately you knew you’d happened upon the throne room. You walked the length of it, taking a picture every few steps. When you reached them, you stopped in front and stared.

 You could imagine him sitting in the one on the right. You imagined him with perfect posture, a stern face, and tightly clenched jaws with the most regal of crowns. You wondered if this monarchy was as ostentatious as others. Maybe he usually held a scepter and golden orb while being draped with royal furs. At that thought, you imagined him sitting on that throne completely naked with nothing but the royal furs draped over his shoulders. It was a damn inviting vision, one you wouldn’t mind seeing.

 A loud sound behind you made you spin around to find a cleaning crew. Quickly you walked back down the carpet and out the room apologizing for intruding. Once back in the hall, you spun around, unsure when you’d lost Anika. You called her name a few times, but there was no answer. It was then you regretted not bringing your cellphone. You walked a little further down the hall then made a left as the scent of flowers captured your attention.

 When you stepped through glass French doors, you felt as if you’d walked into some country garden. The room was bathed in soft amber and purples, no doubt from the sunset. Thanks to the glass room, you were able to see peeks of its glory through the fluffy looking white snow resting on it. The more you walked around, the more the exterior contradicted the interior. You knew it being the dead of winter made it impossible for the sight before you. There were flowers of all different kinds. It was a sea of blues, reds, yellows, pinks, and even purples.

“Holy Shit!”

 “I will take that as a compliment.”

 You spun around, looking for the owner of the voice, but there was no one there.

 “Uh--.”

 You walked around cautiously.

 “A few more steps.”

 After three steps, you found a woman sitting at a table decked out with every piece of a tea set you could imagine, along with a few pastries.

 “Found me.”

 She looked up at you, then looked back down to your feet until she met your eyes again.

 “Uh—hi,” said.

 “Hello.”

 The smile on her face was pleasant, and it matched the kindness in her blue eyes. They were eyes you felt like you’d seen before, only on someone else. Slowly it hit you who she could be.

 “Oh my god, your majesty.”

 You dropped down to your best curtesy, hoping it would distract her from your potty mouth. She softly chuckled.

 “You are quite all right, dear. Stand up, please.”

 You stood and tried not to give away that you were slightly unnerved.

 “I’m sorry about the cursing. It’s a horrible habit and probably not—dignified,” you expressed.

 She laughed again, then took a sip from her golden rose printed porcelain cup. It looked fancy and antique. “No need to apologize. Believe me; cursing is not the worst thing in the world. I have said quite a few in my day.”

 You smiled, even though you found it hard to believe, especially with how prime and proper she looked sitting there.

 “I have to know, though. How did you know who I was?”

 “Um—your eyes.”

 She looked even more curious. “My eyes?”

 You swallowed and avoided her gaze. “They’re—they’re the same as Henry’s—eh-em, I mean his highness.”

 The way she looked at you made you slightly uncomfortable. She looked like she was assessing you. Before she could speak, another woman walked into the room, one with strawberry blonde hair.

 “Your majesty,” she began stopping instantly when she saw you.

 You cleared your throat and turned to walk away. “I’m sorry to intrude.”

 “No intrusion. Carolina, I think that will be all for today. I would like to finish my tea and possibly get to know our new houseguest.”

 “As you wish, your majesty.” She curtsied then walked back out of the room, leaving you alone once again.

 “Please, have a seat,” the queen said.

 Before you sat, you actually thought to dart out of the room but quickly changed your mind. When you sat down across from her, you took note of the open binders and folders sprawled out on the table. Out of nowhere, someone walked into the solarium, took up the matching teapot, and poured it into a new teacup to your right.

 “Will there be anything else, your majesty?”

 “Thank you, Edie.”

 The woman walked back out of the room, and it got silent for a few moments.

 “Please, have some. It is a Darjeeling blend that is grown right here in Brexendor. I drink at least a cup a day. I promise you it is delicious.”

 She took another sip, but she didn’t look at all worried that you wouldn’t sample it. You placed the books on top of the table and took up the teacup instead, and sipped. Lavender, mint, honey, and rose filled your mouth. A moan escaped you.

 “Good, right.”

 Nodding, you took another mouthful.

 “How are you?”

 After swallowing, you placed the cup down. “I am feeling a lot better, your majesty.”

 “Please, every time I am called that, it makes it impossible to forget. Call me, Cecelia, please.”

 You didn’t know what to say to that, and it must have shown because she smiled then giggled.

 “O—kay.”

 “I promise. I am not trying to trick you in any way. I just want you to be comfortable. I can imagine what it feels like to come here and be surrounded by all of this. It is—overwhelming…intimidating even. I just want to make your time here peaceful and enjoyable.”

 She didn’t look like she was lying or trying to cover something. She came off as genuinely kind, like she truly meant what she said.

 “Thank you, your—Ce—Ms. Cecelia.”

 She smiled, then nodded. “Alright. I understand.”

 “I’m Xari.”

 “A beautiful name. It is wonderful to meet you, dear. I do hope your stay has been a good one so far.”

 “Yes, yes, everyone has been nothing but kind and hospitable. I appreciate your kindness,” you expressed.

 Cecelia nodded and took another sip from her cup. Her eyes landed on something on the table.

 “Of Vice and Virtue and Clandestine. Two wonderful selections.”

 “I hope it’s alright. I took them. I promise I will put them back,” you began.

 Cecelia reached her hand out and placed it on top of yours. “Xari, I could not care less if you kept them. You are free to anything in the palace.”

 You slowly nodded and took another sip of tea. As you did, the photos on the table caught your eye. They were of a decorated room. It looked like a mock-up of a ballroom of some sort. The colors of the flowers were orange, and they didn’t look like they belonged with the pastel green that surrounded them.

 “This color scheme is all wrong. You shouldn’t pair orange and green. You have to pick one or the other. I’d recommend the green; it’s very pretty.”

 She looked curious, most likely wondering who the hell you were to say half of what you did.

 “Are you a decorator?”

 “Not officially. I took some classes, got some certificates in event planning and interior design,” you admitted.

 “Oh, so you design for a living.”

 “No, no. It—I am a travel photographer and blogger. It’s not what I planned, but I fell into it. Event planning and design are more of hobbies.”

 “Well, this might just be serendipitous. I am in the middle of planning the ball for the opening of the festivities,” Cecelia began adjusting herself in her seat. “I just got back in Brexendor, and the trip was longer than I anticipated. That means I have two days to put together our annual ball that is supposed to open Brexenavid. That is our month-long celebration of what every Brexdorian prides themselves on—our holiday time.”

 “What exactly is Brexenavid?”

 “It is our month-long holiday celebration that we go all out for. There are tens of events, sometimes games, balls, dinners, and dignitaries within Brexendor and our neighboring countries who will begin arriving to stay with us here,” Cecelia explained.

 You were impressed. It all sounded like a lot of work.

 “And you’re the one to plan all of it?”

 “Yes. That is my role as the matriarchal head of the royal family. It is one of my many roles.”

 You released a breath, then finished your cup of tea. Before you spoke, you poured another.

 “So tell me, if you were planning this, how would it look?”

 You took a few moments to sip your tea and think about how you would do it. Closing your eyes, you tried to visualize the space, but you’d seen so many spaces that you couldn’t really picture it.

 “Where will it be? What room? Can you describe it to me?”

 Cecelia smiled, then stood. “I can do better. Let me show you.”

 Cecelia walked out of the room, leaving you to hurry behind her. she led you through the hall you’d just walked down until you went down another hall you hadn’t before. About a minute later, you followed her into a large ballroom that looked like it belonged in Versailles. The walls dripped gold, and the ceiling housed so many chandeliers you didn’t bother to count past five.

“Wow. What a room.”

 “One of my favorites. It is the usual one I use. What do you think?”

 “Nice room. I would say with the amount of light that comes in and the views; I’d play that up. since it is December and I’ve seen several of your streets, Christmas is huge here.”

 “If you only knew,” Cecelia confirmed.

 “Then play it up. Christmas trees, poinsettias, tree lights, tinsel, everything that everyone loves about Christmas. Give your guests what they really love about this country, the beauty, the splendor,” you suggested.

 She looked around the room as if she were trying to picture it. “I like it.”

 Her smile was bright. “I more than like it. I love it. Carolina thought floral.”

 “Floral isn’t a bad idea. You can add some in. Roses are subtle, lilies, even Dahlias, and Tulips.”

 Cecelia approached you and took your hand. “I love your ideas, Xari. I have one of my own. How would you feel about taking point on this? I know you are still recovering, but you would have every staff member at your disposal. You would not be doing too much. You give the design orders, and everyone else will execute it.”

 You were speechless and couldn’t believe the queen had just asked you to deck out her palace for a ball. “Obviously, you do not have to if you do not want to.”

 “Do what?”

Henry’s voice brought your attention to him. he wore a simple white button-down shirt and grey dress pants. While it wasn’t as formal, he still looked put together.

 “I have just asked Xari if she would put together the ball.”

 “Mother. She is supposed to be resting and recuperating. Dr. Alphonsi has left very strict orders, and work was on the list of prohibited actions.”

 His mother looped her arm with his with a smile. “Oh, darling, I am not talking about manual labor. She has quite an eye for design and event planning. I thought it would be fun.”

 “Mother--,” Henry began again.

 “Plus, what are you doing here?”

 “You said supper was promptly at seven.”

 “Heavens, is it seven already? All right, Xari, you do not have to answer right away. You can take the night to think about it. we should all go to supper.”

 “Uh—I’ll go back to my room,” you began.

 “Nonsense, looking at you, you are well enough to dine with the rest of us. Come,” Cecelia pressed as she released Henry to loop her other arm with yours and led you closer to her son.

 Henry smirked, and when he realized he was in the middle, he softly scoffed and held out his arm for you. Your eyes locked for a few seconds, and you picked up a hint of amusement behind his blue orbs. You slowly looped your arm through his, allowing him to led the two of you out of the ballroom and down the long hall.

 As you walked, his mother chattered on about something that you paid no mind to. All you could focus on was the smell of Henry’s cologne and his towering presence beside you. Your hand rested on his forearm, and the heat radiating off of him tempted you to flex your fingers against him. The minute your fingers moved, you felt his bicep tense. It was an action that brought your eyes to him. You lost your breath when you found his were already on you. Goodness, you thought to yourself, slowly trailing your eyes over the details of his face until they landed on his lips.

 “Eh-em.”

 Snapping your head forward, you saw that you’d arrived in the dining room. You pulled your arm free and walked away from Henry flashing them out, trying to cool them from his heat and gain some control over your wayward thoughts. This dining room was a different one from before. It looked more intimate.

 “This is the dining room we prefer to eat in as a family,” Cecelia explained the closer you got to the table.

 Taking your place beside Anika, Henry took his at the head of the table while his mother across from you beside a beaming Jemma. Once everyone was seated, the staff walked in carrying trays of food toward you. Once yours was put down, the silver cover was taken off to reveal a pot roast of some kind.

 “I hope you are not a vegetarian,” Cecelia began.

 “Oh no, my sister and I love all kinds of meat, Anika blurted out, making you give her a harsh eye.

 “Wonderful. Please, dig in.”

 Dinner went on uneventfully. Jemma talked about her plans to include a local orphanage in the planned festivities for the month. Everyone seemed to think it was an excellent idea. Then the conversation turned to Anika as the Queen tried to get to know her better. The only ones who remained relatively quiet were you and Henry. Every so often, your eyes met and lingered. He looked like he wanted to say something, but the words never manifested. That was when your eyes drifted to some part of him, either it was his lips, or his hands, or even those sprigs of black hair that teased the bounty that laid under his shirt just waiting to be played with.

 By the time dinner was finished, and after dinner, coffee and tea were served, things had moved to one of the sitting rooms you’d walked through earlier in the day. After your first cup of chamomile and lavender tea, the queen said her goodnights and left you, Anika, and Jemma to your own devices. It allowed you to crack open one of the books you’d picked earlier. By the time you finished your second cup of tea, exhaustion had caught up with you. When you looked up, it was just you and Henry sitting there. Once again, Anika had disappeared, this time taking Jemma with her.

His nose was buried in a book. Before you could admire the view of him sitting there with one leg crossed over the other, his eyes drifted to you; then he lowered his book to reveal a soft smile. Neither of you spoke. It was a comfortable silence that didn’t need to be filled with words. A yawn sprang from you, making him snort.

 “This can’t be regular chamomile or lavender.”

 “You are probably right. I do know it is farmed straight from the field and brought here,” he answered.

 “Wow, so literally from the earth to your stomach.”

 Henry smiled again.

 “I um—I think I should probably turn in,” you said.

 Henry placed his book aside, then stood. “Allow me to walk you back to your room.”

 “Thank you, your highness.”

 He smiled, came closer, and held his arm out to you.

 “Are you always such a gentleman?”

 “I try to be. It is what I was raised to be,” he replied.

 “So—always. There isn’t a time of day where you say fuck it and let it all fall away?”

 He smiled and stepped a little closer. It was as close as he was the first night in the bar before you parted ways. His eyes bore into you from his towering height, and you decided you wanted to see what he would do.

 “There is about an hour in the morning when I first wake. No one has come in to give me news or updates. It is quiet, and my mind is clear. Then there are those few minutes at night before I fall asleep where I can let everything fall off me. In those two moments—I—I feel like myself.”

 There was a pained look in his eyes that you wanted to know more about.

 “And what does it feel like to be yourself?”

 Henry gave you a melancholy smile. “Lonely.”

 A full minute passed then Henry held out his arm again. “Shall we?”

 You looped your arm and let him lead the way out of the sitting room, down the long corridor, and up the grand steps. The walk was quiet, but you didn’t feel weird being close to him like this. It felt normal. Halfway to your room, Henry spoke.

 “My father told me before he died, the more people that want a piece of you, the less you have for yourself and the lonelier it is at the top.”

 “Sounds like the words of a wise man.”

 “He was very wise.”

 Silence. You’d heard the sadness in his voice the first time he mentioned his father.

 “Do you miss him?”

 “Every single second of every single day,” Henry answered.

 As you turned down the hall that would lead to your room, the silence returned.

 “Your speech was amazing.”

 “You’re saying that because you helped write it.”

 You couldn’t help but laugh. “It doesn’t matter who helped write it. Words are nothing without the conviction to back them up. You made the speech.”

 You could feel his eyes on you, so you met them right before you stopped in front of your door.

 “Thank you,” he whispered. He then took a step to you, closing the wide gap between you.

 “Do you usually have to approve the plans for big events?”

 His crinkled brow said he was confused. “I guess it depends. Why?”

 “Well, since you are so busy being his highness and all, the only way we’d ever see each other the next few days would be for me to accept your mother’s offer and plan this ball seeing how his highness would get the final say-so on all plans. Right?”

 Henry slowly began smiling then he licked his lips. “That sounds about right, but that would mean one thing and one thing only.”

 You leaned against your door and smiled innocently. “And what’s that?”

 “That you want to see me almost as much as I want to see you.”

 Your heart pounded faster and faster. “Almost as much?”

 Henry rested his arm on the door jamb, sort of boxing you in. “You have to know, Xari.”

 “Know what, your highness?”

“Henry,” he whispered quite breathlessly as he stared into your eyes.

The tension between you was palpable. It felt like any second one or both of you were going to do something that neither of you could take back. The loud crack of thunder boomed outside, bringing you both to realize your surroundings. Henry cleared his throat and took two steps back.

 “Good night, Xari. I look forward to seeing those plans at every decision,” he said with a stern face and plenty of humor in his eyes.

 “Your highness.”

 He sighed, then walked back down the hall, leaving you to admire the sway of his hips and the plump but firm state of his ass. God help you, you thought to yourself before you stepped back into your room. You’d never been good at fighting off temptation. You liked to put up a fight but eventually, you always gave in. 

You knew that it was only a matter of time before you did just that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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[of-house-atreides]

This article is breaking my brain

Have you read this article ?

TW: mentions of suicide and also I’m an angry petty bitch

Yes I know this article is from like three weeks ago but I just found it... and I have things to say.

I swear I can’t handle this anymore...

“But today, Loki steps out of his brother’s shadow”... to step in another one. It be the TVA or Sylvie, just... take your pick.

“resuming his role as the God of Mischief” um where? when?

The comedy part is debatable but fine, whatever... I must have missed the noir crime-thriller bit maybe it was between two scenes of Loki getting his ass kicked by literally everyone in this show.

Yeah you forgot that end-credit scene showing Loki alive and well in IW/Endgame.

And no, alternate/variant Loki doesn’t count, he’s not the same person/character.

Because of course when you think of Loki you instantly think his story should take place in a “bureaucratic nightmare” -

And why not hire competent experienced people for Multiverse of Madness and Loki? Is this Marvel’s way of telling us they don’t really care about these projects?

Kevin really said “no experienced writers on this project, let’s just hire whoever” - or maybe it’s a budget thing? Less experience means less zeros on the pay checks?

Wow, ok.

So not a fan of the movies nor a fan of the character, just a fan of the genre, that explains a lot...

“what was really important to me was stripping away all the fantastical elements” ... ?? I’m sorry?? What?? So removing all the fantastical elements from a show titled after who is supposed to be the main character who is a GOD and a prince from another realm/planet was what was important?? The Trickster God of Mischief, magic wielder, master of illusions NEEDED to be stripped from his FANTASTICAL ELEMENTS???

ffs

“find the heart of this story” - is the heart of this story Loki becoming best friends with his (mental and physical) torturer after what? 2 days? Was it falling in love with the ‘superior’ version of himself after only 13 hours together? I’m still looking for the heart of this story.

“what is the relatable message at the center?” - well apparently it’s ‘you can be a God and a warrior with magical powers but still get your ass kicked by literally everyone all the time and never use your strength and skills to fight back’. Or it’s the power of love, idk -

Oh wait, is it falling in love with the female version of himself? For a weird ‘love yourself’ metaphor? That must be it.

Or maybe it’s jet skis.

Ah yes, the ‘you can be good, actually’ message of this series that is so subtly presented to us...

They really missed the whole fucking point of Loki.

They missed it so bad they made him call himself a narcissist (which he isn’t btw).

For the record, Loki is a prince of Asgard who learnt one day he was adopted and in fact taken from one of Asgard’s worst enemies, the King of the Jotuns, aka Frost Giants “the monsters parents tell their children about at night”. He found out he was not only adopted but also abducted and not out of love. He feels not only betrayed but he thinks he understands now why Odin always favoured Thor and why he’d never have the same love from Odin that Thor has had his whole life. He thinks of himself as a monster and wants to be worthy of Odin’s love. So he tries to get it. And sure, he doesn’t do it in the best way, and yes, he is the villain of that story. But Loki isn’t a villain. He doesn’t like to make people suffer, he did it out of pain, out of hurt. The events in Avengers was after he was thoroughly tortured and coerced by Thanos to invade Earth. There is even a moment in the end when Thor asks him if he thinks this ‘madness would stop under his rule’ (or something along those lines) and he looks unsure and regretful. But due to the fear of Thanos and insecurity about himself (love is weakness or whatever) he keeps going. He redeems himself in Dark World, again in Ragnarok and yet again in IW and he was thrown in the trash for it.

Yes, Loki’s story is complex, but it really isn’t that complex... So maybe Loki is a “scared little boy” but his way of acting out makes sense and there’s a legitimate reason for it that was not explored in the show. And his backstory is probably what she called the “bells and the whistles”... 

“we literally delete his universe” - and apparently you deleted his personality too

“it’s a story of reinvention ... can Loki find goodness in himself?” - again, you’re missing the point. Loki is insecure, but not about his ability to do what’s right, but about whether or not he is worthy of love! Finding goodness within himself comes AFTER!

“Loki’s journey, to me, is really about acceptance of himself” - several questions here, um, first, what about himself does he need to accept? That he’s a Jotun? The show never mentions it. That he’s done bad shit and should forgive himself for it? Give him a reason to. Self-love doesn’t come after being mentally and physically tortured by some guy who acts like he’s your best friend after 2 days of working together and being yelled out that “he can be anyone he wants, even something good”.

Show, don’t tell, isn’t that the point of your job?? The job you begged for??

Loki’s journey should have been about self-love and no, falling in love with the female version of yourself (who keeps saying they have nothing in common (because they don’t!)) doesn’t count!

“a more mature and darker path” ...

well this is interesting... was making Loki a clown and the butt of every joke part of making the show mature and dark? Were the terrible attempts at humour? Him being beaten up every two seconds? Having him say lines he’d never say in a million years just to be funny but since it’s out of character for him it fails completely? Was making him incompetent and a complete idiot part of that attempt of making the show mature and dark?

Is that why there’s no magic? You cut off the magician so your show would be more “mature and dark”?

Having him cry every episode doesn’t make your show mature and dark.

Loki from Thor, Avengers, the Dark World and even IW is mature and dark. Your Loki from your series is just a pathetic clown.

“don’t give viewers the story they are expecting” - I personally wasn’t expecting any story, I just wanted Loki, you know, in this Loki series, supposedly all about Loki, and you guys couldn’t even do that.

So this is the author of the article speaking here, I’m guessing, and I think they’re giving a summary of the show so far, so let’s break this down:

“This is Loki as we’ve never seen him before” - I 100% agree -

“Stripped of his self-proclaimed majesty” - ok, first of all, Loki is a prince, that’s a fact, he didn’t make that up, and for the few years he was King of Asgard disguised as Odin, he seemingly did a great job, so...

“but with his ego still intact” - ah, yes, his ego, you know, because he’s such a narcissist... oh wait -

yes he has an ego, but he has a regal one, not misplaced entirely either - his ego in the show is basically him underestimating the TVA and Mobius (as well as the Time Keepers) - his ego is him getting offended by the variant: the ‘superior Loki’ - his ego in the show is used as a weapon to humiliate and belittle him.

“he faces consequences he never thought could happen to such a supreme being as himself” - he literally tried to k*ll himself in the first Thor - literally a result of his own actions - when he returned to Asgard in Dark World, he didn’t try to pretend he hadn’t fucked up. He didn’t try to hide what he had done (he tries to deny to Mobius in episode 2 that he was manipulating them at the fair) - he sacrifices himself in IW... but sure, Loki from the series is indeed surprised that he is powerless (even when he doesn’t need to/shouldn’t be)

“there is a lot of humour ... he is taken down a few pegs by the TVA” ... he is humiliated by the TVA - definitely not what we were expecting, I’ll give you that.

“sentenced to a lifetime of bureaucracy” - definitely did not expect that either

and here comes my favorite quote: “it’s a sad Loki without any mischief”

yes - yes - yes

that is a good summary of this goddamn show, a sad, pathetic, powerless Loki without any personality 

“fallen God” - yeah that’s definitely not what I was expecting either from the Loki series so good job on subverting expectations I guess...

“who is going to win out in this match between them?”

there is no match - Loki is powerless - he’s been turned into a pathetic docile harmless wet dog - Mobius literally mentally (episode 1 and 4) and physically (episode 4) tortures him, both time in an attempt to have Loki do his bidding - Loki is the dog and Mobius is the master - even when Loki ‘tries’ to manipulate him it fails because he’s underestimating them (by overestimating himself) - he uses obvious techniques to manipulate the TVA (episode 2) and nobody buys it because it’s not subtle at all! Loki is smarter than that, he is a TRICKSTER GOD FFS!

“there is an interesting dynamic between them that maybe you haven’t seen with Loki in the Marvel movies” - yeah, maybe there’s a reason for that... like... he wouldn’t... submit so easily... he’d be wary, cautious, cunning... he’d be... himself...

Sans déconner ?

It’s like whoever wrote the series didn’t actually know shit about Loki... like that wasn’t fucking obvious...

And those lectures were apparently done after the script was written so... again, no surprise there... we can see that

Well...

“we wanted the show to be imbued with mischief” vs “sad Loki without any mischief” choose your fighter

“Loki has this very sensitive, damaged, broken heart with an enormous capacity to feel emotion on the biggest scale.”

Are surprised that only Tom so far has portrayed and talked about Loki accurately?

“loneliness, sadness, anger and grief and loss”

I love this man.

I do wonder what Mr. Branagh thinks of the show...

I’m of the people who see a vulnerability beneath those layers of charm and playfulness. I love Loki because he’s smart and cunning and regal, and elegant and sophisticated. I love him cause at the end of the day, he just wants to be loved, and he deserves to be loved.

And in the end, the only Loki I can’t stand is the one from the series.

[doctenwho]

Ten’s Proposal

Sure can do! I’m not the best at romantic stuff (I’m attempting to learn, and getting better I think), but hopefully it’s what you were looking for! Thanks for the request, and I’m glad you like the content!

Get ready for some Ten being a giant romantic and a bit of a nervous wreck! 

Warnings: None

Word Count: 3,557

Summary: Read the prompt above!

(Gif doesn’t belong to me, credit to creator!)

“Right then!”  

Your body jerked roughly as the TARDIS landed, feet slipping a bit as your hand shot out to grab one of the rails behind you to ground yourself. Not only had you not been expecting to land right then (the Doctor had given no warning), but you’d also been a bit lost in your own head.  

“We’re here,” the Doctor continued on with a grin, pushing a few buttons and pulling a lever on the TARDIS’s control panel, “c’mon then, a whole new planet for us to explore!”

You righted your footing, pulling yourself upright in order to glare at the Doctor halfheartedly. He turned towards you with an excited grin, but blinked when he caught sight of your glare.  

“Whot?” His eyebrow rose in confusion and his eyes tracked your movements of steadying yourself.

“A bit of a warning would’ve been nice,” you huffed as you moved to join the Doctor at the console, he gave you an apologetic smile before averting his attention back down to the screen on the TARDIS’s console. “Where are we exactly?”

“A small planet just beyond the milky-way. We’re about thirty-four thousand light-years, give or take, away from your earth.” The Doctor explained, turning the screen he’d been studying towards you so you could get an image of what he was talking about. A lot of what was written on the screen you didn’t understand, number higher than you could count and planets listed that you’d never even dreamed could exist.

“Thirty-four thousand light-years away from earth?” You gaped, trying to make sense of what was being shown, “how far is that?”

“Hn,” the Doctor paused, taking a second to do some quick mental math, “a light-year is nearly six trillion miles, and the milky way is roughly twenty-seven thousand light-years away from your earth, so, this planet would be... eh one point nine million nine hundred eighty-seven thousand three hundred twenty-six multiplied by ten to the power of seventeen miles? Give or take, once more.”

You watched as the Doctor ran a hand through his hair, almost as if he were trying to clear away the numbers from his brain, then grinned at you.  

“...what?” you couldn’t help but ask. Everything he’d just said had really gone in one ear and out the other. It was like he’d just started speaking Gallifreyan to you, when you knew he was still speaking English, just... really, really smart English.

“Alot,” he simplified for you with a fond smile, “a very, very large amount of earth miles.”

“We’re very far away,” you mumbled, eyes still locked on the screen, trying (and failing) to make sense of the large line of numbers.

“Incredibly far away,” the Doctor agreed with a laugh. “Now, we’re not here to talk maths, we’re here to have a look around, right?”  

You didn’t really say anything else as you watched the man stride towards the TARDIS doors and throw them open, he turned back to grin at you, then gestured you over before stepping out of the TARDIS, “it’s just as beautiful as I remember,” the Doctor sighed happily, before glancing back at you and holding a hand out as an invitation, “well, c’mon, (Y/N).”  

You barely even hesitated before moving to follow him out, peeking out the doorway before gaping at the scene before you and taking the Doctor’s proffered hand.  

He pulled you out, into his side so he could throw an arm over your shoulder, “welcome to Noelani, (Y/N).”

“It’s beautiful,” you whispered, stunned.

It was an ocean, a sandy beach, with a beautiful ocean.  

But it wasn’t anything like you’d ever seen before. The water was a rich purple, and the sand a stunning white that could put the Bahamas or Hawaii back on earth to shame. The sky was clouded, but two bright orange suns could be seen shining high above the waves.  

“It’s... it’s beautiful,” you stammered, because it truly was. It was like an edited photo from one of the beaches on your planet. Familiar, but completely out of your world too.

“Indeed,” the Doctor nodded, stepping down and dragging you along with him. “I’ve always loved coming here. It’s one of my favorite places in this universe, since no matter when I come the suns are always shining.”

The man paused, thoughtful before he added a slow, “I haven’t come around for a while, but it’s still exactly like I remember.”

“You stopped coming?” You asked as you fell into step with him, barely able to draw your eyes from the world around you. It didn’t look real, but then again, when did anything the Doctor showed you look real?

You couldn’t imagine knowing a place like this and not coming back—as of now, you’d surely want the Doctor to bring you back and you hadn’t even left yet.

“It’s been... fifty-seven years? Fifty-eight?”

“Wow,” you turned to look at the Doctor. The two of you were down by the water now, close enough to touch if you wanted, but you stayed back with the Doctor. He wasn’t looking at you, just staring out to sea thoughtfully.  

You stood beside him for a moment, letting him think, or whatever it was he was doing, before you cleared your throat, drawing in his eyes, “is it... okay to touch?”

The Doctor’s eyes followed your gesture downwards towards the water that was slowly climbing towards your shoes. If the water did prove to be safe, you’d probably take your shoes off and walk along the sand—or maybe in the water if it was warm enough to do so.

“Oh,” he looked from the water back to you, “oh, of course! It’s perfectly safe,” then, the Doctor was crouching down and dunking his hand into the water, whether to prove its safety to you, or to test it before you could in case he was wrong, you couldn't tell, “yes, it’s perfectly alright. No different from the ocean on earth.”

“Really?” you asked seriously, leaning forwards to dip your fingers into the purple water. It was perfectly warm—cool enough to be refreshing, but heated enough from the suns that you could jump right in like a regular swimming pool on earth.

“Of course,” the Doctor nodded, standing to his full height and wiping the wetness on his hand off onto his trousers, “well, a bit different.”

“Because it’s purple?”

“No-- well, yes,” the Doctor laughed lightly, “it is purple, but that wasn’t what I was going to say. This planet is really like nothing else in the galaxy.”

“What does that mean?” you asked curiously as you took your hand from the water and shook off the drops clinging to your fingers. The water came off just like regular water would, you’d kinda expected the rich purple colour to stain your hands.

“Everything is clean,” the Doctor explains, “it’s untouched by anything, clean of humans and creatures, and even Gallifreyians. There’re no lifeforms of any sort. No aquatic animals, no fish, or trees, no underwater plant life. It’s created its own ecosystem without really having the necessary components to create one. Technically speaking, nothing that breaths oxygen should be able to survive here.”

“How can it be untouched if we’re here?” you ask before jumping onto the next, more important question, “wait, how are we breathing?!”

“That,” the Doctor turns to you with a grin, “is the fun bit. It cleans its self. Algae unlike any other, on any other planet I’ve seen. It cleans and filters the water and air, turns any carbon dioxide that happens to be here back into oxygen like any other photosynthesizing plant. Even the sand gets cleaned, which I’m still not sure how that happens when this planet is inhabited.”  

The Doctor blinked in mild confusion before continuing on, “in two weeks, it’ll be like we never even stepped foot on this planet. It always reverts back to its pristine initial state.”

“That’s amazing,” you grinned, “it’s so beautiful here, why do more people not know it exists?”

“It’s hidden a bit,” the Doctor grinned in return, “a gem hidden behind the universe’s tourist attraction, like the milky way. I only found it because I was looking for it- well, I was looking for nothing, seeing where the TARDIS took me, but found it anyways.”

“The TARDIS made a good find then,” you gave the man a smile, taking his hand again after wiping any of the water that had still clung to you had even after the shake onto your shirt.

“She did,” the man laughed, “as far as I know, no one else knows of this planet, but that’s just going off of that I’ve never seen anyone else here before.”

“More ocean planet for us then,” you laughed as the Doctor started walking, pulling you along carefully.

“Yes,” the man smiled adoringly, “but we can’t stay here too long. We’ll run out of oxygen, since there’s only the algae here to filter the carbon dioxide back into oxygen. That process is a bit slower than us breathing though. We have... I’d say three days between the two of us of fresh air, before we’ll need to head off and let it revert back once more.”

“Three days seems like a good vacation,” you joked. The Doctor laughed, dragging his thumb along your knuckles where he was still holding your hand before he interlaced your fingers together.

“Shall we walk along the shore?” the Doctor offered softly, looking down at you fondly. He had a soft smile on his lips, and his eyes kept scanning your face, “there’s a peninsula a bit away but it has a beautiful view.”

“Sounds good to me,” you gave a supportive one shoulder shrug before smiling at him, “I’m going to take my shoes off though. I’d rather not have my shoes filled with sand.”

The Doctor nodded, releasing your hand so you could kick off your shoes and gather them up so they didn’t get lost or forgotten on this planet.  

“I’ll carry them,” the Doctor volunteered, taking them from your hands and holding them by their collars in one hand. He slipped his other hand back into yours, grinning at you before leading you along down the shore.  

You’d never seen anything as beautiful as this planet. Not on earth, not on any other planet the Doctor had taken you to in the years you’d known him. It was unique, and lovely and it made you feel special that the Doctor would bring you here. He’d spoken highly of the place since he’d brought you here, and it made your heart stutter in your chest that he thought you were worthy enough to show it to you.

The Doctor looked lost in thought as he led you along. Occasionally he’d glance in your direction, almost as if he were checking to make sure you were still with him, even though he was holding your hand. When you’d catch him staring at you, you’d raise an eyebrow in question, but he’d just smile widely and turn away without a word.  

The two of you walked for a while, but you couldn’t complain. The sand was soft and almost fluffy under your feet. It wasn’t as rocky and granulated as it was on earth, but fine and almost like a dense grainy dust. And even with the two suns shining down on you, you weren’t hot or sweating after all the walking.  

You were walking closer to the ocean, and every few minutes the water would crawl up and brush against your toes and the sides of your feet, but it was really nice. The Doctor was on your other side, staying on the dry sand since he hadn’t taken his shoes off.  

It wasn’t long until the peninsula came into view, just as the Doctor had described it. The purple water crashed softly against the sand; waves small but visible. You hurried your pace, dragging the Doctor behind you this time. You wanted to stand in the middle of the sand and see nothing but water in front of you and to your sides.  

You really wished you had a camera of some sort because it really was breathtaking. You knew people on earth who would’ve killed to see something like this. And you really weren’t sure anyone would really believe you if you told them.

“Do you like it?” the Doctor asked by your side when the two of you stopped moving. You turned your attention from the waves, looking towards him and nodding with a wide smile.  

“I really do,” you told him.

“Good,” the Doctor smiled, almost like he was pleased with himself. The two of you just stood for a moment, looking out at the sea.  

“You know,” the Doctor spoke, “there is a reason I brought you here...”

“Oh?” you looked back over at the Doctor. He’d set your shoes on the ground beside him, and his hand that wasn’t holding your hand was tucked in his suit jacket pocket. “And what would that reason be?”  

“There was something I wanted to ask you, I’m just not sure how to do so. I feel like it differentiates between planets, and I... well, I don’t want to do it wrong.” The Doctor turned towards you, tilting his head as he let your hand go. Before you could frown at him doing so, you were distracted by him stuffing the hand you’d just been holding in his remaining pocket.  

It looked like he was looking for something. Searching through his pockets—it wasn’t unusual for him to lose something in his bigger on the inside pockets.

“You can ask me anything,” you promised, watching the man closely.  

“I know,” the Doctor paused in his searching through his pockets to grin at you, “now, uh, as you know I’ve had a few companions through my life who choose to stay with me and travel through space and time. And as much as I love having companions with me, keeping me company, I’ve learned not to... get attached to humans. For obvious regenerating Time-Lord reasons.”

You weren’t really sure where this was going.  

“But I, well, the thing is, I’ve gotten a bit attached to you. Well, more than a bit attached. You’ve been with me for, well, for years now. You’ve been a constant in my life for so long now. I... well, I can’t really imagine my life without you. There have been very few people that... that I love, and you’re one of them.”

You didn’t say anything, letting the man sort through whatever he was trying to do. You were sure anything you said would’ve distracted him. So it was best to just let him do whatever he needed to do before you replied, or touched him or anything along those lines.

The Doctor looked down for a moment before looking back up at you. He pulled one of his hands from his pocket and took your hand into his once more, holding it tight and secure, but soft as well.

“You make me happy, and you’re always by my side, and, well, the TARDIS loves you too. You’re... well, you’re just perfect. You’re perfect and I’ve not thought about you as just my companion for quite some time now. I... I love you; I love you differently than I love my past companions.”

“I love you too,” you whispered, squeezing his hand softly.

“I know,” the man gave you a goofy grin, “I’ve known that all along, but you never knew I loved you in return. I have for... for a long time now.”

It made you smile that the man was saying he loved you. You’d told him you loved him when the two of you first started kind of dating—which was after about a year and a half earth time of space travelling together.  

The Doctor would never call it dating, but that’s what it was, whether he liked it or not. Maybe it was more courting to him, but whatever it was, it was as close to human dating as you could get. And you loved every minute of it.  

He’d never once muttered the words back to you though, not even the times you were sure he was going to say it back, or when he looked like he was biting his tongue to keep from repeating them back to you. He’d always had a sort of reluctance to saying anything overly fond-- like I love you, which you could understand. He’d probably said it too loved ones he lost along the way.  

You knew he loved you—but it was something else to actually hear him say it.  

“I should probably get on with it,” the Doctor mumbled. You eyed the Doctor hesitantly, curious but a little afraid of what could be coming next all the same.

He shook his head, as he cleared his throat, “it’s been a very long time since I’ve even thought about asking anyone this but,” the man suddenly dropped down onto one knee, managing to keep his hold on your hand, pull his second hand which had been tucked in his pocket the whole time out, and all without tumbling down, “(Y/N), my brilliantly amazing human companion, will you possibly do me the honors of marrying me?”

And it was then that your brain short circuited.  

In his hands was a ring. Small, but perfect. It had tiny little gems that you couldn’t really make out with the suns light casting through them and making them sparkle beautifully. The band was gold, but you were almost certain it wasn’t earth gold.

He’d just asked... he wanted to marry you. In that moment you didn’t know how to speak—how to express your enthusiastic agreeance to the proposal. You weren’t even sure you could form words beyond the unintelligible slur of letters falling from your mouth.

Marriage. The Doctor wanted to marry you.  

“I’m sorry if this was wrong for human ideations,” the Doctor mumbled, forcing you to blink yourself out of your excited daze, “I’ve only ever seen one romantic film from your earth, and I really tried to mimic it with the romantic setting and the ring and the monologue but if-”

“Yes.”

The Doctor froze, fingers tightening around yours for a split second before they relaxed. “Yes?” he repeated like he’d heard you wrong. He looked ready for rejection, even if you’d literally already said yes. He was still on one knee, staring up at you.

“Yes!” You gave a sharp, excited nod, which was followed by an almost frantic laugh. You reached your hand up to cover over your mouth, as if you could stop the unvoluntary sounds you were making, “yes. Yes, I’ll marry you, Doctor!”

It took less than a second for the Doctor to be up, pushing up into your space and grinning widely in excitement.  

“That was a yes!” The Doctor beamed, eyes lighting up in sheer excitement as he bounced on the balls of his feet where he was stood beside you, “you said yes! Oh, (Y/N), my love, you said yes!”

The Doctor slipped the ring he’d held out to you onto your engagement finger (on the wrong hand, but you’d fix it later), then he was cupping your cheeks and pulling you into a kiss you couldn’t be happier to accept.  

He pulled back in the same excitement he’d pulled you in with, eyes wide and adorning, and smile as bright as you’d ever seen it. You were sure your smile matched his almost identically. “You said yes,” he repeated, like he almost couldn’t believe it.

“I said yes,” you laughed, eyes watering as you looked up at the Doctor. His eyes were a bit wet too, but he looked more concerned over your damp eyes than his own.  

“You’re crying,” he whispered, cradling your jaw in his hands and swiping his thumbs under your eye lids to wipe away the tears.

“So are you,” you giggled, lightly slapping your hands on either of his cheeks so you could dry his tears as he’d done to you. “Happy tears,” you added as an explanation for the both of you.  

“Incredibly happy tears,” the Doctor gave a light laugh, “you’ve made me so incredibly happy, my love.”

“We’re getting married,” you dreamily whispered in reply. You still couldn’t believe it. You’d never really though the Doctor ever would’ve wanted something like this. Like marriage. And to a human no less.

“You’ll be my wife,” the Doctor agreed, eyes fondly settling on your face, “my beautiful wife.”

The Doctor pulled you into a hug, and you happily returned it, pressing the side of your face against his chest. He held you tightly, settling his cheek atop of you head, but you could almost feel him smiling above you. His hearts were sped up, excited and happy, and it made your whole being light up with warmth.

“I really do love you,” he whispered lovingly above you, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to the top of your head, “I’m so happy you said yes.”

“I love you too,” you reminded for the second time, grinning into the fabric of his suit jacket. “I always have, and I always will.”

<><><><>

Hope you enjoyed Ten’s overly excessive saying of the word ‘well’ while he’s nervous! As always, let me know if it wasn’t what you were looking for! I do hope I did the proposal justice, but I just don’t know with romance.

Oh, and Noelani means heavenly mist in Hawaiian as far as I know (from Google) and I thought it was an adorable name for the ocean planet. Now, as always, thanks for reading and new promps always appreciated!

[otterskin]

Pet Peeves in Thor Stuff

Inspired by a few posts doing this, so thought I’d vent and get it out here.

1. MCU Loki’s Name

I don’t care what the fan-run wikis say. All the official MCU material, including the text of the actual movies themselves, call him Loki Odinson or, for a brief period, Loki of Asgard. Loki Laufeyson is the name of a character from Marvel comics, and him having that name makes sense for that character’s backstory, which is very, very different from ‘adopted at birth and a late discovery’ MCU Loki. Incidentally, Norse Mythology Loki is not Loki Laufeyson, he’s Loki Laufeyjarson, which is a matronym because Laufey is his mother in most Norse Myths.

Loki in Thor 1 was Loki Odinson, Avengers was Loki of Asgard, and he certainly seemed fond of Odin again in Ragnarok and officially reclaimed the title Odinson in IW. He’s called Odinson over and over again in official Marvel publications such as the illustrated dictionary. Please stop using the wrong name. It’s weird and wrong to assume his name MUST default to his birth-father’s upon discovery of adoption, no matter what he’d been called his whole life. Especially when I think it’s pretty clear that Loki vehemently rejects any relationship with that namesake. He literally murdered Laufey to prove to Odin he had only one father, I don’t know how he could be more clear about his preferences.

And yes, I do think that this invalidates the fan-wikis as good sources of information. If they can’t get a name right, you probably shouldn’t trust anything in the article below it. Stick with canon publications.

2. The Transformation Spell

And heck, while we’re on this page, yes, the spell keeping Loki Asgardian is Odin’s. I don’t mind fanfic that posits a different origin, because hey, we’re just trying to have fun here, do what you want and I’ve probably read a lot of it already - but this is the canon explanation, please stop messaging me to tell me I’m wrong when I say it’s Odin’s spell doing it. Also, the reason it didn’t break when Odin died is because magic can outlive the caster, as Doctor Strange said. This ain’t the Phantom Menace.

(Incidentally, this dictionary is fun and even has entries for Huginn and Muninn!)

3. Step-brothers and Half-brothers are different things and neither is correct for Thor and Loki’s relationship. Nor is Odin Loki’s step-father.

I don’t see this in the Thor Fandom much, it’s more in articles and reviews I’ve read, but it’s kinda appalling how people don’t know the difference between brothers, step-brothers, half-brothers, and blood-brothers. Not being sure who your second cousin twice removed is I get, but I would hope that these are much more commonly understood. Just to get it off my chest, even though I’m sure no-one reading has ever thought different -

Step-brothers are when two unrelated families are joined by marriage. The children share no biological parents, but their parents are married. Unless Odin married Laufey at some point, he is not Loki’s step-father, and Thor is not Loki’s step-brother. (I mean, Odin’s had a long and probably very interesting and mysterious life, so I suppose it’s POSSIBLE he had a real bender at one point, but even if he had a Vegas wedding to the King of the Frost Giants and then decided to throw away the ring as if nothing had happened, the relationship he has with Loki has always been identified as ‘Father’).

Half-brothers are when children share one biological parent, but not two. So unless that bender with Laufey got REALLY crazy, Loki is not Thor’s half-brother either.

Blood-brothers - So some people will use this phrase to refer to people who are related by blood, but that’s sort of an older phrase. However, for most elementary school kids and in the context of Norse Mythology, it has another meaning - two people, unrelated by birth, who undergo a ceremony that involves blood mixing as an oath of brotherhood. Norse-Myth Loki is usually depicted as blood-brothers with Odin (and, in a few rare stories I read, with Thor, instead, but that’s a long story about how Thor was slowly starting to replace Odin as chief patriarch and therefore subsuming a lot of his traits and relationships). However, in the MCU, neither of these meanings currently applies to Thor and Loki. They are not blood related, and they’ve not undergone any blood oath ceremony either (although you can bet your briskets I’d LOVE to see that and it’s been in my general prediction box/wish-list since 2011. Imagine how happy it’d make us to see Thor and Loki choose to have their relationship, rather than feeling like it was Odin’s decision and they’re just living with it.).

Brothers - if in doubt about any brotherly relationship, just say this and you won’t be wrong. Thor and Loki are brothers, or adopted brothers, full stop. So no more step-half-blood nonsense.

And to be clear, if you’re writing fanfic that re-imagines this relationship, this is in no way directed at you. I’m more venting at the dearth of articles, presumably written by university graduates with an English degree, who can’t seem to keep this straight.

4. Brother is a Proper Noun

While I’m on this brother train, a small grammatical note - ‘Father’, ‘Mother’, and ‘Brother’, if being used in place of a name, are proper nouns, which means they’re capitalized.

Ex. “Stop smearing your booger on my shirt, Brother.”

It’s not capitalized if it’s not being used in place of a name, but is simply referring to the noun.

Ex. 2 “My brother once ate a whole goat without noticing it was still alive.”

Ex. 3 “I never knew we had a sister.”

Sorry, sorry - but I see this mistake a lot while I’m reading and I daresay I make it myself all the time!

5. Frigga isn’t perfect

Real talk, one of my least favourite tropes in fiction is ‘Woman on a Pedestal’. I really feel it denies female characters agency if they’re made out to be perfect lovely angels loved by everyone. I’ve read a ton of great fics that explore the flaws Frigga is suggested to have in the MCU but never got the screen time to deal with, and they are some of my favourites. I’ve also read a ton where she’s endlessly patient, wise, righteous, and oh-so-much-better than that heartless Odin or oaf Thor, if only she’d been in charge the whole time, nothing would have gone wrong! It’s a matter of taste and I’d never tell anyone to not write what makes them happy, but I really do think Frigga’s a better character when you engage with her mistakes and oversights and less-than-noble aspects. Women in the MCU have really gotten a short shaft when it comes to character arcs, flaws, and general humanity. Almost all the mothers are on pedestals in it, and with that comes a lack of introspection. Frigga could be argued to be in that category, but at least there is some material to suggest her imperfections that can be exploited. (Unlike Quill and Stark’s mothers, say.)

I leave it up to everyone to interpret the character for themselves, but for me her weaknesses are that she

tends to deflect blame for her choices onto others, particularly Odin.

sometimes acts to smooth things over without really acknowledging hurt, either caused or experienced.

has a manipulative streak and isn’t afraid to leverage her sons’ affection for her to get them to do what she wants, which is often ‘smoothing things over’.

probably spoiled her kids a bit

has an allergy to giant knives

Personally I like these things about her. They come from her life as a peace-maker, both in her role as a politician and a Queen and in her role in the family. She’s loyal, clever, witty, a confidant, and had the best scene in Endgame by a long mile. Frigga is the mom we’ve seen the most of, and I would love to see more in any form.

AH.... that felt good. I might do another post on my problems with how Thor is sometimes portrayed, but that’s a whole other, very personal, thing. Thanks for reading this dumb thing.